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were there to； oh； okay； they were there to prevent a late…term abortion； and looks like they succeeded； but these two clergy got their asses killed doing it。 Third one； a monsignor named Franz Schepke…that sounds pretty German to me…was there； too； and looks like he survived…oh； okay； he must be the tall one you see on the tape。 You gotta see the tape。 It's a hell of a confused mess； sir； and when this Yu guy gets it； well； it's like that video from Saigon during the Tet Offensive。 You know； where the South Vietnamese police colonel shot the North Vietnamese spy in the side of the head with a Smith Chief's Special； you know； like a fountain of blood ing out the head。 Ain't something to watch with your Egg McMuffin； y'know？〃 the watch officer observed。 The reference came across clearly enough。 The news media had celebrated the incident as an example of the South Vietnamese government's bloodthirstiness。 They had never explained…probably never even knew…that the man shot had been an officer of the North Vietnamese army captured in a battle zone wearing civilian clothing； therefore； under the Geneva Protocols was a spy liable to summary execution； which was exactly what he'd received。
〃Okay； what else？〃
〃Do we wake the Boss up for this？ I mean； we got a diplomatic team over there； and this has some serious implications。〃
Goodley thought about that for a second or two。 〃No。 I'll brief him in a few hours。〃
〃Sir； it's sure as hell going to be on CNN's seven o'clock morning report；〃 the watch officer warned。
〃Well； let me brief him when he has more than just pictures。〃
〃Your call； Dr。 Goodley。〃
〃Thanks。 Now； I think I'll try to get one more hour before I drive over to Langley。〃 The phone went down before Goodley heard a reaction。 His job carried a lot of prestige； but it denied him sleep and much of a social or sex life； and at moments like this he wondered what the hell was so goddamned prestigious about it。
CHAPTER 25
Fence Rending
The speed of modern munications makes for curious disconnects。 In this case； the American government knew what had happened in Beijing long before the government of the People's Republic did。 What appeared in the White House Office of Signals appeared also in the State Department's Operations Center； and there the senior officer present had decided； naturally enough； to get the information immediately to the U。S。 Embassy in Beijing。 There Ambassador Carl Hitch took the call at his desk on the encrypted line。 He forced the caller from Foggy Bottom to confirm the news twice before making his first reaction； a whistle。 It wasn't often that an accredited ambassador of any sort got killed in a host country； much less by a host country。 What the hell； he wondered； was Washington going to do about this？
〃Damn；〃 Hitch whispered。 He hadn't even met Cardinal DiMilo yet。 The official reception had been planned for two weeks from now in a future that would never e。 What was he supposed to do？ First； he figured； get off a message of condolence to the Vatican mission。 （Foggy Bottom would so notify the Vatican through the Nuncio in Washington； probably。 Maybe even Secretary Adler would drive over himself to offer official condolences。 Hell； President Ryan was Catholic； and maybe he would go himself； Hitch speculated。） Okay； Hitch told himself； things to do here。 He had his secretary call the Nuncio's residence； but all he got there was a Chinese national answering the phone； and that wasn't worth a damn。 That would have to go on the back burner。。； what about the Italian Embassy？ he thought next。 The Nuncio was an Italian citizen； wasn't he？ Probably。 Okay。 He checked his card file and dialed up the Italian ambassador's private line。
〃Paulo？ This is Carl Hitch。 Thanks； and you？ I have some bad news； I'm afraid 。 。 。 the Papal Nuncio； Cardinal DiMilo； he's been shot and killed in some Beijing hospital by a Chinese policeman 。 。 。 it's going to be on CNN soon； not sure how soon 。 。 。 we're pretty certain of it； I'm afraid 。 。 。 I'm not entirely sure； but what I've been told is that he was there trying to prevent the death of a child； or one of those late…term abortions they do here 。 。 。 yeah 。 。 。 say； doesn't he e from a prominent family？〃 Then Hitch started taking notes。 〃Vincenzo； you said？ I see 。 。 。 Minister of Justice two years ago？ I tried to call over there； but all I got was some local answering the phone。 German？ Schepke？〃 More notes。 〃I see。 Thank you； Paulo。 Hey； if there's anything we can help you with over here 。 。 。 right。 Okay。 Bye。〃 He hung up。 〃Damn。 Now what？〃 he asked the desk。 He could spread the bad news to the German Embassy； but； no； he'd let someone else do that。 For now 。。。 he checked his watch。 It was still short of sunrise in Washington； and the people there would wake up to find a firestorm。 His job； he figured； was to verify what had happened so that he could make sure Washington had good information。 But how the hell to do that？ His best potential source of information was this Monsignor Schepke； but the only way to get him was to stake out the Vatican Embassy and wait for him to e home。 Hmm； would the Chinese be holding him somewhere？ No； probably not。 Once their Foreign Ministry found out about this； they'd probably fall all over themselves trying to apologize。 So； they'd put extra security on the Nuncio's place； and that would keep newsies away； but they're not going to mess with accredited diplomats； not after killing one。 This was just so bizarre。 Carl Hitch had been a foreign…service officer since his early twenties。 He'd never e across anything like this before； at least not since Spike Dobbs had been held hostage in Afghanistan by guerrillas； and the Russians had screwed up the rescue mission and gotten him killed。 Some said that had been deliberate； but even the Soviets weren't that dumb； Hitch thought。 Similarly； this hadn't been a deliberate act either。 The Chinese were munists； and munists didn't gamble that way。 It just wasn't part of their nature or their training。
So； how had this happened？ And what； exactly； had happened？
And when would he tell Cliff Rutledge about it？ And what effect might this have on the trade talks？ Carl Hitch figured he'd have a full evening。
The People's Republic will not be dictated to；〃 Foreign Minister Shen Tang concluded。
〃Minister；〃 Rutledge replied； 〃it is not the intention of the United States to dictate to anyone。 You make your national policy to suit your nation's needs。 We understand and respect that。 We require； however； that you understand and respect our right to make our national policy as well； to suit our country's needs。 In this case； that means invoking the provisions of the Trade Reform Act。〃
That was a big； sharp sword to wave； and everyone in the room knew it； Mark Gant thought。 The TRA enabled the Executive Branch to replicate any nation's trade laws as applied to American goods； and mirror…image them against that nation's own goods。 It was international proof of the adage that the shoe could sure pinch if it was on the other foot。 In this case； everything China did to exclude American manufactured goods from the Chinese marketplace would simply be invoked