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more so that on the way over； this Lieutenant Rong spoke discreetly with his men； who turned in the same direction； staying still but with a similar look of determination on their faces as they flexed their muscles in preparation for something。
〃You must turn camera off；〃 Rong told Wise。
〃Excuse me？〃
〃Camera； turn off；〃 the police lieutenant repeated。
〃Why？〃 Wise asked； his mind going immediately into race mode。
〃Orders；〃 Rong explained tersely。
〃What orders？〃
〃Orders from police headquarter；〃 Rong said further。
〃Oh； okay；〃 Wise replied。 Then he held out his hand。
〃Turn off camera now！〃 Lieutenant Rong insisted； wondering what the extended hand was all about。
〃Where is the order？〃
〃What？〃
〃I cannot turn my camera off without a written order。 It is a rule for my pany。 Do you have a written order？〃
〃No；〃 Rong said； suddenly nonplussed。
〃And the order must be signed by a captain。 A major would be better； but it must be a captain at least to sign the order；〃 Wise went on。 〃It is a rule of my pany。〃
〃Ah；〃 Rong managed to say next。 It was as if he'd walked headfirst into an invisible wall。 He shook his head； as though to shake off the force of a physical impact； and walked five meters away； pulling out his radio again to report to someone elsewhere。 The exchange took about a minute； then Rong came back。 〃Order e soon；〃 the lieutenant informed the American。
〃Thank you；〃 Wise responded； with a polite smile and half bow。
Lieutenant Rong went off again； looking somewhat confused until he grouped his men together。 He had instructions to carry out now； and they were instructions he and they understood； which was usually a good feeling for citizens of the PRC； especially those in uniform。
〃Trouble； Barry；〃 Nichols said； turning the camera toward the cops。 He'd caught the discussion of the written order； and managed to keep his face straight only by biting his tongue hard。 Barry had a way of confounding people。 He'd even done it to presidents more than once。
〃I see it。 Keep rolling；〃 Wise replied off…mike。 Then to Atlanta： 〃Something's going to happen here； and I don't like the looks of it。 The police appear to have gotten an order from someone。 As you just heard； they asked us to turn our camera off and we managed to refuse the request until we get a written order from a superior police official； in keeping with CNN policy；〃 Wise went on； knowing that someone in Beijing was watching this。 The thing about munists； he knew； was that they were maniacally organized； and found a request in writing to be pletely reasonable； however crazy it might appear to an outsider。 The only question now； he knew； was whether they'd follow their verbal radioed order before the draft for the CNN crew came。 Which priority came first。。。？
The immediate priority； of course； was maintaining order in their own city。 The cops took out their batons and started heading toward the Baptists。
〃Where do I stand； Barry？〃 Pete Nichols asked。
〃Not too close。 Make sure you can sweep the whole playing field；〃 Wise ordered。
〃Gotcha；〃 the cameraman responded。
They tracked Lieutenant Rong right up to Wen Zhong； where a verbal order was given； and just as quickly rejected。 The order was given again。 The shotgun mike on the camera just barely caught the reply for the third iteration：
〃Diao ren； chou ni ma di be！〃 the overweight Chinese shouted into the face of the police official。 Whatever the imprecation meant； it made a few eyes go wide among the worshippers。 It also earned Wen a smashed cheekbone from Rong's personal baton。 He fell to his knees； blood already streaming from the ripped skin； but then Wen struggled back to his feet； turned his back on the cop； and turned to yet another page in his Bible。 Nichols changed position so that he could zoom in on the testament； and the blood dripping onto the pages。
Having the man turn his back to him only enraged Lieutenant Rong more。 His next swing came down on the back of Wen's head。 That one buckled his knees； but amazingly failed to drop him。 This time； Rong grabbed his shoulder with his left hand and spun him about； and the third blow from the baton rammed directly into the man's solar plexus。 That sort of blow will fell a professional boxer； and it did so to this restaurateur。 A blink later； he was on his knees； one hand holding his Bible； the other grasping at his upper abdomen。
By this time； the other cops were moving in on the remainder of the crowd； swinging their own nightsticks at people who cringed but didn't run。 Yu Chun was the first of them。 Not a tall woman even by Chinese standards； she took the full force of a blow squarely in the face； which broke her nose and shot blood out as though from a garden sprinkler。
It didn't take long。 There were thirty…four parishioners and twelve cops； and the Christians didn't resist effectively； not so much because of their religious beliefs as because of their societal conditioning not to resist the forces of order in their culture。 And so； uniformly they stood； and uniformly they took the blows with no more defense than a cringe； and uniformly they collapsed to the street with bleeding faces。 The policemen withdrew almost immediately； as though to display their work to the CNN camera； which duly took the shots and transmitted them around the world in a matter of seconds。
〃You getting this？〃 Wise asked Atlanta。
〃Blood and all； Barry；〃 the director replied； from his swivel chair at CNN headquarters。 〃Tell Nichols I owe him a beer。〃
〃Roger that。〃
〃It seems that the local police had orders to break up this religious meeting； which they regard as something of a political nature； and politically threatening to their government。 As you can see； none of these people are armed； and none resisted the attack by the police in any way。 Now…〃 He paused on seeing another bicycle speed its way up the street to where they were。 A uniformed cop jumped off and handed something to Lieutenant Rong。 This the lieutenant carried to Barry Wise。
〃Here order。 Turn camera off！〃 he demanded。
〃Please； allow me to look at the order；〃 Wise replied； so angry at what he'd just seen that he was willing to risk a cracked head of his own； just so Pete got it up to the satellite。 He scanned the page and handed it back。 〃I cannot read this。 Please excuse me；〃 he went on； deliberately baiting the man and wondering exactly where the limits were； 〃but I cannot read your language。〃
It looked as though Rong's eyes would pop out of his head。 〃It say here； turn camera off！〃
〃But I can't read it； and neither can my pany；〃 Wise responded； keeping his voice entirely reasonable。
Rong saw the camera and microphone were both pointed his way； and now he realized that he was being had； and had badly。 But he also knew he had to play the game。 〃It say here； must turn camera off now。〃 Rong's fingers traced the page from one symbol to another。
〃Okay； I guess you're telling me the truth。〃 Wise stood erect and turned to face the camera。 〃Well； as you have just seen； we've been ordered by the local police to cease transmission from this place。 To summarize； the widow of the Reverend Yu Fa An and members of his congregation came here tod