jefflong.yearzero-第10节

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erwise　they　would　have　stopped　her　back　then。　〃Why　now？〃　she　asked。
　〃It　would　have　been　sooner。　But　we　lost　track　of　it；〃　her　father　said。
　〃No　one　expected　you　to　move　him。　We　thought　maybe　it　had　died。　But　then　the　reports　started　ing　in。　Finally　they　pieced　together　your　trail。　That　was　yesterday。〃
　Yesterday！　Until　then；　Winston　had　been　safe。　Now　that　she'd　been　discovered；　Miranda　had　to　admit　a　touch　of　relief。　Frankly；　she　was　tired。
　〃Who　told　you？〃
　〃Does　it　really　matter？〃
　He　was　right。　It　didn't　matter。　Ever　since　she　could　remember；　powerful　people　had　been　reporting　to　her　father；　the　〃science　czar。〃　Dr。　Abbot；　Nobel　laureate　and　advisor　to　presidents；　generals；　and　Congress；　ruled　the　National　Academy　of　Sciences　with　an　iron　grip。　There　was　nothing　to　be　gained　by　hiding　his　daughter's　actions　from　him。　To　the　contrary；　grants　had　a　way　of　following　in　her　wake。
　〃They　swabbed　your　lab　equipment；　Miranda。　They　scraped　tissue　samples　from　your　glassware。　They　found　your　artificial　womb　tank。　Built　on　Yosinari　Kawabara's　Plexiglas　model。　I　called　him　in　Tokyo；　by　the　way。　He　said　he　never　spoke　to　you。〃
　Miranda　felt　pride。　〃It　wasn't　that　hard　to　figure　out。〃
　〃Yes；〃　he　said。　〃But　my　point　is；　the　Jax　people　may　have　been　one　step　behind　you；　but　they're　not　blind。　Jax　specializes　in　cloning　mice　for　medical　research。　You　introduceRana　sylvestris　into　their　laboratories　and　you　think　no　one's　going　to　notice？〃
　〃Rana　pipens；〃Miranda　corrected　him　with　satisfaction。　Their　sleuthwork　hadn't　been　so　very　precise。R。　sylvestris　was　adapted　to　the　woods。　She　had　chosenR。　pipens　…the　〃northern　leopard〃…specifically　for　its　pond　bias。　Back　in　the　blueprint　phase；　it　had　seemed　a　perfect　way　to　contain　her　creation。　So　far　her　logic　was　right　on。　The　quarry　was　simply　a　larger　aquarium；　and　Winston　had　shown　no　desire　to　leave。
　〃Frogs；〃　her　father　said。　〃You　get　my　point。　You　mixed　apples　and　oranges。　And　then　started　monkeying　around　with　the　genes。〃
　She　marveled。　That's　all　they'd　discovered；　the　frog　material？　〃No　one's　seen　him；　have　they？〃　she　said。　〃They　have　no　pictures。　No　visual　sightings。〃
　〃They　have　educated　guesses。　You've　created　a　new　species。　It's　rebinant。　It's　derived　from　an　amphibian。　It's　carnivorous。　And　you　contaminated　your　lab　equipment。〃
　〃What？〃
　〃You　cut　yourself。　There　were　traces　of　your　DNA　all　over　the　samples。〃
　That's　what　they　thought？　They　hadn't　e　within　a　mile　of　the　truth。　Then　her　anger　flashed。　Since　when　had　they　I。D。'ed　her　blood？　〃I　didn't　cut　myself；〃　she　said；　and　let　it　sink　in。
　Her　father　was　frighteningly　quick。　The　truth　hit　him。　He　whispered；　〃You　didn't。〃　He　was　a　mathematician　by　training。　Cell　biology　wasn't　even　his　field。　For　that　matter　astronomy；　particle　physics；　medicine；　and　atmospheric　chemistry　weren't　either。　But　his　mind　enpassed　them　all。　He　knew　a　lot　about　a　lot　of　things。
　She　nodded　yes。
　〃What　have　you　done；　child？〃
　〃It　was　easy　enough。　I　waited　for　the　right　time　of　the　month。　Then　I　harvested　one　of　my　own　eggs。〃
　〃Miranda；〃　he　said。　〃Why　not　a　mouse　egg？　Or　frog？〃　He　treated　it　as　a　personal　violation；　as　if　she'd　crawled　into　his　bed　or　raped　herself。　It　made　her　feel　indecent。
　Chin　first；　she　stated；　〃It　was　mine。〃
　The　truth　was　that　a　frog's　egg　would　have　been　much　easier　to　manipulate；　because　they　were　vastly　larger　than　human　eggs。　But　she'd　taken　one　of　her　own　eggs　as　a　statement；　to　pronounce　her　utter　belief　in　what　she　was　doing。　It　was　a　mitment。　Whatever　happened；　this　was　intrinsically　her　at　the　heart　of　it。　Strangely；　even　as　she　had　searched　through　her　menstrual　flow　and　found　the　egg　and　siphoned　the　nucleus　from　it　to　make　room　for　the　frog　nucleus；　Miranda　had　felt　as　if　she　were　leaving　herself　and　entering　a　vast　beautiful　design。　It　had　been　an　epiphany　of　sorts。　She　was　part　of　this　world；　not　just　an　observing　eye。
　〃That　still　doesn't　explain　your　DNA　material　in　the　samples；〃　he　said。　〃If　you　properly　enucleated　your　egg；　it　would　be　an　empty　vessel。　The　clone　would　be　all　frog。〃
　She　shrugged；　but　felt　a　lifetime　of　guilt　laid　into　her　by　her　tutors。　They　had　done　their　job　well；　shaping　their　charge　into　an　overachieving；　neurotic　thoroughbred。　〃I　didn't　get　the　whole　nucleus；〃　she　confessed。
　He　groaned。
　〃I　botched　it；　okay。　Some　of　me　was　left　inside。〃
　〃Some？〃
　〃More　than　I　realized。〃
　Miranda　carried　out　her　own　punishment。　She　summarized　her　errors；　which　were　multiple。　First；　she'd　failed　to　siphon　out　her　entire　nucleus；　leaving　her　egg　rich　with　human　DNA。　Then　she　had　taken　a　nucleus　from　the　lining　of　a　tadpole's　intestine。　Too　late；　she　learned　that　in　frogs　the　sperm　and　egg　cells　first　form　in　the　stomach；　then　travel　to　the　gonads　for　storage。　Inadvertently　she'd　taken　the　nucleus　from　a　sperm　cell。　In　short；　she'd　fertilized　her　own　egg。　Technically；　Winston　was　not　a　true　clone；　but　a　monstrous　child　teased　together　with　micropipettes　and　glass　bell　jars　and　a　customized　mix　of　amino　acids。
　〃A　chimera；〃　he　said。　〃You've　crossed　the　species　barrier。　With　human　genes！〃　The　Old　Testament　reproach；　she'd　expected。　But　there　was　something　else　in　his　voice。　Fear。　She'd　never　heard　that　in　him。　He　was　shaken。
　〃He's　harmless；〃　she　said。
　〃Miranda；〃　he　declared；　〃this　thing　is　an　abomination。〃
　She　wanted　to　mock　his　term。　What　came　next；　a　burning　at　the　stake？　But　she　restrained　herself。　〃You　haven't　even　seen　him；〃　she　said。　〃He's　so　extraordinary。　You　won't　believe　what　I've　discovered。　Something　wonderful。〃
　His　anger　melted。　Miranda　could　see　he　was　curious。　But；　she　cautioned　herself；　Paul　Abbot　was　never　fatally　curious　the　way　so　many　scientists　are。　That　was　his　nature。　He　had　the　self…control　to　shut　down　his　intellectual　attachment　before　it　ever　chain　reacted。　So　far　as　she　knew；　he　had　no　vulnerabilities。　She'd　e　to　realize　the　pity　of　that。　Every　daughter　should　have　some　power　over　her　father；　and　she　had　none。
　〃e　up；〃　he　repeated；　〃please。　Away　from　the　water。〃
　What　was　with　the　water？〃Will　you　listen？〃　She　bargained。　〃No　prejudgements。　With　an　open　mind。〃
　〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃just　e　here。〃
　She　climbed　up　the　ledges　with　the　packages　of　fish　and　joined　him　at　the　rim。
　For　a　moment；　they　were　both　disconcerted　by　how　much　she　had　grown。　He　had　always　seemed　so　tall。　Now　she　could　look　him　straight　in　the　eye。　He　made　a　motion　that　could　have　been　the　overture　to　a　hug　or；　alternately；　the　means　to　balance　himself。　With　him；　love　and　dignity　were　essentially　the　same。　Miranda　let　the　arm　hover　for　a　moment；　then　leaned　in。　She　gave　him　a　quick　embrace；　though　sideways；　so　that　he　wouldn't　notice　her　new　breasts　as　well。　Her　womanhood　was　none　of　his　business。
　〃You　changed　your　hair　again；〃　he　remarked。　It　had　been　eight　months。
　Snakes　for　hair。　Very　Einstein。　〃You　noticed；〃　she　said。Don't　you　remember　me？　she　wanted　to　say　to　him。I'm　your　baby。　But　he　was　immune；　and　she　knew　it。
　He　neatly　shot　his　sleeve　to　check　the　time。　〃Ten　minutes；〃　he　announced　to　her；　then　held　up　his　hand　and　flashed　five　fingers　twice。　Ten。　It　was　a　signal。　She　looked　around　at　the　forest；　and　whoever　he'd　e　in　with…his　driver　or　assistants；　or　maybe　the　director　of　the　labs…was　keeping　out　of　sight　while　he　had　this　little　one…on…one　with　his　prodigal　daughter。　Then　she　saw　movement　on　the　far　side　of　the　quarry。　Dressed　in　camouflage；　they　could　have　been　soldiers　or　poachers。　Or　field　biologists。
　She　ripped　open　the　newspaper　wrapping　a　bloody　piece　of　cod。　〃Catch；〃　she　said；　and　lobbed　it　at　her　father。　He　snagged　it　inches　from　his　creased　slacks。
　He　held　the　raw　flesh。　〃Okay；〃　he　said。　〃Now　what？〃
　They　were　more　fortable　this　way；　him　on　slow　burn　and　short　of　time；　her　glib　and　exercising　maximum　self…defense。　〃It's　called　breakfast；〃　she　said。　〃Give　it　a　toss。〃
　He　pitched　the　fish　underhanded　and　it　slapped　flat　on　the　thin　ice。　They　waited。　No　Winston。　〃He's　probably　frightened；〃　she　said。　〃He's　never　seen　a　man　before。〃
　〃He's　watching　us？　Through　the　ice？〃　Her　father　took　a　half　step　back　from　the　edge。
　〃Don't　worry；　he　doesn't　eat　people。〃
　〃Yet；〃　her　father　stated。
　〃Don't　be　silly。　We　gave　grasshoppers　a　try；〃　she　brightly　explained。　〃Winston's　strictly　a　fish　man；　though。〃
　〃You　haven't　seen　the　pieces　of　animal；　then？〃
　He　wasn't　asking　a　question。　He　was　springing　a　trap。
　〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃
　〃The　bones。　The　carcasses。　The　egg　shells　and　feathers。　Scattered　all　over　the　forest　floor。　Winston's　quite　a　hunter。　The　list　of　species　is　impressive。　prehensive。　He's　essentially　sterilized　the　forest　in　a　half…mile　radius。　Everything　from　mice；　squirrels；　and　raccoons　to　owls　and　jays。　Even　a　deer；　though　it's　uncertain　if　it　was　wounded　during　the　hunting　season　or　he　actually　brought　it　down　himself。〃
　Miranda　turned　to　the　water；　trying　to　hide　her　shock。　Winston　had　been　leaving　the　pond？　Moving　up　the　food　chain？　He　could　climb　trees？　Cross　land？　Kill？　What　made　her　nervous　was　that　he　had　a　secret　life　she　knew　nothing　about。　〃He　barely　weighs　forty　pounds；〃　she　said。
　〃There's　more　field　work　to　do；〃　her　father　went　on；　〃but　it's　clear　your　creation　is　getting　bolder。　He'