jefflong.yearzero-第50节

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　〃What　has　he　done　to　her？〃
　〃Nothing。　He　went　in。　He　sat　down。　That's　all。〃
　That　was　everything。　The　girl　had　been　stripped　of　her　room　with　the　aspen　outside　the　window　and　a　rainbow　on　the　wall。　They　had　taken　away　her　toys　and　beloved　crayons；　locked　her　in　this　cage　deep　beneath　the　ground。　She　was　a　bird　with　broken　wings。
　The　child　had　no　world　but　the　borders　of　her　cell。　She　never　strayed　into　its　center。　Perimeter　walking；　it　was　called；　a　symptom　of　autism；　an　endless　journey　of　walls。　And　now；　Miranda　saw；　Nathan　Lee　had　dared　to　trespass　upon　what　little　she　possessed。　He　had　blocked　her　path　with　his　body。　He　had　stolen　her　mindless　walkabout。
　〃Who　let　him　in？〃
　The　guards　were　frightened　by　her　anger。　They　had　never　seen　her　like　this。　〃I　turned　my　back；〃　the　one　with　a　jar　cut　said。　〃He　opened　the　door。〃
　She　looked　again　through　the　window　slot。
　〃He　could　infect　her。〃
　〃We　discussed　it。　Nathan　Lee　said；　what's　worse；　to　be　sick　or　be　dead？〃
　〃Youdiscussed　it？〃
　They　quailed。
　〃How　long　has　he　been　in　there？〃　she　said。
　Jarhead　consulted　his　watch。　〃Twenty…three　minutes。〃
　The　Captain　arrived。　He　peered　through　the　slot。　〃Great；〃　he　muttered；　〃he　went　and　did　it。〃
　〃You　knew　he　might　go　in　there？〃　she　said。
　〃I　had　a　feeling。〃
　〃What　happened　to　'no　contact'？〃　She'd　never　talked　down　to　the　Captain。　She　couldn't　help　herself。
　〃He　was　warned。〃
　〃She's　been　through　too　much。〃　She　was　ready　to　hit　somebody。　〃He's　gone。　Do　you　hear　me？〃　She　heard　herself；　talking　like　Cavendish。
　〃He's　on　our　side；　Miranda。〃
　〃How　do　you　know　that？〃
　The　Captain　peeked　at　the　scene　inside。　He　shook　his　head。　〃The　man　is　taking　his　punishment。〃
　The　girl　had　the　strength　of　a　teenage　boy。　For　twenty　minutes；　Nathan　Lee　had　been　sitting　there　while　she　beat　and　clawed　at　him。　His　face　was　swollen。　His　lips　and　nose　were　bleeding。　His　shirt　was　in　rags。　Not　once　did　he　raise　an　arm　to　ward　away　the　blows。　All　he　did　was　keep　on　reading。
　Now　Miranda　saw　it。　He　had　brought　his　storybook　with　him。　So　that　was　it；　he'd　gone　over　the　edge。　Unable　to　get　at　Ochs；　deprived　of　his　own　daughter；　he　had　abducted　this　one。　〃He's　traumatized　the　whole　ward；〃　she　said。　〃Listen　to　them。〃
　〃I　hear。　They　get　like　this　sometimes。〃
　〃We've　got　to　get　him　out　of　there。〃
　Nathan　Lee　had　deceived　her。　She　had　deceived　herself。　The　gravity　and　pureness　of　his　quest　had　lulled　her。　It　was　only　a　matter　of　time　before　he　stole　some　supplies　and　took　Old　Paint　and　vanished　again。　Miranda　took　that　for　granted。　But　this　was　the　last　thing　she'd　expected　from　him。
　〃What　do　you　have　in　mind？〃
　〃You　have　people；〃　she　said。　〃Send　them　in。〃
　The　Captain　frowned。　〃She's　out　of　control。　Send　in　the　Posse；　they'll　have　to　take　her　down；　too。〃　The　Posse　was　their　crash　team；　big　men　with　overwhelming　force。　〃She　might　get　hurt。〃
　〃Dart　him　then。　Gas　him。　The　bastard。〃　She　had　never　been　so　angry。　Nathan　Lee　had　no　right　to　go　crazy　like　this。　He　was　supposed　to　have　been　stronger；　not　just　another　lamed　spirit。
　〃She　might　get　hurt；〃　the　Captain　repeated。
　Miranda　breathed　out。
　〃She'll　tire　out　soon；〃　the　Captain　reassured　her。　〃They　always　do。〃
　Miranda　heard　the　sureness　in　his　voice。　Her　expertise　was　the　silent　mechanisms　inside　the　human　cell；　his　was　the　violence　of　wild　men；　and　a　feral　child。　The　bedlam　rocked　her。　〃How　often　are　they　like　this？〃　she　asked。
　〃Now　and　then。　We　keep　a　few　sedated。　The　rest；　we　let　them　purge　their　devils。　It's　good　for　the　soul。〃
　Miranda　clenched　her　fists　on　either　side　of　the　window　slot。　She　tried　to　remember　how　long　it　had　been　since　her　last　visit　with　the　child。Seven　weeks？　She　was　a　busy　woman。　That　was　her　excuse。　But　the　truth　was　this　metal　underworld；　this　place　she　had　created　to　conceal　the　damned　and　the　medical　leftovers；　was　unbearable　to　her。
　〃No　sense　standing　here；〃　the　Captain　said。　〃We　can　keep　an　eye　on　things　over　the　monitor。〃
　He　led　her　to　a　darkened　room　filled　with　banks　of　monitors。　It　was　dim　and　quiet　in　here。　Away　from　the　pandemonium；　she　began　to　collect　herself。
　As　she　passed　the　screens；　Miranda　saw　men　shouting；　clutching　their　ears；　pounding　the　walls；　sitting　like　catatonic　hermits；　hopping　up　and　down　like　apes。　Some　just　lay　on　their　backs　staring　at　the　ceiling。　The　Captain　gave　her　a　chair　in　front　of　the　Neandertal　girl's　two　screens。　Underneath　someone　had　taped　a　name　with　a　flower。　It　said　Tara。
　〃What's　this？〃　she　asked。
　〃It's　Tibetan；〃　said　the　Captain。　〃Nathan　Lee　said　it　means　Mother　Goddess。〃
　Now　she　saw　other　screens　with　Scotch　tape　names。　〃Where　did　he　e　up　with　these？〃　But　it　was　obvious。　The　Year　Zero　thing　had　gone　to　his　head。　It　looked　like　he'd　gone　grocery　shopping　through　the　Bible。　There　were　a　Matthew；　a　Hosea；　two　Ezekiels；　Micah；　Zechariah；　three　Johns；　one　Eleazar　ben　Yair；　and　even　a　Lazarus。　Now　she　saw　the　bones　and　relic　fragments　lying　before　each　screen；　like　offerings　upon　separate　altars。
　〃They're　the　real　names。　He　wanted　to　surprise　you。〃
　〃Don't　tell　me　he's　gone　in　and　talked　with　them；　too？〃
　〃He　just　listens　over　the　cell　mikes。　Sometimes　they　whisper　to　themselves。　Or　they　rant　and　rave。　Or　announce　themselves。　It's　mostly　Aramaic；　he　says。　He　spends　a　lot　of　time　down　here。　Every　day。　At　night；　too。　It's　catching。　He's　got　us　all　doing　it。　Once　in　a　while　we'll　make　out　a　name　or　a　word。〃
　Someone　had　pinned　to　the　bulletin　board　a　short　vocabulary　list　in　Aramaic；　Hebrew；　Greek；　and　Latin；　with　the　English　translation。　A　bookshelf　held　a　small　library　of　video　tapes　with　the　names；　numbers；　and　dates；　and　books　on　archaeology　and　museum　collections。　Nathan　Lee　had　turned　the　guard　room　into　a　university　cram　session。
　Miranda　was　startled。　〃How　long　has　this　been　going　on？〃
　〃You　told　him　to　study　the　boys。　He　went　at　the　task。〃
　〃Study　them；　not　her。〃
　〃It　was　a　matter　of　time；　Miranda。　Her　screens　are　right　here。　One　of　the　guards　left　them　switched　them　on　by　accident。　After　that　Nathan　Lee　got　a　little。。。remote。〃
　〃You　know　what　he's　doing；　don't　you？　I'm　sorry　he　lost　his　daughter。。。。〃　She　trailed　off。　Maybe　Nathan　Lee　and　the　Captain　had　talked　about　that；　too。　She　doubted　it：　two　stoics　in　the　same　space　at　the　same　time。。。perfect　silence。
　〃The　thing　is；〃　said　the　Captain；　〃he　does　belong　in　there。〃
　〃No；　he　does　not。　I　don't　care　about　his　Himalayan　connection。〃
　〃He　told　me　how　he　found　her　sitting　on　a　ledge。　It　was　somewhere　near　Mount　Everest。　She　was　all　alone。　He　said　she　chose　the　place　for　the　way　the　mountains　lit　at　sundown。〃
　Miranda　looked　at　the　screen。　The　girl's　frenzy　was　ebbing。
　〃You're　wrong　about　him。　He　didn't　go　in　to　take　care　of　his　loneliness；〃　said　the　Captain。　〃He　went　for　hers。〃
　Miranda　turned　her　head　away。
　The　Captain　handed　her　a　headset。　〃This　dial's　for　the　volume。〃　He　pointed；　and　left　her。
　Miranda　put　the　earphones　on；　and　the　girl's　raspy　screams　pierced　her。　The　Captain　was　right。　The　tantrum　was　wearing　her　down。
　Through　the　noise；　Miranda　could　hear　Nathan　Lee's　voice　calmly　reading。　It　was　some　story　about　the　wind　and　a　bird。　He　turned　a　page。
　Now　Miranda　saw　how　he　gripped　the　book　in　his　two　hands。　His　knuckles　were　white。　The　beating　hurt。　He　was　holding　on　for　dear　life。　Still；　he　kept　the　book　tilted　so　that　she　could　see　the　pictures。
　Miranda　sat　in　the　darkness　before　the　screen。　At　last　the　girl　did　wear　out。　Her　arms　drifted　down　to　her　sides。　The　screams　dwindled。　Miranda　could　almost　read　her　thoughts。Now　what？
　Nathan　Lee　kept　reading。　His　voice　had　a　lilt　to　it。　After　a　few　minutes；　the　girl　edged　closer；　a　matter　of　inches。　She　had　that　innocence　of　children；　and　craned　her　neck；　trying　to　see　the　pictures。　Ever　so　slowly；　he　lowered　one　arm。
　〃Don't　you　do　it；〃　Miranda　murmured　at　the　screen。　He　was　going　to　grab　her。　It　was　a　trap。
　And　then　it　happened。
　The　girl　sat　on　his　lap。
　It　was　not；　Miranda　told　herself；　an　act　of　affection。　She　sat　on　him　like　a　piece　of　furniture。　Her　eyes　were　intent　on　the　pictures。　He　was　an　object。　A　tool。
　His　voice　softened。　When　he　saidhush；　hush；　it　was　the　sound　of　the　wind；　and　her　eyes　flared　wider。
　〃Well；　now；〃　the　Captain　said　behind　her。　Miranda　became　aware　of　other　guards　watching；　too。　The　biggest　men　had　padded　shields　and　helmets　and　armor。
　〃He　tricked　her；〃　Miranda　said。
　〃Good　trick；〃　said　the　Captain。
　Miranda　lost　track　of　time。　Gradually　Nathan　Lee　strayed　from　the　text。　He　kept　turning　the　pages　slowly。　Syllable　by　syllable；　one　picture　at　a　time；　he　worked　into　a　kind　of　song。　It　was　a　nonsense　song　without　real　words；　practically　a　chant。　Then　Miranda　realized　his　drawn…out　notes　were　full　of　vibrations。　He　was　making　his　chest　resound　against　her　back。
　Miranda　watched　in　disbelief。　He　was　enchanting　her。
　The　girl　laid　her　head　against　his　shoulder。
　〃God；〃　whispered　a　guard。　〃By　god。〃
　Her　eyes　closed。
　She　fell　asleep。
　Nathan　Lee　went　on　with　the　song。　His　face　was　grotesque。　One　eye　was　swelling　shut。　The　camera　caught　a　single　tear　squeezing　loose。　It　tracked　down　his　cheekbone。　He　wanted　to　cry。　He　was　happy。　Miranda　could　see　it。　But　it　would　have　woken