jefflong.yearzero-第64节

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treets。　Lightning　snaked；　thunder　rolled。　Hail　rattled　against　her　bedroom　window。
　Nathan　Lee　and　Miranda　barely　noticed。　They　hardly　surfaced　from　her　house　anymore；　so　it　seemed。　Alpha　Lab　was　mostly　just　as　an　interlude；　a　place　to　catch　their　breath。　Then　they　would　find　themselves　here　all　over　again。
　Riding　him；　she　seemed　to　be　looking　down　from　a　great　height。　He　kept　reaching　for　her。　She　ground　at　him。　She　pinned　him　in　place。　He　raised　her　high。
　The　storm　kept　pace　with　them。　They　finished　together；　the　rain　and　them。　Soon　the　low　sun　came　out　and　cast　colors　across　the　far　range。
　Night　took　its　time。　They　rested　in　each　other's　arms　and　watched　out　her　window；　softly　talking；　as　much　to　breathe　their　scents　as　trade　thoughts。　On　the　sea；　he　had　discovered；　sunset　was　like　a　light　switch；　on　then　off。　But　here　in　the　mountains　the　light　tarried。　The　colors　seeped　like　cold　honey。
　Beneath　the　quilt；　their　hands　traveled　from　here　to　there　with　no　urgency　or　end；　memorizing　the　landmarks　on　their　own；　the　shape　of　a　hip；　the　places　with　hair；　the　grooves　and　mounds。　Their　fingers　traced　miles　along　their　spines。　They　had　run　off　with　each　other。　The　forbidden　country　was　theirs　to　own。
　Neither　had　time　for　this。　They　had　talked　about　it。　They　had　higher　priorities。　They　were　ten　years　apart　in　age。　He　was　too　old　for　her　by　a　lifetime。　She　was　barely　twenty；　practically　jailbait。　Each　was　a　loner。　It　was　a　temporary　arrangement；　they　assured　each　other。I　will　leave　you；　they　warned。　For　now　it　seemed　they　could　go　on　forever。
　Finally　it　was　dark；　night　proper。　Stars　came　out。　They　ebbed　into　sleep；　warm　against　each　other。
　Her　phone　woke　them。　Miranda　reached　for　it。　〃Yes；〃　she　said。　〃Yeah；　he's　here；　too。〃　Still　listening；　she　mouthed；　〃The　Captain。〃
　〃He　did　what？〃　she　finally　asked。　〃But　that's　crazy。　Don't　we　feed　them　enough？〃
　Them；　thought　Nathan　Lee。　Something　had　happened　to　the　clones。　He　recalled　their　escape　talk。　One　of　them　must　have　gone　for　the　wall。　Which　one　would　it　be；　Ben　again？
　Miranda　glanced　at　her　clock。　〃That's　that；　then；〃　she　said　to　the　Captain。　〃We　knew　it　would　happen　eventually。　What's　to　say；　so　what？　No　one　will　take　it　seriously。〃　The　Captain　went　on。　She　sat　up　and　bent　over　the　phone；　her　long　back　bare。　〃Is　this　some　kind　of　joke？〃　she　said。　〃How　could　that　happen？〃
　The　Captain's　voice　went　on。
　〃Never　mind；〃　Miranda　snapped；　〃we're　on　our　way。〃
　She　hung　up。　〃You'll　love　this；〃　she　said；　standing　to　dress。　〃One　of　our　lost　boys　decided　he's　the　savior。〃　She　threw　Nathan　Lee　his　shirt。　〃The　word's　out。　We've　got　Jesus　Christ　in　a　cage　in　our　basement。〃
　　
　〃HERE　WE　GO；〃　Nathan　Lee　said　as　he　and　Miranda　approached　Alpha　Lab。
　A　small　crowd　was　gathered　in　front　of　the　building。　In　itself　that　wasn't　foreboding。　Since　the　outset；　wags　in　Los　Alamos　had　been　laying　bets　on　how　long　it　would　take　for　someone　to　equate　the　Year　Zero　bones　with　the　King　of　Kings。　The　city　had　its　share　of　what　Izzy　called　〃queer　fish；〃　crackpots；　rebels；　and　the　superstitious。　Just　because　they　were　devoted　to　rational　science　didn't　guarantee　against　an　irrational　twitch　now　and　then。　Especially　in　these　terrible　times；　a　hysterical　outburst　was　to　be　expected。　But　there　was　nothing　hysterical　about　the　crowd。
　It　was　very　early　morning；　black　and　cold。　The　sun　wouldn't　e　up　for　hours。　People　wore　parkas　and　sweaters。　There　were　a　few　East　European　matrons　in　scarves；　the　sort　one　might　expect　for　a　Jesus　sighting。　One　toted　a　smoky　Russian　icon　over　her　chest；　which　was　almost　too　pat。　Otherwise　the　crowd　was　mostly　lab　workers　and　night　owls；　and　that　was　sobering。
　〃Hey；　Miranda；　Nathan　Lee；〃　a　young　man　called　to　them。　He　was　a　microbiologist　from　the　office　next　door。　He　liked　to　play　frisbee　at　lunch。
　〃What　are　you　doing　here？〃　Miranda　asked　him。　It　was　a　question　for　all　of　them。
　〃We　heard　the　news。〃　The　man　was　excited。
　〃You　should　be　in　bed；〃　she　told　them。　〃Or　working。〃
　〃When　do　we　get　to　see　him？〃
　Miranda　gaped　at　him。　〃Are　you　crazy？〃　she　said。
　His　face　fell。　He　backed　into　the　crowd。
　Nathan　Lee　took　her　arm　and　continued　inside。　〃Did　you　hear　that？〃　she　plained。　〃Look　at　them。　Don't　they　know　it's　a　hoax？〃
　〃One　thing　at　a　time；〃　he　said。　〃Let's　find　out　what　happened。　There's　an　explanation；　I'm　sure。〃
　The　Captain　was　waiting　for　them　in　his　office。　It　overlooked　the　front　lot　where　the　crowd　was　gathering。　Two　of　his　guards　were　sitting　side　by　side；　a　big　Tejano　and　a　slight　man；　Ross。　Nathan　Lee　knew　them　both。　He'd　never　seen　Ross　so　pale。
　〃Tell　them；〃　said　the　Captain。　He　was　not　pleased。　A　black　Bible　sat　on　his　desk　with　a　yellow　pencil　for　a　bookmark。
　〃We　were　sitting　in　the　monitor　room；〃　Ross　started。　He　glanced　at　his　partner；　who　clearly　wanted　nothing　to　do　with　this。　〃I　heard　one　of　the　inmates　call　out。　The　incident　occured　at　0225　hours。〃
　〃What　incident？〃　said　Miranda。
　〃He　saidEl…ee；　El…ee。。。。〃　Ross　paused　and　looked　at　Nathan　Lee　self…consciously。　〃And　I　can't　pronounce　the　rest。　I　may　not　speak　the　lingo；　but　I　do　know　my　Bible。　It's　right　there。　I　looked　it　up。　He　spoke　it　just　like　it's　written。〃
　〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃　Miranda　said。
　〃Laa…ma　sabok…tamee；〃quoted　Nathan　Lee。
　〃That's　it；〃　said　Ross。　〃Just　like　that。〃
　Nathan　Lee　picked　up　the　Bible　and　flipped　it　open　to　the　pencil；　and　there　was　the　passage。　He　handed　it　to　Miranda。　〃Christ's　question　from　the　cross；〃　he　said。　〃My　God；　my　God；　why　have　you　forsaken　me？〃
　Miranda　glanced　at　the　book。　〃So？〃　she　said。
　〃He　spoke　it；〃　said　Ross。　〃He　spoke　the　words。〃
　〃That's　convenient；〃　she　said；　flipping　through　another　few　pages。　〃It's　the　one　part　I　see　that's　in　Aramaic。〃　She　lowered　the　book。　〃You　read　it　to　him。〃
　Ross　looked　horrified。　〃No；　Dr。　Abbot；　I　swear。〃　He　leaned　forward　to　put　his　hand　on　the　open　book。
　〃Sit　back；〃　growled　the　Captain。
　Ross　pointed　at　his　partner。　〃Ask　Joe。　He　heard　it；　too。〃
　Joe　looked　off　at　the　corner。　But　he　didn't　deny　it。
　〃Again；〃　she　said；　〃so　what？〃
　〃Well；〃　said　Ross；　〃how'd　he　know　those　words？〃
　〃Because　he　heard　them；〃　she　said。
　〃Not　from　us；　he　didn't。〃
　〃Then　from　the　other　clones；〃　said　Miranda。　〃They're　out　there　in　the　yard；　day　in；　day　out；　polluting　each　other　with　ideas。　Praying　and　sacrificing　and　preaching　to　each　other。　One　of　them　quoted　from　the　Bible；　that's　all。〃
　〃But　the　Bible　wasn't　written　yet；〃　said　Ross。　〃Not　back　then。〃
　〃It　was　being　written；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。　〃There　are　all　kinds　of　sects　in　the　yard。　Christians；　pagans；　Jews。　The　story　was　being　shaped。〃
　Ross's　eyes　went　to　the　Bible。　〃He　spoke　the　words。　At　0225　hours。〃
　Nathan　Lee　glanced　at　the　Captain；　who　seemed　painfully　aware　of　Ross's　limitations。
　〃Which　one　of　the　clones　was　it？〃　Nathan　Lee　asked。　He　already　knew。　It　would　be　Ben。　The　crucifix　had　spooked　them　them　all；　bringing　out　their　ghosts。　And　Izzy　had　all　but　invited　Ben　to　declare　himself　the　messiah　when　they　were　talking　at　the　fire。
　〃He's　one　of　them　that　didn't　have　a　name。〃
　〃Not　Ben？〃
　〃Not　him。〃
　Miranda　cut　in。　〃But　now　he　has　a　name。〃
　〃Yes；　ma'am。　He　told　me。　Jesus　Christ。　He　said　it　to　my　face。〃
　〃To　your　face？　You　spoke　to　him？〃
　Ross　didn't　answer。　Beside　him；　Joe　gave　a　bull　snort。　〃I　couldn't　stop　him　in　time。　Littlependejo。〃
　〃You　went　in　his　cell？〃　Miranda　demanded。
　Ross's　eyes　dodged　away。
　Joe　said；　〃That's　what　he　did。〃
　They　sat　for　a　minute。　Nathan　Lee　looked　out　the　window。　The　crowd　was　swelling　down　there。
　〃So　you　went　into　the　man's　cell；〃　Miranda　said　to　Ross。　〃What　did　you　say？〃
　〃I　asked　him　if　his　name　is　Jesus。〃
　〃You　asked　him？〃　Miranda　closed　the　book。　〃And　what　does　that　tell　you？〃
　Ross's　jaw　set。　〃That　he's　Jesus　Christ。〃
　〃Ipso　facto；〃Miranda　expelled。
　Nathan　Lee　watched　the　fancy　Latin　close　Ross　down；　and　out。　His　awe　was　still　there；　but　it　excluded　them。
　〃You　know　that's　not　possible；〃　Miranda　said　after　a　minute。
　〃But　it's　written；〃　Ross　replied。
　Nathan　Lee　felt　a　tightening　in　his　gut。　He'd　figured　this　was　a　midnight　prank；　but　Ross　was　in　earnest；　and　the　crowd　was　multiplying　beneath　the　parking　lot　lights。
　Miranda　patted　the　Bible。　〃For　a　minute；　let's　forget　what's　written；　okay？　Think　about　it。　These　clones　e　from　a　Roman　landfill。　Even　if　Jesus　ever　existed；　do　you　know　the　odds　against　us　finding　his　remains？〃
　Now　was　Ross's　turn　to　pity　their　limitations。　〃He　existed　all　right。　Because　otherwise　there　wouldn't　be　the　Word。　And　your　odds　don't　matter；　not　if　He　wanted　us　to　find　him。　This　is　how　He　chose　to　e　to　us。　And　I　was　there。〃
　Miranda　said；　〃Then　let's　talk　about　the　remains。　If　Christ　rose　into　heaven；　he　wouldn't　have　left　any　remains。　And　he　did　rise；　right？　It's　written　in　the　Word。〃
　Years　ago；　Nathan　Lee　had　listened　to　Ochs　use　this　very　argument　to　disarm　detractors　of　the　Year　Zero　project。　The　problem　now　was　that　Ross　was　not　a　detractor。　〃He　didn't　leave　bones；〃　Ross　said。　〃Just　blood。　Smeared　all　over。　It's　right　there。　Written　fact。〃
　Miranda　flipped　the　Bible　back　and　forth；　as　if　looking　for　a　hole　in　one　side　or　the　other。　〃I've　only　read　it　once；〃　she　said；　〃but　I　don't　re