jefflong.yearzero-第68节

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　The　band　was　filled　with　soldiers　talking　to　soldiers。　He　harnessed　Nathan　Lee　with　a　respirator　unit　that　sterilized　every　breath　with　ultraviolet　light。
　〃This　is　your　camel　back。〃　He　draped　a　bladder　with　shoulder　straps　along　Nathan　Lee's　spine。　〃It　holds　two　gallons　of　water。　You're　going　to　get　hot　and　hungry　inside　the　suit。　It's　important　to　stay　hydrated。　Water　discipline。　Every　fifteen　minutes；　take　a　sip　from　this。〃　He　held　the　tube　running　from　the　camel　back　to　Nathan　Lee's　lips。　〃It's　a　glucose　and　protein　mix。　Did　they　screen　you　for　claustrophobia？〃
　They　had　not。　There　had　been　no　time　for　any　preparation。　〃I'll　be　fine；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。
　〃Right。　Things　will　feel　a　bit　tight　once　you're　sealed　in。　Add　heat；　hunger；　and　dehydration；　and　by　the　end　of　the　day　you'll　want　out　of　the　rig。　Whatever　you　do；　do　not　remove　your　equipment。　We　take　care　of　that　for　you　at　decon。　Sometimes　a　troop　will　lose　it　in　the　field。　All　it　takes　is　one　bad　second。　Take　off　your　helmet　and　that's　all　she　wrote。〃　The　rigger　tugged　hard　at　his　straps。　〃We'll　know　if　you　break　the　seal　on　your　helmet。　Be　your　own　master。　Don't　self…destruct。〃
　He　laid　out　the　contents　of　a　field　kit：　a　quart　bottle　of　bleach　to　splash　on　any　punctures；　a　roll　of　duct　tape　to　patch　any　holes；　a　hand　pump　to　siphon　fuel；　and　a　GPS　receiver　to　track　his　coordinates。　The　kit　held　no　first　aid　equipment。　The　message　was　clear。　No　casualties　allowed。　One　cut；　one　nick；　and　you　were　a　write…off　anyway。
　〃Hey；〃　a　soldier　shouted　over；　pointing　at　his　ears；　〃channel　four。〃
　〃You　got　a　private　call；〃　said　the　rigger。　He　switched　Nathan　Lee's　wrist　dial　to　channel　four。　Nathan　Lee　wanted　it　to　be　Miranda。　Instead　it　was　Ochs。
　〃Ready　for　the　abyss？〃
　〃Where　am　I　going？〃
　〃Patience；　son。　Let's　not　spoil　the　suspense。〃
　Everything　was　wrong　with　this。　Ochs　was　setting　him　up；　he　was　sure　of　it。　But　what　choice　did　he　have？　Ochs　had　the　power　of　a　secret　over　him；　and　Nathan　Lee　was　helpless　against　that。　〃You　could　have　sent　me　off　months　ago。　I　would　have　gone。〃
　〃I　told　you；　it　was　too　soon。〃
　〃Too　soon　for　what？〃
　They　had　been　through　this。　〃It's　like　the　old　days。　Trust　me。　Stay　tuned。　Obey　me；　and　the　world　will　be　right　again。〃　Ochs　cut　the　munication。
　The　rigger　duct　taped　Kevlar　gloves　to　Nathan　Lee's　wrists　and　the　boots　to　his　knees；　and　layered　plastic　armor　over　his　elbows　and　chest　and　knees。　Finally　he　sealed　him　shut　inside　the　helmet。　There　was　a　slight　rush　of　air。　Nathan　Lee's　ears　popped。　He　could　hear　over　the　radio；　but　the　external　world　was　muffled。　When　the　rigger　patted　his　head；　he　felt　far　away。　Nathan　Lee　gave　a　thumbs…up。　The　rigger　saluted　him。
　Three　troop　carriers　and　a　big　cargo　helicopter　waited。　The　pilots　wore　moon　suits；　too。　They　looked　like　astronauts　ready　for　motocross。　Passing　the　cargo　bird；　Nathan　Lee　saw　empty　cages　in　the　cavernous　bay。
　The　helicopters　plunged　north　off　the　high　mesa。　The　soldiers　sat　strapped　in　the　hold　and　the　air　turned　chill。　They　passed　high　above　the　valley。　Nathan　Lee　saw　the　pueblo　he'd　gone　through　on　his　way　to　Los　Alamos；　long　ago；　it　seemed。　But　the　tank　was　gone；　and　the　square　looked　deserted。　Further　on；　he　spied　campfires　along　the　Rio　Grande。　People　were　walking　along　the　highway。
　〃Pilgrims；〃　a　voice　said　over　his　headset。　It　was　the　crew　chief。　〃Word　spread　fast。　They　started　showing　up　yesterday。〃
　〃Where　are　they　from？〃
　〃Locals。　Out　of　Chama　and　Espa？ola　and　Tres　Piedras。　Milagro　Beanfield　types。〃
　The　helicopters　sprinted　between　ancient　volcanoes　and　across　old　seabeds；　then　took　a　right　through　the　Rockies　to　follow　the　front　range。　Not　a　car　moved　along　the　black　thread　of　I…25。
　They　swept　past　Colorado　Springs；　and　the　dawn　spotlighted　towering　mountains　and　glassy　office　towers。　Red　sandstone　fins　flashed　beneath。　Nearby；　Nathan　Lee　knew；　the　seat　of　federal　government　was　burrowed　deep　inside　Cheyenne　Mountain。　Like　King　Arthur；　the　President　and　his　administrative　heads　and　Congress　and　the　Supreme　Court　were　hibernating　until　the　day　their　dead　nation　came　to　life　and　called　for　them　again。　On　his　way　to　Los　Alamos　last　summer；　the　place　had　been　a　beehive　of　trucks　passing　through　battalions　of　sentinels；　stocking　democracy's　keep。　Now　it　was　still。
　The　aspens　were　turning。　The　hillsides　blazed　with　gold　and　red　leaves。　Past　the　Air　Force　Academy；　they　came　to　a　flat　hilltop　girdled　by　tank　traps　and　razor　wire。　Small　white　radar　dishes　tracked　their　approach。　The　helicopters　landed　to　refuel。
　As　the　fuel　tanks　filled；　so　did　Nathan　Lee's　bladder。　He　knew　better　than　to　ask。　No　potty　breaks　in　the　plague　zone。　He　looked　around　at　his　stoic　panions；　and　recalled　stories　of　sickly　Crusaders　who　kept　riding　even　with　diarrhea　leaking　down　their　saddles。　He　sat　in　his　warm　urine　without　expression。
　Then　they　were　airborne　again；　hurtling　due　north。Denver；　he　guessed。　The　sun　inched　higher　upon　the　flat　plains。　As　far　as　his　eye　could　see；　unharvested　wheat　and　corn　and　rampant　tall　grasses　had　gone　to　seed。　Their　rotor　blast　flushed　animals。　A　herd　of　horses　galloped　with　their　shadow　like　dolphins　leaping。　Denver　it　was。　They　made　a　beeline　for　the　neat；　geometric　skyline。　Soldiers　began　checking　their　weapons　and　suits。　The　door　gunner　grew　alert。
　They　flashed　east　across　vacant　suburbs。　White　bones　lay　scattered　on　the　streets。　Dark　flocks　of　birds　were　circling　for　food。　Nathan　Lee's　dread　crept。　It　was　no　longer　summer　here。　America　had　bee　Asia。What　was　Ochs　sending　him　into？
　A　dozen　plague　victims　stood　clustered　on　a　golf　course　by　a　pond。　Their　pilot　broke　from　the　group　and　looped　lower　for　a　view。　Bodies　floated　facedown　in　the　nearby　water　like　balloons　resting　on　the　surface。　None　of　the　living　took　notice　of　the　helicopter。　Most　had　unconsciously　shed　their　clothing　in　the　heat　of　past　days。　On　this　cold　morning；　they　dumbly　faced　the　light。
　From　this　height；　Nathan　Lee　could　see　paths　worn　in　the　grasses。　Then　he　saw　the　dogs。　They　were　house　pets；　mostly　bigger　breeds：　golden　retrievers；　dalmations；　black　labs；　sturdy　mutts。　Packs　had　taken　up　residence　on　different　sides　of　the　human　herd。　Fido　had　deep　instincts。　Nathan　Lee　had　seen　hyenas　and　wild　dogs　in　west　Kenya　set　up　shop　the　same　way；　picking　off　the　strays　at　whim。
　The　pilot　hovered　thirty　feet　off；　scanning　the　faces。　Through　the　chrysalis　of　infected　tissue；　their　teeth　showed　like　famine　grins。　Nathan　Lee　could　see　the　dark　clumps　of　viscera。
　〃No　kids。　No　pregnant；〃　said　the　pilot。　〃Am　I　missing　anything？〃
　〃Nothing　here；〃　the　crew　chief　verified。
　The　helicopter　sprang　onwards。
　For　the　next　twenty　minutes；　that　was　the　pattern。　They　would　spot　a　group　standing　in　a　parking　lot　or　playground　or　among　the　crashed　cars；　descend；　scrutinize；　and　move　on。　They　reached　Coors　baseball　stadium；　skeletal；　but　pretty　with　its　iron　lattice　work。　Crossing　America；　Nathan　Lee　had　learned　that　stadiums　across　the　country　had　been　used　to　quarantine　tens　of　thousands　of　victims。　But　Coors　stood　empty；　except　for　a　few　slumped　bodies　in　the　bleachers。　Either　Denver's　collapse　had　happened　too　quickly　for　authorities　to　react；　or　they　had　seen　the　futility　of　quarantine。　Nathan　Lee's　helicopter　came　to　rest　in　center　field。
　It　was　a　busy　place。　The　soldiers　knew　what　they　were　doing。　Sentinels　with　machine　guns　scoped　the　outside　streets　from　the　top　bleachers。　One　team　set　up　a　satellite　dish　and　uplinked　with　Los　Alamos；　another　cleared　bodies　and　debris　from　the　delivery　gate。　Nathan　Lee　loaned　a　hand　where　the　chore　was　obvious。　Otherwise；　he　stayed　out　of　the　way。　He　listened　to　the　radio　chatter　over　his　headset；　then　tried　channel　four。
　Ochs's　voice　was　waiting　for　him。　〃Wele　to　the　Mile　High　City。〃
　〃It's　bad　here；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。　He　wanted　encouragement。
　〃If　it　wasn't　bad　you　wouldn't　be　there；〃　Ochs　said。　〃They　learned　not　to　bother　with　the　early…stage　cities。　Too　much　insanity。　Gun　nation。　Weirdos。　Survivalists　with　a　beef。　Family　groups　trying　to　defend　their　loved　ones。〃
　〃You　said　Grace　was　alive。〃　In　fact；　Ochs　had　not　said　it。　Nathan　Lee　wanted　more。
　〃Stay　with　me；〃　Ochs　said。　〃I'm　tracking　your　coordinates。　I've　got　a　map。　We'll　find　them　together。〃
　The　soldiers　left　the　pilots　on　guard　and　departed。　Carting　jerry　cans　of　gas；　the　platoons　exited　onto　the　streets　and　went　carjacking。　Denver　was　SUV　heaven。　In　pairs；　the　soldiers　fueled　and　hotwired　their　vehicles　of　choice；　and　drove　off。
　Nathan　Lee　was　left　alone。　From　high　above；　papers　floated　out　of　shattered　skyscraper　windows。　He　found　a　Toyota　with　a　good　battery　and　keys　in　the　ignition。　The　engine　turned　over　with　what　was　left　in　its　gas　tank。　There　was　enough　headroom　to　acodate　his　helmet。　It　would　do。　He　got　out　and　poured　part　of　his　jerry　can　into　the　gas　tank。　All　told；　he　had　enough　fuel　for　a　round　trip　of　sixty　miles　or　so。
　Ochs　played　navigator　with　a　puter　map。　Nathan　Lee　followed　his　directions。　Where　the　avenues　were　clogged　with　dead　cars　or　had　flooded　with　water；　Ochs　found　him　alternate　routes。
　Together　they　reached　a　cozy　neighborhood　landscaped　with　poplars　and　Japanese　blood　grasses。　pared　to　the　tangle　of　highway　me