jefflong.yearzero-第72节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


nalysis。　Arguably　the　most　powerful　man　on　earth；　Abbot　had　probably　had　his　daughter's　lover　all　but　dissected。
　〃How　does　it　feel　to　rejoin　the　living？〃　he　said。　His　grip　was　powerful。　The　release　was　equally　powerful。　He　ruled　by　that　hand。
　〃The　leaves　were　turning　when　I　left；〃　Nathan　Lee　said。　He　kept　it　simple。　〃Now　they're　gone。〃
　〃Miranda　told　me　about　your　tragic　discovery　in　Denver。〃　Abbot　waited。　He　was　trolling。　He　wanted　to　hear　Nathan　Lee　speak。　He　wanted；　Nathan　Lee　realized；　to　see　his　grief。。。or　grit。
　〃Dad。〃　Miranda　tried　to　intervene。　Abbot　didn't　take　his　eyes　from　Nathan　Lee's。
　〃I　don't　know　why　I　didn't　know；〃　Nathan　Lee　said　to　him。　〃Now　it's　over。〃
　Abbot　offered　no　further　condolences。　The　world　was　full　of　lost　souls　and　mournful　tribes。　He　was　steeled　against　the　outsiders。　His　borders　were　confined；　his　hoard　rich；　but　finite。　His　domain　was　for　the　privileged　few；　and　he　was　unapologetic　about　it。
　Miranda　hovered　to　one　side。　She　didn't　know　what　to　do　with　these　two　men。　They　took　up　all　the　space　in　her　kitchen；　Nathan　Lee　could　feel　it。　They　were　wearing　her　out。　〃Sit；〃　she　said　again。
　Abbot　stayed　on　his　feet。　He　was　amused。　〃Did　Miranda　tell　you？〃　he　asked　Nathan　Lee。　〃She's　the　new　director。〃
　〃No；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。　Cavendish　was　gone？　Had　he　died？　But　what　about　his　clone；　Nathan　Lee　wondered。　The　thought　streaked　by；　a　whimsy。　In　past　times　the　succession　of　power　might　have　gone　to　a　wife　or　son；　and　the　clone　was　said　to　be　identical　in　every　way　to　Cavendish　except　for　his　physical　perfection。　But　Miranda　had　inherited　the　throne；　handpicked　by　her　father。　She　was　being　groomed　for　mand。　He　said；　〃Congratulations。〃
　Now　he　understood　her　ferocious　defense　of　the　city。　It　really　was　hers。　And　yet　the　new　director　did　not　look　pleased。　Bureaucracy　and　politics　had　not　been　positive　experiences　for　her。
　〃It　will　mean　less　time　in　the　lab。　But　it　was　time　to　close　down　this　cloning　business；〃　Abbot　said。　〃In　the　end；　it　was　just　a　big　U…turn　back　into　ourselves。　And　Cavendish　had　to　go。　Everyone　said　so。　The　man's　missing　in　action。　Wouldn't　take　a　meeting。　I　don't　know　what　he's　up　to　in　South　Sector。〃　Not　dead；　thought　Nathan　Lee。　Out　of　sight；　out　of　mind。　〃Mischief；　that's　all　I've　seen；〃　said　Abbot。　〃No　leadership。　No　presence。　We　need　unity。　Shared　purpose。　Clear　science。　Especially　now；　with　people　afraid。　Soon　enough　the　sanctuary　will　be　ready。〃
　〃I　heard　about　the　setback；〃　Nathan　Lee　said。
　Abbot's　face　changed。　His　eyes　narrowed。　〃Which　would　that　be？〃
　〃The　flooding。　The　collapse　of　floors。〃
　Abbot　snapped　a　glance　at　his　daughter。　〃You　told　him？〃
　But　Miranda　was　staring　at　Nathan　Lee。　〃No　one's　supposed　to　know　that；〃　she　said　to　him。　〃How　on　earth　did　you　find　out？〃
　〃In　decon；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。　〃One　of　the　doctors。〃　He　gestured　at　the　cube　with　the　Sera…III　inside。　〃He　told　me　about　that；　too。　The　three…year　immunity。〃
　〃Which　one　of　the　doctors？〃　Abbot　demanded。
　〃A　psychiatrist。　I　never　saw　him；　only　heard　his　voice。〃
　〃His　name；〃　said　Abbot。　〃I　want　his　name。〃
　〃He　never　gave　it。　I　asked　the　staff。　They　thought　I　made　him　up。〃
　〃What　is　going　on　up　here？〃　Abbot　muttered　darkly。　〃Are　you　sure　this　isn't　your　doing；　Miranda？〃
　〃I　want　people　to　stay；　not　panic；〃　she　snapped　back　at　him。
　Abbot　rapped　his　knuckles　on　the　table。　〃Look　into　it；〃　he　told　her。　〃The　last　thing　we　need　is　some　provocateur。。。。〃
　〃Cavendish；〃　said　Miranda。　〃He　was　stripped　of　power。　Maybe　he's　leaking　secrets；　sowing　chaos。〃
　〃I　don't　think　so；〃　Nathan　Lee　volunteered。　〃It　didn't　seem　like　his　voice。　It　was　too　strong。〃
　〃He　wouldn't　try　anything　so　direct；〃　said　Abbot　to　Miranda。　〃But　don't　let　your　guard　down。　He'll　try　to　sabotage　you；　but　not　the　sanctuary。　I　know　that　much。　He's　lost　his　nerve。　He　wants　what　the　rest　of　the　city　wants；　a　roof　over　their　heads。　Shelter　from　the　tempest。〃
　〃Not　everybody　wants　what　you　want；〃　Miranda　retorted。　But　the　handful　of　scientists　who　considered　the　sanctuary　to　be　a　death　trap　was　in　the　minority。　Almost　everyone　else　could　not　wait　to　get　out　of　harm's　way；　even　if　it　meant　sacrificing　the　sun　for　the　next　decade；　or　half　century；　however　long　it　took。
　Nathan　Lee　looked　from　father　to　daughter。　They　were　wary　and　at　odds。
　〃Dissidents；〃　said　Abbot。　〃Your　little　confederacy　of　optimists。　Fools。〃
　〃They're　making　the　choice　themselves；〃　Miranda　said。
　Abbot　snorted。　〃You'll　see。　When　the　day　arrives；　they'll　make　their　real　choice。　And　it　won't　be　this　noble　last　stand　of　yours。〃
　〃If　we　can　make　it　through　the　winter；〃　Miranda　said；　〃we　won't　need　to　bury　ourselves　in　the　bowels　of　the　earth。　The　die…off　will　be　plete。　The　plague　will　have　passed　us　by。〃
　〃The　plague　is　passing　no　one　by。〃
　〃We　have　other　options；〃　Miranda　insisted。
　Abbot　pointed　at　the　Sera…III　sealed　inside　the　cube；　but　did　not　touch　it。　Miranda　had　brought　it　for　him；　Nathan　Lee　surmised。　Show　and　tell。　〃Like　your　suicide　pill？〃　her　father　said。
　〃It's　not　suicide；〃　Miranda　protested。　〃There　are　survivors　out　there。　They　could　hold　the　answer。　But　it　will　take　time　to　find　them；　and　we　have　to　be　up　here　in　the　open　to　do　it。　The　vaccine　gives　us　a　shield。〃
　〃Then　kills　you。　Three　years；〃　he　said。　〃I'm　offering　them　thirty　years。　Fifty。　A　hundred。　We　don't　have　to　dose　ourselves　with　poison。　If　there　are　survivors；　we'll　find　them。　Or　our　children's　children　will。〃
　〃Buried　a　half　mile　deep？〃
　Abbot　abruptly　disengaged。　He　smiled。　〃There　you　have　it；〃　he　said　to　Nathan　Lee。　〃My　rebel　daughter。〃
　As　if　noticing　it　for　the　first　time；　Abbot　picked　up　the　little　jade　nude。　It　was　a　magical　thing。　She　could　be　lascivious；　or　imperial；　or　restful；　depending　on　who　held　her。　Abbot　turned　the　statue　this　way　and　that　in　the　sun；　and　she　became　Miranda；　undressed　in　Nathan　Lee's　arms。　Miranda's　eyes　shifted　away。　Abbot　set　the　statue　back　in　its　sunbeam。　He　looked　at　Nathan　Lee。
　〃I　thought　we　should　have　a　little　man…to…man　talk；〃　he　said。　〃Let's　go　for　a　walk。　Outside。〃
　Miranda　started　to　object。
　〃We'll　be　back　in　a　few　minutes；〃　her　father　said。　Nathan　Lee　stepped　outside。　Abbot　slid　the　door　shut　behind　them。
　Miranda's　butterflies　had　died　in　the　cold。　Her　cage　was　empty。　All　that　remained　were　a　few　pinches　of　color　on　the　dirt。　Abbot　walked　toward　the　rim　of　the　mesa。　Then　he　turned；　deliberately；　ten　feet　from　the　edge。
　〃Close　enough；〃　he　said　to　Nathan　Lee。　〃I　don't　have　your　mountain　climber's　footing。〃　It　was　neither　an　excuse　nor　a　pliment。
　Nathan　Lee　waited。
　〃I've　studied　your　file；〃　Abbot　said。　〃It　reads　like　a　high…wire　act。　You　fall；　but　you　recover。　You've　made　an　art　of　landing　on　your　feet。　You　always　survive。〃　His　voice　turned　austere。　Dark　and　hard。　〃That　is　why　I　spared　your　life。〃
　The　bluntness　forted　Nathan　Lee。　He　had　not　been　summoned　for　brunch　with　Dad。　They　were　driving　to　the　heart　of　the　matter；　and　quickly。　Abbot　had　a　bargain　in　mind。
　Abbot　took　a　letter　from　an　inner　pocket；　and　unfolded　it。　〃Have　you　ever　seen　a　deportation　order？〃　he　asked。
　〃I've　only　heard　about　them。〃　Deport　orders　were　like　arrows　that　turned　to　serpents　once　their　victim　was　gone。　They　killed　you；　then　vanished。
　〃I　hadn't　either；　until　this。〃　Abbot　tapped　the　letter。　〃It　has　your　name　on　it。〃
　He　handed　the　letter　to　Nathan　Lee。　It　was　formal…looking；　with　language　about　quarantine　and　instructions　to　the　bearer　to　arrest　and　transport　Nathan　Lee　Swift　to　the　next　city　or　location　targeted　for　a　deck　sweep。　The　warrant　had　been　filled　out　by　Ochs。　A　notary　public　had　even　stamped　the　box　at　the　bottom。　It　was　dated　one　day　after　Nathan　Lee's　return　from　Denver。　No　sooner　had　Nathan　Lee　been　plucked　from　death；　than　Ochs　had　condemned　him　to　die　again。
　But　someone　had　drawn　a　neat　line　through　Nathan　Lee's　name。　Above　it　was　writtenDavid　Ochs。　It　now　read　so　that　Ochs　had　signed　his　own　death　warrant。　Nathan　Lee　looked　more　carefully　at　the　initials　in　the　margin；　and　then　the　hasty　signature　at　the　bottom。P。A。；　it　said。Paul　Abbot。
　〃A　memento；〃　said　Abbot。　〃Miranda　called　me。　She　begged　me。　You　have　no　idea　how　extraordinary　that　is。　She　was　sure　Ochs　might　try　something。　My　agents　intercepted　it。〃
　Nathan　Lee　could　see　the　hatred　in　the　ink。　〃Ochs；〃　he　said　aloud。
　〃Ochs　is　gone；〃　said　Abbot。　〃But　he　will　return。　Count　on　it。〃
　〃Here？〃
　〃Salt　Lake　City　was　the　next　deck　sweep。　Five　hundred　miles　as　the　bird　flies。　But　that　was　too　far　away　for　my　purposes。　So　I　had　a　discussion　with　Dr。　Ochs。　He　seemed　perfectly　happy　to　leave　Los　Alamos　on　his　own。〃
　Nathan　Lee　heard　the　edges　of　deeper　cunning。　Abbot　had　spared　not　one　life；　but　two；　both　for　some　larger；　hidden　design。　By　sharing　this　further　secret；　Abbot　was　preparing　Nathan　Lee。　A　service　was　going　to　be　required　of　him。
　〃Tell　me；〃　said　Abbot；　〃was　Ochs　always　such　a　lunatic？〃
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　〃This　messianic　fever。　It's　like　a　disease。　Or　was　he　like　that　before？〃
　〃I　don't　know　what　you're　talking　about。〃
　〃The　miracle。〃
　〃What　miracle？〃
　〃Never　mind；〃　said　Abbot。　〃It's　all　in　motion　now。〃
　Nathan　Lee　could　practically　feel　invisible　wheels　turning　around　him。　He　had　already　been　i