jefflong.yearzero-第76节
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temptations came on the afternoon breeze。Take your love； they whispered；flee into the desert。
There were hundreds of Anasazi cave dwellings in the Four Corners region。 With the Captain's help； he'd plotted them on a map。 He could flee with Miranda； hole up； outwait the fanatics streaming toward Los Alamos； and then run loose through the world with what was left of their time。 It would mean betraying her father； to whom he'd promised to deliver Miranda； or trying to betray him。 Nathan Lee took it for granted that Paul Abbot had his every move under the tightest surveillance。 He was more of a prisoner than the prisoners in Miranda's basement。 Even if he could escape Los Alamos； Miranda would never agree to leave with him。 Her devotion to the city…her utter faith in it…baffled and frustrated him。 She acted as if she'd been born here。
And so； for now； Nathan Lee resigned himself。 He did the next best thing to making his own escape。 He devised the clones' escape。
The notion gratified him。 He despised what had been done to them。 They and their sacrificed brothers had been used a thousand different ways by Los Alamos； from serving as lab subjects to titillating the city's mystical itch。 Now they could be used one final time； as his surrogate for breaking free。
〃I'm thinking the boys should get turned loose；〃 he announced to the Captain in the quiet of one afternoon。 They were watching the yard over cameras。 Over the weeks； the prisoners had slowly begun to trickle up from their cells and brave the sun again。 Ben was the stalwart； first every morning； last at dusk； walking； feeding the fire； walking； walking； getting those muscles ready。 Nathan Lee could see his mind at work。 Ben had not missed a day。 For weeks he'd had the place to himself。 Now it was inhabited again。 The burnt sacrifices of birds and squirrels resumed； though the season was getting cold and they'd largely hunted the place out。
At the moment； Ben was walking the wall circuit。 Big； loping strides carried him around the yard。 Men followed behind； the earnest ones matching his pace； the slower ones yakking away。
By the fire； Eesho was holding forth about the ing armageddon。 It had been over a month since Ochs had kowtowed to him； but the encounter continued to whet his appetite for disciples。 Borrowing from Revelation and from the War Scroll of the Dead Sea Scrolls； he had patched together a hybrid parable about a giant demon； one of the Sons of Darkness； begging him for forgiveness； and a queen of the dead； a woman with green eyes and hair like red gold whose name was Miranda； and her slaves； who were Nathan Lee and Izzy。 Each day his sermons became a little bolder and more intricate。
〃About time someone brought that up；〃 the Captain replied。
Nathan Lee was surprised。 〃Then you're not opposed to them going free？〃
〃I wouldn't treat a dog the way we've had to treat those men。〃
Nathan Lee was astonished。 〃But you're their keeper；〃 he protested。
〃Better me than most；〃 said the Captain。 〃Anyhow； I had this hunch someone like you might show up。 And then it would need someone like me to be where I am； doing what I'm doing； who could nod his head yes。〃
Nathan Lee guessed that was one way to view the universe。 〃You're going to let them go？〃 he reiterated。
〃Not yet。 And not me；〃 said the Captain。 〃But when the time's right； I'm all for you。〃
〃Well； all right then；〃 Nathan Lee said； trying to believe his luck。 〃So when is the right time？〃
As it developed； the Captain had put a great deal of thought to it already。 For the next several hours； they might as well have been discussing the release of zoo animals into the wilderness。 The clones were too wild； and at the same time too tame。 They were dangerous； but habituated。 They couldn't be freed anywhere close to the city； or they might try to return and prey upon it。 Sending them down to the pilgrim camp would be like throwing them into quicksand。 It was a pit of despair and deprivations down along the river。 If the deck sweeps had not been called off； they could have been transferred by helicopter to some distant place； but now that wasn't an option either。 After Miranda's directive shutting down human experimentation； Los Alamos had ceased the harvesting of cities； which were probably finished anyway。
Their release； in short； would have to wait until E…Day； their fabled evacuation date。 Nathan Lee worried that if and when that day ever arrived； there would be so much chaos the guards might forget to open the cells。 In crossing America； he had heard stories of prisons and zoos filled with the carcasses of captives who had starved to death。 The Captain took the job of programming the cell doors to automatically open an hour after the city emptied。
In the meantime； Nathan Lee wanted to prepare the clones for alien times。 They knew how to quarry limestone； sow wheat； work leather； smith iron； and herd goats。 But survival in the ruins of America was going to require different skills。 One can of spoiled food could wipe them out with botulism。 One wrong highway could land them in the Canadian winter。 The cities might be dead； but they were still mechanically alive； and deadly。 The clones needed a crash course in the twenty…first century。
〃You've got your work cut out；〃 said the Captain。
Nathan Lee went to Izzy； who thought it was a terrible idea。 〃I told you； they know we're the enemy。 Eesho's got them ready to kill us if we show our faces。〃
〃We'll select just one of them。 Educate him。 Show him the ropes。 When the time es； he can lead the rest。〃
Izzy balked。 〃Why would any of them trust us？ They're onto us now。 In their shoes； I wouldn't trust us。〃
〃They're prisoners。 They have no choice。〃
〃Fine；〃 grumbled Izzy。 〃We'll pick one。 But which one？〃
〃Someone they'll listen to。〃
〃Not his bloody lordship；〃 Izzy protested。 〃I'm not about to hand Eesho the keys to the castle。 He already thinks he's God almighty。〃
〃Not him；〃 Nathan Lee said； 〃Ben。〃
Izzy chewed on his moustache。 〃I thought you wanted a leader。 He's a loner。 Last time he had the chance； he bolted off all by himself。〃
〃That was different。 He saw the chance and took it。 And look； now； they follow him whether he wants to lead or not。〃
Izzy grumbled。 〃Better him than most； I suppose。〃
Class began next morning。
Ben was taken from the yard and led to the same spartan room where Ochs had asked Eesho for a miracle。 Nathan Lee and Izzy waited for him at a table with the day's lessons arranged on top。 There was a globe of the world； a can of beans； and a can opener。
Ben was brown as mahogany from the sun。 His hair smelled smoky from the campfire。 He showed no surprise at seeing them； nor hostility。 His face was its usual cipher。 He nodded to Izzy； but spoke to Nathan Lee。 〃You've returned；〃 he said。 It was a greeting that presumed a journey of some kind。
〃Yes； I'm back；〃 said Nathan Lee。
Eesho had condemned Nathan Lee and Izzy as minions of the darkness。 But the microphones in the yard had also picked up clones discussing whether their two former rades had escaped； or possibly been executed。 The crucifix in the tree still haunted them。
Ben didn't speak to such gossip。 He had already expressed his opinion that late afternoon two months ago when he described Golgotha； and how he and Nathan Lee were alike； travelers who cast themselves into a wilderness of light and shadows。 Nathan Lee had gone searching anew； and now he was back。 That was enough for Ben。 He didn't ask where Nathan Lee had gone； nor what he'd seen。 They could get into those kinds of details another time。
Ben studied Nathan Lee's face； and maybe his face had changed。 Nathan Lee had looked in his mirror； and grief had not turned his hair white nor put more lines around his eyes。 Just the same； Ben saw something。 〃Your journey was hard；〃 he remarked。
He seemed personally disappointed； as if it might have been the wrong journey or Nathan Lee had been the wrong one to take it。 There was nothing mystical nor pointed about it。 Nathan Lee had felt the same disillusion himself listening to his father and mother after certain expeditions。 Explorers were connected； no matter if they were searching on the sea or in a book。 When one of them discovered a treasure； whether it was gold or a summit or a math formula； it enriched them all； because fundamentally they were driven by the same riddle。 When one of them came home lost or empty…handed； all felt empty。 Sooner or later the quest would resume； often with a new approach or a fresh explorer。 The continuation was inevitable。 There was no end to humanity's searching； only the great circle。
Nathan Lee knew the clones would all embark on his same quest once they gained their freedom。 They would go to the ends of the earth looking for their loved ones。 They would never believe that two thousand years…eighty generations or more…had passed； and that their wives and children were dust。 He had no intention of telling them the truth。 Passing the torch； that was Nathan Lee's job； pure and simple。 There was no telling what the miles might reveal to them。
He drew the globe between them。 〃Here is the world。 All the land。 All the water。〃 He held his fist to one side。〃Suh…rraa。〃 The moon。 Further out； he
