jefflong.yearzero-第77节

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　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　shaped　a　circle　in　the　air。〃Shim…shaa。〃　The　sun。　He　stopped　the　globe　and　pointed。　〃Israel。　Jerusalem。　Egypt。　Rome。Baavil。〃　Babylon。
　Ben　turned　his　attention　from　the　globe　and　its　promises　to　Nathan　Lee。　〃Why　show　them　to　me？〃　But　even　the　flat　voice　and　scarred；　stoic　mask　could　not　hide　his　longing　and　excitement。
　〃It's　time　to　give　yougool…paa…n'e；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。Wings。　〃You　can　show　the　others　how　to　fly。〃
　〃Wings；〃　Ben　grunted　cautiously。
　〃There　is　a　world　out　there。〃　He　gave　the　globe　a　slow　spin。
　〃Your　world。〃　Ben　didn't　look　at　the　globe。
　So；　thought　Nathan　Lee；　Ben　had　bought　into　the　tribalism。　Nathan　Lee　was　an　outsider。　Ben　didn't　seem　to　hold　it　against　him。　But　it　was　there。　〃It　is　your　world；　too；〃　he　said。
　〃Pssh；〃　scoffed　Ben。　〃Words。　A　trap。〃
　〃This　is　no　trap。　When　the　time　is　right；　you'll　go　free。〃
　〃You　will　free　us？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃And　so　you　own　us。〃
　〃Not　me；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。
　Ben　was　a　tough　customer。　He　kept　testing　the　proposition。　〃You　made　us　slaves。。。for　nothing？〃
　Nathan　Lee　didn't　correct　Ben's　choice　of　words。　They　were　lab　animals。　It　was　nothing　personal。　There　was　no　way　to　express　the　lowliness　of　that。　〃Ben；〃　he　sighed；〃u…saad。〃　Be　free。
　〃You　want　us　to　believe　again。〃　In　what；　he　did　not　say。　It　was　universal。　Faith　requires　doubt；　and　doubt；　faith。　Los　Alamos　was　built　on　just　such　a　foundation。
　〃I　see　you　walking；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。　〃Looking。　Smelling　the　wind。　You　said　we're　alike。　I　can　tell　that　you're　getting　ready　to　go。〃
　And　still　Ben　was　not　convinced。　〃Why　are　you　doing　this？〃
　〃Because；〃　said　Nathan　Lee；　〃it　frees　me。〃
　For　the　time　being；　that　seemed　to　satisfy　Ben。
　Nathan　Lee　stopped　the　globe。　He　placed　his　finger　on　New　Mexico。　〃We　are　here。　A　city。　Los　Alamos。　All　of　this　is　America。　Let　me　teach　you　about　this　place。〃
　Ben　followed　the　lesson　for　a　time；　but　then　he　returned　to　Nathan　Lee。　〃Lead　us；〃　he　said。
　Nathan　Lee　faltered。　They　would　trust　him　for　that？　But　his　place　was。。。elsewhere。　He'd　finished　searching　for　what　they　would　want。　〃Not　me。〃　He　wasn't　sure　how　to　explain　himself。　〃My　heart　is　here。〃
　Out　of　the　blue；　Ben　said；　〃Bring　her　with　you。〃
　Nathan　Lee　was　startled。　He　glanced　at　Izzy；　who　shrugged。　〃Who　do　you　mean？〃　Miranda；　surely。　Eesho　had　described　her　to　the　others；　the　green…eyed　sorceress。
　〃Your　daughter；〃　Ben　stated。
　The　walls　sagged。
　〃What？〃　whispered　Nathan　Lee。
　〃The　little　girl；〃　said　Ben。
　Cold　shot　up　his　spine。　Nathan　Lee　couldn't　speak。
　Izzy　entered　roughly。　He　could　see　Nathan　Lee's　shock。　〃Who　told　you　about　his　child？〃　he　demanded。
　〃No　one；〃　said　Ben。　〃I　used　to　hear　her　singing　in　the　night。　But　then　she　changed。　She　called　out。　She　became　wild。　Her　songs　became　weeping。〃
　The　ghost　of　my　daughter。Nathan　Lee　felt　impaled。
　〃There　was　nothing　I　could　do　but　listen；〃　Ben　continued。　〃It　tore　at　my　heart。　And　then　you　came。　You　told　her　stories。　You　sang　to　her。　That　was　the　first　time　I　heard　your　voice。　I　didn't　understand　your　words；　but　I　listened。　It　went　on　for　hours。　You　cast　out　her　demons；　one　by　one。　And　in　healing　her；　you　healed　me；　too。　The　wildness　in　me。〃
　Suddenly　Nathan　Lee　realized　what　he　was　talking　about。　Ben　must　have　heard　them　through　the　steel　walls。　He　breathed　out。　〃The　girl；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。　〃Tara。　The　Neandertal。〃　The　world　resumed。
　Izzy　relaxed。
　〃I　never　told　you；〃　Ben　finished　in　his　own　tongue。　〃You　gave　me　hope。　That　was　the　first　time。　The　second　time　was　when　you　brought　us　out　from　the　earth；　into　the　sun。　I　knew　that　was　your　hand　the　moment　I　heard　your　voice。　And　now　you　give　us　wings。　Do　you　see　what　I'm　saying？　You　lead　us　already。　So　you　should　e。〃
　He　made　it　sound　simple。　Nathan　Lee　set　the　can　of　beans　on　the　table。　He　handed　Ben　the　can　opener。　〃Here；〃　he　said；　〃open　that。〃
　　
　OVER　THE　ING　DAYS；　they　entered　the　twenty…first　century。　The　room　came　to　resemble　a　junk　pile。　Nathan　Lee　and　Izzy　brought　in　whatever　might　serve　the　clones　in　the　wastelands　of　America。　Flashlights；　voltage　meters　for　every　size　of　battery；　binoculars；　a　Swiss　Army　knife；　matches；　a　tool　box；　a　pry　bar；　screws；　mosquito　repellant；　fish　hooks；　tea　bags；　ramen　noodles；　a　space　blanket；　books　and　magazines；　an　atlas；　plastic　bottles；　a　kit　for　testing　polluted　water；　backpacks；　wire；　a　box　of　military　rations　with　heating　pouches；　chemical　lights；　a　pair　of　pants　with　a　zipper；　pencils　and　a　pencil　sharpener；　paper。　Not　everything　was　necessary；　toilet　paper；　for　instance；　and　clocks。　The　corners　filled　with　things。
　They　spent　a　full　day　on　locks；　another　on　using　a　pass。　Ben　got　bike　riding　lessons　in　a　deserted　hallway。　When　he　wasn't　fiddling　with　gadgets；　Ben　was　learning　how　to　read　signs；　symbols；　maps；　colors；　and　expiration　dates　on　food　containers。　Izzy　assembled　a　small　English/Aramaic　dictionary　with　every　generic　term　they　might　encounter　on　a　street：Do　Not　Enter；　High　Voltage；　Hospital；and　evenNo　Parking；　No　Smoking；　andNo　U…Turn。　There　was　no　sense　puzzling　over　the　useless　out　there。　At　night；　Ben　crammed；　staying　awake　in　his　cell　withNational　Geographic　magazines；　and　teaching　himself　how　to　write　the　alphabet。
　At　last；　Nathan　Lee　decided　it　was　time　to　go　public。　One　afternoon；　Ben　appeared　in　the　yard；　riding　a　bicycle。　His　fellow　clones　froze　like　statues。　Ben　made　three　circuits　of　the　yard；　weaving　between　astounded　men；　ringing　his　bell；　then　stopped　by　the　fire。　As　a　crowd　cautiously　formed　around　the　magical　device；　Nathan　Lee　watched　from　the　shadows　of　the　doorway。　Slowly　he　became　aware　he　was　being　watched　in　return。　Crouched　low；　staring　through　the　curtain　of　flames；　Eesho　looked　ready　to　kill。
　*　　*　　*
　EACH　DAY　ANOTHER　HANDFULof　people　gave　up　on　Los　Alamos　and　descended　to　the　pilgrim　camp。　They　had　grown　tired　of　waiting　for　the　inevitable；　or　the　raw　Christianity　called　to　them；　or　they　went　to　alleviate　the　suffering；　or　they　learned　the　besiegers　included　family　members　they　had　thought　long　dead。　Each　knew　the　valley　was　hot　and　painted　orange　with　poison；　and　they　could　never　return　inside　the　fence　nor　gain　entrance　to　the　sanctuary。　But　they　went　with　peace　in　their　hearts；　and　driving　truckloads　of　food　and　medicine。
　Los　Alamos　gladly　released　them。　It　would　have　been　useless　to　halt　them；　for　one　thing。　And　the　trucks　needed　drivers。　More　to　the　point；　people　hoped　these　departing　citizens　would　be　received　as　ambassadors　from　the　city　of　light。　Many　took　their　cellphones　with　them；　and　for　the　life　of　their　batteries；　they　were　able　to　stay　in　contact　with　their　friends　and　neighbors　on　the　Mesa。　They　usually　tried　to　sound　upbeat　and　resolute。　It　was；　after　all；　their　decision　to　go。　After　a　few　days；　their　voices　broke　up　and　they　would　dwindle　into　memory。
　These　émigrés　were　treated　like　assisted　suicides。　People　sympathized　with　their　reasoning；　gave　them　tearful　going…away　parties；　remembered　the　good　times；　walked　them　to　the　gate；　even　acted　like　they　were　making　the　heroic　choice。　For　all　that；　the　departures　were　considered　a　terrible　waste　of　life；　almost　a　desertion。　No　one　could　imagine　doing　what　the　expatriates　were　doing　or　going　where　they　went。
　One　morning　Izzy　announced　he　was　going；　too。　〃I　got　a　message　from　my　brother；〃　he　said。　〃It's　incredible。　He's　down　there　in　the　camp。〃
　〃Damn；〃　whispered　Nathan　Lee。
　〃I　haven't　seen　him　in　four　years；　and　he's　ill；　you　know。〃　He　was　apologetic。　〃I　know　there's　still　work　to　be　done。　But　your　Aramaic　is　good　enough。　I'm　not　needed　anymore。〃
　〃It's　not　that；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。　This　was　the　end。
　〃I　know；〃　Izzy　said　more　quietly。
　Part　of　him　wanted　to　talk　Izzy　out　of　it。　But　in　his　place；　Nathan　Lee　knew　he'd　be　going；　too。
　〃We　covered　a　good　bit　of　ground；〃　said　Izzy。　〃Two　thousand　years。　Not　so　bad。〃
　〃At　least　talk　to　Miranda；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。　〃You've　heard　of　the　Sera…III。　Let　her　immunize　you。〃
　〃It　takes　too　long　to　kick　in；〃　said　Izzy。　〃Forty…eight　hours。　By　then　my　brother　could　have　disappeared　again。〃
　It　was　Izzy's　idea　to　take　a　camera　into　the　camp。　The　camera　was　a　〃lipstick〃　device　rigged　to　beam　a　microwave　signal　across　the　river　and　up　to　the　city。　Uncertain　how　a　camera　might　be　received　among　the　fanatics；　its　main　works　were　concealed　in　a　tattered；　and　hopefully　inconspicuous；　daypack。　The　tiny　lens　was　mounted　on　a　flexible　cord　that　snaked　up　through　his　hair　and　along　one　stem　of　his　glasses。　He　was　wired　for　sound　like　an　undercover　cop。　Wherever　he　looked　and　listened；　they　would　see　and　hear。
　There　was　no　time　for　a　proper　send…off。　He　was　anxious　to　see　his　brother；　and　at　the　same　time　afraid　of　changing　his　mind。　Miranda　arrived　at　the　gate　just　as　Izzy　was　leaving；　and　gave　him　a　crushing　embrace。　〃Are　you　sure？〃　she　cried。
　〃Miranda；〃　Izzy　said　dolefully。　With　a　wink　at　Nathan　Lee；　he　got　a　second　hug；　and　stole　a　kiss。
　　
　THROUGH　THE　EYEof　Izzy's　camera；　they　descended　down　Highway　502　behind　the　wheel　of　a　big　truck　filled　with　supplies。　The　road　stayed　empty　as　the　valley　floor　leveled　out。　Then　in　th