jefflong.yearzero-第78节

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　empty　as　the　valley　floor　leveled　out。　Then　in　the　distance；　they　saw　the　bridge　and　the　great　stretch　of　crosses。　〃Wish　me　luck；〃　they　heard　Izzy　breathe。
　Over　the　ing　days；　the　faceless　masses　gained　a　soul。
　Through　Izzy's　camera；　a　thousand　details　came　pouring　into　Los　Alamos。　Until　now；　it　had　been　easy　to　imagine　the　camp　as　an　outdoor　cathedral；　flush　with　passion；　grubby；　but　somehow　not　quite　as　bad　as　it　was。　In　fact；　conditions　were　primeval。　The　living　mingled　with　the　dying。　Over　Izzy's　microphone；　you　could　hear　shouts；　chanted　prayers；　howls；　pleas　and　song　blending　into　white　noise。
　Hairy　faces　leapt　at　the　lens　with　wild　proclamations。　Bodies　lay　where　they　had　fallen。　Others　drifted　facedown　in　the　Rio。
　Izzy　wandered　for　three　days；　undetected；　unable　to　find　his　brother。　There　were　over　a　million　people　there。　On　the　fourth　day；　Izzy　turned　the　camera　on　himself　and　spoke　to　the　city。
　〃It　seems　I　made　a　mistake；〃　he　said　quite　simply。　〃Don't　anyone　follow　me。〃
　
　33
　The　Prophet
　
　It　was　like　watching　live　cable　feeds　from　Hell。
　Izzy　roamed　the　camp　with　his　camera；　doomed。　He　had　drawn　some　of　his　own　blood；　and　it　tested　positive。　He　could　have　fled　the　awful　camp　for　some　saner　place　to　grow　sick　and　die。　Instead　he　chose　to　stay　and　serve　the　city　as　their　eyes。　If　not　for　him；　they　would　never　have　met　the　prophet。
　A　pair　of　semi…trailers　full　of　food　was　burning。　A　mob　ringed　the　heat；　watching　passively。　They　were　starving；　and　yet　no　one　tried　to　save　the　food。　Izzy　asked　one　of　the　gaunt　spectators；　who　merely　smiled。
　A　distant　voice　could　be　heard　over　the　crackle　of　flames。〃Cursed　shall　you　be　in　the　city；　and　cursed　shall　you　be　in　the　country。。。。〃　People　were　shouting　amen。〃The　Lord　will　make　the　plague　cling　to　you　until　He　has　consumed　you　from　the　land　which　you　are　going　to　possess。〃
　His　lens　bobbing；　Izzy　went　in　search　of　the　preacher。　As　he　got　closer；　Nathan　Lee　started。　Even　over　the　television；　he　knew　that　voice。　But　when　the　camera　reached　the　front　of　the　crowd；　he　could　barely　recognize　Ochs。
　The　fat　had　melted　from　him　on　his　great；　circular　journey　through　the　wastelands。　Stripped　to　sinew　and　bone；　he　looked　more　giant　than　ever。　He　towered　head　and　bare　shoulders　above　the　masses。　His　beard　and　hair　were　tangled　in　a　foul　nest。　Dogs；　or　snipers；　had　lamed　him。　He　used　a　metal　fence　post　for　his　walking　staff。　It　looked　like　a　huge　arrow。　Plague　victims　weled　his　demands　for　atonement　with　outstretched　arms。　Theflagellantes　were　hard　at　work　all　around　him；　whipping　their　own　backs　with　chains　and　barbwire。　As　Izzy　backed　away；　Ochs　spoke　through　a　mist　of　gore。
　　
　OCHS；　THEY　REALIZED；　had　to　be　the　pilgrims'　unrevealed　leader。　At　last；　in　him；　the　city　believed　there　was　someone　with　whom　they　could　negotiate。　Even　though　Ochs　had　been　banished　from　their　gates；　people　took　hope　because　he　had　once　been　one　of　their　own。　They　asked　Izzy　to　approach　him　and　get　his　consent　to　speak　with　Miranda　and　emergency　council。
　〃He'll　make　hamburger　out　of　me；〃　Izzy　fretted；　but　he　finally　did　as　they　asked。　To　everyone's　surprise；　Ochs　agreed　to　a　video　conference　late　that　same　afternoon。　The　emergency　council　went　into　overdrive　to　prepare　for　the　meeting。
　Nathan　Lee　was　brought　into　the　council　chambers　as　a　consultant。　The　place　was　a　beehive　of　specialists；　support　staff；　and　officials。　Crews　were　setting　up　cameras　and　television　screens；　and　on　the　far　side　of　the　room　Miranda　was　arguing　with　one　of　the　generals。　Of　late　the　generals　had　bee　belligerent；　challenging　her　authority　in　public。　Night　after　night；　Miranda　had　trouble　sleeping；　convinced　her　father　had　installed　her　as　the　director　merely　to　lull　the　city　while　the　subterranean　chambers　were　pleted。　Nathan　Lee　did　not　use　her　worries　against　her；　not　yet。　When　the　time　came；　he　reckoned　she　would　be　sick　of　the　intrigues　and　deceit　and　would　gladly　go　with　him　to　the　west。
　A　woman　in　a　blue　business　suit　came　over　to　Nathan　Lee。　She　introduced　herself　as　an　FBI　negotiator　and　led　him　to　a　table　away　from　the　bustle。　〃We　have　two　hours；〃　she　said。　〃Our　survival　could　depend　on　mediating　a　truce　with　Ochs。　You　were　friends。〃
　〃I　knew　him。〃
　〃Who　is　he？　What　about　him　is　real？　What's　not？〃　She　opened　a　dossier　on　Ochs　and　went　through　it　with　him。　It　was　the　biography　of　a　make…believe　man。　The　photos　showed　every　phase　of　Ochs's　metamorphosis。　Here　was　the　thickly　muscled　football　player；　and　the　art　dealer　at　a　museum　auction；　and　the　professor　before　his　class；　and　the　explorer　sun…bronzed　on　the　Everest　archaeology　expedition。　〃That's　where　I　first　met　him；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。　〃There's　my　father　in　the　background。　And　me。　I　was　seventeen。〃　It　was　unbelievable。　For　almost　half　his　life；　Nathan　Lee　had　been　burdened　by　the　man。
　Other　photos　showed　Ochs　at　a　Year　Zero　dig　in　Israel；　and　holding　forth　at　some　university　function；　and　finally；　in　a　daze；　just　before　his　deportation　from　Los　Alamos。　Then　there　was　the　still　image　lifted　from　Izzy's　coverage　of　the　burning　trucks　that　same　morning。　He　could　have　been　John　the　Baptist　in　ripped　burlap　with　a　bagful　of　locusts　and　honey。
　〃I'm　not　sure　what　you　want；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。　〃Call　him　Professor。　Or　Doctor。　Or　David。　Never　Dave。　Honor　him；　that's　important。　He's　always　thought　a　great　deal　of　himself。〃　The　FBI　lady　started　writing。
　Nathan　Lee　flipped　through　the　file。　Ochs　had　largely　succeeded　in　ghostwriting　his　own　biography。　It　was　a　portrait　of　ambition。　Given　the　opportunity；　he　took　all　the　credit　and　gave　all　the　blame。　He　boasted　credentials　he'd　never　had；　hid　indiscretions；　even　lied　about　his　weight　on　his　driver's　license。　There　was　his　Neandertal　discovery；　minus　Nathan　Lee。　For　the　first　time；　Nathan　Lee　saw　the　newspaper　articles　celebrating　Ochs's　incredible　discovery　of　the　ice　woman。
　Yet　Ochs　hadn't　managed　to　pletely　rewrite　his　past。　An　Interpol　document　revealed　at　least　some　of　his　sins；　most　of　them　having　to　do　with　antiquities　smuggling。　It　seemed　like　the　least　of　evils　now。
　〃Will　he　listen　to　you？〃
　〃No；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。
　〃Why　not？〃
　〃He　knows　I　want　to　kill　him。〃
　The　woman's　pen　stopped。　〃You're　serious。〃
　〃He's　that　kind　of　man；〃　Nathan　Lee　answered。
　〃And　you're　not？〃　she　responded。
　Nathan　Lee　had　no　idea　what　kind　of　man　he　was　anymore。
　She　returned　to　her　clipboard。　〃What　does　he　want？　A　ministry？　Food　for　his　people？　Revenge？　Back　inside　the　fence？〃
　Nathan　Lee　looked　at　the　last　photo　of　the　wild　prophet。　He　remembered　the　burning　food。　〃I　think　he's　found　exactly　what　he　wants。〃
　〃But　we　can　offer　him　fort。　We　can　South　Sector　him。　Give　him　a　hospital　bed　in　one　of　the　BSL…4's。　He　could　be　very　fortable　there。〃
　Nathan　Lee　thought　about　it。　〃It's　too　late。　There　was　a　time　when　he　would　have　done　anything　to　get　out　of　that　camp。　But　I　saw　him　on　TV。　He's　near　the　end　of　his　journey。　He　only　has　a　little　more　to　go。〃
　〃He　must　want　something；　though。〃
　Nathan　Lee　turned　the　question　back　on　her。　〃No　big　mystery。　The　same　thing　you　want。〃
　〃Clarify；〃　she　said。
　〃Ochs　wants　what　we　all　want。　Not　right　this　minute；　in　this　warm　room　with　our　good　health　and　clean　clothes。　In　the　middle　of　the　night；　I　mean。〃
　She　didn't　write　anything。　She　thought　it　was　a　munication　problem。　〃But　you　see；　we　have　to　give　him　something。　This　is　a　negotiation。〃　The　negotiator　asked　Nathan　Lee　to　go　through　the　dossier　again。　〃If　it　jogs　any　memories；　anything；　I'll　be　right　over　there。〃　She　left　him。
　While　Nathan　Lee　went　through　Ochs's　resumes；　photos；　diplomas；　and　other　documents；　he　heard　three　generals　talking。　〃We've　got　snipers；〃　said　one。
　〃God；　don't　martyr　the　bastard。〃
　〃Would　decapitation　even　work？〃　said　the　third。　〃What　if　he's　not　really　their　leader？〃
　At　ten　before　the　hour；　they　miked　Miranda　and　arranged　her　at　the　table。　The　shouting　stopped。　Their　queen　was　ready。
　〃We　link　up　at　the　top　of　the　hour；〃　the　FBI　woman　was　briefing　her。　〃Here's　a　set　of　talking　points　we've　worked　up。　Set　a　reasonable　tone。　Treat　him　as　an　equal。　Don't　talk　down　to　him。　Don't　be　submissive。　Impress　on　Professor　Ochs　that　we're　working　on　his　behalf。　Ask　him　what　they　want。　More　food？　Medicine？　The　messiah　clone？〃
　〃Negative；　the　clone；〃　snapped　the　general　with　whom　Miranda　had　been　arguing。　They'd　already　fought　like　dogs　over　this。　〃He's　a　ransom　asset。　Call　it　mutual　assured　destruction。　Ochs　knows　the　score。　He's　one　of　us；　or　used　to　be。〃　Heads　nodded　at　the　Cold　Warrior　wisdom。
　〃They　want　the　monster？〃　one　of　the　civilian　deputies　argued。　〃Give　him　to　them。　Wrap　him　up　in　a　big　red　bow。　Send　him　down。〃
　〃He　would　never　go；〃　Nathan　Lee　interrupted。
　〃But　they're　his　people。〃
　〃He's　not　the　one　they　want；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。　〃He's　a　fake。〃
　〃It　doesn't　matter。　Send　them　any　of　the　clones。　Put　a　crown　of　thorns　on　him。　They'll　never　know　the　difference。〃
　〃Ochs　would　know。〃
　〃Ochs。〃　It　came　back　to　that；　to　trying　to　cut　a　deal　with　the　unknown。
　Miranda　straightened　in　her　chair。　She　folded　her　hands　and　raised　her　chin。　The　negogiator　went　down　her　list。　〃Tell　them　we're　close　to　the　cure；〃　the　woman　said。
　〃But　there　is　no　c