jefflong.yearzero-第12章

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ers　twice。　Ten。　It　was　a　signal。　She　looked　around　at　the　forest；　and　whoever　he'd　e　in　with…his　driver　or　assistants；　or　maybe　the　director　of　the　labs…was　keeping　out　of　sight　while　he　had　this　little　one…on…one　with　his　prodigal　daughter。　Then　she　saw　movement　on　the　far　side　of　the　quarry。　Dressed　in　camouflage；　they　could　have　been　soldiers　or　poachers。　Or　field　biologists。
　She　ripped　open　the　newspaper　wrapping　a　bloody　piece　of　cod。　〃Catch；〃　she　said；　and　lobbed　it　at　her　father。　He　snagged　it　inches　from　his　creased　slacks。
　He　held　the　raw　flesh。　〃Okay；〃　he　said。　〃Now　what？〃
　They　were　more　fortable　this　way；　him　on　slow　burn　and　short　of　time；　her　glib　and　exercising　maximum　self…defense。　〃It's　called　breakfast；〃　she　said。　〃Give　it　a　toss。〃
　He　pitched　the　fish　underhanded　and　it　slapped　flat　on　the　thin　ice。　They　waited。　No　Winston。　〃He's　probably　frightened；〃　she　said。　〃He's　never　seen　a　man　before。〃
　〃He's　watching　us？　Through　the　ice？〃　Her　father　took　a　half　step　back　from　the　edge。
　〃Don't　worry；　he　doesn't　eat　people。〃
　〃Yet；〃　her　father　stated。
　〃Don't　be　silly。　We　gave　grasshoppers　a　try；〃　she　brightly　explained。　〃Winston's　strictly　a　fish　man；　though。〃
　〃You　haven't　seen　the　pieces　of　animal；　then？〃
　He　wasn't　asking　a　question。　He　was　springing　a　trap。
　〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃
　〃The　bones。　The　carcasses。　The　egg　shells　and　feathers。　Scattered　all　over　the　forest　floor。　Winston's　quite　a　hunter。　The　list　of　species　is　impressive。　prehensive。　He's　essentially　sterilized　the　forest　in　a　half…mile　radius。　Everything　from　mice；　squirrels；　and　raccoons　to　owls　and　jays。　Even　a　deer；　though　it's　uncertain　if　it　was　wounded　during　the　hunting　season　or　he　actually　brought　it　down　himself。〃
　Miranda　turned　to　the　water；　trying　to　hide　her　shock。　Winston　had　been　leaving　the　pond？　Moving　up　the　food　chain？　He　could　climb　trees？　Cross　land？　Kill？　What　made　her　nervous　was　that　he　had　a　secret　life　she　knew　nothing　about。　〃He　barely　weighs　forty　pounds；〃　she　said。
　〃There's　more　field　work　to　do；〃　her　father　went　on；　〃but　it's　clear　your　creation　is　getting　bolder。　He's　widening　his　feeding　range　in　concentric　circles。　At　first　he　was　tentative　and　stuck　close　to　home。　But　the　freshest　kill　was　found　almost　a　mile　away。　If　you　must　know；　that's　what　prompted　our　discovery　of　the　quarry。　A　homeowner　called　the　sheriff's　department。　This　was　yesterday　morning。　The　lady　didn't　see　the　killing；　only　what　was　left。　Her　golden　retriever　had　just　whelped。　Winston　tore　the　mother　to　pieces　and　ate　most　of　the　litter。〃
　〃I　don't　believe　you。〃　She　was　automatic。　〃There　are　other　wild　animals　on　the　island。　All　kinds　of　predators。　Foxes。　Coyotes。〃
　〃Miranda；　he　brought　one　of　the　puppies　back　to　play　with。〃　Her　father　pointed　to　a　tree　leaning　over　the　quarry。　Miranda　flinched　at　the　awful　sight；　the　puppy；　a　rag　doll　in　the　birch。　〃He　broke　its　legs　and　left　it　in　the　crook。　We　can　only　speculate　why　he　went　to　all　the　extra　trouble。　Was　it　a　trophy？　A　midnight　snack？〃
　Still　warm　from　her　body　heat；　the　chunk　of　fish　steamed　out　on　the　ice。　It　began　to　melt　through。　Miranda　finally　said；　〃I　haven't　seen　any　evidence　of　that。〃
　〃Then　maybe　you　weren't　supposed　to。〃
　She　frowned　at　him。
　〃He　kept　the　corridor　around　your　trail　clean；〃　her　father　said。　〃It's　possible　he　was　hiding　his　kills　from　you。〃
　Oddly。。。wrongly；　but　she　couldn't　help　herself。。。Miranda's　horror　lifted。　〃Winston！〃　she　murmured　to　herself。　Then；　to　her　father；　she　said；　〃Do　you　know　what　that　means？〃
　〃To　tell　the　truth；〃　he　replied；　〃I　don't　know　what　any　of　this　means。〃
　She　was　excited　now。　〃Self…consciousness。　Intelligence。〃
　〃That's　enough；　Miranda。。。。〃
　〃You　have　no　idea。　His　cognitive　function　is。。。unreal。〃
　At　that　moment　they　saw　a　dark　shape　glancing　beneath　the　ice。　It　moved　with　the　silence　of　ink。　His　back　sheared　a　fraction　of　an　inch　beneath　the　water；　purple　and　orange；　more　spirit　than　body。　Her　father　pointed。　She　nodded　yes。　It　was　him。
　Abruptly　the　shadow　cut　a　swift　crescent　beneath　the　surface　and　the　slab　of　cod　was　gone。　It　happened　so　quickly。　All　that　remained　was　a　fish…sized　hole　in　the　ice。
　Her　father　sounded　like　he　was　leaking　air。　For　the　moment；　despite　himself；　he　was　astounded。　〃Will　he　return？〃
　〃Yes。〃　Miranda　knew　what　to　look　for。　She　saw　the　air　bubbles　in　his　wake；　nestling　like　beads　against　glass。　His　ing　filled　her　with　such　happiness　it　amazed　her。　It　wasn't　the　food　that　drew　him　up　from　the　depths；　that　was　plain　now。　He　knew　how　to　take　care　of　his　wants。　Rather　it　was　the　dawn　itself。　Winston　loved　the　sunlight。　And　her。　It　was　that　pure　and　simple。　She　wondered　how　the　first　light　must　look　from　underneath　the　ice。　Like　a　ceiling　of　rainbows；　she　decided。
　At　the　same　time；　she　felt　betrayed　by　his　kills。　That　wasn't　exactly　true。　It　wasn't　his　hunting　that　disappointed　her；　but　his　maturing。　She　had　brought　him　into　being；　and　now　he　had　grown　beyond　her　understanding。　He　was　no　longer　dependent。
　〃Where　is　he？〃　said　her　father。
　Winston　breached。　He　speared　up　from　the　ice　through　an　explosion　of　shards；　and　seemed　to　hang　in　midair。　His　stomach　was　the　color　of　ripe　citrus　fruit。　Then　he　twisted　and　punched　back　through　the　glass。　There　was　a　loud　icebreaker　crack。　He　was　gone　again。
　〃My　god；〃　her　father　whispered。
　Way　to　go；　Winston；thought　Miranda。　〃Isn't　he　beautiful？〃　she　said。
　He　was　shocked。　〃That　face。〃　He　had　seen　it。
　〃He's　very　expressive。〃　Highlight　the　positive；　she　thought。　Gain　time。　Let　them　get　used　to　each　other。　〃He　smiles。　Frowns。　Shows　fear。　Sorrow。〃
　Miranda　untied　a　second　bundle。　It　held　a　lobster；　his　favorite。　〃Winston；〃　she　called；　and　threw　it　high　in　the　air。
　The　monster　arced　upward　to　catch　it；　shattering　the　thin　ice。　Once　more　he　was　caught　in　the　sunlight；　his　slick　skin　gleaming；　webbed　feet　pushing　at　the　water；　arms　outspread。　His　natural　grace　only　heightened　the　grotesque。　With　the　head　and　face　of　an　ape；　absolutely　hairless；　he　was　a　blend　of　beings；　neither　one　thing　nor　another　entirely。　He　caught　the　lobster　in　hands　with　short　knuckles　and　waxy　nails；　the　tips　crimson；　his　palms　white。　She'd　held　those　fingers。　They　had　whorls。　Winston　had　fingerprints。　And　bright　jade…green　eyes。
　At　the　tip　of　his　apogee；　Winston　looked　across　at　them。　His　ears；　small　nubbins　with　holes；　rotated　toward　them。　He　was　sizing　up　the　stranger。　An　expression　of。。。delight。。。formed　on　his　face。　Then　he　plunged　back　through　the　ice。
　〃You　really　did　it；　didn't　you？〃　her　father　muttered。　He　was　trembling。　He　had　seen　the　eyes。　They　were　Miranda's　eyes。　In　turn；　Miranda's　were　the　green；　green　eyes　of　a　woman　neither　of　them　ever　spoke　about。　〃You　dared。〃
　〃There's　more；〃　Miranda　calmly　replied。　She　knew　her　world　was　about　to　change。　From　here　on；　it　was　simply　a　matter　of　degree。　Her　fatalism　felt　ancient。　The　only　unknown　was　what　her　father　planned　for　Winston。
　〃I've　seen　enough。〃
　〃No；〃　she　said；　〃you　haven't。　For　once　let　me　have　your　open　mind。〃
　He　waved　that　away。　〃You're　being　transferred。　You've　turned　into　a　cowboy；　a　cowgirl；　whatever。　A　loose　cannon。　Someone　should　have　been　watching　over　you　more　closely。　Guiding　you。　Imparting　respect　for　the　system。　I've　spoken　with　an　old　friend。〃
　They　were　always　old　friends；　her　guardians　and　regents　and　keepers。　〃Who　this　time？〃　she　asked。
　〃Elise　Golding。〃
　〃Elise？〃　breathed　Miranda。
　It　was　Elise；　at　the　funeral；　who　had　gotten　down　on　her　knees　behind　a　bewildered　little　girl　and　helped　press　her　palms　together　and　whispered　a　prayer　in　her　ear　for　her　to　whisper。　While　Paul　Abbot　wept；　it　was　Elise　who　had　helped　Miranda　send　her　mother　to　the　angels　in　Heaven。
　〃She'll　take　you　on　the　condition　that　you　promise。。。。〃
　Miranda　didn't　hear　the　rest。　Any　conditions　were　her　father's　bully　threats。　Elise　would　take　her　without　condition；　and　she　knew　it。　A　warmth　ran　through　her。
　〃You　leave　today。　This　morning；〃　her　father　finished。　〃You've　caused　havoc　at　Jax；　but　the　director　has　agreed　to　clean　up　your　mess。　The　sheriff　has　been　taken　care　of。　This　whole　thing　never　happened。〃
　〃This　morning？〃
　〃Your　bags　are　packed。〃
　〃