jefflong.yearzero-第19章
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nded than； say； mathematicians or particle theorists。 Abbot thought that had to do with their proximity to living beings； regardless of how minuscule。 In one form or another； they handled the mortal coil。 It kept them from spinning off into surreality。
Abbot was the chief of the National Academy of Sciences。 The riot reflected on him。 He had orchestrated for them a quiet taste of the Southwest。 Rancho Encantado was a resort north of Santa Fe。 The Dalai Lama had stayed there once。 There was a picture in the lobby of him with a cowboy hat。 For the first two days； the scientists had presented papers； showed pictures； and ridden horses。 This morning they had risen early and eaten a pancake…and…eggs breakfast； and boarded the bus。 And driven straight into that howling gauntlet awaiting them on Highway 40。
There was no questioning the mob's hatred for the scientists。 The demonstrators had let the eggs rot in the sun for days。 You could smell the sulfur dioxide on the riot cops hunkered in the aisles and in the well of the bus door。 Their ninja…turtle armor dripped with gouts of neon paint and spoiled food； and the scientists leaned away from them。 The paint and rotten food were mischief； thought Abbot。 But the blood was pure malice。 It was human； donated by the pint from radical anarchists。 In these times of AIDS and Hep…C； throwing blood was not a statement； it was an act of terrorism。
The newspapers would treat it as one more demonstration against the G。E。s； or genetic engineers。 Token peaceniks would decry the random violence； but denounce the evil scientists。 The sheriff would stress his restraint； the governor would extend apologies。 It was all theatrics。 Abbot knew how these things worked。 Someone very high up had authorized putting some fear of God into the distinguished members of Genome XXI； the twenty…first symposium of the Human Genome Project。
Abbot mulled over his enemies。 There was a vicious Senate battle in progress over budget cuts。 The sciences were being treated like parasites。 In the name of his creationist constituents； Senator Jimmy Rollins of Kansas was once again frothing at the mouth； a feeble mind； a cheap plagiarist。 It could have been the European Union lobby； of course； still trying to block genetically modified 〃frankenfoods〃 from their shores。 Or the farm unions； working for leverage。
〃Stop fretting；〃 Abbot's seatmate said。 Her name tag readElise Golding/UC。 The 〃UC〃 was too humble。 In fact the University of California was almost an empire unto itself； including even Los Alamos。 Fossilized bubblegum stuck to the wall beside her plaid skirt。 She patted his arm。 〃It's the times； Paul。〃
Her salt…and…pepper hair was bound in a thick ponytail。 The low sunlight glinted off the planes of her face。 The radiance stripped her face of its crow's…feet and laugh lines。 For a moment she appeared thirty years younger； that same young woman he'd first met； ironically； at a wild stormy protest against the Vietnam War。 She had been on the faculty at Cornell； he at MIT。 Everyone had been full of daring that day。 And night。
〃Those weren't just fundamentalists and anti…abortionists；〃 he growled。 〃You saw their signs。 All the Luddites were there in force。 Greenpeace； Earth First； WAAKE…UP； the animal rights people； the AFLCIO goons。 It was a lynch mob。〃
〃And you provoked it；〃 she said。
〃Good grief； Elise； they just attacked a childrens' schoolbus。〃
〃They attacked an idea。〃
〃Driven by demagogues and talk radio and tabloid nonsense。〃
〃Admit it； Paul；〃 she said more quietly。 〃You're mad because your plan backfired。〃
〃What plan；〃 he said。
〃You used us。〃 Her eyes flashed like grey steel。 She had a low tolerance for falseness of any kind。 Shenanigans； she called it。 It was why he'd placed Miranda under her guidance。 Elise was an ethics lesson in motion。 〃You drew a line in the sand。 They crossed it。 It's that simple。 Politics。 You're just as guilty as they are。 You wanted to make a statement； and it bit you on the ass。 It got ugly。 Thank goodness no one got hurt。 These windows aren't bulletproof； you know。〃
〃Now we have to ask the rabble's permission to do science？〃 he blustered。 〃Someone has to take a stand； Elise。 It's not just gen…tech they're after； you know。 All the sciences are under fire。 I see it on the editorial pages； in the budget cuts； in the empty classrooms。 We're sliding backwards into the Dark Ages。 Next they'll be burning books。 Or us。〃
〃You want them to love you。〃
〃Of course not；〃 he snorted。
She continued。 〃You do。 You want them to feel the spark of discovery and be awed and thank us。 And one day； Paul； they will again。 Maybe we'll give them a new energy source。 Or a cure for the mon cold。 Or a vaccine for this Mediterranean thing。 These things move in cycles。 But you have to accept that for every glorious Apollo moon landing there's some Galileo upsetting their apple cart。 For every Salk or Curie； there's a Darwin calling them monkeys。 For every Carl Sagan or Stephen Hawking trying to illuminate the masses； there's a Mengele or Teller giving them nightmares。 We're not in the hugging phase right now； that's all。 And hosting a convention of geneticists in their backyard won't get you there。〃
〃Backyard？ We're in the middle of nowhere。〃
〃You know what I mean。 You arranged headlines。 You gave that20/20 woman an interview last week。 You could have focused her on the search for this Mediterranean virus； you could have made us heroes。 Instead you talked about evolution。 What was all that about mutation as God's plan？ And why on earth did you pick a ranch in the desert instead of just housing these people at Los Alamos where it's secure？〃
Just yesterday； Abbot had seen classified reports from the National Security Agency and Homeland Security remending an immediate three…month shutdown of U。S。 borders。 He was on the inside of that call。 It would be a draconian measure…no air； sea or land travel； no shipping； no business trips back and forth to Paris； no spring breaks in Cancun…and it would have to be done by Presidential directive。 Politicians and bureaucrats would stonewall it until doomsday。 The economy would plunge。 The President was wavering。 But the foot…and…mouth epidemic and the mad cow scare in Europe a few years back； and more recently America's brush with anthrax； were turning out to be handy lessons in rapid response。 The President was close to signing the directive。 For now； however； there no sense panicking the public。 It was agreed at the very top levels； business as usual。 Even Elise was out of the loop。
〃The Med outbreak is a million miles away to most Americans。 Besides the Europeans are handling it。 That's not our story here。 It's a free country； Elise。 That's my point。 Science is still part of the world。〃
〃And to make your point； you put us at risk。 We were lucky。〃
She had him。 In a sense； they were his； each of them； from these biologists to the astronomers and robotics wonks and butterfly chasers and all the other scientists he represented。 As the so…called Science Czar； he nurtured them with funding which he enchanted from Congress； corporations； and true believers。 He sheltered them with his fixers and spinmeisters and his Mosaic influence。 He shaped their research with his master plans。 He rewarded them for their genius。 Even those from other countries moved within his orbit； ambassadors to his empire。 And yes； he did feel guilty about the mob。 He was their king； and it was his job to safeguard each and every one of them。 Elise was right。 They were lucky。 Those paintballs could have been bullets。
〃I love this hour of the morning；〃 she suddenly announced； and he glanced at her。 She was pretending to look out the window glutinous with egg and spittle。 The mob had frightened her。 Now she simply wished to get on with the day。
Over the years； Abbot had refined his version of why they had not married back in the beginning； and she had； too。 They talked about it sometimes。 If only you'd said this or done that； they would say。 The bottom line was that they had not married。 They had drifted on to other lives； found mates； made families； then lost their mates。 Death had taken her Victor just six months ago； and tried to take her； too。 Th
