jefflong.yearzero-第42章

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　A　fine　drizzle　began。　The　two　Marines　put　on　ponchos。　Nathan　Lee　seated　hisYosemite：　The　West　Is　Best　cap　with　neck　flaps　tighter　on　his　head。　He　led　them　to　the　Natural　History　Museum；　which　housed　the　anthropology　collection　and　offices；　but　it　was　boarded　shut。　The　workmen　had　even　sealed　the　edges　with　epoxy。　It　would　take　power　tools　to　cut　one's　way　inside。
　〃I　thought　you　said　this　was　the　place；〃　said　one　of　the　Marines。
　〃They　told　me　the　Smithsonian；〃　Nathan　Lee　blustered。　〃It　has　twelve　different　museums。　I　presumed。。。。〃
　〃e　on；　man；　it's　raining。〃
　Across　the　meadow；　the　Castle　loomed；　its　red　sandstone　towers　and　spires　swathed　in　ivy。　This　was　the　original　building；　its　odd；　Norman　architecture　inspired　by　Sir　Walter　Scott　novels。　A　wet　American　flag　hung　atop　the　central　tower。　〃There；〃　he　said；　〃that　must　be　the　one。〃
　As　they　crossed　to　the　Castle；　he　tried　to　entertain　the　souring　Marines。　〃Abraham　Lincoln　once　surveyed　the　city's　defenses　from　that　tower；〃　he　said。　They　weren't　in　the　mood。　He　threw　out　more　trivia；　wetter　by　the　step。
　Things　did　not　look　promising。　From　the　steps　to　the　high　arch；　the　front　doors　were　barricaded　with　masonry　blocks。　The　windows　were　dark　blanks；　boarded　over　from　the　inside。　The　mighty　fortress　of　collections　and　knowledge　had　bee　a　haunted　house。
　They　circled　the　building　pletely。　Little　markers　at　the　base　of　the　walls　identified　each　different　climbing　vine。　Back　at　the　front　entrance；　they　came　to　halt。　The　sunlight　was　fading　fast。　The　rain　cut　harder；　rattling　against　their　ponchos。　Nathan　Lee　was　drenched；　not　a　convincing　picture。
　〃You　don't　really　belong　here；　do　you？〃　one　of　the　Marines　said。　〃Let's　see　your　paperwork。　Orders。　A　letter　of　authorization。〃
　Nathan　Lee's　bluff　was　crumbling。　Somewhere　inside　these　buildings　were　clues　about　where　Ochs　had　gone；　he　was　certain　of　it。　〃I　told　you。　It　was　verbal。　They　sent　a　messenger。〃
　〃They？　I　don't　see　anyone；　sir。　Where's　your　blood　book？〃
　With　growing　alarm；　Nathan　Lee　handed　it　over；　and　the　soldier　didn't　look　at　it。　They　were　confiscating　his　blood　book！　He　thought　of　running；　but　even　if　they　didn't　shoot　him；　he　would　be　trapped　without　his　passport。
　At　that　moment；　a　metal　door　creaked　open　on　the　fire　escape　two　stories　overhead。　An　old　man　appeared　on　the　small　grated　deck。　Calmly　smoking　a　pipe　in　the　rain；　scanning　the　far　distances；　he　didn't　notice　them　at　first。　He　stood　there；　pale　and　delicate；　like　an　ancient　submariner　getting　a　breath　of　fresh　air。
　Unbelievably；　Nathan　Lee　thought　he　recognized　the　ghost。　〃Spencer？〃　he　said。　〃Spencer　Baird？〃　He　was…or　had　been…a　paleontologist。　He　had　to　be　ninety。
　The　old　man　looked　down　at　them。　〃Who　goes　there？〃
　〃Do　you　know　this　man；　sir？〃　a　Marine　called　up　to　him。
　〃Spencer；　it's　me；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。　〃I　came　when　you　sent　word。〃　He　pulled　off　his　cap　and　pawed　flat　his　short；　chopped；　wet　beard；　trying　to　make　his　face　younger。　He　didn't　dare　identify　himself　by　his　real　name；　because　the　Marines　knew　him　as　someone　else。　It　was　not　a　small　matter。　No　one　had　better　reason　to　hide　their　true　identity　than　a　plague　carrier。
　The　old　man　leaned　over　the　wet　railing。　〃Word？　What's　the　word？〃
　〃Fred　Whipple；〃　Nathan　Lee　tried。　He　dug　for　other　names；　praying　one　of　them　might　still　be　around。　〃Joe　Henry。　Charlie　Abbot。　They　said　ASAP。〃　He　added；　〃The　bones。〃
　〃Ah；〃　said　Baird；　〃the　bones。〃
　〃I'm　here。〃
　〃Thank　god。　We've　been　waiting　for　you。〃　Baird　looked　old　as　Noah　up　there　with　his　white　beard　in　the　clattering　rain。　〃But　who　are　you？〃
　There　was　no　way　around　it。　〃Swift；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。
　One　of　the　Marines　said；　〃Wait　a　minute。〃　He　pulled　Nathan　Lee's　blood　book　from　under　his　poncho　for　a　second　look。
　〃Is　that　you；　Nathan　Lee？〃　Baird　leaned　out　further。　〃They　said　you　were　a　goner。　Swallowed　by　the　mountains。〃
　〃What's　your　name；　sir？〃　the　Marine　said。
　Hurry；thought　Nathan　Lee。Reach　down。　Raise　me　up。
　〃Get　in　here　before　you　catch　your　death；　man；〃　Baird　said。　〃Don't　you　see　it's　raining？〃
　Nathan　Lee　reached　for　the　fire　escape　ladder。　The　Marine　grabbed　his　arm。　〃Not　so　fast；〃　he　said。
　〃They　know　me。〃　Nathan　Lee　smiled。　He　tried　to　smile。　His　teeth　chattered。
　〃Let　him　go；〃　said　the　second　Marine。　He　took　the　blood　book　and　slapped　Nathan　Lee's　chest　with　it。　〃The　man's　home。　At　least　somebody　belongs　somewhere。〃
　Nathan　Lee　pulled　himself　up　the　fire　escape　and　climbed　the　metal　stairs。　Baird　weled　him　with　tobacco　breath　and　mighty　slaps　on　the　back。　Inside　the　building　was　pitch　black。　Baird　handed　Nathan　Lee　his　two…foot　Maglite；　heavy　as　an　axe；　and　pulled　the　steel　door　shut　against　the　storm。　〃They　said　you　were　dead；〃　he　kept　repeating。　〃Wait　till　the　others　see。〃
　Nathan　Lee　followed　him　through　the　dark　bowels　of　the　institute。　〃I'm　looking　for　a　man　named　David　Ochs；〃　he　said。　〃A　professor。〃
　〃Ox？〃
　〃An　archaeologist。　A　big　man。　A　professor。〃
　〃Never　heard　of　him；〃　said　Baird。
　〃What　about　Dean　White？〃　Nathan　Lee　asked　hopefully。　White　was　the　curator　who　had　missioned　the　Himalayan　hunt　two　years　ago。
　〃White；〃　barked　Baird。　〃He　got　his　nuts　handed　to　him　after　your　peccadillo。　Is　it　true　you　killed　a　man？　And　ate　him？〃
　〃Are　there　others　from　the　anthro　department　here？　They'd　know　about　Ochs。〃
　〃Gone。　All　gone；〃　said　Baird。　〃But　it's　in　the　paperwork；　I'm　sure。〃
　〃Is　the　paperwork　here；　in　this　building？〃
　〃There　is　a　chance。〃　Baird　gestured　at　thousands　of　cardboard　boxes　stacked　in　the　hallways。　There　was　barely　room　to　walk　between　them。　〃Thought　you　were　dead。〃
　Voices　trickled　from　further　ahead。　They　descended　a　staircase。　In　the　distance；　he　saw　a　dozen　old　people　eating　dinner　by　candlelight　in　the　dark　shadows　of　a　vestibule。
　They　looked　spectral　surrounding　the　silver　candelabra。　The　men　had　ties　and　jackets。　Two　wore　tuxes；　one　a　smoking　jacket　with　ascot。　The　women　looked　ready　for　the　opera；　withpashminas　draped　over　their　shoulders　to　ward　off　the　chill。　They　were　eating　from　antique　blue　plates；　with　heavy　silverware　and　crystal　wine　glasses。　Nathan　Lee　could　smell　each　part　of　their　meal。。。the　veal　and　lobster；　the　butter　sauce　and　basil；　the　red　wine　from　old　bottles。　Not　one　of　them　was　under　eighty。
　〃Look　what　the　wind　blew　in；〃　Baird　announced　to　the　group。　With　a　slow　flourish；　he　turned　to　display　his　discovery。
　But　the　hallway　was　empty。
　
　15
　Expendables
　
　LOSALAMOS
　Cavendish's　clone　passed　among　them　like　a　ghost。　He　traveled　everywhere；　threading　through　their　security　systems；　appearing　inside　their　labs；　hacking　into　their　puters。　He　crawled　insidetheir　secrets。　He　wormed　inside　their　minds。　At　first；　Adam　didn't　hate　them。　He　simply　wanted　to　know　what　made　him　different。
　In　the　beginning；　his　flesh　had　been　sport　enough。　No　longer　stapled　to　Cavendish's　wheelchair；　but　still　filled　with　Cavendish's　memory；　it　was　like　passing　from　himself。　He　had　started　out　as　Cavendish　in　mind；　but　he　was　no　longer　Cavendish。　For　a　time；　they　had　been　like　Siamese　twins　joined　at　the　head；　right　down　to　the　neural　twitch　and　the　tremor　in　their　hands。　Every　memory　before　twenty　months　ago　had　been　a　memory　shared　with　his　creator。
　For　a　while　after　Adam's　birth；　Cavendish　had　done　everything　to　keep　hisdoppelg？nger　on　a　short　leash；　close　at　hand；　day　and　night。　Adam　was　required　to　dress　Cavendish　in　the　morning　and　wash　him　at　night。　Adam　wheeled　his　chair。　At　meetings；　he　stood　to　the　rear；　mute；　like　some　exotic　potted　plant。　He　cooked　Cavendish　breakfast　and　dinner。　Even　his　name；　so　cliche；　like　a　chain　around　his　neck。
　Their　chess　games　were　a　source　of　humor　for　Cavendish。　Neither　could　make　a　move　the　other　didn't　know。　Every　game　ended　in　stalemate。　But　then　one　day　Adam　made　a　move　of　his　own。　〃Checkmate；〃　he　whispered；　and　stood。　He　towered　above　the　board。　That　was　the　first　time　he　had　felt　his　wings　spread　open。　They　seemed　to　fill　the　room。　And　Cavendish；　ravaged　by　disease；　cupped　in　his　wheelchair；　seemed　far　below。
　After　that；　Adam　had　systematically　severed　himself；　tissue　and　mind；　from　his　maker。　It　was　a　dangerous　procedure；　because　his　Cavendish…consciousness　knew　that　Caven