jefflong.yearzero-第46章

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　NEXT　MORNING；　on　the　front　lawn　of　the　museum；　Nathan　Lee　kick…started　an　antique　Indian　101　Scout　motorcycle　to　life。　According　to　the　museum　label；　it　had　been　built　in　1928。　Massive　and　low　slung；　carrying　a　spring…mounted　seat　like　something　from　a　farm　tractor；　the　bike　was　no　Easyrider。　The　Scout　was　Baird's　idea；　a　bit　of　his　own　wild　youth　projected　onto　Nathan　Lee's　highway。　It　would　not　have　been　Nathan　Lee's　choice　from　all　the　other　motorcycles　in　the　collection；　but　he　owed　the　old　man　a　dream。　Fortunately；　the　machine　was　in　mint　condition。　The　donor　had　lovingly　changed　the　oil　and　put　in　new　ring　valves　just　two　years　ago。
　White　smoke　poured　from　the　exhaust；　then　cleared。　He　had　a　sleeping　bag　from　the　Natural　History　Museum's　Mt。　Everest　exhibit　strapped　to　the　handlebars；　and　a　wooden…handled　machete　reputed　to　be　the　same　one　used　by　Stanley　on　his　search　for　Livingstone。　His　saddlebags…taken　from　another　museum　piece　and　customized　to　the　Scout…carried　two　packages　of　artifacts；　authorization　letters　typed　on　Smithsonian　stationery；　maps；　food　from　the　Castle　kitchen；　four　wine　bottles　filled　with　fuel；　his　book　for　Grace。　The　rare　coins；　jewels；　crystals；　and　gold　that　he'd　stolen　from　the　museum　were　hidden　in　pockets　or　taped　to　his　shins。
　A　team　of　sullen　Army　Corps　of　Engineers　workers　stood　around　with　tool　belts　and　hard　hats；　waiting　to　shore　up　the　doorway　again。　Baird　and　a　few　of　the　curators　were　standing　in　the　green　grass；　blinking　at　the　early　sunshine。
　〃It's　almost　June；〃　Baird　said　to　him。　〃America　in　summer。　What　a　glory；　Swift。〃　He　was　crying。
　〃I'll　tell　you　all　about　it；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。　They　both　knew　that　was　a　lie。　The　curators　were　dead　here。　Baird　thumped　Nathan　Lee's　back。
　Nathan　Lee　let　the　clutch　out　and　slowly　rolled　across　the　overgrown　lawn。　They　called　Godspeed　to　him。　Caught　up　in　their　fiction；　he　gunned　the　engine　and　roared　off　into　the　distance。
　
　17
　Behind　the　Fence
　
　JULY；　TWOMONTHSLATER
　At　first　light；　Nathan　Lee　rode　into　the　pueblo　of　San　Ildefonso　on　horseback。　It　had　a　quaint　wooden　cross　atop　an　adobe　arch。　Elements　of　the　Third　Armored　Cavalry　now　occupied　the　place；　though　with　a　custodian's　carefulness。　They　had　gone　out　of　their　way　not　to　disturb　the　cross　when　backing　their　tank　in。
　High　in　the　turret；　a　soldier　with　binoculars　was　intently　studying　the　distance。　For　the　last　hundred　yards；　Nathan　Lee　had　thought　the　man　was　glassing　him。　But　as　he　approached　and　the　soldier　said　nothing；　Nathan　Lee　looked　over　his　shoulder　and　saw　a　hawk　drafting　on　the　early　breeze。　The　soldier　was　bird…watching。
　Nathan　Lee　dismounted　from　his　horse　and　tethered　her　next　to　some　grass。　She　was　an　appaloosa　mare。　He　didn't　know　much　about　horses。　They　were　getting　used　to　each　other。　She　liked　oats；　that　much　was　clear；　but　the　sack　was　running　low。　To　his　relief；　the　grass　seemed　to　please　her。
　One　of　the　guards；　a　skinny　kid　with　a　mousy　blond　mustache；　escorted　him　past　the　tank。　They　walked　across　the　square　to　a　one…story　house　where　the　officers　lived；　and　Nathan　Lee　handed　over　his　blood　log　and　papers。　The　guard　stood　with　him　outside　while　they　waited　for　the　medic　to　get　out　of　bed。
　Nathan　Lee　began　rolling　up　his　sleeve　for　the　needle。　By　this　point；　the　track　marks　on　his　forearm　looked　like　something　out　of　a　heroin　den。　〃You　want　a　seat？〃　the　soldier　said。　He　indicated　a　lawn　chair。
　Nathan　Lee　thanked　him；　anyway。　〃That　saddle's　killing　me。〃
　〃Cool　horse；〃　the　kid　said。
　There　was　a　little　cemetery　in　front　of　the　old　church。　The　ceremonialkiva　was　posted　Off　Limits。　Last　fall's　red　chili　strings　hung　by　doorways。　All　the　Pueblos　had　left。　They'd　even　taken　their　dogs。
　〃Where'd　you　put　the　people？〃　Nathan　Lee　asked。
　〃They　were　gone　when　we　showed。〃　The　kid　pointed　west。　〃Chaco　Canyon。　It's　some　kind　of　sacred　place。　Most　of　the　Indians　went　there　to　wait　things　out。　I　guess　a　few　of　them　work　up　at　the　Lab。〃
　Nathan　Lee　had　seen　the　city　from　his　camp　last　night。　From　miles　away　you　could　see　it　gleaming　high　above　the　valley。　It　was　the　last　place　in　America　to　have　dependable　electricity。　Even　the　soldiers　had　none。　He　knew　from　other　military　outposts　that　their　rations　packets　had　a　chemical　packet　to　warm　the　food。　For　heat；　the　3rd　Cav　was　burning　twisted　pi？on　logs。　The　smoke　in　the　courtyard　smelled　delicious。
　It　was　early　July。　The　monstrous　tank　cannon　was　aimed　at　empty　desert。　Their　only　enemy　was　time。　Someone　had　placed　small　black　pots　with　desert　perennials　on　the　tank's　big　metal　tracks。　The　cactus　flowers　were　yellow。　You　could　hear　meadowlarks　in　the　quiet。
　The　feeling　of　ease　unsettled　Nathan　Lee。　For　the　last　few　days；　with　every　new　mile；　he　had　begun　to　feel　lighter　and　quicker　and　less　guarded。　It　was　gradual；　and　only　this　morning　had　he　begun　to　worry　that　his　defenses　might　be　dropping。　He　had　fought　his　way　across　too　much　territory　and　through　too　much　trouble　to　believe　in　happy　endings。　It　was　important；　he　told　himself；　to　keep　himself　ready　for　the　worst。　What　if　Ochs　had　moved　on？　What　if　he　had　never　been　here？　What　would　connect　him　to　Grace　then？
　While　he　stood　there；　a　flock　of　birds　suddenly　sprang　up　from　the　mesa　hills；　small　and　black　against　the　sky。　Nathan　Lee　had　never　been　to　Los　Alamos　before；　and　now　he　saw　how　the　geography　leant　itself　to　top　secrecy。　There　was　just　one　road　from　the　valley　up　to　the　plateau；　a　four…lane　ribbon　cut　into　the　multicolored　cliffs。　No　doubt　one　could　climb　up　between　the　mesa's　thin　fingers；　but　not　without　being　detected。　It　was　the　ultimate　high　ground。
　A　minute　later；　the　cardio　throbbing　of　rotor　blades　reached　him。　The　dark　flock　was　not　birds。　In　loose　order；　a　half　dozen　helicopters　clattered　off　to　the　north。
　〃Keeping　the　peace？〃　he　said。
　〃Deck　sweeps；〃　the　soldier　said。　〃They're　going　into　the　cities。　Hunting　for　the　cones。〃
　〃Cones？〃
　The　soldier　pointed　at　his　head。　〃You　know；　like　propellor　heads。　The　science　guys。〃
　Nathan　Lee　wasn't　sure　he　understood。　Were　the　helicopters　looking　for　scientists　in　distant　cities；　or　gathering　supplies　for　them？　The　medic　arrived　with　his　kit；　and　Nathan　Lee　presented　his　arm。　Shortly　after；　his　papers　and　blood　log　came　back　stamped　and　signed。　He　eased　past　the　tank　with　its　little　flower　garden；　and　got　on　his　horse；　and　continued　along　Highway　502。
　Not　much　further；　a　bridge　crossed　the　Rio　Grande。　The　water　was　quick　and　chocolate　with　late　spring　runoff。　It　looked　like　a　great　muddy　serpent　sliding　beneath　his　feet。　For　some　reason；　the　river　brought　his　old　anxieties　rushing　in。　Nathan　Lee　suddenly　felt　all　right　again。
　　
　〃BUTIDON　'T　HAVE　ANYTHINGto　do　with　new　arrivals；〃　Miranda　said　to　the　Captain。
　〃You　want　to　see　this　one；〃　the　Captain　told　her。　He　had　a　cardboard　box　in　his　hands。　The　Captain　was　a　Zuni　in　his　early　sixties。　He　was　retired　Navy；　but　had　let　his　hair　grow　long。　It　was　thick　and　silver。　He　was　in　charge　of　security　for　all　of　TA/3；　but　since　the　return　of　clones　to　Miranda's　keeping；　he'd　moved　his　office　into　Alpha　Lab's　sub…basement。　Now　she　saw　a　lot　of　him；　which　was　an　unexpected　fort　to　her。
　〃I'm　busy；〃　she　said。
　〃It's　your　package。〃
　She　sighed。　〃What　package？〃
　He　reached　in　the　box　and　handed　across　a　dogeared　letter　that　smelled　of　pi？on　smoke　when　she　unfolded　it。　〃The　rest　of　your　Smithsonian　shipment。　It　got　here　last　night。〃　He　intoned；　〃Maybe。〃
　Miranda　looked　at　the　letter。　Smithsonian　Institute　letterhead。　Dated　two　months　ago。At　your　request。。。the　following　thirteen　（13）　items　from　the　Smithsonian　collections。　Miranda　ran　her　finger　down　the　list；　and　it　included　nine　relics；　three　bone　fragments；　and　a　tear　phial。
　〃Why；　maybe？〃　she　said。
　〃The　man　says　he　buried　the　package　on　his　way　up。〃
　〃What　man？〃
　〃The　courier。　Some　physician。〃　He　added；　〃Supposedly。〃
　Miranda　exhaled。　The　Captain　was　in　Andy　of　Mayberry　mode　this　morning。　He　didn't　do　it　with　anyone　else；　she'd　noticed。　He　seemed　to　feel　it　was　part　of　his　duty　to　pull　her　loose　from　her　thoughts　sometimes。　She　didn't　have　to　put　up　with　it。　Shewas　in　another　space；　preoccupied　as　hell；　not　just　with　Alpha　Lab；　but