jefflong.yearzero-第52章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
yes。
〃Is it so terrible？〃 she asked。 He didn't wipe away his tears。
〃I don't know；〃 he said。 He heard watery coughing overhead as the clone took his first breath。 Thirteen weeks ago； those lungs had been a tidbit of bone or leather in a vial； locked away for hundreds or thousands of years。 Now a living man lay up there！
Out of sight； the clone began yelling and laughing with joy。
Nathan Lee looked up。
〃They do that sometimes；〃 Miranda said。 〃They seem to remember dying。 For them this is the afterlife。 Some e out from the tank like him。 Others aren't so pleased。〃
Nathan Lee tried to sort his questions。 There was so much to ask。 Her science tugged at him。 It felt like a great temptation。
〃What happens now？ To him。〃
〃Testing is another division。〃 She was emphatic。 〃Other labs。 South Sector。〃
The clone's hilarity echoed。 He was babbling away。 The language was distinctly not English； and Nathan Lee couldn't make out any of the actual words。 But on the edge of his linguistic ear he started to recognize a faint； guttural rhythm。 〃Is that。。。？〃 He listened harder。
She was watching him。
He remembered the dusty； sunstruck ruins of Aleppo； and a village in the hills above； a tribe of ancient refugees。 〃Is he speaking Aramaic？〃
〃You tell me。〃
〃I know a few words。〃 He started for the stairway。
She caught his arm。 〃We don't to speak to them。〃
〃But why？〃
〃It could endanger our research。〃
〃I don't understand。〃 He felt dizzy。A man from two thousand years ago！ A time traveler！
〃It has never been important to what we do。 It's safer to treat their speech as nonsense。 Mindless babbling。〃
〃But it's not nonsense；〃 said Nathan Lee。 〃He's thanking God。〃
〃I've gotten some of them back from South Sector；〃 she said。 〃Twenty…three of them so far。 Uninfected specimens。 Noncarriers。 It was difficult。 But they're here； in the floors below。 We keep them isolated。〃
〃What are you doing with them？〃 he said。
〃Keeping them safe。〃
〃Safe from what？〃
She turned her eyes away。 〃We're looking for immunity；〃 she said。 〃So far we've found some who survived an earlier form of the virus。 They're partially immune to this modern outbreak。 They can still get infected。 But the symptoms don't manifest in them so quickly。 We've done puter simulations。 They might live another three years before the pathogen kills them。〃
〃And you have twenty…three of them here？〃 said Nathan Lee。 He couldn't get over the technology。
〃Yes。〃
〃What about the other fifteen hundred？〃
Her green eyes peered at him from between her cap and mask。 She didn't answer him。 〃We have a Neandertal；〃 she said。 〃Totally immune。〃
〃You cloned a Neandertal！〃
〃That wasn't for medical research。 It was before Corfu。 Anyway； she's proved the species barrier。 Subspecies； to be exact。〃
〃What does that mean？〃
〃For some reason； the girl's naturally resistant。 It could be the chemical barriers in her skin or respiratory tract or something in her GI tract。 We don't know。 Her resistanace doesn't transfer to us； though。 We know that much。 She's a dead end。〃
Neandertals！ Clones from two thousand years ago！ This place was a marvel。
〃What am I supposed to be doing？〃 he said。
〃It's time to take the next step；〃 she said。 〃I want you to take a step backward。 A step away。〃
〃Away from what？〃
〃You're an anthropologist。 They're a tribe； of sorts。〃
〃You want me to study them？〃 That sounded simple enough。 He was an archaeologist； not an ethnographer。 But why spoil a free meal？ Simplicity ruled。 Los Alamos was supposed to be a stop on the map。 Once he got Ochs to sing； he meant to vanish； no ties； no debts； no regrets。
〃No contact；〃 Miranda answered。 〃There are cameras in their cells。 Just watch and listen。 Eavesdrop on their thoughts。〃
The clone shouted out。 It sounded like〃Rebekah〃。 He was calling for a woman； his wife； perhaps； or daughter。 Calling to her from the other side of death。 Did he think she would join him？
The cry shook Nathan Lee。 The voice closed away。 They took the man from the room； off to some lab。 In the quiet that followed； a swimming pool net dipped from above； scooping out parts of the fetal sac。
〃You want me to make human beings out of your animals；〃 he said。
〃You don't approve of what we're doing？〃 she said。
〃Does that change anything？〃
She was looking at him。 〃No one's sure how much they actually remember；〃 she said。 Probably not all that much。 Their previous life has never been our purpose here。 But they cry。 They shout out。 Maybe you can give them a little solace。〃
〃Solace；〃 he said。
〃We created them。〃
〃Do they know that？〃
〃That's beside the point。 It doesn't matter if they have no idea who we are。 You can't just disown your own children。〃 She was solemn； as if he were somehow part of her redemption。
19
The Bones Speak
THEBEGINNING OFAUGUST
Nathan Lee entered their world of monsters。
For a week； he did not go down into the so…called Orphanage； their warren of cells in sub…basement Five。 Instead he took up residence in the Necro Archives； the human tissues room。 It had lapsed into a sloppy grab bag of specimens。 He set about organizing the samples； in part to organize his thoughts； but mostly to acquaint himself with the bones in preparation for their living flesh。 There were teeth； dried muscle； withered organs in jars； baggies and vials； skulls； fingernails； and long bones numbered with magic marker or red fingernail polish。 One of the twenty…three men had been made from silver； so to speak； from a Herod…headed coin speckled with blood flakes。
At last； after six days； Nathan Lee felt ready。 He took the elevator down to the Orphanage。 Captain Enote led him through the long； silent hallway； and it looked like a death row for robots； all shiny and metal。 There were twenty quarantine cells on the right； and twenty on the left。 The plex had been built by a contractor whose specialty was super…prisons。 Nathan Lee paused by an empty cell； and went in； wanting the feel one more time。
〃Familiar？〃 the Captain asked him from the doorway。
〃They never did anything like this to you in Kathmandu；〃 Nathan Lee said。
There was no life in here； not even an insect。 Everything was metal or indestructible plastic。 Each cell held a bed； a toilet； and a sink。 There was a shower nozzle in the high ceiling； a drain in the floor； and surveillance cameras mounted behind bubbles。 Micron screens filtered the air that vented in and out of their rooms。 They lived in a sterile state。
Moving on； he peeked through some of the Plexiglas slots at eyelevel； and the prisoners were mostly dozing。 They had paper blankets； and no clothes。 Once a day the shower nozzle sprayed them with soap and disinfectant。 〃They can't see out；〃 said the Captain。 〃But they know we're here。 Did Miranda mention； no contact。 Observation only。〃
Ten times。 〃Got it；〃 said Nathan Lee。
On their way to the monitor room； the Captain pointed at door number One at the very end。 〃You don't bother with that one；〃 he said。 〃Ever。〃
The monitor room lit dark and cool。 Two guards sat in chairs that could slide back and forth on roller wheels along the banks of screens。 Nathan Lee did a quick count。 There were eighty screens； two for each cell。 Only the screens of the occupied cells were glowing。 The Captain went to the pair of screens for Cell One； and turned them off。 He introduced Nathan Lee to the guards。
〃Mr。 Swift wants to get to know the boys；〃 he said。 〃He's cleared to e in here and watch the screens。 He can listen on the headphones。 You can talk to him。 Share the files。〃 The Captain pointed at the screens for Cell One。 〃She stays out of it。 Clear？〃
〃Yes sir；〃 they said。
One of the guards got a chair for Nathan Lee； and made room at the end of the long counter for his yellow notepad。 〃You want some bean？〃 he asked； and poured the coffee in a chipped mug。
As he was leaving； the Captain said； 〃how long did you spend in that Asia jail？〃
It was deliberate。 The two guards' ears pricked up。 Now they knew a convict was sharing the booth with them； which was fair enough。 〃Seventeen months；〃 said Nathan Lee。
〃Don't go try to bust anybody out；〃 said the Captain。
〃No contact；〃 recited Nathan
