jefflong.yearzero-第60章
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he blizzard years； Waco； Oklahoma City； the World Trade Center； floods； the Depression； Vietnam。 All those things are legends to them。 Like parables。 Lessons。〃
〃Reasons to hope？〃 she offered。
〃Sure。 America always survives。 People are excited。 They can't wait to clean up the mess and start all over again。〃
〃You make them sound foolish。〃
〃They're not。〃
〃You think we're making fools of them；〃 she said。 〃Our promise of a cure。〃
〃I didn't say that。〃
〃What if there is no cure？〃
He looked at her。 〃Is that what you're saying？〃
She shut her mouth。
〃There；〃 he said； flapping the omelette shut。 〃Our meal's ready and now I've spoiled it。〃
AFTER DINNER； they went outside to look at the stars。 He asked about her life； but it sounded trite next to his stories。 She had been raised among walls。 She had already been ensconced at Los Alamos when the nation collapsed； beyond reach。 The Lab…or the Hill； or the Mesa； or Atomic City…was an island above it all。
Nathan Lee called it a citadel； a city within a city。 He pared Los Alamos to the ziggaruts in Ur and the Acropolis above Athens and the Pentagon or Kremlin。 Here was the keep of power； closed off from mon people； the place of retreat in times of siege。 He made it sound like a great landmark in history。
He wanted to know how the town had grown into a city。 She told him about the waves of international scientists arriving like immigrants with their suitcases and families； and the overthrow of the weaponeers。 For over a half century； Los Alamos had been dedicated to nuclear weapons research and development and reduction。 Almost overnight； the biosciences…scorned as soft； or squishy； by physicists and engineers…had reared up and taken the place over。 There had been epic turf battles； but Elise had prevailed and brought order and honed their new mission； to find Corfu and contain it。
For a time； the scientists had bonded。 They had peted； but as a brotherhood。 From virology to genetics and primate paleobiology； each of the specialties had its own esprit de corps； its own labs； its own pursuits。 At first； discovery boomed。 The structure of every protein in everything from worms to man had been captured on disc。 Plasma rods were invented for detecting Corfu in the air。 Satellites tracked the geographic progression of the disease。
Once Corfu fell to them； a new golden age of medicine was going to be ushered in。 In hunting the virus； they had found cures for TB； Alzheimer's； AIDS； and every type of cancer。 Neural and optic fibers had been synthesized。 People with cord injuries would stand up and walk。 The blind would see。 The deaf would hear。 All of that awaited them。
Then Elise had died； and Cavendish took over。 One fence came to hold many fences。 Its secrecy ate at them。 It spawned distrust。 Soon the fractures appeared。
Now the older families lorded over the newer ones。 Those who had been academics snubbed former industry researchers who snubbed former government scientists。 Those who'd hunted AIDS felt slighted by those who'd gone after Ebola and other 〃wild〃 viruses。 The internationals thought the Americans had it lucky。 The Americans thought the internationals had blown it。 The security guards…many of whom held Ph。D。's in now…useless fields like nuclear weapons design…resented the bio…scientists。 The scientists viewed security as 〃creeps。〃 There was dissension between labs； dissension within them。 Every bench worker wanted his or her own lab。 Reigning over it all was Cavendish； who encouraged their anarchy。
〃Sometimes I think they've discovered too much；〃 she said。 〃Maybe there's a limit to what we can know。 I never thought I'd be saying that。〃
〃Don't be disappointed in them。〃
〃I'm disappointed in me。〃
〃What more can you do？〃
〃Yeah。〃
〃You're only nineteen； Miranda。〃
She pointed the wine bottle at him。 She was a little drunk。 〃Damn the Captain；〃 she said。
〃He didn't tell me。 You see what I mean； though。〃
〃Step back； little girl； let the ship sink？〃
〃You're trying to save these people；〃 he said。 〃But you can't do that。 They have to save themselves。〃
She pointed across the abyss to where the lights of Santa Fe once shone。 〃It's them； out there； I'm trying to save。〃
They both followed her aim。 And their eyes traveled north。 A star was shooting through the night。
〃Did you see that？〃 she breathed。
It happened again。 Then suddenly there was a whole shower of them。
〃I forgot；〃 he said。 〃Tonight's the night。 The Perseids。〃
Miranda knew what they were。 She knew which quadrant they occupied； which constellation they took their name from。 But she had never seen them。 The meteors streaked in great livid bunches。 They were so beautiful。
She sat there； and her heart stirred。 Now she understood what he had meant。Summer。 It was summer。
The meteors flashed through the sky。 They watched for half an hour。 Her thoughts streaked this way and that。
She wanted a lover。
Miranda put the wine glass away from her。 Enough。
A lover；she thought。
The shooting stars strafed the neat order of things。 No wreckage up there； just a loosening of the astronomical pattern。 A bit of tempest in the dark。
Not a boyfriend； she considered。 Nothing cute。 A man。 One who could trespass on her solitude； and speak kindly of a terrible world； and sneak them in among the constellations like this。 One who believed in forever。
Miranda threw a glance at him。 She couldn't see his face in the darkness； only the slight gleam of his shirt。 Why not； whoever he was？ The meteors flickered。 Here； then gone。
The kiss。。。she kept her thoughts away from it。 It should have a life of its own。But then？ She tried to read the future。 She tried to calculate the arc of them。
She felt her blood moving faster。 His lip； she remembered。 They would need to be gentle on him。 She heard herself breathing。
Then her cell phone beeped。 〃Oh； god；〃 she muttered。
〃What？〃
〃I know who this is。〃 She went inside with it。 When she returned； she said； 〃My father。〃
〃He's here？〃
〃Yes and no。 He's faraway。 A half mile underground near the border of Texas； preparing the sanctuary。〃 She paused。 〃He had your file sitting in front of him。〃
She let the implications sink in。
They were being watched。 Possibly they were two heat signatures in someone's night scope。 Maybe her kitchen was bugged。 Probably。
〃Man；〃 he whispered。
The spell was broken。 The Perseids continued their display in vain。 The taste of wine was suddenly too sweet。 She was going to have a headache in the morning。
〃I should go；〃 he said。 The lawn chair creaked in the night。
She didn't agree。 She didn't disagree。 〃You wanted something；〃 she said。
〃That；〃 he said。 He had to remember so far back。 It pleased her。 The night had taken off with him； too。So close。 〃It was about the Year Zero clones；〃 he said。
〃Yes？〃 Business； indeed。
〃I don't know what all has been done to them；〃 he said。
〃Do we need to talk about that tonight？〃
〃No。 It's just that they've been turned inside out in search of the plague。 I mean these guys look like a butcher shop or something。〃
She let out a deep sigh。 He was going to hector her about the abuses。 Condemn her for their birth。 They would argue。 She would order him to leave。 They needed to go through the ugly motions。 〃Yes；〃 she braced herself。
〃Well； I started wondering；〃 he said。 〃Has anyone ever just asked them？〃
She paused。 〃About the plague？〃
〃It was just a thought；〃 he said。 〃Who knows what they might have to tell us？〃
23
Into the Sun
THEREST OFAUGUST
Ineed to see their eyes；〃 he told her next day。 She made him follow her through the hallways。 〃They need to see mine。〃
She was fiercely protective。 〃They're patients as much as inmates。 They're wounded； even the ones who were never touched。 Just by being brought back。 They're in shock。 When you said talk to them； I thought you meant to use the inters。〃
〃The guards tried that once。 They said the clones acted like it was the voice of God。 They were in a state of terror for days。〃
〃You want contact；〃 she clarified。
〃Yes。〃
〃That means they'll need to be inoculated；〃 she said。 〃Two thousand years of disease have evolved since they died。 Their bloo
