jefflong.yearzero-第66章
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〃We're all running out of time；〃 he answered。 〃I'm only helping you pass it。〃
〃I thought so； too； in the beginning。 Like you said； it's just TV。 But it's bee something more。 People are waiting for something to happen。 They think there's some kind of answer waiting for them in the yard。 And that you're going to give it to them。〃
There were different ways to run with that。 He chose to keep it simple。 〃Clues to the plague？ I wouldn't hold my breath；〃 he said。 〃I keep digging。 Maybe they know something； maybe they don't。〃
〃The clones？〃 she said。 〃They don't have anything to tell us about the plague。 Nothing relevant。 They're one more dead end。 You know that。〃
Nathan Lee pulled his head back。 He did know it； or had started to suspect it。 None of the clones seemed to know anything about a plague that had not really been a plague two thousand years ago。 Their blood analyses suggested a brush with some early form of Corfu； but it must have been a mild spin…off strain； something that had mutated along the Spice Road。 Whatever it was that had jumped out of the holy relic in Corfu must have originated at some safe distance from the Holy Lands。 The researchers had locked onto the right era； but the wrong reservoir。 Golgotha was not the answer。
〃What happens now？〃 he asked。 Chin up； he told himself。 Eyes wide open。 Cavendish had spoken。 Nathan Lee was a condemned man。 He tried to imagine how to pick up from here。 Anymore； all roads led to Los Alamos。 Which would he take； where would he go？ He felt fattened； sluggish； off course。 His momentum had slipped。
〃I blocked the deport order。〃 She shrugged。
He let his breath out。 〃You can do that？〃
〃The show goes on；〃 she answered。 〃I need you。〃
〃You want me to keep going with the clones？ But you just said they're a dead end。〃
〃If you look at a map； so is Los Alamos。 But it's still our last； best hope。 And you're helping keep us together。 Up in the light of day。〃
Up；he suddenly realized；Out。 Out from the darkness of her father's underworld。 That was his use to her。 It wasn't Cavendish she was fighting； but her father。 It didn't seem right； somehow； to use one father against another。
THE CLONES GAINEDstrength。 Their baby fat melted away。 They were eager to test their muscles。 Foot races sprang into being。 They did hand…stands。 Men draped arms over one another's shoulders and danced and sang。 A wrestling match on the hard blacktop left the petitors bruised and bloody； but buoyant。
Autumn arrived； and with it cooler weather。 The fire became their center。 Every night； the Captain had his guards stack more wood in the yard。 Every morning the prisoners arrived to find the flames crackling； and they would take up where yesterday had left them。
In the fourth week； Nathan Lee edited his character。 His Aramaic was improving。 He continued to play a traveler from the mountains north of Babylon； but now he became their scribe。 Like a magician； he produced a pen and blank sheets of paper。 It was an ingenious trick。 In one stroke； he made himself what he already was； their ghostwriter。
Through him； they believed； they could municate with their families and villages。 The fact that Nathan Lee wrote their letters in his own language using a strange alphabet was no more perplexing than the pen of endless ink that he wrote with。 They trusted that he must have his ways。
He no longer had to wait for the clones to accidentally interview themselves。 Now they stood in line； waiting to pour out their thoughts to him。 While Izzy translated； Nathan Lee wrote； and the cameras recorded。
They were utterly present…minded。 They knew they had died； but in their minds only a year or two had passed。 They missed their families。 They worried about how the crops were doing； or if the herds had fattened； and how the children were growing。 Those who had been killed during the destruction of Jerusalem anguished over the fate of their loved ones。 〃Be strong； we'll soon be joined together；〃 they dictated to Nathan Lee。
Each tried to describe this unusual land of the afterlife。 They called itSheol； orTophet orGehenna 。。。no more of that Egypt business with the iron walls and bronze sky。 For them； it was a place of punishment； but also gradual rewards。 They stressed the rewards。 The sky was very blue； they marveled。 The lambs were fat。 A forest sent its sweet perfume to them over the walls。 One day the walls would fall away； they were sure of it。 Everything was going to be better and better。 Any minute their loved ones were going to show up。
25
The Horse
OCTOBER
Sixty…three degrees Fahrenheit；〃 Nathan Lee told the girl as they drove out East Jemez Road。 〃Winds west by southwest at five miles per hour。 Look； not a cloud in the sky。 We can't go wrong today。〃 He started singing。 〃I was driving along in my automobile； my baby beside me at the wheel。。。。〃
Tara was grinning。 She had no idea what he was raving about； but he was happy with her； and she had him for the day。 He turned left to go to the old Neutron Science Center。 The place had been mothballed years ago。 Now it was home to a contingent of Special Forces soldiers。 Here the Appaloosa lived in splendor。
The elite soldiers had adopted her with a passion。 They had built a stall for her among the pi？ons and rabbit brush。 She was the Wild West to them； who had grown up in cities and suburbs and never ridden a horse before Nathan Lee brought her。 None of the other units had such a glorious mascot。 The Marines had various mutts； the SEALS kept fighting cocks。 The Appaloosa was unique。
On her behalf； the team medic had taught himself veterinary medicine。 The weapons specialists curried her and rigged an enamel bathtub so that she had a constant supply of fresh； running water。 They learned which fescues she preferred； stockpiled hay bales for the winter； and…before the valley had been designated off…limits in late August and travel across the Rio was banned…had bartered with ranchers near Taos for enough eighty…pound sacks of oats to feed a cavalry。 They regularly swept the field and killed any rattlesnakes。 They took turns sleeping in a tent by the stable so that coyotes would not be tempted。 In jest they said Nathan Lee would have to fight them to get her back。 In jest he said they'd never know until she was gone； he'd be that quiet the night he cut loose of the Mesa。 The soldiers liked that。 In their minds no one was ever leaving Los Alamos； not unless the cure appeared or the much discussed； near mythic Evacuation Day actually came down。
For Nathan Lee； the Appaloosa was his promise to himself。 She was his link backward to a time before this place。 He visited sporadically； most often following a night of vivid dreams。 In one form or another； the bad dreams always had to do with his daughter。 She was calling to him； or her photo on the shelf in the bone lab would show a skull。 He would wake sweating and try to be thankful for the nightmares。 But they were not strong enough to overe his good dreams； which were more and more often about Miranda； and the friendships he was making； and the ties he felt binding him。 One recurring image was of his feet turning into tree roots that grew into the rocky soil of Los Alamos。 He looked up in his dream and his arms would be limbs； and he would be lodged on the edge of a cliff overlooking the valley。 As beautiful and peaceful as that was； he would wake from those dreams in a sweat； too。
But the Appaloosa calmed his night fears。 Just the sight of her pacified his sense of guilt and betrayal。 One day he would leave on her back。 He would be true。
Bringing Tara here seemed right all around。 It was going on two months since he had first crashed her isolation。 Since then； a host of therapists and guardians had been working with the child； guiding her into the pany of man。 The Captain and his wife were ready to take her into their home； but Tara was not ready to be taken。 She was still an unredeemed wild child。 Her few exploratory outings into Los Alamos had been small disasters： a tantrum in the market； a screaming fit at the playground； another incident with feces； and other such lapses back into her cage self。 As far as Nathan Lee was concerned； her behavior had everything to
