jefflong.yearzero-第68章

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ain　the　jokes　to　Nathan　Lee。　Often　they　had　something　to　do　with　talking　fish　or　traveling　salesmen　and　farmer's　daughters；　all　of　which　had　existed　in　one　form　or　another　two　thousand　years　ago。
　Periodically　Nathan　Lee　got　up　to　walk　around　and　stretch　his　muscles。　This　morning　Joshua；　a　slight　man　with　long　fingers　and　toes；　was　describing　his　part　in　a　great　battle。　Mordechai；　an　ugly　man　with　huge　ears；　was　delivering　his　daily　boast　about　seducing　a　Roman　centurion's　wife。　For　anyone　who　would　listen；　he　detailed　her　round　hips　and　her　moans　of　ecstasy。　Micah　was　declaring　his　wealth　once　again；　a　herd　of　sheep　that；　he'd　decided；　must　surely　have　increased　from　fifty　to　five　hundred　by　now。
　〃Weren't　any　of　them　plain　murderers　or　thieves？〃　Nathan　Lee　wondered　to　Izzy。
　〃You　noticed　that；　too？〃　said　Izzy。　〃I've　never　met　so　many　patriots；　lords；　political　prisoners；　and　martyrs　of　the　faith。〃　It　was　Kathmandu　all　over　again；　a　cauldron　of　fictions　and　realities；　disgrace　and　glory。
　Nathan　Lee's　favorites　remained　the　loners　who　kept　to　themselves。　They　acted　as　if　they　had　no　use　for　the　bragging；　nor　for　sending　letters。　They　stood　by　the　fire；　ate　the　food；　circled　the　yard；　but　rarely　talked。　Among　these　was　the　fugitive。　In　Nathan　Lee's　opinion；　he　had　the　most　to　talk　about；　for　he　had　glimpsed　the　world　outside　their　prison。　But　so　far　he　had　volunteered　only　his　name；　Ben。　Though　he　never　spoke　about　his　escape；　the　other　prisoners　had　figured　out　that　much　about　him。　It　was　written　all　over　his　flesh。
　Escape　was　being　a　popular　topic。　Eyes　were　constantly　hunting　along　the　tops　of　the　walls。　Unaware　that　Nathan　Lee　and　Izzy　were；　in　effect；　their　jailers；　and　that　the　yard　was　wired　with　microphones；　they　openly　discussed　ways　of　getting　out。　Nathan　Lee　discovered　that　John's　picture　of　a　ship　disguised　deep　grooves　that　could　be　used　for　footholds。
　One　afternoon　a　small　delegation　approached　Ben　like　supplicants；　and　Nathan　Lee　roamed　closer；　curious。　They　addressed　the　man　with　respect；　asmaal…paa…naa；　or　teacher。　〃What　is　it　like　beyond　the　walls？〃　they　asked　him。
　〃There　is　a　city。　A　metal　city。　Then　there　is　the　wilderness；〃　Ben　gruffly　answered。
　〃Is　there　water？　Are　their　wolves？〃
　〃It　is　a　dead　land；〃　he　answered。　〃Even　the　trees　are　dead。〃
　〃Are　there　villages？〃
　〃All　dead。〃
　〃We're　making　preparations；〃　they　invited　him。
　〃What　would　you　do　out　there？〃
　〃Find　our　homes；　what　else？〃
　He　snorted　at　them。
　〃Help　us；maal…paa…naa。〃
　He　turned　his　back　to　them　and　walked　away。
　Nathan　Lee　explained　to　the　Captain　about　the　escape　talk；　just　in　case。　He　didn't　want　the　guards　overreacting。　〃It's　only　talk；〃　he　said；　〃and　they　trust　me。　If　anything　develops；　I'll　hear　about　it。　We　can　head　it　off　then。〃
　The　Captain　was　not　alarmed。　〃Nice　to　see　a　bit　of　starch　in　them；〃　he　said。
　　
　MIRANDA　HEARD　ABOUTthe　escape　plotting。　She　brought　it　up　one　evening　near　the　edge　of　the　roof　of　Alpha　Lab。　This　had　bee　their　getaway；　a　place　to　share　a　quick　picnic；　then　return　to　work。　From　up　here；　sitting　on　an　old；　cheap　Indian　blanket　spread　on　the　gravel；　they　had　a　view　to　the　west　of　the　far　valley　and　north　of　the　lights　of　Los　Alamos　across　the　bridge。　Usually　they　grabbed　whatever　was　at　hand　on　their　way　to　the　stairs。　Tonight　they　were　eating　apples　and　peanut　butter。
　〃But　what　if　they　really　do　try　something？〃　Miranda　said。　〃You　weren't　here　when　Ben　escaped。　It　put　the　whole　city　in　a　panic。　And　he　nearly　died。〃
　〃Don't　worry。　The　lone　bolt　for　freedom　is　one　thing；　a　matter　of　desperation　or　sudden　chance。　A　large…scale　breakout　is　very　different。　It　takes　a　long　time　to　e　together。　It　rarely　happens。〃
　He　told　her　about　a　group　of　Maoists　who　had　plotted　to　escape　from　Badrighot；　his　Kathmandu　jail。　〃They　plotted；〃　he　said。　〃And　plotted　and　plotted。　It　went　on　for　months。　The　conspirators　came　up　with　an　elaborate　plan。　But　the　plan　was　useless　without　faith。　You　have　to　believe　freedom　is　possible　in　the　first　place。　In　the　case　of　the　Maoists；　they　never　broke　the　mental　chains。　They　never　did　go　for　the　wall。　And　the　clones　won't　either。〃
　〃But　they　might。　You　want　them　to。〃
　〃It's　not　going　to　happen。〃
　〃What　are　you　so　happy　about？〃　she　said　to　him。　〃Even　if　they　made　it　out；　the　virus　would　do　them　in。〃
　〃You　said　their　immune　systems　have　an　edge　over　ours；〃　Nathan　Lee　reminded　her。　〃They'd　have　three　years。〃
　〃They'd　be　doomed。　Three　years；　that's　all。〃　She　dismissed　it。
　〃Three　years；〃　Nathan　Lee　reiterated。　〃That's　a　lot　of　world。〃
　She　frowned。　〃Turning　them　loose　into　the　plague；〃　she　said；　〃that　would　be　the　same　as　injecting　them　with　virus。　They're　safe　here。〃
　〃I'm　not　talking　about　turning　them　loose。〃
　〃You're　thinking　it；　though。　I　can　tell。　But　it　would　be　a　death　sentence　for　them。〃
　〃For　them；〃　he　retorted；　〃it　would　be　a　whole　lifetime。〃
　She　blinked　patiently；　as　if　he　were　dashing　around　throwing　open　the　shutters；　letting　in　unnecessary　light。　〃Three　years；〃　she　said。　〃Then　they'd　die。　None　of　them　would　survive。　We　know　that　for　a　fact。　Their　clonal　twins　were　exposed　to　the　virus　in　South　Sector　labs　two　and　three　years　ago。　At　first　we　had　high　hopes；　because　they　seemed　immune。　But　then　it　turned　out　they're　only　protected　against　whatever　benign　strain　was　running　along　the　edges　of　year　zero。　And　what's　out　there　now　isn't　benign。　They're　safe　here。〃
　〃For　now；〃　he　said。
　〃Once　we　find　the　cure；〃　she　said；　〃they'll　have　a　real　lifetime　ahead　of　them。　Thirty　years；　forty；　fifty。〃
　Nathan　Lee　smeared　peanut　butter　on　his　slice　of　apple。　He　took　a　bite。　She　utterly　believed　in　the　cure。Once；　not　if。　〃Put　yourself　in　their　place；〃　he　said。　〃Faced　with　what　they　face　right　now；　you'd　take　three　years　in　a　heartbeat。　So　would　I。〃
　She　gave　him　a　strange　look。　〃If　I　offered　you　the　certainty　of　three　years　versus　the　possibility　of　thirty；　you'd　take　the　three？〃
　〃Hypothetically　speaking？〃　he　said。
　〃Whatever。〃
　He　felt　bold；　a　little　swept　away。　〃Think　what　we　could　see　out　there；　Miranda。〃
　〃We？〃　she　said。
　She　had　heard　it。　He　let　the　word　hang　there。　She　could　it　take　it　how　she　wanted。　It　was　an　invitation；　or　as　much　of　one　as　he　dared　with　her。。。or　with　himself。
　He　was　ever　mindful　of　Grace；　ever。　It　wearied　him；　and　his　weariness　felt　like　the　worst　betrayal。　His　quest　had　bee　a　curse。　His　love　had　bee　a　disease；　or　worse　an　abstraction。　He　loved　his　daughter　because　she　had　been　his　to　love。　Now　he　could　not　move　ahead　with　or　without　her。　Sometimes　he　could　barely　breathe。　To　speak　of　freedom　like　this　felt　perilous。　He　was　so　afraid　his　heart　might　change；　and　then　who　would　he　be？　But　how　could　he　not　dream？
　When　he　didn't　mit　himself　any　deeper；　she　said；　〃Is　that　what　you'd　do　then？　Run　away？〃
　〃That's　not　what　I'd　call　it。〃　He　suddenly　said；　〃Have　you　ever　seen　Paris？〃
　〃Paris？〃
　He　rushed　on。　〃It　would　be　all　ours。　Or　Barcelona；　or　Vienna。　The　Alps　in　summer。　Or　Syria；　I　know　the　ruins。　And　Petra；　it's　incredible。　The　light　at　noon。　The　cliffs　are　red。〃
　〃Are　you　trying　to　seduce　me？〃　She　sounded　stern。　Analytical。
　He　quickly　backpedaled。　〃You　said　we　were　talking　hypothetically。〃
　〃No；　I　didn't。〃
　〃You　did。〃
　〃That　was　you。〃　She　was　earnest；　not　playful。　He'd　blundered。
　〃I'm　teaching　myself　to　fly；〃　he　stated；　scrapping　the　plural。　〃I　got　books　from　the　library。　There's　software　that　walks　you　through　it。　Small　fixed…wing　aircraft。　That's　the　way　to　go；　hopping　from　one　airfield　to　another。〃
　In　his　mind's　eye；　he　had　imagined　setting　off　through　the　grand　remains；　winging　deep　between　the　canyons　of　New　York　City；　setting　off　across　the　Atlantic；　looting；　handling　fantastic　treasures；　exploring。　〃Paris　would　look　as　ancient　as　Angkor　Wat；〃　he　said。　〃The　Louvre　would　be　mossy。　The　bodies　would　be　bone。　You　could　camp　on　the　beaches　of　Greek　islands。〃　She　frowned。　He　corrected　himself。　〃One；〃　he　said；　〃could　sleep　on　top　of　the　pyramids。　I　could　go　wherever　I　wanted。〃
　He　knew　something　about　traveling　through　the　land　of　the　dead。　With　care；　he　might　make　it　all　the　way　around　the　planet。　The　world　would　devour　him；　but　not　before　he　devoured　it。
　〃You'