jefflong.yearzero-第77章

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otor　blast　flushed　animals。　A　herd　of　horses　galloped　with　their　shadow　like　dolphins　leaping。　Denver　it　was。　They　made　a　beeline　for　the　neat；　geometric　skyline。　Soldiers　began　checking　their　weapons　and　suits。　The　door　gunner　grew　alert。
　They　flashed　east　across　vacant　suburbs。　White　bones　lay　scattered　on　the　streets。　Dark　flocks　of　birds　were　circling　for　food。　Nathan　Lee's　dread　crept。　It　was　no　longer　summer　here。　America　had　bee　Asia。What　was　Ochs　sending　him　into？
　A　dozen　plague　victims　stood　clustered　on　a　golf　course　by　a　pond。　Their　pilot　broke　from　the　group　and　looped　lower　for　a　view。　Bodies　floated　facedown　in　the　nearby　water　like　balloons　resting　on　the　surface。　None　of　the　living　took　notice　of　the　helicopter。　Most　had　unconsciously　shed　their　clothing　in　the　heat　of　past　days。　On　this　cold　morning；　they　dumbly　faced　the　light。
　From　this　height；　Nathan　Lee　could　see　paths　worn　in　the　grasses。　Then　he　saw　the　dogs。　They　were　house　pets；　mostly　bigger　breeds：　golden　retrievers；　dalmations；　black　labs；　sturdy　mutts。　Packs　had　taken　up　residence　on　different　sides　of　the　human　herd。　Fido　had　deep　instincts。　Nathan　Lee　had　seen　hyenas　and　wild　dogs　in　west　Kenya　set　up　shop　the　same　way；　picking　off　the　strays　at　whim。
　The　pilot　hovered　thirty　feet　off；　scanning　the　faces。　Through　the　chrysalis　of　infected　tissue；　their　teeth　showed　like　famine　grins。　Nathan　Lee　could　see　the　dark　clumps　of　viscera。
　〃No　kids。　No　pregnant；〃　said　the　pilot。　〃Am　I　missing　anything？〃
　〃Nothing　here；〃　the　crew　chief　verified。
　The　helicopter　sprang　onwards。
　For　the　next　twenty　minutes；　that　was　the　pattern。　They　would　spot　a　group　standing　in　a　parking　lot　or　playground　or　among　the　crashed　cars；　descend；　scrutinize；　and　move　on。　They　reached　Coors　baseball　stadium；　skeletal；　but　pretty　with　its　iron　lattice　work。　Crossing　America；　Nathan　Lee　had　learned　that　stadiums　across　the　country　had　been　used　to　quarantine　tens　of　thousands　of　victims。　But　Coors　stood　empty；　except　for　a　few　slumped　bodies　in　the　bleachers。　Either　Denver's　collapse　had　happened　too　quickly　for　authorities　to　react；　or　they　had　seen　the　futility　of　quarantine。　Nathan　Lee's　helicopter　came　to　rest　in　center　field。
　It　was　a　busy　place。　The　soldiers　knew　what　they　were　doing。　Sentinels　with　machine　guns　scoped　the　outside　streets　from　the　top　bleachers。　One　team　set　up　a　satellite　dish　and　uplinked　with　Los　Alamos；　another　cleared　bodies　and　debris　from　the　delivery　gate。　Nathan　Lee　loaned　a　hand　where　the　chore　was　obvious。　Otherwise；　he　stayed　out　of　the　way。　He　listened　to　the　radio　chatter　over　his　headset；　then　tried　channel　four。
　Ochs's　voice　was　waiting　for　him。　〃Wele　to　the　Mile　High　City。〃
　〃It's　bad　here；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。　He　wanted　encouragement。
　〃If　it　wasn't　bad　you　wouldn't　be　there；〃　Ochs　said。　〃They　learned　not　to　bother　with　the　early…stage　cities。　Too　much　insanity。　Gun　nation。　Weirdos。　Survivalists　with　a　beef。　Family　groups　trying　to　defend　their　loved　ones。〃
　〃You　said　Grace　was　alive。〃　In　fact；　Ochs　had　not　said　it。　Nathan　Lee　wanted　more。
　〃Stay　with　me；〃　Ochs　said。　〃I'm　tracking　your　coordinates。　I've　got　a　map。　We'll　find　them　together。〃
　The　soldiers　left　the　pilots　on　guard　and　departed。　Carting　jerry　cans　of　gas；　the　platoons　exited　onto　the　streets　and　went　carjacking。　Denver　was　SUV　heaven。　In　pairs；　the　soldiers　fueled　and　hotwired　their　vehicles　of　choice；　and　drove　off。
　Nathan　Lee　was　left　alone。　From　high　above；　papers　floated　out　of　shattered　skyscraper　windows。　He　found　a　Toyota　with　a　good　battery　and　keys　in　the　ignition。　The　engine　turned　over　with　what　was　left　in　its　gas　tank。　There　was　enough　headroom　to　acodate　his　helmet。　It　would　do。　He　got　out　and　poured　part　of　his　jerry　can　into　the　gas　tank。　All　told；　he　had　enough　fuel　for　a　round　trip　of　sixty　miles　or　so。
　Ochs　played　navigator　with　a　puter　map。　Nathan　Lee　followed　his　directions。　Where　the　avenues　were　clogged　with　dead　cars　or　had　flooded　with　water；　Ochs　found　him　alternate　routes。
　Together　they　reached　a　cozy　neighborhood　landscaped　with　poplars　and　Japanese　blood　grasses。　pared　to　the　tangle　of　highway　metal　and　burned　malls；　this　was　a　quiet　haven。　A　car　lay　overturned　on　one　lawn。　Another　stuck　partway　out　of　a　closed　garage　door。　To　the　very　end；　men　had　needed　the　feel　of　a　steering　wheel　in　their　hands。　If　they　couldn't　drive　fate；　at　least　they　could　drive　a　Ford。
　〃1020　Lakeridge　Road；〃　Ochs　spoke　in　his　ear。　〃Used　brick；　split　level。　A　weathervane　with　a　rooster。〃
　〃There　it　is。〃
　〃Tell　me　what　you're　seeing；〃　said　Ochs。　〃You're　my　eyes。〃
　Nathan　Lee　was　grim。　〃What　am　I　doing　here？〃　In　two　hours　of　tortuous　driving；　there　had　not　been　one　sign　of　healthy　survivors。　Carcasses　and　wandering　angels；　yes。　Otherwise；　it　was　a　wild　goose　chase。　Or　a　trap。
　〃Go　inside；〃　Ochs　said。　〃Talk　to　me。　I　want　to　know　everything。〃
　Nathan　Lee　turned　the　voice　off。　He　went　to　the　front　door　between　waist…high　Kentucky　bluegrass。　A　nylon　flag　with　a　butterfly　jutted　from　a　porch　mount。　A　terracotta　sun　hung　by　the　door。　Wind　chimes　rustled。Home　Sweet　Home；　said　the　mat。
　He　knocked　on　the　door。　His　gloved　fist　didn't　make　a　sound。　His　motions　were　dense　and　slow。　He　heard　himself　breathing。
　The　door　was　unlocked。　Inside；　the　house　looked　ready　forBetter　Homes　and　Gardens。　Lydia's　touch。　Flower　petals　had　fallen　to　colorful　powder　on　the　white　doily　under　a　vase。　The　house　looked　lived　in；　but　not　lived　in　enough。　It　was　too　tidy。　There　were　no　daily　messes。　No　temporary　piles。　No　pairs　of　little　sneakers　shucked　by　the　door。　Everything　was　arranged。　Like　a　shrine。
　The　Suzuki　book　on　the　piano　had　Grace's　name　printed　on　the　cover。　Her　fingers　had　touched　the　keys。　Nathan　Lee　could　barely　hear　the　notes　under　his　gloved　fingers。
　The　evidence　mounted。　Artwork　from　Alameda　Elementary　was　taped　to　the　refrigerator：　a　bird；　a　tree；　a　house　with　little　girls　watering　flowers。　Her　signature　in　capital　letters。　The　freezer　held　melted　popsicles。
　Nathan　Lee's　breathing　grew　louder。　He　tried　not　to　think。　She　had　been　here。
　A　bulletin　board　on　the　wall：　family　snapshots。　There　was　Lydia　beaming　her　100…watt　smile　beside　a　sturdy　burgher　of　a　man　with　a　prosperous　belly。　Lydia　had　landed　herself　a　provider；　no　more　globe　hoppers。　No　more　losers。　The　husband　even　resembled　her　brother。　They　looked　self…content。　Nathan　Lee　scanned　lower。
　Grace　was　missing　two　lower　teeth。　A　straw　hat　shadowed　her　eyes。　Nathan　Lee's　hand　moved　over　the　snapshots；　finding　all　the　Graces；　speaking　her　name　each　time　inside　his　helmet。　By　a　waterfall；　at　the　swimming　pool；　on　a　mountain　trail　with　a　basket　of　tiny　strawberries。　She　had　her　mother's　smile　and　Nathan　Lee's　narrow　face。　For　the　most　part；　she　was　her　own　woman。
　He　stood　by　the　bulletin　board。　His　heart　felt　caved　in。　It　should　have　been　him　in　those　photos。　Those　should　have　been　his　shoulders　she　was　sitting　on；　his　hand　receiving　the　bouquet　of　dandelions。　That　should　have　been　his　head　bearing　the　silly　pointed　birthday　cap。　It　was　the　one　reality　he'd　really　ever　wanted；　and　here　he　was　viewing　another　man　who　had　lived　his　life。
　Nathan　Lee　went　into　the　basement。　That　would　be　the　most　logical　hideout。　He　would　have　taken　her　into　the　mountains　or　desert。　But　if　you　were　going　to　stay；　you　would　probably　burrow　deep。　Absurdly；　he　imagined　a　whole　warren　of　tunnels　connecting　the　suburbs；　and　families　of　survivors　faring　happily　beneath　his　feet。
　The　basement　was　finished　with　flowered　wallpaper　and　a　tiled　floor。　There　were　no　trap　doors；　no　mounds　of　dug　dirt。　He　climbed　the　stairs　to　the　second　floor　and　found　Lydia's　husband　in　the　master　bedroom。
　The　suicide　was　nothing　ugly。　The　man　had　overdosed　himself；　laid　down　on　the　coral　and　beige　down　forter；　and　gone　to　sleep。　Lydia　was　not　with　him。　She　was　a　mother。　She　would　be　with　her　child。
　Nathan　Lee　went　down　the　hallway　and　came　to　the　last　door。　It　was　going　to　be　her　bedroom。　Full　of　dread；　he　saw　his　hand　reach　for　the　knob。　The　door　opened。
　The　bed　was　empty。　It　was　her　room；　but　Grace　was　not　here。　His　hopes　zigzagged。　She'd　done　it　again！　he　thought。　Lydia　had　cheated　her　man。　He　coul