jefflong.yearzero-第78章
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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 could see her fleeing with Grace； leaving the dumb husband to put himself down。 For the first time； he was grateful for Lydia's treacherous ways。 She just may have saved Grace。 His quest was not over。
He sat on the bed。 Her walls were pink。 There were dozens of dolls neatly ranked on shelves； mostly blond。 He reached for a hairbrush on a small vanity and unwound a long golden strand from the bristles。 Slowly his eyes strayed back to the dolls； and their unnatural tidiness。 Not one thing was out of place。 Not one doll was missing。 He went to the window and looked into the backyard。
It was like dying。
From the kitchen window； he had been unable to see them； hidden by the high grass。 But from here； the two white crosses were prominent。 Lydia's husband had buried them before taking his own life。
Nathan Lee found himself among the grasses with no recall of descending the stairs nor leaving the house。 He knelt by the cross that said； 〃Grace。〃 He turned on his radio。
Ochs was livid。 〃Where have you been？〃
〃I found them；〃 said Nathan Lee。 〃I found their graves。〃
〃Graves？ Thank God。〃
〃They're dead； Ochs。〃
〃Of course they're dead；〃 Ochs said。 〃It's Denver。 But they were buried。 That's the important thing。〃 He sounded overjoyed。
〃What's wrong with you？〃 Nathan Lee shouted。 His rage welled up。 Ochs was the least of it。God。 The cold lizard。 This abyss。
〃How do you know it's them？〃 Ochs calmly asked。
〃The markers。 He woodburned their names。〃 Nathan Lee could scarcely hear his own words。
〃You've done it！〃 Ochs said。 〃Easy； now。 We're almost home。〃
Lydia's husband had placed the graves on a slight rise in the backyard。 It had a view of the Rockies。 He had mounded the graves and seeded them with flowers。 Nathan Lee's jealousy dwindled。 The man had been a good father to his daughter。 He had done a credible job here。
〃Are you still there？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Listen to me； Nathan Lee。 Are you listening？〃
〃I'm here。〃
〃Do you love Grace more than anything in the world？〃
How long ago had they died？ Nathan Lee wondered。 The paint on the crosses was blistered from the elements。 But the sunflowers and daisies were immature。 They had not gotten a full season to grow。 The seeds must have been planted midsummer or later。 August； he guessed。 There would have been time for him to reach her； if only he had known。
〃You need to love her with all your heart；〃 Ochs was saying。
〃You could have just told me；〃 said Nathan Lee。 〃I wasn't after you。〃 Now he saw it。 Ochs had baited him to his death。 The soldiers would leave without him。 Ochs was free。
〃I told you； it was too soon；〃 Ochs said。 〃I didn't want to waste you。〃
〃Waste me？〃
〃I tried to bring them in。 Six months ago。 I did everything possible。 I bribed。 I threatened。 I begged；〃 said Ochs。 〃My own sister。 And niece。 But the council said no。 Miranda； I'm sure of it。 Revenge。 And then you showed up。〃
August；thought Nathan Lee。 He could have held her one last time。 He had no strength to be angry； though。
〃Don't fade on me； Nathan Lee。 We're almost home。〃
Nathan Lee felt like a leaf ready to fall。
Ochs's voice was stern。 〃Go find a shovel； Nathan Lee。〃
〃What？〃
〃We're going to bring them inside。 It's safe inside the fence。 But you need to work fast；〃 Ochs said。 〃The helicopters leave in three hours。〃
What was he talking about？
〃Nathan Lee？〃
〃Dig her up？
〃I know；〃 said Ochs。 〃But you have to be strong。 We're going to bring them back。 You've seen the technology。〃
That's what this was all about？ 〃You mean clone them？〃
〃It's the only way。〃
〃Grace？〃
〃You know what we'll need。 It won't be pleasant； but it's nothing you haven't done before。 A finger from each of them。 Or teeth。 Look for some garden shears。〃
Nathan Lee tried to recoil； but the voice was inside his head。
〃There was no other way to get them inside；〃 Ochs said。 〃They had to die in order to live。 Now we can offer them a place in the sanctuary。 My sister。 Your daughter。 Out from the storm。 Talk to me； man。〃
Nathan Lee was numb。 Ochs had sent him to root up his own child？
〃You're the only one who can save her；〃 coaxed the voice。 〃She needs you。〃
〃No；〃 said Nathan Lee。
〃Yes；〃 argued Ochs。 〃Or else you kill her。〃
〃She's already dead。〃
〃Dig down； Nathan Lee。 Dig into your heart。 Find the strength。 Bring me what I say。 Miranda will raise them up。〃
〃She won't do that。〃
〃For you； Miranda will do anything。〃
For a moment； Nathan Lee saw the grave open and her little body lift from the dirt。 He saw her straw hat。 The outstretched bouquet。 He groaned。
〃It's late；〃 snapped Ochs。 〃The helicopters will go without you。 After that； you're dog food。〃 He went back and forth； from threats to temptation。 〃You have the power of life over death。 There's no reason Grace has to end like this。 She was the sweetest girl。 A second chance。 You have the power。〃
Nathan Lee's horror mounted。 How could he open her grave？ How could he not？
〃Do it；〃 snarled Ochs。
Nathan Lee searched through the wreck of his memory。 He remembered a storm。 Grace was a baby； asleep in his arms。 The blizzard howled at the window of their Washington townhouse； and he hardly dared to breathe for fear of undoing her sleep。
Ochs railed at him。 〃The helicopters will leave soon。 They won't wait。 They don't fly at night。 You'll be alone。〃
Nathan Lee fought down his shout at the sky。 Who would hear？ He set his hands flat on the mounded earth。 He lay down。 He put his head by the marker。 The search was over。
Nathan Lee switched off the voice。 He cast one arm over her grave。 Later； the helmet could e off。 For now； he was just tired。 He closed his eyes。 All he wanted was to hold his baby。
AGREAT STORM woke him。
Nathan Lee thought he was dreaming。 It rocked him with its wind。 He opened his eyes； and it was night。 The grass and trees were thrashing around him。 Dirt and pebbles rattled against his helmet。 The crosses shuddered。
A beam of light stabbed down from the sky； blinding him。 A figure descended through the radiance。 Buffeted by the tempest； the man walked over to him and reached down。 A rope led from his chest harness up to the helicopter。 Nathan Lee felt a hand groping at his wrist。 His radio switched on。
〃It's time to go； Nathan Lee；〃 a voice spoke in his ears。 〃e with me。〃
〃I'd like to stay；〃 said Nathan Lee。
〃Nah；〃 the man said。 〃It's not your time。〃
Nathan Lee felt like he hadn't slept in many years。 〃Who are you？〃
〃I'm your friend。 You have lots of friends； Nathan Lee。〃
Nathan Lee raised his helmet and peered through the man's face plate。 It was the Captain； his hair silver。 〃I flew in with you this morning。〃
〃I didn't see you。〃
〃Miranda thought Ochs might try something。〃
〃Miranda？〃
〃I came to watch your back。〃
〃I found my girl；〃 Nathan Lee announced。
〃I know；〃 said the Captain。
〃I'd like to stay for a bit longer。〃
〃Another time。〃
Nathan Lee took his outstretched hand。
Together they were winched into the night。
All the way to Los Alamos； they sat among cages on top of cages filled with human beings who were taped and still。 Every one of them was hot with virus。 Their eyes glittered in the dark cargo bay。
30
Decon
Decon was more than a place or process； it was a passage between worlds。 For fourteen days you were purified here； scrubbed； bled； monitored； and locked down in sterile； solitary cells。 It was like a Biblical prescription： anyone who might have been tainted was kept outside the camp for a ritual term。
For the deck raiders； the process was automatic。 But researchers from the bio…safety labs were sometimes closed in here； too； especially after accidents。 All it took was a needle stick； a rip in your suit； a faulty vent。 It was a frightening time。 A time of prayers。 You didn't know if your blood might suddenly test positive； in which case you would never re…enter the city again。 The term 〃decon〃 was a misnomer。 In fact； if you were contaminated； you were beyond rescue。
During the first week Nathan Lee's sole clothing was a pair of
