jefflong.yearzero-第84章
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By Thanksgiving； their camp was two miles long and growing。 Military intelligence estimated their numbers at nearly a hundred thousand。 In another week； they would be double that。 The high…altitude photos taken at night were most telling。 You could see their candles and fires reaching backwards in long thick veins that forked and thinned and forked again and became capillaries and finally just dots of light at their distant origins。 They were the last of their kind。 America was ing to celebrate Christmas。
As the days passed by； the pilgrims asked for nothing。 At night； their campfires turned the valley red。 The pilgrims who arrived healthy were quickly infected。 They didn't seem to mind。 Christ had arisen at Los Alamos。
Miranda convoked an emergency session with the generals and lab directors。
〃We should have evacuated while it was still possible；〃 cried a scientist。
〃The time is not right；〃 a general responded。
〃What are you waiting for？〃 an administrator demanded。 〃They'll outnumber us two to one in a week。〃
〃Four to one in two weeks；〃 someone added。 〃How are we supposed to do our work with people dying down there？〃
〃We're monitoring the situation；〃 the general told them。 The generals sat side by side； hands folded； inscrutable。 They were serene。 Nathan Lee was perplexed。 They didn't seem to care。
〃They could e storming up here any minute。 You're supposed to be protecting us。〃
〃The situation is under control；〃 the general said。
〃They're a clear and present danger；〃 someone protested。
A minister from one of the local churches tapped on his microphone。 He was an older man with a cloud of white hair and highlander sideburns。 He leaned forward。 〃They are the lilies of the field；〃 he said。
People waited impatiently。
〃They're hungry and thirsty；〃 the minister continued。 〃Christians in need。〃
〃They're carriers；〃 a woman barked at him。 〃They're already dead。 We have to break them up before it's too late。 How will we ever be able to evacuate with them blocking the highway？〃
The generals looked like a row of Buddhas； not a worry。 〃When the time es；〃 one said； 〃we will part the waters。〃
〃What's that supposed to mean？〃
The general smiled。 〃Just Bible talk。〃 He offered no other explanations。
〃Feed them；〃 the minister argued。 〃We have plenty。 Give them the bread of life。〃
〃And encourage more to e？〃 someone said。
〃They e in peace；〃 said the minister。 He sounded like an old movie；The Day the Earth Stood Still。
〃They may have e in peace；〃 a woman said； 〃but they'll never leave that way。 They've e too far with nothing to lose。 They have nowhere to return to。 They're contaminating each other。 They're never going home。 They've got Los Alamos in their sights。〃
〃Show them mercy；〃 said the minister； 〃and they will do the same。〃
They heckled him。 〃You're out of your tree； reverend。〃
Miranda intervened。 She looked at the generals。 〃What do you remend？〃
The generals put their hands over their microphones and spoke among themselves。 They nodded their heads。 Finally one general spoke。 〃We're better off knowing where they are than trying to figure out where they're hiding。 Let them e。 All of them。 As long as they don't cross the river； we're safe。〃
〃You're not going to do anything？〃 a molecular engineer plained。 〃Strafe them。〃 People booed his suggestion。 〃I mean along the edges；〃 he qualified。 〃Drop a few bombs on our side of the valley。 Shake them up。 Back them off。〃
〃We're not in the business of bluffing；〃 said the general。
〃But we have to do something。〃
〃We will watch and wait。 And feed them；〃 said the general。
〃What！〃
The minister closed his eyes in thanksgiving。
〃The reverend has a good idea。 It works in our favor；〃 the general continued。 〃Give them food and supplies。 Keep them in place。〃
〃You sound like peaceniks out of Santa Fe；〃 said a lab chief。 〃Love and charity。 They're an army gathering down there。 I've seen guns and rogue soldiers on the remote cams。 Every day they're getting stronger。〃
The general hunched upon the table and his shoulders were like wings。 〃Everyday they get weaker；〃 he clarified。 〃If they sit there long enough； they'll die off by themselves。〃
They considered that。 Their charity would be their weapon。 It satisfied them。 Deeply。
And so they began to feed their enemy。
32
Penitentes
DECEMBER
It was that time of year when little girls and boys became sugar plum fairies and mice。 The Bolshoi's second annual presentation ofThe Nutcracker was right around the corner。 The remnants of the Denver symphony dug up its Tchaikovsky。 A famous Broadway producer who had taken shelter here warred with a famous Hollywood producer over the staging； lights； and credit。
Wreaths of evergreen boughs appeared。 The trees in the park sprouted red bows and Styrofoam candycanes。 Thousands offarolitos lined the walkways； paper bags weighted with sand and each holding a candle。 Nathan Lee didn't think there could be so many candles left in all of Los Alamos。 Like the children at school； Tara learned about Hanukah and dreidels； Kwanzaa； the baby Jesus in a manger； and Santa。 She was kept at home； of course； a shy girl still given to dark outbursts。 Thanks to the Captain's old record collection； she was crooning carols from Perry o。
Researchers showed up for work with pink cheeks and thick sweaters。 The microwaves smelled like apple cider。 In lieu of mistletoe； a few red chilies hung over office doors。 Out came the beakers of home…brew lovingly distilled in lab glassware。 Everyone was determined not to have the holiday spoiled。
And yet the invaders were there。
In the space of a few weeks； the plague camp along the Rio had grown to epic proportions。 Earlier military estimates were off by magnitudes of ten。 There were nearly a million people down there； with more on the way； America's last spasm of colonial movement； bony and wind…chapped； squatting on the edge of Oz。 From the air； they looked like a great migratory herd of animals。 Or Woodstock。
The city resented their siege。 Weren't the scientists working night and day to find a cure for them？ Didn't the people of Los Alamos deserve their own Christmas； one free of the primal Christ lurking in those fevered imaginations below？ They were like ancestors muttering down there。 Ancestors with knives。 It wasn't right。
The pilgrims' religious fervor was stark and frightening。 Surveillance cameras mounted west of the river showed a city of patched North Face tents； rusting lean…tos made of corrugated metal； cardboard shanties； stones piled as windbreaks； and hollows clawed into the earth； dung everywhere。 It reminded Nathan Lee of Everest base camp near the end of a climbing season； the wild hair； the glittering eyes。 Nighttime temperatures dipped into the teens。 People slept beneath windshields pulled from abandoned cars。 They slept in the open； some of them all but naked。 Trapped by the valley walls and a ceiling of cold air； their wood smoke clung overhead in a layer of brown smog。 The hills were denuded of wood and brush from Taos all the way south to Santa Fe。 The towns themselves looked gnawed to the ground by giant termites。 Anything wood was carted into the maw of the camp and used for fuel。
They were cold。 If a thing could be burned for heat； they burned it。 There was one exception； their crosses。 The pilgrims had erected a mile…long row of them along their side of the Rio Grande。 Big and sturdy； the crosses were made of pine and they faced Los Alamos。
The river was just a wide stream at this time of the year。 Crossing over would have been easy。 And yet； for some reason； the unwele visitors stayed on the eastern banks。 Los Alamos took fort in that self…restraint。 Some sort of executive intelligence had to be at work in the massive camp； it was a matter of deductive reasoning。 The pilgrims were policing themselves； feeding themselves； tending to their needs； distributing the shipments of food。 Above all； they were holding to the unspoken border。 That meant they had to have a leader…or leaders…who understood the notion of sovereignty。
And yet they couldn't seem to locate the pilgrims' leader； not from a distance with their cameras。 Los Alamos's intelligence dep
