jefflong.yearzero-第86章

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anadian　winter。　The　cities　might　be　dead；　but　they　were　still　mechanically　alive；　and　deadly。　The　clones　needed　a　crash　course　in　the　twenty…first　century。
　〃You've　got　your　work　cut　out；〃　said　the　Captain。
　Nathan　Lee　went　to　Izzy；　who　thought　it　was　a　terrible　idea。　〃I　told　you；　they　know　we're　the　enemy。　Eesho's　got　them　ready　to　kill　us　if　we　show　our　faces。〃
　〃We'll　select　just　one　of　them。　Educate　him。　Show　him　the　ropes。　When　the　time　es；　he　can　lead　the　rest。〃
　Izzy　balked。　〃Why　would　any　of　them　trust　us？　They're　onto　us　now。　In　their　shoes；　I　wouldn't　trust　us。〃
　〃They're　prisoners。　They　have　no　choice。〃
　〃Fine；〃　grumbled　Izzy。　〃We'll　pick　one。　But　which　one？〃
　〃Someone　they'll　listen　to。〃
　〃Not　his　bloody　lordship；〃　Izzy　protested。　〃I'm　not　about　to　hand　Eesho　the　keys　to　the　castle。　He　already　thinks　he's　God　almighty。〃
　〃Not　him；〃　Nathan　Lee　said；　〃Ben。〃
　Izzy　chewed　on　his　moustache。　〃I　thought　you　wanted　a　leader。　He's　a　loner。　Last　time　he　had　the　chance；　he　bolted　off　all　by　himself。〃
　〃That　was　different。　He　saw　the　chance　and　took　it。　And　look；　now；　they　follow　him　whether　he　wants　to　lead　or　not。〃
　Izzy　grumbled。　〃Better　him　than　most；　I　suppose。〃
　Class　began　next　morning。
　Ben　was　taken　from　the　yard　and　led　to　the　same　spartan　room　where　Ochs　had　asked　Eesho　for　a　miracle。　Nathan　Lee　and　Izzy　waited　for　him　at　a　table　with　the　day's　lessons　arranged　on　top。　There　was　a　globe　of　the　world；　a　can　of　beans；　and　a　can　opener。
　Ben　was　brown　as　mahogany　from　the　sun。　His　hair　smelled　smoky　from　the　campfire。　He　showed　no　surprise　at　seeing　them；　nor　hostility。　His　face　was　its　usual　cipher。　He　nodded　to　Izzy；　but　spoke　to　Nathan　Lee。　〃You've　returned；〃　he　said。　It　was　a　greeting　that　presumed　a　journey　of　some　kind。
　〃Yes；　I'm　back；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。
　Eesho　had　condemned　Nathan　Lee　and　Izzy　as　minions　of　the　darkness。　But　the　microphones　in　the　yard　had　also　picked　up　clones　discussing　whether　their　two　former　rades　had　escaped；　or　possibly　been　executed。　The　crucifix　in　the　tree　still　haunted　them。
　Ben　didn't　speak　to　such　gossip。　He　had　already　expressed　his　opinion　that　late　afternoon　two　months　ago　when　he　described　Golgotha；　and　how　he　and　Nathan　Lee　were　alike；　travelers　who　cast　themselves　into　a　wilderness　of　light　and　shadows。　Nathan　Lee　had　gone　searching　anew；　and　now　he　was　back。　That　was　enough　for　Ben。　He　didn't　ask　where　Nathan　Lee　had　gone；　nor　what　he'd　seen。　They　could　get　into　those　kinds　of　details　another　time。
　Ben　studied　Nathan　Lee's　face；　and　maybe　his　face　had　changed。　Nathan　Lee　had　looked　in　his　mirror；　and　grief　had　not　turned　his　hair　white　nor　put　more　lines　around　his　eyes。　Just　the　same；　Ben　saw　something。　〃Your　journey　was　hard；〃　he　remarked。
　He　seemed　personally　disappointed；　as　if　it　might　have　been　the　wrong　journey　or　Nathan　Lee　had　been　the　wrong　one　to　take　it。　There　was　nothing　mystical　nor　pointed　about　it。　Nathan　Lee　had　felt　the　same　disillusion　himself　listening　to　his　father　and　mother　after　certain　expeditions。　Explorers　were　connected；　no　matter　if　they　were　searching　on　the　sea　or　in　a　book。　When　one　of　them　discovered　a　treasure；　whether　it　was　gold　or　a　summit　or　a　math　formula；　it　enriched　them　all；　because　fundamentally　they　were　driven　by　the　same　riddle。　When　one　of　them　came　home　lost　or　empty…handed；　all　felt　empty。　Sooner　or　later　the　quest　would　resume；　often　with　a　new　approach　or　a　fresh　explorer。　The　continuation　was　inevitable。　There　was　no　end　to　humanity's　searching；　only　the　great　circle。
　Nathan　Lee　knew　the　clones　would　all　embark　on　his　same　quest　once　they　gained　their　freedom。　They　would　go　to　the　ends　of　the　earth　looking　for　their　loved　ones。　They　would　never　believe　that　two　thousand　years…eighty　generations　or　more…had　passed；　and　that　their　wives　and　children　were　dust。　He　had　no　intention　of　telling　them　the　truth。　Passing　the　torch；　that　was　Nathan　Lee's　job；　pure　and　simple。　There　was　no　telling　what　the　miles　might　reveal　to　them。
　He　drew　the　globe　between　them。　〃Here　is　the　world。　All　the　land。　All　the　water。〃　He　held　his　fist　to　one　side。〃Suh…rraa。〃　The　moon。　Further　out；　he　shaped　a　circle　in　the　air。〃Shim…shaa。〃　The　sun。　He　stopped　the　globe　and　pointed。　〃Israel。　Jerusalem。　Egypt。　Rome。Baavil。〃　Babylon。
　Ben　turned　his　attention　from　the　globe　and　its　promises　to　Nathan　Lee。　〃Why　show　them　to　me？〃　But　even　the　flat　voice　and　scarred；　stoic　mask　could　not　hide　his　longing　and　excitement。
　〃It's　time　to　give　yougool…paa…n'e；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。Wings。　〃You　can　show　the　others　how　to　fly。〃
　〃Wings；〃　Ben　grunted　cautiously。
　〃There　is　a　world　out　there。〃　He　gave　the　globe　a　slow　spin。
　〃Your　world。〃　Ben　didn't　look　at　the　globe。
　So；　thought　Nathan　Lee；　Ben　had　bought　into　the　tribalism。　Nathan　Lee　was　an　outsider。　Ben　didn't　seem　to　hold　it　against　him。　But　it　was　there。　〃It　is　your　world；　too；〃　he　said。
　〃Pssh；〃　scoffed　Ben。　〃Words。　A　trap。〃
　〃This　is　no　trap。　When　the　time　is　right；　you'll　go　free。〃
　〃You　will　free　us？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃And　so　you　own　us。〃
　〃Not　me；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。
　Ben　was　a　tough　customer。　He　kept　testing　the　proposition。　〃You　made　us　slaves。。。for　nothing？〃
　Nathan　Lee　didn't　correct　Ben's　choice　of　words。　They　were　lab　animals。　It　was　nothing　personal。　There　was　no　way　to　express　the　lowliness　of　that。　〃Ben；〃　he　sighed；〃u…saad。〃　Be　free。
　〃You　want　us　to　believe　again。〃　In　what；　he　did　not　say。　It　was　universal。　Faith　requires　doubt；　and　doubt；　faith。　Los　Alamos　was　built　on　just　such　a　foundation。
　〃I　see　you　walking；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。　〃Looking。　Smelling　the　wind。　You　said　we're　alike。　I　can　tell　that　you're　getting　ready　to　go。〃
　And　still　Ben　was　not　convinced。　〃Why　are　you　doing　this？〃
　〃Because；〃　said　Nathan　Lee；　〃it　frees　me。〃
　For　the　time　being；　that　seemed　to　satisfy　Ben。
　Nathan　Lee　stopped　the　globe。　He　placed　his　finger　on　New　Mexico。　〃We　are　here。　A　city。　Los　Alamos。　All　of　this　is　America。　Let　me　teach　you　about　this　place。〃
　Ben　followed　the　lesson　for　a　time；　but　then　he　returned　to　Nathan　Lee。　〃Lead　us；〃　he　said。
　Nathan　Lee　faltered。　They　would　trust　him　for　that？　But　his　place　was。。。elsewhere。　He'd　finished　searching　for　what　they　would　want。　〃Not　me。〃　He　wasn't　sure　how　to　explain　himself。　〃My　heart　is　here。〃
　Out　of　the　blue；　Ben　said；　〃Bring　her　with　you。〃
　Nathan　Lee　was　startled。　He　glanced　at　Izzy；　who　shrugged。　〃Who　do　you　mean？〃　Miranda；　surely。　Eesho　had　described　her　to　the　others；　the　green…eyed　sorceress。
　〃Your　daughter；〃　Ben　stated。
　The　walls　sagged。
　〃What？〃　whispered　Nathan　Lee。
　〃The　little　girl；〃　said　Ben。
　Cold　shot　up　his　spine。　Nathan　Lee　couldn't　speak。
　Izzy　entered　roughly。　He　could　see　Nathan　Lee's　shock。　〃Who　told　you　about　his　child？〃　he　demanded。
　〃No　one；〃　said　Ben。　〃I　used　to　hear　her　singing　in　the　night。　But　then　she　changed。　She　called　out。　She　became　wild。　Her　songs　became　weeping。〃
　The　ghost　of　my　daughter。Nathan　Lee　felt　impaled。
　〃There　was　nothing　I　could　do　but　listen；〃　Ben　continued。　〃It　tore　at　my　heart。　And　then　you　came。　You　told　her　stories。　You　sang　to　her。　That　was　the　first　time　I　heard　your　voice。　I　didn't　understand　your　words；　but　I　listened。　It　went　on　for　hours。　You　cast　out　her　demons；　one　by　one。　And　in　healing　her；　you　healed　me；　too。　The　wildness　in　me。〃
　Suddenly　Nathan　Lee　realized　what　he　was　talking　about。　Ben　must　have　heard　them　through　the　steel　walls。　He　breathed　out。　〃The　girl；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。　〃Tara。　The　Neandertal。〃　The　world　resumed。
　Izzy　relaxed。
　〃I　never　told　you；〃　Ben　finished　in　his　own　tongue。　〃You　gave　me　hope。　That　was　the　first　time。　The　second　time　was　when　you　brought　us　out　from　the　earth；　into　the　sun。　I　knew　that　was　your　hand　the　moment　I　heard　your　voice。　And　now　you　give　us　wings。　Do　you　see　what　I'm　saying？　You　lead　us　already。　So　you　should　e。〃
　He　made　it　sound　simple。　Nathan　Lee　set　the　can　of　beans　on　the　table。　He　handed　Ben　the　can　opener。　〃Here；〃　he　said；　〃open　that。〃
　　
　OVER　THE　ING　DAYS；　they　entered　the　twenty…first　century。　The　room　came　to　resemble　a　junk　pile。　Nathan　Lee　and　Izzy　brought　in　whatever　might　serve　the　clones　in　the　wastelands　of　America。　Flashlights；　voltage　meters　f