jefflong.yearzero-第88章

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　〃He'll　make　hamburger　out　of　me；〃　Izzy　fretted；　but　he　finally　did　as　they　asked。　To　everyone's　surprise；　Ochs　agreed　to　a　video　conference　late　that　same　afternoon。　The　emergency　council　went　into　overdrive　to　prepare　for　the　meeting。
　Nathan　Lee　was　brought　into　the　council　chambers　as　a　consultant。　The　place　was　a　beehive　of　specialists；　support　staff；　and　officials。　Crews　were　setting　up　cameras　and　television　screens；　and　on　the　far　side　of　the　room　Miranda　was　arguing　with　one　of　the　generals。　Of　late　the　generals　had　bee　belligerent；　challenging　her　authority　in　public。　Night　after　night；　Miranda　had　trouble　sleeping；　convinced　her　father　had　installed　her　as　the　director　merely　to　lull　the　city　while　the　subterranean　chambers　were　pleted。　Nathan　Lee　did　not　use　her　worries　against　her；　not　yet。　When　the　time　came；　he　reckoned　she　would　be　sick　of　the　intrigues　and　deceit　and　would　gladly　go　with　him　to　the　west。
　A　woman　in　a　blue　business　suit　came　over　to　Nathan　Lee。　She　introduced　herself　as　an　FBI　negotiator　and　led　him　to　a　table　away　from　the　bustle。　〃We　have　two　hours；〃　she　said。　〃Our　survival　could　depend　on　mediating　a　truce　with　Ochs。　You　were　friends。〃
　〃I　knew　him。〃
　〃Who　is　he？　What　about　him　is　real？　What's　not？〃　She　opened　a　dossier　on　Ochs　and　went　through　it　with　him。　It　was　the　biography　of　a　make…believe　man。　The　photos　showed　every　phase　of　Ochs's　metamorphosis。　Here　was　the　thickly　muscled　football　player；　and　the　art　dealer　at　a　museum　auction；　and　the　professor　before　his　class；　and　the　explorer　sun…bronzed　on　the　Everest　archaeology　expedition。　〃That's　where　I　first　met　him；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。　〃There's　my　father　in　the　background。　And　me。　I　was　seventeen。〃　It　was　unbelievable。　For　almost　half　his　life；　Nathan　Lee　had　been　burdened　by　the　man。
　Other　photos　showed　Ochs　at　a　Year　Zero　dig　in　Israel；　and　holding　forth　at　some　university　function；　and　finally；　in　a　daze；　just　before　his　deportation　from　Los　Alamos。　Then　there　was　the　still　image　lifted　from　Izzy's　coverage　of　the　burning　trucks　that　same　morning。　He　could　have　been　John　the　Baptist　in　ripped　burlap　with　a　bagful　of　locusts　and　honey。
　〃I'm　not　sure　what　you　want；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。　〃Call　him　Professor。　Or　Doctor。　Or　David。　Never　Dave。　Honor　him；　that's　important。　He's　always　thought　a　great　deal　of　himself。〃　The　FBI　lady　started　writing。
　Nathan　Lee　flipped　through　the　file。　Ochs　had　largely　succeeded　in　ghostwriting　his　own　biography。　It　was　a　portrait　of　ambition。　Given　the　opportunity；　he　took　all　the　credit　and　gave　all　the　blame。　He　boasted　credentials　he'd　never　had；　hid　indiscretions；　even　lied　about　his　weight　on　his　driver's　license。　There　was　his　Neandertal　discovery；　minus　Nathan　Lee。　For　the　first　time；　Nathan　Lee　saw　the　newspaper　articles　celebrating　Ochs's　incredible　discovery　of　the　ice　woman。
　Yet　Ochs　hadn't　managed　to　pletely　rewrite　his　past。　An　Interpol　document　revealed　at　least　some　of　his　sins；　most　of　them　having　to　do　with　antiquities　smuggling。　It　seemed　like　the　least　of　evils　now。
　〃Will　he　listen　to　you？〃
　〃No；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。
　〃Why　not？〃
　〃He　knows　I　want　to　kill　him。〃
　The　woman's　pen　stopped。　〃You're　serious。〃
　〃He's　that　kind　of　man；〃　Nathan　Lee　answered。
　〃And　you're　not？〃　she　responded。
　Nathan　Lee　had　no　idea　what　kind　of　man　he　was　anymore。
　She　returned　to　her　clipboard。　〃What　does　he　want？　A　ministry？　Food　for　his　people？　Revenge？　Back　inside　the　fence？〃
　Nathan　Lee　looked　at　the　last　photo　of　the　wild　prophet。　He　remembered　the　burning　food。　〃I　think　he's　found　exactly　what　he　wants。〃
　〃But　we　can　offer　him　fort。　We　can　South　Sector　him。　Give　him　a　hospital　bed　in　one　of　the　BSL…4's。　He　could　be　very　fortable　there。〃
　Nathan　Lee　thought　about　it。　〃It's　too　late。　There　was　a　time　when　he　would　have　done　anything　to　get　out　of　that　camp。　But　I　saw　him　on　TV。　He's　near　the　end　of　his　journey。　He　only　has　a　little　more　to　go。〃
　〃He　must　want　something；　though。〃
　Nathan　Lee　turned　the　question　back　on　her。　〃No　big　mystery。　The　same　thing　you　want。〃
　〃Clarify；〃　she　said。
　〃Ochs　wants　what　we　all　want。　Not　right　this　minute；　in　this　warm　room　with　our　good　health　and　clean　clothes。　In　the　middle　of　the　night；　I　mean。〃
　She　didn't　write　anything。　She　thought　it　was　a　munication　problem。　〃But　you　see；　we　have　to　give　him　something。　This　is　a　negotiation。〃　The　negotiator　asked　Nathan　Lee　to　go　through　the　dossier　again。　〃If　it　jogs　any　memories；　anything；　I'll　be　right　over　there。〃　She　left　him。
　While　Nathan　Lee　went　through　Ochs's　resumes；　photos；　diplomas；　and　other　documents；　he　heard　three　generals　talking。　〃We've　got　snipers；〃　said　one。
　〃God；　don't　martyr　the　bastard。〃
　〃Would　decapitation　even　work？〃　said　the　third。　〃What　if　he's　not　really　their　leader？〃
　At　ten　before　the　hour；　they　miked　Miranda　and　arranged　her　at　the　table。　The　shouting　stopped。　Their　queen　was　ready。
　〃We　link　up　at　the　top　of　the　hour；〃　the　FBI　woman　was　briefing　her。　〃Here's　a　set　of　talking　points　we've　worked　up。　Set　a　reasonable　tone。　Treat　him　as　an　equal。　Don't　talk　down　to　him。　Don't　be　submissive。　Impress　on　Professor　Ochs　that　we're　working　on　his　behalf。　Ask　him　what　they　want。　More　food？　Medicine？　The　messiah　clone？〃
　〃Negative；　the　clone；〃　snapped　the　general　with　whom　Miranda　had　been　arguing。　They'd　already　fought　like　dogs　over　this。　〃He's　a　ransom　asset。　Call　it　mutual　assured　destruction。　Ochs　knows　the　score。　He's　one　of　us；　or　used　to　be。〃　Heads　nodded　at　the　Cold　Warrior　wisdom。
　〃They　want　the　monster？〃　one　of　the　civilian　deputies　argued。　〃Give　him　to　them。　Wrap　him　up　in　a　big　red　bow。　Send　him　down。〃
　〃He　would　never　go；〃　Nathan　Lee　interrupted。
　〃But　they're　his　people。〃
　〃He's　not　the　one　they　want；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。　〃He's　a　fake。〃
　〃It　doesn't　matter。　Send　them　any　of　the　clones。　Put　a　crown　of　thorns　on　him。　They'll　never　know　the　difference。〃
　〃Ochs　would　know。〃
　〃Ochs。〃　It　came　back　to　that；　to　trying　to　cut　a　deal　with　the　unknown。
　Miranda　straightened　in　her　chair。　She　folded　her　hands　and　raised　her　chin。　The　negogiator　went　down　her　list。　〃Tell　them　we're　close　to　the　cure；〃　the　woman　said。
　〃But　there　is　no　cure；〃　Miranda　said。　〃They　know　that。　If　there　was；　we'd　be　down　there　inoculating　them　all。〃
　Nathan　Lee　watched　the　group。　They　thought　she　was　offering　a　gambit。　〃We　could　try　that；〃　someone　considered。
　〃Too　late　for　that　anyway；〃　said　a　lab　chief。　〃They're　not　going　away。　They　can't。　These　are　very　sick　people。　They　have　no　shelter；　no　food；　no　sanitation。　The　secondary　infections　are　rampant　down　there。　The　die…off's　happening　already。　For　them；　this　is　the　end　of　the　road。〃
　〃Stick　with　the　cure；〃　said　the　negotiator。　〃We　promised　them　a　miracle。　It's　supposed　to　happen　here；　on　this　hill；　in　our　labs。　We　just　need　time。　They'll　respect　that。〃
　〃If　we　can　just　keep　them　stalled　another　two　weeks；　attrition　will　do　the　rest；〃　the　lab　chief　said。
　〃Two　weeks？〃　a　man　protested。　〃They　could　attack　in　two　hours。　We　don't　know　what　we're　dealing　with。〃
　The　room　fell　quiet。
　〃We　shouldn't　be　here；〃　a　man　called　out。　〃You　have　to　order　the　evacuation。　Immediately。〃
　Another　voice　spoke。　〃We　should　have　been　evacuated　a　long　time　ago。〃
　Miranda's　face　was　grey。　Her　eyes　darted　around　the　room；　searching　for　Nathan　Lee。　She　hesitated。　Nathan　Lee　saw　a　frightened　girl。　She　was　afraid　for　them；　afraid　of　herself；　afraid　she　might　be　wrong。
　The　general　charged　into　her　indecision。　〃Negative；　the　evacuation；〃　he　said。　〃The　encampment　covers　I…84　all　the　way　to　Santa　Fe。〃
　A　scientist　stood　up。　〃Offer　them　the　city。　They　can　have　everything。　All　they　need　to　do　is　let　us　pass。〃
　〃While　we　save　ourselves？〃　said　the　general。　〃Not　one　truck　would　make　it　through。〃
　〃Then　use　the　back　road；〃　someone　said。
　〃That　was　built　for　light　traffic。　We're　talking　about　a　convoy　of　heavily　loaded；　16…wheel　trucks。　The　back　road　can't　handle　us。〃
　〃We　can't　be　evacuated？〃　It　was　Miranda。　She　had　argued　against　evacuation　for　months；　and　yet　was　as　shocked　as　the　rest　of　them。
　〃That　option　is　injudicious　at　this　time；〃　said　the　general。
　〃Injudicious？〃　she　said。
　Around　the　room；　the　other　gener