jefflong.yearzero-第96章
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。 〃e inside。〃
〃Yes。〃 But he seemed so fragile。 He was shivering。 She had to help him to his feet。
They descended the stairs。
Up and down the hallways； every phone was ringing。 It was the signal。 The authorities were reversing the 911 emergency call system。 Every phone in every office and home in Los Alamos was getting the same recorded message。
The exodus was beginning。
She went into an office and picked up one of the phones。 A pleasant voice was saying； 〃。。。to your designated evacuation depot。 This is not a test。 Please go。。。。〃
〃This can't be real；〃 said Miranda。 〃They've just incinerated every last person in the valley。〃
Then suddenly shedid understand。 The generals' words came back to her。When the time es； we will part the waters。 While they still had the enemy in their sights； they had taken their shot。 Now her father was ready for them。
〃I have to go；〃 said the Captain。 〃My wife。。。。〃
〃Of course；〃 she said。
Miranda advanced down the hallway in a daze。 There was no panic。 Doors stood open。 Scientists were quietly shaking hands and taking last…minute group snapshots by their bench labs and cubicles。 They calmly hung up their lab jackets and safety goggles； and walked away。 She could read their thinking。 They had resisted this moment for years； but now that it was here； they were relieved。 The virus hunt would continue； but more reasonably； in safety； with time on their side for a change。
A man patted her arm。 〃It was a good fight；〃 he said。
〃It's not over；〃 she said。 〃Nothing's changed。〃
He gave her a funny look； and hurried off。
She went outside and crossed the bridge to the city。 It was one in the morning。 The streets were filling with people bustling home to their families。 There were small details to attend； she knew。 Some had decided to poison their pets； others to free them。 Through windows with opened curtains； she saw people making their beds； straightening pictures on the wall； looking around to make sure all was neat。 They left their Christmas trees and electric Hanukkah candles on。 They'd packed their bags long ago。 There was no need to say goodbye to anyone。 They would all be seeing each other down below。 That was the plan。 She saw people locking their doors for the last time； and then； unlocking them。。。letting go。
The snow had stopped。 The sky had cleared。 It was chilly。 Pulled from sleep； children were crying。 Block by block； the exodus took shape。 They had practiced for this event once every month for the past two years。 The shock of the bomb seemed offset by the shock of evacuation。 Their faces were laced with fear and wonder。
Miranda felt like a ghost as she passed through their lines。 Citizens were orderly； if excited。 The air was freezing。 Under their parkas and fleece jackets； many wore vacation clothes： Hawaiian print shirts； sun…dresses； tank tops； blue jeans。 The carved…out salt chamber beckoned to them like a tropical paradise。
Each had their 〃tenner〃 in hand or strapped to little airline carts； or in backpacks； the ten kilos of personal possessions which every man； woman； and child was allowed to bring。 You could take anything at all： books； software； teddy bears； clean socks。 Whiskey； or psychedelics。 Whatever might get you through the next ten or twenty or forty years sealed twenty…one hundred feet inside the earth。 For as long as Miranda had been here； the contents of one's tenner were a subject of conversation； gossip； even jokes。 Your choices weren't simply a matter of taste。 They reflected what kind of human being you were。 Grave goods； Nathan Lee had called them。 Relics that people took into the next world。
Each neighborhood and mesa finger had its own boarding sites。 The passengers waited politely for their transportation； stamping in the cold。 The clear mountain air was fouled by diesel fumes as sixteen…and eighteen…wheelers backed up to the docks。 The trailers were sheathed in triple…layers of black quarter…inch rubber membrane normally used for roofing。 Every rivet was epoxy sealed。 The cabs were armored against guerrilla attacks； the windshields bullet…proofed。 The drivers wore moon suits。 The vehicles looked more like submarines than Peterbilts。
Straps hung from the ceiling like meat hooks。 There were no windows； no seats； no snack bars。 It was going to be standing room only for the next twelve or twenty or thirty hours。 Soldiers piled their tenners in growing mountains to one side。
At one depot after another； people called out to Miranda。 〃You can e in our truck；〃 they offered。 Everyone wanted her with them。
〃I'm staying；〃 she said。
They were appalled。 〃But you can't。 It's too late for that。〃
〃It's just beginning；〃 she assured them。 She didn't ask anyone to stay。 They were afraid。 The bomb had spoken to their mortality。 So far Miranda had heard no one speak about it out loud； the holocaust her father had unleashed。 You could see it in their eyes； though。 This was final。 No atheists in the foxholes； she thought。 All the brave talk of drawing a line in the sand； holding the fort； making a stand。。。gone。 She didn't blame them。 They simply hadn't known their hearts before。 Now they did。
A woman approached her。 〃How can we leave you？ e with us；〃 she said。 〃Think about it。 You'll be all alone。〃
Miranda smiled。 That surprised her。 She could smile。
〃We'll remember you；〃 the woman said； backing away。
〃Thank you；〃 said Miranda。
Several times she overheard Nathan Lee's name。 They linked her to him and watched her pass among them with pitying eyes。 In their minds she was the tragic widow。Is that all this is？ she asked herself。 Aromantic suicide？ She rejected her doubt。 It was more。 It had to be。 Her grand idea had e to envelop her。 She had set it in motion； and now she'd bee its passenger。 It was carrying her along。 But also it wasn't carrying her at all。 She had already reached her destination。
Every light in every room and along every street had been left on。 It was as if the city wanted to guarantee that not even a shadow might be left behind。 The bright lights made it hard to see any constellations between the clouds。 They wanted one last taste of the stars。 When the clouds parted to show Mars； a great cheer went up。 Every child was raised on shoulders to memorize the sight。
Quickly； within a half hour； the convoy was loaded。
The earthmovers set off first to clean the blistered highways of debris。 There would be no snow down in the valley； Miranda realized。 The bomb would have melted every trace of it for miles。 There would be minimal to zero damage to the highway itself； no blast crater。 It would be more like the aftermath of a typhoon。 The generals knew their business。
Gunships pounced up； flanking the vanguard。 At last the hundreds of trucks started to unwind from Los Alamos； one behind another； ing together into a single black snake that glided off into the depths。 As she started back to Alpha Lab； the convoy passed her going the opposite direction。
It took less than an hour to empty the city。 Silence rushed in。 She watched from the doorway and Los Alamos looked like a kingdom of ice； motionless； its radiance sharp and clean。 After a while； the dogs started barking to each other。
MIRANDA WAS NOT QUITE SUREwhat came next； and so she decided to make herself a cup of hot chocolate。 She didn't particularly like hot chocolate。 But she felt cold； and it was a wintry night。 Hot chocolate sounded nice。
As she made her way through the building； the lab was alive。 puter screens glowed in darkened rooms。 Machinery hummed。 The smell of burned coffee and microwave popcorn drifted through the air ducts。 The PCR robots were still at work； automatically stamping out more and more copies of DNA fragments。 A centrifuge was whirling a blood sample in infinite orbit。 This was her inheritance。
Descending to C floor； she went to the small kitchenette and put a pot of water on the oven plate。 She rooted through the cabinet and found the packets of chocolate； and took her time cleaning a mug。 The simple tasks let her not think too much。
She felt sleepless and dazed and guilt…ridden。 The world seemed vile。 With each passing minute； it was increasingly clear that the nuclear slaughter had been a gift。 In one st
