jefflong.yearzero-第98章

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had　a　life　of　their　own。
　More　of　the　clones　arrived；　soaked　by　the　sprinklers；　their　arms　and　feet　bleeding　from　glass；　eyes　jacked　wide　with　adrenaline；　armed　with　kitchenware　and　pieces　of　the　building　and　industrial　garbage。　One　gripped　a　meat　cleaver。　Miranda　recognized　its　beat…up　wood　handle　and　leather　loop。　It　came　from　the　bone　lab。　Without　knowing　it；　the　clones　had　found　their　own　remains。
　Eesho　raised　his　axe。　She　wanted　to　plead　for　her　child。　Too　late。　She　signified　everything　that　was　evil　to　him。　Even　if　she　could　have　spoken　his　language；　there　was　no　arguing　with　that。　Her　womb　and　fertility　were　simply　one　more　malignancy　to　be　chopped　down。
　The　moment　slowed。　He　was　bellowing　at　her；　some　curse　or　justification。　His　words　turned　to　slurry。　Every　detail　sharpened。　She　saw　the　veins　on　his　forehead　and　raised　one　arm　to　try　ward　away　the　axe。
　She　couldn't　take　her　eyes　away　from　it。　The　axe　blade　reached　its　apogee。　And　stopped。　Beneath　the　ugly　honking　alarm；　there　was　a　sudden；　absurd；　merryping。
　Eesho　looked　up。　The　doors　slid　open　behind　her。　Miranda　tumbled　backward。　The　elevator　car　was　dry　and　dimly　lighted。　Miranda　scuttled　back　from　the　clones。。。and　struck　the　legs　of　a　man　inside。
　His　face　took　her　breath；　a　ripped；　sewn　rag　of　a　face。　He　peered　down　with　reptilian　detachment；　then　looked　out　at　the　other　clones；　their　hair　and　beards　slicked　flat　with　the　synthetic　rain。　They　had　her。
　He　laid　one　hand　on　her　head　and　cocked　her　face　back　to　look　more　closely。　〃Miranda；〃　he　uttered；　and　patted　her　head。　She　belonged　to　him　now。
　She　had　never　met　Ben；　had　refused　in　fact。　But　she　knew　him。　Like　the　rest　of　Los　Alamos；　she　had　bee　familiar　with　his　fright　mask　of　scar　tissue。　Of　all　their　monsters；　it　was　he　who　had　best　suited　their　dread　and　most　excused　the　pains　they　inflicted。　His　was　the　least　human　of　faces。　But　he　had　been　Nathan　Lee's　favorite；　and　he　knew　her　name　somehow。　What　had　Nathan　Lee　told　him？
　Eesho　burst　into　an　angry　tirade。　Ben　answered　him　sternly。　She　didn't　understand　a　word。　The　alarms　throbbed　like　a　giant　heartbeat。　The　strobes　lashed　them。　They　looked　like　creatures　etched　by　lightning；　lurid；　then　shadowy；　flickering　in　and　out　of　existence。　They　craned　to　hear　Ben。　He　seemed　to　be　countering　Eesho's　ultimatums　with　a　choice　of　some　kind。
　At　last　a　man　stepped　forward　from　the　bunched　crowd。　Eesho　tried　to　block　him　from　entering　the　elevator；　and　the　man　went　around　him。　Another　approached。　Eesho　grabbed　his　arm；　and　the　man　shoved　him　to　the　ground。　One　by　one；　they　edged　around　him。
　The　smell　of　sweat　and　chemicals　filled　the　car。　They　jostled　to　make　room。　The　sudden　peace　was　almost　ludicrous　to　her。　They　contradicted　themselves；　full　of　rage　one　instant；　sober　and　patient　the　next。　As　the　doors　closed；　only　Eesho　remained　out　there；　still　bellowing　at　them　from　the　shadows。　The　noise　shut　away。
　For　a　moment；　the　elevator　didn't　move。　Ben　carefully；　studiously　pressed　the　button　for　the　first　floor。　Nathan　Lee　had　trained　him　well。　The　gesture　wasn't　lost　on　the　others。　He　was　guiding　them　out　of　here。
　The　ride　was　short。　She　squeezed　into　the　back　corner。　No　one　said　a　word。　For　a　minute；　they　were　all　just　fellow　passengers。
　The　car　came　to　a　halt。
　Even　as　the　doors　opened；　Miranda　saw　bodies　lying　in　a　row　on　the　lobby　floor；　and　their　pile　of　ugly；　makeshift　weapons。　At　a　small　distance；　hidden　behind　columns　and　scarred　riot　shields；　soldiers　were　pointing　their　guns　at　the　mouth　of　the　elevator。　〃Cut　the　power；〃　she　heard　a　man　shout。　〃Lock　it　open。　We　got　a　full　load　this　time。〃
　The　light　inside　the　elevator　went　out。
　〃Ben！〃　the　voice　called。　〃You　in　there？　Is　he　in　there？　I　can't　see。〃
　With　a　shout；　the　clones　pressed　to　the　sides　of　the　elevator　car；　shoving　backward　from　the　doors；　trapping　Miranda　behind　them。　She　was　tall；　and　could　see　over　their　shoulders　and　between　their　heads。　The　lobby　was　so　bright。　It　was　blinding　at　first。
　The　entrance　to　Alpha　Lab　faced　due　east。　The　winter　sun　was　just　rising；　its　rays　glancing　straight　in。　Now　she　saw　a　throng　of　people　in　front　of　the　building；　out　in　the　parking　lot。　They　looked　like　figures　made　of　light；　walking　back　and　forth；　keeping　vigil；　waiting。
　The　world　assembled　in　an　instant。　The　convoy　must　have　turned　around。　Her　city　had　returned！
　〃Ben。〃　A　shout。　〃What　you　got？　Bring　them　out。　One　at　a　time。　No　running。　Don't　need　more　blood。　Tell　'em。〃
　〃He　can't　understand　English；〃　someone　plained。
　〃Some；　he　does。〃
　The　bodies　on　the　floor　were　clones；　she　prehended；　hogtied；　face　down；　hands　and　feet　cinched　with　plastic　ties。　One　lay　crumpled　and　still　in　a　wide　pool　of　blood。　The　lobby　reeked　of　cordite　and　riot　gas。　It　came　to　her。　The　soldiers　were　putting　down　a　prison　break。　One　floor　at　a　time；　they　were　flushing　out　the　sub…basements；　repossessing　the　building；　and　Ben　was　helping。　He　was　their　worm　on　a　hook；　drawing　their　monsters　up　from　the　deep。
　Out　in　the　lobby；　the　mood　grew　tense。　〃Shoot　one；〃　a　soldier　remended。　〃They'll　e。〃
　〃Don't；〃　called　Miranda。
　The　lobby　fell　silent。
　〃Miranda？〃　This　new　voice　was　old。　Worn　out。　Thrown　too　hard；　too　long。　The　Captain　must　have　been　searching　all　night　for　her。
　〃Captain。〃　She　kept　her　tone　calm。
　The　Captain　appeared　from　behind　a　column。　〃Hold　fire。　Not　one　shot。〃　He　wore　a　riot　helmet　with　the　visor　up；　his　long　hair　hanging　down　his　shoulders。　His　hair　looked　white　this　morning。　〃Can　you　run？〃　he　asked。
　With　one　step；　she　could　have　left　her　captors　behind。　They　would　be　returned　to　their　cells。　The　violent　strays　like　Eesho　would　be　rounded　up。　It　could　be　over。
　Their　escape　was　finished；　and　they　knew　it。　She　saw　Ben's　eyes　on　the　far　side　of　the　car；　watching　her。　There　was　no　fear　in　his　eyes；　only　hope；　though　not　a　desperate　hope。　He　looked　reconciled　to　whatever　came　next。　He　spoke；　and　the　others　moved　out　of　her　way。
　It　struck　Miranda。　He　had　been　handpicked　by　Nathan　Lee　and　coached　to　guide　his　rades　away　from　Los　Alamos。　Instead；　he'd　stayed。　The　fugitive　had　chosen　to　collaborate　with　his　captors。。。to　go　searching　for　her。　He　had　put　himself　at　risk。。。to　save　her。　But　why？　She　chased　the　thought。　Before　descending　to　his　death；　Nathan　Lee　must　have　sought　Ben　out。　It　made　perfect　sense。　Of　all　people；　he　would　have　chosen　this　wanderer；　this　sphinx…like　escapee；　in　whom　to　confide　his　decision。　Whatever　it　was　they　had　talked　about；　Ben　had　shaped　it　into　a　promise。　To　her。　And　then　she　realized。。。to　her　child。Nathan　Lee's　child。　That　was　the　heart　of　it。
　She　stepped　from　the　elevator。　〃Move　to　your　left；〃　the　Captain　told　her。　〃You're　in　the　line　of　fire。〃
　She　looked　back　at　the　elevator；　and　saw　the　fury　of　their　battling。　The　wall　and　metal　frame　were　torn　with　bullet　holes。　Blood　streaked　the　ceiling。　Further　up　the　hallway；　one　of　the　clones　had　tried　leaping　through　a　plate…glass　window。　His　body　hung　on　the　shards。　Riot　gas　was　sucking　through　the　shattered　gap。
　〃Miranda；〃　said　the　Captain。　〃They're　dangerous。　Let　us　do　our　job。〃
　Where　had　she　heard　that　before？　Her　father；　she　remembered；　at　the　pond；　long　ago。　And　Ochs；　that　time；　stealing　the　child；　throwing　her　into　darkness。Never　again。　She　held　her　ground。　She　glanced　outside；　through　the　front　door；　at　the　milling　people。　〃You　came　back；〃　she　mented。
　The　Captain　frowned。　He　followed　her　gaze。　〃Them？　They　never　left。　We're　the　ones　who　stayed。〃
　〃But　the　city　was　empty。　I　saw　it。〃
　〃People　hid　in　their　houses。　It　was　nighttime。　A　terrible　night。　We　waited　for　daylight。〃　He　added；　〃Not　you；　though。　I　should　have　known。〃
　So　the　convoy　had　gone。　〃How　many　are　there？〃
　〃A　few　hundred。　Mostly　scientists。　We're　still　going　house　to　house。　People　are　in　shock。　They　can't　believe　what　they've　done　to　themselves。　They're　afraid。　We　don't　know　who　stayed　and　who　left。　We　were　starting　to　think　maybe　you'd　gone；　too。〃
　〃Why？〃　she　said。　〃Why　did　you　stay？〃
　The　Captain　frowned　at　her。　〃You　told　us；〃　he　gestured　with　his　rifle；　confused。　〃You　said；　the　sun。〃
　Miranda's　eyes　stung。　It　was　the　riot　gas；　she　told　herself。　And　the　snow　was　so　bright。They　were　waiting　for　her。