jefflong.yearzero-第3部分

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was　done。　They　were　heading　home。　Nathan　Lee　asked　for　any　advice。
　〃Don't　go　down　there；〃　one　said。　〃Why　mess　with　the　gods？〃　He　had　a　bat　soldier's　contempt　for　the　civilian。　If　you　don't　belong；　don't　be　there。
　His　partner　said；　〃How　about　the　lions；　you　been　briefed　on　the　lions？〃
　〃Seriously？〃　said　Nathan　Lee。　It　had　to　be　an　urban　legend。Here　be　dragons。
　The　man　spit。　〃From　the　zoo。〃
　The　first　man　said；　〃They　found　a　body　in　the　Armenian　quarter。　Mauled　to　rags。　One　leg　missing。　That　means　they　they've　tasted　us。　They're　maneaters　now。〃
　　
　AT　SUNSETthe　smoke　turned　bronze。
　Nathan　Lee　found　Ochs　on　a　cot　in　a　tent；　stripped　to　the　waist。　He'd　seen　pictures　of　the　linebacker　in　his　400…pound　bench…press　days；　an　Adonis　on　steroids。　Nathan　Lee　looked　down　at　the　wreckage　of　beer　fat。　Sweat　glistened　on　his　salt…and…pepper　chest　hair。　〃Wake　up；〃　Nathan　Lee　said。
　Ochs　came　to　with　a　groan。　The　canvas　and　wood　creaked　as　he　pried　himself　from　the　cot。
　〃We　made　a　mistake；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。　〃It's　too　dangerous。　There's　a　curfew；　dusk　to　dawn。　Shoot　to　kill。〃
　〃Give　me　a　minute；〃　Ochs　growled。
　〃It's　a　war　zone。　No　one's　in　charge　over　there。　They're　at　each　other's　throats。　Hamas　and　the　Hezbollah　and　the　SLA　and　Israeli　army　and　kibbutz　militias。〃
　Ochs　glared　at　him。　〃Suck　it　up；　Swift。　What　did　you　expect？　Nine…point…one　on　the　Richter　scale。　From　here　to　Istanbul；　it's　scrambled　eggs。〃
　〃I　don't　like　it。〃
　〃What's　to　like？〃　Ochs　tossed　his　head　side　to　side　like　a　boxer　warming　up。　The　vertebrae　crackled。　〃This　time　tomorrow；　we'll　be　on　our　way　home。　Think　of　it　as　starting　the　college　fund。　Grace's；〃　he　added；　〃not　yours。　It's　time　you　moved　beyond　your　academic　ambitions。〃
　The　unborn　child　had　bee　Ochs's　hostage。　Nathan　Lee　didn't　know　how　to　stop　it。　The　conspiracy　between　sister　and　brother　was　beginning　to　scare　him。　〃You　don't　need　me；〃　he　said　pointblank。
　〃But　I　do；〃　said　Ochs。　〃Don't　let　it　go　to　your　head。　You're　younger。　You　have　abilities。　e　on。　We're　on　the　same　team；　slick。〃
　〃This　isn't　a　bowl　game；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。　〃We're　trespassing　on　history。　Legends。　Everything　we　do　could　alter　the　record。　It　could　bend　religions。〃
　〃Since　when　did　you　find　God？　Anyway；　you've　got　responsibilities。〃
　〃It　was　you　who　taught　me　about　the　integrity　of　the　site。〃
　〃Those　were　the　days。〃
　〃You　just　want　revenge；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。
　〃I　just　want　money；〃　said　Ochs。　〃What　about　you；　Nathan　Lee？　Don't　you　get　lonely　in　there？〃
　They　went　to　the　mess　tent。　It　was　crowded　with　relief　workers　in　various　states　of　fatigue。　They　spoke　a　babel　of　languages。　They　were　fed　much　better　than　the　survivors。　In　place　of　protein　bars　and　bottles　of　water；　they　got　lamb　stew　and　couscous　and　candies。　Ochs　made　a　beeline　for　the　caffeine。
　Nathan　Lee　went　outside　with　his　paper　plate　and　sat　on　the　ground。　Ochs　found　him。　〃No　more　seesaw。　It's　yes　or　no。〃
　Nathan　Lee　didn't　say　yes。　But　he　didn't　say　no。　That　was　all　Ochs　needed。
　　
　AT　MOONRISE；　they　cast　loose　of　Camp　23。
　They　wore　cotton　masks；　Red　Cross　bibs；　the　borrowed　hardhats；　and　jungle　boots　from　the　Vietnam　era。　The　soles　had　metal　plates　to　protect　against　punji　stakes。　Ochs　had　spotted　them　in　an　Army　surplus　store　outside　of　Georgetown。
　In　theory；　the　camps　were　locked　down　between　dusk　and　dawn。　But　for　all　the　razor　wire　and　sandbags　and　ferocious　Israeli　paratroopers　at　the　entrance；　Nathan　Lee　had　learned　there　was　no　back　wall　to　Camp　23。　The　gate　was　all　show。　Nathan　Lee　and　Ochs　simply　strode　downhill　and　the　camp　dwindled　into　darkness。
　They　left　the　klieg　lights　and　diesel　generators　and　food　lines　behind。　On　the　dark　outskirts；　they　passed　the　mad　and　dying。　Nathan　Lee　imagined　the　final　circle　of　hell　as　something　like　this。
　The　hillside　sloped　gently；　cut　by　terraces。　Nathan　Lee　took　the　lead　downwards。　They　carried　headlamps；　but　did　not　use　them。　He　was　reminded　of　climbing　in　the　Himalayas　and　above　Chamonix　with　his　father。　Mountaineers　called　it　an　alpine　start。　You　kicked　off　at　night　while　the　mountain　is　asleep。　Other　senses　emerged：　night　vision；　different　kinds　of　hearing；　a　feeling　for　the　movements　underfoot。　The　world　lost　its　margins；　it　ran　loose　out　there。　Deep　joints　in　the　earth　snapped　like　bones。　The　underworld　beat　within　your　skin。　That's　how　it　felt　tonight。　Ochs's　heavy　footsteps　drummed　on　the　earth。　Even　the　stars　were　vibrating。
　Nathan　Lee　looked　out　across　the　top　of　the　vile　smog。　The　enormous　white　moon　had　finished　sucking　free　of　the　distant　desert。　He'd　never　seen　it　so　large　and　explicit。
　〃Slow　down；〃　Ochs　said。
　Nathan　Lee　could　hear　him　back　there；　laboring。。。downhill。　That　was　not　good。　They'd　barely　started　the　night。　The　man　sounded　like　horses　breathing。　Nathan　Lee　didn't　wait；　but　at　the　same　time　he　didn't　let　their　spacing　grow　too　wide。
　They　plunged　on；　lights　off；　Nathan　Lee　ahead。　Ochs　was　clumsy。　He　demanded　a　rest。　Nathan　Lee　made　him　demand　it　three　times；　then　reined　himself　in。　Ochs　caught　up　and　sat　on　a　rock。　He　blamed　his　football　knees　and　Nathan　Lee's　pace。　〃I　know　you're　trying　to　wear　me　down。　It　won't　work；〃　he　said。
　They　continued　down　through　fig　and　pistachio　groves　with　clusters　of　ripe　buds。　The　branches　of　olive　trees　looked　frozen　and　convulsed。　Through　his　cotton　mask；　Nathan　Lee　could　smell　the　blossoms　glittering　like　Christmas　tree　ornaments。　Their　scent　could　not　hide　the　smell　of　spoiled　meat；　even　at　this　distance。
　They　penetrated　the　layer　of　oil　smoke。　The　moon　shrank　and　turned　brown。　Deeper；　they　passed　through　a　Christian　cemetery　with　toppled　gravestones　and　crosses。　They　reached　the　underside　of　the　cloud。　Suddenly　the　walls　of　the　Old　City　stood　before　them。
　It　was　a　different　world　under　the　canopy。　Green　and　orange　flares　cut　the　low　sky。　You　would　see　them　rocket　up　through　the　black　smoke；　then　slowly　reappear　from　the　murky　heavens。　By　night；　the　gas　flames　resembled　Biblical　pillars　of　fire。　Nathan　Lee　looked　at　Ochs　and　the　snout　of　his　white　mask　was　caked　with　soot。　He　looked　like　a　hyena　nosing　through　the　ashes。
　Timeless　Jerusalem　lay　squashed　flat。　Because　it　was　built　on　a　rising　hill；　they　could　see　over　the　walls；　into　the　upper　neighborhoods。　At　first　glance；　the　city　looked　fused；　one　single　melted　element。　Then　Nathan　Lee　began　to　discern　details　in　the　ruins。　In　place　of　streets；　there　were　arteries；　and　in　the　arteries　moved　lights。　Hatreds　older　than　America　were　in　motion。　Here　and　there　streamers　of　tracer　bullets　arced　between　the　pancaked　apartment　buildings。　It　was　every　man　for　himself　in　there；　militias；　sects；　rebels；　and　predators。
　Nathan　Lee　was　afraid。　This　wasn't　like　the　controlled　adrenal　hit　you　got　climbing　a　long　runout　on　rock　or　ice。　It　was　more　insidious；　more　consuming。　And　there　was　another　difference　tonight。　He　would　have　a　daughter　soon。　For　some　reason；　that　mattered　to　him。　His　life　counted　for　more。
　In　the　distance；　poised　above　the　shredded　skyline；　the　Dome　of　the　Rock　was　still　standing。　The　sight　had　a　peculiar　effect。　It　was　an　oddity　of　quakes　in　very　old　cities　that　modern　structures　will　collapse；　leaving　the　ancient　buildings　intact。　The　National　Cathedral　in　Mexico　City　was　one　example；　the　Hagia　Sophia　in　Istanbul　another。　The　mosque　atop　the　Temple　Mount　was　clearly　another。　The　dome　gleamed　in　the　flare　light　like　a　golden　moon　fallen　to　earth。
　They　descended　into　the　Kidron　valley；　then　trekked　up　and　reached　the　base　of　the　wall。　It　soared　above　them。　Hardin　slapped　the　big；　squared　blocks　of　limestone。　〃We're　in　the　zone；〃　he　said。　〃Can　you　feel　it？〃
　They　followed　the　wall　to　its　southern　edge；　then　skirted　west；　on　the　outside　of　the　worst　fighting。　The　Muslim　and　Jewish　quarters　rumbled　and　thundered　inside　the　wall。　No　rest　for　the　weary。　They　were　fighting　right　through　Armageddon。　Bullets　and　shrapnel　sizzled　overhead　from　the　platform　of　the　Temple　Mount。
　After　twenty　minutes　they　reached　a　collapsed　abbey。　Not　much　further；　they　reached　the　end　of　the　south　wall；　and　took　a　righthand　turn　along　the　original　Byzantine　wall。
　The　suburbs　were　in　utter　collapse。　Disemboweled　high…rises　teetered　above　mounds　of　deb