jefflong.yearzero-第58部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ge。　His　eyes　were　on　her。
　〃The　question's　mostly　figurative。　Then　again；〃　she　lifted　one　of　the　monarchs　on　her　wrist。　〃Her　brain　weighs　a　gram；　or　less。　But　she　holds　the　memory　of　thousands　of　generations　of　migration。　Every　year　monarchs　migrate　to　the　northern　U。S。；　and　reproduce；　and　die。　Somehow　the　next　generation　remembers　its　way　home　to　the　winter　grounds　in　Mexico。　There　are　other　species　with　imprinted　memory；　memory　that　isn't　learned。　Cuckoos　are　one；　and　eels。　That's　all　DNA　is；　a　vast　memory。〃
　〃That's　different；　though；　you　said　so。　Memory　cells。　Memory。〃
　〃Yes　and　no；〃　she　said；　aggravated　by　her　own　contradictions。　〃Maybe。〃
　〃Did　the　butterflies　prove　your　theory？〃
　〃The　plague　came；〃　she　said。
　He　stood　there　another　minute。　〃They　suit　you；〃　he　said。　〃You　look　right　with　them。〃　It　was　hard　to　see　his　eyes　through　the　wire　and　shadows。Was　he　hitting　on　her？　She　decided　he　wouldn't　dare。　The　privileges　of　her　rank。　Or　something。
　〃Summer　ends　earlier　up　this　high；〃　she　said。　〃They'll　die　soon。〃
　〃You　could　let　them　go；〃　he　observed。
　〃Too　late。〃
　〃Some　might　make　it。〃
　〃They　wouldn't；〃　she　insisted。
　He　dropped　it。　He　hunkered　down　on　his　heels。　He　waited。
　Maybe　it　was　selfish　to　keep　them；　but　they　were　her　fort。　Her　mother　had　loved　monarchs。　It　was　that　simple。　Miranda　remembered　the　meadow；　and　the　high　sun；　and　their　picnic　basket　made　of　woven　reeds。　They　had　spread　a　red…and…white　checkered　blanket　on　the　grass。　Her　mother　sangGreensleeves。　And　out　of　nowhere；　a　cloud　of　monarchs　had　magically　descended　from　the　blue　sky。
　He　didn't　leave。　He　was　on　a　different　clock。　A　different　planet。
　She　pretended　to　adjust　the　hummingbird　feeders　and　fix　some　edges　of　the　fence。　After　a　few　minutes　his　head　turned　to　the　colors　on　the　far　range。　She　watched　him　from　the　corner　of　her　eye。　He　looked　so　peaceful。
　At　last　she　ran　out　of　pretenses。　The　shadows　drove　her　out。　The　sun　dress　was　no　defense　against　the　high　desert　chill。　She　had　goosebumps。　With　a　gentle　wave　to　detach　the　butterflies；　Miranda　let　herself　through　the　gate。
　Knees　crackling；　Nathan　Lee　stood　up；　and　his　face　seemed　to　jump　at　her。
　〃Oh；〃　she　said。　He　backed　away。　Three　days　had　passed；　and　the　swelling　had　gone　down　from　his　beating。　But　he　still　had　stitches　and　two　black　eyes。　A　new　pair　of　glasses…he　had　a　preference　for　small　wirerims…rested　delicately　on　the　crook　of　his　broken　nose。
　〃I　know；〃　he　said；　prodding　at　his　face。　〃It　scares　me　in　the　morning。〃
　She　recovered。　He　was　the　one　with　no　manners。　〃It's　my　dinner　time；〃　she　announced。
　It　was　like　an　alarm　bell。　Incredibly；　it　hit　him　all　at　once。　〃Your　dinner；〃　he　said。　He　looked　ready　to　bolt；　as　if　he'd　strayed　into　a　sacred　place。　For　the　moment　she　felt　at　an　advantage　with　him。
　〃You　wanted　to　tell　me　something；〃　she　said。
　〃I　wasn't　looking　at　the　time。〃
　That　would　have　been　a　trick；　she　thought。　He　didn't　have　a　watch　on　either　wrist。
　〃You　said　you　had　an　idea。〃
　〃Tomorrow。〃　Another　step　backward。
　She　changed　her　mind。　〃Have　you　eaten？〃
　〃Look；〃　he　turned　grave。　〃Business。　Dinner。　Not　a　good　bination。　I　picked　a　bad　time。〃
　〃Do　you　want　some　supper？〃　She　enunciated　it　slowly。
　He　looked　around。　No　escape。
　〃You're　kind　of　offending　me。〃
　〃Yes；〃　he　said。　〃Good。　Supper。〃
　〃Fine；〃　she　said。
　He　quit　talking。
　She　led　the　way。　At　the　back　door；　he　automatically　took　off　his　shoes。　〃No　need；〃　she　said；　and　left　hers　on。　He　kept　his　off。　He　had　clean　white　socks。　His　oxford　shirt；　two　sizes　too　large　from　the　warehouse；　was　clean　and　white；　too。　The　black　jeans　were　not　his　size　either。　He　kept　them　cinched　tight　with　an　old　leather　belt。
　It　was　getting　dark　inside。　She　flicked　on　the　light。　His　eyes　darted　everywhere。　He　took　it　all　in；　and　for　a　moment　Miranda　felt　on　display。　The　house　was　nothing　more　than　a　base　camp　for　her　office。　There　wasn't　a　single　piece　of　art　anywhere；　not　even　a　calendar　with　flowers　or　puppies。　Genome　charts；　science　articles；　and　spreadsheets　were　push…pinned　to　the　dry　wall　or　fixed　to　the　refrigerator。　The　kitchen　table　held　two　puters；　side　by　side；　both　on。　Taped　to　the　window；　a　map　of　chromosome　16　blocked　the　spectacular　view。
　〃Let's　see　what　we've　got；〃　she　stated；　and　began　hunting　through　her　pantry　and　refrigerator。　She　was；　by　habit；　a　cafeteria　rat。　There　was　some　powdered　egg　mix；　a　wedge　of　hard　parmesan；　a　box　of　corn　flakes；　tomatoes　from　someone's　garden；　an　onion；　and　an　unopened　case　of　last　year's　wine　from　one　of　the　Taos　vineyards。　The　wine　had　been　Elise's；　part　of　her　tiny　Los　Alamos　inheritance　that　had　passed　on　to　Miranda。
　〃Woof；〃　she　announced。　〃The　cupboards　are　bare。〃
　〃Look；〃　he　started。　Alarm　bells；　all　over　again。　Food；　she　registered；　was　a　major　issue　for　him。
　On　an　impulse；　she　pulled　the　case　of　wine　from　the　closet。　She　handed　him　a　corkscrew。　〃Open　the　box；　pick　a　bottle；〃　she　said。　〃We're　having　breakfast　for　dinner。　Omelettes　Miranda。〃
　He　uncorked　a　bottle。　She　set　out　two　heavy　glasses。　〃Sit；〃　she　said。
　While　he　perched　on　a　stool　at　the　peninsula；　she　tried　to　fake　her　way　through　the　cooking。　She'd　never　learned　how　to　cut　an　onion　properly；　though；　and　the　knife　bit　her　knuckle　while　she　wept。　Soon　Nathan　Lee　was　on　her　side　of　the　peninsula；　and　she　was　on　the　stool。
　The　wine　was　good　for　them。　Their　awkwardness　melted。　She　teased　him。　〃So　how's　it　feel　to　be　famous？〃
　〃I　wouldn't　call　it　that；〃　he　said。
　〃e　on；　you're　a　legend。〃
　The　story　of　Tara's　resurrection　had　spread　throughout　Los　Alamos。　The　redemption　of　a　single　castaway　child　in　a　castaway　age　seemed　incidental；　but　to　Miranda's　surprise　it　mattered　a　great　deal　to　people。
　〃I'm　not　being　modest；〃　he　said。　〃It　has　nothing　to　do　with　me。〃
　〃You're　the　hero。〃
　〃That's　my　point；〃　he　said。
　〃Interpret；〃　she　said。
　〃Myth　runs　deep；〃　he　said。　〃I　did　their　penance。　I　robbed　the　grave　of　a　Neandertal　queen。　I　made　my　way　here　to　serve　her　renewed　being。　Extrapolate。　They　got　a　hero　who　restores　the　dead　to　life。〃
　〃Are　you　talking　about　the　cloning？〃
　〃It's　bigger　than　that；　I　think。　They're　virus　hunters。　They　want　to　save　the　world。〃
　〃What's　the　penance　part？〃
　〃The　queen　of　the　dead　beat　me　to　a　pulp。〃
　He　started　to　grin；　but　his　lip　split。　A　bead　of　blood　started　up。　She　handed　him　a　square　of　toilet　paper。　Kleenex　was　a　thing　of　the　past。
　〃What　about　our　little　queen？〃　she　said。
　〃I　see　her　everyday。　But　I'm　taking　myself　out　of　the　food　chain　a　little　bit　at　a　time。　There　are　a　lot　of　people　stepping　in。　They're　good　with　her。〃
　Miranda　didn't　ask　why　he　was　stepping　out　of　the　girl's　life。　It　was　self…evident。　He　was　in　transit。　〃I　hear　the　Captain's　wife　visits；〃　she　said。
　〃She's　there　for　hours。　She　brings　the　meals。　I　guess　she　used　to　teach　grade　school。　Tara　likes　her。　That's　putting　it　mildly。〃
　〃The　Enotes　want　to　adopt　her。〃
　Nathan　Lee　glanced　up　from　the　cutting　board；　surprised。
　〃I　guess　maybe　that's　a　secret；〃　Miranda　said。
　Nathan　Lee　nodded　his　head；　getting　used　to　the　idea。　〃That　might　be　good　for　her；〃　he　decided。
　〃It　might　be　good　for　the　Enotes；〃　said　Miranda。　〃They　need　something　to　help　fill　the　hole　in　their　life。〃
　〃How　do　you　mean？〃　he　said。　Nathan　Lee　kept　his　eyes　on　the　tomato。　But　his　knife　slowed　down。
　〃They　haven't　told　you　about　their　daughter？〃
　His　knife　stopped。
　〃She　was　a　pilot　in　the　Navy。　On　one　of　those　ships　that　never　came　home。〃
　〃What　ships？〃
　〃You　must　have　heard　about　them。　The　mapping　and　search　expeditions。　They　went　out　to　take　stock　of　the　planet；　but　no　one　made　it　home。　The　satellites　pick　them　up　here　and　there。　Ghost　ships　circling　in　the　ocean。　Like　the　Lost　Dutchman。〃
　Nathan　Lee　fell　silent。　Miranda　thought　it　must　have　to　do　with　his　own　loss。　He　looked　haunted。
　〃He　was　very　proud　of　her；〃　she　quickly　summarized。
　Nathan　Lee　stayed　quiet。
　〃Why　don't　I　grate　the　cheese？〃　she　offered。
　〃Sure；〃　he　said。
　She　changed　the　topic　to　the　latest　skirmishing。　〃The　blood　labs　are　at　odds　with　the　liver　lab　now。　Which　is　crippled　by　its　enzyme　departments。　Skin　sabotaged　Brain　last　week。　Hippocampus　is　arguing　with　Neocortex。　It