jefflong.yearzero-第73部分

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　Miranda　flipped　the　Bible　back　and　forth；　as　if　looking　for　a　hole　in　one　side　or　the　other。　〃I've　only　read　it　once；〃　she　said；　〃but　I　don't　recall　that　version。〃
　〃Not　in　there；〃　said　Ross。　He　pointed　at　the　Captain's　desktop。　〃There。〃
　Nathan　Lee　had　seen　the　manila　folder　when　he　entered。　It　was　his　own　handiwork；　one　of　the　bios　he'd　amassed　on　each　clone。　He　reached　for　the　folder　with　that　rock　in　his　gut。　Ross　was　easy　to　dismiss　as　a　gullible　cracker。　But　he　hadn't　neglected　to　challenge　his　belief。　And　to　buttress　it。　Obviously　he'd　gone　straight　to　the　Necro　Archives　and　rooted　for　some　further　proof。　Nathan　Lee　flipped　the　folder　open；　and　it　was　there　in　black　and　white。
　Clone　2YZ…87　had　been　born　thirteen　months　ago；　the　second　in　a　batch　of　nine　identical　others。　His　DNA　had　been　processed　from　the　87th　Year　Zero　specimen；　a　sliver　of　wood　impregnated　with　blood。　A　blood　relic；　not　one　of　the　Golgotha　bones。　His　genetic　archaeology　report　was　unexceptional。　There　were　two　methods　for　dating　genetic　samples。　The　most　reliable　method　used　mitochondrial　DNA；　or　mtDNA；　which　was　passed　down　only　through　the　maternal　line。　According　to　that；　the　clone's　mother　had　been　born　fifteen　to　thirty　years　before　the　first　millenium。　That　placed　his　birth；　logically；　around　the　year　zero。　His　blood　phenotype　was　classic　Levantine。　He　had　a　predisposition　to　Tay…Sachs　and　other　genetic　diseases　that　afflicted　Semitic　populations。　None　of　his　nine　brothers　had　survived　the　labs　of　South　Sector。
　〃Miranda；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。　He　handed　her　the　folder。　She　barely　glanced　at　it。
　〃That　doesn't　prove　your　claim；〃　Nathan　Lee　said　to　Ross。　Unfortunately；　it　didn't　disprove　it　either；　which　left　Ross　more　latitude　than　them。　〃We've　got　a　man　who　was　born　in　the　first　century；　just　like　three　dozen　other　clones　sitting　down　in　the　basement。　And　none　of　the　others　is　saying　he's　the　son　of　God。〃
　〃That's　exactly　right；〃　said　Ross。
　Izzy　arrived　just　then；　bleary　eyed；　hair　spiky。　〃Sorry。　Got　here　fast　as　I　could。　Looks　like　a　rock　concert　out　there。　What's　up？〃
　When　they　told　him；　Izzy　said；　〃Oh；　that's　rich。〃
　Ross's　jaw　grew　another　inch。
　Nathan　Lee　hitched　up　a　chair　and　got　down　at　eye　level　with　Ross。　The　man　was　a　little　stubborn；　that　was　all。　〃Let's　walk　through　this　again；〃　he　said。　All　they　needed　was　to　have　Ross　impeach　himself；　and　it　would　be　over。　It　would　be　embarrassing　for　the　guard；　but　he'd　brought　it　on　himself。　〃You　asked　the　man　if　his　name　is　Jesus　Christ。〃
　〃No；〃　Ross　was　specific。
　〃But　you　just　told　us　you　did。〃
　〃I　asked　him；　I　said；　Jesus？　That's　all。〃
　〃And　what　did　he　say？〃
　〃JesusChrist。〃
　〃Christ？〃　asked　Izzy　from　the　side。　〃You're　sure　about　that？〃
　〃That's　what　he　said；〃　said　Ross。
　〃Anything　else？〃
　〃A　whole　string　of　stuff。　I　didn't　understand　a　word　of　it。〃
　〃There　it　is　then；〃　Izzy　announced。　〃Stone　soup。〃　He　looked　around　at　them　triumphantly。
　〃Stone　soup；〃　Miranda　slowly　repeated。
　〃You　know　the　old　story。　A　penniless　soldier　goes　into　a　village。　He　promises　everybody　a　feast　with　his　magic　stone。　Puts　a　rock　in　a　kettle　and　gets　every　house　to　add　some　vegetables　and　meat　and　spices。　Before　long；　he's　got　a　feast！〃
　They　stared　at　him；　waiting。
　〃A　little　of　this；　a　little　of　that；〃　Izzy　expanded。　〃Our　clone　hears　some　of　the　Christian　lads　in　the　yard　telling　tales；　puts　it　together；　and　Ross　here　baptizes　him　Jesus　Christ。〃
　〃I　only　said　Jesus；〃　Ross　reminded　them。
　〃Well　somebody　handed　him　the　wordChrist。　Because　it　didn't　exist　back　then。〃
　Ross　narrowed　his　eyes　at　Izzy。
　〃Jesus　was　a　mon　name　back　then；　like　Bob　or　John　today；〃　Izzy　went　on。　〃But　the　honorificChrist　didn't　exist；　see。　It's　an　Old　English　abbreviation　forChristus；　which　is　Latin　forChristos；　which　is　Greek　for　the　Hebrewmeshiah。　The　annointed　one。Christos　wasn't　used　until　the　New　Testament　started　to　be　written。。。decades　after　the　crucifixion。　The　short　formChrist　didn't　arrive　for　centuries。　The　historical　Jesus　would　never　have　had　the　vocabulary　to　call　himself　Christ。　To　say　nothing　of　the　fact　that　there's　no　place　in　the　Bible　where　he　ever　called　himself　Messiah。　Do　you　see？　If　he　calls　himself　Christ　then　he's　not　Christ。　It's　simple。　The　clone's　an　impostor。　Someone　set　him　up。　He's　not　real。〃
　〃Why　would　someone　do　that？〃　said　Miranda。
　〃I　don't　know。　A　prank？〃
　〃Who　could　have　gotten　to　him；　though？〃　said　Nathan　Lee。　〃We've　been　so　careful。〃
　〃Not　that　careful。　Somebody　got　into　the　yard　and　left　that　crucifix　in　the　tree；　remember？　For　all　we　know　it　could　be　the　same　merry　prankster。　Somebody　with　access　to　the　place。　Somebody　inside。〃
　They　looked　at　Ross　again。　〃What　about　it；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。　〃Did　you　put　the　cross　in　the　tree？　Did　you　put　the　clone　up　to　this？〃
　〃No；　sir；〃　Ross　swore。　Then　he　added；　〃Not　that　I　see　the　harm。〃
　〃Why　is　that；　Ross？〃
　Ross　looked　at　Nathan　Lee　like　he　was　a　little　slow。　〃They　are　Christians。〃
　Nathan　Lee　slapped　his　knees。　〃Right；〃　he　said。
　〃What　I　want　to　know　is　who　leaked　this　nonsense？〃　said　Miranda。　〃Look　at　that　crowd　out　there。〃
　Ross　fell　silent。　Joe　provided。〃Pendejo；〃　he　rumbled。
　〃Is　that　true？〃　Miranda　demanded。
　Ross　confessed。　〃I　called　my　wife。　I　told　her　not　to　call　her　sister。〃
　〃But　he's　not　real；〃　Miranda　groaned。
　Ross　glanced　up　at　her。　〃Why　not？〃　he　said。
　〃We　just　told　you。〃
　Ross　thought　about　that。　His　jaw　looked　like　petrified　wood。　Nathan　Lee　sighed。
　The　Captain　said；　〃Get　him　out　of　here。〃
　〃Where　to；　Captain？〃　Joe　said。
　〃Give　him　a　mop。　Have　him　change　lightbulbs。　I　don't　know。　Just　keep　him　away　from　the　Pound。　And　any　telephones。　And　do　not　let　him　go　out　there。　Those　people　do　not　need　anymore　of　this　brilliant　display。〃
　After　the　two　guards　left；　Miranda　said；　〃Unbelievable。〃
　They　went　to　the　window。　The　vigil　had　grown　from　a　few　dozen　to　several　hundred。　Candle　flames　glittered　in　the　night。
　〃But　these　are　sophisticated　people；〃　Izzy　protested。　〃They　can't　honestly　believe　we've　got　the　son　of　God　in　our　basement。〃
　Miranda　gestured　at　the　window。　〃Then　what　are　they　doing　out　there？〃
　〃Human　curiosity。〃
　〃It's　three　in　the　morning。〃
　〃I　don't　like　it；〃　the　Captain　said。　〃These　things　can　blow　up。　I　want　some　breathing　room。〃　He　picked　up　his　phone　and　called　Pro　Force。　They　were　the　shock　troops；　armed　and　menacing。　〃Keep　it　polite；〃　he　ordered。　〃Ask　them　to　disperse。　They　probably　won't；　so　just　escort　the　crowd　down　the　hill。　Let's　set　our　perimeter　at　the　road。　They　need　to　know　our　borders。〃
　The　event　was　escalating　before　their　eyes。　People　saw　their　lighted　window　and　waved　at　them　expectantly。　They　started　singing　〃Rock　of　Ages。〃
　〃They're　harmless；〃　Izzy　insisted。　〃We　know　those　people。〃
　They　did　look　peaceful　enough　standing　there。　Mostly　they　were　intent　on　keeping　their　candles　from　blowing　out。
　〃Mobs　aren't　people；〃　the　Captain　said。
　〃It　doesn't　make　sense；〃　Izzy　said。　〃That's　all　I'm　saying。〃
　Miranda　rubbed　her　temples。
　〃Pro　Force；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。　〃They're　going　to　give　it　the　stamp　of　reality；　you　know。　Just　their　presence　will　legitimize　the　event。〃
　The　Captain　puffed　out　his　cheeks。　He　looked　out　the　window。　〃Damned　if　I　do；　damned　if　I　don't。　It's　running　out　of　control。　Walking。　Whatever　it's　doing。〃
　〃The　Captain's　right；〃　Miranda　said　to　Nathan　Lee。　〃He　has　his　job。　You　have　yours。　We　need　damage　control。　Fast。〃
　Nathan　Lee　got　to　his　feet。　〃All　right；〃　he　said　to　Izzy。　〃Let's　go　to　the　source。〃
　　
　JOE　WAS　BACKon　duty　in　the　monitor　booth。　Ross　was　hanging　by　his　thumbs　somewhere；　out　of　sight。　Joe　pointed　at　one　of　the　screens。　〃Him；〃　he　said。
　Nathan　Lee　pulled　up　a　chair　and　leaned　close　to　the　screen。　〃So；〃　he　said；　〃finally。〃　It　was　the　clone　who'd　cried　Egypt。　He　never　had　given　a　name。
　The　man　was　sitting　erect　on　the　edge　of　his　bed；　as　if　awaiting　visitors。　His　shoulder　bones　were　set　wide　like　a　yoke；　but　he　was　thin。　He　had　long　feet　and　big　hands；　and　his　burr　of　hair　and　beard　were　black。　He　had　seemed　tentative　and　withdrawn　ever　since　his　outburst　about　the　bronze　sky；　as　if　he'd　misstepped。　But　his　eyes　were　perfectly　ferocious　now。　He'd　made　his　move；　no