jefflong.yearzero-第78部分

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　The　bed　was　empty。　It　was　her　room；　but　Grace　was　not　here。　His　hopes　zigzagged。　She'd　done　it　again！　he　thought。　Lydia　had　cheated　her　man。　He　could　see　her　fleeing　with　Grace；　leaving　the　dumb　husband　to　put　himself　down。　For　the　first　time；　he　was　grateful　for　Lydia's　treacherous　ways。　She　just　may　have　saved　Grace。　His　quest　was　not　over。
　He　sat　on　the　bed。　Her　walls　were　pink。　There　were　dozens　of　dolls　neatly　ranked　on　shelves；　mostly　blond。　He　reached　for　a　hairbrush　on　a　small　vanity　and　unwound　a　long　golden　strand　from　the　bristles。　Slowly　his　eyes　strayed　back　to　the　dolls；　and　their　unnatural　tidiness。　Not　one　thing　was　out　of　place。　Not　one　doll　was　missing。　He　went　to　the　window　and　looked　into　the　backyard。
　It　was　like　dying。
　From　the　kitchen　window；　he　had　been　unable　to　see　them；　hidden　by　the　high　grass。　But　from　here；　the　two　white　crosses　were　prominent。　Lydia's　husband　had　buried　them　before　taking　his　own　life。
　Nathan　Lee　found　himself　among　the　grasses　with　no　recall　of　descending　the　stairs　nor　leaving　the　house。　He　knelt　by　the　cross　that　said；　〃Grace。〃　He　turned　on　his　radio。
　Ochs　was　livid。　〃Where　have　you　been？〃
　〃I　found　them；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。　〃I　found　their　graves。〃
　〃Graves？　Thank　God。〃
　〃They're　dead；　Ochs。〃
　〃Of　course　they're　dead；〃　Ochs　said。　〃It's　Denver。　But　they　were　buried。　That's　the　important　thing。〃　He　sounded　overjoyed。
　〃What's　wrong　with　you？〃　Nathan　Lee　shouted。　His　rage　welled　up。　Ochs　was　the　least　of　it。God。　The　cold　lizard。　This　abyss。
　〃How　do　you　know　it's　them？〃　Ochs　calmly　asked。
　〃The　markers。　He　woodburned　their　names。〃　Nathan　Lee　could　scarcely　hear　his　own　words。
　〃You've　done　it！〃　Ochs　said。　〃Easy；　now。　We're　almost　home。〃
　Lydia's　husband　had　placed　the　graves　on　a　slight　rise　in　the　backyard。　It　had　a　view　of　the　Rockies。　He　had　mounded　the　graves　and　seeded　them　with　flowers。　Nathan　Lee's　jealousy　dwindled。　The　man　had　been　a　good　father　to　his　daughter。　He　had　done　a　credible　job　here。
　〃Are　you　still　there？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Listen　to　me；　Nathan　Lee。　Are　you　listening？〃
　〃I'm　here。〃
　〃Do　you　love　Grace　more　than　anything　in　the　world？〃
　How　long　ago　had　they　died？　Nathan　Lee　wondered。　The　paint　on　the　crosses　was　blistered　from　the　elements。　But　the　sunflowers　and　daisies　were　immature。　They　had　not　gotten　a　full　season　to　grow。　The　seeds　must　have　been　planted　midsummer　or　later。　August；　he　guessed。　There　would　have　been　time　for　him　to　reach　her；　if　only　he　had　known。
　〃You　need　to　love　her　with　all　your　heart；〃　Ochs　was　saying。
　〃You　could　have　just　told　me；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。　〃I　wasn't　after　you。〃　Now　he　saw　it。　Ochs　had　baited　him　to　his　death。　The　soldiers　would　leave　without　him。　Ochs　was　free。
　〃I　told　you；　it　was　too　soon；〃　Ochs　said。　〃I　didn't　want　to　waste　you。〃
　〃Waste　me？〃
　〃I　tried　to　bring　them　in。　Six　months　ago。　I　did　everything　possible。　I　bribed。　I　threatened。　I　begged；〃　said　Ochs。　〃My　own　sister。　And　niece。　But　the　council　said　no。　Miranda；　I'm　sure　of　it。　Revenge。　And　then　you　showed　up。〃
　August；thought　Nathan　Lee。　He　could　have　held　her　one　last　time。　He　had　no　strength　to　be　angry；　though。
　〃Don't　fade　on　me；　Nathan　Lee。　We're　almost　home。〃
　Nathan　Lee　felt　like　a　leaf　ready　to　fall。
　Ochs's　voice　was　stern。　〃Go　find　a　shovel；　Nathan　Lee。〃
　〃What？〃
　〃We're　going　to　bring　them　inside。　It's　safe　inside　the　fence。　But　you　need　to　work　fast；〃　Ochs　said。　〃The　helicopters　leave　in　three　hours。〃
　What　was　he　talking　about？
　〃Nathan　Lee？〃
　〃Dig　her　up？
　〃I　know；〃　said　Ochs。　〃But　you　have　to　be　strong。　We're　going　to　bring　them　back。　You've　seen　the　technology。〃
　That's　what　this　was　all　about？　〃You　mean　clone　them？〃
　〃It's　the　only　way。〃
　〃Grace？〃
　〃You　know　what　we'll　need。　It　won't　be　pleasant；　but　it's　nothing　you　haven't　done　before。　A　finger　from　each　of　them。　Or　teeth。　Look　for　some　garden　shears。〃
　Nathan　Lee　tried　to　recoil；　but　the　voice　was　inside　his　head。
　〃There　was　no　other　way　to　get　them　inside；〃　Ochs　said。　〃They　had　to　die　in　order　to　live。　Now　we　can　offer　them　a　place　in　the　sanctuary。　My　sister。　Your　daughter。　Out　from　the　storm。　Talk　to　me；　man。〃
　Nathan　Lee　was　numb。　Ochs　had　sent　him　to　root　up　his　own　child？
　〃You're　the　only　one　who　can　save　her；〃　coaxed　the　voice。　〃She　needs　you。〃
　〃No；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。
　〃Yes；〃　argued　Ochs。　〃Or　else　you　kill　her。〃
　〃She's　already　dead。〃
　〃Dig　down；　Nathan　Lee。　Dig　into　your　heart。　Find　the　strength。　Bring　me　what　I　say。　Miranda　will　raise　them　up。〃
　〃She　won't　do　that。〃
　〃For　you；　Miranda　will　do　anything。〃
　For　a　moment；　Nathan　Lee　saw　the　grave　open　and　her　little　body　lift　from　the　dirt。　He　saw　her　straw　hat。　The　outstretched　bouquet。　He　groaned。
　〃It's　late；〃　snapped　Ochs。　〃The　helicopters　will　go　without　you。　After　that；　you're　dog　food。〃　He　went　back　and　forth；　from　threats　to　temptation。　〃You　have　the　power　of　life　over　death。　There's　no　reason　Grace　has　to　end　like　this。　She　was　the　sweetest　girl。　A　second　chance。　You　have　the　power。〃
　Nathan　Lee's　horror　mounted。　How　could　he　open　her　grave？　How　could　he　not？
　〃Do　it；〃　snarled　Ochs。
　Nathan　Lee　searched　through　the　wreck　of　his　memory。　He　remembered　a　storm。　Grace　was　a　baby；　asleep　in　his　arms。　The　blizzard　howled　at　the　window　of　their　Washington　townhouse；　and　he　hardly　dared　to　breathe　for　fear　of　undoing　her　sleep。
　Ochs　railed　at　him。　〃The　helicopters　will　leave　soon。　They　won't　wait。　They　don't　fly　at　night。　You'll　be　alone。〃
　Nathan　Lee　fought　down　his　shout　at　the　sky。　Who　would　hear？　He　set　his　hands　flat　on　the　mounded　earth。　He　lay　down。　He　put　his　head　by　the　marker。　The　search　was　over。
　Nathan　Lee　switched　off　the　voice。　He　cast　one　arm　over　her　grave。　Later；　the　helmet　could　e　off。　For　now；　he　was　just　tired。　He　closed　his　eyes。　All　he　wanted　was　to　hold　his　baby。
　　
　AGREAT　STORM　woke　him。
　Nathan　Lee　thought　he　was　dreaming。　It　rocked　him　with　its　wind。　He　opened　his　eyes；　and　it　was　night。　The　grass　and　trees　were　thrashing　around　him。　Dirt　and　pebbles　rattled　against　his　helmet。　The　crosses　shuddered。
　A　beam　of　light　stabbed　down　from　the　sky；　blinding　him。　A　figure　descended　through　the　radiance。　Buffeted　by　the　tempest；　the　man　walked　over　to　him　and　reached　down。　A　rope　led　from　his　chest　harness　up　to　the　helicopter。　Nathan　Lee　felt　a　hand　groping　at　his　wrist。　His　radio　switched　on。
　〃It's　time　to　go；　Nathan　Lee；〃　a　voice　spoke　in　his　ears。　〃e　with　me。〃
　〃I'd　like　to　stay；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。
　〃Nah；〃　the　man　said。　〃It's　not　your　time。〃
　Nathan　Lee　felt　like　he　hadn't　slept　in　many　years。　〃Who　are　you？〃
　〃I'm　your　friend。　You　have　lots　of　friends；　Nathan　Lee。〃
　Nathan　Lee　raised　his　helmet　and　peered　through　the　man's　face　plate。　It　was　the　Captain；　his　hair　silver。　〃I　flew　in　with　you　this　morning。〃
　〃I　didn't　see　you。〃
　〃Miranda　thought　Ochs　might　try　something。〃
　〃Miranda？〃
　〃I　came　to　watch　your　back。〃
　〃I　found　my　girl；〃　Nathan　Lee　announced。
　〃I　know；〃　said　the　Captain。
　〃I'd　like　to　stay　for　a　bit　longer。〃
　〃Another　time。〃
　Nathan　Lee　took　his　outstretched　hand。
　Together　they　were　winched　into　the　night。
　All　the　way　to　Los　Alamos；　they　sat　among　cages　on　top　of　cages　filled　with　human　beings　who　were　taped　and　still。　Every　one　of　them　was　hot　with　virus。　Their　eyes　glittered　in　the　dark　cargo　bay。
　
　30
　Decon
　
　Decon　was　more　than　a　place　or　process；　it　was　a　passage　between　worlds。　For　fourteen　days　you　were　purified　here；　scrubbed；　bled；　monitored；　and　locked　down　in　sterile；　solitary　cells。　It　was　like　a　Biblical　prescription：　anyone　who　might　have　been　tainted　was　kept　outside　the　camp　for　a　ritual　term。
　For　the　deck　raiders；　the　process　was　automatic。　But　researchers　from　the　bio…safety　labs　were　sometimes　closed　in　here；　too；　especially　after　accidents。　All　it　took　was　a　needle　stick；　a　rip　in　your　suit；　a　faulty　vent。　It　was　a　frightening　time。　A　time　of　prayers。　You　didn't　know　if　your　blood　might　suddenly　test　positive；　in　which　case　you　would　never　re…enter　the　city　again。　The　term　〃decon〃　was　a　misnomer。　In　fact；　if　you　were　contaminated；　you　were　beyond　rescue。
　During　the　first　week　Nathan　Lee's　sole　clothing　was　a　pair　of