jefflong.yearzero-第87部分

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ought　in　whatever　might　serve　the　clones　in　the　wastelands　of　America。　Flashlights；　voltage　meters　for　every　size　of　battery；　binoculars；　a　Swiss　Army　knife；　matches；　a　tool　box；　a　pry　bar；　screws；　mosquito　repellant；　fish　hooks；　tea　bags；　ramen　noodles；　a　space　blanket；　books　and　magazines；　an　atlas；　plastic　bottles；　a　kit　for　testing　polluted　water；　backpacks；　wire；　a　box　of　military　rations　with　heating　pouches；　chemical　lights；　a　pair　of　pants　with　a　zipper；　pencils　and　a　pencil　sharpener；　paper。　Not　everything　was　necessary；　toilet　paper；　for　instance；　and　clocks。　The　corners　filled　with　things。
　They　spent　a　full　day　on　locks；　another　on　using　a　pass。　Ben　got　bike　riding　lessons　in　a　deserted　hallway。　When　he　wasn't　fiddling　with　gadgets；　Ben　was　learning　how　to　read　signs；　symbols；　maps；　colors；　and　expiration　dates　on　food　containers。　Izzy　assembled　a　small　English/Aramaic　dictionary　with　every　generic　term　they　might　encounter　on　a　street：Do　Not　Enter；　High　Voltage；　Hospital；and　evenNo　Parking；　No　Smoking；　andNo　U…Turn。　There　was　no　sense　puzzling　over　the　useless　out　there。　At　night；　Ben　crammed；　staying　awake　in　his　cell　withNational　Geographic　magazines；　and　teaching　himself　how　to　write　the　alphabet。
　At　last；　Nathan　Lee　decided　it　was　time　to　go　public。　One　afternoon；　Ben　appeared　in　the　yard；　riding　a　bicycle。　His　fellow　clones　froze　like　statues。　Ben　made　three　circuits　of　the　yard；　weaving　between　astounded　men；　ringing　his　bell；　then　stopped　by　the　fire。　As　a　crowd　cautiously　formed　around　the　magical　device；　Nathan　Lee　watched　from　the　shadows　of　the　doorway。　Slowly　he　became　aware　he　was　being　watched　in　return。　Crouched　low；　staring　through　the　curtain　of　flames；　Eesho　looked　ready　to　kill。
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　EACH　DAY　ANOTHER　HANDFULof　people　gave　up　on　Los　Alamos　and　descended　to　the　pilgrim　camp。　They　had　grown　tired　of　waiting　for　the　inevitable；　or　the　raw　Christianity　called　to　them；　or　they　went　to　alleviate　the　suffering；　or　they　learned　the　besiegers　included　family　members　they　had　thought　long　dead。　Each　knew　the　valley　was　hot　and　painted　orange　with　poison；　and　they　could　never　return　inside　the　fence　nor　gain　entrance　to　the　sanctuary。　But　they　went　with　peace　in　their　hearts；　and　driving　truckloads　of　food　and　medicine。
　Los　Alamos　gladly　released　them。　It　would　have　been　useless　to　halt　them；　for　one　thing。　And　the　trucks　needed　drivers。　More　to　the　point；　people　hoped　these　departing　citizens　would　be　received　as　ambassadors　from　the　city　of　light。　Many　took　their　cellphones　with　them；　and　for　the　life　of　their　batteries；　they　were　able　to　stay　in　contact　with　their　friends　and　neighbors　on　the　Mesa。　They　usually　tried　to　sound　upbeat　and　resolute。　It　was；　after　all；　their　decision　to　go。　After　a　few　days；　their　voices　broke　up　and　they　would　dwindle　into　memory。
　These　émigrés　were　treated　like　assisted　suicides。　People　sympathized　with　their　reasoning；　gave　them　tearful　going…away　parties；　remembered　the　good　times；　walked　them　to　the　gate；　even　acted　like　they　were　making　the　heroic　choice。　For　all　that；　the　departures　were　considered　a　terrible　waste　of　life；　almost　a　desertion。　No　one　could　imagine　doing　what　the　expatriates　were　doing　or　going　where　they　went。
　One　morning　Izzy　announced　he　was　going；　too。　〃I　got　a　message　from　my　brother；〃　he　said。　〃It's　incredible。　He's　down　there　in　the　camp。〃
　〃Damn；〃　whispered　Nathan　Lee。
　〃I　haven't　seen　him　in　four　years；　and　he's　ill；　you　know。〃　He　was　apologetic。　〃I　know　there's　still　work　to　be　done。　But　your　Aramaic　is　good　enough。　I'm　not　needed　anymore。〃
　〃It's　not　that；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。　This　was　the　end。
　〃I　know；〃　Izzy　said　more　quietly。
　Part　of　him　wanted　to　talk　Izzy　out　of　it。　But　in　his　place；　Nathan　Lee　knew　he'd　be　going；　too。
　〃We　covered　a　good　bit　of　ground；〃　said　Izzy。　〃Two　thousand　years。　Not　so　bad。〃
　〃At　least　talk　to　Miranda；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。　〃You've　heard　of　the　Sera…III。　Let　her　immunize　you。〃
　〃It　takes　too　long　to　kick　in；〃　said　Izzy。　〃Forty…eight　hours。　By　then　my　brother　could　have　disappeared　again。〃
　It　was　Izzy's　idea　to　take　a　camera　into　the　camp。　The　camera　was　a　〃lipstick〃　device　rigged　to　beam　a　microwave　signal　across　the　river　and　up　to　the　city。　Uncertain　how　a　camera　might　be　received　among　the　fanatics；　its　main　works　were　concealed　in　a　tattered；　and　hopefully　inconspicuous；　daypack。　The　tiny　lens　was　mounted　on　a　flexible　cord　that　snaked　up　through　his　hair　and　along　one　stem　of　his　glasses。　He　was　wired　for　sound　like　an　undercover　cop。　Wherever　he　looked　and　listened；　they　would　see　and　hear。
　There　was　no　time　for　a　proper　send…off。　He　was　anxious　to　see　his　brother；　and　at　the　same　time　afraid　of　changing　his　mind。　Miranda　arrived　at　the　gate　just　as　Izzy　was　leaving；　and　gave　him　a　crushing　embrace。　〃Are　you　sure？〃　she　cried。
　〃Miranda；〃　Izzy　said　dolefully。　With　a　wink　at　Nathan　Lee；　he　got　a　second　hug；　and　stole　a　kiss。
　　
　THROUGH　THE　EYEof　Izzy's　camera；　they　descended　down　Highway　502　behind　the　wheel　of　a　big　truck　filled　with　supplies。　The　road　stayed　empty　as　the　valley　floor　leveled　out。　Then　in　the　distance；　they　saw　the　bridge　and　the　great　stretch　of　crosses。　〃Wish　me　luck；〃　they　heard　Izzy　breathe。
　Over　the　ing　days；　the　faceless　masses　gained　a　soul。
　Through　Izzy's　camera；　a　thousand　details　came　pouring　into　Los　Alamos。　Until　now；　it　had　been　easy　to　imagine　the　camp　as　an　outdoor　cathedral；　flush　with　passion；　grubby；　but　somehow　not　quite　as　bad　as　it　was。　In　fact；　conditions　were　primeval。　The　living　mingled　with　the　dying。　Over　Izzy's　microphone；　you　could　hear　shouts；　chanted　prayers；　howls；　pleas　and　song　blending　into　white　noise。
　Hairy　faces　leapt　at　the　lens　with　wild　proclamations。　Bodies　lay　where　they　had　fallen。　Others　drifted　facedown　in　the　Rio。
　Izzy　wandered　for　three　days；　undetected；　unable　to　find　his　brother。　There　were　over　a　million　people　there。　On　the　fourth　day；　Izzy　turned　the　camera　on　himself　and　spoke　to　the　city。
　〃It　seems　I　made　a　mistake；〃　he　said　quite　simply。　〃Don't　anyone　follow　me。〃
　
　33
　The　Prophet
　
　It　was　like　watching　live　cable　feeds　from　Hell。
　Izzy　roamed　the　camp　with　his　camera；　doomed。　He　had　drawn　some　of　his　own　blood；　and　it　tested　positive。　He　could　have　fled　the　awful　camp　for　some　saner　place　to　grow　sick　and　die。　Instead　he　chose　to　stay　and　serve　the　city　as　their　eyes。　If　not　for　him；　they　would　never　have　met　the　prophet。
　A　pair　of　semi…trailers　full　of　food　was　burning。　A　mob　ringed　the　heat；　watching　passively。　They　were　starving；　and　yet　no　one　tried　to　save　the　food。　Izzy　asked　one　of　the　gaunt　spectators；　who　merely　smiled。
　A　distant　voice　could　be　heard　over　the　crackle　of　flames。〃Cursed　shall　you　be　in　the　city；　and　cursed　shall　you　be　in　the　country。。。。〃　People　were　shouting　amen。〃The　Lord　will　make　the　plague　cling　to　you　until　He　has　consumed　you　from　the　land　which　you　are　going　to　possess。〃
　His　lens　bobbing；　Izzy　went　in　search　of　the　preacher。　As　he　got　closer；　Nathan　Lee　started。　Even　over　the　television；　he　knew　that　voice。　But　when　the　camera　reached　the　front　of　the　crowd；　he　could　barely　recognize　Ochs。
　The　fat　had　melted　from　him　on　his　great；　circular　journey　through　the　wastelands。　Stripped　to　sinew　and　bone；　he　looked　more　giant　than　ever。　He　towered　head　and　bare　shoulders　above　the　masses。　His　beard　and　hair　were　tangled　in　a　foul　nest。　Dogs；　or　snipers；　had　lamed　him。　He　used　a　metal　fence　post　for　his　walking　staff。　It　looked　like　a　huge　arrow。　Plague　victims　weled　his　demands　for　atonement　with　outstretched　arms。　Theflagellantes　were　hard　at　work　all　around　him；　whipping　their　own　backs　with　chains　and　barbwire。　As　Izzy　backed　away；　Ochs　spoke　through　a　mist　of　gore。
　　
　OCHS；　THEY　REALIZED；　had　to　be　the　pilgrims'　unrevealed　leader。　At　last；　in　him；　the　city　believed　there　was　someone　with　whom　they　could　negotiate。　Even　though　Ochs　had　been　banished　from　their　gates；　people　took　hope　because　he　had　once　been　one　of　their　own。　They　asked　Izzy　to　approach　him　and　get　his　consent　to　speak　with　Miranda　and　emergency　council。
　〃He'll　make　hamburger　out　of　me；〃　Izzy　fretted；　but　he　finally　did　as　they　asked。　To　everyone's　surpri