jefflong.yearzero-第89部分

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　〃That　option　is　injudicious　at　this　time；〃　said　the　general。
　〃Injudicious？〃　she　said。
　Around　the　room；　the　other　generals　glanced　at　one　another。　〃It　is　not　timely；〃　said　the　general；　〃at　this　time。〃
　〃Thirty　seconds；〃　said　a　man　behind　one　of　the　cameras。
　Ochs　appeared　on　their　multiple　screens；　pacing　back　and　forth；　hairy；　backlit　by　a　fire。　Izzy　wasn't　doing　a　good　job　following　him　with　the　camera。　Ochs　kept　sliding　in　and　out　of　view。　The　camera　seemed　fixed　in　place。　The　one　constant　was　a　cluster　ofpenitente　crosses　in　the　distance。
　〃Just　get　him　talking；〃　the　negotiator　told　Miranda。　〃Roll　with　any　punches。　Don't　provoke　him。　Remember；　dialogue。　Engagement。　Today；　tonight；　tomorrow；　next　week。　As　often　as　possible。　We're　here　for　him；　24/7。　Whatever　he　needs。〃
　People　scattered　on　every　side　as　if　Miranda　were　in　the　line　of　fire。　Her　solitary　image　flashed　on　the　screens；　then　it　was　back　to　Ochs　stabbing　at　the　earth　with　his　metal　post。
　〃Five；　four；　three；〃　said　the　cameraman。　Two　fingers；　one。　He　pointed　at　Miranda。
　〃Ochs；〃　she　said　loudly。　〃Can　you　hear　me？〃
　Ochs　stalked　closer。　He　peered　at　a　TV　set　beside　Izzy's　camera。　〃Mystery；〃　he　declared。　〃Is　that　you？〃
　Miranda　was　thrown　off　balance。　She　looked　around　the　table。　〃Mystery？〃　someone　murmured。
　〃The　mother　of　harlots　and　the　abominations　of　the　earth；〃　said　Ochs。
　They　had　given　Nathan　Lee　a　slate　to　write　messages　on。　He　wroteBook/Revelation；　and　held　it　for　her　to　see。
　〃You　can　use　plain　English；〃　she　said。　〃We've　had　enough　Bible…speak　up　here。〃　The　negotiator　winced。　〃You've　been　busy；〃　Miranda　continued。
　〃Lots　to　do；〃　Ochs　boomed。
　〃We've　been　busy　here；　too。〃
　〃The　things　I've　seen；〃　he　muttered。
　〃Did　you　hurt　your　leg？〃
　〃That；〃　he　dismissed。
　〃Let　us　help。　Your　people　are　suffering。〃
　Ochs　glanced　around　him。　〃Seasoning；〃　he　said。　〃They're　not　afraid。　Just　making　themselves　ready　for　the　big　day。〃
　Eyes　locked　on　eyes　around　the　room。Judgment　Day。　They　held　their　collective　breath。
　〃When's　the　big　day？〃　Miranda　asked。
　〃Soon；〃　he　smiled。
　〃What　happens　then？〃
　〃You　just　told　me；　no　Bible　talk。〃
　〃Knock　yourself　out。〃
　His　eyes　gleamed。　〃Doot　eighteen；〃　he　said。
　Some　people　looked　at　their　watches；　like　he'd　given　a　time。　Nathan　Lee　reached　for　a　Bible。
　〃Are　you　going　to　cross　the　river？〃　Miranda　asked　pointblank。
　One　of　the　generals　frantically　cut　a　finger　across　his　throat　to　shut　her　up。　The　negotiator　muttered；　〃Don't　provoke　him。〃Too　late　for　that；　thought　Nathan　Lee。　Ochs　had　made　up　his　mind　to　raise　this　army　the　day　they'd　exiled　him。　Then　he　remembered　Miranda's　father　predicting　Ochs's　return。　They　had　known　he　would　go　preaching。　They'd　calculated　the　arc　of　his　circle。　It　made　no　sense。　Why　set　a　madman　loose　in　the　wilderness　if　he　was　going　to　e　back　to　haunt　you？
　〃The　spirit　guides　us　down　here；〃　Ochs　answered。
　〃You　guide　the　spirit；〃　said　Miranda。　〃I　understand　why　you　hate　us。　But　these　are　your　people。　Show　them　a　little　mercy。　Why　burn　their　food？〃
　Ochs　bent　and　looked　into　the　lens。　〃You've　got　the　wrong　idea；　Miranda。　Tempting　us　is　a　waste　of　time。　The　sword　has　fallen　on　my　people。　Now　they　are　the　sword。　Keep　your　food。　And　your　spies；　too。〃
　Abruptly　Ochs　was　finished　with　them。　He　didn't　say　another　word；　simply　walked　off　camera。　〃Ochs？〃　called　Miranda。
　His　suddenness　stunned　them。　Everyone　began　talking　at　once。
　〃He　didn't　even　ask　about　the　Jesus　clone；〃　someone　objected。
　〃We　were　going　to　offer　him　amnesty；〃　another　said。
　〃What　spies？　We　approached　him　in　good　faith。　What　about　good　faith？〃
　What　about　Izzy？thought　Nathan　Lee。　They　had　rolled　the　dice　with　him　and　didn't　like　the　roll；　and　now　Izzy　was　seemingly　forgotten。
　〃I　think　we're　okay；〃　a　woman　was　saying。　〃The　man's　Stage　One。　Functional　delirium。　He's　probably　already　forgotten　he　talked　with　us。〃
　Round　and　round　they　went；　analyzing　the　short；　bizarre　encounter。
　〃Doot…eighteen；〃　Nathan　Lee　spoke　up。　They　looked　at　him。　The　room　hushed。　He　abbreviated　it　for　them。
　〃When　you　e　into　the　land　which　God　is　giving　you；　you　shall　not　follow　the　abominations　of　those　nations。　There　shall　not　be　found　among　you　anyone　who　practices　witchcraft；　or　is　a　sorcerer；　or　who　calls　up　the　dead。　For　all　who　do　these　things　are　an　abomination　to　the　Lord。〃
　Foreheads　wrinkled　in　thought。　〃But　we're　scientists；〃　someone　protested。
　〃Mumbo　jumbo；〃　snapped　a　general。
　〃Apocalyptic　mindset；〃　the　FBI　negotiator　declared。　〃He's　raving。　There's　probably　a　thousand　others　just　like　him　down　there。　I　think　we're　in　the　clear。　They'll　talk　themselves　to　death。〃
　The　camera　continued　staring　ahead。　The　sounds　of　the　camp　fed　over　the　video　microphone：　the　crunch　of　footsteps；　the　clink　of　metal；　a　rock　hammering　at　a　piece　of　wood。　People　walked　back　and　forth　as　if　the　camera　didn't　exist。
　It　took　another　few　minutes　to　spot　what　they'd　missed。　Nathan　Lee　knew　what　to　look　for。　He　knew　Ochs。　The　professor　was　chain…reacting。　Nathan　Lee　kept　staring　at　the　screen。
　〃There；〃　he　said。　The　clue　to　their　fate　was　in　plain　sight。
　The　camera　wasn't　randomly　positioned。　Using　a　remote　control；　one　of　the　technicians　slowly　zoomed　the　lens。　The　crosses　drew　nearer。　Smoke　fouled　the　long　distance；　but　then　the　sun　broke　through。　The　crosses　lit　up。
　They　were　empty；　except　for　one。　A　man　was　trying　to　get　fortable　up　there。　It　was　a　delicate　task。　He　was　in　such　pain。　There　were　no　rope　straps　to　slip　his　arms　and　feet　into。　This　was　nopenitente。　They　had　nailed　him　to　the　wood。
　〃Izzy；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。
　The　room　fell　silent。　They　stared　at　the　awful；　miniature　spectacle。　A　woman　began　weeping。　The　minister　with　white　hair　crossed　himself。
　〃Animals；〃　hissed　a　cell　biologist　from　Miranda's　lab。
　〃Ochs；〃　said　a　man。
　The　FBI　negotiator　was　perplexed。　〃I　don't　understand；〃　she　said。　〃Is　he　making　way　for　the　messiah；　or　does　he　think　he　is　the　messiah？　He's　playing　out　the　crucifixion。　But　he's　not　the　one　being　crucified。　By　punishing　the　other；　he　transfers　the　messiah's　power　to　his　victim。　Is　that　it？　A　self…loathing　Christian。。。but。。。。〃　Her　muttering　tapered　off。
　〃They'll　be　ing　soon；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。　〃Here。〃
　〃Soon？〃　asked　the　cell　biologist。　〃When　is　soon？　How　would　you　know？〃
　〃History；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。　〃Ochs　is　a　slave　to　the　classics。〃
　〃Classics；〃　rumbled　a　general。　〃What　does　that　tell　us？〃
　〃Plutarch's　account　of　Spartacus；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。　〃Spartacus　had　an　enemy　soldier　crucified　in　the　middle　of　his　camp　for　all　his　followers　to　see。　He　kept　the　man　alive　for　a　week。〃
　〃Superficial　parallels；〃　said　the　FBI　negotiator。　She　was　struggling　with　this。　〃The　Spartacus　tale　speaks　to　Ochs's　motivation；　not　his　timing。　This　is　an　act　of　terrorism；　plain　and　simple。　It　tells　us　nothing　about　when　they　might　attack　the　city。〃
　〃But　Spartacus　didn't　use　the　crucifixion　to　terrorize　his　enemies；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。　〃I　don't　think　Ochs　is；　either。　It's　for　his　followers；　not　for　us。〃
　Everyone　was　listening。　He　went　on。　〃Seasoning；〃　he　said。　〃Ochs's　word。　Spartacus　used　the　execution　to　prepare　his　army。　For　a　week；　they　lived　with　the　message。　Out　of　suffering　they　were　born；　through　suffering　they　would　be　freed。〃
　〃I　still　don't　see。。。。〃
　〃Spartacus　waited　for　the　prisoner　to　die；〃　finished　Nathan　Lee。　〃And　then　his　army　was　ready。〃
　For　a　moment　every　eye　fixed　on　the　figure　of　Izzy。　He　looked　so　small　up　there　against　the　sky。　So　mortal。　Like　a　tiny　island。
　　
　〃E　WITH　ME；〃　Nathan　Lee　said。
　It　was　nearly　midnight。　There　was　nothing　more　they　could　do。　The　crucifixion　had　been　turned　over　to　medical　experts　who　were　guessing　about　Izzy's　endurance；　to　optics　wonks　trying　to　boost　the　low…lux　video　image；　to　meteorologists　warning　of　a　cold　front；　and　to　the　satellite　people　laboring　to　pinpoint　his　individual　thermal　signature　among　the　million　others。　Suddenly　Izzy's　existence　had　bee　a　matter　of　life　and　death。
　Miranda　followed　him　from　the　council　room　and　out　into　the　night。　She　was　too　agitated　to　go　home。　Nathan　Lee　doubted　many　people　were　sleeping　this　night。　They　walked　to　Alpha　Lab；　crossing　the　bridge　beneath　a　dome