jefflong.yearzero-第84部分

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easy　to　think　more　mercifully；　now　that　their　enemy　was　dying　at　their　feet。
　Oddly　the　generals　were　not　pleased。　The　city　had　been　saved；　but　they　tersely　discarded　the　evidence。　〃It's　worse　than　ever　now；〃　one　told　Miranda。　〃The　fool　nearly　ruined　everything。〃
　His　fool　was　Nathan　Lee。　Miranda　flared　at　him。　〃What　more　do　you　want？〃　she　demanded。　〃We're　spared。　He　stole　your　thunder；　is　that　it？〃
　〃We　have　our　orders；〃　the　general　told　her。
　〃Whose　orders？〃　Immediately　she　guessed。　Her　father's；　the　sovereign　of　the　deep。　They　believed　in　him　and　his　invincible　fortress　made　of　salt。　〃What　grand　strategy　of　yours　did　Nathan　Lee　destroy？　They're　leaving。〃
　〃Precisely；〃　the　general　plained。
　It　was　the　closest　to　information　she'd　gotten　from　them。　But　in　what　way　did　the　pilgrims'　departure　unravel　the　generals'　strategy？　She　tried　the　contra　position。　How　could　the　pilgrims'　ing　advance　their　strategy？　Miranda　gave　up　guessing。　Plainly　something　larger　had　been　in　motion；　and　Nathan　Lee　had　derailed　it。　Or　nearly　so。　The　general　was　vexed；　not　defeated。　The　day's　events…Nathan　Lee's　attack；　the　lowering　of　Izzy's　cross；　the　mass　withdrawal…were　an　inconvenience。　She　saw　that　the　generals　were　fast　adapting　to　the　situation。　Their　plan　was　still　alive。
　〃You　want　a　war；〃　she　realized。
　〃We　want　maximum　security。〃
　〃Now　we　have　it；〃　she　said。　〃By　this　time　tomorrow　night；　the　pilgrims　will　be　gone。　You　can　put　your　swords　away。〃
　〃It's　a　feint；〃　said　the　general。　〃They're　going　back　into　the　forests。　Into　their　tunnels。　Taking　up　positions。〃
　〃What　forests？　What　tunnels？〃　she　demanded。　It　struck　her。　Their　touchstone　was　Vietnam。　Afghanistan。　Or　Gaul。　The　barbarians　were　wild　things。
　〃We　had　them　gathered　in　place；　the　last　of　them；〃　said　the　general。　Now　we　won't　know　where　they　are。　They're　getting　away。〃
　〃Let　them　go；〃　Miranda　told　them。　〃Now　we　can　stay。〃
　The　generals　departed；　but　their　staff　officers　remained；　circling　the　room；　leaning　over　monitors；　writing　down　coordinates；　making　notes。　Every　now　and　then　one　would　leave　the　room　to　make　a　call。　Their　doomsday　expressions　were　stark　amidst　the　overall　jubilation。　Except　for　them；　it　was　like　an　office　party　in　here；　the　happy　faces；　the　little　pine　tree　with　paper　decorations；　the　strings　of　electric　red　chili　lights　on　the　wall。
　Miranda　kept　to　one　corner。　She　didn't　want　to　sour　their　joy。　The　retreat　was　exactly　what　they'd　been　hoping　for。　They　could　stay　in　the　open　now。　They　could　inhabit　the　sunlight；　carry　on　their　research；　embrace　the　survivors；　find　the　cure。　Their　high　fives　and　hallelujahs　confirmed　her　vision。　They　belonged　in　the　city；　not　with　her　father。
　She　wanted　to　share　in　their　gladness；　but　they　knew　she　was　in　mourning。　Their　smiles　faded　when　they　looked　at　her。　She　saw　their　deep　sighs。　If　not　for　monitor　number　eight；　she　would　have　gone　home　to　grieve　in　private。　It　was　too　soon　to　grieve；　in　a　sense。　He　was　still　alive　down　there。　But　he　had　killed　himself。　It　was　all　on　monitor　number　eight；　a　few　seconds　past　real　time；　however　long　it　took　to　transmit　from　the　valley　to　space　and　back　down　to　this　room。
　His　luminous；　hollow…eyed　head　turned　to　one　side；　then　bent　over　Izzy　again。　She　touched　the　screen。　If　only　she'd　known　what　he　was　thinking。　She　would　have　wrapped　her　arms　around　him；　paralyzed　him　with　her　love；　ordered　his　arrest。　But　in　saving　him；　she　would　have　doomed　the　city。　He　had　given　her　what　she　wanted。
　Los　Alamos　was　aware　of　his　sacrifice。　Whatever　he　had　done　down　there；　he　had　done　for　them。　Whether　that　was　true　or　not；　they　believed　it　was　so。　They　had　chosen　Nathan　Lee　to　mark　the　epicenter。　It　was　a　sort　of　cartographic　honor。　All　their　bull's…eye　overlays　centered　on　him。　They　measured　their　new　hope　outwards　from　where　he　sat。
　She　placed　her　chair　sideways　to　the　monitor　so　that　her　back　was　to　the　room。　She　sat　next　to　him；　inches　from　the　screen。　They'd　tightened　down　on　him　to　the　maximum　resolution；　but　he　still　looked　so　tiny。　His　skull　was　a　matter　of　pixels。　Sitting　there；　he　fit　under　her　fingertip。　The　image　pulsed。
　He　had　not　self…infected　with　the　Sera…III。　Miranda　had　checked　the　freezer；　and　all　the　samples　were　accounted　for。　She　understood。　By　the　end　of　forty…eight　hours；　Izzy　would　have　been　dead。　Ochs　might　have　invaded。　The　generals　might　have　made　their　move。　By　going　immediately；　Nathan　Lee　had　preempted　the　alternate　realities；　or　at　least　some　of　them。
　Izzy　had　died。　She　wasn't　sure　Nathan　Lee　even　knew。　For　several　hours　she'd　been　watching　darkness　creep　through　Izzy's　limbs　and　into　his　core。　Now　he　was　little　more　than　a　shadow　on　Nathan　Lee's　lap。
　Beside　her；　a　puter's　screen　saver　showed　clouds　whisking　past　the　Matterhorn。　The　scene　switched：　the　Grand　Canyon　at　dawn。　A　Hawaiian　waterfall。　Fields　of　red　poppies。　Mount　Everest　at　sunset。　It　was　a　box　full　of　dreams。　At　last　she　figured　out　the　screen　theme。　There　were　no　people　in　the　pretty　places。　The　puter　was　showing　her　the　Garden　before　man。　She　reached　over　and　turned　it　off。
　They　had　supplies　to　last　a　decade。　With　care；　there　seemed　no　reason　they　could　not　last　forever。　If　the　plague　approached　again；　they　could　always　self…infect。　Three　years；　Nathan　Lee　had　argued　with　her。　A　whole　lifetime。
　She　returned　to　the　monitor；　to　her　spectral　lover。How　long　are　you　going　to　sit　there？　His　hands　were　losing　light。　She　could　see　it。　He　was　freezing。　She　resented　that。　He　knew　how　to　take　care　of　himself。　If　he　could　make　it　across　Tibet　in　the　dead　of　winter；　this　should　be　a　snap。　But　he　just　sat　there。
　Finally　she　could　not　bear　to　simply　watch。　She　got　to　her　feet。　Her　jaw　was　set。　Her　decision　was　made。
　Nathan　Lee　would　be　hot　with　the　virus　now；　but　she　could　wear　a　biohazard　suit。　The　roads　were　piling　up　with　snow；　but　she　could　take　one　of　the　big　Army　trucks　with　chains。　For　that　matter；　she　could　walk。　It　was　only　twelve　miles。　The　snow　couldn't　be　that　deep。
　The　Captain　intercepted　her　at　the　door。　She　hadn't　even　been　aware　he　was　here。　〃Forget　it；〃　he　said。　〃One　sacrifice　is　enough。〃
　〃I'm　bringing　him　back；〃　she　told　him。　〃He　can　live　out　what's　left　in　a　warm　bed　in　South　Sector。〃
　〃That's　not　what　he　wants。〃
　〃Oh；　he　told　you？〃
　〃I　have　eyes。〃
　〃Well　I'm　not　giving　up　on　him。〃
　〃We　need　you　here；　Miranda；〃　he　said。
　〃Then　send　a　team　of　men　for　him。〃
　〃Don't　spoil　it；〃　said　the　Captain。
　She　felt　skinned；　she　was　so　raw。　〃Spoil　it？〃　she　shouted。　People　looked。　She　lowered　her　voice。　〃He's　throwing　himself　away。〃
　〃You　know　better。〃　He　crooked　one　arm　around　her　shoulders。
　She　thought　he　was　going　to　offer　a　sympathy　hug。　〃Save　your　pity；〃　she　said。
　But　with　a　motion；　he　swept　her　to　face　the　wall　like　a　naughty　child。　He　put　his　head　next　to　hers。　〃The　man's　doing　his　job；〃　he　whispered　in　her　ear。　He　was　stern。　〃Do　yours。〃
　The　reprimand　took　her　breath。　He　wasn't　finished。　He　laid　one　hand　on　her　stomach。　On　her　womb。
　She　flushed。　He'd　learned　her　secret。　〃He　told　you　before　he　went；〃　she　whispered。
　〃No；〃　said　the　Captain。　〃Like　I　said；　I　have　eyes。　My　wife；　she　knew　you　were　pregnant　a　long　time　ago。　I　wasn't　so　sure。　But　I　am　now。〃
　She　fought　with　her　joy；　fought　with　her　sorrow；　which　was　it？
　〃You　need　to　be　thinking；〃　the　Captain　said。　〃What　will　you　tell　the　city　in　the　morning？　They'll　want　to　hear　where　things　go　from　here。〃
　That　hadn't　occurred　to　her。　She　would　have　to　go　public　with　something。　Their　victory　needed　enunciation。　〃What　am　I　supposed　to　say？〃　she　murmured。
　〃Give　them　a　story。　Tell　them　about　the　future。　Make　it　up。　A　new　land。　Wherever　it　is　you　see　us　going。〃
　He　let　go　of　her　shoulder；　and　it　felt　like　she　was　tumbling　through　empty　space。　She　put　her　hands　against　the　wall　to　steady　herself。　She　laid　her　forehead　against　the　hardness　and　breathed　out。　Tears　began　burning　down　her　cheeks；　her　first　tears。　She　was　shaking。　Now　was　the　time　for　the　Captain　to　give　her　his　shoulder。　But　he　didn't。　No　pity。　He　just　stood　beside　her；　faced　out　to　the　room；　and　guarded　her　tears。
　Then；　for　some　reason；　the　sirens　began。
　Swiping　at　her　tears；　Miranda　glanced　around。　All　through　the　room；　heads　were　lifting　from　monitors。　People　stood　hesitantly；　half　certain　the　wailing　would　shut　off。　But　it　went　on。
　〃What's　happening？〃　Miranda　asked。　〃Are　we　under　attack？〃
　She　looked　for　the　generals'　staffers。　Maybe　they　could　explain。　But　they　had　left。
　Men　and　women　had　begun　checking　each　other's　screens；　confused。　〃It's　got　to　be　a　false　alarm；〃　someone　insisted。　〃There's　no　movement　in　the　valley。〃　Even　so；　people　began　drifting　to　the　doorway；　reluctant　to　leave　their　stations；　and　yet　tugged　by　the　sirens。　They　didn't　know　what　to　trust。
　Out　in　the　hallway；　men　and　women　were　streaming　for　the　exits；　shrugging　on　jackets；　grumbling　about　the　bother。　Miranda　pushed　through　them；　making　for　the　stairway　to　the　roof。　The　Captain　was　at　her　heels。　She　climbed　the　stairs　two　at　a　time。
　The　rooftop　was　bright　with　floodlights。　The　snow　sparkled　like　jewels。　It　was　piled　to　her　knees；　deeper　than　she'd　thought。　The　air　swirled　with　heavy　white　flakes。　On　the　edge　of　the　dark　forest