jefflong.yearzero-第85部分

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　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；　tall　phantom　pines　came　and　went　in　the　gusts。
　Miranda　went　to　the　edge　of　the　building　and　looked　across　at　the　glittering　city。　It　was　beautiful；　all　decorated　with　holiday　lights。　Big　snow　plows　with　flashing　blue　lights　were　blading　clean　the　roads。　Columns　of　soldiers　were　filing　through　the　streets。　The　air　raid　sirens　went　on　howling　at　them；　waking　the　city；　waking　the　dead。
　The　generals；　she　thought。　They　weren't　finished　yet。
　　
　NATHANLEElifted　his　head。　He　heard　the　song。　He　opened　his　eyes。
　The　world　was　pitch　black。　He　had　been　nearing　the　bottom。　Hypothermia　was　its　own　realm。　Now　he　floated　back　to　consciousness。
　Who　could　be　singing？　It　was　so　beautiful。
　He　took　a　long　minute　to　remember　where　he　was。　He　didn't　see　the　snow。　He　didn't　feel　the　weight　across　his　legs。　His　arms　were　stone。　He　felt　rooted　to　the　earth。　Ancient　as　a　relic。
　He　thought；I'm　blind。　Then　he　lifted　his　head　a　little　more；　and　there　was　the　faintest　glow　on　the　far　horizon。Dawn；　he　smiled。　Night　was　passing。
　The　singing　had　no　words。　He　listened　more　intently。　It　came　to　him。The　throats　of　angels。
　Then　there　was　light。
　
　36
　Exodus
　
　The　valley　lit　white。
　Miranda　stepped　back　from　the　flash。
　The　far　mountains　went　dark。　Abruptly　they　surged　to　orange　and　red　in　the　gathering　fireball。　That　suddenly　the　air　raid　sirens　fell　silent。
　The　only　thing　she　knew　about　such　things　came　from　movies。　Next　would　e　a　tidal　wave　of　wind　and　fire。　Buildings　would　ignite；　glass　fly；　forests　bend。　Their　flesh　would　melt。
　The　Captain　thought　so；　too。　〃Get　down！〃　he　yelled。　They　fell　into　the　snow　on　top　of　the　roof。
　But　the　aftershock　never　reached　them。　Not　a　breeze。
　The　weaponeers　must　have　been　planning　it　for　days。　The　bomb　was　perfectly　planted；　sized　just　right。　She　could　picture　it　from　above。　With　the　base　of　the　mesa　for　its　anchor　wall；　the　nuclear　wind　had　cast　out　across　the　valley；　east　and　south　and　north。。。away　from　the　city。
　At　last　the　sound　of　a　thunderclap　cracked　above　the　city。　It　passed　over　them　to　the　west；　into　the　night。
　On　her　elbows；　Miranda　crawled　through　the　snow　to　the　edge　of　the　roof。　The　mushroom　cloud　was　flowering　to　the　south　and　east；　midway　to　Santa　Fe。　It　was　pink。　The　head　reached　their　height；　then　went　on　growing；　a　long；　skinny　stalk　poking　at　the　stars。　The　stars　showed。　The　blast　had　melted　a　hole　in　the　very　sky。
　The　Captain　joined　her。　Side　by　side；　they　peered　off　toward　the　valley。
　〃What　have　you　done？〃　murmured　Miranda。
　〃I　had　no　idea；〃　said　the　Captain。　His　voice　was　full　of　shock。
　She　closed　her　eyes。　〃Not　you；〃　she　said。　〃God　damn　my　father。〃
　Everything　stood　revealed。　Ochs　had　been　released　to　preach。　He　had　unwittingly　brought　the　hordes　of　faithful　into　one　place。　Her　father　had　wielded　the　people's　faith　against　them。　He　had　dangled　the　city　as　bait；　then　struck　with　one　swift　blow。　Their　enemy　was　abolished。
　〃Don't；〃　the　Captain　stopped　her　quietly。　〃He's　your　father。〃
　She　vomited。　Onto　her　arms；　into　the　snow；　over　the　edge。
　〃It　was　self…defense；〃　said　the　Captain。　But　his　voice　was　hollow。
　〃They　were　leaving。〃
　〃I　know；〃　he　whispered。
　〃A　nuclear　bomb。　Against　children？〃
　The　Captain　searched　for　justification。　〃What　did　they　expect？　This　is　Los　Alamos。〃
　〃They　had　no　warning。〃
　〃It　wouldn't　have　mattered。〃
　〃For　some　it　might　have。〃
　〃They　were　already　dead；〃　he　said。　〃All　of　them。〃
　〃That's　monstrous。〃
　〃They　were　done　with　the　world。　They'd　said　their　prayers。　For　them　the　siege　was　just　another　way　to　die。　A　quicker　way。〃
　〃The　bomb　was　a　mercy？〃
　〃We're　spared；〃　said　the　Captain。　〃It's　not　pleasant　how　we're　spared。　But　now　they　won't　e。〃
　〃A　million　people。〃
　〃Now　we　have　a　future；〃　he　reminded　her。　〃The　future　you　wanted。〃
　〃Not　like　this。〃
　She　looked　at　the　Captain　and　his　horror　was　explicit。　He　looked　old。　He　didn't　believe　his　own　words。　She　got　to　her　knees。　〃e　inside。〃
　〃Yes。〃　But　he　seemed　so　fragile。　He　was　shivering。　She　had　to　help　him　to　his　feet。
　They　descended　the　stairs。
　Up　and　down　the　hallways；　every　phone　was　ringing。　It　was　the　signal。　The　authorities　were　reversing　the　911　emergency　call　system。　Every　phone　in　every　office　and　home　in　Los　Alamos　was　getting　the　same　recorded　message。
　The　exodus　was　beginning。
　She　went　into　an　office　and　picked　up　one　of　the　phones。　A　pleasant　voice　was　saying；　〃。。。to　your　designated　evacuation　depot。　This　is　not　a　test。　Please　go。。。。〃
　〃This　can't　be　real；〃　said　Miranda。　〃They've　just　incinerated　every　last　person　in　the　valley。〃
　Then　suddenly　shedid　understand。　The　generals'　words　came　back　to　her。When　the　time　es；　we　will　part　the　waters。　While　they　still　had　the　enemy　in　their　sights；　they　had　taken　their　shot。　Now　her　father　was　ready　for　them。
　〃I　have　to　go；〃　said　the　Captain。　〃My　wife。。。。〃
　〃Of　course；〃　she　said。
　Miranda　advanced　down　the　hallway　in　a　daze。　There　was　no　panic。　Doors　stood　open。　Scientists　were　quietly　shaking　hands　and　taking　last…minute　group　snapshots　by　their　bench　labs　and　cubicles。　They　calmly　hung　up　their　lab　jackets　and　safety　goggles；　and　walked　away。　She　could　read　their　thinking。　They　had　resisted　this　moment　for　years；　but　now　that　it　was　here；　they　were　relieved。　The　virus　hunt　would　continue；　but　more　reasonably；　in　safety；　with　time　on　their　side　for　a　change。
　A　man　patted　her　arm。　〃It　was　a　good　fight；〃　he　said。
　〃It's　not　over；〃　she　said。　〃Nothing's　changed。〃
　He　gave　her　a　funny　look；　and　hurried　off。
　She　went　outside　and　crossed　the　bridge　to　the　city。　It　was　one　in　the　morning。　The　streets　were　filling　with　people　bustling　home　to　their　families。　There　were　small　details　to　attend；　she　knew。　Some　had　decided　to　poison　their　pets；　others　to　free　them。　Through　windows　with　opened　curtains；　she　saw　people　making　their　beds；　straightening　pictures　on　the　wall；　looking　around　to　make　sure　all　was　neat。　They　left　their　Christmas　trees　and　electric　Hanukkah　candles　on。　They'd　packed　their　bags　long　ago。　There　was　no　need　to　say　goodbye　to　anyone。　They　would　all　be　seeing　each　other　down　below。　That　was　the　plan。　She　saw　people　locking　their　doors　for　the　last　time；　and　then；　unlocking　them。。。letting　go。
　The　snow　had　stopped。　The　sky　had　cleared。　It　was　chilly。　Pulled　from　sleep；　children　were　crying。　Block　by　block；　the　exodus　took　shape。　They　had　practiced　for　this　event　once　every　month　for　the　past　two　years。　The　shock　of　the　bomb　seemed　offset　by　the　shock　of　evacuation。　Their　faces　were　laced　with　fear　and　wonder。
　Miranda　felt　like　a　ghost　as　she　passed　through　their　lines。　Citizens　were　orderly；　if　excited。　The　air　was　freezing。　Under　their　parkas　and　fleece　jackets；　many　wore　vacation　clothes：　Hawaiian　print　shirts；　sun…dresses；　tank　tops；　blue　jeans。　The　carved…out　salt　chamber　beckoned　to　them　like　a　tropical　paradise。
　Each　had　their　〃tenner〃　in　hand　or　strapped　to　little　airline　carts；　or　in　backpacks；　the　ten　kilos　of　personal　possessions　which　every　man；　woman；　and　child　was　allowed　to　bring。　You　could　take　anything　at　all：　books；　software；　teddy　bears；　clean　socks。　Whiskey；　or　psychedelics。　Whatever　might　get　you　through　the　next　ten　or　twenty　or　forty　years　sealed　twenty…one　hundred　feet　inside　the　earth。　For　as　long　as　Miranda　had　been　here；　the　contents　of　one's　tenner　were　a　subject　of　conversation；　gossip；　even　jokes。　Your　choices　weren't　simply　a　matter　of　taste。　They　reflected　what　kind　of　human　being　you　were。　Grave　goods；　Nathan　Lee　had　called　them。　Relics　that　people　took　into　the　next　world。
　Each　neighborhood　and　mesa　finger　had　its　own　boarding　sites。　The　passengers　waited　politely　for　their　transportation；　stamping　in　the　cold。　The　clear　mountain　air　was　fouled　by　diesel　fumes　as　sixteen…and　eighteen…wheelers　backed　up　to　the　docks。　The　trailers　were　sheathed　in　triple…layers　of　black　quarter…inch　rubber　membrane　normally　used　for　roofing。　Every　rivet　was　epoxy　sealed。　The　cabs　were　armored　against　guerrilla　attacks；　the　windshields　bullet…proofed。　The　drivers　wore　moon　suits。　The　vehicles　looked　more　like　submarines　than　Peterbilts。
　Straps　hung　from　the　ceiling　like　meat　hooks。　There　were　no　windows；　no　seats；　no　snack　bars。　It　was　going　to　be　standing　room　only　for　the　next　twelve　or　twenty　or　thirty　hours。　Soldiers　piled　their　tenners　in　growing　mountains　to　one　side。
　At　one　depot　after　another；　people　called　out　to　Miranda。　〃You　can　e　in　our　truck；〃　they　offered。　Everyone　wanted　her　with　them。
　〃I'm　staying；〃　she　said。
　They　were　appalled。　〃But　you　can't。　It's　too　late　for　that。〃
　〃It's　just　beginning；〃　she　assured　them。　She　didn't　ask　anyone　to　stay。　They　were　afraid。　The　bomb　had　spoken　to　their　mortality。　So　far　Miranda　had　heard　no　one　speak　about　it　out　loud；　the　holocaust　her　father　had　unleashed。　You　could　see　it　in　their　eyes；　though。　This　was　final。　No　atheists　in　the　foxholes；　she　thought。　All　the　brave　talk　of　drawing　a　line　in　the　sand；　holding　the　fort；　making　a　stand。。。gone。　She　didn't　blame