jefflong.yearzero-第39部分

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n　Los　Alamos　that　America…the　method　of　it；　the　system…could　e　unraveled　so　pletely。
　〃Be　careful；〃　he　said。　〃That's　a　popular　word；　traitor。　It's　what　they　say　every　time　they　pull　their　triggers。〃
　She　sniffed。　〃You　perpetrated　fraud　everywhere　you　went；〃　she　said。
　〃It　got　me　here。〃
　She　openedHimalayan　Flora　with　the　tip　of　her　pen；　purposely　irreverent。　〃There　are　passport　stamps　from　Mongolia　and　China　and　Nepal。〃
　〃Keepsakes；〃　he　said。　〃The　customs　posts　were　empty。〃
　〃You　didn't　e　through　Asia；〃　she　said。　He　couldn't　have。　It　was　like　the　dark　side　of　the　moon。
　He　didn't　argue　the　point。　He　didn't　care　if　she　believed　it。　〃I　brought　the　Smithsonian　specimens；〃　he　said。　〃Does　anyone　know　what　I'm　talking　about？〃
　〃They're　not　important　anymore；〃　Miranda　told　him。　In　fact；　any　one　of　the　relics　might　prove　entirely　relevant。　But　she　wasn't　going　to　give　herself　away　yet。　That　wasn't　how　one　bargained。
　〃I　brought　them；〃　he　repeated。　〃I　want　to　cut　a　deal。〃
　Miranda　was　momentarily　put　out。　She　was　bluffing；　and　even　if　it　showed；　it　was　not　his　place　to　say　so。　〃They　might　have　had　value　months　ago。。。。〃
　〃I　came　for　my　daughter；〃　he　stated。
　She　hesitated。　Could　it　be　so　simple？　〃Grace；〃　she　said。
　His　fingers　curled　shut。　He　blinked　through　the　coke…bottle　lenses。
　Miranda　glanced　at　the　Captain　to　see　if　this　was　his　idea。　The　coincidence　of　two　fathers　each　heartsick　seemed　too　coincidental。　But　the　Captain's　surprise　looked　genuine。
　〃She's　here？〃　asked　Miranda。
　〃I　hope。〃
　〃Someone　told　you　she's　here？〃
　〃Not　exactly。〃
　〃Let　me　get　this　straight。　You　trick　your　way　across　the　country　using　a　false　I。D。　You　hold　government　property　for　ransom。　You　threaten　our　attempt　to　find　a　cure；　and　you　crash　my　work　day。　Just　to　e　fishing？〃
　〃I　see　your　point；〃　he　readily　admitted。　He　seemed　a　little　embarrassed　by　the　slimness　of　it。　But　he　stood　his　ground。
　What　part　of　him　was　real？　she　wondered。　If　the　evidence　was　true；　then　he'd　been　racing　one　step　ahead　of　the　plague　for　months。　What　sights　had　he　seen？　What　world　was　left　out　there？　No　one　knew　anymore。　Their　eyes　on　the　world　had　blinked　shut　as　the　technology　failed。　Batteries　had　gone　dead；　generators　had　run　out　of　fuel。　The　satellites　showed　anarchy　at　best。　There　were　no　more　spy…plane　overflights　of　Canada　or　Mexico；　or　even　Atlanta。　The　astronauts　on　board　the　space　shuttle　had　mutinied。　No　longer　content　to　remain　in　orbit　as　a　backup　disc　to　the　species；　they　had　set　off　for　Earth。。。and　disappeared。　The　manned　recons　were　increasingly　tentative　and　local；　especially　after　the　Navy's　global　mapping　expedition　had　ended　in　silence　and　disaster。　So　far　as　they　knew；　the　Captain's　daughter　had　never　reached　the　shores　of　America。　Yet　this　scrawny；　stubborn　vagabond　was　claiming　to　have　passed　through　it　all；　on　a　hope？
　〃What　if　she's　not　here？〃　asked　Miranda。
　〃Odds　are；　she's　not。〃　He　said　it　without　a　hint　of　resignation。
　The　Captain　did　a　double　take；　Miranda　couldn't　help　but　see　it。　Shoulder　to　shoulder；　the　two　men　were　dealing　with　similar　loss。　But；　for　an　instant；　the　older　man　seemed　oddly　lifted　by　the　younger　one。
　〃Half　the　country's　missing。〃　She　put　some　aggravation　in　her　voice。
　He　waited　for　her　point。　He　didn't　seem　to　care　if　the　rest　of　the　world　was　missing。　Indeed；　if　his　story　was　real；　he　knew　better　than　they　what　missing　meant。　〃You　could　search　forever；〃　she　said。
　〃That's　okay；〃　he　answered　softly。
　Right　there；　he　captured　her。　That　was　not　his　intention；　it　could　not　have　been。　Miranda　would　never　have　guessed　she　herself　was　vulnerable。　It　just　happened。
　She　had　grown　weary。　They　all　had。　Their　suicides　and　orgies　and　petty　hatreds　were　forms　of　surrender。　Each　day　they　were　giving　up　a　little　more；　getting　ready　to　seal　themselves　away　in　her　father's　underground　sanctuary　and　hide　out　until　the　plague　was　finished　ravishing　the　planet。　No　one　believed　in　forever　anymore。　No　one　spoke　hope。
　We　need　him。
　〃This　isn't　a　missing　persons　bureau；〃　she　declared。
　〃I'm　not　the　pizza　delivery　boy；　either；〃　he　said。
　It　was　almost　reckless；　almost　insolent。　Almost。　But　there　was　no　pride　behind　the　chutzpah。　He　was　just　here　for　his　daughter。
　〃How　do　I　know　you　won't　betray　me？　We've　got　no　evidence　this　package　of　artifacts　even　exists。〃
　〃There's　those　letters　from　the　Smithsonian。〃　He　pointed　helpfully　with　one　finger；　and　both　hands　came　up；　attached　at　the　wrist。
　〃Pieces　of　paper。〃　Miranda　nudged　at　his　forged　blood　book。　〃Fictions。〃
　〃You'll　find　a　tree；〃　he　said。　〃Go　forty　feet　north　of　mile　marker　3。〃
　〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃
　〃Off　Highway　502。　It's　all　there。　In　saddlebags。　They're　not　buried。　Look　up　in　the　branches。〃
　〃You　said　they　were　buried。〃
　〃I　lied。　Again。〃
　Miranda　looked　at　the　Captain；　and　his　eyebrows　were　knit　into　a　single　black　V。　He　was　taken　off　guard；　too。　As　an　afterthought；　he　took　a　notepad　from　his　pocket　and　started　writing。　He　spoke　into　a　cellphone。
　Nathan　Lee　gave　her　a　pleasant　smile。　〃Now　we've　got　that　out　of　the　way。〃
　The　smile　annoyed　her。　She　wanted　to　scold　him。　What　did　he　have　to　smile　about？　He'd　left　himself　no　chips。　He'd　gained　nothing；　except　to　throw　the　question　of　trust　back　on　her。　She'd　made　no　promises。　But　now　it　was　her　in　the　position　of　betraying　him。　Then　Miranda　realized　he　knew　exactly　what　he　was　doing。　She'd　made　an　issue　of　trust；　so　now　he　was　using　it　against　her。
　〃I　could　wait　until　they　confirm　your。。nfession。〃　She　made　her　voice　frosty。　〃But　I'll　go　ahead　and　check　the　registry。〃　She　slid　the　keyboard　closer。　〃It's　only　for　Los　Alamos；〃　she　warned。
　〃That's　fine。〃
　She　spoke　as　she　typed。　〃Grace　Swift。〃
　〃Probably　not；〃　he　said。
　He　was　right。　〃Well；　what　then？〃
　〃There　was　a　divorce。〃　Miranda　backspaced　over　the　Swift。　He　craned　to　see　her　screen；　but　the　Captain　moved　him　back　with　a　gesture。　〃Try　Ochs；〃　he　said。
　Miranda's　fingers　froze。　〃Not　David　Ochs；〃　she　blurted。
　His　eyes　lit　up。　They　positively　burned。　Then　he　made　himself　clement　and　mild　behind　the　clunky　horn…rims　again。　〃So　he's　made　himself　safe；〃　he　said。
　She　glanced　at　the　Captain；　confounded。　〃He　has　a　wife　and　child？〃　The　executioner　had　a　family？
　〃A　sister；〃　Nathan　Lee　corrected　her。　〃She　remarried。　She　might　have　taken　another　name。　But　start　with　Ochs。　Please。〃
　What　kind　of　charade　was　this？　Clearly　the　man　had　followed　Ochs　here。　He'd　skillfully　used　documents　that　were　over　a　half　year　old　to　gain　access　to　the　Mesa；　and　maybe　that　was　all　there　was　to　it；　one　more　opportunist　trying　to　slide　through　the　fence。　More　ominously；　Ochs　may　have　summoned　him；　an　ally；　the　last　thing　Los　Alamos　needed。　But　why　use　her；　why　not　go　straight　through　Ochs？　Cover？　A　sting？　On　the　other　hand；　he　could　be　who　he　claimed　to　be；　which　verged　on　nothing。　There　was　only　one　sure　way　to　find　out。
　〃Captain；〃　she　said；　〃lock　this　man　up。〃
　*　　*　　*
　OCHS　DID　NOT　Egently。　He　entered　the　monitor　room　loudly；　eyes　bulging　with　gangster　aggression。　His　skull　was　mottled　red　with　his　indignation。　〃What　is　this　all　about？〃　he　demanded。
　〃That's　what　I　want　to　know；〃　said　Miranda。
　〃Take　it　up　with　Cavendish；　whatever　it　is。〃　He　made　a　show　of　trying　to　leave；　but　the　Captain　had　sent　two　of　his　biggest　men。　They　loomed　at　the　door。
　〃Sit；〃　said　the　Captain。
　Then　Ochs　caught　sight　of　the　television　screen　by　Miranda's　elbow。　The　stranger　was　sitting　on　a　metal　bed　in　a　stainless　steel　cell。　A　small　noise　eked　from　Ochs's　nostrils。　The　red　blotches　on　his　polished　head　drained　pale。　〃Swift；〃　he　whispered。　〃But　he's　dead。〃
　Miranda　felt　a　shock　of　happiness；　wicked　and　relieved　at　the　same　time。　Ochs　was　afraid。　And　the　stranger　had　been　honest　at　least　about　his　name。　〃We　were　discussing　you；〃　she　said。
　〃What　in　God's　name　is　he　doing　here？〃
　〃He　brought　the　Smithsonian　specimens　that　you　said　don't　exist；〃　she　said。　〃I　wanted　to　hear　your　side　of　it。〃
　〃My　side　of　what？〃　said　Ochs。　The　blood　returned　to　his　face。　But　his　bluster　was　gone。　〃He's　a　convicted　murderer。　A　cannibal。　Yes；　it's　true；　in　this　day　and　age。　It　all　came　out　in　his　trial。　He　tried　to　kill　me。　They　jailed　him　in　Kathmandu。　You　must　have　read　about　it。〃
　The　seamy；　tabloid　details　rushed　to　her。　This　was　that　man？　But　she　recalled；　even　before　the　plague　transcended　it；　doubting　the　story　could　be　true　in　all　its　parts。　It　had　seemed　too　sordid；　too　fantastic　to　be　real。
　〃He's　hunting　me；〃　said　Ochs。　〃He　wants　revenge。〃
　〃That's　not　what　he　told　us；〃　she　managed　to　say。　Ochs's　fear　was　so。。。delicious。
　The　precision…trimmed　goatee　twitched。　〃What　did　he　tell　you？　Jerusalem；　is　that　it？〃
　〃Tell　me；〃　said　Miranda。Jerusalem？　This　was　like　feeding　quarters　into　a　video　game。　Ochs　was　practically　playing　himself。
　〃He　was　one　of　my　students。　An　idiot；　really。　Every　department　has　one；　the　lost　soul　scraping　for　identity。　I　stuck　him　out　in　the　desert　where　he　couldn't　embarrass　himself。〃
　〃Jerusalem；〃　she　repeated。
　〃He　heard　about　the　Golgotha　find。　He　called　me。　The　earthquake　had　just　hit。　A　quick　buck；　he　said。〃
　〃You　robbed　the　Golgotha　site？〃　Until　this　moment；　she'd　never　known　it　had　been　robbed。
　〃What　could　I　do？　I　went　to　stop　him。　He　was　married　to　my　sister。　I　wasn't　trying　to　protect　him；　only　my　family。　My　department。〃
　〃That's　not　what　he　said。〃　She　didn't　know　what　else　to　say。　Feed　the　quarters　in。
　〃I　didn't　push　him。　He　fell；〃　Ochs　snarled。　〃I　was　trying　to　catch　him。〃
　Was　he　talking　about　Jerusalem？　The　Captain　knew　more　about　it　than　she　did。　〃You　left　him；〃　he　said。　〃In　the　mountains。〃
　Ochs　came　closer　to　the　screen。　Nathan　Lee　could　have　been　waiting　for　a　bus　to　arrive。　〃How　did　he　get　out？〃　he　muttered　to　himself。　〃He's　here？〃
　〃He　says　he　wants　his　daughter；〃　said　the　Captain。
　〃She's　not　here。〃
　〃Where　is　she？〃
　Miranda　was　grateful　for　the　Captain's　presence。　He　was　driving　to　the　heart　of　the　matter。　They　had　found　the　saddlebags　in　the　tree。　Their　part　of　the　bargain　was　to　provide　the　man　his　daughter；　or　clues。　But　Ochs　was　too　clever；　or　frightened。
　〃He's　dead；〃　said　Ochs。　〃Tell　him　that。　We　told　her　he　died。〃
　〃Tell　him　yourself；〃　said　the　Capta