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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 of frozen constellations。 There was no moon； only the glitter of pitiless stars。 At least there was no wind。 Izzy was naked。 Nathan Lee could not get over it。
They walked quickly through the cold。 Inside； the building was warm。 They took the elevator down to her office。 A mattress was leaning up against one wall for her all…nighters。 Miranda collapsed in a chair。
Nathan Lee stood by the window overlooking the incubation capsules。 The chamber glowed blue。 Tropical humidity beaded the far side of the glass。 He pressed one fingertip against the window。 It felt like he was forever on the outside looking in at one world or another； never quite sure if here was there。
〃Miranda；〃 he said。 It was time。 〃We have to leave。〃
He saw her reflection in the glass。 She didn't stir in her chair。 He turned and went over and took her cold hands。 Her eyes looked hollowed out。
〃I can get us out of here；〃 he said。 〃We'll go over the mountain。 While there's still time。〃
Unexpectedly； she smiled。 〃Paris？〃 she said。
〃Somewhere。〃
She touched his face。 〃And then what？〃
All through the evening he had watched men and women ing to terms with the looming invasion。 As one； the generals had stood and left the room to plot their own strategem。 The rest had stayed and pondered their options； emptying out their hopes； blame； and wild ideas。 Finally they had exhausted themselves。 Through it all； Miranda had presided over their confusion。 They were trapped upon their mesa。 The only question was how long Izzy might last and when the end would e。
〃Three years；〃 he said to her。 〃The Sera…III。 Give us that gift； you and me。〃
Her smile faded。 〃We've been through this。 Without the city； there is no hope。 Everything is here。〃
〃It's too late； Miranda。 Your father was too late with his kingdom of tunnels。 You're too late with your magic。 The plague has caught up with us。 Think of us。〃
〃I am；〃 she said。
〃Then quit trying to save the world。〃
〃Quit？〃 She was tender。 〃We can't quit。 You taught me that。 Never quit。〃
〃It's over