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gh clenched teeth。
All his life； it seemed； Nathan Lee had been climbing； scratching holds into the mountain； pulling at the world。 And never finding his answers。 Never letting go。 He let go。 〃I can't save you；〃 he murmured。
The tall soldier frowned。 Others around him showed disappointment； too。 Ochs was about to be loosed on them once again。
Nathan Lee opened his hands。 The knife dropped on the dirt。 He released his enemy。
With that； Ochs rose up with a roar。 He loomed in front of Nathan Lee； eyes terrible； his naked chest striped with scars。 In some ascetic fit； he had cut his own nipples off。 That frightened Nathan Lee more than anything。 He had sliced away his most tender flesh in the name of God。 〃Now；〃 Ochs declared。
It was his last word。
From behind； as if it had an enchanted life of its own； Nathan Lee's knife appeared at Ochs's neck。 The blade moved without pause； one stroke； across and back。 Ochs squinted。 His scowl was full of pain； but full of questions； too。 He seemed to be inviting Nathan Lee to tell him what was wrong。
Then the prophet's throat yawed open。 The hot breath escaped from his windpipe in a puff of steam。 Bright blood flew across the white ground and sprayed Nathan Lee。 Ochs clutched at his neck； eyes bulging。 It was like watching a man strangle himself。
He didn't topple and crash to earth。 In the end； the great oak of a man simply eased down into a tangle of limbs。 His bones seemed to melt。 His legs folded。 He sank to sitting。 His spine bent and he drooped over his lap； shrinking smaller。 His head met the dirt。 After that he didn't move anymore。
Nathan Lee raised his eyes。 The tall soldier stood above Ochs's body with the knife in one hand。 Nathan Lee knew better than to run。 He stood rooted in place as the crusaders hemmed him in。
〃WHAT ARE THEY DOINGto him？〃 Miranda was holding onto the very edge of the TV monitor。 She was still in shock。 While she lay sleeping； her lover had crossed the river and vanished。 And reappeared。
Balanced on some niche in the midst of the camp； Izzy's camera had never stopped transmitting。 The mob had no idea it was there。 In the foreground； bodies and faces milled back and forth； blocking and unblocking the zoom。 Between their traffic； you could see the cross in the distance。
With the Captain at her side； Miranda watched Nathan Lee emerge from the crowd and jump on Ochs like a tiger and face off his small legion of warriors。 From this distance； the scene was antlike。 The knife…too small to see； but easy to deduce…had kept Ochs frozen and Nathan Lee temporarily safe。
Her heart felt like a stone。 Her love had not been enough。 In the end； Nathan Lee had succumbed to the past。 He had been unable to stay away from the camp。 His unfolding revenge looked so slight on the screen。
But then he stepped away and Ochs climbed to his feet and the crowd obstructed her view again。 〃Now what？〃 she said。
The Captain peered at the screen。 〃There；〃 he said。 〃Above their heads。 See？〃
She looked。
Izzy's cross was tipping。
35
Peace on Earth
MIDNIGHT
She watched Izzy fade to black on the lime…green satellite feed。 No one could know for sure if it was really him and Nathan Lee down there。 Through the veils of storm and night； all they could get on the high resolution views were thermal signatures。 But Miranda knew。 It would be like Nathan Lee to stay and put his back against the wind and hold his friend。
A dozen different images from this and other satellites flickered on screens around the busy room。 The medium resolution pictures used a scale of one inch per mile； and they showed pools of massed human body heat that looked motionless。 But by piling images from the past twelve hours and running them at high speed； the ASTER experts had been able to display the beginnings of a wholesale retreat。 Large； shapeless configurations…hundreds of thousands of people…were moving away from the epicenter。 The herd pattern had been most active before sunset。 Since then； darkness； plunging temperatures； and the deepening snow had bogged them。
Most hadn't made it more than a half mile before halting for the night。 But the evidence was clear。 The pilgrims were leaving； or trying to。 The siege had broken。 They had given up on the city。 The precise explanation eluded Los Alamos； but it coincided with Nathan Lee's appearance in the valley。 Maybe he had persuaded Ochs to send the pilgrims home。 Or he'd warned them of dire consequences； or offered himself as the city's ransom； or pointed them in a new direction。 Something had gone on in that camp。
Throughout Los Alamos； people were celebrating as if a great war had ended。 There had been an interfaith service at the Oppenheimer Center earlier in the evening； televised for those who could not attend in person。 Miranda had caught parts of it。 Interspliced with satellite images of the pilgrims' retreat； the city's priests； ministers； mullahs； rabbis； and a Buddhist monk had given thanks for their deliverance。 They said prayers for the poor people now stranded in the blizzard。 It was 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 expressio