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The Egyptian understood。 He leaned in。 Their heads were touching。 〃Ready？〃 said Nikos； and they both emptied their lungs。
Nikos pleted the final rotation。 With a jewelers gummy stick； he lifted the top off the capsule。 Immediately both men inhaled。
The Egyptian closed his eyes。 He smiled。 The scent was ancient； part herb； part oil。 As if sampling a narcotic； he sipped the odor of antiquity through his nostrils。 He drew it into his lungs。 He released the air slowly； tasting its parts。 Now he understood why Nikos had offered him no food。 This feast； so rare and subtle； was best appreciated on an empty stomach。
The Egyptian opened his eyes。 Nikos was peering into the capsule。 It was empty except for a serous material at the bottom； some kind of thickened liquid。 〃Perhaps the relic disintegrated；〃 he said。 〃That happens； especially if the relic was organic。 No matter； the labs can still provide details from the residue。〃 Six times； one for each lab and himself； he dipped a cotton swab inside the glass shell。 The tips came out brown and sticky。 Each swab went into its own test tube。 When he was done providing for the labs； Nikos touched his fingertip to the edge of the glass and rubbed the residue between his fingers。 He sniffed at it again； then touched his finger to his tongue。 The Egyptian did not go so far。 Nikos made several notes under 〃A；〃 then wrote； 〃B；〃 and bent to cut the second capsule from its threads。
They repeated the act three more times。 Each time they inhaled the first rich； momentary burst of air。 Only one capsule contained an object。 In capsule C； at the foot of the cross； they extracted a flat splinter of metal。 〃Iron；〃 said Nikos。 〃Part of a nail； what do you think？ Or a lance head。 The metallurgy is quite different。 And if there is any blood residue； it will show up in the lab work； too。〃
He broke pieces from the splinter and placed them into test tubes the Egyptian opened and closed for him。 What was left of the metal sliver he set on a gauze pad。 When they were finished； there were six sets of four test tubes。 The Egyptian helped him pack the test tubes in padded mail tubes that were already addressed to laboratories in Europe； Israel； and South Africa。 Nikos took the tray with the pieces of thedomo and the opened capsules into his refrigerated chamber。 He arranged the dismembered artifact on a glass shelf alongside the rest of his collection。 With that they were done。 Nikos closed the panels across the glass chamber。
The Egyptian felt tired； but energized。 〃When will you get the lab results？〃 he asked。
〃Within the week；〃 said Nikos。 〃I am a favored customer。〃
〃You must tell me what they say。〃
〃I feel good about this one；〃 said Nikos。 〃Perhaps it's just the pany this time。 But I sense this one was special。〃
They were in a celebratory mood。 〃Medea；〃 Nikos called out。 After a minute； his wife appeared at the doorway。 〃Bring wine。 Join us。〃
She and the Egyptian's wife returned with glasses and a bottle of French chardonnay。 Nikos pulled the cork； poured the glasses； kissed his beautiful wife。 He felt grand。
They raised their glasses in toast。
〃To the mysteries of life；〃 Nikos said simply。
He had never contemplated the term 〃extinction event。〃 As he drank his fine wine； it would have been inconceivable to him that he had just opened the door upon the end of mankind。
2
Genesis
MT。 DESERTISLAND； MAINE
APRIL
Save us； Father；Miranda prayed to the black winter sea。
Waves crashed against the cliffs。 Rime snaked around her L。L。 Bean boots； then slithered back into the depths。 The teenager shivered and went on searching for the light； in special need of it this morning。
A million miles away； a narrow gap opened on the edge of infinity。 Dawn was ing。 She was not superstitious； but Miranda took hope。 Perhaps they would not kill her monster。
Heartened； she turned from the cliffside and quickly crossed the overlook's parking lot and Crooked Road。 Except for her Schwinn ten…speed chained to a pole； the place was empty。 The summer tourists were long gone。 The ice age had arrived： spring in Maine。
Miranda started up a steep path between pines and scrub oak plastered by nor'easters。 Her pale breath leaked among the bare branches。 It was like something out of a fairytale。 She looked back and her footsteps in the frost were her only friend。
She moved swiftly； faster than a walk； not quite a run。 When she had first begun the daily visitations to the quarry； the trail took forty painful minutes。 Now； after three months of twice…a…days； she could knock it down in fourteen flat。 Her long legs had sprouted calves and thighs。 Maybe she was going to outgrow the stick body after all。 She was starting to get looks from some of the guys。 Mating looks。 As if she had spare time。
The sky bleached grey。 She reached the quarry and went directly to its edge。 Once upon a time men had cleaved the black granite from this hole for bank buildings； libraries； and national monuments。 Today； filled with a century of water； it had returned to nature。 〃Winston？〃 she called。 A pane of ice sheathed the pond's surface。 There was not a motion down there； not a sound except for her own forlorn voice echoing back up。
Local legend told of a broken…hearted town girl casting herself Mayan…like into the granite cenote。 Her ghost was said to haunt the waters。 True or not； the quarry was deserted。 High school lovers didn't visit。 There were no Saturday night keggers； no skinny…dipping。 For 153 days now； the place had belonged to her and little Winston。 Only at last evening's feeding had Miranda noticed the tire marks on the old fire road and fresh footprints in the frozen mud； a lot of them。
The shock had still not worn off。 They had found her out。You've killed him； she despaired to herself。
Since the age of four； Miranda had been disciplined to expect better of herself； no resting。 Her tutors had been carefully screened and highly specialized。 At her father's instruction； they inhabited her days； serving as mentors； never nannies； never friends。 No one ever told her to slow down； kick back； smell the roses。 It was known that she would peak young。 Miranda had read the literature； talked to shrinks； eavesdropped on the Mensa chat rooms。 Genius of her freakish degree burned bright and fast。 She fell into that same peculiar realm of the extraordinarily beautiful； striking awe into plete strangers。 The difference was that Miranda saw no beauty in her mirror； only the dark； bruised circles under her eyes from insomnia。
It felt like exile in this northern light； but she was far from all alone。 Jax； as the Jackson Laboratory was known； employed nearly a thousand people year round。 But island life got notoriously edgy once winter set in。 The suicide rate and wife abuse rose with the gas bills。 She felt caged among postdoc fellows who treated her like a little sister； jailbait； or a rade in their own weirdness。 Town kids her own age seemed alien。 She could explain string theory； but not freak…dance or snowboard or apply mascara。 It wasn't for lack of trying。 With ruthless precision； she had speed…readCosmo andTalk； gotten pierced and cornbraided； and memorized the cultural hot buttons。 B