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ball knees and Nathan Lee's pace。 〃I know you're trying to wear me down。 It won't work；〃 he said。
They continued down through fig and pistachio groves with clusters of ripe buds。 The branches of olive trees looked frozen and convulsed。 Through his cotton mask； Nathan Lee could smell the blossoms glittering like Christmas tree ornaments。 Their scent could not hide the smell of spoiled meat； even at this distance。
They penetrated the layer of oil smoke。 The moon shrank and turned brown。 Deeper； they passed through a Christian cemetery with toppled gravestones and crosses。 They reached the underside of the cloud。 Suddenly the walls of the Old City stood before them。
It was a different world under the canopy。 Green and orange flares cut the low sky。 You would see them rocket up through the black smoke； then slowly reappear from the murky heavens。 By night； the gas flames resembled Biblical pillars of fire。 Nathan Lee looked at Ochs and the snout of his white mask was caked with soot。 He looked like a hyena nosing through the ashes。
Timeless Jerusalem lay squashed flat。 Because it was built on a rising hill； they could see over the walls； into the upper neighborhoods。 At first glance； the city looked fused； one single melted element。 Then Nathan Lee began to discern details in the ruins。 In place of streets； there were arteries； and in the arteries moved lights。 Hatreds older than America were in motion。 Here and there streamers of tracer bullets arced between the pancaked apartment buildings。 It was every man for himself in there； militias； sects； rebels； and predators。
Nathan Lee was afraid。 This wasn't like the controlled adrenal hit you got climbing a long runout on rock or ice。 It was more insidious； more consuming。 And there was another difference tonight。 He would have a daughter soon。 For some reason； that mattered to him。 His life counted for more。
In the distance； poised above the shredded skyline； the Dome of the Rock was still standing。 The sight had a peculiar effect。 It was an oddity of quakes in very old cities that modern structures will collapse； leaving the ancient buildings intact。 The National Cathedral in Mexico City was one example； the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul another。 The mosque atop the Temple Mount was clearly another。 The dome gleamed in the flare light like a golden moon fallen to earth。
They descended into the Kidron valley； then trekked up and reached the base of the wall。 It soared above them。 Hardin slapped the big； squared blocks of limestone。 〃We're in the zone；〃 he said。 〃Can you feel it？〃
They followed the wall to its southern edge； then skirted west； on the outside of the worst fighting。 The Muslim and Jewish quarters rumbled and thundered inside the wall。 No rest for the weary。 They were fighting right through Armageddon。 Bullets and shrapnel sizzled overhead from the platform of the Temple Mount。
After twenty minutes they reached a collapsed abbey。 Not much further； they reached the end of the south wall； and took a righthand turn along the original Byzantine wall。
The suburbs were in utter collapse。 Disemboweled high…rises teetered above mounds of debris。 The bulldozers had not visited this part of the city yet。 Every street lay buried。 Instead； Nathan Lee followed slight traces that threaded between the mounds of wreckage。 It was little more than a game trail。 Worn by feet or paws； the path glowed faintly。
Through the archway of the Jaffa Gate； they entered the Old City itself。 First they shed their disguise。 Inside the walls； relief workers would just be sniper bait。 Off came the Red Cross bibs and their cotton masks。 Underneath his mask； Ochs had daubed his face with camouflage paint。
Modern rubble gave way to ancient。 The pathways wound back and forth through the twisted devastation。 There were dozens of forks in the trail。 Ochs offered opinions； but always deferred to Nathan Lee's instincts。
Nathan Lee felt at home here。 He had a theory that the stranger always has an advantage in chaos。 The stranger can't lose his way； only find it。 People born and raised here would naturally depend on familiar street corners and shopfronts and addresses。 He had no such landmarks。 Ruins were their own city； the same worldwide； old or modern。 The key lay in your mind。Begin in the beginning。 。。。It was a trick learned from his father； the mountain guide。
The rest he got from his mother； the ape lady。 Instead of brothers or sisters； he'd grown up with baboon troops in the wild。If you want to know a thing； she would say；go inside it。 She and her mountain…man husband were products of their generation； brimming with wanderlust and little Zen sayings and being real。 They'd raised him to see worlds within the world。
Ochs kept stumbling。 Phone lines and checkered keffiyahs tangled their feet。 Blocks of limestone shifted underfoot。 Twice the professor nearly speared himself on pieces of iron rod and copper pipe。 He needed more frequent rests。
They passed the old and the new。 Beside a squashed Toyota lay the remains of a horse stripped by predators。 Minarets blocked their path like toppled rocket ships。 Five…and six…story apartment buildings had dropped straight down and Nathan Lee found himself walking between small forests of TV antennae fixed atop the former roofs。
An old woman appeared from the shadows； startling them。 That was the first time Nathan Lee saw Ochs's pistol。 It was a little Saturday night special。 He pointed it at her。 She cursed them in Russian； then wandered on。
〃Where did you get that thing？〃 Nathan Lee whispered。
〃We should stop her；〃 said Ochs。 〃She'll give us away。〃
〃She's crazy。 Didn't you see her eyes？〃
〃You're taking us in circles；〃 Ochs snarled。 Low on blood sugar； jet…lagged； he was being dangerous。
Nathan Lee held up a hand for quiet。
Ochs pushed him； then he heard…or felt…it； too。
The vibrations traveled up the long bones in Nathan Lee's legs。 The ruins were trembling。 Someone was approaching； a patrol or gang or militia。 Killers。 Night angels。 Their footsteps shocked the earth。
Nathan Lee wasted no time calculating their distance。 He started up a hillside of mangled debris； racing from one moon shadow to the next。 Ochs followed； grunting； boots slugging for purchase。 Nathan Lee saw the gun in his fist； a silvery toy。 He reached the top of the debris； and stopped。
The Church of the Holy Sepulcher stood beneath him。 They had reached the Christian quarter。
Nathan Lee had been here before。 The place actually housed many places。 Crusader towers crowded against Byzantine domes built upon the ruins of a Roman temple of Venus。 Here； contained under one roof； were the legendary landmarks of Christ's death； from the rock of Calvary to the tomb of His resurrection。 Some of the outer buildings had fallen； but most of it was intact； even the little crosses on top of the domes。
Ochs reached him； and saw the church。 He gasped。 〃See？〃 he said。 〃See？〃
Then Nathan Lee heard voices below。 Without a word he lowered himself into a hollow where the rubble had sagged。 Ochs squeezed in beside him。
〃Untouched！〃 said Ochs。 〃Just like we saw on CNN。〃
Nathan Lee drew back into the shadows。 He lay his cheekbone against a con