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place in America to have dependable electricity。 Even the soldiers had none。 He knew from other military outposts that their rations packets had a chemical packet to warm the food。 For heat； the 3rd Cav was burning twisted pi？on logs。 The smoke in the courtyard smelled delicious。
It was early July。 The monstrous tank cannon was aimed at empty desert。 Their only enemy was time。 Someone had placed small black pots with desert perennials on the tank's big metal tracks。 The cactus flowers were yellow。 You could hear meadowlarks in the quiet。
The feeling of ease unsettled Nathan Lee。 For the last few days； with every new mile； he had begun to feel lighter and quicker and less guarded。 It was gradual； and only this morning had he begun to worry that his defenses might be dropping。 He had fought his way across too much territory and through too much trouble to believe in happy endings。 It was important； he told himself； to keep himself ready for the worst。 What if Ochs had moved on？ What if he had never been here？ What would connect him to Grace then？
While he stood there； a flock of birds suddenly sprang up from the mesa hills； small and black against the sky。 Nathan Lee had never been to Los Alamos before； and now he saw how the geography leant itself to top secrecy。 There was just one road from the valley up to the plateau； a four…lane ribbon cut into the multicolored cliffs。 No doubt one could climb up between the mesa's thin fingers； but not without being detected。 It was the ultimate high ground。
A minute later； the cardio throbbing of rotor blades reached him。 The dark flock was not birds。 In loose order； a half dozen helicopters clattered off to the north。
〃Keeping the peace？〃 he said。
〃Deck sweeps；〃 the soldier said。 〃They're going into the cities。 Hunting for the cones。〃
〃Cones？〃
The soldier pointed at his head。 〃You know； like propellor heads。 The science guys。〃
Nathan Lee wasn't sure he understood。 Were the helicopters looking for scientists in distant cities； or gathering supplies for them？ The medic arrived with his kit； and Nathan Lee presented his arm。 Shortly after； his papers and blood log came back stamped and signed。 He eased past the tank with its little flower garden； and got on his horse； and continued along Highway 502。
Not much further； a bridge crossed the Rio Grande。 The water was quick and chocolate with late spring runoff。 It looked like a great muddy serpent sliding beneath his feet。 For some reason； the river brought his old anxieties rushing in。 Nathan Lee suddenly felt all right again。
〃BUTIDON 'T HAVE ANYTHINGto do with new arrivals；〃 Miranda said to the Captain。
〃You want to see this one；〃 the Captain told her。 He had a cardboard box in his hands。 The Captain was a Zuni in his early sixties。 He was retired Navy； but had let his hair grow long。 It was thick and silver。 He was in charge of security for all of TA/3； but since the return of clones to Miranda's keeping； he'd moved his office into Alpha Lab's sub…basement。 Now she saw a lot of him； which was an unexpected fort to her。
〃I'm busy；〃 she said。
〃It's your package。〃
She sighed。 〃What package？〃
He reached in the box and handed across a dogeared letter that smelled of pi？on smoke when she unfolded it。 〃The rest of your Smithsonian shipment。 It got here last night。〃 He intoned； 〃Maybe。〃
Miranda looked at the letter。 Smithsonian Institute letterhead。 Dated two months ago。At your request。。。the following thirteen （13） items from the Smithsonian collections。 Miranda ran her finger down the list； and it included nine relics； three bone fragments； and a tear phial。
〃Why； maybe？〃 she said。
〃The man says he buried the package on his way up。〃
〃What man？〃
〃The courier。 Some physician。〃 He added； 〃Supposedly。〃
Miranda exhaled。 The Captain was in Andy of Mayberry mode this morning。 He didn't do it with anyone else； she'd noticed。 He seemed to feel it was part of his duty to pull her loose from her thoughts sometimes。 She didn't have to put up with it。 Shewas in another space； preoccupied as hell； not just with Alpha Lab； but with but the whole place。 She could feel all of their science like silk in a web； interwoven； and wanted to be ready to pounce at the slightest hint of a cure。 It meant full…time vigilance。 And the Captain thought she needed to chill a little。
〃Okay；〃 she breathed。 〃What's 'supposedly' supposed to mean？〃
〃For starters； his blood log's a forgery。 The gate security spotted the glue job under an infrared。 We don't know who he is。 He won't say。 He did show up on an Appaloosa。〃
〃An Appaloosa？〃 she said。
〃That would be a form of horse。〃
Her finger tapped the tabletop。 〃And why did he bury the package？
〃He wants to trade。 Make a long story short； they bounced it over here。 To you。〃
〃He wants in；〃 Miranda summarized。 Every day someone new was clamoring to get behind the fence。 Here was America as it had once been； a warm and well…lighted place。 The shelves held food。 〃Tell him No Vacancy。〃
That was the truth。 No one could have predicted Los Alamos would fill to the brim so quickly。 Overnight； it seemed； the national laboratory's mission had gone squishy； in the weaponeer's slang。 Once the plague broke loose； LANL's science had shifted from the use and abuse of Pu； or plutonium； to the use and abuse of the human gene。 On this rolling tabletop with its fingerlike peninsulas jutting out above the Rio Grande valley； where the bomb makers of yesterday had built a town； the plague hunters built a city。
Miranda still remembered the quaint Norman Rockwell town with its soda shop and movie theater and craft stores。 It was mostly gone now； even the golf course； scraped away to make room for twenty…seven thousand scientists and their support staff and families； some ninety thousand in all。 That didn't include the soldiers； who had their own camps。
〃This one's different；〃 the Captain said。 〃He made sure he could get out before he'd e in。 He wants to keep on the move。〃
〃Is that so。〃
〃He made the guards promise to feed his horse while he did his business。 Which would be with you。〃
〃Now we're running a stables？ What's he want？〃
〃You； I guess。 The one in charge。〃
〃That would be Cavendish；〃 she said。
〃Might as well just put a bullet in him。〃
〃What am I supposed to do？ I'm not Herr Direktor。〃
〃Nope。 You're just Miranda。 Abbot；〃 he added。 The Captain continued standing there with the box in his hands。 He knew； they all knew； Miranda had a power Cavendish could never have。 She had her father。 In these times of plague； even the generals obeyed the science czar's opinion。 Cavendish might rule LANL； but Paul Abbot ruled him。 Cavendish seemed to respect that； if just barely。
He and Miranda had clashed before。 Often。 Their philosophies were like night and day。 In her mind； scientists should have intellectual bungee cords attached to their feet； allowing them to take huge； bravo leaps into the unknown and still return safely； ready for another leap。 They should keep trying and trying。 But to Cavendish； every experiment was an expedition setting off into its own dark jungle。 The explorers were not expected to surface until the prize was in hand。Death