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〃This is from the relics？〃
She nodded； staring at the strands。 〃You wouldn't believe how empty the human genome is；〃 she said。 〃It's humbling。 At the genetic level； we're practically worms and flies。〃
Nathan Lee tried to guess what any of this had to do with him。
〃It's all a matter of executive intelligence；〃 she said。 〃The Blind Watchmaker； tinkering at random。〃
〃God？〃 he said。
〃Chance；〃 she hastily answered。
She showed him how to twirl the strand around a glass straw like a piece of spaghetti。 〃Now what happens？〃 he asked。
〃For this little fellow？ We'll stain him with marker dyes and search for mutations and disease genes。〃
〃Corfu？〃
〃The memory of it；〃 she reiterated。
〃And then？〃
〃If he shows promise； bring him through。〃
〃Through what？〃
〃This way；〃 she said。
They gloved and masked before entering a large； hot room murky with humidity and low…lit with blue night lights。
〃My brood；〃 she softly said。 〃Yours； too。〃 Her cheekbones were slick and blue。
Then he noticed the big sacs floating in spherical tanks。 Each contained a human form； large and heavy。 They were growing people in here。
〃From the relics？〃 he said。 His mind whirled。 They went into the next chamber。 Divers floated in a big glass tank。 One of the tanks descended into the water。 The divers scissored open the sac with the casual precision of butchers。
A human being slid through the incision； his hair and beard gliding in the water like long； black Medusa snakes。 His finger and toenails were like pale bony globes。 Nathan Lee saw the man open his eyes。 He blinked。 He opened his arms wide； and his body was feeble。 The muscles lacked tone。 He had a eunuch's soft tummy and thin neck。 Then the divers were hauling him out of view。
〃He's from an earlier batch。 In all we've birthed over fifteen hundred of them； usually multiples of the most promising ones。 Your three won't be ready for another thirteen weeks。〃
Nathan Lee was stupefied。 The great mystery of the place folded into itself。 Absurdly； he had tears in his eyes。
〃Is it so terrible？〃 she asked。 He didn't wipe away his tears。
〃I don't know；〃 he said。 He heard watery coughing overhead as the clone took his first breath。 Thirteen weeks ago； those lungs had been a tidbit of bone or leather in a vial； locked away for hundreds or thousands of years。 Now a living man lay up there！
Out of sight； the clone began yelling and laughing with joy。
Nathan Lee looked up。
〃They do that sometimes；〃 Miranda said。 〃They seem to remember dying。 For them this is the afterlife。 Some e out from the tank like him。 Others aren't so pleased。〃
Nathan Lee tried to sort his questions。 There was so much to ask。 Her science tugged at him。 It felt like a great temptation。
〃What happens now？ To him。〃
〃Testing is another division。〃 She was emphatic。 〃Other labs。 South Sector。〃
The clone's hilarity echoed。 He was babbling away。 The language was distinctly not English； and Nathan Lee couldn't make out any of the actual words。 But on the edge of his linguistic ear he started to recognize a faint； guttural rhythm。 〃Is that。。。？〃 He listened harder。
She was watching him。
He remembered the dusty； sunstruck ruins of Aleppo； and a village in the hills above； a tribe of ancient refugees。 〃Is he speaking Aramaic？〃
〃You tell me。〃
〃I know a few words。〃 He started for the stairway。
She caught his arm。 〃We don't to speak to them。〃
〃But why？〃
〃It could endanger our research。〃
〃I don't understand。〃 He felt dizzy。A man from two thousand years ago！ A time traveler！
〃It has never been important to what we do。 It's safer to treat their speech as nonsense。 Mindless babbling。〃
〃But it's not nonsense；〃 said Nathan Lee。 〃He's thanking God。〃
〃I've gotten some of them back from South Sector；〃 she said。 〃Twenty…three of them so far。 Uninfected specimens。 Noncarriers。 It was difficult。 But they're here； in the floors below。 We keep them isolated。〃
〃What are you doing with them？〃 he said。
〃Keeping them safe。〃
〃Safe from what？〃
She turned her eyes away。 〃We're looking for immunity；〃 she said。 〃So far we've found some who survived an earlier form of the virus。 They're partially immune to this modern outbreak。 They can still get infected。 But the symptoms don't manifest in them so quickly。 We've done puter simulations。 They might live another three years before the pathogen kills them。〃
〃And you have twenty…three of them here？〃 said Nathan Lee。 He couldn't get over the technology。
〃Yes。〃
〃What about the other fifteen hundred？〃
Her green eyes peered at him from between her cap and mask。 She didn't answer him。 〃We have a Neandertal；〃 she said。 〃Totally immune。〃
〃You cloned a Neandertal！〃
〃That wasn't for medical research。 It was before Corfu。 Anyway； she's proved the species barrier。 Subspecies； to be exact。〃
〃What does that mean？〃
〃For some reason； the girl's naturally resistant。 It could be the chemical barriers in her skin or respiratory tract or something in her GI tract。 We don't know。 Her resistanace doesn't transfer to us； though。 We know that much。 She's a dead end。〃
Neandertals！ Clones from two thousand years ago！ This place was a marvel。
〃What am I supposed to be doing？〃 he said。
〃It's time to take the next step；〃 she said。 〃I want you to take a step backward。 A step away。〃
〃Away from what？〃
〃You're an anthropologist。 They're a tribe； of sorts。〃
〃You want me to study them？〃 That sounded simple enough。 He was an archaeologist； not an ethnographer。 But why spoil a free meal？ Simplicity ruled。 Los Alamos was supposed to be a stop on the map。 Once he got Ochs to sing； he meant to vanish； no ties； no debts； no regrets。
〃No contact；〃 Miranda answered。 〃There are cameras in their cells。 Just watch and listen。 Eavesdrop on their thoughts。〃
The clone shouted out。 It sounded like〃Rebekah〃。 He was calling for a woman； his wife； perhaps； or daughter。 Calling to her from the other side of death。 Did he think she would join him？
The cry shook Nathan Lee。 The voice closed away。 They took the man from the room； off to some lab。 In the quiet that followed； a swimming pool net dipped from above； scooping out parts of the fetal sac。
〃You want me to make human beings out of your animals；〃 he said。
〃You don't approve of what we're doing？〃 she said。
〃Does that change anything？〃
She was looking at him。 〃No one's sure how much they actually remember；〃 she said。 Probably not all that much。 Their previous life has never been our purpose here。 But they cry。 They shout out。 Maybe you can give them a little solace。〃
〃Solace；〃 he said。
〃We created them。〃
〃Do they know that？〃
〃That's beside the point。 It doesn't matter if they have no idea who we are。 You can't just disown your own children。〃 She was solemn； as if he were somehow part of her redemption。
19
The Bones Speak
THEBEGINNING OFAUGUST
Nathan Lee entered their world of monsters。
For a week； he did not go down into the so…called Orphanage； their warren of cells in sub…basement Five。 Instead he took up residence in the Necro Archives； the human tissues room。 It had lapsed into a sloppy grab bag of specimens。 He set about organiz