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〃You're trying to save these people；〃 he said。 〃But you can't do that。 They have to save themselves。〃
She pointed across the abyss to where the lights of Santa Fe once shone。 〃It's them； out there； I'm trying to save。〃
They both followed her aim。 And their eyes traveled north。 A star was shooting through the night。
〃Did you see that？〃 she breathed。
It happened again。 Then suddenly there was a whole shower of them。
〃I forgot；〃 he said。 〃Tonight's the night。 The Perseids。〃
Miranda knew what they were。 She knew which quadrant they occupied； which constellation they took their name from。 But she had never seen them。 The meteors streaked in great livid bunches。 They were so beautiful。
She sat there； and her heart stirred。 Now she understood what he had meant。Summer。 It was summer。
The meteors flashed through the sky。 They watched for half an hour。 Her thoughts streaked this way and that。
She wanted a lover。
Miranda put the wine glass away from her。 Enough。
A lover；she thought。
The shooting stars strafed the neat order of things。 No wreckage up there； just a loosening of the astronomical pattern。 A bit of tempest in the dark。
Not a boyfriend； she considered。 Nothing cute。 A man。 One who could trespass on her solitude； and speak kindly of a terrible world； and sneak them in among the constellations like this。 One who believed in forever。
Miranda threw a glance at him。 She couldn't see his face in the darkness； only the slight gleam of his shirt。 Why not； whoever he was？ The meteors flickered。 Here； then gone。
The kiss。。。she kept her thoughts away from it。 It should have a life of its own。But then？ She tried to read the future。 She tried to calculate the arc of them。
She felt her blood moving faster。 His lip； she remembered。 They would need to be gentle on him。 She heard herself breathing。
Then her cell phone beeped。 〃Oh； god；〃 she muttered。
〃What？〃
〃I know who this is。〃 She went inside with it。 When she returned； she said； 〃My father。〃
〃He's here？〃
〃Yes and no。 He's faraway。 A half mile underground near the border of Texas； preparing the sanctuary。〃 She paused。 〃He had your file sitting in front of him。〃
She let the implications sink in。
They were being watched。 Possibly they were two heat signatures in someone's night scope。 Maybe her kitchen was bugged。 Probably。
〃Man；〃 he whispered。
The spell was broken。 The Perseids continued their display in vain。 The taste of wine was suddenly too sweet。 She was going to have a headache in the morning。
〃I should go；〃 he said。 The lawn chair creaked in the night。
She didn't agree。 She didn't disagree。 〃You wanted something；〃 she said。
〃That；〃 he said。 He had to remember so far back。 It pleased her。 The night had taken off with him； too。So close。 〃It was about the Year Zero clones；〃 he said。
〃Yes？〃 Business； indeed。
〃I don't know what all has been done to them；〃 he said。
〃Do we need to talk about that tonight？〃
〃No。 It's just that they've been turned inside out in search of the plague。 I mean these guys look like a butcher shop or something。〃
She let out a deep sigh。 He was going to hector her about the abuses。 Condemn her for their birth。 They would argue。 She would order him to leave。 They needed to go through the ugly motions。 〃Yes；〃 she braced herself。
〃Well； I started wondering；〃 he said。 〃Has anyone ever just asked them？〃
She paused。 〃About the plague？〃
〃It was just a thought；〃 he said。 〃Who knows what they might have to tell us？〃
23
Into the Sun
THEREST OFAUGUST
Ineed to see their eyes；〃 he told her next day。 She made him follow her through the hallways。 〃They need to see mine。〃
She was fiercely protective。 〃They're patients as much as inmates。 They're wounded； even the ones who were never touched。 Just by being brought back。 They're in shock。 When you said talk to them； I thought you meant to use the inters。〃
〃The guards tried that once。 They said the clones acted like it was the voice of God。 They were in a state of terror for days。〃
〃You want contact；〃 she clarified。
〃Yes。〃
〃That means they'll need to be inoculated；〃 she said。 〃Two thousand years of disease have evolved since they died。 Their blood is pure。 We're lucky Tara survived you。〃
He chased her。 〃This needs to be done outdoors；〃 he added。 〃In the sun。〃
She resisted。 〃What if one escaped？ One did。 He almost killed himself getting loose。〃
Nathan Lee was ready。 He showed her his pencil sketch for a courtyard with high walls。 〃We can make it in the parking lot on the side of Alpha Lab。 It's empty。 There's a tree in the middle。 The housing department has prefab concrete slabs； thirty feet tall。〃
〃Who is this for？〃 she demanded。 〃You or them？〃
〃They need a little freedom。 A little patch of sky。 I know what I'm talking about。〃
His persistence aggravated her。 〃What about your daughter？〃 she threw at him。
It took his breath。 He stopped。What was he doing？ Grace was here； in Ochs's keeping； but she was out there； Ochs or not。 Had he strayed； justifying the Year Zero men as a means to his end； a way to outwait his enemy？
Ahead in the hallway； Miranda had stopped； too。
〃I didn't mean it that way；〃 she said。
But she had； and that was good； he thought。 He needed the hurt。 Nothing macho。 It simply kept him close to himself。 〃We're fine；〃 he said。
〃What else do you want？〃 she asked。
〃I should think about this；〃 he said。
〃Bull；〃 she retorted。 〃You were talking about the clones。 I was a little overloaded； that's all。 You're onto something。 Keep going。 What else will you need？〃
He tried to put Grace from his thoughts again。 〃They need to be together；〃 he said。 〃Every day。 All of us mixed in with each other。〃
〃They're used to being handled like animals。 They might kill each other。 Or you。 You're the first one they'd go after； their captor。〃
〃I'll be one of them。〃
〃A clone from the year zero？〃
〃They'll never know the difference。〃
〃You don't speak their language。〃
〃And so I need a translator。〃
In the end； she agreed to everything。
While the yard was being built； and the clones' immune systems were getting boosted into the twenty…first century； a matter of seven days； Nathan Lee prepared his time machine。
Above all； he needed the right translator。 Once the word spread of what he was doing； it turned out Los Alamos held hundreds of Hebrew speakers。 For part of the a week he interviewed volunteers ranging from Israelis and emigres from the old Soviet bloc to bar mitzvah kids from the Bronx and Cleveland Heights。 Not all were Jewish。 A number of Mormons…the sciences teemed with them…turned out to be fluent in Hebrew； too； from either their missionary work or Bible scholarship。
But two thousand years ago； the binding language of the Levant had been Aramaic； now considered a dead language。 That was the language moners would have spoken on a daily basis in the towns and countryside of Judea and Samaria and Galilee。 In a sense； Aramaic was the language of captivity； for it had displaced Hebrew during the Jews' long exile in ancient Babylon。 Well into the second century； synagogues had provided Aramaic translations； or Targums； of Hebrew scripture to