按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
s of men。 Their murmured words could have been just so many neural twitches； a jumble of ancient syllables and nonsense。 Maybe they were just animals with names。
Except for the fallen man's mindless sobbing out there in the parking lot； their silence stretched on for another ten long minutes。 Nathan Lee looked from Isaiah to Matthew and the tall John and the John with thick ankles and wrists； and at all the rest of them。 Except for the mutilated fugitive； they had not seen the sun nor smelled a forest nor felt the heat of a fire in two thousand years。
At last Nathan Lee couldn't bear listening to the man's groaning and weeping。 It wasn't his pain or self…pity that was so disturbing； but the indignity of his situation。 Maybe he didn't have any conception of dignity anymore； but it still bothered Nathan Lee。 The man was weak； that was all； as blameless as the lepers who had once taken care of him。 If for no other reason than that； a bit of sentimental payback； he stepped away from the gathering。
Nathan Lee knew it would make him conspicuous； but he walked across the parking lot anyway。 He placed a hand on the man's back。 His cheekbone was scraped raw。 A puddle of urine surrounded his body。 His eyes rolled at the touch。
〃e on； let's get you on your feet；〃 Nathan Lee murmured in English。 He got his hands under the man's armpits and hoisted him off the ground。 The clone began moaning； then flailing。 Maybe he'd fallen asleep。 To him； all of this was probably a bad dream； awake or not。 Either way he didn't want to be rescued。 He fought； feebly。
From behind； Nathan Lee clutched at the slippery body。 The man twisted in his embrace。 He spit and bucked and babbled。 Nathan Lee heard laughter from the fire。 He was part of the spectacle。 He'd created the spectacle。 This whole thing was his doing； the yard； the sun； the taste of freedom。 A dumb mistake。 Just the same； he held on。
Finally the man quit struggling。 He rested his head on Nathan Lee's shoulder and began crying softly。 Nathan Lee got one arm over his shoulder and they finished the walk to the fire。 The others didn't make room at first。 It wasn't hostile； more bovine； herdlike； unthinking。 He shoved at them and they separated。 Holding his passenger upright； Nathan Lee stood in the sweet； white smoke。 He looked around and some of the men were eyeing him； weighing his act。 Plainly they thought he was a fool。 Now he was soiled with a madman's spit and urine。 The fugitive stared at him with that seamed monster mask。 There was no reading his serpent smile。
Nathan Lee lifted his chin and squinted into the smoke and fire。Screw these guys。 He was angry with himself。 Already they had him pegged as a bleeding heart。
But they seemed to e alive after that。 One of them picked up a green pine needle with his fingertips； and broke it。 He smelled it； and touched it to his tongue。
A second man passed his hands through the fire。 Soon others were doing it； too； singeing the hairs on their wrists。 Burning themselves back to consciousness。
〃Shaa！〃the tall John suddenly declared。 He raised his hand out。 The word hardly needed translation； though Izzy provided it in a whisper。The sun！
Men looked at John。 They lifted their heads to the light。 Another man shouted out；〃Look； the sky！ The sky is good！〃 He was Ezra； who would lie facing the wall of his cell for hours； humming under his breath。
〃Khee…rroo…taa；〃said another。Freedom。 That broke the ice。 Murmurs greeted this opinion； maybe yes； maybe no。 Even if they didn't speak； their faces thawed。 Foreheads wrinkled or knit。 Mouths made shapes。 Their nostrils flared； sampling the air。 Eyes came alive。 You could see the wheels beginning to turn again。
〃I died；〃 a man stated。
〃Is this Rome？〃 one asked。
Nathan Lee had thought about it。 In their shoes； or shower sandals as it were； Rome would have been his own explanation。
One of the silent； nameless men spoke sharply。 He was of medium height with olive skin and quick eyes。 〃Egypt。〃 He said it with plete certainty。
They looked at him。 〃No；〃 said Matthew。 He had little hair。 〃I have been to Egypt。 This is not Egypt。〃
The nameless man made a long； stern reply； and Nathan Lee's Aramaic was suddenly depleted。 He understood none of it。 He glanced at Izzy； who was intent on the words。 Whatever was said； it had a sobering effect on the rest of them。 Their optimism turned cold。 Faces darkened。
Nathan Lee made a signal to the cameras。 The steel door opened behind them。 A cart wheeled into view； and the door closed。
On top of the cart lay a lamb； spit…roasted whole by one of the Captain's guards。
The feast was more than a way for the men to break the ice。 It came straight out of Nathan Lee's bag of anthro tricksmensality； it was called； or munal tabling。 Once you saw how people ate together； how they pulled rank or shared； you had most of the tribe figured out。
From the fire； the group stared at the lamb suspiciously。 It sat there in the sun； head erect like a Sphinx。 The smell of cooked meat overcame most of their doubts。
〃Why？〃 questioned one man。
〃They feed us；〃 said another。
A small band walked over to examine the food。
Izzy hung back with Nathan Lee。
〃What was that Egypt thing all about？〃 Nathan Lee asked in a whisper。
〃I'm not certain；〃 said Izzy。 〃He said something about how they've been brought out of Jordan； down into Egypt。 Into the iron furnace。 Where the sky is made of bronze。〃
〃What's that supposed to mean？ The metal walls in their cells； maybe？〃
〃No idea。 You want me to ask him？〃
〃Too soon；〃 said Nathan Lee。 〃Just keep your ears open。 It looks like the feast is about to begin。〃
After some discussion； the men decided to transport the food back to the fire。 Several of them carried the lamb over by hand。 Others toted plastic jugs of water and sacks of food from under the cart。 They stoked the fire higher…the guards had left plenty of logs…and sat in a large； crowded circle。
The food rallied them。 Nathan Lee had scrounged jars of cocktail olives and bags of dried dates。 One of the bakeries had mitted some bread。 The loaves steamed when the men broke them open。 Soon they were all pulling meat from the lamb with their fingers。
The meal went on for hours。
The sky and food worked magic on them。 With greasy chins and full stomachs； the clones began to talk； at first quietly； then with more clarity and excitement。 Even two thousand years ago； they would have been unknown to each other。 Jerusalem in the first century had probably contained fifty thousand people or more。 At the height of religious festivals； thousands more from throughout the land had poured through the gates。 For the time being； though they had Jerusalem…and now their captivity…in mon； everyone was equally a stranger。
Men stood to walk off their fullness。 The cameras jinked right and left； their remote operators trying to follow everyone。 The drowsy ones pillowed their heads on their arms and took naps beneath the tree。
The sight of human faces and the sound of their own language revived them with amazing speed。 The inconsolable ones who howled at night were pacified。 Men held each other's hands and walked in the sunlight。 Some chattered like long…l