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ppaloosa lived in splendor。
The elite soldiers had adopted her with a passion。 They had built a stall for her among the pi？ons and rabbit brush。 She was the Wild West to them； who had grown up in cities and suburbs and never ridden a horse before Nathan Lee brought her。 None of the other units had such a glorious mascot。 The Marines had various mutts； the SEALS kept fighting cocks。 The Appaloosa was unique。
On her behalf； the team medic had taught himself veterinary medicine。 The weapons specialists curried her and rigged an enamel bathtub so that she had a constant supply of fresh； running water。 They learned which fescues she preferred； stockpiled hay bales for the winter； and…before the valley had been designated off…limits in late August and travel across the Rio was banned…had bartered with ranchers near Taos for enough eighty…pound sacks of oats to feed a cavalry。 They regularly swept the field and killed any rattlesnakes。 They took turns sleeping in a tent by the stable so that coyotes would not be tempted。 In jest they said Nathan Lee would have to fight them to get her back。 In jest he said they'd never know until she was gone； he'd be that quiet the night he cut loose of the Mesa。 The soldiers liked that。 In their minds no one was ever leaving Los Alamos； not unless the cure appeared or the much discussed； near mythic Evacuation Day actually came down。
For Nathan Lee； the Appaloosa was his promise to himself。 She was his link backward to a time before this place。 He visited sporadically； most often following a night of vivid dreams。 In one form or another； the bad dreams always had to do with his daughter。 She was calling to him； or her photo on the shelf in the bone lab would show a skull。 He would wake sweating and try to be thankful for the nightmares。 But they were not strong enough to overe his good dreams； which were more and more often about Miranda； and the friendships he was making； and the ties he felt binding him。 One recurring image was of his feet turning into tree roots that grew into the rocky soil of Los Alamos。 He looked up in his dream and his arms would be limbs； and he would be lodged on the edge of a cliff overlooking the valley。 As beautiful and peaceful as that was； he would wake from those dreams in a sweat； too。
But the Appaloosa calmed his night fears。 Just the sight of her pacified his sense of guilt and betrayal。 One day he would leave on her back。 He would be true。
Bringing Tara here seemed right all around。 It was going on two months since he had first crashed her isolation。 Since then； a host of therapists and guardians had been working with the child； guiding her into the pany of man。 The Captain and his wife were ready to take her into their home； but Tara was not ready to be taken。 She was still an unredeemed wild child。 Her few exploratory outings into Los Alamos had been small disasters： a tantrum in the market； a screaming fit at the playground； another incident with feces； and other such lapses back into her cage self。 As far as Nathan Lee was concerned； her behavior had everything to do with the captivity she had endured since birth。 People kept alluding to her Neandertal differences； as if she were impaired or separate； and that stung Nathan Lee。 But the fact was that in the midst of one of her fits； Tara was a dangerous little brute； and she didn't belong mixing with other children in the city； not yet； maybe not ever。
And so； he brought her to the horse。 He would have brought the horse to her； in the yard； but she had never been allowed into the yard。 For one thing it was occupied by the other clones all day； every day； and the therapists…and Nathan Lee's instincts…ruled against introducing the girl to the men from Year Zero。 They might very well treat her like a little sister； but on the other hand they were walking wounded themselves。 At best； the insertion of a female child would probably have stirred expectations that their own womenfolk were about to arrive。 At worst； they were crucified men。 Nathan Lee was still uncertain about the extent of some of their crimes。
Tara's visit had been arranged in advance。 The Special Forces camp was set on several acres to the east of the abandoned testing facility； and for today's visit they had tethered the appaloosa in the middle of nowhere； far from any human distraction。 No one else was out there。
Nathan Lee and Tara took their time walking out across the warm tan soil。 She kept stopping； fascinated by the grasshoppers and ladybugs and rocks。 He rubbed sprigs of sagebrush for her to smell。 〃Look！〃 she kept saying。 He didn't tell her about the horse。 He let her discover the animal herself。
Tara grew very still at the sight of the appaloosa。 The horse was browsing clumps of dry grass； her long tail sailing back and forth。 They had saddled her。 Her mane was groomed。 She was beautiful。
〃Should we go a little closer？〃 Nathan Lee asked。
Tara held his hand。 She was fearful； the way any child would be； all wide eyes and quiet before the majesty of the giant animal。 She clutched her blond Barbie doll in one brown fist。
The appaloosa went on cropping the grass； though her ears swiveled at their approach。 They got close。
〃Touch her；〃 Nathan Lee said； running his hands along the white…and…black spotted flanks。 Tara laid a fingertip on the muscled bellows of a rib cage。 The horse lifted her head to see the small creature； and Tara shied against Nathan Lee。
〃She wants to get a look at you；〃 he said。 〃She wants to smell you。〃 The big nostrils flexed and blew。 〃I think she likes you。〃
Tara was speechless。
〃Look； you have the same hair；〃 said Nathan Lee。 He raised one forearm through the dirty white mane and let the coarse hair cascade off。 Tara worked her fingers through it； awestruck by her connection with the magical beast。
Nathan Lee had brought a treat from the farmer's market in Los Alamos。 People had built greenhouses on the tops of apartment buildings and dug plots in the parks and cleared spaces in the forest。 The growing season had been unusually long this year。 For the last several weeks； you could trade for peas in the pod； green and red chiles； ears of yellow and Indian corn； round cannonballs of cantaloupe that tasted like wet sugar； squash； heads of lettuce； basil； thyme； onions。。。and fat sticks of carrots。 〃Here。〃
He helped Tara with the first carrot。 Together they offered it to the horse； and she took it with muscular lips。 Her big teeth munched it。 She nuzzled for more。 After that Tara didn't need his help。 Horse and girl； they had found each other。
〃Should we ride her a little？〃
It was inprehensible to the child。 He might have saidlet's fly。 Nathan Lee got into the saddle first； then reached down for Tara。 Not yet five； and she must have weighed sixty pounds； all muscle。
With his arms around the child； Nathan Lee nudged the horse to motion。 The girl was trembling。 〃Should we stop？〃 he asked。
〃No；〃 she whispered。
They took a slow loop out to the mesa rim。 On the way back； he showed her how to hold the reins。 They dismounted。 〃Would you like a little more？〃 he said。
〃More；〃 she whispered。
He took the saddle off； and the blanket。 He lifted Tara onto the broad； wa