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Ross fell silent。 Joe provided。〃Pendejo；〃 he rumbled。
〃Is that true？〃 Miranda demanded。
Ross confessed。 〃I called my wife。 I told her not to call her sister。〃
〃But he's not real；〃 Miranda groaned。
Ross glanced up at her。 〃Why not？〃 he said。
〃We just told you。〃
Ross thought about that。 His jaw looked like petrified wood。 Nathan Lee sighed。
The Captain said； 〃Get him out of here。〃
〃Where to； Captain？〃 Joe said。
〃Give him a mop。 Have him change lightbulbs。 I don't know。 Just keep him away from the Pound。 And any telephones。 And do not let him go out there。 Those people do not need anymore of this brilliant display。〃
After the two guards left； Miranda said； 〃Unbelievable。〃
They went to the window。 The vigil had grown from a few dozen to several hundred。 Candle flames glittered in the night。
〃But these are sophisticated people；〃 Izzy protested。 〃They can't honestly believe we've got the son of God in our basement。〃
Miranda gestured at the window。 〃Then what are they doing out there？〃
〃Human curiosity。〃
〃It's three in the morning。〃
〃I don't like it；〃 the Captain said。 〃These things can blow up。 I want some breathing room。〃 He picked up his phone and called Pro Force。 They were the shock troops； armed and menacing。 〃Keep it polite；〃 he ordered。 〃Ask them to disperse。 They probably won't； so just escort the crowd down the hill。 Let's set our perimeter at the road。 They need to know our borders。〃
The event was escalating before their eyes。 People saw their lighted window and waved at them expectantly。 They started singing 〃Rock of Ages。〃
〃They're harmless；〃 Izzy insisted。 〃We know those people。〃
They did look peaceful enough standing there。 Mostly they were intent on keeping their candles from blowing out。
〃Mobs aren't people；〃 the Captain said。
〃It doesn't make sense；〃 Izzy said。 〃That's all I'm saying。〃
Miranda rubbed her temples。
〃Pro Force；〃 said Nathan Lee。 〃They're going to give it the stamp of reality； you know。 Just their presence will legitimize the event。〃
The Captain puffed out his cheeks。 He looked out the window。 〃Damned if I do； damned if I don't。 It's running out of control。 Walking。 Whatever it's doing。〃
〃The Captain's right；〃 Miranda said to Nathan Lee。 〃He has his job。 You have yours。 We need damage control。 Fast。〃
Nathan Lee got to his feet。 〃All right；〃 he said to Izzy。 〃Let's go to the source。〃
JOE WAS BACKon duty in the monitor booth。 Ross was hanging by his thumbs somewhere； out of sight。 Joe pointed at one of the screens。 〃Him；〃 he said。
Nathan Lee pulled up a chair and leaned close to the screen。 〃So；〃 he said； 〃finally。〃 It was the clone who'd cried Egypt。 He never had given a name。
The man was sitting erect on the edge of his bed； as if awaiting visitors。 His shoulder bones were set wide like a yoke； but he was thin。 He had long feet and big hands； and his burr of hair and beard were black。 He had seemed tentative and withdrawn ever since his outburst about the bronze sky； as if he'd misstepped。 But his eyes were perfectly ferocious now。 He'd made his move； no going back。
〃What do you know about him？〃 Nathan Lee asked Izzy。
〃Bit of a prig； you ask me。 Keeps his own pany。 Put me off the few times I tried to chat him up。〃 Izzy summarized。 〃Don't know a thing about him。〃
〃Let's play back the tape；〃 Nathan Lee said to Joe。 〃I want to hear that 'string of stuff' Ross mentioned。〃
They watched the replay。 There was Ross； opening the door。 He entered the cell timidly； and crossed himself。 〃Perfect；〃 said Izzy。 The clone stood watching him。 Studying him。 He didn't appear distressed or anguished； though only a minute earlier he'd groaned about God forsaking him。Are you Jesus？ Ross asked in English。 Very clearly； the clone answeredJesus Christ。
Ross was right about the string of stuff。 It was delivered so rapidly in Aramaic that Nathan Lee didn't catch a word of it。 Then Joe appeared at the edge of the frame； in the open doorway； and Ross was yanked from the cell。 The door slammed shut。
〃Again；〃 said Izzy。 After the second replay； he said； 〃Oh； you'll love this。 Straight from Revelation。I am the alpha and the omega； the beginning and the end； who is and who was and who is to e。 Then he goes on with something about suffering and repentance。〃
Nathan Lee tried to remember the history of the New Testament。 〃Revelation；〃 he said。 〃But that wasn't written until near the second century。 This guy's all over the place。 Egypt。 Revelation。 Old Testament。 New。〃
〃Doesn't look like a Jesus to me anyhow；〃 said Izzy。
Nathan Lee knew what he meant。 Jesus was an idol； a Shroud negative； a movie star。。。not a man。 He had long blond tresses with a faint goatee； or dark curlicue forelocks and a ZZ Top beard。 He came with blue eyes or black ones； with a straight nose and a crown of thorns。 He belonged in Christmas mangers and Byzantine mosaics and on Mexican prayer cards； in stained glass； in marble statues。 He was a figment of art； a creature of monks and Michelangelo and Mapplethorpe。 Intellectually Nathan Lee knew this could not be the Christian godhead。 But a deep； prehistoric part of him could not shake the outside chance of it。What if this was God in a burr cut？
〃Fishing for attention；〃 said Izzy。 〃A stunt。〃
Nathan Lee agreed。 〃But why now？〃
〃That crucifix in the tree； I'd say。 Nothing to lose？〃
Nathan Lee frowned。 〃Looking back； that crucifix in the tree seems almost like a signal。 Like a green light to go into action。〃
〃Well； he's e out of the closet now；〃 said Izzy。
〃Let's finish him off；〃 said Nathan Lee。 〃This won't take long。 Then everybody can go back to bed again。〃
They entered the cell。 The clone remained sitting。〃Shlaa…ma umook；〃 said Nathan Lee。Peace be with you。
The clone was not friendly。 〃Ishmael and Nathaniel。 Why do they send you？〃 he demanded。 They： their captors and keepers。
〃They sent us。〃 Nathan Lee kept it blunt。
〃Who are you？〃 the clone demanded。 That was supposed to be their question。 〃You're not who you seem to be。〃
Too true； thought Nathan Lee。 They were a roomful of fakes。
〃Tell us your name；〃 said Izzy。
〃You're one of them；〃 the clone realized。
〃Name；〃 repeated Izzy。
〃Eesho；〃 the clone said。 〃Yeshua； they call me。 Jesus； you say。 Themeshiah。〃
〃Christ？〃 said Izzy。
〃That； too。〃
〃There are many people named Jesus；〃 said Nathan Lee。 〃Are you the one they call Jesus Barabbas？〃
It was a trick question。 If this Eesho was simply repeating whatever was given to him； he would agree to being the wrong Jesus； the one who wasn't crucified。 The hoax could end right here。
Eesho was contemptuous。 〃Would you be honoring me if I were alestai？〃
〃Honoring him！〃 Izzy barked in English。 〃Is that what he thinks？〃
〃What's alestai？〃 said Nathan Lee。
Izzy frowned。 〃Never heard the word。〃
〃Let's start there then；〃 said Nathan Lee。 〃Pick him to pieces。 Use his own words。〃
Izzy fired off a burst of Aramaic。 They spoke for a minute。 〃It's something like an assassin；〃 Izzy said。 〃A political terrorist。〃 He listened as the clone went on talking。 〃That's it。Sicarri； another term。 Like Judas Iscariot。 Judas the Sicarri。 A Zealot。〃
〃Watch it；〃 breathed