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！
〃I did。 I tried。〃 What had been going on in his absence？
〃I thought you might try to disown him。〃
〃He's not mine；〃 said Nathan Lee。
〃But you helped create him。 The clones were speechless animals； at least most of them；〃 said the physician。 〃You gave them a voice。 You built them a stage。 I never imagined anyone would go so far for them。〃
〃They're harmless。 The messiah is somebody's idea of a practical joke。〃
〃The city was so safe； just one more spot on the map；〃 said the physician。 〃Everything was fine。 But now the mob is ing。〃 And yet he didn't sound resentful。
〃The soldiers will protect us。〃 Nathan Lee felt trapped。 He was at the man's mercy； locked in here。 What did he want with him？
〃What if it's too late？〃 The question was rhetorical； not bitter。
〃Who are you？〃 Nathan Lee demanded。
〃I just wanted to say thank you； Nathan Lee。〃
〃For what？〃
〃For doing your part。〃
〃My part of what？〃
〃As you put it； the joke；〃 said the voice。
The voice departed。 Nathan Lee called to the ceiling speaker for the man to e back； but there was only silence。 He hammered at his door； and the staff ignored him。
Next morning； when a nurse spoke to him over the inter； Nathan Lee demanded to know who the physician was that had been talking to him each night。 She checked their records； and there was no such physician； no nighttime psychiatrists； no midnight calls。 By her tone of voice； Nathan Lee could tell she thought he was imagining things。 A lot of their patients did that。
ON THE EVEof his release； Miranda was allowed to place a call。 You were supposed to be inmunicado in here。 The stated reason was that decon was a period of debriefing。 Contact with family and friends might contaminate your information。 In fact； Nathan Lee suspected； the authorities feared letting people see their loved ones so raw and wild。 Tucked away in decon； the psychiatrists had time to tame you。
Nathan Lee's puter screen flickered to life and Miranda's face appeared on the wall。 The camera softened her cheeks。 She looked different； even healthy。 He couldn't put his finger on it。
〃Your two weeks are almost up；〃 she announced brightly。
He sat up； dull and heavy。 His eyes hurt from the reflected light on the stainless steel walls。 He was sick from dreaming too much。 〃Miranda；〃 he said。
〃Is that tan for real？ You look like a gigolo。〃
She was calling from her kitchen puter。 It was late afternoon。 He could tell by the long shadows。 She was eating toast； trying to appear casual； as if this were just another call on her list。
〃I miss you；〃 he said。
〃I heard about your daughter；〃 she said。 〃I'm sorry。〃
He felt stupid with inertia。 〃What's going on out there？ I heard about the pilgrims。〃
〃Yes。 Poor people。〃
Nathan Lee didn't pursue it。 〃You shouldn't have sent the Captain after me；〃 he said。
〃Don't blame me；〃 she said。 〃I never would have done that to him。 He sent himself。 He had his reasons。 His own； you know； loss。〃
Nathan Lee fell silent。
〃It was a grand try；〃 Miranda said。 〃Doomed。 But grand。〃
Nathan Lee looked away from the screen。 He didn't want grand； he wanted ordinary。 He didn't want hardships； he wanted a soft bed and a hot shower。 People lauded his adventures as plunges into his soul； never realizing he was in an almost constant state of escape from his own missteps and unworthiness。 All his life he had felt。。。starved。
〃Ochs is gone；〃 she said。 〃In case you were wondering。〃 She seemed to lean closer； watching for a reaction。
Ochs。〃What did you do with him？〃
〃Not me；〃 she said。 〃My father。 He's here。〃
〃He came up from the sanctuary？〃
〃He flew in by helicopter。 He had business to attend。 Loose ends。〃
There was so much to talk about。 Suddenly Nathan Lee could not wait to be out of this place。 〃Where did Ochs go？〃 he asked。
〃Out。 Down from the Hill。 He left before he could be deported。 The perimeter cameras showed him walking across the bridge over the river。 No one knows where he went。〃 She hesitated。 〃Are you going after him？〃
He was not。 Ochs was dead to him。 There were a dozen different ways to state that。 Nathan Lee chose carefully。 〃And lose you？〃 he said。
It was the right answer。 Her lips opened； but she said nothing。
〃We need to talk；〃 he said。 His nightmares of the sea had e back。 He kept dreaming of the children and letting go of the ship； cutting loose from the lost ones。But what if he had saved them？
She leaned into the camera。 Her face distorted on his screen。 〃Not now；〃 she said。 She smiled。 〃I'll tell you more； later。 Be ready；〃 she warned him。 〃That's why I called。 Heads up。 My father wants to meet you。〃
〃Me？〃
〃He said it's important。〃
It came to him； her fleshed…out face； the green eyes no longer so sunken。 〃You're pregnant；〃 he blurted out。
For a moment he was overjoyed。
She looked jolted。 〃Why would you say such a thing？〃
〃I just thought； your father； us。。。〃 He stopped； embarrassed。 It had bee pathetic； his groping for a family of his own。 He remembered Miranda's words from what seemed a lifetime ago； that bringing a child into the world would be a cruelty。 〃I was wrong；〃 he said。
〃Go to sleep； Nathan Lee。〃 The screen went blank。
That night he dreamed about the Russian ship again； the faces bobbing in the dark water。
NEXT MORNING； dressed in clean jumpsuits； he and Captain Enote were taken to the gates of South Sector and processed out。 A humvee waited on the far side of the wire。 The world looked fresh and unspoiled out there。 The morning air was so crisp it was like snapping your fingers。
The Captain took deep draughts of the air。 His face was copper from the UVs； but he had lost weight in decon。 He looked gaunt and very old this morning； and Nathan Lee felt ashamed； as if it were his fault the man had gone through so much suffering。 〃Thanks；〃 he said。 He kept it unadorned。 〃Are you okay？〃
The Captain nodded once。 〃It was a bad place。 But good for thinking；〃 he said。 〃Now things are very clear to me。〃 He didn't elaborate。
The driver had been instructed to deliver Nathan Lee first。 〃Dr。 Abbot is waiting for you。〃
〃He can wait a little more；〃 said Nathan Lee。 He made the driver first take the Captain to his little house above the town。 It was set among the pines； and Nathan Lee saw a treehouse made of scrap wood。 That was for Tara。 The Captain got out stiffly。 Nathan Lee stayed in the deeper recesses of the hummer。 He didn't want Tara to see him； not this morning when he would only leave her too soon。
The Captain faced his home。 He didn't have an ounce of luggage。 〃We'll see you later；〃 he said。
Near the tip of the mesa finger they came to Miranda's house。 Nathan Lee approached the front door。 He could still taste the toothpaste from South Sector。 After all the decon； he'd probably never smelled so clean in his life。
Miranda opened the door before he could knock。 She was taller than he remembered。 He felt frail and self conscious。 He half…expected a plague kiss； which had bee the fashion in Los Alamos； a darting of cheek toward cheek； lips pursed； no contact。 She kissed him on the mouth and hugged him tight enough to feel her heart drumming in her ribs。 〃You're back；〃 she whispered。
�