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ed by helicopter to some distant place； but now that wasn't an option either。 After Miranda's directive shutting down human experimentation； Los Alamos had ceased the harvesting of cities； which were probably finished anyway。
Their release； in short； would have to wait until E…Day； their fabled evacuation date。 Nathan Lee worried that if and when that day ever arrived； there would be so much chaos the guards might forget to open the cells。 In crossing America； he had heard stories of prisons and zoos filled with the carcasses of captives who had starved to death。 The Captain took the job of programming the cell doors to automatically open an hour after the city emptied。
In the meantime； Nathan Lee wanted to prepare the clones for alien times。 They knew how to quarry limestone； sow wheat； work leather； smith iron； and herd goats。 But survival in the ruins of America was going to require different skills。 One can of spoiled food could wipe them out with botulism。 One wrong highway could land them in the Canadian winter。 The cities might be dead； but they were still mechanically alive； and deadly。 The clones needed a crash course in the twenty…first century。
〃You've got your work cut out；〃 said the Captain。
Nathan Lee went to Izzy； who thought it was a terrible idea。 〃I told you； they know we're the enemy。 Eesho's got them ready to kill us if we show our faces。〃
〃We'll select just one of them。 Educate him。 Show him the ropes。 When the time es； he can lead the rest。〃
Izzy balked。 〃Why would any of them trust us？ They're onto us now。 In their shoes； I wouldn't trust us。〃
〃They're prisoners。 They have no choice。〃
〃Fine；〃 grumbled Izzy。 〃We'll pick one。 But which one？〃
〃Someone they'll listen to。〃
〃Not his bloody lordship；〃 Izzy protested。 〃I'm not about to hand Eesho the keys to the castle。 He already thinks he's God almighty。〃
〃Not him；〃 Nathan Lee said； 〃Ben。〃
Izzy chewed on his moustache。 〃I thought you wanted a leader。 He's a loner。 Last time he had the chance； he bolted off all by himself。〃
〃That was different。 He saw the chance and took it。 And look； now； they follow him whether he wants to lead or not。〃
Izzy grumbled。 〃Better him than most； I suppose。〃
Class began next morning。
Ben was taken from the yard and led to the same spartan room where Ochs had asked Eesho for a miracle。 Nathan Lee and Izzy waited for him at a table with the day's lessons arranged on top。 There was a globe of the world； a can of beans； and a can opener。
Ben was brown as mahogany from the sun。 His hair smelled smoky from the campfire。 He showed no surprise at seeing them； nor hostility。 His face was its usual cipher。 He nodded to Izzy； but spoke to Nathan Lee。 〃You've returned；〃 he said。 It was a greeting that presumed a journey of some kind。
〃Yes； I'm back；〃 said Nathan Lee。
Eesho had condemned Nathan Lee and Izzy as minions of the darkness。 But the microphones in the yard had also picked up clones discussing whether their two former rades had escaped； or possibly been executed。 The crucifix in the tree still haunted them。
Ben didn't speak to such gossip。 He had already expressed his opinion that late afternoon two months ago when he described Golgotha； and how he and Nathan Lee were alike； travelers who cast themselves into a wilderness of light and shadows。 Nathan Lee had gone searching anew； and now he was back。 That was enough for Ben。 He didn't ask where Nathan Lee had gone； nor what he'd seen。 They could get into those kinds of details another time。
Ben studied Nathan Lee's face； and maybe his face had changed。 Nathan Lee had looked in his mirror； and grief had not turned his hair white nor put more lines around his eyes。 Just the same； Ben saw something。 〃Your journey was hard；〃 he remarked。
He seemed personally disappointed； as if it might have been the wrong journey or Nathan Lee had been the wrong one to take it。 There was nothing mystical nor pointed about it。 Nathan Lee had felt the same disillusion himself listening to his father and mother after certain expeditions。 Explorers were connected； no matter if they were searching on the sea or in a book。 When one of them discovered a treasure； whether it was gold or a summit or a math formula； it enriched them all； because fundamentally they were driven by the same riddle。 When one of them came home lost or empty…handed； all felt empty。 Sooner or later the quest would resume； often with a new approach or a fresh explorer。 The continuation was inevitable。 There was no end to humanity's searching； only the great circle。
Nathan Lee knew the clones would all embark on his same quest once they gained their freedom。 They would go to the ends of the earth looking for their loved ones。 They would never believe that two thousand years…eighty generations or more…had passed； and that their wives and children were dust。 He had no intention of telling them the truth。 Passing the torch； that was Nathan Lee's job； pure and simple。 There was no telling what the miles might reveal to them。
He drew the globe between them。 〃Here is the world。 All the land。 All the water。〃 He held his fist to one side。〃Suh…rraa。〃 The moon。 Further out； he shaped a circle in the air。〃Shim…shaa。〃 The sun。 He stopped the globe and pointed。 〃Israel。 Jerusalem。 Egypt。 Rome。Baavil。〃 Babylon。
Ben turned his attention from the globe and its promises to Nathan Lee。 〃Why show them to me？〃 But even the flat voice and scarred； stoic mask could not hide his longing and excitement。
〃It's time to give yougool…paa…n'e；〃 said Nathan Lee。Wings。 〃You can show the others how to fly。〃
〃Wings；〃 Ben grunted cautiously。
〃There is a world out there。〃 He gave the globe a slow spin。
〃Your world。〃 Ben didn't look at the globe。
So； thought Nathan Lee； Ben had bought into the tribalism。 Nathan Lee was an outsider。 Ben didn't seem to hold it against him。 But it was there。 〃It is your world； too；〃 he said。
〃Pssh；〃 scoffed Ben。 〃Words。 A trap。〃
〃This is no trap。 When the time is right； you'll go free。〃
〃You will free us？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃And so you own us。〃
〃Not me；〃 said Nathan Lee。
Ben was a tough customer。 He kept testing the proposition。 〃You made us slaves。。。for nothing？〃
Nathan Lee didn't correct Ben's choice of words。 They were lab animals。 It was nothing personal。 There was no way to express the lowliness of that。 〃Ben；〃 he sighed；〃u…saad。〃 Be free。
〃You want us to believe again。〃 In what； he did not say。 It was universal。 Faith requires doubt； and doubt； faith。 Los Alamos was built on just such a foundation。
〃I see you walking；〃 said Nathan Lee。 〃Looking。 Smelling the wind。 You said we're alike。 I can tell that you're getting ready to go。〃
And still Ben was not convinced。 〃Why are you doing this？〃
〃Because；〃 said Nathan Lee； 〃it frees me。〃
For the time being； that seemed to satisfy Ben。
Nathan Lee stopped the globe。 He placed his finger on New Mexico。 〃We are here。 A city。 Los Alamos。 All of this is America。 Let me teach you about this place。〃
Ben followed the lesson for a time； but then he returned to Nathan Lee。 〃Lead us；〃 he said。
Nathan Lee faltered。 They would trust him for that？ But his place was。。。elsewhere。 He'd finished