jefflong.yearzero-第3部分

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ight　while　the　mountain　is　asleep。　Other　senses　emerged：　night　vision；　different　kinds　of　hearing；　a　feeling　for　the　movements　underfoot。　The　world　lost　its　margins；　it　ran　loose　out　there。　Deep　joints　in　the　earth　snapped　like　bones。　The　underworld　beat　within　your　skin。　That's　how　it　felt　tonight。　Ochs's　heavy　footsteps　drummed　on　the　earth。　Even　the　stars　were　vibrating。
　Nathan　Lee　looked　out　across　the　top　of　the　vile　smog。　The　enormous　white　moon　had　finished　sucking　free　of　the　distant　desert。　He'd　never　seen　it　so　large　and　explicit。
　〃Slow　down；〃　Ochs　said。
　Nathan　Lee　could　hear　him　back　there；　laboring。。。downhill。　That　was　not　good。　They'd　barely　started　the　night。　The　man　sounded　like　horses　breathing。　Nathan　Lee　didn't　wait；　but　at　the　same　time　he　didn't　let　their　spacing　grow　too　wide。
　They　plunged　on；　lights　off；　Nathan　Lee　ahead。　Ochs　was　clumsy。　He　demanded　a　rest。　Nathan　Lee　made　him　demand　it　three　times；　then　reined　himself　in。　Ochs　caught　up　and　sat　on　a　rock。　He　blamed　his　football　knees　and　Nathan　Lee's　pace。　〃I　know　you're　trying　to　wear　me　down。　It　won't　work；〃　he　said。
　They　continued　down　through　fig　and　pistachio　groves　with　clusters　of　ripe　buds。　The　branches　of　olive　trees　looked　frozen　and　convulsed。　Through　his　cotton　mask；　Nathan　Lee　could　smell　the　blossoms　glittering　like　Christmas　tree　ornaments。　Their　scent　could　not　hide　the　smell　of　spoiled　meat；　even　at　this　distance。
　They　penetrated　the　layer　of　oil　smoke。　The　moon　shrank　and　turned　brown。　Deeper；　they　passed　through　a　Christian　cemetery　with　toppled　gravestones　and　crosses。　They　reached　the　underside　of　the　cloud。　Suddenly　the　walls　of　the　Old　City　stood　before　them。
　It　was　a　different　world　under　the　canopy。　Green　and　orange　flares　cut　the　low　sky。　You　would　see　them　rocket　up　through　the　black　smoke；　then　slowly　reappear　from　the　murky　heavens。　By　night；　the　gas　flames　resembled　Biblical　pillars　of　fire。　Nathan　Lee　looked　at　Ochs　and　the　snout　of　his　white　mask　was　caked　with　soot。　He　looked　like　a　hyena　nosing　through　the　ashes。
　Timeless　Jerusalem　lay　squashed　flat。　Because　it　was　built　on　a　rising　hill；　they　could　see　over　the　walls；　into　the　upper　neighborhoods。　At　first　glance；　the　city　looked　fused；　one　single　melted　element。　Then　Nathan　Lee　began　to　discern　details　in　the　ruins。　In　place　of　streets；　there　were　arteries；　and　in　the　arteries　moved　lights。　Hatreds　older　than　America　were　in　motion。　Here　and　there　streamers　of　tracer　bullets　arced　between　the　pancaked　apartment　buildings。　It　was　every　man　for　himself　in　there；　militias；　sects；　rebels；　and　predators。
　Nathan　Lee　was　afraid。　This　wasn't　like　the　controlled　adrenal　hit　you　got　climbing　a　long　runout　on　rock　or　ice。　It　was　more　insidious；　more　consuming。　And　there　was　another　difference　tonight。　He　would　have　a　daughter　soon。　For　some　reason；　that　mattered　to　him。　His　life　counted　for　more。
　In　the　distance；　poised　above　the　shredded　skyline；　the　Dome　of　the　Rock　was　still　standing。　The　sight　had　a　peculiar　effect。　It　was　an　oddity　of　quakes　in　very　old　cities　that　modern　structures　will　collapse；　leaving　the　ancient　buildings　intact。　The　National　Cathedral　in　Mexico　City　was　one　example；　the　Hagia　Sophia　in　Istanbul　another。　The　mosque　atop　the　Temple　Mount　was　clearly　another。　The　dome　gleamed　in　the　flare　light　like　a　golden　moon　fallen　to　earth。
　They　descended　into　the　Kidron　valley；　then　trekked　up　and　reached　the　base　of　the　wall。　It　soared　above　them。　Hardin　slapped　the　big；　squared　blocks　of　limestone。　〃We're　in　the　zone；〃　he　said。　〃Can　you　feel　it？〃
　They　followed　the　wall　to　its　southern　edge；　then　skirted　west；　on　the　outside　of　the　worst　fighting。　The　Muslim　and　Jewish　quarters　rumbled　and　thundered　inside　the　wall。　No　rest　for　the　weary。　They　were　fighting　right　through　Armageddon。　Bullets　and　shrapnel　sizzled　overhead　from　the　platform　of　the　Temple　Mount。
　After　twenty　minutes　they　reached　a　collapsed　abbey。　Not　much　further；　they　reached　the　end　of　the　south　wall；　and　took　a　righthand　turn　along　the　original　Byzantine　wall。
　The　suburbs　were　in　utter　collapse。　Disemboweled　high…rises　teetered　above　mounds　of　debris。　The　bulldozers　had　not　visited　this　part　of　the　city　yet。　Every　street　lay　buried。　Instead；　Nathan　Lee　followed　slight　traces　that　threaded　between　the　mounds　of　wreckage。　It　was　little　more　than　a　game　trail。　Worn　by　feet　or　paws；　the　path　glowed　faintly。
　Through　the　archway　of　the　Jaffa　Gate；　they　entered　the　Old　City　itself。　First　they　shed　their　disguise。　Inside　the　walls；　relief　workers　would　just　be　sniper　bait。　Off　came　the　Red　Cross　bibs　and　their　cotton　masks。　Underneath　his　mask；　Ochs　had　daubed　his　face　with　camouflage　paint。
　Modern　rubble　gave　way　to　ancient。　The　pathways　wound　back　and　forth　through　the　twisted　devastation。　There　were　dozens　of　forks　in　the　trail。　Ochs　offered　opinions；　but　always　deferred　to　Nathan　Lee's　instincts。
　Nathan　Lee　felt　at　home　here。　He　had　a　theory　that　the　stranger　always　has　an　advantage　in　chaos。　The　stranger　can't　lose　his　way；　only　find　it。　People　born　and　raised　here　would　naturally　depend　on　familiar　street　corners　and　shopfronts　and　addresses。　He　had　no　such　landmarks。　Ruins　were　their　own　city；　the　same　worldwide；　old　or　modern。　The　key　lay　in　your　mind。Begin　in　the　beginning。　。。。It　was　a　trick　learned　from　his　father；　the　mountain　guide。
　The　rest　he　got　from　his　mother；　the　ape　lady。　Instead　of　brothers　or　sisters；　he'd　grown　up　with　baboon　troops　in　the　wild。If　you　want　to　know　a　thing；　she　would　say；go　inside　it。　She　and　her　mountain…man　husband　were　products　of　their　generation；　brimming　with　wanderlust　and　little　Zen　sayings　and　being　real。　They'd　raised　him　to　see　worlds　within　the　world。
　Ochs　kept　stumbling。　Phone　lines　and　checkered　keffiyahs　tangled　their　feet。　Blocks　of　limestone　shifted　underfoot。　Twice　the　professor　nearly　speared　himself　on　pieces　of　iron　rod　and　copper　pipe。　He　needed　more　frequent　rests。
　They　passed　the　old　and　the　new。　Beside　a　squashed　Toyota　lay　the　remains　of　a　horse　stripped　by　predators。　Minarets　blocked　their　path　like　toppled　rocket　ships。　Five…and　six…story　apartment　buildings　had　dropped　straight　down　and　Nathan　Lee　found　himself　walking　between　small　forests　of　TV　antennae　fixed　atop　the　former　roofs。
　An　old　woman　appeared　from　the　shadows；　startling　them。　That　was　the　first　time　Nathan　Lee　saw　Ochs's　pistol。　It　was　a　little　Saturday　night　special。　He　pointed　it　at　her。　She　cursed　them　in　Russian；　then　wandered　on。
　〃Where　did　you　get　that　thing？〃　Nathan　Lee　whispered。
　〃We　should　stop　her；〃　said　Ochs。　〃She'll　give　us　away。〃
　〃She's　crazy。　Didn't　you　see　her　eyes？〃
　〃You're　taking　us　in　circles；〃　Ochs　snarled。　Low　on　blood　sugar；　jet…lagged；　he　was　being　dangerous。
　Nathan　Lee　held　up　a　hand　for　quiet。
　Ochs　pushed　him；　then　he　heard…or　felt…it；　too。
　The　vibrations　traveled　up　the　long　bones　in　Nathan　Lee's　legs。　The　ruins　were　trembling。　Someone　was　approaching；　a　patrol　or　gang　or　militia。　Killers。　Night　angels。　Their　footsteps　shocked　the　earth。
　Nathan　Lee　wasted　no　time　calculating　their　distance。　He　started　up　a　hillside　of　mangled　debris；　racing　from　one　moon　shadow　to　the　next。　Ochs　followed；　grunting；　boots　slugging　for　purchase。　Nathan　Lee　saw　the　gun　in　his　fist；　a　silvery　toy。　He　reached　the　top　of　the　debris；　and　stopped。
　The　Church　of　the　Holy　Sepulcher　stood　beneath　him。　They　had　reached　the　Christian　quarter。
　Nathan　Lee　had　been　here　before。　The　place　actually　housed　many　places。　Crusader　towers　crowded　against　Byzantine　domes　built　upon　the　ruins　of　a　Roman　temple　of　Venus。　Here；　contained　under　one　roof；　were　the　legendary　landmarks　of　Christ's　death；　from　the　rock　of　Calvary　to　the　tomb　of　His　resurrection。　Some　of　the　outer　buildings　had　fallen；　but　most　of　it　was　intact；　even　the　little　crosses　on　top　of　the　domes。
　Ochs　reached　him；　and　saw　the　church。　He　gasped。　〃See？〃　he　said。　〃See？〃
　Then　Nathan　Lee　heard　voices　below。　Without　a　word　he　lowered　himself　into　a　hollow　where　the　rubble　had　sagged。　Ochs　squeezed　in　beside　him。
　〃Untouched！〃　said　Ochs。　〃Just　like　we　saw　on　CNN。〃
　Nathan　Lee　drew　back　into　the　shadows。　He　lay　his　cheekbone　against　a　concrete　slab　and　rested　his　fingertips　along　a　prong　of　rebar　sticking　from　the　rubble。　The　footsteps　drew　closer。　He　could　feel　the　tremors　gaining　strength。　Ochs's　sweat　stank。
　Then　they　appeared；　or　their　shadows　did。　He　saw　shapes；　not　men；　huge　shadows　streaming　against　what　walls　still　stood。　He　saw　the　glint　of　rifles。　They　trampled　the　ruins　like　quiet　machinery。
　Ochs's　eyes　were　huge　and　white　in　the　dark　recess。　His　jowls　were　tiger…striped　with　black　and　olive　paint。　He　lifted　his　gun。
　The　killers　passed。
　Ochs　stood。　〃e　on。〃
　Nathan　Lee　stayed　on　his　hands　and　knees。　〃There's　something　down　here；〃　he　said。　Next　to　Ochs's　boot　toe；　the　thing　jutted　up。
　Nathan　Lee　thought　at　first　it　was　a　tiny　potted　tree　growing　out　of　the　wreckage；　ten　inches　high；　no　more。　He　leaned　closer　to　see　what　it　was。　The　shock　of　recognition　made　him　grunt。
　It　was　a　hand。
　The　twigs　were　fingers；　wilted。　The　wrist　was　thin。　It　held　a　woman's　watch。　The　long　plastic　fingers　had　nails　laquered　ruby　red。　The　gold　wedding　ring　was　shiny　and　new。　A　mannequin's　hand；　that's　what　he　wanted　it　to　be。　He　knew　it　was　not。
　〃Look；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。
　Ochs　shined　his　light。
　〃It's　a　woman。〃
　They　had　been　smelling　the　dead　all　night。　The　odors　seeped　up　from　the　ruins。　Nathan　Lee　had　started　to　think　they　might　just　escape　without　seeing　any　bodies。
　〃Okay；　you　found　one；〃　said　Ochs。　He　kept　his　voice　flat。　〃Let's　get　going。〃
　Nathan　Lee　stayed　kneeling。　The　flares　illuminated　their　ridge　top　with　electric　reds　and　greens。　The　hand　hung　limp；　forefinger　slightly　pointing　as　in　Michelangelo's　picture　of　Adam　taking　the　mortal　spark　from　God。　The　beautifully　painted　fingernails　were　broken　off　at　the　tips；　and　packed　underneath　with　dirt。　She　had　clawed　her　way　out　of　the　tomb。　That　spoke　to　him。　She　had　refused　to　surrender。
　〃Do　you　hear　that　scratching　sound？〃
　Since　entering　the　city；　the　sounds　had　been　rising　up　to　them　from　underground。　Murmurs；　cries；　knocking；　scratches。　They'd　done　a　fine　job　p