jefflong.yearzero-第78部分

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　Her　isolation　came　flooding　in。　She　hadn't　really　thought　about　it；　but　now　it　was　obvious　she'd　counted　on　some　form　of　munication　with　the　WIPP　people。　Suddenly　Miranda　wasn't　sure　she　was　strong　enough　for　this。　She　could　go　mad　up　here；　wandering　the　streets；　distilling　nonsensical　potions；　talking　to　ghosts　in　their　apartments。　The　city　was　small；　but　more　than　large　enough　to　bee　her　labyrinth。　The　reactor　would　keep　pumping　out　electricity　for　decades　to　e；　but　one　by　one　the　lights　would　go　out。　She　couldn't　hope　to　maintain　the　plex；　much　less　go　out　into　the　world　searching　for　survivors。　What　had　she　been　thinking？　For　a　bad　moment；　her　resolution　crumbled。　It　wasn't　too　late。　With　a　moon　suit；　in　a　humvee；　if　she　started　now；　she　could　still　catch　the　convoy；　go　down　into　the　earth；　ask　her　father's　forgiveness。。。。
　Then　her　panic　spent　itself。　She　was　too　tired。　And　cold。　She　couldn't　seem　to　get　warm。　A　blanket；　a　little　sleep；　that's　what　she　needed。　After　that　she　could　start　to　inventory　what　was　left　of　Eden。
　　
　SHE　WOKE；　on　the　floor　of　someone's　office；　to　the　sound　of　elevator　doors　opening　and　closing　at　the　end　of　the　hallway。　Had　someone　returned？　She　almost　turned　on　the　light；　then　heard　the　crash　of　glassware。　A　door　banged　open。　More　glass　broke。　Men's　voices　filtered　down　the　corridor。
　She　edged　the　door　wider　and　darted　her　head　out。　At　the　far　end　of　the　hall；　hunched　like　a　hunter；　a　man　was　carrying　a　broken　pipe　for　a　spear。　He　disappeared　around　the　corner。Dear　god；　she　thought。Survivors。
　It　was　nearly　seven　in　the　morning。　Time　enough；　she　realized；　for　anyone　to　have　ascended　the　highway　from　the　valley。　Nathan　Lee's　words　floated　to　her。Be　careful　what　you　wish　for。　You　want　them　to　be　lambs。　But　what　if　they're　wolves。
　The　bomb　must　have　spared　hundreds；　if　not　thousands　of　the　pilgrims。　Huddled　in　their　canyons　and　arroyos　miles　away；　the　blast　might　have　passed　right　over　them。　And　now　they　had　e；　for　theirhajj　or　simply　for　their　pound　of　flesh。　They　would　destroy　the　city。　She　tasted　the　bitterness。You　destroyed　yourself。
　More　doors　crashed　open。　Furniture　tipped　over。　The　ransacking　went　on。
　Footsteps　approached。　She　tried　to　reckon　their　numbers。　One；　it　seemed。　Limping。　Images　of　Hiroshima　sprang　at　her；　flash…burned　victims；　skin　hanging。　Mad　as　hell。
　A　tall　silhouette　rippled　across　the　door's　opaque　glass。　The　footsteps　passed。　She　waited　a　minute；　then　eased　the　door　open　an　inch　at　a　time。　The　floor　was　spotted　with　bloody；　barefoot　prints。
　Glass　splintered　in　an　office　door。　Miranda　heard　yelling；　wild　men；　a　babel　of　words。　They　were　hunting。　They　would　find　her　eventually。　She　armed　herself　with　a　champagne　bottle　left　over　from　someone's　office　party；　then　put　it　down。
　Her　only　hope　was　the　elevator。　Miranda's　thoughts　raced。　Once　up　to　the　first　floor；　she　could　bolt　for　the　back　exit；　hide　in　the　forest　or　in　a　cave。　The　mesa　walls　were　pockmarked　with　them。　She　could　outwait　the　invaders；　raid　for　food；　at　night　make　a　fire。　Food！　She　stuffed　her　pockets　with　food；　little　packets　of　crackers　and　candy。　She　found　a　box　of　kitchen　matches。　An　idea　came　to　her。
　More　crashing；　more　shattering　of　glass。　They　were　searching　room　to　room。
　She　took　one　of　the　matches　and　scratched　it　on　the　box；　and　held　the　flame　beneath　the　glass　rod　on　the　fire　detector。　It　took　forever；　it　seemed。
　Abruptly；　the　sprinkler　system　bucked　on。　Chemical　mist　hissed　from　the　ceiling　nozzle。　Office　and　hall　lights　winked　off；　and　were　replaced　by　strobes。　The　alarm　began　honking　savagely。
　She　heard　men　running　past；　shouting；　bare　feet　slapping　the　wet　floor。　One　slipped；　skidded；　banged　hard　against　her　door。　His　shadow　rose　up；　ran　on。
　At　last　their　voices　dimmed。　She　opened　the　door。　The　elevator　was　only　fifty　feet　away。Walk　or　run？　She　did　both　in　small　bursts。　Broken　windows　on　office　doors　gaped　like　ragged　jaws。　Glass　lay　everywhere。　Chairs　and　desks　had　been　thrown　so　hard　against　the　walls　they　hung　from　the　dry　wall。　Books　had　been　ripped　to　shreds；　papers　scattered。　They　were　in　a　fury；　laying　waste　to　everything。　Their　hatred　made　her　weak。
　Miranda　reached　the　elevator；　hair　dripping。　The　doors　stood　shut。　She　pushed　the　Up　button；　then；　for　good　measure；　the　Down　button。　She　backed　into　the　well　of　the　door　frame　and　waited。
　The　sprinklers　went　on　raining　down。　The　alarm　was　deafening。　She　pushed　the　buttons　again。
　A　man　gave　a　shout　at　the　far　end　of　the　corridor。　They'd　spotted　her。　Two　more　rounded　the　corner。　Miranda　forced　herself　to　stay　and　wait。
　The　three　men　came　sprinting　up　the　hallway。　It　was　a　foot　race　to　reach　her　first。　The　strobes　cast　tiger　stripes　on　them；　dark；　then　bright；　then　dark。　They　had　knives；　an　axe；　a　club。
　Miranda　stabbed　the　buttons。
　Their　bare　feet　gripped　the　linoleum　like　flesh　claws。　They　were　so　fast。　She　slapped　at　the　buttons　with　her　open　palm。　Where　was　the　elevator？
　Too　late　she　saw　the　sign　to　one　side：In　Case　of　Fire；　Use　Stairs。Of　course。　Her　heart　sank。　She'd　bluffed　herself　into　a　corner。　The　building's　power　would　have　shut　down　at　the　first　alarm。　And　yet　the　buttons　were　lighted。　She　stabbed　them　again。　With　nowhere　to　run；　she　slugged　her　back　against　the　doors；　faced　her　hunters。
　It　was　only　in　the　final　thirty　feet　that　she　caught　sight　of　their　faces；　and　for　an　instant　her　terror　changed　to　surprise。　These　weren't　outsiders。　How　could　she　have　forgotten　them？
　〃Eesho？〃　she　said。
　It　was　him　in　the　lead；　the　false　messiah。　His　eyes　grew　large。　Only　now　did　he　recognize　her；　the　woman　who　had　humiliated　and　terrorized　him。　The　false　mother。
　Her　father's　word　sprang　from　the　distant　past；　Ochs's　word；　too：abominations。
　Who　had　let　them　out？　What　did　it　matter？　She　was　trapped　with　her　own　handiwork。　For　a　moment　she　felt　pity　for　them　all；　for　the　men　torn　from　their　grave；　for　herself　in　her　confusion；　but　especially　for　the　life　growing　in　her　womb。　It　was　dizzying。　Her　world　had　broken　loose　of　its　neat　orbit。　If　there　was　a　lesson　that　was　it；　the　oldest　lesson：　once　in　motion　her　creations　had　a　life　of　their　own。
　More　of　the　clones　arrived；　soaked　by　the　sprinklers；　their　arms　and　feet　bleeding　from　glass；　eyes　jacked　wide　with　adrenaline；　armed　with　kitchenware　and　pieces　of　the　building　and　industrial　garbage。　One　gripped　a　meat　cleaver。　Miranda　recognized　its　beat…up　wood　handle　and　leather　loop。　It　came　from　the　bone　lab。　Without　knowing　it；　the　clones　had　found　their　own　remains。
　Eesho　raised　his　axe。　She　wanted　to　plead　for　her　child。　Too　late。　She　signified　everything　that　was　evil　to　him。　Even　if　she　could　have　spoken　his　language；　there　was　no　arguing　with　that。　Her　womb　and　fertility　were　simply　one　more　malignancy　to　be　chopped　down。
　The　moment　slowed。　He　was　bellowing　at　her；　some　curse　or　justification。　His　words　turned　to　slurry。　Every　detail　sharpened。　She　saw　the　veins　on　his　forehead　and　raised　one　arm　to　try　ward　away　the　axe。
　She　couldn't　take　her　eyes　away　from　it。　The　axe　blade　reached　its　apogee。　And　stopped。　Beneath　the　ugly　honking　alarm；　there　was　a　sudden；　absurd；　merryping。
　Eesho　looked　up。　The　doors　slid　open　behind　her。　Miranda　tumbled　backward。　The　elevator　car　was　dry　and　dimly　lighted。　Miranda　scuttled　back　from　the　clones。。。and　struck　the　legs　of　a　man　inside。
　His　face　took　her　breath；　a　ripped；　sewn　rag　of　a　face。　He　peered　down　with　reptilian　detachment；　then　looked　out　at　the　other　clones；　their　hair　and　beards　slicked　flat　with　the　synthetic　rain。　They　had　her。
　He　laid　one　hand　on　her　head　and　cocked　her　face　back　to　look　more　closely。　〃Miranda；〃　he　uttered；　and　patted　her　head。　She　belonged　to　him　now。
　She　had　never　met　Ben；　had　refused　in　fact。　But　she　knew　him。　Like　the　rest　of　Los　Alamos；　she　had　bee　familiar　with　his　fright　mask　of　scar　tissue。　Of　all　their　monsters；　it　was　he　who　had　best　suited　their　dread　and　most　excused　the　pains　they　inflicted。　His　was　the　least　human　of　faces。　But　he　had　been　Nathan　Lee's　favorite；　and　he　knew　her　name　somehow。　What　had　Nathan　Lee　told　him？
　Eesho　burst　into　an　angry　tirade。　Ben　answered　him　sternly。　She　didn't　understand　a　word。　The　alarms　throbbed　like　a　giant　heartbeat。　The　strobes　lashed　them。　They　looked　like　creatures　etched　by　lightning；　lurid；　then　shadowy；　flickering　in　and　out　of　existence。　They　craned　to　hear　Ben。　He　seemed　to　be　countering　Eesho's　ultimatums　with　a　choice　of　some　kind。
　At　last　a　man　stepped　forward　from　the　bunched　crowd。　Eesho　tried　to　block　him　from　entering　the　elevator；　and　the　man　went　around　him。　Another　approached。　Eesho　grabbed　his　arm；　and　the　man　shoved　him　to　the　ground。　One　by　one；　they　edged　around　him。
　The　smell　of　sweat　and　chemicals　filled　the　car。　They　jostled　to　make　room。　The　sudden　peace　was　almost　ludicrous　to　her。　They　contradicted　themselves；　full　of　rage　one　instant；　sober　and　patient　the　next。　As　the　doors　closed；　only　Eesho　remained　out　there；　still　bellowing　at　them　from　the　shadows。　The　noise　shut　away。
　For　a　moment；　the　elevator　didn't　move。　Ben　carefully；　studiously　pressed　the　button　for　the　first　floor。　Nathan　Lee　had　trained　him　well。　The　gesture　wasn't　lost　on　the　others。　He　was　guiding　them　out　of　here。
　The　ride　was　short。　She　squeezed　into　the　back　corner。　No　one　said　a　word。　For　a　minute；　they　were　all　just　fellow　passengers。
　The　car　came　to　a　halt。
　Even　as　the　doors　opened；　Miranda　saw　bodies　lying　in　a　row　on　the　lobby　floor；　and　their　pile　of　ugly；　makeshift　weapons。　At　a　small　distance；　hidden　behind　columns　and　scarred　riot　shields；　soldiers　were　pointing　their　guns　at　the　mouth　of　the　elevator。　〃Cut　the　power；〃　she　heard　a　man　shout。　〃Lock　it　open。　We　got　a　full　load　this　time。〃
　The　light　inside　the　elevator　went　out。
　〃Ben！〃　the　voice　called。　〃You　in　there？　Is　he　in　there？　I　can't　see。〃
　With　a　shout；　the　clones　pressed　to　the　sides　of　the　elevator　car；　shoving　backward　from　the　doors；　trapping　Miranda　behind　them。　She　was　tall；　and　could　see　over　their　shoulders　and　between　their　heads。　The　lobby　was　so　bright。　It　was　blinding　at　first。
　The　entrance　to　Alpha　Lab　faced　due　east。　The　winter　sun　was　just　rising；　its　rays　glancing　straight　in。　Now　she　saw　a　th