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had been thrown into a pit of lions。
24
The Year Zero Hour
SEPTEMBER
Once upon a time； Joab was a shepherd from Hebron。 Now he was a tree climber。 Nathan Lee had never seen a man； or boy； love climbing through branches so much。 Probably there had never been such a beautiful； tall tree in Hebron。 When he wasn't scrambling up and down the tree； Joab was off at a distance； watching it。 None of the other men thought Joab's behavior odd； so Nathan Lee dismissed it。
Then one morning； high in the tree； he saw a bluejay struggling in a spider web that was large and nearly invisible。 Quick as a monkey； Joab raced up the limbs。 The spider web； it turned out； was a net made of threads from his robe。 Joab's hand gently closed over the frantic bird； and he descended to the fire。
By this time； the clones were all aware of his capture； and they gathered to see。 There was some discussion about its color and size； and whether it was good enough。 Finally； Lazarus took the jay from Joab's hands。 With a twist； he broke the bird's neck。 Then he spread its blue wings wide open and laid the bird on the flames。
Nathan Lee thought they meant to eat the bird。 But men began swaying and mumbling。 One cantor sang a prayer。 The Christians bunched together and prostrated like Muslims。 Men filed past； holding little charms in the smoke； or passed their fingers through the heat and held it to their foreheads or eyes or hearts。 Others watched closely； academically； remarking on stages of the bird's incineration。
That was the first of the burnt sacrifices。
LOSALAMOS WATCHEDthe clones in awe。
Thanks to the plague； the city had already bee a treasure chest of the exotic and beautiful。 One of the Japanese scientists had brought the originalSunflowers by Van Gogh。 There were a dozen Charles Russells and Frederic Remingtons； two Paul Klees； a carved ivory tower from the Ming period which required a magnifying glass to see all its dragons； coin collections； private libraries of signed； first edition books； framed letters written by Presidents； African masks； several Martian meteorites； a Triceratops skull； and more。
Their little paradise on the hill had drawn precious objects to it like a magnet。 There was no lack of supply： soldiers had raided empty museums； long…haul truckers had brought pawn； mune leaders from the valley bartered urban loot for food； and eleventh…hour arrivals like Nathan Lee had showed up at the gate with treasures and rare talents to bribe their way inside。 Last winter； a troupe of Bolshoi Ballet dancers had been granted entrée。 The Cowboy Junkies got through the fence when their lead singer； a Canadian beauty named Margo； bewitched the guards with an a cappella rendition of 〃The House of the Rising Sun。〃 The list went on： pianists； painters； the Denver symphony； Hollywood actors； and novelists now sheltered here； singing for their supper。 Little girls learned arabesques from some of the greatest ballerinas。 The city was treated to opera； exhibitions； and world class music。
But until now they had seen nothing like the clones。 Their fascination went beyond the city's hunger for news that was not bad； or for a secret that could safely be told； or for mere entertainment。 It resembled the voyeurism of their plague surfing； but was something else entirely。 Watching dams crumble and cities burn and plague victims transmitting their last thoughts from basements and high…rise holdouts or from that rope village in the redwoods had bee predictable and mundane。 Satellites occassionally streaked through the night sky like fiery meteorites。 Such things were the unmaking of a world they had helped make。
But with the debut of Nathan Lee's time travelers； the city suddenly gained a lost world。 It was alien； and yet oddly； vaguely familiar。 It was like visiting the moon。
The Year Zero Hour had its roots in a bootleg video of the Lord's Prayer 〃event〃 patched together at home by one of the Captain's guards。 Copies of the tape were passed from hand to hand； one puter to another。 Nathan Lee was much too busy to pay attention to the growing excitement。 Sensing something extraordinary； the Office of Public Affairs became involved。 One night in their second week in the yard of the sun； the clones went prime time on the city's cable network。 Nathan Lee was startled to see them on television。 The boys were a hit and didn't even know it。
It was an odd creature； this hour of jumpy； edited scenes with English subtitles。 The early black…and…white footage looked like something from a convenience store security camera。 More sophisticated cameras were installed on the yard's walls； more sound dishes。 The production quality jumped when a famous Hollywood director； who had been granted safe haven within Los Alamos； volunteered his services。 A Mideastern soundtrack was added to the beginning and end of the Hour。 There was no narrator to guide the viewer； no segues to pull the pieces together； no thread to follow； just clones gossiping in a dead language while they sat around a fire or walked in circles。
Each held faith with one god or another。 Like men tugging on a rope； they had pulled their rituals with them through the veil of time。 Besides the burnt offerings； they made charms and amulets and prayer beads； and tied red twine around their wrists or throats or draped strings over one shoulder。 A few tattooed each other's faces and arms with charcoal paste and a nail。
Izzy came up with the idea of bringing raw materials into the yard。 Soon the clones were making sandals； braiding rope； fashioning lyres； playing flutes； cooking； running a small bazaar； hammering copper； making jewelry； drawing graffiti on the walls。 John the Second； as they called him； the shorter one； proved to be quite an artist； spending day after day on a big picture of a fishing boat。
〃WHAT HAVE YOU UNLEASHED？〃 Miranda asked Nathan Lee one night。 They were in the Necro Archives。 It was very late。 She had begun appearing in the archives more often。Knock； knock； she would say。 Generally it was near midnight when the hallways were empty and the lab was quiet。
Nathan Lee had taken to eating and sleeping in the archives to save time。 Four weeks had passed； but it felt like four months。 He had never been so busy。 Here among the bones； he raced to keep up with their resurrected flesh and blood。 He had not meant to get caught up in their lives； indeed he had wanted not to。 This was supposed to be a way of passing time； of outwaiting Ochs and getting on with his journey； nothing more。 So he told himself。
He did everything in his power to remain true to Grace。 He had gotten one of the people in satellite imagery to puter…enhance his muddy； ruined snapshot of her； and kept the result in a frame on a shelf in the archives。 It was supposed to be a daily reminder； but the enhancement had altered her features subtly； turning her into someone he no longer quite recognized。 She was less real than ever。 He struggled with that。
But each day brought him deeper into the world of Year Zero。 Well past midnight he labored over his notes and watched tapes； patching together kinship charts； weaving strands of men's stories； hunting for clues。 Before dawn； Izzy would show up and they would plot the ing day's strategy。
Miranda essentially lived in the building now； too。 The virus had shifted shape again。 Over the past two years； it had revved up to a killing speed of twelve days； tearing through populations like a shotgun blast。 This latest strain was slower…moving； though。 The telltale symptoms of glassy skin and early amnesia didn't manifest for a week； and the deadly erosion of executive function in the brain could take a month。 This was good； and bad。 It gave the illusion of maybe burning itself out； though people knew better than to believe that。 But the virus was finally beginning to act more normally； at least for a virus。 That suggested the first stirrings of co…evolution。
〃It wants to tango；〃 Miranda told him。 〃Every parasite does。 They want a dance partner who shares their tempo； a host to co…evolve with。 Man and Corfu just don't seem very well suited for each other。 But we have to keep trying。〃
There were rumors that Miranda was on to something new。 No one knew what。 She never talked about it on these nightly visits to Nathan Lee's 〃office。〃
He was always careful； for her sake。 He made sure the door stayed wide open while she visited。 He kept his hands to himself； no friendly pats； no little bunny hugs。 Lab romances were everywhere。 Tongues wagged。 She didn't need that。 She was a child。 He felt a hundred years older than her。 So he ruled himself。 Plato would have been proud。
They sat facing each other； almost knee to knee； not quite touching。 He was brown from the sun； she was pale。 Three video screens stood on a table to one side； each playing the day's tapes from different cameras in the yard。 The volume was off。 〃Are those men gambling？〃 Miranda asked。
Nathan Lee glanced over。 〃Games of chance。 It fits； don't you think。〃
She pointed at another screen。 Joab was squatting over the day's catch； a sparrow with its wings bound； and a squirrel in a cage made of woven pine strips。 〃He sells them；〃 said Nathan Lee。 〃It's like a souk。〃 He t