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The band was filled with soldiers talking to soldiers。 He harnessed Nathan Lee with a respirator unit that sterilized every breath with ultraviolet light。
〃This is your camel back。〃 He draped a bladder with shoulder straps along Nathan Lee's spine。 〃It holds two gallons of water。 You're going to get hot and hungry inside the suit。 It's important to stay hydrated。 Water discipline。 Every fifteen minutes； take a sip from this。〃 He held the tube running from the camel back to Nathan Lee's lips。 〃It's a glucose and protein mix。 Did they screen you for claustrophobia？〃
They had not。 There had been no time for any preparation。 〃I'll be fine；〃 said Nathan Lee。
〃Right。 Things will feel a bit tight once you're sealed in。 Add heat； hunger； and dehydration； and by the end of the day you'll want out of the rig。 Whatever you do； do not remove your equipment。 We take care of that for you at decon。 Sometimes a troop will lose it in the field。 All it takes is one bad second。 Take off your helmet and that's all she wrote。〃 The rigger tugged hard at his straps。 〃We'll know if you break the seal on your helmet。 Be your own master。 Don't self…destruct。〃
He laid out the contents of a field kit： a quart bottle of bleach to splash on any punctures； a roll of duct tape to patch any holes； a hand pump to siphon fuel； and a GPS receiver to track his coordinates。 The kit held no first aid equipment。 The message was clear。 No casualties allowed。 One cut； one nick； and you were a write…off anyway。
〃Hey；〃 a soldier shouted over； pointing at his ears； 〃channel four。〃
〃You got a private call；〃 said the rigger。 He switched Nathan Lee's wrist dial to channel four。 Nathan Lee wanted it to be Miranda。 Instead it was Ochs。
〃Ready for the abyss？〃
〃Where am I going？〃
〃Patience； son。 Let's not spoil the suspense。〃
Everything was wrong with this。 Ochs was setting him up； he was sure of it。 But what choice did he have？ Ochs had the power of a secret over him； and Nathan Lee was helpless against that。 〃You could have sent me off months ago。 I would have gone。〃
〃I told you； it was too soon。〃
〃Too soon for what？〃
They had been through this。 〃It's like the old days。 Trust me。 Stay tuned。 Obey me； and the world will be right again。〃 Ochs cut the munication。
The rigger duct taped Kevlar gloves to Nathan Lee's wrists and the boots to his knees； and layered plastic armor over his elbows and chest and knees。 Finally he sealed him shut inside the helmet。 There was a slight rush of air。 Nathan Lee's ears popped。 He could hear over the radio； but the external world was muffled。 When the rigger patted his head； he felt far away。 Nathan Lee gave a thumbs…up。 The rigger saluted him。
Three troop carriers and a big cargo helicopter waited。 The pilots wore moon suits； too。 They looked like astronauts ready for motocross。 Passing the cargo bird； Nathan Lee saw empty cages in the cavernous bay。
The helicopters plunged north off the high mesa。 The soldiers sat strapped in the hold and the air turned chill。 They passed high above the valley。 Nathan Lee saw the pueblo he'd gone through on his way to Los Alamos； long ago； it seemed。 But the tank was gone； and the square looked deserted。 Further on； he spied campfires along the Rio Grande。 People were walking along the highway。
〃Pilgrims；〃 a voice said over his headset。 It was the crew chief。 〃Word spread fast。 They started showing up yesterday。〃
〃Where are they from？〃
〃Locals。 Out of Chama and Espa？ola and Tres Piedras。 Milagro Beanfield types。〃
The helicopters sprinted between ancient volcanoes and across old seabeds； then took a right through the Rockies to follow the front range。 Not a car moved along the black thread of I…25。
They swept past Colorado Springs； and the dawn spotlighted towering mountains and glassy office towers。 Red sandstone fins flashed beneath。 Nearby； Nathan Lee knew； the seat of federal government was burrowed deep inside Cheyenne Mountain。 Like King Arthur； the President and his administrative heads and Congress and the Supreme Court were hibernating until the day their dead nation came to life and called for them again。 On his way to Los Alamos last summer； the place had been a beehive of trucks passing through battalions of sentinels； stocking democracy's keep。 Now it was still。
The aspens were turning。 The hillsides blazed with gold and red leaves。 Past the Air Force Academy； they came to a flat hilltop girdled by tank traps and razor wire。 Small white radar dishes tracked their approach。 The helicopters landed to refuel。
As the fuel tanks filled； so did Nathan Lee's bladder。 He knew better than to ask。 No potty breaks in the plague zone。 He looked around at his stoic panions； and recalled stories of sickly Crusaders who kept riding even with diarrhea leaking down their saddles。 He sat in his warm urine without expression。
Then they were airborne again； hurtling due north。Denver； he guessed。 The sun inched higher upon the flat plains。 As far as his eye could see； unharvested wheat and corn and rampant tall grasses had gone to seed。 Their rotor blast flushed animals。 A herd of horses galloped with their shadow like dolphins leaping。 Denver it was。 They made a beeline for the neat； geometric skyline。 Soldiers began checking their weapons and suits。 The door gunner grew alert。
They flashed east across vacant suburbs。 White bones lay scattered on the streets。 Dark flocks of birds were circling for food。 Nathan Lee's dread crept。 It was no longer summer here。 America had bee Asia。What was Ochs sending him into？
A dozen plague victims stood clustered on a golf course by a pond。 Their pilot broke from the group and looped lower for a view。 Bodies floated facedown in the nearby water like balloons resting on the surface。 None of the living took notice of the helicopter。 Most had unconsciously shed their clothing in the heat of past days。 On this cold morning； they dumbly faced the light。
From this height； Nathan Lee could see paths worn in the grasses。 Then he saw the dogs。 They were house pets； mostly bigger breeds： golden retrievers； dalmations； black labs； sturdy mutts。 Packs had taken up residence on different sides of the human herd。 Fido had deep instincts。 Nathan Lee had seen hyenas and wild dogs in west Kenya set up shop the same way； picking off the strays at whim。
The pilot hovered thirty feet off； scanning the faces。 Through the chrysalis of infected tissue； their teeth showed like famine grins。 Nathan Lee could see the dark clumps of viscera。
〃No kids。 No pregnant；〃 said the pilot。 〃Am I missing anything？〃
〃Nothing here；〃 the crew chief verified。
The helicopter sprang onwards。
For the next twenty minutes； that was the pattern。 They would spot a group standing in a parking lot or playground or among the crashed cars； descend； scrutinize； and move on。 They reached Coors baseball stadium； skeletal； but pretty with its iron lattice work。 Crossing America； Nathan Lee had learned that stadiums across the country had been used to quarantine tens of thousands of victims。 But Coors stood empty； except for a few slumped bodies in the bleachers。 Either Denver's collapse had happened too quickly for authorities to react； or they had seen the futility of quarantine。 Nathan Lee's helicopter came to rest in center field。
It was a busy place。 The soldiers knew what they were doing。 Sentinels with machine guns scoped the outside streets from the top bleachers。 One team set up a satellite dish and uplinked with Los Alamos； another cleared bodies and debris from the delivery gate。 Nathan Lee loaned a hand where the chore was obvious。 Otherwise； he stayed out of the way。 He listened to the radio chatter over his headset； then tried channel four。
Ochs's voice was waiting for him。 〃Wele to the Mile High City。〃
〃It's bad here；〃 said Nathan Lee。 He wanted encouragement。
〃If it wasn't bad you wouldn't be there；〃 Ochs said。 〃They learned not to bother with the early…stage cities。 Too much insanity。 Gun nation。 Weirdos。 Survivalists with a beef。 Family groups trying to defend their loved ones。〃
〃You said Grace was alive。〃 In fact； Ochs had not said it。 Nathan Lee wanted more。
〃Stay with me；〃 Ochs said。 〃I'm tracking your coordinates。 I've got a map。 We'll find them together。〃
The soldiers left the pilots on guard and departed。 Carting jerry cans of gas； the platoons exited onto the streets and went carjacking。 Denver was SUV heaven。 In pairs； the soldiers fueled and hotwired their vehicles of choice； and drove off。
Nathan Lee was left alone。 From high above； papers floated out of shattered skyscraper windows。 He found a Toyota with a good battery and keys in the ignition。 The engine turned over with what was left in its gas tank。 There was enough headroom to acodate his helmet。 It would do。 He got out and poured part of his jerry can into the gas tank。 All told； he had enough fuel for a round trip of sixty miles or so。
Ochs played navigator with a puter map。 Nathan Lee followed his directions。 Where the avenues were clogged with dead cars or had flooded with water； Ochs found him alternate routes。
Together they reached a cozy neighborhood landscaped with poplars and Japanese blood grasses。 pared to the tangle of highway me