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Miranda straightened in her chair。 She folded her hands and raised her chin。 The negogiator went down her list。 〃Tell them we're close to the cure；〃 the woman said。
〃But there is no cure；〃 Miranda said。 〃They know that。 If there was； we'd be down there inoculating them all。〃
Nathan Lee watched the group。 They thought she was offering a gambit。 〃We could try that；〃 someone considered。
〃Too late for that anyway；〃 said a lab chief。 〃They're not going away。 They can't。 These are very sick people。 They have no shelter； no food； no sanitation。 The secondary infections are rampant down there。 The die…off's happening already。 For them； this is the end of the road。〃
〃Stick with the cure；〃 said the negotiator。 〃We promised them a miracle。 It's supposed to happen here； on this hill； in our labs。 We just need time。 They'll respect that。〃
〃If we can just keep them stalled another two weeks； attrition will do the rest；〃 the lab chief said。
〃Two weeks？〃 a man protested。 〃They could attack in two hours。 We don't know what we're dealing with。〃
The room fell quiet。
〃We shouldn't be here；〃 a man called out。 〃You have to order the evacuation。 Immediately。〃
Another voice spoke。 〃We should have been evacuated a long time ago。〃
Miranda's face was grey。 Her eyes darted around the room； searching for Nathan Lee。 She hesitated。 Nathan Lee saw a frightened girl。 She was afraid for them； afraid of herself； afraid she might be wrong。
The general charged into her indecision。 〃Negative； the evacuation；〃 he said。 〃The encampment covers I…84 all the way to Santa Fe。〃
A scientist stood up。 〃Offer them the city。 They can have everything。 All they need to do is let us pass。〃
〃While we save ourselves？〃 said the general。 〃Not one truck would make it through。〃
〃Then use the back road；〃 someone said。
〃That was built for light traffic。 We're talking about a convoy of heavily loaded； 16…wheel trucks。 The back road can't handle us。〃
〃We can't be evacuated？〃 It was Miranda。 She had argued against evacuation for months； and yet was as shocked as the rest of them。
〃That option is injudicious at this time；〃 said the general。
〃Injudicious？〃 she said。
Around the room； the other generals glanced at one another。 〃It is not timely；〃 said the general； 〃at this time。〃
〃Thirty seconds；〃 said a man behind one of the cameras。
Ochs appeared on their multiple screens； pacing back and forth； hairy； backlit by a fire。 Izzy wasn't doing a good job following him with the camera。 Ochs kept sliding in and out of view。 The camera seemed fixed in place。 The one constant was a cluster ofpenitente crosses in the distance。
〃Just get him talking；〃 the negotiator told Miranda。 〃Roll with any punches。 Don't provoke him。 Remember； dialogue。 Engagement。 Today； tonight； tomorrow； next week。 As often as possible。 We're here for him； 24/7。 Whatever he needs。〃
People scattered on every side as if Miranda were in the line of fire。 Her solitary image flashed on the screens； then it was back to Ochs stabbing at the earth with his metal post。
〃Five； four； three；〃 said the cameraman。 Two fingers； one。 He pointed at Miranda。
〃Ochs；〃 she said loudly。 〃Can you hear me？〃
Ochs stalked closer。 He peered at a TV set beside Izzy's camera。 〃Mystery；〃 he declared。 〃Is that you？〃
Miranda was thrown off balance。 She looked around the table。 〃Mystery？〃 someone murmured。
〃The mother of harlots and the abominations of the earth；〃 said Ochs。
They had given Nathan Lee a slate to write messages on。 He wroteBook/Revelation； and held it for her to see。
〃You can use plain English；〃 she said。 〃We've had enough Bible…speak up here。〃 The negotiator winced。 〃You've been busy；〃 Miranda continued。
〃Lots to do；〃 Ochs boomed。
〃We've been busy here； too。〃
〃The things I've seen；〃 he muttered。
〃Did you hurt your leg？〃
〃That；〃 he dismissed。
〃Let us help。 Your people are suffering。〃
Ochs glanced around him。 〃Seasoning；〃 he said。 〃They're not afraid。 Just making themselves ready for the big day。〃
Eyes locked on eyes around the room。Judgment Day。 They held their collective breath。
〃When's the big day？〃 Miranda asked。
〃Soon；〃 he smiled。
〃What happens then？〃
〃You just told me； no Bible talk。〃
〃Knock yourself out。〃
His eyes gleamed。 〃Doot eighteen；〃 he said。
Some people looked at their watches； like he'd given a time。 Nathan Lee reached for a Bible。
〃Are you going to cross the river？〃 Miranda asked pointblank。
One of the generals frantically cut a finger across his throat to shut her up。 The negotiator muttered； 〃Don't provoke him。〃Too late for that； thought Nathan Lee。 Ochs had made up his mind to raise this army the day they'd exiled him。 Then he remembered Miranda's father predicting Ochs's return。 They had known he would go preaching。 They'd calculated the arc of his circle。 It made no sense。 Why set a madman loose in the wilderness if he was going to e back to haunt you？
〃The spirit guides us down here；〃 Ochs answered。
〃You guide the spirit；〃 said Miranda。 〃I understand why you hate us。 But these are your people。 Show them a little mercy。 Why burn their food？〃
Ochs bent and looked into the lens。 〃You've got the wrong idea； Miranda。 Tempting us is a waste of time。 The sword has fallen on my people。 Now they are the sword。 Keep your food。 And your spies； too。〃
Abruptly Ochs was finished with them。 He didn't say another word； simply walked off camera。 〃Ochs？〃 called Miranda。
His suddenness stunned them。 Everyone began talking at once。
〃He didn't even ask about the Jesus clone；〃 someone objected。
〃We were going to offer him amnesty；〃 another said。
〃What spies？ We approached him in good faith。 What about good faith？〃
What about Izzy？thought Nathan Lee。 They had rolled the dice with him and didn't like the roll； and now Izzy was seemingly forgotten。
〃I think we're okay；〃 a woman was saying。 〃The man's Stage One。 Functional delirium。 He's probably already forgotten he talked with us。〃
Round and round they went； analyzing the short； bizarre encounter。
〃Doot…eighteen；〃 Nathan Lee spoke up。 They looked at him。 The room hushed。 He abbreviated it for them。
〃When you e into the land which God is giving you； you shall not follow the abominations of those nations。 There shall not be found among you anyone who practices witchcraft； or is a sorcerer； or who calls up the dead。 For all who do these things are an abomination to the Lord。〃
Foreheads wrinkled in thought。 〃But we're scientists；〃 someone protested。
〃Mumbo jumbo；〃 snapped a general。
〃Apocalyptic mindset；〃 the FBI negotiator declared。 〃He's raving。 There's probably a thousand others just like him down there。 I think we're in the clear。 They'll talk themselves to death。〃
The camera continued staring ahead。 The sounds of the camp fed over the video microphone： the crunch of footsteps； the clink of metal； a rock hammering at a piece of wood。 People walked back and forth as if the camera didn't exist。
It took another few minutes to spot what they'd missed。 Nathan Lee knew what to look for。 He knew Ochs。 The professor was chain…reacting。 Nathan Lee kept staring at the screen。
〃There；〃 he said。 The clue to their fate was in plain sight。
The camera wasn't randomly positioned。 Using a remote control； one of the technicians slowly zoomed the lens。 The crosses drew nearer。 Smoke fouled the long distance； but then the sun broke through。 The crosses lit up。
They were empty； except for one。 A man was trying to get fortable up there。 It was a delicate task。 He was in such pain。 There were no rope straps to slip his arms and feet into。 This was nopenitente。 They had nailed him to the wood。
〃Izzy；〃 said Nathan Lee。
The room fell silent。 They stared at the awful； miniature spectacle。 A woman began weeping。 The minister with white hair crossed himself。
〃Animals；〃 hissed a cell biologist from Miranda's lab。
〃Ochs；〃 said a man。
The FBI negotiator was perplexed。 〃I don't understand；〃 she said。 〃Is he making way for the messiah； or does he think he is the messiah？ He's playing out the crucifixion。 But he's not the one being crucified。 By punishing the other； he transfers the messiah's power to his victim。 Is that it？ A self…loathing Christian。。。but。。。。〃 Her muttering tapered off。
〃They'll be ing soon；〃 said Nathan Lee。 〃Here。〃
〃Soon？〃 asked the cell biologist。 〃When is soon？ How would you know？〃
〃History；〃 said Nathan Lee。 〃Ochs is a slave to the classics。〃
〃Classics；〃 rumbled a general。 〃What does that tell us？〃
〃Plutarch's account of Spartacus；〃 said Nathan Lee。 〃Spartacus had an enemy soldier crucified in the middle of his camp for all his followers to see。 He kept the man alive for a week。〃
〃Superficial parallels；〃 said the FBI negotiator。 She was struggling with this。 〃The Spartacus tale speaks to Ochs's motivation； not his timing。 This is an act of terrorism； plain and simple。 It tells us nothing about when they might attack the city。〃
〃But Spartacus didn't use the crucifixion to terrorize his enemies；〃 said Nathan Lee。 〃I don't think Ochs is； either。 It's for his followers； not for us。〃
Everyone was listening。 He went on。 〃Seasoning；〃 he said。 〃Ochs's word。 Spartacus used the execution t