jefflong.yearzero-第13节
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ower switchbacks。 Nathan Lee gave a shout。 They looked up。 He pointed higher。 Ochs waved slowly； then resumed his bovine plod。 Just watching him made Nathan Lee feel spent and afflicted。 Anymore； it seemed； he and Ochs had bee characters trapped in a film； doomed to replay the same thieves' tale over and over。
Jerusalem had led to a regular calendar of other lootings： Guatemala； the Noco digs in Peru； more raids on quake…ruined Year Zero sites near Qumran； even a few break…ins at monasteries and churches in the former Soviet Union。 Sometimes it was missioned by private clients or； as with the Smithsonian； by established museums。 The landscape changed； but never the errand： time crime； the FBI and Interpol called the trafficking in artifacts and bones。
Rinchen followed behind Ochs； idling with that deep patience of Himalayan people。 A tiny puff of tobacco smoke leaked from his mouth。 The grizzly old shepherd hunted snow leopards for the Chinese black market。 He had gold teeth and spoke a little English。 He claimed to know the territory； though not； Nathan Lee had e to realize； this territory。 The man had never been close to Makalu La。 He was just another outlaw along for the ride。
The past two weeks had been strained by ugly banter。 Nathan Lee had learned to rise early and set off alone； letting Ochs share the trail with Rinchen。 He had tried in vain to separate himself from the grave robber and the poacher。 Ochs saw his self…loathing。 At their campfires； he reveled in it。He who fights with monsters； he taunted through the flames；beware lest he bee a monster。
Nathan Lee returned to the yeti。 With the camera balanced on a boulder； he methodically swept the ridge bordering the pass。 The light changed。 Shadows opened。 The mountains had a way of sliding out from under your feet up here。 You had to work hard to keep up with the dragon。
He found it again。 Somehow the refugees had spotted the body with the naked eye。 Even with a 200…power lens； he'd passed over it a dozen times。 The figure was perched on a ledge； white and black among the white and black rocks； hidden in plain sight。 There was little to see but patches where the skin…or bone…stood exposed。 The face had not moved。 It was still aimed at Nathan Lee on his cold rock。 Through the telephoto； he carefully memorized the shelves and ramp leading upward。
He stood and began packing his things； nestling his camera beside the body bag。 It was one of those same bags they'd used to trick the Year Zero bones out of Jerusalem。 Four years had passed since then； but it was like time had stood still。 He was still slouching circles around the ivory tower； basically faking it。 He had no title； no position； no presence in the world。 About all he did have was a reputation for looting； and visitation rights with Grace； which Lydia and her divorce sharks were tearing to bits while he dragged her brother through the Himalayas。
He strapped on his scratched red helmet and started up。 Faraway； rocks hissed down from the heights。 Avalanches flowered in utter silence。 There was no need for a helmet here。 The climbing was scarcely a scramble。 But he was taking no chances。 Nathan Lee loved the high mountains； but had e to hate the dangers。 Fatherhood had made him a chicken。
He picked his way across the scree field。 The slope steepened。 Scree gave way to shelves shingly with the fossils of small sea animals。 The Chago Glacier gaped two thousand feet below。
As conceived by an ambitious curator at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Man； their plan involved locating the body； if it truly existed； then carrying it several miles to the south； well into Nepal； safely away from the border and any claims by the People's Republic of China。 Everyone in the museum business recalled the pitched battle between Italy and Austria over the Iceman found on their alpine border。 The Smithsonian wanted no such plexities。
Two days downvalley； Nathan Lee had found a cave used by Buddhist hermits over the centuries。 It was empty now。 They'd cached all their supplies there for the trek out and agreed it would be the perfect spot to replant their own iceman； then 〃discover〃 him。 Besides averting an international tug of war； it would allow the Smithsonian to negotiate with Nepalese ministers who were even more corrupt than the karaoke mies； as Ochs called the Chinese generals controlling Tibet。 Ochs was going to use his part of the take to purchase a Hockney painting。 Nathan Lee's part was going to go to Lydia and lawyers。All in the family； he thought。
After a half hour； Nathan Lee started a handline for Ochs and the Khampa。 It would help get Ochs up。 More importantly； it would help get the body down。 He unknotted his coil of hot…pink perlon； tied one end to a rock； and the other to his waist。 The rope was light and thin； only seven millimeters； but very strong and almost five hundred feet in length。
He lost sight of the ledge with the body； but followed his landmarks。 There was the snapped pinnacle； here the dark streak。 Rounding a bend； he mantled up onto a flat ledge。 And there it was。
For some reason； he had expected a male。 Certainly the jaw was massive enough； and the enormous hands and feet。 But there was no questioning the exposed breast； even shriveled to an empty pale pouch。 She didn't belong here。 No one did really； but especially not her； and not because she was a woman。 When the rumor of a body had first arrived； the Smithsonian thought this would be just another quick…frozen neolithic stray。 She was different。
No one could have predicted the body would turn out to be a Neandertal woman thirty or fifty millenia old。
Homo neandertalishad never been found in this part of the world。 A plete specimen had never been found anywhere in the world。 Nathan Lee stood very still； as if she might flee。 Perfectly mummified； she sat slumped against the wall； facing Makalu。
Strangely； the goraks…ravens with huge black wings for the thin air…had not taken her eyes。 They were milky and mineralized beneath half…closed lids with long sun…bleached lashes。 Her lips had stretched back to the gum。 She was intact except for the windward side where some of the scalp and one cheek had been polished away。 A breeze sifted through her long black hair。
Nathan Lee remembered the rope at his waist。 He untied himself and anchored the handline with a figure…eight loop over an outcrop。 He faced the body again； almost shy with awe。 The find was incredible。 The flesh was still on the bones！
Dazed by the enormity of the event； the archaeologist in him stirred。 A thousand questions flooded in。 What on earth had a Neandertal been doing in the high Himalayas？ Exploring？ Migrating？ Searching for gods？ He couldn't get over it。 Her remains implied that an isolated pocket had survived in some mountain sanctuary； a lost race in Shangri…la。
Besides her total displacement in time； something was strange here。 Her presence in this place didn't make sense。 It was too damn hard to get here。 He'd seen and read about ice men and maidens found in the Andes； and she didn't fit。 For one thing there were no outward signs of violence； no strangulation cords around the neck； nothing to suggest ritual murder。 Gently； as if pressing eggshells； he palpated her skull。 There were no depressions； no evidence of an accidental fall or some shaman's ax or club。 If this were a burial they would have laid her flat； or folded or bound her limbs。
He stood back and took it in。 To all appearances； she had been alive when she came to this ledge。 You could tell by the way she was seated； in a cup of stone； and protected from the wind。 She had made herself fortable。 It struck him that she might have have chosen this place herself； then waited to die。 But why here； why would she do such a thing？ Was she a suicide？ Had she sacrificed herself to some god？ He felt mystery； then pleasure； then strangely hope。
Far to the south； white monsoon clouds were rising like smoke over the Indian plains。 Another half hour went by。 Nearly noon。 Still no Ochs or Rinchen。
Ever since Jerusalem； he'd been searching for a way out； or a way back in。 He'd e to see a quest as nothing more than burglary。 Ochs had done that to him。 He'd done it to himself。 But he could undo it。 Why not？ He could do it right。 He could go legitimate。 In one fell swoop； he could restore his reputation。 He could do real science； write her up； get his doctorate； e out of the shadows。 The possibilities grew。
His training took over； he let it return to him； he invited it。 The site was everything。 He began to treat the ledge like a crime scene； backing off； getting his camera from the pack。 He changed the lens and shot two rolls of Fuji from every direction。 Only then did he allow himself to approach。
Nathan Lee ran his fingertips across the deep aboriginal furrows on her forehead。 None of her teeth were missing or decayed or worn。 She seemed healthy； no outward signs of injury or disease。 This was no old woman abandoned by her tribe。 She was a sturdy young woman in her prime。
Ochs would never need to know。 It was simple enough。 Before Ochs and Rinchen got any closer； Nathan Lee could bury her under rocks and beat a retreat。 He would remove his rope。 Erase his tracks。 Halt the se
