Hi Lizzy, Mark, she said. Its good to finally meet you. Im Irene.
Irene was a white lady, about the same age as Yana. She had an intelligent face and looked like a university professor in her brown horn-rimmed glasses, a beige jacket over a white blouse. She was the second leader of The Committee.
Tom is leaving and Im afraid youll have to spend a bit of time with me now, Irene said. Would you actually like something to drink?
They went back to the counter. Lizzy ordered a macchiato and a scone, which she had been craving for some time. Mark got himself a cup of tea and a chocolate croissant, which for some unfathomable44 reason he had never had.
How on earth 45have you never tried it? Lizzy couldnt give it a rest46 on the way back to the table.
I dont know, Mark said, sitting down. Lets see if I missed anything.
Irene was patiently waiting for them to enjoy their beverages and food with a smile on her face. Mark realized that he did miss a lot and announced that he was going to have a chocolate croissant every day for the rest of his life. Both ladies applauded his decision.
Well, lets talk shop47, Irene said when the beverages and food were finished. Well have to take a few samples of your blood and do a few tests. Theres this new technology that were still working on, but getting closer each day, which will allow us to eradicate any threat that viruses from the Two Moons may pose48.
The Two Moons? Lizzy asked.
Thats what we call the other world, Irene said.
Have you been there?
A few times.
How do you explain the very existence of it?
Without getting too deep into the inflationary multiverse theories and trying to explain unresolvable metaphysical issues, I can only shrug and say there it is, and I have no clue why its there. Your father spent quite a bit of time researching the phenomenon. I believe he shared some of it with you. I can tell you one thing though. I dont have my copy there. She ended with a smile.
Youre unique then, Mark smiled.
I suppose I am, but we arent going to talk about my uniqueness today. You, Lizzy, have Ro subtype, which makes your blood incredibly special because it can treat some blood-related disorders, but its ability to disintegrate49 viruses makes it unique. Its something that we still dont know much about, but we are working extremely hard to understand it. We believe its some sort of a mutation and were planning to make it work for our cause.
So, Im a mutant, Lizzy said and looked at Mark. How does it feel to live with one?
Im a copy and youre a mutant. Birds of a feather flock together50, right? he said with a smile.
Different types of birds, but yeah, we are flocking together, arent we? Lizzy covered Marks hand with hers.
Irene looked at her watch. Im afraid we should be going now. My associates are waiting for us. They are ready to start.
***
Tom who was waiting for them in the car took them all to another location that was conveniently hidden in the depths of the park on the outskirts of the city. It took them one hour to get there during which Irene was chatting with Lizzy and Mark about everything but the purpose of their trip.
Were here, Irene said when their car stopped in front of huge green gates.
These gates are big enough for the Jurassic Park, Lizzy said.
The person who used to own the place was, shall we say51, a bit concerned with his security. He gave this place to us, and its been our research center for some time now.
When the gates slowly opened, Tom drove inside, nodding to two guards in civilian clothes who nodded back. Lizzy noticed that the guards were armed with automatic rifles.
The inside looked more like a recreational52 space with a country house which it probably was with three smaller buildings. The main building a big hunting lodge53 could have been designed for a royal family and its entourage. The first floor was built with big soft beige stones and the second floor sported54 large brown pine logs. The attic of the building was under a steep tiled roof with a big, red-bricked chimney55 that suggested a fireplace. The three other buildings perhaps, guest houses and space for staff- were designed to complement the main building. The whole ensemble provided a sense of comfort and a feeling of rustic nobility 56with its earthy tones. The area was covered with evenly trimmed grass and stone trails that connected each building on the premises. There were no people outside, except for the guards at the gate.
Tom pulled over in front of the main entrance of the house and helped Irene get out of the car. Not that she needed any assistance, it was more of a gesture of respect.
Its spacious, Mark said when he got out of the car, right after Lizzy.
Were happy with it, Irene said and showed them into the house.
As they were getting closer to the house, the massive wooden entrance door opened and a spectacled man in his forties with a beard and in a white doctors coat came out to greet them.
This is Max, Irene introduced the man. Hell be working with you today, Lizzy.
Hi Lizzy and Mark, Max said. Its great to finally meet you both. Please, come in.
The entrance hall was what one would expect from a hunting lodge the walls covered with antlers57 and a few paintings of hunting dogs. The comparison ended as soon as they proceeded to the former58 living room, which was turned into a laboratory with different equipment that neither Lizzy nor Mark knew the purpose of. There were two female lab assistants who were busy looking into microscopes and computer screens and barely59 noticed the visitors.
This is our team and the place of business, so to speak60, Max said. Im afraid Ill have to steal Lizzy from you, Mark, for the rest of the day.
Theres a nice room upstairs where youll be quite comfortable, Irene told Mark.
Yes, there are books, a computer, snacks and a fridge with beverages, Max added enthusiastically.
Lizzy looked at Mark who didnt look like he liked the idea of being away from her. Ill be fine. Go get some rest. Then she looked at Max. Ill be allowed bathroom breaks, wont I?
Oh, sure. Of course. Therell be lunch and dinner.
You see? Lizzy took Marks hand. Ill see you later.
***
Lizzy came to see Mark twice during the day. They had a quick lunch from plastic containers that were brought up by Max. It was simple turkey sandwiches with some salad but delicious. After five hours, which Mark spent watching two old movies Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Godfather, Part 1 and browsing through some old magazines, they had another plastic container meal. Chicken pasta and cheesecake. Not the Michelin star quality, but passable61. Lizzy did not have enough information to tell Mark what exactly she was doing downstairs, or, rather, what they were doing to her. They spent the minutes they had together comparing Indiana Jones with Tom Lesseck, the adventurous geologist, and Michael Corleone with Paco De Niro, the cold-blooded mafia boss (the fictional characters from the other world). Lizzy promised to watch the movies Mark grew up with the next time they would be in the Two Moons.
At about 10 pm, Lizzy came up and woke up Mark who apparently found The Sleepless in Seatle too relaxing. Tom was waiting for them downstairs. Lizzy was tired and took a nap all the way back to their cottage, resting her head on Marks shoulder. Mark barely moved, watching the stars through the car window. When they got home, she was still asleep, Mark took her gently in his hands to the bedroom and covered her with a blanket. When Mark returned to the car to get their coats, Tom told him that he would pick them up at 8 AM tomorrow and left. Mark went back to the bedroom, lay down next to Lizzy and watched her peacefully sleeping with a smile on his face before falling asleep as well.
***
The next day went pretty much the same way. Tests for Lizzy and cultural catching-up62 for Mark (The Shawshank Redemption, Misery, Good Will Hunting, and Pulp Fiction). When it was time to stop for the day63, Max showed Lizzy the prototype of the device that his team had been working on before they met her.
It looks like a regular sports glove, she said, looking at it.
Thats the idea, Max was obviously happy to hear it. We dont want people to think that they are looking at a weapon.
Is that what it is? A weapon?
Of sorts. Itll be using your blood to destroy the virus.
How will it work? Ill just wear it and what will happen next?
The idea is for you to use it without spilling your blood literally, but sending impulses that destroy the virus even through glass. Provided64, its not bulletproofed, of course. We still need to work on that.
I dont think I understand that.
It sounds a bit science fiction, I know.
A bit?
Youre right, Max laughed. It sounds a lot like science fictions, but we believe that weve found a way to use your bloods unique qualities and transform them into, sort of, waves that could penetrate65 the virus coat, or membrane, split it apart and eventually destroy its molecular compounds. The glove generates the wave and sends it, together with your blood, to do its job.
So, hypothetically speaking, someone will have a vial with my blood connected to this glove and do the job.
I wish it was that easy. As things stand now66, Im afraid it only works if you wear it. It must be connected to you.
Like Ironmans reactor, Lizzy said, still looking at the glove. The proof that Tony Stark has a heart67.
Maxs face lit up.
Its more like a repulsar, but you get the gist68, he said with a smile.
So, this is Mark I69 were working on, right? Lizzy asked.
Well technically, this particular prototype is Mark II, if we use that logic. It flies well, but it needs a pilot to navigate it.
That would be me.
Correct.
Ok, so, when are we going to take this baby for a spin70?
Well do it tomorrow.
Big day, huh? Lizzy said and gave the glove back to Max. Should I eat something special or starve myself before the test?
Have your regular breakfast. We need to tune71 the glove to all possible situations.
On the way back home, Lizzy suggested Mark watch all Ironman movies. It was Man of Steel in his world and the name of the superhero was Tim Scott. He was a member of the Punishers Club.
***
When Lizzy and Mark were getting out of the car the next morning, Irene came out of the center with Yana following her.
Good morning, Yana was smiling. Good to see you two in flesh72.
Hey, Yana, Mark said. Good to see you too.
I believe youve been briefed about todays test, Irene said, looking at Lizzy.
Should I change my name to Tonya73? she asked.
No one got the joke. Either Lizzy wasnt nerdy74 enough to pull it off 75or it was the wrong crowd. She decided it was both.
No need for any name changing, Yana said, seemingly puzzled. Well just see if Maxs idea actually works.
I hope it does, Irene said. Shall we?
They all proceeded to the house, where Max and his team (Shawna and Tera) were as excited as little children before a birthday party. A special enclosed space was arranged for the test to make sure that no one gets hurt. There was a transparent glass container with some vials containing viruses (not lethal76 ones). Lizzy was to wear a protective suit with electronic sensors for recording her activity and the impact the glove was going to make around her, if any. She would also be wearing a special mask to protect her eyes. Shawna and Tera were going to operate two video cameras to record the test.
Max explained the test step by step to the present company. Lizzy was going to go through the process of connecting to glove and activating it. Then she was supposed to go inside and place her gloved hand on the container for a minute. In theory, which was going to be enough to destroy the harmless viruses inside the vials. If that worked well, they would move to the second part of the test. The same procedure with dangerous viruses. The success of the test depended on the level of the destruction and the time spent on the entire process.
Примечания
1
пояс, кушак
2
древний
3
знали, что лучше не
4
усиливать, совершенствовать, увеличивать
5
сгибать, покорять
6
подавлять
7
отрешенность, отделение
8
пронзил
9
нахмурился
10
происшествие
11
голубоватый. Прим. авт.: окончание -ish смягчает значение прилагательного, добавляя значение «в какой-то степени». Может также использоваться отдельным словом. Например, A: Are you busy? B: Ish.
12
ближайший родственник
13
раскрывать
14
допрос
15
осторожно
16
стёганое одеяло
17
знакомый
18
искоренение
19
жаждали
20
все еще полусонный, сонливый
21
соня
22
бессонница
23
избавиться от
24
стала свидетелем
25
в путь
26
с восторгом
27
чаща
28
это наш выход (прим. авт.: что-то, что происходит в пьесе и сигнализирует актеру об определенной линии или действии)
29
неспособен ошибиться или быть использован не по назначению (прим. авт.: дословно «защита от дураков»)
30
дернулась
31
«фишки», привлекательные дополнительные функции
32
обновленной
33
внедрили
34
поведение
35
очевидно
36
основные моменты
37
простой
38
объять, принять
39
трансформация
40
клиенты, постоянные посетители
41
бесстыдно
42
молчаливый, неразговорчивый
43
болтун, говорун, балаболка, пустомеля
44
непостижимый, необъяснимый
45
каким же образом
46
не могла бы успокоиться
47
поговорим о делах (прим. авт.: разговор на профессиональные, деловые, служебные темы)
48
представлять
49
расщеплять
50
рыбак рыбака видит издалека, два сапога пара (прим. авт.: люди одного типа или с одинаковыми вкусами и интересами найдут друг друга)
51
скажем так
52
(пространство) для отдыха
53
охотничий домик
54
красовался
55
дымовая труба
56
деревенская знать, дворянство
57
оленьи рога
58
бывшая
59
едва, только, лишь, еле-еле
60
так сказать; если можно так выразиться
61
сносный, проходимый, удовлетворительный
62
навёрстывание
63
закругляться
64
при условии
65
проникать
66
как сейчас обстоят дела
67
Прим. авт.: здесь Лиззи цитирует надпись, которая была на подарке вымышленному герою Тони Старку от его ассистентки Вирджинии «Пеппы» Поттс в фильме Марвел Студиос «Железный человек».
68
суть
69
Прим. авт.: здесь имеется в виду первый костюм, который создал Тони Старк, вымышленный персонаж из истории Марвел про Железного Человека.
70
протестируем эту крошку (прим. авт.: выражение take for a spin означает протестировать или попробовать что-то, обычно автомобиль)
71
настроить
72
во плоти, в живую
73
Прим. авт.: Лиззи пытается пошутить, имея в виду, что она как Тони Старк.
74
«ботаник»
75
преуспеть в достижении или победе в чем-то сложном
76
смертельный