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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, but it was a gesture of respect.

“It’s spacious,” Mark said when he got out of the car, right after Lizzy.

“We’re 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 young spectacled man in his 40s with a beard and in a white doctor’s coat came out to greet them.

“This is Max,” Irene introduced the man. “He’ll be working with you today, Lizzy.”

“Hi Lizzy and Mark,” Max said. “It’s 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 antlers 43 and a few paintings of hunting dogs. The comparisons ended as soon as they proceeded to the former living room, which was turned into a laboratory with different equipment that neither Lizzy nor Mark knew the purpose of. Ther were two female lab assistants who were busy looking into the microscopes and computer screens and barely 44 noticed the visitors.

“This is our team and the place of business, so to speak 45 ,” Max said. “I’m afraid I’ll have to steal Lizzy from you, Mark, for the rest of the day.”

“There’s a nice room upstairs where you’ll 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 didn’t look like he liked the idea of being away from her. “I’ll be fine. Go get some rest.” Then she looked at Max. “I’ll be allowed bathroom breaks, won’t I?”

“Oh, sure. Of course. There’ll be lunch and dinner.”

“You see?” Lizzy took Mark’s hand. “I’ll 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 passable 46 . 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 to Tom Lesseck the adventurous geologist and Michael Corleone to 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 Mark’s shoulder. Mark sat without moving, watching the stars through the car window. When they got home, she was still asleep, and 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 night from the same spot 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-up for Mark (The Shawshank Redemption, Misery, Good Will Hunting, and Pulp Fiction). When it was time to call it a day, Max showed Lizzy a prototype that they had been working on before she went upstairs to get Mark.

“It looks like a regular sports glove,” she said, looking at it.

“That’s the idea,” Max was obviously happy to hear it. “We don’t want people to think that they are looking at a weapon.”

“Is that what it is? A weapon?”

“Of sorts, sure. It’ll be using your blood to destroy the virus.”

“How will it work? I’ll 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. Provided, it’s not bulletproofed, of course.”

“I don’t think I understand that.”

“It sounds a bit science fiction, I know,”

“A bit?”

“You’re right,” Maz laughed. “It sounds a lot like science fictions, but we believe that we’ve found a way to use your blood unique qualities and transform them into, sort of, waves that could penetrate 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 now, I’m afraid it only works if you wear it. It must be connected to you.”

“Like Ironman’s reactor,” Lizzy said, still looking at the glove. “The proof that Tony Stark has a heart.”

Max’s face lit up.

“It’s more like a repulsar, but you get the gist,” he said.

“So, this is Mark I 47 we’re 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 spin 48 ?”

“We’ll 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 tune 49 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 flesh 50 .”

“Hey, Yana,” Mark said. “Good to see you too.”

“I believe you’ve been briefed about today’s test,” Irene said, looking at Lizzy.

“Should I change my name to Tonya 51 ?” she asked.

No one got the joke. Either Lizzy wasn’t nerdy enough to pull it off 52 or it was the wrong crowd. She decided it was both.

“No need for any name changing,” Yana said, seemingly puzzled. “We’ll just see if Max’s idea actually works.”