“Well, let’s talk shop36,” Irene said when the beverages and food were gone. “We’ll have to take a few samples of your blood and do a few tests. There’s this new technology that we’re still working on, but getting closer each day, that will allow us to eradicate any threat that viruses from the Two Moons may pose37.”

“The Two Moons?” Lizzy asked.

“That’s what we call the other world,” Irene said.

“Have you been there?”

“A few times.”

“How do you explain the very existence of it?” Lizzy asked.

“Without getting too deep into the parallel universe theories and trying to explain unresolvable metaphysical issues, I can only shrug and say there it is, and I have no clue why it’s there. Your father, though, 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 don’t have a copy there.” She ended with a smile.

“You’re unique then,” Mark smiled.

“I suppose I am, but we aren’t going to talk about my uniqueness today. You, Lizzy, have Ro subtype, which makes your blood very special because it can treat some blood-related disorders, but its ability to disintegrate viruses makes it unique. It’s something that we still don’t know much about, but we are working very hard to understand it. We believe it’s some sort of a mutation and we’re planning to make it work for our cause.”

“So, I’m a mutant,” Lizzy said and looked at Mark. “How does it feel to live with one?”

“I’m a copy and you’re a mutant. Birds of a feather flock together38, right?” he said with a smile.

“Different types of birds, but yeah, we are flocking together, aren’t we?” Lizzy covered Mark’s hand with hers.

Irene looked at her watch. “I’m 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.

“We’re here,” Irene said when their car stopped in front of huge green gates.

“The gates are big enough for the Jurassic Park,” Lizzy said.

“The person who used to own the place was, shall we say, a bit concerned with his security. He gave this place to us, and it’s 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 notices that the guards were armed with automatic rifles.

The inside looked more like a recreational39 space with a country house – which it probably was – with three smaller buildings. The main building – a big hunting lodge40– 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 sported large brown pine logs. The attic of the building was under a steep tiled roof with a big, red-bricked chimney41 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 nobility42with 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, but it was a gesture of respect.