Page 4 of Blazing Reactions

“But this could really be it – the key to fixing my condition. These cells repair genetic damage like nothing I’ve ever seen.”

Lori and Kaylee exchanged that look again.

“Maybe you should run this by Dr. Bennett first,” Kaylee suggested. “Before you get too excited.”

“Already tried. He practically ran away when I mentioned the samples.” Asher’s office phone rang – her mother’s number. “And speaking of running away...”

“If you don’t answer that, she’ll call us next,” Lori warned.

Asher sighed and picked up. “Hi, Mom. Yes, I’m eating. Yes, I’ll be there for dinner. No, I won’t be late.”

“Tell her we’re making sure you eat lunch,” Kaylee called loud enough to be heard through the phone.

“Yes, the warden and her deputy are force-feeding me as we speak,” Asher said into the receiver. “Love you too. See you tonight.”

As she hung up, Asher noticed a security alert popping up on her computer screen.

Lori was already packing up the food. “Something in this room has strange vibes making the sensors go off. Time for you to focus on work that doesn’t set off my security protocols.”

“But-”

“No buts!” Kaylee steered her away from the new samples. “Be a good scientist. Run normal, non-alarming tests.”

As Asher returned to her work, she heard Lori step into the hallway, phone already at her ear: “Dr. Bennett? We need to talk...”

TWO

Asher’s parent’s elegant townhouse on the Upper East Side glowed warmly in the evening light. Asher approached, her lab coat still visible under her hastily donned overcoat. Inside, framed achievements covered the walls – multiple PhDs, breakthrough papers, and innovation awards belonging to various members of the Andrews clan.

She tried to sneak past the parlor, but her brother’s voice caught her: “Trying to make a stealthy entrance, Triple A?”

Everett leaned against the doorframe, impeccable as always in his tailored suit. “Nice outfit. Let me guess – breakthrough pending?”

“Maybe.” She couldn’t help grinning. “Found something interesting today.”

“Your version of interesting usually involves breaking laws of nature.”

“Only the boring ones.”

Their mother’s voice drifted from the dining room: “Is that my daughter finally gracing us with her presence?”

“No,” Asher called back. “Just a very convincing hologram. Everett’s latest AI project.”

Dr. Evadne Andrews appeared, elegant as always despite clearly having cooked all day. Her keen eyes took in Asher’s appearance. “You look pale. Have you been taking the supplements Dr. Bennett prescribed?”

“Mom...”

“Don’tmomme. You’re too thin.”

In the dining room, Dr. Nathaniel Andrews stood at the massive oak table, muttering about quantum mechanics while arranging place settings with scientific precision. He looked up as they entered, his gray eyes brightening behind his glasses. “Ah, Triple A! Perfect timing. I’ve been developing a new approach to cellular stability using quantum field theory-”

“Dad,” Everett interrupted, pulling out chairs for their mother and sister. “Can we at least sit down before you start the science?”

“Science doesn’t wait for dinner,” Asher and her father said in unison, then shared a grin.

As they settled in to eat, Asher’s mind kept drifting back to those mysterious samples. The cellular repair rates she’d seen shouldn’t be possible. And Dr. Bennett’s reaction...

“Earth to Triple A,” Everett waved his fork in front of her face. “You’re doing the ‘breakthrough brain’ thing again.”

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