About 30 minutes and a new set of clothes later, I was back in the car with Daniel and Maeda. I put on a new pair of jeans with a blue, long-sleeved shirt and a white
jacket. My body was grime and blood free, and my hair was clean and brushed. Feeling refreshed, I helped myself to some canned chili that Daniel found for me, he
and Maeda having already eaten. "So, Maeda, exactly what is it that you want to experiment with?" Daniel asked him as he sped down the quiet street, weaving
around abandoned cars and taxis. I placed a spoonful of chili in my mouth as I turned my head toward the back seat, anxious for an answer. Maeda, however, merely
sigh and looked out the window, a little reserved. "I don't really want to say until I see for myself, but I think I can shed a little light on Eve and how she killed all
those people." he replied. I almost choked on my chili, swallowing hard as I turned my body as well to better see him. "For real? You can figure that out?" I asked
quickly. Maeda was somewhat startled by my outburst, but he nodded his head all the same. "Yes, I believe so." My head was buzzing with anticipation now. If I can
learn how she can affect everyone, I might be better equipped to fight her! At least, that's what I hoped as I wrapped my lips another spoonful of chili.
After a few minutes, we came to a stop in front of the Natural History Museum. As we stepped out of the car, Maeda stared up at the majestic building with wide eyes.
"Wow! So this is the Natural History Museum! It's just as I imagined! No… better!" he exclaimed excitedly as he hurried up the steps, Daniel and I following suit. I
couldn't help but chuckle at his excitement; he's like a little kid! "So, I guess you've never been here before, huh?" I asked. He turned toward me and shook his head
before quickly looking back up at it. "No, this is my first time! I've always wanted to come and look around! How exciting!" he exclaimed. I chuckled again, but Daniel
wasn't as amused as I was. "We're not here on a field trip!" he reminded us, walking up to the large entrance doors. Maeda blushed slightly from embarrassment and
cleared his throat, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose as Daniel pushed open the large doors, looking over at us and nodding, the three of us walking in.
We made our way up to the second floor where Dr. Klamp's lab was located, letting ourselves in; the room was empty. "Looks like the jerk isn't here. That's a relief."
Daniel muttered as he led the way inside. Maeda walked in a bit further, looking around the room quickly, nodding his head. "Hmm. For a lab in a museum, the
equipment is rather extensive." he said aloud, walking over to the tables in the corner. "So, what did you want to test?" Daniel asked as he and I made our way to
Maeda. Maeda nodded his head and turned toward us, reaching into his pants pocket. "Yes, of course. Look at this." he told us, holding out his hand. Lying on his palm
was a small glass vial sealed with a cap, and inside it was some kind of weird, orange slime. I gasped when I saw it, my hand over my mouth. "That looks like the
giant blob the audience turned into!" I exclaimed. Maeda nodded his head, clearly having thought the same thing. "Yes, exactly. This was close to where I found Aya,
so I took a sample. After hearing your story, and from what I know of the incident in Japan, I think I can figure out how Eve killed those people with this. Hopefully,
I'm correct." he told us, turning toward the electronic microscope on the table. "You see, at the cellular level, her power cannot be as powerful as Aya said previously."
he added, before grabbing a nearby scalpel, cutting his finger with an "ouch!" "What are you doing?" Daniel asked when he did this, though Maeda didn't answer right
away, instead squeezing his finger over the slime, his blood dripping down onto it. "I just want to see… whether or not…" he muttered absentmindedly, though I can
tell he wasn't really paying attention to us anymore. He placed the sample on a slide and under the scope, adjusting the knobs as he looked into the eye piece. I
glanced over at Daniel, who met my gaze and was clearly equally as confused, before I looked over at Maeda again. "Hmm… as I thought…" he muttered, looking up
at us. "What is it?" I asked hurriedly, feeling a little apprehensive at what he was about to tell me. Maeda pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose again as he
spoke to us. "The slime we have here is made up of Eve's cells. When her cells, or rather, her mitochondria come into contact with different cells, they sort of… take
over the nucleus, for lack of better term." he explained.
My brow furrowed slightly at this, and I could tell that Daniel wasn't really following either. "What does it mean for her mitochondria to take over the nucleus?" I asked
him. Maeda stepped away from the microscope and half-leaned, half-sat on the table as he started to answer me. "As I'm sure you're both aware, our bodies are
made up of billions upon billions of microscopic cells, and within each and every cell there lies a nucleus. The nucleus is the brain of the cell, and controls all of its
functions, just like how our brains control the functions in our bodies." I nodded my head to Maeda's explanation. "Yeah, I know that. So, does that mean that Eve's
cells are infecting other cells like a virus?" I asked him next, to which he shook his head. "Not exactly. See, a virus merely attaches itself to a cell in order to multiply,
like a parasite. In this case, however, it's not just a mere invasion, but a sort of commandeering. Viruses can't take over the nucleus; there's no need to, but Eve's
cells are taking control of the nucleus, giving her free reign over that cell's functions. Now, what do you suppose would happen if her cells took over the nuclei of the
billions of cells in the human body?" he continued on. Daniel and I looked at each other for a quick moment, pondering his question. "I guess she would have control
of the person, right?" Daniel asked with a shrug.
I shook my head to his answer, looking at him. "No, that's not right. Daniel, remember what Dr. Klamp told us yesterday? He said that the mitochondria has control
over an organism's growth." I reminded him, though he got a little pissy from me just mentioning his name. "Yeah, he did say that, didn't he?" he remarked. I then
looked at Maeda, Dr. Klamp's words echoing in my head. "He also mentioned how much heat would be generated if all the mitochondria in the body became active at
once." Maeda nodded his head, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose again. "I think you got it already. Eve is sending her mitochondria into the bodies of
different organisms, and altering their genes. She ignited all those people by forcing all the mitochondria to become active at once, generating intense heat energy,
and she altered the mitochondria to alter the cellular makeup of animals to either have them grow in size, or enhance their natural abilities." he finished for me,
walking back to the microscope. "But what I don't understand is how she does it."
I looked down at the floor for a few moments, thinking on everything we just discussed. "Eve tends to erect a barrier that causes anyone who crosses its border to
burst into flames… It only ever covers a specific area, and you're safe as long as you're outside it…" I explained lowly, the two men looking at me. In turn, I looked up
at Daniel, having thought of something. "Daniel, when exactly did you run after me in the park?" I asked him. Daniel looked up at the ceiling, pondering for a moment,
before looking back down at me. "I'd say maybe 20 minutes or so." he responded. 20 minutes…? That was about how long it took me to find Eve in the amphitheater…
I then gasped, my eyes widening. Back at Carnegie Hall, it couldn't have taken the cops too long to arrive after I chased after Eve in the backstage areas, and yet no
one else was incinerated. And both times…
"Of course… It's the barriers!" I exclaimed, looking at both the men in awe. They seemed confused, so I explained to them how I'm never able to hit Eve because her
barriers block me. "I think Eve is incapable of erecting more than one barrier at a time. The reason the cops in Carnegie Hall didn't burn, and the reason Daniel was
able to enter the park, was because both times I forced Eve to use her defensive barrier." I explained. The men pondered on this for a bit, before Maeda scratched
the back of his head. "But… that doesn't really explain how she does it." he replied. I shook my head at this, smiling lightly at them both. "No, it makes sense. At first,
I was starting to think that the incinerations were because of some airborne virus, but I don't think so anymore. I think that the flame barrier is actually part of what
comprises Eve. In other words, it's Eve HERSELF. I think the flame barrier is an extension of her essence, almost like the inside of the barrier is inside her own body.
That could be why her mitochondria are trapped within this barrier." I reasoned. Maeda and Daniel were quiet after I explained this, until Maeda sighed, shaking his
head. "As a scientist, every fiber of my being is screaming that it's impossible, but I cannot doubt what I have seen. Actually, I agree with you, Aya." he told us,
smiling meekly. I smiled at him as well, before another thought occurred to me. "Oh right. So then, why am I the only one who's not affected?" I asked him. He
nodded his head again, pushing up his glasses. "Actually, that's also what I wanted to check. I want to take some of your blood and mix it with the sample." he told
me.
I quickly nodded my head in agreement, and so Maeda cut my finger with a fresh scalpel, mixing drops of my blood with the sample. He fiddled with the knobs again
as he peered into the eyepiece, and I noticed his eyes widen in surprise. "Amazing…" he muttered. "What is it? What's going on?" I asked hurriedly, feeling anxious at
what he could tell me. He looked away from the microscope, pushing up his glasses again. "Honestly, I'm not too sure, but it looks like your mitochondria is supplying
more energy to the nuclei of your cells than what's necessary. This, in turn, is preventing Eve's mitochondria from taking over your cells. In other words, your cells
are… well… they're resisting Eve's influence." He explained. "Resisting? Are you saying I'm… immune to her?" I asked, unsure of how to phrase it, but Maeda nodded in
agreement. "Yes, exactly. Although I can't say for certain how this is possible… But, I think that maybe you can use some of the same power as Eve because of the
extra energy that's being supplied to your nuclei. It's almost as if… you were made to oppose her." he explained, his voice somewhat mystified by this. I looked down
at the floor, thinking on what I have learned, but I honestly can't say that I feel completely surprised. I think I pretty much had a feeling that this is how things worked
out. The question now is, will this new intel get me closer to Eve…?
Before the three of us could talk more on the subject, the sound of the door creaking open suddenly echoed into our ears. Without a moment's hesitation, Daniel and I
both upholstered our guns and pointed them at the door at the same time. I then gasped at what I saw.
