The Perfect Match

“Yes, there are books, a computer, snacks and a fridge with beverages,” Albert added enthusiastically.

Lizzy looked at Marco 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 Albert. “I’ll be allowed bathroom breaks, won’t I?”

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

“You see?” Lizzy took Marco’s hand. “I’ll see you later.”

***

Lizzy came to see Marco twice during the day. They had a quick lunch from plastic containers that Albert brought. It was simple – turkey sandwiches with some salad – but delicious. After five hours, which Marco 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 Michelin quality, but passable58. Lizzy did not have enough information to tell Marco what exactly she was doing downstairs, or, rather, what they were doing to her. She told him that she felt like a frog in a biology classroom. She hoped that they were not going to dissect at the end of the class. Both of them were equally shocked to find out the similarities between the movies in their worlds. 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, which Marco was a big fan of). Lizzy promised to watch the movies Marco grew up with the next time they went to the Two Moons.

At about 10 p.m., Lizzy came up and woke up Marco who apparently found 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 Marco’s shoulder. Marco barely moved, watching the stars through the car window. When they got home, she was still asleep, Marco took her gently in his hands to the bedroom and covered her with a blanket. When Marco returned to the car to get their coats, Tom told him that he would pick them up at 8 a.m. tomorrow and left. Marco 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-up59 for Marco (The Shawshank Redemption, Misery, Good Will Hunting, and Pulp Fiction). When it was time to stop for the day60, Albert showed Lizzy the prototype of the device that his team had been working on before they met her.

“It looks like a glove that you would use for a workout at the gym,” she said, looking at it.

“That’s the idea!” Albert 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. 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. Provided61 that it’s not bulletproofed, of course. We still need to work on that.”

“I don’t think I understand that.”

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

“A bit?”

“You’re right,” Albert laughed. “It sounds a lot like science fictions, but we believe that we’ve found a way to use your blood’s unique qualities and transform them into … sort of, waves that could penetrate62 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 … just go around and touch people or things with viruses. Is that how it’s going to work?”

“I wish it was that easy. As things stand now63, 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 heart64.”

Albert’s face lit up.

“It’s more like a repulsar, you know, those little reactors on the palms of Tony Stark’s Iron Man suit, but you get the gist65,” he said with a smile.

“So, this is Mark One66, Tony’s first suit from Iron Man One, we’re working on, right?” Lizzy asked.

“Well technically, this particular prototype is Marco Two, 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 spin67?”

“We’ll do it tomorrow.”

“Big day, huh?” Lizzy said and gave the glove back to Albert. “Should I eat something special or starve myself before the test?”

“Have your regular breakfast. We need to attune68 the glove to all possible situations.”

On the way back home, Lizzy suggested Marco 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 Marco were getting out of the car the next morning, Irene came out of the center with Yana following her.

“Good morning,” Yana said, smiling. “Good to see you two in flesh69.”

“Hey, Yana,” Marco 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 Tonya70?” she asked, changing Tony Stark’s name to Tonya.

No one got the joke. Either Lizzy wasn’t nerdy71 enough to pull it off 72or 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 Albert’s idea actually works.”

“I hope it does,” Irene said. “Shall we?”

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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

в путь

24

с восторгом

25

чаща

26

это наш выход (прим. авт.: что-то, что происходит в пьесе и сигнализирует актеру об определенной линии или действии)

27

неспособен ошибиться или быть использован не по назначению (прим. авт.: дословно «защита от дураков»)

28

дернулась

29

«фишки», привлекательные дополнительные функции

30

обновленной

31

внедрили

32

поведение

33

основные моменты

34

простой

35

объять, принять

36

трансформация

37

клиенты, постоянные посетители

38

бесстыдно

39

молчаливый, неразговорчивый

40

болтун, говорун, балаболка, пустомеля

41

непостижимый, необъяснимый

42

каким же образом

43

не могла бы успокоиться

44

поговорим о делах (прим. авт.: разговор на профессиональные, деловые, служебные темы)

45

представлять

46

расщеплять

47

рыбак рыбака видит издалека, два сапога пара (прим. авт.: люди одного типа или с одинаковыми вкусами и интересами найдут друг друга)

48

скажем так

49

(пространство) для отдыха

50

охотничий домик

51

красовался

52

дымовая труба

53

деревенская знать, дворянство

54

оленьи рога

55

бывшая

56

едва, только, лишь, еле-еле

57

так сказать; если можно так выразиться

58

сносный, проходимый, удовлетворительный

59

навёрстывание

60

закругляться

61

при условии

62

проникать

63

как сейчас обстоят дела

64

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».

65

суть

66

Прим. авт.: здесь имеется в виду первый костюм, который создал Тони Старк, вымышленный персонаж из истории Марвел про Железного Человека.

67

протестируем эту крошку (прим. авт.: выражение take for a spin означает протестировать или попробовать что-то, обычно автомобиль)

68

настроить

69

во плоти, в живую

70

Прим. авт.: Лиззи пытается пошутить, имея в виду, что она как Тони Старк.

71

«ботаник»

72

преуспеть в достижении или победе в чем-то сложном