Early one Saturday morning in January while most slept comfortably in their beds, two physicists were fast at work on their latest project. For these two men, their day started hours ago.
“Steady, steady now,” Mark Williamson said in a shaky voice as he peered through a high powered microscope.
“Relax Mark, I’m in complete control,” Xavier Scott said with a confident grin, while he continued to look through his own microscope.
“Would you please explain again exactly how adding two extra Hydrogen molecules into a cell infected with influenza is going to become a cure against the flu?”
Williamson watched Scott begin placing a molecule into the cell while waiting for the answer.
“It’s basic biology, Mark. If we add two Hydrogens to the outer shielding of the cell, then it will not be able to create a covalent bound with the cell infected with influenza,” he explained. Scott paused for a moment and looked up from his microscope. “If we employ this method and inject it into everyone, then when they’ll have a natural immunity because the virus won’t be able to make a bond with their own cells.”
“My only concern, Xavier, is we do not know how the cell will react. No one’s ever tried this.”
“Shhh!” Xavier said softly. “Okay, enough chitchat. I need to concentrate.”
His hand trembled as he inserted the first of two molecules contained in a small hypodermic syringe. Scott gave Mark Williamson a hand gesture to turn on the overhead microphone. Williamson leaned in and pushed a small button off to his left. With a loud click Xavier began to speak: “Beginning test number one. Xavier Scott lead engineer, along with Mark Williamson as safety. I am inserting the first needle now.”
Williamson interrupted. “The contents of the syringe are one positively charged Hydrogen particle protected with one unit of normal saline containing zero point nine percent of Sodium Chloride.”
Scott looked up from the microscope as sweat formed across his brow and traveled down his face. “All right, specimen one is in. Now we wait for the bond to be made with the infected cell,” he said, as he wiped the sweat away with his lab coat sleeve.
“Check to see if the covalent bond has been made,” Williamson said impatiently. “It only takes nanoseconds to create if it works right.”
“Okay. First examination after the initial injection… there has, in fact, been a covalent bond made with the cell. We will ready the next specimen shortly.”
Scott waved his hand to signal Williamson to stop the recording.
“Do you want me to get the other syringe ready, Xavier?”
“No. I need a smoke. Let’s take five and meet back here at One-Fifteen.”
“Okay. Sounds like a plan.”
