“I am neither laying waste to Fairie, nor antagonized. I was simply pointing out that while abnormally weakened by the viral healing process initiated by both Chris and the Elder’s blood treatments, Father is still able to pull energy from around him if needed. It is not, however, beneficial for him to do that and would negate the benefits of the virus-rich blood.”

“What do you mean about the blood treatments weakening him?” Lydia asked. Senka, too, was leaning forward to listen.

It was Dr. Singh who answered, not the computer. “An infusion of V-squared virus into an otherwise healthy individual causes accelerated healing through reorientation of the cells’ centrosomes and embedded centrioles,” he said as if that explained it.

“Centi what?” Lydia asked.

“Centrioles—mitosis, right?” Stacia asked.

“Exactly!” Singh said, looking pleased. Tanya, on the other hand, was flabbergasted.

“What? You think because I’m blonde, I’m stupid?” Stacia asked the black-haired vampire, twisting a strand of platinum hair around her index finger. “I rocked bio class.”

“No, I know you’re not stupid; you just play to people’s expectations. But you do constantly surprise me, wolfgirl,” Tanya said not unkindly.

“Maybe that’s part of my job… keeping you surprised?” Stacia said back in an easy tone.

Chris and Declan exchanged a befuddled look. Both had been waiting for the exchange to get heated, so both were surprised at the almost friendly banter.

“Girl bonding aside, what the hell does that stuff mean?” Lydia asked, looking at the doctor. Beside her, both Galina and Senka looked equally interested and equally impatient.

“Within every cell are numerous structures, things like mitochondria and a cell nucleus and clusters of microtubules called centrosomes. The centrosomes, in turn, have centrioles which play a major role during cellular division, one type of which is mitosis,” he said with a nod to Stacia. “But that’s only during cellular reproduction. What do they do the rest of the time?”

“That’s what we’re asking you,” Lydia shot back.

“Well, for the longest time, no one really knew,” Tanya said, picking up the thread of explanation. “But one of the things Demidova Incorporated does is fund research. Not just selective research, but grants to almost any scientist or organization that comes to us. The standard research funding in this country is horribly inefficient and far, far too narrowly focused. It’s not just in the box, it’s in a corner of the box. Everything is decided by dollars which go exclusively to those projects that promise the greatest monetary return. The result is that we are missing out on expanding all avenues of knowledge.”

“That’s why you’ve asked Omega to offer computing services to grant winners,” Declan said, eyebrows up.

“Exactly.”

“Which is just smart, as it keeps us informed of new developments, both promising and negative. Our small foundation also funds research, Father,” Omega said.

“You have your own foundation?” Lydia asked Declan, deadpan.