“No one simply comes up with an otherwise unknown and unseen DNA bonding structure made up of tiles that are, in turn, composed of mnemonic material.” There’s a dismissive smirk on his face, but Ify reads frustration in it too. “How did you do this?”

“Sir.”

“Internist Diallo, I don’t think you understand.”

Ify’s eyes go wide at Director Towne addressing her with that title. It drips disdain.

“You’ve cured Alzheimer’s disease.” A chuckle escapes his throat. “Vascular dementia, maybe even Huntington’s disease. What, did this come to you in a dream?”

Ify’s body temperature plummets when she realizes what is going on. He doesn’t believe she did this on her own, that she could discern the molecular structure of the cure, that she could decipher the data of cyberized memories and discern the very fabric of personhood. Who would believe her? But Ify knows that were one of the men sitting next to him to say the exact same thing she said, Towne would have congratulated the man without a second thought, would have praised him and recommended him for any number of awards.

Ify squares her shoulders. “Well, dreams come to prepared spirits, Director Towne. That is how theoretical chemist August Kekulé put it when telling the story of how he discovered the structure of the benzene ring, if I remember correctly. In fact, that was one of your first lessons.”

Towne holds her stare, then reclines in his chair, as though he is conceding defeat.

Ify addresses the rest of the group. “I’d like to tell the story of one of our earliest patients, a young girl named Ayodele, who had immigrated to Alabast prior to the initial cessation of hostilities during the Biafran Conflict in Nigeria four years ago. She was one of the first victims of this most recent health crisis. She had come to Alabast with the remnants of her family: a non-cyberized father and a mute younger brother. The boy had not been born mute. Very quickly, Ayodele enrolled in school and became the most popular student in her class. Academically and athletically skilled. Because the Biafran War had ended, the family’s asylum application was denied. But there exists a provision concerning the welfare of the child. If it is not proven that the applicant will be persecuted upon returning to their country of origin, then the case must be made that deportation would severely affect the child’s psychological health. The headmaster of Ayodele’s school even wrote a letter in support of her family’s resubmitted application. But then the new immigration law went into effect. The first deportation orders were issued that same day. Within a week, the first wave of children had fallen victim.”

The committee members do not disguise their irritation.