Chapter 40 Barcelona, 41° 23′ 0″ N, 2° 11′ 0″ E Casa Mila

Cecilia had always been fascinated by historical monuments. For her, the grandeur of the past proved that human civilization was on the right track.

Unfortunately, in modern age humans were consumed with greed. The forests which served as safe lockers to store earth's secrets, were opened one by one by force. The ocean which served as a giant pot of soup to be consumed for long term, had been stirred to dredge up something called fuel. Industries took over everything. The atmosphere had become industrial dumpster.

When the atmosphere reached its breaking point to contain all the filth from the industry, it torn apart. The ozone layer which acted as the protective curtain were torn in several places. The Earth which used to be able to maintain its temperature had failed. Earth temperature had been continuously up exponentially.

The climate underwent an extreme change. As a result, earth's ecosystem needed revolution to adapt to radical changes in temperature. Harvest patterns became longer or shorter but with much lower quality. Changes of migratory pattern of small fish and krill resulted in disruption of higher predatory link or complete collapse in some cases. The sea became a kingdom without order, creating harder time for fishermen.

Atmospheric pressure, which was greatly affected by changes in temperature, experienced erratic amplitude fluctuation resulted in more frequent destructive hurricanes or typhoons.

Humans seemed to be in a big hurry to hoard wealth and accelerate knowledge to fulfill their needs. It should not be that way.

The butterfly effect from the changes that had happened were caused by humans. When things started deteriorating and occurred all over the world, only then human tried to fix it. Obviously those efforts would fail since it would take a lengthy evolution to improve just one nature's key element. Not a revolution.

The two doctors left the stunning Casa Mila reluctantly. They wanted to linger a little bit more to enjoy every wall of the artistic building, but they didn't want to waste time. They were meeting Professor Raul Hernandez on the campus of the University of Barcelona. One of the oldest campuses in Spain.

Professor Hernandez was giving a public lecture in hall A to engineering students. His expertise in the intricate and complex Quantum Physics had been recognized worldwide. Professor Hernandez spent lots of time flying giving lectures at well-known universities, professional organization seminars, and conventions of physical scientists around the world.

This time, Cecilia and Akiko wore casual clothes like foreign postgraduate students who were often found at the University of Barcelona. Akiko peeked through the slightly ajar door. The large hall was only occupied by a dozen or so people. It had the capacity of 120 people.

Followed by Cecilia, Akiko stepped in confidently and took a seat in the front row. Almost all eyes, which were all men, noticed the appearance of these 2 beautiful women.

Professor Hernandez was a handsome middle-aged man with a well-proportioned body. His partially bleached hair added to his charisma as an expert in the area of science which was rarely sought after by university students. His presentation style was refreshing, and he was good at inserting jokes in a topic ladened with complex scientific words. Akiko wondered why the attendance was small since she found the lecturer interesting and smart. It must be because of the course could potentially dissolve anyone's brain. Akiko pretended to pay attention. Cecilia was busy scribbling on her notebook.

Professor Hernandez was explaining how Quantum Physics was trying to look at the possibility of planet disintegration initiated by subatomic particles that were attracted by gravity and accumulated at its core. As a result, the mass that was not accommodated then fused with each other and triggered a nuclear reaction that consumed the entire planet. Akiko tried to hold a yawn while Cecilia was still diligently doodling on her notes.

Akiko glanced at Cecilia with a surprised look.

Could it be that the virologist was so interested in dwarf stars and the atomic particles that made them up and at the same time destroyed them as explained by Professor Hernandez in his lecture? Akiko was curious.

For the next half hour, Professor Hernandez continued to speak passionately about how quantum mechanics would play an extremely important role in the future in opening the dimension of time. Akiko had almost fallen asleep had she not been startled by the sound of paper being torn next to her. Well, maybe Cecilia's notes on quantum mechanics were full and she wanted to keep them in her pocket as a memento.

Akiko almost couldn't hold back her laughter at her own thoughts if it wasn't for Cecilia to suddenly swing her hand. A white object shaped like an airplane glided toward where Professor Hernandez was standing on the lower stage. Oh my gosh Cecilia! Akiko was flabbergasted.

Professor Hernandez picked up the paper airplane and unfolded it. His face which was originally grim because someone had interrupted his lecture suddenly turned bright. Soon the Professor was laughing so hard that made the whole class confused.

Professor Hernandez showed what he saw to the class. There was a caricature of him standing giving a lecture in front of students who were nodding off. One of them was even sleeping. And that person was Akiko. Akiko's face pouted. Her face reddened with embarrassment. Damn it!

Professor Hernandez stopped his laughter. He nodded to Cecilia and gave a closing word that the next public lecture would be held next month on the same day and time.

When all other students left and Professor Hernandez was still gathering his files, Cecilia came forward.

"You definitely need my help with something related to Quantum Physics to have to lure me in with that funny caricature. Frankly, I'll help you. On the condition that you have to draw the whole caricature of yourself."

Cecilia grinned widely. This professor was a fun guy.

"My name is Cecilia, and this is Akiko. We do need help from you regarding this." Cecilia handed her laptop which was connected to an earphone and signaled him to listen carefully.

Cecilia and Akiko watched Professor Hernandez's face turned pale. His fresh and radiant face turned tired and gloomy. Apparently the recording of the chip translation left him devastated and upset.

"Are you serious about this Miss?" Cecilia nodded.

"Okay so what are you asking me to do?"

"Join our team to find the cure."

"Where?"

"Pandora Laboratory. The North Pole."

Professor Hernandez raised his head.

"I thought so. It all started from there."

Akiko interrupted, "What started there?"

"Events like the Dwarf Planet that perished because it ran out of energy to support itself."