Page 49 of Johnny

“Science. I told you. That’s what I do.”

“You’re a scientist?”

I pause, trying to decide if this is information I should give up or not. I don’t want him to know too

much about me. But I have to tell him something, so I say, “Not officially. I’ve never been to college

but I know what I’m doing. So… more like a tech, I guess.”

“What kind of science do they do there?”

I huff. Frustrated about being put in this position.

“Is it a secret?” he asks. “Something evil and dark, I bet. Like, you guys come up with new

infectious diseases and then blame it on climate change so people will recycle more or buy imaginary

carbon credits.”

I shoot him the stink eye.

“What?”

“That’s… like. The dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.”

“You say that, but you’re the one who won’t talk about your secret science job.”

OK. He’s definitely got a very suspicious, over-active mind. So I decide to tell him what I really

do. Because it’s no big deal, actually. “I run complicated equipment. Mostly software that models

proteins in 3D.”

He chews his lip as he stares at me. “Why?”

I pause, thinking about this for a moment, then shrug. “I mean… that’s what people do with

proteins. You have to model the structure in order to understand it. That’s the only way a protein

makes sense. Everything is about the shape. It’s like a puzzle. Enzymes fit into the protein the way a

key fits into a lock and then once the key is in the lock things happen. And if you need to make a key,

you have to know the shape of the lock, right? Well, I was part of the team that was looking at the

shape of the lock on a specific protein we called AA9A.”

“Hmm,” Johnny hums. “What’s it do? This protein? What kind of things does it do when the key fits?”

“No clue,” I say. “Above my pay grade.”

“Hmm,” he hums again. And I know he doesn’t believe me.

“OK, look. I think this is it.” I point to the satellite picture on the screen. “This is our island,

Osprey Cay. But this little dot, that’s the lab. The only one I know how to get to. I’m sure there’s

others, but I’ve only been to this one. So this is the only one I can take you to.”