Prodigy Returns (book 3)

Chapter Twenty-Five

It had been a long and drawn out day, and Alex was emotionally, mentally, and physically exhausted. However, she had come a great distance to see her father and didn't want to wait another moment to talk to him. Kyodin had gone to bed, which allowed Alex and Maxim to catch up in private.

"Kyodin told me how you two had met and he's really excited that you're here."

"He's a great kid," Alex said. "You did a good job raising him."

"I'm very lucky to have three amazing children."

Alex looked sad as she contemplated how her life may have turned out if Maxim and Mara had raised her from the time she was a baby.

"It's certainly a much different life than you're used to back home," she said. Trying not to get too emotional, she switched the focus. "I've been dying to know... what's with the giant yeti?"

Maxim laughed. "His name is Monk and we consider him to be a part of this family."

"Is he your pet?"

"Sort of, but he's much more intelligent than a typical pet. We use both verbal and non-verbal communication, and his comprehension is far superior than a dog. He helps me out a lot with a lot of tasks such as carrying heavy objects and hunting, he even keeps our family safe. He's been incredibly loyal to us over the years and we're very fortunate to have him in our lives."

"How did you guys meet?"

"It's a long story and it's getting late. Perhaps I'll save that one for another time."

"We should at least talk about what happened aboard the Pegasus," Alex said.

"When I spoke to Kyo, he didn't mention anything about us meeting so I presumed you had a reason for not telling him," Maxim said.

"In our brief interaction, I got the impression that you had gone to great lengths to keep him as pure and innocent as possible. So I was careful not to contaminate his thoughts. Like a bacteria being introduced into a foreign environment, I could potentially wreak havoc on a young impressionable mind such as his."

"I appreciate your discretion, Alex," Maxim said sincerely. You have made an astute observation about your brother. He is very sheltered indeed, and this is by design. I know eventually he may grow to ask more questions, but for now, he doesn't need the baggage of the human race to weigh him down and corrupt his essence. I want him and Olivia to experience the utmost freedom, which includes freedom of thought."

"I understand."

"Alex, you did something to me back on the Pegasus. I can feel it. I was dying and you brought me back. You saved my life. Now after a few days, I feel better than I have in a very long time. I look and feel ten years younger. So I have to ask, what did you do to me?"

"It's called an eternity hack," Alex said remorsefully. "I had no other choice but to upload it into you. I'm sorry, I should have had your consent before I did it, but there was no time."

"An eternity hack?" Maxim repeated.

"As the name suggests, it's a string of computer code that stimulates certain biological changes in one's body. In this case, it has halted the imminent advancement of death and will continue to reverse the aging process. With time, your skin will become taut and smooth, your muscles will grow, your bones will become denser, and your posture will improve. You'll begin to look and feel younger, stronger, and even smarter. Your cells will repair themselves until they are at an optimal state. Eventually, you will look like you did when you were twenty-five. It doesn't mean you will live forever, but it at least ensures you will never die of organ failure, disease, or anything else related to old age."