?


    "Just because I, Duke, have got properties, loads of them! I''ve always been the one giving people the boot, not the other way around!"


    "It all boils down to having your own stuff. That''s when you stand tall! The university lent us this rundown shack, no CPR training dummies, missing fire safety equipment. We break our backs producing research, and who gets the credit? The university!"


    "Is that fair? I don''t think so!"


    The idea of being slighted like this was something Mamie, thendy, had never faced before.


    "What''s the big deal? It''s just a rundown shack, and we even had to buy the equipment ourselves!"


    Her fiery temper was just too much to handle.


    Her rant left Scales and Roseanne absolutely gobsmacked.


    "Er... hope I didn''t scare you guys?" Mamie''s round face shed a quick look of embarrassment, as she hurriedly exined, "I''m not usually like this, really. Just asionally, my temper gets the best of me... Ahem!"


    Scales swallowed hard: "..."This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    But Roseanne''s eyes sparkled with excitement, nodding vigorously, "What Mamie said is exactly what I''ve been thinking! As long as theb is borrowed from the university, we''ll never be in charge."


    The university could take it back whenever they wanted, find fault, or lend it to another group.


    They were likembs to the ughter, lying t, ready to be carved up.


    "So... we stop borrowing from the university?" Mamie ventured.


    Roseanne nodded.


    Scales: "Then where do we borrow from?"


    Roseanne: "Why borrow at all? Like Mamie said that day, why don''t we just build our own?"


    Build, our own?


    At that, Scales was utterly stunned.


    Mamie was startled at first, then leaped up from the couch in excitement-


    "Exactly! We can totally build one! How great would that be!"


    Ab of their own, no more worrying about it being taken away or being targeted by schemers.


    Roseanne: "I''ve checked. The regtions of Kingswell University and the Life Sciences Department don''t say students can''t create independentbs.


    As long as we have all the necessary paperwork and qualifications, it''s all good."


    Mamie immediately raised her hand: "I can provide the funding! How much? Five million, or ten million?"


    Scales: "?" What kind of nichement is that?


    Roseanne thought for a moment: "I can also contribute, plus... a piece ofnd."


    Mamie: "!"


    Scales: "?!"


    "Roseanne, you havend?"


    "Yep." Roseanne smiled, "Plot 3-5 at East Suburb 72, currently undeveloped."


    Even Mamie, thendy, couldn''t help but gulp.


    Land...


    Not a house, not a shop, butnd!


    You could build anything on it!


    "Roseanne, how many more surprises do you have that we don''t know about?!"


    Roseanne chuckled: "Now that we''ve


    got the money andnd sorter ''ve


    there''s just onest hurdle, "


    "What''s that?"


    "Approval."


    Building ab isn''t as simple as it sounds, especially a biological one like theirs.


    Microorganisms, particrly viruses,


    pose biosafety issues. The


    experimental processes might.


    involve a lot of organic solvents,


    considering emission issues


    IMS


    If research involves radioactive materials, there are national regtions to consider...


    In short, all sorts of approvals and procedures are the real challenge!


    Imagine, if there''s even a slight hup in the process, it could drag


    on for a year or more. Forget


    building ab, you could harvest a


    season''s worth of crops on thatnd by then.


    Mamie: "We''d need some connections in the relevant departments, right?"


    Roseanne nodded.


    "Um..." Scales, who had been quiet till now, suddenly spoke up, "Maybe I can give it a try."


    "!"