With Catherine Hepburn's permission, Henry finally reached the secret base on the eleventh floor in the Tribeca District.
The key to Inhuman awakening was the Terrigen Mist produced by Terrigen Crystals. This substance triggered a process called "Terrigenesis" in people with latent Inhuman genes.
During the process, an Inhuman's body would be encased in a cocoon resembling stone skin while their genes and body were reconstructed. Not only would this grant unknown superpowers, it should also heal severe physical injuries, illnesses, and even defects unrelated to their Inhuman genes.
The most obvious example was the enormous bulldog among the Inhumans, Lockjaw. He had originally been a member of the Inhuman Royal Family, a living, breathing human being. But after undergoing Terrigenesis, he had become a dog with teleportation abilities.
Turning from a human into a dog involved far more than simply activating the segments of genes responsible for powers. It required extensive cellular reconstruction throughout the entire body.
If this process could not heal acquired illnesses along the way—if every injury present before the transformation remained afterward—there would be no explanation for how DNA had memorized those acquired "injuries."
That was why Henry was confident that Terrigenesis could heal Skye's near-fatal condition as well.
Henry had originally been debating whether to help awaken her Inhuman abilities. He had planned to present it as an option once she reached adulthood and let her decide for herself.
Now, at least, Henry no longer had to agonize over it, and Skye would not have to choose later, either. If he kept deliberating, she would be gone.
Back at the secret base, Henry began searching his computer for the contents of an old trophy: the Kree Technology Crystal left behind by the Kree scientist Dr. Mar-Vell.
It contained a wealth of original research on