After Bill left the inn.
Stark took a sip of whiskey, then looked at Alvin and said, "You should call Bruto and tell him to keep that girl named Sam."
Alvin looked at Stark curiously. "Why?
Because of that Blood Orchid?"
Stark toyed with the bone figurine in his hand and nodded. "I just remembered a paper I read seven or eight years ago.
It mentioned the Immortal Flower, otherwise known as the Blood Orchid."
Alvin looked curious. "I thought you were only interested in things like electronics and mechanics.
I didn't know you'd studied plants, too."
Stark curled his lip. "There are plenty of beautiful women who study botany. Back then, I just didn't want to have nothing to talk about when I chatted with them.
So I read a few interesting papers."
As he spoke, Stark tossed the bone figurine to Alvin. "Have you heard of the Hayflick Limit?"
Stark didn't give Alvin a chance to answer before continuing. "Of course you haven't.
The Hayflick Limit was proposed by the scientist Hayflick. He believed that cells could divide no more than 56 times before dying.
Most forms of life have borne out his theory over the past few decades.
But that paper about the Immortal Flower proved that the number of times cells could divide could be increased.
And the Blood Orchid was the key!
A chemical compound extracted from its petals could extend the lifespan of cells.
I followed the research on the Blood Orchid for a while back then, but for some reason, it eventually went nowhere.
After enough time passed, I forgot about it.
But today, that captain brought up the Blood Orchid again...
If his young lover really does know something about it, I think you should have Bruto hire her.
That pharmaceutical company