The rain was coming down hard by the time Sam had shuffled the brown plastic tray in the bin opening hard enough for the paper sheet to overcome the adhesive qualities of ketchup and barbeque sauce and flop inelegantly off the tray to join the end of the rubbish.

"How far from here? You want me to take over now? You've been driving since London," said Sam.

"It's only a couple of miles from here. And sure, thank you."

Sam took a moment to adjust the seat in the little car so it would better accommodate his size. What was comfortable for Lyn was cramped for him. After adjusting everything he could reach, mirrors, seat and steering wheel, they were on their way again.

"I thought Cambridge university was more involved in computer technology, not biology," said Sam.

"They are, they have been for years, but biotech is the future. Cambridge have been good at turning ideas from the lab into technologies that have viable applications in the real world. It's exciting to have them interested in this. And besides, at one level they are very similar. Left here!"

Sam indicated left and turned onto a faster main road.

"How are they similar? Computers and cells can't be more different, can they? One is natural and one is man-made."

Lyn grinned. "That's a good observation. But which is which?"

"Is this a trick question?"

"Yes!"

"Thanks for being honest! Ok, the computers are man made."

"They both are, now. We can make calls how we want by editing the dna."

"I still don't see how that is the same as computer technology."

"The similarity is in the code that controls both systems. In a computer the code is a program, right? Dna is the same thing. It's the program that controls how the machine, or organism works."

"But that's just a metaphor, isn't it?"

"No, in this case its the literal truth. In fact, dna is a more universal code than a computer program. If you write code for a computer it will usually only work on one machine. You have to write new code for a new machine. Dna is not like that. It's a universal code. The same code made you and me, made the bread in the burgers we just ate, made those trees-"

"That roadkill?"

"Eww, yes, that too."

"So is that what makes editing easy, like those green mice?"

"Exactly! Once we know what a gene does we can cut and paste it just like text on a computer, and it will do the same job in every creature we add it too. You can't do that on a computer. If you cut and paste code from one machine to another things will stop working."

"You make it sound so easy! You must have really tiny scissors and glue."

"Ha. It's not quite that easy, but it's getting easier. New machines and techniques are coming out all the time. Sooner or later someone will make it as easy as copying and pasting text, and that's when you will see a real revolution. Once it becomes as easy as that we will enter a new age of control over our genes. Here we are!"

Sam braked quickly to avoid overshooting the entrance and turned the car into an non-descript office park. It was almost completely devoid of life. Perfectly straight tree lined avenues threaded between large, low gray squares of buildings. Most didn't even have any identification on them. The map of the office park at the entrance was their only clue.

"Is this place even open?" he said.

"Mostly no, at this time of night, but we have twenty-four hour access and security. This storage unit is used by companies and hospitals all over the south of england so they have to be open all the time."

"I hope you remembered your keys then."

Lyn tapped the side of her head.

"This is the key," she said, cryptically.