Xero: "I need a slightly less short version."
Glass: "It's destroying memories."
Jade: "Destroying?"

Jade suddenly saw a bright flash of light, and closed her eyes. When she opened them, nothing had changed, but she felt a little weak. Glass looked at her a moment before answering.

Glass: "Not permanently. Not yet, at least. But see these clusters in the subject's brain?"

Glass: "Memories are nothing more than pieces of information. Most of it sits on the shelves and collects dust, but some memories are accessed routinely. In fact, some memories are so routine that you aren't even aware of consciously accessing them, like walking or tying your shoes."
Jade: "Are you saying we're all going to forget how to walk?"

Glass: "No. Mnemosyne isn't attacking those kinds of procedural memories, it's not that strong. Yet. But it is going after very active memories that have a large amount of neural pathways going to and from them. It's blocking those pathways, essentially blocking access to the memory and absorbing a good deal of the energy. The rest of the energy is rerouted along pathways that existed before the memory's time - largely inactive pathways. It shouldn't cause a lack of function. However, once Mnemosyne replicates itself in sufficient proportions, it will continue attacking other memories."

Xero scribbled some equations furiously on a piece of scrap paper.

Xero: "We have about six hours before Mnemosyne will need to move on to another memory. After that, the time will shorten exponentially. Within 24 hours the effects will be devastating. By my calculations, we should be losing...."

Xero dropped his pencil, clutching his head. When he opened his eyes, Glass was on the floor.

Xero: "...our first memory right about now."

The three of them looked at each other. None of them seemed very different. Glass slowly picked himself up off the floor.

Jade: "So did I just forget my very best Christmas ever, or what?"
Glass: "Doubtful. Pain is what sticks with us the longest and hardest, not pleasure."
Jade: "I knew positive reinforcement was a crock."

Jade: "Oh shit."
Xero: "What is it?"
Jade: "If we don't get to work soon, we'll be making a hell of a lot more Mnemosyne food. Mr. Stone is with the vampire Tristan Payne tonight."

The three of them let this information sink in.

Glass: "It's not the end of the world. We already finished a cure for the original Mnemosyne strain. A few modifications and we can undo any damage that's been done. I'm sure Mr. Stone and his 'friends' won't even notice anything wrong."
Jade: "Right. It's not like losing one silly little memory could change a person that much, anyway."