Counting Up To Infinity Read online

  ***

  Office of Registration – FDA:

  “George, I just got the wording of the label for that DNA snipper compound.”

  “Yeah, they said they’d be sending it out today.”

  “You’re not going to believe what they called it. It’s no longer called the DNA snipper. You’re not going to believe it.”

  “OK, already, what are they calling it?”

  “Panacea”

  They both laughed at the hubris of this tiny company.

  Unbeknownst to them, the new name came from an eight-year-old boy.

 

  Year 22.0 YOU KILLED MY FATHER

  Two months after the success of the first Panacea submission, Martin and Corey were eating out at a favorite Chinese restaurant in the Buckhead suburbs of Atlanta.

  Corey looked at Martin who had been quiet for the last ten minutes. “Marty, you haven’t touched your food, is something wrong?” She noticed that the color of his skin was much lighter than usual and he was perspiring. “What’s wrong?”

  Martin shook his head, after a couple of seconds said, “N-N-No thing-s wrong.” He practically said each syllable.

  “Something is wrong. Martin look at me.”

  Martin had a sheepish grin, “No-thing wrong. It … will … pass. In-di-gest-ion. Heart burn. That’s … all.” Martin was obviously laboring to get his words out.

  “Marty, squeeze my fingers.” Corey put each of his hands around two of her fingers. “Now squeeze. No, really squeeze. … Please Martin, squeeze.”

  “OK Marty, I want you to smile.” The smile wasn’t symmetrical.

  Martin shook his head, “Don’tt wor-rry. I’m OK”

  “Like hell you are.” She broadcast to the family. “I’m at the Jade Dragon in Buckhead. I think Martin is having a heart attack. Send an ambulance here STAT, have the hospital notified that we are coming in.”

  She then held his hands, “Don’t worry, help is on the way.”

  “It’s No-thing.”

  “Like hell it is. An ambulance is coming. Relax. If it’s nothing than we’ll just go home. Otherwise, we got it early.”

  The two men, seated at table to their right stood and moved their table to form a clear path to the door. A woman, seated in the take-out area, stood then flew out the door. Another pair of men quietly walked to Martin to assist him. All five had CompuHead glasses and earphone microphones.

  Four minutes later an ambulance touched down in front of the restaurant. Martin was wheeled into it. It took off, flying directly to the hospital. Corey followed in her car, driven by the woman who exited earlier. They also flew directly to the hospital. The remaining bodyguards followed.

  Corey was met at the ambulance pad by a nervous resident. “I don’t know what strings you just pulled lady, but I’m to take your husband into intensive care directly and bypass the ER. A cardiac specialist is on the way here now.”

  Corey could see that Martin’s face was ashen. He had tears in his eyes, as his hands touched hers then were separated by the orderlies wheeling him away. His eyes were on her as he broadcast, “I’m sorry.”

  ***

  Three hours later, an older doctor entered the waiting room. The entire extended family was waiting.

  “Corey Klein?”

  “Yes doctor.”

  “My name is Dr. McNab, I’m the chief of cardiology. I’d like to speak to you privately.”

  “This is his family. You can speak to all of us.”

  “OK. Martin Klein had a partial occlusion to his fourth coronary artery. What that means …”

  “I, … we all know what that means, the heart artery. How serious? Did you do an angiography? Have you treated him with …”

  “Yes, hmmm. It was a partial occlusion. We did an angioplasty and applied an emergency stent widening the artery. We’re medicating him now with blood thinners, so that there will be no sequela from the event.”

  “How serious was it?”

  “Actually it was a minor release of a fatty tissue clot. I expect a complete recovery. He’s resting now, but will be able to see people in the morning. He’s been through a lot. I would like you all to go home.”

  Corey looked at the others and fingered her necklace. The necklace was her other eyes and ears. “I’ll be staying, although the rest of the family will be leaving. Now.” She said the last words emphatically. When he wakes, I will see him. Right?” That was not a question but a statement of fact.

  The head of cardiology, who had been eating dinner at his home, was told by the Chief Medical Officer of the hospital that the Kleins were MAJOR donors to the hospital, knew that as long as they did not interfere with Mr. Klein’s care, these people would be given the royal treatment. “Of course, I can even allow you to rest in a chair in the ICU. Are you a doctor?”

  Corey knew that her veterinary doctorate wasn’t what he meant, but she said “Yes. We’re all working at Organic Technology.”

  “Yes, I think I may have heard about that place. Working with orphan drugs?”

  Corey nodded then looked at her family. “I’m going to stay here. You all go home. You’ll be immediately told of any changes in Martin’s status.”

  The others nodded and left.

  ***

  “Marty, you gave us all quite a start. Thank god you’re fine.”

  The pallor in Martin’s face was gone. “I’m feeling a bit weak, but I think it’s the sedative they gave me. I should be out and about today.”

  “Martin Klein, you will not be a foolish macho-man. You are going to listen to Dr. McNab and do exactly what he says. You know the severity of a heart attack. You were lucky. You are going to be a totally obedient patient.”

  Realizing the futility of further argument, all Martin could say was “Yes, dear.” Although the words and tone were satirical, it was actually a total capitulation and agreement with his wife.

  Martin was released from the hospital four days later.

  ***

  Bill Norris, on paper Martin’s boss, placed him on medical leave. Corey took a personal leave as well. As they were actually the owners of the company, there were no questions. They did a great deal of their work at home.

  Martin built up his strength by taking short walks during the first two weeks. By the third week, Corey and Martin were flying again at Stone Mountain Park. Fortunately, it was Indian summer.

  ***

  Janet: David, have you heard from your father today?

  David: No. I’ve deliberately been letting him rest. You tried and he wasn’t answering?

  Janet: No, this isn’t like him or Corey not to have their ‘ears’ up.

  David: Perhaps they just wanted a private moment.

  Janet: No, I’ve been trying to contact them for the past three hours.

  Within 20 seconds, David confirmed that they were not at home and had not been home that night. All of David’s attention was now on locating his Dad.

  Their bodyguards said they took off alone on a personal recreational flight near Stone Mountain Park, the previous evening. There were no hospital or morgue admissions within 300 miles with anyone resembling either Martin or Corey. David checked nearby bank and other photographs. He then checked hospitals or morgues within 1,000 miles, then the US, and finally over the world. No police had arrested him, nor were any jails holding anyone that looked like Martin or Corey. David eavesdropped on all the energy moguls and their direct and secondary reports. There were no secretive phone calls about a successful kidnapping. He confirmed that no one had attempted to contact him, the CEO of C H Electricity, or any other ComHead company. There were no ransom requests. Their car was still in the garage. David delegated some of the work to Joshua and the Ryans. A list of underworld names from Murray and the Hammer, and the different terrorist agencies had no leads wither.

  David was at wit’s-end. He felt completely powerless.
At the end of the second day, he knew that his father was off his medication for 42 hours already.

  David took to pacing.

  It was the second day, Phyllis said, “David there’s nothing you can do. We’ll hear, eventually.”

  “But my father’s been off of his meds for almost three days now.”

  “Don’t worry, we’ll hear something soon. There’s no point in someone kidnapping him. None. If they did kidnap him, they’d ask for a ransom. We’ll pay.”

  Phyllis left the room after a few minutes of silence from David.

  She returned smiling. “Good news David, they did take his meds.”

  “No, I saw them there on the morning after their disappearance.”

  “Well they’re not there now.”

  David looked at his wife’s visual scans of Martin’s bathroom. The medications that were present on the morning after their disappearance were now gone. He queried all the computers in the house and all the other ‘residents’. No one/thing moved the medications.

  All computers owned by C H Enterprises were set at maximum brilliance and linked to solve the problem of the missing Martin and Corey.

  ***

  Sidney: David, we’re in a meeting to discuss …

  David: Sidney, I don’t care, END the meeting NOW.

  Sidney: But

  David: NOW.

  Sidney Ryan stood up, “I’m sorry, but I just … I mean, something just came up. I’m going to have to terminate this meeting. Would you all please leave, immediately.”

  All the attendees of the progress meeting for the Panacea ALH Disease program were surprised. They looked at one another. They had all sensed that something big had been happening in the past three days, but none knew what. This had never happened before.

  Sidney and Janet just stood there. Joshua was looking at his parents from his corner of the room. He started to leave as well.

  David: No you don’t, Josh. Where are my Dad and Corey? Where are they?

  Janet: Why are you talking to Joshie like that David? He’s no criminal. What’s going on, David?

  David: Where are they Joshua? Where is my father? He’s a sick man. You know. Where are they?

  Joshua: But David, how would I …

  David: Don’t lie to me Joshua. I know your heart rate. You’re lying. Where are they? He’s a very sick man. He just had a heart attack. Where is he?

  Janet: David, how would Joshua know?

  David: I just put every computer at our disposal on it. Joshua is the only one, 97% probability. Who else could do it? They went flying three nights ago, and then they were never seen again. Who, besides me, could reprogram a flight suit? Who could have snatched them from the air? Could put a block on their phone link? Could block the emergency link, or even knows about the emergency link? Could block the force field? Then come in their home the next day and take the medications to bring to them. Only one person - Joshua. Where the fuck are they Joshua?

  Janet: David!

  David: JOSHUA.

  Joshua: < sputtering> But he almost died from the heart attack.

  David: Where are they?

  Joshua: They’re safe. They’re almost dead.

  Sidney: What?

  Joshua: I gave them both Panacea, they’re almost dead. I would never hurt Uncle Martin. I’ve known him all my life, even longer than you Dad.

  Joshua, with tears in his eyes, looked up at Sidney.

  Joshua: I would never hurt either of them. But he almost died. The epidemiology books said he could have died. He might still if I didn’t. They only gave him one stent, other occlusions could appear.

  David: Where are they.

  Joshua gave a location in Tennessee.

  David and Phyllis came equipped with UV floodlights and an alcohol spray wash. They arrived at the side of a cliff. Bodyguards came in a second car. A large car blocked a huge steel door from opening. The steel door was the only exit from an abandoned cave. David moved the car and opened the door. The cave was rather short only fifty feet deep.

  “There they are.” Martin and Corey were stretched out on the floor with their head on their flight jackets, lying on a pair of mattresses. Both were comatose from Panacea. Their hearts had stopped, they were no longer breathing, but their temperatures were 113 degrees Fahrenheit. The cave was fumigated with the alcohol and the UV lights. David, with the bodyguards’ help, carried both his father and stepmother into his car and drove them to Saint Louis Hospital and the waiting Dr. Brown. There was virtually nothing that anyone could do for them now. It was all in the hands of the experimental drug.

  ***

  David put a hidden camera into their rooms and took up residence at a nearby hotel. He waited. He refused all transmissions from Joshua.

  For almost all his life, the only constant in David’s life was his father. His dad was there when his mother committed suicide, before David was ever ‘conscious’. He was the only one when David was growing up, his only companion. He was there when David ran out of memory at the age of five. Martin helped David make the first CompuHead hard drive out of salt. He started the Compu-Head company while working at two clinics and feeding them cans of franks-n-beans. He was always there. David knew that his father had given up everything, a wife, a life, a career, for him. Unlike any other kid, David never forgot anything. David replayed, in real time, conversations with his dad when he was five. Then when David was six. …

  Phyllis couldn’t console her husband. He wouldn’t/couldn’t talk to her. She was unable to talk to him. In frustration, she went home on the fourth day.

  After six days, Corey awoke. The next morning, she joined David’s vigil.

  On day nine, Martin finally awoke. He was awake for a few hours, ate a large meal then had a normal sleep.

  David was finally able to get his first full night of sleep since his father’s disappearance.

  ***

  Dr. Brown saw David that next afternoon. Martin had had extensive testing throughout the morning.

  “I had our cardiologist examine Martin. Besides a pathetically glacial heart rate, limpid oyster-like blood pressure and blood which thinks its ketchup”, Brown laughed, “he’s relatively normal. The EKG shows no abnormal pattern. None at all. In fact, he said you’re father is the picture of good health.”

  “Can we see him?”

  “I don’t see why not.”

  They walked from the waiting room into Martin’s room. Corey was already there. David looked at his father, the doctor was right. Martin looked healthy, very healthy. Martin’s skin showed no sign of the death of a few days ago. “Dad, you look great.”

  David asked, “Doctor, when can my father leave?”

  Brown said, “He’s in excellent health for a man who has recently died. I see no reason to hold him.”

  Martin looked at both, “Why are you talking about me as if I’m not here? Do I look dead? I’d like to get out of here.”

  Corey looked at her husband, “Of course, dear. Dr. Brown, you’ll sign his discharge papers and my husband will leave so we can all get a nice lunch. Right dear?”

  “Yes, indeed, my love.”

  David was noticing the deep, palpable, love between his father and step-mother.

  ***

  The three of them were sitting in a small booth at an Italian restaurant near the Saint Louis Arch. The place had maps of Italy and empty straw-covered Chianti bottles on the walls. David had been surreptitiously looking at his father and stepmother for the last two hours, at the hospital, in the car, and at the restaurant. There was no doubt about it. His father looked healthier. And there was something else, something that David couldn’t put his finger on.

  “Dad, I just spoke to Joshua. I’m still not talking to him, at least not much, but he did tell me that you should be feeling better. But other than generalities, he’s not talking.”

  Mart
in smiled as he looked at Corey, “You do look radiant. I never realized you actually would get healthier too.”

  David could only say that Corey was gushing, “And you’re gorgeous.” She intertwined her hand with his. Their eyes were locked on one another. For all David knew, they didn’t even know he was there.

  David rolled his eyes. “Don’t tell me. Programmed you with the hormones of teenagers, right? Oh my god. I think I’m going to get nauseous. I’m going to kill that brat.”

  His father shrugged his shoulders to Corey and cocked his head gesturing to Corey like David was crazy.

  “OK, tell me what happened. I never asked Corey. I was so worried.”

  His father began, “We were flying near the top of the confederate civil war monument, when I realized that I no longer had control of my flight path. We started flying higher. I was feeling scared, so I tried to broadcast our position and call for help. Nothing happened. We just kept on flying. Our suits were also stealthed and the force field deactivated. We then heard Joshua say that he was taking us someplace special and for us not to worry and enjoy the ride.”

  Corey spoke, “I, no we, yelled at him, but all he said was ‘everything is ok. Don’t worry.’ Nothing I said would change his mind. We thought about trying to sabotage the suits, but thought better of it. We were too high up. We kept on trying to broadcast out. Four hours later, we were flown into a cave. The doors were closed behind us and then locked. It was solid. We heard a clunk. Inside was pitch black.”

  Martin started talking, “He must have had one of your stealthed infra-red flying ‘brick’ high in the ceiling, as we were able to see from a height. It was strange, but I was eventually able to find some food and water that he left for us with a pair of mattresses. Oh yes, when we entered, we were stuck with some type of needle. It obviously was Panacea. The rest you know. He must have stolen the Panacea from the lab – He’s as smart as you are David. He had a good lock holding us in. I tried pounding with all my might and it had no effect. We watched movies to kill the time.”

  Corey added, “The next morning he told us that he had forgotten the medicines. At night, the door opened two inches and we were able to get the heart medicines. It then closed.”

  David nodded, “The only thing I can fill in, is that he ‘borrowed’ a C H car from a guy who’s on vacation for a week. He used it to wedge the door shut. This is the first theft of a C H car too. My god, you two look good. I’m just glad everything worked out OK.”