“My God!” Stanton said. “Ultra could be the drug of the century!”
“That’s why we’re working nonstop,” Edward said.
“What are you doing now?” Stanton asked.
“We’re doing everything,” Edward said. “We’re studying the molecule from every vantage point possible. Now that we know it binds to a receptor, we want to know the binding protein. We want to know the binding protein’s structure or structures since we suspect Ultra binds with different side chains in different circumstances.”
“When do you think we can start marketing in Europe and Japan?” Stanton asked.
“We’ll have some idea once we start clinical trials,” Edward said. “But that won’t happen until we get the IND from the FDA.”
“We’ve got to speed the process up somehow,” Stanton said. “This is crazy! We’ve got a billion-plus drug and we could go bankrupt.”
“Wait a second,” Edward said suddenly, drawing everyone’s attention. “I just got an idea. I just thought of a way to save some time. I’ll start taking the drug myself.”
For a few minute there was absolute silence in the room save for the ticking of a clock on the mantel and the raucous cry of sea gulls down by the river.
“Is that a wise move?” Stanton asked.
“Damn right it is,” Edward said, warming to the idea. “Hell, I don’t know why I didn’t think of it before. With the results of the toxicity studies we’ve already done, I’m confident to take Ultra without the slightest qualm.”
“It’s true we’ve seen no toxicity whatsoever,” Gloria said.
“Tissue cultures seem to thrive on the stuff,” David said. “Particularly neural cell cultures.”
“I don’t think taking an experimental drug is a good idea,” Kim said, speaking up for the first time. She was standing in the doorway to the foyer.
Edward flashed her a scowl for interrupting. “I think it is a masterful idea,” he said.
“How will it save time?” Stanton asked.
“Hell, we’ll have all the answers before we even begin clinical trials,” Edward said. “Think how easy it will make designing the clinical protocols.”
“I’ll take it as well,” Gloria said.
“Me too,” Eleanor said.
One by one the other researchers agreed that it was a fabulous idea and offered to participate.
“We can all take different dosages,” Gloria said. “And six people will even give us a modicum of statistical significance when trying to evaluate the results.”
“We can do the dosage levels blindly,” François suggested. “That way we won’t know who’s on the highest dose and who’s on the lowest.”
“Isn’t taking an unapproved investigational drug against the law?” Kim asked.
“What kind of law?” Edward asked with a laugh. “An institutional review board law? Well, as far as Omni goes, we are the institutional review board as well as every other committee, and we haven’t passed any laws at all.”
All the researchers laughed along with Edward.
“I thought the government had guidelines or laws about such things,” Kim persisted.
“The NIH has guidelines,” Stanton explained. “But they are for institutions receiving NIH grants. We’re certainly not getting any government money.”
“There must be some applicable rule against human use of a drug before the animal trials are completed,” Kim said. “Just plain intuition tells you that it is foolhardy and dangerous. What about the thalidomide disaster? Doesn’t that worry you people?”
“There is no comparison with that unfortunate situation,” Edward said. “There wasn’t any question of thalidomide being a natural compound, and it was generally far more toxic. But, Kim, we’re not asking you to take Ultra. In fact you can be the control.”
Everyone laughed anew. Kim blushed self-consciously and left the parlor for the kitchen. She was amazed how the atmosphere of the meeting had changed. From its strained beginning it had become buoyant. It gave Kim the uncomfortable feeling that some degree of group hysteria was occurring due to a combination of overwork and heightened expectations.
In the kitchen Kim busied herself with getting the rolls from the oven. From the parlor she heard continued laughter and loud, excited talk about building a science center with some of the billions they foresaw in their futures.
While she was transferring the rolls to a breadbasket, Kim sensed that someone had come into the kitchen behind her.
“I thought I’d offer to help,” François said.
Kim turned and glanced at the man, but then looked quickly away, surveying the kitchen. She made it seem as if she were thinking about what he could do. In reality the man disturbed her with his forwardness, and she was still uncomfortable from the episode in the parlor.
“I think everything is under control,” she said. “But thank you for asking.”
“May I fill my wineglass?” he asked. He already had his hand wrapped around the neck of the wine jug.
“Of course,” Kim said.
“I’d love to see some of the environs when the work calms down,” François said as he poured the wine. “Perhaps you could show me some of the sights. I hear Marblehead is charming.”
Kim hazarded another quick glance at François. As she expected, he was regarding her with his intense stare. When he caught her eye he smiled wryly, giving Kim the uncomfortable feeling that he was flirting with her. It also made her question what Edward had said to him about their relationship.
“Perhaps your family will be here by then,” Kim said. “Perhaps,” François answered.
After Kim finished her usual bedtime routine, she purposefully left her door completely ajar so that she could see into the half-bath the two bedrooms shared. Her intention was to stay awake to talk with Edward when he came back from the lab to sleep. Unfortunately she didn’t know what time that might be.
Sitting up comfortably against her pillows, Kim took Elizabeth’s diary off her night table and opened it to where she was currently reading. The diary hadn’t proven to be what she’d originally expected: except for the last entry it had been a disappointment. For the most part Elizabeth merely recorded the weather and what happened each day instead of expressing her thoughts, which Kim would have found much more interesting.
Despite her attempt to stay awake, Kim fell fast asleep around midnight with her bedside light still on. The next thing she was aware of was the sound of the toilet flushing. Opening her eyes, she could see Edward in the half-bath.
Kim rubbed her sleep-filled eyes and tried to concentrate on the clock. It was after one in the morning. With some effort she got herself out of bed and into her robe and slippers. Feeling a bit more awake, she padded into the half-bath. Edward was busy brushing his teeth.
Kim sat on the closed toilet seat and hugged her knees to her chest. Edward gave her a questioning look but didn’t say anything until he’d finished with his teeth.
“What on earth are you doing up at this hour?” Edward asked. He sounded concerned, not irritated.
“I wanted to talk to you,” Kim said. “I wanted to ask you if you really intend to take Ultra.”
“Sure do,” he said. “We’re all going to start in the morning. We set up a blind system so no one will know how much they are taking compared to the others. It was François’s idea.”
“Do you really think this is a wise move?”
“It’s probably the best idea I’ve had in ages,” Edward said. “It will undoubtedly speed up the whole drug-evaluation process and Stanton will be off my back.”
“But there must be a risk,” she said.
“Of course there is a risk,” Edward said. “There is always a risk, but I’m confident it is an acceptable risk. Ultra is not toxic, that we know for sure.”
“It makes me feel very nervous,” Kim said.
“Well, let me reassure you of one significant point,” Edward said. “I’m no martyr! In fact I’m basically a chicken. I wouldn’t be doing this if I didn’t feel it was perfectly safe, nor would I allow the others. Besides, historically we’ll be in good company. Many of the greats in the history of medical research used themselves as the first experimental subjects.”