"What kinds of medical problems?"
Brown tried to cut in, but Roger took the questions. "You've seen videos of animals fast-forward aging. That's the consequence of withdrawal."
"Is that what would happen to you?" shouted a red-haired woman.
Brown who was back-and-forth on his radio phone cut in. "There will be no more questions. Otherwise we will terminate this briefing."
The crowd did not like that, but quieted down.
Roger continued. "A key term of our agreement is that the entire supply of Elixir be turned over to Public Citizen for research into its cancer-fighting properties exclusively. Second, that research protocol and data be closely monitored to prevent application to human prolongevity.
"For the record, the government understands and agreed to those conditions."
"Finally, contrary to reports, there are no hidden caches of the substance. The world's entire supply is at this site."
Another stir rippled through the crowd.
"Where?" somebody shouted.
Brown and his men closed around the Glovers.
"Where's the rest of it?"
"How much is left?"
Suddenly the crowd was restive and firing questions.
The police started to push back the reporters, until a tumult rose up and people began shoving. A line of uniforms pressed against the crowd.
Things were nearly out of hand. In a moment batons would start swinging and heads would be bloodied.
"I'll take questions," Roger said to Brown.
"No, you won't." Brown's men began corralling them inside.
Roger didn't like that. They were doing all they could to separate them from the media, to get their hands on the compound and haul them to headquarters in Manhattan. Another agenda had taken over.
Roger grabbed the microphone from a uniformed cop. "Hold it. I'll take your questions."
Brown made a move for the mic. But somebody squawked something in his ear. Whoever was calling the shots wanted this over with peacefully.
Brown pulled Roger aside. "Those aren't my orders."
"You've got a hundred million people in those lenses. They are your orders."
Brown's resolve cracked as he motioned the police captain to pull his men off the crowd.
When the place settled, Roger spoke: "I'll take your questions, but orderly and with a show of hands, please."
The crowd pressed to the porch again.
When they calmed down, Roger said, "Okay."
The place erupted, hands flapping like cornstalks in a wind. A wall of directional mics and camera lenses poised on him.
"Dr. Glover, you said you may not live indefinitely, but is it true you haven't experienced any effects of aging since you began taking Elixir?"
"True."
"How old are you?" another shouted.
"Fifty-six."
A stir of amazement passed through the crowd.
"What about Mrs. Glover?"
Roger took the question. Laura had wanted no part of this. "We're the same age, but only I've taken the serum."
"Mrs. Glover," another reporter shouted. "Can you tell us why you decided against it?"
Again Roger took the question. "Just that she did."
But the reporter persisted in his attempt to engage Laura. "Do you regret that decision?"
"No," Laura answered.
"Has it caused problems for you as a family?" shouted the woman with the red hair and a TV 4 cameraman.
"Yes," Roger said without explanation.
"Dr. Glover, I'm wondering about the long-range effects of Elixir," shouted another. "If it doubles or triples the lifespan, wouldn't that mean you've invented a higher order of the human species-a kind of superman?"
Before he could answer, two other reporters blurted out questions. When they calmed down to hear his answer, more questions followed. Brown flapped his hands to tell them one at a time.
Roger was beginning to regret this. "You're missing the point. The compound will not be researched for longevity. Even if the side effects can be eliminated, it's dangerous and wrong-like human cloning, which is also banned…"
But nobody was listening.
He looked at Laura. She looked frightened. Brett stood beside her, numbed by the spectacle.
"If someone were to have a transfusion of your blood, would they live forever too?"
"Is it true the Elixir will prevent diseases?"
"Would the substance make anybody younger?"
Roger suddenly understood what Jesus must have felt like after raising Lazarus. Probably everybody in the village came after him with a laundry list of dead relatives.
He tried to answer, but the questions were coming rapid-fire. And the answers weren't registering. It was impossible.
"How much do you have to take for it to work?"
"Does it work on children, too?"
"What about very old people?"
They weren't getting it. They didn't have a bloody clue. And the millions catching it all would hear only eternal youth.
And tomorrow Larry King would call, and Barbara and Oprah. And he would be hounded by publicists and agents. And movie and book offers would come flooding in. And pharmaceutical companies would be calling with fabulous contract offers. And telephone calls in the middle of the night: "Hey, Rog, it's Charlie from Swanson's Steak House. Whaddya say, just a little eternity juice for your favorite waiter?"
As he stood there before the foaming crowd, the future lay its lurid self out in front of him. Laura was right. They would hound them like jackals. No matter if he didn't have more than two cc's in his possession, they would be after him for samples.
Worse, they would go after Brett because he was young and vulnerable. Kids cornering him in the schoolyard. Mom's getting really old and depressed, can you help me out? Steal a little of your old man's stash. He'd never know.
And, if you don't, we'll blow your head off.
They'd be on the run again. New names, new IDs, new escape plans.
He glanced at Laura and Brett looking in fright at the crowd. People were screaming at once.
How much would it cost?
Could it come in tablet form?
Would it work on the family dog?
What about population problems?
Does it bother you that some people view you as the devil?
What if it gets out?
They're not going to live like that, Roger thought. Not on his life.
"That's it," Roger said to Brown.
Brown nodded and took the mic and announced the press conference was over.
A roar rose up, but the uniforms poured out from the sidelines to clear the area. Brown and his agents started to move the Glovers inside when Roger shouted, "It's not in there. Out here."
Brown turned to the state police captain. "Clear them out of here. All of them."
The captain was about to pass the order on to his men when Roger grabbed Brown. "Clear the place of the cameras, and rumors will fly that you're holding back on the stuff. Just move them back."
"You're not calling the shots," Brown snapped.
"How badly do you want it?"
Brown stared at him for a moment. "What's your problem, Glover?"
"The people in your ear."
Frustrated, Brown snapped around and told the captain that the media would stay, just push them back to make a path.
Then with Laura and Brett by his side and three dozen cameras locked on them, Roger moved down the steps and across the open yard to the snow-covered fountain which had stood there unnoticed and undisturbed by the mob.
Beneath the skim of ice and melting snow lay 204 ampules of Elixir, cool and safe.
Brown looked at him to ask if he was joking-the fountain?
"Pun intended," Roger said.