Chapter 3 Emery
Covertly wiping my palms on the fabric of my dress, I turn to the laptop to begin the presentation.
“As you all know, Dr. Vincent Barker’s team is close to launching the BioSCAN into the public sector.
This technology has the potential to replace not only X-rays, CTs, and MRIs but potentially biopsies, genetic testing, and even diagnostic blood work.
It will undoubtedly revolutionize medicine. ”
Vince smiles magnanimously from his seat at the table.
His long black hair is pulled back in a severe ponytail that accentuates his widow’s peak.
If he were purple, Vince would look just like the Count from Sesame Street.
The two men on either side of him give him congratulatory shoulder pats. But Vince has had his day in the sun.
Today is all mine.
“The BioSCAN is truly visionary, but it has long been our goal to go beyond that.” I note the way Vincent’s smile flattens immediately at this.
Butthole pucker number one. “My team’s goal was to find a way not only to identify injury, illness, and disease, but to immediately treat it.
As you know, over a billion dollars have gone into funding this project over the past decade, with a very low probability of success.
Well, I’d love to give you all an update on our progress so far.
” I nod to Claire near the wall. “Lights, please.”
The room dims and a screen with a computer animation comes to life behind me, a 360-degree view of the focus of most of my waking hours for the past ten years: the BioVIVE capsule.
The chamber opens and an animated person climbs in and lies down before the top seals closed. The animation then shifts to a view from inside the chamber, where the patient’s body is scanned.
“The BioVIVE incorporates the BioSCAN’s proprietary scanning technology,” I say, and we all watch as the computer simulation shows the scan zeroing in on the affected area of the body.
“From there, the diagnosis is created, target tissues are identified, and the ideal treatment plan is generated, from light therapy, to laser tumor ablation, to cell-directed chemotherapy, to precise gene editing.”
Vincent huffs out a laugh. “Sorry,” he says with a smile when everyone at the table turns their attention to him.
“It’s just—is this all you have, Dr. Martín?
You’ve called together the entire board of directors to show an animation?
Ten years and a billion dollars and we still don’t know whether the healing technology works on organic tissues? ”
“A perfectly timed request, Dr. Barker,” I say, and with a smirk, I click another key so the animation smoothly transitions to a video.
“This is Waffles,” I say. “She is a five-year-old Lab-boxer mix who was brought in to her vet, a collaborator from the BioSCAN trials.” I smile at Annie.
“Her owner found a lump on Waffles’s chest and Dr. Rodriguez put Waffles in the BioSCAN, which identified the lump as a type of lymphoma. ”
As the video proceeds, I narrate what happened next. “The BioVIVE scan confirmed the finding of lymphoma and indicated that it had spread to various sites on Waffles’s body but had not yet infected her bones. Waffles had a very small chance of survival without dramatic intervention.”
Clicking forward, I say, “You’ll see now that when we initiate the BioVIVE sequence, it pinpoints the site of her tumors and…
” My smile widens as the scanner image shows Waffles’s tumors being lasered away.
“Instantly ablates the carcinogenic tissue. The patient feels no pain, and the body will clear out the dead cells via urinary excretion.”
A low, impressed hum moves around the room. Not everyone in attendance understands the technical details of what I’m saying, but they do understand what it could mean: enormous leaps in the state of medicine. And loads of money.
Bolstered, I continue. “Of course, given the classification level of the project and the obvious issues with testing this on human patients, we began working with various vet clinics to help rescue terminally ill or injured animals as a proof of concept.”
I gesture to the screen again, describing the dozen lifesaving interventions we’ve been able to carry out with the BioVIVE, including successful treatment of dogs with bone cancer and kidney failure, and a cat with a broken pelvis.
I look up at the gathered faces. “As you can imagine, this technology holds promise for nearly all human diseases that have a known cause, and even some that don’t.”
On the video wall, a man sits forward. I suck in a breath, immediately recognizing Dr. Pierre Aubert, the French Minister of Health and Solidarity.
“This is an incredible technological breakthrough,” he says.
“It is certainly an interesting extension of the groundbreaking BioSCAN invention,” Vincent adds coolly.
“Mais non,” Dr. Aubert insists. “This goes far beyond anything we’ve ever seen. The BioVIVE… with diagnosis and treatment together? Alors, this, this is unheard of.”
I lock eyes with Annie again as Vincent sits heavily back in his chair. I don’t need to look at him to know that he’s absolutely livid. The tightest of puckers is happening.
I make a mental note to meditate on this moment later, gleefully remembering his posture and expression in excruciating detail, to enjoy the overt petulance of a man who’s done everything he can to undermine me since the day I began work on this project.
But for now, I’m busy fielding an explosion of excited questions. The room is abuzz with energy, speculation, profit predictions, and estimates about how long it would take to scale something like this up, to test it in international markets, to get it fully approved by the FDA.
My blood is thrumming, my heart pounding.
I’ve been working on this for years, have experienced moments of elation during breakthroughs and moments of despair during major setbacks.
I’ve given my blood, sweat, and tears to the BioVIVE.
I’ve sacrificed time with my friends and my husband to be here at all hours of the day, advancing science.
And look: It didn’t just go over well, it was a roaring success.
I scan the room, the air teeming with excitement. Leonard is positively giddy, his smiling eyes telling me just how well the presentation was received. Annie is beaming. Claire gives me a muted round of applause. I think Tom is happy—it’s always hard to tell with him.
One day I’ll get to share these victories with Luca, too, I tell myself. Not now, but soon.
I am goddamn elated.
And then, my gaze lands on Vince, and my heart sinks. It’s not that he’s smiling; it’s the way he’s smiling, like a man gripping the pin on a grenade.
“Dr. Martín,” he says, clearing his throat and motioning to the rest of the room. “Perhaps you could share your other project with the group.”
Annie’s head whips in my direction, her attention pressing like heat to my cheek.
I stare at him intently. Don’t do it, Vince. Don’t do it. “I think we’ve taken enough of their time today, Dr. Barker.” Shifting my attention away from him, I address the room. “Thank you for coming, everyone. We’ll—”
“On the contrary.” He rises to stand behind me, walking around to the front of the table. “You’ve certainly given us all a lot to digest today, but I do think it’s important that everyone here have all the information before making any decisions.”
“There’s more?” Dr. Aubert asks. “More than the BioVIVE?”
“Vincent,” I hiss, but it’s too late.
My eyes fall closed as the next words rocket from his mouth: “Dr. Martín has spent the better part of the morning talking of medical miracles, but I’d like to hear her explain her real reason for being at BioNEX: resurrection.”