Acceptable Risk (44 page)

“I wanted to show everybody something that I just noted this morning,” he said. “I really haven’t had time to think too much about it, and I wouldn’t have noticed it except the computer picked it up when these images were in digital form. If you look carefully, the concentration of the Ultra in the hindbrain, midbrain, and limbic system slowly builds from the first dose, then, when it gets to a certain level, the concentration goes up markedly, meaning there’s no steady state reached.”

Everyone bent over the photographs.

“Maybe the point where the concentration increases markedly is at the point that the enzymatic system that metabolizes it is overwhelmed,” Gloria suggested.

“I think you are right,” François said.

“That means we should look at the key that tells us how much Ultra each of us has been taking,” Gloria said.

They all looked at Edward.

“Seems reasonable,” Edward said. He walked over to his desk and removed a small locked box. Inside was a three-by-five card with the code that matched dosages.

The group quickly learned that Curt was on the highest dose followed by David on the next highest. On the other end of the scale, Eleanor had the lowest with Edward just behind her.

After a lengthy, rational discussion, they came up with a theory of what was happening. They reasoned that when the concentration of Ultra got to a certain point, it progressively blocked the normal variation of serotonin levels that occurred during sleep, ironing them out and altering sleep patterns.

It was Gloria who suggested that when the concentration got even higher, perhaps to the point where the sharp upward swing of the curve occurred, then the Ultra blocked the radiations from the lower, or reptilian, brain to the higher centers in the cerebral hemispheres. Sleep, like other autonomous function, was regulated by the lower brain areas where the Ultra was massing.

The group was quiet for a time while everyone pondered this hypothesis. Despite their emotional recovery, they all found this idea disturbing.

“If this were the case,” David said, “what would happen if we were to wake up while this blockage was in place?”

“It would be as if we’d experienced retroevolution,” Curt said. “We’d be functioning on our lower-brain centers alone. We’d be like carnivorous reptiles!”

The shock of this statement quieted everyone with its horrid connotations.

“Wait a minute, everybody,” Edward said, trying to cheer himself as well as the others. “We’re jumping to conclusions that are not based on fact. This is all complete supposition. We have to remember that we’ve seen no problems with the monkeys, who we all agree have cerebral hemispheres, although smaller than humans’, at least most humans.”

Everyone except Gloria smiled at Edward’s humor.

“Even if there is a problem with Ultra,” Edward reminded them, “we have to take into consideration the good side of the drug, and how it has positively affected our emotions, mental abilities, acuity of our senses, and even long-term memory. Perhaps we have been taking too much of the drug and we should cut down. Maybe we should cut down to Eleanor’s level since all she’s experienced are the positive psychological effects.”

“I’m not cutting back,” Gloria said defiantly. “I’m stopping as of this minute. It horrifies me to think of the possibility of some primitive creature lurking inside my body without my even being aware and sneaking out to forage in the night.”

“Very colorfully said,” Edward remarked. “You are welcome to stop the drug. That goes without saying. No one is going to force anyone to do anything they don’t want to do. You all know that. Each person can decide whether to continue taking the drug or not, and here’s what I suggest: for an added cushion of safety I think we should halve Eleanor’s dose and use that as an upper limit, dropping subsequent doses in one-hundred-milligram steps.”

“That sounds reasonable and safe to me,” David said.

“To me as well,” Curt said.

“And me,” François said.

“Good,” Edward said. “I’m absolutely confident that if the problem is as we’ve theorized, it has to be dose related, and there has to be a point where the chances of causing the problem is an acceptable risk.”

“I’m not taking it,” Gloria restated.

“No problem,” Edward said.

“You won’t be irritated with me?” Gloria asked.

“Not in the slightest,” Edward said.

“I’ll be able to be a control,” Gloria said. “Plus I’ll be able to watch over the others at night.”

“Excellent idea,” Edward said.

“I have a suggestion,” François said. “Perhaps we should all take radioactively tagged Ultra so I can follow the buildup and chart concentrations in our brains. The ultimate dose of Ultra might be that dose which merely maintains a specific level of Ultra without continually increasing it.”

“I’d agree to that idea,” Curt said.

“One other thing,” Edward said. “I’m sure I don’t have to remind all you professionals, but this meeting must be kept secret from everyone, including your families.”

“That goes without saying,” David said. “The last thing any of us wants to do is compromise Ultra’s future. We might have a little growing pains here and there, but it’s still going to be the drug of the century.”

Kim had intended to spend some time in the castle during the morning, but when she got back to the cottage she realized it was already lunchtime. While she was eating, the phone rang. To her surprise it was Katherine Sturburg, the archivist at Harvard who had a particular interest in Increase Mather.

“I might have some potentially good news for you,” Katherine said. “I’ve just found a reference to a work by Rachel Bingham!”

“That’s marvelous,” Kim said. “I’d given up hope of help from Harvard.”

“We do the best we can,” Katherine said.

“How did you happen to find it?” Kim asked.

“That’s the best part,” Katherine said. “What I did was go back and reread the letter you let us copy from Increase Mather. Because of his reference to a law school, I accessed the Law School library data bank, and the name popped up. Why it’s not cross-referenced in our main data bank I have yet to figure out. But the good news is the work seemed to have survived the 1764 fire.”

“I thought everything was burned,” Kim said.

“Just about everything,” Katherine said. “Fortunately for us, about two hundred books out of the five-thousand-volume library survived because they were out on loan. So someone must have been reading the book you are looking for. At any rate, the reference I found indicated that it was transferred to the Law School from the main library in Harvard Hall in 1818, a year after the Law School was founded.”

“Did you find the book itself?” Kim asked excitedly.

“No, I haven’t had time,” Katherine said. “Besides, I think it would be better if you took it from here. What I recommend is that you give Helen Arnold a call. She’s an archivist at the Law School. I’ll call her first thing Monday morning so that she’ll expect a call or a visit.”

“I’ll go right after work on Monday,” Kim said eagerly. “I get off at three.”

“I’m sure that will be fine,” Katherine said. “I’ll let Helen know.”

Kim thanked Katherine before they disconnected.

Kim felt ecstatic. She’d totally given up hope that Elizabeth’s book had survived the Harvard fire. Then Kim questioned why Katherine had been so sure it was a book. Had it said as much on the reference?

Kim went back to the phone and tried to call Katherine right back. Unfortunately she wasn’t able to reach her. A secretary said that Katherine had rushed out to a luncheon meeting and wouldn’t be back to the office until Monday.

Kim hung up the phone. She was disappointed but didn’t remain so for long. The idea that on Monday afternoon she would finally learn the nature of the evidence used against Elizabeth was a source of great satisfaction. Whether it was a book or not did not matter.

Despite this good news, Kim still went to the castle to work. In fact, she attacked the jumble of papers with new enthusiasm.

Halfway through the afternoon she paused long enough to try to estimate how much longer she thought it would take for her to finish sorting the material. After counting all the remaining trunks and boxes and assuming about the same number existed in the wine cellar, she figured out it would take another week if she were to work for eight hours a day.

The reality of that fact robbed Kim of some of her enthusiasm. Now that she was about to start back to work at the hospital, it wasn’t going to be so easy to find the time. She was about to give up for the afternoon when she surprised herself by pulling off a stunt reminiscent of Kinnard’s. She opened a drawer at random and pulled out a letter addressed to Ronald!

Sitting on a trunk by a window, Kim took the letter from its envelope. It was another letter from Samuel Sewall. Looking at the date, Kim could tell that it had been sent just days before Elizabeth’s execution.

15th July 1692 - Boston

Sir,

I have come from a comfortable supper with the most Reverend Cotton Mather and we did indeed discours upon the sorry plight of your wife and we are much in troubled spirit for you and your children. In a most gracious way Reverend Mather agreed to accept your distracted wife into his household to cure her as he most successfully did with the much afflicted Goodwin girl if only Elizabeth will confess and repent in publique the covenant she’d entered with the Prince of Lies. Reverend Mather is strongly convinced that Elizabeth can furnish with evidence and argument as a critical eye witness to confute the sadducism of this troubled age. Failing that Reverend Mather cannot and will not intervene in carrying out of the sentence of the court. Be advised that there is no time to waste. Reverend Mather is eager and believes that your wife can teach us all about matters of the invisible world that doth threaten our country. God bless your endeavors and I remain

Your Friend,Samuel Sewall.

For a few minutes Kim stared out the window. The day had started cloudless and blue, but now dark clouds were blowing in from the west. From where she was sitting she could see the cottage sitting among its birch trees whose leaves had become bright yellow. The combination of the old house and the letter transported Kim back three hundred years, and she could feel the utter panic brought on by the impending reality of Elizabeth’s execution. Although the letter she’d just read had been to Ronald rather than from him, she got the impression it was a response from a letter Ronald had written in desperation to save his wife’s life.

Kim’s eyes filled up with tears. It was hard for her to imagine the agony Ronald must have experienced. It made Kim feel guilty that she’d had suspicions of Ronald back when she’d first started to learn the truth about Elizabeth.

Kim finally got up. Replacing the letter in its envelope, she carried it downstairs to the wine cellar and deposited it with the other material in the Bible box. Then she left the castle and started back toward the cottage.

Kim got halfway and slowed her pace. Glancing toward the lab, she stopped walking. She looked at her watch. It was not quite four. All at once the idea occurred to her that it would be a nice gesture to make an attempt at improving the researchers’ diet. They’d seemed depressed when she’d stopped in that morning, and she imagined they must be sick of pizza. Kim reasoned she could easily repeat the steak-and-fish dinner she’d made somewhat less than a fortnight previously.

With this thought in mind, Kim changed her direction and headed for the lab. As she passed through the reception area she felt mild apprehension since she never quite knew what to expect. Entering the lab proper, Kim let the door close behind her. No one came running over to greet her.

Kim set off toward Edward’s area. She passed David, who greeted her pleasantly but with hardly the buoyancy he had a few days previously. Kim said hello to Gloria, who, like David, immediately turned her attention back to her work.

Kim continued on her way, but she felt progressively wary. Although David’s and Gloria’s behavior was probably the most normal Kim had experienced since they had arrived, it represented another change.

Edward was so engrossed in his work that Kim had to tap his shoulder twice to get his attention. She noticed that he was making new Ultra capsules.

“Is there a problem?” he asked. He smiled and acted reasonably happy to see her.

“I wanted to make you and the others an offer,” Kim said. “How about a repeat of the dinner that we had a few weeks ago. I’d be happy to run into town and get the food.”

“That’s very sweet of you,” Edward said. “But not tonight. We can’t take the time. We’ll just order in some pizza.”

“I promise you wouldn’t have to take much time,” Kim said.

“I said no!” Edward hissed between clenched teeth, causing Kim to take a step back. But Edward immediately regained his composure and smiled again. “Pizza will do just fine.”

“If that’s how you feel,” Kim said with a mixture of confusion and apprehension. It had been as if Edward had momentarily teetered on the edge of control for a few seconds. “Are you all right?” she asked hesitantly.

“Yes!” he snapped, but then quickly smiled again. “We’re all a little preoccupied. We had a minor setback but it’s under control.”

Kim took several more steps backward. “Well, if you change your mind in the next hour or so I can still go into town,” she said. “I’ll be at the cottage. Just call.”

“We’re really much too busy,” Edward said. “You go ahead and eat, but thanks for offering. I’ll let everyone know you were thinking of them.”

As Kim departed, none of the researchers acknowledged her or even looked up from their work. When she got outside she sighed and shook her head. She was amazed at how changeable the atmosphere in the lab was and wondered how the people could live with themselves. Kim was coming to the conclusion that she had little in common with the scientific personality.

After dinner there was still plenty of light to go back to the castle, but Kim couldn’t get herself to return. Instead she vegetated in front of the TV. She’d hoped that watching several mindless sitcoms would get the experience in the lab out of her mind, but the more she thought about her interaction with Edward and the others, the more disturbed she became.