Tainted Cure (The Rememdium Series Book 1) by Ashley Fontainne Read Free Book Online
Authors: Ashley Fontainne
Everett could deposit him back inside the cage, the mouse did the unthinkable: he vomited.
Dr. Thomas gasped, “What in the world? How is that even possible? Rodents don’t have the capability to emesis!”
Everett forced himself not to laugh. “And up until two days ago, there wasn’t a cure for addiction.”
The foursome fell silent while watching Ultima’s strange reaction. Once the mouse stopped vomiting, it returned to the far end of its cage and curled up into a ball.
Breaking the silence, Dr. Thomas whispered, “Had I not seen this with my own eyes, I wouldn’t have believed it. Okay, ladies and gentlemen. It’s time to move to the next level.”
“Are you saying we begin human trials already?” Dr. Riverside queried, the shock of the statement by Dr. Thomas seeping into his words. “If so, I must disagree. We have a lot of preliminary testing to complete first.”
Dr. Thomas held up a gnarled hand. “Recall who is running this show, Dr. Riverside. We are wasting precious time arguing about trivial things. Lives are being lost by the thousands as we speak. The sooner the better. Twenty-five test subjects have already been chosen. They will be here by tomorrow afternoon. So, I suggest you all make appropriate preparations and calculations necessary to begin human trials by the end of the week. Good work, all.”
All three watched Dr. Thomas turn and exit the lab. Each in shock, trying to grasp the magnitude of his instructions, it took them several seconds to regain their faculties.
“You heard the man. Time to sink or swim,” Dr. Flint said. “Dr. Berning, you start the calculations on body mass ratios for men and women. Dr. Riverside, come with me. We will start preparing the questionnaires and rooms for our guests.”
Everett’s mind spun at the news. “Human trials? Already? We aren’t prepared! I haven’t even finished all my notes, not to mention begun to fill out the investigational new drug application to submit to the CDER at the Food and Drug Administration! It will take, at a minimum, one month to complete! Even if I could extrapolate all the data necessary in record time, we still have to wait thirty days for the FDA to review the lab results before they give us permission to continue to clinical trials. This is preposterous!”
Dr. Flint bristled. “Dr. Berning, those issues are not what we need to be concerned about. I assure you, Dr. Thomas will handle governmental issues. You concentrate your efforts on the tasks given.”
“Guess the government gives more leeway to its own discoveries than corporations, huh?” Dr. Riverside interjected. “One of the perks of working for Uncle Sam, I suppose.”
Everett clamped his mouth shut as he watched his two colleagues leave the lab. His excitement waned as a sense of foreboding rolled around in his gut. Once alone, he muttered, “This isn’t right. Not right at all.”
READY TO ROLL - One Year Later - Tuesday - December 15 th – 10:00 a.m.
Everett stared at the young woman seated across the table. Susan Richmond was twenty-four and a former methamphetamine addict since the age of fifteen. The last three years of her life prior to her arrival at the facility were spent living on the streets of Memphis, prostituting herself to feed her habit. Her arrest record was four pages long, consisting of drug charges, prostitution, and theft. After running away from home at seventeen, she lost contact with her family. During one of her court-ordered drug treatment stints, Susan reached out to her only living relative, her mother, only to discover she’d passed away six months prior. The sadness drove Susan to escape from the facility and seek out the drug that wiped out the overwhelming sorrow from her thoughts.
“How are you feeling today, Susan?”
“Fine. Ready to leave this dump.”
Everett stared at the girl. Susan had gained twenty pounds of toned, healthy muscle since her arrival almost twelve months ago. The pale,
Dr. Thomas gasped, “What in the world? How is that even possible? Rodents don’t have the capability to emesis!”
Everett forced himself not to laugh. “And up until two days ago, there wasn’t a cure for addiction.”
The foursome fell silent while watching Ultima’s strange reaction. Once the mouse stopped vomiting, it returned to the far end of its cage and curled up into a ball.
Breaking the silence, Dr. Thomas whispered, “Had I not seen this with my own eyes, I wouldn’t have believed it. Okay, ladies and gentlemen. It’s time to move to the next level.”
“Are you saying we begin human trials already?” Dr. Riverside queried, the shock of the statement by Dr. Thomas seeping into his words. “If so, I must disagree. We have a lot of preliminary testing to complete first.”
Dr. Thomas held up a gnarled hand. “Recall who is running this show, Dr. Riverside. We are wasting precious time arguing about trivial things. Lives are being lost by the thousands as we speak. The sooner the better. Twenty-five test subjects have already been chosen. They will be here by tomorrow afternoon. So, I suggest you all make appropriate preparations and calculations necessary to begin human trials by the end of the week. Good work, all.”
All three watched Dr. Thomas turn and exit the lab. Each in shock, trying to grasp the magnitude of his instructions, it took them several seconds to regain their faculties.
“You heard the man. Time to sink or swim,” Dr. Flint said. “Dr. Berning, you start the calculations on body mass ratios for men and women. Dr. Riverside, come with me. We will start preparing the questionnaires and rooms for our guests.”
Everett’s mind spun at the news. “Human trials? Already? We aren’t prepared! I haven’t even finished all my notes, not to mention begun to fill out the investigational new drug application to submit to the CDER at the Food and Drug Administration! It will take, at a minimum, one month to complete! Even if I could extrapolate all the data necessary in record time, we still have to wait thirty days for the FDA to review the lab results before they give us permission to continue to clinical trials. This is preposterous!”
Dr. Flint bristled. “Dr. Berning, those issues are not what we need to be concerned about. I assure you, Dr. Thomas will handle governmental issues. You concentrate your efforts on the tasks given.”
“Guess the government gives more leeway to its own discoveries than corporations, huh?” Dr. Riverside interjected. “One of the perks of working for Uncle Sam, I suppose.”
Everett clamped his mouth shut as he watched his two colleagues leave the lab. His excitement waned as a sense of foreboding rolled around in his gut. Once alone, he muttered, “This isn’t right. Not right at all.”
READY TO ROLL - One Year Later - Tuesday - December 15 th – 10:00 a.m.
Everett stared at the young woman seated across the table. Susan Richmond was twenty-four and a former methamphetamine addict since the age of fifteen. The last three years of her life prior to her arrival at the facility were spent living on the streets of Memphis, prostituting herself to feed her habit. Her arrest record was four pages long, consisting of drug charges, prostitution, and theft. After running away from home at seventeen, she lost contact with her family. During one of her court-ordered drug treatment stints, Susan reached out to her only living relative, her mother, only to discover she’d passed away six months prior. The sadness drove Susan to escape from the facility and seek out the drug that wiped out the overwhelming sorrow from her thoughts.
“How are you feeling today, Susan?”
“Fine. Ready to leave this dump.”
Everett stared at the girl. Susan had gained twenty pounds of toned, healthy muscle since her arrival almost twelve months ago. The pale,
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