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.