by Paul Harry
It was the first week in July when Judy arrived at the hospital for her weekend visit with Daniel. She parked her rental car and went immediately to Daniel’s room. When she entered this time, she saw that the doctors had removed the bandages covering his head. The boy had a fair amount of hair stubble which was beginning to cover the surgery scars on his skull. He looked better, even the burns on his face seemed improved, though his eyes were still bandaged. Leaning over the bed, Judy gave Daniel a light kiss on the forehead and a cheery hello. She then sat down and brought out the book she’d been reading to him−The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien. She opened the book and began to read aloud, when to her immense delight, the boy stirred.
Seeing his movement, Judy rose from her chair. She began to stroke Daniel on the arm, encouraging him to awaken.
“Daniel... hey, Daniel. Can you hear me? My name’s Judy. I need you to wake up. Can you do that? Squeeze my hand if you can hear me.”
Placing her hand in the boy’s, Judy encouraged him again. “Squeeze my fingers.” He did, giving her hand a good squeeze. Judy was elated. She then noticed his mouth twitching and she was overcome with excitement.
“Don’t talk−not yet,” she rambled. “There are tubes in your mouth−Oh, my God. Oh, my God. What am I saying? How are you feeling? Shit, listen to me. I’ve got to get a doctor. Don’t move, I’ll be right back.”
Judy flew out of the room and headed to the nurses’ station. She notified the hospital staff of Daniel’s awakening, initiating a flurry of activity.
* * * *
The month that followed Daniel’s awakening was probably the toughest month the boy had ever endured. Aside from the physical injuries he suffered, he was now blind and his mind a blank regarding the details of the accident. He couldn’t remember anything−the explosion, the hit on his father, or even the torture he endured under Mickey, ‘the Spoon’. It was as if everything regarding that day had been erased. And it was something the psychiatrists attending him were not surprised by. They told Judy that it was not unusual for the mind to blank out horrific events, that perhaps, one day Daniel would remember, but until then his life regarding that day was gone.
Still, this did not keep Daniel from mourning. Though he couldn’t remember how or why, his father was still dead and he was alone, truly alone. There was no one else in his life, no relatives or anyone that could help out−he couldn’t even call his friend Zac to tell him he was alive. Under the weight of all of this Daniel fell into a state of depression, causing Judy to become even more protective of the boy. She spent countless hours with him trying to raise his spirits and guide his course.
Over time the two became close and Judy felt a bond with Daniel−almost a motherly affection toward him. At times she was conflicted by the relationship, burdened by the fact that she had no real say in his life. He was a minor soon to be placed in protective custody−a place where strangers would be in charge. The prospect of that made her angry. She felt responsible−that leaving him in the hands of someone new was akin to desertion. Realistically, there was no other choice. She was not his mother, nor anything else but a friend or mentor. Daniel would be sent away in an effort to keep him safe. His life would not be his until he turned eighteen, and with his disabilities, probably not even then. Life in this case was certainly not fair, it downright sucked.
Another three months passed and Daniel continued to improve, at least physically. Every day he underwent physical therapy and there was hope that in the near future, he would be strong enough for plastic surgery, perhaps even before he was discharged. Daily, Judy and her team searched for a new home for Daniel, researching and interviewing candidate families. They had to find a place that would fit Daniel’s special needs. Judy was insistent that somewhere out there, a family was waiting just for him. If she only knew how prophetic those words would become.
* * * *
It was late November and nearing the time for Daniel’s relocation. Three families had been tentatively selected, but final arrangements had not been made as Daniel had yet to meet them. Still, Judy’s team was hopeful that he could be placed before Christmas. It would be the ideal present, a permanent safe residence for their lost and lonely child. And that’s when the first miracle occurred.
It was around ten in the evening at the medical center. Daniel was asleep in his hospital bed with Judy sitting alongside him in a chair reading. It was her watch with three more hours to go. Unexpectedly, there was a light rap on the door, followed by Mimi popping her head in. She saw the boy was sleeping so she motioned for Judy to meet her in the hallway.
“What are you doing here?” asked Judy, outside in the hall. “You’re not supposed to be here until tomorrow.”
“I couldn’t wait,” answered Mimi. She was bursting at the seams.
“What is it?” inquired Judy, noting Mimi’s unusual behavior. “Look at you−what’s up?”
“I found someone we can place Daniel with.”
“What?” responded Judy. “We already have...”
“No!” exclaimed Mimi. “I mean I really found someone−a relative−an aunt who lives in Santa Clara just outside San Jose.”
“An aunt? He has an aunt? Wait−you know we can’t place him with a relative. His identity could be compromised.”
“Judy, this is different−way different. No one knows about this. See, Daniel’s mother was killed in a car accident when he was just nine months old. Steven Raye and Helen Ross, Daniel’s mother were never married−she kept her maiden name. It took me forever, but I ran a check on Helen Ross and I found a birth certificate from New York State. That led me to her parents and the fact that she had a sister who later married under the name of Santini. Judy, Steven Raye was a drifter. He moved Daniel around the country for years, before settling down in Las Vegas when the boy was ten. Nobody knows Daniel’s history or where he even came from.”
Judy was unsure−she hesitated. Mimi provided her rationale.
“Judy, listen to me. This aunt is a ghost. And I’ll bet you dollars to doughnuts she doesn’t even know that Daniel exists. It’s perfect. And besides that, she’s a doctor. She does medical research for some company called NanoBytes up in Santa Clara. What more could we ask for?”
“I don’t know...”
Mimi got serious. “Listen Judy, I think we need to ask Daniel. He should have a say in this.”
Judy’s head was spinning. The thought of Daniel having family was totally unexpected.
“What’s her name?” she asked.
“Ethyl Santini.”
Judy reflected for a moment.
“Okay,” she finally responded. “It’s a possibility. But I don’t want to tell Daniel, not just yet. Let me check her out first. Book me a flight to San Jose. I’ll interview her and see if she’s a good candidate. Hell, she may not want to be involved and I’d hate to say something too soon.”
“Good point,” countered Mimi.
“Okay, I’m going to finish out my shift here. Can you do me a favor? Call the local office and have them send over a couple of agents. I want someone with this kid around the clock while I’m gone.”
Chapter 3
California Angels
Two days after Mimi’s news at the hospital, Judy was on a plane to San Jose. She picked up a rental car and checked into her motel, and the following morning drove to the NanoBytes Research Institute to meet with Dr. Ethyl Santini. The drive to the company’s headquarters in Santa Clara was relatively short, but it afforded Judy a chance to size up the area. The city of Santa Clara was clean and upscale−definitely a hub for the tech industry. Driving with the windows open, Judy relished the cool breeze coming off the bay and the scent of grass and semi-tropical flowers that filled the air. This place was quite a change from the dry and dusty desert of Las Vegas and she thought Daniel might do well here, if things worked out.
Arriving at NanoBytes, Judy checked in with security, where she was given a visitor’s pass and directions for the visitor’s parki
ng lot. Five minutes later she was standing next to her car taking in the corporate offices of NanoBytes, a four story ‘green’ circular building constructed of solar panel glass and steel. To Judy, the place seemed befitting of all she had heard about Silicon Valley. The place was big, sleek, and very techie looking, including the company logo N.R.I., which was plastered across the front in large bright silver letters. This is not a small time operation, she thought as she made her way to the front entrance.
The interior lobby of N.R.I. did not disappoint. The place was definitely upscale corporate with a spacious, open atrium, beautifully decorated with water fountains and fauna. Judy made her way to the reception desk and introduced herself, showing her ID badge to the security guard, who noted her name in the registry, then placed a call.
“I’ve notified Dr. Santini’s secretary of your arrival,” he said, hanging up the phone. “If you’d like to have a seat over there Dr. Santini will be right down.”
Judy turned to where the guard was pointing, an area with several couches and a coffee table hidden amongst a grouping of trees and potted plants.
“We also have refreshments... coffee, juice, donuts or fruit. They’re on the table behind the black couch.”
“Thank you...” responded Judy, “... coffee would be nice.”
She made her way to the refreshment buffet table and grabbed a cup of black coffee, then took a seat. A moment later she heard the ping of an elevator. Looking up, she saw a woman exiting and walking in her direction. She set her cup down on the coffee table.
Doctor Ethyl Santini was a tall, slender woman with silver-grey hair, approximately sixty years of age. Judy noted her approach−the confident walk as she strolled across the atrium. The woman had the definite look of a company CEO. She reminded Judy of a professor she had in college, but with more flair. She was impeccably dressed in a dark pin-striped dress suit, tailored to her figure, with an aqua-blue blouse and matching shoes. A beautiful white pearl necklace hung gracefully around her neck. Judy stood as Ethyl approached.
“I’m Doctor Santini,” announced Ethyl, giving Judy a warm smile. “I hope you weren’t waiting too long?
“No, I’ve only been here a moment,” answered Judy, presenting her ID. “Thank you for seeing me.”
Ethyl perused Judy’s badge, exclaiming her amazement. “I must admit, I was quite surprised when I got your call two days ago,” she noted. “I’ve never had an official visit from the FBI. I hope it’s nothing serious?”
“Actually, my visit here is in regards to a personal matter. Is there somewhere where we can talk privately?”
“Certainly, my office is upstairs. Please... follow me.”
Crossing the atrium, Ethyl took Judy to the elevators.
“So what exactly do you do here?” asked Judy.
“Well, as you might have surmised from our name, NanoBytes is in the business of research and development with nano technology. We’re trying to find new cures for the human condition. Specifically we’re developing ways to combine nanites... micro-computerized machines, with DNA, T-cells, and biotics... in fact, Nanobiotics is one of our coin phrases.”
“That’s fascinating,” Judy remarked.
“Would you be interested in a quick tour?”
“Absolutely,” responded Judy, eagerly. “I must admit I’ve never been in a real research lab, well, except the ones at the FBI and that’s mostly for crime analysis.”
“I’m sure there are many similarities, but our emphasis here is on making a better world.”
Ethyl hit the elevator button for the second floor and took Judy upstairs, then down a long hallway.
“Is this your first trip to Silicon Valley?” she asked, making small talk.
“Yes,” answered Judy. “I’m actually based in Las Vegas.”
“Oh, now that’s got to be an exciting place to live.”
“Certainly hotter,” remarked Judy.
The two women approached a bright red door. On it were large raised letters that read−LAB ONE, and beneath that a smaller sign, computer generated that read: ‘Beware to all who enter!’.
Ethyl pointed it out with a chuckle.
“We like to keep things light here,” she said. “We get a lot of school children coming through our facility and we like to keep things mysterious and exciting. We’re hoping to pique their interest in science and technology and maybe get a scientist or two out of the batch.”
“Not a bad idea,” admitted Judy.
Ethyl opened the door to Lab One, revealing a large dressing room filled with lockers, benches, and hooks for hanging coats. On the far side of the room was another door, bright blue, with a sign that read: ‘You can’t turn back now!’.
“Oh, I’m getting chills already,” laughed Judy, giving a mock shiver.
“It gets better,” said Ethyl.
She crossed to one of the cabinets and opened it. Inside was a stack of hermetically sealed, plastic bags. Taking two from the stack, Ethyl handed one to Judy. “You’re about to enter the mad laboratory of Dr. Santini,” Ethyl joked, “but seriously, it’s a sterile environment so we’ll need to dress in these. You can leave your purse in the cabinet.”
The two women dressed and were soon covered head to toe in sterile gowns, hair nets, facial masks, gloves and shoe covers. They entered the lab.
* * * *
Lab One was a huge spacious facility that seemed, by first appearance, to run the entire perimeter of NanoBytes. The lab faced the curved outer wall of the building, and was brightly lit with an extended panoramic view as all the windows overlooked the Santa Clara Valley, giving it an open, airy feel. To her immediate left, Judy noted a sign that read: Animal Hospital. And to her right, the direction in which Ethyl took her, was a huge kennel a good hundred feet in length, with various sized Plexiglas cages stacked three to four high. The place was like a mini zoo; with groupings of cats, dogs, birds, rats, hamsters, snakes, raccoons, and one lone goat filling the cages. Pleasantly, there was no odor, which was surprising for an animal facility this large. But that wasn’t what drew Judy’s immediate concern. She noticed, as she passed each cage, that all the animals were either injured, sick, bandaged, or sedated and she wondered why. She soon learned the answer as Ethyl explained the lab’s workings.
“This is our animal bay,” noted the CEO with a wave of her hand. “It’s in this area that we house a wide variety of animals for our medical research. We use these animals to extract DNA samples for analysis. Then, splicing their stem cells and combining them with nanites we are able to create medicines that will rebuild tissue, conquer diseases like cancer, eliminate infection, and possibly−though we’re not there yet, rebuild entire genetic sub-structures.”
“So why are all these animals injured?” asked Judy, “Was it done solely for product testing?”
Judy’s observation stopped Ethyl in her tracks.
“No, no, heavens no!” exclaimed Ethyl in disbelief. “All the animals you see here were injured or sick long before arriving here. We have an arrangement with the humane society and veterinarians in the area to provide us with animals that need help. Every animal you see here was either sick, hurt, or abused, then abandoned or dropped off at the pound by their owners−most were ready to be put down. We rescued them. Here at NanoBytes we are about extending and improving the quality of life, so we provide them with sanctuary. This is a place where these animals can receive the attention they need along with the medical expertise necessary to cure them. From this relationship we are able to create drugs and medicines that can heal without invasive procedures. Here, let me show you.”
Ethyl took Judy to the cages near the end of the kennel. She stopped and pointed to one. Inside was a small kitten about four months old, sound asleep, with all four of its legs bandaged. Ethyl’s anger was evident as she related the story about the kitten to Judy.
“Some heartless, sick, son-of-a-bitch, if you’ll excuse my French, decided to torture this poor creature by cutting its le
gs off with pruning shears. It was left to die in a garbage can. Can you imagine? Someone found it and brought it to one of our vets, who stabilized its condition then brought it here where we immediately began nanite infusion−the only option available if this kitten was ever going to walk again.”
There was an extreme look of pride in Ethyl’s eyes as she explained what they did next.
“We extracted the kitten’s DNA and broke down the various genomes that relate to the growth of its extremities. Then, using coded stem cells fused with nanites and lizard DNA, which has the ability to rejuvenate cells, we began a series of injections and already we’re seeing results. It’s only been two weeks but each leg has grown a full quarter inch in size with no deformities or cellular degeneration. We’re very excited and hopeful that this little thing will regain the full use of all four legs.”
Judy was stunned. “That’s absolutely incredible.”
Ethyl nodded in agreement. She pointed to another cage.
“And you see that puppy over there. He had cancer and our nanites took it out. He’s been cancer free for over a month now. Pretty soon he’ll be ready to be fostered. Perhaps to one of the children who come on tour.”
Ethyl gave Judy a sly look.
“That’s another reason we allow children to come to our facility... but that’s a trade secret, okay?”
