NANOVISION: What Would You Do With X-ray Vision?

by Paul Harry

  Judy nodded her head. “Your work here is incredible. And you do all of this without invasive animal testing−that’s quite admirable.”

  Ethyl laughed. “Yes, that’s been a constant source of irritation with my ‘VC’ backers...”

  Not understanding the ‘VC’ reference, Judy gave Ethyl a quizzical look.

  “... sorry, Venture Capitalists,” apologized the CEO, “but I told them if they wanted to invest in my company, that would be one of the terms and we’ve stuck to our guns. We’re not going to harm some helpless creature just to see if we can cure it. We don’t have to.”

  The rest of the NanoBytes’ tour took about forty-five minutes and Judy was more than impressed by what she observed. Ethyl took her through their clinical data center and the genomics satellite laboratories where the DNA identification, sequencing, extraction and splicing took place. She saw labs filled with complex chemical analysis and imaging equipment, the company’s quality assurance and quarantine facilities, and the fulfillment center for future pharmaceutical manufacturing and more−much of which she did not fully comprehend. Additionally, she learned that NanoBytes employed over two dozen scientists and researchers, along with several veterinary and medical doctors, and a support staff of twenty that oversaw the everyday functioning of the company.

  At the end of the tour, Ethyl walked Judy to her office on the fourth floor. As Judy suspected, it was a beautiful suite furnished with plush furniture, drapes and artwork, including a large mahogany desk from which Ethyl presently sat facing Judy.

  “So, Miss Salinski, what can I do for the FBI?” asked the NanoBytes’ CEO. “I can’t imagine you’re really all that interested in the inner workings of my little company. Most of what we do here is already on the Internet. Would you like to tell me what this is all about?”

  Judy nodded politely, crossing her legs and placing her hands in her lap.

  “I’ll get right to the point, Doctor. What can you tell me about your sister, Helen?”

  Ethyl was momentarily stunned. She stared at Judy, not quite sure how to respond.

  “Helen? Uhh... I’m sorry... I uhh, haven’t thought about her in quite a while. It’s been so long. You do know she’s dead?”

  “I’d like to know what happened.”

  Glancing across the room, Ethyl pondered her thoughts before answering. Her response was somewhat soft and distant.

  “My goodness... it was so long ago. She was killed in a car accident... What?... about sixteen years ago. Buried in Reno, Nevada. I feel bad; I haven’t been to her grave in years. You see we grew apart...”

  “Why?” asked Judy.

  Ethyl smiled weakly. “Helen was eight years younger than me and things were tough when we were kids. Our dad was killed in a mining accident when she was seven and she took it really hard. His death forced a lot of changes on us. We lost our home and our mother had to work different jobs just to keep us fed. Unfortunately, with the differences in our ages, Helen and I took different paths in our efforts to survive. I found solace in school work and she, well, she took an easier route... Oh, she was a free and easy spirit−very pretty too. She liked to party and got into trouble more than a few times. Mother and her, well they had their squabbles. And you know, things got turbulent, even crazy between them. The day she turned eighteen she left and we barely heard from her after that... until she passed. What is this all about?”

  “Did you know that your sister had a child?”

  “A child? No... The last I heard of her was when the Reno police contacted us about her unclaimed body in the morgue. I was never privy to her personal life... she had a child?

  “Yes,” acknowledged Judy.

  “Boy or girl?”

  “A boy, his name is Daniel. He’s about to turn seventeen.”

  “Oh, my God. This is unbelievable. Where is he? How is he? Do you have a picture?”

  Judy was pleased by Ethyl’s show of interest.

  “I’m sorry,” she apologized, “unfortunately I don’t have a picture. However, there’s more to the story regarding Daniel... you see, he’s in a little trouble. He was involved in a terrible accident seven months ago and severely injured. He received trauma to the head and is now blind. Additionally, he has amnesia... we’re hoping that it’s temporary, but we don’t know for sure.”

  “What happened?”

  “His father was a gambler who somehow ran afoul of the mob and for whatever reason was executed for it. And unfortunately, Daniel got caught in the middle. They think he’s dead, but we actually have him in a hospital in LA.”

  “Oh, my word...”

  “Which brings me to my visit here. You see, Daniel is under FBI protection in our witness protection program, but he’s due to be released from the hospital soon and we need to find him a permanent home. The fact is, he’s still a minor and we’d like to place him with someone who might have a vested interest in his safety rather than total strangers.”

  “I see...” observed Ethyl. She rose from her desk and walked to the picture window behind her, and stared out blankly on the rolling terrain.

  “And this is why you’re here?”

  “Yes,” answered Judy, quickly adding, “We would of course see to all his rehabilitation−training, medical bills, psychiatric analysis and therapy, as well as a monthly stipend to you for his care.”

  With her thoughts spinning madly, Ethyl idly fingered the drapes next to her.

  “I’m not sure,” she confided, hesitantly. “I’m already caring for my eight year old granddaughter. I’d be bringing a stranger into the house.”

  “I understand your concern,” noted Judy. She moved to Ethyl’s side at the window. “But Daniel is still a child, now more than ever... and he’s totally blind, lost and alone. He was a good student, no trouble according to his teachers and you’re his only living relative. He’s your nephew... and he needs your help.”

  “My Goodness... a nephew...”

  Turning her head, Ethyl looked Judy squarely in the eye. “I’d like some time to think about it. I need to discuss this over with my granddaughter. I think that’s only fair−don’t you?”

  Judy smiled. “Yes, more than fair, Dr. Santini. I wouldn’t expect less. Thank you. Thank you very much.”

  * * * *

  On the plane ride back to L.A., Judy thought about her visit with Ethyl Santini, mulling over the possibility of placing Daniel with her family. Overall, she was confident that Ethyl would accept her proposal and take Daniel into her home. That wasn’t the problem. Ethyl was a nurturer−a person of compassion. Judy saw that during the tour in the animal bay. No, Ethyl wouldn’t be the problem−it would be Daniel. The boy still didn’t have a full grasp on what was happening. How could he? In the last seven months, everything he knew or understood had been thrown out the window, and now it was about to happen again. Judy made a couple of notations in her notebook. Daniel’s seventeenth birthday was in four days and she needed to pick up a gift−it was going to take some fenagling on her part to convince the boy that he couldn’t go back to Vegas.

  * * * *

  Daniel sat on his hospital bed listening as Judy questioned him about the accident. It was tiresome. Everyone wanted to know what happened−even him, but he had no answers. What made it even more difficult was Judy. She was so nice to him normally, but when she questioned him he felt her demeanor change. She became all business like and he didn’t like it.

  “I told you I don’t remember anything. I don’t even remember taking the bus that day.”

  “What about the name Mickey Boyle, Mick, or Mickey, ‘the Spoon’? Do those names mean anything to you?”

  Daniel shook his head ‘no’.

  “Benny Marcos?”

  “Never heard of him,” responded Daniel.

  “That’s okay,” said Judy, glancing at her watch. “Listen, Daniel, there’s something we need to...”

  Her sentence was interrupted by a knock on the door. It was followed by Mimi sticking her head
inside the room.

  “Hey guys,” she said aloud. She then signaled to Judy, motioning with her thumb while silently mouthing the words, “they’re here”.

  Judy acknowledged her cue. “Okay, give us a couple of minutes.”

  Mimi closed the door.

  “What’s going on?” asked Daniel, curiously.

  Judy sighed and moved toward the hospital bed where she sat and gazed at Daniel. It was incomprehensible how much he had gone through over the past seven months. Though his eyes were still bandaged, he had improved dramatically. His weight was up and his hair was long and shaggy. It covered all the scars on his head and the skin grafts to his arms and legs were healing nicely. That had been a real blessing.

  “Your hair’s getting long,” she noted, brushing several stands from his forehead. “You’re about due for a haircut.”

  “Yeah, I guess,” he replied.

  “Daniel, we need to discuss something.”

  “What?”

  “Daniel, the reason I was quizzing you was to help you understand the precarious situation that you are in. You see, whether you remember what happened or not is not important. The truth is, your Dad got caught in something bad. He got involved with the wrong people and they took his life. And you, well, you got caught too. Right now they think you’re dead. And that’s what we want. But it also means you can’t go back to Pahrump or Las Vegas−ever again.”

  “What?... Why not?”

  “Because... ‘A’... you’re blind and everyone thinks you’re dead. ‘B’... there’s no one there to care for you. And ‘C’... the thugs that killed your dad would kill you in an instant thinking you could finger them.”

  “But I don’t remember anything...”

  “Daniel, wake up. They don’t care!”

  Daniel sighed heavily. “This sucks.”

  “No shit.”

  There was a moment of silence.

  “So what am I supposed to do then?” asked Daniel, dejectedly.

  “Well, I kinda have a surprise for you.”

  “Huh?”

  Rising from the bed, Judy walked to the door and opened it.

  “We’re ready,” he heard Judy say. Her announcement was followed by footsteps and several voices−he recognized Mimi’s but not the other two. One sounded young, the other older−Judy spoke.

  “Daniel, I know that you don’t remember your mother, and I doubt your father ever mentioned it, but she had a sister... and we managed to track her down.”

  “A what?”

  “Daniel, I’d like you to meet your Aunt ... Ethyl Santini.”

  Hello, Daniel,” said a voice.

  Daniel was speechless and though he wanted to see−he couldn’t. His silence filled the room−suddenly a child’s angel-like voice chimed in.

  “Hey, what about me? Don’t I get introduced?”

  “Hush,” said Ethyl.

  “Daniel, this is Katie−your cousin,” said Judy.

  “Holy shit,” Daniel managed to cough out.

  “You look just like your Mother,” remarked Ethyl.

  “Are you really coming to live with us?” chirped Katie.

  There are times in your life when you lose the capability to understand what is happening around you. For Daniel this was one of those moments. He had no answers. He had no questions. He was simply plagued by the overwhelming waves of emotion that were crashing down on him like a tidal wave. From one hospital bed to another he had been left alone in total darkness for months upon endless months, his body wracked in pain and sorrow with only the psychiatrists to help him navigate the wild and relentless currents. And yet now, there were new voices churning within, and they sang in new tones, giving new hope, sparks of light that radiated within his darkened soul, subduing the doubt that breathed in his thoughts, and quelling the black fear of his nightmares.

  “You belong,” said Hope... “You have not been forgotten,” said Charity... You are not alone,” was their angelic promise.

  To Daniel it was more than he could bear−he began to shake as tears rolled from underneath the gauze bandages covering his eyes and down his face. It was all Ethyl needed. She rushed to his side and embraced him.

  “Oh child, it’s all right. It’s all right. You’re not alone anymore. We’re here to help.”

  She held him firmly in her arms like a mother would do for her child. And Daniel felt relief−for the first time in months he felt relief and he sobbed as it all came out.

  * * * *

  Katie was a precocious child of eight years, whose green eyes revealed the mischievousness that lay just behind her awkward smile. She was fascinated with Daniel and the prospect of him coming to live with “Nanna” and her in California. The idea of having a cousin, another relative, who like her, was alone in the world without parents was something to behold. Though she didn’t understand all the ramifications or understand it all on an intellectual level, something told her subconsciously that this was going to be a unique opportunity. She was wistful about Daniel being the big brother she had always fantasized about−the person to whom she could confide and tell secrets. For an eight-year-old she had grandiose plans.

  The next several days passed quickly as arrangements were made for Daniel to leave the UCLA Medical Center. Judy coordinated his release and supplied Ethyl with a list of doctors for Daniel to see once they got settled. Though his physical injuries had mended well, Daniel was in need of further rehabilitation and training−at least for another year. His psychiatric requirements would take even longer as anyone with memory loss can attest to. Daniel was still plagued by nightmares and occasional fits of anger; something the doctors indicated was normal. Judy was hopeful that one day Daniel would remember Mickey and what happened that ill fated day. She wanted desperately to put the scum bag away for the rest of his life.

  For Daniel, all of this didn’t matter. He was free. He was getting his life back. Being wheeled out of the hospital and feeling the warm California sun on his face was like winning the lottery and he was more than ready. Standing up from the wheelchair, he hugged Judy good-bye as one of the hospital attendants helped him into the backseat of Ethyl’s car, a Lexus SUV.

  From the other side Katie bounced across the seat toward him. “You want me to help you with the seatbelt?” she asked eagerly.

  Daniel shrugged, “Sure.” His attention was focused on Judy and Ethyl. The two women were standing opposite one another next to the car discussing last minute details. Katie buckled him in.

  “You’ve got the list, and Doctor Curry’s number?” Judy asked Ethyl.

  “Yes, right here with me in my purse. And you needn’t worry. I’ve already spoken with members of my staff and they’ve agreed to take a look at Daniel when we get back. I promise you Judy, he’ll be in good hands.”

  Judy smiled weakly. “I know...” she answered. “... and I can’t thank you enough.”

  “Well, we better get going,” said Ethyl. “We have a good six hour drive ahead of us.”

  The two women shook hands and Ethyl made her way around to the driver’s side. She got in while Judy said one last good-bye to Daniel.

  “Well, I guess this is it. Are you ready?” she asked.

  Daniel turned his head to the open window. “Yeah, I suppose,” he answered. “Will you visit?”

  Judy nodded her head and pulled a tissue from her bag. She dabbed her eyes and readjusted her sunglasses. “Yeah, I’d like that,” she confided. “I want to see how you’re making out. Maybe in a few months.” There was a slight tremor in her voice, oh, if her coworkers at the FBI could see her now, she thought. “Hey, I almost forgot!” she exclaimed. “I’ve got a present for you.” She reached into her purse and pulled out an eyeglass case, handing it to Daniel.

  “What is it?” he asked, feeling the case.

  “Sunglasses,” she replied, “for when you get your bandages off. You can be like Ray Charles.”

  “Whoooo?” inquired Katie.

  Judy laughed. “A
sk your Grandmother... She’ll explain.”

  In a last farewell bid Judy bent her body low and reached through the window. She grasped Daniel by the neck and gave him a long hug.

  “You take care now. You hear me?”

  * * * *

  The drive to Santa Clara was relatively uneventful, well, except to Daniel. Though he didn’t realize it at the time, something very special was happening−absolutely nothing. The ride to Santa Clara was filled with boring talk, personal interlude, and the discovery of what a normal life is. This was not something that Daniel was used to. He had lived in Las Vegas for almost ten years and couldn’t remember traveling anywhere except to Disneyland once when he was a kid. For all intents and purposes, Northern California could have been Europe. But that was not the thing that made Daniel revel in the moment. It was the simple fact that he felt safe here in the car with Ethyl and Katie. Here, there would be no surprises to shatter his reality, no coming home to find his Dad drunk or depressed over losing all his money. Things with Ethyl and Katie didn’t work like that. This was definitely a new experience.

  “So tell me about Santa Clara,” he said, his curiosity brimming over. “Where exactly do you live?”

  “We live in Los Gatos,” bragged Katie “It means "the cats" in Spanish. We have a lot of wild cats in the area that eat people...”

  “Katie Mulroy,” Ethyl piped in.

  “Oh, all right,” acquiesced the youngster.

  “You’ll have to excuse your cousin, Daniel. She has a tendency to let her imagination get away with herself.”

  “It’s okay... Aunt Ethyl... May I call you Aunt Ethyl?”

  “I’d like that.”

  “Aunt Ethyl−what exactly do you do?”

  Not to be outdone, Katie jumped back into the conversation. “She runs a nano tech firm in Santa Clara... she’s the CEO.”

  “Katie, what have I told you about interrupting?”

  “I never get to say anything,” Katie complained, slumping back down in her seat.