Page 1 of Alpha Infected
Chapter 1
Friday, October 28th, 1983
0930
KV Perkins Pharmaceuticals
Tulsa, Oklahoma
“Come on. Show me something good,” Reid whispered. He braced himself, hoping when he examined the contents under the lense of the microscope this time, the results would be different. Unfortunately, when he looked into the eyepiece and adjusted the focus, he saw the same thing as the last three tests.
“Damnit!” he loudly swore. Reid nervously eyed the clock high up on the wall of the spacious white lab before he glanced at the vials of red liquid in their stand next to the microscope. He was out of time. His boss would be there in minutes, expecting good news. But all he had to share was yet another failure. The anxiety for the upcoming meeting had his stomach so upset he was seriously considering ducking out with the excuse that he was sick.
But that likely wouldn’t do any good. His boss would probably send employees after him to drag him back to the lab. Besides, it was too late to leave anyway. Because at that moment, the door opened and Bray Egan, the CEO of KV Perkins, strode in. He was accompanied by a big, burly company security guard.
The chief executive was dressed impeccably as always, in a suit and dress shoes that probably cost more than Reid’s entire wardrobe. He was Caucasian, with a tan that made him look as if he belonged in a Hawaiian Tropic suntan oil ad. His salt and pepper hair was slicked back with so much mousse that not a single strand was capable of moving out of place. And his cologne, that no doubt had a name like POWER or TAKEOVER, wafted toward Reid in a headache inducing cloud.
“Dr. Burke. How are we doing on the updated strength enhancer?”
Reid tightly clasped his hands in front of him before he answered. “We’ve made progress,” he said. That was true. But there wasn’t enough progress for what Egan wanted.
“Is it ready for human testing?”
Reid adjusted his glasses, steeling himself for what he had to say. “I’m afraid not, sir.”
Cool blue eyes narrowed with displeasure.
“And why not?”
“I’d like more time to run additional tests and tweak the formula.”
“More time?” Egan planted both his fists on the lab table and leaned over it, getting as close as possible to Reid’s face. “Dr. Burke, I have a meeting with the board of directors in one hour. They are expecting a demonstration to see what this product can do and you’re holding everything up.Again.”
“I apologize, Mr. Egan. But we can’t give any of our human test subjects strength enhancer RX-2 yet.”
“Why not? The other trials were all successful.”
“Yes. But that was before you asked us to make the lyssavirus adjustments. If you look through my microscope you’ll see-.”
Mr. Egan waved a hand to cut him off.
“I’m not interested in that.”
Typical. Egan never cared about the work. Only the results. Reid tried again. “I can give them the enhancer without the adjustment. The board will be impressed with those results.”
“Not good enough. I want the new version ready to go in one hour.” He shot his arm forward, shoving his gold wrist watch so close to Reid’s eyes that they crossed trying to focus on it. Egan tapped the diamond encrusted watch face. “One hour,” he repeated.
At the order, a heavy lump of dread dropped into Reid’s stomach. Egan wasn’t going to like what he was about to say. But he wouldn’t inject humans with that enhancer. Reid swallowed hard, throat so dry it clicked. “I won’t do it, sir. It’s too dangerous.” He took a step back, away from the vials of SE RX-2 and away from Mr. Egan.
Mr. Egan slowly lowered his hand back to the table. He stared at Reid for an uncomfortably long moment, his eyes cold and hard, before he spoke.
“Then you’re fired. Clear out your desk.”
Reid’s mouth dropped open in shock. Fired. For the first time in his life - he was fired. While Reid stood there with his mouth agape, Mr. Egan rounded the table. He strode over to Reid and yanked off the employee badge clipped to his lab coat.
“I don’t have to remind you of your NDA, Dr. Burke. But in case I do. Not a word of this project to anyone. Or I’ll see that you paydearly.” Mr. Egan turned to leave the lab. “Please escort Dr. Burke from the premises,” he said to the security guard waiting at the door on his way out.
“Yes, sir, Mr. Egan,” the guard replied.
