Miracle Drug

Friday, 6 July, 2018. Liberty, Missouri.

30 years as an Army grunt, now retired, and I’m selling myself as a “Security Consultant” since I lack a P.I. license. Then the break when a relatively new pharmaceutical company (ZyMedBio) hired me. Took time to research the company before the interview…learned a few buzzwords.

A chance to build my new resume, till I learned all they wanted me to do was play P.I. keeping an eye on a “dangerous disgruntled ex-employee” named Marina Kolga. $23K offer for a month or two work? Hell yeah; it’s a start. Maybe a probationary assignment that will get me permanent employment.

3 weeks of surveillance of the lawyer. Hacking her computer was a breeze. But nothing. No suspicious web searches, no files of collected articles accusing ZyMed of any wrong-doing. Not even cookies to suggest she visits porn sites. The girl sits at home reading romantic comedies while actively looking for another job. Not much of a report I turned in a few days ago. But instead of a paycheck, I’m asked to “bring her in for questioning… at night. Then we’ll pay the balance of your salary.”

OK, now they’re crossing the line. I’ll confront Marina but it’ll be HER decision to accompany me to her old employers. At least my snooping revealed she’s attending a party at her neighbor’s house tonight. I’ll crash the party, observe her, try to get her talking about ZyMed, and see where things go. The party at Chuck Ogle’s house is a big turnout…50+ cars.

“Hello. Welcome. Chuck will be out shortly. Can you believe the poor man having a goodbye party. Diabetes already claimed his feet, now lower legs. Help yourself…there’s beer, wine, and other stuff…if you know what I mean.” Mingling with the crowd reveals a few faces I recognize:

Wade Boteler (Bill)	54, ex-army, now Security Consultant. Bring in Marina.
Marina Kolga (Carl)	29, lawyer 6-months out of law school. Fired because she refused to “voluntarily participate” in the test programs. Knows Chuck is a patient of ZyMed; interrogate him.
Gus Phillips (Tim)	42, police officer. Assigned case of assault outside ZyMed. His chief Dawson, Stage IV pancreatic cancer, also ZyMed patient, now “cured” orders investigation shutdown. Going to party as date with nurse Mary Fuller (Chuck’s cousin): opportunity to question Chuck about ZyMed…something’s up!
Elliot Clawson (Chuck)	32, journalist. Writing article about ZyMed when his editor boss ordered him to kill the story. Something’s up: boss “was” HIV+ with AIDs till treatment by ZyMed. Invited to party since he’d interviewed Chuck for his research. Now opportunity to dig for more info despite his boss’ orders.
Belinda Norwich (Tony)	42, doctor. Focus on sickle-cell disease (SCD); currently non-treatable. But patient of hers returned from ZyMed now “cured.” ZyMed refuses to discuss matter. Nurse Mary Fuller mentions her cousin Chuck Ogle was ZyMed patient. Thus attending party to question him about the treatment.

Within the hour all conversations dwindle as the host arrives, wheeling himself out of a side room. Late 40s, severely overweight, shawl over his legs. “Thank you. Thank you all for coming. As you know I’ve been wasting away from diabetes. Not anymore! I’ve been cured!” Murmurs, then gasps as Chuck pushes himself up out of the wheelchair, his shawl falling away, revealing what looks like real legs below the knees. And shoes. Prosthetic legs? “I owe it all to ZyMed and their miracle drug Zylactis.”

Marina is already at his side striking up conversation about ZyMed. Playful banter leads to drinks and invite to his room, Marina accepting his romantic flirting. Most of us noticing Chuck slipping a powder into her drink…noticing even Marina notices but still accepts the drink as she closes the door behind them! The lecherous Chuck disrobes to show his nubbed feet, “That’s not all that’s growing bigger. May I kiss you?” Marina tries to slow the tempo still asking about ZyMed, till Chuck’s tongue flicks out…over 2 feet long! She dodges, noticing the slimy mark on the wall where the tongue struck. Sizzling acid burn smolders. The bandage on Chuck’s hand falls away revealing a claw as he swipes at her. Another dodge as Marina scrambles for the door yelling obscenities.

Wade disbelieves the claims of attack; Marina saw the doctored drink and still entered the room. She’s just hallucinating from the drugs. Belinda is more comforting asking if she should report the sexual assault. Chuck is in complete denial as he rebandages his hand, “She led me on. I thought it was consensual. Tongue? Claw? What else did she snort besides the lines in my room?” Elliot tries to comfort the host. Even Gus seems to take his side…not accusing but questioning events. A lot of questions about ZyMed, “Could there be side-effects of this Zylactis you mentioned?”

But the horny host is aroused, asking to see other women at HIS party. Elliot offering to be his intermediary, asking the women for him. Really just making a show, asking them to wink at Chuck but shake their heads no. Gus goes one step further offering a hooker. But his call is really to his cop-partner Jennifer, “Come to this address as an undercover cop.” With Chuck out of his room, Belinda enters to check the medicine cabinet. Finds insulin known as diabetes treatment. Nothing else.

Meanwhile Wade tries to hack Chuck’s computer (00). He searches the desk instead finding ZyMed brochures and letter detailing treatment every-other day for the next 2 weeks.

When the hooker arrives, Belinda leaves, “You’re all Bill Cosbys!” Gus actually joins Chuck and the hooker as they retire to the room. Within minutes, screams, “WTF?!”

Wade rushes to open the door, pausing in revolt and disbelief at the sight of Chuck’s tongue lashing out at Gus whose face is scarred with deep gashes. Chuck’s clawed hand raised again. Jennifer in the corner screaming hysterically. Elliot rushes in to bust spokes to disable the wheelchair as Gus fights back with the butt of his gun. 4 against 1; Chuck soon falls.

Gus stops Jennifer from calling in the attack, “Remember Chief Dawson shutdown the investigation. Do you really think he’d believe a story about a claw-man and his tongue? Besides, he’s a ZyMed patient too. What could HIS side-effect deformities be?” Marina cuts off the tongue and stuffs it into a sack, careful of the acid, “Just what I need to confront my old boss Jim Conaty at ZyMed. But first find his address. He runs every morning; so, we break in and hack his computer. Steal his security badge so we can enter ZyMed and do our own research.” The plan set, Gus takes Chuck in under drug charges where his fellow cops remind him, “We can only hold him for 24 hours unless you want to press charges of assaulting a police officer.” Gus nixes that idea as he doesn’t want Chief Dawson involved.

Come Saturday morning, we all arrive at the ZyMed building, including doctor Belinda, “Mary told me what happened after I left.” The parking lot mostly empty. Gus offers up a shotgun to Marina, “Just in case.” We follow Marina as she swipes in. Empty receptionist desk. 3 doors down the hall (Security, Camera, Maintenance). Gus and Wade stop at the Security room as the others continue down the west Administrative wing. The Security room empty, they check the Camera room. Static on most screens beside the active camera covering the parking lot. Then a voice, “Welcome Mr. Phillips. Have you come to check-in for treatment of your own cancer? When will you police realize your station water is contaminated? And Mr. Boteler, what brings YOU here?” Wade scrambles in thought, “I brought Ms Kolga here as requested.” In reply, “Is that her swiping into the west wing? Come, come. Haven’t you come to signup your mother for treatment? Tell me, has she suffered more stokes?” Gus barks out, “Who the hell are you and how do you know so much?” Wade’s reaction is to smash the speaker and rush out of the room, “You can find anything via google searches.”

Meanwhile, the others come upon the accountant office where Mr. Maskler labors. Hearing their approach, “Have you come for your paycheck? Have you filed your tax forms?” As Marina pauses to placate the employee, she gasps at his sight…large bulbous eyes look up at her as she also notices his rubbery-green skin. She and the others rush past till they come to Mr. Conaty’s office where his secretary Blanche sits. A bird-like creature looks up at them, “What are you doing here?” All stare at the feathers and beak as Blanche challenges their presence, strutting forward toward Marina to “peck out your eyes.” As Marina dodges, Belinda grabs the table lamp and throws. Which gives Marina time to draw the shotgun, “BLAM!” Feathers fill the room. Suddenly an alarm sounds, “Intruder Alert.”

All can hear the slam of metal grates sliding down the windows and outside doors. They’re trapped! Gus tries calling out on his cellphone…static. Belinda tries a desk phone…static. Marina finds an appointment book listing schedules for Chief Dawson, the editor Mr. Callison, Chuck Ogle, and others. The desk-phone suddenly rings, Gus picking up, “So Mr. Phillips have you reconsidered…” he slams the phone down. The intercom comes alive, “Dr. Norwich, surely YOU recognize the benefits we offer. We? Why we are the mothers’ chosen. The goat of the woods.” Belinda actually enters conversation as if she is supportive. It’s an effort to pull her away.

Finding a key-ring in the drawer they continue down the hall, stopping at a door labeled ‘Anak brothers’. The owners. Portraits over their desks: an obese man looks more like a toad, while the other picture looks more emaciated man looking more like a praying-mantis. Their calendar lists them now in Croatia. Writings on their desks mention Shub-Niggurath and the phrase “The Black Goat of the Woods with a Thousand Young.” And the etching…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7si496dER8

Enough. It’s time to backtrack to the east Research wing. At the entry lobby, we stop at the Maintenance door, pulling circuit breakers hoping to stop the alarm. Yet the alarm continues in the pitch blackness; so, we reset the breakers and continue to the wing. A key from Blanche’s ring unlocks the door. A skeleton at the desk offers forms, “Only patients are allowed in.” Elliot attacks with a fire-extinguisher, Wade with a desk stapler, and Gus with his gun butt. Soon bones litter the floor.

Voices call out from the background, “Where’s my meds?” Going forward, we find patients in their rooms. Glass windows in the locked doors allow us to see them. Four dogs turning into humans; at least human faces. [The creatures of the parking lot attack Gus originally investigated.]  Another hallway with 3 doors labeled (Storage, Electrical, Refrigeration). Four 55 gallon barrels in storage; all with chemical names that sound volatile. [1. Triethylamine-flammable, 2. Diethylamine-corrosive, 3. Ethylenediamine-acts like quicklime when touched by water, 4. Ethanol-also flammable but not as potent as #1.] Belinda finds the refrig room has racks and racks of vials either labeled with patient’s blood or Zylactis. She takes samples of each.

Another door is labeled “Tertiary Storage.” Through the glass window we see more flasks of a milky white substance. And some of that white slim is climbing the walls! We continue down the hall coming to another door labeled “Milking Room.” 

Oh hell no! Further along we find a roll-up garage door with 3 cattle-prods hanging in front. We take them. Behind us, stairs lead down. The hum of electrical equipment draws us down. Except for Dr. Belinda still packing her samples.

Marina is the first down and first to recoil from shock at the form before us. What can only be described as a tree stands in the center of the server room. Its branches more tentacles plugged into the servers manipulating them. Then the familiar voice, “I see you have come to join us. Yes, partake of mother’s milk.” The guys (Gus, Elliot, Wade) scramble up the steps as Marina pumps her shotgun at the creature. We rush to the Storage locker for the barrels but Belinda blocks our path, “Are you crazy? Do you even know what each chemical is, let alone what triggers it? I’m a doctor and can tell you. But you must only take small amounts else you burn the whole building down.” Elliot insistent, “Listen crazy bitch, get out of my way. YOU go peek down the stairs and you’ll know why we need the entire barrel worth!”

Pushing her out of the way, Elliot tips the 3^rd barrel [Ethylenediamine-water accelerant] rolling it town the stairs. Yelling at Marina to get out of the way, he then tips the 4^th barrel we all recognize as Ethanol, opens the top, and rolls it too toward the stairs. Elliot then dips the cattleprod into the gas igniting the trail. “Woosh!” Then “BOOM.” The creature now at the top of the stairs for all to see, barely burning. Whatever the 3^rd barrel is, fails to detonate. At least Belinda gets to see the creature. Failed Sanity. She begins laughing hysterically before running away down the hallway.

Wade rolls out the 2nd barrel [Diethylamine-corrosive/no accelerant] as he warns the others, “Get out of here. I’ll shoot it to detonate it.” But before he can take aim the creature screeches at him (casting a spell). Wade screams in shock and pain as his eyes melt away. Marina returns to take aim but the shotgun pellets only vent the barrel. No explosion. Gus returns to the storage room tipping the last barrel#1 [Triethylamine-flammable/highly volatile] he rolls toward the creature, “Get out of here.” Marina grabs Wade’s arm dragging him away to the sounds of Gus’ repeated murmurs, “Protect and Serve, serve and protect.” Gunshot, then another (had to burn luck)…KABOOM.” The explosion vaporizing Gus and concussing Marina and Wade further down the hallway.

EPILOGUE

The Sunday paper front page contains pictures and short story of the fire and total destruction of the ZyMed building. Cause listed as faulty wiring; author Elliot Clawson. Wise enough to not print the truth.

Tuesday paper, page 3, a short article mentioning a bio-site leak (from the ZyMed building) into the local water supply.

The same Tuesday paper, page 8, mentions the disappearance of both the local Chief of Police and the Newspaper Editor. What no-one knows: Chief Dawson turned into a bulldog now roaming the streets. Editor Anthony Callison is flying somewhere over the city as an owl.

Wade Boteler can be found in the same nursing home as his mother. Undergoing training to learn how to live blind. If only he could erase the memories, he'd willingly accept his blindness!

Marina continues her search for a new job. The stolen letterhead from ZyMed used to write a letter of recommendation. It's not like anyone will surface to claim forgery.

Dr. Belinda Norwich has moved out of Liberty and now resides in Boise, Idaho where she is in the process of opening her own start-up company based on the samples she removed from ZyMedBio.