Syndrome

liver or even their heart. So thenextquestion that's hanging out there in space is obvious. What would happen if we could find a way to generalize the enzyme and disperse it throughout someone's entire body, not restricting it to just one organ? And not just rejuvenate-regenerate.'

This question had actually passed fleetingly through her consciousness, though not fully articulated. It had taken the form of wondering where the use of these 'immortal' cells could eventually lead.

'The trick would be to have just enough enzyme in your bloodstream to replace senescent cells as they are about to the, but not so much that healthy cells are replaced.' He paused searching for a metaphor. 'If we thought of the process of cell senescence as something inexorable and steady, like a treadmill, then what we want to do is run just fast enough to stay in one place.'

'This whole thing does sound likeAlice in Wonderland.'

'Yes, well. . if we could do that, then it's possible, just possible, that one's entire body would simply begin regenerating itself instead of aging. Not just your skin. All of you. That's the theory behind what we've called the Beta procedure.'

'But is that something you ethically ought to be doing?' she said, feeling a sense of dismay, of playing God. 'Isn't that going too far?'

'Frankly, I'm beginning to agree with you, but there are others who ask,how far is too far? Half the medicines we now have are intended to trick the body's responses somehow-or to meddle in some other way, turning off stop-and- go signals at the cellular level. For example, some birth control pills make your bodythinkyou're already pregnant. They trick our natural mechanisms. That kind of thing is commonplace in medicine today. But our research is poised for the next level, to answer the question of how long we can actually live. So here's the argument. There's no reason the human life span has to be what it is. In some unhealthy nations the average citizen doesn't even reach sixty. Whereas in others, like the United States and Japan, the mean is already well past three score and ten. So what is right? What is reasonable? A hundred? Two hundred? It's entirely possible to believe we could live productive lives at least twice as long as we do now.'

'And you think we should do this? The world would be thrown into chaos.'

'But look at the incredible cure rate we've already effected here using the telomerase enzyme. When our clinical trials for the NIH are announced, it will be the medical equivalent of the shot heard round the world. Nothing we know will ever be the same again.'

'That's where you should leave it. To go further is obscene.'

'I fear recent events may have proved you right. Against my better judgment, I went ahead and experimented with the Beta procedure. And the results thus far have turned out to be disastrous.'

'I guess you're referring to Kristen.'

'One day I casually mentioned the Beta to Winston Bartlett and without telling me, he brought it up with Kristen. She insisted on trying it.' His expression grew increasingly pained. 'I want you to know I was against it. I warned her that it was highly experimental, that I could not guarantee what the side effects might be, but she begged me to do it anyway. Then Bartlett essentially ordered me to do it.'

'So what happened?'

He grimaced. 'I got the dosage wrong. That's my best guess. After I performed the Beta on Kristen, the enzyme was stable in her for over two months and appeared to be having an effect. All signs of aging abruptly stopped. It gave me a false sense of confidence. Also, there were no side effects. That was when Bartlett wanted to try it too. So I went ahead with him. But then, to my horror, she started evincing side effects. I now believe the dosage I gave her was badly calibrated. It was too high-by how much I think I've finally determined-and the enzyme eventually began replicating too rapidly. It got away from me.' He paused. 'What happened to Kristen, we now call the Syndrome, for lack of a better name. And it's about to happen to Bartlett.'

'But what does all this have to do with me? Why was I brought out here with all kinds of bribes and pressure and-'

'Do you want a simple answer? Of excruciating honesty?'

'It would be helpful.'

'The simple answer is, Winston Bartlett has an extremely rare blood type. It's AB. You have the same.'

'How did you know-'

'Your brother. You see, I need to try to develop antibodies to the telomerase enzyme that won't be rejected by his immune system. I think there's an outside chance that I could culture antibodies taken from someone with the same blood type and use them to arrest the rampant multiplying of telomerase enzyme about to begin in Bartlett's blood.'

'I'm here because you'reusingme!' She couldn't believe her ears. And Grant had set it up. No wonder he was finally feeling guilty.

'I just need to borrow your immune system for a few days. It's very safe.'

'Idon'tthink so. I'm out of here.'

'Actually, the procedure is already under way. While Debra was taking your last blood sample, she also injected a minuscule amount of the telomerase enzyme in active form, the proprietary version used in the Beta, into your bloodstream. Don't worry. It's perfectly safe. The dosage was so minute that there's no way it could have any effect on you.'

'You have got to be kidding!' My God, she thought,I could sue the hell out of-

'Don't worry, think of it like a smallpox vaccination.' He paused. 'Now, though, I have to tell you that I just learned the initial dosage probably didn't do the trick. The amount of antibodies created was, unfortunately, minuscule. Which means we need to go to a slightly higher infusion. But again, don't worry. It's still safe.'

'I can't believe I'm hearing this,' she said finally, gasping for air in her fury. 'You didn't ask-'

'Alexa,' he cut in, 'right now I have something like two weeks left to try to head off the Syndrome in Winston Bartlett. If we achieve that, then I'm hopeful the antibodieshecreates can be successfully used to start reversing the Syndrome in Kristen. We will know how to manage the Beta. Who knows where that could lead? But it all begins with you. You're the clean slate we need to start.'

'Before we go one step further, I want to know what, exactly, happens with the Syndrome. I think I know, but I'd like to hear-'

'Something that's too bizarre to believe. It literally defies every natural law we've ever known.'

He couldn't bring himself to put it in words, she thought, but she knew she’d guessed right the first time. The Syndrome.

Kristen Starr wasgrowing younger. That was the horrible development and nobody could deal with it.

Andthey couldn't stop it.

Karl Van de Vliet had created a monstrosity.

'I amsoout of here,' she said struggling to rise from the wheelchair. 'If you try to keep me here, that's kidnapping. We're talking a capital crime.'

'Alexa, I understand you're upset, but you're in no condition to be discharged. I'm very sorry.' He pushed a red button on a radio device on his belt. There was genuine agony in his eyes. 'I've never in my life coerced a patient in any way. But you have to understand that so much is dependent on you now. There are no easy choices left.'

He's lost control of the situation here now, she told herself. He's truly terrified of Winston Bartlett.That'swho's really got control of my fate.

Moments later, the security guard from the lobby, accompanied by Marion, came through the door of the laboratory.

'No, I'm not going to let you do this,' Ally declared. 'I'm not letting you do any more medical experiments on me.'

As she struggled again to get out of the wheelchair, she felt a prick in her arm and saw the glint of a needle in the dim light.

'I'm sorry, Alexa. It should all be over in just a couple of days. And I swear no harm will come to you.'

She was feeling her consciousness swirl as Marion began rolling her through the steel air lock.

The last thing she heard was Van de Vliet saying, 'Don't worry. A week from now, all this will seem like a