“On the page, yes, but I don’t want to jump to conclusions. There are variables we need to explore.”
“I’m not the only one questioning whether this technology is ready for prime time,” Randy said, leaving the folder and backing toward the door. “Some people are saying we need to halt this rollout.”
“I’m going to reach out to my team right now,” Jessica said, picking up the phone and dialing Marco back at Cancura headquarters.
The call went through to voice mail.
After leaving a message, she sent him a text, then an email, and spent the next hour trying not to chew her nails to the quick while her thoughts went in circles. Why was she the only person who seemed to stumble into problems with the Revelate technology?
Jon, not Marco, called her back.
“I’m on the next flight,” he said. “Set up a meeting for late afternoon.”
“I’m sure I can handle this myself,” Jessica said. “I just need some—”
“I just need some of you. Tell Randy not to wet himself. I’ll be there soon.”
Though she was looking forward to the unscheduled time with Jon, Jessica felt slightly stung that he’d been so quick to saddle up his white horse and ride to her rescue. If she was the face of Cancura as far as AHS was concerned, couldn’t he have just given her the information she needed to save the day? Did his lightning-fast mobilization reveal how worried he was?
Marco called shortly after she hung up with Jon. “AHS has buyer’s remorse, which is more common than you’d think when someone drops a shit ton of money like this. And the solution is always to deploy our most powerful weapon: the famous visionary Jonathan Wright. Just ask him.”
Although the note of sarcasm in his voice helped to assuage her bruised ego, Jessica realized Marco was right. It was Jon’s company, after all, and she was fooling herself if she thought the clients didn’t merely see her as his intermediary.
Just before four o’clock, she met him outside the building as he climbed out of a black car.
“They’re waiting in the boardroom,” she said as he drew her in for a stealthy kiss.
“Let’s go put their minds at ease,” he said.
Jessica had seen Jon work a room before, but his performance as they made their way through the building was truly remarkable. No one would have ever guessed he was sweating a $50 million deal as he greeted everyone, from nursing assistants to doctors, with confident warmth. Truthfully, most of them probably had no idea who he was, but they could tell he was someone. Heads swiveled in their wake as people tried to guess the identity of the good-looking, confident man.
Once they were seated at the long conference table—with Jon in the center, not at the head, and Jessica to his right—Randy went around the room, introducing everyone from the AHS CEO to heads of departments. There were more than two dozen people in all, and when Jon began speaking, he repeatedly addressed people by name to powerful effect.
Apparently, he’d just been getting started.
“Ten years ago, I gave my first TED Talk, which had the unfortunately hokey title of ‘Nanotechnology: The Molecular Miracle Worker,’” Jon said, getting a laugh. “I told the audience that everything from the common cold to cancer could be detected, repaired, or cured by nanotechnology. When I announced my plans to pioneer nanorobots that would identify tumors, deliver multiple drugs in precise ratios without adverse side effects, and destroy them without leaving a single cancerous cell, the applause was lukewarm, because I happened to be addressing an audience of elite medical professionals who were sure I was delusional. Come to think of it, you might have been there, Manish.”
Manish Sharma, head of oncology, chuckled and held up his hands. “I wasn’t there, but I did think you were crazy.”
“You had good company,” said Jon, taking a sip of water. “And when I founded Cancura with a ten-year goal of identifying disease via an easily chewable pill, I was told by a former surgeon general of the United States that the idea was—and I’m quoting here—‘sci-fi stupidity.’”
He pushed his chair back, stood up, and looked out the window as Jessica wondered why he was spending so much time highlighting his detractors.
“We can videoconference using a device that fits in our pockets. Driverless cars are quickly becoming consumer technology. Not that long ago, a guy literally crossed the English Channel with a jet pack! A few decades ago, this was all fodder for sci-fi novels and movies. It turns out the biggest limitation we face as humans is that of our own imaginations.”
Jessica took a sip of water. Her mouth was as dry as her underarms were damp. But if the AHS executives and administrators had looked tight lipped and guarded to begin with, their body language was starting to relax.
Jon began to slowly circle the table. “Thankfully, a few forward-thinking investors believed in both the science and my ability to assemble a team of the best and the brightest. Seven years later, I stand before you to address your valid concerns about a few inevitable hiccups in—”
“Hiccups?” interrupted Randy. “The Revelate failed to diagnose two full-blown cases of acute lymphocytic leukemia.”
His expression was almost fierce, unlike CFO Sharon Montgomery, who couldn’t take her eyes off Jon.
“All of you at American Healthcare Systems knew you were partnering with Cancura at the beginning of what will be a revolution in health care. The solution for this issue, and truly every problem we’ve encountered so far, is in tweaks, fine-tuning, and small adjustments. The technology is sound. More important, the data you’ve given us, which will be studied without delay, is exactly why we’re so excited to partner with you.” Jon paused. “But one of the reasons I wanted to be with you in person today was to share two big announcements.”
As people murmured and shifted in their chairs and Jon bit his lip like he couldn’t
