Barney, Brett - Of Guilt And Honor

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A Novel by Brett Barney Of Guilt and Honor

Of Guilt and Honor

A Novel by Brett Barney

above copyright as a footer on each page. This work is registered, and any resubmission or

posting of this work in any form other than its original state is strictly prohibited. Distribution of

the work in its original form is permitted. It may be distributed freely on the basis that no person

collect a profit from it’s distribution. For further information regarding this text, contact it’s

owner at brettlit@aol.com or brett.barney@asu.edu.

A Novel by Brett Barney Of Guilt and Honor

Prologue

Jerry Hatcher looked out from the center of the stage, delivering his monologue to the

crowd of anxious gatherers for tonight’s show. He had grown accustomed to the heat. His flashy

blue silk shirt, purchased several blocks away on Hollywood Boulevard, reflected the bright

radiance of the light. His navy blue dress slacks did not, and grew warm as they absorbed the

heat. The outfit was specifically designed and tailored for a single hour on network television.

Even the shiny black dress shoes glistened under the powerful lights which centered on him.

Jerry had enjoyed a quick rise to late-night stardom. His thin frame and healthy lifestyle

allowed him to keep pace with the fast-moving profession he had chosen. Sponsored by the

efforts of a talented marketing agent, and a great deal of luck, he had settled in on the ratings

with a good piece of the market. He had already surpassed the expectations of a newcomer, and

was threatening to move up a time slot. Jerry knew the life expectancy of a late-night talk show

host didn’t entail a great amount of time, but he refused to dwell on that. Optimism required him

to ignore history and reality at times. Hatcher just triumphed in his moment of fame, and tried to

offer the viewers what he believed they wanted to see.

His comedic talents had earned him several awards, and his cable special still appeared

from time to time on several other channels he now competed against. The tall, dark haired man,

with a hint of sarcasm in his smile had won the hearts of many. He had a unique sense of humor,

clean and refined — rarely flagrant — with a subtle, but enjoyable amount of class. He steered

clear of tasteless jokes, offering the public a different kind of evening entertainment.

He felt comfortable in the spotlight of such a volatile career, not ashamed of his

conservative lifestyle. He enjoyed his work, and the minor inconveniences that came with it.

Anyone could give the public ordinary talk show guests. He provided them with something

more, making a distinct effort to bring a wide range of guests to his show, many with more

interesting topics to share than the latest Hollywood gossip. Surprising to most network analysts,

his strategy pulled in a great number from the evening audience, and other networks already

fought to copy his style and program.

Jerry smiled with satisfaction as he presented the humor of his many creative writers. His

act was new, and refreshing to the scene, and he would follow it with a quality show, loaded with

truly interesting guests. Jerry had managed to pull off a truly unique guest again tonight. After

three separate phone conversations in which he prodded at the entertainment value of the man, he

had quickly convinced his producers to put the man on his show. He finished his opening line of

jokes with a remark about the budget deficit, receiving a roar of laughter from the crowd, and

noticed the prompter signaling him to announce the evening’s guests.

“This evening, it is my pleasure to welcome Dr. Bernard Baxter to the show. As one of

the youngest nominees for the Nobel prize in medicine, he will share some of his work in the

A Novel by Brett Barney Of Guilt and Honor

field of cancer research. He’s a remarkable man, very interesting and enjoyable to speak with. It

should prove to be a wonderful learning experience for everyone.

“Who says you don’t get quality programming after ten p.m.?”

Bernard Baxter sat at the small table, while the makeup woman finished applying the last

of the powdered cosmetic to his face, darkening his complexion for the bright lights of the stage.

He heard the familiar line over the speaker in his dressing room, a phrase which had launched

Jerry Hatcher into the television ratings. Bernard knew he had only a few minutes before he went

on.

He had taken a tour of the stage earlier, and they warned him how hot the lights might

feel. The light in the room was intense, to simulate the outside environment, and to adjust the

guest’s eyes prior to their appearance. Even with the rumble of the air conditioning in the

background, fighting valiantly against the heat, he already felt the light perspiration caused by

the lights.

Donna, the makeup artist sitting across from him, concentrated on her job. She didn’t

seem to notice the audio coming from the speakers in the room. It was a sign of strong

concentration. She took great pride in the appearance of the guests on the show, and Bernard had

enjoyed the small talk with her. He glanced at the look of professionalism on her face as she

checked her work for imperfections. She would make a good researcher, he thought to himself as

he admired her. She took great pride in her work, and was a master of her profession. He could

tell by the look of satisfaction on her face, that the woman loved her job.

She smiled softly and wished him luck. He thanked her as she put her powder brushes

away in the bag, and a moment later, she left the room to check on the second guest. The stage

manager came soon afterwards to lead Bernard to the curtain. His thoughts quickly returned to

the interview, and the work that he would share. He felt a certain excitement, as he always did

before a public appearance. He couldn’t deny that he received an amount of satisfaction from

discussing his work in a public forum.

Bernard heard the sound of his introduction coming through the speaker, and stood near

the stage manager as the curtain opened momentarily, allowing him to walk across the set. The

applause rose as Bernard walked over to take a seat near Jerry Hatcher. Bernard wondered for a

moment if the crowd really applauded him out of his appeal, or just because the prompts above

the stage signaled them to do so. He didn’t worry about it for very long, as he made a point not to

emphasize those things he could not control.

Bernard shook the hand of the trendy young host, and turned for a moment to face the

crowd. He bowed slightly, standing for a moment to acknowledge his gratitude toward the warm

A Novel by Brett Barney Of Guilt and Honor

reception of the crowd. He stood slightly taller than Jerry, and his stature seemed to dwarf the

host’s, though they were of nearly equivalent weights. He followed Jerry’s lead, and took his seat

near the expensive oak desk that Jerry sat behind each night.

The lights on the stage were much brighter than the dressing room, and the scents of a

hundred visitors, crammed tightly into the small audience seating area, filled the building. Most

had stood in line outside for hours, and the mixture of cologne, perfume, deodorant and sweat

created a noticeably putrid aroma inside. As Bernard forced himself to ignore the odor, he

wondered to himself why the station had never bothered to invest in a better ventilation system.

A glass sat at a small table to Bernard’s right, filled with the guest’s preferred drink.

Bernard had chosen cognac, not only for flavor, but for its ability to soothe his nerves. He had

brought his own bottle of a preferred and imported brand. Public appearances never really

bothered him, at least not after the first sip. He sat calmly and smiled out at the crowd with his

warmest smile. Jerry liked Bernard. He looked natural on camera, and didn’t fit his original

expectation of a scientist. The man was slightly rough, but extremely good looking and

charming.

Bernard had presented research to many people over the years, standing in front of huge

conferences of well-educated peers. These presentations he sometimes found stressful, though he

had learned to keep his mind focused through almost anything, and enjoyed presenting to his

peers. Tonight was a different sort of crowd for the scientist.

“Welcome, Dr. Baxter,” Jerry ushered with a smile. Bernard could see the slight

nervousness in his actions, and knew the host still questioned the success of his guest in the

ratings.

“Thank You,” Bernard allowed. He liked Jerry, and the change he attempted to make in

traditional late night talk shows, by teaching those who refused to sleep. He could respect the

man, and wanted to assure Jerry that he wouldn’t let him down.

“Now, most of the people in America know your name quite well,” Jerry started, as he

presented some background on his guest. “You are one of the youngest people ever to receive a

nomination for the Nobel Prize in medicine. Your work is already respected by a great number of

people around the world, and the rumors around the scientific community suggest that you are

near a tremendous breakthrough in cancer research, as well as the favorite for the award.”

“That about covers it,” Bernard replied with a pause, followed by a slight grin. He had a

calm demeanor, and relaxed wit as he teased the anxious host.

“No, you won’t get off my show that easily,” Jerry threatened in a serious tone, trying to

hide his smile. “Ratings,” he reminded. “It would be a great honor if you might share some of

your work with our viewers, or at least, the portion that our regular viewing audience can

understand.”

A Novel by Brett Barney Of Guilt and Honor

“Our work isn’t anything which is that difficult to understand,” Bernard admitted

honestly, “It’s actually a very basic approach we have taken. Research requires a stubborn

individual, and someone who likes to disagree with everything everyone else says.”

“Is it true that you are close to a new treatment for cancer?” Jerry asked seriously.

“We are optimistic, definitely,” Bernard allowed, though he retained his excitement in the

fact.

“What can you tell us about it, which can shed some light on your work, for those of us

who haven’t spent ten years at educational institutions?”

“Jerry,” Bernard scorned, “give yourself some credit. All science is actually quite simple,

you know. Scientists are some of the most air-headed people you will ever find. It is the ability to

take a complex problem, and apply an amount of simplicity in order to solve it, that makes a

good scientist. It is the same thing with our flawed host virus.”

Bernard’s face glowed as he spoke. He had always enjoyed sharing his work with those

around him, and tonight’s show offered him a new forum to explain his accomplishments. His

looks, contradictory to the general stereotype, were fashionable. As a medical researcher, who

dealt with microbiology every day, he had to maintain a level of cleanliness. He had come from a

new breed of scientists, mystified by the new powers of science, respectful of the ability it

provided, and the possibilities at his hands. He lived in a new social atmosphere, attending

conferences, and dealing with powerful research companies, who invested in him personally, and

funded his work.

He had a naturalness in the way he talked. His youthful appearance, and apparent mastery

of his field, provided a certain appeal. Indeed, a handsome man, his eyes were filled with a fire

arising from his ambition. His deep voice had a strong eastern accent, and he spoke very clearly.

He had married a beautiful woman, who he met in college, and started his own family.

She knew him as nobody else could, admiring all about him. His hair was a soft brown, cut by

his stylist of fifteen years, and it set off his calm and non-intimidating manner. It had changed

little during that time, taking on a bit of refinement. He wasn’t a trendy man, but his wife

managed to keep him fashionable enough. He wore a comfortable pair of dress slacks and a nice

shirt, chosen by his wife for the occasion.

“Anyone who has ever taken a high school biology course knows that DNA is the

primary building block of all cellular structure in our bodies,” Bernard continued. “The DNA in

our bodies makes up the genetic code that you find in every cell. The cell is a very complex unit

of the human body. There are a great number of other molecules that exist in a balanced

environment within its walls. Everything within the cell reacts for one reason or another as

directed by the DNA.

A Novel by Brett Barney Of Guilt and Honor

“Cancer, in many forms, appears as a malignant tumor, or generally, a mutation of the

cell. The human body is remarkable in its abilities to seek out deformations in the genetic code,

and make repairs where they have occurred. In cancer, the mutation spreads too quickly for the

repair mechanism to alter the changes, or it is unable to make the alteration because the mutation

is so vast. We have taken an approach different from most therapies.”

“And what is your approach?” Jerry asked, in a voice evident his deep interest.

“We’ve worked years to develop a method using recombinant DNA technology. In

practice, the theory is very straightforward. DNA research really took off following the

discovery of the structure of the double helix. The double helix is two strands of molecules that

match one another in bonding characteristics. It is possible, to remove DNA material, and

separate the two strands of the double helix from one another.

“What we do, is remove healthy DNA, from healthy cells. We also take mutated DNA,

from cancerous cells, and split the double helix of each. We mix the healthy and mutated DNA

back together, recombining the double helix of the two. In the regions where the mutations or

differences occurred, the two strands don’t match one another, and won’t bond together.

“Using selective molecules, we can separate the portions of the strand that didn’t

recombine. This separation removes a small segment of the DNA, from each of the two strands,

one healthy, and one cancerous. By determining which strand is the mutation, we have obtained

a fingerprint of the mutation, at the molecular level.”

A Novel by Brett Barney Of Guilt and Honor

Jerry looked over at the monitor display, where Bernard pointed out each detail as he

spoke on the chart he had brought along. Jerry really liked the man, a scientist who brought his

own props.

“From this point, we can selectively place the mutated segments inside a virus. We use

several techniques to reproduce the virus in large quantities, and allow the virus to enter the

subject. The virus invades the body, and seeks out the mutation in other cells.”

“So, let me get this straight,” Jerry asked, a look of confusion on his face. “You use a

virus to attack the cancer. Aren’t viruses harmful?”

“I’ve spent years working with others to develop viruses that are rather feeble,” Bernard

explained, his manner was understanding, and never condescending. “It’s taken a great amount

of work, but we’ve learned enough now to develop certain viruses that can serve our purpose.

Basically, we’ve removed all of the virus’s natural defenses, so that if something ever happened,

it would be quite easy to destroy.

“We’ve developed the viruses to use a phospholipid membrane as their cell walls, very

similar to healthy animal cells. The virus requires a synthetic chemical, unlike anything found in

nature, in order to multiply. Because of this, it is completely unable to reproduce once introduced

HealthyHealthy CancerousCancerous Healthy and cancerous Mixed

Combination Separation Recombination

Isolation Identification

Healthy Cancerous

Annihilation

A Novel by Brett Barney Of Guilt and Honor

to the host. We add only enough of the virus to destroy the cancer, and the viruses are very

selective for the cancers we are currently working on.

“From there, we need only attach an annihilator ion to the selective site. Once it locates

the mutation, it releases a radical, which reeks havoc through the cellular system, destroying the

ability of the cancer to reproduce.”

“You make it sound rather simple,” Jerry replied with apprehension.

“The theory is simple.”

“How far are you away from applying this in the field of medicine? What obstacles still

stand in your way?”

“We’ve submitted some of our work to the FDA for preliminary notification, but we

haven’t entered clinical studies yet. Most of our work involves laboratory animals. The

procedure is still quite complex, though I have people working on all phases to lower the amount

of laboratory work, and put it into production.”

“Where does your work stand right now?”

“We’ve based much of our research on gaining the most selectivity that we could

possibly obtain,” Bernard noted. “I’ve studied viruses for many years, and one thing about

viruses is that most are rather selective for a specific region of the body. The first virus we’ve

worked with, causes some forms of pneumonia, and concentrates in the lungs. We’re working

with another that is quite common in brain tissue, while another invades the fatty structure of our

bodies.

“With these three viruses, we can successfully attack tumors or cancers associated with

the lungs, brain, or breast. The basic principle doesn’t change substantially in each. We’ve just

selected a virus which helps to seek these cancers out. Why try to create something nature has

already perfected? The world of viruses is immense, and as we achieve success in these areas,

we’ll move onto others.”

“What do your results look like?”

“We’ve done tests on rats and rabbits to this point,” Bernard answered, not even noticing

the heat from the light as he showed his work. “It takes approximately one week from isolating

the cancer to developing the virus for administration.

“We generally culture an amount of the virus twice the mass of the cancer itself. Because

we’ve designed the virus to use only synthetic chemicals for reproduction, we have to take care

of all growth outside the subject. It also cuts down on other viruses which might get into the

growing chambers, because they can’t break down the synthetic chemical, and thus have no

source of food.”

A Novel by Brett Barney Of Guilt and Honor

“From there, we add a small amount of the virus, and watch the subject for undesirable

results. If the tumor or cancer diminishes in size, and there are no adverse effects, we add more,

until we have destroyed all the bad growth.”

“Will this be a feasible method for cancer treatment?” Jerry asked, recalling some key

points from their first discussions prior to the show.

“Cost is a great issue with my investors, of course,” Bernard allowed. “We want the

treatment accessible to everyone, and profitable at the same time. My personal views are that the

feasibility is not derived from the cost of the treatment, but the ability to perform it. It requires

eight professionals, highly trained, and very knowledgeable to perform the therapy. Even if we

achieve the desired goals of our research, that number will not fall less than six. We cannot cure

every cancer out there by ourselves, and we will have to train others to administer our therapies.

“The training will take as much as six weeks per group, and I doubt that they can treat

more than thirty patients at any one time. The treatments will have to take place in clinics, and

range from a one week, to one month stay. I can’t really venture to guess a price to get the

treatment out to the public.”

“You make it sound as if we are still years away from a cure,” Jerry remarked with

pessimism.

“This is not a simple and fool proof technique,” Bernard agreed calmly. “This method is

a very non-traditional treatment method, and no one treatment will cure every strain of cancer.

That’s the horror of cancer. It’s never the same in any two patients. This is the reason that we

have chosen this approach. For a disease that is subject specific, you need a cure that is subject

specific. I believe that we are taking steps in the right direction.”

“So, there is promise?” Jerry pressed.

“Absolutely. More than half of our subjects have seen major to complete reduction of

cancerous cells.”

“How long until you enter clinical studies?”

“My goal is to gain approval within three more months. We still have several avenues to

explore before I feel we can safely begin tests on human cancer subjects. We’ll probably run into

some problems with clinical tests, because our therapy is subject specific, and studies on

noncancerous subjects cannot be performed. I feel confident that the results of our studies will

convince the FDA to approve us within a year for wider studies. During that time, we will train

others to perform our therapy as well, to expand treatment and studies.”

“If it all works, what then?”

“There is still much work to do in the cancer forum. This technique shows promise, but it

won’t cure everything. We’ll learn more, as we work further, and changes will need to occur,

other advancements will arise. There is so much work to be done.”

A Novel by Brett Barney Of Guilt and Honor

“You’ll be a very rich man,” Jerry suggested.

“I’m already quite rich,” Bernard responded simply. “My investors see to it that I live

comfortably, and there are much greater riches out there than money. I place little value on

money. To me, perfection is walking into a pediatric unit of a hospital, entering the room of a

three year old child who is unable to walk because of the plum-sized tumor inside her skull, and

knowing you have the ability to treat it.”

The roar of applause rose from the audience around the two men. Bernard showed little

more emotion than a slight grin, while Jerry could not hide his smile from the cameras. He knew

that he had once again chosen an entertaining and unique guest for his show, and the ratings

would confirm that fact for him in the coming weeks. He would need to make a note to invite

this man back on the show in a few months, when they received the approval for clinical studies.

Max hadn’t meant to catch the evening talk show, but he had stayed late at work to finish

wrapping up his latest case. It was the price he paid to serve the public as a police detective. Max

had heard a great deal about the local scientist. He had heard the rumors about the work they did.

It seemed funny that he had never seen the man until tonight, several hundred miles away in

California. The local community had grown, though Max still remembered the days you met the

local residents on the street, not the television. As Max finished his drink before retiring for the

night, he wondered if he ever would get a chance to meet the popular scientist that lived on the

other side of town. A moment later he smiled to himself at the awkwardness of the thought. It

wasn’t often that a police detective crossed paths with a famous scientist.

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