The Life of Jacob Track (Book Two of the 33X Series)

Chapter Eighteen

           

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

March 1, 2015

Andrew Thompson and his crew of scientist had been working on the LZ Virus since late November. They had been given the sample found in Larry's secret laboratory.  Since then, it was near every day testing trying to get the virus' structure complete and working.  However, the structure to the virus was faulty.  He duplicated the formula for testing on animals, mostly mice and rats, but every test had failed so far.

            It was tedious work, and most days it didn't seem like they were getting any closer to figuring out how to make the virus work properly. Either it was something in the structure of the virus, the way it released information, or the delivery system. So far, the LZ Virus was not working.  Magnus was slowly breathing down their necks for a successful test and none had happened yet.  Andrew was praying for time and a miracle, but so far nothing was coming.

            The LZ Virus had the potential to work, to do things that no other virus or drug had ever done.  Larry had modeled the virus after the HIV virus, tweaking it where necessary. It was extremely complicated to anyone who was not a virologist, or who knew enough about the work up of viral transmissions, though.  HIV was known for attacking cells and reproducing very quickly, which caused HIV and AIDS to spread so quickly in the 1980s without a cure. Larry had changed the internal information the virus sent, making it replicate even faster, targeting any damaged cells.  When it worked without fail, it would be an amazing breakthrough.  It might be even possible for the virus to lay dormant in the cells until needed, meaning cuts or scrapes would be healed almost instantly. Cancer cells could be eradicated as soon as they formed. The hope for the LZ Virus was almost endless.

            As Andrew was going through a file from the testing the night before on the rats, he noticed something odd.  The data showed that the rat was revived after death, but moments later, the heart stopped again. He headed over to the head virologist of the team, Akira Redding.  Akira was a young scientist, 26, fresh out of college with a PhD when The Program recruited her.  She was very smart and friendly, always greeting everyone with a smile. The guys on the team found her very attractive, with her medium-length brown hair and hazel eyes.

            "Akira, I need to ask you some questions about last night test," Andrew asked as he made it over to her station.

            "Oh, Andrew, I sent you that file, right?" Akira fumbled through some papers nervously.

            "Yes, I got it thanks.  But you had a positive result? The rat was completely revived?"

            "Oh yes! It happened to me last week as well.  Did you not see that report?" she smiled brightly.       

            "Hmmm ... I must have missed it.  Can you tell me everything you did from beginning to end?" Andrew asked curiously. Two positive tests were a very good sign. Maybe they were heading on the right track and could start human trials soon. His heart raced hopefully, but Akira always made his heart race. He had quite the crush on her.

            "Well, it was really just my curiosity. We let the mice or rats die, and then shoot them with the virus.  I wondered if we weren't giving the virus enough time to replicate throughout the body. The heart would be stopped at death and the virus couldn't be pumped through the veins."

            "Oh, that is true ... I never thought of that."

            "Yes, so I tried last week while the rat was alive, injecting him with the LZ Virus. I gave it about two hours to spread throughout the body and then stopped the heart with a lethal dose of potassium chloride.  After ten minutes, the rat was alive again. It ran around the cage extremely fast, as if dosed with adrenaline. The heart rate was dangerously high for about 10 minutes," Akira paused, collecting her thoughts.