032 - Cursed Cure

Among all researchers in the field of Immunology, Dr.Cheryl Jones was one of the most famous scientists of the century. Truly, you could say that her work was the foundation of a new age of human's understanding of health issues. She would bring out many breakthroughs, and a variety of solutions to the modern medical world. Her work was, to put it simply, worth of a Nobel Prize.

From the moment she wanted to study medicine, that was Cheryl's ambition. Or more accurately, her fantasy. For a while, she believed in it. 'Hope dies last', she loved to say. But the truth is, motivation alone does not make someone talented.

That motivation was enough for her to reach the status of a PhD student. Even though she braved failure after failure, she always managed to stand up. Most of the time, however, she didn't have time to stand up before falling down again. Her current position at the time was earned by not giving up, but no one except really satisfied. For the other professors, she was just 'there'. Her passion was outstanding, but that was the only thing outstanding about her. Needless to say, she was known to get on people's nerves quite easily.

Six years later. Cheryl still wasn't an accomplished researcher. As she realized how far she was from her fantasy, her only quality was withering. Unexpectedly, her coworkers were quite pleased by this change. Unfortunately, this peace was only the gateway to an aspect of Cheryl they didn't want to see.

Unlike on subjects she was passionate about, Cheryl wasn't exactly a calm and thoughtful person. Her true nature was more wild. As if the genes of a predator were encoded into her cells. When her alter ago awakens, everyone runs in terror. Metaphorically.

For six months, Cheryl isolated herself from her co-workers. She was never a very useful source of knowledge, methods or ideas, but she always played a role in her team. This time, she was determined to work alone. At first, she had no idea what she would be working on. But she worked on it. With time, 'it' turned into a clearer aim. And sometimes, 'it' changed. Because she was bored. Because she couldn't find anything. Because she couldn't move forward without the opinion of an expert. And that expert happened to be in the team she rejected. So every time, she found other ways to do it.

If it wasn't for the content of the monthly report of February, Cheryl would have been under fire. Her isolation brought up allegations of disruptive activities. But through her new results, she showed the other lab members something incredible. To be more accurate, she showed them a report that was garbage, except for one part. And it would have been sent into the trash where it belonged, if not for the intervention of a specific person.

The report was under peer reviewing by a fellow scientist. Dr.Yurich Wieczorek, an eminent researcher, stumbled upon her abnormal experiment results. Before the completion of the report, he insisted on having a discussion with Dr.Jones on that subject. Aware of her reputation among the research community, he tried to ask the right questions.

"You are the one who made all those experiments, right ?" asked Dr.Wieczorek.

"Of course it was me. Who else ?"

"In that case, don't you think there's something abnormal in this concentration level ?"

Cheryl looked at the data he was pointing at. In fact, she stared at it way too long to maintain credibility.

"Uuhh… not really, I mean. Well, it's… is there a problem with it ?"

"Oh, Lord." the reviewer sighed. "Do you still have the raw data ?"

Eventually, Cheryl managed to find the documents he was asking about. What she pulled out were unintelligible notes, written on paper that was crumpled before.

"Sorry, I thought this wouldn't be useful for later."

The reviewer explored through the raw data. He was hoping to find an inconsistency. The result she presented could have a grave underlying meaning, if true. However, he found no errors of any kind.

"There's something I don't understand. Why did you bother testing those two components together, instead of separately ?"

"Oh, well. Their structure is similar, so I thought they would unify well. Despite that fact, they have different behaviors when separate. So, I thought seeing them paired would do something… interesting ?"

Hearing this, Dr.Wieczorek was baffled. First, by the way she explained her idea. And second, because of the infantile, yet brilliant simplicity of the reasoning.

"So what you tested here is the concentration levels in the joined components ?"

"To put it simply, yes."

"And you still don't realize what those results mean ?"

Cheryl shook her head.

"It means you have created something new." he explained. "And this thing you made appears to hold a very large concentration of what we're trying to replicate."

"Oh ! So… that's a good thing, right ?"

"Well, yes ! YES, that's a good thing ! How can you not notice that ? You potentially created something amazing in your experiment ! Are you going to tell me that it was an accident ? That's bullshit !"

"I thought that it would be interesting. But usually, people tell me that my ideas are too stupid to explore, so… I never carried my ideas out, that's all. So, you're saying it's good ?"

"Listen. You need to stop worrying about what the others told you, okay ? You made… this. And I think that if you give them your report as if, they will reject it."

"Then, I'm condemned to fail ?"

"No. Because there will be my approval on it."

The discussion ended there. Cheryl didn't know how to act then. At once, she felt pride, a bit of anxiety, but mostly confusion.

"You will support my research ?"

"Yes. Now, I won't hold you any longer. You should go and prepare for your presentation."

At the end of the month, Cheryl's coworkers only had one question after her presentation. "Why did Dr.Wieczorek give you his approval ?". Unbeknownst to them, that was the exact question she wanted to be asked. Trying to hide her proud smile, Cheryl prepared to expose the true perspectives of her work. Carefully, she laid out all aspects of the experiment, following the advice she got.

That day, Cheryl became Dr.Jones.

This presentation sent a massive shock wave in the community. Her previous reputation completely shattered. Dr.Jones expanded on the subject with Dr.Wieczorek with a new project. After a few months of extra experiments, the conclusion was the one they expected. A new component with unfathomable features was discovered. In a matter of months, the paper released by 'Wieczorek & Jones' was a 'hit'. It even reached out to the curiosity of non-scientists. Supported by a wave of support in the community, the research was acclaimed. Big media started relaying it, announcing potential for breakthroughs in the medical world.

Her cunning and aggressive nature was what brought her there, so she kept up her hard work. What she was laughed at for previously, turned into one of her greatest qualities. Those who mocked her for her naivety were now praising her for her sound reasoning. Those who mocked her for her messiness were now praising her for her simple methods.

But Dr.Jones was not stupid. Behind all this effortless boot licking lied a putrid, disgusting smell. Jealousy. Greed. Disdain. And those negative feelings were coming from her former coworkers. They were harboring smiles so fake, you could see it was painful for them. Unfortunately for them, serendipity had its limits tested many times with Dr.Jones. But she always won in the end. Her collaboration with Dr.Wieczorek never ended. Even though the first paper kept being the best, results never stopped coming.

After a few years of prosperity in the research community, Dr.Jones was facing a new ordeal. And this new challenge, which was unlike all the others so far, started with a simple meeting. Felicia Gardner represented an influential group in the pharmaceutics industry. She came to see Dr.Jones with a proposition. A very simple one, in fact.

"We need you to announce that products made based on your research aren't safe."

After the formalities, the meeting only lasted 10 seconds at that point. This was enough time for Dr.Jones to realize that the person in front of her was like the devil.

"You want me to invalidate my own research ?"

"That's one way to put it."

"Tell me what you want, then."

"We want you to publish another paper on the substance you discovered. Anything that discredits the conclusion you submitted."

"What makes you think I will accept that ?"

"We are ready to make all the 'arrangements'. You don't need to worry about that aspect."

Definitely, Dr.Jones could, in no way, accept this proposition. When Ms.Gardner announced her conditions, the old Cheryl Jones was taken back from the grave. Internally debating the direction to take, she remembered her beginnings. The will to break through in the medical field. Find new ways to save lives. Make the world healthier and better.

"I refuse."

"Then, you are underestimating my offer."

Ms.Gardner pulled out an envelope from her bag, and gave her to the researcher. Dr.Jones opened it. She had no idea what was in it, but she feared its contents anyway.

"Oh… God."

In the envelope, there was no threat. No devilish contract. Just… an awful lot of money. At the sight of those contents, the original Cheryl Jones went back underneath. Dr.Jones asked herself. She asked the innovative, competitive Dr.Jones, instead of the weak and utopist Cheryl. What was the better option here ? And more importantly, what kind of person could refuse that offer ?

Seeing Dr.Jones's heavy mental struggle, the devil didn't even try to hide her smile. Not a smile of politeness, but a smile of victory.

"I… I need time to think about it." muttered Cheryl Jones, as she gave back the envelope, and left the room in a hurry.

"It was nice to meet you !" said Ms.Gardner, as her conquered prey left the room.

Dr.Jones needed to take some rest. But after three days off, following that meeting, nothing changed in her mind.
She was indecisive. Every second she happened to think about work, there was this question. What should I do ? What is the better way ? For me ? For us ? For the world ?

In the morning of her fourth day off, Dr.Jones received a call from her friend and partner, Dr.Wieczorek.

"Hello Cheryl. I have something important to tell you."

"What is it ?"

"I'm working a new paper, but you can't be a part of it. So don't try to contact me on the subject."

"Wait… but, why ? What is it about ?"

"I can't tell you that. I'm here to tell you that… you can't be on the project, okay ?"

"No, don't tell me… You didn't meet this Felicia, didn't you ?"

"Cheryl. Stop this. You lost track of your life. Goodbye."

"Wait, you piece of- !"

But he hanged up. And that was it. The last light of hope in Cheryl died, right then. Some people thought that this would only awaken a stronger Dr.Jones. What this event really did was create something awful. A person devoid of passion, of honesty. A person who can't feel trust anymore.

After being struck down, Dr.Cheryl Jones went back to being a normal researcher. Some time later, Dr.Wieczorek would go on to publish a paper. As expected, it disproved the first one they made together. Everything played right in the hands of that evil Ms.Gardner. Just imagining that woman being happy made Dr.Jones angry. At the same time, a dark part of her wished to have accepted the money. Eventually, all parts of Dr.Jones converged to hate herself, and her indecisiveness. She didn't act to keep her discovery alive, but she didn't take the offer either. She watched her utopia miserably crash and burn.

A few years later, Dr.Wieczorek became a part of a lawsuit. It was issued against Gardner's company. Taking down all actors in this horrible scheme. Seeing those news, Dr.Jones should have been happy, but she wasn't. She thought that this lawsuit couldn't validate her initial study again. And despite a few efforts to push another paper, she came to terms with the futility of this endless circle. In a way, she was kind of relieved that she didn't accept the money, considering the outcome.

What could have been the origin of a breakthrough, ended up buried deep underground. And not Dr.Jones, nor anyone around here could support it anymore. But even though she didn't feel it herself, she believed that somewhere, the flame of hope was still lit within someone. Someone who would fight to shed light on the forgotten discovery. Someone brave enough to face adversity in every situation. Someone talented enough to pursue the research with new elements.

And as the planet burns under their feet, their inhabitants wait for the rain of salvation.