Free NANOVISION: What Would You Do With X-ray Vision? by Paul Harry

boy’s plate was full and he needed her help. It was the least she
could do. “Helen,”
she vowed, “I owe you this. And I promise, I will find a way to help him.”

 
    Chapter 4
     
    White Water
     
     
    Though Ethyl had
many duties as the CEO of NanoBytes; her favorite was dabbling in research.
There was not a day that went by where she would not make time to see what was
developing in the R & D division of her company. All the doctors,
scientists, and lab workers could count on her like clockwork to show up and
peek over their shoulders to see what was developing in their fields of
ontogenesis. This habit was only further enhanced with Daniel coming to live
with her and Katie. As a scientist and a caregiver; she was piqued by Daniel’s
maladies and wanted to help, if only perhaps, to ease her conscious regarding
her sister, Helen. Deep in her psyche there lay the nagging thought that she
should have done more for her little sister after their father had passed.
Unfortunately, it was too late for that, but not for Daniel.
    Within days of
moving to Santa Clara, Ethyl had Daniel undergo a thorough medical examination
at Nanobytes. She told him that California schools required a current physical
examination and assurance that his vaccinations were up to date. In part it was
true, but the reality was she wanted him under her microscope. Unbeknownst to
him, he had every test imaginable regarding his DNA and RNA right down to a
full work up on his genetic genome. Ethyl had everything she needed−well
almost.
     
     
    *   *   *   *
     
     
     
    It was about two
in the afternoon when Lance Kets appeared in LAB 5 searching for Ethyl. He had
a grim look upon his face, a dour attitude that seemed to fit him as the chief
accountant for Nanobytes. Limping across the lab with a cane in one hand and a
clipboard full of paperwork in the other, he walked up behind Ethyl unnoticed.
She was lost in thought, making notations on the computer as she studied a live
culture of cells dividing on the screen before her. Lance cleared his throat.
    Ethyl looked up.
“Lance... how are you?”
    “Fine, Ethyl,
fine.” He waved the clipboard at her. “Listen, I have a few questions about
these requisitions.” 
    “Mmm?” she
muttered with disinterest, peering back at her work.
    “Why are we
ordering cadaver eyes?” he asked.
    Ethyl’s focus
remained on her computer. “It’s for a new line of research.”
    “Since when?” he
countered. “Appropriations has nothing on file regarding us opening any new
lines. Our budget’s maxed. Please, help me understand?”
    Ethyl stopped
what she was doing. “Lance, it’s something new, a personal endeavor on my
part.”
    “Ethyl, are you
nuts? Does Gregan know about this?” 
    “No, and I’m not
planning on telling him.”
    “You can’t be
serious?”
    “Look, Lance.
This is about my nephew. I just want to look into things. Maybe see if there’s
something I can do about his blindness. I mean, isn’t that why we’re here... to
work on cures?”
    “Yeah, but going
three hundred and fifty thousand over budget for cadaver eyes and embryonic
stem cells just might send up a few red flags. And what the hell are ommatidia
and photospores?”
    “Insect DNA,” she
answered. “Butterfly light receptors... and photospores... squid use them to
produce light.”
    Lance was
floored. “Ethyl... Gregan is going to flip. How are you going to get this by
him?”
    “Lance, you let
me worry about Paul. If you need to, take the funds from GGR. Just get me the
stuff I need.”
    Lance looked as
if the wind had been knocked out of him. GGR was their government funding. He
started to protest, but Ethyl looked him dead in the eye−she then asked,
“How’s the treatment for your diabetes coming along, Lance?”
     
     
    *    *    *    *
     
     
    Daniel was
sitting on the steps in front of the California School for the Blind waiting
for his ride when Ethyl drove up. His hair was long now,