EXTRACT FOR
The Angels Are Crying
(Author Unknown)

Chapter 1

  

  Dozens of waiters dressed in tuxedos walked between the tables in the large, dimly lighted room. Workers transformed the company cafeteria into a surreal scene for the very special event. Black lights bathed the white walls with a purple glow. Symphony music played from speakers while fog machines covered the floor with a white mist. The waiters served drinks and appetizers to approximately five hundred guests seated at the tables. A single white candle on each table lighted the guest's faces while they watched a video on a huge plasma monitor. They were silent, intrigued, while watching scientists working in a nearby laboratory.

  News reporters and film crews lined the walls of the room. Reporters documented the activities, while their crews recorded the activities in the cafeteria.

  Peter Samulson, the president of Endeavor BioEngineering stood near a podium at the front of the cafeteria. He motioned to Raymond Jacobs, the company's Vice-President of Research and Development. "I'm going to make history today with my announcement."

  "I agree." Ray smiled. "You're about to describe a great scientific achievement."

  Peter gestured toward his guests. "I flew these investment bankers in from around the world. They represent billions in investment opportunities. I need them to invest their money in my company, so I can expand."

  "Present the details of Osiris to them. When they see it in action, they'll know it's a money maker."

  Peter motioned toward the monitor. "I need my brother to run the live demonstration without any problems."

  "I read the text of his presentation. It's first rate. He'll impress these investors."

  "They know we're onto something big. They need me to save their banks and portfolios, and their jobs. Banks and institutional investment firms need our help to make them money. Things change in just a few short years." Peter laughed while waving to people he recognized.

  "Why do you say that?"

  Peter greeted several institutional investment executives by name. "Some of these so called executives refused to give me funding when I started this company eight years ago. They're all neophytes compared to me."

  "Maybe they were concerned you were asking for millions based only on theoretical ideas."

  "They told me I was too young at thirty. They didn't like my strategy to market bio-engineered products developed by superior researchers." 

  "This company is best in class today. They were wrong about you, and the amazing capabilities of our research and development staffs."

  "They're sheep, following the leader. Our sales are in the billions. I'm a multi-millionaire. They're here to get a piece of my action." Peter pounded his fist on the podium. "It's going to cost them substantial amounts of money to be part of my history making achievement."

  Ray realized Peter's anger was becoming uncontrollable again. He pointed at the monitor to change the subject. "Our preparations for the demo are right on schedule."

  "They better be. I want this demonstration to portray my company as a world class organization."

  The guests watched the scientists pull on rubber gloves and safety goggles. They moved around a long and tall clear glass trough to fill it with hundreds of empty plastic water and soda bottles. They placed plastic forks, spoons, knives, and cups on the bottles. Then they placed a layer of clean diapers on the bottles, and a large number of foam cups and plates.

  An overhead spotlight suddenly highlighted Peter in the cafeteria. His long bleached blonde ponytail dangling on his custom tailored suit was a stark contrast to his shoulder length black hair. "Good afternoon, everyone. You're watching activity that is taking place in a laboratory sixty feet beneath our feet. You're about to watch a demonstration of my company's Model 276 Bacteria, otherwise known as Osiris. Our newly engineered bacterium has the potential to help solve the world's need for oil!"

  The investors immediately became skeptical. Many expressed their concerns. One man laughed before he said, "Don't tell us you're converting grass into a fuel additive. That's an outdated concept, and will not make any of us money!"

  "I'm wasting my time here, when I should be out looking at money making investments," an investor told his colleagues. "This is a dog and pony show, where both animals are old and tired."

  Peter walked between the tables to be closer to his audience. "I invited you here to share the details of a new product that will change the world. It will produce hundreds of billions of dollars in revenue. If you're not interested, please get up and leave."

  The man appeared embarrassed. "Maybe we all spoke too soon. Please continue with your presentation."

  "Thank you all for allowing me to continue, uninterrupted." Peter concealed his contempt for the people in the cafeteria. "My bacteria will make millions for you, keep your shareholders happy, and save your plush jobs!" 

  An investment executive said, "That's what we're here to learn about. Give us the details." Others agreed.

  Peter took a deep breath to calm himself. "When my researchers created Osiris, they considered the largest untapped resource in the world." Overhead projectors began displaying videos of towering piles of trash in landfills, onto the walls around the cafeteria. "That resource is the plastic and foam materials created from oil."

  "I'm not investing millions in another trash to energy plant," a woman said, as she sat back on a chair. Many others vehemently agreed with her statement. "History has shown, they're not profitable, and we lose tens of millions of dollars each year."

  "Trash to energy is old news. Converting that trash to fuel is the new solution!" Peter nodded to the group. "Nature will take thousands of years to biodegrade plastic and foam trash. Every piece of plastic and foam discarded by man remains buried in a landfill somewhere on this planet. That almost unlimited supply of plastic, and my Osiris bacteria, is what the world needs to fuel its cars."

  "Create fuel from plastic? Absurd!" Someone shouted.

  "I want to hear more." Another investor appeared intrigued by Peter's explanation. "Tell us how this process works."

  "Simply put, Osiris converts ordinary plastic and foam waste into synthetic fuel."

  Everyone appeared shocked after the explanation. They began talking, expressing their views to one another. 

  A man said, "Where will you find huge amounts of plastic to convert to fuel?"

  "My bacteria will facilitate the need for everyone to recycle. Everyone will understand their efforts to save our planet, will also produce a cheap fuel for their vehicles."

  "Can you retrieve the plastic trash buried in our landfills?" A woman said, while others around her shouted questions to Peter. 

  "I'm working with a major earth moving equipment producer. We're developing machines to burrow through landfills to retrieve plastic. So yes, we will have the technology to locate plastic in landfills."

  "That is a marvelous idea," a man said. Others agreed in conversations with colleagues.

  "The demand for my bacteria will outperform expectations when governments realize it will solve another problem. Removing the plastic from landfills will make space available for more trash.

  "Waste disposal is a huge global crisis, because we're running out of landfills, and places to dump our trash," a woman said, while writing notes on a pad. "I'm already investing in trash compacting equipment."

  Peter laughed before he said, "My company has the only solution that will make your venture capital companies, and banks, huge sums of revenue. Our nation will no longer bury plastic and foam products in landfills. My bacteria will remove bulky plastic waste, to free additional space in currently operating landfills. The bacteria will also reopen closed landfills for years to come, after removing the plastic buried in them."

  "Do you have your marketing strategy we can review?" Someone said. 

  Other financial people began asking for more details about the bacteria and the profit projections over a several year period. The people in the room became excited, as they realized investment in Peter's company would make them money.

  "I'll share that information with all of you. My financial projections show Model 276 will make my company the most profitable in the world, even during times of economic crisis."

  A man rested his chin on his hand, while thinking. Then he said, "Helping the environment, while producing fuel, is an intriguing concept. This may make all of us heroes." He smiled as the group unanimously agreed with his comments, showing their growing enthusiasm.

  A video of whales in the ocean flashed onto the walls. The scene changed to show miles of plastic bottles, plastic containers, and plastic trash, floating on seemingly endless blue ocean water. Music appropriate for a funeral accompanied the depressing graphic video. 

  Peter took a glass of water from a waiter. He sipped it, intentionally pausing to give the people time to view the vast array of plastic trash floating on the water. "This is a lesser known problem."

  "Is that plastic garbage floating in our oceans?" A frowning man said. He listened as other people began shouting similar questions.

  Peter raised his hands to quiet the group, so he could continue. "Two-hundred billion pounds of plastic products are produced each year. Ten percent ends up in the ocean, creating what we refer to as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. One patch floats between California and Hawaii. It's twice the size of Texas. The second patch containing plastic garbage is west of Hawaii."

  "That's appalling," a disgusted man said. 

  "I had no idea this problem is so extensive," an outraged woman said. "We're destroying our oceans."

  "Imagine how the price of my company's stock will increase in value, after I announce Osiris will clean up the oceans, while creating precious fuel. The environmentalists will love me!"

  As one man wrote notes on a napkin, he said, "How will you retrieve that plastic from the ocean?"

  "Shipbuilders are designing vessels to harvest the plastic. Osiris will convert it to fuel at sea. Each time a ship docks, it will carry millions of gallons of cheaply produced fuel."

  "Let's get back to basics," someone said. "How do you grow your bacteria?"

  "We utilize a cheap nutrient solution to propagate the bacteria." Peter displayed a graphic on the walls. "It's nothing more than chicken soup."

  The bankers studied the numbers. "No costs, other than storage and application. This bacterium has great potential." He smiled to others while realizing their skepticism was quickly turning to loud enthusiasm.

  "Is the bacteria environmentally safe?" 

  "We've proved with extensive testing that the bacteria will not harm the environment." Peter noticed his technicians on the monitor were ready. "My brother Roger, the project's lead scientist is ready to demonstrate Osiris." 

  Roger lifted a microphone in the laboratory. He stepped to the glass trough. "Hello everyone. This test area represents the trash found in landfills. During this demonstration you'll watch how Osiris biodegrades the materials into a highly flammable liquid which can be used as an alternative fuel source."

  "What happens to the bacteria when it's done biodegrading?" An impatient woman said as she looked at her watch.

  Roger smiled after the interruption. He was two years younger than his brother, but was much more charismatic. "After Osiris completes the biodegrading process, it dies from a lack of nourishment. The cells remain in the created fuel, and are burned away harmlessly in an internal combustion engine."

  Another scientist stepped to a control panel. "I'm Paul Jackson, one of the primary Osiris designers. I'll apply the Model 276 sample bacteria to the test area." A bluish green liquid began spraying onto items in the trough from small overhead tubes. The bacteria coated the plastic and foam products.

  "Now you'll see my bacteria in action." Peter smiled as his guests intently watched the monitor.

  "I see something happening," a surprised man said, "The plastic bottles appear to be collapsing."

  "They're turning into a liquid," said a woman excitedly. In her excitement, she knocked over several nearby champagne glasses. "It's working! I can see it working!"

  "The entire pile of trash is collapsing," said another amazed woman. "It's turning to liquid."

  Thirty seconds later the last of the trash seemed to disappear. Roger said, "Thomas Goldberg will now demonstrate the combustible characteristics the fuel Osiris created, while biodegrading the plastic trash."

  A short and overweight man removed a container filled with a bluish green liquid from under the trough. "You could put this fuel into your car right now, and use it to get home." He poured the liquid into a shallow clear glass container. Then he placed an electronic igniter into it. A large blue flame suddenly erupted from the container, when the fuel ignited explosively. 

  Peter raised his hands, symbolically calming everyone. "You are in no danger. That concludes our demonstration of Osiris. A revolutionary bacterium, that will help solve the world's energy and trash issues. The latest product from Endeavor BioEngineering."

  "This might be the most important discovery in the past one hundred years," a young financial person said, as he entered a message into his cell phone.

  Another man agreed. "I want to see your research data and financial projections. This company will be a large part of my investment portfolio tomorrow." 

  A door opened and Roger, Paul, and Thomas walked into the cafeteria. Peter's invited guests began congratulating them. They were surprised and pleased after the investors unexpectedly stood and began clapping. 

  Peter placed his hand on Roger's shoulder. "My brother has a Doctorate from Vanderbilt University. Together we form an unbeatable team!" He vigorously shook Roger's hand.

  "Thank you." Roger nodded to the group. His boyish face, blonde hair, and alluring smile made him immediately likeable. He rolled up the sleeves of his white shirt.

  Peter shook Paul's hand. "This is Paul Jackson. He graduated from Cal Tech. He's been a member of the Osiris project since its inception three years ago."

  Paul waved to the clapping people. "Thanks." The periodic table symbols covering his tie signaled the group he was the technical member of the team.

  Peter then said, "This is Thomas Goldberg. He's a graduate of MIT. He joined the project team less than a year ago." 

  "Hi ya'all. Glad to know yah." Thomas' artificial southern accent, and his red shirt and jeans, seemed to confuse the invited guests. He smiled self-consciously, after he heard them making unflattering remarks to one another related to his attire and presentation skills.

  Peter said, "Now the development team leaders we'll explain the process that went into the development of our bacteria."

  Roger began explaining the details contained in a PowerPoint presentation projected onto the walls of the cafeteria for the financial people. He explained the strategy employed to develop and test the bacteria. 

  Paul spoke next, reiterating Model 276 would benefit the world by reducing trash in landfills, while reducing the world's dependency for oil.

  Thomas spoke last. He shocked Peter when he said, "This presentation is so boring. Let me show you how my recommendations helped Model 276 to evolve."

  "What are you doing?" Roger watched Thomas open his own PowerPoint presentation. Rock music suddenly began blaring from the speakers, while various images of laboratories displayed on the wall.

  Thomas smiled at the investors, confident he could impress them. "When I joined this company, the Osiris project was going nowhere. It was an over budget, failure. It was my brainchild, my ideas, which gave birth to a bacterium that can biodegrade plastic." He paused while watching people whispering to one another.

  Peter was furious after the unexpected statements. "This is not part of my presentation."

  "How did you accomplish that amazing feat, and save the project for Peter?" An investor said, while pointing at Thomas. 

  "I determined how to re-engineer a bacterium living deep in the earth stratum. It's the same bacterium that creates oil from decaying debris which is millions of years old." Thomas lifted a piece of cheese from a shocked man's plate, before he ate it. When a waiter passed by with a tray, he grasped a glass of champagne, before he drank from it. 

  An investor said, "Do I understand this correctly? You reversed the process that creates oil?"

  "Yes I did. My ideas will biodegrade plastic into fuel." During the next thirty minutes, Thomas explained his theories, proposals, and efforts that fostered development of Osiris.

  "Will you improve Osiris in the future so that it biodegrades rubber too?"

  Thomas laughed at the question. "No, that would make the bacteria uncontainable and very dangerous. I'm pleased the bacteria in its present form, will help to save the world from an ecological disaster, and put gas in my car." 

  "This scientist is a genius," a man said after the detailed explanation. He clapped with his companions.

  "He saved your project, Peter," another said, "You should double, no, triple his salary."

  "This genius may have singlehandedly saved our planet with his groundbreaking ideas," another finance person said. That remark brought cheers and clapping from the group.

  Peter frowned as he said, "The Osiris development team will now take your questions." 

  The group responded to questions for three hours. News camera operators filmed the discussion in the cafeteria, as reporters documented notes using their electronic devices.

  Peter eventually concluded the meeting, when he said, "Ladies and gentlemen, I want to thank you for your participation. I hope you consider Endeavor Biological Engineering a sound investment option, with the promise of high return on your investments."

  An investor speaking to his partners on his cell phone said, "When do you envision the first full production test of Osiris?" 

  Peter noticed other institutional investors were already on the phone, buying Endeavor stock. He became ecstatic. He realized he had their interest. "I plan to conduct a test within ninety days." 

  "Why are you waiting so long? Why can't we have the test conducted sooner, so we can see the results in a real world setting?" 

  Peter motioned to a tall man in the cafeteria. "Let me introduce John Harrison, from the Environmental Protection Agency. I'll let him explain the holdup."

  Harrison, a tall black man, stepped to the podium. "My agency is coordinating the first outside of the lab test of Osiris. Our job is to ensure the bacteria will not adversely affect or influence people, or the environment. When we're satisfied the bacteria is safe, we'll approve the test."  

  "What is your opinion of Osiris? Will it help resolve some of our environmental problems?" An investor asked. He wanted information while on the phone buying huge amounts of the company stock.

  "We're very impressed with the bacteria, and the safeguards the company instituted during the development. We've worked very closely with Endeavor throughout the development process, and we already see it as safe."

  A bank investment officer on his cell phone speaking to his colleagues frantically said, "I want you guys to buy half a million shares of Endeavor before the American Stock Exchange closes. Do it now! This stock is going to explode in price when word of their new bacteria gets out. Buy it now, don't wait until the price skyrockets and we can't make money!" 

  Peter's Public Relations staff distributed binders containing detailed information related to the development of the Model 276 Osiris Bacteria, and company financial reports, to each investor. After Peter answered their remaining questions, he and Roger led the men and women to limousines waiting in the company parking lot. The spectacular Miami skyline glistened in the late afternoon sunlight as people walked in the heat and oppressive humidity.

  After Peter and Roger returned to the cafeteria, they spoke to company employees, and congratulated them for their efforts to make the test successful.

  Thomas walked around the cafeteria, drinking the champagne remaining in glasses on the tables. "I'd say that whole affair was awesome. What'd you all think?"

  "I'd say it became a bloody disaster the minute you started talking, you disrespectful fool!" Peter became furious. "What was that crap you told those investors? I didn't authorize you to use a presentation I didn't review!"

  Thomas ran his hand over his shoulder length dark hair. It was unwashed, dirty, and shined as if greasy. "I put it together last night to impress those big wig money guys. No time to show you today, Kimosabe."

  "Don't ever do anything that embarrasses me, or my company! Do you understand me?"

  "You gotta chill out, my man." Thomas drank champagne from another glass. "I'm an innovator, a rebel!" 

  Peter grasped his own long ponytail. "This reassures my customers I'm progressive and open minded. They know I'm willing to take on new challenges. I don't pay you to take chances with my company!"

  "Whatever!" Thomas unexpectedly laughed, before he drank more champagne.

  "You don't do anything unless I approve it. Do you understand me?"

  "No problem, Kimosabe! You're the boss. I'm only the vastly underpaid laborer." Thomas drank champagne from another glass, before walking from the cafeteria. 

  "He made all of us look ridiculous," Paul said.

  "Relax, it's not a big deal." Roger opened a bottle of champagne. He handed a glass to each man, before filling it. "I propose a toast, to a superb company and an excellent product development team."

  Peter savored the flavor of the champagne. He read a text message sent to his cell phone. "I need fifteen minutes of everyone's time. That includes you Harrison. Let's review the plans for the open air test." 

  Peter led the group into a large conference room filled with his senior managers. "Give us an update about the test preparations."