The Meeting

Writing Center ContestThe Meeting Yamaan, ID: b00056549

A neatly dressed figure stood looking at the sky outside from the spectacular view provided by his window. Mr. President, theyre waiting for you. The voice of his secretary resounded with an echo coming from a speaker. The man went to sit at his desk in the White House and leaned over the intercom to press the button. Well what are you waiting for Jessica? He growled. Send them right in. Yes sir, right away. The President crossed his gangly legs and straightened his tie. This had better be quick. There was a knock on his door, Come on in, He authorized, and a security guard dressed in full black opened the door and escorted two flustered looking men near the Presidents desk. Leave us, He told his security, who promptly walked out and closed the door behind him. The 2 men wore lab coats, spectacles, and had tousled hair. They may had been subjected to harassment outside. Its Dr. Carter and Dr. Johansen, am I correct? He addressed them politely. Yessir. Dr. Carter said. The President glowered at them. He hated people who took their time. I dont got all day Doc. Now you and your partner are here to see me regarding Oxygen and its development? Something real important is what I heard? Dr. Carter flushed with redness. Of course its important. It could well be the most important discovery we made since 2356. Oh? The President looked on uninterested. Politicians, scientists and doctors- they all wanted meetings with him to get approval for programs that they thought would revolutionize the world. There was nothing new here. In fact, he would have never agreed to see the two mutts if this development hadnt been specifically about Oxygen. Ever since the year 2421, the world had run out of Oxygen. When the last tree died some few years prior to 2421, there was still Oxygen left in some places on Earth. Now it was all gone. Oxygen had remained in the air though for a few more years until some populations reported difficulty breathing. It was horrendous, for air would go inside the lungs of the person, but would not satisfy him/her. 6 breaths per minute was no longer enough. Over the course of a couple more years, most of Earths populace was breathing 18 times a minute just to survive. Eating became difficult, people became lethargic, and then the deaths began to roll in. In the areas that had been the longest without trees, people would simply drown in the air. There was simply too small concentrations of oxygen to survive on. The first deaths spurred a global emergency called the Oxygen Crisis, where the most high tech industrialized nations gathered the most intelligent scientists around the world to find a new way to make oxygen. They had succeeded within a few short years, splitting hydrogen from oxygen in water molecules and then combining them to form O2. Soon there were oxygen masks and tanks ready for sale. The investors had profited in the billions, and the people could breathe again. Oxygen, was the reason the world was alive. Of course tanks and masks became too inconvenient overtime, and the President checked his own glass square-shaped bottle of Oxygen in his pocket and saw that there was around 80 percent left. It was plugged into his body via a tube that was connected to his vein in his right arm all the time. That was how everyone was supplied with Oxygen today.Mr. President, were here to see you about something that could very well change the lives of everyone on this planet. The President motioned for the Doctor to continue. Yes well, me and Dr. Johansen work as you know at The World Lab and through an accident we did not intend created a new molecule. Oh? The President inquired. And what, pray tell, would that be? The two men looked at each other. Dr. Johansen nodded. Its O5. That is 5 Oxygen atoms combined together. We call it Oxcilagon. Oxcilagon you say? And isnt it useless? Dont we need O2 to breathe? I still dont see how this is relevant. Patience, Mr. President. You see thats what me and my colleague first thought as well, and then we ran some tests on mice and the results werewellastounding. The President looked up. He realized he was being told something very top secret that was known to practically no one else at the moment. He leaned over and listened intently. The mice that were injected with Oxcilagon at first showed signs of weakness and dizziness, but after 30 minutes something extraordinary happened. They started doing laps in the hamster wheel. So what? Its not like thats important. The President scoffed at what he heard. His wife told better stories. No, no you dont understand. The Doctor replied. These mice never do any exercise. Theyre always tired and eating. They dont give 2 clicks about any sort of activities. But we did some tests and recorded their duration of activity and observed a 650 percent increase in energy output over a 2 month period. The President was still not sure where this was going. So you Docs been doing this stuff a long time it seems. But hey why do I care if mice can move faster on O5? Mr. President, youre absolutely right about that and we probably wouldnt have cared either but there was something else that was simply not possible but was revealed by the tests. This had better be good. The President thought sourly. Sir, the Oxygen concentration level in their blood was 0 percent. Dr. Carter was tense with excitement and Dr. Johansen was nodding his head eagerly. What? I dont understand. The President replied.You have to understand now sir that we stopped supplying the mice with Oxygen and tested Oxcilagon to see its effects therein. The mice should have died within a week of not receiving any more Oxygen. Since they did not, we supplied them with Oxcilagon, and they have steadily remained super-energetic, and have not required Oxygen since. Wham. It finally hit the President. A new molecule had been found called Oxcilagon, and it was at least 6 times more efficient than Oxygen. The implications were enormous. But there was certainly more. But this Oxcilagon is obviously more difficult to make than Oxygen right? And even if it does provide more energy, we still need the glass boxes and everything. I suppose we could sell Oxcilagon to humans if it works properly and call it a super-fuel. That would make the Oxygen Companies happy.Sir, thats not the best part yet. Dr. Johansen finally spoke up. The President didnt care.Well gentlemen, Ive heard you both, and I say youve done well. Oxcilagon sounds like a fine new addition to the breathing apparatus. Ill see to it that youre both rewarded handsomely for your efforts. Maybe even a Nobel Prize, who knows? But Ive got work to get to and Ill sign your documents that I approve the manufacture and human testing of Oxcilagon, as Im sure thats why youre here. Well Mr. President, Dr. Johansen began, Its more complicated than that. See, me and my colleague here, we have already begun testing Oxcilagon on ourselves. The President looked hard at the two men. That was totally illegal, even if they only applied such treatment to themselves. But he sensed something bigger was coming. He remained quiet. After 2 months of testing the mice, we applied to see you immediately, to get human trials underway. But they would only book us an appointment with you 15 months later, and so we couldnt wait that long. We tested the Oxcilagon on ourselves, and after a couple months or so, our bodies ran out of Oxygen as well. So we now are completely Oxcilagonized. But heres the most important part sir. Dr. Johansens eyes grew wide with glee. We dont have to take Oxcilagon anymore. The President shot up from his seat. What did you say?! He thundered. Dr. Johansen shrank back with terror and Dr. Carter seemed petrified. The President was a big man, add to that the sun setting in the background window so that his shadow loomed across the entire room. In his own head, the President could not believe what he just heard. No more resupply? Are you telling me, he continued dangerously, that only one dose of Oxcilagon is enough and that you no longer have to fill your bottles? Dr. Carter, recovering from his fear, nodded, and then more confidently spoke: Sir, we havent used the tanks for a year, and thats what weve been trying to tell you. Oxcilagon regenerates. We dont need to keep on taking it. Once its in, the molecule divides according to the bodys needs, making it never necessary to inject anymore. And its ridiculously simple to make, and does not cost more than Oxygen. The President looked on with a grim look on his face. Dr. Carter thought he saw a glint of hatred in his eyes but then it was gone. Where can I get my hands on some Oxcilagon? He inquired nonchalantly. Dr. Carter was shaking with excitement. He could see the Nobel Prize being handed to himself and Dr. Johansen, the crowd applauding their achievements, their names written down in the textbooks, and all the lectures they would give in the most prestigious universities around the world. Hell, they would be idolized for life. Once the President signed their papers, they could begin human testing and have the world supplied with Oxcilagon in no time. And but for the first dose, it would be free, infinite, and limitless. They would never have to work again, squabbling over scraps and stupid patients. It was too good to be true, it was- Jessica, please send in Howard. The President spoke, and Dr. Carters thoughts stopped. Can I have your papers please? He asked the Doctor. He handed them to him, who looked them on with his penetrating glance and then nodded, satisfied. There was a knock on the door, and a man stepped in, dressed in full black. Doctors, this is Howard, my bodyguard. The President turned his sole attention to the man and spoke directly: You heard the whole thing? Yes sir, Howard nodded. Then, The President shrugged, you know what to do. There was no sound as Dr. Johansens body fell limp to the floor, his neck snapped in two. Dr. Carter stared in horror as Howard came for him next. No wait. Wait! Why are you doing this? STOP! STOP! Dr. Carter was hysterical. What was happening? Why were they being murdered? Hold on Howard. Howard had Dr. Carters neck in his arms, just about to snap. Dr. Carter, we cannot have regenerating O5 molecules that dont require the population to pay for their supply. What would happen to the Oxygen Companies that keep the economy in balance? The investors and shareholders would simply never hear of such a thing, and I, as the President who has received generous donations from their profits, would not allow such a thing either. If O5 didnt regenerate, then maybe we could have come to an agreement. I am sorry. Howard here, not unused to these types of propositions, helps to keep such dangerous ideas from spreading. He nodded at Howard, who promptly snapped Dr. Carters neck as if it were a twig; that terrified expression frozen on the doctors face as his eyes glazed over. ***Howard placed both doctors in boxes labelled TOP SECRET and rolled them on a trolley out of the Presidents office. The President looked outside his window, staring at the beautiful sunset. He called his wife, telling her he didnt want steak tonight. Yes he was sure. Just vegetable curry and some soup. That was all. He hung up.