Dr. James St.Clair pressed a button secreted away inside a pocket of his dinner-suit jacket. It was connected to a slim injector, and then a wrist-attached cannula, which released a customised cocktail of drugs into his bloodstream. There was enough stored in an under-arm pouch for six pre-measured injections — enough to keep the worst of the cancer’s symptoms at bay for the evening.
The compact IV system gave terminally ill patients a level of control and freedom typically impossible for hospital-bound patients. The cocktail of drugs was customised specifically for each patient.
At no time during the system’s development had James ever considered he would eventually be one of those patients.
As the drugs flowed through his body, James’ focus sharpened and he took in the party around him. It was less a party and more the unwanted living wake he had organised as a deception to draw one particular attendee.
Professor Julia York strode amongst the unwitting witnesses of the impending drama, with the same self-assured grace he had last witnessed more than 20 years ago.
James made his way unsteadily through the crowd.
Their paths intersected a few steps up an ornate sweeping staircase that eventually opens onto a second-floor balcony. It was part of the house he could no longer reach by himself. He now slept downstairs.
“Thank you for being here tonight, Julia.”
“Of course. I was so sorry to hear of your illness, James.”
“No need to be so formal. You used to call me Jack. You can do so again.”
“We have long since moved away from friendship and the informalities it offers.”
“I understand. I know we did not part company on favourable terms.”
“Always one for understatement. I never understood why you were so cold towards me after the project team broke up.“
“It seems we remember events differently. Let’s see if I can jog your memory. You stole the schematics for the auto-IV system, founded a separate company and produced a second-rate copy before I could get our original to market. Still, I have some satisfaction that yours was an inferior product. How does that sound for being cold?”
“My various homes scattered throughout Europe disagree with you about the comparable quality of our respective products.”
James ignored the boast, “But you do not contest how we parted? It no longer matters. So many years have passed and I do not have many left before me. I have a surprise for you, though.”
“Do tell. I’m intrigued. What does someone so decrepit have to offer me?”
“Look to your right. See the large, well-dressed individual taking an above-average interest in our conversation? He has been instructed to intervene if you attempt to harm me. Despite his size, he is quite swift.”
Julia’s smirk faded. “You’re concerning me now, James. What is this about? Why take such precautions?”
“This is about your deceitful auto-IV system and saving the lives of those who unwittingly bought it!”
“I have no idea what you are talking about. I’m leaving.”
James moved just fast enough to keep himself between Julia and the exit.
“No you’re not. Remember that poor woman in Utah? The one with Alzheimer’s and the muscle spasms? I know you do. There is a design fault with your injector, which you also know about. That’s why you worked so hard to cover it up. I can’t let you continue risking people’s lives just for your own profit.”
“What do you want?”
“I am using your IV system right now and I’m going to show everyone here tonight exactly what it can do to a person.”
“A stunt like that isn’t going to work. It can’t.”
“Well, I guess you’re about to find out. Goodbye, Julia.”
James pressed the IV’s inject button and twisted his thumb to trigger the flawed mechanism. In place of a single measure, the system injected the remaining five.
James’ body convulsed like a marionette’s strings snapping. The air flowed with the arias he had chosen interplaying with crescendos of shrieking guests as they spotted his failing body.
His vision darkening, James watched Julia’s unsuccessful, panicked attempt to back away through the oncoming crowd. He was satisfied she wouldn’t escape the evening or the judgement to come.
