Page 89 of Conspiracies and Chemistry

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Disease Risk Assessment

Disease risk assessment:An evaluation of an individual’s genetic, lifestyle, and environmental factors to determine a quantitative or qualitative risk of developing specific diseases.

OLIVER

One hour earlier

Iopened my laptop and checked my presentation. When I pulled my notes out of my satchel, the papers fluttered in my trembling fingers. Quickly, I set them on the shiny glass surface of the boardroom table.

Who was I kidding? Everyone would know from one glance at my greenish face how nervous I was.

God, I missed Simon. He used to run these meetings like a pro. Then he’d text me when it was time for the science, and I’d scurry in to give my prepared presentation. On more than one occasion, one of the members had started to snore in the middle of it. At first, I was offended, but Simon told me a boring presentation was a successful one: people hated to be surprised.

They were going to hate me today.

Dr. Perrell’s assistant walked in, her steps silent on the thick carpet. She carried a tray of sandwiches, and I wondered if Savannah had made them. Gemma froze when she saw me but recovered after a few blinks. “Dr. Bond! I didn’t expect you to be in here. You know the meeting doesn’t start for another thirty minutes, right?”

“Is it a problem that I’m early?”

“Of course not.” She set the bagels on a credenza. “The coffee’s on the way, but would you like me to bring you a cup?”

I rubbed my sweaty hands on my pants. “No, thank you, Gemma. Maybe a glass of water when you have a minute. Please.”

“Sure. Good luck today.” She smiled.

“Thanks.” Gemma’s position would be eliminated if we sold to Greenwich. And she didn’t have a life raft of stock options to keep her afloat during her job search.

I scanned the paper that listed my key points. I had to succeed. Everyone’s future was riding on it.

“Well, well.” I looked up at the familiar voice. “Look who’s an eager beaver today.”

I stood and held out my hand. “Sir.”

My grandfather took it. “It’s good to see you engaged in the company. I was worried for a while.”

“I prefer the science,” I said, “but today’s vote is important.”

“And which way do you intend to vote?” He lifted his white eyebrows.

“Against,” I said with all the confidence I could muster.

“Really? I’d have thought you’d prefer to let someone else be in charge while you focus on the science, like you said.”

“I’d much rather.” Simon, and even Tessa, had allowed me to do that. Now they’d abandoned me. “But I care about this company, and that means I have to step up and lead. How do you intend to vote?”

“It was a risk to invest in a couple of college kids, but the returns have been good—except for this year.”

I winced. Six months ago, Dr. Perrell had reminded me that we hadn’t launched a new product in almost a year, but I hadn’t thought about how it might affect our investors.

He spread his hands. “I’m getting too old to be traipsing across the country every quarter. I?—”

Gemma pushed in a utility cart of bottled water and a couple of large carafes. “Good morning, Mr. Bond. Coffee?”

“Decaf, please,” my grandfather said. “With the time change, I’ve been up since four. I’ve already had two cups of the leaded stuff.”

While Gemma and my grandfather exchanged pleasantries, I worried. Was he planning to vote for the sale? I’d hoped at least my blood relative would stand with me.

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