time for slackers and detested competition. Worse than that, he was brilliant. Helmut was God in his laboratory, and George one of his minions.
George finished college in the spring of 1952. True to his word, Matthew gave George his own lab on the other side of the small building in Los Arma. Matthew also gave George the task of developing a biological weapon so great that the government would be knocking down the doors of Wilmer Chemicals. George was happy to oblige Matthew as it meant he would be kept on a loose leash.
This didn't sit well with Helmut, who felt he had earned the right to work on the Holy Grail of weapons. But Matthew reminded Helmut that the American people weren't ready to have a German creating the ultimate weapon right in their own backyard and convinced him to be patient. Helmut was, after all, the head of the pharmaceutical division, and right now the pharmaceutical division was the only division bringing in any money. So Helmut resigned himself to heading the drug division as they called it in the hallways.
George’s curiosity led him to investigate all the latest trends in biochemistry. He found an obscure article in Life magazine about a young woman named DeMorte who had discovered a plant in the Brazilian rainforest that seemed to have medicinal as well as poisonous properties. This ying-yang quality fascinated George. Wilmer’s could greatly benefit from both properties of this marvelous Mortevida plant, as it was now being called. George quietly began attempting to contact Miss DeMorte to see if she would be willing to give him one of her fabulous plants.
Margaret DeMorte was having the time of her life. She had discovered a previously unknown species of plant, a botanist's dream. The natives had shown her that it could be used as a friend or foe.
Margaret wasn't eager to share her discovery until she had a firm plan in hand for how she wanted to use it. The idea of biological weapons was abhorrent to her, but the medicinal qualities of this plant were remarkable - particularly for women.
The plant had been used by the natives for years to prevent miscarriages. The success rate of the Mortevida bringing a woman to term was remarkable. This was what Margaret DeMorte wanted to produce, a medicine that could help women with a history of miscarriage maintain a pregnancy to term.
When George Ranier contacted Margaret in the spring of 1953, she wrote and told him he should come down to the rainforest. She wanted to introduce George to the Mortevida in its native environment. So George requested a short leave from Matthew, who granted it.
George had to travel first to California to board a ship headed for Brazil. The trip took him several days. Fortunately, Margaret had arranged to have him escorted to her camp deep in the rainforest.
When he arrived at her camp, George immediately asked to see the Mortevida. He watched Margaret as they walked to her lab which was housed in a Quonset hut. She asked George to call her Maggie. She was tall and thin, with short brown hair that she covered with a strange short-brimmed hat. George found her somewhat attractive, but not as attractive as Alice, the waitress George was dating back in Los Arma.
Maggie showed George the Mortevida plants. She had been quite successfully growing the plants, which were proving to be particularly hardy. She told George only to touch the outer purple line that went along the edge of each leaf. That was the medicinal part of the plant and wouldn’t harm him.
The green part, however, was dangerous. That part of the plant bore a lethal poison that could kill on contact. George felt the edge of the leaf and noted its texture. He also noted that purple edge had a spore-like quality, enabling it to rub off on his fingers.
Later that day, Maggie showed him where the Mortevida grew and she introduced him to the local people who were helping
George finished college in the spring of 1952. True to his word, Matthew gave George his own lab on the other side of the small building in Los Arma. Matthew also gave George the task of developing a biological weapon so great that the government would be knocking down the doors of Wilmer Chemicals. George was happy to oblige Matthew as it meant he would be kept on a loose leash.
This didn't sit well with Helmut, who felt he had earned the right to work on the Holy Grail of weapons. But Matthew reminded Helmut that the American people weren't ready to have a German creating the ultimate weapon right in their own backyard and convinced him to be patient. Helmut was, after all, the head of the pharmaceutical division, and right now the pharmaceutical division was the only division bringing in any money. So Helmut resigned himself to heading the drug division as they called it in the hallways.
George’s curiosity led him to investigate all the latest trends in biochemistry. He found an obscure article in Life magazine about a young woman named DeMorte who had discovered a plant in the Brazilian rainforest that seemed to have medicinal as well as poisonous properties. This ying-yang quality fascinated George. Wilmer’s could greatly benefit from both properties of this marvelous Mortevida plant, as it was now being called. George quietly began attempting to contact Miss DeMorte to see if she would be willing to give him one of her fabulous plants.
Margaret DeMorte was having the time of her life. She had discovered a previously unknown species of plant, a botanist's dream. The natives had shown her that it could be used as a friend or foe.
Margaret wasn't eager to share her discovery until she had a firm plan in hand for how she wanted to use it. The idea of biological weapons was abhorrent to her, but the medicinal qualities of this plant were remarkable - particularly for women.
The plant had been used by the natives for years to prevent miscarriages. The success rate of the Mortevida bringing a woman to term was remarkable. This was what Margaret DeMorte wanted to produce, a medicine that could help women with a history of miscarriage maintain a pregnancy to term.
When George Ranier contacted Margaret in the spring of 1953, she wrote and told him he should come down to the rainforest. She wanted to introduce George to the Mortevida in its native environment. So George requested a short leave from Matthew, who granted it.
George had to travel first to California to board a ship headed for Brazil. The trip took him several days. Fortunately, Margaret had arranged to have him escorted to her camp deep in the rainforest.
When he arrived at her camp, George immediately asked to see the Mortevida. He watched Margaret as they walked to her lab which was housed in a Quonset hut. She asked George to call her Maggie. She was tall and thin, with short brown hair that she covered with a strange short-brimmed hat. George found her somewhat attractive, but not as attractive as Alice, the waitress George was dating back in Los Arma.
Maggie showed George the Mortevida plants. She had been quite successfully growing the plants, which were proving to be particularly hardy. She told George only to touch the outer purple line that went along the edge of each leaf. That was the medicinal part of the plant and wouldn’t harm him.
The green part, however, was dangerous. That part of the plant bore a lethal poison that could kill on contact. George felt the edge of the leaf and noted its texture. He also noted that purple edge had a spore-like quality, enabling it to rub off on his fingers.
Later that day, Maggie showed him where the Mortevida grew and she introduced him to the local people who were helping
Similar Books
