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Back Jungle Up Save as PDF
Chapters (63)
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  63. Author’s Note

Bill said, “Sure, we could make billions, maybe even ten billion in those first few years. But we make over twenty billion on Mireva every single year. Autoimmune disease is our golden goose. Ultimately, we would be curing our customer base.”

“He’s right,” Patrick said. “In the long run it would be catastrophic for the bottom line. But only a psychopath would let profits outweigh curing hundreds of millions of people.”

Daniel Sewall said, “Think about all those people suffering.”

Patrick glanced at his son. Much like how Lacy’s MS stung at my heart daily, I’m sure each time Patrick saw Daniel’s red, flaky skin or saw him grimace as he tried to make a fist, it felt like a nest of bees in his stomach.

“It’s not my job to think of them,” Bill said. “My job is to increase the value of the company for our shareholders.”

“Forget the shareholders,” Patrick said.

“Of course, you, the largest shareholder, would say that. You’ll be worth billions no matter what happens.”

“You’re a millionaire several times over yourself.”

“True. And I will be forever grateful for the opportunity you gave me. But I’ll be damned if I’m surrendering my position as CEO just because your son found some miracle bacteria.”

“Unbelievable,” Patrick scoffed.

“You couldn’t understand,” said Bill. “Everything has always come easy for you—school, girls, money, acclaim—but I’ve had to work and scrape for everything in my life.” He laughed to himself and said, “Do you think it was just a coincidence that Humphries was accused of sexual harassment five days before a shareholders’ meeting?”

“You?” Patrick said. “You did that?”

“Of course I did. Humphries was no letch. He was the consummate family man. I paid those three girls to make up that stuff about him. Paid them well.” Patrick was at a loss for words, and after a short pause, Bill said, “Okay, let’s get this over with.”

“And what exactly do you intend to do with us?” asked Martin.

“In your book, you said this was a tribe of headhunters.” Bill smiled. “So, I’m going to cut off all your heads.”

55

55

one mile from the village
august 23, 3:51 p.m.
expedition: day 10

“Twelve,” Andy said.

“Fourteen,” Darnell said back.

“Sixteen.”

“Sixteen? That’s pretty ambitious. Okay, let’s hear it.”

Andy was set to start listing off characters from the Marvel Universe, when from ten feet behind him, he heard, “Twenty.”

Andy and Darnell turned and glanced over their shoulders.

“Really?” Darnell said. “You watch those movies?”

“Just a few of them,” said Vern. “I grew up on the comic books.”

A day and a half earlier, when Andy had decided he was going after Thomas to film his rescue attempt of Dr. Gina Brady, he was surprised when Vern had volunteered to come along.

“But what about your knee?” Andy had asked.