Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
A dozen journalists surrounded Sebastian. Microphones, recording pens, and flashing cameras were all around him.
“Coach Sebastian, claims have been made that you have been giving your athletes performance-enhancing drugs. Is this true?”
“Coach Sebastian, say something about the drug scandal, please!”
“Mr. Sebastian. You are the head coach of the American National Track and Field Team and are now involved in the biggest drug scandal in American history. What are you thinking right now?”
Sebastian was almost in all of these questions. He wanted to leave but couldn’t get away. He had to stop and say, “I have said before that I never provided my athletes with illegal drugs and I never will!”
“You are the first name on the list of coaches involved in the scandal. What’s your explanation?” asked a journalist at once.
“That’s a rumor! That’s slander! I’ve asked a lawyer to sue the investigative journalist for libel! His false report ruined my reputation!” Sebastian shouted.
Another journalist asked, “Three of the coaches on the list have admitted to providing illegal drugs for athletes and more than ten of the athletes have admitted to using them. That investigative report seems to have checked out so far.”
“There are about a thousand people and a thousand different drugs on that list. A few admissions mean nothing. Nothing! I can find several athletes who are using performance-enhancing drugs if I look up a list of all athletes of the world,” argued Sebastian.
“Mr. Sebastian, reliable sources say that the Chairman of the International Anti-doping Organization, Mr. Lewis, has come to America with the newest drug-testing technology. They will check all the urine samples of all athletes involved, including your athletes. Are you worried about the results of these tests?”
“Of course not. I have never provided them with any drugs,” Sebastian said. He paused for a moment and then asked, “You were talking about Mr. Lewis’ arrival in America. When did he come? Why wasn’t I aware of this?”
“His schedule is classified. The news didn’t leak until this morning. He has been here for three days. He’s done hundreds of tests already,” the journalist replied.
Sebastian controlled his facial expression but, in fact, he was very worried and frightened. There was a lot of attention on him because he was one of the more famous coaches involved in the scandal and he was the new head coach for the American National Track and Field Team. He had immediately denied that he provided athletes with drugs.
It was impossible for him to admit. He fought a tough battle to be the head coach of the American team, the pinnacle of his career. Admitting that he provided illegal drugs to athletes would definitely destroy him.
More importantly, he thought no one can harm him as long as he never admitted it.
Many who made mistakes or committed crimes acted the same way that he was. Their first instinct is to cover up their mistakes, even to the point of making new ones. Therefore, these situations always got worse and worse.
…
Sebastian called Franklin on his mobile phone.
“Professor Franklin, it’s me, Sebastian.”.
“Why are you calling me? Don’t you know that we shouldn’t communicate with each other right now? The FBI has been looking into the scandal.They might be monitoring your calls,” said Franklin angrily.
“A high-level lab like yours should have anti-eavesdropping measures.” Sebastian didn’t stop. He said quickly, “Let’s make this quick. I want to confirm something with you. Are you sure that the product you gave to me cannot be detected by the Anti-doping Organization?”
“What do you mean?” asked Franklin in reply.
Sebastian lowered his voice and said, “The Chairman of the International Anti-doping Organization just arrived in the US three days ago with new testing technology for performance-enhancing drugs. I’m worried that your product will be detected.”
Franklin took a deep breath and replied, “I’m not sure whether they can be detected or not.”
“You are not sure? What do you mean? That’s not what you said when you gave me your product! You told me that your technology was at least two years ahead of the International Anti-doping Organization. They would never detect your drugs. Those were your exact words. Do you forget?” Sebastian said worriedly.
“I said that before because they didn’t know our core secrets. Now, however, they do,” said Franklin.
“What are the core secrets?” asked Sebastian.
“Our molecular formulas! There are 27 steroidal derivatives, two of which are exactly what we used in the product. Any lab that is relatively advanced will be able to find the drug as long as it knows the molecular formulas of these derivatives. No one can copy the product, though.”
“So, the International Anti-doping Organization will surely find it!” Sebastian’s face turned pale.]”How do your security measures work? How could your secrets have been stolen so easily?”
“Our lab didn’t leak it. Blecher’s company did. That’s where the investigative journalist got our secret’s from,” said Franklin aggressively.
“Blecher, ‘the father of prohormone’? Damn it! You collaborated with the devil! You are just as bad! If I had known you two worked together, I never would have contacted you!” Sebastian cursed.
“Do you think I wanted to work with him? Several of my investors want to withdraw capital!” Franklin became angry and he added, “Never call me again. I have a big mess to take care of. Our business together is finished.”
“Are you going to get rid of me? Let me tell you, Franklin, you don’t want to make an enemy of me!”
“You know you can’t save yourself now. The International Anti-doping Organization will soon learn that all of your athletes used my drugs. You’ll go down quicker than I do!” Franklin angrily hung up the phone.
…
Franklin was fuming after his phone call with Sebastian. His assistant entered his office and said, “Professor, we just got a fax from Hans Pharmaceuticals. Its board of directors decided to temporarily stop their sponsorship of us.”
“Stop the sponsorship! Why? Because of that?” Franklin got up from the chair.
“Yes. It’s because of the performance-enhancing drugs scandal. Hans Pharmaceuticals has learned about our relationship with ‘the father of prohormone,’ Blecher. The company to rid itself of any connection to him.. So, the board of directors voted unanimously to suspend the sponsorship,” said the assistant and he gave a fax to Franklin.
Franklin read it and became upset. Blecher had always been notorious. Biological labs did not dare to openly work with him. Even though he was an investor in some of these labs, they still kept their work with him under the table.
Those labs weren’t the only things that Blecher invested in. Scientific research was always costly. Even a single research project was usually backed by many investors.
Investors invested in science to make money, not to be sued. However, Blecher was the man who would do experiments on living people. Labs with Blecher’s investments, therefore, might also be willing to do illegal experiments, so a public relationship with the man made other enterprises stop investing their money.
The thin fax paper in Franklin’s hand felt heavy given its importance.
The telephone rang but it took Franklin a moment to regain his focus enough to answer the phone.
“Professor, I just got a call from a man named Davis who claimed to be the attorney of Qianfan Investment Corporation. He wants to make an appointment with you soon.”
Qianfan Investment Corporation is one of our investors. We’ve been on good terms for years. Why do they want to meet now? Franklin had a bad feeling. He asked, “Did he say why he wants to meet me?”
“I asked. He said that our lab has been involved in the drug scandal that has received a lot of negative press. He says this violates the investment contract between tour businesses. He needs to have a meeting with you to talk about the penalty.” The receptionist spoke in a low voice.
“The penalty! You mean we have to give them money!” Franklin was shocked and he almost passed out in the chair.
The withdrawal of am investor was trouble. A withdrawal with the request of compensation was much more serious.
Franklin hung up the phone, locked the door and closed windows. He wanted silence. However, the phone rang again.
“What’s up this time? Someone else asking for compensation?” asked Franklin angrily.
“No, Professor. It’s the FBI. Two agents want to see you,” the receptionist replied with fear.
The FBI comes, finally. Franklin sat in the chair, exhausted.
…
Edward Snow and Dai Li drank happily together at a bar.
“It looks like you have fully recovered, so you can drink now. I propose a toast to you,” Dai Li said as he raised his glass.
“I’m not fully healed. I can’t make any sudden movements. I’m afraid of my wounds reopening. Drinking a little bit is fine though.” Snow said as he drank his wine. “How’s your trial going?”
“The verdict is coming soon. Mr. Wilfrid insists that I’m innocent. And I think it will all work out,” replied Dai Li.
“I also have a piece of good news for you. Blecher is ruined for real this time!” Snow smiled.
“Ruined? What do you mean?” asked Dai Li.
“All of his assets have been frozen. Next, his company will close and declare bankruptcy. No one can save him this time.” Snow drank from his glass again and added, “In fact, his company owes banks a lot of money. After the drug scandal broke, banks stopped lending to him and asked him to pay off his loans. He’s being refused by everywhere he’s asking for money.
“Actually, Blecher was in a similar situation a decade ago. But at that time, he had a few patents that kept bringing him money. Now, none of his patents are protected. So, they can’t make him money anymore.
“Without enough capital, he cannot afford a good lawyer. He doesn’t have the money that he used, so he can’t get the great lawyers to get him off easily, or bribe the warden of whatever prison he gets sent too. Now, he has to be careful.”
