Soul Pills

Chapter 8

Marcus opened up a browser window on his computer and checked his online calendar. He forwarded the date to December 8, 2008, to weeks from now. He spent a couple minutes shuffling things around and clearing up more space for Hannah. Hannah was finally starting to show some progress but her case was an unusual one. During her last few sessions she had begun showing signs he had never seen before. He looked down at his notes and read the names she had mentioned during her last visit. They sounded like gibberish, "Ghuuz, Jaynon, Liian". Marcus had looked them up online and asked some questions of other doctors but couldn't find any references to them.

Marcus opened his email and skimmed through his professional alerts filter. There were several recent articles from some of his former classmates, he checked to see if there were any new foci he could use on his existing cases but nothing seemed to apply. He was just about to close off his email when he noticed a bulletin from Maypole Pharmaceuticals. They provided the only FDA approved drugs for treating spiritual attunement issues.

The announcement was basically a summary of upcoming products and links to pricing information and product trials for existing drugs. Near the bottom of the email was a small blurb that caught Marcus' attention. It read, "Due to recent material shortages the price of all Maypole products will be rising 6.5% in the coming quarter. We regret this price increase, and assure you it is only temporary. Our new processing plant is scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2014 at which point we will reassess our pricing structure and bring our quality products down to their previous price levels."

Marcus shut his browser down and cursed, "Bullshit." Everyone who knew anything about Maypole knew that they had been regularly losing trucks. Some had mysteriously gone missing, others were destroyed in bizarre accidents. One had been lost only a month ago along a highway near the Canadian border.

Marcus had recognized the potential for profit early on in Maypole's company development and had decided to set up a series of investments. It was a minor breach of ethics in his eyes. He knew their products worked, he had been on the team that had helped arrange the testing during his final years of college. He had even signed up to be a control subject for one trial, to make a little extra cash for books.

Marcus considered himself a responsible investor. He read all the documentation they sent, he actively participated in shareholder meetings, he had even helped in the decision process when they decided to bring in a police officer to investigate the missing and destroyed trucks. At first they had thought that a militant religious group had been attacking the shipments, but more and more the accidents had developed the flavour of the supernatural - and that left a bitter taste.

The first report from the investigating officer had been due a week ago, but so far Marcus hadn't heard anything from the Maypole board about it. Marcus knew that it was possible that someone was simply slacking off and that the paperwork was taking its sweet time, bumping around as an internal memo at Maypole, waiting for approval from a manager somewhere. Deep in his gut, though, Marcus knew it must be something else. The issue was too huge to be sidetracked.

Marcus decided he needed more information and needed it now. He picked up the phone and dialed Jason Podraza's number. It rang twice before Jason answered. His voice sounded like he had been gargling sandpaper. Marcus said, "Jason, it's Marcus Coburn here, you have a minute?"

From the other end of the line came a couple coughs and a groan. Jason made a sound that could have been either "yup" or "nope". Marcus waited for him to continue. Marcus could hear noises coming from the other end of the line, first the creaking of a bed frame, then a soft shuffling noise. Marcus heard a clinking noise and then hear Jason gulp before saying, "What the fuck man, it's like eight in the morning here. Why the fuck are you calling me on a weekend?"