Hi-Tech Hijack (12 page)

Rose left in late May on a night flight to Johannesburg. They parted with a passionate kiss, but with no words. At noon the next day, she arrived at Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe where Benjamin greeted her with open arms and a smile from ear to ear.

As planned Aubrey arrived at the farm a week later, and the father and daughter had a delightful time together just like they used to when Rose was younger. Once again Rose’s laughter echoed all across the farm, and she was truly happy as she hadn’t been for a long time.

One morning an old friend of Aubrey’s from Cape Town University named Bill came over to visit them from one of the farms in the north of neighboring South Africa in his Cessna. Every farm had a dirt landing area for light aircraft. The next day Aubrey and his friend took off north to a distant farm of another schoolmate named Arthur. They invited Benjamin to join them so that he could observe the new state-of-the-art computerized milking system that had been installed there.

Rose went to spend the day with a friend at a neighboring farm. She returned at dusk, and when darkness fell and the three men still hadn’t returned, she tried to call Arthur’s farm, but there was no answer. Then she called Bill’s farm, but no one there knew if anything was the matter. Rose did not want to cause any alarm to Bill’s wife, so she pretended to be confused.

“Oh, I thought they flew over to your place; I didn’t know they were at Arthur’s.”

“They probably just decided to spend the night,” said Bill’s wife.

A growing sense of concern began gnawing at Rose’s heart. This was not like her father at all. Ever since her mother left them, Rose and Aubrey always kept close—they always knew where the other one was and what they were doing at any given time. The farms were so isolated and remote and the relations between blacks and whites in Zimbabwe were so tense that every outing meant exposure to unexpected dangers and surprises. For Rose, her father was everything a home and security stood for. It was always Aubrey’s worst nightmare that something would happen to him and Rose would be left all alone in the world. He knew just as well as Rose did that her mother was not someone she could rely on.

Hours passed; it was way after dark already, and Rose instructed the farm workers to light torches and set them along the landing strip. Restless and on edge, she paced back and forth from the farm house to the landing area, longing to hear the monotonous humming of an approaching plane. As she was giving a couple of the farm workers instructions regarding the night landing procedures for the third time, the phone rang. Arthur was on the line.

“Rose, I’m so sorry to have to tell you this, but there was an accident during takeoff back to your place earlier this evening. The plane failed to rise above the trees, crashed into them, and caught on fire. Your father was killed on the spot, and Benjamin was badly hurt. He has injuries on his head and lacerations to his abdomen. We’ve called a chopper, and they’re taking him to hospital in Harare as we speak.”

“What about Bill?” asked Rose, managing to keep her cool long enough to utter one more sentence.

“He’s relatively fine. He has two broken legs and some minor burn injuries. They took him to hospital on the same chopper. I stayed at the farm since they didn’t have room for me as well.”

“Thank you for letting me know. I’m going to Harare to the hospital right away.”

“You should wait ’til morning, Rose. Benjamin is unconscious anyway, and they will probably operate on him all night.”

Rose felt she had to do something or she would break down, and after delivering the awful news to the farm workers, she took a car and a driver and left for Harare that very same night. She arrived at the hospital a few hours later and waited outside the operating theatre until dawn when the surgeon emerged and said that Benjamin did not make it. He died on the operating table.

Rose could take no more. She burst into uncontrollable cries and collapsed. She was given a sedative and was admitted to rest for a few hours before she was allowed to go back to the farm.

Two days later Aubrey Horowitz was buried on his farm as was specified in his will. Friends from all over Zimbabwe and South Africa and relatives from England attended the funeral. Rose’s mother was also there. She came alone without her young actor boyfriend. When
shiva
—the seven days of mourning—was over, Rose asked everyone to leave and let her deal with her pain alone. Her friends and relatives honored her wishes and said their farewells.

Dear Eddie,

It’s been a month since I arrived here, and I wanted to thank you for giving me my space like I asked and not calling or writing. Two weeks ago, disaster struck. My father was killed in a light aircraft accident on his way back from visiting a friend. My brother Benjamin was also on the plane and was badly injured. He died the next day on the operating table.
Shiva
was over a week ago, and my father was buried on the farm as he wanted.

I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I’m sure you would have come right over, and I felt I couldn’t handle seeing you on top of everything else that’s going on here.

Now that
shiva
is over and with Benjamin gone, I have no choice but to stay here and run the farm. I feel it’ll be the best thing for me as well. This is the only place in the world where I can find my peace of mind and being alone here does me good. I want to mourn the loss of my loved ones alone, and I don’t think I would want to have any contact with the outside world for a few months. I know you will honor my wishes. Hope things are going well at the company. I’ll be in touch when I’m ready.

Love, Rose.

Eddie received Rose’s e-mail in his room at work. He had just had a fight with Reuben. As usual it was about Reuben’s overspending; he had just replaced his year-old laptop with a more expansive computer simply because the deal included a new, sophisticated Palm Pilot. Reuben knew Eddie would disapprove of the transaction and chose not to consult with him before the purchase.

Rose’s letter left Eddie completely dumbstruck. He felt deep sorrow for Aubrey’s death, but more than that, he felt hurt and left out that Rose waited so long to let him know what had happened and that she didn’t want him by her side. He read the subtext of her letter loud and clear. A heavy feeling of loneliness engulfed him. His girlfriend—his fiancée, practically—had left him, he wasn’t getting along with his business partner, and he had no one to share his burdens with. He felt a deep sense of despair; he could bear Rose’s absence no more. It was true they didn’t have a lot of time to spend together every day when she was in Israel, but knowing she was there for him made all the difference. He stared at the computer screen for a long while, unsure if he was even allowed to reply given her request for him not to be in touch.

Eventually he typed:

I am shocked and hurt to hear of Aubrey’s death, whom I loved and respected, and of Benjamin, who was like a brother to you. I honor your wishes and hope to hear from you soon. Eddie.

It was only after pressing Send that Eddie realized he did not sign the letter,
Love, Eddie
, like he had intended. Then he wondered whether or not forgetting to do so was merely accidental.

After that, Eddie spent many nights tormented in his apartment, thinking about Rose’s letter and about his short response—like she had asked.

I should have ignored her wishes to be alone
, he thought.
I should have hopped on the first flight and gone to her. She would have been happy to see me, and I would have been able to help and support her through this difficult time, and everything between us would have been right again
.

Or would it?
The voice of reason countered.
Nothing is ever going to be the same again. Rose is committed to the farm, and with Aubrey and Benjamin gone, she needs someone who can be there for her unconditionally. You can visit, but you can’t abandon the company. Rose’s money is invested in it, as well as your entire professional future. There is no dilemma. Love is a nice thing to dream about, but the reality is it’s a luxury you can’t afford. Forget about it!

In the second year of its existence, Ebocell-Tech made significant scientific progress. Eddie achieved impressive results in his empirical tests on lab mice, and Reuben, with his statistical analysis based on BI- business information techniques, achieved a logical convergence of the mathematical model upon which the DNA ingredients of the Congolese Ebola and the Philippine one—the Ebola Reston worked. The model was able to recommend the optimal combination that would incorporate the aggressive characteristics of the Congo Ebola with the passive ones of the Ebola Reston.

All DNA is comprised of four bases connected by sugars and proteins. The order of connection between the four bases is unique to every cell type, and a genetic marker marks the specific order of bases of each specific cell. The ability to recreate and duplicate a certain order is tested by a genetic marker. The pool of genetic markers is one of the unique developments of the biotechnological industry and is considered a significant portion of the intellectual property (IP)—the patent-protected knowledge of every company. Eddie and Reuben succeeded in creating such a pool of information for their company out of Ebola-infected cell tissues that they procured from the American CDC.

Eddie’s intention was to use the combined DNA markers they produced and create a virus that had the desired attributes—one that would destroy cancerous cells but would leave healthy ones intact. Once the proper theoretical combination was located by Reuben’s statistical analysis, it was confirmed by a procedure called ‘electrophoresis’ in a PCR machine. The PCR (polymerase chain reaction) can analyze a group of cells and determine which types of DNA nucleus are present in the tissue. Once this stage was complete it was time for Eddie and the two lab technicians to actively grow the virus that combined the DNA properties of the two sources.

During the first year they used cancerous mice tissues to see how these were affected by each of the Ebola viruses individually. The results were satisfactory. They still required several more long months to receive a reliable, clear cut, and statistically satisfying outcome. Once they got such results with mice, Ebocell-Tech would have to prove its theory on monkeys or at least on pigs. Only then would it be ready to apply for a permit to conduct a study on humans, as required by the Declaration of Helsinki.

Eddie’s business plan estimated a five-year period required to complete the first clinical trial on humans. He thought Aubrey’s investment would enable the company to make it through the first two years, during which they would reach proof of feasibility on mice. At that stage the company value would be much higher, and they would have no problem recruiting new investors. However as it turned out, the company’s rapid progression also meant a much higher spending rate than they had foreseen.

The cost of experiments did not stop at purchasing lab mice and materials. A hefty sum went toward issuing permits from the ministries of Health and Agriculture, which held regular inspections at their facilities. Apart from a small number of mice that were intended for dissection and tissue procurement, they were not allowed to keep animals in the apartment in Be’er Ya’acov. They had to rent space at the animal pathological institute in Beit Dagan and transport mice from there to Be’er Ya’acov and back every now and then. Leonid and Luda worked considerable overtime, which also cost the company more money than planned. Furthermore, Eddie’s conscience no longer allowed him to continue employing the two new immigrants at minimum wage. After working at the company for one year, Eddie gave them a 25 percent raise despite Reuben’s protests.

“They make less than what any starting Israeli technician would work for as it is. They’re new immigrants who have very little options, and we’ve exploited that fact more than enough,” said Eddie, putting his foot down. “This raise will benefit them and the company much more than your swanky new laptop and PalmPilot.”

Reuben chose not to enter another argument with Eddie and backed off the discussion. Whenever they did argue, the fact that Eddie, along with Rose’s shares, had the majority of votes at the company and Reuben had no way of stopping him from realizing his ideas was never mentioned.

They both knew it would be extremely difficult to have any sort of work routine if, whenever they had a disagreement, the issue of formal majority in the company was brought up. So they argued and tried to convince one another unless Reuben saw Eddie had locked in to one of his principles and wouldn’t budge. In cases like these, Reuben would avoid getting into the argument .He would pour out his frustration at home to his wife Ronit, who supported Eddie’s principles more often than not to Reuben’s great disappointment.

Six months passed since Rose’s departure and the tragedy that befell her, and Eddie became much more closed off and sensitive. It was clear he was deeply tormented by her leaving. To save money, he moved out of the rented apartment in Rehovot and into a smaller, rundown apartment for half the price in Be’er Ya’acov in the same neighborhood where Ebocell-Tech was located. He cut his salary in half and suggested Reuben cut his salary down a bit as well for the upcoming twelve months. As expected, Reuben refused.

“You have your compensation money from your years in the army, and Ronit is earning a doctor’s wage,” said Eddie. “I’ve moved close by to save on rent and am willing to make do with half the pay for the next year. We have no other choice, Reuben.”

“Living alone in minimal condition is easy, Eddie. Maintaining a house and family is a whole other thing, and I can’t see how we can downgrade our life style.”

Eddie did not want to get to the point where he would have to confront Ronit about this, so he backed off on the housing point.

“I’m giving up half my wage and turning it into an owner’s loan that will be repaid if and when financials improve. You can give up half your wage or less in the same arrangement.”

Reuben came round a bit. “In that case I’ll be willing to give up a quarter of my wage and have it as a loan under the same terms.”

This way the two saved a significant chunk of the company’s monthly cash flow, knowing full well they may not be able to repay the owner loans and get their money back. As always it was Eddie who made the bigger sacrifices. He would also stay at work until nine or ten o’clock every night and was the first to arrive at seven o’clock in the morning. So Eddie’s life that year was comprised of work, work, and work.

The only e-mails on his computer that were not related to work comprised of short, weekly letters to his sisters in the States which basically read,
Everything’s fine
, and of anguish-ridden letters to Amit, the only person he felt he could confide in. Amit, on the other hand, kept sending happy reports from South Africa about preparations for the wedding that was taking place in the Cape region.

I’ve convinced the family to have an outdoor wedding on the beach where the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans meet. Sandra’s parents were a bit taken aback by the idea—it’s the middle of nowhere—but I convinced them we’re going to make history and set a new tradition in South Africa. I guess they figured there was no arguing with this weird Israeli guy, and I even think my enthusiasm rubbed off on Sandra’s dad. We’ll have a second wedding a month later back home in Israel after I get my South African citizenship. You have to come to both weddings! Sandra’s dad’s mining company is paying for group tickets from Israel, and I’ve put your name down along with my parents and brother.

Eddie thought about politely refusing, using the workload as an excuse, but was unsure and still hadn’t replied. There was another matter weighing heavy on his mind that stopped him from totally immersing himself into work. Almost every day he would find himself preoccupied with some professional problem, but his mind wandered to Rose and the way she left. He hated the way they ended things, or more accurately, the way they didn’t end things and just left everything open and up in the air. His conscience troubled him about not finding the way to devote more time to Rose, who gave up her entire world to start a new life with him. As time passed, it became clearer and clearer to him just how big of an effort it must have been for her to try and fit in to a new country and have him gone for days on end. On the other hand, he felt scorchingly insulted at the fact that she did not want to see him in her time of grief and didn’t need him anymore. He knew he could not be angry with her or blame her—after all, he played a major part in the fact that she didn’t need him, and perhaps that was why he became angrier and angrier at himself.

And then there was the longing. The empty bed every night made him feel so lonely. He missed talking to her at the end of each day about everything he’d been through and looking into her attentive, understanding eyes. He missed her body, holding her, and letting all the stresses of the day dissolve into peace and quiet.

He had no desire to meet someone new. He had no energy left in him. The company took everything he had, and he felt crippled by missing Rose and by his guilty conscience. He just wanted her next to him, but knew he had no moral right to ask her to come back without making any changes in his own way of life. The contradiction between meeting the demands of the company and the concessions he would have to make to get Rose back tore him up inside and rendered him even more despaired. Every night he would mull this over and over before falling asleep with no answer allowing life to flow forward in a narrow creek that had only one route.

Reuben’s wife, Ronit, who had the chance to meet Rose at some unsuccessful double dates, made it a habit to invite Eddie to dinner once a week. She did so in order to support Eddie in his loneliness and to try and improve the tense relations between him and Reuben. She had a very clear understanding of the power struggles between the two and secretly supported Eddie’s position in most arguments. In time it became clear to Ronit that, in addition to her good intentions, she enjoyed having Eddie over very much and sensed the feeling was mutual. They never said it, but the weekly gathering became something they both looked forward to more and more.

At the end of the night Reuben would clear the dishes as Ronit walked Eddie to the door. At that very moment, her eyes would search for Eddie’s in a gaze full of yearning and of a cry for help, and he, afraid to lock eyes with hers, would look down so as not to let her see his attraction for her. That sweet moment would keep him warm all the way back to his lonely room and the thought of Ronit’s gaze would fill him with a sense of comfort and hope for a better future. He resented Reuben for failing to appreciate the warm and loving nest his partner created and wondered whether he read her gaze correctly.

Why wasn’t I as lucky as to meet someone like Ronit?
He asked himself, and immediately remembered Rose’s jealous remark about Ronit, ‘the beautiful doctor’. Guilt ridden and upset, he returned to his sad little room for another night of anguish.