"The Prosthetic Man," by Phil Hegeman

The Interview

It was a very hot day. He still remembers how he felt like he was sweating right through his suit as he went in for his interview. It seems ridiculous to think now that he would even have to go through an interviewing process. After all, it was them who approached him to take the position. It was supposed to be an exciting opportunity for him though. No other doctor, to his knowledge, in his field of medicine has ever done what he would be doing. But that might be because what he suspected they would ask him to do was not exactly be something he or any other doctor in the world was experienced with. So he went through the interviewing process.

He arrived at Biotech Headquarters at 2:30 on a Wednesday in mid-July wearing his black suit with his shirt nearly drenched with sweat. The woman behind the front desk put on a charming smile and directed him which elevator to take. “Just go up to the thirty-first floor, sir.”

As the elevator door opened, his interviewer was waiting for him. “Welcome Dr. Myers. My name is Jacob Long. I’ll be conducting your interview today. Step this way into the office and we can begin.”

Mr. Long led him into one of the bigger executive offices with a spectacular view of the coast. “Let’s start by talking about your past work history. What qualities that you developed as a medical professional from your experiences that you feel are your most valuable attributes? What do can you tell me about these experiences?”

Instead of answering this question directly, Myers put his resume on the table as slid it across to Long. Myers didn’t like interviews and his resume spoke for itself so he would let it. As an accomplished neurosurgeon, he had dealt with all types of spinal column diseases and injuries, and had unprecedented success with each surgery that he performed since he graduated medical school. Throughout his time at the Mayo Clinic, he was in high demand, traveling all over the world to perform high-risk surgery procedures. Myers often would receive calls from other neurosurgeons requesting his expertise advise. But however successful he was in his surgeries, he was never able to fully repair the damages to his patient’s nervous system. No matter how good he was it was impossible to fix a person’s spinal cord completely once it is damaged to a certain extent. While it was widely know in the world of neurology that Dr. Myers was able to produce results. Results that often exceeded anyone’s expectations, but never the expectations of Myers. He could never really be satisfied. No method of treatment that was practiced could ever produce the results that he wanted. He believed there had to be a way to repair a damaged spinal cord, some natural substance out there that could transfer the electrical signals through the body as if it were nerve tissues that humans were born with. Myers knew there was a solution out there, but his patience to search for it was growing thin. Every time he thought he might have found some type of element that would provide supplement for a broken spinal column, further research proved it to be inadequate. As his research continued, his belief that he would actually be able find a suitable substance began to ease away. But when faced with this impossibility, the doctor grew more obsessed conquering it and dove deeper into his research. He eventually quit his position at the Mayo Clinic in order to spend more time in his research. He both spent all of his time and energy into spinal nerve tissue research. But then he hit a wall, and his test results couldn’t produce any better results no matter what he tried. He always hit that impassable point, and for the past six and half years, it stayed that way. Then one day he was contacted by BioTech and here he is, sitting in an interview, not knowing why he is here. The only piece of information they gave Myers was that with his help, they would be able to make incredible advancements in the studies of neurology. Myers was not sure of the idea of working with a corporation like BioTech, but he was running out of patience with his own research. So he decided to at least hear what they had to say. But the representative from BioTech told him that Myers would not be allowed to know any company trade secrets without becoming apart of the BioTech family. So here he is, interviewing for a spot in the family.

After several minutes of looking over Myer’s resume, Mr. Long decided that a viewing of one of their factories was in order. So they boarded on one of the corporation’s private jets and flew to one of their factories. Myers knew what they were doing. A interview in a big and impressive executive office, a ride on a luxurious private jet, and now Mr. Long was taking him to one of their enormous factories. They were trying to win him over by tempting him with wealth and power. It wouldn’t work that way. If he found out that BioTech had not made the progress he had hoped for in neurology, then he was not interested in wasting his time with them. He had more important things to do than obtain wealth and power.

They landed at the factory just outside of Los Angles. Getting into the factory was more difficult that going through security at an airport. Myers was checked and double-checked. He had never been frisked so much in all his life. He found it quite annoying. “You would think they believed I was wired with a spying devise or something,” Myers thought to himself.

So Mr. Long began to give him a tour around the state-of-the-art factory. The sheer size of it was astounding, but the real impressive aspect of it was its evident atmosphere of technological advancement. This factory was cleaner and had more advanced equipment in it than all of the hospitals he had ever been in. Long kept up a quick pace, not allowing Myers to have a chance to take a closer look at anything. As they walked, Long informed Myers about the history of BioTech. “BioTech corporation initially made prosthetic legs. But in the last five years or so, BioTech has produced quite a few amazing things such as new organs that were completely artificial and made out of synthetic material, or prosthetic arms and legs that, with the help of super-energy efficient robotics, have all the capabilities as a normal body part with the exception of feeling. BioTech is the main producer of prosthetic body parts and organs.”

Myers knew, as many did, that the BioTech was one of the wealthiest companies in the entire world. It holds a monopoly over the entire market of prosthetics, but through some recent clause Congress had made, BioTech Corporation is able to retain its hold over the prosthetic business market. In this unchallenged market environment, BioTech grew more powerful with its wealth.

Long continued, “BioTech’s superior products make us a leading producer of medical equipment and prosthetics. With our success, we are now able to afford the kind of advanced, experimental research and development that other companies could only dream of. BioTech is paving the way in the field of human enhancement.”

Myers said little throughout the entire tour, but he started to become more attentive in response to what Long just said. “What do you mean when you say ‘human enhancement’? Aren’t you only a producer and supplier of prosthetics? I’m not sure I would be categorizing that as enhancement. In my professional experience with patients who have some type of prosthetic body parts and organs, they tend to be the opposite. Those with artificial organs are more susceptible to diseases in other parts of their anatomy. While BioTech’s prosthetic arms and legs are clearly the best option for a patience who needs them, they still cannot be comparable to a real arm or leg.”

Myers was not worried about offending Long or the BioTech corporation. If they chose not to hire him, that would be their fault. Myers was not a person who was cared about being liked. He was the best at what he did, and that was enough.

In response to Myers's comment, Long gave him a sideways look with a sly smile. “No, Dr. Myers. I can’t disagree with you in that sense. But I believe our research and development department is making unprecedented headway in researching the human anatomy and is allowing us to make such advancements in the realm of prosthetics. I know that anything that isn’t one hundred percent biologic seems to be second rate. But wait to make your judgment on the issue until you have seen what we have come up with. I could tell you, but you would probably have so many questions about it and I myself am nowhere near qualified, or authorized, enough to know the answers to them. I’m not a doctor nor am I a technological engineer. I am only in management so I’m afraid I always feel am a little out of my league whenever I visit a factory.”

Whatever or not Myers had intended to or not, he had already made a judgment on what BioTech was wanting to produce. He did not like the sound of human enhancement. It sounded a lot like some kind of steroid to Myers. He had already attempted to use steroids in his research, and it lead to failure just like every other experiment. He himself had developed a type of steroid that was made to stimulate the nervous system. He had given a small dosage to a test rat in one of his research experiments. The paralyzed rodent had stayed the same. Steroids are not the answer and if BioTech was trying to development one, he would not be apart of it.

Long and Myers were approaching something that looked to Myers like a waiting room.

“This is our surgery wing. If all works out, this is where you will be spending a lot of your time here at BioTech.”

“Why do the procedures in a factory? Why not in a hospital?”

Long laughed at the question. “Haha. Dr. Myers, why would we need to go through all the time and effort getting facilities at a hospital for our customers when we are perfectly capable of providing facilities for the customers ourselves? You have seen enough of this place to know that it a lot more than a mere factory. We do everything here…well, with the exception of management.”

Long led Myers past the surgery wing. Myers still wasn’t sure about the idea of a surgery wing to a factory. What did they have here that they didn’t want doctors in hospitals to see? There was something that wasn’t quite right about that.

“Right now we’re headed towards the research and development department. This is another place where you will be spending quite a lot of time at, probably more so then the surgery wing.”

Myers was more than ready to discover why he was there. This Mr. Long character was not offering any explanation at all. “The sooner I sign on, the sooner I’ll know what exactly it is that BioTech is up to,” Myers decided. “I won’t find any answers in this interview. It’s time to speed up this process.”

Myers stopped Long just outside of the doors the led to the research and development wing.

“Excuse Mr. Long. I think I’ve seen all that I need to in order to make up my mind. I would like to work with BioTech and learn whatever it is that you people have begun working on. So if you need anything else from me in order help you make any decisions, then I’d be happy to comply.”

Long seemed to be taken aback. “My, you are very forward, aren’t you?”

“Just eager.”

“Well, I think that everything seems to be in order at our end. If you are so eager to get started, then how does beginning next week sound for you?”

It was Myers’ turn to be taken aback. “I didn’t expect an answer for a least a few days. But next week sounds good to me. Will I be working a this factory?”

“Yes, as a matter of fact, you will. Don’t worry about finding a place to live. We’ll take care of housing for you. You’ll be given an apartment right outside of town. I’m sure you’ll find the living conditions quite preferable. We’ll get into details when we get back to headquarters to get the paperwork started. Let’s head back then, shall we?”

Upgrading

The next week couldn’t come fast enough. Myers was more than ready to finally discover whatever it was that BioTech had begun working on so secretively and what they planned his role in to be. They had to be doing something with the nervous system because that is all he really knew about. The answer came on his first day.

When he arrived at the factory he had to go through the whole security process all over again. Smiling, Myers asked the security guard who was currently waving a metal-detector stick in front of him. “There isn’t much trust here, is there?”

The security guard responded in a fixed face, “Nothing wrong with being careful, sir.”

As Myers passed through the main entrance to the factory, a short, portly man with thick glasses came bustling up to him. “You must be Dr. Myers. My name is Lucas Norris. I’ve been instructed to take you to the research and development wing. So if you’ll follow me…”

Myers followed Lucas over to where he had been standing with Mr. Long exactly one week ago. Lucas stopped right outside the doors.

“I’m not authorized to go past this point. Only people with level five security clearance are allowed in the research and development wing.” He handed Myers an ID card. “Just swipe this by the door and you should be good to go.”

Myers swiped his ID card and entered. The research and development wing contained some of the most advanced looking equipment he had ever seen, and he had worked with the most cutting-edge tools to perform his spinal surgeries. As Myers stood near the entrance of the wing, examining a complicated piece of equipment that looked like a light-saber, a middle-aged woman with a stern-looking face approached him.

“Hello Dr. Myers. I’m Dr. Monroe. I’ll be working alongside you in this project.”

“Well it’s very nice to meet you. If I may ask, what exactly is this project that we will be working on?”

“Of course Dr. Myers. As you are aware, BioTech produces prosthetics for those who are in need of them, such as a person who has lost a leg or has a bad heart. What we will be working on is to find a way to make our prosthetics more than just a backup for an arm or a leg. We will be trying to make prosthetics better than the real thing.”

Myers was quick to question this. “How can that even be possible? The biggest setback of your arms and legs is that they cannot feel anything, not to mention their clumsiness. And your artificial organs only last for a few years before that start to go haywire do. Your prosthetics may be the best out there but they are still far from being better than the real thing, let alone as good as the real thing.”

Monroe smiled. “Yes, but that’s why we have you. The problems with our prosthetics can be traced by a one problem, one inadequacy: the prosthetics fail to completely become apart with the nervous system. With your help we will be able to create a fully artificial body that has the potential to will last forever!”

Myers was not sure he was hearing correctly. “Are you telling me that you want me to help you make an entire nervous system from scratch? Do you realize how complicated that would be. It would take years and years of work. What are you using as a material for this to do this?”

“We have already created a body made entirely out of BioTech prosthetics: the legs, arms, organs, bones, muscles, and even the skin. All of theses are made out of the most durable type of plastic and metal alloys. This body will last an indefinite amount of time, if taken care of properly. All we need you to do it connect it all accordingly to a human brain.”

Myers was astounded. He had been working on finding ways to repair spinal cords for the better part of his professional career and now these people think they can ask him to just make a one.

“I’m not sure you realize what you are asking me to do. I mean…geesh…what do you suggest I use to just ‘connect it all properly to a human brain’ that will actually work?”

Monroe shrugged, “It’s possible to wire electronics so why not wire a human if its body is basically made out of just that, electronics?”

Myers was starting to get upset. Did these people really think it was that simple…because it wasn’t. “I’m not a technician, I’m a surgeon. I can’t just wire a replication of a human’s nervous system.”

Monroe replied, “Well that’s why you’ve got a whole team of advanced technological engineers ready to assist you.”

“Well how do you plan on fixing the problem of the prosthetics not being able to feel anything?”

“We have designed nano-sensors that with be applied to places on the body where you find it necessary to. These nano-sensors will have the same affect as nerve endings do if you are able to connect them correctly to the brain.”

Myers was allowing himself to believe in this idea a little. He had spent that last several years of his life trying to find natural ways to fix spinal cords completely. Why not try this? “And you expect me to just made a spinal cord then.”

“Why not? You are an expert at every part and function of a spinal cord and nervous system. If you tell us what to make, we can and will be able to make it. A metal alloy that we developed will protect the spinal wiring. It is designed bend as the back muscles would.”

Myers was starting to get excited by the idea. This just might be able to work. It would take a long time to create it and then even longer to test it, but if it worked…. if it worked he could replicate it in human bodies. A prosthetic spinal cord and nervous system, he never thought it possible. Another thought occurred to Myers. “Who would volunteer for such an experiment procedure?”

“His name is Norman. He was paralyzed in a motorcycle accident two years ago. He cannot move from the neck down,” Monroe explained.

Myers and Monroe were in charge of the project. Myers learned how the nano-sensors would work and how he could basically replicate the nervous system by using the nano-sensors to do what nervous ending did in real bodies. It took the almost three years and more funding than either of them cared to think about. The first thing they experimented on was if the nano-sensors could replicate nerve-endings. It was a success. BioTech could now make prosthetic arms and legs that could feel. Not only was Myers in charge of the full-prosthetic body project, but he was also in charge implanting these improved prosthetic arms and legs onto people. With his expertise, the artificial organs were now responding adequately to human nervous systems as well. Every surgery he went into, another neurosurgeon that BioTech had hired went in with him to observe and learn from him.

Installation

At last the day came when Myers and Monroe were ready to test out the prosthetic body. The body had been tested for the last eight months and they determined to as ready as it will ever be. Norman was brought in and Myers was able to speak with him. He was a nice enough man, and was hopeful for the surgery to be a success.

As Myers and Monroe scrubbed up to go into surgery with the twelve technical engineer assistants, Myers could help his shaking from all his excitement. It seemed this surgery was what he had waited his whole life for. The surgery took twelve hours. They had to systematically disconnect his brain from own spinal cord, all the while connecting it to the artificial spinal cord. They had to make the brain believe that it was still connected to only one body. Once the procedure was done they had to keep Norman unconscious so that he wouldn’t go into shock. After a week of resting, Norman was finally able to test out his new body. They would go about this by testing out each of the five senses. All were working adequately. Only Myers and Monroe were allowed in the recuperation area. This was top secret. If anyone knew that BioTech had created a working human body, the might be potential for Congress to shut done the project. There was a lot of animosity dealing with stem-cell research and they did not know the public would deal with this.

While they were monitoring Norman, Myers and Monroe started to see unusual changes in Norman’s behavior. Nothing was wrong with his five senses; they had made sure of that. Norman was just acting very strange. He started becoming more and more agitated with Myers and Monroe, often for no apparent reasons. Before the surgery they had gotten a chance to get to know Norman. They could see him becoming a different person. One day after finishing with a routine sensory check, Norman became enraged for reasons that nobody could explain. He brutally attacked and killed Monroe.

After having to confess to the police what kind of experimenting they had done on Norman, Congress shut the project and any similar types of projects were banned. Norman was sent to jail on a double life sentence. He has now been there for two hundred years due to his advanced prosthetic body. Myers spent the rest of his life looking for natural ways to repair or rebuilt spinal cords, without success.