After Marcus left the room, Silas leaned back in his chair, lost in thought. His mind circled around the young man's determination and, more specifically, the desperation that fueled it. It wasn't unusual for people to be driven by dire circumstances, but something about Marcus's case tugged at Silas's curiosity.
On impulse, he asked, "Luna, give me more information on Marcus's sister and her condition."
{She's suffering from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). She is currently in the early-middle stages of the illness.}
Silas blinked, unfamiliar with the name. "ALS?" He repeated, frowning slightly. "I don't recognize it."
His eyes flicked to his Gear's screen as it lit up with detailed information about the condition. Silas skimmed through it, and with each passing sentence, his unease deepened. He hadn't realized just how brutal this disease was until he read through the description—progressive muscle weakness, paralysis, difficulty speaking, breathing, eating. And worst of all, no cure.
ALS was more than just a severe illness; it was a ticking clock. The longer a person lived with it, the more their body deteriorated. It was disheartening to learn that the only treatments available could only slow the progression at best, but even then, they wouldn't stop the inevitable. And the costs—Silas's eyes narrowed as he continued to read. The financial burden was astronomical.
Medications alone cost between $600 and $1,000 per month*, Luna informed him, *and for severe cases, the annual cost of managing the disease can exceed $200,000. With physical therapy, assistive devices, and specialized care, the total expenses can easily surpass $1 million annually.
Silas sat in silence for a moment, processing. No wonder Marcus was so desperate. That kind of financial strain would crush anyone, let alone someone as young as him. The fact that Marcus was willing to throw himself into a beta test just for a chance to help his sister made Silas pause. He had expected the applicants to be driven, but this situation had a deeper layer.
"Luna," Silas said after a beat, his voice low and thoughtful, "deposit $500,000 into Marcus's account. Make sure he knows it's for his sister's treatment."
Silas wasn't the kind of person to hand out charity, but he understood human nature. Acts of generosity were rarely appreciated when given without strings. By offering Marcus the money, he wasn't just giving him relief; he was giving him something to fight for, to feel indebted to.
The young man would value this gesture more if it came with the knowledge that he had to earn it, to justify Silas's trust in him.
Yet, despite his pragmatism, Marcus's situation gnawed at him. ALS. A disease with no cure and a lifetime of suffering attached to it. Silas couldn't help but think of how ridiculous that was, especially in this day and age. Humans had made advancements in so many areas, yet diseases like ALS still persisted.
The thought stirred something in him—something he'd been putting off for far too long. It wasn't as if he lacked the resources or the technology. It was simply a matter of time, of prioritizing.
Turning away from the window, he moved to his desk and took a seat, his fingers drumming lightly on the sleek surface. His mind raced with possibilities. Luna had already begun to allocate resources, moving assets and manpower toward medical research at his command. It wouldn't take long for the prototypes to be developed, and once they were... well, the world would never be the same.
"Luna," he said, his voice cutting through the silence. "How long until we have initial trials for the ALS treatment?"
{Within six to nine months, depending on regulatory approvals.}
Silas smirked. "Regulatory approvals won't be a problem. We'll bypass most of them—money talks, after all. I want trials running as soon as possible. We'll deal with the fallout afterward."
{Understood.}
He leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers as he contemplated the broader implications. ALS was just the beginning, a proof of concept that Kurt Technologies could crack open the most stubborn medical challenges. After ALS, there would be cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer's—all the diseases that had plagued humanity for centuries.
In a year's time, his company wouldn't just be known for revolutionizing entertainment or virtual reality; it would be synonymous with hope.
But Silas wasn't naïve. He knew the pharmaceutical companies would retaliate. These were behemoths, entrenched in politics, global economies, and power structures. They weren't going to sit idly by while their most profitable business models—long-term treatment plans, not cures—were obliterated. They would fight. Hard.
They would smear his name, accuse Kurt Technologies of dangerous practices, sabotage clinical trials if they could. They would play dirty, and Silas expected nothing less.
He smiled, the kind of smile that held no warmth. He was ready for them.
"Send a message to Vanguard," Silas instructed, his voice as calm as ever. "Tell them to prepare for pushback from the pharmaceutical lobby. I want contingencies in place—plans to handle lawsuits, regulatory interference, media smear campaigns. Everything. We won't be caught off guard."
Silas nodded to himself. This wasn't just about Marcus's sister anymore. It wasn't even about the millions of people suffering from chronic and terminal illnesses. This was about power—about reshaping the entire world's understanding of healthcare and what was possible.
And if Silas played his cards right, Kurt Technologies wouldn't just be a tech company; it would become the cornerstone of a new era in human progres.
"Let's see how they react when the impossible becomes inevitable," he whispered, his smile growing as he envisioned the chaos and change that would follow.