“So far, so good. We’ve got that kid Carter’s mother, working for us now. Offered to pay her double what she was making in retail and she was happy to leave her job. She’s a hard worker too.”
“If she knows about the product she might freak out,” said Butch.
“She won’t know. I’ve got her working in packaging. She doesn’t even see the product. I’ve told you, Butch. Trust me.”
“I do trust you. You’re the only person I trust,” he said grabbing a beer from the refrigerator. “What’s for dinner?”
“Fish. Grilled white fish. You should have seen the butcher’s face when I asked for twenty-five pounds of boneless skinless chicken breasts and fifty-pounds of lean white fish. He kept asking if we were having a party.”
“Did you make it a repeat order?” he asked.
“Butch. I’ve got this. I know what to do. Yes, it’s on a repeat order and the guy at the farmer’s market was happy to take my order for fresh vegetables.”
“Okay. Sorry, I just want this to work out for us. This place could be a gold mine for us.”
“I’m well aware,” she smiled. “How about a run before dinner?”
“Sure. Let me change my shoes,” he said. With more than twenty pairs of running and workout shoes, he was careful to rotate his shoes often in order to save his feet.
Running was his least favorite thing to do. Helen was the runner of the two of them. Although with his help, she’d become a beast in the gym. No one could compete with her in powerlifting or cross-fit competitions.
Of course, she owed her success to him and his formulations. Win at all cost that’s what their father had taught them. Vladim Woerter was a gold medal winning Olympian in weightlifting.
Well, he was until his medal was stripped after a drug test showed he used anabolic steroids. Shamed and unable to find work, he took everything he knew and poured into the lives of his kids. He died when Butch and Helen were young adults. They swore they’d find a way to make their father’s way work for themselves and others. The interest from other coaches, competitors, and governments was what kept them going.
“Ready?” he asked his sister as he got to the front door.
“Five miles,” she smiled. “I’ll lead.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
“Good morning,” said Luke standing at the front of the auditorium. “After an exhaustive examination of the products that the team brought home, it looks like we’ve only just scratched the surface.” He nodded at Suzette, Riley, and Thomas as they stepped forward.
“Thanks, Luke,” said Thomas. “I’m going to give an overview of what we know about the making of anabolic steroids. Then, Suzette and Riley will tell you what we’ve found.
“As you’re all aware now, anabolic steroids are synthetic derivatives of the hormone testosterone, designed to mimic its muscle-building effects. The creation of anabolic steroids typically begins with a base molecule, such as cholesterol, which serves as the precursor for steroid synthesis.
“Through a series of complex chemical reactions, this base is manipulated in the lab to produce various anabolic compounds. Formulators and scientists carefully control these reactions to ensure the resulting molecules have the desired muscle-building properties while minimizing unwanted masculinizing effects. This is important because it’s one of the things we’renotseeing in these formulations. There is not control being used.
“When you’re manufacturing steroids it involves several steps, including oxidation, reduction, and esterification. Each step modifies the molecular structure, allowing chemists to tailor the steroid for specific purposes, such as enhancing muscle growth or improving athletic performance.
“These processes are carried out in specialized facilities under strict regulations, as the synthesis of steroids requires precise conditions and the handling of potentially hazardous chemicals. Quality control is crucial to ensure purity and potency, as impurities can lead to harmful side effects.
“Common ingredients found in anabolic steroids include the base steroid molecule, solvents, and reagents necessary for the chemical reactions. As I said, cholesterol or diosgenin, a plant steroid from yams, is often used as the starting material. Again, all of that is important because it appears that they’re not adhering to acceptable standards. Suzette?”
“Thank you, Thomas. I won’t rehash what Thomas told you but I will highlight some of the issues. First, the need to manufacture these products in a clean, safe environment is critical. We’ve found traces of rust, pulverized oyster shell, and rodent feces.”
“Rodent shit?” frowned Cam.
“I’m afraid so,” she frowned. “What that tells us is that wherever they’re manufacturing this stuff, it’s not a clean environment, it’s most likely near the water, and was probably once a food storage or packaging facility.”
“The other thing we know for sure,” said Riley, “is that most of what’s in these products are mass marketed substances that you can buy anywhere.”
“I don’t understand. They’re like all the others on the market?” frowned Eric.
“No. I saidmostof what was in them. We think they purchase massive vats of pre-formulated product and then juice them up with their substances. The problem we’re running into is identifying the substance they’re adding. Our ghosts ate the protein bars and took the supplements yesterday but as you know, they don’t react to it. We need to test this on live humans.”
“Riley, we have no idea what this shit will do to our bodies,” said Luke.