Eddie Spinola was no longer a struggling writer. He was the first of a new species, and the world was finally small enough for him to manage. Key Themes of Limitless (2011)

A breakdown of the ( The Dark Fields ).

Eddie learned that the previous users on Vernon’s list were all dead or dying of horrific withdrawal symptoms. To survive, Eddie had to evolve. He didn't just need the pills; he needed to master the science behind them.

Months later, Carl Van Loon visited Eddie, who was now running for the United States Senate. Van Loon attempted to blackmail him, revealing he had shuttered the lab producing NZT. Eddie looked at him with a calm, terrifyingly clear gaze. He revealed that he had used his intellect to bypass the side effects and refine the formula. He was no longer "on" the pill; he had integrated the change into his very biology.

Now operating at a genius level, Eddie moved beyond literature into the high-stakes world of global finance. He turned thousands into millions in days, catching the eye of Carl Van Loon, a titan of industry who wanted to use Eddie’s "intuition" to broker the largest corporate merger in history.

Information on the that continues the story.