Forever With You (ForthBeam)

Chap 9

"Welcome," invited the secretary.

Phana and Wayo entered the spacious office area and followed the polite woman to the CEO's room.

"Khun Mew is waiting for you, sirs," stated the woman and let them in the room after getting a 'come in' from the other side.

"How are you, Phana? Long time no see," said Mew as he hugged Phana and Wayo.

"We are good, P'Mew. How have you been? How's everybody at home?" asked Phana as they sat around the sofa.

"All are doing well. Look at you with the white and pepper style," joked Mew.

"You aged like a fine wine too, P," commented Wayo, smiling.

"Fine wine?! You should check his health, Uncle Pha. Dad complains about his weak bones nowadays," stated Bane as he entered the room with a tray full of refreshments.

"Is that Nong Bane, P'Mew?" questioned Wayo in surprise.

"Yes, he is," answered Mew as he smiled at their reaction.

Of course, they are surprised. The last time Phayo met Bane, he was barely a pre-teenager. Now he looks more mature and aged.

"Long time no see, uncles. I missed you all," stated Bane as he hugged them.

"You have grown a lot. Wow, time sure does fly," said Wayo in astonishment.

"P'Mew, I'm sure you didn't contact us to meet for a casual catch-up. What did you find, P?" asked Phana, straight to the point.

Mew and Bane exchanged looks before Bane stood up to close the office door and closed the slides.

"Remember the explosion at the oil ship which took our loved ones' life?" asked Mew.

"Yes," replied both Phana and Wayo, slowly.

"It was an intentional blast. It was to destroy the evidence of Blue Flames' dirty work," added Bane.

"Oh my god," exclaimed Wayo as he closed his mouth with his palm to stop the upcoming tears.

"How did you find that?" asked Phana in his serious tone.

"Forth once discussed this with my dad and me. He requested my dad find out about a chemical called DDT. He asked dad to check the details about its leaking and its effects on ecosystems," continued Mew.

"Apparently, the oil company Forth worked for was not only getting oil and exporting it to the mainland and other countries, but it also seems to do something illegal under the surface," stated Mew.

"What do you mean?" asked Phana, tensed.

"What do you guys know regarding DDT?" questioned Mew as Bane listened to them quietly.

"Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) is an insecticide used in agriculture. The United States banned the use of DDT in 1972. Why did P'Forth ask about it, P'Mew?" asked Wayo.

"It's true that chemical got banned in the USA. It's illegal in our country as well. But beneath our ocean, on the sea bed of Phuket, are 36 000 barrels of that chemical discarded.

The barrels did not get purposely abandoned there. It got buried under the ocean due to an accident at the ocean centuries ago. Our government didn't bother much since it wasn't an issue and soon got forgotten by the people," explained Mew.

"What does that have to do with my friend's death?"

"Blue Flames has been retreating those illegal chemicals from the ocean bed and exporting them to the foreign countries. We figured they used those chemicals to make new drugs to treat various illnesses.