The Merger

Eight

Khaotung was alone tonight. He was searching for his mother by himself, he was avoiding contact with First, he was hiding from the wanna-be mafia type goons, he was dodging his assistant who was continuously calling him ( she called continuously because he wasn't answering) and mostly he felt isolated, isolated from his friends, his only family and his lover. Khaotung was alone tonight.

He stayed off the beaten track, he slept in motels. He could afford a five star hotel yes, he just didn't want to be found. He ate instant food from latenight cafeterias and drank the kind of coffee that probably poisoned nations. Khaotung was alone tonight.

He could hardly believe it had only been two weeks, two weeks since he'd started tracking his mother's last known location. He'd sent her on this vacation hoping she would be out of harm's way but on the second destination of the trip she had apparently lost her passport. Since they wouldn't let her cross the border without one this clearly presented a problem for the rest of the group. A representative from the hosting company offered to stay with her while the rest carried on with the tour. As this was an emergency and also their home office pulled some strings, her passport would be re-issued within a day or two. They then booked into a quaint hotel on the boardwalk and scheduled two days of spa treatments before collecting the passport and rejoining the tour again. Everything seemed pretty straightforward except that on their first morning in the hotel both his mother and the representative had simply disappeared. They hadn't turned up for any of their appointments, their belongings still in their rooms, including whatever cash they had with them. There's been no activity on their credit cards or bank accounts. They were just gone. Khaotung was very worried. His best lead was the pick up his mother's passport and intercept her or whoever tried to claim that passport. There would be no point in searching the entire city when his mother could be anywhere. The passport was his best option. Khaotung figured even if she was being held captive, somebody would try to retrieve the passport and following that person would lead him to his mother . He had two days to kill in the meantime.

Khaotung felt restless and frustrated. His mother was his only family and she had always doted on him. As a single mom she had held down various jobs to pay for his education. She had sacrificed her youth, her dreams, her plans and always only made sure Khao's every need was met. She had sold precious jewelry she had inherited to raise funds when he first told her of wanting to start his own business. He was finally in a position where he could spoil his mother. It was his turn to look after her now. Then this mess explodes around him. If only he wasn't so arrogant in dealing with the gangsters. He should've just gone to the police in first place instead he waited. When he finally did go the process was so slow but he managed to help the police at least put one bad guy behind bars. He had thought this saga over but it wasn't. The brother of criminal one is coming after Khaotung intent on revenge.

Khaotung had thought he was protecting everyone around him but he was wrong. Now his mom was missing. Here he was feeling sorry for himself and feeling so guilty towards his mother because while she was missing, he was missing First terribly. Seeing First on the television earlier during another press conference just increased the ache in Khao's heart. First had lost some weight Khao thought. In just two weeks his clothes was already fitting very loosely. Khaotung desperately wanted to hear First's voice. Before he could stop himself his fingers were already dialling First's number. He managed to slam down the receiver just before the call connected. He couldn't dare use his cell, even to send a short text, because it could be traced. Khaotung briefly considered going to the police again asking for their help but they had botched security last time and accidentally revealed Khaotung's identify. So much for being the secret informant.

The evening dragged on and sleep wouldn't come. Instead horror scenarios played over and over in his head like tiktoks on rotation. Khaotung suddenly had an idea. Two days he needed to wait. It would take him half a day to get home and half a day to come back. That would leave one day which he could spend with First. The more he thought on it the more convinced he became. Just a couple of hours with First and he would be recharged enough to keep going. Khaotung took a really fast cold shower, locked up his room and drove like a bat out of hell. He needed to see First and now that he had made up his mind, he couldn't get there fast enough.

He drove through the remaining night hours and through the early morning hours. He reached his destination before eight the following morning. He knew Adi would collect First no later than eight thirty so Khaotung tried to get there before First left the house. Just as Adi and First came out of the house Khaotung pulled up. He jumped out of the car and planted himself in from of First. "Aren't you leaving a bit early today?" Khaotung asked nonchalantly of First. As if he hadn't just been away for so long and as if he didn't just want to take First in his arms, no matter who saw what. As usual Adi responded much faster than First. If talking was a national sport Adi certainly would have received not only his national colours but all the medals as well.

"Well well then. If it isn't lost boy blue. Where have you been all this time. Your company is at a pivotal point. You've just survived the merger and need to prove that you and First can work as a team for the good of the company. First is breaking himself to do everything and you think it's a good time to go on vacation. It's no use making your eyes all round and big for me mister, I will say what I wish and trust me, First will not fire me. Even if you begged Khaotung. You know up to now I actually liked you, my goodness I even respected you but this little stunt of yours is so not sir, just not..." Adi had much more to say but the weight of First's hand suddenly landing on his shoulder made him swallow whatever words he was about to spill next. Fist stepped around Adi and wrapped Khaotung is his arms. For the first time in a million years Adi said nothing.

"Let's go inside," whispered Khaotung to First. First instructed Adi to go ahead to the office and deal with whatever issues there was. He told Adi not call him not to text him and not to bother him. First promised to contact Adi after he had a conversation with Khaotung. Before Adi could object the two turned away from him, went inside arm in arm and unceremoniously slammed the front door shut.

Adi sighed and said quietly to himself, " well that's all folks." He left for the office minutes later and wondered what Khaotung and First were discussing behind closed doors and if they were even using words.