Chapter 6

Dr. Sebastian Yankhun, the head of Pharm Botanical Research Institute, paces to and fro inside his office. He is always addressed as Dr. Seb, which is something he prefers rather than be called Sebastian – the name of the crab in a cartoon adaptation of a children’s fairy tale. As someone who oversees a facility the size of two Wembley Stadiums, with staffs ranging from housekeeping, engineering, logistics, and scientists, walking can be a way to be physically active. Even if Pharm Institute has an entire floor for a gym, Dr. Seb visits it only once in a blood moon. So, to not be entirely sedentary, he bought a treadmill and had it placed inside his office.

As he walks from point A to point B of his office, he picks out his mobile phone to look at it. Exeter has already called him earlier upon their arrival back in Thailand. So, surely, he is waiting for someone else’s call or SMS.

Dr. Helman and the others have just alighted the elevator on the eighth floor. Doc P and he walk on to the right to meet with Dr. Seb, while Arthit takes the opposite side to probably rest and fix his own things before going home.

“Come in,” said Dr. Seb after he hears a couple of knocks on the door of his office.

Exeter and Doc P enter relaxedly. They see their boss with an aura that is not common from him – concerned and obviously troubled. They knew immediately that something is wrong. It was Doc P who started, “Good news, chief! We ha.…”

“Sit down. Both of you,” Dr. Seb immediately cut in without letting Dr. Neenga finish. Doc P and Exeter exchange bewildered looks at this tone of their boss. Dr. Neenga sits down, but Dr. Helman remains standing.

“What’s the matter, Seb? You look anxious,” Dr. Helman inquired.

“Sit down, Exeter.” replied Dr. Seb. Exeter knows that at such tone, Dr. Seb means business. He follows without queries. “Do we have a backup of Demeter?” Dr. Seb continued, not mentioning someone specific.

“Yes sir,” answered Dr. Helman – still perplexed.

“Is it complete?”

“It should be. We made a backup the day before we left for Morocco. So, unless the other scientists here changed anything while we are away, then we have a complete copy of Demeter in our central server,” answered Doc P.

“Do you have a copy? Both of you?”

“I do,” replied Dr. Helman. Dr. Neenga nods in affirmation.

“I want you to trash the copies you have,” said Dr. Seb, whose voice now has a hint of alarm. “Then, make a new backup now and save that to whatever storage you have with you,” he pressed on.

“What for?” Dr. Helman inquired, who perceives that something is not aligned.

“What is going on, Seb?” Doc P pressed on.

At this, Dr. Seb did not answer and just wipes his face with his hands, throwing his hair back. “Just do what I say,” he said.

“You’re scaring me, chief,” Dr. Helman said, worried.

“I made a mistake in the past with Demeter, and that past has caught up with me now,” Dr. Seb answered.

“Seb what is wrong?” asked Dr. Neenga calmly yet firm.

“I’m sorry Pat, Exeter,” was Dr. Seb’s simple reply. He realizes that he has put his top research fellows in jeopardy.

“Sebastian!” shouted Dr. Neenga, trying to wake up Dr. Seb from whatever dream he is on. “Tell us what is going on! What do we need those new backups for?” he continued.

Dr. Seb said nothing. He looks at his scientists as if to tell them that nothing is wrong about the project itself. Rather, it is a personal one, to which he alone is to blame.

“There is something you are not telling us,” said Dr. Helman.

Dr. Seb pretended not to hear Exeter.

“I will do the formulae and blueprints. Exeter, you do the experiments and the results. Patrick, you do the theories, research materials, and notes,” Dr. Seb commanded, to which Exeter and Patrick are reluctant.

Before standing up to begin their work, Dr. Seb’s mobile rings. The number it displays does not correspond to a name saved in the directory, but it is a number that Dr. Seb knows – only he knows.

“Aren’t you going to pick that up?” asked Doc P.

“Let it ring. I am cancelling Demeter effective today,” Dr. Seb announced.

“What? Why?” asked Dr. Neenga with widened eyes. Dr. Helman’s confusion amplifies further. “Seb, we’ve just been funded by the United Nations. A fat cheque is on its way here, and now you're going to shut us down?” he added.

“That cheque won’t be coming here anymore, Pat,” answered Dr. Seb. The rings stop. “Someone from the UN has already called me before you two landed in Thailand. He told me about the result of what happened in Morocco,” he continued. He had to make an abrupt decision upon hearing from that UN official the success of the conference – a decision that would entail him crossing the Rubicon. “I told him that there is a flaw with Demeter, that is why I’m shutting it down,” he finished.

“What is wrong with her then? Tell us! Tell us, Seb. We can correct it for sure,” pressed Dr. Helman.

“The flaw that I made cannot be rectified with science, Exeter. This last resort is the only way to correct it. What I am about to tell you is the same confession I told the UN official who called earlier,” Dr. Seb said. The other two in his room feel a little relieved as the explanation will shed some light into this issue. “But let us run the backups first,” he continued. His phone rings again.

The three get out of the office, letting the phone ring in a loop of polytonous sound. They go to their lab and begin the backup sequence for Demeter.

It took them just minutes to initiate the backup commands, but the saving will take longer to finish.

“I better hear a good cause for this, Seb,” said Dr. Helman while they wait for the processes to conclude. He has the right to demand such details. After all, he is the one who heads their team.

Dr. Seb lets out a heavy exhale, providing him a little ease considering the enormity of what he is about to reveal to Patrick and Exeter. Afterwards, he starts with a tone like he is telling it to a priest rather than to his co-employees.