Chereads / Atticus - Part 1 / Chapter 41 - The meeting

Chapter 41 - The meeting

"Philippe," greeted Mr. Alex to his office.
"Hello Sir," replied Philippe.
"How are you this morning," asked Alex.
"Vey well sir," he responds.
"Its 10.00 AM now, he will be here any time" said Mr. Alex looking at the clock.
"Who exactly am I here to meet," Philippe asked the officer.
"Someone who I doubt who could be involved in the crash," replied Alex.
"Very well then," said Philippe.
Alex waited anxiously for Atticus to arrive, while Philippe sat there not too bothered.
The clock strikes to 10:30 AM.
And there is a man making his way inside the office. Alex notices the man approaching and takes a seat in his chair.
"Hello Atticus," he says to him and points him to a chair next to that of Philippe.
Atticus proceeds to take his seat.
The two men do not acknowledge each other. Their faces completely turned towards Alex.
The air conditioner is on yet a drop of sweat swivels down the chief's face.
"This is destiny after all" he utters to himself.
"Atticus," said the officer.
"This is the man who was injured in the crash," ge says pointing at Philippe.
Still they do not acknowledge each other. Firmly looking at the direction of the officer.
"Sir," says Atticus. "I do not have anything to do with that. I have lost my friend and in the verge of losing my job. And now you continuously accuse me of crashing a craft I barely know how to maneuver," complained Atticus.
"No Atticus, I do not accuse you of crashing the craft" the chief replied.
Atticus still remained on his nerves. Philippe remained unbothered.
"I just want both your reports" said the chief.
The both of them began filling up their stories.
Philippe went to on to do the job as he was asked without asking any questions. Atticus on the other hand was very reluctant and spoke sparsley hiding behind the words of his compatriot.
Atticus tries to make an acquaintance of Philippe, but he is busy detailing his reports. 
"Phillipe, Atticus too lost his father. Much like yours," said Alex.
Philippe this time sensing the oddity of the comments from Alex looks up and turns his attention to Atticus for the first time.
"I did not lose my father said Atticus, he left us for dead, That is very much different from losing a father" said Philippe.
"What is this about?" asked Atticus to the chief. "What does my history have to do with anything" he asked.
"Do you have a brother?" the chief asked passively but the questions remained relentless.
"No sir, none that I can remember" said Atticus 
"And why are questioning me in front a stranger. Is he here to identify me for a crime I did not commit!" asked Atticus hiding his furious tone.
Philippe spoke "No Sir," to Atticus. "I do not entertain the possibility of lying, I have not been brought up that way. Nor does the kingdom permit me to act in such a way" he said slipping out a word he did not intend to let slip.
"Kingdom," said Atticus in a surprised tone.
"First the Shape Shifters and now a man from the kingdom. What is going on?" he asked the room.
Philippe sat there in silence realizing he had made a mistake in giving up his identity.
"Philippe, do you not have a book from the Royal Library," Alex asked him.
"Yes sir, it is in the room. And sir how do you know I have a book from the royal library. Have you been following me?" Philippe asked the officer.
"Not at all," replied Alex.
"What book!" asked Atticus "and what does it have do with the investigation?" he asks the room once again.
"The book about a mother and his two sons," replied Alex.
Philippe still seated began to get very curious. 
"Who are you!" asked Philippe with all the authority in the world.
Alex reaches to his pocket, gets a pair of keys from them and opens a drawer of his desk. The two of them remained seated. Atticus with a frown on his face and his wrists clenched. Philippe with curiosity.
Alex takes a book from his drawer and hands it over to Philippe.
Philippe opens it and goes through the details. 
"Son," he adds. "The one you have only has the information up to District 8. This is the second part of the story - District 11" he said pointing at the book.
Philippe is completely stunned. Atticus still has a frown on his face!