However what met was the same cold indifferent look
"You don't seem surprised" Philip disappointedly sighed
"Should I" Damion asked back
Philip looked deeply at him before giving up
"What if I was sent to hunt you" Philip suddenly asked
"Then I would have been hunted from the very day I started school for you to know me and speak so casually there is only one answer… Max" Damion casually stated his mind
"You are quite the sharp kid aren't you, Max said you were pretty smart but I didn't think it be this much" Philip walked over to the water dispenser and got himself a glass of water
"What's your relationship with Max" Damion asked
"Well, were aren't really related by blood but we're close friends till he suddenly disappeared "Philip looked into his glass
"Disappeared?"
"Yes, for 17 straight years he became unreachable, the only people that met him were those he took the imitative to meet
At that time, before he left he told me he got an opportunity to work as a researcher in medical facility "Philip paused taking a sip of water and sitting down
Damion kept quiet and patiently waiting for him to finish
"I knew it was his dream to research on medicine to find out more about it. Then just like that he disappeared
However 3 months ago Max suddenly called me and asked me to meet him, I was overjoyed and met with him, he insisted wet met in a secluded area, and we won't face each other" Philip said shaking his head
"He told me he messed up and he is tired, I asked him where he has been all these years and he said it was for everyone safety that he stayed away, he asked me to help him enroll you in the university with an alias Gustavo Adolfo. He further insisted that I don't ask you where he went when I met you "Philip stopped talking
"Was that the reason you scrutinized me on the first day" Damion asked
"Yeah I wanted to see you, because I thought you were maybe his son. But looking at you, you have no resemblance to him that leave me the question… Who are you" Philip asked him
"I don't know, probably I would find out soon" Damion replied back
Philip got up from his sit and went towards the water dispenser, he moved it aside to reveal a safe by the side, and he opened it and brought out a box and handed it to Damion
"Here Max said I should hand it to you when we met"
"Thank you " Damion took the box and got up
"Am guessing were done" He said facing Philip
" Yeah" Philip went back to his sit
Damion nodded and walked towards the door
"Damion I don't know the shit happening around you and Max, but I made a promise to look after you, so take care of yourself. If ever have a problem come to me" Philip said as Damion walked out
" I will think about it" Damion replied not giving a definite answer
Ned looked worriedly at Damion
"Is everything alright"
"Yeah let's go home" Damion replied having thoughts swirling in his head
Philip sighed again as Damion left, he wasn't being exactly honest with him
In reality before Max left 3 months ago he was injured and terminally ill, he remembered Max telling him he was dying and he needed to set things right before he does, h shouldn't by all means disclose his health or whereabouts with any one
He felt pained when he saw his ever lively friend now a shallow of his hollow self plus he kept talking about a sin he committed, he just hopes he receives peace of mind and rest
*********************
Damion got into his room and dumped his bag somewhere, he had this excitement of hearing Max voice again, he kept the box Philip gave him on the table and sat opposite it,
The box wasn't big and it wasn't small either, he calmed himself a bit before opening it
It contained Pictures and tapes of him and max when he was still in the facility, at that time he wasn't allowed to be taped in camera so it was usually smashed when it was found
"How did he save these?"
Damion asked as he went through the pictures, he felt tears gather at the rim of his eyes but he held it, he kept the tapes aside, later he would buy a tape viewer and watch them
He was still going through the pictures till he felt something on his hand, he pushed the pictures aside to find another USB attached to a picture
Mini him was being carried by a lovely young mother with silver eyes and dark hair, she had a face must ladies would die for along with a smile that could end wars
Damion grazed his hand on the figure
"Is she my mother?"
He turned his attention to the USB and connected it into his laptop
Unlike the previous USB Max gave him, this one had a recorded video of Max. He took a deep breath before playing the Video file
"If you are watching this Damion, it means you made it out safely and has begun school in Winter College thus meeting Philip
He's such a great guy, and so is Theodore who I suppose you are currently living with" Max coughed hard before continuing
"Like I said before I don't want you to start a journey of vengeance, I just want you to live happily. But I know my days are numbered and am dying, I won't find peace if I didn't tell you the truth
My Full name is Max Fisher, yes it might sound shocking. I became a medical researcher after my making a career as a doctor, I wasn't satisfied with just that,
I remembered Philip telling me not to lose myself in it but I didn't listen I was just so focus in finding out new drugs in medicine, then it hit me why not start it on life
I researched on different bloods of living things to study the enzymes and see if it had any medical properties but none, I then switched to humans
Since blood could clot while not find its cause and extract it, I know I was crazy I funded it by myself as my family thought it was a waste of time
I would go to the blood banks and take some samples for testing but I could never get a result till I met you" Max paused and started coughing hard again only this time it was accompanied with blood