Page 67 of The Maverick (WaterFyre Rising #7)

CHAPTER SIXTY-TWO

ATTIKUS

That night, I informed the boys that Vanessa and Joseph were doing well.

“That’s great to hear,” Remi said.

I raked a hand through my hair, releasing a sigh. “Thanks for your help with the drones.”

“Anytime, man,” Grayson said.

“You look tired.” Forrest sipped from his tumbler. I should’ve gotten one for myself prior to this meeting. “Do you want to postpone this meeting until tomorrow?”

“No. I need to give you information while it’s still fresh in my head. Besides, I need to spend time with Vanessa tomorrow, so the schedule might be too chaotic.”

“Okay. What do you have?” Remi inquired.

“The First Lady injected Joseph, asking him questions about me.”

“As in the President’s wife?” they all asked at once.

I nodded. “Seems like she’s involved in these dangerous drug experiments.”

“What did you do to her?” Royce asked.

I was about to tell him I wasn’t sure yet when Orion popped onto the screen.

“Sorry, guys. My meeting ran late.”

“No worries,” I said and caught him up.

“I spoke to my contacts in the CIA,” Orion said.

“They confirmed there are military research programs that use torture techniques and powerful drugs for behavioral studies like mind control. There are research centers in Canada, Texas, and Wyoming. He said there could be smaller ones that aren’t listed in the database. ”

“The one in Providence just got exposed,” Arrow said.

“Why would there be one in Canada?” Grayson asked.

“Maybe the Canadian politicians are colluding with our government, who knows?” Royce drank from his water bottle. “Politicians are corrupt everywhere.”

“I wish Paul Exinor could’ve given us more information before he died,” Forrest said. “His brain was bleeding. I couldn’t stop it.”

“Not your fault,” I told him. “He gave us some clues to work with. We know they’re using agents who are against their horrendous experiments.

Some even threatened to expose it, so the people running the program had to get rid of them.

They injected the agents with the drug, manipulated their minds, turned them crazy, and forced them to commit the crimes. Then they killed the agents.”

“The President has to know what his wife’s been up to. Even if a CIA agent exposed the program, who has the power to stop the First Lady? The President. The couple has been lying to the country—to the world.” Orion scratched his chin. “Who are they? What is their agenda?”

“That’s what we have to find out,” I said. “Listen to this. It’s Brody C. Harris talking to the First Lady.”I played the recording from Vanessa’s files.

“This is for you from the Harris family,” Brody said. “We know how much you love art.”

“Really? It’s very thoughtful of you. Thank you,” Madeline replied. “ The Starry Truth is an exquisite painting.”

“More people are waiting to congratulate you, honey,” said President Collins.

“Please put this with my belongings to take home,” Madeline told someone.

“Yes, ma’am.”

Shuffling noises and a door closed.

“That recording was days ago,” I said. “There are others, but the conversations aren’t as clear. The painting must be hanging in an open room with many people.”

“This proves that the Harris family is working with the President and his wife,” Arrow said.

It was time I offered my suspicion. “She’s not his wife. She’s his husband.”

Grayson snorted. “What are you talking about?”

“Look at this.” I showed them a picture of Ashton when he was in high school and a picture of Madeline side-by-side.

She’d had multiple plastic surgeries to enhance her cheekbones, soften her jawline, and make her nose smaller.

All her procedures were done at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.

Despite the surgeries, certain features remained the same.

“Ashton C. Lindor is Madeline Claude-Collins.”

“What the fuck?” Remi moved closer to the screen.

“I see the resemblance.” Orion sat back in his chair. “Holy Shit. We have a transgender First Lady.”

“I know Madeline is Ashton because of how she speaks. Her voice is softer now, but she has certain unique traits she can’t get rid of. The way she emphasizes the word ‘really’ stands out. It always annoyed me in high school.”

“This presidency is a sham,” Royce said. “Why does he have a British accent?”

“He’s acting the role,” I said. “He was in the high school drama club. So he’s used to pretending.”

“Was he gay in high school?” Remi asked.

“He had a girlfriend, but not for long,” I said. “Then again, he could’ve been acting to hide his true sexual preference. I don’t know.”

“So the President’s gay . . . I’m just thinking out loud.” Grayson crossed his arms. “He marries a man who got a sex change to be a woman. Why?”

“There’s more to this story. We just have to unravel it.” I rubbed the tension building at the back of my neck. “There’s nothing wrong with being gay. He could’ve said my wife is transgender.So why lie to the entire country?”

“Because he wouldn’t have won the presidency,” Royce said. “The country would have been divided.”

I nodded in agreement. “His transition ensured nothing changes within the presidency. The country has a President and a First Lady.”

Grayson scratched his head. “I still can’t believe this. It’s so . . . out there.”

“Madeline Claude-Collins.” Orion pursed his lips, thinking. “Claude—the name rings a bell. Hold on one second.” He went off the screen. I heard him typing in the background. Then he blurted, “Fuck. I think I found something. Check it out.”

A list of names flashed onto the screen:

Ashton C. Lindor: enemy #1.

Bobby C. Cooney: enemy #2.

Harry C. Sullivan: enemy #3.

Stephen C. Perry: high school principal.

David C. Johnson: judge overseeing Attikus’s case.

Mike C. Matthews: police officer #1 who covered up the attack.

Benjamin C. Jones: police officer #2 who covered up the attack.

Anthony C. Young: fire investigator who gave false report.

Dillon C. Harris: heir #1 to Harris Pharmaceuticals.

Brody C. Harris: heir #2 to Harris Pharmaceuticals (cousin to Dillon).

Richard C. Muller: artist specializing in male genitalia at Boston Auction.

Jim C. Caruso: police officer who didn’t help Vanessa’s case.

“What do you guys see?” Orion asked.

“I see a C repetition.” Grayson formed a C with his fingers. “Pun intended.”

Orion came back onto the screen. “I just searched what their initial C stands for, and it’s Claude.”

“What?” Royce shook his head. “They’re related?”

This mystery around Ashton just took a darker path. “Milton told me the Claude family is one of the wealthiest in Europe with ties to old money.”

“They are,” Orion grunted. “We don’t like them. The Reimann family and the Claude family don’t do business together.”

“Why?” Remi asked.

“Their banking family is a lot older than my family,” Orion said. “Napoleon Claude started the business, and his empire expanded to England, Germany, Sweden, Russia, and other countries. Despite their expansion, they wanted to keep their massive wealth within the family. Like the Rothschilds.”

Forrest made a face. “Incest?”

“One of their daughters admitted it during an interview,” Orion replied.

“No wonder they’re all messed up,” Royce added.

“But some of them broke free and married outside of the family.” Orion turned from side to side, stretching his neck. “That’s why we see the likes of Ashton, Brody, and others. These people are proud of their lineage, hence the initial C .”

“Ashton is part of a powerful family.” I yawned. “Why did he change his gender? It’s not to hide from me. What’s his agenda?”

“I think we’ve got enough to go by,” Remi said. “We’ll all look at the President and his wife. Go to sleep, Attikus.”

“Thanks, guys.”

I shut off the computer, returned to the bedroom, and washed up. Then I slipped in next to Vanessa, hugging her close. This entire investigation had morphed into a complex mystery. My friends and I didn’t have time to discuss how The Trogyn fell into the mix. That could wait for another day.

Madeline Claude-Collins had some balls, but they won’t save her from me.