Page 77 of The Maverick (WaterFyre Rising #7)

CHAPTER SEVENTY-ONE

VANESSA

The room went quiet, and the band stopped playing.

The President and his wife exchanged perplexed glances.

“What does that mean?” asked a woman with the short brown hair. “Does the First Lady have a different identity?”

“Is there something you’d like us to know, First Lady?” asked a man in a corduroy jacket. “We’re here to support your charity, so we’d like to know the truth.”

Conversations erupted amongst the tables as they waited for a response from the First Couple.

I smirked knowing the woman and man who asked the questions probably worked for Musepaper.

A second later, videos of Ashton Lindor as a high school teen splashed onto the screen. It was a clip from a performance of Macbeth . The cast got to introduce themselves.

“That looks like you, First Lady,” said the short-haired woman.

“It does,” said another reporter. “Do you have a brother?”

“Where’s my assistant?” Madeline searched the room.

“Jack!” The President called out to the secret service agent whom I had met before. He was nowhere in sight.

The President and his wife both placed a hand on their chests, signifying their increased heart rate and difficulty breathing.

“Is that the First Lady in the video?” someone asked.

“That’s not me!” Madeline shouted, losing her British accent.

“But it looks so much like you.” A woman reporter snapped a photo of her.

“All of you—get out!” she shouted, blocking her face with her forearm.

“But we paid for the event,” said a man sitting with his wife.

Looking pale, the President glanced around, probably looking for his people. Where were they?

A side-by-side image of Ashton and Madeline popped onto the TV screen.

A computer voice said, “President Charles Collins and his wife have lied to you. Madeline Claude-Collins is a transgender woman from the wealthy Claude family. They’re running a powerful crime organization called The Trogyn, and they own Harris Foods, LLC and Harris Pharmaceuticals.

They are feeding your children poisoned food, making them sick.

They’re forcing you to buy medicine from their company.

These are the evil people around you.” Images of the members flashed onto the screen.

“The CIA is compromised by The Trogyn. They’re killing Americans everywhere.

This is how Madeline reacts when she doesn’t get what she wants. She was only sixteen.”

The video played the recording of Ashton beating Attikus. It stopped when Ashton’s face was clearly visible.

“Stop it! Jack! Where the fuck are you?” She shouted for the secret service. “They’re lying. They’re trying to smear me.”

“What happened to your British accent?” asked someone in the crowd.

Conversations erupted, and people left with fear, anger, and confusion on their faces.

“Look!” someone exclaimed. “There are more TVs out here with different videos.”

“Check your phones!” said another person. “It’s on social media everywhere.”

“Wait, that’s the President and his wife talking just now. Same event. They’re wearing the same clothes.”

I smiled, knowing Vivian and Elena were blasting the new video recordings caught by devices embedded in the paintings.

Tears ran down my cheeks. I could hear and smell justice approaching.

Karma’s presence rang like a bell. My friends deactivated the recordings and the camera.

There was no need for the public to see how the President and his wife would die.

After everyone had left, Orion closed the doors to the banquet hall. The only people in the room were my friends and Orion’s security team in the back.

Madeline bolted from her chair, knocking it down.

The chair hit the display cart filled with berries and dessert.

The cart flew toward my legs, but I shifted, letting it slam into the painting.

Madeline whipped her eyes to me. There was no need to hide anymore.

I detached myself from the painting, wearing a one-of-a kind gown.

Madeline glared at me, and then she smirked. “Too bad Attikus isn’t here to see me kill you.”

My friends stepped forward, preparing to help me. But I held out a hand. “You’re in no condition to kill anyone, Madeline. Or should I say, Ashton?”

She charged at me but stopped as pain strained her face. She gripped her chest, and I smiled, loving that poison was flowing through her systems. Her left shoulder dipped more, probably because pain overpowered her effort to straighten herself.

“It’s a marvel that my husband destroyed your shoulder back then when three of you beat him.”

I remembered watching the video and seeing Ashton wince from Attikus’s punch.

“Doesn’t matter now, does it?” A sly smile slid onto Madeline’s face. “He’s dead .”

President Collins gasped, hunched over, and collapsed onto the chair, looking worse than Madeline.

“My chest,” he groaned. “Something’s not right.”

“Something is extremely right.” I described his symptoms. “The Atropa belladonna is slowly tearing down your respiratory system.” I tapped my head. “You’ll start hallucinating as your brain deteriorates.”

“Bitch!” Madeline lunged at me, gripping my throat with her manly hand.

I clawed at her with my sharp nails and pulled her hair. The blonde wig shifted, clinging to the side. I reached into my dress pocket, grabbed the knife, and stabbed her in the stomach.

“That’s for Attikus!” I pushed her away, creating distance.

Madeline growled in pain, stumbled, and yanked out the knife. Her blonde wig fell to the ground, revealing a shaved head.

“Vanessa!” the girls shrieked with worry as the boys stepped closer to the platform.

“I’m okay.” I gestured for them to stay where they were.

I wanted to see life end in Madeline’s eyes. I wanted to see her suffer for all the lives she’d hurt. Most of all, I wanted her to pay for taking Attikus away from me and for killing Grayson and Remi. Her death would help me grieve for Attikus.

The Atropa belladonna didn’t affect Madeline as quickly as her older husband, who was barely alive in the chair.

“I’m going to kill you!” Hatred blazed in Madeline’s eyes as she gripped the knife and rushed toward me again.

“Touch her again, and you’ll be begging me to end you.”

The voice was like an electric shock through my system.

It jolted my heart, giving it new life. Everything in the room faded to the background as I turned toward his voice.

When Attikus’s face emerged from the group of security guards standing behind Orion, I released a sob of joy, shock, sadness, and anger.

All these emotions battled in me, pushing tears to the surface and down my face.

Am I imagining this? Is it really him?

Attikus stepped up to the platform and brushed my tears away with his fingers. “It’s me, Lily Pad.” He kissed my forehead.

I sucked in a breath at his touch—his presence. He was real in the flesh. But the joy I felt was mixed with anger. Why had he kept me in the dark? I pushed the anger aside to deal with it later.

“No.” Madeline glowered at him. “It can’t be.” She held a hand to her bleeding wound. “You should be dead.”

Attikus stepped in front of me, creating a protective barrier between me and Madeline. “Things aren’t always what they seem. You, of all people, should know this.”

Blood continued to leak from the wound, but Madeline didn’t seem to be affected by it like I had hoped. Perhaps her multiple surgeries and access to illegal drugs had messed up her body.

“Ashton, I can’t breathe . . .” President Collins looked at his wife for help.

“You fucker!” She gathered her strength and lunged after me, but Attikus kicked her. She fell against the table but regained her composure.

“The berries are delicious, aren’t they?” I smirked. “The deadly nightshade is toxic—just like you.”

“You fucking bitch!” she exclaimed, her fists clenched.

A loud boom sounded from the door. I glanced toward it, looking worried.

“That’s The Trogyn empire collapsing.” Attikus said. “You should watch the videos of your family’s businesses being destroyed. The high definition and audio effects are fantastic.”

Happy tears streamed down my face as I stared at my love. God had heard my prayer. But now I had to deal with how Attikus had kept me in the dark about his plan.

I glanced at my friends, who looked equally shocked.

Attikus met my eyes. Love and so much more swam in them.

Oh, I have questions for you , Whistler.

“You good?” Remi asked Attikus, holding Audri’s hand.

Attikus nodded. “Thank you.”

My friends exited through a hidden door that blended in with the wall.

The only people left were Attikus, Madeline, her husband, and me. Drool slid down the side of the President’s mouth.

Attikus walked up to me with his cane. “I missed you.”

I’d missed him too, but I couldn’t say it right now. The past three days had been hell, thinking he was dead.

“I’m going to kill you both!” Madeline charged at us.

Attikus stepped in front of me, drew a sword from his cane, and slashed off Madeline’s right arm. It thudded to the floor.

“That’s for charging at my wife.” He seethed. “This is for my father.” Attikus stabbed Madeline in the gut, and she wailed. “This is for my mother.” He pierced one thigh, and blood gushed out. “And this is for my sister.” He plunged the sword into the other thigh and yanked it out.

My body jerked as I watched Attikus unleash his rage. Cries of pain filled the room. I should feel bad for Madeline, but then I thought about all those lives she had ruined.

“This is for me.” Attikus stabbed Madeline’s wrist, knee, and ankle. Blood splattered all over the floor.

When he lowered his sword, I saw the names of his mother, father, and sister engraved on the blade. Now I understood why he always carried that cane.

“How does it feel to live with an injury that I caused?” Attikus tapped Madeline’s left shoulder with his sword.

Madeline flared her nostrils, wanting to hurt Attikus, but was in no condition to do so.

“I read your medical files from Brigham and Women’s Hospital.” He smiled. “Your injured shoulder can’t be repaired. You can’t escape me.” He glared at her. “Why did you become a woman?”

Heaving, Madeline glowered. “So you wouldn’t find me . . . fucker.”

A smirk slid onto Attikus’s face. “You were that scared of me?”

“Jack.” Her eyes glazed as she looked at Attikus. The hallucination had begun. “Take us home. Don’t let Attikus find us.”

“Why are you afraid of him?” Attikus asked.

“Not afraid, Jack.” She moaned. “Always be cautious of a man with nothing to lose. He’ll turn the world upside-down to find you.” She started mumbling to herself.

Attikus walked over to the President, whose face was twisted with fear and pain. The President gasped for breath as he tried to escape Attikus, but he couldn’t move.

“My mother came to you for help, but you betrayed her trust. You betrayed your country—your people. You’re a pathetic man.

This is for my mother, your country, and all the lives you’ve ruined.

” He stabbed the sword into the President’s gut twice.

The President called his wife’s name as blood poured out of him.

Madeline was delirious and hallucinating. She looked at Attikus. “Jack, take us out of here. Now!”

I saw the closure on Attikus’s face as he turned his gaze away from the President and Madeline. He wiped his sword on a napkin from the table and returned the sword to the cane scabbard. Taking my hand, he led me out the side door, leaving the President and his wife to bleed to death.

“We can’t leave them there,” I said. “The hotel staff will find them.”

“No, they won’t.” He lifted my painted hand for a kiss. “I own this hotel. Someone will clean up the mess. Let’s go home.”