Page 145 of The Maverick
What was the deal with these men dressing as women? Dr. Messina was being held at Calvin’s farm.
With my cane, I walked into Calvin’s warehouse and entered a room where Dr. Nico Messina sat in a chair with his hands tied behind his back.
“All yours.” Calvin got up from his chair and left with his three men dressed in black.
I didn’t want to waste time, so I asked, “Why did you kill Dr. Noah Marks?”
Dr. Messina knew exactly who I was. “Because they told me to.”
“The Trogyn or the Claude family?”
“They’re the same thing.”
He confirmed my suspicion.
“Dr. Marks didn’t want to kill you for us, so he had to go. He knew too much.” His thighs quivered. “When I looked for you the next day, you’d already been discharged from the hospital.”
“Did you have anything to do with my family’s murder?”
He shifted uncomfortably in the chair. “We sent toxic fumes into the house vents to knock them out before starting the fire. If I hadn’t done it, they would’ve killed me.” His lips trembled. “Your family was dead before the fire. So there wasn’t any pain.”
Did the fucker think that made it any better?
I lifted my cane and pressed a tiny button on the top. A blade flipped out. I jabbed it into his chest, and blood stained his white shirt.
He screamed. “Fuck!”
I twisted the blade, and he screamed louder. I wanted to pierce his neck, but I didn’t want him to die so soon. So I jabbed his abdomen instead. Another painful cry erupted.
“What is Madeline Claude-Collins’ agenda?” I asked, yanking the blade out.
His body quivered. “Serum100. It’s a radical serum that targets certain areas in the brain quickly—from newborns to older adults.”
What the hell?
Anger surged through me. “This is for the vulnerable people you want to hurt.” I thrust the blade, puncturing his thigh. His scream filled the room as I asked, “Why?”
“Mind control,” he whimpered. “They want to control everyone. It’s social engineering!”
“Tell me more about Ashton Lindor.” I yanked out the blade.
Ashton was groomed at a young age. His family ranked high within The Trogyn empire. All The Trogyn leaders were linked to the Claude family. Back then, President Charles Collins was a school police officer. His connection to the school systems allowed him to watch over Ashton and the other members’ children. He later became a congressman and rose in the political arena to assist the crime organization.
“Did he volunteer at the Sandal Crest Elementary School?” I asked about my mother’s employer.
Dr. Messina nodded. My mother had trusted the wrong police officer. Instead of helping her, Charles Collins reported her to The Trogyn.
“So Ashton is the current leader of The Trogyn?”
“Yes. But he has a large family support system that’s all over the world.” Dr. Messina winced.
“Who’s the next leader if something happens to him?” I had to eliminate every one of them.
Dr. Messina gave me the order of the succession. “Victor C. Steinberg, Francis Claude, Jason Bankers Claude, and Emilio C. Rothschild. That’s all I know.”
“Now I need a list of all the members. Who has this information?”
“Two accountants.” He hissed in pain.
