CHAPTER 23: TRUTH

Lance's POV

The ride was a quiet one. Although GJ tried to look calm, I noticed she was tensed judging by the way her hands gripped the wheel. I was nervous as well. What was she going to do with the knowledge she gained about me?

My questions would soon be answered. We pulled up into a driveway that led to a good looking 4-bedroom mansion.

We alighted from the vehicle and walked into her house. The décor was breathtaking. So expensive to the tee. Everything was grand. The predominant colours were ash and gold.

We took the stairs that led to her study.

Her study was filled with files, books, snacks and hard drives. Kind of messy for a girl.

She motioned towards an empty chair, "Have a seat while I get you something to drink."

"You don't have to." I said as I took my seat, "I just want to know what you wanted to talk about."

She sat on the floor with some files she picked up earlier. She looked at me with all seriousness, "How well do you know your family?"

I raised a brow, "What do you mean?"

"Let me paraphrase. How well do you know your father?"

"He was a business tycoon and multi-millionaire. He owned two shopping malls, and estate and one of the biggest restaurants in the southern region of this country." I said without batting an eyelid, "Why the question?"

She took in a deep breath, "Your father was involved in a lot more than you think."

"Explain."

"Aside from the businesses you mentioned earlier, your father was involved in some underground activities."

"Illegal activities?"

"Mostly. He was involved in human trafficking, drug dealing and also controlled most of the thugs in this state."

"If he's such a bad guy, why didn't the security agents catch up with him?"

"Besides your father's ability to cover his tracks, he was backed by the security agencies in some of the activities."

I scratched my head. Guess I understand what the lawyer meant by other businesses when he read the will.

"How did you know all this?" I asked

"I may not look like it, but I'm somewhat of a detective." She said, "It's kind of like the family business."

"Family business? Isn't your father a doctor?"

"Fathers alone don't define a family business. My mom is also a detective. It has been passed down from one daughter to another across my lineage."

"Wow. This sounds like some ancient story."

"Remember I asked you how well do you know your family?"

"Yeah, I do."

She took out a file with four emblems on them. One of which I recognized as my family's emblem. The others, I didn't recognize. I looked at her.

"These four families control law and order in Port Harcourt. They are two main families and two support families." She said, "I'll start with the support families."

She pointed at one of them, it was ash and gold crow surrounded by thorns, "This is my family; the Johnsons. We are the detectives and we provide and sell information to the rest of the families or we use for our gain. Only girls are allowed to be detectives. As most of our informants are men, we use the art of seduction to gather information."

She pointed at another emblem, this one a red spider preying on a blue butterfly, "This represents the Bishop family. The spies or assassins. They handle the main families' dirty work. You know, killing and stuff. Only men do this work in the family. They get in too close to their target before killing."

"Do they kill members of the other families?" I asked

"Yeah, they do. If one or all families agree so." She said, "Now it's time for the main families."

She pointed at my family's emblem which was a black-faced lion with a gold mane and the letter 'E' on its forehead, "The Everglade regarded as the most powerful due to their ability to create and control an extensive network of people to their advantage. They control the security of the state from the shadows. My family normally works with them from time to time. Only men head this family."

She looked up at me as she finished her sentence. I simply nodded. I knew what she was trying to say.

She pointed at the last emblem. Unlike the other emblems that were animals, this was a copy of the virgin mary but with horns, "The Collins family. Although they are the second most powerful family, they are extremely dangerous. The family is into technology and owns TechCol, the biggest technology firm in the region. They don't usually associate with the other families. They've caused most of the deaths in the other families more than the Bishops. Only women head this family. And you've already met their head."

"Vivian," I said while I rubbed my eyes.

"You've met all the families but one." She said as she placed the emblems back into the folder.

"You mean the Bishops?" I asked, "Do you know who the next heir is?"

"I think you mean the current head. His father is dead." She said, "As for who the current head is, I don't know. Being an assassin also means being extremely good at hiding."

"No clues at all?"

"Well, just the same way my family works with the Everglades, the Bishops work with the Collins. I think the new head would be monitoring Vivian."

I sighed. This was too much information to take in. I recognized a pattern in the families.

"Pardon me asking, but are you the only child?" I asked

"Yeah, I am." She said, "All the families need to have single children."

"But my dad has a sister."

"Yvonne was adopted into the family. So she doesn't count."

She even knows my aunt's name. After what she just told me about her family I wasn't surprised. Her expression told me she still had something to say.

"Anything else I need to know?" I asked.

She fidgeted a bit before letting it out, "I think I know what happened to Vivian."

I was interested. She brought out a brown envelope with my family's seal. In it was a letter which read,

I David of the Everglade family humbly asks for your help in our latest groundbreaking experiment; Vivlío tis lagneías.

This experiment would require a 14-year-old female child with no sexual experience. This may be too much to ask but my family suggested you would take part in this project as your family holds the required subject.

If and when the outcomes of this experiment become successful, your family would 70% of the profits to be gained.

I humbly await your reply.

I looked at GJ who stared at her feet the whole time.

"Why didn't they decline?" I asked.

"Same question I asked myself. After digging around, it turns out that the Collins family were low on funds thanks to your father. He made business hard for them by planting some of his people into the shareholders of TechCol. He bought 60% of the company's shares and sacked the head of the company." She said.

"The Collins didn't have a choice then."

"Maria, the head of the Collins family turned down the offer. But Vivian wanted to help ease her family's situation"

"She offered herself huh?"

GJ nodded. This was bad. Very bad. My family was responsible for Vivian's misery.

"Wait, I thought my dad raped Vivian to death?" I asked.

"I don't think he did." Said GJ, "Maybe it was just a cover-up for the experiment."

I looked at the word again, "Vivlío tis lagneías. What does it mean? What was the experiment about anyway?"

"The word is Greek it means Book Of Lust." She said, "The experiment was supposed to channel one's lust into the ability to remain and look young forever. The stronger the lust, the better the result."

"Judging from Vivian's case, I take it that the experiment was a success?"

"If it was, then the formula would have been sold for profit."

She had a point. Now there was another problem.

"How are there two Vivians?" I asked.

She brought out some more files; they were all medical reports. "Vivian was cloned."

I busted into laughing fit. I wiped away the tear, "Come on we both know cloning is not possible."

"It isn't." she said, "The clone just needed to possess Vivian's DNA. In other words, the Vivian, in the morgue..."

"Is the fake Vivian," I said, "She was placed there to reduce suspicion. I guess since it was a failed clone, that's the reason its eyes were open."

GJ nodded.

"Did the Collins family know about the cloning?" I asked

"They didn't." said GJ, "To them, the Vivian in the morgue is the real one. Your father paid them 60 million dollars and handed over the company shares back to them."

"He fooled them huh?" I asked while I rubbed my eyes, "is there anything else?"

She shook her head negatively, "If I found out more, I'll let you know."

"Thanks, I appreciate it," I said while getting up to take my leave.

"Miracle, please be careful." She said.

I stared at her eyes which showed genuine concern for me. "I will. And please call me Lance."

GINA'S POV

School had ended and I couldn't find Lance anywhere.

I went to his classroom to check but saw a Boy and a girl making out. They both stopped what they were doing as I entered.

"Hey, there!" said the boy, "How may I help you?"

"I'm sorry," I said, "I'm just looking for Lance."

The boy stood up and walked towards me. He was somehow effeminate in other words gay-like but very handsome.

"Who are you to him?" he asked