Page 32 of Maverick

On the second floor and the extending wings were multiple dorm rooms. They were all small, divided by what appeared to be age groups. The rooms had double beds, nightstands, dressers, and desks with a reasonably-sized closet and private bathroom.

“Better than boot camp,” frowned Saint. The others nodded. There were a few articles of clothing left behind, including sheets and blankets, clearly having seen better days.

On the third floor were classrooms. Although the electronic equipment was gone, they could see that they’d been equipped with computers, screens, tech boards, and other things.

“Just classrooms,” said Brax.

“No. No, this is odd,” said Mav. “Why put the classrooms above the dorm rooms? If someone were sick or trying to sleep, you would hear the classrooms above. It would have been smarter to put the rooms above the classes.”

Saint held up a finger and ran downstairs to the dorm rooms again.

He looked around the dorm room and stepped into the hallway, looking up at the ceiling. He opened several more dorm rooms and stepped inside. Brax, Pax, and Mav followed, watching him move from space to space.

“What’s wrong?” asked Pax.

“Look. Those were cameras,” he said, pointing to the tiny holes in the ceilings. “They were watching and listening to the kids from the classrooms. I don’t think those were just classrooms. I think they were observation areas. I think someone was up there watching the kids the entire time.”

“We have to find something that tells us more about all of this,” said Mav. “Keep searching. Let’s see if there are any outer buildings.”

After another hour of searching the property, they found a gymnasium, a small medical clinic, and what appeared to be a landscaping shed. At the back of the school, they looked out onto a lake that was still scattered with pieces of ice from winter.

“Why here? Why in the middle of fucking nowhere?” asked Saint. Mav tapped his arm and nodded toward the lake. A small motorboat was making its way across the lake, an elderly gentleman artfully steering his way around the ice.

“I think we might be about to find out,” he nodded. Mav waved at the gentleman, who waved back as he pulled up to the small dock.

“I was wonderin’ when you boys would come back for all that stuff,” he said. “Docks too rickety to get out here but just come around the lake to my place over there. I’ve got everything stored in the barn over there.”

“Stored?” frowned Pax.

“Well, I was noticing that this place was starting to take a beating, and the racoons were getting in. So, I took it upon myself to save your stuff. You’re welcome,” he sneered.

“Oh, we’re grateful,” said Mav. “I’ll come with you in the boat, and the others will follow in our truck.”

“Well, I hope it’s a moving truck. Like I said. I got a barn full.”

“Are you seeing all of this?” whispered Saint.

“Recording it all. There must be millions of dollars worth of equipment in there. Do I see a medical chest?”

“It’s loaded with prescriptions, pain medications, psychotropics, and shit I’ve never seen or heard of,” said Pax.

“Hey, were them kids okay?”

“I’m sorry, what do you mean?” asked Saint.

“Well, you folks came in and took them girls out of there in the middle of the night. I thought there was a fire or something, but all them kids were sleeping.” They frowned at the man, tilting their heads. He pointed to a pair of binoculars at his window.

“I’m an old man. I don’t get much excitement out here. Watched all my movies and can’t really afford to buy new ones. Noise travels across the lake. I heard the trucks pulling in one night. Bunch of men carried them little girls out in their nightgowns and drove away. I waited a few weeks, and they didn’t return, so I went took all that stuff thinkin’ I’d store it for them. Next thing I knew, they came back, locked the doors, put up some kinda crazy security locks, and left again. They never even bothered to see if all the stuff was still inside. I watched that place for weeks, thinking they might come back, but nope.”

“Did you let the authorities know?” asked Pax.

“Of course I did. Sheriff said there was an outbreak of measles, and they had to move the girls out of the buildings to fumigate and then decided they would shut the place down. I didn’t question it.” He eyed the men carefully and then stepped back. “You ain’t with them, are you?”

“No, sir. We are not. But we believe that those children might be in danger,” said Mav. “My fiancée was one of them, but she left more than ten years ago on her own. Have you seen any of the girls in the area?”

“I always knew something was weird. Folks would send them invitations to fall festivals and holiday parties, you know, to get the kids involved with the other school kids. They always refused to let them mix in. Like they were better or something.” He shook his head again. “I haven’t seen any of the girls since then. I never really met them. You might try Truck Jeffers. He lives in town now, probably in his eighties, but he used to handle the grass cutting and such.”

The old man heard the sounds of a machine but couldn’t place it. When the Osprey landed in the field, he opened his mouth to speak, then looked at the men.

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