Page 33 of Maverick

“You’re not normal men, are you?”

“We are very normal, sir, and I assure you, we mean no harm to the girls or you. We’re going to take these items off your hands and get them away from here. If other men come looking for it, don’t let them know that you’ve ever had it. They could be dangerous.”

“I’m not stupid. I got a feeling you could be dangerous as well.” Saint smirked at the old man, nodding.

“Only for those that are a danger to the ones we love.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

“I don’t understand,” frowned Katelyn. “You’re saying that they moved all the other girls out in the middle of the night. Where did they take them? Where are they now?”

“Jesus, were they drugging us every time they removed girls from the school?” asked Chelsea. “I remember girls suddenly gone, and they’d say that their parents picked them up and took them home, or they left for college or moved to another school. We’d always been told that none of us had parents.”

“I think you may have been brainwashed to some extent,” said Rachelle. “Ashley and I have been reading about some of these drugs, and they’re often used to plant suggestive thoughts into the brain.”

“But why leave all of that equipment, the files, everything?” asked Katelyn.

“They obviously had to leave in a hurry and thought that their security system would keep everything safe. That school was pretty damn remote. Even if someone had wanted to run away, you would have been traversing through some of the thickest forest areas in the state, encountering black bears, coyotes, mountain lions, and who knows what else,” said Hex.

“I feel dirty and used,” said Katelyn. “I thought I went to this great, prestigious school, and it was nothing but an agency factory for their own use.”

“There are more,” said Chelsea. “We know there are more out there, and we have to find them.”

“We will, honey,” said Ashley. “Right now, we need to go through everything that was brought back and see what we can find, and we’ll need the help of all of you and the other kids to identify things.”

“Where is Mav?” asked Katelyn.

“He and the others stayed in Maine to try and ask some more questions. They should be home by tomorrow morning.” Katelyn nodded at the room of people. The boxes and crates were spread out across the floor of the Sugar Lodge, covered in dust, ready for exploration.

“Alright. Let’s figure this out.”

“Mr. Jeffers?” He looked into the dark room and scanned the small space. Turning, he signaled to the others to look inside as well, and they nodded.

“That’s me. Who are you?” he barked back. Mav just grinned at him.

“My name is Maverick Stanton, sir. I spoke with Mr. Richmond, and he said that you used to handle the grounds at the girls’ school on the lake.”

“What about it? They shut down overnight and didn’t even tell me,” he snapped.

“Yes, sir. We heard that as well. We just want to ask you some questions. Could we buy you some coffee or lunch?” asked Mav. That seemed to get the old man’s attention.

“Alright. Let’s go across the street. My place ain’t big enough for the four of you. What’d you eat for breakfast? A moose?”

The men chuckled, waiting on the old man to close his door. He wrapped a tattered coat around himself, and Mav frowned, looking at the others. When they walked into the diner, it was nearly empty since it was well past lunch.

“Can we still get some lunch, ma’am?” asked Saint.

“Of course you can, honey. Take a seat. Hey, Truck. How are you doin’, hun?”

“I’m makin’ it, Ruthie.”

“You seem to know everyone,” smiled Mav.

“We ain’t got seven hundred people in the whole area. I’d be an idiot not to know everyone. Order the moose burger or the bison burger. Better than any cow you’ve ever eaten.”

“Sounds great. Ma’am, five moose burgers, fries, and we’ll all have iced teas.” The old man nodded at him, grateful for the hot meal. Pax stood and walked to the waitress, whispering to her as the others started to talk.

“You asked about me mowing the lawns out there,” said the old man.

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