Page 3 of Hayes
CHAPTER TWO
Victoria didn’t remember her parents or if she ever had a last name. The staff at the school, the teachers, all just called her Victoria. They placed puzzles and problems and books in front of her every day, asking her to read them, study them, recite them, or fix them.
At first, she didn’t mind. It was interesting and sort of fun. Then she realized what they were doing. When she started to ask questions, she was told that she was no longer able to stay at the school and would be moving on.
She didn’t understand what that meant, but in the middle of the night, someone covered her head with a hood and took her away. She bounced from one location to the next, each time covered in a hood and kidnapped.
It was terrifying.
The ‘teachers,’ who weren’t actually teachers at all, demanded that they work on the strange problems presented to them, but Victoria knew what they were doing. It would cause the world to be in such chaos that she couldn’t be a part of it.
When they were moved once again, this time she wasn’t placed in a hood. Other kids joined the small group she was with and were told they’d been sold to someone who needed their services.
She was surprised to see a handsome young man get into the van and sit between her and Chelsea. He was very tall and very thin, but he was also very handsome. They immediately became friends, whispering in corners, making plans for escape, and guiding the young children tonotfollow the directions of the adults.
It was a complete and utter surprise when they were rescued by a group of the largest, handsomest men that any of them had ever seen. Rushed off to a helicopter that fascinated all of them, they found themselves on one of the most beautiful properties they’d ever seen.
Never in her life had she been treated with such kindness, such love. Given clothing that she loved, all her own, a place to work on any of her ideas, and even more, to work with some of the most brilliant minds in the world.
Where she really got lucky was becoming the foster child of Ophelia and Moses Baird. He was tall, dark, handsome, and brave, and Ophelia was a beauty with beautifully curly hair and perfect skin.
Eventually, they requested to adopt her. But the moment she knew she was in the right place was the day they sneaked into the morning meeting.
“Luke? Cam? We need to speak with you about the new kids,” said Elizabeth, standing with Jessica, Keith, and a few of the others from the school.
“Is there a problem?” asked Luke. “Are they having behavioral issues?”
“No. No, nothing like that,” said Jessica. “It’s almost embarrassing to say, but I’m not sure we’re equipped, intellectually, to teach these children. They’re far above our intellect and abilities. Whatever we attempt to teach, they get bored easily because they already know it. Most, if not all, are at collegiate-level learning. Some, like Victoria and Hayes, are at master’s or PhD levels.”
“I never thought about that,” said Cam. “Usually, our kids far surpass those in other schools because we pushacademics so well in our own school. But I guess we weren’t prepared for a group of Mensa kids.”
“It’s not just that they are all at genius-level IQs, Cam. These children are constantly solving problems in their heads that none of us can even conceive. I put forth a problem that was PhD-level physics, and almost all of them got it correct. The youngest, Monroe, had all but one component correct,”said Keith. Jessica nodded, continuing.
“Brady, he’s only eleven, gave us a complete presentation on how we could better preserve the marine life in the bayous if we added a certain mineral to the land closest to the water so that it could be washed in naturally. He said it would give us tenfold the oyster, crawfish, and shrimp population that we’ve had in the last five years.”
“Damn, how do we solve this problem? I’m no genius. I can’t fucking help these kids. I mean, I’m a smart man, but I’m not capable of teaching those kids,” said Eric.
“We solve this like we always have,” said Jessica. “As a team. We have other geniuses here. What if we made a modified schedule of their curriculum for the kids, something advanced and less time-consuming? It could be taught by May, Thomas, Montana, Doug, Pigsty, Alexandra, Erin, Finley, Jean, even Tony.”
“We’re going to have one of the ghosts teach the kids?” smirked Hex.
“Do you have a better idea?” asked Elizabeth. “These kids need to be challenged, and we can only go so far. If all of our resident geniuses chip in, we’ll keep their attention. I even think that by involving Chipper, Teddy, Matthew, some of the older men, they could teach them life skills that these kids have never learned.”
“What do you mean?” asked Eric.
“Eric, these kids don’t know anything about money or how to balance a checkbook. They’ve never been to a store and purchased something. They’ve never been to a gym, never gone for a run, never swam in a pool or lake. Hell, many haven’t even played a board game other than chess. There are basic skills they don’t possess.”
“I never thought of any of that,” said Luke. “Maybe this becomes community teaching. Maybe we all need to take a part in this, but also give the kids real time out at G.R.I.P. They could work in the labs, help the team out there with things.
“But we oversee everything. I don’t want any mad science experiments, and I damn sure don’t want anyone saying that we’re using their intelligence for our profit. They only go out there if they want to. But most of all, I want those kids to have time with other kids. They can’t be all about academics and nothing else. They need to learn how to function with others.”
“Hayes and Victoria are the oldest. Allow them a little more freedom than the others. I mean, for goodness’ sake, they know five languages, not counting all the math and computer languages,” smirked Jessica.
“It sounds like you have a good plan,” said Eric. “I’m in favor of it. We want them to grow but also have normal lives. If they want to be involved in athletics, we let them. If it’s music they want, then give them music. Mia can instruct as well as some of the others. We have Lissa at the dance studio. We have artists — Ela, Shay, and several others. Let them be who they want. I do not want to push these children.”
“Mr. Eric?” said a small voice at the door. He turned, smiling at the two little boys. They could not have been more different. One black. One white. One blonde. One with blackhair. Dark eyes versus blue eyes. Yet they were determined to be brothers.
“Nigel, Spencer, what can we do for you?” smiled Luke.
