Chapter ~ 17# ~ Testing Grounds

Ethan ~ POV

I smiled as I sat with the other robotic club members. I made some calls and got them to meet us at Jeremiah's house. He was the closest to everyone, so meeting at his house was the easiest for everyone. We all stood in a small shed that seemed to be his own home workshop. I felt like I was in one of those secret labs that make fancy gadgets for spies. I looked at everyone as Noah looked around the shed. Honestly, I know I should go to the police with this… but with Ben gone, I don't think any of the sheriffs would take me seriously. And if they did, we… all end up in more trouble. I had been talking with them, trying to figure out any kind of location Nathneial and his dad might have mentioned. 

"Honestly, we mostly built our robots here or at school," Emily mentioned as she sat in a rolling swivel chair. 

"You guys can't think of anything? Maybe a spot in the woods… or…." They all shook their heads as I tried to think of other locations they could be hiding in. 

"We do field testing either at the school's parking lot or at the park." Jeremiah leaned against a table as he said that. 

I groaned; we're so close but missing a piece of the puzzle. 

"Hey… what kind of robot is this?" Noah asked as he pointed to a small robot that sat on a display shelf with others. 

It was a miniature robot that looked about the size of a softball. I saw a tiny camera hidden along a thick, clear plastic ring. The club members look over to the shelf Noah was pointing to. 

"That's a prototype for a project we were working on," Alex mentions as he walks over to the shelf. 

"So it was you guys." Noah mentioned, which caught not just me but everyone off guard. 

"What do you mean?" Samantha asked as she walked over and leaned against a tool chest. 

"Back at Nathaniel's house, there was something like this there… about the same size. It bumped against my foot and led me to the room key." As Noah talked, I noticed everyone in the robotics club looked at each other nervously. 

"You don't think…." Emily asked but stopped, not wanting to finish her thought. 

Though judging from the other's worry reaction, I guess they all were thinking the same thing. 

"What's wrong?" I asked the question that was hanging in the air. 

After all, nothing got solved by dancing around the problem. Alex rubbed the back of his neck as Samantha turned to me. 

"We built this robot and others like it for a competition to explore maintenance lines. Slip the robot into a pipe; use a wireless signal to look through the pipe for any damages or blockage ...." She said before Alex took over.

"The only problem is that we couldn't build a small enough model in time, and we lost the competition… We each kept one of the robots as a souvenir… like our own personal trophies." He said before Emily took over next. 

"So you guys weren't the ones to point Noah to the key," I asked as I stood up and walked over. 

Noah didn't tell me about a small robot that pointed out the key to him. But who could it be if it wasn't someone from the club? I began to think until the obvious answer hit me. I looked to Emily and Jeremiah as I needed to clear up something. 

"How far is the reach for those things?" Emily and Jeremiah looked at each other for a moment. 

"That one, we managed to get to one end of the football field. Drove it around the track as a test." Emily mentioned as she looked at the others. 

"Hey… you guys mention that Nathaniel had a solar generator?" Noah caught everyone's attention. 

"Ya… that was one of the rare times we went to Coopers Ridge. We were trying to figure out this remote gurney… " Samantha said with a chuckle. 

"Coopers Ridge?" Noah asked, not seeming to understand what they meant. 

"The old mining town I mentioned… It was called Cooper's Ridge because the found James Cooper started the mine by digging into a hillside." I said, having learned a lot of local history from grandpa and grandma.

Suddenly I see realization fill Noah's eyes as we figured out what was happening. Without thinking, we rushed out; Noah left the apology gift I had gotten him in the shed. As we both hopped onto my electric bike, I barely heard the others call out to us. Why didn't I think of that sooner, it was right under our nose. An old mining town would be a perfect place to hide out if you're wanting to avoid someone. They could run what they needed with a solar generator as they figured out a safe exit plan. Speeding through town, I was fixated on getting there. I could feel Noah tighten his arms around me as we exited town. Driving along the road, the trees rushed past us. I could hear Noah yell through the rushing wind. 

"They must have prepared the place for years. That's why Mr. Davis had that solar generator. Easier to hide." I couldn't help but agree with Noah. 

Coming to a turnoff, the road slowly turned rougher as we kept riding. Thinking back, I couldn't help but kick myself for not realizing what was happening. Ben must have been helping Mr. Davis, and Nathaniel hide. He was running interference between Mr. Davis and his former wife. This means Ben was the getaway driver from the night Mr. Davis broke into City Hall. But, of course, that could also mean they're already gone and hiding somewhere else. I didn't expect to find much, maybe the remains of an old electrical system. The road turned rougher, now little more than dirt as I drove through it. Following the slightly twisting road, we came to the town. Buildings scattered along the main road leading down to the primary mine. The town stood out among the trees as the trees surrounding the mine and town had been cleared for construction back then. 

The old forgotten houses showed their age with sun-dried and weathered exterior walls. Some had missing planks of wood as old signs dangled above the front doors. Guess most of the businesses were supplying for the minors that used to live here. I pulled up to one of the small entrances to the town. I looked around; the buildings had some space between them. Though I didn't realize until now that it was already getting late. I looked back to Noah, who still sat on the back seat of my bike. He seemed just as overwhelmed as me with the area we head to cover. 

"Maybe we should call the Sheriff," I pulled my bike off the main road and leaned it against a tree as Noah spoke. 

Gotta admit that was a good idea. But, unfortunately, I kind of rushed us both out here without much thought. 

"Ya… should have done that first…." I admit awkwardly. 

Noah pulled the helmet from his head and dropped it to the ground before pulling out his phone. I looked out to the town, my eyes hunting for something. If Mr. Davis used a solar generator, he'd need to have the panels set up. Somewhere high so it can get a full charge from the sun. And then I couldn't help but smirk as I saw it; there were small black square-shaped spots among the rusted roofs. I looked at Noah as he finished the phone call to the police. 

"They're on their way; about thirty minutes." Noah said as he began following me. 

Walking along the main road through the residential area, I couldn't help but feel uneasy. In a ghost town, with a crazed person that kicked my ass and three people that are more than likely scared to hell. Ben probably has his weapon with him since he hasn't been seen; sense the hotel. Hopefully, he was lying about hitting the range. It was my only thought to try and calm myself down. My thoughts suddenly stop as I hear an all too familiar voice. 

"If you had half this determination in school, you would probably be a decent student." I couldn't help but let out a weak laugh. 

I felt Noah grab hold of my arm and a man stepped out from between some of the buildings. Mr. Davis stepped out from between the old buildings, dressed in dirty clothes. He smiled as he held an ax and what looked like chopped wood in the other. I was happy to see him, though I didn't express it; he could tell. Mr. Davis looked between me and Noah, who hid behind me. 

"You should have listened…." Mr. Davis said as he dropped the ax into a small ring loop that sat on his belt.

So he must have been remote controlling the computer system back at the house. Which means Nathanial was the one that pointed Noah to the key.

"You know me… too stubborn to give up on something in my way," I commented as I stood before him. 

Truth be told, I felt conflicted at that moment. Standing before me was a man I had respected for years. Sat alone in a classroom as we joked and studied together. All these years he never yelled at me or raised a fist. And here he is looking ready to fight me with or without that ax. His son's a good friend of mine; nothing stood out to me all these years. And now that man's about two yards away from me with an ax by his side, hiding from everyone and running from the cops. 

"It was you, wasn't it? Back at the house with the computer that told us to stop." Noah called out from behind me. 

I see Mr. Davis give a weak smile. Guess Noah was right. 

"You two should have listened… and stayed out of this. Your lucky Ben got to you in time." Mr. Davis said, though his voice grew angrier. 

I swallowed a lump in my throat; the tension was growing. Mr. Davis and I could feel it. My brain began thinking of ways to get Noah out of here. I could distract him as Noah ran for my bike. I slowly slipped my hand into my pocket to try and give Noah the key to my bike.. 

"The Sheriff's are on their way… it's over." I called out, which didn't get the reaction I was expecting. 

Mr. Davis seemed relieved at that news. Suddenly another familiar voice called out. 

"Dad… are you done with the…." Stepping out of the cabin Nathaniel stared at us from the doorway. 

He smiled when he noticed me and Noah just past his dad. 

"Why don't you guys come in… we were just about to have some early dinner." Mr. Davis said as he motioned with his free hand to the cabin.