“What do you see?” Maverick calls up to the twins in the trees. They had informed him that they saw something a few moments before, but they hadn’t explained themselves since then. Their inability to tell him any more just made him nervous and Maverick felt like he had good cause to be. He could feel in his bones that something was up.

Maverick can hear the twins discussing something, but he can’t make out the words. A good minute or so passes before Astrid calls down, “We see two of your people…”

“Good! Where are they?”

“They’re on the other side of the river…”

“Well, let’s get over there.”

“They’re doing something…”

“What is it?” Maverick asks worriedly. He could tell that something was wrong, he just hated the idea that Astrid and Warren thought they needed to hide it from him.

“They’re—they’re burying someone.”

“Burying someone,” Maverick whispers to himself. It seemed that his worst nightmare had come to pass yet again. Swallowing in an attempt to wet his throat, Maverick realizes that his mouth had gone dry. He fumbles with his pack, and he pulls out his water bottle. His hands shaking, he empties its contents and a third of it ends up on his shirt thanks to his shaking. Swallowing the last bit of water, he summons his strength from his suddenly fatigued body, and he asks, “Do you recognize them?”

“Yes—”

“Who is it?”

“Gideon and Sylvia are burying Meghan.”