Next

Once Sam lands at the airport near the mountains, a nondescript man waits for him outside of the Arrivals terminal. He introduces himself as Hubert, the personal driver for Dr. Hawk.

“Please follow me,” Hubert says. He guides Sam out of the airport and to a sleek black car. By the way that Hubert casually moves across the parking lot, it’s clear that he’s done this many times.

Surrounding the airport, mountains rise like the hulking shoulders of earth. They’re peppered with almost surreal colors: burning reds, warmest oranges, sweetest yellows.

“This place looks cool,” Sam says in Hubert’s backseat.

“Yes,” Hubert says, looking at Sam through the rearview mirror. “Welcome to the Mountain.”

The first few minutes of the car ride are silent. But Sam prides himself on being a gentleman, and since Hubert is kind enough to drive him around, Sam feels duty-bound to chat with the man.

“How did you get this gig?” Sam asks. “Driving for Mr. Hawk.”

“Doctor Hawk,” Hubert says, correcting Sam. “I was his student a long time ago.”

Will Sam be considered a student at the Mountain Method program? He was never good at school. Thankfully, he is very charming, so the lady teachers always gave him straight-As. And Sam is very good at sports, so the guy teachers always gave him straight-As, too.

“Does Dr. Hawk like sports?” Sam thinks to ask. He hopes it isn’t a stupid question.

At last, Hubert cracks a smile.

“Ask himself yourself,” Hubert says. “We’re almost there.”