Delving too deep

Chapter 1

"You have the right to-... I've said this a million times to different people, you get the point." I huffed, as Skul tilted his head in a smile, as we shoved the last few sorcerers into the sanctuary van. I finally pushed my shoulders back, and stretched.
All this bending was getting to me.
"Getting old are we, Val?" Saracen laughed, walking from a conversation that was obviously boring, between Ghastly and Erskine. "I might be, Rue. Look at this, 17 and already my back aches." I shook my head in dismay, as he sniggered. "Anyway, I think Skul wants you again. Something about investigating the orphanage...?" I turned back around, my eye catching Skulduggery's, leaning against the Bentley. "Okay, well, I'll see you guys later! Oh, Dexters giving you an eye full!" I laughed, skipping off to the Bentley. Saracen turned around, only to catch sight of Dexter, shirtless and picking up the remaining stolen gold logs. I laughed at his awestruck face, and slid into the Bentley alongside Skulduggery.

The car ride was a comfortable silence, a few little conversations, but mainly that contempt silence. By the time we'd reached the destination of the orphanage, details from the last finished case faded away, as we both made room for our new investigation; an orphanage that was brainwashing its children.
Of course, we didn't actually have any proof. Yet.
But the fact a 13 year old girl had gone in, obsessed with horses, and came out 3years later after being adopted, and had basically become a cleaning machine, who ended up also being arrested for killing horses, was odd.
And I mean, sure, she might've just liked cleaning and suddenly despised horses, but it was the dull eyes, tired faces, and the other cases of the same ideals that locked it all together.
We'd been asked to investigate by Erskine himself, as he had grown worried after one  of the kids had developed magical abilities, and had to be 'put down'.
We didn't think that had anything to do with the case, but we were asked to investigate, so we were.
As we passed the sign, images flashed painfully in my head. None of them connected, or were actually visible.
They were here one second, gone the next.
But painful all the same.
I winced, rubbing my temples. Skul tilted his head, but didn't mention it.
I was grateful for that.
The orphanage was an odd little building, that seemed to be falling apart by the moment. Steepled rooftops, rusty red walls and broken windows, it looked barely liveable. But apparently it was.
How had the government health system not stepped in?
Skul stopped the Bentley, just as the orphanage had become visible, and turned around.
"Where are we going?" I asked, turning around in my seat, only to see the orphanage fade into the hill. "We're bringing the dead men back tomorrow. Something is going on here, something big." He mused, as we turned back onto the highway.

I felt lighter, immediately as we had turned back onto the highway. It was like a fog has been lifted, and I was in the car again.
Not in that ghastly orphanage.
Not after I'd heard the screams, and I knew Skul hadn't heard them either.
That made it worse.

What was the missing link here?