Hunter, Oliver and Tate
"Oli?"
"Yeah Tate?"
"Stay here for a second. And don't let anyone join you until I get back."
"Why?"
But Oliver didn't get answer. Tate had walked off towards Hunter.
"Hunter? Can you come with me for a second?"
Hunter looked over at her. This was good. He really wanted to be able to speak to her - and Tom, err, Oliver - alone.
"Yeah," he nodded.
He joined her, she lead him over to Oliver. They sat down.
"Elly?" Oliver asked.
"I thought it would be nice for us to hang out together. After all, we're the only aliens here."
"Uh huh."
"Actually, I was kinda hoping I could talk to you two alone," Hunter spoke up.
"Oh?"
Hunter leaned in.
"I know you're YIRAAS agents. I know you're posing to be brother and sister, and that those two adults are your parents. And I know you're trying to spy on... on us."
"YIRAAS agents?" Oliver repeated, uncertain whether to confirm or deny.
"What a creative mind you have," Tate giggled, then, sensing Hunter wanted to be asked: "I don't suppose you have proof?"
"I know you're not Elly and Tom Johnson. You're really Oliver Braddock and Tate Brown."
The colour drained from Oliver's face.
"When did you find out?" Tate asked.
"Last night. Technokinesis makes hacking easy."
"Cool."
"Cool?" Oliver repeated.
"Hey, what's pathic shifting?"
"Don't tell him."
"Why?" Tate asked. "He already knows I have it. I empathically and telepathically find out what you want me to be, and then I become that. So, how come you haven't dobbed us in? Planning on blackmailing us?"
Hunter smiled.
"No. I thought about it - I'll admit that - but... look, please don't tell anyone. Well, I suppose you can tell your parents, or whoever they are, but no one else," Hunter paused. "I've... I've hacked into the YIRAAS site a few times. The first time, just curiousity - I heard ppl talking about it. But it kinda... it interested me. So I kept going back."
Hunter sighed.
"It looks really great, you know?" Hunter went on. "And I can't... I can't see why everyone thinks it's bad."
"So... you want to defect?" Oliver asked.
"Well... it's not really defecting. Not really. I wasn't exactly given a choice in the first place. Look. I just wanted to let you know that I know, and where I stand. The ball is in your court."
He stood up.
"Your secret is safe with me."
And Hunter walked off.