Voices floated out through the door and Hugh stopped and frowned.
"Something wrong?" Tanya asked.
Hugh was silent as he listened - his frown deepened.
"Hugh?"
Hugh shot her a look, then the door, then started moving away. Tanya followed.
"Hugh what's going on?"
"Is there a way we can see the people in there without them seeing us?" he asked urgently.
"Why?"
"Because I..." Hugh shook his head. "It's been awhile, but one of those voices sound very familiar to me. I don't know. Maybe I'm wrong, but if I'm right there might be a member of the SPM in there."
Tanya's eyebrows raised.
"Aside from Isabel and Alex, there was going to be Jess and two YIRAAS security agents," Tanya paused. "Oh and Isabel's boyfriend. Nick or something."
Hugh let out a Semerillan swear word. Tanya stared.
"Prince Nikulaan Sarionn."
"Who?"
"He's the heir to the Semerillan throne according to the SPM."
"Oh!"
Hugh tugged at the collar around his neck.
"Damnit I can't... wait, you can!" Hugh said. "He'll have one of my shields - Once the SPM found out how good a telepath I was they had me put shields around everyone important. You can recognise my shields right? So you should be able to confirm if he's there or not."
Tanya nodded slowly.
"Okay," she said.
She laid her eyes on Hugh, then sent out her mind into the room. The two YIRAAS agents had minor sheilding, and of course, Alex and Isabel did. Jess didn't, and Tanya filed that away - might have to look into changing that - and then there was Nick. And he definitely had one of Hugh crude and basic shields in place. She withdrew her mind.
"He has your shield."
Hugh swore again. Tanya frowned.
"His power is charisma," Hugh informed her. "He can't be in there when I apologise. If he finds out about me..."
"Agreed," Tanya nodded. "It's far too soon for the SPM to be certain of which side you're on. If you even know."
Hugh gave a slight smile and Tanya considered, then shrugged.
"Let's go."
Hugh followed her as she turned back towards the two guards out front, told Hugh to stay with them and headed back inside. She knocked on the door.
"Come in," Isabel said tentatively.
Tanya stepped inside, closed the door behind her and turned until she was facing Nick. Nick met her gaze, and in that moment they both knew that the other knew. Nick immediately turned on the charm.
"Why you must be the famous Telepathic Temptress," Nick said. "So nice to finally meet you. Is this the visitor you were so worried about Izzy?"
"Uhh -" Isabel began.
"You're in fine hands, right here," Nick assured her blithely. "So I shall take my leave. Farewell."
In a wink, Nick had slipped out through the wall. Tanya took a moment to recover herself as the spell lifted and cursed as she realised the Hugh had warned her about his power. A second later she had followed him.
**********
"I don't understand!" Isabel exclaimed. "Nick didn't do anything wrong! Why are you arresting him?"
Tanya looked at her sadly.
"I'm sorry Isabel. I'm afraid that this is Nikulaan Sarionn of the Semerillian Purist Movement."
"Prince Nikulaan Sarionn," Nick spat.
Isabel looked at him with wide and mournful eyes.
"Then this was all... this.. you didn't..."
"Means to an end, Izzy."
"I see."
Isabel turned her back and Jessica comforted her friend as they headed back to the house.
"How'd you find me out?" Nick asked Tanya.
"Hugh's shields aren't very good," Tanya found herself replying, glad she was at least able to prevent herself from saying that Hugh recognised him.
He certainly knew how to work his power, that was for sure.
"Ahh..." a flash of fear flickered across his face.
Tanya caught it then closed the distance between them. She sent her mind into his.
*See how easy it is for me to get in?* Tanya said.
*I won't tell you anything!*
Tanya smiled and left, leaving a mental chuckle to echo in his mind.
*********
"Can't get a thing," Tanya informed Wayne. "Like Hugh, all the sensitive stuff is closely guarded - I simply cannot retrive it without risking turning him into a vegetable - and he may become a vegetable without even getting anything interesting. Hugh designed it though - he may be able to get through."
Both sets of eyes turned to Hugh. Hugh shook his head.
"No."
"No you can't, or no you won't?"
"Possibly both," Hugh replied. "I haven't tried, so I don't know. But even if I could, I still wouldn't."
"Oh?" Wayne inquired with a dangerous tone to his voice.
"What would you do if you found out where the base was? Invade? Try to throw everyone onto rehab? Murder innocent people?"
"The SPM are terrorists!"
"Most of the population are innocent of such activity. They have families, contribute to the community, go on to live happy, healthy lives with no hint of the possibility that they might be being brainwashed," Hugh replied angrilly. "I'm young, I've been out int he world, I've questioned. You're not going to have that kind of luck with the adults who have lived in the SPM all their lives. And what are you going to do with them? Keep them in rehab all their lives like with Christian? Execute them for being the victims of propaganda?"
"Christian isn't going to live in rehab for the rest of his life," Tanya frowned.
"And what do you propose we do, Hugh?" Wayne asked cooly.
"The SPM leaders have raised a generation of believers. What you need to do is get to the younger generation. Make them question. This legend that Liz was telling me about - the Dathrian who became a Semerillan - spread that amongst them. Anything, everything! It'll take time, but the majority of the SPM community are peaceful and shouldn't be treated like common criminals."
"They keep humans for slaves."
Hugh stiffened.
"Yeah? So?"
"Slavery is illegal."
"Not in the SPM it isn't, and you have a whole generation of people - myself included I might add - who think it's just fine. By the way, I've not entirely forgiven you from keeping me from the slave girl I was going to get for my sixteenth birthday."
Wayne raised his eyebrows and Hugh grinned.
"And how do you want to do all of this, Hugh?" Tanya asked seriously. "We've tried getting people in there before."
Wayne frowned at her.
"Well, we have. They never get far."
"Don't trust anyone - even other Semerillains - who aren't already a part of their cause," Wayne muttered.
"Exactly. Because they've grown up in another culture with another set of beliefs. It works both ways," Hugh pointed out.
He closed his eyes and sighed.
"You need to send me in," he said.
"Forget it," Wayne replied instantly.
"No Hugh," Tanya frowned.
"I didn't say now. But that's what you're going to have to do. I need better training - and you guys need to know you can trust me not to turn on you. But they'll let me in. They'll let me in where they haven't let you guys send your own agents. I'm the only one who can get in there and start the process. And you're going to have to teach me how to get past empaths. The telepaths I can do, no problem, but I can't afford to be outed by an empath. And in the SPM, your primary function is to master your power. Which, I might add, provides another opening for getting to the kids - trust me, no Semerillian likes to have their activities dictated by what powers that have. It sucks."
"No decision needs to be made now," Tanya said, cutting off whatever reply Wayne was going to make. "But it is something to consider."