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Sharon's Experiment.

The tests were over, much to Sharon's relief. She wasn't a stranger to tests, but Dr Daniel's manner worried her. The older woman had been impatient, harsh and rough in some cases, and she'd also been condescending; the syringe sprang to mind, but the condescending manner had gotten to Sharon but now it was all over, and she was more than thankful.

Hopefully, now she could get some answers; it was obvious Glind was behind those people who'd been watching her (she didn't think Tremayne had suspected she'd known, but telepathy and ESP came in handy), and she wanted to know why.

"…of course, I'll confirm later when I've had the blood and X-ray reports," Daniel's was saying as she left with the X-ray plate, it amazed the young woman that Daniels was rude one minute, and the next it was like butter wouldn't melt in her mouth.

"Excellent," Glind came over to where Sharon was sitting and removed the belt around her head. "Well, you've been very patient my dear."

"I had no choice," Sharon replied, thankful it was over and not even concealing it from the doctor. "I think you owe me some kind of an explanation, Dr Glind."

While the test wasn't that much of a bother to Sharon, she just wanted one thing. Answers. She had so many questions and Glind had those answers she needed.

"Of course," the older man replied graciously, Sharon didn't know for sure if the gracious manner was his usual facade or something just for her and other newcomers. "My office is through here," he gestured and started to head in the direction of the nearby door he'd just indicated.

Standing up, Sharon said, "And then I'd like to speak to Nemesis." She needed to speak to Tremayne, find out if he knew about this place, but something told her that it wouldn't be easy. Cranmore had lied to her about Nemesis knowing she was here. She knew that.

Glind's hand had just grasped the doorknob when she'd made her request, now he turned to face her. "Well, I'm sorry I thought the position had been explained to you," he replied apologetically, but something in his manner struck her as insincere, "this is a secret establishment."

"But so is Nemesis."

"They are aware you have accepted our offer. No other communication is necessary," Glind said.

"In other words, you won't allow it." Sharon wondered if Glind truly believed she was being taken in by all this.

"While you are here, no. The project is too important," Glind replied, and seemingly satisfied that he'd finally made his case clear, he opened the door and she followed him inside. The moment she walked into the office she became aware of the electronic instruments in the room itself. This conversation was going to be monitored, and from the feel of it, the instruments would also be sensitive to tell if she was lying or not.

"Sit down, my dear," the doctor said, gesturing to a chair, and seeing no other choice if she wanted the answers to the questions that had been bugging her ever since she'd arrived at this place, she went over while she heard the door close behind her, and sat on the chair. It took Sharon only a moment to relax, but with the room under surveillance, she didn't completely let her guard down.

Dr Glind had begun speaking as she had walked over to the chair. "You've met our team, seen them in action, you must have some idea of what we're attempting to do?" he asked sounding very much like a school teacher asking a question with a very obvious answer. But he was right, she did have a good idea what they were doing with Susan, Marion, Paul and Jean, the four agents she had seen when she'd arrived, but she wanted Glind to tell her for himself, besides she had the feeling he wanted to tell her.

"I'd prefer you to tell me," Sharon said trying to hide the humour in her voice, she found it amusing to feed the question back to him.

"The purpose of this experiment is to find ways of speeding up the human reflex," Glind began, his tone making it obvious that he enjoyed and loved this subject.

"Artificially?" Sharon asked, thinking of all the drugs and performance-enhancing chemicals out there.

"Well, we've tried most of the stimulants," Glind gently threw his hands up and moved around the room, as if he imagined it would help him find the answer himself without needing to go through all this trouble, "of course, but without success. However," he turned around, and his face seemed to burn with the passion Sharon had spotted only a moment ago as he'd begun to explain his project, "we've found that certain agents operating in the field had a highly developed," he twiddled his hands as he worked out the best words to describe the phenomenon, "sixth sense. A sort of nose for danger, if you like."

Sharon began to understand where all this was leading to. The people in Tibet had probably reached and passed the level Glind and his colleagues had tried to reach centuries ago. She wondered how that old man and those white-clad people Craig and Richard had described during those moments where they had been half awake after that crash in Tibet on the way back from China would have taken their progress.

Now in full lecture mode, Glind held up his finger as he started walking back close to where Sharon was sitting comfortably, "We chose four of those people, and subjected them to 3 months of intensive training."

Sharon listened as the doctor went on with polite interest, inwardly her mind raced as she tried to work out just how many other agents there were out there who had talents similar to what they had, and indeed what she herself possessed along with Craig and Richard.

"We have found a way of, uh, developing that sixth sense," Glind went on, moving to stand by his desk once more, and looking into space, clearly proud of his accomplishment.

"Why all the secrecy, doctor?" Sharon broke her silence, curious why he hadn't made it clear and viable for other agencies who would jump at the chance to have agents who were stronger and faster than what they had already. Armed forces would be even more interested.

"Because the four people you met today are the most advanced human beings on Earth," the doctor replied, gazing down at her, even more, proud about what he had done.

"Because they're fast?" Sharon clarified.

"Miss Macready, when people move and react at incredible speeds, it is no longer possible for the normal senses to cope. The mind must make use of shortcuts, forms of telepathy, clairvoyance, extrasensory perception," Glind explained before he looked more pointedly down at her from where he was now sitting on the edge of his desk, "You should realise that."

"Should I?" Sharon asked innocently, knowing full well what he was saying. She was also trying very hard to contain her nerves, which wasn't difficult for her, but with the way she was being watched while this interrogation went on, she needed to have all of her wits.

"The four people outside are not the only ones with powers, it seems. We are not fools, my dear," the doctor shook his head, but for some reason, he spoke smugly, though it wasn't doing him any favours. "We have sufficient information on your work with Nemesis to realise you certain of these talents yourself. The question is," he folded his arms as he looked with unhidden scientific curiosity down at Sharon, who was surprised he had more or less admitted that his people had been following her even if he hadn't outright said as much, "how did you get them?"

Sharon was about to respond when she felt the electronic instruments in the room becoming even more alert - during the whole conversation she had been aware of their presence, but now they were like invisible searchlights probing every pore of her body.

"That's not a question I can answer, doctor," Sharon replied, relying on her own mental abilities to fool the machines spying on her.

"Then who can?" Glind pressed.

Sharon didn't respond. She could tell thanks to the electronic instruments in the room there was a lot of impatience on the other end, clearly hoping for her to spill the beans.

"Miss Macready our work here is vital," Glind said, losing some of his patience though he kept his voice level all the time. "You must know the Eastern powers have been working on Extra sensory perception for years. Now, for all I know, your talents could be superior to those we have developed here. You must help us."

Sharon knew he was telling the truth. Ever since that business in Tibet during the Chinese case years ago, she, Craig, and Richard had discussed everything that had happened. Richard hadn't been able to get any more about the types of talents and skills they now possessed, though he had told them the old man had said they would need to learn how to use them, much like newborn children would learn how to walk and talk. It had taken time for them to gain some idea of what their powers could do, but they were still a long way from learning their limits.

Ever since Tibet, the three of them had made a pact to not tell anyone the truth. As Tremayne had so kindly pointed out, they had had no equipment and very little food. At the time the three of them had considered telling him the truth later on when they had developed a good idea of what they now were.

Unfortunately, that plan was now down the drain. Ever since that mess with the Interrogator and Craig was practically tortured by a member of their own organisation, the trio had agreed to take steps to make sure they didn't appear too cocky, and it had made the three of them realise that although they could trust Tremayne, he couldn't be trusted with that kind of information.

"But I've already agreed to," Sharon said, putting on an act that should hopefully tell the doctor that the abilities he was talking about couldn't be described by words, but were something that just happened.

Real impatience showed for the first time in Glind's manner as the doctor stood up, "Then please begin by telling me how they were developed," he said.

Sharon changed her facade slightly, still putting on the innocent act but decreasing it a little to a more apologetic one. "I'm sorry, I can't," she replied.

"You mean I must ask Nemesis?" Glind's expression was torn between curiosity, impatience, and outright indignation.

"Nemesis can't tell you anything either," Sharon replied speaking the truth, knowing the man was bluffing; he'd already said this place was a secret establishment, and she was sure the doctor was lying about contacting Nemesis to inform them of her agreement to partake in the experiment here in the first place.

Glind had probably not even informed the agencies the other agents worked for, but she wasn't going to go to all the trouble of asking them about how they'd ended up here.

Glind's face moved as if he wanted to say something but thought better of it, and he walked away from the desk again - the man seemed incapable of standing still - and when he resumed speaking his voice had returned to its original gracious manner. "As you wish," he said as if he would learn the answers in time, though it was clear from the brief moment where he had been impatient to Sharon that he was being insincere once more, "your caution will not affect the experiment."

"Which is?" Sharon was intrigued now, and she didn't hide her interest.

"A test, my dear," Glind said, jabbing his finger in her direction for emphasis, "your talents against their's."

"And if I refuse?" Sharon asked though they both knew she had no intention of doing so.

Glind seemed to realise that already, and he bent lower to address her better. "You won't because you want to find out the answer as much as I do."

Glind had her there, and they both knew it, but for Sharon, it was simply a matter of curiosity. After Tibet, she and the others had conducted a series of experiments by themselves, but there was only so much they could do. But their nascent work was more than enough to teach them how to use their powers, like how strong they were, and the limits of their speed and their reflexes, and how long they could hold their breaths for without inhaling, but those experiments had been basic and was more what you'd expect from people who were trying to relearn how to walk and perform everyday tasks after suffering a nasty accident.

Maybe, Sharon thought to herself even as she concentrated on making sure the electronic instruments in the room didn't read too much into her responses, she could learn something here after all, and depending on what happened, maybe she could share those experiences with Craig and Richard.