Eight months ago

Renee and Winona were stood on the outside balcony. The sun was setting and Winona watched it intensely. She always loved the sunset."You know, it's scary how fast you're picking everything up," Renee said. Winona shrugged, "I've always been a fast learner." Renee nodded slowly.

"Yeah but this, it takes a while to do a lot of this stuff. I mean basic level stuff like mind reading and communicating is simple. But mind control and all that jazz, that takes some serious power. And it takes time to strengthen your brain enough to do those things," Renee said.

"What can I say, I've got a pretty incredible teacher," Winona said, nudging Renee's side with a grin on her face. Renee playfully rolled her eyes. "I guess it's because I really wanna be able to use this power in its entirety. I've opened my mind up, like you told me to. And I practice a lot. Like when I should be sleeping," Winona said.

"Sleep's important. You need it," Renee said. "I get plenty of sleep, Renee. Trust me," Winona replied. Renee nodded. "Well what about your other power? The acoustikinesis," Renee said. Winona sighed, "What about it?"

"Are you more open to learning to control that? To use that power in its entirety?" Renee questioned. Winona didn't reply. "I don't know much about it. But, I might know someone who could help you out with it," Renee said. Winona shook her head. "No thanks. I'm not, I'm not ready yet," she mumbled.

"That's okay. We can just work on something else. Like thought manipulation or mental hallucinations. We can do it to Edward and he doesn't have to know," Renee suggested. "Sure but, he should probably know if we're about to mess with his mind," Winona pointed out. Renee groaned, "Yeah, you're probably right."

"You know, I always wondered how you know so much about your powers. Who taught you to use your telepathic ability like this?" Winona said. Renee thought about how to answer the question. "A very wise and powerful telepath," she finally said. "Let me guess, a bald Yoda monk dude who lives on the highest peak of some mountain. Or was it a cave?" Winona joked.

Renee chuckled at the assumption. "He was bald, yes. That part is accurate. But all that other crap, no. Not even close," she replied. Winona laughed. "So, exactly how powerful was he?" She asked. Renee briefly pondered the question. "He was probably the most powerful telepath, hell maybe even mutant, to have ever existed. But then again, I haven't met very many teleapaths or mutants," she answered.

"Sounds badass," Winona said, nodding her head. "He was more like a pain in the ass. But yeah, he was pretty cool. You know, when he wasn't bossing me around," Renee said. "How did you meet him?" Winona asked. Renee sighed, "That's a story for another time. Right now, we gotta go train." Winona nodded and the two entered the house.

"So, has Edward found anything out? About Elaine?" Winona asked as they entered the house. Renee sighed and shook her head. "No, but he's working on it. It's just hard for him to ask people questions and snoop around without it being suspicious. He's being cautious," Renee answered.

Winona sighed but nodded. "We're gonna find her," Renee assured. "Maybe. Or maybe it's already too late. Maybe she's already dead," Winona said. "What happened to being positive?" Renee questioned. "It's been months, Renee. And we still know nothing. How am I supposed to be positive when I don't even know if she's alive?" Winona said.

"You might not know where she is or if she's alive, but that doesn't mean you should give up hope," Renee said. "I know. It's just hard. And I'm scared for her. If she is alive, who knows where she is or what they're doing to her?" Winona responded. "I have a strong feeling that she's alive. And from what you've told me about her, she's most likely fighting in whatever way that she can," Renee said.

Winona nodded again. "I have to find her, Renee," she said. "And you will. We will. Just have a little faith," Renee replied.

····

Winona was sat next to Lauren as she and a lot of the other mutants listened to John. They were discussing what was happening with Lorna as well as Reed Strucker.

"We know that Lorna is being held in a cell at the Sentinel Services Regional Headquarters. We believe that Reed Strucker is there with her. They're being moved soon to an ultrasecure facility. And we don't know much about it, except that the people who go don't come back. That's why we got to move now. And I'm not gonna sugarcoat this. We're talking about attacking the Sentinel Services," John announced.

Immediately, murmurs were heard throughout the room. Winona sighed at John's words and looked behind her at Clarice, who looked up when she felt Winona's eyes. Winona raised her eyebrows and Clarice shrugged. Both women's faces held unsure expressions. She turned back to face John and Marcos as Sage spoke.

"We lost six people the last time we went up against them directly," Sage said. "I know that better than anyone," John replied. "It won't be like last time," Marcos added. "You're right. Last time, we just hit a relocation center with a fence and some guard towers. This time it's a prison. Their systems have improved. Extrapolating from other attacks, we've got an 86.5% chance of failure," Sage continued.

"And if we do nothing, then there's a 100% chance we never see them again," Marcos retorted. Sage sighed and looked down. "I know we're new here, but please," Caitlin spoke up. "Lorna's risked her life for everyone in this room. Harry, your parents would be dead without her. Sage, she pulled you out of a gutter, and she got you clean. I mean, she's, she needs us," Marcos said, his tone was almost pleading.

Sage shook her head. "It doesn't change the math, Marcos," she said. "I don't care about the math. I care about Lorna. Who's with me?" He replied. It was quiet for a moment. "I'm in," Sonya said, lifting her hand slightly. Harry lifted two fingers to indicate that he was in as well.

"I'm in too," Winona said, raising her hand. "Yeah, I'm in," Clarice said after a moment. "Okay," Marcos mumbled, looking up at John.

If Winona knew anything about the situation at hand, it was that they were so screwed.

····

Winona, Marcos, John, Clarice, Sonya, Harry, and Caitlin were all in the computer room. Winona was wondering whether they could all pull this off. She highly doubted that they could.

"Six people? Unbelievable," Marcos muttered. "Marcos, don't be so hard on 'em. A lot of 'em lost friends the last time," John said. "Six of us to break into a prison," Marcos said bitterly. "Um, seven, technically," Caitlin said, standing from her seated position on the arm of a chair.

"I'm sorry, Caitlin, but--" Marcos was cut off by Clarice. "So how are we gonna do this? If there's a window, I can portal us in, but there's gonna be guards and cameras. Harry, could you?" She said. "I could make the guards see this," Harry broke in, camouflaging his hand to the metal bars behind him. "But not the cameras," he continued.

"Well, if we go in like that, we're never coming out again," John pointed out. "Exactly," Clarice said. "I could always create an illusion. Make us all look like somebody else. Like a guard. It should fool the cameras or at least the people behind them," Winona suggested. "Have you every done something like that before?" John asked.

"Well, not with so many people. But I should be able to do it. It just depends on how many people we're trying to fool," Winona said. "If that's the case, you'd need to know how many people are in the camera room," Sonya pointed out. Winona knew that she was right, but she still wanted to try. "No, it's too risky. Too dangerous," John opposed. "I could try," Winona pressed. "Or you could end up dead," John said.

"He's right," Marcos agreed and Winona's eyes narrowed at him. "And here I was thinking that you'd be on my side," she muttered. "We're trying to limit the number of casualties, Winnie," Marcos pointed out. "What if we don't go in?" Caitlin questioned. All eyes turned to her. "Look, I know I can't shoot lasers from my hands, but I do have an idea," she said. Marcos nodded for her to continue.

"Daniel said the place they're taking them is far away. To put them on a plane, they'd have to move them. Let's get them while they're moving," the blonde continued. "That's not a bad idea," Marcos said. "It's actually really smart," Winona added with a nod. "It could work, but we don't know the route. Without that--" Marcos cut John off.

"I think I might know how to get it," he said. "How? We don't have anyone with that kind of intel," John said. "The network doesn't, but I might," Marcos said. John came to a realization. "The cartel?" He asked. "They have people everywhere, man," Marcos pointed out. "Whoa. A cartel? Really? You think that's a good idea?" Winona asked.

"You got a better one?" Marcos asked. "I might," she replied, her mind working to find an alternative. "The last time the cartel got their hooks in you, you barely got out. Marcos you sure you want to go back to that?" John said. "No. But I'm out of better ideas," Marcos said. "I've got one," Winona said. "Okay then. Let's hear it," Marcos said.

"I know someone who could probably get information on where they're taking Lorna and Reed. His name's Edward. He works for the FBI and I'm pretty sure he has a few friends in the Sentinel Services. If I can get to them, then I could find out where they're taking them," she said. "This friend of yours, is he in Atlanta?" Marcos asked.

"No. Richmond," she answered. "As in, Virginia?" John asked and she nodded. Marcos sighed and shook his head. "We don't have time for you to go to Virgina," John said. "Besides, we don't even know that she can get the information from her friend's friends. I mean if this FBI friend of yours could get information like this, then how come you still don't know anything about your sister and where she is?" Marcos added.

He immediately regretted his words as John sent him a cold glare. Winona looked down at her hands and took a breath. She felt like she would cry but she didn't. "Winnie, I'm--" She cut Marcos off. "We don't know that you can get the information from your friends in the cartel," she said, looking up at him.

Marcos sighed and looked down. "He doesn't even need to be here. He would just need to set up a meeting and I--" Marcos cut her off. "We have a better chance with the cartel," he stated. Winona glared at him for cutting her off before scoffing, "If you say so." She pushed herself off of the wall that she was leaning against and walked toward the exit. She ignored the looks of sympathy being thrown her way. She didn't want their sympathy. All she wanted was her sister.

····

"Do you really think you'll be able to get my dad and Lorna back?" Lauren asked. She and Winona were sat in the blonde's room. Winona was keeping the younger girl company as well as trying to keep her mind off of her sister. The older girl was reading her book when Lauren spoke. Winona sighed and closed the book.

"Honestly Lauren, I don't know," she replied. Lauren sighed. "There's just a lot of stuff to factor into this whole thing. A lot of things could go wrong," Winona added. "I don't want to get my hopes up or anything," the blonde said. "Look, we're gonna do everything we can to get them back," Winona said.

"It just might not be enough," Lauren muttered. "Have a little faith," Winona said. "I'll have faith in this when you guys actually have a plan," Lauren said. Winona nodded, "Fair enough." Lauren looked down at her hands. "Hey, it's going to be okay. We'll get him back," Winona said.

"You said that you didn't know if we'd get him back and now you're saying that we will? Which one is it?" She asked. "Honestly Lauren, I'm just trying to make you feel better," Winona replied with a small shrug. "Well, at least you're honest," the blonde said.

"Honesty is the best policy after all," the older girl replied. "What are you, nine?" Lauren joked. "Hey, it's a good saying to live by," Winona replied. "Don't pretend that you're honest all the time," Lauren replied.

"Touche," Winona said. She looked down at her watch and sighed. "It's late, I'm gonna go to bed," Winona said. She grabbed her book and stood. She walked to the door. "Good night," she said. "'Night," Lauren replied.

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Here's chapter nine. I hope it was enjoyable. If you liked it, be sure to vote. Do not comment for me to update, ask me to update, say "please update", or anything along those lines. Peace.