Two years ago.

"Try it again," Elaine called from outside. Winona sighed and twisted the key in the ignition. The car rumbled briefly before stopping. Winona sighed whilst Elaine threw something into the dirt road. After taking a few deep breaths, she reached over to pick it up.

"Maybe we should just call a tow truck," Winona suggested. "No, I can fix this," Elaine dismissed. "You've been saying that for the past hour and a half. In that time you've wasted, a tow truck would've taken the car and an actual mechanic would be fixing it," Winona said. Elaine sighed and leaned under the hood of the car, messing with things.

"I know what I'm doing," she said. Winona scoffed incredulously. "If you knew what you were doing, Elaine, we wouldn't still be stranded on the side of the road," she said. "Oh look, Winona the Whiner is back with more complaints," Elaine muttered. "You know what, Elaine? I have had it with you," Winona said.

Elaine shrugged her shoulders. "Oh have you now?" She questioned. "I have. You're a bitch," Winona confirmed. Elaine chuckled before lowering the car's hood so that she could see Winona's face. "You're one to talk," she replied before lifting the hood all the way up and fiddling with things again.

"Seriously, Elaine. You might blow us up," Winona said. Elaine rolled her eyes, "I'm not gonna blow us up." The sound of loud music blasting caused Winona's response to halt. Her eyes narrowed in confusion and she opened the car door and stepped out. She went to stand next to her sister who was eyeing the vehicle that was currently pulling up to where they stood.

The car stopped and a man stepped out of it. Winona immediately grew uncomfortable. "Hey, you guys need some help?" He questioned. He had a slight accent, she noticed. "No, we're good," Winona said at the same time Elaine said, "Yes, that would be great." Elaine sent her a confused look and Winona did the same. "I thought you said that you got this," Winona said.

"You and I both know that that wasn't true," Elaine replied. "That guy gives me the creeps," Winona whispered. Elaine shrugged before turning back to the man and smiling. "I think something's wrong with the engine," she told him as he came closer. "Can I take a look?" He asked. Elaine nodded and he began examining everything underneath the hood.

After discovering what he thought to be the problem, he did something before looking up at Winona. "Try turning the key in the ignition," he said. The girl nodded and walked to the driver's side of the car. She slipped into the seat. She turned the key again and this time, the engine revved to life. A relieved sigh left her lips and she could hear Elaine thanking the man from the open window.

"It's no problem. I'm glad I could help," he replied. "Well thanks again," Elaine paused, not knowing his name. "Ernesto," he concluded. "I'm Elaine and this is Winona," Elaine replied. "It's good to meet you," Ernesto said. "Likewise," Winona replied. He looked between the two before speaking. "So, where are you guys headed?" He asked.

Elaine looked at Winona who shrugged. "We're not sure yet. We want to get to Mexico but we don't want any law enforcement to know," Elaine said. Winona rolled her eyes at the girl for telling him all that. Though she wasn't surprised that she did. Elaine didn't know how to keep her mouth shut.

Ernesto chuckled quietly. "You want to sneak across the border?" He asked and Elaine nodded. He was thoughtful for a moment. "I could get you across," he said. "Really?" Winona asked, unsure. "Yeah. But uh, it's gonna cost you," he replied. Winona rolled her eyes. "How much?" She asked. He thought again before answering. "Five thousand," came his reply.

"Goodbye," Winona said, walking to the passenger side of the car. "That's a reasonable price," he said. "No, it's not," Winona replied. "And we can't afford that," Elaine added. Ernesto shrugged. "That's my price," he said. Elaine walked to the driver's side of the car and pulled out her wallet. She took out a few bills and handed it to him.

"For fixing my car," she said before walking back to the car and getting inside. Winona got into the car as well and Ernesto stepped back. The two put on their seatbelts and Elaine drove away.

····

Winona was outside of Sonya's room. The door was closed and she was pacing back and forth in front of it. She felt bad, no, guilty, about what happened between her and John. She wanted to tell Sonya, but she wasn't sure how. Hence the reason why she was pacing back and forth. She was trying to formulate how she would tell Sonya.

The door to the room swung open and Winona froze. Sonya looked at the girl curiously before smiling. "You're gonna burn a hole into the floor with all of the pacing that you're doing," the redhead joked. Winona smiled uneasily. "Hey," she said. "Hi, Winnie. What's up?" Sonya replied. The look on Winona's face caused her smile to falter.

"You okay?" She asked. Winona sighed quietly. "Have you talked to John?" Winona asked instead. "Um, yeah. We've talked," Sonya said. "But he didn't tell you about what happened, did he? Because if he did, you probably wouldn't be talking to me right now," Winona said. Sonya felt uneasy now. "What do you mean?" She asked. "I'm sorry," Winona began.

"About what? You're kind of scaring me right now, Winona," Sonya said. Winona took a breath before releasing it. "John and I, we kissed. I mean, he was telling me about what happened to Gus and he was upset and it just happened," Winona rushed out.

Sonya went into a stunned silence. Winona twisted her fingers together and watched her with sad, guilty eyes. After a few moments, Sonya took a breath and nodded. What surprised Winona was the small, reassuring smile on the redhead's face. "It's okay," Sonya said. Winona shook her head. "No, it's not. It's not okay. Not even close," she said.

"It is. I'm not mad," Sonya replied. "You should be. You have every right to be. But just know that I didn't mean for it to happen. It just did and I feel so bad about it," Winona said. "Don't feel bad. John and I aren't officially together, Winona," the redhead said. "But in a way, you are together," Winona protested. Sonya shook her head, "I don't even know what we are." Silence ensued between the two.

"If it's any consolation, I don't think he meant it," Winona said quietly. Sonya shook her head again. "I don't think he would've kissed you if he didn't mean it," she replied. "I appreciate you telling me. But it wasn't necessary," Sonya added. "I think it was," Winona shrugged. Sonya smiled again and Winona sighed.

"John loves you. It may not seem that way with this mess but, he does," Winona said. She knew it was true. Of course he loved her. "Maybe you're right. But I don't think he loves me the way that I want him to. Not anymore," Sonya responded. Winona gave her a sad smile, which Sonya reciprocated.

She stepped out of her room. "Come on. The group's gonna decide our next plan of action," Sonya said. Winona nodded and followed the redhead out to where the discussion would take place.

····

Esme was pacing back and forth. Winona was sat on the edge of a desk next to Marcos. Lorna was leaned against the door to the vault. Sonya was sat on the arm of the couch with Sage standing in front of it. Clarice stood with her arms crossed and John stood a few feet away from her.

"We need to go after the Trask lab now. We have to rescue those people," Esme said, coming to a stop. Lorna pushed off of the vault's door. "Have to? You're pretty new here to be telling people what they have to do," she said walking forward. "You don't get it! My family is in there. They're running out of time," Esme said.

"Look, I get that you're upset. Hell, my my sister might be in there--" Lorna cut her off. "Whoa whoa whoa. Your sister? I thought you said she was in that prison," she said. "She was. But apparently she was moved to Trask Industries a few weeks ago," Winona answered. "And how do you know this?" Marcos asked. "Edward," Winona said.

"Edward? Your friend in the FBI?" Marcos questioned to which she nodded. "Why didn't you tell us this sooner?" John asked. Winona sighed and turned to face him. "I found out like, yesterday. And there wasn't much time to share this information with everything going on," she replied.

"That was the phone call you got, right?" Sonya asked and Winona nodded again. "She might not even be there and if she is, she could already be a hound for all I know," Winona added. "Which is why we need to get in there before it's too late. They're running out of time," Esme piped in.

"Okay, well, slow down," Marcos said, holding up a hand. "You got all that information from the woman they sent after us?" John asked. "Yes," Esme replied. "No," Winona corrected giving the blonde a look. "I mean, her mind was hard to read. Confused. But I got enough. The mutants in that lab, they were desperate. I-I could hear the screams. I could see the bodies. I could feel the agony when they turned that woman into that thing. And it's all happening in that building," Esme elaborated.

Winona looked down at Esme's words. She had seen it all too and she couldn't even imagine Elaine going through that. "We know where this place is?" Clarice asked. "I'm assembling a site map now," Sage answered. "So why are we standing here?" Esme questioned irritably. "Did you get anything on their security?" Sonya asked. "No. It-her mind was too cloudy, but what does it matter? We are the last hope those prisoners have," Esme began.

"Esme. We can't just storm in there blindly. There'll be repercussions. People will die. This isn't a good idea," Winona said. Esme's eyes held disbelief as she looked at the girl. She then turned to John. "You saw what they did to your friend. We sit on our hands, and that happens to more people. Like your sister," Esme said, turning to Winona with the last sentence.

"No one is sitting on their hands. Now, we will make a move on that lab, but like Winona said, if we go in blind, we die," Marcos said, standing up. "How do you know that your family is even there? How do you know that they're not one of Sentinel Service's pets already? This is too dangerous and might not be worth it in the end," Winona said.

Esme looked at her incredulously. "How can you even say that? Your sister is in there!" She exclaimed. "I know that she might be in there. But she could be anywhere. And I'm willing to do whatever I need to do to help her but what you're suggesting we do, is a suicide mission. All I'm saying is that we need to be a little more practical about this whole thing," Winona said.

She was growing annoyed by the blonde. She didn't understand why Esme wasn't listening. It's almost as though she didn't care about what could happen to them. Winona eyed Esme cautiously. The distrust that she had for the girl was coming back. Esme could feel Winona's eyes on her.

She turned her head and their eyes connected. Winona's narrowed at the girl who looked at her innocently. There was something off about her and Winona intended to find out what it was.

°°°°

Here's chapter twenty. The next chapter should come soon so stay tuned for it. I hope you all enjoyed. See you later.