Winona sat in a jumpsuit in the cell next to Clarice's. Her knees were curled up to her chest, her arms wrapped tightly around them. The floor that she sat on was cold but she didn't care. Her mind was racing with thoughts. About what was going to happen next. About Lauren and Andy. About the Underground.

She was worried about it all. Terrified of what might happen. "What do you think they did to Lauren and Andy?" Sonya asked, breaking both the silence and Winona out of her thoughts. Winona sighed and leaned her head against the bars. "I don't know, I just, I just hope they're okay," Clarice answered. Even if they were okay now, they wouldn't be for long.

The three became immersed in silence. "A long time ago, before anyone knew I was a mutant, I used to volunteer at this place, a shelter for battered women. They'd been through such terrible things. Sometimes I'd secretly use my powers on them. Pull their worst memories from their minds. I wish I could make all of us forget this," Sonya told them.

"You can't think like that. Do you know how scared I was when I was in the mutant detention center? I was shaking so hard that when I had a chance to escape, I almost portaled myself into the middle of a ten-lane freeway. But I got out," Clarice said, squatting down in front of the bars that separated her and Sonya.

"But this feels impossible," Sonya whispered. She was crying now. Winona closed her eyes and willed her own tears away. "It's not. It's not impossible. It's only impossible if you give up," Clarice responded.

"John. He loves you. No matter what may have happened, he does. And he always will. He's gonna figure something out. We just need to hang on until then. Okay? All of us," Clarice said, looking at Winona. Sonya shook her head. "I'm not too sure about that," she said quietly, looking over at Winona. "Don't get your hopes up. Love isn't gonna get us out of here. And I have a horrible feeling that we're gonna die here," Winona muttered.

"That negativity, is not needed right now, Winona," Clarice said. "I'm being realistic, Clarice. There's no way that they're gonna get us out in time," Winona said. "You're wrong. John and the others, they'll get us out," Clarice said. "Why are you so sure about that?" Winona questioned in annoyance. "Because they have people that they care about here," Clarice replied.

Winona scoffed, "One person." Clarice shook her head, "People." Winona sighed and pushed away from the bars to look at Clarice. "The people in the Underground only really care about Sonya. And the Struckers only care about their kids," she said. "That's not true," Sonya finally spoke up. "They care about you. John cares about you. Both of you. And I think he's proven that to you countless of times, Winona," Sonya said quietly.

"He doesn't know me. He doesn't know either of us. None of them do," Winona said, referring to herself and Clarice. "They know enough. You helped save the Underground. You both helped Reed and Lorna. You're just as much apart of the Underground as I am," Sonya said, sitting up straight.

Silence consumed the trio as they became immersed in their thoughts again. "What's it like? To be in love?" Winona asked suddenly. The other two turned to look at her. "I've never been in love before. And now, I probably never will," she continued, looking down at her hands.

The collar around her neck itched and she moved her neck around uncomfortably. "You will. We're gonna get out of here and you'll find it. You'll find the right person," Sonya assured. Winona shrugged her shoulders. "It doesn't matter anyway. In the world that we live in, it's hardly ideal and highly unlikely," she muttered. "What about Marcos and Lorna?" Clarice questioned. Winona shrugged again, "They're an exception."

Clarice gave the girl a look of disbelief before turning to Sonya who smiled slightly. "It's possible that the right person is standing right in front of you, literally all the time, and you're too stupid and oblivious and stubborn to notice," Clarice said, giving Winona a pointed look. Winona's eyes narrowed at the insult thrown her way.

"Or maybe that person is just confused and actually into someone else," Winona said back, giving Clarice a look of her own. "Are we still talking about love here?" Sonya questioned. Winona sighed and leaned back against the bars. "I really hope they do get us out of here," she said.

"They will," Clarice replied.

····

A guard pulled Winona's arm roughly as she was dragged down a hallway. For some reason, she had been taken from her cell and she had no idea where she was going. The guard opened a door to a room and pulled her into it.

A man was sat at a table and he smiled when he saw her. It made her angry. As she got closer, she saw scars on his face. The guard pulled out a chair and pushed her into it. She glared up at him as he went to stand by the door. "Winona Martin. It is so good to finally meet you," the man said. Winona looked at him through narrowed eyes as he continued.

"My name is Dr. Roderick Campbell. I run this lab," he said. Winona blinked and didn't speak. He smiled at this and looked at the file in front of him. "You know, I wasn't sure about your uh, what do you call it, second mutation? However, when I saw the video footage right before your capture in the power substation, I knew it was true," he said.

Winona leaned back in her seat and crossed her arms across her chest. He picked up the file, most likely her own, and opened it. He examined it briefly and Winona eyed him warily. "According to this, you're a telepath. And then with the other ability being hmm, some sort of sound manipulation. It's fascinating," Campbell continued.

"What the hell do you want from me?" Winona finally said. "I want to see your abilities in person. I want you to use them both," he answered. "And I want to take a hot bath whilst eating chocolate and sipping red wine. It looks like neither of us are gonna get what we want," Winona replied.

Dr. Campbell just laughed a wicked laugh. "I'm gonna take you to a room and turn off your collar now. And you're gonna show me what I want," he stated firmly. "It's not gonna happen," she said, shaking her head as she leaned forward.

A wave of pain washed through her body, originating from her neck as a shock registered from the collar. Winona grasped at the bulky thing around her neck and tried to pull it away from her skin. She quickly pulled her fingers away when the collar shocked them. She almost fell out of the chair as she briefly cried out. A series of coughs then emitted from her lips. The shocking ceased.

"Let's try this again. I'm gonna take you to a room and you're gonna do as I ask. Are we in agreement Miss Martin?" He said. Winona took in a sharp intake of air and looked up at him. "Go to hell," she breathed. Dr. Campbell sent another pulse of electricity through her collar and Winona screamed.

This one seemed to hurt more than the first. She grabbed her collar again and tried to pull it away from her neck, avoiding the area that was shocking her. She erupted into another fit of coughs once the shocking had stopped. "I'm running low on patience, Miss Martin. Your collar is off. Now, let's go," he said, motioning the guard forward.

Winona took in a large gulp of air and panted. Her voice was raspy as she spoke. "I can scream really loudly. Hurt your ears. Burst your eardrums. But I found that it hurts a hell of a lot more when it's in your head. Because hearing numerous voices all at once inside your brain, really hurts. And because I'm a telepath, I can manipulate the mind. I can also produce sounds in your head. Loud sounds," Winona said.

Her eyes turned silver and she focused. She created a sound in his mind, amplifying it in order to induce pain on him. Dr. Campbell's face began to contort in pain as she did so. A scream escaped his lips and he reached for a device, grasping it tightly before pressing a button. Winona's collar was turned back on and a shock was sent into her body. Her body jerked slightly and she screamed in pain.

Blood began to trickle out of her nose. The collar ceased its shocking. Winona's angry eyes looked up to meet Campbell's. "It's not so fun when it's you feeling pain, now is it?" She rasped. "That, wasn't exactly what I wanted you to do, Miss Martin. But it was clever, I'll give you that. Don't worry. You'll cave eventually. I can be very persuasive," he said.

He turned to look at the guard. "Take the prisoner back to her cell. I have some important matters to attend to," he said. The guard walked over and pulled Winona out of the chair. She leaned against him, her legs feeling numb. He practically carried her back to her cell.

····

The next time Winona was dragged from her cell, Clarice and Sonya were taken as well. Winona had told the two what had happened to her when she had been taken previously. She wasn't sure what was going on now. But it wasn't good, that much was obvious. The three looked between one other as they were forced down a hall.

The next thing they knew, they were entering what looked to be a small laboratory. Winona's eyebrows pinched together as a guard yanked her arm. She came to a stop in front of a TV with a camera mounted on top of it. Andy and Lauren could be seen in the TV and watched their three friends enter the room with wide eyes.

Winona breathed slightly in relief as she saw that the two were seemingly okay. "What are you doing? They're not part of this!" Lauren exclaimed. "Oh, you made them part of this," Dr. Campbell retorted. "Leave 'em alone," Andy said. Winona glared at the back of Dr. Campbell's head. "Whatever happens to them is entirely in your hands. Can I have your sidearm, please?" Came the man's reply. He held his hand out and someone placed a gun in it. He cocked the gun and Winona eyed it cautiously.

She looked over to Sonya and Clarice and tried giving them a reassuring look. It didn't work. The three were terrified. Clarice's eyes were now on the gun. Winona looked to Andy and Lauren and shook her head, hoping that they could see her. The two siblings looked at one another. It was completely silent.

"Don't do anything for him," Sonya said. Winona's head snapped to her. Her eyes were wide and she shook her head once the redhead's eyes met hers. She quickly mouthed a don't to the redhead. Dr. Campbell sighed in annoyance. "Children, clasp hands," he said. Winona had a horrible feeling in the pit of her stomach. She looked to Sonya who looked conflicted.

Lauren and Andy looked to one another again, unsure of what to do. "Don't do what he—" Sonya was cut off. A gunshot rung through the air and Winona jumped. A bullet flew through the air, piercing the skin above Sonya's sternum and going straight into her chest. A scream ripped through Winona's throat. "No! No!" She shouted. "No! Sonya!" Clarice screamed as well.

Lauren screamed. Winona squirmed in the guard's grip as Sonya's body fell to the floor. Her eyes remained open and lifeless. Winona's own eyes were wide in disbelief. Her breathing became erratic as Clarice's cries were heard. "Sonya! Sonya! No, no!" Winona couldn't breathe. She stopped struggling in the guard's hold, her eyes trained on Sonya's body.

"No, no. No no no," she whispered to herself. Tears began building up in her eyes and cascaded down her cheeks. "Is there a need for more bloodshed?" Dr. Campbell asked. He was met with silence. "Is there?" Winona was panting, her chest constricting painfully. Neither Lauren, nor Andy said anything. "Hey!" Campbell cocked his gun. "I'm losing patience!" He pointed the gun at Clarice's head. "No!" Winona tried to lunge at him, but the guard held her back.

The guard that was previously holding Sonya went to Winona's side, aiding in holding her back. "Leave her alone," Winona said. Dr. Campbell ignored her. "Lauren, Andrew, face the sensors," he commanded. Andy was speaking to his sister who was out of it. The blonde was traumatized. She then pushed herself off of the wall and took ahold of her brother's hand, the two facing whatever sensors Dr. Campbell had told them to.

One of the computers in the lab started beeping. Winona looked at Lauren and Andy in confusion. She didn't understand what was happening. She watched them with wide, terrified eyes. Whatever they were doing, she wanted them to stop. She didn't want Campbell to get what he wanted. After a while, the two siblings each raised one hand at the sensors.

The computers continued beeping. "Sir, we're approaching the limits of our sensors," a man in a lab coat at the computer said. Dr. Campbell lowered the gun and walked toward the computer. "Unbelievable," Campbell muttered. "We have to stop them," the man at the computer said. "The room is indestructible. Keep monitoring. It'll be fine," Dr. Campbell dismissed.

The beeping continued. Winona's eyes traveled back to Lauren and Andy. A scream emitted from Lauren's lips as one of the walls in the lab caved inward. They all moved away, Winona's hands going up to protect her head as sparks flew around and glass broke.

Her mouth fell open in shock and confusion, her breathing heavy. Andy was screaming now too. Winona's ears were ringing. She looked at Clarice who was already looking at her. Similar expressions painted both girl's faces. When the siblings stopped, so did the beeping computer. But an alarm sounded throughout the room.

"Turn the collars back on. Take the Struckers back to their cells. Oh, and give them something nice to eat. They've made a great contribution to science today," Campbell said. The guards began pulling Winona and Clarice out of the lab.

°°°°

Sonya's death was so sad. Now I'll admit, I did not like her at first but she started to grow on me. I was so sad when she died. Anyway, I hope that you all enjoyed this chapter. Please comment and vote. Also, please check out my new book Youth. It's a fanfic for the Harry Potter series.

-N