𝐍𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐀𝐔 ━ jj maybank (in edit);

𝟏𝟓. / 𝐚 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥 𝐨𝐧 𝐚 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧

          IT WAS NO LATER THAN FIVE in the morning when Stella stepped out the bed she was sharing with Kiara. The early morning daze made her sit still in bed for a good minute to regain her senses, before managing to stand up. She entered the adjoined bathroom soon after and splashed a considerate amount of water in her face, before staring at herself in the mirror.

Through the small immensity of time the young Clemont had spent with this group of friends, she could see right through their challenges, honesty and above all, loyalty. Which was why when they shared their frustrations aloud, she fabricated a thousand other thoughts, all to herself.

The two weeks that market her mother leaving their Nassau house for 'business' marked the last time they had properly spoken. Sure, texts went through but no voice was heard.

It wasn't at all strange, although for others it may have sounded. Stella had grown used to it from a very young age, so much so that her mother's bodyguards had become her company. Which was a shock seeing one of the closest to her go out in such a way.

So much had happened ever since the teens had fled the island and at times, she wished she had a present parent to cry out to. But soon did the young female learn, the tide takes some things but it always bring others back.

It was the quietest Stella could have possibly been while taking each step in these wooden floors and she was simply begging no one would have the light sleep to be waken up by her.

After leaving the room with a tote bag filled with some essential items, the walk towards the back patio wasn't long, but it sure felt like it when you walked through a house filled with sleeping teenagers scattered around all surfaces.

She had passed Sarah and John B's room whose door was slightly open, Pope further to the left in an armchair by the kitchen and the last she came across was JJ, comfortably laying on his stomach in the outside marquise sofa. It took her a second to observe him and bring in all her strength not to hug him goodbye.

- ⋆ -

Only about a mile down the dirt road from the Pogue house did the young teen feel at peace to take a deep breath, as if she had been holding it this far, in fear of being followed.

Truth is Stella didn't have a single clue of where she would be heading, but considering her name was the only one excluded from the chopping block, she was invested in taking matters into her own hands. She wanted to find a way to help the crew and get to the bottom of this.

She walked and walked from when the sky was bright lilac to when the heating orange sun started rising in the horizon. All of which gave her time to think about what her next would be, although nothing clear would come to mind.

Where would she be headed? Who would she search for? Could she easily get a hold of her mother?

For what seemed impossible in the XXI century, the group of teens had been left without their cellphones ever since they were forced to fled the Nassau home, meaning Stella was out of a phone. The only available were the burner phones recently purchased between Pope and Kiara, which she obviously hand't stolen to come on this small mission.

Arriving into town, Stella felt uncomfortable with the people that she made eye contact with. She felt somehow naked and cover-blown amongst all these news locals, although she wasn't anyone's acquaintance nor was her face known around here.

Perhaps it'd been from the clothes the young girl had borrowed from Kie. These people seemed somehow fancier.

What seemed like a small farmer's market was being held in the main road and the apple she'd taken from home was already starting to wear off after all that cardio walking here.

She neared an older man that was selling fruit and vegetables, admiring them above anything else. It's not like she had any money on her.

After a quick minute at hungrily observing the diversity of food, her eyes lifted and just as she was about to walk off, she nearly head-butted a poster hung on the wooden pole that sustained this tent.

WANTED could be read in big print in the brown-ish advertisement. And there he was, a portrait of John B. completed the open mid-space, followed by $50.000 reward below.

Her insides twisted, although she was able to maintain a calm exterior. She wasn't sure the crew knew about this but she was starting to understand where the narrative was headed.

"You know him?" A strong southern accent broke Stella off her thoughts. It was the owner of the food-tent.

"What- uh. No."

"Well good, because if you did... the stakes are high, m'lady."

She brushed the comment off and shifted her attention as a microphone-screech interrupted the two.

To her left was a smaller stage she hadn't yet noticed, with a few locals gathering around and a man soon got up there, followed by applause.

She couldn't believe it-

- ⋆ -

Back at the house, Sarah was the last one to be woken up and once she entered the living area, she noted the commotion.

"What's going on?" She asked, still rubbing her eyes in a sleepy manner.

"What do you mean what's going on? This is a sh*t show!"

JJ's chaotic antics were something the Cameron girl was used to by now, but this time a desperation in his eye scared her. He paced the room back and forth and whilst the others sat down, they weren't the less stressed.

She opted to stand by the edge of John B's armchair, asking him what was wrong, with her eyes only.

"Stella is gone." He calmly added "do you know of anything?"

"Stella is gone?!"

"She's nowhere to be found." Kiara confirmed.

The whole group sat silent, but their minds were loud as can be.

JJ couldn't help but think back to last night's events and how he had let himself go. He wasn't sure that was behind it, but part of him couldn't bare carrying the guilt of having one percent of responsibility in this.

"Well, she wasn't taken..." Sarah tried to reason. "We would've heard. And plus, no one knows of her whereabouts."

"If she wasn't taken, then maybe- she fled?"

"That'd make no sense, she wouldn't know where to go."

Whilst the teens argued on the possibilities, Pope silently went through the loose notes he had written on his phone a while back while doing some research.

"There's a possibility-" he began, earning all the attention "there's a possibility she may be looking for her mother. You know, I told you about her. Penelope Clemont! Word says she's in town. And part of me wishes it isn't true nor that this is connected" he breath out " because if you think Ward is dangerous. Imagine her..."

"That's it! I'm going after." The blonde teen intervened, walking into his room in a hurry, followed by all the others in order to try and stop him.

"Only you can't!" Kiara yelled out.

"Why not!"

"Because we all have a warrant on us."