Winter smiled to herself, tucking the flag away in her training suit. When the aggressors' team had dispersed, she emerged from the stack of crates. She reached Jax while he was still fuming, "Can you believe someone stole our flag?" He grumbled, "I knew it was terrible luck to be grouped with him." Winter grabbed his arm and discretely produced the purple flag from where she hid it. She scrunched it up and placed it in his hands, closing his fingers around it. His eyes widened, "Why?" Winter tilted her head, "You were outnumbered. I figured the best thing I could do was direct their attention elsewhere." Jax stared at her blankly for a moment before looking around at the empty station. The corner of his mouth lifted into a smirk, "I can always trust you." Winter shrugged, "Him too." Jax eyed Sam with disgust. Winter gently placed her hand under his chin and made him face her, "He rushed into the fight to help you. Without hesitation." Jax remained silent. Winter huffed, "I have to get back to my team now. You'll have to figure it out on your own." Winter stared at his wrist. She needed Jax to put their bad blood aside, at least temporarily. The headmaster turned the odds against them. They were no longer expected to win. Which was why they had to. Jax nodded and Winter went back to her team's station.
When Winter arrived, she was not expecting what she saw. There were four confused agents, Instigators, surrounding their station. M.J. sang a catchy, upbeat tune while hugging Leo. His voice was beautiful, mesmerizing, and because of it their flag had not been stolen yet. Leo chimed in, singing off tune and then began dancing. More students gathered, equally confounded. She heard someone say, "They're not Sirens. Why are they singing? Is this a joke?" Winter almost burst out laughing. They found a loophole. A way to disarm their opponents without the use of their powers. Leo's eyes met Winter's for a moment, "The Instigators, as you like to call them, don't know what to make of us. None of them do." Winter looked at the ground, "Well I wouldn't either." Leo's voice invaded her mind, "I'm poking around in their heads as we speak." There was a pause, "Darren's team is supposed to win." Winter thought, "Darren?" Leo responded, "Yes. The blonde boy who went after Jax and Sam earlier." Winter sighed, "Looks like I've got a flag to steal. Keep digging." Leo and M.J. carried on merrily. Bewildered onlookers continued to gather.
Winter made her way toward the turquoise flag which matched the armband she saw on the blonde leader, Darren, earlier. When she realized how heavily guarded the flag was, she took a moment to plan. There were two teams and an Instigator standing at attention around the station. Winter examined the area and a smile grew on her face. A safe distance away, Winter materialized a container filled with gasoline. She quickly moved away from it, setting it aflame. There was an explosion. Even in all the commotion, it was an attention-worthy noise. The people who guarded the flag went to investigate, leaving two behind. Winter snuck behind them. When she got close enough to reach the flag, a sword slashed her wrist. Winter stumbled back. She winced as blood poured out and looked up into sadistic emerald eyes. Darren spoke softly near her ear, brushing her hair out of her face with the point of his sword, "It was a cute trick, the explosion. Sadly, it's one that I'm not dumb enough to fall for." Winter grimaced at him. He pressed the sharp tip of the sword into her cheek, "Your eyes are red." The blood that trickled down her face was hot. "I heard rumors of the girl whose eyes changed with her emotions. I wonder what color they'll turn when you're in immense pain." His chuckle was grating. Winter wanted nothing more than to wipe that smile off his face, but she couldn't fight him. She had to keep up the act for her audience, for the headmaster who was watching. Darren reached behind his back and pulled out a whip. The gleam in his eye was enough to make her uncharacteristically nauseous. He raised it to strike, "How about we find out." Winter swallowed, bracing herself. Darren brought the whip crashing down across her chest. The force of it made Winter lose balance. She fell to her knees in unfathomable pain. Winter gasped for air. Darren's voice pierced her skull, "Fantastic. They're brown now." Darren cocked his arm for another blow and Winter shut her eyes tight. The strike did not come. She heard Darren grunt. Winter opened her eyes and watched as Lucas unyieldingly gripped the whip. It shook in his hands and he ripped it out of Darren's grasp. Lucas did not waiver as he punched him in the face. The fury in Lucas' eyes did not dim, even with Darren sprawled out on the ground. His eyes softened when he turned to her. Lucas picked Winter up gently. Then the world went black and she felt as though she was suffocating. It was a brief phenomenon which only lasted a spilt second before they appeared in front of the turquoise flag. Lucas snatched it from the pole and the revolting sensation came again.
Winter had mixed feelings towards Lucas' teleportation, "Last night's dinner is about to resurface." She surveyed Lucas' station where Jax and Sam were waiting. She sat on the ground, trying to regain her composure. The healers rushed towards her. The lash from the whip that ran across her chest had already healed. Only tattered black cloth remained, though the memory of intense pain did not fade. Jax rushed to her side, "Are you okay?" He turned his attention to Lucas, placing a hand on his shoulder, "What happened?" Lucas puffed, "Winter had the genius idea to take on Darren and his ragtag team of idiots." The concern she saw in his eyes was comforting. Winter examined her wrist, the gash was in the process of stitching itself. Winter sighed a breath of relief, "How many flags do you guys have?" Lucas nodded at Sam who reported, "27." Winter's eyes widened. His voice was unexpectedly soothing. She nodded, "Darren's team has 24." Lucas furrowed his eyebrows, "How on earth do you know that?" She shrugged, "I did recon before setting off the explosion." Lucas rubbed his temples, "What explosion? Do I even want to know?" Winter smiled coyly, "The point is, we have the advantage." She shifted the position of her bracelet, "They'll also lose the bonus points, since we were able to steal their flag." Jax draped his arms over Lucas, "Whose team are you on again?" "That doesn't matter. We all share a common goal and if you guys win, I win." Winter stood, brushing herself off, "That reminds me. One of you needs to come steal my flag."