SHORT CIRCUIT. [STEVE HARRINGTON]

CHAPTER NINE.

CHAPTER NINE.
GOOD NEWS.

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THE SECOND THAT the name 'Nancy' left Steve's mouth, Lee was put on edge.

She put her hands down to see a boy and a girl standing before them. Dustin's flashlight lit up both of their faces, showing the same confusion that each of them were wearing. Lee quickly stuffed her hands into the pockets of her stolen jacket.

"What are you doing here?" Nancy asked, squinting as she walked toward the group. The boy that was with her trailed behind her closely.

"What are you doing here?" Steve repeated, meeting her in the middle of the field.

Nancy shook her head. "We're looking for Mike and Will." Nancy met Lee's gaze, brows drawing together. "Who's this?"

Steve glanced down at Lee. "This is Lee—"

"—she's got powers," Max interjected.

"She burnt a hole straight through a Demogorgon!" added Lucas.

The boy Lee had heard Dustin call Jonathan looked at Lucas in confusion. "Demogorgon?"

"Wait—" Dustin said, "—Mike and Will. They're not in there are they?"

"We're not sure," Nancy answered.

Jonathan turned to Dustin. "Why?" As if on cue, a low screech rang out from the labs. The group turned toward it, each of them going silent. Lee clenched her fists, letting out a shaky sigh. "Are those the, uh—"

"Demogorgons?" Lucas nodded toward Jonathan. "Yeah."

"Why the hell are there monsters?" Nancy asked, incredulous. "And why do you guys know about them?"

Dustin shook his head. "That's a long story that we really don't have time for," he replied.

"Try shortening it," Jonathan said.

"No, he's right," Steve stated. "We really don't have time for this."

"Our brothers might be in there," Nancy said, eyes narrowing. "Make time for it. What happened, Steve?"

Everyone began talking at once. The kids began to try to explain exactly what had happened, Dustin talking about his cat, Lucas starting with the setup at the junkyard, and Max speaking of the creature Lee had burned a hole through. Steve added things in when he could, answering the rapidfire questions Jonathan and Nancy were asking as the kids spoke.

Lee, however, became distracted by the rumbling she could feel beneath her. By the looks of it, nobody else could feel it. She felt her heart beat speed up as something like a wave washed over her, moving toward the labs. Her finger tips began sparking. Lee looked down at her hands in confusion. What was going on?