Home // A Stranger Things Story

xxviii

We spent the rest of the day driving around Hawkins to each one of the properties Larry had sold. Hopper and Joyce both kept trying to ask me about what Larry said, but it made me mad to even think about it, so I eventually showed them instead. I refused to answer any more questions as we drove, just trying to focus on the mission. 

We pulled up to the second to last house, where a car sat in the driveway.

"Looks like somebody's home." Hopper said, putting out his cigarette. He turned to me, opening his mouth to speak, but I beat him to it.

"No, I don't want to wait in the car, and yes, I am going." I told him, getting out of the car before he could protest.

He kicked in the door, walking in with his gun held out. The house was seemingly abandoned, with an exception of an ashtray and a single tea cup sitting on the center of the dining room table.

"Did you hear that?" Joyce asked. We all paused to listen. There was a electronic hum coming from one of the rooms. We walked forward, seeing a couple lights slowly flashing on and off.

They both turned to me, and I shook my head to show it wasn't me. We walked forward into a bedroom where the floors were vibrating slightly, and the humming became louder.

"Where's that coming from?" Hopper asked, continuing through the house.

Joyce got down on the floor, pressing her ear to the floor. "It's below us." She whispered. She looked into a vent on the bed and sat up. "The bed. It's under the bed."

They lifted the bed to the wall to reveal a staircase. We all looked at each other and followed Hopper down. We could faintly hear to people talking to each other, but I couldn't understand what they were saying.

"Hey, dipshits!" Hopper yelled at the. They stood up, looking at him in confusion. "Hawkins PD. Hands in the air. Don't make me say it again!" 

One of them started speaking in Russian, making me freeze. The familiar language made my skin crawl. 

"English. You speak English?" One of the men continued to speak in Russian, trying to reason with Hopper. "I can't understand you!"

I noticed footsteps above us.

"Dad." I said, trying to get his attention.

"Let me handle this." He replied, continuing to speak with the men. 

"No, Dad, I-" 

"Ev, let me handle it." He snapped back.

"Dad!" I finally yelled, grabbing his arm and pointing to the ceiling. He stopped, looking up. 

"Son of a bitch." He rushed over to the men, grabbing one and chaining him to the machine he was working on. He grabbed the other one and handcuffed him out of sight. He pushed Joyce and I down next to him. "Stay here."

I didn't argue, holding onto Joyce and listening to his footsteps get farther away.

"Don't move!" Hopper suddenly yelled. "Drop the gun. Drop it! You understand what I'm saying, big guy? Drop the weapon!"

"Or what?" A man asked with an accent. "You going to shoot?"

"Good. So you do understand what I'm saying, huh? And, yeah, you don't put that thing away, I'm going to blow some daylight into that thick skull of yours."

"No. You won't do that."

"Why's that?"

"Because you are policeman. Policemen have rules."