✓ Adventures In Babysitting / Steve Harrington ¹

𝙭𝙫𝙞. definitely, maybe

Robin hops down from the planter.  There's a gleam in her eyes.  "I cracked the code."

✫*ﾟ･ﾟ｡.☆.*｡･ﾟ✫*

It's just before eight forty-five when the group congregates on the rooftop of Starcourt Mall.  If it had been any other day, perhaps Abby would have admired the view of Hawkins from so high above, but the rain obstructs her view of the sleepy town.  They're bundled up the best they can in their raincoats they had brought along with them that day, but even the water resilient coats aren't enough to truly protect them from the onslaught of the downpour.  Wind buffets them from all directions as lightning flashes brightly across the sky and thunder rumbles in the sky.  The cold air bites at Abby's exposed skin and sends her teeth clattering together and waves of cold to spread through her as she pulls her raincoat closer to her in an attempt to trap the quickly escaping heat.

Abby's hair clings to her face as she squints through the rain and gazes down at the courtyard below them.  Her view is obstructed by the water that drips down the sides of her hood and into her eyes, but just barely she can make out two burly men dressed head to toe in black stand bolt upright in front of a door, seemingly impervious to the wind and rain.  A shrill beeping fills the air as a yellow delivery truck backs into the courtyard loaded with various deliveries.  The Russians' shipment can be anywhere in there.

"Look for Imperial Panda and Kaufman Shoes," Robin instructs over the sound of the wind and rain.

Dustin raises his binoculars to his eyes and scans the area below them.  "They're with that whistling guy, ten o'clock!"

"Hey, I don't speak spy language!  Just point or something!" Abby calls over the howling of the wind.  Dustin lets out a sigh and points down to a small yellow figure, barely noticeable against the fluorescent floodlights that significantly brighten the area.  She can just barely hear the tune that the man whistles.

Steve squints down at the small figure and then turns to Dustin.  "What do you think's in there?"

"Guns?  Bombs?" Dustin suggests.

"Chemical weapons?" Robin adds.

"Maybe some sort of intricate infiltration plans?" Abby supplies.

"Whatever it is, they're armed to the teeth," Dustin tells them, referring to the armed men who stand in front of the door.

"Great," Steve remarks as he wipes away the water that has run into his eyes.  "That's great."

"Hey, what's in there?" Robin calls as she points to the giant metal doors that swing open just behind the armed men.

"It's just more boxes," Dustin responds.

Steve reaches over for Dustin's binoculars.  "Let me check it out."

Dustin is quick to wrestle the binoculars back out of Steve's grasp.  They begin to squabble over it, passing from hand to hand and hissing at each other until finally, Dustin forcefully yanks the binoculars back into his grasp which sends them spinning out of control.  They hit the side of the roofing with a loud thunk followed by shouts in Russian.

"Duck!" Dustin hisses as the Russian guards snap up to attention. 

With palpitating hearts, the four whirl around and duck out of the keen sight of the Russians just in time.  Abby takes a few deep breaths in an attempt to calm her racing heart.  She fees her fingers laced in somebody else's, squeezing tightly.  Their hand is warm.  She doesn't want to let go.  She glances over at Steve who holds her gaze for a few moments before averting the focus of her eyes down to their intertwined hands.  Abby's heart only pounds faster as neither of them makes any attempt to let go of the other's hand as the four lay there, paralyzed in fear.

And then as if some spell that had been cast over them breaks, the four scramble quietly and as quickly as they can, they crawl to the rooftop door.  The warmth of Steve's hand has disappeared now as they flee, shivering and stumbling down the long winding staircase and into the long hallways behind the shopping outlets, trailing watery footprints behind them.  The interior of the mall is not much warmer, but at least now, they're out of the rain.  They stride through the halls quickly, careful to not make any noise as they distance themselves from the Russians.

"Well, I think we found your Russians," says Robin.

"You don't say," Abby responds as she pushes the sopping strands of hair out of her eyes.  "What do we do now?"

"We find a way in there and we figure out what the hell the Russians are doing here," Dustin answers.

"No, absolutely not," Abby reponds.  "Because as beautiful as this would look on a college or job application, we're way out of our depths here.  We have to tell someone."

Steve lets out a scoff. "Yeah, and who's going to believe a bunch of teenagers who scoop ice cream for a living?"

"Oh, I don't know, maybe the chief of police," Abby answers as they push through the back door to Scoops Ahoy, "who, may I remind you, is quite used to things like this."

"Okay, fine," Dustin agrees.  "Tomorrow, we'll try to get through to the Chief and if that doesn't work, then we're back to square one.  We have to do this ourselves."

"Fine," Robin sighs as she picks up her bike helmet.  "Let's just get out of here."

The four battle through the harsh rain, swaddled in their raincoats as they run out int the parking lot.  The only two cars that remain in the desolate parking lot are Abby's and Steve's.  Steve has already volunteered to take Dustin home, and Abby has already offered earlier that day a ride to Robin, who had taken her bike to work. 

Abby hangs back with Steve and Robin and Dustin run ahead into the parking lot.  "Hey, my parents are gonna need my car tomorrow, you think I can hitch a ride with you?"

"Yeah, yeah, of course," Steve answers with a nod.  They walk in silence for a few moments before he gives her a side-long glance.  "Are you gonna be okay?"

"Aw, look at you being all concerned for me," Abby teases with a half-smile, bumping Steve with her shoulder.  "I'll be fine.  What about you?  You think you can maybe hold off not being beat to a pulp this time around?"

"Oh, look who's the concerned one now."

"I think it's a fair question."

"It's not like I think 'oh, hey, this is a good moment to get my face smashed in', because I'll have you know that I think my face is pretty good-looking, too," Steve replies defensively.

Abby doesn't deny this, she only lets out a small laugh.  "Well, uh, I'll see you tomorrow, Steve."

"Tomorrow.  Yeah.  Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow," Steve nods.

Abby lets out another small laugh and shakes her head as she jogs toward her car.  Robin leans against the slightly-rusted metal of the old family car and bounces her foot impatiently as she pulls her raincoat tighter around her.  Abby steals one last glance over at Steve who knocks the cap off of Dustin's head after the boy says something to him. 

Yeah, there's definitely, maybe something there.