Rhiannon // Max Mayfield

22: Lets do this

Nancy nods, eyes trained on the floor. Nerves are high in the bus, it's not exactly a secret, but it seems Nancy is carrying the weight of it all, as the self-designated leader she thinks she has to stay strong. Alex thinks it's because she knows the consequences of what happens if the plan goes wrong.

"Nobody moved onto the next phase until we've all copied." Nancy tells them assertively, "Nobody deviates from the plan. No matter what." She looks at them all with teary eyes, as if the consequences were playing through her head on repeat. "Got it?"

They all nodded, "Got it." they chorused back.

Everyone got up from their seats, with the pep-talk over this is the real deal, they filed out of the trailer. Nancy and Robin in front, Alex and Steve in the middle and then Eddie and Dustin bringing up the rear. Steve turned to Alex and pulled her in, "You heard Nance, stick to the plan, no matter what. I know you have this fucking superhero complex that makes you think it's your responsibility to save everyone, but just for once. Please just leave it to the older kids." Steve instructs, half-hugging his sister.

"Got it," She said with a nod, "You can deal with everything, swear it." She said, hugging him back.

Steve patted her back before taking the lead as the others broke into a jog, now in the trailer park they had to make it quick. Alex was right by Steve's side, faster than the others anyway. Steve fiddled with the door handle before it opened, the others quickly filled in behind him.

Alex flicked the light as they walked in, giving the place a little more of a homely feel. Except from the gaping hole in the ceiling that is a portal to another dimension.

Steve walked straight to the makeshift rope hanging from the ceiling and tugged on it. Dustin patted his back in a reassuring way. "Be careful," Dustin said.

"Thanks buddy." Steve replied simply before grasping the rope tightly and pulling himself up. "Here goes nothing." he muttered, just loud enough for everyone to hear.

They all watched as Steve did a little flip from the rope to land on his feet. The others just looked down unamused as he raised his arms, like a gymnast. Robin looked to the others, "What does he want us to do applaud?" she asked.

Alex nodded to her, "Yeah probably,"

Steve pulled the Upside Down version of Eddies mattress across the floor, dropping it beneath the rope as he nodded up to the others. "Let's go."

Nancy went first, grabbing the rope. Robin dropped down onto one knee, offing the girl support as she climbed up. Alex's jaw dropped as she pretended to cough, "gay..." she said in between the 'coughs'. Robin shot her a glare.

They dropped the weapons in after Nancy has successfully gone in.

Then went Eddie.

More weapons.

Robin.

More weapons. 

Alex.

A few bags.

And finally Dustin.

Now the group is all together in the Upside Down they left the trailer. Steve, Nancy and Robin needed to get going, of they wanted to get through the plan quickly. Steve turned back to Eddie, his sister and Dustin.

"Hey, If things here start to go south, I mean, at all, you abort." He said assertively to them. Earning nods from the teenagers and Eddie. "Okay? draw the attention of the bats. Keep 'em busy for a minute or two. We'll take care of Vecna." He looked at Alex specifically for the last part. "Don't try to be a hero or something." This was almost directly to his sister, following their talk earlier. "Okay? You guys are just."

"decoys." Dustin finished for him. "Don't worry, you can be the hero Steve."

"Absolutely. I mean," he paused and then gestured between himself and Dustin, "We are not heroes, she might be." he pointed across to Alex. "But we are certainly not."

Steve nodded in reassurance at the older boys words, sending one last glance to them all before turning back to Robin and Nancy who are waiting.

"-Hey Steve," Eddie called, before Steve could get very far. Steve looked back, "Make him pay."

Steve just nodded, so did Eddie. As if they had some sort of unspoken understanding of each other. Alex couldn't help but think Eddie and Steve have something else going on with each other, no two straight people look at each other like that. Just saying.

The older three took off, walking out of the trailer park with one mission.

Kill Vecna.

~~

The other three teens got to work on bat-proofing the trailer. Eddie had set Dustin and Alex off on a task to gather metal scraps, the two teens had gone a well enough job, now having a big-ish pile on the tarp. Eddie looked at it and nodded, helping them to drag it over with them.

They have now moved onto securing it, Eddie was on one side, drilling them into the wall. Dustin and Alex stood on the other side, pushing the metal plates against the windows of the cabin, keeping them steady for Eddie.

They had now moved on again, they needed to be quicker. Eddie and Dustin both have drills. Alex is going about it a different approach, essentially welding them on with her powers. It's moving quicker though, all the exposed parts of the trailer are being covered, that's the main thing.

All three stepped back and looked at their work proudly. They have actually done a half-decent job of covering the trailer. Red thunder crackled in the distance, making Alex's hairs stand on end. Memories of Vecna's mindscape flashed through her mind.

"Not bad." Eddie noted.

"Not bad at all." Dustin said back.

"Actually pretty good." Alex finished.

Eddie looked on either side of him to the teenagers, then hit their shoulders lightly with a smirk. "Now for the fun part."

They rushed back into the trailer, Alex broke away from the two boys, going to Rocky's room to get his guitar, praying it wasn't covered in vines.

It's perfect.

The vines seemed to just stop at the instrument, twisting in on themselves or in other directions. Perfection in Alex's eyes.

She pulled it off the wall mount, adjusting the straps over her frame and swinging it over her shoulder. 

Alex went back to Eddie and Dustin, noticing the same thing had happened with Eddie's guitar. He spun around, looking at the teenagers.

"What do you say, Summers? Henderson?" he paused and lifted it off the wall, "Are you ready for the most metal concert in the history of the world?"

"That a rhetorical question?" Dustin said back, clearly excited.

Alex motioned to Dustin, "What he said." she replied, swinging the guitar over her shoulder like a fucking Rockstar. 

The three teens shared a look, one that just made Alex's heart beat faster in anticipation.

"Let's do it." Eddie finshied, swinging his guitar the same way Alex just had.