Gold Dust Woman - Steve Harrington*

chapter thirteen.

"That's not entirely true," Dustin says slowly, "I mean, these demodogs, they have a hive mind, when they ran away from the bus they were called away."

"So, if we get their attention..."

"Maybe we can draw them from the lab."

"And clear a path to the gate."

"It'll help them out, make it safer for them all." Dallas nods.

Steve nods, "Yeah, and then we all die."

"That's one point of view."

Steve shakes his head, "No, that's not a point of view, man, that's a fact."

Mike walks into the kitchen suddenly, "I got it!"

The group follow him out watching as he kneels by a large X, "This is where the chief dug his hold. This is our way into the tunnel. So, here, right here. This is like a hub." He points to the large space on the floor and kneels down, "So you got all the tunnels feeding in here. Maybe if we set this on fire-"

"Oh, yeah, that's a no?"

Dallas nods along with Mike, "If we set that on fire, it distracts them, the mind flayer will call them away from the lab to us."

"They all come to stop us."

"Hey."

"Then we circle back to the exit."

"Guys." Steve warns, hands resting on his hips.

"And the by the time the Hizards realise we're gone-"

Max finishes off for her, "El would be at the gate."

"Hey!" Steve starts clapping to gain their attention, "Hey! Hey! Hey, this is not happening."

"But-"

He shakes his head, "No, no, no, no, no, no buts. I promised I'd keep you shitheads safe, and that's exactly what I plan on doing. We're staying here, on the bench. And we're waiting for the starting team to do their job. Does everybody understand that?"

Dallas sighs as she walks up to him, grabbing his wrist and turing away from them, "This isn't a stupid sports game, Harrington, this'll be our chance to help out ev-"

"Are you agreeing with this?" Steve asks Dallas.

She shrugs as she looks up at him, "At least we won't be just sitting on our asses here."

She pulls away from him, the car keys she'd grabbed from his pocket dangling on her middle finger, "Who knows how to drive?"

"Hey!"

He grabs her wrist prying the keys away from her, "Don't need to give Byers even more of a reason to hate me. We're not going, final, does everybody understand me?"

He grabs the tea towel from his shoulder and shoves the keys back in his pocket, zipping it up as he points to everyone with the tea towel, "I said 'does everybody understand me?' I need a yes."

There's the rev of an engine outside and everyone looks to the window, "It's my brother. He can't know I'm here, he'll kill me. He'll kill us." Max says, peering through the window.

They watch Billy stop the car and get out, Steve turns to Dallas, "Watch the kids, get away from the windows."

He goes outside quickly and stands on the porch as Billy gets fully out of the car, taking the cigarette from his mouth. He smirks as he lets the cigarette rest between his fingers, "Am I dreaming or is that you, Harrington?"

"Yeah, it's me. Don't cream your pants."

Dalla peers through the window watching Billy take his jacket off as Steve walks towards him, "What are you doing here, amigo?"