𝖕𝖆𝖗𝖆𝖓𝖔𝖗𝖒𝖆𝖑 || 𝘀. 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗼𝗻

S3E6: E Pluribus Unum

Guards chase after us, shoving the scientists out of the way. Dustin screams and pushes a man in a full hazmat suit out of our path.

Of all the the places we could've ended up, we've ended up right next to the machine and the gate to the Upside Down.

We're forced to stop running, reaching the end of the metal platform and being cut off by the laser from the machine. The whole machine radiates with power. Hot air blows off the rotating turbines.

Dustin looks over the edge and starts panicking, screaming, Holy shit! repeatedly.

"Guards! Go!" Erica yells.

"This way!" Steve takes off down some metal steps, descending below the platform. He pushes some stacked metal barrels onto some guards, knocking them down and blocking their path long enough for us to get by.

Our fast footsteps pound on the hard floors. We run as fast as we can through a set of doors and into a quieter room. Steve slams the door shut in our pursuers' faces and the two of us hold our backs to the door firmly as the guards' vibrations shake the door, trying to beat it down.

"Robin!" I shout.

She runs over to us and helps me and Steve hold the door.

"Come on!" Dustin calls to us, waving us over. Erica has already entered a vent, while Dustin is about to.

"Go! Just get out of here!" Steve yells at them.

"Come on, now!"

We struggle to keep the hoard of guards out. Dustin meets my eyes, pleading for me to have some sense and drag Steve and Robin with me to the vents, and all of us escaping together. But I don't have any sense. If I did that, the guards would be on top of us in seconds. We'd all get captured.

"It's okay," I tell him. My voice comes out surprisingly soft, despite the terror in me. Tears swell up in my eyes knowing good and well this is most likely the last time I'll ever see him again.

"No!"

"Get out of here, now!" Steve grunts. "Just go get some help, okay?"

Dustin hops down into the vent and steals one last look at us. "I won't forget you guys!" He swings the vent cover down and him and Erica escape... I hope.

The guards power through the door, sending Steve, Robin and I to the ground. All the guns aim at us and we hold our hands up in surrender.

✶
TW: Torcher
✶

My shoes squeak against the hard floors as I'm dragged down the hallways. When I realize going limp isn't going to stop the Russian guards from carrying me, I begin flailing all my limbs as hard as I can and screaming.

"Let me go! Let me go! Let me go!" I kick at them and twist my arms.

More guards appear to restrain me.

I've already been separated from Robin and Steve for questioning. They asked me the standard—who am I and who do I work for. I couldn't exactly hide that I worked at Scoops Ahoy since I did still have on the uniform. They also went through my backpack and now know my full name and address from my drivers license.

I know what's coming next—it happens in every comic book, movie, and TV show. If the questioners don't like your answer, they torture you until they get the truth.

My attempts to fight them off are fruitless. Not only are my hands tied together, but I've been stripped of my knives and backpack as well. I'm defenseless. The two burly guards who have a hold of me have got to be at least twice my size and with huge muscles.