ACE OF HEARTS ( mike wheeler! )

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

"Well, then," Dustin trailed off, pulling one last item from the trunk. "Keep us safe."

Letting a slight smirk appear on her lips, Cassie Harrington immediately recognized Steve's infamous nail-covered bat -- to which he used almost every time they were in trouble. Letting out a long, dreadful sigh, Steve muttered a "fine" and took the bat in his grasp.

"Holy shit," Cassie Harrington muttered as her feet met the mushy brown substance that covered every inch of the area.

"Cass, c'mere," Mike Wheeler called from a few feet away, causing the girl to carefully jog past the others; making her way over to him. As she fell by his side, Mike asked the girl, "Which way do we go?"

Biting her lower lip, Cassie let out a quiet breath, her eyes falling down to the poorly-drawn map in Mike's grasp. Searching the lines, Cassie traced over one in particular. Switching her gaze, Cassie spoke to the group, "Guys, I'm pretty sure it's this way!"

"Are you pretty sure, or certain?" Dustin called from behind.

"She is 100% sure, Dustin!" Mike defended immediately, causing Cassie to smile at the boy. "Just follow us and you'll know!"

Watching the kids turn, Steve Harrington shook his head and protested, "Woah, woah, woah. Hey, hey, hey. I don't think so."

Cassie furrowed her brows, "Steve, wha-"

"Cassie, let me handle this," Steve answered, stalking up to Mike, who looked up at him in confusion. "Any of you little shits die down here, I'm getting the blame. Got it, dipshit?"

Rolling her eyes, Cassie watched as her older brother turned to the rest of them, shouting, "From here on out, I'm leading the way. Come on, let's go."

As her friends looking in Cassie's direction, all she did was shrug her shoulders. Steve was a handful, and sometimes way too overprotective, but he was a good leader. And, giving the situation, that was all they needed. So, with a huff, Cassie stood tall and spoke to her four friends, "You heard the boy, let's go."

Following her brother, Cassie Harrington listened as he yelled to the group, "Hey, a little hustle!"

"Sir, yessir!" Dustin Henderson chanted in reply, causing Cassie to let out a snort of laughter.

The six then began to make their way towards the center of the maze of tunnels, to which Mike Wheeler properly named the "Hub". Evidently, no one in the group had any idea what to expect when they got there. But, with a few gallons of gasoline, a lighter, and Steve Harrington's infamous nailed bat, they were ready to take on whatever was coming for them.

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"Alright, you guys ready?" Steve asked, pulling a silver lighter out of his back jean pocket.

"Yeah," Dustin replied, gazing up at the boy. "Light 'er up."

Flicking it open, Steve Harrington let out a few breaths, shaking his head and whispering to himself, "I am in such deep shit."

Then, in one swift motion, the boy released the flame from his grasp, throwing it in the center of the Hub. Immediately, as fast as the blink of an eye, the large atmosphere went up in flames, and a loud shrieking cry escaped from the inhuman monster.

The shriek was then immediately followed by multiple howls; only this time, it was the call of something much familiar...demo-dogs.

"We need to get out of here..." Cassie trailed off, taking multiple steps backwards. "Like, now!"

"Don't have to tell me twice!" Dustin shouted, quickly following Cassie's request. "Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!"