Alice the Amazing ⇒ STRANGER THINGS

[41] American Spies

{The Case of the Missing Lifeguard}

The next day, Alice drove Dustin to the mall before lunch. The siblings met Steve by the Starcourt fountain at noon, ready for a day of spying.

"I found my mom's bird watching club binoculars," Dustin said, handing them to Steve. "Be careful with them—she likes to watch the sparrow nest in our backyard."

"Aren't spies supposed to act nonchalant?" Alice asked. "If we kneel behind potted plants and stare at people through binoculars, we're kind of giving ourselves away."

"The binoculars are a necessity," Dustin explained. "The spy we're searching for will be blending in with the rest of Hawkins. We need to be able to spot someone who seems completely ordinary but is actually not."

Alice disagreed, but decided to go along with Dustin's plan. The trio hunkered down behind some plants and Steve put the binoculars around his neck.

He peered around the mall, searching for someone—anyone—who maybe didn't belong.

"You see anything?" Dustin asked after a few minutes of searching.

"I guess I don't totally know what I'm looking for," Steve admitted.

"Evil Russians," Dustin said.

"Very descriptive," Alice said. She rested her chin in her hand. "How about you break it down for us again? We don't know what an evil Russian looks like."

"Tall, blond, not smiling," Dustin listed.

"That could be anyone," Alice protested. "You just described the entire Hawkins High water polo team."

"Also look for earpieces, camo, duffel bags," Dustin said. "That sort of thing."

"Right, okay," Steve said. "Duffel bags."

He peered into the binoculars again, adjusting the zoom and scanning the crowd. He scoffed when he noticed two familiar faces leaning against the railing on the second level of the mall.

"You've gotta be kidding me," Steve said. "Samuel is still dating Tammy?"

Alice and Dustin followed his eyeline to the top floor. Sure enough, Samuel was holding Tammy's hand and leaning close for a kiss.

"I thought you said he wanted to dump her!" Alice said, annoyance clouding her features.

"He did!" Steve said. "I guess he changed his mind."

"Or she brainwashed him," Alice said darkly.

"If you two aren't going to focus," Dustin said hotly, "give me the binoculars."

Steve ignored Dustin and continued spying on the couple.

"Whatever happened to standards?" Steve said. "I mean, Tammy's nice enough, but she's manipulating him."

"Dude, you're the worst spy in history, you know that?" Dustin said. Impatient, he reached over and pulled the binoculars to his side—Steve's neck being jerked in the process.

"Ow!" Steve said, face contorting in pain. "Stop that!"

"Give me those!" Dustin said.

"Stop fighting!" Alice said. "You're being shitty spies."

Steve freed himself from the strap and Dustin gripped the binoculars tightly.

"I don't get why you're looking at girls," Dustin said.