𝐎𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐟 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐎𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐢𝐝𝐞 {𝟏}

CHAPTER 10: Invention of the Middle Finger

The chopper was now so loud that Caroline couldn't hear her own pounding heartbeat.

"Get down!" Lucas grabbed Dustin and pulled him so he was sitting down like everyone else.

The sound of the helicopter receded, and Dustin let out a deep breath.

"Mental."

They had been sitting in silence for several minutes when suddenly the Walkie broke the silence, faint and distorted.

"Mike, are you there? Mike?"

"You guys hear that?" Dustin sat up straight.

"Mike, it's me, Nancy. Mike, are you there? Answer. Mike, we need you to answer."

"Is that your sister?" Lucas asked in disbelief.

"What is she doing on Will's Walkie?" Caroline demanded.

"This is an emergency, Mike. Do you copy? Mike, do you copy?"

"Okay, this is really weird." Dustin looked anxious. Caroline reached over and took his trembling hand.

"Don't answer!" Mike hissed.

Lucas looked conflicted. "She said it was an emergency."

"What if it's a trick?" Mike asked.

"It's your sister!" Caroline threw her hands up. "I mean, I don't like her much and she's a bitch, but think about it... why would she be tricking us?"

"What if the bad people kidnapped her? What if they're forcing her to say this?"

"I need you to answer." Nancy begged on the radio.

"It's like Lando Calrissian. Don't answer." Dustin said desperately, his eyes wide.

"We need to know that you're there, Mike." Nancy said over the radio. Her voice cracked with desperation.

Then a much deeper, more authoritative voice took over the channel. "Listen, kid, this is the chief. If you're there, pick up. We know you're in trouble and we know about the girl."

"Why is she with the chief?" Lucas wondered aloud. Caroline was racking her brain. What was Hopper doing with Nancy? What did they know?

"How the hell does he know about..." Dustin's lisped voice trailed off as he looked at Eleven, who was sitting silently with her knees pulled up to her chest, covered in Mike's jacket.

"We can protect you, we can help you, but you gotta pick up. Are you there? Do you copy? Over."

"Answer," Caroline blurted out. The others looked at her in confusion.

"What do you mean? What if they're working with the bad men?" Mike asked.

"They're not," Caroline shook her head. Her braid had started coming loose. "Hopper and my mom- they know about Eleven and how she has something to do with Will. I don't know how much, but they're on our side."

Mike stared at her and she looked back at him unflinchingly.

"It's okay, Mike," she said quietly.

Finally Mike picked up the walkie and spoke into it shakily. "Yeah, I copy. It's Mike. I'm here. We're here."

"It's been way too long." Dustin lisped. He had been pacing the floor of the rickety old bus ever since the chief had told them he was coming. Caroline rubbed her eyes, trying to keep her breathing steady. "Do you know what? Maybe you're right. Maybe this is all a trap and the bad men are coming to get us right now!"