American Heroes: A Stranger Things 3 Fic

Duffel Bag

They had been sitting behind the fern for a couple hours when a voice comes in on Will's walkie-talkie. "Hello? Will, are you there? It's Mike. Over."

Steve, Dustin, and Will look at the walkie-talkie. Will takes a deep breath and answers, "What do you want, Mike? Over."

"Will? Oh, thank god! Where are you? Lucas and I have been looking for you. We came by your house yesterday, but you weren't there. Over."

"Yeah, I know," Will says. He eyes Steve and Dustin, so they go back to looking for the Russians. Will lowers his voice. "I really don't want to talk right now, Mike. Over."

"Will, I know I was an asshole. I'm sorry. Can we just talk about it? Over."

"I don't care. I need some time. Over."

"What?" Mike's voice sounds panicked. "Why? Will, I said I'm sorry. I mean it. I really-"

"Mike, stop. I'm just busy right now. We can talk another time. Over and out."

"No, not out! Will, c'mon. Where are you? Over."

Will sighs. "I don't want to see you right now, Mike. Go talk to El instead. Over and out." He turns off his walkie-talkie before Mike can utter another word.

Steve and Dustin are watching him. Dustin raises an eyebrow and asks, "What was that about?"

"Nothing. We just had a fight."

"I haven't seen you guys not want to talk to each other before," Dustin says. "Was it really that bad?"

"C'mon, Dustin. I don't want to talk about it." Will grabs the binoculars from Dustin and peers through them. As he does, he spots a blond guy with sunglasses on carrying a large, blue duffel bag, and wearing all black. Will nudges Dustin and Steve. "Hey! I think I see someone."

"Really?" Dustin snatches the binoculars back and looks through them. "Whoa, you're right!"

"Gimme that," Steve huffs, grabbing the binoculars. "Where? I don't see anyone."

Will points at the suspicious guy. "Over there."

"Where?"

"Ten o'clock!" Dustin says.

Steve's mouth falls open when he sees the guy. "Shit... duffel bag."

Will, Dustin, and Steve scurry after the suspicious guy, struggling not to get too close and blow their cover. The guy goes up an escalator to the second floor. They rush after him, and Will apologizes when they bump into several people.

"Slow down," Dustin says.

Steve ignores him, blazing his way through the crowd. "We're losing him."

"I think we're getting a bit close," Will says.

Steve knocks into some guy who proceeds to yell, "Watch it, dickwad!"

The suspicious guy slows his walk, turning his head. Will, Dustin, and Steve glance around frantically when the guy looks back in their direction. Dustin grabs a wall phone, pretending to talk into it; Will leaps behind a potted plant; and Steve turns towards a wall. The guy looks away and starts walking again. Steve grabs Will's and Dustin's shoulders and continues to follow him.

They all hold their breaths when the guy enters a Jazzercise gym and goes to the desk. He opens his duffel bag and... pulls out a boombox.

Will, Dustin, and Steve trudge back to Scoops after witnessing a bizarre display of jazzercising butts. Steve huffs when Robin comes towards them. "You'll never believe who they thought was Russian," Steve says, pointing to Will and Dustin, but Robin runs right past them. The boys follow her to the center of the mall where she's glancing around and muttering under her breath.

"Robin, what are you doing?" Steve asks.

Turning to the boys, Robin grins. "I cracked it."

"Cracked what?"

"I cracked the code."