𝙿𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝚃𝚑𝚛𝚎𝚎
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𝚋𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚢
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"I can do it" El volunteered.
She was the only one who could but Hopper still argued with her.
Their plan was to close to gate. First they had to find a way to get the shadow monster out of Will so he wouldn't die.
"You're not hearing me." Hopper argued.
"I'm hearing you, I can do it!"
"There's still one problem," Mike said.
Genie knew where he was going with this so she cut in, "If the brain dies, the body dies."
"I thought that was the whole point." Max looked confused.
"It is, but if we close the gate, his army dies and-"
"Will's part of that army," Genie interrupted again, "Closing the gate would kill him."
Joyce's eyes suddenly lit up, "He likes it cold."
"What?" Hopper asked.
"That's what Will kept saying to me, he likes it cold and we keep giving it was what wants."
"So if this is a virus and Will's the host," Nancy began to catch on.
"We make the host uninhabitable." Jonathan continued.
"So if he likes it cold..." Nancy trailed off.
"We need to burn it out of him." Joyce said.
"We have to do it somewhere he doesn't know this time." Mike added.
"Yeah, somewhere far away." Said Dustin.
The plan began to unfold and Genie made sure to stay in the safety of the sofa, curled up into a little ball. The adults, El, Nancy and Jonathan gathered outside and discussed what they were to do while Steve, Mike, Dustin, Max, Lucas and Genie stayed in the house, ordered to wait for their return.
"Listen, guys," Steve spoke up, eating their attention. Genie twisted into a sitting position and eyed her brother, "a coach calls a play in a game, bottom line, you execute it. All right?"
"This isn't some stupid sports game. And we're not even in the game, we're on the bench," Mike glared, annoyed.
"Righ-I-uh-Yeah. We're on the bench, there's nothing we can do." Steve finished.
"Very inspiring, Steve. Thanks for that." Genie rolled her eyes.
"Steve's not totally right," Dustin piped up, "I mean these Demo-dogs, they have hive minds. When they ran away from the bus, they were called away by something, the mind flayer."
"If we get their attention..." Lucas looked up.
"Maybe we can draw them to the lab, clear a path to the gate," Max added
"And help El," Genie finished with a small smile.
"Yeah, and then we all die!" Steve proclaimed, exasperated.
"Enough with the negativity, Steve! Besides, that's just one point of view," Genie said to her brother.
"No, it's not a point of view, Genie. It's a fact,"
Genie wasn't paying attention anymore. She was watching Mike as he made his way over to the red X they had drawn to find Hopper.
"This is where the chief dug his hole," Mike gestured to the X, "This is our way into the tunnel, so right here," He moved to another spot on the wall, "right here, this is like a hub. So you got all the tunnels in there. Maybe if we set this on fire..."
"Yeah, no," Steve blurted.
"Maybe we should light you on fire." Genie jabbed her finger at Steve's chest and he rolled his eyes.
"The mind flayer would call away his army," Dustin said.
"They'd all come to stop us," Lucas added.
"Guys-" Steve was ignored this time.
"We'd circle back to the exit," Mike said.
"Guys!"
"And by the time they realize we're gone,"
"El would be at the gate and ready to close it!" Genie finished for Max, a smile growing on her face.
"Hey, hey, hey!" Steve exclaimed. The kids all looked up at him innocently and he scowled, "This is not happening!"
"But Steve-"
"No, no, no, no, no, no. No buts. I promised to keep you little shit heads safe and that's exactly what I plan on doing. We're staying here on the bench and we're waiting for the starting team to do their job. Does everybody understand that?"
"This isn't a stupid sports game!" Mike piped up but Steve ignored him.
"I said does everybody understand that? I need a yes," Steve eyed the group of kids.
Before anyone could answer, a vehicle pulled up outside, grabbing their attention. They all scurried over to the window, keeping low and out of sight.
"It's my brother, he can't know I'm here, he'll kill me," Max turned to Lucas, "He'll kill us."
Genie grabbed her friend's hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.
"We're going to be alright, you're going to be alright. It's all gonna be fine," Genie said soothingly as Steve left to talk with Billy. A light stream of blood trickled from her nose and she wiped it away with her free hand. Max seemed to relax and that was all that mattered.
They watched the fight with anticipation. Until Steve collapsed to the ground. Then their anticipation dissolved into fear.
Billy kicked the door open and snarled at them.
"Well, well, well," He glared at Lucas, "Lucas Sinclair, what a surprise. I thought I told you to stay away from him, Max."
"Billy, go away," Max glared at her brother, leaning away from him.
"You disobeyed me. And you know what happens when you disobey me," Billy threatened, "I break things."
"Billy-"
"I break things!" Billy snapped, grabbing Lucas and pushing him against a wall.
Mike pulled Genie to her feet and they ran over to Max and Dustin, the four all shouting at Billy. Genie went to run at him but Max grabbed her wrist.
"He's dangerous," She whispered.
"Yeah, I can see that. Lucas is in danger," Genie snapped, her gaze softening upon seeing the look on Max's face.
"Get off me!"
"Your dead, Sinclair! You're dead!"
Could be heard amongst the screams. Genie tried to block out the fear but failed. She held her head and exhaled slowly.
When she looked up again, Billy had smashed a plate over Steve's head, her brother stumbling around helplessly.
"Steve!" Genie shouted as Max screamed, "Billy!"
Genie lunged forward, pushing Steve out of the way of another strike. She grabbed a small pocket knife from the counter and Billy chuckled.
"Oh, I'm terrified. Now move, kid. Before someone gets hurt," Billy threatened.
"Someone's gonna get hurt, alright," Genie mumbled before raising her voice, "I've scared off worse creatures than you with a stick."
"Oh sure you-"
He was cut off by a screaming fear in his head. Of course, it only bothered him. To the others, it seemed like he was just collapsing.
"Go home, Billy. Leave us be," Genie's voice was hypnotic. Her friends watched the scene with wide eyes.
Billy began to laugh again.
"I don't know what these mind tricks are but they aren't work-"
He was cut off again by Max pushing a syringe into his neck and nodding for Genie to go back to the group.
"What the hell is this?" Billy chuckled.
Genie stood by her friends, trembling. She was exhausted.
"Why is Steve knocked out?" Genie breathed.
"You pushed him into the doorframe," Answered Dustin.
"From here on out you leave me and my friends alone, understand?" Max was now holding the spiked bat over Billy. She had a stern look on her face.
"Screw you." Billy slurred, his head lolling to the side.
Max slammed the bat down into the wood between his legs, "Say you understand! Say it!"
Billy looked at the bat before sighing, "I understand."
"What?"
"I understand," Billy said through his teeth. He passed out a moment later and Max grabbed his car keys.
"Let's get out of here," She said, heading towards the door.
"Hey, help me take Steve," Dustin called to the group.
Genie sighed and went over to help her friends.
This would be an even longer night than anticipated.
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I love making siblingy relationship things between Genie and Steve.
See you in part four <3