"What is that?"
"There's something in there," Mike says.
"No!"
"Jesus Christ."
"Keep her talking. Keep her awake, okay?" Jonathan says. I nod and he runs off towards one of the food court shops.
"Hey, hey, hey. Stay awake, stay awake. Let's get her on this side, on this side." We move El over a little bit and she whimpers.
"You know it's not actually that bad. There was ... a goalie on my soccer team. Beth Wildfire, the other girl slide into her knee, the whole bone came out of knee - 6 inches or something, it was insane." Robin says.
"Robin."
"Yeah?"
"You're not helping."
"I'm sorry."
"Okay, El. This is gonna hurt like hell, okay?" Jonathan comes running back. El nods and grips my hand.
"Okay," she cries.
"I need you to stay very still. Here, you're gonna want to bite down on this, okay?" He hands me a wooden spoon and I help El put it in her mouth so she can bite down on it. Jonathan pulls out a kitchen knife and hovers it over the wound.
"Holy shit, holy shit," Dustin whispers beside me.
"Do it," Mike says. Jonathan looks down and nods. He takes the knife and cuts a slit in El's leg. Her screaming fills the mall and we all gasp as we watch.
He sets down the knife and lifts his hand. He puts his hand in El's wound and we all gasp. El starts screaming. She spits out the spoon and yells.
"Stop it! Stop. Stop!" Jonathan stops. El sits up and whimpers. "I can do it." She lifts her hand over her leg and starts to scream.
I cover my ears as El continues to scream. The glass behind us shatters and we all duck. El lifts her hand and a small creature covered in blood is thrown throw the air. We watch as it starts to crawl away. It gets crushed by a boot and we look up to see Hopper and Joyce, along with another man we have never seen before.
~
"The mind flayer, it built this monster in Hawkins, to stop El, to kill her, and pave a way into our world," Mike explains to the group.
"And it almost did. That was just one tiny piece of it," Nancy adds.
"How big is this thing?" Hopper asks as he holds El in his arms.
"It's big. 30 feet at least," says Jonathan.
"Yeah, it sorta destroyed your cabin. Sorry," Lucas shrugs. Hopper doesn't look like he cared in the slightest,
"Okay, so just to be clear, this....this big fleshy spider thing that hurt El, it's some kind of gigantic weapon?" Steve asks.
"Yes," Nancy confirms.
"But it's made out of the flesh and bones of the people that it took over?" I ask.
"Yes, exactly," Nancy says.
"Are we sure this thing is still out there, still alive?" Joyce asks.
"El beat the shit out of it, but yeah, it's still alive," Max says.
"But if we close the gate again-" Will says trailing off.
"We cut the brain off from the body," Max says.
"And kill it," Lucas adds. "Theoretically."
"Yoo-hoo!" We all turn to see the man named Murray running towards us while waving papers in the air. "Yoo-hoo." He sets down the papers on a nearby table and we crowd around it. Will squeezes next to me and I lean my head on his shoulder. He grabs my hand and squeezes it.
"So, this is what Alexei called 'the hub.' Now the hub takes us to a vault room."
"Okay so where's the gate," Hopper asks.
"Here," I say pointing to the spot on the papers. Hopper nods.
"I don't know the scale on this, but I think it's fairly close to the vault room, maybe 50 feet or so."
"50 feet?" I ask Murray in disbelief.
"Yes, 50 feet."
I roll my eyes and scoff. "More like 500."
"You guys planning on waltzing in there like it's commie Disneyland or something?" Erica asks stepping forward.
"I'm sorry, who are you?"
"Erica Sinclair. Who are you?" She sasses.
"Murray... Bauman."
"Listen Mr. Bunman, I'm not trying to tell you how to do things, but I've been down in that shithole for the past 24 hours. and with all due respect, if you do what this man tells you, you're all going to die!"
"I'm sorry, why is this 4-year-old speaking to me?"
"Um, I'm 10, you bald bastard."
"Erica!"
"Just the facts!"
"She's right. You're all going to die, but you don't have to. Excuse me. Sorry, may I?" Dustin asks stepping forward.
"Please."
"Okay, see this room? This is a storage facility. There's a hatch in there that feeds into their underground ventilation system. That will lead you to the base of the weapon. It's a bit of a maze down there, but between me and Erica, we can show you the way."
"You can show us the way?" Hopper repeats.
"Don't worry, you can do all the fighting and dangerous hero shit, and we'll just be..... your navigators."
"No." Hopper shakes his head. "Nope."
~
"Well, they're gonna die," I sigh.
"Yep, most likely."
"You guys survived," Lucas says from behind us. We turn to face the others.
"Barely, Lily was no help at all," Dustin giggles and I roll my eyes.
"Why not?" Lucas asks wanting in on the joke.
"She was drugged. She stayed back with Steve and Robin so me and Erica could escape. They drugged them with something that made them so high," Dustin giggles.
"Excuse me, but I did help," I say. Dustin frowns and then remembers.
"What did she do?" Mike asks.
"She beat up a Russian guard," Dustin says.
"You what?"
"Steve did too," I shrug. "We really could have used you guys down there."
"Could've used you guys up here too," Mike says.
"Yeah man, we missed you guys," Lucas sighs.
"Yeah, big time," Will says. I smile and I pull the 4 boys into a hug.
"I missed you guys too, big-time," Dustin says. "So when Lily was drugged, she asked me the weirdest question."
"I did?"
"Yeah, you asked if we're ever not gonna be friends."
"Oh."
"I think we always will be," Mike says.
"Yeah, we've been through too much to not be," Lucas says and we all laugh.
"I never thanked you guys," Will says.
"Huh?"
"If it weren't for you, I'd probably be dead. In the Upside Down. Thank you for never giving up on me."
"Well, I don't think we could have lived without you," I say to Will. He smiles back and the others nod in agreement.
"And let's be honest, I don't know where any of us would be without Lily," Dustin says. I smile at the boys.
"I think that I speak for everyone else when I say that Lily has kept us together all these years," Mike says.
"Yeah," Lucas nods.
"You guys really think that?" I ask feeling myself tear up.
"Absolutely," they say at the same time. They pull me into a hug and I melt in their embrace.
"Please don't cry, nerds," Erica says.
"Erica!"
"Keep saying my name, see what happens," she sasses.
"Hey, heads up! You can navigate, just from someplace safe," Hopper says as he throws Dustin a walkie.
"It's not that simple," Dustin sighs.
"The signal won't reach," I say.
"Not with this. You need something with a high-frequency band to relay with the Russian radio tower, but for that, to work you need someone who has both seen their comms room and has access to a super-powered handcrafted radio tower, one preferably already situated at the highest point in Hawkins. Oh wait, that's me. If you want us to navigate, you got us. But we need a head start. And a car."
~
"Oh man, now this... this is what I'm talking about!" Steve says as we head out to a really nice car in the parking lot.
"Todfather?"
"Oh screw Tod. Steve's her daddy now."
"Excuse me what?" I giggle.
"Did you just talk about yourself in the third person?"
"Did he just call himself daddy?"
"All right where are we going?" Steve asks as he jumps into the driver's seat.
"Weathertop," Dustin says as he climbs into the backseat next to me.
"Weather-what?"
"Just drive," I groan.
"Alright, Jesus."
~
"Jesus, how far is this place, man?"
"Relax we're almost there."
"Suzie must be pretty special, huh? I mean if you built this thing and lugged it all the way to the middle of nowhere just to talk to her?" Robin asks him.
"I mean, no one's scientifically perfect, but Susie's as close to being as perfect as any human could possibly be."
"She sound made-up to me. She sound made-up to you?" Erica asks.
"Why are you hesitating, Steve?"
"I'm-- I'm not! I'm not! I think she sounds real. You know, totally, absolutely real."
I lean across Dustin and flick Steve's head.
"What was that for?"
"For you're information, I know Suzie is real. You really think Dustin would have taken a lie this far?" I ask the car.
"I don't know man," Steve shrugs in uncertainty.
"Left. Turn left," Dustin orders.
"There's not a road here!"
"Turn left now!"
Steve jerks the car to the left and I fall into Dustin and Erica into me. Steve drives through a wooden fence.
"Harrington you suck at driving," I gasp.
"Whoa! Henderson, where are we going?" Steve yells.
"Up!"
Steve starts to drive up the hill that we hiked up a few days again. We yell as we hit holes and rocks that shake the car.
"Steve if I die in the car I'm killing you and burying you on this hill!" I yell over the other's scream.
"Calm down!"
"We're not gonna make it!"
"Yes, we are. Come on, baby. Come on baby!"
The car engine starts straining as Steve floors the gas pedal.
"Guess the Todfather has its limitations," Robin says as Steve turns off the car.
We jump out and start running up the hill to Dustin's Cerebro.
Once we make it to the top we start signaling the adults.
"Bald Eagle this is Scoops Troops do you copy?"
"Yes I copy," Murry says through the tower almost sounding annoyed.
"Call sign?"
"Bald Eagle."
"Please repeat."
"Bald Eagle. This is Bald Eagle!"
"Copy that. Good to hear your voice, Bald Eagle. What's your 20?"
"We reached the vent. I'll contact you when I need you. Until then, silence."
Roger that, Bald Eagle. This is Scoops Troops, going radio silent. 10-10, over."
"When did you learn that?" I ask Dustin.
"Suzie." Is his reply.
I look at Steve and Robin. "Proof." Steve scoffs and turns back to the radio.
~
After a little while of listening to Dustin and Erica give Murray directions, I get distracted and start pacing around the hill. I get that uneasy feeling I've got ever since Will disappeared. I look over to Steve. He's looking out towards the brightly lit mall in the distance.
"Hey, guys?" I jog over and stand next to him and the others do too. The mall lights are uncontrollable flashing.
"Shit. Shit!" I yell as I run to the radio. I pick up the microphone. "Griswald family, this is scoops troops do you copy? Over." Static. Dustin grabs the microphone from me and starts signaling them.
"Griswald family, we repeat, this is scoops troops, do you copy? Over!" He yells. But a shrieking noise from what I assume is the Mind Flayer replies. "Griswald family, this is scoops troops, please confirm your safety! Are you en route to Bald Eagles nest? Please confirm your safety!" I grab the mic from Dustin and hold down the button.
"Please, just answer us! Are you there? Guys! Please!" The radio goes silent. I drop the mic and start running towards the car, Steve, and Robin right behind me.
"Where are you going?" Erica yells.
"To get them the hell out of there!" Steve yells back. I jump into the driver and Steve stops. "What are you doing?"
"Steve, no time to argue, get in the car," Robin says as she jumps into the passenger seat. "She probably drives better than you anyways."
Steve scoffs and those me the keys. He jumps into the backseat as I turn on the car and start speeding down the hill towards the mall.
"Slow down!" Steve yells from the backseat. I don't answer, instead, I floor the gas pedal and we speed up. As we start to get closer to the mall, I notice Billy's car speeding towards Nancy and the others in her car.
"Hold on!" I say. I push as hard as I can on the pedal. I time where Billy will be when I reach them. Robin and Steve scream as the car hits Billy just before it hits Nancy and the others. We spin out of control and I pant as the car begins to smoke.
"Are you guys ok?" I ask.
"Ask me tomorrow?" Robin pants.
We turn to hear a shriek coming from the mall. I stand up and get my first glimpse at the Mind Flayer. Nancy honks the car and pulls up to us.
"Get in!" I jump into the backseat and crawl over Will and slump down next to him and Lucas while Robin and Steve jump in the trunk.
"Holy shit are you ok?" Will asks pulling me into a hug.
"Never better," I sigh melting into his embrace. Nancy speeds off and we watch as the Mind Flayer starts running after us.
"Dusty-bun, you copy?" A voice comes from the radio.
"I copy Suzie-poo. It sounds much better now, thanks."
"Suzie," Robin and Steve say in shock.
"I told you guys," I pant.
"She's real?" Lucas asks.
"Hell yeah, she is," I say. "But what the hell is Dustin doing?"
"Yeah, I don't think this is the best time to call your long-distance girlfriend Dustin!" Steve yells into the walkie.
"Steve stop it," Dustin yells.
"Who was that?" Suzie asks.
"No one, don't worry about it," Dustin says. Steve rolls his eyes and groans.
"I want to hear it."
"Not right now."
"Yes, now, Dusty-bun," Suzie insists.
"Suzie-poo this is urgent!"
"Yes, yes, you're saving the world, I heard you the first time, but Ged is also saving Earthsea and he's about to confront the shadow, so this is Suzie signing off."
"Wait, wait, wait! Okay! Okay!" Dustin yells. Everyone in the car looks at each other with confusion etched across their faces.
"What the hell is he do-" I start. But I'm interrupted by Dustin's voice on the walkie.
"Turn around. Look at what you see. In her face. The mirror of your dreams," he sings. I turn to Steve and Robin and they are shaking their heads in disbelief. Steve turns to me with a look on his face that very clearly says 'what the hell Dustin.'
"Make-believe I'm everywhere, given in the light, written on the pages is, the answer to our Never-ending Story! Ahhhhahhhhahhhh." Suzie and Dustin are now both belting out the theme of the Neverending story while we are still being chased by a 75-foot monster.
"Reach the stars, fly a fantasy. Dream a dream, and you see will be. Rhymes that keep their secrets will-" I turn to Will, he looks around in confusion and looks at me. I raise my eyebrows and turn to Lucas. He's looking at me and Will. I shake my head and turn to the back of the car to the monster that is still running after us.
"Unfold behind the clouds, and there upon a rainbow is, the answer to a never-ending story! Ahhhhahhhhahhhhh. Story! Ahhhahhhahhh," Dustin giggles as he and Suzie finish.
"Planck's constant is 6.62607004," Suzie says. I throw my hands up in the air.
"What?" Steve asks.
"She knows Planck's constant," Will sighs.
"Idiot," I groan. "I'm gonna murder Dustin if he didn't just kill us by wasting 2 minutes."
"You just saved the world!" Dustin chuckles.
"Gosh I miss you Dusty-bun," Suzie sighs.
"And I miss you more, Suzie-poo."
"I miss you more multiplied by all the stars in our galaxy."
"No, I miss you-" The radio shuts off and we get is static.
"What just happened?" Nancy asks in shock from the front seat. No one answers.
"It's turning around," Steve says.
"What?"Nancy asks turning in her seat.
"It's turning around!" Steve repeats.
"Maybe we wore it out?" Lucas suggests.
"I don't think so. Hold on," Jonathan says. He turns the steering wheel and U-turns the car in the middle of the road.
"Ow," I say as I slam into Will. "Sorry."
"It's fine," Will gasps as Robin and Steve scream from the back. The car has now been fully turned and is heading back towards the mall and after the monster.
We reach the mall and we run out of the car. We can hear the horrible screech coming from inside the mall.
"Guys help me," Lucas says. His arms are full of fireworks that I had somehow missed seeing in the car. We all grab a handful and run inside the mall. I'm at the top of a balcony with Lucas and Will. The monster is hovering over El and Billy is by her side.
Lucas lights a firework and holds it in his hand. "Flay this you ugly piece of shit!" He throws it over the railing and it explodes against the Mind Flayer. Me and Will do the same, the mall is filled with brightly colored explosions and horrible shrieking.
"I'll be back," I say to Will.
"Where are you going?" he yells over the explosions.
"I need to get El out of there," I yell. He nods slowly.
"Be careful," he yells. I nod and start racing down the stairs to El.
I'm getting close to reaching her when I'm thrown back into a post. I gasp as I grab my side. I spit blood out and look up to see Billy hovering over me.
"Look who it is," he says.
"Stay away from me," I gasp. He grabs my neck and holds me up, my feet dangling from the ground. I gasp for air as his grip on me tightens.
He looks me in my eyes and they widen. I can see something in his eyes. Their not Billy's. They look similar. Similar to mine. He throws me back and I hit my head against the post and everything goes black.