CHAPTER 018. SLEEPYHEAD
SOMETHING IS.. OFF.
Laurie can't put her finger on it - well, okay, she literally can't put her fingers on anything because of these stupid goddamn restraints around her wrists - but that's beside the point. Point is, something is definitely wrong.
Call it a stomach instinct or whatever the saying is, but the fact that she and Steve have been locked in this room and not a single Russian has come in to bother them since their visit with the doctor is strange. Like, she's totally justified in being suspicious, right? That's definitely weird and totally not normal.
Okay, sure, Laurie would entertain the idea that she's overthinking it like always, but it's not like she can even reach a concise conclusion if she tried. She'd have asked Steve for his thoughts on the matter if she could, but the boy had passed out mere seconds after the needle made its way into his neck and he's been unconscious ever since.
There wasn't much Laurie could do to entertain herself, to keep herself busy from dying of boredom. She's tried humming the lyrics to her favorite song, but she just ended up sending herself into a mental spiral because she A) couldn't figure out what her favorite song was and B) couldn't seem to remember any of the lyrics to whatever song she landed on. Laurie eventually gave up and the silence was deafening.. well, that was until she heard Steve groan from behind her.
"How long was I out for?" Steve had asked her a minute or so after he'd woken, voice still groggy with sleep and exhaustion.
Time seems so pointless now. Laurie has no clue whether it's night or day, what the date is anymore, or how long it's been since her skin's been christened by the hot ray of the July sun. She's in desperate need of a tan and an ice-cold lemonade.
"No clue," Laurie shakes her head lazily, feeling ultimately sluggish for a reason she can't quite pinpoint. She slowly moves her gaze down to her hands situated in her lap and her brows furrow as she's suddenly aware of her limbs and how freakishly heavy they are. Have they always been like this? "Those morons took my watch like.. forever ago,"
"Oh, damn," Steve shuffles in his chair to straighten his posture that had become slouched during his slumber. "M'sorry. That sucks,"
"Yeah, it totally sucks," Laurie breathes out, doing her best at ignoring the tingling sensation blooming in her fingers. "Majorly, actually. Like, I goddamn loved that watch, Steve, y'know? It was pretty and beige and had these cute little symbols and-"
"Laurie?" The sound of her name cuts Laurie's muttering short and she would have been mad if it wasn't Steve who had said it. "Do you feel.. anything?"
The girl pauses, brows pinching together at his words. "What d'you mean?"
"Like.. do you feel weird, or anything?" Steve reiterates, turning his head to the side in an attempt to look at her. He doesn't sound like himself, the usual charm and slyness in his voice seemingly suppressed by whatever the Russians injected into them.
"Uh.. my neck was hurting earlier," She confesses, cringing at the memory of how it felt when her muscles tensed around the needle as it pierced the skin in the junction under her jaw. "But other than that, I think I feel fine,"
Steve's voice is still groggy when he says, "You think?"
Truthfully, Laurie feels incredibly out of it, but since when does Steve have to know everything? There's this subtle buzz radiating through her body and she feels like she's a hive full of irritated bees. Her eyelids feel a little heavier than usual, almost as if she's on the cusp of falling into a deep slumber aside from the fact that she's not exactly tired. It's an odd sensation, one she's never quite felt before, but the pain in her joints and her head has subsided, so that's gotta be a good thing, right?
"I mean, my hands feel.. weird," Laurie admits through an elongated sigh, staring down at her strange-feeling appendages and she frowns at the sight of her nails. They're chipped and faded and are in desperate need of a manicure. "Like.. tingly? I don't know. But.. I guess I feel fine?"
"Yeah, I feel- I feel normal," Steve agrees, moving his gaze back to the wall in front of him, apparently satisfied with her answer. Laurie nods to herself and there's maybe a few seconds of silence, a comforting one despite the predicament they're in before a hearty chuckle escapes Steve's lips.
Laurie grins at the sound. "What's so funny?"
"I just.. I feel kinda good," Steve tells her after giggling to himself and Laurie's mouth drops into a small O-shape. "I actually feel really, really good, Laurie,"
Oh my god, is Steve high?
Something about Steve's laugh is infectious and before she knows it, Laurie's snickering too. It's a silent laugh, subtle against Steve's arguably loud cackling and she's strangely aware of how her abdominal muscles contract with every giggle she lets out. Although there's nothing particularly funny happening, the girl can't seem to find the strength to compose herself.
Oh my god, is she high?
"Steve, can I tell you something?" Laurie barely manages to squeeze her question past her uncontrollable laughter and Steve nods a little too eagerly. She leans her head back against his and her smile widens. "I feel really good too,"
Holy shit, she's higher than a kite.
Steve seems to be approving of this fact, muttering a "Hell yeah," under his breath after the confession leaves her lips. Laurie's never been high before, but because she's heard through the grapevine that Steve used to frequent Mary Jane back in high school, she's less paranoid than she thought she'd be. If she's gonna be drugged out of her mind, she's glad she's with Steve.
"These guys are total morons, Laur," Steve offhandedly comments and Laurie can't help but to agree. "They messed up the drug,"
"I like it," Laurie beams. "Whatever they gave us, I like it,"
A loud cackle from Steve echoes throughout the room and Laurie pinches her eyes closed at the suddenness of it all. Steve's louder when he shouts "They're such morons! Giving us whatever the hell they gave us!"
The apples of Laurie's cheeks burn from the grin she's been non-stop sporting and her previous drowsy feeling has disappeared into nothing. She chuckles, "I think there's something wrong with us, Steve,"
Steve shakes his head, messy hair flopping against his forehead and Laurie can't really tell if he's agreeing with her statement or not. But, two negatives make a positive, right? So.. can it really be that bad of a thing if they are under the influence?
The boy snickers. "Somethin' is definitely wrong,"
"Yeah, but the Russians are more wrong," Laurie points out and she finds herself giggling again after noticing how more wrong sounds almost identical to the word morons. How very!
Steve turns his head towards the direction of the door and shouts, "You hear that, you morons?!"
"Give us more of that juice!" Laurie calls out, just as enthusiastic as the boy behind her and Steve wheezes so hard she thought he might've punctured a lung.
"Whoa-oh!"
Suddenly, an all too familiar sound of a buzzer echoes in the room and the door flies open. Laurie's eyes go wide as she watches a guard step into the room, the large gun held in his right hand staring back at her menacingly. Not even a second later the colonel general waltzes in, posture impossibly straight and he's still sporting that utterly ridiculous hat. Another comrade follows suit, but Laurie's gaze falls onto none other than Dr Zharkov.
He's tall and slim and his glasses perch on top of his long nose, but the lack of emotion on his face is the most noticeable thing about him. He doesn't even spare the girl a glance. Instead, he immediately heads toward the trolley that's situated in the corner of the room. He peels off his incredibly long black leather gloves and the sound of them smacking against the trolley catches both Steve and Laurie off guard.
"Hey, listen, Dr Serious, I think we ought to know what that juice you gave us was," Laurie mutters, eyes growing wider and wider as she watches him start pulling out tools from a bag he had brought in, laying them side by side on the trolley. "What.. what're you gonna do with those?"
Laurie's query goes unnoticed and she swallows harshly as she watches Dr Zharkov admire something similar to a saw in his hands. She debates whether or not they'll care if she tells them she has a fear of blood.
"Let's try this again, yes?" The officer ignores her comment, much to her annoyance, and moves to stand in front of Steve. The boy murmurs and Laurie can feel him nod his head. "Who do you work for?"
"Scoops," Steve doesn't miss a beat, snorting. "Scoops Ahoy,"
"It's true, he does," Laurie mumbles, eyes barely able to pull their gaze away from the large array of tools the doctor had laid out. "But I don't. I just go there to hang out and see my friends. Oh, and to score some free ice cream.. and to gawk at Steve-"
"How did you find us?" The question cuts Laurie's babbling short and she grimaces. What the hell is this guy's problem?
"Totally by accident," Steve replies and Laurie can hear the smile in his voice. He seems amused at his answer.
"Honestly, I'm still shocked we even found this place. It was very well hidden," The girl says despite that not necessarily being the case. Maybe if she boosts their ego just enough, they'll let them go and forget this even happened. Her gaze moves around the room and she flashes a teasing smile at the doctor. "Love the interior design by the way,"
To her surprise, the colonel general must've picked up on the sarcasm laced in her voice because there are words exchanged, ones Laurie can't quite decipher, and Dr Zharkov turns on his heel to face his large array of tools. His fingers start twitching like he's antsy about what one he wants to choose. But he eventually does, grabbing at a pair of pliers and starts making his way past Laurie.
"Uh.. where are you going with those, Doc?" Laurie asks hesitantly, doing her best at following him with her eyes until he's entirely out of her view. Her question falls on deaf ears and she frowns- well, deaf ears except Steve's, who perks up in interest as the doctor stands beside him.
"What is that shiny little toy?" Steve's amusement falls just as quickly as it came and his breathy chuckles turn into a chorus of panicked yells. Laurie tries to whip her head around but Steve's sporadic squirming makes it almost impossible. "Whoa, whoa- wait! Stop! Stop!"
"Hey- what're you doing? Don't touch him!" Cries Laurie, shoes squeaking against the floor as she flails her legs around. She feels entirely helpless because the Russians seem unphased by her dramatics and Steve's frightened pleas. She doesn't know what they want, so Laurie just shouts the first thing that comes to mind. "We heard a stupid code, all right!? We found you by translating a stupid secret code!"
"Code?" The general who had been watching the chaotic eruption unfold whips his head around to look at Laurie. The girl feels a wave of relief rush over her as Steve's yelling subsides. Quickly, the man in charge storms over to her, boots thumping so loudly against the floor that Laurie swears she can feel her brain thrashing in her skull. "What code?"
Laurie raises her brows at his question. Is this guy dense, or something? Her voice is hushed when she responds, "The stupid secret one.. duh,"
"What code?" The Russian demands louder this time, his teeth gritting together and Laurie snorts. His eyes flashed with fury and she could've sworn she saw steam fly out of his ears. Jesus, this guy seriously needs to take a chill pill.
"And here I was tryin' to keep it a secret," Laurie rolls her bloodshot eyes, feigning annoyance. She lets out an exasperated sigh, "Y'know.. the silver cat feeds, blue meets yellow.. blah, blah, blah,"
She bites down on her tongue, trying all her might to stop herself from unleashing a loud giggle because the look on this guy's face is priceless. Laughing probably isn't the best course of action right now, even though watching the officer slowly get more and more worked up might be one of the funniest things Laurie has ever seen.
"Yeah, that one," Steve confirms, bringing the attention back on him. He seems to have forgotten about the pliers still clamped around his fingernail. "By the way, you guys broadcasted that stupid spy shit all over town,"
Nods Laurie and she shoots one of the guards standing by the door a sheepish grin. "Well, I thought it was from a theme park, but no. It was spy-craft! And we picked it up on our Cerebro and translated it in like.. a day! Can you even believe that?"
"Just one!" Steve nods excitedly, smiling wide like a kid at Disneyland.
"And now everybody knows that you're here," Laurie says nonchalantly, absolutely loving this back-and-forth she and Steve have going on. She's smug, maybe even a little cocky like she'd just made a really smart move during an intense game of chess. Part of her can't even remember why they were freaking out in the first place.
The Russian's eye seems to twitch in anger and he shoots her a glare. "Who knows we are here, suchka?"
Laurie scrunches her nose and his words leave a sour taste in her mouth. "What did you just call me?"
"Uh, well, Dustin knows," Steve blurts out before anything can come of her question. Laurie raises her brows and the boy shrugs as the colonel moves back to stand in front of him. "Yeah, Dustin Henderson. He knows,"
"Oh, my gosh. Dustin. He's a 'lil genius, Doc. Honestly, I think you'd really love him, he'd make a great apprentice," Laurie coos, a downward smile finding purchase on her lips as she sinks further against Steve. The boy rests his head against hers without a second thought. Her gaze moves over to Dr Zharkov and she looks at him up and down before muttering, "But I dunno if he'd wanna work with you, though. You don't seem like a whole lotta fun.. no offence,"
"Dustin Henderson," The boy's name comes out like a hiss and the colonel general's jaw ticks. He spares an agitated glance over at Dr Zharkov before turning back to look at Steve. "Is this your small, curly-haired friend?"
"Yessir," Laurie slurs her words and Steve nods lazily. She goes to salute the officer, but she's stopped when she comes to notice the binds strapped around her wrists. When the hell did that happen? Her brows knit together when she starts to realise her memories are starting to get fuzzy.
Steve grins. "Oh, curly-haired. Great hair-"
"Amazing hair," Laurie corrects through a snicker.
"-Small. Kind of like a 'fro. Yeah,"
The officer has seemed to have lost all of his patience with the two and he growls. "Where is he?"
"He's long gone, you big asshole!" Steve wheezes, chest heaving forward. He leans his head back onto Laurie's to peer up at the man interrogating him. "And he's probably calling Hopper, and Hopper's calling the U.S. cavalry and they're gonna come in here, commando-style, guns a-blazin', and kick your sorry asses back to Russia. You're gonna be two pieces of toast,"
The general's lip twitches and he leans in, his face now mere inches from Steve's but the boy doesn't seem to care. His mouth twists into a spiteful smirk and he mutters sarcastically, "Is that so?"
"Yeah," Steve shrugs, completely ignoring the attempted intimidation tactic before bursting into yet another fit of laughter. "Duh!"
Laurie snickers and she can feel the way Steve's shoulders rise and fall as he chuckles under his breath. Her ab muscles continue tense over and over again as she lets the laughter all consume her, completely forgetting about the array of weapons the Russians are most likely going to use on them for not cooperating.
She hasn't laughed this hard in quite some time and she's about to complain of the way it makes her stomach hurt when an alarm rings in her ears. It's loud and sounds familiar and Laurie squints her eyes against the way the lights flash red on the ceiling.
She sends the Russian a sly smile, "Told 'ya so,"
The officer wastes no time in storming out of the room and towards the cause of the sudden commotion, the guard who'd been situated at the door trailing after him like a lost dog. Steve and Laurie stare blankly at Dr Zharkov who's staring back at them, an awkward silence filling the air for a moment or two before the boy eventually giggles again. "He's not much of a talker, is he?"
Laurie hums and goes to say something witty, but right as she opens her mouth, the door swings open again and thuds against the wall. The girl's fuzzy brain can barely register that it's none other than Dustin Goddamn Henderson charging into the room, hand holding some sort of elongated prod that has sparks flying off the end of it.
A loud gasp escapes Laurie's lips as the younger boy shrieks, ramming the taser-like weapon into the doctor's chest and holding it there as if he's branding him like a cow. The girl's eyes widen as Dr Zharkov comes crashing down onto the floor, a faint sizzling echoing from the now charred spot on his apron.
He lies there, unmoving, and Laurie can't quite tell if he's still breathing or not. "Holy shit,"
"Heeey, Henderson!" Steve grins at his curly-haired friend, completely ignoring the sudden brutal attack he had just partaken in. "That's crazy, I was just talking about you!"
There's more footsteps and Laurie whips her head around to see Robin and Erica rush into the room, slamming the door shut behind them. Laurie is beyond ecstatic to see familiar faces, even more than she thought possible. She wants to bounce off the walls, scream at the top of her lungs, pull them into a tight hug and never let go.
"Robin! Erica! Hi!" Laurie squirms in her seat, smiling ear to ear like the Cheshire Cat at the mere sight of her best friend and the Sinclair girl. "Oh, my god, I haven't seen you in forever. I have so much to tell you!"
Erica creeps open the door slightly as Robin scurries over to Laurie. The younger girl peaks her head through the small crack, and after a few seconds, she slams it shut again. Erica turns to the group and starts snapping her fingers impatiently. "Come on, hurry, nerds! We don't have all day!"
"Can it wait until we're out of here?" Robin ask frantically, quickly dropping to her knees to start fiddling with the leather straps around Laurie's wrists and thighs. Laurie is about to argue because she definitely can't wait until later, but once Robin manages to unbuckle one of the notches that have constricted her best friend, she shoots her a glance. "Just get ready to run!"
And run she shall.
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authors note!
me? posting this chapter only 4 days after the last? what is this, a gift?
anywho, this chapter was so fun to write like oh my goddd.. high!staurie is such a dynamic duo and y'all are not at all prepared for the shit i got planned (chapter 21.. 👀)
hope you all enjoyed reading this as much as i did writing it!
WHEN HE SEES ME © austrxlians, 2022.