"Check this out. The war zone. I've been there once. It's huge. They got everything you need for, uh, well uh killing things, basically."
"You think fake Rambo has enough guns there? I'd that a grenade? I mean how is any of this legal?"
"Well lucky for us it is, so... this... this place is just far enough outside of Hawkins. As long as we steer clear of main roads we oughta be able to avoid cops and uh angry hicks."
"If we're trying to avoid angry hicks, maybe we shouldn't go to some store called the war zone."
"Normally I'd agree but we need the weapons. So I think it's worth the risk."
"Me too."
"I'm more concerned at the fact you've gone there." Mira looked at Eddie.
"My dad isn't exactly the best person."
"Ah I get it. Same."
"Yeah but is it worth the time? It'll take all day to bike there and back."
"Who said anything about bikes?" Eddie asked.
"You got some car we don't know about?"
"It's not exactly a car, Steve. And it's not exactly mine, but uh it'll do."
"Oh so we're stealing now? Great. Just one more thing to add onto my list of crimes." Mira sighed..
"Hey, Red, uh, you got a ski mask or a bandana or something like that?"
And so Max got her Micheal Myers mask from Halloween a while ago.
Which Mira didn't go trick or treating with them and ended up drunk when she went to a party instead
Eddie told them to come on, and they all followed him. He snuck up behind some people and a Rv and opened the window, hopping into it.
Eddie took the mask off.
"That was suffocating."
"Go! Come on."
Eddie locked the door and started hot-wiring the car, grabbing pliers.
"Where'd you learn how to do this?"
"Well when the other dadd were teaching their kids how to fish or play ball, my old man was teaching me how to hot-wire. Now I swore to myself I wouldn't wind up like he did, but now I'm wanted for murder and soon grand theft auto. So, uh, I'm really living up to that Munson name."
"I'm not sure I love the idea of your driving." Robin said.
"Ditto." Mira said.
"Oh I'm just starting this sucker. Harringtons got her. Don't ya big boy?" He smiled and Steve just gave him a what the hell face.
The engine started and the radio played.
"What the hell? Hey! Open this door!"
"Hey!"
"They locked the door!"
"Shit go!" Steve told Eddie and he got in the back.
"It's just a car. Everybody's hang on to something!"
"Drive Steve drive!"
"Go go go!"
Mira fell against Lucas, quickly apologizing and sitting up, she looked over to see Eddie head banging.
"Hold on hold on!"
Steve took a turn and they were finally out of the trailer park.
——————————————————————-
"How's it handle?" Nancy asked Steve.
"Not half bad. Considering this is a... house."
Nancy nodded and laughed.
"Yeah it's... it's silly, but I... I've actually... I always had this dream that I'd have this really really big family. Im talking like, uh, a full brood of Harringtons."
"I don't wanna be an aunt to all those children." Mira said in the back.
"Okay. Well, of course you don't. Anyways... like five, six kids.."
"Six?"
"Yeah. Six little nuggets. Three girls, three boys, and... and every summer I figured all of us Harringtons, including Mira I guess, we would pack into something like this, and... just see the country. You know the Rockies, Grand Canyon, maybe Yellowstone. End up in some beachside town in California. Spend a week parked in the sand."
He paused.
"Learn how to surf or something."
"That sounds nice."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
"Well uh, except for the six kid part. That sounds like a total nightmare."
"If only I had some practice." He looked back.
"All right. Fair. That's fair, But I think your sister is better in the babysitting department."
"Probably." He laughed.
"So.. uh..." Eddie started, trying to start some sort of conversation with Mira.
"Hm?"
"Are you okay? You kinda scared me." He laughed.
"I'm fine. Just... I dunno.."
"You know you can tell me anything, right?"
"I'm... scared. And I know that isn't like me or whate-"
"Hey, hey, it's okay. Everyone gets scared sometimes. Especially me, I act all tough but as soon as someone picks a fight I just run. You've gone through a lot these last few days, and your feelings are... valid? I think that's the word. Yeah.." he laughed.
She laughed with him.
"Thanks Ed's." She put her head on his chest and they both laid sideways.
"Anytime, sweetheart. I'm here for you."
Lucas looked back and saw Max staring out the window.
"Hey."
She took off her headphones.
"So I've been thinking, two of the three of vecnas victimes were seeing ms. Kelley, right?"
"Yeah."
"Okay. So I figure there's a good change Vecna cursed another one of her students. We go back to her officer. We read all her files. Look for mentions of headaches, nosebleeds, nightmares. We identify his-"
"Lucas."
"Most likely next victim. We stake out his house—"
"Lucas, stop. We don't have time for any of that Okay? And even if we did, even if your plan did work, we'd be putting a total stranger at risk. A stranger who has no idea what they're up against. I do. He uses my memories against me. But only my darkest memories. Same with Chrissy and Fred, right?"
"Right."
"It's like he only sees the darkness in us. So, I'll just run in the opposite direction. Run to the light. And maybe he won't be able to find me there."
"Now how exactly do you plan on doing this?"
"I'm not sure. But it's my mind. Not his, right? So I should be able to control where I am. I just need to... push him away. Find a happy memory and hide there. Hide in the light."
"You got a memory in mind?"
Max nodded "Yeah. It was a time when I was the happiest."
"Was i there?"
Max smiled.
"That's presumptuous of you." Lucas chuckled.
"But yeah, you've might've been there."
Mira looked back at them and smiled lightly. They were perfect for each other.
"Okay but the second you start to lift, I'm calling in Kate Bush. All right?"
"Okay. Deal."
"Deal."
She put her headphones back on.
—————————————————————————
When they finally reached the store, Mira, Eddie, Lucas and Dustin stayed in the car since they were still wanted, Dustin and Lucas there for company.
They both sat and talked.
"Hey, wouldn't you think your parents are worried?" He asked her worriedly.
"Who cares? They don't care about me." She tried to laugh it off.
"What do you mean..?" He asked.
"My dad is an alcoholic who cares about nothing but his work, and my mom thinks I'm the spawn of Satan. So, yeah, they probably want me to get caught."
"Oh. Sorry." He apologized.
"Nah it's cool. Who cares?" She laughed.
"My dad was the same way. He uh got arrested and I never really knew my mom, she left me when I was young.. so I guess my uncle Wayne is all I really can count as family."
"He seems like a good person. Better than the both of them."
"He is. I truly appreciate him, even if he keeps bugging me about 'turn your music down! Ahhh' " they both laughed while Dustin rolled his eyes at the two.
———————————————————————
"So much for avoiding angry hicks." Robin said when they entered the store.
"Let's be... fast."
"Yep."
"Definitely."
They all scattered around the store, and Robin eyes caught Vickie.
She stared and Steve looked at Robin.
"What are you gonna do Robin? Just stand and gawk?"
"Shut up."
Robin was going to go towards her until a guy came up behind her and she yelped.
Robin stopped.
"Jesus you scared me."
He chuckled. "Woah. You gonna mace me with that?"
"If it keeps you in line, yeah."
They kissed as Robin watched, her heart breaking yet again.
Being lesbian in a small Indiana town definitely wasn't easy.
Vickie saw her staring and looked at her as she ran away.
Steve looked back to her.
"Robin. Robin!" He called out.
Nancy on the other hand had a gun in her hand, and cocked it.
"How much is this?" She asked.
"$120.99, but I'll throw in 20 rounds of buckshot for ya."
"Hey can I see this real pretty .357 please?" Nancy heard a voice that seemed familiar. It was Jason.
She looked over to him quickly and then back to the counter.
"Sure thing. Here you go, son."
"Thank you." Jason turned to Nancy.
"Nancy Wheeler. Wouldn't expect to find you here."
He said with the gun In his hand.
"Yeah, well, it's just... scary times."
Erica saw him and her, and stopped dead in her tracks.
"I'm... sorry about Chrissy."
"Want my advice? Shotguns are not good for much of anything past killing small birds. He came closer to her.
"I mean they got power, sure, but not much range. And that's just gonna force you into close range combat. Then someone can just grab that barrel like this."
He grabbed the barrel harshly, she held it tighter.
"And redirect it."
Erica looked around and noticed that a bunch of the basketball team was there.
"Well you look nervous."
"Like I said, scary times.."
"Now your brother, he uh, he here with you by chance? Or your uh friend.. Steve Harrington."
"Mike? Steve? No." She shook her head and tried to lie to the best of her ability.
"I only ask because he's he's in hellfire isn't he? And Steve's sister is Mira."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"What about his friends?" he went closer to her and she backed up, his hand still on the barrel of the gun.
"They here with you?"
"Would you let go?"
"Let go." She said, forcefully this time and more stern.
He let go and they quickly got out of there.
"What the hells taking them so long?" Dustin asked, pacing back and fourth around the rv while looking at his watch.
"Give then a-"
The door opened and Lucas asked what happened quickly.
"We gotta go."
"Your guys old friends are here." Erica said to Mira and Eddie.
"Shit!" Him and Mira both said.
"Let's go! Let's go! Let's go!"
"I'm going in going! Sit down!"
Eddie was now sitting on top of Mira and squishing her.
"Eddie your fucking suffocating me!" She complained, trying to get him off for a second.
"It's not my fault you're so tiny!"
"Ugh!" She pushed him off, and he quickly sat back to where he was as he grabbed her by the waist, her body pressed against his very uncomfortably.
They quickly left, but Jason and his teammates all kept an eye on them.