Their screams filled the large elevator, all of them panicking. It was not something they could hold back; at the pressure, their legs were feeling at the speed of it falling down.
Dustin screamed as he hit his hand on the button panel "Shit!!! Shit!!"
"We're going down! We're going down!!" Steve held on the boxes on the table
Robin huffed "Yeah, no shit, Harrington!!" yelling as she held the railings behind her
"Why don't these buttons work!?!?" Dustin shrieked
Imogen grimaced holding the table near her "I am so fucken glad I did not eat before this!"
Erica somehow walked over to Dustin," Press the button!!"
"What do you think I'm doing?!" Dustin yelled as his voice strained
Steve shouted, "Come on, press something!!"
"Push it!!" Erica screamed at Dustin who was hitting the button when suddenly the Elevator came to a halt as the friction of the sudden stop made them all fall," My groin" Imogen looked over to Steve who had a box fall on him.
"It fell on my groin" Steve cried out," Dustin! Get this off of me!"
Imogen beat her brother to it, as she ran over lifting the heavy box," I can't move" Steve winced
"Is everyone okay?" Robin asked
"Yeah, I'm great, now that I know that Russians can't design elevators!" Steve raised his voice walking over to the button," I think we've clearly established that those buttons don't work" Robin pointed out.
"It's buttons they have to do something" Steve argued
"Yeah, if we had a keycard" Robin responded lifting her hand
"Wha—"
Imogen sighed continuing for Robin," It's an electronic lock babe, same as the loading dock door. If we don't have a keycard, it won't operate meaning—"
"We're stuck in here" Dustin finished
"Yeah" Robin bobbed her head
Erica folded her arms," Just so you nerds are aware, I'm supposed to be spending the night at Tina's, and Tina always covers for me. But if I'm not home for Uncle Jack's party tomorrow and my mom finds out you four are responsible. she's gonna hunt you down, one by one, and slit your throat"
"I don't care about Tina! Or Uncle Jack's party!" Steve slammed his hand on the box in front of him. Imogen would have stopped him, but she was just as frustrated as everyone else, not bothering to step in. They were all in a sticky situation, and letting out the anger now than later is probably for the best, also she knew Erica wouldn't panic and just roll her eyes. She was not much of a crier that much she knew.
"Your mom's not gonna be able to find us if we're dead in a Russian elevator!"
"Hey" Dustin spoke up as he turned his head to the ceiling pointing," What if we climbed out?" They all looked at the hatch," Hatches in Elevators are always the worst option" Imogen mumbled as Dustin rolled his eyes walking over to it as he climbed the table, turning the knob.
He climbed out with Steve following. The both of them looked up," What were you saying about climbing?"
Imogen grimaced looking from below," Well, Shit. We fell down that much?"
After their unfortunate discovery, Dustin and Erica fell asleep, while Robin, Steve and Imogen stayed awake. Imogen was laying down with her head on Steve's legs," You know this morning, I didn't expect that our adventure of Evil Russian seeking would lead to us being trapped in an elevator"
Robin snickered drumming her hands on the box she had her arms draped over," Is it anyone's expectation?"
Imogen laughed," I guess it isn't"
"The thing that bothers me is that, what the hell are they doing under the mall?" Steve stated
"Your guess is just as good as mine at this point" Imogen turned her head looking up at him then back to her brother and Erica who were asleep," I don't care whatever is happening, just as long as we get them to safety"
"Yeah" Robin nodded following her eyes," Agreed
Hours passed with none of the three sleeping. Dustin was now on the top after waking up an hour ago.
"Code red, I repeat, code red. Does anyone copy? This is a code red, I repeat, a code red" Imogen was standing with Robin looking at the locks just listening to her brother.
Steve groaned tapping his feet, she walked over to him knowing what was wrong," Steve, just go"
He turned to her," What?"
"You need to take a leak? Go and do it"
He frowned tapping his feet," But—"
"No one will care, just" She looked up hearing her brother trying to connect to someone," Go up there, to the corner. No one is going to judge you" She teased making him sigh in defeat as he went climbing to the top.
Imogen walked over back to Robin," Thank god, I thought he was never going to stop tapping his feet" Robin mumbled to her
"He just needed a push" The sound of liquid hitting the wall and falling to the ground made the girls turn," Can you redirect your stream, please?" Robin shouted
"Ugh" She groaned making Imogen chuckle, but before she could fully turn, they heard glass hitting metal making both of them turn to Erica who was hitting the green liquid container on the barrels," Hey, hey, hey! Be careful, careful!" Imogen ran over, taking it from her hands.
"We don't even know what that is, "Robin told Erica
Erica rolled her eyes facing them "Exactly. It could be useful"
"Useful how?"
"We can survive down here a long time without food, but if the human body doesn't get water, it will die"
Imogen sighed," I hate to break it to you, but this is not water" She raised the glass
"No, but it's a liquid and if t comes down to me drinking that shit or dying o thirst, I drink" Imogen narrowed her eyes about to speak, but she heard noise coming, and Robin noticed as well. She didn't bother when Erica took the container from her as she ran to the side pressing her ear on the metal wall.
Imogen climbed the ladder," We've got company," The girls all climbed to the top, as the noise got louder making them all stay on the top in silence. Soon enough the door opened, and two males walked in.
They just observed them take the boxes, when Steve's eyes stopped on Erica, making her look at him confused. Their eyes all followed at he looked at the glass container she was holding.
Steve grabbed it, as the guys drove off, and jumped down quickly placing it under the door, making it keep open.
"Let's go!!" Steve shouted catching the bag Erica threw him as she climbed out first, with all of them following, with Steve last.
"Come on, Steve, let's go!" Imogen yelled as he slid out and barely a second of nearly being smashed by the elevator door as the glass shattered. She instinctively wrapped her arms around him in relief, as the green substance slowly burned through the floor.
She turned her head to Erica," You still wanna drink that?" Erica rolled her eyes but it was clear she was frightened thinking about if she did result to actually drinking the substance.
"Holy mother of god" Dustin spoke up making them all turn at what he was looking at.
"Well..." Steve started," hope you guys are in good shape" He stepped forward," Looking at you, roast beef" He pat Dustin
"Steve" Imogen dragged her voice as she followed after him and slapped his ass," Not cool"
"Hey, now not in front of the kids" He smirked making her roll her eyes she turned around," Let's go, come on," She told them, we got a long way ahead of us"
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Dustin said in eminence "I mean, you have to admit, as a feat of engineering alone, this is impressive"
"What are you talking about? It's a total fire hazard" There are no stairs, there's no exit, there's just an elevator that drops you halfway to hell" Steve said
"I feel like we are in hell, this" She motioned her hands," Is ridiculous"
"They're Commies. You don't pay people, they cut corners" Erica commented
Robin shrugged her shoulder "To be fair to our Russian comrades, I don't think this tunnel was designed for walking. Think about it, they developed the perfect system for transporting that cargo"
"It all comes into the mall like any old delivery" Dustin looked at her
"And then they load it up onto those trucks and nobody's the wiser" Imogen said running a hand through her hair.
Steve asked, "You think they built this whole mall so they could transport that green poison?"
"I very seriously doubt it's something as boring as poison. It's gotta be much more valuable, like promethium or something"
"What the hell is promethium?" Steve question Dustin
"It's what Victor Stone's dad used to make Cyborg's bionic and cybernetic components"
"Basically, it's an acting substance that powers a machine or used to make something" Imogen added
"You're all so nerdy, it makes me physically ill" Erica cringed
"No, no, no" Steve shook his head," No, don't lump me in with them"
Imogen pinched his butt making him groan," Says the one who got into College, with flying colours"
"Afraid of losing cool points to a ten-year-old child?" Robin joked
"No, I'm just saying I don't know jack shit about Prometheus" Steve jeered
Dustin sighed correcting him "Promethium. Prometheus is a Greek mythological figure, but whatever. All I'm saying is like Imogen said, it's probably being used to make something"
Robin turned her head to him "But what?"
"Maybe a nuclear weapon?"
"Totally"
"Walking towards a nuclear weapon, that's great" Steve commented," That'd be great"
"But if their building something, then why here?" Robin waved her hands," I mean, Hawkins. Seriously. Of all places"
Imogen was the first to stop," At the very best, we're a toilet shop on your way to Disneyland, but maybe that's it—"
Steve and Dustin started to trail behind with her, as all three of them shared looks.
"You think the Russians know?" Steve whispered to the siblings," About—"
"They could" Imogen looked up at them frowning
"So, it's connected?" Steve gulped
"Maybe"
"How?"
"I don't know, but it's—"
"Possible," All three of them said together
"I'm sorry, is there something you'd like to share with the class?" Robin turned to say out loud to them. They didn't answer her as they all shared looks, but then a Static hissing was heard, and a Russian voice filled their ears.
"Walkie" The three ran over to the girls. Erica lowered her helmet, opening her bag, pulling out the radio. Robins took the radio repeating the Russian," It's the code"
"Wherever that broadcast is coming from—"
"It's close" Robin smirked," And if there's one thing we know about that signal..."
"It can reach the surface" Imogen grinned
Robin nodded "Let's go" making them all get up.
Their paces were faster, all of them ignoring the burning in their legs, despite the hall looking like it was not reaching an end.
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Steve took slow breathes as he peered his head over the corner, looking in front and the side of him," Okay, clear. Clear, come on, let's go" He waved his hand behind him as he walked forward
"Okay, that was close" Robin let out a breath," Too damn close" Imogen whispered
"Relax," Steve told them as he continued to wall forward," All right? Relax, Nobody saw" He walked the corner and trailing off as his eyes widen.
"I don't think relax is something we can do," Imogen said as she saw was he was gaping at," Yeah, no relaxing here" They group looked at the sight before them, Some in Russian soldier uniforms, Scientist and lastly some of them in red hazmat suits.
Imogen flinched at the guard up on the second floor, holding a gun, that was turning their direction," Shit" She hit behind a red cart, with the others following.
"Jesus" Steve swore
"Red Dawn" Dustin said making them look at him, but Erica spoke over him," I saw it. First floor, northwest"
"Saw what?" Steve asked
"The comms room" Erica hissed
"You saw the comms room?" Imogen gaped at her," Correct" Erica answered
Dustin gulped," Are you sure?"
"Positive. The door was open for a second, I saw a bunch of lights and machines and shit in there"
"that could be a hundred different things," Dustin grumbled
Imogen looked at Robin and Steve," I'll take the odds" she said to them. Steve looked at her for a moment letting out a sigh," Are we switching roles now?"
"Babe, if it means getting our asses out of here" She nodded," then yes"
Steve led first peeking his head over, looking at the door that Erica mentioned and pulled back," All right" He turned to each of them," We're gonna move fast, we're gonna stay low. Okay?"
"Okay" They replied, Steve gave them a moment and walked first as they all followed him. Dustin was slightly behind making Steve looked back," Move it"
Imogen and Steve watched one of the scientists walk out of the comms room, and waited until his back was turned for them to run behind. Once he was from a hearing distance, they ran to the room, with Steve catching the door, making the others run in," Shh, come in"
Imogen was the first in and gulped as her eyes widen seeing one of the guards sitting in front of the comms with his back turned. But Steve failed to notice as he closed the door, alerting him.
They all just stared at him for a moment, not saying a word. He looked at each of them and went to reach his side, making Robin step forward speaking in Russian as she raised her hand making him stop.
They let her talk, but after a few exchanged words, the guard reached for his gun in his side, but then suddenly Steve let out a yell as he ran over tackling the guard.
"Holy Shit" Dustin cursed leaning back on the door. Steve had the first hand but was thrown to the table, but he elbowed the guard in the stomach, getting back his stance," The phone babe! Use the phone!" Imogen shouted making Steve look up and smirk grabbing said object and turned quickly whacking the guard straight on the head, making him impact his head on the table quickly knocking out on the floor.
Imogen jumped as she clapped," I knew it! I told you, Babe! I told you'd win a fight!" She said proudly as Steve let out a laugh proud of himself.
Dustin was next as he laughed and pointed," Dude! You did it!!" Steve turned up to him catching his breath," You won a fight!"
Dustin ran over to the unconscious guard, as Imogen walked over to Steve giving him a big kiss on his cheek then his lips," Good job Babe" He wrapped his arms around her waist," Well, I did have a little help, don't make my ego too big"
"What are you doing?" Erica looked at Dustin who was taking the key card from the guard," Getting us our ticket out of here"
"You want to walk all the way back?" Erica pointed in frustration and disbelief
Dustin scoffed raising his voice in a high tone," Well, we can hang out for a little bit, relax, have a picnic maybe?"
"Have a picnic? We came here for the radio!"
"This plan is way better. If I knew Steve could knock out a Russian that would've been our plan in the first place" Dustin huffed
"Guys," Imogen looked at Robin, "there is something up here" They all followed her up the stairs, as she opened the door, all of them came in each one by one, with Steve and Imogen last.
Imogen's eyes widen at the sight before her as she looked out the window," Holy shit" Dustin whispered
"Those fucken idiots," Imogen said quietly so only Steve could hear her. She lifted her hand to her neck, feeling the goosebumps forming," That explains the feeling"