*edit sorry to those that read the chapter I totally edited some dialogue that I realized didn't make sense😅*
Hi, I'm back! Sorry, it's been so long if you didn't see my message I just moved into my new apartment and have been trying to get settled. I'm pretty much all set, so updates will be more regular until my classes start!
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Once they were set on the road to Indialoplois Natalie started to finally feel herself relax, somewhat, but it was still nice to have a break from all the chaos. She let out a deep breath and ran her hand through her now tangled hair, hopefully after Jim takes them to this guy in the city they can be done with all this.
Natalie turned around to ask Joyce a question but found her and Alexei both sleeping in the back, and she smiled. Honestly, she didn't even see Alexei as a threat, unlike Jim who kept a constant watchful eye on the Russian.
"What're you grinning at?" Jim asked giving her a quick glance before watching the road again.
"Joyce and Alexei are both sleeping, it's sweet. Alexei really isn't that bad-"
"Yes, he is," Jim quickly interrupted, hands tightening on the steering wheel.
"Oh no, we are not starting another argument," Natalie said with a huff and slumped in her seat.
"He's a Russian commie scientist, how is he not bad?" Jim asked, eyebrows raised.
Natalie quietly laughed, "that part is bad, but as a person, he seems like he's pretty nice I guess."
Jim frowned at her, clearly a little frustrated and dare he say a little jealous. Natalie scoffed at his reaction knowing very well what he was thinking and she shook her head.
"Jim," she started and placed her hand on his thigh, "honey, you seem to have forgotten I am marrying you in less than a month and carrying your child."
Jim let out a sigh, pushing down his feelings that he so famously bottled up all the time. He knew Natalie's words were true, but he still couldn't help but worry that some younger man that was more handsome, smarter, or richer would come along and sweep Natalie off her feet. Of course, Jim knew that was stupid and so unrealistic, but he still thought about it from time to time.
"Hey, get out of that head of yours," Natalie said quietly as she moved her hand from his thigh to his shoulder and squeezed it gently.
Jim softly smiled at her and brought one of his hands up to hers and intertwined their fingers, "thanks."
Natalie smiled and rubbed her thumb over his knuckles, nodding. "So how long till we meet this mystery guy?"
Jim looked up at one of the signs and smiled, "about fifteen minutes, and fair warning, Murray is a little," he paused thinking of the right word, "a little out there."
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Natalie raised an eyebrow at the concrete building that Jim pulled up too, it looked sketchy as hell. She slowly got out of the car when Jim parked and gently woke up Joyce and Alexei who were looking still very tired.
Jim roughy grabbed Alexei by the back of his shirt, pulling him out of the car, "C'mon let's go."He led them the front door and knocked on it loudly.
"I thought you said this guy was journalist," Joyce said and yawned, rubbing her eyes as she looked at the strange building.
Natalie hummed in agreement, "yeah this is pretty sketchy."
Jim looked back at them and sheepishly smiled, "uh yeah, he was."
"Was?" Natalie said, eyebrows raising in alarm.
Then a loud buzzer sounded from a panel next to the door and a gruff voice spoke through it, "look at the camera!"
Jim sighed heavily and looked into the panel, as did Natalie and Joyce feeling very confused.
"The camera, above you to the right," the voice, which Natalie figured was Murray shouted in frustration.
The group after some shuffling managed to find the camera on the wall and looked into it. Jim threw his free hand up in frustration, he was getting impatient.
"Identify yourselves," Murray asked.
"Jim Hopper," Jim said through clenched teeth.
"Natalie Blackwood," Natalie said lightly.
"Joyce Byers," Joyce said.
"Smirnoff," Jim added tugging Alexei closer to him.
"Alexei," both Natalie and Joyce told him, frowning.
Jim sighed, giving them a glare before looking back at the camera, "Alexei."
"Surname?" Murray asked, his voice growing sharper with alarm.
Jim scoffed, "I don't know!"
"Family name," Murray added, his voice clipped in anger.
"Yeah, I know!" Jim moved towards the door, "open the damn door!"
"Jim," Natalie said walking up and standing next to him, her hand lightly touching his arm.
Jim looked down at her with furrowed eyebrows, "it's alright, don't worry. He's a bit eccentric but completely harmless."
Just then the door burst open to reveal Murray, a balding man with large glasses, a white tank top, and jeans shorts that were a tad too short. He cocked the rifle he was holding and pointed it directly at Alexei.
Natalie jumped back, "holy hell!"
"Name!" Murray growled, pushing the gun towards Alexei.
Alexei narrowed his eyes at him and spat something at Murray in Russian.
Murray tilted his head and grimly smiled at Alexei before snapping back at him in Russian. Then he surprisingly let them in, keeping a very close eye on Alexei.
Natalie tentatively took a step forward and shied away from Murray's intense gaze as he darkly smiled at them before slamming the door shut forcefully. With his gun still aimed at Alexei, he herded them against the nearest wall and snatched his metal detector from the shelf behind him.
"Okay, everyone turn around and put your hands on the wall," Murray snapped, turning on the metal detector and pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose.
Jim pushed Alexei against the wall, holding him by the collar of his shirt, "how long is this going to take, because I-"
"No," Murray interrupted Jim holding up a hand.
"No?" Jim shot back.
"No." Murray concluded and continued to frisk Alexei, "you do not get to question me. You dragged an enemy of the state into my home as carelessly as a child drags in shit on his shoe. I will search him until I'm satisfied."
Natalie watched Joyce tug on Jim's sleeve and whisper something to him before dragging him off by the front door. She could clearly see that Joyce was arguing with him about how credible this Murray guy was. A loud beep quickly drew her out of her thought and she saw Murray holding the metal detector by her stomach.
"Whoa! Get that thing away from me right now," she growled, pushing his detector aside.
"Excuse me?" Murray snapped, and moved it back in front of her, "you are a guest here. I do not know you from Adam, so you have no right to boss me around!"
"I'm pregnant, I don't want that thing anywhere near me. I have no idea how old that machine is or how strong the x-rays are coming off of it," Natalie told him angrily, pushing the detector away from her again, "get that thing out of my damn way."
"No, I don't think I will! You could be lying for all I know. You could have a gun in your waistband or a bug on you. I simply cannot risk it!" Murray seethed in a shrill voice.
"Get that fucking machine away from her," Jim growled from behind Natalie and pushed her behind him.
"Oh, so this is your lover huh?" Murray asked and peaked around Jim to look at Natalie who flipped him off, "spare me the details okay?"
"Spare you!" Joyce shouted and immediately stormed up to Murray, "What is your problem?"
"Please stop talking," Murray said, "I can't take this much complaining."
"No!" Joyce shouted, her voice booming off the walls, "we have had a very long day. We have been shot at, nearly blown up, walked God knows how many miles in hundred-degree heat, I mean look at Natalie's ankles they are freaking gigantic!"
Natalie scoffed, "gee thank's Joyce."
"Sorry sweetie," Joyce said before returning her fiery gaze at Murray, "we stole a car, all while being chased by the gigantic psychopath, all so we could bring him to you!" she said and pointed at Alexei, whose eyes were wide, "because somehow you're the closest person who speaks Russian, which I can't believe. But that doesn't matter because unfortunately, we're here. So if you don't mind put that thing away, stop behaving like a jackass, and ask him what he's doing that's making my magnets fall of my damn fridge! Please!"
Murray gulped and Jim was looking anywhere but at Joyce. Natalie was grinning widely, she loved when Joyce exploded on other people.