Chapter Twenty-One:
A
pproved
.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.
"That keycard opens the door we need to get into." Dustin explained as he paced back and forth. "But unfortunately, the Russian with that keycard also has a massive gun."
"That's great. Guns are my favorite." Ramona said sarcastically, crossing her arms over her chest and glancing at Steve who was spinning his sailor hat around his finger. Steve knitted his eyebrows together, looking over at her as he noticed the difference in her tone compared to other days.
"Whatever's in that room, whatever's in those boxes, they really don't want anybody to find it." Dustin continued.
"But there's gotta be a way in." Robin sighed, "Right?"
"Well, you know.." Steve trailed off, leaning over and resting the hat on Ramona's head. "I could just take him out."
Ramona scoffed, covering her mouth with her hand as Steve shot her a look. "You'll get your ass shot, Harrington. Y no quiero eso."
"Take who out?" Robin as she glanced at Ramona, sending her a smirk. Ramona shot her a look, subtly shaking her head.
"The Russian guard." Steve said as if it were obvious. Ramona pursed her lips, shaking her head. "What? I just sneak up behind him and I knock him out and I take his keycard. It's easy."
"Did you not hear the part about the massive gun?" Dustin pointed out.
"Yeah, and the fact that he's.. well... Trained. And you scoop ice cream." Ramona trailed off, "So.."
"Yes, Dustin, I did, and yes, Ramona. I do." Steve deadpanned, "And that's why I would be sneaking."
"Wow. Fascinante."
"Well, tell me this, and be honest." Dustin stopped his pacing, crossing his arms. "Have you ever actually won a fight?"
Steve paused, glancing over at Ramona who stifled a laugh. "Okay, that was one time!"
"Twice." Dustin corrected, "Jonathan. Year prior."
"Listen, that doesn't count." Steve shook his head.
"Why wouldn't it?" Dustin challenged, "Because it looks like he beat the shit out of you."
Ramona snickered, "He did."
"You got a fat lip, crooked nose, bruised eye.." Dustin listed off as Steve struggled to defend himself. "Lot of blood. A lot of blood."
"That just might work." Robin said. Ramona knitted her eyebrows together as Robin stood up and left the breakroom.
"Robin?" Steve knitted his eyebrows together. "Robin."
Ramona stood up, opening the divider and watching as she pulled money from the tip jar. "Robin? Hey, Robin. What are you doing?"
Ramona watched, leaning on the wall, as Steve left the breakroom and stood behind the counter.
"I need cash." Robin shrugged.
"Well, half of that is mine.. Where you goin'?"
"To find us a way into that room, a safe way!" Robin called back, backing out of the ice cream shop. "And in the meantime, sling ice cream, behave, and don't get beat up! I'll be back in a jiff!"
"No promises!" Ramona joked, sliding the divider shut. She sighed, sliding down the wall and staring at her feet, her smile falling as she finally got a moment alone. "Maldita sea."
~~
"It is fascinating what twenty bucks will get you at the County Recorder's Office." Robin said as she unfolded the paper map she held in her hands. "Starcourt Mall. The complete blueprints."
"Wow." Ramona nodded in amazement, glancing over at Steve.
"Not bad." Dustin agreed.
"So, this is us." Robin said, pointing to the ice cream shop on the map. "Scoops.. and this is where we wanna get."
"I mean, I don't really see a way in." Steve said, shaking his head.
"There's not, if you're talking exclusively about doors." Robin explained, pulling the papers apart to reveal a second map for air ducts.
"Air ducts." Dustin said in realization.
"Exactly." Robin grinned, walking over and picking up the marker from the whiteboard, "Turns out, this secret room needs air just like any old room. And these air ducts lead all the way here."
Ramona nodded in amazement, as she looked from the map over to the air duct. "Get the screwdriver, Steve."
"And I'll climb through it. Trust me, you'll see." Dustin said, shooing the boy away. "Now do what she says."
Ramona watched as the boy left the breakroom, unaware of Dustin and Robin's eyes on her. She looked back at them, confusion flashing across her face as she knitted her eyebrows together, "What?"
Dustin gave her a look, raising his eyebrows. "I approve."
"You.. approve?" Ramona trailed off, waiting for him to continue his explanation.
"Yes." Dustin nodded, clapping his hands together as Robin rested the step ladder against the wall under the air vent. "I approve. I mean, Jonathan's cool and all, but you and Steve-"
"I'm gonna stop you right there, Dusty roads." Ramona raised her hand up to silence him. "No va a pasar."
"You keep saying that." Robin hummed, seating herself in the chair across from her.
"But we keep seeing evidence that says different." Dustin said, looking over at Steve as he reentered the break room.
"Says different about what?" He asked as he stood on the stepladder and unscrewed the screws from the vent.
"Nothing!" Ramona said quickly, "Just, uh, stupid science stuff."
"Oh, okay." Steve nodded, thanking Robin for the flashlight she handed him. "Well, I don't know, man. I don't think you can fit in here. It's, like, super tight."
"I'll fit." Dustin insisted. "Trust me. No collar bones, remember?"
Steve nodded, handing Dustin the flashlight as he stepped down from the ladder. Robin shook her head, "Um, excuse me?"
"Oh, he's uh.. He's got some weird disease. Chry.. um, it's Chrydo.. Something. Yeah, I don't know. He can bend like gumbo." Steve explained, resting his hands on his hips and nodding to himself.
"Gumbo?" Ramona questioned, raising her eyebrows as she watched Dustin struggle to get himself into the vent. "Huh.. coulda sworn it was gumby."
"It is." Robin nodded, turning to Steve. "You mean gumby."
"I'm pretty sure it's gumbo-"
"Steve!" Dustin shouted, cutting him off, "Just shut up and push me!"
"Okay, I'll push you." Steve said, shaking his head as he pushed on Dustin's feet.
Ramona shook her head, "Wow."
"Not my feet, dumbass! Push my ass." Dustin said. Ramona choked on the air, covering her mouth with her hands as she leaned over.
"What?"
"Touch my butt! I don't care."
"What a dumbass." Ramona muttered, watching as Steve struggled to push Dustin in.
"Push harder!"
"I'm pushing!"
"You're playing with my legs."
"I'm not playing, I have terrible footing." Steve argued, ducking his head under both of Dustin's legs and resting them on his shoulders. "I'm just gonna shove you, okay?"
"One.. Two." Ramona shook her head, rolling her eyes as Steve poorly shoved Dustin.
"Wow." Robin muttered.
"Shit!"
"That work?" Steve asked, glancing over at Ramona as she shook her head no. "One more time."
The sound of a bell ringing caused Robin to turn around as Ramona slid down the wall, resting her hands on her knees. "Ahoy, sailors, ahoy! All hands on deck! Ahoy! Get over here and serve me some samples."
.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.
{ A/n: SOMEONE RECCOMEND ME SOMETHING RECKLESS TO DO IVE ALREADY PIERCED MY EARS AND I DONT WANNA DYE MY HAIR BC I LIKE HOW MY HAIR LOOKS SO }
{ Translations: and I don't want that, fascinating, dammit, it won't happen }
{ Edited: No }