Strange Effect || Robin Buckley ✓

xii

Isabella sighed as she watched the little girl shine a flashlight in the air vent, Steve is behind her making sure that she doesn't slip and fall. "Are you sure this is a good idea?" Isabella keeps her voice low so only Robin can hear her. "No, but it's the only idea we got." Isabella frowns but watches as the girl carefully gets off the ladder. "Yeah, I don't know." Isabella's eyebrows raise.

"You don't know if you could fit?" Isabella asks looking at the girl confused. She shakes her head. "Oh I can fit, I just don't know if I want to." Beside her, Robin sighed before scrubbing a hand across her face. "Do you not like small spaces?" When the girl shakes her head no. "Well, then what's the problem, Erica?" Steve asks "The problem is, I still haven't heard what's in this for Erica."

Isabella rubs her head and sighs but she walks towards the front and grabs one of the bowls before she starts putting giant scoops of ice cream into it, ones that she knew Erica loved because she kept getting samples of those specific flavors. "Brownies?" Isabella asks looking over her shoulder to Erica who crosses her arms and nods. Isabella closes her eyes tightly before opening them, she looks to her right to see Robin smirking at her while she makes Erica the milkshake she demanded.

When Isabella and Robin are done making what Erica asked for they walk towards the booth that Erica, Steve, and Dustin are sitting at watching on the two of them. "About time." Erica scoffs grabbing the ice cream bowl before sticking her spoon into it and bringing it to her mouth. "Alright." Robin grabs the map that Isabella was holding once they sat down. "See this?" Robin pointed at the red circle with a line coming out from it. "This is the route you're going to take, then we just wait until the last deliver goes out tonight then you knock out the grate, jump down and open the door."

Erica swallows the ice cream that was in her mouth before looking at Robin. "Then you find out what's in those boxes?" Isabella nods for Robin. "You say this guard is armed." Dustin shrugs. "Yes, but he won't be there." Erica rolls her eyes. "And booby traps?" Isabella covers her mouth to hide her chuckle. "Booby traps?" Isabella clarifies with a slight giggle which causes Robin to shove her lightly. "Like lasers, spikes in the wall? You know what this half-baked plan of yours sounds like to me? Child endangerment." Isabella scoffs shaking her head at Erica. "We will be in radio contact with you the whole time-" Robin is cut off from speaking by Erica waving her finger at Robin.

"Eh ehh, Child. Endangerment." Erica speaks slowly to make sure her point gets across. "Erica." Dustin grabs her attention so Erica looks at him. "We think these Russians want to harm our country, great harm. Don't you love your country?" Isabella tosses her head back with a groan. "You can't spell America without Erica." Dustin looks at Robin and Isabella who both shrug. "So don't do this for us, do this for your country, do this for America, Erica."

Erica placed the empty cup back on the table before placing her arms on top of it and leaning forward slightly. "Know what I love most about this country? Capitalism, do you know what capitalism is?" Erica asks looking at Isabella, Robin, and Dustin who all nod. "It means this is a free market system, which means people get paid for their services depending on how valuable the contributions are and this seems to me my ability to fit into that little vent is very, very valuable to you all. So, you want my help? This USS butterscotch better be the first of many, and I'm talking free ice cream, for life." Erica picks up the cherry and bites it while smirking at Robin who groans loudly.

||

Isabella was crouched next to Robin as they watched the building that they wanted to get into, Robin grabs the walkie-talkie from Isabella and presses the call button. "Erica, do you copy? Robin asks. "Yea, I copy. You nerds in position or what?" Isabella rolls her eyes and grabs the walkie-talkie from Robin's hands. "Yea, we're in position. It's all quiet here so you got the green light." Isabella looks at Dustin who had the binoculars and he gives her the thumbs up. "Commence operation, child endangerment." Beside her, Robin rolls her eyes, she leans over Isabella's shoulder so she can talk into the walkie-talkie when Isabella pressed the button. "Can we maybe not call it that?" Steve nods beside Robin in agreement while Isabella rolls her eyes.

Isabella looked at Robin anxiously as she waited for the walkie-talkie to crackle, so she was distracted when it did and she almost dropped it but Robin grabbed it before she could. "Alright nerd, I'm there." Robin glares at Isabella who looked at her guiltily. "Do you see anything?" Robin asks pressing her lips together. "Yea, I see those boxes you're so excited about." Isabella smiles and leans over Robin's shoulder to speak to Erica. "Any guards?" Isabella looks at the door nervously. "Negative," Robin smirks before pressing the button again. "Any booby traps?" Isabella's mouth quirks up when she hears Erica's reply. "If I could see them, they'd be pretty shit traps, wouldn't they?" Beside Robin, Steve rolls his eyes making Isabella chuckle slightly.

"She has lots of language for a 10-year-old." Isabella remarks carefully, she lets out a sigh of relief when Steve nods in agreement. When Erica opens the doors Isabella can't help but hug Robin in excitement, Isabella pulls back with a look of embarrassment she goes to apologize but Robin shakes her head and smiles. "Hug me more often." Robin winks before following Steve back off the roof leaving a stunned Isabella having to run to catch up to the group.

When Isabella reached the building everyone was looking over a box that Steve had cracked open. "That's definitely not Chinese food," Isabella says looking inside the box at the weird container. Steve slowly pulled out one of the capsules. "What the hell?" Isabella heard Steve mutter quietly. "What is that?" Robin asks from beside Isabella. Isabella grabbed Robin's hand when the room shook.

"Was that just me or did the room move?" Dustin asked looking at the ceiling. "You know what? Let's just grab that and go." Robin yanked her hand from Isabella's and grabbed the green thing while Isabella went over to the button to open the door but it wouldn't open. "Which one do I press Erica?" Isabella shouts trying to not freak out as much. "Press open door!" Erica yelled like it was obvious.

Steve groaned loudly and pushed Isabella aside before pressing the button in the middle. A giant red door came slamming down over the exit making Isabella scream and walk towards Robin grabbing her hand tightly.

Isabella tightened her hand when they started going down, it was an elevator and Isabella was scared to find out the destination.