𝗧𝗘𝗘𝗡𝗔𝗚𝗘 𝗥𝗢𝗬𝗔𝗟𝗧𝗬 [steve harrington]

chapter 29

heather
🎶 heather -conan gray

Izzie was doing her usual shift at the Hawkins Community Pool when rain began pouring form the sky. She blew her whistle loudly, sending all the visitors away from the pool. Once she left the cover of her umbrella, she rushed to get into the office.

As Izzie stepped through the door, she saw her coworkers Kevin and Allison speaking to El, Victorie, and Max. "No one in the water until thirty minutes after the last strike. And don't try to argue with me. Wanna get electrocuted, go climb a tree."

"Yeah I don't care, we're not here to swim." Max quipped, turning her head to see Izzie. She mouthed to her 'help'.

"Hey, Kev, I got this I know these girls." Izzie smiled.

"Whatever." He said.

"What's up?" Izzie asked.

"We found this." El answered, holding up a red lifeguard's fanny pack.

"Does that belong to anybody here?" Max asked.

Izzie thought for a moment. "Heather." She said. "Why?"

"We're trying to find her." Victorie whispered.

"Well, she's not here. She's supposed to be, but she bailed." Izzie explained. "What are you three up to?"

Before any of the girls could answer, El began walking over to the pictures of all the lifeguards on the wall.

Izzie watched as the girls stared at Heather's photo. El checked to see that Kev and Allison weren't looking, and ripped the photo from the wall. "Victorie! What are you doing?"

The three girls ran out of the building. Victorie spared her a look, one that worried Izzie. Victorie had grown to be like a sister to her. Even when she wasn't hanging out with Blair, she would often see Victorie. The two girls would spend nights together when Blair was out with Billy or Steve and Dustin were busy. Victorie put on a tough act, but Izzie knew that she couldn't be alone after last year. She took it hard. All Izzie wanted was to be the older sister she no longer had. Even though Victorie had a sister that she adored, Izzie was a welcomed bonus.

Izzie tried to follow them, but Kev stopped her. "Hey Williams! Just because it's raining doesn't mean your shifts over!" The blonde groaned as she realized she would have to spend the next hour of her shift sitting in the office and waiting for the rain to end.

After Izzie's shift she did the same thing she did everyday. She went to see Steve and Robin. Izzie's shifts were always the early morning shifts, so Steve was almost always still at work when she got off.

When she walked up to Scoops Ahoy, she giggled at Steve and Dustin walking around with binoculars in their hands.

"Hey Izz." Steve smiled, planting a chaste kiss on her lips. As he did, he noticed that her shirt was wet. Thankfully, her pants were still dry as she had a spare in her car."Izzie you must be freezing your ass off."

Izzie shivered slightly. "Just a little."

"I have a sweater in the break room if you want it." He offered as the three approached the door.

"Yeah that would be great." The blonde nodded. As she did, Robin came running in between Izzie and Steve. She watched as Robin ran into the center of the mall and stood up on a table.

The other three teens followed her, watching as she whipped her head back and forth around the mall. "Rob? What's going on?" Izzie said.

"I cracked it." She said.

"What?" Steve replied.

She jumped down from the table and smiled. "I cracked the code."

The four rushed back to Scoops so that Robin could explain what she had found.

"Blue and yellow in the West, it's the hand on the clock. It's a time." She explained through the window as Steve scooped ice cream from the other side. Izzie and Dustin stood on either side of her, trying to understand.

"A time for what?" Izzie asked.

"My best guess is a delivery. Silver cat, it's the delivery company. Lynx." Robin continued. "And, I think they're using stores at the mall." She said. "A trip to China, the Imperial Panda. Tread lightly, Kauffman Shoes."

It all was beginning to fit together in Izzie's mind. "Oh my gosh she's right."

-

Robin had dragged the other three out into the rain to watch the deliveries. "Look for Imperial Panda and Kauffman Shoes." Robin said as Dustin looked through his binoculars.

"They're with that whistling guy, ten o'clock!" Dustin said.

"What's in there?" Izzie asked.

"Guns, bombs." Dusting guessed.

"Chemical weapons." Robin suggested.

"Whatever it is, they're armed to the teeth." Dustin warned.

"Great, that's great." Steve replied, wiping rain from his eyes.

"Hey? What's in there?" Robin asked as a door opened below them.

"It's just more boxes." The younger boy answered.

"Let me check it out." Steve said, reaching for the binoculars.

"No I'm still looking!" Dustin protested, pulling them back towards him.

"Come on, let me see it!" Steve said, causing the two to fight over them like children. In the process, Dustin loudly slammed them down, causing the guards to look up at them. The four all quickly slid down, praying to guards wouldn't see.

Izzie squeezed Steve's hand, praying that this wasn't the thing that would kill them. God knows they've survived worse. They sat silent for only a few more moments until Izzie whispered. "We need to get back inside before they see us."

Steve nodded and the four slowly moved towards the door they had came through. Once they had come to a point with a wall tall enough to hide them, the ran quickly back inside.

"Please tell me we did not just almost die." Izzie huffed.

"Wouldn't be the first time." Dustin added.

"Well, I think we found your Russians." Robin said as they continued towards Scoops.