Even Stranger Things

Plan With A Twist

One looked over her shoulder, her heart fluttering against her chest when she saw the kids were asleep. She turned back towards the road and straightened up.

"Steve," she broke their silence. "I need you to promise me something."

"Anything," he said before he could stop himself.

"Look," she sighed, "we aren't sure what's going to happen. These people. . . Even though Brenner is gone, his Mini-Me Doctors are unpredictable except for one thing; they only care about getting the answers they want no matter who or what they destroy."

"Okay," Steve said slowly.

"So, I need you to promise me that no matter what happens, you'll get them out of here."

Steve looked over his shoulder at the sleeping kids before glancing back at One who was hyper-focused on where they were going.

"Anna," he started.

"I need you to promise that, no matter what happens, you will get all of them back in this car and drive them straight home," One continued, ignoring the jump her heart did when Steve said her name.

"What about you?" Steve's heart sank when he realized she didn't care about herself.

"Promise me," she whispered, her voice breaking. She looked over at Steve with soft eyes. "Please, Steve. Promise me you'll get Eleven out of here. She deserves a normal life. She deserves friends and a family and a home. She deserves the life I never had a chance to live. Please, Steve. I can handle them. But Eleven. . . They'll hurt her."

"Anna," he started, but she cut him off.

"Promise me you'll protect them, Steve. All of them."

"I will," he said sternly. "I promise I'll get them out of there. As long as you promise to get yourself out, too."

"It's not that simple," she whispered.

"Anna. . ."

"I don't know if I'll be able to do that."

"At least promise me that you'll try," Steve said, trying to get some reassurance that allowing her to go through with whatever plan she had wasn't a mistake. One looked over to see him studying her.

"I promise."

* * * * *

Within the next hour, the kids started waking up. They could feel the tension between One and Steve, but none of them wanted to ask what was wrong. Soon, they pulled up to an old gate.

"This looks abandoned," Max mumbled.

"It's not," One said instantly. "They just make it look that way so people don't come inside."

One flicked her finger and the gate opened. She ignored their quizzical looks as she drove through. They were half a mile away from the building. They could see the facility, but the people inside wouldn't be able to see them.

"You'll be safe here," she whispered so only Steve could hear her.

"Please," he sighed under his breath. "Let us help you."

The car came to an abrupt stop.

"We need to be clear about something," she started, turning to talk to the kids. "This facility is one of the most dangerous places you'll ever walk into. It would be a miracle for us all to get out, unharmed."

"Great pep talk," Lucas scoffed.

Steve's heart sank when he figured out what her plan was. He was about to say her name, but he caught himself.

"Don't do it."

"Don't do what?" Dustin asked, looking between the two of them.

"I want all of you to stay in the car," One said, looking directly at the building.

"Anna," Steve whispered. "Please."

"I mean it," she said, her voice firm. "No one leaves this car. Eleven will be out in a few minutes. The second she's out, Steve will drive you home."

"What about you?" Dustin asked, looking between One and Steve.

"How are you going to get her?" Mike asked, cutting off Dustin's question.

"There is something the doctors will want, something they'd trade Eleven for."

"Please," Steve's voice broke.

"What is it?" Mike pushed. One looked over, directly at Steve.

"Their first successful experiment," One said, not breaking their eye contact. Steve sighed before telling the kids her crazy-ass plan.

"They want One."