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"Corey? Our Corey? The same boy that practically lives with me?" Jude asked in disbelief as she stared at the people in the Byers living room. "What the hell!"
"I'm sorry. I guess i'm having trouble understanding any of this." Jonathan cleared his throat. Mike wrapped his arms around Jude, standing behind the part of the couch that he was sitting on. He mumbled something. "I mean, what exactly is going on in Hawkins? What's doing these killings?"
"We're still trying to ascertain." she nodded her head.
"Where's my cousin?" Jude demanded to know. "Is she safe? Is Corey the bad guy? I don't understand. He was just working for all of you?"
"For her safety, it's best you don't know." she shook her head at him. "Sixteen, or Corey as you call him, is okay. He isn't bad, he has been helping us this past year."
"Year?" Jude yelled.
"This is insane! This is insane!" Mike started to pace around the back of the couch.
"So this training to get El's powers back, how long is it gonna take?" Jonathan took a breath, Jude tapped his foot anxiously. Corey. His Corey. The same Corey he shared his room with most nights because he made it seem like he didn't want to go home. He should have known. But, how could he? How could he ever suspect the boy he started to see as a brother was in with the lab?
"It could take weeks, could take months." she explained honestly.
"Months?" Will yelled in disbelief.
"Until then, agents Harmon and Wallace will stay with you." she motioned toward the two men behind her.
"We're not the ones in danger." Mike gave a glare.
"Our friends live in Hawkins." Will snapped at her.
"My Dad." Jude stood up.
"My family lives in Hawkins." Mike agreed with him, gripping onto the couch again.
"And i'll work to contain the situation until Eleven is ready." she was clearly becoming annoyed. "In the meantime, it is of vital importance for you not speak to anyone about this."
Mike scoffed. "No. No way."
"I know this is difficult." the woman stated.
"Oh give me a break." Jude laughed at her.
"There are factions within our government who are working directly against Eleven, who are, in fact, searching for her as we speak." she got to her feet like Jude had moments before. "We can't risk contact. If they learned about any of this, it will jeopardize Eleven. And if Eleven is jeopardized, so are your friends and so are your families."
"No one is answering me about Corey. He's a spy?" Jude held his head.
"He needed to give us the okay for when it was time we come in again." she explained to him with a nod. "He waited until California to do so."
