𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙧𝙮 𝙥𝙤𝙥! 𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙫𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙩𝙤𝙣

SCENE TWENTY ONE. never ending corridors.

"i mean you have to admit as a feat of engineering alone, this is impressive.'' dustin said as the five walked through the seemingly never ending corridor, piper lingering slightly behind the four who were walking together.

"what are you talking about? it's a total fire hazard. there's no stairs, there's no exit. there's just an elevator that drops you halfway to hell.'' steve added as they continued to just walk. there was no point in walking. the corridor never seemed to end.

"they're commies. you don't pay people. they cut corners."

"to be fair to our russian comrades. i don't think this tunnel was designed for walking. think about it, they developed the perfect system for transporting that cargo.'' robin added and she was right of course. the long corridor was built for cars, to pick up those boxes and lead them somewhere else.

"it all comes into the mall like any old delivery." dustin added a nod to robin's comment.

"and then they load it up onto those trucks and nobody's wiser."

"it's so simple that nobody bats an eye." piper added as well, steve throwing a look of his shoulder to the girl who wandered behind them.

"you think they built this whole mall just so they could transport that green poison?'' steve returned to the conversation. remembering about the green liquid which had been in the canister.

"i very seriously doubt it's something as boring as poison. it's gotta be much more valuable like promethium or something.'' dustin chuckled as they walked. 

"what the hell is promethium?" steve soat, throwing a glance to dustin who was only looking forward, they all were. except the piper who was constantly throwing glances over her shoulders. always watching her back.

"it's what victor stone's dad used to make cyborgs bionic and cybernetic components.'' robin mumbled as she added the comment about the comics she read occasionally.

"you're all so nerdy, it makes me physically ill. expect from you, you're kinda cool.'' erica spat at the group before throwing a look over her shoulder to the girl lingering behind them. arms wrapped around herself as if she was trying to keep herself warm.

"no, no, no. don't lump me in with them. i'm not a nerd, all right?" steve spat, giving erica an offended glance.

"why so sensitive, harrington? afraid of losing cool points to a ten-year-old child?" robin laughed, causing both dustin and piper to chuckle at her comment as steve scoffed.

"no, i'm just saying i don't know jack shit about prometheus." steve snarkly answered and piper rolled her eyes at the boy. he was such a fucking idiot sometimes.

"promethium arsehole. promethus is a greek titan.” piper spat. and robin laughed as steve only rolled his eyes at piper's statement.

"but whatever, all we are saying is it's probably being used to make something."

"or power something."

"like a nuclear weapon?"

"totally."

"walking towards a nuclear weapon, that's great." steve mumbled as he ran a hand through his hair one more time.

"if we die harrington, i'm going to fucking kill you." piper replied

"why me!" steve exclaimed, spinning on his heel to face the girl. looking down at her, and he couldn't help but note how she wasn't looking any better. she still looked cold. skin a shadowy bluish purple. and those red lips were tinted blue too.

"because i just wanted was some fucking cherry ice cream." she added and robin couldn't help but laugh. remembering how the girl had in fact only come in for ice cream a few days ago, and now she was trapped god knows where with steve harrington.

"good god the tension between you two is so overpowering. just like kiss or something.'' erica commented and both teenagers' heads turned to snap at the girl who was looking at them with a disgusted grimace, her arms crossed over her chest as she narrowed her eyes at the pair.

"not a chance!" both spat at the same time. robin and dustin throwing amused glances to one another.

"but if they're building something, why here? i mean, hawkins. seriously of all places. at the very best, we're a toilet stop on your way to disneyland.'' robin said, returning to their previous conversation, watching as piper lingered over to her way instead of following after steve.

"well that it isn't, we're a small town. hawkins is the type of place you just scan over on a map, not bothering for a second look. it makes sense to build something like that in a small town that most people just pass by. most people from the town don't leave.'' piper explained adding her opinion to the situation. holy shit. and of course she was completely right.

"you did." steve mumbled, throwing the girl a glance. face now filled with regret, robin watching his softened face. guilt. his face held guilt, as if she was the reason she left in the first place. and judging by how her eyes didn't meet his at first. it was true.

"and i came back." is all she replied finally looking at the boy once again, this time her face held a small smile. cheeks no longer tinted blue. but more of a red. and it was as if a lightbulb struck steve and dustin. turning to look at each other.

"do you think the russians know?" both boys slowly got down to talking as the three girls continued to walk. hearing their conversation about ice cream become muffled.

"about-

"they could."dustin added, shrugging his shoulders as steve ran a hand through his hair.

"so it's connected?'' steve questioned looking at the younger boy, whose face held the evident look of confusion. it just didn't make any sense.

"maybe."

"how?"

"i don't know but it's possible." and steve looked towards the group walking away. mainly piper, the girl last night that had acted almost the same way as will.

"and piper do you think-'' dustin started. looking towards the girl who was now laughing at what erica had said. steve didn't want to believe it. it couldn't be that. his piper couldn't be plagued with that thing. not her.

and they turned to look at the two boys, a whizzing noise echoing down the corridors. coming from erica's bag. followed by voces. russian. and steve and dustin came running over as erica pulled the walkie talkie from her bag.

"a trip to china sounds nice, if you tread lightly.'' robin repeated catching onto a few words the russians were saying over the radio. and piper's head popped up.

"it's the code." she added and robin nodded.

"wherever that broadcast is coming from-"

"it's close. and i there's one thing we know about that signal.'' robin added grinning to the two boys.

"it could reach the surface."

"we could escape.'' piper mumbled to herself as she looked between them. she wanted out of her, she knew whatever was wrong with her was changing her. fast. she didn't want to lose control. not down here.

and it finally came to an end, that one long corridor had reached an end.  a corner. she could have cried in delight as she heard the men walking and driving around before remembering they would most likely kill her on sight. steve had pulled her behind some air ventilation boxes. her chest pressed against hers as he held a hand over her mouth. wide eyed staring up at him. hearing the car pass before her motioned for them to follow him.

"pull shit like that again, and i'll slit your throat." she spat the second his hand left her mouth. he couldn't help but chuckle at the girl's comment. as they ll piled out from behind.

"and they say romance is dead." dustin mumbled watching the smirk lift onto robin's face.