𝑩𝑳𝑼𝑬 - Billy Hargrove [1]

THIRTY THREE

THIRTY THREE|KILLER BOYFRIEND

"The Mind Flayer, it built this monster in Hawkins, to stop El, to kill her and pave a way into our world." Mike explained what had been happening in Hawkins to the three adults.

"And it almost did." Nancy added with an exhausted sigh. "That was just one tiny piece of it."

"How big is this thing?" Chief Hopper questioned, trying to understand what the kids had been up against.

"It's big." Jonathan answered, trying to think of a rough estimate. "Thirty feet, at least."

"Yeah." Lucas agreed sheepishly. "It sorta destroyed your cabin. Sorry."

"Okay, so, just to be clear, this big fleshy spider thing that hurt El, it's some kind of gigantic weapon?" Steve tried to understand, piecing together what everyone had said. "But instead of, like, screw and metal, the Mind Flayer made its weapon with melted people."

"Yes, exactly." Birdie nodded along with what her brother was saying.

"Yeah, okay." He shrugged. "I was just making sure."

"Basically, Birdie's boyfriend is trying to kill us all." Lucas shrugged, ignoring the annoyed look the girl sent him.

"Are we sure this thing is still out there, still alive?" Joyce questioned, glancing around at the group.

"El beat the shit out of it, but, yeah, it's still alive." Max nodded enthusiastically, not wanting to take the chance of thinking it's dead.

"But if we close the gate."

"We cut the brain off from the body."

"And kill it."

"Yoo hoo!" A voice echoed around the empty mall, paper rustling as Murray walked over to the group. "Yoo hoo! Okay, this is what Alexei called "the hub"." He slammed the paper on the bench, revealing a small map drawn out. "Now, the hub takes us to the vault room."

"Okay, where's the gate?" Hopper asked, passing Eleven to Birdie to look after as he stood next to the man.

"Right here." Murray pointed out on the map. "I don't know the scale on this, but I think it's fairly close to the vault room, maybe 50 or so feet."

"More like 500." Erica stated as she stepped forwards. "What, you're just going to waltz in there like it's commie Disneyland or something?"

"I'm sorry, who are you?"

"Erica Sinclair." The girl sassed, entertaining Birdie with her unbothered attitude. "Who are you?"

"Murray Bauman." He replied slowly, confused as to who the young girl was.

"Listen, Mr. Bunman, I'm not trying to tell you how to do things, but I've been down in that shithole for twenty-four hours." Erica explained to the group. "And with all due respect, you do what this man tells you, you're all going to die."

"I'm sorry, why is this four year old speaking to me?" Murray stared at the girl with shock.

"Um, I'm ten, you bald bastard!"

"Erica!"

"I like this girl." Birdie mumbled to Eleven, holding the girl close as she slowly regained her energy.

"She's right." Dustin piped up. "You're all gonna die, but you don't have to. Excuse me." He stepped forwards, gesturing down to the map. "Sorry, may I?"

Bernadette left Eleven with Mike as she followed her brother and Robin over to one of the food stalls. She sat on the counter, glancing between the two beat up teenagers.

"How are you holding up?" Steve asked his sister gently, looking over her appearance. He frowned when he spotted the bruises on her arms, the bandage on her thigh and the bags growing under her eyes. She seemed thinner than usual, a paler complexion with dull eyes that seemed to stare past him.

"I've been better." She shrugged, watching Robin pace before them. "I just can't wait to get my Billy back."

"Your Billy?" He teased her choice of wording, smiling to himself when he saw a genuine grin tugging at the corner of her lips. "I guess I'll accept him into the family. When's the wedding?"

"Oh, ha ha." Birdie rolled her eyes at his comment. "You're very funny, Steven."

"Steve!" Dustin waved over at the boy, gesturing for him to join them. "I need you to drive."

"I'll be fine, I have Nancy." She quickly embraced her brother before jumping off the counter and finding the girl. "Where we going?"

"Just follow." Nancy nodded, knowing it would be too long of an explanation. They all piled back into Nancy's car, Max and Mike carrying Eleven and helping her into the boot.

Nancy turned the key, the engine spluttering as it tried to turn on. She tried again, confused as to why it was suddenly not working.

"Pop the hood." Jonathan stepped out of the car, looking under the hood at the engine as Nancy and Birdie also jumped out. "What the hell? The ignition cable is gone."

"Billy." Birdie cursed the flayed boy, glancing around the car park for him. A car engine roared to life, lights blinding them as Billy stared them down.

"Back in the mall!" Nancy ordered, forcing the kids out of the car. They sat around, all trying to ignore Mike as he paced back and forth talking down the radio to Dustin.

"You're going to kill him, aren't you?" Birdie said emotionlessly as she stared at Nancy, watching her load a gun.

"This is just a precaution, okay?" Nancy reassured her, knowing how desperately Birdie was to getting Billy free.

"And not just against Billy." Will added, glancing at Max who seemed just as concerned. "If he knows we're here, so does the Mind Flayer."

"No chance that thing will drive, right?"

"We don't need it to drive." Jonathan followed his girlfriend's line of sight, spotting the turned over car. "We just need the ignition cable."

One by one they pushed against the car, trying to turn it over enought to get under the hood and steal the ignition cable. The metal squealed as they strained to move it, their efforts failing.

"Let me do it." Eleven said with determination, raising her hand as they all stepped out the way.

"Wait!" Mike stopped them, quickly explaining an easier way that allowed Eleven to keep her energy. They followed his instructions, the car eventually flipping. "Told you. Physics."