HIGHER and HIGHER - Steve Harrington x Reader

xxiii - caught

— 𝐂𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 —

THE TREK down the long hallway of the secret Russian base under Starcourt Mall seemed to last for an eternity, partly because we had to listen to Steve and Dustin complain about the current situation we were in. I tried to ignore their constant blabbering.

"I mean, you have to admit, as a feat of engineering alone, this is impressive." Dustin says.

"What are you talking about? It's a total fire hazard." Steve says, "There's no stairs, there's no exit, there's just an elevator that drops you halfway to hell."

"They're Commies. You don't pay people, they cut corners." Erica says.

"To be fair to our Russian comrades, I don't think this tunnel was designed for walking." Robin says.

I groan.

"I don't think I've walked this much in my whole life." I add.

"Think about it," Robin continues, "They developed the perfect system for transporting that cargo."

"It all comes into the mall like any old delivery." Dustin says.

"Then they load it up onto those trucks and nobody's the wiser." I add.

"You think they built this whole mall just so they could transport that green poison?" Steve questions.

"I very seriously doubt it's something as boring as poison." Dustin says.

"I think anything's possible." I say, smiling over at Steve.

Dustin notices this and rolls his eyes, so I furrow my brows at him.

"It's gotta be much more valuable, like promethium or something." Dustin continues.

"What the hell is promethium?" Steve asks.

"It's what Victor Stone's dad used to make Cyborg's bionic and cybernetic components." Robin says.

"You're all so nerdy, it makes me physically ill." Erica says.

"No, no, no." Steve interjects, "No, don't lump me in with them. I'm not a nerd, alright?"

"Why so sensitive, Harrington?" Robin asks.

"Are you scared of losing cool points to a ten-year-old child?" I tease.

Steve shakes his head.

"Hey, I don't need both of you ganging up on me, now." Steve says, pushing his hair out of his face, "And no, I'm just saying I don't know jack shit about Prometheus."

"Promethium." Dustin corrects, "Prometheus is a Greek mythological figure, but whatever. All I'm saying is, it's probably being used to make something."

"Or power something?" I say.

"Like a nuclear weapon?" Dustin asks.

"Totally." Robin says.

"Walking towards a nuclear weapon. That's great. That'd be great." Steve says.

"That's right on cue for us." I add and Robin gives me a questioning look, to which I just smile at her.

"But if they're building something, why here?" Robin then asks, "I mean, Hawkins. Seriously. Of all places. At the very best, we're a toilet stop on your way to Disneyland, but maybe that's it..."

She continues and Dustin, Steve and I stop walking. We look at each other with fear.

"You think the Russians know?" Steve asks.