𝙊𝙣𝙚 𝙔𝙚𝙖𝙧 𝙖𝙩 𝙖 𝙏𝙞𝙢𝙚

Russian Base

JULY 1ST 1985
Erica kept ringing the bell, annoying Robin and I. Robin had the headphones in, listening to the tape whilst I reread what we've translated. She rolled her eyes and took it off, turning around to face Erica. "I'd like yo try the peanut butter chocolate swirl, please." She said with a large cheeky grin on her face. "No. No more samples today." Robin laughed. Erica looked offended. "Why not?" She sulked. "Because you're abusing our company policy." She sighed. "Where's the sailor man?" She replied. "Sorry, he can't help you. He's busy." Robin smiled, turning back around. "Busy with what?" Erica crossed her arms. She turned back around with a smirk on her face. "Spy craft." She turned around, facing me. "I haven't been able to get you alone." She sighed. I looked at her, confused. "Is there something you need to talk to me about?" I asked. She tapped her fingers on the side and nodded. I moved closer towards her. "What is it?" I was worried in case it was something big and it was affecting her life. "Evelyn... I really really like you.. And not in a friend way..." She whispered. My face dropped. I was not expecting that. I wasn't sure what to say and fidgeted with my necklace. "Robin, I'm with Steve..." I whispered back. She shook her head and groaned. "God... It was stupid anyway. It's just a silly crush, I'll get over it. Pretend I never said anything." She hid her face in her hands. I felt awful. A few minutes went by in silence. Robin sat on the counter with her drink, reading the translation, over and over. "A trip to China sounds nice if you tread lightly." She whispered, sipping her drink. There was a knock on the door behind Scoops and she quickly got up and opened it. It was our usual delivery. She quickly signed the package and looked at the man weirdly. When he walked away, she stepped into the hall with her eyebrows furrowed. "What is it?" I asked. "Silver cat." She exhaled. "Guys, you're not gonna believe who Dustin thought was Russian." Steve sighed, walking up towards us. "You did too." Dustin scoffed. He shook his head. "No, I did not." Robin barged passed them with the notebook in her hand. She ran towards the middle of the mall and jumped onto a table, looking around. "What's up with her?" Steve asked. I shrugged. "I'm not sure." We walked up to her with confused faces. "Robin." Steve huffed. "What are you doing?" He questioned. "I cracked it." She smiled. "Cracked what?" He replied. She jumped down from the table. "I cracked the code." The smile never left her face. We all looked at each other with hope.

The mall had closed and we were sat outside, on the roof, in a pouring rain. We watched as a truck pulled up and people dressed in black stood outside the storage room. "Look for Imperial Panda and Kaufman Shoes." Robin shouted do we could hear her the thunder. Dustin looked through his binoculars and I kept wiping my face, the mascara was draining down my cheeks. Steve laughed at me and I rolled my eyes. "They're with that whistling guy, ten o'clock." Dustin yelled.
S: "What do you think's in there?"
D: "Guns, bombs?"
R: "Chemical weapons?"
E: "Poison?"
D: "Whatever it is, they're armed to the teeth."
S: "Great. That's great."
They opened the storage door and the boxes were taken in.
R: "Hey, what's in there?"
D: "It's just more boxes."
S: "Let me check it out." He reached for the binoculars which Dustin tried to pull away, shouting 'No.' They kept fighting for them and it hid the metal side, causing a loud bang. "Duck!" Dustin shouted. We all hurriedly slouched down in panic. Steve grabbed my hand and we stayed silent. We crawled inside, hoping they never saw us. We rushed through the corridors in the mall, breathing heavily. "Well, I think we found your Russians." Robin stated. We looked at one another in a panic.

JULY 2ND 1985
"That keycard opens the door but unfortunately the Russian with this keycard also has a massive gun." Dustin sighed. We stood/sat around the table. "Whatever's in this room, whatever's in those boxes, they really don't want anybody finding it." Robin shook her head. "There's gotta be a way in." Steve messed around with his cap before throwing it onto the table. "Well, you know..." He leant forward. "I could just take him out." He said, seriously. We all looked at each other and laughed. He has never won a fight. Not even a verbal fight between the two of us. "Take who out?" Robin held in her laugh. "The Russian guard." He replied. We all nodded, unsure if he's being serious anymore. "What? I sneak up behind him, I knock him out, and I take his keycard. It's easy." He scoffed. "Did you not hear the part about the massive gun?" Dustin raised his eyebrow. "Yes, Dustin, I did. And that's why I would be sneaking." He used his fingers to mimic walking and we all sighed. "Well, please, tell me this, and be honest. Have you ever actually... won a fight?" Dustin shrugged. Steve leant back in his chair.
S: "Okay, that was one time—"
D: "Twice. Jonathan. Year prior?"
S: "Listen, that doesn't count."
D: "Why wouldn't it count? Because it looks like he beat the shit out of you."
S: "Yeah, it was-"
D: "You got a fat lip, crooked nose, swollen eye, a lot of blood..."
S: "...things that all added up. I got something good out of it..." He quickly motioned towards me and then continued to bicker with Dustin.
R: "That just might work." Robin got up and grabbed all the money out of the tip jar. "Robin-" Steve scoffed. She ran out from behind the counter with her bag. "Hey, Robin! Hey what— what are you doing?" He yelled. She turned around. "I need cash." She shrugged. "Well, some of that's mine." Steve shouted. "And mine!" I added. "Where are you going?" He asked: "To find a way into that room, a safe way. And, in the meantime, sling ice cream, behave and don't get beat up. I'll be back in a jiff." She ran off and Dustin looked at her, confused, licking the ice cream scoop. Steve looked over at him and groaned. "Oh, dude! Not my scooper." He took it off him and put it back into his pocket.