The Mutants (Stranger Things Fanfic discontinued)

8

Where the hell was Hopper, Joyce thought while she kept thinking up ways to keep Robin around. She had Robin go around shelving things, ring a couple of costumers up (the poor girl seemed nervous talking with people and kept trying to avoid eye contact), then asked a little about the girl's background to past the time. Of course, Robin didn't say much about it, clearly hiding something. 

"Is there anything else you need me to do?" Robin asked, seeming anxious as she fumbled with her fingers. Joyce busied herself with thinking up more ways to try to stall Robin when the door opened. 

"Oh I'll be with you in a sec," Joyce called out to the costumer. As Joyce was about to turn her attention back to Robin. It was then Joyce noticed the girl's expression change dramatic. A look of panic beamed from her eyes as she began to back away from Joyce. 

"Um-- is there a bathroom or something?" Robin asked her. Joyce nodded her head while she pointed over towards the back room. Robin scurried down the aisle like a rabbit trying to escape a fox as she slipped into the ladies room. Joyce turned as she watched a woman in a fancy suit with a couple of suit men walked around the store. Her eyes were scanning the store almost like a hawk searching for a mouse. 

"Um-- can I help you?" Joyce asked while she wander towards the woman, keeping her eyes darting between the woman and the men. 

"Yes, I'm with Social Services. We have received word that one of our missing children was here." She told to Joyce. Joyce pretended to not a clue what they were talking about. 

"No, no children were in here. I've been alone for most of the day." Joyce lied to them. 

"Then you wouldn't mind if we search the area." The woman said. Without even waiting for a response from Joyce, they proceeded to roam the store, even barging into her office and the back rooms. 

"Hey! Wait a minute! Hold on one second!" Joyce screamed as she struggled to avoid being run over by them, "Do you guys even have a search warrant? I said--" 

"Ma'am, if you please just step aside, this will all be over in a minute." The woman cut in, her voice completely emotionless. Joyce opened her mouth to ask for them to leave when a loud banging echoed through her ears. Joyce and the woman rushed near where all the noises were coming from to find a couple of the men had broken into the restroom. 

"EXCUSE YOU!" Joyce screamed while pushing the men to the side, hoping to stand between the girl and the people barging in. However, the moment she entered the restroom, she found it was empty. There was no sign of the girl anywhere. Joyce cleared her throat and turned around to face them. 

"As you all can see, there are no children here. So now, I must ask you all to leave." She ordered motioning for them towards the front door. The men began walking out of the restroom. The woman stood there for a minute before turning around and slowly vanished from the room. Once they were gone, Joyce turned around as she began searching for the woman. 

"Robin! Robin, are you here?" Joyce called out, but no one answered. She looked around for a couple more minutes till she had to face the fact she was not there. But it was impossible. The only way to get out of the bathroom, except for the front door, was through the narrow, window that could barely fit a cat. And there was no way, she could get through there... right?