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Starcourt mall was very obviously closed by the time Joan made it over to the location, but perhaps Max and Mike weren't lying because there in fact was Steve's car still parked in the parking lot. Joan drove around to the back of the theater because, well, word had already gotten around that if you jiggle the door just right... it would open and that was the new make out spot for the basketball team.
Joan was going to be in and out with her brat of a brother and possibly her ex and her ex's possible new girl friend after giving a drug dealer a ride and rocking out... What a night.
The door trick worked and Joan hurried inside, hoping no one would see her as she snuck in to grab the idiots inside. Joan turned the corner, but ran back as one of the security guards walked by her vision.
That would definitely be a trespassing charge, Joan shuddered. But maybe if she just calmly explained what was going they'd understand. Plus, Steve worked here and they probably already know that the three were in there. Her shoulders relaxed and she stepped out from the corner, mouth opened to ask for help.
"H- mmph!"Joan barely got air out before a hand clamped fiercely down over her mouth and was yanked behind the wall and into a small storage room. She was already freaked out from Billy's assault and this only made it worse, as she tried get out of the grip she was in and scream for him.
"S-shit, Henderson! It's me Steve! Fuck!" Steve whispered harshly into Joan's ear, hissing as she bit his hand. "Dustin, tell your sister to calm down!"
Joan pushed herself free from Steve, racing forward and turning around with a racing heart towards four faces who looked at her like a live wire. "Steve? Dustin?! What the fuck are y'all-"
"Shhhh!" Steve leapt forward, hands over Joan's mouth and accidentally shoving her against the wall. Joan's eyes widened in shock and fear, Steve nervously looking around them. "L-look I know... I know this is going to seem crazy, okay. B-but hear us out..."
"Russians have infiltrated Hawkins through a super secret base underneath the mall and plan on killing us all with super powerful weapons and monsters!" Dustin blurted out quickly, heading over to stand beside Steve and looking at his sister seriously. "Those men in black are not on our side and if they catch us-"
"-They gon' kill us." Erica interrupted. Dustin pointed at her and nodded frantically.
"Yes, that."
"I-I'm going to remove my hands - and back away." Steve said slowly like she was a dog ready to run. "Y-you're going to be quiet... yeah?" Joan nodded slowly, both of them holding their breaths while Steve took a step back. Steve's eyes immediately landed on the bruise on her neck and his eyes widened in shock. "Holy shit, Ags. What the hell happened?!"
Self-conscious, Joan's hand tried to cover the bruise, but that just showed the bruises on her wrists and Dustin grabbed her hands to look at them. "Oh my God, did you get captured by Russians too?!"
