Time After Time (a Stranger Things fanfiction)

Don't Stop Believin'

"Don't Stop Believin'"

Just a small town girl

Living in a lonely world

- Journey

Joyce glanced at her watch for at least the dozenth time. "Come on, Murray, we've got to make this call."

"One moment, please." He kept typing while Joyce read the note over again. At last the computer beeped."Voila. Okay, you are now calling from Durham, North Carolina. But, if this is KGB, they will still be able to trace us eventually, so keep it brief."

"How brief?"

"A minute, max. And ..."

"Proof of life. Got it."

"Okay."

Joyce sat down and picked up her phone. Carefully she dialed the number on the note, then she and Murray counted silently together before, at the same time, she plugged the handset into his fancy machine and he punched the button to record the call.

The phone on the other end rang, which was a relief. At least the number worked. Joyce hardly dared to breathe, hoping against hope that this was real.

When a voice came on the other end of the line saying "This is Enzo" she forgot everything that she was supposed to say for a moment. She was grateful for Murray there, reminding her of what needed to be done.

"Hello, Enzo? This is Joyce. I received your message, and I would like to make a reservation."

"Yes. Good, good," said the decidedly Russian-accented voice. "But for reservation, you need to make deposit."

"Uh, what ... what kind of deposit?"

"Forty thousand dollars."

Joyce and Murray looked at each other in shock.

The voice continued, "You have it in Hopper's trust, for the girl, yes?"

"Uh, yes. Yes. Forty thousand."

"Good."

"Bring to Yuri's Fish'n'Fly in Nome, Alaska."

"Uh, you want me to go to Alaska?" Joyce asked, confused.

"Yes. You give Yuri money, Yuri gets me money, I give him your friend. Simple trade, understand?"

"Uh ..."

Murray urgently mouthed 'proof of life' at her, gesturing with his hand to hurry.

"Uh ... first, we ... we're going to have to speak to Hopper. We need to know that he's alive."

A loud sound in the background of the call startled them both, some kind of voice, and then Enzo's voice came back. "I'm afraid not possible."

"Why not?"

"Your friend is, uh, stuck. But you give me money, I make him unstuck. You must trust me."

"How do I trust you?" Joyce demanded. "I don't know who you are."

More Russian in the background, then Enzo said quickly, "Forty thousand. Yuri's Fish'n'Fly. Two days. Do not call again." And the line went dead.