"Hey, you remember what I said last year, right? We're Zombie Boy and Ghost Boy. I'm not ever gonna leave you."
"Promise?"
"One hundred percent."
***
In which Alistair fights the monster that possessed his friend alongside his friends, while trying...
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Chapter Thirty-Two: Fireworks
(The Battle Of Starcourt, Pt. 3)
***
They have a plan.
After Hopper promised a car to Dustin and Erica, they decide on a plan—Hopper, Murray and Aunt Aco to head into the secret Russian base under Starcourt to destroy the weapon that was opening the gate—it still blew Alistair's mind there was a secret Russian base under the mall—while Dustin, Erica, Steve, Valerie, Robin and Rowan would head to Dustin's Cerebro and navigate. That left everyone else to head to Murray's safe-house and hide from the Mind Flayer until the gate was closed, the Mind Flayer was dead again and the world was saved.
It was a good plan. A solid plan. And honestly, Alistair kinda wanted to hide it out instead of fighting and being terrified he or someone he loved could die. And if Rowan was with the group navigating, then she was safe from it, too.
But this plan meant his aunt would be in danger. And Alistair tried to tell himself she would be okay—she had gone into the Upside Down and into a lab crawling with monsters, she would be fine in a Russian base—but it didn't stop the fear, the worry.
So instead, he stayed close with El, making sure she was as okay as she could be. He looked at her leg and said, "You're gonna have a badass scar, Jean Grey."
El smiled. "Bitchin'."
"Hell yeah, it's gonna be bitchin'," Alistair agreed, smiling back. His smile dropped as he added, "I'm sorry I couldn't stop it in time. If I was just faster—"
"It's okay," El interrupted, squeezing his hand.
"But it almost killed you. If I—" Alistair tried again, but El gave him a steely look and said, "Al, stop. It's okay. I'm okay. It's gonna be okay."
Alistair frowned. "Okay. But El, if it doesn't work, and the son of a bitch comes after you again... I'm gonna protect you, okay?"
"I know. I'll protect you, too," El responded, her voice solemn. She held up her pinky finger, saying, "Cami said this is the greatest of all promises. At our sleepover."
"Cami's right, as always," Alistair concurred, linking his pinky with El's. They shook, solidifying the promise.
"I can protect myself, Val!" was suddenly shouted from Cami. Alistair and El turned to see Cami glaring at her sister, who was standing next to Rowan before they talked. Rowan, who hadn't moved from her spot to go with the group navigating.
And when Valerie left to rejoin Robin, Dustin and Erica and Rowan didn't follow her, Alistair understood.
His sister was staying with them.
Alistair smiled, a part of him happy about that.
He gave El's hand a squeeze before he left, standing next to Cami—just as Rowan and Steve shared a hug after talking to each other. Before Steve broke the embrace and walked away.
