DESIDERIUM [ 3 ] ↠ STRANGER THINGS

12. OPERATION: CHILD ENDANGERMENT

➝ OPERATION: CHILD ENDANGERMENT

      LIZZIE STOOD IN THE BACKROOM OF SCOOPS AHOY WITH STEVE AND ROBIN. The latter of the two had rushed back to the shop with a blueprint of the layout of the mall that she had found in the town's archives. Dustin was walking around, still snacking on the small bowl of ice cream that Steve had allowed him to scoop for himself. Robin had returned about a half hour after her initial departure.

Robin looked around at the group triumphantly as she leaned forward, "It is fascinating what 20 bucks will get you at the Country Recorder's Office. Starcourt Mall." Dustin walked closer to the rest of the group as Robin pointed down on the table, "The complete blueprints. So this is us, Scoops, and this is where we want to get."

"I mean, I don't really see a way in."

Robin nodded at Steve's statement, "There's not, if you're talking exclusively about doors."

She pulled the top sheet away and revealed a second page of blueprints. Dustin looked up at her as a grin formed, "Air ducts."

"Exactly. Turns out, this secret rooms needs air just like any old room. And these air ducts lead all the way..." She circled the secret door room and then drew a line down a path, leading directly back to Scoops Ahoy, "Here."

Steve and Dustin started to look for a ladder and screwdriver so that they could get a better look at the air duct through their vent. Lizzie moved closer to Robin, "You know you're a genius. How did you even manage to think of that?"

Robin smiled, and Lizzie could see a small blush forming on her cheeks. Her eyes darted over to Steve, "Spending this much time in a room with Steve "The Hair" Harrington leaves a lot of time to plan how you'd escape."

Lizzie couldn't help but chuckle at that, as she heard Steve unscrew the air vent and pulling it from the wall, "Flashlight. Thank you." He took the flashlight from Dustin and shone it into the vent, "Yeah, I don't know, man. I don't know if you can fit in here. It's, like... super tight."

Dustin rolled his eyes and took the flashlight, "I'll fit. Trust me. No collar bones, remember?"

"Uh, excuse me?" Robin asked.

Steve jumped down from the ladder and turned towards Robin, "Oh, he's, uh... Yeah, he's got some disease. Chry, uh.., it's chrydo, um... Something. Yeah, I dunno. He's missing bones and stuff. He can bend like Gumbo."

"You mean..."

"Gumby." Robin questioned, as Lizzie confirmed the answer at the same time.

Steve had his hands placed firmly on his hips as he glanced between the two girls and narrowed his eyes, "I'm pretty sure it's Gumbo."

Dustin exhaled loudly as he climbed further into the air vent, "Steve, just shut up and push me!"

Steve mocked Dustin before turning away from the two girls, "Okay. I'll push ya."