Basic Instinct [stranger things]

53. Air Ducts

CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE
AIR DUCTS

Steve and Aaron picked Kimmy and Dustin up the next day before leaving to go into Scoops Ahoy to try figure out what really happened in regard to the Russians.

Upon arriving, Kimmy, Aaron, Steve and Robin were sat at the small table in the staffroom once more, Dustin pacing across from them. The boy had already been up to the roof that morning, spying with his binoculars.

"There's a keycard that opens the door," Dustin told the group when he had arrived back from his trip to the roof. "But unfortunately, the Russian with this keycard also has a massive gun. Meaning, whatever is in this room- whatever's in those boxes, they really don't want anybody finding it."

"There's gotta be another way in." Robin shook her head in thought at Dustin's words.

"Well, you know..." Steve trailed off, trying to come off as calm and unbothered. "I could just take him out."

"Take who out?" Robin asked with a voice of disbelief as she tilted her head.

"The Russian guard." Steve shrugged calmly.

Aaron let out a loud laugh, scoffing at his older brothers words. "Yeah," Aaron nodded sarcastically. "Let's see how that works out for you, Steve."

"What?" Steve snapped, clearly offended. "I sneak up behind him, I knock him out, and I take his keycard. It's easy."

"Did you not hear the part about the massive gun?" Dustin retorted, Aaron genuinely wasn't sure if Dustin was actually asking or if he was being sarcastic. Knowing Dustin it could be either.

"Yes, Dustin, I did." Steve replied slowly with narrow eyes. "And that is why I would be sneaking."

"Really?" Aaron asked sarcastically, leaning his elbows on the small table and tilting his head towards Steve as he spoke. "Because I think that any one of us four have a better chance at knocking out that guard then you do. You are probably the shittest fighter to walk the face of the earth."

"That is so not true, Aaron." Steve scoffed, shaking his head as he turned to Robin in front of him, pointing to Aaron as if to say he didn't know what his brother was talking about.

"Um- actually it is, Steve." Dustin jumped in, Steve scoffing loudly causing Dustin's brows to rise. "Well, please, tell me this, and be honest. Have you actually ever... won a fight?"

Steve rolled his eyes. "Okay, that was one time-"

"Twice." Dustin corrected hastily. "Jonathan. The year prior?"

Aaron actually hadn't known that Steve had gotten into a fight with Jonathan, but he pretended as if he had known about it, just so it didn't look bad that Dustin had known and Aaron hadn't.

"Listen, that doesn't count." Steve tried to quite pathetically excuse.

"Why wouldn't it?" Dustin laughed as he folded his arms over his chest. "Because it sounds like he beat the shit out of you. You got a fat lip, crooked nose, swollen eye, a lot of blood-"

Dustin cut himself off as Robin ran past him and out of the room, the four looking to each other with confused expressions.

Steve stood and opened the textured sliding windows, Aaron and Kimmy following him.

"Robin!" Steve exclaimed when he saw that she had taken all the tips from the tip jar, running out of the staffroom with the three close behind him. "Hey, Robin! What- what are you doing with that?"