Tʜᴇ Fʟᴀʀᴇ ꕥ Lɪᴢᴢɪᴇ Jᴏʜɴsᴏɴ

sᴇʀɪᴇs ᴛʜʀᴇᴇ ꕥ 12

By the time she got back to the group, Lizzie had missed a bit. First, Hopper had given Erica and Dustin permission to navigate them, but they had to use Cerebro as a supercom didn't have a big enough signal. Then, because they needed to get there quick, it was decided that Steve and Robin would drive them there, in Hopper's car. They couldn't use Steve's as his keys had been stolen by the Russians.

"Stay safe," he said to Lizzie, holding her hand as he left. "I'll be able to speak to you as well, because Cerebro can reach-"

"Dustin, go!" Lizzie said, half compelled to laugh.

"Okay!" He kissed her cheek before her went, then sealed it with a wave.

Flora wasn't going. Lizzie didn't know the exact reason, but she knew that she would in time. It probably wasn't the best to speak to her sister right now.

And, right now, the rest of the plan was getting set into action. Finally, after about ten minutes of debate, it was decided that Nancy, Jonathan, Flora, Lizzie, Mike, Max, Lucas, Will and El were going to go to Murray's. Well away from the action. If all went to plan, when Hopper, Joyce and Murray shut the gate, the Mind Flayer would die too, and its monster.

As Joyce said goodbye to Will, Murray told Jonathan and Nancy which keys to use, and El and Hopper talked, Max and Mike let Lizzie limp, holding onto both her arms. El eventually joined them. Her battery was low, too, and she had used a lot of power in the past few days.

Lizzie grunted as she and the gang went out of the Mall, heading to Nancy's car.

"Lizzie, you're bleeding," Max pointed out, as they all went to Jonathan's car, all but Mike sitting in the back this time.

Nancy was driving, but as she put the keys into the ignition, the engine didn't start.

She tried again. The engine rumbled but didn't start.

"What's wrong?" Jonathan asked.

"I don't know," Nancy said, trying again as the engine spluttered. "No! You can't be serious! Come on!"

"Isn't this car new?" Lucas asked.

"Yes! I'm sure it's fine!" Nancy said.

''Did you leave the lights on?" Will asked, concerned.

"No!"

"Do we have gas?"

"Yes!" As everyone fired suggestions at her, Nancy growled, twisting the key hard-

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, stop!" Jonathan shouted, holding her arm. "Pop the hood."

The got out the car and checked it.

"What the hell?" Lizzie heard him from the car.

"What?"

"The ignition cable's gone!"

And they then saw why.

At the end of the empty parking lot, two bright headlights flared and another engine revved. The car's windshield was broken.

Billy had caught up with them.

"Back in the Mall!" Nancy shouted, getting them out the car quickly. "Back in the Mall! Go! Go! Go!"

"Be careful!" Mike shouted, as he and Max got Lizzie, helping her to walk.

As they got back inside, Mike got out his supercom. "Scoops Troop, do you copy? I repeat, do you copy?"

"He's giving me a headache," Flora complained in a low voice to Max, who scoffed slightly.

"Scoops Troop, I repeat, do you copy? We're trapped in the Mall and in need of emergency transportation," Mike went on. "Scoops Troop, do you copy? Billy has found us! He has disabled our car and we are trapped in the Mall. Repeat: Billy had disabled our car and we are trapped in the Mall."