𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐲

xii. exotic matter.

AS THE two looked through all the things in the office, James kept looking at Dustin, wondering if he should bring it up, the fight. He could, but he felt like it would be too soon, especially the fact that it just happened. Maybe the Henderson wouldn't even wanna talk about it, considering the fact that the fight was with James' boyfriend, the Hopper might be biased, Dustin might worry that he'll defend Steve a little too much like he always does.

He watched now as Dustin flipped through the pages slowly and James held the flashlight for him, trying to follow along with the Henderson who was seemingly hyper focused on the pages that he was reading. "Oh, God." Dustin said and then the supercomm went off, as James stood there, reading it and trying to understand it with a confused stare. "Dustin, James, Steve, you guys copy?" When Dustin rushed off to the other room, James followed after.

"We found the shield generator. Do you copy?" Jonathan said as Dustin rushed to the floor, picking up the radio. "Jonathan, it's Dustin. Do you copy?" He shouted into it, but since the antenna broke, it was probably not getting through to them as clearly. "I can't hear you. Can you hear me? We have found the shield generator." Jonathan replied as Dustin fumbled with attaching the antenna back to the supercomm, then just held it up as he pressed the button on the side.

"Just listen to me, okay? Don't do anything! Don't touch it! Don't touch anything! Shit!" The Henderson grabs his other things. "What is going on?" James asked, confused. "We gotta go!" Dustin replied, running off into the office and the Hopper quickly rushed after him to follow. Dustin was quickly taping his antenna back on, telling James to grab the notes from Brenner's office to put into his backpack.

"Let's go!" He ran out the room and James followed, running out of the rainbow room, and towards the staircase. "Jonathan! If you can hear me, I was wrong! The shield generator, it's not a shield generator! It's not dark magic! It's something else! Jonathan! Nancy!" Dustin screams into the radio the entire way up the staircase before he stopped. "Jonathan! Nancy! If you destroy it, you will die! We will die! Holly will die! Everyone will die! Do you copy?" He kept shouting into the supercomm, stopping and looking up the staircase.

They kept running up the stairs, Dustin shouting for the two into his radio when he bumps into Steve. "What the hell are you two doing?" Steve exclaimed at them as Dustin kept running past, James following. "Listen to me! Don't touch anything!" Dustin kept shouting as Steve quickly followed right behind the two.

And then the whole entire building shook, making them all stop and fall against the staircase walls, shouting loudly. "Dustin? Dustin?" James pointed his flashlight at the boy, "James?" Steve called out next, getting up. "Dustin, hey. Are you okay? What the hell was that?" The Hopper asked, as he kneeled down next to him. "Was that the shield generator? Did they find it?" Steve came rushing up the stairs. "I was wrong." Dustin said, his voice low and quiet. "I was terribly, catastrophically wrong."

"What?" Steve says, confused as he looked at James who finally turned to him. "You okay?" The taller reached out, touching his neck and all Steve did was nod back gently. "After you left, James and I found a journal. Brenner's journal. The key to destroying that wall is in this lab, but it is not a shield generator. It isn't dark magic. Vecna didn't make it." Dustin explained, making the couple look over at him now.

"Science did." The Henderson says and the papers suddenly all made sense to James, he wasn't sure what they had been reading. "Theoretical physicists call it exotic matter. A single source of energy that is holding that giant wall together, and I think Nancy just shot it." Dustin pointed up as James furrowed his brows, turning to look at Steve.

"How is that bad? That's exactly why we're here, to get through this wall." Steve told him. "You are not listening to me!" Dustin exclaims. "Hey, relax, we are listening." James said, reaching out to put a hand to his shoulder. "He is not listening!" Dustin pointed at Steve. "I am listening." Steve argued, pointing to himself. "Vecna didn't make the wall. So he isn't on the other side, which means Holly and the other kids aren't either. Nobody is!" Dustin exclaims.