Enemy || Alexei

Chapter Seven

"TWO MINUTES, JIM." Murray says to Hopper as he dials the Philadelphia Public Library. "It's a secure line, but any longer than that and they could trace you." Murray adds on.

"Yeah, I want 'em to trace me."

"What?" Murray says in shock. "Uh...This is Jim Hopper...uh...police, chief of, Hawkins. I got this number from Dr. Sam Owens." Hopper flounders. I look at Murray, who was currently looking at Hopper with his jaw open.

"Identification code?" Hopper says as he looks at us in confusion. "You don't know it?" I ask in irritation. "You must be joking." Murray whisper yells. "Oh, no, no, I got it, I got it." Hopper chuckles as he reaches into his back pocket and pulls out his wallet.

"You wrote it down and kept it in your wallet?" Murray says with criticism. Hopper frantically waves his arm, signalling him to shut up. Murray silently snaps his fingers and taps on his wrist watch.

"'Antique Chariot." Listen. Um, tell Owens that the Russkies are opening the gate. Now, he'll know what that means. Not about the Russkies, but about the gate. Tell him that there's an entrance at Starcourt Mall. I know how to get in, but I need back up, a lot of backup. Have him call me back here at 618-625-8313." He says and Hopper hangs up.

"So, now what now?" My mom asks. "Now, we, uh...we wait." Hopper says as he puts a cigarette in his mouth and lights it. "You compromised me, Jim. You do realize that, don't you? I'm gonna have to relocate." Murray says and I roll my eyes. "How long do we wait?" She asks.

"As long as it takes."

"How can you just sit there being calm?"

"I am not calm!" Hopper says, slightly raising his voice. "Our kids are in danger!" My mom says, also slightly raising her voice. "Here we go." I whisper sarcastically.

"You said they were at the festival!"

"Which is, like, ten minutes from the gate!" My mom yells and Hopper looks at her with his mouth open. She scoffs and walks to the phone. "What are you doing? Joyce? What are you doing?" Hopper says as he gets up from the couch.

"Yes, hello. Uh, this is, uh, Antique Chariot's partner...Wheelbarrow. I don't think Antique Chariot properly conveyed the urgency of our situation."

"What are you doing?" Hopper whispers as he shakes his body in exasperation. "We can't just sit around and wait for a call." My mom says as she cover the phone with her hand and brings it back up to ear.

"No. Don't you dare patronize me! I don't know who you are, if you're some glorified secretary or what, but if you don't wanna lose you're job, here's what's gonna happen. When I hang up, you're gonna get up off your ass, and you're gonna go find Owens and tell him what's going on. We don't have time to talk about it and neither does he. He's gotta get to Hawkins, and he's gotta bring his men right now! Do you understand me?" She yells.

My mouth dangles open in pure shock at what I just heard. "Thank you. And good day." My mom says before slamming the phone back into the cradle.

"It's been exactly one minute, Joyce." Hopper says, squinting his eyes. "That's one minute too long. Sam, go wake up Alexei and tell him we're leaving." My mom says and I nod.

I walk over to the couch Alexei is sleeping on. "Alexei." I whisper as I lightly shake him.  He wakes up slightly startled and looks at me with sleepy eyes. "We gotta go. Vroom, vroom. Back to Hawkins. Come on." I say as I help him up.

We all walk outside and Murray rushes out with papers in hand. My mom and Hopper sit in front of the car while I sit between Alexei and Murray in the back. Hopper starts the car and speeds away from the warehouse.