STRANGER THINGS 4

Episode 3| Scene 3

004 took his foot off the accelerator and let the car roll to a stop on the side of the road. He ripped the keys from the ignition and opened the door. It was the middle of the day but as 004 stepped out of the car, no one was in sight. He walked around to the back of the car and used the key to unlock the trunk. The trunk swung upward slowly revealing Kali, her arms and feet were bound yet she stared fiercely at 004.

"Don't touch me or I'll shoot you." Kali said. 004 suddenly saw the gun in her hands pointed directly at him. He rolled his eyes and grabbed Kali's wrists, pulling her from the car, arms first. The gun de-materialized as Kali's concentration was broken by fear. 004 didn't react as the gun disappeared. He had been expecting Kali's tricks.

He pulled Kali the rest of the way out of the car and dropped her in the dirt. Kali let out a yelp but said nothing else. She knew what was about to happen. 004 looked at her and then closed his eyes for a second, concentrating. When he reopened them, Kali was lying perfectly still, her eyes a deep black. 004 reached into his pocket and pulled out a knife. He cut off Kali's bonds.

"Let's go."

Kali followed him without protest into the woods.

***

Mike and Eleven were mostly quiet as they walked back to the Byers house. Despite the silence, it wasn't awkward. Eleven was overjoyed to be back with Mike. She hadn't realized how much she missed him. It was much easier to ignore her negative thoughts when she was with him.

Mike was also happy to have Eleven back. He didn't know if she would try to leave again with the Byers but he knew that if she did, he would go with her. He wasn't going to let her go after what almost happened.

The two of them walked hand in hand through the woods toward the Byers house. It was getting dark but Mike knew the way and he felt safe with Eleven by his side. Eventually the trees gave way to reveal a road and Mike new it was Mirkwood. They were only a few minutes from Will's house.

Suddenly, Eleven's hand slipped from Mike's. He turned back to find her facing away from him, staring off into the woods.

"El what is it?" Eleven held up her finger, silencing Mike. Naturally Mike ignored her.

"Eleven we have to get home. Everyone will..." Eleven spun around and flicked her head. Mike caught a glimpse of a body fly backwards into the woods.

"Who was that!" Mike yelled. "Who the hell was that!?"

"Run Mike. Go get everyone and get them far away."

"No way I'm not leaving you. Tell me what is happening!"

"Mike!" Wills voice rang out through the night. "Mike help!"

"Will!" Mike start running away from Eleven in the direction of Will's voice.

Eleven yelled out to him, "Mike don't it's a trap!" but Mike didn't listen. He was already off the road and running through the trees, doing his best to navigate in the dark. Every few seconds he heard Wills voice and he pushed deeper into the woods, desperate to help his friend.

Suddenly the calling stoped and Mike froze so he could listen. He heard leaves cracking behind him, and turned to look but before he could, someone tackled him. Mike his the ground hard on his already injured shoulder and let out a sickening scream. The attacker kept their weight on top of Mike, pinning him to the ground. Mike was on his back, Trying to push the person off of him as they began to try and choke him. Mike suddenly recognized Eleven's sister Kali.

"Kali!" he gasped. "Kali, I know Eleven. I'm her friend." Mike couldn't say anything else because Kali's grip was too tight around his neck. Mike began to think he was going to pass out. Kali's face began to blur as his vision darkened. Then Kali's body was thrown off of him. Mike immediately sucked in a painful breath, his throat stinging.

"Mike!" Eleven rushed to Mike as he gasped for air. "Mike are you okay?" He nodded.

"Jane?" Kali's voice was full of sympathy. She walked toward Mike and Eleven from where she had landed.

"Stop!" Mike yelled. "Get away from us."

"It's okay." Eleven said, looking at Kali's eyes which were no longer black. "She's back to normal."

"What?! She just tried to kill me."

"Ill explain later but right now we have to get home. Can you walk?" Mike nodded and they made there way toward the Byers house with Kali.

***

Hawkins Lab- 1980 (6 years earlier)

"How could you do this?" Brenner asked angrily.

"I had to, they were starting to ask questions and you never would have done it yourself." 004 responded

"This was my brother and his family though! You brainwashed them. You don't understand what its like."

"Maybe if you had given me a family I would understand papa"

"You need to undo it. Benny is only a few months old. He can't live his life under your spell."

"My spell? You gave me my fucking powers. You are the one who taught me how to use them and how to brainwash people. Whenever one of your cronies started to doubt you what did you have me do? You had me take care of them, just as I took care of your brother. You know it needed to to be done. You were just to scared to to it yourself."

Brenner stared at 004, boiling with anger.

"Leave." Brenner said. "I want you gone, I don't ever want to see you again."

"Papa this is what you wanted."

"I never asked for you to do this! Now LEAVE!" Brenner yelled. 004 turned and ran down the hall. Brenner turned to a guard waiting nearby. "Make sure he is escorted from the premises. And don't let him back in."