Downside Up [W.Byers]

049

Ruby wakes up in an empty room with a fast jolt up. Around her hands, a large fire proof blanket was placed and wrapped tightly.

The guard mutters something in Russian to the man beside him, who slowly turns around. "Hello, girl." He says in a thick accent. "Let me go." She glares.

"We can't do that. You are very special girl. We need to do more tests." He responds, bending down to reach her level. "Leave me alone." She says angrily. In truth, she didn't need her hands to light the fire. She's been practicing and can light fires with her mind. The question is, is it worth hurting others?

"This blanket won't stop me." She says. "Why are you here. Who do you work for?" He asks. "I don't work for anyone. I'm fifteen years old." She shakes her head.

"I don't think you understand, little girl. Who do you work for?" He repeats. "No one-" The man slaps her across the face, causing her to hold her mouth open in shock. "You little shit!" She shouts.

She decides to use her mind to light the guard's uniform on fire. The Russian guard begins to shout, getting on the ground and rolling. "Oh, you'll regret that, little girl." The man once again injects her, watching as the guard continues to scream. She feels her eyes shutting, then loses consciousness.

They grab her body, bringing her to another room, where they carelessly throw her onto the floor. "Get your hands off me!" Robin yells as they throw her down as well. Soon after, Steve arrives.

"Hey.. Ruby, Steve. Guys?" Robin asks, shaking the two. "Ruby, Steve?" She continues worriedly. "What did you do to them? What did you do?" She shouts at the Russian guards.

The man slaps her across the face, causing her to groan. He says something in Russian, then the other guards pick them up, strapping Robin and Steve into chairs. For Ruby, they pick her up once again.

"Lab." The man says to the guard beside him, who nods. "No! Don't take her!" Robin shouts. The Russian walks up to Steve, lofting his head. He's still unconscious. "Don't touch him." Robin says angrily.

When Ruby wakes up, she feels a sharp pain in her palms. She glances down, seeing a deep cut in the middle of each palm. She's strapped onto a large metal table.

She tries to get out, but struggles. She whimpers out of pain, her entire body shaking. "Let me go!" She cries. None of the scientists that stand over her listen and only continue to take blood samples and cutting open other parts.

"Please." She says in barely a whisper. Suddenly, the door is pushed open as Dustin and Erica barge in. Erica uses a large electrical weapon to shock the scientists in the way as Dustin unstraps her. "Holy shit, Rube." He says.

"Dustin." She smiles, wrapping her arms around him. "Here. Wrap this around your cuts. We gotta go." Dustin says, handing her casting tape. As they run out, she quickly wraps her palms in the meantime.

"What did they do to you?" Dustin asks. "Tested, I think. They took a lot of blood." She sighs in exhaustion. "You look beaten up." Erica says. "Yeah, they also slapped me across the face a few times." She coughs.

They then barge into the room where Steve and Robin are. Erica does the same thing as she did to the scientists to the doctor, shocking him. "Hey! Henderson!" Steve cheers.

"That's crazy, I was just talking about you." He giggles as Dustin unstraps his side. Ruby unstraps the other. "Oh, my god." Robin exclaims. "Get ready to run." Dustin states.

They quickly get into a car, placing Robin and Steve in the back. "Jesus, slow down, man." Steve slurs. "Yeah, What is this, like, Indy 500?" Robin asks. "It's the Indy 300." Steve corrects. "No, dingus, it's 500!" She shouts.

"It's 300!"

"Let's say a million." She says with wide eyes. The two break out into laughter. "What is wrong with them?" Erica asks. "I don't know." Dustin responds, keeping his eyes on the trail ahead of him as he drives.

"Dustin watch out!" Ruby warns right before they drive into a large stack of metal barrels. Dustin abruptly stops the vehicle, causing Robin and Steve to shoot forward sand hit their heads.

"You guys alright back there?" Dustin asks as he turns back. The two of them only groan in response. "They're fine." He shrugs. The three of them quickly get out of their seat

"Come on. We gotta go, now." He orders as he looks to the two older teenagers. "Come on! Get out!" Erica yells. "Let's go!" Ruby shouts. They pull them out, entering the elevator and going back up.

As they ride, Steve steps onto a red transport cart. "Hey! You look like you're surfing!" Robin shouts in between her giggles. "Surfing yeah!" He nods.

"They seem drunk." Erica states. "Why would they be drunk?" Dustin asks. "I'm a natural! Check it out!" Steve yells, continuing to surf the cart. Soon after, Robin pulls it back, causing him to fall forward.

"Wipeout!" Robin laughs. Dustin crouches down beside Steve, placing his hand on his forehead. "He's burning up." He says worriedly. You're burning up." Steve responds.

Dustin reaches forward, pulling open Steve's eye. It's extremely red and clouded. "His pupils are super dilated." Dustin says, looking to Ruby and Erica. "Maybe he's drugged." Erica suggests

"Ugh. Boop." Steve boops Dustin's nose as he turns back around. "Steve, are you drugged?" Dustin asks. "How many times, dad? I don't do drugs. It's only marijuana." Steve replies.

"This isn't funny, okay? I need to know what they did to you." Dustin say sternly. "Are you gonna die on us?"

Steve boops his nose again. "We all die, my strange little child friend." Robin says with wide eyes. "It's just a matter of how...and when."

Dustin glances up at her for a moment, before looking back at Steve. "They're gonna be looking for us up there, so I need you to tell me where you parked your car." He says.

"Oh, can we make a pit stop at the food court?" Steve asks. "Holy-" Ruby places a hand on her forehead, sighing. "I would kill for a hot dog on a stick." Robin adds.

"Alright. Yeah, food. Yes, you can have as much food as you want, but only if you tell me where your car is parked." Dustin states. "Uh-oh. The car's off the board." Steve says. "What?" Dustin squints his eyes.

"They took the keys. The Russians, they took the keys." Robin laughs as Steve continues to speak. "Like, forever ago."

"That's a bummer, right?"