voltage ; stranger things

ten ; down, down, down

  "-WHICH doesn't at all make any sense," says Nancy, shaking her head. "Why would Mrs. Driscoll be eating the fertilizer like the rats?" When there's no response, she looks away from out the window and towards the car's driver. "Jonathan?"

          Jonathan says nothing, his eyes trained on something out the windshield. She follows his gaze and when she realizes what he's staring at, her heart sinks a touch. Sitting in the car opposite of them at the intersection is Colleen and Steve, but they don't pay any mind to who's just in front of them. Instead, they're laughing and giggling and shoving each other back and forth. Then, as the car turns, Jonathan and Nancy can catch sight of Steve's hand coming to rest on her knee.

          Nancy gives her driver a sideways glance as the other car speeds away, a tense silence coming to rest upon them. "Jonathan, I'm-"

          "Stop, Nancy." He rests his forehead on the steering wheel for a long moment, his eyes squeezed shut. First he went and lost his girl over a stupid, drunken mistake. And now she's already moved on to someone else. Moved on to Steve. Steve Harrington, the dude that overcame his asshole-ness, saved her life, and picked her up when she was at her lowest. Of course she would go to him. He deserves her. Jonathan doesn't. He doesn't deserve anything about her anymore.

          He lifts his head, taking a deep breath, before swallowing and driving on. She's happy, he tells himself. That's what matters.

          That's all that matters.

•••

          That night, when the mall has closed and the Russian guards have made their delivery, the Scoops Ahoy group sets their plan into motion. They sit on the roof again, watching the steel door that separates them from whatever world-altering bioweapon lies inside (as Dustin puts it).

          "Hey, Erica, you doing okay?" asks Robin into the walkie-talkie in her hand. There's a moment of silence before it crackles to life and a response comes through.

          "Yeah, nerds, I'm fine. Operation Child Endangerment is still a go." It was Colleen's idea to bribe Lucas' younger sister to crawl through the mall's air vents and get inside the secret room, but she still feels bad about it. They offered her a lifetime supply of ice cream in exchange, and after some negotiation, she finally agreed.

          Tonight is much different than the night they sat in the rain watching the Russians. Instead of pelting rain and the damp and cold, the air now is hot and makes their palms slick with sweat. Colleen wishes she hadn't worn her denim jacket over her uniform now.

          Everyone's heads snap downwards when they hear a soft creak from below, where the back doors are. They wait, holding their breath, but nothing happens. "Must be a raccoon or something," says Robin.

          They wait for another long, eternity-like five minutes before the steel door suddenly opens, revealing Erica with a smug expression. "Get down here, nerds," she calls. "Let's see what's in these special boxes you're dying to get into."

          The four rush to scurry down the service ladder and jog to the door, propping it open with a wooden stop block they find on the floor. All along the shelves are boxes upon boxes, deliveries for the Chinese restaurant across the atrium from Scoops Ahoy.

          "No restaurant needs this much delivered in one night," says Colleen, examining the shelves. "Besides, the place isn't even that good."

          "Hey, come here." Steve gathers everyone around a box he pulls from the shelf, producing a pocket knife from his key ring and slicing the tape open. He pulls the flaps aside to reveal a square metal box inside, complete with a latch to unlock it. They all look around at one another, uneasy. They watch as he lifts the top. Inside are four circular containers, sealed tight with latches of their own and labels in Russian none of them can understand.

          "Everyone get back," says Steve, pushing Colleen behind him a bit.

          "Gee, thanks," says Dustin and throws up his hands. "For a second I thought you were worried about all of us."

          Steve flashes him a look, then grabs one of the containers and pulls it from the box. They all marvel at what's inside; a glowing, emerald substance with bubbles suspended within it. It looks like goo, telling from the way it doesn't move when he tilts it back and forth. "Holy-"

          "Collie?"

          Everyone whips around to face the door, where they find a lanky figure pointing a flashlight in their faces.

          Collie shields her eyes and squints to see who it is. Her stomach drops. "Tony?"

          Her coworker walks forward and enters the room, his eyes sweeping over the others as they exchange a frantic, silent conversation with solely expressions. "What's going on?" he asks, adjusting his glasses. "What... what is that?" As he takes another step forward, he accidentally kicks away the wooden stop and the door swings shut behind him, trapping them inside.

          "Son of a bitch," says Dustin, rushing to mash the open door button on the control panel.

          "Tony." Colleen rushes to meet her coworker, grabbing his arm. "What are you doing here? You have to leave."

          He screws up his face, pure confusion spread across his features. "Our manager said someone's been sneaking around after dark, is... what are you doing here? What are you all doing here, this is a private company area." As they begin to bicker back and forth and the others start to yell at each other, chaos descends upon the tiny room.

          "This piece of shit is broken!" Dustin complains.

          "Move, shithead, you're pressing the wrong button!"

          "Collie, get your ass over here and fix this thing!"

          "Tony, you can't be here! I'll explain it tomorrow, just-"

          They all silence as the room suddenly shakes, literally. The walls seem to stumble and the floor vibrates beneath them. Then, it stops.

          Dustin heaves in breaths, gripping his backpack. "Is it just me," he says, "or did the room just move?"

          Nobody has time to answer, for just as the words leave his mouth, they're all thrown back against the walls. The room, which they realize is an elevator, descends rapidly down, down, down underground. The six scream and latch onto each other as they're dropped dozens of levels beneath the earth.

          And just like that, they're gone.