𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐲

xxi. toddfather.

MURRAY SET down the paper as they were gathered in the seating area of the food court. "Okay, this is what Alexei called the hub." Murray explained. "Now, the hub takes us to the vault room." Jim spoke up, "okay, where's the gate?"

"Right here. I don't know the scale on this, but I think it's fairly close to the vault room, maybe 50 feet or so." He said as he points between two rooms on the papers. "More like 500." Erica said as she walked up to James who was on the other side of the table Joyce, Jim and Murray were at.

The three all look up at the ten year old as James smirked, glancing to the others. "What, you're just gonna waltz in there like it's commie Disneyland or something?" She said as James glanced at his dad. "I'm sorry, who are you?" Murray asked and she answers right away with the same sass, "Erica Sinclair. Who are you?"

"Murray... Bauman."

"Listen, Mr. Bunman," she said with a raised hand, "I'm not trying to tell you how to do things, but I've been down in that shithole for 24 hours." She then turns to James' father. "And with all due respect, you do what this man tells you, you're all gonna die." She said and James looks to his dad.

"I'm sorry, why is this four year old speaking to me?" Murray said, gesturing her hands to Erica. "Um, I'm ten, you bald bastard!" She exclaimed making her older brother look to her. "Erica!" He scolded her. "Just the facts!" She simply says.

"She's right. You're all gonna die, but you don't have to." Dustin said and stepped over, "excuse me," he gestured between James and Erica who step out of the way. "Sorry, may I?" He says as he reached out to the papers on the table.

"Please." Murray said with an obvious forced smile and James sits down on the other chair when Dustin sat down. "Okay, see this room here? This is a storage facility. There's a hatch in here that feeds into their underground ventilation system. That will lead you to the base of the weapon. It's a bit of a maze down there, but between me and Erica, we can show you the way." He explains.

"You can show us the way?"

"Don't worry, you can do all the fighting and the dangerous hero shit, and we'll just be your... navigators." Dustin said as he gestured from him to Erica and back to him. "No." Jim refused. They look up at him expectantly, and confused. "Nope." He says as he shakes his head.

"Dad," James followed his father who was grabbing a radio and a gun off one of the Russian men. "Yeah, James?" Jim said as he cocks the gun. "Uh... I-I wanna go with you guys, down the Russian base, come on, I know what to expect and-and I'm eighteen." He reasoned with him.

"No, you should stay with the kids, Steve especially..." He turned to his son who gulped and glanced over at Steve. "I-I-" "I can tell that he really means a lot to you..." Jim says and James pursed his lips. "Dad, please let me come with you guys..." He whispers and his dad put a hand to his shoulder. "I just want you to be safe..." He tells him.

James glanced down defeated before walking over to Steve and Robin, jumping up onto the counter with crossed arms. "What's wrong?" Steve asked and James glanced over at his dad who was with the group of kids. "I wanna go with my dad..." He said and Steve looks at him, with furrowed brows. "And why can't you?" Steve asked.

"He says he wants me safe or some shit." He said and kicked something on the floor, glaring at the floor. Steve was thankful James was rejected to go down to the Russian base again, he, too, wanted James to be safe. "Hey! Hey! Hey! Steve! James! Robin!" Dustin called them over and James groans before they all went over to him.

"Oh, man," Steve said as they exit the mall, "now this..." He pointed to the car as he tossed the keys in the air and caught them. "This is what I'm talkin' about!" He exclaimed and James cringed. "Toddfather?" Robin asked.

"Oh, screw Todd! Steve's her daddy now." He said before jumping into the driver's seat and James hopped into the passenger's seat as Dustin, Erica and Robin get the backseat. "Did you just talk about yourself in the third person?" James asked with a confused look at his boyfriend.

"Did he just call himself daddy?" Erica said as Robin helped her hop into the backseat. Robin hops in after her. "Okay, where are we going?" James asked as he glanced over his shoulder at Dustin. "Weathertop." He said and James nods, putting on his seatbelt. "Stevie, I'll give directions, go on," he gestured and Steve started the car. James pointed which turns Steve had to make until they were driving down a dark road, "Jesus, how far is this place, man?" Steve asked, sounding annoyed.

"If you were gonna be such a bitch about it, you should've let me drive!" James shouts at Steve, turning off the radio. "Suzie must be pretty special, huh?" Robin asked suddenly. "I mean, if you built this thing and lugged it all the way to the middle of nowhere just to talk to her?"

"I mean, nobody's scientifically perfect, but Suzie's about as close to being perfect as any human could possibly be." Dustin said and James rolls his eyes. "She sounds made-up to me. She sound made-up to you?" Erica asked Steve who didn't answer right away, "why are you hesitating, Steve?" Dustin asked in disbelief and annoyance.

"I'm—I'm—I'm not! I'm not!" Steve defends himself and James sighs, crossing his arms. "I think she sounds real. You know, totally, absolutely real." He said and James looks back at Dustin. "He told me he thinks she's definitely made-up because of the fact you said she was hotter than Phoebe Cates," he said and turned the other way.

"Turn here, Steve, left!" He pointed. "There's no road?" Steve said, sounding confused. "Turn left now!" Dustin shouted at him. "No yelling in the car when someone is driving!" James yells at Dustin as Stebe shouts, "Jesus, hold on!"

They burst through a fence and entered a field, "woah! Henderson, where are we going?!" Steve shouted at Dustin. "Up!" Dustin exclaimed. Steve kept driving until the car couldn't go any further. "Well.. Toddfather sucks anyway." James sighed and Steve gives up, putting the car in park then turning off the engine before they all get out.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

   

   

authors note :))