✓ | 3. soldier, soldier, spy [STEVE HARRINGTON]

nineteen.

CHAPTER NINETEEN:
TODFATHER

[ THE BATTLE OF STARCOURT ]

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           "I can come down, too, if you want. The MindFlayer won't get down there."

           Thomas had been half-joking, despite the seriousness of the discussion and the situation. Hopper, who was sat on one of the ledges for the potted plants in the food court, didn't seem to appreciate the humour, and couldn't quite tell why Thomas seemed so on top of the world. And Thomas wasn't exactly going to tell him, or anyone.

            "It's too dangerous down there," said Hopper, voice and eyes fierce. He'd grabbed a machine gun from one of the Russian guards bodies which littered the floor, and Thomas tried not to be intimidated by the sight of it slumped across his chest. "If I willingly let one of you come down there, and you get hurt... How could I ever live with myself?"

          "We won't get hurt."

         "Have you looked at Steve?"

           He couldn't stop looking at Steve.

            "I can fight, Chief. Better than anybody here," Thomas argued, and the statement would have felt arrogant and self centred, if not for the fact it was true.

"Hey! Heads up!" Dustin yelled, crossing over to them from Thomas' right with Erica at his heels. He tossed a radio over to Hopper, who caught it one handed with his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "We can navigate, just from someplace safe. You need something with a high enough frequency to relay with the Russian's radio tower. And for that to happen, you need someone who's seen both their comms room and has access to a super-powered, hand-crafted radio tower, one preferably already situated at the highest point in Hawkins. Oh wait," Dustin grinned, "that's me."

Thomas flicked his cap -- which was still the Camp Know-Where design -- and laughed.

Dustin brushed him off. "If you want us to navigate, you got us. But we need a head-start... and a car."

"Shotgun," Thomas said. "Come on, let's get going, huh? Grab Steve and Robin." He looked back at Hopper after the two kids had dashed off and, grinning, held out his hand, palm up. "Keys, Chief?"

The chief reluctantly handed the heavy, decorated keychain over with a clash of the metal, and Thomas shoved them into his back pocket.

Goodbyes were quick and hurried. Thomas swept through the kids, hugging shoulders and ruffling hair, until he stopped by Eleven, still sat on one of the benches. "You're going?" she asked softly.

"Not forever," he promised, and held her face as he kissed her firmly on the crown of her head. She'd closed her eyes and now she held his arms, keeping him close. "I love you. I'll be back, I promise."