Crush Culture [M.Wheeler]

[15] THE BAD MEN ARE COMING!

Nori looks in the mirror back at Mike's house, sighing when she grazes her finger over her scraped cheek.

"Don't worry about that. It'll go away." Mike comments, smiling. She eyes him through the mirror, then removes her hand from her face.

"I'm just glad you're okay." Nori purses her lips, looking down at the ground. "Yeah." Mike nods, watching as she turns to look at him.

Oddly, the both of them begin to lean in, quickly interrupted by the door opening. They immediately separate from each other, gasping.

"Guys! It's Lucas, I think he's in trouble."
Dustin says, out of breath. Nori and mike share a glance, before running out.

"Do you remember how he said he was looking for the gate?" Dustin asks as he runs to the walkie talkie. "Yeah." Mike nods.

"What if he found it?" Dustin says. He turns on the walkie talkie, though all they could hear was Lucas' indistinct yelling. "What's he saying?" Nori questions.

"I don't know, he's way out of range." Dustin responds. "... son of a bitch!" They could hear Lucas say.

"Lucas, if you can hear us, slow down. We can't understand you." Mike says, holding the walkie talkie up to his mouth.

"Yes, I copy! Do you? They— about E— get out of there! They know about —Ven!" He continues to cut out. "The mad hen are coming! All of them! Do you— me? The ma— en are coming!"

"Mad hen. Does that mean anything to you?" Dustin turns towards the others. "Like a code name or something?"

"The bad men are coming!" Lucas continues. "Bad men." Mike realizes. "Bad men!"

"Stay here." He says to Eleven, running upstairs with Dustin and Nori. They quickly make it to a window, spotting multiple white vans. "What's that guy doing?" Mike questions.

"This can't be good." Nori shakes her head. "You don't think..." Dustin turns to Mike.

Mike sighs, running back off, leaving Dustin and Nori on the couch. Soon, more cars begin to drive in. "Oh, shit." Nori mutters.

When Dustin makes eye contact with one of the men, he shuts the curtains, pulling Nori to where Mike was. "Mike!"

"One second." He puts his finger up. "Mike!" Nori yells. He turns around. "We need to leave... right now." Dustin explains, speeding off.

Mike sighs, following. "Michael!" Karen calls out. He stops, then turns around. "If anyone asks where I am, I've left the country." Mike shouts, leaving his mother even more confused when he follows after Dustin.

"What?"

Running downstairs and out through the basement door, they grab their bikes and head off as fast as they could, though the bad men saw them, Dr. Brenner widening his eyes at the sight of Nori.

"Let's go!" Nori screams, biking off first, followed by Mike and Dustin. "Oh, my God. Oh, my God." Dustin panics.

"Dustin!" Lucas says through the radio. "Dustin, do you copy?" He asks. "Yeah, Lucas, they're on us." Dustin responds.