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a plan, hopefully
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. ✧ ・゜. +・o ✧
Gabe sat beside Will on the edge of the fountain in the middle of Starcourt Mall. Everyone else was either standing or sitting around, all their faces pale as the three separate groups caught each other up. Joyce's group spoke up first, explaining about the Mayor, Larry Kline, being involved in some shady Russian shit (more evil Russians. Great) and the kidnapping of a scientist, Alexei, who they had taken to Murray's home in Illinois (that explained the road trip) in order to translate everything the man was yammering. That was how they'd learned that the gate had been reopened, and how they immediately needed to get back home for the kids—especially Alina, El, and Will, who would be most in danger when the Mind Flayer resurfaced. It was a thrilling story, and Gabe was proud of Joyce for kicking the Mayor where the sun didn't shine for alerting the Russians to their presence at the fair, which was how Alexei had died.
Then Dustin, with the help of Steve and Robin, explained how he'd overheard a secret Russian code on his Cerebro the night he tried to contact Suzie, and had immediately rushed to Scoops Ahoy the next day in an attempt to translate it. Robin ended up cracking it, and with the help of Erica, who was small enough to fit into the vent system (that explained why Steve and Robin kept giving her free ice cream), she had let them into a hidden room that actually turned out to be an elevator, plunging them deep underground and allowing them to see first-hand the intricate machine the Russians were using to open the gate. It was strange, Gabe thought, crossing and uncrossing his legs as he listened, how everything had gotten connected, even though each group had no idea what the two others were doing. And it was this connection that had led them all together.
Mike was the last to explain all the shit the party had been through. Gabe watched Joyce, who was sitting with Alina, stroking her daughter's hair, went even paler as he, with the help of Max, wove the tale of their journey. She looked like she was desperately wishing she had been there for them.
"The Mind Flayer," Mike continued now, "it built this monster in Hawkins, to stop El, to kill her and pave a way into our world."
"And it almost did," said Max. "That was just one tiny piece of it."
