American Heroes: A Stranger Things 3 Fic

The Team

The blades of grass tickle Will's neck and ears. He lays with his back flat on the ground, the radio in his hand, listening to Max and El chatting a few feet away from him. Mike and Lucas went back to Mike's house for food, bringing their walkie-talkies with them in case anything happens, but everything is quiet so far.

"So this Mind Flayer thing," Robin says over the radio, "possessed you last year and killed a bunch of people in Hawkins Lab, and you got it out of you, but now it's back?"

"Basically," Will replies.

"And Lucas was there?" Erica asks.

"Yeah."

"My brother, Lucas Charles Sinclair?"

"Uh-huh."

"I don't believe you."

Dustin snorts. "So you believe everything about El and the Mind Flayer and all of that, but you question your brother's involvement?"

"Correct."

"Anyways," Robin continues, "you think the Russians could have some sort of gate to another world opened here under the mall?"

"Yeah."

"And you want us to find it so you guys can close it?"

"Yeah."

"Huh. And you're not afraid of getting possessed again?"

"I mean... it's not the same as last year. This time, anyone can get Flayed. Not just me."

"You really are one of the bravest kids I've ever met."

"I'm really not."

"Oh, quit being humble, Byers," Steve cuts in. "I've fought a demogorgon and demodogs, but I couldn't imagine being chased by one of those things for an entire week in the Upside Down. That takes guts."

"Have you guys seen anything yet?" Will changes the subject.

"Nada," Dustin replies. "Just hallway as far as the eye can see. Over."

"Okay, just tell me when you do see something. Over." Will sets the radio down, sits up, and watches Max teaching El how to braid her hair. "Mike thinks you're corrupting her," he blurts out at Max but immediately wants to smack himself on the head for it.

Max guffaws. "Mike can go shove it." Then she eyes Will. "Yeah, we heard you guys at Scoops, you know. Do you think I'm corrupting her?"

"No."

Max looks back to El who's observing the both of them. "Do you think I'm corrupting you?"

El smiles. "No way."

"It's because you're the only girls in the Party," Will says. "He thinks you'll team up against him or something."

"Bullshit." Max shakes her head, leaning back on her elbows. "There's four of you to two of us. You guys have us overruled. Either way, we're barely in the Party as it is."

El frowns, but stays quiet while Will says, "We're not teaming up against each other. We are the team. The Party. Both of you included."

"Alright, maybe you and Dustin can straighten Lucas and Mike out. Mike especially. Get him to chill the hell out." Max laughs, stirring up a giggle from El as well.

"Mike's too high-strung for that," Will says, drawing more laughter from the girls.

"What's that?" Mike asks a few feet away from them. Him and Lucas are climbing up the hill with their arms full of food. When they reach them, they drop the food into a pile by Cerebro. Mike looks at Will.

"Nothing," he replies, suppressing a laugh when he sees Max and El collapse into a fit of giggles. Mike eyes him suspiciously, then grabs a box of cereal and chucks it to Will before plopping down beside him.

"So what's the news on the Russians?" Mikes nods to the radio.

Opening the box of cereal, Will lifts a shoulder. "They're still in the hallway."

"Shit," Lucas says. "That's one long-ass hallway."

Mike nudges Will. "Hey, so my mom said Nancy and Jonathan were looking for us. You, more specifically."

"Nancy and Jonathan?" Will frowns, wondering why in the world they were looking for him. "Did your mom say why they're looking for me?"

He shakes his head, reaching into the cereal box in Will's hands and grabbing a handful for himself. "Nope."

"Huh... maybe it's about my mom."

"You think?"

"I don't know what else. Unless they know something about the Mind Flayer."

"Something we don't?"

"It's possible, I guess." Jonathan had been looking at his photographs of a rabid rat a few nights ago. Could that have something to do with it?

"If it is about your mom, maybe they do know something about the Mind Flayer or the Russians. It can't be a coincidence that they're looking for us while Hopper and your mom are off in Illinois."

"Did your mom mention where Jonathan and Nancy are?"

"No, all she said was they were looking for us and had something important to ask."

Letting out a sigh, Will falls onto his back and squints up at the clouds. Lucas puts a hand on his arm. "I wouldn't worry too much. Chances are, it isn't even about the Mind Flayer or the Russians."

Will forces a smile, hoping he's right.