5th December, 1985
Previously on Stranger Things 3: After Hawkins Lab seize control of Bradley's Big Buy in search of their escaped test subject, the gang come up with a plan to escape. However, they soon discover that the Shapeshifter is on the loose, hiding somewhere in the supermarket.
Dr. Brenner climbed atop a milk crate, and the crowd's whispers hushed to a silence.
The soldiers formed a barrier between them and Dr. Brenner, who stood with his hands on his hips, his piercing eyes flicking between each member of the crowd.
The crowd shifted and shuffled, and Mike found himself being squashed between Lucas and Max.
"We have reason to believe that an interdimensional predatory creature is on the loose in this supermarket," explained Dr. Brenner. "It has already taken one life, and I have no doubt that it intends to kill again."
"Bullshit," yelled Kenny, stepping forward. "If there was a monster runnin' around, somebody would've seen something!"
An uproar from the crowd followed, and many amongst them began to hurtle accusations towards Dr. Brenner, accusing him and his soldiers of killing Robert themselves.
"Perhaps, they already have," Dr. Brenner suggested, which silenced the crowd. "You see, this creature has the ability to
change its physical form at will," he explained. "This is a murderous, violent creature," he reminded the crowd in a cold, cutting voice, "and it could be any one of you."
Mike, Lucas and Max shared an awkward glance.
"We will continue to hold interviews with everyone in this supermarket, until the Shapeshifter is found," Dr. Brenner explained, before stepping down, and disappearing down one of the aisles.
Once again, an uproar from the crowd followed, as people cried, scorned, and questioned the doctor.
"Do you think it's really true?" asked Lucas, his eyes wide with fear. "Do you think the Shapeshifter's really here?"
"No way," Max argued. "The last time any of us saw Robert, he was being dragged away by Brenner's goons," she reminded them. "They've killed people before, so, who's to say they didn't kill Robert too?"
"Because, Robert wasn't just killed," a familiar voice interrupted. "He was completely torn apart."
From out of the crowd stepped Nancy and Steve, approaching Mike, Lucas and Max.
"What happened?" asked Mike, relieved to see his sister.
"We found Robert's body," Steve explained.
"It was the Shapeshifter," Nancy assured them. "It ripped him to shreds," she explained, her voice trembling. "Dr. Tamblyn's missing too."
Mike had been stunned into silence. His heart was pounding, and he was running out of options.
"Look, you guys aren't gonna like this," Max began, "but maybe Brenner's right."
"What are you talking about?" asked Mike.
"Maybe Malcolm is the only one who can stop the Shapeshifter," Max explained. "Maybe he should be helping Brenner, not hiding from him."
"You don't know what Brenner's capable of," Nancy assured Max, her eyes narrowed. "He stole Malcolm from his home when he was just a little boy," she reminded her. "If he finds him again, he will never let him go. We can't let him win."
"Nancy, look around you," said Lucas. "Brenner's already won!"
"Not yet," said Mike, firmly. "We're getting out of here, remember?"
"You are?" asked Steve. "What's the plan?"
"Wheeler!" a nearby voice yelled, suddenly.
Turning around, Mike was faced with Gordie, the store clerk, stood between a couple of armed soldiers.
"What do you want, O'Connell?" asked Steve.
"Dr. Brenner wants to see you," Gordie explained to Mike. "He has some questions."
"That's not going to happen," Nancy assured him, before stepping in front of Mike. "I'm not letting that creep anywhere near my little brother."
"Me neither," Lucas added, before also taking up a spot in front of Mike, his wrist rocket in his hand. "If you want Mike, then you're gonna have to go through us."
Suddenly, the soldiers cocked their guns, and aimed them at the gang.
"Wait a second," Mike urged, before shoving Nancy and Lucas from out of his way. "It's okay," he assured them. "I have to go."
Mike stepped forward. Peering over his shoulder, he whispered, "If I'm not back, don't wait for me. Just go."
They nodded, and Mike followed Gordie and the soldiers down the aisle, and into the manager's office.
"You know, I grew up in a small town not unlike Hawkins," said Dr. Brenner, leaning on the desk in the manager's office, his blue, piercing eyes fixed on Mike.
"Goodsprings, it was called," Dr. Brenner continued, smiling warmly. "About an hour's drive from Spokane, Washington." He chuckled, then added, "The cherry pie was to die for."
"Why are you telling me this?" Mike snapped, eyes narrowed in distrust towards the doctor.
Dr. Brenner's smile faded. "Because, I loved my home town, and I'm sure that you love yours too," he said, taking a seat opposite Mike. "Which is why I need you to understand that… all this… everything I do, I do to protect towns like Hawkins."
"I don't understand, " Mike admitted.
Dr. Brenner sighed, then said, "You see, Michael, there are people out there who do not share our love for perfectly innocent towns such as Hawkins, or Goodsprings, or for the whole of the United States, for that matter." He leaned forward, then added, "To them, our very way of life is an insult, and something they would seek to destroy."
Mike was confused. He gazed out the window, which offered nothing beyond a glimpse at the thick, eerie mist that had settled upon Hawkins. Within it moved the shapes of all sorts of murderous, violent creatures.
"No, I'm not talking about the monsters in the mist," said Dr. Brenner in a calm, gentle voice. "I'm talking about the ones on the other side of the ocean."
"The Russians?" asked Mike. "What have they got to do with any of this?"
"Michael, for the last thirty years, I've dedicated my life to staying one step ahead of the Russians," Dr. Brenner explained. "MKUltra, Hawkins Lab - our name may have changed over the years, but our mission has always remained the same: to protect this country against any threat imaginable."
"What about the Shapeshifter?" asked Mike. "Isn't that a threat?"
"Perhaps," Dr. Brenner uttered softly. "Or, it could be a valuable asset."
Mike's heart sank as he came to a shocking realization. "The Shapeshifter," he uttered, his voice trembling. "You wanna use it as a weapon!"
"Not a weapon, Michael," Dr. Brenner denied. "Think of it as… reconnaissance," he insisted, smiling cruelly. "You have no idea what we could learn from such a creature."
"You're insane," Mike assured him.
Dr. Brenner's smile faded. "Where's the boy, Michael?" he asked, in a cold, cutting voice.
Dr. Brenner sighed, then rubbed his forehead. "I can see that I'm wasting my time," he said, before rising to his feet. He approached the door, then added, "You leave me no other choice."
Dr. Brenner swung open the door, and to Mike's surprise, Jane stood in the doorway.
"Jane?" Mike uttered, confused.
At the sound of her birth name, Jane smiled faintly.
"That boy is our key to finding the Shapeshifter," Dr. Brenner explained, before turning to Jane. "Do what you have to do," he insisted coldly.
Mike's heart raced. He was glued to his seat.
Jane approached, wearing a tight-fitted jumpsuit, and a pair of fingerless gloves, her hair slicked back.
As she stepped in front of him, Mike noticed tears in Jane's eyes.
"Mike," Jane uttered. "Just tell me where he is," she pleaded.
Mike's eyes were wide with horror. "What if I don't?" he asked, dreading the answer.
Jane wore a pained look. She turned to Dr. Brenner, who nodded in encouragement, before turning back to Mike. "I don't want to hurt you," she assured him.
Mike's eyes narrowed. "You already have," he replied.
Jane sighed, before raising her hand towards Mike, harnessing the telekinetic energy in her palm.
Mike winced. This was going to hurt.
Tears streamed down Jane's cheeks. She cried, before lowering her hand. "I can't," she said.
Behind her, Dr. Brenner sighed. "I was hoping it wouldn't come to this," he uttered.
Suddenly, Dr. Brenner drew a gun, and aimed it at Jane's head.
"Tell me where he is!" Brenner yelled, his eyes bulging with rage.
"Papa!" Jane yelled, as Brenner pressed the gun to her head.
"Stop it!" Mike cried. "Please, I'll tell you where he is!"
Dr. Brenner turned to Mike, and eyebrow raised. "Well?" he said.
"He's here!," Mike finally admitted, "in the supermarket."
"Where?" Dr. Brenner asked, still clutching the gun.
"I don't know," Mike promised. "We all just told them to hide."
Dr. Brenner lowered the gun, his eyes narrowed. "Them?" he echoed curiously.
Mike stammered. "I… Uh…" he began, his voice trailing off.
"Michael," Dr. Brenner uttered softly, "who is Malcolm with?"
Mike's heart was pounding in his chest. He continued to stutter. "I… He…"
"Papa," Jane interrupted assertively, stepping in-between the two of them. "Let him go," she demanded.
Dr. Brenner sighed. His face twisted into a smile, and he nodded in agreement, before turning to Mike. "Return to your friends, Michael," he instructed, "and, please, do try to behave."
Mike nodded, before rising to his feet, and approaching the door.
Mike swung open the door, then turned to Jane, who offered him a gentle but warm smile, tears still trickling down her cheeks.
Mike stepped out of the office, and slammed the door behind him, never once looking back.
Mike's footsteps echoed into silence.
Jane clenched her fist, and the air snatched Papa's gun out of his hand, before lowering it into Jane's palm.
Looking down at the gun, Jane said, "You shouldn't have done that," before turning to face Papa. "You shouldn't have tricked him like that."
Papa only chuckled. "Don't tell me that you've come to care for that boy," he said, his smile fading. "Those people out there cannot help you, Eleven-"
"Stop calling me that," Jane interrupted, her eyes narrowed. "That's not my name."
Papa sighed. "Five," he uttered. "Can you find him?"
"Only if you promise me something," said Jane.
"What's that?" asked Papa.
"Promise me you won't hurt him," Jane demanded.
Papa chuckled. "Eleven," he said, "I would never hurt the boy. I've spent years searching for him."
"Then why do you need this?" asked Jane, clutching the gun, and shoving it in Papa's face.
Papa snatched the gun out of Jane's hand. He ejected the magazine, and poured a pile of darts into his hand. "Do you know what these are?" he asked Jane, shoving his hand into her face.
Jane shook her head.
"They're tranquilizer darts," Papa explained. "They're sedatives." Papa reloaded the gun, and handed it to Jane. "I was never going to hurt any body, Eleven."
Jane grasped the gun, noticing its light weight.
Suddenly, she came to a shocking realization.
"The Shapeshifter," she uttered. "You're not trying to kill it," he realized. "You're trying to capture it."
Papa was confused. "Well, of course," he said. "Do you have any idea how much we could learn from this creature?"
Jane was aghast. "It's killed people" she reminded Papa, her voice trembling.
"And it will kill again, unless we can learn to control it," said Papa, pacing up and down the office.
"It's a wild animal," Jane assured him. "You can't control it!"
"You're right," said Papa, "I can't." He turned to Jane, then said, "But, maybe you can."
Jane shook her head. Her hands shaking, she lifted the tranquilizer gun, and aimed it at Papa.
Papa's eyes widened in fear. "What are you doing?" he asked.
"Stopping you from making a terrible mistake," said Jane, her finger on the trigger.
Papa raised his hands. "Eleven-"
Jane squeezed the trigger, firing a dart into Papa's neck.
Papa yanked the dart out of his neck, a shocked expression on his face.
"I told you not to call me that," said Jane.
Papa became drowsy. His eyes rolled into the back of his head, and he fell to the floor.
Jane dropped the gun.
She knew what she had to do.
Next time on Stranger Things 3: The gang attempt their escape from Bradley's Big Buy. Meanwhile, Malcolm and Will are found, and the Shapeshifter finally reveals itself.
-G