*I do not own the rights to Stranger Things
*I do not own the rights to any characters from Stranger Things
*I am not the creator of the character Autumn
*I do not own the rights to ANY music used or mentioned in this fan fiction
*This story is an extended ending to California Dreaming by brittyaustin89, please read her fanfiction first. Otherwise this might not make sense.
Monarch: Autumn's Butterfly Effect
Chapter 2: Wanted Dead or Alive
Autumn and Stephanie were dragged into Autumn's apartment barely alive around 4am. They were drunk out of their minds, and maybe a little high. Autumn hadn't intended to be high, but she ate a brownie that took her to the moon. How they actually got home was a miracle, but Dev was always the gentleman. He couldn't leave his chick friend on the beach to be pillaged. So he drove Stephy's car home and one at a time dropped the girls on Autumn's mattress.
The two of them didn't drag their asses out of bed until 1pm that next afternoon. Autumn rolled to her left side, and squinted her eyes at the clock on the floor. She groaned in pain, as her body ached from the previous night's events. Slowly she sat up, then ever so suddenly jumped up as her stomach lurched with the movement. She had to puke.
Coughing and gagging on beer and weed brownie bits as the greenish sludge filled the toilet bowl. Stephy was startled awake when Autumn had jumped up. Then she heard all the commotion. "Autumn, you okay in there?" Stephy asked. She too was feeling the effects of the partying. Her throat was raw as fuck, and her eyes burned. "I'll be better in a few hours!" Autumn replied. She flushed the toilet and began to turn on the shower. Autumn hated feeling this way, all grimy and stinky. As she went back to the bedroom, Stephy was just slowly beginning to get up and compose herself. "Oh my god girl, I never thought I could ever party that hard. That was the absolute most fun I've had in weeks." Autumn flopped back down on her bed. "Well, I'm glad I could show you a good time. I know we haven't known each other for long at all. Like a week or so tops? But, I'm glad you came out to party with me. I hope this can be the start of a fun friendship." Stephy smiled down at Autumn. "Well for what it's worth, I really do appreciate all you've done to help me get settled into this place. It's not easy making friends. I think I've almost forgotten how. Life gets so much harder the older you get. I'm very thankful for your genuine spirit." Autumn was holding back tears. It was scary being alone in the real world. Having a new apartment, trying to find a new job, and adjusting to life without Billy. It was a lot to deal with in a short amount of time.
Stephy walked over and laid down beside Autumn. She could see in her face that Autumn was getting emotional. "Aww honey, don't get mushy on me. I got you now. Besides, we probably did something last night that we'll hear about and regret later. So technically, we could stop being friends, but then I'd have to kill you. You might have seen too much already." Stephy gave Autumn a soft hug, before getting up to leave the apartment.
"Hey Autumn, your voicemail is flashing!" Stephanie yelled as she was walking through the living room. "Hit the button for me will ya?" Autumn yelled back.
*Oh my god damn, Autumn! It's Max. It took me forever to track down your phone number! Please please call me back! It's Billy! Something happened!*
Autumn heard Max's voice, and came running to the living room. "PLAY IT BACK! PLAY IT BACK!" Autumn screamed.
July 4th-Hawkings, Indiana
The sirens on the ambulance were profoundly deafening to the residents of Hawkings, as they blared through town in the middle of the night. The noise woke several people from their peaceful slumber, but on board the ambulance, Max heard nothing. The paramedics moved around as quick as they could in such a small space, they were shouting commands at each other, and shouting at Billy to stay with them. It was loud, but Max was in a complete daze as she watched blood and medical supplies flung all over the place. Her ears were ringing, her pulse racing, she was in complete shock.
"I NEED MORE GAUZE! I'VE GOT TO PACK THIS WOUND!" "KEEP PRESSURE THERE! KEEP PRESSURE!" "COME ON BILLY, STAY WITH US!" "I DON'T HAVE A PULSE!" "START COMPRESSIONS! I'M GOING TO SHOCK HIM!" "CHARGE TO 200!" "CLEAR!" "NOTHING!" "HIT HIM AGAIN!" "CHARGE TO 300!" "CLEAR!" "OK WE GOT A RHYTHM BACK!"
"Miss? Miss? You have to clear the ambulance." The driver of the ambulance had startled Max out of her dazed state. She didn't even realize they had reached the hospital already. "Would you like to come with me, I can escort you to the waiting room?" Max stood up on shaky knees, and nearly fell back to her seat. The driver helped her to exit the back of the ambulance and slowly walked her to a chair in the hospital. Her legs felt like jello, and she needed more help than she thought to simply walk inside. The paramedic gently sat her down, and then called a nurse to her side. Max saw from the corner of her eye, Billy was being wheeled down the end of a hallway, doctors and nurses running on all sides of his gurney. They rounded a corner, and were out of sight. "What's your name sweetie?" A nurse had come with a clipboard and sat down in the chair next to Max. "I'm….Mmm….Mmm…." Max, couldn't get the words out. She leaned her head into her hands, and started sobbing. The nurse gently patted Max on the back. The two of them sat for 10 minutes, as Max's emotions finally caught up with her. When Max was finally able to speak, her voice was low and her words stammered together. "I'm Mmm Maxine Mayfield. Mmmy bbbrother Billy Hargrove. He's…..he's my bbrother." "Ok, that's good honey. Just take your take." The nurse replied, still patting Max on her back. "Can you tell me how old your brother is, and if he has any medical conditions we should know about?" "Bbbily is eight...eight..eighteen. He drinks like a fish and smokes a lot, bbbut he's he's like regular. Normal." "That's good sweetie, now can you tell me about your parents? Do you know how to get in contact with them?" "Mmmy mmmom is Sss..ss..Susan and my da...her husband is Neil. My phone number is...is…. 518-360-5922." The nurse promptly stood up, and squeezed Max's shoulder. "Great, we are going to go ahead and get ahold of your parents Max. You just sit tight. If you need me I'll be right here at the nurses station." The nurse gestured with her clipboard to the circular information desk a few feet away. "I'm nurse, Frances. You come right here and get me for anything." Maxine was just now really looking at the nurse who had been talking to her. She was an older woman, mid-50's probably, short and pear shaped, curly brown hard with streaks of gray. She looked like she could be someone's grandmother...heck she probably is someone's grandmother.
"WE LOST HIS PULSE, HE'S FLAT LINING AGAIN!" "SHIT! PUSH ANOTHER 10 of EPI, AND HANG ANOTHER BAG OF O-NEG! HE'S FUCKING LOSING BLOOD ALL OVER THE DAMN PLACE!" "I'M GOING TO SHOCK HIM! CHARGE TO 300! EVERYBODY CLEAR!" Billy's chest jumped underneath the force of the paddles. "NOTHING DOCTOR! "FUCK! CHARGE TO 350! CLEAR!" Billy's chest jumped again...there was a moment of silence then finally… "OK WE HAVE A RHYTHM AGAIN!" "THIS KID IS IN FUCKING PIECES! I NEED MORE SUCTION OVER HERE, I CAN'T SEE THE DAMN ARTERY!"
The doctors at Hawkins Memorial Hospital were working the hardest they had ever worked. Things like this had never happened in this peaceful town of theirs, and even though they were all board certified doctors, they were in over their heads. None of them had ever seen a surgery more complicated than a ruptured appendix. At least if it was something more complicated than that, they had time to plan an actual surgery. Billy's body was the stuff of war. Hawkins doctors were not prepared for this in any fashion.
Suddenly, a loud slam broke the concentration of the doctors and nurses working over Billy. Five men in military uniforms, and 3 men in black suits with white ties came crashing into the room. "HEY WHAT THE HELL IS THIS ABOUT?" The doctor asked, as he was forcefully shoved away from Billy by one of the uniformed personnel. One of the men in the suit answered, "I'm Special Agent Clark Kent, we are taking over now."
The doctor couldn't believe what he was hearing, this jackass had the audacity to make jokes at a time like this. "ARE YOU SHITTING ME? WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU, REALLY?"
The snarky suit and tie answered again, "That information is classified, my men will take it from here." The 5 soldiers wheeled Billy out of the room, and down the hall to the elevators. All the doctors and nurses left in the room, followed them out into the hall. To their shock, they found a larger military presence. At Least 10 more armed uniformed dick heads lined the hall and followed behind Billy's body, like a protection detail.
One of the soldier's radio started crackling. "Roger roger, we have the package. ETA 4 minutes." Down stairs in the waiting room, there was a large commotion, as the hospital was swarming with military forces. Just outside the emergency entrance doors, on the front lawn was a medevac blackhawk, and 6 humvees. Billy hadn't been at the hospital more than 30 minutes, before the government had come to track him down. Max knew immediately what was going on when the US military showed up. She was getting shoved around left and right as doctors, nurses, patients, and bystanders all came out of the wood works to see what was happening. And, sure enough, as the elevator doors opened to the first floor, Billy was being wheeled around the corner back towards the entrance. Military forces started barking orders at everyone and anyone in their way. "STAND BACK! STEP ASIDE! MOVE, MOVE, MOVE!" Max could barely see her brother coming down the hall towards her as more uniforms pushed people out of the way. She had to stand up in her chair to see him as he rolled by. "WAIT! NO STOP! THAT'S MY BROTHER!" Max screamed out over all the commotion, as Billy was wheeled past. Max quickly jumped off her seat and dove into the crowd. She stumbled into the back of a doctor and fell to the ground. She felt the cold tiles press against the warmth of her cheek. She wanted to start crying again, her body was so weak, especially now that her adrenaline had slowed. With what little strength she had, she pushed herself up and fought hard through the crowd to get to Billy. "STOP! YOU HAVE TO STOP! PLEASE! THAT'S MY BROTHER!" Max bull dozed her way to the front of the hospital and made it past 3 men in uniform before someone snatched her by her arm. "Hold it there little lady. Where do you think you're going?" Max turned to see the man who had grabbed her and tried to jerk away from his grasp. "FUCKING LET GO OF ME YOU DICK! THAT'S MY BROTHER! WHERE ARE THEY TAKING HIM?" The soldier had a tight squeeze on Max's arm. He smirked down at her with utter disdain. "Don't worry little miss. Someone will talk with you soon enough."
"OK MEN! ROLL OUT" The soldier heard the order of his commanding officer, and let go of Max's arm. Just as fast as they had appeared, the military was gone. Leaving Max behind with a world full of questions. Nurse Frances quickly found Max after all the chaos had died down, and made sure she was alright. She brought her back to her seat, and waited with her until Susan and Neil arrived 10 minutes later.
Neil stormed into the hospital like a bat outta hell. Susan immediately had eyes on Max and ran to her side. "Oh sweetie, are you alright!" Susan asked her daughter as she pressed her head into her chest. "Mom!" Max started crying again. Nurse Frances stood up to greet the parents, but couldn't get a word in when Neil started in on her. "Hello. I'm Fran.." "WHERE THE HELL IS MY SON!" Neil screamed in Frances's face. "WHAT THE HELL DID HE GET HIMSELF INTO NOW?" Neil was beat red, fist clenched, ready to fight anyone. "Sir, please. We aren't sure exactly what happened. He was here, and our doctors were trying to stabilize him, but they…." Neil started to scream again, interrupting Frances. "WHAT DO YOU FUCKING MEAN, WAS HERE?" "NEIL PLEASE!" Susan shouted back at him. Frances began again, trying to de-escalate the situation. "The army, military men came and they just took him. I don't know where they went, sir." "THAT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH! WHERE THE HELL IS MY BOY?"
At this point everyone in the waiting room was staring. It was so quiet, you could hear a pin drop. Max was just starting to peek up from her mother's chest when a suit and tie appeared out of nowhere. He came up behind them, and put his hand on Susan's shoulder, startling her. Neil looked over at the man, and was about to start in on him, but before he could say anything the suit and tie spoke, "Sir, and ma'am come with me please." Another, suit and tie moved in quickly behind Neil. The unknown man placed a firm hand on Neil's shoulder and pressed the cold end of a semi automatic handgun deep into the back of Neil's shirt. Susan, Neil, and Max were quickly and quietly escorted out of the hospital.