HERE! I know it has been a while since the last update, last week was a rough long one. I kept you all wondering for too long. I am still on it with this story! I went through to make sure it was good to post and I hope you enjoy!
Crazy just hours since I updated the previous chapter, the news come out that a certain actor joining Stranger Things Season 4—none other than veteran slasher actor Robert Englund! AKA the Nightmare on Elm Street killer—FREDDY KRUEGER! Though I don't mean that it is Freddy Krueger coming to Hawkins, but hopefully Englund's character will give BIG vibes and what kind of secret he holds! HEHEHAHAHA!
Uh… ahem.
Today, is the 2nd of December, about two months since I posted this story on October 2nd! Can you believe it!
All right, time to enjoy!
"I can't believe it was just last night Steve and I were almost killed in this room." Jonathan said as he and Nancy reentered Doris Driscoll's kitchen; their flashlights illuminating through the darkened room.
"I can barely imagine what you went through." Nancy said, still feeling horrified that Jonathan could have been killed by masked murderer right here.
Jonathan pointed his flashlight to the fridge. "He pinned me against that fridge." Nancy looked to the fridge also, before looking at Jonathan, feeling terrible. "And that was when my face was an inch away from his."
"Oh, my g*d." Nancy put a hand to her mouth. She felt tempted to ask Jonathan how he felt and if he saw something in Michael Myers's face, but that was too much.
"I mean I thought that was it," It then baffled Nancy when she saw Jonathan almost chuckle. "—then Steve let out a battle cry and tackled Myers as he wanted a piggyback ride."
"Really?!" That made Nancy's face gape open smiling. "He did that?"
"Yeah, even when he lost his gun, he still went at him."
She wondered why Steve didn't tell them he did that. Hearing that her ex-boyfriend took the odds in tackling a serial killer to save her boyfriend… it was something that was so brave and selfless of Steve to do. Still, it may feel awkward since…
Nancy saw Jonathan looking a bit hesitant at the fridge, that caused her to worry. "Jonathan, what's wrong."
That caused Jonathan to regain his bearings. "Oh, uh nothing… it's just that… the fridge. I was thinking, what if…"
Nancy raised an eyebrow. "You're worried Michael Myers did something gruesome and stuck it in the fridge? Like the when you opened the fridge and out came that dead demodog?"
"Well, yeah… but…" He could remember how he and his mom screamed at the sight of it after they got back home after getting the Mind Flayer out of Will. He had went to the fridge to get something for Will to eat—and that was when the dead demodog fell out of the fridge at his feet.
"Then let's open it." Nancy said putting a hand on the handle, ready to open.
"Nancy, wait—" Jonathan tried to stop her, but it was too late. Nancy opened the door to fridge wide open—only to find nothing out of the ordinary.
"Oh…" Jonathan said, looking at the normal state of the inside of the fridge.
"Were you expecting a dead body in there?" Nancy asked.
"What? Ugh…" Jonathan balked. "Well… you never know…"
Nancy rolled her eyes at that. She looked at the fridge, and something strange occurred to her about the food in the fridge. A plastic carton of orange juice empty, messy slices of turkey looked like it had been chewed on, and a pie on a plate that looked like it had been eaten messily.
"Nancy?" Jonathan asked his girlfriend. "What's wrong?"
Nancy tip the plate of the eaten pie, before setting it down. "I think… he came here… and he got hungry." She realized as she closed the fridge.
Jonathan looked baffled. "You mean Michael? How could you assume that?"
"Michael is convicted killer, Jonathan." Nancy said. "When will come the opportunity when he will get to eat again?"
Jonathan thought about it, and it started to make sense. But the thought of Michael needing to eat and drink. It was hard to imagine, but at least that could mean he was a human in need of sustenance and not an immortal unstoppable being… right?
"What doesn't make sense is that…" Nancy said, walking around the room. "Why here? Why Mrs. Driscoll's house? I mean Mrs. Driscoll's of all the houses in Hawkins he would infiltrate… the very home we came to investigate for rats?"
"Well…" Jonathan said. "This house is far away from the town and much more discreet, so no one would be able to hear someone call for help."
"But it doesn't make sense. What about the rat?" Jonathan shook his head with annoyance. Was Nancy doing this again with the rats? "I mean how did it get out…"
"Nancy…" Jonathan said, getting Nancy to look at him. "I know you are wondering about what Robin said about rats and you want to find a connection… but right now that is not the priority, right now."
"So, you want me to give this case?" Nancy asked.
"Nancy…" Jonathan said. "There is a serial killer right here in our hometown, can you ask for a bigger case than that?"
Nancy made a frustrated sigh and then walked away from the kitchen.
Jonathan shook his head. Nancy seemed determine to learn more about the diseased rats and what mystery was behind it. Well, the rat was gone, Mrs. Driscoll was nowhere in sight, and now a serial killer was running amok. There goes a case they had invested in hopes of showing it to Tom and the Post.
Jonathan looked around the living room with his flashlight, catching sight of the photos on the furniture of Mrs. Driscoll and her family. Several photos of her and her husband, Jack, back when they were young. Other photos were of her children and some were of her grandchildren. Jonathan smiled sadly at them. She looked happy in here, and it made him feel aching. Where had happened to Mrs. Driscoll? The fact that Michael came here… was there any doubt that she somehow got out of the house at the sight of the masked man… or somehow Michael did something to her…
No. Jonathan thought. He didn't want to think about it. He looked again at the photos, and he felt bad about how her family would feel when they found out…
"JONATHAN!" Nancy yelled from outside the house. Jonathan now feared the worst, and he instantly darted out of the room for the door.
He ran outside around the house to where he heard Nancy's voice. He came upon the field of green grass next to the house, where Nancy was standing by, looking alright. She looked at him with an ecstatic face. "Look what I just found."
What did she find?
He followed her, where she guided him further along the green grass near a broken-down wooden structure that may have been a small barn or a shed. Next to the broken-down structure, hiding in the shadows—was a car.
Jonathan looked fixed by it, he approached around it. When he got to the back, he looked at the dirt lines on the ground behind made by the tires—this car must have drove off the road.
"What the…" Jonathan said, while observing it.
"That's what I thought." Nancy said, going the door opposite of the driver's seat, and opened it. "And it's open."
If it was open… then.
Jonathan looked at the trunk and open it with heave. Inside, looked to be a few notebooks, canteens of water, and black bag in the middle that caught Jonathan's interest. Why did it look so familiar? Why did this car look familiar to him?
While Jonathan was looking, Nancy opened the door opposite of the driver's seat and peaked in. Things looked fine as they would be. No sign of blood or anything broken. There has got to be a clue in here. She looked down and she realized it was handbag below the dashboard. Why did it look so familiar? She opened and started to scour through the contents, then she found a wallet inside. When she opened it and looked through it—her eyes widened in shock.
El had her blindfold over her eyes as she sat cross-legged on the floor in her room, behind her was the tv that was buzzing statically. In front of her, was the open school yearbook with Kevin Cole's picture, next to it was a bingo night pamphlet showing Doris Driscoll who was smiling. The other two items next to her—would haunt her every time she would look at them. One was Max's old Halloween mask she wore last year, which was the exact kind of mask Michael Myers wore. The other one—was the kitchen knife Michael used to attack her friends the night before at the Driscoll house; he had dropped it when she flung him out the window.
She had these items and pictures in front of her in order to try to find where these people were through the void. El picked a tissue to wipe away the blood coming from her nose, before putting it on a pile of many other tissues she had used before.
Mike paced around in front of the closed door of El's room. It was aggravating that even after the near-fatal encounter with that psychopath the night before, they were forced to act like nothing happened when they got back home. After returning the car back home, Mike's parents asked what had caused them to borrow the car on such short notice, Nancy then explained it was a false alarm when Hopper told her they were needed at the station concerning a co-worker of Nancy's at the Hawkins Post. Just like always, Mike and Nancy lying to their parents—even if it was getting old—the habit could not stop. If they knew the slightest of what they were really doing—then their house would become Alcatraz forever.
It was even more aggravating that Mike or the others couldn't stay the night to watch over El as they had to go to school the next day. Even when Mike, Dustin, Lucas, Will, and Max had to wait for the next six hours at their desks—just knowing that a threat was roaming their town each minute.
Now with school done, they gathered by El's request anything that can help her find what happened to Kevin, Doris Driscoll, and Michael Myers. Max was able to go back home and bring back her William Shanter mask from last Halloween. At least she had a good look at what Michael was wearing for a face. Mike still didn't understand why El needed the kitchen knife they found at the Driscoll house.
"This isn't right." Mike said. "She's taking too long."
"Chill out, Mike." Max said walking up beside him. "Just give her time."
"Time?!" Mike exclaimed. "This long is not good!"
"Well, it was her choice." Max said.
"I don't know, Max." Will said. "I don't think this long is that good."
"Plus, remember how El felt when she was kicking Michael Myers's *ss?" Dustin said.
"Yeah, must have felt cool!" Lucas said.
"No, Lucas!" Dustin said. "The way she was holding for that long, it must have drained her."
"Which is why this can't go on!" Mike said, before he was about to make his way to El's room, Max blocked him.
"What do you think you are doing?" The redhead folded her arms. "Are you seriously going to interrupt her without knocking?"
"What?!" Mike closed his eyes in frustration and said. "Max…"
While Mike and Max started bickering near El's door, Will heard the secret knock on door and went to unlock it. Entering inside Hopper's cabin was Hopper himself, Laurie, Loomis, Owens, Joyce, Steve, Robin, Nancy, and Jonathan, who carrying a bag over his shoulder.
"Are you okay?" Joyce said comfortingly to her son.
"Yeah, mom. I'm okay. Really." Will assured his mother.
Robin looked around at the inside of the cabin. "So, this is your place, Chief? It looks very cozy."
"Well, what did you expect?" Hopper grumbled as he set down his hat and removed his jacket.
"So, what happened?" Lucas asked Hopper.
"Are we getting help?" Dustin asked as well.
Hopper looked at them, only give them a disappointed look. "Larry won't set up a curfew." He grumbled. "Even after all we told them, he'd rather stick it up somewhere else."
"Ugh," Joyce grumbled. "Well, that sounds lovely."
"Bureaucrats, I tell you." Loomis grumbled as well.
"What about you, Sam?" Laurie asked Owens. "What about your people?"
"Oh, they know very well." Owens said. "Although right now, they said they were preoccupied now. They will be here by tonight—"
"Tonight?!" Hopper exclaimed. "That long?! Have they forgotten who this guy is? Hell, we need the whole National Guard to go after this son of a *itch!"
"How long are we going to hunt for this psycho?" Steve asked. "Days? Weeks?"
"If that's the time it is going to take, how long our families are going to have to watch over their backs?" Robin said, while folding her arms.
"Laurie?" Joyce asked Laurie, noticing something. "Where's Karen? Your Karen. Your daughter?"
"I asked Karen and Ted if they could watch over her for the time being." Laurie said, looking over at Nancy. "If that is okay."
"Oh, no. That's fine." Nancy nodded. "I think that's a good idea."
Will looked at the bag his brother settled on the kitchen counter and was starting to unzip it. "What's that?"
Jonathan and Nancy then looked at the bag they found in the car outside of the Driscoll house. They looked at the group with eager expressions.
"We went back to Mrs. Driscoll's place." Jonathan said.
The room went quiet until…
"WHAT?!" Joyce and Hopper both said at the same time.
"And we found a car outside." Nancy said. "We found something that you need to see—"
"EXCUSE US!" Max interrupted, as she and Mike walked toward the group. "I'm sorry, but can you pause for one second and settle an argument for us?"
That caught the group's attention, and they all focused on Max and Mike.
"Argument?" Joyce asked. "About what?"
"Who should decide El's limits: El or Mike?" Max said.
"What?" Hopper narrowed eyes. "Where is El?"
Mike shook his head in frustration, before looking at Hopper. "She's still in her room, using her powers trying to find Michael."
"WHAT?!" Hopper almost yelled. He looked in the direction of his daughter room and was about to make his way before Max blocked his way.
"What are you doing, Max?" Hopper looked at the redhead who was giving him a defying look.
"What about you? Huh?" Max asked. "Are you going to barge in on El when she is in the middle—"
"How long has she been in there?!" Hopper demanded.
"Uh…" Dustin tried saying. "She's been doing it for about more than fifteen minutes…"
That was enough make Hopper's face look appalled, before glaring at Max. "You let my daughter stay in there that long?"
"It was her choice." Max said.
"And now it ends." Hopper said.
Max made an appalled face. "You know what's the problem—with both of you?" She was talking to both Hopper and Mike. "You're supposed to be her dad." She said at Hopper, before turning to Mike. "And you're supposed to be her boyfriend, but you can't trust her? Both of you are way over your heads with overprotecting her."
"OVERPROTECTION?!" Hopper said, with his jaw open.
"Is that what you think, Max?" Mike said. "How is it we are overprotecting when we think it's unhealthy for El to keep draining herself with her powers? You want us to just stand by while she risks her life for no reason?"
"No reason?" Nancy said. "Mike, Michael Myers is still out there."
"Yeah." Steve muttered, shaking his head. "And he is unbelievable."
"You mean because he is bulletproof like an evil Superman?" Robin said.
"That would be an overstatement." Jonathan grumbled. "If he was Evil Superman then we would all be screwed right now."
"Minus that he can't fly or use heat vision which I hope he doesn't?" Dustin said, causing Loomis to look weirdly at the boy. Michael… flying? That sounded ridiculous. "He still has super strength and durability, and he is now out in the wild."
"And he is free to kill anyone at anytime he wants." Lucas said as he put a hand to his head.
"Plus," Will said. "It's Halloween."
"And it seems like he's already starting." Laurie muttered.
"What do you mean?" Jonathan asked, feeling concerned. "Has someone died?"
"Michael killed a dog." Loomis said, grimly.
"Yeah." Hopper said. "He hung Betsy Payne's dog upside down from her tree like a sick Christmas tree ornament."
"Betsy Payne's dog?" Joyce asked, horrified. Hopper nodded, and Joyce put a hand to her mouth. "Oh, my g*d…"
"He killed a dog?" Dustin said. Loomis nodded to the boy grimly.
"Not the first time he's done it." Laurie muttered, remembering what happened seven years ago. "He killed Lindsey's dog back then… this time he has hung one for everyone to see."
Dustin looked lost in thought or feeling a sense of déjà vu. "Oh, my goodness… like Mews…"
"Mews?" Laurie said, confused.
"What is 'Mews?'" Robin asked confused as well.
"Mews was Dustin's cat." Steve said.
"Yeah." Lucas muttered. "Until Dustin's pet Demogorgon ate it."
"You mean Demodog." Dustin corrected.
"Demo-what?" Loomis asked, now confused.
"It's a Demogorgon like dog, so I nicknamed them Demodogs." Dustin said. "You know it's like a compound—"
"NOT NOW, DUSTIN!" Mike, Max, Lucas, Steve, and even Hopper shouted at the same time, which spooked Dustin out of his place.
Laurie, Loomis, and Robin were the only confused as to what Dustin was talking about. Loomis looked at Owens next to him, who was not confused, but whispered. "It's a long story, Sam. For another time."
"Can we please get back to the topic at hand?" Max said, and the group focused their attention on her. "Now we know as long as that psychopath is out there, we are in deep sh*t. And El is the only one among us who can find him quickly."
Now Mike and Hopper were starting to get angry again.
"May I?" Laurie said, and everyone turned to her. "Look… what El did… last night… was incredible."
"Yeah." Robin said, almost smiling. "I mean, last night was like right out of a comic book."
"Yes, indeed." Laurie nodded. "What she did to Michael, is something I would have dreamt of doing. A monster who has been plague to me for a long time, to be just tossed around like that. I don't doubt what El could do… but what are her limits?"
"Limits?" Max balked at what she said.
"Yeah." Robin said. "I mean what she can do would make Luke Skywalker run for his money, but what about when she bled from her nose? Is something wrong with her?"
Loomis turned to Owens. "Sam? Do you know what will happen if she goes too far with her… ability?"
Owens looked a bit nervous as everyone started looking at him. He felt a bit ashamed as he remembered what the Lab did to all those children, Eleven included.
"I never took part in the experiments Hawkins Lab conducted." Owens said. "For the other colleagues and I, concerning Hawkins Lab, we were only to hear and look over the results Dr. Brenner would send us." Many of the group frowned with disdain at the mention of Martin Brenner. "I learned that whenever any of the… children were to exceed the limit of their abilities… the aftereffects would put great stress on their bodies."
"Like death?" Laurie asked.
Owens looked down a bit. "Well, very close to it. But there were many losses of blood, and blood is precious to keep our oxygen running and our brain working—"
"THEN THAT IS IT!" Mike shouted, turning everyone's attention at the dark-haired boy. "There's your answer! What's even crazier is why are we putting this up like this is a debate! We are all acting this the only plan we got, but it isn't! This is El we are talking about! And almost all of you think she can take it like she is a machine—but she isn't! And perhaps the only one besides me who has any concern for her well-being is Hopper!" That caused the Chief to look in surprise at Mike, was his daughter's boyfriend… defending him?
"I know what we saw! Michael Myers has to be stopped! But there has got to be another way! So, can we please think of another plan—because I love her, and I can't lose her again!"
With that Mike stopped yelling—till he realized what he said caused complete silence in the room. Mike widened his eyes in shock at what he just said. He… he… he just said that… he loved El… in front of everyone.
Max was just stunned and looking at Mike, as was Lucas (who balked) and Dustin, though the latter's mouth was curving into a smile.
Nancy stared at her brother with wide eyes, never thought he would have the guts to even...
Jonathan looked at Mike with the same reaction. Will looked at Mike stunned, before looking down.
Robin was now staring at this boy, who she barely knew, and how he just stood up and declared… something like that. To declare something like that in front of everyone… is what something she didn't had the guts to do. She didn't know why she felt her lips were forming a grin.
Steve thought to balk, but he just stared at Mike after what he just said. To profess his love for his girlfriend, especially in front of her dad—was way something. Steve didn't know why, but his lips were curling into a grin. Nancy's brother was turning into something.
Owens, Loomis, and Laurie stared at the black-haired boy in shock. They could not help but be impressed. Loomis and Owens looked at each other. This boy seemed more mature than he looked. In some way, they did feel ashamed. Sure, Eleven was their best chance against Michael, but they almost seemed to forget that she was human as well. And this boy was sure to remind them.
Laurie couldn't believe it, this boy was not even at the age serious high-schoolers were, but to stand up and say something like that—he sounded ten-times more mature than boys like Ben Tramer.
Joyce took a moment to smile proudly at Mike, and almost laughed at the dumbfounded look on Hopper's face.
Hopper kept staring at the boy. Not only did Mike sided with him, which was almost barely something he wouldn't expect, but he just professed in front of everyone… that he loved his daughter. He didn't know to be whether to be proud, angry, or embarrassed.
Well, at least El didn't hear…
Speak of the devil, everyone turned as they heard the door to El's room open. The telekinetic girl came out, with her blindfold down and her nose a bit bloody. She looked confused at the sight of everyone's faces.
"Is everything alright?" She asked.
"YES!" Mike and Hopper said at the same time. They glanced at each other awkwardly before turning to El.
"Everything's cool." Mike said quickly.
"Yep." Hopper said, with his lips pressed together. "One-hundred percent."
Joyce shook her head in amusement at the boys' antics.
"Are you okay?" Max asked.
"Did something happen?" Nancy asked.
Now everyone looked in concern at El, who looked at them grimly.
"I found him." She said. "I found Michael."
"Sitting down?" Robin said, furrowing her eyebrows. Everyone gather around El who was sitting down on the couch with Mike and Max.
"Doing what?" Jonathan asked.
"Nothing." El said. "Just sitting."
"Michael is just sitting down?" Will said. "As if he was…"
"Staring at a window." Loomis finished for him, and everyone looked at the doctor.
Loomis looked at Owens who understood. "Of course."
"What are you talking about?" Dustin asked.
Loomis took a breath and said. "That is what he does. For fifteen years that is exactly what Michael would do all day, when he was not eating or walking. He would just… sit and stare at the window for ages. But…"
"But what?" Max asked.
Loomis sighed. "I believe… all that time he spent sitting in Smith's Grove. I don't think he was just gazing out at nothing. I believe all that time he was locked up… he was waiting."
"Waiting?" Hopper said, feeling concerned. "Waiting for what?"
Loomis looked at Hopper, grimly. "No doubt nothing good."
"You think…" Joyce said, concerned. "He was waiting to get out."
"That could be it." Lucas said. "What if he was just biding his time?"
"Looking for the opportunity to escape!" Dustin said.
"Exactly!" Lucas said.
"Wait a minute." Nancy said. "Why would Michael be sitting down right now? I mean he's no longer in jail."
"Yeah." Jonathan agreed. "And basically, the guy has been in the asylum for almost his whole life, and now he is free. Free to do whatever he wants."
"Yeah." Hopper said. "Shouldn't he be moving and planning his next kill?"
"What if the guy is meditating?" Everyone looked at Robin after what she just said. "What? Maybe that explains why he can be so quiet."
"Robin." Steve said. "If that were true and he found inner peace, would he have bothered to try and kill us last night?"
"What if he is resting?" Will said. "I mean last night, El beat him up—really, really, bad."
"Well, yeah." Max said, almost smiling. "I mean El just kicked his *ss before dumping him out the window."
"I shot him six times and he fell out of the window, exactly seven years ago this day." Loomis said. "He was able to get up in a moment and disappear from sight. When we found him, he was still moving—I doubt he cared for resting if he had the chance to take more lives."
"Kids," Laurie said. "If there is something I have learned in the past seven years… is that you always have to assume the worst from Michael Myers."
"El." Owens leaned a bit closer to El. "You said he was sitting down? Where was he sitting down exactly?"
"Somewhere." El said quietly. "In the woods."
"Which woods exactly?" Owens asked.
"What for?" Mike interjected. "What do you want to know?"
"Mike," Hopper said. "We need to know where he is."
"So, what? That's the plan?" Mike said. "You have El detect where he is, so you can do what? What are going to do when you find him? You going to go at him with guns blazing?"
"Hopper, don't you remember?" Nancy said. "I shot this man several times, and he just brushed it off like the bullets were pebbles!"
"Then we will be prepared this time!" Hopper said.
"Oh, really?" Laurie said. "You mean when you ditched us, and you decided to go by yourself into that house? Even after we told you, you still underestimated Michael! That mistake should have cost you your life!"
"I had him in my sights!" Hopper retorted, looking straight at Laurie. "He got the drop on me, but he won't next time…"
"Oh sure…" Laurie said sarcastically. "Go on with that confident cop-talk…"
"GUYS!" Will shouted, which caused everyone to stop and look at the boy. "Can everyone please settle down, so I can ask one question?"
"What is it, sweetie?" Joyce asked.
"Just… what is in that bag?" Will pointed at the bag, Jonathan brought in. Nancy and Jonathan looked at each other and nodded, as the couple made their way in front of the bag and unzipped it.
"Where did you find this?" Loomis asked.
"We found it in a car just outside Mrs. Driscoll's house." Nancy said.
"A car?" Hopper said.
"We think Michael was using it to drive." Jonathan said.
"Drive a car?" Joyce said, baffled.
"Yes." Everyone turned to El after what she said. "I saw him in the void. I saw him driving a car while he was following you."
"So…" Robin said feeling almost horrified. "Yesterday when we were in the station wagon… he was following us?"
"Are you kidding me?" Steve shook his head. "He goes to jail and when he gets out, he's He-Man strong and he also has a driver's license?"
"I would never have permitted Michael to learn how to drive on my very life." Loomis said, sternly.
"If that is so, how the hell can that guy drive then?" Dustin asked.
Before Loomis could respond to Dustin's question, Nancy took out what look like a wallet.
"What's that?" El asked.
"We found this in a handbag below the dashboard." Nancy said as she held the wallet before taking out a picture from inside. "And you won't believe who it belonged to."
Nancy held up the picture for everyone to see. In the picture were a man and woman with arms around each other, looking very happy together. Hopper widened his eyes as he recognized them for two journalists, he met days ago. Jefferson Hall Wilbur and Debra Banks.
"Them?" Hopper said.
"You know these people too, Chief?" Owens asked.
"You know them too, Doc?" Hopper asked Owens, baffled.
Owens looked down a bit, before looking at the group. "Jefferson Hall Wilbur and Debra Banks. They were from the Chicago Sun Times."
"How did you meet them?" Loomis said.
Owens bit his lip before saying. "I got call from Dr. Hoffman from St. Culpa's. He told me how two journalists were allowed to come and see Michael."
"He was allowed to have visitors?" Jonathan asked.
"Well, unlike Hawkins Lab, St. Culpa's is supposed to be under the pretense of being a mental asylum trying to cure the mentally ill."
"Right." Nancy sarcastically said. "You people are always hiding yourselves underneath your sheep's clothing."
"Sheep's clothing?" El said, confused, as she looked at Owens. "Why would you wear a sheep's clothing?"
"El." Mike said softly to her. "I'm sorry, but not now."
Owens continued. "As I was saying, when the journalists were interviewing Michael, it was noted that Mister Hall wanted to get a reaction out of Michael—so he showed him his mask."
That caused a gasp from all over the group. El looked lost in thought and remembered now.
The people from the bathroom. They shouted names. Not just Michael.
But also, Debra.
The man and woman in the photo. They were the journalists.
She saw through the void, Michael opening a car. It was their car. The mask. They had his mask.
"Those people…" El croaked, and everyone looked at her.
"El, what's wrong." Mike said, putting a hand on his girlfriend's shoulder.
She looked at him and then at everyone. "The people… in the bathroom. I saw him. I saw Michael kill them. And then he got his mask from their car."
That caused horrified gasps from the group. Nancy and Jonathan looked at each other horrified. For someone like Michael to not simply steal someone's car, but also murder them—because they had his mask.
Robin looked lost in thought and then realized. "The gas station!"
Everyone now looked at the blonde girl.
"What?" Steve said.
"The gas station!" Robin said. "That blew up! There were two bodies in the bathroom! Those were the bodies of the two journalists!"
Steve and Hopper looked at each other, as Loomis and Owens looked at each in realization. It made sense. When they came in Hopper's cabin and found El screaming—she had seen Michael kill the journalists at the gas station—the next day he blew the place up—in order to cover his tracks.
"Holy sh*t…" Steve said. And plus, Billy was there… and that meant…
"The mask." Loomis looked at Owens. "Why did they have the mask? I thought it was supposed to be in the evidence locker."
Owens sighed. "Well, they claimed they had a friend who was pals with the district attorney's office, and they were allowed to borrow it. I thought when I made it clear to them, that they would return it. I could tell you; they were a bit persistent."
"Yeah, doc?" Hopper said. "Well, I didn't keep them long in my office to have them pushing on my nerves."
"Wait a minute." Joyce said. "They went to see you, Hopper?"
"Yeah, why?" Hopper said.
"Just… when did you meet them?" Joyce asked.
"They came to my office three days ago." Hopper answered.
There was silence in the group.
"Three days ago?" Laurie said.
"October 28." Robin said.
"The night of—" Mike said. It was the night when he, Hopper, and El were about to sit down and…
"The bus crash." Owens said.
"The blackout." Nancy said.
There was a pause, and everyone looked at each other.
"These journalists…" Joyce said. "They came to Hawkins on the same day of the blackout."
"Which was the same night Michael's bus crashed." Owens said.
"Just outside of Hawkins." Robin said.
"This can't be a coincidence." Laurie said.
"Hold on." Max said. "You're talking about journalists. What do journalists—along with a blackout have to do with Michael's bus crash."
"The blackout…" Nancy said. "Happened when Michael's bus was just right in the bounds of Hawkins."
"And those journalists coming to Hawkins on the same day." Dustin said. "How can that be a coincidence, Max?"
Nancy quickly opened the bag she and Jonathan found. She opened to reveal what looked to be a tape recorder, along with several tapes.
"Is that a tape recorder?" Will said.
"Yeah." Jonathan said. "We found it in the car."
Hopper came forward and looked into the bag and the tape recorder. He pressed the eject button of the recorder and popped open was a tape still inside. Hopper took out the tape to look at it. Loomis saw the writing on the tape and his eyes widen at what it said: Loomis Interview 1/22/79.
"That recording…" Loomis said, catching everyone's attention.
"You know this, doc?" Hopper asked.
(Halloween 2018 OST Prison Montage)
Loomis took the tape in his hands to look at it, feeling a wave of déjà vu. "This is a recording of my statement after Michael's trial."
"Your statement?" Mike asked.
"Even though we lost the case and Michael's custody to Dr. Brenner… I still persisted that it was all in vain." Laurie now looked sympathetic to her friend. "Months after, I tried to find ways to convince them Michael was a lost cause and that he was deemed fit for death row."
It needs to die. IT NEEDS TO DIE!
Loomis looked down. "But it was useless. With Hawkins Lab… they had a reputation and resources…" Owens looked down in shame a bit.
"Those pigs…" Nancy scoffed with disgust.
"Seriously?" Robin said. "What kind of people were they? They sound just like what conspiracy theorists would talk about?"
"Dude," Dustin looked at her. "You have no idea."
"So…" Will said. "This is what you wanted to show us?"
"The tapes are not the biggest thing we found." Nancy said, as she pulled out something else from the bag. She unfolded it and displayed to everyone was a map—a map of Hawkins.
(Stranger Things 3 OST Are You Sure?)
"What is this?" Hopper took the map in his hands, flattening out on the small table for everyone to see. "What's so big about this map?"
"Look closely at it." Nancy said.
Everyone looked further and they circle in red and black—a structure that said Hawkins Lab. There were several arrows and lines leading to it, as it looked like a rendezvous…
"Hawkins Lab?" Robin said.
"Why would they go to the Lab?" Nancy said. "It's a rust bucket, now."
"What if…" Joyce said. "Strangers coming to Hawkins… the same day the blackout and the bus crash happened."
"The blackout." Lucas said. "What if it was…"
"A distraction." Dustin said.
"Yeah." Will said. "Like the Siege of Shadow Gate."
"Shadow Gate?" Steve said.
"D&D!" Will said. "It's like when we went against the gate of darkness."
"Guarded by the army of goblins." Mike said.
"Are you talking about a board game?" Laurie asked, confused as was Loomis and Robin.
"Oh, c'mon." Hopper frustratingly said, as he put his hands to his head. "Not again with this stupid kid's game."
"This happened before?" Robin raised an eyebrow.
"Hey!" Dustin said. "This stupid kid's game is what guided this party and has been the perfect analogy that helped understood the Upside Down in the first place."
"Oh, really?" Hopper scoffed. "Did you bring that handbook with you? What is it going to tell us next? Shoot Michael Myers with fireballs? Witches? Magic curses?"
"Oh, I see." Owens said. "So… this is what you used to name the Upside Down dimension and its monsters. This was your way of understanding them."
"The Upside Down?" Loomis said, looking confusingly at Owens.
"You said 'monsters?'" Robin said.
"Are we really talking about a board game?" Laurie said, looking oddly at Owens.
"What has this got to do with everything right now?" Max said, demandingly.
"Yeah." Steve agreed. "Care to enlighten us to how your game applies to the journalists and the blackout?"
"Well, you see…" Lucas said. "We had to go up against the Goblin King's horde, but we were outnumbered."
"Yeah and we were in deep sh*t." Dustin said.
"So, I rolled, and I managed to pull up my trick." Will said.
"What trick did you use?" Joyce asked her son.
"I casted fog cloud." Will said. "I casted a fog, which distracted the goblin army, while Mike and Lucas snuck in and went in to take out the target—"
"So, it was a distraction!" Hopper interjected, which caught everyone's attention. "So, the blackout may have been caused so that…"
"So, no one would notice…" Owens realized. "When Michael's bus crashed." That caused everyone to look in horror.
"But who could have been able to cause a blackout?" Joyce said. "Someone who would be discreet or have the influence… what if it's them?"
Everyone looked at Joyce, confused.
"Who are you talking about?" Laurie asked.
"The Lab!" Joyce said. "What if it's them again! People who would know about Michael Myers! They would do something like this!"
A pause transpired, leaving the group to think. Hopper had his jaw opened, and he was speechless. El looked away and the more she thought about… she started to dread it. Could it mean…
"Owens?" Hopper looked at the former Hawkins Director. "Do you think… someone in your organization would do this?"
Everyone looked at Owens, who looked down before looking up. "We… well, after the scandal about the 'leaked chemicals' came out and when we had to shut down Hawkins Lab… there were several people in our organization… who strongly disagreed. They were more in favor of… the old ways. So, we had to discharge some… and let me remind you we had a big mess to clean up. Do you remember when I told to let things cool off for a year?"
The kids looked at Hopper, who nodded. "Yeah, last year, back in Hideaway."
"You mean the thing that led to the stupid rule of why El can't go out in public?" Mike said with disdain towards Owens.
"Yes." Owens nodded. "But for a good reason."
Hopper's eyes widened. "You mean… there were people…"
"Yes." Owens nodded. "Well, I don't know. But it was strongly possible that some of them still kept surveillance here in Hawkins, and that it wouldn't be safe when they would learn that Eleven was alive. I thought a year would be enough to convince others that nothing strange happened in Hawkins anymore and they would leave things well enough alone."
"Until now you mean." Loomis said. "Until Michael got out of that bus and into Hawkins."
"So, that's our theory?" Mike said. "The bad men are back, and they took an opportunity to get Michael out?"
"So, they hatch some sort of evil genius plan to crash the bus and help him out?" Max said.
"No." Loomis said. "I know Michael. He doesn't care about any other people's agenda. He doesn't align himself with others. He would express his gratitude by slitting your throat."
Steve couldn't resist to put his hand on his throat. "Geez, thanks doc, for having me to picture that."
"Then I guess that means we are not dealing with a team player." Robin said.
"But is that good?" Will said. "That would mean the bad men won't have Michael on their side."
"But if that's true, then our situation is worse." Lucas said.
"What do you mean?" Dustin asked.
"If Michael is not in league with the Lab, then…"
"It means we have two problems to worry about instead of one." Mike said.
"Michael Myers," Dustin said, while lifting us his fingers. "And the bad men."
El cringe at that. If the worst was true… then the bad men were back.
"We have to know, then." Joyce said. "We need to know if they are back."
"Joyce?" Hopper furrowed his eyebrows. "What are suggesting?"
"We need to go back." Joyce said. "To the lab."
That caught everyone's attention.
"The lab?" Nancy said, baffled.
"You mean the place where…" Laurie said.
"Mom," Jonathan said. "That place has been shut down for a year."
"Jonathan," Joyce looked at her son. "If these people were responsible, what wouldn't stop from going back to their base of operations."
"It's possible." Everyone looked at Owens. "I think it very unlikely, but if there is a chance…"
"Then we need to know." Loomis said. "We can't handle two problems at once. It is Michael we need to worry about, but if there is something going on in that place…"
"It's too good to be ignored." Laurie said.
"Then that settles it." Joyce said. "I'm going."
"What?" Jonathan said, baffled.
"Mom, no." Will said, he didn't want his mother to go back to that place, at least not alone. "Mom, it can be dangerous."
"Joyce," Hopper said. "Listen to him—"
"I have to know, Hop!" Joyce said, looking at him. "I need to be there to see it myself!"
"I'm coming, too." Owens said. "I out of all of us know the place very well."
El thought she too would know the place. She was raised most of her life in that building. The last she was there she closed the gate. It would make sense that she should go…
"I will come, too." Loomis said. "I like to see this place myself. And I think I would like to get some answers."
Hopper sighed. "Then I will cover you when we go there."
"What about us, Chief?" Dustin said, as everybody started gathering around, looking at Hopper.
"You kids are staying here."
"Oh, c'mon!" Mike exclaimed; the others shook their heads. El had a look of dismay on her face.
"Why not?" Max asked.
"If it's the bad men from the Lab, then I don't want them to get their hands on you if it is them." Hopper said, leaning towards them. "You are all staying here! Where it's safe!"
"Chief?" Hopper turned to look at Steve and Robin. "We really want to come with you." Steve said.
"No." Hopper shook his head. "Absolutely not…"
"Chief," Steve said. "You are going to need back up, not just the four of you."
"Have you learned nothing from last night?" Hopper said, with gritted teeth.
"So?" Robin said. "This time we will be prepared! We really want to be there and help you check the lab. We will cover you."
"Before you argue, please listen." Steve said, and Hopper nodded. "Look, I may not have my badge yet, and last night was almost a fatal mess up. But we went into that house because we know you couldn't do it alone. You hired us. We may not have been in the law as long the other guys back at the station—but we know what the stakes are. And we won't back down."
"You need as many people as you can." Robin said. "And we will by your side 100%."
Hopper looked down a bit. He knew Steve was a tough bird, and Robin well… he felt sorry that she was dragged into all of this. He didn't want to endanger them like last night. Still, when he told Steve to leave him at the Driscoll house, that kid went in like a loyal bird and came to blows with Myers. Robin as well when she and Nancy came in to see if they were okay. They could have left if they had wanted to… but they didn't. They wanted to stick by him… and saying no wouldn't be answer they'll take.
"Alright…" Hopper sighed before looking at them. "But no matter what, this time you will do as I say."
Steve and Robin smiled to each other, before Nancy spoke.
"Why do they get to go? What about us?"
"You two will stay with the kids." Hopper said.
"What?" Jonathan protested. "No way! We're coming with you." He looked at Joyce.
"No." Hopper looked at Jonathan. "If something happens to us and we are compromised… I need you to take care of the kids. If this place is compromised, you get in the cars and drive back to Wheelers."
Hopper looked at Nancy. "When you get to your house, your parents will listen to you." Now Nancy understood.
Loomis faced Laurie and held her by her arms. "Laurie, I need you stay here with them. If anything happens, you have to be with them when you leave for the Wheelers… to make sure Karen is safe."
Karen. Little Karen. Laurie understood.
"I understand." The Strode woman said, before hugging Loomis. "Just be careful, all right."
Loomis hugged the woman back. "I will."
(Stranger Things OST Soldiers)
A while went by and everyone was helping Hopper, Joyce, Loomis, Owens, Steve, and Robin get ready for their mission. They set out a row of guns they would be needing in case. Plus, they pulled out a box of flashlights to guide through the no-doubt dark lab. They put on their long jackets. Loomis still wore his tan trench coat, and he made sure his Smith & Wesson Model 15 gun was locked and loaded.
"You know how to shoot that right, ma'am?" Owens asked Robin, as she held a gun.
"Yeah." Robin said. "Like a camera… and there's the safety and off… right?"
"I can't believe you're going." Dustin said in disbelief to Steve. "You're supposed to be the babysitter."
"I am, bud." Steve said, putting a hand on Dustin's shoulder. "But I also have a job. I got to do this. I'll just be… babysitting them."
Dustin still felt unsure about his best buddy going to that horrible place. "If you die, I die."
Steve smiled and ruffled Dustin's head. "Never gonna happen, bud."
"So, we use these to communicate with each other?" Laurie said, as she held a walkie talkie, alongside Loomis, Lucas, and Max.
"Yes." Lucas said and then he turned to Loomis who held one as well. "Although when you get to the lab, I don't think the signal will make it."
"I see." Loomis said. "Well, we'll be sure to contact you before we enter the place."
"And you better contact us first thing when you get out of there." Max said.
Further away, Joyce was talking to her two sons. "Alright, I have to go." She looked at Jonathan. "You protect your brother while I'm gone?"
"Yes." Jonathan nodded immediately. "Absolutely. You know I will, mom."
Joyce smiled appreciatively, before looking at Will. "Listen to your brother, do what he tells you to do and be safe."
"I will, Mom." Will said, looking at his mom tenderly. "I will."
Joyce smiled again and then stretched her arms to engulf both of her sons in a hug.
(Stranger Things OST You're a Fighter)
Sitting on the couch, next to each other, were a certain dad and daughter.
"Why can't I go with you." El asked.
"If…" Hopper said, looking down before looking at his daughter. "If the bad men are back… I don't want them to get you back. It would be over my dead body."
"I can fight." El said, trying to feel determined.
Hopper smiled at her. "Better than any of us. But I need you safe. If they are back… I want you far away from them as possible. And there's another bad man out there… and I don't want him anywhere near you ever again."
El looked down, she knew who Hopper was talking about. He was talking about Michael. He saw what he almost did her the night before, and how she was almost…
"Hey." Hopper said, while using a hand to brush hair out of El's face, before El looked at him. "I just want you to be safe. Do you understand?" Though a bit adamant that she couldn't go with him, El nodded. With that the girl hugged her adoptive dad, who gave it back. They both held on to their hug for a moment, both almost afraid that if…
"Chief Hopper?" El and Hopper broke off their hug to see Loomis standing before them. "It's time."
Hopper understood and nodded. He looked at El, who smiled at him and nodded. With that, he stood up from the couch to go put on his coat and hat.
Mike stood as he watched the people who were now about to set off from the lab. He felt a bit unsure and worried. It was like when El and Hopper left to go close the Gate at the Lab. Even though El was not going, it was now Will's mom, and Steve who he thought was douchebag for his sister, but later turned out much more than he was two years ago. Owens, who he was unsure of at first due to his association with the Lab, had risked his life to save them at the Lab and helped them after the Lab shut down. He didn't know Robin and Dr. Loomis for that long, but he knew they were people that they can trust and rely on. And now Hopper was going. If anything happened to Hopper, El would be devastated, and for that Mike felt a bit ashamed. He didn't get to say his talk with both El and Hopper, he didn't know when he would get the chance again. But… he could at least say something.
"Hopper?" Mike said, catching the Chief's attention who turned to look back at him, after putting on his hat. The next thing Mike did, was lifting his hand which was holding a flashlight. He held it up for Hopper to take. "Be careful."
Hopper looked at the flashlight and then look at Mike with an appreciative smile. He took it. "Stay safe, and I will, kid." That made Mike smile.
Hopper turned on the station wagon and back up a little, ready to drive forward. Opposite to his seat was Joyce, behind them were Loomis, Owens, Steve, and Robin—ready to embark to Hawkins Lab.
They looked out the windows one more time to see El, Mike, Max, Lucas, Dustin, Will, Nancy, Jonathan, and Laurie standing at the porch of the cabin. They nodded and waved to them, hoping that they would come back safely.
With that, Hopper stepped on the gas pedal and drove the station wagon away from the cabin.
Now everyone in the porch started to worry.
For Dustin, he didn't how Steve would fare in the Lab. Steve's never been to the lab before, and neither had Dustin, and no doubt it was anything but pleasant.
For Will, he was starting to feel insecure about how his mom would fare. He knew she had been the lab, and even went there to rescue him, but still. Will could just hold on to his brother close, who hugged him back, feeling the same concern for his mother.
For Laurie, she didn't know why Loomis had to go. He has never been to Hawkins Lab, but he had insisted to go. To somehow find out if a rogue faction of Owens's organization was there and were responsible for Michael's escape? Hunting Michael was Loomis's thing, this was different.
For El, she now wished she was with them, with her adoptive dad. Just like they went to the lab together last year. And yet, what Hopper meant that if the bad men were back… the thought of being taken back by them. El's face almost cringed thinking about it. She could still remember the screams she made, the dark room, and her Papa's face. She didn't want to see those halls again, and yet Hopper and the rest were going—not knowing what to expect.
Mike saw his girlfriend's face, and he put an arm around her and held her close. She was worried for Hopper. The way Hopper drove off with the others in his station wagon, was just like how he and El left in the station wagon last year to close the gate. At that time, he just gotten El back, only for them to separate again, and Mike had prayed with his heart that it would not be the last time. Thinking about it made him hold El closer to him, caressed her arm and put his chin on her head.
Hopper and the others just need to see if it is true and come back as soon as possible. Before things get worse.
THERE! Stop right there! I know it took long, but I'm glad! A chapter like this will almost all the characters in one room together! But planning! Now the group has split into two: one staying at Hopper's cabin and the other on their way to investigate the lab!
Hope you caught things that looked very familiar, and my twist on them with a slash of Halloween!
Felt right to include Dungeon & Dragons back into the mix, and no doubt Will enjoyed involving it! "Can we play D&D now?"
That Mileven declaration in front of everyone and writing Mileven—I LOVE IT!
You may be wondering the code names for the groups—I'll get to that next chapter!
We are getting closer to a one big chapter I am SO excited to show you!
So bear with me, review, and I will see for it next time!