Suzie worked hard through the afternoon. She took care to keep her tracks covered as she went through military databases. She looked over and saw Mike still asleep on the couch. She worried about him, in the same way she worried about all of her friends and family. Granted, being Mike's friend was never easy, but the man always had the Party's back. She remembered when he really became her friend.
High School
Suzie was walking past the gym when they jumped her. A group of boys led by Troy Walsh came out of a stair well and pushed her down. One grabbed her backpack off of her while the rest held her down. Suzie tried to fight their grip but they were to strong. One of the assholes pulled out her bible.
"Oh yea, this retard doesn't worship Jesus like the rest of us." Troy snarled. Suzie rolled her eyes, how little this wastoid knew, but she didn't think now was the time to argue faith while being pinned down.
Troy then pulled out pages from her bible, tossing the pages around. "Stop it, that's my parents!" She cried. James laughed as Suzie began crying.
"Get off of her NOW!" A voice came from behind them. Troy looked over and laughed. "Oh look, it's Frogface!" Troy said. Suzie looked over and saw Mike Wheeler walking out of the locker room. She was slightly relieved to see him.
Mike was angry, seeing four boys /attacking a girl over something dumb but once he realized it was Suzie, Mike was going to hurt someone. "Why don't you make us, Frogface." Troy said. Mike needed no other invitation.
He went for the first boy, Hank, and punched him across the face. Mike grabbed him by the back of his shirt, and slammed his head into another boys' face. Mike dropped Hank and grabbed the stunned boy, a skittish boy named Grey, and kneed him in the stomach. That was enough to drop Grey as he fell down gasping for air.
James got up, allowing Suzie to get away, and walked towards Mike. He had gotten bigger as they entered High School, and Mike wasn't sure he could fight him. Mike though had not made sound and rational decisions lately.
James sent a punch towards Mike's head, who ducked down and rushed past him and delivered an elbow blow to his back. Pressing his advantage, Mike kicked the back of James knee and brought him down. Mike then delivered a powerful kick to the back of his head and knocked him down.
Mike looked over and saw Troy struggling to pull his knife out of his pocket. Mike rushed him and tackled him to the ground. He began punching Troy in the face, hoping to end this soon. Mike didn't notice till he heard Suzie yell "Look out!" as he felt himself pulled off Troy by James. James threw him into a wall with Mike hitting the ground hard. As Mike tried to get up, James kicked him hard in the side, knocking Mike back down. James then grabbed him by the back of his shirt and held him against the wall.
He felt every blow James launched at his face and body. From a corner, Mike saw Troy get up and finally pull his knife out. "Hold him still, I need to carve him up good." He said. James pulled him into a hold and Mike could see the giddy excitement on Troy's face. "I think I'll carve my name on your forehead." Troy said. James grabbed his head and put it in a chokehold. As Troy was about to put the blade to Mike's head, Suzie surprised him and sprayed a can of her hairspray in his face. Mike closed his eyes as she sprayed into James' face as well. He let Mike go as the spray started irritating his face. Troy was swinging his knife wildly, trying to cut at something. Suzie kicked Troy in his knees and knocked him down, while Mike grabbed James arm and tossed him over his shoulder and landed him on top of Troy. Both boys fell unconscious.
Suzie moved to Mike who was resting against a wall. "You stupid boy, why didn't you go for help?" She screeched. Mike gave her a wry smile. "No time and I didn't know what they were about to do to you. Plus I kinda needed the exercise." He said. Suzie lightly scowled at him. "Well let's get out of here before we get in trouble," Suzie said. Mike nodded and helped pick up the pages that were ripped out of her bible.
"Thank you." She said as she grabbed the pages. Hopefully she could fix it. "No need to thank me, I know I can be a bit standoffish but you are one of us." Mike said. Suzie smiled slightly.
She knew Mike from Dustin and she moved to town a couple of months ago when her dad's job relocated him. Suzie met Dustin in 85' at science camp and the two were somewhat romantic partners. When she moved to Hawkins, Dustin had been excited, probably more than she was to see him. When she arrived, Dustin had introduced his friends. They had seemed nice enough, except for Mike who was very standoffish. But Suzie saw it in the entire group. They were broken.
She had been taking it slow with them but to hear Mike thought of her as one of them, it lifted her spirits. She noticed Mike was limping slightly. "Cmon, let's get you patched up," She said as she helped Mike.
Present day
Suzie was brought out of her musings by a page coming up, telling her she got in. She looked at the page and saw a lack of information about the men hunting her friend. Lot's of references to men being recruited from all over the world. The leader, the one Mike described, had his name redacted in several pages. All she found was a name, Bravo Company.
Bravo Company- Alexander Hotel
Jericho sat by one of the trucks he used when one of his men informed him of a new arrival. He looked over and groaned. He was 5'7'', bald, wore blue shirts and had Italian ancestry. Saverio Alacqua had arrived. He was the chief of staff for Dr. Brenner and he had a smile on his face.
"So, I hire the best trackers in the world to get a damn nerd and somehow you messed that up." He said. Jericho grumbled at the insult.
"Yes, one nerd who also happens to be CIA trained." Jericho said. Saverio looked at him confused. "Our intelligence didn't say anything about CIA training. I can get you the file." He said.
"Oh yea, he has some kind of government training, he took out two of my men and used a fire alarm as an escape plan. Mind telling me why the Secretary of Energy wants him dead?" Jericho asked.
"Top secret about that, hell I don't know why." Saverio said. Jericho didn't believe him. The entire operation from the start had been half truth's and lies, typically from Saverio. Hell, Jericho didn't know for weeks he was working for the Energy Department, much less the Secretary himself.
"So, what do you plan to do?" Saverio asked. Jericho gave him a glare. He hated being questioned. "I need to run him to ground. I need access to your media contacts" Jericho said.
Sinclair Apartment
Lucas checked the bag that had Harrison's clothes and a few toys. He looked over at the play pen and saw the boy making faces at him, ones that Lucas returned. He loved the little guy, mostly because he was part of Max. Lucas looked to the boy and began again pondering what he would be to the boy. He wasn't his father, a fact he was reminded of when he saw that the boy's copper hair looked like Mike's. He didn't like the idea of being Uncle Lucas, since to Lucas he was partially raising him.
It was a rough time the Party had when Max told them she was pregnant with Mike's baby. He still felt reminded of that fateful day.
Four Years Ago- Wheeler apartment
Lucas walked to the door of his 'friends' apartment. Things had been icy with him and Mike since he started dating Max. Granted they were broken up at the time, but even Mike should have understood the bro code.
Max had called him over. She was still living with Mike despite their relationship being over for a month. Things were improving with her and Lucas, right down to having civil conversations. Lucas gave a sharp knock on the door.
Mike answered, and he looked slightly annoyed at seeing Lucas. Mike was still not on good terms with him. Later, Lucas would be told that his treatment of Max was the reason for their disagreements, not the things Lucas had said about Mike.
Mike opened the door more and motioned Lucas to enter. He led him to the living room where Dustin and Will were talking with Max. Lucas noted the air was thick with tension. The relationship Mike and Max had didn't gone over well with the Party. Suzie was the peacemaker on this and she seemed to be absent
"Suzie had to cover a shift." Mike said, as if reading his mind. Lucas curtly nodded. He looked to Max and smiled inside. She looked at him and smiled back at him. She then gestured for everyone to sit down.
"Ok, I guess you want to know why I called you guys here." She said. She was nervous, that much was clear. The guys gave her reassuring smiles.
"So, I might as well get it out of the way. I'm pregnant." She said. Dustin and Will whooped, Will went to hug Max while Dustin went to Lucas. "Congrats Man." He said. Lucas glared at how dumb his friend was.
"It's not mine." He said. Dustin's smile faltered. "What do you mean? I thought you two got back together." He asked.
"No, we only just now started having civil conversations again." Lucas looked over and saw Mike was shocked. Despite living with her, she kept the news till she told the party. Lucas was not happy. He walked up to Mike and despite him being shocked by the news, Lucas striking him in the face shocked him, and the Party, more.
Lucas stormed out, with Max following him out. "What the fuck was that asshole?!" She yelled. Lucas turned on her.
"You leave me, shack up with him and now your having his kid?" Lucas was furious. Max was taken aback by the anger in his voice. "What, you dump me and then get mad I am with Mike? You think I am your damn property?" Max says, her voice raising.
"I just thought…. I would be…." Lucas can barely keep his thought strait. Max just glared at him.
"I thought you would be mature enough to handle this. Clearly you aren't." She said. She stormed back inside, leaving Lucas out in the hallway.
Lucas was alone in the hallway, he could hear muffled talking coming from the apartment, some slight crying and a few cheers. It was to much for Lucas and he walked away. He had a lot of thinking to do.
Present Day
It had taken Lucas six months to apologize. He honestly didn't mean for it to be that long but his job was hectic and he honestly thought the two were mad at him. It was when Dustin tricked him into coming to his house for a celebration that he found Mike and Max there. He walked up to them and told them he wished he could undo the past year and found himself being hugged by both of them.
Three months after Harrison was born, Max moved back in. It was an adjustment, but he felt things were on track with both of them. So much so that he had a little box hidden away in his sock drawer.
Max walked into the bedroom, giving Lucas a quick kiss before heading to Harrison. "How is mommy's little man? Ready to go see grandma?" She asked as she picked up the toddler. Lucas smiled, motherhood was a weird reaction to the normally stoic Max. Harrison made squeeing noises in approval.
"I got his bag packed, you staying the night in Hawkins?" Lucas asked. Max nodded. "It's a long damn drive down there. But mom is taking Harrison to Mike's on Monday. Then he has him for two weeks." She said. He nodded in approval.
"Well, best get going before traffic gets bad. See you later babe." She said, and kissed him. Lucas hugged the two and smiled as Harrison reached for him. Lucas picked him out of Max's arms, gave him a hug as well and returned him to his mother. "You be good for Grandma Susan, ya hear." Lucas said. The child made a noise that sounded like agreement.
After the pair left, Lucas went to the kitchen and began making lunch. He turned on the TV for background noise. He starts on his sandwich and he looks at the TV and does a double take.
On the screen is Mike, and the news report is talking like he is a criminal.
"Once again, the FBI is looking at the whereabouts of Michael Wheeler in suspicion of collaborating with a known terror group. Anyone with knowledge of his whereabouts are encouraged to contact local police or the FBI hotline.
His phone rang and Lucas quickly picked it up. "What the fuck!" Lucas said. "Yea, I think I need to catch you up. Is Max there?" Will asked,
"No, she is taking Harrison to Hawkins. Spending the weekend with Susan." He said. Will sounded slightly relieved. "Okay, well some weird stuff just happened and Suzie just caught me up." Will says and then begins explaining the past few hours to him.
Henderson house
Mike wakes up to see Suzie looking at him gravely. "Find anything?" He asks as he pulls the blanket off of him. Suzie shakes her head. "No, somehow a mercenary unit is more classified than Area 51." She says and shows him the screen.
Almost every name for the group that he got pictures of was heavily classified, even most of the men's home countries.
Their musings are cut short when Dustin loudly enters the house. "OHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGOD!" He shouts as he runs inside.
"Dustin, what the fuck?" Mike asks. Instead of answering, Dustin turns the TV on to the local news. On screen is Mike's picture and he was wanted for terrorism. "Shit." Mike says, summing up his feelings.
He made his way towards the door but Suzie grabs his arm. "Where the hell do you think you're going?" She asks. Mike points to the door. "I am not letting you get in danger because of me." Mike says.
"Well, kinda too bad about that Mikey boy, party rules and all that." Dustin says. Mike rolls his eyes, he hated when Dustin invoked that. "Well, we can't stay here. We need to get as far from here as possible." Mike says. Suzie and Dustin nod in agreement.
Their musings are cut short as the power is cut inside the house. Before they can react, the back door and front door are broken open and a SWAT team moves in. They aim their guns at the group as they lift their hands in the air. Behind them, a man in a blue dress shirt walks in and gives them a smile.
"Mr. Wheeler, So good to make your acquaintance." He said.
AN: cliffhangers are the best aren't they?
