Chapter 10
TW- physical abuse, swearing.
Smartass-ery and dumbass-ery are virtually interchangeable to me so… :)
Mike and Dustin skid their bikes to a stop in front of the Family Video, rushing inside and startling Robin. Having been zoned out, she knocked into the display shelf she had been restocking, causing the movies to fall off. Steve began chiding the pups as he went to help her pick up the movies. Ignoring him they continued talking over one another, Dustin growing louder than Mike until Steve shouted, "Enough!"
They followed him to the counter where he rested against it, "Jeez, one at a time. Now what's going on?"
"The cops think Eddie had something to do with that kid who died, they came to my house and wanted to know about Eddie and what time Hellfire was and what time he took us home." Mike said in a rush.
Holding up a hand Steve took a deep breath, "Easy, breath man." From behind them Robin asked, "Did they actually arrest him or are they just asking his whereabouts?"
Turning to look at her Dustin growled out, "What's it matter? They're going to try and blame him for this and I. Won't. Let. Them."
"Okay, you need to relax. I'm sure if you give it some time the police will do their job and realize Ed had nothing to do with this." Steve tried to placate the two boys but, it just agitated them more.
"Relax? You want us to relax?" Mike asked as he folded his arms, looking at Steve in disgust.
Shaking his head and muttering under his breath Dustin walked around the counter and into the back office. He ignored Steve shouting after him to get out of the back room. He returned with Steve's keys in hand, setting them on the counter, "A pack member is in trouble, we need your help to prove Eddie didn't do this."
Steve frowned at the two, "Okay… what's the plan?" He picked up his keys and crossed his arms.
Dustin let out a sigh, "I don't know yet," Steve scoffed at him, "but, we can't just sit around doing nothing!"
Quieter he continued, "While I trust Hopper to do his job. I know the rest of this town doesn't give two shits about Eddie. We're his pack, he needs our help."
Without warning Steve tossed his keys to Robin. She nearly dropped them before clutching the keys to her chest, "Why are you giving me these?"
Steve rolled his eyes and sighed as he gestured towards the pups, "So you can drive these two around and find out what's going on. Keith's coming in later, I have to stay."
"Unfortunately." He muttered under his breath as he continued sorting the returns.
Robin watched him with a growing look of concern, "I don't have a license."
Steve huffed, turning to stare at her skeptically, "What? What do you mean you don't have a driver's license?" Seeing her seriousness his voice grew louder, "How come you don't have your license yet?"
She shrugged, "I'm poor." Robin laughed as Steve's face turned red and he sputtered, looking from her to the pups and back before raising his hands in surrender and turning away from them.
The store was silent for a beat before Dustin asked, "How did you not know she doesn't have a license?"
"IT'S NEVER COME UP!"
Mike stood with his arms folded, wearing a doubtful look on his face. Dustin shouted back, "How?! Fuck! Never mind." He and Mike started to leave the store, "God damn it Steve…"
"Hey, language!"
With that Robin finally released the snort she'd been holding back. She continued laughing as Dustin replied with a sarcastic, "Yeah, yeah." Lazily waving off Steve's scolding.
She waved the boys goodbye as they rode away from the store.
Standing next to one another in the doorway Steve quietly said, "If you want to get you driver's license, I'll take you on our next day off."
She gave him a half smile, "Why? You tired of hauling my ass around town?"
He shrugged, "No but, you should have it. In case of emergencies, or hysterical dweebs needing rides."
"Nah no thanks, I like my chauffeur." She slapped him on the shoulder as she walked away.
Jason pulled into the Henderson's driveway. As he and the others walked up to the front door Lucas quietly ducked around the corner. Finding Dustin's bedroom window cracked open he pulled himself up and climbed in. Lucas rushed to Dustin's CB and began calling a mayday for the pack, "Carver and his goons are looking for Dustin, they're
Dustin wanted to go back to his house for supplies. As the two approached they spotted a black Jeep parked out front, a group of guys in Lettermen jackets standing on the porch and peeking in the windows. They silently crept towards the far end of the house and saw Lucas climbing into Dustin's window. Moving closer they startled when the walkie talkie in Dustin's backpack crackled to life. A muffled voice calling mayday alerted the group at Dustin's front door and they rushed towards the noise.
Rounding the corner Chase launched himself onto Dustin, knocking the wind out of the smaller Alpha. Snarling, Dustin sank his claws into Chase's side and tried to wriggle free. Chase easily flipped him onto his belly, pushing a knee into Dustin's back. From his placed pinned on the ground, Dustin yelled, "Run, Mike! RU-UN!" His voice cracking as Chase put more pressure on his back.
As Jason barked orders, Patrick chased after Mike. He was unfamiliar with the Henderson's yard though and stumbled over the loose paving stones, allowing Mike time to reach his bike and speed away.
Neither boy noticed Lucas climb back out of Dustin's window and take off into the woods with Andy hot on his heels. He weaved his way through the trees, focused on putting as much space between him and the angry Alpha chasing him. Finally pausing when he could no longer hear heavy footfalls behind him.
Back at the house Dustin was hauled up by his scruff so Jason could interrogate him. He snarled at the group, baring his teeth, and refusing to answer their questions. As Chase muscled him into a better hold Dustin thrashed around, trying to get loose, "Fuckin' bastards! What d'ya want?"
Jason grabbed hold of Dustin's face and sank his claws into the boys' neck, holding him still and forcing him to look Jason in the eye. "I want to know what that freak Eddie did to Fred Benson. And you, you're going to tell us everything that disgraceful cult of yours has been up to lately." Jason spoke slowly, calmly as if he were a parent speaking to an upset child.
When Dustin refused to tell him anything other than Hellfire was a club, not a cult, and they only played D&D after school Jason let go of his face. Nodding at Chase, he stepped away as the larger Alpha began beating up Dustin. Turning around he frowned as he watched Patrick empty handed. "Where's the other one?"
"He got on his bike. I lost him." Patrick admitted.
Careening through the neighborhood he rounded another corner, coming face to face with a car Mike veered out of the way and came to a stop.
"Mike!? What the hell?" Nancy climbed out of the car and rushed to her brother.
Johnathan followed her, "You okay man?" he put his hand out to help Mike up off the ground.
Panting, Mike told them what had happened at Dustin's house, that a group of Alphas ambushed them.
Abandoning the bike, they piled in the Galaxie and sped to the Henderson's house. Mike felt his stomach sink as he saw the black Jeep was gone.
Dustin was found in the backyard; in the same place he'd been caught and beaten. Cradling a likely broken wrist, Dustin was helped up and into his house by Johnathan and Mike. Once inside Nancy began to call Claudia, stopping at Dustin's urging not to bother his mom at work.
"She's going to see what happened to you when she gets home, don't you think she'd want to know before then?" Nancy waited as Dustin looked away from her, "Or did you think you'd hide at our house all break and she wouldn't ever find out?" At his silence she started dialing again, ignoring his petulant grumbling.
As soon as Eddie was out of Hopper's truck Chrissy threw herself into his arms. Both of them sighing with relief as they rocked from side to side, Eddie purring a comforting lull.
Wayne gave Hopper a tight look, watching as he drove away. He waited for Chris to loosen her hold on Ed before he pulled the boy into a bone crushing embrace, "Damn it boy, I've never been so scared for you." He held Eddie close, stopping him as his boy tried apologizing, he knew Ed hadn't done anything wrong. "Alright, I'm gonna try and get some sleep before work tonight." With a final nod, Wayne went back inside.
The two sat outside on the porch, giving Wayne some space. Eddie checked his watch, questioning how much time Wayne would actually get asleep. "He tried to call in, if they kept you overnight, he didn't want me to be alone. Susan said she would stay with me though. He's taking a half shift instead."
A wave of guilt washed over Eddie, he knew only two other times his uncle had called off and they'd both been because of him. Once for court when Wayne was getting custody of him. Another when he'd gotten his ass beat bad enough to need a doctor. The plant was a good job and Wayne had a good boss, it bothered Eddie that he would have caused his uncle another mark on his attendance.
"He shouldn't have worried, it was just standard procedure, I was fine." He gave her an easy smile, brushing off the morning's ordeal.
"No, you weren't." Chrissy put her hand to her heart, "I could feel it, here. You were scared."
Kissing her, Eddie apologized again for what had happened. Holding Chrissy in his lap he didn't see Max standing there until she loudly cleared her throat.
Startled, he slid Chrissy to the side, "Yo! What's up Red?"
Rolling her eyes Max lifted a cardboard box for them to see, "I figured you'd like your weed back." Setting the box on the porch she sat on the steps across from them.
Eddie pulled the box towards them and sure enough, all of his supply and paraphernalia was tossed in there, "Why do you have my shit?"
With a shrug she said, "I figured the cops would search here eventually… and they can't arrest you for something they can't find."
Eddie was grateful Max had gone out of her way to hide his weed and he told her so. Uncomfortable with the attention she tried to brush off his thanks, "We're a pack, right? We watch out for one another. Plus, you have an Omega to take care of. Can't exactly do that from jail."
The girls waited while Eddie returned his supply to its hiding spot, coming back outside he had a wrapped birthday present. "Let's go see Will, give him his gift, and not think about this morning. Sound good?" Chrissy gasped, "Shoot! I totally forgot today's Will's birthday. I was supposed to go over and help set up for his party." Max laughed, "It's fine, Will's very understanding."
Eddie drove both girls out to the Byers' house. Once there Chrissy apologized to Joyce for not coming by earlier, or even calling to let Joyce know.
Taking Chrissy's face in her hands she gave the girl a soft smile, "There's nothing to be sorry for, you had other things to worry about." Joyce pulled her into a quick hug.
As Max had said, Will was understanding, "There's always next year!" He joked as he waved off Chrissy's apology, taking the present she'd brought for him. He opened it and found a new set of dice colored royal purple with gold numbering. She explained that she wanted to give him something to match his character Will the Wise. He was thrilled with his present and wrapped Chrissy into a tight hug, mumbling his thanks into her shoulder. Eddie ruffled Will's hair, earning a scowl from Will as he fixed it back into place.
Shortly after they arrived Hopper followed, carrying a few pizzas and a bag of sodas. Placing the food down he noticed a low seething and turned, spotting Chrissy latched onto her Alpha's side. Her eyes glared daggers at him as she let out quiet growls, not happy to see him and letting everyone know.
Eddie laughed nervously, giving the Chief an apologetic smile as he tried to calm his Omega.
With a sigh, Hopper cautiously stuck out his hand, "No hard feelings, man?"
Pulling away from Chris, Eddie shook his hand, "Yeah, we're good." Returning to her he gently rubbed her back as the tension left her, she apologized with a sigh.
As the kids sat together in the living room eating Joyce pulled Hopper back into the kitchen. She hissed at him quietly, "What the hell happened today, Jim?"
Looking over her shoulder he nodded towards the back door and led her outside. "Hell, I don't know. It was an obvious suicide. Next thing I know there's a mob out front shouting about it not being suicide." He growls harshly, "Laura fucking Cunningham front and center." He took a long drag from his cigarette, offering it to Joyce.
She accepted it and taking a long drag asked, "How the hell did she know about the kid?"
Hopper shook his head, "Mrs. Benson is in Bridge club, they meet Saturday mornings…guess who's hosting this week?"
She scowled, "Fu-uck." He hummed in agreement, taking another drag. They stood together sharing the cigarette until the sound of a car in the driveway caught their attention.
Inside, Mike had arrived with Robin and Steve, a tense energy radiating off of the three immediately had the pack on edge. As Mike started recounting the morning's events the pack began scenting him to reassure themselves he was okay. Jane hugged him tightly and kept hold of him as he turned the story over to Steve.
"John and Nance took Dustin to the hospital, they're gonna meet his mom there. They dropped Mike off with us." He explained they were afraid that other members of the pack had been attacked as well and come for help.
Seeing the rest of their pack together, the only one still unaccounted for was Lucas. No one knew what had happened to him but, they knew he'd tried to warn them of the danger.
In the excitement the ringing phone had been ignored, as the story came to an end the phone started ringing again. Scrubbing a hand down his face, Hopper yanked the phone up, "What?! Yeah, sorry. Hopper here." Pausing at what he was hearing he turned and shouted at the group, "Everyone outside, now!" Forcing his own Alpha order into his voice, urged most of them towards the door without question.
Once outside the pups started speculating what had happened to their friend.
"We know Lucas was with them, and it was his voice on the walkie. He tried to warn us!"
"This is a fucking nightmare."
"What about Lover's Lake? Do you think he'd have run all the way out there?"
"Will can you grab your radio? See if Erica's heard from him yet?"
"Yeah, maybe he went home."
Joyce walked over to the older pups, placing a hand on Chrissy's shoulder as she and Robin held each other.
While the entire group was worried for him, Eddie was the most visibly upset by what he heard. He paced across the driveway, anger swirling around him. Sure, Lucas had ditched Hellfire for Basketball but, he was still one of Eddie's pups. Another little nerd trying to find his place in the world.
She offered a cigarette to Eddie, who took it with a silent nod of thanks. He continued pacing between the cars, "Fucking yuppy pricks. Who knows what they'll do to him once they catch him, or what they've already done!"
Steve grabbed hold of Eddie's shoulder, "We'll find him. He's gonna be okay." Shaking loose Eddie snarled at him, "How?!"
Suddenly the door swung open, Hopper stomping outside as he tugged on his coat, "I have to get back to the station. Stay here. All of you."
Without a second look he climbed into his truck and sped out of the driveway.
The pack was quiet for a second before Eddie snapped, "Naw, no fuck this!" Eddie crushed his cigarette with his heel, "Let's go find Lucas."
It's been a rough few weeks my friends. Please, stay safe. I love you all.