Stranger Things: Rebuilding

Chapter 38 of my Stranger Things story, enjoy.

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Now onto the story.

Disclaimer: I don't own Stranger Things or its characters.

Crossing the Line

Making her way down the dingy alleyway, El grimaced, this was the right place, somehow she wasn't surprised. It seemed rather fitting, after how far the gang had fallen, that their leader and last remaining member to not be in jail would be in such a lowly and run down part of town. She recalled what Hopper had told her about Troy's testimony and how they had found the gang's hideout, the basement of an abandoned building, not far from the park surprisingly, they had raided it and managed to arrest all the remaining gang members and things were underway to have them jailed and facing trial for their various crimes. But Shane had slipped the net and now she had been sent here, to where he was lying low, in order to kill him.

Just the thought of it sickened her. 'Killing someone, it's just...I know I've killed before, I panicked, was terrified and lashed out...I swore, never again, but...but this…'

She was backed into a corner, if she did not obey the orders she had been given and refused to kill Shane then she'd fail the task and Eric would be killed by his captors, the people making her do this. She hated this, she couldn't help but wonder why. Why was the lab doing this, why not just come directly after her. After all that had happened, she thought they'd try to kidnap her and force her to comply with their wishes again, but to go at it like this, it just made everything feel worse.

Still, she knew she had to do it, so, with a deep, shaky breath she approached the door of the building and knocked. She stepped to the side, anticipating the reaction. Sure enough there was a gunshot fired right through the door.

"Think you can fuck with me, you ain't takin' me alive!" The voice inside screamed.

El was ready, she knew what she had to do and, once she heard the footsteps closing in towards the door, she stepped in front of it and focused her powers. The door burst open, smacking him right in the face and knocking him back. She stepped inside and saw him, Shane, struggling to even sit up, clearly dazed.

"Y-you!" He managed to finally burst out, seeing her. "Oh you're for it now bitch!"

El remained unmoved, not saying anything. Sure enough, as she predicted he raised the gun, aiming at her but she was ready and with one burst of her powers the gun was blasted out of his hand, far away, he yelped in pain as she had jerked his arm for good measure. Keeping just enough force restrained not to break.

"Fuck, no." He cried. "How the fuck are you...you won't get away with this!?"

"With what?" She asked, deliberately making her voice sound cold.

He glowered, finally sitting upright. "You know full well what. You think I'm stupid, bitch, you killed my brother."

"I didn't." El replied calmly. "What reason would I have to kill him?"

"Don't play dumb with me, the attack at the park, you know full well-" Shane fired back.

"That I couldn't have done it, since I was in hospital and then grounded after that." She explained.

She nodded calmly, taking some small relief that her words were having an effect.

Shane had been about to protest her words, but then realized exactly what she said and faltered.

"Then, then why...who…?"

"Don't know and right now, don't care. I've been sent here for one reason...someone's life is at stake and so in order to help them-" El trailed off and let Shane's imagination fill in the last part.

His eyes grew wide as it dawned on him now why she was here.

"No…" He gasped. "No!"

He tried to lurch forward, no doubt to get past her and run but she flicked her head to the side and he flew that way with a yelp, hitting the worn, moth-eaten sofa. She turned towards him and continued to advance. He had landed next to the gun and quickly grabbed it and went to raise it but El hit him again, knocking him back, right over the sofa and this time, before the gun hit the ground she used her powers to crush it. She closed the gap again and now stood, ready for his next move.

Shane was looking at her in blind panic. "No, no wait, please-"

"I don't have a choice, sorry." She said, trying to avoid letting her real emotions show.

"No, wait." He cried out. "Please, you don't have to do this, you-"

El shook her head. "Just like you didn't have to do all that awful stuff you did, didn't stop you. At least I have a good reason for doing what I've got to do here."

"I have a reason-" Shane burst out.

El cut him off sharply. "I said a good reason."

She had been right to be wary, for then, at that moment, Shane lunged at her, pulling a knife. But once again she blasted him back with her powers before casually sending the knife flying to the other side of the building. It was time to finish it.

She began to step towards him again, eyes narrowed, focusing.

"No...no…" Shane cried out.

But then she heard it and was forced to act quickly. She managed to hide herself, ducking out of sight, just as the door burst open and armed police, certainly not merely the Hawkins Police Force burst in.

"What, no, get off, I was under attack, she did, get her she-!" Shane screamed.

But the police paid him no mind, dismissing his yells as mere ranting or trying to deflect, they had come to arrest him and now they had him.

El could only watch him be taken away in horror. 'No, I was supposed to, but...no, I can't, not like this, it'll...but now Eric is…'

Dismay filled her as Shane was taken away and finally, after deeming it was safe to do so, she left the building, dejected. She'd lost her chance to save Eric. That was when the radio device she had been given began beeping. She checked it and read the message.

"An unfortunate turn of events, the police were not expected to show up until tomorrow. Still, although you were unable to kill him, Shane has been removed from the equation and the gang has been dismantled. So we can file this under 'unexpected windfall' and proceed.

While not a success we can consider the task done and permit you to continue. The fifth task is simple, go to Eric Gibson's dorm room and retrieve his medication, after which you will be given directions to where he is being held."

El could hardly believe it, she was being allowed to continue, she could still save Eric. But that last task was not as easy as they were hinting, she grimaced and knew she had only one choice. She had to meet up with the others and tell them what was going on. She was going to need help with this.

End of chapter, hope you enjoyed it, read and review please.