"What if they're waiting?"
Mike turned to look at Will. "They won't be."
"But what if they are?"
Mike sighed. He was balancing on top of a chair, on top of a box, on top of an old rickety table. He had already eased open the basement window, but there wasn't much to see except for trees and sky.
"We just need to stop talking about it and be quick. They don't know we've seen them." He looked at El. "I go first, then you follow, then Will. Okay?"
El nodded. She reached out a hand and took Will's fingers and squeezed. She was afraid too.
Mike turned back to the window and pushed it open wide. Then he heaved himself up and flopped, like a caught fish, half in and half out.
"There's no one here," he hissed. He wriggled himself outside, disappearing. El and Will watched, seeing nothing. They were afraid of hearing a sudden shout, and the ensuing silence did nothing to calm their nerves, but then Mike's face appeared. "All clear," he said, with an attempt at a smile.
El clambered up as Mike had done. The table wobbled precariously, and for a moment she imagined the whole structure collapsing. But she steadied herself and gingerly navigated the box, until she was standing, legs apart balancing, on top of the chair. She looked down at Will and smiled reassuringly.
"Easy peasey," she said. She heaved herself up as Mike had done and wriggled free from the tight space. It was warm outside and still. She heard a phone ringing somewhere and a dog barking. Normal things.
"We need to hurry," Mike whispered to Will as El climbed to her feet. And then they heard glass splintering somewhere.
Mike and El looked at each other.
"Get the car ready," El said to Mike urgently. "I'll stay with Will." He nodded, clutching the keys tightly in his hand. "Be careful," she said.
"I love you," Mike said.
"I know," said El. "Go."
Steve was thinking of chicken when out of the blue, something ran into him, head on. He opened his eyes. It was Dustin.
"Don't tell me," Dustin said. "You're standing there thinking of food." His voice sounded funny. High pitched. He took off his cap and ran his hand through his hair and then he screwed up his eyes and groaned. "We're in trouble," he said opening his eyes again. "Big trouble. Monumental."
Steve pushed himself off the wall. As much as he hadn't liked the plan in the first place, he had trusted Robin who always managed to say and do the right things. He hadn't really expected anything to go wrong.
"Dustin," he said. "Where's Robin?" He could see Dustin had a strange look in his eyes. He took hold of his shoulders. "Where is she?"
Dustin put his cap back on. "She had a gun," he said quietly.
Steve let go of Dustin. "Robin had a gun?" He frowned. He didn't imagine Robin as a gun toting outlaw.
"No Steve, not Robin. Where would Robin get a gun!" Contempt diluted Dustin's panic. He shook his head as if disappointed. "You really don't think before you speak, do you?"
Steve planted his hands firmly on Dustin's shoulders again and leaned in towards his face.
"Who has a gun and where is Robin?" he hissed.
"Some crazy woman in there. I was hiding. Then an old man saw me and gave me these…" He held some keys in the air. "He dragged me outside and told me I needed to get away. Said they had been waiting for us. It's his shop."
"What are the keys for?"
Dustin nervously peeked around the corner and grabbed hold of Steve's shirt front, pulling him.
"That van," he said.
"We need to just call the police," Steve said. He began pacing. He thought of Robin's grandmother in that old house all alone. Why had he agreed to any of this? Why couldn't he just have the peaceful life he wanted?
"Do you really think they'll come out with their hands up if the police come?" Dustin planted himself in front of Steve. "This woman meant business Steve. We need to help Robin."
"In case you've forgotten what you told me Dustin. She had a gun." Steve felt his panic growing. He dug around in his pockets. "Hang on," he said. "I do have something here that might be useful." He produced a stick of gum. "Perfect," he said. "You distract her, and I'll stick her hands together." He laughed manically.
Dustin dangled the keys in front of Steve's face.
"We have a van," he said.
"Are you saying what I think you're saying?"
"We need to move. Now." Dustin said.
Steve nodded and took the keys.
They checked the street again. It was deserted, like before, but now they knew there was someone inside the dingy old bookshop with a gun. Steve imagined a life behind bars as he ran towards the van and the promise of the 'Best Fish in Alaska'.
Nancy was sitting in the passenger seat of Jonathan's car. He knew she was crying, but she was trying to hide as she looked out of the window. He glanced at his mum's reflection in the rear-view mirror. He smiled at her.
"Where's Will?" she said.
"Safe."
Joyce smiled. "Thank you," she said quietly. She was in between Max and Lucas and was holding both their hands. She squeezed them tightly. "Thank you," she said again.
Nancy's sniffles got louder. Jonathan put a hand on her leg.
"You're safe now," he said.
Nancy looked at him with tears rolling down her cheeks.
"They stuffed that dirty rag in my mouth because they said I talked to much." Her face crumpled as she dissolved in tears.
Joyce leaned forwards and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"You were brilliant," she whispered. She squeezed gently. "Strong and courageous."
Nancy looked at Joyce and smiled. Then she laughed.
"I suppose I don't blame them for trying to shut me up," she said. "I did go on a bit."
"More than a bit I would say," Joyce said.
Mike had driven before. Just once. But it was just around a carpark and Nancy had been in the passenger seat.
Now he sat there knowing he had no idea how to drive a car. It was a sobering thought. How could he make a quick getaway and out manouvure those men?
He groaned. The car was parked in the driveway, and the keys were dangling in the ignition, but he was too afraid to turn the engine over. The black sedan was parked up the road still.
Doors were yanked open.
"Let's go Mike," Will said panting furiously.
Mike looked at El who had climbed into the passenger seat.
"This is a bad idea," he said. "They'll hear the car start up and catch us. We may as well run for it."
"And go where? It's too far to Hopper's cabin and they'll be watching all our houses."
"Will's right," El said. "We need to go Mike."
Mike shook his head. "I can't," he said. "I don't remember how to drive. I never even really knew in the first place."
"I'll drive," Will said.
Mike turned around in his seat. "If you think you can do better than me…"
Will grinned. "Jonathan has been teaching me," he said.
Steve took a deep breath and went to turn the key in the ignition.
"Wait," Dustin said. "What's the plan?"
"Plan?" Steve said. "There is no plan, Dustin."
"But she has a gun…" Dustin trailed off.
Steve nodded. "I know," he said. "Stay low."
"You're a good friend," Dustin said.
"Don't do that," Steve said. "Let's just focus on getting Robin out of there."
"May the Force be with you," Dustin said, as he repositioned his cap.
"Don't do that either," Steve said.
He turned the ignition and the van spluttered to life. He shoved the stick into first and slammed on the accelerator. The unwelcome image of having to wear orange every day for the rest of his life intruded on his mind.
It was obliterated by the sound of splintering glass and wood as he ploughed into the bookshop. The impact slowed them, but Steve kept his foot on the pedal, so the van kept moving through the debris.
The old man appeared. His face was a mask of horror.
Steve stopped the van.
"Where is she?" he asked as he pushed open the door. He jumped down, landing on glass and ruined books. The man couldn't speak, but then he saw Dustin.
"I didn't tell you to wreck my shop," he croaked.
"No, but you said those people had ruined this town and there was nothing left for you here." The old man blinked. He had opaque eyes and grey, wiry hair. He reminded Steve of an old dog.
"Where is she?" Steve asked again. He felt a trickle of blood running down his hand. He looked at it and wiped it on his jeans.
"You killed her," the old man said, and the orange image trampled right back into Steve's head.
Mike shot back in his seat as Will slammed his foot down on the accelerator. He could see El, in the passenger seat, holding on tight.
Will had eased out of the driveway, quietly and carefully. It was impossible to think of a car being purposefully stealthy, but that was exactly what it had felt like.
They had crawled down the road. Mike had been watching the black car out of the rear window, but it remained stationery.
The car turned the corner at the end of the road and Will maintained the sedate pace. No one said a word. Another corner. Another leafy road. Trawling through town. Back streets that took them further and further away and still no sign of the black car.
And then Will hit the Freeway.
"Will, buddy," Mike said. "Slow down."
Will gripped the steering wheel. His shoulders were tense.
"When will this end?" he said, but he eased off the accelerator and dropped to a legal speed.
El gasped and clutched her head.
"What is it El?" Mike leaned forward and reached out his hand to touch her. She turned to him. Her eyes were swimming with tears.
"Hopper," she cried. "He's going."
"What do you mean?" Mike said. Will had slowed down too much. Cars were sounding their horns at him. "Where's he going?"
"Dying," she said. Despair contorted her face. "He's dying."
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sorry this has taken a while. Hope you guys are still enjoying! Let me know and Happy Christmas :-)