I'm going to try to wrap this story up by chapter 25 and then maybe? start a sequel if you guys are interested. Anyways, enjoy this chapter and leave a review so I know what you think!
"Look at the camera please," Steve heard over an intercom. He looked around until he saw the camera positioned right at the door and gave a small wave. Man, who the hell did Hopper send me to? The door swung open and a middle aged man stood at the door.
"Well well well, if it isn't Steve Harrington. What can I do for you?" he asked.
"Uh, I'm looking for uh…" Steve glanced at the index card. "Murray Bauman."
"Come on in."
"Wait, how did you know my name?" Steve wondered as he walked inside. He received no answer.
"I'm guessing Chief Hopper sent you," Murray said.
"Yes… uh he wants me to see what you know about this girl," Steve said, handing Murray the article from his jacket pocket.
"Ah," Murray said, looking the copied article over carefully. "Follow me."
Everyone was acting very wary of Jane all week, and although she wasn't amazing at reading social cues, even she could tell. At least she'd made it to Friday. Then she'd only have three days to prepare before she went to fulfill her promise. The thought made Jane queasy. She asked to go to the bathroom and her Algebra teacher had said yes. When she went to the girl's bathroom, Jane was relieved to find that it was empty. Glancing in the mirror, Jane noticed how tired she looked. She hadn't been sleeping well. Jane splashed some cold water on her cheeks, careful not to get any on the mascara she was wearing that Nancy had bought her. It made her look pretty and less tired. Jane reluctantly started making her way back to her class.
"Jane!" she heard from behind her. She turned her head and saw Carter walking her way.
"What?" Jane said, surprised that after scaring the shit out of him, he would willingly ever speak to her again.
"Just- I need to tell you something, okay? I'm sorry for being such a dick. I don't know what your… deal is," Carter explained, making 'deal' code word for 'you're a freak who moved my body with your mind'. "But I feel bad for treating you and Mike like that. It was my bad. Anyways, I'll tell the other guys to lay off on you," he said, starting to walk the other way.
"Carter," Jane said, causing him to turn to look back at her. "It's okay." He nodded and they went their separate ways. Jane wondered why Carter had a change of heart, but didn't think too much about it as she entered Algebra. The clock told her she only had seventeen minutes until lunch. She could handle that.
"What do you have for me, Harrington?" Hopper asked when Steve got back to the station. They entered the Chief's office and closed the door.
"Alright, so her full name is Kali Prasad and she was taken from her family at the age of nine. Her Mom looked everywhere for her, Kali's disappearance was all over the news, but no one ever found her. Her mother died in '78 of cancer and she never knew her father. She escaped from the lab when she was fifteen. She stayed with a family in the first three years of her freedom, but she ran away and has been on her own ever since. She's wanted in about four states, but none have her name. Just photos," Steve spilled. Hopper nodded.
"How the hell does that guy get this information," Hopper wondered aloud.
"Hell if I know," Steve agreed. The guy had seemed like a freak, but he also made lots of jokes about how 'everybody likes Steve'. Steve laughed along, but really had no idea what he was talking about. The guy was a wack-job.
"Thanks," Hopper said in dismissal and Steve left the room. What exactly does Kali want with my daughter, and what isn't Jane telling me? Hopper thought.
Saturday morning rolled around and Hopper was surprised when Jane slept in until ten o'clock.
"Morning, sleepyhead," Hopper commented as Jane entered the living room with a massive case of bed head. "I'll go throw your eggos in the toaster." Jane smiled and followed her dad into the kitchen where she poured herself some milk. "How'd you sleep?" Hopper asked.
"Good," was her standard response. She didn't mention that she was up until almost two am with anxiety.
"You probably needed to sleep in," Hopper replied. Her eggos popped and Hopper put them on a plate and handed her some syrup.
"Mmmm," Jane said as she dug in.
"What are your plans for today?" Hopper asked. Jane shrugged.
"Can I go to Mike's?" she asked. Hopper rolled his eyes.
"Sure kid. I'll drive you."
"How much do you think I should pack? I don't know how long we're going to be gone," Mike was saying. Jane just shrugged, unsure herself.
"Depends," she said.
"Well maybe you should get in touch with your sister and see what she says," Mike suggested. Jane gave him a very intimidating stare. "Or not, I mean it's up to you," he backtracked. She cracked a smile at that. Jane just rested her head on Mike's shoulder and tried not to think about what was very quickly approaching.
Tuesday morning was a lot like every other morning. Hopper dropped Jane off at school, Jonathon took Will and Nancy, Mike, Dustin, and Lucas rode to school, and Max got dropped off by Susan. Just like every other day. Except, Mike and Jane walked in the school and then walked right out the back door. Jane sat behind the bleachers by the football field and closed her eyes. In her mind, she saw Kali putting makeup on inside a motel room. Jane saw on a sheet of paper on the dresser that told her what the motel was called. She opened her eyes and recited the name to Mike who flipped through a Yellow Pages until he found what they were looking for. Then they got on Mike's bike and headed out. They had to get to her first, otherwise they would run the risk of getting caught by Hopper. That simply could not happen.
"Today's the day," Dottie jumped excitedly.
"Are you excited Kal?" Axel asked, giving Kali an elbow.
"I'm ready to be done with him," Kali said with a slight smile.
"When do you think we should get Jane?" Funshine asked. Before Kali could answer, Mick started talking.
"Okay, am I seeing what I think I'm seeing?" Mick asked suddenly, peeking out the motel curtains. The others walked up to see what she meant, but they parted so Kali could get the best view.
"Oh," Kali gasped surprised as she saw Jane in the distance riding up to the Motel parking lot with a boy on a bike. "Well, that makes our jobs easier," she said. "Let's go."
Mike was tired after riding almost thirty miles to get to the Motel, but when they got to the parking lot, he realized they didn't know what room Kali was staying in. He stopped in the back corner of the lot to put his kickstand down and they both got off the bike.
"Where do you think they are?" Mike asked.
"There," Jane said pointing as Kali and her friends walked down the exterior stairs of the building. Mike tried to hide his discomfort. Kali's friends were intimidating.
"Hello Sister," Kali called as they walked toward her and Mike.
"What's up, Shirley?" Axel teased. Jane cracked a small smile and Mike tried not to look as awkward as he felt.
"Who's the fella?" Dottie asked, pointing at Mike with a flyswatter.
"This is Mike. My boyfriend," Jane said bluntly. Mike tried not to blush.
"Oh, you have a boyfriend now, huh?" Mick said, pacing as the two parties were now face to face.
"Well, I suppose he can come along as well. You ready Jane?" Kali asked.
"Yes," Jane replied, her voice not giving away her doubts, which she was thankful for.
"Alright, let's get to it."
Mick was in the driver's seat, Axel took the passenger, which left Funshine and Dottie in the middle. Kali, Jane, and Mike were all in the final row of seats in the van. Jane seemed oddly comfortable here, which made Mike feel strangely jealous.
"Do you need this?" Kali asked, reaching from her bag to pull out a picture of Dr. Brenner and a black piece of cloth. Jane nodded and took them. Mick turned the van radio onto static and everyone waited in anticipation as Jane put her blindfold on. After about two minutes, Jane pulled the blindfold off and wiped her nose with the back of her hand.
"Cleveland," Jane said. "In a building. It looked like…" Jane swallowed. "It looked like a hospital or maybe…"
"A lab," Kali finished. "Well, you heard her. Let's get going towards Cleveland."