This is a multi-chapter story that I've wanted to write for a while, so I hope you enjoy it!

Warnings for the whole story: Needles, human experimentation, graphic descriptions of violence, blood and injury, torture, and electrocution.

It was when all of the opened doors showed empty rooms that Dustin realized that the escape attempt was for nothing. There were machines, Russian soldiers, tables, tools…really everything that would show proof of an active base, but the things that he and Erica came to save weren't anywhere to be seen.

Steve and Robin were gone. Vanished without a trace.

After the final room, containing shiny walls, two chairs, and a large array of torture tools, didn't have anyone inside, Erica pulled him aside and gestured wildly to the area around them.

"They're not here, nerd, and we should get out of here now."

"But they have to be! Erica, it hasn't even been a full day! Why would they be somewhere else?" He could tell that he sounded desperate, but he was desperate. He dragged Steve into this mess, and he needed to get him out of it. And, Robin got dragged into this because of him, too, so he needed to save her.

"We've looked literally everywhere. If they were still in this stupid base we would've found them! The longer we stay and look for people who obviously aren't here, the more likely it is that we'll get taken too. Would Steve want that? I don't know your friend very well, but he wanted us to leave before, so we should leave now." Erica crossed her arms as she spoke, as if daring him to argue with her once more.

Dustin sighed, grabbing his hat and readjusting it on his head. He knew that she was right, but they had to be here. It didn't make sense if they weren't. He didn't want to give up this easily.

"Look. I'm gonna leave because I value my life. I still need to get to high school and become the president. If you want to stay, by all means go ahead. I'm out." She turned on her heel and began walking away, and Dustin watched her go, mind whirling with what he should or shouldn't do.

Steve would want them to leave, want them to be safe. And, what could two kids do against a whole army of Russians? Wouldn't it be better to get help, and then look for them? Hopper would be able to help find them, help more than Dustin or Erica could.

Steve and Robin weren't here. Unless there were secret rooms they didn't know about, the two were gone. There was no use looking any more. No matter how badly he wanted to.

Erica had stopped halfway across the hall, glancing at him with feigned indifference.

"Hey, nerd! Are you coming?"

He quickly made his way over to her, muttering under his breath about her being too loud, about this being wrong, but the decision had been made. They were leaving. Dustin was going to get help, and they were going to find Steve and Robin. Then, they could all go back to their lives and live happily ever after.

Yet a gut feeling told him that it wasn't going to be as easy as he thought.

"Hey, Hopper? Do you have a second?"

Hopper looked up from El to Dustin, who stood in front of him awkwardly. They all had regrouped at the mall, already made a plan, and were getting a bit of rest before everything began again. El looked at Dustin through tired eyes, concern bleeding into her features, and Hopper nodded, hoping that whatever the kid's deal was wouldn't be such a big issue.

"Sure, if you don't mind El being here."

Dustin shrugged. "It's fine. I just needed someone to know, and maybe, after all of this, help."

"What's wrong? Is it about the Russian base?"

"Yeah." He shifted form where he stood, glancing back at Erica, who was talking to Lucas. "I didn't share the full story. I didn't want to worry everyone, but…"

"Just spit it out, kid, it's easier that way."

"Steve and Robinー"

"Robin?" El asked, and Dustin realized that no one knew who she was.

"Oh, umm, Robin is a girl who works with Steve…they came with us. To the base."

Hopper's eyebrows furrowed with confusion, fear rooting itself in his stomach. "What…they were down there with you? Where are they now?"

"The Russians took them. Erica and I tried to rescue them but we couldn't find them."

"What do you mean they took them? Are you saying Steve and this Robin are captured?" Hopper got to his feet and approached Dustin, but the kid held his ground.

"Yes. We didn't know what to do. We couldn't find them and Erica convinced me to leave. I'm sorry." Dustin felt tears buren behind his eyes, and he tried to will them away. It wasn't really working.

Hopper sighed, putting his hand on Dustin's shoulder. "Kid, you did the right thing. The longer you stayed the more dangerous it got. I'm not mad at you, I'm mad at myself for letting this happen. You guys are just children and you're getting in messes even adults shy away from…but whatever the case, I'm glad you two are okay, and we will find Steve and Robin. When I go down there with Joyce and Murry, I'll look."

Dustin took a deep breath. "Thank you. Can we do anything up here?"

"Just stick to the plan. Navigate. The adults will work out the rest."

Hopper walked off, likely to go talk to Murry and Joyce, while Dustin and El watched him go. Dustin would've expected himself to be angry at the words, that the adults had to do it all, but he knew that it was best. Four kids, well, three kids and a recent graduate from high school, went into a Russian base and only two came out. They couldn't handle this, at least not right now.

El patted the concrete seat next to her, bringing Dustin out of his thoughts.

"Sit."

Dustin followed her instructions, and as soon as he sat he began swinging his legs back and forth as much as he could.

"Are you okay?" She asked, and Dustin scoffed.

"Why are you asking me that? You're the one with an injured leg."

"You escaped the Russians and lost Steve."

He scoffed. "I don't think 'lost' is the right word. More like left behind."

"Sorry." El finished, and they fell into a wavering silence, the words of the other conversations falling to their ears.

"Steve is strong. He will be okay." El finally said, and Dustin numbly nodded.

"Yeah. Robin, too. But I'm still worried, you know?"

"I know."

Hopper soon came back, his face more calm than it was before. But, somehow they both knew that it was all fake. He wasn't calm. He was nervous. Scared, even, if the word could even be used to describe him. "We're going to head out soon here. Dustin, you and Erica are going to go to your towerー"

"Cerebro."

"ーCerebro, and Johnathan will drive you. Nancy and the rest of you youngsters will head over to the Byer's house. Sound's good?"

"Sounds good." El said, and Mike rushed over to help her get down and walk. Dustin jumped onto the floor and shared a look with Hopper.

"You'll, you know, look?"

Hopper nodded. "Absolutely. We'll save the world and your friends. But, we'll need your help, so you should probably head over to the hill."

"Right! Totally!"

Erica grabbed her bag and rolled her eyes as Dustin rushed to get ready. Jonathan watched with a bit of amusement, but worry still showed stark white on his face.

"Ready to go?"

Dustin nodded. "Yup. Ready as ever."

They made their way outside, and Dustin's throat closed up as Steve's BMW came into view, a burning reminder of what went wrong.

"Huh, that's weird. Why's Steve's car here?" Jonathan commented, and Erica shared a look with Dustin.

"He walked home today, I think. Something about a girl and a date." The words came tumbling out of his mouth, hiding the truth. Why was he, though? Why did he lie? "Apparently she didn't like his car so they walked."

Jonathan's eyes widened. "That's the first time I heard that someone didn't like his car, but I'll take it. He wouldn't mind us using it, would he?"

"I don't think so."

The eldest Byer's took the response without a second thought and hopped into the vehicle, hotwiring it until it turned on. Dustin and Erica both got in, and soon the streets and homes flew by their eyes. All of those people in those homes were completely clueless as to what was going on, and he wished that Steve and Robin were among them. But they weren't.

And it was all Dustin's fault.

%%%%%%%%%%

Steve woke up with a start, opening his eyes as much as he could. Everything was dark, and he could feel some sort of fabric on his eyes, wrapping around his head. He tried to move his hands to get it off, but he was met with the feeling of cold metal, restricting his movements. His breaths quickened, and his shifting body made a chain around his torso more evident, keeping him still.

Where was he? Was he in that Russian base? He had to be. If Steve remembered correctly, he and Robin were taken by Russians, and Dustin and Erica had managed to escape.

Robin.

Where was she? Was she near him? Was she okay?

"Robin?" He asked, but the word barely made it past his lips before coughs escaped his lungs, leaving him gasping for air.

"I'm afraid your friend is occupied at the moment." A voice said, a voice that was calculated and measured. Sort of like a teacher that knew that all of his students were going to fail, yet was prepared to try his best. Steve wasn't sure if he liked it or not.

He was pretty sure that he didn't.

He lifted his eyes towards the voice, squinting as the cloth was pulled away and a light shined in his eyes, blinding and white. After his eyes had managed to adjust, he saw a tall man with white hair, dressed in a fancy suit. His hands were neatly placed in front of him, and he looked down on Steve with…with what? What was that look that he was giving him?

"Where's Robin?" Steve managed to ask, clearing his throat as much as he could.

"She's safe, that I promise you." The man looked to his side, where Steve noticed another man, though this one seemed like more of a follower than a leader. Did that mean the guy speaking was in charge? "Could we get him some water? Thank you."

Steve watched the man with confusion as a cup of water was soon placed on his lips.

"Drink. It will help your throat."

He drank it hesitantly, unsure if he could trust him. As the water flooded into his body, his mind became clearer and clearer. This couldn't be the Russian base. Something happened between the time he was tortured and where he was now, tied up and facing a new danger.

Wait. He was tied up. He couldn't escape.

Steve flinched, and coughed up water. The cup was pulled away, and he took as many breaths as he could, not knowing what was about to happen, knowing that he could be strangled at any minute.

A calloused hand rested on his cheek, and he dodged the touch, defiantly turning the other way.

"It's alright, I'm not going to hurt you. I want to help you." The man explained, as calm as ever. "My name is Dr. Brenner, but you will address me as Papa."

Papa…why was that familiar to him? Brenner, Papa…Eleven. El had talked about a man named Papa, a man who…

The man from the lab. Brenner.

He thrashed in his bonds at the realization, knowing he was in danger, he was in so much danger, he had to get away, he had to get away.

"Let me go! Let us go!" He yelled, and Brenner made a signal to the man who had assisted him earlier.

"I'm afraid I can't, you need to be here. You will help me, and I will help you. But, I promise that you will see your friend again. Twenty looks forward to seeing you again, Nineteen."

Steve's eyes widened, and Brenner took Steve's left arm out of the bonds behind him, holding it with enough grip that Steve didn't have the strength to pull it away.

"See? You're Nineteen."

He looked down to Steve's wrist, which was now placed in front of him, and the young man followed, all of the fight in his body deflating at the sight. 019, tattooed on his wrist in harsh, black ink. This was it. He was Brenner's experiment.

He somehow knew that Robin had suffered the same fate. It didn't make him feel any better, it made him feel so much worse.

He had to get her out of here. He couldn't change the numbers on his wrist, or Robin's, but he could help her escape. Get her home and safe.

"Nineteen? Is everything alright?" Brenner asked innocently, and Steve fisted his hands together, anguish and passion burning in his heart, in his chest, in his mind, nails biting into the tender skin of his palms. He fought the bonds once more, and pushed himself to break free of Brenner's grip, break free of the bonds of the chair, and leave.

"Stop it! My name isn't Nineteen! Her name isn't Twenty! You're not going to hurt us, I won't let you, Brenner!" Steve yelled, and Brenner sighed, gripping his chin harshly. Steve still struggled, hoping that it would be enough. It wasn't.

"You will learn to abide by the rules, and you will learn to call me Papa."

"No! No, I won't! You won't win! I won't let you!"

A spark pain sparked in his neck, and Steve gasped, knowing that it was a needle. Again. He could feel his world already go blurry, dark around the edges, and Brenner let go of him. His arm was free, but he couldn't find the willingness to use it to escape. He couldn't feel much anymore.

"I won't…let…you." He muttered, before his chin dipped down to his chest, eyes closed in forced slumber. His body lost all tension, and his mind shut off, like a lighter with flames being closed swiftly.

When the only movement coming from the child was the steady lifting of his chest as air passed in and out of his lungs, Brenner sighed. This one would be difficult to break, as well as the girl, but it was a necessary step for the furtherance of his studies. He wasn't working with young children anymore, these two would be harder to manipulate. To teach. But, he knew that he could do it.

"Sir? What should I do with Nineteen?" His assistant asked, and Brenner crossed his arms, never taking his eyes off of the boy in question.

"Take him to his room. Make sure the door is locked."

"No bonds, sir?"

"No." Brenner replied. "He can roam as he pleases. He needs to trust us, this isn't a prison. It's his home."

As he began to follow his orders, Brenner watched with fascination. It was going to be difficult, but he couldn't have asked for better test subjects. This was all working perfectly.