68- Captured
Summary: General Sullivan has Mike. What will El do? Walk away? Or surrender? I think we all know that answer.
Requested by: merwholock4ever
Mike woke up with a groan.
"He's up, sir." a voice said.
Where was he?
Mike searched his brain for his last memory.
He had been walking home from El's cabin.
He was on Mirkwood when it had happened.
A dark van had drove past him, stopping a few feet in front of him.
Mike tried to run away but a cloth had wrapped around his mouth and nose and his brain started to foggier and foggier.
Until it all went dark.
Mike tried to move his arms, but they were tied to the chair he was sitting in.
Same with his legs.
So, Mike accepted defeat and raised his head to look at his captor.
He tried not to look shocked.
General Sullivan was standing in front of him.
He thought Owens had dealt with him.
Mike was never trusting Owens again.
"What do you want?" Mike asked tiredly. "Cause I think abducting a 15-year-old is illegal."
General Sullivan smirked. "I just want a picture."
There was a bright flash of a camera and Sullivan was gone.
What just happened?
Why'd they just take his picture?
In movies, the captors would take a picture if they wanted to have proof of life for...
Oh crap.
This was definitely illegal.
El turned off the TV with a sigh.
None of her soap operas were on.
She'd ended up watching a bit of a movie where they kidnap somebody but turned it off when they started taking pictures of him for proof of life.
Despite saving the world for what was the fourth time now, El had to go back into hiding for at least a year.
It wasn't as strict in '84, but it still sucked.
El sat up and stretched but stopped when she heard a sound outside.
She got up and quietly padded to the window.
She peeked out the window and saw nothing.
But there was that noise again. It sounded like someone was walking in the crunchy leaves.
El quickly ran to her room and dove under the covers.
She sat there for at least 20 minutes, waiting.
Finally, it was quiet.
El poked her head out and carefully got out of her bed.
She walked out and stared at the front door.
She took a deep breath and opened the door.
She could do this.
El took a step outside and looked around.
Nothing.
El took another step and heard a crinkling sound.
She looked down and found an envelope.
El bent down and grabbed it, still on high alert.
She then walked around the cabin twice, finding no source of where the envelope came from.
El headed back inside and sat at the table.
She inspected the envelope and decided to open it.
El took out the contents and gasped.
It was a picture of Mike.
Tied to a chair.
In an unknown location.
This was not good.
El stared at the photo, taking in Mike staring off camera slightly, looking at someone. He was squinting a bit because of the flash.
The most important thing was that he didn't look as if he was hurt.
She really hoped he wasn't.
El was about to get up and call Hopper but a piece of paper behind the picture caught her eye.
She picked it up and tried to not vomit when she read the words.
Hello Eleven,
As you see, we have Michael Wheeler. We know you're very close to him. This is what you have to do to get him back. Just before midnight tonight, you will come to the field listed below. We will be waiting with Michael. Tell anybody, try anything, show up a minute or more late, or don't show up Michael will be hurt. He will soon end up like your friend Brenner if you keep not complying.
Now, at the field you will be exchanged with Michael. He'll go home freely and tell your friends that you will no longer be around, and you'll take his place. Again, trying anything will end up with him hurt.
I didn't want it to come down like this, Eleven. But you made it like this.
It's in your hands now, Eleven.
-General S
El bit back a sob.
Mike's gone and the only way to get him back is to give up herself.
So, that's what she was going to do.
She knew that she should probably tell the Party. They would help.
But if Sullivan even got a whiff of a plan, Mike would get hurt.
'Then the plan is,' El thought. 'Tell no one and get captured.'
"Great plan." she muttered.
Mike was bored.
He'd count all the bricks, figured out the pattern of the flickering lights, and dozed off twice.
Mike only had one visitor since the photo shoot, and he had shoved a roll in his mouth and told him to eat it.
Just as he was about fall asleep again, the creaky door opened and in stepped General Sullivan.
"Come to free me?" Mike asked sarcastically. "Cause, again, I'm pretty sure kidnapping a 15-year-old is illegal."
Sullivan said nothing just bent down and started to untie Mike's legs.
Mike looked at him in confusion then let out a little yelp when Sullivan grasped his shoulder and made him stand up.
Then he pushed him forward, forcing Mike to walk in front of him.
Where were they taking him?
Mike was lead and pushed down a long hallway with flickering lights. They soon reached a door and Mike gulped, not knowing what was behind it scared him.
Two guards opened the door and Mike squinted in confusion when he saw that he was going outside.
"Where are we going?" he asked, doubtful that he would get an answer.
"On a little trip." Sullivan said in a low voice.
Mike was then pushed towards a large SUV. He was told to get in, which was difficult due to the fact that both of his hands were tied together.
Finally when he made it into the SUV he saw a bag the size of his head.
"What's that for?" Mike asked, even though he already knew.
"To make sure that you don't know where we're going." a guard said, lifting the bag up to Mike's head and started to pull it over.
That's when it all went dark.
El quietly walked through the woods.
She breathed in the fresh air, knowing that it may be the last time she would be able to enjoy it.
El stepped out into the clearing that was the field she would be traded for Mike.
In the distance she saw a man standing with two guards close behind him.
There was no sight of Mike.
El walked confidently to General Sullivan.
"Where is he?" she asked as a greeting.
"He's here, just in a safe spot in case you have a plan in mind."
El shook her head. "All I want is for him to be alright. I will surrender as long as he can walk freely."
Sullivan stared at her for a moment.
"Alright, but you will be wearing this."
One of the men pulled out something El had never wanted to see again.
A shock collar.
"Just in case you have any bright ideas." Sullivan smiled. El glared hard at him before taking the collar and putting it around her neck.
There was a small buzz after she put it on, and El rolled her shoulders.
"Now, where is he?"
General Sullivan turned his head to the right and gave a single nod.
Soon after, four men walked out into the clearing, the front two leading Mike, who had a bag over his head.
He was rambling about how this was definitely illegal.
El gave a small smile to her boyfriend's antics.
They stopped when they reached El and pulled the bag off if Mike's head.
He blinked a couple times and then his eyes widened when he saw who was in front of him.
"El!" Mike gave her a smile, then looked between her and Sullivan and realized what was going on.
"No." he simply whispered.
El gave him a grim smile and turned to Sullivan.
"Can I have a moment with him please?" she asked.
The next few seconds felt like hours as General Sullivan made his decision.
He gave one nod and signaled his men to step back.
Once Mike and El had a sense of privacy, 5 feet away from men with guns, he began rambling.
"El, you can't do this, you've spent your entire life locked up. Just go, let me do it, I'll be fine." Mike begged.
El tried to hold back the tears in her eyes. "I can't. They'll hurt you."
"They'll hurt you too."
"Not until I'm proven to be of less value." El shrugged, which was hard to do with the collar. " And I'm pretty valuable, so it'll be awhile until they do things to me."
"But-"
"No, just listen to me." El interrupted. "I'll be fine. Go live your life. For me, kay?"
Mike nodded.
El let her tears slip. "I love you."
"I love you too." Mike whispered.
"Now I want you to do something. I already said my goodbyes to the Party but I couldn't tell them what was going on so it didn't mean all that much. I need you tell them some things."
Mike nodded.
El took a deep breath. "But first I need to tell you... DUCK!"
Mike yelped as El grabbed his shoulders and him to the ground. He landed flat on his back and tried to process what was happening.
He could hear gunshots, screaming, and running.
Soon he was picked up off the ground and was met face to face with Steve and his nail bat.
"Steve?"
"The one and only."
Mike turned and saw Max and Will trying to get the shock collar off of El, who was grinning.
He then saw Hopper leading General Sullivan away in handcuffs. He looked around him and saw Robin, Johnathan, and Eddie point guns towards the six guards, who were laying down on the ground.
Then, he saw Nancy.
Relief flooded Mike's veins. He hadn't realized how much he'd missed his big sister.
Mile hugged his sister harder then ever before, trying not to knock of the gun that was strung around her shoulder.
"How'd you guys do this?" he asked.
El stepped up to answer. "Well, my plan was to just surrender and not tell anyone."
"Which was a stupid plan." Steve cut in.
"But when she came to say her goodbyes, we could tell something was up. So, we got it out of her and made a plan." Max explained.
Mike was confused. "But how'd you-"
"Never mind the details." Nancy interrupted. "What's important is that your safe. They didn't do anything to you did they?"
Mike shook his head. "Worse thing they did was feed me some stale bread."
"Well then let's go," Robin came up behind them with Johnathan and Eddie. "Hopper's got all of them and Joyce, Lucas, Dustin, and Erica are probably worrying in the get away car."
Everyone started heading to the car.
Mike and El hung back, giving each other side hugs.
"I'm glad your okay." El told him.
"So am I." Mike said. "What were you thinking, El?"
El slowed. "What do you mean?"
"I would have been fine. You going and letting yourself get captured is a stupid plan."
El scoffed. "Okay, sure you would've be "fine." But what about me? seeing you get hurt is my worst fear. Add the fact that it would have been through pictures and there'd be nothing I could do. That would've been awful."
Mike sighed. "Yeah you have a point. I'm sorry."
El shrugged. "It's fine. I get it. If it was me in that position I'd feel the same as you."
Mike was about to agree with her when he saw Sullivan sitting in Hoppers car with the window rolled down and a scowl on his face.
Mike smirked.
"Told you it's illegal to kidnap a 15-year-old."
AN: Hope you liked it, merwholock4ever! Reviews are open everyone!