53. Code red

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Calahan kicked his feet up on the desk as Hopper sat on the edge of Powell's desk while they filled him in on a few cases.

"So Chief, how's being married with children? Again", Calahan asked.

"Not officially", Powell threw in.

Hop picked up an apple and tossed it in the air.

"Well, you know it's the typical shit show— for me at least. The twins are a handful, the others feel like we don't show them enough attention, teenage attitudes, you know how it goes."

"Yeah", Powell agreed.

"No-", Calahan interrupted. "I don't have any kids."

Hopper and Powell both looked over at Calahan and rolled their eyes. He set the apple down on the desk and started skimming through the huge pile of paperwork.

"Why are you so stupid?", Powell said to Calahan with an attempt to surpress his laughter.

"What?! What do mean? What did I do this time?", Calahan responded in defense.

Hop took a seat and folded his arms as he watched the two start to bicker back and forth. He chuckled loudly at their insults and didn't notice the vibration from his ringing cell phone near the edge of the desk.

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Steve sat in his living room playing video games when he looked over at his phone for the fourth time. He picked it up, looked at the message thread between him and Jamie, and decided that it's been long enough.

He dialed her number and placed it on speaker before setting the phone in his lap. Once it rang and went to voicemail, he called again.

After no answer, he huffed as his character died before pausing the game. In an instant, he grabbed his jacket, phone, and keys and headed out the door.

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Joyce frantically fastened her seatbelt and struggled to put the keys in the ignition as her hands shook from the nerves. Will sat nervously in the front seat while El sat in the back between the two car seats.

"Mom he's not answering", Will said timidly, afraid to speak as to not add to his mother's stress.

"Just try him again", she quickly responded, backing out of the driveway before speeding down the road.

The sound of El shaking the baby rattler added on with both of the twins crying restlessly nearly drove Joyce over the edge. She quickly arrived at the Wheeler's and started grabbing the bags from the car while Will and El unbuckled the twins.

"Leave them in the car seat and bring the whole thing inside", Joyce said before walking up to ring the doorbell.

Mike quickly answered the door with his mom and took Grace's car seat from El while Will held onto Jacob's.

"What's going on?", Mike whispered to El.

"It's Jamie", Will butted in quietly as El walked off while Joyce started talking to Karen.

"Wait-What? Is she alright?!"

"Shh!", Will said almost aggressively as he nodded towards the twins who finally started to fall asleep.

"Sorry. I just don't know what's going on", Mike whispered.

"She's host", El responded after she reappeared with a blindfold and the tv remote.

Mike and Will both looked at El as if she was crazy.

"No", Will whispered.

"Are you nuts?!", Mike added.

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