STARCROSSED ▷ steve harrington

12. the massacre at hawkins lab - part one

CHAPTER TWELVE — THE MASSACRE AT HAWKINS LAB
PART ONE

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JACKIE WONDERED if the Wheelers were going to start charging rent. Because somehow, after Dustin had gotten snatched up by the police, that was the house they ended up at, despite none of the Wheeler family actually being with them. Each set of parents were present, excluding her mother, and she was trying to think of every possible way to get her and Max out of this situation.

Because there was no way Susan would allow Jackie to see her sister if either of them got arrested. She'd claim Jackie as a bad influence and ban her from seeing Max. She knew it. But could they even get arrested for something like that?

"What exactly were you all doing at the lake?" Powell questioned, staring each of them in the face. The four were crammed together on a three-seater couch—how they had physically managed to pull it off, Jackie didn't know.

They shared a look, as if speaking through their eyes would clarify what answer they'd be going with.

"It's compli—"

Max interrupted him. "We were just going for a walk."

"A walk?" Callahan repeated, unconvinced. "At nine pm?"

"To the lake!" Dustin's squeaky lie voice answered. "We were gonna... take a little swim."

"Yeah," Jackie nodded. "I dared them. You know, the waters freezing. I didn't think any of them would do it. Guess I'll never find out, since you all kidnapped us," she shot a sour look at Callahan.

"Dusty!" Mrs. Henderson shook her head. "Someone was just murdered there. And you're daring my son to go out on a crime scene?"

"Murdered?" Jackie's shock was faux. "Mrs. Henderson, I- I had no idea. You know I'd never put Dustin in harm's way. Who was murdered? We haven't been home all day..." She looked to them. "Right? You guys haven't heard about this, have you?"

They all immediately denied it.

Bad liar her ass. Robin and Nancy were still totally full of shit.

"Was Nancy with you at this night swim?" Mrs. Wheeler asked.

Jackie spoke first, or she was attempting to speak first, but the others opened their mouths to speak, too.

"Yes."

"No."

"We're not sure," Lucas finally said. Jackie crossed her arms, giving them each a look.

"She was there," Dustin told them. "Then she left. It's all a little confusing."

"That's when you guys came."

"Right!" Max nodded. "Then, they dared me to say what I said, because I was the only one who didn't swim."

"I thought your sister just said none of you got the chance to swim," Powell interjected. Jackie refrained from face-palming. If she ever needed to commit a murder, she would never do it with this group.

"You're lucky you didn't get shot," Mr. Wheeler cut in.

"Have you had any contact with Eddie?"

"Eddie who?" Jackie wondered in reply. "I've never met an Eddie in my life."

"You mean the psycho freak killer?" Dustin asked. "God, no."

"Nope!"

"Absolutely not. We haven't heard from him."