𝙁𝘼𝙇𝙇𝙄𝙉𝙂 𝙃𝘼𝙍𝘿𝙀𝙍 𝘼𝙉𝘿 𝙃𝘼𝙍𝘿𝙀𝙍 ༄ 𝙈𝘼𝙓 𝙈𝘼𝙔𝙁𝙄𝙀𝙇𝘿

8. Death number two.

Robin, Steve, dustin, max, and Mal busted through the door of the shed with bangs in their hands full of food.

"Delivery service!" Dustin excitedly exclaimed.

Eddie jumped back, putting his hands up. He took a moment of breathing, as Mal waved to him.

•••

"So we got, uh, some good news and some bad news and some bad news." Dustin told Eddie, who was stuffing his mouth full of popcorn.

"How do you prefer it?" Dustin asked him.

"Bad news first, always." Eddie said, taking a drink of whatever he was drinking.

"Alright, bad news, we tapped into the Hawkins PD dispatch with our Cerebro, and their definitely looking for you." Dustin told him.

"Also, they're uh, pretty convinced you killed Chrissy." Mal stepped into the conversation.

"Like, 100% kind of convinced." Max agreed from beside her.

"And the good news?" Eddie asked, looking back at Dustin.

"Your name hasn't gone public yet. But if we found out about you, it's only a matter of time before the others do too, and once that gets out, everyone and their shallow-minded mother is gonna be gunning for you." Robin spoke the truth.

"Hunt the freak, right?" Eddie's voice Broke.

The saying reminded Mal of something.

"Exactly." Robin nodded.

"Shit."

"So, before that happens, we need to find vecna, kill him, and prove your innocence." Dustin told Eddie.

"That's all, Dustin? That's all?" Eddie asked, certainly not believing it.

"Yeah, no, that's pretty much it." Dustin confirmed.

"Listen, Eddie, I know everything Dustin's saying sounds totally delusional, but we've actually been through this kinda thing before. I mean, they have a- a few times." Eddie looked over at the others. "And... and I have once. Mine was more human-flesh-based, and theirs was more smoke-related, but bottom line is, collectively, I really feel like we've got this."

"Yeah, see, we usually rely on these girls with superpowers, but, uh," he looked over at Mal, who nodded to not say. "Those went bye-bye, so uh..." Steve trailed off.

"So we're technically in more- in more of the kinda..." robin stopped, not knowing what to say.

"Brainstorming phase." Max completed the sentence, nodding.

"Brainstorming." Steve snapped his fingers.

"There's... there's nothing to worry about." Dustin slowly said.

"Plus... maybe I can be some sort of more help..." mal trailed off, as she felt their eyes on her.

"More help?" Eddie asked.

Before Mal could say anything more, police sirens went off. "Shit." She muttered.

"Tarp, tarp." Robin pointed to it, as Eddie got under it.

The group went to the window, looking to see ambulances and police. Something bad happened not so far away.

•••

The car pulled up, and Mal saw her sister looking stressed talking to a police officer.

As everyone got out, Nancy made eye contact with Mal.