his shadow | eddie munson

↝ chapter seventeen

caught in the middle - dio
18 | amateur plan
☿

steve's plan was as plain and daring as any plan the group had ever conducted in the past. get in, fight your heart out if necessary, try a little smooth talking, and hope for the best.

"there's only one problem," robin held a hand up, her eyes scanning the faces of the small group. "we don't know where eddie is— if he's wandering around hawkins, if he's wandering around the upside down— if he's right with vecna."

steve's lips curled into a frown. "just a minor obstacle—"

"minor? i was thinking that it was more along the lines of major— we can't conduct this search and rescue plan without knowing where our target even is, steve!" robin panicked, her voice cracking with emotion.

"he was looking for el," dustin spoke up. he'd been sitting somewhat quietly as steve and robin passed ideas back and forth, humming or grimacing in response at some of their plans. "when he came to me, i don't think it was part of his plan— or orders from vecna, whatever it was. i think he was sent to find eleven, maybe spy on her or try to bring her to vecna."

"you think he went to you instead?" stete's brow rose, his tone uncertain.

dustin paused in thought. maude had been sitting silently, listening and observing the way she was used to, but this time she straightened up and spoke out. "maybe we could use that to our advantage."

when all three of them looked at her with confusion, she elaborated. "if eddie is looking for eleven, maybe we can offer to take him to her. and if he, by chance, was able to ignore his orders so he could see you, dustin— then maybe you can be the one to get through to him, to help him break free of his vecna curse."

"that's actually smart," robin pointed. "we trick him, take him somewhere we can keep him, try to help him— waste vecna's time in the process."

"draw vecna out, assemble the others and take him down once and for all." steve finished for robin, their eyes connecting in a way that made maude think that this must have been common for them.

"what, so we just kidnap eddie, then?" dustin seemed baffled, his eyebrows risen with disbelief.

"not if he willingly comes with us." steve shrugged, hinting that the other option didn't phase him too much if it came to it.

"but what happens if vecna's the one we find, and not eddie?" robin's tone dropped and her words came out slow. maude felt her heartbeat pick up at that line. robin had a point, if vecna was so evil and powerful, then they wouldn't stand a chance against him. they had already lost to him once before, and that was with more people— like eleven, who had powers.

"well then, we've just got to hope that we don't— and that he's weak, healing— recuperating, or whatever." steve seemed too calm, it didn't do much to ease maude's anxieties.

"so when do we go?" dustin perked up, eyes glazing with eagerness.

☿

maude sat on the couch nervously, hands fiddling as her eyes darted in every direction of the basement. it was nice, set up as another entertainment room with two couches and a second tv box, a shelf of board games in the corner and a beautiful glass table sitting between the couches and the television.