Two of a kind...... A Billy Hargrove story

Chapter 32: Russians?

The tires on Nancys car squealed as she pulled up outside a general store. Everyone clambered out of the car and made their way over to the store, as Nancy looked around the floor before grabbing a rock and smashing the glass window, she stepped inside as the rest of the group followed closely behind her. Max and Mike carefully carried El through the store and down the medical isle, they slowly set her down on the floor "okay, lemme see" Nancy muttered as she rips the bottom of El's trousers causing her to groan in pain "oh shit" Kali mumbled as she looked down at the gash on the young girls leg, she quickly covers her mouth when she feels vomit slowly moving its way up her throat "hey what are you doing?" Max shouts as she grabs hold of Nancys hand. Nancy glances over at the red head beside her "I'm cleaning the wound" she says matter of factly "no, first we need to stop the bleeding, then clean, then disinfect, then bandage" everyone looks over to Max confused at how she knows all of this, Max scoffs and rolls her eyes at them "I skateboard, trust me" she pushes Nancy out of the way and sits in front of El "Mike hold this" El winces as Mike holds the gauze on her wound "keep the pressure on it, nice and firm, okay?" Mike nods at Max as he keeps his gaze on El "we're gonna need water and soap" max states as she looks over at Jonathon, he nods at her and runs off to gather what she needs "does any of this help?" Lucas asks as he dumps the contents of his bag on the floor, Max looks at him and shakes her head "no, go get me a washcloth and a bowl"

"A bowl?" Lucas asks confused but before Max can say anything he's pulled away by Will. Kali rests on the floor next to El, squeezing her hand slightly to distract her from the pain. Everyone comes back with what Max had asked for as she gets to work on the wound "you're gonna have an awesome scar" Mike smiles over to El "you'll look even more badass" Kali chimes in causing a smile to let out on El's face "bitchin'" she smiles over at Kali "yeah bitchin'" she smiles back.

Mike stays seated next to El on the floor while everyone else wanders around looking for food and drinks. Kali is only one isle over from the pair and she can hear Mike trying to tell El how he feels, she tried not to eavesdrop until she heard her name "old people say it to each other sometimes" Mike explains "old people?" El gives him a puzzled look as she tries to work out what he's saying "yeah or like, Kali and Billy are always saying it to each other" Kali smiled to herself as she thought about the first time she had told Billy she loved him.

She washed her hands and looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her father had really done a number on her this time. Both of her eyes were black, she had a large cut running over her nose and another smaller cut on her chin. Not to mention the bandage that was wrapped around her head, "still beautiful" she heard a voice say. She turned to see Billy stood in the doorway, she smiled at him as she felt tears prick her eyes. He wrapped his arms around her as the tears began to fall "hey its okay, you're safe now" he held one hand on her back while the other hand stroked her hair, she sobbed against his chest and wrapped her arms around his waist "you came back for me" she whimpered causing Billy to chuckle "told you I'd be back for you" he held her shoulders as he pulled her back from the hug, looking into her eyes "I will always come back for you Juliet" he smiled at her as her gaze met his. She pulled him back into a hug as she nuzzled her head against his chest "I love you" she whispered. She felt him tense up against her. Shit I shouldn't have said that, she thought to herself as she cautiously looked up at him. To her surprise he was smiling down at her, he placed a light kiss on her lips before looking back at her "I love you too" a wide smile spread across Kali's face.

"I repeat... this is a code red!" Dustin voice was distorted as it came over the radio, Kali and the rest of the group quickly made their way over as Mike grabbed the radio "Dustin?"

"Mike?"

"Dustin!"

"Mike! Oh my god you have to listen, I know I've been MIA, and I'm sorry, it's not because I'm mad. I mean I actually was mad but it's also because I was trapped underground. A secret Russian base" the group all looked at each other confused as the radio started crackling again "Dustin you're going way to fast, I can't understand you"

"I know that sounds insane but the Russians have infiltrated Hawkins!" Mike looked up from the radio, "Russians?" He mouthed over to Lucas who just shrugged his shoulders in response "and now... they're using.... To open the gate"

"Dustin you're breaking up" Mike spoke but was cut off as Dustin continued talking "and now they're after us and we don't have a way out of here, so I need you to come and get us, can Nancy drive?"

"Dustin you're cutting out. Dustin? You there?" There was no response as Mike lowered the radio from his mouth. Kali looked over to Nancy who seemed to be lost in thought "we have to go get them" she grabbed Nancys hands, practically begging for her to drive over to where ever they were "we don't even know where they are Kali" Nancy spoke softly. It was true, the radio had cut out before they could find out where Dustin was "I can find him" El smiled as she placed her hand on Kali's shoulder.

El sat herself up against the shelving, Kali handed her a makeshift bandana and smiled at her "you got this" a smile crept on El's face as she nodded over to Kali, placing the bandana around her eyes and steadying her breathing. No matter how hard she tried to focus all she could hear was Max, Mike and Lucas whisper yelling to each other "hey!" She shouted, looking over at the three of them "sorry" they all mumbled. El sat back and once again tried to steady her breathing as she looked for Dustin "did you... find him?" Mike asked nervously "he's at the movies"

"Dustin's so freaked out about the gate, he decides to go watch a movie. Yeah makes total sense" Max scoffed as she crossed her arms over her chest. Kali shot her a look before turning her gaze back to El "you're positive he said 'gate' and not 'great'?" El nodded her head in response to Kali's question "which would explain how the Mind flayers still alive" Nancy chimed in "yeah we just have to shut it again, then the monster dies" Kali nodded, it sounded so easy but they knew it would be quite the opposite "but if not, we always have Lucas' fireworks" Max mocked as she glared over at Lucas "keep mocking my plan Max, keep mocking" Lucas smirked at the young girl. To be fair, she wasn't the only one doubting his whole fireworks plan.

Kali and Nancy ran around the store one more time gathering anything they may find useful while Lucas stuffed fireworks in the back of the car. Max and Mike had already helped El inside the car before climbing in themselves "okay, everyone ready?" Nancy asked as she buckled herself into the drivers seat, the group all muttered a 'yes' and she turned her gaze to Kali, "let's go" Kali smiled, determination in her eyes as Nancy started the car. Their destination, the Starcourt mall.