𝐇𝐀𝐘𝐋𝐎𝐅𝐓| Mike Wheeler [COMPLETED UNTIL SEASON FIVE]

xv. the beginning of the end

           𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐘 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐏𝐏𝐄𝐃 𝐀𝐓 𝐀 𝐆𝐀𝐒 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐎 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐄 𝐔𝐏 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐀 𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐍. In the gas station bathroom, Jackie urged Kylie to halt her restless pacing. "Ky, you need to stop pacing around," she stated firmly. Kylie, ceasing her movements, shot her a defiant look. "Why should I!? You were there with Mike. You saw what happened to Elliana! She's gone, Quinn. Max might die too. We need to go save her. They can't even find a way to get down there quicker," Kylie exclaimed, frustration and urgency evident in her words.

Jackie clicked her tongue in thought. "We could just grab them and teleport them to Hawkins?" she suggested, but Kylie responded with a sarcastic laugh. "No, we can't. That would take all our energy. You can only teleport two people with you without it draining your battery, and I can only teleport myself. It'll just drain you way too much coming back to get someone and going back down there," she explained, the practical limitations of their abilities sinking in.

Jackie sighed, folding her arms. "Maybe El has a plan? She could mind walk, maybe?" she suggested. Kylie nodded, her eyebrows raised in agreement. They walked outside, only to hear El announce that she indeed had a plan. "Yay! Great. We kept going through ideas and hoped you had one," Jackie exclaimed, and Mike sealed the moment with a kiss on her forehead.

Jackie leaned her head onto Mikes shoulder as she listened to El's plan. "I have a way. A way to protect Max. From here."

El waved them over to the van, drawing stick figures to demonstrate. "This is Max. When One attacks, he'll be in her mind. But I can do that too, as well as Jackie," she explained, and Jackie knitted her eyebrows together. "So you want my help?"

El's head moved in a subtle shake. Her words carried a weight of determination, "Not quite. I'm choosing to tackle this alone because One harbors a deep resentment specifically towards me. It's not about either of you; he doesn't have an issue with Kylie or Jackie. It's my past betrayal that lingers. This fight is mine to face, not Kylie's or Jackie's. Yet, in case things take an unexpected turn, I'll give you a signal," she explained with a mix of resolve and vulnerability.

Jackie's curiosity surfaced in a question, "What would that signal be?" she asked. El met her query with a smirk, revealing, "My powers have undergone a transformation. I now possess the ability to resurrect up to three individuals, hitting the limit, and I've gained the power to abruptly pull someone into the void with me." The revelation held an air of both intrigue and caution.

A shared glance between Jackie and Kylie conveyed unspoken understanding. El unfolded her plan, "I entered Mama's and Billy's minds, and now I aim to explore Max's. She'll carry me to Vecna, and I'll piggyback, offering protection. The idea is to face One from within."

Arygle found amusement, commenting, "Mind fight. Righteous." Smirking, Arygle questioned, "So, you're genuinely convinced this can work?" Mike's skepticism surfaced as he raised his eyebrows, and El added thoughtfully, "A bathtub would play a crucial role," exhaling the words.