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________ c h a p t e r t w e n t y - o n e
Bianca turns on the TV, messing with the channels enough for the static to start, as El puts back on her blindfold.
Despite having located him before, the group wanted to make sure Billy was still where she said before they look for him.
After a few minutes of searching, El snatches off the blindfold, turning to them.
"What's he doing now?" Max asks.
"Just... sitting on his bed," she explains, which furthers their confusion.
"Here, go get some water, El," Bianca hands her a tissue. "You've been using a lot of energy."
Bianca sits back down next to Lucas, still confused.
"So you're telling me he's just in his room?" Dawn raises her eyebrows. "Not out terrorizing children or... flaying people?"
"That's not normal right?"
"Billy staying in his room on the fourth of July? No, that's not normal," Max scoffs.
"I don't trust it," Bianca speaks up. "Why would he make himself so easy to locate?"
"He wants us to find him."
"Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of," Nancy paces. "If we go to Billy, then the rest of the flayed know where we are."
"It's a trap, I agree. We'll be ambushed," Mike nods.
"We won't be surprised. We'll know that they're coming and we will kick their flayed butts," Lucas disagrees.
"You mean El will kick their butts."
"No way. We don't even know how many flayed there are. We could get hurt," Bianca shakes her head.
"It's too risky."
"Yeah, and unnecessary. Killing the flayed won't stop the Mind Flayer," Nancy adds. "We have to find out where it's spreading from. We have to find the source."
"Billy knows it," El walks over. "Billy's been there. To the source."
"Yeah, but-"
"It's a trap, I know. We can't go to Billy, but I think there's another way. A way for me to see where he's been."
"Can you elaborate just a bit?" Dawn holds up two fingers.
"I can get into his mind."
"Have you ever done this before?"
"Yes, with Mama," she nods, going to sit down.
"El, you don't have to do this. We can figure out another way," Bianca reminds her.
