The Long Game━ (l. sinclair)

operation mirkwood (goes horribly wrong)

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The next day, Sam "left for school" early to "study." This directly translated to: I'm going to Mike Wheeler's house so we can find Will with the help of Eleven — the girl with superpowers.

Sam, Lucas, Mike, and Dustin were gathered around the D&D table while Eleven was on the basement's couch. Like before, she was playing with Mike's Walkie Talkie. That girl really seemed to like it, for some reason.

"We just tell our parents we have AV Club after school," said Mike, trying to finalize their plan. "That will give us at least a few hours for Operation Mirkwood."

Sam nodded in understanding, as did Dustin. Lucas looked in between Dustin and Mike to eye Eleven on the couch.

"You seriously think that the weirdo knows where Will is?" he asked.

"Just trust me on this, okay?" said Mike, causing Lucas to begrudgingly nod. He asked Lucas, "Did you get the supplies?"

Lucas responded, "Yeah," and the next thing Sam knew, he was rummaging in his backpack. As he pulled out items, he listed them, "Binoculars... from 'Nam. Army knife... also from 'Nam. Hammer, camouflage bandana... and the wrist rocket."

"You're gonna take out the Demogorgon with a slingshot?" Dustin asked, unamused.

"First of all," Lucas interjected, offended, "it's a wrist rocket. And second of all, the Demogorgon's not real. It's made up... But if there is something out there, I'm gonna shoot it in the eye," he stretched the elastic of the wrist rocket towards Dustin, "and blind it."

Sighing, Mike nodded to Sam, "Sam, did you get anything?"

Upon being addressed, Sam brightened up.

"Okay, so," Sam started, unzipping a separate bag she brought, pulling clothes out of it, and addressing Eleven. "I've been thinking about it all night, and I just know you'd rock the grunge look." She tossed Eleven all the clothes, to which Eleven did not catch. "I brought you a green flannel, which will complement the black tee, and a pair of jeans. But if I'm being honest, the sweatpants you're wearing would work, too. Plus, they're comfier. Ooh! This part is my favorite," Sam commented, holding up a pair of black combat boots. "I don't really know your shoe size, but—"

"Sam," Mike interjected, sounding annoyed.

Stopping in her tracks, Sam stared at the boys obliviously. "Yeah?"

"When we said scrounge around your house," Lucas began, also sounding frustrated, "we did not mean dress up the freak like she's some Barbie!"

Offended, Sam gaped and gave Eleven the combat boots. "Excuse me. These clothes are cute, and if you think I'm gonna let her wear Mike's stinky clothes for however long we ally with her for, then you're dumb."

"Hey!" cut in Mike with a wounded face, at the fact Sam called him stinky.

"You completely missed the point! Anything would have better than 'grunge clothes,'" bickered Lucas, ignoring Mike's input.