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"How the fuck are you three not exhausted?" Mike Wheeler's tired gasps echoed through the woods.

El turned around, watching as Mike's pace slowed, before turning to Richie, who stopped to wait for him to catch up. Bill rolled his eyes but paused as well.

"Adrenaline and fear and two really encouraging factors," El said, wrapping the sweater she was wearing tighter around her arms.

"Ha-haven't had t-to deal with b-being on the r-run, have y-you Wheeler?" Bill asked with a smirk.

"You know what-" Mike started.

"We've gotta keep going. If we stop, they catch us and then we're fucked," Richie said, stopping the fighting. "Are you good to keep going?"

Mike bent over, hands on his knees, panting. "Yeah, I'm okay."

He had just stood up to follow, when a low buzzing echoed through the woods. El lifted the knife she had been given and Mike ran closer to the group, pulling out his own knife. Bill pulled out his gun, quickly loading it.

Richie, however, didn't react. "It's my burner guys. Eddie said he'd call me when everything was figured out." He pulled out the phone and flipped it open.

"Richie?" Eddie's voice came over the phone. He sounded breathless and scared.

"Hey, Eds," Richie responded, a smile breaking over his face. "You're alright?"

A cough came from the phone, and Richie realized Eddie didn't have his inhaler.

"Yeah, we're alright. Listen, I can't explain everything now, but you need to move faster. Especially because El is in your group. We're all in danger. They know that we're helping her by now, I think. Please tell me you're in some kind of vehicle?"

"No. We've been running since we left, Eds. Staying undercover, out of sight. You know, what you told us to do."

"Fuck what I told you to do! You're in danger! Find a car, get rid of the plates and get to the safe zone! Now!"

Richie noted how stressed Eddie sounded, along with the pitch of his voice. It sounded like it did when he had been crying. "Okay, we're going. Are you okay?"

"We can talk about it later. We need to get off this line or someone may be able to trace it. I love you, stay safe."

Richie was about to respond, but a click sounded, signaling Eddie had hung up.

"What's the plan?" El asked, snapping Richie from his thoughts.

"We've gotta find a car. Can you hot-wire one, Big Bill?" Richie asked, picking up his pace again.

"Y-yes, I can. A-Are you going t-to tell us w-why you l-look like Eddie j-just told you s-someone died?" Bill asked, worried.

"He said we're all in danger. Looks like the superiors are after El, and that none of us are safe."

"Sh-shit," Bill whispered, running quicker to keep up with Richie.

Soon, they saw a convenience store, with a truck sitting out front. Bill got to work wiring, while Richie snuck inside, stealing some snacks for the road and a map. When he got back, they peeled away, aiming for Hawkins.

"They'll know we're heading there, won't they?" El asked, looking at the map.

"Most likely, but it's the only place that we can hide. Hopper and Joyce went into the lab when the Mind Flayer showed up again, thinking the gate was reopened there, so we can hide in the lab. Maybe find something that can help you get your powers back," Mike said.

Richie tossed them the food he had taken, and everyone dove in, starving from their long night of running away from people they thought they could trust.

An hour into the trip, El laid down to take a nap, so Richie took the opportunity to address Mike. "Hey, can we talk?" Richie asked, shyly.

Mike gave a small nod, and he and Richie climbed into the back of the truck so they could speak privately.

"What's up?" Mike asked, taking a sip of a Gatorade.

"You know a couple of days ago when I got super drunk? Do you know why I was drunk?" Richie asked, getting right to the conversation.

"No? I mean, yes, I remember you being drunk but I'm not sure why."

"I saw my mom in the 7-11, and obviously it upset me. She kind of made my life a living hell. She also told me something you deserve to know."

Mike narrowed his eyes. "What'd she say?"

"She said that she gave birth to twins. And guess what, Wheeler? You're the other twin! Didn't know if it was obvious enough," Richie said with fake enthusiasm.

Mike shook his head. "That's impossible. I was raised in Indiana, and why the hell would your mom keep you but get rid of me? That doesn't make sense."

"Our father was always a drunk, so basically our mom had twins and she couldn't get rid of both of us because our dad knew that one baby existed. So, she gave you to a college friend before she moved to Hawkins. That would ensure that at least one of us got a normal life."

Mike didn't look like he believed Richie. He seemed like he was on the verge of laughing, waiting for Richie to tell him it was a joke. Richie, however, kept a straight face.

"You're serious?" Mike asked after Richie remained silent.

"Yes, I am. We're brothers, Mike. Even if you don't believe me, it's true. I mean, we look identical, and if you can date a person with mind powers, why can't you believe that there's a chance that you may be false adopted?"

Mike didn't make eye contact. He stared at his hands, silently.

Richie sighed and patted his shoulder. "You don't have to believe me, but it's true."

"I believe you," Mike whispered. "My mom didn't have any pictures of me when I was born. None of that. Only my older sister and my little sister."

Mike looked up at Richie, teary-eyed, before he reached forward and hugged Richie tightly. "I'm sorry that I didn't know, or I'd have gotten you to come live with me and away from your, well, our crazy ass parents."

Richie returned the hug, smiling. He always felt like a part of him was missing, and he realized that Mike must've been that piece. "It's okay, you didn't know. We're going to get through this. I'm not going to leave you guys behind. None of us will."

Mike laughed quietly, and the two continued to talk, getting to know each other. They shared their lives, their goals, and realized they had so much in common. Richie regretted bringing the Hawkins kids into their situation, but he was glad to have met his brother. At least he knew someone from his family that he didn't want to leave behind.

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