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CHAPTER FORTY TWO " WHATEVER YOU SAY, SAILOR "
STEVE CLOSED HIS EYES AND TRIED NOT TO BREATHE SO HEAVY AS HE WAITED FOR THE RUSSIANS TO FIND THEM. He could hear them creeping closer but they had nowhere to go, they were stuck hiding under a fast food counter with no way out, waiting only to be caught.
He jumped at the sound of a car horn and let out a sigh of relief, expecting a gun shot. The Russians muttered something he didn't understand and he could hear their footsteps retreat, at least somewhat.
There was more banging and smashing, thankfully none directed their way, and Steve was hopeful that Dustin's walkie-talkie call had worked and got the attention of Mike after all.
Slowly, the four of them raised, peeking over the counter. The car that had been placed in the lobby to win was now overturned and laying, smashed up, on the other side of the food court. Steve looked up and saw Eleven standing on the second floor, no doubt the culprit behind the mess. The other's came out behind her before everyone instinctively ran toward each other.
Dustin ran toward Eleven, who was limping and being held up by Mike, and grabbed her into a hug. "You flung that thing like a Hot Wheel!"
"I don't understand what happened to that car." Robin said, confused, and a little in awe.
"El has superpowers." Dustin answered as if it were that obvious.
Nancy, Jonathan, Max, Lucas, Will, they were also there, looking haggard, obviously facing a different fight than Steve's own. But his heart leapt into his throat when Dylan stepped out from behind Jonathan. He hadn't expected her at all, he thought she was still in California.
Dylan eyed him warily, seeming hesitant to say anything at all.
"Dylan." Steve said aloud, not being able to contain his shock from seeing her.
"Hi, Steve."
"You're blonde," he stuttered out. "You're blonde and you're in Hawkins."
Dylan smiled. "It was this ice-breaker thing at my dorm. We were all drinking and Marianne, my roommate, suggested I dye my hair...and I did."
"...It looked awful. All brassy—and not in the way it usually does. I had to pay $80 to fix what those girls did."
"I like it...?" Steve said but it came out more like a question. He honestly didn't know what to think.
"Dylan?" Robin said, moving on from the car problem to a new surprise. "I heard you were in California."
"Robin, right?"
Robin nodded.
Steve looked between them. "Wait, wait. You two know each other?"
"Yeah, we met," Dylan tipped her head toward Robin. "She's funny."
