0 0 1 ━ [ 𝘚𝘵𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘏𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘰𝘯 ]

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝟺𝟼: 𝚃𝚒𝚌𝚔-𝚃𝚊𝚕𝚔

"Why did you choose to ride with me?" Hopper asked Steve curiously during an extended period of silence while they were driving along the sleepy Hawkins streets. Joyce's and Jonathan's cars had already split off to investigate other routes so they were the only two beings on that stretch of road. Hopper glanced down at the compass resting on top of the dash every so often to make sure they were still going in the right direction.

"I don't know," Steve shrugged, his eyes following the dark outlines of the scenery passing by outside his window. He looked over to Hopper with the right corner of his lip curled into a half-smile. "I think we make a good team."

Hopper offered a similar half-smile back. "We're going to find her."

"I know," Steve sighed. He thought back to the last words One had imparted on him before disappearing through the portal. He contemplated whether he should tell Hopper his true feelings for Sarah, but he thought it might be better to wait until they were out of a confined space. Just to be safe...

Hopper turned the radio on to cut through the depressing quiet that had settled upon them but he struggled to find a station within range. "That's odd..." Hopper mumbled as he continued to turn the dial. All he heard was static.

"Here, let me," Steve offered, taking control over the dial, but as soon as he touched the knob it began to spin of its own accord. "Whoa! What's happening?"

Hopper looked away from the road for a brief moment to see the radio controlling itself. He was about to turn it off because it was distracting him from driving when Steve stopped him.

"Wait," Steve told him. "Look at the clock."

Hopper turned his attention to the digital clock and watched as the green lines that constructed the numbers rapidly flickered and changed. Single numbers appeared one after the other and it became clear to Hopper that the clock was no longer telling the time.

"Here, um..." Steve began to rifle through the glove box and throw things around the cab.

"Hey, watch it!" Hopper warned Steve after a pen struck him on the side of the head, but Steve ignored him.