American Heroes: A Stranger Things 3 Fic

Star-Crossed Lovers

"Guys, what is going on?!" Will shouts through the walkie-talkie as Dustin, Steve, Robin, and Erica's screams pour out of it.

"We're going down! We're going down!" Steve is shouting.

"Yeah, no shit, Harrington!" Robin says.

"Robin, answer us!" Will pleads. "What is happening?"

Dustin's voice cuts in. "Why don't these buttons work?!"

"What is going on?" Will and Lucas shout into the walkie-talkie.

"I don't know!" Robin shouts back, breathless. "We're going down!"

"What?"

"The room -"

Erica yells, "Press the button!"

"It's, I think it's -" Robin's last word cuts off.

"What?" Will and Lucas ask in unison.

"The – it's an – I -" Static takes over Robin's words.

Will and Lucas jump to their feet and tear down the stairwell, Will shouting into the walkie-talkie, "Robin, are you there? Robin! Do you copy?" They run out onto the loading dock and up to the door to the secret room. Lucas bangs his fist against it.

"Guys, are you there?" Will repeats into the walkie-talkie.

Static replies.

Smacking his palm on the door, Lucas turns to Will. "What just happened?"

"I don't know."

"Oh my god!" Lucas throws his hands in the air. "What if they died? My sister was in there!"

"They didn't die," Will assures him. "They probably just-"

Lucas grabs his arm, ushering him to be quiet and pointing behind him. Slowly, Will turns at the sound of voices coming their way. He doesn't see anyone, but footsteps echo on the concrete. Yanking on his sleeve, Lucas inches away from the secret room and motions towards a side door leading into the mall. They tiptoe towards it as the voices come closer, and then two men turn the corner, guns in hand. One man points to Will and Lucas and shouts something in Russian.

"Shit!" Lucas hisses, and Will shoves him forward and through the door.

They flinch when the door slams shut, but knowing they're far from safe, they sprint like madmen down the hallway. Feet pounding, heart racing, Will fumbles to change the channel on the walkie-talkie. "Mike! Max! Do you copy? This is a code red! I repeat, this is a code red!"

No answer. Will swallows, his breath shallow as he runs through the mall, but he comes to a halt as a wave of fear falls over him. In the back of his neck, he can feel it. The Mind Flayer.

"What is it, Will?" Lucas asks.

"The Mind Flayer. I feel him."

"What?! Where?"

"Not here." Will shakes his head. "But he's activated."

Lucas eyes him. "You think it's Billy?"

Will starts walking towards the food court. Lucas follows hastily. With a trembling hand, Will brings the walkie-talkie up to his ear. "Mike? Max? Do you copy?" Static. He takes a breath. "Are you guys okay? It's Will. This is a code red. I repeat, a code red. Over."

No answer. Lucas chews his lip. "What do you think we should do?"

"I don't know." Will racks his brain for a plan. Anything. Dustin, Steve, Robin, and Erica are in trouble, but they have no way to get to them. Mike, Max, and El aren't answering while he knows the Mind Flayer is activated. He groans, switching the channel on his walkie-talkie. "Robin, are you there? This is Will. Over."