DUSTIN RESTED HIS head on Jasper's shoulder, the two laying together on Mike's couch. The redhead reached up and began casually running her fingers through Dustin's soft curls. "I'm scared, Dusty," Jasper admitted.

The Henderson boy sat up, gazing into her blue eyes intently. Even the seemingly fearless redhead of the party was afraid of something. "Scared of what, Jas?"

"What's gonna happen to me," she admitted sadly, gazing at her hands resting in her lap. "All this about my mom, Hawkins, my new powers," she shook her head. "This could all get me killed."

"Stop it," Dustin scolded her lightly. "Stop saying that. Nothing is going to happen to you. I'm not gonna lose you. It would tear me apart if I did."

Jasper smiled sweetly at him, licking her slightly chapped lips. Her eyes averted down to the boy's plump lips, but only for a single moment. She met his eyes again, chuckling. "I mean it when I say I would've thrown Troy off the cliff today if he hurt you."

"Oh, I believe it," Dustin leaned back, letting out a small giggle. "You were a total badass back there. Honestly, after that, I don't think Troy or his idiotic friend will mess with us again."

"God, I still can't believe he held you at knifepoint," Jasper scoffed, shaking her head. "What a fucking idiot."

Dustin exhaled deeply, gazing at the redhead who refused to look at him. Slowly, he slid his hand into hers, their fingers interlocking. She finally looked at her best friend, a feeling of warmth spreading through her chest.

Their sweet moment was interrupted by the crackling static of Mike's super-com. Lucas's voice was on the other end, panic emitting from his words. "Dustin," Jasper jerked up, racing to the table and grabbing the super-com.

"Lucas!" Jasper exclaimed, extending the antenna as far it would go. "Lucas, can you hear me?"

Dustin dashed over to the bathroom, barging inside. "Guys," he breathed, looking at Mike and Eleven urgently. "It's Lucas. I think he's in trouble."

Mike and Eleven followed the Henderson boy to the table. Jasper began turning the small knobs on the device, attempting to get a clearer audio from Lucas. He was erupting into fits of screams, his words hard to understand.

"What's he saying?" Mike glanced at Jasper and Dustin, who were both cradling the super-com in their hands.

"I don't know, he's way out of range," Dustin replied. The two boys began struggling to get Lucas to calm down, speaking over one another to the Sinclair boy.

Annoyed, Jasper snatched the super-com from both boys, holding it close to her lips. "Lucas," she sighed, eyeing the ceiling. "Please calm down. And slow down, we can't understand you."

"Yes, I copy! Do you? They know about Eleven! Get out of there! They know about Eleven!" He screamed at his friends, though his other words became unclear again.

"Mad hen, does that mean anything to you?" Dustin looked expectantly at Jasper and Mike. "Like a code name or something?"

Jasper tilted her head, continuing to listen to the radio. "...Dad...pen?"

"Bad men," Mike gasped, looking at the two of them. "Bad men!" He averted his eyes to El, holding out a hand to settle her nerves. "Stay here."

"Fuck fuck fuck," Jasper murmured to herself repeatedly as they hammered up the stairs. They rushed to the window, Jasper hitting her head against the glass. "Damn it!"

"Chill out," Mike exclaimed to Jasper as she went tumbling to the floor. "We don't need you becoming super clumsy in a crisis."

"Sorry that I'm freaking out right now!" Jasper groaned, rubbing her forehead. Mike fled into the kitchen, calling for his mom. The redhead clambered to her feet again, peering through the window next to Dustin.

The two watched as a series of similar repair trucks parted outside the house. Men began filing out of the vehicles, looking prepared for a fight. "Holy sh—" Jasper was interrupted by Dustin calling Mike's name.

"Mike!" Dustin huffed, sprinting into the kitchen. Jasper quickly followed at his heels.

"One second," Mike easily held up a finger, still trying to speak with his frustrated mother.

"Mike!" Jasper and Dustin screeched in unison, catching his attention.

"We need to leave...right now..." Dustin panted before whirling around and dragging Jasper back to the basement with him.

Mike didn't hesitate any longer, following his friends.

"Michael!" Mrs. Wheeler called after him, growing even more impatient with her son.

Mike turned back to her quickly, gazing at her with huge eyes. "If anyone asks where I am, I've left the country," he murmurs before speedily racing back towards Jasper and Dustin.

"Hey, can we actually move countries?" Jasper asked Mike as they hurriedly grabbed their bags and jackets. "I've always wanted to go to Canada and try poutine."

"Not now," Mike grumbled anxiously, throwing his bag on his shoulders carelessly.

"Did you know that their money is waterproof?" She rambled, clearly a sign of how scared she was. "I think it also smells like maple syrup. God, we Americans are so basic compared to—"

Dustin stopped her, gently placing his hand on her shoulder. "Calm down."

The three all rushed outside, Dustin shoving a headset on his head. Jasper and Dustin hopped on their bikes as Mike and Eleven raced ahead. "It's almost like we're actual refugees now. We should really move to canada," Jasper murmured as they caught up to see what Mike and Eleven were staring at.

A tall, old man with pure white hair lead a crew of men dressed as repair workers. His sinister eyes landed on the four, a smile appearing on his ugly face.

"That's him, huh?" Jasper grunted. "Dr. Brenner. That wrinkly son of a bitch that killed my mom. I'm gonna—"

"Go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go!" Dustin screamed, and the three of them all began pedaling faster than ever down the road.

"Oh, my God. Oh, my god. Oh, my God. Oh, my God," Dustin repeatedly exclaimed.

"Dustin, do you copy?" Lucas appeared on the radio, sounding concerned.

"Yeah, Lucas, they're on us," the Henderson boy answered.

"Where are you?" He asked them.

"Cornwallis!" Jasper shouted, surprised that Lucas could actually hear her. Then again, she was riding right next to Dustin because she refused to move any further from him.

"Meet me at Elm and Cherry," Lucas instructed.

"Copy, Elm and Cherry," Dustin echoed Lucas's words, earning an "okay" from Mike.

The same vans suddenly appeared down the street, barreling after the four. "Shit!" Dustin and Jasper shrieked in sync, glancing at the vehicles.

"This way!" Mike led them through a driveway and into someone's backyard.

Two girls were playing some sort of hand game, chanting words to each other. the other one sat at the bench. "Out of the way, out of the way!" Dustin yelled at them warningly.

They pulled a part from one another, allowing the boys to pass. "Love that jacket," Jasper gasped at the brunette glaring at them before riding past them.

"Lucas!" Mike exclaimed as the Sinclair boy met up with them on his bike, panting in exhaustion.

"Where are they?" He asked them in a soft voice.

"I don't know," Mike stammered anxiously.

"I think we lost them," Dustin sighed. As if on cue, the vans appeared at the end of the road, targeting them. The chase was still on.

"Go, go, go, go, go!" Mike shouted continuously, as if the word "go" would suddenly make them any faster.

The boys broke out into a chorus of shouts and terrified screams as a van cut the corner in front of them, driving straight for them. Jasper noticed El glaring at the van in concentration, a gasp escaping her lips as she realized what the girl was about to do.

Suddenly, the van lifted into the air. As a result of the shock, Jasper slowed down time and craned her neck towards the sky. Gradually, the vehicle soared past them, the moment short but unforgettable. Time sped up again as the van landed roughly on the ground, bits of metal flying everywhere as it cut off the other vehicles.

Nobody spoke until they reached the junkyard, completely silenced by the surprise. All three of them stopped, dropping their bikes and attempting to catch their breath.

"Holy...Holy shit," Dustin wheezed. "Did...Did you see what she did to that van?"

"Nope, sorry," Jasper shrugged sarcastically. "I missed it."

"I mean, that was...that was..." Dustin stammered, hardly able to speak.

"Awesome," Lucas finished for him. El looked back at him, surprise covering her dirtied face. "It was awesome." The Sinclair boy approached El, crouching down next to her. "Everything I said about you being a traitor and stuff...I was wrong," he admitted, holding his hand up to his chest.

El just stared at him, speechless. Blood trickled down her nose as she continued to listen to him.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled, placing his hand on her back.

"Friends..." El spoke softly. "Friends don't lie. I'm sorry too."

"Me too," Mike intervened.

Lucas looked up at him, his eyes squinting against the sun. He got to his feet, realizing the wheeler boy was offering his hand. After one moment, he took Mike's hand and shook it firmly.

"Finally," Jasper huffed, placing her hands on her knees. "It took you two long enough," she smirked at the boys.

"Hey, uh," Lucas walked towards the redhead, giving her a half-smile. "I never thanked you for saving me earlier. So, uh, thanks," he chirped.

Jasper chuckled lightly, pulling the boy into a hug. "You're welcome, dipshit," she teased. "Now can you show us what you learned while out on whatever mission you went on?"

"Right," Lucas nodded, grabbing an assortment of sticks and arranging them in a strange shape.

"This is Randolph road, right here," Lucas directed. "The fence starts here, and goes all the way around. And this is the lab right here," Lucas placed an empty coke can in the middle of the enclosure of sticks. "The gate's gotta be in there somewhere. It's gotta be."

Dustin gazed at his friend, his eyebrows knitting together in confusion. "Well, who owns Hawkins Lab?"

"The signs say 'Department of Energy'," Lucas responded.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Jasper questioned, sending him a bewildered look.

"It means government. Military," Mike explained.

"Then why does it say 'energy'?" Dustin interrogated.

"Just trust me, alright? It's military. My dad's told me before."

"All your dad cares about is his chicken," Jasper huffed to herself. Dustin was the only one that heard, giggling softly at her comment.

"Mike's right. There's soldiers out front," Lucas nodded firmly.

"Do they make light bulbs or something?" Dustin pondered.

"No, they make weapons. Weapons to fight the Russians, commies and stuff," Mike further continued.

"How much free time does your dad have exactly?" Jasper questioned, though she was ignored by the others.

"Weapons," Lucas repeated, his eyes glued to El.

Dustin let out a shaky gasp. "Oh, Jesus, this is bad."

"Really bad," Lucas agreed. "The place is like a fortress.

"Well, what do we do?" Dustin pressed, expressing his concern.

"I don't know," Mike shook his head. "But we can't go home. We're fugitives now."

The sudden turning of blades in the sky could be heard, causing all of the five's heads to turn in that direction. "G-Guys?" Dustin stammered fearfully, gulping. "Do you hear that?"

Jasper let out a large gasp when she saw the single helicopter fly through the sky. It was heading straight towards the junkyard. Whatever this organization was, El was clearly a vital asset to them. The hunt was still on, and the bad men refused to give up without taking her.

They were still looking for them. And Jasper remembered the way Brenner had looked at her earlier. It was like a predator finding fresh new meat to kill. El may have telekinesis, but Jasper had time on her side. And she could use El's powers if given to her. That's when the question rose in the redhead's mind.

What if they wanted to take her too?