22.

"ᵃˡˡ ᵐʸ ˢᵗʸˡᵉ, ᵃˡˡ ᵐʸ ᵍʳᵃᶜᵉ
ᵃˡˡ ᴵ ᵗʳⁱᵉᵈ ᵗᵒ ˢᵃᵛᵉ ᵐʸ ᶠᵃᶜᵉ"
—ᵇᵘʳⁿⁱⁿᵍ ᵖⁱˡᵉ ᵇʸ ᵐᵒᵗʰᵉʳ ᵐᵒᵗʰᵉʳ

"Code red, I repeat, code red. Does anyone copy?" Dustin spoke into his walkie trying to reach anyone he could but he was having no luck. The boy kept pacing back and forth, hoping for a miracle of some kind.

"We are innocent children and we are trapped under Starcourt Mall. The Red Army has infiltrated Hawkins, and if we are found, they will torture and kill us." Dustin explained as his voice echoed at the top of the elevator.

"Dude. Don't say that." Halle scolded him from inside the elevator.

"Hey, you gotta take it easy on that thing. You're gonna drain the battery." Steve told him, popping up from inside the elevator.

"The mall just opened." Dustin said.

"So?" Steve asked, confused.

"So someone could be in range."

"With our luck if someone hears you it's going to be the Russians and then, yeah, we will be toast." Halle called out.

"What do you think, Petey the mall cop is gonna rappel down here and save the day?" Steve sarcastically questioned the younger boy.

"All right, why are you such a cranky pants?" Dustin wondered.

"Because his girlfriend isn't here to make him feel any better." Halle snickered.

"Shut up. We've been stuck down here for eight hours and we haven't made any progress in getting out. Maybe that is why I'm feeling a tad bit cranky. Oh, and yeah I have no idea what Amber is up to or if she's alright." Steve said bitterly before he unzipped his pants.

"What are you doing?" Dustin asked.

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm taking a leak. Look away. Look away!" Steve yelled, causing his voice to echo before he started to pee on the wall.

"Can you redirect your stream, please?" Robin called up to him in annoyance causing the older boy just to move slightly. The three girls cringed inside the elevator before Erica started to hit one of the tubes with the mystery liquid inside against the crate.

"Hey, hey! Be careful, careful, careful! We don't even know what that is." Robin panicked, taking it away from the younger girl.

"Exactly. It could be useful." Erica said.

"Useful how?" Halle questioned.

"We can survive down here a long time without food, but if the human body doesn't get water, it will die." Erica told her.

"I hate to break it to you, but this is not water." Robin said.

"No, but it's a liquid, and if it comes down to me drinking that shit or dying of thirst, I drink." Erica said with sass before taking the tube back from Robin.

"Wait. Robin, do you hear that?" Halle questioned, putting her ear to the elevator door. The two girls shared a look before rushing to the elevator shaft.

"Zip up your shorts, Harrington. We got company." Halle warned before they helped Erica up to the top of the elevator then followed behind in doing the same.

Two Russian workers came in the elevator and began to move some boxes out. Steve put his pointer finger to his lips to keep them all silent as they continued to watch the workers. Hearing them finish taking what they needed and start to drive away, Steve rushed down to shove the tube with the mysterious liquid down to stop the elevator door from closing all the way.

"Lets go." He told them as each one of the kids began to crawl out of the small opening in the elevator. The tube began to crack under the pressure, Steve making it out in time before the elevator door crushed the tube and the mystery liquid burned through the floor.

"You still wanna drink that?" Robin questioned Erica who gave her a look.

"Holy mother of God." Dustin let out, causing all of them to turn their attention to what the boy was looking at. Seeing the never ending hall that stood in front of them.

"Well... hope you guys are in good shape. Looking at you roast beef." Steve said before tapping Dustin's chest and walking past the group to start leading them down the hall.

"Why me?" Dustin wondered, looking at the others offended.

"Remember he's a grouchy old man without Amber here." Halle made a point before they all began to follow the Harrington boy.

+

"It was the same thing. The exact same thing that happened to Will last year." Nancy informed the group as she paced back and forth in Amber's living room. All of them were spread throughout the room trying to bring each other up to date with everything that was going on.

"And look at this. Look at the body temperatures." Nancy put the paper on the table as they all glanced at it.

"He likes it cold." Will nodded.

"Okay, so this crazy old woman who was eating fertilizer–."

"Mrs. Driscoll." Nancy corrected Mike.

"Right, yeah, Mrs. Driscoll. What time was this attack?" Mike questioned.

"Last night." Nancy responded.

"No, he's asking what time last night?" Amber clarified.

"Around 9:00." Nancy told them.

"You waited all night to call?" Jonathan asked her, a little offended by her not calling him right away.

"We don't have time for this little relationship roadbump." Amber tried to bring the conversation back.

"You weren't there?" Will asked his brother, causing Amber to give him an annoyed look.

Well, I'm here now, aren't I?" Jonathan waved his arms.

"Hallelujah." Nancy sarcastically let out.

"Oh my god." Amber buried her face into her hands.

"What time was your sauna test?" Nancy wondered.

"Around 9:00." All of them responded in unison.

"Well, that proves it. That proves my theory." Nancy exclaimed.

"She's flayed, just like Billy." Mike said. A few of the kids briefly looked over at Amber.

"Flayed?" Jonathan asked, confused at the terminology they were using.

"The Mind Flayer. He flays people. Takes over their mind. Once they do that, they basically become him." Mike explained.

"If there are two flayed–." Lucas began.

"We have to assume there are more. Will finished his friend's thoughts.

"Heather. Billy was doing something to her. She was screaming bad screams." El informed them.

"'What's a good scream?" Lucas questioned a little lost.

"Max said–."

"It doesn't matter." Max cut El off from explaining as Amber, Jonathan, and Nancy all looked at each other.

"Who's Heather?" Nancy asked.

"She's a lifeguard at the pool." Max answered.

"Heather Holloway?" Nancy wondered.

"Yes. That Heather." Amber groaned, the kids nodding in response.

"Tom." Nancy and Jonathan looked at each other.

"Guys, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but dealing with Billy is one thing, but dealing with multiple people possessed by this thing... I don't think I'm much help." Amber told them.

"Oh, please. Amber, you were so badass. You can do it. You and El can help get rid of this thing." Lucas said confidently.

"I wouldn't get too ahead of yourself, kid." Amber mumbled.

"Wait, what are we missing?" Jonathan asked.

"Amber basically started to melt the mind flayer from inside of Billy's body. It was crazy." Mike told them.

"Melt him?" Nancy questioned in surprise.

"She has powers like El." Max said nonchalantly as El nodded in response.

"When did this happen?" Jonathan wondered. Shocked by the new information.

"Amber has no idea." Will said.

The girl had been sitting on the couch, thinking about all the different things happening. Hopper and Joyce were in Illinois for some reason. Steve and Dustin were MIA. She had a bad feeling she couldn't quite shake. She felt a pair of eyes on her before she turned to see Eleven was looking at her. Amber knew that at that moment she had to step up right now. She had to protect these kids no matter the cost. The girl stood up from her spot and looked around at everyone.

"We have to do something. At least try to stop this before it gets worse. This bastard needs to stay in the upside down." Amber declared. The kids cheered standing up as the girl looked to El and nodded. But then the older girl glanced over to Nancy and Jonathan. And Jonathan was quick to notice the look in Amber's eyes that showed just how scared she was. She had a bad feeling and her eyes gave that away, but Jonathan Byers knew how to read the girl which made him nervous with what was going to occur in the near future.

The group made their way out of Amber's house. Most of them walked towards the Wheeler car. Amber stood there in the driveway as she watched all of them begin to pile in, scratching the back of her neck.

"I'm actually going to take my own car. So it's less of a squeeze." Amber informed them.

"Okay. Just follow the car, we're going to check the Holloways first." Nancy told her as Amber nodded in agreement before walking to her car.

"I'm actually going to go with Amber, Nance." Jonathan spoke up. Nancy looked at her boyfriend a little confused but let him go without speaking a word. Jonathan got into Amber's car which caused her to give him a confused look.

"I'm not letting you drive alone." Jonathan began, the girl started the car. "And I know you're not alright." Amber dropped her head slightly. Of course the boy knew. He always knew.

"I have to be." Amber told him before she reversed out of the driveway to follow Nancy's car down the road.