WILL POV-

---- 2:34 PM ----

The brunette found himself sitting in the breakroom of the ever-vibrant and nostalgic walls of the Scoops Ahoy ice cream parlour. The smell of waffle and the sweet aroma of ice cream hitting his nose; something he was all too familiar with. It seemed as though all his free time were merely spent sitting in this dingy mall, coming up with idea after idea for the betterment of humanity.

However, the cosy, unsuspecting parlour provided the best possible backdrop for their operation; and it definitely wasn't because two out of three members worked there.

The shop was closed for a few minutes as both Steve and Robin took a little break. The group huddled around; Robin sat across from him while Steve sat to his side, both in their sailor uniforms. Their voices kept low while discussing a secret operation.

The table was adorned with papers, sketches, maps, pictures and notebooks filled with information. Using Robin's quick thinking, Steve's resourcefulness and Will's unwavering determination, they meticulously planned their next move; already aware of their next target...

"So, this couple..." The blue-eyed girl held up two mugshots; Will recognise them. A nefarious pair; too rich for their own good, leading them to commit crime. This wasn't any petty crime like littering or Jaywalking; it was severe. Committing home break-ins, assault, kidnapping and even murder. "Jacob and Luanne Parker!"

"Two grandparents? What did they do? Steal meds from the retirement home?" Steve laughed; he never knew of them before as only very recently was the funky boy allowed to be part of the conspiracy table; it wasn't as though they didn't trust him; they did; they really did. It's just that Steve would get a bit squeamish when it came to certain crimes.

"They've actually murdered multiple people and been in court many times" Robin deadpanned

"Oh..." the funky boy's face dropped, "well that was a trick! How was I supposed to know that?"

"Do we ever talk about 'very nice people'?" The blue-eyed girl sarcastically questioned.

"No but..." Steve changed the subject, "If you say they've been to court, then why haven't they been put in jail."

"They have a good lawyer" Robin answered swiftly

"And enough money to bribe the jury!" Will added

"Well, that's bullshit!" The funky boy leaned back in his seat, "So is that our next target?" crossing his arms, and open to hear more about the case; piquing his interest dearly.

Robin nodded, "After many tireless months of research, I've narrowed down their house!" she proudly uttered placing a marker on a random place of the map; it would be quite the trip; a fair distance from Hawkins. "But we need to work quick... they are planning another murder heist!" she urged.

Steve, allowing some comic relief to the situation picked up Luanne's picture, "Woah granny needs to calm down!"

"Give me that!" Robin snatched the mugshot from his hands, "Can we please not thirst over gangster granny?"

"No promises! I'd let her hit it" The funky boy winked

"And then she'd kill you!" The blue-eyed girl deadpanned

"No one could kill this head of hair..." Steve winked, running both hands through his glorious mullet.

"Anyways..." Will scrunched his face, changing the topic before it turns into a complete MILF rabbit hole, "We should scout the houses today, and complete the job tomorrow night!"

"I'm down!" Steve nodded, ready to help in any way he can.

"You're both forgetting something!" Robin hit them both on the head, "We need to find a way in! They have security guards surrounding the place at all times. Oh, and they have guns."

"What are they, the Mafia?" The funky boy raised an eyebrow

"To some people they seem like it!" The brunette chuckled, picking up Jacob's picture, "Wouldn't you be scared of this face?"

"This is actually the best thing I've heard all year!" The blue-eyed girl chuckled, "But let's get back to the topic on hand! I've done the liberty of bringing the blueprints for the house." She sighed rummaging through her bag and pulling out multiple sheets of paper. "The floor plan is basic to what you'd expect! It's a big house, but it's mostly self explanatory!" She placed both hands on her hips.

"Hmm... what's that room?" The brunette questioned pointing to a small boxed den; it was out of the way from the rest of the house.

"That, my dear child is the breaker room!" Robin dramatically announced, "If we can get into there, we could basically control the whole house; the lights, locks, cameras. But there's one problem, a security guard never leaves his post outside the room."

"So, how will we get in?" The brunette questioned

"Using this!" the blue-eyed girl removed the first paper, showing another; virtually similar to the first, "The vent ducts" sighing, as to be the bearer of bad news again, "But... I don't think we could fit through it"

"So, what do you propose we do?" Will leaned his arms on the table.

Robin thought hard for a moment, but in that moment the bell at the front desk rang; who could that be? They closed the shutters for the parlour; did someone break in? Hesitantly, Steve stood up, slowly cracking open the sliding windows on edge, ready to pounce if an attacker was seen on the other side.

Upon seeing who is on the other side, his shoulders slumped rolling his eyes. Steve turned around addressing the pair, "It's just Erica!"

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?" Erica crossed her arms over her chest offended, "It IS Erica!" emphasising the word 'is'.

"How did you even get in? The shutters are closed!" Steve walked around to the counter.

"Yeah, but not completely!" The youthful girl mocked.

"You crawled under it?" The funky boy retorted

"Yes, and..." Erica rolled her words.

Robin exchanged a glance with the small boy, a mischievous look in her eyes, "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" seeing the brunette nod, they rushed toward the front of the store in unison crowding the youthful girl, leaving her slightly confused.

"Personal space much!" Erica retorted rolling her eyes, taking a step away

"Erica! We need your help!" Will urged.

"Well first of all you should get rid of that bowlcut!" The youthful girl pointed, with her tremendous fashion advice.

The brunette rolled his eyes, "We need help with a secret mission... and my bowlcut is not bad!"

"Keep telling yourself that!" She remarked, intrigued so she sighed continuing, "What do you need help with?"

"We need you to climb through the vents into a house!" Robin announced

"Thats pretty illegal guys!" Erica leaned against the counter

"But it's for the greater good!" The blue-eyed girl answered

"Whose house is it anyway?" The youthful girl asked

The trio hesitated for a moment; should they really tell about this? Telling one person could lead to disastrous implications, but they knew Erica! She was a regular customer and Lucas's little sister; she was trustworthy and a worthy advisory who could lend her talents to the team. With a final breath Will uttered, "Jacob and Luanne Parker!"

"Those two old murderers?" Erica raised an eyebrow

"You know them?" Robin eyes widened.

"Of course I do! I don't live under a rock!" The youthful girl rolled her eyes, "I hate them! And I hate the whole judiciary system!"

"So, you'll help us?" Steve questioned, leaning on the counter

"For a price!" Erica objected, raising a finger in the air; firm on her point.

"What?" Will mumbled

The youthful girl raised an eyebrow, a hand on her hip, "If I'm going to be risking my neck, I need some compensation!"

"Name your price!" Th brunette urged, eager to take down the couple no matter what. "We're willing to negotiate!"

Erica slyly smirked contemplating the proposal, "Alright! Here's what I want: you guys need to cover my expenses for two months, including new video-games. A VIP membership to Starcourt Cinema, and free ice cream... for life!"

Will exchanged a glance with both Robin and Steve, slightly nodding in agreement; it was a small price to pay for the task at hand.

"We promise!" The brunette answered, extending a hand toward the youthful girl, "You have our word!"

"Oh and one more thing!" The youthful girl paused for dramatic effect, "Since I'm crucial to the heist, the heist should be named 'Project Erica'"

"Fine!" Will sighed, "Deal?"

"Deal?" Erica shook the hand, "I'll do it!"

---- 8:21 PM ----

After an entire work shift and the entirety of the plan explained to Erica, they found themselves outside the large manor belonging to the evil couple they had been investigating. Their plan to scout the area and gather intel about the easiest route to the building's vent system.

Observing the house from the rooftop of an opposing building, the group; creatively coined the 'Scoops Troop', perched on the roof, using binoculars to get a clear view.

They huddled close. Erica, annoyed by the closeness of the situation teased, "Steve! Will you please get your hair out my face? There is enough gel to start a small fire!"

The funky boy moved his head, "That's big talk for someone who blends into the wallpaper!"

"How dare you?" She audibly gasped offended, and ready to clap back!

"Oh, I dare!" Steve jokingly retorted.

Will and Robin exchanged a glance, understanding the severity of the situation and the importance of maintaining concentration. They carefully surveyed the surroundings, taking note of the cameras and guards. Noticing an entry point in the side of the manor, Will pointed; their brains racing with strategies, mapping out the best route to gather evidence.

Just as they were about to discuss anything, Will's phone rang, filling the air. Fumbling through his pocket, emerging his phone, he glanced at his screen. The screen flashed rapidly with Mike's name appearing on screen; the brunette sighed, apologising to his friends for disturbing the mission. Getting up, he took a few steps away assuming the ravenette was asking when he would be getting home.

Answering the call, the small boy immediately spoke bringing the phone up to his ear, "Yes Mike! Don't worry I'll be home b-"

"Will, you need to come home now!" The ravenette's voice trembled with urgency. Had something bad happened? Or was he just concerned?

"Why?" Fear gripped the brunette's heart anticipating the answer; worried for the wellbeing of the taller boy. The tone in Mike's voice told him something was wrong; this wasn't concern... it was more than that!

The ravenette took a shallow breath before replying, "The police are here..." 

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1778 Words

I love the contrast between Mike being so 'How could i tell my crush I like him?' and Will being like 'How can we kill these bitches?'

Stay Safe <3