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Same Day - Day One

Day - Wheeler House - Basement

Hailey, Eleven, Niko, Mike and Dustin were getting themselves keep up after the fight in the woods and on the cliff.

Mike sighed. "That's better."

Eleven looked into the mirror, touching her head where she used to wear the wig. She looked at Hailey, gently touching her hair.

"You don't need the wig," Hailey told her reassuringly.

"Still pretty?" Eleven asked.

"Yeah," Mike answered. "Pretty. Really pretty. Um, El?"

"Yes?" Eleven asked.

Mike stammered nervously. "Um, I'm happy you're back."

Eleven nodded "Me too."

Dustin ran toward them. "Guys! It's Lucas, I think he's in trouble." They ran toward Dustin's walkie talkie. "Do you remember how he said he was looking for the gate?"

"Yeah," Mike answered.

"No," Hailey, Niko and Eleven answered.

"Sorry, you weren't there for that," Dustin told them. "But what if he found it?"

They heard Lucas shouting indistinctly on the walkie talkie.

"What's he saying?" Niko asked.

"I don't know, he's way out of range," Dustin told them.

Lucas: (on walkie talkie) "Son of a bitch!"

"Lucas, if you can hear us, slow down," Hailey told him. "We can't understand you."

Lucas was riding on his bike as fast as he could. "Yes, I copy! Do you? They know about Eleven, Nadia and Niko! They think that Hailey is Nadia! They're coming for them! Get out of there! The bad men are coming! All of them! Do you hear me? The bad men are coming!"

In the basement, they couldn't understand what he was saying because of connection.

"Mad hen?" Dustin asked. "Does that mean anything to you? Like a code name or something?"

They heard Lucas clearly this time. "The bad men are coming! They're coming for Eleven, Nadia and Niko, but they think Hailey is Nadia!"

"Bad men," Mike said. "Bad men!" 

Hailey looked at them in shock. "The bad men think I'm Nadia?"

"And they're coming for you, me and Eleven because they think that you are Nadia," Niko answered worriedly.

Mike gasped, putting the radio down, looking at Hailey, Niko and Eleven. "Stay here."

Mike and Dustin ran upstairs. Hailey, Niko and Eleven looked at each other worriedly for each other.

∰

Living Room

Mike and Dustin ran into the living room, looking out through the windows, seeing the one Hawkins Power and Lights van out there for now.

"What's that guy doing?" Mike asked.

"You don't think..." Dustin trailed off.

Mike ran off, leaving Dustin looking out the window.

∰

Kitchen

Karen was on the phone, seeming to be talking to Mrs. Harrington. "Yes, Hailey is here. In fact, Hailey's been here most of the time for the past week. And I've been looking for Nancy, too. I know she and Steve have spending some time together, so I thought maybe--"

Mike ran into the room. "Mom!"

Karen held up a finger to tell Mike to wake, speaking into the phone. "Well, is he home? Maybe you could ask him."

"Mom!" Mike told her.

"I'm sorry, can you just hold on, please?" Karen asked. She put her hand over the phone, turning to her son. "Michael, I'm on the phone. I've told you a million times. Have you seen Hailey? Mrs. Harrington is on the phone looking for her."

Mike didn't answer since Hailey was in danger right now even though that was because Brenner's team thought she was Nadia. "Did you schedule any repairs?"

"What?" Karen asked.

"Is there anyone supposed to come and do repairs on the house?" Mike asked.

Karen frowned in confusion.

∰

Living Room

Dustin was still looking out the window, seeing many more Hawkins Power and Lights vans drive up with Brenner and his team, closing the curtains in a haste.

∰

Kitchen

Karen looked at Mike in confusion. "I don't understand. Is there something wrong--"

"No, Mom, nothing's wrong in the house," Mike answered.

Dustin ran in. "Mike!"

Mike held up a finger to tell him to wait without looking at him. "One second."

"Mike!" Dustin yelled. Mike jumped, turning to face him. "We need to leave... right now."

Dustin ran out of the room. Mike started to follow him.

Karen watched her son go in exasperation. "Michael!"

Mike turned back. "If anyone asks where I am, I've left the country."

"What?" Karen asked.

Mike ran out of the room.

∰

Outside

Dustin, Mike, Eleven, Hailey and Niko ran outside, seeing the first guy from the Hawkins Power and Lights van that had been there for most of the day there waiting for them.

The man tried to grab them, making Dustin and Mike scream, taking the preteens off guard. Hailey grabbed the man's arm, slamming it over her knee to break his arm, punching him in the face, headbutting her head against his, pulling down on his broken arm to make him yell out in pain, elbowing him in the face with much force to knock him out, letting him fall.

"That's the third arm you've broke today, Hailey," Dustin told her. "So badass."

"Thanks, Dustin," Hailey told him.

Dustin, Mike, Eleven, Hailey and Niko ran toward Nancy's old bike, Dustin and Mike's bikes.

"Oh, shit," Niko said. "Hailey and I don't have our bikes. We had to leave them behind at the store when the bad men were chasing us."

"Niko, you ride Nancy's old bike," Mike told him. "It's a guy's bike anyways because Nancy didn't want a girl one that young."

"Hailey, you can ride with me," Dustin told her.

"But--" Hailey started.

"No time to argue, Hailey," Mike pointed out.

Niko, Dustin and Mike grabbed the bikes, starting to run across the backyard until they reached a place where they could start riding away. Hailey and Eleven followed them at a run. Niko got onto Nancy's old bike. Dustin and Hailey got onto Dustin's bike, while Mike and Eleven got onto Mike's bike. They all saw Brenner and his men in the front yard, starting to come after them. Eleven looked at Brenner, her expression full of pain.

"Go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go!" Niko told them, starting to ride off.

Dustin and Mike started to ride their bikes with Hailey and Eleven on the back of their bikes, following Niko. Brenner and his team ran back to the vans to drive after them.

∰

Street

Niko, Dustin/Hailey and Mike/Eleven rode their bikes down the street as fast as they could.

Dustin couldn't stop talking, wearing a headset. "Oh, my God, oh, my God. Oh, my God, oh, my God."

Hailey hit him on the head. "Dustin, shut up and focus on riding."

Dustin heard Lucas through his headset.

"Dustin!" Lucas said. "Dustin, do you copy?"

"Yeah," Dustin answered. "Lucas, they're on us."

"Where are you?" Lucas asked.

"Cornwallis," Dustin answered.

"Meet me at Elm and Cherry," Lucas told him.

"Copy," Dustin told him. He looked at Mike and Niko. "Elm and Cherry."

Mike and Niko nodded. "Okay."

Niko, Mike/Eleven and Dustin/Hailey rode the bikes as fast as they could toward the street corners.

Three Hawkins Power and Lights vans turned onto the street behind them, starting to follow.

Hearing the vehicles, Hailey turned her head, seeing the vans coming up behind them. "Oh, shit!"

Niko turned another way. "This way, come on!" Mike and Dustin followed Niko, driving the bikes with Eleven and Hailey on the back. They cut through a park where two girls were doing a handshake and nursery rhyme. "Out of the way, out of the way!" 

The shortcut worked, taking them right to Elm and Cherry, where they met up with Lucas on his bike.

"Lucas!" Niko and Hailey said.

"Where are they?" Lucas asked.

Mike stammered nervously "I don't know."

"I think we lost them," Dustin told them.

Hailey looked behind them, seeing more vans turning to drive onto the street they were on. "Go, go, go, go, go!"

Lucas, Niko, Mike/Eleven and Dustin/Hailey drove away on the bikes as fast as they could.

"Go, go, go, go, go!" Mike told them.

"Faster, faster!" Niko said.

Dustin was shouting. "Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!"

Niko turned to look at the two vans behind them. He held his hand out toward them while still riding his bike forward, shooting fire into the two vans behind them as they got close enough to hit Dustin/Hailey's bike, making them burst into flames and have to pull over, saving Dustin and Hailey from behind hit by the vans.

But because Niko was turned, he didn't see that another van was driving right for them from in front of Niko.

Eleven glared at the van as it was about to hit Niko, jerking her chin up, using her powers to make the van levitate over their heads, making it flip over them and crash into the two burning vans behind them. 

Lucas, Mike, Dustin and Hailey looked at each other in shock at seeing what Niko and Eleven did, as the two's noses started to bleed.

The other vans had to stop and park behind the three vans that Niko and Eleven had destroyed. Brenner and his team got out of the vans, watching the party make their escape on the bikes.

∰

Junkyard

Mike/Eleven, Dustin/Hailey, Niko and Lucas drove their bikes up to the junkyard toward the old bus, pulling over, all getting off the bikes. Eleven and Niko both looked faint from what they had to do to make sure that they all got away and without getting hit. Hailey and Mike helped steady Eleven, while Dustin and Lucas helped steady Niko.

Dustin exclaimed in surprise. "Holy--holy shit. Did--did you see what they did to those vans?"

They helped Eleven and Niko sit down.

"No, Dustin, we missed it," Hailey told him sarcastically.

Dustin stammered nervously. "I mean, that was--"

"Awesome," Lucas finished. Eleven and Niko looked at Lucas. "It was awesome."

"You should've seen Hailey fighting off the bad men, and she broke one of their arms, and she broke the arms of Troy and James like she promised," Dustin told him.

Lucas smiled, repeating. "Awesome." Hailey smiled, kneeling in front of Eleven and Niko worriedly, taking both their hands in concern. Lucas walked toward the three of them, kneeling in front of Eleven and Niko, next to Hailey. "El, Niko, everything I said about you two being traitors and stuff, and that you two and Hailey weren't part of the party... I was wrong. I'm sorry."

Lucas patted them all on the arms.

"Friends... friends don't lie," Eleven told him. "I'm sorry, too."

Niko nodded in agreement. "Me too. You were right before, Lucas. We shouldn't have taken your guys's choice away without asking you guys and telling you the real danger. It should've been up to all of us. I'm sorry."

Lucas smiled a bit.

"Me too," Mike agreed.

They all looked at Mike. Mike held his hand out for Lucas to shake. Lucas stood, walking toward Mike.

Dustin and Hailey smiled at them all getting along again.

Lucas clasped his hand with Mike's as they shook, amends made and the party whole again, with Hailey, Niko and Eleven officially apart of it.

∰

Worlds Colliding (Stranger Things)

∰

Police Station - Outside

Joyce's car pulled up to the police station. Hopper, Natasha and Joyce got out of the car. Natasha was wearing a hat and sunglasses as a disguise in case any of Brenner's men could have been nearby.

∰

Inside

Joyce, Natasha and Hopper walked in, toward where Jonathan was sitting handcuffed to a desk, and Nancy and Nadia were sitting nearby.

"Hey, Jonathan?" Joyce asked.

Natasha took off her sunglasses and hat. "Nadia."

Nadia stood in relief. "Mama."

Natasha and Nadia embraced.

Natasha sighed. "Jesus, what--what happened?"

"Natasha..." Callahan trailed off.

"We're fine," Nadia told them.

Joyce gestured to her son. "Why is Jonathan wearing handcuffs?"

"Well, your boy assaulted a police officer," Callahan told her. "That's why."

"That was an accident, and you know it," Nadia replied, annoyed.

Joyce pointed to Jonathan, looking at Callahan. "Take them off."

Callahan shook his head. "I am afraid I cannot do that. And we can't let Nadia go right this second."

Nadia looked at him in confusion. "What?"

"Take them off!" Joyce repeated.

"And you sure as hell are letting Nadia go," Natasha told him.

"You heard the women," Hopper told him. "Take them off and let them go."

"Chief, Natasha, I get everyone's emotional here, but there's something you need to see," Powell told them. "From Nadia's things."

∰

Outside

Standing at the trunk of Nadia's car, Powell, Natasha, Hopper and Callahan looked inside, seeing many of the Reed family's weapons inside.

∰

Inside

Hopper put a box of the weapons on the desk in front of Nadia, Jonathan and Nancy, while Natasha and Joyce stood with them.

Joyce went through the box. "What is this?"

Powell and Callahan were nearby.

"Why don't you ask Nadia?" Callahan asked. "We found it in her car."

Hopper turned to look at Powell and Callahan. "Hey, you two, take a walk."

Powell and Callahan sighed, walking away.

"Why are you guys going through my car?" Nadia asked.

"Nadia, why do you have our family weapons out like this?" Natasha asked quietly, only to where she, Jonathan, Nancy, Joyce and Hopper could hear.

Joyce looked at Natasha and Nadia in surprise. "Hang on, family weapons? Guess I shouldn't be that surprised since you're a family of Russian spies."

Natasha and Hopper gave Joyce a look for saying that out in the open, though no one else had heard Joyce say it because she had said it so quietly. Nadia, Nancy and Jonathan looked at Joyce in surprise, not having known that she knew yet, or Hopper for that matter.

Nadia looked at Natasha. "You told Joyce and Hopper?"

"I had to," Natasha answered. "You told Jonathan and Nancy?"

"I had to," Nadia answered. "To save their lives."

Hopper looked around to make sure that no one was listening. "Okay, all of you, I need to talk to you in my office."

∰

Wheeler House - Basement

Karen walked downstairs. "Mike? Is Hailey still down here? Hailey, your mother called here to see if you were here. She wants you home."

Karen stopped when she realized the basement was empty. She walked over to the destroyed fort that was what Eleven used to sleep in, not knowing what it was since Mike had destroyed it. She found a long piece of hair, picking it up. Hearing the doorbell, she looked upstairs.

∰

Foyer

Hearing the doorbell, Ted walked into the foyer. "Yeah, just a minute, please." There were more doorbell rings. "Jiminy Christmas. Hold your horses."

Ted opened the door, revealing Brenner, Connie and their team out on the front lawn, all wearing suits like the government.

"Mr. Wheeler?" Connie asked.

"Yes," Ted answered.

Karen walked upstairs. Connie held up her badge for the Wheeler couple to see, much to their confusion.

∰

Kitchen

Karen was holding Holly, watching as Brenner's team was going through the whole house, turning to face Ted at the kitchen counter.

∰

Basement

Brenner and more of his team were going through things in the basement. Brenner had found the yellow T-shirt that Benny Hammond had given to Eleven.

∰

Kitchen

Karen and Ted were sitting on one side of the table, across from Connie, who was showing them a picture of Eleven from the lab experiments, and two pictures that they had found in security cameras at the grocery store from the previous chapter, for Niko and Hailey, and a picture of Natasha, with profiles for the Reeds and Eleven.

Karen stammered in confusion, nervous. "I don't understand. Why are you looking for Niko and Natasha Reed and Hailey Harrington?"

"Hailey Harrington?" Connie repeated. "We were under the impression that this was Niko's sister, Nadia Reed. The children of Natasha."

"No, Nadia is a teenager, around my daughter Nancy's age," Karen explained "She's blonde and slim built. That girl is Hailey."

"Hailey Harrington," Connie stated. "Thank you for clearing this misunderstanding up." She showed them Eleven's picture again. "And this girl?"

"You think my son is hiding this girl?" Karen asked.

"What happened to her hair?" Ted asked

"We just need to know if you've seen any of them in the past week," Connie told them.

"We've seen Niko and Hailey, yes, but not this girl," Ted answered. "And Natasha and Nadia once at the Byers funeral. Our son hiding a girl in our house? I mean, believe me, if he had a girl sleeping in this house, we'd know about it." He looked at Karen. "Wouldn't we?"

Karen looked at Connie. "This girl... And Niko, Nadia, Natasha or Hailey... what have they done?"

"I'm afraid I can't answer that," Connie told them.

Ted looked at Niko, Nadia and Natasha's profiles. "Oh, my God. Natasha's Russian? So are Niko and Nadia?"

Completely overwhelmed and confused, Karen scoffed. "You can't treat us like this."

"I need you to stay calm," Connie told them.

Karen pointed at her angrily. "You come into my house, and you tell me that my friend Natasha, and Mike's friends Niko and Hailey, and Nancy's friend Nadia could all be apart of something dangerous, and that my son is hiding some girl and that they're all in danger, but you can't tell us why? And you what, you expect me to remain, what, calm?"

Connie looked behind the Wheeler couple to see Brenner, standing, walking away.

Brenner took Connie's seat across from Karen and Ted. "I understand how upsetting this is. I wish we could tell you more, but I can tell you that your son, Michael, is in real danger if he's with Niko Reed and Hailey Harrington and this girl. And your daughter, Nancy, is in real danger if she's with Nadia Reed. And we're all in danger if we can't find Natasha. We want to help you and your children. We will help them. I give you my word. But in order for me to do that, you have to trust me. Will you trust me?" Karen reluctantly nodded. "Good. Now, do you have any idea where your children might have gone with Niko, Hailey, this girl, or Nadia? Or where Natasha could be?"

∰

Junkyard

The party was kneeling on the ground.

Lucas was making a ground map made up of sticks and twigs to show them what he saw. "This is Randolph Road, right here. The fence starts here, and goes all the way around." He pointed to the middle. "And this is the lab right here. The gate's gotta be in there somewhere. It's gotta be."

"Well, who owns Hawkins Lab?" Dustin asked.

"The sign says 'Department of Energy'," Lucas explained.

"Department of Energy?" Hailey repeated. "What do you think that means?"

"It means government," Niko answered. "Military."

"Then why does it say energy?" Mike asked.

"Just trust me, all right?" Niko asked. "It's military. I'm a Russian spy, remember? Or was."

"Niko's right," Lucas agreed.

"Did you just say I'm right?" Niko asked.

Lucas gave him a look. "Don't get used to it. But there's soldiers out front."

"Do they make, like, light bulbs or something?" Dustin asked.

"No, weapons," Niko answered. "To fight the evil Russians, and commies and stuff."

"Weapons," Mike repeated.

"Oh, Jesus, this is bad," Hailey told them.

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

"Well, what do we do?" Dustin asked.

"I don't know, but we can't go home," Niko told them. "We're fugitives now."

Hailey heard a helicopter flying in the distance. "Guys? Do you hear that?"

In the distance, they saw a helicopter flying, knowing that it was looking for them. They instantly went to hide the bikes underneath the bus.

"Go, go, go, go!" Mike told them.

"Come on, come on!" Dustin urged.

Lucas led them to the bus. "Let's go, let's go, let's go!"

Niko got to the bus door first, pulling it open. "Hurry up! Hurry, come on!"

Eleven ran onto the bus first.

Hailey followed. "Come on, guys! Let's go, go, go, go, go!"

The boys followed Eleven and Hailey onto the bus.

"Get down!" Niko commanded.

They all took cover to hide.

Dustin was breathing heavily. "Mental."

∰

Police Station - Hopper's Office

Nadia, Nancy and Jonathan were sitting down, facing Joyce, Hopper and Natasha, having told them about hunting the Demogorgons.

"You say blood draws these things?" Hopper asked.

"We don't know," Jonathan admitted.

Nancy sighed. "It's just a theory."

∰

Hallway

Jonathan and Joyce were talking.

"I'm sorry, Mom," Jonathan apologized.

"What, you--you're sorry?" Joyce repeated. "That is not good enough, Jonathan."

Jonathan sighed. "I know."

"It's not even close," Joyce told him. "That's not even in the--in the ballpark."

Jonathan shook his head in regret. "I wanted to tell you, I just..."

"What if these things took you, too?" Joyce asked. "You risked your life, and Nancy and Nadia's."

Jonathan stammered nervously. "I thought I could save Will. I still do."

Joyce just looked at her son worriedly . "God damn it, Jonathan."

"I know," Jonathan sighed.

Joyce pulled him into her arms. "Damn it."

∰

Another Hallway

Natasha was giving Nadia a lecture. "You killed one in the woods before last night, I get that. But you killed two last night within minutes of each other, after using your power to track Will, Barb, and these creatures. You've been using your powers too much, Nadia."

"I haven't been using my empathy power, if that lets me off the hook," Nadia told her.

Natasha gave her a look. "It doesn't. And then today you wanted to go out there and kill another, after you're still recharging?"

"Niko used his telepathic healing on me last night," Nadia told her.

"And you know just as well as I do that that does not heal you completely, Nadia," Natasha told her. "It just gives you a little bit of strength but it is still up to your body to recharge itself. It doesn't reverse the damage that you do to yourself by pushing yourself to your limits. And killing three of these things within a week, two of them last night within minutes of each other, using your tracking power so much... that is pushing yourself far beyond your limits."

Nadia sighed. "I know, Mama. The first time, I didn't even know what the thing was when I ran into it. And then I started to look for more because of the things I heard out there. And you were working with Hopper, trying to find Will and Barb, and Niko was working with El, Hailey, Dustin, Mike and Lucas to look for them, too, and I didn't want to put anyone else in danger. I didn't want to put Nancy and Jonathan in danger either, told them several times not to follow me out there, in fact, but they did anyway, and..."

"So you wanted to do it all by yourself, like usual," Natasha told her. "This is not yours to fix alone, Nadia. You act like you're the one that has to do everything, to fix everything in the world like you're all alone, but you're not. You're not alone, and you're not the only one that has to do everything to fix everything."

Nadia looked at her in concern for getting emotional. "Mama, are you all right?"

"No, I'm not," Natasha answered. "The people at Hawkins Lab know who I am, Nadia. They know who I really am, a Rostova, not a Reed, and they knew about Ten and Twelve." Nadia looked at her in shock. "And I couldn't call you or Nikolai to warn you because I knew they would have found a way to listen in, and I couldn't go home to you because that would lead them right to you, but I had to come here, in sunglasses in a hat to hide my face, so that I could warn you. If you had used so much power, and then been left defenseless against Brenner's people and they had taken you..."

Nadia took her hands to calm her down. "Yeah, but they didn't, Mama. They didn't."

"They're still looking for Eleven," Natasha told her. "They're looking for Niko, too, along with you and me. Do you have any idea where they are? Where they could be with Hailey, Dustin, Mike and Lucas?"

Nadia shook her head. "No, I haven't spoken to El, Niko and Hailey since this morning."

Natasha was more than overwhelmed. "I just... I don't know what I'd do if I lost you to these creatures, or to the American versions of what the Russians did to us, Nadia. Or lost to Niko to it like I already lost your father to it."

Nadia looked at her in concern to reassure her. "Oh, Mama..." They embraced. "You're not gonna lose me or Niko. I promise."

They pulled away when they heard a woman arguing with Callahan and Powell in the main room, walking down the hallway toward the voices.

Hopper heard the voices from his office, stepping outside, seeing Natasha and Nadia heading to the main room, calling out to stop them. "Natasha. Nadia. Stay here. We don't know if whoever's out there could be working with Brenner and his people."

Hopper walked past them toward the main room.

Nadia frowned, turning to look at Natasha, annoyed. "Did Hopper just tell us what to do?"

Natasha nodded, just as annoyed. "I think he did."

∰

Main Room

Troy was here with his mother, the woman who was arguing with Callahan and Powell.

"Ma'am, I need you to calm down," Callahan told her.

"What is your name, Deputy?" the mother asked.

"Well, I'm an officer, okay?" Callahan asked.

"Name and badge number, both of you!" the mother told them.

Hopper walked into the room, while Nadia and Natasha stayed hidden in the hallway, listening.

"What the hell is going on here?" Hopper asked.

"Chief..." Powell trailed off.

"These men are humiliating my son," the mother told him.

Callahan shook his head. "No, no, no. Okay, that's not true."

"There was some kind of fight, Chief," Powell explained.

"A psychotic child broke my son's arm and his friend's arm," the mother told them.

"A little girl, Chief," Callahan told him. "A little one."

The mother pointed at Callahan. "That tone! Do you hear that tone?"

"Honestly, I'm just trying to state a fact," Callahan told them.

"I don't have time for this," Hopper told them. "Will you please take a statement and get her out?"

"Yes," Callahan answered.

Powell looked at Troy. "So who was this girl?"

"Hailey Harrington," Troy answered.

Hopper stopped at hearing that name because knowing she was friends with the Reeds, and knowing that she was always with Niko, and that if they found Hailey, they could find Niko and Eleven.

In the hallway, Nadia and Natasha were listening.

Natasha gave Nadia a look. "Hailey?"

Nadia smirked. "That boy in there must be Troy and the other boy's arm she broke must be James. Hailey's been talking about breaking their arms for a while because they're bullies to her, Niko, Mike, Dustin and Lucas."

Hopper turned to face Troy. "What about Hailey?"

"She's the one that broke my arm, and James's," Troy answered. "Hailey's friend, Niko Reed, he nearly burned alive with fire that came out of nowhere, and there was this girl with no hair and bleeding from the nose like Reed, but she was there too. And..."

"And what?" Hopper asked.

"Tell the man, Troy," his mother told him.

"She can... do things," Troy admitted. "Like Niko."

Still listening, Nadia and Natasha exchanged a look, knowing he was talking about Eleven.

"What kind of things?" Hopper asked.

"Like... make you fly," Troy answered. He looked down. "And piss yourself."

"What?" Powell asked in amusement.

Hopper held out his hand to silence Powell, looking at Troy. "Hailey, Niko and this girl, were they alone?"

Troy shook his head. "They always hang out with those losers."

"Mike, Dustin and Lucas," Hopper told him. Troy nodded. "Where's the last place you saw them?"

Natasha and Nadia exchanged a worried look, hoping that they could find them before Brenner's people could.

∰

Fair Market - Outside

Steve was sitting on the trunk of his car, beaten up and bloody from his fight with Jonathan. Tommy and Carol walked outside to join him.

Tommy tossed some aspirin to Steve. "Hey. You owe me $1.20." Steve popped some pills. "Don't worry, he'll need more than aspirin when we're done with him."

Carol scoffed. "Yeah, if the creep ever gets out." Steve put a cold can of Coke to his black, busted eye. "The cops should just lock him up forever. Did you see the look on his face?" Carol mimicked punching Tommy in the chest. "Oh."

Tommy chuckled. "He probably had that same look whenever he killed his brother, right?"

Carol made a disgusted look. "Oh, God, I just got an image of him making that face while he and Nancy are screwing."

Tommy laughed.

Steve completely lost patience with his so called friends. "Carol, for once in your life, shut your damn mouth!"

Carol turned to look at him in surprise. "What?"

"Hey, what's your problem, man?" Tommy asked.

"You're both assholes," Steve answered. "That's my problem."

Steve stood.

"Are you serious right now, man?" Tommy asked.

Steve pushed Tommy back a bit. "Yeah, I'm serious. You shouldn't have done that."

Steve walked toward the driver's side of his car.

Tommy turned after him. "Done what?"

Steve turned to face him. "You know what."

"You mean call her out for what she really is?" Tommy asked. "Oh, that's funny, because I don't remember you asking me to stop."

"I should've put that spray paint right down your throat," Steve told him.

Carol raised her arms. "What the hell, Steve?"

Steve looked between them. "You know, neither of you ever cared about her. You never even liked her, or Nadia, because they're not miserable like you two. They actually care about other people."

"The slut and the rebel with hearts of gold," Carol told him mockingly. "You really want that rebel psycho around your kid sister, turning Hailey into a rebel psycho too?"

Steve pointed at her angrily. "I told you to watch your mouth! Don't bring up Hailey."

Tommy pushed Steve into his car. "Hey! I don't know what's gotten into you, man, but you don't talk to her that way."

Steve pushed Tommy back. "Nadia's the one that told me that I was acting like the kids that were making Hailey's life miserable, and she was right. I was acting like the two of you, too. That stops now."

Tommy got into Steve's face. "Oh, really?"

Steve pushed him back again. "Get out of my face."

Tommy grabbed Steve by the collar, pushing him against his car again. "Or what, huh? Or what? You gonna fight me now, too? Huh? You gonna fight me now, too? Because you couldn't take Jonathan Byers... so I wouldn't recommend that. At least little sister Hailey can put up more of a fight than you can. Maybe you should have little sis fight your battles for you."

Steve pushed Tommy off of him angrily. "I said don't say her name."

Steve opened his car door.

Tommy pushed Steve into the car. "Here, let me get the door for you, buddy." He slammed the door. Steve started the car. "That's right. Run away, Stevie boy." Steve pulled out of the parking space. "Run away! Just like you always do." Tommy hit the back of Steve's car "That Nancy's turning you into a little pussy! So who cares what Nadia and Hailey think?" Steve started to speed away from them down the road. "That's right, Harrington, run away! Run away!"

∰

Wheeler House - Outside

Across the street from the Wheeler House, Nadia's car was parked there. Natasha and Nadia stayed in the car to stay hidden, while Joyce, Jonathan, Nancy and Hopper stood outside, as they were watching Brenner's team at the Wheeler House.

"I have to go home," Nancy told them.

"No, you can't," Nadia told her.

"My mom and my dad are there," Nancy told them.

"They're gonna be okay," Hopper told her.

Nancy started to walk away.

Nadia got out of the car, running after her, grabbing her arm. "Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey."

"Nadia, get back in the car," Hopper told her. "Before they see you."

"They don't know what I look like, Hopper," Nadia told him.

"You don't know that," Hopper told her.

Nadia looked at Nancy. "Hey, listen to me. Listen to me. The last thing in the world we need is them knowing you're mixed up in all this."

"Mike is over there," Nancy told her.

Nadia pointed up at the helicopter in the sky. "They haven't found him, or Niko, Eleven, Hailey, Dustin or Lucas. Not yet, at least."

Nancy was in shock. "For Mike?"

"No, not for Mike," Nadia answered. "Not for Hailey, Dustin and Lucas, either. For Niko and Eleven."

Hopper started to pull Nadia and Nancy back to the car. "Come on, get in the car."

Nadia and Nancy got into the backseat of the car. Hopper got into the driver's seat with Natasha in the passenger seat. Joyce and Jonathan stood next to them outside the car, making sure that Natasha and Nadia's faces were hidden from the sight of Brenner's men.

"Look, we need to find them before they do," Natasha told them. "It doesn't matter if they're not after Hailey, Mike, Dustin and Lucas, because they will go through them to get to Niko and Eleven."

"And they could want Hailey if they've seen what she can do even without powers, so they can try to turn her into an experiment like the Russians did with you, Mama," Nadia told her. "They took you when you were a kid, like Hailey is now, and trained you and brainwashed you and turned you into an experiment."

"And they could do the same thing to Hailey," Natasha finished. "Hailey is just the type of kid without powers they're looking for in either program, in Russia or here, to turn into an experiment like me. To use her to create more like Nadia and Niko. So whether or not they're just after Niko and Eleven, if they catch them, Mike, Dustin and Lucas... they're gonna take Hailey too because they know what she can do."

"Do you have any idea where they might have gone?" Hopper asked.

"No, I don't," Nancy answered.

Nadia and Natasha shook their heads in agreement.

"Nadia, can you use your tracker thing to find them?" Hopper asked. "Natasha told me about that."

"Looks like Mama told you a lot of things, Hopper," Nadia told him. "And no, I can't, not right now."

"Why not?" Joyce asked.

"Because Nadia killed two of those creatures last night after using a lot of the tracking thing," Jonathan answered.

"Yeah, she's burned out right now," Natasha agreed.

"Then I need you guys to think," Hopper told them. "Nancy, where would Mike go? Natasha, Nadia, where would Niko and Hailey go?"

"I don't know about Hailey, but Niko always had hideouts that he never told me and Nadia about because they were hide outs, places where we weren't supposed to know in case something like this happened, or in case we were captured by someone who wanted their location," Natasha explained. "If we didn't know where he was, we couldn't tell the bad people where to find him."

Hopper sighed. "Okay, that's smart, but not very helpful right now. Nancy?"

"I don't know," Nancy told them. "Mike and I haven't talked a lot. I mean, lately..."

"Is there any place that your--your parents don't know about that he might go?" Joyce asked.

Nancy stuttered nervously. "I don't know."

Jonathan was thinking. "I might."

They looked at him in surprise.

"What?" Nadia asked.

"I don't know where they are, but I think I know how to ask them," Jonathan explained.

Jonathan and Joyce went to get into Joyce's car, leading the way away. Hopper drove the others in Nadia's car to follow.

∰

Byers House - Outside

Joyce and Nadia's Cars drove up to the Byers House.

∰

Inside - Living Room

Joyce and Jonathan led Nadia, Natasha, Nancy and Hopper into the house.

Nadia and Nancy were surprised by the look of the house with all the Christmas lights around. "Whoa."

They followed the others to Will's room.

∰

Will's Room

Jonathan led the way inside, followed by the others, looking for Will's walkie talkie

Joyce found the walkie talkie first, underneath Will's bed. "I got it."

∰

Junkyard - Bus

The party were still in hiding in the bus.

Nancy was heard on Mike's walkie talkie. "Mike, are you there? Mike?"

"You guys hear that?" Dustin asked.

"Mike, it's me, Nancy." Mike hurriedly pulled his walkie talkie out of his backpack, making it easier for them to hear her voice. "Mike, are you there? Answer. Mike, we need you to answer."

"Is that your sister?" Lucas asked.

Nancy was still in Will's room with the others. "This is an emergency, Mike. Do you copy? Mike, do you copy?"

"Okay, this is really weird," Dustin told them.

Lucas grabbed the walkie talkie.

Mike stopped him from speaking. "Don't answer."

"She said it was an emergency," Lucas told him.

"What if it's a trick?" Mike asked.

"It's your sister," Niko told him.

"What if the bad people kidnapped her?" Mike asked. "What if they're forcing her to say this?"

"I need you to answer," Nancy told them.

"It's like Lando Calrissian," Dustin told them. "Don't answer."

"We need to know that you're there, Mike," Nancy told him.

In Will's room, Nadia lost her patience, grabbing the walkie talkie from Nancy to speak through it. "Listen, kids, this is Nadia Reed. If you're there, pick up. We know you're in trouble."

In the bus, Niko took the walkie talkie from Mike.

"Why is Nancy with Nadia?" Lucas asked.

"Because Nadia is Nancy's friend," Mike answered.

"We can protect you, we can help you, but you gotta pick up," Nadia told them. "Niko, Hailey, El!"

Natasha spoke into the walkie talkie. "Nikolai Rostov, you better answer me and your sister now."

Niko sighed in relief to hear his mother's voice. "Mama."

Eleven, Mike, Dustin and Lucas were surprised to hear her voice for the first time. "Natasha?"

Hailey nodded in answer. "That's Natasha."

"Are you there?" Natasha asked "Do you copy? Over."

"Answer," Hailey told them. "There's no way the bad guys could make Nadia and Natasha betray us."

"No way the bad guys could get Nadia and Mama taken like that," Niko agreed. He spoke into the walkie talkie. "It's Niko. Mama, Nadia, I copy." In Will's room, Nadia and Natasha shared a relieved look with each other, and with Hopper, Jonathan, Nancy and Joyce. "I'm here." Niko looked between Hailey, Eleven, Dustin, Mike and Lucas next to him. "We're all here."

∰

Movie Theater - Outside

A movie theater worker was in the middle of cleaning 'All the Right Moves' movie sign, where it used to say in red spray paint "starring Nancy The Slut Wheeler", but now only said "Slut Wheeler". Another worker was holding the ladder still for him to clean in without falling down.

Steve walked closer. "Need a hand?"

"Did you have something to do with this?" the movie theater worker asked.

Steve hesitated. "I just... I wanna help."

The movie theater worker climbed down from the ladder, while the other worker continued to hold the ladder still. Steve took off his jacket.

The movie theater worker handed the cloth he was using to clean the spray paint off the sign to Steve. "All yours."

Steve climbed up the ladder to finish cleaning off the sign.

∰

Wheeler House - Living Room

Ted and Karen were looking out of the window in silent worry.

Karen sighed. "They expect us to just sit here like prisoners. We should be out there looking for them."

"Honey, we have to trust them, okay?" Ted asked. "This is our government. They're on our side."

Karen sighed, watching Connie and Brenner walk toward their car. "That man gives me the creeps." She looked at Ted. "Nancy. You don't think she's with Mike, do you?"

"Nancy with Mike?" Ted asked, chuckling. "No. No."

∰

Junkyard - Bus

The party was still waiting. Dustin was pacing anxiously.

"Will you stop pacing?" Mike asked.

"It's been way too long," Dustin told them. "Do you know what? Maybe you're right. Maybe this is all a trap and the bad men are coming to get us right now!"

"It's not a trap," Lucas told him. "Why would Nadia and Natasha set us up when they're on the run from the same people that El, Niko and Hailey are, because the bad men think that Hailey is Nadia? Nancy might set us up, but Nadia and Natasha?"

Mike gave Lucas a what the hell look and gesture for saying that Nancy might set them up.

Dustin pointed at them. "Lando Calrissian."

"Would you shut up about Lando?" Hailey asked in annoyance.

Dustin continued to pace. "I don't feel good about this. I don't feel good about this!"

"When do you feel good about anything?" Hailey replied.

Dustin turned to look at Hailey.

They heard vehicles approaching, all of them running up to the front of the bus so that they could look outside through the front windshield. They saw two cars for the bad men pull up.

"Shit," Niko said. "Go, go, go, go."

They all ran for the back of the bus, hiding down low, since Eleven and Niko were burned out for the moment.

Dustin gave Hailey an 'I told you so' look. "Lando."

Hailey gave Dustin a look.

"You think they saw us?" Lucas asked.

Hailey looked between Dustin and Lucas. "Both of you, shut up."

∰

Outside

Two men got out of the two cars each, making four bad men in total. They each had guns, splitting up to look for the party.

Natasha and Nadia arrived. 

Man 1 sensed Natasha behind him, turning to shoot her. Natasha used her power shield to deflect the bullets, using the shield to hit him in the face, twisting the gun out of his hands to take it away, kicking him in the stomach, hitting him in the head with the gun, knocking him out.

Man 2 turned to see Nadia behind him. "Hey!"

The party inside the bus heard the fighting, slowly getting up to look outside, seeing Natasha and Nadia here fighting off the bad men, sighing in relief, running off the bus.

Nadia spun to kick Man 2 in the stomach. Man 2 tried to shoot her with his gun. Nadia slid over the floor, spinning into a standing position and to kick Man 2 in the face, making him back away, jumping to tackle him to the ground, knocking him out by hitting his head against the ground.

Man 3 turned to Natasha with his gun, trying to shoot. Natasha used her power shield to deflect the bullets, sending the shield flying into Man 3 to make him flip through the air and fall to the ground as the shield faded into nothing. Man 3 got up, punching Natasha in the side, trying to raise his gun. Natasha caught his wrist, twisting the gun out of his hand, still holding his arm, pulling him to his feet, throwing him against the bus, making him fall to the ground, hitting him over the head with the gun to knock him out, tossing the gun aside.

Man 4 and Nadia faced each other. Man 4 drew his gun, trying to shoot. Nadia ducked to the side to make him miss, punching Man 4 in the face, spinning to kick the gun out of his hands. Man 4 tried to punch her. Nadia raised an arm to block the move, spinning to kick Man 4 in the face, making him fall. Man 4 drew a knife. Nadia kicked the knife out of his hands, making it fall to the floor, taking his arm, twisting it back, using it to flip him to the ground, pushing his head against the bus hard, making him fall unconscious.

Niko and Hailey weren't shocked since they were used to seeing them fight like that, but Lucas, Mike, Eleven and Dustin looked at them in shock.

Natasha turned to face the party, wiping the blood from her nose, sighing. "All right, let's go."

When they didn't move, Nadia repeated her mother's request impatiently. "Let's go!"

Niko, Dustin, Lucas and Mike ran to get their bikes from underneath the bus. Eleven and Hailey got onto the back of Mike and Dustin's bikes. Nadia and Natasha got into Nadia's car, driving away. The party followed on their bikes.

∰

Night - Byers House - Living Room 

Hopper, Joyce, Jonathan and Nancy were waiting anxiously for Nadia, Natasha and the party to return, all super worried until they heard the car and the bikes outside, standing.

∰

Outside

Hopper, Joyce, Jonathan and Nancy ran outside to greet Nadia, Natasha and the party.

Nancy ran to embrace her brother. "Mike. Oh, my God. Mike!" They pulled away. "I was so worried about you."

Mike nodded in agreement. "Yeah, uh, me too."

∰

Inside - Living Room

The party was explaining to the others about the Upside Down, except for Nadia, who had already been explained to by Niko and Eleven.

Mike was showing them the demonstration. "Okay, so, in this example, we're the acrobat. Will and Barbara, and those monsters, they're this flea."

Niko pointed to the line. "And this is the Upside Down, where Will is hiding. Mr. Clarke said the only way to get there is through a rip of time and space."

"A gate," Dustin went on.

Lucas nodded. "That we tracked to Hawkins Lab"

"With our compasses," Hailey told them.

"Okay, so the gate has a really strong electromagnetic field, and that can change the directions of a compass needle," Dustin explained.

"Is this gate underground?" Hopper asked.

"Yes," Eleven answered.

"Near a large water tank?" Hopper asked.

Eleven nodded. "Yes."

"How--how do you know all that?" Lucas asked.

Hopper and Natasha exchanged a look, remembering the gate they saw before the Hawkins Lab people knocked them out.

Natasha sighed. "We've seen it."

Joyce looked at Eleven, Nadia and Niko. "Is there any way that you could... that you could reach Will? That you could talk to him in this..."

"The Upside Down," Eleven answered.

"Down, yeah," Joyce agreed.

"The way that Nadia finds people is by tracking them over distances," Natasha explained. "Niko finds them through a map, or something like that. They don't see where they are directly, they just have a feeling of where they are."

"But El can see the people that she's looking for in this Void thing, even if she doesn't know exactly where they are unless she sees a sign of some kind or knows the place," Niko explained.

"I can try to see him," Eleven answered. "Try to talk to him."

"And Nadia's and my friend Barbra?" Nancy asked. "Can you find her, too? Nadia's been trying to, but..."

∰

Later

Eleven was trying to find Will and Barbra by going into the Void, listening to the static of the walkie talkie. The lights flickered, but she couldn't do it. She opened her eyes, sad. "I'm sorry."

"What?" Joyce asked. "What's wrong? What happened?"

Eleven sounded like she could cry. "I can't find them."

Niko was trying to use a map. "I can't pinpoint where they would be in the Upside Down."

Nadia shook her head. "I can't track them."

∰

Bathroom

Eleven was in the bathroom, running the water to wash her hands and her face. She looked in the mirror reflection, seeing the bathtub, turning off the water, turning to look at the tub.

∰

Living Room

Niko and Nadia were leaning back on the couch.

The others were nearby, they were talking.

"Whenever Natasha, Nadia, Niko and El use their powers, they get weak," Hailey explained.

"The more energy they use, the more tired they get," Dustin agreed.

"Like, El flipped the van and Niko burned out two more vans completely," Lucas explained.

"It was awesome," Dustin told them.

"But they're drained," Mike told them.

"Like a bad battery," Hailey agreed.

"That explains why Nadia's so weak," Jonathan told them. "She used her psychic energy stuff to kill a monster in the woods the other day, and two more last night within minutes of each other, and using her tracking power a lot."

"Nadia killed three Demogorgons?" Lucas asked in shock, impressed.

Dustin smiled. "Nadia, you're awesome!"

"Nadia is awesome for killing three Demogorgons, all in one week," Mike agreed.

Nadia gave them a thumbs up. "Whatever you say, kids."

"Natasha's pretty drained, too, for using her shield power so much within the last two days," Hopper agreed.

"Well, how do we make them better?" Joyce asked.

"Niko has a mental healing power that allows their strength to channel through them, but he can't use that right now because of how exhausted he is," Hailey answered. "So right now, we don't. We just have to wait and try again."

"Well, how long?" Nancy asked.

Natasha sighed, shaking her head. "I don't know."

Eleven walked in. "The bath."

Niko looked up. "What?"

"I can find them," Eleven told them. "In the bath. But I need Niko and Nadia's help."

They all looked at Niko, Nadia and Eleven, a little confused what Eleven meant by her needing their help. 

Natasha seemed to realize what Eleven meant. "Niko's mental healing is also channeling strength between him and another person. He can do it with two other people at a time, in this case, Nadia and El. I'm sure if they are channeling each other's strengths while helping each other recharge, that they can channel each other's powers so that it's not all on one of them, and not as taxing as it is on one person."

"So Niko and Nadia could go into the Void with El and none of them have to get super weak because they would be taking the toll together equally?" Hailey asked.

Natasha nodded. "Exactly."

"But we would still need the bath that El's talking about so that we can use that to strengthen us up too," Niko told them. "I've seen it in her memories. It's an isolation tank bath."

"This means that they would be channeling all their powers," Natasha told them. "Nikolai's fire, finding, strength/channeling, telepathy. Nadia's psychic energy, tracking, empathy. El's telekinesis, technopathy, the Void. They would all be feeling what each other's feeling and hear what each other are thinking. I don't think the rest should be a problem though as long as they don't lose control while in the bath."

The others all nodded in agreement.

∰

Clarke's House - Living Room

Clarke was watching a movie with a woman, a horror movie where they watched someone melting. The woman was groaning in disgust.

"Hey, you know how they did that?" Clarke asked. "You know what that is?"

The woman sighed. "No, what?"

"Melted plastic and microwaved bubble gum," Clarke answered.

"No way," the woman said. "Really?"

"Really," Clarke answered. The phone ringing made the woman jump. Clarke checked the time. "What in the world?"

"Do you want me to pause it?" the woman asked.

Clarke shook his head. "I'm sure it's just a wrong number." He stood, walking over to his phone, answering. "Hello?"

Dustin was in the Byers House with the others. "Mr. Clarke? It's Dustin."

Clarke frowned in confusion. "Dustin? Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, yeah," Dustin answered. "I just... I... I have a science question."

"It's ten o-clock on Saturday," Clarke told him. "Why don't we pick this up--"

"Do you know anything about sensory deprivation tanks?" Dustin asked. "Specifically how to build one?"

"Sensory deprivation?" Clarke repeated. "What is that for?"

Dustin looked up awkwardly. "Fun."

Clarke nodded in amusement. "Okay. Well, why don't we talk about it Monday? After school, okay?"

"You always say we should never stop being curious," Dustin told him. "To always open any curiosity door we find."

Clarke looked toward where his woman was waiting for him. "Dustin--"

"Why are you keeping this curiosity door locked?" Dustin asked.

Clarke knew that he had a point, looking up at the ceiling, sighing, giving in.

∰

Byers House - Living Room

Still on the phone, Dustin was writing everything they needed to do down on a notepad. "Uh-huh. Uh-huh. How much? Uh-huh. Yep, all right. Yeah, we'll be careful. Definitely. All right, Mr. Clarke. Yeah, I'll see you on Monday. I'll see you on Monday, Mr. Clarke. Bye." He hung up, looking at Joyce. "Do you still have that kiddie pool we bobbed for apples in?"

"I think so, yeah," Joyce answered.

"Yeah," Jonathan answered.

"Good," Dustin told them. "Then we just need salt. Lots of it."

"How much is 'lots'?" Hopper asked.

Dustin looked at his notes. "1500 pounds."

"Well, where are we gonna get that much salt?" Nancy asked.

Hopper and Natasha exchanged a look.

∰

Hawkins Middle School - Outside

Hopper and Jonathan drove their cars up to the middle school, getting out of the cars, starting to take de-icing salt bags out of their cars to take them inside.

"Hey, wait," Jonathan told him. "It's not gonna snow next week, is it?"

Hopper shrugged. "Worst case, no school."

"Even if we find Will in there, what are we gonna do about those things?" Jonathan asked.

"We're not gonna do anything," Hopper told him. "I don't want you anywhere near this, all right? Your mom's been through enough already."

"He's my brother," Jonathan told him.

Hopper walked up to Jonathan. "Listen to me. I'm gonna find him, all right? You gotta trust me on this. I am going to find him."

They continued to get the ice.

∰

Inside - Gym

Hailey, Dustin and Lucas were rolling out the kiddie pool.

"This damn thing is heavy," Dustin complained.

"Come on, it's upside down," Hailey told them. They flipped the kiddie pool over, trying to set it up right. "Okay, um..."

"How does this even work?" Lucas asked.

Hailey looked around, standing on one side. "Okay, I'll stand on this side. Lucas, stand on that side." Lucas stood at the side Hailey pointed him to. Hailey pointed to Dustin, to another side. "Dustin, you stand on that side."

The three stood on three of the four sides of the pool, pulling on the sides to try to make it stand up, but it flopped.

"Shit!" Dustin said.

"Pull it back, pull it back," Lucas told him.

"I am!" Dustin told him.

They all pulled on the edges to try to get it to stand up, but it flopped over again.

Hailey threw out her arms in annoyance. "Shit!"

∰

Outside

Nancy and Mike were trying to break into a room, but neither could.

Nancy went to find a rock. "Stand back."

Nancy used the rock to break the lock off the door, opening it, walking in.

Mike was impressed with his sister. "Whoa."

They walked into the room to grab water hoses, walking back outside toward the school.

"What did she even eat?" Nancy asked.

"What?" Mike asked.

"Eleven," Nancy answered.

Mike nodded in understanding. "Oh. Candy, leftovers, Eggos. She really likes Eggos."

"I knew you were acting weird," Nancy admitted. "I just... I thought it was because of Will."

"I knew you were acting weird, too," Mike admitted. "I thought it was 'cause of Steve. Hailey's brother."

Nancy stopped for a second. "Hey." Mike turned to face her. "No more secrets, okay? From now on, we tell each other everything."

Mike nodded. "Okay. Do you like Jonathan now?"

Surprised by the question, Nancy lied. "What? No. No, it--it's not... it's not like that." Mike nodded. "Do you like Eleven?"

Surprised by the question, Mike lied. "What? No. Ew, gross."

They continued on their way inside.

∰

Inside - Biology Classroom

Natasha and Joyce were making three goggles with duct tape over the eye holes, sitting in front of Eleven, Niko and Nadia.

"These will keep it dark for you," Natasha explained. "Just like in your bathtub, El."

Joyce was awed by Eleven, Natasha, Niko and Nadia's bravery. "You're all so brave. So strong. You know that, don't you? Everything you're doing, everything you've all done for my boy.. for Will... for my family... Thank you."

Eleven, Niko and Nadia nodded.

Natasha took Joyce by the hand. "Of course, Joyce." Joyce knew that they needed a moment alone, standing, walking away. Natasha turned to look Eleven, Niko and Nadia each in the eye, holding Eleven's hand in one hand, and holding Niko and Nadia's hands in the other. "Listen. I am gonna be there with you the whole time. And if it ever gets too scary, in that place, or you think that it's too much power for you three to handle, you just let me know, okay?"

Niko and Nadia answered together, "Yes, Mama."

Eleven nodded. "Yes."

Natasha looked at them sympathetically, sadly for a moment. "Ready?"

Eleven, Niko and Nadia nodded. "Ready."

∰

Gym

Hailey, Dustin and Lucas had set up the kiddie pool. 

Nancy and Mike had brought in the water hoses, while Nancy was stretching the hoses to the water facets nearby, fastening them in, turning the water on to get the water into the kiddie pool, while Mike was holding the water hoses up to fill the pool.

Hailey was using a thermometer to test the water's temperature. "Colder!" Nancy did as told. "Warmer!" Nancy did as told. "Right there!"

After the kiddie pool was filled, Hopper, Jonathan, Mike, Dustin and Lucas all started to empty the salt bags into the pool. Dustin checked to see if the water had enough salt by putting an egg on the water, and when the egg sunk down, the boys added more salt. Dustin tested again with another egg, which floated this time, meaning the water was now perfect. Mike and Lucas both patted Dustin on the shoulders. Mike put a walkie talkie nearby.

Eleven, Niko and Nadia took off their shoes, their socks, their watches, anything that they didn't need/couldn't have in the water. Hopper, Natasha and Joyce handed them the home made sensory deprivation goggles. Eleven, Niko and Nadia each put the goggles on, sighing, stepping into the water with Hopper, Natasha and Joyce's help each. Once the adults let them go, Eleven, Niko and Nadia each laid down, floating, holding hands. Niko was in the middle, taking Eleven and Nadia both by the hands, starting to use his mental healing/channeling strength power. His hands glowed orange, and the energy seemed to be going and passing through the three of them all at once to show how connected they were, becoming stronger and more level, able to balance each other out and the toll was not so hard on Eleven this time to go into the Void, the toll equal between the three. The lights flickered to signal the connection as well.

∰

The Void

Eleven, Niko and Nadia appeared in the Void. They could hear each other's thoughts and feel each other's feelings because of Niko's telepathy and Nadia's empathy, just like Natasha had said. They walked through the Void, looking around.

Nadia followed her tracking power through the Void toward her friend. "Barb?"

∰

Reality

Night - Hawkins Middle School - Gym

Everyone was gathered around the kiddie pool, where Eleven, Niko and Nadia floated in the water, holding hands, which were glowing orange as energy passed through them.

Nadia whispered. "Barbra?"

Everyone looked at Nadia in surprise.

∰

The Void

Nadia slowly made her way toward where Barb was. Niko and Eleven slowly followed. The thoughts between them were whispering loudly through their heads, hard to tell which one was thinking what, but they seemed to tell. Niko and Eleven could feel Nadia's cautious as she made her way toward Barb, and Nadia could hear them thinking to her, "Be careful".

They could now see Barb was dead, rotten, covered in substance from the Upside Down, and a slug like creature slithering from her mouth across her face.

Nadia was devastated to see her friend like this, backing away toward Niko and Eleven. Niko and Eleven could feel her devastation, feeling it like it was their own because of Nadia's empathy being channeled through the three. All three of them were horrified, which was amplified in their heightened state.

∰

Reality

Night - Hawkins Middle School - Gym

Everyone was gathered around the kiddie pool, where Eleven, Niko and Nadia floated in the water, holding hands, which were glowing orange as energy passed through them. The electricity was surging, Eleven's telekinesis was shaking the building, Nadia's purple psychic energy started to glow around Eleven, Niko and Nadia in the pool, and Niko's fire started to dance along the water as well, as they were losing control because of the heightened emotions from seeing Barb dead, the devastation, grief, the fear, horror.

Everyone was worried and in shock.

"What's going on?" Hailey asked.

Mike shook his head. "I don't know."

Natasha used her shield to create a barrier around Eleven, Niko and Nadia in the pool so that the psychic energy and the fire on the water could not get to them or hurt them. "Nikolai? Nadia? El?"

"Is Barb okay?" Nancy asked. "Is she okay?"

∰

The Void

When Eleven started to scream and cry, due to the shared thoughts and emotions, so did Nadia and Niko. 

Eleven screamed, crying. "Gone!"

Nadia held her head in her hands, crying from the overwhelming amount of emotion and thoughts running through all their heads, screaming. "Gone!"

Niko looked around desperately, having to scream, crying a little as well because of the heightened, shared state of emotion and thoughts. "Gone!"

∰

Reality

Night - Hawkins Middle School - Gym

Everyone was gathered around the kiddie pool, where Eleven, Niko and Nadia floated in the water, holding hands, which were glowing orange as energy passed through them. Eleven's technopathy was still making the lights flicker, her telekinesis was still shaking the building. Nadia's glowing purple psychic energy was still glowing on the water around them. Niko's fire was still dancing on the water around them. Natasha was still using her shield to surround Eleven, Niko and Nadia so that they would be protected, her nose starting to bleed.

Eleven whispered, "Gone."

Nadia whispered, "Gone."

Niko whispered, "Gone."

Nancy started to cry, knowing that that meant Barb was dead. Jonathan wrapped an arm around Nancy to comfort her.

Natasha was in pain, knowing the pain that Nadia was feeling, and the combined emotions and thinking they must have all been thinking, in pain to know that they were all feeling in that moment, trying to calm them while still using her shield to protect them. "It's okay. It's okay. Hey, it's okay. It's okay, we're right here. We're right here, sweeties."

∰

The Void

Nadia, Niko and Eleven could hear Natasha's voice echoing: "It's okay. I got you. Don't be afraid.  I know you're sad, Nadia. Niko, El, I know you're afraid. I know it's overwhelming you right now to feel it all together all at once. But you can get through it together. You can control it. I'm right here with you. It's okay. It's okay. It's okay. It's okay, you're okay. You're safe. You're okay, sweeties."

All of them were comforted and reassured by Natasha's soothing voice. Niko and Eleven were no longer afraid, closing their eyes. They reached out to take Nadia's hands on either side of her, trying to comfort her. Nadia looked at them sadly, but she was in more control of the sadness, devastation and despair now that they were taking control of the connection that made them feel everything so strongly. Now they felt like they had control and like they weren't falling apart.

∰

Reality

Night - Hawkins Middle School - Gym

Everyone was gathered around the kiddie pool, where Eleven, Niko and Nadia floated in the water, holding hands, which were glowing orange as energy passed through them. The lights stopped flickering. The building stopped shaking. The glowing purple psychic energy and the fire around Eleven, Niko and Nadia disappeared. Everything was back to normal.

Natasha could lower her shield, her nose bleeding pretty badly, as she was nearly faint for keeping it up for so long to keep the three children safe. Hopper and Joyce helped steady Natasha from either side.

Hailey, Dustin, Lucas, Mike, Nancy, Jonathan, Hopper and Joyce all looked at Natasha in shock that she could get through to Eleven, Niko and Nadia like that and cause everything to go back to normal.

∰

The Void

Now calm, though still devastated and overwhelmed because of the connection, they turned to look around, and this time, they could see Castle Byers. "Castle Byers."

∰

Reality

Night - Hawkins Middle School - Gym

Everyone was gathered around the kiddie pool, where Eleven, Niko and Nadia floated in the water, holding hands, which were glowing orange as energy passed through them.

Eleven, Niko and Nadia whispered. "Castle Byers."

Jonathan and Joyce looked at each other.

∰

The Void

Niko, Nadia and Eleven slowly walked toward Castle Byers.

Niko looked at Nadia and Eleven, thinking, "Stay here."

Nadia and Eleven nodded in agreement. While Niko went inside, Nadia was comforting Eleven so that she wouldn't get scared again, and Eleven was comforting Nadia after they just realized that Barb, Nadia and Nancy's friend, was dead and having to see her like that.

Niko walked into Castle Byers, kneeling next to Will. "Will."

Will opened his eyes weakly to see him, in shock. "Niko?"

∰

Reality

Night - Hawkins Middle School - Gym

Everyone was gathered around the kiddie pool, where Eleven, Niko and Nadia floated in the water, holding hands, which were glowing orange as energy passed through them.

Niko whispered, "Will?"

Everyone could hear Will's voice through the walkie talkie. "Niko?"

Joyce gasped. Jonathan looked relieved to hear his brother's voice. Everyone was stunned to hear from Will.

"You tell him... tell him I'm coming," Joyce told them. "Mom is coming."

∰

The Void

In Castle Byers, Niko was kneeling next to Will, looking at him in shock and worry, relieved to see that he was alive, but horrified to see him so weak.

"Your mom, she's coming for you," Niko explained.

Will could barely whisper. "Hurry."

∰

Reality

Night - Hawkins Middle School - Gym

Everyone was gathered around the kiddie pool, where Eleven, Niko and Nadia floated in the water, holding hands, which were glowing orange as energy passed through them.

Everyone could hear Will's voice through the walkie talkie. "Hurry."

Everyone exchanged a look.

Joyce looked at Eleven, Niko and Nadia. "Okay. Listen, you tell him to--to stay where he is. We're coming. We're coming, okay? We're coming, honey."

∰

The Void

In Castle Byers, Niko was kneeling beside Will, holding his hand, looking completely overwhelmed. "Just... just hold on a little longer. Will. Will." The signal started to disappear in waves, causing Castle Byers and Will to disappear, leaving Niko with Nadia and Eleven alone in the Void. Niko looked around, in denial that the signal was lost. "Will? Will!"

∰

Reality

Night - Hawkins Middle School - Gym

Everyone was gathered around the kiddie pool, where Eleven, Niko and Nadia floated in the water, holding hands, which were glowing orange as energy passed through them.

Eleven, Niko and Nadia suddenly launched up, now awake, letting go of each other's hands, causing the connection to break, making everyone around them gasp in surprise at the sudden moves, as the three of them took off the goggles, breathing heavily, all of them in different states of emotional overwhelment, Niko and Nadia most of all after seeing Will, and after realizing that they lost Barb. Eleven, Niko and Nadia's noses were barely bleeding even given the amount of power usage that took since they were channeling each other's strength and powers, and because they took the toll together equally so it wasn't as hard on any one of them.

Natasha embraced the three of them. "Oh, okay, okay. I've got you. It's okay. I got you. I got you. I got you, sweeties. You did so good. Are you okay?"

∰

Later

Dustin, Lucas, Mike, Eleven, Niko and Hailey were sitting on the bleachers. Eleven had her head on Niko's shoulder as Mike and Hailey wrapped a towel around Eleven and Niko's shoulders each.

Nadia was sitting elsewhere on the bleachers. Natasha wrapped a towel around her shoulders, embracing her daughter sadly in sympathy after knowing that she lost a friend. Nadia was now numb and angry. Natasha stood, walking toward Hopper, Jonathan and Joyce.

Hopper sighed. "So this fort. Where is it?"

"Uh, it's in the woods behind our house," Joyce answered.

Jonathan nodded in agreement. "Yeah, he used to go there to hide."

Hopper started to walk away. Joyce, Jonathan and Natasha exchanged a look before following.

∰

Outside

Hopper, Joyce, Jonathan and Natasha walked outside.

Hopper turned to face them. "Hey, get back inside."

"What, are you insane?" Joyce asked. "No, I'm--"

"Look, if something happens to me, I don't make it back--" Hopper started.

"Yeah, but then I'll go," Joyce told him. "You stay. Are you kidding me? He's my son, Hop. My son. I'm going!"

"If you two are going, then I'm going," Natasha told them.

"Natasha, after what El, Niko and Nadia just went through, they need you," Hopper told her.

"Yeah, and so do you and Joyce in case you run into one of those monsters over there," Natasha replied. "I may just have a shield for a power, but it's enough to protect you and Joyce from a Demogorgon, Hopper. I'm going."

Hopper sighed. "Fine. I can't stop you any damn way."

"No, you can't," Natasha agreed. "Glad that you've finally realized that."

Hopper and Natasha got into the car.

Joyce turned to face Jonathan. "Jonathan, listen, I need you to stay here and watch over the kids."

Jonathan shook his head. "No. No, Mom. I can help."

Crying, Joyce embraced her son. "Please, I need you to stay, Jonathan."

"Joyce," Hopper called in annoyance.

Joyce pulled away. "Please."

Jonathan sighed, giving in. "Please, be careful."

"Joyce, come on," Hopper told her.

"Give her a moment with Jonathan, Hop," Natasha told him.

Joyce looked at Jonathan. "Please. I'm gonna find him. I'm gonna find him."

Joyce got into the backseat of the chief car. Hopper started the ignition, pulling back, driving away.

∰

Inside - Hallway

Nadia was sitting on the floor, towel wrapped around her shoulders. Nancy was sitting next to her as the two friends were numb, staring off into space, grieving the loss of their other friend.

Jonathan walked in, seeing them, walking toward them, sitting down on the other side of Nancy.

Behind Nadia, Nancy and Jonathan was revealed to be a tiger mural with an American flag background.

Nadia took a moment to speak up. "We have to go back to the station."

"What?" Jonathan asked.

"Natasha, Joyce and Hopper are just walking in there like bait," Nancy told him, like she and Nadia had been talking about this before he walked in. "Those things are still in there. And we can't just sit here and let them get them, too. We can't."

"Natasha can use the shield," Jonathan told them. "That's why she's going with Mom and Hopper."

"Natasha can't keep the shield up for long as she's proved," Nancy pointed out.

"And Mama's powers won't kill the Demogorgons," Nadia told them. "It'll just hold them off, and when Mama's shield fades, they'll attack. Mama might be able to hold off one or two. But if there are any more out there..."

Jonathan realized that they still wanted to go through with their plan from before. "You still wanna try it out?"

"I wanna finish what we started," Nadia answered. "I want to kill them all."

∰

Hawkins Lab - Outside

The chief car pulled up outside the fence. Natasha, Hopper and Joyce got out of the car, walking up to the fence.

Joyce looked at Natasha. "So this is your plan?"

"It worked for us before, didn't it, Hopper?" Natasha asked, tossing him the bolt cutters.

"In a way," Hopper answered. "But it led to the Hawkins Lab people finding about how you're not Natasha Reed, you're Natasha Rostova, Russian spy with powers, and it led to them finding out about Niko and Nadia, and thinking that Hailey Harrington was Nadia for a little while. It's a stupid idea, Nat."

"It's the best one we've got," Natasha replied. "Come on, trust me."

Hopper sighed, giving in, using the bolt cutters to cut into the fence.

∰

Police Station

Callahan was the only one here, watching TV and dozing off. Jonathan, Nancy and Nadia could easily sneak past him toward where the confiscated Reed weapons were.

∰

Hopper's Office

Jonathan walked in, grabbing the box with the weapons, walking back out, leading Nancy and Nadia out of the station again, while Nancy grabbed a fire extinguisher on the way.

∰

Hawkins Lab - Outside

Natasha, Hopper and Joyce walked up to the lab building. Lights were turned on all around them, blinding them for a moment.

Brenner's team surrounded them, aiming guns. "Don't move!"

Natasha, Hopper and Joyce raised their hands.

"It's all right," Natasha told them. "Let me do the talking."

Brenner's team closed in on Natasha, Hopper and Joyce as they held their arms over their heads higher.

∰

Upside Down

Castle Byers

Will was laying down, singing softly, weakly, shivering from the cold. "If I go, there will be trouble / And if I say, it will be double / So, come and let me know / Should I stay or should I go?"

Hearing a Demogorgon growling, Will sat up worriedly in fear. He could hear the monster pacing around the fort, breathing heavily in terror. For a moment, the growling stopped, and all seemed well... until the monster leaped at the fort, destroying it to pieces, and getting to Will.