( darkest before dawn / act four )
episode five | stranger things

❛ TOP SECRET LOCATION ❜

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      "YOU TOLD HER EVERYTHING?" WAS THE greeting Aurora received when her and Eleven both entered the car willingly.

      "Yes. You told me to get her here and I did. But she is my friend and I'm not going to destroy her trust to get her to agree. Beside, she would've figured out everything anyways." Aurora rolled her eyes, bucking into her seat as one of the agents started the car.

      Owena directed his attention to Eleven, "so you know what we're getting into then?"

      Eleven nodded, "yes, but...I don't know how to help you. I don't have my powers anymore."

      "What if I told you there was a way to bring them back?" Owen's began, and Auroras interest had been peaked.

      She had of course, questioned him about the matter of Elevens powers before she had left to pick her up. He had been very cagey about his ideas, and his exact words to her had been: "I have my job to do, you have yours. Let's focus on them. Separately."

      Owen's continued, "I had feared that this moment would come so I've been preparing, developing the means restore your abilities. A program that has the potential to not just bring them back, but bring them back even stronger than before. But, there are people who don't believe in you Eleven, who think you are the cause of everything. I know they are wrong, and I believe you are the cure to this."

      "Is it safe?" Eleven questioned, her voice softer. Even in the dark the two girls found each other's hands.

      Owen sighed, "you need to know that there is a very real possibility that this program won't work. That you, not only, won't you get your powers back, but you won't ever see your friends and family again."

      "Then no," Aurora cut in. "She won't do this if there's a chance she could die."

      Owen's turned to her, "Aurora, this program could work for you as well."

      "My powers are fine."

      Owen's shook his head, the glint in his eye told Aurora that he knew. He knew she was trying to repress her powers—which was why she hadn't used them when she first saw him—that she was trying to be normal. "I believe both of you are our best hope. Our only hope to save humanity as we know it. But it is your choice, Eleven. No one else's."

      "What if I'm not good?" Eleven questioned, "what if I am the monster?"

      "I don't know you that well," Owen confessed, "but I'm betting the fate of this planet that you are one of the good ones. But, I know you've spent too much of your life being told to do what to do by people like me, so it's your choice. You can say the word right now, and I drop you and Aurora off at home and you don't have to think about this anymore. Or, we leave now and you can find out for yourself."

      With a simple nod, Eleven agreed and the car began moving. Into the desert where their fate remained uncertain.

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AURORA DESPERATELY WANTED TO SUCCUMB TO the soft hum of music playing through the speakers, and the quiet presence of Owen and the agent in the front seat made it all too easy. Eleven slept against her shoulder, her soft snores filling Aurora's ears. When Owen glanced at the two, Aurora let herself slump slightly, eyes fluttering shut. If they believed both of them were asleep, they would speak more freely.

      And when Owen turned back, they did. "They're both asleep." The agent, whose name Aurora still didn't know, tapped his fingers idly against the steering wheel.

      "We should reach the facility in a few hours," the agent murmured. "Everything is set up. Brenner's waiting."

      Aurora kept her breathing steady, fighting the urge to tense. Brenner. She knew that name. Eleven stirred slightly against her, but she didn't wake.

      "She's not ready," Owen said, his voice firmer now. "We're rushing this."

      "We don't have a choice," the agent replied. "You saw what happened in Hawkins. If she doesn't get her powers back—"

      "She's just a kid," Owen interrupted.

      A pause, then the agent sighed. "A kid who might be the only thing standing between us and total annihilation."

      Aurora's fingers curled against the fabric of her jeans. The weight of Eleven against her shoulder felt heavier now, like an anchor tying her to this moment, to the realization that whatever was happening in Hawkins—it wasn't over and without Eleven it never would be.

      The agent shifted in his seat. "And what about the other one?" Aurora forced herself to stay still.

      "She's not a threat," Owen said. "Not in the way you're implying."

      "You sure about that?"

      Owen hesitated. "She doesn't know anything."

      The agent made a sound of skepticism but didn't push. Silence settled again, broken only by the hum of the road beneath the tires. Aurora kept her breathing even, her mind racing. Facility. Brenner. Eleven's powers. She didn't know where they were taking them, but one thing was clear—this was bigger than she'd thought. And if they believed she was harmless, they were wrong.

It was a few hours later when the two were woken up—or Eleven was woken up because Aurora had refused to fall asleep. Her mind racing through every possibility for why Brenner wanted to help them—hadn't he tried to kill them? Multiple times? Why were they going to him?

      They were in the middle of the desert, the sun beating high overhead when Owen's noticed the two were awake. He glanced at the two of them, "apologies for the bumpy ride, kids. I would've paved the road, but that kinda ruins the whole 'top secret location' thing."

      "And," Aurora spoke up, "who is at this top secret location? Or is that a find out later person?"

      Eleven smacked her arm, and Owen's laughed. "It's alright to be nervous, but you both will find out soon enough. Did you get some rest?"

      Eleven nodded, "a little."

      "Good. I have a feeling you're going to need it."

      They slowed to a stop in from of a small hill made of metal. A door stood just under the cover and Aurora thought it was shitty cover, but then again, who would drive into the middle of nowhere for this.

      Aurora stepped out of the car, with Eleven following behind her and the Agent didn't move. Owen's walked towards the door and the two girls followed him, Aurora spinning around to watch the car drive off in another direction.

      "Joyful," Aurora muttered. "Now we have no way out."

      Either Owen's didn't hear her or chose not to respond as the keypad flashed green before the door chimed and swung open. Revealing a steep staircase covered in dirt and grim. The sound of the door closing echoed through the dimly lit stairwell.

      "No money for a cleaner?" Aurora joked, but no one chuckled or responded. "Tough crowd." Eleven nudged her, and Aurora could tell she had been fighting off laughter.

      The stairs wound around a few times before the three approached a dingy elevator. Owen's placed the two girls in front of him, a hand on both their backs which Aurora moved away from quickly.

      The elevator clicked shut and the motor rumbled to lift. "You didn't think we were working out of a shed, did you?"

      "It still looks likes a shed Owen's," Aurora added, subtlety placing herself in front of Eleven.

      The elevator was the cleanest of the places Aurora had seen, blue lighting making it look larger. It dropped slowly and the silence between the three was almost suffocating when the movement stopped and the doors opened again. Two guards greeted them as they stepped out, and Aurora was met with a memory of the Russian base she had infiltrated a year prior.

      Eleven glanced around with wide-eyes, "you built all this?"

      "Well, more like gave it a face lift." Owen's agreed. "Do you know what an ICBM is? It stands for intercontinental ballistic missile. It's a fancy bomb. We used to store them in these silos, but this one hadn't been used in years. In fact there's no bomb here at all. Just a lot of empty space."

      They kept walking down the front tunnel, but Owen's words were not comforting in the slightest. "So, we repurposed it to hold something much more powerful than a missile: you."

      Scientists stood around desks in a small cut out in the tunnel. Owen's greeted them and they all responded at the same time, Aurora half expected them to stop and talk but they kept moving, slowly. "You'll have to forgive the staring, Eleven. You're a bit of a celebrity down here."

      Aurora smiled as Eleven tucked her chin in embarrassment, "hear that El, can I be the first to get your autograph? Please, oh please!"

      Eleven giggled, "stop it, Rory. I don't think celebrity fits what I am."

      "You kidding? You're bigger than ABBA to them." Aurora gasped at Owen's words.

      "Then I've got to get your autograph just to rub it in these scientist faces," Aurora mocked. Then in all seriousness, she asked Owen, "they really think she's bigger than ABBA?"

      "Really! You too Aurora, maybe like Madonna level." Aurora grinned as Owen continued, "they've all given up their lives, their jobs and their families to be here. To come work on this program because they believe in the cause. They believe in you."

      In front of them, a guard pulled open another large metal door and Owen's allow the tow girls to walk in first. But this room was different. In the center was a large metal tank, while scientists scrambled around it.

      "We call her Nina," Owen's spoke as the three stopped walking.

      "What is it?" The two girls questioned in sync, they then began to laugh together as Eleven rushed to call black magic and Aurora promised Eleven a coke for later.

      Their laughter stopped at another man's voice. One that dug an out so deep in Auroras gut. "If we told you, it would ruin the surprise." Above them, shoes clicked against the metal as the man walked to the stairs. His white hair glowing against the light behind him, "hello, Eleven."

      Eleven stumbled backwards, grabbing on to Auroras hand as tight as she could. Brenner kept speaking. "I know, you're frightened of me. Perhaps, in our time apart, you may have even grown to hate me. But all I ever wanted to do was help you, and right now, I think you very much need my help."

      "She doesn't." Aurora spoke up, blocked Eleven from his view. "And I think we would both like to leave. Now."

      Brenner shook his head, "Aurora Briar. I remember you, your parents were wonderful participants in my study. I wonder what you could do at full power. A shame you were taken before that could happen."

      Aurora made a move to speak again, when arms pulled her away from Brenner. Guards had restrained her, and in turn Eleven when she fought back. Though, Aurora could tell they were being much gentler with Eleven than her.

      "Your gifts have been stolen, Eleven. I believe I know why, and I believe I know how to get them back." Brenner finally stepped to the floor, and Aurora shoved her power into the guards behind her and stepped towards Eleven, "Let us work together again. Daughter and Papa."

      Aurora shoved Brenner away from Eleven as the brunette grabbed her hand and the two began running. They ran through the tunnels, Eleven panting as she ran full sped while Aurora jogged next to her. They passed the scientists and only stopped when guards ran in from all sides, blocking the door.

One of them spoke, "why don't you go back inside? Play nice for the doctor, hmm?"

"Oh, I'll show you nice," Aurora scoffed, pulling from her power and forcing it into the three guards in front of them. But, nothing happened. One of them smirked, tapping his skull, "we've heard about you, daughter of the traitor Briars."

More guards moved in, Aurora and Eleven being pulled away from each other. Scientists followed, two holding needles in their hands. Eleven screamed at the sight and Aurora realized she must have gone through this every day of her life.

The serum burned as it was injected into her veins. The guards pulled at her limp body, and from her darkening veins Aurora watched as Brenner kissed Elevens forehead before picking her up.

And in that moment, Aurora swore she would kill him slowly.

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(      LET ME SPEAK    :      )

YAYAYAY!!!! guys let me be honest i've been planning
auroras villain era for so long. trust she is trying to
suppress her powers but brenner just brings them
out! 👹 we really have 5 episodes left to cover!
and then we done with the season...

i was watching episode 4, and i was planning max's
letter to rory and i was crying tbh. but im also a baby
so idk if that a real warning or not!! so yay!!!

credit goes to fivehxrgreeves