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

❛  RESCUE TEAM ❜

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IT TOOK LESS THAN A MINUTE for Aurora to be acquainted with Colonel Sullivan. And it took only three words to understand that she hated him with every fiber of her being.

"She's dangerous, kid." His cold, calculated tone made her blood run hot. Standing just outside the truck, Aurora watched as Sullivan's boots hit the gravel, his military uniform crisp and untouchable. He didn't look at her, his eyes scanning the horizon like she wasn't even worth acknowledging.

But she knew who he was. She'd seen him on surveillance footage back in the facility. And she knew he was part of the reason Eleven was in hiding.

"You think you know her?" Aurora spat, the bitterness seeping into her voice before she could stop it. "You have no idea what she's been through. She's not some weapon you can control."

Sullivan finally turned to face her, his eyes narrowing as he studied her. His gaze was piercing, assessing, but there was no softness, no empathy. "You've been with her, haven't you?" He asked, his voice low and menacing. "You think she's harmless now? After all she's done?"

Aurora clenched her fists, the urge to lash out nearly overwhelming. The last thing she needed was for him to belittle Eleven's pain like that. "She isn't what you think she is," Aurora snapped, her voice filled with the weight of her frustration. "She doesn't have her powers anymore. She's just a girl. A girl who doesn't deserve this."

Sullivan didn't flinch. He barely reacted at all. Instead, he motioned toward the guards that stood at attention, watching the exchange silently. "Take her inside," he ordered, his voice never wavering.

Aurora's heart dropped. She knew exactly what this was. He wasn't interested in listening, not interested in anything but securing Eleven. And now, she was just another pawn to him—another piece in the puzzle he couldn't understand.

Before she could react, two armed guards approached, grabbing her arms firmly but not roughly. Aurora's mind raced, but she stayed still, forcing herself to breathe slowly. She wouldn't give in. She wouldn't make this easy for them.

She shot one last glance at Sullivan, her eyes burning with hatred. "You don't even know what you're doing," she hissed.

Sullivan gave her a chilling smile, as if he'd already won. "I know exactly what I'm doing," he said coolly. "And you're going to help me find her."

      Aurora's mind was a whirlwind of anger and desperation. The two guards flanking her were strong, their grips firm and unwavering. But they weren't prepared for what she could do.

      She took a slow, deliberate breath, feeling the familiar hum of her abilities stir beneath her skin. There was a part of her, a small voice buried deep, telling her not to use her powers. She had sworn off using them for so long, terrified of what they might cost her. But she didn't have a choice. Not now.

      Without warning, she focused her energy, her thoughts coiling around the two guards like a noose. They were tense, alert, unaware of the growing weight in the air around them. Aurora focused on their breathing, their hearts pounding in their chests, and with a sharp thought, she pushed, releasing the energy like a wave.

      The guards' bodies went slack almost immediately. Their eyes fluttered shut, and in less than a heartbeat, they were both crumpled to the ground, unconscious. Aurora exhaled sharply, feeling the drain of using her powers, but she couldn't afford to waste time feeling weak. They'd be out for a while, but she had no idea how long she had before someone else came looking for them.

      She turned on her heel, eyes flicking around the compound for a way out, her heart pounding with the adrenaline of her success.

      Aurora stood firm, her eyes locked onto Colonel Sullivan, her heart pounding with a mix of anger and determination. She could hear the commotion behind her—guards scrambling to regain control—but she didn't turn away. She couldn't show fear. Not now.

Sullivan stepped forward, his expression a mixture of confusion and disdain. "What is this?" He demanded, his voice low but sharp. "What do you think you're doing, girl?"

Aurora stood tall, her shoulders squared. "I'm not running," she said, her voice cold. "And I'm not hiding. I'm speaking to you here, and now." Her words echoed across the tense space, her power woven into them, cutting through the thick air between them. She could feel the weight of her influence, a silent command, a quiet strength. "I know where Eleven is. I will take you to her."

The silence between them stretched, and for a moment, Sullivan simply stared at her, clearly unsure of how to react. His soldiers were tense, hands on weapons, but no one dared make a move. They could all feel it—the power in her words, the certainty that she wasn't bluffing.

"Why would I trust you?" Sullivan's voice was icy, but there was a flicker of uncertainty behind his eyes. "What makes you think we need your help?"

Aurora's eyes hardened. "Because you're still here, and Eleven is with Brenner. You need me because I've been there. I know how to get in, I know where El is and I know how to get out. My only requirement is that she and I go unharmed. Otherwise you and everyone else will drop like dogs."

She could feel the energy swirling within her, an undercurrent of raw power that made the air around her hum. She wasn't about to let him turn this into a battle of wills. She needed him to see that she was the key to getting what they both wanted.

Sullivan hesitated for a long moment, his eyes narrowing as he studied her. Aurora didn't flinch. She had come too far to let her guard down now.

Finally, he spoke, his voice low. "Take me to her. Now."

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      THEY LEFT THE COMPOUND MINUTES LATER, Aurora riding in the backseat surrounded by armed guards. No one spoke to her, but she felt their eyes drift towards her every few seconds.

There were three other trucks and a helicopter following them as they drove towards the direction Aurora had given. It was extremely vague, and Sullivan had been pissed with the general vicinity of the compound, but it was more than had had gotten.

      The sun was setting, casting long shadows across the barren landscape as the convoy of trucks rumbled through the desert. The heat still lingered in the air, even as the temperature dropped. Aurora sat in the backseat, her body rigid, hands clenched into fists at her sides. She could feel the tension crackling in the air—both from the guards around her and the unease gnawing at her insides. No one spoke, but their eyes were always on her. It didn't take much to know that they were watching her every move, waiting for her to make a mistake.

      She tried to ignore them, tried to focus on the road ahead, on the horizon, but it was hard to block out the nagging feeling in the pit of her stomach. Something was off. She'd led them here, but she couldn't shake the sense that they were walking into a trap. What if they were wrong? What if Eleven wasn't out here at all?

      The guards were still, their faces unreadable beneath their military fatigues, but every now and then one of them would glance over at her, as if they were waiting for her to make a move. Aurora could feel the weight of their gaze on her skin like an invisible pressure. She was used to being watched, but it never got easier. Especially not with these people, these soldiers who were nothing more than pawns in a game they didn't fully understand.

      She couldn't let them get to her. Not now.

      The truck bounced over a particularly rough patch of road, and Aurora's body jerked slightly in the seat. She clenched her teeth, refusing to show any sign of weakness. They wanted her to break. They wanted to see if they could get a reaction. But she wasn't going to give them that. She wasn't going to let them see how badly her chest was tightening, how her mind was racing.

      The convoy came to a slow halt, the sound of tires skidding on gravel echoing in the otherwise still desert. Aurora's heart skipped a beat as she saw the small door in the middle of nowhere. The sight of them made her blood run cold. This was it. The place. She could feel it in the air, a kind of electric tension that made every nerve in her body stand on edge.

      One of the guards opened the door to the truck, his hand resting on the rifle slung across his chest. "Out," he barked, his voice sharp.

      Aurora didn't hesitate. She stepped out of the truck, her boots sinking slightly into the loose gravel. The desert was quiet, too quiet. She took in a deep breath, the dry air harsh in her lungs. There were more guards now, surrounding the perimeter of the compound. They were too organized, too precise. This wasn't just a military base—it was something worse.

      Ray stepped out of the truck beside her, his face unreadable. The Colonel was already walking toward the entrance, his expression as hard as stone.

      Aurora's eyes darted around, scanning the area. She could feel the pull of something deeper, something beyond the building. She had to trust her instincts now—she couldn't afford to doubt herself, not now. Eleven was here, somewhere, and she was going to find her.

      The Colonel didn't look back as he approached the entrance, but Ray paused, glancing over his shoulder at Aurora. His eyes were heavy with something she couldn't quite place—regret, maybe? Or doubt?

      "Don't do anything stupid," he warned quietly. "They won't hesitate to shoot."

      Aurora barely registered his words. She didn't care. She couldn't care. Eleven needed her. This was the only chance to find her, and she wasn't about to waste it. "How do we get in?" Sullivan barked towards Aurora.

      Aurora swallowed, hands shaking, "it's simple an ICBM base, no bombs inside but Brenner is dangerous in itself."

Sullivan spun around, "anything else?"

"Nothing," Aurora nodded and Sullivan motioned for his troops to take position.

They placed a line of bombs on the inside of the door, as Ray pulled her behind one of the cars. Sullivan nodded and the bombs exploded. The door fell, spurring up dust as it slammed to the ground. Seconds later the guards rushed inside, Ray and Aurora staying by one of the trucks.

      "They're not going to hurt El," Aurora whispered to Ray, "right?"

      The man hesitated. His hand hovering near his gun as he watched their surroundings. Aurora forced his chin to look at her, "if they find her, they won't hurt her. Right?"

      "I don't know, Aurora." Ray finally confessed, "Sullivan is unpredictable, and I wouldn't trust what he says."

      Aurora stiffed. He was right, she could only trust herself and she knew something was wrong. Aurora scoffed, pulling the gun from her waist band and stood up. She kept her gun level as she took a step towards the door only to catch some movement out of the corner of her eye. She turned her head, watching as Brenner climbed into the desert with Eleven in his arms.

      She could only scream as she watched a bullet slam into Brenner's back. She started running towards the two, her eyes widening at the amount of bodies surrounding them. The helicopter kept firing shots at Brenner and Eleven, eventually hitting Brenner in the leg. The two fell down to the ground, before Brenner was shot again in the back.

      "EL!" Aurora shouted, pushing herself towards the girl. Eleven slowly pushed herself up, but Aurora watched as the helicopter aimed his gun towards Eleven. She dove into her power, deeper than she ever had, before thrusting it towards the man with the gun.

      She watched as the man slumped, his body weight throwing him out of the helicopter as he crumpled. She gasped as his body his the ground, his head bloody. Aurora started running again, only to slow as a horn began blaring from in front of her. A smile broke across her lips as she noticed the obnoxious yellow van with a surfboard driving across the dust.

      With the helicopter distracted with the man who had fallen to his death and the van, Aurora rushed towards Eleven. She grabbed her arms, hoisting her up. Aurora gasped at the sight of the collar around her neck.

      "El, oh my god." Aurora spoke.

      Eleven slightly pushed herself away from Aurora, "wait. Wait."

      Aurora let Eleven step away. The blonde watched as Eleven raised her arm, she metal squealing under her power. Another gunman fired a shot at her, barely missing Aurora. "Whatever you're doing, you've got to hurry El."

      The helicopter spun around under the direction of Eleven, before nosediving into the ground as Eleven screamed. The helicopter exploded, metal flying around them. Eleven collapsed to the ground, as Aurora stared at the trucks the helicopter had hit. The trucks where Ray was waiting for her.

      Aurora watched, her stomach twisting. Eyes pooling with tears as Aurora turned to Eleven. Hugging the brunette tightly. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Gods above, El I'm so sorry."

      Eleven hugged her back, "you came back."

      "We're sisters," Aurora assured, "I'll always come back." She glanced behind them, smiling as Mike, Will, Jonathan and Argyle rushed up to them. "Mike?"

      The raven-haired boy pulled Aurora into a hug. Squeezing her tightly as he pressed a kiss to her forehead. Aurora pulled away from her boyfriend, dodging the kiss he attempted to press to her lips as she helped Eleven up to her feet. Mike hugged her next as Aurora pulled Will into a tight hug. The boy crying into her arms, as they hugged.

      She hugged Jonathan next, the oldest smiling into her hair before letting go. "We gotta go, guys. We've got to get out of here."

      Then the clicking of Elevens collar, had Aurora spinning around to face the girl. She watched as Eleven slowly unclipped the collar, dropping it in the dirt in front of her. She glanced at Brenner, lying in the dirt with the remote held in his hand.

      "God," Aurora mumbled to herself. "Why can't he just die?"

      She watched as Eleven stepped towards Brenner. She crouched near him and the two spoke. Aurora turned to Will and Mike, as Will asked the question of the day. "How did you get here? What happened?"

      "It's a long story," Aurora smiled. "How did you guys find us?"

      "A long story," Mike smiled, pulling Aurora into his arms, "but we have all the time in the world to tell each other everything."

      Eleven walked towards them, and the five jumped into the yellow van. Driving back into imminent danger that was Hawkins, Indiana.

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( LET ME SPEAK : )

so they're BACKKKK TOGETHER!!!! i'm thinking
either one super long chapter or 2 more, but i
don't know yet. i'm leaning towards 2 bc the
next episode is 2+ hours long...

stay tuned!!!!

credit goes to fivehxrgreeves