IN THE NAME OF ICE CREAM !

☀︎

ERICA SINCLAIR WAS LEFT IN SCOOPS AHOY ALL TO HERSELF ONCE THE MALL HAD CLOSED FOR THE NIGHT, AND UNLIKE IN HER DREAMS, SHE WAS NOT EATING ALL THE ICE CREAM SHE HAD WANTED. Instead, she had flashlights strapped to a helmet, wearing elbow and knee pads, preparing to climb into a vent that would lead her to a room that could possibly end in her death. It had all been in the name of ice cream.

On top of the roof of Starcourt, the other four had waited for Erica to get them another step ahead in their plans to take on the Russians. Stationed in place, Dustin had been in charge of binoculars and Robin in charge of the radio. Steve and Alex had placed themselves between the two, left to wait for what was to come. Each had looked to one another and instinctively reached out for the others hand.

"Erica, do you copy?" Robin called into the radio.

"Yeah, I copy. You nerds in position or what?" she responded back just as she climbed up the ladder, moments away from being unable to turn back and leave the group back to square one.

"Forgettable Four is all set," Dustin confirmed to Robin. Both Steve and Alex had turned over to him, frowning at what he had settled on calling their group.

Robin had maintained her eyes on the doors down below, "Yeah, we're in position. It's all quiet here so you've got the green light."

"Green. Roger that. Commence Operation Child Endangerment." Up the ladder, Erica was met with the vent that would disrupt all her plans the moment she would climb her way in. However, for the ice cream, she had been willing to risk it all-- child endangerment or not.

"Can we not call it that?" Robin asked in annoyance. Knowing well enough that what they were doing was in fact putting a child in danger, it made it easier for her to allow this without thinking too much about it. The thing was, Erica was not as willing to let that part go.

"Forgettable Four?" Steve asked, turning to Dustin. He couldn't shake such a name so easily. After all he was the King of Hawkins High and now he had been part of a group that didn't sound as cool as he thought they looked.

Nodding his head, Dustin seemed to be the only one who liked the team name, "Yeah, people forget about us all the time. The party ditched us and Jonathan and Nancy rarely talk to any of us anymore. Neither of you would've known Robin despite how cool she is if Steve never landed the job. We're easy to forget. That's why we're making a name for ourselves through the Henderson glory of taking down evil Russians and saving America."

"I still don't like it," Alex whispered. "Can't we be called something cooler? And Erica will absolutely lose her shit if you call us the Forgettable Five when she's around."

"I'll work on it," Dustin whispered. Though the name had fit the four pretty well this summer, he also knew that they deserved more. After all, they had sat in pouring rain, chased innocent people through the mall and now placed a child in a very dangerous situation and after all this, no one would forget who they were.

Now they were left to wait. Erica Sinclair worked her way through the air ducts in silence, following the pathing Robin had laid out for her that would get her where she needed to be. The other four weren't left to do much despite their itch to check on her for her safety and to find out exactly how much longer they would need to wait to jump in on the action.

Sitting with their backs against the wall, Steve and Alex had moved a little further away from the other two that kept watch on the doors for any signs of danger. Alex's head had rested on Steve's shoulder, realizing that tonight was not exactly what they had planned for themselves. "So much for going to the movies tonight."

"Tomorrow," he reassured. "We'll just go before the fair. That way it's just us the whole day and we can forget about whatever happens tonight. You know, take a break before we find out more."

Alex let out a small sigh, "This can be a date," she offered.

Steve pulled his head off of her to look down at her in question. "With your brother, Robin, and a kid? This would be the worst date ever." His eyes had lingered on hers, watching carefully as she kept her eyes on their intertwined fingers. Steve had given her hand a small squeeze to reassure her that he was there for whatever she needed.

Alex had felt her breathing deepen and her throat begin to close up when she looked over to him. Her eyes didn't stay on him long, falling back to their hands. There was always something keeping her from being completely honest with Steve and that was to protect him from what could easily be something she had configured all in her head. "I think..." her voice had trailed off softly. Fighting herself to be honest, she had pulled her head off his arm and forced herself to say what was on her mind. "I think he's back."

"He?" Steve questioned. Looking away from her, a small frown formed on his lips. "He who? N-not that thing, right?"

Alex bit her lip as she gave a small nod in response. Taking it upon herself, she slipped her hand out of his because she couldn't wait until he did it himself. It would have shattered her to feel him leave on his own than if she had done it herself. "I wanted to tell you but this is... this isn't normal and you wanted to be done. Except I can't be done. Because Will feels him too and I have to be there for him."

Steve's brows had furrowed together in thought. Only he didn't think once about running off because he knew he had to be there for her too. If she had been dragged into another thing, then he would be there to fall alongside her. Rather than take her hand back in his, he wrapped his arm around her shoulder, giving her no other option than to lay into him. "Well, then I'm there for you too." Using his free hand, he had pointed down to declare how this would all pan out for the two. "We need one night. Just us. We'll set it all aside for the night and... and we'll go to the fair like we planned. We'll go on all the rides, I'll win you a giant stuffed bear from one of those stupid games. Then at the end of the night, I'll give all my tips to whoever's running the ferris wheel to be sure he leaves us at the top when the fireworks go off. And I'll hold you just like this so no monster even thinks of interrupting."

Alex couldn't help but feel herself smiling at something as simple as a date to the fair. It was a way to forget it all. Even if it never did come true, then this moment to even dream it was enough to let her mind settle and find some peace. However, all moments wash away when the future starts to roll in. And the future of finding the Russians they had been tracking down had become their reality.

The static from the radio lasted a second before Erica's voice had came through. "All right, nerds. I'm here."

Alex and Steve had gotten to their feet to meet up with the group. The four could feel their hearts begin to soar as the moment they had anticiapted for was finally here. Erica had eyes on the room and soon enough, they would be joining her. Holding the radio to herself, Robin swallowed hard as she prepared to take that step forward. "Do you... Do you see anything?"

"Yeah, I see those boring boxes you're so excited about."

Alex grabbed the radio for her turn, "Any guards?"

"Negative."

Taking the radio back, Robin had taken control once more. "Booby traps?"

"If I could see them, they'd be pretty shit traps, wouldn't they?"

"She's not wrong," Alex whispered under her breath.

Inside the air ducts, Erica had given herself an encouraging nod before busting open the vent, leaving her to take a jump down. Traps or not, she was willing to risk it all for the ice cream she could only dream of herself surrounded in. Tossing her pink backpack down first, she was quick to fall down in after, landing on her feet. "I'm in," she called through the radio.

Anxiously, Steve had ran his hands through his hair then across his face. "Oh, God," he sighed. It had begun to hit him that they had sent a child into a room they had known nothing about except that there could be nothing good on the other side. Now with news on the potential return of the Mind Flayer, had the time around him freeze.

Then Erica Sinclair had pushed open the doors down below and time began to race as it had once before. There was no going back and it was another journey laying out right before them. Turning over to Alex, he saw as her lips had turned up in the dim light surrounding them. This was going to be okay in the end, was all he could tell himself tonight because she was okay.

『☀︎』

STANDING GUARD, ERICA HAD KEPT WATCH AS SHE AWAITED THE OTHER FOUR TO JOIN HER IN THE MYSTERIOUS ROOM. Taking a look around for herself, all that the room had been filled with were a bunch of plain boxes. She had seen no interest in the boxes but given these four had been racing to get to them told her that it was worth sticking around to find out exactly why.

When Dustin, Robin, Steve and Alex had finally joined her, she had stood up on a box for a better view of the one that they would open. Using Dustin's pocket knife, Steve had cut the tape and pulled open the cardboard box. Sitting inside had been a metal container. Taking the handle of it, he had hesitated, anticipating the worst to be hiding inside.

The five had all held their breath as they awaited for him to give the handle a turn and show them what they had been so desperate to discover. There were so many possibilities of what could be inside and they had hoped it was worth all the hassle. However, when the moment had warn off when Steve had not taken the chance to open it, Alex had let out the air she had been holding in and tore her eyes up off the box to look at him. "Open it," she instructed.

Giving her a quick and understanding nod, he had turned the handle, lifting it open. A cold release had escaped and left them all to peer inside. Four smaller handles had been inside, leaving them to guess once again what could be inside. There was, however, one thing Steve was certain of. "Definitely not Chinese food." Looking around the group, he had wanted to be safe this time around. "Maybe you guys should, you know, stand back."

Gently grabbing ahold of Erica's arm, Robin had stepped back with her, giving Steve the space he had wanted. The only two that weren't so willing to stay safe were, of course, the Henderson's. Holding out his arms, Steve had tried to push them behind him, yet they had only fought back no matter how many times he had asked and pushed.

With one final resist, Dustin had raised his voice over Steve's. "No!" Meeting Steve's eyes, Dustin had made it very clear where he had stood. This was Steve Harrington and after the events of last year he had a change of heart, Dustin felt he owed him everything. "If you die, I die."

There was a moment of silence as Steve took in his words. There was no fighting Dustin Henderson. "Okay," he shrugged. Turning over to Alex, Steve nodded over to her. "You gonna die with me too?"

"Will it make you open it if I say yes?" Her question was not as effective as Dustin's words, but Steve didn't bother attempting at getting a different answer out of her. Turning the handle, Steve held his breath as he awaited the possible final moments of his life. Dying alongside the Henderson's wouldn't be the worst thing in the world, but he was also very curious as to what could be inside. Pulling up the handle, it had revealed a tube that had contained a green liquid that bubbled inside. "What the hell?"

Taking a step closer, Robin had narrowed her eyes at the strange substance inside. "What is that?" Her question would continue to go unanswered as a rumble had taken over the room, setting them off their balance for a second. Their breaths had hitched in their throats as the room went silent once more but that fear of what that had been had loomed over them.

"Was that just me, or did the room move?" Dustin questioned.

"Booby traps," Erica whispered and for a moment, she had a sense of fear in her voice. The mechanical whirring had once again taken over the room, causing the room to rumble below their feet and that fear only skyrocketed.

"You know what? Let's just grab that and go," Robin had suggested. Taking the container out of Steve's hand, she had made the executive decision to make a run for it before anything else had happened inside that room. Moving around from behind Steve, Alex had made a reach for her brother, needing him close to her to ensure his safety.

Letting her hang onto his arm, he had guided her with him to the panel of buttons that would be there way out of there. The blue button that had plainly said 'DOOR OPEN' had Dustin immediately drawn to it. Giving it a push, he looked over to the door but nothing had occurred. Giving it another push, he had called for some guidance in case he had been out of his head due to the fear clouding his brain. "Which one do I press, Erica?"

Erica stayed still while Robin had placed the vile inside her backpack, still trying to get a look at all the buttons Dustin had been pressing. "Just press the damn button, nerd."

"I'm pressing the button, okay?" Dustin took a pause from the button pressing to have a unnecessary fight with Erica on what exact button he should be pressing despite the fact that he had already pressed every single one. Pushing her brother aside to let him have his battle of words with Erica, Alex had given it a go at pressing a button to let them free.

Aggravated with all the yelling and bickering, Steve had made his way beside Alex while he yelled to her brother. "Just press the other button!"

"That one says door open and it's not opening the door," Alex said in frustration, jabbing her thumb against it once more.

"Would you stop?" Dustin demanded, stepping in between the two to allow himself to press the buttons as he pleased.

"Would you let me just do it?" Steve questioned back as he shoved away Dustin's hand. "Would you stop?" When Dustin wouldn't stop himself from hitting all the buttons, Steve slammed his palm against the button that said it would open the door, hoping that one hard hit would get it working.

It had only made matters much worse, but it did give a pause from all the screaming. Where the door stood, the one exit to the outside, was now being closed off as a wall had lowered down from the ceiling, shielding them off from any chance at escaping this nightmare of a room.

With a thud, the wall had locked into place and for a second, there was no sound whatsoever. Their eyes had traveled around the room, awaiting for the worst to happen. Whether it had been traps or a lockdown, they had not expected what was to come. The lights surrounding them had began to flicker. A past memory in the Byers house back in November when this all had started flashed through Alex's mind. A panic had settled over her as she covered her ears, anticipating the growl of the demogorgon that haunted her mind.

In an instant, the room they had stood in had began to fall while the lights had continued to pulse on and off rapidly. Holding on to what they could, the five had tried to maintain their balance while a fear had ran a chill down their spine of where this would lead them to end up.

Their screams had filled the room as they continued further down below Starcourt. Cursing repeatedly, Dustin had raced to the panel of buttons in hopes that maybe pressing another button would give them the opportunity to not die to the falling room. Steve on the other hand could not seem to process properly what was going on. "We're going down! We're going down!"

"Yeah. no shit, Harrington!" Robin screamed back.

"Press the damn button, Dustin! Press something!" Alex squeezed her eyes shut, adjusting her grip on the shelf behind her and holding on tight to Steve's shirt to make sure he didn't fall or leave her side.

Screaming, Dustin had did as everyone had demanded him to do, and pressed the button. Only, he did not press one. Rather he had slammed his hand against the panel, hitting them all in one go with his eyes shut, hoping something would happen.

Another jerk of the room had caused the lights to stay on as it pulled itself to a stop so suddenly. Getting knocked around by the sudden stop, boxes had fell from shelves and most of the group had been knocked off balance as they fell to the floor. Still holding on to Steve, Alex had toppled over him.

"My groin," Steve groaned, "Alex, move your damn elbow!"

"I'm so sorry," she groaned as she rolled herself off of him. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine," he mumbled. Wincing to himself as he stood up, he brushed himself off but his change in mood was obvious. "Yeah, you know, I'm great, now that I know that Russians can't design elevators!" Moving Dustin out of his way, Steve had began to work on the panel of buttons for a way out.

"I didn't mean to crush your junk," Alex frowned as she crossed her arms.

Robin made her way around the room to stand beside Alex, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. Of all things, she was pretty certain that Alex falling on Steve the wrong way was the least of his concerns. What she had known for a fact that all the button mashing that Steve had once again been doing was going to get them nowhere. "I think we've clearly established that those buttons don't work."

"They're buttons! They have to do something!"

"Yeah, if we had a keycard!"

Dropping his hand down from the panel, Steve turned over to her in complete disbelief and bafflement. "A what?"

"It's an electronic lock. Same as the loading dock door. If we don't have a keycard, it won't operate, meaning..."

"We're stuck in here?" Alex interrupted in question. Confirming the worst, Robin had nodded her head in regret. Ditching the idea of getting out through pressing buttons, Steve had found his way back towards Alex, resting his forehead on her back, completely given up. She did not, however. "We can't be stuck in here. W-we have to find a way out or something, right? They'll find us or-or worse..."

"What could possibly be worse than this?" Dustin questioned in frustration.

What had been the worst thing of the night was Erica Sinclair and her plans that had been completely ruined by the four she was now trapped with for the night. "Just so you nerds are aware, I'm supposed to be spending the night at Tina's, and Tina always covers for me. But if I'm not home for Uncle Jacks party tomorrow and my mom finds out you four are responsible, she's gonna hunt you down, one by one, and slit your throats!"

Lifting his head off of Alex's back, Steve finally felt his brain snap, "I don't care about Tina! Or Uncle Jacks party! Your moms not gonna be able to find us if we're dead in a Russian elevator!"

"Hey," Dustin said softly as he tugged on his sisters arm. Pointing up, there was an opening that he had seen as an opportunity, "What if we climbed out?"

"We have to give it a try," Alex agreed. Patting Steve on the back, she motioned for him to follow her plans. "Move the table under that latch, then we can climb up there." Taking one end of the table, she had lifted with Steve opposite of her, carrying the table just where they had needed it to be. Even before they could set it down into place, the eagerness had gotten to Dustin as he jumped up onto the table. Pushing open the latch cover, he could already see the blackness that had became a void above them. Still, he lifted himself through the opening.

Steve and Alex followed after for a look themselves at what could be their next plan. Standing up, Steve had looked above him and exhaled sharply, seeing this as another dead end for the group. "What were you saying about climbing?"

Above them the darkness had left them with very little room to work and the everlasting fear that they had either the option to die there or be caught by the Russians and die either way. All of it had been for a strange green liquid that they were unsure what it could be or even what it could be used for. No one knew where they were or what they were up to and tonight, they were left to make friends with the darkness above them.