seven

"Here!" Dustin said, finally reaching another hatch. He began to reach for it, but PJ stopped him. "What?"

"Let me go up first." She said. He opened his mouth to speak, but she stopped him. "Who's the oldest?"

"You are." He sighed.

"And who has the gun?"

"You do."

"Right. Now you open it and I'll look first." She said. He sighed, rolling his eyes and moving over so she could get under it. She took out the gun as Dustin lifted it up and pushed it over. She took a deep breath before shooting up, gun out. Looking around, she saw no guard, but giant glass tubes holding tons more of the containers with the green acid goo in them. "Holy shit." She said, putting the gun back in her waistband. "It's clear, guys." She climbed out, giving them room to stand up and get out as well. They came out, and the three of them looked around the room.

"Oh!" Dustin smiled, leaving the room. PJ and Erica followed him, seeing one of the guards' carts sitting there-alone.

"Do you even know how to drive?" Erica asked.

"How hard can it be? Max did it." He said, hopping into the passengers seat.

"Woah, woah, woah!" PJ called out. "The only reason Max did it is because Steve was unconscious and I was trying to make sure he wasn't dead. Move over."

"No." He said. "You're hurt, and Erica's ten. I'll drive."

"Dustin, you don't know how." She sighed.

"Then you can sit next to me and tell me what to do." He fought back. "I'm driving."

"Oh my god..." She muttered. "Fine! We don't have time to argue. You're driving." She sighed. "Start it up and let's get the fuck outta here, huh?" Dustin reached down, but there was no key.

"You seriously thought they'd just leave keys in there?" Erica asked.

"There's gotta be a spare." Dustin said.

"Or, we could Hotwire it." PJ suggested, and the other two looked over at her. "What? I've lost my car keys before." Erica sighed, walking away as Dustin and PJ searched the cart for a spare.

"Hey guys?" Erica asked.

"Yeah?" They both said, still searching.

"How big did you say that Demogorgon was?" She asked.

"Big. Nine feet or so." Dustin answered. "Why?" Erica didn't answer, and they kept looking. Dustin found a little box on the wall, so he picked the lock and found another key. "Found em!" Dustin smiled.

"Good job dude, let's go." PJ said. They looked to see Erica's reaction-but she wasn't there.

"Erica?" Dustin called out. A loud zap made them both jump, and they saw Erica with a large metal stick that had blue electricity at the end. "What the hell is that?" Dustin asked.

"A deadly weapon." Erica shrugged. "Could be useful."

"Erica, we have a gun." PJ said.

"No, you have a gun. We don't have anything." Erica corrected. "Until now."

"What would it be useful for?" Dustin asked.

"What do you think?" Erica scoffed. "Taking out commies, saving your friends."

"Thought you were more realistic than that, nerd." Dustin said. Erica rolled her eyes and began to walk away. "We don't even know where they are. Even if we did, there are a million guards up there with weapons way deadlier than that-and the gun we have. The best thing we can do for them is get out of here and find help. Our chance of surviving, and theirs, rises substantially." The two of them were now on the outside of the cart sides. "Just trust me on this? Please?"

"He's right, Erica." PJ sighed. "As much as it sucks, we gotta get help."

"Fine." Erica sighed. Dustin got in and started it up, but Erica still didn't.

"What are you doing? Get in." Dustin said.

"There's no room." Erica said.

"Just sit on my lap." PJ sighed.

"What?"

"Erica, we don't have time to argue." PJ said firmly. "Just sit on my lap so we can get out of here." Erica huffed, rolling her eyes but complying.

•••

Erica and Dustin were in hiding, and PJ was taking a breath. Then, she threw the container of green acid onto the ground-making it shatter and the ground begin to melt-before running back into cover. They waited and saw the two Russian guards come out of the room. While they were driving they heard someone screaming, so they followed it and found Robin and Steve, tied up in a room with guards and a scientist. As soon as the guards were past them, they ran into the room-Dustin leading with the deadly taser stick Erica had found. They busted in and Dustin took out the scientist before quickly getting to work on the bindings with PJ.

"Hey! Henderson!" Steve smiled. "That's crazy, I was just talking about you!"

"Oh my god." Robin smiled.

"Get ready to run." Dustin said, pulling one of the straps off. PJ got another one, and Dustin quickly undid the last. It was a chore to get the two up, but they managed, Erica lead the way back to the cart-Dustin supporting Steve and PJ supporting Robin.

"You look so pretty." Robin loudly whispered, giggling as PJ pulled her along. Trying to hide her blush as she could tell something was off with the two, PJ ignored the comment. Erica opened the cart's back doors and they hoisted the pair into the back, slamming the doors and quickly jumping into the seats. As soon as they were in, Dustin slammed on the gas and they took off down the long hallway back towards the elevator. Steve and Robin were yelling and laughing loudly in the back as the three up front were silent.

"What is wrong with them?" Erica asked.

"I don't know." Dustin sighed.

"Dustin! Watch out!" PJ yelled. Dustin tried to slam on the breaks, but they still ended up crashing into a collection of oil drums. It didn't matter, however, as they were at the elevator. They all climbed out quickly, Erica going to get the door open while the other two collected Robin and Steve.

"Come on! We gotta go." PJ said as they swung open the door-but the pair didn't move. "Now! Come on!"

"Let's go! Get out!" Dustin yelled, clapping loudly. That seemed to wake them as they began to get up finally, clambering their way out of the back. They got into the elevator and Dustin swiped the card, reactivating the buttons. Close door and the up arrow sent them shooting towards the surface, finally after over twenty four hours in the facility-they would be getting out. Dustin, Erica and PJ were all too tired and worried to show their excitement-but Steve and Robin were just playing like kids on a playground. Steve was standing on a rolling cart while Robin moved it around, Steve balancing on it for fun.

"Hey! You look like you're surfing!" Robin yelled.

"Yeah! Surfing!" Steve agreed.

"They seem drunk." Erica said.

"Why would they be drunk?" Dustin asked.

"Maybe they're drugged." PJ suggested.

"I'm a natural! Check it out!" Steve yelled, just for Robin to pull the cart towards her-making Steve lose his balance and fall hard to the ground. Robin was laughing hysterically.

"Wipeout!" She yelled through her laughs. Dustin went over, trying to check if Steve was drugged. He put a hand on his forehead, just for Steve to try and push him off.

"He's burning up." Dustin sighed.

"You're burning up." Steve shot back. Robin watched, enthralled, and sat down. PJ took the opportunity and went over to Robin-who was much more receptive to touch. PJ put her hand on Robin's forehead.

"She's burning up, too." She said, just to feel Robin leaning into her touch. Before she knew it, PJ was wrapped in Robin's arms. Looking into Robin's eyes, it was easy to see she was drugged by the size of her pupils. "What are his pupils like?" She asked, trying to pull away-but Robin was much stronger than she looked. 

"They're super dilated." Dustin informed.

"Boop!" Steve said as he reached up, tapping the tip of Dustin's nose.

"Steve, are you drugged?" Dustin asked him, tapping his face a few time to try and get a rise out of him.

"How many times, Dad? I don't do drugs. It's only marijuana." Steve said.

"Oh my fucking god." PJ sighed, finally freeing herself from Robin's grasp-earning a groan of annoyance from Robin. "I can't believe he told our dad."

"Wait, you guys smoke weed?" Erica asked.

"Not the time." PJ sighed, holding the bridge of her nose.

"This isn't funny, okay?" Dustin said to Steve. "I need to know what they did to you. Are you gonna die on us?" Steve booped Dustin's nose again.

"We all die, my strange little child friend." Robin said, a strange smile on her face. "It's just a matter of how...and when." Dustin looked at her, shaking his head before looking back at Steve.

"They're gonna be looking us up there so I need you to tell me where you parked your car." Dustin said.

"Oh, can we make a pit stop at the food court?" Steve asked.

"I would kill for a hot dog on a stick right now." Robin nodded.

"Ooh!" Steve agreed with his strange noise.

"Alright, yeah, food." Dustin sighed. "Yes, you can have as much food as you want, but only if you tell me where you parked your car."

"Uh-oh." Steve said.

"Uh-oh?" Dustin's brows furrowed.

"The car's off the board." Steve said.

"What?" Dustin asked.

"They took the keys." Steve explained. "The Russians, they took the keys." He turned out his pockets and sure enough-his car keys were gone. Robin and Steve both erupted into laughter, and the two kids looked at PJ.

"You can Hotwire it, right?" Dustin asked.

"I have my keys..." She trailed off, trying and failing to find them. "They're at Scoops."

"Okay, that'll have to work." Dustin nodded.

•••••

Finally, the elevator stopped and they exited, only to find that it was once again night time. They really had been down there for a full day. Steve and Robin began yelling about tasting the air when the gate in front of them opened, and two armed guards started for them. The three in front stopped and ran back, pulling Robin and Steve along inside the building. Dustin led the way, leading them through the tunnels and towards the movie theater. This was they way the kids would take when Steve would sneak them into the movies. Dustin peaked out, seeing it was clear, and the led the group out.

"You hide out in a movie, I'm gonna go get my keys." PJ said. Dustin nodded.

"We'll be in Back to the Future." Dustin nodded. The four of them ran into the theatre and PJ set off, trying to look as nonchalant as possible. She walked around for a moment before going back into the tunnels-not seeing the guards. With no plan if she came face-to-face with them, she set off-back for Scoops.