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Pauley, Eddie, Dustin, and the others — except Max, Lucas, and Erica — stood with each other, "Okay. I wanna run through it one more time." Nancy said before explaining the plan, "Phase one. We meet Erica at the playground. She'll signal Max and Lucas when we're ready. Phase two. Max baits Vecna. He'll go after her, which'll put him in his trance. Phase three?" Dustin answered her, "Me, Pauley, and Eddie draw the bats away." Nancy nodded, "Four.." Robin continued, "We head into Vecna's newly bat free lair, and," she held up a molotov cocktail, "flambé." Nancy nodded before she looked at everyone, "Nobody moves on to the next phase until we've all copied. Nobody deviates from the plan, no matter what. Got it?" They all nodded.

"Got it."

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Going back to Eddie's trailer, everyone began going into the gate to the Upside Down — back into the Upside Down version of Eddie's trailer. "Be careful." Dustin told Steve as he was the first one going in, no mattress on the other side. Steve nodded, "Thanks buddy." Climbing onto the makeshift rope, Steve landed swiftly onto his feet on the other side. "What does he want us to do, applaud?" Eddie muttered sarcastically to both Pauley and Robin making the two girls laugh. "All right, let's go." Steve called and Nancy went in next — not before the mattress went down — Steve helped Nancy up from said mattress, "Gotcha." The two shared a look for a little too long that even had the others looking at each other with knowing looks. Everyone else went down, Robin being the only one to yelp as she fell back on the mattress before Pauley helped her up. Thundered boomed, making the sky a blood red.

"Hey guys, listen. If things start to go south, I mean — at all — you abort. Okay? Draw attention of the bats. Keep 'em busy for a minute or two, we'll take care of Vecna." Steve said to Eddie, Dustin and Pauley. "Don't try to be cute or be a hero or something. Okay? You guys are just.." as Steve tried to think of the word he was gonna say, Dustin, and Pauley finished his sentence, "Decoys." Dustin nodded at Steve, "Don't worry. You can be the hero, Steve." Eddie agrees, "Absolutely, I mean.. look at us. We are not heroes." Steve looks between the three before nodding, "Hey Steve?" Dustin called before Steve left, he looked back at him, "Make him pay." Steve nodded before him, Robin, and Nancy left.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

The three went straight to Eddie's room and there was Eddie's guitar — "Not bad. Not bad at all." Eddie chuckled and Pauley couldn't help but be in awe, "Now time for the fun part." Eddie said to the two before grabbing his guitar. Grabbing some amps and with Dustin's smarts, they had everything set up on the top of the trailer. Dustin and Pauley were on either side of Eddie, "Jesus Chr.." Eddie mumbled — and Pauley couldn't help but sense his nerves, who could blame him though? She smiled at him and he returned it, his shoulders relaxing slightly. "It's like she was destined for an alternate dimension." Dustin awed as he looked at the guitar. Eddie grinned, "What do you say, guys? Are you ready for the most metal concert in the history of the world?" Dustin quirked his brow, "That a rhetorical question?"

Eddie chuckled, "Let's do it." Dustin nodded before turning the volumes up on the amps. A thunderclap went across the sky and it turned blood red again — Pauley gulped as she saw the oncoming bats, even though the guitar playing hadn't started yet — she looked back at Eddie. "Eddie." She called over the wind and he looked at her, "Yes princess?" Pauley smiled as she went to speak, "I lo—" before she could finish her sentence, the Walkie-Talkie next to her crackled before the sound of Robin's voice came through, "She's in. Initiate phase three." Pauley nodded, "Copy that. Initiating phase three." She looked back at Eddie, "Um, she's in, move on to phase three." She said to both Eddie and Dustin. Both of them nodded, "Let's hope they hear this." Eddie mumbled. Pauley and Dustin stared intently as Eddie began to play Master of Puppets.

The smile that over took both Pauley and Dustin's faces as the two watched him was from how cool the guy looked. The three all head banged — the sound of the bats chittering was clear, they were far enough away that Eddie could continue playing. Dustin was the one to notice that the bats were starting to approach in a larger swarm than before — and they were coming faster than ever. "Guys!" He yelled and even though Eddie was now looking at him, he continued playing, "We gotta lock down in T-minus thirty seconds!" The two nodded at his words. The swarm of bats chittered, "T-minus twenty!" Eddie shredded on his guitar — now playing the guitar solo in the song. "T-minus ten!" Pauley was getting ready to defend herself. "Five!" The swarm was only a few feet away now. As Eddie finished the solo, Dustin called out loudly, "One!" The three quickly got off the top of the trailer, "Move! Move! Move!"

Eddie stayed behind the two, making sure that they would get inside first. "Let's go!" He yelled and Dustin was yelling out curses as he dashed inside — quickly being followed by Pauley, "Come on Eddie! Hurry, shut it!" She yelled and Eddie did as she said. The three now inside, it was clear the bats were banging on the sides of the trailer. Looking back at Pauley, he pulled her into an embrace which she returned before pulling away. Looking between her and Dustin, he smiled, "Most metal concert ever!" The three all cheered at their triumph of getting the bats distracted — "That was literally the coolest thing I've seen in my whole life, you have no idea." Pauley cheered and Eddie grinned, "Thank you, thank you." He bowed as the two clapped but they quickly stopped as the sound of the swarm being on the roof began getting a little too loud.

"Wait... they're on the roof." Pauley said as she grabbed one of the shields — eyes trailing across the ceiling of the trailer, that's when she saw the open vent. Dustin and Eddie saw it too as they all quickly went over and covered it, "Shit! Shit! Shit!" They all exclaimed. As the swarm chittered away from the roof — Dustin looked behind him and saw another vent, "They can't get in through there, can they?" The couple followed his gaze.

"Oh shit."

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