Lover boy[s] // Will Byers

-chapter ten-

Sev screwed the lid back onto the now empty water bottle in his hands. His rings cut into the plastic as he tightened his grip on it, the water not yet soothing his headache. Napkins littered the van floor, crumpled underneath his chunky shoes, and the bottom half of a torn pizza box was shoved in the pocket that was on the back of the driver's seat.

The yellow van skidded along the deserted road, smelling strongly of whatever was in a purple palm tree delight. Mike jolted forwards in his seat on the other side of Will, who was squashed between the two of them, and pointed out the window, "there's one. Argyle, slow down!"

"There's one what? Stop barking orders!"

Sev looked up and around in confusion as everyone yelled chaotically to pull over, pointing at the payphone on the side of the dusty road. "Argyle slow down!"

They skidded to a sudden holt right next to said box, kicking up dust everywhere and throwing the passengers forwards in their seats, squashing Sev against Will and the door, which was quickly opened as they all got out of the van and ran to the phone.

Mike held the slip of paper with the precious numbers in one hand and punched them in, muttering under his breath, "two oh two, nine six eight, six one six one."

They waited in tense silence while Mike held the phone to his ear. Sev could hear beeping coming from it, and doubted anyone had picked up. He fiddled with his ring, tracing his fingers over the plastic skull and cross bones on his middle finger, the black band around his pointer, and the red string tied around his opposite pinkie. "Is it ringing?"

Miek held it closer to his ear with furrowed brows, "no, it's just making a bunch of weird noises."

"Busy?" Will asked. Mike held it out, "listen to this. That remind you of anything?"

Sev tried to understand what they were all talking about, but all he heard was random beeps and maybe explosions. Will seemed to think the same thing, and they exchanged a glance, "war games."

"We're not calling a phone. We're calling a computer."

"I don't know if Nina's a computer like Joshua or Owens lab, but unknown hero agent man gave us access to it for a reason. We just need to find the computer. Then we find Owens, and then we warn him." Mike explained, hanging up the phone that was no longer useful to them. "Then we find Eleven."

"I just need a hacker," Mike mumbled to himself, running back to the van and searching through it for something. Sev huffed and got back into the boot, slipping over in the process. He heard Will chuckled from behind him, and turned around, sticking his tongue out.

Mike came back around with a crumpled yellow map in his hands, spreading out and tracing roads with a finger. Everyone gathered around, waiting for him to explain whatever plan he was forming. "The only hacker that I know lives...in Utah. Salt Lake City, to be specific."

"Oh my god." Will groaned, holding his hands up behind his head. "Oh my god."

"What? Why oh my god?" Johnathon asked, and Will let his arms drop to his sides. Sev watched with interest for a moment when he saw the expression on the boy's face, and then he started singing. Singing.

"Turn around....look at what you seeeee."

"Oh no." Johnathon pressed his forehead against the side of the car, his voice muffled. Sev blinked in shock, not quiet understanding what was happening, but loving it all the same. Argyle fiddled with a yo-yo in his hands, "Never ending story. That scared the shit out of me. The nothing, man? That's some proper existential shit, dude."