Mike's Basement
Mike paced in front of the card table, voice sharp."We have to find her."
Lucas groaned. "Find who? The storm girl? Will, no offense, but you said she literally disappeared into thin air."
"She was real," Will insisted. His hands trembled. "She looked at me. I've never seen anyone like her before."
Dustin leaned forward, adjusting his thinking cap. "If she's wearing hospital clothes, and she can control the weather… then she has to be from Hawkins Lab. It's the only thing that makes sense."
"Exactly," Mike said. "And if she's like El… then she needs help."
Lucas frowned. "Or she's dangerous. Did you miss the part where she tried to summon a thunderstorm in the middle of town?"
Will shook his head. "No. She didn't hurt me. She could've, but she didn't."
Mike slammed his hand on the table. "Then we're going to find her before the lab does."
Hopper's Leads
Hopper's Blazer rumbled down a wet country road, Joyce in the passenger seat with files clutched tight.
"She's just a kid, Hop," Joyce said softly. "If she escaped that place, she's probably terrified."
Hopper lit a cigarette, exhaling hard. "Yeah, a terrified kid who can apparently knock out the power grid with a thunderstorm. That's not exactly easy to handle."
The radio crackled. Dispatch: "Chief, we've got multiple reports of strange weather patterns—trees iced over on Miller's Farm. But the temperature's fifty degrees."
Joyce's eyes widened. "Ice? Hopper…"
Hopper gripped the wheel tighter. "Yeah. She's moving."
Scoops Ahoy
Steve leaned on the counter, bored out of his mind, when the Wheeler kids barged in — soaking wet, mud on their sneakers.
"Uh—what the hell? Guys?" Steve blinked. "Why do you look like you've been wrestling raccoons in the woods?"
"Steve, we need your car," Mike blurted out.
"My car? What—no! I'm not your chauffeur!" Steve threw his hands up. "Why do you even need my car?"
Dustin tugged on his vest. "We're looking for someone. Someone dangerous. Or… maybe not dangerous. We don't know yet."
Steve stared at them. "Let me guess. Lab stuff?"
Silence.
Steve groaned. "Oh my god. You've gotta be kidding me."
Mike's voice lowered. "Please, Steve. It's important."
Steve rubbed his face, muttering. "Every time I try to live a normal life, you guys drag me back into monster hunting." He grabbed his keys. "Fine. But if I die, I'm haunting all of you."
The Breakout
Back at the lab, alarms blared. Red lights strobed against the walls.
A guard slammed his hand against the console. "Subject Eleven breached containment!"
Papa stormed down the hall, his white coat whipping behind him. "Find her! Now!"
But Eleven was already gone—her bare feet pounding against the cold floor, blood dripping faintly from her nose. She shoved her hands out, sending two guards crashing into the wall with a telekinetic blast.
Her chest heaved as she sprinted down the corridor. For a fleeting second, her eyes flicked toward the rainbow room, toward the memory of Moon's glowing violet gaze. Something had changed in her. Something had awakened.
She whispered under her breath: "Find her."
The Woods
The kids and Steve trudged through the dripping woods, flashlights cutting through the darkness.
Lucas whispered, "This is insane."
Steve shot him a look. "Yeah? Welcome to my life."
Will stopped suddenly. "Wait." He pointed ahead. "Do you hear that?"
The sound was faint—wind rushing, trees creaking, though the night was still. Then a streak of lightning split the sky without thunder.
"She's here," Will whispered.
The group pushed forward, and for the first time, they saw her: Moon, standing in the clearing, her violet eyes glowing like lanterns in the dark.
Steve muttered, "Holy shit."
The storm swirled above them, alive, answering only to her.
Moon's gaze swept over them all… but lingered on Will.
Hopper Closes In
Far away, headlights cut through the trees. Hopper's Blazer roared down a dirt path, tires spitting mud.
Joyce clutched the dashboard. "She's close, isn't she?"
Hopper's jaw tightened. "Yeah. And so are we."
The storm above them crackled brighter.
The Woods
In the clearing, the kids and Moon stood frozen—just as Eleven stepped out of the trees, blood still trickling from her nose.
Mike's eyes widened. "El?"
Eleven's gaze was fixed on Moon, her voice low, steady.
"You."
Moon's violet eyes glowed brighter in answer.
Lightning flashed—and the screen cut to black.