The Hawkins Community Lab doesn't look evil.
That's the problem.
It looks ordinary.
A squat brick building behind the school district offices. One lit security lamp. A small sign that reads:
HAWKINS COMMUNITY EDUCATION CENTER
Nancy stares at it from the car window like it might blink back.
Hopper grips the wheel.
"This place orders industrial compounds," he mutters. "That's not a school supply."
Robin whispers from the backseat, "So what is it?"
Hopper's jaw tightens.
"A cover."
Steve leans forward. "Okay. So what's the plan, Chief?"
Hopper exhales.
"The plan is we don't do anything stupid."
Eddie snorts. "We are physically incapable of that."
Hopper shoots him a look. "Then try harder."
Nancy turns.
"We go in quiet. We take what we need. We get out."
Lucas nods. "No hero stuff."
Max raises an eyebrow. "You say that like it's possible."
Erica crosses her arms. "I'm just saying, if anyone tries to kidnap me again, I'm biting."
"Noted," Steve mutters.
In the corner, Lena sits wrapped in her jacket, eyes flicking nervously to the windows.
Steve notices.
"You okay?" he asks, voice gentler than usual.
Lena blinks, startled. "Me? Yeah. Totally."
Her cheeks betray her.
Dustin, sitting beside her, leans in. "You're doing that thing where you're lying."
Lena hisses, "I'm not."
Dustin smirks. "Best friend privilege."
Steve pretends not to hear, but his mouth twitches.
Hopper opens the door.
"Alright. Let's move."
The Break-In
The lab's side entrance is locked.
Nancy kneels by it immediately, pulling out a thin metal pin.
Mike stares. "Since when can you do that?"
Nancy doesn't look up. "Since I learned you can't wait for men to open doors for you."
Click.
The lock gives.
Steve mutters, impressed, "Remind me never to piss you off."
Nancy pushes inside.
Darkness swallows them.
The air smells like disinfectant and something sharper beneath it.
Chemical.
Wrong.
Hopper clicks his flashlight on.
"Stay close."
They step forward.
Their footsteps echo too much.
Will's voice is barely audible. "This place feels… clean."
Robin whispers, "Like hospital clean."
Eddie mutters, "Like murder clean."
Max elbows him. "Shut up."
Nancy + Hopper
Hopper moves like he belongs in shadows.
Nancy moves like she owns them.
They fall into step naturally, flashlights scanning shelves.
"Storage logs," Nancy murmurs. "If we find the order forms—"
Hopper nods. "We find who signed off."
Nancy glances at him. "You trust us here?"
Hopper's voice is low.
"I don't trust this town."
A beat.
Then: "But I trust you."
Nancy blinks, surprised.
Then nods once.
"Good."
They keep moving.
Partners.
The White Powder
They reach a door labeled:
CHEMICAL STORAGE — AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY
Lucas swallows. "That's it."
Steve cracks his knuckles. "Of course it is."
Erica rolls her eyes. "Men and their knuckles."
Hopper forces the lock.
The door creaks open.
Inside—
Rows of white containers.
Labels. Codes.
Nancy sweeps her flashlight across them.
Then stops.
Her breath catches.
On one shelf:
SODIUM FLUOROACETATE — TOXIC
Hopper stiffens.
"That's… not for school labs."
Robin whispers, "What is it?"
Hopper's voice turns grim.
"Poison."
Silence slams down.
Max's stomach twists. "That's what killed them."
Hopper nods slowly.
Nancy's eyes sharpen.
"But how was it administered?"
Eddie's voice is hollow.
"Someone's dosing them."
Dustin whispers, "Like a test."
Will's skin prickles.
"This isn't random."
Mike & Will — Alone
A sound echoes from the hallway.
A soft metallic click.
Everyone freezes.
Hopper raises a hand.
"Quiet."
Steve whispers, "Did you hear that?"
Nancy's flashlight flicks toward the door.
Footsteps.
Slow.
Measured.
Not panicked.
Not a cop.
Someone else.
Hopper mouths: Out. Now.
They begin backing up—
But the hallway light flickers.
A shadow passes the frosted glass panel of the storage door.
Lena's breath catches sharply.
Steve instinctively steps in front of her.
Her cheeks flush even in terror.
Dustin notices but says nothing.
Hopper motions them toward a second exit—
A narrow corridor behind the shelves.
Mike grabs Will's wrist.
"This way."
They slip through—
And suddenly the corridor splits.
Nancy hisses, "Stay together—"
But the group shifts too fast.
Mike and Will turn—
And the darkness swallows them.
They stop, breathing hard.
The corridor is pitch black.
Only Mike's flashlight remains.
Will's voice trembles. "Mike…"
Mike turns immediately. "I'm here."
Will swallows.
"I hate the dark."
Mike's expression softens.
"I know."
A beat.
Will's breathing is loud in the silence.
"Do you think…" Will whispers, "they know us?"
Mike's jaw tightens.
"Yes."
Will's eyes shine.
"What if they hurt you?"
Mike steps closer, voice fierce.
"They won't."
Will shakes his head slightly. "You can't promise that."
Mike's voice drops.
"Then I'll stay with you."
Will freezes.
Mike realizes what he said.
Corrects, softer:
"I mean… we stay together."
Will's throat tightens.
"I want that," he whispers.
Mike's flashlight flickers.
Their faces are close.
For a second, the world is just breath and shadow.
Then—
A noise behind them.
Both spin.
The beam catches—
Nothing.
But…
A smear of white powder on the floor.
Fresh.
Like someone was just here.
Will whispers, terrified:
"We're not alone."
Almost Caught
Back in the storage room, Hopper holds up a folder.
"Purchase orders."
Nancy grabs it, scanning.
Her eyes widen.
"This was signed off by—"
A loud bang echoes down the hall.
Steve snaps, "GO!"
Chaos erupts.
They rush out through the back corridor.
Flashlights swing wildly.
Lena stumbles—
Steve catches her elbow instantly.
"You okay?"
She nods too fast. "Yep. Totally."
Dustin pants, "Can we flirt later?!"
Steve barks, "Not flirting!"
Lena's face turns redder.
Robin shouts, "Left! Exit is left!"
They sprint—
And then—
A silhouette appears at the end of the hall.
Still faceless.
Just a shape.
Watching.
Nancy freezes for half a second—
Enough.
The silhouette moves.
Not toward them.
Away.
Like it was never there at all.
Like it wanted them to see it could disappear.
Hopper growls, "SON OF A—"
But it's gone.
Only the echo remains.
Outside
They burst into the night air, lungs burning.
Hopper slams the car door.
Nancy clutches the folder like it's gold.
"We have proof," she breathes.
Lucas whispers, "But not the killer."
Max looks back at the building.
A window on the second floor is dark.
But she feels it.
Someone looking out.
Will shivers.
Mike's hand finds his.
Holds.
Steve glances down at Lena.
She's staring at him like he hung the moon.
Dustin nudges her with a grin.
"Down bad."
Lena whispers, mortified, "Shut up."
Steve, confused: "What?"
Robin smirks. "Nothing."
Hopper starts the engine.
Nancy's voice is low.
"They're not done."
Hopper's eyes harden.
"Neither are we."
And as they drive away—
Behind them—
The lab stands silent.
Clean.
Waiting.