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Saturday, November 12th, 1983

Tyler had thought that once he left the Upside-Down, he wouldn't have to run around like a chicken with its head cut off. And yet, here he was again, racing out from behind Mike's house, heart pounding in his throat.

They'd returned to Mike's home, sneaking into the basement through the back door. While El cleaned up in the small bathroom situated next to the stairs with Mike's help, Tyler filled Dustin in on everything that had happened to him that week. It was the same summary he'd given Nancy and Jonathan, and he appreciated how the words slipped so easily from his mouth, each sentence lifting a burden from his shoulders. Dustin was a great audience, gasping at the most surprising parts, and swearing loudly when Tyler ended the story on his escape. It reminded him of Nancy and Jonathan, and blindly, he wondered if they were okay. He had no time to check on them, but he could only hope that wherever they were, they were safe.

It was just then that Dustin's walkie crackled loudly, startling Tyler. The curly-haired boy, however, was unfazed, and snatched it up quickly. The voice on the other end was unfamiliar, yelling words fuzzy with static and almost impossible to make out.

"Lucas?" Dustin said into the walkie, his face twisted in confusion. "I can't understand what you're saying."

Whoever Lucas was, he sure sounded like there was something wrong. His tone, from what they could make out, was full of distress. Shouts broke through the crackling, prompting Dustin to hurry into the bathroom to alert Mike and El.

"Do you remember how he said he was looking for the gate?" Dustin asked, snatching up the walkie again as Mike and El followed him to the coffee table in front of the couch, Tyler staring at the three of them with wide eyes.

The gate, he thought. Just like El had said. There is a portal somewhere!

Mike questioned Dustin about Lucas, who was equally as confused as the other two.

"Lucas, if you can hear us, slow down. We can't understand you."

The words that managed to come through sounded even more frantic than before, if that was possible.

"What's he saying?" Tyler asked, standing up to lean in closer to the walkie. Mike eyed him with slight distrust, but didn't make a move otherwise.

"Mad... hen?"

Dustin's eyes were narrowed with concentration, sounding out the words as he tried to decipher the message. And finally, Lucas' voice rang clear.

"The bad men are coming!"

And just a few moments later, they were off, hurrying out through the same door they came in, Mike and Dustin dragging their bikes with El and Tyler running alongside them.

Mike paused for just a moment, allowing El to climb onto the back of his bike. The move seemed to practiced that Tyler knew they had to have done it before. He was so busy watching them, he didn't notice Dustin urging him until the curly-haired boy hit the side of his arm.

"Dude, get on!"

There was no need to tell him twice. As he steadied himself, holding onto Dustin's shoulders for support, he saw a group of men walking toward them out of the corner of his eye, all but one dressed in electrician uniforms. A man wearing a suit, with a long jacket that brushed his knees, his graying hair contrasting with the sharp, intelligent look in his eye as he stared at El. There was a feeling deep in Tyler's stomach when he looked at him, much like Billy, his mother... and the monster.

Bad men, he thought.

"GO!" Dustin yelled, pedaling forward so quickly that Tyler almost fell off, righting himself just in time as Mike sped up with them. Dustin, frantic with fear, his hat dipping as the bike dropped off the curb, turned down the road, Lucas' voice still ringing from the walkie.