Chapter 103: The Assault Begins
Steve
Midnight, July 11th, 1985. D-Day for Starcourt.
My bunker was packed for final briefing. Every person I'd recruited, trained, positioned over four years. The moment everything converged.
"Three simultaneous operations," I announced. "Team Russian Base—me, Robin, Dustin, Erica. We infiltrate, plant charges, destroy the gate machine. Team Mind Flayer—Eleven leads. Max, Mike, Lucas, Will support. You engage Spider Monster, keep it from interfering with our assault. Team Surface—Hopper, Joyce, Murray, Nancy, Jonathan. Overall coordination, civilian control, extraction backup. Team Protection—Bob, Billy, Eddie. Evacuate stragglers, guard fallback points."
My corruption scars burned constant red. The Dimensional Backpack read 156%—overcharged to dangerous levels.
"Timing is critical. We hit at 12:15 AM. Both operations start simultaneously. Russians won't know about the Monster above. Monster won't know about us below. We exploit that gap."
"And when they figure it out?" Nancy asked.
"We're already extracting. In and out before convergence." My Phase 3 certainty was absolute. "Questions?"
Eleven
Arrived in Hawkins at 11:47 PM after sixteen hours of driving. Joyce pushed speed limits, Bob navigated back routes, I recovered my strength.
The Spider Monster waited at mall perimeter. Three stories of merged flesh, pulsing with dimensional energy. I felt it from miles away—vast, hungry, patient.
"You ready?" Max asked as we approached.
"Yes. I am stronger now." My powers hummed, ready. "It will not reach the gate."
Mike handed me the radio. "Steve's team infiltrates at 12:15. We need to buy them at least twenty minutes."
"I will buy thirty." I stepped from the car, facing the Monster across empty parking lots. "Let's end this."
Hopper
From my coordination position on the mall roof, I watched both battles prepare. Below, Steve's team moved toward the loading dock entrance. Across the parking lot, Eleven faced the Spider Monster with The Party flanking.
"All teams, radio check."
"Team Russian Base, ready." Steve's voice, calm despite what he faced.
"Team Mind Flayer, ready." Eleven, power already crackling around her.
"Team Protection, in position." Bob, coordinating from the safe house with Billy and Eddie.
I checked my watch. 12:14 AM.
"This is it. All teams—execute."
Steve
12:17 AM. We entered the loading dock using the access codes I'd stolen weeks ago. Erica led through the air ducts—her small size perfect for navigation.
Robin and Dustin followed. I brought up rear, Phase 3 senses tracking guard movements.
"First junction ahead," Erica whispered. "Two guards, standard patrol."
"Wait for gap." I timed their rotation. "Three, two, one—move."
We crossed during the blind spot. Deeper into the base. Past storage, past barracks, toward the gate chamber six levels down.
The dimensional pressure built with each level. My corruption scars screamed, responding to the nearby gate. The machine was active—full power, tearing reality.
"Observation point," I indicated. Through reinforced glass, the gate chamber sprawled below. Soviet engineering nightmare, power cables everywhere, the dimensional crack pulsing red at its center.
And Russian soldiers preparing for sustained opening test.
"Plant charges on power junctions," I ordered. "Robin, you take west. Dustin, east. I'll handle south."
"What about the key mechanism?" Robin asked.
"That comes later. First we cut the power."
Eleven
12:34 AM. The Spider Monster reached the parking lot.
Three stories of merged flesh. Heather's face barely visible at its center, dozens of other bodies integrated. Thirty Flayed hosts surrounded it, moving in perfect coordination.
I attacked.
Telekinesis flared. Ripped cars from parking spots, threw them at the Monster. Metal crumpled against organic mass. Damage—but regenerating almost immediately.
"Weak point at the base!" Will called, his connection sensing vulnerabilities. "Where the legs connect!"
I targeted there. Tore flesh, severed limbs. The Monster stumbled but reformed, growing new appendages from existing mass.
"THE GATE CALLS," it spoke through thirty mouths. "WE WILL ANSWER."
Mike
Coordinated Party support while Eleven fought. Lucas launched fireworks at Flayed hosts, disrupting their formations. Max positioned flares, creating light barriers. Will sensed and called out weak points.
The battle was chaos. Controlled chaos, but barely.
"It's adapting!" Lucas shouted. "Hardening where she hits!"
The Monster's flesh changed texture after each strike. Learning. Evolving. The Mind Flayer's intelligence directing organic reconstruction in real-time.
Nancy and Jonathan provided sniper support from the roof, taking down Flayed hosts. But for every one that fell, the Monster seemed to grow stronger.
"Steve, how much time do you need?" I radioed.
"Ten minutes. Maybe fifteen." Background sounds of combat—he was fighting through Russian corridors. "How's the Monster?"
I watched Eleven tear another chunk from its mass, watched it reform immediately. "Holding. But barely."
Steve
We fought through the base toward the gate chamber. Guards had finally noticed infiltration—alarms wailing, soldiers mobilizing.
Phase 3 engaged at maximum. Time slowed, tactical overlay activating. Dodge left, bat swing right, nerve strike, disarm. Four soldiers down in seconds.
"Charges planted on junctions one and two," Robin confirmed. "Three remaining."
"I'm on three now," Dustin reported. "Heavy resistance—need backup!"
I blurred through corridors at Phase 3 speed, reached Dustin's position. Six guards between him and the junction. I engaged, buying him time.
Bat, knife, fists. Fight Master made me weapon. Soldiers fell.
"Clear! Plant the charge!"
Dustin worked fast. C-4 on the junction, timer set. "Done! All three charges ready!"
"Fall back to observation point. Once we trigger detonation, we have sixty seconds to reach extraction."
We retreated through the base, fighting rear-guard action. Russians pursuing, but Phase 3 kept us ahead.
Almost there. Just need to reach the key mechanism, complete the mission.
Eleven
Twenty minutes of combat. My nose bled freely, exhaustion creeping in. The Spider Monster was damaged—chunks of flesh missing, limbs severed—but still functional. Still regenerating.
"El, you need to rest!" Max called.
"Cannot. If I stop, it reaches the gate." I threw another car. The Monster batted it aside like toy.
The Flayed attacked in coordinated waves. Nancy and Jonathan held them off, but ammunition was running low.
Will suddenly stiffened. "It's not trying to win. It's stalling. Waiting for something."
Mike understood immediately. "The gate machine. It's waiting for the Russians to fully open it. Once that gate is stable—"
"It pours through with full force." I looked at the Monster, at my exhausted friends, at the impossible battle. "Steve, how much more time?"
His voice came through strained: "Ten minutes. Maybe fifteen."
I assessed myself. Nosebleed severe, powers draining, muscle fatigue setting in.
"I don't think I have fifteen minutes."
Hopper
From my vantage point, I watched both battles deteriorate. Eleven visibly exhausted, Spider Monster still strong. Steve's team fighting through Russian base, alarms wailing.
The convergence was happening. Everything collapsing into one point.
"Joyce, status on civilian evacuation?"
"Complete. Bob reports all clear at safe house." Her voice held fear. "Hopper, they're both failing. El can't hold much longer. Steve's compromised—"
"They'll hold. They have to." But even I didn't believe it.
Murray appeared beside me. "The Russian commander is mobilizing full response. They're bringing heavy weapons. Steve's team will be trapped if they don't extract in the next five minutes."
"And if they extract now?"
"Gate machine stays operational. Mind Flayer wins."
I cursed. Impossible choices. Death or failure. Victory or casualties.
Come on, Steve. Pull off another impossible save.
Steve
We reached the gate chamber. Charges planted, timers set, extraction route mapped.
One problem remained: the key mechanism.
Alexei's notes were clear—someone had to operate it during detonation. Create neural bridge, stabilize the dimensional feedback, prevent uncontrolled collapse.
That someone was me.
"Robin, Dustin, Erica—extract now. I'll handle the key."
"Steve, you said—"
"I lied. Knew you'd try to stop me. The key operator role is suicide mission for anyone else. But I have the corruption, the bridge connection. I might survive." I touched my scars. "Now go. That's an order."
Robin hesitated. Then nodded, tears in her eyes. "Come back. Please."
"I'll try."
They ran. Left me alone with the gate machine, with the timers counting down, with the role that would probably kill me.
One last save. Then everyone else survives.
I approached the key mechanism, placed my corrupted hands on the controls.
Outside, Eleven's battle was failing. Inside, my team was extracting. Above, below, all around—convergence.
"Okay," I whispered. "Let's see if preparation beats fate."
I activated the key.
Reality screamed.
And my consciousness bridged dimensions.
Note:
Please give good reviews and power stones itrings more people and more people means more chapters?
My Patreon is all about exploring 'What If' timelines, and you can get instant access to chapters far ahead of the public release.
Choose your journey:
Timeline Viewer ($6): Get 10 chapters of early access + 5 new chapters weekly.
Timeline Explorer ($9): Jump 15-20 chapters ahead of everyone.
Timeline Keeper ($15): Get Instant Access to chapters the moment I finish writing them. No more waiting.
Read the raw, unfiltered story as it unfolds. Your support makes this possible!
👉 Find it all at patreon.com/Whatif0