The knock on the Sinclair door is sharp. Deliberate.
Erica opens it halfway, already annoyed.
"Yes?"
Jason Carver stands on the porch, hands in his jacket pockets, eyes too calm.
"Where's Lucas?" he asks.
Erica squints at him. "Why would I tell you?"
Jason forces a smile. "I just wanna talk."
"Yeah, no," Erica says flatly. "You don't do talking. You do threatening."
She goes to shut the door.
Jason's foot slides forward, stopping it.
Erica looks up at him, unimpressed. "Back up, basketball Ken."
Jason's jaw tightens. "I'm not here to hurt anyone."
"That's funny," she says. "Because everyone you show up near ends up crying."
She slams the door.
Jason stands there a second longer than necessary.
Then he leaves.
Erica doesn't grab her shoes.
She doesn't grab a jacket.
She shoves open her bedroom window, drops to the grass, and bolts down the street.
She's fast. She always has been.
But she doesn't hear the truck until it's right behind her.
A hand clamps over her mouth.
"Don't scream," Jason growls.
She tries anyway.
The world tilts — hard — and then everything goes black.
Cold concrete burns her cheek when she wakes.
Her mouth is taped. Wrists bound. Ankles too.
The warehouse smells like oil and rust.
Jason crouches in front of her.
"Where's Lucas?" he asks calmly.
Erica glares at him.
He waits.
She says nothing.
Jason exhales, irritated. "You know, I really didn't want it to be you."
She struggles, furious.
"Your brother's been lying to me," Jason continues. "So has Eddie. I just need the truth."
Erica shakes her head violently.
Jason straightens. "Okay."
He pulls out his phone.
"Then I'll let Lucas decide."
Midnight hits like a weight.
Lucas stands in the living room, arms crossed.
"Where's Erica?" his mom asks.
"She probably stayed out," his dad says. "With Jason."
Lucas's stomach drops.
"No," he says immediately.
His parents look at him.
"She wouldn't," Lucas insists. "Not with him."
Silence stretches.
Lucas grabs his jacket. "I'm going out."
"At this hour?" his mom snaps.
"I'll find her."
He's already at the door.
Mike's basement lights up again.
Lucas bursts down the stairs. "Jason took her."
Dustin shoots to his feet. "What?"
"He came to my house earlier," Lucas says. "She wouldn't go with him. He wouldn't let her go."
Will's face drains of color. "We need Hopper."
Lucas's phone vibrates.
A text.
JASON:
Warehouse. Same one. Come alone.
Lucas swallows.
Eddie stands. "We're not letting you go alone."
Jason's second message arrives.
JASON:
You bring Eddie Munson… or you bring yourself.
Silence crashes down.
Mike's voice is barely there. "He's forcing a choice."
Eddie laughs weakly. "Guess I finally made varsity."
"No," Lucas says. "I'm not choosing."
Dustin's hands shake. "We're going."
All of them.
The warehouse looms like a bruise against the night.
Steve pulls the car to a stop. "Okay. We do this smart."
Robin nods. "Jason wants power. We don't give it to him."
They slip inside through different entrances.
Erica hears footsteps before she sees them.
Her eyes widen.
Jason turns.
"Well," he says. "Family reunion."
Lucas steps forward. "Let her go."
Jason gestures lazily toward Erica. "You first."
Eddie moves beside Lucas. "Take me."
Lucas grabs his arm. "No."
Jason's smile sharpens. "See? This is the problem. Everyone wants to be the hero."
He looks at Erica. "Tell them."
She stares at Lucas, terrified — but defiant.
Jason sighs. "Fine."
He reaches for her.
"STOP!" Lucas shouts.
Jason freezes. "Your call."
Lucas's chest heaves.
Mike steps forward. "You don't get to decide who deserves what."
Jason snaps his head toward him. "Stay out of it."
Will's voice is quiet but unbreakable. "This isn't justice. It's cruelty."
Jason laughs. "You think I care?"
A siren wails in the distance.
Jason stiffens.
Hopper's voice echoes outside. "Jason Carver! Step away from the girl!"
Chaos erupts.
Jason lunges — and Steve tackles him.
Eddie rips the tape from Erica's mouth.
She gasps. "Lucas!"
Hopper storms in, gun drawn.
"Hands where I can see them!"
Jason scrambles, desperate. "He killed her!"
Hopper cuffs him hard. "You're done."
Lucas collapses beside Erica, pulling her into his arms.
She clings to him, shaking. "I knew you'd come."
He presses his forehead to hers. "Always."
Outside, dawn creeps in.
Jason's truck is towed away.
Hopper watches the kids huddle together, exhausted but alive.
This time, the night didn't win.
But it came close.