The rain lashed against the windshield as Dustin Henderson, Lucas Sinclair, and Mike Wheeler navigated the muddy roads back to Mike's house. Beside them, the girl they had found in the woods, shivering and soaked, sat in the back seat, her wide eyes taking in their anxious faces.

"We need to get her inside," Mike said, glancing at the rearview mirror where the girl's eyes shone with a mixture of fear and confusion.

As they pulled into Mike's driveway, Mira-who had joined them only moments earlier-quickly jumped out of the car. Her heart pounded as she recognized the girl. It was Eleven. The realization hit her with the force of a tidal wave, dragging her into a turbulent sea of emotion. She needed to save her, but she also needed to remain silent about her true identity. Every time she looked at Dustin, the battle within her intensified, pushing her closer to the edge. She had to stay quiet and wait for the right moment to reveal herself.

Inside the house, Mike led Eleven to the living room. "Here, we've got some clothes for you," he said, handing her a set of pajamas. Eleven's eyes fell on the clothes with a look of detached curiosity. Without a word, she started to undress in the middle of the room.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Dustin exclaimed, rushing to stop her. "We need to give her some privacy."

Lucas nodded, his eyes wide with a mix of confusion and concern. "Let's get her to the bathroom."

Mike guided Eleven towards the bathroom, but she resisted when he tried to close the door. "No, no, no," she said, her voice barely above a whisper, as she kept the door slightly ajar.

Mira, watching the scene unfold, felt an urge to comfort Eleven. Stepping closer, she used her powers subtly to create a calming aura around the girl. Eleven's tense shoulders relaxed as Mira's soothing influence washed over her. Mira felt a sharp pain in her nose, a slight nosebleed hinting at the effort of using her powers. Eleven's eyes widened in concern, and Mira shook her head slightly, signaling not to say anything. She mouthed "Not now" and offered a reassuring smile.

When the boys finally settled into the living room, Mira joined them, her face set in a serious expression. "Alright, let's think this through. We need to figure out if she's seen Will. We should be cautious about getting adults involved right now."

Lucas raised an eyebrow. "Why not? What if she needs medical attention?"

Mira shook her head. "Look at her clothes. They're soaked. If she had come from an asylum or somewhere far, her feet would be bruised from all the walking. No one would miss her."

Dustin's eyes widened. "Wait. What if she's an experiment? Like, from the lab?"

Mike's face turned pale. "Oh, shit."

Lucas and Dustin nodded, their earlier skepticism replaced by a sense of shared understanding. "What should we do then?" Lucas asked.

Mira took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart. "We need to investigate more. Gather those we can trust and see if we can figure out how to help her. The adults are unreliable right now. Authorities won't be of any use."

"Why not?" Dustin asked.

Mira gestured to Eleven's legs. "They're wet but not bruised. She hasn't been walking for miles. If she came from the lab, it makes more sense. She must have been somewhere nearby."

Mike nodded in agreement. "Okay, so no adults and no authorities. We keep this between us for now."

The group fell into a tense silence.

With a new plan in place, Lucas and Dustin said their goodbyes and headed home. Mike set up a blanket fort in the living room for Eleven to sleep in. She sat quietly, her eyes darting around as she looked at her new surroundings.

Mike approached her with a gentle smile. "Hey, um, what's your name?"

Eleven looked up at him, her eyes searching his face for something. Slowly, she pulled up her sleeve to reveal a tattoo that read "011."

Mike's eyes widened. "Eleven? That's what 011 stands for, right?"

Eleven nodded, her gaze softening.

"Okay, Eleven," Mike said, a smile tugging at his lips. "You can stay here for now. We'll take care of you."

Mira, observing from the side, felt a pang of sadness. She had hoped to reveal her identity to Dustin eventually, but for now, she had to stay in the shadows. She knew she was walking a tightrope, balancing her feelings and the urgency of the situation.

"Stay vigilant," Mira advised Mike, her voice firm yet reassuring. "There's a lot more going on here than we realize."

Mike nodded, understanding the gravity of her words. "Good night, Mira. Thanks for helping."

Mira gave him a small, grateful smile and headed towards the door. "Good night, Mike. Keep her safe."

As Eleven settled into the blanket fort, Mike watched her with a mix of curiosity and concern. Despite the storm raging outside, the atmosphere in the house grew calmer. Eleven closed her eyes, letting the warmth and safety of the blanket fort envelop her.

In the stillness of the night, Mira took one last look at the house before stepping into the rain-soaked darkness. The storm continued to howl, but inside the house, amidst the quiet whispers and hidden fears, there was a fragile hope that they might uncover the truth and save Will from whatever danger lay ahead.