Chapter Ninety-Six: The Secret Communication

(The Mall Rats, Pt. 2)

***

Starcourt Mall was just as busy today as it had been yesterday.

Rowan didn't wait for her aunt to find a park, just opened the door and got out when the car had slowed to a crawl, shouting, "Bye Aunt Aco! See you later!" before she sprinted to the doors, not bothering to enjoy the air conditioner to instead make a beeline for Scoops Ahoy, glad she'd been able to quickly change into a plain white shirt and shorts before coming here.

As the nautical-themed ice cream shop came into view, Rowan caught sight of the two people she wanted to see most—Dustin, with an ice cream sundae in front of him that he was quickly devouring, and Steve, once again forgoing the hat and wearing a disbelieving look on his face that became clearer for why when Rowan heard, "No way, hotter than Phoebe Cates?"

Dustin looked up from inhaling the sundae that Steve must have made for him, saying, "Brilliant too. And she doesn't care that my real pearls are still coming in."

"Are you talking about Suzie?" Rowan asked, making Steve startle.

"Jesus, Graveswood, where the hell did you come from?" Steve demanded.

"Thin air," Rowan deadpanned, before she looked to Dustin and asked again, "Are you talking about Suzie, Henderson?", as she sat in the seat next to Steve, both not noticing—or ignoring—how closely pressed together they were.

Dustin nodded. "Yeah. I was just about to say that Suzie says kissing without teeth is better."

Rowan grinned, knowing how self-conscious Dustin secretly was about his teeth. So to hear Suzie say that about kissing made her feel happy for Dustin. "That's so awesome, Dustin. I'm happy for you. Suzie sounds really great."

Dustin beamed as Steve stared at Dustin, not saying anything. Rowan shot Steve a glare and elbowed him, all but screaming, Say something supportive! He managed to get the hint and said with only just a bit of floundering, "Wow. Yeah, that's great! Proud of you, man. That's kinda romantic. That's like... wow"

He looked at her, eyes saying back, How did I go? Rowan rolled her eyes and looked back with, Okay. Could be better. Steve shot her a glare, but looked back to Dustin, the younger teen asking, "So do you really just get to eat as much of this as you want?"

"Yeah. I mean, sure. It's not really a good idea for me, though," Steve affirmed and Rowan rolled her eyes heavenward as Steve let off the flimsiest excuse ever for not eating unlimited free ice cream, "I gotta keep in shape for the ladies."

"Yeah, and how's that working out for you?" Robin snarked, Valerie calling out from the register, "Because you keep crashing and burning every time you open your mouth."

"Ignore them," Steve muttered, glaring at Robin and Valerie as Dustin noted, "They sound cool."

"They're not, especially Robin," Steve denied and Rowan whipped around to glare at Steve as Dustin pointed out, "They're friends with Rowan, and she's cool."

"That's... that's different," Steve defended.

"How is it different, Harrington?" Rowan questioned, voice deceptively light. "Come on, tell me."

"Because... you're not my co-worker?" Steve said, looking at Rowan like he was fearing for his life. Rowan pinned him with one of her looks, but shrugged and leaned back.

"Good enough for me, Harrington," she said, giving Steve a knife-sharp smile. Steve swallowed before he turned back to Dustin, who had been staring at them, and asked, "So. Where are the other knuckleheads?"

Dustin's face twisted into a frown as he revealed, "They ditched me yesterday."

"No," Steve said, eyes wide as Rowan stared at Dustin. She'd already heard that Lucas, Max, Mike and El had ditched, but to hear even Will, Cami and Alistair had ditched? It sounded insane.

"My first day back," Dustin affirmed. "Can you believe that shit?"

"Whoa. Seriously?" Steve said incredulously as Dustin nodded while Rowan frowned and questioned, "What about Al, Will and Cami? Did they ditch you too?"

"Well, Cami said she had curfew, Al told me he had a family thing, and I guess Will must have been the same with the curfew, so I guess they get a pass, but I swear to God," Dustin admitted, before he shook his head and went on, "They're gonna regret it, though. Big  time. When they don't get to share in my glory."

Now Rowan was confused on a wholly different matter—a confusion felt by Steve as the two looked at each other before Steve questioned, "Glory? What glory?"

"Yeah, what are you on about, menace?" Rowan asked, resting her elbows on the table as she leaned forward, brows scrunched together.

"It's actually what I wanted to talk to you and Al about earlier," Dustin revealed, piquing Rowan's interest and having her raise a brow as the curly-haired teen went on, "So, last night, we're trying to get in contact with Suzie."

"Oh?" Steve asked, and the two boys hummed while Rowan rolled her eyes and said sharply, "Dustin, get to the point."

"Alright, alright, I'm getting there," Dustin muttered, rolling his eyes as Rowan shot him a look, but he did continue as he said, "And, uh..."

He looked around, a wariness on his face that pricked at Rowan uncomfortably, before he raised his hand and mumbled something under his breath that neither Rowan or Steve got, shared in the confused looks and asked, "What?" to Dustin.

So he tried again, leaning closer and this time Rowan thought she heard some words, but he was still speaking too quietly for her to understand.

"Just speak louder," Steve said, obviously getting tired at Dustin's terrible attempt at whispering.

However, that had Dustin gone toward the opposite end of the sound spectrum, as he all but screamed out, "I intercepted a secret Russian communication!"

That had every single person in hearing distance turn to the three of them as they looked away, Rowan shooting Dustin a glare and hissed, "Steve said speak louder, not scream it out for the entire fucking world to hear!"

"Yeah, jeez, shh, Henderson," Steve scolded, giving Dustin his own glare. "But yeah, okay, that's what I thought you said."

Rowan looked at Steve in disbelief, which he ignored as confusion overtook his face again and he asked, "What does that mean?"

"It means, Steve, Rowan, we could be heroes. True American heroes," Dustin answered.

Rowan scoffed, leaning back and crossing her arms, but Steve was won over by that.

"Huh," he said as he and Dustin leaned closer, a grin slowly forming on his face. "American heroes."

"Just think. Steve, you could have all the ladies you want and more," Dustin said, obviously trying to be persuasive, which was working for Steve. "And same for you, Rowan. Except you could have all the horror movies or concert tickets you could want, and more."

Rowan arched a brow—damn, the kid could be persuasive. "More, huh?"

Dustin nodded, right as Steve's eyebrow quirked up and he inquired, "More?"

"More," Dustin affirmed for them both.

"I like more," Steve said as Rowan nodded in agreement, despite still wearing a frown, before he asked, "What's the catch?"

"That's what I like to know as well," Rowan said, looking at Dustin pointedly—no way would he tell her and Steve about this Russian communication without any catch involved.

"No catch, I just need your help," Dustin answered, but Rowan was not buying that.

"Yeah, you're not fooling me, Henderson. What is this 'help'?" Rowan grilled right as Steve asked, "With what?"

At that, Dustin leaned down and grabbed something, straightening and revealing what it was—a Russian to English dictionary.

"Translation," he said.

For a catch, it was pretty harmless. And yet, Rowan had heard enough.

"Okay, you two have fun with that. I'm gonna hang with Robin and Valerie," Rowan said, uncrossing her arms as she made to stand.

"Wait, Rowan! You can't go, I need your help!" Dustin protested, Steve giving the younger teen an affronted look.

"Sorry, but I'm not getting involved with this," Rowan said.

"What about being an American hero? Or receiving like a medal or something from the president?" Dustin pressed.

"Screw America and screw the government. When have either done anything good for me or my family?" Rowan retorted back, bitterness coating each word. 

Dustin and Steve were quiet. Neither had a good argument for that. Not when it was true. Why would Rowan do this, to translate this Russian message in the hopes of being an American hero, with her past?

And yet... neither boy could do this without Rowan. Because while Dustin knew he was smart, he knew translating this would be tough—Steve would help, but the more helping the better, right? 

Dustin looked at Steve, who looked back to Rowan as she remained in place, arms crossed and a scowl on her face at the mention of the government, before he tried again, "You don't have to claim credit. I just need yours and Steve's help with translating. Then you can back out."

Rowan raised an eyebrow—she didn't entirely buy that. "Is that so?"

"Yeah!" Dustin affirmed. "And who knows, maybe you could ask for money from the government? Or an apology?"

Rowan frowned. That was tempting—to get an apology from the government about what they did to her family, how they forced her parents to make that final decision, for what Dr. Brenner and Hawkins Lab almost did to her and Alistair. And yet, she wasn't fully convinced.

Steve looked at her, shifting closer as he said lowly, "Look, it might not even be real. Let's just humour the kid, okay? Besides, it... it might be fun to do it together."

Steve rested his hand on hers and Rowan looked at him, blue eyes locked with brown before she sighed, now convinced.

"Okay, Dustin. You and Harrington have convinced me," Rowan said, and Dustin shared a victorious grin with Steve. She leaned forward, looking right at Dustin and hoping she hadn't made a big mistake. Besides, Steve was probably right and this was some prank or something that Dustin picked up on his radio. Something completely harmless.

"Let's hear your secret Russian communication."

***

Yeah... completely harmless secret Russian communication, Rowan...

Short again, I know. These next few chapters will probably be short, especially since Rowan and Alistair's storylines are in separate parts these next couple of seasons, but I promise longer chapters will come in the future.

Anyway, the Scoops Troop is forming! I'm so excited to add Rowan's brand of chaos to the group, you have no idea (especially combining it with Stowan pining and oblivious flirting/banter) It's gonna be great >:)

Next chapter will be soon! Please read, comment and vote!

GhostWriterGirl out!