The Halloween night in Hawkins, Indiana, draped the town in a veil of flickering lights and children's laughter. The streets brimmed with costumed kids running with bags of candy, while the crisp air carried the scent of carved pumpkins and fog. Cassian, Jill Valentine, Helen, and Terri Morales had woven themselves into Hawkins' routine, each spinning their web to unravel the secrets of the portal to the Upside Down. Tension simmered, fueled by rumors of rotting pumpkin fields and surveillance at the lab. For Cassian, the night was a chance to get closer to the students who seemed to know more than they let on, while Jill, Helen, and Terri pursued their own leads. But beneath the festivity, a dark echo pulsed, as if the Upside Down was watching.
Tina's house, a senior student, thrummed with music, laughter, and the chaos of a Halloween party. Costumed teens filled the place, sipping questionable punch and dancing under strobe lights. Cassian, dressed as a rebel biker with a fake leather jacket and dark sunglasses, moved through the crowd. His mission was clear: get close to Nancy Wheeler and Steve Harrington, who, he suspected, were tied to the portal. Helen had warned him that the night could be pivotal, as festivities often loosened tongues.
In a corner, he spotted Nancy. Steve, dressed as a Risky Business character with a white shirt and sunglasses, was trying to cheer her up, but his body language was tense. Cassian approached, holding a cup of punch he had no intention of drinking.
"Hey, Nancy, Steve," he said with a casual smile. "Great party, huh? Though I'm not sure if this punch is safe."
Steve laughed, relieved by the interruption. "Cassian, right? Man, that punch is a chemical weapon. Stick to beer."
Nancy eyed him, her gaze narrowing. "What are you doing here? You don't seem like the type for these things."
"I'm new," Cassian said, shrugging. "Thought a Halloween party would be a good way to get to know Hawkins. Plus, I like the vibe… though something tells me this town has more scares than costumes."
Nancy's lips tightened, and Steve nudged her gently. "Relax, Nance. He's just being friendly."
But Nancy wasn't in the mood. She took another swig of punch, her face hardening. "Not everything's a damn party, Steve," she snapped, her voice rising. "Barb is dead, and no one's doing anything. Her parents think she's missing, and we… you! You act like it doesn't matter."
Steve paled, glancing around to ensure no one overheard. "Nancy, keep it down. We can't talk about this here. The lab… they could come for us."
"The lab?" Cassian cut in, keeping his tone curious but neutral. "What, like Hawkins Lab? I heard it's just some boring science place."
Nancy shot him a glare, but the alcohol made her careless. "It's not boring," she muttered. "It's a damn mess. And Barb paid the price."
Steve grabbed her arm. "That's enough, Nancy. Let's go."
But Nancy yanked free, stumbling. "No. I'm sick of pretending." She turned to Cassian, her eyes glistening with tears. "You don't get it. No one does."
Cassian felt a pang of empathy but also opportunity. "Hey, maybe I don't get it, but I know what it's like to lose someone," he said, his voice low. "If you need to talk, I'm here."
Nancy stared at him, her anger softening for a moment. But before she could reply, she swayed, spilling her punch. Cassian acted fast, catching her by the elbow. "Come on, you need air. I'll take you home."
Steve protested, but Nancy shoved him away. "Leave me alone, Steve. I don't want to talk to you right now."
Cassian guided her outside, the cold air hitting them. On the way, she mumbled about Barb, the lab, and "something they shouldn't have opened." He filed away every word, knowing he was closer to the truth about the Upside Down.
Jill, in her "Jill Carter" officer uniform, patrolled Hawkins' outskirts with Callahan, the chatty cop. Halloween night had spiked vandalism reports, but her focus was on the pumpkin fields, where crops kept rotting without explanation. Hopper had sent them to investigate, and she suspected it was tied to the portal.
The field was a bleak sight: wilted pumpkins coated in a slimy substance that gleamed under moonlight. Jill crouched, examining it with her flashlight. It smelled of decay, but there was something… organic, almost alive.
"This isn't normal," she said, glancing at Callahan. "Did Hopper say anything else about this?"
"Just to keep looking," Callahan grunted, clearly uneasy. "The chief's obsessed with these fields. Says it's not just mold."
Jill frowned, collecting a sample in a vial she'd brought. As Callahan moved to check another section, she noticed strange tracks in the dirt—not human, but elongated, like claws. Her instincts, honed in Raccoon City, screamed danger. She grabbed her radio and contacted Hopper.
"Chief, it's Carter," she said. "I'm at Merril's field. Found some weird substance and… tracks. They're not human."
There was a pause, then Hopper's voice came through, tense. "Stay there, Carter. I'm on my way. Don't touch anything."
Jill nodded, but her hand was already on her gun. As she waited, a rustle in the bushes made her spin, but she saw nothing. Still, the air felt heavy, as if something was watching her from the shadows.
At Hawkins Lab, Helen and Terri, under Dr. Sam Owens' assignment to a "soil analysis" project, knew it was a cover. In a file room, away from prying eyes, Helen scoured documents on a hacked terminal while Terri guarded the door.
"This is insane," Terri whispered, her voice shaky. "If they catch us…"
"They won't," Helen said, not looking up. "Look, I found something. Reports of 'dimensional activity' in the basement. They mention a 'gate' that's growing. That's the portal, Terri."
"Growing?" Terri said, paling. "Does that mean… something could come through?"
"Or go in," Helen said, frowning. "That's why we need Cassian. His blood can close the portal, but we have to get there without Owens knowing."
A noise in the hallway froze them. Terri peeked out and saw a guard approaching. "Helen, someone's coming," she whispered.
Helen shut off the terminal and pulled out a fake pass. "Follow my lead," she said. When the guard entered, Helen smiled. "Oh, sorry, we got lost. We were looking for the soil lab."
The guard eyed them suspiciously but accepted the pass and escorted them out. Once alone, Terri exhaled. "That was close," she said. "But… I found something earlier. A map of the basement. There's a secondary access, but it's sealed."
"Good work," Helen said, a spark of pride in her voice. "That's our way in. Now we plan how to get through."
Cassian, after dropping Nancy off, patrolled the streets, following a hunch. He found Mike Wheeler, Dustin Henderson, Lucas Sinclair, Will Byers, and Max Mayfield trick-or-treating, their Ghostbusters costumes dusted with sugar. Will looked nervous, glancing at shadows, and Cassian decided to approach.
"Hey, you guys are the arcade kids, right?" he said with a friendly smile. "I'm Cassian, new at school. How's the night going?"
Dustin, with a fake proton pack, answered eagerly. "The best! We got tons of candy. But Will's acting… kinda weird."
Will shivered, and Mike looked at him, worried. "It's nothing," Will said, but his voice trembled.
Cassian noticed the tension. "Hey, sometimes Halloween night brings out weird stuff," he said, keeping his tone light. "If you need to talk, I'm around."
Mike eyed him suspiciously. "We don't know you," he said. "Why do you care?"
"Just trying to fit in," Cassian said, shrugging. "But if you see anything… strange, let me know. Hawkins has a reputation, right?"
Max raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Later, when Will had another episode, collapsing with visions of a shadowy creature, Mike helped him, whispering. Cassian, watching from a distance, felt his blood hum. That creature… was it a demon? Or something from the Upside Down?
At the diner on Hawkins' edge, the group gathered at dawn, exhausted but alert. Cassian shared what Nancy had revealed about Barb and the lab, and his encounter with the kids. "Will's seeing something," he said. "I don't know if it's the Upside Down or demons, but it's connected."
Jill showed the vial with the field substance. "This isn't normal," she said. "Hopper's investigating, but he doesn't fully trust me yet."
Helen and Terri discussed the basement map. "We have an entry point," Helen said. "But we need a plan to get past security."
"And I need to get to the portal," Cassian said, his voice firm. "If Will's seeing something, it could be a clue. But we have to move fast."
Terri, nervous, spoke up. "I found a report about a girl… Eleven. No one talks about her, but she's in the files. Who is she?"
"Good question," Helen said, frowning. "If she's tied to the lab, we need to know more."
The group exchanged glances, knowing the Upside Down was closer to breaking through. Outside, Hawkins' shadows seemed to whisper, biding their time.