"We're not in Hawkins anymore, kid," Hopper says, stopping a few seconds after Steve does and trying not to heave a sigh. The kid is obviously on something and whether he'd taken it willingly or not -- Hopper is gonna go with not, given the state of his face -- he's going to have a hard enough time dealing with Darrow. Adding drugs into the mix is just going to make it all worse.

"The Russians were some bullshit story Brenner made up to keep everyone scared about El," he tells Steve. "Now walk. I'll explain everything once I've got you sitting down and I can make sure you're not bleeding in your brain or something."

Not that he has any idea how to make sure of that, but he marches up the front steps of the Bramford anyway and wrenches open the door expectantly.