The Other Detective - Book 3 (Riverdale Season 3)

Man in Black - Part 2

*** Breathing attack (Could be perceived as an anxiety or panic attack)

They raced back to the farm, stopping as they saw a car pull up, Hiram getting out and walking over to Laurie and Gracie. They led him into the house as Jughead and Aminity heading for the barn.

"Are you alright?" Jughead asked as they found Archie gagged and tied up to a pile of wood. "Come on let's get you out of here." Aminity took the bandanna out of his mouth and helped Jughead untie the knots around his hands and feet.

"You okay?"

He nodded. "Laurie knocked me out. Where the hell is she?"

"She's inside with Hiram Lodge."

"What?" he asked Jughead before looking at Aminity. "I don't understand. How do the girls even know him?"

"Shh! I think her dad and her brother work for him."

"All the men in the town do," she told him.

"They make drugs inside the prison which all the kids take when they play G&G. All of this is connected, Archie. Hiram owns this whole town and probably many others just like it. Let's go."

"Or we could stay and fight," Archie said as he got up, making Jughead and Aminity turn around from where they were already leaving.

"No, Archie."

"This is our one chance to take it all back. Hiram is going to walk in here thinking I'm tied up. Let's surprise him and take him out."

"With what weapons and concrete plan?" Aminity spoke up. "Archie, we don't have enough time. Gracie has at least one gun, who knows how many others. Think, Archie. We don't know what we're up against."

"That's a bad idea, trust us," Jughead agreed.

"There's gotta be something in here we could use," he went over to the tools on the wall. "A pitchfork."

"Hey, look at me. You are not thinking clearly. It's two against four and they have guns. I get how bad you want this, but we are underprepared, Archie. Archie! Look at me." He held him back as he picked up a pair of shears.

"Get back!"

"Don't say what I think you're going to say."

"Jughead!" he pushed him away. "I can kill him. I can."

"I know."

"Then you just prove him right," Aminity told him. "He still wins."

"Right now, we've gotta go while we still have time."

"There's no where he won't follow me."

"Then let's get a heads start."

"I can't run from him," he told her. "Just let me end this nightmare once and for all."

"It's not just our lives, it's her's," Jughead pointed at his sister, "and I'm not willing to risk it." They turned as they heard footsteps. "He's coming," he whispered, looking through the crack in the door. "Archie, I know he's ruined your life. He's ruined a lot of lives, but one day he's going to get everything he deserves. I swear. But it's not today. It's not right now. Okay? We have to go."

"Jughead-"

"Alright, if you do this, if you kill him, will Veronica ever forgive you?"

"Will you ever forgive yourself?" Aminity asked and he sighed before they started running as fast as they could. They glanced over their shoulder, but refused to turn back. They ran as fast and as far as they could, the boys getting slightly ahead. Archie grabbed Aminity's hand as she fell behind, pulling her along until he felt her hand slip out of his, turning to see her body on the ground, shaking as she gasped for air.

"Jug!" he yelled before kneeling next to her, Jughead right behind him.

"Hey, hey. Aminity, it's okay. Just breathe. I need you to breathe," Jughead tried, glancing around to see if anyone was coming near them. Her gasps started to subside a small amount as she was able to take in some air. "Come on, we have to go," he tried to prod her, offering his hand.

"No," she said, pushing away his hand. "No."

"Aminity, we have to go."

"Archie's right. Hiram will never stop trying to get to him," she forced out in labored breaths. "I can't keep slowing you down. You two should go."

"What? No, come on, Aminity. We can make it," Archie stepped in.

She shook her head, still panting. "I'm slowing you guys down. I'll be fine. I'll hide and then make my way back to Riverdale when it's safe."

"We are not leaving without you," he forcefully told his sister. "Now get up."

"Jug," Archie whispered as she started coughing. "Come on. I'll give you a piggyback ride just like when you were little," he tried to smile. She went to shake her head again and he stopped her. "You're not slowing us down and there is no way in hell we're leaving you." She finally nodded as she coughed, allowing Archie to pull her onto his back before starting to run again. "Hey, I got you. You just focus on breathing, okay," he told her and he felt her nod. She closed her eyes, getting her breathing under control as the boys continued running and soon drifted asleep.

"I didn't think you were gonna listen to us," Jughead admitted after they had slowed to a walk and the night grew dark.

"Neither did I, Jug. Neither did I."

"You were right about one thing though. Hiram's gonna follow you, or us, wherever we go. We're always gonna be outnumbered and outgunned."

"So what's the plan? We can't keep doing this to her," he said, glancing at the sleeping girl on his back.

"We'll go see my mom."

"You sure we should do that?" he asked after a second.

"Got a better idea?" He didn't say anything. "And I agree. After today... Arch, she hasn't had an attack in so long."

"Dragging her all over, hopping trains, running, hiking... Jug, it was bound to happen. We're lucky it's taken this long."

"I know," he sighed. "Thanks for earlier by the way. For comforting her. I just-"

"It's okay, Jug."

"I should've done something different. I shouldn't have yelled. I should've offered to help or-"

"It's not your fault. You were stressed. You've done great with her your entire life. It's the least I could do."

He nodded. "You know," he said after a few minutes, "she's a pretty lucky girl since she's got you."

"She has both of us and that's never gonna change."

So, little allusion to my other Riverdale book Lucky Girl where it is the actor who plays Aminity and the rest of the cast, so go check that out if you're interested! Thanks for reading! Happy (late) St. Patrick's Day!