Darkest Minds || Archie Andrews & Jughead Jones [3]

Forgive me

FORGIVE ME

"Glad you pay attention to that thing Betty does with her bobby pins,"

"And that I decided to wear one." Ellie replies, a little bit of sarcasm rolling of her tongue as she finally reaches for her phone on the table. "I'm sure your Dad's freak out had something to do with the meeting Betty managed to lure them into."

"Did she text you about how it went?" He steps closer to her, peeking over her shoulder.

"Yeah." She breathes, and proceeds to read it out loud. "Apparently, Penelope Blossom said Daryl Doiley is the one who poisoned the chalices."

"Dilton's Dad?" Jughead frowns as she turns around to face him now. "Isn't he –."

"Dead? Yeah. Convenient, right?" Ellie scoffs. "The only person who could confirm her story."

"Well, obviously we don't buy that."

She looks down at her phone again, and tells him. "Neither did Betty. She called Dr. Curdle Junior and asked if he'd pull Mr. Doiley's autopsy report."

"Do you think she can handle this by herself?" Jughead wonders, and places one hand on her shoulder. "I could use your help with Joaquin."

"Yeah, I think she got this." Ellie nods, and a smile opens on her face only to match is.

. . .

"Get up!" Sweet Pea's voice echoes through the woods as they approach. And so does Joaquin's grunts. Sweet Pea looks their way, and throws something to the dark-haired boy. "Look what we found on him,"

"So, you jumped ship for the gargoyle gang?" Jughead accuses, the mask they found in his hands. He steps closer then, leaning down. "You have a lot of explaining to do."

Ellie steps forward too, and gestures. "Take the gag out, guys." It's Fangs who carries her order right away, the freeing short breaths coming from Joaquin then. "Now, don't we start with why you stabbed Archie, instead of protecting him?"

"The warden said I had no other choice." He explains to them. "You don't know what it's like there. You do anything to survive. For me, it was being the warden's pawn. A chess piece. In some ways, he was a pawn too."

"What does that mean?" Jughead frowns, in confusion.

"I saw him with these game cards that told him what to do. Whoever sent them wanted Archie dead." Joaquin replies, and they don't need to listen in closer to know he's telling the truth. "From the moment he was locked up, he was already marked."

"Marked with what?" Ellie wonders.

Jughead reaches for the black-ink pen he keeps in his pocket, and draws the familiar image on the palm of his hand. "This symbol..." He turns his palm so Joaquin can take his own look. "The warden branded on Archie's hip? What does it mean?"

"No, no." Joaquin shakes his head in response.

There's a longing look, before Jughead stands up and gives his order. "Pick him up,"

"No, no, no." He grunts as they put him up against the tree. "Just... Hey, just... Just stop."

"Guys," Ellie speaks up, her tone telling them all she wants to say. So, they stop. And she takes another step, coming now face to face with the boy. "just help us out."

Joaquin sighs, before giving in. "Sacrifice. It means that... It meant that Archie had to die." He shakes his head, his eyes on her own. "Look, I'm sorry, Ellie. I know he was your boyfriend. I –."