Thinking 'Bout You- SP 3 ✔️

Chapter 50- American Dream Pt1

"Oh I have no idea anymore dad" I reply to my dad who just asked me if I knew what was going on with Archie's love life. I open up the door for dad who's got a chines in a paper bag
"Archie"
"Dad, Rory don't come in"
"Arch what's wrong?" I frown and run over to my brother who's holding his side. That's when I notice the blood "what the hell happened?"
"Let's just sit you down first and clean you up" dad puts down our food and gets out a first aid kit
"I took in a boy, named Ricky. I found him at the gym and I couldn't just leave him there. Mrs Weiss rang me, turns out Ricky is actually Joaquín's younger brother"
"What seriously?" I respond
"Yeah then he freaked out on me and well this happened"
"I'll drop Fangs and Pea a text, surely they would have known that Joaquin had a brother and on top of that they should have recognised him from that drawing"
"I don't know Rory, they probably didn't know. I'm sorry dad. I'm such an idiot" Archie sighs as dad places a bandage on Archie's cut
"No not an idiot son, you just.. got a big heart"
"You think he'll come back?" I ask as dad finishes up and begins to tidy
"With my luck? definitely. Probably at the worst time and with his friends" I pat Archie on the back and move over to the fridge to get us all a drink when I notice something on the floor
"What's this?" I pick it up and hand it to Archie. Archie shakes his head looking annoyed
"I'm still a target that's what this is" Archie gets up from his seat and walks out of the kitchen and upstairs
"What's happing to this town?" dad asks, not specifically me but I still shrug also wondering what on Earth is going on.

The next morning I'm at Pops with Betty, Archie and Jughead
"I checked with my dad who pulled the all files on Warden Norton after he committed suicide. They cleared out his office and they found this" Jug holds up a card that looks exactly like the card that was on our kitchen floor. Archie takes the car and had a look at it
"A quest card. Kill the Red Paladin. Like the one Ricky had"
"These to cards are identical. Had the same design, same card stock, to me that indicates that someone printed out multiple cards and put them out into the world"
"So someone is specifically targeting Archie?" Jug nods at my question "well who do we all know who's had it out for Archie? Mr Lodge"
"Exactly who I was thinking"

The Serpents have a meeting with FP and Mr Keller about their new jobs, I however don't have to attend because I will be keeping my job at Pops which is where I currently am right now where we've had to ring FP because of an incident happened where some creep threw hot coffee on me, scolding my arm
"Hey Pop what's going on?" FP asks coming in with Jughead behind him
"Some fizzle rocks junkie spazzed out and threw hot coffee all over Rory then ran out of here"
"You ok Rory?" FP asks as I'm holding a cool damp cloth over my burn
"Hurts like hell but I'll live"
"I thought fizzle rocks were gone. This candy epidemic was over"
"Definitely not over, people are just hiding it better"
"I've heard rumours and rumblings that someone wants to reopen the candy store"
"I wonder who" Jug says looking at Veronica
"Rory can I take a statement?"
"Uh sure"
"What did the guy look like?"
"Brown hair, brown eyes. Tallish, like taller than me but not your hight, maybe Jugs hight. Erm he had a hoodie on, a grey one that's all I can remember" I sigh taking off the cool towel to look at my burnt arm
"Ok thank you Rory. Have you got a ride home?"
"Er yeah, hope you don't mind me stealing my boyfriend from work. Didn't want to worry dad"
"That's fine. You ok to stay here with Pops while Jug and I head to the station?" FP asks me with concern. I follow his question with a nod of the head
"Yeah I'll be fine don't worry" I give him a weak smile. FP pats my shoulder and Jughead gives me a quick hug before they walk out of the door and Pea runs in and over to me. He takes my hands in his
"Are you ok? who the fuck did this?" he asks with an angry tone
"It's ok Pea. FP has taken my statement. He'll look at the CCTV and find the guy who did this. Just take me home please"
"Ok" Pea helps me off the stool. We say goodbye to Pops and head out to Pea's bike. He gets on in the front and I get on behind him. Wrapping my good arm around his waist
"I can only hold on to you with one hand"
"Do you need the hospital?"
"No" I shake my head even though I know he's can't see me "it isn't to bad, just sore. Feels more like a bad sunburn"
"Ok. Hold on tight then" I lean on his back has he kick starts the bike and we head home.