Redemption [Sweet Pea x OC]

Chapter 15

"You're free to go, ladies," a voice says.

Looking up, I realize for the first time that sunlight is streaming in through the small window. I get up slowly, my muscles stiff from barely having moved all night. Toni and I follow the officer through the station and collect our things. It's only when we get outside and I see a few Serpents waiting that I speak. "Make sure everyone gets out and doesn't do anything stupid," I tell Toni.

"Wait, where are you going?" she calls after me.

"I have some things to take care of. I'll be at the Wyrm sometime later, I reply, not turning around.

The first house I try is a bust, no one answers when I bang on the door. I try Pop's next, but I don't find who I want there either, leaving one last place. I know I could call him and ask where he is, but he'd hear the anger in my voice and try to avoid me. That wasn't about to happen. Fortunately for me, third time's a charm and he opens the door.

"Thank God you're okay," he says, a smile on his face. "Did you just get out?"

"Save it, Forsythe," I hiss, shoving him back inside the trailer roughly. I close and lock the door behind me, scanning the living room and kitchen but see no signs of anyone else.

"Abigail, I–"

"You want to explain to me what happened yesterday?" I ask, cutting him off.

"You mean with the raid?"

"No, I mean what did I miss in class yesterday afternoon?" I ask sarcastically. "Of course I mean the fucking raid! You ran the minute McCoy and Keller started rounding up Serpents, you and your Northside buddy who just happened to be there to save you. You didn't even try to help us."

Jughead dropped onto the couch, head in his hands. "Abigail, I swear, I didn't know anything about it. Archie and his friends were being grilled by their parents, including Mayor McCoy and Sheriff Keller about some party where they all did Jingle Jangle with some out of towner Veronica knew when he heard about the plan. He got to Southside as fast as he could but there wasn't enough time to warn anyone else. I tried to go back for Toni , she was right there, but Archie's too strong. I couldn't get free from him. All I could do was watch."

"One Serpent. You tried to help one Serpent, and barely even that. Aren't you the hero? Have you forgotten our laws already?"

"What? No, I know them all, I went over them over and over for the initiation."

"What is the sixth law?" I demanded.

"In unity there is strength," Jughead said quietly.

I nodded, still glaring at him. "Remember that. You may have been given the jacket because of your dad, but we can take it away just as quickly. Blood only has so much power. Maybe if you'd stuck around, I wouldn't have so many of my boys on their way to juvie right now."

Jughead sighed. "I know, I fucked up, okay? Is that what you want to hear? I should have done more. But..." he trailed off, mouth moving but no words coming out.

"But what?" I asked impatiently.

"I, I don't know how to tell you this," Jughead mumbled.

"Then find me when you figure it out, I have better places to be," I snapped.

I wrenched the door open, walking to the Wyrm next. I needed to find out how badly yesterday's raid hit us.

"Tall Boy wants to see you upstairs in the office," Scrub said as I walked up. I nodded and made my way up the stairs, ignoring everyone else.