Shedding Our Skin {Jughead Jones}{Bughead}

Chapter Seven

"You're suggesting we try to take care of both the Muertos, and the Candle Wicks?" Pug asked me disbelievingly.

"Essentially, yes." I replied.

"How do you even expect this to work?"

"Well, they're both small right now, and they both seem to be likely suspects as to who kidnapped Betty, so we'd really be killing two birds with one stone." I reasoned.

"Absolutely not." Pug said, "That's an awful and dangerous idea. Tell him, Donny, Sling!"

"Actually, I think it's a solid idea." Sling spoke up.

"Me too." Donny agreed, "It's obviously thought out and I do think we're running out of time. I mean, the girl's life could be a stake here!"

"It's settled then." I said, "How quickly can we find someone from each of these so-called "gangs"?"

The room was completely dark except for a ring of light in which the two possibly rival gang members sat, bound to chairs.

I, myself, sat just outside the ring of light, perhaps only my face illuminated by the light coming from the ceiling. I only really did this to add to the affect.

The were both trying to talk through their gags, shouting and writing around like animals. I looked at them without remorse, imagining the state my Betty could be in right now because of perhaps these very people. I had had enough of the noise.

"Shut up!" I shouted at the top of my lungs, causing both of them to jump. I'm not sure they knew I was there. I stepped into the light. I had a plan for how I would handle this situation, but it evaporated as my anger grew by the second.

"Where is she?" I spit out, barely over a whisper. I could feel my voice contorting in anger. They both looked at me with slightly confused faces. I ripped off both of their gags.

"Where is she!?" I shouted again.

"Who?" One of them said. I could no longer hold in my anger.

"Who?" I asked, "Betty! Betty Cooper! My girlfriend!"

"W-was she blonde? Kinda skinny?" One of them asked.

"Yes." I growled.

"Yeah, I know who you're talking about. We picked 'er up a few days ago just before she crossed the tracks. Wanna talk about a fighter..." The Muertos member said, laughing slightly.

I grabbed him by his collar and pulled him so that we were face to face.

"You think this is funny?" I hissed. He shook his head slightly, and threw his chair back on the ground.

"What else do you know?" I asked him.

"We locked her in a room, after taking that jacket thing-"

"Her cardigan." I said, "The pink one."

"Yeah that! And, uh, that's the last time I saw her!" He said.

"What did you do with the cardigan?" I asked.

"The Boss took it, said he and a buddy had a plan for it."

"A buddy?"

"I'm not sure. I don't really ask questions."

"Ok." I said.

"Joaquin!" I growled, and he walked into the room.

"Contact both of them and tell them we have these guys, and we'll release them when I find out where Betty is!" I was practically shaking with anger.