Broken Promises

Double Crosser

*Present Day*

"So, Penny. Long time, no see." Alice put a hand on her hip. "How's lawyer life going?"

"Oh, don't pretend you're interested, Ms. Northside." Penny refused to look her directly in the eye. "We've got business to tend to."

"So...this Southside takeover..." FP began.

"I heard they've got someone on the inside." Penny lowered her voice, though everyone could still hear.

"And by someone on the inside, you mean...."

"In here. With us. One of the Serpents." She slowly nodded. "That's right. A double crosser."

A laugh came from one end of the circle. "That's ridiculous. Each of us took an oath."

"Man, fuck the oath!" Penny said, turning to face that side of the circle. "Jughead took an oath....and look what he did to me!" She angled her body slightly to gesture toward Alice. "Hell, even Alice took an oath back then and she abandoned us." She only looked at Alice for a brief moment before turning away from her again. "Just because someone takes an oath, does not mean they won't break it at some point....There is a double crosser in here and I know who it is."

"Oh yeah, Penny? Who's that?" Another Serpent asked with ridicule in their voice.

"Who's that?" The blonde lawyer repeated before she pointed to an area of the circle where they all turned to see that one of the members was attempting to sneak away. "Gotcha!"

"Get her." FP demanded.

"Ah ah ah!" The 40 year old Serpent woman quickly pulled out a knife, grabbing Alice and putting the blade to her neck. "Come any closer and the wench dies."

"Byrdie, you've always been a real son of a bitch." Penny nodded with her hands on her hips.

"Oh yeah? What does that make you?" Byrdie clapped back as she slowly backed away, holding Alice close to her.

"Byrdie, put down the knife." FP ordered with his hands in the air. "We can figure this out."

"Oh, don't try to mansplain to me how this is all gonna go down. I'll tell you how it's gonna go down. Little Ms. Northside Princess, here-"

"Little?" Alice interrupted.

"Nuh uh! Mama's talking." Byrdie pulled Alice's hair, forcing her head back more to expose her throat. "Little Ms. Northside here is gonna come with me."

Alice couldn't help but chuckle. "Are you sure you wanna do that?"

"I said I'm talking!" Byrdie shouted, taking the knife and slicing Alice's bicep. "Let's go, blondie!" She demanded, speeding up a bit, dragging Alice along.

"Wait, wait!" Penny shouted, with her hands in the air, almost mimicking FP. "Take me instead." She took a few steps forward.

"Penny, no." Alice protested.

"It's fine. It's fine." She took another step. "Better me than you." She let out a pained chuckle. "You have a family and people who care about you. I don't." She pointed to her own chest. "I'll go."

"Honey, that's not how this works." Byrdie laughed. "You don't get to choose who gets taken hostage. That's the whole point of a hostage. Not to mention....this Northside housemom may end up being worth something. Maybe the Ghoulies can hold her for ransom."

"But Byrdie...you're forgetting one thing." Penny continued to slowly walk toward them as they continued toward the door.

"Oh yeah? What's that?" The woman questioned.