Behind Revenge's Door

Reprocussions and Palomitas

I woke up late. Really. Fucking. Late.
Jughead was supposed to be with his peer counselor at South Side High. I found out he wasn't when he called me and asked for a ride. Apparently, another student at the school got shot.
So now it's just a real mess, I guess. Everything has totally fallen apart.
"Madison," Betty said shakily over the phone. "We found your phone,"
"My-" I froze in my living room. I had been going over applications to hire an assistant when I got the call, and the phone nearly slipped from my hands. "What do you mean, you found my phone?" I asked the young girl as I stood from the chair, poised to run to wherever she was.
"Come to the Mayor's office. Don't tell anyone." I quickly hung up the phone and grabbed my Jeep car keys. I needed to get their quickly, but still in one piece. For me, that was difficult.
To calm myself for the ride, I flipped the radio on. I had to do something to relax myself. Lana Del Rey softly flowed out of the speakers that surrounded me. I loved her voice, and I felt like love and sex poured through her veins.
"-kiss me hard in the pouring rain
You like your girls insane
So, choose your last words, this is the last time
'Cause you and I, we were born to die
We were born to die
We were born-"
I slammed the button to shut the radio off. Born to Die... how fitting. The world must think this is some cosmic fucking joke. For the remainder of the ride to the Mayor's Office I sat in silence.
I didn't realize that tears had slowly begun to stream down my face until I had parked in the closest parking space, and the cold wind had hit my face. I quickly took the sleeves of my sweater and wiped my face. I didn't want to say I was suffering from PTSD or something. That makes too much sense. I think I was too scared to find out the truth because it's easier to live in fear than deal with the fact I might have aided my own downfall.
I was there with the Cooper's as Sheriff Keller read the letter:
"This is the Black Hood. I am the man who shot the adulterer at Pop's. I killed the child predator in Greendale. I shot the drug and sex addicted teenagers at Lover's Lane. Riverdale is not innocent. It is a town of hypocrites and degenerates and criminals. My wrath is the price of your lies, your secrets, your sins. I will not stop, I cannot be stopped. I am the Wolf. You are the flock. This is the bloodletting. You will hear from me again."
Nausea turned in my stomach, and I thought I was going to be sick all over the mayor's carpet. Betty looked over her shoulder at me with a reassuring glance in an attempt as if she were trying to secure me a spot in Heaven.
"How real is this threat?" The mayor asked Sheriff, before he turned to me, pointing at the phone.
"That's definitely Madison's phone. It has her credit card bills, pictures, texts, all of it. The sunglasses, we're still checking with the Greendale PD." He answered. I could tell that from the tremor in Keller's voice, he knew this was real. And it terrified all of us.
"You can't print this," Mayor started, speaking to Alice who simply shook her head.
"Yes she can. And she should," I started. "After maybe a day, she should. It's too hot but she needs to tell people what's happening!" I protested.
"It's our responsibility to protect the town and show them that he is looking for his next victim," Alice added and I crossed my arms, biting my lip.
"If you print this, you cause a panic. I want a media blackout for at least twenty four hours on this." Tom demanded and I rolled my eyes. He didn't know how to do his job, so he tried to take mine. First he puts FP in prison, secondly, he pulls this bullshit.
"Screw off, Keller,"
"And I'll be taking it into evidence," he ignored me, "so you can have a copy."
"Oh Tom we don't need one. We already made it before we sent it to the printer for tomorrow's front page,"
My chest constricted as I felt my throat seize around the air, shocked at Alice. I can't believe she did that!
Alice Cooper was a woman who was full of fucking fire, but I'll be damned if Alice Cooper goes down without a fight.

I walked into the kitchen of my father's home with red heat in my eyes. "Archibald Andrews! What the fuck do I hear about this gang you have?" I screamed as I found my dad and Archie sitting over a map in the kitchen. Veronica had called me, concerned earlier that morning. She knew about the Red Circle, but didn't think too much on it. She claimed she never believed it would gain traction, but now it's spiraling out of control. I wasn't going to let Archie suffer and fuck his life up if this went badly. I sure as hell wasn't going to let him get hurt, either.
"You let him do this?" I asked my dad, shocked. I never thought he would, especially after the attack.
"He's doing it to protect people like you."
"People like me? The fuck does that mean, dad? The adulterer?" I asked him, crossing my arms. He wasn't one to talk. He was screwing around with Hermione Lodge while Hiram was in prison. He's just as dirty as I am. "He's gonna get himself killed and I'm not allowing it,"
"You're not my parent," Archie spoke up, fear shaking his voice. He knew I was a formidable screamer, and he knew what he was in for.
"You slept with your teacher, Archie, your judgement has been lacking since day one!" I pointed a finger at him.
"Dad you know how dangerous this is!" I whined as I set my hands on the table looking at the map.
My phone rang from my pocket and I saw Jughead's number pop up.
"Hey, Maddy, sorry I didn't come home last night. I got in an accident with the motorcycle. I just need you to come over with Betty to help me fix it up,"
"Of course honey, I'm on my way," I spoke before hanging up the phone. I looked at Fred and Archie with serious anger in my eyes. "If a hair on that boy's head is hurt, Dad, I swear to god there will be fucking hell to pay."
My head was in a frenzy as I jogged to the jeep, concerned for Jughead's safety. I just wanted him to be alright. I sped, to say the least, and I was surprised I didn't get a speeding ticket. My son's health and safety came first, no matter the speeding fines that Keller could dole out.
I managed to get to Jughead's house to see Betty dabbing his face with a cotton ball, and a tan girl with dye pink hair leaning against the wall.
"Hey, babies," I kissed both their foreheads before introducing myself to the girl with dyed hair and dropping my purse on the coffee table.
"I'm Madison, Jughead's half step mom," I introduced myself
"Half step mom?" The girl asked, confused by my made up title.
"Process of adoption," Jughead cut in nonchalantly and I nodded.
She shook my hand and gave me a small smile. "Toni, nice to meet you."
"Can't you take a few days off? You told me you would wear a helmet." Betty started.
"Don't blame me, blame the potholes," Jughead shrugged
"As long as you didn't get beat up by those Creepies-"
I'll be fucking damned. He got jumped.
"Ghoulies," Jughead cut in before Betty continued. Toni shook her head.
"The Serpents wouldn't let that happen. They have Jughead's back, even if he isn't a member. It's just family loyalty,"
Betty gave Jughead a once-over look before she stood up and began to get ready for school.
"Keep me updated?" Betty asked me as she walked out and I nodded.
Toni and I both gave Jughead a knowing looking before he sighed and looked at us. "Don't tell Betty. She doesn't need to know."
"We warned you about the Ghoulies," Toni spoke.
"Jughead you were in danger and didn't tell me?" I asked him as I took Betty's place on the sofa next to Jughead, looking at him with concern.
I would raise hell if that ever happened again.
"You know now to take them more seriously," Toni began before she looked at me, hopeful he caught on.
Slowly, Jughead nodded and I set my hand on his as he sighed. "Yeah, I will."

I never expected life in Riverdale to turn out like this. It was always a baby blue world seen through the lens of my camera, not through such a tragically ugly piece of broken glass. This town wasn't the same as it was, even two months ago. It's all spiraling faster than we can help ourselves. Chicago was never even this volatile. This town was one deep breath away from complete and utter implosion, and I had to know where I stood to survive it.