CARMEN, riverdale.

' zugzwang '

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   CARMEN WOKE up in pain. Burning, searing pain ran through her body, and more so in her entire side. She hissed, sweat beading her forehead. Blood was crusted on her head, from that sticky feeling when the movement of her eyes caused her forehead to scrunch.

Defenseless, since the only firearm she brought was taken, Carmen looked around for her purse and caught sight of it a few feet away.

The girl reached for her phone, thinking of anyone who could help her. Apollo wasn't an option, he had enough on his plate as it is. She grabbed it, the flourescent light startling her spirits and made her squint her eyes. Several missed calls from all of her friends, but out of all of them, she couldn't pick who to call.

She scrolled past all her recent contacts, stopping over one name that had offered her asylum all those years back in New York. Carmen could faintly recall of the girl's address, and decided to give the call a try.

"Wynona Tanner." The voice spoke shortly after picking up in one ring.

"Wyn? Hope your offer still stands," Carmen said sheepishly.

That was how she found herself in the bathroom of a club in Southside, her side being sewn closed and constantly at the receiving end of the Tanner girl's temper.

"You told me you'd be careful," the Serpent girl glared at her with dark eyes, her prominent jaw set tightly. "You promised you'd stay out of danger and leave it in New York, not drag it back here."

"We did leave it, Wyn. But it followed us home and now I'm going to end it, bring it far from here and far from you," Carmen winced.

"Who's bringing what far from who?" A tall, dark-haired boy saunters into the small enclosement, arms crossed and leant against the doorway. His eyes were dark, and suspicious, as he regards the two girls. A flash of recognition bolts through his eyes as he looked at Carmen. "Pretty girl from the forest, nice to see you again."

"You know each other?" Wynona raised an eyebrow as she cuts through the thread, grabbing a roll of gauze to apply to Carmen's side.

"Pulled a gun to my face. Apparently, I shouldn't sneak up on girls I don't know," Sweet Pea mused. "Now how do you both know each other?"

Wynona pats down the gauze and let Carmen drop her polo over it to begin checking the taller brunette's forehead. The female Serpent had leant Carmen some of her clothes, since she knew the young Murdock didn't appreciate wearing dresses for too long.

"Have you found-" Fogarty's voice died out as he saw his boss' daughter, bloodied in the bathroom of a place he considered home and his eyes shifting to one of his bestfriends. "Her."

The introduction was long overdue. "Remember the girl I told you about? The one who got me out of the asylum? Yeah, this is her. Meet Carmen Murdock,"

"Fangs, you didn't tell me that this was your boss' daughter," Sweet Pea narrowed his eyes at the shorter boy next to him.

"How about being honest with your age, Fogarty?" Carmen snaps.

"I had to earn something, my father can't even stay sober for a minute and I needed to do something to survive. I need this," Fogarty defends, the look in his eyes begging. "Is there anything else I can do? For you to not cut me off?"

"You could've told either one of us and we would've ensured to hook you up with a more reliable, less risky job," Carmen scowled slightly.

Wynona grabs her hand, "Carmen, whatever this is, we want to help,"