DESPERADO | SWEET PEA [2]

22

Izzy entered FP's trailer alongside Jughead to find Sweet Pea and Fangs waiting for them. Jughead somehow had become their de facto leader while Izzy was off trying to help Archie, which Izzy wasn't happy about and decided that Serpents should be her number one priority, which included finding Joaquin and getting answers.

"Minetta's trashing tent city, Izzy," Sweet Pea spoke to Izzy for the first time in days, but it wasn't because of the reasons Izzy hoped for, it was because of Serpent business, "Looking for Archie."

When Izzy closed the trailer door, Fangs immediately stood up from his seat on the couch and turned to her and Jughead, "Okay, I propose an idea," Izzy informed them.

"What is it?" Jughead asked her concerned and Izzy turned to face the three male Serpents as she stood in the middle of the small living room.

"A manhunt of our own," She told the three of them, "I want every Serpent out there searching for Joaquin. I don't want any place left unchecked out. He's gotta be around here somewhere, just hidden."

"Serpents just don't shiv other Serpents, Iz," Sweet Pea reminded her.

"Then what the hell do you think got into him?" Fangs questioned the group.

"Supposedly, Joaquin did it for Warden Norton," Jughead spoke up, "And when the Warden confronted Betty, he called Archie the Red Paladin."

Izzy frowned in confusion when the three boys had a knowing look on their faces while she did not, "Uh, am I missing something?" She questioned the group.

"We'll explain later," Jughead told her before continuing on, "The Warden also poisoned himself cyanide and blueberry Fresh-Aid. And he worked for Riverdale High before the Detention Center. The question is, was her playing G&G with someone, or for someone?"

"And since he's dead, Joaquin's the only one who could know the answer," Sweet Pea added in.

"Right," Jughead replied, "Joaquin may not be alone. Kevin said that he might be rolling with a new gang."

"Those Gargoyle creeps you saw?" Fangs questioned concerned.

"Exactly," Jughead replied, nodding his head in confirmation, "And if the gang is working for the King, then they're going to take us right to him."

Later on, Izzy was standing with Jughead in the kitchen when Jughead crumbled up a wanted poster of Archie. Izzy's phone vibrated and when she saw that it was Fangs, she immediately answered it and put it on speaker, "Did you find Joaquin?" She questioned him concerned.

"Centreville Serpents spotted him at the Last Resort Youth Hostel. We're on our way now," Fangs informed her and Izzy smiled slightly.

"Grab him," Izzy ordered, "Take him to Fox Forest near the footbridge. Jughead and I will meet you there."

"On it, boss," Fangs jokingly replied, causing Izzy to smile slightly as she hung up the phone.

Just then, FP entered the trailer and as Jughead went to follow Izzy out the door, FP spoke up, "Going somewhere, boy?" He questioned his son.

"Yeah, I'm gonna go meet the Serpents with Izzy," Jughead informed his father.

"Yeah?" FP questioned, quickly taking out a pair of handcuff before locking one around Jughead's wrist while Izzy stepped back and watched the scene occur, "Like hell, you are."

"What are you doing?" Jughead asked concerned as FP brought him over to the fridge before handcuffing him to it, "Are you out of your mind?"

"What I should have done the second I saw you playing," FP shouted, "You're addicted. G&G's like a drug. It's gotten into your blood."