Take Me to The Races

The Wrestler

I was sitting against the wall by the stairs eavesdropping on what was happening downstairs. The Lodges, the Mayor, the Sheriff, and my dad were having a meeting. From what I could gather the Lodges wanted the Southsiders to feel like they were a part of the town. They were planning to do that by making a big deal out of Pickens Day with the Serpents as security. I roll my eyes, what a way to welcome someone but making them work. I was beginning to worry about him being Malachai's boss.

When I heard Archie come home I got up and went into my room, knowing that the meeting would be over with his arrival. I glance out the window into Polly's room, seeing it empty filled me with relief and anxiety. While I was relieved that there wasn't anyone watching me, I was also worried me that I was going crazy to make up a person.

My phone went going off on top my dresser. I went over to see a text from Maverick that we need to have a talk and if I could come over to the House of the Dead. I shove my phone in my pocket and grab my lanyard. "I'm going to hang out with my friends, dad!" I yell to him. I didn't give him time to tell me no as I was out the door before he could answer.

I drove to the warehouse, wondering what Maverick had to tell me that he couldn't say over the phone. I was hoping that everyone was alright and it was more planning for the Ghoulies to go unnoticed in Riverdale.

I took a deep breath and walk into the House of the Dead, hoping I would be ready for whatever I had to deal with. As usual, everyone was hanging out in the lounge area. When Maverick saw me, he got up from the couch and walk over to me. "Come on, let's go to my room." He led me down the hall to a small office that was turn into a bedroom. For the creative and energetic guy that he was, his room was surprisingly plain. The only thing in it was a bed and a dresser. He said that this wasn't his permanent spot, so he didn't care to make it his own.

I took a seat on the bed and my stomach turn as he began to pace in front of me. He was making me nervous with how he was struggling to find the words to tell me whatever he needed to tell me. "Did something happen to Malachai?" I ask.

"No, he's fine. In fact I saw him yesterday. We talk and he wants me to take you to the meeting with the Lodges." He stops by the foot of the bed to watch my reaction.

"What? Why?" I yell, standing up.

"Calm down, you're capable of doing this." He leans against the dresser.

"No, I'm not." I shook my head.

"Yes you are. To get this to work, it's a two part thing drugs and being discrete. Let's be honest no Ghoulie has the second aspect, but you do. It was your idea to not wear the jackets, because of that we weren't targeted like the Serpents." He tried to convince me that I was a good choice.

"One good idea doesn't make a leader." I look at him like he lost his mind.

"You're also observant and good at predicting people's next move. Listen I'll be handling all the drug and business talk. You're just there to show him that we have someone who can tame the Ghoulies." He put his hands on my shoulders.

"You'll be there the whole time?" I look up at him.

"Yes." He nods his head.

"Fine, I'll do it. But if I don't like it, this is a onetime thing. This better be temporary, when Malachai gets out I don't want to go to anymore meets." I stare at the ground. If they had faith in me that I could do this, then I would try my hardest to play my role to make it happen.

"That's the plan. Okay for this to work, you need to know everything. You might want to sit down for this." He took his hands off my shoulder and gestures back to the bed. I took a seat and he sat down next to me. "Southside high was shut down, so the Lodges could buy it. They are going to turn it into a prison and start running the jingle jangle through it."