The next day at school, Sheriff Minetta turns up in the middle of class, ranting about Archie.
"Archie is a murderer." Minetta declares. "And we know he didn't escape alone. He had help. Hiding a convict or withholding information from the law is a felony offence."
Minetta paces around the room, ending up at Reggie's desk.
"So whoever's aided and abetted Archie Andrews is just as much a criminal as he is." Minetta says.
"I was busy all day, Sheriff." Reggie says. "You can check my browser history, if you know what I mean."
I hold back a snort at Reggie's comment, causing Minetta's eyes to snap to me, but then his eyes fall to Evelyn.
"I don't even know this Archie person, and on Monday's I host a group for team farmies. We are still accepting members by the way." Evelyn comments.
"My brother going missing isn't a promo opportunity, Evelyn. Can you be anymore insensitive?" I snap at the redhead, rolling my eyes.
"I'm sure you're very distraught, Nova." Minetta says, then turning to Josie, walking over. "Where were you, Ms McCoy, at the time of the breakout?"
"Don't look at me, sir." Josie says. "I... Uh... I was in the music room. Practicing."
"Alone?" He asks. She nods.
"I'll be looking into all of your alibis." He says, leaning on Josie's desk. "And if I find out later that someone in here was involved, well you can say goodbye to this school, your hopes and dreams. Your music, you're entire future. All of it goes away, just like that..."
But suddenly, no one's listening to Minetta as we all realise there's more to Josie than terror right now. At first, it seems like she might spill the beans, then it looks like she's about to have a panic attack, and then her eyes are rolling into the back of her head and she's convulsing.
"Sheriff Minetta back off!" Cheryl yells, rushing to Josie's aid, But Josie's head slams down on the desk, then back up until her convulsing stops and she falls into Cheryl's arms.
As the whole room sits in shock, Toni and Sweet pea help Cheryl take Josie to the nurse, and Minetta abruptly leaves, causing the rest of us to remain shocked, looking at each other in confusion.
*
"Minetta's trashing tent city, Jug. Looking for Archie." Sweet pea tells Jughead later in Jug's trailer.
"Alright, I propose a manhunt of our own. I want every Serpent on the ground searching for Joaquin. No stone left unturned." Jughead instructs us.
"Serpents don't just shiv other Serpents." Sweet pea growls.
"Yeah, what do you think got into him?" Fangs continues.
"According to Arch, Joaquin did it for Warden Norton." I explain to them.
"When the Warden confronted Betty, he called Archie the Red Paladin." Jughead adds. "Plus, the warden poisoned himself with cyanide and blueberry fresh-aid ad he worked for Riverdale high before the detention centre. The question is was he playing G&G with someone or for someone?"
"And since he's dead, Joaquin's the only one who can know the answer." Sweet pea says.
"Right." Jughead confirms.
"But Joaquin may not be alone. Kevin said he's rolling with a new gang." I say.
"Those gargoyle creeps you guys saw?" Fangs asks.
"Exactly." I confirm.
"If the gang is working for the King, then they're gonna take us right to him." Jughead hums.
YOU ARE READING
Resilience | Sweet Pea.
FanficResilience; (n.) the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness. "I came to the place I felt the safest." I tell him. "With you." Nova Daniels, the adoptive sister of Riverdale's very own Archie Andrews, has had trouble after trouble...
