Queen of Snakes

Chapter Thirteen; When Making Deals

Betty and I slowly walk up the drive at Thistlehouse. Cheryl was lounging in a red swimsuit while reading a book. The moment she saw us coming she closed it and smiled.
"Sweet Cousin, Darling Serpent, to what do I owe this unannounced pleasure?"

"I just wanted to see how you were doing." Betty looks to Cheryl sadly.
"I'm compartmentalizing." Cheryl puts the book down beside her. "But I also see right through you, invisible woman." Cheryl pulls her sunglasses off of her face staring Betty down. Betty looks back to me before turning her attention back towards Cheryl.
"I'm writing an article. On Jingle Jangle inundating Riverdale. Have you ever heard of the Sugarman?" Betty gives up beating around the bush.
"Yeah, of course." Cheryl looks at Betty confused.
"What?" Betty responds with even more confusion. I took a step towards Cheryl.
"As children, Mother told us tales of how Daddy was friends with the so-called Sugar Man. And if we were bad, he would sneak into our rooms at night, steal us from our beds, whisk us away, nevermore to be seen."
"Cheryl, is it possible that this man maybe worked for your father's drug business?" Betty pressed. I bit my lip knowing that wasn't the way she wanted it to come out.
"Dear God, Betty. Is there no memory, however traumatic, you won't defile?" Cheryl's once sweet smile turned into one that almost seemed like a dog getting read to latch onto something.
"I'm just trying to get to the truth." Betty sighed, she slightly looked at me over her shoulder.
"I've told you the truth. The Sugar man was a poison confection spun by my mother to scare children. Like the Sandman or Krampus. Now fly away, little birds." I gave Cheryl a courtly nod and turned to start walking away. Betty eventually followed.

**Jughead POV**

After leaving Pop's I just wanted to punch something. I was so tired of the Southside always being the butt of everything. Kat was right, it was all whole different ball game once you joined the Serpents. Kat seemed like she didn't fully trust Tall Boy, or me for that matter. She wasn't happy when he texted me to meet up and not her. I made my way through the southside towards the location Tall Boy sent me. I walk down some stairs into a poorly lit room. A young girl stood up and walked towards me before quickly pushing past.

"Sit down, kid. Business to discuss." Tall Boy called before getting comfortable in a chair across the room from me.
"Tall Boy, what the hell is this? Where are we?" I asked.
"You're in my house." I male voice spoke into my ear. A man with a mop of curly hair walked around me giggling. "It's the House of the Dead." He preached before sitting in a chair beside Tall Boy.
"Well, I'm sorry, who the hell are you?" I pointed at the man.
"Take it easy, Jughead. Malachi speaks for the Ghoulies." Tall Boy informed me. Malachi sits there with a cocky grin on his face. "With the heat on us and our ranks depleted, our tribes need to unite. And that's gonna be easier to do if you endorse this partnership." Tall Boy sits forward.
"Me?" I asked shocked. Why didn't Tall Boy ask Kat? She already has the trust of the Serpents, what she says goes...I thought.

"You're FP's son. That carries weight, especially with our younger members." He seems so sure.
"Tall Boy, They're the reason Southside was even raided. You were at the Whyte Wyrm not thirty minutes ago watching it all unfold. You stood beside Kat in front of all of them, now...You're hiding in the shadows making deals with the Gholies? Them and all their Jingle Jangle."
"Chaos is how we thrive, you better get used to it." Malachi speaks, his words slurred like he has already taken enough drugs to never come down.
"Are you really going to do this to Kat? No, ya know what forget that. Are you really going to do this to my dad? You're supposed to be his right-hand."

"The Northside declared war today. Your old man ain't her to call the shots. And between you and me, Kathleen's gotten herself in to deep to make level headed decisions. Same as her mother. Yes, I'm FP's right hand. That makes me de facto leader, here and now, so... Things are changing, Jones. Either you change with them." He pauses and I shake my head "or suffer the consequences." I continue shaking my head wishing Kat was here instead of me. Her trusted elder in the gang just turned his back on her, right after supporting her to the rest of the gang. This wasn't going to go over well.
"Evolve or die, baby. Evolve or die." Malachi speaks up again looking proud of Tall Boy.