vicious ↠ sweet pea [2]

|| FORTY-TWO ||

"As you know, Fangs, Lauryn and I were talking, and then I spoke to my dad," Jughead began as the small group of five Serpents stood in the chilly woods, barely a breeze in the air. "We wanna give you another shot at redemption."

"What are you thinkin'?" Fangs asked, a hint of nervousness streaking through the relief and excitement he had been bearing ever since his sister told him the news.

"We want you to go undercover, join the Gargoyle Gang. We need a man on the inside of Hiram Lodge's drug operation so that we can take him down. Are you in?"

Fangs took a second to make his final decision, glancing at his sister and best friend. "It'd be an honor.

Lauryn squeezed his shoulder proudly, nodding her head in approval as FP did the same.

"When do I start?" Fangs asked eagerly.

"As soon as we figure out where they've set up this time."

Once they got back to Fangs' trailer, Katie was waiting eagerly for her friends to return and fill her in on the meeting Jughead had summoned them all to in the woods. Her nails tapped daintily at the glass in front of her, and he head turned sharply when the door finally opened.

A brief explanation later, and Katie was ready to start a war.

"No, no way am I letting him do that!" Katie objected before Lauryn could even finish her last sentence, her fist slamming onto the table. Lauryn tilted her head back with a small groan.

"And why not? Would you rather him be out of the Serpents?" she argued back. "Look, I'd rather it be a different way, too, but not with him gone. We have to let him do this, only for a little while."

Katie listened to what Lauryn said, but she was still having none of it. "You're his sister and you're letting him do this! Are you mad?!"

"Babe, calm down," Fangs intervened finally, standing up from the head-supporting position he was in at the table, where he had been subjected to hearing them go back and forth. "It's the only way."

He took her hands, gazing deep into her eyes. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "There's really no persuading you, is there?"

He shook his head no.

"You're really gonna put yourself and your dignity on the line for a gang that's only falling apart?"

"There we go," Lauryn muttered, her teeth gritting behind her lips.

"I'm not wrong," The English girl boasted, tapping her foot against the floor as her legs became restless. "I swear to God, we're losing members daily. People are finding better things to do."

"What, like find a barn, smuggle some guns, and start shooting people?" Lauryn spat, rolling her eyes as Katie couldn't find a response, as she had expected. "Thought so. Look, I've spoken to Jughead, all right? Things should start to change. Just wait."

"And if they don't?"

Lauryn went to speak, but couldn't gather her words in time. She froze. "I... I don't know, Katie."

"So, what? This is all for nothing? He's risking his balls for a gang that may not exist in two weeks, is that the idea?"

"No! I-- Look, if this is bothering you so much, maybe you should go talk to Jughead himself. I'm sure he'd love to know what you think!"

"I know what I did, Lauryn," Katie said, in a much calmer voice than before. "I betrayed the Serpents. Maybe I'm not one to talk--"

"Well," Angel Face scoffed. "You made that choice a long time ago. You packed up your shit and left us. With him, after what he did to me the first time."