{1} Tempest {Sweet Pea}

XVII

Storm got shoved out of Pop's, as the kindly store owner had not wanted a fight in his Chock'Lit Shop.

She looked around to see Bulldogs pulling on masks, red hoods and she backed up, but slammed into Reggie.

"This is from the Red Circle. It's a message for you and all your little Serpent drug buddies." He said coldly, and she looked around to see that she was in a complete circle.

She ducked the first two swings, but the blows just kept on coming from all sides. She went down hard after kicks in the back and stomach, and Reggie slammed his knee into her face.

"Where are your Serpent buddies now? Did they ditch you or something since they aren't coming to you now!"

Reggie grabs her by the jacket and shakes her hard, before Dilton Doiley punched her in the face.

She had the salty taste of blood in her mouth, as she heard them laughing as spray paint was heard being sprayed.

She looked up to see red and blue flashing of sirens, as well as Pop Tate standing over her, with a phone in hand.

She opened her eyes and found herself in the hospital, with a bunch of people looking at her. Including Sweet Pea and Toni, who looked like they were ready to murder someone.

"Did you guys at least get the food I paid for?" She asked with a slight grin and Pop Tate stood in the corner.

"They got their food from me, safe and sound, but frankly these young people, were much more of concern about you." Pop murmured and Storm grunted under her breath.

"I hate Bulldogs." She mumbled and her brother Archie raised eyebrows at her and she looked at him.

"Why are you even here anyways? Didn't Dad tell you to totally ditch me or something? Did you tell them all to kick my ass?" She asked and he shook his head.

"I didn't tell them anything. This was Reggie on his own with them. I was in with Veronica the entire night. I didn't have a clue about any of this." Archie mumbled.

"You'd rather hang out with your girlfriend then your twin sister? What kind of family is that?" Sweet Pea asks and Storm whistled quickly, her face a big wince when she did.

"Not now, Sweet Pea. Take it outside later. Right now, I want to know what happened when you guys found me."

She said, surprisingly calm considering all the crap that she had managed to be stuck in past few days, including now this.

"So to recap. You were minding your own business, getting food from Pop's diner for yourself and your friends."

"It was just immediately after you paid for all of your food that you were stopped from leaving. By the Bulldog, Reggie Mantle." Sheriff Keller was asking as his eyes went down his notepad full of notes.

"Yeah. That was it. Then after, they pulled out Red Hoods and put them on and started kicking my ass." Storm says, as Sweet Pea paces the room and Toni was squeezing Storm's hand.

"Why didn't you fight back? I know that you can fight, so why didn't you fight back?" Sheriff Keller asked.

"Easy question, easy answer. The answer to this is always the same. If there is a fight between Bulldogs and Serpents, the Serpents always get the bad side, they always get hauled in. It happened the last time, so why should it not be the same now? I didn't want, to be the one giving you an excuse for bringing all my fellow Serpents, in for questioning." Storm says coldly, as the Sheriff flinched, and Sweet Pea finally stopped pacing.

"Any more questions Sheriff? Or are you actually gonna leave me alone in my pain and misery now?" She asked and he looked at her.

"Can you identify any of the other members of the Red Circle?" He asked and she looked at him.

"Dilton Doiley. Reggie Mantle. I couldn't see the identities any of the others for sure. I'd rather not jump at shadows and put innocent people into a cell." Storm says and Keller nodded.

"Thanks for the information kid, I'll be in touch." He said, shaking hands with her, before he was walked out of the room.

"We should've been there." Toni finally spoke up, after the Sheriff had been gone for almost 5 minutes.

"I appreciate the sentiments. But, what could you guys have done to help me? I mean Toni, the most that could've happened, is all of us being dragged in for questioning." Storm said quietly.

"It would have been a fairer fight. At least we know that." Sweet Pea said as his eyes blazed.

"Yeah, it would've. But at what cost exactly? You guys going back to jail, for real this time? One of you getting hurt even worse then I already am? It isn't worth it." Storm reasoned and he growled at her, but she tilted her head slightly and he sighed.

A knock came on the door and Storm looked to see her dad standing there a bit awkwardly. "Can I uh... have a few minutes?" He asks his voice uncertain and the two Serpents looked at Storm, who nodded.

"Wait outside. I'll be okay." She murmured and Toni squeezed her hand and they both walked out of the room. "Come to yell at me Dad? For being a Southside Serpent again?" She asked and he looked at her.

"Can I sit?" He asks and she looks at him, with a slight nod, after wincing at the pain in her shoulder. "I'm sorry, that I didn't believe you about them. It wasn't right of me to take the side of a Mayor before my own kid." He said as she looked at him.

"I'm not FP Jones. We will just get that all out of the way already. I'm Storm. I call myself Tempest among them but I am your daughter, Storm Andrews." A broken tone was in her voice now.

"Kid, I never meant to hurt you and I'm really sorry if I did." Fred began to speak again, but Sweet Pea stuck his head back into the room.

"Tall Boy's outside, wondering how you are." Storm wipes her eyes quick and nodded.

"Thanks Pea. Send him in when he's done getting through security. My old man was just leaving." She said coldly, and Fred looks at her, with pain all in his face, but the look he got back was a broken look, emotionless, it was just like the girl he had raised now.

"I'll sign the papers for you. You'll be out of here in no time." Fred says and his tone was quiet as he walked out of the room, with Toni taking his place after he walked out.