Stardust // Reggie Mantle (3)

Chapter Fourty-Three

Caia sat in the back of Betty's car as the two of them plus Veronica drove to the bus crash sight. Caia was still in shock. She hadn't even known her dad was being moved, and now he was dead? Something didn't feel right and Caia could tell Betty felt the same way.

Betty stopped the car just in front of the barracaide and all three girls exited the vehicle. They rushed forward, to be met by FP Jones walking towards them, his arm in a white sling.

"Mr. Jones," Veronica greeted. "What happened here?" Caia glanced past FP and the police cruisers to catch sight of the prison bus. It was on its side, charred and smoking. Glass and bus parts littered the sides of the highway. There was no way anyone could have survived a crash like that, right?

"We don't know the answer to that yet," FP was replying. "We're working on it."

"It's him," Betty muttered quietly. Caia's head shot over to the girl. "He's back. The black hood." Caia wanted to barf. The Gargoyle King was still around, and now the black hood was back too? What a mess.

"Betty's dad was on that bus," Veronica explained Betty's accusation. Caia nodded, realizing what Betty had been referring to.

"He was being transferred to Hiram's prison," Betty elaborated. "He's out there, Mr. Jones!" Caia shuddered. If Betty's dad could have escaped, didn't that mean hers could have as well.

FP shook his head and turned to Betty. "No, no. Betty," he began. "No one survived this crash. I'm-" he cut off in the middle of his statement, not knowing how to go about the truth. "I'm sorry."

Betty recoiled and stared at FP for a moment. "You know that he's dead?" She questioned. "You're positive?"

FP nodded. "There were five inmates on that bus, one driver, that's six in total. Which is-" he motioned backwards and paused again. "It's the number of heads we've found." Betty nodded and Caia looked away. "DNA tests will confirm it if we can't piece everyone back together, but-" FP trailed off again. "I'm sorry." With that, FP turned and walked away.

Caia turned to her friends. Betty had crossed her arms and was staring confusedly at the ground. She glanced at Veronica, who was staring at the two girls with sympathy. "Betty, Caia," She called, walking over to the two. "We should go," She suggested softly.

"He asked for my help with this transfer," Betty blurted. "He wanted this, Veronica," she stated. "What if he planned this? What if he escaped?" She paused and took a deep breath. "He could still be out there."

Caia understood what Betty was saying, and in a way she felt it too. She didn't believe her dad was really dead. It was never that simple. Not in Riverdale.

However, she neglected to say her own fears out loud. Betty seemed too wrapped up in her own world, and Caia didn't want to bother her or Veronica, who seemed concerned enough already.

She'd just find someone else to talk about it with.

*

Caia sat in the student lounge with all her friends while Betty went into further detail on her theory about her father.

"It can't be a coincidence," Betty was saying. "He asked for the transfer, and then his bus just bursts into flames?" She questioned. "He planned it. He used me to escape, and now he's out there." Caia could tell that as passionate as Betty was, most of the others didn't seem to be totally believing in her theory.

"Betty," Veronica began. "Caia and I were with you. We saw what was left of that bus. Nobody could've survived that."

"Yeah, but if he did-" Betty began.