The Other Detective - Book 3 (Riverdale Season 3)

Outbreak - Part 2

***Brief seizure 

"You know, Penny, I'm not shocked that a bottom feeder like you is working with Hiram Lodge. I mean, you always had unfixed allegiances."

Penny chuckled from where she stood, tied to a metal rack. "That's rich, coming from Gladys Jones."

"Yeah, well, I am surprised that you're not ratting him out right now. He must have something real good on you, Pennyslot."

"I'm no snitch, but I will say this: Hiram won't stop. Not till he gets what he wants. And right now, that's Red," she looked over at him from where they watched. "And there's nothing that you, or your little Lord of the Flies crew, or Jughead and Aminity here can do. Hiram won't stop."

"Speaking of my Jug," she shrugged off her jacket, "I saw the work that you did on him. You carved him up like a Sunday roast."

"That was business between me and him."

"Yeah, well, I'm his mama, so it's between me and you now." She picked up a knife off the table beside her. "Alright, everyone. Go inside. Me and Penny here, we're gonna have us a little girl talk."

"Ask her about G&G, how Hiram fits into it all," Jughead told her before walking inside.

"Roger that." Archie and Aminity glanced at each other before following Jughead.

***

"Hey," Jughead greeted as they walked back into the garage. "What happened with Penny?"

"Just... Give me a second, Jug, okay? Let me think. I just need to think," she said without emotion as she cleaned off her hands.

"She talk about the game?"

"Jug, come on," Archie tried to stop him.

"We know that she was tracking Archie for Hiram. Was it a quest from her master? Is Hiram more than the Man in Black? Is he the Gargoyle King?"

"You are so caught up in this damn game you can't see three feet in front of you. The big prize isn't Archie's head, it-"

"It's Riverdale," Aminity realized, letting out a breath and Gladys nodded.

"Jug, if you had your wits about you, you would realize that Hiram chased you out of town just to get you off the chess board, and if Aminity went with you, so much the better, so you were as far away from Riverdale when he made his big play."

"So it's not about ascending to the Kingdom. It's about claiming the Kingdom. And if Hiram is the Gargoyle King, then he's responsible for intruding G&G to Riverdale and the deaths of those kids."

"Mrs. J, what do we do?"

"I'm still trying to figure that out, sweetie."

"Are we okay here?" Jughead asked. "I mean, is Archie even safe?"

"Yeah. Of course he is." The three teens glanced at each other.

***

Aminity startled awake as Jughead laid a hand on her shoulder.

"Shh," he whispered. "It's just me. Come on," he whispered, helping her out of bed as they followed their mother.

"I didn't want to talk in front of Archie and the others," Gladys explained as they entered the garage. "As it turns out, Peabody had a lot to say. The bounty on your pal Archie, it's not just on him. It's on anyone who's with him or is helping him which means there is a target on your backs now too. And it's the same if he goes back to Riverdale. Archie's dad, Archie's friends, everyone is at risk, which is why you've got to cut him loose."

"I'm not just gonna ditch Archie, Mom. He's my best friend."

"There's no way. We're all in this together."

"Your mom's right, guys." They all turned and saw Archie in the doorway. "You got me this far. That's more than anyone else would have done. You can go home."

"No, I can go back if I'm holding you two back or-"

"Hey, it's not you," Archie assured her, putting a hand on her shoulder. "It's just not safe for any of us."

"What are you talking about?" Jughead asked, unable to get over Archie's request. "You can't go out there alone. You just said it yourself, it's not safe."

"Jug, Hiram almost killed us back at that farm. Penny tracked us here to your mom's. I put her in danger. I can't keep doing that. Wherever I go next, it's got to be alone."

"Archie-"

"Jug," he stopped him, giving him a hug before hugging Aminity.

"Alright. So it's decided. Arch, we'll get you a ride up to the border. I know a guy there who can help. Jughead, Aminity, you two can stay here as long as you want."

He thought about it. "No, I think I need to go home."

"We left our friends, jobs... We have to go back."

"And Hiram Lodge needs to get taken down. It's only gonna happen from the inside."

***

"Alright," Gladys sighed as she walked in the room, light coming through the dirty windows as they packed their stuff. "Now, I packed you guys some lunches for the road." They all looked up as there was a knock on the door. "Hey, Jug, you mind getting that? It's probably Archie's ride." Jughead opened the door and Aminity smiled.

"Dad!" Archie stood up and gave him a hug. "I've missed you so much, Dad."

"Me too, son." He nodded to Gladys and she nodded back. Fred let go, patting Jughead on the shoulder and giving Aminity a hug. "Thank you all for taking care of him."

"We all took care of each other, Mr. A," Jughead told him as Gladys walked outside. Jughead and Aminity quickly followed after saying their goodbyes, giving Archie and Fred some space.

"Dad," he let out. "I see Mom called you."

"Dad!" she yelled, running and hugging him. "I missed you."

"You too, sweetheart. Thought you might be missing these," he held up their Southside Serpent jackets." Jughead took it before hugging him. "I heard Penny was here causing trouble."

"No problem at all," Gladys told him. "I don't think we have to worry much about Penny anymore." Jughead and Aminity glanced at each other as Gladys sighed. "Come here, kids." She wrapped them both in a hug. "I'm gonna miss you two." She smiled, pulling away.

"Go warm up the bikes, will you, Jug?" They smiled at their mom before walking away. They glanced back, watching as Gladys hugged FP giving him a small kiss on the cheek.

***

They stopped, getting off the bikes as they reached the fence around Riverdale, walking up to the armed soldier.

"The hell is this?"

"Town's under quarantine. Governor's orders. No one in or out. Turn around and go."

"No. No, we live here."

"Not anymore," he told Jughead. "Turn around now!" They all pointed their guns at them. Aminity's eyes rolled back as her body started spasming as she fell to the ground.

"Aminity!" Jughead and FP panicked, leaning over her shaking body.

"She's one of the infected! Get them inside now!"

My new book drops Thursday, so check that out! Hope you enjoyed. Stay safe!