Second Chances [Sweet Pea x OC]

Chapter 28

The classroom was nearly empty again, as if we'd somehow gone back in time. I was still the only girl, as the others were still sticking with the Pretty Poisons and Betty was MIA as usual. Kurtz and the Gargoyles were missing, all except the two who'd remained behind to help look for Ricky. I wasn't worried about any of them, it was Fangs's absence that concerned me. It didn't seem to bother Jughead though, who launched right into today's meeting.

"We found the kid, but he's still in danger. So is Archie for that matter," Jughead said.

"So what's the next play?" Sweet Pea asked, glancing towards me. He still wasn't over the fact that Archie and Ricky were two targets in the house, sleeping in the room right next to ours. And it didn't help that every time I talked to Ricky, his story became less believable.

"It's a classic gambit," Jughead replied. "The hunters become the hunted. Kurtz said that there are some rogue Goyles. So you two..." He whistled to the pair in the back, getting their attention. "Heckle and Jeckle, start talking. I want the names of those outliers. Get with Abigail and come up with a list and where we can find them. And I want sentries posted at the Gargoyle lair."

I raised an eyebrow as he continued on as if he and I had already discussed this plan beforehand. "Why am I the one getting this list together?" I asked.

Jughead continued on, ignoring my question. "We know Hiram Lodge is involved in this too with his Fizzle Rocks production, so we need to shut–"

"Jughead! You need to come right now," Toni burst out, running into the room.

"What, Toni?" Jughead sighed, annoyed at having been interrupted.

"Kurtz is about to kill Fangs," she replied, turning and running back out of the room. Jughead and Sweet Pea were the first ones out, the rest of us following close behind. Once in the hall, we could see a crowd gathered near the bottom of the stairs. And on the second floor, Kurtz and another Gargoyle holding Fangs by his legs over the rail.

As the Serpents began to push their way through the crowd, I grabbed Heckle and Jeckle who were trailing after us. "You two know them, can you get Kurtz to to pull Fangs back up to safety?"

"We can try," one of them said. "But it's probably a long-shot."

"I don't care how you do it, make something about a change in the quest or whatever it is that will get through that twisted mind of his," I ordered, shoving them in the direction of the stairs. The crowd parted as I started pushing my way to the front, coming to a stop between Sweet Pea and Jughead. Above us, Fangs hung, terrified, while Kurtz and his buddy grinned sadistically.

"Don't be scared, you dirty Serpent spy," Kurtz said. "You're about to ascend. And you'll fly too."

"Kurtz...don't" Jughead pleaded.

As if in slow motion, the Gargoyles released their hold on Fangs. "Happy landings, worthless snake," Kurtz said.

"No!" I shouted, staring in horror as Fangs fell towards the bare tile floor, the people standing in a wide circle, not seeming to care that they were about to see their classmate was about to die. Time suddenly sped up and in the time it took me to blink, Jughead and Sweet Pea were flat on the floor, Fangs sprawled on top of them both.

Glancing up at the second floor, Kurtz and his Gargoyles were gone, and with the excitement over, the group of Riverdale High students began to wander off. I dropped down next to the trio on the floor as they sat up slowly, disentangling themselves.

"Kurtz just declared war, didn't he?" I asked quietly. "And not just in whatever game of G&G he's playing in his mind." Jughead nodded, not saying a word. "Come on, let's get out of here before Weatherbee decides to kick all of you out."