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Chapter 23 || Mounting Frustrations

"All right, Serpents." I addressed, sitting on the desk in front of the classroom reserved for our club. "Let's get right to it. Any of you guys know about the break-in to the Chemistry lab?"

It was silent, but the smirk of Kurtz's face spoke volumes, and I couldn't help but feel severely frustrated at the boy.

"Kurtz?" I huffed. "What are you smiling about?"

"Just thinking how looting the alchemist lair was one of our more rewarding quests." He responded, prompting the Gargoyles around him to laugh.

"Are you serious?" I hissed, glaring at the insufferable boy I slid off the desk and took a few steps forward. "You did that as part of a G&G game? You realize Weatherbee's gunning for us now, right, moron?"

"You promised us immunity." Kurtz reminded smugly.

"Not when you go and flagrantly break the law." I snapped. "You're gonna return that equipment."

"The hell I am." Kurtz retorted.

"Freakin' Fizzle Rock junkie." Fangs spat.

"You wanna go right now?" Kurtz asked, and then both boys were in the middle of the classroom. Sweet Pea and Jughead grabbed Fangs before he could do anything, making me groan and rub my face. "Don't think that we've forgotten about you spying on the Gargoyles. I should have beaten you over the head with that branding iron when I had the chance."

While Fangs grabbed Kurtz's shirt, I slammed my hands down on the desk I was standing in front of.

"All right!" I yelled. "Back down! Both of you, right now!"

Sweet Pea and Jughead shoved Fangs away from Kurtz, and I took a breath before addressing the gangs before me.

"Whatever bad blood existed between the Serpents and the Gargoyles, it's over!" I declared, glaring at everyone. "We're all Serpents now. You know, I think it's high time our newer members learned about our laws."

"Is this for real?" Kurtz muttered. I ignored the boy and leaned back on the desk with a glare set on my face.

"Repeat after me." I stated. "In unity, there is strength."

All my Serpents repeated the law back to me, Fangs more passionately than the others, but the Gargoyles remained silent.

"I can't hear you, Kurtz." I commented, sneering at the boy who thought he was in control here. "Want to try that again?"

"I play by a different set of rules." Kurtz said.

"Then you're out of the gang." I decided. Kurtz stood up and approached me, trying to scare me into submission. I met him halfway, showing him that despite my small stature, I wasn't scared of anyone, least of all him.

"You came to me, remember?" Kurtz stated smugly, getting in my face slightly. "Your mother came to me. Invited us into the Serpents."

He backed off, slowly walking back toward his desk, his body language screaming that he was sure of himself.

"And looking around, you need us more than we need you." Kurtz continued. "So, if you're rescinding what you promised us, then you better come up with something better to offer. Before we decide to throw you guys out of our gang."

"I'm going to kill him." I muttered, barely giving Sweet Pea, Fangs, and Jughead enough time to process what I said before I launched myself toward the taller boy.

"No!" Jughead snapped, pulling me away from Kurtz.

"Jughead, let me go show him who's in charge around here." I hissed, struggling against the three boys holding me back.

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