My feet carried me into the hospital in a fast pace, through the halls, straight to the waiting area at the back. It wasn't hard to spot them. They were the frazzled teens sitting in the chairs with a small group of parents huddled together. I'd spotted Jughead, Betty, and Veronica when walking in. But no sign of Archie.

As I walked closer, I heard Alice Cooper's voice, from where she stood with Hal and Hermione Lodge by the teens. "...I can't help but wonder if your South side associates had anything to do with what happened to Fred," she said, as Hal comforted her with hands on her shoulders. It was followed by a strings of mingled sighs from the teens sitting.

Only when I spoke did anyone notice me walking up, stopping at the back of Jughead's line of chairs. "Wow, really, Alice?" my voice caused all to glance in my direction. Alice's face dropped upon seeing the leather on my shoulders. My eyebrows narrowed a fraction, looking only at her. "Don't tell me FP is your prime suspect. He's in jail."

"Diana," Alice greeted, coldly.

"What? Cat got your tongue? Come on. It's not too early in the morning for you to throw innocent men and women under the bus," I quipped, sliding my hands into my pockets.

Veronica groaned and slid back in her chair, dropping her head onto Betty's shoulder. Jughead twisted in his chair and flashed me a warning look. But the damage had already been done. Alice's eyes were full of contempt and disgust. "Oh, I hardly think the Serpents are innocent-"

"Right now, they are," I interrupted, causing her eyes to narrowed in an expression only meaning one thing—how dare you. I lowered my tone, but kept my features neutral. "So back off."

Hal then mumbled something about needing to sit down, and he was able to pull Alice away to go sit in some chairs near the front desks. Veronica's mother, Hermione, was obviously trying not to stare. But her eyes flickered up and down my middle as I stepped past her to take the seat next to Jughead. "Where's Archie?" I asked him, curiously.

"Calling his mom," he answered, exhaling. "He'll probably be back soon. You didn't bring Sweet Pea with you?"

My eyebrows scrunched as I sat back in my chair, crossing my knees as I shook my head. "Why would I?"

"Well, how'd you get here so fast?"

"I took his motorcycle. I told him about Mr. Andrews and he gave me his keys."

I'd answered it casually, simply. Though Veronica and Betty had raised brows. Looking at me with a mixture of shock and admiration. I turned my head, pausing cold in confusion upon seeing Jughead's expression. His eyebrows were furrowed, jaw slacked, like he, too, was caught in surprise. But his was mixed with something else—worry. I scoffed. "Don't give me that," I shook my head. "Don't think I didn't see dad's bike in the parking lot."

"That's different, Diana," he gave me a look.

My eyebrows instinctively lowered. "Why? Because I'm a girl?"

"Your gender has nothing to do with it, I assure you," he shook his head a little, giving me a side-eye. "I'm just worried, you know? It seems like every few days you're almost dying. A motorcycle accident wouldn't be pretty, I can tell you that. And I don't want to watch it happen."

"Jug, don't worry. It was just this once. Okay?"

Just as I'd said that, Archie came back into the waiting area. His Letterman jacket was covered in Mr. Andrews' blood, his eyes feral like a wild cat's. I immediately pushed up from my chair and hurried toward him. "Diana," Archie greeted, in faint surprise, as he'd just noticed me when I stood. "You're here."

My stride met him half way, and I didn't hesitate to pull him into a tight hug. "Are you okay?" I'd asked, my chin on his shoulder. He took a deep breath, but he trembled in light shakes against me, holding onto me more tightly than I was to him. The answer was evident. No, he was not okay. Not okay at all. He'd pulled away without a word, nodding instead of a verbal answer. But his eyes were downcast. Even still, I could see the panic in them.

There was a certain glossed over look to the eyes of someone in shock. It wasn't hard to see it in Archie's. I grabbed his face with my hands, forcing him to look up, for his eyes to meet mine. "I'm here if you need to talk, okay?" I spoke softly, quietly.

He relaxed a little, nodding. "Thanks, Diana."

I nodded in return as I let him go. It was just then that Sheriff Keller walked into the waiting area. Apparently, his mission was to interview Archie and ask questions about what happened. It didn't really bother me that Archie took Jughead along with him to the cafeteria with Keller for support. All I would do is question Keller's every move. I wouldn't have been much 'support'. Once they'd left for the cafeteria, I took a seat across from Betty and Veronica.

Hermione had gone to sit with Alice up front of the room, by the front desk. So it was just us girls in the center chairs. Betty filled me in on the details I'd missed. That Mr. Andrews was in surgery and probably would be for a long while. During the quiet lull, with people coming and people going, I pulled my phone from my back pocket and texted Sweet Pea an update. I told him all I knew—even though it wasn't much at all.

ME: Hey. Still waiting on surgery. Don't know how long it's going to be. Is Cash still sleeping?

SP: She woke up just after you left. I told her where you went, she seems okay.

ME: That's good. What about Killer?

SP: Cash wants to take him for a walk to the park after breakfast.

A small smile pulled up my lips at the thought. A six foot biker with a four foot tall little girl, walking a German Shepard to Pickens Park. The park was one of Cash's favorite places to go before we had to leave our home on the South side. So it was no surprise that was where she wanted to take Killer.

ME: That sounds fun.

SP: Your sister scares me. LOOK AT THIS.

A picture popped into the message string then, one that was obviously of Cash. She was on the living room floor on her back, mirroring Killer's position beside her. The next picture that appeared in my messages was both girl and dog on their feet now. But Killer's front legs were flat on the floor with his back end high in the air. Cash was doing her best to imitate such a pose.

ME: It's adorable!

SP: There's something wrong with this child.

ME: There's nothing wrong, Sweets.

SP: I think she wants to kill me.

ME: Why?

SP: She just invited me to a tea party.

ME: Play with her, maybe she'll be your friend.

SP: Or maybe she'll poison me.

I huffed a chuckle, refraining from rolling my eyes. Barely, my eyes caught movement across the aisle of chairs. I'd glanced up. The girls were looking at something over my shoulder, so I twisted in my chair to see. Archie and Jughead were coming back from the interrogation—I mean, interview.

ME: Gotta go. You can do this, Sweets. She's nine.

After sending a final text, I locked my phone, sliding it in my back pocket as I stood. I walked around the end of the aisle of chairs and across the open room to the boys at the doorway. "Was there something you weren't telling Keller?" Jughead asked Archie, as I arrived, causing my eyebrows to slowly slide upward.

Archie glanced between me and Jughead a second before replying, "My dad told me he and Mrs. Lodge fired the Serpents they had working on their crew. I know your dad vouches for them, but what if one of them got angry enough to do something?"

Jughead's eyes instantly shifted to the left, landing on mine. I slid my hands in my pockets. "Yeah, it's possible," I nodded slowly, thinking. "I mean- I can ask around? See if I find anything incriminating?" Archie seemed to relax at that, nodding quickly.

"Thanks, Diana. For everything," he said, genuinely, a slight quiver to his voice.

I put a hand on his shoulder, "Archie, you helped save my life. And your dad's always been nice to me. I figure it's the least I can do."

His eyes sporadically moved to mine from the floor, like he wanted to say something, but didn't. Or he wanted to do something, but didn't know if it was acceptable. Then, with a sigh, it seemed the hesitation was thrown out the window. He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around me in a hug. Despite the last couple of months being difficult to look at him, it felt so natural to hug him back. I was by no means feeling anything for Archie Andrews.

But, in that moment, all I'd seen was someone hurting and I wanted to ease that pain. If pulling Tall Boy out of bed was all I had to do in order to do that, then so be it. And that's exactly what I did. Jughead and I headed out to the front parking lot while I texted the bearded Serpent. All the while, Jughead told me a story about how Tall Boy and a few other Serpents showed up at the trailer the night before.

We'd just gotten outside when he said they'd given him a jacket. My footsteps slowed just before the three steps down to the pavement of the parking lot, my eyes darting up from the screen of my cell phone to my brother's face. "Did you keep it?" I asked, a bit hesitant.

The Serpent Jacket was second only to loyalty in the Serpent's order of importance. Jackets and tattoos were really all you needed to call yourself a Serpent. If they'd given him a Jacket, and he kept it, they might get the wrong idea. I knew Jughead. Jughead wasn't a Serpent and, if he wanted it to stay that way, he would need to give it back. "Yeah," he sighed a little, looking guilty. "I didn't really know what else to do."

"You're not going to wear it, though—right?" He looked hesitant to answer, in thought. And my eyes did of mixture of narrowing and widening as I tilted my head. "Jug. You can't keep it. If you want to stay a regular pedestrian, give it back when you have the chance. False loyalty will not end well for you, I promise you that."

He nodded, sighing. "Don't worry, okay? I'll give it back."

That was the last we'd spoken of it. But, looking back on it, I wished I'd done more to convince him. Tall Boy and another Serpent I didn't recognize arrived at the side area of the hospital parking lot not long after. As Jughead and I stepped into the awning-type space, Tall Boy got off his bike. "Got nervous when you said to meet at the hospital," he said, his eyes mostly on me.

"Have no fear—I'm gonna be a pain in your leather-wearing butt for a long time," I exhaled, as Jughead and I came to stand a few feet from Tall Boy. "I need a favor. We need a favor. Our friend's dad—Fred Andrews—was shot this morning during a robbery at Pop's."

"The guy was wearing a black hood," Jughead piped up.

"Serpents don't wear masks," the other nameless Serpent with Tall Boy spoke.

I slid my hands into my jacket pockets, "Wow, I didn't know that. Look. Some Serpents were working for Andrews Construction and they got let go. Maybe someone took it personally? I don't know. But you guys know every edge of Riverdale. If anyone heard anything, or saw anything, you guys could find out. Up for some detective work?"

Tall Boy stood quiet a second, considering it. Then he nodded once as his thoughtful eyes settled on mine again. "We'll knock some heads," he agreed. "I'll let you know what we find."

"I'm going with you," I spoke suddenly, before my mind had caught up to my mouth. But I'd said the words like it was obvious. Jughead, Tall Boy, and the nameless Serpent looked surprised—Jughead especially. His eyes were widened, eyebrows lowered. It was his signature look of worry. "Diana," he gently grabbed my upper arm, lowering his voice. "What are you doing? We need you here."

"I can help better elsewhere. Besides...I don't do well with waiting. I'll text you any updates, okay?"

Tall Boy didn't protest my interest in helping 'knock heads'. In fact, he looked a little—dare I say—impressed. Even more so when he saw whose bike I was riding. But he didn't care to comment, and the three of us—me, Tall Boy, and Serpent number three—rode to the Wyrm.

It was never supposed to get that far. Not at all. But I was already there. Standing in the basement of the Wyrm with Tall Boy and the nameless Serpent. After a bit of coaxing, it turned out that he did have a name. Ezra was all he'd said when I'd asked. Now Ezra held out his hand to me, a set of brass knuckles in his palm, with his chest heaving. "Your turn," he said, deciding to take a break.

What was he breaking from? Beating another Serpent senseless. The man was mouthing off about Fred Andrews. Saying things like how great it was he was shot and that he'd deserved it. So Tall Boy, naturally, wanted to interrogate him to try and tell the difference between truth and lip. Tall Boy's eyes shifted to mine from where he watched a few feet to my left. Eagerly awaiting my response, I'm sure. This was not exactly what I'd wanted.

It was actually the opposite. But something in me pushed my hand forward to reach out, to take the instrument of pain, of violence, and slide my fingers through. The Serpent tied to a chair three feet in front of me was a bit bloody but, in all reality, he hadn't been hurt very much. That was going to change. "Hit him," Ezra encouraged, a bit impatiently.

"Gee, I hadn't thought of that," I tossed my eyes.

Taking a deep breath, I stepped toward the man in the chair. I'd never done this before. I'd never thought of doing this before. Yet there I was. Fully prepared and ready to beat answers out of a man to a question I didn't know that he could truly answer. The first hit was sloppy, hesitant. But it still left my knuckles a bit bruised-feeling. Even under the brass knuckles, it hurt. Yet I kept going.

There was no reasonable explanation I could think of in doing this. All I'd told myself was that it had to be done to get the information we'd needed. Looking back on it, that shouldn't have been enough. "Enough," Tall Boy said, after a third hit. I stepped back, heaving just a little, and Tall Boy stepped toward the chair. "Think you can start talking now?"

"I didn't- I didn't shoot Fred Andrews," the Serpent in the chair sputtered, blood coating his lips.

"So you were just mouthing off, huh?" Tall Boy questioned, rhetorically. The bloodied Serpent nodded quickly.

Ezra sighed, unsatisfied, "I don't think he understands what he's done. Tall Boy?"

Tall Boy stepped back with a heavy exhale, crossing his arms over his broad chest in the way he'd been before. He looked to me. "Keep going."

"He just said he didn't do it," I pointed out, eyebrows knitting. "He's bleeding—everywhere. Isn't that enough?"

"He needs to be taught a lesson, Diana. And you don't stop when you get a confession. You have to know he's telling the truth and not just feeding you lies to get you to let him go," Tall Boy explained, tiredly. Like he'd done it a million times already. And maybe he had? My eyes moved to the man in the chair.

That was when I should have walked away. I should've said no and stood in defiance. But I didn't. Against my better judgment, I hit him again. I'd wanted to be a Serpent. That was the point of going through the misogynistic initiation and getting the tattoo, wearing the jacket. Living on the South side and going to South Side High was my chance to be more of a Serpent that I had been since joining. This was my chance to be what I looked up to.

I was getting a good, hard look at what I used to idolize. It wasn't pretty. It was bloody, bruised, swollen, and trembling. It was crimson dripping from brass knuckles. The dim lighting of the basement making it all the more like some crime drama where the protagonist is being beaten up by the mob. Except the protagonist wasn't getting beat up. The protagonist was doing the beating. But who was I to say no in a situation like this?

There was no doubt in my mind that, if I'd said no and stood my ground, I'd be the one getting taught a lesson next. After a little more, Tall Boy finally spoke up, saying it was enough. Immediately I stood back and pulled the brass knuckles from my fingers. "You want to be a Serpent, right?" Ezra asked, rhetorically, with such a casual tone it was almost terrifying. "This is what it's about."

I had a sick feeling in my stomach that he was right.

END
BOOK ONE

BOOK TWO COMING JANUARY 1ST 2018