"WHERE IS EVERYBODY?" Marla asked Veronica. She was sitting at the counter at Pop's while Veronica was working. "I know Archie's in juvie on an unlawful accusation because that was plastered all over the news, Jughead's God-knows-where, and Betty. . .Betty's somewhere. I tried asking Mrs. Cooper where she was but she wouldn't answer."

     Marla's phone rang. When she went to go answer it, it was a number she wasn't familiar with. "Hello?" she asked.

     "Mars?" It was Betty.

     "Oh my God. Betty!" Marla put her phone on speaker so Veronica could hear. "Where are you?"

     "I'm at the Sisters of Quiet Mercy," Betty answered. "Why did your mom put you there?" Marla demanded.

"Marla, calm down. This is a good thing. I can do my research here and figure what's going on with all of them."

"Infiltrate it from the inside," Marla whispered. "Exactly," Betty agreed. "Do you want us to come get you? Have a car lined up for when you escape?" Veronica piped up. "That won't be necessary," said Betty. Then there was a pause. "Gotta go. The Sisters are handing out some sort of vitamins in a cup. I don't know. I'll update you guys later. Mars, don't do anything stupid until I get back."

"How can I? You're taking all the stupid with you," replied Marla. "Bye, Bets." And then she hung up. "Bets and Mars?" Veronica questioned, raising a curious eyebrow. "They're just nicknames, Ronnie. Just like how you and Betty call each other B and V." Marla shrugged. Veronica let out a sigh. "Archie's not in juvie, anymore."

"That's great! Why the long face, though?" Marla perked up, then slouching back down when she saw Veronica's heartbroken face. "Reggie and I and some of the others helped break him out and now he's on the run with Jughead, trying to find a place to stay where no one can find him," Veronica explained. "He also broke up with me before taking off."

"It was probably good thing that he did. That way you wouldn't have to worry about him so much." Marla took hold of Veronica's hand for comfort. "What about you, huh?" Veronica asked. "What about me?" Marla returned the question.

"What if you and Betty broke up and she ran off to live in the woods?"

"We're not even dating. But I would let her go because I trust her. She's a strong girl. She knows how to make a flammable jelly. But she only knows how to make it because I taught her."

"How do you know so much about spy stuff?" Veronica wondered. "It's like how you know so much about the mob community; you learn from the best," Marla answered. "My grandpa introduced me to this show called Veronica Mars when I was eight. She was a teen detective like Nancy Drew, but more badass. I guess you could say he kind of modeled me after her. He even caught himself calling me Veronica Mars, sometimes.

"But anyway, he was the person that taught me what he knew most because he was a P.I. himself. Showed me all of the ropes and whatnot."

"What about your dad? Did he teach you anything?"

Marla sighed. "He died when my mom was still pregnant with me. I don't how he died, I just don't know that much about him or what he was like, anyway."

"I'm so sorry, Marla," Veronica apologized. "It's okay," Marla shook her head. "Not to sound so emotionless but it doesn't feel bad talking about it because I have no genuine connection to him so I don't feel so sad."

Veronica patted her hand sympathetically. "If you feel like drowning out your sorrows, you know where to go."

Marla laughed. "Thanks, Ronnie. But I don't drink. Watered down or not, I take my job as this town's Veronica Mars very seriously."

"You and Betty really were made for each other. You're like. . .Sherlock Holmes and John Watson."

Marla was at her desk reloading her camera with new film and was on her way to the local drugstore (haha) to get her photos developed when her phone rang. Recognizing the number, she answered it. "Got anything?"

     "The Sisters aren't giving us candy. They're doping us up with Fizzle Rocks," was the first thing Betty said. "And I think Hiram might be supplying them with it."

     "Jesus Christ," Marla grumbled as she wrote this down. "Anything else?"

     "Yeah. Apparently there's this chamber that the Sisters bring you to when you misbehave and the Gargoyle King himself is in there." Marla wrote this down, as well. "This town is messed. Up," she commented. "No kidding. But just hang tight, Mars. I'll be out of here before you know it," said Betty.

     "I don't doubt it." Then they hung up. Marla blew out a puff of air and went back to loading her camera. She went down the stairs and into the kitchen to find a note on the fridge from her mother. Went out of town for the weekend, you're on your own. Love, Mom, it read. Marla thought this to be a relief. This way, she could investigate all of this properly without worrying her mom. She was out the door to have her photos developed because her evidence wall was starting to look a little blank.

Just as Marla was done paying, her phone began ringing. She answered it without a second thought, knowing that it was Betty on the other end. "Hey, Bets. How's it hanging?"

"I just faked a seizure to meet the Gargoyle King," Betty prompted. "Jesus, Betty," Marla sighed, "warn a girl, won't you? Taking you by surprise is my thing."

Betty laughed softly. "How was the chamber? What'd the guy look like?" Marla asked.

"There was no full getup. Just the head and a cross. What about you? What's going on over there?"

"Did you know that Jughead ran away with Archie?"

"Wait, really?" Betty asked. Marla nodded, even though Betty couldn't see. "Yeah. Apparently they went for Toledo or someplace up north to hide so no one would find Archie. But any who, you figure out a way to bust out that place?"

"Yup. I should be back by tomorrow morning. Keep a lookout for me."

     "You got it, dude. See you soon." The call disconnected and Marla went back inside the store to kill some time before her photos were done.