//

"On the eve of the Mayoral Debate, as Archie and Ricky Andrews goes door-to-door, they don't mention the murder of his classmate, Midge Klump. Most people believed Midge was murdered by someone else but not the Andrews boys. They were certain, beyond a shadow of a doubt, the Black Hood was back, as was their next-door neighbor, Betty Cooper. Who had, in fact, laid eyes on the Black Hood and suspected he was much closer."

The morning of the mayoral debate,  Ricky walked with Betty to school, asking, "Any word from Chic?"

Betty looked at him. "No. He hasn't called since I took him to the bus station. So who knows? Maybe he's gone for good."

He nodded. "Hey, the silver lining to all this Chic stuff over the last couple of weeks is...That's as bad as it gets, Betty...besides the Black Hood stuff. It can't get worse, how could it?"

"My dad could be the Black Hood," she said softly.

He nodded. "Well, that would be worse."

He was sort of brushing off the thought, trying to mostly focus on his dad's campaign.

***

Ricky sat next to Sweet Pea in the Swords and Serpents club, both passing a joint between one another as Jughead spoke, "War Baby called my father and I from Shankshaw. Her old adversaries, the Ghoulies, had been released. Word on the street is that they want Serpent blood. They're gunning for a re-match. They want war."

Reggie, along with Archie and several other Riverdale bulldog jocks, burst in. "Which one of you reptiles was screwing Midge Klump?" Reggie called out.

"What the hell is going on? This is a private meeting," Jughead replied.

Reggie pointed to the tallest Serpent in the room. "I'm guessing it was you, Sweet Pea."

Sweet Pea stood up, passing the joint back to Ricky as Archie stepped in and said, "Reggie, that's enough."

Ricky also stood up. "Pea, don't. He's just trying to piss you off."

"You ass, I didn't even know Midge," Sweet Pea replied to Reggie. "But yeah, I get why she wouldn't want fleas from you mangy Bulldogs!"

Reggie shoved him, and the two groups nearly fought until both Andrews and Jughead had shoved them back to separate them.

***

Ricky walked away from the last trailer in Sunnyside trailer park, he had been walking around convincing most Serpents to vote for Fred while the other half of the residents were voting for Hermione, not forgetting about the Lodges letting them stay in their home.

Ricky walked past the Jones trailer when he saw Jughead turning off and climbing off his motorcycle, the Jones boy noticing him first. "Still campaigning, huh?"

"Every vote counts," Ricky replied with a shrug. "Luckily, it seems like almost all Serpents are voting for my dad."

"Yeah, well, they all know what Hiram Lodge has done besides the one good deed in disguise."

He nodded. "I'm thankful for that honestly," he replied before pausing for a moment to think his next words. "...Speaking of Serpents..."

"What?"

"I wanna join them," Ricky answered, making Jughead look at him. "Like officially. I wanna become a Serpent."

"Seriously?" he asked to which Ricky nodded. "You're practically a member of the Serpents already."

"No, I'm not. I haven't done the trials or have gotten that...really cool jacket," he said, eyeing Jughead's leather jacket he was wearing but made eye contact again. "I know I'm not from the Southside either but honestly, I like the Serpents much better than the Northside people and/or Riverdale Bulldogs. Plus, they're loyal and not like...well, Reggie and the other jerks."

Jughead nodded. "Fair enough." He thought about it for a moment. "...All right, I don't really see the point in you doing the trials this far in being associated with us. But you know the Serpent laws, right?"

"Of course, I know all six of them. You can even ask me them if you have to."

"No, I believe you. You definitely do your homework." Jughead nodded to the trailer. "Come on, I have a spare jacket you can have."

Ricky followed him inside the trailer with a grin, Jughead disappearing into his room while the Andrews boy stood excitedly in the living room until there was a rapid knock on the trailer door.

Ricky pushed open the door, revealing Fangs. "Hey, bud."

"Hey, Ricky. Is Jughead home?" Fangs asked softly, looking anxious and fidgety.

"Yeah, he's just getting something in his room," Ricky replied, opening the door wider to let him in. "You okay? You look scared."

"That's, uh, kind of why I wanted to talk to Jughead. Need to confess to something."

Jughead came out shortly with a Serpent jacket, handing it to Ricky. "Should fit, if not, I can always get you a different one."

Ricky smiled as he grabbed the jacket which Fangs noticed. "You're joining officially?" he asked him, his tone shifting positively.

"Yeah, I guess I did," Ricky said with a grin, pulling on the Serpent jacket. "Sorry, I'll go so you can talk to him. It's probably Serpent business anyway."

"Uh, Ricky?" Jughead called, earning the boy's attention, nodding to his outfit.

Ricky looked back down at the jacket. "Oh, yeah," he said with a small laugh, walking back over to them. "So...what's up? Is it okay if I stay here, Fangs?"

"Of course it's fine," Fangs answered as he sat down at the kitchen table. "It's bad. It's really bad."

"So talk to me, Fangs," Jughead replied, sitting down as well.

"On the opening night of Carrie, when you were backstage filming your documentary and you found me in Midge's dressing room...I wasn't just giving her notes..."

Ricky slowly looked at him. "You were hooking up."

Fangs nodded as Jughead sighed, "And you didn't tell Sheriff Keller? Jeez, Fangs, do you know how guilty this makes you look?"

"I know! I know," Fangs replied.

Jughead looked at him. "Did you do it?"

"Jughead," Ricky called, doubting Fangs would do something like murder.

"Of course not," Fangs answered. "You've got to believe me, Jones."

"I do!"

"Can you delete the footage off your camera?"

"I already gave the footage over to Sheriff Keller as evidence."

Fangs sighed. "What do I do, Jones?"

"Nothing. Lay low," Ricky answered. "They don't have proof of anything yet besides the footage."

Jughead nodded. "Serpents got your back. I got your back."

***

Ricky was in the Swords and Serpent's classroom, staring at the Dark Circle poster that was taped to every locker in the school.

"This is some pretty forceful branding, Archie," Jughead said as Ricky handed him the flier.

"Reggie made those, not me," Archie replied.

Ricky sighed. "Wish I could say I'm surprised."

"I need your Dark Circle to just lay off my Serpents. Even though they were technically right about something," Jughead replied.

"What do you mean?" Archie asked.

"One of the Serpents was sleeping with Midge. But he didn't kill her," Ricky answered.

"And I'm not gonna give you his name so please don't ask," Jughead added. "But rest assured, none of my crew is a middle-aged white guy with green eyes. And that's who you're still looking for, right?"

"Yeah," Archie answered. "I'll tell Reggie to lay off."

"Thank you. In the meantime, I need to get back some possibly incriminating footage from this new Sheriff. Have you met him yet?"

"No. But do you mind if I tag along?"

Jughead looked at Ricky who shrugged. "Yeah, I don't care."

***

The Andrews boys and Jughead were at the Sheriff station when someone spoke, "Gentlemen." They all turned to Hiram and the new sheriff. "This is the young man I was telling you about, Archie Andrews. The one organizing the safety initiative."

"The Dark Circle. A man after my own heart," Sheriff Minetta said.

"And this is his younger brother, Richard Andrews."

Sheriff Minetta looked at Ricky. "Vastly different from your brother."

"But similar to my dad," Ricky mumbled.

"And this is the other one..." Hiram said, looking at Jughead.

Sheriff Minetta turned to Jughead. "The muckraker. The troublemaker."

Jughead let out a chuckle. "You forgot iconoclast. I was wondering if we could have a word about some documentary footage that I lent your predecessor?"

"Sure. Let's chat in my office."

Ricky followed them down the hallway, leaving Archie and Hiram alone.

***

Ricky sat with Jughead at the counter at Pop's, FP in his work uniform in front of them.

"Sheriff Minetta wouldn't give me back my footage," Jughead explained softly. "Says he wants to go through it frame by frame."

"It's only a matter of time before he puts two and two together and brings Fangs in," FP mumbled, slamming his fist on the counter. "Damn it. Of all the girls in Riverdale High..."

"What do we do?" Ricky asked, looking up from his coffee.

"If Fangs runs, he looks guilty. If he's caught withholding the truth, he'll look like the killer."

Jughead scoffed. "It's a perfect storm. The Lodges endorsed this new Sheriff. They want Midge's killer caught and if it's a Southsider, so much the better."

"So what then?" Ricky asked.

"Then we hunker down...Get ready to fight," FP replied before looking at Ricky. "Not you, Rich, this isn't your fight."

"It is now," he mumbled. "I'm a Serpent now, it is my fight."

"Dammit, Jug," FP mumbled, knowing his son allowed Ricky to join.

"I wasn't gonna tell him no," Jughead told him.

***

Ricky met up with Archie on his way out of Pop's, both walking into their quiet home.

"Dad?" Ricky called but got no response.

Archie slowly looked at him in panic but stopped realizing Fred was staring down at the counter in the kitchen.

Both boys walked into the kitchen, earning Fred's attention. "You're up late, what's wrong?" Ricky asked.

Fred sighed. "I got this note." He showed him a note that was scrawled with 'you're next sinners!' to which Ricky's eyes filled with panic. "Pinned to the front door. I can only assume it's from our old pal, the Black Hood."

Archie slowly moved his eyes from his dad to his brother. "Ricky?"

Ricky snapped out of it, looking at him. "Call the Sheriff, I'm gonna make sure the doors are locked," he mumbled, walking out of the kitchen to do so.

After ten minutes, cops and the Lodges were standing in their house.

"It's clear what has to be done. We cancel the debate," Hiram spoke. "Prank or not, it's not a risk we can take."

"I agree. Until the Black Hood's caught, we have to be careful," Archie added.

Fred looked to Sheriff Minetta. "Can you beef up security at the Town Hall?"

"Fred, honestly..." Hiram spoke.

"Dad, you can't be serious," Archie spoke.

"We'll lock Town Hall down tighter than a steel drum," Sheriff Minetta told them.

"The town is scared. They need to be shown we can't be cowed," Fred replied.

Ricky nodded. "As much as I hate this Black Hood bullshit, Dad's right. We need to show we're not scared anymore."

Hermione nodded. "Well, if Fred's in, so are we."

***

Ricky was at his locker, shoving yet another failed test in his locker making Jughead walk over.

"You okay?" Jughead asked.

"Just failed my biology test," he mumbled.

He watched his expression. "And no reaction?"

"It's not my first failed test, won't be my last," he replied. "Weatherbee also thinks that if I keep failing, I'll be bumped back to the grade I'm supposed to be in."

"He can't do that."

"Who gives a shit?" he mumbled, slamming his locker shut, ripping another Dark Circle poster off his locker. "We got bigger shit to deal with."

"I know-" Jughead cut himself off as Toni and McKenzie rushed over.

"Jug, did you see it?" McKenzie asked, out of breath.

"See what?"

"Fangs was dating Midge and didn't tell Sheriff Keller," Toni said, showing a video of Jughead's footage of Fangs and Midge in her dressing room during Carrie: The Musical.

"Where'd you get that video?" Ricky asked.

"It was posted on The Register's website, somebody leaked it."

"This is really fucking bad," McKenzie mumbled.

The PA system went off. "Attention, students. This is Principal Weatherbee. I need Fangs Fogarty to come to my office immediately."

"Where is he?" Jughead asked as they immediately started walking.

"I don't know," both girls answered,

"We have to find him before the Dark Circle does," Ricky said as they turned a corner, the Andrews boy bumping into a startled Fangs.

"What the hell? That video's everywhere!" Fangs panicked. "How did it get out?"

"We'll worry about that later," Ricky mumbled, "We have to get you out of here."

"You're dead, Vixen killer!" Reggie shouted, his Dark Circle friends following behind him rushing down the stairs.

Jughead immediately tried to lead him away, turning into Sheriff Minetta and some cops. "Mr. Fogarty! We need you to come with us."

"I didn't do anything," Fangs said, turning away until he came face to face with the Dark Circle before trying to run through the cops to which the cops tried to pin him until his switchblade dropped.

"Fuck," Ricky mumbled in panic as the cops pinned Fangs to the floor, cuffing him. "He didn't do it!" He rushed forward but Jughead held onto him, not wanting him to make it worse.

***

Ricky stood on the corner of the stage with Archie, biting his thumbnail anxiously as Fred and Hermione shook hands.

"Welcome, one and all, to tonight's Mayoral Debate," Alice said from the middle podium. "Jumping right in. Fear and unrest rule the streets. Hermione Lodge, how would you restore safety to the town?"

"Well, we're already making strides, Alice," Hermione answered. "My husband and I personally recruited Sheriff Minetta from Centerville after Tom Keller resigned. Not one week on the job, and he's apprehended Midge Klump's murder."

"Supposed murder," Ricky remarked quietly.

"Fred? Rebuttal?" Alice asked Fred.

"We don't know if he's the killer," Fred answered, making the crowd boo. "All I'm saying is let's not call for blood until we've had a trial. What does that say about us, about Riverdale?"

"You talk about not calling for blood, Fred?" Hermione replied. "Are you aware of a group called the Dark Circle?"

"No, I'm not."

"Then let me enlighten you. The Dark Circle is a dangerous, radical group that traffics in terror, violence, and street-warfare. It's a group...started by your son, Archie. And it doesn't just end there. Your youngest, Ricky, was seen later on associating with Serpents and Midge Klump's murderer, who's to say he's not trying to help cover it up for them," Hermione added, making Ricky glare. "Now I ask you, Citizens of Riverdale...How can we trust a man to run a town when he can't even keep his own house in order?"

"Oh, my God! It's the Black Hood!" Veronica suddenly yelled out, pointing to the second story where the hooded man stood with a rifle.

Panic ensured, Ricky and Archie rushed to Fred, the family crouched down behind the podium as gunshots went off and cops returned fire towards him.

"Are you hurt, boys?" Fred asked.

"No, are you okay?" Archie asked.

The gunfire continued, making Ricky cover his ears in panic to which both Fred and Archie pulled him close in an attempt to comfort him.

***

After the debate, Ricky rushed over to the Sherriff station upon hearing Fangs was getting released, only managing to get inside after pushing through the angry mob outside. He was roughly shoved more by the Northsiders especially since he was wearing his new Serpent jacket.

He got inside, taking a moment to breathe before walking over to Jughead. "Did you call Archie?"

"I told him but I'm not sure if he'll come," Jughead answered.

"We can't wait any longer, that mob is getting worse by the minute."

Jughead turned to Sheriff Minetta. "We can't take Fangs out the front. We have to take the side entrance."

"Crowd's out there, too. So pick your poison, Serpent," Sheriff Minetta remarked.

"Go fuck yourself, you're no help," Ricky snapped, walking with a Jughead where Sweet Pea, McKenzie, Toni, and now an out-of-cell Fangs were standing.

"What do we do, man?" Sweet Pea asked.

"I don't wanna die," Fangs mumbled.

"Fangs, you're not going to," Ricky quickly told him. "Okay, I'll take a bullet for you before I let that happen."

Jughead nodded in agreement, turning to Fangs. "Look at me, okay? We stand together so none of us falls." They all nodded. "In unity, there is strength."

The group of six Serpents crowded together all saying, "In unity, there is strength!"

Ricky took a deep breath. "We gotta do this now. Jug, Pea, you stand in front of Fangs, me and Kenzie will stand on each of his sides, and Toni cover his backside."

Jughead nodded. "There's our plan. Let's go."

Sweet Pea pushed the doors open, the group creating their barricade around Fangs, pushing and shoving past the crowd until FP and more Serpents joined to protect Fangs.

Ricky gripped Fangs's hand that was on his shoulder. "It's gonna be okay," he said, his voice barely audible.

They all turned behind them at the sound of a thump, seeing Archie and Reggie wrestle on the floor for a gun.

Ricky shoved someone away, pushing for the group to keep going until a gunshot rang through the air.

Ricky looked around to see who it came from as Archie and Reggie had the gun down on the floor still. He stopped in panic upon seeing a blood spot grow in the middle of Fang's abdomen.

He let out an ear-piercing scream as he fell back on the floor, catching Fangs before him and Sweet Pea made an attempt to stop the bleeding.

"Get help!" Jughead yelled out but all Ricky saw was his mouth moving, only hearing a loud ringing like white noise in his ears.

He grimaced, seeing the blood spreading onto his hands, trying to stay level-headed.

***