"Two chocolates, a vanilla, a peach, and a root beer float for Archie," Pop handed out the drinks. "Welcome home, son."
"Thanks, Pop."
"Since when do you drink root beer floats?" Betty asked as she handed Pop her card.
"I guess I'm just not in the mood for a strawberry milkshake."
"New drink, new hair," Jughead sighed. "New haunted, vacant look in your eyes."
"Guys," Veronica stopped them. "Archie just lived through The Revenant. Let him order what he wants."
"So, what did I miss while I was gone?" Betty's eyes just widdend, unsure of what to say first.
"Well, thanks to the town quarantine orchestrated by my father, Pop's was shut down and just reopened and he's also been attacking shipments to the speakeasy, but, thankfully, I've hired the Serpents as my full time protection and that service extends to you, Archie," she put her hand on his thigh.
"You don't have to worry about Hiram's goons coming after you or your dad," Jughead assured him. "You won't be able to see them, but I have guys watching you twenty four seven. And I have a possible lead that could diffuse this threat permanently."
"What, Jug?" Betty asked.
"You can't tell anyone, but Fangs is deep undercover in the Gargoyle Gang," he confessed, glancing around to make sure no one was listening. "He hasn't met the King yet, but he's still working on it. And when we get access to him, we're gonna take him down."
"It's the only good thing to come from Fangs being exiled from the Serpents," Aminity sighed.
"My bet," Jughead continued, "is that it's Hiram underneath the mask." He paused. "Sorry, Veronica."
"Don't be. I wouldn't put it past him."
"I wouldn't be surprised if Hiram's the one pulling the strings, but having someone else wear the costume," Aminity put out and Veronica nodded.
"Well, there goes studying for the SATs."
"What? SATs?" Archie looked at Betty.
"Yeah. They're this Saturday. Don't worry, Arch," she said once she saw the look on his face. "I will help you study and get you caught up, okay? We all will."
"And I'll have extra time since I don't take them this year. It'll all work out," Aminity tried to assure him. He just sighed, leaning his head back.
"I'm sorry, Betty," Pop said as he walked back over, "but your debit card was declined."
"I got you, B. Just put it on my tab, Pop." He nodded and walked away as Betty looked at her card with confusion.
***
"How are you feeling?" Reggie asked, looking up from the glass he was cleaning.
"Is that the only question people know how to ask me?" she asked as she walked over and leant against the bar.
"Sorry. I've barely seen you since you were shoved against a wall and your stomach was bruising."
"It's okay," she smiled. "I'm okay. It looks a lot worse, but bruises tend to do that. What about you?"
"I kissed Veronica," he admitted.
"Wow," she blinked, trying to catch up.
"Yeah and really bad timing too."
"Because Archie's back."
"Yeah," he sighed.
"I'm sorry," she put a hand on his arm.
"It's fine. I get it." She nodded and gave him a sad smile.
"This is quite the place." They turned as they heard a voice, Aminity getting up and running over to him as he walked down the stairs.
"When did you get out?" she squealed as she hugged him.
"Today. I wanted to surprise you."
"You must be Oliver," Reggie said as he walked over, holding out his hand. "Reggie. Nice to meet you."
"You too."
"I've heard a lot about you."
"Reggie-" Aminity hissed with a blush while Oliver laughed.
"I've heard a lot about you too. Including your football season. Nice!"
"You like football?"
"Used to play."
"Damn, Aminity. Got yourself a jock?"
"Reggie," she continued blushing.
"Okay, okay," he held his hands up with a triumphant smile. "Nice meeting you, dude."
"You too."
"I'm sorry about him," Aminity cringed as Reggie walked away.
"Don't be. He seems nice. Now, how about that food and milkshake I've heard so much about."
She smiled, leading him back upstairs, putting in an order before sitting in a booth. "So, what have you done since you've gotten out?"
"I came straight here. I wanted to surprise you." She blushed. "My parents are making my favorite for dinner and setting up a surprise party, so I figured I'd get out of their hair."
"If it's a surprise party, why do you know about it?"
"Because they've never been really good at them. They try every year for my birthday or a special occasion and I've just learned to pretend to be surprised."
"Two burgers with a side of fries and onion rings with a chocolate and peach milkshake."
"Thanks, Pop." He smiled before walking away. "What do you think?" she smiled as Oliver took a bite.
"I think that this is much better than the turkey and gravy."
***
"Iconoclast," Jughead read.
"Iconoclast." Archie let out a sigh. "Okay. Iconoclast. That is..."
"A person who attacks another's cherished beliefs."
"I'm in high school. How am I supposed to know that?"
"Because it was one of the vocab words from the main book project last year and I know because I'm doing it now," Aminity said slowly and quietly.
"Why don't we start thinking about the SATs in terms of strategy," Jughead suggested. "When in doubt, why don't you just fill in all the bubbles marked D?"
"Betty, how'd I do on the practice test?" he asked, looking at her as she sat next to Aminity on his bed. "I tanked it, didn't I?"
"Um..."
He took the test from her hands. "I got a six hundred on this part!"
"That's your combined score, Arch. It's in the bottom tenth percentile." They were all silent before Jughead and Aminity's phones went off.
"We gotta go, guys. It's Fangs."
"Do you want me to come with you?" Archie offered.
"No. I'd stay and get a couple extra hours cramming in. If anyone's gonna catch you up to speed, it's gonna be Betty. Bye," he quickly kissed her forehead.
"Bye."
"Good luck."
"You got this," Aminity tried to tell them before following her brother out, getting on his bike and climbing down into the bunker.
"Jughead, Aminity," Fangs started as they sat down at the table, "I'm in."
"Tell me everything. What happened?"
"The Gargoyle King. The other guys told me that he's impressed by my Fizzle Rocks sales, so he wants to invite me into his inner circle. They're having a ceremony tomorrow night. He'll be there."
"Fangs," Jughead clapped, "this is huge. Where's it happening?"
"A clearing in Fox Forest not too far from here. What do you want me to do?"
"I want you to go." Fangs let out a breath.
"Hey, don't worry," Aminity assured him. "You'll have back up."
***
They worked their way around the woods, taking out all of the Gargoyles who were supposed to keep watch. They crept closer to the main circle that stood around the Gargoyle King and the fire, Fangs kneeling in front of him, ready to receive the Gargoyle King's brand on his hip.
"Now!" Jughead yelled and they all rushed forwards.
"It's the Serpents! Scatter!" one of the Gargoyles yelled and they all ran into the woods, a few getting into small fights with some Serpents.
"Sweet Pea, get Fangs!" Jughead yelled before Jughead and FP knocked the Gargoyle King to the ground.
"Tall Boy?" FP asked after Jughead pulled off the mask. Fangs, Aminity, and Sweet Pea glanced at each other before looking back at the smirking man on his knees.
***
"We all thought you were dead Tall Boy," FP said as he punched him. "Where you been hiding?" he asked, sliding off his jacket and throwing it onto one of the chairs in the bunker.
He spit out some blood. "Small town called Athens. Gotta say, it's good to be back. Alice Cooper, she was looking extra sweet the night me and my boy broke into her house and scared the crap out of her and her bitch daughter. That was fun." Jughead punched him hard across the face, causing him to laugh.
"Alright, let's cut to the chase," Jughead took charge. "We know you're working for Hiram. You've been dressing up in that little costume like his mascot. So now you are gonna help us take him down."
"You know what else was fun?" he asked with a sinister smile. "Carving that symbol into Joaquin's forehead after I killed him."
"You're dead!"
"You son of a bitch!" Fangs yelled at the same time as Sweet Pea as the Jones' held them back. "He killed Joaquin!"
"What do you think, Tall Boy, huh?" Jughead asked, walking back over to him as FP and Aminity kept the boys at bay as they continued to yell. "Should I let them tear you limb from limb or are you gonna help us get to Hiram. I know you have access to him."
"The Man in Black would never agree to meet with me. Not unless I have something that he really wants." The Jones' shared a look before FP nodded.
***
"Look, Jug, I don't know if I can handle anymore quizzing," Archie said as they walked into his room.
"That's not why I'm here. We need your help, Archie. The Gargoyle King is Tall Boy. We have him locked down in the bunker."
"Tall Boy's alive?" Archie asked, shaking his head as he tried to catch up.
"It's a long story, but he was hiding out in Athens until he came back and became the King and we busted him thanks to Fangs."
"This is our shot to finally smoke out Hiram Lodge," Jughead continued, "but we're gonna need bait to lure the Man in Black out of the shadows. I'm betting the thing that he still wants most is you."
"Save your breath, Jug. You don't have to convince me to help take down Hiram Lodge. I'm in."