Izzy's eyes widened as she, Toni and Sweet Pea walked out of science class to see the mayor, Sheriff Keller and many other police officers with dogs walk in.
"We need to go right now!" Izzy told Sweet Pea, before the both of them tried to flee.
Soon after, getting to the exit, Izzy turned around to see both Sweet Pea and Toni being pushed against the lockers. Sweet Pea and Toni stared at their friend for a moment before both of them mouthed, "Go!"
Izzy hesitantly nodded. She knew she was technically breaking a Serpent law, 'Never leave a Serpent for dead'. But both Sweet Pea and Toni knew, if Izzy got arrested today, she wasn't going to be getting out of jail for a very long time. She would be sent to prison for her record now that she was seventeen.
• • • • •
Just an hour after Southside High's raid, Izzy had gotten a text to meet at a certain location by Tall Boy. Izzy frowned when she got to the place to see Jughead was just arriving.
"Izzy?" Jughead questioned confused.
"You got the text from Tall Boy too?" Izzy asked and Jughead nodded.
The two sighed before the two Serpents made their way down the stairs and into the basement.
As Izzy and Jughead walked down the stairs into the unknown basement, they looked around at their surroundings to see it was very dark. Izzy thought it almost looked like the Ghoulie den, "This place gives me the creeps." Jughead muttered.
From a distance, they both could hear rock music playing. When they walked closer to Tall Boy, a girl walked past them and Izzy quickly glared at her. She kinda looked familiar.
"Sit down kids, business to discuss." Tall Boy explained, taking a seat on the couch that was next to him.
"Tall Boy, what the hell is this?" Izzy scoffed and all of a sudden, a man walked by.
He was shirtless and had a black and white robe on, it had ghoul faces all over it. He was a Ghoulie. "You're in in my house, Queen Serpent ," He laughed, "It's the house of the dead, thought you would know this by now."
As Jughead was about to reply, Izzy interrupted angrily, "I'm sorry, and who the hell are you?"
"Take it easy, kids. Malachi speaks for the Ghoulies," Tall Boy answered calmly, leaning back in his seat and Izzy rolled her eyes, how could he, "With the heat on us and our ranks depleted, our tribes need to unite. And that's gonna be easier to do, if you both endorse this partnership." He explained.
"Why us?" Jughead questioned confused.
"You're FP's son, that carries weight, especially with our younger members. And Izzy, the Serpents look up to you. Not only the younger members, but the older ones too. You're a leader to the Serpents, just like FP was."
"Tall Boy!" Izzy shouted, quickly cutting him off, "They are the reason Southside High was raided and many of the Serpents were arrested, my friends, my people! The Ghoulies and their damn Jingle Jangle!"
"Chaos is how we thrive, you better get used to it, Queenie." Malachi smirked.
"Don't call me that," Izzy growled, crossing her arms.
Jughead rolled his eyes annoyed, turning his attention towards Tallboy, "Are you seriously going to do this to my dad! You're supposed to be his right hand!" Jughead shouted.
Tall boy sighed as he stood up from his seat, "Northside declared war today, your old man ain't here to call the shots. And yeah, I am his right hand, that makes me de facto leader here now, so. Things are changing, Jones. Either you both change with them or suffer the consequences."
Both Jughead and Izzy looked at him angrily, "Evolve or die, baby. Evolve or die." Malachi smirked.
• • • •
Izzy was hesitant to join forces with Jughead and the same red headed Northsider that she and Sweet Pea had beef with, but she had to do this. She had to do it to get her people back.
Izzy and Archie shared a death as they both took a seat on a couch in FP's trailer, listening to Jughead's rant.
"This isn't an alliance with the Ghoulies! This is a hostile take over!" Jughead shouted as be paced back and forth while Archie and Izzy sat on the couch.
"God, who knows how long Tall Boy has been planning on betraying us! Maybe we stall, until Sweetpea and Toni get out. I just hope they would rather go to war with the Ghoulies than start..."
"Jughead." Archie warned.
"...dealing Jingle Jangle." She sighed.
"Jughead, you joined the Serpents to keep the peace. And from I heard about Izzy, the Serpents are her life—"
"My dad would never sit back and let this happen. Neither will I! Neither will Izzy!" Jughead shouted angrily.
"So unless either of you have a better idea—"
"Not me." Archie commented.
Izzy was quiet for a moment before looking up at Jughead with wide eyes, "Jones, what you just said. Your dad."
The three looked at each other for a moment before getting up and making their way to the Prison where FP was being held.
• • • •
Jughead, Izzy and Archie stared at FP from the opposite side of the glass. Archie and Jughead had to put the phone in between the both of them to hear while Izzy held her own.
"Start from the beginning, kids." FP sighed as he looked down to see Jughead wearing a Serpent jacket and Izzy sitting next to the two boys. He thought it would be the end of the world before he saw Izzy sitting alongside a Northsider.
"Hey, you can reprimand him for joining the Serpents later, FP, but if we don't do something now, there will be no Serpents," Izzy warned, "They'll be just Ghoulies. We can't let that happen and you know it."
FP looked away from the glass, trying to process what he had heard from Izzy . FP angrily slammed the black phone against the glass before putting back to his ear, "Ghoulies dress like fops, but they're a nasty crew. Serpents have survived worse though, you've witnessed it, Izzy. Much worse. The only hitch, it sounds like you both are out-manned. Which means you gotta avoid bloodshed at all costs."
"I agree 100%." Jughead and Archie said at the same time.
"So out think 'em. This is about territory. If there's one thing Ghoulies love, it's their crazy souped-up retro cars and hearses. You catch my Riverdale drift, kids?" FP quickly turned around and looked behind him to make sure no guard was listening, "Challenge them to a street race, one on one, Jug and Izzy. Keep it on the DL though, it's illegal, it'll get you locked up. And Izzy, you already have a record, it won't end well. I don't want to see you end up like me."
"Go on." Jughead insisted.
"Set the terms to the race. If their guy wins, Serpents roll over."
"And if we win....Ghoulies back off." Jughead answered.
FP nodded, "And maybe you raise the stakes," FP continued, "Whoever wins, controls Southside High."
"And we get rid of the Ghoulies," Izzy added in, "And get rid of the Jingle Jangle. And get the Mayor off our backs."