Chapter Two: Knowing

Imagine, having an enemy that you've never met, the only things you knew about them were that they are your enemy, and why they are. You knew so little about them that, they didn't seem real to you, they almost didn't seem human; you didn't know their likes and dislikes, what they look like, the way they dress or the colour of their hair. I Jughead Jones now no longer have to imagine what it's like, I know for a fact. The Southside Serpents know, for their enemy, my enemy was out there fighting us, and we had to resist; staying on the defensive because we don't know where they come from, it is as if they are shadows emerged to strike us before retreating into the darkness. Southside High was divided, between those who were against us, with us and those who merely wanted to stay out of it. Daily engagements occurred when the factions of against and with us crossed over into one another's territory, or when an individual looked at their opponent, and they were attacked. A reason not to be seen around as an individual in the school halls now; move in packs, stay with your squad of fellow soldiers and stay safe and don't risk being outnumbered, surrounded and crushed by your enemy.

"Aye, you're Jughead Jones!" a student said as he sat down next to me with a lollipop in his mouth. "Yeah you are, I remember you!" the guy continued, I quickly assessed the individual, noting his sharp brown hair, diamond blue eyes and his clothes all but screaming student of Southside High.
"Do I know you?" I asked with little to no enthusiasm,
"Yeah boy, we went to Riverdale High together, I'm Cole Justly, but it's cool if you don't remember, I'm not very smart, and I skip a lot of school. But I remember you; you were hitting that cute blonde, what was her name. Becky?" Cole said clumsily,
"Betty!" I grunted,
"Yeah man, Betty." He agreed happily, "oh shit man; I've offended you, my bad man, I don't always process what I'm saying. Lollipop?" He apologised offering me a lollipop; I looked at it then back at him.
"Is there something you wanted?" I asked,
"Oh yeah man, my Dad always said you have to respect and stick by a man with integrity. You see my Dad was a Southside Serpent and someone killed him, someone split my brother and me up. You see he isn't all there" Cole explained pointing at his head, "So I thought after what your Dad did for the Serpents that's got to be that integrity that my Dad was talking about. And you see I'm not all that smart but I know how to listen, and I got friends who know how to listen." Cole continued, and I slowly became frustrated,
"Cole, can you please get to the point!" I snapped naturally annoyed, and he started shaking his head before continuing.
"Yeah my bad man, I ramble I know. But I was talking to a cop friend of my Dad, and he said that they found this body of a man, he didn't tell me where though, but they said he was a courier for the Blossoms. But this cop friend said he had to be more than a driver because he earnt way more than others this cop friend knew. So I thought maybe someone has taken over and is clearing out the ranks, but then this cop friend was like, but the victim had a clean record, was never caught not even suspected. So then I wondered why would you kill a guy who was great at his job; so then this cop told me that he wasn't just killed it looked like he had been tortured and beaten up? So there might be someone else out there, maybe a Serpent who got a lead. But I thought I'd come to you because you, your girl Betty and your friends went all Sherlock Homes with the Jason Blossom murder." Cole explained, and while yes there was some intriguing information I sighed having grown even more annoyed at its delivery.
"Thanks, Cole, for sharing that information with me."
"Oh no worries Jughead, listen I'll keep my ear to the ground and tell my friends too as well, we hear anything we will come straight to you, boss. Look though, if you need some extra muscle you call me; I know how to take hits, dish them out as well and if these people are the same people that killed me Dad and split up my brother and me then I want to be dishing out a lot of hits!"
"I will do Cole!"
"Okay man, I catch you later!" Cole insisted before getting up and happily walking away, I sighed and rubbed my eyes.

At Riverdale High Kevin had just finished informing Betty and Veronica of what his Dad had to say about Will; the pair of them felt an overwhelming feeling of sadness for Will but at the same time were curious.
"So he didn't give a statement?" Veronica asked,
"No he did, but Dad doesn't think it was the full story" Kevin answered,
"He might be too afraid," Betty said.
"That's why if he gets to a point where he is ready to talk or anything we need to get him down to the station!" Kevin reiterated, and the girls agreed just before Will walked into the room.
"Hello, Betty, hello Ver, Veronica, hello Kevin" Will greeted holding his right hand close to his chest and rubbing his fingers together. Betty, Veronica and Kevin all warmly greeted him as he sat down putting his bag on the floor next to him,
"Where, is Archie?" Will inquired
"He is at the hospital," Veronica answered,
"Oh yeah because his Dad was shot, that's really sad" Will said sorrowfully,
"Yeah it is Will" Betty agreed.
"We, we should all get him flowers, I, I know when my Dad died I kept getting flowers" Will stated.
"That sounds like a great idea Will; we will all go after school, okay?" Veronica replied,
"Yes, I was about, too, to say after school." Will said chuckling and the group chuckled with him. "I haven't met him yet, but I know it will be a pleasure!" Will continued confidently,
"Why's that Will?" Kevin asked,
"Well, see, because I've had fun and it has been a pleasure to know you guys, so, so if he is also your friend then he is probably like you guys." Will explained and the group was touched by his comment,
"Will, I just want to make sure you understand that Archie's Dad is in a very serious condition, so Archie might not be as warm and friendly like he usually is okay?" Veronica clarified, and Will nodded a few times.
"No, no, no I understand Veronica, I do. He is going through a rough patch that's why he needs us!" Will said with a smile.

A little later at the Sheriff's Station, Sheriff Keller was at his desk working when suddenly his phone started ringing, begrudgingly he answered the phone.
"Hello?" Sheriff Keller began,
"Hello Sheriff Keller" a voice hissed,
"Who is this?" Sheriff Keller asked suspiciously,
"A concerned citizen of Riverdale, who is wondering if you would like to know?"
"Know what?"
"Well who the shooter of Fred Andrews is of course, and naturally where to find him!"
"How do you have that information?"
"Oh that is a fair question, you see I tortured a man, and once he told me what I needed to know, I killed him. Then I came to the shooter's house, tied up his family and whisked the shooter away" the voice explained, Sheriff Keller got the attention of one of his officers and pointed at his phone before grabbing a nearby pen.
"Okay how about you tell me who and where the shooter is, then why don't you come down to the station, and we talk face to face?" Sheriff Keller insisted,
"Oh Sheriff, that's tempting but I have plans and being imprisoned isn't part of them. Listen though I have terms you must accept before I give you the information."
"Okay, what are these terms?"
"This man is not affiliated with the Southside Serpents, and neither am I for that matter, I will save you the time. So when you and that corrupt little Mayor of ours announce that you got the shooter, you will not in any way try and lie by saying he is a Serpent; you see I am a just man. Doing this for justice so if I hear the slightest suggestion or hint from anyone insinuating that he does affiliate with the Serpents. Then I will punish the liar accordingly, and before you or the Mayor go to try and pin this on the Serpents unjustly, I want you to know that I am well aware as to who your children are and where they go to school. Do you accept my term?" the mysterious voiced asked and Sheriff Keller kept quiet for a short time angrily gripping the phone.
"Yeah, I accept your term" Sheriff Keller grunted,
"Angus Connie, you will find him in Evergreen Forest, don't worry I made sure you wouldn't miss him. It turns out he was one of Blossom's men looking to make a name for himself, didn't want to get walked all over you see, then again no one wants their face in the mud getting tramped on." the voice insisted before hanging up.

Sheriff Keller quickly mobilised, and the search in Evergreen Forest began, though it was not a long search. Angus Connie; severely beaten and bloodied was found hugging a cross sounded by fires which signalled his location so the authorities. He was immediately taken to the hospital for treatment as it was discovered he had also suffered burns to parts of his body, Sheriff Keller rushed over to Mayor McCoy's office to inform her of the discovery but also the threat from this mysterious voice.
"So what we're going to back down at the first sign of danger Sheriff?" Mayor McCoy asked,
"I was on the phone to him, I've seen what he has done. This isn't an individual I want to take lightly," Sheriff Keller stated, Mayor McCoy wasn't blind and could see the Sheriff's fear. And so it was announced that the shooter had been caught and that he was in the hospital being treated, keeping to the term given to them Angus Connie was never affiliated to the Serpents and so justice was achieved, and the people of Riverdale could sleep a little better tonight.

Knowledge is power, but knowing can be almost as terrifying as not knowing something. We know who shoot Mr Andrews, but we don't know who caught and tortured him, for Sheriff Keller; he stayed up a few hours later than usual with his gun in hand, watching over his son. We know so little, is this mysterious voice, is he a good guy here to help Riverdale or is he some spawn of the evil that has corrupted Riverdale, here to do us and our town some great harm. We just don't know, I guess, for now, only time will tell.

Author's note: Hey guys, sorry for the late upload, I've been busy with life and stuff. I'm also in the final stages and preparing to publish a book that I've been working on for the last five years. Thus I've been pouring a lot of my free time and effort into that. Again let me know what you think, leave a review or message me, even go to my twitter /Brayden_lamaka and give me a follow, hit me up with your thoughts and yeah thanks again and I hope you enjoyed! :)

-Brayden L