A.J. was busy in the front of the store helping the customers check out, so he didn't look up when the front door chimed. If he had, he would have a seen a familiar face: Warren. I maroon jacket wearing kid was back, and he was hiding a sleek metal gun behind his back. He walked up to the register and got A.J.'s attention.
"Warren, get out of the store," A.J. spoke, annoyed, gesturing for him to leave.
Warren just laughed and held up the gun. "You can't tell me what to do, A.J.!" Warren quipped in a mocking tone.
"What are you doing with a gun?" A.J. asked, taking a step back, looking confused.
"What do you think I'm doing with the gun?" Warren yelled, pointing the gun at A.J.
Back in the storeroom everyone was still gathered in silence, which quickly changed when they heard a shot rang out.
"Holy shit!" Warren screamed in shock, pulling the gun back down and staring at it in his hands. A.J. had ducked under the table and rose to see what Warren would do next. The shot had missed by a mile.
"Hey, why don't you let these people go? What do you say Warren?" A.J. tried to reason, as the scared customers had dropped to the floor and hidden behind the record shelves.
"Good try, A.J. Good try, trying to fool me, man!" Warren yelled, moving around to make sure people stayed where they were and firing into the ceiling.
In the back, Joe crept up to the back doors and surveyed the main floor, as everyone else lined up behind him. "It's Warren, he's shooting up the place," Joe explained as he warned them to stay back. "A.J.'s fine," he threw out, at Corey's yelp of concern. Betty and Jughead clutched to each other, while Gina and Corey huddled on the couch, while the rest of the boys were behind Joe.
"Jane, call 911," Joe spoke harshly as he moved to walk out to the floor.
"Joe! Hey Joe!" Warren screamed, jumping over towards the manager, keeping the gun pointed at the customers. "You told me not to come back, well here I am!" he announced with a wide grin and a hefty laugh.
"Give me the gun Warren," Joe asked nicely, stepping right up in front of him. In response, Warren simply fired it past Joe's shoulder. Suddenly, Deb walked out and stood in front of Joe, moving forward in a commanding manner, Warren pointing the gun at her chest as he backed up with each step she took.
"I wanted to have a chat with you Warren," she quipped aloofly.
"Have a little chat with my gun," Warren snarked back, pushing the gun closer to her.
Deb leaned in closer, her eyes level and inches from the barrel. "What do you want Warren?" she mocked with a slight smirk on her lips.
Warren huffed in frustration and threw both his hands up in the air. "STOP CALLING ME WARREN! My name isn't fucking WARREN!" he screamed, stomping his feet angrily.
"His name isn't Warren," chimed Eric.
"His name isn't Warren?" Corey asked in a whisper.
"I thought his name was Warren?" Mark added, confused.
"So, I talked to God, and he says 'Yo, what's up?' and she wants you to lose the gun," Deb explained easily, still walking forward.
"You are psycho! What the hell is wrong with you people?" Warren screamed, shaking his head, still pointing the gun at Deb. Everyone else began to trickle out of the back, coming to stand around Joe and Deb.
"Forget you guys, I don't need you. You think you're so happy cuz you work in a freaking record store!" he yelled, jumping around again.
"Hey Joe, Lucas steals $9,000 from you and you don't do dick to him?! So you gonna give me a job now?" he reasoned, his voice still rising with each word.
"That's it Warren? You want to work in a record store?" Birko asked at Joe's silence.
"You're lying, Warren," added Lucas, who popped up next to Warren, startling him, but he still held the gun.
Warren looked upset, his face crumbling from his confident stare to a scared whimper. "He's not gonna give me a job, man," Warren reasoned to Lucas. "Why should he?" Warren stared at Lucas in despair.
"He gave me a job," Lucas spoke calmly. With Warren distracted, Joe grabbed the gun easily form Warren's hands. After a beat of silence, the police sirens began blaring in the background, approaching the store rapidly.
Warren turned to face Joe, his posture dejected, but still lifted his head to look Joe in the eye. "So do I get the job?" he asked simply. Lucas genuinely smiled.
In the back room, A.J. carefully placed the name Warren on the name badge for Empire Records.
Meanwhile, the police were holding Warren in almost the same spot they were holding him earlier in the back room. Everyone else was gathered around the couches and tables listening.
"Wait, I thought your name wasn't Warren? Can you make up your mind!" Jughead spoke in outrage, towards Warren.
"Considering that he's a minor, and he put blanks in the gun, there's not a lot they can do to him," the cop explained to Joe.
"Thanks a lot officers," Joe said kindly from the steps near his office.
"Take care Warren!" Lucas chirped from the couch.
"Wait a minute," A.J. interjected, jumping up with the badge in his hand, approaching Warren. "I made this for you," he explained, holding up the badge and trying to put it over Warren's head.
"Wait! Can you hold it here for me? So, when I get back..?" Warren asked quietly. A.J. nodded and backed off, letting the police take him.
"Don't drop the soap," Lucas supplied helpfully as Warren was led away.
Joe headed back into his office, needing to call Cheryl about the disturbance and the ensuing police report.
Deb suddenly dropped down on the couch next to Lucas, throwing a bucket with some money in it on Lucas's lap. He stared down at it in pure confusion.
"It's $1900," Deb smirked.
"Here's $600 left over from the Archie Andrews expense account," Jane supplied, tossing the money over.
"I got about $30 from Debra's buttons," Mark added, while everyone else scrambled for their own money to put in the bucket. When Joe returned he even tossed in his Rolex watch. Deb was busy counting the money so far, and they were still about $6,000 short.
"It's not about the money okay?" Lucas revealed with a sniffle. "I thought I knew what I was doing by I didn't, okay. I give up," he looked over at Joe, completely serious. "Call Cheryl," Lucas demanded. Everyone was silent, surprised by Lucas's choice.
Marc suddenly moved to the front of the group, getting their attention. "Um, give me a couple seconds!" he announced, before running out to the front of the store.
Out on the sidewalk, a news crew was set up covering the story of Warren's arrest. Mark quickly ran out and came to a stop next to the reporter. "I saw the whole thing go down. I work here," Mark announced, getting the reports interest.
Eric, who had started to follow Mark, ran back to tell everyone to turn on the television. Suddenly the group was watching Mark on the news, right outside the store, attempting to explain wat happened with Warren.
"Well there was this guy here and he freaked out, but it doesn't matter now. We are having a get together!" Mark announced happily on camera. Free admission, live music, the whole nine yards, man! Here at midnight!" Mark yelled, as the reported attempted to get him out of the shot.
"Damn the man! Save the Empire!" Mark yelled with a giggle, stepping in front of the reporter. Everyone in the back room turned slowly to look at Joe, who just shrugged. It was after a beat of silence that everyone sprung into action.