Author's note: We get more Bughead in this chapter and an insight into Betty's time with the trafficking ring. Enjoy. Thoughts lovely per usual! Xxx

Betty woke up to a heavy manacle holding her wrist in place against the small leg of the cot she was laid on. She had been stripped of her top and jeans that she was originally wearing, leaving her in her underwear. Despite the thin, ratty blanket thrown haphazardly across her frame, her body was wracked with shivers and she wasn't sure if they were due to developing a fever from the prick of the needle that was clearly infused with drugs or not. Looking around in a hazy confusion, she spotted a glass of water on the ground next to her cot and she, despite her gut instinct telling her to not drink anything she hadn't seen poured herself, ignored her own intelligence in favor of how fucking parched she was. Hesitantly, she picked up the glass and took a small sip, not really seeing any way out of her predicament.

Just then, the door to the room she was in – a cell, really – opened and in a stepped a man, tall in frame and round in stature. She watched him through half-lidded eyes, wondering what he was about to do. His voice was deep when he spoke, tone chillingly void of emotion.

"Agent Cooper," he said. "I am John Garcia. You've been looking into things that are of no concern to you."

Betty stamped down on the urge to tell him to go fuck himself, instead choosing her words with care. "Well, when young women are disappearing off the streets of my home, I make it my business."

He didn't reply, just stared at her for a long moment before he casually made his way towards her. In a swift movement, he popped her shoulder out of it's socket, ignoring her scream of pure anguish as he injected her once more. "Rest. You're not going anywhere."

"Agent Cooper, with us?" Sweet Pea's voice broke her from her thoughts and Betty blinked as she moved her eyes from the picture of one of the latest victims to everyone else in the room. She caught Jughead's look of concern as she swept past him and looked at Sweet Pea. Nodding, she cleared her throat and spoke.

"Yes, just trying to find a correlation," she said in a off-hand tone, knowing Sweet Pea would understand that wasn't what she was doing but he was the only person who could see through the stoic mask she wore like fucking body armor. He nodded, rubbing his chin as his eyes fell to the picture in front of her as well, a soft sigh falling from his lips.

The woman was named Miranda Carmichael and she had met an unforgivable fate. Betty and Sweet Pea would be the ones to have to break the devastating news to her family and neither were looking forward to it. While catching the perps and putting them behind bars was an exponentially satisfying part of their job, it was this part that made it all the more grueling. Having to hold the family up as their world ended with a few simple words and heartfelt apologies. No matter how many times they had done it before, it never got any easier.

Jughead eventually spoke up in quiet tones. "Agents, who is this girl?" His eyes were trained to Miranda's photo, studying the once happy smile on her face as Sweet Pea and Betty exchanged a look. Nodding, she took the lead on answering the question.

"Her name was Miranda Carmichael," she began but FP interrupted her.

"Was?" The older Jones asked, voice hoarse, and she faltered. Taking a moment to regain herself, she forced herself to press forward.

"Yes, was," she said, voice quiet out of respect for another fallen victim. "I'm going to level with you guys. She was a victim out of Washington for the trafficking ring. Had been missing for four months before they got rid of her. We're not entirely sure why her murder came about yet. Not before she was ultimately sold, at least. The way these people work is very intricately detail oriented. They have different people playing different roles. The distraction, usually a woman, who sidetracks someone from getting to victim." Betty paused to incline her head towards Jughead who had rage simmering in his orbs, before continuing on. "To the muscle of the operation and everyone else in-between."

"In-between?" Alice asked. "What does that mean?"

"It means the leg work of the operation," Sweet Pea explained. "For example, the ones working the technology from behind the scenes. Hacking into databases to figure out the best women to take."

"It's not a fucking competition," Jughead growled, and Sweet Pea opened his mouth, ready to pop out a retort himself, but Betty held up her hand to placate both men as she was not in the mood to be derailed by any bull shit.

"No, Jughead, it is not. And that is not what Agent Connor was insinuating. He simply meant that when the hackers – the IT experts they have brought in with less than credible backgrounds – are looking for women, they are looking for ones that will, more often than not, be easily overlooked. Ones who are homeless; runaways; women who have fallen into the harrowing world of drug exposure, etc.," Betty explained.

"JB doesn't fall into any of those categories though, so why was she taken?" Alice demanded.

"Sometimes, it's women that are not their usual M.O. that they go after as well," Betty replied. "One woman isn't better than another and all the women are or have been loved by people at one point – despite whatever twisted conception the traffickers have fabricated in their minds."

It was imperative to Betty that no one got the impression that any victim was less important than another simply because of their status and ranking in their life. A runaway and drug addict was no less important than a woman making a name for herself in the world. They all had the same thing in common and that was their victimhood.

Betty could feel Jughead's eyes on her and knew he was burning with curiosity to know how she fell into the ensnaring trap herself. Not seeing any way to delay the inevitable conversation she met his look.

"I was personally taken because I was an agent getting too close to the case – I was finding out a lot of their hiding places and was well on my way to getting the team close to their headquarters at the time. When they took me, they relocated altogether and it took two months before my team could find me," she said, voice shaking just slightly. "It wasn't an easy experience by any means and, I'm very sorry to say, but a lot of drugging was involved." She heard FP and Jughead both hiss through their teeth sharply and Sweet Pea squeezed her shoulder in comfort. She carried on. "That being said, there is also a beacon of hope playing in here."

"What is that, Betty?" Alice asked hopefully, voice trembling.

"I was there for two months, like I mentioned. Women had been there longer than me before the team came and got them as well. JB has only been missing for a month at this time. She is still in the field of a strong survival rate," she encouraged.

"Miranda," Jughead began, pointing at her photo with a sad look in his eyes. "She was there for four month, correct? Is that a pattern? Keep them for that time frame and either sell them or…" he trailed off, swallowing harshly before continuing. "Kill them?"

It was Sweet Pea who answered him, tone a bit less rough than it had ever been when speaking to him. "We're not sure what her death signifies at this moment, Jones. I assure you; we will find out. She could have fought back – a lot of women do. Sadly, it could have just been with a man stronger than her physically and with drugs weakening her system, it would have been all too easy to overpower her. But, do not, for a minute, think that this means it'll be the fate your sister will meet." His tone turned stern, forceful in ways Betty was used to when they were dealing with families who were all but ready to give up due to exhaustion with their loved ones being gone for whatever reason. "If she's like you or father, she's a hell of a fighter and stubborn. That will only benefit her."

Jughead looked at him, eyes less spite-filled before nodding slowly. "Thank you, Agent Connor."

For once, his tone wasn't bitter, and Betty was sure that was a small impasse they both just came to. She carried onwards.

"Now, to circle back to the leader out of Washington – the man who mainly calls the shots but does answer to one higher up – John Garcia. My time with him gave me the opportunity to learn a few things. He, while very much a ruthless man, comes from a rough background himself – child neglect and abuse. Keep in mind, I am in no way excusing his upbringing for his current discretions and would love to be the one to see him serve three consecutive sentences. But, on the days when I wasn't completely hazy from the drugs, I did acquire knowledge on him and how he runs his operation," she said.

"What did you acquire, Betty?" FP asked just as Jughead said, "How often were you drugged, Betty?"

Ignoring Jughead's question altogether, she cast her eyes to FP. "I found out that they end up selling the women to Europe, mainly. To men of high power in the country. The men pay their investments and in turn, they get what John callously referred to as their 'merchandise'."

"Sick fuck," Sweet Pea growled. She nodded.

"How-how close were you to being sold?" Alice asked, biting her lip. Betty stared at her mother for a moment, debating how much to say.

"The team arrived a week before my rumored departure," she said quietly, not quite able to keep eye-contact at that moment.

It was silent for a moment before a fist banged down on the table.

"God dammit, Betty!" Jughead yelled, standing up and sending his chair flying backwards. Sweet Pea stood up as well, not moving towards him but keeping an eye on him, nonetheless.

"Jughead," he said, no one missing the fact that this was the first time he addressed him by his name. "Calm down, man. Take a breath here. She is safe and we are going to get your sister back. Betty gave you her word, now I'm giving you my word. But, I need you to keep your head on straight so you can help. You'll be of no service to anyone if you lose your shit now."

Betty watched as Jughead took several, long deep breaths before turning and locking eyes with her and she couldn't help the quiet gasp. He looked as if he was being splintered from the inside out. He looked as if she had gutted him alive.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, choking on his words. "I'm so sorry none of us were there for you."

She cast her eyes to the wall opposite of him, well aware of just how present other people were. She moved her hands to the files on the table in front of her, a desperate attempt at maintaining her composure as she nodded tightly. "As Agent Connor said, I am safe. I didn't die. JB won't either. But Jughead, you have got to keep it together. Your sister needs you to be her big brother right now. She is relying on you – on all of you – to help her get home safely."

FP watched his son for a moment before going and clasping his face into his hands, a move so reminiscent of high school and being a young teenager foolishly in love for the first time, it left Betty breathless.

"We will find her, son," he said. "We'll find her. We, none of us, did not do right by Betty and we will attempt to right our wrongs by doing right by JB and getting her the fuck away from these sadistic fuckers. But Sweet Pea and Betty are right: think clearly here. Don't let your pain cloud your judgement. Not now, boy."

Betty frowned. Pain? What pain? She looked at Sweet Pea briefly, who shrugged his shoulder in response, but a peculiar expression rested on his face as he studied Jughead. She didn't per sue why. She didn't have the time to. Eventually, Jughead nodded and inhaled one more time.

"Tell me what to do, Betty," he implored, looking back at her.

"Tell us what to do," Alice corrected, staring at her daughter.

She chewed her lip, tapping her knuckles on the table as she became lost to her thoughts for a moment. Eventually she looked at Sweet Pea who smirked. "Your call here, Coop."

She tuned back to them. "Still in contact with the Serpents?"

Jughead nodded.

"Great. Get them to Washington," she said, tone brooking no room for argument and she turned back to Sweet Pea, who was looking appropriately excited. "You'll be needing your fellow friends from your street days, as well."

"Seems like the perfect time to get in touch with them, yeah," he said. Then, in a quieter voice. "You're a saint, Cooper."

She hummed. "So they tell me." Turning to the other three, she explained that comment. "His crew wasn't involved in finding me as Glen works by the book. I do not, however. Given it's our case – we'll be getting his old friends involved. You'll thank me later."

Sweet Pea was already reaching out to some of his old men and Betty nodded at the other three. "See you in the morning?"

"Or, we can get a bite to eat," Jughead said, and she looked at him, before nodding.

"Yeah," she said. "Food works."

With that, they left, Betty's mind buzzing with what all was about to transpire between the two of them and the conversation long overdue.