A/N:

Penny Peabody is a bitch, we all know that, right?

Can Jughead handle her and put her out of the picture once and for all?

Just to be clear, there are mentions of violence in this chapter.

A week after the disastrous FBI raid, Betty went back to Quantico for a two-days training camp. She didn't have much time to think about all that went through. Her days started very early with boot camp training sessions in the woods from 4 to 6 a.m., then there was combat simulation at the gym. After lunch it was time for some special weapon course and shooting session at the range, which was mandatory for every agent who was inclined to join the SWAT team.

Betty was trying to keep all her options open, though she wasn't sure she wanted to be a tactical team member. In fact, her ambitions were targeted more towards the profiling career, therefore she was studying some of the most recent cases of the B.A.U., hoping she could finalize her internship there, working hand in hand with some of the most talented agents and brilliant minds the Bureau could line up.

Given the fact that she was the daughter of one of the most brutal serial killers in upstate New York, and that she had a crucial role in bringing him to justice, she felt sufficiently qualified to apply for a position in the Unit.

She knew his supervisor, Agent Tyler, had recommended her for a place in a task force working on a series of killings in Louisiana, which would definitely boost her career and point her in the right direction.

But, before she could focus on her personal goals, she had to fix things in Riverdale. With the Serpents and Penny.

Betty decided to give Jughead and the Serpents as much intel as she could, possibly without being caught. She called Danielle O'Brien, one of her former academy classmates - who now worked in the coordination dept in Quantico - asking her to sneak a copy of the files the DEA sent to the Bureau in the previous months, about Penny and her links to the Mexicans.

Betty and Danielle had bonded quite a lot while attending the academy and training, and remained good friends even if the other woman was two years older. She had already finished her internship and worked as a liaison officer.

She decided to become and FBI agent when she was only ten years old and her older brother James, who was thirteen at the time, was killed during a drive-by shooting between two rival gangs in Chicago along with one of their neighbors' kids, as they were getting out of the bus after school.

Both Betty and Danielle suffered a loss, a family tragedy, and their resolve to outrun their traumatic upbringing inspired them to become the best version of themselves and bring to justice as many criminals, drug dealers, stone-cold killers and psychopaths they could.

Betty parked her car in a free lot in front of a 7-Eleven near the highway and waited. Ten minutes later another vehicle pulled up beside hers, the opened driver's windows facing one another. She smiled at her friend.

"Here you go, Cooper" Danielle stretched her arm out of the window and put a little black flash drive on Betty's open palm who immediately slid it into her jacket pocket.

"That's all I could put together without raising suspicions. I think it's enough to work with."

"You're the best Dany, are you sure you're not getting in trouble?"

"Don't worry, I know how to cover my tracks. Besides, if there's even the slightest chance that this intel helps you to take down a bunch of filthy drug dealers, I'm all for it. I mean the worst they can do is suspend me for a couple of weeks, but it'll be worth it."

"Thank you, I appreciate it."

"So, are you going back to Riverdale, now?"

Betty nodded.

"I hope that can also help you fix things with your sexy biker friend" Danielle made a pause and smiled at Betty's eye roll.

"I knew I shouldn't have told you."

Of course Betty told her about her story with Jughead and when she discovered about their most recent reunion, Danielle couldn't hide her enthusiasm. She was a Bughead fan at heart.

"Oh, come on! He kissed you, after all this time, despite everything. How many more proves do you need? Just go for it!"

"First I need to clean up the mess I made, then...we'll see."

"Right. Let me know about the drug dealing bitch. And...the other situation."

In the meantime, Jughead had gone completely radio-silent. She reached for him a couple of times, sent him texts, but he didn't reply and she assumed he was still angry with her.

She called Toni and arranged a meeting to give her the flash drive, so that they could get a head start.

When they met she didn't ask about Jughead because she wasn't sure she wanted to know he was still pissed.

On the drive back to her apartment, her mother had called to ask her to go out to dinner together and since she had nothing better to do, she accepted.

They ordered their food and sat at a booth at Pop's, waiting. Betty kept looking out of the window, thinking about Penny, the Ghoulies and the Serpents.

Alice watched her intently. "You're unusually quiet, Elizabeth."

"I'm not in the mood for talking much."

"And why us that?"

Alice was sipping her cup of coffee and watched Betty with a raised eyebrow.

"Nothing, work stuff."

"Uhm, you sure?"

Betty shot her a weird look. "What is this? Are you pulling one of your third degree sessions on me?"

"You're so overly dramatic, Elizabeth. I was just making conversation."

"Right." She shot her mother a sideways look.

"Of course, I'm your mother and a mother knows when her children are hiding something."

Betty turned her head to look at her mother and the squinted her eyes.

"What on earth are you talking about?"

"You've been in a strange mood since you came back."

"Well, this is Riverdale, it's not like this town holds so many happy memories for me."

"Mmh," Alice mumbled, not at all satisfied with her daughter's explanation. "You're not even letting me know where you're staying, that's hiding things."

"No, that is called privacy! And you have the very bad habit of intruding mine since I was in third grade."

In that moment a young mother was walking by their table with a little dark haired girl, reaching the booth behind them. Alice looked at the woman and put up her best mother hen attitude.

"See? That's what you get when they grow up. They don't even want to visit you anymore."

"Oh my God!" Betty huffed. "Do you see why I keep things from you? You're nosy!"

Betty shifted in her seat and spoke at the woman. "She's nosy! Don't do that with your daughter, please."

The woman offered a tight smile, a bit uncomfortable for being unwillingly dragged in the middle of a private conversation.

"You're so secretive. Is that because you're hooking up with someone?" Betty's eyes widened and she slammed her hand on the table.

"Stop it. Right now."

Alice didn't even seem to care or notice and she went on "I bet it's Jughead! You two couldn't take your hands off each other in high school."

"Mom!"

Someone cleared their throat and they both fell silent. Tabitha was standing next to their table with their plates. Betty didn't know how long she'd been there, but she was sure she heard her mother's last statement. She handed them their plates and smiled awkwardly. Betty did the same and as soon as Tabitha moved away, she wished she could dig a hole under the table and bury herself in it.

Alice put up her best 'mom of the year' face and grinned.

"You're unbelievable!" Betty's voice was louder than normal, definitely louder enough for half the diner to hear.

"Oh, Betty, don't act so prude. There's nothing to be ashamed of."

"I'm not ashamed!" She tried her best to keep her voice down. "I'm not having sex with Jughead, and even if that was the case, it's none of your God damned business."

Alice didn't seem to budge.

"Besides, who the hell told you that?!"

Alice shrugged, putting down her cup.

"Pop told me he saw the two of you having dinner together a while back and you looked cozy."

Betty had the feeling Pop didn't say anything on his own accord, but more likely when he found himself under her unrelenting crossfire. She knew how much of a hound her mother was. In that moment she remembered what Jughead had said about living in a big town where nobody really pays attention to who you are and what you do. New York seemed like a great place to live.

"So? We had dinner and that was it." Betty sighed.

They ate their dinner in silence and when Betty took some cash from her wallet to pay the bill, Alice put her hand on hers, on the table, and her expression had softened. She was smiling sweetly and when she spoke again her voice seemed to have lost that prying edge. "I'm always worried about you when you're in Quantico."

Betty was used to her mother's sudden mood swings, but this time her voice held a deep pained tone.

"I know you don't have that many friends, and it's not good to be alone, Betty. It's not fair. I'm just...happy to hear you and Jughead at least speak to each other again. I know it was hard for you the summer before college."

They had never talked about what happened before they left for the road trip, but when she got back from New Haven and the house was empty, she realized Betty and Jughead were no longer together.
Betty, for her part, never asked Alice if she was still in touch with FP, because it was plain to see it was an heartbreaking subject, even after so many years. They'd loved each other in their youth and they tried to make things work again after 25 years, only to be split apart by the circumstances of life.

She looked her mother in the eyes and they were sad and melancholic. She had suffered a breakup too, that summer, and Betty felt a deep connection with Alice, like they shared the same sense of loss.
There was no point in telling her she'd already screwed up things again and she wasn't sure Jughead would want to talk to her again. She wanted her mother to believe at least one of them had been granted a modicum of happiness.

"I know it was hard for you too, mom. I'm sorry."

After she drove her home, Betty stopped by the Cooper house for a while, helping Alice putting away the groceries she left on the kitchen counter. Betty noticed that her mother seemed calmer and pleased to have her around, just doing ordinary things together.

"You'd better get on the road, Betty. It's quite a drive back to Seaside." Alice said while she was sitting on the couch folding up freshly laundered kid's clothes.

Betty felt a pang of guilt, an emotion she was growing more and more accustomed to, lately.

"Actually mom," Betty spoke softly, coming up beside her "I'm not staying in Seaside. I rented an apartment here, in Riverdale."

Alice looked up and offered a small smile. "I know."

"You do?"

"I told you earlier. A mother knows these things."

"I'm sorry, I didn't want to hurt you, I just..."

"Don't worry honey, I understand. You and your sister are grown up women now, it's only fair that you want to enjoy your independence and privacy. I know I can be too much to handle sometimes." Alice sniffed quietly and Betty sat down on the armrest, wrapping an arm around her mother's shoulder, squeezing lightly.

"Mom, even if I don't live here anymore, I still love you and I'll always be here for you. You know that right?"

Alice nodded and smiled, resting her head against Betty's side, wiping away the tears from her cheeks. They stayed like that for a little while as they finished up folding the laundry.

When she was ready to leave, her mother reminder her to pick up her suit from the dry-cleaning the morning after and Betty waved her goodbye.

Once in her apartment she searched in her wallet for the laundry receipt, but couldn't find it anywhere. She looked in her purse, in her coat, even in the wastepaper bin. Nothing.

Then she remembered she was wearing Jughead's jacket when she dropped off her mom's items.

"Shit!"

The fact that he hadn't returned her calls or answered to her texts in the previous days should have been a clear idication. He didn't want her around while he took care of things, but she tried again anyway.

Betty called him three times, but when he didn't pick up she started to fret.

Under normal circumstances, she would have assumed he was silently telling her to mind her own business, but with Penny on the loose, she was terrified that anything could happen to him or any other of the guys or Toni, so decided to check if by any chance he was at Sweetwater Lodge.

Her heart pounded in her chest for the whole drive up to his cabin. When she parked her car, she saw Jughead's bike was there and she started to breathe evenly again.

The door was slightly opened and she got inside. "Jug...?"

She looked around and spotted him pacing back and forth in his bedroom talking on the phone. At least he was alright. But by the look on his face and the way he was frantically messing his hair up she immediately felt something was off.

She took a few more steps towards the bedroom and he noticed the movement, focusing his eyes on her, his expression hard.

"I'll call you back in a few" he muttered to the phone before ending the call and rushing to the living room.

"Why the hell are you here, Betty?" His tone was harsh. Ok, maybe she wasn't expecting a warm greeting, but he was looking at her like she was the devil incarnate.

"I tried calling you," she justified herself.

"Yeah, I saw the missed calls. I'm busy" he cut her off, putting his hands on his hips. She didn't need her FBI training skills to decipher his body language in that precise moment. She was the last person he wanted to see.

Betty tried again, speaking with a hushed tone "I was just wondering if Toni gave you the flash-drive."
"She did. You came here just to ask me that?"

Betty noticed that he was fully dressed. Black jeans, black hoodie and his Serpent jacket.

"No. And I'm sorry to bother you, but I forgot the dry-cleaning receipt inside your jacket. I need it to pick up some stuff tomorrow, so..."

"This is really not a good time." He checked his watch and cursed.

"Why? What's going on?"

"Damn! You and all your fucking questions," he snapped turning around and grabbing the jacket which lay discarded on the coffee table. He searched the pockets and retrieved a small piece of paper.

When he trow it back on the table, Betty saw a gun, half-hidden under a magazine.

"Can you leave, now?" He handed her the receipt, growling.

She froze for a second, then she pointed a finger at the table.

"What are you doing with a gun, Jughead?!" Her voice faltering, her green eyes wide with disbelief.

Jughead was restless. He was running a hand through his hair nervously and kept on checking his watch like he had something to do and somewhere to be.

Jughead grabbed the gun and tucked it in the waistband of his pants behind his back.

"Since when do you carry a firearm?" She furrowed her brows, confused. "This isn't you."

"Oh no, no! You don't get to throw this shit at me. Stop looking at me with that deluded expression plastered on your face!"

"I'm not!"

"Yes you are! You look at me like it physically hurts you or something."

"Jesus! I can't do this."

She turned her back and headed for the door and he sneered after her.

"See? This is what you do when you can't control the situation! You run away, like you did the other night at the club!"

His suffering was very clear in his voice.

"I wasn't...I wasn't feeling well."

Jughead tilted his head to the side and licked his lips. He couldn't decide if he was more amused or upset at her plain denial. He walked slowly towards her and when he was close enough he leaned in to whisper in her ear.

"You're a terrible liar."

He moved forward and through the door, fumbling with the straps of his helmet, getting ready to hop on his bike. The wisest thing to do would be to get the hell out of that damn town. Coming back had proven to be a fucking nightmare.

And yet, even if he yelled at her, said horrible things and tried to make her feel as miserable as he felt, there was no way he could deny he still had feelings for her. That night at the Whyte Wyrm was just yet another confirmation of it all. They say love and hate are equals because whichever you feel, it's powerful and consuming and it ends up fueling the other one.

She followed him out and he noticed she was gripping the edge of her coat, probably to avoid digging her nails in her palms.

When he spoke again he kept his voice low, though his breathing was rough.

"Why are you still here?" He spelled each word looking her directly in the eyes.

"I'm worried about you..."

"Oh! So now you give a damn about me?! That' hilarious Betty. You should have cared years ago!"

"I did! Just because we broke up, it doesn't mean that I stopped caring about you!"

"Fuck this! We didn't break up! I told you I loved you and I was hoping we'd figure things out, with time. But you left, for fuck's sake! You cheated on me, broke my heart and then you left! I don't know what's the story you've been telling yourself all this time, but that's what really happened."

Jughead straddled his bike looking furious.

"What do you want me to do, Jug? It's not like I can turn back time! I said I was sorry! I'm sorry!"

They were both screaming so loud that his neighbors could probably hear every word.

She looked around and took a deep breath, lowering her voice. There was no need to let complee strangers know about their own personal business.

"That kiss with Archie meant nothing. It was a stupid mistake!"

"So, you happened to make the same exact mistake twice?!" he hissed and his nostrils flared. The smile that spread on his lips afterwards was all but warm.

"Funny. You know, after all that kissing, I'm surprised you and Archie didn't go through with it once and for all and fuck each other's brains out!" his grin widened and he laughed, bitterly. "That's all you ever wanted, right?"

She turned pale and had the expression of someone who was about to throw up.

"Jug..." she swallowed, blinking to hold back the tears. That hurt, bad. Like a cannonball had come crashing down on them both.

"Oh...so you did, didn't you? You fucked him! God!"

His voice was broken. He could feel his heart was about to splinter in his chest, but he refused to let her see his world fall apart again. He fired the engine and secured the helmet under his chin. He was so done. Stupid of him to ever think otherwise after the nice moments they shared since they met again.

"Tell me something. Was it when we were still together?" He was angry and hurt and Betty felt warm tears streak down her face when she caught the cold expression in his eyes.

"No! No...Jug, of course not!" She shook her head, trying to reach for him with her hand.

She froze when she saw the look on his face. He wouldn't have let her a feet near him.

"You know what? I don't care. It's none of my fucking business. We're not together anymore, right? You can do whatever and whoever you want. Go on, go back to Archie, I'm sure he's always ready for a roll in the sack with you. I'm done and I'm leaving."

He had much more important matters to handle, like saving his sister or at least die trying. His love life – or lack of – could go to hell.

"Jug, wait!" Her scream was swallowed by the roar of the engine, the last thing she saw was the bright green snake on the back of his Serpent jacket.

Fangs and Sweet Pea were already waiting for him on their bikes when he got to the Wyrm. The parking lot was completely full, and they could hear the music blasting from there.

Jughead was livid and he looked mad as hell.

"Everything good?" Fangs asked.

He ignored his friend's question. "Where is she?"

"Hog Eye said he heard there was movement down at the old docks lately. Nobody's ever been there in decades, the place is a wreck." Pea explained. "But it's a secluded area with a lot of warehouses and plenty of space to hide people."

And bodies, Jughead thought. That was the kind of place you usually see in thriller movies, when a poor fellow is usually tortured to death by some sadistic mobster.

Jughead closed his eyes shut for a second. Penny would never kill JB until he showed up. She was a crazy, sadistic psycho and she wanted him to suffer.

Sweet Pea went on "my guess is she's keeping her in the old storage building, it's the only one with a clear view of the whole compound."

"Is there a way to get there without being seen?"

"Yeah, there's an old gravel road leading up to the back."

"Ok, so I guess that's my way in..."

Fangs raised a hand to stop him. "Wait, what the hell, Jones! You're not going alone in there!"

"Yes. That's exactly what's going to happen. She wants me, she kidnapped JB because she wants payback. The message is clear. We have unfinished business that needs to be ended. Tonight."

"She set a trap like this before, you know she'll have backup! She doesn't play fair."

"Maybe, or maybe not. Either way, Pea, I need you to stay here and keep an eye on the place. Something tells me she could have the Wyrm in her radar, too."

Toni walked quickly towards them, wrapping herself into her jacket.

"The club is fairly packed."

Jughead nodded. "If Penny sends her minions over here, things could get messy and escalate pretty quickly and we can't take that risk with a club full of clueless people. I need some of you here, ready to fight back, in case things go south."

"I still think you should bring one of the guys with you" Toni suggested.

"Fangs, will hide along the road, to escort me and JB back at the Wyrm when everything's over."
"I still don't understand why we kept the club open tonight" Fangs said.

"She has spies keeping an eye on us, if we'd close the club she'll know something's up and relocate God knows where with my sister or even kill her out of spite."

"Ok, but I'll start to send people home in ten minutes. Just a handful at the time, to go unnoticed."

"That's a good idea, do that."

"What about the FBI?"

Jughead's eyes in that moment could have reduced her to ashes.

"Fuck the FBI! They messed up, they didn't catch Penny when the had the chance because they always want to take down the 'bigger fish' and now she has my sister! The can all fucking burn in hell for what I care." He had a point.

"No FBI, then." Pea nodded.

"I can handle Penny, but I can't worry about you guys too. If things go bad, I have to be sure that you'll protect her and everyone else."

"She's family. That's not even in question." Sweet Pea nodded vigorously.

"Then it's settled. I'm going in tonight."

The other Serpents simply nodded. He was the King after all.

Betty got back to her apartment after leaving Jughead's cabin and she didn't know what to do. She felt drained, like she'd cry every single tear she had in her body during the drive home.

Since they both got back in Riverdale, they'd been slowly re-building their relationship, learning to be acquaintances and friends again.

The hardest part was undoubtedly talking about their breakup. She'd pictured it in her head like a thousand times, but never, not even in the worst of nightmares she would have imagined it to go down like that, with the two of them screaming at each other, saying hurtful things and going their separate ways. Just like in senior year.

From where she was standing, she was sure she'd blow up their relationship, whatever it was, for good. She'd never seen him so angry, so hurt. He'd said he was done, and she feared there was nothing she could say or do to make him change his mind.

But even after that awful fight, even if she had the certainty Jughead wanted nothing to do with her, she couldn't deny her love for him. It had probably been there the whole time, all seven years she spent away, trying to move on.

By the way he was acting, the fact that he had a gun, she had the feeling something bad had happened and it was driving her insane to be kept in the dark. She called him a few times, each attempt going straight to voice mail. Of course, he had probably shut off his phone. Betty would have done the same.

Just as she was pouring herself a glass of water from the kitchen, her phone buzzed on the table and she rushed to answer it, hoping it was him.

When she saw Toni's name on the display, her heart sunk deep in her chest and she stroked the display.

"Hey, Toni! Is Jughead with you? I tried calling him a million times but he's not picking up." Her voice sounding startled to her own ears.

"No, that's why I'm calling. I think he needs help."

"What is happening?"

"Jughead went after Penny. Alone."

"What? Damn it! I knew something was up! He has a gun, Toni!"

"She took JB."

She shivered with dread at the thought of what would happen if Penny hurt JB. Jughead will undoubtedly kill her and endure the consequences of it. Or worse, getting killed trying to save his sister.

"Oh God, Penny's a psychopath, she's gonna kill them both! Do you know where he is?"

"Sweet Pea said she's hiding in a warehouse by the docks, I'm sending you the location. Can you call someone for backup?"

"I'm on it." Betty disconnected the call. She didn't even think about involving Agent Tyler or any of the other field agents.

She holstered her gun, grabbed her jacket and was out of the door.

Jughead's eyes were adjusting to the deep darkness as he drove the last kilometer turning off the headlights. He parked the bike under a little group of trees, left the keys in the ignition and reached the back of the building on foot.

There was a small gap in the rusty hangar door and he slid through, trying to make minimum noise. Inside the place was dark the only source of light was a flickering emergency exit sign hanging off from a wall. He couldn't see much, but he could tell the first floor was clear, so he looked around.

The space was completely empty. There was a iron staircase leading up to what it seemed to be an old office, and he was sure he'd find them in there.

As in any action/horror movie ever made, the iron staircase was as weathered and dangerous looking as one could imagine, but as he started to climb it, slowly and steadily, Jughead took the gun from his pants and loaded it when he was halfway up. He heard a little sound then, a very faint whimper, like someone's voice was being muffled. The door was open and he peeked inside. A little window on the roof cast a light beam into the room so, he was able to spot his sister sitting on the floor, her arms tied to the desk leg with some cable ties. She was blindfolded and had a cloth inside her mouth tied behind her neck. She didn't seem injured from what he could tell.

He didn't want to scare her, so he brushed his hand lightly on her knee while he whispered her name.

"It's ok JB, it's me." She nodded vigorously as he took off her blindfold. Her eyes suddenly filling with tears.

"I'm gonna take you out of here, ok?" he drew his switchblade from his pocket and cut the ties freeing her hands. She immediately took off the gag and hugged her brother tight.

"Oh Jug!"

"I know...We need to be quick. We go down the stairs and out from the back, my bike is parked outside" he explained as he helped her on her feet. She could stand and walk, it was a good sign. He gave her his jacket and winked with a reassuring smile.

Jughead looked outside the office to see if they were clear, then took JB's hand and headed for the stairs. He ushered her down and towards the passage he had used just minutes before.

A rapid movement caught his eyes, and he was cut short of breath when something hard hit him in the back and he fell on the ground, the gun slipping from his hand and ending up several feet away.

JB screamed, reaching for her brother.

"Oh, Jonesy...you never learn, don't you?"

When he looked up he saw Penny Peabody standing above him with a crowbar in her hand.

"That makes two of us. How many times do I have to kick you out of this town, Penny?" He said in between coughs.

"You really thought you could team up with the Feds to bust my business down and I'd let you get away with it?"

"Well, at least I had to try."

"Yeah, I know, you always need to do the hero thing" she kicked him in the stomach and he curled in a ball, hearing JB scream again.

"Get your hands off my brother, you lousy bitch!"

"Watch your mouth kiddo! I'll be with you in a second." She waived the crowbar in the air, ready to hit her too.

"JB, run!" Jughead managed to say between coughs.

The young woman shook her head no and remained motionless, her hands curled up into fists.

"For God's sake, do as I say! Take my bike and go away!" His desperate plea got the best of her and she ran through the gap in the door and into the night. She would reach his bike and be safe. She would be safe with Toni and the other Serpents. Fangs was hiding a few kilometers north along the road, ready to escort her to the Wyrm. And maybe Sweet Pea and the other guys would get to him before it was too late. He knew he said them to stay put, but he also knew his friend would never leave him behind. They both lived by the Serpent law.

"I'll have her followed, you know. She'll never be safe around you, you stupid piece of shit!"

"Penny Peabody...always so ladylike..." he mocked her. Penny kicked him again, a little lower, almost right on the groin.

"Maybe I'm no lady, but you see...if you wish to keep that part of your body that makes you a man intact, I suggest you shut the fuck up and listen. You should have stayed in New York or whatever city it is that you came back from. This is my playground now."

"I kicked you out of this town twice already, I can do it again!"

Penny laughed, swirling the crowbar in the air.

"Yeah well, you're not that scary now, on your own. At least, last time you had your crew. Where are they now, huh? They finally realized what a pitiful excuse for a King you are?"

"Fuck you!"

"You stepped on my toes one time too many. After tonight I'll make sure you won't ever come back. The Serpents are done for good this time and so is their pathetic King."

He balanced himself on the palm of a hand and got back on his feet.

"Not on my watch, you bitch!"

He threw himself at her and knocked her down, but before he could hit her on her side, she managed to move and then Jughead felt another jolt of pain as she aimed a punch at his face and he felt his lower lip split as blood dripped down his chin. She was wearing her special gloves, obviously, the ones with all the studs. She scrambled to her feet again and away from his grasp as he did the same.

"You know," he said wiping the blood with the back of his hand "I've never hit a woman in my life. But I swear to God I'll make an exception just for you!" he was furious.

"Oh, but you did cut me! How is that for being a gentleman?"

"Not my best moment, I admit it, but you deserved it!"

"Tell me something," she was walking around keeping a close eye on him "I've heard news that Betty Cooper is back in town. I bet she was at the garage during that fucking raid a few days ago. I barely made it out in one piece. She made me lose a lot of money. That cunt!"

"Oh so they did bust your business good, after all. Isn't that great ho hear!"

"I can guarantee you that she will to pay for that, maybe I should send Malachai to finally give your precious Northside slut what she deserves."

Jughead winced and his vision narrowed. Images of the night he was almost beaten to death flashed in his mind as well as the voice of the Ghoulie leader Malachai threatening to hurt Betty once they were done with him.

"I'll let him have his fun with her. I'll even let you watch if you behave. What do you say?"

"Don't you fucking dare or I'll kill you."

Penny laughed at his attempt to threaten her.

"And then I'll go after your little sister. That would be so much fun! I'll carve her out just as you did with me, what do you say Jonesy?"

"If you as much as think about going anywhere near my sister..." he hissed "...or Betty, every Serpent in this town will have no other purpose in life than putting a bullet through your sick brain. That's a fucking promise."

"Oh, I know you think I should be frightened, but you're the one on the ground and I'm the one calling the shots. And I won't make the same mistake again. This time I'll make sure you're really dead when I leave."

He shot a glance at the gun laying on the floor. It may be the last thing he'd do, but he had to try to grab it and be done with Penny once and for all.

She sighed, theatrically, threw the crowbar away and pulled out her own loaded gun, pointing it at his chest. "Don't even think about it. I'd shoot you before you can even make a move."

A hushed laugh came from the shadows.

"Maybe so, but you'll end up with your stupid brains scattered all over this place."

Betty emerged from the back of the warehouse, walking towards them and was now standing a few feet away with a deadly look on her face, her arms stretched out pointing a gun at Penny's head. In that moment Jughead didn't know if he should feel relieved or angry at her for the intrusion. But despite his internal debate, he thought she was the embodiment of power and resolution and he couldn't take his eyes off of her.

"Drop your weapon, Penny. I'm asking nicely."

Penny seemed genuinely surprised and her hesitation gave Jughead time to retrieve his gun and point it at her.

"Aww, Federal Ponytail! We were just talking about you! Malachai misses you..."

Betty's eyes narrowed and she took a step forward.

"He can go to hell. And you too!"

"So you came to your boyfriend's rescue?" Penny didn't seem to budge, her armed hand still outstretched towards Jughead, her finger on the trigger.

"What are you doing here, Betty?!" Jughead was flustered, and he kept and eye on Penny as he spoke.

"I told you I wanted to help."

"And I told you to stay out of it!"

"I was doing what I thought was right!"

"That's your problem, you always think you're right!"

Penny cleared her throat.

"Aren't you too cute for words" she mocked them. "But, as much as I'm loving this little lover's quarrel I think it's time to put an end to this ridiculous situation."

Penny was sneering at their expense.

"Yeah, let's do that, lower your weapon." Betty took a couple of steps forward. "I won't ask you again."

"Or what? You're not going to shoot me, Ponytail. And you know why? Because I have my finger on the trigger and If you shoot me there's the strong possibility that I'll shoot your Serpent lover-boy here...It's a win for me, but I'm sure it'll be quite painful for you."

He was done playing games.

"Enough with your fucking meaningless threats, Penny! You want to shoot me? Go on, do it!"

"Jughead!" he heard JB's voice and turned around to see his sister running inside the building, behind him.

"JB! I told you to run away!"

"Watch out!" he heard her voice pitch and instinctively throw himself at her to get her out of the line of fire as a series of gunshot thundered in the warehouse.