In the heart of Riverdale, the gang was in a frenzy. Betty Cooper was missing, and the only clue they had was a chilling video message from Adler. He had captured Betty and taken her back in time, with Alice Cooper by his side. The gang had faced Adler before, but this time, the stakes were higher than ever.
Archie Andrews, Veronica Lodge, Jughead Jones, Cheryl Blossom, Reggie Mantle, Toni Topaz, Kevin Keller, Tabitha Tate, and Harry Houdini gathered at Pop's Chock'lit Shoppe, trying to piece together what had happened. The video message from Adler had been brief, revealing only that Betty was being held in Fall River, Massachusetts, in August 1892—during the infamous Trial of Lizzie Borden.
"We need to find her," Archie said, his voice filled with determination. "We can't let Adler or Alice get away with this."
Veronica clenched her fists. "Alice betrayed us all. She's not just working with Adler; she's helping him rewrite history. We need to stop them."
Jughead nodded, deep in thought. "Lizzie Borden's trial was one of the most notorious murder cases in American history. If Adler's there, he's likely trying to manipulate the outcome."
Houdini, ever the skeptic, spoke up. "And if Alice is with him, she's probably using her knowledge of modern history to help him succeed."
Tabitha, who had been flipping through one of Alice's old journals, looked up. "I found something. In one of Alice's entries, she mentions a plan to take Betty to Fall River. She wrote about using the trial as a cover to carry out some sort of twisted plan."
Reggie frowned. "So we know where they are and what they're up to. But how do we stop them?"
Cheryl, her eyes cold with resolve, replied, "We go to Fall River. We find Betty, and we take down Adler, Alice, and whoever this twentieth agent is."
The gang agreed, and after a final round of planning, they used their time-travel devices to transport themselves back to August 1892. The bustling streets of Fall River were a stark contrast to the quiet lanes of Riverdale. The town was abuzz with talk of Lizzie Borden, the young woman accused of brutally murdering her father and stepmother.
The gang split up to search for Betty. Archie, Veronica, and Jughead headed to the courthouse where Lizzie Borden's trial was being held, while Cheryl, Reggie, and Kevin scoured the town's inns and taverns. Toni, Tabitha, and Houdini searched the outskirts of town, looking for any sign of Adler's agent or a hideout.
As they searched, Archie and Veronica overheard a conversation between Lizzie's defense attorney and a local detective. The detective mentioned that a mysterious woman had been seen around town with Lizzie, a woman who matched Alice's description.
"They're close," Archie whispered to Veronica. "We need to find Betty before it's too late."
Meanwhile, Cheryl and Reggie had their own discovery. At a local tavern, they found a man who claimed to have seen a young woman fitting Betty's description being taken into the Borden house by Alice and another man—a man who Reggie recognized from the video message as Adler's twentieth agent.
"They're hiding Betty in the Borden house," Cheryl said. "We need to get there now."
Back at the Borden house, Betty was being held in one of the upstairs rooms. Alice and Adler had been using her to help Lizzie cover up the murders. They forced her to assist in hiding evidence and even burying the bodies in the basement.
Betty's heart raced as she heard footsteps approaching the room. It was Adler's agent, who had been assigned to watch her. But before he could enter, Betty heard a commotion outside—voices she recognized.
"Archie! Jughead! Cheryl!" Betty thought, her hope rekindled.
Just as Adler's agent opened the door, Reggie tackled him from behind, knocking him out cold. Archie, Veronica, Jughead, Cheryl, Toni, Tabitha, Kevin, and Houdini rushed into the room, freeing Betty from her restraints.
"We need to get out of here," Archie said, pulling Betty to her feet.
As they made their escape through the back of the house, they were confronted by none other than Lizzie Borden herself, wielding an axe. Cheryl stepped forward, her eyes locked on Lizzie's.
"Get out of here. I'll handle her," Cheryl said, her voice steady.
Lizzie swung the axe at Cheryl, who dodged it with cat-like reflexes. The two women circled each other, tension crackling in the air. With a swift move, Cheryl disarmed Lizzie, sending the axe clattering to the ground. She delivered a final blow, knocking Lizzie unconscious.
Cheryl rejoined the gang, her face flushed with adrenaline. "Let's get out of here before Adler and Alice come back."
But as they made their way through the yard, they saw Adler and Alice at the edge of the property, preparing to time-travel back to the present. Betty's heart ached as she watched her mother, torn between love and betrayal.
"Mom, you don't have to do this," Betty pleaded. "You can still come back with us."
Alice's eyes softened for a moment, but then she shook her head. "I'm doing this for you, Betty. For us."
With that, Adler and Alice vanished, leaving the gang in stunned silence. They had rescued Betty, but the cost had been great.
The gang returned to the Borden house, where they were met by detectives, police, and Marshal Hilliard. They explained what had happened and provided evidence of Lizzie Borden's true motives and her involvement with Adler.
Marshal Hilliard congratulated Cheryl on defeating Lizzie and praised the gang for their bravery. But despite their victory, the gang couldn't shake the feeling of loss.
Back in the present, Betty thanked her friends for rescuing her, but the betrayal of her mother weighed heavily on her. As they celebrated their victory at Pop's Chock'lit Shoppe, the mood was bittersweet.