Chapter 93
After FP called for an ambulance, he called Jughead. The ambulance showed up as Jughead and other cops showed up. The two Jones men stood by Baby Teeth's body as Callie was ushered into the ambulance on a gurney.
" Poor Baby Teeth," Jughead breathed.
" Brandon Morris was his real name," FP informed. " We ID'ed him from his prints. First glance, very similar to how you and Callie found Ben and Dilton. But I don't know." They looked at the ambulance as the doors closed, in the window they could see the doctors on sight working to get the poison out of the young Andrew's system " I need your help, son, please." The ambulance took off.
" Yeah, of course," Jughead nodded. He took out his camera and knelt down beside Baby Teeth. " These blue lips are the same. Markings on his back are the same, too." He took a picture. " But his missing teeth that's the twist." He then stood up and sighed. " This might be a copycat killer. I mean, it could be the same guy that went after Ben and Dilton, but they were willing participants. Baby Teeth struggled, and by the looks of it, so did Callie. Maybe the brutality of Baby Teeth's death was the message. Like a warning that he's back and he's angry."
" The Gargoyle King?" FP asked.
" The real one, "Jughead confirmed.
" I would suggest that we have Callie help us out, but she's going to be out of commission," FP stated.
" Maybe when she wakes up she can help us," Jughead hoped.
" She can tell us things, but I don't think she'll be discharged from the hospital for a while," FP admitted.
" Hey Sheriff," a cop said walking over to them something in a bag, it looked like a phone in a plastic bag. " We found a phone." Jughead looked at it and he recognized the case.
" That's Callie's phone," Jughead stated as he sniffed.
*****
The next morning Archie and Fred sat in the waiting room of the hospital, both in tired, dried tears.
" This is all my fault," Archie sniffed. " I should have not left her alone two nights ago."
" Son," Dad sighed. " You didn't know this would happen."
" I had her window chained up, I don't know else anyone could get in," Archie said.
" Your window and my window aren't chained," Dad said. " Her window is the only one." Archie wiped his eyes. " Maybe you should go home and get some rest."
" No," Archie denied. " I want to be here when she wakes up."
" Go clean up at least," Dad advised. " Go hit a couple of bags at the gym, when she wakes up I will call you." Archie shook his head. " Please, son, she would want you to do that."
" Mr. Andrews?" Archie?" Sweet Pea said softly as he walked in with flowers. " How-How is she doing?"
" She hasn't been moved to a room yet," Dad answered. " But the doctors said it should be soon." Sweet Pea took a seat next to Archie. " Son, you should go, we'll let you know when she has been moved or wakes up." Archie reluctantly stood up and left. He went to the gym where the others were training.
" All right, boys, bring it in," Archie ordered. Look, I know you're all pissed about Baby Teeth--"
" Damn right," Nuckles confirmed.
" And his killer will be caught," Archie assured. " I swear to you. But in the meantime, we honor our fallen brother."
" How the hell do we that?" Nuckles demanded.
" I'm dedicating my next match to Baby Teeth," Mad Dog spoke up as he walked in. " Along with your sister Red."
" No one asked you, Mad Dog," Nuckles stated. " Why are you even here?"
" Because Baby Teeth was my brother, too," Mad Dog answered.
" Wait, Mad Dog, what match?" Archie asked. " Did Elio already hook you up with one?"
" There's a boxing tournament this weekend called the Gilded Gloves," Mad Dog informed. " I was gonna fight to win. But now, I'm gonna fight to win and honor Baby Teeth." Archie nodded and turned around.
" How's your sister?" Nuckles asked.
" She hasn't been moved to a visiting room," Archie answered. " But the doctors say she will make it."
****Callie's head****
At the moment Callie was touring Harvard in Massachusets, she was with her family.
" These dorms seem awfully tiny," Archie commented as he stepped they stepped into a dorm. " Almost like my cell at L&L."
" I think it's bigger than that," Callie said as she looked the bunk beds.
" Bigger than a coffin that's for sure," Dad said.
" What?" Callie asked him as she furrowed her eyebrows.
" Dorms are for the living sweetheart," Mom smiled, Callie looked at one of the desks and saw a chalice with fresh aid.
********
Archie went to school later that day. Lots of Get Well Soon cards and items sat in front of Callie's locker. He was currently sitting in the student lounge with Veronica, Jughead and Betty.
" How's your boxing career these days, Archie?" Veronica asked.
" Your pal Elio is organizing a boxing event called the Gilded Gloves," Archie informed.
" Brawny young men, shirtless and in shorts, go on," Veronica insisted. Betty smirked at Veronica.
" I was thinking, maybe you could help get the El Royale crew a spot in the tournament," Archie hoped. " The guys could use a win or at least a boost after what happened to Baby Teeth and my sister."
" Let me see what I can do," Veronica nodded. The PA system turned on and Cheryl's voice flooded the school.
" Good morning, my dear Riverdale High constituents and comrades," She greeted cheerfully. " A lot of you have been asking about the Farm's Student Advocacy group. Well, here's the skinny. Sign up sheets are posted throughout the school. The club is open to all students. Where the one become many, and the many become one. So uncap those pens, sharpen those pencils and sign up. A little birdie told me it's what all the cool kids are doing. Also, keep Ms. Callie Andrews in your thoughts and lets hope for a speedy recovery."
" Invasion of the Body Snatchers continues," Jughead noted as Evelyn and a few others passed by.
" So, let me get this straight," Veronica proposed as she sat up. " The reason Cheryl is all-in on the Farm " Is that she gets to see and talk to Jason?"
" Yeah," Betty confirmed. " My mom's entirely convinced that she's seeing and talking to Charles, her long-lost son." Veronica scoffed.
" What if you prove that Charles is dead?" Jughead asked. " O mean, your mom's lost touch with reality, so maybe the best way to snap her out of her delusions is with a harsh dose of truth. Like, prove that Charlies is dead. Or basically, anything that will refute these fantasies that Edgar Evernever is spinning."
********
Archie returned back to the hospital, he found Sweet Pea and his Dad slumped beside each other.
" Mr. Andrews," the Doctor said coming out, everyone stirred. Dad and Sweet Pea looked at each other before pulling away.
" What's the news Doc?" Dad asked as he stood up.
" Your daughter has been moved, she can now have visitors," the Doctor said. " She is currently in a coma, talk to her, keep it nice, she will still be able to hear her."
" Anything else?" Archie asked.
" It seems that blood loss was going to get to her before the poison," He answered. " Luckily, we were able to give her blood and get the poison out." He took them to a room, there laid Callie hooked up to a machine, she looked deadly pale. Archie and Dad took a seat on the right side as Sweet Pea took a seat on the left side.
****Callie's head****
Callie was now outside she stood at the bridge that separates the North and Southside. There was a line of red flowers, she followed them. As she follwed the flower petals got darker. Minutes later she found people standing in the cemetery standing in front of a grave. She walked over and saw it was her friends and family, she looked at the grave and saw her name. She blinked and in front of the grave sat a chalice.
" No," Callie shook her head. She turned her head to see her family crying. " Mom!" Her mom didn't look at her. " Dad! Archie!"
"If she were here, she would tell us to be strong," Cheryl cried. " But one of my rocks, how can I be strong when another piece of me is gone?" She busted into tears, Toni held her close.
" Cheryl!" Callie said running over to her. " I'm right here." She went to grab her hand, but it went right through. Tears filled Callie's eyes.
" If you cry, then we all cry," a voice croaked, she turned and saw Sweet Pea. He was a total mess, eyes red and puffy, looked like he hasn't slept in months.
" Pea Brain?" Callie asked as she walked over to him. " Please hear me." She went to grab his hand, but her hand went right through.
" She's gone, but it still feels like she is here," Archie sniffed.
" Almost as if she never died," Betty agreed as Veronica held her.
" I'm right here!" Callie cried out.
*****
Jughead and FP were now at the Maple Club interrogating Ms. Blossom.
" Any idea how one of your matchbooks ended up in Baby Teeth's throat?" FP asked.
" Well, they are complementary to all of our guests," Penelope answered as she picked one up from a basket. " We don't recommend they ingest them. I do recall this young man being here a few nights ago. He was here with some friends." Jughead took out a notepad and started to write things down. " Ex-cons, but charming. Anyway, this Baby Teeth left the Maple Club with a grin on his face, and alive. My girl Rosemary fulfilled his fantasy." She circled a name on her book right before there was a crash and a woman screamed in fright. " What on Eve's Earth?" The three went in the back, they saw the girls backed up and a vase smashed. They then saw a guy holding a broken shard from a mirror, he was growling, he then turned around, some foam was coming out of his mouth. He slashed at FP.
" All right, okay," FP said. He looked away. " Hey!" The guy looked back, FP pounded him in the face hard enough that he passed out. He then took him to the cruiser.
" Why don't you ask my daughter's best friend about any of this?" Penelope asked Jughead. " As I recall Baby Teeth and her were beocming friends fast."
" Cheryl didn't tell you?" Jughead asked. " Her body was found at the scene as well, according to Archie she is in recovery."
" Oh dear," Penelope sympathized as FP came back in.
" I got him cuffed in the back of my cruiser," FP informed as he closed his door. " He's not going anywhere."
" Is there anything else you guys can tell us about him?" Jughead asked the ladies. " Like his name or where he's from?" They looked at each other.
" Martin," Penelope spoke. " But they all use an alias."
" Did something seem different about him?" Jughead asked.
" Yes," Laura answered. " Martin likes to take Fizzle Rocks to enhance the experience, but this was different. The high hit him like a truck. He started foaming at the mouth, freaking out."
" This was helpful," FP said. " If anything else comes up, please give me a call." He handed his card to the woman. The three left."
****Callie's head****
In Andrew's house, Callie was standing in the bathroom staring at herself in the mirror as a bruise looking thing on her next.
" That hickey is going to last a while," Sweet Pea laughed as he stood in the doorway.
" Thanks," Callie huffed as she tried to apply more makeup on it. " Dad is going to flip."
" I'll go find a scarf," Sweet Pea laughed more as he left the doorway, Callie rolled her eyes.
" Bet I can make it darker," a voice said, she jumped she turned and saw Kurtz.
" Not a chance!" Callie growled before punching him.
" Come on baby," Kurtz giggled as blood spilled out his nose. " The law wants us together."
" Your laws are fake," Callie said. " I make my own rules."
" Your own rules are going to land you in his kingdom," Kurtz laughed more.
" No, cause this moment forward I will not let you decide my fate, nobody will decide my fate," Callie said. " My eyes are now fully opened.
****
Back at the hospital, Callie slowly opened her eyes. She saw that the tv was on, she looked to see her Dad, Sweet Pea, and Cheryl all sitting in the room watching the news. From what she could tell, Alice Smith was on the screen.
" This is Alice Smith," Alice announced. " And I am here with Veronica Lodge." She stepped to the side to reveal Veronica and Archie, Callie looked up to find her self hooked up to a couple of machines. " Promoter of the Southside's El Royale Boxing Club. Veronica, would you like to tell us about your latest business venture?"
" Our athletic facility will help you reach your fitness goals in a fun, classic, competitive environment," Veronica announced. " Our trained staff features some of the toughest fighters in the state, including up-and-coming boxer Archie Andrews. Archie?"
" Hi, I'm Archie Andrews," Archie greeted. " Owner, trainer, and fighter here at the El Royale Boxing Club. Join now, and your first three personal training sessions with me are completely free." Alice looked amazed. " I got one more thing to say. A message for Randy Ronson. This Friday night at the Gilded Gloves, I want a rematch. Me and you. Let's settle this for good." Alice then took the center of the camera.
" Strong words from a local hero," Alice said. Live from the Southside, I'm Alice Smith, RIVW."
" Gilded Gloves?" Callie asked weakly. Everyone looked back at her.
"Callie!" They gasped happily, they all tackled her into a hug.
" Ow," She breathed. Dad then pressed the button, everyone had to leave as the Doctors did a check up on her.
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