#penelope blosson

[statticscribbles]

Living Dead

Summary: Jason was kept alive for leverage (written pre 3x20)

None of the kids scream, they simply tuck themselves closer, nervously hovering as Betty calls Cheryl. “We have to-“ Veronica starts; Fred interrupts them, pulling the USB key out, quiet, nervous about something he refuses to tell them. He’s insisting he’ll bring it to Sheriff Keller. They don’t let him leave alone; they don’t leave Cheryl alone either, picking her up on the way to Tom’s house. They hover, insisting they didn’t realize what was on it before they watched. Cheryl’s almost silence is deafening. Nobody is sure what’s worse the quiet rage that seeps from her clenched fists, or how small, how alone she sounds when she asks what’s going to happen next.

It’s Alice who brings up the footage being edited. She’d been called, along with FP, by Fred, Sheriff Keller speeding through an explanation and viewing of the clip, on mute of course. He’s thankful the footage had no sound. “Edited? The time stamps aren’t warped or skipped at all.” Tom looks up from where he sits behind his desk.

“I don’t mean parts have been cut out, I mean the angles, look.” She pulls the video up, pointing out how the angles change. How Jason’s face is only shown in flashes, the image resolution cutting in and out. She raises an eyebrow and Tom looks unimpressed. “So the security camera’s aren’t CCTV quality, that’s not surprising, it’s a basement of a gang den. No offense.” He nods to FP who chuckles. “Except those camera’s can move, we installed the 360 security, for our benefit, to be able to provide us with alibis if we needed, they deliberately didn’t switch the angles, they made a point of not showing his face after he was shot.” “I figured you’d be happy about that, not scaring the kids for life, since they found it.” Fred speaks up and everyone nods in agreement but FP leans over. “What if that wasn’t Jason getting shot.” Tom shakes his head. He grinds his teeth before sighing.

“Listen, we don’t involve the kids, look.” He clicks through pulling up what he knows the kids had assumed to be nothing, that or they were too shocked to delve deeper. It’s Mustang again, as he’s taunting Jason, something looks different, the footage grainier, his face warped. The angle switches and a boy that’s very clearly not Jason Blossom looks into Mustang’s eyes with terror in his. “You want to tell me, that the body you helped dump in the river, that we pulled out and brought to an autopsy, is not Jason Blossom? You have anyone that can vouch for that?” He watches as FP smirks. “Mustang of course. You ever been to the house of the dead?” He laughs when Tom shakes his head. Of course the kids somehow worm their way into it. Betty, Jughead and Archie will not be swayed from accompanying them. FP is secretly relieved he never liked visiting alone. Tom, Fred and Alice makes Betty and Archie wait in his car, a stern “Jughead knows how to use a knife properly” keeps both of them quiet in understanding. FP leads as Alice and Fred follow in.

“Mustang! I know you’re here. Malachai, pleasure.” He shouts into the house as the shoves the door open. Malachai nods sweeping his hands over the couches. “Oh you brought-“ He doesn’t finish his though, Alice kicking out as hard as she can. Malachai doesn’t flinch, only chuckling before bending and straightening his knee. “I was wondering why your wore your steel toes.” He offers coffee, FP being the only one to take it. Mustang appears sulking from a spare room, sitting next to Malachai before he’s shoved from the chair. “No Mustang, liar’s don’t get to sit in chairs.” Mustang nods, FP starts to question him, letting Mustang fill him in on the final moments of Jason Blossom. Malachai interrupts when Mustang repeats himself twice over, they can tell he’s bored.

“And the best part? Clifford let us have two whole days with him! Two days! Do you know how much damage we could have done. How much we did do?” Malachai laughs slowly shaking his head. Mustang nods in agreement before he speaks. “That kid was a mess. We told him we’d let his girl go, didn’t even say we had her but he lost it, said he’d do whatever, go whatever, just don’t hurt her. Please don’t hurt her sir” He mocks Jason as he rolls his eyes. Malachai joining in his laughter. “We just pulled some random kid, redhead, told him if he gave anyone lip we’d blow is brains out. Clifford was too angry to look close; to bother with recognition once he had the ring back. It was too easy to pay everyone else off. Why a chunk of that drug cash we had burned out so fast.” Malachai snorts nodding to FP.

“We kept that flower boy, right here in the House of Death, he’s safe. Convinced we’re gonna shoot him, but safe enough. You give us the Southside, we give the Blossom’s back their boy, no trouble.” “You’re aware the only Blossom who want’s him back is Cheryl right?” Malachai rolls his eyes. “Not surprised, didn’t she burn their house down, psycho little bitch, she’d make a good Ghoulie you know.” He laughs when Alice and Fred glare daggers at him. “Yikes I get it, no more kids in gangs.” He nods to Jughead who glares back level as Malachai starts a fresh round of laughter. “You do realize this is going to cost you right?” FP smirks, stepping forward but Fred stops him, cutting in front to look down at Malachai. “You do realize how we got here right?” Malachai looks up, unimpressed with his supposed threat, until Tom flashes his lights and the siren from his car. “We’re not dumb enough to go into a gang house by ourselves. We’re not kids.” Tom walks in eyebrow raised.

“I was called in cause of a domestic dispute?” Tom looks from Malachai to the other parents. “Not much dispute.” He steps forward as Alice does, watching as she shoves Fred out of the way, fist clenched before she launches it straight at Malachai’s jaw. His head lulls to one side. “Alice you’re supposed to get him to fight not one punch him out cold. Christ.” Tom shakes his head and FP laughs under his breath.

“We can go now.” Fred appears holding up Jason who stumbles blinking sluggishly in the doorway. “Has he been drugged? Jason, hey kid. You alright?” “Sheriff Keller!” He struggles forward as Fred helps him walk. “I think they broke my leg.” Fred nods and Jughead swings around the other side of Jason hoisting him up. “Got him. Alice and I can get Malachai. Or the boys can, that works too.” FP amends as the rest of the police force enter through the doorway.

“Come on Jason, let’s get you to a hospital.” Fred reaches into his pocket pulling a phone out. “Never thought having this number would be useful, but here we are.” He laughs as he pulls the phone to his ear, helping Jason limp towards his car. “FP drive, Jason try to prop you leg up, there we go, Hello?” He turns his attention to the phone conversation. “You need to meet us at the hospital, yes, all of you. All of you Penelope, that includes the twins too.” Jason’s head picks up and he mouths twins confusion on his face, Fred hands up. “It’s a bit of a long story. Once we get you fixed up I’m sure it’ll be all you’re hearing about.” Jason laughs nodding. “Of course, it’s Riverdale after all.” Both Fred and FP join in his laughter. “You have no idea kid.”

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The midnight club of Riverdale: Alice Cooper, Fp Jones, Hermione Lodge, Fred Andrews, Penelope Blosson and Sierra McCoy