"Get up." I demanded pointing the gun at Joaquin who was grunting while sitting against a tree, "Get up!"

Sweet Pea and Fangs were holding him. They were bent down to his level as I was standing up, pointing the gun down at him. When Jughead walked over.

"Look what we found on him." Sweet Pea said raising a gargoyal mask.

"So you jumped ship for the Gargoyle gang?" Jughead asked as Sweet Pea threw him the mask, "You have a lot of explaining to do."

Fangs then removed the gag and Joaquin started to gasp for air followed by small coughs. Jughead head bent down to his level by now.

"So why don't we start with why you shivved Archie." Jughead said as he waddled closer to Joaquin.

"Instead of protecting him, like you were suppose to." I added as Joaquin looked up at me in fear.

"The Warden said I had not other choice." Joaquin explained, "You don't know what it was like in there, Y/n. You do anything to survive. For me, it was being the Warden's pawn. A...a chess piece. In some ways, he was a pawn too."

"What does that mean?" Jughead asked and Joaquin shifted his gaze to Jughead.

"I saw him with these game cards that...that told him what to do. Whoever sent them to him wanted Archie dead." Joaquin explained and I let my arm fall as I rubbed a hand down my face.

"Hirum Lodge..." I mumbled.

"For the moment he was locked up, he was already marked." Joaquin continued ignoring my statement.

"Marked with what?" I asked bending down next to Jughead.

I pulled a maker out of my back pocket, and  grabbed Jughead's hand, "This symbol..." I said as I showed Joaquin the simple drawing.

"The warden branded on Archie's hip?" Jughead continued, "What does it mean?"

"Pick him up." I demanded raising my gun again.

"No, no! Argh!" Joaquin grunted as Fangs and Sweet Pea lifted him to his feet.

"Get up." The two boys demanded.

"Hey, just...just stop." Fangs said as the two held Joaquin against the tree.

"Sacrifice." Joaquin finally answered and my face fell in shock.

"Wh...what?" I asked trying to fight back tears.

"It means that...it meant that Archie had to die." Joaquin explained as he looked at me, "I...I'm sorry, Y/n, I know he's your brother. I--"

"Oh, Archie's alive, Joaquin." I chimed as I walked closer the gun still raised.

"Then he won't be for much longer." Joaquin continued as he looked around frantically.

"Who's giving Warden Nortan his orders?" Jughead asked.

"No." Joaquin said shacking his head and looking at the ground.

"Okay." Jughead sighed, "I don't think you understand, Joaquin."

"No." Joaquin continued to say.

"I can't let you go until you talk." Jughead said glancing at me.

I moved closer to Joaquin, gun still in hand. It was still raised. And Joaquin was still terrified that I was going to pull the trigger.

I moved closer to him, so only I could hear what he would say. Jughead stayed where he was as Sweet Pea and Fangs moved to the side.

"I saw them meet once." Joaquin said barley above a whisper, "But you know him, Lodge. The man in the black suit."

I kept the gun pointed at Joaquin as I looked at Jughead. I gave him a look and he knew exactly what I was telling him to do.

"Y/n, Sweet Pea, Fangs, get back to the trailor park, I'll deal with it." Jughead said as the three of us left.

-Time skip-

Later that night Jughead had finally got back. Sweet Pea and Fangs ran up to him as I sat on the ground looking at the three of them.

"Someone's sending us a message, Jones." Sweet Pea said approuching Jughead.

"What's the message?" Jughead asked walking with the two serpents.

"Come on." Sweet Pea said as the three of them walked towards me.

I stood up and removed the blue tarp from the chair. And under the tarp was Joaquin's limp dead body. He had blue lips and a symbol carved into his forhead.

I quickly covered the tarp after Jughead got a good look. This was bad. What Joaquin was saying had to have been true, my brother might be in danger.

"Who do you think did it?" Sweet Pea asked.

"Uh..." Jughead started, "I don't know."

Jughead took a minute and let out a sigh, "The Gargoyle gang or Hiram Lo...Could be anyone."

"That symbol on his forhead..." Fangs started starring at the back of Jughead's head.

"Sacrifice." Jughead mumbled not looking back at the three of us.

"I have to get to Archie." I said and Jughead nodded his head as the two of us ran off.