4September 9
Archie was feeling elated about what he and Oscar did to Dodger and his gang. It was kind of hard to feel sympathy for the scumbag, given what he and his ruthless friends did to Malcolm. But Archie knew that this wouldn't be the last he would be hearing from Dodger. That was why he and Oscar needed to strategize.
"Uncle Oscar, Dodger and those other guys could come back for revenge at any time. That is why I'm suggesting we need to strategize and come up with a plan to deal with them, just in case."
"I understand that sentiment, Archie. I was feeling the same exact way. We'll need to talk to the kids that come to the El Royale Fight Club and see if any of them are willing to see the deceit and trickery of Dodger and his crew."
September 10
Archie and Munroe both headed to the locker room after classes to speak to Coach Clayton about letting Munroe on the team.
Coach Clayton was saying to Reggie, "You're the fastest player, Mantle. Your performance is quite extraordinary. Everything seems fine…"
"Coach Clayton?", Archie asked. "Is there any room for Mad Dog on the team?"
Coach Clayton looked at Munroe. "Even though we have a large team this year, he can show us what he's got at practice today."
Reggie looked stunned by this sudden turn of events.
During practice, Archie was playing quarterback. Kevin was waiting in his defensive tackle position. Adam was prepared as the middle linebacker. Mad Dog was allowed to play defense. Archie noticed Oscar in the stands, watching the game.
For a few seconds, Archie was thinking. Then he yelled, "Hike!"
Reggie, who was playing fullback, was supposed to catch Archie's pass. He would have caught it if Mad Dog didn't leap into the air and intercept the pass. Reggie wasn't able to catch him. It was truly stunning and amazing.
Apparently, Marty Mantle didn't feel that way.
"Get over here!", he yelled at his son.
Archie watched as Reggie approached his father. When he reached him, Mr. Mantle slapped his helmet. Hard. Archie could see a look of pure anger on his face.
"What the hell was that?!", Mr. Mantle shouted.
"I'm sorry, Dad", Reggie mumbled.
"ARE YOU TRYING TO LOOK LIKE A LAZY FOOL?", Mr. Mantle continued screaming. "HAVE YEARS OF PRACTICE BEEN WASTED ON YOU? Don't be an embarrassment."
Archie glanced at Oscar, who was frowning.
Practice ended thirty minutes later.
Archie, Reggie, and Mad Dog were in the locker room.
Reggie gave Mad Dog a nasty smile.
"So, Mad Dog", Reggie in a sneering tone of voice. "Is the story of the soap bars in the prison showers true? You know, like they say, drop the soap?"
Mad Dog looked like he was going to attack Reggie. Archie had to step in and stop any punches from being thrown.
"Ignore him, Mad Dog", Archie said.
When Mad Dog left, Archie said to Reggie, "What the hell is your problem? Why did you say that?"
"I've been captain of the football team since sophomore year", Reggie said. "I'm supposed to be the star. I don't need some ex-con that joined the team at the last minute taking away my glory."
"Reggie, I saw and heard what your dad said to you. No one should treat their son like that."
Archie thought about Fred for a couple of seconds.
"Andrews, I can take care of myself."
Later that day, Reggie arrived at the La Bonne Nuit to help Veronica. He had gotten beaten by Marty at home for messing up during practice.
Reggie served the drinks for customers, not really saying anything. He was wearing a baseball cap and sunglasses.
One hour later, Reggie was helping Veronica behind the counter.
"Are you okay, Reggie?", Veronica asked.
"I'm fine", Reggie grumbled.
He sure as hell didn't sound fine.
Veronica looked closely at Reggie's face. She noticed a bruise on his right cheek.
Without warning, Veronica suddenly reached over and took off Reggie's sunglasses.
She gasped when she saw that Reggie had a black eye.
"What the hell are you doing?", Reggie shouted.
"Reggie? What in the world happened to you?", Veronica asked.
"That's none of your business", he snarled at her.
"Reggie…"
He ran out of the speakeasy.
A few hours later, Archie and Veronica were kissing and making out in Archie's bedroom. They didn't know that Oscar and Hermione were kissing downstairs in the living room.
At some point during their make-out session, Veronica then said, "Archie, I need to tell you something."
"What is it?", Archie asked. "You can tell me."
Veronica then said, "Archie, I need to talk to you about Reggie. I think his dad has been hitting and abusing him. I saw that he had a black eye."
Archie said, "I saw Reggie's dad yelling at him. Maybe I should let Uncle Oscar know about this."
September 12
Another football practice for the Riverdale Bulldogs was taking place.
Earlier at breakfast, Archie told Oscar about the situation with Reggie and his father.
Oscar then said, "If anything happens, I'll talk to Marty."
Archie yelled, "Hike!"
Sweet Pea went deep, trying to get open. Reggie was trying to find an open spot to catch the pass without getting caught by Mad Dog or the other defenders.
Archie threw the ball in Reggie's direction. Munroe tackled Reggie, causing the latter to fumble the pass.
"Practice is over", Coach Clayton said.
"Hey! Get over here!", Marty Mantle yelled.
Archie watched as Reggie walked over to Mr. Mantle. Marty smacked Reggie hard in the chest.
"What the hell are you doing?!", Mr. Mantle exclaimed.
"Dad, it just slipped", Reggie said.
"It slipped?!", Marty shouted.
"It won't happen again, I promise."
"If it does, so help me, I'll…"
"What?", Archie asked, who had just gotten closer with Oscar to hear what was happening. "Are you going to hit him again? Are you going to give him another black eye?"
"What the hell have you been saying?", Marty asked Reggie while glaring at him.
"Nothing", Reggie said. "Archie, this is none of your business."
"Reggie, your dad has no right to treat you like this", Archie said.
"Yeah, Marty", Oscar said. "You should focus on trying to become a better parent. Respect your family. Treat them better. Stop hitting your son. He works hard for this team while you just stand there and yell."
Marty sneered at Oscar. "Don't start lecturing me about proper etiquette and respect towards family members, Oscar. I was always loyal to my family. You faked your death and ran away from your family like a coward."
Oscar, clearly provoked by that statement, punched Marty in the face. Mr. Mantle responded with a few blows of his own, punching Oscar in the stomach. Archie, Reggie, Kevin, Adam, and several other players arrived to break up the fight.
"Break it up! Break it up!", Coach Clayton shouted.
"You two are dead to me", Reggie snarled at Archie and Oscar.
"Go", Marty commanded his son, pointing towards the entrance to the field. Reggie obeyed, but at least Marty wasn't hitting him this time.
Archie gave Oscar some band-aids at home to heal the wounds his uncle sustained in the fight with Mr. Mantle.
"Shouldn't we call FP and tell him to do something about Mr. Mantle?", Archie asked.
"Not right now", Oscar said. "Let's just see how Reggie is doing once he cools down."
September 13
Archie was sitting with Veronica, Betty, Kevin, Adam, Fangs, Sweet Pea, Cheryl, and Toni in the lounge.
"What is your verdict on Holden Honey?", Archie asked.
"He's even worse than Weatherbee", Sweet Pea said. "He gave me two days of detention just for making a joke about his haircut. The dude has no sense of humor."
"I tried to host a Back to School ball, but the narcissistic dictator cancelled it", Cheryl said. "That's why I'm hosting a party at my house."
Archie later asked Mad Dog if he wanted to come to Cheryl's party.
"Not much of a party goer, but okay", he said, shrugging his shoulders.
At the party that night, Archie was talking and laughing with several other Riverdale High School students.
Chuck offered Archie some drinks.
"No thanks", Archie said.
"Archie, it's not going to kill you."
"Chuck, my dad was killed by a drunk driver", Archie said.
Chuck then looked at the ground. "Crap, I forgot."
Just then Reggie stumbled inside the party, clearly already drunk.
"Hey, everyone…", he slurred.
Reggie walked around, clearly without any sense of direction. He walked upstairs towards the attic. He was trying to find the bathroom, but could barely see anything in front of him.
"Hey!", Cheryl exclaimed angrily. She had just bumped into Reggie. "This part of the house is off-limits."
"I was…just…looking…for the bathroom…"
"You can use the bathroom downstairs. Do not come back up here again."
Reggie headed to the bathroom downstairs, but he had to wonder why Cheryl didn't want anyone near the attic.
Reggie was walking near Archie and Munroe when he suddenly collapsed.
"Reggie, are you okay?!", Archie exclaimed.
Reggie moaned as he laid on the ground.
"I'm calling my uncle Oscar", Archie said as he dialed a number on his cell phone.
Just then FP Jones arrived inside the house.
"I have to break up the party", he said. "Someone was complaining about the noise. He said it was too loud."
"It's not even that loud!", Cheryl exclaimed in frustration. "I bet it was Mr. Honey, that obnoxious principal! How contemptible."
"Sorry, Cheryl", FP said. "I have to satisfy the interests of the public, no matter who it is."
Oscar Andrews arrived ten minutes later.
"Uncle Oscar, Reggie is really drunk at the moment", Archie said, motioning to Reggie.
Archie and Oscar picked Reggie up and led him out into the street.
After walking for twenty minutes, all three of them sat on a bench.
"I'm not going to go home right away", Reggie said, who was now able to speak clearly. "I need to think."
"Reggie, you can always talk to me if you need something", Archie said.
"My dad, he always hit me…ever since I was a kid. For the stupidest things and the slightest crap."
"That's terrible", Oscar said. "My father would never have done that to me or Fred."
"Speaking of Fred", Reggie said. "I can't help but wonder…what if it was my dad that had been killed by that drunk driver instead? Archie, you were really lucky to have a dad like that. A father that would always support you no matter what you did."
"If you want to go to the police, we can all go together", Oscar said.
Reggie licked his lips. "I have another idea."
Reggie, Archie, and Oscar all headed to the Mantle household. They all strolled into the garage. Archie and Oscar both watched as Reggie grabbed a baseball bat. Their eyes widened with disbelief as Reggie used the bat to smash the front and back windows of the car.
"Are you sure about this?", Archie asked.
"I've tried talking to my dad. He won't listen. Maybe this will finally get his attention", Reggie said.
A few minutes later, Marty rushed into the garage.
"What is with all the racket?", he demanded. Then he glanced at the car.
"My car!", he screamed. "Reggie, what did you do?!"
"I did it to teach you a lesson."
Marty glared at Reggie. "I will make sure you deeply regret your actions. I will…"
"You will do absolutely nothing", Oscar said. "Because if you do, I'll go straight to the police. And I won't hesitate to kick your ass. Once again, stop hitting your son. Just listen to him."
Marty took a deep breath and looked at Reggie. "Fine."
As Marty and Reggie headed to the living room of their home, Archie glanced at Oscar.
"Let's head home", he said.
Archie and Oscar walked to the Andrews home, clearly feeling happier.
"I'm really proud of what you did back there, helping Reggie", Oscar said. "Fred would have been proud of you as well."
"Every day, I want to honor his memory", Archie said. "If only all the parents in this town were like my dad. You know, not mobsters or serial killers or murderers."
Oscar chuckled. "We'll do everything we can to make Fred look down on us with pride."
September 14
Archie was walking through the halls. Someone tapped his shoulder.
It was Reggie.
"How was last night?", Archie asked. "With your dad, I mean."
"We talked", Reggie said. "He said he'll no longer come to practices. I think things are turning around for the better."
Archie offered him a fist. "Bros?"
Reggie bumped his fist. "Always."
The two boys embraced before heading to class.
Meanwhile…
Chic slammed the shovel deeper into the ground. He grunted. It was taking a lot of work, but it was so worth it.
Won't be long until our plan is carried out, Chic thought.
