Chapter 11: The Newest Member of the Redcoat Team:
The car went fast, tires burning against the road, eliciting a wretched noise. Shana and Margo were in the front seat, Shana's foot on the gas. Behind them in the backseat were Maya and Alison. Maya, a once
Maya's wide brown eyes hadn't left her once during the whole car ride. Alison rested against the backseat of the car, smiling playfully at the other girl, mask resting on her lap, revolver now in her holster, pressed against the backpack.
"You keep staring at me." She chuckled, "Is there something particular fascinating about me? I mean, besides until recently you thought I was dead?"
Maya gave a nervous smile, swallowing, "No. I mean…..I…everyone in Rosewood thinks you're dead."
"Ah," Alison laughed, sound akin to soft bells chiming, "So it is because I'm supposedly a dead person. I've had a lot of close calls, but no, I'm not dead. Not yet, anyway. You had a pretty close call too. Good thing –A's such an imbecile when it comes to taking us down."
"-A," Maya repeated, shaking her head as she comprehended this, "the girl with the hoodie."
Alison cocked her head as she heard that, not sure if she had heard that right. "Girl?" She parroted, eyebrows lifted. "The person with a hoodie," Maya recounted, glancing at Shana and Margo in the front seat, driving, "I heard a laugh that sounded like a girl's. And when "–A" was holding me, I felt breasts against my back."
Alison stared, eyebrows narrowed and turned to look at the others. Shana slowly turned her head back to Alison. Her eyes were wide. Well, that piece of information was huge. Alison recalled the intense vibration that ran up her legs when –A jumped off the walkway and landed on the floor. She felt what –A felt. That was the person she was connected to. And it was a girl.
"-A," Maya said, holding her head back and processing everything, "Tell me more about this." Alison smiled, carefully choosing her words. They didn't have a lot of time, and she hadn't been able to tell Maya much about –A besides, "creep that stalks Emily and the other girls and has been making their lives miserable because they know everything about them."
She'd have to give all the information vital.
"Firstly," Alison began, smile turning sad, "Let's establish that I used to be a horrible person." "Hey, no-" Margo protested. "Ali!" Shana said, a no nonsense tone in her voice.
Alison didn't even look at them as she spoke, "I was, okay? I was. I was an awful person and a lot of people have reasons in Rosewood to hate me. This –A? Whoever it is, is using people that hate me, Emily and the other girls to hurt them. They've been tormenting them for nearly a year now."
Maya listened, pressing her lips together. Alison chose to continue, "You probably saw them acting kind of funny during that time. Remember when Hanna was in the hospital? The car? That was –A. Mona Vanderwaal, the first person who I thought was the leader of this group, was the one that hit her. And that time Emily was in the hospital because of ulcers? Or when they ended up having to do community service? Ian Thomas's body disappearing from the church after the girls said that his body was in there? That was all –A."
She watched as Maya took all this in. Maya's eyebrows narrowed and she swallowed a breath as she asked, eyes darkening in anger that surprised Alison a little, "-A did all that to Emily?" Alison nodded, knowing honesty was extremely important, and there really wasn't anything else that Maya needed to have kept from her. The truth was right there and all the dark-skinned girl needed to want to stop –A.
"I don't know who the person was that abducted you." Alison offered, biting her lip in irritation, "But I do know that whoever they are, has a lot of authority in the group. None of the others would have been trusted with something like kidnapping Emily's girlfriend." Alison took another breath as she prepared more information, "What I can tell you is who we know for sure is on the A-Team. Mona Vanderwaal. Whose locked up in Radley, but she has figured out how to get out on her own, without detection." She watched as Maya's eyes widened again at that. She continued, "Another is Lucas Gottesman. He doesn't look very threatening, but he's a complete creep. He likes cameras and stalks people with the rest. You've likely seen him before in the school. Another is Melissa Hastings. Spencer's older sister."
Maya's mouth dropped. "That close?" She asked, stunned, "Do they not know? How's that possible? How could Spencer not know her own sister is the enemy?" Alison smirked. Boy, this girl had questions. Then again, who could blame her?
"Spencer is a brilliant individual. She has an amazing mind," Alison's appraising words flew from her mouth before she could really think about it, heart swelling at the thought of the brainiac, "She is smarter than anyone I've ever met. But she's human, like everyone else. She might already suspect that her older sister is part of this group, but just doesn't want to accept it. It doesn't help that I suspect that Melissa is a freaking sociopath. This leads me to another A-Team member. Her boyfriend, Toby Cavanaugh." Alison found the disgust and fury nearly boiling in her voice, making Maya stiffen in her seat.
Alison kept speaking, rage dominant in her mind as she thought of the boy she once believed a good match for the only girl she ever could love, "Toby Cavanaugh, I know you've heard of him. People once thought he was guilty of my murder or of the murder of whoever was in my coffin. That was not true, but he is not to be trusted. He is part of this group that is working to destroy the girls' lives."
She added at Maya's horrified look, "Emily trusted Toby too. He betrayed her on top of everything else."
The confusion all over Maya's face slowly turned to apprehension, then to anger. Alison tried not to smile. Finally, an appropriate reaction. She continued, "That cop that you've seen around Emily before, Darren Wilden, he's part of the A-Team too. So is Jenna Marshall or Jenna Cavanaugh. Toby's stepsister. She was once blind, but isn't anymore. Those are the six we know of for sure. But there might be others that we don't know about. They know about all the girls secrets. And the secrets that the girls' families are keeping. Their cameras could be anywhere."
Maya was hearing all of this and her full lips parted as she absorbed it. She swallowed, "Emily's in danger?" She assessed, meeting Alison deep blue eyes. Alison nodded, "Yeah. When it's not from this Lyndon James creep, it's from the "A" gang. This was one of the reasons why I was hoping that you'd help us. I want to get rid of Lyndon James. I want you and Emily both to be safe. And I'm hoping that you'll join our group," Alison allowed the plea to leak into her voice as she looked into Maya's eyes, "The more someone on Emily and the girls' side knows, the more likely they'll be able to protect Emily and the other girls. So please?"
She watched the emotion across Maya's face. The black-haired girl was uncertain and shocked at first, before she looked at Shana and Margo and then back at Alison. Specifically at what they were wearing. "Be one of you?" She said, spelling it out, "Be a "Redcoat?""
Alison nodded, smile forming. "You wouldn't have to wear too creepy a mask, promise." She smirked, holding up her porcelain grinning man's face, "Just something that covers your face so the A-Team can't figure out who you are."
Maya closed her mouth and bit her lower lip, her eyes narrowed in thought. "These people," She finally started, "Hate you enough to dig up the body that they think is yours? And torment your friends just for being your friends?"
Alison nodded, stomach turning, "Yeah." After a few moments of silence, Maya asked, eyeing Alison, "And yet you're risking your life for Emily and the others?"
Alison smiled, "Yeah. I'd do anything for them." She added, tone turning dark, "Emily was used in digging up the body mistaken to be mine. She was drugged by these people." She saw the shock reach Maya's face, her eyes going huge. Alison smiled grimly, "I reached a point when I realized that I didn't care about what happened to me. All that mattered to me was that Emily, Hanna, Aria and Spencer were happy and safe. If I had to risk myself over and over again, so be it. I learned that running away didn't do any good. It just meant that the four people I loved would grieve and be put at risk. I won't stand back and do nothing while they're drugged and attacked." She shifted closer to Maya and said, still keeping her eyes locked with the other girl, "Running away won't save you. Or Emily. Emily needs your help right now, Maya. Please."
Maya looked down at her lap and then up again, dark gaze hardening. "Alright," She said, nodding, "What do I have to do?"
Alison grinned wide. "That a girl. First order of business; get rid of James. By any means."
Maya nodded, eyes hopeful, "Go to the police, right?"
Alison's grin fell. That hadn't quite been what she meant. Shana's dark chuckle reached the backseat, "You haven't met Rosewood police, have you, Maya?"
Maya looked at the smirking Shana before asking in a confused voice, "Why? I've met Garrett. I found out later about him being arrested for your murder," She looked at Alison, "Or, whoever that was that was buried. But I thought he was cleared and released?"
"He was," Alison said, trying not to chuckle at the ridiculousness of trusting the police of Rosewood was, "But he might not have been guilty of anyone's deaths, but he had committed other crimes too," Alison scowled as she thought of Garrett's hands on her years ago, "Child molestation for one," she watched as the horror returned to Maya's eyes, "having his own stash of underage porn is another." She could see the blood draining from Maya's face and see the beginnings of disgust. She let out a grim laugh as she continued, "But he's dead, so he's no longer an issue. And Garrett's far from the only dirty cop in that town. Darren Wilden, as I said, is a cop. He's bad news. He's part of the A-Team and into young girls too. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if he was guilty of more than just what I told you. Rosewood cops are worthless."
Maya swallowed, visibly shaken. She shivered and looked at Alison, carefully asking, "Then what do we do? Who do we go to?"
Alison clamped her mouth shut. Damn. She'd hope that this would be easier to say. Well, asking someone to be a vigilante couldn't exactly be the easiest thing to do, could it? This was probably why Daredevil, Superman and Spiderman worked alone. "We don't go to anyone," She finally said, straightening her back as the conviction in her voice was firm and unwavering, "We're the solution. If Lyndon James comes at Emily, we stop him. By any means necessary."
Maya's mouth dropped open and she leaned back away from the blonde as it truly dawned on the young girl what Alison was saying. "Including killing him?" She asked, not quite believing what she was hearing.
"If necessary." Alison finished, shrugging, "That wouldn't be my first choice, no matter how tempting, but if there's no other choice."
Maya winced, still not recovering from her shock. She took several deep breaths and started trying to rationalize this, "If we can't bring this to the police, if they would just let Lyndon go, is there a way we can do this without killing him?"
Alison sucked in a breath, shrugging, "Injuring him? Hurting his legs enough so he can't run after anyone maybe?" These were still violent options, but probably better than actually killing the man-though honestly, Alison wouldn't have a lot of qualms with that.
"I guess…" Maya however didn't sound convinced. She was still looking at Alison like she was an alien. Alison shook her head. She didn't want to encourage someone else to do something illegal. But the police couldn't be trusted. At least, not with –A matters. Perhaps with things like an average stalker, like Lyndon James, they might be more susceptible.
"Alright," Alison offered, "Since I don't think –A or the police would care about Lyndon, do you want to go the police first? Killing or injuring him would be the extreme option. But the problem is that –A knows about you. –A abducted you so she or whatever clearly cares about your tie to Emily. I don't know if the A-Team will interfere with the police and any statement you give about Lyndon."
Alison hated the frightened look in Maya's dark eyes, but this all had to be said. The police of Rosewood could not be trusted. The sooner people knew that the better. She nodded, mostly to herself than meant for anyone else in the car. Nevertheless, she was not going to force her opinions on other people to get them to do what she wanted. She wasn't going to do that anymore. She swore it.
"But if you want to go to the cops," She said gently to Maya, hoping the dark-haired girl understood that there was no deception here, "I won't blame you. All I must ask is that you don't tell them that I'm still alive. Don't tell them that I was the one that rescued you. And I also want to warn you, -A really doesn't like being talked about. I won't stop you if you want to report your abduction to the police," She smiled, "I won't blame you if you mention –A kidnapping you at all. But I want you to know-you should know, that when Emily and the other girls have mentioned or tried to mention –A in the past, -A has lashed out, hurt them before. You should know that so that you don't go into the police station blind. Just know what you're dealing with."
Maya absorbed everything, mouth dropping. Alison felt guilt lance through her. Poor girl. She had been sent to a camp against her will just for smoking weed, had been running from a stalker for months now, had just been kidnapped and now was being told that the psychopath that kidnapped her controlled a great deal of the town and a portion of that town, possibly including the police who couldn't be trusted. She could just imagine how trapped Maya must have felt right now.
The other girl nodded, breathing out as Alison could see the cogs turning in Maya's mind. "If I join you," Maya began, locking eyes with those of the girl she once thought was deceased, "Will Emily be safer? Will we be able to stop –A's group and Lyndon?" Alison tried not to give a cynical laugh. How naïve Maya's question sounded. The world was far from black and white. Nothing was certain.
"I really don't know," Alison chuckled sadly, "I'm not a psychic." She neglected to mention that even psychics like little Jack didn't always have very clear visions-that would just leave a whole new barrel of weird stuff for Maya to absorb. Not to mention, she didn't even need to start telling Maya just yet that she and the leader of the A-Team, -A herself it seemed were connected. No, she didn't need to know that particular bombshell just yet. "But I do know that with your help, there will be more people fighting –A." She carried on, pushing thoughts of her connection with that psycho out of her mind, "And Lyndon. It's up to you. If not, we'll just deal with Lyndon and then will drop you off at your family's place and I won't bother you again."
She nodded to Maya, smiling, awaiting the other girl's answer, hoping Maya understood that there was no pressure.
Maya thought about this and her eyes finally hardened, making Alison's eyes widen for a moment before she smirked, realizing with a familiar jolt of dark satisfaction what Maya's decision was. Maya nodded, a defiant smile of her own coming onto her beautiful face. "So," She started, "What do we do now?"
Alison felt her head rise triumphantly, and only realized it a second later as she tried to reel in her smug pride. None of that now. Arrogance; not a good thing, she reminded herself. Damn, she still had to work on that arrogance.
She just chuckled, "Well, first thing's first. If you want to go to the police about Lyndon, go ahead. I wouldn't expect you not to. And it might protect Emily and the other girls sooner. But don't mention me or any of us." She nodded to Shana and Margo at the front seat. "After you've given your statement," She continued, looking at Maya firmly, wanting the other to understand that she would have protection, "You can stay with us and contact your family and tell them your staying with people that are protecting you."
She added, eyes determined, "We'll protect you. Emily and the other girls too. I promise."
Maya nodded, no words coming out till she smiled again. "Okay," She said, smirking, "Do I have to wear those gaudy redcoats?" Alison laughed and Shana's laugh joined hers. "Only if you want to." Alison assured the other girl, "Though it would be a good idea if you kept your face hidden from the –A Team. So, shall we drop you off at the police station and we'll take it from there?"
Maya nodded. "Okay," Alison said, reaching for the duffel bag at her feet and pulled out another packaged throwaway phone, ripping it out of the casing and handing it to Maya, "This is your throwaway phone. They're safer than our regular phones because –A tracks and hacks regular phones more easily than temporary ones. I'll text you my throwaway phone's number. And I'll let Noel know that he should pick you up later." Maya lifted her eyebrows at that.
"Noel?" Maya echoed, "Noel Kahn? He…you know him? He tried to protect me." Alison smiled warmly, or at least in a way that she hoped was warm, "Yeah. Noel. He's part of our group. He's a really good guy. A bit of a dope sometimes, but he's a great guy. Don't tell the police that he's part of our group. But it's perfectly fine to mention that he was trying to protect you from Lyndon James. That part's not vital to keep secret. And the less secrets the better."
Alison never thought she'd hear those words leave her mouth, but considering the circumstances, she knew she'd be nuts if they didn't. The unsurprising reaction came with Shana's laugh, "Alison doesn't want to keep secrets. Well, now I know we're screwed. Hell has finally frozen over."
Alison chortled, smiling in appreciation at Shana's humor. At least one of them could see the hilarity in her words.
"Alright," Maya said, gauging all of this, humor starting to emerge in her eyes too, taking the throwaway phone from the blonde, "I'll join. I won't say a word to the cops about the rest of you. But I'll tell them that I was staying with Noel. To hide from James." Alison nodded, wary of this careful situation that she was maneuvering; the tightrope she and the others had to walk between what was necessary and what was morally right.
"Thank you," Alison said, "But I will warn you, mention me or the others," She nodded to Shana and Margo, "And we won't be safe. And that will make Emily less safe than she already is." She didn't like saying something that bordered on a threat, not to her newest ally, but still, Maya needed to know what was what. She needed to know about this dangerous game and the complicated board –A had lain out for everyone. But Maya seemed to understand much more than Alison had expected. She smiled and said, "I think I can get behind this. I'm much better at being subtle and being in the shadows than in the spotlight. The less attention I get, I'll feel more comfortable."
Alison felt another grin emerge on her face. That was right. Maya might have been more open about her sexuality than Emily had been years ago, but she wasn't a very loud, vocal or showy person. Maybe she had just picked the perfect candidate for their team.
Alison looked Maya in the eye, her grin widening at the intrigue and newborn courage she found there, "I need to face my fears, Maya," She began, "As I said…I wasn't a very good person once. I'm sure you've heard the stories. Part of the reason why I haven't come back is because I'm ashamed of how I treated people. I need to face that, I know that. That's why I can identify. I'll help you face your fears-face Lyndon. So if anything goes wrong with the police, know that I'll stop him."
She let Maya watch her, observe her face and eyes to make sure the dark-haired girl understood that Alison was telling the truth. Alison wasn't lying. Not this time. She meant to keep her promise. If there was one thing that would give Alison incentive to keep this promise it was for a personal reason. This man wasn't just a threat to Maya. He was a threat to Emily and the girls. And a threat to any girl he thought "owed" him just because he valued his entitlement over their lives.
Maya felt a grin tug at her lips, suddenly feeling safer than she had felt in a long time. She wasn't sure why, but there was something about Alison that she trusted. Yes, she had heard stories about Alison DiLaurentis. But a part of her couldn't believe that this was the same girl as the girl in those stories. There was just something in the way Alison said her promise, the blonde's posture, her firmness and calculation-Maya felt something overwhelm her. Not even when Noel promised her safety at his cabin, did she feel as grateful.
She breathed out, feeling her hands clench around the throwaway phone, "Thank you. Thanks, Alison." The blonde grinned, "No problem." She turned and looked at Shana, "Shana, can you stop by the police station? We'll drop Maya off and she can warn them about Lyndon. And we'll keep the car hidden from the police." She added, thinking about Noel mentioning going to Ravenswood, "And could you watch Maya for a while at Noel's cabin? Noel said he's going to visit some of the others." Shana nodded, not mentioning a word of "the others" in front of Maya. They wanted to trust her, sure. But could they be certain, just yet?
"Will do, baby girl." Shana nodded, turning a corner, leading to the road where the station would eventually be on. Alison turned back to Maya, texting to the other girl, "I'm sending you both this phone's number and Emily's number. You can call her and warn her about Lyndon."
"Great." Maya said, feeling elation surge through her. For once in a long time, since she realized what kind of fixation Lyndon had on her at True North, she felt safe, like finally there was an end to her stalking in sight. Even if this –A and their group were still out there, at least Lyndon James, who had vocally threatened to kill her if she didn't love him would be gone soon.
Next chapter, be prepared for angsty Alison when she sees Spencer. Not to mention Alison and Maya friendship in future chapters.
