I'm still here. Not that anyone is reading this. There's a lot to uncover this chapter.
Chapter 11: Wheels Turn, Theories Come Out
Hanna chewed on a bag of potato chips and took sips of water while Toby explained himself. By the end of it, Hanna must've completely lost her mind because…she understood it.
"So, what you're telling me is. You've been going around this past year killing bad guys and kidnapping people to get revenge for what Spencer had to go through."
Toby sat in a chair he brought in. "Noel Kahn was the one who hooked Spencer to the serum that killed her. I killed his brother after when I learned that he was the one who killed Melissa. That was Spencer and Alison's older sister."
"Since Caleb was the one who turned Spencer into Tanner, you're going to kill Caleb," Hanna stated. "After he leaks the truth about the academy, you're going to kill him."
"I considered it," Toby said. "But I decided to just kill Tanner. She's the one who keeps pulling the strings. Noel was a twisted guy who took pleasure in torturing those innocent people, but Tanner allowed it. She approved it. She funded the program. They know the truth and they're still teaching these young students to kill these other innocent people just to protect their hinds."
"Why would they still be pushing this fake news to the public? What does she gain from killing innocents?"
"Well, it's like how every time a new vaccine comes out. All these idiots who have done no research or they don't know anything about chemistry or science lie about how vaccines are bad for you and cause weird side effects. Most of the time that shit isn't true, yet people still believe it because some loudmouth with no credibility says it. For some reason Tanner thought this Cancer drug turned people evil. That it gave them special abilities. A couple people just had a bad reaction to it. I learned a lot about this from my father and even more from Spencer who had to experience what it was like being treated like an outsider."
"What are you hoping will happen once Tanner is gone?" Hanna asked. "Her people have been spreading those lies for twenty years. You think people are just going to start listening when we start saying it was all fake?"
Toby shrugged, "I don't know, but I can't just sit back and not try to make a difference. Spencer died because of all of this. If I don't do something now, more innocents are going to die."
"Why kidnap me then?" Hanna asked.
"I had to do something to rattle Caleb. He grew up being trained in that academy. He's been brainwashed. Somethings got to wake him up."
"Finally, someone who understands!" Hanna exclaimed. "The girls don't get it, but the Caleb I know would never do something like that. I couldn't share this without being lashed out at by Aria or Emily, but somethings been different about Caleb."
"What do you mean?"
Hanna shook her head, "I can't explain it. I just know something hasn't been right with him since before Spencer came to town. He's gotten a little better after…After she died."
"Spencer was once given a drug that put her to sleep," said Toby. "While she was sleep-walking, someone was able to control her. They made her act angry so the public would think she was dangerous. Spencer killed Wilden when she was under the influence of the drug."
"I remember that. Even Alison wasn't able to get through to her. I wonder if someone at the academy has been giving these students…these hunters a drug so they don't completely understand what they're doing is wrong. They don't even realize they're killing innocents. Tanner has them thinking what they're doing is protecting the world!"
"I don't know why Tanner is doing all of this, but it is not to protect the word."
Hanna shook her head, "they're serial killers."
Toby shook his head, "That's why the only way we can put a stop to Tanner's operation, is by leaking the truth. Caleb needs to snap his head back into focus and hack their network.
"Toby, you're right," Hanna said. "Somethings got to wake Caleb up and if making him think that I'm in trouble is what it takes to snap him back to reality, then I'm in."
"Are you sure?" Toby asked.
"You already kidnapped me from my wedding and locked me in this room. Don't think just because I'm agreeing to help now doesn't mean I won't owe you a giant kick to the nuts when this is all over."
Toby almost laughed, but instead his head fell as he said, "you won't have to worry about kicking me when this all done and over with."
Hanna rolled her eyes, "I'll visit you in jail and kick you when you're there."
"I've got other endgame plans for me."
Her eyes narrowed, "why doesn't that sound very happy?"
He shrugged, "maybe it won't be. Maybe this way I'll finally get to be with Spencer."
Hanna's heart sank as her eyes watered, "you can't do that. Do you have any idea how pissed Spencer would be if you killed yourself?"
Toby stood up, "I want to find heaven. Living every day without Spencer has been the worst kind of hell ever imagined."
"I'm sorry," Hanna said, sincerely. "I can't imagine losing someone the way you lost Spencer."
Toby sucked in a big gulp of air and said, "that's why this is the only possible way for my story to end. Like you said, my options right now are either going to be to go to jail or a death sentence. I'm going with the death sentence, because at least that way I will find peace."
Hanna wanted to argue, but she could not find a point to argue with. She knew how lost she'd be without Caleb. It could only be ten times worse for Toby.
Another boring day watching time go by from a window. Alison was starting to miss the days when she'd hop from place to place. It was lonely, but at least she wasn't stuck inside the whole time. Having a steady home is something Alison always wanted, but she did not want to be a prisoner. That is what she's felt like her whole life. The next time Emily comes back she made a point to argue with her that she better find a way to take her along.
The sun was beginning to set. She had started preparing dinner for the evening. Alison had no clue whether Emily would show up for dinner tonight or not. There were times when she wouldn't be back until after dark. She was in the middle of chopping up a carrot when she heard something from outside. Someone was walking up the gravel walk. Alison could tell by the sounds of the footsteps it wasn't Emily. The footsteps were too light to be Toby's. With the knife in hand, she walked towards the front door just in case. The shadow of a figure could be seen from underneath the doorway. Alison's heart skipped a beat. She held her breath. An envelope slipped under the door. As soon as it appeared, the shadow behind the door vanished and the sound of feet running could be heard.
Alison held her breath unsure of what to do next. Should she go over there and pick it up? No, it could be a trap from a hunter. Should she call Emily? Just when she was about to react, more footsteps sounded from outside the door. Alison gripped the knife in her hand and only relaxed once she saw the lock on the door turn. Emily was home. Emily walked through the door filling Alison with immediate relief. She rushed over to hug her, but stopped once she noticed that panicked look on her face.
"Toby kidnapped Hanna!" She exclaimed.
Alison stood there wide-eyed, "what?"
Emily slammed the door behind her then locked it, "Toby crashed their wedding and took her."
"Oh my god! How do you know all of this?"
"Because I was at the Brew when Caleb came in looking for Toby," she said. "I have never seen Caleb look so angry and so chaotic in my life."
Alison crossed her arms, "I mean he kind of had that coming. An eye for an eye, right?"
"Ali!" Emily scolded. Even though she herself had thought the same thing earlier.
"Sorry!" Alison threw her hands up. "Look, I know Toby is on a terror here, but come on. It's Hanna. I don't think he'd actually hurt her."
"I don't know anymore," Emily shook her head. "He's changed so much. I don't know how far he's willing to go or what he'll do if he doesn't get what he wants."
"What does he want Caleb to do?"
"It was hard to hear, but it sounds like Toby's blackmailing Caleb to help him get rid of Tanner."
Emily took off her jacket. When she took a step forward, she stepped on the envelope that had slipped under the door. She reached down to pick it up. She tucked her hair back behind her ear and showed it to Alison.
"What is this?"
"I don't know," Alison said. "Someone slipped it underneath the door a minute before you showed up."
Emily read the OPEN ME instructions on the front. She eyed Alison. Emily bit her lip as she carefully slid her fingernail across the envelope to open it.
Emily read, "TELL TOBY. DO NOT TRUST HER!"
Cliffhanger! Toby explains his plan to Hanna, and she agrees to help. Emily and Alison get a mysterious message from a mystery person. Who wrote the note? Who is the "her" they shouldn't trust?
