I hope this chapter gets your heart racing.
Chapter 14 The Longest Night
Alison felt the weight of her heart sink to her stomach when she heard that voice. In the past year, she had dreamed and wished to hear that voice again. Emily sat there in stunned disbelief. Her arms locked together with Alison's as they waited in silence for this person to truly reveal themselves. After a breath, the person in the hood lifted their head. Alison was the first to scream when she saw those brown eyes. Unprompted, and unexpected, Alison stared back in shock after her hand flew out to slap Spencer across the face. Emily looked at Spencer in horror. Spencer lowered her hood, to reveal her whole face. She rubbed her now throbbing cheek.
"I suppose I had that coming," Spencer said.
"Spencer?" Alison's voice trembled. "How are you here? How is this possible? You died. Toby said he saw you die."
"He did see me die," Spencer said. "Or at least what he thought he saw was me dying."
"He felt life go out of you," Alison said.
"He stayed with you thirty minutes after you passed," Emily said. "Was it you or did you have someone running around who just looks like you?"
"No, that was me," said Spencer. "I swear, there's an explanation for all of this and how I could possibly be here right now. Right now, we don't have much time for me to explain. Where is Toby?"
"We don't know," Emily said.
"We lost contact with him yesterday," said Alison. "You should know. You've been able to hide as a dead person for a year. Are you telling me you haven't been keeping track of him?"
"I have been, but I can't always come out to keep an eye on you guys. I'm not just hiding from the public; I'm trying to hide from someone else too. That's why I've had to stay away. Until I saw how much danger Toby was getting into, then I couldn't stay away anymore."
Emily's eyes filled with anger as she said, "he's started killing people because of you!"
"I know," Spencer whimpered. "I didn't think things would turn out like this. Guys, I am just as surprised as you guys are that I'm alive. I thought I was going to die. I didn't know she was going to fake my death and force me to hide."
"She?" Alison questioned. "Is "she" the same person you wrote about to us?"
Spencer nodded, "Mona. I thought she was trying to help me, but I figured out what she's been doing this whole time. I found out that it's Mona's who's been pushing Toby to murder all those people. Sure, he went after the right people, but Mona did not have Noel killed to help us. Toby thinks he's avenging my death, but what Toby's doing is just providing 'evidence' that witches are evil and corrupt minds."
"I knew it!" Emily exclaimed. "I knew I was right! Killing them isn't the answer."
"But why is Mona still trying to provide evidence that witches are evil?" Alison asked.
"That's a discussion we need to have with Toby present," Spencer said.
Caleb used his badge and fingerprint to get into the academy. It was almost ten p.m. which means he had two hours to get the files and get Toby to meet at an agreed location. The two guards standing on point out front asked him what he was doing here so late. Caleb made up a story that he was given a mission and there was information from the academy that he needed to complete it. No one questioned him further. The majority of the staff are familiar with Caleb. They have known him to be an honest worker in the past. Getting into the academy was the easy part. The hard part is getting to the records room where the experiment files would be. Student trainees and even hunters weren't allowed on the fourth floor of the building. His badge wouldn't allow him to get past the doors on the fourth floor, which is why he had to hack the system to give him the clearance to get to the fourth floor. Who besides Tanner and her assistant has clearance to go up there? The janitors.
Caleb went down to the locker room where the janitors keep their items. He picked locker number one which belongs to janitor Tom Cassie. Caleb puts on Tom's jumper, grabs his name badge and Tom's baseball cap to hide his long hair. Once Caleb dressed himself like Tom, he shut his locker then pushed a janitor cart towards an elevator. Once the elevator doors opened, Caleb entered and used Tom's badge to get to level four. He panicked when the badge was declined by the reader but held his breath and tried again. The second time the badge scanned through, and the elevator dinged a happy chime as its light turned green to go up. The elevator doors opened again, and Caleb found himself on level four. He pushed the cart forward down a dimly lit hallway. He checked the map on his phone to get to the records room which just so happens to be the furthest room down the hallway. Caleb tried the badge to open the door and got declined. He tried again and got declined a second time. He cursed under his breath when he was declined a third time.
"Hey!" A loud voice startled him.
An older man came down the hall pushing a mop cart. Caleb froze worried that he would get reported for being up here.
"What you think you're doing?" The man asked.
"Uh," Caleb tried to think. "I was called to clean up a mess in this room, but my badge seems to not be working."
The man cleared his throat like he was going to spit then grinned at him. "These damn badges never wanna work. Here." The man scanned his badge a few times. His badge was finally accepted after the third try.
Caleb inclined his head towards the man and said, "thank you."
"No problem. Hey, when you're done with this room, there's a toilet in the bathroom that needs to be plunged." The old man smiled then winked at Caleb before continuing his way towards the elevator.
Caleb took a breath then entered the records room. The room was medium sized. Three desks for the scientist along with computers. Two examination tables with loose restraints. Several file cabinets that you need a key to get into. There's a laptop sitting on the observation table and a mini fridge beneath the file cabinets. Caleb wasn't sure if he should try looking through the files for the evidence. No. Tanner would keep that in her office, but he might be able to find a digital copy on one of these computers. Caleb sat down at one of the computers to get to work. As expected, hacking the computers from inside the building was a breeze. He was able to locate the experiment file Toby mentioned. Caleb wasn't even sure this evidence truly existed, but it did. Tanner did run an official experiment that proved witches weren't evil. There was a surprise reaction. The scientist that created the cancer drug went to prison because he was never looking to treat cancer. This scientist used a drug with the attempt to control the emotions of thirty people. A drug that would make people mad, sad, happy, or even in love. The scientist tried all these drugs on the thirty individuals and the reason some people had a "bad reaction" was because ten of those people were given the pill that makes you angry. So angry that you become irrational until the effects of the drug were off. You can become so angry that you might go as far as to murder someone. So, the truth is "witches" are innocent. Some of them have just become victims of being drugged by a mad scientist.
"I have it," Caleb spoke on his phone to Toby.
Caleb left the academy and is now driving his car to meet Toby at an agreed location. His mind was circling with what to do with this information. Should he go along with Toby and leak this information to the public? Should he stick to his own plan to burn the information if he doesn't get Hanna back? Either way there is a risk that he doesn't get Hanna back at all. If Hanna knew the truth that her friend Spencer really was innocent and died innocent, Hanna would never forgive Caleb for letting that information slip away. The plan was to meet Toby at the base of Look Out Point. He'll decide what to do when he gets there.
Emily, Alison, and Spencer drove in silence trying to find Toby's cabin. It was the only place Emily could think he would be. His loft was empty, and Emily knew Toby had no desire to leave Rosewood until his job was done. Spencer felt anxiety tugging on her heartstrings. This was all her fault, and she knows it. She never should've trusted Mona. She should have realized sooner that they both were just pawns in her game. She had bitten her fingernails down to the cue as Emily drove the car up a gravel road. A sigh of relief filled her as the three of them spotted a small hunting cabin up the road. The cabin was located a mile away from Lockout Point and the town line.
"It doesn't look like anyone is here," Alison said.
"I think that's the point," Spencer whispered.
Emily looked back at her, "so, are you saying that the whole time Toby's been on a murderous rage, it's because Mona's been given him drugs to make him act this way."
"You guys remember when I got kidnapped the first time. Then, they let me go for twenty-four hours while I was under the influence of the drug?" Spencer explained.
Alison nodded, "you wouldn't even listen to me."
"But Toby couldn't have been drugged for an entire year. How long has he been in contact with Mona?" Emily asked.
"I don't know," Spencer said. "But I'm guessing Mona first gave Toby the drug telling him it was to hide his grief. When I heard Toby was in Radley, I thought that would give him some time to detox and get better."
"What if Toby was never really under the influence of Mona's drug and this is really just his way of dealing with your death," Alison said.
Spencer looked to the floor, "then this really is my fault."
Alison reached back to touch Spencer's hand. She squeezed Spencer's hand until she looked up again. When she did, Alison smiled at her.
"I'm really glad you're here," said Alison.
Spencer did her best to smile, she gave Alison's hand a squeeze and said, "me too. I've missed you so much."
Their eyes filled with tears. Emily too felt her own eyes starting to get wet. Emily cleared her throat.
"Are you sure you're ready for this?" Emily asked. "You're finally going to be face to face with Toby again after all this time. How do you think he'll take it?"
Spencer took a breath and said, "I don't know. I guess I will find out when I see him."
The three of them got out of the car. Spencer pulled her hood up as she followed Alison and Emily up the path to the front door. Emily tried the handle.
"It's locked," she whispered.
"Here." Spencer moved passed her. She dug a bobby-pin from her hair then used it to unlock the door. She smiled to herself as she pushed the door open. "Bobby-pins not just for hair accessory."
They walked into the living room of the home. All lights are off. It appeared as if no one was home. There are two closed doors on the far side of the room.
"I don't think he's here," Alison whispered.
"If Toby's not here, I don't know where else to look," Emily whispered.
"Guys, listen," Spencer whispered. "I hear something behind that door."
"Is Toby sleeping in there?" Alison asked.
"I doubt he's sleeping," Emily said.
Spencer unlocked the bedroom door. When the three of them entered the room, they gasped at what they saw.
Hanna heard footsteps on the other side of the door. She wondered if Toby had called Caleb to meet him here. She can't picture Toby giving away his top-secret location to Caleb, but who knew? To her surprise, and to her horror, the door opened, and three women came in. Emily, Alison, and Spencer. Hanna's eyes went big wide.
"Hanna!" Emily rushed over to her.
Hanna jumped off the bed to hug her. "What are you doing here? How did you find me?"
"We were looking for Toby," Emily said.
"Oh, thanks. I feel so loved," said Hanna sarcastically.
"We wanted to find you too," Emily said. "We just weren't expecting you to be here."
"Where is Toby?" Spencer cut in.
Hanna looked at her. Then to Emily and Alison, "am I crazy or are you guys also seeing Spencer standing right there?"
"Turns out Spencer was never actually dead," Alison said. "Mona tricked us."
Hanna's face fell, "Mona? Caleb told me she was back working with Lucas."
Spencer stepped forward, "Mona and Lucas have been working together?"
Hanna turned to her, "that's what Caleb told me."
Emily looked horrified, "how many people has Mona been playing?"
"All of us," Spencer said. "I bet Caleb has had his own one on one time with Mona too. She's trying to turn us all against each other."
"But why?" Alison asked. "What does she gain by doing all of this?"
"We have to find Toby," Spencer said.
"Toby was just going to meet Caleb," Hanna said. "Toby blackmailed Caleb to leak information to the public that proves witches are innocent."
"If Mona has been 'helping' both Toby and Caleb, then she's already turned them against each other," Emily said.
"Their meeting isn't going to go well," Spencer said. "Mona is going to make sure they kill each other. She's got Caleb thinking what he's doing for the academy is right and Mona's got Toby thinking he's doing all of this to avenge my death."
"Hanna, do you know where Toby planned to meet with Caleb?" Emily asked.
"Uh," Hanna looked between the three of them. "I can't be positive, but I think I heard Toby mention meeting at the town line to talk."
"Lookout Point," Spencer face palmed herself. "I don't know why I didn't think of that."
"If Toby and Caleb are both on a rampage, then we don't have much time," Emily said.
"Let's go!" Spencer ordered.
The three of them ran out of the room.
"Um guys!" Hanna yelled after them. They all turned back to look at her. Hanna gestured to her dress and said, "does anyone have a change of clothes I could borrow first?"
Caleb pulled up just outside of the town line at the base of Lookout Point. He saw Toby standing by the sign waiting for him. Caleb checked the gun in his bag. He took a deep breath before exiting the car. They met halfway between Caleb's car and the sign.
"Well?" Toby's voice was rough. "Do you have the evidence?"
Caleb held up a flash drive, "it's all copied here."
Toby reached for it, "give me it."
"Ah!" Caleb pulled back. "Is Hanna with you?"
"No," Toby sighed. "But she's safe. She's at my cabin."
Caleb looked skeptical, "If two people are making a trade then it's common curtsey to have the item worth trading for."
"You'll get her back after I release that information to the public," Toby said.
Caleb was losing patience, "No, you give Hanna back to me and then I hand this over, or if I don't get Hanna back in the next five minutes, I'll destroy this flash drive."
"Fine," Toby gave in. Toby dug out his phone. He played with it for a moment until he found live footage of his cabin. More specifically footage of the room Hanna was being kept in. He turned the phone around to show Caleb, Hanna was safe and unharmed. What was meant to be a peace offering, turned Caleb sour.
Caleb starred daggers at Toby, "is this supposed to be a joke!"
Toby looked confused, "what? No, look she's right there!"
But when Toby looked at the video, he saw an empty room with a torn-up wedding dress on the floor. He blinked in surprise. Hanna wasn't in the room. To Toby it just looked like Hanna had escaped on her own, but to Caleb it looked like Hanna was killed.
"You bastard!" Caleb shouted.
Caleb threw the flash drive on the ground. Before Toby could react, Caleb stomped on it, destroying the flash drive into pieces.
"No!" Toby shouted.
Caleb lunged at Toby yelling, "you killed her!"
Toby adverted Caleb's advance and retailed by punching him in the face.
"You killed Spencer!" Toby yelled.
"I did not!" Caleb growled, as he threw a punch that connected with Toby's jaw. Caleb tackled Toby to the ground. "What did you do to Hanna!?"
Toby punched the side of Caleb's head then used his upper body strength to rotate their bodies, so he was pinning Caleb down. Toby punched Caleb's nose causing blood to ooze out of it. Caleb pulled a gun from out behind his back. Toby noticed it and knocked it out of the palm of Caleb's hand. The gun landed just a foot away from them. Caleb pushed Toby off hoping to get to the gun first. Toby kicked Caleb in his butt causing him to face plant the dirt. Toby then lunged for the gun gripping it tightly in his hand. Caleb threw some dirt in Toby's face to alter his vision then took off running.
"Toby!"
Toby could hear a faint voice calling him beyond the trees. It sounded like a woman's voice, but he had imagined so many things these last few months, that he couldn't force himself to believe it. He finally got to his feet and started running.
"Toby!" Spencer shouted out as she jogged along the woods near Lookout point. She and Alison took the North trail that goes up while Emily and Hanna took the South trail that heads towards the road across the town line.
"Spencer don't let the hunters hear you," Alison whispered.
"I don't care about that right now," said Spencer. She cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted, "Toby!"
The silence of the darkness answered her. They continued jogging another hundred yards before Alison heard some rustling in the distance. She grabbed Spencer's arm to get her to stop. They waited in silence. They heard footsteps to the left of them going up.
"This way!" Alison pointed.
They took off running along the trail. Spencer hoped to get to Toby before it was too late. She had no idea what state he would even be in. Will he be angry? Mad? Will he be shocked to see her alive? Will he be happy? Spencer had no idea if Toby's emotions would even really be his true emotions. Mona had him so screwed up this past year, it almost frightened Spencer to what state of mind he was currently in. Spencer suddenly understood what Tanner and her colleagues had been fearing all these years.
Toby reached the top of the hill aiming his gun around making sure to keep his eyes peeled for Caleb. He wasn't sure if Caleb went in this direction or not. Despite what many think, he did not come here tonight to kill Caleb. He meant it when he said Hanna would be free to go once, he got that flash drive. When he showed Caleb the footage of Hanna's room, he was just as surprised to see it empty. He doesn't know how Hanna escaped, but he hoped she would have enough sense to go back to Caleb or to Aria.
Caleb dove out from behind the trees and attacked Toby from behind. Toby threw Caleb off him with little effort. He was stronger than Caleb. Toby turned off the guns safely and aimed it at Caleb's chest. Caleb was ready to admit defeat, holding his hand out to beg for mercy.
"Caleb!"
The men froze at the voice calling out. They looked at each other. Then their surroundings. Toby still had the gun in his hands pointed at Caleb.
"Caleb!" The voice sounded closer, familiar.
"That's Hanna," Caleb choked on his emotions.
In another beat, Hanna and Emily came running down the road. Hanna stopped when she saw a gun being pointed at Caleb. Emily's eyes went wide with fear.
"Toby, don't!" Emily reached a handout.
"He destroyed the evidence," Toby said. "The one thing I asked him to do. His one chance to redeem himself. My final shot at getting back at them for Spencer! Gone!"
"Toby," Emily said, calmly, "you need to listen to me. Spencer is alive."
Hanna was too stunned to speak. Her eyes burned with tears falling down her face. Toby studied their expressions, but he just could not find it in his head to believe them. I held her when she died, he recalled. Toby lowered the gun, so it wasn't pointed at Caleb's chest, but he didn't drop it.
"I don't believe you," Toby said. "You're just telling me this, so I let this go."
"It's true," said Emily. "I just spoke to her. She sent us a message. She's on her way to you right now. You can see for yourself."
Toby shook his head, his tears mixing in with the blood in his mouth, "no. That's not possible. There's only one way for me to see her again."
Toby took a step back from Caleb. Caleb took this as his chance to get up and run. He ran to Hanna. Hanna threw her arms around him sobbing into his chest. They all looked back in horror as they saw the gun in Toby's hand was now being pointed at his head.
CLIFFHANGER! Yes, I'm being evil and stopping the chapter there. Now, you'll have to spend another few days wondering what's going to happen. Will Spencer get there in time? Will Toby pull the trigger before he sees her?
