Hanna P.O.V.

"-A" Melissa stated confidently.

I jerked back a bit and looked at her in confusion. "Um… wait, what?"

Melissa kept her strong posture. "You're on the team."

I was stunned that she knew this, and questioned, "How do you know that?"

Melissa simply looked me dead in the eye, and I suddenly felt extremely exposed. I looked down in shame and Melissa nodded. But it's what she said next that surprised me.

"I'm sorry for making you join."

My head was up so quick I nearly got whiplash. "W-what?"

Melissa mimicked my previous position with her head down in guilt and shame. "I joined, too. In a way. I didn't know it had anything to do with the A-team, and suddenly Wilden died and we were… tossed off to the next group trying to hurt people, and that was all the A's."

I wasn't sure how to respond since I had so many questions floating in my head, and apparently Melissa noticed and said, "Why don't we go out somewhere and talk about this?"

I nod in agreement, and as we climb in my car and realize that Toby should know this too. He's in this with me now, we both said so, and if Melissa and I are both trying to get out of the team, the three of us can work together. "We should go to The Brew. If you're anything like Spencer," I began, turning my head towards the eldest Hastings, "then you should be all over getting some more caffeine."

Melissa laughed with a bob of her head. "Sounds like a plan."

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The drive wasn't long, and there was little traffic. We took our seats in a beige colored, semi-circle booth after ordering. I wasn't sure if telling Melissa about asking Toby to meet me here was a good idea. After all, she is his ex-girlfriends older sister. But then again, I don't want here to be angry at the surprise.

"So, I talked to Toby earlier today. He's gotten off the team, so I figured to go to him for help. He's, uh, gonna be helping me out, and I figured he could be of aid to both of us actually," I informed her, and her expression was hard to tell.

"Hmm… okay. Smart," she replied easily and I perked up.

"You're... you're okay with talking to him?"

Melissa looked up in confusion. "Yeah, of course. He never did anything bad to me, and he and Spencer ended on good terms. If he can help you, he'll be able to help me since we're in the same situation."
I felt relief flood through me. I was worried she would shut off when he came and wouldn't give me any answers.

Now I just have to hope Toby is okay with helping out both of us… I didn't exactly tell him we would have company in that text.

A moment later, I saw a waving hand, and when I looked up I saw Toby walking over from the other side of the café. He noticed the dark haired girl, but must've assumed it was one of my friends, since he had no strange reaction. In fact, he seemed happy… almost proud of me. He must think that things went well when I told the girls.

I scooted over to the inside of the booth so he could get on the end. He reached us and turned to see who he probably thought was Emily. His face twisted into one of fearful confusion.

"Uh, hello Melissa. How have you been?" The blue-eyed boy obviously felt awkward as he stiffened out from next to me.

I rolled my eyes at his formalness and leaned against the table. "Toby, she's here because we both need your help. Melis-" I looked at the older girl, silently asking if I should be the one to tell him what she's told me. A confirmative nod gave me my permission.

I took in a gulp of fresh air and recalled everything Melissa has informed me on today. "Melissa joined that team with Wilden to protect Spencer and her family. After he… died, that team seemed to just mold into the A-team and they started getting orders from them. Shauna is was with that Wilden group, too, and is in on the A game, but no one knows about Jenna, who was helping Wilden as well. You already know I want out of the team, Melissa does too since joining –A wasn't what she signed up for."

Toby looked a little shell shocked for a second, slowly absorbing the new information. He nodded equally as slow and looked at me. "Did you tell the girls this yet? Maybe they'll be able to put together how the Wilden team was… or IS connected to –A. And Jenna and Shauna, too."

I immediately looked down at the mention of 'the girls,' and Melissa shifted on the other side of me.

"What?" I heard him ask. "What is it?"
I kept my steady gaze down at the little sugar packet on the table. "We… haven't told the girls about any of the stuff Melissa told me."
I wasn't sure if he put it together that they didn't take it well. "Why not?" He inquired.

Okay… so he didn't figure it out on his own.

I refused to look up into questioning eyes. I refused to let any tears fall. I've let enough seep through already today; I don't need to be even more dehydrated.

"Well if I went up to tell them, Spencer would probably slap me again for even coming within a 50 foot radius of her and the others."

The crystal blue orbs shot open. "Wait… they didn't take it well? When you told them?"

I whipped my head back and forth, indicating 'no.'

Toby sunk down in the seat and fiddled with the straw on the table. "Damn…" he muttered.

The awkward silence that followed the conversation was so unbearable and undeniably uncomfortable that Hanna giggle. She tried to stifle it but she tends to laugh in situations like these.

The little sound seemed to bring the other two out of their trances and Toby sprung back to sitting upright.

"We are going to do this," he declared.

Melissa raised an eyebrow. "Do what, exactly?"

He seemed more confident, now, like he just got some brilliant idea. "We have to work together. I've gotten off the A-team before, now you two have to. We all joined for the same reason, too: to protect people. If the three of us manage to work out a way to stay under –A's radar and keep the people we are trying to protect form getting hurt, then things will work out. We can get the girls to forgive you, Han," he said shifting towards me, "while getting you off the team."
Now he swiveled towards the raven haired girl. "And we can also get you out of it and make sure Spencer isn't upset at you all at the same time. But if you stay on long enough, you can gather some information and with three head put together and we can get some answers. Then the girls will definitely forgive you!"

I threw a sideways glance at Melissa and looked back a Toby. "Good idea and all… but how exactly do we get information? Besides trying to protect, we also joined the team to get answers and haven't gotten any."
Toby's eyes shined with excitement. "But that's when the three of us were alone. We didn't have each other to discuss this with and now we do! Even the tiniest hints can lead up to a big revelation, and with the three of us, we can gather all those little things."
Melissa pondered on the idea for a bit.

"Okay. Let's do it," she said.

I nodded but stopped myself. "Woah, woah, woah. Wait. I don't want to stay on the A-team for a second longer than I have to."

The boy gave a half-hearted shrug. "Like I said, once we get answers and go to the girls, they definitely won't be pissed off at you, Hanna. And Melissa, once you tell Spencer, she'll probably be mad, too, but giving them what they want will make them ease up and forgive you guys."
He had a point… but was getting some questions closed really worth staying on the A-team a while longer?

Well… if staying on leads to answers and answers lead to the girls- Emily- taking me back, then yeah. It's worth it. And I won't be alone. I have Toby and Melissa, and even if Mel did seem like a suspect before, she can't be one now after completely opening up to us.

Melissa folded her hands, and a determined look spread across her face. "So where do we start?"

I looked at Toby and we looked back to our new partner with a sorrowful glance. I spoke up before the sandy haired boy could. "You should probably tell Spencer that you're in on the whole –A thing."

There goes the look of determination.

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A/N: Sorry that there was no Hannily this chapter, and that it was short. And I promise that Hanna and Emily will make up soon! Within the next three or four chapters, since I have to continue what I started here with the Toby/Melissa/Hanna friendship/partnership. Leave review letting me know what you thought! Sorry if you don't like it :P How 'bout 10 reviews for another update?