✨𝐘𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐞. 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐈𝐭.✨

Chapter 14- The Ersatz Elevator

Violet's POV:

We finally made it up to the penthouse, panting for breath. Klaus leaned against Y/n tiredly, which made her blush a little and hold his hand. He smiled softly, standing up straight to pull her closer and kiss the top of her head. I expected Y/n to hit him or something, but to my surprise, she just let him hold her, gently smiling up at him. As they gazed at each other, their eyes shined with the same loving sparkle I'd seen so many times in my parents eyes whenever they were together. I smiled at the two of them for a moment, then remembered our mission.

"Alright, you two," I said, which snapped them out of their trance. "We have to find the Quagmires before the Squalors and Count Olaf get back. Klaus, any ideas on where to look?"

Klaus nodded, walking over to one of the elevators on the penthouse floor. "I noticed while we were climbing that the rest of the floors only have one elevator," he said. "This floor has two elevators. Which means that this elevator"-here he pointed to the elevator he was standing in front of-"goes nowhere."

Y/n walked up next to him, observing the button that would open the elevator. "What would someone do with an elevator that went nowhere?" she asked.

"Hide," Sunny mumbled.

Y/n's eyes widened in understanding at what Sunny was implying and she pressed the button on the wall. The doors opened a few seconds later, and she immediately stepped forward, expecting to have an actual elevator there. Her foot fell into nothingness and she screamed, gripping the sides of the elevator doors before she could fall. Shakily, she pulled herself back onto the penthouse floor, where the rest of us stood still, too shocked to make sure she was alright.

Klaus snapped out of it first, grabbing Y/n's waist and pulling her close to him protectively. "There's... there's nothing there," he said, a little dazedly.

"Nothing except a near death experience," Y/n mumbled bitterly. Klaus kissed her cheek apologetically and let go of her, stepping forward cautiously to examine the elevator shaft.

"It's ersatz," he said. "It's not a real elevator."

"We need to get down there," I said, staring into the blackness with my brother. It was deep and dark and menacing, and just the thought of somehow making my way down there was absolutely terrifying.

"How can we get down there safely?" Y/n asked. "I want to save the Quagmires, but we'll be no use to them if we fall down an empty elevator shaft and die."

"We won't die," I said, setting Sunny down to tie my hair up in my ribbon. "At least, not today we won't. Sunny, Y/n, you two go make a rubber band rope from some of Esmé's giant rubber bands. Klaus, you empty the basket of rutabagas and bring me the basket, and I'll get that big handkerchief."

We all nodded determinedly and quickly got to work.

Olivia's POV:

Jacques and I searched the entirety of the penthouse apartment at 667 Dark Avenue and couldn't even find a trace of the Quagmires. Dejectedly, we met back up in one of the many living rooms that the Squalors had.

"Nothing," I said with a sigh and a shake of my head.

"I didn't find anything, either," Jacques admitted.

"What do we do now?" I asked.

"We-" Jacques started, but paused as we heard a muffled snap coming from another room. Quietly, we snuck over to the room where the snapping was continuing. It sounded sort of like rubber bands being flicked.