Begin!
~Bertrand's POV
Tonight was the night. Lemony's plan was in place, he and Moxie were at headquarters and ready to go. Er, well we were waiting on the girls actually. They were almost done getting ready. Even with the knowledge that Lemony was with another woman, it still felt a bit awkward standing next to him at the moment. Lemony was an enigma, I didn't know what to make of him, aside from his history with Bea. I also thought it was a little weird that Lemony's mask for the ball was the Tragedy half of the iconic theatre "Comedy and Tragedy" duo. The fact that he would choose such dour attire puzzled me.
"Bertrand?"
I blinked and snapped out of my thoughts, "Yeah?"
"I want to talk with you about something. Can we step out into the hall for a moment?"
"Uh, sure," I said casually. He smiled and led me outside for whatever it was he wanted to say.
"Might be something about our plan tonight."
~Beatrice's POV
I finished doing my make-up, put on my mask, and admired myself in the mirror. My silver dragonfly costume was perfect and I was sure that Bertrand would love it. I didn't know what might happen, but I knew that I would try to have a good time regardless.
"Well how do I look?"
I turned and saw Moxie smiling at me and wanting my opinion on her outfit. It was gorgeous too. A beautiful dark dress that complimented her blonde hair nicely, and wasn't too form fitting. And a mask that looked vaguely like a seahorse of some kind, though I couldn't place what it actually was, and I didn't feel it necessary to ask. She looked beautiful, I'm sure Lemony will love it. And again she wore her news reporter hat.
"You look great, but shouldn't you lose the hat?"
"No."
"Um, ok? ...Why?"
"Because I always wear it," Moxie replied simply, adjusting her hat. "If I have to take it off, I will, but if I don't, then it stays." I shrugged and didn't ask again.
"You think we kept the boys waiting long enough," She asked.
I laughed, "Probably. Come on, you'll want to meet some of our friends too."
We went out into the living room of my flat and found the boys waiting patiently for us. Of all the things that could go wrong tonight it was nice to see that them liking our appearances wasn't one of them. Lemony's smile at Moxie completely contradicted his Tragedy themed mask, and Bertrand couldn't stop staring at me. We were planning to meet with Quinten and Karrie at the party.
"Ready to go," Bertie asked.
"As ready as I'll ever be. Everyone remembers the plan, right?"
They all nodded in confirmation and we headed out the door for a night I wouldn't soon forget.
~...
"Karrie this is Lemony's girlfriend, Moxie. Moxie this is my friend Karen and her boyfriend Quinten." We were all sitting at a table together at a table talking for part of the night.
"Nice to meet you. Is the headquarters usually this fancy," Moxie asked.
"Usually yes," Karrie replied.
While the others talked I glanced around the room at everyone else. I noticed Larry working the bar and Jacqueline was keeping him company by sitting there; I'm aware that they wanted an excuse to flirt. They were always head over heels for each other. Gustav was standing away from them and talking to some female volunteers. I saw Ike and Josephine dancing crazily together. Monty was chatting with fellow V.F.D. scientists. Eventually, Jacques came by our table because Lemony wanted Moxie to meet his brother. Jacques had no date to the event, but he definitely had attention from many admirers. Though some years later he might have found the perfect woman outside V.F.D.
There was no sign of Esmé or Olaf, but that didn't relax me.
And then Karrie began furiously trying to point something out to me that I hadn't noticed yet. "Bea! Look at who my cousin is dancing with!"
"Which cousin; you have three."
"Frank and Ernest didn't come," Karrie corrected. I had a feeling that originally it was going to be 'Ernest didn't come,' and then Frank decided to stay behind to keep an eye on him.
I glanced in Dewey's direction and my jaw hit the floor. Dewey Denouement was dancing with Kit Snicket. I looked back at Karrie and she looked ready to burst with joy.
"Jacques, Lemony," She said, "Take a look at who your sister is dancing with!"
I saw the two Snicket boys stare in shock at the sight.
"Karrie did you know about this," Jacques asked.
"Yes I did! I found them in his library kissing one day and they made me promise not to spill it until the ball! Oh my god, it's been killing me for weeks to have to stay quiet!" Given Quinten's surprised look it seemed that she hadn't told him either.
Moxie looked amused, "Is this a problem for you two?"
"Well... I'm the youngest so I don't have a say honestly, Jacques is this a bad thing," Lemony asked. Jacques and Kit were fraternal twins, but Jacques was still older.
"Not really, Kit can handle herself. I'm more worried about Dewey... Man has no idea what he's gotten himself into."
"She looks happy though," I said. "I hope that one works out for her better than her last relationship."
After a while, Kit joined us to receive teasing comments about her new boyfriend, and she got to meet Moxie. To which Kit began berating Jacques for not having a girlfriend himself. (Jacques rolled his eyes and said he was too busy for dating at the moment; an understandable cause.)
At one point Bertie left to get me a drink and came back with the news I had been unfortunately waiting for. Instead of taking his seat beside me again he set down the glass of root beer and asked me if I wanted to dance. This was our self-made code for, "Something's gone wrong we need to separate you from the group for safety reasons." I accepted his offer. But before getting up, I quickly grabbed a small piece of paper out of my purse and gave it to Karrie under the table so she would know what was going on in case shit went down. I had prewritten it before coming here for this exact reason. I then followed Bertrand out to the dance floor and we started waltzing as we talked softly.
"What is it?"
"Rumor from another volunteer; Olaf's been sighted in the area."
"How long until he gets here?"
"No idea... I'm worried though Bea."
"I am too... Bertrand?"
"Yes?"
"If I have to go... meet me at my flat at midnight. I promise I'll be there. Cause I'm not going anywhere without..."
"Without...?"
"Without the man I love," I finished sincerely. I loved Bertrand Baudelaire and if I needed to flee the country, he's the only person I'd take with me.
Bertie smiled in spite of his nerves, "I love you too, and I'd be honored to accompany you, Beatrice."
~Karen's POV
I subtly opened the paper in my lap. It read, "Olaf's been sighted. Might not see you for a while if things go wrong tonight, bring up a distraction, and stay safe. Bertie will be with me too. Tell Q." The paper was just words, but I glanced at Bea and Bertrand dancing and got worried for their safety. Lemony and Moxie gave a look at them as well and it occurred to me that they were already in on this too. Though I should have guessed since Lemony was here it'd most likely be about Bea's safety. I stealthily passed the note to Quinten and he tried to keep his composure, but I could tell he was scared for his best friends' lives.
I saw Quinten get up and offer me his hand. Well, this was unusual. In the time that Quinten and I have been together, I saw him as a very capable volunteer who could do many things that I couldn't, but there was one thing I could do that he couldn't: dance.
Nonetheless, I accepted his offer to get us away from the table so we could discuss this matter. At least the song "Fernando" started playing, a song I always liked. Though surprisingly, Quinten was better at slow dancing this time around. He was even leading!
"What- how-"
Quinten smiled nervously, "I took some lessons on the side to get better. I was going to surprise you with it tonight; I just wish we didn't have such circumstances to do it under. Now let's keep the place looking at us for their sake."
I smiled back at him. "What a sweetheart."
~Beatrice's POV
"I thought Quinten couldn't dance?"
"He told me he took some lessons. It's a good thing too cause they're keeping people distracted," Bertie said quietly.
"Any sign of him?"
"Not in here. If I had to guess he might come in through one of the balcony doors."
"The balcony is my only escape though. I can't bring him further into the building where innocents are. Who knows what he could do..."
"But the height-"
"I'll be fine." I knew I was telling the truth. "I said if I have to leave, then you have to trust that I will be at my flat at midnight. Do you trust me?"
Bertie gaped at me for a second before nodding. "I trust you, my love."
It was time.
~Lemony's POV
Jacques had gone to the bar. Kit was sitting at a table with Dewey. And Moxie and myself were finally alone and ready to do what needed to be done.
"Bertrand started dancing with Beatrice, that was our cue to look around," Moxie said.
"It was. I hope we're not too late. I'll ask at the bar, you search the left side of the room. You remember what he looks like from my description?"
Moxie nodded, "I'm not one to forget, Snicket... and be careful."
"Relax Moxie, nothing's gonna kill me yet."
We stood from the table and went our separate ways. I talked with Jacques and Larry at the bar for a minute before I saw Larry slip me a note. It said, "Olaf knows." My worst fear had been realized. Olaf knew I covered for Beatrice...
I quickly looked around. Bertrand was gone. Beatrice was nowhere in sight. I saw Moxie talking to my sister, and I felt relieved that she hadn't disappeared too. Quinten and Karen were still distracting the crowd with their dancing. The whole room was loud and carefree while I was panicking.
"Where did she go? Did she leave already?"
I maneuvered my way past the crowd and went outside on the upper balcony. I looked down off the ledge and saw a pair of silver dragonfly wings on a matching silver, sparkling, dress. She was standing on the lower balcony just below the ballroom. And right behind her was a shadow of a man I once called my best friend, and that shadow was holding a long, shiny, knife...
"Beatrice, Olaf's behind you!" I shouted instinctively.
And in a single instant, I watched as Beatrice jumped from the balcony activating her dragonfly wings to save herself from a gruesome death, and she disappeared into the dark sky above the mountains.
Olaf turned to look up at me from his position. He said nothing, he simply locked eyes with me for the last time. And then he climbed over the balcony himself and proceeded to climb back down the mountainside the hard way as he too disappeared into the night.
~End of Chapter!