ASHLYN'S P.O.V
"Things aren't always what they seem, Baudelaires. It may seem like I'm speeding recklessly because I'm a taxi driver who doesn't care about traffic safety laws, but really, I'm trying to shake the car that's been following us." Kit explained as we served around the corner.
"There's a car following us?" Violet frowned, turning to look.
"I suspect it belongs to a pair of sinister villains I recently encountered on a mountain." Kit told us.
"We were there too." Klaus said.
"I know exactly where you've been Klaus Baudelaire. I wish I could have helped you all along, but ever since the schism, there have been more fires than even a Volunteer Fire Department can put out." Kit sighed as we drove past a burnt down house, still smoking slightly.
"Those look like they burned down recently." I noted.
"Our enemies are getting bolder. But the tables are about to turn, and so is this car, so hang on." Kit nodded. We swerved another corner quickly. "I know you have thousands of questions, and I wish I had time to answer them over a leisurely brunch, but our agents are already on their way to the Last Safe Place, so I'm afraid you'll have to settle for a quick debrief and a picnic in the back of a taxi. There's a picnic basket on the floor." My sibling and I looked down to see a large picnic basket at Sunny's feet.
"You said your name is Kit Snicket. We met a man named Jacques Snicket." I said carefully.
"He is my brother. And he's the reason I need your help. I received this telegram instructing all volunteers to go to the Hotel Denouement on Thursday, and it's signed with my brother's initials, 'J.S.'." Kit told us and hand me a telegram.
"We received the same telegram, but it can't be from Jacques. He's in..." I frowned.
"Yes, Baudelaires. I know my brother is in hiding. And I know you saved him. And I know he wouldn't come out of hiding yet, but I'm afraid someone is impersonating him to gather all of V.F.D in one place. We could be walking into a trap." Kit said.
"So, you need us to find out if this J.S. is a friend or an enemy." Violet concluded.
"Do you know what a flaneur is?" Kit asked.
"A person who observes their surroundings, like a spy." Klaus answered.
"Very good. Children make the best flaneurs since adults rarely pay attention to them. There's a secret compartment in the bottom of the picnic basket. Open it." Kit instructed, I Klaus lent down and did as she said.
"Uniforms?" Violet frowned.
"Disguises. Baudelaires, I need your help. I need you to infiltrate the Hotel Denouement as concierge and learn the identity of J.S. before Thursday. I have an inside man who's made all the arrangements. All you have to say is yes. Say you'll volunteer." Kit grinned.
"Of course, we will." I smiled.
"Their back." Kit sighed looking in the rear-view mirror. She swung around the next corner and turned into the vow of hedges on the side of the road. "That wasn't the route I intended to take, but here we are. The Last Safe Place." My siblings and I looked out the window to see a grand hotel with a pond in front of it. "I'll let you get into your disguises." Kit smiled, getting out the car.
"Do you think we can trust Kit?" Klaus asked.
"Since we got in her taxi, she's broken at least nine traffic safety laws, driven into a hedge, and recruited us to spy for a secret organisation. I like her." Violet smiled.
"I like her as well." I agreed.
"Me too." Klaus nodded.
"Me too." Sunny grinned. Putting on our hats, we got out the taxi and walked over to Kit who was spying on a man in a black suit and red tie with black hair and a moustache.
"That's Frank Denouement. He's one of the managers. He's with us. You can trust him." Kit told us. Then another man walked over and stood next to the first man, they looked exactly the same.
"I must need new glasses because I'm seeing double." Klaus frowned giving his spyglass to Violet.
"That's Frank's treacherous brother, Ernest. Does not trust him, no matter what he says. The schism has turned many siblings into enemies. Remember, F is for Frank, who is friendly. E is for Ernest who is evil." Kit said.
"How can we tell them apart?" Violet questioned.
"Unfortunately, the only way to determine if someone is noble or wicked is through close observation. But you'll have to be careful about what you tell them because if the wrong brother finds out what we're up to..." Kit began, quickly hiding behind a bush when the brothers turned to look in our direction. Kit leaned around to check they weren't looking any more after a moment. "We could all be in danger. I've sent a message to Frank. He'll meet you in the lobby unless it was intercepted by Ernest."
"You're not coming?" I frowned.
"I'm afraid I have my own mission, but I'll be back tonight. If you've discovered that the Last Safe Place is no longer safe, we'll send a signal to warn V.F.D. Do you understand?" Kit explained.
"We're going to disguise ourselves as concierges to determine if J.S. is a villain or a noble volunteer." Klaus started.
"A manager named Frank will try to help us, but his brother, Ernest, will try to stop us." I added.
"Signal V.F.D." Sunny finished.
"Perfect. Do you have everything you need?" Kit smiled.
"I can't find my ribbon." Violet sighed.
"I always carry a spare." Kit said, handing Violet a ribbon. "Your mother always tied her hair up when she needed to think, too." Klaus adjusted his glasses slightly. "And your father always adjusted his glasses like that before a mission. You remind of them so much. You all do."
"It's hard to believe our parents went on secret missions." Klaus admitted.
"Your parents put many brave deeds on the books. Without them, V.F.D would never have survived after the schism." Kit sighed.
"We heard about the schism." Violet told her.
"It was a tragic night. I'm sorry, melancholy is a side effect of my condition. I'm distraught and I'm pregnant. Good luck Baudelaires, I'll see you tonight. And please be careful." With a nod we turned to leave. "Wait, Ashlyn, I just wanted to remind you of the deal you made with my brother."
"Yes, I remember it." I told her.
"Good. In the telegram he sent me telling me he was going into hiding said to tell you to meet him at Anwhistle Aquatics, or what's left of it." Kit said.
"Thank you for letting me now." I smiled.
"I just want you to know that I think what your doing is very noble but don't hold your hopes too high. I know them." Kit warned.
"Thank you for the warning and I'm sure you did know him but that was a long time ago, they've changed." I reassured.
"I don't want to see another noble person hurt because of Ol –" Kit began.
"It's ok, I know what I'm doing." I cut her off still smiling.
"You're all so brave." Kit sighed. With one last smile at her, we began walking towards the hotel.
When we entered the hotel lobby, we found it to be a long narrow room, like a hallway, with a high ceiling, buzzing with activity.
"It won't be easy to find J.S. in a hotel this big." Violet sighed.
"A big hotel can work to our advantage." I pointed out.
"If Count Olaf turns up, it won't be easy for him to find us." Klaus frowned.
"Bellhop take the luggage to the room and the, uh, Carmelita II up to the roof. Thank you." Olaf said as he walked across the lobby claerly not happy. Esme and Carmelita were trailing behind him, seemingly pestering him about something. They stopped at the lift and started having a hushed conversation. "You!" Olaf shouted, turning to point at us. His face softens slightly when he saw us. "Concierge. Find the manager and tell him to bring a nice bottle of wine to our room. Something red. A sauvignon blanc."
"Yes, sir." Violet replied with a gruff voice. Olaf nodded then turned back to Esme and Carmelita who continued to have a hushed conversation.
"Not in the lobby!" Olaf shouted before they entered the lift.
"Why didn't he recognise us?" Violet asked.
"He only saw our uniforms." Klaus guessed.
"The villainous hotel guests often treat staff like they're invisible." Violet sighed.
"Do you think Count Olaf is the one posing as J.S?" Klaus wondered.
"I don't know, but it can't be good that he's here." Violet said.
"We have to find out what Esme is planning." I said.
"Are you eavesdropping on our guests?" A manager asked from behind us.
"We're doing the job we were instructed to do." I answered.
"You must be our new concierges. Welcome to the hotel. I'm one of the managers." The manager introduced.
"Frank or Ernest?" Violet asked.
"Exactly." The manager nodded. "I'm happy you're here, even though one of you is unusually short because we're unusually short-handed. This way, please." We followed him to a desk with a wall covered in room numbers behind it, each number had a light above it. "The job of the concierge is to give our guests everything they ask for. When they ring, you volunteer."
"What do those numbers mean?" Klaus asked. "There can't be 999 rooms in this hotel."
"That's an interesting question. Do you know what they mean?" The manager questioned.
"Sir, some luggage arrived in a taxi, but the drive aids the guest won't get here until Thursday." A concierge said to the manager.
"Thursday? Excuse me, concierges." The manager nodded, walking off, leaving us alone.
"Do you think that was Frank?" Klaus wondered.
"He used the word volunteer. Maybe it was a code." Violet suggested.
"Everything he said sounded like a code." Klaus sighed.
"You must be our new concierges." The other manager smiled, coming up behind the desk. "Welcome to the Hotel Denouement. I'm one of the managers."
"Are you Frank or Ernest?" Klaus asked.
"I am. You're just in time. We're anticipating a large number of guests before Thursday. Do you know why?" The manager questioned.
"We think so." I replied.
"Can you tell me?" The manager inquired.
"That's an interesting question." Klaus answered.
"That's a smart answer. It's hard to know who you can trust in a hotel lobby. There are countless wicked people in the world. So, it follows that sooner or later, some of them will check into a hotel." The manager nodded.
"Sir, the Daily Punctillio arrived with an update on those murderers." Another concierge said.
"Murderers? Excuse me, concierges." The manager we were talking to left.
"That had to be Ernest. The part about wicked people sounded like a threat." Violet reasoned.
"Unless it was Frank giving us a warning." I suggested.
"I'm confused. How are we supposed to find anyone?" Klaus asked.
"I can answer that question." The first manager smiled returning to the desk. "Finding someone here is as easy as finding a book in a library because the Hotel Denouement is not organised like a hotel at all. It's organised like a library."
"Well, a library organises knowledge according to a numerical classification system." Klaus said.
"That's right. All guests at the hotel are placed in rooms according to where they would be shelved in a library." The manager explained.
"But anyone who works here would have to know the library catalogue by heart." Violet frowned. A bell rang behind the manager, he turned around.
"Room 610. That's for our guests associated with the healthcare industry. 322, financial economics." The manager said. Then a third bell rang.
"That bell doesn't have a number." I noticed.
"That's the rooftop sunbathing salon. People who sunbathe usually aren't interested in library science so they're not too picky about the location. Three bells, three rooms. But you can't be in three places at once. You'll have to split up, Baudelaires." The manager said.
"You know our names?" Klaus frowned.
"Are you Frank or Ernest?" I wondered.
"That's an interesting question." The manager smiled knowingly. The bells rang again. "Your assignments await." We nodded and walked over to the lift and got in. I decided to go with Sunny to the third floor.
*Time Skip*
"Hello, I'm Larry your waiter," Larry said as Sunny and I now found ourselves in an Indian restaurant after being temporarily hired as Mr Poe's secretaries. "I hope you're hungry for Indian food. In room 954, which is the library catalogue number for Indian and South Asia, we're proud to serve a wide variety of Indian dishes. The culinary history of the region is quite fascinating."
"I'll just have a glass of milk." Mr Poe replied.
"Don't you want to broaden your horizons?" Larry asked.
"No, thank you. I'm afraid of foreigners." Mr Poe answered.
"One glass of milk coming up, something to bite for the little lady and some Balushahi, an Indian dessert for the lovely lady." Larry smiled taking the menus from us and secretly making an eye sign with one hand.
"I swear I've seen that waiter somewhere before. It's the oddest thing but this hotel seems positively packed with familiar faces. Ah, you must be J.S!" Mr Poe said to a figure standing over us. I looked up to see Olaf stood over us. He was dressed in a white blazer with a black collar, bowtie and trousers and a white shirt. He had also combed his hair over to the side and up a bit, the back had been slicked down and he had drawn on a moustache.
"Call me Snicket. Jacques Snicket. We've never met before." Olaf said, taking the seat next to me.
"Oh, you're most certainly right we've never met. I may forget a name, but I never forget a face." Mr Poe nodded and lent down to find some papers from his brief. I suddenly felt something grab my thigh, just above my knee. I let out a quiet gasp. There was a low chuckle next to me, I turned to see Olaf smirking at me as his hand started moving up slightly. Subtly, I hit him, telling him to stop but smiling at him even so. His hand stopped moving up, but he left it there. For the other side of me, I heard a small cough. When I looked over, I saw Sunny giving us a disappointed look. I hung my head out of embarrassment.
"Get a room." Sunny muttered under her breath loud enough for us to hear but not enough that Mr Poe would hear. I stifled a laugh and looked at Sunny to see her grinning proudly, I shook my head at her in amusement.
"Hello, little Sunny." Olaf greeted quietly with a chuckle.
"These are my secretary." Mr Poe said sitting up. "Well, technically, she's a concierge. Shall we get started?"
"Did you procure the items I requested?" Olaf questioned.
"I read your telegram." Mr Poe started taking out a large black book. "And as requested, I gathered all the information I could find on the Baudelaire case, including all the information that could incriminate Count Olaf."
"Super. I'll just take that." Olaf smiled reaching to take it.
"Then I thought I'd be remiss in my duties as a banker if I handed an incomplete file. After all, you requested everything. So, I did some digging, and do you know what I found?" Mr Poe continued.
"Uh... what?" Olaf shrugged awkwardly, his hand tensing around my leg.
"Everything." Mr Poe smiled. I gently rubbed circles in the back of his hand with my thumb. "I combed through thousands of documents until I found each bit of evidence that could relate to the Baudelaire case."
"How tedious." Olaf mumbled.
"Compliment taken." Mr Poe grinned. "A bank is a bit like a library, although we don't approve of people browsing and once, I gathered it all up, I came to a shocking discovery."
"That you have to get out more?" Olaf guessed.
"This file is more than a collection of esoteric documents chronicling the unhappy lives of several children. No! When taken together, it forms a complete history of injustice, as demonstrated by a wicked villain, his treacherous girlfriend, and various well-meaning yet inefficient authority figures who help him, intentionally or unintentionally, along the way. I even gave it a title. I call it, The Complete History of Injustice or Odious Lusting After Fortunes." Mr Poe explained.
"O.L.A.F." Sunny gasped.
"Mr Poe, this is a shocking development. I promise to keep that file safe or my name isn't Jacques Snicket." Olaf said.
"This isn't the file." Mr Poe told him.
"I beg your pardon?" Olaf frowned.
"This is the index. The file was too big for my briefcase. It's being delivered tonight by another client who requested the same materials. In fact, you both have the same initials." Mr Poe explained.
"J.S." Larry gasped from behind me. I turned to look at him.
"Larry. Fancy seeing you here." Olaf said.
"I forgot your milk." Larry mumbled.
"But it's on the tray." Mr Poe pointed out.
"I'll go get it from the chef." Larry mumbled and left. I watched as he entered the kitchen. When the door swung closed, I leaned over to Olaf.
"Stall Mr Poe. I'm going to talk to Larry." I whispered to him. "Sunny are you coming?" She nodded.
"Be quick." Olaf pleaded.
"I will." I smiled.
"Odd service." Mr Poe chuckled.
"Hotel restaurants!" Olaf shrugged. Slowly, Sunny and I slid out our chairs and made our way to the kitchen. "So, tell me, who is this other J.S. that seems so interested in the Baudelaire orphans?"
"I'm afraid I can't discuss that. Banker-client confidentiality." Mr Poe said.
"Pretend your life depends on it." Olaf ordered as we entered the kitchen.
"Things are worse than we thought." Larry sighed. "How soon before J.S. arrives? The real J.S., not that imposter in the dining room."
"Tonight. And the package will be arriving as well." A manager told Larry. "But our enemies are watching the skies. If they intercept the delivery, we will be eating crow."
"Crow is tough to eat. I hope we have enough sugar." Larry said.
"Especially if there are mushrooms on the menu." The manager added. Sunny lifted a hand to the trolly to steady herself but ended up knocking one of the spoons over. The two men turned around to see us stood by the door. "Ah, concierge, I need you to come with me to room 025, the laundry room. I need you to put this special lock on the door. I'll only need one of you." Instinctively, I began to walk forward in front of my sister, but I stopped when I felt a small hand wrap around mine.
"I'm not baby." Sunny said. I smiled knowing what she meant and let her walk in front of me.
"We'll take the service elevator." The manager said when Sunny reached him, opening a hidden door.
"Mysterious." Sunny said.
"Exactly. Sometimes what seems mysterious is part of a larger plan." The manager said before shutting the door behind them. Almost as soon as that door shut, the other opened and Olaf came in.
"Are you finished yet? I don't think I can stand another moment with that man." He huffed. I went to tell that I hadn't even had a chance to talk Larry when Larry spoke up.
"Having to spend time with an annoying bank will be the least of your worries soon."
"Ok." Olaf nodded sarcastically before turning to me and holding out his hand. "Come on, Ash, please can we just leave, I want to talk to you." He pouted. I smiled and was about to take his hand when Larry spoke up again.
"Leaving so soon? You haven't even tried the curry." Larry asked. Olaf turned around and walked over to the large pan.
"It's too hot." Olaf told Larry after burning his hand on the side of the pan.
"Olaf, you lack more than an appreciation for subcontinental cuisine. You lack morals and ethics. And back-up! Where are your associates now?" Larry mocked. "You can wear a fake moustache; you can rent a tuxedo –"
"This isn't rented." Olaf defended.
"You'll never be half the man Jacques Snicket was." Larry said. Olaf took a few steps back in shock. Then the door leading into the restaurant opened and the other manager entered. "Frank, would you please escort this villain off the premises?"
"I think you mean Ernest." The manager corrected. "Thank you, Olaf, I have got it from here." There was a moment of awkward silence before Olaf nodded and began to leave. I stood there for a moment, trying to work out what Ernest was about to do. He quickly shot me a withering glare which made my hurry over to Olaf who was holding the door open for me. "Nice pet by the way." Ernest snickered as I went passed him. When I heard that, I spun around to say something back, but Olaf grabbed my hand and shook his head. I sighed, knowing it wasn't worth the fight.
"Yeah." Olaf called back to Ernest sarcastically. Once we entered the restaurant area, I noticed that Mr Poe had gone. "He must have gotten bored." Olaf shrugged, noticing the same thing. "I guess we have the room to ourselves." He whispered in my ear, wrapping his arms around my waist, pulling me into his chest. Olaf lent his head down and began placing kisses on my neck. I leaned my head back, giving him more access to my neck.
Then a question sprung to my mind.
"Olaf?" I began
"Hmm."
"Why did you want all the information about me, my siblings and your crimes?" I asked. Immediately, he stopped and stepped away from me.
"I was hoping to destroy the evidence of my crimes." He shrugged, looking at the floor.
"Oh." I gasped but nodded my head slowly.
"You see I thought that if I called destroy any trace of my villainy when we finally escape all this mess, we might be able to live a normal life." Olaf admitted, not looking me. "I just thought it might be nice."
"It would." I smiled. "It'd be really nice. I guess we'll just have to wait until we get our hands on it then." Slowly I walked over to him and grabbing a hold of his blazer collar so I could bring his lips down to meet mine. "You should wear a suit more often." I murmured against his lips before reconnecting them.
"Yeah, should I dress up like this more often?" Olaf chuckled lowly as he slipped his hands onto my hips and pulling me closer so there was no space between us.
"You could lose the moustache." I giggled.
"Yeah." He nodded giggling too. I went to kiss him again, but he pulled back.
"What's wrong." I frowned holding his hands.
"I didn't want to just get rid of the evidence, I wanted to see if I could find out something I didn't know about you, like your favourite food or something, I'm not sure, then I could surprise you with something." Olaf muttered, looking back at the floor.
"That's so sweet dear. You just ask me." I said softly.
"I want to surprise you."
"You don't need to. I already have everything I want right here." I grinned, poking his chest playfully.
"I love you so much."
"I love you too." We kissed once more. "I should get going, my siblings will begin to worry about me being trapped with the terrible villain."
"Do I have to be worried about someone?" Olaf teased.
"Oh yes, he's tall, smart, brave and I love him deeply." I answered.
"Well, I don't think I can let you go then." Olaf laughed, pulling me close. I giggled at him but shook my head.
"Seriously, I need to go." I sighed.
"Fine." He huffed. "I'll see you soon." I nodded and placed a quick kiss on his lips and leaving him stood in the restaurant.
*Time Skip*
Violet, Klaus, and I were stood at the concierge desk, trying to piece together what happened today, while Sunny sat on one of the round green sofas next to the desk.
"It's all wrong. This hotel is full of people we know but they can't all be part of V.F.D." Klaus sighed.
"They were all invited by someone with the initials J.S., but they each think J.S. is a different person. Vice-principal Nero said J.S. is someone Esme would know. Like her husband, Jerome Squalor." Violet suggested.
"But Jerome Squalor said J.S. is a woman who wants to help us." Klaus reminded.
"Mr Poe's secretary was called Jacqueline Scieszka." I guessed.
"And Babs thinks that J.S. is a sea captain." Violet added.
"One of Olaf's disguises was Captain Julio Sham." I pointed out.
"But Count Olaf is disguised as Jacques Snicket." Klaus countered.
"He doesn't know who the real J.S. is either." I told them.
"There are other mysteries. Why is Esme planning a cocktail party, and what does Carmelita want with a harpoon gun?" Violet asked.
"Did Frank or Ernest give me the bird paper?" Klaus questioned
"And who told sunny to lock the laundry room door?" I wondered.
"Why is everyone watching the skies?"
"Elephant." Sunny sighed.
"Sorry sunny, I don't know what you mean." Violet frowned.
"I know what she means." I smiled fondly "We've each heard parts of a larger plan. If put them all together we can see the whole shape."
"Larry said something about a package being delivered tonight and crows." Klaus began. "What if he meant carrier crows, like the ones Isadora used to send couplets in the Village of Fowl Devotees?"
"That would explain why Esme's watching the skies and why Carmelita needs a harpoon gun. She's gonna shoot it down." Violet realised. "And I bet that's why Frank or Ernest had you hang that bird paper. If a crow was shot at a certain angle, it would strike the building at the fifth floor, and then it would stick to the bird paper, then the package would fall to the ground."
"Maybe," I nodded. "Or maybe not."
"Where else could it land?" Violet frowned.
"I saw a laundry vent under the window. What if the plan is for the package to fall in there? It would end up in the –" Klaus trailed off.
"Laundry room. Sunny locked the door. Sunny locked the door, id Frank gave her the lock, then the package is safe." I explained.
"But if it was Ernest, then it's not. We don't even know what the package is." Klaus sighed.
"Maybe we do. What are both sides of the schism after?" I prompted, trying to get my memory working.
"The sugar bowl." We all said at the same time. At that moment, a porter entered the lobby. When he passed, I saw the luggage he was pushing had the initials J.S. printed on the side.
"J.S." Sunny read before the doors swung open again.
"Yes, you can take that to room 347, please. Civil procedures and courts." Justus Strauss instructed, sweeping across the lobby in long steps.
"Justice Strauss!" Violet exclaimed.
"Baudelaires! Baudelaires! Oh, my sweet Baudelaires! Look at you!" Justice Strauss smiled, pulling us into a hug. "Oh, Klaus, you've gotten so tall. Violet, you're so grown up. Sunny..." Sunny gently leant up and bit her hand. "I see you're still a biter. And Ashlyn, you haven't changed at all dear."
"You recognise us." Violet grinned.
"I care about you children deeply. I would recognise you anywhere."
"What are you doing here?" I asked.
"Well, after that fraud of a wedding, I couldn't forgive myself for letting you down, so I decided to set things right. I went looking for you. But everywhere I went, you were already gone." Justice Strauss explained.
"Then how did you find us?" Klaus questioned.
"I had some help from a very strange book. The book told me about a secret organisation that was devoted to fighting the fires of the world." Justice Strauss answered.
"V.F.D." Violet checked.
"Exactly." Justice Strauss nodded. "They were trying to help you, too."
"So, what did you do?" I inquired.
"Well, I think we should sit down for this part." Justice Strauss said, guiding us to sit down in some armchairs in the middle of the room. "I realised finding you wouldn't be enough, not if Count Olaf were still at large. But if I could gather V.F.D., along with all the witnesses of Count Olaf's crimes, then the High Court could hear the whole story and we could bring him to justice at last."
You're...you're putting Olaf on trial?" I repeated.
"That's why you invited everyone here." Klaus smiled.
"You've been helping us this whole time and we didn't know?" Violet asked.
"I didn't do it alone." Justice Strauss told us. "Jerome Squalor shared personal anecdotes about injustice in the financial sector. He's sorry he let you down too. Jacqueline Scieszka provided invaluable notetaking and globe-trotting services. Jacques Snicket may not be able to help anymore but his research helped so much. And, of course, I read all about the nefarious deeds of Captain Julio Sham. I sent all my research to a bank for safekeeping. And here it is, all collected at last." She leaned down and picked up an exceptionally large black book. "The Complete History of Injustice or Odious Lusting After Fortunes. We invited Count Olaf here too, and my sources say he's arrived. But after Thursday, he'll be behind bars, and all your troubles will be over at last."
"Well, our trouble won't be over until we find a home." Klaus sighed.
"Well, my home could use three lovely, clever, talented children and help an equally lovely, clever, talented young adult find a nice house. That is, if you can forgive me." Justice Strauss offered.
"We'd love to live with you." Violet grinned.
"Do you really mean it?" Justice Strauss smiled.
"Of course." Klaus nodded.
"Then this night is different from all other nights because this story is finally over." Justice Strauss exclaimed. "It's late. We should get to sleep. But rest easy, Baudelaires." With that, she stood up and walked over to the lift. "We'll be a family soon."
*Time Skip*
"Are you awake?" Klaus asked as we sat on the round green sofas with sunny, trying to get some sleep.
"I can't sleep." I sighed, my and was racing with possible outcomes for the trial on Thursday. Maybe we could escape before then.
"Me neither." Violet mumbled.
"These sofas make terrible beds." Klaus groaned.
"It's not the sofas," I told them. "There's something else that's bothering me."
"Me too." Violet nodded.
"We know who J.S. is. We know the sugar bowl is being delivered tonight, but we don't know why it's important or which brother put the lock on the laundry room door." Klaus said.
"That's the problem. You said you were with Frank or Ernest at three o'clock. We know that because you heard the clock strike three. Sunny was with the other brother at the same time." Violet began.
"So...?" Klaus frowned.
"I was with one of the brothers too. All three of us were with Frank or Ernest at three o'clock exactly." Violet explained.
"I see what you mean." Klaus gasped.
"Two brothers can be in two places at the same time. But they can't be in three." I nodded in understanding.
"I wish this hotel were a library. Then we could use the library catalogue system to find some answers." Klaus sighed.
"Is there a library catalogue number for mysteries?" I asked.
"Room 135. I already thought of that. but there is no room 135." Klaus told me. Violet frowned and tied her hair up.
"Maybe it's not a room. Remember when we stayed at that hotel with our parents and we thought it would be fun to press a bunch of buttons at the same time?" Violet asked and walked over to the lift. Klaus, Sunny and I followed her, knowing what Violet was going to try. Violet, Klaus, and I each pressed one of the buttons 1, 3, 5 and the doors began to shut.
"Father said when you do that, you never know where you'll end up." Klaus reminisced.
"Let's see where we end up." I grinned as Sunny clung to my leg for support as the lift began to move.
"We're going down." Klaus noticed.
"The basement laundry room." Violet added.
"The lift isn't stopping." I frowned as we moved past that.
"There must be a sub-basement." Violet concluded. Then, doors opened behind us. We stepped out into a round room, the walls were covered in filing drawers, there was a desk in the middle and two shoots on either side.
"It looks like a library card catalogue. Someone's been repairing a book. The paste is still wet." Klaus realised.
"The tea is still hot." I added.
"Kit, is that you?" A voice called from behind a door. The door then opened and one of the managers stepped out of the corridor behind it. "You're not Kit."
"And you're neither Frank nor Ernest. Because the Denouement brothers aren't twins, your triplets." I gasped in realisation.
"Kit told me that you were clever. My name is Dewey Denouement. I'm pleased to meet you." Dewey introduced.
"Why didn't Kit tell us about you?" Violet asked.
"My existence is secret, which suits me fine because my work is secret, too. You see, the Hotel Denouement is not just organised like a library." Dewey began, opening the door he just came through. "It is a library." He gestured for us to follow him into the corridor with him. I was the first to follow and found it wasn't a corridor it was a tunnel. Just like the tunnels Olaf and I sat in after the auction. "We collect reports from every V.F.D. agent, scholar, researcher, inventor, scientist, explorer, cartographer, poet, journalist, naturalist, herpetologist, optometrist, receptionist, chef, waiter, taxi driver, sea captain, film director, ballerina, children's book author, and mountaineer. Our volunteers are everywhere, observing the world and writing it all down in books. These books then pass through several safe places, from hospitals to carnivals, to end up here...the Last Safe Place." He opened a small hatch and let us climb out. We came out in front of the hotel looking at the pond. I turned to see we had come out of the stone sign for the hotel. "Ever since he schism, it's more important than ever to keep our research catalogued and secure. So, while Frank and Ernest run the hotel, I do my work in the shadows. Here we are." We looked at the pond in front of us.
"Where's the library?" Klaus frowned.
"You have to look below the surface. It's a sub-library, so it's submerged." Dewey smiled.
"It's under the pond." Klaus realised.
"Our enemies could burn the hotel to the ground and our work would be safe. It's a secret library." Dewey grinned.
"Then why are you telling us?" Violet asked.
"After Thursday, Kit and I are leaving V.F.D. to raise our child. The Last Safe Place will need a new sub-librarian, or four of them." Dewey said.
"You want to give us your library?" Klaus questioned.
"I've read all about you Baudelaires. Ashlyn, you've worked your way out of danger using unique disguises. Imagen what information you could discover using that. Violet, you've invented amazing things under incredible pressure. Imagen what you could do with time and resources that you'd have here. Klaus, your research skills are on par with V.F.D.'s greatest librarians. Why not use them in service of its greatest library? And Sunny, I've heard wonderful things about your cooking. Never underestimate the way that a good meal can change the world. After Thursday Count Olaf will be behind bars. You'll need a new home. Why not here?" Dewey suggested.
"Justice Strauss wants us to live with her." Violet told him.
"She promised to keep us safe." Klaus added.
"And I'm sure she would. But you're not children anymore. Is a safe life enough?" Dewey injured.
"Before we answer, there's one secret we want to know. What's in the sugar bowl?" I asked him.
"Ah." Dewey sighed.
"An interesting question." Olaf exclaimed as he climbs out of a bush behind the stone sign. I chuckled silently to myself and shook my head at his theatrics. "I searched the hotel for you, which wasn't easy because I forgot how it was organised, but I've found you at last."
"It's arranged like a library catalogue." I explained.
"I knew it was something like that." Olaf nodded. "The man stood next to you is my associates. I can handle them from here Ernest."
"Oh, I'm not Ernest." Dewey told him.
"Sorry, Frank." Olaf sighed.
"I'm not Frank either." Dewey grinned.
"Wait, what? Are you Dewey, I thought you were a myth?" Olaf frowned.
"You're outnumbered, Olaf. This hotel is full of volunteers who arrived early, as noble people do." Dewey said.
"I arrived early." Olaf grumbled.
"While your accomplices, being wicked, will arrive late." Dewey continued.
"Of course, we will. Being early is 'out'. That's why they call it fashionably late." Esme sighed as she strutted over to us followed by Carmelita.
"Who wants to see me hit a cake sniffer with a harpoon?" Carmelita asked pointing the gun at us each individually.
"Don't wave that around, child. It's dangerous." Olaf ordered.
"But I need to practice. If I hit a crow, mummy Esme promised me you would teach me how to spit like a real ballplaying cowboy superhero soldier pirate!" Carmelita declared.
"Esme Squalor and Carmelita Spats." Dewey noted. "My library is full of accounts of your treachery."
"Library? You are Dewey Denouement." Olaf marvel.
"Dewey Denouement? Like the unicorn? How exquisite. I do hope you're coming to my cocktail party. We're serving mushrooms." Esme frowned.
"She means the Medusoid Mycelium. That's her plan, to poison everybody at the party!" I exclaimed.
"Without V.F.D. out of the way, my boyfriend will finally be able to steal the Baudelaire fortune and anything else I feel like taking." Esme snarled.
"You would never unleash the Mycelium. Not without the sugar bowl." Dewey said calmly.
"Funny you should mention that. once we shoot that crow, we'll retrieve the sugar bowl from the laundry room. The only problem is some pesky volunteer put a V.F.D lock on the door." Esme growled.
"You're a capable woman, Esme. You could be doing so much more than playing second fiddle in the last chair in the back row of a third-rate orchestra for Count Olaf." Dewey coaxed.
"I'm second to nobody. I'm the conductor since my boyfriend has been too distracted to plan anything recently because of that girl." Esme shouted waving her hand dramatically. Dewey, Violet and Klaus turned to me with frowns of confusion. "Now, if you're really Dewey Denouement, you know all about the sugar bowl. You know what's inside and how important it is, and you know that it is mine."
"The container is yours, not what it contains." Dewey told her.
"Beatrice stole it from me!" Esme screamed.
"There are worse things in this world than theft." Dewey sighed and turned to leave.
"Give us the code to the lock, or this little girl will harpoon you." Esme demanded.
"I'm not shooting any harpoons until Counite teaches me to spit!" Carmelita protested.
"Darling, Countie brought you that lovely outfit." Esme reminded sweetly.
"Teach me to spit!" Carmelita demanded looking at Olaf. He growled under his breath and stormed over to her. "Teach me to spit."
"No!" Olaf defied.
"Teach me to spit!"
"No!"
"Teach me to spit!"
"I will never teach you to spit as long as I can breathe!" Olaf shouted, taking the harpoon gun from her hands.
"You apologise to our darling little girl!" Esme ordered.
"She is not a darling little girl. She is a spoiled brat! I am tired of pretending to be a family, and I am tired of a girlfriend who undermines me constantly." Olaf groaned.
"You'd have our fortune if it wasn't for Esme." Violet piped up.
"You stay out of this!" Esme snapped.
"If it wasn't for her, you'd be rich, and we'd be dead." Klaus added.
"I don't want your fortune or you dead!" Olaf sighed turning to my siblings, showing kindness in his eyes.
"What!" Esme exclaimed.
"All you ever care about is the sugar bowl, free acting lessons, what's 'in' and 'out' and getting richer than you already are!" Olaf shouted exasperated.
"Oh, I'll tell you what's 'in' and what's 'out'." Esme growled storming over to Olaf so she was stood right in front of him. "Being constantly unappreciated by a man whose pant leg doesn't even cover his ankle. 'Out'! Being stuck conducting an incompetent orchestra who think they know better. Extremely 'out'! I think you're going to love this one darling. Losing time and again to four children. Because you have a soft spot for one of them and you manage to ruin every one of my foolproof schemes because of it! That is the 'outtest' thing of all!"
"Esme, you are fired. And I'm breaking up with you. And it may be the best desertion of my life." Olaf said completely calm.
"You can't break up with me. No one has ever done that before." Esme frowned.
"That's what makes it so satisfying." Olaf smirked.
"You...really want me out of your life? Do you really prefer her over me?" Esme asked gesturing to me again.
"Totally." Olaf nodded.
"You haven't heard the last of Esme Gigi Genevieve Squalor. Come on darling." Esme said, turning back to the hotel, taking Carmelita with her.
"Is Countie not my daddy anymore?" Carmelita questioned.
"No." Esme mumbled.
"Baudelaires..." Dewey muttered, indicating for us to go too.
"Going somewhere?" Olaf asked, pointing the harpoon gun at Dewey.
"Olaf, put the gun down. You've lost your associates." Dewey said.
"I never needed them anyway. Nobody ever listens to what I want and that is what I'm so sick of with V.F.D., they never thought to help me. Now, tell me the three phrases to get into the V.F.D. lock." Olaf insisted, his hand beginning to shake.
"Even if you open it, you'll find nothing in the laundry room except laundry. The lock is a decoy." Dewy told him.
"Just tell me the phrases!" Olaf shouted desperately. "I'll give you until the count of ten. One." Dewey shifted slightly but didn't move out of the way. "Two..."
"If you want to shoot him, you'll have to shoot me!" Violet said as she ran in front of Dewey. I tried to stop her, but my body wasn't responding. I began to panic. What if I was wrong? What if he can't change? What if I have fallen in love with a monster? What if he shoots my sister?
"Three..." Olaf continued, this time there was a slight shake in his voice.
"You'll have to shoot me too." Klaus said standing in front of Violet. I tried to move again but my feet were still stuck to the floor.
"Four..."
"Violet, Klaus..." I managed to whisper.
"If you kill us, he'll never get the Baudelaire fortune." Klaus said as if to reassure me.
"Five..." Sunny then stood in front of Klaus. "Six..." My feet finally listened and let me run forward. I was so close to the gun that it was touching my chest.
"Olaf," I whisper softly. "Put it down."
"Seven..." Olaf choked out, tears welling in his eyes. Gently, I lifted a hand to his face and carefully ran my thumb in circles.
"Put it down, Olaf." I repeated. Slowly he looked down at tears now escaping from his eyes.
"I can't." He muttered shaking his head.
"Yes, you can."
"No. They won't ever forgive me. I can't." Olaf insisted.
"Then give me the gun and we can work on it, together." I said raising one hand to the harpoon gun. He looked down at my hand and after a long moment, he nodded and let the gun go. "Thank you." I let the gun hang by my side. Olaf stood there motionless for a moment before he threw his arms around my waist, holding me as tight as he could like he was scared that I would fade away or slip through his fingers, his head nestled into the crook of my neck. Carefully, I handed the harpoon gun backwards for Klaus to take. When I felt the weight had been removed from my hand, I wrapped my arms around him, one around his waist, the other reaching up into his hair.
"I'm sorry." I heard him say into my neck.
"I know. And I know this is hard and it's going to be a long journey but we're going to make it. I'm here." I reassured in a hushed tone.
"Why do you stick by me?" I could feel his tears soaking onto my skin. He was so broken and damaged, no one has shown in love in years. But he'd come so far, he was starting to heal, and I knew he would probably never be fully healed but he would be close.
"Because I can see you for who you are, who you can be and I love you" I answered soothingly, brushing my fingers through his hair.
"I love you too. I'm just so scared you're gonna leave me." I pushed his head out of the crook of my neck so I could look at him. His eyes were red and puffy, his cheeks stained with tear tracks. He looked so lost, alone and broken.
"I know, but I won't, I promise." He held me even tighter and rested his forehead on mine.
For a moment, the world was still. Motionless. Peaceful.
"What's going on out here?" I heard Mr Poe cough, bringing us back into reality, as he came outside. I spun around in Olaf's arms. Klaus and Violet dropped the gun. As it fell the trigger released and a harpoon went flying. I followed it with my eyes and saw it enter Dewey "Good God, that man's been shot!" Dewey raised a hand to the harpoon protruding from bellow his rib cage.
"Kit..." He breathed out before falling back into the pond.
"Dewey!" We all shouted. My siblings ran over to the edge of the pond, I tried to follow but Olaf didn't let me go. I looked up to see him frozen, staring at where Dewey had been stood.
"Baudelaires, you just shot that man with a harpoon gun, you better wait right here until I get the manager." Mr Poe said, rushing back inside.
"Hey, what's going on?" A man shouted from his window.
"What's that racket?" A boy called from another room.
"What's going on down there?" Another man questioned. I looked around as windows kept swinging open and accusations were flying around. I turned to Olaf to see he was still in a daze.
"Olaf." I whispered gently, bringing him back to reality. "You need to go. If people realise who you are there will be no way for you to escape." He still seemed out of it, but he nodded and let go of my, slipping off into the shadows.
Just as he disappeared from my view, a taxi pulled up behind us. Out of it came a man in a light grey suit with black curly hair.
"Ashlyn, Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire." The man smiled.
Sorry, this took so long, I struggled to find time to write recently. Hopefully, the next one won't take as long. Thank you all for being so understanding and patient, it means a lot. On a side note, this story's got 30K!! When did that happen? Thank you all so much you're all amazing. Stay Safe everyone and look after yourselves.
Until next time,
Emeraldgreen123