Esmé still hadn't returned on her self-proclaimed mission to 'slip into something more frightening and have the sugar bowl in a jiffy'. He grew tired of sitting in the uncomfortable office chair with his feet up on the desk staring at the empty hallways of the hospital, and although he wouldn't admit it to her, he new that his plans had hit a standstill.
With an annoyed huff he removed his feet and decided to go and see if she had yet to have any luck. He knew she was searching the library of records so he began in that direction. Not that he wanted to help, no, but only to get in her way would provide him with small but satisfying entertainment.
As he approached he could hear what sounded like quite the ruckus, a word which here means a disturbance or commotion, coming from within the library. Frowning he attempted to push open the door but found it jammed, as if something very heavy was inhibiting its opening from the other side. An exit door to his left suddenly rattled and he realised something, or someone most likely, was trying with urgency to get out.
It was then his heart started to pick up speed. It was most unlikely that Esmé had been driven to a desperate escape, so most likely it was one of his enemies, an unfortunate member of the hospital staff who had been in the wrong place at the wrong time, or one of the Baudelaires.
Before he had time to ponder the thought, a second exit door further left began to rattle manically. Walking up towards it he saw a manual sliding lock fastening it shut so he grasped it in his black-gloved hand and slid the lock open. Instantly the door swung open.
It revealed a flustered pink-cheeked Violet who made a move towards him but stopped abruptly upon making eye-contact.
Olaf could hardly contain his utter glee, and grinned as if Christmas had come early. Raising his hand in a half wave he spoke quickly and menacingly.
'Hello, hello, hello'.
Violet attempted to turn and run in the other direction, but all he had to do is take one step and reach out to grab her right arm. Pulling her back against his chest, he wrapped his arm around her neck in a head-lock and pinned her tightly.
She struggled and grasped his arm with both her hands pulling at him to release her.
She's certainly grown up. He mused. She was no longer the girl he could restrain with one hand, and as she now was equal in height to his chin, he was thankful he'd decided to show up as he was unsure if Esmé would have been able to subdue Violet on her own.
'Isn't in wonderful when we work together?' Esmé gloated, as she pushed over another filing cabinet like a domino on her way out.
He knew he had to move quickly as Hospitals were 24-hours in action, and although they were in the more secluded 'closed' part by the library, it was still fair game for any staff to walk that way.
'We can't move her like this' he said. 'Esmé, go and find a gurney and something to tie her up with.'
'You won't get away with this' Violet sputtered defiantly. Looking as far in either direction as she could but not seeing anyone she yelled as loudly as she could muster 'Help! Someone-'
Olaf pressed his hand tightly over her mouth and glared down at her whilst simultaneously breathing heavily from restraining her.
'Struggling, are we?' Esmé smirked patronisingly at Olaf, tilting her head to the side.
'Course not.' Olaf stated, giving Violet a little shake and holding her even tighter as if to prove it. Spotting a small storage closet he made a b-line in that direction. 'I'll hold her in here, you go and find what we need and meet me there.'
Esmé marched off down the hallway as Olaf opened the small closet room and dragged Violet inside. Pushing her away from him, Violet took a look at the shelves that lined the small cupboard, stocked with various supplies. As if Olaf could see the cogs of her brain begin to turn he shut the door and stated
'Don't even think about it' warningly.
'You touch one thing on those shelves and you'll be forcibly served a spoonful of bleach.' Olaf threatened gesturing with his hand to a container of bleach on the shelf beside him.
'Afraid I'll be able to escape with a few bits of junk?' Violet questioned, raising her eyebrows.
'Oh Violet, if there's one thing I've come to learn, it's to not underestimate your enemies, and know your prisoners. Now tell me, where are the other two brats?' He leaned against the door in an effort to look indifferent but Violet could see his eyes shining.
'I would never tell you.' She spat.
'Yes, you do tend to have an act for stubbornness don't you.' Olaf considered her for a moment, narrowing his eyes. 'But you see, my dear…'
He pushed off the door and took two steps towards her. Instinctively, Violet stepped back but found she was quickly met with the surface of the shelf behind her, due to the claustrophobic room.
'Stubbornness only lasts as long as the will of its bearer.' He reached up in an attempt to stroke her cheek but Violet turned her head away from him. Catching her chin in his hand and forcing her to look at him he leaned in and smirked 'And I am ever so good at breaking people's wills'.
Breathing heavily she glared up at him, finally coming to her senses enough to push his arm away from her. However he only found this amusing and let a deep chuckle.
Violet realised that it may soon be approaching morning and wished with all her heart that her siblings could make it safely back to the unfinished wing using the mail vents.
As long as they're safe, I can keep my promise.
A sharp knock snapped Violet out of her thoughts.
'Darling?' came the voice of Esmé Squalor on the opposite side of the door. Count Olaf opened the door a crack to reveal her, changed back into her 'Nurse's' outfit and holding on to an empty gurney.
'I got this so she'll look more likely a patient' said Esmé as she passed a dirty hospital gown into Olaf's hands. 'And I found some bandages to tie her up'.
'Excellent my pet' Olaf praised opening the door enough for Esmé to slip inside and then shutting it again. Olaf turned back to Violet and threw the gown at her. 'Put in on.' He demanded.
Without missing a beat she threw it back at him 'Not my colour'.
Stepping forward and gripping her arm in one motion, Olaf began to force her arms through the sleeves himself. Once through, he pinned both her arms against his chest despite her struggling while Esmé tied the gown at the back.
'Now we'll have to tie her quickly, the hospital's beginning to wake up and someone could walk by any second.' Olaf said to Esmé, as he pocketed some tape that he took from a shelf beside him. Opening the door, he scooped Violet up and dumped her unceremoniously, a word which here means, roughly enough for Violet to let out a small gasp, onto the gurney. Leaning over her Olaf pinned down her arms and Esmé walked around her tying down each wrist and then each ankle.
'Ah, how I do love hospitals, such a lovely location for kidnappings.' Olaf commented and he and Esmé laughed together as they began to push Violet down a string of hallways.
'My diagnosis if that you've been captured.' Olaf grinned as he walked beside Esmé at the head of the gurney and looked down at Violet.
'In my medical opinion it all has to go' Esmé chided.
'You're not real doctors, you'll never get away with this' Violet said bitterly as Olaf tore off a piece of tape from the roll in his pocket. Pressing it over her mouth he smirked 'You're right about one of those things'.
As Violet struggled to speak and move only to feel utterly trapped, Esmé and Olaf cackled maliciously. Turning around a corner Olaf saw the administrative office.
'She won't fit in there, we'll leave the gurney in an empty room' He wheeled her into a room next door that happened to be empty. 'Get baldie to guard the door until we have a proper place to hide her' he instructed Esmé who headed off, presumably to find the bald man. Turning to Violet he leered down at her.
'I on the other hand must go and put out an alert for the final two missing baudeliares so that the whole hospital can help me look for them'. Violet tried to pull away from her bonds to no avail, and although she knew her efforts were futile, she would not stop while her siblings were in danger. Olaf reached a hand up and began to stroke her hair in a false pretence of comfort. 'There, there, you'll be reunited soon enough.'
Glaring at him, Violet murmured retaliations muffled by the tape.
'Shhh' Olaf placed a finger atop the tape and Violet eyes filled with frustrated tears.
'rest now.' As he exited the room Violet caught a glimpse of the bald man standing guard outside, and as her wrists and ankles began to ache and her mouth grew sore from attempting to talk through the tape, she feared that her diagnosis was terminal.