Dear Reviewers:

LolliPopsAreTears: No, don't stop! I like comments! Lol. Anyway, thank you for the compliments. When I got to that part of the story, I thought, "Hey, how about Fiona has her own theater troupe?" It was fun to think up all sorts of weird characters. I wanted to have more, but there wasn't enough room in the story, most of them would be useless. Oh well. And remember, a lot can happen in a few years. There are still many secrets that have yet to be revealed...

Samela: Thank you! Unexpect-fulness is my middle name! Well, actually it isn't... But that's what I tell everyone.

NewbiaTheElf: Thanks-a-bunch! I still have some details to work out, so yeah, there are a few things I haven't been paying much attention to. I'll work on it!

QQuagmire: Aye, you're a clever one...

Phoenix72389: Good, that was the impression I was going for! I always thought Fiona would make a good villain...

Ok, I have a short little explanation for something concerning the timeline. Apparently, they way I wrote it, it sounds like, so far, this whole thing has happened in only one day. I know it's kinda weird how Violet could get shot, go to the doctor's, and make it to the house with Klaus in only a few hours, but I really wanted Violet in this chapter. I know it's a lame excuse, so try to ignore the inaccuracies. Or you could tell yourself that this chapter took place the next day. Or whatever. Sorry...

Chapter 4: H i d e

"Well, so here we are," Klaus said.

Violet shuddered as she gazed up the length of the tower. "Ugh. And I was hoping I'd never see this place again."

Klaus warily examined the black automobile parked in the long driveway. "Yep, it's the same one," he said, sticking his hands in his pockets, peering into a bullet-hole that punctured the trunk. "And it looks like it hasn't been parked here too long."

Klaus turned and looked at his sister. His gaze fell to the sling her arm rested in. "Maybe you should stay out here," he said. "Just in case."

Violet shook her head. "No way. The only reason why I got those doctors to let me go so early was so I could look for Sunny. I'm going in," she said firmly.

Her brother nodded reluctantly. "Just let me check and see if it's safe."

"Alright, fine."

Klaus cautiously looked through the window. Apparently he didn't see anyone, because soon he was creeping up the steps and turning the doorknob to the front door.

"Be careful," Violet said.

He didn't answer as he disappeared inside the house. For a few silent moments, Violet closely watched the entrance, listening intently for any sign of danger. After several minutes, she saw her brother's arm stick out the doorway and motion for her to come inside. Violet breathed a sigh of relief and walked up the steps.

The two looked around the parlor room, cringing at how unchanged it was and at how explicitly they could remember their horrible time there. Klaus led the way, peeking around the corner each time they came to a new doorway. They visited each room, noting what was different, commenting on the unaffected, and deeply pondering the same puzzlement until Violet uttered it out loud.

"It's empty."

Klaus couldn't help but agree, no matter how much it pained him.

There was no way he could have known that his little sister was standing directly beneath the floorboards under his feet.

Sunny gazed up at the low ceiling. Around her was a series of tunnels, half of them not even finished. There were a few dim lanterns hanging from the walls, but that light hardly did anything to illuminate the dark emptiness. The other children whispered and muttered to each other, either in fear or in excitement. Jacky shivered beside Sunny. Poor Mary Sue was beginning to experience a case of claustrophobia. Fiona stood stock-still, the weak light giving her the appearance of a graveyard statue.

Suddenly, Sunny heard voices above them. Everyone immediately silenced and stared up at the dirt ceiling. The speech was muffled, but Sunny could make out small parts of the conversation.

"Where could...nobody here..." they heard someone say.

"I don't...to understand...impossible..."

There was more silence, except for the stifled footsteps of the mysterious intruders.

"Klaus...over here..."

"Klau-!" Sunny shouted, only to have Fedora clamp his hand over her mouth. Several children hissed at her to be quiet, but were then shushed themselves.

"Violet...letter from Quigley...?"

Sunny felt Fedora stiffen and look up at the ceiling.

"No...from him in a while..."

Another silence.

"Maybe...tower room?"

There were more footsteps. Fiona followed the sound, staring up at where the strangers were walking.

"...locked..."

Fiona grinned, satisfied.

"I just don't...where could...

"I can't..."

"...leave now?"

There was slight pause. The other person apparently replied affirmatively, because everyone in the tunnel could hear footsteps leading to the front door.

As the door slammed shut, the entire group let out a sigh of relief, as if they had all been holding their breaths the whole time. The kids immediately began chattering, debating amongst themselves whether it was spies who had just been in the house or the police.

Fiona cleared her throat. Everyone quieted down and listened. "From now on, that is what we will call a 'Scenario 13.' These tunnels will serve as an escape route in the case of an emergency, particularly if that emergency is a fire or an intrusion, just like the one we had now. So, since we know it is safe, we may go back up to the house."

She took a moment to squint down the tunnel, trying to figure out which way they were supposed to take. Fedora gently tapped her on the shoulder and pointed to their right. Fiona nodded sheepishly and began leading the way.

Sunny frowned. It wasn't that dark, was it?

Jacky must have sensed her confusion. "Fiona was in a terrible accident when she was younger. She lost the sight in one eye," he explained. "They say she's slowly going blind in her other one."

Sunny glanced at Fiona. She still held herself with an air of dignity, despite having to keep her hand on Fedora's arm.

"I bet she can barely see in this light," Jacky said.

Sunny once again looked up at the dirt ceiling. Why did they have to hide from Klaus and Violet? Sunny wondered. They wouldn't have come in if they had known everyone was home. Maybe Fiona was right about Klaus. After all, he had been in their house; it could have been to collect information. But Violet had been with him. Was she a spy also? Or did Klaus still have her convinced he was on her side?

She narrowed her eyes in thought. Sunny thought back to that morning, when Klaus told her she couldn't go on his investigation. She grinned to herself. She would become a Volunteer; the best there ever was in V.F.D. Then she would tell him what she could or could not handle.