Begin!

~Quigley's POV

I got into Jacques' taxi and gave him a solemn smile. It was nice to see him again, but all I could think about right now was the submarine that just left port to continue its V.F.D. work without me.

"So where are we going first," I asked after he started up the car.

"We're going to start at the Baudelaire mansion. I have a theory on who did it, but we need to investigate further."

"So Kit told you what happened then? Captain Widdershins said she was trying to contact you about the news."

"She didn't need to contact me; I already heard," Jacques replied, "It was our brother she was trying to reach. He's in hiding and the news of the Baudelaire fire is something he would need to hear."

I gave him a puzzled look, "Why him?"

"It's a long story," He replied, "And not one you need to concern yourself with."

I nodded in understanding and fell quiet for the rest of the car ride. Every now and then Jacques would look at me through the rear view mirror. I assume he figured out what my problem was.

"I'm sorry," He said gently. "Miss Widdershins is a very lovely girl; I've known her for years. I could see you were happy together. I'm sure you'll see each other again someday."

~…

We started at the ruins of the Baudelaire mansion. It was a truly sorrowful sight. Jacques was looking around for anything that might have been a clue or lead, but arson usually doesn't leave much evidence, if any at all. I found a strange clock that had been turned into a toaster and chuckled at the idea that someone would ever need such a combination of things.

"Well, it doesn't look like we're going to find anything here," Jacques said after an hour.

He took me to his most recent hideout choice, a small apartment, and I listened while he had a phone conversation with his associate Jacqueline about the situation. Apparently the safety of the Baudelaires was a concern for some reason; the safety of everyone is a concern to be honest. I heard the name Count Olaf mentioned a few times, but Jacques wasn't keen on sharing details quite yet because he kept his voice down during those parts. I sat down on my bed and pulled out my commonplace book and looked inside. Most pages were my notes on V.F.D. and my maps, but I stopped on a particular page.

Attached to the page were two pictures. One was the picture Fiona gave me to identify her brother with, just in case. And the other was a picture of me and Fiona taken earlier today. I wanted it so I would have her with me in some way, and she agreed. She took a copy for herself too. I stared at the picture for a minute thinking about how much I already miss her.

"What happened to your commonplace book?"

Jacques had noticed the altered color from the last time we were together. I smiled at the newer design.

"I accidentally ruined my old one. And I like this color better anyway."

He nodded in understanding. He then explained a few more things about V.F.D. to help me along in our situation. He told me the secret passage to the headquarters, and how to get into the Vernacularly Fastened Door; both of which I noted in my notebook for future reference just in case. He told me about an evil man named Count Olaf who was a dangerous enemy of the organization. He didn't tell me much about why he was a problem, but I assume details could come later if they were necessary. Right now all I needed to know was that he was dangerous and I need to avoid him.

And for the next many days, Jacques would come and go on his investigation. Tonight he'd bring Jacqueline and Gustav over to talk business late at night while they thought I was asleep. After 6 days of living with a non-agent, the Baudelaires were apparently supposed to go to Dr. Montgomery's house to live permanently. But it's been 8 days after those first 6 and they still hadn't shown up.

"They were supposed to come to us days ago," Gustav almost shouted in frustration, "What happened, Jacqueline? You're Poe's secretary!"

"He had his henchman tie me up so I couldn't stop him," Jacqueline replied. "You helped me out of there, you know that! The problem is Mr. Poe listened to a consultant."

"A consultant dear god when will they learn," Gustav replied in shock.

"So where are they now," Jacques asked.

"Apparently, Olaf apprehended their papers and he's been keeping them with him. But that's not even the worst part. He's putting on a new play."

I overheard them talking about Olaf trying a horrible scheme to legally marry Violet Baudelaire, the oldest of the three kids. What a fucked up idea. Isn't she like my age?

"Jacques, get to Hotel Denouement, Kit needs details on what's happening. Gustav and I will handle Olaf at the performance on Friday."

"I've needed to see my sister for some time," Jacques said, "She's in her second trimester and I hate the idea of her still working in her condition."

"Kit is pregnant," Gustav said quizzically, "Well you being an uncle is a spot of good news."

"Indeed it is. Is there any other positive news we can share before we disband this meeting?"

"After we lost Ike, I had Larry take up a position on Damocles Dock to watch over poor Josephine," Gustav replied.

"Larry? Where's he stationed," Jacqueline asked. She sounded concerned; she and whoever Larry is must be close.

"Relax; he's stationed at the Anxious Clown restaurant. Your boyfriend is perfectly safe there," Gustav said reassuringly.

I heard Jacqueline breathe a sigh of relief for her significant other.

"I know how it feels, miss," I thought solemnly; as my significant other is perfectly safe where she is too.

~…

Catching Olaf proved to not work. Looks like Captain Widdershins was right about our enemies being tougher than we thought. Jacques continued to leave me in the apartment even after the Baudelaires successfully went to Dr. Montgomery's house after the marriage play didn't work. The only problem is Jacques got a call while they were on their way from Jacqueline saying Gustav had been murdered.

Despite the loss of another noble volunteer, Jacques kept working diligently on his missions. He'd leave me with enough food to last the amount of days he'd be gone and I had the place to myself. I would spend my time alone reading the books Jacques always brought with him everywhere and sometimes staring at my picture of Fiona and wishing I could talk to her.

As luck would have it, Jacques took pity on me one day and gave me a wireless telegraph so I could do just that. I managed to contact the Queequeg and Fiona and I had some simple conversations every couple days. The Baudelaires were living with Dr. Montgomery and everything was going well... until Jacques got another call from Jacqueline.

"Monty's been murdered?!"

~…

After Dr. Montgomery's tragic death, at the hands of Olaf I'm sure, Jacques took me to the doctor's house to investigate and search for the Baudelaires. But they were already gone by the time we arrived; Jacqueline said her "boss" Mr. Poe was taking them to live with Josephine Anwhistle who was apparently their relative by marriage. Monty's house was certainly impressive and very nice. You could tell it was a place for somebody who loved animals.

Jacques eventually told me that he had a lot of work to do. It was too dangerous to leave me in his apartment for as long as he needed to since there were so many people around it they might suspect something with me being alone all day. So he left me in Monty's empty home out in the country. I didn't mind it much, it was nicer than the apartment and there were plenty of new books to read. Though poking around in Monty's scientific library just made me miss Fiona's mycological library; even if I couldn't understand the words!

I did learn a lot about snakes though... I guess he was a herpetologist.

Jacques would come and go for the next week and then we got more bad news from Jacqueline, who was tipped off by her boyfriend. Josephine had been thrown to man eating leeches, and the Baudelaires had run away to a new location meaning they were off our radar. I don't see how Jacques can stay so calm in situations like this. I wish I had Fiona to tell me everything was going to work out; so many things were going wrong that I was worried for people I'd never even met!

For just over 2 weeks the Baudelaires were gone from the organization's grasp. Until they were finally found at the Lucky Smells Lumber Mill in Paltryville; and after that they were being moved to a new home of which I was not aware of yet. Jacques told me he had to go to Paltryville to do some interviewing of the townspeople, and again I was left alone.

What I didn't know was that the day Jacques left the house... something unexpected was happening far from me in a place called Prufrock Preparatory School...

~Normal POV

"Cakesniffing orphans in the orphan shack! Cakesniffing orphans in the orphan shack!"

"Leave them alone Carmelita, you're the cakesniffer, and nobody in their right mind would want to sit with you anyway. Come on there's room at our table."

"I'm Isadora Quagmire and this is my brother Duncan."

"I'm Violet Baudelaire and these are my siblings Klaus and Sunny."

"It's nice to meet you."

~End of Chapter!

Leaving it off here because that was a decent place to stop; don't worry there will definitely be more! See you in the next part!