"Violet."
Her brow tucked and she stretched, groaning.
"Violet," came that same voice, quiet and urgent.
She peaked open an eye and then bolted upright.
Olaf was standing over her, backlit from the light of the hallway. She blinked and looked around. She was on the loveseat in his office.
"Olaf?" she asked, groggy and confused.
"We have to leave, remember? I want to be gone before dawn."
Tidal waves were prone to crashing onto a beach. It was more akin to a tsunami, the rush of information that pounded into her.
Klaus was coming for her.
Violet felt her face harden at the memory and she threw back the throw blanket, standing on wobbling legs. She hadn't even remembered falling asleep, but she must have been exhausted. She could recall talking to Olaf about the caterer and…and telling him about how she felt when she was alone. But, then, like a rush of water hitting the sand beach, her memory scattered like all those water molecules.
It didn't matter. What did was getting out.
"What do I need to do?" she asked, voice hoarse from sleep. Her mouth was incredibly dry.
He held out a suitcase by the handle and she only just realized he'd been holding it.
"Go," he said. "Pack your and Alec's things. Mine are already in the trunk."
Violet's eyes slid to his desk and she could see in the dim light that the clock read just after four in the morning. Had Olaf even slept? It had been late when they came up to his office.
Her question went unvoiced, body propelled forward at his order. She nodded and took the suitcase, brushing past him and down the stairs. He had told her he wouldn't let them take her, wouldn't let them see her again, but there was a pit in her stomach that made her step a little faster.
She trusted Olaf. But he could not possibly know every step in Klaus' plan. Her brother could be there any moment.
The pantry was dark, but she knew her way around. Alec still slept on the single mattress and she was careful to pop the latches on the suitcase and sit it next to him. Then she began grabbing their few meager belongings from the shelves and stuffing them blindly into the suitcase.
It didn't take long. There wasn't much to pack. A handful of outfits for each of them, her hairbrush, and Alec's puzzle book. She left the pantry and nearly jumped out of her skin to see Olaf standing there, watching and waiting. She clasped a hand to her chest.
"You scared me," she said quietly, giving him an embarrassed look.
Olaf was just looking at her. There was something in his gaze, something heavy, almost like he was examining her.
"Alec?" he finally asked.
"Still asleep," she said, pinned under his shining eyes.
He nodded, tearing his face away and stepping past her. She turned, watching in the darkness as he bent and lifted the stirring child into his arms.
Something heady landed in her chest, like an arrow without the pain, when he reemerged into the dim light of the kitchen with Alec's face tucked against his neck. Violet's heart throbbed hard in her dry throat at the sight of them, memories of Quigley and Beatrice tugging at her.
They were not Quigley and Beatrice. But they were what she had. And it…it felt okay. It felt nice. Good, even.
Olaf did not seem to notice her moment of thought. He crossed, his expression stern, and stopped next to her.
"There is a car I haven't seen before parked down the road," he said lowly, as if not to alert Alec that something was amiss.
Violet's stomach seized tightly and she clenched the handle of the suitcase a little harder. She tried not to let her fear show and nodded, face grim.
Olaf adjusted, hoisting Alec up into one arm and then letting his free hand fall to the handle of the suitcase she clutched. The backs of their hands rested against each other until he wiggled the handle free from her grip and took it into his own.
"It could be nothing," he said, voice low. "But if it is them, they are already on alert. They've seen me take my things to the car. They aren't going to act unless they get eyes on you."
She looked up at him, eyes wide, nodding along, though the jerky movements were more her nerves than agreement.
Olaf was pinning her again with his stare, no trace of amusement on his face, nor anger. His eyes were heavy, intent on her, and she realized it might have been in concern.
A thing she had never before seen on his face.
"Here's what we're going to do," he said, shifting Alec again. Violet knew he had to be getting heavy. "I'm going to take Alec and your bag to the car. I'm going to get in the driver seat, pop the latch on the passenger door, and then start the car. As soon as you hear the car start, I want you to run like you have never run before out to the car."
Violet gave a nervous glance down to her long skirts, then back up at him. "Olaf, I'll trip," she said. "I'm not athletically inclined at all."
His eyes bore deeper into her, his look of concern branching out to border with fear, but not quite. Violet realized he was afraid he would lose control of the situation.
"As soon as you hear the car start," he said, pinning her with his gaze. This was not him asking. He was ordering. "You will hoist up your skirts and show the whole neighborhood your damn uncovered ankles and you will run to the passenger seat of the car. Is that clear?"
Violet's eyes unclouded and she gave him a sheepish nod.
"Good," he said, voice clipped. But then he softened slightly and added, "Everything will be fine, Violet."
She was not good with words. That had always been Klaus. But for once she wished she could have said something, anything, other than merely looking up at him and nodding dumbly. "Okay," was all she managed.
Olaf let loose a breath he had been holding and gave a stern nod, heading for the front door. Alec was starting to whine, wiggling in his arms. "Hush now," Olaf said, speaking down into the boy's hair. Violet's heart, despite all the worry, felt like it might implode at the sight of them.
"What's going on?" Alec croaked, voice groggy.
Olaf was paused at the front door and turned, looking over at Violet. She stepped forward and cleared her throat, reaching up to rest a gentle hand on Alec's head and smooth down his hair.
"Just an adventure," she told him, mustering a small smile despite her terrible nerves. "Let Olaf take you to the car and be good. I'll be out in just a moment."
Alec blinked, face scrunched at the light from the hallway, and groaned before burying his head back into Olaf's neck.
Olaf was…looking at her again. She had seen his boyish charm, had seen his wrath and greed. But she could not put her finger on the depth that he gazed upon her in that moment.
"Olaf?" she asked quietly.
He tore his eyes from her and turned back to the door.
"Are you ready?" he asked, adjusting Alec again and drawing a grumbled whine from the boy.
Violet tried to swallow the dryness in her throat. "If we wait until we're ready, we'll be waiting for the rest of our lives," she said quietly.
Olaf gave a stern nod at the door, then pulled it open and the cool air collected around her feet. Her bare feet.
"My shoes," she whispered, quiet now that the door was open. She could hear the soft sound of a car running just out of sight.
Olaf stopped and turned around, looking down at her unclad feet and then back up with a shake of his head. "Leave them," he muttered. "It's not important, we'll get you another pair."
And then he was gone, striding out toward the car in measured steps which she was sure were meant to seem unhurried.
It felt as if her heart were in her throat. Violet cast a look around her surroundings - just one last look at all the work she and Alec had done - then turned back to see Olaf laying Alec in the backseat. She dipped low and gathered her skirts, raising them around her knees. He'd left the front door open for her and wherever the other car was, it was out of sight.
Olaf shut the door and walked around his car, entire air unbothered. Perhaps he was a good actor. Violet felt she was about to burst out of her own skin. He slid in, shut his door, and she heard the small click as he popped her door open. Her heart was hammering in her throat. Then the engine turned over and she was running.
Violet crossed the porch in two strides, hopped down the stairs, and was halfway across the yard when headlights down the road flared to life. She turned, breath caught in her throat, and watched someone start to open their door.
"Violet!" came both the voice down the road and Olaf's from the car. She hadn't stopped, had been ordered to run, and so she ran and closed the gap between herself and the car, throwing herself into the front seat and slamming the door behind her.
Olaf shot off like a rocket, just as, "Go!" was screeching out of her throat. There was a roar of men's voices from the street behind them and then the lights were speeding behind them.
"It was Klaus," she said, chest heaving as she turned in her seat to look out the back window.
Alec, now wide awake from the commotion, turned around on his knees and looked out the rear view as well. "Are we in a car chase?" he screamed, nothing short of absolute joy in his voice.
There was a bang and an explosion of glass. Violet screamed, covering her face and ducking. "Alec, get down!" she screeched, reaching around her seat and grabbing his ankle, jerking him down lower. The rear window was nothing but shards and her gaze shifted to the windshield, where the perfect outline of a bullet hole exited the car very near to Olaf's head.
"Hold on," he muttered under his breath, shifting gears and then they lurched violently to the right. She screamed again, clenching her eyes tight as the car hit new terrain and her shoulder jammed against Olaf's seat. They were bouncing roughly, a rhythmic noise vibrating the entire car, thump-thump-thump-thump-thump-thump-thump.
She tried to catch her breath, tried to right herself in the seat and saw tall crops bowing under the force of the barrelling car.
"They were shooting at us!" she cried, mouth open in shock as her mind finally caught up to what had happened. Klaus was shooting at them!
"Glove box," Olaf ordered, killing the headlights and driving blind into some poor farmer's field.
Violet scrambled, trying to wrench open the glove box between her shaking hands and the bumpy ride. When it finally burst open, cold metal fell into her lap and she wrapped her hands around the gun instinctively.
Olaf took a hard left, drove straight, then a hard right and another left. Violet could see the other car's headlights back aways in the field, trying to find them, but losing speed.
"Wow, wow, wow!" Alec was chanting in the backseat.
"I…I can't use this!" Violet said, holding up the gun. "I can't shoot at my own brother!"
Olaf turned to stare at her and, though she couldn't see his face in the darkness, knew it was a hard look. "I don't care if he is your brother," Olaf said, voice loud and tense. "If someone is trying to hurt you, I expect you to shoot them in the damn head!"
He lurched the car again to the left and burst out onto a different road. Violet whipped her head around, staring out the broken glass and seeing the headlights of the other car still hidden in the field. Olaf shifted gears again and the car sped, but was only perhaps a half mile away when she watched the other car come barreling out onto the road behind them.
"They're back," she muttered. Olaf reached over into her lap and cocked the gun in her hands.
The other car was speeding up, long leaves stuck in the windshield wipers and flapping in the wind, but Olaf was faster. The two cars stayed in position, flying along the deserted road for nearly twenty minutes with no change in pace. Alec was still crammed down in the seat, hunched and grinning like a boy who'd gotten all the best birthday presents.
There were nearing the city, buildings starting to grow steadily around them, and Violet fisted the revolver in a tight grip. The other car was gaining on them, but Olaf took a sharp left, then a right, and was shooting down the empty streets and blazing past red lights. Through the destroyed rear window, she heard tires screech, then again, and the other car was back on their trail, albeit farther back than before.
Violet's eyes moved in sharp flicks, examining the car behind them. Not a car meant for chases. They hadn't intended this to happen. The car was too broad, the wheels too wide, the center set too high. Physics flashed through Violet's mind, rivaling the quickness of lightning. She pictured Olaf's car - compact, small yet wide set wheels, low center of gravity. This was a car for getting away.
"It's too big," she said, breathless. "Their car is too big! Olaf, keep taking sharp turns. Their car is too high and wide, they can't corner like we can!"
Olaf immediately took another right, then left, then right onto a narrow one-way. Violet tried very hard not to think too much about the fact that they were going the wrong way. There were more screeches from behind them, flashes of headlights bobbing, but it was clear the other car was losing ground.
Violet whipped her head back to the front, seeing a narrow opening to the right. "There!" she cried, pointing. The other car would never make the turn quickly. Olaf maneuvered with expert grace, shifting down as he took the turn and then immediately back up as they shot down the narrow alley. They hit a stack of crates, sending them crashing over the car in pieces, but it did not slow them. They were nearly three blocks down before she finally saw the headlights behind them and watched as the other car creeped to a snail's pace to make the turn.
"Again!" she cried, head whipping back and forth between the front and back. Olaf took the next left and took off like a bullet on the wider road.
"Three more turns and we are there," he said, voice tense in concentration. His eyes flicked up to the rearview mirror. "Is that enough to lose them? You'll have to open the garage door."
Violet looked behind them and didn't see the car yet, but she could see the headlights approaching from the alley.
"Yes, I think so," she said, bracing herself as they took another sharp turn. "I don't think they saw us take that left. Is the garage door locked or unlocked?"
"Unlocked," Olaf said, speeding down another block and taking another right. Violet kept count in her head, knowing they had one turn to go.
"Just push the door up?" she said, eyes flashing again out the rear window.
"Yes," Olaf said, then slammed on the brakes and took a right hand turn so hard she tumbled into his shoulder. They were in another tight alley. "There, up ahead on the left, you see it?"
Violet looked, seeing the garage door. "Yes," she breathed.
Olaf did not hit the brakes until they were at the door and the small car slid past it. "Go!" he said and Violet did not need for the order to settle in her mind. She popped open the door and ran around the back of the car, meeting the garage door with two hands and hefting it upwards. Olaf had already put the car in reverse and backed in with such finesse that she knew he'd done it possibly a hundred times. As soon as the bumper cleared the door, she pulled down on the strap and the door slammed to the ground with a loud thud.
Olaf cut the engine and then…silence. Violet stilled, pressing her back to the wall, and watched as Alec peeked his head over the backseat, looking toward the door. Olaf turned, eyes trained on the garage door. There was a crash in the distance and she stiffened, hand once more tightening on the revolver she still held. A car was revving, gaining speed and growing closer, closer, closer, until the sound of it barreled past them and continued down the alley. When they heard it turn at the other end, all three let out a collective breath.
Violet bent at the waist, bracing herself on her knees.
Olaf left the car immediately, rounding the car, his stomach in one knot seeing her bent over, shoulders shaking. She was crying. Was she hurt? Afraid?
"Violet," he said, crossing over to her quickly but she lifted her face up to him and he was hit with the full force of her broad smile.
Laughing. She was bent over laughing and it was the most beautiful sight he'd ever seen.
"You-," she started, trying to stand and clutching her stomach. Her eyes were lit with a giddiness he'd never seen in them. "You backed in!"
And then he was laughing, relieved that she was alright and amused she found such humor in it. He crossed over to her and hoisted her up in his arms, giving her a spin and they laughed and laughed and laughed harder when Alec finally tumbled out of the car, shaking pieces of glass from his curls.