Post by Tiago James Squalor on Mar 16, 2011 18:28:46 GMT -5
Chapter Eight
Following someone is a tricky business, but luckily enough for Violet Baudelaire – and as it would later prove to be, for one Cindry Fulfillment – it was just one of the many tricky businesses that Augusten Burton excelled it. Following Carmelita, Nathan, Natalie and Cindry through a series of dark alleys with more twists and turns than anyone would appreciate, Violet and Augusten saw the ensemble of teen villains arrive at a traverse that divided the block where Burton’s Bazaar functioned. The traverse was completely blocked at either sides, preventing anyone entry from either Jekyll Drive or Hyde Place, and the only possible place to go from there was a red-brick building, a warehouse, with several skylights. The area was surrounded by much taller buildings, like the rest of the alleys that comprised Burton’s Bazaar. ‘This is strange. We haven’t been using that warehouse for a while now.’ Augusten took notice as he and Violet crouched behind a dirty dumpster, spying on Carmelita, Nathan, Natalie and Cindry while the door opened and they entered. The door closed afterwards, and the traverse was in silence as the distant noises of the Bazaar were no longer audible. A rush of wind swept the cold, wet pavement of the traverse, while several sheets of newspaper were carried by it. ‘Great. Now how are we supposed to spy on them?’ Violet vented, frustrated at having her efforts be in vain. ‘See those skylights on the roof? If we can climb our way up there, we’ll be able to see what’s going on inside that warehouse.’
‘Unfortunately, there are no stairs.’ Violet said. Unlike the other buildings of the Bazaar, there were no emergency staircases that could be used to climb their way up to the warehouse’s roof. The gears in her brain beginning to turn at full speed, Violet Baudelaire did the thing she was well known for. Tying her hair with her black ribbon, Violet examined the materials available. They would climb, or her name wasn’t Violet Baudelaire.
‘Augusten, I’ll need your help with those crates.’ Violet pointed to several crates that were displayed in an irregular, careless manner through the traverse. The crates were empty, and light enough that Violet and Augusten could move them without making much noise. ‘Grab that trash can, and empty it halfway. We need it light enough that we can lift it to the top of one of the crates, but not heavy enough that it’ll crush them.’
Augusten and Violet worked on building a pyramid-like formation of crates, with a half-empty trash can as it’s crowning jewel. Testing her invention, Violet climbed on top of the first crate. She helped Augusten up, and the two climbed the rest of the way to the top, and it didn’t take them long to arrive at the skylight. One of the glass plates was broken, and Violet and Augusten could see what was happening inside the warehouse.
Now this is the part in the story where I have to warn you, dear reader, because what – or more correctly, who – Violet and Augusten are about to see inside the warehouse is deeply unpleasant, and I wouldn’t wish such things on my worst enemy. If you have no stomach for such things, please, turn away from The Barbarous Bazaar or throw this book in a recycling bin. Anything, anything would be better than to keep on reading this dreadful story.
Violet and Augusten peeked inside the warehouse through the hole in the skylight, and what they say sent a chill down their spines. Inside, a group of seven people talked. But one of these seven people was inside a large cage. Two of those people were standing menacingly in front of the cage, while the four remaining people – which, you have guessed correctly – were standing behind them. Carmelita, Nathan, Natalie and Cindry stood in silence, in the darkness watching as no other than Esmé Squalor and Felix Casanova interviewed their prisoner. But when Violet’s sight adjusted to the darkness – the warehouse was dimly lit by a weak, single lightbulb – and she realized the identity of said prisoner, Violet was so shocked she had to look away. ‘It can’t be…How?’ Violet whispered, while Augusten looked inside.
‘We’re going to ask you one more time, Triangle Eyes.’ Esmé Squalor’s voice was heard. ‘Where is Hooky?’ Esmé sounded very frustrated. ‘I’m not telling you.’ Said Fiona Widdershins. The last time Violet Baudelaire had seen Fiona, she was with her older brother, Fernald, the hook-handed man, at Jupiter Island. Fiona then held a mysterious gun that had seemingly caused an earthquake – and a volcanic eruption, no less – and the two were separated from the rest of the villains, as the Boreas sisters, Juno and Jessica, were separated from the Baudelaires, Lars Gabriel, and their cousin, Charles Boreas. But just how could Fiona be in that warehouse? What had happened to her between that time at Jupiter Island and now? Where was Fernald?
‘I don’t think you understand us, Triangle Eyes.’ Esmé said. ‘If you don’t hand us Fernald and the gun, we’ll hand you to her.’ Fiona stayed silent. She was crouched inside the cage – which was not much bigger than the cage the Quagmire triplets had once been locked in at the bottom of 667 Dark Avenue’s elevator shaft – and she looked like she had been through a rough patch recently. Her hair was dirty, and so were her clothes, all torn in many places. Her glasses were uneven and bent, and she had cuts on her skin. Her hands were also tied to her back, and around one of the bars of the cage. ‘I don’t know where my brother is, I don’t know where the gun is, and if I did, I wouldn’t tell you. You’ll have the gun when you have her release my stepfather.’
Esmé and Felix laughed. ‘You truly believe you are in any position to negotiate here, Triangle Eyes? I’m amazed.’ Esmé said, beginning to circle around the cage. Now, Violet could see Esmé, who had been but a silhouette against the spotlight up until then. Esmé’s hair was done in what could only be described as a cone shape, pointing upwards, with only two long fringes of hair framing her face along with her bangs. She wore a long coat with a corset over it, and a black v-neck shirt underneath that left her cleavage visible to anyone. She also wore black leggings and for some reason, glasses. Not dark glasses, as the Baudelaires would have expected, but ordinary glasses, rectangular shaped, a perfect fit for her face. ‘Since you won’t cooperate, we don’t have any other choice. Take her away.’ Esmé said. Suddenly, out of the darkness, a bunch of unfamiliar silhouettes blocked all sight of the cage Fiona was in. When the silhouettes moved away, Fiona was gone. ‘They’ll take her to our boss.’ Esmé said to the ensemble of teen villains, who could be seen stretching their necks to see where Fiona was being taken. ‘Now, now. What do we have at the Bazaar, Carmie? Start gushing.’ Esmé said, leaning against the empty cage, now fully visible under the lightbulb. ‘Only the Baudelaires, Esmé. They’re here. They’re after her.’ Carmelita nodded towards Cindry, who showed no reaction. ‘I figured they would. A shame we can’t do anything about them right now. The priority is the Bazaar. We have to terminate it.’ Esmé Squalor said. Augusten whimpered upon hearing this, and Violet had to pull him from the skylight, as she was afraid the whimper could be heard down below. ‘Did you hear that?’ Esmé’s voice was heard. ‘No.’ Felix’s voice. ‘Must have been the wind…’ Esmé said, but she sounded unsure. ‘I trust you have our infiltrates in place.’ Esmé said. ‘Yes. They’re merely awaiting your order.’
‘Good. Tell them to start executing Order 99. I want to see Burton’s Bazaar burn.’ Esmé said, and let out a loud cackle, rejoicing in the evil of her words and her actions. Now, Violet and Augusten had only one thing in mind, and that thing was ‘We have to warn the others.’ But they could not move without being sure Esmé or the others wouldn’t see them. ‘Carmelita, Nathan, Natalie, you may return to the Bazaar. Inform our friends over there of their new duties, and report back to me.’ Esmé said. ‘What about dummy over here? What is she going to do?’ Nathan Finch spoke. ‘Oh, Cindry. Take her with you, what difference does it make. Felix, you know what to do.’
Soon afterwards, the door below opened, and Violet and Augusten witnessed the crew of villains exit the warehouse. However, when Violet and Augusten focused their attention on the person that should be Felix Casanova, they learned exactly how far those villains would go to bring about the end of the Bazaar. The person walking besides Esmé Squalor did not have the appearance of Felix Casanova; they had the appearance of the crossdressing salesman, Ed, instead. The villainous ensemble disappeared in the same alleyway Violet and Augusten had come from, following the teen villains, earlier.
‘We have to go. We have to warn everyone! Felix is a master of disguise, there will be no telling unless the two Eds are standing in the same place.’ Violet said to Augusten while the two climbed down the pile of crates. ‘We can’t go the same way they did. Are there any other paths to the Bazaar, or your grandmother’s house?’ Violet asked, nervously. Augusten looked up. ‘There just might be. But it’s gonna be a tricky business.’