At the Academy [ATWQ]

Coffee

You're Ellington Feint," said Moxie, frowning slightly.

Ellington nodded, and turned her back on the group to adjust a flower pot.

Her room had windows, Moxie noticed scornfully. None of theirs did.

"I've heard about you," said Jake. "I'm Jake Hix."

"I have, too," said Kellar. "My name is-"

"Kellar Haines, yes. I figured it was you," said Ellington, scooping some dirt out of the flowerpot. The one plant in it looked sleepy, too. She ran to the bathroom and turned on some hot water in a little cup, while the others stood staring.

"What were you doing--?" Moxie said, as Ellington returned.

"I'm a student leader," said Ellington, slightly shaking a steaming cup. "I have to make sure everyone is accounted for."

"So you're going to tell on us?" said Jake, holding onto the bedpost and trying to stand up. "Come on, guys, let's get back out."

Ellington sighed. "If you want to try to escape on your own, go ahead. But it doesn't look like you four have much of a plan, do you?"

Cleo looked carefully at Ellington, and then at the cups in her hands. Ellington didn't seem tired at all. And then Cleo realized why. "Coffee," Cleo said. "You've been using coffee to combat the effects of the laudanum."

"Right," said Ellington, handing her a cup first, then to everyone else. "But don't say that so loudly. I'm not supposed to be doing this."

She took a sip herself, and then looked at everyone around her.

Apprehensively, they raised the cup to their mouths and drank the coffee.

Moxie didn't like it. The smell of coffee - sure, that was alright, but it tasted bitter, and the grounds hadn't been dissolved properly. Ground. That described it best.

She coughed a little as she put her cup down and noticed that everyone else was struggling with the coffee, as well. Everyone except Ellington Feint, who took another carefree sip as though showing off.

But Moxie also felt her mind clearing, and though their situation didn't make any more sense than it had, she felt ready to try again and find out what was happening.

"Okay," said Moxie, flexing her fingers. "What's going on? How long have you been here? Are you working with Hangfire?"

"You first," said Ellington. "Tell me how you've come here."

"How do we know we can trust you?" asked Moxie.

Ellington shrugged. "The coffee helps with the laudanum. If I was working for Hangfire, I wouldn't have given it to you. I'd have told someone you were sneaking out."

"We arrived just this morning," said Cleo, putting down her cup. "The Department of Truancy forced us in a van under threat of violence. We just got in our rooms, and were going to go outside, where the effects of the laudanum could be weaker."

"Then you pulled us in," finished Jake.

Kellar looked down, then up to meet his friends' eyes. "I know why my mother is doing this," he said quietly. "She--Hangfire kidnapped my sister, now she's working with him to get her back. It's not right." Ellington raised an eyebrow. "Snicket came earlier today. She led him off track. And lied to his chaperone," Kellar continued.

"Where is Snicket?" Ellington interrupted.

"They wouldn't take him," said Moxie quickly.

Kellar nodded. "My mother and his tutor made a deal. They said that they'd leave him if he left and never came back to town."