A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Forgotten File [Book the Fifteenth]

Prologue

For my dear Beatrice:
your children are doing well; brave and brilliant, just like you. -- L.S.

~*~

The world is such a twisted place, cruel, broken, treacherous. One can say that in a moment's life, they can drown into uncertainty, adventure -- and mystery. The world itself is a big mystery -- filled with never-ending clues, puzzles and questions that people try to solve and tend to ask. Everything, is one big question mark.

And it was one big question onto why the Baudelaires were able to find and save their companions, the Quagmires. It was one of the biggest questions that were left unanswered by the volunteers of the secret organization V.F.D., also known as Volunteer Fire Department. And like the organization, this was one of their secrets.

Violet Baudelaire spread a piece of paper on her desk and stared at it as she spun a fountain pen in her fingers. The now young-adult still had her habits when she was a child and like before, she would tie her hair up with a dark purple ribbon that helps her think -- especially when it comes to inventions.

Besides her was her younger brother, Klaus Baudelaire, who still had the same shiny glasses and the talent of a bookworm and a literary nerd. He analyzed the paper and pushed up his glasses upwards, his thoughts running around his head.

And next to them were the youngest Baudelaire, who was now about thirteen to fourteen years old, one hand in her hips as she looked at the paper with an astounded look. Right beside Sunny was their adopted sister, the daughter of the noble Kit Snicket, Beatrice Snicket-Baudelaire II, who was named after their mother, Beatrice Baudelaire. She had the same soft, blonde hair as Kit and had the same heart of a volunteer even if she was only two years younger than Sunny.

The four of them looked and stared at the paper, the seconds of the clock ticking inside the room, and the whole mansion was quiet, you could hear a pin drop, not until there were three consecutive knocks on the door.

The eldest Baudelaire stood up from the leather armchair she was sitting on and went towards the door. She placed her hand on the doorknob, straining her ears for any sound that the person on the other side will say.

"Vi it's me, Q. Snicket just called me, saying you recieved the note?" A manly voice said and this was the only signal Violet was waiting for as she opened the door of the room.

And there, right in front of her was Quigley Quagmire, her present husband and behind him were his siblings, Isadora and Duncan Quagmire.

Violet hugged Quigley tightly in the arms and whispered in his ear. "Yes, we did -- the note's on the table."

Meanwhile, Isadora and Duncan had entered the room in which Isadora planted a kiss on Klaus. They were a couple as well.

"Where are the kids?" asked Violet as Quigley closed the door and they all crowded around the note again.

"Don't worry, they're all upstairs sleeping." Duncan said as he placed a comforting arm around Sunny and Beatrice.

The room was once quiet again as the Quagmires saw the paper.

Quigley held it up and read:

To: The Baudelaires and Quagmires

I am pleased -- yet also sad -- to inform to you that all of you have passed the test and training for being an official volunteer for the secret organization V.F.D., also known as Volunteer Fire Department. We wish to recieve your statement regarding this in order for us to know who will be willing and exemplified in joining us for there might be some emotionally unstabled issues.