What Friends Are For

Treacherous

When Norma Henry returned to the island, she was surprised to see Kit Snicket and her newborn daughter were talking to the Baudelaire orphans and the Quagmire triplets.

"Hi Kit. Who's this little girl?"

"I named her Beatrice." They smiled for a moment at Beatrice Snicket. It was both a sad and happy thought. "Where did you go? You missed your nephew."

"Trevor was here?!" Norma yelled in alarm.

"Yeah, he said you where in trouble and Lily needed you. She left with him not too long ago. You might be able to catch up to them if you hurry. Do you need to borrow my spyglass?"

"No, I still have my own with me. Besides, I know where they're going."

"Where?"

"To trick Olaf. He started the fire that left them orphans and Trevor always had a twisted sense of justice. He called by radio to let Olaf know Lily was surrendering her fortune. I only know because Lily asked me to help her friend Fiona Widdershins. Trevor is going to put her into certain danger and she won't even know how it happened. Kit, I can't lose my niece again."

"What do you need?"

"The kids, a motorboat, and my old equipment."

"Two problems with that: Beatrice is a newborn, and her eardrums can't be near loud noises like a motor, and your equipment burned down along with VFD Headquarters. A man with a beard but no hair and a woman with hair but no beard made sure of that. And a third problem that I just pieced together, they recruited someone at Trevor's school. The only survivor of the fire."

"That would be Trevor! That can't be though! He's been trying to rebuild VFD!"

"Sorry Norma. He starts fires. He even started the fire in his own school. I should know. I was under cover to collect the sugar bowl there."

"But why would he do this to Lily? He's her brother!"

"People do crazy things for money. Look at..." Kit stopped mid-sentence. Normally this would be done when a person couldn't think of anything else to say, or in this case, anyone to mention, and would confuse most people. However, Kit didn't stop because she couldn't think of anyone. She was thinking of a distance past and a future she had discussed with this person, although that future turned into fantasy and shortly after, they met only once more so she could say how sorry she was about a recent unforeseen tragedy in his life. Then he made her a promise she had thought was ridiculous. She had to shake her head to remember that she was in the present, not a secret headquarters or a boarding school or even an opera house. If she could only prevent--

"Kit, you're having trouble focusing."

"I have a lot on my mind, being a new mom."

"You forgot that I'm an expert at telling when people lie."

"Fine, I'm too busy thinking about something that is none of your business."

"He misses you too."

"Lily!" Sunny shouted, thinking that she could snap them out of it and focus on the real problem at hand.

"You're absolutely right, Sunny. And I have an idea. Kit, you can stay here with Beatrice in the bunker while we take off. The children and I will row a good distance away then start the engine after we trigger the silent alarm. Which means at least one of you will have to stay on the island and signal us when we stop setting the alarm off." Norma looked at the kids around her, and her mind raced. "I might need an inventor, and a biter, too. A cartographer will be handy in any unfamiliar territory, and--"

"Norma, look." Kit interrupted. However the alarm lights were flashing three times. They didn't see any boats, but they knew that meant nothing. Suddenly, a submarine emerged, and the Baudelaire orphans at once recognized it as Fiona's. The hatch opened up and both Fiona and Fernald came out. They where quickly caught up to the situation and offered to give them a ride in there submarine. Accepting it as the fastest way to find Lily and Trevor, they all agreed. They changed into diving suits and then climbed aboard, waving to Kit and Beatrice as they disappeared. They each took a place in the sub, then went off to find Lily.