Before The Beginning

Chapter 12: A Night at the Opera

Begin!

~Beatrice's POV

Lemony and I were driving back from Stain'd By The Sea. It was a long and rather quiet ride. Before we left I noticed that Lemony made a promise to Moxie that he would come back without question. It gave me a bit of comfort to see the two of them share a kiss as well. Though part of me guessed that Moxie wanted to mark her territory. It didn't matter to me. I was too busy worrying about our plan. There was a shadow of foreboding around it; this deed, no matter how necessary, felt as though it shouldn't be done.

"How have you been?"

I looked at Lemony, shocked that he interrupted the silence. "Um, aside from work, I've been fine... What about you?"

"Things have been good. Aside from... well you don't need to know."

"No tell me it might take my mind off things."

"Oh, it's just another person wanting my head on a spike. But that's none of your concern, we're volunteers we live with it. She won't hurt me, and I have Moxie to make it worth staying there anyway."

"How did you and Moxie meet?"

"During my apprenticeship, she was a necessary asset for all my cases. And I apologize if she was rude to you at all. She's the jealous type."

"Oh, it didn't bother me, I've been seeing someone too. His name is Bertrand Baudelaire."

"Does he know you're doing this?"

"Yes and he knows it's for work, nothing more," I replied, "He's not the jealous type. And I think there are far more important things than worrying about who your significant other is hanging around."

Lemony nodded. "I agree, but don't tell Moxie I said that."

~...

When we reached Kit's place we mapped out our plan. Lemony would be in the booth with Olaf and Esmé. Upon reaching the third act, after the chief's speech, he would slip the bowl away from Esmé, and walk out to give it to me. We would then run out of the building to a drop off point where Kit would be waiting to receive the bowl. Then we would take Jacques' taxi and go back to headquarters.

"Is there anything else that we should be worried about," I asked.

"Self-defense possibly," Kit replied. "If we're caught... there's no telling what will happen. Our spyglasses can only do so much to protect us."

"Look into something small, discreet, for an added defense," Lemony suggested.

"I'll see what I can do, L. But remember: self-defense only."

We nodded. The lingering bad feeling I had would not go away. I had good people on my side. I trusted every one of them with my life. But a part of me felt that this was not going to be as easy as it sounded.

"I'm scared," I blurted out.

"Do the scary thing first, get scared later," Lemony said.

~...

When the night came I was ready and willing, but not excited. I was ready to do what needed to be done. Lives were at risk, that was worth this action. I met up with Kit outside the opera house that night and she slipped a few small weapons into my pocket for self-defense; she said she gave some to Lemony too just in case. I hoped we wouldn't need them. She said Jacques was waiting in position and that Lemony, Olaf, and Esmé were already inside. The opera itself was progressing as normal. Everything was ready, all I had to do was walk up these stairs and go inside.

Every instinct in my mind screamed to turn away, find a different solution, but I didn't listen. I wanted so badly to listen but I didn't. I did not know what was going to happen tonight. I did not know what I was about to do. I did not know that my actions were going to set off a series of unfortunate events that I could not stop. They would include the deaths of many I cared for. They would even include my own death in the future. If I had foreseen what would happen tonight...

I never would have walked up those stairs and through that door at precisely 8:30 in the evening at the opera house on 9th street; where in exactly 30 minutes I would cause a murder I did not mean to.

~...

There were so many people screaming when we ran out. I was fighting to regain my composure. An innocent man died because of me. We had the sugar bowl but at the cost of someone's life. Lemony held tight to my arm as we ran to the drop off point. I could barely see it was so dark, and I kept replaying that awful scene in my mind. This would be all over the newspapers tomorrow. Our lives were ruined, and it was my fault... it was all my fault...

"Bea, Lemony!"

We found Kit at last. She ran up and hugged both of us, though I didn't feel I deserved it.

"Did you get it?"

I nodded and presented the sugar bowl to her. "Kit, take this to the facility tell them to keep it under maximum security. Once the sugar is made, fill it to the brim and send it to headquarters with the best security they can muster, Esmé's snapped... she'll do anything to get this back and we can't let her keep it if it's got the necessary sugar in it or no one will get saved."

"What happened in there? I could hear screaming all the way up the block."

"Olaf's dad... he got in the line of fire... He's dead."

"Where's Olaf," Kit asked.

"Don't know. We ran," Lemony said, "We had to."

Kit nodded and went over to her car. "I hope you're both safe on your way back." She said before getting into the car and driving off. I saw Jacques' taxi parked across the street waiting for us.

"We should go, come on, our ride is waiting for us," I said, but Lemony grabbed my arm to stop me. "Lemony?"

"Bea... I want you to know that... I'll take the blame for it."

My heart stopped. Was he crazy?

"No. No. I can't let you do that-"

"I'm not asking you to let me; I'm saying I will. There was so much going on so fast. It wouldn't be so hard to believe it was my dart..."

"Damn it Lemony this is about a man being dead! You can't just take that weight off my shoulders!"

"For you? I can try."

I felt a few tears sting my eyes. "You'd throw away your freedom like that for me? What about your new life?"

"It was an accident, no matter who they blame it will always be an accident. I can't let you live the rest of your life on the lamb, Beatrice. You don't deserve that. I've killed before... he was a wicked man who deserved it but I didn't enjoy it either. I lost a friendship over it and broke a promise. I can handle that life; you, go home. Go home to your friends, family that you have left, to Bertrand. Stay with them, they will keep you safe. And remember, it was my dart."

"Why? Why do this for me?"

"Because I said I'd do anything for you. Please let me do this."

I sniffled quietly. He was set on keeping this secret for me. He could die for this, and I wouldn't be able to explain it to anyone. But Lemony Snicket was a devoted man. Far too devoted for his own good from where I was standing. But he was giving me a chance to continue my life as I saw fit. A chance to have a future; one that I was thinking about sharing with Bertrand. And Lemony was going to give me that chance.

"Beatrice answer quickly, we could have been followed."

"Ok Lemony... It was your dart." I said softly, sealing our deal.

We ran to Jacques' taxi and got inside. Jacques took us back to headquarters as fast as he could. We told him what happened. We would report to the Duchess on our accomplishment; despite the one error in the plan. What mattered was that we got the sugar bowl. The peace of mind that stopping Gregor was a step closer to being a reality helped me sleep that night. But I'd never forget what Lemony did for me. I only wish I could repay the favor someday.

~End of Chapter!