The Baudelaires (Unedited)

chapter twenty

"Frank, what are we going to do today?" Klaus asked as I walked in.
"We go." Frank replied.
"Where?" Violet questioned.
"To the Baudelaire mansion, there is something very important there."
"What is it?" I sighed.
"Confidential." Frank said.
I glanced at Klaus then back at Frank, "can't you tell us?"
"No, I can't."
"Why?"
"Because it's confidential, no matter the state of the organization."
I sighed.
"How far away is it from here?" Klaus asked.
"A couple hundred miles, walking. About a hundred in a cab." Frank informed and got up.
"We go now?"
"Yes. Grab all of your stuff, meet me outside, I need to look for something Jacqueline told me about."
I sighed and walked into my room, picking up my bag and walking down the stairs.

I got outside, the wind was freezing and everybody in the town was outside shopping or working.
"Charlotte." Father beckoned over to the corner I saw him last night.
I had completely forgotten what I had said, that I had asked to see him.
I walked over, "Father, what is it that Frank is getting from the Baudelaire mansion?"
"It's a tape, Jacques tape. Jacqueline managed to get the film, she found it in the ruins of Heimlich Hospital."
"He said it was Confidential."
"He doesn't want them to know."
"But they've already seen it."
"Oh?"
"They saw it at the hospital."
"How did they.."
"In the paperwork library."
"Oh.."
"I don't know how it got there."
"Larry sent it."
"Why?"
"He wanted them to know, but I didn't know that they'd get there."
"I didn't know that you'd know that."
"Jacques updated me."
I sighed.
"What?"
"Father, what if Frank puts me up for adoption due to you not being here as they assume you're dead?"
"He wouldn't."
"Prove it-" I stopped and turned around, realising the door inside had opened.
"Go, Charlotte." Father whispered.
"But-"
"I'm following." He smiled.
I nodded and hugged him briefly and walked over to Klaus, who had just gotten outside.

"What was that?" He asked me.
I whispered, "who do you think?"
"Charlotte.." he sighed.
I looked at the ground, "fine, I was looking around with my spyglass."
"Sure." He shook it off easily.
He must think I'm going insane.
I looked over at the others, their luggage piles around them, Frank put most of it on the cab's roof.

I was sitting in the front, everybody else in the back for once, I don't think Klaus was very happy with that.
I was watching the world go by, for once it wasn't endless fields over fields over fields. I was also reading a book on London, I had only been there once.
Klaus was reading the book of nouns to Sunny, she looked as if she was falling asleep.
Beatrice was asleep, I didn't blame her, she's been through a lot.
Violet was fiddling with her's and Klaus's spyglass, I think she was trying to find another combination.
Frank didn't look troubled, he looked calm yet didn't reply when he was being talked to.
Quigley was sleeping in the boot, pressumably because Klaus was reading too much stuff that wouldn't make sense to normal ears.
I sighed and stopped reading, I eventually fell asleep.

I woke up, I looked outside, it was the remains of the Baudelaire Maison.
I could see Frank searching.
"What is he looking for?" Klaus asked.
"Tape." I replied.
"What?" Violet asked suddenly.
"The tape."
"Which tape?" Klaus questioned.
"The Snicket tape."
"The one from Heimlick Hospital-"
"Yes. Don't tell him I told you." I sighed.
Klaus looked confused, "but how do you know?"
"Klaus, I know things others don't."
"Didn't the tape get burnt? Film and canister?" Violet asked Klaus.
"Jacqueline and Larry always have a spare." I smiled and turned away, looking back out the windscreen.
"What's the point of him getting the tape?" Klaus asked.
"Quigley's tape comes with mine, my tape is just at the end as they forgot to cut the film."
"What's yours about, Charlotte?"
"It just goes below the surface that was only scratched upon, it was about Mother's death."
"Oh.." Klaus sighed, "I'm sorry."
"No, it's fine honestly. We wouldn't have known about the dangers of heights.."
"Fair enough." He smiled slightly as Frank got in and passed the film to me, I put it in my small bag.
Frank said, "Don't give it to anyone."
I nodded.

Charlotte's dream
"Where did you get that?" I heard two familiar voices ask each other.
I turned around to the nearest lunch table to see one of the new orphans, who just got here, connect one half of a spyglass with Isidora Quagmire.
I stared at them both from afar, realising what I'd just seen; VFD wasn't dead.
Soon after, I was in the library, I looked over at Miss Caliban and asked, "any books on codes?"
"Yes, Charlotte. One at the top of that bookcase there, it's a complete book. But, be quick you only have a few minutes." She replied.
I grabbed the book as quick as I could and began walking out until Miss Caliban said, "keep it."
"Why?" I turned around.
"Knowledge is power, Miss Snicket, and to keep that power  you need to keep the book." She smiled.
I smiled back, "thank you." And left the library.
The book wasn't for me.
I ran to my dorm and got out a scrap of paper and a pen and wrote a note: I think you might need this -Charlotte.

The next lunch, I walked past the table where the Quagmires and the Baudelaires sat and put the book on the table where Isidora and Klaus sat opposite, thinking that I could slip by easily.
"What's this for, Charlotte?" Isidora turned and asked me.
The boy in glasses also looked at me, I suddenly felt awkward.
"It's something that may help you." I smiled slightly.
"Codes-" Isidora began.
"Thanks, er...?" The boy smiled.
"My name is Charlotte Snicket."
"I'm Klaus Baudelaire."
"Nice to meet you."
I carried on walking.