Chapter Text
Once Carmen was woken up and debriefed (with no small amount of teasing) they collected their small amount of luggage as well as Oreo, who managed to knock Carmen to the ground.
“Woah, woah, I missed you too buddy! Calm down and you can have all the pats you want in the car, ok?”
Oreo just yipped and kept licking Carmen’s face. The rest of the team were just laughing at her as she struggled to get up. She kept half-heartedly pushing Oreo off until there was a cough behind them.
“Carmen Sandiego, what is the delay? I don’t know about your team, but ACME likes to run on schedule.”
The dry tones of Agent Zari had Carmen finally push Oreo off and clip his lead onto his collar. Zack and Jules subtly glared at Zari for ruining the moment, Ivy more openly. They all cherished any time Carmen was happy, and to have it interrupted so rudely set them all off. Carmen stopped them from saying anything as she got up to speak.
“My apologies Agent Zari, Oreo hasn’t been away from people for so long before and was a bit eager to see us.”
Zari sniffed and turned away, leading them out of the airport and towards the waiting ACME agents and the vans. Carmen squashed her momentary fear at seeing so many ACME agents-
Freeze, get on the ground, good work Argent, betraylbetraylbetraylbetrayl
-and strode over with purpose. She was an ACME agent, and as such, had nothing to fear. The team followed her, all with their own levels of apprehension. Oreo, sensing the tension, shoved his snout into Carmen’s hand, making her absently move it to scratch behind his ears, helping keep her calm. She nodded to the other agents as Zack got into the drivers’ seat, with Ivy next to him. Jules and Carmen sat in the back of the van, with Oreo sitting between them. They spent the ride mostly in silence, the only noises being Oreo’s excited pants and barks, and the occasional giggle from Carmen, making them all smile.
Once they neared the hotel, the mood shifted. They were going straight to the drop point that Shadowsan had told them about, and everyone was tense. Team Red (including Julia but excluding Zack) were going to be the first in the door, and once it was clear then the artifact extraction team would move in. Carmen took a deep breath, bringing Oreo close, and Julia shot her a look of concern.
“Are you sure you want to do this? There is no shame in backing out, there’s plenty of agents if something does go south.”
Carmen didn’t answer for a few long moments, running her hands through Oreo’s fur.
“I have to do this. Shadowsan shouldn’t even be there, and even if he is, I need to face him.”
Julia nodded, unsatisfied but willing to let it go. The rest of the short drive felt like eternity, right up to Zack’s melancholy “We’re here.”
They got out of the car, offering quiet words of support to Carmen in preparation for what was about to come.
~~<3~~
Shadowsan watched from a nearby rooftop as Carmen and her team entered the room where he had hidden all the spoils of his capers against VILE. He watched carefully as Carmen discovered the coded note he had left for her, and how she shoved it into a pocket with shaking hands. After some quick words he couldn’t make out to her friends, they left, and a team of people in suits took their place. He nodded, satisfied, and left undetected. All he could do now was wait at the next location and hope Carmen came.
~~<3~~
Four people sat at a long table, watching security footage on a large monitor. They watched hungrily as a figure in a red coat and hat showed up for the first time in over a month. As the footage finished and began the loop anew, they all turned to each other.
“So Lambkins finally shows her face. About time too!”
Coach Brunt slammed her fist down on the table, creating a dent. Her co-workers looked on in boredom, pressing the button that told the cleaners they needed a new table. Professors Maelstrom and Bellum pulled a device out from under the table after a glance at each other.
“I dug up this delightful invention of mine a while ago. We used it on Black Sheep when she was still a trainee, and after a few modifications, it should bring her in line. We just need to get her in the facility.”
Countess Cleo sniffed airily, and turned her nose up.
“And just how are we supposed to do that? We have tried and failed many times to apprehend her, but never succeeded. Do you have another plan?”
A heavily accented voice came through the speaker system, making them all turn towards the monitor.
“Oh don’t worry old chaps. I have a plan that will bring Carmen Sandiego right into our clutches.”
The table quieted to listen to the plan, and they were all in agreement by the end. It was time for the lost sheep to make its way back into the herd.
~~<3~~
Two parents and a police officer looked at the footage sent by an anonymous informant. It was security footage placing a missing boy across the world and in San Diego. The officer made a note on his notepad and left to radio the station. This was far out of his jurisdiction and he would be happy to not have to deal with the boy’s parents calling every day.
When he asked about it the next day, he was told that an agent of MI6 had mysteriously taken a special interest in the case, and had guaranteed a safe return of the boy. The officer shrugged and went to his pile of paperwork that had been neglected, putting the whole thing out of his mind.
~~<3~~
Carmen held the decoded note in her hands and made up her mind. Waiting until everyone else was asleep, she slipped out of the window and glided onto the next roof over. Once she was sure she hadn’t been seen, she ran across the rooftops, dreading and looking forward to her meeting at the same time.
~~<3~~
In San Diego, a boy slept peacefully, unaware of the many plots against him. If he had stayed awake, he would have noticed how three separate people had hacked into the security cameras and set them to record his every move.