Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Focus, Carmen. If all goes well today, you'll recover an artifact that's been stolen from the world for 44 years.

The last metal door swung open.

And there it was.

The sword of Charles X. Its diamond encrusted handle glittered in the light, and the intricate gold blade could keep you looking for hours.

Adjusting the black gloves she always wore, Carmen gently picked it up. The doors of the different safe rooms were open. It was a straight shot out.

Until the door was blocked by a certain humming operative.

"Paper Star." Carmen acknowledged, annoyed. "Always with the swords, isn't it?"

A deceptive, playful smile stretched over her lips. "Roundabout is sooo helpful! All he had to do was call his little law-enforcement friends and they told him about a little red someone knocking out security guards at this....museum."

Paper Star smiled wider. Carmen frowned. It had been VILE's cruel joke to hide the sword, stolen from the Louvre over 40 years ago...in the basement of a fake museum in France. However, she thought she'd been careful when knocking out the security. Apparently not.

"And you just happened to be in the area to come threaten me?" Carmen asked irately. But, she realized, it was a good question...why was Paper Star here? And why wasn't she going berserk with her origami yet? Something about the sparkle in her eye scared Carmen a lot more than usual.

The origamist smirked. "Oh, I'm just keeping tabs on your girlfriend here." 

In a fluid movement a shadowy operative stepped out from the doorframe.

Julia Argent was held to him, unconscious, with a blade at her throat.

The red thief's eyes widened. "Jules." She whispered, her blood running cold. She instinctively clenched her fist around Charles X's sword. "What do you want with her??"

"Surrender, Sandiego. Or your little agent friend gets it." Paper Star's tone went low and dangerous.

Lunatic. Let her go. Jules cannot be here. Disjointed, frantic thoughts chased each other through Carmen's head. There was no choice to make. La femme rogue could get out of this later. Jules could not. She lowered the glittering sword she had been gripping to the floor.

"And empty your coat." Paper Star's cheery singsong burrowed into Carmen's already panicked brain like a rat.

With her heart in her throat, the thief first removed the glider backpack on top, then began on the coat.

Poor Player, listening to this, she thought for a moment, before casting the thought out of her mind. More important things right now, Carmen. Such as Jules being held at knifepoint.

"Well...the big bad wolf is tamed." Paper Star's high-pitched voice again cut through her internal worry. Carmen glared into the operative's dark eyes as she flipped open her jacket, showed that it was empty, and let it hang open. Paper Star was barely restraining herself.

How did they find out about Jules?

"Now put your hands where I can see them and walk towards us.....slowly." She gently brushed the paper in the pouch strapped to her leg, almost carelessly glancing at Julia as she did so.

One step. Disarm Paper Star. Another slow step. Then disarm the one with the knife. A third step. Get Julia out of here none the wiser.

Julia's eyes fluttered half-open.

Shit.

The agent stiffened imperceptibly, freezing and glancing around. Her eyes slid from the knife at her throat, to Paper Star, and finally to Carmen.

Carmen, with nothing, surrendering. The thief saw her register what was happening quickly, and she glanced up, barely, to meet her gaze.

Carmen looked back at her for a split second, trying to convey that she had a plan- but its hard to convey something you don't have. What the hell could she do here? How on earth could she get them both out of here without one of them getting hurt?

Or killed, her brain whispered.

She preferred not to think of that as an option.

Carmen reached Paper Star and the huge operative holding Julia captive. The origamist looked gleeful. "That was easy." She whispered, her eyes darting between Carmen and Julia, who was pretending she was still unconscious.

Paper Star demonstrated folding a throwing star in about two seconds, while the shadowy guy held up a crackle rod. They didn't handcuff her. The message was clear. We're watching. Make a move and someone gets hurt. They knew she wouldn't risk it. Carmen narrowed her eyes, realizing fully that the other operative was strong enough to hold Julia in a one armed grip as he used his free hand to grab (or crush) Carmen's shoulder and shove her in front of him.

Which was worrying. To say the least.

The thief pursed her lips. She just needed to get out into the open, then she would have the upper hand. Enclosed spaces like these set her back.

She waited for the right moment, hoping there would be one. Paper Star parading in front, Scary Dude (as she'd started to think of him) dragging Julia behind, and the vault doors banging shut after them. The sword she'd dropped was safely where VILE could retrieve it later.

The right moment..

Scary Dude sneezed.

Quick as a flash, Carmen whipped her hand out and took the papers in the pouch on Paper Star's leg, dropping them inconspicuously behind them as another heavy metal vault door slammed shut. The papers were now locked behind two feet of steel.

One weapon down.

Paper Star turned to glare at Scary Dude and he shrugged semi-apologetically. "Her hair smells flowery," he muttered in a disgusted tone.

Carmen almost wanted to laugh. 

Except no part of this was funny.

Carmen and her "entourage" made it out to the museum cover, and then out onto the street.

"We'll just wait for the Cleaners here." Paper Star smirked. "I didn't expect it to be this easy...even with a hostage. I think she'll be helpf-"

Paper Star did not get the privilege of finishing.

Carmen pounced on Scary Dude, shoved the blade away from Julia's throat, and simultaneously switched the crackle rod's settings to EMP. She fired it and broke it.

No deadly weapons or tracking devices for you.

There was a livid shriek as Paper Star discovered the absence of her papers.

Okay, this is going alright.

She whirled around and backed up a little, surveying the threats. Paper Star didn't have anything except her fighting skills, which were formidable but manageable.

Scary Dude was both formidable and unmanageable.

Julia was on the ground and scrambling away, out of the fight's path, a hand pressed to her neck. Carmen noticed blood as it moved and for a moment her heart stopped; however, it was only a thin cut from when the thief had hastily shoved the blade away.

Guilt struck her but she made herself push it aside and focus. Could be worse. Could be much, much worse.

She whirled around and barely took a moment to decide how to tackle Scary Dude before she took a flying leap and hooked her arms around his neck, swinging around and landing an awkward but effective kick to his face. He overbalanced and they fell, his bulk nearly crushing her.

Before either one could launch an attack again, there was a shriek and a flurry of movement.

Julia, who had been sitting to the side, was now in Paper Star's clutches in a choke-hold, thrashing but avoiding a-

No.

Paper Star was holding the forgotten knife.

She took one moment to grin before she plunged it into Julia's chest.

There was a spurt of blood and Julia's struggling slowed to a stop.

She crumpled.

Someone was screaming.

Carmen's world slowed.

And then she nearly killed Paper Star.

Chapter Text

Carmen had been the one who screamed.

She kept screaming as she fought the two operatives, who had no chance against her rage and terror.

She didn't know what she did to them, but they were both still.

She had paused.

The world had come back.

And then she'd crumpled to the ground next to Julia and frantically called her team.

Their inconspicuous van screeched to a halt at her location and she snapped at Zack and Ivy to help her load Julia in the car.

There is too much blood.

She has to be okay.

Why is there so much blood?

The Bostonian siblings helped her move Julia into the van's back stretcher. If they said anything, she didn't hear.

Carmen applied pressure to the stab wound with a furious determination as they raced through the streets. "Don't you dare frickin' die on me, Jules," she whispered again and again, wiping her eyes with the part of her sleeve that wasn't bloody.

They pulled up to the hospital at a speed that was definitely illegal and jumped out.

Ivy started trying to talk to the hospital workers but none understood; Carmen leaped out of the car and moved Ivy aside, speaking in French.

"[We were attacked and my girlfriend was stabbed. She needs help NOW!]" The thief said, in her hurry not even noticing what she'd said.

The hospital workers nodded crisply and yelled. A stretcher was wheeled out of the building soon and they loaded Julia on, wheeling her into the hospital without another word. 

Carmen watched the hospital doors long after Julia had disappeared into them and then sat, suddenly not knowing what to do.

A paramedic with purple hair tapped her shoulder and she whirled tensely, registering his nametag quickly: Audric Fournier. "[Miss, you are also bleeding. May I tend to you?]" He said tentatively. She was about to tell him that it was Julia's blood, when she suddenly felt a sharp pain in one of her upper arms, her adrenaline waning.

She glanced at it with a wince and saw a semi-deep cut running down her forearm, her clothing ripped. She must have gotten it while fighting. She glanced down and shook her head. She could have Ivy bandage it. Besides, what was a cut to what Julia had?

"[No, thank you.]" She clarified. "[How...how is Julia?]" She was almost afraid to ask. The young man, Audric, shrugged a little. "[She lost a lot of blood, but it isn't fatal. We'll know more soon.]" He sounded apologetic.

Carmen smiled slightly and gave him a tired "merci," turning to her team.

Zack and Ivy were hovering near her, looking concerned and out of place in her hazy worry.

She gave them a little smile, knowing she could update them later, and touched her com. "Player." She said, a little hoarsely.

"Red! Are you alright? How's Julia?" The young hacker expressed.

"Not fatal, but she isn't good or anything." Carmen said, voice rough. Player nodded though she couldn't see him, and registered that she hadn't answered his first query.

"Player, can you patch me through a call to...Chief?"

Player paused. "Chief? Why..oh. Right." He was silent for a second, then: "Patching you through now."

"Thanks." She murmured. There was a dial tone, and Chief's voice came through.

"Go for Tammy."

Carmen swallowed a comment and a snort that nearly escaped from her throat. "I hope you don't expect me to call you that, Chief."

There was a frigid pause and Carmen heard a static of motion from Chief's end. She imagined Chief's eyes widening, waving at an agent to start tracking her.

"Sandiego. Looking for more stolen files?" She said finally.

Carmen didn't even quip. "Actually this is.." She took a second, waiting until she could trust her voice again. "You'll see by now that you can track me and I'm sure you just sent out a force that was already in the area, since Jules went missing earlier, correct?"

There was a loud clatter. "Where is she?" Chief snarled.

"Jules...Agent Argent is injured. We're at the hospital."

"What did you do?" Chief's voice was soft and dangerous, slightly confused at the end.

"I saved her life." Carmen said, suddenly feeling the night catch up to her. "VILE..you know what, just have your agents meet me here and we can talk then, okay?" She said impatiently, siphoning her worry into anger. "We make a truce for now. No ambushing, no arresting...her injury is pretty serious and this is no place to talk."

She raised her arm to run her fingers through her hair, and old nervous habit that she hadn't done in a long time, only to find that her arm throbbed. She lowered it.

There were a few muffled words Carmen didn't catch, then, "They're heading over now. If you did this I swear-"

Carmen hung up, nothing more to say, semi-registering how bad a job she had done at defending herself. She took in a breath.

"Zack, Ivy, ACME's coming over." The two redheads looked up, exchanged a look, and shrugged. "Okay boss." Zack said in a thinly veiled skeptical tone. "We hiding, leaving, staying...?" 

"Staying." Said Carmen. "Although you two are going to wait in the van just in case." She ran a hand over her face. "I hope I'm not making a mistake."

While she waited, she updated the purple haired hospital worker, Audric, on what had happened in more detail, with a few masked details, of course (Was it enough to tell him the height and weight of their attacker or way too much?? Better to be safe..). As she recounted it she caught herself slipping out of French once or twice in her distraction, glancing around all the while for ACME, not wanting to be snuck up on.

She also gave the hospital permission to do whatever it took to help Jules, and gave them her information and a burner phone number.

Speaking with Audric, she saw a black motion out of the corner of her eye. She faltered in her French and turned. ACME had arrived, six agents including Agent Zari, who'd knocked her out in Stockholm. Reluctant dread fizzled in her stomach and she hastily concluded her conversation, following the agents into a garden area, a secluded grove of bushes and trees.

Agent Zari gave her a little glare, matched by the thief, and clicked the pen. Chief popped out and studied her for a moment.

"Well?"

Chapter Text

Chief listened with little emotion as Carmen told her story. The young superthief's torn coat was covered in blood, coating the sleeves and splattered elsewhere. Her face had a tired dullness that aged her.

Chief was quiet for a moment, studying her. "I'm bringing you in." She said flatly.

Carmen stepped back. "Ah..no. You aren't."

"One of my agents was kidnapped and seriously injured with or because of you. You can't seriously think I would let you go. Devineaux, and now Agent Argent? Not to mention your thieving." Chief growled.

Carmen backed up another step, a scowl covering the hurt and blame she felt. "I saved both of them. Devineaux would be brainwashed or worse and Jules would be dead!"

Chief's face twisted. "Agent Argent would have been better off if she'd never met you. Detain her!"

She stepped backwards and deployed her grappling gun at a nearby tree. She whisked into the branches as six puffs of gas launched at her. She swayed for a moment, scowling. "All I've done is try to help you. And this is what I get? We had a truce."

Chief frowned up at her. "Truces don't catch crime." She paused as a few droplets of blood splattered near her non-existent shoes. She looked up, and Carmen clutched her arm defensively. "If I wasn't dis-distracted I would have seen this coming. You're.." She trailed off, clutching her head. With a last glare, she leapt into the next tree and landed further away, getting into Zack and Ivy's van.

Chief held up a hand. "Don't go after her. We need to find Agent Argent." Her yellow eyes narrowed. "Besides...she'll be back."

Ivy hissed in a breath when Carmen jumped in the car. There was wet blood all over her arm, and Julia'd dried blood on her sleeves. She was slightly out of it from a whiff of gas she'd gotten, as well as..everything else that had happened.

"Carm," she said, gently taking the thief's now blood-red jacket off her. "I gotta look at that arm. It looks pretty bad."

Carmen looked up from her daze, and smiled. "Sure, Ivy, thanks." 

Ivy winced. "I'm gonna need to do the rest of this in the hotel. We might need to sacrifice a sleeve of this stealth suit." Carmen grinned a little, and Ivy smiled as an appreciation of her effort.

They pulled into their hotel (wrapping Carmen in a blanket so as not to raise questions) and hightailed it to the room.

"Okay, into the bathroom!" Ivy shepherded Carmen into the bathroom and sat her down. She inspected the long cut.

She pulled out some bandages and antiseptic, before scrutinizing it further. She got up and returned with a switchblade.

Carmen eyed it. "Uh..be careful, Ivy. My sleeve's pretty tight on there."

Ivy smiled reassuringly. "O' course, Carm."

She pinched the sleeve in her fingers and began cutting the fabric off Carmen's arm. A few tense minutes and one nick later, it was off.

Ivy wet a washcloth and cleaned the blood off. "Yikes, Carm. You might need stitches on this. It's pretty deep."

"We're not going to the hospital. Er-" She looked at her arm. "It'll be fine." She slathered some antiseptic on and clumsily wrapped the bandages. "I'm fine! Its fine." 

Ivy looked skeptical, but she just rearranged the bandage to be neater and tighter.

"Sure, Carm, if you say so. But tell me if it starts hurting worse than it is. You may be a superthief, but you're a human, too."

The group of ACME agents that had ambushed Carmen had gone into the hospital, flashed the workers their badges, and told them to transfer all information about Julia Argent to them.

They sat in the waiting room, looking very stiff and out of place, until Audric, the clerk who had first helped Julia and Carmen, came in.

He spoke to them uncertainty, wondering if any of them spoke French.

"Good evening. I understand that we are to keep you posted on Ms. Argent's condition?" One ACME agent translated for the rest of the group.

Agent Zari nodded crisply, the clear leader of the group. Audric nodded and spoke again.

"Good. Well, I am happy to report that her injury is not too serious," came the translation.

"Her lung was punctured, but with the small surgery we were able to fix it. Her recovery time will only be about three weeks."

Even Zari seemed to relax a little. "Good. I'm glad it wasn't too serious." Mr. Fournier smiled a little as it was translated back to him. It seemed this woman did care. Until-

"The force needs as many agents as it can get right now, and Argent is one of our most valuable.."

With that, she turned and strode out of sight, followed by the rest of the agents.

Audric frowned. They had given instructions to transfer all information to them, but the woman in red that arrived with Ms. Argent...

It had seemed like she'd cared so much. She arrived so worried for Ms. Argent, giving thorough details. She hadn't been the least bit concerned about herself. She'd called the other young woman her girlfriend.

There was something the woman was hiding, for sure. She had disappeared with the agents after being nervous and distracted the entire time he'd spoken with her. He had heard her speak fluent English and French (and, he was pretty sure, when she was really frazzled, Portuguese?). The way she was dressed, and the little gleam he had caught in her sleeve, some unknown tool.

The details she'd given of the attack? Strangely specific.

Then, when the suited agents came back, she was gone. But something gave him the feeling she hadn't left by her own choice. Not after how she'd been with Julia. She had been so much more concerned about the other young woman than the agents had been.

With a little sigh, he picked up his phone and began writing a text to the phone number she'd given.

Carmen's burner phone buzzed and she opened her texts faster than the speed of light, her eyes zooming over the text.

Zack poked his head over Carmen's shoulder at the wall of French. "Zat from the hospital? Whats it say?"

Carmen finished, smiled softly and translated aloud:

"Dear woman in red,

This is Audric Fournier, from the hospital. I helped you for the first time when you arrived with Ms. Argent. A group of agents told us to forward all the information about her to them, but you looked so worried I thought I would update you. Her lung was punctured in the attack, but luckily with a little surgery we were able to fix it and she will make a full recovery in about three weeks.

Yours sincerely,

Audric"

She laughed a little. "She's going to be okay." She leaned back on the couch and laughed, relief shining in her face. "I really need to thank Audric in some way for this."

Audric's shift at the hospital ended and he walked to his car, stopping short at the sight that greeted him. Sitting on the front seat was a bouquet of pink, peach, and yellow roses, with a red card sitting beside them.

In the card, in French, read:

Dear  Audric ,

Thank you for going through the trouble to update me on Julia's condition today. And thank you for helping her.

Enclosed is something as a gift; for moving to kindness.

Sincerely,

The Lady in Red

P.S. Your car needs better security.

Startled, Audric opened up the small slip of paper, and gasped at the amount. He folded the paper; it had answered many of his questions and opened a lot more. He grinned, shook his head, got in his car, and drove away.

Chapter Text

"I can't believe..."

"Down because of Carmen Sandiego..."

"Julia was- is our best.."

The agents of ACME could find little else to talk about.

Carmen Sandiego had gotten one of their agents taken down.

Carmen Sandiego was working with the kidnappers.

Carmen Sandiego had stabbed her in an attempt to murder their best and smartest agent.

The rumors grew until no one was in doubt: Carmen Sandiego had attempted murder.

All the agents were writing their get-well cards when he arrived.

Devineaux.

BANG!

The door flew open and he strutted in, wearing a full uniform and a grin, as good at reading the room as ever.

"I have returned!!" He yelled.

A few of the agents looked up from their get-well cards, annoyed. "Who are you?" one muttered.

Zari sighed. "Agent Devineaux.....welcome back."

She wrinkled her nose a little bit, and went back to supervising the making of the get-well cards. She was not writing one herself.

"Well, thank you! I am excited to see my old partner again. Where is she?"

A few more agents looked up at him with sad eyes, saying nothing.

"Eh...." Devineaux said, slightly deterred. "What are you all making?"

He peeked over the shoulder of the nearest agent and read aloud: "Get well soon, Julia. You are our best agent!"

"Eloquent." He muttered, and did a double take, brow furrowed. "Julia? Is she sick? I never remember her missing a single day."

The agent whose card he had been reading looked up. "Julia Argent was stabbed by Carmen Sandiego last night. She's at the hospital."

Devineaux physically reeled backwards. "La Femme Rogue? Stabbed her?"

The agent looked up, their face scrunched sadly. "She's-"

Devineaux was already skidding out the door. The agent blinked. Zari looked at them. "Give him a second."

A few seconds later, Devineaux poked his head in again. "Uh, where might I find her?"

Devineaux's car came skidding into the hospital's parking lot with a few new dents. He sprang out, forgetting to lock it, and ran into the hospital.

Turning about, he went up to the front desk and slammed his hands down. Audric was working the desk, and he looked up, unimpressed.

"[I need to see my partner! Julia Argent! Which room is she in??]" He said loudly in French.

Audric raised an eyebrow and picked up the phone, dialing something, and speaking into it. "[Agent, there is a crazy French person in a suit demanding to see Ms. Argent. His name is...]"

He looked up at a fuming Devineaux. "[Your ID?]"

He handed it to him stiffly.

"[.....Chase Devineaux.]"

He listened for another second, and then hung up. "[Well, Agent Porter says you can go on up....room 407, fourth floor.]" He handed him back his ID.

"Hmph." Chase growled at Audric's polite disdain and stomped over to the elevator, which was guarded by two policemen. Slamming his fist into the "up" elevator button, he got in.

Audric smiled a little. Small pleasures.

Devineaux spent half an hour searching for room 407 before he realized he was on the third floor, not the fourth.

He finally found it, and came in. Julia was lying on the bed, propped up on a few pillows, listening to quiet music with absent eyes. She looked up, and her eyes widened.

"Inspector Devineaux!" She squeaked, scrambling to pause her music. Devineaux caught the words, "I don't wanna be your friend, I wanna-"  before she shut it off with a wince.

He came over to her bed and sat in a chair. "Julia! I heard you'd been injured and I came straight away!"

Julia sat up a bit stiffly, wincing. "That was very kind, Inspector. Or, have you been made an Agent again?"

He nodded, but waved his hands around a little. "You are my partner! But nevermind that! Has la femme rogue done you any lasting damage?"

"La- Carmen?  She didn't do this to me! Of course you would think that, Chase!" She let out a pained hiss and cut off, clutching her chest.

Chose looked at her with worry. "I did not know! That is just what the agents told me. What-what happened?"

She blinked, recovering. "You're going to actually listen to me?"

Devineaux looked slightly ashamed. "I know I have not always listened to you in the past, but your judgement has been correct more often than mine, I see now, and...I trust you. I want to know what happened."

Her eyes lit up and she smiled at him. "Everyone else thinks I'm just confused!" She paused and took in as deep a breath as she dared. "I don't remember what happened exactly before, but when I woke up, I was in an unfamiliar vault. I was being held at knifepoint."

"By La Femme Rogue?" 

She shot him a little glare and he wilted. "Right, yes, listening."

"It was by this huge operative. There was also another woman there. She had paper like the stuff we found in Mumbai. I believe she was the same rival."

"Rival? How can you be sure?"

"Well, unlike you, Chase, I was not discombobulated when I was being held captive." she mentioned acidicly. "Carmen was there...but..." Her face fell. "She was surrendering. I was there. I put two and two together. I was being held captive. A bargaining chip."

"Surrendering? To....VILE?" 

"Yes. All of her tools and her glider were on the floor, and her hands were up. She was surrendering. She saw that I was awake, and she looked so...just so helpless in a way that I'd never seen her. Trying to put on a brave face for me.

"Anyway, I played dead. It was easier for Carmen to work when they didn't know I was awake. Goodness knows I couldn't do anything. I just had to trust her."

She waited for Chase to comment for a moment, but he didn't.

"So, the one pinning me and the colorful operative took us outside. That's when Carmen made her move. She shoved the knife away from my neck.."

She ran a finger along a small slit, pulling down her collar slightly.

"Well, I got out of the way. She started fighting the operatives. And then...well."

She shifted the sheets to reveal a lump of bandages underneath her hospital gown. "Carmen forgot about the other operative. It hurt a sh-" She caught herself. "A crap ton. I woke up here. From what I hear, Carmen brought me here, and then was nearly arrested. Even though she was apparently injured."

"The other agents told you this?"

"No." She smiled. "There is a very kind employee here who has been visiting me, who helped check me in. His name is Audric."

Devineaux sat back, eyes round. "Carmen Sandiego....saved you. But, she...she's a thief. She..."

Julia looked at him with pity in her gaze. "Yes, she's a thief. But she's a person too. A very, very kind person, who is devoted to saving artifacts..and..I guess..me."

Devineaux's face was twisted. "I don't understand. She has never helped us. Why would the VILE agents keep you captive?"

"Well, she has helped us!" Julia exclaimed.

Silence.

"....you didn't read the files on the time you were gone, did you."

"....no."

"Mmhm. I thought so. She has helped us quite a few times. She was even allied with us for a while, after we saved her life. Well, saved after we almost killed her."

"Ah! I need to read these files."

Julia looked amused. Devineaux was quiet for a second- a real miracle- before he started talking again.

"Well, how much longer until you are back in the field?"

"The doctors say about three weeks, maybe four to be safe."

"Oh! That is not very long. I look forward to working with you again."

Julia nodded. "As long as we are re-paired, of course."

Devineaux's face fell a little. "Oh. Yes. Right. Well. I should be going soon; I might have some mission. Er, where can I find that employee who has been visiting you?"

"Audric? He is working the front desk today."

"He- the- he wouldn't be the young skinny one with the dark purple hair, would he?"

"Yes, that's him."

"Ah."

"Why?" Julia questioned. 

"Oh, I just wanted to thank him for taking care of you these past couple days." Devineaux said nervously. That was the guy he had yelled at the guy earlier. 

Oops.

He got up. "I will visit you again soon, Julia. It was nice talking with you."

"Goodbye, Chase." She smiled. "I look forward to your next visit."

He was almost out the door when she spoke again. "Oh, and Chase?"

"Yes, Julia?"

"When you see Carmen when you're out, thank her for me."

Chase lifted an eyebrow doubtfully. "If I do, I will...goodnight, Ms. Argent."

He left.

The elevator dinged, and the loud French agent from before stepped out, looking embarrassed. He went to Audric's desk.

"[Eh, hello.]" He spoke. "[Are you Audric?]"

Audric nodded. "[Yes, Audric Fournier. How may I help you?]"

"[I wanted to thank you for how you have been treating Ms. Argent. And apologize for earlier. I had just heard about Julia. I was worried. She used to be my partner.]"

Audric smiled. "[Apology accepted. Ms. Argent is a pleasure. I am also indebted to someone who helped her. Its the least I can do.]"

"[Indebted? To who?]"

Audric tilted his head. "[The woman in red.]"

Devineaux's eyes widened. "Carmen Sandiego. La femme rogue."

He nodded his head to Audric and left quickly, thinking that maybe, just maybe, the thief was not as bad as he had thought for so long.

Chapter Text

Devineaux crept through the forest, tracking the red blur weaving in between the trees, no backup. Alone.

Well, except for Carmen Sandiego.

She glanced behind her and smiled, hopping into an open clearing littered with branches and...stopping.

Devineaux growled and ran at her.

"Carmen SandiegoOoOOO-!"

Before the floor fell from underneath his feet and he landed in a large pit with a grunt.

Carmen poked her head over the hole. "You alright, Chase?" She teased.

Was she teasing? She looked sort of concerned.

"Carmen." Chase hissed.

She looked mildly surprised. "First name! That's an upgrade. Glad to see you've fully recovered. I was worried when I didn't have you screaming on my tail for so long."

She sat cross-legged on the side of the pit.

Devineaux grunted and leaned against the side of the hole, recognizing that he was stuck. "Julia says hello and thank you." He said stiffly.

Carmen's poised and confident figure dissipated and was replaced with something like a worried child. She flipped onto her stomach and stuck her face in the hole.

"You talked to her? Is she okay??" Her voice squeaked a little.

Devineaux was slightly amused. This was a side of her he'd never ever seen. "Yes...thanks to you, I hear. She is conscious and will be fully healed in a few weeks."

Carmen sighed. "Oh, thank goodness. I was really worried."

She moved to get up off the ground by pushing off with her left arm, but she let out a little strangled yelp and smashed to the ground. She got up with the other arm.

Devineaux frowned. He remembered Julia saying that Carmen was injured. "Did you never get medical attention after you dropped Julia off?"

She grimaced, looking away. "I got attention enough."

He laughed a little. "Julia said to say thank you for her when I next saw you. I was skeptical that I would. I should have known better."

Carmen smirked. Smiled? "How could I not say hello to my favorite name-caller?"

"Urghh." Chase growled. "I do not see why Julia likes you so much."

Carmen's face fell. "I don't know how she can either. I nearly got her killed."

"She doesn't think so." Chase said as gently as he could. He checked himself. He was reassuring the thief! The agent sighed.

"Really? I just...if it weren't for me, she wouldn't be in the hospital, or have gotten kidnapped." Carmen exhaled and shook her head. "Can't do anything about it now. Hey, is there anyone who can come get you out?"

Chase shook his head. "I did not bring my pen."

Carmen chuckled. "Of course you didn't." She took out her grappling hook out, and hooked it to a nearby tree. Then, she took out the line and dropped it into the hole.

"It's very reliable." She assured him, watching as he struggled to get out.

As soon as he was close enough to the top, she reached out an arm and helped him out. He glanced at her, and his grip tightened. He tried to, like, twist her arm and fling her to the ground, or something.

She hissed in pain and wrenched her arm out of his grasp.

"Hey, what the heck? I just helped you!"

"I'm still an agent of ACME. I would be breaking the law if I didn't try to arrest you. Eh, it was a slim chance anyway."

He stepped back. "Thank you for your assistance." He said stiffly.

She flashed a grin at him. "I'm just glad it wasn't my bad arm. But you aren't allowed to tell anyone about that." She disappeared into the woods.

Which left Devineaux standing awkwardly in the middle of the trees.

A woman walked into the hospital.

To a normal eye, she was a young woman with medium length black hair, freckles, and high cheekbones.

She was most certainly not Carmen Sandiego, to the normal eye.

But she was under the makeup.

She walked to the front desk. Audric Fournier. He was the same one who had helped her out, and updated her on Julia's condition.

Things couldn't be smoother.

She walked to the desk. "[Hello!]" She said, smiling.

"[Good afternoon, how may I help you?]" He said. Then he looked up.

His eyes widened.

Her eyes.

She didn't look like the red woman (Carmen Sandiego, the angry Frenchman had called her), but her eyes were exactly the same. Such a unique silver-purple. He remembered them because of the look of complete anguish they had held when she brought Julia in.

He glanced down. Yes, she was favoring her left arm, too.

The young man leaned forward. "Carmen Sandiego?" He whispered.

His hunch was proven correct as she flinched a little bit. "[Was it that obvious, Audric?]"

He smiled a little. "[I recognized your eyes.]"

She frowned good-naturedly, slightly wary. "[I'll have to put in contacts next time.]"

He sat back a little. "[I assume you are here to see Julia? I think she's been hoping you would.]"

Carmen nodded. "[Can I?]"

He puffed out a little breath. "[I am supposed to alert the agents of anyone who wants to see Julia, and get their permission to send them up. I am especially not supposed to send you up, I think.]"

Carmen's face twisted a little. "[Oh, well, I-]"

He held up a hand. "[I don't think you are exactly who you say you are; however, I trust you. I don't know why; I think its because of the sheer panic you were in when Julia was injured. I won't tell the agents if you go up; you just have to be fast.]"

Carmen looked at him scrutinizingly. "[You're observant. I'm glad you're with me and not against me. Thank you, Audric.]"

"[Of course. Be careful. She's in room 407 on the fourth floor.]"

Carmen nodded. "[If I'm caught up there, tell them I threatened you to get up there, okay?]"

Carmen went to the elevator confidently. She had learned long ago that if you pretended like you belonged, most wouldn't question you.

The policemen glanced at Audric, who gave a thumbs up, and Carmen stepped into the elevator.

She stepped off at the fourth floor, and followed the signs to room 407. She opened the door near-silently.

"Jules? Its me."

Julia's head shot up and towards the door. "Carmen! You're in disguise!" She said quietly as Carmen came over, the thief fiddling with her sleeve, the agent's eyes lighting up. "I'm so glad you came."

"Jules, I'm so sorry! I got you kidnapped, and nearly killed..."

She glanced at the bandage lump and put her head in her hands for a second. "I am so, so sorry, Jules, I've haven't been careful enough, I-"

"Carmen!"

Julia drew back as Carmen stopped, her face scrunched. Carmen had never shown much of herself around her, much less like this.

What could she do, or say to reassure her?

To tell her completely, without a doubt that she didn't blame her, and knew she'd saved her life?

Julia hesitated, then reached up and kissed her.

Carmen froze for a moment.

Then she melted.

They broke apart only when Julia's chest began to ache from being in such an awkward upright position for so long.

"Wow." Carmen and Julia breathed at the same time.

They paused, both red.

"I was really hoping you like girls, Jules." Carmen whispered, flustered.

Julia smiled, pleased and slightly terrified at what she'd just done. Well, she smiled until her injury gave a particularly painful throb of protest, and she groaned, leaning back into her pillows. Carmen was there in an instant, holding her hand.

"How are you doing?" Carmen asked awkwardly. Julia smiled again. It seemed she flirted better unintentionally.

"Don't try to small talk me, Carmen! Was that your first kiss?" She was slightly giddy. It was all happening. What she'd dreamed of. Carmen hadn't rejected her.

"Am I that bad of a kisser??" Carmen squeaked.

"No, no! I just...you know...world travelling thief and all?"

"...yeah." Carmen said. "It was."

Julia hugged her. "That was amazing." She kissed her lips briefly again. "Wow."

Carmen still looked flustered, but incredibly happy.

"You don't know how long-" They both started at the same time, and then broke off into giggles.

"Ever since..?" Julia whispered.

"The train.." Carmen finished.

They just sort of smiled at each other for a moment

Carmen and Julia lost in each other's eyes.

Until there were thunderous footsteps heard echoing down the hallway, towards the room. The moment cut short, Carmen gasped.

"I really shouldn't be here- I didn't realize-"

She got up as the door was flung open. "Carmen Sandiego, stop right there!" Shouted an agent. There were tons of them- hospital workers too.

Audric stood in the back, and shrugged apologetically, a wince on his face. [They recognized you on the security cameras.] He mouthed.

Carmen cursed in her head. Now Audric's job was on the line too. He just hoped he had the good sense to stick to saying she'd threatened him.

"Don't think I will." She said nonchalantly, stepping backwards towards the window. The flustered, soft Carmen was gone. She was all survival, all business, all seriousness now.

The agents advanced, and Carmen glanced backwards. No time to try to open it. She dove through the glass.

It shattered and she plummeted out the window, barely deploying her glider in time from the short but dangerous drop. Julia bit back a shriek.

All the hospital workers let out terrified and horrified gasps (except for Audric, who looked slightly awed).

The agents turned in near-unison towards a still-blushing and now nervous Julia on the bed.

"What did she do to you!?"

"Nothing!" Julia squeaked. "She had just arrived when you came!"

"Liar." Snarled the lead, Agent Porter. "The security tapes are from fifteen minutes ago." She advanced on her, getting close.

Julia shrank into her pillows. "I don't know, maybe she got lost?"

One of the nurses bustled over. "Please, Agent, she needs her rest if she's going to get better. Leave her be." She said in an accent.

Porter growled. "Fine. I'll be questioning you soon."

She whirled out.

Julia slumped into her pillows once everyone was gone. "So much for a perfect evening," she muttered, turning on girl in red.

Chapter Text

Devineaux walked into the hospital, humming, holding a little white box. He strode towards the elevator. He'd been given immediate clearance by ACME to go straight up to Julia's room a few days ago.

Audric was manning the front desk, as he did so often. In the week or so since Devineaux had first visited Julia, Audric had been there most days he'd visited.

Devineaux smiled quickly at the purple-haired clerk, who looked up at him. "[Wait! Devineaux!]" Audric cried.

The larger Frenchman turned. "[Yes?]"

Audric face was twisted and angry like Chase had never seen; but it didn't seem directed at him. "[Julia's not here.]"

"[She's been moved? To which hospital?]"

Audric eyes flashed. "[No. Your agent friends checked her out today to go back into the field.]"

"[But I thought she wasn't going to be fully healed for another couple weeks!]"

Audric nodded gravely. "[She wasn't. And she's not. Devineaux-]" He said, suddenly urgent. "[You need to take care of her. Don't let her hurt herself. Please.]"

Devineaux nodded gravely, still looking shocked. He looked down at the little box in his hand, and set it on the desk. "[This was going to be for Julia, but you really should have it. Especially because Julia's been taken out."] Devineaux winced. [Egh..poor choice of words.]

Audric opened the box. It was an eclairs. He smiled a little. "[Thank you.]"

Devineaux smiled determinedly. "[Julia will not come to harm.]"

Julia looked up as Devineaux came in. She was re-dressed in her ACME suit, the only visible indicators of her injury a lump beneath her jacket and a shadow under her eyes.

She smiled. "We've been re-paired at my request. We're partners again."

Devineaux smiled. "I am glad. I need to make sure you are healthy. You were taken from the hospital too soon."

Julia smiled a little again. "Oh. I'm sure I'll be fine. ACME needs all their agents." Her tone was nonchalant, but her eyes were dark and she was stiff.

Devineaux frowned, but nodded. "I will see you soon."

"There!"

A call came from one ACME agent as he spotted Carmen. She was running easily along the side of a building, sparing the agents a disdainful glance only.

Zari, from on top of the building, signaled to Julia and Devineaux on the ground. The pair started chasing after the thief.

Carmen glanced behind her again, mouth slightly open, and did a visible double take. "Jules?" She gasped.

Julia was wheezing, but keeping pace with Devineaux. She grinned a little bit. "Hi Carmen."

Then, she tripped, falling hard with a cry of pain. Both Devineaux and Carmen gasped and stopped, and Carmen started to turn back. Julia, doubled over on the ground, shooed her away with a flapping hand.

"Jules-" Carmen started, but Julia waved her backwards again. "Ill be fine, go, you'll be arrested!"

Carmen looked for a moment like that wouldn't be such a bad price to pay to help Julia, but then she turned uncertainly and ran off.

Devineaux, still crouching beside Julia, hardly looked up during the entire exchange. A few minutes passed before the other agents could get to Julia and Devineaux. Julia was still on the ground, wincing in pain, breathing heavily.

"What happened?" Zari snapped. "What are you two doing, fooling around? You let her get away! You two were our only shot at getting her for who knows how long!"

Devineaux looked up. Julia had torn out a few stitches in her fall. "Julia is injured, and I-"

Zari snorted. "You could have kept going, Devineaux. That thief is our number one priority." She looked at Julia on the ground. "Get up, Argent. You're fine. You only do this because you like her."

Julia righted herself a little bit and looked up, eyes flashing, defensive. "Even if that were to be true, I am still an agent. I tried to catch her. I tripped and ripped out some stitches."

Zari scoffed. "Okay, right. You know, Chief says you're our best, and you've done more information collecting on Sandiego than anyone else. But I was the one who nearly got her in Stockholm. I don't have emotions holding me back."

Devineaux reached out a hand and helped an unsteady Julia up from the ground, shooting Zari a little glare. Julia was angrier than he'd ever seen her, but she was silent, trying not to show how heavily she was leaning on him.

The other agents moved away, and Julia panted, holding Devineaux in place. "One sec."

Soon, Carmen dropped silently from above, hanging from her grappling hook line like some sort of spider.

"You sure you're okay?" She said quietly, glancing around as Devineaux turned away and pretended stonily that she was not there.

"I'll be fine." Julia whispered, pecking Carmen on the cheek. Carmen turned bright red, and nodded. "Maybe I'll visit you later." She retracted the line, shooting upwards and flipping away.

Devineaux turned back around, looking uncomfortable. "Done doing everything you just denied to Zari?"

Julia grinned a little, a strange, uncharacteristic glint of rebellion in her eyes. "Yes. I'm feeling much better now, I think."

Chapter Text

Julia was lying on her couch listlessly. Before she's gotten injured, it was work, work, work. Find out this, research here, investigate that. She was a hard-worker, loyal, devoted.

But now, what was the point? ACME hardly trusted her enough to send her into the field. She wondered if she was only still on the force because she had the most intel on Carmen. Well, maybe not. She was important enough to send back into the field a couple weeks after getting stabbed.

So, she didn't work. She was still recovering. Well, from more than just injuries...the memory of kissing Carmen left her pretty disoriented too.

Carmen Sandiego. Just the thought of her made her happy. Actually having kissed her, have her risk her freedom to check on her...a few days ago, that chase, seemed distant, as she'd thought about it so much. The fading light outside her apartment window glowed red...

Red?

A red beanie was making its way slowly into view of her little window. Then, a face. Her face.

Carmen was outside her window.

The thief's face split into a smile when she saw Julia had seen her, and she hopped over onto the tiny decorative balcony Julia had.

Julia jumped up and unlocked the window, and Carmen slipped through. 

"Hi." The thief said nonchalantly, smiling. 

Julia threw her arms around her as carefully as she could, avoiding both her injury and Carmen's, on her arm. "Did anyone see you?" She asked.

Carmen shook her head. "Don't think so. No one's out. It's almost dark outside anyway. So how are you doing?"

The thief was dressed in a red beanie, black shirt, jeans, and red sneakers. Her hair was back in a braid, with a little curl of hair loose from the twist. Julia flushed. She looked...really nice. "I'm fine. Good, even. I've been resting."

Julia looked over Carmen, and she noticed..."Where's your grappling hook?"

Carmen shrugged. "Back where I'm staying. I climbed up here."

"You climbed?? That's really inconspicuous." Julia said sarcastically, teasing. Carmen shrugged and grinned again. "I had my tech guy disable the cameras around. We're fine."

Julia plopped down on the couch, bringing a slightly pink Carmen down with her. "I see you've composed yourself." Julia teased. 

Carmen went pinker. "I've been.. practicing. Promised myself I wouldn't get flustered. Educated myself on flirting a little bit. Love your outfit by the way."

Julia looked down at the white tank top and wrinkled blue sweatpants she was wearing and smiled. "Yeah, you might need to find some other pickup lines." Julia kissed her cheek, and Carmen went as red as her beanie.

"I-well-" Carmen fluttered. "Do- food?" She blurted out. "Want me to make food?" 

Julia blinked. "So, cooking is another thing I can add to the list of talents you have?"

Carmen went, if possible, a little redder. "Well, actually, I set the kitchen on fire last time I cooked. But I can try-"

Julia patted her arm and looked at her. "Maybe we just have some leftover mac-n-cheese I have? I'll heat it up."

Carmen smiled, a little embarrassed looking. Julia got up (to Carmen's protests, even though the thief admitted that things tended to blow up in the microwave around her) to heat up the food. The agent's heart was fluttering a lot more than she let on. 

Oh my gosh. I'm flirting with Carmen Sandiego. And she's flirting back. And we were on the couch together. And we're having dinner. And Carmen was flustered by me! Me, of all people..

She pinched herself discreetly. Definitely awake. She put the mac-n-cheese in the microwave and started it, leaning against her countertop. Carmen was watching the news with her head slightly tilted as the reporter talked about some escaped convict.

They were playing footage of them escaping from the police, and Carmen was rooting them on. The convict and the police.

"Swerve, swerve! No, he's going to turn there, block him off- what did I say? Come on, are all police this incompetent? GO-"

She cut off abruptly, glancing back at Julia, who was grinning. Carmen went pink again. The microwave beeped, and Julia took out the mac-n-cheese. She sat down next to Carmen, handing her one of the bowls and a spoon.

"You like any movies?" Julia asked, getting closer to Carmen and leaning on her gently.

Carmen was red again, but she leaned back into Julia, snuggling down on the couch and trying the mac-n-cheese. "I don't watch a lot of movies. The first one I ever watched was Casablanca... the first place I ever went, travelling. Although, Zack and Ivy have been getting me to watch some Disney movies. Because....I'd never seen any.."

Julia munched on her mac-n-cheese for a moment. "Watched Tangled, ever?" Carmen shook her head. 

Julia grabbed the remote and found the movie. "I think you'll like it."

By the time the movie was over, it was completely dark outside. Carmen and Julia were snuggled under a blanket as Carmen had watched, mesmerized. Julia had been right. She'd loved the movie.

"I mean, thieves and romance and cute animals and funny and artsy?" Carmen gushed. "New favorite movie. New favorite! That was awesome."

Julia smooshed closer to her on the couch, savoring the feeling of the thief's warm skin against her slightly colder body. 

Carmen looked a little surprised still, but put her arm around Julia and hugged her closer, careful not to make her uncomfortable. She kicked off her shoes, and gently took Julia's glasses off her face. Slowly, their eyes got heavier, until they were both fast asleep.

Carmen woke up first, a natural early riser. Julia was curled in an adorable little ball next to her, her hair a little messy. Carmen blinked a little, then gently shook Julia.

The agent blinked, breathing in as she woke up and stretching, fighting to keep a wince off her face. She sat up a little, and Carmen handed her her glasses.

"Hey." Carmen said quietly, smiling. "Sleep well?"

Julia blinked and smiled sleepily. "Yeah....mm. I'm warm...I don't want to go to work.."

Carmen petted her head for a little bit, then leaned down and kissed her forehead. "C'mon, Jules...we gotta get up..." She said reluctantly.

Julia stretched again, wincing slightly, and got up. "Fine..do you have to go now?"

Carmen nodded sleepily, standing up. "I dare say we'll see each other soon, though."

Julia paused. "Wait- Carmen. ACME's planning to ambush you with...basically our entire force the next time we catch wind of where you are. Please...please be careful."

Carmen winked, looking a bit more awake now. "Thanks for the tipoff. You're a little spy now, hm?"

Julia smiled. "I like that." She kissed Carmen briefly on the lips (she turned red, again). "See you later then."

"Being careful applies to you too, Jules. Don't overexert yourself." 

She looked a little awkward. She gave Julia a little wave and smile and hopped out the window again.

Zack, Ivy, Shadow-san, and Player (electronically) were all there when Carmen got back, messy haired and pink faced. Yay.

"How was your night?" Ivy asked in a sly voice. Zack was raising his eyebrows at her and making an overly dramatic love-struck face.

Carmen shot them a glare and retreated into her bedroom, presumably to change. She was on the point of shutting the door, when she paused.

"It was nice." She muttered, going red.

Chapter Text

"Paper Star," Maelstrom said quietly, his voice more frozen than a Swedish winter, "Would you tell me the two rules of VILE?" His figure was ominous without his fellows.

The operative looked up at him. She had been expecting this since she had screwed up in France a couple weeks ago. They had received the report that the agent had lived, in addition to Sandiego getting away. Her normally insolent tone was subdued as she muttered, "Failure is forgivable, capture is not."

"And the other?"

Paper Star had known the answer he was looking for. 

"Leave no witnesses."

"Correct. And you.."

"Left witnesses." She growled.

"Indeed." He paused. "I need you to clean up those little spills."

The origamist realized he was using the plural and she cocked her head, the gleam back in her eye. "The entire point of my using that agent was to bring Black Sheep to you alive, Professor. Leverage."

He sighed with a little shake of his head. "I have been foolish, thinking we could get back our prize pupil. She does more damage than it is worth." The faculty member looked at her, eyes narrowed. "I did not tell my fellows of this. Keep it that way, if you please." His request held more venom than a snake. "Do not fail me again."

Paper Star smiled.

--

Audric Fournier had not seen Carmen since her flight from the fourth floor. He had, however, seen Julia, who had returned when she ripped out a few stitches.

"[When I said you could be fully healed in a couple weeks, I meant if you rested!]" He scolded her, scowling, before signing her in.

"[I rested for a few days!]" She shot back. Their arguing was not serious; they both knew it wasn't her fault.

"[You're supposed to go to the hospital first, Julia! Did you have anyone to take care of you, at least?"]

At that she had gone red and simply changed the subject.

Now at home, he frowned at his phone and typed the mysterious red woman's name into his phone's search engine on a whim.

International Thief Appears from the Blue- or, More Fittingly, the Red.

Young Thief Steals Millions From Locations Around the World

Carmen Sandiego Still at Large After Over a Year

Why you don't need to be afraid "Carmen Sandiego" will steal your shit!

What is the Government Doing?? An Investigation on the Woman in Red.

Audric raised an eyebrow. He had figured she was someone, but with all the secrecy on the agency Julia belonged to he hadn't expected quite so much on her.

He clicked on the first link and started reading. Article after article, fact and theorizing and conspiracy..

He copied the links, opened the thief's number, and sent them with a sentence: [Forbidden romance?]

For a second her end was quiet, then: [You sure you aren't an undercover cop, Fournier?]

He chuckled and typed, [No. Just that I can read the signs. And I don't think you just let Julia borrow your shade of lipstick in that room.]

The wanted superthief did not respond to that.

He smiled slightly. [If I read between the lines well enough, thanks for taking care of Julia after she hurt herself. I promise I won't say a word.]

It was a bit before she replied. [You better not...I will touch base later. Tell you a little more. But just know that I'm not exactly what I look like.]

[You mean red? Around Julia, I bet that's not true.]

A pause. [Oh buzz off, Audric. Or I'll come steal your shit and prove the article wrong. Lol.]

Audric turned off his phone with a small smile. Figures he'd somehow befriend an international superthief.

--

Julia was a spy.

ACME had no clue why Carmen's escapes had suddenly become much less narrow, or why sometimes she just wasn't where CrimeNET told them she would be.

Every time Julia sent Carmen a message on whatever ACME was doing next (translated into code once it sent, courtesy to the thief's mystery "tech guy") she felt so fulfilled and cool and really nervous, but in a good way. Julia had never so much as missed a homework assignment in school so this was a little scary.

You don't have to do this, Jules, Carmen reminded her often over text. They hadn't met in person since their little mac-n-cheese date.

But ACME didn't seem suspicious, so Julia kept relaying information. It felt good to be finally doing something she really believed in. And she knew she still could be an asset to ACME without going after Carmen.

Julia worked her butt off on everything else. VILE patterns, suspects in recent thefts that weren't her secret illegal girlfriend, security detailing. Weeks were flying by and soon she was fully healed, the scar on her chest the only physical reminder of the experience.

As soon as she could manage it, she had sent a team in to breach the fake museum she'd been in. She didn't remember where it was, but soon a helpful little map appeared in her text messages.

They were more prepared than ever to raid it, with Carmen secretly informing her on every detail, but when they got there it was cleared out and the vault was little more than a smoky ruin. That wasn't much of a surprise; Carmen had warned her this would probably be the case and, to be frank, the worse thing was seeing her own blood splattered around the outside.

The inside of ACME was not as collected as their operations. Some believed what Julia had told them, but some stayed obstinate that she was confused, that Carmen had clearly attacked her, and a passerby had driven her to the hospital. Apparently they thought Carmen, realizing she wasn't dead, had followed her to cover up the mistake.

It took Julia every ounce of willpower not to roll her eyes (or start yelling at her coworkers) every time this happened. It was really only the need to help Carmen keeping her in the workplace; the collective gaslighting was getting stressful.

Every day at the end of the day, though, Carmen was there, no matter what time zone she was in. They would tell each other about their days, and Julia could vent to her.

Devineaux, too, was proving to be a very good friend and ally. Somehow he always knew when it was getting to be too much, when it was too stressful or she was worried, or, when she was still healing, when she needed some painkillers. Then he'd be there to defend her or get her something from a local bakery.

Chief was not unaware about the split with Julia in the center, but the hologram could not be as involved; her agents somehow reached a collective agreement not to speak about it with her. Chief believed what she believed and though the agents who did not believe Julia often cited her, the workplace stayed professional.

--

A ping lit up on the dashboard of ACME, highlighted by CrimeNET, at the same time that Player caught wind.

VILE meeting in Paris. Abandoned warehouse in location below. Important.

The trail sent out, Paper Star smiled and waited.

Chapter Text

The thief wished she could say she wasn't out for revenge. 

But when she entered the old warehouse with the knowledge that Paper Star was inside, it was all she wanted.

Never mind that the warehouse was basically the perfect place for a trap, with poorly built rooms and hallways that stretched like a labyrinth, the unnecessary and unstable heavy metal beams probably ready to collapse at any moment.

Never mind that she knew ACME was going to be here tonight, and that her intel said only Paper Star was going to be present, and there was no plausible reason for the operative to be back here in France.

Paper Star had tried to murder Jules. She wanted her rotting in a cell. It was perfect that ACME would be here tonight.

Her eerie little tune was already echoing through the echoey hallways as Carmen made her way to the very center where she knew the origamist would be. Player had stopped trying to convince her not to go and simply warned her to be careful.

The rage she felt when she saw the operative was unlike anything she'd ever experienced.

"Black Sheep," Paper Star smiled, not looking up. She was far across the large room but her voice echoed clearly.

"You tried to kill Jules," Carmen snarled, her voice coming out much louder than she expected and echoing away through the halls. "I'm going to make sure you never see the sun again."

Were those footsteps nearby?

Paper Star smiled and stood from where she'd been sitting cross legged on the ground. "You can try, little lamb." She said softly, sidling under a hallway's shelter behind her and pulling something out of her pocket.

Carmen tensed.

She realized it was a remote when the doorway behind her exploded.

She was thrown forward with the force and landed heavily, not even bothering to check if the passage was closed. Paper Star was gone, but she wasn't done.

As the thief scrambled to her feet, hearing the ceiling rumble made her realize:

They aren't trying to catch me anymore.

"Its like a damn labyrinth in here." Zari muttered.

"Let us hope we do not meet a minotaur, then," Julia quipped, not really expecting a response. She wasn't disappointed.

Carmen would have gotten that.

Their footsteps pattered through the warehouse; was it the echo of them or others that they heard? VILE was scheduled to be here tonight. So was Carmen.

The voice that bounced to them then made them both stop. It was a voice Julia knew very, very well.

"You tried to kill Jules."

Zari and Julia barely glanced at each other before they tore down the hallway towards the voice.

"I'm going to make sure you never see the sun again!" 

Another voice, a whisper like a ghost, too quiet to make out, and then-

Zari stopped at the unmistakable noise of the explosion.

Julia didn't. 

"CARMEN!"

"Argent!" Zari yelled hoarsely, making herself move. "No!"

Julia was fast. Zari was faster.

When they reached the center building, they barely caught a glimpse of a panicked red figure trying ever so hopelessly to reach their door before the roof collapsed.

Julia didn't feel Zari holding her back. She just struggled. She had to get to Carmen. The image of her face, the look when she saw her and how she'd pushed herself and then disappeared under rubble and dust-

She was screaming Carmen's name. Someone else was, too. Faintly. But the dust was settling and there was no more noise.

"Carmen??!!" came the choked young voice. Julia wrested herself from Zari's grip and dove towards the voice where she knew Carmen's young friend was screaming in her ear. 

A red sleeve poked out of the debris.  No. A dust covered face, too. A face tight with agony.

"Carmen!" Julia choked, heaving rubble off of her. How did this happen?  Who had done this? Who needed to pay?

Carmen's fingers twitched and she shuddered in an agonized breath, her eyes squeezed shut, tears of pain leaking down her face.

"Carmen??" The voice from her earring sobbed again, loud enough to be heard this close.

"She's alive," came Zari's voice. When she'd started helping shift the rubble off, Julia didn't know. She was focused entirely on Carmen's face. She took her hand and squeezed it.

Carmen hissed out another breath and Julia saw her posture begin to slacken. "Keep her awake," came Zari's command, before Julia could say so. She knew. She grimaced as she slapped Carmen's face, as gently as she dared- which wasn't very gently.

"Stay awake, Carmen, st-stay awake," she sobbed, still shifting off bits of the exploded roof. Julia normally wasn't one to cry, or panic. This was different. Very different.

Julia was beginning to hope Carmen was going into shock from the experience, or the bruising that the looser, smaller debris had caused her on her torso.

She shouldn't have let herself.

A huge chunk of solid metal from who-knows-where had landed squarely on her hip and leg. She saw Zari pale slightly when they uncovered it. Julia turned her attention directly to getting it off.

"Carmen," she breathed, "I lived, you have to, for me, come on.." 

Carmen weakly squeezed her hand back and let out a small whimper. "That was stupid." She said, strained. "Trap."

Julia and Zari managed to get the twisted metal off of Carmen's leg and the thief groaned. 

"No falling asleep," Julia reminded her, voice cracking at the damage on her leg as she shifted the last of the rubble off. She turned her attention briefly to Zari, urgent. "The ambulance-"

"Already called." Zari said, crouching down. "Do not panic, Argent. For her."

"Keep talking to me, Carmen." Julia said firmly, trying to hide the shake in her voice. "Until the paramedics come."

Carmen inhaled shakily again. "Need to stay out of France," she muttered after a moment. "You should move."

Julia smiled weakly. 

"..Shit, this hurts." The thief said hazily. "And I went though VILE...interrogation training and everything."

Zari kept glancing back at her. Julia realized she was still on the phone with 911, ready to relay directions inside. Julia snapped her focus back.

"Talk to Player," Carmen said, still wincing, motioning at her earring, the stream of tears down her face not lessening. "He's worried."

Worried didn't really do justice to the hysterical sobbing Julia heard when she held the removed earring to her ear.

"Player." Julia's voice trembled. "She's alive. We've c-called an ambulance. We.."

Carmen glanced tightly up. "Tell him how bad. Tell me."

Julia looked at her again. 

Carmen winced, shifting, allowing a little muffled scream as she buried her face in her jacket sleeve for a moment.

"Her entire right leg and I- I think part of her hip are just- c-crushed." Julia got out.

She heard a gasp from Player and a sniffle. "I'm- keeping tabs on your ambulance. Should be there within a few minutes." He said shakily after a moment, clearly still crying.

Zari glanced over. Carmen's head, against the floor, was dropping. She barely saw Julia jump and start yelling at her to stay awake before she slipped into unconsciousness, the sound of sirens wailing like a lullaby, a relief from the agony.

Carmen regained consciousness and her first thought was, Huh. I'm not dead.

Why was she supposed to be dead, again?

She expected the pain to come racing back like it had many times, but this time it did not. She did not open her eyes.

A bed. A rhythmic beeping. Distant clatter.

Hospital.

Her eyes did not open easily. The memories were hesitant with them.

Explosion. The metal beam. Agony.

Player screaming, Julia screaming-

She immediately tried to raise her hand to her ear to check for her comm earring, but it was stopped by a cold chink of metal around her wrist.

Her eyes opened.

Her hospital room was small and trying to be bright, a mediocre shade keeping a lot of the light out. A whole host of things were attached to her arms- including handcuffs, linked to the bed. She shut her eyes and sighed.

She was startled by the voice that came from near the door.

"Welcome back, Sandiego."

The voice spoke words not unlike Chief's the last time she'd been injured, after Stockholm. She grimaced. The voice was not the hologram's..

"Agent Zari." The voice was a little quieter. "How are you feeling?"

Carmen blinked hazily. "Drugged up on pain meds." She said, words slightly slurred. She narrowed her eyes at nothing in particular, struggling to remember through the haze of pain clouding the memories.

"How long has it been?" She settled on finally. She registered the lump of a cast that was her leg suddenly, elevated in a sling.

"A few days. You were...not in good shape."

"Mmph. So not much changed since I passed out dramatically." Carmen said dryly. "'Cept the cuffs."

Zari looked slightly sympathetic. "We figured you could get out of just one. Not that you're going anywhere any time soon."

Carmen finally glanced at her. "Why are you being...decent? The few times we've met you've been pretty...hostile."

Zari frowned. "I'm not a bad person. Just dedicated to my work."

Carmen blinked. "I seem to remember something along the lines of Julia tripping and ripping out some stitches from her stab wound, followed by you saying something like..." She lowered her voice in an imitation of Zari. "What are you two doing, fooling around? You let her get away, you should have kept going and left your injured partner behind, Devineaux, Carmen's the number one priority, Julia, you hurt yourself because you like her!" She deadpanned. "Yada yada."

Zari was a little pink, looking embarrassed. "I get carried away. I...apologize. I admit I also did not trust you up until what happened at the warehouse."

"And you trust me now? Why?"

"You and Julia are clearly in love."

Carmen snorted, feeling a little loopy. "Got that right. You're actually the second person to randomly trust me because of the love in our eyes." Despite the thief's tone, she blushed a little. She hesitated. "By the way, where..?"

Zari grimaced. "Argent's been under surveillance. Unfortunately they think she's a spy. Not that I don't, but the rest of ACME...is a little concerned about the relaying of classified intel to a superthief."

Carmen sighed. "Shit. Our phones."

Zari made a little grumbling noise. "Haven't decoded them yet. Whoever did it is good. But the fact that she was in communication with you is...well...not good in and of itself."

Carmen dimly registered that she should be more suspicious before a very familiar purple-haired hospital worker came in. Audric stopped and they looked at each other for a second.

"[If its not one, its the other, huh?]" Carmen said with a little smile, the French not as polished as usual.

Audric's little smile barely appeared as his gaze travelled to her elevated leg. "[I guess so. Glad you guys keep getting attempted-murdered near me. Who else would you go to?]"

Carmen chuckled slightly, the smile dropping as Audric's face sobered again. Zari was watching carefully, able to follow along, just barely.

"[You seem very calm about this.]" Audric mentioned.

["I suspect its the pain meds. Otherwise I'd probably be screaming. But I really do want to know..."] She looked at him, hoping he'd get it.

Audric dipped his head slightly. ["Hopefully you will be able to walk again. If we're careful and lucky you could make a pretty good recovery."]

"[Pretty good?]"

"[You'll walk with a limp, for sure. Your hip was shattered along with your leg. You have a lot of metal in you now. Almost more than what landed on you.]" 

His smile was hesitant and faded quickly when Carmen did not smile with him, her gaze pinned instead to the cast. She took the news with a nod and nothing else.

Audric sighed. "[I'm sorry.]"

"[Its better than what I feared, actually. Hopefully I can.."] She trailed off. Her face creased with sadness. She picked up without finishing her last thought. ["I mean, at least it wasn't my skull that was shattered.]"

"If you hadn't been so fast, it would have been." Zari mentioned. 

Carmen didn't respond, her attention now snapped to the door. Audric and Zari turned too as a host of ACME agents filed in. Audric scowled along with Carmen.

Carmen's face immediately brightened, though, when she saw Julia in the middle of the agents. The freckled agent's face lit up and she tore away from the group, practically throwing herself onto Carmen.

"You're awake!"

"Ah! Jules!" Carmen said, grinning through a small wince. Her hands lifted to hug Julia back but were stopped by the cuffs; a brief scowl crossed her face before she settled on squeezing Julia's hand and leaning her face into her shoulder.

Julia sniffed, grinning. "Sorry. I'm just really glad you're not dead."

Carmen smiled back. "You wouldn't believe that I feel the same way."

The moment was shattered quickly.

"I hate to break up this little soiree," said a chilly voice, "but we have a few things to talk about." 

Chief was not on the pen this time. Carmen shouldn't have been surprised. They broke apart.

"Chief." Carmen said coldly.

"Glad to see you've healed from the last injury."

"Very funny." The thief replied, remembering the comparatively small wound she'd gotten on her arm from the knife fight. "You could be a little more sympathetic."

"You've been being fed classified intel by Ms. Argent here, which is highly illegal. Not to mention you're suspected for a count of attempted murder-"

"At least I get to live with the fact that I haven't actually killed anyone." Carmen interrupted with a snarl.

Chief went stock still and pinned her yellow gaze to Carmen's stony face. "You-"

"Yes, I knew the man you took the life of." Carmen said. 

"That was twenty years ago. That's...impossible. You're hardly that old."

"Come on, Chief, you're smarter than this."

The leader of ACME hesitated, thrown off. "Wolfe was..." Chief stared at her. "Your father..?"

"And bingo was his name-o," the thief said stonily. "Do you see why I haven't trusted you?"

Chief's mouth was slightly open. Carmen hadn't noticed that Julia was tightly gripping her hand. She squeezed back. The other ACME agents in the room had expressions varying from surprised to indifferent to fearful. 

Chief noticed. 

"I've regretted that accident from the moment it happened." Chief said. "I hope you know it was an accident."

"I understand why you did it." Carmen stated. "It does not change the fact that your doing so caused me to be raised an orphan, raised by VILE."

Chief shook her head. "What's past is past. What we need to focus on now is you two. Your little escapades and forbidden romance and whatever the hell else you've been doing. I understand that many of my agents think you tried to kill Julia and cover it up."

"[That's not true.]" Audric pitched in suddenly. Chief glanced sharply at him, clearly just noticing him. 

"[You can't be in here,]" she replied. Audric shook his head. 

"[Carmen would never try to hurt her. I saw her bring Julia into the hospital myself. I've rarely seen someone so distressed. You may ask my co-workers, or review security tapes. It was Carmen who brought her in and provided details.]"

A contemplative pause, then-

"I recognize you." One of the agents said. "You were here when Sandiego snuck back into Argent's hospital room. You were at the front desk. We assumed Sandiego was here to finish her off.."

"For the last time," Carmen hissed, "I am not trying to kill Jules. Do you think she would have hugged me like that if I had been trying to kill her? Or have saved me in the warehouse?"

Julia shook her head. "Carmen has never, ever tried to kill me. She saved my life."

Chief sneered. "Even so, you were raised by VILE and have stolen millions of euros worth of artifacts."

"And returned every one??" Carmen said. "Or donated the money to charities and such. I've only kept VILE's personal funds for myself, to afford a ba- plane tickets and whatever else I need for basics."

Carmen avoided mentioning her base; her team needed to stay safe and hidden if something happened.

Chief studied her, visibly getting slightly less tense. Julia seemed to wholeheartedly trust her, and her story did line up better than the rumors. "Then why on earth haven't you gone to us? We're an enormous agency, we could help you take VILE down."

"A number of reasons, the foremost being I don't trust you. You didn't trust Jules."

"I want the info on VILE." Chief said.

"Give Jules and I a full pardon and maybe I'll give it to you."

Chief frowned, glancing at Julia's hand, tightly holding Carmen's. The fight went out of her. "Even on meds you're a good negotiator, Sandiego. You'll both have your pardon."

Both young women smiled and the tenseness of the room vanished. Julia leaned into her and Carmen pressed back happily.

The thief grinned. "Now, get these cuffs off and lets get this party started."

As soon as Carmen gave them the all clear, the rest of Team Red came to visit her. Though they were, of course, very happy to see her alive and no longer being hunted by ACME, an unspoken question hovered over them like a dark cloud the whole time.

Would Carmen walk again?

They got their answer months later when Carmen took her first steps again. It wasn't long before she regained near the same mobility she'd had before the cave-in, though, as promised, she had a limp. Every step of the way Julia was by her side.

ACME had been helping Team Red with VILE's missions, able to thwart most of them, aided by Player and Carmen's extensive knowledge. But, they'd left one mission for Carmen and Julia alone.

Julia's shorter stride was like a harmony to Carmen's uneven one as they boarded the train, making their way down its snakey length.

"On a train again. I'm getting deja vu." Julia mentioned, laughing.

"Also with Paper Star. And swords. The coincidences are crazy."

Paper Star was transporting, of all things, the sword of Charles X, the sword that had started all of this. 

They reached their targeted car and stopped. 

"Ready to bring in a criminal?"

Their eyes both glittered with a vendetta. Neither had come out of their last experience with the origamist looking good. This time would be much, much different.

Carmen nodded and they slid open the door.

"Paper Star. I believe we have some unfinished business."

The origamist turned and smiled. "Then let me finish it." 

She pulled out two swords, copies of Charles X's and swung them around showily. Julia had no doubt they were just as sharp as the original.

"I do hope this won't be too easy...then again, I am going against Julius Caeser and Doyle Lonnegan."

Carmen and Julia glanced at each other and gave a slight smile. 

"Bring it."

To make a long story short, they annihilated Paper Star in the fight. The operative ended up pinned by the shoulder fabric of her jacket with two swords, unconscious from Julia's ACME gas.

Julia stared at her, a snort of laughter escaping her. "She was...impaled upon her own sword."

They couldn't keep straight faces.

It might have been the ridiculous sight of Paper Star's capture, or maybe the fact that they'd captured her to begin with. Maybe it was the fact that they knew they were still in danger and VILE was still out there, and they had to enjoy small victories while they could. They started laughing. Laughing until they were nearly crying.

Paper Star could never hurt them again.

The train pulled into the next station and they unloaded Paper Star  and Charles X's into ACME's waiting arms. The new Agent Fournier was among the group, and flashed them a grin. ["Glad to see neither of you came out maimed this time. We're pretty far from the hospital."]

They both laughed. Audric had, at Carmen and Julia's nudges, been recruited and trained for ACME. His keen eye made him a valuable agent, and he was friendly and got along well with everyone. He filled the position Julia had left well.

Didn't I mention Julia joined Team Red? 

Of course she did. This story wouldn't really be complete if she didn't.

It was at night Carmen and Julia were really and truly happy together. When there was nothing expected and VILE wasn't on the brain. Close at last with no consequences.

 Some days they might lay outside and trace the constellations, fingers stretched to the sky like they could touch the stars. Other days they would trace each other's scars, no longer a reminder of pain but of triumph. 

Every moment spent together was a treasure, hoarded like dragons to gold. With their jobs, who knew? Some days were worse, when VILE had a victory or someone got hurt.

On those days they still had each other, though, and Carmen would often be ready with a coffee or maybe just a question and her easy smile:

"This seat taken?"