Chapter Text
Black screen, then Carmen narrates the recap. Various events play out as she mentions them.
[Carmen, VO] My name… is Carmen Sandiego.
I guess you thought you heard the last of me. If I’m being honest, so did I. When ACME finally caught VILE two years ago, I thought I’d finally get to hang up my hat –which, to be fair, I did for a while. I finally met my mother, and spent most of my time helping her at her orphanage. I learned a lot about myself, about her, about my dad. Apparently, he had an amazing singing voice. Clearly that doesn’t run in the family. The ACME crew seems happy when I hand them the occasional VILE operative, so I assume it’s going well.
Everything’s been great, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t glad to hear that VILE was starting to make noise again. Not that I look forward to a secret criminal organization trying to make the world a worse place, but I’m not cut out for the family life; it’s just not who I am. I’m a thief who steals from thieves, and I will never give that up.
2 years later
Inside a fancy building at night. The lights are off, it’s closed for the night. A pair of black boots land in frame, then the red coat settles behind. Carmen stands and walks down the hallway.
[Carmen] You still with me, Player?
[Player, comms] Always.
[Carmen] Want to remind me what I’m looking for?
[Player, comms] Don’t tell me you forgot!
[Carmen] Of course not, I just know you love sharing fun facts.
[Player, comms] You got me there. You’re after a clay boar-shaped jar that dates back thousands of years! I gotta say, though, it’s a weird target for an escaped operative to pick. It’s not worth a whole lot.
[Carmen] Sentimental value?
[Player, comms] Right, like any VILE operative was around in 500 B.C.
[Gray, comms] Well whoever they are, they aren’t out here.
Cut to outside
Gray is outside of the museum, looking at a fuse box that has been smashed; wires haphazardly torn out.
He shakes his head.
[Gray] It hurts to look at.
Cut back inside
Carmen continues down the hallway, glancing into the display cases.
[Carmen] Not everyone has your passion for wires, Gray.
She stops and turns her attention to a nearby case.
[Carmen] I’ve found the boar, but it doesn’t look like anyone’s been here.
A large figure moves in the shadows to her right
[Unknown] Well well well, if it isn’t little Lambkins. Momma Bear’s missed you so much.
Carmen snaps right to face the voice
[Carmen, shocked] Coach Brunt?! I thought you were supposed to be in prison.
Coach Brunt walks slowly out of the shadows of a pillar. Carmen backs away.
[Brunt] Now you should know I’m not an easy one to keep locked up. Did you like my bait? I made it real convincing for you.
[Carmen, cautious] I take it you thought it was a bear vessel. Aren’t faculty not supposed to go on assignments?
[Brunt] Oh there’s no faculty, not anymore. Just you and me, and I ain’t letting you get away again.
[Carmen] What, like the past three times?
Coach Brunt charges at Carmen, throwing punches. Carmen dodges the first two, but the third connects, sending Carmen rolling. Before Coach Brunt can continue, Gray runs in, Crackle Rod in hand. He aims at Brunt.
[Gray] G’day Coach, it’s been a while.
Coach Brunt looks over her shoulder at him, hunched over
[Brunt] Oh good, Crackle’s here too. I take it you’ve finally gone red?
[Gray] It’s Gray.
Coach Brunt fully turns to face him, standing up straight. She laughs
[Brunt] I guess it’s my lucky day, I get to squash two traitors.
Coach Brunt charges at Gray. He tries to fire at her, but it doesn’t charge in time; he misses. Brunt shoulder checks him hard, knocking him against the wall. He collapses, but Carmen is back up. She comes from behind Brunt, jumps, and tries to kick Brunt, but she turns and catches Carmen’s leg in one hand and blocks her body with the other.
Slam
Coach Brunt throws Carmen to the ground, breaking several bones. Carmen gasps and doesn’t get up.
Brunt towers over her.
[Brunt, mockingly] You’ve gotten slow, Black Sheep. Did you forget everything I taught you?
Carmen is still on the floor, wheezing; her eyes not focusing on anything specific. Coach grabs her by the collar and hoists her up with one hand. Carmen weakly tries to hold onto Brunt’s wrist.
Cut to gray
Gray is still slumped against the wall where Coach Brunt left him.
[Player, comms, to Gray, panicked] I called the police, but they won’t get there soon enough. You have to buy her some more time!
[Gray, hoarse] Right…
Gray struggles to his feet. His right shoulder is broken, and he can’t move his arm. He staggers towards Brunt with the Rod in his left hand.
cut back to Carmen
[Brunt] Mama Bear’s finally gonna sleep easy tonight.
ZAP
Gray jabs Coach Brunt in the back with the Crackle Rod; green lightning arcs everywhere. Brunt convulses backward but is still standing. She slowly, shakily twists toward Gray. He turns the dial up and the electricity gets stronger. The room is lit up green. Coach Brunt finally drops Carmen and convulses harder before she falls on her side. Gray drops the rod and collapses by Carmen. Sirens get louder and police lights shine through the window.
Cut to black
Scene change
Establishing shot of Seattle, then inside the cafeteria at ACME headquarters. Several agents are milling about with trays, and two are sitting at a table eating lunch: it’s Zack and Ivy. Zack is eating a meatball sub, and Ivy has an empty tray in front of her. Their pens both ring, and Ivy answers, tossing hers to the floor. Chief appears between them.
[Chief] Agents: sorry to interrupt your lunch but we’ve just received news about activity in Poland, I think it’ll be of interest to you.
[Ivy] What is it, Chief?
[Chief] Two arrests were made after a failed break-in at the Kraków National Museum. The apprehended were described as badly injured and were sent to the local hospital. The first: an adult male, aged late 20s, had a broken shoulder and a few cracked ribs. The second: an adult woman, aged mid 20s with several broken ribs, a broken clavicle, a concussion, and a shattered femur.
Zack gulps. He wishes he was eating a more serious sandwich.
[Zack] That sounds awful.
[Chief, gravely] It gets worse. A red fedora was found at the scene of the crime.
[Zack + Ivy] Carm!
[Chief] That’s my guess. Agent Devineaux and Agent Zari are both on assignment elsewhere, so you’ll be going alone. Transportation has already been arranged; your flight to Kraków leaves in 30 minutes.
Scene change
Open in the hospital in Kraków
Gray is in a hospital bed with his shoulder in a cast and his arm in a sling. A nurse lets Zack and Ivy in when they flash their ACME cards. They recognize Gray, but he’s only briefly seen them, so he barely recognizes them.
Zack flushes with anger when he sees Gray.
[Zack] YOU! What did you do to Carm?!
Zack tries to attack Gray, but Ivy lifts him up to hold him back. Zack struggles, but she doesn’t let go.
[Ivy] Calm down bro, if he hurt Carm then why is he still here with her? [to Gray] Why are you here, anyway?
[Gray, offended] I saved her life! Without me, she wouldn’t even be here! Why are a bunch of bluecoats here?
[Zack, still mad] Cause we’re here family, that’s why!
Gray finally realizes who they are
[Gray] Ohh, you must be Zack and Ivy! It’s nice to finally meet you.
[Ivy, defensive for Carmen’s sake] Yeah, and you’re Graham the double-crosser!
[Gray] It’s Gray, and you’ve got it wrong: I’m on your side for real this time! Carmen, Player, and I have been working to round up the remaining VILE operatives. Coach Brunt attacked us, and now we’re here.
Ivy puts Zack down; he doesn’t try to attack Gray this time.
[Ivy] I thought Coach Brunt was in prison.
[Gray] She was. Clearly, she broke out. We walked right into her trap.
[Zack] Is Carm ok?
[Gray] She’s right over there.
Gray points with his un-broken arm towards the curtain dividing the room.
[Gray] She got in after I did, she got hurt pretty badly.
Zack and Ivy gently pull back the curtain. Carmen is asleep in the bed: her right leg suspended with a cast, her chest in a cast, and bandages on her fully shaved head. Ivy notices her head.
[Ivy] Oh, she is not gonna be happy about that
Hold on Carmen, then:
Intro plays
The scene opens on Juniper Street Prison: where all of VILE is being held. It’s a large prison in a grassy and warm environment. There’s a men’s and women’s wing, but both are connected at the entrance and share a fenced outdoor yard. Supermax is isolated entirely and contains all of the Faculty.
Inside the cafeteria, Paper Star is sitting alone at a table with a tray in front of her. The food is unsurprisingly gross.
Tigress sits down across from her.
[Paper Star] Go away.
[Tigress] Ooh, you might want to try again– [leans in and lowers her voice] –because I’m getting out of here.
[Paper Star, unimpressed] Uh huh. And how are you gonna do that?
[Tigress] We have a plan.
[Paper star] So it’s we now?
[Tigress, begrudgingly] Me and some other operatives worked out a plan, but it won’t work without you. Nobody can make weapons out of nothing like you can.
[Paper Star] I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I don’t have any paper. No books, no napkins, they don’t even let me have toilet paper.
Paper Star grimaces.
[Tigress] Like I said, we’ve got a plan, but we need to know that you’re in.
[Paper Star] And what if I don’t join your little club? Sounds like you need me.
[Tigress] Then none of use get what we want, and you keep living without toilet paper.
[Paper Star] Ugh. Fine. What’s the plan?
[Tigress] We can’t talk about this here, meet me in the greenhouse at 3.
Tigress leaves. Her tray is still there with a napkin on it. Paper Star smiles a little and slowly reaches for it, but a guard takes it from her. She pouts.
Scene Change
The greenhouse
In the far corner of the outdoor yard is a small old greenhouse. Paper Star knocks on the door, and Dash Haber cracks it open.
[Dash Haber, whispering] What’s the password?
[Tigress] Oh shut up, she’s with us.
Dash Haber scoffs and lets her in. He closes the door before he speaks.
[Dash Haber] Well excuse me for being careful. I don’t want my one ticket out of here to get wasted by sloppiness.
The greenhouse is cramped and dirty, clearly unused. In it is Dash Haber, Tigress, Paper Star, and Neal the Eel.
[Paper Star, disgusted] The Eel is here?
[Dash Haber] He’s all we’ve got. [to Neal] No offense.
[Neal, cheerily] No worries mate! Slips right off me.
[Paper Star] So what’s this great plan of yours?
Tigress leans in to form a huddle
[Tigress] For whatever reason, the guards kept all our gear locked up in a storage room right here in the main wing. We get in, get our stuff, and get out. Simple.
[Paper Star] And just how are we supposed to do that? Are you gonna give the guards kitty eyes and say pretty please and hope they’re nice enough to let you in?
[Tigress] Dash?
Dash hands Paper Star a book. She gasps loudly and hugs the book tightly.
[Dash Haber] I got assigned work in the library, there’s plenty more where that came from
Paper Star is already ripping pages out.
[Tigress] Questions?
Paper Star stops ripping pages and looks back up.
[Paper Star] What’s the mime doing here?
[Tigress] He’s the mastermind.
Mime Bomb looks smug.
[Tigress] So we’re all ready then?
Everyone nods
[Tigress] Tomorrow at sunrise, we get out of this dump.
Scene change
Kraków
Back in the hospital room, some time has passed since we last saw them. Carmen is awake and some of her bandages are off, specifically ones on her head. We can now see that her hair’s been shaved short. She’s bored, staring idly at the ceiling. Gray is in a chair doing a crossword puzzle. A nurse knocks on their doorway.
[Nurse] You two have visitors.
Zack and Ivy walk in, a little nervous to see Carmen hopefully awake this time. Zack is holding a huge bouquet of red flowers. When they see that Carmen is awake, they run up to her and hug her. She yelps.
[Carmen, pained] Guys, ribs!
[Zack + Ivy] Oh, right.
They let her go and step back.
[Ivy] We’re so glad you’re ok! We missed you so much!
[Zack] We brought flowers!
He places the giant bouquet on the table.
[Gray, jealously, to himself mostly] Nobody ever brings me flowers.
[Carmen] That’s because nobody sells gray flowers. [to Zack + Ivy] Nice suits, I take it the ACME job is going well.
[Zack] Being a secret agent is wicked awesome, but I kinda miss bein on Team Red.
[Ivy] Me too! I like bustin bad guys as much as anyone else, but it’s just not the same without you.
[Carmen] Honestly, I feel the same; I’ve missed you two so much. [whispering to Zack + Ivy] Plus, Gray’s post-caper food picks are terrible.
[Gray, defensive] Hey! Not many places are open at 3 a.m.!
[Zack] You just don’t know where to look.
Carmen’s smile fades
[Carmen, guiltily] I’m sorry for leaving so suddenly; I didn’t’ even really say goodbye. We’re family, I should’ve told you what was going on.
[Zack] It’s ok Carm.
[Carmen] Is it? When Coach was beating me senseless, all I could think about was what if I never see you two again. I don’t ever want to be in that situation again.
The heartfelt moment is interrupted by a ringing from Zack and Ivy’s pens. Zack clicks his first and Chief appears.
[Chief] Red alert agents! There is an ongoing breakout at Juniper Street Prison, we have reason to believe that–
Chief notices that Carmen is awake.
[Chief] Carmen Sandiego! Glad to see you’re making a speedy recovery.
Carmen broadly gestures at her broken leg.
[Carmen] Well, I wouldn’t call it speedy.
[Ivy] Forgive me for interrupting, but what’s this about a prison break? Am I the only one worried about that?
[Chief] Of course not, but local law enforcement is already doing what they can, and I’ve directed local ACME agents to provide support. You two are much too far away to help now so I’m just giving you a heads-up. Since the breakout seems to be mainly VILE operatives, we have reason to believe that Ms. Sandiego is going to be a target. You two are hereby assigned as her security detail until she gets back on her feet, understood?
[Zack + Ivy] Yes, Chief.
[Chief] As for you, Ms. Sandiego, I need you to make a full recovery if you’re going to help us take VILE down all over again. And by the way, the hair is a good look. Chief out.
Chief disappears and the pen falls over. Carmen looks sad.
[Carmen] I should’ve known; VILE doesn’t rest. Now they’re reforming, and I can’t even do anything to help.
[Ivy] You will. I know you got what it takes to take VILE down all over again, you just gotta recover first. [excited] But you know what that means?
[Zack + Ivy] We’re getting the team back together!
They high-five.
[Zack] What about Shadowsan?
[Carmen] Shadowsan is retired and living with his brother. He finally has the family he lost; I don’t want to drag him away from it again.
[Ivy] But you know Shadowsan would eb worried sick if he found out you needed his help. Besides, Carm, we’re his family too. He deserves to know.
[Carmen, reluctant] You’re right. I don’t know if I can handle him seeing me like this though.
[Gray] Am I gonna see Shadowsan again? That’ll be weird.
[Carmen] First time since VILE? I’m sure he’ll be glad to see that you’re one of the good guys now. But if we’re going to do this I’ll need to be at the top of my game. [to Gray] Pass me a crossword, I’ve got a lot of healing to do and I might as well make the most of it.
Scene change
Inside a small diner
The diner is in the town nearest to the prison. The VILE gang is all there, wearing different clothes to keep a disguise. All five are sitting at a table in the emptiest corner. Mime Bomb is putting his makeup back on, Dash Haber is sitting daintily, disgusted by the food.
[Tigress, to Mime Bomb] So what now?
Mime Bomb shrugs and continues to put on his makeup.
[Tigress] You don’t know? I thought you were supposed to be the mastermind!
[Neal] If I may suggest–
[Tigress, snarling] Can it, Eel!
[Paper star] Well this as going about how I expected. You four can have fun on your own, I’m leaving.
[Tigress] You can’t just leave!
[Paper Star] Why not? VILE doesn’t exist anymore! Do you have plans? Last I checked we were following a mime!
Tigress stammers, embarrassed
[Neal] Why don’t we just make our own VILE?
Everyone stops and looks at Neal.
[Dash Haber, confused] Make our own VILE? How? Who would be the faculty?
[Neal] Us! We’ve all been ‘round the block, we’re good at what we do!
[Paper Star] And what, exactly, would we do?
[Neal] Steal things! Anything we want!
Tigress leans back in her chair, arms crossed.
[Tigress] The Eel’s got a point.
[Paper Star] Well unlike you I don’t dream about sitting in a chair. I’m a field agent.
[Neal] I never said we had to be exactly like they were. We’re the new faculty, we make the rules.
[Dash Haber] There’s only five of us, though. How are we supposed to do this without any operatives?
[Tigress, plotting] We can train new recruits. We can re-open VILE academy.
[Dash Haber] You really think this’ll work?
[Neal] We’ll need a headquarters.
[Dash Haber] What about ACME? And Carmen?
[Tigress] We can deal with her.
[Dash Haber, off to the side] We haven’t before.
[Tigress] We weren’t in charge before. I’ve had her dead to rights, but the Faculty always called me off. They were soft, we won’t be.
[Paper Star] So we find her and get rid of her first.
[Dash Haber] No, too obvious. She’ll definitely be on guard if she heard VILE operatives escaped, she’ll be too ready for an attack. We need to lay low and hope they think we just ran. It works in our favor; we can start small and build the academy while we hide.
[Tigress] I guess we should put it to vote. All in favor?
Tigress raises her hand, followed by Neal and Dash Haber. Paper Star pauses but raises her hand. Everyone looks to Mime Bomb, who just finished putting on his makeup. He raises his hand and grins sinisterly.
[Tigress] So it’s settled then. We start our own VILE.
A waitress walks in and asks if she can get anyone anything else. Neal holds up his glass and smiles.
Scene Change
2 months later
Carmen has been discharged and is staying in a hotel in an unknown location. Carmen is looking much more herself, and her hair is now a short bob. She has even less bandages, but her leg is still in a cast and a crutch is leaning against her chair. Gray is gone, he left the hospital first and went his own way. Carmen is playing checkers with Ivy; Zack is watching TV. Neither of them are in their suits.
[Zack] Your hair grows freaky fast, Carm.
[Carmen] How do you think it got so long in the first place?
A pause, then a knock at the door. Carmen grabs her crutch and starts to stand.
[Carmen] I’ll get it.
Ivy jumps up and stops her.
[Ivy] Woah Carm, remember the protocol?
[Carmen, pouting] I can walk.
Carmen reluctantly sits back down as Ivy goes to answer the door.
[Ivy] Uh huh, and what if there’s a VILE operative at the door?
Ivy checks through the peephole, then quickly opens the door. Shadowsan is standing in the hallway with his signature serious expression, but it quickly turns to concern when he sees Carmen.
[Carmen, surprised] Shadowsan!
Zack and Ivy don’t say a word. Shadowsan silently walks up to her, then kneels to her level and hugs her tightly. Carmen winces, but he doesn’t stop. He then stands back up and bonks her on the head with the back of his hand.
[Shadowsan, sternly] I told you to call me.
[Carmen, quietly] I didn’t want to worry you.
[Shadowsan] And yet you did a spectacular job at it. Player called me three days ago; you did not feel it was necessary to tell me that you had been hospitalized months ago?
[Carmen] You were finally living with your brother, I wanted to let you have the normal life you deserve!
[Shadowsan] Carmen, my past will always stay with me; I will never have a normal life. You are just as important to me as my brother.
[Carmen] But you retired!
[Shadowsan] I did not retire from you.
Carmen is silent, she knows he’s right.
Shadowsan pulls up a seat and sits.
[Shadowsan] We have much to catch up on.
The day passes as they share stories. It’s now sunset.
[Shadowsan] I see. So, Coach Brunt has made her escape. It will not be long before others follow, if they haven’t already.
[Carmen] I still don’t know how ACME lost her, she’s not exactly the stealthiest.
[Shadowsan] Underestimating Coach Brunt is one of the deadliest mistakes a person can make. She knows how she is seen, and she uses it to her advantage. Though sometimes she does fall to expectations.
[Carmen] She baited me and Gray perfectly; we had no idea it was her. But Player has been monitoring the usual VILE channels since the break-out. He hasn’t heard anything.
[Zack] Neither has ACME. If VILE is planning something, they’re doing it really well.
[Shadowsan] I fear VILE may be under newer, more cunning leadership; the likes of which we have never seen before.
Quick cut to the new VILE HQ
It’s nothing more than a dark, old, worn-down warehouse in the outskirts of Detroit, Michigan. It’s leaking, and there are puddles everywhere. A single hanging light illuminates a small card table, around which the VILE crew sits on stools. It’s chilly, Paper Star is hugging herself to try to keep warm. Dash Haber has his head down on the table, Tigress is leaning back with her arms crossed, and Neal is not there.
[Paper Star, mocking and disgusted] “Let’s make our own VILE. What a great idea that’ll be.” I can’t believe I agreed to this.
[Dash Haber, miserable] Just take me back to prison, I can’t handle it here.
[Tigress, hostile] That Eel better hurry up and get back with the goods before I lose it.
Neal enters the warehouse holding a thin rectangle wrapped in paper under his arm.
[Tigress] Right on cue. Did you get something good?
[Neal] I sure hope so, but good ol Dash Haber will be the judge of that.
Neal unwraps the parcel. It’s a stolen painting. Dash Haber looks up, still basically face down on the table.
[Dash Haber] Eh.
He puts his head back down.
[Tigress, aggressive] What do you mean eh? Is it worth anything or not?
[Dash Haber] $10,000. Not great, but it’s better than nothing, I guess.
Tigress slaps him on the back of the head
[Tigress] You numbskull! $10,000 is not eh! That’ll be enough to start fixing up this junk heap! It was your idea to start small, you know. Go do whatever it is you usually did for Cleo.
[Dash Haber] Countess Cleo’s buyers would never stoop so low.
[Tigress] Then find different buyers, just do something!
Dash Haber begrudgingly gets up and takes the painting from Neal before tipping his hat and walking out.
[Tigress, forced, but somewhat sincere] Oh, and Neal. [pause] Good work.
Neal beams, proud.
[Neal] Toodle-oo!
He walks off to another part of the warehouse.
[Paper Star, sarcastic] Kitty cat’s taking charge.
[Tigress] Well at least someone’s doing something useful.
[Paper Star] Don’t cry about me not helping. You voted not to send me.
[Tigress] Oh, I’m sorry, I just thought we should be doing this with some amount of stealth, rather than making national television.
Paper Star scoffs, gets up, and walks away. Tigress sighs, and Mime Bomb gestures an umbrella under the drips.
Scene Change
Oxford university
Inside an auditorium, Julia Argent is leading a lecture on ancient cultures.
[Julia] …and that’s where we’ll be leaving today’s class. Don’t forget you have a quiz on Thursday, and your discussion assignment is due today before midnight!
The crowd of students are leaving, talking amongst themselves. She’s gathering her papers, but when she turns around, she sees Carmen sitting in the back with a crutch in the seat next to her. She gasps and drops some of her papers, which 2 remaining students help her pick back up. She thanks them as they leave, and when she stands up Carmen is right in front of her.
[Carmen] Hey Jules, it’s been a while.
[Julia] I was getting worried since I stopped seeing you at my lectures.
Julia notices Carmen’s leg.
[Julia, concerned] Are you alright? What happened?
[Carmen] I’m much better now. Got time to chat?
[Julia] Not in here, another class starts in 7 minutes. But it’s a lovely day and I know a good spot outside.
Cut to outside, in the quad
Julia and Carmen are sitting on a bench under a leafy tree. College stuff is going on around them.
[Carmen] So anyway that’s been my past 5 months. I’m sorry I didn’t reach out sooner, but it’s been hard to get around with this.
She gestures broadly to her leg.
[Carmen] Plus, funds have been running low since we busted VILE, so it was harder to get a plane than usual.
[Julia] You could’ve called, you know.
[Carmen] I know, but I wanted to see you in person. Plus, you know how I am with things like that. I didn’t even tell Shadowsan.
[Julia, shocked] You mean he still doesn’t know?
[Carmen] Oh, he knows; Player told him. I just don’t want people to worry about me.
[Julia] Well people are going to worry about you whether you like it or not. That’s just what happens when people care about you.
Carmen smiles at that.
[Julia] But what are you going to do about VILE?
[Carmen] I’m not sure. For now, nothing. We don’t know really anything about them, plus I’m in no shape for capers, let alone a fight. I can’t help but notice that my favorite ACME agent quit, though. When did that happen?
[Julia] A little over a year ago. Being an agent was fun, but my real passion has always been in history. When VILE was dismantled and you disappeared, working for ACME lost its spark, so to say.
[Carmen] Well you don’t have to worry about that for much longer. VILE has been making their reappearances and it’s about time I do too. Would you consider rejoining? I’d feel a lot better knowing there was someone there that I can trust. Other than Zack and Ivy, of course.
[Julia] You can trust Agent Devineaux.
Carmen laughs.
[Carmen] Not with a car.
[Julia] I don’t think I can go back, being an agent isn’t really my style.
[Carmen] Shame, the suit was a good look for you.
[Julia, smugly] Besides, I just got my PhD, it would a waste to leave now.
Carmen gasps, happy for her.
[Carmen] You got it? Jules, that’s amazing! Or wait, do I have to say Dr. Jules now?
[Julia, sweetly] Just Jules is fine.
[Carmen] Good, Dr. Jules just doesn’t have the same ring to it.
With a little struggle, Carmen gets up.
[Carmen] It was great seeing you as always, Jules.
[Julia, surprised and a touch disappointed] You’re leaving so soon?
[Carmen] I’ve got a plane to catch. Player isn’t as good at scheduling for economy class.
Scene Change
Team Red HQ
A taxi pulls up outside the warehouse and Carmen steps out. Inside, Zack, Ivy, and Shadowsan are all dusting and cleaning the main room. Everyone notices her walking in, and Zack and Ivy drop what they’re doing and run up to her.
[Zack + Ivy] Carm!
They go to hug her, but pause, remembering that it hurt last time.
[Carmen] No, it’s ok. I can take it.
She puts her arms out, leaning on the crutch. They hug her tightly; she makes a pained face, but she tries to hide it as she hugs them back. Shadowsan smiles.
[Carmen] Alright gang, let’s turn this place back into a home.
Credits