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Carmen seemed dead to the world.
Her normally rosy skin was not rosy.
She shivered every once in a while.
Zack tucked her in a woollen blanket.
She grumbled and he felt concerned.
“Bro. We just gotta let her rest.”
He turned to his sister who was placing an oven into the room.
She had her sleeves hoisted up and muck on her face.
“I know Ivy but I’m concerned. Just… look at her. Shadowsans of on missions. We need someone else to help take care of Carm so we can fix up the HQ.”
She sighed and pulled of her spanner.
“Who else? We’re the only family we got, you me and Carm. We’re the sandiagos.”
Zack held carmens hand sighing.
“She’s like a sister to both of us. What are we gonna do. If she…”
He shuddered.
“I’m to anxious to even eat.”
Ivy have her brother a hug.
“If that happens… We’ll take down Vile anyway. In her image.”
The two gingernuts carried on with fixing of the head quaters.
It had been divided into a big living room, kitchen.
4 bedrooms.
A gym with equipment all of them could use.
A dojo set up for Shadowsan.
Zacks room was all Boston themed, he had a bed and a stinky wash basket. A closet full of the same clothes.
Ivys room had a desk for inventing in, a bed and was neat and tidy.
Weights by her bed to lift aswell.
Carmen had her own space, which was red and had photos from all her favourite places on the walls.
Shadowsans room was more Japanese core, very neat with a bed roll in the middle.
The group has tried to make it all home like for everyone.
The spare room sat empty for a bit.
The two had an idea it would be Players room.
Just how would he even get here?
Was he even old enough?
Zack and Ivy didn’t really know a lot about the hacker.
He was more secretive than Carmen.
He lived with his parents still.
The group knew he had a connection to Carmen.
One that was strong.
She talked about how they’ve known each other since she was on vile.
So years then.
7 years to be exact.
The ginger twins thought reluctantly back to when they first met Carmen.
Last thing they expected in a Boston donut shop was a red clothes menace and a boat load of cash.
Since then they’ve been inseparable from Carmen. Growing to learn about Player, he didn’t share his name with them for safety reasons, Zack gathered which was fair enough.
He seemed like a good man.
Around 17-18 now.
His height did nothing to help but that was because he stayed in his room a lottt of the time.
All the while Carmen laid on the sofa regaining warmth but not much else.
They had asked Player to do some research and his tips had helped a lot to keeping Carmen in good health from hyperthermia.
The last thing The crew expected was a certain someone to turn up outside th door.
It came as a loud knock.
Zack jumped behind the sofa and grabbed a shoe.
Ivy rolled her eyes at her brother.
“It’s probaly a post man. Vile could never find out about this place. You think with your stomach more than you brain you know.”
She walked over to the entrance doors and opened it a crack.
“Is this the San Diego residence?”
“Who’s asking?”
The door was hoisted open now and Ivy stared down at the 5 foot 5 inches bloke in the doorway.
He felt familiar.
It took her brain a second to reboot.
She’d never actually met the guy in person before.
“Player? But your… here.”
She poked his arm to be sure.
He had nerd arms which looked twig like compared to her and Zacks muscles.
“Yes.”, He snapped annoyed at her groping.
“I’m here to see Carmen. I said I was going on a field trip for the last year of school. So where is she.”
Ivy stepped out the way flabbergasted.
He was handsomer than she expected.
Zack threw a shoe at him and tackled him to the floor.
“You leave Carmen alone you operative!!”
“Zack it’s me!”
Zack blinked and gave player room to breath.
“Jesus sorry mate.”
Player laughed a little as Zack helped him up.
“What is it with you gingers and not recognising me or my voice?”
He trailed of as he saw the sleepless form of Carmen.
“Anything?”
“Not really.”
He touched her face and retreated.
“I’ve never seen her this way before. It’s.. horrible.”
The twins looked at each other and then player.
“What?”
They put a kettle on and ordered a pizza.
“Your just… here.”
Player gave a shrug and ate a slice.
He was sat next to Carmen, hand on her hip.
“It felt like a special occasion. We almost lost Red. Luckily we didn’t. Still.”
The ginger twins sat on the other side on the other sofa watching player.
“So… who are you.”
“Zack!”, Ivy smacked his shoulder.
“What? You were thinking it.”
Player have a chuckle.
“My names Peter smith. I have a small family in Ontario. Me my mum, dad and sister. I met Carmen when I was 12. We became friends and.. yeah. Now I work with you guys to take down Vile.”
He was blushing.
Zack and Ivy just glanced at him and Carmen.
His hand on Carmens hip.
“Did you two… screw?”
“What? Me and Carm- you think-“
Ivy gave him a stare.
“She stayed with you for a couple days. We heard nothing. Plus Carm had hickeys on her, I saw them when she was getting changed.”
Player shrugged.
“Ok it’s true. We didn’t screw as you put it we’re waiting till after Viles you know. Gone. Just don’t annoy Carm about it.”
The twins high fived and laughed.
The group stared at each other after that.
Eating awkwardly.
Zack wondering how pizza could taste so good.
Ivy feeling envious and single.
“Wanna play Uno?”
San Diego was big but player couldn’t think of leaving and exploring it.
He helped the twins make carmens room all good.
Made a soup for her to eat once she woke.
He was glad when Shadowsan returned from a caper.
Another job Carmen didn’t have to worry about.
He really had stepped up and helped out.
Player found he respected Shadowsan after all this.
“Oh. Young player San. Good evening. Bit of a surprise to see you in the flesh.”
He bowed.
Then player bowed awkwardly.
“Chicken soup?”
Player handed shadowsan a bowl.
“Family secret recipe, Carmens favourite. I can’t stay long, only another night but.. yeah. I hope my presence can help.”
Shadowsan sat down across from Carmen eating his soup.
He looked exhausted.
“It is strange seeing you here PlayerSan. Normally your in a small screen.”
“I guess. You can rest for a bit Shadowsan. You look tired.”
He gave a smile.
“Arigato. I will rest here now.”
He placed his finished bowl on the floor and pulled a blanket up.
Falling into a deep sleep.
The twins stared annoyingly at Player.
“Where are we gonna sit now? Carmens there and Shadowsans on the other sofa.”
Player shrugged.
“I got something to show you guys anyway for a minute.”
He led them to his spare room opening a plastic box up.
Player smiled and showed a box of his latest diary entry’s.
“I started doing them again so I could remember every mission we completed together.”
Ivy traced the paper and smiled at the memorys.
“Nice.”
Zack gave a laugh.
“That a bit sad player. Who has diary’s nowadays.”
Player gave his a glare.
“Shut up. It helps me.”
Ivy gave her brother a glare.
“Don’t be mean to him. He’s helped us in sticky situations a lot bro.”
Zack flushed with guilt.
Helping him pack up the diary’s.
“Sorry Player.”
“I thought we could look though them. See how much times gone by. When Red met you she didn’t have any gadgets. It took you a couple weeks to get them right didn’t it Ivy.”
He threw a diary that had photos and documents about all of Ivys experiments.
She gave a light chuckle.
“Practise makes perfect.”
Zack sighed bored.
“All the food you guys tried I marked down. What you liked and didn’t like.”
In red under Zacks name was no fish he hates it.
Zack began to look through the food journal and smiled to himself.
Ivy the tech journal.
Player began to wonder through the actual content of the missions.
He wrote more for Carmen than the others.
Sometimes he doodled her face from memory.
He imagined her returning to his room and kissing and hugging him.
Sometimes he’d call Carmen up just to hear her voice.
Red was lucky.
She had Zack and Ivy to keep her company.
Player didn’t really have anyone.
Especially since he was beginning to pack for university next year.
But he couldn’t think about that right now.
He stopped and stared down at the pages and felt sick.
Carmen still hadn’t woken up.
He’d tried to stay positive but it stabbed his heart like shards of ice.
Maybe she’ll be fine.
Maybe she could wake up with memory loss?
He ran a hand across his face sighing.
“Reds the centre of all of this. What are we gonna do if she dies.”
Zack gave him a hug.
“That won’t happen mate.”
He sighed and rested on the older blokes shoulder.
“I’m… I really want her to wake up soon. I miss her smile. Her laugh. It hurts. It’s been over a week now and she’s just lying there.”
Ivy joined the hug.
“We feel the same Player. We feel the same.”
~~~
The morning came shortly.
Player had cuddled Carmen all night and kept her nice and warm on his chest.
She was sleeping soundly.
He kissed her forehead and smiled.
Shadowsan smiled.
“So you are not a child then.”
He began eating a bowl of porridge and researching on the main laptop a next caper to go on.
“No. I’m 18. I’m just really short. Forgive my genetics.”
He gave a hoarse laugh, staring at the two bedroom doors across the room.
“Those two won’t be up until 11.”
Player helped himself to a coffee and porridge assuming position next to shadow San.
The older man had researched a place in Belgium.
“You think there gonna strike there?”
He gulped down his breakfast, “Mm. Something about a drop off. This wasn’t really my place in Vile. I never really dealt with money making scemes more, assassinations and teaching, the odd steal aswell. I didn’t do a lot as I was always trying to plan my way out you see.”
The mouse on the screen clicked on images of mountains.
Huge white spears and the skiing areas around it.
Player had gotten halfway through his bowl by now and his coffee was filled with sugar and frothy milk.
He helped Shadowsan figure out precise coordinates.
Shadow San gave him a pat once he was done and a well done.
“You are a good coder. I can’t fathom how. All I know is, if you hadn’t met Carmen she would be another cog in Viles machine. One of the best. I regret failing her without explaining my reasons. But how could I tell a 14 year old, “oh by the way this island is home to villains wanted all over the world and we’re training you to steal for our nefarious scemes.” She’d have laughed it off. She always has been unruly. Even now. She’ll be up and again in no time.”
Carmen groaned in her sleep and played rested a hand on her forehead.
“She feels warmer. That’s good.”
Shadowsan gave a warm smile.
“She’s a valuable member to the team. So are you. I’m sorry I doubted you before.”
Player gave a smile. Taking the dirty plates to the washing up.
“Nah it’s alright. What your doing for Carmen. I thank you. I really do. I hope i can really express how thankful I am somehow.”, he told Shadowsan, staring at the frothy water below him.
He scraped and started washing the dishes.
“You already have Player. Carmens lucky to have you. Really.”
He gave Shadowsan a side hug and the Ninja looked flustered.
“All this contact and for what?”
“Sometimes you gotta expect the unexpected. Especially around the san Diego gang.”
Shadow San hoisted a bag on his shoulder turning to leave to start the caper.
“Player San.”
“Hm?”
“Turn your gamer face on. We have a caper to do.”