Summary: Why would Carmen want that? A challenge for justanotherelphie.

Disclaimer: I'm just a fanfiction author. All hail the rightful owners.

Dedication: To justanotherelphie who talks about Carmen with me, produces my new favorite fanfics, and gives me challenges. Hope you like it!

"I still don't think we got this clue right!" Ivy sulked, trying for yet another time to find a comfortable way to sit. The C5 car, stealth mode or not, was just not meant for stakeouts.

"Chill out sis." Zack instructed, his feet on the dashboard.

"You chill out!" Ivy snapped. "I've been up for 48 hours straight and been to Madagascar, Peru, Bombay, Australia,"

"Whoa!" Chief commented from his place on the onboard navigation display. "Easy there, gumshoe. You're making my head spin." He revolved a time or two.

"Carmen" Ivy reiterated for what felt like the tenth time, "Is not going to steal a rubber duck."

"Of course not…" Zack said cheerfully. "Knowing Carmen, she'd make off with the whole race."

"And what a race!" Chief declared enthusiastically "Set all the ducks in the river and watch them all go, go, and go! First one to the end wins great prizes."

"Yeah." Zack said. "And it's all for charity, the Boys and Girls clubs in the Tennessee valley."

"That's what's bothering me…" Ivy explained. "Why would Carmen steal a charity event? Let alone a charity event full of rubber ducks? It's got to be the weirdest thing she's ever wanted."

"Weirder then trying to create a dinosaur from reconstituted fossil DNA?" Zack asked, grinning.

Ivy glared at him "Be serious, little bro."

"Ok," Zack said bashfully. "I guess you've got to be a geek to appreciate just how impossible that was…"

Then she lets us know where she plans to strike weeks in advance? Does 'Great Knoxville Rubber Duck Race' delivered on a blank index card sound like a Carmen clue to you?"

"Beats me." Zack said with his mouth full.

"And stop eating that!" Ivy declared. "It'll give you a heart attack."

"Chief." Zack whined as Ivy snatched the fried chicken away. "Ivy's trying to make me eat healthy again."

"Cut the kid some slack." The Chief declared happily. "That looks delicious. Authentic fried chicken is to die for!"

"Fine…" Ivy muttered, still not pleased. "I'm going to try to rest… the two of you have fun." She leaned against the side of the car and winced. She tried leaning on her arms, with about the same result.

"Here, sis." Zack said, extending a pillow.

"Why…" Ivy said, "Is there a hot pink pillow in the C5 car? And why does it have lace around the edges?"

"Do you want it or not," Zack asked.

Still grumbling, Ivy took the proffered object.

Five Hours Later

"Told ya." Ivy murmured sleepily.

"I don't get it, Ives." Zack said. "Why go through all this trouble and then not steal anything?"

"I don't know…" Chief said comfortingly, "Great turnout though."

"Well yeah…" Zack grumbled, still sore at losing the argument. "Because everyone thought Carmen would show up."

"That's it!" Ivy said, jumping up in excitement and hitting her head on the sunroof. "What if Carmen's plan wasn't to steal the race. What if it was just to advertise the race?"

"Because the more people who show up or enter thinking she'll be there…" Zack inferred.

"The more money the charity makes!" Ivy finished, smiling broadly.

They nodded, pleased with their deductions.

"Hey sis?"

"What?"

"I still want my dinner back."

"Your dinner?" Ivy frowned in confusion. "I don't have your dinner."

"You're right, detective." Carmen said as she finished her meal. "This will give you a heart attack."

She licked her fingers.

"But it's so good."