Summary: The entire time, she'd been a pawn in someone else's competition.
Standard Disclaimer: I'm just a fanfiction writer. All hail the rightful owners.
Content Disclaimer: There is violence, sexual content, and copious misuse of power in this work of fiction, and not of the cartoon variety. The characters as portrayed here are neither invincible nor morally flawless. If you've read Endgame and Play On, you know where this is going. If you haven't, I suggest you start with those so you don't get confused. However, if you are too young or attached to "beloved childhood" versions of the characters… you've been warned.
"Good afternoon Leanne." Carmen said politely.
The confident woman with eerily light skin and long straight blond hair folded her arms, showing the dragon tattoo. "Good afternoon, harlot."
Ivy's eyes flashed and she took a step forward, but was stopped by Ray's gun at her chest. Hesitantly, she stood down.
Carmen pretended not to notice. "Where's Suhara."
Casually, Leanne pointed to the corner, where the elderly man lay huddled and bound.
"Suhara are you…" Carmen gasped, rushing towards him.
Roughly, Leanne checked her movement. "You take one step I don't tell you to take." The director instructed. "And Ray has my permission to shoot your friends."
Carmen halted. "Your quarrel is with me. Don't harm them."
Leanne's laugh was dark music. "I can't imagine how you have any allies at all, Carmen, but somehow you attract misguided loyalty like flies to honey. And these," She stabbed her finger at Ivy and Zack. "Have been interfering in matters that were none of their concern. One of you will pay for that indiscretion. Which?"
Ivy started to speak, but Carmen stopped her. "I'll pay." Carmen said quietly.
Leanne tossed her head airily and took two pairs of handcuffs out of her pocket. "Cuff their hands behind their back, gag them, and have them sit against the wall.
Carmen gently did as she was bid.
"I love role reversal." Leanne commented.
"I'll do anything you want." Carmen begged intensely. "Just please don't hurt them."
"Anything…" Leanne laughed again. "Well let's not get ahead of ourselves. Take off that ridiculous sweatshirt, and stand against the other wall."
When Carmen complied, the director stepped forward.
"I've never gotten a chance to look at one I let live before." The director crooned.
"Mercy from you must be a very rare occurrence then." Carmen commented dryly. "Can't say that surprises me."
The laughter this time bordered on madness. "See Ray." Leanne said. "I told you. She has wit."
Carmen closed her eyes and tightened her jaw, as Leanne started tracing scars with her fingers.
"It seems like such a tiny marking for the amount you bled." The director remarked.
Shivering, the thief kept quiet.
A slight slap of displeasure. "Answer me when I speak to you, tramp."
"Yes director."
"You walk very well, all things considered, harlot." Leanne continued, "I'm surprised that isn't painful."
"Necessity is a powerful force, director."
"Gallivanting around the world running from police is hardly a necessity," Countered Leanne.
"I can go without food for longer than I can go without stealing." Carmen admitted. "And if I'm going to do something, it'll be done effectively."
The director grinned. "Yes… that's very true." She took a few steps back and sat on the table. "But you didn't have to do it in stilettos."
Carmen's back straightened and she looked back defiantly. "I like stilettos."
The director laughed. "Now I have always wondered, harlot." Leanne grinned. "How is Nicholas Moskvani as a lover?"
"He is just as much of a brute in that context as in any other." Carmen answered like ice, "Crude, selfish, cruel, and disgusting. Were he still alive, you would be welcome to try him yourself. Are we almost done with questions? "
"One more." The director answered. "When we caught you, my orders were to kill you. One clean shot between the eyes. I convinced my superior officer to let me break you instead, so your life could be spared."
Carmen swallowed.
"So my question is… Ten years later, knowing what you do now, do you think I made the right choice?"
"I think it would have been kinder to shoot me." The thief replied carefully. "But I don't think kindness was your goal."
Leanne nodded. "Well said."
"I'll do whatever you want." Carmen said softly. "Only do not force the same choice on them."
"I allowed you to leave Morocco. I allowed my stupid detectives to warp all of time space trying to save you. Your life is mine, Carmen."
"What do you want?" The thief asked tersely.
"I want your life back." Leanne answered. "That pill that you carry sewn in the lining of your tank top… I want you to take it out and swallow it. Right now, or I promise I will arrest both Zack and Ivy for international crimes against time, and I will make sure that everything I had done you happens to them."
"You want me to kill myself…" Carmen gasped.
"How much are they worth to you?" The director countered.
Carmen glanced at her bound friends.
"Don't look at Suhara." The director snapped. "You make your choices alone and you'll pay for them alone too. You really ought to have noticed that by now."
"How do I know you won't just kill them anyway?" Carmen asked shrewdly.
"I have no reason to harm them. You are the national security threat, not them. They could never prove any of the allegations without you. As long as they agree to keep quiet, I won't touch them."
Carmen shook her head. "You'll never get them to cooperate."
Leanne smiled condescendingly. "I think I will. Ivy gets very angry, but she will burn out quickly. And Zack adapts and finds the good in every situation, so he'll realize he has nothing to gain by holding that grudge."
"And you feel some need for me to do this myself?" The thief questions. "You could have had Ray shoot me the second I passed the door. In fact you could have had him shoot me any time before now. You had a plethora of open shots."
Leanne giggled.
"Instead," Carmen continued. "You've been taking a bunch of cursory passes at us. With half a modicum of effort you'd have taken us all out, and somehow I'm still breathing, even with half your resources."
"Don't congratulate youself too heavily, harlot." Leanne remarked. "You're living on my suffrage."
"I've noticed. You like to play with your victims before you kill them."
"And, if you care about these detectives as much as you'd like the world to believe you do, then you have no choice but to play along."
"Now listen you malicious little tyrant." Carmen said, meeting Leanne with an ice-cold stare. "I've heard your conditions. Here are mine. I have left statements concerning what you have done with someone. I doubt you have ever met that person and you can certainly never find them. He or she has directions to release that information to the media if any harm comes to Zack, Suhara, Chief, or Ivy. It may not be proof, but I think the bad publicity you feared would ensue anyway. So you will take no action whatsoever against them."
The director scanned Carmen's face. "You're bluffing."
"Are you willing to risk it?" The thief asked, her features smooth.
Twirling her pen around her fingers, the director put her feet on the desk. "I think you've stalled long enough."
Carmen hesitated. "I… I want to live."
"Fine." Leanne snapped. She turned to Ray. "Place Zack and Ivy under arrest and…"
"Wait!" Carmen interjected. "I'll do whatever you want, just don't… please don't hurt them."
The director tapped her fingers impatiently.
"Do you have any water?" Carmen asked.
"No," Leanne deadpanned. "Make due."
Taking the small, capsule from the lining of her tank top, Carmen swallowed. Then she walked into the far corner, across the room from the detectives and sat down, facing the wall.
"Crawling into a corner to die, Carmen?" The director taunted, a broad grin over her features.
"Shut up, Leanne." Carmen snapped.
"That's shut up, Director, to you." Leanne clarified merrily.
Without answering, Carmen slumped, leaning against the wall, her face turned away.
The detectives pulled against their bonds frightened and horrified. Their only sign that Carmen was still alive was her shoulders, rising a falling in time with her breath.
Ten long minutes passed.
Twenty….
"Leanne." Carmen said. "Cyanide's a fast poison. Why the blazes don't I feel sick?"
Giggling like it was an excellent joke, Leanne held up another capsule. "You think you've the only one who can pick a pocket?"