Warning, this doesn't include anything from the "To steal or Not to Steal" Netflix thingamajig.
Chapter 2
"Got anything?" Carmen asked Player for the umpteenth time.
"No, Red. Not since you asked five minutes ago," The young boy looked at her in impatience. "We'll find your mom. In the meantime, I've got a case for you."
"Ooh, what kind of case? What's VILE planning on stealing this time? Priceless gem? Super cool and expensive tech? Oh, oh! PLEASE tell me we can do another high-speed chase! That last one in Dubai was wicked!" Zack leaned over Carmen's shoulder.
Ivy rolled her eyes from where she was working on one of her 'personal' projects, "Bro, let the genius-boy speak!"
Shadowsan entered the room and raised his eyebrow at the bundle of wires in Ivy's hand.
She saw his look, "What?"
She didn't get a reply, instead he walked over to Carmen and handed her a cup of hot cocoa. Now it was her turn to raise her eyebrow.
"What's with the act of generosity?" She inquired.
He hesitated before answering, "Take this as an apology for keeping you… 'in the dark' about your past."
"I appreciate it, unnecessary, but appreciated," She turned back to Player. "You were saying?"
"Right, while I was surfing the net looking for clues about Carmen's mom, I noticed some suspicious activity happening in Tianjin, China."
"What kinda suspicious activity?" Ivy joined at her twin's side.
"At first, only rumours, but I did some extra digging and here's what I found."
He pulled up an image of a case file named COVID-19, as well as pictures of vials with some sort of green chemical in them. Carmen narrowed her eyes.
"COVID-19, according to this biochemist's case file, is an experimental virus created by a top-secret Chinese government lab. And that's not all, I found this," Player showed them a photo from a surveillance camera of a street in Tianjin with a VILE operative in civilian's clothing.
"Neal the Eel," Carmen stated.
"No doubt sent there by VILE to steal the virus and use it for whatever devious plan they have in store," Shadowsan growled.
"A plan, I suspect, which involves spreading the virus and offering the antidote, which they no doubt have, making a fortune in the process," Carmen added.
"How lethal is this thing?" Ivy asked.
"For a person with a healthy immune system? None; it's basically the flu, but a more faster mutating version. For the elderly and those with struggling immune systems? Very. 1 out of 6 people is my guess."
"1 out of 6?! That's like, a sixth of the world's population! So…1 and a quarter billion people dead!" Zack panicked.
The others looked at him strangely.
"What? I like maths," He shrugged.
"So, Carm, what's the plan?" Ivy grinned.
"Do what we always do, steal it first."
"Wiiith one exception," Player interrupted. "Red, you're still not fully recovered from that incident in Stockholm, you can't take another hit like that. Besides, ACME isn't gonna be very happy about our hacking into their system; they're gonna come after you. We'll need the whole team for this, even Shadowsan."
"Pfft, Shadowsan could do the whole job himself! No offense Carm," Zack commented.
"I appreciate the compliment, but Player is right. We are all needed for this one," The ninja's concentrated look faltered for a split second.
"Why? Is there something else you failed to mention when I said, 'no secrets?'" Carmen gave him a stern look.
Shadowsan looked at her with an expression of grief, "Unlike the previous secrets, this has nothing to do with your past," He sighed. "Not long after I became VILE faculty, they sent me on a mission to China, to steal a similar product as this one, to this same facility in Tianjin. I thought it would be easy to steal; it did not look heavily guarded, but I was wrong. Heavy military personnel guarded every single floor, even the rooms the scientists work in. I had only stepped through the entrance when they had spotted me. They were relentless in their chase, not stopping even miles after leaving the building. I discovered that not only did they guard the facility, but every single property in a ten-mile radius. I barely escaped alive."
"Woah, intense," Ivy whispered.
The ninja nodded, "This is why it is imperative that we all go."
"Do have a plan?" Player asked.
"As a matter of fact, I do," Shadowsan smirked.
"Uhh, is this really necessary? I feel like a chicken in a penguin suit," Graham squirmed in his ACME uniform.
"It is what all ACME agents wear, whether temporary or permanent. Whether you like it or not," Chief said matter-of-factly.
"It's…not just that. Barely anybody in China is gonna be wearing anything like this. That is, except for the rich people. I'd-we'd-stand out like a sore thumb."
Chief considered what he said, "Good point Agent Parker. Agent Zari, perhaps it would be a good idea to get the tech. department to provide some inconspicuous attire for the ground team?"
"Right away Chief," Zari left the room.
"Soo, uhh. Mind telling me again why we're going to China?" Gray grimaced.
Chief didn't reply, instead she rolled her eyes and looked in Agent Argent's direction.
"We managed to get some intel on Carmen Sandiego's current whereabouts and activities. She arrived in the Tianjin Airport at approximately 08:00 hours. It appears she is alone, but due to past missions, I suspect that she would have arrived with her team," Argent adjusted her glasses.
"Team?"
"Yes, Sandiego has a team," Argent brought up a picture of Zack, Ivy and Shadowsan. "We have reason to believe she works alongside these individuals. However, we haven't been able to find out what their names are or their background. It's as if they didn't exist. Just like you."
Gray hunched his shoulders; he still wasn't comfortable about his unknown past, or that this agent had seen him during his missing year.
Chief was about to turn off the hologram when she said, "Ah, I almost forgot. As every agent in this agency has a partner you will be assigned one as well."
"Really? Who?"
"Agent Devineaux," Argent visibly tensed when Chief said this. "He was formerly Agent Argent's partner, but I deemed him unfit to continue active work due to a serious encounter with VILE, possibly even against Miss Sandiego. Up until recently, he has been assigned to desk work, now he will be your partner. I hope you're up for the task."
The last sentence seemed more of a question.
"Uh sure."
"Good. Oh, and just a for-warning, Agent Devineaux can be quite a handful. I suggest you keep your wits about you."
"Y-yes Chief," Gray didn't know why, but he could just never think straight in front of this woman.
She nodded and the hologram finished, causing the pen to fall on its side.
"So…your former partner eh?" He tried to start a conversation with the other agent.
"Yes, he was. Work partner. Not just with ACME, but my Interpol partner as well," a strange look was on her face. Similar to his own expression the other day when the ACME agents confronted him.
He empathised with her…kind of. Who was this guy anyway? He sounded like a pretty strange bloke. Suddenly, he heard a commotion in the hallway.
"What do you mean I have a new partner? Temporary?! Bah! Chase Devineaux refuses to work with such a person! Where on earth is Agent Argent?!" A man with a thick French accent burst into the room and when he saw Julia his face lit up with joy, "Ah, there you are! In your…eh…ACME uniform too."
Chase laughed nervously and an awkward silence seeped into the room. That is, of course, until he noticed Gray.
"And who in the world are you?" His contempt was unhidden.
Gray gulped, now he understood both Chief and Argent's, unsaid, negative opinion about this guy, "I'm Gra…ahem. I'm Agent Parker."
"I suppose you are my, urgh, new partner?" He grumbled.
"Yeah mate. Guess I am."
"I am not your, err, mate. Julia Argent has and always will be my partner."
Julia's face transformed into a never before seen look of rage. It caught Gray off guard; he had never thought that such a gentle woman as her could ever have such an emotion of anger.
"Look here, I already have a partner-Agent Zari-and so do you. So, whether you like it or not, tough! It's time you grew a backbone and start really contributing to this agency! All you've ever done was talk me down and treat me like an imbecile! At least Chief sees me for who I am and now everything that she's built is being threatened and I suggest you start treating this like a serious issue and not just some way to get back at the criminal who's duped you since day one!"
Devineaux was flabbergasted, "But…!"
"Good day!" With that, she walked out and slammed the door behind her.
Chase stood there in shock, trying to process that she'd actually gotten really angry at him, which was definitely a first for him.
"Quite a feisty Sheela, eh?" Graham said hesitantly.
He didn't reply for a few seconds, "Bah! She'll get over it…I think. Anyway, I suppose what she said was right, although it is a first that she thinks that Le Femme Rouge is a criminal. At least now I won't have to deal with her arguing about Sandiego's 'MO.' Ugh. Now, what deviousness has Carmen Sandiego committed while I was forced away from the, heh, chase?"
He was quite obviously pleased with himself for his terrible pun. Gray's horrible feeling still hadn't gone away.
He shrugged his shoulders, "I'm still not too sure to be honest, but from what Chief said she's hacked into ACME's system and might be handing over all possible information to the enemy."
"Aha! I knew she was a devious little devil that crimson ghost, of course, not that anybody believed me. Between you and me, I think Chief and Miss Argent think I'm a stupide. Ha! They could never be more wrong." He grinned smugly.
"Sure mate," He thought. "Whatever you say."
Btw, with the COVID-19 thing, NOT a conspiracy theory. Just something I was inspired with and VILE would have DEFINITELY done. Thanks for reading!