The Broken Silence

by MangoKat

A massive misunderstanding causes several operatives to defect from V.I.L.E. Carmen must now protect them before they're hunted down and killed. As Team Red fight against V.I.L.E, they begin uncovering a disturbing web of mysteries involving kidnap and murder. Everything always seems to point back to a certain mime. Who is Mime Bomb, and why does everyone seem to want him dead?

27. Doctor Vesalius

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The Broken Silence

Chapter 27

Dr. Vesalius

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

.

.

Julia was feeling nervous as the plane slowed down to a full stop. She had done a lot of thinking on the flight from Poitiers, and she was hoping Team Red weren't going to reject her. Carmen had assured her that she could join them, but Julia still felt uncertain. If Carmen changed her mind, Julia would have nowhere to go, and no job to return to. Taking a deep breath, Julia adjusted her glasses and then slowly stood from her seat.

As she approached the back of the plane, the pilot lowered the airstairs for her and the first thing she saw was Chase waiting for her. He was leaning against the side of the van, a welcoming smile on his face and she felt herself relax. She then saw several other members of Team Red and they waved at her, all of them looking friendly as she approached.

The pilot carried down box after box and placed them beside her and Chase gave her a questioning look.

"What's all this?" he asked in amusement. "Did you bring your whole apartment?

Julia gave him a gentle smile. "I knew I would probably not be returning to Poitiers anytime soon, and so I brought a few personal effects."

"A few?" Chase laughed in good nature.

"I also stopped by your storage locker for you. I'm hoping I didn't overstep my bounds because I brought you everything in there…"

The smile dropped off Chase's face in an instant and he stared at the boxes with wide eyes, now recognizing them as his own. He slowly made his way towards the boxes, and pulled one of them open. He stared at the photo album resting on the top of a pile of other items and ran his fingers across its cover. Slowly opening it, he stared at the picture of the baby within, his expression quickly turning pained. He then closed it again.

"Chase?" Julia asked in concern. "Are you alright?"

Without a word, Chase threw his arms around her in a bone-crushing hug. Julia was taken by surprise, and she froze, but then she smiled at her friend, returning the hug.

"Thank you." Chase whispered to her. "I thought I'd never see these boxes ever again."

"You're welcome." Julia replied, glad he wasn't upset with her.

As Chase released her from the hug, Carmen grinned over at her, waving with a smile. "Hey Jules, how was your flight?"

There was no questioning, no suspicion, just instant acceptance, and Julia felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

"Tiring." she admitted, approaching the van.

"I'm glad to have you join us." Carmen told her, smiling never wavering. "Welcome to Team Red."

Julia laughed, and as Ivy and El Topo helped Chase load the boxes into the van she had a feeling this was exactly where she belonged.

"Come on," Carmen invited, motioning towards the van. "I'll get you caught up on what's going on."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Crackle let Dash sleep through morning patrol, knowing the flu could take a few days to get over. Dash wasn't eating or drinking, and it was a fight to even get him to take a few Tylenol. The fever didn't seem to be getting any better, and Dash was incredibly weak and barely able to talk. Crackle watched him throughout the day, but by early evening, he was getting worried. He left him home while they did an evening patrol and when they returned, Dash was still asleep. Crackle knew they might need to find a doctor soon, and approached to check one more time.

Dash was awoken when he felt a cold hand touch his forehead. Groaning in complaint, he tried to shift away from the cold touch, and was annoyed when he suddenly felt the blankets pulled off him. Shivering miserably, he slowly opened his eyes and saw Crackle hovering over him, the other man's expression concerned.

"You're not looking very good." Crackle told him.

Dash was too tired to even answer him, and a moment later, he grimaced when a thermometer was shoved into his mouth. It felt like ice in his mouth, but he stayed still until it beeped and it was removed a moment later.

"103.2." Crackle stated. "Okay, Dash, we're taking you to a doctor. Your fever's getting worse."

Dash didn't want to move and shook his head. All he wanted to do was sleep, and he reached for the blankets nearby. Crackle moved them out of reach, and then once again placed his cold hand on Dash's forehead.

"Stop." Dash complained tiredly. "Cold."

"Can you get up?" Crackle asked him with a frown.

When Dash's eyes began closing again, Crackle gave him a shake, earning him a groan.

"We need to take you to the doctor's, Dash, and I need you to sit up."

When Dash didn't answer him, Crackle turned to Theodore. "I'll need you to carry him. I don't think he can get up."

Theodore gave a worried frown down at Dash and then approached. He helped Dash sit up, who immediately squirmed in complaint, the cold air feeling unbearable.

"Cold." he whined again, pushing weakly at Theodore's hands.

Theodore grabbed the nearby blankets, wrapped them around Dash, and then easily scooped him into his arms. The second that Dash was warm again, he was instantly asleep, and Theodore gave Crackle an uncertain look.

"I don't think he just needs a doctor, Crackle, I think he needs a hospital." he said.

Crackle stared long and hard at Dash and knew Theodore was right. "Alright, I'm going to contact V.I.L.E to get the approval for a hospital visit. I want you to take him to the car and keep a close eye on him."

As the rest of the team headed for the van, Neal shot Dash a guilty look, knowing this was all his fault. He didn't even know it was possible to pass the flu to someone when he wasn't even sick!

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Neal asked Crackle.

Crackle gave him an angry look. "I think you've done enough, Neal."

Neal's stomach twisted in guilt, and he turned and followed the others without another word. Once he was alone, Crackle pulled out his com and made a call. It took a long time for the call to be answered, but finally the tired face of Dr. Vess appeared on the screen. Crackle had never met the doctor that he could remember, and he studied him curiously.

Dr. Vesalius was Yemeni with dark tan skin, shoulder length black hair that was slicked back to keep it out of his face, and piercing hazel eyes that almost looked yellow in the light. He had dark bags under his eyes like it had been years since he'd slept well, and annoyance seemed to be radiating off him in waves.

"This had better be important." the doctor said, rubbing at his eyes irritably. "I don't know why you operatives are incapable of letting me sleep for even just one night."

"This is Crackle."

Dr. Vess gave him an impatient look. "Yes, I know who your are." he snapped. "I'm the doctor who treated you for all the stupid things you did during training, you moron. Did the two dozen times you electrocuted yourself slip your mind?"

Crackle had no memory of Dr. Vess, and he frowned as he stared at the man, the angry and impatient voice somehow familiar. The doctor rubbed the bridge of his nose in irritation, and then glared at Crackle.

"What do you want, Crackle? Spit it out before I lose interest."

"One of my teammates needs to be taken to the hospital. I need authorization."

Dr. Vess heaved a sigh and Crackle saw him pull a laptop over and open it. "Which one got hurt?" he demanded.

"Dash Haber."

Dr. Vess raised an eyebrow at that, this clearly not being an operative he was used to dealing with. "What is the injury?" he asked, turning his attention back to the laptop.

"He's not injured, he's sick." Crackle responded.

Dr. Vess frowned at him. "And you think this needs a hospital visit why?" he demanded.

"He has a high fever which isn't going down and we can't keep him awake. He's been like this for two days."

"What was his temperature the last time you checked?"

"103.2." Crackle responded. "We've given him both extra strength Tylenol and Advil, but nothing works."

Dr. Vess looked thoughtful. "Has he complained of any pain?"

Crackle wasn't sure and have him a shrug. "He hasn't really been speaking."

Dr. Vess scratched at the stubble on his chin for a moment and then said. "Show me."

"I have him in the car already." Crackle responded. "Once we have authorization, we're taking him to the hospital."

"Show me." Dr. Vess ordered, his tone taking on an edge.

Crackle nodded and then headed for the door, carrying the com with him. When he reached the van, he slid open the back door and poked his head in.

"Bring Dash out for a second, Teddy. Dr. Vess wants to take a look at him."

Dr. Vess watched through the com as Theodore carried Dash out of the van wrapped in blankets and he took note of the sheen of sweat that covered Dash's skin.

"Lay him down for a moment." he ordered.

Theodore obediently laid him down on the ground, Dash not stirring in the least.

"If his fever won't come down even with Tylenol, he most likely has an infection of some kind. I need you to strip him and look for any infected wounds or cuts."

Crackle gave a glance around, but there was no one within sight, and so he gave a nod to Theodore who began unwrapping the blankets from Dash. Dash immediately began shivering again, and when Theodore began peeling off the sweat-soaked clothes, Dash made a groan of complaint. Once Dash was down to his underwear, Crackle began looking him over but found no cuts or injuries at all. Dash's skin was an unhealthy grey, his skin almost as pale as Neal's and Dr. Vess stared at him with a frown.

"See if you can wake him." he ordered.

Crackle shook Dash's shoulder hard who let out another groan but didn't open his eyes.

"Dash?" Crackle demanded loudly. "Can you hear me?"

"Pinch him hard right here." Dr. Vess stated, pointing to a spot on his own neck. "The pain should wake him for a moment."

Crackle frowned, but did as he was told, and Dash let out a sharp yelp, his eyes flying open.

"Dash Haber." Dr. Vess said loudly.

Dash's eyes were wide and unfocused, and he stared at the com in confusion, his whole body shaking from the cold.

"I need to know if you're in any pain."

Dash simply blinked at him and didn't answer, clearly about to fall asleep again.

"Pinch him again." Dr. Vess ordered.

Dash let out a shrill yelp of protest and slapped a hand to his neck, shooting Crackle a betrayed look.

"Dash Haber." Dr. Vess, said impatiently. "Are you in any pain?"

Dash glanced back to the com and then slowly gave a nod.

"Where?" Dr. Vess ordered. "Show me."

Dash looked confused and then slowly pointed a finger to just the right of his belly button. Dr. Vess gave a nod like he expected this and turned his gaze to Crackle.

"I want you to very gently lay your hand on his lower right abdomen for me."

Crackle did as he was told, and Dash flinched from the cold touch.

"Very, very gently press your hand down."

When Crackle began pressing, Dash let out an immediate screech of pain and struggled to get away from him. Crackle pulled his hand away, turning wide eyes to the doctor. Dr. Vess gave a satisfied nod.

"That's what I thought." he stated.

"You know what's wrong with him?" Crackle asked. "The skin felt hard on his right side."

"It's impossible for me to make a diagnosis for certain over video, but it's most likely appendicitis." he replied. "He has all the symptoms."

"You mean I didn't give him the flu?" Neal asked, leaning into the com's view.

Dr. Vess' expression soured at the sight of Neal. "You have the flu?" he demanded.

"Well, no, but we thought since I was late getting my flu-shot that I may have infected him."

"No, this is unlikely related to the flu. He's probably been sick for a while without realizing it."

"He's been complaining about being tired for a few days." Theodore said in realization.

"He's also been complaining that the take-out food has been bothering his stomach as well." Neal added

"Get your flu-shot, Neal." Dr. Vess scolded.

"I did." Neal replied. "I got it yesterday."

He lifted his sleeve and pointed to a black bruise on his shoulder, and Dr. Vess turned his gaze back to Crackle, immediately losing all interest in Neal.

"I'm going to see to Mr. Haber personally." he stated. "He could require surgery, and V.I.L.E entrusted me with all operative surgeries. I am going to send in two prescriptions to a local pharmacy near you and these will stabilize his condition until I can make it to you."

Crackle frowned, glancing back to Dash who had already fallen back asleep. "Why can't we bring him to a hospital for treatment? He's really sick."

"It's not an emergency yet." Dr. Vess replied with a shrug. "V.I.L.E likes to avoid operatives gaining unwanted attention in public, and Mr. Haber would be completely at the mercy of these unknown doctors. It's better for me to deal with this when I arrive. Follow the directions on the medications, and as long as his fever doesn't reach 105, keep him out of the hospital."

The sound of singing came from somewhere near Dr. Vess and an annoyed look crossed the doctor's face as he glared at someone off screen.

"Siren, shut up, I'm on the phone!" he snapped irritably. "Why don't you go do something useful, and feed the patients?"

The singing continued, and Dr. Vess continued glaring off screen. A few seconds later, they saw someone walk past the screen wearing a white lab coat, and the man mumbled something about sawing off Dr. Vess' head with a surgical saw, and continued his song as if this was the most normal thing in the world.

Dr. Vess then reached out and caught the man by the wrist. "Actually, I don't think I want you near my patients right now. Go translate some paperwork for me instead."

The man yanked his arm away from Dr. Vess, and then walked off, never once pausing his odd song.

Dr. Vess didn't seem concerned, and turned his attention back to Crackle. "Where is the nearest pharmacy to you?"

"There's a drug store two blocks from here on Main Street." Crackle replied. "Jose's Drugs and Stuff."

"I'll send the prescriptions there right now. It will be under the name of John Johnson." Dr. Vess promised him. "Pick up a few bags of ice and make Mr. Haber take an ice bath to lower his fever. Don't keep him in for more than five or ten minutes at a time."

"Where are you?" Crackle demanded. "How long will it take you to reach us?"

"I'm in Russia right now, but I'm booking a private jet as we speak. I can be there in ten hours."

Crackle shot a worried glance to Dash. Ten hours was a long time to wait, and he hoped it wouldn't be too late by the time the doctor arrived.

"If his fever doesn't drop, I'm taking him to the hospital." Crackle informed him, not caring if he didn't have permission. "I'll accept the consequences if it comes to that."

Dr. Vess raised a brow. "Keep me informed of his condition." he ordered. "And try to get him to drink something."

The doctor disconnected the call, and Crackle glanced over at his team with a frown. "I'm not letting Dash out of my sight until his fever breaks. I'm going to get his prescription, and I need one of you to come with me."

"I want to help." Neal told him.

"I want to come too." Theodore insisted.

Crackle nodded, and then turned to Paper Star and Roosevelt. "Stay at the motel, and run a cold bath for Dash. We shouldn't be more than twenty minutes. I'll be in touch if anything changes in Dash's condition."

Theodore reached for Dash's clothes that were laying nearby, but Crackle shook his head. "No, just leave them off since Dash needs to take an ice bath as soon as we return."

Theodore nodded, wrapped Dash in the blankets and lifted him up, Dash not waking as he was jostled around. Neal got into the front seat of the car as Theodore carefully climbed into the back with Dash. Crackle pocketed his com, and took the car keys from Roosevelt, and Paper Star gave him a nudge, causing him to glance at her.

"When Dash dies, will they send us a new teammate or will we become a team of five?" she asked, expression completely earnest. "I'd rather have the bed to myself from now on."

Crackle's eyes widened and then he became furious. "Dash is not going to die." he snarled. "How about if you show a little support for your teammate, and worry for him?"

Paper Star sighed and rolled her eyes.

Crackle was tempted to go get the crackle rod to teach her a lesson, but didn't want to waste the time. "Keep this up, Paper Star and you'll find yourself bunking with Neal instead of Dash from now on."

"Hey." Neal complained, realizing he was being used as a punishment.

Crackle gave Paper Star one final glare, and then got into the van. Starting the van, he drove off, glancing in his mirror to see Roosevelt kneeling down to pick up Dash's clothes as Paper Star stormed off towards their room.

They would definitely be having a chat about this later. Crackle drove as fast as he could to the pharmacy, and then pulled in front of the store, ignoring the handicap signs and pulling sideways across several of the parking spots.

Turning to the others, he said "Wait here for me, I'll just be a few minutes. I'll keep the engine running so the car doesn't get too hot."

Roosevelt nodded and glanced down at Dash in his arms who still hadn't woken. "He's still shivering." he commented.

"I'm going to get ice to help with his fever, and we'll lay the ice on him during the drive back." Crackle said, getting out of the car. "I'll be right back."

Neal and Roosevelt watched Crackle enter the pharmacy, and then Neal reached back and laid his hand on Dash's forehead. His skin was burning hot to the touch, and he frowned, hoping Dr. Vess would make it there in time.

"Aw, fancy." Neal said sympathetically.

They waited for twenty minutes, and when there was still no sign of Crackle, they began to grow uneasy. "Should we go check on him?" Neal asked.

"Erm...I don't know." Theodore answered uncertainly. "Crackle said to wait here."

Neal glanced towards the pharmacy. "What if something happened? Maybe I should call him..."

Neal pulled out his com and dialed Crackle's number. It rang and rang but there was no answer. Neal disconnected the call and then tried again with the same results.

"He's in trouble." Neal said, opening the car door. "We need to help him."

Theodore shifted Dash off his lap so he was sitting on the seat, and then he buckled him in to hold him upright. Theodore then got out of the car as well.

"What about Dash?" he asked.

"Leave the car running for him. It's too dangerous to bring him."

Theodore nodded, and they both charged into the pharmacy, expecting a fight. The inside of the pharmacy was destroyed with every shelf and display on the floor, and merchandise was broken and spilled everywhere. The shop owner was clutching his bleeding stomach, laying on the floor in the corner and there was no one else in sight.

"Where did they go?" Neal demanded.

The man raised a shaking hand and pointed to the back door. Without a second glance at the man, Neal and Theodore took off running out the back door, knowing there was going to be a fight.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

El Topo stared down at his magazine with a frown, observing the flowers and ribbons decorating the wedding thoughtfully. If he ever got married, he'd want a more masculine wedding, but he just wasn't quite sure what that meant. What would a masculine wedding look like? He scratched at his head, not even sure why he was looking at this magazine. He'd only just starting dating Le Chèvre, and it was ridiculous to think about things like this right now. Letting out a sigh, he tossed the magazine onto the seat next to him and glanced up. He'd been waiting twenty minutes or so for Le Chèvre's new inhaler, and was starting to get impatient. What was taking so long? Didn't they just have to slap a sticker on it and that was it?

"G'day, I have a prescription pickup for John Johnson. My doctor would have called it in just a few minutes ago?"

El Topo glanced over to the nearby counter at the unexpected Australian accent. His eyes widened when he saw Crackle standing there, and he quickly turned away, hoping he hadn't been seen. Sliding down in his seat, he pressed a finger to his ear, turning on his com.

"Player, are you there?" he whispered softly.

Player's voice came almost instantly. "Antonio? I can barely hear you. Is there something wrong with your com?"

"No, my com is fine. I'm at the pharmacy picking up Jean Paul's prescription, and Crackle is here. He hasn't seen me yet, and so I'm talking quietly."

"And the rest of Team Crackle?" Player asked, sounding alarmed.

El Topo glanced around the tiny pharmacy. "Not in sight. I don't think he expected any trouble."

Player sounded excited. "This could be our chance to nab him while he's alone. I'm contacting the others now. Try not to engage him unless necessary."

"Si." El Topo whispered.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Johnson but the prescriptions aren't quite ready yet. If you take a seat, I'll call you in about five minutes."

El Topo tensed up.

"Do you sell ice here?" Crackle asked.

"Yes, it's up front near the popsicles." the pharmacist replied.

Crackle gave him a nod, and to El Topo's relief, Crackle headed over to the coolers on the other side of the store. He watched as Crackle opened the cooler door and then began grabbing a whole armload of bagged ice. He began stacking it next to the door and when he had about twelve bags, he approached the cooler to grab a few bottles of water. El Topo stared at the ice and wondered what Team Crackle could possibly be planning to do with it all.

"John Molchev?" the pharmacist called out loudly.

El Topo froze and watched as Crackle turned around to glance around the store. Their eyes met, and Crackle dropped the water to the floor, his body immediately tensing.

Knowing he couldn't allow Crackle to call in reinforcements, El Topo stood to his feet, and then charged, raising his fists to fight. Crackle glanced towards the door, knowing he wouldn't have time to warn the others, and then stanced his body low to the ground in preparation to take him head on. Using brute strength, El Topo brought both fists down onto Crackle who attempted to block him, but he hadn't anticipated El Topo's strength. He was knocked flat to the ground, and before he had the chance to recover, El Topo slammed his fists down onto his back.

Crackle let out a cry of pain and then rolled as El Topo went in for another hit. El Topo's fist smashed into the ground harmlessly, and Crackle kicked out as hard as he could, catching El Topo hard in the chin. Stumbling back, El Topo was quick to recover and he pounced at the villain, knowing he had to delay him long enough for the others to get there.

Crackle wished he had his crackle rod with him, and knew he was sorely outclassed strength-wise. El Topo was the top of his class for strength, and although Crackle was pretty stalky, he didn't stand a chance in a test of strength. He would have to outmaneuver the other man, and take him down that way.

Jumping back, Crackle threw a can of fruit at El Topo's head who batted it away, but this gave Crackle just enough time to slam his shoulder against one of the shelves. The whole thing toppled over and landed on top of El Topo, who disappeared underneath a pile of canned goods.

Letting out a breath of relief, Crackle glanced over at the pharmacist who was staring wide eyed at him, having no idea what to do.

"Is that prescription ready yet?" Crackle asked, dusting himself off.

The pharmacist blinked, and then held out a white paper bag without a word. Crackle crossed the store and then reached out for the bag. Suddenly El Topo stood up with such force, he knocked the whole shelf apart sending canned goods flying everywhere.

Crackle let out a sigh, snatched the bag and then stuffed it into his shirt. El Topo's head was bleeding, and he stumbled as he crawled out of the mess, falling against another shelf and knocking it down.

El Topo raised a hand to his head as he sat there, and it was clear he was disoriented. Crackle knew he had the advantage right now, and so he picked up a broken piece of the shelf and then approached the other man, fully intending on bashing him over the head with it.

Standing over the other man, Crackle raised the metal shelf over his head and was just bringing it down when he was suddenly tackled from behind. Crackle hit the ground hard, his chin hitting the fallen shelf and he felt the hotness of blood as it began pouring down his neck. Looking up, he saw an enraged Le Chèvre standing over him, breathing hard as if he had run the whole way there. Crackle's gaze shifted over and he saw Carmen standing in the back door, surveying the mess in the pharmacy.

Gritting his teeth, Crackle knew he didn't stand a chance. He had to retreat, and somehow lead them away from Dash. Crackle's hand found the broken piece of shelf and in one swift movement, he swung it as hard as he could, hitting Le Chèvre solidly in the stomach. Le Chèvre fell to his knees clutching his stomach and Crackle used that opportunity to leap forward, not towards the door, but rather towards the pharmacist. Carmen had started towards him, but the second he grabbed a civilian, she abruptly stopped.

"We just want to talk, Gray." she assured him. "No one has to get hurt."

Crackle held the jagged metal to the man's throat.

"We aren't here to hurt you, I promise." Carmen said gently. "All I want is a conversation. One little short talk, and that's it."

Crackle narrowed his eyes and pressed the metal into the man's neck just hard enough to lightly cut him.

"No, Gray, let him go!" Carmen ordered, taking a step closer.

Shadowsan was now standing behind her, eyes narrowed at Crackle, and Crackle knew his chances weren't good. Taking a deep breath, he knew he had to be prepared to die in this fight, because he couldn't allow himself to be captured. Dr. Bellum had really ground it into him that he was part of her special and secret experiments, and the enemy could never be allowed to study him at any costs. Crackle would have no choice but to take his own life if there was no escape. His eyes flitted to the van outside, and he had no idea what the fate of his teammates would be without him. Swallowing heavily, Crackle knew he would fight with everything he had.

"Let the man go." Carmen ordered. "Don't hurt him."

"Then step out of my way." Crackle said, these being the very first words he ever spoke to her since the mission began.

"Gray…" Carmen said, her tone once again softening. "Can't we just sit down for a few minutes and talk? There will be no V.I.L.E, no A.C.M.E and no Team Red. We will just be two people having a conversation."

"Step out of my way." Crackle repeated, pressing the metal deeper into the neck.

The pharmacist let out a yell of pain and Carmen quickly held her hands up appeasingly. "Okay, okay. We won't stop you, but please let him go. This isn't you, and I know you'd never want to hurt anyone."

Crackle eyed her suspiciously and then began slowly edging his way towards the back door, dragging his hostage with him. Once he reached the door, he glanced out and saw Tigress was standing nearby clearly ready for a fight.

"Call her off." he ordered, glaring at Carmen.

Carmen pressed her com. "Sheena, stand down, Gray has a hostage, and we have to let him walk."

Carmen paused for a second and then frowned. "Yes, Sheena, we are saving the hostage. Stand down."

Crackle saw Tigress roll her eyes as she heaved a sigh, and she began backing away down the alley away from him. Crackle gave another look around, and saw how he would escape.

"Gray, I know you." Carmen said to him, offering him a smile. "You're a sweet and gentle goofball, who loves animals, and who loves to be with people. We were friends once, and I know you don't want to hurt anyone. Please just talk with me."

Crackle slowly began lowering his weapon and Carmen's smile widened a bit.

"You say you know me…" Crackle stated, cocking his head. "But you don't know me at all, Carmen Sandiego."

Without another word, Crackle stabbed the piece of metal deeply into the pharmacist's stomach all while maintaining eye contact with Carmen. He then dropped the man to the floor and ran, climbing over the back fence and hopping down into the parking lot beyond.

"Shadowsan, you call an ambulance the pharmacist." Carmen ordered. "I'm going after Gray."

He gave her a nod and she was off, running as fast as she could. She easily leapt over the fence and then bound after Gray, knowing she'd always been faster than him during training.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Neal and Theodore bolted out the back door of the pharmacy and could see a fight taking place in the parking lot next door. They both climbed the fence and then ran straight for the fight, seeing how Crackle looked like he was having a hard time. Crackle was clearly exhausted, and was surrounded on all sides by Team Red. When he saw his teammates approaching, visible relief flashed through his eyes.

Team Red didn't noticed them until it was too late and Double Trouble hit Shadowsan as hard as he could, knocking the older man to the ground. Neal threw himself at Le Chèvre, bowling the other man over, and then pounced at Tigress without hesitation. Wishing he had his slick suit on, Neal hit her solidly in the stomach and then landed on top of her, pinning her beneath him.

"Heya, puddy tat." he greeted, grinning down at her.

Tigress let out a snarl of frustration and kicked upwards, flipping him over her head, sending Neal crashing hard to the pavement. Neal then rolled as she stabbed at his face with her claws. Realizing he'd almost been blinded, Neal knew he had to take her down before she got lucky with her swipes. Neal may not have had his slick suit, but he was still agile and incredibly fast, and he was able to keep dodging her as she attacked. Within seconds, Le Chèvre had joined Tigress and they were jumping and punching at him from different directions. Neal concentrated completely on dodging knowing if he could keep avoiding them, they'd eventually tire.

Theodore was taking on Shadowsan, who had quickly recovered from the attack and was landing hit after hit on the enormous man. Carmen was still squaring off with Crackle, who was limping and completely exhausted, but refusing to give up.

As soon as Le Chèvre began to wheeze, Neal knew he had won. Tigress glanced at her friend in concern as he fumbled for his pocket, and Neal saw his opportunity and body-checked Le Chèvre hard grabbing the inhaler from him as he did so.

"Hey!" Tigress bellowed out, realizing what he did. "Give that back!"

Neal held the inhaler up between his thumb and index finger, and gave her a smirk, trying his best to ignore the gasping and panicking man laying on the ground. El Topo, who had been sitting to the side nursing his head-injury was instantly at Le Chèvre's side.

"Jean Paul!" he cried out in a panic. "Slow, deep breaths, just concentrate on breathing!"

Tigress once again lunged at Neal who easily dodged her, and she let out a howl of fury and began clawing and swiping at him as fast as she could. If there was one thing that Neal had learned from his fourteen years as an operative, it was patience during a battle. Neal's stamina was second to none and when outnumbered, he'd always relied on his ability to keep dodging longer than his enemies could attack. Tigress had only been an operative for two years and there was still a lot she hadn't learned through experience.

Shadowsan saw what Neal was doing and he abandoned his current fight to help. Neal noticed him approaching, and knew things were about to get difficult for him. Quickly knocking Tigress' feet out from under her, he jumped back just as Shadowsan reached for him.

"Neal, return the inhaler." Shadowsan ordered, his tone not to be reckoned with.

Neal gave a quick glance to Le Chèvre and saw the other man was quickly turning pale as he fought for breath. As horrible as it was, Neal knew he had no choice but to ignore him, because this inhaler was the only way he could see them getting out of this relatively unscathed.

"Graham!" Neal yelled, whipping the inhaler at the other man at the same time he was tackled by Shadowsan.

Carmen reached out to catch it, but Crackle was faster and nabbed it out of air before she could get it. Theodore hit Shadowsan off Neal violently and then kicked Tigress as she started to get up.

Carmen suddenly raised a hand to her ear. "You caught Dash Haber?" she repeated.

Crackle's eyes widened, and he turned to Neal who was the only operative not currently fighting.

"Neal!" he yelled over. "Protect Dash!"

Neal's eyes widened, and he turned to run back in the direction of the street without a single word.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Chase and Julia walked down the sidewalk, scouting out the area, making sure they didn't see any other members of Team Crackle nearby.

"Does this happen often?" Julia asked.

"Hmm?" Chase questioned, glancing down at her.

"Do you often have sudden confrontations with V.I.L.E like this?"

Chase gave a shrug. "Not really, but it's been happening more often lately. This team that V.I.L.E created is pretty new, and this is only our second time confronting them."

Julia nodded. "And Carmen believes she can end this peacefully?"

"I am not convinced." Chase told her with a frown. "They seem to think the leader is brain-damaged in some way, and I think this is dangerous. I don't trust it…"

Julia could understand his point of view and nodded. "I think we need to trust Carmen on this since she knows these V.I.L.E agents personally."

"Ugh!" Chase cried out in outrage. "Look at this!"

Julia glanced at the van he indicated and gave him a questioning look.

"This van does not have handicap plates and they are parked across THREE handicap spots. They even left their car idling!"

Julia knew they had bigger things to be worried about than an inconsiderate driver, but then she caught sight of someone sitting in the backseat. Her eyes widened.

"Chase, isn't that part of Team Crackle?" she asked.

Chase stared at Dash through the window and scratched at his chin thoughtfully, honestly not certain.

"I studied the files on V.I.L.E thoroughly last night." Julia told him. "And I believe that is Dash Haber."

Chase stared at the sleeping man thoughtfully. Were they actually that lucky to catch a member of Team Crackle while they were napping?! Chase removed his handcuffs, and then quietly opened the van door. Dash remained asleep and so Chase very slowly and carefully reached out and cuffed Dash's hands together. Chase glanced at Julia and when she gave him a nod, he reached out and shook Dash's shoulder sharply.

Dash remained fast asleep, and Chase frowned and gave him an even harder shake. When he still didn't react, Chase reached over and unbuckled Dash's seatbelt. Dash immediately began to fall out of the van and Chase quickly caught him by reflex. Not expecting this, he awkwardly pulled him out of the van and then laid him down on the ground.

"What's wrong with him?" Julia wondered with a frown.

"Drunk." Chase replied rolling his eyes.

"Why is he in his underpants?" Julia asked, noticing that the villain wasn't wearing much under the blankets.

Chase gave a shrug. "People do stupid things when they're drunk." he replied. "Lucky for us, this Dash Haber chose the wrong day to go out drinking."

Julia looked at Dash's ashen skin and wasn't so sure. "I don't know, Chase… Maybe he's hurt?"

Chase let out a sigh but gave her a nod of acknowledgement and pulled aside the blankets so he could carefully look over the villain.

"Not a mark on him." Chase confirmed. "He's just drunk."

Chase raised a hand to his com and activated it. "Chase and Julia reporting in. We've got Dash Haber and have him cuffed and in our custody."

Chase covered the villain with the blanket again and easily picked him up. As they carried him in the direction of where Ivy was parked, Dash began to shiver in his sleep, and Chase frowned down at him. He wrapped the blankets a little more tightly around the villain, wondering just how much the villain had drank to get in this state.

"Whoa, you really did get him!" Ivy exclaimed in awe. "Let's put him in the back before the rest of Team Crackle notice!"

It was at that moment that Neal burst out of the alley, stared at the empty van, and immediately zeroed in on Chase and Julia up the street a bit. He charged over, ready to fight, but then he caught sight of Dash already tied up and blindfolded in the back of the van. He came to an abrupt stop, realizing how easily they were going to get away with Dash. It would only take one of these three people to drive off with the van while he was busy fighting. If they left with Dash, Crackle might not be able to get him back.

Neal glanced at Dash knowing how helpless he was right now, and knowing he needed to be protected at all costs.

"You will not get him!" Chase yelled, stepping forward with his fists raised. "You might as well give up now!"

If Dash was taken, it would be extremely difficult to find out where Team Red were keeping him. Dash was in no condition to escape, and Team Red had no idea what was wrong with the villain. Dash could die if he didn't get medical attention, and Neal furrowed his brow in worry. Knowing it was the best choice where Dash was concerned, Neal let out a defeated breath and slowly lowered himself to his knees. As he placed his hands on top of his head, Chase stared at him in complete shock, not expecting the villain to actually give up.

"Oh...er...wise decision." he said, pulling out a second pair of cuffs.

As Chase approached to handcuff him, Neal glanced up at Julia, and a surprised look crossed his face as he recognized her. "Oh, hello again." he greeted her with a strained smile. "We keep meeting like this."

Julia said nothing, simply adjusting her glasses as she stared down at him with a frown. Neal was bound in ropes and then a sack was placed over his head and a few moments later he was in the back of the van with Dash.

"Carm, we just got Neal the Eel as well." Ivy announced proudly.

"Get out of there before the others can get to you." Carmen said, her tone urgent. "We'll meet up at base."

"Gotcha." Ivy replied, turned on the ignition.

Chase and Julia climbed into the van and a few seconds later, they were speeding off in the direction of base.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Crackle's eyes widened in surprise when suddenly Carmen took a step back from him when she had the opportunity to land a hit. He watched her reach up to touch her earring, and then she begin speaking.

"Get out of there before the others can get to you." Carmen said, her tone urgent. "We'll meet up at base."

Carmen then turned back to Crackle and said. "We'll let you walk away right now if you give us the inhaler." she told him. "I give you my word that you can go and we won't follow you. We will walk the opposite direction."

Crackle narrowed his eyes suspiciously. Why was she giving up so easily? His gaze flitted over to Le Chèvre who looked like he was about to pass out, and wondered if it was worry for her teammate that was making her back down. He could see no other way out of this situation, and gave her a slow nod.

"Your team will begin walking that way." Crackle stated, pointing. "I will throw you the inhaler once we're far enough away."

Carmen gave him an uncertain look. "If you don't return the inhaler, we'll pursue you." she promised.

Crackle gave her a scowl and motioned for Theodore to come with him. Theodore gave one last glare to Tigress and Shadowsan and then joined Crackle's side. El Topo picked up Le Chèvre and slowly Team Red began backing away. Once they were almost back to the street, Crackle drew back his arm and threw the inhaler across the parking lot to Team Red. Shadowsan caught it, and immediately knelt beside Le Chèvre to give it to him. As they saw to Le Chèvre, Crackle took off at a run towards the van.

When they made it to the van, they saw the engine was still running but the back door was wide open. Neal and Dash were nowhere in sight, and Crackle frowned glancing up and down the street. Climbing into the van as he pulled out his com, he allowed Roosevelt to get in the driver's seat. As they sped off, Crackle dialed Neal's number and then waited.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Neal couldn't tell how many turns they had taken, but after a few minutes the van stopped and he heard the others get out. A few seconds later he was pulled out of the van and he was roughly searched.

"Player, can you block this phone from being traced?" Julia asked.

There was no answer, and so Neal assumed she must have been speaking to someone over her com.

"Be careful with Dash." Neal instructed. "He's sick right now and needs a doctor."

"Hush you." Chase scolded. "We're not going to fall for any of your trickery."

Suddenly there was the sound of a ringing com, and Neal recognized it as his com's unique tone.

"Should we answer it?" Ivy asked uncertainly.

"I will answer it." Chase announced.

"We have your teammates." Chase stated smugly. "Sorry, but they are now the captives of Team Red."

Without another word, Neal heard the call end and seconds later the com began ringing again.

"Turn it off." Julia suggested. "We have to wait for Carmen to see what she wants to do."

Neal continued standing there outside the van for several minutes until he heard the sound of people approaching.

"How did you catch Neal?" Carmen asked in surprise.

"Through cunning." Chase replied proudly.

Ivy rolled her eyes. "He surrendered."

Carmen eyed Neal suspiciously, but the man was simply standing there bound and unable to see. Why would he surrender like that? This didn't make sense, and she gave him a frown.

"Hello, Black Sheep." Neal greeted in a tone that was a bit too chipper.

Neal was suddenly hit in the stomach so hard he doubled over and wheezed in pain. "Ugh...hello Le Chèvre." He guessed.

"Jean Paul!" Carmen said, aghast. "We don't abuse our captives!"

"That was payback for the inhaler." Le Chèvre replied, tone furious.

"Don't hit him again." Carmen said, her own tone growing annoyed. "Has anyone searched them yet?"

"For some reason the other one is in his underpants, and this one just had a wallet and cell phone on him." Chase replied.

Carmen glanced at Dash who was still laying in the back of the van. "What happened to Dash? Is he hurt?"

"He has appendicitis and needs a doctor." Neal replied impatiently. "You can't keep him here. You need to let us go so we can get him help."

"I told you to hush with your lies." Chase scolded. "He's just drunk and this one keeps making up stories in an attempt to trick us."

Carmen glanced down at Dash and frowned. It did seem highly unlikely that at the same time they were captured, one of the villains suddenly developed appendicitis. She would keep an eye on this just in case, but for now she was going to assume it was a trick.

"Crackle has been calling Neal's phone." Julia informed her. "Player has blocked any way the phone can be traced, and I turned it off."

Carmen gave a nod. "Good, let's get these two inside and secured. We have some negotiating to do with Team Crackle."

Neal suddenly felt himself being pulled along and he hoped he and Dash were going to be put in the same room so he could keep an eye on him. He felt the air slightly change as they entered a building, and he continued walking as he was tugged along. Suddenly there was no ground under his feet and he toppled forward, quickly being caught by strong arms.

"Oops, sorry, watch the stairs." Chase warned him, steadying the villain before releasing him.

Not exactly trusting Chase to warn him of obstacles in his way, Neal very carefully took the stairs one at a time until he was certain he was once again on flat ground. He was then ushered across the room, and he felt hands on his shoulders.

"Sit." Chase ordered.

Neal slowly lowered himself down to the floor and took a seat as he heard people shuffling around the room near him. He felt hands on his leg and then the sound of a shackle being locked around his ankle. A few seconds later he felt someone untie him, and he stayed still, knowing they were probably expecting him to attack.

"No funny business." Chase warned him, pulling the bag from Neal's head.

Neal glanced around at his surroundings and saw he was in a dusty basement of some sort. His gaze went to Dash and saw there was a ratty mattress on the floor, and Dash had been laid on it. There was a long and thick chain that looped through a support beam and he was shackled at one end of it and Dash at the other.

Carmen knelt down in front of him, her eyes searching as she tried to figure out what Neal was planning.

"Don't try anything." she warned him. "There are security cameras that are going to be watching your every move. Right now you have a small amount of freedom down here, but if you try anything at all, you'll find yourself handcuffed and bound."

"Sounds kinky." Neal teased, giving another glance around.

Carmen heaved a sigh. "What are you planning, Neal? We both know you could have taken down all three of them. Why did you let us take you?"

Neal glanced over at Dash and didn't answer.

"Are you trying to leave V.I.L.E?" she questioned, making him glance back at her. "Was being captured an excuse to get us to rescue you from them?"

Neal raised a brow. "No offense, love, but I have no interest in joining you."

Carmen didn't look convinced. "Neal, it's okay if you want to talk to us about this. We won't force you to go back if you don't want to. I just need you to be honest with me."

Neal rolled his eyes at her. "I enjoy what I do." he replied. "I'm not joining Team Sheep. I'm just worried about Dash, and wanted to make sure you do-gooders didn't accidentally kill him."

Carmen knew that Neal and Dash didn't get along well, and didn't believe this for an instant. "Well, I'll give you some time to think about it." she told him. "The chain is long enough to reach the bathroom if you need it."

"Crackle was at the pharmacy to get medicine for Dash. He needs that medicine." Neal told her. "Contact Crackle and at least arrange to have Dash's medicine sent here."

Carmen stared at Dash, but to her, it didn't look like anything was wrong with him. He was deeply asleep, but if he was blackout drunk like Chase said, that would account for that. She would give Dash a few hours to wake up and then she'd check on him again.

"I'll be back soon to have another chat." Carmen said, turning to walk away.

"No, you can't leave Dash like this." Neal insisted. "He needs help. You were always such a compassionate kid, Black Sheep, you can't leave him down here or he'll die. You need to let me take him to the hospital."

"It's Carmen now." she corrected. "I'll be back to check on him soon, I promise. I'm going to contact Crackle."

As Neal watched them leave the basement, he felt frustrated and glanced over at Dash. He crawled over to him, and laid his hand on his forehead, frowning at the heat he felt. He needed to cool Dash down, but he wasn't sure what he could do. He glanced down at the shackle around his ankle and could tell just by looking at it that he wouldn't be able to break it. He turned his attention to the nearby bathroom, and then gave a yank to the chain to give himself more slack.

Standing to his feet, he approached the bathroom, glanced in and saw there was nothing he could use to escape with. There was a sink, toilet and shower, but nothing else besides a bar of soap and a pile of towels. Neal stared at the towels and then grabbed them and carried them to the sink. Turning on the cold water, he soaked them one by one and then carried the sopping mess back out and approached Dash.

"Okay, fancy, let's see if we can get that fever under control." he said softly.

He gently maneuvered Dash out of the blankets and then laid him on the bare concrete floor. The other man was already shivering and the second Neal placed a cold towel on Dash's chest, he reacted by jerking away with a moan of complaint.

"Sorry." Neal said, applying another one to Dash's stomach. He covered Dash completely in the wet towels, and placed one on the burning forehead, hoping this would be enough to help.

Dash was shaking from the cold, and Neal sat down beside him, wishing he could get Team Red to listen to him. He kept reapplying a cold cloth to Dash's forehead every few minutes, and he had no idea if this was even helping.

An hour later, he heard feet on the stairs and saw Carmen approaching with a bottle of water. She had already been informed by Player what Neal had been doing and she was beginning to wonder if Neal was actually telling the truth. Without a word, she knelt down beside Dash, and then placed a thermometer into his mouth. She waited a few moments and when it beeped, she pulled it out and looked at the number.

"103.9." she stated.

"His fever's going up." Neal said worriedly. "He needs the hospital."

"103 isn't a dangerous fever." Carmen replied. "He probably just drank too much or he might have the flu. There's a really bad strain going around right now."

Carmen reached out and placed two pills into Neal's hand and then set the water beside Dash. "For the fever." she said.

"He has appendicitis." Neal said firmly. "Crackle will tell you the same. Call him."

"I did." Carmen replied. "He does claim that, but he also told me a doctor hasn't even examined Dash yet. You have no idea for sure that this isn't just the flu. Crackle's refusing to surrender himself, and we cannot let you go until he's willing to negotiate."

"This is ridiculous!" Neal said in frustration. "Take Dash to a doctor!"

"If it was actually as serious as you say, Neal, Crackle would be more willing to work with us. I know this is just a trick, Neal, and I'm not going to fall for it. Crackle would be more worried if it was serious."

"I wouldn't count on that." Neal muttered, knowing how messed up Crackle's mind could be. "Please, love, just take him to be seen by someone."

Carmen stared at Neal and couldn't detect any hint of deception and she frowned. "If he's still not any better by morning, I'll arrange a doctor to see him."

"He might not last that long!" Neal protested. "He needs the medicine Crackle has!"

"What medication is it?" she asked, still frowning uncertainly.

"I don't bloody know." Neal snapped. "Who cares? All I know is that he needs it!"

Carmen raised a brow, still not convinced this wasn't some trick. Dash seemed to be sleeping pretty peacefully, and his fever was high, but not dangerously so. If it was appendicitis, wouldn't he be in excruciating pain?

"Help him." Neal begged. "You're supposed to be the good guys, right? Take Dash to a doctor!"

"I'll be back later with your supper." she informed him. "I'll check his temperature again then."

"Can you at least leave the thermometer so I can keep an eye on him?"

Carmen immediately shook her head, knowing that if Neal smashed it, there were a dozen different things he could use the pieces for.

"I'm not going to let anything happen to Dash." she promised. "I'll be back soon."

As Carmen left the basement, Neal felt even more frustrated. Crawling over to Dash, he gave him a shake, but Dash didn't so much a twitch a finger.

"Dash." Neal said loudly, shaking him even harder. "I need you to wake up for a second. Dash."

When Dash still didn't stir, Neal frowned and then pinched him on the neck where Crackle had earlier. Dash woke with a startled yelp, looked up at Neal hovering above him and lashed out on reflex, catching Neal in the nose with his knuckles.

"Ah, shite!" Neal complained, clapping a hand to his bloody nose.

Dash's eyes were glazed and it was obvious he wasn't going to remain awake for long. Ignoring the pain in his face, Neal reached over and gently helped Dash to partially sit up.

"Tylenol." Neal told him, placing the pills into Dash's hand.

Dash blinked tiredly down at the pills and Neal opened the water and held it out. Dash's eyes slowly closed and Neal gave him another pinch and Dash once again woke with a start.

"Pills." Neal repeated.

Dash stared at the Tylenol and then put them in his mouth reaching for the water. Dash drank a few mouthfuls of the cold water and then handed it back to Neal without a single word.

"Does your stomach still hurt?" Neal asked him in concern.

Dash said nothing, and Neal realized he wasn't even really awake.

"Dash, can you hear me?" he asked worriedly.

"Bad at history." Dash muttered. "Gonna fail the test. Too dumb to remember..."

Neal frowned. "Are you having anxiety dreams about highschool?!" he asked.

Dash stared at Neal but didn't really seem to be seeing him at all. "No one cares about Canada." he stated solemnly.

"Oooookay, love, I think you'd better lie back down." Neal said, gently helping Dash back down. "Hopefully those pills will make you feel a little better."

Dash was asleep again within seconds and Neal placed another damp cloth on his forehead. A while later Carmen brought down a sandwich and a can of soda and she checked Dash's temperature again.

"I was told Dash was awake and speaking earlier?" she asked.

"Not really." Neal replied, as he watched her stick the thermometer in Dash's mouth. "He was delirious and not making sense."

"It's progress though." Carmen replied. "It's proof he's getting a bit better."

Neal felt his frustration grow. "He's not getting better." he insisted. "I was barely able to wake him, and he didn't even recognize me!"

The thermometer beeped and Carmen pulled it out and glanced at it. "104.1." she read.

"See! He's not getting better!" Neal cried. "His fever is getting higher."

"It's barely higher." Carmen replied. "I'll send down some more Tylenol in a few minutes. Negotiations with Crackle have been going better, and we should come to an agreement shortly."

"He can't wait that long!" Neal said, raising his voice.

"Crackle is calling me back in twenty minutes." she told him. "Dash will be fine for just a few minutes longer."

Neal couldn't believe she was being this blind. Was she so obsessed with getting Crackle to surrender that she really couldn't see how sick Dash was?

"If Dash dies while in this basement, I will never forgive you." Neal stated, turning worried eyes to the other man.

Carmen frowned at him, knowing Neal was genuinely worried about his teammate, but still not convinced he wasn't exaggerating just to escape.

"More Tylenol in just a few minutes." Carmen promised him, once again heading for the stairs.

Neal couldn't believe this and turned his attention Dash, the other man so pale that he was practically blue. Neal exchanged another cloth on Dash's face and forehead and then noticed something for the first time. Every time he switched cloths, a little bit of Dash's makeup came off, and now that he looked closely, he could see that Dash was completely covered in freckles. Neal couldn't stop a small chuckle of amusement at the sight of them. It was obvious Dash worked very hard to keep those freckles hidden, and he noted they made Dash look a lot younger than he was. He knew how incensed Dash would become knowing Neal thought the freckles were adorable, and he smiled wide.

"Okay, Spot, you need to concentrate on breaking this fever." Neal informed him.

Dash of course didn't answer, and around twenty minutes later, Julia came down the stairs, holding a white prescription bag. Neal let out a deep breath of relief as soon as he saw it.

"Crackle sent these for Dash." she informed him, kneeling down beside them. "Carmen is speaking with him over the phone right now. It looks like you two could be here for the night."

"What?" Neal demanded in horror. "You can't be serious!"

Julia opened two pill bottles and then handed Neal four small pills.

"Please, look how sick he is!" Neal begged. "Just look at him!"

Julia adjusted her glasses as she stared at Neal, remembering how the villain had saved her life in Dallas. He didn't seem particularly evil, but he was still a V.I.L.E operative.

"Help him." Neal said. "Just get him to a hospital."

Julia stared down at Dash, and then she frowned. Reaching out a hand, she removed the cloth on his forehead, the heat coming off him alarming.

"What was his temperature?" she asked.

"Last time Carmen checked it, it was at 104.1." Neal replied.

Julia's eyes widened in alarm. "I will speak to her." she promised. "I agree with you that he needs to be seen by a doctor. I'll try my best to get the others to see reason, I promise."

Neal felt a small sense of relief. "Thank you."

Julia glanced down at Neal's uneaten lunch. "You should eat something."

Neal let out a dismissive snort, placing another cold cloth on Dash's head.

"I'll speak with Carmen." Julia promised, heading up the stairs, leaving the pill bottle behind.

As soon as she was gone, Neal once again gave Dash a sharp pinch to wake him up. This time there was less of a reaction and it took a second pinch before he even opened his eyes, Neal helped Dash sit up and then held the pills to his mouth, not trusting the other man to do it himself. Dash obediently opened his mouth and Neal helped him sip at the bottle of water, Dash so weak that he could barely swallow.

Neal sat with Dash for the next hour or so, and to his relief, the fever finally seemed to be going down. Reading the directions on the bottles, he saw he had to give them to Dash once every 6 hours, and glanced down at his watch.

When Julia returned a while later, she was looking upset and was holding the thermometer.

"I'm sorry, but no one would listen to me. They still all think it's a trick." she told him. "How is he doing?"

"I think he's doing a bit better." Neal told her with a frown. "Are they really going to just leave us down here to rot?"

"Carmen is determined to exchange the two of you for Crackle, and she's unwilling to budge from this. Crackle is being equally as stubborn."

Julia stuck the thermometer in Dash's mouth as Neal frowned at her.

"I expected better of Carmen Sandiego." Neal admitted in disappointment. "I never would have expected her to chance killing Dash just to get at Crackle."

"She doesn't think he's seriously ill." Julia said with a frown.

The thermometer beeped and Neal watched expectantly as she glanced at it. She then smiled at him. "101.2" she said.

Neal sagged in relief. "Thank god…"

"Do you want me to bring you anything?" she asked. "Anything to drink? Something to eat?"

Neal shook his head. "I'm fine, love. Thank you. I've been worried out of my mind the whole time you were gone because I didn't know if the medication was working."

Julia glanced down at the thermometer in her hand and then offered him a smile. "Here." she said holding it out. "This way you can keep an eye on him whenever you need to."

Neal hesitantly accepted the thermometer. "Are you...are you sure?" he asked, glancing up at the security camera.

"I'm going to trust you not to misuse this." she told him. "Please don't make me regret it."

As Julia left the basement, Neal felt like he could finally relax. Removing the damp towels from Dash, he pulled him up onto the mattress so he'd be a bit more comfortable and then covered him in a blanket. Taking a seat beside him, he knew they just had to wait for Crackle to get them out of here.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Dr. Vesalius, better known as Dr. Vess, stepped off the plane and rubbed at his eyes tiredly. He ignored his assistants who were unloading his bags from the plane and stared down at his com irritably. He always had more to do than he could ever hope to accomplish and it was a constant source of frustration for him. First he'd had to interrupt his vacation to remove a bullet from Otterman, and now he had to deal with Dash Haber. He was never going to finish his research at this rate.

Letting out a sigh at the dozens of missed calls and messages, he called Crackle back, hoping his patient hadn't died.

"Vess." Crackle greeted, answering on the first ring.

"Tell me Dash Haber isn't dead." Dr. Vess said, impatiently. "I've wasted valuable time getting here, and I'm not going to have clearance to fly for at least another three hours."

"No, Dash is alive." Crackle confirmed.

Dr. Vess let out a sigh, and glared at one of his assistants as they dropped one of his bags. "Oh, yes, break all my equipment!" he snarled. "Clearly that's exactly what I need right now!"

"Er...sorry." the assistant said, quickly grabbing the bag and loading it into the car.

"What happened?" Vess demanded into the com. "I'm assuming something happened since you called me so many times."

Crackle hesitated. "There's been a complication…"

Dr. Vess narrowed his eyes. "What kind of complication?"

"...Carmen Sandiego."

Dr. Vess' expression darkened. "Tell me where you are." he ordered. "I'm on my way."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Neal was awoken by the sound of moaning beside him and he glanced over at Dash, immediately seeing that he was clutching at his stomach in pain.

"Dash?" Neal questioned.

Dash was shaking uncontrollably and groaning in agony, but he didn't seem to be awake. Reaching towards the other man, Neal was dismayed at the heat he felt, realizing the medications had stopped working. Looking down at his watch, he saw it wasn't quite time for another dose, but he reached for the bottles anyway. Pulling Dash up against him, he poured the pills into his hand and then stuck the thermometer in Dash's mouth.

His fears were confirmed when the temperature read at 104.4. He pinched and prodded at Dash, but this time he couldn't wake him up, and so Neal carefully placed the pills into Dash's mouth and then poured water into his mouth. To his relief, Dash instinctively swallowed, and so Neal continued sitting there with him, hoping his temperature would begin dropping. After twenty minutes, he tested the temperature and this time it came back as 104.6. Neal's eyes widened in alarm.

"Hey!" Neal yelled up towards the ceiling. "Help!"

There was no reaction from upstairs and so Neal yelled even louder. "DASH'S FEVER IS GETTING WORSE! I NEED HELP DOWN HERE!"

He could now hear movement upstairs, but no one came down.

"HELP!" he bellowed again. "I KNOW YOU CAN BLOODY WELL HEAR ME! HELP!"

He waited and waited, but no one came. Neal couldn't believe it when no one came to check on them, and he felt an anger so deep that he stood to his feet. They were letting Dash die, and he wasn't going to allow it.

"NO! " Neal screamed out in pure rage. " YOU WILL NOT LEAVE DASH TO DIE. YOU WILL GET YOUR SORRY ARSES DOWN HERE AND YOU WILL DAMN WELL TAKE HIM TO THE HOSPITAL! HELP HIM, YOU PATHETIC FUCKTARD OR I SWEAR I WILL MAKE IT MY LIFE'S MISSION TO TAKE YOU DOWN!"

Neal yanked uselessly at the chain, feeling angrier and angrier by the minute.

"DON'T YOU DARE PRETEND YOU CAN'T HEAR ME DOWN HERE! I HAVE A BIG FUCKING MOUTH AND I KNOW HOW LOUD I AM. HELP HIM, CARMEN SANDIEGO! HELP HIM NOW!"

Neal yanked and yanked at the chain and began swearing furiously in Maori, knowing he was helpless to do anything.

"HELP HIM!"

He kicked over the tray containing his untouched supper, and then threw the can of soda at the wall hard enough to burst it. He grabbed a hold of the support beam and began pulling at and shaking it, but it was secure he couldn't even budge it.

It was clear no one was coming and so Neal dropped to his knees beside Dash and once again tested his temperature. 105.1. Dash's brain was so hot now that it was going to start causing irreparable damaged if Dash wasn't cooled down immediately.

"SOME HERO YOU TURNED OUT TO BE !" Neal screamed up at the ceiling. " YOU'RE KILLING HIM! YOU'RE LETTING HIM DIE, CARMEN SANDIEGO!"

Dash suddenly began gasping and when Neal turned to him, he saw Dash's eyes had rolled up in his head as he was clearly about to have a seizure. Neal didn't know what to do, and felt like he was having a panic attack and he glanced towards the bathroom, suddenly remembering the shower. If he could get Dash in the shower, he might be able to cool him down with the cold water. Neal stared down at the chain that they were both attached to, knowing only one of them could be in the bathroom at a time and he had no way to get Dash there.

Suddenly Dash let out a sharp yell, and then he was having a seizure. Neal knew what he had to do and steeled himself, knowing this was really going to suck. Sitting down on the ground, Neal grabbed a hold of his foot and then took an incredibly deep breath. He then gave it a sharp twist and let out a scream of pain as he dislocated his foot. Neal's joints had always dislocated easily, and he had done this before to escape an unpleasant situation.

Gritting his teeth against the pain, Neal's foot was now much more flexible, and he slipped the shackle off and then reached over and grabbed Dash. Unable to walk because of his foot, he began dragging them both to the bathroom, Dash's seizure finally coming to an end.

Neal dragged them both into the shower and then reached up to turn the cold water on. As the freezing cold water sprayed down on top of them, Dash let out a scream of agony, the icy water feeling like it was burning his skin. Dash struggled to get away from the cold water, but Neal wrapped his arms around him, forcing them both to remain under the powerful spray.

Dash kicked and struggled with all his might as he screamed, his mind delirious and not able to understand what was going on. The water was as cold as ice and as the minutes went by, Dash's struggles slowly became less and less, instead turning into shivers.

"H-hate you." Dash muttered, his eyes squeezed closed.

Just those two words were enough to make Neal feel complete relief.

Pulling the thermometer out of his pocket, he stuck it in Dash's mouth as the other man continued to shake from the cold. It beeped and Neal pulled it out and glanced at it. 102.7.

"Scared me, fancy." Neal commented.

Dash didn't answer, and Neal saw he'd once again lost consciousness.

It was then that Team Red stepped into the bathroom. Neal narrowed his eyes at Carmen but didn't say a single word, not trusting himself quite yet. Carmen visibly winced at Neal's hate-filled gaze, now realizing just how wrong she been about everything. She had a lot of apologies to make for this later.

"Take him." she said to Shadowsan and El Topo.

Neal tightened his grip on Dash as they approached. "What are you doing?" he demanded.

"We're taking him to a doctor." Carmen replied. "He'll be fine, I promise."

Neal glowered at her and she gave another wince. Shadowsan and El Topo wrestled to get Dash away from Neal and they left him sitting in the shower unable to get up to confront them. Dash's shackle was removed, and then El Topo carried him out of the bathroom without a word.

"Wait!" Neal called after them. "I need to know he's alright! Take me with you!"

"Sorry, Neal." Carmen replied, following after the others.

Neal watched them go, still sitting under the cold spray of water, feeling furious but not able to do anything about it. Sagging in defeat he continued sitting there in silence until someone entered the bathroom. Shadowsan had returned, and without a word, he reached over turned off the water and then knelt down beside Neal. He carefully lifted Neal out of the shower, and then carried him back out into the basement. He set Neal down on the floor beside the mattress and then knelt beside him as he looked at Neal's injured foot.

"You dislocated your foot." he commented in surprise.

"You don't say?" Neal responded grumpily.

"You're not going to be walking on this for a while." he commented.

"I know." Neal answered. "My joints get dislocated all the time."

Shadowsan placed a hand on his injured foot and Neal suddenly realized what the older man was about to do. He barely had time to brace himself as there was a loud snap, and then excruciating agony shot through his whole leg. He screamed for a solid five seconds before the pain began to lessen, and then he let out a groan of misery.

"Thanks for the warning…" Neal hissed out between clenched teeth. "Bedside manner of a champ."

"You're not going to be able to walk on that foot, and so I won't put your shackle back on." Shadowsan informed him. "Betray this trust and I'll hogtie you. I'm going to be just upstairs, and so don't try anything."

Shadowsan didn't bother waiting for a response and turned and left the basement, not even glancing back at him.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

His rented black car pulled up to the motel, and Dr. Vess could see Team Crackle waiting for him outside. Letting out a deep sigh, he put his com away and then got out of the car to greet them.

"Where is my patient?" he demanded impatiently, not even bothering to greet them. "Certainly you don't expect me to examine him in this dirty little motel?"

Crackle grimaced and then scratched at his head, embarrassed he had to admit to failing his team.

"What?" Dr. Vess demanded, seeing the expression.

"You know how I said there was a complication involving Carmen Sandiego?" Crackle said hesitantly.

Dr. Vess gave him a sharp nod. "...yes?"

"Well, she captured Dash while he was asleep…She has him hidden away somewhere and won't let us have access to him."

Dr. Vess' eyes widened, and then he scowled. "Is she aware of his condition?"

Crackle nodded. "She wants to trade him in exchange for me."

Dr. Vess looked Crackle up and down pointedly, clearly not impressed with what he saw. "Why?" he demanded.

Crackle ignored the jab, and continued as if he hadn't been interrupted. "She's not going to let us have access to him otherwise, and she's unwilling to come to any other agreement."

Dr. Vess was an incredibly busy man and he did not like having his time wasted. He narrowed his eyes, and then held out his hand.

"Call her and hand me the com." he ordered.

Crackle did as he was told and called Neal's number. As it began ringing through, he handed the com over to Dr. Vess whose annoyance seemed to radiate through the air.

"Gray, I already told you-" Carmen abruptly cut off at the sight of the doctor. "Dr. Vess?!"

"What is this I hear about you refusing to allow me access to my patient?" he demanded, his tone not to be reckoned with.

Carmen gaped at him for a moment. "Pardon?"

"I just left my very important research, flew ten hours on a plane to get here, and now I discover you have stolen my patient!"

"Er...doctor, I'm no longer with V.I.L.E... I captured Dash Haber because he is our enemy."

"Does it look like I care about that?" Dr. Vess demanded, expression unamused. "The only thing that matters to me is treating my patient, and you will return him."

"He's not even that sick." Carmen argued. "I'm not a cruel person, Dr. Vess, and I made sure his fever was down before we went to bed. He's asleep right now, and getting better."

Dr. Vess narrowed his eyes. "Are you a doctor?" he demanded, tone like ice. "Because I am, and I have been practicing for over ten years now. I diagnosed Dash Haber with appendicitis and there is no possible way he is 'getting better'. The medications I prescribed would have given him temporary relief, but it wasn't a cure. Mr. Haber needs to be seen immediately, and you will let me see my patient!"

Carmen was honestly not expecting a sudden lecture and simply stared at him.

"He is going to die very shortly if I don't see him, and neither of us want that."

Carmen realized she had made a very big mistake. Dr. Vess was an excellent doctor, and she knew how much he cared for all of his patients. Although impatient and a bit rude at times, she knew he had a good heart, and she doubted he would lie about something like this.

Dr. Vess had treated all of her bumps and scrapes as a child, and she had adored him. He had kept rainbow bandaids and lollipops just for her, and she had nothing but good memories of him. He wasn't an operative, he was just a doctor, and she knew he would never go against the Hippocratic Oath. He wouldn't try to hurt them, and he wouldn't try to fight. Dash really was seriously ill.

Carmen winced meant that she had left Dash Haber in the basement to suffer in pain all this time. The thought was enough to turn her stomach.

"We will bring him to meet you." Carmen said to the surprise of the rest of her team.

They could suddenly hear Neal yelling from the basement, and Carmen paused to glance towards the basement door.

Turning her attention back to the doctor she said. "Meet us in one hour at the warehouse on 9th street. Only you and no one else is allowed in the building. If Team Crackle is spotted or anyone besides you, Dash will immediately be moved somewhere else."

Neal's yelling became so loud they could clearly hear every word he was furiously yelling at them, and Dr. Vess' expression turned foul.

"Neal the Eel is there?" he demanded.

Carmen nodded. "We captured them both at the same time."

"Leave the eel behind when you bring Haber. Neal has a talent for distracting me, and I don't need that when treating a patient. I will meet you in one hour, and for your sake, you'd better hope my patient is still alive."

"Just you, doctor." Carmen reminded him. "One hour, the main warehouse on 9th."

As soon as she hung up, the rest of Team Red began to protest.

"You can't let a V.I.L.E doctor anywhere near Dash!" Le Chèvre said. "He was likely sent to rescue him."

"Yeah, Carm, it's obviously a trap!"

"This doctor is probably going to attack us with a chemical weapon or something!" Chase said worriedly.

"He was always very rude to me when I visited him." El Topo commented thoughtfully.

"I hate him." Tigress commented. "He had the nerve to tell me to stop using my claws against other students during training! Ugh."

"Guys, calm down." Carmen said, giving them a frown. "We can trust Dr. Vess."

"You don't know that for sure." Le Chèvre challenged.

"Look, I've known him for most of my life. V.I.L.E hired him because he's one of the most talented surgeons on the planet, not because he's evil. He doesn't go on missions, he doesn't smuggle, he just treats people who are injured. I know he's grumpy and a bit rude, but I've seen the passion he takes in his work. He loves being a doctor, and he would never hurt anyone."

"Hmm, I dunno Carm, it seems risky."

Carmen turned to Shadowsan. "You know him, right? Tell them what he's like."

Shadowsan frowned. "He was a child genius who became a surgeon by the age of sixteen."

"So he's Doogie Howser?" Ivy demanded.

Shadowsan continued as if he didn't hear. "V.I.L.E snatched him up without hesitation, knowing the great potential he had. Carmen is correct that's he's incredibly passionate about his work, and he's invented many cures and pieces of medical equipment over the years. He is very unsociable and impatient, but I don't believe he's evil. I've never seen any evidence to suggest otherwise."

"See?" Carmen responded.

Suddenly they heard the sound of Dash screaming and they turned their attention to the basement in alarm.

"Oh no!" Carmen gasped, hoping Dash's appendix hadn't just burst.

Carmen ran for the stairs and the others followed along behind her. Carmen practically flew down the basement stairs and then she froze at the sight of the empty basement. Staring around with wide eyes, she saw the one empty shackle and then the chain leading into the bathroom. She could hear water running, and so she headed for the bathroom, not quite sure what she'd find.

When Carmen stepped into the bathroom, she was met with the sight of Neal and Dash sitting on the floor of the showerstall, the water on full-blast and both men shivering. Neal looked up at her and his glare was so venomous that she was actually taken aback. Neal was always such a happy and friendly person that the expression just seemed wrong on his face, and Carmen found herself wincing guiltily. She immediately knew that Neal had dragged them into the shower to lower Dash's fever. Now that she knew he'd been telling the truth the whole time, she felt absolutely wretched.

"Take him." she said to Shadowsan and El Topo.

It pained her to see the distrust as Neal tightened his grip on Dash as they approached. "What are you doing?" he demanded, voice dripping in suspicion.

"We're taking him to a doctor." Carmen replied, hoping to reassure him. "He'll be fine, I promise."

She watched as El Topo and Shadowsan had no choice but to force Dash away from Neal. Neal didn't get up as she expected, and that's when she noticed his twisted foot. He had broken his own foot to escape from the shackles. He had done this to save his teammate and Carmen felt such a wave of guilt that she knew she needed to leave to collect herself.

"Wait!" Neal called after them as Dash was carried from the room. "I need to know he's alright! Take me with you!"

Another wave of guilt crashed over Carmen and she swallowed heavily. Dr. Vess didn't want Neal there and so she had no choice but to leave him behind.

"Sorry, Neal." Carmen replied sadly, following after the others.

As they crossed the basement, Carmen turned to Shadowsan. "I think Neal's foot is broken." she told him. "Can you stay and make sure he's going to be alright?"

By Shadowsan's expression, it was clear he didn't want to, but he nodded and then headed back for the bathroom. Carmen followed the others to the van, and a few minutes later Shadowsan rejoined them and they were on their way to the warehouse.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Dr. Vess stared at the warehouse in disapproval, the building looking like it was about ready to fall down. He looked one way and then the other, but there was no sign of Team Red. He glanced down at his watch and saw he was a few minutes early, and let out an irritated sigh. Pulling out his com, he dialed Neal's number and then waited. Carmen answered within a few rings, her expression looking oddly contrite.

"Hello, Dr. Vess. Shadowsan and Ivy and are on their way outside to bring you in."

"I will need help carrying in my medical equipment, since I wasn't allowed to bring any assistants with me." he informed her, tone unamused.

"Anything you bring in will have to be checked." Carmen informed him.

"You will not contaminate my medical equipment!" Dr. Vess said firmly. "I will show you what I have, but you touch nothing, is this clear? It's bad enough that you're making me come to this dirty warehouse."

Carmen knew this was fair, and she gave him a nod of acknowledgement. A door nearby opened and Dr. Vess disconnected the call as Shadowsan and Ivy approached.

"Grab some of the bags from the back." he ordered, immediately taking charge. "And then take me to my patient. You've already wasted enough of my time."

Shadowsan raised a brow at him, but said nothing as he opened the trunk of the car and pulled out two black medical bags. He glanced inside them, but saw nothing out of the ordinary and so he handed them to Ivy and reached for the next two. When he found nothing suspicious, he gave Dr. Vess a nod who took the last bag and closed the trunk.

Dr. Vess followed them into the warehouse, and he took in the sight of the dirt and grime that surrounded them angrily. He was led down a long hallway and to a room that had the rest of Team Red waiting for him. His gaze immediately went to Dash Haber who was laying on a metal table in nothing but his underpants. Even from this far away, Dr. Vess, could see Dash's side was swollen and probably incredibly painful.

"How do you expect me to work like this?" he demanded, turning his glare on Carmen. "Maybe you're used to living in filth like this, but I need this area sterile. If my patient doesn't end up with an infection, it'll be a miracle!"

Muttering to himself, Dr. Vess set down his bag and then began removing his jacket. Setting it down on a nearby chair, he approached Dash and laid a hand on his lower right abdomen. Dash immediately moaned in agony, and Dr. Vess gently felt around the area, knowing that he was correct and this was almost certainly appendicitis. Raising a hand to Dash's face, he could feel the high fever, and checked Dash's eyes with a frown.

"Why is my patient's hair wet?" he demanded.

"Neal had him in a cold shower right before we left." Carmen replied. "I think Dash's fever was out of control again."

Dr. Vess frowned. "I think that idiot might have actually saved Dash's life..." he stated thoughtfully.

Carmen's eyes widened, but said nothing as the doctor glanced around the area he had to work in.

"Alright, I need all of you to help me disinfect this area. Mr. Haber requires surgery as soon as possible." Dr. Vess said, opening one of his medical bags. He pulled out a massive jug of disinfectant, sterile cloths and set them on one of the other tables. When no one moved, he narrowed his eyes. "Well?"

Carmen surged forward to help, and within seconds the others were reaching for cloths as well. Tying his hair back with an elastic, Dr. Vess slipped on a surgical cap and then reached into a different bag. Dr. Vess began preparing himself for surgery, and slipped on hospital scrubs, gloves, and facemask, and then began disinfecting himself the best he could given the situation.

Team Red was busy thoroughly cleaning the whole room, and when they were finished, Dr. Vess knew this was as good as it was going to get. Approaching his patient, he looked down at him with a frown, trying to figure out his best course of action.

"Since you people clearly have no idea what you're doing, I'm going to explain it to you. I need someone experienced to assist me during this surgery."

"I'll do it." Carmen immediately volunteered.

Dr. Vess gave her a withering look. "I think not." he replied, turning his gaze to Shadowsan. "I trust you've seen your fair share of injuries over the years?"

Shadowsan nodded.

"Get in scrubs and disinfect yourself." the doctor ordered. "I'm trusting you to help me."

Shadowsan did as he was told, and while he was dressing, Dr. Vess pulled a pair of scissors out of his bag and then approached Dash. As he cut the underwear off his patient, the four girls in the room averted their gazes, and slowly moved further away. Dr. Vess grabbed the bottle of disinfectant and poured it over Dash, having no idea what the villain may have come in contact with while in captivity. He gently but thoroughly scrubbed him clean, and then reached for one of the other bags.

Dr. Vess then began covering Dash in sterile sheets, leaving only the lower right abdomen uncovered. Pulling out a I.V stand and assembling it, he attached a bag of saline to one of the hooks and then attached it to a long and thin needle. Once more the doctor disinfected his hands and then the needle, and then he approached and took one of Dash's arms. Inserting the needle into the arm, he taped it in place, and then turned to Shadowsan.

"Are you ready?" he demanded.

Shadowsan nodded and approached.

"I'll need you to pass me what I need, and flush the wound when I ask for it." Dr. Vess explained, reaching for a bottle of anesthetic. "Normally this procedure would take about an hour, but without a medical team, I'll have to do everything myself. It shouldn't take longer than two hours at the most unless I run into complications."

Dr. Vess carefully measured out an amount of anesthetic and then injected it into the IV line. Disinfecting his hands one last time, he then held out his hand towards Shadowsan.

"Scalpel."

Shadowsan had arranged all the equipment around him and immediately reached for a scalpel and passed it over. As he made the first cut, most of Team Red had to look away, instead staring around the room or at the floor.

Dr. Vess worked slowly and carefully, knowing how critical it was that he not jostle Dash during the surgery. When he pulled a section of intestine out through the incision, El Topo looked like he was going to be sick, and quickly fled far away from the operation table.

As Dr. Vess carefully tied off the appendix so he could begin removal, it suddenly burst in his hand, and he quickly finished tying it off, glad it happened in his hand and not in the abdomen. He realized if he had've been just minutes later, Dash likely wouldn't have survived this procedure, and he shot a glare in Carmen's direction.

Once he was certain he had the bleeding under control, he began very very slowly removing what remained of the appendix. Focusing completely on the task at hand, Dr. Vess fell into what he called his 'zone' and at that moment nothing else mattered except for the surgery. His cuts were steady and sure, and when he finally disposed of the appendix, he knew the surgery had gone extremely well. He sutured the wall of the intestine, disinfected the area, and then carefully pushed the intestine back where it was supposed to be.

Knowing that Dash Haber likely wouldn't appreciate a three inch long scar on his abdomen, Dr. Vess made the tiniest stitches possible, knowing that as long as the wound didn't get infected it was unlikely to leave a visible scar. When he was finally done, he once again disinfected the wound and then applied cream over it to help protect it from contaminants. After he applied bandages and a wrap, he turned to the rest of the room.

"The surgery was successful." he informed them, and then glared at Carmen. "With no thanks to you. If we'd waited just an hour longer, Mr. Haber would likely be dead right now. His appendix burst while I was removing it, and you're damn lucky I'm a good doctor, or this could have ended much differently."

Carmen's stomach twisted in guilt, upset she had disappointed the doctor in this way. She'd always looked up to him, and it pained her to know that he thought she was so cruel and foolish. She would never intentionally hurt someone, but her actions showed otherwise and so she couldn't even defend herself.

Carmen watched as Dr. Vess gathered up all of his medical equipment, and then he turned to the others. "Someone will have to help carry these bags." he ordered.

To everyone's surprise, he then turned to Dash and scooped him into his arms.

"Just what do you think you're doing, bub?" Ivy demanded, striding forward threateningly.

Dr. Vess didn't seem concerned, only annoyed. "Look, this may be difficult for you to grasp, Boston-bean, but Dash Haber still requires medical attention. It will be weeks before he's fully recovered."

"We can't let him take him...can we?" El Topo asked uncertainly.

"He's our prisoner!" Tigress snarled.

"Can you guarantee he's going to remain in a sterile environment where he'll have access to a doctor to monitor him?" Dr. Vess demanded.

Carmen slowly shook her head.

"Can you guarantee that Mr. Haber's medications will be properly adjusted depending how he reacts to the surgery?"

Again Carmen shook her head.

"That's what I thought. Dash Haber will be coming with me, and perhaps he'll get to survive this whole ordeal."

Carmen looked over at Shadowsan who was frowning, but he didn't protest.

"You can't take him!" Chase said, unable to believe the nerve. "We're not going to just allow a V.I.L.E operative to walk free!"

Carmen placed a calming hand on his arm. "Guys, it doesn't look like we have a choice. Dash still needs a doctor, and that's something we can't provide. We have to let him go."

Tigress looked furious and she crossed her arms. "Figures." she muttered.

"Well, at least we still have Neal?" El Topo pointed out.

"Ugh, he's so disgusting though." Tigress complained. "At least Dash is pretty to look at."

"Bring my bags if you think you can manage it." Dr. Vess ordered, clearly tired of dealing with this and walking towards the door.

Adjusting Dash slightly in his arms as he walked, Dr. Vess left the room and didn't even glance back at them. Shadowsan followed along after him, not saying a word, simply a disapproving presence behind him. As Team Red helped load his bags into the trunk of the car, Carmen opened the door so Dr. Vess could lay Dash on the back seat. Once he had Dash safely positioned, he closed the door and then headed for the driver's door.

Carmen caught him by the sleeve and he paused and then stared down at her in annoyance.

"Don't you think you've wasted enough of my time?" he demanded.

"Um, Dr. Vess? I just wanted to apologize." Carmen told him sheepishly. "I didn't mean to put someone's life in danger and I didn't mean to delay Dash getting medical treatment. I know you must be so disappointed in me, and I'm sorry for everything."

Dr. Vess stared down at her in silence for a moment, and then replied. "I've been your doctor for almost your entire life, Black Sheep, and I honestly expected you to be smarter than this."

Without another word he got into the car and closed the door. Carmen felt like she'd been slapped, and simply watched him drive off with a frown. She hadn't just disappointed him, she'd made him furious with her. Carmen clenched her fists, feeling angry at herself for the way she handled things. She'd ignored everyone else, too focused on getting Crackle, and because of that she nearly caused someone to lose their life.

Carmen knew Dr. Vess had always been fond of her, and she vividly remembered the hugs she'd given him as a child. He wasn't a very social person, but he'd always been kind to her, and he's always done his best to make sure her visits to his office were as fun as possible.

Turning to the rest of her team, she heaved a sigh. "Let's get back so we can check on Neal."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Crackle heard a car pull up in front of their motel room, and shot to his feet in an instant. He ran for the door, and when he threw it open, he was met with the sight of Dr. Vess getting out of his car.

"How is he? How is Dash?" Crackle demanded.

"The operation was a success, and he should be fine." the doctor replied, walking around to the side of the car. When he opened the car door, Crackle definitely wasn't expecting to see Dash laying on the backseat.

"You got him back?!" he asked in awe.

"Don't say I never did anything for you." Dr. Vess replied. "I didn't trust Team Red enough to leave him in their care. They probably would have let his incision site get infected. I trust you will be more careful with him?"

"Nothing will happen to him." Crackle vowed.

"Bring him inside and I will explain how to properly care for him." Vess ordered. "You are to follow my directions exactly, am I clear?"

Crackle very gently lifted Dash into his arms, not even bothered by the fact Dash was still completely naked.

"We will do exactly as ordered." Crackle promised, leading him to their room. "Thank you for getting him back."

"It is my job." Dr. Vess replied in resignation.

Crackle then glanced around. "Where's Neal?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

TBC