Takes A Thief To Save A Thief

by puppydogs68

VILE will stop at nothing to capture Carmen Sandiego, a former student that betrayed them. We all know that Carmen's smarter, and that she's better...but sometimes, life just isn't fair. Carmen's captured, and it's up to Graham Crackle, now currently an ACME agent, to pick up the pieces. Who was he before, really? Rated T for violence; no cursing. (Cover art now up)

11. Chapter 11

Takes A Thief To Save A Thief Chapter 11: "I'm Just An ACME Agent! (No I'm Not)"

I may or may not be writing this during a Zoom class while the teacher's taking attendance.

Hehe.

NaoSa: Oooo cool! One of my friends takes Spanish. :)

beehappy13108: Awww thx :3

GiddyReflections: Life is always hectic :S

Drama Lover's Dream 513: Thank you! Also ya, it's definitely getting more and more interesting...or at least I hope so, lol. XD

Sunrise: ?-?

Imma try and make this chapter at least 1,000 words because the last chapter sucked. :P

Enjoy!

Graham followed Agent Zari toward the large facility building up ahead.

"So, this is the place, hm?" He stared at it. The building was a cream white, with a couple windows.

"This is just a small museum. What would VILE want to steal from here, when they could get something better from a bigger museum?"

"Apparently, there's a very important painting here." Agent Zari told him. The team was now almost at the door.

"Wait, is?" Graham asked, "It wasn't stolen? Why would Carmen come, if she didn't, 'steal' anything?"

"Maybe she got kidnapped before she could. The authorities said that they think she was kidnapped, but no one knows for sure." Zari said, walking up to a police officer standing in front of the doors.

"We're closed." He grunted. Agent Zari took out her credentials, "Agent Zari, full-time agent of ACME. These are my fellow agents. We're here to investigate the scene of the crime."

The police officer nodded, "Follow me." He sighed before unlocking the door, motioning Agent Devineaux, Agent Zari, Graham, and Agent Stripes inside.

"See that hole in the ceiling? That's how she got in. The red-cloaked villain, caught red-handed." He shook his head disapprovingly, then led them down the hallway.

"Exhibit B. This is where it happened." (A/N, anyone else getting Room Where It Happens vibes? XD) The officer continued, "The painting wasn't stolen, just hidden. We found it, and put it back on the stand after."

"Hidden...or, perhaps, Ms. Sandiego forgot it while she was being chased by this unknown threat." Devineaux said.

"Possibly." Zari agreed.

"How about, there was no one here, no hidden evil, no secret agency or anything, except, I mean, besides us, VI- I mean, ACME, but Carmen was a moron, so she left the painting." Agent Stripes said. Graham shot her a confused look, and Agent Stripes, or Tigress, just realized how suspicious that must have sounded.

"I mean...it could just be that she decided that it wasn't worth it, and left." Agent Stripes sputtered, embarrassed.

"Hm, I think we'll stick with Devineaux's theory." Zari said. Agent Devineaux smirked while Stripes frowned.

"Come on, let's investigate." Agent Zari told them.

"Wait! What if, the person chasing Carmen took the painting, not her? We could check for fingerprints. That would surely prove she's innocent." Graham said.

"Oh, certainly the people- I MEAN, as you said, um, PEOPLE- chasing her, wouldn't be so stupid." Agent Stripes scoffed.

Graham went to check for fingerprints on the painting, but the only ones on it, belonged to Carmen. He curled his lip, disappointed that the only thing that might have given them a clue to where Carmen was, or proven that her innocence, was useless.

What if Carmen really was a thief? What if they were right?

Just then, Graham heard a loud thud from where Agent Stripes had been. The fake ACME agent had slipped on something.

"Oof."

"Oof?! That's all you're going to say?!" Tigress growled, but forced herself to remain calm. She got up, noticing something stuck to her shoes.

"What's that?" Agent Zari said, grabbing the piece of black and white striped fabric.

MINE BOMB! You moron!

"UM...IT'S...IT'S..."

"Evidence! We can check it for fingerprints to see how captured Carmen."

Agent Stripes panicked, "What?! No! That...fabric...was...part...of...my...outfit! Yes. Yes exactly. It's most definitely not a piece of evidence. Pssshhhh, totally not. Hehehe." She grabbed the cloth, stuffing it in her pocket. She was supposed to keep ACME away from VILE, not lead them towards VILE!

"..." Agent Zari didn't seem to question her, much to Tigress' relief. However, Graham wasn't that flexible.

"I'm sure it didn't just magically fall off her outfit. She must have torn it somewhere, and her outfit has no tears."

"It was part of a sash." Tigress lied.

Graham glared at her, "I never saw you wearing a sash."

"I-"

"Graham, don't question her. After all, why would an ACME agent lie?" Devineaux asked.

Graham narrowed his eyes, "I don't know. But isn't it weird that we've never seen her around here before?"

"ACME has people from all sorts of backgrounds." Agent Zari shrugged.

"That's not what I mean. She just seems really...strange. Think about it. She just showed up, and Chief let her in. For no reason at all."

"We need all the agents we can get."

"But don't you need to pass some sort of test to get in, of course, me being an exception."

"Yeah. And she passed with flying colors. I don't see the big deal."

"She would have needed training though." Graham said.

"So...?"

"Where did she get her training? Certainly not at ACME, if you've never seen her before."

"There's a lot of people at ACME. I'm not surprised we haven't seen her." Agent Zari told him.

"But-"

Agent Zari cut him off, "Even if she didn't come from ACME, she's obviously a very capable agent. You're just mad because she seems more harsh on Carmen then everyone else. Carmen's evil, Graham, and you can't change that.

"No she's not. I'll prove it, one way or another. I may not know all the details, but one thing's for sure: Carmen isn't a liar. She wouldn't have just lied to me when she said that we were the good guys."

"I think-"

"No! No, you never think!" Graham seethed, "You never think what I might be thinking! Why can't you at least consider my ideas?!" Graham stormed outside, Agent Devineaux and Zari hot on his heels.

"Ugh! You're just going to leave me here?!" Tigress seethed, muttering something under her breath.

All of a sudden, something yanked her back, pulling her into the shadows. The kidnapper tied her to a chair.

"What do YOU know about Carmen?" A red-haired woman asked.

"Wh-" Tigress recognized her as one of Carmen's helpers, "I'm just an ACME agent! What should I know?!"

"You're investigating the case, aren't you?! Spill! We know VILE did this! And Carmen is NOT the leader of VILE, like ACME thinks! SO TELL ME: WHAT. DO. YOU. KNOW. ABOUT. CARMEN?!" She yelled.

"Awwww, but I was going to be bad cop!" Someone whined from behind her.

"Not a good time, Zach!"

"You told me-"

Ivy rolled her eyes, "I'm interrogating someone!"

"Uh, who?" Zach asked. Ivy whipped around to where the white-haired ACME agent had been tied to the chair. The rope was on the floor, the agent now nowhere in sight.

"Great job." Ivy said sarcastically, rushing outside. By the time she got there, the ACME limo had already pulled out of the parking lot and was now on the move.

Tigress smirked from the window, "Buh-bye."

"TIGRESS?!" Zach and Ivy exclaimed at the same time.

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