Double Argent

by KeepCaliforniaDreamin

After being taken advantage of a time too many, Julia Argent takes a position as VILE's latest operative with her only objectives being taking down the only two people who have wronged her: Carmen Sandiego and Chase Devineaux. The two must form an unlikely alliance to help stop Julia and get her away from VILE's sinister clutches. R&R.

12. Distress

In this week's thrills and spills: Carmen's run-in with Dash Haber degrades into a near deadly end, but was it worth it? While an inebriated Chase goes on a clandestine quest with Zari to stop their enemies, and speaking of those enemies, Julia braces herself as Marauder goes toe to toe with Chief to save her love: Tigress.

12: Distress

SEATTLE WASHINGTON 0039 HOURS

Agent Zari sat at her desk, still quite perturbed by Chief's very strange and very off-brand phone call...mostly for the specificity of "stupendous" something that seemed quite off to the veteran Zari.

Her brain racked with endless theories as were Chase and Anthony, the only difference was Zari was far more focused than the two of them put together and her current judgment not clouded by copious amounts of lager.

"Stupendous" she said, thinking out loud, eyes glued to her stock photo. Zari reached for her phone and dialed Chief again. This time, the call went to voicemail, as Chief's phone was still sitting on Julia's kitchen table in her now empty apartment.

"You've reached Tamara Fraser, please leave a brief message and—" Zari hung up before the voicemail messenger could finish. An agent knocked on her office door, a regular Jimmy Olsen.

"Agent Connors?" Zari deadpanned.

"I'm not sure how eager you are for a late night firefight but we intercepted a call to Seattle P.D. about someone acting suspicious over in Union Square complex."

"Sounds a bit out of our paygrade" Zari said dismissing him.

"Normally, but the suspect's description is a dead match to the perp you, Falco, and Special Agent Devineaux picked up last night" he explained. "The woman from V.I.L.E."

Zari turned her chair, her interest suddenly piqued. "You're certain?"

"If I wasn't, I wouldn't be here."

Zari paused. "Is she still there?"

"No clue, it was twenty minutes ago, maybe, maybe not."

Zari gave a light nod and a sigh. "Thanks, Agent Connors."

"You don't want me to send a few people over?" he asked.

There was another pause. Zari still didn't know who the A.C.M.E. agent was that was their traitor, not that she didn't have a few ideas, but there were only a few people she trusted, and neither of them were in the building currently. She couldn't risk another mission snafu yet again, especially when they could potentially get Tigress back.

"No, no let Seattle P.D. handle it. If she's ours we'll know if they get her. I don't want to go on a potentially wild goose chase and come up with nothing."

"Right, I get it. I'll get back to work."

"Connors!" Zari called as he was about to walk away. He headed back.

"Yes, Agent Zari?"

"I know we changed the rules a few years ago, who has access to the "old" armory?"

"Um, Chief, obviously. And, all the special agents."

Zari smirked. "Good."

"Anything else?"

"No, thanks you've been very helpful."

He left again, and Zari turned back to her phone.

EVERETT WASHINGTON 0035 HOURS

Julia remained frozen on Anthony's toilet in his pool house. Sure, she had just fought Chief and won previously, but she had nearly lost and only escaped due to Tigress's ingenuity coupled with Julia's minor ant infestation in her kitchen.

Moreover, Julia didn't have it in her to kill Chief, and even despite her dramatic character transformation Julia just didn't have the heart to actually kill anyone...right? But now she was faced with this potentially murderous task.

But, as she sat, Julia's head kept spinning. Her rage was building up. Chief may have been trying to do the right thing but in Julia's eyes she stole HER crush and threatened HER. Julia was becoming torn now. This inner rage of Marauder had really warped her sense of reality. Did she have homicidal intent? Conventional wisdom says no, but there was a part of her that wanted revenge on Carmen, Chase, and now Chief...and what that revenge entailed Julia didn't know, but now she didn't seem so rational in her thinking. She knew all this was brought upon by Tigress, and how much she cared about her, but she also knew she had an identity to protect, and protect it, she would. Her communicator buzzed, it was Coach again.

"Marauder, you still there, hon?" Coach asked.

"Yes."

"Now look, I understand this is a big ask for you, but it has to be done. V.I.L.E. secrets cannot be exposed to the world."

"Do the rest of the Faculty know this?"

"I've told them you've hit a snag but went into no details as far as they're concerned it's situation normal over here."

"So they've voted on it? To murder Chief?"

"That is affirmative. All five. So given that you understand how gravely important this is?"

"I understand. But, w-what if, what if I can capture her?"

"Look, you're nervous, frankly I'd be a bit disturbed if you weren't. The first one is the hardest but it gets easier, I promise you" Brunt assured her.

"But what if I can?" Julia retorted.

Brunt sighed and shrugged. "I mean, if you can guarantee she won't escape then knock yourself out, I take it she hasn't been able to get word out else she might have radioed for help instead of staging a "last stand Alamo style". But bear in mind Lambkins, I've talked to this woman, make no mistake, she seems to have no qualms whatsoever about ending your life."

Julia paused, but eventually nodded. "I will not fail you, Coach Brunt."

"I know you won't. And I'm sorry that I didn't take your side before. I'm always gonna be in your corner. Remember that" Brunt winked before ending the call.

Julia looked down and felt Chase's phone vibrating, it was Zari. Julia got up and hid her communicator. She saw Chase was groggily getting up again. Julia quickly tossed his phone to the floor below him, Chase didn't notice it missing. He looked and saw Zari calling.

"Aw no, this can't be good" Chase fumed, shaking his head to try and wake himself up, huge mistake. "Oh! That made everything worse!" he complained. He answered the phone as hastily looked for her wallet which fell out of her shorts while she was trying to "seduce" Chase. "Hello?" he asked with a stumble in his voice.

"Where are you?" Zari asked.

"Agent Falco's house" Chase slurred.

"How soon can you get back?" she asked.

"Um, half hour, forty minutes maybe?"

"Meet me at HQ the moment you get here. What about Falco?"

Chase turned to Anthony. "He is nearly asleep."

"You can't wake him?"

"Trust me when I say this, he is not going to be able to anything but sit and sleep" Chase deadpanned.

"Fine, but just get here ASAP."

"Uh, sure—"

"And tell no one!" she warned him.

"I will, do not worry" Chase hung up and saw Julia getting close to the door.

"I need to leave" she said. "Give my best to Agent Falco."

"Wait-wait! Are you going back? To Seattle?" Chase asked.

"Yes, of course."

"Um, any chance, Ms. Argent, that you could drive me home?" Chase asked. "I'm not exactly in the best frame of mind to drive myself, right now."

Julia grunted, this was the last thing she needed. "You can't stay here?"

"I, uh, do not want wish to outstay my welcome" Chase retorted, this being a lie.

"I don't suppose your sudden interest in leaving would have anything to do with whatever Agent Zari called you about?"

"Um, she needs my approval on some forms and this cannot wait until morning, they must be faxed out as soon as possible."

This seemed plausible, and would match the admittedly ambiguous words Chase said to Zari, but Julia knew better, she figured A.C.M.E. had gotten wind of something suspicious, and was preparing to investigate the building where Chief was holding Tigress. Chase continued to babble-on with nonsense about the lie needed to get a ride but Julia smirked, maybe this could be the opportunity to capture Chase and Chief, now that Anthony would be out of the way.

"Why of course, "Special" Agent Devineaux, I'd be happy to drive you home."

"Fantastic. Merci, Ms. Argent, let me just tell Anthony goodbye" he said, walking over to where Anthony was sitting. "Anthony? Wake up!" Chase shook Anthony awake.

"Huh, who? Yes, mom?"

"Anthony, I am leaving with Agent Argent, I need you to drive my car to my apartment tomorrow, then I will drive us to work, and then you will take the train home" Chase said shoving his car keys into Anthony's shirt pocket.

"Oh sure, no worries, pal" Anthony said half awake.

"Good. I had a lovely time. Give Irene my regards and blah-blah-blah" Chase said with his usual brand of arrogance before following Julia out. Anthony immediately fell back asleep.

Outside Julia let Chase stumble ahead of her. She watched Chase's gait get increasingly unsteady as he attempted to move. Julia looked at the pool where Chase walked next to. How easily she could push him in and he would be too inebriated and simply drown, or perhaps he could fall, hit his head, fall into the pool and then drown. Julia shook her head, and breathed deeply, trying to put these thoughts away. Her hands shook as they walked out the gate and Julia led the way to her—er, Chief's car down the block.

"Why did you park so far away?" Chase quizzically asked.

"Oh I uh, couldn't find parking" Julia said, realizing in hindsight all that was pointless as she would be driving in Chief's stolen car. Fortunately Chase was far too drunk to really grasp the situation so this worked in Julia's favor.

"At this time of night?" he asked.

"Do you want me to drive you, or ask a million pointless questions?" Julia asked with her newfound sense of confidence.

"Yes, yes of course."

"Then get in" Julia opened up the car, Chase sat shotgun admiring the luxury crossover's elite features. Chief certainly didn't get the stock model.

"Miss Argent, this car is fantastic. I-I-I thought you owned one of those stupid electric cars those hipster kids make their parents buy them?"

"Call it an upgrade."

"Ooh, it's that rich Corinthian leather Ricardo Montalban was always talking about" Chase cooed, rubbing his grubby mits on the leather. "Whatever happened to him?"

"He's been dead for over ten years" Julia deadpanned.

"Oh" Chase awkwardly nodded, buckling up. They got to driving.

PARIS FRANCE 0919 HOURS

Carmen remained in her kneeling position, gun barrel still touching the ground. Dash was stunned to say the least, this was hardly the same Carmen Sandiego who is quick with the puns and fast with the beat-downs. She wasn't one to brandish firearms in an implicitly threatening manner. And this was a FAR CRY from the mischievous prankster Black Sheep from V.I.L.E. Island, she was way too far gone.

"Dash!" Carmen called, redirecting his attention from the gun back to her. "I asked you a question."

"Uh-uh—" Dash stammered, sweat dribbling from his face. "W-Wh-Wh-Wh-Wha-What-Wha-What was the-uh, the question, uh-gain?"

"Who. Is. Marauder?" Carmen retorted. "And please tell me it isn't Julia Argent."

"I-I can't answer those questions."

"Why not?" Carmen demanded.

"I, I won't" Dash said a bit more firmly.

"Oh, you will."

"Carmen, what's gotten into you?" Dash asked. "C'mon, there's no need for this kind of violence, unless there's makeup tutorial TikTok drama."

"You're stalling" Carmen huffed. "It's a simple question, Dash: give me a name."

"I won't tell you."

Carmen paused, her hand tightening on the grip. "That's not wise, Dash. I think it's in your best interest to give me that name."

"Why?" Dash asked, thinking like he could throw in a little white lie, maybe to get Carmen from asking questions about Julia. "She's-she's just some nameless gunsel like the rest of us! Like you!"

Why test Carmen like that? But it certainly made her blood boil. Carmen used her free hand and backhanded Dash across his face. "You—you're asking for it!" Carmen stammered.

Dash half-smirked, that was all the info he needed to know Carmen didn't have the guts to take his life.

But outside, the temperature was about to heat up in the action department. Zack had tied El Topo to a column near their previous encounter. The Mole Man was finally awakened from being sucker punched.

"That should hold ya until the gendar-whatever-they're-calleds show up" Zack shrugged butchering the name of the French police service: the gendarmerie. He leaned against a column opposite El Topo, sliding down to the floor. "Soon we can strike two V.I.L.E. operatives off our list."

"Two?" El Topo asked.

"Well, four I guess, counting Dash Haber and Le Chevre."

"Si-si, but you still missed one."

"Haven't ya heard?" Zack asked rhetorically. "But you're old pal Tigress is about to be forcibly de-V.I.L.E.-tized."

El Topo smirked. Clearly Zack didn't get the memo. "Right, right. Yes of course."

Zack was kind of dumb, but not that dumb. He raised an eyebrow. "I'm sensing there's been some developments since hearing this news?" sounds like a John Mulaney line.

"Perhaps there has...and perhaps there has not."

"You're not in a particularly good position not to tell me things" Zack threatened.

"Or perhaps I am in the perfect position?" El Topo mused, only to realize he really wasn't. "Ugh, I see your point" he sighed.

"Lemme see if I can break this down" Zack began. "You're saying: Tigress somehow escaped A.C.M.E.?"

"I never said that. You said that."

"Ah yes, but you implied that my statement earlier may have been false so I am here hypothesizing a plausible situation based on what you have implicated to me."

"Those were big words" El Topo complimented.

"My sister got me a thesaurus for Christmas."

"Even if you are correct, I cannot divulge V.I.L.E. secrets to an outsider" El Topo elaborated. "What would the Faculty think?"

"They'd probably feed you to Countess Cleo's dogs. How's she doing by the way? Does she talk about me?" Zack asked.

"Si. You are the stupid fake duke who she never wants to see again unless she is melting your face with hot acid."

Zack gulped. "Okay, I shall stay far away from her for the rest of my life."

On the other side of the museum we have Ivy and Le Chevre. Ivy had managed to hogtie the Goat themed villain on the floor. "And now we wait" she sat on the floor by him.

"You so-called heroes are cruel". He deadpanned.

"Sticks and stones" Ivy countered.

"You understand your days are numbered. It won't be long before the Faculty decides you are all expendable enough to be eliminated."

"Wait-wait, time out...you mean there isn't a V.I.L.E.-wide mandate already in place to put us all in an early grave? I am shook-eth."

"Laugh all you want but there will come a time when the fun and games end."

"Right, cause this is a regular game of hide and seek."

"Well you'd better hide once we release Marauder upon you. Then you will stop laughing very quickly" Le Chevre assured her.

"What's up with that one there, huh? She's like if Satan had a granddaughter that he never appreciates."

"She's a very formidable comrade. Doesn't mince too many words. And if I were you—and I'm so glad I am not, I would go off the grid for a while—possibly forever."

"Fat chance. We're not scared of some sociopath with an attitude problem."

"You should be afraid. Very-very afraid."

"Horror movie cliché aside, what's her beef with us anyhow?" Ivy asked.

"Oh, I am not sure" Le Chevre lied, far more eloquent than El Topo. "I just know she is desperate to destroy you all."

Ivy tried to look tough, but all she could do was gulp.

SEATTLE WASHINGTON 0102 HOURS

Inside the building a very small police presence had begun to build on the outside as a few responding police officers were securing the perimeter of the building but not yet going inside of it. Chief sat on a chair in this experimentation room staring at Tigress, still chained to the table.

Chief held her pistol close, looking right at Tigress. "Oh, to be young again" Chief mused. "You're truly a fool to not take this deal, Tigress. Don't be so clouded by love, it's all a bunch of hooey anyway. In the end, they always leave you, and then you come to realize it's all a big nothing, and you die alone in your own arms."

"Thank you, Livia Soprano" Tigress deadpanned.

"Take. My. Deal" Chief hissed. "I can guarantee you will not so much as be in the room next to the jail cells, let alone inside of one. All you have to do is give up everyone you know."

"You know my terms. Meet them and we have a deal" Tigress reminded her.

"I can't."

"You won't!" Tigress snarled. "Julia told me everything! You're the same person you were twenty years ago! Maybe I wouldn't have had to have been tortured in school by Fedora The Explorer if you just let Dexter Wolfe go!"

"Had I done that there wouldn't have been a school" Chief reminded her.

"Okay then you wouldn't be here today having this conversation with me with all our lives on the line! And either way I still wouldn't have had the misfortune of having Carmen Sandiego in my life!"

"Fine. Maybe I am spiteful and maybe I want to watch Argent rot in a prison cell for the rest of her days instead of some suburban house in Scottsdale, but what specifically do you have against Sandiego?"

"Don't change the subject! This is about you!" Tigress stammered, a slight blush creeping on her face.

Chief saw this, and pursed her lips. "You got me, despite my collected and commanding demeanor I have tendencies to devolve into a petty teenager when someone has personally wronged me. And yeah, that's largely why I will not accept Argent being part of the deal—but it's also because whatever good in her I once saw is now dead. Her eyes are soulless. Her demeanor destroyed, her rationale erased. I can't have someone so dangerous like her roaming the streets. To your credit you are far more complicated and more reasonable than I initially pegged you for, but Argent; she's gone...if she was ever really there."

"She's really nice. You people just screwed her up."

"Right, blame us" Chief rolled her eyes. "You still avoided my question though—"

"Will you forget about Carmen-Goody-Two-Shoes already?"

"I'm just saying you seem to have a deep animosity for her. I wouldn't have anything to do with your romantic feelings towards women, would it? I bet it was love at first sight but Carmen wouldn't give you the time of day and it just ate away at you."

"Not a chance" Tigress gritted her teeth, fruitlessly trying to break free of her restraints. "I hated her from hello."

"Would it be because you didn't know how to manifest your feelings in a meaningful way and it just divulged into unbridled rage and unmitigated chagrin?" Chief asked. Tigress didn't answer and only tried to free herself harder. "That's a yes. Don't be ashamed, so you pined for this girl and she rejects you. Life goes on. But who knew one Latina could rile you and Argent up so much. But I guess in the end it'll all be for nothing, and as you and Argent spend your lives staring at the same concrete ceiling you'll remember this, count on it."

Tigress looked off in the distance, hoping and waiting for Julia to come and save her.

SNOHOMISH COUNTY WASHINGTON SAME TIME

Chase and Julia just got on the freeway, heading back towards the city. DLZ by TV on the Radio started to play. Julia felt her rage was at a constant, meshing with her fears and current anxieties. The Faculty wanted her to kill Chief, and she was slowly warming up to the idea as her sanity continued to deteriorate.

The idea being because the longer she stayed with someone who typically makes her angry, such as Chase, the more her rage built. Nevertheless, she was still nervous about the whole affair and had a persona to keep secret.

And then there was trying to gaslight Chase so to confuse him as Julia did some shady things in order to safeguard her identity and needed to take the suspicion off of her. At some point, Chase yawned, he looked over at Julia.

"What's the matter? You do not like me?" he asked.

Julia rolled her eyes. "Whatever do you mean?"

"Since this trip began you have said nothing."

"So say something interesting and I will respond" Julia said. BURN!

"I think we should address the elephant in the car. Why did you kiss me?" Chase asked, slurring all over the place.

"What? What are you talking about?" Julia casually asked.

"What are you talking about?" Chase retorted. "You kissed me."

"I kissed you?" Julia asked with fake surprise.

"Yes! You kissed me!"

"When?"

"On Anthony's couch! In his man cav—pool house! Like twenty minutes ago...or perhaps it was two hours? My sense of time is not so good right now."

"Agent Devineaux I would happily confirm your suspicions, if they were in fact true. We never kissed."

"Yes we did. You-you referred to me as rugged, and-and-and you called my Chase."

"I've never called you by your first name."

"But, but-but...but I remember!"

"Special Agent Devineaux, you are drunk, you are in no position to do much of anything except sleep. We did not kiss, and even if that were to happen organically I'm simply not attracted to you. I am a lesbian."

Chase raised an eyebrow. "But, but I...I rem...I was t...I thought...weren't you dating some guy when we first worked together? Back in the Interpol days?"

"Certainly not" Julia kept her con working.

"Yes, I remember, his name was Francois-something. He um...he worked in...he was a book store clerk—owner—I don't know, but he was a guy."

"Shh-shh-shh" Julia shh-ed him. "You are drunk, this is fine. It happens to the best of us. But we did not kiss, and we never will, it is nothing personal, I am simply not interested in men is all."

A confused Chase slumped in the seat in awe. "Oh, um, you are sure?"

"I am certain" Julia lied. They continued in silence.

PARIS FRANCE 0922 HOURS

Zack grew bored interrogating El Topo and went with his happier demeanor. "You seem like a nice person to go to Disneyland with" Zack said, parroting a similar point El Topo made about him earlier.

"It is funny you say that, I thought the same about you."

"I am a fun person to go to Disneyland with, along with other places where churros and cotton candy are sold."

"I really wish we were on the same side, amigo" El Topo smirked, slowly using one of his claws to saw at the rope that tied him up. "Think of the shenanigans."

"I am a fan of shenanigans, heck, my people invented shenanigans" Zack boasted. "But, twas not meant to be."

"Who knows, it might someday" El Topo cryptically explained, probably hinting at scrambling Zack's brain should he be captured...

Le Chevre needed a different approach to try and get Ivy to untie him or to free himself on his own, considering his situation was much more complicated and Ivy was far more vigilant than her brother, though that's nothing to write home about.

"What is that old expression? Your number is almost up" Le Chevre mused.

"What are ya talking about?" Ivy groaned.

"Did you not think we didn't have Marauder waiting around for such a contingency to occur?"

"You mean she's here? Now?" A suddenly scared Ivy asked.

"Oh yes, she's quite close" he lied.

"That harpie nearly dropped me from a second story balcony! All over some cursed diamond. By the way, how come none of you schmucks are cursed yet?"

"That superstition is proportionately overblown, we are doing quite well as a matter of fact. Our capers have been really successful. I must admit it's all been thanks to Marauder. Who should be getting me out of this jam at any moment."

"Sweet axel grease! She's gonna throw me off the Eiffel Tower, isn't she?" a nervous Ivy asked.

"No, but I like where your head's at. You should run to avoid such a fate" Le Chevre urged her.

"Messaged received, Goat Boy! I'm not gonna let that witch turn me into street-pizza!" Ivy sprinted away—EXCEPT, she stopped in her tracks. Had this've been Zack, he'd be out the door and around the block. But Ivy was a bit different, she pondered: why keep her waiting in the wings? Why not just have her out stealing with everyone else, which is the number one task in V.I.L.E.'s job description. Sensing she would have taken a one way trip to beating-town already, Ivy figured Marauder wasn't there at all. She smirked, made an about face and walked back to Le Chevre, struggling to free himself.

"Alright, call her" Ivy demanded.

"Call whom?" Le Chevre asked stalling.

"Chrissy Teigen. Who the heck do you think? Call Marauder."

"But-but-but, but—"

"Go ahead, call her."

"But, youuuuuuuu said so yourself you didn't want to do battle with her!"

"Yeah and I changed my mind, now, give the nice psycho a call and we can get on with it" Ivy smirked, calling his bluff.

"But I—"

"But she's not here, is she?" Ivy rhetorically asked. "Hey Marauder!? Yo, Marauder!?" Ivy called. "It's your number one fan from Boston! Just wanted to let you know you are the world's lousiest thief! I could rob circles around you! You couldn't even steal a pack a gum from a 7-Eleven!" she taunted Marauder who wasn't there. She turned to Le Chevre, who was frowning. Ivy sat back down on the floor. "You almost had me."

Le Chevre sighed, the jig was up.

Carmen had been with Dash Haber for over ten minutes and her interrogation yielded nothing except Dash stammering. But he could hear the apprehension in Carmen's voice. She didn't want to do him any lasting harm. The gun was probably a prop...

"This isn't funny, Dash! I want you to give me a name!" Carmen demanded trying to hold back tears.

"Fine then, shoot me" Dash encouraged her.

"You're nuts! I'm not just going to shoot you!"

"Well, I'm not going to give up who Marauder is. So, I suppose shooting me is your only recourse, no?" Dash asked.

"Kn-knock it off!" Carmen stammered, her grip shakier than your grandmother's Jell-O.

"Knock what off?" Dash innocently asked.

Carmen sneered. She took a deep breath and steadied her grip. Her eyes dripping in tears. She looked down at the smug Dash Haber, V.I.L.E.'s most opinionated operative in more ways than one. He was a few classes ahead of Carmen at V.I.L.E. Academy, and thus several years older; a personal protégé of Countess Cleo's plucked right from the chorus line and into her "good graces" which amounted to being her errand-boy/assistant. While the work was thankless and often humiliating, Dash still had the ear of a V.I.L.E. faculty member and therefore was to be respected, especially when he didn't deserve it.

Now was certainly one of those many times where Dash deserved nothing more than a swift smack to wipe off that snarky tooth-filled grin of his. Angered for all the reasons you know about by now, Carmen raised the pistol, whipping the barrel across his face. Dash hit the deck, his nose bloodied, a red mark across his mug which would certainly bruise, and a shiner gracing his right eye. Dash looked up at Carmen, who seemed to be in control again.

KING COUNTY WASHINGTON 0124 HOURS

Julia and Chase were approaching the Seattle city limits. The trip had been fairly quiet since their last awkward conversation. Chase thought he was losing his mind. His drunk was improving but he still felt light headed. Not to mention he swore he kissed Julia, but in his current state he wasn't so sure. He sighed, assuming it was another notch in the bedpost of the recent unfortunate events in his life. He kept on admiring Julia's car, even though he was unaware it was actually Chief's!

"Did you get a raise?" Chase asked.

"Not hardly" Julia muttered. "Why do you ask?"

"Nothing, it's just...how did you afford this on your salary?"

Ah, and now Julia really wanted to strangle him, yet; true to her con, she kept up her cool, and merely sighed. "Like I said, it was an upgrade, and that's all you need to know."

"I thought Chief had one just like this?"

"Actually, she is the one who turned me onto the car" well, that's...not quite a lie.

"Well it is a fine automobile, Ms. Argent. Perhaps you are more complex than I give you credit for?"

"Oh, there's more than that, "Special" Agent Devineaux. There's so much you do not know about me" Julia said, starting to snicker.

Chase, drunk and thinking she just told the funniest joke in the world, started to laugh along with her. But where Chase's laugh was jovial and hearty, Julia's laugh was sinister and wicked. She stopped laughing first after Chase was clearly laughing for too long. Eventually he stopped too. "I don't get it, what's the joke?"

"Nothing" Julia rolled her eyes.

Chase looked at his phone, noticing something else he thought he remembered.

"Did I not have a voicemail? From Chief?"

"Hmm? A voicemail?" Julia asked.

"Yes, didn't Chief call me and I missed it, or something? I was looking at it before but I thought it would just be her referring to me as a failure, per her usual. But it is not there."

"It is alright, "Special" Agent Devineaux, you will become somebody someday" Julia said in a very condescending tone, but subtle enough to make it sound like she was trying to encourage Chase.

"But, I remember. Right? Chief called me."

"You are probably paranoid that she will, you said so yourself" the gaslighting continues.

"Sacre bleu! I am losing my mind!" he fumed.

"First this kiss, now a non-existent voicemail? Perhaps you should take some time off, Special Agent. I will take you home, and I...I will give you a sedative."

"Oh no, I am sorry I need you to take me to HQ. Zari is still working late. I uh, have those files, that I mentioned earlier" Chase explained.

Julia groaned. She couldn't possibly drop Chase off at home only to zonk him out now, Zari would be expecting him, and in a place that would make it difficult to kidnap him. Julia sighed, her forced trip back with Chase a total loss.

"Seriously, I...I don't have a voicemail? No missed call, either."

"Like I said, you are drunk, and these things happen" Julia assured him. "You really should go home. Call Agent Zari and explain you are in no condition to work. Surely those files can wait until morning."

"Uh, no. No, I am fine. They just need to sign a few things, this can be done quickly."

"But you are a special agent, Special Agent Devineaux. YOU can tell Zari what to do, not the other way around."

Julia was right. And this was properly stroking Chase's ego. But, he figured this was something pertinent about Marauder, like she was hot on her trail and needed him there to close in on her, which was correct, to an extent. As much as he wanted to take Julia's advice, he knew this was too important to ignore.

"It is fine. Zari needs me" he insisted.

Julia nodded, and continued driving as they got off their exit of the freeway into the city. They were not so far away from A.C.M.E. The two stopped as a yellow light turned red. She tapped her fingers on the steering wheel. She looked over at Chase who was nearly asleep. She kept her eyes on him while Chase glanced down to the floor, noticing her stun gun.

"Oh hey, you left your PX-290 on the floor" Chase said, putting the gun that I just named into Julia's hand.

"Thank you" she said. Julia had grabbed the gun by the grip as Chase still had a hand on it towards the barrel. The two locked eyes. A scene of suspenseful intrigue as Julia grappled with the consequences of kidnapping Chase and make up an excuse for Zari. That way she would double the Faculty's trust in her while saving Tigress and getting two pesky nuisances out of her life.

(I wish this was actually a scene, get a picture of the emotion both these characters are thinking in your head.)

The light turned green, Julia was in the zone, she didn't notice. Chase did.

"Uh, green."

"Hmm?"

"I said: it's green" Chase said a bit stringently.

"Yes, yes of course" Julia snapped out of it, placing the gun in the center console before continuing on, her choice clearly made. She marked it with a sigh. Come Closer by Sleep In is now playing on the radio.

Inside the building, Chief and Tigress had a silent stare down. Tigress decided to go back to her tough persona, which Chief knew was all smokescreen given the tidbits of info she now knew about her...or guessed about her.

"You're lucky these cuffs are strong" Tigress sneered.

"Oh?" Chief asked. "And why's that?"

"Cause if not I'd turn your face inside-out."

"Sounds painful."

"It is."

"Such a shame that's not going to happen, because your gloves will be placed in an evidence locker until the end of time while you—"

"Spend eternity staring at the same concrete ceiling—yada-yada-yada" Tigress condescendingly parroted Chief's earlier threats of her future.

"Is it too late to once again—"

"Yes! God, get this through your head: no Julia, no deal."

"What's the attraction, Tigress?" Chief asked. "Really. She's pretty, but—"

"But what?" Tigress hissed. "She's cute, and smart, and tiny, and she's all mine! Happy!?"

"I appreciate the honesty, yes."

"Then just include Julia and we can walk out of here, I'll talk her down, and we'll rat out V.I.L.E. and spend the rest of our lives managing a cat supplies store in Savannah...or, somewhere else that's sweaty and humid. I have a hunch they'll send us somewhere with a lot of humidity."

"From experience, Wit-Sec prefers colder climates. Can you spell: Saskatoon?"

"I can barely say it" Tigress deadpanned.

"Laugh all you want, but it's the only way you'll be able to have relative freedom."

"I retort: you know my terms" Tigress firmly insisted. Chief facepalmed. "Aw, am I frustrating you?"

"You are lucky I need you alive" Chief sneered. "Where have I heard that one before?" she asked. Tigress snarled at her.

PARIS FRANCE 0930 HOURS

El Topo made slow use of trying to free himself and wanted to be subtle enough for Zack not to notice, and fortunately for him, this was not hard to do as Zack had a streak of obliviousness coursing through his veins like ice water to a Russian.

"What kind of life is this?" Zack asked.

"What do you mean?"

"This, this-this life of stealing things for your own selfish gain?"

"You steal for yourselves" El Topo countered.

"Yes, but we're stealing from you guys. Don't tell me that life isn't stressful."

"It is, but it's so much fun. It's a weird kind of rush" El Topo shrugged. "And V.I.L.E. is a great place to work for. We have fantastic health benefits."

"Carm got us Blue Cross/Blue Shield."

"Forget that, we have 'Viltna'. It's like Aetna, but for villains" El Topo explained. "Dental, medical, and elective surgery. The entitlements are an excellent touch."

"So, if I were interested—which I'm not, what's the policy on V.I.L.E. operatives dating?" Zack asked.

"There are none so long as you produce results."

"I like the sound of those odds" Zack smirked. But he wasn't interested...yet; soon he would have little choice... "Got your eyes on any special person, huh, huh?" Zack asked.

"Well, there uh, was one" El Topo sighed, referring to his one futile effort at winning over Julia's heart, and still not giving up after realizing she probably isn't actually into men, which I shall keep ambiguous for now. "I have no words to express her beauty, and her heart" El Topo said in a telenovela soliloquy voice. "She is perfect in every way possible. She is the world's greatest thief, because she has stolen my heart."

Zack clapped, shedding a single tear. "That's beautiful, man."

"I am in love, with Marauder."

"No way! Crazy Marauder? You're serious?"

"I am completely serious, amigo."

"What's she like?" Zack asked, trying to get one over on him, maybe he'd slip and describe her well enough that maybe Zack could put a name to the face...huh, now that's wicked smaht.

"What is she like? Let me describe her in incredible detail."

"Describe-describe!" Zack urged him.

"She is small—not too small, I'd say petite."

"Yes, yes, yes" Zack urged him.

"Her voice, it's as if a million angels died, sacrificing their voice so she could sound like the world's most delicate siren."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, how bout some facial features?" Zack asked, now with a Steno pad and pencil in hand writing down El Topo's romantic description. "Hair, eye color, it's dark hair, right?"

"Si, her hair, short like a pixie, and dark like a raven."

"Yeah, great. Eye color? Any birthmarks, freckles, c'mon?" he continued while El Topo seemed oblivious.

"Ah yes, three of the most incredible sets of freckles on her—wait a minute! You are using my romantic descriptions to make a composite of Marauder!" he insinuated.

"Nuh-uh, I'm just trying to use what you're saying to make a guesstimate of what I think Marauder to look like!" Zack countered. El Topo stared blankly at him. "That's what...that's what you said, isn't it? Only with smarter words?"

"So much for that thesaurus, and unfortunately for you, my friend, I will not be giving you any more details before I send you to a world of fire and brimstone" El Topo sneered.

"Cleveland?" Zack asked.

"Worse."

El Topo used his claws to cut the remainder of the rope. It fell free and he stood up. Zack gulped.

"This is gonna hurt, isn't it?" he asked, defeated.

"Si."

"Just making sure" Zack sighed before bracing himself as El Topo drop kicked him into the wall before escaping by burrowing through the floor. "No you don't!" Zack called, following him down his newly made hole, fortunately leaving the priceless art behind.

Ivy sat there with Le Chevre who was still hogtied. Ivy sat there smug and amused while Le Chevre sighed hoping someone would come along to help him make a clean getaway. He kept on stalling.

"Boston, huh?" he asked.

"Born and bred."

"Were you sad when that pretty boy left that sports team for Florida?"

"You treat Tom Brady with respect! He is a national treasure!" Ivy scorned him. "I cried for three days!"

Le Chevre rolled his eyes. "You Americans vex me. Why watch a sport where grown men dress in faux armor and pummel one another?"

"Excuse me? Who had to bail France out in not one but two world wars, huh? You're welcome by the way" Ivy smugly explained.

The French thief again rolled his eyes. "I seem to recall Carmen Sandiego bailing you both out multiple times."

"So sorry my brother and I weren't offered invitations to be taught at Evil-Hogwarts. Maybe then the bars would have been more even. It's funny, Boston was actually where we first met. When we busted up your little counterfeit cash operation. By the way, dip-spit, there's a federal death penalty for counterfeiting—I think, so, we did yous a favor" Ivy stated, despite that law being decades outdated.

"Such a shame she had you and your brother waiting in the wings the last time we set foot in your hometown. Perhaps we could have evened the scores, eh?" Le Chevre taunted Ivy.

Now, Ivy was a bit confused. Le Chevre was obviously and innocently referring to Carmen breaking up their Boston scheme six chapters ago, which was something Ivy obviously wasn't aware of, considering that's how Carmen wanted it.

"What are you talking about?" Ivy asked quizzically. "We haven't been back to Southie since we left with Carm that night."

"No, we went back about last week and Carmen—why am I explaining this to you! You know what happened!" he snarled, assuming Ivy and Zack were in Boston but out of the line of fire as they typically are.

"Um bro, do ya not see the confusion on my face, here? I don't know anything about a caper back home. Swear on my mother."

"What? That makes no sense. Why would Carmen sideline you two?"

"I-I don't know. Seriously, she never said anything, why though? What did you dolts do to Boston, huh?" Ivy asked. "Giant meteor? Tidal wave? If you sold the city to New York so help me God, I will—"

"No-no! We were just going to destroy the gas and sewer lines, causing mass hysteria which will cause people and businesses to flee the city and real estate prices to plummet. Leaving us to take over, buy everything at a steal, and halt construction until the city pays our unionized workers who will then pay us" Le Chevre explained.

"Whoo. Let's hear it for the "incorruptible" force of organized labor and deregulated real estate sales" Ivy deadpanned before blowing a raspberry.

"But your boss, she left you home?"

"Left us home? I didn't even know she did anything until you mentioned it. Why would she do that?"

"Why indeed. You should go take that up with her. Right now."

"Fat chance" Ivy crossed her arms, but also knew she was going to confront Carmen about that.

Suddenly, the floor below Le Chevre started to rumble, then it broke through, and Le Chevre fell down the hole, emerging moments later untied with the cause of said hole: El Topo.

"Au revoir!" Le Chevre winked before drop kicking Ivy in the face and the two sprinted down the hall. Zack emerged from the hole moments later.

"Ivy! Did you get 'em?"

"No, but they headed this way. Come on!" the two took off down the hall after them. "By the way, you and I need to talk, later. It's about Carmen" Ivy said. Zack nodded.

Speak of the red devil, Carmen stood and towered over the bruised, bleeding, and bothered Dash Haber. His eyes shifting from Carmen's eyes down to the pistol whose mark now engraved on his face.

"It doesn't have to be like this, Dash. All I want is a name" Carmen begged.

"W-Why? What-w-what good is she to you?"

"It might be personal. I'm not so sure yet."

"Like I said, she's some nameless, faceless number, like the rest of us. Like you!"

"Lies! She knows who I am, and she's making this about me and her. And you're gonna tell me who she is."

"Or what? You'll hit me again?"

"Don't test me."

Dash laid frozen stiff. He glanced down to Carmen's shaky wrist as it shook, almost as if she was raising the gun. Dash went pale. Was this going to be another hit? Or was he about to learn first-hand if the gun was an elaborate prop...or the last image he'll ever see?

"Alright. She is—" But as suspense thrillers often do, Dash's answer was broken by the sound of running outside. Carmen turned to see, and Dash used this as his only real opportunity. He leaped and pushed Carmen out of the way before escaping. Carmen picked up the gun and wisely stashed it back in her coat. She ran out too, seeing Dash getting away following El Topo and Le Chevre, no art in hand. Carmen turned to see Zack and Ivy following behind. "

"Come on!" She called, the now very suspicious twins in tow.

SEATTLE WASHINGTON 0129 HOURS

Julia pulled into the secret A.C.M.E. lot to the official curbside of the unofficial front entrance. She saw Zari staring on the curb by the entrance. Julia pulled up.

"Here's your stop. A.C.M.E. Headquarters."

"Thank you, Miss Argent, what do I owe you?" Chase asked, still drunk and comically assumed Julia was a taxi driver...Travis Bickle, much?

"Um, twenty quid?"

Chase reached into his pocket and pulled out a dollar bill he thought was a twenty, and shoved it into Julia's hand. "Keep the change."

"But, this is five dollars" Julia noted, staring at Lincoln's crumpled up face on the bill. Chase didn't listen and instead got out of the car, Zari walked over and Julia opened up the window as she peaked her head in. "Agent Zari."

"Argent. Nice car. I thought you had one of those stupid electric cars all the hipsters make their parents buy them?"

"That's what I said!" Chase called.

"Q5, huh?" Zari raised an eyebrow.

"I've always admired German engineering" Julia lied.

"Funny, Chief has a Q5. Similar color, too."

"She suggested I buy this car. Best recommendation I've ever had" she smirked.

"You know speaking of Chief, has she gotten a hold of you at all?"

"Whatever do you mean?" Julia asked.

"She called me earlier, sounded strange."

"I know nothing about that" Julia shrugged, which by a technicality was true.

"Hmm. I see. What happened to your face?" Zari asked, continuing her impromptu interrogation.

"I fell—"

"She fell down lots of stairs" Chase retorted before Julia could finish.

"What he said."

"Hmm" Zari then moved her head into the car. "I can't prove it yet, but I will. Mark my words" she warned.

Julia was nervous but knew this was the moment she had to play it off. This convinced her she would see Zari again in the very near future. Which also signaled to her that somehow and some way, Zari had to go...the question was, on whose terms was that gonna be?

"I, don't know what you mean."

"It's alright. One day you will. Not today, not tomorrow, but one day" Zari threatened. "Where you going off to now?"

"That's kind of personal. If you must know I am going home" Julia explained.

"Yeah. I'm sure you are."

"O-kay then" Julia nodded before rolling up the window and driving away.

Zari watched her leave completely before turning to Chase. "Hurry, follow me."

"What is this about?" Chase asked, following her inside as the camera tracks them through HQ.

"I thought I told you not to tell anyone" Zari scolded him, ignoring his earlier question.

"She knows nothing. I told her I had some things to sign that needed to be faxed immediately."

"Not bad, actually" Zari nodded. "So, frst: did Chief call you at all, tonight?" Zari asked.

"I mean, I thought she did. But apparently she did not" Chase shrugged.

"What the heck does that mean?"

"I thought I saw she had called, but once I checked my phone, I was wrong."

"Sounds suspect" Zari pondered. "Would this change have occurred before or after Argent drove you here?"

"Um, I'm not sure. But it was weird, she did just show up to Anthony's house, said she had to tell me something, I don't remember" Chase slurred.

"Uh-huh" Zari crossed her arms as they got in an elevator. "Give me your key card."

"Um, sure" Chase handed her his newly minted A.C.M.E. Special agent's card. Zari swiped it below the switch board and a bell dinged, the elevator went down. Zari handed Chase his card back.

"Listen and listen good: I think Marauder is going to strike tonight."

"How do you know?"

"Seattle P.D. got our Blonde suspect in Union Square Complex, and if she is there, you know who won't be far behind."

"Clever" Chase mused. "So we intercept?"

"Exactly. But I think whatever this is, it involves Chief somehow, like she's in some sort of danger."

"What do you mean?" Chase asked.

"She called me a couple of hours ago. My inbox was full so I called her back, she answered but it was odd. The whole conversation sounded forced, trivial matters, stuff she wouldn't have to have called me first for."

"As if someone was compelling her to act natural?" Chase guessed.

"Exactly, and I doubt it just happened naturally. You haven't worked here long, but has Chief ever used the word "stupendous" to describe anything?"

"No, no. Never."

"Well she did so with me, and then complained my office is poorly decorated; ten years I've worked at A.C.M.E. and Chief has never mentioned how my office looks, not even in passing. And the stupendous thing really threw me off."

"What are thinking, Agent Zari?" Chase asked.

"I think Chief was closing in on Marauder and tried to get a hold of us and was then captured by her, and I think whether she is or isn't her, but I certainly believe Agent Argent is connected somehow. I truly do."

"Oh, not this again! You and Anthony, both!" Chase facepalmed.

"Think about it, Devineaux. You claim there's a voicemail from Chief, Argent gets there and—poof, it vanishes. Suddenly Chief is acting weird and we can't get a hold of her when we certainly believe there to be a traitor amongst us? Marauder wants us to get the heat off of her, and what better way than to make Chief disappear."

"So, what do we do?" Chase asked as the elevator dinged.

"We get to live out your Die Hard fantasies" Zari smirked, for once showing some emotion...which is how you know her days are numbered...

The door opened, and lights automatically turned on in this room. A room that was filled to capacity with weapons new and old with all kinds of old A.C.M.E. tech and enough ammunition to stave off a small army. Chase was moved as he sauntered into the arsenal.

"Sacre bleu! What is this place?"

"Special Agent Devineaux, this is A.C.M.E.'s last resort. This is our old arsenal. We have such weaponry for extreme emergencies, and this certainly counts as one, wouldn't you agree?"

"Absolutely" he smirked.

Zari picked up an MP5 sub-machine gun from a wall of guns. "Then let's go to work."

"Ooh, I want this one!" Chase grabbed a M240 belt fed machine gun, literally the most least practical weapon for their mission.

"No, that's a SAW, it's too cumbersome and this is gonna be close quarters" Zari explained, falling on deaf ears as Chase grabbed a detachable grenade launcher and tried to affix it to below the forward platform of the gun.

"Ooh, and I want a grenade launcher! Now how do you work these?" This is not going to end well.

"No, get a sub-machine gun and pistols. I said were trying for Die Hard, not Rambo" Zari deadpanned.

"But I want the fun stuff" Chase slurred as Zari took the guns away from him like he was a child.

"Devineaux, this is serious we..." Zari stopped, she got a good sniff on Chase, who reeked of beer. "Are you...are you drunk, right now?"

"Um...I'm not—not drunk, right now."

"My God" Zari facepalmed. "Can you even do this?" she scolded him.

"I can't drive, but I can do this."

"Oh my God."

"Agent Zari, Agent Zari, I am kidding. I am fine. Perfectly fine" Chase assured her, trying to sound as sober as possible. "I am coming out of it. I will be fine when we get there."

"No. I can't hand a drunk person fully automatic weapons. I should have my head examined. We'll find another way."

"But do we have time?" Chase asked, now trying to sound really sober.

Zari sighed. Really they didn't, and she did bet that this would work, she sighed, her clout and ego getting the better of her. "You're sure?"

"I am sure."

"You'd better be right. This is for Chief, after all" she said, handing Chase the MP5. Chase smirked.

"Not to worry, when Marauder sees these, she will quake in her boots" Chase looked down the room and saw a target on the wall with a few bullet holes in it. Chase shakily aimed the gun at the target. "Yippie-ki-yay, motherfu—" Chase said, but we shall cut him off because language.

We immediately cut from the barrel of the gun to a close-up on Julia's face as she frantically drives through Seattle towards home. (That would be a fantastic edit). Julia parked in the underground lot below her apartment building. She had a tandem spot, and parked in the forward spot while her Yaris sat in the back. An upgrade indeed. Julia took a moment to gaze upon the car she enjoyed in her past life but now saw greener pastures on the horizon, and the streets were paved in grand larceny.

She ran up to her apartment, which as she suspected was a mess, even more so when she left it. The sea bass was on the floor, smeared, the potatoes were burnt on the outside and shoe leather on the inside, and the salad was droopy and room temperature. Julia ran into her room, the bed messy from all the love making she had with Tigress. Julia turned to her nightstand, now adorned with the Fabergé egg Tigress stole for her as a gift atop it. Julia put on a determined look and turned on her iHome while she got out her Marauder outfit. Tyler by Toadies was the song playing. And Julia didn't care, she turned the volume up, because the kind of person she was now. She made her own rules. She got dressed in her attire, keeping her mask up she caressed the egg on the nightstand. "I am coming, my tiger" Julia mused.

Julia applied some makeup to hide her wounds and help guarantee her identity remained secret, though this was slowly becoming an impossible task. On her bed was the communicator, a call was coming through. This time, it was Countess Cleo. "Countess" Julia greeted.

"Coach Brunt informed us of a...snag, you and Tigress were experiencing?"

"I am handling it. Tonight, I will deliver to V.I.L.E. the Chief of A.C.M.E."

"That's a tall task, Marauder."

"I have sworn not to fail you. Chief will be our prisoner, and Tigress will be free."

"You are about to do the unthinkable. We have never ventured into such territory before. Kidnapping or killing the leader of an espionage organization? It'll be a V.I.L.E. first."

"And I promise to deliver" Julia smirked, before putting her mask down, her Marauder voice taking over. "That's why you chose me."

"I see there is an ego deep down there" Cleo smiled.

"It just needed the right opportunity. Though, I am certain this will break Coach Brunt's heart but I doubt I will be able to deliver Chase Devineaux as well."

"But-but-but-but-but...but, Tall, French, and Handsome" Brunt pouted in the background, her hair still in curlers.

"Why not call that hunk who used to work for Cookie?" Cleo asked. "Vincent—something?"

"Oh sure, easy for you to say! Men just flock to you, only NFL linemen are interested in me!" Brunt scorned, walking away from view.

"Anyway, the cleaners will arrive on the roof shortly and they'll fly you there" Cleo explained.

"Excellent, thank you, Countess" Marauder nodded.

"Now go rescue your girlfriend" Cleo smiled.

Marauder blushed. "Um, well, we are friends, and we are—"

"Oh hush, Marauder. I wasn't born yesterday" she winked. "Make an honest woman out of her. Lord knows she needs it" Cleo said before ending the call. Marauder looked off in the distance, she was ready.

PARIS FRANCE 0943 HOURS

The gang sprinted through the museum, ironically passing the Joan of Arc armor Carmen stole back from chapter two. They ran outside, everyone splitting up. First, we'll go to the twins, who were quick to find one another after El Topo and Le Chevre also found themselves.

"We gotta corner them!" Zack called.

They chased the pair through the streets and down the Champs-Elysees, the main thoroughfare through the city. It didn't take long for the pair to "appropriate" a vehicle—oh who am I kidding, they jacked some guy's car. Zack and Ivy stood knowing what they had to do. Zack called Player.

"Player, we need wheels, make 'em fast!"

"Done and done. I got your location pinned down" Player said over com. On cue, a Maserati Granturismo pulled up to the two of them. "It's remote controlled, buuuuuuut something tells me you'd prefer to do this the manual way."

"You thought right, my friend! And thanks!" Zack jumped in the drivers' seat, and Ivy sat shotgun. Zack turned on the radio, Ready, Steady, Go by Paul Oakenfold began to play. They sped down the avenue, chasing their suspects. Player remained on the touchscreen on the center console but in the upper right corner while the screen contained a map tracking El Topo and Le Chevre, but also Carmen and Dash in their own foot chase.

"So Player, maybe you can shed some light on this thing" Ivy began.

"What thing?" Player asked.

"Yeah, what?" Zack added.

"Le Chevre. He was saying something like: Carm went to Boston last week, or something?"

Player's eyes lit up, as he was the only other person from team Carmen who knew about that little caper.

"Oh, um, I don't know anything about that."

"Player" Ivy crossed her arms.

Before Player could answer, they were interrupted by Zack making a wicked turnout to follow the two villains as they passed the roundabout where the Arc de Triomphe stood. Now back in the car.

"Alright, spill. What's Goat Boy yammering about?" Ivy demanded.

"I really don't know what you mean."

"You're a great hacker, Player. Bad liar, though" Ivy scolded him. "Come on, I shouldn't have to hear things for the first time from our enemies."

Player sighed, he wasn't just going to get out of this one, and he can't fake the bad reception bit, that would be too obvious. "Last week, after the Smithsonian, V.I.L.E. was planning on some major chaos on Boston. Carmen was gonna call you guys but she wanted to go on her own."

"What the heck! Ivy and I know that city like the back of our hand!" Zack complained, driving recklessly.

"Why'd leave us behind? Just because we went out for dinner?"

"It wasn't she intentionally left you behind, but..." Player trailed.

"But what, Player?" Ivy demanded.

"She took some of the money to pay off your debt to Shark Head Eddie."

"WHAT!?" the twins shouted in unison.

"So that's really where that dough went" Ivy realized.

"And Carmen survived?" a bewildered Zack asked.

"Eddie has killed people for waaaaay waaaaaaaay less than skipping out on his debts!" Ivy added. "Why'd she go it alone?"

"More importantly, why go at all? We were gonna pay him back!" Zack complained.

"She thought you guys wouldn't have a reason to be on the team if your debt was paid, and she wanted to do something nice for you two. She's been feeling kind of crummy lately" Player explained.

"I can't believe this! Did she really think we couldn't do this by ourselves?" Ivy asked...not the reaction Carmen wanted.

"Yeah! It's like she thinks were little kids or something—oh, no offense" Zack said to Player.

"She wanted to do something nice for you."

"We have a whole fleet of cars thanks to her! She's done plenty" Ivy scolded.

"Yeah, that was one debt we wanted to do ourselves. We made our bed and we knew someday we'd have to lay in it" Zack complained, taking his eyes off the road as he verged in a small alleyway after them. "Is that really what Carm thinks of us? That we can't do anything for ourselves, that we-we-we're just a bunch of absent minded child—"

"ZACK LOOK OUT!"

"Huh!?"

Zack put his eyes on the alley and slammed on the brakes after the alley split into a four way and from another alley, a garbage truck backed up in the way trying to get to a dumpster. El Topo and Le Chevre had already zipped ahead.

Unfortunately, Zack broke too late and the fancy sports car crashed into the truck, totaling the car and slamming Zack and Ivy into the airbags. The twins nearly seemed down for the count as the screen was also destroyed, Player was still broadcasting, but there was occasional static.

"Guys? Zack, Ivy!?"

From behind, El Topo and Le Chevre looped around and got out of their car, approaching both sides of Zack and Ivy. El Topo used his claws like jaws of life to tear the doors off. "Oh my gosh, Mister, madam are you two okay in there?" El Topo mocked them.

"We should get you both to a hospital...or something" Le Chevre added.

"'Or something' sounds pretty good to me, amigo" El Topo smirked, as Zack barely got a curse in before passing out.

SEATTLE WASHINGTON 0151 HOURS

Now in the V.I.L.E. chopper Julia flew to the top of Second Union Square where Chief was holding Tigress. The Cleaners flew the bird and landed on the roof's helipad. The building was tall enough that nobody on the ground would notice the usually quiet helicopter land anyhow.

Julia got a call from Coach, now with curly hair. She was joined by Cleo.

"The Cleaners will provide you with the getaway you need" Brunt began.

"Make sure nobody knows anything about us, other than your Chief" Cleo continued. "And if you encounter somebody that doesn't belong..." Cleo said before making the throat cutting gesture.

"And if you can't bring along Chief-y, make it look like an accident, and head on home" Brunt finished.

"Yes, of course" Marauder nodded.

"Good luck, Kiddo, we'll be waiting for you" Brunt said before ending the transmission. Marauder gave the Cleaners a nod and headed onto the top of the building, floor 47 on her mind.

Downstairs, Zari and Chase just arrived, sporting their usual attire but now outfitted with MP5 sub-machine guns and Sig Sauer P226 pistols. Each wore a bullet proof vest outside their shirt, but covered by their jackets.

"Clear a path!" Chase ordered as they used their authority to strong arm their way past the small police barricade. The two entered the building where four Seattle Police Officers stood, ready to clear the floors. "Start on the bottom floors, secure the perimeter, nobody gets in or out!"

"What is this? Who are you two?" A sergeant asked.

"Way beyond your jurisdiction. Now do as he says!" Zari commanded. The cowed officers didn't want any trouble and complied as she and Chase seemed official. But that's all the luck the two A.C.M.E. agents would be afforded. They entered the elevator, Zari pressed the 47th floor.

"Janitor says he thinks they went to the 47th floor, but just in case, Seattle P.D. should go floor by floor, as per protocol."

"Right" Chase agreed. He took off his blazer and the vest. Zari raised an eyebrow as she saw Chase strip in front of her.

"What are you doing?"

"Like you said: Living out my Die Hard fantasies" Chase winked, now in his tank top and pants.

"You'd better keep your shoes on" Zari warned

"But John McClane didn't have shoes."

"John McClane had to leave without his shoes in a rush! And besides, he is a fictional character" Zari sighed. "Act right, this is serious business!"

"Hey, you gave automatic weapons to a drunk guy" Chase reminded her.

"And I'm really regretting it" Zari facepalmed.

"Do not worry Agent Zari I am—(burp)—ooh, fine" Chase burped, and it wasn't a good burp.

Inside the room, Chief and Tigress were waiting impatiently at this point, and both were desperate to pass the time.

"So like, what's going to happen?" Tigress asked, rather solemnly.

"What do you mean?"

"I've told you I will not take the deal, so let's say you win, what's gonna happen, how does it all work?"

"Well, it may surprise you to know, I've never been to prison before. But I have heard stories, and none of them pleasant. But, I can walk you through the procedure" Chief promised. "First, you will be led out of here in handcuffs out the back so no one can see you, then you will be loaded into the back of a van driven by an A.C.M.E. operative to an undisclosed location which is where we keep our holding facility for at-risk and flight-risk suspects where you will be held without bail until your trial, where your only contact to the outside world will be your lawyer who I can only guess is going to be a public defender. From memory, I believe the cells are nine by nine. Then I can guarantee a guilty verdict with a combined sentence of no less than fifty years, and you will have to BEG the judge for parole in twenty-five. You will be remanded to the Federal Bureau of Prisons and probably sent to the maximum security women's facility in Chowchilla, California. But I believe there's another facility in West Texas and another near Terra Haute, Indiana. So take your pick" Chief finished. "Again, you can—"

"No Julia, no deal" Tigress sounded like a broken record."

"It's the accent, isn't it?"

Tigress blushed. "It's adorable the way she says some words. Like "fortnight" I thought that was just some stupid video game my little sister is into. She calls me her tiger—Julia does, not my sister. It's really cute."

"You are aware your loyalty to her is going to cost you your freedom. It's not like you two will be cellmates, let alone be in the same prison. Come on Tigress, be smart. You don't need this violence, it'll consume you. It's too late for me, it doesn't have to be for you."

Tigress recoiled for a moment. The supposedly staunchly obedient V.I.L.E. operative actually would have taken Chief's deal, despite her deeds for the organization...but it was really Julia she wanted to be with, regardless of circumstance.

"You don't understand" Tigress huffed, near to tears. "I think I love her. I could never betray her. Not like that."

Chief sighed, frustratingly rubbing her temples. "Tigress—"

"Look, you don't have to believe in love or whatever, you may think it's all just a scam but it didn't work out for you, and I'm sorry your husband didn't have the patience for your career but that doesn't mean I feel the way I do! I love Julia Argent, and I'm going anywhere without her" she teared up, and that'll be the most touching moment Tigress will probably have.

Before Chief could rebut they heard a door open and close from down the other side of the floor. The two froze, looking at one another momentarily. They didn't hear footsteps or noise, this wasn't the police.

"She's heeeeeeeeeeeeeere" Tigress mused in a sinisterly sing-song voice.

Chief readied her gun. "Was that supposed to scare me?" Chief spat before walking out into the darkened hallway.

Chief raised her pistol and slowly advanced down the hall towards the other side of the floor where the stairs and elevators resided. The office floor was two main hallways parallel with one another with intersections connecting them. Offices and experimentation labs were on all sides of it.

"I know you're there, Argent!" Chief yelled, no answer. "You weren't exactly subtle!" More silence. Chief continued. "You know, this is actually a fairly romantic gesture!" Chief taunted her some more to try to lure her out. "The brave knight in shining armor coming to the tower to rescue the princess in peril from the evil dragon holding her. Classic damsel in distress with a lesbian twist!" Chief continued her lines of attack but there was no response.

Marauder was wall crawling along a different hallway, ready and willing to do what she had to. She then heard the elevator ding from behind her, and took better cover, when they opened up, it revealed a heavily armed Chase and Zari.

"Of course" Marauder sigh-whispered. Just what she needed, more flies in the ointment.

Chase had put his jacket back on...and kept his shoes on. He and Zari walked slowly down the hall, machine guns drawn.

"Stay close, and watch your back" Zari urged him.

"Copy that" Chase nodded, shaking his head, his drunk dissipating but still there.

Marauder saw them form down the hall and took off, her shadowy silhouette in their view.

"Hey!"

"There she is!" Zari shouted, the two of them opening fire as they gave chase.

From on the other side of the building, Chief heard the gunfire. "That's not good" she whispered to herself.

Marauder ran into one of the offices separating the hallways. Zari rushed in first, no one was there. Marauder then ran through the office, shooting from her laser wrist, but missing while Zari fired back, neither achieving success. Chase came in after her.

They ran into an adjoining office, continuing to fire, but Marauder jumped out of the way in time and behind a desk.

"Reload!" Chase ordered, the two simultaneously and quickly reloading their weapons.

"Come out, Marauder!" Zari ordered, slapping the action back into place after shoving a fresh magazine into her gun.

"I see they've sent A.C.M.E.'s finest" Marauder taunted them from behind cover. "You should get better recruits!"

Zari fired her gun at the desk while Marauder laid flat on the floor for more protection. "Surround her!" Chase ordered.

"Who taught you both how to shoot?" Marauder asked. "A toddler?"

The two jolted to the other side of the desk, but suddenly—gasp! Marauder wasn't there! "How did she...?" Zari trailed.

Out of nowhere, Marauder came out of the woodwork and kicked Chase into a wall. While Zari tried to shoot, Marauder flipped and kicked the desk into Zari, trapping her between the desk and the wall. Marauder then ran into the hallway, Chase following her out.

"Quickly! Keep up!" he yelled.

"Devineaux!" Zari tried to free herself, but Chase was already gone. When she did get free she ran into the hallway, but no one was around. From above Zari in a ventilation duct we see Marauder looking down from inside the vent. She smirked, now with the upper hand once more.

Tigress was desperately trying to free herself, but again, this was to no avail. She suddenly heard footsteps. She held her breath, she heard the gunshots and assumed the two had found one another. She was afraid Chief would return and report that she had killed Julia. A face appeared above Tigress, it was Marauder.

"Boo" she quipped.

Tigress blushed. "You're alive! You found me!"

"Wasn't so hard" Julia winked, taking out the universal handcuff key from her cuffs and unlocked Tigress, the two immediately embraced.

"My knight in white satin armor" The blonde blushed.

"Were not free yet. At least now you can defend yourself" Marauder handed Tigress the Crackle Rod she carried with her. "When I knock out Chief I'll come for you, the Cleaners have the chopper waiting on the roof. We won't have much time before the police sweep this floor."

"Right" Tigress smirked. Julia was about to take off but Tigress grabbed her by the wrist. "Hey, good luck."

"Who needs luck? I have you" she blew Tigress another kiss and the two blushed. Marauder took off, jumping up and into another vent duct.

Chase Devineaux had tried to clear a few more offices, and just Marauder's luck, she past a duct right above where he was searching. Marauder smirked, her horoscope did say she would get revenge today.

Chase looked about the office, there was nothing out of the ordinary and he had searched twice now. He was about to leave when the duct opened up and Marauder came down, nearly on top of him. Chase aimed his gun but Marauder grabbed it by the barrel and swatted it out of Chase's hands. She then kicked him away.

"Finally! We face each other once again!" Chase snarled, not being as afraid as he should have been.

"That'll be a fatal error, Devineaux" Marauder sneered.

"I've improved since our last encounter."

"Ha-ha-ha-ha" Marauder snickered. "No, you haven't" She then made a kick lunge.

Outside in the hallway, Chief was walking through the hall and heard the commotion. She sneaked along to an office next door, thinking that was the one, but it wasn't. It was a room with servers and other technological devices in a central hub. Chief looked to her left, some loose Fiber optic cables were sitting around. She narrowed her eyes, putting her pistol away.

Inside, Chase had gotten a few combinations on Marauder, who flip-kicked him right in the face, knocking him into a wall.

"You're pathetic!" she fumed.

"I am not!" Chase angrily threw some ill-fated punches, which Marauder easily dodged. She sucker punched him when his arm was fully extended.

"You're sure about that!?"

Chase got to his feet, wiping some blood away, he reached for his pistol but Marauder kicked him again. "Gah!"

"You are no secret agent, Devineaux. You're a disgrace!" she taunted him. "You were never anything but some egotistical, misogynistic, waste-of-time!" She kicked him in the face when he was down. Chase tried to get to his feet, getting a couple of punches on Marauder, but again, when he extended she grabbed him by the arm and threw him down.

"I am not a waste of time!" Devineaux coughed.

"Yes you are! You are a loser! You think with your fists and get rewarded for it!" She kicked him again in the face.

"But—"

"All that burning the midnight oil, all for what? Another promotion you don't deserve! It should have been me!" she kicked him again. A bleeding Chase tried to crawl away.

"I deserved...what I got" Chase wheezed, clutching his side.

"You deserve nothing" Marauder coldly said. "You are no secret agent, you're not even a detective. You're just some paper-pushing, loud talking, jerk. Getting rid of you would be doing the world a favor, at least there will be some car hoods still intact."

"You know about that, huh?" a wounded Chase asked.

"Among other things. I am your worst nightmare come true Chase Devineaux, and you will show me the respect I deserve. And you will do that because you are nothing, while I am the superior one! You are nothing but a failure and that's all you'll ever amount to!" She gave Chase one more kick to the gut.

Chase couldn't rebut, he was going to be sick. He crawled to a nearby waste basket and shoved his head over it before throwing up some residual fajitas and beer. Chase coughed and vomited into the can. Tears streamed down his face. He felt woozy, like he was going to pass out. He looked up at Marauder towering over him before he felt light-headed and fell on his back, completely passed out.

Marauder was about to approach when she heard something. She turned her head and nothing was there. She looked back at Chase and took another step forward but this time something came over her head and wrapped itself around her neck. Marauder tried to grab onto this wire-like thing, it was the fiber optic cables, and Chief was holding onto them, trying to garrote Marauder while she was right behind her, able to whisper in her ear.

"Hello, traitor" Chief taunted her. Marauder choked, trying to get Chief off of her, but Chief was using all her strength. "It's a shame your little girlfriend has to go down for this, I tried to give her a deal, but she wouldn't go without you."

Awwwww. Tigress wouldn't have freedom without her? Marauder teared up underneath her mask as she choked up a few gasps of air.

"You should've surrendered when you had the chance, Argent. Now it's all over. For what it's worth, or it may please you to know: I was going to promote you. My how the mighty have fallen" Chief tightened her grip. "And now you get nothing."

Marauder made a few more gasps as she could feel the room spinning. With every last bit of strength she had Marauder threw her weight behind her, knocking Chief over. Marauder rolled off of her, throwing the wire off her neck and taking a few much needed breaths of air. Chief was trying to get up but Marauder ran to give her one swift kick to the face, knocking her out immediately. Marauder's breathed normalized and she looked down at the two knocked out secret agents in front of her. She could take them both, but knew deep down Chief was more valuable as a hostage, and couldn't risk getting caught trying to finagle two stiffs to the helicopter, besides, she had plans for Chase, it wasn't enough to break his spirit, and being a V.I.L.E. puppet was too good for him.

But while she pondered this, she heard footsteps pass the office outside. Marauder peeked her head out and saw Zari still searching. Marauder ducked her head in. She looked down at Chase, body covered in blood and vomit. "You're not even worth kidnapping, that's how worthless you are" she taunted him. She jumped into the vent duct, and crawled back to Tigress.

PARIS FRANCE 1009 HOURS

We'll wrap up the Paris saga...or is it only beginning? Carmen chased Dash through every street and alleyway that she could find. Dash proved to be a good runner, but he didn't have Carmen's stamina, much less her determination.

"You won't catch me, Carmen!" he shouted

Carmen tried a different approach, taking the high road. She climbed onto the roof of a building and followed Dash from atop the roofs, making it easier to get to him. The two continued their thrilling parkour chase through the streets of Paris.

Carmen got a few buildings ahead of Dash, and by the time he knew anything, he didn't see Carmen anywhere. After looking frantically through the alley he sighed of relief, he had evaded her, or so he thought.

"Lost her. Hmm-hmm-hmm, I knew she wasn't so tough."

Dash continued to cross a street and walked into another alleyway, this one led to the pathway along the river Seine. He was about to get out his communicator, the monocle thing, in order to see where everyone else was at. Bur before he could, he was kicked over, it was Carmen.

"Crud!"

"I'm not playing around, Dash! Give me a name! And then you're coming with me!"

"I don't even have the option to escape?"

"That ship sailed, final notice time" Carmen threatened.

"What does she mean to you, huh? You betrayed us! Every V.I.L.E. operative wants a piece of you, why does this one make a difference!?"

"That's not your concern. You want to know what is? Telling me her name!"

"Never!"

Dash stood up and tried to run, but Carmen was too quick. She accosted him. Dash reached inside her coat for her gun but Carmen grabbed it first and the two wrestled for it as they got closer to the edge of the alley, which ended in some stairs leading down to a pathway right next to the river. The two got their fingers over the trigger, and just as the gun was under Dash's arm—BAM!

The two froze for a moment, eyes wide. They slowly backed away, Dash's finger was directly on the trigger, and he had accidentally fired, the bullet hitting him directly in the right arm. As blood pouted out, he screamed.

"AHHHHHHH!"

He threw a punch on Carmen, but she punched back with her free hand, and the two tripped, falling down the steps onto the path next to the river. Carmen hit her face pretty hard, she was in shock at what she saw.

Dash's monocle communicator finally got through, Countess Cleo was online. "Dash honey, how goes the heist?"

"I've been shot!" he yelled.

"Wait, what? What do you mean shot?"

"There's a bullet in my right elbow! That kind of shot!"

"What in the world—how did this happen? Are you alright?"

"Of course I'm not alright! Ruined my good jacket, too!"

"Who did this!?" Cleo demanded.

"Who do you think?" a weakened Dash asked. "Sandiego!" He looked at his wound. "Oh, that's a lot of blood" Dash passed out on the ground.

"Dash! Dash!" Cleo shouted.

Carmen got out her communicator, she could barely move, too much in shock of what happened. She got through to Player.

"Red!? I finally got a hold of you! Zack and Ivy—Red? Are you okay?" he asked frantically trying to explain Zack and Ivy's capture to her only to see Carmen was in her own predicament.

"Help...me" she wheezed, nearly passed out herself. The camera pans up and we see the two of them laying on the pathway near feet from the babbling Seine river right next to them.

BATTLE CREEK MICHIGAN 0430 HOURS

Coach Brunt was now joined by Dr. Bellum, the two had gotten word from The Cleaners that Tigress was freed and Chief was captured.

"Cleo! We have fantastic news" Bellum happily stated.

"The girls got us The Chief of A.C.M.E." Brunt answered. "The Chief!"

"I wish I had fantastic news to share!" she sneered.

"What do you mean?" Bellum asked.

"Haber's been shot."

Both women's eyes went wide. "What? By Who?"

"Who do you think?" Cleo sarcastically asked.

"Is he still with us?" Brunt asked.

"He'll live, but he's in a bit of trouble."

"Little Black Sheep's becoming a pretty big problem, isn't she?" Brunt sinisterly asked.

"Too big" Cleo crossed her arms. "This crosses a line. Proper reprisals must be handed down for this outrage!"

"I'd have to agree" Bellum nodded.

"So, why don't we vote right now. I doubt Gun and Roundabout will contest...I think it's high time we permanently liquidate V.I.L.E.'s number one headache" Brunt raised her hand, quickly followed by Bellum and a vengeful Cleo... "Majority rules."

SEATTLE WASHINGTON 0233 HOURS

On the roof, Tigress and Marauder had chained Chief into a seat on the chopper. She was barely conscious. Next to her were the burlap sacks of shrunken gold for the faculty. Marauder had Chief's gun in her belt. "Think we have time for Devineaux and the other one?" Tigress asked.

"Maybe Devineaux, he's still knocked, but we won't have much time" Marauder warned. The two went back to the roof, Vlad, one of the cleaners yelled. "Ms. Marauder, Ms. Tigress! We have to move!"

"We'll be right back!" Tigress called as they went down the stairs.

They found their way on the landing right on the 47th floor. Tigress stopped Marauder. "Thanks again, for saving me."

"Come now, Sheena" Marauder pulled her in. "What did you think I was going to do? I could never leave you behind. You know if I am the knight, this does make you my princess."

Tigress blushed. The two embraced with a kiss.

Outside in the hall, Zari heard the commotion as she was making her way back to the steps after her search yielded nothing. She didn't find Chase and she avoided Marauder and Tigress sneak Chief out to the roof.

She checked her gun and took out the magazine as she walked into the stairwell. Mid reload she was immediately bombarded by the kissing villains, who immediately snapped into action, Marauder taking out the pistol and aiming it at Zari.

"Don't move!" she demanded. Zari froze, empty gun in one hand, and full magazine in the other. "Drop them! Now!"

Zari sighed, doing as she was told, hands were in the air. Tigress looked at Marauder, her finger dancing around the trigger, now far more determined than she was even a few hours ago. Tigress remembered her conversations with Chief about death, she didn't want this hanging over Marauder's head.

"Don't! Come on, we should just go!" Tigress urged her.

"You're right" Marauder sighed, kicking Zari's gun down the next flight of stairs. "She isn't worth it anyhow."

The two backed up the stairs. Zari narrowed her eyes as she and Marauder locked their peepers. Feeling trapped, and figuring she needed a little victory she smirked. "If you really wanted an upgrade, you should have bought the i8. Much more sporty. The Q5 doesn't have nearly that kind of gravitas" Zari taunted Marauder implicitly implying her to be Julia.

Marauder's hand shook, she holstered the gun and grabbed the Crackle Rod from Tigress, turning the dial to HEAVY STUN she blasted Zari, kicking her into the wall, knocking her out cold.

"She will wake up...eventually" Marauder chuckled. They heard the elevator doors open nearby and footsteps emerged onto the floor, voices shouted:

"Seattle Police Department!"

"Everybody get down on the floor!"

"Come on, forget them, we have to go!" Tigress insisted.

"But—"

"If we don't, we'll both be in jail! Come on!" Tigress grabbed Julia by the wrist and they ran up the stairs as two police officers came up the stairs following their other comrades. The two jumped into the helicopter and the Cleaners punched it, making a clean getaway. Marauder flipped up her mask.

"Are you alright?" Julia asked Tigress.

"Oh me, I'm fine" Tigress lied. In fact she felt uneasy about how the evening was unfolding. "You?"

"Oh, perfectly fine" Julia also lied, mostly due to the fact she'd have to somehow explain that she kissed Chase as that fact was hanging over her head now. She got a call over her communicator. It was Brunt.

"You got away?"

"Almost too easy" Julia nodded.

"Good. I hate to do this to you, kiddo, but you're elite services are desperately needed. We have a little problem in Paris. I'm dispatching you and Paper Star to take care of it."

Julia frowned, not just that Tigress won't be there, but Paper Star would be. "What is the problem?" Julia asked.

"You two got a rescue and extraction to make...and a special little assignment" We now get a close-up on Brunt. "I need you to make our Carmen Sandiego problem go away. Real permanent-like..."

Julia stared off in the distance, at first apprehensive, but slowly a smirk grew on her face... Nights in White Satin (The night version) by The Moody Blues plays as the credits roll.