It was midnight, and a Japanese girl wearing neon green short jackets on was humming at a high pitch tune as she walked through the darkness of a building, striding carefreely. "La… La…La, La, La…" The girl looked around smirkingly as she eyed the space around her as she searched for her target cautiously, walking past the exhibits around her. "Hmm~` Now where is it…" Paperstar mumbled in a singsong tone as she flung paper shuriken's at the security cameras that were nearby before they could get a glimpse of the girl, destroying them. It wasn't long before Paperstar came across the thing she was looking for, a diamond gem.
The Japanese girl quickly took the copy out of the pouch she was carrying, swiftly replacing the real gem with the fake that V.I.L.E. manufactured with ease. Right as Paperstar turned to leave the scene, a person was walking up to her from behind pointing a gun at her. "Put the artifact down!" the man said firmly, presumably the guard of the museum.
Despite being caught, Paperstar wasn't scared or intimidated as a sly and sadistic smile spread across her face as she placed the gem in her pouch and swiftly drew out her infamous origami shurikens and threw them right at the man, them hitting the man square in his chest, piercing his front in multiple places before he could react. It didn't take long before the security guard slumped down on the ground as blood tainted his clothed.
"Hmph… weak," Paperstar scoffed as she walked past the motionless body as she walked towards the back of the museum, opening the lock door as she used an origami blade to pry the door open, there was already a van outside, seemingly waiting for her. The Japanese quickly looked around just in case someone was watching then ran into the rain. As she got in, she sat down and pressed a button on the screen in front of her. And Maelstrom appeared on it.
"Mission accomplished, "Paperstar was triumphantly in front of the screen, holding up the gem in her hand for the man to see.
"Well done, Paperstar," Gunnar said smiling. "Hand the gem over to the Cleaners, they will ensure its safe delivery."
Paperstar nodded as she moved forward and handed the gem towards the shorter Cleaner before seating on the seat casually. "So, what trinkets do you want me to steal next?" asked Paperstar, her tone relaxed, though eager to get into action once more.
"Of course. I'm sure you're familiar with the Magna Carta," said Maelstrom, making the girl raise an eyebrow.
"You mean those useless documents?" asked Paperstar dryly. "The ones that you sent me to steal like years ago?"
"They aren't useless, and yes," Gunnar said frowningly.
"Great. Where am I headed?" asked the girl, wearing a twisted smile.
"You will be flying to Washington, to aid one of the Faculty on the hunt for it," Gunnar informed.
"Who? You?" asked Paperstar curiously, expecting to be paired up with her mentor.
"Not me. Carmen Sandiego," Gunnar answered. "I do hope you remember what she remembers and what she doesn't."
"Carmen Sandiego hmmm? That ought to be fun," Paperstar said as he mouth twisted into a smile. "Oh, don't worry, I know what to do," Paperstar said smiling evilly as she sat back, leaning against the seat.
Graham, who was once known as Crackle walked down the hallway before turning a corner and knocking on a door, waiting outside the room, tapping his feet impatiently as he waited for the person inside to tell him to enter the room.
"You may come in," the voice said.
Gray quickly opened the door and rushed in, closing the door behind him before walking forward towards the centre of the room, where Chief stood, and in front of her was two other familiar looking people. He has seen both of them before, during their latest attempt to bring Carmen's memories back.
"You called me?" asked the Australian curiously as he looked around the room before setting his eyes back in front of him, looking at the three people looking at him.
"Mr. Calloway?" the brown-haired man asked surprised.
"Agent Devineaux, Mr. Calloway here has decided to join our efforts to catch Carmen Sandiego and bring her memories back," the white-haired woman explained. "You three will be working closely together on the search and hunt for Carmen Sandiego, given your history with the Crimson Thief herself."
"Understandable," the pale petite woman nodded.
"Mr. Calloway, this is Agent Argent, and Agent Devineaux. I'm sure you remember encountering them before," Chief said knowingly.
"Yeah, nice to meet you two," Gray said, trying to smile.
"A pleasure to meet you too, Mr. Calloway," Julia said warmly.
"Please, do call me Gray," Graham added. "I'm used to people calling me by my nickname."
"Well, then call me Julia," the petite woman introduced herself as the man just eyed Graham.
"Now we got the introductions out of the way, time for briefing," Chief interrupted quickly as she walked over to the large screen in front of the group.
"Already?" asked Gray surprised, but happy, nonetheless.
"Why else do you think I would have called you people here for?" asked Chief. "Carmen Sandiego was spotted in Washington today."
"What's in Washington, may I ask?" asked Chase curiously.
"Many things actually, but it would seems that the Magna Carta is back on display in the Washington's museum," Julia said as she swiped through the tablet in her hand. "It would seems that V.I.L.E. wants it again and sent Carmen to do their job."
"Nah, Carmen wanted to go and steal it," Graham sighed as she looked at the big screen showing the city of Washington.
"Oh? Do explain why?" asked Julia curiously.
"She has always been pushing to go and do these heists, the more impossible the better," Graham explained as he remembered his time with Carmen in V.I.L.E. "Even after she became faculty, she still pushed to go on these 'adventures'," Graham air-quoted the last word.
"It would seems that her mind has been altered to love having these thrills," Julia noted as she looked at Chief.
"Oh, this is going to be another rodeo," the older man sighed as he looked at the screen. "How are we even supposed to know when she appears?" asked Chase.
"I don't think we should," Gray said frowning as he remembered what the Carmen he knew would do.
"Then, what do you propose we do, Mr. Calloway?" asked Chase curiously.
"Uhm… you people may not like it," the Australian said sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his neck, thinking how to explain the idea he has in mind, knowing that it was exactly what Carmen would do if she was still around fighting V.I.L.E.
It was night over Washington D.C. A man stood on top of the roof of the Smithsonian Institution. The man was masked and was wearing a complete black suit with a rod strapped to his back, looking down casually from the roof before walking away from the edge.
"Mr. Calloway… Are you sure that we should be doing this?" asked Chief over the comms. "I mean, just because it worked for Carmen that doesn't mean that-"
"Look Chief, it is barely safe here, no amount of security can stop Carmen, and if we move it publicly, V.I.L.E. would know," Gray answered. "This could very well be the only way that this can be done."
"Proceed," Chief's voice came through the comms.
"Alright then, Mrs. Argent, how is it looking?" asked the Australian.
"You're clear Mr. Calloway," Julia responded as she looked at the screen in Chase's car.
"Cams hacked into?" asked Gray. "And the security systems?"
"Hacked," another voice said, confirming.
"Be on standby just in case," Gray said.
"Noted," Chase gruff voice came through the comms.
"Alright then, time to pull a heist," Calloway sighed as he ran across the roof before hooking himself onto a line and scaled down the building a few floors. He then took out a device from his pouch and pressed it on the glass, the device quickly cut a hole big enough for him to enter, which he slip through before landing on the floor as soft as possible, looking around cautiously. "Where is the guard?" asked Gray. "If there are any."
"He is two floors below you; you are clear."
Gray quickly made his way towards the room, remembering the layout of the building which he read a few hours before the operation. "Am I close?" asked the man curiously as he looked around the room.
"Quite, just turn a right and… there you are," the voice said.
Gray couldn't have felt more relieved, it was still there, the documents were there, with no signs of a break in. "It is still here."
"Well, now it is just the hard part, stealing them," Julia sighed over the comms.
"Yeah," Gray agreed as he walked towards the display case, a bit unwillingly.
He took out the same glass cutting device from earlier, he placed it on the display case, and with a press of a button, the machine set to work, cutting a hole big enough for Gray to grab the historical texts. The man took it out carefully, rolling it up with care and put it into the containment cylinder that was in his backpack. "I secured the package." The man said as he slipped the scroll into his backpack, zipping it.
"Good, now get out of there," Chief said firmly.
Gray was prepared to make his move before he heard a clapping sound from behind him accompanied with a girlish giggle. At that very moment, he knew who it was, and it was the person who he both dreaded and wanted to see again. "She is here," Gray whispered over the comms, notifying the rest of the agents that were surrounding the building.
"Well done well done," the familiar feminine voice chuckled as Gray turned around, still wearing the mask to hide his identify. "You really made our job so much easier, well, minus the fun part though." It was none other than the infamous Carmen Sandiego, in her usual attire, full on red.
Gray was not just shocked to see Carmen. He was equally surprised to see the most insane agent of V.I.L.E. with her, none other than Paperstar herself. Gray gulped as he watch Paperstar took out a shuriken, as if ready to end him at any moment. Gray couldn't believe it, Carmen working with Paperstar now? That is another level of how much of Carmen's former personality and traits were gone.
Upon seeing the Crimson Thief herself, Gray knew that the heist was going to fail, there was no chance that he will get the Magna Carta out, but he wasn't going to surrender without a fight, and perhaps, this was a chance to capture Carmen, and bring her back to A.C.M.E. HQ.
"You know, we actually saw you coming in, and decided that we would just watch you. It is both funny and pathetic how you bluecoats try, it really is," Carmen chuckled smirkingly as she looked at the masked man gloatingly. "So… whoever you are, please… step aside, if you want to live." Carmen said as Paperstar brandished a shuriken menacingly.
Footsteps sounded throughout the room as the agents of A.C.M.E. stormed into the place, surrounding the Crimson Thief and Paperstar. "Drop your weapons!" Chase ordered loudly as he pointed the gas gun at the villainous duo.
"Ah~ Look like almost everyone is here~" Paperstar chuckled as the Japanese looked around, not intimidated at all.
"Well, Paperstar, time to see if you are as good as they say you are," Carmen chuckled as she threw a small sphere into the air, emitting a wave of energy that washed over the agents around them.
"What is going on?" Chief's voice came through the comms, but the voice was fizzling before the line went dead.
"Chief?" Chase asked urgently. "I can't hear you."
"Chase? Chief? Mr. Calloway? Gray?" Julia asked frantically over the comms but all she heard was a buzzing sound.
"It would be my pleasure to show you," Yumiko chuckled before slinging one of her paper shurikens right at Gray. Gray tried to dodge it but the shuriken managed to pierce his left shoulder, sinking into his flesh quite a bit, he got thrown back a bit from the force, hitting the glass case behind him.
Gray groaned as he hit the glass. "How… does this even make any sense?" he groaned as he stood back up, seeing the paper shuriken out of his shoulder, seeing the blood on it.
Carmen just smirked before rushing forward towards Gray to pry the containment cylinder out of his hands. Gray got up in time to see the Crimson Thief charging forward. The young woman landed a solid punch across Gray's face, knocking him back.
"Get them!" Chase ordered, prompting the agents to attack.
"Oh well, at least this will be fun~" the Japanese chuckled before brandishing a couple of paper shurikens and throwing them at the oncoming agents. Her shurikens managed to hit some of the agents, knocking some of them down.
Chase quickly ran up to Paperstar from behind, grabbing her hand before she could grab anymore shurikens. "Oh no you don't!"
Paperstar quickly grabbed Chase and kicked him back, knocking down some of the other agents. "Hmph, weak," the Japanese scoffed as she dodged the shot of gas that was rushing towards her before quickly folding a paper pocket knife in her hand. She quickly thrust the blade into one of the agents' shoulder. Yumiko smiled sickly as the agent cried out in agony as she twisted the blade before pulling it out and kicking the woman back. "Alright, who wants this?" the Japanese chuckled as she held up the bloodied knife, looking at the agents that were standing in front of her, mostly shocked by what she done.
"You better give me the Magna Carta!" Carmen said firmly as she kicked Gray in the torso, attempting to snatch the backpack Gray was wearing.
"That is not happening!" Graham shouted as he punched Carmen, knocking her back before running away.
"Hmph, we shall see," Carmen muttered smirking before running after the masked man.
Gray quickly ran through the building, down the hallways, trying to evade the exhibits around them as Carmen chased him. He constantly looked back to see for far Carmen was from catching up to him. After a while, Carmen has seemingly disappeared from view. Gray was now confused, he stopped, looking around cautiously, Carmen was nowhere to be seen. One minute ago, she was chasing after him and now she disappeared.
Before Gray continued to run he heard a loud bang and a searing pain around his torso. Graham fell onto the floor, groaning as he clutched his torso, it was bleeding. The masked man looked up to see Carmen Sandiego, walking out of the darkness with a red gun in her hand.
"You really think that you could run away from me huh?" asked Carmen chuckling as she bent forward, grabbing the backpack, and yanking it off the masked man, who was groaning in agony on the floor, panting.
"Paperstar, meet me at the pickup point," Carmen said over the comms smirking. "I got it."
Paperstar now dropped another body onto the heap on the ground, her attire splattered with blood stains, barely visible in the dim lighting. "Understood." Paperstar chuckled as she dropped the knife on the ground, in front of the person she just dropped, who was still wincing in pain. "Thank you~ for entertaining me tonight," chuckled Paperstar before she skipped away from the scene.
It was long before Chase woke up. The man looked around the room, it was a horrifying sight to see. "Mrs. Argent? Julia? Mr. Calloway? Is anyone there?" he asked frantically over the comms as he walked around, unsure what to do.
"You are lucky to be alive Mr. Calloway, there were some who wasn't as lucky," Chief said. She was being projected through hologram from Julia's pen, while the young woman herself was sitting on a chair next to the bed Gray was laying in.
"Yeah… Argh… I know," Graham groaned as he sat up, still feeling the pain from the bullet wound. "Who would have thought Carmen was using guns now… Ouch… And… Paperstar… She is literally insane."
"This is getting out of hand," Chief sighed. "Who knows how many more will die because of V.I.L.E.'s actions?"
"Well, there is nothing that we can do now, but… wait for Carmen to show herself again," sighed Julia.
Chief nodded silently. "Get some rest, all of you," the old woman said before the hologram was turned off.
"This is getting us nowhere," Gray sighed. "Even with A.C.M.E., she still managed to get away."
"It is not your fault, Mr. Calloway," the woman sighed.
"Is it not?" asked Graham hopelessly. "Urgh… we need help."
Julia looked on the floor, frowning, before something hit her mind. "Oh, I should have done this a long time ago," Julia said, smiling faintly. "How did I forget?"
"What is it?" asked the Australian curiously.
"We contact Carmen's old team," the British woman said, standing up.
"You think they could help?" asked Graham unsurely.
"Well, at least, they deserve to help, after all, they have known Carmen for so long," Julia pointed out.
Graham, stared at the woman for a bit, before nodding. "Do it."
Julia nodded before turning around, walking out of the room quickly.
Notes:
Thanks for reading. Feel free to comment your thoughts. As my other oneshots work in any fandom. This may or may not be picked up and turned into a series based on the reception or my liking. So, stay safe and stay tuned :)
If you wanna chat about my fics, have any suggestions or request or stuff. Feel free to find me on Discord Tenudakin12345#7702, Twitter: /TenudaKin or my email: glerenshane12345