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The Broken Silence

Chapter 61

Flying

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Michael stared at the door long after Scorpion had left. For the first time since Vess' death, Michael had hope but he was hesitant to trust it. It sounded too good to be true, and he had a feeling he wasn't being told everything. Why would this Spider person want him of all people? Michael glanced down at his missing limbs and couldn't shake the bad feeling this gave him. He wanted to avenge Vess, to see Siren suffer, but Michael was suspicious. There were literally thousands of criminals more suited to killing Carmen Sandiego than him, but yet Spider had chosen him to do it. Why?

Michael knew he wasn't very smart, but he had been surrounded by criminals his entire life. Something didn't smell right here, and he was going to find out what Spider really wanted.

Michael glanced up as the door opened and Sebastian stepped inside, giving Michael a questioning look.

"Is everything alright, master Michael?"

"I'm fine," Michael responded.

When Michael didn't insult and swear at him as per usual, Sebastian knew something was bothering him.

"Did your therapy session go alright?" he asked, "Did you like Dr. Bigirimana?"

"He was fine," Michael answered with a shrug.

Sebastian narrowed his eyes. Something was definitely wrong.

"It's time for your daily walk," Sebastian informed him, "I believe Master Dmitry is planning on accompanying you again."

Michael immediately tensed up and he shook his head. "I...I don't feel like going out today," he said, unable to hide the nervousness from his voice.

"Sorry, but my orders come directly from your grandparents. You've been cooped up inside for far too long and they want you getting as much air as possible."

"Has...has he said anything about me?" Michael demanded.

Sebastian raised a brow. "Who? Master Dmitry?"

Michael nodded.

Sebastian hesitated. "Master Dmitry isn't exactly the most talkative person…", he said, "He hasn't said a word about you. Why are you asking? Did something happen yesterday?"

Michael flushed, remembering how rude he'd been. "...no, not really."

"Uh huh," Sebastian replied, not believing him for an instant, "Well, come along, Master Dmitry is waiting for you downstairs."

Sebastian began pushing Michael out of the room and Tiger quickly bounded after them, not wanting to be left behind. Michael felt unusually nervous, and when they arrived downstairs, he saw his father waiting near the door. Michael was helped into his coat, hat and scarf by Sebastian and then Plague Doctor stepped forward to take over. As Michael was wheeled outside, he carefully avoided looking back at his father having no idea what to say.

Plague Doctor walked him through the maze this time and Michael found himself starting to relax just a bit. He loved the maze and he wondered if Sebastian had told his father that. Michael knew he should say something, but he just couldn't find the words. They walked through the massive maze for twenty mintes or so and then Plague Doctor took him back to the gardens to play with Tiger.

As Plague Doctor threw the ball, Michael studied his father's face as subtly as he could. He was a lot younger than Michael had expected, and he now knew there were only fifteen years between them. His father had the same dark hair as him and he could see a lot of similarities between them.

For Michael's entire life he had felt like an outsider because of his looks. His mother was a blonde, Mr. Finnegan was a ginger and so were all of his siblings. Michael had been the only brunette in the family and he'd felt the difference every time he'd looked at a family photo. Long before it was discovered he was a Volkov, Michael had felt like an outsider. He'd always been drawn to the arts whereas the rest of the Finnegan clan were into sports and hunting. He'd tried to make himself interested in those things, but he'd been miserable. It was his mother who had encouraged him to paint all those years ago and she had bought him everything he needed.

Michael clenched his hand into a fist and took a deep breath. He hadn't spoken to his mother in years. How different would his life have been if he had grown up in the Volkov household? He hadn't come to live with his grandparents until he was thirteen, and he'd already been a complete mess by then.

Michael looked up at his father again and he wanted to say something, but the words simply wouldn't come to him. He sat there in complete silence and didn't even complain that he was getting really cold. When Plague Doctor held out the drool-covered ball towards him, Michael took it without a word, and began tossing it for Tiger.

Michael threw the ball over and over, feeling awkward and still trying to build up the nerve to talk to his father. Why hadn't Plague Doctor said anything to him yet? He hadn't asked him any questions, hadn't scolded him, and he barely even looked at him. Was he ashamed of him?

Michael flushed and knew that was probably the case. The man didn't even know he existed and then suddenly he was told he had a son who had committed multiple atrocities. Michael had managed to disappoint two fathers, and it made him feel both ashamed and angry at the same time.

He threw the ball a little too hard and it bounced across the ice far across the bare gardens. Tiger rocketed after it and then disappeared from view. Michael waited but she didn't come back. He glanced up at his father who was frowning in the direction the dog had disappeared to. Without a word, Plague Doctor began pushing the wheelchair along the path, clearly going to see what happened to Tiger. Michael knew he should call out to the dog, but it felt like his voice was stuck in his throat. They'd stayed silent for so long, that even just calling out to Tiger seemed too much for him right now. Michael was now shivering from the cold, and as they crossed the grounds, they saw Tiger was getting petted by someone and had gotten distracted. She was laying on her back getting her belly rubbed and the person was dutifully spoiling her.

Michael squinted as they got closer and he saw long red hair as the person stood up. Carmen glanced over at Michael and Plague Doctor and her expression was one of surprise. Michael tensed and immediately began shaking his head. Reaching back, he grabbed Plague Doctor by the sleeve and tugged on it desperately.

"No, no, please!" he begged, "Please take me back! I can't! Take me back!"

Plague Doctor glanced down at Michael and then over at his niece who hadn't moved an inch.

"Please!" Michael begged.

Plague Doctor gave a loud whistle and Tiger immediately came running back to them. Without a word, Plague Doctor turned and began pushing Michael back towards the manor. Michael let out a breath of relief and let go of his father's sleeve.

"...thank you."

Plague Doctor didn't respond.

"I'm sorry I took out my bad mood on you yesterday…" Michael said hesitantly, "You didn't deserve that."

Plague Doctor still said nothing and Michael fell silent, unable to gauge the other man's mood. His father's expression was completely blank and it was impossible to tell what he was thinking. Michael didn't say another word on the way back to the manor.

Like yesterday, Sebastian was waiting for them with steaming cups of cocoa and Plague Doctor took one without hesitation.

"Master Michael, you look frozen half to death!"

"I'm fine," Michael stated, watching as his father walked away.

"Master Dmitry, you kept him out far too long!" Sebastian scolded, "He's still recovering and you can't get him sick right now!"

Plague Doctor continued walking like he hadn't heard and Sebastian let out a huff of irritation.

"It wasn't his fault, I wanted to stay out longer," Michael stated, "I don't mind the cold, and Tiger seems to like it too."

Plague Doctor paused and glanced back at Michael for a moment before he opened the door and disappeared into the library.

Sebastian huffed again. "Foolish," he muttered to himself, placing the hot mug into Michael's hand, "I should have insisted on coming along."

Sebastian removed Michael's hat, coat and boot without complaint and Michael couldn't wait until he could do this sort of thing himself. Scorpion had made his own suggestions about the limbs Michael should choose and he had taken his advice. He had informed his grandparents of his decision and within three days, he was going to be fitted for them.

"Can you take me back to my room?" Michael demanded, "I'm tired."

Sebastian eyed him for a moment and then nodded, suspicious over the fact he hadn't been sworn at yet.

"Very well, but your grandparents are insistent that you attend supper with them tonight."

Michael tensed. "...are my cousins going to be there?"

Sebastian wasn't sure how Michael found out Carmen and Mime Bomb were still on the property but he was willing to bet Plague Doctor was to blame.

"No, your cousins will be leaving Russia this afternoon and so they won't be joining us."

Michael let out a deep breath of relief and nodded. "Okay."

Sebastian squinted at him. "Are you feeling alright?"

"I'm fine, I'm just tired," Michael snapped, taking a gulp of the hot cocoa, "Blech! Who the fuck made this?! It tastes like a jockstrap!"

Sebastian relaxed. "It was made with dark chocolate imported from Switzerland," he replied.

Michael pulled a face. "I hate dark chocolate," he complained, "Make me a new one the right way!"

Sebastian rolled his eyes and let out a deep sigh. "Right away, master Michael."

Sebastian began pushing his wheelchair and Michael poured the hot cocoa into a plant as they passed by it. Sebastian sighed again but he didn't comment, instead taking the empty mug and setting it aside. Once Michael was back in his bedroom, Sebastian called the kitchens for a new hot chocolate and Michael shifted himself out of the chair and onto his bed.

His cousins were all on the Volkov property right now and they were sitting ducks. If he reported this to Scorpion, it would be easy for the other man to storm the manor and kill all three cousins.

Michael frowned and knew Scorpion wouldn't need him for the raid. Carmen would be killed and then Michael would be left to take the fall. He couldn't betray his grandparents again, not after the way he saw it affected them the last time. If he killed his cousins then he wanted to do it in secret so it couldn't be linked to him.

If he made that call to Scorpion now, then there was no way he could guarantee Spider would keep up her end of the bargain. She would have no reason to, and Michael had a feeling she'd toss him aside the moment Carmen was dead.

Michael glanced towards the window. If he wanted Siren dead, then he would have to let his cousins leave without reporting it. He would kill Siren first and then he'd help Spider track down Carmen Sandiego. This was the only way to make sure he got what he wanted.

His decision made, Michael stretched out in bed and simply waited for his hot cocoa.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Carmen watched Michael and Plague Doctor as they turned to leave. She didn't say a word to them but her gaze lingered on Michael who was the picture of terrified guilt. Michael had seemed so vulnerable at that moment and Carmen felt a small twinge of sympathy. She hadn't expected to see guilt, and it made her wonder if there was hope for him yet. Michael had done many terrible things, but she also suspected he was mentally ill and not totally to blame. The Volkovs vowed they were going to keep Michael away from the outside world, and she was beginning to think perhaps it was for the best. The Volkovs were incredibly rich and Michael would have access to doctors and specialists that normal people could never dream of. Life in prison wouldn't do him any good, but spending his life with his family might.

Carmen shifted her gaze to her uncle and couldn't imagine what it was like for him. He wasn't exactly the most mentally stable person himself, but it was clear he was trying. Plague Doctor spent most of his time with them at the guest house, but he made it clear that he would be seeing Michael as well. Mime Bomb hadn't commented about it, but it was clear he was extremely uncomfortable with the whole thing.

Carmen turned away and began trudging her way back to the guest house, knowing it was nearly time for them to leave. Diana was finally stable enough to be moved, and they were returning to San Diego for the rest of her recovery.

The moment Carmen entered the guest house , she was met with absolute pandemonium. Tigress and Ivy were screaming at each other and Zack was trying to fight Le Chèvre. El Topo and Julia were trying their best to break up the fights and Shadowsan was simply looking exasperated.

"What's going on here?" Carmen demanded angrily, "Stop fighting!"

"Sheena hit Mime Bomb!" Ivy snarled, "I'm going to pound her into mincemeat!"

"He deserved it!" Le Chèvre retorted.

"He did not!" Zack snapped, taking another swing at the other man.

Carmen stepped in the middle of the fight to break it up. "Okay, okay, that's enough!" she said firmly, "Someone want to tell me what happened? I've only been gone twenty minutes!"

"Mime Bomb stole my Chanel eyeliners!" Tigress yelled, "He used them for his stupid mime makeup!"

"You didn't need to hit him!" Ivy yelled, "It's just makeup!"

"He knew very well what he was doing," Le Chèvre stated, "Chanel makeup is incredibly expensive and hard to get. I saw him take it when Sheena was in the bathroom! He's a little sneak-thief!"

Carmen glanced over at Mime Bomb who was nursing a bloody nose. "Did you take Sheena's makeup?" she demanded.

Mime Bomb sheepishly nodded and Carmen let out a deep sigh.

"Guys, I know you've been bored, and I know it's been hard, but fighting with each other just makes things worse."

Tigress let out a huff and crossed her arms.

Carmen glanced back to Mime Bomb. "Please return the makeup and apologize. If you ruined any of it, then the nice thing to do would be to replace it for her. Really, Yuri, stop antagonizing people."

Mime Bomb had been purposely messing with Tigress but he hadn't expected her to react quite that angrily. He'd just been trying to alleviate the crushing boredom that had been plaguing them, and hadn't meant to cause such a huge mess. Wiping the blood from his face, he slowly approached Tigress and looked suitably ashamed as he signed his apology. Tigress stared at him with narrowed eyes for a few seconds and then let out a sigh and waved him off.

"Fine, but touch it again and I'm going to break your nose!"

Mime Bomb nodded and then glanced over at Carmen who was simply shaking her head in exasperation.

"Is everyone packed?" she demanded, "A doctor is going to accompany us to San Diego and he's going to arrive at two. I want us ready to roll once he gets here."

Everyone nodded and had been fully packed for hours now. They were eager to leave Russia and get back to warm and sunny California. Chase had been ignoring all the drama and was fussing over DD in the other room who was wide awake and excited for the upcoming plane trip.

"I've been monitoring all A.C.M.E chatter and I don't believe they know you're on the move," Player stated into their coms, "V.I.L.E's been suspiciously quiet for weeks and I think they're up to something."

"Hmm, they're probably going to be out for revenge over Bellum," Carmen agreed, "I hope A.C.M.E have managed to keep her in custody unlike any of their previous arrests."

They could hear Player typing for a few minutes and Carmen waited patiently, knowing he was looking into it.

"Huh, it looks like A.C.M.E has really stepped up their security. I can't tell where they're holding her, but I did find some case notes from a psychiatrist. This was updated yesterday and so it looks like Bellum is still in custody."

"Bellum needs therapy," Carmen acknowledged.

"We all need therapy," Tigress stated, "We've all just been kinda sharing Mime Bomb's therapist, but we should really look into getting our own once we're home."

Carmen hesitated and then nodded her agreement. "It's time for us to begin healing, and you're completely right, Sheena. I feel like we've all been neglecting our mental health and I think it would be best if we all take a break from missions for a while."

"Unless something serious arises," Shadowsan cut in.

"Of course," Carmen agreed, "Team Crackle are taking a break and I think we should as well until V.I.L.E forces us to take action again."

"Now that's a team that needs some therapy," Tigress commented.

Carmen gave her a disapproving look but she was actually in complete agreement. She knew terrible things had been done to that entire team and she hoped Crackle was getting them all some much needed help.

"I wonder how Sven is doing?" she said thoughtfully, "He hasn't been in contact."

Pulling out her com, Carmen dialed his number not realizing that it was incredibly late where Team Crackle were. The com rang three times before it was answered.

"Hello?" came an annoyed-sounding Otterman.

"Hi, Sven, it's Carmen," Carmen said, feeling a bit relieved, "I just thought I'd check in since I haven't heard from you in a few days."

"Sorry, we've been a bit busy…" Otterman said evasively.

Carmen was immediately suspicious, but she didn't press it. She could hear the loud sounds of traffic and she frowned.

"Are you outside?" she questioned.

"Yeah, Henrik and I are walking to a gas station," he replied.

"Where are you?"

"We're in Quebec right now," Otterman answered.

Carmen then frowned and glanced down at her watch. "Isn't it after midnight there? Why are you out walking this late?"

"...I don't want to talk about it," Otterman responded, sounding incredibly petulant.

"How is Siren doing?" Carmen asked, "Has he improved any?"

"He snapped out of his confusion yesterday," Otterman informed her, "Siren is a complete asshole."

"Yeah, that sounds like him," Carmen said in amusement.

Suddenly there was the sound of a startled yelp from Otterman and Carmen heard the sound of the phone hitting the ground. There was a lot of loud cursing in Swedish and she heard Moose Boy responding to him also in Swedish. She then heard the phone being fumbled with and then Otterman was back.

"Sorry, I slipped on the ice," he explained, "I should have gotten better boots."

"You wouldn't keep falling if you let me carry you," Moose Boy pointed out from the background.

"I'm not letting you carry me around like a child!" Otterman snapped, "I am perfectly capable of walking on my own!"

Carmen then heard the distinct sound of Otterman falling again and more loud cursing in Swedish. She waited patiently as she listened to arguing, a lot of shuffling, and finally Otterman picked up the phone again.

"...I'm fine," Otterman said into the phone, "How have you guys been? Is Yuri okay?"

"We're all fine," Carmen assured him, "Diana is finally strong enough to be moved and so we're going to be heading home soon."

"Just be careful," Otterman advised, "A.C.M.E has been keeping a close eye on San Diego lately. Hopefully our bases haven't been found."

"Player's been keeping an eye on ours, but we have no idea where your guys' base is," Carmen stated.

"Good," Otterman replied, "We really don't want to have to move any time soon."

"How long are you planning on staying on 'vacation'?" Carmen asked, "We're probably going to do the same."

"I'm not sure," Otterman stated, "Likely a couple months depending on A.C.M.E's activity."

"If you guys need any help, just let us know," Carmen said, "You're my cousin and I'll help you in any way I can as long as it's not crime related."

"Thanks for the offer, but we're fine for now," Otterman assured her.

"SKIT!" Otterman shouted as once again he fell on the ice.

Carmen couldn't help it and she raised a hand to her face to stifle her laughter. It was a good thing coms were extremely durable or Otterman would likely break dozens of them.

"NEJ, NEJ!" she heard Otterman yell, "Put me down!"

"No, I'm carrying you until we're out of this icy part of the highway," Moose Boy said firmly, "I'll put you down once it's safe."

Carmen heard more angry cursing and she shook her head in amusement. Otterman certainly had a temper on him but she knew he was all bark and no bite. He was definitely the most empathetic and kindest out of the four Volkov grandchildren, and she wasn't too worried about him.

Otterman was back on the phone a moment later sounding incredibly annoyed. "I'd better let you go because I'm about to murder a moose."

"Okay, Sven, please keep in touch so that I know you're okay. If you ever need anything, all you have to do is ask."

"Thanks, Carmen, I'll talk to you later."

"Bye!" Carmen said and a moment later the call ended.

Carmen turned her gaze to Mime Bomb who was unabashedly eavesdropping. "Sven's okay," she informed him, "Team Crackle are in Canada."

Mime Bomb nodded, glad for the update.

Mime Bomb was a bit disgraced at the moment and so he headed into the other room to see DD and he greeted her with an over-exaggerated smile and wave.

DD grinned up at him and gave him an enthusiastic wave. "Hi Mime Bomb! Will you play with me?"

"Diana, you need to rest," Chase gently scolded.

"No, I'm okay now, daddy, I feel really good today!"

Chase felt his heart warmed at being called daddy, and he simply shook his head in exasperation. DD never wanted to rest and she got more active by the day. She was improving far quicker than Carmen did, and Chase suspected it was because of his strong genetics. His daughter was strong, and he knew it wouldn't be long before she was running and playing like any other child.

Mime Bomb took a seat on the edge of her bed and slowly signed hello to her. DD clumsily signed it back and he smiled at her.

"She says she wants to learn sign language once she's better," Chase stated, "Her priority is going to be French first however."

As Chase went off on a long and rambling story about the importance of the French language, DD and Mime Bomb both tuned him out and DD signed the word 'boring'. Mime Bomb grinned in amusement and he nodded his agreement.

"I know another sign too!" DD informed him proudly.

Mime Bomb raised a brow in question and watched as DD proudly gave him the middle finger.

"Mikey and Siren use this one a lot!" she announced.

Chase began to sputter in complete shock but Mime Bomb dissolved into silent laughter.

"Diana!" Chase scolded, crossing his arms, "Do you have any idea what you just signed?!"

Diana hesitated and then nodded. "Siren said it means 'Fuck You'," she responded.

Chase made a series of alarmed and shocked noises and he looked like he was about to have a stroke. Mime Bomb laughed even harder and patted him on the back sympathetically. Chase then let out a very long and deep sigh of frustration.

"Siren and I are going to have many words the next time we meet," he commented angrily.

"Siren's coming?!" DD asked excitedly.

Chase realized his mistake and winced. "Sorry, mon petite chou-chou, not right now, but I'm sure we'll be seeing him around eventually."

If Siren was now part of Team Crackle then he knew they'd likely be seeing a lot of him once they returned to San Diego.

DD deflated in disappointment but she nodded her understanding. Everything had completely changed in her life, and she was struggling to cope with all the changes. The outside world was loud, overwhelming and incredibly confusing, but she was slowly starting to adjust to Team Red. Everyone had been incredibly kind to her, and not one person had hurt her so far. She wondered what had happened to Vess and she had a feeling it wasn't anything good. The way everyone reacted when she asked about him made her suspicious, and they refused to tell her anything at all. She was secretly worried that he would someday come for her, and she knew he would be furious with her for leaving the lab.

"Mime Bomb?" DD asked.

Mime Bomb gave her a questioning look. DD reached for something beside the bed and pulled out a book.

"Will you read me a story?"

Chase frowned at her. "Diana, how can he read you a story? You know he can't speak!"

Mime Bomb gave Chase a dirty look and accepted the book. Edging up beside her, he opened the first page and then pointed to the words and then looked up at Chase. Chase took a seat on DD's other side.

"Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Ella," Chase read loudly, "Because she was always covered in soot from working, the locals all called her Cinderella."

Mime Bomb was signing the words as Chase read, and DD looked absolutely delighted.

"Hmm," Chase said thoughtfully, "I guess this works."

"Read more!" DD begged.

Chase smiled at her, cleared his throat and then continued the story with Mime Bomb signing along with him.

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Michael Finnegan Senior stared at his house and the overgrown grass didn't escape his notice. He'd been standing there for nearly an hour and the silence felt deafening to him. For over twenty years the sounds of children had filled his house, and now the emptiness could be felt. His family was forever destroyed and he had no idea if any of his children were still alive. He hated Spider for what she had done, and he clenched his hands into fists. His knuckles were bloodied and bruised from his escape, but he felt numb and didn't even notice the pain any more.

Finally working up the nerve, he approached the front door and could see signs of forced entry. The door was splintered open and the woodwork was split and hanging. Raising a hand, he pushed open the door and the silence became even more evident. Stepping inside the house, he took a few deep breaths and then glanced around. He could see droplets of blood leading into the sitting room and he followed them, needing to be absolutely sure.

There was more blood on the door handle to the study and he reached out and pushed the door open before he lost his nerve. He was instantly hit by the overpowering stench of rotten meat and his gaze fell to the bodies of his children laying on the carpet. They had clearly been there for a while and they were barely recognizable. Mr. Finnegan had seen countless bodies in his career, and the smell of rotten flesh was a familiar scent to him. Despite this, he found his stomach turning and he vomited and choked at the sight of his dead children. Coughing as he clapped a hand to his face, Mr. Finnegan turned away and left the room, shutting the door behind him. Three bodies, and so he might still have two children left alive somewhere.

He searched the rest of the house but to his relief, he didn't find the rest of his family. The only thing he could do was follow his orders and hope that his wife and remaining children be returned to him unharmed.

Changing out of his prison clothes, Mr. Finnegan packed a bag and then headed for the door, fully intending on never returning to this house ever again. He almost made it to the front door before a thought occurred to him. Dropping his bags to the floor, he wandered throughout the house, gathering each and every picture of Michael he could find. Lighting the fireplace in the study, he tossed each photograph onto the flames and felt a small bit of satisfaction as he watched every trace of the boy disappear. He was a little annoyed when he couldn't find Michael's baby album and assumed his wife must have taken it with her or hidden it. No matter, once Michael was dead, and his wife was returned to him, he'd burn the rest of the pictures and he'd never have to think about the bastard ever again.

Leaving the study, he grabbed up his bags and then left the house heading for the car. Tossing his bags in the backseat, he got into the driver's seat and barely sat down before he heard a ringing phone. Frowning and glancing around, he opened the center console and found a cheap burner phone.

"Hello?"

"Your plane leaves in two hours. Your tickets are in the center console where you found this phone."

The call then ended and Mr. Finnegan frowned at the phone and pocketed it. Reaching into the console, he found a plane ticket and looked down at it. What in the world…?

He was headed to San Diego.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The flight had been pretty uneventful and most of Team Shadow slept through it. Earwig stayed with her nose pressed to the window for the entire flight, simply watching the ground far below. She'd been given clean clothes by Flytrap and everyone was relieved to discover she no longer smelled like sewage. Rhino had attempted to engage her in conversation several times, but she ignored him and eventually he stopped trying.

Troll was clearly bored and he chatted through the speakers pretty much non-stop for the entire flight. Rhino half-listened to him, and sometimes responded, but Troll didn't seem to notice. He was going on a huge rant about how women had completely changed in recent years and it had made it almost impossible to date them. Most of what he was saying was hateful garbage and Rhino just rolled his eyes and didn't comment.

Flytrap however was getting more and more angry the longer he talked. She'd been pretending to sleep so she wouldn't have to talk to him, but finally she couldn't stand it any longer.

"Look, you pathetic incel, have you ever considered that if every single woman on this planet doesn't want to date you then perhaps it's a problem with you , and not with 50% of the human population?!"

"No, it's because all women expect Chads and normal guys are left to bite the dust. If you're not a supermodel then you don't stand a chance because women's standards are impossible to meet!"

"Just don't be a dick and wash the stench of mountain dew off yourself and you'd stand a much better chance," Flytrap shot back.

"No, the nicer you act to women, the more they dislike you. You have to treat them like shit and then they respect you for it."

"Yeah, we really, really don't." Flytrap snapped, "Now I suggest you change the subject or I'm going to make you shut the hell up."

"Oh?" Troll challenged, "And how are you going to do that? I'm 3000 miles away from you!"

Flytrap got up and without a word, she yanked the cord out of the flatscreen. Silence filled the plane and she let out a deep breath of relief.

"Thank god," Rhino commented, "His nasally voice was starting to melt my brain."

"He can still hear us, we just can't hear him ," Flytrap stated.

Rhino shrugged. "Meh."

Now that the plane was finally silent, everyone except Earwig napped until the plane finally landed in San Diego. As everyone gathered their bags, they put in their ear-coms and were instantly met with a blast from Troll.

"You're not supposed to ignore me like that!" he snarled, "What if there was an emergency and I needed to relay important information to you! You could be dead right now!"

Everyone rolled their eyes.

"Look, Eggroll, I don't think anyone is interested," Rhino responded.

"Oh my god!" Troll snapped, "I'm not Chinese either! How hard is it for you to remember I'm Korean?"

"Is our car ready?" Dokuso demanded, done with listening to Troll rant.

Troll muttered a few things under his breath. "Yeah, there's a black van waiting for you on the tarmac."

"I'm driving!" Spinkick called out.

Driver gave him an incredulous look and he smiled at her sweetly. Rolling her eyes, she didn't comment and Spinkick smiled at his small victory.

"Gutter-rat, come on!" Dokuso ordered when she noticed Earwig still looking out the window.

She glanced over at them and then dutifully approached, carrying her filthy backpack with her.

Once the door was opened, they climbed down the steps and made their way towards the large black van waiting for them. Spinkick got into the driver's seat and everyone else piled inside without a word.

"Alright, I'm pinging the gps coordinates into your vehicle now," Troll stated, "This will take you to our base."

"Well, at least we're somewhere warm," Spinkick commented, Have you ever been to San Diego, Troll?"

"I've never been out of Seoul," he commented in a distracted tone.

Everyone in the car was shocked.

"You've never once left your hometown?!" Dokuso exclaimed, "How is that even possible?!"

"I never attended V.I.L.E academy and was recruited based solely on my computer skills," Troll responded, "I've never had a need to go anywhere else."

"That's just crazy!" Spinkick cried, starting the van, "Didn't you ever go anywhere on vacation even as a kid?"

Troll let out a snort. "My parents went on vacation and I stayed behind to continue my studies. V.I.L.E recruited me when I was fourteen and I've never had the desire to travel. I'm fine where I am."

"That's just sad," Flytrap commented.

"It is not and shut up!" Troll snapped, "Now did you get my ping?"

"...I think so," Spinkick answered, staring at the gps uncertainly.

"You think so?" Troll said condescendingly, "It's not a hard question, Kitlat."

"Don't call me that," Spinkick snapped, his brow furrowing in annoyance.

"It's your name," Troll responded.

"Just call me Kit or Spinkick, but never my full name," Spinkick snapped.

"Why? What is wrong with Kitlat? Doesn't it mean Lightning in Tagalog?" Dokuso asked.

Spinkick shrugged. "That was from my old life and now I prefer Kit."

"Fine, whatever," Troll stated, "Start driving or you're going to start attracting attention."

Spinkick began driving and Troll was still typing furiously on his computer.

"What are you doing, Troll?" Driver asked.

"Hacking into all cameras surrounding our base."

"No one knows about us, right?" Flytrap demanded, "Team Red doesn't know we're coming?"

"That's right," Dokuso answered, "This is a brand new team and we're supposed to take Team Crackle and Team Red by surprise."

Spinkick let out a whoop and then laughed. "I can't wait to have a good fight!"

"Remember that if we see Carmen Sandiego or any of the traitors, we need to report it before attacking," Dokuso said, "If you do anything against orders, Spider could detonate the devices in our necks."

The mood in the van instantly soured and everyone reached a hand to touch their sore necks. Their lives were in constant danger, and the fact they could be murdered at any instant left them on edge. The rest of the drive was done in relative silence and when the gps announced they'd arrived at their destination, they looked up to see a modest looking house.

"...this is a base?" Rhino demanded, staring at the white picket fence.

"Don't let appearances deceive you," Troll responded, "This base is set up with all the best security features and has weapons, a safe room, and the best computer money can buy."

"It looks like a house from a fifties catalogue," Driver commented.

"Go inside and take a look!" Troll encouraged.

Everyone piled out of the van and made their way towards the front door. Seeing a fingerprint reader, Dokuso laid her palm against it and the door popped open all on its own. Stepping inside the house, she was immediately met with a screen with the Troll's face on it. He waved at her, but didn't say anything.

Dokuso glanced around and saw cameras in every corner as she wandered through the house. Screens were absolutely everywhere and it was obvious this was to keep in constant contact with Troll. Spinkick checked the cupboards and fridge and saw it was fully stocked with food.

"Nice!" he exclaimed, reaching for a granola bar.

"Do we get to choose our own rooms?" Flytrap asked.

"No, your rooms have been designed for a specific person," Troll replied, "Weapons and uniforms are in the appropriate rooms."

"Weapons?! For me?!" Spinkick cried out, "I'm going to go check!"

He hurried from the room and most of the others followed. Earwig glanced around the house and then without a word, left the house. Standing on the porch, she stared around herself uncertainly and then walked down the stairs and crawled into the nearby bushes. She squeezed herself into the small crawlspace under the stairs and finally felt a bit better about things.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Bellum was laying on her cot staring at the wall. The boredom was eating at her and she now had zero human interaction other than that of her therapist and the man who brought her meals. She'd assumed V.I.L.E would have rescued her by now and she was beginning to lose hope. She'd heard nothing of V.I.L.E and didn't even know if they still existed. For all she knew the other faculty were all cooped up in similar cells somewhere in the building.

Bellum hugged her arms to her chest and couldn't help feeling lonely. She worried about Cleo, knowing the other woman would not do well in incarceration. Cleo was too proud and also too fragile to deal with this sort of treatment. She wouldn't be able to handle it and Bellum was worried she would starve herself or take other drastic action.

Karam had refused to tell her anything about the destruction of the lab or about V.I.L.E and Bellum had more than once lost her temper with the other woman. Karam was forever patient however, and she simply explained that it was an open investigation and couldn't be discussed.

Bellum was so desperate for any and all stimulation that she knew Karam had the upper hand. She could feel herself slowly starting to give in, and Bellum hated herself for it. She hated feeling vulnerable like this, but she had no choice but to endure it. Bellum was no fool and knew that she was never going to be released even if she did tell A.C.M.E everything she knew. She would likely spend the rest of her life in this cell.

Bellum slowly sat up and glanced towards the bars of her cell. There was no lock to pick, and no keypad she could hijack. The cell itself was completely impenetrable with steel walls and no vents or wires she could use to her advantage. The only way she was getting out of there was through the door.

Running a hand through her hair, Bellum glanced around the cell over and over trying to find something she could use. Her gaze settled on the sink and she stared at the metal pipes underneath it. Giving a subtle glance up at the camera, Bellum knew they would see anything she did. Bellum carefully considered all her possibilities and knew she had to take the chance.

Slowly getting up from the cot, she casually made her way over to the toilet and sat down on it. Spreading her knees a fair distance to hide her left hand from sight, she reached beside her and felt along the pipe. Her fingers found the coupling nut holding the pipe in place and she tried turning it. It didn't move from place, fastened far too tight to be removed by hand.

Bellum sat there on the toilet for several minutes as she contemplated what she could use to get the pipe off the sink. Pretending that she was finished with the toilet, she flushed and then approached the sink to wash her hands. She raked her eyes all around for anything she could use and then her eyes fell on the bar of soap. Raising it to her face, she gave it a sniff and she could smell olives. Perfect.

Not wanting to arouse suspicions, Bellum finished washing her hands and then 'accidentally' dropped the soap on the floor beside the toilet. Drying her hands off on the towel, she then went back to her cot and sat down.

Bellum waited and waited but no one came to her cell and she assumed they hadn't noticed anything amiss. Her lunch was delivered and as usual there were no utensils provided. She ate her sandwich and apricot without protest. Every single meal had an apricot and she assumed the facility must be near an orchard of them. Bellum continued waiting after her lunch was all gone, and then she once again approached the toilet. Taking a seat, she spread her knees to hide what she was doing and then plucked the soap off the floor. She slowly and carefully ground the soap all around the coupling nut and then dropped the soap back to the floor.

Flushing the toilet and then pretending to wash her hands, Bellum knew it was now just a waiting game for the right opportunity. Karam visited her every day after lunch and then she'd enact step one of her plan. Bellum gave another subtle glance to the camera and she began pacing around the cell as she waited.

An hour later Karam arrived and she gave Bellum a concerned look when she saw her pacing.

"Good afternoon, Saira," she greeted her.

"Hello," Bellum responded, stopping her pacing.

"You know the routine," Karam gently scolded her, "Can you please take a seat on your bed so I can enter?"

Bellum did as she was told and plunked down on the lumpy cot. Karam opened the door which immediately locked after her.

"I've been told that you've been pacing for a while now," she said in concern, "Is there anything you'd like to discuss?"

Bellum pretended to be annoyed and shot her a glare. "I want to know where Cleo is."

Karam gave her a sad smile. "The two of you are very good friends, aren't you?"

"Just tell me where she is!" Bellum ordered.

"You know I'm forbidden to discuss any open cases," Karam said apologetically, "Why don't we both try to take a few deep breaths together and then we can discuss your feelings about this?"

Bellum jumped to her feet. "No, there's nothing to discuss! This is ridiculous!"

"Saira, please calm down," Karam gently warned.

"No, I will not calm down!" Bellum yelled, knowing she had to make this look genuine, "I'm going crazy in here and you're purposely keeping things from me!"

"Saira, you're an inmate, and you know why I can't discuss V.I.L.E with you."

"To hell with you!" Bellum snarled, kicking over her empty food tray.

"Saira!"

"I'm sick of this, and I'm sick of you!" Bellum screamed, kicking at everything in her path.

She was slowly making her way towards the sink as Karam reached out towards her.

"Don't touch me!" Bellum screamed, kicking the coupling nut on the pipe as hard as she could. She kicked it twice more and then moved away hoping that was enough. She kicked and hit at the wall over and over, and she heard the door open. She was then seized by two large guards and dragged over to her bed. The back of her pants were yanked down and she felt the bite of a needle that was stabbed into her none too gently. The sedatives took effect almost immediately and Bellum went limp in the guards' hold. They righted her pants and then rolled her fully onto the mattress. Karam was watching everything looking deeply concerned.

"Oh, Saira, I know things are hard right now, but I promise they will get better in time. I'm sorry."

That was the last thing Bellum heard before she fell into a deep sleep. Bellum stayed unconscious for hours and when she was finally able to open her eyes, she felt incredibly sick and drowsy. Struggling to roll over, she glanced towards the sink and hoped they hadn't figured out what she was up to. She fell asleep a few more times and it was hours before the sedatives had worn off enough for her to sit up.

Rubbing at her eyes, she leaned against the wall wondering how strong the sedatives were. She fell asleep again and this time when she woke, it was to the sound of someone approaching her cell. Opening her eyes, she glanced over and saw an unfamiliar man holding a tray of food. Every day since arriving it had been the same orderly delivering her food. Something had changed and change was never good.

"Good morning," the man greeted holding the tray through the slot in the bars, "Here's your breakfast."

The man was a ginger with a thick Romanian accent and Bellum felt her suspicions grow. Organizations like A.C.M.E lived on routine and order, and this new guard had changed routine.

"Where's the usual orderly?" Bellum demanded.

The man shrugged. "He's out sick today and I'm filling in. Please take your food."

That was a reasonable explanation, but Bellum was still suspicious. Her instincts were rarely wrong and something about the man's demeanor seemed off. She studied his freckled face and there was a certain calculated look in his eyes as he stared at her. Was he with V.I.L.E? Was he going to pass off a message to her?

Bellum slowly got up from her cot and approached the bars of the cell. Reaching out, she accepted the tray and then the man gave her a nod and then turned to leave. There was no message given and her shoulders slumped in disappointment.

Letting out a deep sigh, she carried the food back to her bed and sat down. Something still didn't feel right and she knew she was likely being paranoid, but she glanced up at the camera and then back down to the food. Using a finger, she began poking at her scrambled eggs. Knowing the isolation was likely just getting to her, she picked up the apricot and brought it to her mouth to take a bite. She then paused as she saw a tiny pinprick hole in the side of the fruit. She stared at it and the hole seemed to be a little too perfect to be accidental. Setting the fruit down, she once again poked at the eggs. Pulling aside the layer of cheese, she saw white powder that was obviously from a crushed pill of some kind.

Bellum quickly set the tray aside and then hurried to the sink to thoroughly wash her hands. The soap had been put back in its holder and she scrubbed and scrubbed at her hands hoping the powder wasn't anthrax. Once she was done, Bellum glanced back at the tray and felt afraid for the first time since being captured. Someone was trying to kill her.

Bellum glanced towards the bars of her cell and then back to the camera and had no way of knowing who was trying to get rid of her. Was it V.I.L.E or was it someone within A.C.M.E trying to dispose of her? Whoever it was didn't want her talking, and Bellum knew they would not give up so easily. Setting the tray aside, she approached the toilet and sat down. Reaching under, she began working on the coupling nut and she was relieved when could feel that it was finally loose. Turning it was difficult because it was slick from the soap and she'd made barely any progress after ten minutes. Not wanting to stay there too long, Bellum flushed the toilet and washed her hands

She tried again and again every hour. The same man came back at lunchtime and when he saw the untouched breakfast, he frowned at her.

"You didn't like the food?" he asked.

"My stomach is upset from the sedatives," Bellum explained.

"You need to eat even if you're still a bit queasy," the man informed her, "Trust me, getting some food in your belly will make you feel a lot better."

Bellum gave him a slight nod. "Thank you," she stated, accepting the lunch tray.

She watched him walk away and the moment he was gone, she carried the tray to her cot and inspected it. It was a sandwich and another apricot. Opening the sandwich, she could see more of the same white powder inside it. Her suspicions were now confirmed and she set the tray aside.

Karam arrived an hour or so later and when she saw the untouched food, her expression became troubled.

"Hello, Saira," she greeted, entering the cell, "I see you still haven't eaten anything."

"My stomach is still upset from the sedatives," Bellum stated, waving a hand towards the tray, "Help yourself if you want it."

Karam smiled at her and took a seat beside her on the bed. "No thank you, I've already had lunch. I'm glad to see you're a little more calm today."

Bellum gave her a shrug.

"Do you want to talk about what happened yesterday?"

"I lost my temper and kicked a bunch of shit," Bellum responded, "There's nothing to talk about."

"No, there's a great deal to talk about," Karam gently disagreed, "I want to discuss the feelings that led to yesterday's outburst."

Bellum had no interest in faking her way through another boring therapy session and knew she had more important things to worry about.

"I'm still tired," Bellum complained, flopping over on her side to face the wall.

Karam placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "I want to help you, Saira, but in order for me to do that, I need you to talk to me."

"Tired," Bellum said again.

Karam stared at her for a few moments and then she let out a disappointed sigh. "I'll give you another day to calm down, but then we're going to discuss this," she promised, "I'm here to help you, Saira and I hope you will someday come to see that."

Karam gave Saira an encouraging squeeze on the shoulder and then she left the cell.

"I'll see you tomorrow, alright?"

"Okay," Bellum agreed, just wanting her to leave.

Once Karam was gone, Bellum crossed the room to once again work on the pipe. It was still slick and she didn't seem to be getting anywhere with it. Bellum then glanced at the roll of toilet paper beside her. Wrapping a thick layer of toilet paper around her left hand, she then tried once again to work the pipe loose. She could now get a grip on the pipe and slowly she could feel it begin to unscrew. She then had to pretend to be done using the bathroom and left to wash her hands. She repeated this over and over for the next three hours and finally the pipe came off in her hand. Bellum slipped it up her sleeve and now she finally had a weapon. Pretending to turn on the water in the sink so the missing pipe wouldn't be noticed, she then headed to her cot to wait for her opportunity.

At suppertime the ginger-haired man was back with a new tray of food. He seemed annoyed to see the lunch untouched and he frowned at her as waited for her to get up. Bellum stayed where she was on the cot.

"What was wrong with your lunch?" he asked.

"Sorry, I was feeling sick all day but I'm feeling much better now," Bellum assured him, "I'm starving and I'll eat every bite of my supper."

The man seemed relieved and he gave her a nod. "Here!" he said, holding the tray towards the gap in the bars.

"Sorry, but could you bring it to me? I'm worried if i get up again, I'll start to feel sick and I don't want to take any chances."

The man frowned again. "That's against regulations."

Bellum shrugged. "Well, I guess I'll have to get up again, but I hope I'll be able to eat if I get nauseous again."

She made like she was about to get up but the man seemed panicked and he quickly held up a hand to stop her.

"WAIT!" he said quickly, "You've been ill and so I'll make an exception just this once and bring it to you as long as you stay seated."

Bellum nodded. "Of course, thank you."

The door buzzed open and the man entered carrying the tray. He kept a close eye on her as he approached, but her posture was completely relaxed and she offered him an easy smile. He relaxed and set the supper tray on the bed beside her.

"Where's the lunch tray?" he asked.

"Oh, sorry!" Bellum said apologetically, "It's on the floor right here."

Bellum pointed to a spot just in front of her and the man belt over to pick it up. Bellum then smashed the metal pipe over his head as hard as she could. The man collapsed to the floor and she hit him twice more just to be safe. Knowing security likely saw what she did, she grabbed his keys and swipecard and then ran for the open cell door.

Having absolutely no idea where she was going, Bellum ran for it down the hall as fast as she could.

"Stop!" a guard suddenly yelled out, rounding the corner towards her.

Bellum didn't even hesitate as she smashed in the man's kneecap with the pipe and she kept running as he fell to the floor screaming in pain. It was after supper and so it seemed most employees had gone home for the day and Bellum barely saw anyone as she ran through the halls. Those she did come across, she took down mercilessly.

The man who'd tried to poison her must have had high security clearance because his swipe card worked on every single door she tried. Guards began to swarm her and Bellum lashed out over and over with the pipe, putting all of her V.I.L.E training to good use. Bellum didn't get a lot of opportunity to show off her physical skills, but she had graduated from the academy with excellent marks. When Bellum came to a large sheet glass window, she brought the pipe down hard, pleasantly surprised when the window shattered. She'd expected it to be plastic but certainly wasn't complaining. Jumping out of the window, she landed hard on the rocks outside, feeling her ankle twist painfully.

Bellum looked around herself and suddenly felt dread settle into the pit of her stomach. The large A.C.M.E hospital was built on top of a cliff and there was nowhere to go; she was trapped. Dozens of guards began to spill out through the doors and Bellum began backing away, feeling like a trapped animal.

"Saira!"

Bellum glanced over and saw Karam pushing her way past the guards.

"Saira, please don't do anything foolish!" Karam begged, "Please drop your weapon and come peacefully!"

Bellum continued backing up and she was now on the edge of the cliff. She looked down and saw a violent and surging river far below. The fall was unbelievably high and there was a very low chance of survival even if she managed to hit the water.

"Please, Saira," Karam pleaded as she slowly approached her, hands raised to show she meant no harm, "Please surrender and I promise no one will hurt you. Please come back inside with me. Please , Saira!"

Bellum glanced over at the guards and saw they all had their guns drawn and were aiming straight at her. Her gaze then fell on a man who was standing at the back of the crowd in the doorway. The ginger-haired man was staring at her with hate-filled eyes, blood pouring down the side of his face. His eyes promised death and Bellum knew if she surrendered then she was going to die.

Bellum wasn't going to give anyone the satisfaction of murdering her and she fell backwards off the cliff, Karam's startled cries following her down.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

TBC