Author's Note: Hello All! After what feels like ages I am back! Thank you so much for all of the lovely review on this story. When I started writing this I had no idea anyone would take such an interest in it and I am truly grateful. I must apologize for my prolonged absence. The past few months have been rather difficult for me. Without going into too much detail there were a lot of changes in my work, in addition to a very painful bout of sciatica which really hit me hard. Rest assured that I have not abandoned this story, and I am hard at work on upcoming chapters! Hopefully I can start to post on a more regular basis now.

Disclaimer: I do not own Carmen Sandiego, in any of her incarnations.

After a week of being at ACME again Carmen would finally be facing the detectives she had been playing cat and mouse with just a few weeks earlier. While she was fairly confident in her ability to pull off another persona the fact remained that the only thing separating her from the detectives was a pair of glasses, an updo, some different clothes and a fake Italian accent. All in all she would mostly have to be careful that she was able to stay in character.

There had been many occasions in the past where she had to be in disguise with far less than she had now. The difference here being that she would be spending a lot more time with people who knew her very well. People who devoted a good deal of their lives to finding and capturing her. Above that she was in a place where she had spent the formative years of her life. To be someone else here just felt so….wrong.

Regardless the key to effectively concealing her identity lay in her presentation of herself to those around her. The best way to play a character or a part was to make it as similar to one's own life as possible without going overboard. That is to say Francesca Romano would simply be an extension of her own personality. Albeit with some slight changes. This way there would be less chances of slipping up and her persona would seem more genuine.

Even though she had hoped to begin her research earlier the Chief had insisted that she spend some more time recovering before that could happen. While she put up a fight about it she knew that he was right. This had also given her time to acclimate to her surroundings and to better learn about the character she had become.

In the time since she had arrived here the visible injuries from her attack had become less prominent. Bruises were beginning to fade, cuts and wounds to heal. This was good. It meant that less makeup would be necessary. An excess amount of concealer would be more noticeable and being that she was surrounded by detectives they would ask questions.

Taking a deep breath she smoothed out her skirt and sweater. A new ACME ID badge gleamed on her black turtleneck sweater. With a final glance in the mirror she opened the door and walked out into the halls of ACME again. She crossed through the living quarters and out into the main room.

The Chief and some of the ACME detectives were there waiting for her. Since nobody had cuffed her yet she assumed that her disguise was working. It was a strange sort of deja vu being here now amongst the detectives, working alongside them even. In all of her wildest dreams she had not anticipated ever being here in this capacity.

"Welcome to ACME." Zack said coming forward first. "We are glad to have a first class criminologist like you to join the the team."

"Thank you Zack. It is my pleasure to be here." Carmen said politely, reaching out to shake his hand.

"I see that my reputation precedes me." Zack said returning her handshake.

"Give it a break Zack." Ivy said rolling her eyes at her brother. "Just because you are a legend in your own mind it does not mean that applies to everything else. I am sure that being who she is she has done her due diligence."

"Right you are Ivy." Carmen replied. How amusing it was to watch those two with their banter. She had to hand it to them that despite their disagreements they made a very strong team.

In time she greeted all of the agents present before the group dispersed. As Ivy had said, she had indeed done her due diligence and could name every one of the people in the room and their specialties. Even down to the most recent additions to the team. She could not help but notice that the Chief had something of a smile in his eyes as he watched these interactions.

Soon the room had cleared and Carmen found herself alone with Zack, Ivy and the Chief. "What do we have on the agenda today?" she found herself asking after a few moments of uncomfortable silence had passed between the group.

"Oh, right." Chief said a moment later. "I suppose I was lost in the clouds, or rather the cloud for a minute there. Righto, Ca…Dr. Romano, why don't you begin your research in the archives. There is plenty of material there that should be of help to you."

"Excellent." Carmen replied. She had heard the Chief almost slip up and refer to her as Carmen, but she was very glad that he had caught his mistake. The detectives had doubtless noticed his little slip, but hopefully she could brush off their doubts. "I will be heading down there now then."

She began to head off in that direction when Zack stopped her. "Hold on a second Dr. Romano. Allow me to show you where the archives are. This building is pretty complicated to a newcomer.

"Excellent idea Zack. Dr. Romano definitely does not know where the archives are. It is very nice of you to show them to her, because she has never been here before and you are right this building can be terribly confusing to some. Did I mention that this is her first time here at headquarters?"

"I think you got the point across just fine." Carmen replied to the Chief. "Thank you Zack, I appreciate it. Lead the way."

"Don't mind the chief Dr. Romano." Zack said as they walked away. "He can be a little bit…..eccentric at the best of times. Right now, well, something really seems to be eating at him. So his usual eccentric nature, has been elevated somewhat."

"It's quite alright, things must always be new around here with him." She replied glad that Zack was simply putting things down to the Chief's rather eccentric behavior.

"This is true, he certainly does keep things interesting." Zack replied. "It is just that right now I cannot shake the feeling that he is hiding something from us. You know?"

"I am certain that it is possible, but I do not know what the Chief would have to hide from any of us." Carmen said.

"Maybe you are right. Besides if anything super serious was going on Director Devineaux would be here right now." Zack said matter of factly.

"Director Devineaux?" Carmen asked after a moment.

"You know, the head of personnel." Zack replied. "He is a legend. Do you know that he was actually Carmen Sandiego's partner for awhile when she was still at ACME?"

"Indeed?" She asked Zack curiously. "That sounds rather interesting. Pray tell, what else do you know about that?"

"At the time they were two of the best and brightest on the force. Together they had put away more criminals than they had cells for in the local prisons. The two were as thick as thieves, if you'll pardon the pun, until she went rogue." Zack said. "When she left though everything changed."

"How so?" she asked intrigued. "Were there just alterations in his manner, or was his work affected as well?"

"Everything about him changed. His whole demeanor and outlook became different. The Director buried himself in his work. Rather than being open and friendly he became quiet and reserved. He made it his personal vow that he would be the one to bring her to justice." Zack said.

"Why do you think that might have been?" Carmen asked.

"Well, he was her partner after all. I can't help thinking that perhaps he held himself personally responsible for what became of her." he replied. "They were said to be the best of friends; and when she went bad it was quite the shock to his system."

Carmen felt pained at this. "I can imagine that would be a traumatic experience for any friend to have to go through. He should know though, that what happened would never have been his fault. As it was he could never have prevented her from making the choices she did."

"Perhaps, but how do you explain that to anyone? Even the Chief feels guilt over what happened and what could have happened. When he too could not possibly have anticipated her turn. It was all so sudden."

"From what I am given to understand it was indeed a sudden change." Carmen said looking away. "Is there anything else that I should know regarding the associations between the director and Carmen Sandiego?"

"Well, there have been rumors for years that the two had been something more than partners back in the day. If you catch my drift. It's just conjecture though. Personally I don't believe it."

"Why is that?" Carmen asked thoroughly curious now. How strange a sensation it was to be asking someone else about her life.

"Carmen is Carmen. Something tells me she would not take kindly to being tied down and she would perhaps perceive romance as a waste of her time. The Director is something of a loner. Given the opportunity he is much more prone to stay on his own than to socialize. Dating does not seem like it would work for him. He hasn't been super successful with women in the past."

"What do you mean?" Carmen asked almost forgetting her accent.

"Again, this is just rumor." Zack said. "Supposedly he has had a string of brief flings, all very casual no strings attached, that sort of thing, but things have never gone farther than that with him."

"I see. He is something of a player then." she said after a moment. More coldly than she had intended.

"Well, as I have said it is all just conjecture. If you ask me the majority of it is just made up to keep things interesting here. I am sure you know how things can be. When we are between cases. Anything to keep us from going stir crazy. All Director Devinaux has to do is show up to some sort of event with a woman and the rumors fly."

Carmen did not hear much of what Zack was saying at this point. Her thoughts having gone to distraction. She found herself idly fiddling with the ring on the chain around her neck. Chase had not even not even entered her mind when she had volunteered to be here.