Time to see if Interpol really worth it as an ally.
Enjoy ^^.
Carmen was on her way to a facility located in Indonesia. Player discovered that VILE used to sell copper in here. Shadowsan was accompanying her, to help planning this operation. The two of them intended to ruin an important sell by stealing the merchandise. Result ? Destroying their reputation and lose customers. Even less profits. For now, the two of them were on a bus heading as close as possible to the facility. The bus in itself would stop at four kilometres. They'll continue on feet.
"Ok Player, we're heading to our goal." announced Carmen.
" Right, go to your left, you'll find a forest that should hide you until you arrive. I'll send Red Drone to map the place."
The duo walked, then entered a wood. Player guided them from above. Later, the little drone was flying above the facility. Sandiego and her former teacher arrived close. It looked like an ordinary fabric factory.
" It's well guarded Carmen : armed people and dogs. I saw a housing, I bet that the wire mesh is electrified." warned Player.
" Dogs won't be easy to fool. We have to observe carefully." said Shadowsan.
Sandiego agreed. They climbed on a tree to have a better sight. There, each one took a pair of binoculars. The young woman was reflecting on how she should get in here. Seeing the numbers of guards, by air seemed the best way. However, she had to get out as well. Let's see, where was the highest point here ?
" Damn. There's not high enough place from where I could fly off."
They would need to disconnect the wire mesh, cut it and make their way among the guards. Both continued to observe the place, memorizing each displacement. Around midday, they already had a good idea of how to move in here. A bus arrived before the main gate. Inside, employees. Maybe that was the best option : disguise as an employee and enter.
" We have all we need to know. Let's get back and prepare for tonight." said Shadowsan.
" Fine."
And down they went. They reunited with Zack and Ivy in an hotel room. Ivy said she could find outfit for Carmen.
" For the dogs, I know a mixture that will irritate their truffle. That should keep them at bay. You'll just have to wear a scarf so not to breathe it." suggest Shadowsan.
" Very good. I'll act this night."
Everyone dismissed at that. Left alone, Carmen looked at her phone. Should she warn Devineaux ? They were supposed to be partners now. Partners … who could've thought that. Carmen hesitated, then, dialled his number. She heard the familiar voice, but his was his voice mail. She hung up.
" Some partner you are, if you're not contactable."
Oh well, another time then. Carmen checked the intel she gathered and prepared herself for her mission. The former VILE's teacher went to find her on the evening. Ivy arrived with an employee attire. Carmen tied a scarf around her neck. The man then sprayed his mixture.
" Urgh ! I can smell it." said Sandiego.
" I know, but you should be able to endure it."
Right, then try it she thought. Now ready, Zack brought her close the facility. Ivy followed the Red Lady to the wire mesh. She then connected a box and provoked a short-circuit. Carmen cut some mesh, then got in. Silently she approached the building. She waited as a guard with his dog passed. The canine seemed to scent something. But it shook his head and continued. Shadowsan's mixture seemed to be functioning. Carmen resumed her walking. She crocheted a lock then got inside. She took off the employee attire, to dressed as a thief, and progressed in a corridor. Then she discovered the hall where the copped was stored. Sandiego was looking for the office, where she could learn about the next deliveries and customers. She followed the wall.
" Hey ! I think I saw a shadow over there." she heard.
" Gasp."
They were rushing to her. The young woman looked quickly around here to find a spot to hide. That's when she was caught from behind. A hand was put on her mouth, while she was being dragged. Then, she was lifted … and threw in a trash can.
" ! Am I … in a garbage ?!"
Yup. Smelling nicely awful, so agreeably uncomfortable. Make yourself at home.
" Hey you ! Didn't you see someone here ? I saw a shadow."
" Nope. I think it was me."
" That voice !" thought Carmen.
" Oh. Are you supposed to replace us ?"
" Yes, I just arrived so you're good to go guys."
The guards thanked the third person. Carmen could hear them getting away. Then, two knocks resonated.
" Devineaux." made Carmen, lifting the lid.
" Hey there, Little Red Robbing Hood." greeted the French.
He was wearing a military uniform, like the guards. Carmen got out. She had some peelings on her.
"Pffffrrrt !"
Devineaux turned his back, trying vainly to hide his laugh.
" Yeah right, that's uproarious." ironized Sandiego.
" Mmmfffrt sorry sorry sorry. It's just … I'm laughing at the irony. Back then it's something I would have loved to see, if you see what I mean."
Chase tried to regain his composure.
" Joke aside, what are you doing here ?" resumed Carmen.
" I'm afraid you do not have the monopoly of fighting crime. I was sent here, my superiors were surveying the place."
" Oh. Since when are you here ?"
" Yesterday. We mingled with the staff to enter." responded Devineaux.
" We ?" pointed Carmen.
" Hey you ! Who are you ?" exclaimed a guard.
Suddenly, his neck was imprisoned between two legs. Their owner rotated and sent the guard against a box.
" Thanks Snipes." made Devineaux.
" No prob." answered a woman, landing.
Carmen discovered a blonde woman, wearing a white longshoreman, khaki trousers and black boots. She also noticed two guns.
" Who's the strawberry ?" asked the newcomer.
" Carmen Sandiego is the name. Miss Sandiego, this is Snipes a teammate." introduced Chase.
" Ooooh ? Well you're late little girl. I came here to inform you that Razar found the office." informed Snipes, looking at her partner.
" Little girl ?! Oh sorry Ramba, I got lost in the jungle." retorted Carmen.
" Yeah, I saw that."
" Enough you two, we don't have time to waste. Let's hide this guy here and join Razar." intervened Devineaux.
The said Snipes tied the knocked-out guard and hide him in the garbage, while Carmen was following Devineaux. It seemed she has been forestalled for once. But the game wasn't over yet. The inspector leaded to the office.
" Razar it's me." called Devineaux.
Carmen apperceived a man dressed like a nomad of the desert : blue long coat, fabric around the head like a turban, half hiding the face.
" Got it." he said, getting close.
He showed a USB key.
" Then we leave."
Snipes arrived and they left the place.
" I was supposed to steal their merchandises. I can't leave yet." announced Carmen.
" Except you don't know how do they proceed don't you ?" replied Chase.
" Correct."
" Well we have an idea, and the datas we got will confirm this as well as revealing us when the next transaction will occur."
They were close to the exit.
" Devineaux, you should tell your friend to take off her coat. She'll make us visible." said Snipes.
" Don't worry, I can escape with it just fine." replied Carmen.
" I think you should take it off. There's killers here, Sandiego." agreed Devineaux.
Carmen sighed, then took of her coat. Chase collected it and hide it in his uniform. The group carefully walked outside, surrounding Carmen and thus hiding her. She informed about the hole from whence she came, and her teammates waiting for her. So they veered off to there. Snipes rose her eyebrows when seeing how young they were.
" Carmen, who are they ?" asked Zack.
" Interpol agents." she said.
" They look … scary." muttered Ivy.
" Right, follow us with your car." demanded Chase.
The trio got in their vehicle. A little bit father they joined the Interpol agent's one. Inside, Devineaux switched on a computer. He tried to read the USB key. Of course, it was all crypted. Maybe Sandiego would be able to do something about this. So he turned off his machine. A few minutes later, they all reunited on a parking. Each team faced.
" Oooooh you picked up a real cutie." smiled a blond man looking like Snipes.
" Zag, this is Carmen Sandiego." replied Devineaux.
Zag, Snipes, Razar … those were all alias. Chase informed her about the USB key, hoping she had someone on her side to deal with this problem. Carmen took the device in his hand, then connected Player to it via her own computer.
" It's done." she announced.
" Whoah, that was fast." commented Zag.
The group gathered around her. List of customers appeared, sells, providers …
" There. They transport it in a bus, just like the boss suspected it." said Devineaux pointing the screen.
" And not any bus, the one carrying the employees." added Snipes.
" The next sell is scheduled in two days." continued Ivy.
" We'll take it before." said Carmen.
" Yes, all of us will stop that bus and take it." agreed Chase.
The reunion ended here. For now, they all needed to rest. They would gather again tomorrow to plan their next move.
" Well, how did you find them, Carm ?" asked Zack.
" They, rather Devineaux, found me inside and hid me when a guard appeared. I tried to join him earlier, but I know now why he didn't respond."
" I've been checking their identities. All four of Devineaux teammates are special agents and on another level compared to us. More like mercenaries." revealed Player.
" Hmm, shows us that Interpol is a real strike force." concluded Carmen.
Later during the following day, they all meet again to plan their attack.
" They know they had a visit, they'll be on their guards." began Zag.
" But they can't afford to miss a sell, so they'll do it." intervened Carmen.
" Certainly. Well then, me, Razar and my bro Zag can handle the bad guys while you steal the copper." said Snipes.
" Just what I thought. Now, let's check all details." added Devineaux.
Shadowsan made a map of the facility and its surroundings based on what Carmen and the others discovered in it. They deducted where the bus was supposed to be according the size of buildings around. Once this done, they separated to prepare. In the evening, the whole team moved. As expected, the facility's security has been increased. They circumvented the place to get closer to the hangar. Once there, Razar sneaked out alone. Once close to the mesh, he launched little flacons that exploded at the feet of four guards posted here. They collapsed quickly. Carmen followed swiftly, allowing Player to disconnect the wire mesh. Ivy cut it, everyone got in. The guards were tied and hidden. Snipes arrived behind two men she knocked out with her guns. Zag caught one while she handled the another one. Shadowsan helped taking care of the matter.
Razar put others guards to sleep and so on. Carmen, Ivy, Zack, and Devineaux entered the hangar. The bus was here. Chase pointed a board on a wall, containing keys. He went there while the other ran to the bus, and checked the presence of goods.
" It's here, under the bus near the wheels." announced Chase, joining.
"As we suspected they already prepared it. Well then, time to move." made Carmen.
" You said it !"
Rising their head, they discovered Tigress accompanied by La Chèvre (author note : chèvre which mean goat is a feminine word in French, thus it's La and not Le), on the bus roof. Tigress jumped and attacked Devineaux while La Chèvre fought with Carmen.
" What should we do sis ?" asked Zack.
" Just what Carmen told us : follow the plan."
She pushed him to the front of the bus. Now, they had to open the doors. That's when another VILE agent showed : El Topo. Zack noticed him and pushed Ivy, just when El Topo's fist crashed the door's glass. It was a real melee in the hangar. Carmen managed to handle La Chèvre rapidly. Devineaux on the other hand, had trouble with Tigress. He managed to avoid a few scratches, however she kicked him hard enough. That sent him against the vehicle.
" Argh !"
" Seriously, go back to kindergarten." she said, lifting her hand.
" And how about you go back to the zoo ?!" exclaimed Carmen, giving her a shoulder shot.
" You ?! I don't know you did you survive Dokuso's poison, but I'll make sure to wipe you !" hissed Tigress.
" I'm pretty tough, you should be aware of it by now. Devineaux, go help the others." answered Carmen.
Devineaux stood up, in pain, and went to the front of the vehicle. Ivy and Zack were having a hard time as well. Shadowsan solved the problem, then opened the doors with a kick back.
" I'll drive." said Devineaux, entering.
" Sorry but without the keys that won't be possible. Plus Zack is a better driver" intervened Carmen.
She gave him the keys.
" Wah ?! Oy Sandiego, next time you pocket me, know that I'll put mouse pads in it !" warned Chase.
" Like that would stop me." she retorted.
Zack started the bus. The rest of the team arrived.
" You seems to be really good at fighting." made Zag to Carmen.
" Thanks."
Zack smashed the hangar's door. He went zigzagging through the courtyard.
" What are you doing ?" exclaimed Ivy.
" It's not as easy to drive as a car !"
" The rest of guests is incoming !" announced Snipes.
Zag went to the driver's sit, and lifted Zack to take his place. The bus rushed. Seeing the guards, raising their guns at them, Devineaux grabbed Carmen and Ivy to tackle them on the floor, while Shadowsan was doing the same with Zack. Zag made turn the bus and hit them with it. Snipes and Razar added gun shots. The bus got out. The Interpol agent got rid of some guards using the bus as a mace. He just smashed the wire mesh.
" Phew !" commented Zack.
Carmen straightened. She had pieces of glass on her.
" That was a bit more violent than what I'm used to." she thought.
Zag found the road.
" By the way, what were you planning to do with the copper ?" asked Devineaux to Carmen.
" Usually, when I steal something from VILE I return it to its rightful owner. When it's money I give most of it to charities."
" You do that ?" said Chase, surprised.
" Hmhm." smiled Sandiego.
Wow, he would have never guessed that. He really misunderstood her. Julia on the other side, she was right on the money from A to Z. And he … has never done anything but belittle her. He let him fall on a seat. Zag drove them to a police station. On the way, Devineaux called to inform his superior, so the local police would be aware and proceed to arrest smugglers.
"Thanks a lot for your work. We never found anything when searching. Everything was perfectly in good standing, so we had no proof. Apparently the copper was always in small quantities, easy to hide, on a bus for example." said the local commissioner.
The team left.
" Well then, see you on another mission, Devineaux." said Carmen.
" Hmph, next time call me before." he smiled.
" Then be joinable, I tried to contact you yesterday."
" I will, if you call first." he insisted.
" Alright I got it, she sighed. Apart from that, are you okay ? You took a bad hit."
" Well yes I'm fine. Of course I am, haha."
Carmen just stared at him. Chase turned his back.
Back in his hotel room, Chase informed his superior about his mission. Then, he laid on his bed. So Carmen offered money to charities with each theft.
" I wonder what else there is to learn about her."
Meanwhile, Carmen, laid on her bed, was turning her phone in her hand. Was it time to give her number to Devineaux ? Up until now he has been rather trustworthy.
" What do you think I should do, Player ?" she asked, turning her head to a computer on a desk.
" He looks sincere but we can't be too sure. For me, it's too early yet."
" Yeah, a part of me thinks the same. The other one really wants to trust him fully."
" No need to rush. Act as your usual self, you'll see and decide later."
" Alright. Good night Player."
" Good night Carmen."
The following day was time to part for everyone. Each time went on his way after formal goodbyes.
