Sandiego Manor
Carmen sat on her bed and leafed through an old photo album. A young
Carmen with a baby-faced Shailaigh...the two girls celebrating the director's
birthday...Shailaigh's six birthday party...Carmen's goodbye party when she
was fifteen and
hired into Acme...
Carmen gently closed the album and laid down, looking at the ceiling.
Closing her eyes, she could still remember Shailaigh as a little girl, her
voice and laughter rippling through the ocean of time...
**********
Acme
San Francisco
October 20, 2000
"'Jordan and Morrow spotted at Northumberland, England, near
Chillingham Castle,'" Ivy read from a fax.
"Chillingham Castle?" Zack asked. "That doesn't sound good."
"And it sure isn't," the Chief said, shuddering.
"Why, though?" Ivy asked.
"It's said to be the most scariest place on earth. In fact, the place
is so haunted no one is allowed in. And they mean it." the Chief explained.
"IT'S HAUNTED?!" Zack screamed.
"I wouldn't advise going if I were you," the Chief answered.
Zack ran away from Ivy and the Chief. "Lovely. It's almost
Halloween." Ivy glared at the Chief, then went off to find where her brother
had run off.
**********
Outside the gates of Chillingham Castle
Northumbria, England
"I don't like this, Ive," Zack whimpered, clinging to Ivy.
"Lee and Kassandra must've obviously gone insane," Samuel said.
A red car blazed by and stopped a few feet away from where the trio
where standing.
"Goody, we're getting a tour! Are we lucky or what?" Zack asked,
being cynical.
A woman stepped out of the car and looked at the three. "Maybe you'll
get a tour, Zackary," the woman answered.
"Carmen!" All three detectives were surprised.
"What are you doing here?" Samuel asked.
"I need to avenge Shailaigh's death. Shailaigh may have saved my
life, but Kassandra killed her," Carmen explained.
"Well, what are we waiting for?" Ivy asked. "I want to make sure Lee
and Kassandra get the biggest scare of their life."
"What do you mean?" Zack asked, still clinging to Ivy.
Ivy unlocked the gates. "Wherever Lee and Kassandra are, we'll follow
them. Kassandra isn't too fond of being scared, so my guess is that Lee
decided to bring Kassandra here." All four went in.
Kassandra and Lee looked around the old antiques, waving their
flashlights on the objects.
"Uncle Lee, can't we get out of here? This place is haunted!"
Kassandra whined.
"I'm trying to scare the detectives and Carmen off our trail. Then we
can kill them and our plan can be accomplished," Lee answered, his voice
confident.
Zack and Ivy watched the two from one corner, Carmen and Samuel in
another.
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Zack whispered, still shaking
with fear.
"Yes," Ivy whispered back.
Kassandra and Lee turned their backs to Zack and Ivy. Ivy signaled to
Zack that it was time to spring the plan. The two quietly slipped up to
Kassandra and Lee.
"BOO!" Ivy shouted. A scream followed a second later, and then
somehow the flashlights were gone and fighting ensued, along with the sound
of the C-5.
"Zack! Ivy!" Samuel shouted, turning on his flashlight, Carmen
following suit. Waving the beam of light wildly, the two found a dust and
dirt covered Zack and Ivy.
"I can see Bonnie and Clyde got away again," Carmen said.
"Okay, now can we get out of here?!" Zack asked, almost in a pleading
way.
"Baby," Ivy muttered. The C-5 opened and all four went in.
**********
Portland, Maine
November 2, 2000
"No sign of Lee or Kassandra. You?" Ivy asked through her radio.
"Negative," Carmen answered, her voice crackling over the static.
"No," Zack answered.
"Nada," Samuel said.
'Damn,' Ivy cursed silently. It was foggy, even in the early evening.
Kassandra hung onto her dogs' leashes. "Shh, Jimmy," Kassandra
commanded.
Jimmy sat down obediently.
'Makes getting through here a bit easier, even if these attack dogs
only understand Russian,' Kassandra thought.
Through the fog, Kassandra saw a figure patrolling the lighthouse.
Walking closer, she realized it was Ivy, and Ivy was all alone.
'Perfect.' Kassandra. Backing into the fog, she pulled out a radio.
"Uncle Lee, I see Ivy. She appears to be all alone."
"Good. This makes the plan going smooth," Lee answered. "Happy
Birthday too."
"Thanks." Kassandra grinned to herself. Turning her attention to Ivy,
she saw that Ivy hadn't moved much from her original spot.
Ivy noticed something moving in the mist. "Damn fog," she cursed
again.
At the top of the lighthouse, Zack had also noticed a figure moving
through his binoculars. Inside, Carmen had her infrared glasses and noticed
Kassandra. Samuel was at the harbor checking if Lee and Kassandra were
arriving by sea.
A voice shouted something, and then two pitbull mixes came barreling
toward Ivy. Two gunshots rang out, and when the fog cleared a bit, both dogs
were dead.
Ivy cautiously approached the carcasses. 'Those two were heading
towards me...but who killed them?' she thought.
As if reading Ivy's thoughts, Carmen put her hand on Ivy's shoulder.
"It's okay, Ivy. I shot them."
"But why?" Ivy asked. "Guns aren't usually your weapon of choice."
"They were attack dogs. Kassandra ordered them to kill you, but you
didn't understand it because it was in Russian," Carmen answered.
Both detective and thief heard footsteps approaching them. It was
Kassandra, and it was definitely not going her way that night.
"Which one of you killed my pets?" Kassandra was seething with anger.
For a minute neither three said a word. Then Carmen spoke. "I did."
"Spoilsport," Kassandra answered. "Uncle Lee gave them to me today!
And you took two precious lives!"
"You have as well," Carmen answered, calmly.
While that was going on Zack noticed Ivy, Carmen, and Kassandra
arguing. "Yo, Samuel, I think something's up with Carmen and Ivy." After
that, Zack C-5ed to where Ivy and Carmen were.
"I killed your friend because no plan can ever be achieved without
sacrifice," Kassandra fired back.
"And what's your plan?" Ivy answered back.
Kassandra took a hard look at Ivy and Carmen. Then she bolted into
the lighthouse. Carmen followed suit, chasing after her.
"Ivy! Where's Lee?" Samuel asked.
"I don't know," Ivy answered. "He's got to be around here if
Kassandra's here."
Zack had found Lee's truck filled with explosives but no Lee.
Rummaging around, he found a flare stashed between sticks of dynamite.
Lighting one, Zack threw it in the truck and ran for cover.
An explosion lit up the night sky.
"What the hell was that?!" Ivy asked, looking at the direction of the
smoke.
"I set off Lee's truck," Zack answered.
"WHAT?!" Ivy grabbed Zack by his shirt. "Zackary Darren, I'm hoping
you have an explanation why you just blew up Lee Jordan's truck."
"If we can't find Lee, why not lure him to us?" Zack answered.
Sure enough, the explosion had got Lee's attention and now he was
pretty mad. "Stupid Acme detectives!!" he yelled.
"Fine, I believe you, little bro." Ivy released Zack and the two
snuck up behind Lee and handcuffed him. Lee was too mad to even think about
hurting either detective.
Kassandra had reached the top of the lighthouse, and Carmen was
nowhere behind her, but Kassandra knew her days were numbered. Looking down
at the ocean, Kassandra reassembled her thoughts. 'Even if we never get to
the top of the empire world, at least we did something to achieve part of
that dream,' she thought.
"Kassandra!" Carmen shouted.
Kassandra took one look at Carmen, and then jumped off. However, she
took off a little too late because Carmen had grabbed Kassandra's wrist.
"Huh? Let go of me!" Kassandra shouted.
"Don't do it," Carmen answered.
"Don't tell me what to do! I'll never go to prison!" Kassandra
screeched. "You might as well let go of me."
"As much as I want to, I can't. There's a final goodbye I want to
say, and it can't be done until the end of the trial," Carmen said, not
letting Kassandra go.
"Forget it," Kassandra said. With her free hand she grabbed her
knife. "Let go of me, or I'll hurt you."
Carmen grabbed Kassandra's hand with her other free hand. "Not if I
can help it." Carmen answered. Letting go of Kassandra's left wrist, she
plucked the knife and tossed it next to her.
By then Samuel had run up. "Are you okay?"
"Get the knife, it's next to me," Carmen shouted, struggling as
Kassandra was attempting to pry Carmen's fingers off. Samuel pocketed the
knife as Carmen grabbed both of Kassandra's wrists.
"Why don't you just let me die?" Kassandra asked.
"My conscious doesn't speak that way," Carmen answered. "Samuel, some
help please?"
With some force, Carmen and Samuel hauled Kassandra over the railing.
"You're busted, Kassandra Alice Morrow, and I hope you enjoy life behind bars
with your sweet uncle," Samuel said, after managing to handcuff Kassandra
with some difficulty.
"Go ahead and read me my rights, Connolly," Kassandra spat out. "But
remember this--someday Acme and VILE will fall, and chaos will follow."
**********
Forest Lawn
Glendale, California
January 20, 2001
Shailaigh's funeral service was over, but Carmen and Samuel were
still around, despite it was a sunny day.
Samuel and Carmen said nothing to each other for awhile. "It's
amazing how a family dies," Samuel finally spoke, breaking the ice.
A new thought just struck Carmen. 'This is the same fate I'm destined
to,' she thought.
"So many people take being in a family for granted, but there are
others don't have one," Samuel continued.
"The weather's such a hypocrisy," Carmen answered.
Samuel looked at the sky. "It sure is," he replied.
Carmen laid a single rose on Shailaigh's grave.
"Why'd you chose this place?" Samuel asked.
Carmen didn't say anything.
"I didn't offend you or anything, did I?" Samuel asked, a bit more
cautious.
Carmen sighed. "No. The reason why I chose here was because months
before Kassandra's case Shailaigh had mentioned she was going to find a job
near Glendale. At least I did something for her."
Samuel put an arm around Carmen's shoulder. "Come on, Sandiego. You
did the best for Shailaigh. Let's go."
As the two left the cemetary Carmen looked over her shoulder at
Shailaigh's grave. 'Goodbye, Shailaigh. Where you are, I hope you've found
some peace.'
Carmen sat on her bed and leafed through an old photo album. A young
Carmen with a baby-faced Shailaigh...the two girls celebrating the director's
birthday...Shailaigh's six birthday party...Carmen's goodbye party when she
was fifteen and
hired into Acme...
Carmen gently closed the album and laid down, looking at the ceiling.
Closing her eyes, she could still remember Shailaigh as a little girl, her
voice and laughter rippling through the ocean of time...
**********
Acme
San Francisco
October 20, 2000
"'Jordan and Morrow spotted at Northumberland, England, near
Chillingham Castle,'" Ivy read from a fax.
"Chillingham Castle?" Zack asked. "That doesn't sound good."
"And it sure isn't," the Chief said, shuddering.
"Why, though?" Ivy asked.
"It's said to be the most scariest place on earth. In fact, the place
is so haunted no one is allowed in. And they mean it." the Chief explained.
"IT'S HAUNTED?!" Zack screamed.
"I wouldn't advise going if I were you," the Chief answered.
Zack ran away from Ivy and the Chief. "Lovely. It's almost
Halloween." Ivy glared at the Chief, then went off to find where her brother
had run off.
**********
Outside the gates of Chillingham Castle
Northumbria, England
"I don't like this, Ive," Zack whimpered, clinging to Ivy.
"Lee and Kassandra must've obviously gone insane," Samuel said.
A red car blazed by and stopped a few feet away from where the trio
where standing.
"Goody, we're getting a tour! Are we lucky or what?" Zack asked,
being cynical.
A woman stepped out of the car and looked at the three. "Maybe you'll
get a tour, Zackary," the woman answered.
"Carmen!" All three detectives were surprised.
"What are you doing here?" Samuel asked.
"I need to avenge Shailaigh's death. Shailaigh may have saved my
life, but Kassandra killed her," Carmen explained.
"Well, what are we waiting for?" Ivy asked. "I want to make sure Lee
and Kassandra get the biggest scare of their life."
"What do you mean?" Zack asked, still clinging to Ivy.
Ivy unlocked the gates. "Wherever Lee and Kassandra are, we'll follow
them. Kassandra isn't too fond of being scared, so my guess is that Lee
decided to bring Kassandra here." All four went in.
Kassandra and Lee looked around the old antiques, waving their
flashlights on the objects.
"Uncle Lee, can't we get out of here? This place is haunted!"
Kassandra whined.
"I'm trying to scare the detectives and Carmen off our trail. Then we
can kill them and our plan can be accomplished," Lee answered, his voice
confident.
Zack and Ivy watched the two from one corner, Carmen and Samuel in
another.
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Zack whispered, still shaking
with fear.
"Yes," Ivy whispered back.
Kassandra and Lee turned their backs to Zack and Ivy. Ivy signaled to
Zack that it was time to spring the plan. The two quietly slipped up to
Kassandra and Lee.
"BOO!" Ivy shouted. A scream followed a second later, and then
somehow the flashlights were gone and fighting ensued, along with the sound
of the C-5.
"Zack! Ivy!" Samuel shouted, turning on his flashlight, Carmen
following suit. Waving the beam of light wildly, the two found a dust and
dirt covered Zack and Ivy.
"I can see Bonnie and Clyde got away again," Carmen said.
"Okay, now can we get out of here?!" Zack asked, almost in a pleading
way.
"Baby," Ivy muttered. The C-5 opened and all four went in.
**********
Portland, Maine
November 2, 2000
"No sign of Lee or Kassandra. You?" Ivy asked through her radio.
"Negative," Carmen answered, her voice crackling over the static.
"No," Zack answered.
"Nada," Samuel said.
'Damn,' Ivy cursed silently. It was foggy, even in the early evening.
Kassandra hung onto her dogs' leashes. "Shh, Jimmy," Kassandra
commanded.
Jimmy sat down obediently.
'Makes getting through here a bit easier, even if these attack dogs
only understand Russian,' Kassandra thought.
Through the fog, Kassandra saw a figure patrolling the lighthouse.
Walking closer, she realized it was Ivy, and Ivy was all alone.
'Perfect.' Kassandra. Backing into the fog, she pulled out a radio.
"Uncle Lee, I see Ivy. She appears to be all alone."
"Good. This makes the plan going smooth," Lee answered. "Happy
Birthday too."
"Thanks." Kassandra grinned to herself. Turning her attention to Ivy,
she saw that Ivy hadn't moved much from her original spot.
Ivy noticed something moving in the mist. "Damn fog," she cursed
again.
At the top of the lighthouse, Zack had also noticed a figure moving
through his binoculars. Inside, Carmen had her infrared glasses and noticed
Kassandra. Samuel was at the harbor checking if Lee and Kassandra were
arriving by sea.
A voice shouted something, and then two pitbull mixes came barreling
toward Ivy. Two gunshots rang out, and when the fog cleared a bit, both dogs
were dead.
Ivy cautiously approached the carcasses. 'Those two were heading
towards me...but who killed them?' she thought.
As if reading Ivy's thoughts, Carmen put her hand on Ivy's shoulder.
"It's okay, Ivy. I shot them."
"But why?" Ivy asked. "Guns aren't usually your weapon of choice."
"They were attack dogs. Kassandra ordered them to kill you, but you
didn't understand it because it was in Russian," Carmen answered.
Both detective and thief heard footsteps approaching them. It was
Kassandra, and it was definitely not going her way that night.
"Which one of you killed my pets?" Kassandra was seething with anger.
For a minute neither three said a word. Then Carmen spoke. "I did."
"Spoilsport," Kassandra answered. "Uncle Lee gave them to me today!
And you took two precious lives!"
"You have as well," Carmen answered, calmly.
While that was going on Zack noticed Ivy, Carmen, and Kassandra
arguing. "Yo, Samuel, I think something's up with Carmen and Ivy." After
that, Zack C-5ed to where Ivy and Carmen were.
"I killed your friend because no plan can ever be achieved without
sacrifice," Kassandra fired back.
"And what's your plan?" Ivy answered back.
Kassandra took a hard look at Ivy and Carmen. Then she bolted into
the lighthouse. Carmen followed suit, chasing after her.
"Ivy! Where's Lee?" Samuel asked.
"I don't know," Ivy answered. "He's got to be around here if
Kassandra's here."
Zack had found Lee's truck filled with explosives but no Lee.
Rummaging around, he found a flare stashed between sticks of dynamite.
Lighting one, Zack threw it in the truck and ran for cover.
An explosion lit up the night sky.
"What the hell was that?!" Ivy asked, looking at the direction of the
smoke.
"I set off Lee's truck," Zack answered.
"WHAT?!" Ivy grabbed Zack by his shirt. "Zackary Darren, I'm hoping
you have an explanation why you just blew up Lee Jordan's truck."
"If we can't find Lee, why not lure him to us?" Zack answered.
Sure enough, the explosion had got Lee's attention and now he was
pretty mad. "Stupid Acme detectives!!" he yelled.
"Fine, I believe you, little bro." Ivy released Zack and the two
snuck up behind Lee and handcuffed him. Lee was too mad to even think about
hurting either detective.
Kassandra had reached the top of the lighthouse, and Carmen was
nowhere behind her, but Kassandra knew her days were numbered. Looking down
at the ocean, Kassandra reassembled her thoughts. 'Even if we never get to
the top of the empire world, at least we did something to achieve part of
that dream,' she thought.
"Kassandra!" Carmen shouted.
Kassandra took one look at Carmen, and then jumped off. However, she
took off a little too late because Carmen had grabbed Kassandra's wrist.
"Huh? Let go of me!" Kassandra shouted.
"Don't do it," Carmen answered.
"Don't tell me what to do! I'll never go to prison!" Kassandra
screeched. "You might as well let go of me."
"As much as I want to, I can't. There's a final goodbye I want to
say, and it can't be done until the end of the trial," Carmen said, not
letting Kassandra go.
"Forget it," Kassandra said. With her free hand she grabbed her
knife. "Let go of me, or I'll hurt you."
Carmen grabbed Kassandra's hand with her other free hand. "Not if I
can help it." Carmen answered. Letting go of Kassandra's left wrist, she
plucked the knife and tossed it next to her.
By then Samuel had run up. "Are you okay?"
"Get the knife, it's next to me," Carmen shouted, struggling as
Kassandra was attempting to pry Carmen's fingers off. Samuel pocketed the
knife as Carmen grabbed both of Kassandra's wrists.
"Why don't you just let me die?" Kassandra asked.
"My conscious doesn't speak that way," Carmen answered. "Samuel, some
help please?"
With some force, Carmen and Samuel hauled Kassandra over the railing.
"You're busted, Kassandra Alice Morrow, and I hope you enjoy life behind bars
with your sweet uncle," Samuel said, after managing to handcuff Kassandra
with some difficulty.
"Go ahead and read me my rights, Connolly," Kassandra spat out. "But
remember this--someday Acme and VILE will fall, and chaos will follow."
**********
Forest Lawn
Glendale, California
January 20, 2001
Shailaigh's funeral service was over, but Carmen and Samuel were
still around, despite it was a sunny day.
Samuel and Carmen said nothing to each other for awhile. "It's
amazing how a family dies," Samuel finally spoke, breaking the ice.
A new thought just struck Carmen. 'This is the same fate I'm destined
to,' she thought.
"So many people take being in a family for granted, but there are
others don't have one," Samuel continued.
"The weather's such a hypocrisy," Carmen answered.
Samuel looked at the sky. "It sure is," he replied.
Carmen laid a single rose on Shailaigh's grave.
"Why'd you chose this place?" Samuel asked.
Carmen didn't say anything.
"I didn't offend you or anything, did I?" Samuel asked, a bit more
cautious.
Carmen sighed. "No. The reason why I chose here was because months
before Kassandra's case Shailaigh had mentioned she was going to find a job
near Glendale. At least I did something for her."
Samuel put an arm around Carmen's shoulder. "Come on, Sandiego. You
did the best for Shailaigh. Let's go."
As the two left the cemetary Carmen looked over her shoulder at
Shailaigh's grave. 'Goodbye, Shailaigh. Where you are, I hope you've found
some peace.'