In every spot the nearly dead people were the eternal fight between water and fire was fought. Ivy had had a tough time starting their fire, she was about to give up but at last the fire started. They quickly put their clothes to dry and started to rob their hand to warm them up. Sara, Lars and Moe's fire was well replenished with dried wood, and quickly warmed them. Hugo, Hannah, and Paige's was small and it continued to burn out. The Díaz's was the biggest for now and was cooking spaghettis and meatballs (don't ask me how). The ACME detectives had been able to find each other's out using their last energy in the walkie-talkies and made a great refuge with a well-centered fire to dry the clothes and themselves. Carmen's fire was the first one to ignite, their clothes were already dry and they were warm enough to go to sleep.

The cave Lina found was in a great position, blocking out the winds and rain that were hitting the earth. Carmen was resting by the cave's wall and looking blankly at the fire. Beside her, Lina was resting with her eyes closed and her breathing slowed, she was asleep. No matter what Carmen did she could take her eyes and thoughts away from the sleeping girl. 'It was her, here, at this very moment, but why? She was very persistent like her father. Her father. Moreover, why do I have the feeling this is all my fault?' Carmen continued to look at her, and the strangest thing was that she couldn't think of anything, her mind was in blank.

The storm continued to beat up the cave. The waves of winds flowing throw the trees made an incredible sound. The fire crackling in front of her. The world crumbling in back of her. The gift of life sleeping beside her. The heart beating to a strange music inside of her. Carmen fell from the conscious world into a deep sleep.

SCENE 2

In the early evening the storm died down and gave way to the beautiful moon. Carmen woke up and walked to the entrance of the cave. She tried to communicate with her colleagues, but only received static on her radio. She looked around to find some wood to keep the fire going on through the night, and to see if there was anything to eat around. She hadn't eaten for nearly twenty-four hours and she was sure that Lina hadn't either.

SCENE 3

The next morning Zack and Ivy finally reunited with the other Acme agents including the Díaz clan. They had captured a big rabbit and started to cook it. It was well done and all sitted around to eat. They commented about the storm and of how to get out of there.

"Any word of the foes?" asked Armando.

"No, but I saw many of their ships crash on the island," assured Tatyanna.

"Yes, and the red woman's plane landed a little over the north of us, but exploded shortly after," said Miguel with a worried expression on his face.

"Wow, but don't worry, Carmen got out. She has been in worse situations than a little plane crash," said Jasmine in a confident voice.

"Anyway, what are you guys doing here? I thought we left you in Miami taking that little thief away," asked Ivy.

"She used the distraction the Chief caused to get away. She got inside the C-5 and went to Puerto Rico with you," said Zahyra. "We think she is in this mess too, she must be around here."

"But where? I didn't saw her anywhere," said Zack.

They all though for a moment, then they all raised their heads, "CARMEN'S PLANE."

"Of course, Carmen's plane was out of control way before the storm hitted us," said Josha.

"She must have gotten inside the plane and attacked Carmen. She's got guts," said Charlie.

Everyone stared at him with confused eyes. They were so involved on this that they didn't notice this new comer. I feel lower than a piece of meat in the lion's den, though Charlie.

"Who are you?" asked Zack offering his hand to the young man.

"My name is Charlie and I'm a new ACME agent," Charlie replied shaking Zack's hand.

SCENE 4

"Your left hand on blue, Moe. Hold still will ya. Now Lars, right foot on yellow," Sara shouted.

"Hold still she says. Hey, why don't you do this yourself?" asked an angry Moe.

"'Cause neither of you knows how to work on radiowaves, and me, Sara Bellum, being the second in command of VILE, is the one who gives orders."

"You are radio transmitting over a twister board," said Lars balancing over the yellow spot.

"Well, we must give in to primitive solutions."

SCENE 5

"This is great. Stranded on a solitary island, I thought this could only happen on movies or TV series," said Hugo looking at Paige.

"It was that black cat, I knew it. Ohh, I'm doomed," Hannah said closing her eyes.

"Not really we could have gone down a rabbits hole and ended up in a strange land were chocolate rabbits play in cottage cheese, and the trees are made of candy canes with jawbreakers for leaves and…."

"SHUT UP PAIGE!" the radio screamed.

"Hey, does anyone hears me," Hugo picked the radio up with his trembling hands.

"This is Sara, who are with you there Hugo?"

"Just Paige, Hannah, and me, Sara."

"Where are ….," the signal went out for a second and…, "stay still you two. Where are you located and where is the plane?

"We are near the beach in a big hallow tree and the plane is half sunk in the bay."

"What? Then how in the world are we going to get out of here…," the signal went out again…, "will you two stay STILL," roared Sara. "Don't worry I still need to locate Carmen (although I don't want to, but this idiots wont work together if she is not here) and see what are we going to do. Stay there we will look for you."

The radio went dead, those left behind only waited, who knows for what.

SCENE 6

"THIS SUCKS!" Lina's voice echoed around the mountain. "We have to cross that slump now."

"Who said we had to cross it, when we can leapt across it," Carmen said looking at her. Lina was a little confused. "Think things through young lady." With that Carmen gave a few steps back and ran towards the slump. She jumped and got hold of one of the branches. She swung over it and landed on the other side of the slump. "Now is your turn."

"Like I said, this sucks," she came running and jumped. She grabbed hold of the branch and twirled towards the other side, but…"SPLASH! Now that is a mud bath.

Carmen couldn't contain herself, she started to laugh as if she had never laughed before. What she was seeing was the most pathetic thing in the whole world. Lina tried to get up, but slipped back. Once more she tried, again and again with no luck. Man, what a scene.

"Your laugh is irritating, Carmen."

Carmen couldn't control herself, this was so hilarious she had to rest on a tree while she continued to laugh.

"Yeah, yeah, laugh, but I would like to see you get out of here," Lina got up and started to walk towards Carmen, but slipped back into the slump.

"Only in your dreams will that happen," Carmen grabbed a low branch and extended her arm to Lina. She grabbed the girl's hand and started to get her up and walk out of there, when… something was slipping over the thief's hand. Carmen looked back and a green python was looking at her. Carmen stood very still, she knew that any movement could be fatal. The seconds ticked like hours, suddenly Carmen detected a small movement, it was time to flee.

The python attacked, with lightning speed Carmen let go the branch and jumped back. The python's attack range was well away form where she or Lina were, but she was in the slump. She was almost covered in mud, she tried to get up but fell back to it. The python knew better than to get in there and just slipped away over the branches. They kept still for a moment before they took a deep breath.

"Welcome to my fantasy, you are welcome to sit around."

"This is the most embarrassing moment in my life."

"Join the club," Lina splashed a little of mud towards Carmen. Carmen won't normally react this way but this were not normal times so she returned the splash. Lina splashed her again. Carmen did the same. In a matter of seconds a mud fight had started.

SCENE 7

"Glad to have you over at the agency Charlie, I'm sure that you will be a great detective someday," Zack told his newest friend.

"Look, over there, something is shinning on the beach and it's big," pointed Lee.

"And I have a good guess of what it might be, come on," Ivy started to run down hill. Everyone followed her in the wild maze of trees.

SCENE 8

"Aaarrrgggg…push, when I tell you. Now, push, aaaaaaahhhhh!

"This is not working Carmen."

"To you maybe, but to me it is working."

"Are we in a grumpy mood today."

"You have no idea. Are you pushing?"

"No sorry, I was pulling."

"Why you little thie…." SNAP! "Aaaaahhhhh!"

SPLASH!

"Ouch," was the last thing Lina said. They were entangled up with a vain, in a mud slump and covered with leaves. "This is not happening, this is not happening, this is not happening," Lina cried holding her head.

"Keep repeating it maybe the spell will break, and… will you kindly get off me?"

"I'm trying."

SCENE 9

"Its nearly noon Sara, why don't we rest up a little bit," complained Moe.

"Yeah, my feet are only walking on instinct now," wined Lars.

"Will you two stop it, I have located Carmen's plane sensor if we get to it we can get out of here."

"But where is it,*sniff, sniff* we have been walking for hours," Paige said nearly crying.

"It is close, it's near that mountain," Sara heard some struggling up ahead. "SSsshhh, I hear something behind those bushes. Lars and Moe go check it out."

"Us, why us?"

"This can be the curse of the Black Cat, be careful," Hannah turned to run away.

"Just go."

SCENE 10

"A little more, come on," Carmen pulled herself out of the mud. "That's it I'm out, and now come on you, out." She helped Lina get out and get up, but they were still on a sloppy place and fell down on each other again, fortunately on a more dried ground. "How did I got mixed up in this thing."

"Carmen, Carmen Sandiego," a voice from the nearby bushes was heard. "Is that really you, boss?"

Carmen couldn't recognize the voice, or she didn't wanted to.

'This had to be a dream, a nightmare, Carmen though.

"Hey guys is the boss," called Moe back at the others.

'Wake up, wake up, wake up, Carmen.' Carmen started to get up but she stumbled on Lina, and fell again. Behind the bushes came Sara, Lars, Moe, Hannah, Paige and Hugo. They marbled at the scene, a Carmen Sandiego to remember. They started to laugh softly.

"Don't you dare laugh at the boss, and… and…and…, HA, HA, HA," Sara broke up in laughter as well as the others. Carmen and Lina just looked at them with uneasy eyes like pleading them to stop laughing and help them get up.

"I take that back, this IS the most embarrassing moment in my life."

"I see what you mean."

"Will any of you help us down here," demanded Carmen trying to be as strictly as possible.

"Sure boss, HA, HA, anything you say," Lars and Moe helped her.

"Now do you belief in bad luck?" Hannah helped Lina.

They were up and started to walk out of that slump. Hugo noticed a new person on their team. He recognized her as the little bitch that attacked them in the airport.

"What is she doing here?" Hugo asked.

"This is no place for you little girl," Sara said.

"Yeah, she is right because we have a little problem to settle here. Right Lars?"

"Of course Moe."

"Let me start guys," Hugo smashed his fist in his other hand.

Lina ran behind Carmen hoping a miracle would happen, and it did.

"Let it be guys, she is with us now," Carmen stopped them. She looked at Lina's eyes, "At least for the moment."

"Oh, well," Hugo sounded a bit disappointed. He then smiled back at her and said, "That was quit a fight you gave us back there."

"Yeah, you're pretty good at this too," Lars said taking her from behind Carmen.

"Come on lets share experiences with our new pal," Moe took her hand, and dragged her in front of the group.

"We are going to be such good friend, we could even get to share lipsticks," Paige took her other hand and they all started to talk to her. Lina was in a strange way happy to be with those people, and she didn't knew why.

"It is of good luck you are with us, girl," Hannah went with them.

'She was just lucky,' Sara thought, "Carmen, how in the world did you got…"

Carmen cut her off with one hand over Sara's mouth, "Don't you even ask that, just find me some body of fresh water to take this yucky stuff off.

SCENE 11

"Yes, I knew it. This is Carmen's main plane," rejoiced Ivy.

"There are other three planes around the area as well," Zack appeared behind the group.

"They must be around here somewhere," Tatyanna said pointing to some footprints on the sand.

"Yes, and they must be looking for something big to have to leave the plane here with all the stuff," Armando peeked at the footprints and started to fallow them.

"Carmen," said Jasmine.

"And they'll lead us to were she is," Miguel bended down to inspect the footprints. "One, two, three..."

"Five people, two women and tree men," Zahyra finished.

"Hey people, come on. Armando found the trail they took," shouted Josha in the distance.

"Alright a real hunting party," Charlie jumped up and down.

"Don't get your hopes up, kid. This won't get any easier," Lee put his hand on the boy's shoulder.

SCENE 12

"Ha, ha, ha, ha, haaaa, so that is how you and the boss got stuck in that mud, ha, ha, ha," Lars couldn't control the laughter, and Moe and Paige were already out.

"That is what you call a bad hair day," Hannah sat down containing her laugh.

"That is what you might call a one time show," Hugo was all red from laughing. "Carmen, how was that?"

"Very amusing, thanks for reminding me," Carmen shouted from a distance.

"Hey, little girl you must better come and wash that stuff off before it stiffens in the clothes," Sara said in a grumpy voice pointing to a distance.

"Of course I wouldn't want to be inappropriate for the occasion to come," Lina said in a mocking voice as she walked were Sara was pointing. She found a shallow lake and Carmen washing her coat. She already had bathed and her other clothes were hanging from a branch. Hey, don't get me wrong she wasn't naked, oh no, no, not at all, she was in her underwear.

"What are you doing here?" Carmen was shocked to see the girl.

"Well the 'mistress of darkness' pushed me over," without waiting any other reply Lina grabbed a vain an swung on it letting go at the middle of the lake. She splashed all over and started to swim around as the slump washed off.

"Rude, yet effective," Carmen didn't minded the intrusion and continued on her task.

"Carmen, your goons are very nice and they were so interested in the story."

"And you had to go and tell them."

"Yeah, well, it's not everyday you get to talk with the goons of the person you will take revenge on."

Carmen stopped washing and looked at the girl, "I don't know why."

"Ohh, I'm pretty sure you know what I'm talking about Carmen. It is something that happen nearly fourteen years ago."

"I don't know what are you talking about."

"I'm talking about the Winston Fire, Carmen." She said harshly.

Carmen stopped a moment, but continued to wash trying to cover her surprised expression. "I have heard of it."

"You heard of it, gee what a cover up. You didn't just heard of it, you were there."

'How the hell did she found out that? Who could have told her? Why would anyone talked… about… that incident?… Aarrgg, that Edward, he must have told her.'

"And I know a little more than this, Carmen. I know that because of you my father is dead."

That was it, the drop that overflowed the cup. She forgot about the world surrounding her. Hearing those words from the mouth of her own flesh and blood was the most painful thing she had ever encountered. Images of a black haired, blue eyed, handsome, intelligent, open minded, skillful, and well built man began to appear on her mind. She couldn't bare the though that somehow she was responsible for his death, both physically and hereditary.

She got up without saying anything. Dressed up in the still moistened clothes and walked out of there to give the girl some privacy for her bathing.

"I'll get my revenge one day, I've warned you," was the last thing she heard.

Carmen went back to the campsite and sitted down. They all started to interrogate her and she answered each question not even thinking about it. "Guys please, I don't want to talk about that when there are more important things to discuss."

"Like what Carmen," asked Paige.

"Like perhaps, how to get out of here," Carmen said sarcastically.

"Yeah, good theme boss," said Lars.

"We could have never come up with a subject like that," Moe backed him up.

'I'm surrounded by idiots,' Carmen thought.

End of Chapter 3