"Were did they go?" Tatyanna said looking around.

"Well someone must scout ahead," Lee said.

"I'll do it," Lina said running away.

"Let's split up and look around," Armando walked to the right, with some of the detectives. The thieves went the other way, as usual.

"So Carmen," Ivy asked standing in the spot waiting for the others. "What is this about the conference room landing on the kitchen. Or was it the other way around?"

"No, you said it right the first time," Carmen began to play with the stick she had on her hands. "We were in a conference last month, or was it two months ago? Whatever! The thing is that the floor started to tremble and as soon as we saw the desk sinking we just got out and the floor collapsed under our feet."

There was a crackling sound over their heads, followed by a branch falling to the ground and also someone falling down. Carmen and Ivy looked at the ground with a look in their eyes of unbelief.

"Lina, are you alright?" Carmen asked Lina as she standed up very dizzy from the fall.

"Fine," Lina turned around. "What is this about a floor collapsing? You never told me about it."

"Yes I did, didn't I?"

"No."

"Well, it is not important. Lets just try to help here."

"And I'm not. Carmen who just climbed that tree looking for NIMH men?"

"And what did you see?"

"They are right behind us."

"Alright," Carmen turned her head towards her left and whistle. In a matter of moments her henchmen came towards her.

"Wow, they look like trained puppies," Ivy said in amazement.

"You haven't seen the mood she gets if we do something wrong," Hugo said with his head down.

"They are coming!" Jasmine came running towards them with the others in tow. The fight had started.

SCENE 2

They were humans alright, many were skinny but they all looked furious and threatening. They were all dressed in white robes with black pants and glasses. They all wore glasses, how curious.

"You'll all going to die, here." One of them said and charged at the group. The others followed close and attacked them in all directions.

They were much in number but they fell like flies. You just had to touch them and they fell to the ground, or blow them and they all passed out. Lina thought if it was her breath, but it was fine. The scientists were falling without effort. Suddenly there were no more scientists, they were all in the ground.

"Can this be all over," Zahyra was panting.

"No….it is just beginning," Miguel's voice trembled. The group looked at him.

Armando caught a glimpse of something metallic behind Sara's back: "Watch it Sara!"

Moe saw it too and tackled her to the ground. In a matter of seconds very muscular men with chains surrounded them and trapped them in circles of chains.

"They are too tight," Paige commented.

"That is the point, Paige," Lars said struggling to free himself.

"But that means we have been trapped by the bad guys right. And then they will torture us, burn us with cigars, yank our nail, skin us alive and…."

"SHUT UP PAIGE!" Everyone said. Including the men from NIMH!

"Sorry to disappoint you miss, but I will let all of you alive except two people which will die tonight," the voice came from behind them. Its owner was a tall, gray haired, very strong looking man in his mid fifties.

"Who are you?" Ivy said. "What do you want form us?"

"Nothing form you, as I said earlier. But from those two, I want a lot," He signaled to Carmen and Lina. This puzzled Carmen for a moment, who was this person that had business with them. Who could possibly know who Lina was, unless….. 'No,' She thought. 'It can't be.'

The mysterious man walked towards Lina. She was afraid, but she didn't show it. What had she done to this man to want to kill her. He stretched his hands towards her face and lifted it up. He examined her for a short while: "You have the courage and strength of your father, but you have the beauty and intelligence of you mother."

"How do you know my father and mother?"

"Well, why don't you ask," He turned towards Carmen. "Carmen here, she is the one that knows everything here." He smiled at the thief and this brought a chill down her spine. He had…he had….

"Your teeth," Carmen said in a trembled voice.

"To eat you better," The man said in a more loudly voice.

"They are," Carmen was being filled with anger. Anger she had never felt before, it was heating her inside out. "Gold and SILVER! IT WAS YOU, YOU BASTARD!" She started trying to free herself from her captors grip. One of the NIMH guys gave her a big punch on her stomach and she fell down coughing. Hugo tried to free himself, but two strong men tied him up even harder.

"Pick her up," the man commanded.

When one of the guys yank her up she paid him back with the same punch only a little more down.

"YOU LOUSY BASTARD," she started to kick him the other guys restrained her and pulled her towards the master.

"Watch what you are talking about bitch," he turned to look at her. "Because if I am a bastard you are lower than that."

Carmen was so furious she didn't knew what was she doing, she, out of nothing, spit him in the face. Her saliva mixed with blood covered his face. He cleaned himself and looked at her straight in her eyes.

"You have just signed your death warrant." He slapped her in the face so hard it was heard over the mountains of the valley. Many of the group from VILE and ACME started to struggle to free themselves to help her.

"Don't struggle, once you hear my story you will agree with me that this woman disserves to die," he walked pass her and towards Lina. "and this one too. Take them to the rocks."

The whole group was conducted towards the burning carcass of the installations.

SCENE 3

The installation was burning itself down to its last bits. The group was surprised at the amount of things catching fire. Trees, land, the skies, the water. It was like the whole island was breaking apart. They passed all of this and climbed onto some rocky formation. There were three big rocks, one extending high towards the skies, the other was horizontal and it raised as it left the side of the other two leaving in her end a very big cliff, and the third one was holding the other two. (Watch the Lion King for more reference.)

The master stopped on the base of the horizontal rock, and signaled to the men holding on to Carmen to bring her forward to him.

"Untie her," the master said in a harsh tone. Carmen was freed from the chains that had restrained her and as soon as she felt free she charged towards the man. Unfortunately she was knocked to the floor and pulled up into the tight grip of the men.

"Now, now, my foe. This is not the way to end this does it now." Carmen was settling down, she could read this man's head. He wanted to challenge her.

"Lets settle this once and for all," the man tool out a shiny sword. A sword! (What the hell I'm thinking about.)

Anyway, his sword shined brightly against the fire stricken skies. He toke out another and tossed it to towards Carmen.

'What the hell is wrong with him,' she thought. "You want a sword fight."

"Yes, it is more noble a death by one's hand than by one's finger."

"Look if any one told me now that I have to do a backwards somersault on a board inch and a half thick…" she took the sword in her hand and turn it down. "I will just tell them that, ' why don't I stand here and you can beat me up with a stick.'"

"I thought of it, but it was no fun. Now prepare yourself."

SCENE 4

"In times of ancient gods, warlords, and demons. A land in turmoil cried out for a hero. Her name was Carmen. A mighty princess forged in the heat of battle, the passion, the danger. Her courage will…"

"SHUT UP PAIGE!"

"Jeez, I don't believe these people," Carmen shook the sword with her hand.

"I though better of you. How come you came up with these characters?"

"I don't know. Just ask the writer, she is the one in all of this. Her nickname is Heartbreaker the Deathwalker. What can you expect?"

"She is psycho."

"Well, but onto business."

"Yeah, I love a woman that goes strait to the point."

"Stop it, you know what I mean," she said looking up.

"Awww, damn, I have never got the chance to let it go."

"Aaww!"

"You'll DIE!" he charged at her with the sword in hand.

"Whaaaat!"

He charged at Carmen with lightning speed. Who would have thought the old man could move so fast. Carmen had experience with fencing and with sword fights. But the man was good, almost better than her.

All of his attacks were directed towards vital organs. Carmen could only defend against his rampage. He was very fast and agile, but a little careless. Carmen used this to her advantage. She gave up on trying to slash him with the sword, it was totally pointless. She tried to harm him with her hands and legs while dodging his attacks.

"Ouff!" the master said when Carmen hitted him on the back. "YOU are very clever for someone that was with Rock."

That was it, she couldn't contain anymore her anger. She charged at him with everything she had. After a while she was loosing, he almost cut her many times. Until a swift force ripped off the sword from her hands. It landed well away from her reach and to top it all up she was trapped. A solid rock was behind her and her killer in front of her.

"I've won fare and squared. Now..," he pinned his sword straight to Carmen's heart. "… to take my prize."

The group was impatient, was he really going to kill her right in front of their eyes.

'What a bastard,' thought Miguel.

'Someone do something this is horrible,' thought Tatyanna, trying not to look but she always looked.

'He doesn't deserve to be called a man of science,' Sara thought.

'I wonder if we could exchange her for panty hoes,' Paige was in deep thought. 'But I don't have any.'

'I wonder if he'll accept Paige's panty-hoes,' Hugo thought.

'I just said I didn't have any,' Paige looked at him (still in their thoughts.)

'Sorry it was just a suggestion.'

'If he does anything awful I swear I will imprison him for the rest of his short live,' Ivy thought.

"But first, " he retrieved the sword. "A little torture." He walked towards Lina, and pointed his sword to her throat.

"Leave her alone, your quarrel is with me," Carmen shouted at him.

"Ohh, how rude. Calm down before you hurt yourself."

"If you do anything to her, I'll gut you with my own hands."

"How hostile…" He turned to face Carmen. "I wouldn't dream of killing a family member. Wouldn't you agree Carmen?"

"That is not going to work now. It is in a past long forgotten. It is behind me."

"And what about your faithful subjects have they forgotten or put it behind them?" he looked straight in Lina's eyes.

"What is he talking about," Lina asked at Carmen.

"Ahh so you haven't told them your little secret…" He turned towards her. "Now is you chance. Tell her who is responsible of Rocky's death?"

They all turned to Carmen. Lina's eyes were almost filled with tears. Carmen gulped, why it all had come to this. She wouldn't tell, no, this was to important to tell.

"You don't seem convinced of my evil ways don't you." He snapped his fingers. "Bring him."

Behind him a pink window appeared it was Chief. He was being held in a portable computer inside magnetic field.

"Now you come for it you coward. Put it there, come on," Chief was moving from side to side like a boxer. "You sissy puss."

"SILENCE!"

"Okay, I'm going to shut now. Right now. I won't say anything. Zero, zip, nada…"

"QUIET!"

Chief froze solid, with the last expression on his face.

"Now then. I'll first will destroy him and then I will kill the girl and then I will tell them myself. That is how many chances you have." He walked towards Chief. "Tell him who is responsible for Rocky's death?"

Carmen didn't hesitate, she took one step forward. "I am."

Chiefs mouth went open, and so did everyone else. Lina's eyes were overflowed with tears, but she didn't cried, she couldn't now.

"You see all of this is your fault," he walked towards her surrounding her in circles. "It is your fault he is dead. Do you deny it?"

"No." she gave him a stern look.

'Then you are guilty."

"No. I am not a murderer!" she said angrily, but she was drawn back towards the cliff. Big beasts where behind the mad scientist. The scientist was so involved in driving her back he didn't notice her picking up a stick.

"Ahh, now you are in trouble again," he pushed her back, now the floor behind Carmen was nearly finishing. "But Rock isn't here to save you now," she was nearly at the edge. "And now…," he slashed with his sword the air in front of her, making her leap back (at the moment that was one of the smartest things to do.) "…everyone knows WHY!" she fell of the cliff and barely had time to grab the edge.

"Carmen," Ivy shouted, but the captors restrained her.

"Stop it," he turned towards the group. "Let them go. They won't do anything having their loving Chief on my hands and their millionaire sustent over here with me."

'He is so right,' Jasmine thought.

Meanwhile Carmen was hanging on to her life. She was holding the stick with her legs. (Hey it is not the first time she holds a stick between her legs.) 'Ouch, that is gross,' Carmen thought looking at the writer.

"Well, well my dear friend. You look troubled, and to think that you found it all on your own. First of all, you should had never helped Rocky find me, because his cause is a lost one." Carmen tried to grab him but he stepped out of her reach. "Yes, a lost cause and you fell for it. His brother worked for me alright. He was smart, persistent, and tolerant, all the good qualities for a human being. He was in charge of a cloning department. A department looking for the perfectly immune human being. For centuries the human race has been plagued by sickness and I was looking for the cure to it, and he DESTROYS THE PROYECT!" The man grabbed Carmen by the collar, "Only because it meant sacrificing a few lives for humanity. He was a complete looser." Carmen tried to punch him but he let her go. She grabbed onto the edge as hard as she could.

"Yes, he and his brother were both losers. In all the history of the world sacrifices were made for the well being of man kind, and they were softies." He walked a few steps towards the group. "Do you know something little girl," he signaled Lina. "I know who your mother is. In fact I am surprised you never noticed it before. I think it was because you were so blinded by revenge, you never noticed. Too bad."

Lina was confused, she didn't knew what was going on. This guy was talking in Chinese for her.

"Too bad you never got to know your father, nor your mother, but it was written that way," his look of malice was upon her.

"And may I ask, Oohh powerful one," Lina got courage from who knows were. "in what page of this life was that written?"

"In mine," he turned to walk forwards the endangered Carmen. To his surprise she had manage to pull herself up.

Carmen used the small talk that Lina provided to get up, and she didn't noticed when the man turned to her. He walked closer to her with loud steps. She looked up with despair in her eyes, maybe he would bend down to talk to her or hit her and then she could have a go with the stick. But it didn't work, the man had ice for a heart and he kick her down again.

"You see my child, your mother will die in a few minutes," his eyes turned to see Carmen. She couldn't do anything, she couldn't let go, because the fire was now directly under her, it had reached them.

"I present you, your mother," he walked towards Lina. "Lina Sandiego, daughter of Carmen Sandiego." He signaled towards… towards Carmen's hands.

Everyone was shocked (duh!), no one expected that to be true. Everyone form VILE looked confused, how come their boss had a child and they never knew about it. ACME was in bigger shock a kid from Carmen Sandiego, this was too much. Lina had no mind, hers was crying, screaming, laughing, angry, she had no control of herself. "That… that can't be," she said in a low voice

"She is right," Chief said getting out of his catatonic state. "Before a child is born there must be some process that must occur, exactly nine months before and an effect that stays until the last day," he said in a high tone. "That has never been account of that happening during her years of thievery."

"Not during her years as a thief, but during her years as a detective, yes," he said maliciously.

Chief looked at… Carmen's hands with shock then back at Lina that was more in shock.

"To bad you didn't had time to have a little family reunion, but…"

"You are lying," Lina interrupted him. 'How can that woman over there be my mother? I wanted her dead. That woman was the killer of my father, it simply couldn't be.'

"What did you said."

"You are lying. She is not my mother. She is my father's killer." Hearing this made Carmen's heart sank deeper than Titanic.

"I wasn't counting on that reaction, but it is perfect for my scene," he turned towards Carmen. "We'll how do you feel when your own flesh and blood hates you, mother." He leaned down. "How do you fell when your life is ending?" He took her hands sharply. "All of this things would have been lost to man kind if you, your lover and his brother, and your gang wouldn't had interfered with us."

"And what we would have been then," Carmen kept looking at him.

"Super humans."

"Wrong, we wouldn't even be animals."

"Liar," he hit her against the rock and started laughing. "You are lower than an animal and that supposed husband was lower than that, and I should know. Ha, ha," he picked her up and pulled her upwards. Her hips were at the edge of the rock her head at the same lever as his and he was knelled still. (It was impressive.) He leaned closer to her ear and said: "And that is because I killed him with my knife and then I threw him to the fire. Ha, ha, ha!" he said it softly, so as only Carmen and he could hear this confession.

Carmen's mind went blank. Her consciousness went back thirteen years ago to that troubled night when she saw Rocky's body fall from the ceiling of the Winston Building onto the burning ground. Her mind came back and as it came it drew anger from a nearly demonic force. It filled every part of her body with a lust for blood. The anger exploded in a wraff of strength. She pulled herself up and smack him with the stick on the face and he fell back.

"No, you," she slammed the stick at the back of his head and he fell again. "After all this years of suffering, it was you. You!"

"Please Carmen," he said trying to get up. "As you said, it is all in the past."

"Tell the truth," she put the stick on his neck and pushed down. "Tell her the truth!"

He hesitated for a moment, but Carmen pushed harder; "Alright, as you wish," he paused for a moment and spoke in a very low tone: "I did it."

"So that the skies and heavens can hear you," she pushed down harder.

"I…killed…Rocky!" he started to stand up.

"You are a son of a bitch," Carmen smack him in the lungs and repeatedly on other parts of his body.

The man pleaded for help, and the men let go of the group to help their master. As soon as Ivy felt released she drag kicked her oppressor. Zack, Armando and Lee joined together to bowl some of them off. Lars and Moe went running away in circles while two men were chasing them and Sara was chasing the two men with a stick. Hugo tackled many of the others. Paige instructed others in the way of the light and on what was the meaning of life. Miguel and Josha tossed rocks and branches on fire to others. Zahyra was biting her oppressor. Hannah prayed to the lord of her Belgian rabbits while driving the men crazy. Charlie, Lina and Chief teamed up and defeated some with another act. Tatyanna and Jasmine cheered them joined by some of the men that cheered their own.

"You are not worth living," Carmen continued to attack without remorse at the old man. Something had possed her, but she liked its presence. Is as she wanted and liked the feeling of this presence being inside of her. It felt so familiar, yet so different.

"Wait Carmen, please. You… you…couldn't kill an old man like me would you." He tried to stand but Carmen hitted him again. "Alright, already. Look we could become partners. We could find the perfect way to clone super humans. Think about it, you could become immortal."

Carmen thought this for a moment, the idea of becoming immortal was really pleasing to her. 'Na, ACME wouldn't stand that.' She responded the man with a smack right in his face.

"Oww, ouch," he grabbed his jaw. "Wait, please what are you going to do, you are going to kill me?"

"No, I am not like you, but I will lock you up for the rest of your life in an all darkened cell."

"As you wish. Anything but death," Carmen let him stand up, but the man was more clever than she had expected.

He took some dirt in his hands and he threw it at Carmen's eyes. She shook her head to shove it off. He took that opportunity to charge at her. Little did he knew she had learned to fight with her senses, that is even if she didn't see opponent she could now what to do. She dodged him and slammed the stick behind his knees and he unbalanced himself.

The master fell from the edge into the clearing below. He was surrounded by fire, but he could at least walk. He stood up trembling from that fall and to his surprise he was surrounded by his beasts. There were his creations, so he relaxed.

"Come my creations…," he was dizzy. "Lets finish them off."

The beasts looked at each other and then at their master. The leader of the pack moved forward showing his immense teeth and slobbering.

"Wait, wait you… traitors," fear ran in his veins. "How can you betray me, I made you what you are now."

"Right doc…," the beast responded in a harsh voice. "You betrayed what we were." Saying that he charged at the man right in his heart. The man was shocking blood out and the others went for him. He was devoured in seconds and the flames started to take control of the island. It was breaking apart and everything was been destroyed and tumbling down.

The group had finished all the men and they all fled in pain. They cheered and saluted each other, they had made it. They jumped up and down happy for themselves.

"Come on Lina," Tatyanna went for her. "Join us," she grabbed the girl and pulled her to the celebrating team.

"What is wrong?" Jasmine asked her.

"Do you think it was true what he said" Lina turned to look in the direction were Carmen was. "Or was it a dirty trick?"

The commotion stopped for a moment, they had forgotten that little incident were Lina was Carmen's daughter. Carmen was seeing the death of that man below her but she could sense eyes at her back, so she turned around. The whole group was looking at her, 'Man, you talk about pressure.'

"Well, Carmen," Chief floated towards her. "Lets see here the whole truth. You are not Lina's mother or are you." He looked quite confident, he was sure it was all a simple mistake.

Carmen turned around and rose her head to look at the skies. 'What should I do now? I have done what I can or haven't I Rock?' She wasn't expecting an answer, but in a clearing between the clouds she got one. A fallen star crossed the skies towards her direction. She remembered a story Rock once told her about a fallen star that came down directly on the head of the person making the wish. It turned the person the happiest alive because the star had given him the right choice, the one on his soul. 'We'll it is worth the try.'

"It is true."

"WHAT!" everyone exclaimed.

"It is true, are you death."

"But how, when, where, and with who?" Chief was depressed.

Carmen took out the chain from her pocket and turn around facing Lina. She extended the hand and showed the chain. A half heart with letters inscribed on it. Lina gasped, the other chain, the link she had been missing.

"What… what is that?" Tatyanna tried to see.

"What is that Lina?" Jasmine asked the girl who was looking for something on her neck.

Lina took out another chain just like that, and showed it to the group.

"A matching chain." Lee said.

"Not just any matching chain. That is the other exact copy of that one that make up the whole heart." Ivy pointed out.

"So is true…ahh I can't take it anymore… aaahhhhh" Paige fainted.

"But…but…but…" Hugo was clueless.

"In other words what that crazy man said is true. Lina is Carmen's daughter," Zack finished.

"That is impossible in all the years I've been working with Carmen she hasn't been pregnant," Sara was getting a little nervous. That would mean she was not the second in command of VILE.

"Oh… believe me it is a very interesting story," Ivy said.

The island was breaking down very fast now. All the trees were on fire now, the earth was turning muddy and squishy meaning that the island was sinking. The rocks were trembling now, this could get dangerous.

"I think we should better get out of here fast," Miguel shuck Chief out of his mute phase.

"Chief get us out of here," Zahyra said and Chief opened the C-5 portal. It open under them and everyone just fell over.

"Hey, Moe aren't this thing going to ACME's headquarters," Lars asked.

"Of course they are, where else could it go, Aruba?" Moe looked at him.

"HEEELLLPPPP UUUUSSSSS!" they both cried in unison.

"Aren't you coming Carmen," Ivy asked the woman.

Carmen was looking at the skies. 'I hope this is the right decision.' "I don't know now, Ivy."

"Come on when have things gone bad to you," Ivy tried to cheer her up.

At that exact moment another falling star dropped at the horizon near Carmen. "Of course, I am coming." She turned around with a smile and they despaired in a blue circle.

End of Chapter 10