A Keystone and Reckoning
Disclaimer: Same as in the first chapter.
Victor and Ivy had been at this case almost the entire night. Both of them were feeling a more than little sleepy. They kept researching the backgrounds of assorted counselors, trying to find a hole, a weakness. "He's more clever than I imagined, moving from state to state, suckering parents out of money only to screw their kids up…" Victor said.
Ivy was lying face down on the desk. They had spent many futile hours at the archives trying to find anything that might catch the interest of the state investigators. Chester had disappeared and because of that, all of Chester's sources were either gone or lying low. There were at least a few empty Styrofoam cups lying around the general area of the computers and the wastebasket.
"Anything." Ivy said.
"No." Victor replied, "But I turned up an interesting coincidence He's been moving around from state to state, every time he packs up and leaves its when there's an abuse allegation. He lies low for a while, pulling some kind of details then reopens Scam Camp USA on an unsuspecting population."
"I can't think, Victor, we've been going through files all day and haven't found a thing." Ivy replied, impatiently, "Zack could be in serious trouble."
"Ivy, don't you think I've not been caring. For the past three days I've stuck with you throughout, following every lead…" Victor said, irritably then his tone grew apologetic, "Sorry, we're both pretty beat, I figured if there's any information it'd be in the Acme archives, but all they have is supposition, somehow all valid evidence has vanished."
"C'mon sleepy head, I'll get you back to your hotel." Victor said, helping her stand up.
"All the way across the country and I finally meet a gentleman." Ivy smiled.
Victor stopped dead in his tracks. Casually leaning against a pillar in the lobby was Carmen Sandiego, the most wanted thief in Acme history. "Carmen?" Ivy said, sleepily.
"Ivy, Victor, relax, I'm here with news on Zack." Carmen said.
"How do you know about this investigation?" Victor said, his tone turning accusing.
"Victor, I didn't betray either of you, but someone at Acme did." Carmen said, "All I know is that four days ago, Zack got into some trouble trying to stand up for a younger camper being bullied by the counselors. They punished him by placing him in some kind of building…"
"The Cooler you mean." Victor replied, "I must've spent more time in that thing during the summers than any place else at his damnable camp."
"Right. I'm sure Victor can tell you the gory details, but all I know is that Zack was in pretty bad shape when they put him in. Fortunately from VILE bugs at Acme HQ's phone lines, I have a complete transcript of every phone call he's made since he's been at that camp." Carmen said.
"Let's hear them then." Ivy said, suddenly with renewed vigor.
"First promise me you'll both get some sleep before trying anything after hearing this." Carmen said.
Carmen put the tape into a tape player. Playing over it was just standard stuff, all of Zack's casual talk, not inkling as to the abuses mentioned. "Carmen you think you could afford better quality tapes than this with all the stuff you steal?" Victor complained, "That static and tapping is terrible…"
"Wait, Victor, that tapping is to rhythmic to be static. Listen." Ivy said.
"Hey wait." Victor said, rewinding the tape.
"Morse code, Zack, I knew you'd come through little bro." Ivy replied triumphantly.
Zack's tap coded messages revealed a story about kids being locked up in solitary confinement, forced runs when the kids were already exhausted. Methodically Victor copied the transcript exactly as Ivy read them out. "Now all we need is that evidence I got, that will really bring the house down." Victor replied.
"We need a plan to get into the camp." Ivy stated, "And I think a little undercover work is in order."
Carmen began tapping out on the computer; "I've created you a false record, cover for this. Spend tomorrow studying it and then you can join up as a camper."
~ ~ ~ ~
Zack could barely move after that forced run and being made to lie on his back with his arms and legs at 90 degree angles from the ground along with the other so-called trouble makers. He lay exhausted on the surplus army cot in the bare concrete room with the locked door and solitary window. He heard a light tap on his cell door.
"Hey, I'm risking a lot doing this for you, but here, eat this to keep your strength." Said a mysterious voice. A Russian accent was its only characteristic as the shadowy figure threw a packet of crackers through the small aperture, "I'm going to escape and make contact with your sister. She and a friend of hers have been making a little trouble for Mr. Fritz with their investigation."
"Thanks. Who are you?" Zack said.
"I'm Jan Dodonna, I'm sort of the head of all little attempts to take care of you kids. No time to explain."
~ ~ ~ ~
Ivy and her 'police escort' were walked onto the campground. Parked in the so-called 'police van' Victor had the bug's tracking sensor located in the innocent looking elastic hair band in Ivy's hair. He had debated that he should go but Carmen argued he was too recognizable and thus too much of a risk. Once Ivy was dropped at the camp Carmen and Victor moved the van off at a distance for surveillance purposes.
~ ~ ~ ~
Jan Dodonna knew his escape had the counselors in an uproar searching for him. He knew if he got caught that he would be reamed beyond comparison but that despicable bastard was no better than a common criminal. He stayed still as two flashlight armed counselors made a sweep of the surrounding woods.
The majority of the counselors were out searching for him, and that's how he wanted it. He needed to draw as much of the staff away as possible so that the state inspector, showing up for his yearly tour, would be unpleasantly surprised by his disappearance. Without the aid of the number of staff members Fritz wouldn't be able to keep all the kids saying their programmed responses.
He just had to lay low for a day. And that meant being as silent as a mouse. A counselor walked not three feet in front of him as Jan lay under a bed of pine needles and palm fronds, hoping that some nasty spider wasn't crawling through his clothing.
That new camper that he observed was interesting, didn't Zack tell him that his sister had shoulder length red hair. He didn't have enough time to contemplate this as he lay silent as a stone.
~ ~ ~ ~
Ivy crept out of the girl's bunkroom, quietly, sneaking towards the main administrative area. There it was, on the desk of Fritz, the main body of evidence, Victor's source was really thorough if not a little weird. She laid a hand on it and then felt a large meaty hand clamp over her mouth. "So, the other half of Acme's finest team is on the case. Well, case closed sister…"
~ ~ ~ ~
Victor really began to worry when the bug was suddenly shorted out. "I'm going in." Victor said to Carmen, throwing on his battered brown leather jacket and walking towards the camp in the rising sun.
He looked the counselor at the gate in the eye and the pimply seventeen year old opened the gate under Victor's intense stare down. He strode purposefully into the administrative center and found no one in the building but evidence of a struggle in Fritz's office pointed him exactly where he needed to go…
~ ~ ~ ~
The rope cut into her wrists as Ivy regained consciousness. The big ape that had caught her was placing a strip of duct tape across her mouth. She could see Zack off in a corner, lying barely conscious on a cot.
"Well what do I do now that I've caught the other half of Acme's best team in my net? I'll tell you what. Tie a couple weights to you two, throw you into that lake and when and if your bodies are found I can make up the following story: two campers tried to escape the camp, but they stupidly tried to do it by swimming across the lake…"
"There's exactly one flaw in that story Fritz." Said a familiar voice he hadn't heard in five years. Walking into the open after years of hiding came a medium built, nineteen year old, "If you do that, there is a tape of your last few words, I think that's first degree murder maybe second degree if you hire yourself a good lawyer."
"Victor Garibaldi, I never thought I'd see you again. You know, maybe I should have left your scrawny little behind in that Sicilian orphanage where I found you." Fritz said, "You sorry ingratiate."
"Isn't that kidnapping over there." Victor said, referring to Ivy, bound and gagged in the corner, "Another few years to boot."
"Give me that tape Victor and I'll see to it you walk out of here intact." Fritz said, producing the medallion, Victor's medallion.
"Do you really think I'm that stupid." Garibaldi replied.
Fritz grabbed his wrist, "I broke your arm before Victor, I can do it again."
Fritz felt a stinging in his eyes as Victor threw the salt and pepper mixture into his face. "I'm not seven years old anymore Fritz. You can't kick me around any longer."
"Damn you Victor." He growled through stinging eyes, "I'll do more than break your arm now."
Victor wrested himself free, "Vae Victus, Fritz. Suffering to the conquered."
"You really think you've won Victor Garibaldi…I'll have that tape yet." Fritz growled, lunging blindly.
Garibaldi sidestepped but was caught around the waist, knocking him back. He grabbed Victor in a chokehold, "Who's conquered now. Farewell Victor Garibaldi. Farewell."
Just then the door opened again and several police officers came in, from an anonymous tip, courtesy of one Carmen Sandiego. "Vae Victus." Garibaldi choked out as he passed out.
~ ~ ~ ~
A few days later, Zack was recovering in the hospital and Ivy learned that Chief had authorized her and Zack to take a week's vacation in Florida. Victor had a few plans for that one.
Ivy saw a piece of paper slide under the door of her hotel room. The note said, "Get dressed and meet me downstairs.
Ivy did as the note instructed and saw a lone figure sitting in a chair in front of the hotel area in the airport. A medium built man wearing an all too familiar beat up leather jacket. "I know that the little rendezvous with Chester was a bit rushed back there at EPCOT. I can tell you haven't been there before and it really is quite a fascinating place all in all. First we'll have some breakfast, visit Zack for a while, and then have the rest of the day to ourselves. Cool?"
"Cool." Ivy said.
After visiting Zack in the hospital, who assured them he was gonna be back on his feet in a day or so, they spent the rest of the day with each other. He showed her around the park, which he said was what got him interested in science and philosophically made him think that there was hope for man.
"When I see how people can still write music dedicated to love, unity and peace I feel that hope for mankind exists. For every Desmond Fritz there's a man willing to make everything good for mankind. It kinda gives you hope." Victor said.
"Kinda, Victor, you have no idea. You've known so much pain, suffering and loss, I feel more than a little hope if for every Desmond Fritz there's a Victor Garibaldi born." Ivy replied.
As they stood, hand in hand, watching the parade, the song Tapestry of Nations playing. Victor said, "You know that first time I kissed you that was sort of spontaneous, I never imagined I was kissing someone I'd really wind up caring a lot about. You know when that asshole had gotten you, my heart stopped. I really thought I'd lose you. To tell you the truth I was scared to death that whole time but I knew I couldn't just leave you there."
"Victor, that was the bravest thing I've ever seen done." Ivy replied, "So now that Fritz is out of the ballgame, how do you feel?"
"Like a great burden has fallen from my shoulders." Victor replied, as they stood on a secluded spot by the World Showcase Lagoon.
"You know Victor, I'll never forget today if I live to be a hundred. You've been such a sweetheart all this time and I know that you try to act tough and hide that sensitive caring man underneath, let him out a little. I know you've impressed me with it." Ivy replied.
"Let me ask you something totally honest. What would be your idea of a very kissable moment?" Victor said playfully.
"Let me think, a lovely sunset overlooking beautiful, breathtaking scenery…" that was about as far as Ivy got before Victor drew her close.
"It is sunset, you know." Victor grinned and leaned forward. It was a long, long time before they parted.
~ ~ ~ ~
Why. Ivy asked herself as she sat on her bed, forcing herself to write the most difficult letter she would ever write in her life. Victor is the perfect man, but I can't stay with him because of Acme. Strange, the only thing that keeps us apart is one of the things we share in common. Farewell soul mate…
She saw Victor dozing on the couch, with Zack on the other bed. She slipped the repaired chain into the folded letter and put it into Victor's jacket pocket. She had received a summons from Chief that he wanted them back on the job tomorrow.
Poor Victor, I'm sorry I have to do this to you I hope you understand. I'm needed elsewhere and I don't think we can be with each other. It's so unfair, I find someone I can see myself with years from now but I can't be with him. Ivy thought as she woke Zack and they walked out of the room, paying the cashier at the desk.
The next morning Victor would wake up to find them gone and Ivy as well. All he had left of her was the letter a few photographs they took earlier that week, Ivy had some of them.
To be continued…
Disclaimer: Same as in the first chapter.
Victor and Ivy had been at this case almost the entire night. Both of them were feeling a more than little sleepy. They kept researching the backgrounds of assorted counselors, trying to find a hole, a weakness. "He's more clever than I imagined, moving from state to state, suckering parents out of money only to screw their kids up…" Victor said.
Ivy was lying face down on the desk. They had spent many futile hours at the archives trying to find anything that might catch the interest of the state investigators. Chester had disappeared and because of that, all of Chester's sources were either gone or lying low. There were at least a few empty Styrofoam cups lying around the general area of the computers and the wastebasket.
"Anything." Ivy said.
"No." Victor replied, "But I turned up an interesting coincidence He's been moving around from state to state, every time he packs up and leaves its when there's an abuse allegation. He lies low for a while, pulling some kind of details then reopens Scam Camp USA on an unsuspecting population."
"I can't think, Victor, we've been going through files all day and haven't found a thing." Ivy replied, impatiently, "Zack could be in serious trouble."
"Ivy, don't you think I've not been caring. For the past three days I've stuck with you throughout, following every lead…" Victor said, irritably then his tone grew apologetic, "Sorry, we're both pretty beat, I figured if there's any information it'd be in the Acme archives, but all they have is supposition, somehow all valid evidence has vanished."
"C'mon sleepy head, I'll get you back to your hotel." Victor said, helping her stand up.
"All the way across the country and I finally meet a gentleman." Ivy smiled.
Victor stopped dead in his tracks. Casually leaning against a pillar in the lobby was Carmen Sandiego, the most wanted thief in Acme history. "Carmen?" Ivy said, sleepily.
"Ivy, Victor, relax, I'm here with news on Zack." Carmen said.
"How do you know about this investigation?" Victor said, his tone turning accusing.
"Victor, I didn't betray either of you, but someone at Acme did." Carmen said, "All I know is that four days ago, Zack got into some trouble trying to stand up for a younger camper being bullied by the counselors. They punished him by placing him in some kind of building…"
"The Cooler you mean." Victor replied, "I must've spent more time in that thing during the summers than any place else at his damnable camp."
"Right. I'm sure Victor can tell you the gory details, but all I know is that Zack was in pretty bad shape when they put him in. Fortunately from VILE bugs at Acme HQ's phone lines, I have a complete transcript of every phone call he's made since he's been at that camp." Carmen said.
"Let's hear them then." Ivy said, suddenly with renewed vigor.
"First promise me you'll both get some sleep before trying anything after hearing this." Carmen said.
Carmen put the tape into a tape player. Playing over it was just standard stuff, all of Zack's casual talk, not inkling as to the abuses mentioned. "Carmen you think you could afford better quality tapes than this with all the stuff you steal?" Victor complained, "That static and tapping is terrible…"
"Wait, Victor, that tapping is to rhythmic to be static. Listen." Ivy said.
"Hey wait." Victor said, rewinding the tape.
"Morse code, Zack, I knew you'd come through little bro." Ivy replied triumphantly.
Zack's tap coded messages revealed a story about kids being locked up in solitary confinement, forced runs when the kids were already exhausted. Methodically Victor copied the transcript exactly as Ivy read them out. "Now all we need is that evidence I got, that will really bring the house down." Victor replied.
"We need a plan to get into the camp." Ivy stated, "And I think a little undercover work is in order."
Carmen began tapping out on the computer; "I've created you a false record, cover for this. Spend tomorrow studying it and then you can join up as a camper."
~ ~ ~ ~
Zack could barely move after that forced run and being made to lie on his back with his arms and legs at 90 degree angles from the ground along with the other so-called trouble makers. He lay exhausted on the surplus army cot in the bare concrete room with the locked door and solitary window. He heard a light tap on his cell door.
"Hey, I'm risking a lot doing this for you, but here, eat this to keep your strength." Said a mysterious voice. A Russian accent was its only characteristic as the shadowy figure threw a packet of crackers through the small aperture, "I'm going to escape and make contact with your sister. She and a friend of hers have been making a little trouble for Mr. Fritz with their investigation."
"Thanks. Who are you?" Zack said.
"I'm Jan Dodonna, I'm sort of the head of all little attempts to take care of you kids. No time to explain."
~ ~ ~ ~
Ivy and her 'police escort' were walked onto the campground. Parked in the so-called 'police van' Victor had the bug's tracking sensor located in the innocent looking elastic hair band in Ivy's hair. He had debated that he should go but Carmen argued he was too recognizable and thus too much of a risk. Once Ivy was dropped at the camp Carmen and Victor moved the van off at a distance for surveillance purposes.
~ ~ ~ ~
Jan Dodonna knew his escape had the counselors in an uproar searching for him. He knew if he got caught that he would be reamed beyond comparison but that despicable bastard was no better than a common criminal. He stayed still as two flashlight armed counselors made a sweep of the surrounding woods.
The majority of the counselors were out searching for him, and that's how he wanted it. He needed to draw as much of the staff away as possible so that the state inspector, showing up for his yearly tour, would be unpleasantly surprised by his disappearance. Without the aid of the number of staff members Fritz wouldn't be able to keep all the kids saying their programmed responses.
He just had to lay low for a day. And that meant being as silent as a mouse. A counselor walked not three feet in front of him as Jan lay under a bed of pine needles and palm fronds, hoping that some nasty spider wasn't crawling through his clothing.
That new camper that he observed was interesting, didn't Zack tell him that his sister had shoulder length red hair. He didn't have enough time to contemplate this as he lay silent as a stone.
~ ~ ~ ~
Ivy crept out of the girl's bunkroom, quietly, sneaking towards the main administrative area. There it was, on the desk of Fritz, the main body of evidence, Victor's source was really thorough if not a little weird. She laid a hand on it and then felt a large meaty hand clamp over her mouth. "So, the other half of Acme's finest team is on the case. Well, case closed sister…"
~ ~ ~ ~
Victor really began to worry when the bug was suddenly shorted out. "I'm going in." Victor said to Carmen, throwing on his battered brown leather jacket and walking towards the camp in the rising sun.
He looked the counselor at the gate in the eye and the pimply seventeen year old opened the gate under Victor's intense stare down. He strode purposefully into the administrative center and found no one in the building but evidence of a struggle in Fritz's office pointed him exactly where he needed to go…
~ ~ ~ ~
The rope cut into her wrists as Ivy regained consciousness. The big ape that had caught her was placing a strip of duct tape across her mouth. She could see Zack off in a corner, lying barely conscious on a cot.
"Well what do I do now that I've caught the other half of Acme's best team in my net? I'll tell you what. Tie a couple weights to you two, throw you into that lake and when and if your bodies are found I can make up the following story: two campers tried to escape the camp, but they stupidly tried to do it by swimming across the lake…"
"There's exactly one flaw in that story Fritz." Said a familiar voice he hadn't heard in five years. Walking into the open after years of hiding came a medium built, nineteen year old, "If you do that, there is a tape of your last few words, I think that's first degree murder maybe second degree if you hire yourself a good lawyer."
"Victor Garibaldi, I never thought I'd see you again. You know, maybe I should have left your scrawny little behind in that Sicilian orphanage where I found you." Fritz said, "You sorry ingratiate."
"Isn't that kidnapping over there." Victor said, referring to Ivy, bound and gagged in the corner, "Another few years to boot."
"Give me that tape Victor and I'll see to it you walk out of here intact." Fritz said, producing the medallion, Victor's medallion.
"Do you really think I'm that stupid." Garibaldi replied.
Fritz grabbed his wrist, "I broke your arm before Victor, I can do it again."
Fritz felt a stinging in his eyes as Victor threw the salt and pepper mixture into his face. "I'm not seven years old anymore Fritz. You can't kick me around any longer."
"Damn you Victor." He growled through stinging eyes, "I'll do more than break your arm now."
Victor wrested himself free, "Vae Victus, Fritz. Suffering to the conquered."
"You really think you've won Victor Garibaldi…I'll have that tape yet." Fritz growled, lunging blindly.
Garibaldi sidestepped but was caught around the waist, knocking him back. He grabbed Victor in a chokehold, "Who's conquered now. Farewell Victor Garibaldi. Farewell."
Just then the door opened again and several police officers came in, from an anonymous tip, courtesy of one Carmen Sandiego. "Vae Victus." Garibaldi choked out as he passed out.
~ ~ ~ ~
A few days later, Zack was recovering in the hospital and Ivy learned that Chief had authorized her and Zack to take a week's vacation in Florida. Victor had a few plans for that one.
Ivy saw a piece of paper slide under the door of her hotel room. The note said, "Get dressed and meet me downstairs.
Ivy did as the note instructed and saw a lone figure sitting in a chair in front of the hotel area in the airport. A medium built man wearing an all too familiar beat up leather jacket. "I know that the little rendezvous with Chester was a bit rushed back there at EPCOT. I can tell you haven't been there before and it really is quite a fascinating place all in all. First we'll have some breakfast, visit Zack for a while, and then have the rest of the day to ourselves. Cool?"
"Cool." Ivy said.
After visiting Zack in the hospital, who assured them he was gonna be back on his feet in a day or so, they spent the rest of the day with each other. He showed her around the park, which he said was what got him interested in science and philosophically made him think that there was hope for man.
"When I see how people can still write music dedicated to love, unity and peace I feel that hope for mankind exists. For every Desmond Fritz there's a man willing to make everything good for mankind. It kinda gives you hope." Victor said.
"Kinda, Victor, you have no idea. You've known so much pain, suffering and loss, I feel more than a little hope if for every Desmond Fritz there's a Victor Garibaldi born." Ivy replied.
As they stood, hand in hand, watching the parade, the song Tapestry of Nations playing. Victor said, "You know that first time I kissed you that was sort of spontaneous, I never imagined I was kissing someone I'd really wind up caring a lot about. You know when that asshole had gotten you, my heart stopped. I really thought I'd lose you. To tell you the truth I was scared to death that whole time but I knew I couldn't just leave you there."
"Victor, that was the bravest thing I've ever seen done." Ivy replied, "So now that Fritz is out of the ballgame, how do you feel?"
"Like a great burden has fallen from my shoulders." Victor replied, as they stood on a secluded spot by the World Showcase Lagoon.
"You know Victor, I'll never forget today if I live to be a hundred. You've been such a sweetheart all this time and I know that you try to act tough and hide that sensitive caring man underneath, let him out a little. I know you've impressed me with it." Ivy replied.
"Let me ask you something totally honest. What would be your idea of a very kissable moment?" Victor said playfully.
"Let me think, a lovely sunset overlooking beautiful, breathtaking scenery…" that was about as far as Ivy got before Victor drew her close.
"It is sunset, you know." Victor grinned and leaned forward. It was a long, long time before they parted.
~ ~ ~ ~
Why. Ivy asked herself as she sat on her bed, forcing herself to write the most difficult letter she would ever write in her life. Victor is the perfect man, but I can't stay with him because of Acme. Strange, the only thing that keeps us apart is one of the things we share in common. Farewell soul mate…
She saw Victor dozing on the couch, with Zack on the other bed. She slipped the repaired chain into the folded letter and put it into Victor's jacket pocket. She had received a summons from Chief that he wanted them back on the job tomorrow.
Poor Victor, I'm sorry I have to do this to you I hope you understand. I'm needed elsewhere and I don't think we can be with each other. It's so unfair, I find someone I can see myself with years from now but I can't be with him. Ivy thought as she woke Zack and they walked out of the room, paying the cashier at the desk.
The next morning Victor would wake up to find them gone and Ivy as well. All he had left of her was the letter a few photographs they took earlier that week, Ivy had some of them.
To be continued…