Chapter 6, Stockholm Stillness Part 3

"How's Carmen?" Player asked the moment Shadowsan accepted his call, staring up at the elderly ninja worriedly.

"Unresponsive." Shadowsan answered. "She is still recovering from Stockholm."

Player bit his lip. "Hypothermia, right?"

"Yes." Shadowsan seemed much calmer than he had been when Player had originally informed him of the vigilante's condition. "I doubt she will be back on her feet within the week."

Player fidgeted slightly, worry pulsing at his chest. "I…I intercepted intel on a VILE operation going down in Antwerp tonight. What would Red want us to do?" Of course, he already knew the answer, but he wasn't going to ask Shadowsan to go unless if the former VILE faculty member volunteered.

Shadowsan froze for a brief instant, looking at Carmen. "I will handle it." He decisively said, standing and setting the computer down, strolling from the room to get prepared.

Player watched him go, slightly surprised. He was expecting Shadowsan to at least ponder on what he would do with Carmen while he was out; he hardly trusted the siblings to do anything of minor importance, much less take care of Carmen. Nonetheless, Player wasn't going to argue.

Dejectedly, looked down, wishing that he could rotate the camera so he could look at Carmen; to see her and assure himself that she was still alive. Still breathing.

( )

"We 'ould take shifts." Zack suggested to Ivy, glancing over the laptop screen to stare at Carmen. "Two hours each, yaknow?"

"That 'ould work." Ivy agreed.

"If you turned the computer around, I could also take a shift." Player pointed out, clenching his hands in frustration when they exchanged a surprised look. "I can watch her, you guys. And if she wakes up, she can talk to me. I'm just as capable as you guys are, in the flesh or on a computer screen."

"It's n't that we don'…" Ivy paused, glancing to the side nervously. "We don' trust ya or we're un'erestimatin' ya, but…eh… Carm's in rough con'ition, little dude."

"So?" Player shrugged, twitching uneasily.

"We don' want to worry ya." Zack admitted, bouncing up and down in his seat.

"I'm worried now more than ever." Player grunted while Ivy punched her brother in the arm, looking exasperated. "I've known her longer then both of you have. I can handle whatever condition she's in."

"'kay, but…eh, don' say we didn' warn ya." Ivy cautioned, turning around the computer so that Player could get a good look at Carmen. He inhaled sharply, feeling like he was just punched in the gut.

She was unbelievably pale, and her hair was a tangled mess. (Player realized he had forgotten to tell them that the hair was a wig, so she'd probably be more comfortable if they took it off.) She was shivering constantly, even buried underneath three quilts. She kept gasping for breath, shrinking into herself with every exhale.

Player gripped at the cuffs of his sleeves, taking a deep breath and fixing Carmen with a smile. "It'll be alright, Red. Zack, Ivy and I are here for you."

( )

"Hey!" Player waved a bit, glancing over to the computer on his left, where it relayed all the information from the latest VILE operation he had discovered.

"Hello, Player." Shadowsan greeted, sliding over to greet the young hacker, balancing a coffee cup in one hand. "What is the nature of your call?"

"Wanted to check in on Carmen. How is she?"

"Resting." Shadowsan told him. "She still has not roused since we wheeled her from the hospital."

Player nodded. "I figured."

Shadowsan watched him wordlessly, sipping quietly on his coffee. Player knew that the Japanese warrior blamed him for what happened to Carmen; he was cross that his figurative daughter had to suffer so much for what felt like nothing. Player was well aware that he believed that Ivy was less important, or at least could handle herself.

If Player was being honest, he blamed himself, too.

"VILE's trying to move military supplies from Kyyiv to Zagreb." Player warned after a moment, interrupting the silence, and Shadowsan nodded.

Shadowsan rose quickly, sighing. "Buy a ticket. I'll be at the airport in less than an hour."

He closed the computer on Player, busy calling for Ivy and Zack's assistance.

( )

"She's fine." Shadowsan said gruffly as he picked up the computer, already sensing what Player's inquiry would be. "Any VILE operations?"

"I'm afraid that chatter indicates VILE's up to something big in Krakow." Player admitted, crossing his arms. Shadowsan was no longer glaring at him, but instead looking weary. He was just…worried for Carmen.

Like Player.

The moment the word 'Krakow' left Player's throat, Shadowsan straightened. "Charter a plane. I'm leaving now."

He closed the computer, leaving Player to do what he requested.

Player wondered how long until Shadowsan would let him at least look at Carmen. He'd have to wait about an hour before calling again – to make sure Shadowsan was out the house – for the chance that Zack and Ivy would let him watch Carmen for a while.

( )

"How lon' do ya think it'll take 'er to wake up?" Ivy wondered quietly, staring at Carmen along with her brother and Player.

"We've been waitin' for three days." Zack mumbled, sighing. "I don't think she's wakin' up any time soon."

"She will wake up." Player assured. "She will."

"I hope so, li'le dude." Zack agreed. "I hope so."

( )

"I do not blame you for Carmen Sandiego's condition." Shadowsan told Player quietly, rubbing the bridge of his nose with two fingers, frowning quietly to himself. He glanced around the room, assuring that Ivy and Zack weren't listening – a little unusual, because they had long since retired for the night – before turning his attention back to Player. "True, you did not make the choice I would have, but…" He sighed. "I understand your reasonings."

"I know it wasn't the best choice." Player admitted, twiddling his thumbs. "I'm not the best leader. She is, and you are, but neither of you could make the decision at the time."

"I am surprised." Shadowsan admitted. "You and Carmen Sandiego are quite close. You did not let personal feelings get in the way of your decision. You choose the opposite of what would be expected from someone of your age."

"Ivy was captured." Player shrugged, not exactly sure if Shadowsan was complimenting or criticizing him, so he decided to try to sound neutral. "They thought she was Carmen. They could've severely injured her."

Shadowsan nodded at that, frowning thoughtfully.

Carefully, he took the computer in his arms, turning it to face Carmen, moving it to the edge of the table so that Player could see her face clearly.

She was still pale, Player noted, but she wasn't shivering anymore, and her cheeks were a bit more vibrant then the last time he had seen her. Someone had finally removed her wig, cutting her locks back to their natural shoulder-blade length hair.

"Hi, Carmen." Player said quietly, laying his hand against his screen, as if that would allow him to reach her.

He could hear Shadowsan stand up behind him, walking out of the room so that Player could get a moment alone with his best friend.

"It's me, Player." The young hacker told her the moment that Shadowsan was out the room. "You're going to pull through, Carmen, just like you always do. I'll be here if you need me, okay?"

Carmen didn't answer, though she did shift in her sleep.

Player regarded it as a win.

( )

A week after Carmen's brush with death, Player contacted Shadowsan again, voice rimmed with fatigue from all the nights he had stayed awake worrying about Carmen or watching Shadowsan's progress over monitors. "Get ready to track up more frequent flier miles. VILE's on the move in Taipei."

Shadowsan, looking even more exhausted then Player felt, did nothing more than rise and leave, not even bothering to summon Zack and Ivy to give them his usual lecture on how to take care of Carmen.

( )

Player rolled over in his bed for the seventy-third time in fourteen minutes, fifty-seven seconds, rubbing at his eyes. He had always been bad at sleeping, at keeping himself still long enough to do so. That's why he had taken up computers. He could transfer all of his pent-up energy into his fingers and type a mile a minute without slowing without having to do anything out of the comfort of his own room.

It was the middle of the day in his time, but he hadn't slept at all for the last two days, too worried for Carmen. It was better if he slept whenever he felt the slightest bit tired, even though…it wasn't working at all.

Player crawled out of his covers, shoving on his jacket and thumping down on his swivel chair. He pinched at the bridge of his nose, frowning to himself, reaching out to turn on his computer. The first thing that popped up was his tracker-screen, locked onto Shadowsan's black straw hat icon as he traveled from California to the Austrian Alps in a plane.

He wouldn't have to worry about Shadowsan for another hour, when he landed, and decided to devote his time instead to talking with Ivy and Zack. They'd probably hang up after a few minutes – insistent on him getting sleep, because they had guessed how sporadic his schedule was – but he really wanted to lay his mind to rest.

He sighed, taping on Carmen's computer. Ivy had reprogrammed it so that when he called, he didn't have to wait for them to pick up, but it would simply spring to life and allow him a visual to whatever they were doing. (If they didn't want him to call, they'd close the computer.)

His view opened up to the couch that the team typically sat on while watching Carmen, devoid of anyone. Ivy and Zack were probably elsewhere in the front room.

To announce his presence, Player called out, "Just checking in on our-"

Someone slipped into view, but it wasn't Ivy or Zack like he had been expecting. Instead, there was a flash of red, and Carmen slipped into view, dressed in her workout outfit with a towel draped around her neck. Okay. How long had she been awake?!

"-Patient!" Player finished in surprise, cocking an eyebrow.

Carmen lifted her brows at that, a bit amused. "Feeling strong, Player."

Player wondered how true that was. He had last called two hours ago, and she wasn't awake then. Why hadn't Ivy and Zack even texted him with her status update?!

"What have you got?" Carmen continued, tightening her grip around her towel, smiling slightly when he still hesitated.

Uncertainly, Player turned to his other computer, pulling up the latest case file. "For Shadowsan?" He said, hoping that she'd take the hint and not insist. "As soon as he completes his mission in the Austrian Alps…"

Carmen snorted with complete amusement, stating, "I'll take this one." Oh, boy. She insisted.

Ivy and Zack exchanged a fearful look behind her back.

Player squinted at her, knowing that if she gave him The Look™, he wouldn't be able to keep telling her no. "It's…not the easiest trip."

Carmen gave him The Look™, a confident smirk that told him that she'd be going whether he said yes or no. Or at least trying to go. "I'll take is slow." She said when she saw his pained expression. "Promise. Recon only."

Player really wished he could believe her. But if he told her no, she'd end up doing reckless stuff on the next mission that he did let her go on to retaliate. He bit his lip, glancing behind her at Ivy and Zack. The siblings nodded at him assuredly, and his shoulders relaxed. They'd keep a close eye on her and make sure she didn't strain herself.

"Okay." He sighed, and Carmen grinned in victory.