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That is not Mumei Mu but his friend, I'm updating in his place.
I'm alive! And…Well, please see profile for details. It's very important.
Before you all rush off to read the latest chapters/stories, there are important thing you all need to know. I highly recommend everyone to read one to three chapters a day, depending on your time and/or whatever reason you have. I don't want anyone to read everything in one sit…And I know some of you guys will attempt to do that, please don't. I mean it.
Some questions won't be answered to avoid the spoilers and if I miss some questions, sorry!
Let me warn you all, if you have seen Carmen Sandiego show then you know the next few chapters going to have some sudden jumps here and there, not to mention the timeline and timezone. I mean, they're at one country then suddenly at other country on other side of the world in a single day/short time. Also I'm not going to write everything until there's some changes.
Most characters might be OOC and there might be some grammar errors but I'm trying my best.
Enjoy the second chapter of CMIYC!
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, Carmen Sandiego and anything else mentioned in this story.
Chapter 2: Chasing A Fox…
Carmen rub the spiral medallion under her shirt with thumb and index finger with guilty look as she replay the memory of Naruto in this chair over and over in her head, she have been trying to figure out how to rescue him with her allies for who know how long and the memories came to her with vengeance after her run-in with Graham in France. 'I hope I can save you sooner before it's too late.' She sighed softly as she type into her red laptop and Zack enter the cabin from the pilot's cockpit.
"All right, sis, bring on the grub." Zack rubbed his hands eagerly as Ivy looked up from her magazine.
"Whoa, were you not informed that Operation Picnique a la Parisian was canceled?" Ivy smirked with arched brow.
"What?" The orange-haired brother widened his eyes at her before he groan, "Ivy! You had one little job to do while I picked up Carmen at the train station." His index finger went up in air, "One!" He turned away with hand up near his chin as he said dreamily, "Rustle up big blocks of tangy cheese and those long, fresh-baked hoagie rolls."
"Yum, baguettes." Carmen said.
"Not helping, Carm." Zack sit down in his chair with a sharp exhale.
"I had my orders, little bro." The orange-haired sister replied, "Boot the buns and cut the cheese to save your bacon."
"Bacon?" Her brother groaned, "Definitely not helping."
"So, how long before you toss them off the plane?" Player joked from the laptop.
"Eh, in-flight entertainment." Carmen shrugged her shoulders before she look at the next destination, "So, we're off to Indonesia."
"Yup." Player replied and her team listen to him as he rattle off some info about Indonesia and their next mission with their comments added in.
Somewhere in Indonesia, Tigress smirk wickedly as she receive the latest intel from the headquarter and she tap her headgear then turn to her current partner with evil smile. "Guess who is going to have a special reunion with you, Kitsune?" She said to an athletic blonde. The blonde wear a fox mask, tight black full-body spandex with some sleek armor pieces, gray pouch at his hip, boots and he carry an odd metal rod on his back and several kunai knives, tucked into his armguards' holding. "That's right, one little mutton." A red light flash within the fox's mask as Kitsune lifts his head up.
"Objective…" Kitsune said robotically, "Capture Black Sheep alive. Main mission…Ensure bioweapon to be deliver to its destination at any cost." Tigress turns to bark at the workers in laboratory to load the truck up faster, not caring about her partner's condition.
The truck race down the dirt road on the edge of cliff at a modest speed as the masked blonde drive it and Tigress was sitting in the passenger seat until she hear something land on the top of the truck. "Something tells me that was no Komodo dragon." The platinum blonde climbed out through the window, flipping over onto the top to see Carmen. "Hiyass!" She smirked smugly with flicked claws.
"Tigress." Carmen narrowed her eyes at her, "Haven't seen you since…"
"Morocco." Tigress finished her sentence with a sneer, "The pit. You broke my glasses."
"You didn't protect the face." The lady in red retorted.
"You may want to protect yours before I rearrange it!" The platinum blonde replied before she charge toward her opponent and she swipe her claws at Carmen with battle cries as the red-clad thief evade each swinging and few kicks. When Tigress leap up in air, Carmen thrust her foot out to her stomach and the platinum blonde skid backward across the top of the truck as her claws raked the top in process.
While the women were fighting on the top, Kitsune turn the wheel around sharply as the vehicle swerve around the twisting road in attempt to throw his enemy off and he notice a jeep racing up behind the truck with a orange-haired teenager girl on its hood. The masked blonde take one kunai out of his forearm holding and he fling it backward out the window and the knife stuck into the hood, a couple meters away from Ivy's foot as she yelp out in surprise.
"You okay, sis?" Zack hollered out to his sister worriedly as he quickly move the jeep closer to the rear to avoid another flying kunai.
"I'm fine!" Ivy hollered back as she pointed at the truck's backdoor, "Just get close!" She wait until the jeep get close before she jump onto the backdoor, clutching on the padlock to keep her balance as her feet place themselves on the bumper and Ivy start to picking the lock.
"What's in the truck, Tigress?" Carmen demanded after she parried her opponent's jab.
"Wouldn't you like to know." Tigress grinned wickedly with narrowing eyes.
"Yes, I would." The redhead said, "That's why I'm asking."
"You would have ask who's in the truck instead of what." The platinum blonde teased as the redhead's eyes widened, "That's right, your boyfriend."
"Naruto?" Carmen's eyes flicked to the front before she narrowly evade Tigress' surprise swipe, resuming their fight as the truck race through the forest.
Kitsune see a large boulder in the road ahead and he run over it, causing the truck to jolt up and it nearly knock everyone off their feet as Ivy cling onto the swinging door for her life with a startled shout.
"Sis!" Zack called out worriedly after he clean the durian's juices off the window and Carmen notice her partners before she fly-kick Tigress away from her then holler down to her.
"Ivy, I'm gonna shoot you a line!" The redhead bring her grapple gun via her sleeve and she was about to shot her the rope but Tigress grab her from behind, kicking her down on the roof.
"Now, about that little nip and tuck." Tigress stroll up to the groaning redhead evilly as the red-clad thief turn over and the blonde was about to swing downward at her enemy but her wrist was grabbed by the redhead. At same time, Zack spot another road that split from the main road and he take it to go under his sister.
"Ivy!" The orange-haired brother waved to get his sister's attention and Ivy wait for the perfect time until the jeep move into her range before she jump down onto the hood with a thud, tumbling backward into the chair next to her brother.
"Oh!" Ivy gagged few times as she held her nose, "Whoa! What crawled in here and died?"
"Durian." Zack grinned sheepishly as he quickly drove back to the truck.
Back with Carmen, the redhead place her legs under Tigress' torso while holding her claw back and she thrust her legs up to push her enemy away from her then flip up on her feet. She peeks over the truck to see Ivy waving from the jeep to her relief then she bend down to peek inside the back of the truck, "Skyrockets!" Carmen said as soon as she see boxes of fireworks and she get up, only to get knocked off the truck by Tigress' leaping kick as her grapple gun fired off to hit the jeep's right front tire. Zack swerve the jeep around as Carmen fall and she manage to roll over the hood with her hand planting onto it then flip over to land on the roof of the jeep and backflip off to land on her feet on the ground in an amazing acrobatic feat. She look up to the truck as it become a dot in her eyes and she walk over to pick her hat up with a small sad frown, "Naruto…" She doesn't know if her best friend is really in this truck or Tigress was lying to get her off guard.
"Naruto?" Ivy raised her eyebrow at her and Zack lean back behind his sister with equally raised eyebrow as Carmen sighed to herself, look like she have to tell them few things about her past while giving Player some info about the items inside the truck.
The Indonesian folk music blare loudly as the people celebrate a festival and in the shadow, Kitsune and Tigress were setting the rigged fireworks up before the platinum blonde bring her wrist up to look at her beeping watch as Dr. Bellum pop up on its screen. "Dr. Bellum, bioweapons are locked, loaded, and ready to launch." Tigress said.
"Tigress, you know the rules." Dr. Bellum grinned, "Nothing must seem out of the ordinary. The fireworks must launch as scheduled. When the puppet show is over, and not a moment before."
"You do realize that means risking another surprise visit by Fedora the Explorer, or whatever she's calling herself these days." The platinum blonde hissed until the blondes hear someone up in a tree.
"You can call me Carmen." Tigress turned around to meet flying double kick to face, sending her tumbling backward with groan as Carmen land on her feet with crossed arms.
"Name-calling, another reason I unfriended you." Carmen said almost mockingly before she dodge a swinging blade with a duck as she backflip away from the assailant and she look up to Kitsune with his sword out, the blade expanded from its pole. "Naruto…" She gasped softly.
"Stand down, Kitsune, she's mine." The smirking feline-themed thief stand up as the masked blonde retreated his blade with a click before she speak to her watch, "Permission to break protocol and launch the spores." There was no reply, "Dr. Bellum?" A moment of distraction earns her a leaping kick from the redhead, "Kitsune! Stay with the fireworks and make sure it go smooth as planned, if anyone show up to stop it, get them!" She tackled Carmen, forcing her to backpedalling with each swipes.
In a bush near the firework stand, the sibling peek up then the brother turn to his sister with a grin. "Alright, Ivy." Zack said, "You distract one brainwashed dude and I'll handle the firework."
"Yeah, a brainwashed assassin." Ivy glared at her brother, why do she have to draw a short straw?!
"Hey, he don't kill anyone…" The orange-haired brother paused for a moment, "I think?"
"That don't make me feel any comfortable…" The grumbling orange-haired sister sneak out to gain some good distance before she holler at the masked blonde with waving arms, "Yo, fox boy!" Kitsune turn his head to her, "I'm here to help Carmen stopping the firework show. You better stop me!" The masked blonde just stare at her, "…Okay…" She pick a baseball-sized rock up while keeping eye contact, "I know you're brainwashed and all that but…Sorry!" She chucked it at him, hitting his shoulder and that get his attention on her as he walk toward her. "I seriously hope you don't kill me!" Ivy ran into the forest while throwing some rocks and stick at the masked blonde as he chase her.
Zack slowly rise from the bush then run over to the firework stands while muttering to himself, "I seriously hope he don't kill her or our folks are gonna be pissed off at me."
"SHIT, SHIT, SHIT!" Ivy cussed her head off as she weave through the woods while dodging the flying knives, "WHOSE IDEA WAS IT TO DRAW STRAWS?!" A kunai narrowly miss her ear as it stuck into a tree ahead of her and she dove to other side with a yelp. She quickly peek over her shoulder to see Kitsune leaping across the trees from branch to branch, "SERIOUSLY, DO THEY TEACH HOW TO DO THAT IN BAD THIEVES SCHOOL OR WHAT?! THAT IS CHEATING!" The screaming orange-haired girl ran for her life, she never imagines that she'll be chased by an evil super-ninja in her whole life until now!
"Hey, sis!" Zack's voice spoke within Ivy's earbud as the firework went off in distance, "All done here!"
"FINALLY!" The orange-haired girl shouted before she cry out in startle as soon as Kitsune land in front of her with his pole out and he was about to push the button but Ivy smirk to his confusion. "You should have stay with the skyrockets. I'm a distraction." The masked blonde stared at her for a moment before his head snap up as if he was surprised and he run off toward the theater as Ivy release her breath. "Phew!" She inhale oxygen greedily as she touch her earbud, "Zack, next time…You'll be…Distraction…Because I'm…Never doing…That again…If we…Run into…Carmen's friend again…Phew!"
With Kitsune, he ran with haste until he nearly collide with Tigress and the platinum blonde smirk at him. "Kitsune, it's done." She said, believing that she have completed the mission perfectly, "Let's get out of here."
"No, we must go back and complete it." Kitsune moved past her, "And capture Black She…"
"Ugh, Kitsune!" Tigress took a recorder out with a scowl as she clicked it, "Listen."
"Longing." The tape played as the masked blonde frozen with few violent twitches, "Spiral. Darkness." Kitsune clenched his head with more twitches, "Daybreak. Ten. Benign. Nine." He seems to suffer a mini seizure with painful roar, "Gold. One. Sheep."
"Homecoming." The platinum blonde said firmly as Kitsune froze in silence before he straighten up robotically then turns around to her, "Let's get out of here."
"Yes." The masked blonde replied flatly before the blondes take off, unawake of the fact that someone witnesses the whole thing in distance and this person is Ivy, who was hiding in a thick low bush.
"Oh, fuck!" Ivy whispered to herself, "I better tell Carmen about that." Maybe the information about this recorder can help them save Carmen's best friend? She quietly sneak back to her allies while staying on guard because she don't know if one of the blondes will suddenly show up for any reasons, better safe than sorry.
"WHAT?!" Tigress snarled in disbelief as Dr. Bellum inform her of failure, "HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?! I set the green skyrockets off, not the red ones!"
"Well, somehow you launch the red skyrockets instead of green." Dr. Bellum shrugged with a disappointed sigh, "Now I have a full warehouse of VILE brand rice that we can't get rid of."
"Ugh, that is all his fault!" The feline-themed thief pointed to Kitsune, "If it wasn't for…"
"Aha, ah, don't blame him for your failure." The smirking mad scientist waggled her finger at the platinum blonde, "Kitsune was following his orders until you mess it up. The mask recorded everything and you told him to get anyone if they show up to stop the firework when you should just say, 'Stay with the fireworks no matter what happen'." Tigress gritted her teeth furiously to Dr. Bellum's amusement before the scientist turn to the masked blonde, "Kitsune, professor Maelstrom have a mission for you. Please go meet El Topo and Le Chevre at the pier."
"Affirmative." Kitsune turned away from them and he walk toward the direction of the pier as the scientist smirk to the scowling blonde woman.
"Are we getting close to there?" El Topo asked as he put his scuba gear on, they have been sailing for few days and he was getting a little antsy due to the lack of earth.
"Almost there." Le Chevre replied, steering the boat.
"Get it." The bulky thief turned to the masked blonde as he checks the oxygen tank properly, "…Le Chevre, is it possible to hold conversation with Kitsune?"
"No, not since after the program." The bearded thief replied, "You can't talk to him about anything until it's related to mission."
"Oh." El Topo uttered before he frown slightly, "Well, I don't like it. The whole mind mumbo jumbo thing."
"Better him than me." Le Chevre shrugged his shoulders, "And beside, if anyone bring it up to V.I.L.E. about that then they'll get punished. Remember what happened to Graham? He has to clean the whole campus up and take some creepy test with Professor Maelstrom then train with this crazy bitch with papers for weeks." He shuddered, "Good thing he can't remember anything after his failure."
"I feel you there." The bulky thief shuddered, he have seen this poor brunette stumble around for weeks until he was send to France.
"We're here." The bearded thief checked the GPS as he slow the boat down, "The shipwreck with Spanish doubloons should be around here." He turn to his partners as Kitsune fastened the oxygen tank on the bulky thief's back, "El Topo, go." The said thief give him a thumb-up before he roll backward into the ocean and the thieves move inside the ship, unawake of a fishing boat moving closer toward their ship. It took about eight minutes until Le Chevre notice this boat, "Stay here, Kitsune." He ordered the masked blonde as he step out to leap down onto the fishing boat to question the 'fishermen'. Few minutes went by and the bearded thief wave up to Kitsune to drop him the rope until he suddenly turn to the fishermen with hook but…
"HELP!" Everyone look over the hulls to see El Topo flinging his arms around with frightened gasps, struggling to keep himself afloat. "HELP!" Le Chevre quickly pick up a lifebuoy and he was about to throw it out, only to be push into the ocean by the orange-haired siblings before the fishing boat speed away from their boat. Kitsune toss the splashing thieves a rope and they climb upon board with few coughs.
"W-W-What happened?" Le Chevre asked his bulky partner.
"C-Carmen Sandiego." El Topo coughed some saltwater out, "She took the tank's hose off and my helmet got flooded…O-Oh, and a tuna swallow a doubloon up then it get caught in fishing net. I saw the boat moving this way." He pointed at the coast of Ecuador, "I manage to tag this boat. We gotta find this fish and gut it to get our doubloon."
"…How in the world can that happened?!" The bearded thief deadpanned after few minutes of staring and he get up to steer the boat with some grumble.
"If Carmen Sandiego is after this doubloon, it must be worth a fortune." Le Chevre spoke to Professor Maelstrom via smartphone as he stow a tracker into his pocket, the trio of thieves were at the pier.
"How very delightful to hear, Le Chevre, because papa needs a new pair of cuff links." Professor Maelstrom lift his wrist up with a grin.
"Of course, Professor Maelstrom." The tall thief smirked wickedly, "A vault filled with cuff links of every shape and color."
"And gold rings for every finger." El Topo snatch the phone from his partner as he wiggled his other fingers before he tap his chin, "A fancy limousine or a spectacular yacht." He shook his head, "No, wait. Your very own private golf course." The professor stared eerily, "Uh, I can chase away the gophers for you."
"The point being this golden trinket will enable you to buy anything your dark heart desires." Le Chevre took his phone back.
"Buy?" The sighing professor arched his brow uninterestingly, "I don't think you understand. I intend to melt that doubloon into a pair of solid gold cuff links."
"Melt?" The bearded thief blinked owlishly, "But it is worth…"
"I will be the first on the island." Professor Maelstrom examined his cuff with a cruel smug grin, "Countess Cleo will be so envious."
"…What?" Le Chevre stared at his boss ridiculously.
"Go get me this doubloon." The professor waved them off before the call end.
"…What?" The bearded thief repeated to the black screen with glassy eyes, is his boss really going to melt valuable doubloon into golden cuff links?!
"…Ooh boy, and we have to climb up this mountain…" El Topo turned to the direction of tallest mountain with a small sigh, "I hope we don't get altitude sickness." It will take them hours to reach the town atop by vehicles.
"Kitsune, go look for this coin-swallowing tuna in the back." Le Chevre said to Kitsune via his mask's earpiece and the masked thief quietly sneak into the backstage through a wall's gap on the beam in shadow while the auctioneer rapidly call out numbers after numbers under him. The masked blonde scan the carts under him as he ignored some shouting in front area until a flash of red catch his eyes and he look down to see Carmen throwing a fish at El Topo's legs, tripping him over in process as the fish slip out of his hold. Carmen spring off the bulky thief's back to grab the fish but it was snatch out in midair by Le Chevre, near the door with net gun, only to be tackle down by Ivy and Zack as they jump in through the door. The lady in red was about to help her allies until the masked blonde drop down in front of her, causing her to halt in her track.
"Naruto." Carmen gasped softly with widened eyes.
"Black Sheep, captive target, nonlethal." Kitsune stand up, drawing his pole out and it expand into a staff.
"Snap out of it, Naruto." The redhead slide into her stance, she really don't know to in this situation but she gotta try and reach him because she know Naruto is somewhere in there, fighting to break this spell…She hope. "You gotta fight…" She quickly take a step back to avoid the swinging staff as her allies fight and chase the evil thieves while fumbling with tuna in background, "Fight the brainwashing, not me!" Carmen quickly evade several swinging with backpedal and she stomp on the end of the staff when it hit the ground, pinning it down as she grab a random fish. She swing it at the masked blonde's head, only to miss as his head tilt back and he yank his staff up, forcing the lady in red to lost her balance for a second before she regain it by deliver a roundkick.
Kitsune quickly block her kick with his staff and the force behind her kick cause him to skid few inches back. He tried to swing his staff but Carmen bounce off the pole with a backflip to gain some distance between them and she discover it was an mistake when Kitsune thrust his pole at her, adjusting its movement by holding it through his other hand with small opening. If she move to right, he'd move the back end of his pole to left which move the staff to right with rapid swing, due to other hand and he attempt to hit Carmen with rapid thrusting swings. Some blows hit Carmen in random spots, pushing her back and the lady in red's back nearly collide with the fish cart.
"Ugh, I kept forget how unpredictable you can get with this bo staff." Carmen winced slightly before she kick a cart toward Kitsune and he leap over it, only to get hit in stomach by a large fish, thrown by Carmen. He almost hit the floor with his back until he quickly smash the pole down behind him, pushing himself up while regain his bearing as he prevent his falling and swinging his staff upward at the red-clad thief. "Whoa!" She stepped back as the edge of pole barely graze her chin and she feel her necklace slip out of her collar with a clang before she quickly return to her stance while grab the medallion to make sure that the strings don't break. Kitsune swing his weapon downward at her head as she quickly bring her arms up above her head to block it but…It stop in mid-swing and she blink confusingly at Kitsune's action then she look back to him to see that he was staring at the necklace.
"…Spiral…?" Kitsune whispered dazedly as he watch the orange spiral dangling around her neck, there is something about this necklace and it make his head ache as if something was trying to force its way into or out of his mind.
"D-Do you know what it is?" The redhead holds her necklace up with pleading yet hopeful expression, "It's your necklace, it have been with you since you were a baby, the only one link to your past. You always chase me every single time I steal it when we were little, do you remember that?"
"…My…Necklace?" The masked blonde slowly reach out for it and Carmen baited her breath shakily, is it really going to work? Is she going to get her best friend back? However…
"KITSUNE, BAIL!" El Topo hollered suddenly as he hold Le Chevre up with tuna, he accidentally knock his partner out when he swing this big tuna around. It snap Kitsune out from his dazed state and the masked blonde quickly leap back away from the lady in red to his partners then he take a smoke ball out of his pocket.
"NO!" Carmen leaped forward with widened eyes, attempting to grab him but it was too late when the ball hit the floor and the smoke quickly covers everyone's sight. She wave the smoke away with coughs until it clear up to reveal nothing but empty spot and she quickly look around for any signs of him. "…No…" She frowned sadly, few more minutes and she might have got him back.
"It's okay, Carm." Zack pointed to his sister, "She got the doubloon." El Topo didn't notice that the coin flew out of the tuna's mouth when he swung it around, "How lucky is that?"
"…Well, that's one good thing out of today…" The redhead sighed and the siblings exchange looks, they understand why she's upset.
"It's going to be okay, Carmen, we'll get him and fix that." Ivy placed her hand on Carmen's shoulder.
"…Yeah, hopeful soon." Carmen smiled lightly as she rubbed her necklace, if this object can make Naruto react like that then it's possible the brainwashing can be broke if she does it right.
"Carmen, you know the series of art heists that I have been following on, the one that replace arts with forgeries?" Player spoke on Carmen's laptop as soon as the redhead aboard the boat with the siblings, "You should go to Amsterdam right away."
"Why?" The redhead asked and the orange-haired siblings listen in.
"The mastermind behind that is planning a meeting to sell the real artworks but that's not all." The hacker said, "Naruto is going to be there as a bodyguard, which mean…"
"A chance to catch him!" Carmen's eyes lit up, "Two birds, one stone!"
"Yes!" Player replied, "So what's the plan?"
"Undercover?" Ivy smirked.
"Undercover." The redhead smirked back and Zack just shrug his shoulders, he's just a getaway driver but he'll willing to do anything to catch Naruto for his friends. The group start to plotting their next caper.
Cleo walk toward a certain room with Naruto behind her, the blonde was wearing a tuxedo with white gloves and pair of black dress shoes, and his dull eyes lack lights. They can hear the voice of Dash Haber inside this room, "I present to you Countess Cleo…" The said woman step in with her bodyguard as they look at a orange-haired young man in tuxedo with briefcase, "The queen of mean, the empress of distress, the hostess…"
"Zip it." Cleo said uninterestingly and slight annoyance as she walk past her assistant and the orange-haired man grab her hand with a kiss.
"Buona sera, mia bella contessa." Zack said with British accent. Inwardly, he was sweating heavily because he accidentally mess everything up the other day when he answer the door, thought it was the room service but it was Dash and this guy thought Zack was the duke so he have no choice but to go in Carmen's place. Zack bet the redhead was banging her forehead on the van's dashboard and cursing his name, which she actually did for first two minutes. 'I better make it up to her.' He sneaks a glance at the blonde, 'But how?'
"The work of art." The Egyptian woman said.
"'Course!" The orange-haired man opened the case to reveal the artwork, "Quite luminous, wouldn't you say?"
"Wunderbar." Cleo replied before she glance sideway at her assistant, "Wire the funds." Dash walk over to a laptop then wire millions to an account before he walk back to the group.
"Shall we dine, Countess?" Dash asked with his arm out.
"Aren't you forgetting something, Monsieur Haber?" The Egyptian woman said before she shove the artwork's case into her assistant's arms then walk to Zack's side, grabbing his arm. "My assistant…" She led him out as Naruto follow them few steps behind, "He thinks Vermeer's a neighborhood in Boston."
"Imagine!" Zack shared laughter with Cleo, "His idea of art is probably a painting of dogs playing poker!" They chat a bit until they enter a dining room with several people and they take their seat as Cleo clink her glass with spoon.
"Vilest art enthusiasts, my deepest gratitude for attending this once-in-a-lifetime event." Cleo announced with her glass up, "The art auction will directly follow dinner. Allow me to at least fill your bellies before emptying your bank accounts."
"Here, here!" Her guests raise their glasses for her and the cleaners enter the room with food trays, placing them on table the lift the lids up to allow the guests fetch their meals while talking. Dash later joins them.
"When the countess asked me to replicate each of Vermeer's masterworks, I welcomed the challenge to capture their essence." A person with long blond hair said as Zack glances at his utensils and set in confusion and he picks a cup up.
"Well, it seems the challenge for Monsieur Duke here is remembering to drink from his own water glass." Dash said snobby with a smirk and Zack realize that he just took the long-haired person's cup.
"Sticky fingers." Zack came up with a excuse as he wiggled his fingers, "Uh, once a thief, always a thief, right?" He looked around sheepishly until Cleo place her hand on his arm.
"Well, aren't you naughty?" The Egyptian woman chuckled before she turns to her guests, "We shall all have to watch our billfolds around this one." The guests laughed and Dash sneered at the 'duke'. The orange-haired man give his seatmate the glass back and he pick the right cup up to sip some water until he notice that Naruto was staring at him blankly, causing him to sweat bullets inwardly.
'Oh, shit! Oh, shit, shit, shit!' The orange-haired man kept sipping his water as the blonde kept staring for some good amount of time, 'Does he remember me? Wait, can a brainwashed person remember someone? Is that it? Is that how I'm going to die?!' He release his breath when Naruto look away from him to other guest and he notice the cleaners walk in with big tray. "Oh, yeah!" Zack paused before he look to Cleo, "Uh, what's for dessert?"
"Baked Alaska." Cleo replied, "But first, a palate cleanser, dredged from the Russian sea just this morning. Fresh beluga caviar." That causes the 'duke' to arch his brow in confusion.
"Oh!" A woman giggled as the guests eat spoonful of caviars.
"This, uh…" The 'duke' smacked his lips, "This wouldn't be…" He shuddered, "Fish?"
"Of course not, you cheeky monkey." The Egyptian woman gave him a light smirk as a janitor place a bowl in front of Zack, "It's fish eggs." That draw an gulp from the 'duke'.
"What's wrong, Duke?" Dash jested, "Not a fan?" He put some caviars in his mouth then eat it with open mouth, "Mm…" Suddenly, his mouth was covered with a iron grip as the assistant struggle to pry it off with some winces.
"Thank you, Naruto." Cleo said calmly to her bodyguard as he kept holding Dash's mouth in place with blank look before she look to her assistant with disgusted expression, "Dash, you should know better than to chew with your mouth closed." She flick her hand up and Naruto release Dash's mouth as the assistant coughed roughly, some caviar just went down the wrong pipe.
"I…" Zack glanced at the caviar bowl nervously, "In fact, love delicious, tiny, black non-chicken eggs that don't taste anything like chicken." He slowly pick a spoon up as he look at the bowl with heavy sweats as if he was disarming a bomb, scooping some up and he slowly bring it up to his mouth while everyone look at him.
"Funny, I never realized." The assistant laughed mockingly, "Duke rhymes with puke." The 'duke' gagged before he attempt to eat it until the doors swing open with a smash, drawing everyone's attention and they look up to see...
"Do not be alarmed!" Chase entered the room with his chest up, "I am Inspector Devineaux, and I'm here to warn you there may be a criminal in your midst!" The criminals stared at him.
"Is that so?" Cleo said and no one notice Zack tossing bowl of caviars over his shoulder.
"A twisted mastermind has been stealing priceless works of art from museums across Europe." The inspector walked around the table with hands behind his back before he turn to Cleo, "She is a true menace." He paused to glance at Naruto with a quizzical brow, wondering why he look lifeless before he shrug it off, figuring he's just a teenager who don't want to be here.
"She?" The Egyptian woman arched her eyebrow up.
"Yes, indeed." Chase put his hand on table with a smug grin, "She." Naruto draw his kunai as the cleaners hold their chosen weapons above their head at his back, "Carmen Sandiego." Zack spit his water all over Dash's face as the cleaners and one blonde put their weapons away.
"Carmen Sandiego, here?" Cleo looked surprised before she turns her nose up, "Impossible." She secretly pushes a button under table to release the gas in her vault.
"No only might Carmen Sandiego be lurking somewhere on these premises, but I have reason to believe she is working with an accomplice…" The inspector walked a bit before he suddenly grab Zack's chair, "Who could be any one of you!"
"There she goes!" Zack pointed out to a figure speeding away on snowmobile through a window.
"La femme rouge!" Chase ran to the door before he turns back to the criminals, "Return to your meals!" With that, he went off to chase the 'lady in red' and everyone turn their heads to Cleo as she stand up.
"Dessert's off." The Egyptian woman narrowed her eyes angrily and she walk out with a snapping finger as Naruto follow her, pulling his pole out along with mask. By the time they reach the vault, Cleo narrowed her eyes farther when she see empty frames, but for one, and she walk up to a frame with Carmen's signature before she touch it lightly. "…You cooked." The cleaners appear behind them, "Now it's time to clean. Scrub the chateau. Kitsune, burn everything once they are done." The criminals obeyed her, departing the empty vault.
"So Ivy's playing herring?" Zack said to Carmen as he drove away from the mansion, "Huh. That's one fish I don't mind."
"You're not the only one who can nail a role, Duke." Carmen replied with a light smirk before she glance out the window to the mansion as it become small in her eyes and she sigh to herself.
"…I'm really sorry I ruin the whole plan." The driver said guilty, "If I haven't answered the door then…"
"It's okay." The redhead looked at him with a light wave, "I think the plan would go up in flame either way because we don't know that Chase would show up…This guy is sure persistent than we thought."
"…If it make you feel better, we might run into Naruto again on the next caper." Zack said as she blinked at him, "What? He always show up at each heist before we get there, it's as if we are chasing him."
"…You're right." Carmen crossed her arms with a thoughtful frown, if her best friend show up at the next one then there must be something more going on behind the shadow than she thought. Running into him few times are coincidence but not this many.
"Oh, and I finally saw Naruto without his mask." The driver smirked as she snapped out of her thoughts, "No wonder why you're crushing on him so bad."
"…What?" The redhead blinked with light blush, "H-How do you know…"
"You talk in your sleep sometime." Zack chortled, "You always go, 'Oh! Naruto, I love you! Kiss me, you big soft kitty!' and go all kissy-kissy face with grabby hands. Ivy took video of your sleep-talking for Player." Carmen gaped at him with embarrassing blush before she punch his arm, "Ow! That hurt!" She hit him again many times, "OW! OW! OW! STOP! I AM DRIVING HERE! OW!"
One night at an opera house in Australia, Naruto and Le Chevre tiptoe across the catwalk as the music play below them and the masked blonde preparing a gadget in his hand. Little did they know is that they were watching by Carmen behind the curtains on stage and she swiftly climb up to the catwalk then fire her grapple gun up at a beam before she swing toward them. "Is it ready, Kit…" Le Chevre asked before the lady in red suddenly snatches a gadget from Kitsune's hand, "Oh!" He yelped in surprise as the lady in red land on a frame above them, "Carmen?"
"Do you mean me or the opera?" Carmen smirked down to them with her necklace out in hope to reaching out to Naruto again.
"Hup, hup!" Le Chevre vaulted over the rail toward the red-clad thief and Kitsune swiftly climb up a pole to the top frame.
"What have we here?" The redhead examined the gadget as the thieves freerunning upward to her location with some acrobatic feats. The bearded thief reach her first as he spin around the bar under her and kick her back, pushing Carmen forward to the leaping masked blonde. Kitsune swing his expanding pole at her and the lady in red have no choice but to release the gadget to grab the swinging pole, winced at the contact when it hit her palm and use the momentum of her falling to spin them around, sending the masked blonde flying to other side of the catwalk. Carmen quickly grab the edge of the catwalk, dangling in air and she look down at the falling gadget until it clang on the skylight beam.
"Stall her!" Le Chevre barked to Kitsune as he jump down onto the skylight beam to pick up the gadget and Carmen drop onto the beam in crouch stance, her path to the bearded thief was immediately block by Kitsune when he drop down in front of her. "This will do." He vaulted over to another beam to get some distance away from them.
"Hey, Naruto-kitty, gonna chase me again like we did when we were little?" Carmen take her necklace out in open as she give him a teasing smirk, "Thinking about taking your necklace back?" Her team believes that if she treat him like usual and reminds him some certain things, it may liberate him from the brainwash. If not, plan B then…However, it's going to be little difficult right now because she has to stop Le Chevre from doing whatever he is going to do. She narrowly duck under Kitsune's thrusting staff and she attempt to leap past him but the masked blonde grab her by her coattail, yank her back as she quickly backflip over to regain her balance. "So that's how it is now, huh?" She barely noticed that the bearded thief hold the gadget out, aiming at the stage and some variation coming from its satellite dish in air. 'What did he just do?' She quickly leaps to other beam when Kitsune attempt to sweep her legs out with his staff.
"All done, we got the mark." Le Chevre said to himself loudly before he turn around, "Kitsune, let's get out of here." He vault himself up to the catwalk then jump onto a ladder, climbing up.
"Black Sheep." Kitsune said.
"Other times, now is not the right time to catch her." The bearded thief called down, "Get out of here."
"…Affirmative." The masked thief replied before the lady in red suddenly grabs his staff, causing him to deliver a kick to stomach and it propels Carmen across the beam until she fall down off the beam. She quickly grab the ledge and she look up in time to see Kitsune climbing out through the skylight then lock it from outside with a loud click before she pull herself up.
"Player, I have no idea what Le Chevre just did, but it looks like a VILE note." Carmen frowned up to the hatch, she could give a chase but the VILE thieves may get far away by the time she get up there.
"Good thing I was in record mode." Player said, "Let's play it back and find out. Oh, and were you able to plant a tracker on Naruto?"
"Yes, I managed to get it on his weapon." The lady in red said, "Let's hope he or VILE don't check for any bugs if they're planning to stick around." She has a good feeling it's not over yet.
=line=
"So how did it go with Crackle last night?" Ivy asked Carmen as they rode in a jeep, driving by their guide, across the harsh terrain in the outback.
"Soooo awkward, he was trying to flirt with me." Carmen shook her head with grimace as she listened to Player's Australia trivia, "It's like you getting hit on by your own brother."
"Ew." The orange-haired girl shivered with her brother, "Thank for giving me a nightmare tonight."
"I hear Kangaroos are wicked good boxers." Zack turned to the driver after seeing some hopping kangraroos, "Ever go a few rounds with one, Miro?"
"I can't say that I have." Miro said.
"Oh, well, how about a crocodile?" The orange-haired boy asked.
"No, sorry." The driver answered.
"I'm going to shove this rock into his mouth but I don't think it's bigger enough…" Ivy rolled her eyes at her brother annoyingly, "And we need him for the plan." She checked the tracker on her smartphone before she informs her friend, "Still there."
"Good." Carmen replied before she lean over to call Ayers Rock by its real name, which lead Miro to explain a bit about its history and his people.
At HelioGem's launcher zone, the Carmen music was playing on loop for a good amount of time but nothing seem to happen as Le Chevre frown to himself. "Why isn't the rocket launch yet?" The bearded thief muttered as he stare at the Boomerang rocket and he turn to his partners. "El Topo?" The bulky thief shrug his shoulders before he turn to the masked thief, "Kitsune, go inside and see why this Dr. Dennam don't launch it." The masked thief give him a nod before he hop down to the ground and make his way inside the laboratory stealthy as possible as he can. When he reach the main control, Kitsune scan the surrounding but there's no sign of Dr. Dennam anywhere and he hear something land behind him before he turn around to face Carmen.
"Hey, kitty." Carmen smirked at him with fist on her corked hip, "If you're looking for Dr. Dennam, she's a bit tied up at the moment."
"Black Sheep." Kitsune slide into a stance with his hand on his weapon's handle.
"Jeez, you used to be a chatty cat back then before they mess with your head." Carmen frowned, also sliding into her own fighting stance. "Can you say any more words than two or three?" The masked thief lunge at her, "Guess not." She duck under Kitsune's swing, lashing her leg out in attempt to sweep his legs out under him but the masked thief hop to avoid it and Carmen quickly scurry back to get some distance but Kitsune won't give her any chances with quick steps. He swing his staff down-leftward to her side, only to have it grab by the lady in red as she quickly deliver a pushing kick and it knock the masked thief back with couple stumble while she yank the staff out from his grip. "He, it's always so easy to steal from y…" Carmen felt a sharp jolt on her hand and she quickly tosses the staff far away from them, the electric run across the shaft with some crackling noise. 'Must be these bio-scan technology that Crackle mentioned.' VILE have improved their technologies in a short time since she escaped the island.
Kitsune charge toward Carmen once again and he throw a roundkick to her head, only to miss by few centimeters when she lean her head back. He suddenly deliver a snap kick with other leg and it land on her stomach, nearly knock breath out of her as she skid backward. The masked thief quickly follow it up with diving punch and Carmen parry it with her forearm as the fist barely nick her cheek.
The lady in red wrap her arm around his expanded arm to secure her hold on him then she pull him toward her and she thrust the bottom of her palm upward to his chin in aim to stun or knock him out. The masked thief suddenly smash his head forward to meet the palm thrust, halving her power and he break free from her grip by kicking her in stomach then cartwheel back as he attempt to hit her with his feet, only to miss when the lady in red leap back. "You're little rusty there, whatever happens to your unpredictable style?" She asked as she fixed her hat, "Did VILE 'fix' it?"
The masked thief was about to lunge at her again but a rope with small ball suddenly entrap his arm and the blonde look over to see the orange-haired siblings before they tug it as the masked thief skid slightly, resisting while taking his kunai out to cut it. Carmen quickly use this distraction as she run toward him, flipping into a handstand then launch herself up in air within couple seconds and she deliver a flying kick to her opponent. It land on his face, propelling him back in air until his back hit floor with a skid as the mask fling off with some clanging noises and the blonde lie still.
"Is he down?" Zack asked before the blonde suddenly flip back up on his feet, "Nope, not down."
"…Ugh…" Kitsune place hand on his head with a soft grunt before he look up to them as his dull eyes squirted slightly, "…La…Lamb chop…?" He said disorientated.
"Naruto?" Carmen gasped hopefully, "Naruto-kitty, do you remember me?" She lift her necklace up, "This?"
"…Ne…Neck…Lace…Mi…" The blonde winced dizzily and before they know it, Le Chevre come out of nowhere and shoving his feet against Carmen as the lady in red tumble back into her allies. The bearded thief turn his head to his bulky partner as El Topo pick the mask up.
"El Topo, don't look inside the mask or you'll end up like Kitsune!" Le Chevre barked out, unawake of the fact that the redhead and her allies can heard him since he was loud.
"Got it." El Topo keep the mask facing up as he quickly move to the dazed blonde's side, "Sorry about that." He said to the blonde as he put the mask back on the blonde and Kitsune straighten up. "Now what, Le Chevre?"
"…Bail out." The bearded thief frowned, it's clear as plain day that their mission have failed because of this redhead and he's not going to stick around to fight her and her partners. "Kitsune! KIRA!"
"Not so fast!" Carmen charge toward the thieves and the masked thief suddenly throw a ball down with a hard smash before she get blind by a bright flash along with her allies. When her sight return, the VILE thieves were long gone without any trace and Naruto's weapon was also gone. "No…" The redhead bring hand up to her forehead as she look down, "I almost got him back…" The orange-haired siblings exchange concerned look with each other, not sure how they can comfort her in this situation.
"…We'll get him next time." Zack patted her right shoulder.
"Yeah, and it look like he's not all gone like we thought." Ivy said, "He recognized you."
"…Yes." The redhead replied with determination, "And this time, we learn something new. The mask, we need to take this damn mask off him to bring him back."
"And don't forget about the code words." The orange-haired girl reminded her, "We need to do something about the recorders if these guys have it on them."
"Right." Carmen nodded before she turn to her partners, "Let's get out of here."
Somewhere in VILE island, a figure walk down the hallway before the person smash its fist on the wall with a annoyed growl. "Can't she just do one simple thing and capture Naruto?" The person growled under breath, this person have send Naruto to many locations on purpose in hope of having him running into Black Sheep and break him out of brainwash…But noooo, these damn agents kept getting in way and the redhead fumble around as if she have no idea what to do! "Oooo! If she keep bumbling around any longer, I'm going to…" The figure mumbled something before a sigh slip from its lip, "…I hope they can stop Naruto before it's too late…This mission…It can't happen at all cost…" The figure straightens itself up before resume walking.
And that end the second chapter of CMIYC!
And we opened with time jump! Carmen don't expect to run into Naruto on job…Many times and it's getting suspicious to her as she chase him around the world, foiling the VILE's plots at same time. At same time, there were some moments that Naruto seems to come out for a bit and some close call but the others get in Carmen's way but she manage to get some info on him and every bit count.
When will Carmen and her allies recue Naruto? Without messing up? What capers will they have? Who is this person at the end? What'll happen next? Let's find out in next chapter!
Anyway, I think that's all I can say for now. Thank you for your time to read it.
Please leave reviews and feedback here. The flames will be deal with by the cleaners.