Published May 21, 2023

Takes place throughout season 4 episodes 4-8.

"A Spark of Hope"

Before reinstating Crackle as a V.I.L.E. operative—something that had never been done before—the faculty decided to put him through a refresher course, to make sure he could recall all the skills and knowledge he had learned as a student.

The refresher course turned out to be something of a test run, because they had to give a similar course soon after.

Professor Maelstrom informed him of the development, looking happy in his sinister way. "We have good news for you, Agent Crackle. Our little lost sheep has finally come home."

"Really?" That had been beyond Crackle's hopes for a long time. A part of him felt hopeful, but his stomach twisted as he considered how it could have been possible. "I'm guessing you don't mean voluntarily," he said, matching Maelstrom's lofty, ironic tone.

"You would be correct. But she soon will be. Dr. Bellum is seeing to that as we speak."

Crackle tried not to think about that.

While they waited for Carmen to be ready, Crackle was thrown back into the field alongside his old accomplices. Le Chevre and El Topo were overjoyed to see him again, and even Tigress cracked him a smile.

Crackle quickly rediscovered how satisfying and even fun it was to pull off a good heist. And the prospect of having Carmen with them sounded perfect. He was glad that Carmen was finally getting the chance that had been offered her eighteen months earlier.

When she finally joined them, it felt natural, even fitting, for her to be back with her former classmates. This was how it should have been from the beginning, and would have been if Shadowsan had not held her back from graduating: the five classmates working together, all the better for Carmen's presence.

But Carmen kept surprising them, acting differently from both the V.I.L.E. student they once knew and the mysterious lady who had kept reappearing in his life. She had a mean streak now that she had never possessed before, even more vicious and vindictive than Tigress.

Crackle was shocked when she almost sent her former partner, a boy from Boston, falling to his death in Vienna. That was much even for V.I.L.E. standards: they only killed people if it was necessary to cover their tracks.

But someone saved the guy, and Crackle recognized the rescuer, despite the amnesia and the years since they last saw each other.

It looked like Shadowsan was still a part of Carmen's life, or at least following her trail at that point. But he did not try to follow Carmen again that night.

The next six months were both the best and worst time in Crackle's criminal career.

Having Carmen as a partner in crime was exhilarating, unpredictable, and—pardoning the pun—electrifying. In some ways, Carmen and Crackle had never been closer, because they were finally working together, relying on each other, on a common goal.

But it was not the same easygoing friendship they had enjoyed as classmates, or even the strange acquaintanceship they formed after his memory was wiped. In some ways, they were closer than ever; but at the same time, it seemed like they could not have known each other less. There was no openness or affection or sense of comradery. They only worked together because they had a goal to accomplish, and that took precedence over everything else.

There were times when their banter turned into outright flirting. Carmen had always been sly, cheeky, and mischievous. And now that they were both grown up, that kind of dynamic seemed natural.

But it did not go anywhere, and deep down, Crackle did not think he wanted it to.

The Carmen Sandiego he had known was sort of intimidating, in a quiet way, because she was so mysterious. But this new version of her was downright frightening, because she was not only capable of hurting people, but willing to do so. If he crossed her the wrong way, she could do him serious bodily harm.

Besides that, she simply was not the same Carmen, or Black Sheep for that matter. There was plenty to admire about the new Carmen Sandiego, but there was nothing lovable about her. She gave no indication of truly caring about Crackle—or anyone, for that matter. It seemed the only thing she cared about was stealing.

Crackle reminded himself, repeatedly, that the brainwashing—or whatever it was called—was not his doing. But knowing the truth, and knowing that V.I.L.E. was manipulating her, made him and the others complicit.

He had to do some discreet digging to learn the truth about Shadowsan's connection to Carmen. Apparently they had worked together over many months, appearing together in Rio, Tokyo, Buenos Aires, and Venice.

There were pictures of the two of them taken by security cameras as well as V.I.L.E.'s own spy equipment. The way Carmen looked at Shadowsan in those pictures was like the way she had looked at Graham at the times when they were friends. From that, Crackle guessed that she had actually cared about the ninja.

But the rumors swirling around V.I.L.E. told the opposite story: there were whispers that Carmen was now tracking Shadowsan with the goal of taking him out. There was something about getting revenge on him, but Crackle could not find out what that meant. It was serious enough to give Crackle pause, and make him think about things he had never before considered.

The old Carmen hadn't possessed the hardness of heart to let a stranger die, or even to kill her enemies in self-defense. Tricking her into killing someone she knew, who had been so close to her—that was diabolical.

How would Crackle be able to look her in the eye, knowing the truth? And what if that act messed with her mind even more? What if she somehow, someday, got her memories back, and realized what she had done? Or what if it made her even more deranged, adding bloodthirst to her new vicious streak?

It was too far to let her go. Crackle had chosen this path, knowing what it might involve—the risks, the responsibilities, the personal sacrifices, the potential casualties. Carmen had not chosen it, had in fact tried to escape it, or at least repurpose it. It was one thing to see Carmen reach her full potential as a thief, but it was another thing to see her become everything she usually stood against.

Dr. Bellum's experiments were all about altering people's brains to take away memories, not restore them. But A.C.M.E. had developed that device that made Graham Calloway remember his life as Crackle. That seemed like the best shot at restoring the true Carmen.

It would be risky. Surrendering to A.C.M.E. would land him in prison, unless V.I.L.E. extracted him per protocol. Turning against V.I.L.E. would either get him brain-wiped, if he was lucky, or killed, which seemed more likely. Carmen might even see to his punishment herself. But he decided that Carmen was worth it.

The plan worked about as well as Crackle had hoped. No one was killed, and Carmen regained her memories and reunited with Shadowsan. Waking up in a hospital gave Graham déjà vu, but Chief's visit and news of Carmen gave him more peace than he had felt in at least two years.

He had had the foresight to limit the EMP rod's strength to stun mode, in case it became necessary to use. Still, it had been frightening to see Carmen advance on him with murder in her eyes. Never before, in all the time they had known each other, had she ever attacked him with the intention of hurting him.

It was not what Graham wanted his last memory of Carmen to be. But he figured it was better if he kept his distance. Who knew how she felt toward him now, after he had been part of V.I.L.E.'s deception? If she never wanted to see him again, he could not blame her.

That was why he was surprised to see his old stealth teacher come into his room during visiting hours. He was wearing street clothes, and it had been years since they saw each other up close in person, but Crackle recognized him.

"Shadowsan? I … wasn't expecting you."

His old teacher sat down and raised an eyebrow at him. "You wished to know if Carmen was alright, did you not?"

"I did." Graham straightened up in the bed. "How is she?"

Shadowsan turned away, his expression somber. "These last few days have been difficult, but she is regaining her memories and coming to terms with what she did in recent months. She was … grieved, when she realized what she had done to you. Chief passed on your regards, and Carmen wanted to send you hers."

"Really?" Crackle tried not to sound hopeful. "I kind of thought she'd be mad at me."

Surprise entered Shadowsan's eyes. "On the contrary. She is grateful for what you did. We all are." He looked at his former student with an earnestness Graham had never seen in him before. "Your actions saved my life and her innocence."

Graham bowed his head, then glanced away. He felt a kind of satisfaction in having done the right thing, but he did not feel like he deserved thanks.

He was surprised to hear Shadowsan go on. "Carmen cares deeply for you. She has much to reflect on, and many roads to choose from, thanks to you." Shadowsan stood and went over to the door, entering Crackle's line of sight. "When you both have had time to heal, I believe she would welcome you in her life."

Crackle considered this. What would it be like if he and Carmen saw each other now? Could they have a relationship with any semblance of normalcy, outside of the world of crime and espionage? Could they move on from the past, and make new memories to replace the old?

"I don't think I ought to make the first move," Graham said. "But … you can tell Carmen my door's open, if she wants to see me."

Shadowsan nodded. "You are now one of the few people to leave V.I.L.E. and survive. I hope you will put that privilege to good use."

Graham lay back down as his teacher left. His entire life lay ahead of him, a thought both intimidating and liberating. And Carmen might be somewhere in it. Somehow, that was enough.

Author's Note: That brings us to the end of the series timeline, but I have several more chapters taking place later in the characters' lives!