Disclaimer: The characters Carmen, Ivy, Zack and the Chief belong to Broderbund Software Inc. and Fox Family Network. I’m only borrowing them for this story. The other characters, Ryan, Brigitte and Regan are all mine!!! (Imagine diabolical laughter)

Summary: The name of the story comes from my theory about amnesia. It seems that in any book, movie, or any other creative work where a character has been given amnesia, they will, either very soon after, or much later, endure another traumatic event, resulting in either another bought of amnesia or a total recall of their previous life. Ivy and Zack are starting to worry about Carmen when they don’t hear from her for over two months. They’re given a vacation since they don’t have a case to work on and run into a startling familiar woman going by the name of Gwenivere.

Special Note: The book “Masquerade” was written by Kit Williams and he contains all rights. I’ve never attempted to solve the book, someday, when I’m up to a challenge, I will. Therefore, I cannot be sure where the jewel is, so I made it up. I don’t mean to offend Mr. Williams by creating my own solution to his book.

Isn’t There a Rule

By: Thursday's Child

Carmen Sandiego led a rather lonely life. She had no real family, no friends, and no perminante place to call home. Her work as a thief occupied most of her time and for that she was thankful. When she was given time to dwell on her personal life, she became uncharacteristically depressed and found it hard to concentrate. Like now.

The raven-haired woman stared out over the endless waves, longing to join them. Become part of something permanent and yet exciting. ACME had almost been that for her. It certainly was constant, that much was given. But, it lost excitement after a time. It lost the challenge Carmen so desperately needed. Still, sometimes, like right now, Carmen wished she hadn’t left. The feeling was always brief, and she would look back at it saying to herself with a chuckle, ‘What were you thinking?’

On the horizon, the sun was starting to rise higher in the sky. Soon, countless others would join the world famous thief on the beach for a quick run, long jog, or a romantic walk through the surf. Carmen heaved a heavy sigh and stripped out of her loose jeans and tee-shirt, revealing not only her black one-piece swimsuit, but also a well muscled body that had seen years of adventure.

‘Years, that’s right, I’m getting old.’ Carmen thought, now thoroughly despondent. She pulled her hair into a half-hearted braid, the always irrepressible strand struggling to be free from the rest, like Carmen herself. “I need a vacation.” She whispered to no one in particular, since no one was around to hear her, she figured that was for the best.

Carmen waded into the cool, blue-green water, delighting in the feel of wet sand between her toes. Once the water was lapping at her waist, she rose herself slightly out of the water, then dove beneath, using her strong legs to push her further into the welcoming ocean. A few minutes later, she broke the surface, her dark hair plastered the side of her face.

With only minimal problems, Carmen turned to her back and began to float out into the void, closing her brilliant blue eyes and using her arms to keep her buoyant. Time passed, though she didn’t know how much, and when she re-opened her eyes, the sun was blinding her.

Carmen dipped under the water, and came back up, searching for the shore. She was only mildly surprised when she didn’t see one. “Great!” she shouted, though she was fairly sure no one would be close enough to hear her.

“Think, Carmen, think.” She muttered, “Do something qui-“ the words were taken away from her when she was suddenly pushed under the water and her mouth was filled with the bitter, salty liquid. Once she had struggled back to the surface, her face was the picture of surprise. Waves that choppy weren’t usually to found far out in the ocean, unless a storm was coming. So, either she was closer to shore than she thought, or she was in a world of trouble.

A rumble of rather ominous thunder broke the soft silence of Carmen’s world and she felt like drowning herself right there. ‘Oh, you’ve been in worse scrapes than this. Can’t think of any…’ Her mind told her. “Thanks a lot.” Carmen whispered.

It was becoming very difficult for her to stay above the water, and she had a feeling she looked rather like a drowned rat. Her arms could no longer take the strain, and with a burst of melancholy, before Carmen allowed herself to give up for the first and last time in her life, she realised death was permanent, and since she had never experienced it, she would most likely be excited.

Several hours later

“I think she’s coming around.” One voice shouted excitedly.

The woman’s eyes fluttered open, revealing bright, blue irises. “What? Where am I?” She wondered out loud. She sat up quickly, forcing all the people surrounding out of the way.

“Easy, easy.” The man hovering above her ordered. “Give her air, people.” He lowered down to sit next to her. “You gave us quite a scare. We were worried you might not make it. My name’s Jarod.” He said, offering a hand to her.

“Pleased to meet you.” She murmured, taking in her surroundings. She was lying on a beach towel, with gorgeous white sand stretching in every direction. Looking down at herself, she saw she was dressed in swimming attire. “What happened?” she asked, confusion clouding her pretty features that were obscured by a thick strand of her black hair.

“It seems you decided to take a swim at a bad time. A storm came in and you went under. It looks like you swallowed a lot of seawater. A few minutes ago, my son found you. I’m the town doctor. You are…” He prompted.

For a second, her mind was completely clear, and she knew what the answer to that question should be. It was like recalling a dream, and as quickly as it came, it passed. “I don’t know.” She sobbed, her shoulders slumping.

Chapter One

Two Months Later

Ivy slouched back in her chair, staring at the clue board in front of her. “Come on, Ive, show me the card!” Zack demanded, flashing a triumphant smile. Begrudgingly, Ivy tossed Mr. Green on to the table.

“This is getting boring, Zack.” Ivy complained, pushing away from the chair and pacing the large room, a frown brewing on her face

“Oh, Ive, you’re just saying that cause you’re loosing. You can’t stand that I’m beating you.” Zack replied. “I say it was Miss Scarlet, in the billiard room, with the knife!” Then he drew the cards from the ‘classified’ file and showed them to Ivy.

“Correctomudo, Detective!” The Chief declared, appearing before them with an abundance of energy.

“Hey, Chief!” Ivy exclaimed, somewhat hopefully asking, “Do you have a case for us?”

The large, computer-generated head frowned, “No, still no word from Carmen.” He replied, with a sad tone of voice. Then, he cheered up, donning party wear, and blowing a horn, “But, you two have won the grand prize! A vacation getaway for two, to the beautiful shores of Australia, for, well, as long as Carmen stays in hibernation, or until we need you for another case!” He declared, cheerfully.

Ivy glared at him disbelievingly. “A real vacation? Carmen must be up to something big if she’s letting us have time to ourselves.” She huffed indignantly.

“I don’t care what she’s up to, Ive. Let’s just take this at face value, and get out of here!” Zack cheered.

“Well, if you’re absolutely sure…” Ivy began.

“Yeah, I am. I’ll give you a buzz is Carmen shows up, but somehow, I have a feeling she’s not going to appear anytime soon.” The Chief told them, downhearted. * * * *

Zack was stretched out over his beach towel, peacefully enjoying the sun, his older partner, however, was pacing a small length of the water, intent on solving some problem. “Hey, Ivy! Why not relax. Even if Carmen’s up to something, there’s nothing we can do about it until she gives us a clue.”

It wasn’t that Ivy didn’t see his logic, but she wasn’t exactly worried that Carmen was planning a caper. The famous thief didn’t usually take very long to plan her next heist. So, Ivy had an unsettling thought that maybe something had happened to the woman.

“Awl, come on, Ive. How about we head down to the cinema. That movie you’ve been wanting to see for weeks is just coming on here.” Zack cajoled.

Ivy smiled down at her partner. She knew how much he wanted to spend the afternoon on the beach, but for the sake of her, he was giving that up. “I’d like that, very much, Zack.” She paused then added, “I love you, Zack.”

Zack wasn’t sure why Ivy had just told him that, since they didn’t often express their feelings for each other. So, he responded with, “I love you, too, Ive.” Something was wrong with her, but until she told him what, there was nothing he could do for her.

Ivy, on the other hand had a larger problem, her thoughts drifted to Carmen. ‘What’s wrong with you?’ she demanded of herself. ‘That woman is your enemy. You don’t worry about criminals.’ That didn’t solve any of her problems. She still felt horrible, and she realised she’d feel that way until Carmen had given her a good challenge.

What she didn’t know, was that although it wasn’t a challenge like she was normally presented with, Carmen was just about to give Ivy the greatest challenge of her life.

Chapter Two

Gwenivere Eric strode out of her small antique store flipping the ‘out for lunch’ sign on the door and locking it behind her. Her hips swayed back and forth to a soundless beat only she could hear and her lips mouthed silent words. She waved to a few of the locals she had gotten to know over the past month, and sighed unhappily.

Life was so hard when you had no idea who you were. Not that dying would have been any better. Jarod had told her if the angle of the rock that had hit her head had been just a centimetre off, she wouldn’t have made it. She had a witty quip about always outsmarting death on her tongue, before she realised she had no idea where it was coming from, and she had stopped it immediately. Still, whatever the reason, Gwenivere considered herself lucky. Even luckier, since the people in the small, coastal town seemed more than willing to help her.

Within a month of her recovery, she already had her own store, purchased with the money the wealthy natives had lent her. By now, her second month of living here, she had already repaid most of her benefactors. The town of Kotani was a tourist hotspot for wealthy couples over fifty. Luckily, the women of each half were drawn to her store and couldn’t help but purchase some of the rare artefacts Gwenivere had in her shop.

The sun above Gwenivere gave off blistering waves of heat and even stronger rays of light. The shopkeeper slid on a pair of sunglasses and tugged the ever-present strand of renegade hair out of her eye. “Maybe, I should get it all cut off. I’m probably too old to have this long of hair anyway.” She teased herself. Probably too old. Jarod couldn’t be sure, but he had estimated her age to be between twenty-seven and thirty-three, based on his medical scans, though, to him, she looked much younger.

What had puzzled the doctor was the number of scars, internal and external that he found on Gwenivere. Most, he had informed her, where from several years ago and were the result of broken bones, mostly. Others seemed to be very recent, within the past month or so. Only one of the entire collection seemed life-threatening.

Still, what kind of life had she led that caused the imperfections on her body? Sometimes, she would stand naked before her mirror, staring mindlessly at it’s hard, cold surface, willing something to start her memory. Willing her self to see a scar and say to herself, ‘Yeah, that’s from when I fell out of the tree, trying to get my brother’s kite.’ Or ‘Perhaps that’s the remains of my plunge from too high a perch into too shallow a lake.’ But, nothing like that ever happened to her.

“Hey, Gwen!” A cheerful voice from behind her called. Gwenivere despised the nickname Ryan used, but allowed it from her, and only her. The tall teenager bounce up to the older woman with endless energy.

Gwenivere smiled down at the young girl. She had short, red hair, classic, strong features. Ryan was almost the same height as Gwenivere. Whenever she saw the casually dressed teenager, she was reminded briefly of her past, but the memory would stop abruptly, once she reached the eerily blue eyes on Ryan’s face. Somehow, they didn’t belong in the past world of Gwenivere’s.

“Hello, Ryan. I was just heading to lunch, would you care to join me?” She offered.

The younger girl grinned, unabashedly. “I was hoping you’d ask.” She replied.

All during the late meal, Gwenivere listened attentively as Ryan filled her in on the woes of being a sixteen-year old. Gwenivere couldn’t help but laugh at her overly dramatic re-enactment of a confrontation with her mother.

Ryan’s parents, the Johnstons, were very influential people in the small town. They were one of the many American couples who had relocated to Australia for retirement. Ryan’s father was going on in his years, while her mother was about Gwenivere’s age. In her opinion, Michelle (Ryan’s mother) saw her daughter as a peer, instead of a child. In the latest instalment of ‘Ryan’s Life’, Michelle had stolen the green parka Ryan was planing on wearing herself that evening.

After finishing her meal and her story, Ryan shrugged her shoulders, trying to convince herself and Gwenivere it meant nothing. Soon, however, a few renegade tears were streaking down her face. “She said it was hers, that she never forgets things like that.” She sobbed. “But, she bought it for me for my birthday, only last week. She must have forgotten that.” She said bitterly.

Uncomfortably, Gwenivere slid into the booth next to Ryan, patting her back in what she hopped was a soothing manner. No matter what she had forgotten from her past life, she knew she wasn’t used to this kind of role, particularly when it came to a young woman who looked like this one did.

Ryan tried to be so strong, but sometimes her act failed miserably, because, she was miserable here. Only three weeks ago, she had been offered a position at ACME. Gwenivere knew she had been thrilled. And the girl deserved it. She was intelligent, physically strong, and had great potential. Right after she had learned of the overture, she had run to Gwenivere before anyone else. Her eyes sparkled with excitement that was rarely seen of them. Gwenivere smiled as she recalled the teenager’s comments about how she was ‘going to show those fools at ACME a thing or two about catching Carmen Sandiego.’

The next after noon, Ryan’s depression was palatable. “Mom wouldn’t let me.” That was all she said. She had tried to ask why, but Michelle would firmly say, ‘No means no, young lady. Why doesn’t matter.’

Just like she was doing now, Gwenivere had tried to soothe Ryan’s pain. “Come now, Ryan. I won’t have this crying.” She reprimanded, attempting to sound scathing, humorous and caring all at once.

“Oh, Gwen.” Ryan cried, clinging to the collar of Gwenivere’s shirt.

Gwenivere pulled away from the embrace, brushing red strands out of the hot tear tracks on Ryan's face. “Now, Ryan. Stop your crying.” She effectively hushed the girl. “Good.” She stood, taking Ryan with her. “Don’t worry about that silly parka. Your mother can have it if she really wishes. Green isn’t your colour, anyway.” Gwenivere told her with a grin. “I have a feeling you’d look great in red, and I have just the thing for an evening with your friends.”

That night, Gwenivere sat on the edge of her bed, absently brushing her dark, nearly black hair. Her reflection seemed so alien, so cold. The hard angles of her face were so stern. Her blue eyes gave off icy waves and her lips never cracked a smile. As always, a runaway curl came to rest covering her vision. “What’s up with you, little fellow?” She asked the lock of hair with mock anger. “It’s like you’re trying to hid something.”

Silently, she flipped off the lamp and made her way to her satin covered bed, sinking into the crimson sheets and unsettling dreams.

The next morning, Gwenivere gather the newspaper on her step, before setting down at the breakfast table. On the front cover, was the Carmen Sandiego symbol, with the words ‘Carmen Sandiego still on the Loose and planing something Big.’ She scanned over the article, reading about V.I.L.E. Henchmen who were loosing their cool because of the disappearance of their boss and ACME Agents had been catching them left and right.

“Man,” Gwenivere commented out loud, “That Carmen must be really an incompetent fool if things go that crazy when she turns up missing.” She stood, dressed in nothing but a blood red robe, and made her way upstairs to dress for work.

She stood before her wardrobe frowning. Every item in her closet was red, yellow or black. When she thought about it, it was rather dull, depressing, and boring. ‘I should go shopping.’ She thought to herself. This time, she would make sure the three prominent colours she now wore would not find their way into her cart.

Picking up her portable phone, Gwenivere dialled Ryan’s number. “Ello, this is the home of the Johnstons, may I ask who you are calling for.” Lynn, the maid asked in her native accent.

“Yes, this is Gwenivere, may I speak to Ryan?” She requested.

There was a short pause while Lynn found her boss, then Ryan picked up. “Hey, Gwen, thanks so much for last night. I love the outfit.” Ryan told her exuberantly.

“Good, cause I’m giving it to you. The reason I’m calling because I want to go shopping today. I was hoping you could look after my store for me.”

“No problem. Just do me one favour. No more red!” The teen ordered.

Gwenivere grinned inwardly, and said, “I think that’s very good advice, Ryan. Thanks.”

After hanging up the phone, Gwenivere grabbed the only pair of jeans she had and pulled them over her slim legs. Then, she pulled a tight, yellow tank top over head. Sighing at her unfamiliar reflection, she looped her hair through a ponytail holder, effectively trapping every strand. Gwenivere nodded her head.

Time for some shopping!

Chapter Three

“This is ridiculous!” Ivy declared, lying dejectedly on the bed in her and Zack’s hotel room. “There’s nothing to do in a town this small, except go to the beach. That got old real quick.”

Zack smiled at the impatient, hyper-active woman stretched out over the comforter. “Hey, Ive, that’s the purpose. This is supposed to be a vacation. Time for us to relax, take a load off.”

“Yeah, whatever!” Ivy spoke softly under her breath. “What’s there to do?” She asked, restating her previous question.

“We could always go shopping. We were wired some money the other day, and since ACME is paying for the hotel, we don’t have to worry about saving it.” Zack proposed.

Ivy tilted her head thoughtfully. “Well, it would get us out of the hotel…” She began

“And, we still need to get everyone souvenirs.” He added helpfully.

“I don’t know, Zack, I’m not much of a shopper.” She protested, but her younger partner already had her out the hotel door and inside the elevator. Her choice had been made for her.

The long isles stretched out forever in every direction. Ivy was lost in her thoughts and didn’t even object while Zack tossed odd and unneeded stuff in her shopping cart. Her eye caught a tape recording of Jeopardy in Hebrew that he had just laid before her and she realised he was trying to get a rise out of her. She shook her head silently at her brother’s antics before loosing herself in her reverie.

Ivy was tremendously bored. Without Carmen to chase over the entire world, her life was a living hell. She hated to admit it, but both she and Carmen knew there were times when Ivy could’ve caught her, but didn’t, letting her slip away at the last second. Carmen provided her with the ‘mental gymnastics’ that Carmen herself got from stealing things.

‘Now there’s an idea, Ivy. If Carmen is gone for good, you can take her place as the head of V.I.L.E. Wouldn’t the Chief flip out then.’ Ivy grinned at herself, then sobered.

She missed Carmen, very much. The thief had become a major part of her life, and whether he would admit it or not, Zack felt the same about her. The question was, how did she care about the woman? Carmen Sandiego was a criminal, Ivy was a cop. It should be that simple, but, it wasn’t. Ivy looked up at her as a mentor, friend, and something else. Something she couldn’t place.

The detective was so lost in her thought, she didn’t notice the woman in front of her as she bumped up against her. “I’m extremely sorry, Miss.” She began, holding her hands up in an unconscious gesture to correct any damage she might have caused, “I should have been watching wh…” Her voice died away when she looked up at the taller woman. Her eyes widened in fear and excitement when she saw the familiar dark hair and piercing blue eyes.

Gwenivere stared down at the young girl before her. At first glance, she thought it was Ryan, maybe coming to give her some sort of news. Her eyes took in the tall, slender frame, short, red hair and smooth porcelain skin. She was expecting to look into the alien blue eyes, and caught a pair of emerald ones instead. Her breath caught in her throat.

Ivy mistook the sound as a hint that Carmen hadn’t been counting on meeting her. “Hey! Little bro, check this out.” She called over her shoulder, but Zack was already staring at Carmen as well. He seemed a little shocked that she allowed her entire face to be seen and at the fact she had retired her red coat and fedora.

Gwenivere looked from one to the other, conflicting emotions over-powering her. Against her will, confused tears began to run down her cheeks. Ivy’s look of triumph was cut short when Carmen began to cry and she herself became extremely confused. In a small voice, Ivy gently asked, “What’s wrong?” When she received no reply, she looked at her partner for help. Zack simply shrugged.

“Hey, now! Quite crying! This is just too weird, okay. You’re supposed to be the cool one.” Ivy said playfully, but still Carmen cried silently. “Look, I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.” Ivy told her in a flustered tone of voice. “I guess I was just…Well, it’s kind of nice to see you after so long.” She admitted.

“I’m sorry.” Gwenivere told her between sobs, “I don’t know who you are.” Then she took of running, leaving a very baffled Zack and Ivy in her wake.

“Carmen, wait!” Ivy shouted but the thief didn’t even slow down. Zack turned to Ivy, his gaze questioning. Ivy didn’t have any answers * * * *

Gwenivere lie on her couch, unable to think. Her mind was in turmoil. Those two children seemed to recognise her, but, they didn’t seem to like her very well. Until the girl had said she had missed her.

Gwenivere didn’t know what to do. Should she find them again? See if they really knew her. If they did, it might open the door to her past. Jarod had told her anything might trigger her memory. But, he’d also told her she might never remember her previous life.

It scared her. That was her dilemma. Should she attempt to start a new life without any ties to her past or should she return to her old one. One thing was for sure, she didn’t want to stay here. The town was so small and Gwenivere was becoming terribly bored. The routine was so monotonous. She longed for excitement, danger, and a good game of cat and mouse.

The front door burst open without a knock and Gwenivere leapt up and without noticing it, took a defensive stance. Ryan looked at her friend with surprise. “Chill, Gwen, I’m not gonna try anything, promise.” She noticed the way Gwen was standing and asked, “You know karate?”

“I guess.” Gwenivere replied. Ryan came closer when she heard the doubtful tone in her mentor’s voice. “Hey, Gwen, what’s wrong?” She asked softly when she saw the tell-tale signs of tears.

More forcibly than she meant to, Gwenivere replied with a harsh tone, “Nothing.” She angrily swiped at the teardrops. Ryan took a step back at the way Gwenivere had just spoken to her.

“Right, nothing. I just came by to tell you, I sold one of masks from Inca, the one with the orange eyes and yellow teeth. Also, two of the vases from Prague are sold. I took the money by the bank for you. That’s all.” Then, the young girl bounded out the door.

Gwenivere didn’t even try to stop her. Instead she wished that Ryan had been the young girl from the shopping mall. “Carmen?” She asked the reflection she caught in her hallway mirror. That’s what the girl had called her earlier. “Is that me?”

She leant against the bureau, which stood before the mirror. In the process, she knocked off that morning’s paper. Bending to retrieve it, Gwenivere read the headline again. “Carmen Sandiego.” Startled, Gwenivere looked down at the photo of the famous thief. She appeared achingly familiar. She let her hair free of it’s ponytail and the locks tumbled to cover her left eye, just like the criminals did in the picture. Gwenivere held the paper up to the side of her face, examining her reflection as well as the paper’s. “It’s impossible.” She told herself, but the two women were identical.

That evening, Gwenivere’s dreams were disoriented, and disturbing. She kept seeing herself chased by the children from that day’s excursion. Every time she escaped, but she was left feeling guilty at the disappointed looks on the other’s faces.

When she woke, covered in sweat, Gwenivere vowed to find the two children and get some answers, and prove to herself, she wasn’t a criminal.

Chapter Four

“But, Chief,” Ivy protested, “It was Carmen. She even ran when she saw us.”

“Was she stealing something?” The Chief asked, puzzled, “Why would she steal something from a shopping mall? That doesn’t seem like something Carmen would do.”

“I agree, and no, she didn’t steal anything.” Zack told the floating head. “And,” He added, telling the chief what Ivy had left out, “She said she didn’t know who we were. She seemed pretty sincere.”

“Then, maybe it’s just a Carmen look alike.” Chief said, turning the idea over in his head, turning his head in the process.

“Chief…” Ivy began again.

“Ivy…” He whined in the same tone of voice she was using. “We need you two back here. Sarah Bellum is up to something big. Now that Carmen’s gone, she believes she has free reign over V.I.L.E.” His head shuddered, and he said in a scared tone of voice, “Pretty horrifying, huh?”

Ivy had to concede that Sarah might cause some damage with her unstable psyche. But, she couldn’t shake the feeling something was wrong with Carmen. What if she were using Sarah’s cover to pull off a huge caper?

“And no buts about it, young lady!” The Chief told her before she could object.

Hanging her head, Ivy said, “Player, C-5 us to headquarters.” Immediately, the blue portal opened in the hotel lobby. Ivy followed her partner through the opening, with a disappointed shrug.

Weeks passed by without event. Sarah had been stopped quite easily when compared to Carmen. Ivy was once again contemplating becoming a thief, although not very seriously. Instead, she was wondering about the Carmen look alike in Australia.

“Was that you, Carmen? What’s happened to you?” She asked the dossier that she had called up. The enigmatic, red fedora-wearing thief stared back at her, a playful smirk on her crimson lips. “I miss you.”

Outside, early spring showers drenched the green lawns of ACME. While she watched the torrential downpour, her depression grew. She wanted something to do, besides sit around headquarters catching impossibly dense V.I.L.E. henchmen. “I’m coming to find you, be ready.” Ivy told the empty room. * * * * * * * * * * *

The C-5 dumped Ivy onto a canopy that hung above an adult bookstore. “Oh, great!” The detective muttered under her breath. Sliding over the side she landed in front of a group of startled tourists. She grinned sheepishly, and waved awkwardly at them, brushing by.

Looking down at the bag in her hand, she could barely believe what she had done to attain the contents. Inside were Carmen’s red coat, fedora, yellow turtleneck and her black mini-skirt. Only a few minutes before, Ivy had C-5ed to Carmen’s Parisian home and stolen the items from her closet. She shook her head at her own criminal behaviour. She must have gone crazy.

By checking in ACME’s database, she found a woman named Gwenivere Eric had moved to the small town of Kotani four months before, around the time that Carmen disappeared. That was the only lead Ivy had, so she headed towards the address she had found.

When she arrived at 8 Charleston Street, Ivy rung the doorbell, nervously tapping her feet. After no one answered, Ivy decided she would find herself a place to stay, then come back later. As she headed back into the town, she heard familiar laughter coming from behind one of the nice, beachfront homes.

Ivy followed the sound to the back yard where a large group of locals were having a cookout. Piles of multicoloured leaves were filled with giggling children of all ages while the adults watched on and traded stories.

Then, she saw her. Her dark hair had been straitened with a curling iron and nearly brushed her waist. She was dressed in a beautiful navy blue sweater that set off her eyes and a tight pair of blue jeans to show off her figure. She seemed so unguarded and animated.

She started for Carmen, when she was stopped by her mirror image. Sort of. “Who are you?” The younger girl asked Ivy.

“I’m Ivy.” Ivy told her with what she hoped was a pleasant smile. “I’m here to talk to Ca-Gwenivere.”

She looked suspicious. “I don’t think Jarod invited any Ivy. I haven’t seen you around here.”

“Well…” She brainstormed for a good excuse. “I wasn’t exactly invited…I’m Gwenivere’s…uh…” Her mind was escaping her when she said, “Niece. I’m her niece.”

Now the girl looked angry. “I don’t know what kind of stunt you’re pulling, but isn’t funny. Everyone knows Gwen’s got amnesia. If you were her niece, you wouldn’t know where she was.”

Amnesia! Ivy felt herself growing queasy. “But…” She tried. The girl wouldn’t hear it.

“Get lost!” She shouted. A crowd was growing around them, including Carmen.

“Ryan, what’s going on?” Jarod asked the younger of the redheads.

The girl now labelled Ryan looked angry enough to kill Ivy. “This Ivy claims she knows Gwenivere.”

“I do!” Ivy protested, hastily.

“I think it would be wise for you to leave.” Jarod told her.

Turning pleading eyes on Carmen, Ivy said, “Please, tell me this is all just some sick joke. I couldn’t stand it if you weren’t yourself.”

Gwenivere felt like loosing herself in pain, instead, she repeated what she’d said the first time she saw the girl, “I don’t know her.” She looked into the penetrating green eyes of Ivy. “I don’t know you.”

Ivy wrenched her arm out of Jarod’s hand and began to cry. “You have to know me. You’ve known me for four years.” When Carmen turned away, Ivy couldn’t bare it. She left the gathering, heading for a near-by hotel.

After a quick shower, Ivy began to dress. What she was doing was drastic, but it needed to be done. First, she placed a long, black wig over her short hair, and then she donned the tight, black skirt. Next came the yellow shirt and red stilettos. The red jacket followed that and finally, she set the red hat upon her head

With the heels, she seemed to be the same height as Carmen and the outfit did the rest. Only her green eyes belayed the Carmen image. Silently, Ivy slid out of her first floor window and made her way across the autumn lawn.

Once she reached Gwenivere’s home, she paused, wondering if she were doing the right thing. Then, bracing herself, she entered the side door of the house.

Gwenivere no longer wanted to meet the young girl named Ivy. She had decided that shortly after she saw the resemblance between Carmen Sandiego and herself. That was enough to scare anyone.

A noise behind her caused her to leap off her bed. She saw the silhouette of Carmen on the wall and turned to face her. “What do you want?” She demanded. Seeing Ivy filled Gwenivere with thoughts of hurt and betrayal that tore her apart inside.

“Am I bringing back any memories?” the mysterious woman asked, coming closer to Gwenivere.

“None that I care to rehash.” Gwen replied coolly. “Now, please leave before I call the authorities.

Ivy shook her head at the last comment. “Sorry, Carmen is not only a master thief, she’s also a wonderful escape artist. The threat of prison isn’t anything for her to worry about.”

Gwenivere snorted, “Does Carmen always talk about herself in third person?”

“Funny.” Ivy said in a tone of voice that told Gwen she didn’t find it amusing. “Anyway, I’m staying here until I jar you memory.” She replied, crossing her arms over her chest in an impatient gesture.

“Well, then.” Gwenivere retorted, “Shall I fix up the guest room for you?”

Shaking her head, Ivy crossed the room to stand just in front of Gwen. She removed the red hat from her head and placed it on the taller woman’s. Gwenivere glared at her from under the floppy rim of the hat. “Ivy, was it?” She growled while Ivy struggled to force her arms through the red coat. “Look, Ivy, I really think you have the wrong girl. I feel no compulsion to steal anything.”

“Did you know, it’s said Amnesia occurs when you are unhappy with your life and are presented with a traumatic event to escape it. What did you want to escape?”

“Any number of things could’ve happened!”

“Come now, Carmen! We both know you’re an intelligent woman, no matter what you’re calling yourself.”

“Don’t call me Carmen. Besides, I already told you I don’t want to steal anything.”

“Doesn’t matter.” Ivy told her, lacing the belt around Gwen’s waist. “I have just the thing to get you to remember.”

“What’s that?” Gwenivere asked, slightly anxious.

“Well, let’s think. What does Carmen Sandiego do?” Ivy asked, striking a thoughtful pose.

Gwenivere took a quick step back. “Oh, no! I’m not stealing anything. Forget it!” But, her protests fell on deaf ears. Ivy grabbed her wrist, pulling her out of the house and to her car.

“Get in.” She ordered, but Gwenivere stood motionless.

“I refuse. Let’s just stop this foolishness and call it a night.” She suggested instead. Ivy grinned at her and pushed her into the car. Seconds later, they were zooming down the highway.

‘I can’t believe I’m doing this!’ Ivy thought. She was about to do the first really illegal thing of her life. Hopefully, since she’d planned this caper for weeks, no one would be paying attention to her. The spotlight would be on Carmen.

“Alright, Carmen, here’s the deal.” She began.

Gwenivere glared, “Don’t call me Carmen!” She demanded.

“Whatever floats your boat. Anyway, we’re going to start out with an easy job, then we’ll move on to more difficult operations. Give yourself a week or two, I’ll have you back to the good ol’ thief you were!” Ivy told her.

Huffing an indignant sigh, Gwen declared, “This stupid hat won’t stay up!”

Ivy stifled a laugh, since she knew Carmen had conditioned the hat to do just what was annoying Gwenivere.

Twenty minutes later, Gwenivere stood before the object she was supposed to be stealing. It was a beautiful antique globe made shortly after the new world was discovered. The outlines of all the continents were filled in with gold and silver adding to it’s worth. In the base, there was a barometer, thermometer and hygrometer, all still in working order, used for sea voyages. The one who had constructed it was none other than Christopher Columbus. Of course, it wasn’t exactly correct, but it was none-the-less a treasure.

Gwenivere’s gloved fingers hovered just out of touch of the glass casing that surrounded the globe. Beside her stood Ivy, in nothing but Carmen’s mini skirt, turtle-neck and stilettos. She had crossed her arms nervously and was staring at Gwen’s progress.

When Gwenivere turned to look at Ivy, she seemed hesitant to remove the artefact. Ivy gestured impatiently. “Come on! I don’t plan on getting us caught.”

Gwen nodded and, taking a breathe, slipped the case off the stand and without another thought took the base of the globe in her hand and held it out for Ivy to see. On her face was a triumphant smile she didn’t care to explain. She had felt the compulsion to take something as soon as she had entered the museum. She had just fulfilled that need and Gwenivere had a heady feeling like she was floating. That could have something to do with the way Ivy was smiling at her.

Just then, the lights snapped on and three guards appeared in the doorway. Ivy shrank out of sight, allowing Gwenivere to stand in the centre of the room alone. It was the wrong thing to do, because instead of following her, Gwen froze like a deer in the headlights.

Keeping her head bowed, Ivy rushed forward, took Gwen’s arm and began to run. Inspired by fear and something undefined, Gwenivere ran much faster than she thought possible, helping Ivy as she stumbled about on her heels. They reached the staircase only to see more guards approaching from below.

Ivy turned to face her cohort and kicked off her shoes in the process. “We have to try the roof. It’s the only possibility.” She whispered frantically.

Gwenivere nodded, already moving again, this time up the stairs to her right, bursting through the doors that led to the top of the building. But, they were cornered. There was nowhere to go. No ladders or fire escapes that either woman could see. They huddled near a corner, unsure of what to do.

“Give it up, Carmen!” A familiar voice shouted.

Both women gasped and turned to look at each other, startled. They both murmured, “Zack!” Ivy’s eyes widened when Gwenivere uttered a name she shouldn’t have remembered.

“He can’t find us.” Ivy told Gwen, close to tears. All she could see was the hurt and betrayal in Zack’s eyes if he ever found out she was behind this. She was supposed to be the leader during this heist, but she couldn’t help but turn to Carmen for help.

Something snapped inside Gwenivere and in a burst of remembrance, she stood, dragging Ivy with her. Both climbed onto the ledge, Ivy not questioning anything. Gwen’s arm wound over her stomach and pulled her close. Then, together, they fell off the museum roof. But, instead of plummeting to the ground, Gwen pulled a lever and wings sprouted from the coat, carrying them away slowly and safely.

Once Gwen and Ivy had reached the ground a safe distance away, Ivy leapt out of the embrace and turned to face the older woman, giving her a sound hug. When she released her she gave Gwen a brilliant smile. “You did wonderful! And I’m not just talking about the globe.” She referred to the object that Gwen still clutched in her hand. “You remembered Zack!” She beamed, “And, the getaway was awesome!” By now, she was practically giddy.

“I know,” Gwen agreed, a smile plastered on her face as well. After the tension in her stomach had died down, the reality of what she’d done began to sink in. She was a thief, an outlaw, crazy! But, she was happy, exhilarated, free! “I don’t know how I did it, but I remembered!”

The two collapsed in relief and giggles to the ground, their backs propping the other up. “We still have to go, but let’s leave the clue. Zack will get here soon.” They placed the small clue under a little brush and took off.

Chapter Five

Zack reached the small clearing a few minutes later, sighing in defeat. There was no trace of Carmen or her henchwoman. That had puzzled Zack more than Carmen’s sudden appearance. He’d never seen that particular woman before, but she reminded him of his Ivy.

While Zack was lost in thought, a large purple screen popped into existence near him. “Hey Zack! Anything new?” The Chief asked cheerfully.

“Not really.” The detective replied blandly. “Have you found Ivy? I could really use her help.” From the corner of his eye, Zack spotted a stuffed animal lying under a nearby bush. He picked it up and brushed the dirt from it.

“A bunny rabbit?” Chief asked, peeking over Zack’s shoulder. “It’s a Carmen clue, alright. What’s it say?” He asked anxiously.

The rabbit held a ceramic container in his hands and inside was a rolled up scroll. Zack carefully removed it and silently read:

“Man,” Zack muttered, “Ivy is so much better at figuring these things out. Chief, do an info scan on any famous jewelled rabbits.”

“Well there’s…absolutely…nothing.” The floating head replied.

“Gee thanks. Okay, how about pottery?”

The Chief brightened, “That’s another matter. Where can I start? Pottery is a staple in many Native American and third world countries where arts and crafts bring in the majority of money. Some famous pottery can be found in the Smithsonian Museum of Ancient Arts where artefacts from thousands of years ago are housed.” While he spoke many variations of pottery flew across his screen.

“Yeah Chief, but how do we know which one Carmen’s after? And what do they have to do with the rest of the clue?”

“I don’t know Zack, but maybe your temporary partners will.”

“My temporary partners?” Zack shouted.

The Chief looked almost sheepish, “Just until Ivy shows up. You’ll like them.” Behind Zack a C-5 corridor was opening and a beautiful redhead was dumped several feet above the ground. “Zack, meet Brigitte.”

Brigitte looked up at Zack with a rueful smile on her face. “Someone really should fix the C-5 to give us reasonable landings.” She said, pushing the curtain of hair out of her face. Zack offered the girl a hand and pulled her to her feet. “Thanks.”

Zack couldn’t help but notice how pretty Brigitte was. She was as tall as Zack and very curvy. She wore a green tank top and blue jeans that hugged her slim hips. Her purple-tented, curly hair fell just below her shoulders and she had bright blue eyes that bordered on being clear. Brigitte’s complexion was very pale and clear and when she smiled, she revealed a row of sparkling white teeth.

“I thought you said there was more than one, Chief.”

“There is.” A feminine from behind Zack stated. “I’m Regan, Brigitte’s partner and older sister.” It was obvious that the two were sisters, but Regan was shorter, with blonde hair shorter than Zack’s. She had the same eyes and skin as her sister but was much thinner and she wore a pair of khakis and a loose button down shirt. Regan actually looked younger than Brigitte. She was also all business. “Can we see the clue?”

Without a word, Zack offered the two women the stuffed rabbit. “Look at this.” Brigitte commented, pointing to the words ‘jewel’ and ‘masquerade’. “They are the only capital letters in the clue.”

Regan said, “Chief, info scan the two words ‘jewel’ and ‘masquerade’. See if there are any instances where the two are used together.”

“Can do. There’s the Masquerade of the Jewel, a famous Halloween ball in New Orleans. The Masquerading Jewel, a book by Sara James. Oh, detectives, I think we got it: The Jewel Masquerade.” On the screen appeared a ceramic container. “This piece of pottery, made by Kit Williams contains an extraordinary jewel of a golden hare adorned with precious stones and faience.” The Chief paused, “Translate-o-scan! Faience is a rare compound that was used by ancient Egyptians to grace the Pharaohs.”

“That has to be it, Chief!” Zack exclaimed.

“Uh, only one problem Zack.” Regan broke in, “No one knows where Mister Williams hid the Jewel Masquerade. He created a book that gave away its location, but no one has ever solved the riddles inside.”

“The book, Masquerade, tells the sad tale of the Moon falling in love with the Sun. The Moon creates a fabulous jewel and gives it to Jack Hare who must travel through Earth, Air, Fire and Water to reach the Sun. However, Jack looses the jewel and all is lost.” Brigitte informed the others. “If you solve the visual and verbal clues, the precise location of the jewel will be revealed.”

“Great!” Zack exclaimed, “I’m horrible with riddles.”

“Too bad, Zack! Looks like it’s a trip to the library for you three.” The C-5 portal opened and dutifully, Zack followed Regan and Brigitte through. All the while he was wondering where Ivy was. He’d never known her to leave without notice and she hadn’t been home in a few days. Still, all her clothes were in their draws and all her belongings littered the house. Zack couldn’t help but worry about Ivy * * * *

Gwenivere awoke to the sound of the front door slamming shut. “Gwen?” A voice called up the stairs.

“Up here.” Gwenivere yelled from her bed. Beside her, Ivy snuggled further under the covers and murmured something in her sleep. “What’s up, Ryan?” She asked the teenager standing in the doorway.

Ryan didn’t answer. She was too busy staring at the scene before her. On the floor was Gwen’s discarded coat and hat and Ivy’s entire outfit. Also, there was a bottle of expensive, half-gone red wine. On the nightstand, next to the bed sat a rather familiar antique globe. One Ryan recalled seeing in the morning’s paper. One that had been stolen by Carmen Sandiego and cohorts. “What in the world happened here?” She demanded.

At her shrill tone, Ivy stirred and sat up. “What’s she doing here?” Ivy asked, referring to Ryan.

Gwenivere ignored both questions and asked her own, “Ryan, dear, how can I help you?” She slid out of the bed and made her way to the vanity to brush her hair.

Ryan swallowed her rage and replied, “It’s late. I was wondering why you weren’t at work. Now I’m wondering why that globe is sitting on your nightstand and why Carmen Sandiego’s clothes are on your floor.”

Both Ivy and Gwen sighed and the former left the bed as well to approach the younger girl, “Well, you see, I’m an ACME detective. I caught up with Carmen in time to get the globe back, but she still escaped.”

“Uh-huh. Then how’d you get her clothes?”

Ivy was momentarily stumped. “Gwenivere!” She shouted, “Gwen is a detective, too. I figured if I dressed like Carmen, it might jar her memory. And, she’s my partner, we used to be real close. I considered her an aunt. That’s why I said what I did yesterday.”

Ryan wasn’t buying a single word of it, but she didn’t comment. “Are you going to open the store?”

Gwenivere leapt up. “I forgot! Ivy, will you open for me while I get ready?” She asked the detective who’d already dressed in the previous night’s outfit.

“Sounds like an adventure. But, first, I’m getting some coffee.” Ivy replied, leaving the room.

That left an indignant Ryan in the bedroom with Gwenivere. “You’re letting her open for you?” She asked incredulously. “You don’t even know her, Gwenivere! For all we know she could be Carmen Sandiego.” Ryan thought about that for a second then added more quietly, “Granted she doesn’t look like her.”

With a laugh, Gwen said, “Trust me, Ryan, she’s not Carmen. And, I do remember her. A little and it’s true that we worked together from time to time.”

“Well, I hope you know what you’re doing.” Ryan said, still suspicious.

Gwen laughed again and ushered Ryan out the door. “I’m sure I know what I’m doing, don’t worry about me. You, however, need to worry about getting to school. You don’t want to be late on your second day.” Ryan turned to leave and Gwen added in a softer tone, “Ryan, I’m going to talk to Ivy. Maybe she can get your parents to allow you to attend ACME. She has a lot of influence.” She tipped Ryan’s down-turned chin up. “You’ll have your chance at Carmen, promise.”

Ryan nodded, allowing Gwenivere to brush the tears from her cheeks. She left for school feeling much better about life.

Chapter Six

1 Week Later

“Dear Zack, I’m sorry this is short, but I just wanted you to know I was alright. Nothing has happened to me. There’s something I need to do. I don’t know how long it will take, so I don’t know when I’ll be home. I miss you! Tell everyone else I love them and I’ll be home as soon as possible. Love you, Ivy.” The Chief read out loud to the three detectives in the room. “What is this, Zack!” He demanded of the boy as if he should have an answer.

Which he didn’t. “I don’t know, Chief. I’m confused, too. And hurt.” He responded.

Brigitte gave him a brief hug, “Don’t worry, Zachary. Regan and I will take you out tomorrow and get your mind off things. Tonight, however, I’m ready for bed. Goodnight.”

Regan, Brigitte and The Chief left, allowing Zack time to him self. He felt so sad and angry. “Damnit!” He shouted to the empty room, pounding his fist on the table. “We’re supposed to share everything!” He yelled, as if Ivy were there to hear him. “Do you know what it feels like? I feel like Suhura must have felt when Carmen left him!”

Everything was screwed up in Zack’s life. Ivy was the only person who saw who he was and took him seriously. She was the only one who noticed he was an adult now. That he wasn’t the naïve little boy he had been four years ago. Still, as much as he shared with her, she was reluctant to share with him. And it hurt like hell when someone you loved shut you out.

Zack stared at the colourful children’s book before him. The cheerful pages seemed to be mocking him. They knew things he didn’t. They laughed at him like everyone at ACME did. ‘Your clothes have changed, Zack. So have the number of years you’ve been alive. But we know the truth. You’re still the obnoxious brat who by sheer luck was given a larger I.Q. than most people.’

Slamming the book shut forcefully, Zack stood and headed home, wallowing in bitterness. He ambled along the streets of San Francisco, taking in its unique sights for the first time in a long time. His long blonde locks tumbled carelessly in the wind and his navy blue trench coat brushed the ground. To anyone who happened to be joining him on the streets at two in the morning, he gave off an aura of mystery. But, to himself, he was nothing more than the fourteen year old he had started out as, dressing in his father’s clothes.

Maria Parker was waiting up for her youngest child when he walked through the front door. She didn’t usually keep out a vigil for either of her babies, but Zachary had been particularly troubled since Ivy had vanished.

Zack gazed blandly at his mother and gave an effort to smile. “Any word from Ivy?” Maria asked, pulling her son into a hug.

“Yeah,” He remarked harshly, “She sends her love, nothing more. Not even a location or any clue of what she’s doing.” His mother could tell he was hurt, but had no idea how to comfort him, that was Ivy’s department. To Maria, Zack was a stranger. Someone she saw briefly throughout the week and exchanged a quick hello with.

“I’m sorry, dear.” Was the best she could manage. “Why don’t you head on upstairs to sleep. You’ll feel better in the morning.”

So, against his will, Zack was ushered to his room and tucked into bed before he knew it. But, he was tired, so he fell asleep quickly, dreaming of the two women in his life. Both understood him. Ivy loved him. Carmen respected him. Both, however, held him at an arm’s length. Somehow, he had to change that. * * * *

Bit by bit, piece by small piece, Gwenivere’s fragmented memory was coming back to her. She recalled the Chief, her mentor and friend, and Suhura, her devoted and caring partner during her time at ACME. She could remember feeling lonely and isolated. Her most prominent memory was that of being chased. All her life, she had been chased. And, though at first it scared her, she would get an odd, excited flush when she thought of it.

Gwenivere turned to her companion who was curled up on the sofa enthralled in an Australian soap opera. “Let’s go out.” She suggested. Ivy looked up at her startled. “We’ve done nothing but work at the store or work on my memory. We should give ourselves a break.”

Ivy considered this, chewing on her lower lip. Then, slowly, she flipped off the television and unfolded her tall body. “What do you want to do?” She asked.

“We could go out to eat and see a movie. Or, we could go shopping. Whatever. I just want to get out of the house.” Gwenivere proposed.

Ivy nodded, “Alright, let me get changed.” She cast a glance at herself, dressed in sweat pants and a tank top. “I don’t think this would be appropriate.” Gwenivere didn’t reply, but smiled broadly at the comment.

A half-hour later, Ivy was dressed in a rich holly-green sweater and loose-fitting jeans and the two were ready to go. They ended up at a cosy, candle-lit restaurant hidden away in a back alley. They sipped their warm soup in relative silence, making small talk occasionally. Afterwards they went for a walk down the main street, window shopping in the time they had before their movie.

On passing a small, residential jewellery store, a tarnished gold locket caught Gwen’s eye. Inside, they found it was not just a jewellery store, but also an antique store. Ivy was drawn to the old books while Gwenivere inspected the locket.

There was no picture in the small trinket and frankly, Gwenivere had no idea why she wanted the piece of jewellery so bad. She didn’t really wear any necklaces or earrings, unless it was for a special occasion. Still, she could keep herself from handing over two hundred fifty nine dollars for it. After Ivy made her own purchase, the two left, heading-arm and arm-towards their movie. * * * *

The next morning the two were enjoying a late breakfast in Gwen’s store when Ivy presented her with a gift. It was wrapped in old, crinkled paper, giving it an important feeling. Inside was a deck of extremely old Tarot cards. They were larger than most with one of a kind hand paintings that reminded Gwenivere of Egyptian people.

“I know you don’t usually go for things supernatural, but, something about them was calling me. So, I had to! Do you like them?” Ivy asked, looking cautiously at her friend.

Gwenivere’s astonished look was enough to answer the question, but she felt it necessary to confirm that. “Yeah. They’re beautiful. I’ll go over them tonight at the house.”

That Evening

The soft, satin sheets were very inviting after a long day of planning a theft. Gwenivere was headed towards her bed when she accidentally knocked her new (or rather old) Tarot cards to the floor. She bent to retrieve them, and noticed that all but four had landed face down. The first to catch her eye was the High Priestess.

Gwenivere snatched up the small book that was included with the cards, since she didn’t know the meanings on her own. Still, she was curious about the message these cards would give her. ‘A unique, intelligent, interesting person with stamina and an independent nature.’ Well, that wasn’t bad at all. Of course, she didn’t know if it referred to her, Ivy or Carmen.

The next card was The Tower. ‘Forceful, abrupt changes, one that will set you on a completely new path. Find the keys being thrown at you and unlock life’s exciting doors.’ The first part of that made sense. Gwenivere’s life had definitely been changed forcefully. The second part might refer to Ivy’s attempts to bring back the Carmen persona.

The third card was the Knight of Cups. It had fallen upside down, so Gwen read it’s reverse meaning. ‘Strategist. Shrewd. Sly as a fox. Inventive.’ That card definitely didn’t make any sense to Gwen and she shrugged, reaching for the last card, which startled her immensely.

A slender woman, with long black hair peered out at the reader from under a curtain of hair and a red jester’s hat. She wore a long red cloak the hid her body. In one hand she held a glowing orb and with the hand, she beckoned anyone who dared come close. Her lips seemed to mock Gwenivere, and the words, ‘Who Are You, Really?’ were printed in fluent cursive, setting in crystal that lie in the woman’s hand.

Something clicked, somewhere. Puzzle pieces began to slide into place and memories began to flood through Gwen’s mind. There was a deafening sound, like that of the ocean in her ears and before she knew what was happening, the floor rushed up to meet her.

Later that evening

“Gwen? Are you feeling better?” Ivy asked, settling next to the older woman, who she had moved into bed.

Gwenivere moaned and her eyes struggled to stay open. “No! I want to go to sleep.” She moaned.

“I know, but I think it’ll be better if you just eat something.” Ivy insisted, presenting Gwen with a bowl of steaming soup.

Grudgingly, Gwen accepted the food and stared at it as if the poor inanimate object were forcing itself upon her. “I don’t like chicken soup, Detective. And, I’m not hungry.” She reinstated, setting the bowl on her nightstand.

The tone in her voice said ‘I dare you to mess with me. I’m in the mood for a fight.’ That tone reminded Ivy of Carmen, not Gwenivere. And, never once had Gwen referred to Ivy as ‘detective.’ She didn’t know if she should be pleased with the fact that Carmen was re-emerging. After all, that was what she had set out to do, but now, she wasn’t sure.

Gwenivere realised she wasn’t getting anywhere with being rude, so, she spoke again in softer tones, plastering an extremely fake and sugary smile on her face. “Really, Ivy, I’m fine. I’m just tired, so I’ll be going to bed now.”

Slowly, Ivy left, an uneasy feeling in her stomach.

Chapter Seven

“Hey Gwen, I’m home!” Ivy called from the doorway, dropping her grocery bags on the floor. “Are you about ready to go?”

“Very ready.” Gwen’s voice replied. “And, the name’s Carmen.” She said, then entered the kitchen dressed in her costume.

Ivy cracked a smile and nodded. “Good, then. Let’s go.” The two slid through the night effortlessly, blending with the shadows of. Gwenivere of course wore Carmen’s red garb, but Ivy was much less conspicuous in a black body suit and matching tennis shoes. Over her flame-red hair she wore grey babushka.

“You look cute.” Gwenivere commented with a wry smile as she noticed her cohort’s ensemble. Truly, she did, even though she looked several years younger and more like Zack than usual. And, the fact Gwen found it not only endearing, but sexy, too, didn’t settle with her. ‘Damn you, Gwenivere, you have the girl’s trust, that’s more than you deserve. What are you trying to do, scare her off?’

Ivy noticed her partner’s distraction and nudged her, “Are you up to this?”

Gwen nodded, giving a convincing smile. Then, the two headed out to cause some mayhem. * * * *

Zack and Brigitte had taken a day off from researching in the library for hidden treasure. Now, they were in Marigold Park, stretched out peacefully on a flannel blanket. Remnants of their picnic lunch were scattered over the surrounding area. Zack was half-dozing, half observing the cloudy sky. His semi-permanent partner was ready the Sunday newspaper. Both were glad to get their minds off work, rabbits and Carmen Sandiego. Still, Zack couldn’t relax completely not knowing where his sister was.

After several moments of silence, both agents’ wristwatches went off. Zack let out a pitiful groan. “I knew it couldn’t last long.” He muttered, then pressed the small dial on the timepiece.

Regan, looking rather dismayed, appeared on the small screen. “Carmen and her mysterious red-head have struck again. They found the location of the hidden pottery in Crooksville, Ohio.”

“Hey, isn’t that one of the largest pottery centres in America.” Brigitte asked, starting to clean up the picnic.

“Sure is. I guess Mister Williams wasn’t in a creative mood when he hid his creation.” Regan replied.

“Great, so now we have to go chase Carmen to nowhere Ohio half-way across the country.” Brigitte bemoaned.

“Yeah.” Zack replied with a downhearted sigh. “But there’s an upside.” Both sisters stared at him, waiting for him to continue. “We can stop camping out at the library.”

Twenty minutes later, Zack and the two women members of the team were standing around a deep hole that had once contained a rare treasure. Now, it contained a Carmen clue. It was actually rather pretty. There was a delicate, green tinted crystal ball nestled in velvet lining. Inside the frail glass there was a note. Zack almost regretted having to break the ball to read the letter left behind. Still, like a chef breaking an egg, he gently tapped the glass on the ground till it cracked in half. Then, he retrieved the scroll.

Ryan and Brigitte were trying in vain to interpret the clue. The only problem was, the letter wasn’t a clue at all. It was advice from someone who cared about Zack. Only he would understand the message. The two girls would be left to scratch their heads and wonder what they weren’t getting. * * * *

“Did you leave behind the porcelain clown that will lead the others to Delaware?” Ivy asked as they entered the back door.

Gwenivere wasn’t facing Ivy, so the young girl didn’t see the sly smile on her face when she answered, “Why yes.”

“We should do something to celebrate our second victory!” Ivy suggested, “Why don’t we have a party?”

Gwenivere eyed her warily. She was not at all up to a party. Socialising was not a ‘Carmen’ thing to do. The idea did present many possibilities, however, so she replied, “Sure, why not.”

Evidently, she didn’t know what she was getting into. Within a matter of minutes, Ivy had called half of the small town’s population and invited them over. “I’m going to run out and get some food, I’ll be back soon. People will be coming, make sure you make them feel welcome.” Ivy told Gwen as she grabbed her purse and took off.

Once she was gone, Carmen let out a sigh of relief and headed up stairs to her bedroom. She grabbed the phone next to her bed and dialled the number of her home in Japan. “Boys? How soon can you get a hovercraft to Kotani, Australia?”

“Boss?” The astonished voice of Harley David’s Son asked. “Is it really you?”

“Save your celebrating for later, Harley. Just get my craft here.”

“Sure, no problem. Anything for you, Carmen! I can be there in about an hour and fifteen minutes.” Her henchman replied.

“Good.” Carmen confirmed, a lazy, catlike smile spreading over her features. “Oh, one more thing, Harley. I feel like changing my appearance a little… * * * *

When Ivy returned, the party was in full swing. She was quickly distracted by the interesting natives and Americans and didn’t notice Gwenivere was nowhere to be found. Sometime after she arrived home, she heard a loud noise that reminded her somewhat of sonic boom, but she didn’t think to investigate it.

Ryan and Ivy were deep in conversation when a hush fell over the room and the crowd parted to reveal Carmen Sandiego. As she moved silkily to where Ivy was standing, she took the red hat from her head and tossed it across the room, not caring where it fell. She undid the belt around her waist and slid the coat from her arms, letting it pool to the ground.

The occupants of the room were startled to see Gwenivere Eric standing before them, once the Carmen clothes had been discarded and a disquieted murmur fell over the crowd. Now, she stood before Ivy and Ryan dressed in a skin tight, blue neoprene suit.

“Gwenivere?” Ivy and Ryan asked together. The smirk on Carmen’s face confused Ryan, but told Ivy the truth.

“I’d like to thank you for everything, Detective. Without you, I might have been stuck in this town forever. I guess you could say ‘you made me the woman I am today’.” Carmen said with sarcasm dripping from her voice.

Ivy felt a chill run through her spine, “It doesn’t have to be like this, Carmen.” She protested. “Come back to ACME with me.”

Carmen’s triumphant smile turned upside-down. “You and I both know that’s not an option, Ivy.” Her eyes whispered a sad thank-you to the detective. “I really must be going now.” She said in a louder tone so that the entire room would be able to hear.

Ryan grabbed Carmen’s arm to retain her. “What the hell is going on?” The small girl demanded.

“I’m sorry, Ryan. You’ll have your chance at me, but today isn’t it.”

“Who are you?” Ryan asked, now extremely angry.

“The name’s Carmen Sandiego.” She said with a laugh. “The game, my dear is life!” She leaped across the room, dragging Ivy with her. She placed a small kiss on the detective’s hand and the butterflies in Ivy’s stomach began to flutter. “Until next crime, Detective!” She whispered softly. Then, she slid out the back door.

Everyone present followed her outside to see what her next move would be. Ivy however, rested in the doorway, doing nothing to prevent the thief’s escape. “Until next crime, Carmen.” She murmured and felt her heart begin to break.

Epilogue

Ivy was staring out into the late summer day, watching as red and orange spread across the sky. There was work to be done, but the detective couldn’t focus her attention. A noise behind her caused her to whip around to face her door. Right inside her bedroom stood Carmen, dressed in her new attire. “Hi.” Ivy said shyly.

“Hello, Ivy.” Carmen replied, settling herself on the daybed that rested against the wall and patted the comforter to her side. Cautiously, Ivy moved to the thief’s side. “I wanted to thank you.”

“Look, Carmen, it’s nothing personal. I would’ve helped anyone in the same situation.” Ivy began, but was silenced with Carmen’s gloved fingers.

“Thanks for that, too, but that’s not what I was talking about. I meant to thank you for getting Ryan into the academy. She deserves it.”

“No problem! She’s definitely qualified.” Ivy responded. “Is that all?” She asked.

Carmen was already out of the door when Ivy asked that question and she hesitantly turned back. She looked as if she was going to add something, but instead she began to retreat.

“Wait, Carmen!” She took each of Carmen’s arms with her hands. “Why are you hiding from me? You don’t have to.” She brushed the lock of stubborn hair out of the older woman’s face so she could look clearly into both eyes.

Carmen turned her gaze downward, “Maybe I am hiding, Detective, but it’s the safest way to live life.”

Stunned, Ivy let go and Carmen took off. Shouting after her, Ivy said, “Since when did you live life safe.”

She never got an answer.

That evening, Carmen Sandiego pondered the words of her young opponent and found it hard to deny. She was hiding from something and she would not rest until she realised what it was.