Gray watched as Carmen disappeared, grinning at him, taunting him. The bag of opals he had stolen was gone in his hands, leaving in the crimson coat pocket of the elusive Carmen Sandiago.
She had definitely given him a run for his money, or opals in this case.
“Crackle?” Tigress’s voice slipped through his com. “Crackle, did you the gems?”
“Sandiago’s gone, she nabbed the opals. Let’s rendezvous in Pantin, A.C.M.E.’s here.”
Tigress cursed loudly, “Fine!”
Gray sat down on the rooftop watching as a blood red hand glider swung over him, vanishing in the distance over the Eiffel Tower.
A year ago, he had thought he had known her.
He’d thought they’d been on the same page. And then graduation had come.
And he had tried to kill her, betrayed his best friend. And was it worth it?
Gray remembered that night. Graduation night. Back when her name had been Black Sheep.
Black Sheep had vanished for the graduation party. And Gray had gone searching for her.
He’d found her sitting in front of their old classroom.
“Hey, Lambkins.” He sat down next to her.
Black Sheep snorted, “Hey Graham Cracker.”
Crackle laughed, “It’s Crackle.”
She shook her head, “To me, it’ll always be Gray.”
“So, what’s wrong?”
Black Sheep looked down, “They, well, they gave me my first mission.”
“That’s great!” He paused, “You don’t look like it’s great.”
“I’m not so sure anymore. They asked me to steal the Beauté Renversante Opals that belong to a wealthy family in Paris. They told me to not leave any loose ends. Meaning, if someone sees me, I have to kill them.” Black Sheep stared at her hand, “I don’t want to steal lives, Gray. I was raised here, I never wanted to be a thief. It was a game. But this? This is ruining lives, taking lives. I can’t do that. But they’ll never let me leave.”
Gray shook his head, “It’s fine Black Sheep.”
“I can’t believe you would say that. Gray, they have a child. She’s thirteen years old, has a dog named Bellé. The only people in the house are her parents and her. If one of them sees me, she loses a parent, if both of them see me, she’s an orphan. Like me.” Black Sheep shook her head, “I’m leaving, Gray. And I’m not coming back. This isn’t right, V.I.L.E isn’t right.” Black Sheep paused, “You’re my best friend Gray. Whatever you choose, nothing will change that.” She stood up and nodded. “See you later.”
Gray stood up, “Black Sheep.”
She turned around and her face darkened, “They knew I was having second thoughts. You came here to make sure I wasn’t.”
Crackle closed his eyes, “I don’t want to. All you have to do is promise to steal the opals, that’s it. I don’t want to hurt you.”
“It’s me or you?”
“I can’t let you leave.”
She stalked forward, making it so that their faces were inches apart. She raised her chin, displaying her neck, “Then kill me.” She stared at him, “Do it, Crackle.”
Gray stared at her, “I’ll do it.”
She narrowed her eyes, “I’m willing to bet you won’t.”
Gray pulled the rod from his belt and gently thumbed the dial. Her breath was steady, calm.
She stared at him with soft blue eyes that hid any emotion besides concentration. “The crackle rod. It’s a suiting name. A deadly taser, it’s a suitable weapon for an electrician. But I don’t think you’ll use it on me. Am I right?”
In response, Gray placed the tip of the rod on her abdomen, still fingering the dial.
Black Sheep’s eyes were cold. She grabbed his wrist and forced him to place it fully against her.
If he even moved the dial she would pass out from the shock of electricity, if he turned it all the way on, she’d be dead in a heartbeat.
She stepped closer still making it so that a hair separated them.
“I don’t want to do this.” Crackle hissed.
Black Sheep glared at him and her hand tensed as he put his thumb fully on the dial. “Then don’t.
He grabbed her other hand, “Please, don’t make me do this.”
She shook her head, “This isn’t a game anymore. I won’t kill for money.”
Crackle shook his head, “Fine.”
She kicked him away the second he started to move the dial.
He cursed as she started to run down the hall.
He clicked his com button.
“Crackle, report.”
“She got cold feet. She’s running, but there’s no way off the island.”
Silence.
“The graduation ceremony. There’s a boat, she’s leaving the island.”
Crackle took off running. “Black Sheep! Don’t do this!”
“I don’t have a choice!”
Gray tackled her. “You do have a choice. Leave and you betray your family, stay,”
She glared up at him and kicked him off of her. “Stay and they’ll make me a murderer like them.”
The lights went off as the island went into lockdown. The only light bright red warning lights illuminated the halls.
“I read the files Gray. I wasn’t found on the side of the road in Buenos Aires Argentina.” She ducked his punch and slammed her shoulder into his chest.
He rolled with it and threw her to the ground. He had read the files too. VILE faculty had told him about it when he was assigned to make sure she didn’t betray them.
“They took everything from me and gave me this instead Gray!” She stood up, throwing her hair from her face, and slammed her fist into his gut.
He let her and grabbed her wrist. He pulled it above their heads and grabbed her other hand, forcing her against the wall. “They gave you a home.”
“They took my father’s life!” She thrashed against him.
“I know.”
She froze. “You-you what?”
Gray felt his face soften even as “I know Black Sheep. They gave me the files to look through when they gave me my mission.”
She was panting, “And what exactly is your mission?” She snarled the words, her face hardening.
Anyone who didn’t know her would think her eyes were burning with anger. But Black Sheep didn’t get angry. She was terrified. “They told me to protect my family. They told me to protect you.” Her terror slammed into him more solidly than any punch. She was scared of him.
“You knew!” She pushed against the wall, trying to throw him off her. “They killed the only family I had and then lied about it. And you knew. For how long?”
“Three months.”
Her eyes broke. She kept so much emotion in her eyes. She kept her face calm always, but her eyes were constantly broadcasting her emotions. And in that moment, he saw her heart break, along with her mask.
“You knew?” Her voice was raw with emotion. “You didn’t tell me?” She stopped struggling.
“I’m trying to protect you. You’re my best friend-”
She screamed, “You don’t do this to people Gray. You don’t lie to them! You don’t do this to friends! You don’t do this to me!”
Gray watched as tears formed in her eyes.
“You were orphaned! What if you found out that you grew up, ALONE, because they killed your parents? Your family-”
“We are your family. This is my family; you are my family.” Gray gently let go of her wrist and cupped her face. He wiped a tear from her face and narrowed his eyes. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”
“You just tried to kill me.”
“I would never hurt you. You know that.”
Carmen turned her face away tears streaming from her eyes, “I’m not sure I know anything about you anymore.”
Gray paused, “Know that I do care.”
She grabbed his hand on her face gently and looked up, “Then let me go.”
He shook his head. “I can’t do that.”
She kneed him in the gut and kicked off the wall slamming him to the floor. “Then I’m sorry.”
She grabbed the crackle rod and turned up the dial to stun mode. It didn’t work.
Gray threw her off him, “Fingerprint recognition.”
She jumped up and Gray shook his head as he stood up. “There is only one way this ends.”
Black Sheep sighed, “Fine.”
Crackle smiled. “So, we’re doing this my way?”
She took a couple of steps forward and held out the crackle rod.
He grabbed it and nodded to her in thanks. She didn’t let go.
“No. We’re doing this my way.” She yanked it away and slammed it into his head. The world went black.
When he woke up, Carmen was gone, and he was in the hospital wing with a mild concussion.
A year later he was staring at her as she vanished.
A voice entered his com feed, one he didn’t recognize.
“Great job, Red.”
Black Sheep’s voice slipped into the com line, “Thanks Player. Where am I off to next?”
Gray felt his skin go cold.
“Stockholm.”
“Sweden. Do we know what operatives will be there?” Carmen grunted softly as if she had just landed somewhere.
“Some guys named Otter man and erm, Moose boy. I swear the code names are just getting worse and worse.” Player sucked in a breath, “They’re selling launch codes.”
Black Sheep paused, “Ok. Where are Zack and Ivy?”
“Rendezvous at the Eiffel Tower.”
Gray froze, he could get there. To do what?
Carmen sighed, “I just passed that, okay. Tell them I’ll be there in thirty minutes.”
“Kk, be safe.”
The con line went dead. Gray stood up and bolted towards the Eiffel Tower.
Carmen breathed in the cold night air staring at the city below her, “The island never had this kind of view.”
She landed softly on the cobblestone streets of Paris and started walking towards Zack and Ivy.
They had two baguettes and were sword fighting with the bread.
Carmen grinned and pulled off her coat. She tucked it into her bag and pulled out civilian dress. A black t shirt, jeans and a bright red jacket.
She carefully pulled on her clothes over her stealth suit and put her hair up out of her face in a bun.
Ivy saw her and waved, “Carm!”
Their Boston accents were still prominent in the way they spoke.
Zack waved as well, “Carm! Was the ninja there?”
Carmen felt her lips turn up as she met up with her friends, “No. He wasn’t.”
Zack did a couple karate slashes in the air, “And you’re sure you can’t teach me to be a ninja?”
Carmen grabbed his hand as he raced it towards her head.
He took a step forward, his blue eyes going serious, “I see my training has already begun.”
Ivy snorted, “You can train a monkey.”
He spun around, “You’re just jealous because Carm’s teaching me how to be a ninja.”
Carmen snorted.
Zack held up his broken bread, “I’m pretty hungry.”
Ivy rolled her eyes, “We just ate.”
Zack held out his hand, “Hunger waits for no one young child.”
Ivy hit the back of his head with her loaf of bread. “Ninja’s can go weeks without food.”
Zack rolled his eyes, “Well, obviously I haven’t started my training.”
Carmen saw something from the corner of her eye that made her skin go cold. The area around the Eiffel Tower was evacuated, save a tall young man. “First lesson, Get out of here.”
Ivy spun her head around and locked her eyes on Gray. She pounded her fist against her palm, “We can take him.”
“No.” Carmen snapped, “Get out.”
Zack opened his mouth to protest, but Ivy yanked him away. “You heard her.”
Carmen waved as her friends disappeared and waited for the figure to come closer.
“Black Sheep.” He whispered the words, and it made Carmen sick.
Gray felt her nearness and his heart started pounding in his chest. No. He had banished those feelings a long time ago. It didn’t matter what he may have once felt for her. But you don’t betray family.
But who betrayed who? The voice in his head whispered.
Black Sheep turned and met his eyes, “It’s Carmen, Gray.”
Gray felt a wince of pain thrust into him, “It’s Crackle, Lambkins.”
She glared up at him, their faces inches apart.
Her eyes. Gray felt his breath catch as he met her eyes. Always filled with so much emotion, so much sincerity, showing who she was with soft gestures that only people closest to her knew.
He wished what he saw was anger, hatred, anything besides what she showed him.
He met her eyes and he saw nothing. No emotion. Just cold empty gray blue eyes.
Carmen saw pain etched in every detail of Gray’s face. “Don’t call me that. What do you want?”
“The Opals.”
“I don’t have them.”
“Then I’m here for you.”
She narrowed her eyes, “You gonna kill me?”
Gray paused. What had he come here for? “Come back to the island.”
“You must be kidding.”
Gray shook his head, “I’m not.”
“I’m never going back to VILE isle. Not now, not ever, and certainly not with you.”
He opened his mouth but was interrupted by Zack charging forward and slamming a fist towards Gray’s face.
Gray caught it and rolled with his momentum forcing Zack to stumble to the ground.
Carmen glared at Zack but entered a fighting stance, “I didn’t stay then and I’m not going now.”
Gray glared at her, “Fine.” He copied her position and raised an eyebrow. “Whenever you’re ready.”
Carmen shifted and flicked her hand out. A grappling gun appeared from her wrist, and she shot it behind Gray, letting it yank her forward into him.
He grunted at the impact and was thrown away painfully. Carmen started running right behind her friends.
Gray shot her own grappling hook at her tearing her backwards. She cried out as she was flipped into the air like a rag doll, but she turned in midair and managed to land on her feet.
Her head shot up and she fixed him with a pointed glare, “Let me go, Gray.”
Gray reached into his jacket for the crackle rod but frowned.
Carmen pushed her bright red hoodie back revealing the crackle rod, “You steal my stuff, I steal yours.”
Gray grinned, “Fingerprint activated still.”
“It worked back then.” she frowned, “But I don’t need it to beat you.” She cracked it hard over her knee and it shattered like glass.
Gray growled, “Seriously?”
“Yeah. Deal with it.”
Gray threw her gun at her.
She dodged it, “That seems slightly childish.”
“You don’t like childish than stop being one.”
“I grew up the night of graduation.”
“Oh, finally got your big girl attitude.”
“Finally decided who I am.”
“A traitor.”
“Who betrayed who that night?” Her eyes were still empty, blank, cold.
He wished she would scream, yell at him. Tell him he was horrible, showing any kind of emotion. “I don’t know.” The words came out whispered.
Carmen studied Crackles face as he dropped his hands. He looked hurt, broken. A year ago, she would have given anything to make him happy again. Had that changed? “I do Gray. You could’ve just let me go.”
“No. I couldn’t have.”
“Why?”
Graham didn’t respond.
“Why?” she shouted it.
Gray just turned around and walked away.
Carmen bent down and picked up her grapple gun taking a breath and extending her arm. Her arm was shaking.
She could take out a vile operative, all she had to do was press the trigger. His head would hit the ground and she could hand him over to ACME with a little red bow.
He spun right as she shot the gun. His movement caused her to miss and before she could detach from the line, she was pulled forward.
Gray caught her. Cutting the wire and slamming her against the wall. He looked down, his arms pressed to the wall on either side of her. “I didn’t want to lose you.”
The words were whispered. Tense.
He wasn’t holding her back, it wasn’t forced. She wasn’t resisting. Why wasn’t she resisting?
Had she heard the words? I didn’t want to lose you.
“Gray?”
Gray looked up to stare at her cold empty eyes. He didn’t recognize the man he saw reflected in them. Is that how she saw him? A murder? A thief? That’s what he was. And now he could kill the one pebble in VILEs shoe. All he had to do was wrap his hand around her throat.
Carmen tensed as Gray straightened.
He looked at her, his eyes sad, before slamming his fist into her gut.
Carmen gasped out in pain as Gray jerked away, holding his arm out and shooting the grapple gun.
He vanished into the metal work of the Eiffel Tower; her gun clattered to the ground.
“Carm!”
Carmen stumbled. Ivy caught her, “Hey, hey, we gotchu.”
Carmen straightened, “Come on, let’s go.”
“Carmen?” Zack extended his hand.
“I’m fine, Zack!” She stalked to the car and opened the back door, Ivy’s normal spot, “Just drive!”
She lay down, clutching her ribs. I didn’t want to lose you. She hadn’t wanted to lose him. Had they lost each other?
Ivy slid into the seat in front and glanced back at Carmen, “Carm?”
Carmen closed her eyes, “Just. Drive.” Her voice was hard and pained. How could she sound so emotionless but scared at the same time. She was shaking.
Player listened from his room. Carmen hadn’t ended the call. She’d probably forgotten. Player hung up and stared at the black screen.
Carmen.
Red.
Black sheep.
His best friend.
Gray had made her happy back in the academy. And he still remembered the call he had gotten from her, for the first time, crying.
Carmen opened her eyes to see Zack and Ivy looking at her, concern vivid in their faces. “We’re here.”
Carmen kicked the door open and walked into the jet, “Stockholm here we come.”
Stockholm was cold. With a blizzard on the way the frosty air froze the sweat on Carmen’s face. She shivered. A thin jacket and jeans wouldn’t do well here. Ivy and Zack stepped out of the airport and Zack shrieked. “Oh, it’s way colder than Boston.”
Carmen nodded “Can one of you grab my coat?”
They didn’t get a chance.
“Red?” Player’s voice stepped over the com.
“Hit me, Player.”
“ACME’s in the area.”
Carmen’s senses went high, “Where?”
“They’re closing in around you guys.”
“Zack, Ivy, decoy.” Carmen pulled her jacket tighter over herself, “Hurry.”
Immediately Ivy started running along the frost-bitten rooftops in bright red coat, Zack trailing behind in the van rental.
Carmen shivered at the cold and walked into the large chapel-like building next to her.
She could hear Player’s frown, “I don’t like this.”
“Well, we have ACME after Ives, she’s not their target. So, when they find out they’ll ditch.” Carmen paused, “Hold that thought Player.”
Carmen spun and kicked the gun from Julia’s hand. “Jules! Pleasure to see you. Sorry about that.”
Julia Argent. She had been following Carmen all over the world, helping her, while her associates tried to capture Carmen.
“Where’s the inspector?”
Julia fumbled, “Uh, he’s well, reinstated somewhere else.”
“Ah, what a shame.” Carmen continued to walk around the large room, “So how are you?”
“The Carmen ACME is chasing is?” Always to the point. How could someone so timid be so direct. The woman was small, straight backed, tense she would make a horrible thief. That was probably a good thing.
“A friend. What’s ACME doing here?” Carmen trailed her hand along a banister as Julia followed slowly.
Carmen paused, “You’re here to recruit me?”
Julia nodded, “Yes, with the intel you can give us about VILE, you could be a valuable resource.”
Carmen frowned, “I prefer to go my own way.” She paused. “You’re alone?”
“It is just you and me here.”
Carmen rolled her eyes, “Thanks Jules. But I don’t like liars.”
“Sandiego! Don’t move!” A voice called out and Carmen raised an eyebrow.
“Friends of yours?” Carmen spun as five agents run into view holding guns that spray mist that knocks out anyone who breathes it in full in the face.
She bolted, racing up the tower stairs.
The way was blocked by ACME agents, but Carmen used Julia’s gun to flood the area in mist. She held her breath as the agents around her passed out. She sucked in a breath, and it made her head spin franticly.
She would be fine.
A cloud of blue mist ripped in front of Carmen, and she stifled her breathing.
She still sucked in a decent amount of the mist and her head went black as the toxins struck her. Her mind went fussy as she stumbled up the stairs slamming past the agent and feeling the freezing air rip into her skin. She stumbled to the edge of the tower, the world going in and out of focus.
She wasn’t thinking straight.
Carmen glanced down at the ground and the world went black, she fell.
Carmen felt the frigid air rip around her as she fell. The world, it was…
What?
Falling.
Someone screaming her name.
“Carmen!”
Carmen grabbed the pull on her hang glider, and it ripped away, sending her upward and forward. Faster.
“Red?” Player. “Red!” his voice grew frantic, “Carmen! Wake up!”
Crackle watched as Black Sheep fell. Panic grew inside of him. No. This was what he wanted. He wanted her dead. No, he didn’t.
No matter what he told himself, he hadn’t come to Stockholm to hurt her.
Player frantically tried to reach out to Ivy and Zack. Their coms were out of reached. Someone appeared on his monitor and he pulled the com in.