Shades of Gray

12. An Unexpected Reunion

Graham ran knelt down in the sand, carefully picking up a small object. A tranquilizer dart, he thought with dread. A V.I.L.E. tranquilizer dart.

He and the A.C.M.E. agents had shown up at the orphanage about half an hour ago, and they had split up to look for Carmen across the city. Zack and Ivy were scouring downtown, while Chase and Graham checked the beach. Julia had stayed at the orphanage with Carlotta in case Carmen came back home.

"No, no, no, no..." Graham murmured, despair washing over him. "We're too late!"

"On the contrary, I believe you're right on time."

Graham whipped around to find himself face to face with a figure in a dusty brown cloak, mottled with patterns that looked disturbingly like scales of a snake. The cowl of the cloak shadowed the person's face, but there was a V.I.L.E. logo emblazoned over the front pocket.

"Who are you, and what have you done with Carmen?" Graham demanded, his voice almost a growl.

The figure laughed. Their voice was masculine, with a Spanish accent that lightly flavored their words. "Wouldn't you like to know? I'm Rattlesnake, the top graduate of the last class V.I.L.E. trained before they were incarcerated."

Rattlesnake threw back his hood to reveal a shock of short dark brown hair and tanned skin. His eyes were a piercing, steely green, and narrowed like a snake's before they struck.

"As for your girlfriend, she's simply taking a little snooze." Rattlesnake continued. "In fact, you look stressed. Maybe a nap would do you some good too."

Graham retreated backwards a few steps as Rattlesnake pulled a tranquilizer gun out from underneath his cloak.

"I think I'm good," Graham said, backing away. "Before I go, it'd be great if you could tell me where you've taken Carmen."

"Sorry, I'd love to tell you, but it's supposed to be a surprise. But don't worry, you'll find out soon enough, because you're coming with her." Rattlesnake told him cheerfully.

The V.I.L.E. operative clicked the trigger of the tranquilizer gun, and Graham barely dodged the dart that came hurtling at him.

"Ah, wanting to play, are you?" Rattlesnake grinned easily. "Sorry, normally I would, but I'm on a bit of a tight schedule. The faculty expects me to deliver you and Carmen to them by tonight."

"I thought you were supposed to eliminate us." Graham replied, dodging another dart.

"At first, yes, but the faculty's decided they want to deal with you two traitors themselves. Oh, and someone named Shadowsan too, but we haven't gone after him yet." Rattlesnake explained. He shot off another dart, which Graham also dodged. "Hey, you're pretty good at this!"

"Yeah, I was always the best in dart-dodging class back in my old academy days," Graham said sarcastically. "How about you?"

"Eh, I've never been on the receiving end of one of these things." Rattlesnake replied casually. "I prefer to be the one shooting."

Graham leaped out of the way of another dart. "I should've guessed."

"You really should have," Rattlesnake nodded, still grinning. "Look, this has been fun and all, but I told you I'm on a tight schedule. Maybe we could do this again some other time."

Before Graham could react, Rattlesnake aimed the gun and fired at lightning speed. A tranquilizer dart buried itself in Graham's leg.

"Or, then again, maybe not." Rattlesnake shrugged, pulling his hood back over his head as Graham's vision dimmed. "You'll probably be dead before we meet again. Such a pity."

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Graham opened his eyes to find himself in the back of a van not unlike the one the A.C.M.E. agents had used to transport Neal and Tigress. There was a thick piece of soundproofing glass between the back area and the driver's seat, and he could see Rattlesnake was the one driving. Graham looked down to find his hands and feet were handcuffed, but thankfully he wasn't gagged.

"I have to admit," a familiar voice said behind him. "I didn't think I'd be seeing you again. Certainly not in a situation like this."

He turned to find Carmen leaning against the opposite side of the van's wall, a small, uncertain smile on her lips. She was hand and foot-cuffed as well, and a small bruise darkened her cheek.

Graham's heart ached to see her beautiful face. He'd missed Carmen so badly over the last five months, as much as he had tried to forget about her. A part of him was ecstatic to see her again, but the rest of him wished she was anywhere but here.

"Well, what can I say? I seem to have a knack for getting myself into dangerous predicaments." Graham replied, trying to match her light tone. He attempted to smile, but it turned out more like a grimace. Carmen was also nervous. She hid it well, but Graham could see her hands trembling slightly.

He ended up sighing and dropping his head into his hands. "Carmen, I... this might be the end."

"W-what do you mean?" Carmen demanded, a slight tremor seeping into her voice despite all of her self-control.

Graham told her about Tigress attacking him at the Opera House, riding with A.C.M.E. in the van, and finding the mission file on Neal's phone. He mentioned flying with Julia, Chase, Zack, and Ivy to Argentina, and also recounted the conversation he'd had with Rattlesnake while the operative was trying to shoot him.

"Oh... um... wow." Carmen breathed, pressing her fingers to her temples as she took in all of this information. She squeezed her eyes shut, and was silent for a long time.

When she spoke again, her voice was barely a whisper. "I've finally found my family, and V.I.L.E.'s going to take it all away? Why can't I just finally be happy and live my life?" She took in a shuddering breath. "They're really going to take everything from me. Everything I've fought so hard for."

Graham's heart clenched as he watched a tear slip down her cheek. He scooted as best he could across the back of the van to sit beside her, and nudged her with his shoulder.

"V.I.L.E. hasn't beaten us yet." he said firmly. "And I'm not planning on going down without a fight. You?"

She glanced up at him, the fire beginning to rekindle in her eyes. "I'm not giving up until I'm dead."

"That's the Carmen I know," Graham grinned at her.