Shifting Priorities (workshopping the name)

Chapter One

The familiar red coat fluttered in the wind, as her black boots clattered against the top of the roof in Tahiti. The woman wearing the red coat sported a matching fedora that all had to be picked off of the floor of an abandoned building where police lights illuminated the scene, the coat weighed heavier than an average one, with various tools lined that had seen many capers. There were many things the police didn't know about the elusive super thief that grew up on the remote island for Valuable Imports and Lavish Exports, but what they were most clueless to at the time was the state of the building. It was all empty.

VILE left no loose ends, especially not Coach Brunt. And Shadowsan? Out of the question, he didn't exist in this equation—leaving VILE was not anything that La Femme Rouge thought she would have to anticipate from the ninja. A smile tugged at her lips, then again what could she expect from him, with the oversized hard drive in her hand she doubted that she would be bothered by Shadowsan again–at least not in a problematic way.

Carmen Sandiego, the woman in the cape sighed and winced slightly as she walked to the edge of the roof she perched on—-a sigh of almost relief—away from the investigation. The last thing she wanted was her name in papers, but what she did want was names. She put her finger to her ear, then spoke,

"Player," She said with practiced confidence, "You said you had some info for me? When are Zack and Ivy getting over here?"

There was a beat of silence, in which the hasty clanking of keyboard keys could be heard, the sound of highly trained fingers typing away. Then the voice of a teenaged boy jumped in to explain,

"Okay, so," Player started, "I know you want VILE recruit names and you want 'em fast. But," Player dragged out the last word as his eyes remained glued to the screen he was watching, all from the comfort of his room, far away from Carmen (and thankfully the capers).

"Ah ha! I know it's not really concrete information, but I mean–"

"Player," Carmen interrupted, "Can we cut to the chase?"

"Right, so...I found a different secret organization that may be affiliated with crimes like VILE—"

"Player." Carmen warned.

"I know!" Player sighed behind his screen, tipping back in his chair, "I know you don't want to do it, but you need a break, Red. I think all of us do, we've been on our toes recently and this organization--it could just be more... I dunno---more low-key?"

"Player," Carmen argued, "I have to take VILE out, you know how important this is to me, and for everyone else. VILE is dangerous. VILE won't stop until they are forced to..." Player sighed again, and he heaved himself back up to look at his screen, eyes tired. "But. You're not all that wrong."

"Wait, really?"

Carmen stared out into the distance, deep in thought. If she agreed to what Player was saying she could be completely wasting her time, Carmen was already anxious to get back on track to be just a couple steps behind VILE—they were so close to taking them down. VILE was the one cockroach in her life that she wanted nothing more to do with rather than bring her heel down on. Was it partially just for revenge for how they ruined her childhood? Yes. Did she also want to take down operatives just because they were hurting people? Absolutely! Even if she was wasting her time with this new organization, maybe it would be good to taka a break... and give the rest of them a break too. After watching what she did—seeing Coach Brunt again today... They needed a distraction. So with reluctance, she agreed, it's not like it was entirely unproductive, they were still probably helping someone.

"Alright!" Player was grinning, his hard work was paying off, baby! Even if it wasn't that great that other thieves were out there of course—-but a break from VILE's mindgames was something! Now it just has to go well, "Oh, Red, looks like Zack and Ivy decided to show."

Ivy and Zack were fighting over the wheel, both their voices blending from where Carmen was into an incomprehensible scuffle. As Carmen approached, she could more clearly hear what they were arguing about, something about Zack not paying attention to where he was going in a fog of panic and Ivy being—

"THE ONLY THING THAT'S KEPT US ALIVE SO FAR!" Ivy yelled, her hands planted firmly on the steering wheel even sitting in the passenger seat.

While Ivy's seatbelt was stretching to keep a hold on her, Zack's was completely absent, as if he forgot about it in his haste. His hands were clutching the steering wheel a little too tight—as if his life depended on it, and his expression was one of bewilderment, nevertheless he put up a good fight arguing with Ivy. A fight that didn't make much sense, but a commendable one. Carmen smiled fondly, it was almost sweet how Zack rushed over if not for the sheer amount of safety laws broken in the process.

"Woof," Player winced hearing the yelling in his headphones, scrambling to turn down the volume, "I have to start having some sort of manual disabling switch for those earpieces."

"Ivy, Zack, good to see you!" Carmen called, smiling.

As both the siblings noticed her there, their scuffling stopped, both of them frozen and wide eyed for a second, before they both broke into cries of triumph and relief. At that, Carmen rushed into the car and shushed them—holding her side as she walked to the fastest speed her injuries would allow her to—no matter how happy she was she didn't want their celebration to attract unwanted attention, especially from the authorities. She didn't know exactly what their near future would hold, or where they'd go now, but she'd let Player forge any passport or plane ticket she needed, with his large sum of allowance he gets from his parents, it'd be no problem. Carmen started to feel a bit of a pit in her stomach—just a bit—but it was enough to let questions she'd long left unanswered pose in her mind... What if Player's family or someone else found out? Where would Carmen go? Just how sure was she that one slip up wouldn't end her future entirely, and what if she was dragging Zack, Ivy, and Player down with her...?

As Carmen watched the siblings argue with a lighter, more playful air she felt even worse of a sense that she was doing just that, yet they all remained oblivious as Player ratted off information—all their voices drowning into plain noise for her. This night just proved that she could never face VILE head-on, who was to say they wouldn't screw up after all of this?

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A/N

So, first chapter! I have chosen to actually make a proper outline, so I hope the chapters actually work out better. As usual my update schedule is going to be very inconsistent, but hope you enjoyed the first chapter!

- Wynter