Chasing the Past--A Carmen Sandiego Story

4---New Friends, Old Enemies

The mystery operative shrugged. "She has managed to evade VILE for more than two years now."

Tigress growled. "As if! That's only because she's a traitor who spilled everything to ACME! They're the only reason we haven't caught her yet!"

Carmen scoffed at the mention of ACME being her ally. Tigress missed it, but the new operative noticed, her black eyes scrutinizing the thief.

"Yeah. Speaking of which, are we going to capture Carmen Sandiego or what?"

"Newbie's got a point," Carmen said, lunging at Tigress. She landed a solid kick to her stomach before the operative retaliated, her claws swiping at her while she bared her teeth. 

She grabbed a fist full of Carmen's hair, who yelped. that was a low blow. Never pull a lady's hair. That was common civil demeanor and down right cheating in a fight. 

Unfortunately for her, Sheena didn't have long enough hair to rip out. The many dye jobs had thinned it, and she seriously needed to consider using oil, god dang it. 

Carmen hacked at a pressure point on Tigress's shoulder, forcing her arm to release. 

The archer drew the string of her bow backwards, shutting one eye and releasing arrows swifter than an artillery gun. They pierced Carmen's coat, pinning her to the wall.

Though the archer kept steadily firing, Tigress hung back, her arms till limp at her side. With a small smile, Carmen thanked Shadowsan for all the lessons, even if they had been painful for her at first.

"Agh!" She screamed as an arrow grazed her shoulder. She ditched her coat, casting one sorrowful glance at the tattered thing. Great. That's two expensive outfits ruined in the course of an hour.

Carmen lobbed a throwing star at the archer's hands, knocking the bow from her finger tips. The operative let out a cry of agony, her eyes following the bow as it skidded halfway across the hallway.

Not giving up the agent wiped her fingers on her bodysuit, the blood barely making a difference on the deep red color. She merged into the fight immediately after, and though she didn't have much brute strength over Carmen, her speed and agility was astonishing. 

The Archer dodged her attacks easily, slipping under her legs and vaulting over shoulders. She plucked an iron arrow from her quiver, and Carmen steeled herself for the violent thrashes that were sure to come. She groaned as it's sharp tip made contact with the bare skin on her arms, puncturing the once supple surface.

"Can't you use another sonic arrow?" Sheena screamed, still uselessly standing off to the side, clutching her right arm.

The Operative turned to Tigress, momentarily distracted, providing Carmen with opportunity to kick her away. The girl screeched as she made contact with the wall, the sound reminding her of a vulture's squalor.

Though still recovering from the blows, the mystery agent did not back down, charging forward, obviously without any sort of plan. Carmen grabbed her arm as she reached out to strike her, judo-flipping her to the ground. 

"My bow. . . . is not exactly with. . .agh!. . . me at the moment, Sheena. Ugh!... .And anyway, that was my last one! Paper . . . .huff. . . Star stole the others for their ends in Canada. . . .She ran out of paper."

"That bitch is insane," Sheena muttered.

"Look who's talking," Carmen shouted, pinning the archer to down while she was crumpled on the ground. The girl easily slipped out of her grasp, reminding her of Neal the eel. The operative leapt on her back, her finger nails raking down Carmen's back, somehow penetrating her durable body suit and grazing her skin.