Carmen sits on a bus, talking to Player about the current operation. The bus passes slowly through the winding roads of the mountains, the roads surrounded by thick forests of trees. Leaves fall from the trees in a ballet of red, orange, and yellow, a display of the start or Auttum that lines up with her arrival in the southern town.
"So before we go on I need to ask a weirdly specific question," Player explains with news articles pulled up on his computer. One image is visible in the bottom left corner of his screen, showing a teen in a white hockey mask, standing in a blood stained parking lot next to a burning building.
"What's up?" Carmen inquires, confused.
"Have you ever drank?" Player inquires, "I won't judge if you have."
"Player if you're about to tell me you're drinking you're way to young to be-" Carmen began to retort concerned.
Player assures her, "oh no it's not like that. I'm underage I get that. I'll take that a no then. I'm just looking at some info. There's a vigilante in that town and he hates underage drinking. I was worried it would be trouble if you ran into him."
"Vigilante?" Carmen inquires curiously, "and no I haven't drank so, won't be an issue. I travel so much I decided to look into science for that rather than the laws. Science says the age is 21, and frankly it's never interested me anyways. Maybe when I'm older but, not now."
"Well this dude's been fighting the cartel down there," Player elaborates pulling up videos of the teen fighting. The teen's fighting style is wild and unrefined, borderline feral in style. He fights tooth and nail like a cornered animal. "He appeared in Summer. Been causing a lot of issues for the police. What he does is he targets child abusers and drug dealers, beats confessions out of them, and sends the recordings to the news."
"What?" Carmen inquires, "Why not just call the cops?"
"Well the southern U.S.A. has a major corruption issue," Player explains, "And by going to the news he forces them to act as failing to do so would expose them. It's an unspoken balancing act between looking legit and being corrupt. An act he exploits. His last big hit was fighting a bunch of pro underage drinking parents outside a burning winery. Despite severe injury, he took them out while wildly outmanned."
"Is he dangerous?" Carmen inquires, "It may be worth helping the police apprehend him while I'm here."
"He doesn't seem to have killed anyone and has claimed to have a no killing rule," Player explains, "But he does appear mentally unstable. It's your call. He goes by Purity, and since you're stopping a massive import of drugs, you could run into him. Why are we doing this though?"
"I feel I've grown rusty," Carmen explains, "And stopping illegal substances from entering the U.S. is a good thing. I need to get my head back in the game in terms of my fighting skills before I search for my mother. VILE is gonna find me sooner or later. Way I see it, even if it's not our usual job, it's two birds with one stone."
"Alright," Player shrugs, "The boat with the good arrives at 2am at a boat dock in town. You've got time to kill until then."
"I'll take a look around," Carmen replies, "This Purity character has got me curious. Maybe I can learn a bit about him..."
Carmen gets off the bus, keeping her face hidden under her signature red hat. The town is a ghost town compared to her usual locals of exotic cities and popular tourist destinations. There's not many people around at the run down, cold station. She exits it quickly, the emptiness of the place giving it an eerie and unwelcoming air. As she walks down the street, pulling up a map on her phone, she looks for a place to grab a bite to eat before going down to the boat docks.
It's already late in the evening, around 11am. She finds her eyes caught by a small cafe. She enters it, taking a seat in the back to avoid attention. She passes by two groups as her heels tap on the white tile floor. The first, a kid, almost an adult but not quite yet, sitting alone in one of the red padded booths.
The teen is a twig, only around 100 pounds tops. Underweight for his age, and short too. He has brown eyes that dart around the room like a cornered animal as he sips a cup of coffee. His brown hair is combed, but this does not match his nervous ticks. He taps his fingers on the table anxiously. He wears a black jacket that hides his small frame, is fair skinned, and grips something in his jacket pocket with intense aniexty on his eyes.
The second duo is much less conspicuous, two middle aged men talking about something. Carmen walks past then not giving it a second thought until...
"So the ships arrive tonight?" One inquires.
Carmen discreetly listens in as the other responds, "Yeah, so let's make this last sale and get the new load of goods. Ready to go?"
The duo leave.
"That isn't good," Player comments, "You gonna tail them? They could have info."
Carmen prepares to respond, before she notices the scrawny kid is gone and spots him out the window, tailing the two men.
"I think someone beat me to it," she replies before getting up and tailing the kid...
A teenager in a black jacket feels his heart pounding. Adrenaline flows through his brain as he grips a brass knuckle in his pocket.
"This is where the fun begins," a similar looking young man explains as he exits an alley and walls next to the teen.
"I don't do this for fun," the teen sighs to his doppelganger under his breath, "I do this because they're impure and must be purified."
"But you do enjoy it," the doppelganger reminds speaking at a normal volume.
"Shut up," the teens glares, not denying it in a hushed voice.
"Whatever," the doppelganger chuckles. "You heard what they said right?
The teen nods, "a shipment at the docks. Selling the good. They're impure, it's obvious."
"Then let's purify this town," the doppelganger laughs before ducking into an alley and disappearing. The two men he's tailing slip into an alley, the teen reveals a white hockey mask hidden under his jacket and puts it on, grabbing his brass knuckle as he grins maliciously.
Carmen watches as the teen she was tailing follows the two men down an alleyway.
"You get what he was saying?" Carmen inquires, "He was talking but I couldn't hear him."
"Yeah the drone picked it up," Player explains, revealing the drone to be following the young man close to the ground behind him. "But it was like I was only hearing half the conversation Red. Like he was talking to someone who isn't there. However he did mention those guys being impure, so he may be Purity, or one of his accomplices.
"He doesn't work alone then?" Carmen inquires.
"No he has a few known allies such as Sterile and Bleach," Player explains, "But there is one thing you should know if you're going in."
"What's that?" Carmen inquires, watching as the two men grab a bag of cocaine down the alley, hidden behind a loose brick.
"Well, some authorities beleive that the vigilante is suffering from schizophrenia. A mental illness that stems from genetics or sometimes trauma, but usually a mix of both components. People with it have a tendency to see and hear things that aren't real. Feel such things too."
"Is that why he's violent?" Carmen inquires, "That doesn't sit right with me there must be more to it."
"I knew you were wise to that," Player replies. "See the fact that all people suffering from the illness are violent is a very common misconception. Many schizophrenic people can live full and happy lives. They often require medication though but with proper treatment a schizophrenic person can be a fully functional, happy, and moral person. It's really unfair how they're portrayed in media. As deranged sociopaths when they're just people like you and me and should be treated as such."
"So this kid is the exception," Carmen elaborates, "not the rule."
"Precisely," Player replies, "I'm sending the drone in for a closer look. Wait there."
Player pilots the drone above the alleyway as the masked kid approaches the duo.
"You impure scumbags," he growls, his voice modified by electronic components in the mask giving it a robotic and raspy tone, "You know what I do to scum like you."
"Ugh," one sighs, "Come on! Yo, let's kill him see if we can't get a bonus."
"I dunno man," the accomplice replies backing away, "He has a wild look in his eyes. Let's split."
"He's a twig!" The other retorts, "We can take the runt!"
"Time to purify," the young man chuckles with sadistic glee before charging forward in a feral, unhinged stance. The first of the two drug dealers draws a switch blade and slashes downwards at the kid, who ducks under it and hits the man in the ribs, cracking two of them with a brutal blow.
He laughs madly as the second cowers, before collecting himself and pulling a pistol on the kid. Carmen prepares to step in only for the kid to sidestep the silenced gunshot and shatter his arm with a grapple before flipping him over. The two men lay on the ground in esteem pain. The first tries to get up only to be brutally stomped on his already broken ribs.
The man coughs up blood and cries out in agony for mercy.
"Mercy?" The kid chuckles, "Mercy!?!"
The kid takes out a phone and records the two, "Why don't you two tell the world what you did? Then we can discuss mercy!"
The man coughs up blood and confesses that he was selling drugs before asking, "You got us. Please... we'll tell you about another place to hit just let us go."
"Why tell me before I get to have my fun?" The young man chuckles with a sadistic thrill fueling his actions, "I'm gonna enjoy knocking your teeth down your throat one by one..."
Carmen informs Player, "OK this is escalating to much. I'm stepping in."
The young man lifts his fist back to ready a punch in the mouth only to have his arm grabbed. He turns around to see Carmen glaring down at him, "that's enough Purity."
Purity pulls away and jumps back, shocked that he has been followed.
"He's got what he needs," Carmen glares at the two sacks of crap at her feet, "Run, turn yourselves in or I can't garuntee he won't come for you again."
The two men flee, limping as fast as they can.
"Well I'm not going to jail," the kid sighs, "so... we squaring up or am I gonna go chase those guys down?"
"Stopping criminals is one thing," Carmen glares, raising her fists "Torturing people for pleasure is another."
"Aight square up it is," the kid sighs, "That's a shame. I don't like hurting good people."
The young man puts his brass knuckle away and sighs, "So won't be using that then."
Purity charged with reckless abandon at Carmen, who easily sidesteps gracefully. She attempts to difuse the situation by explaining, "I'm not here to turn you in. We can both just walk away."
"Yeah and I'm not gonna trust someone who protects impure people," Purity glares, "You're impure too! I know you are!"
Purity leaps at Carmen who jumps over him with ease, landing behind him. She grips her hat smoothly, realzing that she clearly outmatches the vigilante in terms of combat skill. They're not even in the same ballpark it would be a clean sweep if she was fighting back. She turns around with a sly grin, knowing what to say. The young man charges with nails at the ready to rip into her flesh before she calmly explains, "I don't do drugs and I follow the drinking age."
Purity freezes, his fist an inch from her face. He sighs, "Well... I... can't fight you then. People like you are to rare around here! Who are you anyways? I've never seen you around."
"I'm a traveling... well... criminal of sorts techinally speaking," Carmen replies, "Carmen Sandiego. Us lawbreakers gotta stick together."
She extends her hand for a handshake, "And you are?"
The young man removes his mask and explains, "Well if we're both outside the law I assume I can trust you to keep a secret. Consider it mutually assured destruction since we both know who the other is. I'm Richard."
The young man reveals his face and smiles, "Richard West..."
Meanwhile on a boat riding up the river, a girl sits humming on a wooden crate below deck. She receives a text.
Messenger: Are the goods secure?
Receiver: Yes but why am I on drug detail?
Messenger: We have our hands in many pies, but a vigilante has been causing issues for a cartel that pays good money for our services from time to time. Your objective is to kill this so called Purity. Make it quick and make sure the drugs get there.
Receiver: Well at least I get to enjoy cutting him open. This... outta be fun.
The girl laughs madly as the boat nears the boat docks of the small town. She sets her phone down, revealing the VILE logo on the back of it...
Richard and Carmen sit at the diner eating bacon and eggs.
"So why do you do... that?" Carmen inquires with a mix of genuine concern and curiosity.
"Many reasons," Richard replies, "How about you? You return stolen art?"
"Let's just say I made mistakes in my past I wanna atone for," Carmen replies.
Richard nods in understanding, "that's fair. As for me it's... well it's a long story. My parents have emotionally abused me for years. Everyone around here is an underage drinker, druggie, abuser, or being abused. Sometimes a mix of all those. I have a lot of trouble making friends because of that. Then I started hearing voices and seeing things when I was around ten. One day I saw a man pressuring his son to drink whiskey and I just... snapped. See Carmen, the world is full of evil, the impure, and they must be purified. Cleansed. There is no greater sin than to harm a child. That is the most impure of them all, and I am Purity who will purify this God forsaken town."
"Aren't you worried about getting hurt?" Carmen inquires, "You must have people who care about you. Why not turn yourself in and just, get your life back on track?"
"Oh the cops are on the cartel's pay roll," Richard replies, "I would be dead before I ever saw a jail cell. They would just kill me. I recall I once fought a meth addicted cop who killed her son. They suck. A woman can confess to doing drugs with her children in the home to a cop's face and they'll just... walk away. That's the Southern U.S.A. for ya. As for those who care about me, I got a family, not one of blood, but of love. Family is the people you love, blood or not. Oh, and my girlfriend Lily Travels."
"I understand that," Carmen replies, "Shadow San is a father to me. However I do wanna find my blood mother."
"I can't relate but I wish you the best of luck in that," Richard replies. "You're a cool person Carmen. I'm sorry I... like... you know."
Carmen chuckles and assures him, "I'm used to it. Anyways, it's almost two. I should get going."
"As should I," Richard replies, "I got a lead on a drug shipment coming in."
"You already knew?" Carmen asks, "Those guys never told you."
"I have my ears close to the ground," Richard explains, "I'm always listening, always watching. Lily says I'm paranoid and traumatized. I say to that, yes I am. But..."
There's an awkward silence before Richard continues, "Anyways, two heads are better than one. Wanna run this one together?"
"You're only 17," Carmen explains, "Just go home."
"Absuive parents," Richard reminds, "And I'm going with or without your help anyways."
"Fine," Carmen replies, "Just be careful. Remember you have to stay alive for your family."
"And a new friend eh?" Richard asks offering a high five.
"Sure," Carmen smiles returning it. "Now let's go."
The two arrive at the boat docks in the dead of night, watching as Paper Star steps off the boat, humming as two goons unload boxes full of crack, meth, and heroine. One goon, after lighting a cigarette, almost drops a crate into the water, catching Paper Star's attention.
"Do be careful," Paper Star chuckles, "These goods are worth more than all of you, and one little mishap deserves another. Just a little paper cut to the neck..."
"Paper Star," Carmen mutters as she watches in the forest with Richard.
"Who?" Richard inquires.
"That past I mentioned," Carmen explains, "I used to work for an evil organization called VILE which I'm trying to avoid while I derust my skills. Paper Star is one of their agents."
"What's her skills?" Richard inquires.
"She can fold paper into lethal weapons," Carmen explains.
"We're on a boat dock," Richard reminds, "I know I can't take you or her in a fair fight, but if I can get her in the water you can burn the boat and destory the drugs. Sound good?"
"She'll slice you open like a jack o' lantern," Carmen protests. She looks down at Richard's mask and smirks, "But maybe Purity doesn't have to be you..."
Paper Star messes with a paper throwing star, fidgeting with it between her fingers before a young man in a black jacket with the hood hiding his face and Purity suddenly rush in. The one in a jacket wildly rushes one of the three goons accompanying Paper Star, drop kicking the goon into the the water before he rushes down the other two.
"So you're Purity?" Paper Star smirks, "Been a while since I had a kill as lively as you."
Purity doesn't respond, only glaring behind the mask. Paper Star lunges, throwing two paper ninja stars at her masked opponent's head.
"Silence eh?" Paper Star chuckles, "Well at least that means we can get strait to the fun!"
Paper Star charges forward, folding a sheet of paper into a knife mid charge. Purity sidesteps her forward slash, leaning back to avoid a follow up as Paper Star tosses the knife from one hand to the other to then transition into a sideways slash at the neck.
"I heard you were a sadist," Paper Star chuckles, "But you're a lot more careful than the reports said you were. That's no fun. Come on. Hit me! At least struggle before you die!"
Paper Star charges once more we Purity dodges an upward slash by jumping backwards...
Meanwhile, the one in a black jacket takes on two goons, whom are far less skilled than Paper Star. Far less dangerous. The first goon pulls out a pistol, starting to take aim at the one in a black jacket. He fires, missing due to his target's erratic movements. The young man in a black jacket snickers and leaps at the goon, the other frozen in shock and unable to help as the one in a black jacket digs his nails into the man's face. Blood is drawn and the goon flinches in pain, leaving him open to a knee in the face followed by a roundhouse kick in the stomach. This blow knocking him.
The one with a cigarette puts his hands up as the one in a black jacket points the gun at him. The teen in a black jacket chuckles and takes the cig from the goon's hand. He flicks the barrel of the gun towards the exit of the docks, ordering the goon to leave.
"You don't scare me-" he bluffs. The teen in a black jacket smirks maliciously and, as an empty threat, pulls back the hammer of the gun. Pretending that he is about to shoot but bluffing as that would break his no killing rule.
"OK OK!" The goon exclaims before running off into the night. With that the teen tosses the gun aside and goes to assist Purity.
Purity is gradually being pushed back by a flurry of rapid attacks from Paper Star. A series of punches and kicks force Purity to stay on the defensive and back away whenever Paper Star goes in for a lethal slice. Eventually the masked vigilante is cornered against a restaurant at the end of the docks.
"Looks like the impure you hate so much won," Paper Star chuckles as she prepares to throw a barrage of throwing stars. Concerned, Purity has no means of dodging the attack which will certainly be lethal.
Before Paper Star can strike however, she is ambushed from behind by the teen in a black jacket, who grapples her from behind.
"Get off me you brat!" Paper Star screams in anger.
The teen attacks in an almost feral rage, taking out the chain of a bike and strangling her with it, the rough metal cutting into her skin, drawing a small amount of blood while being only a flesh wound. Purity takes the opportunity to strike with a kick to the ribs as the teen lets go to avoid the impact, jumping to the side as Paper Star is sent back towards the water.
Paper Star gets her footing back five feet from the water. The teen sets down the lit cigarette to focus on the task at hand. He grips the bike chain like a whip as the duo end up in a stand off against Paper Star.
"Why won't you talk!?!" Paper Star screams enraged, "You're supposed to be weak! You're supposed to beg! It's no fun like this!"
Both remain silent. Frustrated by this, Paper Star prepares to throw a throwing star only to have her arm wrapped in the back chain. The teen in a black jacket whips the chain to tighten it's grip, slicing Paper Star's left arm and causing heavy bleeding. Purity then strikes while Paper Star breaks free from the chain, elbowing her in the stomach.
Paper Star is winded and staggers from the blow, inching backwards more and more. The teen seizes the chance to attack, punching her in the face before ducking. Purity leaps over him just as Paper Star looks up to see a kick to the face headed her way. This sends Paper Star flying back into the water. Enraged, she prepares her throwing stars only to find them ruined by the water. Knowing she's overmatched, she glares bitterly and swims away, Purity glares at her one final time as if to tell her to never return.
When she is gone, Purity lets out a relieved sigh and removes the mask.
Purity was actually Carmen in disguise as Richard was the teen in a black jacket, merely hiding his face under his hood.
"Not a bad plan," Richard smiles as Carmen hands him the mask.
"Classic bait and switch," Carmen chuckles, "Works every time. You think they'd learn. Now what do we do with the drugs? We can't exactly hand them over to the cops."
"Be ready to run," Richard orders picking the lit cigarette off the ground.
"Why?" Carmen inquires lost as Richard loads the crates back on the boat and opens the fuel tank of the ship.
"Cops will hear the explosion," Richard replies with a disturbingly casual tone.
Richard tosses the cigarette butt into the fuel tank. He plugs his ears as Carmen does the same. The boat explodes, rapidly burning with the good inside, totally destoryed by the flames.
"OK time to go!" Richard exclaims rushing away from the docks, "Come on! We gotta book it!"
The two leave the scene before the police even know they were there, escaping into the forest. After getting a fair distance, the two talk on their way to the airport, Carmen ready to leave and Richard accompanying her to say farewell, knowing that's better than going home anyways.
"You should quit this life," Carmen comments as they sit waiting for her flight, "It doesn't suit you kid."
"I'm in to deep to quit now," Richard replies, "I'm not saying what I'm doing is right. It's not, but I am in far to deep to quit. The cartel would find me sooner or later if I tried to disappear. I have to see it through."
"Just stay safe," Carmen sighs, "I would hate to lose a friend."
"Ditto," Richard smiles.
The two fall silent. A loudspeaker crackles, "All boarding for Flight 17! Last call for Flight 17!"
"That's my cue," Carmen explains putting on her red hat as she stands up.
"Oh hey if you ever need me," Richard explains, "I get requests for targets at a place called Cool Cat Waffles. It's actually a great place to grab food. 50s diner up in the mountains. Talk to Beth and ask her to patch you through to Richard or leave a request there."
"I will," Carmen smiles, "See you later?"
"If I don't get iced sure," Richard replies.
With a final friendly handshake, the two part ways.
"So that went well," Player comments via an earpiece, "Should we be worried about him though?"
"Nah," Carmen smiles looking back as Richard exits the airport with his mask under his jacket, "I think he'll be fine..."
The End
Author's Notes
Well that was fun. I wanted to try to write it like it was an epsiode of the show, taking place between seasons two and three.
Why write it?
Frankly I was bored and had finished season 3 also I like to throw Richard into stuff to see how he reacts. He's from my novel Alone which has a preview up on Wattpad so I also kinda hope you'll be interested in that too.
Aside from that I wanted to test the waters for a darker Carmen Sandiego story before I go all in on an AU.
But yeah this was fun.
Maybe it's cringe it's fine if it is. Ain't no shame in writing a few duds. I've written some cringy stories, but y'all can laugh at him I'm just happy they make you happy. So, if this or any other story I have is bad, let's laugh at it together eh? I can laugh at my own stuff.
Anyways hope you have a wonderful day.
You can read Alone via this link: https://my.w.tt/PNu6nvmdkab