Tamara isn't too surprised when she's grabbed by the front of her shirt and dragged through the door into the living quarters by a fuming red head. She is surprised however that after being shoved into one of the kitchen chairs she isn't immediately punched in the face.
Carmen stares at the woman in front of her, this woman killed her father. In a moment of cowardice she murdered a man and then used that event to further her career, unaware of the lives she changed and destroyed that day.
"You are a selfish woman." Carmen says surprising Tamara. Of everything that could have been said, that was not what she expected to come out of Carmen's mouth. Before she can respond Carmen continues.
"You don't care about anyone except yourself. If they can't get you ahead they don't matter. Chase is resourceful, he has skills but in the future you just toss him aside. Jules is smart, she has my trust but you can't put your own ego aside long enough for her to use the repour she's already built with me, and it almost gets me killed. Not to mention no matter how many times Zari fails you still trust her despite having no proof she knows better then anyone else." Carmen pauses taking a deep breath.
"Sandiego..."
"No, I'm talking now. You never should have been given control of an organization with so much influence. Twenty years with nothing to show for it. The only time I've seen you in the field and you panicked and killed a man in cold blood. You're a joke. How many more people have you hurt? How many people have suffered because you can't look past your own ego long enough to realize you're not the only one that matters." Carmen says breathing heavily.
"Carmen please let me..."
"I don't want an apology from you. There is nothing you can say that would ever make me even consider forgiving you for what you've done. At least VILE knows they're wrecking lives, they know their evil but you don't seem to realize that all you've done is hurt people. Does it ever keep you up at night?" Carmen asks.
Tamara stares at the young woman in front of her. Does it ever keep her up at night?
"At first... I would see his face in my dreams. I used to think about Dexter Wolfe all the time, wonder what I could have done differently. Over time I told myself that thinking about him wouldn't help me. VILE was out there and Wolfe was dead so I had to focus on what mattered..."
"What mattered? My father's life didn't matter? Did it ever occur to you that he might have a family? Did you ever wonder about the people that might be missing him?" Carmen snaps angrier then before. Neither woman were aware of the the group behind them, watching the pair with concern. Concern for Carmen's emotional wellbeing and Tamara's physical well being.
"VILE was out there. I had to focus on that." Tamara says firmly.
"There is just nothing inside you. Not once, not once have you shown an ounce of remorse for what you did. You say words but there's no emotion behind them. You don't regret what you did to my father do you?
"I regret killing Dexter Wolfe."
"But not because he was a person. You regret losing a possible lead to VILE." Player says. Carmen could see in the woman's eyes that he had hit the nail on the head.
"You disgust me. You have no regard for people unless they have value to you. The reason you haven't been able to track VILE is because you're a terrible leader. ACME will always fail so long as you're in charge." Carmen spits the words in Tamara's face.
Silence follows as Carmen's words sink in. Tamara is furious herself, she was an Interpol agent for years before forming ACME. She had apprehended dozens of criminals in her time, she was not a failure.
"You're biased, Dexter Wolfe was a criminal. If he hadn't died he would be in jail and you still would of been raised by VILE." Tamara says scowling.
"You overestimate your abilities Tamara Frazier." Shadowsan says stepping up next to Carmen.
"Excuse me?" She asks.
"Dexter Wolfe was easily one of the greatest operatives VILE had ever produced. He taught me almost everything I know about stealth and evasion. Had you not shot him, he most certainly would have escaped. And you would have seen disgrace." He says. The conviction in Shadowsan's voice sows doubt into Tamara's heart. True she had never been face to face with a VILE operative before Wolfe, but what possible method of escape did he have?
"What you do not understand is that what we learn at VILE academy is far beyond what you can imagine. The handful of scenes the show has displayed is not even the tip of the iceberg." Antonio says.
"You really think an organization as old and as thorough as VILE would be that easy to take down? You're and arrogant and selfish person. You don't appreciate the people that work themselves to the bone for you. You can't even show up in person when one of your agents has been hurt. How anyone in your organization trusts you to make the call I will never know." Carmen says.
"You don't know what you're talking about." Tamara says, though a waver of doubt has slipped into her voice. Their words were slowly getting to her.
"You think? Because from what we've seen on that screen over the last couple days shows me that you're the one that really doesn't know what she's talking about. You dove into the deep end and now you're floundering." Carmen says.
"Frankly it amazes me that VILE has no knowledge of you yet." Shadowsan says.
"If it wasn't for the fact that ACME has the resources we need to take VILE down, I would swear to never work with you, ever. So here's the deal, ACME is going to help me take out VILE, then you will never approach me, or my friends again." Carmen says shocking Tamara and a few people in the room.
"You're still willing to work with me?" Tamara asks/
"Willing is not the word I would use. ACME is the only law enforcement agency that knows VILE is out there, you're equipped the deal with them. So, when we get out of here we will work together on this and ONLY this. After that, if I ever see your face again, I'll use it as a punching bag." Carmen says. With that she turns and walks away. Player, Zack and Ivy go with her. The rest of the group disperses to do their own thing while Zari helps Tamara up. The two ACME agents tuck their tails between their legs and retreat to their room.
Things are quiet following that as everybody wants to give Carmen space to cool down. True to his word Antonio makes cheese steaks for dinner. Tamara and Zari don't join them and nobody is really surprised. After dinner everybody calls it a night, hoping that the tension will ease when the show starts tomorrow.
.
.
.
Carmen walks into the kitchen in the morning to see Antonio, Player, Gray and Jean-Paul covered in eggs and flour.
"Do I want to know what happened?" She asks. Three fingers point at Gray.
"He started it." The three boys say in unison.
"Thanks mates." Gray says.
"Go clean up." Carmen laughs. Player and Gray grin at each other seeing Carmen calmer now. As they walk by Gray swoops in and kisses Carmen on the cheek getting flour on her face. She swats at him as he laughs and goes to wash up. Once everyone is clean and the kitchen is tidied up everyone gathers for a breakfast of homemade waffles. Once again short two people, once again nobody is surprised. After breakfast and dishes the door to the theater opens.
"Time to get started." Sera calls from inside the theater. Once everyone (Zari and Tamara included) are in their seats does Sera address them.
"I know yesterday was emotional, I can't promise things will get easier from here on out. Season 3 only has five episodes and season 4 had eight, but it's going to be packed with a lot. More people will be joining us as we go. Today two new people will be taking part.
In a flash of light Sera disappears as two people take her place falling out of thin air into a heap on the ground. There are gasps as the two untangle themselves and reveal themselves.
"I did not see that one coming." Player says.
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A/N I have decided today is the day I sit down and write as many transcripts as I possibly can. It has been about an hour and I'm not even half way through the Luchadora Tango Caper, wish me luck folks. I'm gonna need it and about a gallon of coffee.