Agent Gray, Red with Love

A New Assignment

  Chief was not happy when she found out that Carmen San Diego had "gotten away in the van accident" as Graham had told her. She was happy with the new phone, though.

  "El Topo, huh?" Felix asked, putting the name into the database. "And le chevré. Wow, who knew an Olympic climber would call himself 'the goat.' Doesn't that seem a little below him?"

  Devineaux popped a mint in his mouth, "I don't believe anything is below them. They kidnapped an agent and Ms. San Diego."

  "It wouldn't be the first time an agent was taken from us," Zari reminded Devineaux, referring to his "interrogation" by V.I.L.E. around a year or so earlier.

  Deveinaux winced. "I still believe it was a misunderstanding."

  "Tell that to Agent Hawkins."

  Graham would have commented, but he had been much quieter lately. It'd been around a week sense the van incident, and he was still thinking about everything that had happened. 

  The "Carmen San Diego Surveillance Squad" was sent back to Germany to deconstruct the new phone, which gave them mostly the same things, but with a few more locations, capers, and most importantly... a couple of images. 

  Felix clicked a button and pulled up a painting. It was drawn on old parchment, and only black ink. It had to be hundreds of years old. Using editing software, circles and notes written in French were digitally drawn on top, pointing out any tears or sensitive parts of the painting.

  Zari leaned a little closer the the screen, "The Nine Dragons painting, by Chen Rong. It was made in China, year 1244."

  "Do you think that's where V.I.L.E will strike next?" Devineaux asked.

  "Most likely," Zari confirmed. She looked at Graham, "Don't you have a therapy session soon?"

  "In about an hour, yeah," he responded. Zari nodded and looked back at the screen. 

  Indeed the faculty's wishes had been carried out. They weren't always long, but ACME had been trying to help Graham recall pieces of him memory. He'd met multitudes of agents, from multitudes of places, using multitudes of techniques. Alas, nothing worked.

  "What's interesting though...." Felix said, reverting Graham's attention back to the screen, "And my French is a little rusty, but these notes seem to indicate that le chèvre will be collecting, not stealing."

  "What?" Devineaux asked, taking a closer look. His eyes widened, "Oui! Right there." 

  He pointed to a specific note in digital writing that stated, "When you meet Lady Doksuo for pickup, do not put pressure on this side. The piece will be ruined if you do. -C. Cleo."

  Graham frowned, "But who is Lady Doksuo?"

  The group's thoughts were interrupted by a thick New York accent.  "Aye-o Gumshoes! What work are you up to today?" 

  They turned to see faculty member Headroom, wearing a butter yellow dress shirt, a checkered tie, pink trousers, and leather sandals. He dawned his famous Elvis hairdo, and had switched his pink glasses for purple ones with orange lenses.

  Graham would laugh, if this guy wasn't one of the most important people in ACME.

  Zari and Devineaux straightened, Felix got up. "Sir."

  Faculty member Headroom scowled at their formalities, but showed off his toothy grin again when Graham settled for a wave and, "Hey, Faculty Member Headroom. What's up?"