Code Green , ᶜᵃʳᵐᵉⁿ ˢᵃⁿᵈᶦᵉᵍᵒ

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

"Hey, um, I need to get some fresh air," I inform Carmen, who was lounging on the sofa next to me and Ivy— who was flipping through a few channels on the TV.

"Sure," Carmen agreed, and I nodded, turning around and leaving the gang's headquarters.

Stomping through the dry leaves piled up in layers atop the dying grass, I make my way over to the sidewalk, where I lower my body down and cross my legs, staring at the street. We were far, far away from any kind of place I could go to get actual privacy, which was important if I were to update VILE.

Instead of letting them know how far along I'm currently in the plan, I must simply keep at it the best I can, working by myself. No reinforcements. Because I was going to get closer to Carmen. And I knew just how to do it.

A smile slowly formed across my sunkissed skin, my eyes humbly cast on the pebbles beneath me.

Before, I was determined to make Carmen Sandiego my friend.

Now, I knew the best way to truly get her to trust me enough for us to capture her— because we both knew she wouldn't fully trust me enough yet, not even as friends— was if . . . I stood up, brushing my knees and narrowing my eyebrows in determination.

I must make Carmen Sandiego fall for me.

***

"Hey," I stumble back into the headquarters, laughing at myself as I clumsily tripped over the rug. Carmen stared at me confusedly.

Lighthearted state of mind was the best one to be in. And I felt so much clarity overwhelm me as I actually developed a sort of tangible plan in my head now!

"Are you drunk?" she simply asked, obviously not used to my sudden cheeriness.

Well, I'm an extremely emotional drunk so it's a good thing I haven't drunken today. I really would prefer that Carmen would not see that side of me yet. When I say extremely emotional, I mean I can't walk because I sob too hysterically, and generally I'm just a lot more sensitive about the world— throwback to the time I saw a fire hydrant being all still and quiet on the pavement, since that's all they do except for when they're sprinkling water on fires, but drunk me thought they were stifling their feelings and I had started to sniffle, offering the poor thing a hug. That's according to Jude's explanation— Jude was a friend of mine back at the academy. Some fond and other not-so-fond flashbacks of me getting caught while smuggling alcohol into my dorm to share with friends remind me how lucky I truly was to escape that hellsite. Now I'm a full graduate! Who also hates VILE now but hey, I gotta get that bag, right?

In response to Carmen's question, I just shake my head no. "Nope! Don't worry, Carm, I'm totally sober," I grin at her.

Something passes through her eyes when I said 'Carm,' but she doesn't comment on it. I silently chuckle at myself. She's so easily unnerved by the simplest of gestures sometimes, I swear to god.

"How are your scars?" I dare to intrude, pointing at the practically white lines drawing over the expanse of her caramel skin.

"Oh, those," Carmen briefly touched her cheek, making her way to the kitchen, where she sat down on a stool. "They don't hurt that much anymore. I think they're actually healing okay."

"That's good. Sorry I couldn't do much for them, you know, I wasn't like a healer or anything. I'm just a fighter—" and a spy, "—I don't have much expertise when it comes to this kinda shit."

"Yes, of course. We all have our own strengths and weaknesses," Carmen assured me, smiling ever so slightly.

Inwardly, I pumped my fist a bit. I made her smile! That's got to check off something on a list of things that needed to develop if I wanted her to slowly fall in love with me, right?

Player clears his throat, awkwardly looking at the both of us; Carmen had the laptop open on the screen and put the video call on a specific setting so that it would be a quick process to accept calls, thanks the height of emergencies when it came to crime fighting, well, hypocrites.

"Another mission?" I ask dramatically. "I'm up for the task if y'all are."

Carmen bites her lip. "Actually, it's something a lot more important than that. The mission with the jug was sort of a test."

"Thought I'd betray you?" I tease, feeling an edge of fear seep into my tone at those words. It was weird, saying them, when I intended to turn on her. The meaning behind my nervous comment was not noticed by Carmen, because thankfully she'd have to be a super genius when it comes to people and, she doesn't really have people skills to begin with. I mean, yesterday she told an excited Ivy that she disliked the shawl she was wearing when Ivy had previously mentioned it used to belong to her grandmother before she'd died, and therefore held importance to the young woman. But no, Carmen brushed it off and simply gave Ivy her heated fashion advice. I mean, this coming from the girl who admittedly has a hot ass iconic outfit, but also— Carmen? Don't you wear any other coat except for that red trench coat? I don't think so.

I shake my head, curiously staring at Carmen and trying to gauge her emotions. I knew I made some progress, and now, she trusted me enough to tell me. . . Something. I didn't know what it was yet, but it must be important! I turn around on the stool, my toes impatiently wiggling around inside the concealing socks I wore slipped over my sweaty feet. "I figured you must be testing my loyalties. We're totally cool," I wave it off, in case that was what bothered her, though something told me it was a lot bigger than that.

"That's not it. You see, we have an insider, who has intel on VILE. And he's managed to steal us a rather big opportunity that could turn VILE upside down."