CitrineLeaf's Player Appreciation Week Oneshots (Carmen Sandiego)

"Hit And Run" Player, Team Red, & Chase

!WARNINGS!:
Mentioned car crashes, concussions, bruises

Prompt: Day 6: Chase and/or Chief | ACME

Description:
On his way to a Team Red lunch post-VILE, Player ends up in a minor crash with an... old ally of theirs.

"Hey, please don't be mad?" is the first sentence Player says when he finally picks up.

Automatically, Carmen sits up. Her relaxed position vanishes, shoulders bunched tight, worried. His voice, trembling and tight with emotions, makes her mind race. "What happened? What's wrong?" Across from her in the booth, Ivy and Zack freeze, noticing her immediate change.

"I said don't be mad." Player practically whines. There's a beat, the sound of fidgeting on the other side. "I can't come today, I know we've been planning this lunch for over a month but- I uhh... I think I crashed my car? My mom's car-" a dry, stressed laugh, Player's voice grows higher in pitch," Oh. She's gonna' kill me."

"You crashed a car!?"Carmen nearly screams. What if he has a concussion? Or a broken bone? Or glass stuck in his skin?! "Where are you? I'm coming." She grabs her keys, nodding to Ivy as the detective and her brother stand to do the same.

"Uhh.." there's a pause, Player's voice grows more distant as he speaks to someone else," Hey, where are- no, no, can't be... maybe that area near the old church?"

"Maybe." Carmen makes out an oddly familiar French voice," Do you want me to go find a street sign?"

"Please," Player says. Before Carmen can figure out why the man sounds so... familiar, he's returned, talking a little too fast," So umm- don't know. I'll text you it, though?" Player offers, sheepishly.

"Go ahead." Zack goes to quickly pay for their meal while she and Ivy head out towards their car, waving goodbye to the wait staff as they do so. And Player was so excited to come here...

"How's the little guy soundin'?" Ivy asks, the moment they've escaped the closed-in and frankly loud diner.

Carmen furrows her brow," I... weird. Maybe shock?"

"Maybe."

"I'm okay," Player pipes up again," That's what you guys are talking about, right?" A small pause," I only hit my head like- a little."

"Not making me feel confident here, Player." She opens the door to her car, barely sparing a glance when Zack comes running out to them. He jumps in the back of their car like a mad man- like they used to on heists, while his sister just enters more calmly- before smacking her brother upside the head for his antics. Carmen manages a smile," I'll see you when I get there?"

"Alright."

Just as she moves to end the call, her phone pings with the street name. Close. Moreso than Carmen had thought he'd be.

"I'll be there soon, Player."

--

The scene they pull up to isn't nearly as bad as Carmen had feared.

The road itself is fairly busy, being a quick route across town and all. Two cars, however, have settled down next to the road, the damage on both of them becoming ever apparent as they pull closer.

She recognizes the first car immediately as Player's, a dull old red thing. He'd driven it a couple of times with her, usually to and from the diner whenever the two of them wanted to meet up. It was the car he'd called Carmen in when he first got his license, raving and showing her around it virtually, as though it was some kind of mansion.