Why ?

Doubt and escape

A/N: I just want to remind you that Carmen's mind is still weakened by the truth extractor. This means that she is easily manipulated. Enjoy your reading.

Carmen POV

I wake up with a start as the door opens. The Cleaners release me from my chains but unlike last time with Bellum, handcuffs hold my hands in my back. Vlad gags me, then places a blindfold over my eyes. Would the Faculty have understood my spotting from last time? If so, it's none of my business. The Cleaners lead me through various corridors and doors. After a while, one of them pushes me to my knees and then I hear them leave the room by closing a door. I try to get up but feel a strong electric shock hit me.

Maelstrom POV

I see her collapse to her knees in front of me with a scream muffled by the cloth around her mouth.

"Black Sheep" her body trembles as she hears my voice. "I heard about your little... resistance with Dr. Bellum. I have to give you credit, no one has ever been able to fend off her truth extractor. Needless to say, she won't let it go."

I get up from my seat and approach her. Her body tenses at the sound of my footsteps circling around her. "Your determination is impressive. Too bad it's not used where it's truly appreciated." She lets out a small exhale through her nose with the beginnings of a mocking smile on her lips to show her amusement at my words. I give her a little jolt as a warning. I then play an audio recording that we were able to retrieve from her communication before we destroyed it.

"Red, Red, answer me! Carmen, do you hear me?" the panicked voice of a teenager echoes through the room. Carmen's face reflects obvious terror and distress as she listens to this audio. Interesting...

"The first time I heard that voice, it sounded familiar like deja vu. So while looking through your file, I came across... this."

"Guten tag, Strudelhaus of Düsseldorf. How can I help you?"

"We were already aware of the two redheaded idiots in your team, which had made me personally wonder how you could infiltrate so easily with the little hacking knowledge you have. Neither of them seemed smart enough to. So there was your secret, a hidden and probably well protected member. Tell me, Black Sheep, did this boy simply influence you to fight us or did he also incite you to betray us?" I ask her as I remove the gag.

"I don't need anyone to tell me what to do, or to tell me the truth about VILE and encourage me to destroy it," she replies. Everything goes according to plan, that growl in her voice that she refuses to give up proves that the provocation works.

"You don't expect me to believe you? Who is he to you, just an operative? A friend? Is he really worth all the pain you're going through?"

"My team will always come before me and you know that Maelstrom. So why don't you save time and get to the point instead of skirting around like you've been doing since the beginning of this pleasant conversation?" she replies sarcastically.

"Still as perceptive as ever, I see..." I shock her enough to let out a cry of pain "... but you should learn to control yourself because I won't tolerate your disrespect. To get back on topic, I wanted to discuss the events that led you to this situation. Specifically, the person who brought you there." Perfect, her anger is at its height.

"You see, before your little act in the Himalayas, I had the opportunity to speak with Crackle. You should have seen the hatred in his eyes when he realised it was your fault his mind had been wiped." her face twitches in pain at my statement, so that's it. Her will is not only fueled by her desire to protect her team but by her love for him. "Why do you continue to endure all this for someone who has abandoned you?"