Why ?

The last chance plan

3rd Person POV

El Topo was sitting in the hotel room provided by the Faculty. Lost in his thoughts, he couldn't get Carmen out of his head. Or rather, as they had to call her now, Black Sheep. He thought about the treatment the Faculty must have given her to break her to this point. When they were still at the Academy, just Sheena, Jean-Paul, Graham, Black Sheep and him, she was the light of the group. Always full of life with a gift for laughter but always serious about her studies. Always the best, in every domain. She was the pride of the Faculty despite their higher expectations of her, earning the wrath of others like Sheena. At the time, he had wondered how a pure teenager like her could have ended up on an island full of thieves, and he knew the others did, but she remained mysterious about her past. The explanation came later when he became a VILE agent. Talking with older agents, he had learned that she had been raised on the island and had made a strong impression on everyone. He now understood the connection between Black Sheep and Coach Brunt and, by extension, the Faculty, as well as why she could have a second chance after Casablanca. Casablanca... Everything had changed that night. He would never forget the look of betrayal she gave them, her team... Then none of them had lifted a finger as the Cleaners pressed a cloth of chloroform over her mouth before dragging her into the helicopter. The next time he saw her, she was Carmen Sandiego. She had grown up and matured, but still had that characteristic dose of sarcasm. He had never seen her so blooming and sure of herself. One thing was sure, to have withdrawn from the control that the Faculty exerted on her had done her good. But now it was as if Black Sheep was a new person, molded to look like what the Faculty expected.

Le Chèvre, on the other hand, seeing that something is disturbing his friend decides to go talk to him. Sitting down to his right, he shakes his shoulder to get his attention.

"Are you okay mon ami ? You seem distracted since yesterday... Again because of your encounter with Black Sheep ?"

"I don't know. I'm thinking about Carm... I mean Black Sheep. I saw her before we left and... what the Faculty is doing to her, I think it's horrible."

"Don't bother with her. She betrayed VILE and deserves what's coming to her. And... you know what the Faculty does to anyone who cares a little too much about her."

"Yes, but... she was their daughter. I find that cruel, even for a traitor."

"And isn't it cruel to have run away from her only family ? To have abandoned all of us, and when madam decides to reappear, she's busy taking down VILE. Think of the amount of trouble we've all gotten into because of her."

As El Topo was about to rebut, Tigress, who had been listening to the conversation, joined them and spoke up in turn. "Anyway, I would have liked to have been the one who stumbled upon her. I would have taught her a little lesson about respecting people who are better than her. She was hurt, right ?"

"Yes. She had several bleeding wounds on her abdomen and her back had almost no skin left. I don't even know how she was managing to continue moving forward until I helped her."

An alarm sounds, signaling their departure to the site of their operation. Each of the agents got ready and in tense silence they left.

30 minutes later

Gray POV

As I make my way through the museum in search of VILE agents, I receive a communication from Player.

"Gray, VILE knows. One of the agents is headed your way."

"On it Player."

Turning the corner, I come across El Topo preparing to escape through a hole in the ground. As I run towards him, he looks at me and to my incomprehension approaches.