Carmen & Gray: A Tale of Two Thieves (Book 2)

The Bar

This is kinda a filler chapter oop but it's necessary

Carmem's PoV

We had begun searching for any leads or clues as to where the scrolls could have gone, or who took them. It was unlikely that V.I.L.E. was behind this as they had just tried to steal all of those Peruvian rubies, but not impossible. We stumbled across a village on the outskirts of the desert. It seemed to be a trading hub for secrets.

The bar was pretty empty; only three guests sat around the room in various places. But my eyes flicked to a lady with long black hair, and deep, tan, skin. She was smoking a cigar and gazing out the open window with boredom.

"Maria. Funny seeing you here. Needed to make a quick stop before ditching town?" She whipped her head towards us with a small look of shock on her face, but it quickly dissipated.

"Ah, well, you've caught me. Come, sit. Carmen and Gray are your real names, are they not?"

"Yeah, those are our real names. And that was just a lucky guess about you ditching town. Thanks for confirming it with us."

"Don't mention it. What brings you two here anyways?"

"A certain news story about the Lost Scrolls being stolen."

"Well, if you think I stole em, I sure didn't. I was hired by some anonymous lady under the name "The Doctor". She said she'd pay me $2 million if I got a crew together and dug out the Trekto Cave within the next 3 days. Anything I found, she said to put in some boxes and deliver here. Then, after I was done, to refill the tombs with the boxes waiting for me when I dropped off the ones with the artifacts. She was pretty sure two people by the names of Carmen and Gray would come offering their help as "archaeology majors" from some college, and told me to re-dig the fake artifacts out with them. Something about some sort of "extra cover". It seemed like a little extra work, but for $2 mil? Hell yeah. So I did it. She never said I had to keep quiet, in case you're wondering why I, telling you all this."

"Do you think-"

"Yeah. Dr. Bellum."

"So V.I.L.E. was behind all of this, just not at the front of the operation."

"D'yknow this doctor?"

"Actually, we do. She's a psychotic bitch who is a criminal mastermind and a teacher at a school for thieves."

"And Carmen here has a bit of a worsened grudge against Bellum ever since she kidnapped Carmen last Christmas. So do I."

"You two aren't going to turn me in, are you? I'd rather not have a bar fight."

"Don't worry, we won't. Not now at least. You did give us some really helpful information, and we're focused on stopping the Doctor right now, so we'll let you go."

"Glad I could be of service. Well, I really ought to be going. Maybe we'll run into each other again one day."

"Maybe."

"'Till next time." She sauntered out of the bar, and disappeared behind the crowded rows of houses.

"What do you say we go stop Dr. Bellum for a second time?"

"At least we get to do it together this time."

"Then let's go."