The Duke of Vermeer Caper

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Theme music plays.

Carmen sneaks through the museum.

Chase: Freeze! Right there!

"It appears I have caught you Carmen Sandiego." Chase says.

The video pauses, revealing that we have been watching a recording.

"It appears not." Carmen says with a smirk.

Chase: Now rewind. Stop. Zoom in on her face. That is not Carmen Sandiego.

"Looks like someone's stepping on your game." Gray says. Carmen looks from him to the screen and decides not to tell him.

The culprit has a similar silhouette, but wears an eye patch and has straight white hair.

Chief: She calls herself the Duchess. A.C.M.E. had no record of her existence... until late last night when she sashayed out of Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum packing a painting valued at over 30 million euro.

"Nice disguise Red." Player whispers to Carmen.

Chase: 30 million euro for that?

Julia: "Woman in Blue Reading a Letter" is one of Johannes Vermeer's most important earlier works. See the hallmark of his style? The way he paints natural light makes his subject look so realistic.

Chase: Ms. Argent, need I remind you that you're the only one who cares about such dull facts?

Chief: Excellent eye, Agent Argent. Attention to detail is the very cornerstone of A.C.M.E. surveillance.

"Burn." Zack snickers.

Chase: Uh, um, precisely why we should further analyze the particulars of this, uh, uh... hmm.

Julia: Swipe here.

Chief: I highly suggest acquainting yourself with our CrimeNet technology, Agent Devineaux. You're not with Interpol anymore. Your first mission as agents of A.C.M.E. will be to recover that painting and ascertain whether or not this Duchess is working for V.I.LE.

"As far as I am aware, there is no Duchess on VILE's roster." Shadowsan says. He's aware of who the duchess is, but is enjoying Gray's confusion.

Chase: Or, whether she is an accomplice to Carmen Sandiego.

Carmen: Blue isn't really my color, but I have to admit... I've never stolen anything so luminous.

"Aw man, I totally should of seen that coming." Gray says face palming.

She's looking at the painting stolen by "the Duchess."

Player: Enjoy it while you can, Red. You have a whole hour before you need to get back in character.

Carmen: Right. Let's get the crew up to speed. Zack, Ivy!

Zack, wearing the eye patch: Avast, me mateys! Arr!

Ivy, wearing the white-haired wig: Is this a good look for me?

"Actually yeah, you look pretty good in that wig." Carmen tells her.

Carmen: Those aren't toys, people. They're my disguise. Now pay attention. Here's what we know: Player's decryption of the V.I.L.E. hard drive revealed details of an intricate ongoing operation. V.I.L.E. operatives have been quietly stealing paintings by the artist Vermeer from museums all over the world and replacing the originals with amazingly accurate forgeries.

Ivy: What? Why would they bother leaving fakes behind?

"To make sure nobody knows the originals have disappeared." Julia says.

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