A REAL Mission: Impossible
by "Belle Book"
March 5th, 4:59 p.m. (French time)
Carmen Sandiego came back to V.I.L.E. headquarters in Paris, France.
She had just finished up a carefully planned caper. She had stolen highly
advanced computer technology which would have enabled her to penetrate
security surrounding a high-tech warning device. It was designed to warn of
planned terrorist attacks in any place where a bomb was put, and would be
useful for warning V.I.L.E. henchmen of the presence of any Acme agents.
Besides, Carmen wanted to prove that she could penetrate the very tight
security. She did penetrate the security and almost made off with the
device, except that Ivy and Zack, the best Acme detectives, arrived and
managed to regain the device. However, as usual, Carmen managed to get away,
thanks to one of her escape devices.
Carmen looked at her watch. It was almost 5:00, time for "Current
Copy". French TV did get this show. She remembered the last time she saw
"Current Copy". That idiotic reporter who dared to doubt her excellence at
stealing! Fortunately, he had resigned after she stole objects from the
past, present, and future in an attempt to prove herself the best thief of
all time.
She turned on the TV and flipped the channels to the right one. Yes,
"Current Copy" had just come on. There was that female reporter who called
her the greatest thief of all time, Ms. Ellis. And there was that new male
reporter, Mr. Anderson.
"Good evening and welcome to "Current Copy," said Ms. Ellis. "First
up, some breaking news! We have just learned that a new prison was just
completed 10 miles north of Battle Creek, in the southwestern part of Idaho.
And here to explain to us just what this prison is about are two of the best
detectives in Acme. They just got back from a successful robbery prevention.
Here are Ivy and Zack."
Carmen was surprised. Ivy and Zack? Yes, there they were, coming
forth to greet Ms. Ellis and Mr. Anderson.
Ms. Ellis said, "Thank you very much for agreeing to come and tell
us the details about this new prison."
"You're welcome, Ms. Ellis," said Ivy. She and Zack sat down in two
chairs facing Ms. Ellis and Mr. Anderson.
Mr. Anderson now spoke. "Well, Ivy, Zack, first tell us the name
of this new prison, and why we have never heard of it until now.
Zack said, "Well, you've never heard of it until now because Acme
has kept it top-secret. For example, most of the Acme agents only learned
of the existence of this prison yesterday. As for the prison's name, it is
Gehenna."
"What does Gehenna mean?" asked Ms. Ellis.
Zack said, "It's the Hebrew word for hell. It was derived from the
Hebrew name for the Valley of Hinnom, and was once the site for a high place
called Topheth, where human sacrifice by fire was practiced. Gehenna became
the designation for hell or eternal damnation."
"Why did the prison get its name?" asked Ms. Ellis.
Ivy then spoke. "Because we are planning to send there the most
dangerous prisoners and the ones most likely to break out and commit further
crimes."
Zack explained, "You see, Gehenna is equipped with the most high-tech
security devices Acme has thought of and created. They are so top-secret
that even I can't tell you what they are. I helped design two of the
security devices, and I can assure you that no prisoner will ever be able to
break out of this prison."
"Not even the greatest thief of our time, Carmen Sandiego?" asked
Mr. Anderson.
"Not even her," said Zack.
Ivy hastened to add, "If she is captured."
It would have been better if Zack had not made either of his claims.
For at that moment, Carmen said to herself, "Oh, really?"
She remembered the Zack Attack 20,000, the supercomputer that Zack
had designed and that he had said no criminal could penetrate. She also
remembered that the Player had once told her she could only steal because of
her high-tech devices. She had accepted both those challenges, and succeeded
at beating the challenges.
But now Ms. Ellis was thanking Zack and Ivy for taking the time to
explain what they could about the prison Gehenna, and then she announced a
commercial break, saying that when "Current Copy" came back, they would have
another guest on.
Carmen turned off the TV, deciding in that instant that she would
prove that no prison would hold her for long.
But first, she should hack into Acme's computers and find out all
she could about this prison.
And once she found out what she could, she'd think of a plan to get
herself into that prison. She'd meet the challenge Zack had presented to
her, and she'd beat it.
* * *
Three days later...
Carmen was at her computer, looking at the records for Gehenna
prison. It was no wonder she had not known of the planned prison sooner. It
had taken her three days to get into the top-secret file, because it was
really, really top-secret. Normally, it didn't take her that long to hack
into any file. But this file had so many security measures surrounding it
that it had taken that long to get past them successfully.
But now, she had successfully hacked into the file for the prison.
Now, she could see what criminals were going to be at that prison, and what
the security measures would be that were supposed to keep them out. They
would keep most prisoners inside, but not Carmen. She'd make sure of that.
She saw the list of criminals at the prison and whistled. The vast
majority of them were murderers and terrorists, although there were a few
less dangerous criminals who were able to break out of prison repeatedly.
Of course, none of them had escaped capture like she had. Then she typed
in a command to see the security measures that would keep the prisoners
inside Gehenna.
In a minute, the list of security measures came up and she printed
them so that she could read them at her leisure. Then she got off Acme's
computer. And after that, she turned off her own computer.
Before she started reading the list of security measures, she
thought over one thing that was very important. Should she tell her
henchmen what she was planning to do or undertake this mission on her own?
On the one hand, her henchmen would probably be worried about her once she
was in prison and be demoralized without her leadership.
But then she remembered the time that she had pretended to be dead
as a test of both her henchmen and the detectives to see who would inherit
VILE. She had told nobody then what she was up to, not even her lawyer,
because it had to appear so real. The fewer people that knew about her
plan, the better.
And the fewer the people that knew about her current plan, the
better, she realized. She did not want Ivy or Zack to know what she was up
to, which might well happen if she confided in any of her henchmen. They
would not try to get her out as hard if they knew, or they would not try to
commit thefts at all if they knew. And that would arouse Zack and Ivy's
suspicions.
The decision having been made, she settled down to read the printout
of the security measures. She would need to read them in order to figure
out a way to beat them once she got herself inside.
And with a plan to foil these devices in mind, then she'd plan a
crime that would alert Acme, as well as a "failure" of one escape device
that she would normally have up her sleeve. A "failure" that would land her
in Gehenna and provide her with her biggest challenge yet.
* * *
Two weeks later, flying toward the Israel Museum in Jerusalem...
Carmen was driving toward the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. Her
target -- the Shrine of the Book, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were kept.
It was always exciting heading to the scene of her latest caper, but
this time it was even more exciting. This time she wasn't going to escape
the scene of the crime.
That reminded her. There was one thing she had to do before she
drove up to the museum. She stopped for a minute and fiddled with the
pulley she was going to use to get off the roof of the museum and to her
car, which would be on the other side of the fence. She could sneak in
easily, but once she used the pulley, it would suddenly fail and she would
fall to the ground.
And if all went according to plan, she would be surrounded by police
before she could reach her car.
After having sabotaged the pulley, she got it attached to her wrist
so that it would be ready if needed, then drove to the Israel Museum.
A few minutes later, at Acme Headquarters...
"What's Carmen up to this time?" asked Ivy in genuine frustration.
It had been over two weeks since Carmen had attempted her latest
theft, shortly before the announcement of the completion of Gehenna prison.
Since then, the worst murderers and terrorists had been transferred to
Gehenna. However, even the reports of what was going on at Gehenna did not
fully satisfy Ivy. She would never be totally satisfied until Carmen was
behind bars. Or so she told herself.
Zack said, "Calm down, Ivy. Sooner or later Carmen will strike,
and this time we'll catch her."
"The last time she took this long before committing a robbery, she
was planning a low-tech crime. What plan does she have this time?"
Before Zack could reply, the Chief interrupted. "Hot tip, Gumshoes!
It appears Carmen's been seen outside the Israel Museum in Jerusalem."
"What's so important there that she wants?" asked Ivy.
Zack suddenly gasped. "The Dead Sea Scrolls! They're located in
the Shrine of the Book, in the Israel Museum."
"Why would she want to steal them?" asked Ivy.
"I don't know, but we're going to find out," said Zack. Then he
turned and said, "Player, C-5 us to the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, Israel."
At that, the C-5 corridor opened and Zack and Ivy disappeared in it.
To be continued...
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