London
Nighttime
"Azalea? Michael?" Carmen whispered, lifting the tarp covering the
two stowaways.
"Yeah Carmen?" Azalea whispered back.
"We're in London. It's starting to rain. Come on!" Carmen led the two
out from the boat onto a waiting van.
**********
Carmen's home
London
Azalea, Michael, and Carmen were soaked to the skin by the time they
reached Carmen's home. Azalea immediately went for her laptop and opened up.
"Chief, you okay?" Azalea asked.
"I'm fine. Luckily no water got inside."
"That's a relief. But now I think you two should dry off," Carmen
said, holding a couple of towels.
**********
May 18, 2024
Early morning
Carmen watched the rain fall outside.
"What are you looking at?" the Chief asked.
"Chief, do you ever wish that Zack and Ivy are still alive today?"
Carmen asked back.
"Yeah...I guess..." the Chief said, faltering. "But it's a cruel
world out there, I know."
"Chief, tell me about Lydexter," Carmen said.
"Carmen, why do you want to go in that area?"
"My suspicions are strong that Lydexter killed Zack and Ivy, shut
down Acme, and turned America from superpower to third-world country
overnight through a deadly computer virus. Azalea had a dream concerning with
Ivy, and Ivy told Azalea that Lydexter killed her and Zack. Since he forced
me into exile with his genetically engineered soldiers, he's taken over VILE
and now uses all of VILE's gadgets to his advantage by torturing innocent
teens at his asylum." Carmen explained. "Chief, is that what you want? Do you
want to see former Acme detective Jonathon Lydexter kill and maim those teens
with those of another well known former detective's creations?"
The Chief was silent. "I guess not."
"Zack and Ivy wouldn't like it either if they were alive today."
"Through the 24 years in Acme, I guess I never thought of Acme
turning against itself." the Chief said.
**********
Trafalgar Square
London
Tatiana watched a group of two teens and a woman walk by her.
"Mama, what are you looking at?" a little girl asked.
"Nothing, Anastasia," Tatiana said, reassuring her daughter. Then she
looked back at the group. 'That woman looks so much like Carmen...and
those teens look like Zack and Ivy...' she thought. 'I wonder if those two
are Zack and Ivy's children...it's been so long.'
"Mama, there's a man playing something funny!" Anastasia squealed,
pointing at a pianist, interrupting Tatiana's thoughts. "Can we go see?"
Tatiana sighed. "Alright, Anna," she said, getting up from the bench
and walking her daughter to the pianist.
Azalea watched as a pianist entertained a crowd of people.
"One of the women looks familiar...especially that blonde woman with
the little girl," Michael said.
"Don't be stupid, Michael," Azalea snapped back. "Since when did you
remember any women with blonde hair?"
"Azalea, I know this woman. But I can't put my finger on it..."
Carmen looked through a book when she overheard Azalea and Michael's
conversation. Carmen looked at the crowd and found the lady the two were
talking about. 'Is that Tatiana?'
"May I help you?" the book keeper asked.
Carmen turned her attention, saw the woman in charge of the
bookstand, and did a quiet double take. "Paige? Is that you?" Carmen asked.
"How'd you guess my name?" the bookkeeper snapped back.
"Well, you remember that caper when you stole Mark Twain's cherry
writing desk?"
Paige blinked. "Let me guess. You're none other than Carmen
Sandiego."
"Who else?" Carmen smiled. "Where were you these past 15 years?"
"Trying to carve out a living through selling books. What else?"
"Was there anyone else from VILE you've met since 2009?"
"Hm, last time I heard was that you either died or disappeared. Sara
Bellum's been living with relatives in Portugal, and Frank M. Poster was
around Vancouver, Canada. For Acme, Tatiana's become a child therapist and
has a daughter. She's over there near the pianist."
"No wonder. If it weren't the child with her, I would've sworn she
really was Tatiana." Carmen paid Paige for her book. "I need to go pick up
something. Good luck with your job."
"You too, boss." Paige smirked as Carmen left.
Tatiana watched the two teens come and see the pianist.
"Michael, forget it. I bet that woman would probably call the police
on us for stalking her," the girl stubbornly said.
"Azalea, will you quit bugging me?! I'm trying to concentrate!"
Michael snapped back.
"Mama, what are those two people talking about?" Anastasia asked.
"I don't know, but it's better if we don't bother them," Tatiana
answered.
The woman who had been accompanying the two teens came up to them.
"What are you two up to now?"
"Michael keeps claiming that he recognizes some woman, but I think
that's just hot air," Azalea said.
"Azalea, I'm not lying!" Michael argued. "I swear I really do know
her but I just can't pinpoint it!"
"Um, I think you two are making her nervous, she's staring at the two
of you," Carmen said, glancing at Tatiana.
"Oh no, it's alright." Tatiana spoke up. "My daughter brought it up
since the two of you were arguing quite loudly."
Azalea shot a murderous look at Michael and turned away.
"Your name is Tatiana, right?" Carmen asked.
"Carmen, it has been some time," Tatiana said. "And may I ask who
those teens are?"
"I'm Michael. She's Azalea," Michael said.
"I'm Tatiana. My daughter's name is Anastasia," Tatiana replied. "You
know, you look a lot like Zack."
"Zack was my father."
"Oh! I thought you might be related to him, but I wasn't too sure.
It's been a long time since Acme shut down."
Suddenly the Chief popped up among them. "Taking a trip without me,
eh?" he asked sarcastically. Then he saw Tatiana and Anastasia. "Tatiana!
Man, it's been a long time! How are you doing?"
"I'm doing fine, Chief. I'd like you to meet my daughter Anastasia."
Tatiana said. "What happened to the others?"
"I don't want to go to that area," the Chief said, his mood changing
drastically from happy to sad.
"But Chief, it's been fifteen years!" Tatiana protested.
"Chief, I think it's best if you...go away for a few minutes while I
explain to Tatiana what happened," Carmen said.
The Chief sighed and disappeared.
"What's wrong with the Chief?" Tatiana asked.
"He hasn't stopped grieving over Zack and Ivy's deaths from 2009. He
was locked up in a CD for fifteen years until Michael and Azalea found him a
few weeks ago. During those fifteen years between now and 2009 was that
Armando and Maria found Michael and Azalea in Chicago when they were babies.
They were the only survivors of the family reunion Zack and Ivy were
attending. Michael was three when Armando and Maria died, Azalea was two.
From what I've heard, Michael had developed a sense to protect Azalea from
harm and since he wouldn't let anyone get near her the two had to be
separated. The two never saw each other again until Azalea came to the
Asylum For Troubled Teens in Washington, where Michael had been there for
three years. Former Acme agents say that Jonathon Lydexter is behind their
deaths but there's no evidence to prove it." Carmen explained.
"Who were Armando and Maria?" Azalea asked.
"Both of them were South American Acme detectives and close friends
of Zack and Ivy. They rescued you two when you were babies. But they died of
unknown causes." Carmen explained to her.
"What if Lydexter is really behind this?" Michael asked.
"What do you mean?" Azalea asked.
"He used torture as a punishment when we were back at the Asylum.
Maybe he was trying to--" Michael cut himself short.
"What's wrong?" Azalea was alarmed with the change.
"Azalea, remember when Ryan got that phone call back in Seattle?"
"Amy and Jacob were taken back there, I remember...but what is it?"
"What if he's trying to kill the occupants of the Asylum?"
"How can you be so sure?"
"Before you came to the Asylum there was a girl named Nicole who died
of unknown causes. So we had a vacancy until you came! And logically if
emotional abuse didn't kill her, then the electrocution did!"
"You mean Amy and Jacob could be in danger?" Azalea asked.
"If by all means," Carmen said. "But if Nicole died of unknown
causes, that doesn't rule out suicide."
"Carmen, I know Nicole was never the suicidal type of person!"
Michael argued. "Hell, I remember the time we had a food fight in the
cafeteria!"
Carmen's cell phone rang. "Hello?"
"Azalea?" the voice on the other end asked.
"Who's this?" Carmen asked.
"May I please speak to Azalea?" the voice insisted.
Carmen sighed and handed her cell phone to Azalea. "Someone wants to
talk to you."
Azalea took the phone from Carmen. "Hello?"
"Azalea?" It was Ryan.
"Ryan? How'd you find me?" Azalea asked.
"Global Positioning System. I just got a phone call from a contact
with info on the Asylum."
"Don't tell me. Someone's dead."
"Unfortunately. 15-year-old Yu-jing and 17-year-old Joseph were found
dead of unknown causes. Lydexter claims that they had some medical condition
but their deaths look suspicious."
"Have they been buried yet?" Azalea asked.
"They're at the coroner's office in the Asylum. Lydexter is
supposedly looking into the cause of death, but it's unlikely."
"Is Nicole's body there?"
"She's still there, despite the two years that she's been dead."
"Okay, thanks." Azalea ended the conversation.
"What's wrong?" Michael asked.
"Yu-jing and Joseph are dead." Azalea said.
The Chief popped up again. "Carmen, are you finished?" the Chief
asked.
"Chief, can you get us to the Asylum for Troubled Teens?" Azalea
asked.
"Azalea, are you crazy?!" Carmen was bewildered. "If Lydexter catches
you, who knows what'll happen!"
"Carmen, I can't let him get away with this! He killed my family and
cheated me and Michael out of a normal childhood! How many more lives is he
going to take if he wants to turn the supposedly insane into the sane?"
"Azalea's right, Carmen." Michael added.
"Chief, please let me and Michael go to the asylum..." Azalea begged.
The Chief sighed. "I'm gonna regret this." He opened up the C-5 and
the three went in.
**********
Asylum for Troubled Teens
Nighttime
"Looks like Lydexter's beefed up security." Azalea said.
"The door's locked. I just checked," Michael said. "How are we gonna
get inside?"
Azalea backed away from the door. Then she charged at full speed to
the door and broke it down, sending the alarm system into a frenzy.
"Run Michael!" Azalea shouted.
"No problem!" Michael and Azalea ran and took cover under some
foliage. Soon, they heard dogs barking and radio signals.
"Azalea, I think we should head in," Michael whispered.
"Wait...not until Lydexter himself comes out," Azlaea whispered back.
The two waited a few minutes longer, then Lydexter appeared. "Search
the area. I want to know who's trying to break it." he shouted through the
radio transmitter. He then left, leaving the door open.
"Now!" Azalea and Michael made a beeline into the Asylum. Carmen was
waiting for them, disguised as a doctor. "I got two copies of the Asylum
map."
"Great!" Michael took one. "We should split up. Lydexter's cohorts
seem to be everywhere."
"You go and find the residents. I'll go look for the coroner's office
and see if Nicole, Yu-jing, and Joseph are there." Carmen said. She took off
into one end of the hallway.
Azalea ran up to one of the doors and banged on it. "Hello! It's
Azalea!"
The door cracked and Timothy looked out. "Azalea? Where's Lydexter?"
"There's no time! Go with Michael, he'll get you to a safe place.
I'll go alert the others."
**********
Carmen snuck into the office. Yu-jing, Nicole, and Joseph were frozen
into blocks of ice. Carmen shuddered at the sight. Taking a small camera out
of her pocket, she took photos of the corpses. After that, Carmen looked
through the file cabinets. "Yu-jing Wong, Joseph Harris, and Nicole Moreno."
she said to herself, pocketing the files.
Sneaking out, she made a beeline back to Ryan's van. "Has Azalea and
Michael showed up yet?" Carmen asked, getting in the van.
"They've transported some of the kids but they're going back for
more." Ryan said.
**********
"How many did we get?" Azalea asked.
"Timothy, Amy, Lydia, Martin, Sarah, and Isaac. Come on, we're
running out of time!" Michael said, looking out the window. Lydexter's men
were returning.
"We can't bail everyone!" Azalea knocked down the door. Inside was
Iris, another one of the residents. "Oh my god, what's happened to you?"
Michael came over and picked Iris up. "Get ready to run and dodge,"
Michael said.
"Hey! Get back here!" one of the guards shouted.
"Michael, run! I'll take care of them!" Azalea yelled, as she started
to get pummeled by rifle butts.
Michael bolted from the scene as Azalea knocked several of the guards
down with considerable force.
"So you've returned, brat," Lydexter's voice said.
"Yeah, but I'm only visiting, not staying." Azalea answered. Reaching
into a hidden pocket, Azalea threw a smoke bomb, and escaped.
Reaching to the van, Azalea got in the back with the rest. "Michael,
is she okay?"
"It's hard to say. She's shaking pretty badly."
"Ryan, where are we gonna transport these kids? Your sister will have
a fit if you let them stay at your apartment." Azalea said.
"A friend of mine runs an orphanage. She'll gladly take them in."
Ryan slowed down to an entrance point.
"Passes to go into Seattle?" one of the men asked.
Carmen handed over two passes.
"Go right ahead," the man motioned.
Ryan drove through the entrance point. "Security's gotten tighter
around Seattle. Nowadays it's near impossible to leave the city."
"Not since Wall Street crashed, right?" Sarah asked timidly.
"Maybe." Ryan said, turning in front of a large house. He got out and
went up to the door.
Knocking on the door, Ryan was greeted by a woman in her thirties.
"Ryan, what are you doing in the middle of the night?"
"Heather, a few friends of mine managed to bail out several residents
of the Asylum. I was hoping if you could take them in for the night."
"That's no problem. Where are they?"
Ryan led Heather to the back of his van, where most of everyone was
hiding.
"All of them?" Heather asked.
"No, not Azalea and Michael. They'll stay with me."
"Hmm...Azalea and Michael are crazier than I thought, Zack..." Ivy
said.
"You could say so, sis," Zack answered. "Come to think of it, they're
crazier than us when we were alive and back at Acme."
"Wonder how the Chief would react if those two ever become
detectives?" Ivy asked
"Let's just hope that he doesn't get a heart attack." Zack smirked.
Then the two ghosts faded away.
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