Who in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?

by Rebecca Tinker

  Getting him into the supply closet wasn’t easy, but I managed to shove him in, making sure to grab the handyman’s toolkit from the shelf before he could use it to pick the lock. With Mime Bomb locked inside and the toolkit in hand, I set off after Cookie Booker again.

  I sprinted through the halls, almost running out of breath. “I hope I didn’t lose her, Player,” I said as I frantically went from one corridor to another. Finally, I caught sight of a yellow scarf. I skidded to a halt, ducking for cover behind a post.

  Cookie Booker was standing in front of an elevator at the end of a hallway. I watched as she took out a keycard and swiped it on the elevator control pad. The light on the pad turned green. My eyes widened. “You need a keycard to use that elevator. If she makes it to the server room and I’m not there to stop her, she’ll upload the data from the hard drive!”

  “So let me get this straight,” Player said. “You can’t let anyone see you take the hard drive, but if she uploads it before you can get it, then VILE will get all the information that’s stored on it and—”

  “And they win. I better think fast!” I ran toward the elevator. Cookie had stepped inside with the hard drive in hand, and the doors were closing. I went for it at the last second, sliding into the elevator like a baseball player sliding into home base.

  “What on earth—” Cookie Booker said, startled by my sudden entrance. I jumped up quickly and gave her a smile and a wave. She simply stared at me, taking in my messy appearance with a frown. I knew I had to think of a lie quickly if I didn’t want her to sound the alarm.

  “Sorry if I scared you, ma’am,” I said in my most adult-sounding voice. “I work for VILE’s tech department, and I’ve been ordered to check the server room pronto for, uh, loose cables!” I tapped on the toolkit that I was still carrying in my hands.

  I could feel Booker’s eyes on me as she looked me up and down. The seconds ticked by, and still she said nothing. “I guess we both got the ‘Wear black’ memo today,” I offered. I glanced up at her to see her reaction, and to my horror, I saw her upper lip curl into a sneer.

  “My, my, how you’ve grown,” she said.

  I gulped and took a deep breath. “Yes, I have grown. And with age comes maturity . . . which is why I was trying to find you, Ms. Booker. So we could talk.” I gestured around to the elevator. “Somewhere private! I just wanted you to know how ashamed I am of the dumb pranks I pulled on you over the years. I apologize.” I said all this as sincerely as I could, and I held my breath as she thought about what I said.

  Finally, after what felt like ages, she spoke. “I wondered why there was no water balloon attack tonight—​first time without one in quite a few years.”

  All I could think to do was shrug guiltily. “Yeah . . . sorry about that. I know you hate water.”

  “Oh? I suppose word gets around, doesn’t it?” Her expression changed into a more caring smile. “I’ll blame your actions on your unusual upbringing. One can’t be expected to behave honorably when raised among thieves, after all.”

  I gave her the sweetest smile I knew how to give and extended my hand. “Shake on it, Ms. Booker?” She shook my hand, and I breathed a sigh of relief.

  “Please, call me Cookie.”

  The elevator doors opened. We had arrived at the server room. Cookie stepped out and turned back to me. “Young lady, you seem like a smart cookie. Take my advice—​set your sights higher than pulling pranks or picking pockets. Try stealing from businesses, like I do. That’s where the real money is. You can count on it.”

  “Thank you. I’ll take that to heart.”

  Cookie Booker waved her hand over her head like a pageant queen. “Arrivederci!” She headed for the servers.

  The doors closed, and the elevator began its ride back up. “A successful bait and switch if I do say so myself,” I told Player with a mischievous grin.

  “What’s a bait and switch?” he asked.

  “It’s when you switch the object you’re stealing with something else without anyone knowing,” I explained. “Like what I just did with the hard drive.”

  I held up the VILE hard drive, which was now in my hands. Any moment now, Cookie Booker would realize that I had switched the drive for the toolkit I had taken from the closet. Maelstrom would be proud, I thought.

  “Nice going, Black Sheep!”

  “That wasn’t even the hard part. Now I need to get out of here.”

  The elevator doors opened into the academy corridor. I slowly stepped out into the hallway, keeping the hard drive close at my side.

  Suddenly, the lights went off. The entire building was plunged into darkness—​though the darkness didn’t last long. Seconds later, crimson lights cast an eerie red glow through the halls.

  “Code red. They’re onto me.” Code red meant that someone had sounded the alarm and the entire island was going into lockdown. There was no response on the other end of the line. “Player? Hello?” No answer. They had jammed the cellular signals. I was completely on my own now.

  Of course I had known that Cookie would notice the switch when she went to upload the drive to the servers, but I hoped I would have a few more minutes before she sounded the alarm so I could get a head start. The plan had been to make it outside before anyone realized what I had done. Now I would have to make my escape while everyone on the island was looking for me.

  I suddenly realized how much danger I was in. I no longer cared if anyone saw me. The only thing that mattered was getting out. The storm drain! It worked during my last escape attempt, and I hoped it would again.

  I raced through the halls until I made it to my destination. I was out of breath, but adrenaline flowed through my veins. I leaped into the storm drain and crawled along it as fast as I could, fighting against the rushing water.

  Finally I made it to the grate that led to the outside, and I pushed on it. It didn’t budge. I pushed again as hard as I could, feeling the panic set in. Then I saw with horror that it had been screwed shut from the other side. The faculty had figured out how I escaped last time . . . and they made sure I would not be able to do it again.

  I sat against the grate, hugging my knees. I felt exhausted, and for the first time I wondered if there was any way I was going to make it off the island. All my planning had led to nothing. I had ruined my chance at escaping for good—​and there was no way the faculty were going to let me off easy this time.

  I tried to fight back the tears that were stinging my eyes. I looked at the hard drive. The data that was on that drive would keep VILE going for another year. With it, they could do horrible things, like what they had done in Casablanca.

  I thought about what the archaeologist had told me. Some things had value that went beyond how much money they were worth. VILE had never understood that, and they never would. Someone has to stop them, I thought.

  I stood up and wiped my tears away with the back of my hand, feeling my courage returning. I’m going to get off this island, I thought with a sudden a rush of confidence as I started heading back the way I had come.

  I made it back to the academy building, staying close to the corners and the walls as I went. The red lights were still glowing everywhere. I was making my way past the faculty lounge when I heard a familiar voice and stopped.

  “It’s past curfew. All students are accounted for, except . . .” Coach Brunt sounded sad.

  “Black Sheep,” said Shadowsan. There was something about the way he said my name that made me deeply afraid.

  “Enough is enough. The child must be punished,” said Cleo.

  I leaned closer to the door to watch their meeting. Cleo nodded to Shadowsan. He put a hand to the sword that hung at his side, and I felt my heart stop for a beat.

  If I didn’t make it off the island right now, that would be it for me!

  I turned to leave, but before I could make my escape, I heard a familiar set of high-heeled shoes coming toward me. I hid behind the door as Cookie Booker walked into the faculty room.


  “Maelstrom, the child is a nuisance, but placing the entire island on lockdown? Is that really necessary?” Cookie stomped her foot. “I wish to go immediately!”

  “The ‘child’ has stolen precious VILE data, and it was all thanks to you! We must retrieve that hard drive at any cost!” Maelstrom fired back as I clutched the drive closer to my chest.

  “Well, it’s out of my hands now. Please give me permission to leave!” Cookie’s hands were on her hips, and she was looking from one faculty member to another.

  Maelstrom waved his hand impatiently in Cookie’s direction. “Fine! Good riddance. Hurry back to the mainland, where it is dry.”

  I gasped. If Cookie had been given permission to leave the island, that meant the boat would be leaving too, and soon.

  “Very well. I’ll collect my coat and be off.”

  Suddenly, I had an idea. But if it was going to work, I would have to act fast.

  I took off down the corridor. I was not about to wait around and give Shadowsan an opportunity to use his sword.

  I hurried to the study room where Cookie Booker had stored her things upon arrival. I opened the closets and searched through them until I found what I was looking for—​Cookie Booker’s hat and raincoat.

  “Code red . . .” I whispered to myself as I looked at the crimson-red hat and trench coat hanging in front of me. There was no time to lose. I grabbed them both.

  The sound of Cookie’s heels on the tiles was getting closer and closer. I hid behind the door and watched silently as she came into the room. When she walked over to the closet and saw that her coat and hat were missing, she gave an angry cry of frustration. “I hate this island!” she yelled.

  I smiled and carefully waited until she came close enough to reach.

  Chapter 14

  Ahead of me, I could see Vlad and Boris standing guard by the main entrance. I had to get past them if I wanted to make it out to the docks. Their walkie-talkies crackled with the sound of Maelstrom’s voice. “Cleaners, our bookkeeper has caused enough damage for one visit. Allow her to leave, or get rid of her. I won’t stop you either way!”

  Here goes, I thought. It was time to see if this disguise would actually work. I adjusted the red hat on my head, keeping it tilted down so that the Cleaners wouldn’t be able to see my face.

  I started to walk toward them briskly, my heels click-clacking loudly on the lobby floor as I approached them. The stilts I had just stolen from Coach Brunt’s gymnasium were working like a charm. They rested in the heels of my shoes, making me the same height as Cookie Booker. Fortunately, I’d had plenty of practice using them. I reached Vlad and Boris. My heart was pounding so fast that I was sure it would jump out of my chest. Coach Brunt used to tell me that nothing ever slipped past the watchful eyes of the Cleaners, but I had no choice now. I had to risk it.

  “Ms. Booker?” Vlad asked.

  I stayed silent, holding my breath. I was certain that the ruse was up. This is it, I thought. It’s over.

  “Until next year, Ms. Booker,” Vlad said, sounding sincerely sorry to see me go.

  “Bon voyage,” Boris added, and nodded a goodbye.

  I nodded back, dipping my fedora even lower. As I continued past them, I gave a pageant wave, twirling my hand exactly as I had seen Cookie Booker do just a short while before. “Arrivederci,” I said in my shrillest imitation of Cookie’s voice.

  I pushed through the doors and stepped out into the storm. Wind whipped at my face, and the cold rain soaked through my clothes. I expected to hear shouts from behind me at any moment, but they never came.

  I quickened my pace. The stilts were slipping on the wet rocks, and I struggled to walk in Cookie’s high-heeled shoes. They wobbled dangerously on the stone steps as I made my way down.

  Any moment now, they would find Cookie Booker bound and gagged in the closet where I had left her. I did feel a little guilty about that—​she had been sort of nice to me, in her own way. But my life depended on getting off this island tonight.

  I finally made it to the docks. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw that the boat was still waiting. Tall waves were crashing against the boat’s side as it rocked back and forth in the storm.

  My bright red attire was a spot of color amid the dark skies. It was such a bold choice of color, in fact, that wearing it somehow made me feel more courageous.

  I was almost at the boat now. I could see the boat’s captain, the same man I had stolen the cellphone from, looking at me from where he stood on the deck. I could faintly hear his walkie-talkie turn on and the sound of Maelstrom’s voice coming through it. “Captain, be on alert. The lady in red is no lady at all, but a girl . . . with a history of throwing water balloons.” This was the captain’s chance for payback, and I knew he wouldn’t want to squander it.

  I quickly pulled the hat down farther to cover my face as the captain tried to make out my identity. After hearing nothing from the boat, I carefully looked up. I gasped.

  He was holding a harpoon, the kind that could fire a spear directly at me. The captain hoisted it up to point it toward me, readying it for firing.

  There was no time to think. I ran across the dock and leaped into the air, jumping high above the boat. My coat fluttered behind me while I focused on my target. As I came down toward the deck of the boat, I grabbed one of the stilts from beneath my feet, pulled back my arm, and threw it at the captain.

  The stilt whirled through the air like a boomerang.

  SMACK!

  It hit its target with a perfect bull’s-eye. The captain fell backwards and tumbled off the deck. There was a small thud as he landed on the sandy shores. He moaned, holding his head in his hands. He had landed on the harpoon, snapping it in half.

  A figure on the rocks was running quickly in the direction of the boat. Too quickly. I saw a bright flash of light and with dawning terror recognized it as a glint of steel reflecting the moonlight. It was Shadowsan, with his unsheathed samurai sword in hand.

  I raced to the boat controls. I began pressing buttons, but . . . nothing happened. The engine refused to turn on. I slammed my fist on the control panels. “Come on!” I yelled as panic began to set in. Suddenly, I remembered that the captain had a set of keys around his belt. They must be needed to start the engine.

  Shadowsan was still running straight toward me and getting close. I jumped from the boat onto the shore where the captain lay unconscious. I grabbed for the keys, struggling to get them free. With every passing second, I could feel Shadowsan getting closer. I forced myself to stay calm. Finally the keys came away.

  I ran back to the boat and slammed the key into the ignition. The engine sputtered and then came to life. Now, that’s more like it, I thought.

  “Black Sheep!” Shadowsan roared, his voice becoming one with the storm.

  The boat still didn’t move. “Oh, no . . .” I said aloud. I slapped and kicked at the controls desperately.

  From the corner of my eye, I could see that Shadowsan was at the docks now.

  My hands shaking, I saw a lever next to the steering wheel and pushed it forward. I was thrown back as the boat suddenly moved, sending a shower of water splashing against the dock at Shadowsan’s feet.

  Shadowsan watched the boat pull away from the island—​with me, a red-coated figure standing tall on its deck.

  He and I looked at each other, only this time, I was unafraid. I picked up the red hat from where it had fallen on the deck of the boat and placed it back on my head.

  Shadowsan became smaller and smaller in the distance. I saw him sheath his sword, and I exhaled with relief. I hadn’t even realized that I had been holding my breath for so long. “I pass. You fail,” I whispered.

  I grabbed the wheel to steady the boat’s course. I looked back only once. The academy buildings had disappeared, and the island was nothing more than a speck of sand and palm trees in the distance. I had done it! I was finally leaving Vile Island. I did not know if I would ever again see the place I
had called home for so many years. I hope not, I thought as lightning lit up the sky. Then darkness returned, and the island disappeared from view entirely.

  I picked up the hard drive and examined it closely as a plan began to form in my mind.

  Chapter 15

  The train’s brakes squealed, snapping Carmen back to the present. “It’s the end of the line,” Gray said as the train neared the station—​the last stop on its journey. Carmen nodded.

  Gray leaned forward, crackle rod still in hand. The time had come for him to give Carmen the message he had been sent to deliver. “VILE misses you, Black Sheep. They want a truce.”

  “Misses me?” Carmen asked angrily. “They just want me stealing for them instead of from them. All VILE wants is to control me.”

  “You’ve proven yourself to them. To us. Isn’t that all you ever wanted?”

  Carmen said nothing. She sensed there was something Gray wasn’t telling her.

  “The faculty are offering you a full pardon. Even Shadowsan’s on board!” Gray continued. “They’ll make things right if you just come home to the island . . . where you belong.”

  Carmen sighed. Whether or not she was considering Gray’s offer was unclear to him.

  “I was hoping we would end up on the same side tonight, Gray,” Carmen said. She paused and looked at him with a steady gaze. “My side.”

  “Still in a league of your own,” he said.

  “Always was, always will be.”

  Gray nodded slowly, then raised the crackle rod. It began to buzz and hum with electricity as he cranked the dial all the way up to its full, deadly level of power.

  Carmen was not afraid. Instead, she raised an eyebrow at Gray. “Does this mean you don’t want to know how I got my new code name?”

  Gray hadn’t been expecting a question like that. He hesitated a moment.

  That was all the time a trained thief like Carmen needed. She lunged for the rod, catching Gray off-guard, and grabbed it from him so quickly that he barely saw her move. In a split second, Carmen was pointing the crackle rod at Gray.