What's stolen

A mask

Rising form the seat, Julia could feel how her body is acing. For the last two years, there hadn’t been a lot of traveling. The biggest part of that is because they had had VILE in prison and there was no Carmen Sandiego to follow after though out the world. The flight to Japan had been a long one and Julia was happy that they had spent time to rest themselves up at Carlotta’s place before heading out into the world.

“You alright?”

Carmen had placed herself as close into Julia as she could, sending a shiver through her body. Carefully leaning towards Carmen, she let the weight of flight hit her. Feeling Carmen’s arm around her, Julia smiles.

“So, what’s the plan here?”

She asks, she had left Carmen to her own thought’s during the flight. She’s the one with most experience when it comes to plan a caper, even if this isn’t a caper.

“I’m hopping that Hideo would accept a privet showing of the Matsumodo castle by a fellow historian.”

“So, in other words I’m the distraction?”

“Always.”

Hearing Carmen purr the last part into her ear, shivers went through Julia’s body once more. Elbowing the woman behind her, Julia steps forwards, in a try to get her raising heart in control.

“You hope that Shadowsan will be at the castle to?”

“That or his older brother will recognize the woman who escorts the brilliant mind.”

“He won’t try to get you arrested on sight, right?”

Carmen let out a small chuckle at this, taking Julia’s hand, leading her down the hallways.

“Not after Italy.”

She explains, making Julia look at her, one eyebrow raised. There had been no capers in Italy, then she realizes, this must have happened when she had left ACME for a while.

“What happened?”

“We realized that VILE was targeting the masks, which meant that we hade to make sure they were being kept safe. When Shadowsan realized that his brother was there, he wasn’t sure he would be up for the caper. I promised he wouldn’t be seen, little did we know, ACME had warned everyone that I was near and since you guys had a sketch on how Shadowsan looked like. Suhara was waiting for us that night, we tried to explain what was really happening, he didn’t believe us at first, not until after we took down Neal the Eel.”

Carmen explains, at this, Julia steps closer to the woman beside her once more.

“Shadowsan and I then ended up cornered by Zari, Hideo hit her over the head with a velvet rope post, knocking her out.”

She couldn’t help herself at this, laughing. She could almost picture it and with the smile Carmen had, Julia could only imagine that it had indeed been a perfect moment. And Julia couldn’t blame her for that found memory, there had been a few times during the time she had to work side by side with the agent where Julia had wished to knock her out herself.

“He helped us out from there, I made sure that the police got one the VILE agents before leaving the box with the original masks with Chase, told him that they were fragile and that you would have understand.”

Carmen finish, making Julia blush. She could almost imagine Chase look at the comment and he couldn’t have been overly happy to have had Carmen drop the stolen goods to him before disappearing into the shadows once more. What she could guess, this had happened right before Chase had decided to look for her, to ask if Carmen is a good. Back then, that question had seemed so complicated. Now Julia was however completely sure about her answer, after everything that had happened after Egypt, that had been enough proof.

-X-X-X-X-

Looking up at the Matsumodo Castle, Julia swallows. Thanks to Player, he had fixed a meeting with Hideo for her. With a deep breath, Julia looks over her shoulder to see Carmen nod her head. The other women had switched her signature red hoodie to a black one. When asking about it, Carmen had told her she didn’t want to make it too easy for them. Julia had shaken her head at this, but she had smiled at the idea.

“Ms. Argent I take it?”

The male voice made Julia jump slightly, turning her attention towards the man that had managed to walk up on them. Looking at him, Julia could understand why, there was a striking similarity to his younger brother.

“Yes, it’s a pleasure to meet you and thank you for allowing us to come with such a short notice.”

Julia greets and the man nods his head, eyes landing on Carmen’s back for a few seconds. The hood is up and her hands in her pocket, acting like a teen that would rather be somewhere else. That had been what they are going for if Suhara were to ask, Carmen, or rather Scarlet, is one of Julia’s students that is following with her.

Seeing how the older man nods his head as an answer, Julia gives him a smile. With a nod towards the open door, he turns around and starts to walk up. Turning her head around, she could see how Carmen is looking around herself, obviously trying to spot the man that had grown into a father figure.

“Santa Rosa.”

Julia calls, making Carmen turn around to look at her. Nodding her own head towards the opening, Carmen starts to walk towards her. Once the woman is beside her, Julia starts to follow after Hideo herself. Once inside, the man starts to explain everything around them and Julia smiles, taking in everything around her. Feeling that Carmen is no longer beside her; Julia comes to a stop. Looking around herself in a try to spot her girlfriend.
Seeing that Carmen had stopped in front of a mask, Julia could only guess that was one of the masks she and Shadowsan had protected when in Italy.

“I would have thought you would find that piece interesting, Carmen Sandiego.”

Hearing Hideo's voice once more, Julia and Carmen turn around quickly. Seeing how Carmen shakes her head slightly, she lifts her hands towards the hood and pulls it down.

“Hideo.”

“Didn’t expect to see you again.”

“What can I say, I’m a restless soul.”

Julia rolls her eyes at that, at least she was right about that.

“I take it you’re actually here to see my brother.”

“I am, Jules on the other hand is interested in what else you have to show.”

Hideo turns his head to look at Julia and she nods her head.

“My brother is training at the moment; you can join us for dinner once he’s done.”

Feeling Carmen’s eyes on her Julia smiles.

“Like I can say no to a history lesson and you.”