Where In The World Are The Killers?

Going the Distance

On the finish line of the Road Rage Rally...

"Welcome back to Mazunda, where front-runner Lily Karam is seconds away from clinching victory at the 23rd 3R Race!" the Rally Presentator's voice announces over the speakers.

Carmen, dressed in a black-and-white racing jacket with yellow-and-orange face paint, waves her checkered flag, "this is fantastic, Adalet. The roar of the crowd, the anticipation!"

"The possible SOMBRA agents smuggling diamonds?" Adalet deadpanned.

She flushed, "I know we're on the trail of a SOMBRA diamond-smuggling operation that we've tracked through Africa... But a SOMBRA mole inside the Bureau has hindered our every move! But I'm grateful they chose the famous 3R race to conceal their smuggling operation. What a stake-out!"

"It is one of the most entertaining stake-outs I've been on," she agrees, watching the cars race to the finish line with dust clouds behind them.

"Here's Karam in the De Brills Diamonds-sponsored car flying up the track now! I've never seen anything like this! In her very first year, Lily Karam has won the 3R race!" the Rally Presentator cheered, "but there's something wrong! Lily is dragging someone from her car - her co-driver, Nomena Leroy, is unconscious!"

Carmen gasped, "this doesn't sound good, Adalet! We'd better go see if we can help!"

Adalet and Carmen navigated through the crowd sitting on the stands to the bottom of the bleachers. They climbed over the guardrail and ran to the finish line as paramedics and security followed.

"Lily!" Carmen cried, "are you okay? What's wrong with your co-driver?"

"I don't know! Halfway through the race, she started feeling sick. There was nothing I could do!" Lily exclaims, watching the medics examine Nomena.

She places a hand on the racer's shoulder, "it's okay, Lily. I'll take off this rally gear while Adalet checks up on your co-driver at the finish line!"

Carmen leads Lily away from the scene while Adalet approaches Nomena and the paramedics. But the medics informed her that the woman was already gone and there was nothing they could do. Adalet thanked them for their work, and they left the scene. Looking around the finish line, she noticed some diamonds in the victim's blackened hand and a brown pouch of gems beside her. As she picks up the pouch, Hunter runs over, carrying a black leather wallet in her mouth, and Carmen returns wearing her normal clothes.

"We're too late, Carmen! Nomena Leroy is dead!" Adalet tells her partner, "and it wasn't natural causes - look at her blackened arm!"

"What about those diamonds in Nomena's hand? And that pouch of diamonds you picked up?" Carmen questions, the glittering gems catching her eyes, "we're here to stop SOMBRA smuggling diamonds, and we find a woman murdered with diamonds in her hands? That can't be a coincidence! Nomena's death has to be connected with these smugglers - and her murder probably is too!"

"I agree," she replies, "so collecting a sample of the stain on the pouch is a good first step. And Hunter found a De Brills Racing wallet!"

"Do you think it was Nomena's?" she wonders, taking it from Hunter's mouth.

"Even if it's not, we should look inside!" Adalet declared, "and as for Lily, she was right in the car with her! Maybe she can tell us what happened to Nomena during the race!"

"I know we came here to stop SOMBRA's smuggling, Adalet. But hopefully, solving this murder will lead us straight to them!" Carmen prayed.

Carmen contacts the team for them to collect the body as Adalet begins to examine the pouch of diamonds. She swabbed the yellowish stain on the fabric and smeared it between a set of glass slides.