Behind closed doors

Distance (Brainwashed Shadowsan)

Even as faculty, he would no longer stand on the sidelines while Carmen Sandiego destroyed his family and everything they'd worked for.

The eye of Vishnu was their next target, a baiting trick he'd prided himself in preparing. The years she'd been against them had been VILE's worst, despite no one being brave enough to admit it, she was good, very good.

But Black Sheep had a weakness. Empathy. And that promised him she'd show.

Carmen Sandiego hadn't missed a heist, fortunately this will be her last.

Yet he'd acquired the gem, no red rogue in sight.
The bodies of three ACME agents littered the ground, he was baffled there was no backup. That was of no matter.

He looked at the gem, then to the window.

A successful caper, no-

He only caught the briefest notion of a presence behind him when something was shoved over his head. An immediate buzzing worked its way through his veins and it felt like being electrocuted.

The buzzing grew louder and louder, Shadowsan felt the body of someone behind him, holding it down and breathing heavily in his ear. Pressure built up in and outside of his head.

He seethed, hands going to his head as he tried to knock off the smaller figure behind him. She cried out in surprise when they smashed into the wall, and he flung her forcefully over his head, vision skewed.

He screwed his eyes shut, it was too late to tear it from the connection it had to his brain. He'd fallen to his knees, mind screaming as it was torn through with a silver blade.

Carmen landed, watching anxiously as the man grit his teeth in defiance. The device was thrown into the wall, it smashed it pieces.

She worried her lip. She hadn't been this close to Shadowsan in months, she wasn't sure if that was a good thing, based on the Ferris wheel incident that had given Zack nightmares.

But god she missed him. Holding the team together when she could feel the cheap clear tape of "I'm fine." ripping through her heart was proven impossible. The closest thing she had growing up to a parent despised her.

But now she had a mother to visit, a purpose that wasn't self sacrifice and she didn't have his support. She just couldn't without the proud reassurance as he perhaps wrapped his arm around her approvingly. In an affectionate way she didn't allow very often.

She caught glimpses, he wanted to paint the walls
with her blood.

His eyes shot open and Carmen searched them for any part of the person she knew.

He rose from the floor without so much as a glance her direction.

This was all a mistake.

"I always knew you had no place with us." His voice was low.

What! Didn't ACME say it would work??

"Shadowsan, please," she begged, tears brimming her eyes, "Don't you remember? We were going to take down VILE together; You saved me."

"You killed my brother." He thundered. There was a darkness and thundering in him, one that Carmen now knew had no soft spot for her. He got into a fighting stance.

"Shadowsan, please!" Carmen's voice cracked, she'd never felt it more vulnerable, "Hideo is alive, please tell me you remember?"

He only let out a battle cry, Carmen couldn't respond out of shock as her legs were swept from beneath her.

He was going to stomp on her hair when she finally reacted. She rolled away to her own fighting stance, letting out a ragged breath.

Just like old times... right?