Home: CS Fanfic//Book One

Chapter 15- A Painful Retrieval

Blood warning!

McKenzie smiled at the deep blueness of the sky, sadness creeping in as she realized that she didn't know when the last time she'd had a good look at it had been. Coach had done her best to explain, but McKenzie felt that it was much too random of an explanation to make sense. I mean, sure, the disease sounded real, but the memories couldn't be just GONE, could they?

Why hadn't Coach tried to help her remember anything besides the basics? Why not explain why McKenzie had woken up in a cold chair, plagued by fear, and not given comfort?

Why-

McKenzie suddenly doubled over, her vision blurring. A terrible pain was tearing itself up and down her left arm, and nausea rolled up her. She fell to her knees, clutching her stomach and arm-as best she could with only one hand.

What was happening?

Everything was fuzzing up in her brain, muddling her panicked thoughts. There was a loud crack that rang in her ears, and McKenzie opened her eyes to find herself back in her cell. She screamed out as her skull seemed to burst, barraged by images and sounds. A girl and boy with matching fiery red hair, blue eyes and freckles. An empty casket. A hispanic family.

A name...

And then as quickly as it had started, it was all gone. The river of pain and fear. The overwhelming confusion. Because she knew.

Even better, she remembered.

There was no McKenzie Wolfe.

Only Carmen Sandiego.

And VILE, who had tried to take everything from her.

Anger was boiling in her gut, and she let it stay. She would need it. Standing on shaky legs, Carmen dragged the band out of her now shortened hair and slid it up her wrist. The door of the cell wasn't closed, allowing her to simply walk out.

She was not a pawn.

She was not a toy.

She would not be used.

Not by VILE, not by anybody.

Brunt made her way to McKenzie's cell, wondering if the mind wipe still held. If it did, then they successfully turned Carmen Sandiego. And if not, then, well...

She got confirmation when she spotted the young woman stalking towards her, murder in her striking gray-blue eyes.

That was not McKenzie.

That was Carmen.

Coach Brunt sighed and cracked her knuckles, a bit regretful. "Here we go again."

Carmen felt -rather than heard- a snarl rip itself from her throat as she neared Coach Brunt. The world around her was focusing laser point onto the VILE staff member, and she didn't notice the blood seeping through the bandages on her arm.

Not that she would've cared.

She clenched her fists, teeth grinding as every step brought her closer to the older woman.

Liar.

Murderer.

Traitor.

"You stole me away from myself." She hissed, her pace quickening into a run.

Monster.

"You hurt me."

Bully.

Carmen was screaming as she reached Coach Brunt. "You hurt my family! You took me away from them!"

Evil.

Vile.

And then she was suddenly fighting her former teacher, the pain in her arm and the fear in her mind forgotten. They were in a hallway, and Carmen used the low ceiling to her advantage, managing to actually land hits. Coach Brunt was definitely bigger and stronger, but she was fast, and angry.

She was so. Angry.

The toll of the chip in her arm was effecting her, however. Her moves turned sluggish and a backhand from Brunt sent her sprawling. Grunting with pain, Carmen edged back to her feet, adrenaline helping to keep her steady. She arched back onto her heels, ready to leap-

Someone slammed Carmen into the wall, and pain spiked as her head smashed back.

Blackness poured through her bones.

Brunt watched as Detonator barreled into Carmen and drove her into the wall. The red head fell to the ground, her head making a hollow thump as it hit the tile.

Despite herself, Brunt winced as blood trickled from Carmen's mouth and hair, creating a small pool of red around her cheek.

Detonator stared down at Carmen, her violet-hued eyes angry and merciless.

Brunt smirked. "Go get some heavy cuffs, Detonator. I need to talk to my fellow staff members." The Coach chuckled and stepped over Carmen's crumpled form, leaving to find Dr. Bellum.