Where in the world will they meet again?

Chapter 4, Of stalkers and rain

---Where in the world is Sandiego?---

Since Malmö Julia had a hard time sleeping. This time it wasn't like the last Sweden incident where her dreams were about Carmen Sandiego dying. Her dreams these days were only about Carmen and they would leave her a blushing when she thought about them.

There wasn't any inappropriate dreams... okay that's a lie. There were dreams about going on dates with the red beauty and from time to time it was memories from that night in Malmö.

Turns out that the couch was a pullout, but nobody had told them. 

Her never ending thoughts about the very same lady they were supposed to catch did come in the way for work from time to time. It was bad, but Julia felt good. She was a lot happier apparently, Agent Zari had briefly mentioned that.

Right now She and Devineaux were in London, UK. There had been recent VILE sightings and Julia hoped that she would get a chance to see Carmen again. Maybe even talk to her.

As she were walking back to their hotel carrying takeout for dinner, she felt a arm creep around her torso.

"Don't look back" said a voice in her ear. 

Julia recognized the voice, it was the one and only Carmen Sandiego.

"Did you know that there's somebody following you?" The lady in red asked her.

"You?" Julia asked after glancing over at her.

Carmen laughs and Julia can't help but to blush. Carmen's laugh is soft and airy, like music in Julia's ears.

"You think I'm your stalker?" Carmen said with a grin.

"Maybe, we do keep meeting" Julia winked.

Carmen snorted.

"So who's following me if it's not you?" Julia asked.

"Someone from VILE, Neal The Eel-"

Julia snorted and Carmen rolled her eyes but smirked too.

"We need to get to a more private place so I can knock him out" Carmen continued.

"Then let's keep walking my fair lady..."

"So what have you've been up since Malmö?" Julia asked, trying and failing to pronounce the ö.

Carmen stifled a chuckle.

"Not much. Did some planning, trained a lot, looked out for VILE..." The taller woman answered.

"That's nice... I've been busy tracking you" Julia said.

"Well you've found me now"

"More like you found me"

They were in a abandoned parking lot when Carmen suddenly stopped walking. Julia could hear the quiet footsteps coming closer.

"Neal The Eel, we meet again" Carmen said and slowly turned around.

"Black Sheep" Neal answered.

Julia started to walk away from the fight. Black Sheep huh.

"It's Carmen Sandiego"

Julia was well hidden behind the only car, looking at Carmen and Neal's fight. 

Neal would slip around dodging Carmen's attacks, Julia didn't want to think about how he did that. Carmen on the other hand was incredible sexy right now, landing hit's and also dodging Neal's attacks... And getting hit quite a lot, that worried her. After two minutes Carmen got a good hit against the back of Neal's head and the eel passed out.

"Julia, it's safe to come out now" Carmen said loud enough for Julia to hear it.

Julia hurried over to the thief in red.

"Are you okay Carmen?" Julia asked when she were almost next to her.

Carmen turned around, grinning. But she did have a black eye.

"I'm fine" She said and hugged Julia.

"You should get ice on that black eye" Julia said reaching her hand up to touch it.

"And you need to get back to your hotel room before VILE sends more operatives here" Carmen countered.

There was a crack of thunder from above and it started to rain heavily. They would get even more wetter the longer they were out.

"There's a buss stop shelter not far from here" Carmen said and grabbed Julia's hand.

They stopped inside the buss stop shelter, Julia was panting slightly while Carmen was used to this. 

"Looks like were not the only one's forgetting an umbrella" Julia said and gestured to the small group of teens across the street standing in another buss stop shelter.

Carmen looked over at the group and then at Julia to ask a question. Her eyes widened and looked away again, blushing furiously. 

Julia quirked her eyebrows at Carmen's weird reaction.

"Y-you must be cold... Here" Carmen said and gave the red coat to Julia, without looking at her.

Julia looked up at her with confusion. She saw that the woman wasn't wearing anything warmer. A black short sleeve shirt and a thin zip-up hoodie was all she had underneath it.

"Wouldn't you need it? You're not actually wearing anything better than I am."

"I'll be fine" Carmen said, "I didn't actually get as soaked as you did since the coat is waterproof.... and it's pretty warm...that is, if you want it" 

"Thank you" Julia said with a smile.

Julia blushed and put her cheek against the collar, it smelled just like Carmen. Carmen turned to look at Julia again now that she was wearing the coat.

"I should hail a cab when the rain lessens" Julia said.

"That's a good idea, you might need to call Devineaux and say that you got caught up in the rain" Carmen told her.

"Smart"

Julia picked up her phone and called the number.

"Hello inspector Devineaux, it seems like I won't be back in a while.... I just got caught up in the rain, don't worry... Au revoir"

"Was he worried?" Carmen asked.

"A little"

They made up a small talk, it was mostly about history, since they were both history geeks. Julia hailed a Taxi when the rain wasn't as bad as before.

"Here" Julia gave Carmen back her coat as the Taxi pulled up.

Carmen accepted it and dragged off her zip-up hoodie and handed it to Julia before putting her coat on.

"Huh?"

"I don't want you to freeze..." Carmen trailed off.

"Awe, you're such a sweetheart" Julia said with a soft smile and put on the warm and dry zip-up hoodie.

Carmen blushed at the comment.

"Good bye Jules" Carmen said as Julia climbed into the Taxi.

"Au revoir Carmen"

As Julia was in the Taxi going towards the hotel she realized why Carmen didn't want to look at her. After all, White blouse + Rain isn't always good. She was thankful that Carmen had loaned her the coat and then the hoodie.

Julia put her hands in the hoodie pockets, there was something in the left one. She slowly took it out. It was a note along with a phone.

'There's only one number on there and it goes to my phone, if I don't pick up you will be transferred to a fast food phone call. If you hold down the all buttons for 10 seconds the phone will self destruct. Don't worry, it's untraceable. -Your friend Red' 

Julia smiled softly.

---end---

Au revoir=good bye

-and with that, Au revoir!