Archived Roll With It

[Vic]

Status: Closed
Who: Vic the Slick, Carmen Sandiego, Sarah Nade, Chase Devineaux
What: A waiting game, prequel to Desert Cayman
Where: Somewhere between Nevada and California

Vic the Slick leaned against Carmen's black Chevrolet Corvette. At the same time, he picked his teeth with a dry straw and chewed at it begrudgingly. The desert at dusk was windy and dusty. Being the jittery type, Vic was feeling his usual anxiety through boredom. He hated waiting.

"It's gonna get dark," he said out loud without giving the thought more time, "We shouldda never been here, smells fishy."

He looked at his Timax watch, a Timex imitation with changeable plaid straps. Did Patty say Sarah Nade was coming with the surveillance van? If she wasn't coming, he was probably screwed. The GPS was better in the van than the Corvette.

 

[Carmen]

Standing in contrast to the scenery, Carmen listened to Vic with no response. Privately, she threw him a glance to the side and exhaled when he finished talking. This was yet another aimless task for the tasteless Salesman. Retrospectively, she should have waited for Sarah Nade prior to coming out tonight. That impatience became justified, nevertheless, as today was Carmen's first trip to the United States in months.

Not surprisingly, time away positioned her as an outsider. Everything from the landscape to the American accent appeared foreign. She found it enjoyable when home did not feel like home, but secretly took a multitude of comfort that the sun and moon remained consistent.

That, even if the stars were against her, she may still rely on a few, fragile things...

 

[Sarah Nade]

On the horizon a set of headlights appeared, growing larger and larger as the moments passed. One arm was out of the van, fingers tapping to the rhythm of the radio, the other was on the steering wheel. Sarah Nade had arrived. A cigarette was pursed between her lips which she was quick to flick out of the window upon spotting the telltale red jacket and hat of her employer.

Pulling up behind the chevy she placed the van into park, shut off the radio and stepped out of the car.

"Hey Carmen... Vic." She leaned against the front of the van, pulling a stick of gum from the pocket of her leather jacket. The desert nights were notorious for growing cold very quickly. "Should I just park her here?"

 

[Chase]

Chase Devineaux was on his way to a meeting. Turning from the highway and on to a desert road, he briskly shook his head as the sound of tires against dirt reminded him that dirt was physical evidence. This Porsche Cayman was somewhat of a gift. No damage done, a trip to the carwash should suffice.

Devineaux left the company car, a Toyota Camry, at the ACME compound to avoid suspicion. The highly unsuitable Porsche Coupe, often parked at a rented space near his apartment, was the only remaining option. If he made good time, few would notice he was gone. He sped up. The engine responded smoothly to the pedal but the tires protested over rough terrain.

At the rendezvous point, red was an easy color to spot in spite of the sunset. In addition, Chase noted two henchmen and a van -- elements that hardly showed amenity. Not one to back out, he breathed, then promptly got out of the car.

 

[Vic]

Vic waved his hands wildly when Sarah pulled up behind the Chevy. "Park a little down…" Vic's complaint was cut short by the arrival of a certain ACME agent.

Half of the polyester suit was hoping this guy wouldn't show up, the other half of him was glad Carmen didn't come alone. To this one-time salesman of the year, Carmen's a ton smarter than to meet up with some ACME hobo without VILE right behind her.

Seeing Chase Devineaux in person, Vic frowned. He'd decide later if he hated the guy, but for now, hobos with expensive cars and matching suits should be frowned upon.

 

[Carmen]

[Fashionably late again. I'm sorry, Vic.]
Carmen smirked when she saw that Chase Devineaux, as she requested, did not bring his falcon. The bar against Phoenix was purely business. Small favors, when complied, determined friendship.

A chapter in her life existed where she was part of the organization represented by the spy with the Porsche Cayman. She eventually deserted any form of trust, sending ripples of disappointment she cannot say were completely unintentional. Seemingly unaffected by that wave was her former covert partner... who appeared to be doing rather well.

For that, an old haunt like ACME remained one of the few places she may rely on.

"Going my way?" V.I.L.E.'s ringleader greeted, taking steps forward to meet her ACME counterpart.

 

[Chase]

 

[Sarah Nade]

Ignoring the flailing from Vic, as the question had been more a neutral 'hello, I'm here' than an actual search for permission she crumpled the wrapper from her gum and stuck it back into her pocket, working her jaw muscles to get the gum to a more pleasurable consistancy. Such things, however, stopped as she viewed an ACME Detective getting out of the next car that arrived.

It was not uncommon for multiple workers to arrive in multiple modes of transportation and not knowing who you'd be talking to until you arrived. Yet while Mr. Slick had been in on the idea of meeting an ACME Detective in the middle of nowhere, USA Sarah had not, a fact shown by her sudden urge to tense.

Slowly she pulled the wrapper back out of her pocket and deposited the gum back into it before taking a more motion friendly stance. A trained pro at the art of interacting with the law Sarah had been through her paces. She could not only recite but sing the US Maranda Rights to a police officer and usually would. She knew that the UK was one of the most favorable places to get arrested based on who you'd find in the holding cells nearby. She also had been known on occasion to escape from police during arrest simply because she didn't like the attitude of the officers she was dealing with.

Sarah had enough faith in her boss to know that there was a more productive reason for Chase Devinaeux to be standing a mere 15 feet away. It might have been more helpful, however, to be informed of such a fact at least 30 seconds before his arrival.

 

[Chase]

The call Chase Devineaux received at 12:25 PM this particular Friday was unexpected. It comprised of a greeting and a simple request to meet an old friend. In all honesty, he almost failed to recognize her voice. Had she not chosen that specific time or said certain things, he may have mistaken the message for a prank.

Throughout the drive to the middle of nowhere, he considered how those wiser than him would never enter this situation. Then again… Demain il fera jour. Living is learning, and there is always tomorrow.

"Going my way?"

Why not, it's a Friday. "Going mine?" The verbal answer somewhat supported his initial thought.

 

[Vic]

Vic sneered silently. It was all for show, mostly, as soon as any danger came his way, Vic the Slick would slither away faster than a sidewinder. And that's giving credit to the sidewinder.

The tension that was building lowered a little when Carmen and the ACME Detective started exchanging words. Vic turned his head to Sarah.

"Hey, you know who that is?" he whispered, "cause I know who that is, Carmen tells me things like this all the time, I just wanna make sure you know." Plainly noticeable was Vic's minor twitching. Carmen told him only that she was meeting someone and that was next to squat. Vic had the feeling Sarah, who was in charge of the van, knew more about this than he did. "She eh... told ya anything?"

 

[Sarah Nade]

Sarah's eyes looked at Vic from the side, her main focus still on the agent who was approaching. Vic was not unknown for acting like he knew more than he did or trying to con information out of people however, considering that their guest was relatively tall and relatively fit looking she had a feeling she shouldn't take her eyes off him. The need to consider the possibility of an alterior motive would have to wait.

"Charlie or... Chasity or something... he's that guy who's always on the news."

She pondered again for a moment, knowing those names weren't right. Chase was a face of ACME and had been seen often. She could at least place the face on that but the name was escaping her. Though, she thought to herself as her eyes scanned the detective one more time, she wouldn't mind some alone time with this one to find out what it was.

"I'm fresh out of info... want to shed some light?" Sarah asked Vic softly, her tone a little less brash than usual if only to keep it down.

 

[Carmen]

Forty-eight hours ago, while rendezvousing with a former acquaintance in Rome, news reached her through links in the prison system that Lee Jordanwas no longer where he should be. Considering the cache of things Lee knew about her, and keeping in mind that he was also an endless source of malice, she established that this round of the game would proceed differently.
Her decision was to blindside the underground by gaining aid from ACME. She wanted to contact Suhara or Chief, but their ageless wisdom would only advise her to do the right thing: let it be and turn herself in. That may happen, one fine autumn night where minions of the netherworld rush to the surface as their infernal abyss freeze over.

This brought her to the mildly austere Chase Devineaux.

Reaching into her coat as Chase approached; she revealed a small brown envelope. Inside was a digital card containing scanned documents and an earpiece for communication. Withholding information and carefully revealing them were two things Carmen perfected.

"Lee Jordan," she gave a name and tucked the envelope securely inside Chase's jacket. "Everything you need to know is in there, along with contact information to my... friends: Sarah Nade and Vincent Fumagalli." Introducing the two as friends alleviated the detective-criminal relationship.
"Now, turn around," her instructions continued, "once you get into the Porsche, take the earpiece from the envelope, put in on, and we'll talk. I'll be in the Corvette. Drive with me."

Carmen waited until he was out of earshot.
"Vic, Sarah," she returned to the black Chevrolet, "That was ACME's Chase Devineaux. Stay in the van, wait five minutes, then follow me."