Archived La Vie de Luxe

[Lee]

As Chase Devineaux looked through Eartha's apartment and saw things, Lee saw an empty room. He didn't notice anything out of the ordinary except for the closet and the TV being on loud.

Just when he was about to say something like I'll go check the perimetres, Chase alerted him to the motorcycle. Running down after his boss, Lee didn't wait for anybody's orders. He rushed a block down where he had his Suzuki kept for trailing Eartha around the city. Lee knew he was only an informant, he couldn't make this arrest even if he begged, but he was betting that a motorcycle race through Luxembourg was a one time only experience even ACME's best agents would kill for.

Zeroing in on his target, Lee blindly followed the red bike. It was only a Ducati, and his ride had the bigger engine. All he needed was a good stretch of road and it would be his.

 

[E. Mayhew]

Missy stood in her recon location, one foot placed up on a low sitting brick wall as she held a pair of binoculars in her hands. Placing the magnifiers to her eyes she gave a long and low sigh. Well this was a fine mess she'd gotten herself into. It may have seemed like she was dwelling on something she shouldn't be at a time like this but what else could she do?
Watching the traffic with a half attentive stare she watched as someone dressed in black drove by on a red motorcycle mere seconds before hearing Chase's voice yell on her ear piece.

Chase said: "It's the Ducati," he said clearly into the communicator as he quickly wound his way out of the building, "follow that red bike!"

Giving a light curse Missy threw her binoculars into her pocket and looked around. Following the red bike was easier said than done. They'd all arrived by C-5 except for Lee Jordan who, unbeknownst to her was already starting to follow the suspect. Her gaze looked about frantically until she lay her eyes on a pair of motorcycle cops with, thank god, their motorcycles on hand. Running full tilt at them Missy stopped just in front of their bikes, pulling out her badge.

"Agent Melissa Wayward, ACME Detective Agency. I need to borrow your bike."

 

[Carmen]

(OOC: As promised, this is an instalment from me. For those involved in this scene, please notify Chase should you have questions. I won't be available this weekend.)


Thus, it happened that the infamous Carmen Sandiego, even under rather rigorous cover, once again became the rabbit in a dog race. She pondered the irony, if briefly; since she captured an enemy falcon only moments ago.

Her first pursuer, an ill-tempered young man in swarthy leather, rammed his larger Suzuki motorcycle forward as if expecting her to surrender from fright. Fear, unfortunately for him, was her fuel.

An imaginary topographical map of Luxembourg appeared vividly in Carmen's mind as she chose her next destination. With her smaller engine, she must out-maneuver him through winding streets; should she make the mistake of wider roads, she would be handicapped.

Choosing a sparsely populated side street with the intent to lose a tail, Carmen diverted her route.

 

[Chase]

With the well-being of his falcon, Phoenix, still fresh on his mind, Chase Devineaux eyed the direction of the red Ducati and quickly referenced the overhead map from Euge's image feed. That helicopter was a good call, and by far the best investment on this case.

From the screen of his communicator, the field director could see Lee Jordan closing in on the target. Then the Ducati did something unexpected: it strung through alleyways. Chase summed that whoever was driving the Italian motorcycle knew the streets of Luxembourg by heart. Lucky for ACME, eyes were everywhere. Ahead of the Ducati was a wide area and Devineaux saw a chance for Jordan to force the smaller bike on to a stretch of highway.

"Jordan," Chase instructed over the communications link, "there's a long road north/northeast, push the target up there, and use your speed."

 

[Flag]

((I hope that nobody minds me just jumping in. This post is a little offset time-wise from the latest ones as like... it wouldn't be possible for some of the people mentioned to be where they are otherwise. ))

Laying low for a good long while was probably one of the best decisions that he could ever have made. Virtually all memory of what he did had faded from people's minds as more "pressing" matters drove them forward. Even those that were directly involved seemed to have considered the events of a couple of years ago as nothing more than a dream.

This was good.

For the last couple of weeks, Flag had been hovering around the observation decks and public rooftops of San Francisco blending into with the summer tourist crowd as best as he could. Long silver hair never really did help with this, but his newly adopted attire of ragged denim seemed to lend itself towards the idea that he was a member of some independent grunge-metal cover band, which was an effect that he didn't mind.

To add to the tourist effect, he had a camera with him - a nice Canon EOS Rebel - which he pulled out often to take pictures of what seemed like the San Fransisco skyline. However, had anyone paid the least bit of attention to his camera, they would have realized that his only target of attention was the large ACME complex that sat in the middle of his city tour.

In one of the rooms of this building (probably shoved in a filing cabinet somewhere ) was the last shred of evidence relating to an incredibly heinous crime committed against the scientific community - a theft of knowledge. He doubted that anyone working there now remembered this fact as it slipped their minds, but he needed to obtain that small stack of paperwork so that it would forever be nothing more than a tease of the mind.

He knew from experience that someone with a facial profile like his was not easily able to enter the ACME complex without the unwanted assistance of armed escort. This was why, a couple of days ago, he found himself laughing heartily at his employer walking in and out of the main office building without issue. It was a wonder what a mere change of clothes could do!

Ultimately this was his idea as well. He would rob a janitor of his uniform and badge, then waltz on in to take over the poor man's job until he found his target. However, unlike Carmen, he had to wait for certain variables such shift changes amongst the guards and maintenance crew as well as wait for his paid informant to give him a general idea where forgotten and seemingly unimportant files were archived.

His informant was over an hour late. This would have normally annoyed Flag, but he was distracted by the fact that there seemed to be a lot of activity gong on within the observed complex. Eventually a certain Field Director that he rather disliked came running out of the office with a handful of agents and disappeared somewhere.


"Well... That changes things." He whispered under his breath as he finally got up from the table, leaving his tab and tip on the table.

Before long he was speaking into a pre-paid phone that he picked up from a small shop somewhere and called the student that he had been waiting on.

"Dude, I don't know what's happening but there's no way that I'm going to miss it!"

The line went dead. About ten minutes later there was another call.

"Never mind. They won't let me come with them. What was it that you needed?

"You're fired."

"What?! But you haven't..."

The line went dead again, but this time it was Flag's doing. He didn't really want to bother with the kid anymore as he currently had enough information to make due with. The evening maintenance guys came in at 7 and his biggest worry was out on a mission.

Why else would a dumb student detective be so excited?

 

[Lee]

((ooc: Still in Luxembourg, if I'm writing this wrong, tell? Thx.))

Lee Jordan was close, so close he could have reached for that Ducati, but he lost the distance again when it swerved into winding roads.

"Argh!" He shouted, trying to keep his balance and gain on the red motorcycle again.

Chase said: "Jordan," Chase instructed over the communications link, "there's a long road north/northeast, push the target up there, and use your speed."

Lee couldn't see what Chase saw, and it wasn't easy for him to trust a commander. Looking harder, he could see through spaces of buildings to fast moving cars out on the highway. Revving his engine, he followed Chase's instructions and tried to force his target to go north.

 

[Sophie]

The journey to Luxembourg City via the 777 had been flawless with its smooth take-off and landing, with nary a mid-flight bump to disturb the peace in the cabin full of ACME Agents and equipment. Sophie Conrad had divided the twelve hours of flight time between a copy of the latest National Geographic, a draft for a research paper, and a short nap. Tucked away in a corner seat that she had purposefully picked out, she received no interruptions – other than from an enthusiastic youth from the Academy offering her a bottle of water, for which she was not ungrateful for.

The capital of Luxembourg was one of the richest cities in the world and a great banking centre. She had been here before, on the account of her father’s business, only once, when she was sixteen and had loved it. The chance to fly in with ACME to offer medical support was one that required very little deliberation.

While the ACME Field Director rendezvoused with his on-site agents, Sophie rented a black and silver-coloured Smart Fortwo and began to head into the city centre. The ACME-issue communication device sat on the seat beside her, its screen showing the GPS map that dotted out the various locations of the ground crew. Next to the communications device, her own touch tablet expanded the same map to a more easily readable A4-size. Relays from the ad-hoc control centre at the airfield kept her up to speed with the events – from the apparent kidnapping of Phoenix and the ensuing chase of an unidentified motorcyclist.

Phoenix was well-loved enough within ACME. It did not take much to fall in love with the beautiful bird. The creature’s greatest advantage and disadvantage, however, was one and the same – its owner.

Directed by the in-vehicle GPS system, Sophie drove at a leisurely speed, taking care to blend into the city traffic but circumventing at selected intersections to keep an appropriate distance from the ACME Agents. Her intention was simple: unless explicitly ordered to or under the duress of medical requirements, she would stay out of all the affairs of the detectives. The rented car was a convenient assurance that she remained only a five to ten-minute drive away from any of the mobile ground crew. It also allowed her a much treasured opportunity to see the city.

As she glimpsed the passing sights, both to orientate herself to the capital and take in its elegance both modern and historical, she caught sight of the helicopter the resourceful Eugene Grovington was piloting and smiled, more with relief that she was not required to enter the confines of the craft than any familiarity its fly-past offered.

The low rumble of the Smart Fortwo, the lovely Maya blue of the afternoon sky, and the nostalgia evoked by the French road signs had become a comforting medley, offering Sophie emotions that greatly contrasted that which she knew must be felt a very few streets away.

 

[Carmen]

((A progressive reply to Mr. Jordan.))

The Ducati sensed from the sound of its pursuer's revving engine that Lee Jordan was attempting to rear her out of the alleys. Carmen imagined that action working, had she been a girl of twelve and the Italian two-wheeler a European bicycle. Under her helmet, she smirked and made a small vow to find herself time for a leisurely bike ride. For now, should any high-speed chasing were to occur; they must be on her terms.

Veering dangerously along paths no wider than a horse cart, the red Ducati declared its independence with low-pitched accelerations.

She navigated along a steep slope and slid into one of the many valleys that cleaved through the city of Luxembourg. Among the brush and stones, both motorcycles would struggle, but Lee's Suzuki and its bulkier frame was certainly at a disadvantage. Carmen counted on the informant behind her neglecting this tedious fact.

 

[Lee]

Lee followed the red motorcycle as much as he could. He was losing ground fast. At the entrance to the valley, he looked around to see if Missy or Chase was nearby. If he stopped longer, he could probably get some support or another good advice, but he wasn't good at doing that. He went into the valley like it was his only choice.

The valley was a forest, full of bushes, gravel, and trees. The trail the henchman on the Ducati was making made it only a little easier for him to steer through. Under the shadows of the trees, Lee for a second thought, what if he was actually chasing Carmen and not some VILE henchman? The idea made more and more sense until he convinced himself that he had to be her. If it was Carmen, he had to get her now, when the helicopter's view was still blocked by the trees above.

 

[Carmen]

Carmen, after having baited her temporary rival, was in no hurry to leave the valley. She took the motorcycles along an old foot trail that proved rather scenic, had it not been for the roar of automobiles crossing the Adolphe Bridge high overhead, connecting Avenue de la Liberté in Gare District to Boulevard Royal in Ville Haute.

Traversing her way around minor obstacles, the thief knew the area rather well. She had scouted the city night and day prior to this and several other heists. Experience informed that beyond the next ridge was an area dotted with puddles, after which laid a significantly wide gap into a shallow, albeit slippery, stream.

Playing her role, she slowed down for Lee to catch up. When he appeared at a good distance, she revved across the ridge and splashed through the pools, mixing water and dirt until she reached the stream. To avoid the algae-coated stones, she made a sharp turn to the left then negotiated a natural bridge to the other side.

 

[Lee]

Lee was consumed by the idea of getting Carmen, he was already thinking about what to say to her, what she would say, and how he was going to do all of this in front of the boss, Chase Devineaux. He saw the Ducati slow down and took the chance, speeding faster to close the gap between them.

He followed her through the puddles, these were in a more flat area of the woods, so his motorcycle had the speed advantage again. But all of a sudden, the stream came out of nowhere! His wet wheels slid when he tried to brake, and he swirled in a circle when he hit the water. He tried to speed through the stream, but the rocks under made his wheels spin with no traction, and both he and the bike fell sideways, with his left leg trapped underneath.

Lee shouted angry words, but he was stuck under the weight of his Suzuki. The bike was getting all wet from the water, and he hated the idea of having to fix this baby.

 

[Carmen]

The Ducati's rider spent very little time evaluating the situation. Her first enemy was down, and she was in the clear, giving her no reason to loiter. Taking the path that would lead to Boulevard Royal, she kept constant vigil on everything around her. As she perceived, at least one agent, with the advantage of a helicopter and a very tact handler, was still in pursuit. She hoped Eartha had made it out of the city by now to relay a message to the rest of her Luxembourg team. Carmen, however, had no plans of leaving the city of Luxembourg. Her role was to ensure, for now, that no one from ACME left either.