3rd POV
-6 years ago-
Sunshine Acres Children's Home Mesa, Arizona
A bright sunny day, various boys and girls playing outside in groups, except one girl sitting alone in the shade running alongside the building.
A small girl, around five years old, with auburn hair, blue-gray eyes, and a light tan complexion. She was playing with a small doll, brushing the doll's hair carefully while deciding which outfit to place on it. She notices a red fedora and searches around for a matching red trench coat.
She stops... and immediately places both coat and hat on the doll. She stares and it seems as if all the noise around her disappears. It is unknown how much time passes as she stares, but eventually she begins to cry, for she remembers the life before this one. A life of great adventure and of great loss.
1st POV
My name was Carmen Sandiego a master thief and enemy of the Villains' International League of Evil (V.I.L.E.).
They called me a menace to society, a master thief, the lady in red. I was known by various law enforcement organizations and criminal organizations. I stole from and fought against V.I.L.E. to ensure that everyone could enjoy the world without worry.
But none of that matters now....why?
...because I died.
Having fought against V.I.L.E. numerous times I knew how they operated, how they strategized, how they financed their operations, and the number of members they can spare.
But this time... this time was different. It was their most ambitious plan ever. I knew they were bad. They had stolen, cheated, blackmailed, and sabotaged across the world to make themselves wealthy and feared. But I had forgotten what the last letter of their name stood for.
Evil.
They weren't fighting for wealth or recognition this time. They fought for power ... for control. And they went to great lengths to achieve it. For they planned to steal...
A Nation.
It was towards the end of 2021 and this small nation in the Caribbean was on the verge of a political and humanitarian crisis, where a single event would spark anarchy. V.I.L.E. decided to provide the spark.
At the time I was in Kenya dismantling a poaching ring when Player discovered intelligence of the plot. Wasting no time I left Zack and Ivy behind in hopes of making it in time to disrupt the plan.
... I was too late.
The nation's president was assassinated and all the gangs within the capital city rioted. Within hours the gangs run rampant with the police being outnumber and overwhelmed. Without a stable military widespread recruitment was called and any military response into the capital was delayed.
I tried to do what I could. Sabotaged gang vehicles and led gang members away from fleeing civilians. But my luck ran out and I was trapped within an apartment complex.
Dozens of gang members stormed the complex and while I would take each one down a dozen more arrived outside. It got to a point where I had to stop subduing and start using lethal force.
What choice did I have... I was trapped, with no backup and for every gang member that entered meant less time to think of a way to escape the complex.
So I fought in that building for three hours. After the first hour I had used every gadget at my disposal. At hour two the tantō ( a Japanese knife similar to a dagger) Shadowsan gifted me had broken. By the third hour I was running on fumes, but the number of members entering slowed down and I was beginning to see my chance to escape.
Until V.I.L.E. arrived and they were no longer messing around.
From what Player last reported V.I.L.E. operatives had bribed a Military General to commandeer some artillery pieces.
I don't know what happened after that, but if I had to guess... they decided to bomb the building, destroying it with me inside.
Thus, my life as Carmen Sandiego came to an end.