The Sticky Rice Caper

Theme music plays.

Player: Heads up, Red. I took the liberté of notifying your ground crew of the change in plans.

Carmen: Copy that, Player. Heading for rendezvous... as soon as we lose the looky-loos.

''She opens a mirror and zooms in behind her. With the press of a button, Player can see the people pursuing her.''

Player: I thought you ditched Interpol back on the train.

Carmen: I did. These stiffs are too slick for Interpol, but not sleazy enough for V.I.L.E. Hey Zack, can you shake the tail?

Zack: Haha, I can shake it all night long.

Carmen: Not your booty. The tail.

Zack: We were never here.

''The boat speeds up. The pursuers try to follow. Zack steers the boat through a stream of other boats, but doesn't lose them.''

Carmen: Zack, they're coming in hot.

Zack: Follow at a safe distance, people! And no texting while boating.

''He speeds up. They do too.''

Carmen: Player, about that rendezvous...

Player: Three steps ahead of you, Red.

A very large ship appears, turning in such a way that it will block the pursuing ship.

Player: Three... two...

Zack: Hang onto your hoodie.

Player: One.

Zack: Whoo!

Zack and Carmen's boat glides past, but the pursuers' boat crashes.

Woman: You! Out of the way!

Ivy: Uh... Parlez-vous Français?

Woman: Move it, now!

Ivy: Ah! You're saying you don't like where I parked the barge.

Carmen: Ivy, your chariot awaits.

Ivy: Talk about a close shave.

She rips off the disguise and runs away as they climb on-board, then jumps off into Carmen and Zack's boat.

Carmen: Sayonara, mon amigos!

Zack: Alright, Sis, bring on the grub.

Ivy: Whoa! Were you not informed that Operation Picnique a la Parisian was canceled?

Zack: What? Ivy! You had one little job to do while I picked up Carmen at the train station. One! Rustle up big blocks of tangy cheese and those long, fresh-baked hoagie rolls.

Carmen: Yum, baguettes.

Zack: Not helping, Carm.

Ivy: I had my orders, little bro. Boot the buns and cut the cheese to save your bacon.

Zack: Ugh! Bacon!? Definitely not helping.

Player: So... how long before you toss them off the plane?

Carmen: Eh. In-flight entertainment. So, we're off to Indonesia.

Player: Yup. The Southeast Asian country situated between the Pacific and Indian Oceans. And get this. It's made up of seventeen-thousand-plus islands. Who knew there were that many on the planet?

Carmen: Did you know that all those islands contain the fourth largest population in the world after China, India, and the United States?

Player: That's a lot of mouths to feed.

Carmen: No doubt the reason Indonesia produces 70 million tons of rice a year. It's their staple food, Player.

Player: It says here some islands are home to the Komodo dragon, the world's largest lizard. They can grow up to ten feet long!

Carmen: I'll skip the petting zoo. But I've always wanted to see Wayang shadow puppetry. It's over a thousand years old, but still performed at festivals there today.

Player: The V.I.L.E. hideout you're looking for is located on Java, home to Indonesia's capital city, Jakarta.

Carmen: I hear it's called the Big Durian, named after their native fruit. You know, like New York City's called the Big Apple.

Player: Well, the spiky fruit may taste sweet and delicious, but it smells like unwashed gym socks stuffed with rotten onions.

Carmen: Well that stinks.

Player: I know, right? Smelly fruit!

Carmen: No. Facial recognition scan drew blanks.

Player: Well, if your new fans aren't V.I.L.E., and they're not Interpol... then who are they?

Julia: Apologies for the delay, Inspector Devineaux. I came to Paris as soon as I could.

Chase: Perfect timing, Ms. Argent. Her victim regained consciousness only moments ago and awaits us for questioning.

Julia: Does it strike you as odd that Carmen Sandiego would harm an innocent bystander?

Chase: He is a witness. He saw her face. What more motive would she need?

Julia: Do you find it curious that he had no identification, not even a train ticket?

Chase: The Scarlet Outlaw clearly stole the poor man's wallet.

Julia: That would certainly be a valid assumption...

Chase: Of course it would. Thank you.

Julia: But petty theft seems below the station of an acknowledged super-thief.

Chase: Perhaps you should stop interrogating me and save the questioning for...

''He opens the door. Gray is gone.''

Chase: ...Our witness? Where did he disappear to?

Julia: According to the ledger, the subject was released.

Chase: What? By whose authority?

Gray: Ahh, chauffeured limo service. Sure beats trawling through sewer tunnels for a jailbreak, eh, mates? So, what's my next assignment? Secure the finest eclairs in Paris for Coach Brunt?

''The Cleaners, who are driving, put a screen up so they can't hear him anymore. He knocks on it.''

Cleaner: Extraction complete.

Maelstrom: Thank you, Cleaners, for mopping up this little spill. We have Crackle in our custody, Dr. Bellum. Shall we initiate standard debriefing protocol? ...Doctor, please, you spread yourself far too thin. Pick a screen.

Bellum: Professor Maelstrom, I happen to be laser-focused on a matter of grave urgency right now. Hmm... that's not it. Nope, not that either. Cute... Oh dear, where was that? Ah, here. Our intelligence indicates that the student formerly known as Black Sheep has departed from Paris and is currently en route to Java, where I maintain certain assets. Troubling news, considering the damage she inflicted upon our French hideaway last night.

Maelstrom: The Red Rogue does seem on a tear lately. Fortunately, one of our finest operatives is currently stationed in the region.

Zack is driving Carmen and Ivy.

Zack: I haven't seen a single drive-through. I'm gonna faint from hunger, here!

Ivy: Ugh! Just think of something other than takeout, like... stakeout.

Zack: Reminds me too much of meat.

Ivy: As in casing a joint? You know, like the night we first met Carmen.

Zack: Right! She was casing the same joint! Who'd ever guess a South Boston donut shop would be a front for a super secret crime empire? [gags] Ugh, donuts baked by V.I.L.E. sure taste vile. Uch.

Ivy: Ha! There. You can thank me now for ruining your appetite.

Carmen: Right there Player's intel was spot-on. It's a Dr. Saira Bellum R&D lab.

The car pulls up.

Ivy: Something tells me "R" don't stand for "rubies."

Zack: And "D" don't stand for "dollars." Or "donuts."

Carmen is already out of the car and putting on her coat.

Zack: Whoa, Carm. You wearing a coat? In this heat?

Ivy: It's like, 110 degrees.

Carmen: A lady needs her tools.

They sneak toward the building.

Carmen: Plan A: bring out Red Drone.

The drone flies closer to the building.

Ivy: Red Drone has a visual. And... in she goes.

Zack: Wait, hold on. Red Drone's a "she"?

Ivy: Red Drone's awesome. Of course she's a she.

The drone cuts a hole in a vent, revealing a multitude of lasers.

Zack: State of the art! Hey, how can anyone walk around in there with laser beams pointing all over the place?

Carmen: Nobody's home.

The drone maneuvers around the lasers and sticks a USB into a port.

Carmen: Your turn, Player.

He types.

Player: Security cams disabled. Back door open.

The three of them walk in.

Carmen: No guards, no lab techs...

She touches a mug.

Carmen: Still warm. They just left.

She plugs a USB device into a computer.

Carmen: Player, up for a fishing expedition?

Player: Casting off.

Zack: Who doesn't finish lunch? Well, more rice bowls for me~

Carmen: Zack, these aren't rice bowls. They're petri dishes filled with rice, covered in some sort of... fungus.

Ivy: Dude, like mushrooms?

Player: Like spores. Super spores, to be exact. Genetically engineered to feed on rice. I pulled the data from a folder labeled "Operation Sticky Rice."

Carmen: What do you mean, "feed on rice"?

Player: Just how it sounds, Red. These super spores take to grain like termites to wood. According to Bellum's research, these organisms can wipe out entire crops in a matter of hours.

Carmen: A bioweapon. And if V.I.L.E. cleared out because they knew we were coming, they no doubt took their entire stockpile of spores with them. Player, can you pinpoint any likely targets?

Player: You're surrounded by likely targets. Indonesia produces 70 million tons of rice per year, remember?

Ivy: So V.I.L.E. wipes out some rice fields.

Zack: Order pizza, problem solved, right?

Carmen: Rice is Indonesia's staple food. If crops are destroyed, its entire population could go hungry.

Zack: Way hungrier than I'm feeling now.

Ivy: So what can we do about it? We're not the grain police, we're thieves.

Carmen: We can see to it Bellum never gets a chance to use her super spores... by stealing them.

Ivy: I like it. But how are we supposed to find teeny, tiny spores in a great big rainforest?

Zack: Hey, check it out. Truck tracks.

Carmen: And we know they just left.

They speed following the tracks.

Ivy: One thing still doesn't click. What's in it for V.I.L.E.? Why would they go through all the trouble of engineering some crazy food shortage crisis?

Carmen: To force a hungry population to buy V.I.L.E. brand instant imitation rice, at inflated prices, no doubt. They tried to feed it to us back on the island, but "vile" doesn't even begin to describe how bad it was.

Young Carmen spits out the spoonful of rice and starts to cry.

Carmen: If Dr. Bellum thinks I'll stand by while she risks people starving so V.I.L.E. can make a quick buck... [laughs] She has a surprise coming.

Zack: Carm.

Carmen: Hmm, I'll take a shortcut.

She jumps from the car and uses her hang-glider to get to the truck below.

Tigress: Something tells me that was no komodo dragon. Hiysss.

Carmen: Tigress. Haven't seen you since...

Tigress: Morocco. The pit. You broke my glasses.

Carmen: You didn't protect the face.

Tigress: You may want to protect yours before I rearrange it! Hyah! Mrow! Hyah!

The two fight on top of the truck.

Ivy: Carmen's occupied. I'll take the rear.

''Zack and Ivy catch up. Ivy jumps onto the back of the truck and picks the locket, Carmen and Tigress still fighting.''

Carmen: What's in the truck, Tigress?

Tigress: Wouldn't you like to know.

Carmen: Yes, I would. That's why I'm asking.

Tigress' claws break open a durian, which splats onto Zack's windshield.

Zack: Haha, oh yeah baby! Fruity goodness! [sniff] Oh...

He eats it anyway.

Zack: Mmm.

''Ivy gets the lock open, and the doors swing open. She holds on for dear life.''

Zack: Sis!

Ivy: Oh boy. Whoa, whoa! Zack! Whoa! Help me, over here!

Carmen: Ivy, I'm gonna shoot you a line!

She tries, but gets grabbed by Tigress.

Tigress: Now, about that little nip and tuck...

Zack: Ivy!

''She jumps onto his car, then falls inside. She sniffs.''

Ivy: Uh, whoa! What crawled in here and died!?

''Carmen and Tigress keep fighting. Carmen kicks her off and looks inside the truck.''

Carmen: Skyrockets!

''Tigress charges at her. Carmen's grappling hook catches on Zack and Ivy's car, and she ends up falling off the truck. Tigress scoffs.''

Player: If Dr. Bellum's bioweapon requires a launch mechanism, that would explain the fireworks you saw in the truck.

Carmen: Bellum's super spores must be packed into the pods of the skyrockets. Player, where would someone go to see fireworks around here?

Player: Hmm. It's not New Year's Eve. And Indonesians don't celebrate the Fourth of July. But there is a Shadow Puppet Festival tonight, not too far from you. Just outside of Jakarta.

Carmen: Let me guess, bordering a swath of interconnected rice paddies?

Player: You're suave and you're psychic. So, why is V.I.L.E. sneaking around? Why not have Tigress find the nearest rice crop and scatter the spores?

Carmen: Not V.I.L.E.'s style. They never operate without a smokescreen and they never show their true face.

Julia: No face, no name, no fingerprints. It's as if our witness didn't exist.

Chase: Are you trying to rub it in, Ms. Argent? Because you are doing a sensational job of it. We know that he indeed exists, because some faceless, nameless paper-pusher here at Interpol, Paris approves his release.

Julia: Then perhaps you were right, Inspector. The man must have been innocent.

Chase: Of course I was right. Which means the only link I have to Carmen Sandiego is long gone.

Julia: It all seems very strong, as if details are lurking jut out of view. Somewhere in the shadows.

Kids laugh as they watch a shadow puppet play.

Player: The fireworks finale would most likely launch from behind the main stage.

Carmen: I'll check it out. In the meantime, Zack, Ivy, keep a lookout for over-sized kitty cats.

Zack: We're your eyes in the sky, Carm.

Ivy: Until someone spikes a face-plant. Whoa, whoa...

Tigress: Dr. Bellum, bioweapons are locked, loaded, and ready to launch.

Bellum: Tigress, you know the rules. Nothing must seem out of the ordinary. The fireworks must launch as scheduled, when the puppet show is over, and not a moment before.

Tigress: You do realize that means risking another surprise visit by Fedora the Explorer, or whatever she's calling herself these days.

Carmen: You can call me Carmen.

Carmen jumps down and kicks her to the ground.

Carmen: Name-calling: another reason I unfriended you.

Tigress: She's here! Permission to break protocol and launch the spores? ...Dr. Bellum?

The connection cuts out.

Bellum: I'm sorry, what was that?

''She's watching a video of a cat playing piano. Tigress and Carmen fight. The puppeteers get scared and run off, stopping the show.''

Kids: Aww...

Ivy: Carmen? You alri-- whoa!

''Tigress has stolen one of her stilts and wields it against Carmen. Ivy falls to the ground. Zack hops down and hands Carmen one of his.''

Zack: All yours, Carm.

Carmen: Green bad, red good.

Zack: Naturally.

''Carmen and Tigress fight in front of the shadow puppet stage. The musicians decide to go with it and start playing again.''

Kids: Ooh...

''Carmen is knocked down. Tigress bows. Carmen kicks her but ends up knocking down a light.''

Kids: Aww...

Tigress: Puppet show's over.

She runs away, lights a match, and drops it with a trail leading to the skyrockets.

Tigress: Word of advice? Don't eat the tainted rice.

Zack and Ivy pick up the spore-infested skyrockets and move them, a set of regular skyrockets in their place.

Carmen: The show must go on.

Zack: The bad pods are under lock and key like you asked, Carm.

Ivy: Let's get 'em far away from here.

Carmen: After we grab a bite. Who's up for a rice bowl? My treat.

Zack: Ah-ha! Nice job, Sis!

Ivy: Yeah, alright!

Gray: I did my best, but that Carmen Sandiego is one jumpy 'roo!

Bellum: Thanks to her, I am stuck with warehouses filled with imitation instant rice and no one to sell it to.

They enter a dark room full of unknown devices.

Gray: So Tigress failed her mission too, eh?

Maelstrom: Have a seat. Please.

He hesitates, but does.

Maelstrom: You went to school here, Mr. Crackle. To fail is forgivable. But to allow yourself to be captured? Tsk-tsk-tsk. Your misstep could have put the entire academy at risk.

Gray: Well, it... it won't happen again, I assure you.

Shackles bind his wrists and ankles to the chair.

Maelstrom: Oh, we assure you that it won't.

Bellum: Relax, this won't hurt a bit.

Gray: No, please!

Bellum: Just a light tingling sensation. Then, happy days.

''A man cleans up the festival area the next day. The two agents who were pursuing her by boat are present. The woman makes a phone call.''

Woman: We lost Carmen Sandiego. Yes, again. [to the man] Chief wants us to initiate Plan B.