Chapter Text
“By the way, how’s the college hunt going, Player?” Carmen spoke into her earpiece as she glided to the ground on her paraglider. It wasn’t every day that one got to jump off the roof of the world famous Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, but this much had become a regular part of Carmen’s life. Another heist-thwarting had gone exceptionally well, and the crimson-clad vigilante was in the mood to chat with her oldest friend.
“Not too well,” Players voice came out through the speaker, interrupted with a deep yawn. Back in his hometown of Ontario the 18-year-old was thumbing through five different college pamphlets. “There isn’t a single university, in Canada or otherwise, that catches my eye.”
“None?” Carmen retracted her paraglider and started her casual stroll down the National Mall. She offered a nod to the gaggle of A.C.M.E agents who had gathered outside of the museum to apprehend the thieves and recover the jewels that they had stolen. “You realize that there are literally thousands of schools between the United States and Canada to consider, right?”
“I know, I know.” Player sighed and pinched his nose softly. “But I just know none of them are going to challenge me enough.”
“True, you are a computer genius.” Carmen tried to make her voice sound as comforting as possible through the speaker, “I know senior year has been tough for you, but you’ll get there. You should take a break, make some friends your age. Have fun before you have to be an adult.”
“I don’t need friends,” Player said with a chuckle. “Maybe I should just forget about university and keep helping you instead?”
Carmen stopped in her tracks and pressed her finger softly against her earpiece, Player’s words bouncing around in her head. “Player…” she ventured gently. “You can’t throw away your future, or your youth, for me.”
“I’m not throwing anything away,” Player insisted. “Why would you say something like that?”
“You need to live your life, Player.” Carmen bit her lip, a graveness settling into her voice as she realized the reality of what she had to do. “You need to live your life without Carmen Sandiego.”
“Wait, Red!” Panic rose in Player’s voice. “What are you doing?”
Carmen removed the earpiece and clutched it in her shaky, gloved hand. She spoke into it one last time, “Goodbye, Player,” before crushing it into the pavement with her heel. And for the first time in six years, since first meeting Carmen, Player’s world went silent.