A DISH BEST SERVED COLD by Erin Mills MARCH 15, 1984 Reginald V. Enge, dressed in his trademark black trenchcoat and fedora, checked his watch. Almost time. The truck was due to arrive at the warehouse any minute. Enge permitted himself a smug grin. The detectives at Acme would be tearing their hair out when they discovered how he had snuck ten million dollars worth of gold out of Fort Knox without their knowledge. Especially that smug little tramp Carmen Sandiego. She had been a thorn in Enge's side for way too long, always boasting when she managed to foil one of his plots, always with that damn sickening close lipped smile when she managed to catch up with him. It made him sick. Well, now the tables were turned. He was about to prove to that little brat who the real genius in their duel was. No one would notice that the gold was gone until it was too late. He'd be halfway around the globe enjoying his wealth. The big semi pulled into the warehouse, it's air borakes hissing noisily as the truck rolled to a halt. Enge cackled as his henchmen climbed out of the cab to the concrete. "Excellent work, men!" he said, striding to the trailer behind the truck. "Now, let's see what our night's effort has given us!" The two henchmen shrugged and opened the back doors of the trailer, revealing a group of at least fifty police officers led by an elderly oriental man in an overcoat and fedora similar to Enge's own and a young woman with black hair dressed in gray pants, white shirt, red vest and a gray fedora. The woman had her arms crossed and a very familiar close-lipped smile on her face. "CARMEN!" Enge yelped, not believing his eyes. "Nice night for a robbery, hmmm, Reglinald?" Carmen replied. Enge's face contorted into a mask of barely controlled rage. He reached into an inside pocket for his gun... And was stopped by the sound of fifty police service revolvers being clicked into position. Enge withdrew his hand. "It's over, Enge." said Suhara, the elderly man stading next to Carmen. "You're days of theivery are over." "That's what you think, my misguided adversary!" Enge proclaimed. He pressed a hidden button on his belt and was propelled into the air by two immensely powerfull springs concealed in his shoes. He bounced over the semi, up onto a catwalk that circled the warehouse. "Ta-ta!" he called and began running towards a nearby window. Carmen frowned. There was no way Enge was getting away tonight. No way. Quickly, she whirled around and took the pistol from the stunned police officer next to her. She raised the weapon and took careful aim. "Carmen!" Suhara exclaimed in horror. "What on earth do you think you're doing?!" "Making sure he doesn't get away." Carmen said quietly. She pulled the trigger. As Enge dashed along the catwalk, he heard Suhara's shout. The criminal mastermind risked a look down and saw Carmen aiming a pistol. Enge smirked. So, Carmen was willing to kill after all. At least he'd managed to drive her THAT crazy. The shot echoed through the warehouse, causing Enge to stop for a moment and examine himself. Finding no damage, and noticing that he was close to a window, he couldn't resist a final taunt. "Missed by a mile, my dear Carmen! Perhaps next time!" "Who said I was aiming for you?" responded the detective. Suddenly, there came and ominous creaking sound. Enge looked up to see that one of the catwalk's support cables had been frayed by Carmen's bullet and was, in fact, continuing to fray the closer he got to the window. Enge thought. He dashed back across the section of the catwalk, only to be greeted by another shot and another frayed cable. Enge, now beginning to panic, glanced back at the first cable and noticed that it was now down to only a few remaining wires. "Oh, hell." The cable gave way. The next moring at Acme Headquarters, Carmen found she couldn't get away from the congratulations. Everybody from the Chief to Jerry, the guy who made the coffee, kept saying how proud they were of her capture of Enge. She accepted all the complements gracefully, as she knew she should until she got to the privacy of her office. She collapsed in her chair and sighed. It was all over. The case was closed. Reginald V. Enge was no longer a threat to society. Carmen logged on to CrimeNet and checked the Most Wanted page. She logged out again in disgust. Touris Classe? That was the best Acme could do now that Enge was out of the Number One spot? Carmen exhaled forcefully. Classe was Enge's primary accomplice. He was also something of a bumbling idiot. Now he was Acme's most wanted criminal. No challenge, no fun. Carmen spun in her swivel chair towards the window, gazing out at the San Francisco skyline. She thought about her years at Acme and how she always loved it whenever Enge decided to act up. It was when she truly felt alive. But now... Enge had seemed very sullen when they loaded him into the back of the ambulance. Usually he could be counted on to make some sort of speech about how he was going to get back at her, but this time...nothing. It was almost as if this arrest had taken the wind out of his sails. Carmen couldn't help but feel that maybe, she had gone too far. And if that was the case, and if nobody of Enge's caliber made their way onto Acme's most wanted list again... MARCH 1, 1985 "Extra! Extra! Read all about it! Acme's top detective goes bad!" TO BE CONTINUED...