Thicker Than Water By: Becky Oberg Part One Indianapolis, Indiana, USA The phone rang, and the groggy reporter reached over and answered it. "Whoever you are, this better be good," she mumbled, as she slowly became coherent. "I know who you are, Carol Jackson," said a voice. Carol sat up, now wide awake. "What? Who are you?" "I'm Deep Throat." Carol couldn't recognize the voice, but she knew a woman was speaking. There seemed to be a thick foreign accent, despite the obvious attempt to disguise the voice. "'Deep Throat', huh? There's one I haven't heard before," muttered Carol, sarcastically. Every good reporter knew about Deep Throat and Watergate. The voice wasn't amused. "Carmen Sandiego. First Presbyterian Church. You must go to learn the truth." "Hey, wait, what..." The person hung up. Carol leapt out of bed, and hit the lights. After blinking and adjusting to the sudden brightness, Carol threw on her clothes. She put on a pair of khaki pants, and laced up her black boots. She donned a white, sailcloth shirt, and threw a brown bomber jacket over it. Carol opened her "Reporter's Drawer," where she kept various things, and began to prepare for a possible story. ACME Detective Agency, San Francisco, California, USA "This is big, big big big big!" said the Chief, as Zack and Ivy ran in. "Carmen Sandiego was sighted in Indianapolis near the First Presbyterian Church!" "Let's get going!" said Ivy. "What would Carmen want with the church?" asked Zack. "We'll find out later!" barked Ivy. "Player, C-5 us to Indianapolis!" The C-5 Corridor opened, and the two teenage detectives ran into it. Indianapolis, Indiana, USA Carol pocketed her reporter's notebook, pen, and several tools from the "Reporter's Spy Kit". Then she grabbed her tan fedora, and pulled it low over her face. She smiled. It made her feel like a daring hero from the 1930's. Mysteries from the 1920s, '30s, and '40s were her favorites. "Macho men, mysterious women, good jazz and rhythm and blues music, impossible stunts and lots of fights," she said to herself. "You never see that anymore." She ran out the door, and leapt onto her motorcycle. As she headed toward the old stone church, she thought about the phone call. I know who you are. That line certainly got Carol's attention. She'd spent almost all of her life trying to figure that out. She was orphaned while still young, and raised in an orphanage in Jacksonville, Florida. No one knew anything about her, so she adopted the last name "Jackson" in honor of the city. She was in her mid-twenties, with piercing blue eyes and jet black hair, which she kept cut short. A faint scar was by her right eye, giving her a tough look. That was the way she liked it. A maverick at heart, she was neither hero or villain. "Kind of like Carmen Sandiego," muttered Carol. "Maybe I'll finally get that exclusive after all." First Presbyterian Church, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA Zack and Ivy stood where the church had once been located. Ivy shook her head. "The whole church ... and it was stone! How could she do it?" "And why the First Presbyterian Church?" asked Zack. "What would Carmen want with that? And the clue is strange... A box of eleven glazed donuts, a peach, a toy Sherman tank and a Confederate flag." "Hmm..." said Ivy, stroking her chin. Zack thoughtfully munched a donut. "A Confederate flag would indicate one of the states that formed the Confederate States of America during the Civil War. A peach..." "Georgia!" said Zack. "Georgia is the 'Peach State.'" "Of course!" said Ivy, as Zack finished the donut and started to eat another one. "These are good donuts, Iv," he said. "Want one?" "Not now," said Ivy. "The Sherman tank might indicate destruction... and General William Tecumseh Sherman burnt Atlanta on his March to the Sea!" "But what about the donuts?" Zack asked, between bites. He looked at the box. "Hey, look at the drawing on the box!" "The Olympic Rings!" exclaimed Ivy. "Centennial Park!" "But why would Carmen give us eleven donuts?" asked Zack. "Why one glazed donut short of a... dozen..." Zack suddenly lost his appetite, set the box on the ground, and pushed it away with his foot. "Looks like Sara Bellum is back again," said Ivy. "Hey, detectives!" Zack and Ivy turned to see a woman approaching them. She stopped, and picked up the donuts. "Man, that's the only time I've seen law enforcers throw away donuts." She bit into one, and looked at them. "Are you guys sure you don't want these? They're pretty good." "Not when you're chasing a crook one glazed donut short of a dozen," said Zack, nervously. Carol shrugged. "I've had sources who are three glazed donuts short of a dozen. Like the one who said the city was stealing her front lawn--one blade of grass at a time." Anyway, I'm being rude. I'm Carol Jackson. I'm a reporter. Mind if I ask you a few questions?" Zack and Ivy looked at Carol, suspiciously. There was something strange about her, something familiar. "Acme will give a briefing in the morning," said Ivy. She eyed the reporter closer. "How did you hear that the church was stolen?" Carol hesitated for a few seconds, and then looked at the detectives. "Let me shadow you on this case and I'll tell you what you want to know." She looked at the church. "Lots of the city's rich and powerful worship here. Guess that's 'worshipped' now. At least until you guys get it back. Ryan White's funeral was held there." She finished the donut. "Real shame. He was a symbol of hope to a lot of people." Zack and Ivy looked at each other. Maybe that was why Carmen was interested in the church. But this reporter seemed to know more than she was saying... "Nice of Carmen to leave breakfast," said Carol. "These are good. Shame I don't have any coffee. Reminds me of this little place in Atlanta..." Ivy frowned, but Zack seemed interested. "Where did you get that doohickey on your arm?" asked Zack. "My neighbor," said Carol, shrugging. "It's a grappling hook gun." She chuckled. "Has its advantages in my line of work." "What kind of reporting do you do?" asked Ivy, skeptically. There was something she didn't like about Carol. She seemed somewhere between a vandal and a thief. "Freelance," said Carol. "No deal," said Ivy. "C'mon, sis..." said Zack. "I have seniority on this team, and I say no!" barked Ivy. "Player, C-5 us to Atlanta, Georgia!" She ran into the corridor. Zack looked at Ivy, and then at Carol, who was mounting her motorcycle. Suddenly, she revved it up. "I don't take no for an answer!" she yelled. He screamed and ran into the C-5 Corridor, just as Carol rode into it. Atlanta, Georgia, USA The C-5 Corridor opened, dropping an irate Ivy, a frightened Zack, and a rather shaken-up Carol with a motorcycle into Centennial Park. "What the hell was that?" asked Carol, recovering. "What are you doing?" demanded Ivy. "I oughta arrest you..." "Chill, sis," said Zack, still nervous about Carol's stunt. "Give her a chance to explain." Carol turned off the motorcycle, and looked at the two detectives. "I'll level with you, I'm not after a story. I'm after Carmen." "Well, join the club," muttered Ivy. "Look, I'll be blunt with you, I don't know what I'm doing either." Ivy glared at Carol, and started to reach for the experimental handcuffs Josha had recently invented. "Calm down, we can help each other out," said Carol. "Carmen has some information I might need. You want to arrest Carmen. I have some information that might be able to help. Why not team up?" "You've already proven that you're reckless, brash, and impulsive!" said Ivy. "Well, aren't you one to talk, Ivy?" said Carol, sarcastically. "How do you know my name?" "I've followed Acme Crimenet for part of my beat," said Carol. "I'm going after Carmen with or without your help. I can't rest until I get what I need." Carol looked Ivy in the eyes. "You know what that's like." Ivy looked Carol in the eyes. There was something to her that suggested she was searching for something. It reminded Ivy of herself. Both of them were searching for their identities... "Just stay out of our way," said Ivy. Carol shrugged. "Of course. I'm Lois Lane, James Bond and Harry Houdini all rolled into one. Now, let's find a clue." Off by a fountain, Carmen Sandiego frowned. She looked at Sara Bellum. "Who is this person, Sara?" she asked. Sara smiled. "Someone who theesee dee-tech--teeves need to know," she said, smiling. "It could raise theee ahdds of theee game." "I hope you know what you're doing, Sara," said Carmen. They turned, and walked toward the safe house. To be continued...