A New Beginning...?
By: Athena

Part Eight:

Fieldhouse Publishing Company; New York City, New York; Next day; 9:00 AM

	Carmen meandered through the cubicles at the publishing company, but
whenever she asked about Vera Lockhart, mouths closed and the interviewees 
became silent.
	"Hey, you! Yeah, you! Detective!"
	Carmen turned around to see a man in his mid-forties approach her.
He didn't seem to be the boss. Without warning, he grabbed Carmen's arm and
dragged her into the empty breakroom.
	"Detective...."
	"Yes," Carmen didn't remember telling anyone here that she worked for
Acme. "How did you-"
	"I could tell by the way you carry yourself, the questions you asked;
I bet you work for Acme, don't you?"
	Carmen nodded.
	"Used to work there myself about ten to twelve years ago. I was here
in New York. Man, I bet you weren't around then, but when we got news that 
that one detective in Frisco turned sour, you coulda knocked me down with a
feather. I remember seeing her once. Had some old Japanese guy for a partner.
She's wanted for murder now, you know. Carmen Sandiego. That's her name! It's
always a shame when the good ones go astray.... You know, you kinda look like
her. The eyes I think. I hear now they got some kids going after her. Acme 
really isn't what it used to be...."
	"What did you want to talk to me about?" Carmen asked getting a bit 
nervous around the former Acme agent.
	"Oh, yeah, you see Vera was mixed up with some VERY bad people. They 
killed her-"
	"Who were they?"
	"I don't know. But right after Vera had her kid, she ran off. Said
she didn't want them to get their hands on her child. Vera was a sweet little
thing. I don't know what she could've done to deserve this. I think she was 
just in the wrong place at the wrong time."
	"Is there any reason you can think of that Vera would've had to 
associate with these unsavory characters? Did she borrow any money or-"
	"Wait! She did ask me for a loan about a year ago. That was before
things started to get bad for her. She wanted a lot of money. It was to pay
for her house. I think she wanted $10,000. After her husband walked out on
her, she was left with a lot of bills and the baby...."
	"Tell me about her husband."
	"I never really met him, and Vera always got scared when people 
started asking questions about him. If you ask me HE was one of those 
unsavory fellows Vera went to for money. I wouldn't put it past him to kill 
her."
	"What was his name?"
	"Hmm, let me think, Bambali. Joe Bambali."
	"Bambali?"
	"Yeah, that's it. Sounds like a mobster's name don't it? You know, if
I were you, I'd pack up and go home. These guys killed Vera; they won't think
twice about eleminating a detective who gets too close to the truth."
	"I can't do that. I'm obligated to Vera Lockhart to find her killer."
	"Why?"
	Carmen nearly blurted out the story of Esmeralda, but she held her
tounge, giving another reason that was just as true. "Because if I don't do
everything possible to see this murderer behind bars, I won't be any better
than he is."
	The man nodded. "You haven't changed a bit have you, Sandiego?"
	Carmen's eyes widened with. "How did you know?" she whispered
afraid someone would hear.
	"Your eyes. I never saw anyone with eyes that shade of blue. That is
a good disguise, but not for people who know you. Besides I saw how you 
reacted when I started talking about you. Don't worry, I won't turn 
you in. My detective days are over. I know you didn't kill that woman. Hope 
you find out who did."
	"Thank you."
	"Don't mention it, but please, just don't talk to me again. They 
might find out."
	Carmen nodded and left the room.


Chicago, Illinois; Two days later; 3:26 PM

	Carmen walked along the sidewalk in downtown Chicago. It only took 
her half a day to find Bambali. He'd laft a paper trail a mile long.
	Very sloppy for a murderer, Carmen thought.
	She'd gotten to Chicago the day before, and gathered enough evidence
to see that Bambali had been involved in the killing of his ex-wife. 
Unfortunatly, it was all circumstancial. 
	By bribing a couple of secerataries, and "forgetting" to tell them 
that she was a detective, Carmen was able to make an appointment to see
Bambali himself. She was surprised to find out that he ran a legitamite 
business, a software company, but that didn't nessisarily mean anything. 
Carmen still wanted to keep her guard up.
	She lept up the steps of Mannheim software's building, the 
micro-recorder ready in her pocket. She hoped that she could talk a 
confession out of him, or at least something to arouse suspicion about him 
with the police. 
	The receptionist on the thritieth floor stopped her when she had 
gotten to the waiting room outside Bambali's office.
	"Can I help you, Miss?"
	"Yes, I had a 3:30 appointment with Mr. Bambali. I'm sorry I'm 
a little early."
	"What's your name?"
	"Johanson. Ivy Johanson."
	"Here you are, Miss Johanson. Mr. Bambali said he wanted to see you
as soon as you got here. I'll announce you.
	"Mr. Bambali, Miss Johanson is here."
	Carmen walked into Bambali's office when she heard his consent, her
heart pounding with anticipation. 
	The office was neatly and richly furnished. Carmen immediatly noticed
that it was very similar to her own office at VILE headquaters. For a breif
second she wondered if she'd ever see VILE again. 
	The chair behind the cherry desk was faced away from the door. A 
voice from it spoke, "Come in, come in Miss Johanson." The speaker turned
around. "Please, make yourself comfortable."
	The man was in his mid-thirties, with dark hair and olive skin. His
eyes were brown and penetrating. Carmen felt that he could see through her 
disguise. She supressed an urge to run.
	Carmen shut the door behind her and sat in one of the two wing chairs
before Bambali's desk. 
	"I heard about your wife's death a few months ago. I'm sorry."	
	Bambali's expression darkened. He did not want to talk about that. 
"She was my ex. We've been divorced about a year."
	"I heard that she was murdered."	
	Bambali shrugged, "That's the rumor. But she probably killed herself. 
She was a little crazy."
	Behind Carmen, the door opened. She turned around to see a 6 foot 
tall, 300 pound man. 
	"Oh, that's Renaldo. He's my bodyguard. Don't mind him."	
	But something in the back of Carmen's mind told her that she SHOULD
mind Renaldo. Bambali's expression and Renaldo's both told Carmen that there
was trouble. Interview or not, Carmen would get the evidence she needed some
other way. Bedsides, Bambali could tell these lies in his sleep. She got up 
to go.
	"I have to leave, now. I just remembered I have another appointment
I needed to get to across town."
	"But you just got here," Bamabli protested, the words rolling off his
tongue like slick oil.
	Carmen had reached the door. "I really must leave now, Mr. Bambali,
thank you for your time."
	Just as Carmen turned toward the door, she caught a flash of motion 
out of the corner of her eye. Bambali had waved his hand at something. 
	The next instant, Renaldo had grabbed Carmen. She tried to fight him
off, but she was no match for him. Something pricked her neck, and in a few
moments, darkness closed in around her.


To be continued....