"Tis Better to Have Loved and Lost..." Part 3
By Meg Clark

	
	"No, no, no, and no to the hundrreth powerr!" Sara Bellum shouted at
Carmen from inside the women's restroom, "I don't even know how you talked 
me in to thiss!  I look like an idiot!!"

	Carmen folded her arms and leaned up against the door, "Oh, come on, 
Sara!  You look wonderful!  Besides, how are you going to have any fun out 
here when you're stuck in there?"

	"The only way you'll everr git me out of this bathroom is if you 
tie me to a pickup trruck and drrag me."

	"That can be arranged," Carmen answered slyly, grinning to herself.

	"Oh, so now yourr thrreating me!" Sara shouted, her voice was 
muffled through the wooden door.

	Carmen sighed, this wasn't going to be easy, "Sara, please, you 
look fine.  Now come out and have some fun."

	Carmen waited for a while.  There was a click from inside the door, 
and in a few minutes the door swung open slowly.  Sara Bellum stepped out in
a fluffy white ballgown and a mouse mask; complete with rounded ears and 
little whiskers sprouting from a pointy pink nose.  She stood there arms 
folded, tapping one foot impatiently, and glaring at Carmen through two 
beady dark eye holes.  Carmen smiled and nodded in satisfaction and grabbed 
Sara by her gray fabric mouse tail.

	"Now let's go socialize," she said, and dragged her by her tail 
into the ballroom at V.I.L.E. Headquarters.

	And what a ballroom it was.  The V.I.L.E. Halloween Masquerade had 
finally come.  The entire room was shining with candles.  A large, 
shimmering, crystal chandelier hung in the center of a domed ceiling that 
rose stories above the floor.  The towering walls were trimmed in gold, as
well as the columns that lined them.  Everywhere there were splashes of 
color from all of the hundreds of different costumes.  Reds, blues, greens, 
purples, pinks, yellows, and almost every color you could imagine.  Light 
glinted off of gold and silver jewelery.  There were dashes of feathers and 
pearls and rinestones.  There were swarms of people laughing and dancing. 
Carmen just stood for a while taking in all the sights.  But more than the 
sights she was looking at, she was listening to the beautiful but haunting 
melodies the orchestra on stage was playing. The sound of the strings and 
woodwinds rose and danced gracefully over the buzz of the crowd.
	
	"Vell?!  What are we going to do now?" Sara Bellum asked sharply, 
she yanked her tail out of Carmen's hand.

	"Like I said," she answered, "go socialize."

	Sara gave an unhappy frown and walked over to the buffet table for 
some hors d'oeuvres.  Carmen watched as she edged hesitantly through the 
crowd and sighed.  She knew Sara didn't like to be around people, but it 
was for her own good.  Ever since she turned on Carmen and tried to take 
over V.I.L.E., she had been worried about her mind.  She felt that she
had been cooped up too long in that laboratory and wasn't getting enough 
human contact.  She knew that if she didn't help Sara, no one would.  Even 
Sara had to admit it, Carmen was the only person in V.I.L.E. that even 
remotely cared for her.  Carmen saw her as sort of a project, to try
and get her to be liked around V.I.L.E., and then maybe she wouldn't be 
so...well...prudent.
	
	She stood for a while longer watching the people waltz by in their 
elaborate costumes. Carmen herself had on a red and white ballgown with long 
drooping sleeves that bunched together at her wrists.  Her hair was down, 
and some portions of it were braided.  A few rose buds were entwined in her 
curly black locks and a wreath of roses sat upon her head above her masked 
face.  The mask covered the upper half of her face and was sparkling with 
red glitter and jewels.  She was supposed to be Juliet Capulet from 
Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet", but most people thought it a little odd 
since she had no one to be Romeo.  She didn't care though; she was happy 
being alone.  Or at least she tried to tell herself that. 

	The song the orchestra was playing came to an end suddenly, and 
Carmen turned to face the stage.  Sara came up behind her holding a plate of 
tiny snacks.  Her face tensed with uneasiness.

	"Well, I'm not having any fun yet, Carrmen.  What have you to say to 
that?" she growled, she popped a miniature cracker with cheese in her mouth.

	Carmen kept her eyes on the stage as she answered, "Shh!  I hired the
singer that's next.  I hear she's the best in Paris!"

	Carmen smiled and folded her arms waiting for the singer, but her 
face changed when a solitary man walked out onto the stage with a microphone.
He was in a costume that Carmen could have sworn was that of Romeo Montigue-
complete with tights, tunic, and a feathered hat. She struggled to see who he
was, but his face was unrecognizable through the green mask. There was 
something about the way he walked that she remembered somehow.

	"What?" Carmen asked puzzled, "This isn't the woman I hired!  I don't
even know him."

	"Vell, obviously he knows you.  He's got a costume on that goes 
wonderrfully with yourrs!" Sara said in a falsely chipper voice, "Seems like 
everryone is interrested in you these days!"

	"Who told you that?!"

	"Larrs and Moe."

	"Figures..." she mumbled turning to the stage.  

	The band began to play an upbeat intro and the man began to sing:

	"Those fingers in your hair,
	That sly come hither stare,
	That strips my concience bare,
	It's witchcraft."

	His voice swept through the room and Carmen stood very still.  He 
was looking right at her.  He was singing right to her.  And for that matter,
he had a wonderful voice.  She smirked. The fact that she didn't know him 
didn't matter at the moment.      

	"And I've got no defense for it,
	The heat is too intense for it,
	What good would common sense for it do?

	Cuz it's witchcraft,
	Wicked witchcraft,
	And although, I know, it's strictly taboo,"

	Carmen kept watching with interest.  Maybe Sara was right; maybe he 
was interested in her.  She was dying to know who was behind the mask. And 
she was determined to find out.

	"When you arouse the need in me,
	My heart says yes indeed in me,
	Proceed with what your leading me to,

	It's such an ancient pitch,
	But one I wouldn't switch,
	Cuz there's no nicer witch than you!

	No, there's no nicer witch than you!"	


*			*		*		*		*		*

	Darien DeMarco finished the song and lowered the microphone.  Looking
out at the wildly applauding crowd, he smiled broadly.  Never in his career 
had he ever done something like that before, and he was surprised to find 
out that he was good at it.  Suddenly his smiling face fell whe he realized 
that Carmen was no longer in sight.  He looked around the room frantically 
for her and then walked off stage in a hurry, handing the mike to a violin 
player.

	As he went quickly down the steps leading offstage, he came to a 
sudden halt.  He had come face to face with Carmen at the bottom of the 
steps.  His eyes brightened when he saw her costume.

	"Did my heart love till now?  For swear it sight!  Ne'er have I seen
true beauty..." he said as her bent down to kiss her hand, "...till this 
night."

	Carmen could feel her heart flutter, "Not bad," she said, a little 
flustered, "Now let's see just who my Romeo is..." she reached up and gently 
removed his mask.

	"YOU!?!" Carmen cried out, throwing his mask at him, "You're that 
moron that tried to put the moves on me yesterday!  How dare you even show 
your face here again!!"

	Darien was momentarily taken aback at her sudden change of emotion.  
He had to redeem himself.  No more tricks.  No more lines.  Now was the 
time that he had to swallow his pride and beg for mercy.

	"Please," he said, the got down on one knee and looked up at her, "I 
know I've been a complete jerk--"

	"And?" Carmen said, tapping her foot.	

	"An idiot."

	"And?"

	"An egotistical, stuck up, pig."

	Carmen thought for a moment, "That'll do."

	Darien continued, "I also know I've started out on a completely 
different foot than I wanted to with you.  I had no idea you'd be so 
different from everyone else I've ever met.  I'm really not the jerk that 
you think I am.  And all I'm asking of you right now is a second chance to
prove myself to you.  Please."

	"You mean a fourth chance," Carmen snapped, then she thought, and 
sighed, and rolled her eyes in exasperation, "Oh................all right."

	Darien gave a small cry of joy and kissed her hand repeatedly, "Oh, 
thankyou, thankyou, thankyou!"

	Carmen ripped her hand out from under him, "But your going to need 
some serious lessons on how to act!"

	Darien got up and put his mask on, "Of course."

	There was a long pause.  Carmen looked at Darien and an aggrivated 
look crossed her face.

	Darien looked confused, "Is there something wrong?"

	"Well, are you going to dance with me or not?" Carmen replied with a 
small smile, and held out her hand for him.

	Darien merely returned her smile, took her hand, and walked out onto 
the ballroom floor with her.

*			*		*		*		*		*

	"All right," Carmen began, "First thing's first.   Who are you and 
what do you want?"

	"DeMarco, Darien DeMarco.  As for what I want..." he paused to twirl 
her around, "...you," he finished and pulled her in close to him.

	"I'm Carmen Sandiego, but I'm pretty sure you knew that by now.  How 
did you find me?"

	"I just did.  I walked into the café and there you were.  By the way,
I'm very sorry about what happened to your dress.  I'll be happy to pay the 
dry cleaning bills!"

	"That won't be necessary.  A friend of mine got it out.  Now how did 
you find headquarters?"

	Darien twirled her again and pulled her in, "I'll admit.  I did a 
little spying."

	Carmen lifted an eyebrow,"Oh really?  Well, all of that is in the 
past now.  What do you say we start off with a clean slate from now on?

	"Wonderful."

	Carmen looked him up and down and a puzzled expression crossed her 
face, "One more question.  How did you find out what I'd be wearing to the 
masquerade?"

	"That, Ms. Juliet, is a mystery in itself," Darien replied, and it 
was true.

	When the music stopped Carmen and Darien finished thier dance and 
walked off of the floor.

	"Care for some punch?" Darien offered, "I promise I won't spill it 
on you."

	Carmen chuckled, "Thank you, that would be nice."

	After he had walked over to the buffet table and filled up two 
glasses he turned around. 

	"You know it's been a really nice--" he began, but once again Carmen 
had vanished.

	He spotted her awhile later on a balcony outside of the ballroom.  
She was sitting on a bench looking out at the sky.  He sighed with relief 
that he had found her, and walked out through the glass doors.  As he 
approached her she turned to look at him.  The soft white moonlight behind 
her seemed to cast a beautiful glow over her features.  Every single jewel 
on her gown seemed to sparkle just as much as she did.  He was relieved to 
see how much she had warmed up to him this evening.

	"You've gotta stop disapearing on me like that," he said to her, 
handing her one of the glasses.

	She smiled and took it, "Sorry, it's a way of life for me.  If I 
can't disapear when the time is right, I might get caught by the 
authorities," she took a sip of her punch, "What do you do?"

	"I work on Wall Street," he lied, but somehow it seemed so wrong.

	He sat down next to her on the stone bench and looked out at the 
countryside.  The hills and trees were as green as emeralds.  In the 
distance, a few rings of smoke rose into the brilliant night sky from the 
smokestacks of some small cottages.

	"Beautiful, isn't it?" Carmen commented.

	"Almost as beautiful as you," Darien replied looking to her.

	Carmen gave a flat look and smiled, "Flatterer."

	He shrugged his shoulders and laughed.  Looking at her against the 
starry sky made him think suddenly about what he was doing.  He had 
forgotten completely about the plan...and Commander Jackson.  A lump of fear 
rose in his throat when he realized that the Commander had ordered Darien to 
contact him at 2200 hours.  It was already 2300 hours.

	"Wow!" he said getting up and looking at his watch, "Look at the 
time.  I'd better go, I have a big meeting with a client tomorrow, and I'll 
need all of the rest I can get."

	"It's been a wonderful evening," Carmen said to him, "I'm looking 
forward to our next encounter.  That is.....if there is a next encounter."

	Darien took her hand once more.  He slipped a small piece of paper 
into her palm and leaned over.

	"I wouldn't have it any other way," he whispered in her ear.

	Carmen gave a surprised look.  She watched him as he turned and 
walked through the glass doors leading off the balcony and out of sight.  
She opened the paper and smiled as she read it aloud:

	"7:00 PM/11/5/97 at Cleopatra's Needle in Central Park.  Parting is 
such sweet sorrow..."

	To be Continued...