"A Secret Worth Keeping"
                                    Part 5

VILE Headquarters

     Desiree lay on her bed, with her head burried in her pillow.  She and
Carmen had just returned from meeting with Miss Willis.  Desiree had went
straight up to her room.

     She couldn't Believe she was being forced to remain with Carmen for the
rest of her life, and would never see her family and friends again.  She had
been right; she was in over her head.

     She heard the door creep open.  She knew who it was: Carmen!

     Carmen walked into the room.  It was pitch black in the room, except for
the moonlight, shining through the windows.  She saw Desiree, lying on her
stomach on the bed.  Carmen could hear Desiree crying, which made her heart
break.

     'How can they do this to her?' she thought angrily to herself.  'She's
just a kid!'

     "Desiree?" she said, coming over and sitting down on the bed next to 
her.
     "Leave me alone!" Desiree shouted, still in tears.

     "Desiree, I'm sorry they've done this to you," Carmen told her.  "I
prayed that they wouldn't, but I realize now that they have no compassion.
All they care about is their precious plan, what they can get out of it!"

     Desiree turned towards her, still crying softly.

     "But to me, that plan isn't as important as you," Carmen continued.
"Yes, I love the challenges "Project VIlLE" has given me, but I've never done
anything to hurt anyone who works for me, or who chases me, and it makes me
sick that I'm being made to hurt you, just to protect them."

     "It's not fair!" Desiree told her, sitting up.

     "No, its not!" Carmen agreed.  "For now, I may have to keep you here, 
but I don't have to like it.  Believe me!  I know, in a way, how you're 
feeling right now.  When I was very young, something happened to me that 
caused me have amnesia.  I was separated from my parents, and because I 
didn't remember anything about my past, the police couldn't find them.  I 
had to live at in the Golden Gate Girls' School, an orphanage in San 
Francisco.  My real name may not even be Carmen.  That was the name I 
remembered when I woke up in the hospital, after I had been found.  I lived 
in the orphanage until I was 14, when joined Acme."

     "And then, you agreed to this plan," Desiree commented, "and you were
separated from them, too?"

     "That's correct," Carmen answered, a tear rolled down her cheek.  "I 
lost all of my family, and I'm not about to let anybody keep you from yours.
I will find some way to get you home with your parents again, even if I 
have to destroy "Project VILE" in the process."

     "Thank you," Desiree said, hugging her.  "I just hope you mean it.  
Not that I don't doubt that you want to help me, I just hope that you won't 
change your mind, and agree with Miss Willis."

     "I promise you, I won't back down," Carmen told her.  "The game's not
over until the lady in red sings, and I've got a feeling my solo's coming up
soon.  Now, I'll leave you be.  You need some time alone."

     Carmen stood and started to leave.

     "Wait!" Desiree called out.

     Carmen turned to her.

     "I'm very grateful that you stuck up for me," Desiree told her, "but 
you need to know, that I refuse to be made to stay here.  If I get an 
oppurtunity to leave, I'm gonna take it, no matter if I'm allowed to leave 
or not."

     "I don't blame you," Carmen agreed.  "Let's just hope you won't have to
go that far!  Now, get some sleep."  

     Then Carmen exited, closing the door behind her.

     Once out of the room, Carmen leaned against the door and sighed.

     "Poor kid!" she sighed.  "What they're doing to her is wrong!  She 
should be at home with her parents right now, not here.  I never should have 
brought her here."

     At that moment, one of her henchmen came up to her from the left.

     "Boss," he asked.  "Are you all right?"

     "Yes," she answered.  "I'm just concerned about whether or not I've 
done the correct thing, concerning Desiree.  I know that it's important for 
her to not tell what she's learned, but I can't keep her away from her 
family."

     "I certainly, can't help you, boss," the henchman replied.  "What did 
she find, anyway?"

     "I'm not at liberty to discuss it," Carmen answered.

     "Okay," he said.  "Well just let us know when you want to continue the
heist.  The men will be ready."

     "Thank you," she replied.

     He nodded, and then walked away.  Carmen watched him for a moment, and
then walked the other way, towards her room.

     Her cat, Carmine was lying on her bed when she walked into her room.  
The cat immediately, lept from the bed and pranced over to her.  Gently 
rubbing against Carmen's legs, instantly gaining the attention of her master.

     Carmen stooped down and scooped the cat into her arms.  Then, she walked
over to the bed, sat down, and placed Carmine on her lap.  Gently, Carmen
stroked the cat's head, which caused her to begin purring. 

     "Sometimes, I envy you, my friend," Carmen told the cat.  "Your idea of a
difficult decision, is whether you want tuna for dinner, or chicken.  You
don't have to make decisions that could destroy someone's life, or your own."

     The cat simply looked at her innocently.  Carmen knew that it didn't
understand the problem, only that she was hurting.

     "I feel certain that standing up for Desiree was that correct thing to
do," Carmen continued, "but by doing so,  I may have ruined the life that 
I've worked so hard for.  Everything I've done, may have been for nothing.  
Still, that child is more important than this plan wil ever be, and if I 
can get her home again, it will be worth it!"

Acme Detective Agency, Sub-level

     The six CEO's scurried into the sub-level conference room and quickly
took their seats.  Amanda Willis sat at the head of the table with an angry,
frustrated expression.

     "So Miss Willis," Mr. Find asked, "I guess it didn't go well?"

     "Worse than you could imagine," Amanda replied.  "Desiree was upset, as
expected, but I could never have predicted the reaction I got from Carmen.
Carmen says that she refuses to let us keep Desiree from going home."

     "She can't do that!" Mr. Jones argued.  "She's under contract!  She 
can't object to any decision that we make."

     "Well, she is!" Miss Willis snapped.  "Carmen says that if we don't tell
Desiree's parents the truth and let her come home, she and Desiree will
disclose all information on "Project VILE" to the Chief, Acme's detectives,
and the press." 

     "We've got to stop them!" Janice White exclaimed.

     "How?" Ms. Collins cried.  "We don't know where VILE Headquarters is!
That was part of the contract!  We set it up so that there was no chance that
the agents could ever learn the location of VILE Headquarters, so not even we
know the location.  The only way we can contact Carmen is by phone."

     "Well, what do you suggest we do?" Mr. Jones asked harshly.  "After all,
this is your brilliant plan!  How do we fix it?"

     "What do you think, Kathy?" Mrs. Sawyer enquired.

     "I don't think we have much of a choice," Miss Collins stated.  "In 
order to keep the plan a secret, we have to do what Carmen has demanded.  If 
we don't, the plan will be exposed."

     "But, you fool, if we tell the parents and let that kid come home, the
plan will be exposed anyway!" Mrs. White shouted.

     "Not necessarily," Mrs. Sawyer said.  "If the child and her parents
agreed to remain silent, we can continue the plan."

     "Oh yeah!" Mr. Jones said coldly.  "Like how classifying "Project VILE"
was suppose to keep it a secret!  A lotta good that did!  While we're at it,
let's tell the Chief that the time we shut him down for that virus scan, we
were really altering his memory so that he wouldn't recall that CIA agent 
that posed as a detective."

     "He's right!" Mrs. White added.  "We can't just let these people know 
the truth.  We'll be setting ourselves up for a major lawsuit!"

     "Then "Project VIlLE" is finished!"  Miss Collins stated.  "We might as
well just leave now!"

     With that, Kathy stood and started for the door, but Amanda called after
her.

     "Kathy, wait!  Sit back down!"

     Kathy spun around.  "What's the point?  "Project VILE" is caput!"

     "Not yet," Amanda told her.  "Not until the final vote!  Please, sit 
back down so we can try to save this plan, while at the same time, come up 
with something that Carmen will agree to.  Please!  This is your plan!  
Don't abandon it!"

VILE Headquarter, a few hours later

     Carmen awoke from her restless sleep with a start.  There was a hard
knock at her bedroom door.  Groggily, she looked at her clock: 3:42 AM!  Who
in the world would wake me at almost four in the morning.

     Forcing herself out of bed, she grabbed her bathrobe and went to the
door.  Opening it, she discovered two of her henchmen, holding a very angry
Desiree by the arms.  carmen looked sleepily at her, and then at one of her
men.  

     "We caught her outside, trying to scale the brick-wall fence," he told
her.

     Carmen went wide awake, and she turned to Desiree.

     "Oh Desiree!" she said sadly, slightly bowing her head.

     "I told you!" she shouted.  "I'm not being forced to stay here!"

     Carmen sighed.  "Come in here, dear," she said to her.  

     The henchmen released her and Carmen took her by the arm.

     "Thank you, men," she told them.  Then, she pulled Desiree inside and
closed the door.  She released Desiree and walked over to the bed and sat
down.

     "Desiree," she said, picking picking up a glass of water from her night
stand and taking a drink.  "We talked about this.  I told you I wouldn't let
them make you stay here, and I swore I'd get you home.  Why did you do what
you did?"

     "Why!" Desiree snapped.  "I want to go home!  I want to be with my
parents!  How can you ask me that?"

     Carmen didn't know what to say.  She did understand Desiree's fear and
anger.  She sighed again and looked at her.

     "Come sit next to me," Carmen instructed. 

     Desiree stared at her for a moment, then did as she asked.

     "Desiree, I know its hard for you, but you must be patient," Carmen told
her.  "I will get you home as soon possible!"

     "But I want to go home now," Desiree argued.

     "I know you do, dear," Carmen answered.  "But, you must understand.  
This is a very delicate situation.  Now, I am doing everything I can to 
help you, but it takes time.  You, again, must be patient and I will get 
you home."

     Desiree looked like she was going to cry again.  Carmen gently wrapped 
an arm around her and hugged her.  At that moment, Carmine, who'd been in 
the bathroom, pranced into the room came over to the bed, and leaped onto 
Carmen's lap.

     "Hello Carmine," Carmen said, stroking the cat's head.

     Carmine meowed, then noticed Desiree.

     'Who is this stranger?' the cat thought. 

     Desiree reached over to pet the cat and it sniffed her fingers.


     'Are you friend, or enemy?' the cat asked itself.

     After a moment, Carmine had decided that Desiree was a friend and pushed
her head under Desiree's hand.

     "It would appear that she likes you," Carmen said. 

     "She's very pretty, Carmen," Desiree commented.

     "Thank you, Desiree," Carmen replied with a smile.  "I appreciate that.
Now, you'd better back to your room and get some rest.  We've got a lot of
work todo tomorrow, and I'm going to need your help, so, please don't run a
way again."

     "Alright," Desiree  sighed.  "Good night, Carmen.  Good night, Carmine."

     "Meow!" the cat answered.

     Then Desiree stood and started to leave, but stopped suddenly, when the
wall intercom lit up.  

     Carmen reached over and preessed the button.

     "Yes," she said.

     "Carmen, you have an emergency call on your private line," the henchmen
on the other end said.  "I tried to explain that you were in bed, but this
woman won't take no for an answer.  She said to tell you her name was Willis,
and that..."

     "Put her through, immediately!" Carmen ordered.

     Carmen quickly lifted the receiver on her phone.  A moment later, Amanda
was there.

     "Yes?  What is it, Amanda?" Carmen asked, pressing the privacy button on
her phone.

     Carmen listened carefully to what Amanda said.

     "Oh, that's wonderful!" Carmen stated with a smile.  "Fabulous!  Yes,
I'll certainly see that she does!  Thnk you for changing your mind.  We'll
talk to you tomorrow.  Bye!"  With that, she hung up.

     Carmen then looked at Desiree with a smile and said.  "We did it!  The
council has decided that you may return home, provided that you and your
parents agree to remain silent."

     "I can go home?" Desiree asked, shocked.

     "Yes, dear, you may," Carmen answered.

     "Oh, thank you!" Desiree cried, running forwward and hugging Carmen.
"You did keep your promise!  Thank you!  I owe you so much!"

     "No you don't Desiree," Carmen said, hugging her back.  "If anything, I
owe you.  I'm the one who followed the order to bring you here."

     "True," Desiree answered, "but I guess I can forgive you."

     "Thanks!  Now you listen," she said.  "Tomorrow, Miss. Willis is 
bringing your parents to Acme around 1:30 PM, and she is going to tell them 
the truth.  During the meeting, she's going to contact us to let you speak 
with your parents to help convince them to keep silent.  Then tomorrow 
night, I'm to take you to Paris, and give you a portable phone so you can 
contact Zack and Ivy to come and get you.  She wants us to dream up a scam 
to tell them, to get them off your back, but you can leave that to me.  Now, I think we can both go
get some sleep!"

     "Okay, Carmen," Desiree said.  "I'll do that.  Thanks again.  Good
night!"

     Then she raced from the room.

     "Good night, dear," Carmen whispered, still smiling.  "I enjoyed your
visit.  Maybe someday, we'll meet again, next time, as friends."

     Then she went over and closed the door and went back to bed; this time,
drifting into a sound sleep with Carmine, curled up at her feet. 

	To be continued...