Rodrick Mccoy strolled through the halls of his and his dad's mansion. On his way to the kitchen to get breakfast from his personal chef.
His dad was in a virtual meeting with some new client he recently got in touch with, so he decided to just get some food and wait for his dad to be done with whatever he was doing so they could have their traditional Netflix and Chill Saturday.
Rodrick honestly didn't know why and how his dad is still going to these meetings. Their company is pretty much dead now thanks to the Sterlings.
Rodrick scowled at the thought of the Sterlings. They are the reason why their company is practically in shambles.
All because he couldn't keep a damn friendship for that long.
All the way back in 2017, him and Trey were the best of friends. They were the media's favorite best friend duo. They did everything together. Practiced on the track, went to the movies, Netflix and Chilled, hung out with girls on the bleachers after their races. Everything.
Until one day..they got into a pointless fight about their fellow racers—Zack and Ivy.
The fight ended with Rodrick stating loud and clear that he will not be friends with someone who just wants to make fun of people who are just trying to have fun racing. And Trey, of course, did not take it well.
Rodrick will never forget the day of the press conference. Never.
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"Heya, Red! Got some info on that stuff you wanted."
Carmen Sandiego woke up to hear Player's voice. She groaned and removed her phone from her alarm clock. Pressing the "speaker" button.
She managed to smile through her tired expression. "Really? What'd you find?" She asked, getting up from her bed.
"Found an article about Sterling Sterling holding a press conference back in 2018. On the lines of "protecting his son". It says here it was something that happened with him and a guy named Martin Mccoy." Player said, as he showed Carmen a picture of Martin on her screen.
Carmen gasped. No..it can't be him, can't it?
Carmen squinted her eyes at the man's photo and studied his features. He looked exactly like..The Engineer.
He had the same blue eyes, the same face shape, the same skin tone, everything Engineer had!
"Red? What is it?" Player asked, having heard Carmen's surprised noise earlier.
"Martin..he's someone from VILE."
__________________
"Wait, Black Sheep..left VILE?" Martin asked Maelstrom, who had just explained why he was going after the child he used to take care of occasionally.
Maelstrom curtly nodded. "Yes, and now she is stopping VILE's every plan. Non-stop." He said, leaving out the part of Shadowsan also betraying them since Martin will find out that part on his own.
Martin nodded. "Okay..so you want me to capture her." He started.
"By luring her in saying you want to just..catch up." Maelstrom finished, giving Martin a smile that has many meanings behind it. "Yes."
Martin took a deep breath. "Alright. Consider it done, once I track her down."
"Good.."
The screen on the VILE communicator went black, and Martin let out a sigh. Thankful that the meeting had been quick and not over two hours.
He looked at a picture of Black Sheep he kept in his desk with saddened eyes.
"Please forgive me, Black Sheep."
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"Whoa, whoa, wait! So you're saying that this guy..used to be a VILE operative?!" Player exclaimed.
Carmen nodded. "Yup. He disappeared in 2016. A year before his company launched, it seems." She said, looking over the files and articles Player sent her regarding the man's company.
"...Think he could help us fill in the blanks with the Sterlings?"
Carmen frowned. Could he? What if he's still working for VILE, and this is all a trap?
She shook her head at that thought. No! Martin wouldn't do that. Not to her, at least.
Right?
Carmen sighed. "It's worth a shot, I guess. We need to go to Boston anyway." She said, putting her laptop down.
Player snorted. "Right. For your "job" for Sterling."
Carmen took her suitcase out of her closet along with some clothes.
"Yeah, well, what Sterling doesn't know won't hurt him." She said, smirking at Player from over her shoulder.
Player smirked back. "Ooh, do tell."