[Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?] The Case of the Phantom Riders, Ch. 10
Title: The Case of the Phantom Riders, Chapter 10
Fandom: Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?
Characters: The Dying Informant, the Snowball-gram Messenger, the Technet Techie, and the Freshnet Inspector
Table: 50 prompts
Prompt: quicksilver
Rating: PG13
Spoilers/Warnings: Seriousness in a generally light-hearted fandom.
Summary: The agents attempt to catch Davis in the act, but thins go terribly wrong.
Author’s Note: Crossposted to other LJ comms and the V.I.L.E. HQ fanfic forum.
The Techie stayed by the Informant’s side until a low rumbling signified the approach of something large. He squinted, trying to see what was making that sound, but he could see nothing.
The cloaked truck… he thought, a frown crossing his face. That had to be it…
“Hey…” he whispered, placing a hand on the young agent’s shoulder. “They’re coming… Wake up…”
The Informant stirred awake, as the Techie moved to wake the others.
“I don’t see anything…” the young agent said.
“Cloaked, remember?” the Messenger said, with a yawn.
“So what do we do…?” asked the Inspector.
“We’ll wait until we see them with the stolen cows, and then we make our move,” the Messenger replied. “It’s an open and shut case…”
“…And what is our move?” the Inspector asked with a roll of his eyes.
“I’ll startle them first…” said the Techie, putting his bandanna and hat back on. “They’ll just think I’m one of the Riders…”
“And then we sneak up behind them?” the Informant finished. “I like that…”
“As long as Pippin here behaves…” said the Messenger, moving toward the disgruntled horse.
“There they go; they’re going into the tunnel…” said the Informant, as Davis and his flunkies appeared out of nowhere, guiding a cow that also just mysteriously appeared. “Be careful, Techie.”
The older agent nodded, guiding Sam to ride out, making themselves seen as Davis’ men started leading the annoyed cow into the tunnel while Davis surveyed the scene from his mustang..
“So…” the Techie accused. “There’s nothing of interest in those tunnels?”
Davis froze, staring at the agent-turned-Rider.
“You…!?” he fumed. “Are you and those other crazy Riders making your rounds again!? Well, it just so happens that this is my cow!”
“Then why is Mr. Bradford’s name on its ear tag…?” asked the Techie, not missing a beat. “I’m afraid that the Riders are not so easily deceived.”
“You Riders have been nothing but trouble…” Davis said. “And you’ve been especially annoying. Should you be haunting someone else like the rest of them!?”
“He’s too solid to be one of them Riders…” said one of Davis’ ranch hands. “Look at him. He’s not a spirit like them; he’s a mortal.”
“Just like that detective who was poking around that night, eh, Davis?” another one asked. “In fact, this feller looks like he’s about the same height…”
“Uh-oh…” said the Informant, glancing back at the others. They hadn’t expected this…
“I’m the mortal representative of the Phantom Riders,” the Techie quipped, trying not to show the nervousness in his voice.
“I thought those other detectives didn’t seem too worried about not finding that lost detective…” Davis mused. “And now I know why. You’re him, aren’t you?”
He rode forward, pulling the bandanna from the Techie face.
“Just as I thought…” said Davis, with superiority. “So you did survive wandering around. How did you do it?”
The Techie glared at Davis.
“I don’t remember much of anything, thanks to you,” he said, coldly. “But I do know that while the Riders and I were chasing after you, though I didn’t know they were on my side, you tried to abandon me out there after you got my horse to throw me off. And the Riders were the ones who made sure I survived. But because I couldn’t remember anything, I couldn’t remember who I was or what I was supposed to be doing, except that I had to stop you. So I joined with them in the hopes of stopping you. And because of that memory loss, you made me hurt one of my brothers, and I can never forgive you for that.”
If the Informant hadn’t been so worried about what was going to happen to the Techie, he would’ve been relieved to hear him refer to him as his brother, in spite of the memory loss.
“I don’t recall ever asking for your forgiveness,” Davis spat. He moved to strike the Techie.
And the Messenger knew that he would have to act.
“Look! A Texas prairie chicken!” he exclaimed, riding out of nowhere.
The Inspector stared at him with an unreadable expression before following. The Informant blinked, out of it for a moment before riding out behind them.
Davis snarled, heading straight for them. The Informant, the most experience rider, was able to veer Frodo away with moments to spare, but Merry and Pippin panicked, blindly fleeing from Davis’ mustang, with the Inspector and the Messenger desperately trying to regain control of the spooked horses.
But Davis and his men knew what they were doing; slowly but surely, they were herding the frightened horses into the cloaked truck. The captured agents’ protests were audible as they vanished from view.
“NO!” yelled the Informant, ordering Frodo forward. But Davis had already closed the doors of the truck and was heading for the truck cab with his right-hand man.
“Don’t you dare!” the Techie warned, but the sound of the truck driving away was all too audible.
“Where are they taking them!?” the Informant cried, turning to one of the remaining ranch hands.
“To the gorge, most likely…” he sneered in reply.
The Informant glared daggers at the man before steering Frodo down the trail of the fresh tire tracks. The communications link was nonexistent; the cloaking device was blocking transmission between the agents.
“Wait!” the Techie cried, riding after him. “This isn’t going to work! They can move faster than us! We’ll never catch them in time!”
“Then what are we supposed to do!?” the Informant cried, calling over his shoulder. “I’m not going to lose them, too! I won’t!”
“We have to tell the other Riders!” the Techie yelled back. “They’re the only ones who’ll be able to stop Davis before he does anything!”
“No!” the younger agent retorted. “I can’t risk losing the truck!” He shook his head. On so many levels, it seemed that the Techie was back with them, but on so many other levels, he was still a Rider. And the Informant could no longer handle this dual loyalty. He turned back, staring into his brother’s eyes. “If you think those Riders are so important to you, then go tell them yourself! I give up! My brother is gone-I’ll just have to accept that! I don’t know you anymore!” The Informant could not lose the rest of his brothers, as well. If the Techie was so determined to remain loyal to the Phantom Riders, then that was his decision. The Informant was too drained to fight with him anymore. If his previous faith in the Techie had been misplaced, then that was all. He wished it hadn’t had to have come to this, but perhaps he would have to get used to a life without the Techie. And he had to act before it became a life without the others, too.
But the Techie’s eyes widened in horror at the Informant’s reply. No… That… That wasn’t what he was supposed to say! He was supposed to go with him… He was supposed to be with him…!
Why was he feeling this pain!? He had no solid memories of this boy, and yet he felt the pain deep in his heart-pain that he had felt when the creek had been carrying the boy away. There was only one explanation; he did belong with the Informant and the others. That explained this feeling of being given up on by the one who should never have given up on him.
And the Informant… What pain must he be going through, if he was desperate to give up after fighting for him so hard?
“No!” the Techie cried, but the boy had already galloped away; he was probably out of earshot. He galloped after him, calling out his brother’s true name.
But the boy was, indeed, too far away; he did not reply, and the Techie was unable to hold back his sobs. What had he done!? The Informant had given so much of himself trying to bring he Techie’s memories back. And the Techie had only responded by pushing him away, singing the praises of the Riders, over and over again until the Informant had nothing more to give.
And another flash of memory returned to him… He was once again holding the boy close to him upon finding him hurt after a run-in with a cruel android.
The boy looked up at him, managing a very weak smile.
“I’m sorry, Techie…” the young agent had said. “Robo got me… I couldn’t stop him from stealing that data you were hoping to get before he did…” He had looked away, clearly upset. “I messed up again. I’m so sorry…”
“Don’t you ever blame yourself!” the Techie had cried in response. “You always look out for everyone else that you don’t care for yourself… I just wish people would realize how much you do for them. They’d learn to appreciate you more.”
And now the Techie cried out in agony. He had said that!? Well, that made him the biggest hypocrite in history! And the Informant… Well, he was gone now, wasn’t he? He wasn’t going to come back. And he had just said that he no longer knew him.
“No…” the Techie sobbed. “Please… come back… I’m sorry… Just… Just say that you know me again…”
But there was no reply to ease the Techie’s pain. He continued to sob as Sam, trying to keep track of Frodo, kept on going.
And that was how the other Phantom Riders found him.
“What is the meaning of this emotional display, Thirteen?” the leader of the Riders asked.
The Tecchie looked up at him, and then into the faces of the other riders.
“I’ve lost something…” he said. “Well… Actually, I destroyed something. And it probably can’t be repaired.”
“You were probably better off without it,” another Rider scoffed. “Why were you out here, anyway?”
“The rustlers…” the Techie sobbed. “They captured two of my… They captured to people in a truck that they’ve cloaked to make invisible! There’s another man on their trail, but…”
“Well, done, Thirteen,” said the Leader. “If all goes well tonight, mark my words, you’ll be one of us!”
And that, of course, did nothing to make the Techie feel any better about this whole ordeal.
***************************************
Adrenaline was preventing the Informant from being able to fully reflect on what he had done. He seemed to grasp that it meant that he had thrown away his job for nothing, but did it really matter? The Techie was happy with those forsaken Riders, wasn’t he!? Well far be it from the Informant to take away his fun!
“Well, well…” said a voice, which sounded eerily like his own. “Has the little Informant gone and realized that his so-called friends have all abandoned him…?”
“Can it…” the young agent snarled to his doppelganger, who remained unseen. “Those Riders brainwashed him when he didn’t have any memories. You know all about spirits manipulating others; he never had a chance. Anyway, he’s happy with those Riders. He doesn’t need me anymore, and I’m not going to hold him back.”
“It starts with him,” the double taunted. “And then the other two will follow suit. And what will become of you? You will be all alone… abandoned, just like you were as a child, when that beam came down.”
“Leave me alone,” the Informant ordered. “Techie doesn’t know any better. He doesn’t have his memories. That isn’t his fault, nor is it mine.”
“Has it occurred to you that he wanted to forget you…?” asked the double. “Has it occurred to you that he would not want to remember an agent as clumsy and unlucky as yourself, who got him into endless trouble in the past!?”
The words stung. And although the Informant didn’t want to believe them, he had to wonder if they were true. Was that why the Techie was not giving up his loyalty to the Riders, in spite of how many flashes of memory he had…? Did the Techie subconsciously hate him!?
“Well…” the Informant snarled. “He doesn’t have to deal with me again.”
“I’m sure he’s celebrating with the other Riders right now,” the doppelganger taunted. “Why, just look behind you…!”
The Informant turned, his jaw dropping upon seeing a dozen Riders in the air, and below them, just visible, was the Techie. And in spite of himself, the Informant felt terribly betrayed.
He does prefer being one of them…! he mentally said.
The Techie was calling to him again, but he did not reply. Desperate, the Techie urged Sam to run as fast as he could, until he was almost level with the younger agent. “Can’t you hear me!?”
The boy turned back to him, his eyes cold. His double flew alongside him, smirking at the hurt look on the Techie’s face.
“There’s… there’s two of you!?” the Techie cried, looking at them. “Who is he!?”
“The one who’s making more sense than you are,” the Informant retorted. The double just continued to smirk, pleased with his successful manipulation.
“I… I’m getting a bad feeling from him!” said the Techie, glaring back at the doppelganger. “I don’t think you should trust him…”
“What do you know!?” the double asked. “You have no memories. You can’t even remember what my poor counterpart has put himself through trying to bring those memories back. Of course, now he realized that you never really wanted them-just as long as you had your Riders to hang around with!”
“You never wanted to remember me…” said the Informant, not even looking at the Techie, but focusing on the spot where the truck should be.
The Techie’s jaw dropped in horror. This spirit… this double… He was turning the Informant against him! But how…!? Why!?
“No!” the Techie cried. “I’m trying to remember! I’m trying! But I can’t-I just can’t! Maybe if you give me a little more help…”
The Informant glared at him now.
“I’m sorry,” he said, coldly. “But I know a lost cause when I see one. Go with your fellow Riders. Be happy-that’s what you want. Don’t let me stop you.”
The doppelganger gave the Techie a cheery wave, and the older agent’s heart sunk.
It was bad enough that he had lost his memories. Finding the Informant again and trying to bond with him had made the experience so much more bearable…
But now he had lost him, too.
Fandom: Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?
Characters: The Dying Informant, the Snowball-gram Messenger, the Technet Techie, and the Freshnet Inspector
Table: 50 prompts
Prompt: quicksilver
Rating: PG13
Spoilers/Warnings: Seriousness in a generally light-hearted fandom.
Summary: The agents attempt to catch Davis in the act, but thins go terribly wrong.
Author’s Note: Crossposted to other LJ comms and the V.I.L.E. HQ fanfic forum.
The Techie stayed by the Informant’s side until a low rumbling signified the approach of something large. He squinted, trying to see what was making that sound, but he could see nothing.
The cloaked truck… he thought, a frown crossing his face. That had to be it…
“Hey…” he whispered, placing a hand on the young agent’s shoulder. “They’re coming… Wake up…”
The Informant stirred awake, as the Techie moved to wake the others.
“I don’t see anything…” the young agent said.
“Cloaked, remember?” the Messenger said, with a yawn.
“So what do we do…?” asked the Inspector.
“We’ll wait until we see them with the stolen cows, and then we make our move,” the Messenger replied. “It’s an open and shut case…”
“…And what is our move?” the Inspector asked with a roll of his eyes.
“I’ll startle them first…” said the Techie, putting his bandanna and hat back on. “They’ll just think I’m one of the Riders…”
“And then we sneak up behind them?” the Informant finished. “I like that…”
“As long as Pippin here behaves…” said the Messenger, moving toward the disgruntled horse.
“There they go; they’re going into the tunnel…” said the Informant, as Davis and his flunkies appeared out of nowhere, guiding a cow that also just mysteriously appeared. “Be careful, Techie.”
The older agent nodded, guiding Sam to ride out, making themselves seen as Davis’ men started leading the annoyed cow into the tunnel while Davis surveyed the scene from his mustang..
“So…” the Techie accused. “There’s nothing of interest in those tunnels?”
Davis froze, staring at the agent-turned-Rider.
“You…!?” he fumed. “Are you and those other crazy Riders making your rounds again!? Well, it just so happens that this is my cow!”
“Then why is Mr. Bradford’s name on its ear tag…?” asked the Techie, not missing a beat. “I’m afraid that the Riders are not so easily deceived.”
“You Riders have been nothing but trouble…” Davis said. “And you’ve been especially annoying. Should you be haunting someone else like the rest of them!?”
“He’s too solid to be one of them Riders…” said one of Davis’ ranch hands. “Look at him. He’s not a spirit like them; he’s a mortal.”
“Just like that detective who was poking around that night, eh, Davis?” another one asked. “In fact, this feller looks like he’s about the same height…”
“Uh-oh…” said the Informant, glancing back at the others. They hadn’t expected this…
“I’m the mortal representative of the Phantom Riders,” the Techie quipped, trying not to show the nervousness in his voice.
“I thought those other detectives didn’t seem too worried about not finding that lost detective…” Davis mused. “And now I know why. You’re him, aren’t you?”
He rode forward, pulling the bandanna from the Techie face.
“Just as I thought…” said Davis, with superiority. “So you did survive wandering around. How did you do it?”
The Techie glared at Davis.
“I don’t remember much of anything, thanks to you,” he said, coldly. “But I do know that while the Riders and I were chasing after you, though I didn’t know they were on my side, you tried to abandon me out there after you got my horse to throw me off. And the Riders were the ones who made sure I survived. But because I couldn’t remember anything, I couldn’t remember who I was or what I was supposed to be doing, except that I had to stop you. So I joined with them in the hopes of stopping you. And because of that memory loss, you made me hurt one of my brothers, and I can never forgive you for that.”
If the Informant hadn’t been so worried about what was going to happen to the Techie, he would’ve been relieved to hear him refer to him as his brother, in spite of the memory loss.
“I don’t recall ever asking for your forgiveness,” Davis spat. He moved to strike the Techie.
And the Messenger knew that he would have to act.
“Look! A Texas prairie chicken!” he exclaimed, riding out of nowhere.
The Inspector stared at him with an unreadable expression before following. The Informant blinked, out of it for a moment before riding out behind them.
Davis snarled, heading straight for them. The Informant, the most experience rider, was able to veer Frodo away with moments to spare, but Merry and Pippin panicked, blindly fleeing from Davis’ mustang, with the Inspector and the Messenger desperately trying to regain control of the spooked horses.
But Davis and his men knew what they were doing; slowly but surely, they were herding the frightened horses into the cloaked truck. The captured agents’ protests were audible as they vanished from view.
“NO!” yelled the Informant, ordering Frodo forward. But Davis had already closed the doors of the truck and was heading for the truck cab with his right-hand man.
“Don’t you dare!” the Techie warned, but the sound of the truck driving away was all too audible.
“Where are they taking them!?” the Informant cried, turning to one of the remaining ranch hands.
“To the gorge, most likely…” he sneered in reply.
The Informant glared daggers at the man before steering Frodo down the trail of the fresh tire tracks. The communications link was nonexistent; the cloaking device was blocking transmission between the agents.
“Wait!” the Techie cried, riding after him. “This isn’t going to work! They can move faster than us! We’ll never catch them in time!”
“Then what are we supposed to do!?” the Informant cried, calling over his shoulder. “I’m not going to lose them, too! I won’t!”
“We have to tell the other Riders!” the Techie yelled back. “They’re the only ones who’ll be able to stop Davis before he does anything!”
“No!” the younger agent retorted. “I can’t risk losing the truck!” He shook his head. On so many levels, it seemed that the Techie was back with them, but on so many other levels, he was still a Rider. And the Informant could no longer handle this dual loyalty. He turned back, staring into his brother’s eyes. “If you think those Riders are so important to you, then go tell them yourself! I give up! My brother is gone-I’ll just have to accept that! I don’t know you anymore!” The Informant could not lose the rest of his brothers, as well. If the Techie was so determined to remain loyal to the Phantom Riders, then that was his decision. The Informant was too drained to fight with him anymore. If his previous faith in the Techie had been misplaced, then that was all. He wished it hadn’t had to have come to this, but perhaps he would have to get used to a life without the Techie. And he had to act before it became a life without the others, too.
But the Techie’s eyes widened in horror at the Informant’s reply. No… That… That wasn’t what he was supposed to say! He was supposed to go with him… He was supposed to be with him…!
Why was he feeling this pain!? He had no solid memories of this boy, and yet he felt the pain deep in his heart-pain that he had felt when the creek had been carrying the boy away. There was only one explanation; he did belong with the Informant and the others. That explained this feeling of being given up on by the one who should never have given up on him.
And the Informant… What pain must he be going through, if he was desperate to give up after fighting for him so hard?
“No!” the Techie cried, but the boy had already galloped away; he was probably out of earshot. He galloped after him, calling out his brother’s true name.
But the boy was, indeed, too far away; he did not reply, and the Techie was unable to hold back his sobs. What had he done!? The Informant had given so much of himself trying to bring he Techie’s memories back. And the Techie had only responded by pushing him away, singing the praises of the Riders, over and over again until the Informant had nothing more to give.
And another flash of memory returned to him… He was once again holding the boy close to him upon finding him hurt after a run-in with a cruel android.
The boy looked up at him, managing a very weak smile.
“I’m sorry, Techie…” the young agent had said. “Robo got me… I couldn’t stop him from stealing that data you were hoping to get before he did…” He had looked away, clearly upset. “I messed up again. I’m so sorry…”
“Don’t you ever blame yourself!” the Techie had cried in response. “You always look out for everyone else that you don’t care for yourself… I just wish people would realize how much you do for them. They’d learn to appreciate you more.”
And now the Techie cried out in agony. He had said that!? Well, that made him the biggest hypocrite in history! And the Informant… Well, he was gone now, wasn’t he? He wasn’t going to come back. And he had just said that he no longer knew him.
“No…” the Techie sobbed. “Please… come back… I’m sorry… Just… Just say that you know me again…”
But there was no reply to ease the Techie’s pain. He continued to sob as Sam, trying to keep track of Frodo, kept on going.
And that was how the other Phantom Riders found him.
“What is the meaning of this emotional display, Thirteen?” the leader of the Riders asked.
The Tecchie looked up at him, and then into the faces of the other riders.
“I’ve lost something…” he said. “Well… Actually, I destroyed something. And it probably can’t be repaired.”
“You were probably better off without it,” another Rider scoffed. “Why were you out here, anyway?”
“The rustlers…” the Techie sobbed. “They captured two of my… They captured to people in a truck that they’ve cloaked to make invisible! There’s another man on their trail, but…”
“Well, done, Thirteen,” said the Leader. “If all goes well tonight, mark my words, you’ll be one of us!”
And that, of course, did nothing to make the Techie feel any better about this whole ordeal.
***************************************
Adrenaline was preventing the Informant from being able to fully reflect on what he had done. He seemed to grasp that it meant that he had thrown away his job for nothing, but did it really matter? The Techie was happy with those forsaken Riders, wasn’t he!? Well far be it from the Informant to take away his fun!
“Well, well…” said a voice, which sounded eerily like his own. “Has the little Informant gone and realized that his so-called friends have all abandoned him…?”
“Can it…” the young agent snarled to his doppelganger, who remained unseen. “Those Riders brainwashed him when he didn’t have any memories. You know all about spirits manipulating others; he never had a chance. Anyway, he’s happy with those Riders. He doesn’t need me anymore, and I’m not going to hold him back.”
“It starts with him,” the double taunted. “And then the other two will follow suit. And what will become of you? You will be all alone… abandoned, just like you were as a child, when that beam came down.”
“Leave me alone,” the Informant ordered. “Techie doesn’t know any better. He doesn’t have his memories. That isn’t his fault, nor is it mine.”
“Has it occurred to you that he wanted to forget you…?” asked the double. “Has it occurred to you that he would not want to remember an agent as clumsy and unlucky as yourself, who got him into endless trouble in the past!?”
The words stung. And although the Informant didn’t want to believe them, he had to wonder if they were true. Was that why the Techie was not giving up his loyalty to the Riders, in spite of how many flashes of memory he had…? Did the Techie subconsciously hate him!?
“Well…” the Informant snarled. “He doesn’t have to deal with me again.”
“I’m sure he’s celebrating with the other Riders right now,” the doppelganger taunted. “Why, just look behind you…!”
The Informant turned, his jaw dropping upon seeing a dozen Riders in the air, and below them, just visible, was the Techie. And in spite of himself, the Informant felt terribly betrayed.
He does prefer being one of them…! he mentally said.
The Techie was calling to him again, but he did not reply. Desperate, the Techie urged Sam to run as fast as he could, until he was almost level with the younger agent. “Can’t you hear me!?”
The boy turned back to him, his eyes cold. His double flew alongside him, smirking at the hurt look on the Techie’s face.
“There’s… there’s two of you!?” the Techie cried, looking at them. “Who is he!?”
“The one who’s making more sense than you are,” the Informant retorted. The double just continued to smirk, pleased with his successful manipulation.
“I… I’m getting a bad feeling from him!” said the Techie, glaring back at the doppelganger. “I don’t think you should trust him…”
“What do you know!?” the double asked. “You have no memories. You can’t even remember what my poor counterpart has put himself through trying to bring those memories back. Of course, now he realized that you never really wanted them-just as long as you had your Riders to hang around with!”
“You never wanted to remember me…” said the Informant, not even looking at the Techie, but focusing on the spot where the truck should be.
The Techie’s jaw dropped in horror. This spirit… this double… He was turning the Informant against him! But how…!? Why!?
“No!” the Techie cried. “I’m trying to remember! I’m trying! But I can’t-I just can’t! Maybe if you give me a little more help…”
The Informant glared at him now.
“I’m sorry,” he said, coldly. “But I know a lost cause when I see one. Go with your fellow Riders. Be happy-that’s what you want. Don’t let me stop you.”
The doppelganger gave the Techie a cheery wave, and the older agent’s heart sunk.
It was bad enough that he had lost his memories. Finding the Informant again and trying to bond with him had made the experience so much more bearable…
But now he had lost him, too.