Carmen Sandiego peeked her head through the door to Zack's hotel room.

She saw the boy in question sitting on his bed. With his phone in one hand and a bag of chips in the other.

Carmen knocked on the door frame, making him look up from his phone.

"Zack, can we..talk?"

Zack frowned, but nodded, putting his chips aside as Carmen sat on the edge of the bed.

"Oh, uh, yeah sure, Carm. What's up?"

Carmen took a deep breath, before opening her mouth to speak. "Are you..okay?"

Zack gave her a fake smile. "Yeah, I'm fine! Why? Is somethin the matter?"

Carmen scooted closer to him on the bed, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"I'm talking about what happened last night. You've been closed in ever since then and you've gotten me a little concerned." Carmen said, while studying Zack's expression as it changed from his usual upbeat and bright look to a more saddened one.

Zack sighed. "You've noticed that, huh?...... Well, I guess I just feel upset. I messed up big time last night and I dragged Ivy into it. Then ya yelled at us. And I just felt like I broke our team up because of my problems with Trey Sterling."

It was Carmen's turn to sigh, as she looked at him sternly. But she wasn't mad at him. Not like she was last night.

"...I gave you two a chance to tell me what happened, but you refused. As for Trey Sterling, what's the big deal about him? Why do you let him get into your head so easily?" She said, gently rubbing Zack's shoulder.

When asked that question, Zack threw his hands in the air frantically out of frustration.

" 'Cause racin' was my passion! Me and Ivy worked hard to get to where we were while he sat in his fancy mansion, or whatever, being waited by all his butlers! We had to work hard while all he had ta do was shove money at everythin'!

It's not fair! We deserved more than what we got. At least Ivy deserves more. She's a freakin' genius! And nobody knows it! Well, aside from you Carm.... ya get what I'm tryin' ta say, right?"

He looked at his boss and friend with pure hope in his eyes. While he wasn't sure if she understood him or not, he really hoped she did.

Carmen, of course, knew what he was talking about. She's been where he and Ivy were when she was still at VILE Academy. But it was a little different, since her entire upbringing there was a lie. But..she trained extra hard to be the amazing thief she is today.

And Sheena barely did anything besides succeed in Coach Brunt's fighting class.

The other classes? She already had experience in before. But no one ever knew how and why. So, that part of Sheena's, Tigress's, intelligence is a mystery.

One that Carmen wouldn't bother to solve, really.

A part of her would like to thank the Faculty, but the other part doesn't think they even deserve to be talked about even if she has to talk about them during debriefing.

Carmen gave Zack a sad smile. "Of course I do. And, what Trey doesn't know is that you two have a more..realistic life than him. You feel unappreciated of your work." She said, looking down at the bedspread.

"Exactly! He gets everythin' he wants! And what do we get? Nothin'!"

Carmen leaned her head against Zack's shoulder in comfort and reassurance.

"If you two got nothing, for real, you wouldn't have me." She said, as she felt Zack lean into the touch.

Zack pursed his lips before they slowly curled into a small, sad smile.

"..You're right, Carm. Sorry, I just get a little emotional when it comes ta thinkin' about racin' back in Southie."

Carmen shook her head, looking up from Zack's shoulder to gaze into his eyes.

"No, don't be. Boston is your home, Zack. There's nothing wrong with being emotional or..missing where you grew up."

Zack didn't stop his tears from falling, not even in front of Carmen. He let them trickle down his face freely.

"Boston may be where I'm from, and don't get me wrong I love it there, but..my home's with you and Ivy now and I'm happy here."

Carmen smiled at Zack, patting him lightly on the back.

"I love you too, Zack."

Zack smirked. "Hah, so can I get one of yer signature hugs now?"

Carmen raised an eyebrow at him. "Signature hugs?"

"A little birdie told me ya give great hugs! So I'd like one!"

Carmen rolled her eyes, knowing very well who said that about her. "Let me guess—Ivy?"

"Wha-how'd ya know!?"

Carmen shrugged her shoulders, looking at him smugly. "Eh, I'm good at reading people."

Zack's eyes gleamed at her in bewilderment.

"Whoa! Where'd ya learn to do that?"

"VILE Academy." She replied, cringing a little bit when she mentioned her former home.

"Ohhh..right. Forgot about that. Hehe, well yer usin' it for good now! That's all that matters!"

Carmen snorted. "Tsk. Ask Shadowsan and he'll teach you how to do it."

"That's the first thing I'm doin' when we meet back up with him!" Zack exclaimed, pumping his fist in the air.

Carmen slowly pushed his fist down. "Ohh no you don't! You are going to SLEEP."

Zack pouted at her. "Awww what? But, Carm, I'm fine! I don't need ta sleep.... yet."

Carmen crossed her arms over her chest. "Don't be ridiculous, EVERYONE needs sleep."

"Yeah, but I don't need ta right now! I feel fine....Mostly fine." Zack said, whispering that last part. But it was still loud enough for Carmen to hear.

"..Emotionally or physically?" She asked, frowning at him.

"Would ya believe me if I said both?"

"...What else besides Trey is bothering you?"

Zack looked down, before pulling his knees to his chest and resting his head on both kneecaps.

"I feel like I let ya down, which I did. And I was scared that Ivy and I would actually accept Daddy Sterling's offer. I was convinced that we.... no, I failed ya. I knew that if I decided to go Ivy would follow, so it was hard. If anyone should be kicked off the team it'd be me.... I'm really sorry, Carm."

Carmen's gray-blue eyes adjusted as she listened to him talk. And open up to her about his struggles.

She's never seen this more..solemn side of Zack before. She, of course, knew that he wasn't always this upbeat and cheerful person, but..she also wasn't expecting him to feel so..depressed.

Carmen reached up and ran a hand up and down Zack's spine.

"Oh, Zack, no. I..understand why you did what you did. It's okay now, don't worry. I forgave you. And..no one is getting kicked off the team. And you aren't. You definitely aren't." She said, taking his hand in hers and squeezing it.

Zack looked up and glanced at her. "Really? Like, for real?"

Carmen chuckled half-heartedly. "Would I ever lie to you?"

Zack took a deep breath, and exhaled. Relieved.

"Oh boy, that's a relief. And yer probably right about the sleep thing. I didn't get a wink last night 'cause I was wicked stressed."

Carmen frowned at him. "With..what happened or..?"

It was Zack's turn to shrug. "Yeah. Had a lot on my mind I guess."

"Hmmm.." Carmen keeps her hand on Zack's back while the other one went up to his head, carding her fingers through his soft, ginger-colored hair. "Does this help?"

Zack leaned into Carmen's..other touch. "Yeah, Carm, it does actually."

"..Okay you can have your hug now."

"Yes! Thanks Carm!"

"Mhm." Carmen wrapped both her arms around Zack's waist, pulling him close to her.

Zack got a little emotional during their hug, and began crying. Burying his head into Carmen's shoulder and letting more tears than before fall down his cheeks.

Carmen held him. Whispering words of reassurance into his ear and slowly rocking him back and forth.

After about ten minutes of hugging and crying, Zack finally fell asleep in Carmen's arms. His form slumped against her.

Carmen looked down at the sleeping young man in her embrace; and smiled softly at him.

She brushed a strand of hair from his face and placed a kiss on his forehead, before steadily pulling away and laying him down on his bed. Careful not to wake him up.

Carmen stood up from her spot on the bed and quietly walked back to the door. Before she closed it, she looked back at Zack and looked at him fondly.

"We appreciate you, Zack, don't worry."

And with that, she closed the door and left the getaway driver alone to sleep.

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