Carmen smiled at him. "Thanks, Gray."

"It's Gray-ham," he corrected her playfully.

She smirked. "You should know by now I'm never going to call you that."

"Fine," he sighed in mock resignation. "I guess I can get used to it."

Carmen laughed. "You'd better." She suddenly sobered as the reality of their situation came rushing back. "So, um... how have you been?"

Graham hesitated. He knew if he said good it would be a lie. "I..." Graham looked down at the floor. "I've missed you." He recalled saying the same thing five months ago in the hospital, and he meant it just as much now as he did then.

Carmen was quiet for a few moments. "Me too," she said finally. "I thought the whole separation decision would keep both of us safe, but it seems that didn't exactly help anything."

"Yeah," Graham lifted his gaze from the floor to the opposite wall of the van.

There were so many things he wanted to say, but he couldn't find the words. How could he tell Carmen how empty his life had been without her? How was he supposed to explain to her how joyful he felt when he was around her? How was he supposed to let her know how much he loved her?

Wait, what?! he yelped internally. Where did that come from? Since when have I been in love with Carmen?

But the answer was clear to him. Ever since she had met him at that coffee shop in Sydney. It wasn't until then he had fallen so hard for the mysterious woman clothed in red.

Before, at V.I.L.E. island, they had like brother and sister. But Carmen had changed so much since their time in crime school, and so had Graham's feelings towards her. He only wondered if she saw him any differently.

Carmen's voice roused him from his thoughts. "Are you as scared as I am?" she asked hesitantly.

"Yes," he admitted honestly. "But... I feel better knowing you're here beside me."

This got a smile out of Carmen. "So do I."

She laid her head on his shoulder, and he drew comfort from her touch. As they sat in silence, Graham felt warmth flicker inside him.

Whatever happens, I'm glad to know we'll go through it together.

Carmen was instantly awake as he heard Graham hiss in her ear, "We're stopping!"

She raised her head to glance through the glass panel separating them from Rattlesnake. The V.I.L.E. operative was leaning through the window, speaking to someone else standing beside the van. Through the windshield, she could see that they were halted at what looked like a security checkpoint.

"We're at an airport," she realized.

"I thought so," Graham agreed. "I wonder where they're taking us."

Carmen felt a thrill of fear jolt through her before quickly squashing it down. Whatever was going to happen would happen, and wasting time worrying about it wouldn't change anything.

The van passed through the checkpoint, driving across the runway to a private jet situated on the farthest side from the airport.

Of course the jet was black.

Rattlesnake hopped out of the driver's side door. Carmen glanced over at Graham, wondering if they should try to jump out at him or something. But Graham shook his head, and a few seconds later the back doors of the van were thrown open.

"Enjoy your flight," Rattlesnake smirked. The V.I.L.E. operative raised his tranquilizer gun and shot twice in rapid succession. Carmen felt herself reaching for Gray's hand as she blacked out.