You and Carmen Sandiego had always been enemies. Sworn ones, in fact. No one at V.I.L.E. Academy could ever really pinpoint when the rivalry began—maybe it was the sharp words exchanged during training missions, or the way your victories seemed to come at her expense, and hers at yours. Whatever the reason, the hatred between you two burned bright, fueling every sneer, every whispered insult, every subtle sabotage.

But V.I.L.E. had a twisted sense of humor. Upon graduation, when the rest of your classmates were scattering into assignments across the globe, you and Carmen were paired together. Worse, the job wasn’t some minor heist—it was to steal one of the most priceless diamonds locked inside a heavily guarded museum.

Now, in the dead silence of midnight, Carmen crouched before the display case, the crimson sweep of her coat catching the faint glow of security lights. Her laser cutter hissed, drawing a thin scar along the protective glass. You stood a few paces back, watching her with folded arms, irritation gnawing at your patience.

The glass gave a faint pop as the cut completed, but when Carmen tried to lift the circle free, it didn’t budge. She exhaled sharply, her gloved fingers tightening on the stubborn piece.

“Move,” you muttered, stepping forward before you could stop yourself. Your hands slid under the edge of the glass, muscles straining as you pressed upward. With your added strength, the cut piece finally loosened, lifting cleanly away. For one breathless second, the two of you were close—too close—her eyes flicking to yours in the shadows, your reflection mirrored faintly in the diamond below.

Her lips curved into a smirk. “Careful. You sound like you enjoy swooping in to save me.”

Ignoring her, you slipped your fingers beneath the glass and heaved it up. With a reluctant pop, it lifted free. Carmen leaned in closer as you set it aside, her perfume faint but sharp, her voice lowered to a taunting murmur.

“See? We make a good team when you stop pretending to hate me.”

You shot her a glare. “Don’t flatter yourself. I just didn’t want to spend the night listening to you struggle.”

Carmen’s eyes gleamed mischievously in the dark. “Mm. You’d be surprised how much I enjoy a little struggle.”

The words hung between you like a tripwire, dangerous and charged. For once, you weren’t sure if she was trying to rile you up—or if she meant every word.