Carmen had been the one who screamed.

She kept screaming as she fought the two operatives, who had no chance against her rage and terror.

She didn't know what she did to them, but they were both still.

She had paused.

The world had come back.

And then she'd crumpled to the ground next to Julia and frantically called her team.

Their inconspicuous van screeched to a halt at her location and she snapped at Zack and Ivy to help her load Julia in the car.

There is too much blood.

She has to be okay.

Why is there so much blood?

The Bostonian siblings helped her move Julia into the van's back stretcher. If they said anything, she didn't hear.

Carmen applied pressure to the stab wound with a furious determination as they raced through the streets. "Don't you dare frickin' die on me, Jules," she whispered again and again, wiping her eyes with the part of her sleeve that wasn't bloody.

They pulled up to the hospital at a speed that was definitely illegal and jumped out.

Ivy started trying to talk to the hospital workers but none understood; Carmen leaped out of the car and moved Ivy aside, speaking in French.

"[We were attacked and my girlfriend was stabbed. She needs help NOW!]" The thief said, in her hurry not even noticing what she'd said.

The hospital workers nodded crisply and yelled. A stretcher was wheeled out of the building soon and they loaded Julia on, wheeling her into the hospital without another word.

Carmen watched the hospital doors long after Julia had disappeared into them and then sat, suddenly not knowing what to do.

A paramedic with purple hair tapped her shoulder and she whirled tensely, registering his nametag quickly: Audric Fournier. "[Miss, you are also bleeding. May I tend to you?]" He said tentatively. She was about to tell him that it was Julia's blood, when she suddenly felt a sharp pain in one of her upper arms, her adrenaline waning.

She glanced at it with a wince and saw a semi-deep cut running down her forearm, her clothing ripped. She must have gotten it while fighting. She glanced down and shook her head. She could have Ivy bandage it. Besides, what was a cut to what Julia had?

"[No, thank you.]" She clarified. "[How...how is Julia?]" She was almost afraid to ask. The young man, Audric, shrugged a little. "[She lost a lot of blood, but it isn't fatal. We'll know more soon.]" He sounded apologetic.

Carmen smiled slightly and gave him a tired "merci," turning to her team.

Zack and Ivy were hovering near her, looking concerned and out of place in her hazy worry.

She gave them a little smile, knowing she could update them later, and touched her com. "Player." She said, a little hoarsely.

"Red! Are you alright? How's Julia?" The young hacker expressed.

"Not fatal, but she isn't good or anything." Carmen said, voice rough. Player nodded though she couldn't see him, and registered that she hadn't answered his first query.

"Player, can you patch me through a call to...Chief?"

Player paused. "Chief? Why..oh. Right." He was silent for a second, then: "Patching you through now."

"Thanks." She murmured. There was a dial tone, and Chief's voice came through.

"Go for Tammy."

Carmen swallowed a comment and a snort that nearly escaped from her throat. "I hope you don't expect me to call you that, Chief."

There was a frigid pause and Carmen heard a static of motion from Chief's end. She imagined Chief's eyes widening, waving at an agent to start tracking her.

"Sandiego. Looking for more stolen files?" She said finally.

Carmen didn't even quip. "Actually this is.." She took a second, waiting until she could trust her voice again. "You'll see by now that you can track me and I'm sure you just sent out a force that was already in the area, since Jules went missing earlier, correct?"

There was a loud clatter. "Where is she?" Chief snarled.

"Jules...Agent Argent is injured. We're at the hospital."

"What did you do?" Chief's voice was soft and dangerous, slightly confused at the end.

"I saved her life." Carmen said, suddenly feeling the night catch up to her. "VILE..you know what, just have your agents meet me here and we can talk then, okay?" She said impatiently, siphoning her worry into anger. "We make a truce for now. No ambushing, no arresting...her injury is pretty serious and this is no place to talk."

She raised her arm to run her fingers through her hair, and old nervous habit that she hadn't done in a long time, only to find that her arm throbbed. She lowered it.

There were a few muffled words Carmen didn't catch, then, "They're heading over now. If you did this I swear-"

Carmen hung up, nothing more to say, semi-registering how bad a job she had done at defending herself. She took in a breath.

"Zack, Ivy, ACME's coming over." The two redheads looked up, exchanged a look, and shrugged. "Okay boss." Zack said in a thinly veiled skeptical tone. "We hiding, leaving, staying...?"

"Staying." Said Carmen. "Although you two are going to wait in the van just in case." She ran a hand over her face. "I hope I'm not making a mistake."

While she waited, she updated the purple haired hospital worker, Audric, on what had happened in more detail, with a few masked details, of course (Was it enough to tell him the height and weight of their attacker or way too much?? Better to be safe..). As she recounted it she caught herself slipping out of French once or twice in her distraction, glancing around all the while for ACME, not wanting to be snuck up on.

She also gave the hospital permission to do whatever it took to help Jules, and gave them her information and a burner phone number.

Speaking with Audric, she saw a black motion out of the corner of her eye. She faltered in her French and turned. ACME had arrived, six agents including Agent Zari, who'd knocked her out in Stockholm. Reluctant dread fizzled in her stomach and she hastily concluded her conversation, following the agents into a garden area, a secluded grove of bushes and trees.

Agent Zari gave her a little glare, matched by the thief, and clicked the pen. Chief popped out and studied her for a moment.

"Well?"

---

Audric is my character (and he will return :3)