It was the evening of December 31st, and the hours were ticking down towards New Year in the Egyptian capital. In the ballroom of the Nefertiti Hotel, Carmen Sandiego stood before the grand window overlooking the Nile. The view was magnificent, the reflected lights of the city dancing upon the water's surface. Lifting a glass of exquisite red Moët to her lips, she silently toasted her recent success. While Carmen was enjoying New Year's Eve here at the hotel, her efforts had ensured that a number of former V.I.L.E. operatives would be spending it behind bars.
It had been more than two years since the crime syndicate's headquarters were raided and its operations dismantled, but the task of tracking down its remaining members -- at least those who were still active criminals -- was ongoing. This year had seen an up-tick in activity following a series of prison breaks, and while Carmen did not exactly relish the thought of her former employers and associates being loose in the world and hungry for revenge, part of her did feel a thrill at the challenge they presented. The dangers of her lifestyle brought her no shortage of exhilaration.
Tonight, however, she was seeking a thrill of a different sort. Having bested several of her enemies during an attempted heist here in Cairo, she felt that she could allow herself the luxury of blowing off a little steam. She was certainly dressed to catch attention, attired in a sumptuous crimson satin dress which clung to all of her shapely curves, and whose plunging neckline fell to just above her navel. Thigh-high slits in the skirt showed flashes of her athletic legs, while elbow-length black opera gloves, stiletto heels and a golden filigree necklace completed her ensemble. As she enjoyed her wine and the view of the river, she could already feel the lingering stares of other party-goers upon her bare back. Some of the looks she received were envious; most were intrigued, and a few openly lustful. She smiled to herself, wondering if any would feel bold enough to approach her. But she was counting on one individual who would be.
It was no coincidence that she had booked herself a suite at this particular hotel. The Nefertiti was one of Cairo's most famous and luxurious accommodations, often utilised by celebrities, politicians and the extremely wealthy. Carmen happened to know that several diplomats from the French Embassy would be coming to the bar here this evening to celebrate, and there was one in particular whom she was looking forward to seeing again.
As an international thief with some very dangerous enemies, Carmen's lifestyle did not lend itself well to romantic relationships. She often had to travel long distances at short notice, and settling down was something that she had barely even considered. Consequently, her sex life consisted almost entirely of hook-ups and one night stands, and she rarely saw the same partner twice. She had met individuals here and there who were interesting enough to keep her attention for longer, though it was telling that she tended to spend more time thinking about her missed opportunities than her conquests. Grey had flirted with her often enough, for instance, and she wondered more than once whether it was worth indulging him, but in the end their relationship had never taken that direction. Having grown up alongside him at the V.I.L.E. Academy, Carmen saw Grey more as an adoptive brother than anything else, and not someone she desired to have sex with. She often thought about Julia Argent, and had even promised herself that someday she would tempt the quiet, scholarly young woman into her bed, if only to see what lay beneath Jules' adorably shy demeanour. But tonight, Carmen planned on taking the road less travelled, and having a second liaison with a previous partner.
In the glass in front of her, she caught sight of an approaching reflection. A smooth, Parisian-accented voice pronounced her name.
"Mademoiselle Carmen Sandiego. Fancy meeting you here."
"Monsieur Anton de Richet," she replied. "Fancy meeting you indeed."
She turned towards the Frenchman and met his warm smile with one of her own. The pair of them swiftly hugged one another, sharing cheek-to-cheek kisses. Anton was the French embassy's Deputy Head of Mission, and had served in that post for the past year. Carmen had first met him six months prior to that in Dakar, where he was overseeing the return of various cultural artefacts from French museums to the Senegalese government. There had been an attempted theft of the artefacts in question, orchestrated by Dash Haber. Carmen had thwarted that operation, and while it had never been her intention to involve Anton directly in that caper, he had joined her efforts and proven himself a more than capable ally. Before leaving Senegal she took him up on his offer of an evening drink. She found him clever, educated and extremely charming, and the two had wound up spending the night in his bedroom at the embassy in Dakar. She recalled the experience quite pleasantly.
Stepping back from their greeting, she looked him up and down. While she wouldn't call him conventionally handsome, there was something strikingly attractive about his roguish features. The midnight blue suit that he wore was off-the-rack rather than designer, but it nonetheless looked good on him. Like herself, she knew that he kept in shape through a dedicated fitness routine, and she looked forward to reacquainting herself with his body before the night was over. He returned her gaze, his eyes wandering over her, lingering a little predictably upon her cleavage and the curve of her hips. She raised one eyebrow in a coy look, wordlessly asking if he was going to just keep staring all night, before she extended one hand towards him. Remembering his etiquette, Anton took her gloved hand and placed a gentle kiss upon it.
"It is good to see you again," he said with clear fondness. "I wish I'd known you were coming. I suppose those arrests two nights ago and a stolen sarcophagus being inexplicably left at the museum should have been a clue that you were in town?"
"It was business that brought me to Cairo," she told him before taking another sip from her glass, "But given the time of year, I thought I'd stick around for a little pleasure. It's been a while since I last stayed at the Nefertiti."
"You have a room here?"
"I booked the Hatshepsut Suite. Thought I'd spare no expense for New Year."
"You'll find no greater luxury in Egypt, or so this place likes to claim."
Carmen finished her wine, placing down the empty glass. For a few seconds, silence hung between the two, waiting to be filled.
"Would you care for a dance?" Anton ventured.
"And here's me thinking you'd never ask," she replied just a little facetiously, taking his hand as he led her to the dance floor. A string quartet was playing a gentle waltz, and various other couples were already partaking. Carmen quickly fell into step with Anton's hand upon her waist. She was a very capable dancer, but it seemed that he was also very much in his element here, and she was happy to let him lead as they moved gracefully to the music. His deep brown eyes remained fixed on hers throughout, and despite her usually impeccable composure, Carmen felt the warmth of a blush creeping into her cheeks.
"I was quite certain that you'd be good at this," he whispered to her as he leaned close to her ear.
"I've had a lot of practice," she teased him back. "And it seems you have too."
"Well, I'd be a poor excuse for a diplomat if I couldn't navigate a formal dance."
"I hope we get to tango before the night is over."
By the time the waltz came to its end, Carmen's heart rate was up and her passions were stirred. Anton found them a table, where they sat and reminisced about their last meeting as the other guests partied on around them. Delicious wine flowed and inhibitions continued to lower. They chatted merrily about the exploits of the past year, while beneath the table their feet caressed one another in a provocative game. Hours fell off the clock until midnight arrived, and they welcomed in the New Year with a sweet, languid kiss. If Anton had any remaining doubts about Carmen's intentions towards him this evening, they evaporated at the sensuous touch of her ruby lips.
