Everyone settles in for the season finale.
(Opening)
Zari: Local authorities took the suspect into custody less than an hour ago. He was caught with an exact duplicate of the trunk Carmen Sandiego used to smuggle out the stolen masks. Except his trunk was filled with souvenir masks just like the ones Carmen's cronies used to distract us.
"You guys need critical thinking classes." Player says.
Chase: Perhaps it is a coincidence?
Zari: He was clearly creating a diversion to allow Sandiego to make a clean getaway with the real masks, until you put the brakes on her plan.
Zari grinds her teeth together seeing the mocking smirks turned her way.
Chase: Of course, I was just trying to entertain all possible angles.
Zari: You keep entertaining, Devineaux. I'll be in here, grilling our... suspect?
Chase: Oh, boy.
Zari: Where is he?
"The cleaners got there first." Gray says.
Chase: The scenario is quite familiar. I am guessing that the prisoner has been released without explanation, and that you will find the paperwork in order, yet with no clear chain of command to trace.
(We see the Cleaners driving a boat away with Neal relaxing in the back. We turn to London.)
"He's not going to be so relaxed when they hand him over to Bellum." Jean-Paul says.
Stanley: Morning, Mr. Braithwaite!
"Holy crap we know his actual name?" Player asks in surprise.
"That's useful." Carmen says.
Roundabout: Ah. Good morning, Stanley! I trust the missus is feeling better?
Stanley: Tip-top, Mr. Braithwaite. Case of the sniffles, it was.
Roundabout: I'm chuffed to hear it. And please, do call me Nigel.
Stanley: Yes, of course, Nigel... Sir.
Roundabout: Jolly good!
"That was the most British exchange I've ever heard in my life." Zack says.
"You're not alone." Sonia says.
(He enters his office and gets a call from Maelstrom.)
Maelstrom: Many thanks for mopping up our little mess in Venice, Roundabout.
Roundabout: Extracting Neal the Eel was no bother at all, Gunnar. The usual strings were pulled, no questions asked. A benefit of maintaining my ongoing masquerade here. Ah. It seems we have a Troll lurking under London Bridge.
"Evil Player's back." Ivy says.
"Hey don't call him that." Player whines pouting.
Troll: Trolls and bridges. I see what you did there, sir. Now watch while I serve up a side of Sandiego with your English breakfast. And, boom.
Roundabout: The Lady in Red has arrived in Londontown, which means she has taken our bait and will no doubt attempt to steal the Crown Jewels tonight before we do.
"The crown jewels? That's his goal?" Jules asks with wide eyes.
"That is an impossible heist." Carmen says.
"It's a trap." Sheena says.
"Yeah." Carmen says.
"You're going to walk right into it aren't you?" Antonio asks.
"Most definitely." Carmen tells him.
Cleo: She will? I mean, we are. Oh, they would go with so many of my outfits.
Roundabout: I am fully expecting our scarlet turncoat to waltz into the trap I've set, and be in police custody before Big Ben chimes at midnight. Then Deputy Director Nigel Braithwaite of British Secret Service will once again pull strings to have our prisoner released from jail directly into the hands of The Cleaners.
Maelstrom: Who will escort our little lost sheep back to VILE, where she belongs?
"Black Sheep may belong with VILE but Carmen doesn't." Carmen says firmly.
"Hey no worry's love, they won't get you back." Gray says.
Cleo: Wait, does this mean we are not stealing the Crown Jewels?
Roundabout: Patience, Countess. My schemes rarely travel a straight trajectory. After all, my code name is Roundabout.
"Change his name to Convoluted." Ivy says.
(Zack, Ivy, Shadowsan and Carmen are on a double decker bus.)
Zack: I haven't seen a single clown here in Piccadilly Circus.
"OW!"
Ivy: Wrong kind of circus, bro. We're passing through London's most famous traffic hub.
Zack: On the wrong side of the road.
"Americans." A few different voices say.
Carmen: If the ravens leave the Tower, the Kingdom will fall.
Shadowsan: It is atypically poetic for encrypted VILE chatter.
Player: It's part of the lore of the Tower of London, where you're headed. The impenetrable castle on the River Thames was built way back in 1078. It's been a fortress, a prison, and home to England's royal families. Not to mention, ravens.
"We should have a geography trivia quiz between Carmen and Player." Zack says.
"I wonder who would win." Ivy says looking at the two of them. Carmen and Player exchange a look and shrug.
Carmen: More famously, the Tower of London is where the Crown Jewels are kept. They're the actual historic crowns, scepters, and other regalia that British kings and queens have worn during their coronation ceremonies for centuries.
Player: Whoa. There are more than 100 individual items on display, including St. Edwards Crown, the most sacred, important piece in the collection.
"And we know exactly what they're going to steal." Chase says.
Carmen: That's right, Player. It's been used to crown all the kings and queens of England since 1911. It's made of solid gold and set with 444 gemstones.
Player: Which might explain the Tower's uniformed guards, in addition to its state-of-the-art security system. Though attempts have been made throughout history, the Crown Jewels have never been stolen.
"First time for everything." Sheena says.
(The team is standing by the Thames keeping an eye on the tower.)
Shadowsan: It is an impossible heist.
Carmen: If VILE's attempting it, they have an angle. Player's intel indicates they intend to hit before Big Ben chimes at midnight. So, why tonight?
Player: It's the 5th of November, a British holiday. Guy Fawkes Day, otherwise known as Bonfire Night. This guy, Guy Fawkes, attempted to blow up Parliament, in something called the Gunpowder Plot of 1605. His supporters believed he was resisting oppression from the British ruling class. So, he was considered a hero or a villain, depending on who you ask.
"Well that sounds familiar." Ivy says looking at Carmen.
Zack & Ivy: Hey! Sounds like someone we know.
Player: And get this, the festivities include fireworks and burning straw figures of Fawkes while wearing masks of his face.
Zack: Masks?
Ivy: Oh. Again?
"So the answer is yes, this entire season is based around masks." Gray says.
Shadowsan: It would be like VILE to use the chaos of Bonfire Night to distract from the heist.
Carmen: That still doesn't tell us how they plan to break in.
"If they plan to break in." Jules says.
Guide: This cheeky fellow is one of seven ravens who call the Tower home. But according to legend, if the ravens were ever to abandon their post here, the Crown and all of Britain would fall.
"I love weird superstitions." Player says.
"Same." Zack says and the two high five.
(Carmen and the crew are dressed as tourists, casing the place.)
Shadowsan: Excuse me, kind sir.
(Shadowsan distracts one of the guards so Carmen can sneak into the security room. She connects her lipstick flash drive to the system.)
Player: I'm in.
"It should not be that easy." Chase says.
"That, that is not easy. Carmen just makes it look easy." Sheena tells him.
(Carmen is spotted by a guard as she leaves.)
Carmen: That's not the loo.
Ivy: Sorry, bro. It's all they've got.
Zack: Am I supposed to eat or read? The fries, not the fish.
Ivy: They call them chips here, Zack. Fish and chips?
Zack: Then what do they call these?
Ivy: Crisps.
Zack: Hm! I'll take the crisps 'n chips. Hold the fish.
Think we could trick Zack into eating fish someday?" Gray asks.
"If you can cover the smell maybe." Player says.
Carmen: Something's weighing on your mind.
Shadowsan: Roundabout.
Carmen: VILE's double-agent in the British Secret Service.
Shadowsan: And the reason that any jailed VILE Operative disappears from custody. An impossible heist means greater possibility of capture. If you were to be arrested...
"You would be in VILE's hands within the hour." Shadowsan says.
Carmen: I might see The Cleaners before ever seeing the inside of a jail cell.
Player: Hey, Red!
Carmen: Hit me, Player.
Player: I just located some seriously embedded malware in the Tower's security system.
"The Troll." Antonio says.
Shadowsan: The Troll.
Player: Well, this Troll guy is good. Not only did he build a back door into the security grid, he programmed the entire system to go offline for exactly two minutes. Tonight at 11:00 p.m.
"It's a trap!" Sheena says.
"We know!" Carmen says.
Shadowsan: Before Big Ben chimes at midnight.
Carmen: Sounds like VILE did all the work for us. We'll just use their opening to beat them in and secure the Jewels before they can steal them.
Player: Two minutes to get in and out, with over a hundred pieces in tow?
Shadowsan: If you could take only one...
Carmen: The Crown Jewel of all Crown Jewels. St. Edwards Crown.
Player: Red, something else to consider. London is the most surveilled city in the world. CCTV cameras are everywhere, including the Tower's perimeter. We'll need to create a few blind spots if we're gonna sneak you in after hours.
"This might be the most complicated caper we've ever planned." Ivy says.
(The Troll is watching Carmen on his screen.)
Troll: London Bridge is falling down, my fair lady.
"Hey Red, is he what the internet people call... a neckbeard?" Player asks jokingly.
"No, he would be an incel, not a neckbeard." Carmen says.
Man: Remember, remember, the 5th of November!
"There's the mask." Zack says.
Carmen: Everyone in position?
Ivy: And in uniform.
"I think that's my favorite disguise so far." Ivy says.
Player: You're out of sight, Red. Let's keep you that way.
(Carmen uses her grappling hook to get up to the top of the wall. She slips inside and runs past a room where we see El Topo emerge from the floor. Carmen runs across the courtyard.)
"Oh I am there." Antonio says getting a bit nervous. Every time he gets involved in the story he ends up getting hit.
Carmen: I'm at the Jewel House.
Player: Thirty seconds to launch.
Ivy: And VILE's right on schedule.
(Shadowsan takes El Topo out quite easily.)
"I should have seen that coming." Antonio says.
"If it helps, I don't think you were there to get the crown." Carmen tells him.
Ivy: Operative down.
Carmen: There may be others.
Player: And... It's go time. One minute, 45 seconds. One minute, 30 seconds.
(Carmen sprints through the hallway to get to the room with the crown.)
Player: Red, something's wrong.
"I don't like this. Also, doesn't the episode seem to be moving pretty fast?" Gray asks.
"Yeah, the caper usually happens later and takes longer." Chase points out.
"There has to be a reason for it right?" Jules asks. Nobody is sure.
Carmen: Almost there.
Player: VILE's aborting! Everything's coming back online. Get out of there!
(The room seals itself off before Carmen can get out. Police come.)
"No!" Player shouts. On instinct Carmen wraps and arm around him pulling him into a hug.
Player: Shadowsan, the Troll knew I was in the system. Carmen never had a chance.
(The police rush in and when the doors open Carmen puts her hands up in surrender.)
"No clever escape this time?" Zari asks feeling a bit smug. Nobody bothered to reply.
Troll: Red Rat is boxed and ready for takeaway.
"That is easily the worst nickname I've been called in this entire show so far." Carmen says.
Zari: Carmen Sandiego was just taken into custody... in London.
Chase: That is terrible! That we were not the ones to make the arrest.
"Aww you care." Ivy says teasing him.
Zari: Chief's rerouting us there, we'll be on the ground in 20.
Roundabout: So this is the uncatchable Carmen Sandiego.
Carmen: He's the real thief. Arrest him.
(One of the cops jams his taser into her side.)
Player flinches and glares at the screen. Carmen rubs his back gently.
"It's okay, he's just doing his job." She tells him softly.
Roundabout: You're going where you belong. Everyone will be waiting up for you. Carry on.
(The police throw Carmen into the back of the police van sending it off.)
"There has to be something else going on, something we don't know about." Gray says anxiously. Carmen wouldn't fall into VILE's hands, it would be a catastrophe if that happened.
Guard: She never got near the Jewels, Mr. Braithwaite.
Roundabout: Forensics will be the judge of that.
"That's how he's going to get the crown." Jules says.
Troll: Alarm disabled. Overriding security cams. Security cam looping, and you're the invisible man.
(Roundabout replaces the crown with a fake.)
"VILE did it, they got the crown." Jean-Paul says.
"Hey it's not over yet." Sonia says.
Troll: And we return you to your regularly scheduled programming.
Roundabout: Jolly good show.
Crowd: Remember, remember, the 5th of November! Remember, remember, the 5th of November!
"Oh I don't think we're going to forget this anytime soon." Kyle says.
(Roundabout dons a mask and heads to Big Ben.)
Le Chevre: Up here. Bonsoir.
"And now it is my turn." Jean-Paul says.
Roundabout: A goat in the belfry? Brilliant.
Le Chevre: And El Topo, he is safe?
Roundabout: The Cleaners extracted our decoy from the Tower Grounds. A tad groggy, but fit as a fiddle. Now, do be gentle with this whilst ferrying it to the faculty, England's pride and joy, and all that rot.
"As if he cares. He is dishonorable, a traitor to his country." Hideo says.
Le Chevre: Au revoir.
Roundabout: Back to the old day job. Pity, you just missed the Jewels.
Shadowsan: I did not come here for the Jewels. I am here for Carmen.
Carmen smiles softly at her father figure.
Roundabout: I'm afraid she's likely well on her way back to VILE by now, ol' chum. Come to think, I never did get to thank you for your seat on the Faculty. If you hadn't gone and turned traitor, I might never have received the opportunity to plot this cracking little caper.
Shadowsan: I can assure you that you will never again plot another.
Roundabout: Right then. Let's see how she handles, Guv'nah!
(Roundabout draws a sword from his cane, he chases Shadowsan up the clock tower lunging at him as they go.)
"Dude has a sword in his cane and nobody has ever noticed that?" Zack asks.
Roundabout: Back in the day, I was captain of my fencing team at Oxford, you know.
Shadowsan: Back in the day, I was Yakuza.
"Posh British fencer versus Japanese mafia? Well I wonder which is more intimidating." Player says dripping in sarcasm.
(Shadowsan picks up a metal pipe and the two continue their fight. Chase and Zari are in London driving.)
Chase: Are you certain you do not wish me to drive?
"I'm sure." Zari says bluntly.
(Roundabout knocks Shadowsan's weapons away.)
Roundabout: You may want to mind the gap, ol' chum.
Officer: This is the London Police! You are under arrest!
Roundabout: Ah. Cavalries arrived. What's it going to be then? Plummet to your doom or surrender to the authorities? Which would, of course, be no different than surrendering to VILE.
"This is getting worse and worse as we go." Antonio says.
"Is season 4 going to start with a prison break?" Sheena asks.
"Seems likely at this rate." Kyle says.
Zari: Holding Room? Who authorized her release?
Bobby: Release? The prisoner never arrived.
"I'm sorry what?" Gray asks.
Roundabout: A pity that your little friend waltzed right into my trap, old chap. I'm afraid that I've won.
Officer: You are under arrest! Put down your weapon!
Roundabout: Not me, you git! Him!
(He turns back to see Shadowsan has vanished.)
"It's fun when you do that to other people." Carmen says.
Roundabout: Huh?
Officer: Nigel Braithwaite, surrender!
"Wait... the cops are after Roundabout?" Ivy asks.
"VILE operatives can not operate if you unmask them." Shadowsan says.
Shadowsan: Ask yourself, Roundabout. Who waltzed into whose trap?
Zack: Pip pip, and cheerio!
(Zack and Ivy were dressed as police officers driving the van.)
"OH!" Player shouts excitedly.
Shadowsan: Carmen was wise to your game.
Carmen: We have to assume VILE's watching our every move, so we'll need to put on an act.
Ivy: But if you know it's a trap, why walk into it?
Carmen: Because Roundabout's completely untouchable, unless we draw him out into the open.
"Okay, this is a good plan. Why did they have to make it seem like you got caught though?" Ivy asks.
"Dramatic tension." Carmen says.
Shadowsan: And the only way to do that is to allow him to think that he's won.
Shadowsan: She was one step ahead of you, at every turn.
Roundabout: Troll! Carmen Sandiego may be at large. Find her!
Troll: Can do. Bingo! She's in Trafalgar Square. Wait, no. Uh, Kings Cross? Hold on. She's all over London!
(Troll's screen glitches and Player's white hat insignia appears.)
"Take that you two bit script kiddy!" Player yells at the screen. Nobody really knows what he's talking about but let him enjoy his moment.
Player: Who's laughing now, Troll?
Troll: Oh, you think you're good? Game on.
"More like game over." Zack says.
Shadowsan: Your failure, Roundabout, was in making too many assumptions. You assumed that you were operating from shadow, but we were watching and we shared your crime with the rest of the world.
Roundabout: Poppycock! All of that is deniable. Fancy editing tricks and whatnot! You don't have any hard evidence linking me to anything!
"You left the crown with goat boy, he definitely lost it." Sheena says.
"Hey!" Jean-Paul shouts.
"Mate, we made a game out of picking your pockets in school. Carmen's the best, there's no way she doesn't get the crown from you." Gray says.
Shadowsan: Can you be certain of that?
Troll: Roundabout, good news. I now have a lock on the real Carmen Sandiego. Bad news, she just entered British Secret Service.
Roundabout: My office? What could she be possibly doing there?
"Planting the evidence we need to get rid of you." Carmen says smirking.
Shadowsan: Allow me to set the scene.
Le Chevre: Oof! Watch where you are going.
Carmen: Sorry, mate.
Player: Better hurry, Red. Not sure how long Shadowsan can keep Dapper Dan occupied up in the clock tower.
Jean-Paul pouts as the people around him chuckle at the scene.
Shadowsan: Contrary to your uninformed opinion, hard evidence does indeed exist.
Stanley: There really must be some explanation. Deputy Director Braithwaite is as upstanding as a...
Zari: You were saying?
"Hey you get to be useful." Player says.
(Chase see's Carmen take off on her glider.)
Roundabout: You were a decoy.
Shadowsan: And you are a pompous fool, who has just forfeited his ability to hide behind a mask of false decency.
Officer: Nigel Braithwaite, drop your weapon now!
Roundabout: Right then.
"Seeing him in handcuffs is satisfying." Gray says.
"Too bad he won't stay in them long. The cleaners are probably already on their way to get him." Carmen says.
(Roundabout is taken into custody, thrown into the back of the same van Carmen was earlier. Carmen and Shadowsan are sitting on a bench watching the fireworks.)
Ivy: Sorry, we're late, Carm.
Carmen: And?
Zack: The ravens are still there.
Ivy: England, saved!
Carmen: The world may debate whether Guy Fawkes was a hero or a villain, but the truth is finally out on one Nigel Braithwaite.
"VILE is still running but they lost an important game piece. That is a massive blow." Carmen says.
"Any hit that knocks VILE down a few pegs is worth it." Player says.
Shadowsan: And someday, the world will know the truth about you.
(Cut to ACME being dumb and useless)
Chief: Carmen Sandiego clearly allowed herself to be arrested to create a diversion so that Deputy Director Braithwaite could execute the real heist while seeing to it that Carmen never saw the inside of a jail cell.
"I lose brain cells every time you open your mouth." Player groans.
Chase: Uh, Chief, should we not consider the possibility that the stolen Crown was placed here by Carmen Sandiego because she wanted us to find it?
Chief: I need you to grill Braithwaite and determine how exactly she's connected to him.
"If I were you I wouldn't be ignoring the one person in the room with functioning brain cells." Sheena says snidely.
Zari: Zari. No. Not again!
(The cleaners are driving the police van. Meanwhile two ACME agents are working when the Chief calls on of them.)
"Hey they stole our plan." Ivy says.
Chief: Report! Has there been any sign of contact?
Male Agent: We've been monitoring him night and day for weeks, but nada.
"Monitoring who?" Carmen asks, her voice low and dangerous.
Chief: Well, I am officially all out of leads and patience. It's time to bring him in.
(We see their wall of screens observing Graham going about his day.)
(End)
"You keep your inept agents away from him." Carmen snaps turning to glare at Tamara. Gray scowls wondering what the heck she thinks she could possibly get from him. His future self has no memories of VILE and very little knowledge of Carmen, which annoyed him. He didn't care about forgetting VILE but they stole his memories of Carmen and that was unforgivable.
"Okay guys, you can talk more over lunch. Then after lunch you'll start season 4." Sera says.
"TACO TIME!" Zack shouts excitedly. Antonio chuckles, he follows Zack to the kitchen holding hands with Jean-Paul. CK goes with them to offer his assistance as well.
"I can't imagine what's up next." Gray says.
"Neither can I." Carmen says.