02x07 - The Crackle Goes Kiwi Caper

[bunniefuu]

[theme music playing]

♪ Where in the world
Is Carmen Sandiego? ♪

♪ Sandiego ♪

♪ Where in the world
Is Carmen Sandiego? ♪

Credentials, please.

[beeping]

Thank you, General.

[Shadowsan] As you were.

- Player, Red Hat is in Red Square.
- [Player] Glad to hear the IDs worked out.

The server vault's on sublevel four.

If our intel is accurate,
VILE could already be inside.

[grunts]

Whoo! Easy-peasy.

Neal the Eel to Dr. Bellum.
I'm in.

Server located.

[Dr. Bellum] Well done, Neal.
You might make Faculty yet.

Well, I hear there's an opening.

And you know how much I enjoy
worming my way into those.

- [beeping]
- [Neal] Searching database.

And Bob's your uncle.

[Dr. Bellum] I have seven uncles,
none of whom are named Bob.

It's just a turn of phrase, love.
Means "I found it."

Then say that. I'm a scientist.

Colorful vernacular
only serves to confuse me.

- [beeping]
- [Neal] Download complete.

Is that direct enough for you?

Do svidaniya, comrades!

- I will take the Eel.
- I'll take the server.

[Carmen] Player, uplink's live.

See if you can retrace Neal's slimy trail.

Ah, Instructor Shadowsan.

When they told me
you defected over to the red side,

I didn't realize they meant Russia.

I will take the data.

You will try.

Butterfingers! [laughs]

- [grunts]
- Oh, pretty slick.

- But I'm slicker!
- [grunts]

- Aah!
- Hey, get a grip!

Do you mind if I vent?

[coos]

[Shadowsan growls]

[hammer banging]

It took some serious decrypting,
but I pinpointed what VILE was after.

Technical specs for an experimental
electromagnetic pulse generator,

codenamed, "Trip Wire."

The Russian government attempted to design
the next generation of EMP device,

long-range with ultimate
pinpoint accuracy.

Attempted to?

Yep. They couldn't cr*ck it,
so Trip Wire was shuttered.

Dr. Saira Bellum thrives
on solving the unsolvable.

And if she manages to engineer
a working prototype from the stolen plans,

VILE will possess the means of disabling
any electrical grid in the world

from anywhere at any time.

As in cause instant blackouts?

Create power outages
that would shut down security systems

and allow VILE
to steal from the cover of darkness.

Sounds like the ultimate crackle rod.

Any chance the electrician
formally known as Crackle is involved?

Crackle has no memory

of ever being associated with the Villains
International League of Evil.

My old classmate Gray
suffers from amnesia,

which we now know
was caused by Dr. Bellum.

Fair enough. So, what's the caper?

What else?

We disable Bellum's prototype
before she can use it

and delete the plans
so she can't rebuild it.

Judging from the involvement
of Neal the Eel,

Dr. Bellum's base of operations
for this project

would most certainly be
her laboratory in New Zealand.

Yes! Back to Australia!

Throw another shrimp on the barbie, mate!

Dudes, New Zealand is actually
a completely different country.

Hold on.
It's not the capital of Australia?

- Pfft, news to me.
- You sure?

They're both down under.

Technically, I guess.

But, yeah, I'm sure.

[Shadowsan] I must caution you.

The laboratory
is Dr. Bellum's highest security facility.

Shadowsan's not kidding.

I just pulled it up
on the VILE hard drive.

The place is a fortress.

To even get near Bellum's computer lab,

you'd have to cross
a series of four electrical fields

with a fail-safe.

If more than one field is deactivated
at any given time,

the entire building goes into lockdown.

But we have our own ninja.

Ninjas can go anywhere they want, right?

Moving unseen among shadow is one thing.

Passing through high-voltage electricity,
entirely another.

Bellum's lab does have one vulnerability.

It draws all its power
from a nearby electrical substation.

If we get into the substation,

we can manually shut down the fields,
grid by grid.

So, my movements would need to be
perfectly synchronized, like a dancer.

Or else, crispy fried Carmen.

What's the problem?

Player has wicked awesome gamer reflexes.

We can't risk the server lag

or any voltage spikes
that might blow a fuse.

We would need someone on site
who really knows their electric.

Crackle was the finest
criminal electrician VILE ever had.

Gray's out of the game.
We can't pull him back in.

Not even to play for the good guys?

We know he has stage lighting experience.

Whoa, are we breaking into a lab
or putting on a show?

If Bellum were to lay eyes on Gray,
his safety would be compromised.

Two completely different
locations, remember?

Problem solved.

[sighs] All right.

We'd need a cover story.
Gray can't know what he's actually doing.

- What?
- How do we pull that off?

Like you said, Ivy, we put on a show.

[Player] Located way down
in the southern hemisphere,

New Zealand is made up of two main islands
and about smaller ones.

[Carmen] The country is so remote,

it was actually one
of the last land masses on our planet

settled by humans.

[bleats]

[Player] Whoa! And sheep, apparently.

About million sheep
live on the islands.

[Carmen] You're not pulling the wool
over our eyes.

[bleats]

[Carmen] That amounts
to nearly six sheep for every Kiwi.

- [Player] The fruit?
- [Carmen] No, the people.

New Zealanders proudly refer
to themselves as "Kiwis,"

named after the native flightless bird
that's their national symbol.

[Zack] So you're saying New Zealand
really isn't in Australia?

[Carmen] That's right, Zack.
It's its own country.

Over , miles southeast
of the Australian continent.

- Then why are we flying to Australia?
- To wrangle our electrician.

You're late.

Fashionably, I hope.

I'm sorry I stood you up, Gray.

- Um, it's...
- Graham. Right.

Look, I was called away on business
at the last minute.

What kind of business?

I run an international charity
for abandoned children.

In fact, that's the reason
I came to see you today.

Oh?

I am sponsoring a big fundraiser
in Auckland, New Zealand, this week.

Selections from Swan Lake.

Tchaikovsky.

I've lit a few Russian ballets
at the old Sydney Opera House.

Fortunately for me,

our lighting technician dropped out,
and I'm hoping you can help.

On one condition.

You have that cuppa with me afterwards.

I'll have the foundation
book you a flight.

[Carmen] All right, crew, let's review.

We fly into Auckland,
New Zealand's largest city,

which happens to boast
its most famous skyline,

thanks to the Sky Tower.

Dr. Bellum's lab
is located just outside city limits,

not that Gray will ever know it exists.

He'll be doing his part entirely
from the nearby electrical substation,

which we will lead him to believe

is the backstage entrance
of the children's theater.

This way, VILE never sees Gray,
and Gray never sees VILE,

the reason we opted
to have Shadowsan remain at HQ.

[gasps] He's waiting for the cable guy?

[chuckles] No.

Gray only knows Shadowsan
from his time at VILE Academy.

Who knows what hidden memories

spotting the face of any VILE instructor
could trigger?

And we can't risk awakening
any memories or criminal impulses,

especially not while Carmen's fate
is in Gray's hands.

[Carmen] Gray will operate
a lighting board from his control booth,

shutting down Bellum's
surveillance cameras and security systems,

including the notorious electrical fields,
one by one and in sequence,

all while under the illusion
that he's controlling the stage lighting

of a live theatrical performance
of Swan Lake.

[Player] His cue sheets will be timed
to a prerecorded ballet,

the one you'll be hearing in your earpiece

as you pirouette your way
through Bellum's gauntlets.

[Carmen] As a safety net,

Gray will be in constant communication
with the stage manager of the ballet,

an efficient but friendly Kiwi
we'll call "Peter."

[in New Zealand accent]
Hello, guys. Peter here.

[Carmen] And when the show's over?

[Player] We tell Crackle
the crowd's demanding an encore

and have him switch off the grids
in reverse order

so our swan can take flight.

Graham, ready to rock?

Anything for the kiddos.

Good. Curtain's at :,
and I'm needed in wardrobe.

- [electricity crackling]
- [machines whirring]

[Dr. Bellum]
Tonight is the night, Neal.

We are nearly ready to beta test.

[knuckles cr*ck]

- [beeps]
- Cue music.

[orchestra tuning instruments]

[in New Zealand accent]
Okay, Graham, you're on.

[Player] Remember,
timing is everything.

[lock clicks]

- [lock clicks]
- Player, Red Swan is in.

- En route to secure sublevel.
- [elevator dings]

[elevator dings]

[electricity crackling]

Red Swan has arrived at shock corridor.

- Copy that.
- [switch clicks]

[in accent] Okay, fade up center stage
on "Dance of the Little Swans."

Opera, ballet...

Here's hoping the next gig
involves stadium rock.

["Dance of the Little Swans" playing]

[crowd applauding]

[sighs]

A nearly electrifying performance.

[beeps]

[Carmen] And we're live.

[Player] Okay, searching
for Project Trip Wire files.

- [computer chirps]
- Located.

Scrubbing database.

And goodbye stolen tech.

Off to find Bellum's prototype.

Of all the sheep in New Zealand
to wander in,

it had to be a black sheep.

[Carmen grunts]

- Aah!
- Remember me? Neal.

You were the island mascot.

- And I was class of... Oh!
- [grunts]

How did you slip in here anyway?

You part eel?

Player, time for that encore.

[Carmen grunts]

[groans]

[in accent] Okay, Graham, curtain call
for "Dance of the Little Swans."

Already?

[Player] I know, right?
Crowd's going wild!

[music continues]

[Carmen grunts]

[grunting] Are you mad?
You'll fry us both!

[Carmen grunts]

[electricity crackling]

Hold faders now.

[in accent] Graham,
lock faders in current position.

Wait, what?

I'd stay put
unless you wanna be an electric eel.

Slick.

[static crackling]

Peter, there's something wrong
with my feed.

[Player]
Technical difficulties, mate.

Please stand by.
And don't touch those faders.

- [static crackling]
- [crowd applauding]

Wait. Is this a recording?

Why have I been lighting
a pre-recorded performance? Peter?

[in accent] Uh, there's a perfectly
logical explanation.

Just sit tight, Graham.

Graham?

Neal, we are ready to launch.

Neal?

Oh, where did that sea snake
slither off to?

Carmen!

Must be the main stage.

Player, I'm warm. How's the ballet?

Uh, on indefinite intermission.
Our lighting tech walked.

What?

[Player] Zack and Ivy
are combing the grounds for him.

Find him.
I'm too close to turn back now.

Uh... Bob's your uncle?

And who would be my auntie?

Carmen Sandiego.

And she took off that way.

Carmen? Carmen?

Red alert! We have an intruder!

[Gray] Carmen?

[Dr. Bellum] Sandiego!

Uh... [grunts]

- What kind of concert hall is this?
- Experimental.

If that's the game she wishes to play,
raise the sphere.

[Dr. Bellum] Carmen Sandiego
will surrender,

or tonight will come to be known as
the night the lights went out in Auckland.

[weapons power up]

Stay down.

[grunts]

[Carmen grunting]

[grunts]

Thought you could give
old Neal the slip, eh?

[both grunting]

Little known fact:
this eel has quite the grip.

[grunts]

- [electricity zapping]
- Aah!

[groaning]

You don't run a children's charity.

I'll explain over that coffee.

Zack, Ivy, bring the car.
Graham's ready for pickup.

Uh, Carm, we may have a bigger problem.

[electricity crackling]

[Dr. Bellum over PA]
Carmen Sandiego,

surrender, or I will discharge
an electromagnetic pulse

from my very own Sky Tower,

one that will disable
every shred of technology in Auckland.

Hospitals, emergency services,

air traffic control
will all be in disarray.

Only you can avert this disaster
by turning yourself in.

Carmen, who is that?

Do you recognize the voice?

Don't think so.
But what are we gonna do?

- [Carmen] Afraid of heights?
- What? No.

Hang on tight, don't let go.

[Gray screaming] Crikey!

Can you deactivate it?

I... I'm just a lighting tech.

What makes you think I know anything
about industrial-grade electric?

It's a hunch. Roll with it.

I don't even know what I'm looking at.

[sighs] It won't blow up
in our faces, will it?

Focus and hurry.

I just don't...

Oh, wait, what's this?

That oughta do it.

- [machine powering down]
- [alarm blaring]

Do you trust me?

[groans] Hang on tight, don't let go?

[Gray] Crikey!

Very well, then.

Lights out, Auckland.

And Bob's your uncle.

[exhales] This glider
isn't designed for two.

We're going down like a kiwi?

- Flightless bird, national symbol of...
- Brace yourself.

[both grunting]

[groaning]

Gray?

Gray?

It's Graham.

So, how did you know
how to sabotage that device?

It just felt very familiar.

You ever get déjà vu?

Carmen, I have to know...

are you a spy?

Part of some kind of secret service?

I do provide a service, and it is secret,

so, yeah, something like that.

But we are the good guys?

Absolutely.

Only, you need to forget
this ever happened.

Pfft, no one would believe me anyway.

I wired funds to your account
for your help.

What? H-How could you possibly get
my bank account number?

Crikey!

Carmen, I can't accept this.

You are a cheeky one.

[Player] So, Gray figured out
there's more to Carmen than meets the eye.

Wasn't too hard, but I'm convinced
he has zero memory of VILE.

And we thankfully managed
to pull off our little caper

without VILE ever laying eyes on Gray.

[Zari] This surveillance was obtained
less than an hour ago

in Sydney, Australia.

Find out everything you can
about Carmen's friend.

He may be of some use to us.

[theme music playing]