"this whole thing was a set up, Carmen? why?" Asked Mariam as she gotten the last member of ACME out of the tower of babble and was confronting her girlfriend for the reason why she kidnapped all 12 members and lied to her. Carmen was impressed by how Mariam got all the pieces from her crooks and freed all of them but kept her ground, watching her face change from her usual love struck into the cold yet alluring stoic expression she had when they first met.

"Mari, i-"

"Call me Tiger Lily." She watched as Carmen winced from the iciness of her voice. "Tiger Lily, I am so sorry, I was afraid that you would leave me after you found out the truth.. I was damaged by those who I thought that loved me.. until, I met you." She began, looking deep into the agent's eyes. Carmen knew that she needed to let Mariam know the truth behind her actions and what happened on the day the two of them met.

"When I first met you, I.. I was frozen, I couldn't move. I wanted to know if I was hallucinating because I thought god sent an angel with hair of night and eyes of honey.. you defeated all the henchmen that came at you with the grace and agility of a tiger but with the beauty of a lily flower. I wanted to know you more, but then realized I couldn't due to us living in different worlds. So, I used Isabella to try to talk to you and when I heard you talk to me, giving me that damn beautiful smile, I just fell deeper in love with you, to the point I would give myself up for you no matter the consequences." She said, not realizing that some of ACME'S agents were tape recording everything along with the chief and chase listening.

"When you told me what happened to agent raven and your mother, I was angry and shocked that you witnessed their deaths caused by your ex.. I wanted to go back in time and save you from ever seeing what happened, but.. when you added that Chase was the one who saved you, I was relieved to hear that. I then realized that you stopped falling in love because of what happened to your brother and you were afraid to fall in love due to that fact. After your ex attacked me, you were the first to see me in the hospital in a state of panic and after making sure that I was ok, you dealt with your ex accordingly." Chase was frozen, seeing Carmen like that in front of them all.

"I wanted to test your loyalty and devotion to me, but I didn't expect this.. I'm sorry, Mariam. Really, I am.." Mariam watched as the super thief kept apologizing to the agent before she walked over to Carmen and hugged her, refusing to let her go. "I forgive you, Carmen. Don't lie to me again, ok?" She asked as the leader of VILE nodded, kissing her as she happily kissed back. "Wait.. your dating Carmen Sandiego!?" Said Renee Santz as she stared in disbelief. "What do you think, Sherlock?" Snapped Mariam as the super thief laughed. "At ease, Mohini." She said, earning a blush from the Indian before she raised her grappler up to a jet above them. "We'll make ACME be afraid of us. I'll see to that." She added, grappling upwards.

They went up into the jet and flew away. "Hey, Carmen?"

"Hmm?"

"I have been thinking of what you said, about VILE needing a second leader." This sparked her interest. "Go on.."

"Well.. I'm joining you not as your henchwoman but as the second leader of VILE as of today." Carmen landed the jet and looked at her. "Are you joking, Mari!?" She said with a smile as Mariam giggled. "Nope. I'm dead serious, my love." Carmen happily pounced on her, wrapping her arms around her neck. "You don't fucking know how much this means to me, Mari.. I love you." Mariam smiled and hugged her. "I love you too, my crimson angel." The two women left the jet and went into VILE central. The henchwomen and men immediately backed away, seeing the former ACME agent who had beat them up when they came at her.

Mariam smiled at their fear before she went up to the dressing room to change out of her white catsuit and into something she found. Carmen was waiting for her beautiful girlfriend to come out as she looked at Mariam's badge. She smirked before turning towards one of her henchmen, Mel Ancholy and tossed her badge at him. "I want you to hide this in one of your instruments anywhere you like, but make it hard for them to find. Keep your eyes peeled incase of an ambush." She said as he caught it. "Sure boss, but why do you have Tiger Lily's badge?" He asked as she grinned. "You'll see when your second leader of VILE comes out." She said before the door opened and noticed a beautiful lotus blossom standing before her..

Mariam's long ebony black locks were in mermaid waves with curtain bangs, her honey brown orbs were framed with black and soft earthy brown and golden pigment as her lips were colored a deep yet rich raspberry red. She had found a dress that she thought that Carmen would like.

She had found a pair of earrings that were a red shade and put on the ring that Carmen gave her the day when she was attacked as it rested on her middle finger. Carmen's jaw dropped as she looked at Mariam with a lovestruck gaze. "Tiger Lily's is the second leader!?" Mariam giggled before wrapping her arms around her neck, feeling her lover's hands resting on her hips. "Now do you understand?" She asked, watching as Mel nodded and quickly left. "I also thought of my new code name, Carmen." She added, looking at the thief who had stolen her heart. "What is it, Mari?" She asked.

"Say hello to... Tempest."

"A wild and destructive storm?"

"Yes."

"It fits you since you were a wild badass when you fought half of VILE back when you were a ACME agent." She said before the two kissed again that day. Tempest was happy to be with her girlfriend as the second leader of VILE central and yet she was confused about what Carmen said to her. What did she mean by making ACME scared of her? She sighed gently, knowing that was not her concern. She would find out sooner than she might've thought.