Her last known whereabouts: the world's transportation system. Over the last 30 years or so, airports and train stations around the world have adopted roughly the same set of sign pictures to assist their evermore international flow of passengers. The international transportation-related symbols can help you tell a denwa from a zōn. Or they did until today when Patty Larceny made a mad dash through every airport in the world and stole all the symbols. She also wrapped up a huge load of frequent flyer miles. Gumshoes, here's your job: capture Carmen, put Patty in the pokey, and bring back those symbols...
His last known whereabouts: the nation of Indonesia. Since the early Middle Ages, Indonesia has been famous for its spices. Ginger, cinnamon, saffron, and most important of all, pepper. The Dutch and the Portuguese invaded these islands in search of spice and occupied them for hundreds of years. Now, Indonesia is independent, but spice is still big business there. Just about all the pepper, consumed in the USA, comes from the Indonesian island of Java and Sumatra. Or it did until today when Top Grunge decided to do a little shopping. He roared through Indonesia and stole every last grain of spice in the rice, I mean, price. Gumshoes, you've got to stop that felonious flimball and solve today's case...
Their last known whereabouts: Cannes, France. In 1946, Cannes began hosting the world famous International Film Festival. Each May, movie insiders from around the world converge in Cannes Palais des Festivals. Hundreds of new films are screened. The careers of many famous directors have been advanced here, from Francǫis Truffaut to Lina Wertmüller to Spike Lee. But the flicks stopped flickering today when Double Trouble boogied along the bagged the festival. They want to turn the palais into a drive-in movie. Gumshoes, your job is to drub Double Trouble, keelhaul Carmen, and answer Cannes anxious question...
Her last known whereabouts: Mboro, Senegal. Just outside of the oceanside town of Mboro lies a small body of water called Lac Rose. Its name means pink lake in French. Here's why: the lake is a cloudy pink, not blue like the nearby ocean. The strange hue comes from the lake's heavy concentration of salt. Many local workers make their living from the lake, extracting salt or selling it. Or they did until today when Patty Larceny, who adores anything pink, cruised up to the shore, activated her VILE ShopVac, and drained the lake dry. Gumshoes, you've got to corral Carmen and polish off...
Her last known whereabouts: the Indian Ocean. The Earth's crust is made of cold rigid rock, but just because it's solid doesn't mean it stays in one place. The crust in made of 20 or so massive slabs called tectonic plates. The plates float on a layer of molten rock. Their constant movement causes earthquakes and volcanoes and even shifts continents. Take the Indo-Australian Plate for example. Its movement detacthed Australia from Antarctica around 95 million years ago, then just 28 million years ago, it pushed up the Himalayan Mountains. Well, today, tectonic movement got a lot faster because Sarah Nade, using the sonic rumblings of her band music, blasted the Indo-Australian plate loose, gave it the hook, and dragged it away. Gumshoes, you have to undo...
Her last known whereabouts: Mongolia and China. You want to know about dry, I'll tell you about dry. The Gobi is the world's largest desert, that's dry. It's in the center of Asia, so it's extra far from ocean waters and the mountain ranges surrounding the Gobi keep moist air from getting in, now we're talking dry here. The thin grasslands, on the outskirts of the desert called steps, only get about 10 inches of rain a year. Now how's that for dry? Well, today, Kneemoi sucked up every last grain of the Gobi. She had a light dinner today, so she decided to follow it with a big desert. Gumshoes, you've got to crack today's case...
You'd better move anyway. Go to the United States. Take the desert to a landlocked state where the Red River forms its southern border. This state has the largest Native American population in the USA. Hide the Gobi in the Arbuckle mountains.
His last known whereabouts: the East River in New York City. Completed in 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge is an architectural and engineering masterwork. It linked two of America's biggest cities: New York and Brooklyn. These days, Brooklyn is part of New York City and the bridge is a vital artery. Every day, nearly 130,000 people drive on the bridge or walk or bike the elevated promenade. Until today, that is. Every crooked salesman dreams of selling the Brooklyn Bridge and Vic wants to be the first to succeed, so today, using his criminal cutting torch, he detached the bridge from its massive mooring and wafted it away. Gumshoes, you've got to vaporize Vic, catch Carmen, and bring back...
Her last known whereabouts: the legends of ancient Greece. And speaking of the legends of ancient Greece, here's one of my faves: Greece and Troy fought a 10-year war. Just as the Greeks were about to lose, they came up with a plan. They built a huge wooden horse, left it outside Troy's city gate, and scooted. The Trojan assumed the horse was a token of surrender. They hauled it in and partied. When the party was over, 50 Greeks hiding inside the horse snuck out and opened the city gates. The Greek army stormed Troy and burned it to the ground. Fact or fiction? No one knows. But one thing's for sure, the Trojan horse is gone because today, Kneemoi tweaked the time-space continuum and time warped into ancient Troy. She said hi to the horse, gave him the eye, then used her Roddenberrian resources to zap him out of there. Gumshoes, you've got to solve...
Her last known whereabouts: the town of Chichicastenango, Guatemala. Just outside this lovely market town lies Atitlán Volcano, one of three volcanoes that surround Lake Atitlán. The lake is about 5,000 feet up in the Sierra Madres, and Atitlán Volcano rises 6,000 feet higher. The volcano hasn't had a major eruption in more than 100 years, but that doesn't mean the volcano's dead. The crater still smokes and steams regularly. Or it did until today when Eartha Brute chugged through Chichicastenango, looked across the lake, and absconded with Atitlán. Gumshoes, you've got to return Atitlán to Atitlán, bust Eartha and Carmen, and wrap up today's case...
Their last known whereabouts: Washington, D.C. The J. Edgar Hoover Building is national headquarters of the FBI. Named after the bureau's most famous director, it's the heart of the FBI's fight against terrorism, kidnapping, extortion, and organized crime, and every day, thousands of visitors come to see exhibits and target-shooting demonstrations. But this morning, Double Trouble turned on their vacuum and hoovered up the Hoover Building. Oh, dear, how embarrassing. It's the size of a city block and they want to throw the biggest block party ever. Gumshoes, you've got to capture Carmen and halt the J. EDGAR HOOVER MANUEVER!
Her last known whereabouts: Crystal Falls, Michigan. In 1988, scientists began a startling discovery in a forest near Crystal Falls. They found one of the world's largest living organisms. It's called Armillaria bulbosa, a single giant fungus of intertwined tendrils and mushrooms. The fungus weighs over 100 tons, covers more than 35 acres. It's been growing for about 10,000 years and it hasn't stopped yet. But it was uprooted today when Eartha Brute, driving her fearsome fungus fetcher, plowed into the forest and took every last tentacle. Gumshoes, you got to unearth Eartha, reearth that fungus, and answer the question...
Her last known whereabouts: Chincoteague Island, Virginia. Chincoteague Island's fame come from a herd of wild ponies. Most of the year, the ponies live across the channel on nearby Assateague Island, but every July, ponies from Assateague wild herds are rounded up, driven across the channel to Chincoteague, and sold at auction. The ones that aren't sold swim back to Assateague the next day. This tradition dates back more than 65 years. Until today, that is when Patty Larceny crashed the auction with her Pony Patty Wagon and filched every foal and filly. Gumshoes, you got to ride to the rescue, pinch Patty, corral Carmen Sandiego, and put an end to...
His last known whereabouts: Vancouver, British Columbia. Vancouver's Stanley Park Cannon has been in place for 98 years, and every day at 9:00pm, it goes boom. (explosion) The tradition goes back to the turn of the century when the gun was used to tell fishermen it was time to bring their boats in. (explosion) Vancouver has grown a lot since then, but the 9 O'Clock gun still fires. Every morning, a city worker packs it with powder, and every night, an electric fuse wired to a clock sets it off. (explosion) Or it did until today when Robocrook subbed into Stanley Park. He scoped out the cannon, uncaged it, and carried it off. Gumshoes, you got to rope Robocrook and solve today's case...
Her last known whereabouts: Chicago, Illinois. Chicago style blues was popularized by performers like Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, and Willie Dixon, most of whom were former southerners. Blues music began in the south when African-American musician forged the styles from the spirituals, work songs, and ballads of the 19th century. Today in Chicago, you can still hear great blues musicians crank out the tunes. Stars like Buddy Guy, Koko Taylor, and Sunnyland Slim. Or you could until today when Kneemoi hit the Southside to take in some tunes. When Kneemoi gets into the music, she really gets into the music. She liked it so much she took it with her when she left. Gumshoes, you've got to stop the sad sound of...
Their last known whereabouts: West Africa. What reggae is to Jamaica, Juju is to the West African nation. A homegrown form of pop music. (music plays) Juju grew from the music of the Yoruba people. Band leaders, like Ebenezer Obey and King Sunny Ade, combined the talking drum patterns of the jungle with soft singing and electric and slide guitars. But today, those bopping bands fell silent because Juju music is gone. Double Trouble wailed into West Africa, turned up their VILE volume, and nabbed every note. Gumshoes, you got to derail that dastardly duo, rescue those rocking rhythms and answer today's musical question...
