A/N: I honestly don't know where this came from. I had an idea, and ran with it for a couple hours. XD

Accents and in-character characters is debateable. I have this as post-season two and is theoretically canon-compliant, but there could have been a single off-hand comment that derails my theory, so... yeah.

Player wasn't responding.

Carmen hadn't been too worried at first. They weren't on a caper, so they didn't need back-up. It had been a quiet week, really. And Player had to sleep sometimes.

But the day went on, and there was still nothing from Player. By evening, Carmen had given up trying to be subtle and sat at the counter with her laptop open. Zack and Ivy stood at her shoulders. Shadowsan wasn't in the room, but Carmen knew that he knew exactly what was going on.

Night came, and still nothing. Carmen told herself that Player would have alerted the team if he was in danger. Maybe his parents had finally forced him into a day off. Odd for Player to not alert her but, again, the team wasn't on a caper.

By the second day, Carmen gave up pretending. With her earpiece, hacking tricks from Player, and Shadowsan's observations, the team tracked down Player's last known location.

There was some hesitation on the next move. They had intentionally never tracked down Player for a reason. The four of them on the field were always in danger, but were used to being on the move and defending themselves.

Player, though… all of his work required a secure room, several computer monitors, and who knew what else. If his position was compromised to either VILE or ACME, where would that leave him?

Finally, everyone admitted that Player being AWOL for two days was cause enough to at least investigate. A few plane tickets -acquired the old-fashioned way- later, the gang was on their way to Ontario, Canada.

The drive was too quiet without Player chattering Niagara Falls facts in Carmen's ear. And she couldn't pull up any interesting tidbits, leading her to realize that this was her first caper -however unofficial- in Niagara Falls. Had Player done that intentionally?

"Are we sure this is where he's at?" Zack asked, bringing Carmen to the present.

Carmen looked out the window of their rental car. They'd passed through the residential areas, and had reached a gloomier section of town. Most of the looming buildings seemed to be unoccupied warehouses.

"At the end of this street, we'll turn and his place should be in front of us," Carmen said, checking her map.

Zack kept driving, then reached the corner. Zack slammed on the brakes as all but Shadowsan gave a gasp.

Carmen had expected the warehouses to open into more houses, but this turn-off just led to one large warehouse. It was leaning with age and missing a fair section of roof. Half of the brick walls were blackened with smoke.

Shadowsan rolled down his window and inhaled. "It burned recently."

"Player was here three days ago," Carmen said as Zack found a nearby alley to pull into. "What was he doing in an old warehouse? Zack, Ivy, see what you can learn about the fire."

"And what are you-" Zack broke off as Carmen left the car. "Okay."

Keeping to the shadows, Carmen slipped down the street toward the warehouse. She couldn't see any signs of VILE or ACME, so she climbed through a smashed window.

The building was dark and reeked of smoke and mold. It creaked and groaned, giving the appearance of being alive. Somewhere, water dripped.

The warehouse was primarily a huge, open space with a few bricks or pieces of wood scattered around. Sun trickled through broken windows.

Carmen found stairs leading to smaller rooms in the upper section of the warehouse. She checked each room she crossed and listened for footsteps.

But there was nobody and nothing in the unburned area. The rooms had been picked clean, except for the occasional busted chair or soggy bundle of paper.

Carmen reached where smoke had stained the rocks. The wooden floor was weakened and sometimes missing entire sections, but she continued her search.

A dozen empty rooms later, Carmen was ready to admit that Player had some pretty fancy ways of hiding his location. She shook her head, unsure if she should laugh at being fooled or be more worried about Player's absence. She peeked into the final room and froze.

The room was not quite empty. Not compared to the rest of the rooms. This room had charred metal remains scattered on warped metal stands. Everything had been burnt beyond recognition.

Carmen activated her comm. "Player?"

Again, silence. Carmen slowly stepped into the room. The wreckage didn't mean anything. Maybe it was an accountant's office that hadn't been cleared ages before.

Carmen sighed and kicked a computer monitor that had fallen onto the floor. It shifted, revealing a less damaged section of floor and a bit of cloth. Carmen crouched and shoved the monitor aside. Her hand went to her mouth.

Sitting on the floor was a singed white hat.

"Player was definitely here," Carmen said, climbing into the car parked a few blocks away.

Zack startled. "Geez, Carm, are ya trying to give me a heart attack?"

Carmen was saved from responding when Ivy slid into the back seat.

"Okay, I got the scoop. Oh, hey, Carm."

"What happened?" Carmen asked.

"Some sort of electrical fire," Ivy said. "Some computers got left behind or something, and ignited. Fire chief said the fire burned hot, but nothing suspicious. Nobody's been there for years."

"Except Player," Carmen said, holding up Player's hat.

The siblings inhaled sharply.

"I didn't find any clues. Whoever burned the place was thorough," Carmen went on. "We'll have to look for VILE in the area."

"How are we supposed to do that without Playah?"

As if on cue, Carmen's comm crackled and Player's voice came through.

"Hey, Red, sorry I'm late. What did I miss?"

"Player?!" Carmen exclaimed, unable to stop herself. "Player, you're alright!"

"Uh… yeah? Didn't mean to vanish on you, I just had some… technical difficulties."

By then, everyone else had tuned into the conversation. Carmen and the siblings exchanged flustered looks. Shadowsan raised an eyebrow, which was really peak emotion for him.

Carmen flung her hands out in exasperation. "What about fire has anything to do with 'technical difficulties'?"

Player's pause was a second too long for his incredulous laugh. "What are you talking about, Red? And… uh, why are you guys in Ontario?"

"We tracked you down when you vanished for two days, Player," Carmen said. "Now stop avoiding the subject. That was your base burnt out, wasn't it?"

"Okay, yes, it was. But don't worry, I'm fine! It was an accident. I lost some equipment, but I'm all set up again."

"I thought you did all your stuff from home," Zack commented.

Again, Player paused for a second too long. Carmen hadn't thought about Player's location too much, but she suddenly had questions.

"I see you found my hat," Player said.

"Yeah, how did you know?" Carmen shook her head. "Don't change the subject, Player. Are you safe?"

"Yep, home sweet home…"

Carmen didn't like his hesitation. "Player, where are you?"

"Get out of the car," Player instructed.

Carmen stepped onto the cracked pavement. They were in a dark alley with newspapers blown into the corners. Warehouses with boarded-up windows and missing bricks lined three sides of the car.

"Now, look up."

Carmen tipped her head back. Just more missing bricks, busted windows, and the cloudy sky.

Then, from the building on the left, a brown-haired head poked out of a high window.

"Hey, Red," Player said, voice coming from Carmen's comm and the window.

"Make yourselves comfortable," Player said a few minutes later. "Well, as comfortable as you can. No chairs."

Carmen stepped into the… "apartment" was being generous. This room was larger than Player's original, but dim and sparse. A computer sat on the floor across from the door around a tangle of wires. A box spilling odds-and-ends sat in a corner. There was a cot along the left wall.

Carmen looked at Player. Ages had never really been brought into their conversations, but Carmen realized Player was the youngest out of all of them. He was also the shortest by at least five inches. He wore just a tattered red shirt, blue shorts, and sneakers, despite the chill in the air.

"I had to move fast," Player explained, going to the box and digging through it. "I saved what I could, and destroyed the rest."

"The weirdly hot fire… that was you?" Ivy asked.

"Couldn't have anyone picking through whatever survived and finding our secrets." Player shrugged. "I'll get some replacements soon. And a better place for this."

Player slid his fingers under a floor board. Carmen heard a tiny click, then Player removed the board.

"A proper safe is the first thing on the list," Player said, lifting the VILE drive from its hiding place.

"Player," Carmen said. "What is this place?"

"Secondary base," Player said. He replaced the hard drive and stood. "I kept tabs on this room in case I had to ditch my normal place. Good idea, huh?"

Carmen didn't respond. She was too busy studying Player's shadowed, bloodshot eyes.

"When was the last time you slept?" Carmen asked.

"Last night," Player startled her by saying.

"Uh, huh." Zack leaned against the wall. "Ivy pulls this all the time. Playah, how long did you sleep?"

"Uh…"

"Two hours?" Zack offered.

Player winced. "One?"

Zack dropped the act and his arms. "Woah, that's not healthy."

"I had to get stuff into place," Player said. "It took a whole day to rig up the old place, half a day to move, and the rest of the time getting everything set up." Player grinned. "But I'm ready to go!"

"Ready to fall asleep on your feet," Carmen said. "Come on, we'll take you home."

Player's eyes widened. "Uh, there's no need."

"We don't have any capers going on, and I'd rather you took care of yourself." Carmen shrugged. "And we've already come this far."

"No, really, I don't need a ride," Player said.

"We'll be careful," Carmen said.

"N-no, that's fine." Player ran a hand through his hair. "Really, I don't…"

Carmen silenced him with a look. "Where do you live, Player?"

"Here," Player said weakly.

"Here?" Carmen repeated. She glanced around, as though there was a house hidden in the shadows. "Where here?"

"Right here," Player said more strongly. "Like I said: home sweet home."

The room was silent for a solid five seconds.

"You live here?!" Zack demanded.

"Hey, don't insult my place," Player said.

"You live here?" Carmen narrowed her eyes. "Alone?"

"Lots of quiet to work with, except for the occasional exploding fuse box," Player said.

"Player." Carmen knelt and put her hands on Player's shoulders. "Where are your parents?"

Carmen's stomach clenched when Player averted his gaze. His eyes flashed with sorrow, but that was his only emotion.

"Player." Carmen's voice was a whisper now. "How long have you been alone?"

"Six years." Player hunched his shoulders. "Unless you count my first ten years in the orphanage."

"Oh, little bro." Ivy knelt beside Carmen and rubbed Player's arm. "What happened to your parents?"

"From what I've learned, my parents were criminals." Player's shoulders rose higher. "I was in the backseat of their car when their last getaway went wrong, and somehow survived the wreck. Nobody had known I existed until then. Nobody even knows my real name. There wasn't any next of kin, so I got dumped in the closest orphanage and was forgotten."

Player said everything in a fairly bland voice, but Carmen could see the pain in his eyes. She moved before she could think, simply grabbing Player and sweeping him against herself.

Player gasped and stiffened, then relaxed. He gave a weary sigh, then leaned into the hug. It had to have been a long few days.

Carmen gave her own sigh. She knew the pain of not knowing her family. Player had been the one to talk her through it, and now Carmen wondered how often he'd used the same words for himself. Criminals or not, kids wanted their parents. And Player had been alone for so long…

"Red?" Player murmured when Carmen's fist clenched against his back.

"Zack and Shadowsan, pack this stuff up," Carmen said, standing. "Ivy, book us another ticket."

The siblings grinned widely and ran to their tasks. Shadowsan moved to aid Zacks' enthusiastic packing. Carmen stood in the middle of the room with Player, the only one who didn't seem to realize what was going on.

"Guys, I'm moving in not out," Player said as Zack scooped up the computer.

"You're moving in, but not here," Carmen said.

Player looked at her. "Huh?"

"Come on, Player," Carmen said, shaking her head. "You're the one who insisted I find a home base, even if it's way too large for the five of us."

Player blinked. "Five?"

"Do you really think we're just going to leave you here alone when we've got more rooms than we know what to do with?" Carmen held out her hand. "Now come on. Let's go home."

Player stared for a few seconds longer, then a huge smile lit up his face. He took Carmen's hand. "Yeah, let's go home."

A/N: I'm into the corny "let's go home" endings, okay? XD

Somehow, this fic was inspired by the wiki's implying that Player doesn't even have a real name.