Countess Cleo is a faculty member of V.I.L.E Academy.
She is also a criminal mastermind who teaches students at V.I.L.E. Academy how to act like high-class people, as well as art forgery and how to tell the difference between authentic artifacts and fakes.
Appearance
Countess Cleo is a fairly young woman with dark skin and short black hair. She wears an extravagant green gown, large hoop earnings, and black and gold make-up.
Personality
Countess Cleo has a high opinion of herself, is rarely willing to dirty her hands, and uses sophistication as a useful tool for manipulation of others in lower classes.
In terms of participation, she mostly keeps to herself during faculty meetings, rarely speaking to the others in favor of letting them discuss the matters with each other.
There appears to be a small rivalry between Countess Cleo and Professor Maelstrom as shown in "The Fishy Doubloon Caper." Maelstrom mentions wanting to melt down the doubloon for new cufflinks in order to make the Countess envious. This suggests that the Countess desires to be the first to have anything remotely fashionable and is easily envious of others for that reason.
There is the suggestion of a mild crush on The Duke of Vermeer (Zack) as she mentions how relieved she is that the "charming" Duke was not the culprit of the theft at the Vermeer auction like she had thought he was.
Cleo is also a very serious woman and very fond of herself. By the time of Carmen's enrollment, Cleo stated she was not very thrilled due to Black Sheep’s lack of manners in class.
History
According to the tie-in novel, 'Who in the World is Carmen Sandiego?', Countess Cleo is Egyptian. Likely named after Cleopatra, the last Pharaoh of Ancient Egypt.
Having been one of the five members of V.I.L.E. Academy who contributed to Black Sheep's upbringing, she was one of the four members who supported her admission to V.I.L.E. Academy. Initially, she had opposed Black Sheep joining, stating that she would not want Black Sheep's unruly nature to disrupt her class, but the Countess is quickly won over and votes to allow her in anyway.
During the hard-drive incident, Cleo voiced that Black Sheep must be punished.
Since Carmen left the island, Cleo had been collecting 33 of the 34 paintings of Vermeer. The only one she hadn't stolen was 'Woman in Blue Reading a Letter'.
Carmen stole the painting herself in order to steal the remaining paintings back. Cleo extended an invitation to her dinner party to Zack, who was thought to be the Duke, an accomplice of the mysterious Duchess, the thief who stole the last painting, who, in reality, was Carmen.
Upon arriving at Cleo's chateau, Zack was greeted by the Countess who escorted him to the banquet hall. Cleo welcomed the various criminal overlords who would bid on the stolen paintings.
Before dessert could be served, Agent Chase Devineaux barged in and stated that there was a female thief in the building. This worried Cleo, before the clumsy agent revealed that he was talking about Carmen Sandiego.
Then knowing that Carmen had been there, Cleo cancelled desert and went to check the paintings, only to find that they were all gone.
After Carmen stole back the 34 paintings, Cleo told the Cleaners to "scrub" the manor.
When the V.I.L.E Faculty were discussing the connection between Carmen Sandiego and Inspector Devineaux, Cleo pointed out that Devineaux invaded her Swiss chateau during her pre art auction dinner party, giving Carmen the time she needed to steal back the stolen paintings. The Countess then voiced regret over suspecting "The Charming Duke" of being Carmen's inside man.
Cleo was surprised that Shadowsan agreed to go deal with Devineaux himself and was later seen outside to see her fellow masterminds off.
Abilities
As one of the five masterminds of V.I.L.E, Countess Cleo has near supreme authority over the organization.
Cleo is a master of identifying real valuables from worthless forgeries. She also is the master of disguise among the Faculty.
Trivia
- Cleo appears to be the youngest of the five masterminds.
