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Chapter Text

Paris, France

4:20 A.M.

Le Paradox paced the narrow confines of his solitary confinement cell, the echo of his footfalls mingling with the distant hum of fluorescent lights. His mind churned endlessly, plotting, scheming, replaying the events that had landed him here. A thousand escape plans swirled through his thoughts, each more desperate than the last, but none solid enough to act upon. Worse than the claustrophobic walls was the gnawing knowledge that the Cooper Gang was still out there. Sly was lost in time, that much he knew, but Bentley and Murray remained free, scheming and stealing as they always had for all he knew. And what if there were others? Past allies, future recruits, they could all be out there, waiting to carry on the Cooper name. The idea burned in his chest like a smoldering ember, fueling his hatred.

For a year, he had rotted in this cell, the indignity of his imprisonment clawing at the edges of his sanity. He, Le Paradox, a genius, a visionary, reduced to a caged animal. It should be him out there, acquiring priceless artifacts, outsmarting the world, not them! His claws curled around the cold steel bars of the cell, the muscles in his arms taut with suppressed rage. As he stared into the dimly lit hallway, his breath hitched.

A guard wearing a gas mask strolled down the corridor, keys jangling lazily in his hand. The rhythmic clink of metal against metal cut through the silence, and Le Paradox’s grip slackened slightly, his sharp gaze following the guard’s every step. When the guard stopped directly in front of his cell, twirling the keys with an air of boredom, a confused glimmer flickered in Le Paradox’s eyes.

“Yer in luck, skunk.” The guard said, his Boston accent was thick with each word while he tapped his fingers against the keypad of the cell, and unlocked it. “Somebody paid off your bail.”

“Really?” Le Paradox stood back so the door could open. He stepped out, shielding his eyes from the flickering lights above. “Who paid it off?”

“I dunno, some bored rich guy.” The guard shrugged as they stopped at evidence lock up, and Le Paradox was given his personal belongings back, which at the moment, was his green jumpsuit, boots, gloves and scarf. When he was brought to the main entrance, he saw a bullfrog, grinning ear to ear at him as he tipped his metallic top hat to the skunk.

“Ahh, there he is, the man of the hour, Le Paradox.” The frog mused, a grin showing his disgustingly crooked and yellowed teeth.

“Sir Raleigh?” The skunk questioned, studying the frog carefully, just as a stretch limo pulled up behind him. “You paid for me to get out? What for?”

“Please, come in, and I will explain everything you need to know. I’m sure you’ll find our partnership delightful.” Raleigh kept his grin, opening the door for Paradox. “You can consider this me repaying the debt for when you got me out of my situation. I’ll explain everything once we reach my office.” He stepped aside, allowing Le Paradox to get inside before following him, and shutting the door. The prison guards watched the limo drive off, a few annoyed huffs escaping them.

Paris, France

11:30 A.M.

Bentley paced around his lab, his wheelchair squeaking as he rode around the floor, looking at his computer screens. For the last few days, he had the time machine hooked up to his lab, using it to see if he could find any trace of his lost childhood friend and brother, Sly. Unusual sightings, traces of things that didn’t belong, something, anything, but nothing was coming through. The door to the lab opened up, as Murray, Bentley’s other lifelong friend and brother, and Dimitri, entered. Murray had taken a break from the professional wrestling league, now with some determination to find his buddy, and Dimitri, having opened up a few successful nightclubs around the world, along with his gig as a globetrotting diver and his line of fashion ware, was able to bring in cash for the gang.

“Find anything yet?” Murray asked.

“Nope.” Bentley sighed, turning his chair to face them. “I’m not sure what we can do at this point without having to meticulously scan every single year in the last two thousand years.”

“You know, dudes,” Dimitri started. “I think we might be going a little too far outta the box!”

“Huh? What do you mean?” Murray asked, tilting his head as he looked at the iguana.

“Look at it this way, Mur, we’ve spent so much ticky tocky time trying to find hints on the whereabouts of our favorite Raccoonus Doodus, but, the answer is right in front of us!” He said, gesturing to the time machine. “We just need to look at that Cooper family tree, and single out where he might have gone!”

“But, how?” Bentley inquired. “We don’t have a clue on where to start. Are you suggesting we just take a shot in the dark and hope we get lucky?”

“That is the unfortunate conclusion I’ve come to as well, bro.” Dimitri answered. “Not the best dish on the table, but it’s still edible, ya dig? Plus, we still got plenty of treasure from the Cooper vault, and I know for a fact we didn’t jack everything from Kaine Island! We go back, see if any of that stuff is connected to the ancestry line, and boom! One lucky guess later, we find Sly!”

“It does sound like a good idea, I’ll admit.” Bentley nodded his head. “But, there’s just one problem. We don’t have someone acrobatic enough to slide in and out of that opening we found. The hover feature of my wheelchair won’t be able to reach the opening once I’m in there, Murray might not be able to fit, and you won’t be able to get in without somebody to pull you out!”

“So, what are you thinking?” Murray asked. “We find somebody who’s just as flexible as Sly?”

“I think that’s essentially what we’ll have to do.”

“As clever as you can get.” Dimitri smirked. “The question mark above my head is asking, where are we going to find a cat like that?” Before the three could start thinking, one of the monitors in the lab switched over to a camera feed that showed the outside of their hideout, accompanied by the sound of knocking on the front door. Looking to the monitor, they saw a hooded figure, but recognized who it was when the stranger looked to the camera.

“Carmelita?” Murray raised a brow. “What’s she doing here?”

“I had a chat with her a couple weeks ago.” Bentley admitted. “We pretty much agreed that if something came up, whether it was about Sly or something far more sinister, we would meet up at this location.”

“You got quite a pair to agree with something like that to the Big Kahuna.” Dimitri crossed his arms before he and Murray followed Bentley to the main hall of the hideout. “How do you know she won’t crack our skulls open the second we open the door?”

“Until Sly is back with us, she’s agreed to a truce.” The turtle explained.

“So is that why she hasn’t busted me while I was in the professional wrestling scene? I felt like she could’ve done that while I was in the open.” Murray scratched his head.

“Regardless, she’s here to let us in on something.” Bentley told them before reaching for the doorknob, opening it enough for the inspector to step inside. Once she was in, he closed it behind her, allowing her to take her hood off and fix her hair.

“Hello, Inspector.” Bentley greeted. “Did something come up about Sly?”

“No. We have a much bigger problem.” She said, looking at the three thieves. They could tell something was happening, and it wasn’t good judging by the tone. She reached into her cloak, pulling out a fresh newspaper that had been printed earlier that morning, and showed them the headline.

‘CYRILLE LE PARADOX BAIL PAID’, the headline read in bold letters.

“W-What?! He’s out?!” Bentley felt his hands start to shake just reading the headline alone.

“Who would be loco enough to drop that kind of dime?!” Dimitri questioned, running his hands through his hair.

“Listen.” Carmelita spoke before opening the newspaper to read the top story. “Earlier last night, infamous criminal mastermind, Cyrille Le Paradox, was given freedom from his cell at the maximum security prison in Paris, France. The toll was paid by non other than Sir Raleigh the Frog after being released from Heathrow Penitentiary for good behavior. He was able to secure his share of the family’s fortune, once they received the reasoning for his release. It is currently unknown why he chose to release Le Paradox.” She closed the newspaper and tossed it aside before looking at the grim expressions on Bentley, Murray and Dimitri’s face.

“Ohh, that can’t be good.” Murray shook his head.

“Two of our enemies…working together.” Bentley swallowed the lump he felt forming in his throat. “I think I’m gonna faint.”

“This is cracked!” Dimitri exclaimed, shaking his fists anxiously. “Two evil dudes with mechanical prowess combining their know-how, and we’re still down one thief!”

“Hold on, you three, let’s try not to panic yet.” Carmelita held her hands up, trying to calm them down. “Look, this is clearly within the last twenty four hours. We have time to figure out what Raleigh has planned, and maybe try to stop him and Le Paradox from doing whatever it is they might plan up.”

“That’s perfectly slick, shotgun mama.” Dimitri commented. “But, need I repeat myself? We’re still missing a guy who can sneak around!”

“He’s right.” Bentley nodded. “Even with our combined specialties, we still don’t have a full team without a field man. We need someone who’s athletic! Has great agility! And has great…acrobatic skills…” The turtle paused, his eyes scanning Carmelita up and down carefully, before a big smile grew on his face. “Wait! I got it! Carmelita, I know this is going to be a big ask, but we don’t have time to try and hunt down a new field agent! How would you like to be an honorary member of the Cooper Gang?”

“WHAT?!” The other three stood back, Carmelita especially looked a little offended by this proposal.

“Your shell has officially cracked, bro.” Dimitri shook his head. “And not the one on your back!”

“Are you sure this is a good idea, little buddy? She’s been trying to throw us away for years!” Murray reminded him.

“I know, I know!” Bentley waved his hands. “But, she helped us when we were stuck in time!”

“I had no choice but to tag along.” Carmelita reminded him.

“I know, but I’ve seen you on the field plenty of times when Chasing Sly. You’re one of the few who can actually keep up with him! You’ll make a great temporary field person until we can figure out how to bring Sly back.” 

Hearing Bentley's reasoning, Carmelita's hand instinctively drifted to the collar of her uniform, her fingers brushing the cool metal of the choker that marked her authority. She had devoted her entire life to the force, pouring her heart and soul into upholding justice. Years of relentless effort, countless hours spent tracking and apprehending criminals had earned her the position she held today; Inspector. And yet, through all those years, one pursuit had consumed her more than any other: Sly Cooper. The raccoon had been a thorn in her side, a master thief who evaded her at every turn, and yet, somehow, against all logic and her better judgment, she had fallen for him.

Working with Sly and his gang to restore the Thievius Raccoonus had been an unthinkable compromise: a temporary truce for the greater good. But now? Turning her back on the law completely, even if it was just to bring him home? That was another matter entirely. It was a decision that gnawed at her, a weight pressing against her sense of duty and her own moral code. It didn’t sit well with her. Not at all.

The scale of her thoughts tipped precariously as she considered both sides. On one hand, the Cooper Gang had been dormant for the past year, giving her the freedom to focus on other cases and criminals without constantly looking over her shoulder. But on the other hand…she missed him. She missed the thrill of the chase, the clever banter, the spark that ignited every time their paths crossed. She missed Sly. And then there was Bentley and Murray, two people who had lost more than just a friend. They had lost someone they considered to be a brother.

The tension in her chest tightened as she weighed her options. Duty or heart? Justice or loyalty? The answer felt impossibly far out of reach, but one thing was clear; no matter what choice she made, there would be no escaping the consequences.

She had one small idea. Whether or not it could work, was up to chance.

“Give me one second.” She said before stepping back outside. The trio looked amongst each other, wondering what she was going to do. After about ten minutes, she came back inside, pocketing her cellphone. “I just got off the phone with my director. He has allowed me two weeks of paid vacation.”

“Two weeks? How often are you on the job?” Murray raised a brow.

“Enough to have saved up enough vacation time to try and find Sly.” She responded. “So, you got your fieldman, but there’s still a few problems. One, I’m not a master thief. Two, I don’t have a cane to work with. And three, a lot of people know who I am. If one cop sees me with you three, then that’s it, my career is over.”

“Well, lucky for you, we’ve already thought ahead on all of those issues!” Bentley smiled.

“We have?” Murray and Dimitri looked down at the turtle, surprised.

“Well, I have…follow me to the lab! For issues one and two!” Bentley said before rolling back to his lab, the group following behind him. 

“Now, back when we were on Kaine Island, Dr. M used several fake Cooper family canes to try and open the family vault, but nothing gave.” He explained, rummaging through the armory in the back, reaching for one of the fake canes in question. “Before Murray and I went in with him, I decided it’d be best to take a few of these with us, just to be safe. Sure, they can never replace the real deal, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.”

“Okay…what about me not being a master thief?” Carmelita questioned. She watched as the turtle rolled over to one of the corners of the lab, which was glowing red. And that’s when she saw it; the ancient book that had been in Sly’s family for generations.

The Thievius Raccoonus.

“You see, Carmelita,” Bentley began, deactivating the safety measures that protected the old book. “Anyone can steal from just about anybody. But, to be a master thief, you have to learn from the family itself. Anyone who reads this book, can learn all the techniques Sly’s ancestors passed down. That includes Interpol’s very own head Inspector.” He grabbed the Thievius Raccoonus and rolled over to the fox, holding it up to her. Carmelita took the ancient heirloom, holding it like it was a delicate treasure, that any wrong movement could cause it to rip or snap. She could see the tears from when the Fiendish Five originally ripped it out when she opened it. Decades worth of techniques and skills were right in her hands, the Cooper family insignia glimmering from the lab's light as she gazed upon it.

“You want me to study this entire thing?” She questioned, looking to Bentley.

“Not all at once. Just a few pages should be enough to get you ready. Notably the entries by Rioichi Cooper and Tennesse “Kid” Cooper, those should be all you need to know for now. Once we’re traveling, you’re free to study more of the book and learn from it.”

“That just leaves my appearance.” She nods, holding the book to her side.

“Me and Main Man Murray are on it!” Dimitri proclaimed.

“Yeah! We got tons of things to use for disguises! We can work up an awesome thief outfit for you!” Murray grinned excitedly.

“While they’re doing that, why don’t you go ahead and study the passages I mentioned?” Bentley suggested. “And I’ll test your knowledge in our training area we dub, the Hazard Room!” Carmelita looked to the book one more time, and gave a quick nod.

“Okay. Give me a little time to go over these passages, and I’ll be ready.” She said, turning to go back into the main hangout room of the safehouse, sitting down and opening up the first passage.

Sly groaned as consciousness crept back to him, his head throbbing and his body aching. The blazing sun bore down relentlessly, its harsh light blinding him as he squinted and shielded his face with his free hand. The searing heat radiated off the endless expanse of golden sand, shimmering like an ocean of fire. He blinked several times until his vision adjusted, revealing the barren wasteland stretching for miles around him, littered with twisted remnants of Le Paradox’s blimp.

Gripping his family cane tightly, Sly pushed himself to his feet, the coarse sand shifting beneath his boots. He scanned the horizon, his heart sinking at the isolation of it all. But then his eyes caught something: a glimmer of hope in the form of ancient monuments rising in the distance. To his right, the majestic silhouette of a sphinx loomed, its weathered face standing guard over a cluster of pyramids behind it, their sharp peaks piercing the bright blue sky.

“Fantastic,” he muttered dryly, resting the curved hook of his cane on his shoulder. “Stuck in the past…again. Let’s just hope the guys are alright.” His voice trailed off, a tinge of worry breaking through his usual bravado.

Seeking relief from the oppressive heat, Sly trudged toward the shade cast by the towering pyramids. The dry wind whipped at his face, carrying grains of sand that stung his skin and reminded him of just how far he was from home. He paused to gather his thoughts, his sharp mind already piecing together a plan.

“Alright, think, Sly. Ancient Egypt means one thing: Slytunkhamen Cooper.” He tapped his cane against his shoulder, his lips curling into a small smirk. “The first, or his son, it doesn’t matter which. Find him, and I’ve got a shot at staying alive until the gang figures out where I am.”

With a renewed sense of determination, Sly took a deep breath and broke into a sprint toward the sphinx. The glimmer of hope, no matter how faint, was enough to drive him forward. If luck was still on his side, even just a fraction of it, it would lead him to safety, and perhaps, a way home.

Carmelita entered the Hazard room, looking at the fake Cooper cane in her right hand, and the custom binocucom Bentley had made for her. It was colored brown, and had her star imprinted on the top. Two platforms made entirely of crates dropped down, and she used her super jump to get on top of one side before a red energy field powered on. She felt the binocucom vibrate in her hand and she pulled it to her face, as Bentley had told her when it started to vibrate, someone on the team was trying to contact her.

“Carmelita! Come in! Carmelita! Do you read me?” Bentley questioned.

“Yes, Bentley, I read you. Loud and…very loud.” She responded, a little annoyed.

“Oh, oops. Sorry about that. Got a little bit excited. We haven’t used this room in a long time! Anyways, it’s time to see if you’ve retained the knowledge from the Thievius Raccoonus!” Bentley said, pressing a button to have rails come down from the ceiling. Each end had a sharp point that anyone without godly precision would miss. Carmelita didn’t think anything of it. If anything, she thought this turtle was trying to kill her. But then, she noticed something odd.

“Hold on, I think I might be hallucinating. Are you seeing those strange tan lights on the edges of the rails?” She questioned.

“That’s a good thing, that means you’re ready! Master thieves are able to sense stealth opportunities, which manifest themselves as colorful auras, like how they’re shown on those points! To perform the Ninja Spire Jump, all you have to do is jump and hit the circle button to land safely on the points!”

“Um…Bentley? What are you talking about?” The fox raised an eyebrow at the words ‘circle button’.

“Sorry, It just felt right to say that for some reason. Just jump and twist your body to spiral! If done correctly, you should be able to land on the points no problem. Give it a shot!”

Carmelita pulled the binocucom away from her face and pocketed it. She looked at the closest point to her and took a deep breath, gripping the cane tightly before jumping, forcing her eyes shut before twisting her body. She felt herself fall, and then suddenly stop. She slowly opened her eyes, and saw she had successfully landed the ninja spire jump! A small smile grew on her face before she leaped to the next point and repeated the twist, landing successfully once more. She couldn’t help herself and had hopped on each point before reaching the other side. The bars raised, and replacing them were curved and straight rails that went all over the Hazard Room. The inspector raised her binocucom once more, examining the rails carefully.

“That was really good, Carmelita! Now, how about we try Tennessee “Kid” Cooper’s Rail walk and Slide technique?” Bentley questioned.

“If it’s as easy as the spire jump, it shouldn’t be a problem. I’m assuming it works the same way?” She asked.

“That is correct. Just jump, and land on top of the rail. If it’s straight, you should be able to walk across it with no issue. If it’s curved, you can use it to slide, a great way to get away from guards faster! Try to use each rail to your advantage before going back to the other platform.”

“Roger.” Carmelita nodded, putting the binocucom away again. She started with the straight rail in front of her before jumping to one of the upper rails. She jumped and slid all over the place with ease, the small breeze that formed with how fast she was going blew against her face. Once she had enough, she jumped onto the platform she started on. The red energy field powered down, and allowed her to jump back down.

“Well done, Carmelita!” Bentley said as the platform raised back to the ceiling. Five towers made of more crates came down before a flashlight guard was placed into the room. She recognized this guy, he was one of the guards that were on Don Octavio’s payroll. “Now, it’s time we get you out of your comfort zone. Tell me, what do you notice about this guard?”

“Well…” Carmelita squinted her eyes, examining the guard carefully, her eyes shifting towards something shiny. “His back pocket. It’s full of gold, and I think there’s something else in there.”

“That’s right. If you’re going to be on our team, it’s time for you to do the most crucial part; robbing this guy blind.”

“I’m still not sure about this Bentley. It feels wrong to be doing this.”

“I understand where you’re coming from, inspector, but look at it this way; once Sly’s back with us, you’re more than welcome to drop out of the gang and pretend none of this happened. Plus, this guy is a criminal himself, so you’re not stealing from somebody who’s innocent.”

“I guess that’s fair.” She said, pulling the binocucom away.

“Now, I’ve asked this guard to stay still so you could pickpocket him. Sometimes it isn’t just coins and trinkets we can sell, it could also be keys, blueprints, pieces of a code, anything that could help us get information or help us out for the big job. Sneak up behind this guy, and use the hook of your cane to pick him clean!”

Carmelita took a deep breath, closing her eyes tightly for a short moment before looking at the guard again. Like bentley said, they just had to get Sly back, and she can drop all of this. She tip toed towards the guard, trying not to make any noise, and once she was close enough, she used the hook of her cane and began to pick pocket the guard. She was able to pick up about six coins and a silver pen.

“Good job! Now stand back.” Bentley instructed. She looked up, seeing a box coming down from the ceiling, causing her to step back as told before it hit the guard on the head, knocking him out. “Don’t worry about him, he’ll be on his way out once we’re done here, most of the guards that are roughed up in here get to leave afterwards. Now, I’m gonna teach you a few more techniques, and you’ll be ready!”

Two hours had passed, and Carmelita continued to practice what Bentley was teaching her. She learned how to pickpocket moving targets, when to run if she gets caught, how to crawl under tight spaces, climb on ladders, pipes and ropes, and the use of gadgets like smoke bombs. After one more course that had her put all she learned together, she was ready to take on the field.

“Alright, it’s official! Welcome to the Cooper Gang, Carmelita!” Bentley said, meeting up with her as she stepped out of the Hazard Room. Murray and Dimitri would soon enter the room as well, both carrying various sets of outfits.

“Hey, foxy, check out some of these digs.” Dimitri said before sticking his share on top of Murray’s.

“Any of these could work out, I think!” Murray said, leading Carmelita to the disguise closet. “If you don’t like what we picked out, you’re free to use whatever you’d like!”

“Thank you, Murray.” She said, taking the clothes before Murray closed the door when leaving. She approached the mirror, sitting the stack of outfits down on a chair. She paused, looking at the rows of clothes, hats, gloves and boots that towered over her. There were a lot of clothes, all meant for Sly, Bentley and Murray, several for other members of the gang, and several feminine clothing. She took off her jacket, cloak, boots and gloves before she began looking through the clothes Murray and Dimitri had picked out. There was a wrestling outfit, but it was too colorful, a black and white striped sweater, good to know these boys have a sense of humor, a skimpy swimsuit, she’ll have to remind herself to slug Dimitri later, combat fatigues, not bad, but probably too heavy for field operations. She looked around at the other clothes, and had an idea.

The boys waited for her to step out, and quickly looked up to see the doors open for her to step out. She was dawning a black full bodysuit, a red buttoned up overshirt with the sleeves rolled up, and boots and gloves that matched the shirt. To top everything off, she wore a black mask that covered her eyes. Dimitri whistled, impressed with the outfit.

“Nice duds.” He commented.

“Now, to finish up the disguise!” Murray declared. “You’ll need a codename to go with the look! How about…the Red Strike?”

“Not bad…” Carmelita crossed her arms. “How about Crimson?”

“Just Crimson?” He tilted his head.

“I would say Crimson Lightning, but that’s too close to being a wrestler name. I think Crimson will work just fine.”

“I like it.” Bentley nodded. “Now, to finish the ensemble, I have one more surprise for you, Crimson.” He rolled into the lab, and came out with one of the fake Cooper canes, but the hook was painted red. He gave her the cane, and she noticed a button where her thumb would rest. Pressing it, she saw the hook light up with electricity, like an oversized taser.

“While you were in the hazard room, I took the liberty to study your shock pistol, and optimized one of the fake canes to use its properties. Now you can knock out baddies in one go!”

Carmelita smiled, her grip firm as she tapped the cane against the floor with a sharp clack , determination blazing in her eyes. The stakes were high, but she was ready to face whatever Raleigh and Le Paradox were scheming. For now, the mission was clear; find them and uncover their plan.

“Alright, let’s get moving,” she said, her voice steady and commanding. “I’ve got a credible lead on Raleigh’s hideout after he was released from prison.”

The trio exchanged resolute nods before heading toward the garage. The air buzzed with tension and quiet anticipation as Bentley and Murray double-checked their equipment, making sure everything was in place. The green glow of Bentley’s laptop reflected on his shell as he gave the time machine one final adjustment, his meticulous fingers darting over the controls with practiced precision. Murray hefted his gear into the van, his expression uncharacteristically serious. Even Dimitri, usually a fountain of smooth one-liners, quietly secured his scuba equipment, his golden goggles glinting under the overhead lights as he muttered, “Better safe than sorry, baby.”

When the van was finally loaded, and everyone was strapped in, Bentley gave a quick thumbs-up from the passenger seat. Murray grinned, gripping the wheel with purpose as the garage door rumbled open, the afternoon sunshine pouring into the garage.

“Let’s do this!” Murray cheered excitedly, slamming his foot on the gas. The tires screeched against the pavement as the Cooper Van roared to life, tearing down the road and leaving a cloud of dust in its wake.

The journey ahead would be long and dangerous, filled with unknowns and risks. But they knew what was at stake. Each of them, in their own way, felt the weight of the mission; a shared determination that bound them together.

Because at the end of this road lay the chance, the hope, of bringing Sly Cooper home.

Chapter Text

After some time navigating the desert’s harsh terrain, Sly finally stumbled upon a bustling city nestled just beyond the Sphinx. The grand sandstone structures gleamed faintly under the golden sunlight, their intricate carvings and hieroglyphs telling stories of gods and pharaohs. The air was thick with the mingling scents of spiced meats, fresh bread, and sweet honey, wafting from the marketplace that sprawled across the heart of the city.

From his hiding spot within a cluster of shrubs, Sly carefully observed the scene. The market was alive with activity: vendors shouted over each other, advertising their goods with animated gestures. Stalls were laden with colorful wares: baskets overflowing with dates and figs, jars of fragrant oils and perfumes, bolts of richly dyed fabrics shimmering in hues of crimson and gold, and trays displaying polished gemstones that glinted under the sun’s rays. Children darted between the stalls, laughing as they chased each other, while their parents haggled with merchants.

Sly’s sharp eyes didn’t miss the security prowling the streets. Large, muscular dogs with ornate collars padded through the market, their ears twitching at the slightest sound. Jackals and sleek sphinx cats slinked along the rooftops, their watchful gazes scanning the crowds below. The presence of these animal guards made him uneasy, each step he’d take would need to be calculated.

The city itself was a marvel of symmetry and precision. The buildings were square and uniform, their facades adorned with vivid murals and gold accents. Narrow alleyways branched off from the main market, promising shadowy corners and possible escape routes if things went south. Despite the apparent calm, Sly knew better than to let his guard down. Still, he had to admit, this kind of place would be a thief’s playground.

It was peaceful. Maybe too peaceful, he thought. The low hum of the market’s activity had a lulling rhythm, but then the sharp trill of whistles shattered the calm, echoing from one of the streets. The crowd parted slightly as the sound grew closer, and Sly tensed. Someone was coming, and it didn’t bode well.

“Stop! Thief!” A guard shouted, as more of the crowd dispersed. Darting from one side of the market to the other, Sly could see a raccoon carrying a set of familiar canes in his hands, along with a bag of gold.

“Bingo.” He said to himself, looking around to make sure it was clear before he darted down one of the allies, doing what he could to keep up with his ancestor. He dipped through corners, jumping through empty boxes, all the while still keeping his eyes on his ancestor until he came to a complete stop. Slytunkhaman Cooper II stopped at a corner of the alley and hugged against the wall, going invisible once he was perfectly still.

“He went this way! Split up and we’ll catch him faster!” One of the guards commanded before the three ran past him and went down the separate paths. The raccoon smirked, stepping away from the wall before going visible once more.

“Impressive.” Sly commented, making the Egyptian raccoon jump before turning around to face him. “You know how to give guards the slip.”

“Who are you?” Slytunkhaman raised a brow, pointing one of his cane’s at him, before noticing he was carrying his own. “You wield my family’s cane, and yet, I’ve never seen anyone like you before.”

“That’s going to be hard to explain.” Sly started. “My name is Sly, Sly Cooper. And you’re one of my ancestors. I’m kind of in a jam.”

“Hmm…this does sound like quite the predicament you are in, however, I don’t believe I can trust you. Can you show me something to prove your claim?” Sly, with a smirk on his face, hugged against the wall behind him, and went invisible for a moment before stepping away. “Ah! My father’s shadow Technique! You definitely are a Cooper!”

“That’s right.” Sly nodded. “So, do you think you could help me out? I’m not sure how long I’m going to be here.”

“Actually, now that you’re here, I could use your help. I believe someone from your period is also roaming around, causing all kinds of trouble for the city of Memphis.”

“Really? Who is it?” Sly raised a brow.

“Come, follow me to my family’s hideout. I’ll fill you in on everything going on.” Slytunkhamen mentioned his descendent to follow him, leading him through more of the alleys of the city. It made Sly curious, but if there was trouble, then that means there’s a chance to get home!

Chartres

7:30 P.M.

<Bentley’s POV>

It turns out, Carmelita’s lead was spot on! When we arrived on the outskirts of Chartres, the scene was worse than we could have imagined. The once-beautiful city, had been overtaken; transformed into a stronghold. Guards loyal to Raleigh, Muggshot, and Mz. Ruby patrolled every corner, their uniforms patched and mismatched but their vigilance undeniable. It was like stepping into a memory of our past heists, except this time, the stakes felt immeasurably higher. As we parked the van and got out to scout the area, I couldn’t shake the oppressive weight of it all. The streets were eerily quiet, save for the occasional bark of orders or the clatter of boots on cobblestones. Buildings that once housed cozy cafes and artisan shops now sported boarded-up windows and makeshift barricades. The guards patrolled in tight formations, and floodlights perched on rooftops scanned the streets below, casting long, moving shadows that made it impossible to feel at ease.

Carmelita stood beside me, her grip on her newly acquired cane tight against her chest. I could see the conflict written all over her face; her normally steady composure was cracking under the weight of her decision. She was in unfamiliar territory, and it wasn’t just the mission; it was the principle. Turning her back on the law, even temporarily, was like fighting against the very essence of who she was.

I tried to reassure her, doing my best to keep my tone calm and confident. This wasn’t about breaking the law, it was about doing what was right. Not only that, but Sly needed us, and we couldn’t do it without her. She nodded, but her eyes betrayed her lingering doubt. She didn’t argue, though; she just adjusted her grip on the cane and kept her focus forward. Using my trusty RC helicopter, I got a bird’s-eye view of the city, and it wasn’t pretty. Raleigh and Le Paradox had turned the cathedral into a veritable fortress. What was once a beacon of artistry and devotion now looked like a castle preparing for war, sandbags lined the windows, guard towers jutted out from the spires, and spotlights illuminated the courtyard. It was a chilling transformation.

Still, I managed to spot an opening. A vent on the cathedral’s roof presented a possible entry point, and I relayed the information to Carmelita. To her credit, she didn’t hesitate. She was off in a flash, running across the shadowed streets with a determined glint in her eyes. As I watched her disappear into the distance, I couldn’t help but feel a knot of unease in my stomach. Whatever was waiting for her inside that cathedral, whatever plans Raleigh and Paradox had in motion, none of us were ready for it. But ready or not, we had no choice but to face it head-on.

<Bentley And the Gang, in: A Deadly Reunion>

Carmelita ducked and swayed her way throughout the streets of the city, occasionally jumping up to the roofs with her super jump in case she found herself sandwiched between two patrolling flashlight guards. Along the way, she decided to pickpocket a few guards. Not because they had good loot, but because she needed to try and numb the feeling of guilt from stealing. Once she reached the cathedral, she climbed up the drain pipe she found near the side of the building, pausing to wait for the search lights that went back and forth above her. Once she was at the top, she found the vent Bentley had discovered. Taking one look around the roof to make sure she was alone, she darted across the tiled roof and crawled into the vent itself, going slow so she didn’t bang her hands against the metal and cause noises. Once she reached the other end, she found herself up in the rafters, giving her a good look at the inside of the cathedral. As she rested her hands on the railing, she looked down, her eyes widening in shock at what she was seeing.

The alter had been modified to be a time machine, Raleigh putting the finishing touches on it while Paradox was reading off the schematics. But that wasn’t the only issue, outside of the machine already being close to powering on. The room was filled with criminals that Sly’s gang had fought, and she had put away. Muggshot, Mz. Ruby, Don Octavio and Rajan were commuting with each other, but she was too high up to hear what was going on. She put on her binocucom, turning on the communication channel to speak with Bentley.

“Bentley? Are you seeing what I’m seeing?” She asked.

“I am. And that is a horrifying sight. Take some photos, we’ll need one of the time machine and one for each criminal that’s down there! After that, I want you to put the grapple cam I put in your pocket. I’ll get it as low as I can so we can listen in on their meeting.”

Carmelita nodded, using the binocucom to snap a picture of the time machine, Raleigh, Le Paradox, Mz. Ruby, Muggshot, Rajan, and Don Octavio. Putting the binocucuom away, she reached into her pocket and pulled out a small metallic orb that had a claw hook on it. She stepped back, allowing Bentley to take control of it, watching as it reached out and latched onto the walls, descending lower and lower until Bentley could transmit everything through the built-in microphone for everyone to hear.

“The frog has promised me that if I helped him with his plans, he would pay for my bail, and he could give me what I need to do my comeback recital once more!” Don Octavio explained as he spoke to Rajan, his dramatic opera flare shining through his speech.

“I see…” Rajan rubbed a claw finger against his chin. “He said he could give me enough funds to start the old spice operations again. It’s definitely a better money maker than selling rugs all day.” The two predators laughed before Bentley moved the grapple cam over to Mz. Ruby and Muggshot.

“It’s so nice to have the Fiendish Five together again.” Mz. Ruby hummed, drumming her claws against her stomach.

“Yeah.” Muggshot gruffed. “Too bad Panda King flaked out and chose to work with the Cooper Chumps, he’s gonna miss the big surprise!”

“Is that really what he’s been up to? I heard he was looking after his kid.”

“Whatever the case, he ain’t part of our crew no more! And if I see that two bit backstabber again, I’m gonna put two in his skull!”

“If my undead soldiers don’t get to him first, Muggs!” The gator cackled.

“Yer on, Ruby!” The bulldog laughed.

“It’s done!” Raleigh declared, hopping to the podium before Le Paradox joined him.  “Gather around, everyone, gather around! We have much to discuss. For now, I shall allow my acquaintance, Le Paradox, to take the floor.” Raleigh hopped away from the podium, allowing the skunk to take the floor while the other villains gathered around, and Bentley moved his Grapple Cam closer.

“My friends, I am Le Paradox. I’m sure we all know why we’re here, or how we’re connected in some way. With one defeat over another, thanks to Sly Cooper and his little band of friends. Thanks to my recent efforts, however, he is lost to time! To me, that is not enough. He could come back, and throw another wrench into our operations! That is why I brought you all here. I will send each of you to a different time period that my last group of cohorts haven’t gone to, take care of any other of Sly’s ancestors, and if you come across Sly? Eliminate him. Muggshot, you will be going to Celtic Scotland during the 15th century and take care of Slaigh MacCooper.” The skunk pointed at the musclebound bulldog.

“Yeah, I remember seeing him in that stupid family pictah book of the Coopah’s.” Muggshot smirked, cracking his knuckles.

‘Hmm…yes…Mz. Ruby, you shall be going to 1890’s Victorian London to handle Thaddeus Winslow Cooper III.”

“You got it…I could get some good Voodoo activities in those streets.” The gator smirked.

“Don Octavio, if you can handle the heat, you will be traveling back to Ancient Egypt in thirteen hundred B.C., and take care of Slytunkhamen Cooper or his son if you can find them.”

“Consider those garbage rodents gutted…” Don said with a deep growl.

“Rajan, we do not have his precise location, nor do we have a professional flier, but you will be sent back to the early nineteen hundreds and eliminate Otto Van Cooper.”

“Give me a few helicopter men. He’ll be shot down in no time.” Rajan smirked, flashing his sharp fangs.

“Raleigh, my friend, you will take the high seas in the colonial Caribbean, and sink Henriette Cooper.”

“It has been awhile since I took to the waters. With my skillful fingers, my cannons will take her out with no issues.” The frog smirked before hopping next to the podium.

“And I shall hunt down Sly’s father, Conner, and make sure he perishes by my hand.” Paradox smirked, clenching his fists tightly. “Now, we do have a backup plan, should we fail taking out the Cooper clan. Sir Raleigh, if you please?” The skunk stepped to the side, allowing Raleigh to hop onto the podium, adjusting his hat.

“Before I paid Le Paradox’s bail, I discovered that the aurora borealis is still affected by the Klaww Gang’s spice operation. Those lights, if shined bright enough, can toss anything and anyone into a blind rage. I’ve studied it first hand witnessing a group of rabbits getting into a fist fight while I was in Canada. If all else fails, we will meet up in an undisclosed location, where my backup plan will be set into motion.” Raleigh smirked darkly, catching everyone’s attention. He took off his hat and reached into it, pulling out a black floppy disk. “Clockwerk entrusted this to me back in the heyday of the Fiendish Five. This disk contains a backup of him. His functions, his personality, consciousness, mind, everything. All it needs is a brand new body, a body I’ve spent years to get right, a body that is ready to go as we speak, and our leader will soar in the skies again!” ” The frog held his head back and began to laugh maniacally, the other villains shortly joining him, being fully on board with the plan.

“And just to make sure the Cooper gang doesn’t try to follow us, Mz. Ruby-” Le Paradox motioned a paw to the voodoo specialist. “I believe you have something, or more importantly, someone, to guard our time machine and make sure it isn’t tampered with, correct?”

“Correct!” She bellowed, heaving herself off from her seat, turning her attention to a door right next to  the time machine. “Come on out, dearie!” The door opened up, the sound of boots hitting the tiled floor echoed from the hall beyond the doorway. Carmelita focused on the door, trying to size up whoever or whatever was entering the room. She lowered her binocucom. There wasn’t enough time for her to mentally prepare herself for what she was seeing.

Neyla. Her old constable who betrayed her, Sly and his friends in an attempt to obtain everlasting life by assimilating herself with Clockwerk. The purple feline gave her whip a mighty crack as she faced the villains who stared her down.

“Is this truly a wise decision?” Rajan questioned, turning to face the remaining members of the Fiendish Five. “This one was really quick to turn on the Klaww Gang and turn our leader into metallic bird food.”

“No need to worry.” Mz. Ruby hummed, sauntering her way over to the feline. “I know all about what happened, and when I brought her back, I taught her to follow orders this time around. Should she go against our wishes, poof! SHE’LL GO BACK TO HELL!” She laughed, her belly wobbling as she did. “Isn’t that right, sweetheart? You’ll be a good girl and defend our time machine, right?”

“...Yes…” Neyla said, begrudgingly.

“Yes, what?”

“Yes, ma’am…” She rolled her eyes.

“Good.” She flashed a sharp grin before joining the other villains by the time machine. One by one, they began to step through the time machine after Le Paradox set the proper coordinates.

“Bentley, what do I do?” Carmelita asked in a hushed tone.

“Come back to the safehouse.” Bentley said. She can hear the grimace on his face. “We’ve got a lot to go over.” The fox could only nod, pocketing the binocucom before working her way back out of the cathedral the same way she came in. Her heart pounded as she crawled through the airshaft. Did the gang she chased all these years have to deal with this all the time? How did they keep their cool during these missions? In minutes, she returned to the smallhouse, and old storehouse  just outside of town, and Bentley was already putting together a slideshow.

“Okay. As we’ve seen, things are looking grim right off the bat.” The turtle said, flipping through the first few slides that showed the villains. “Almost every master criminal we’ve gone up against in the past are teaming up, they’ve resurrected Neyla, and they’re causing mayhem throughout time to try and wipe out Sly’s family bloodline once again! It’s going to be up to us to put a stop to it. But unfortunately, I don’t think the four of us are going to be enough to put a stop to all of this.”

“What do you mean?” Dimitri questioned, cocking an eyebrow.

“I think we’re going to have to find everybody who helped us on Kaine island.”

“Bentley, you don’t mean-” Murray paused, cutting himself off from what he was about to say.

“I do mean it, Murray. We need to find Guru, Panda King, and unfortunately, Penelope.”

“You serious?!” Dimitri looked at Bentley as if he grew a second head.

“She turned her back on you guys, didn’t she?” Carmelita asked. “Do you really think it’d be wise to bring her back?”

“Her skills as an RC specialist is the best in the field! If we’re going to pull this off, we need to have the best of the best on our side. This will be strictly business, once we’re done, we’ve stopped Raleigh, Paradox and the others, she can do whatever she likes. If she wants to try and be another criminal for us to go against, she can be my guest.” Bentley sighed before returning his attention to the slide show. “But before we can take a crack at that time machine, we need to figure out a way to get rid of Neyla!”

“Mz. Ruby did say if she failed to guard the time machine, she would die again. So there’s our in.” Carmelita noted.

“That’s right. But before we take the fight to her, we’ll need to even the odds, because the town is crawling with guards on the Fiendish Five’s payroll!  I think the best way to do that is to get them to turn on each other. First things first, we need to even the odds so they’ll be more in our favor. Carmelita, Murray, you’ll need to go to the barracks these guards are staying in, and start a fight! With Murray’s strength and your specialized cane, Carmelita, you shouldn’t have a problem taking them down one by one.”

“The two of us against an impossible amount of guards? I don’t think it’ll be a problem.” Carmelita spoke with a hint if pride in her voice.

“Spoken like a true member of the gang!” Murray said, nodding his head in approval.

“Next, while you’re there, Carmelita, I suggest you snag some of the chemicals Mz. Ruby’s guards possess and take it to their mess hall. I’m not sure what that voodoo juice will do, but it’s sure to either make them sick, or rile them up and blame her guards. Lastly, pickpocket some car keys from Mugshot’s crew, and plant them in the pockets of Raleigh’s. That should stir up some real distrust between them. That will be the end of phase one of the plan. After that, we’ll take the fight straight to Neyla, who can’t rely on an entire army to help her.”

“You thinking we should just go in and take her out?” Murray questioned.

“As much as I would love to make a grand finale operation, I’m afraid we’re against the clock here, so taking the fight to her once we clear out the guards will be the best bet we got!”

“Sounds good to me. Let’s head out, big guy.” Carmelita stood up, giving the pink hippo a smirk.

“Alright! A cop and thief working together, fighting impossible odds! Sounds like something out of an action movie!” He laughed, following the fox out of the safehouse.

“Don’t get used to it, Murray.” She chuckled. “Once we get Sly back and stop all of this, and my ‘vacation’ is over, I’m going back to the force. I’ll give you boys a ten day break and come after you again.”

“Fine by me.” He shrugged. “I can’t wait for things to go back to normal and we stop whatever or whoever tries to be a threat to the world next!” He just smiled, following the pings from his binocucom, while Carmelita took to the rooftops, just so she didn’t have to worry about getting into fights along the way, and have a better time following her pings. Once there, she pulled out her binocucom and studied the building that was being used as a barracks for the guards. Murray hid in an alley, seeing guards coming in and out of the building.

“Okay Bentley, we’re right outside the barracks. You sure this’ll help us out?” She asked.

“Positive.” Bentley answered. “If they feel they can’t take on a couple of thieves, they’ll want to leave in droves! I’d say a good fifty or so guards knocked out should scare them off. There should be a crawl space you can use to get inside. Once you’re inside, you’ll be able to unlock the door for Murray, and you can start the brawl!”

“Alright. I’m going in.” She said, putting the binocucom away before leaping across the rooftops with her super jump, then jumped down into the alley behind the barracks. She found the crawlspace Bentley had mentioned and crawled her way inside, finding herself underneath one of the beds. She examined the room, seeing guards laughing, playing guards, telling tales of past glories, or just flat out sleeping. She crawled from bed to bed, working her way to the front door. Once she reached the last bed, she crawled out, snuck to the door, and broke the lock off, allowing Murray to bust his way into the room.

“Hey! It’s one of the Cooper chumps!” One of Muggshots goons pointed at them.

“Who’s the girl though?” One of Mz. Ruby’s rats questioned.

“Who cares?! GET ‘EM!” One of Raleigh’s walrus guards huffed, chucking a golden shuriken at them, which they dodged effortlessly.

“Ready, big guy?” Carmelita asked.

“BRING IT ON!” Murray bellowed, flexing his arms before charging head first at a few rats who were trying to swing their staffs at the two, knocking them clean to the floor. The guards screamed, rushing for the two. A group of them latched onto Murray, but he didn’t buckle, he would grab them and throw them off while still swinging his fists. Carmelita activated the shock function of her cane and spun around with her cane outstretched, knocking out the walruses who surrounded her. With a grin, she caught a rat by the neck and began spinning on the heels of her boots.

“Murray! Heads up!” She called out before stopping her spin and releasing the rat, making him fly towards Murray, who uppercutted him so hard, he flew through the ceiling. Murray cracks his knuckles before turning to throw a punch at a canine trying to sneak up on him.

“How’re you holding up, Crimson?!” He asked, making sure to use her codename while they were in the middle of a brawl, deciding to throw a chump her way, and she caught him with the cane before slamming him to the floor,

“I’m feeling fine, Murray!” She smirked, spinning her cane before turning on the shock adapter again and gave a few crooks a few watts of energy. The brawl went on, and no matter how the guards handled themselves, nothing they did could stop the duo. Teeth were knocked out, guards were thrown out of windows or punched through walls, furniture was smashed, trinkets were broken. Murray and Carmelita were keeping track of the thugs they’ve taken out in their head the entire time, until finally, the remaining guards decided to cut their losses, and flee the city.

“That’s right, punks!” Murray shouted after them. “From now on Chartres is under protection by the Cooper gang, and don’t ya forget it!”

“Murray? Carmelita? How’s it going over there?” Bentley questioned, his voice coming over their binocucoms.

“It was awesome, Bentley!” Murray beamed. “Carmelita kicked so much ass! We should’ve asked if she wanted to be a part of the gang years ago!”

“I appreciate the enthusiasm, big guy.” Carmelita smiled. “But I would’ve turn it down.”

“Do you guys see any of the green voodoo juice? They should be in skull shaped vials.” Bentley said, getting Carmelita to scan the room. Luckily, sitting on a few bedside counters that hadn’t been touched during the fight, were the vials in question.

“Found them.” She nodded.

“Alright. The mess hall should be empty, so Murray, take those vials and pour those concoctions into the food. Meanwhile, Carmelita, you snag the car keys from Muggshots crew, and plant them in the pockets of Raleigh’s.”

“Got it.” The two said simultaneously. While Murray grabbed the vials, Carmelita ran out of the barracks and used her super jump to get on the rooftops, keeping an eye out for Muggshots goons. Thankfully, she found them working in one small section of town, but that would make things a little tricky, as they were moving like a pack. As long as she was fast, she could snag the keys she needed.

“Five keys should just about do the trick.” Bentley said before she jumped down, tailing two guards. Once she was close enough, she used her cane and pickpocketed the goons, collecting a few coins before finally grabbing the key. She then repeated the same process for the other guard, who had stopped to yawn. Not once did he feel her cane rummage around his back pocket, and by the time he did turn around when something felt off to him, Carmelita was already gone. It didn’t take long for Carmelita to get the other keys she needed, and quickly got out of the area. She already knew where to find Raleigh’s gang, they were closer to the cathedral. Squids in overalls were marching around the grounds, shining their flashlights at bushes, looking around, keeping an eye out for thieves or troublemakers. Pocketing the keys ended up being easier than snatching them because they were all spread out on the ground floor. After pocketing the last key, Carmelita got to the closest rooftop, just as Muggshot’s goons showed up.

“Yo! Squidboy!” One of them shouted, storming up to one of the squids. “Where’s my damn keys?!”

“What are you talking about?” The squid questioned, looking at the dog like he had a second head. The dog turned the squid around and grabbed the key out of his pocket.

“You slippery bastards stole our keys!”

“We didn’t touch your stupid keys, lad! For all we know it was probably those disgusting rats trying to get us to turn on each other!”

“Oh, don’t even try to blame it on us!” Huffed one of Mz. Ruby’s rats before he pointed an accusatory finger at the dog, holding up a pair of sunglasses. “Which one of you mutts put our brew in the food?! All of our food that was supposed to last us till the end of this job are all spoiled!” Carmelita watched with a smirk on her face as the argument grew more and more intense and more guards showed up to shout at each other.

“Hey, Murray…” Carmelita whispered to her binocucom. “Did you put one of the dog’s sunglasses in the mess hall to get the blame put on them?”

“Believe it or not, one of them just left it there!” The hippo chuckled. Before Carmelita could respond, a huge fight broke out. Guns were fired, voodoo curses were casted, and large green spitballs were spat. More and more guards rushed in, and more and more guards ended up joining in the fight when they were trying to separate those beating each other up. Carmelita wished she had some popcorn with her while she watched the show, but she was enjoying it nonetheless. After a while, the gangs all had enough and decided to leave town in droves, unable to stand another minute being around each other.

“Alright, that should be everybody!” Bentley said. “Just sit tight, Carmelita, we’re going to break the doors down to the cathedral with the van. They reinforced those doors and changed the locks so nobody else could get in unless it’s one of the leaders. The van should be strong enough to break it down!”

“I’ll be ready. Once that door’s busted, I’m going right for Neyla. We’ve got some unfinished business that needs to be addressed anyways.” She said, giving her knuckles a good crack. She jumped down to the street and waited near the door, and soon, she could hear the engine of the van roaring as it sped down the street and came crashing through the door, busting it down effortlessly. Murray, Bentley and Demitri got out of the van, facing Neyla, who was standing by the altar, ready to crack her whip. Carmelita came in from behind the van, giving her cane a twirl as she stood next to Bentley and Murray.

“Well, I shouldn’t be surprised.” Neyla commented, crossing her arms. “Carmelita, joining forces with the bleeding Cooper gang again.”

“You knew it was her?!” Murray sounded shocked.

“I’ve worked with her long enough to recognize the tiniest details.” Neyla explained. “Regardless, I’m not letting any of you come near this machine.”

“We’ll see about that.” Carmelita growled before taking the charge. Neyla cracked her whip, aiming for the fox, but missed at the last second when Carmelita leaped to the side, landing on one of the pews. Neyla pulled back to try and hit her with the whip again, but Carmelita was still faster, able to leap over the whip and swing her cane, smacking the hook right against the purple feline’s face, sending her crashing into one of the other pews. Neyla kicked the one on top of her off, making it shatter against the wall behind Carmelita. 

The brawl continued in much the same manner; Neyla tried to hit the vixen with her whip, but Carmelita was too fast, and once there was an opening, Carmelita swooped in and swung her cane right at Neyla. The cat did get a few lucky strikes, but it wasn’t enough. The vixen's swift movements thanks from what she learned from the thievious Raccoonus made her a hard target. With three consecutive whacks from the cane, Neyla was knocked out cold, and because she failed to keep the Time Machine safe, her form started to crumble away and form into a pile of dust on the floor.

“Said it before, and I’ll say it again,” Murray started. “That, was AWESOME!”

“Greasy sweet moves, copper!” Dimitri congratulated in his unique way.

“Fantastic job, Carmelita!” Bentley smiled, rolling up to her. “Now that we have their Time Machine, with a little tweaking on my part, we’ll be able to use it as an access point to return to our time once we stop one of those criminals from causing whatever damage they’re looking to do! You’re a natural!”

“Heh, it was nothing.” Carmelita smiled, running a hand through her hair. “That was pretty easy given she didn’t have a giant robot bird this time.

“Alright everybody.” Bentley started, rolling ahead before turning around to face the gang. “This is going to be our hardest mission yet! Not only are we going through time once again, but our pal, Sly, is somewhere beyond that time rift! Luckily, we know where they’re all going, and we can go right after them! But first, we’re gonna need some help. We need to find the Panda King and the Guru, and see if they’ll help us.”

“Hold up, what about that old flame that gave you the cold shoulder?” Dimitri questioned with a raised brow.

“You’re not going to believe this, but she sent me a message on Thief Net while Carmelita and Murray were out.” The turtle said, wheeling back to the van. “She wants to meet up with me back in Paris so we can talk. Tomorrow.”

“...Just like that?” Murray crossed his arms, not exactly happy with the whole idea.

“I was thinking the same thing. That’s why I need somebody to keep watch in case she tries to pull something.”

“I’ll do it.” Carmelita offered. “I’ll show up ten minutes early, in a disguise no one can recognize me in, and listen in on the conversation. If something goes wrong, I’ll stick around. If things go fine, I’ll leave and head back to the safehouse.”

“Solid.” Dimitri nodded. “While you two are out, big man Murray will try and get in contact with the firework king and the wise man.”

“Wait a minute, where does that leave you?” Murray raised a brow.

“Hey, somebody’s gotta stick back and make sure no gawkers try and touch the time machine.” 

“Alright, fair point. What time tomorrow do you have to meet up with Penelope, Bentley?” The hippo asked, looking to his second best friend.

“Around noon. Twelve-thirty at the earliest, she said.” Bentley answered.

“Then we better turn in for the night.” Carmelita suggested, turning to look at the time machine. “We’re gonna need all the energy we can get.”

“I’ll be waiting for you cats to come back.” Dimitri said, moving closer to the time machine while the other three loaded up and got in the van before flooring off. Once they were gone, the iguana sighed, sitting down and giving the time machine a once over. “Just chillax a little longer, ringtail. We’re on the way.”

Chapter Text

Bentley exited the local cafe, a fresh cup of coffee in his hand while moving his wheels with the other, looking around to make sure he didn’t accidentally roll over anyone’s feet. He could see Carmelita nearby, wearing a red trench coat, matching hat, black pants and sunglasses. No one seemed to know who she was, so she definitely had the disguise thing down. He smiled, taking a sip from his cup before sitting it down on the table. He closed his eyes, letting out a sigh as he thought back to the chat he had with Penelope while Carmelita was dealing with Neyla. It was an awkward attempt at making small talk, and at first, he wasn’t sure if he should respond or delete the message the mouse sent him.

Air_Heart_Babe: Hey.

It was only one word, but it threw the turtle off his focus during the mission, he never expected to see or hear from her again after their fight back in 1301 when she was trying to steal Sir Galleth Cooper’s cane. He sat in his chair, staring at the message, debating how he wanted to handle this. With a deep breath, he chose not to delete the message, and respond.

Spex_Guy: Hey.

Air_Heart_Babe: I see you didn’t block me.

Spex_Guy: And I see you haven’t done that to me either.

Spex_Guy: Why are you reaching out? I thought we were done.

Air_Heart_Babe: Can we meet up?

Spex_Guy: Meet up?

Air_Heart_Babe: Yeah. Just one talk, and I promise, I won’t go near you or your friends ever again.

Spex_Guy: You can’t be serious.

Spex_Guy: After everything you did?

Bentley started to ramble, typing away on his next response, occasionally stopping to erase a few things when he wanted to word something better to get his feelings across. But then, Penelope beat him to it.

Air_Heart_Babe: I know you don’t trust me. You have every right not to. But please, I just want to have one talk.

Air_Heart_Babe: This has been eating at me for a while now, and I can’t take it anymore. The guilt, the shame, how badly I hurt you guys.

Bentley paused, looking the message over, debating if he should continue his rant. He leaned back until he could feel his back against the wall of his shell, even staring away from the screen to think the decision over. He heard the notification sound to indicate Penelope had sent another message.

Air_Heart_Babe: Please? Just one talk, and I’ll leave, I promise. No tricks, no traps, nothing.

Bentley stared at the last plea, and sighed, deleting his entire rant, and typed out a new response.

Spex_Guy:Okay, we can meet up. But it can’t take too long, we kind of have a situation on our hands, and it’s pretty dire.

Air_Heart_Babe: Why? What’s going on?

Spex_Guy: I’ll explain at our meet up. Speaking of, what time do you want to do this?

Air_Heart_Babe: How about around noon? Twelve thirty at the earliest.

Spex_Guy: Okay. That’ll work. How about at the Cafe De Flora?

Air_Heart_Babe: Perfect. So…see you then?

Spex_Guy: Yeah. I’ll see you then. Bye.

Air_Heart_Babe: Bye.

With that, Bentley closes the tab and closes his laptop, still debating if this would be a good idea. 

Even as he looked around at the other tables that sat outside the cafe, he still wasn’t sure if this was the right thing to do. He closed his eyes, listening to the distant chatters of the patrons, or the chirps of a nearby bird. The sound of the seat being pulled away from the table made him open his eyes, and he saw Penelope sitting down. The two sat and stared in an uncomfortable silence for what felt like forever. Carmelita lowered her paper, wanting to keep a better eye on the two in case something went wrong.

“So…” Penelope broke the silence first, rubbing her shoulder awkwardly. “How are things?”

“They’re fine, I suppose.” Bentley answered, nodding his head. There was another brief period of silence before Bentley cleared his throat. “Did you, uh, want to say anything?”

“I don’t-” The mouse paused, her eyes shifting away from Bentley’s contact. “I’m not sure what to say, or how to explain myself…it’s just awkward…honestly, I wanted to do this because I thought maybe, we could fix this.”

“Fix this? Fix what?” Bentley raised a brow. “The gang’s trust in you, MY trust? What are you looking to fix, exactly?”

“...Us.” Penelope answered quietly, looking at the table her fingers rested on. Bentley could tell she’s been holding onto guilt for awhile now, but he couldn’t look over it, not after everything that happened.

“After everything, and after all you’ve done, can their really be an us?” He questioned, leaning forward in his seat.

“After what I’VE done?!” Penelope rose in her chair, staring the turtle down. Carmelita was ready to pounce if things got ugly real quick.

“My best friend, my brother, is gone, Penelope!” He snapped back at her, which got her to stand.

“I didn’t want that!” She argued.

“Oh really? Last I recalled, you said, and I quote, ‘Once Cooper’s out of the way, he’ll see things my way!’” He stared her down, watching as her ears started to flatten. “You turned your back on us! On me! Everything was fine until you-” Before he could finish, Penelope pushed her chair in.

“I-I’m sorry, this was a mistake.” She turned around to leave, her voice cracking a bit. “I’m just going to go.” Bentley, still feeling angry about everything, couldn’t stop himself.

“There you go, turning your back on me again.” He grumbled, crossing his arms and turning his head to look away. This lit a fire in Penelope and she turned back to face the turtle.

“Everything I did was for you!” She pointed at him, her nose twitching. Bentley couldn’t bring himself to look at her. At this moment, Carmelita’s tea had arrived at her table. She thanked the ferret waitress and took a few sips, watching as the conversation went on.

“All you ever cared about is Sly this, Sly that!” Penelope continued her rant, her eyes watering up as she reaches the table. “Your stupid time machine project?! That was just so you can see if there was a future where Sly leaves his happily ever after and comes crawling back to you! And what did that leave you with?! Nothing!”

“None of this would’ve happened if it weren’t for you!” Bentley finally snapped, pointing an accusing finger at her.

“I KNOW!” She shouted back, balling her fists up and slamming them on the table. She was hunched over the table, taking deep breaths. Bentley could see a few tears fall, landing on her glasses before hitting and staining the table. Penelope sniffled before collapsing in her chair, wiping her face dry with a napkin that was sitting on the table, but the tears were still flowing. “I know…not a day goes by where I don’t regret everything. If I still had that time machine, I’d go back and undo it all. I can’t live with myself, trying to pretend it didn’t happen. I was just so angry, that no matter what I did, you didn’t see any of it.” She looked up at Bentley, their gazes finally catching once more.

“It’ll never justify what I did, I know, but-”

“I’m sorry, Penelope.” Bentley spoke up, cutting her off, which made her flinch. “You’re right. I wanted nothing more than to get the gang back together for one last heist. I was so focused on the future, I…I failed to see what was right in front of me in the present. I took you for granted.” He admitted, looking away in shame.

“Bentley…”

“It’s true what they say, after all.” He chuckled quietly. “You never really know what it is you have until it’s gone.”

“Isn’t that the truth…” Carmelita sighed to herself, taking a sip of her tea. Her eyes shifted to the rooftops of Paris, thinking back to all the times she’d be chasing ringtail over them. She could hear the banter now…

“Get back here, Cooper!” She’d scream. “That crown needs to be returned to the museum!”

“Sorry, Carm!” Sly would smirk back at her. “But it’ll be in much better hands with me!” Carmelita sighed, flattening her ears.

“I’m sorry, Bentley.” Penelope said, getting the fox’s attention. “I know there’s nothing I really can do to fix this. I have this recurring dream where you and I-” She paused, her gaze shifting elsewhere as she wiped her face again with the napkin. She felt Bentley’s hand rest on hers, and she adjusted her glasses to look at him.

“I want you to know, I never stopped loving you, Penelope.” He told her. She smiled softly at him, wiping her puffy eyes one more time.

“Neither did I…” The two stepped and rolled away from the table, and Penelope knelt down to hug Bentley, who hugged her back in turn. Once they pulled away, Bentley cleared his throat.

“I need to ask..why did you do it in the first place? We could’ve talked everything out, at least, I think we could have. I know it couldn’t have been for money like you said, because Sly left us all the treasure from his family’s vault.” He said. Penelope took a step back when she stood up, rubbing her arm again.

“Le Paradox…” She answered, looking away. “I don’t know how, but he found out about the time machine we were working on, and when I went outside to clear my head, he sprung from the bushes and ambushed me. He made it clear he knew where our hideout was at, and who worked with the Cooper gang. He said I can give him our blueprints for the time machine, work for him, and everything would be fine. If I didn’t? His crew would force their way in and destroy everything and kill us.”

“Why didn’t you say anything when we were fighting?” Bentley raised a brow.

“Are you kidding?” Penelope stared at him like he had lost his head. “His goons were everywhere! Even my ‘henchmen’ were under his control! If I had said something, they would’ve been all over us like flies on garbage!” Hearing this, Bentley grimaced a bit.

“That does sound bad…” He admitted. “I-It should be safe now, though. Actually, speaking of Le Paradox, we kind of have a problem.”

“Oh no. Please don’t tell me-”

“I’m afraid so.” Carmelita spoke up, deciding to finally join the conversation.

“C-Carmelita?!” The mouse’s eyes widened.

“She’s agreed to help us out.” Bentley explained, to which Carmelita nodded. “Would you like to explain, or should I?”

“You go ahead, it’s your conversation after all.” The fox suggested. Bentley nodded before looking back at Penelope, explaining what was happening with Le Paradox, Sir Raleigh, and the others, and how they were going back in time to continue the skunk’s original job. Penelope looked horrified by what she was hearing.

“He’s still trying to erase Sly’s family?” She questioned.

“Yes.” Bentley answered. “And if my calculations are correct, Sly is in one of those time periods right now! Thankfully his time machine is in our hands, and because of that, we just have to modify the van so it can bring us back to our current time. We’re also trying to see if the Guru and Panda King will be able to help us, on what could potentially be our last job. And, you know, that means we need you too. So, what do you say, Penelope? Will you join the Cooper gang again?”

Penelope stared at Bentley for a long time, almost an uncomfortable amount of time. A smile slowly began to creep on her face, and she brushed her thumb under both of her eyes, feeling like his question just took a massive weight off of her back.

“You have no idea how long I’ve been wanting to say yes to that.” She sniffled.

“I have a pretty good idea.” Bentley nodded with a smile. The mouse bent over, hugging Bentley tightly.

“Look, there’s Murray.” Carmelita pointed out to the parking lot, seeing the van approaching. The pink hippo got out and rushed over to them.

“Murray!” Penelope greeted, turning around to look at him.

“Penelope!” He smiled brightly, hugging her tightly, lifting her up off of her feet. “Good to see you back on our side! But, I gotta tell you guys something, it couldn’t wait back at the hideout.”

“What is it, big guy?” Bentley questioned.

“Well, it’s a good news, bad news kind of thing. Good news is, The Guru agreed to tag along, and he’s getting a ticket to fly out here, and should be here in the morning. Bad news? Panda King is dealing with a…problem.”

“What kind of problem?” Carmelita grimaced, having a bad feeling in her stomach that she already knew what was wrong.

“General Tsao is back!” The hippo exclaimed. “He’s raging a full on war against the Panda King, and China is in chaos because of it!”

“Oh geez…” Bentley leaned back in his seat. “It sounds like Sly’s gonna have to wait awhile. Once Guru is here, we’ll go out and help Panda King! In the meantime, we’ll just lay low, and wait.”

“Sounds good to me.” Murray said before turning back to the van. Everyone else followed suit, and after helping Bentley get in, Murray let Penelope ride shotgun and drove off.

-

The next Day

<Bentley’s POV>

It was a surreal feeling. In just one discussion, Penelope and I were able to air everything out, and now she’s back on our side. Carmelita was a little hesitant, but knew we needed her back if we were going to help Sly.

As we rode back to the safe house, I couldn’t help but think about what transpired. Our dangerous adversaries were working together, and while that’s a really bad thing, it helps us narrow down where Sly could be.

Sly…a childhood best friend. A brother. A real partner in crime. Sure, he might be the face of the gang, but he’s never treated us any less. It’s been a long road for both us, and Murray. I looked out the window, reminiscing about our life together. We met at the orphanage, even pulled our very first heist there, too! It might have gotten hairy at the end there, but those cookies were delicious, and they were what sparked the desire to keep doing stuff like that. We helped Sly avenge his family and put the Thievius Racoonus back together. We stopped Clockwerk from coming back, we obtained a long bloodline’s worth of wealth, and partially stopped Sly’s family from being wiped out from history. But now, without him by our side, his family is once again in danger.

The next day, we made our way to the airport, meeting up with Murray’s old mentor, the Guru. That koala seemed happy to see us again, and thanks to Murray explaining what had happened with The Panda King and Sly, he was more than willing to get on board and help us out. We boarded the next flight to China, and as everyone got ready for whatever General Tsao had prepared, whether he expected us or not, I couldn’t help but think of Sly. I looked out the window, staring at the passing clouds and landscapes below, before I felt Penelope rest her hand on mine. I looked at her, and she gave me her best comforting smile. I smiled back before turning my attention back out the window.

Hold on a little longer, Sly. We have one more stop to make…

Next time

Bentley and the Gang In:

This Means War