AN: Hi! Thank you for choosing to read my first story! Yay! I've been working hard to make this story as close to the game as I can get it, while still enjoying some creative freedom by adding several new levels and a host of new characters ranging from major players to minor sides. I hope you enjoy the story. Also I have a good chunk of this already written and will try to develop and update schedule...
Quiet. As near to silence as one could get in a noise filled office full of hundreds of officers. Josephina Augustine, who'd been fighting a headache all day, was glad for the distinct lack of shouting. Of course the ringing of the phones wasn't helping at all. Her own phone's shrill ring caused her to jump and spill the bottle of aspirin she'd been struggling to open. Groaning she glared at the phone before picking it up to answer.
"Hello?" Her voice cracked from lack of use for the past three or four hours. She cleared her throat and answered again, this time in a stronger voice. "Hello?"
"You're sounding rough kid." The voice on the other end of the line was familiar to her, gruff but kind and warm.
"Captain Lewis! Er, hello sir!"
"Relax August, I'm not calling to chew you out. I'm actually giving you an opportunity..."
"An opportunity, sir?"
"I'm putting you on a case... The lead inspector should be there any minute to discuss particulars... Word of advice, she's been working this case for a long time. Letting someone else in is going to be difficult, especially with your particular way of working."
"If I may sir, what case is this? You're making it sound high profile..."
"I'm putting you on the Cooper case." Josephina nearly dropped the phone in shock. Everyone knew that the Sly Cooper case had been ongoing for years now. Longer than even Josephina herself had been a part of Interpol. Everyone also knew that the inspector on the case, Inspector Carmelita Montoya Fox, was a hard-nosed and stubborn investigator, especially when it came to Sly Cooper.
"Are... Are you sure, sir?"
"Positive. There's no one else's eyes I'd rather have taking a fresh look at this case." Josephina was shaking. Panic, pride, joy, fear all culminating in a sort of adrenaline rush.
"Thank you, sir. I'll do my best."
"Don't let me down August."
"Of course. Thank you again." The line clicked and went dead. Josephina fell back into her chair, brushing her choppy white bangs out of her eyes, and looked over at the rest of the office. Her small corner desk was cluttered, a jumble of personal and professional items, and a far cry from an office. She wasn't even ranked very high. A folder slammed down on her desk, causing her to snap out of her thoughts and look up at the infamous Inspector Fox. The woman did not appear to be in a very good mood. Josephina could reciprocate the feeling. Her headache had yet to go away and the four old cups of coffee were all empty, leaving saliva her only current option for taking the aspirin she'd managed to scoop up.
"Captain decided you're on my case so read up." Fox snapped, orange tail flicking with annoyance as she folded her arms over her chest. "Get your things and read in the car, Coopers going to make a move soon and I want him in cuffs and in a cell before he can so much as bat an eyelash this time." Josephina nodded dumbly, staring at the other woman. "I've got an idea where he's going to hit... We're staking out the place of the theft, with any luck I'll be able to bag him this time." Josephina stood and grabbed her jacket, badge, shock pistol and the file, hustling after Carmelita as the other woman nodded somewhat approvingly and started for the door. Fox moved fast, hardly giving pause as she came to doors, and practically jogging down the stairs.
Josephina followed at a half jog, trying to read, pull on her jacket, holster her weapon and keep up with Carmelita all at the same time, using her teeth to tug her black leather jacket's lapel into place. She nearly ran into the other woman as she stopped abruptly. Looking up Josephina froze, staring at the red convertible the other woman was unlocking.
"Woah... this is your car?" Josephina asked, as Carmelita unlocked it and climbed in.
"Yeah, get in." Carmelita motioned with her head and Josephina swiftly joined her. By the time they'd made it to the museum Josephina was finished going over the file, a small frown on her face. It was midafternoon and the two officers walked inside with the crowds of people. Cairo's History Museum was truly gorgeous.
"It's occurred to me that your method of capturing Cooper has remained the same throughout the entirety of your participation on the case..."
"Yeah. So? What of it?"
"It's just a thought but have you ever considered pulling a sting operation on him?"
"You mean... Have someone attempt to infiltrate his gang of misfits?"
"Exactly, if someone could gain his trust, find out the ins and outs of his group's dynamic... Maybe then we could set a trap for him, trip him up, psych him out, beat him at his own game." Carmelita's ears flicked back as she thought and the pair walked to the security room.
"... It could work... But it'd need to be someone we could trust..."
"I'll do it." Carmelita's ears flattened against her skull and she frowned at the ferret. "Look Captain Lewis put me on this case for this reason. All it'll take is a couple of calls and I can have a team ready to go in just a few hours."
Carmelita looked skeptical but Josephina could see the light behind her eyes. "Alright. You make your calls, I'll make a few of my own and this time... This time I'll take Cooper down for good!"
Carmelita took in the small office they'd procured for their mission control. It was an older abandoned building several blocks from the museum, with little foot traffic. The perfect place for one of Coopers hide outs. She glanced out the window catching sight of a van pulling to a stop in the narrow street. Even before the van had a chance to fully stop, the front passenger door and back doors were opening, allowing four figures to emerge. A pair of foxes, one black furred, the other orange and crème, grabbed a pair of boxes from the back and began to move towards the door of the building Carmelita was currently standing in. The other two who'd climbed from the van, an orange tabby and an otter woman, followed close behind with several more boxes.
The otter was giving orders as they entered the building. "I'll need the codes for the museum's security, let's get these computers set up and we can go from there." The small group froze as Carmelita's shock pistol hummed to life, and she stepped out of the shadows she'd been standing in.
"Police! Put the boxes down and get your hands in the air." She snapped, glowing faintly blue from the electricity of her gun.
"Woah, woah, woah!" Josephina leapt through the door, her eyes wide. Her white fur on edge and silvery hair falling over her left eye. "Easy Carmelita... Geeze... These are the old friends I told you about. The ones who are going to help us get Cooper."
"Oh... Uh... Sorry..." Carmelita slowly lowered her pistol, blushing slightly and rubbing the back of her head. The otter smiled, eyes dancing behind her glasses, her bright yellow tunic, blue shorts and red boots made her stand out in the gloom.
"No problem. You didn't know who we were, it's only natural for you to be suspicious. Especially since this is a different tactic than what you're used to in your usual dealings." The otter said with a small smile as she set the box she was holding on the ground and held out a hand. "I'm Trista. This is Lindsey," The orange tabby waved energetically, she was dressed in a blue crop top with half sleeves, tan pants and aqua converse that matched the collar of her shirt. "Hel," With a curt nod the black fox, dressed in an orange vest and beanie, dusty blue-green pants and top, and brown boots, slipped back into the streets to retrieve another box from the white van. "And Aline." The second fox wearing an olive green skirt and undershirt with a sheer black over shirt, and a pair of heels, smiled politely before also returned to gathering boxes. "It'll take us a little bit of time to set up shop, but we've done this before, shouldn't take more than half an hour."
"Anything I can do to help?"
"We're going to need the codes for the security cameras... And blueprints. Our goal is to send in Josephina as a fellow thief, have her divert Cooper from your stakeout and try to gain his trust. Forgoing that she'll follow him back to his hideout."
"If everything goes to plan, I'll be able to infiltrate his gang, and feed information to you so we can get the whole of the gang in one fell swoop." Josephina said.
"I already called the boss. Cooper might know I have a partner on this case now, so I'm doing a favor for the Contessa and letting a constable sit in on my stakeout of the Clockwerk exhibit." Carmelita frowned. She didn't particularly want to have yet another person she didn't know working on this case.
"Wasn't he found in Russia? What's his remains doing here in Egypt?"
"Some DNA or something... From what the museum owner told me, the original bird lived in Egypt during the reign of the pharaohs in 1300 B.C." Carmelita shrugged. "I'll get you the codes and blueprints then head out to meet the constable."
"Sounds good. We'll get set up here and be ready to go by the time you get back." Josephina smiled and glanced at the van. "Let's get going gang, we don't have a lot of time."
Josephina hummed softly to herself as she looked over her appearance one last time before slipping out into the streets and making her way to the museum. Her boots, thick soled though they were, tapped imperceptibly in the near darkness. Twilight was setting in fast. She glanced around quickly before she picked the lock to one of the skylights and slipped inside the building. Pressing a hand to her ear she turned on her earpiece and walked down the empty hall before her.
"Alright. I'm inside. Make sure someone fixes that lock when we leave."
"Already sent Lindsey to deal with it." Trista, the techy otter and brain of the team, answered. "I calculated the most likely route Cooper would use given previous heist patterns... Gotta say it's nothing like what went down last night."
"Doesn't matter if the heists are similar, if Cooper's coming here then he's coming here. Besides, this crime's already broken his pattern. Cooper's heists are always linked to major criminals, usually other thieves, once the investigation gets started. The Clockwerk parts are personal for him, and that means we don't know what he'll do to get them. What's valuable in the route you've got mapped out?"
"There's a nice diamond collection..."
"Anything we have suspicions about being linked to a criminal organization?"
"There's several paintings..." Josephina frowned.
"Not enough."
"Diamond encrusted sword, worth quite a bit, on the route I mapped out. I'll mark it and direct you-"
"No need, big shiny sword with gold and diamonds, can't be too hard to find."
"Are you sure you can handle this?" Josephina's ears flicked back and she glanced at the paintings, statues and artifacts in the cases.
"I'll be fine..."
"Are you sure? We can pull the plug on this operation-"
"Don't you dare! I told you, I can do this. I need to do this!"
"Easy... Calm down. I believe you." Frustrated and slightly hurt by the accusation that she might not be able to keep her old urges at bay Josephina changed the subject.
"Has Cooper shown yet?"
"Not yet, I've got the whole of the building under watch, with the four of us here, we've got it covered. Don't worry about Cooper showing, just worry about getting through his defenses when he does decide to show his face." Josephina flicked off the communicator with a nod and started walking quietly down the near empty halls. Through the security gates she could see the guards, all informed of the plan, all ignoring any noises.
Flicking her tail the ferret girl walked down the silent hall, winding through security gates and patches of twilight sunset until she found the case she was looking for. Through the lenses of her contacts she could see the red line Cooper was most likely to take, the case was in the perfect spot. There would be no way he would miss her. It wouldn't be long, still a little set dressing wouldn't hurt. She pulled a roll of tools out of one of the leg pouchs on her left leg and whistling a jaunty tune set to work setting the scene. She set out the lock picking tools and placed a gloved hand on the glass.
"Hello sweet temptation." She murmured to herself. "Been a long time, old friend." How long had it actually been since she'd left her old life behind? Had it really only been two years since she'd joined Interpol? It felt like lifetimes ago, and every day the urges called. This was a test, and there would be more just like it in the coming months. Could she truly leave it behind? "Glittering like you've won the state fair back home... pretty little danger." Glancing at the dark hall she pulled out her glass cutting tools.
"Nice night for a heist." Josephina froze. Suave voice, male. The person behind her definitely had to be Cooper.
Without turning she smiled and said, "Sure is. Going to bust me, officer?"
"I'm no officer." She slowly turned to face the infamous raccoon. "I'm actually quite the opposite." Josephina took in his appearance. She'd seen his photo, but real experience with his face would help in identifying him in a crowd if ever need be. He had a strong, well defined and handsome face, with brown eyes that leapt from his mask, and a smirk that danced on his lips.
"Well hello. Sly Cooper... oh my night just got all the better. Look, I figured that night after a major heist there'd be security crawling all over this place. But if someone like you is riskin' it..."
"What are you talking about?"
"You don't know?" Josephina frowned. "Someone broke in last night, carried out the Clockwerk parts..." The raccoon's face twisted into a look of shock and panic.
"Someone already stole the parts?"
"Yeah. You really didn't know that they were gone?"
"I had no idea... But... No. I need to see for myself. Bentley, change of plans. Someone already has the parts." Cooper winced as if someone was shouting in his ear. "I know! Look, I'm still headed to the Clockwerk display, I'll let you know more when I know more." Josephina finished up her cuts and carefully removed the sword from its case, slipping it into a holster on her back and gathering her tools.
"Mind if I tag along? You're headed towards my exit." She asked, earning a look of confusion.
"I really don't have time for-"
"I'll keep up and out of the way." Sly seemed to weigh his options and then gave her a curt nod.
"But only if you can keep up." He said, a small frown on his face.
"Full speed ahead then." The raccoon didn't need to be told twice, taking off at a sprint down the hall.
"Hold up." Cooper said holding his cane out to stop her as Josephina started to step into a small seating area just off one of the many balconies. Seconds later a massive, pink hulk crashed through the skylight with a cry of 'Thunder Flop!' and sent shockwaves through the floor as it landed, dead center in the room. Josephina gave a muffled cry of panic and scrambled back as the hulk stood and the dust settled. Sly stood in the exact same position he'd been in, the only change the smirk on his face.
"Greetings citizens, I hope you weren't harmed by my meteoropic entrance."
"I'm pretty sure it's pronounced meteoric..." Josephina mumbled, "Actually, no, I'm positive."
"No... No Murray I made sure to stand clear." Sly reassured his friend.
"Good, good, the thunder flop knows neither friend, nor foe, only destruction." Murray gave a lopsided grin before looking at Josephina. "Who's this Sly?"
"I... I didn't catch your name..." Sly frowned and turned to look at her.
"Oh! Sorry about that Mr. Cooper!" Sly grimaced and looked somewhat disturbed by the name. "I'm Josephina. Josephina Augustine... Most people call me August or Josie though."
"Nice to meet a fellow thief... Who's not trying to kill me."
"I just like the company... been pretty lonely since I left the orphanage." Josephina watched the reactions of both men carefully. If she could play use the orphan card with them, she might have an in already.
"You're an orphan?" Right into the trap, she forced herself not to smirk in victory.
"Yeah." That wasn't a lie. She'd lost her parents when she was seven. "Been alone ever since my mum and da were killed." Born in blood and raised in the dark. Josephina had always been an adept manipulator, had always been a child of the night.
"That's pretty rough. I'm sorry." She shrugged.
"You get used to it. Anyway, shouldn't we be moving on? I mean not that standing here and gabbing with you hasn't been fun and all."
"Good point. Hey Murray, think you could channel some of that raw energy you've been storing up into this security gate?" The hippo nodded and with a grunt lifted the gate with hardly any effort. Josephina blinked in surprise. He didn't look like he'd be that strong given the stomach on him.
"Teach me to judge a book by its cover..." She muttered softly. Sly slipped through the opening, with Josephina and Murray on his heels onto yet another balcony. "Dear god, didn't we just come from a balcony?"
"Another barrier stands before you, fear not, the Murray shall bend it like the truth!" The closest statue was heaved into the air without a thought and sent hurtling into the window on the far side of the courtyard, the sound of shattering glass echoing around them.
"Solid work Murray you're really in the zone." Sly said, grinning at his entrance to where the Clockwerk parts were being stored.
"My hulking frame is too much for that puny rope. I'll meet you in the hallway to help you carry out the Clockwerk parts." Sly nodded as Murray grinned and took off back into the building.
"How good is your rope walking?" Josephina glanced at the rope with slight uncertainty.
"We'll find out now won't we?" She watched him go first, taking off to a rooftop a short ways away. He nodded, and was talking but at the distance she couldn't hear what he was saying. She swallowed hard, took a deep breath and took the rope cautiously to meet up with Sly.
"There now, that wasn't so bad was it?" He grinned, she glared.
"I'm just rusty is all." She muttered. "Let's keep going, I should be okay now." Nodding again he moved on to the next rope, zigzagging until he made it back to the museum's new window entrance. Josephina followed at several paces behind him, allowing him to enter first. Boots crunched on broken shards of shattered glass and Sly stared at the empty room in horror. The blueprints still lined the walls, the police tape still cordoned off the area, and the only two items left in the room were two sarcophagi.
"Someone really did steal the parts already. Interesting." Sly muttered, eyes wandering over the empty room with something of dismay hidden behind them.
"Freeze Cooper." Josephina forced down a moan of irritation. Carmelita burst from one of the sarcophagi, a snow leopard emerging from the other. Shock pistol in hand the fox was already reaching for her cuffs.
"Inspector Fox... as beautiful and... unpredictable as ever." Sly said, leaning on his cane, watching the pair carefully.
"Whereas you crooks are always so predictable. You always return to the scene of the crime." Resisting the urge to grab her own shock pistol Josephina focused on any escape routes she could get.
"Crime? I haven't stolen anything... yet." Carmelita bristled.
"Oh really, then who broke in last night and stole all the Clockwerk parts? You've got the motive. Don't play dumb with me."
"It might not have been him Carmelita, the method of entry and number of guard casualties all point to this being a Klaww gang job." The tiger beside Carmelita said. Josephina's eyes widened and she suddenly felt sick.
"The Klaww gang?" She snapped. That was why the original crime had felt so familiar, she'd seen it before. She cursed several times in her head as Carmelita and the tiger turned their attention to her.
"And just who are you?"
"Oh come now, like I'd tell you that! Is it true? The Klaww gang could have been behind the robbery?"
"Could be, the facts add up." The tiger said with a shrug.
"Constable Neyla I allowed you to sit in on this stake out as a favor to the Contessa, I really don't need any help." Carmelita snapped.
"Oh I think you might, look at the facts." Sly motioned to the door behind the two officers, a finger pressed to his lips. Nodding Josephina slipped around the edge of the room.
"Facts? Sly Cooper is right here! I caught him red handed!"
"I'm just saying that there are other criminals in the world other than-"
"Sly Cooper and the other one! They're getting away, after them!" Josephina had felt the jolt of a shock pistol before, it was not an experience she ever wanted to go through again. One blast could send most perps down, of course training helped some but it didn't mean it didn't hurt like hell. A blue mass of electricity narrowly missed her head as she fell in behind Sly, making a mad dash down the hall.
"Get back here Cooper!" Carmelita shouted.
"Sorry sweetheart but I really can't do that!" He called back dogging to the side as a shock blast burnt the floor just behind him. Constable Neyla made to tackle Josephina but she saw the attack coming, leaping out of the way and dealing a well-placed and solid kick to the other woman's face.
"Sorry!" She called with a laugh, nodding to Murray as the hippo joined the chase.
"Woah, wait up Sly!" Murray yelped. Sly chanced a glance back at the hippo as he joined him in his scramble for the escape route.
"Shake a leg Murray it's time to go!" Another blast from Carmelita's shock pistol struck the wall, blackening the painting it struck.
"Stop Cooper!" Carmelita snapped.
"She's a persistent one isn't she?" Josephina called, dogging around a small green turtle that emerged from another side hall.
"You have no idea."
"This definitely wasn't part of the plan!" The turtle sounded truly panicked, glancing at Josephina through thick glasses. She waved, ducked out of the way of a whip that whizzed over her head and grinned at him.
"Yeah well this is where things get fun."
Josephina laughed and spun around to fire her own shock pistol at the constable chasing them. "You sure know how to make things a bit more interesting!"
"This is getting hot, you guys go warm up the van, I'll keep Carmelita busy."
"You're all going to jail!" Carmelita yelled.
"Pick me up at the rendezvous." Sly raced toward the large window at the end of the hall and used his cane to break through the glass as he leapt through. Josephina kept up with him, racing over a flag line as Carmelita burst through another window a level above them.
"Oh this is going to cost so much in property damage!"
"Hold still!" The fox was keeping up pretty well for trying to aim, jump between buildings and keep them in sight. Josephina was actually impressed. The constable had fallen back probably catching a ride with one of the police cars waiting on the ground.
"Sorry doll, can't do that!" The hot roof tops were a blur beneath them as sirens filled the air. For a split second Josephina felt panic rise in her chest. If they didn't get away that would leave the other two free to attempt to break Cooper out of prison.
She could hear sirens, could see the blue van swerving through the streets and then suddenly there wasn't any more roof, just ropes that Sly slid down to get to the ground safely.
"Leap of faith..." She muttered, following close behind, barreling into the back of the van just seconds before the doors shut and it was moving. "Well that was fun!" The turtle and Sly stared at her in slight horror and shock. "Hope you don't mind me tagging along." She didn't know if their eyes could get any wider, her grin sure couldn't.
Okay so there you have it! One chapter down. Let me know what you think! I look forward to feedback!