Soul Rider: Standard disclaimer of having no possession of the series, blah, blah, blah.

Unleashed Greed

Part 1: The Devil's Stone

*Beijing, China 10:24 pm*

Bentley stares at his green computer screen, watching the Cooper icon move through a crowded maze by itself. A certain spot on the maze has a red dot, pinpointing the target. The raccoon icon moves closer to the red dot at a steady, but somewhat slow pace.

"Is Sly there yet, Bentley?" Murray asks from the front of the van. The green turtle looks at his childhood friend, whose back is facing him.

"Not yet, Murray," he answers with his stuffy voice. He looks back at the screen for a few seconds and then to Murray. The symbol is much closer to the target now. "But he's getting close."

"Hey, Bentley, what's so big about the target anyway? I mean, it's just a diamond necklace, right?"

"Not exactly, Murray. It is a necklace, but the diamond it has is called the 'Devil's Stone'. It is said that the necklace was created in Ancient Egypt by seven evil pharaohs. The necklace was then stolen and sold to the king of medieval England. Over the years, the stone was sold time and time again. However, there was a catch to it. Whoever has possession of it have their inner darkness awaken and they become evil. Its last holder, a kind nobleman, became a wrathful assassin and killed anyone in his way. Luckily, he was captured and executed for his crimes. Now, it's at the Beijing Museum of Magic, people hoping that no one becomes influenced by it." Murray looks at him with interest.

"Wow. That is intense voodoo."

"Actually, it's a curse left by the pharaohs. It was their most prized possession because they made it with their own hands. It is said that they were called, 'The Seven Pharaohs of Sin'. They were cruel to their people and said to have died because of their evil ways. When the king of medieval England received the diamond, he began treating his people with the same disrespect and died young, as well." The hippo's expression changes to show that he is creeped out.

"That stone is CREEPY! Why on Earth is Sly stealing THAT?"

"It was the first thing the Cooper clan ever stole. Slytunkhamen Cooper II was the thief. He, according to Sly, wanted the pharaohs to feel how their people felt and so stole their prized necklace. That's what started the Cooper code: "Only steal from those who don't deserve it." Also, it turns out that each of the greatest of the Coopers stole the Devil's Stone, as well, though none of them knew that until Otto Van Cooper realized it."

"So, it's like a tradition for the Cooper line to steal this diamond?"

"Exactly."

"Hey, Bentley," Sly's voice says in a whisper from the mic, "I found it." A bit surprised, Bentley looks at the screen and sees the Cooper icon flashing red.

'Well, that was fast,' he thinks. "Good job, Sly," he says into his own mic. "Grab the stone and meet us at the rendezvous near the museum."

"All right." The mic turns off.

*Meanwhile, in the Beijing Museum of Magic*

"Grab the stone and meet us at the rendezvous near the museum."

"All right." Sly turns off his earpiece. Before him the Devil's Stone in a glass case on a white pillow. It is made with rose gold. In some spots are teeth-shaped gold. Its attraction was the white diamond for the back of an Egyptian beetle.

"Time to keep up the Cooper tradition." He takes out a small glass cutter from his leg pouch and cuts a hole in the thin glass. It falls into Cooper's open hand. Putting the glass gently on the floor and the glass cutter in his pocket, Sly grabs the necklace. He stares into the diamond's depths in admiration. Then, the diamond mysteriously begins to turn black, much to Sly's shock. Sly immediately puts the necklace in his backpack and places his signature calling card in the empty case.

"Black and White," a dark, echoing voice murmurs. Startled, the raccoon looks around the room, but no one is there. "The Black and White Thief. We meet anew." Sly now recalls that is said that the holders of the Devil's Stone always heard these voices of their 'consciences' speaking to them. The master thief relaxes and gives off an unimpressed look, even though there is no one to see it.

"Nice try, 'conscience', but I'm not doing anything you say," he says calmly.

"Don't you want to steal many varieties of items?" the voice asks temptingly.

"Coopers only steal from other thieves and plain criminals. I only came here tonight for the stone because it's a threat here. Don't need anything else."

"Oh, you sure? Because I know that deep within you is a thief that will steal anything. You're just itching to grab more gold and jewels without thought. Come on; let your inner thief finally leave his prison cell."

'This voice is really trying now,' he thinks. Sly gives a 'hmpf' of annoyance. "Three words. No. Thank. You." The raccoon then bolts down the hall, heading back to where he entered. He passes by the same priceless antique wands with gemstones and gem dazzled spell books in Chinese. He avoids any direct contact with the displays, predicting that the evil voice will try to tempt him into stealing unnecessary items.

The master thief finds his escape hole: an air vent. Why air vents is always the escape hole is anyone's-even Sly and Bentley's-guess. However, as Sly crawls through the somewhat narrow space, a shadow-made hand slowly creeps out of his bag. Reaching the outside, the raccoon jumps the bottom story and lands perfectly on his feet. The shadow has already made some kind of key out of shadow.

Before Sly can start running to the van, the hand stabs the key into his chest and pierces his heart. The master thief's pupils and irises shrink and his body is paralyzed. Next, he feels pain, as if something was destroying him on the inside. Looking down, he sees the shadow hand and its key as it's turning it to unlock something. 'Oh God, no,' he thought. He begins to head sweat from dear. 'No! Please stop! Bentley! Murray! Help me!' Then, there is a 'click' and Cooper's vision goes white. His irises are glazed pitch black. The key is then removed and the hand vanishes. The sinister voice chuckles evilly.

"Oh, how we've waited for this moment," it says. "When a Cooper is finally tossed into the cell to replace the true thief that only cares about wealth. At long last, the greedy opportunity the Coopers locked away for generations has been released. Greed is now free."

Soul Rider: *whistle in exasperation* I did it. No flames please or anything like that please.