Chapter 2

The Problem

"Thank God," typed Murray in relief, "I thought you were going to say no."

"Of course not," typed sly, "I would never leave you guys behind. So what happened with Bentley?"

"Well, Bentley and Penelope were just putting the finishing touches on the Cooper Vault," Murray typed, "when they got ambushed and kidnapped by the Klaww gang. But they left a note behind saying You're next Cooper."

Sly was all of the sudden filled with rage "The KLAWW GANG! How could they have gotten him?" typed the furious Sly, "I thought we defeated them."

"I know," typed Murray trying to calm Sly down, "I did too. But I guess we didn't, and now we just have deal with it, find them and get Bentley and Penelope back."

"Ok," typed Sly calming down, "do we have any leads?"

"Well we can try talking with Demetrius since he was a former Klaww gang member and see if he remembers anything."

"Let's do it," typed Sly, "where's the rendezvous?" But before Murray could answer Sly heard Carmelita outside the door saying, "Sly dear, what are you doing?"

"Murray, its Carmelita," typed sly furiously, "I have to go."

"Ok," typed Murray, "I'll e-mail you the rendezvous. Your secret e-mail is still right?"

"Sure is," typed Sly with Carmelita just about to come in. "I can't wait to see you bud."

"You too." typed Murray. "Bye."

Sly logged off of his IM just before Carmelita walked in.

"What are you doing dear?" Carmelita asked.

"Just thinking about the wedding," Sly lied. It was the first thing that came into his head.

"I've been thinking about that too." Carmelita replied nervously.

Sly wasn't really thinking about the wedding. He was thinking of how to avoid Carmelita for the next couple of days. Suddenly, an idea popped into his head.

"Hon, how would you like to go visit your parents for a week or so to calm your nerves?"

"Oh, Honey I couldn't. Not with…"

Sly interrupted before she could continue. "Yes you can. You've been working too hard anyways. Going to see them would do you some good."

"Going to see them does sound pretty relaxing, and I haven't been home in a long time…But there's still so much to be done!"

"I'll take care of everything." Sly reasoned "and besides, it's only a week."

Carmelita was part of a large family of grape-growers and every year they would save some of their grapes and turn them into wine. Stepping on the grapes was Carmelita's favorite part, it was called the crush.

"Well, I guess I can go visit them for a little while…" Carmelita said with a wistful look in her eye "It's just about time for harvest and I might get there in time for the crush. That'd be fun!"

"So it's settled then?" Sly asked looking hopeful.

She nodded. Sly felt the breath go back into his lungs.

So the next day, they made the arrangements for Carmelita to visit her parents in Bergamo, Italy for a week and then come home; thus leaving enough time for Sly to get Bentley and Penelope from the Klaww Gang.

Sly drove Carmelita to the airport and when her flight was announced it was time to say goodbye.

"Don't kiss any other girls while I'm gone okay Sly?" Carmelita said jokingly "I'm going to miss you."

"I'll miss you too."

He gave her a long hug, when they parted he added "I'll be saving up all my kisses for you."

"Me too."

She gently caressed his cheek and kissed him, and then it was time for her to board the plane.

"Goodbye. I love you!"

"I love you too."

He watched her walk onto the plane feeling like he was the luckiest man alive.

When Sly got home from the airport he immediately checked his email. There was an email from Murray. He opened it and found a map with a star that said R, obviously meaning rendezvous. He also saw a time written in on the upper left corner. That was probably the time he needed to go see Demetrius. The time was for 2:00. Sly checked his watch. It was 1:30. That gave him just a half an hour before the meeting. After figuring this out, Sly jumped up and began to prepare for the meeting. He was ready for anything.