-1Chapter 6:

"Two Foxes, a Deal, and an Eating Place."

Ian took another sip off of his water as he continued to walk towards the stairwell. Quickly Ian slipped the blue hat from his head tucking in the band of his pants at his back. The soft sound of shoes clicking on the tile floor made him stop. Ian's purple eyes scanned the dark room stopping on a dark figure with bright chocolate eyes. Carmelita stepped into the light that filtered through the large windows. Her handgun was held at the ready. She felt a little awkward about aiming her gun at a kid. Slowly she lowered the handgun and smiled softly.

"Hello, my name is Inspector Carmelita Fox. I'm investigating a break in at this domicile. I don't mean to intrude." Carmelita felt compelled to whisper in the quiet room.

"Nice to meet you Ms. Fox, my name is Ian. You mentioned a break in. I wasn't aware anyone informed the police. Beside I don't know how possible that would be, if you haven't noticed there are quite a few guards roaming the compound. I'm sure they would have noticed something." Ian explained his eyes scanning her face and body slowly.

"Well Ian, to be honest I had set up a stakeout in front of this house, because I received a lead that a robbery would be attempted. Also this…person isn't your average thief. He has ways of getting into places that would otherwise be impossible to be get into. He's a very dangerous criminal and needs to be stopped no matter the cost." Carmelita explained, feeling a bit awkward about fibbing to a kid.

"Sly Cooper, right?" Ian chimed in.

Carmelita's eyes lit up as she looked up into the young male's eyes. "Yeah, how did you know? Have you seen him?"

Ian shrugged a bit. "I might have. But he's not as dangerous as you say he is, am I right?"

"Alright so he's not all that dangerous, but he is still a criminal and from what I gather from the welcome wagon I got. Its easy to deduce that LeWulf isn't on the up and up either?" Carmelita snapped out, playing the tough cop routine.

Ian stuttered for a moment before he cleared his throat. "…I would know nothing about that."

"Come on Ian, I'm not stupid. I just had a Matrix style show down with two tigers totting machine guns. You guys are hiding something. We can play this the easy way, or the hard way." Carmelita stepped forward pushing her handgun into its holster at her hip.

"I don't want to tell you anything. I can't betray Jarred for anything. I love him and if he found out I betrayed him it would crush him." Ian tried to clear his throat of the tears that were forming.

"Well if you tell me, then maybe we can work out a deal. I have a lot of pull with the police department." Carmelita leaned close whispering into his ear softly.

Tears formed in his eyes, as he swallowed hard and sighed. Ian reached up and wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. Carmelita was a little surprised that such a young man was compassionate enough to cry in front of her. There was something in his roguish smile that reminded her of a certain ringtail. Her mind continued to wander, was Sly this passionate. Did he ever cry? Would he cry for her? Ian opened his purple eyes and looked deep into hers, he noticed them tremble under his powerful gaze. Carmelita shook her head trying to regain the composure she lost, it seemed to happen every time she thought of Sly Cooper.

"Alright I will tell you everything you want to know. But you have to promise me that no matter what you have to work as hard as you can to get a light sentence for Jarred and myself." Ian words were cool even through his teary eyes.

"You…you won't see any time." Carmelita forced out, stifled by his gaze. "I will do my best to help Jarred, you have my word on that. Just ask anyone I am a woman of my word."

"I believe you. I can see it in your eyes." Ian gave her a reassuring smile.

Carmelita found herself a little out of her league with this boy. "Thank you so much for the compliment."

Ian took the last sip of his water from the bottle and cleared his throat. Carmelita slipped a little tape recorder out of her jacket pocket. Her finger lightly pushing down on the record button before placing it down on the counter between them. Ian looked down at the recorder and sighed out softly as he started his story.

"My name is Ian Val Vahn, I'm seventeen years old and a freshman in Le Friesan College, Paris. I met Jarred LeWulf at a dance club when I was a junior in High School. I was an exchange student from Miami Florida. I loved going to school in Paris so much, that I decided to stay and go to college here." Ian looked up at Carmelita who gave him soft smile, she was fascinated at how eloquent the young man was.

"I remember him standing at the bar sipping his wine. He noticed me looking and beckoned me over. I have to admit I was a little intoxicated. I know they aren't suppose to serve minor's, but a fake id works quite well in any country." His cheeks flushed a bit red. "We talked for what seemed like hours. A few drinks later all I can remember is waking up in his bed in this very house. I assumed he and I had done something, but he assured me that nothing happened."

Carmelita nodded gently. "And then what happened."

"I started going to his house more often, It was almost as if I lived here. He helped me through the rest of my schooling. Jarred is a very learned man. Then he surprised me by offering to pay for my college, I didn't know why he was being so nice, but I would have been a fool to turn him down." Ian stopped for a moment to scratch his ear.

"When I graduated high school, he and I had a long sit down. He told me all about the 'business' he ran. It's a long story, but I will give you a short version. Jarred dabbled in a lot of underground work, pretty much he was a runner. He runs whatever people want for a price. Drugs, guns, jewels, and so on. I assure you he isn't a dealer though. He is only a transporter." Ian looked deep into Carmelita's eyes as serious as he's ever been.

"So he doesn't deal directly with the items he is transporting. He does the deal with the 'corporations' and then hires people to deliver the stuff to them?" Carmelita said softly.

"Yes, he even had me deliver some diamonds that he acquired, to a very wealthy client. I didn't mind though because I was secretly in love with Jarred and would have done anything for him." Ian looked down at the recorder and then back into Carmelita's eyes.

"So what you're saying, is he had a minor do a job for him? Did he know you cared about him and that's why you agreed to do the deed?" Carmelita asked genuinely interested.

"Well after the delivery I approached Jarred and told him about my feelings and he told me he would never have me do a 'job' for him again. As for me caring about him." Ian stopped for a moment trying to keep his composure. "He told me he cared about me too. He believed it was love at first sight when he saw me in the club. That's why he took me in and gave me everything he had to offer. Being a romantic at heart I believed him, how passionately he described it. Carmelita I know he is a good man at heart and I know that he has been trying to change his ways. Jarred hasn't taken another 'job' in three months. I ask you to go easy on him, please." Jarred was starting to get emotional again.

Carmelita reached out touching his hand, she was starting to feel bad about ever asking him. "Ian its alright. If you're sure he's going legit then I will do something I've never done before. You just have to do something for me in exchange."

Ian wiped his eyes again calming a bit at the feeling of Carmelita's hand on his. "Anything to protect Jarred, just ask me."

"Tell me then, have you seen Sly Cooper and if so where is he?" Carmelita reached over turning off the recorder.

"…yes he's here." Ian reached behind him at Sly's hat tucked in the band of the pajama pants he was wearing, he pulled it out showing it to Carmelita. "I found him in the kitchen about ten minutes before you found me. He was looking for clues to open the vault to the emerald that Jarred gave me. I wanted Sly to take it."

Carmelita took the hat lifting it to her nose breathing in the soft scent of vanilla and ginger, but now it held a soft hint of lavender from Ian's fur. "How did you get this, and why would you want Sly Cooper to take the emerald, if it was a gift?"

"Sly gave me his hat as a gift for helping him solve the puzzle and for being the president of his fan club. I wanted Sly to take the emerald so that Jarred won't worry about it so much, he is worrying himself sick over it. I just want him to be the way he was. He was the only gift I ever needed." Ian said softly pulling the hat away from Carmelita hugging it tightly.

Carmelita picked up her recorder and ejected the tape, before slipping the recorder back into her jacket pocket. "Thank you so much for being honest with me Ian, and now to hold up my part of the bargain. Don't ever breath a word of this to anyone." Carmelita spoke softly and held out the tape to Ian.

Ian took it slowly and cupped it in his hand. "Thank you so much Carmelita, I will never forget this."

"I believe you, I can see it in your eyes." She said softly as she turned and walked towards the door. "Excuse me I have business to attend too."

Ian's eyes followed Carmelita as a smile drifted to his lips. "By the way Montoya Fox, I'll keep it a secret that you're a member of the Sly Cooper fan club."

"How did you know?" Carmelita cocked her head, she was a bit surprised.

"It wasn't hard to figure it out. Your screen name is C. Montoya Fox and your signature is 'Arrested by Sly Cooper'. I may be seventeen but I'm not stupid. Go catch him before he gets away." Ian giggled softly as he turned and headed towards the stairwell.

Carmelita stood in the doorway for a long moment shaking her head. One of the most unlikely things that had ever happened. Her love for Sly had been known by someone other than her and she didn't mind it one bit. After a moment of pondering she smiled. The game of cops and robbers was still in full swing and this time she was going to catch him.