It might take me some time getting the next chapter of this out as I've just gotten really busy and I don't really have a good grasp on the next three chapters I have worked out. I have other things to post though so those can be a distraction until I update this. For now, enjoy!

Jade found her way back to reality but it felt like she was struggling to stay awake. Her vision was hazy but it cleared in a few seconds. She was laying in such a bright, white room. Everything had a sterile feel to it. It finally hit her that she was in the hospital. She gasped. The heist! Did they get the files? She cursed, mentally beating herself up for failing. How the hell did she get here? Someone must have found her. She tried to sit up but grunted and fell back, her hand going to a throbbing pain in her abdomen. She had been shot. Obviously she survived. She groaned and closed her eyes. The door opening made them fly back open. Two guys walked in, and despite the ridiculous disguises, she knew it was Andre and Robbie.

"Did you get it?" she rasped, unable to think about anything else.

"Just like you to ask that first. No 'What happened?' or 'How did I get here?' or-" Andre rambled.

"Did you get it or not? None of that matters and all this was for nothing if you didn't," she interrupted.

"Got it boss," Andre confirmed. Jade let out a relieved sigh.

"Good. So, what happened and how did I get here?" she asked cheekily.

"Dude, why didn't you guys let me in on the whole story of the Inspector snoodling going on? I would have been cool with it. I might have even trusted her more," Robbie spoke up.

"So I have Inspector Vega to thank?" Jade questioned.

"Yes you do," the Inspector herself answered as she walked in. Jade sat up straight at the sight of her, ignoring the pain the movement brought.

"Vega," she greeted.

"Jade," she returned with a soft smile. She stopped by the side of Jade's bed and brushed her cheek. Jade smiled and closed her eyes.

"You scared me. That stunt could have cost you. You're lucky the bullet cut through you cleanly and didn't hit anything too important. You were right to trust that horse shoe of yours," she remarked in a fond tone. Jade laughed and tugged Tori closer by the hand. She placed her free hand on Tori's defined cheek then lifted slightly to give her a kiss.

"Sorry. I'll try not to play ding dong ditch with Death again," she teased. Tori laughed and both Andre and Robbie watched in awe. They had never seen Tori acting any other way besides murderous or civil. With Jade the Inspector was a completely different person. Even Jade was different, and here they thought they knew every facet of their sister and leader.

"You better not. I managed to help your little band out of a pretty sticky situation while also managing to cart you off for professional medical attention. I had to alter your appearance a little and sign you in under a generic name, but you'll live," Tori explained.

"What would I do without you Vega?" Jade asked with a content grin. Tori grinned in return and kissed her forehead.

"Rest for now. You've been out a whole day. Get filled in and I'll keep the authorities off you. After all, we can just say I already questioned you about everything," Tori said with a shrug.

"Wow, what a woman," Robbie commented.

"She is," Jade agreed while Andre nodded along with them. Tori laughed and shook her head.

"I have to get going. I have major distracting to do. You know, if I don't see you the next time I come in here, I wouldn't be surprised. So just in case, don't over exert yourself and be careful sneaking off," she advised. She gave Jade one last smile and left the room.

"Did she basically give us the green light to get the heck out of here?" Robbie asked.

"Yep," Andre said with a nod. Jade threw aside the covers and gingerly pushed off the bed. She let Andre pick her up. They both scanned the hall outside before making a break for it. Robbie had already mapped the building so they could make a quick getaway. As soon as they were in the van they were gone. Jade got dressed in her civilian clothes and then Andre passed her the newest newspaper to see her fox standing over Maverick. The headline called her 'Hot Stuff' with a badge'. Jade had to agree once again. With Maverick gone the gambling empire her ran would fall and the city he governed would go back to simpler times. The gang headed straight for their alternate hideout for some well-deserved rest and relaxation while they planned out the next heist. Jade looked over the torn out pages and Robbie told her he already decoded more of the strange coded script. The next member of the Talons was open to them as soon as Jade recovered more of her strength. She started training for the next skill when she was able to move for a longer period of time without her injury bothering her. The rails in the area were perfect for that.

Two weeks later they were back on the road. Their new destination in Haiti would take them to the next member, Clove. She was an infamous voodoo priestess with a really bad temper brought on from a misunderstood childhood. To put it plainly, she was born into a family of mystics and other children thought she was scary. Jade found herself relating to her somewhat. The strange and unusual scared everyone off when she was young and her gothic habits through her teenage years didn't help. She had a temper but knew when and how to use it unlike their new target. She used her…gifts, to punish the world for fearing her as a child. Now that she joined the Talons she gave them the ability to break both the laws of man and nature. To Jade, that wasn't a power anyone deserved. The long wait to get back out on the field made her restless but eventually they rolled through the deepest reaches of the Haitian jungle, through a swamp that didn't allow the van to go any farther than it had. It was Jade's stop and she couldn't wait to get back on her feet. Andre parked and Jade prepared to get out.

"You're cool, right?" Andre asked her one last time. She rolled her eyes and adjusted her cap.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'll let you know as soon as I feel like crap, how's that?" she told him.

"No you won't," he denied.

"Then don't bother asking," she responded, saluting him and then hopping out. Her boots met soft, squishy grass and she breathed in the humid air. Bugs chirped and Jade felt a little out of place in the swamp, so far removed from everything she knew. There was also a strange feeling that permeated the air. She never disqualified the existence of ghosts and the like so she was more interested than scared of the current mission. She jumped across the islands of ground not sunken in swamp water and came to a stop when static buzzed in her ear.

"What's up now?" she asked, knowing it was Robbie.

"I really don't like being here. I think this is one mission you'll have to accomplish without me."

Jade noted the fear in his voice and shook her head.

"Suck it up, Bentley. Don't be a wimp. We've got work to do. You've dealt with me so long I'm surprised you're backing out. You would think growing up with me would give you some immunity to this stuff. I mean, remember when that really old custodian at the orphanage died and I wanted to go in the room he died in to breathe in the fumes of his soul before twenty-four hours passed?" she recalled.

"Yes, I remember that. It freaked me out. Ok then, I guess you have a point."

"Of course I do," she responded. Her eyes landed on a smooth branch sticking out of the swampy water and jumped on it nimbly. The new skill she learned allowed her to traverse the branch with ease and jump off on the other side. Jade climbed a tree to reach a vine she spied weaving through the branches and hopped on the vine to slide to the next tree. She jumped off to land in a branch covered in moss. The tree shook from her landing, upsetting the giant spiders living above. Jade swatted them away with a swipe of her cane and grimaced.

"Aannd there's giant bugs. Great," she observed, leaping to the next moss covered branch. Another spider appeared and she was quick to squash it.

"Knowing this place, they're probably poisonous," she mumbled. She slid down another vine that took her back down to the squishy grass close to the swamp water. Jade followed the twisting piece of land but stopped in her tracks when she saw a giant mosquito buzzing lazily up ahead. She shuddered, always hating the little buggers. Now she had to deal with a big one. She took a step closer and it darted right for her. She jumped and struck down, smashing the bug into the ground. She stepped over it and continued forward to climb back into the trees. She walked across more vines, slid down another that looped a few times around a giant stump, and then came back around to deposit her inside the hollowed out middle. She meant to keep going but the tangle of vines and wood ahead came alive, yellow eyes on her.

"This must be when the voodoo comes in," she muttered. She swung at the creature, knocking its head off, but then both the head, propelled by vine like limbs, and body kept advancing on her. She smacked aside the head with a kick worthy of a professional soccer player and then rammed the body through the fragile dry vines behind it. It broke through and fell into the water below. Now that the way was clear Jade slid down another vine back to land. She came upon a wooden fence and climbed up on the ledge to shimmy across it to the opening she saw when she was on the ground. A light suddenly came down in front of her and she stopped. She heard a tired grumble and then the light lifted away. She quickly passed by and then hoisted herself up on the wooden gate's walkway. She cringed a little now that her injury finally made itself known again but she pushed on. She swiftly knocked the voodoo guard off the side of the gate and took out her binoculars to get a good look at the compound ahead.

"That's Clove's lair."

Jade lifted the binoculars to the decorated gate, locked of course.

"This is too easy," she said with a smirk.

"Not so fast. See those purple candles scattered around the compound?"

"Yeah, what about them?" Jade acknowledged.

"My scanners are picking up paranormal readings from them. Bad mojo. The gate may be locked but it can easily be broken. The problem lies in the fact that it's guarded by some nasty spirits."

"Are you kidding me?" Jade asked him, half interested and half agitated.

"Nope. I'm serious. This is why I didn't want to be here. We aren't just dealing with solid, alive people. There are ghosts and creatures here."

"Like that tree thing," Jade mentioned.

"Yeah, and not to mention those guards can cast spells, if their shamanic staffs are any indication. I'm sure you don't want your head shrunk to the size of a pea."

"No, I like it the way it is. I can easily sneak around them. I can take them out from behind if I have to," Jade reasoned.

"Yeah, well, please be careful."

"Got it," she said with a nod, putting the binoculars away and running part ways down the ramp towards the compound. She counted four guards pacing around. She waited for an opening and then silently took down the guard that just passed. The sound attracted two that were close by and Jade made herself scarce. She smashed every candle she found along the way, knocked out another guard and smashed the last candle, then walked up to the gate to break the lock. She raised her cane and brought it down but an unseen force pushed her back. She fell on her back and cursed out loud, biting her lip at the blow to her injured body.

"You forgot a candle."

"No shit Sherlock," she forced out.

"Shut up Watson and get that candle."

"You realize you only have the confidence to stand up to me when I can't readily hit you, right?" she told him while she snuck back to the last candle.

"Yeah."

He sounded put out but she didn't care. She snuffed out the last candle and backtracked to the gate. She broke the lock and slipped inside, shutting the gate behind her. Now that she was inside, Jade took the time to look around. She settled her eyes on a giant monument made of wood and vines resembling a crocodile head.

"My scanner is maxing out on that structure."

"A reading like that could only be coming off Clove herself," Jade responded, lowering her voice to a whisper when her senses warned her of potential guards in the area. The whole place put her on high alert. A cricket chirped and she ducked a little, looking in the direction it came from.

"I think you're right, Sly. If you want a crack at her you're going to have to find a way inside that skull temple."

"That's the plan," she said with a nod.

"Got any ideas?"

"Yeah, hold on. What's this?" she questioned, running from the cover of the shadows to stop at the top of a platform which was level with a gate.

"That's an industrial strength voodoo gate. Clove must really be trying to keep something out.

Jade traced the serpentine decorations with her gaze and shook her head.

"Or maybe…she's trying to keep something in," she suggested. Robbie's trademark squeak made her roll her eyes.

"Wait, I think I have an idea," she told him, glancing over at a similar gate that was bigger and topped with a demonic face blocking a strange contraption on the other side.

"Does it have to do with whatever this gate is hiding?"

"You read my mind pal," she confirmed with a smile.

"Oh, I wish I hadn't."

"I think, if we can release this whatever-it-is maybe it can crash through that gate over there and we can see what that do-hickey is. Who knows, maybe it'll get us to Clove?" she explained.

"I'm concerned with this idea but you probably knew that. Alright, since I'm fresh out of ideas we'll go with yours."

"Then I'll talk to you when all goes according to plan…or when you feel the need to nag me again. Whichever comes first," she responded with a smirk he couldn't see but could detect in her voice.

"Har, har. So funny. Just don't get eaten or something."

"Yeah, well, whatever it is it probably wouldn't like me," Jade remarked.

"Sly!"

"Ok, I won't," she said, her gaze already looking for a way in. She climbed a vine and jumped off to walk on another. It took a sharp turn twice in a spiral then up and over the gate to drop her off on a mossy branch. She hooked her cane into gnarled branches and swung to the next moss covered branch. She slid down another vine at almost roller coaster speed and jumped off on solid ground. She cautiously advanced but stopped when the swamp water rolled as if a wave passed through. The water had no current so they should be still, yet it moved. Whatever lived below must have been big and it had no problem swimming.

She tiptoed forward and stopped to test for any more movement. There was none. She regulated her breathing and then began running across the branches ahead which buckled under her weight, threatening to snap, and added insult to injury by frequently surprising her with more giant spiders. She knocked them away before they got too close, reached land on the other side, hurried past two big hovering mosquitoes and then ran up a spiraling vine that wrapped around a wide tree. She had to constantly pry away candles that were stuck along the vine. At the top Jade wanted to scream her frustration. There was clearly a path she could use but it involved a lot of hook swings and branch balancing. Her side ached already.

"This can't stop me," she muttered to herself. She took a few deep breaths to relax but her meditation was interrupted by the sound of something sliding across the base of the tree below. She carefully moved to the edge and looked down but there was nothing but murky green water. She steeled herself and launched forward to swing across the first three branches. She dropped down on a mossy branch, smashing a spider against the tree trunk, and then swung across three more. She landed again, panting at the physical work out it gave her abdominal muscles. She held a hand over her still healing wound and stopped to catch her breath. She pushed on, sliding down a vine and back to ground level. She almost tripped when she made the transition from mobile to stationary.

"Sly, take a breather. You're going to-oh no."

"I'm going to what?" she snapped through her ragged breathing.

"You're going to get eaten if you don't get moving!"

"Why? What did your scanner pick up?" she demanded.

"Something big, and it's heading your way!"

"Dammit," she grumbled, jumping on a smooth branch sticking out of the water to run along it. She didn't feel comfortable being so close to the water. She was spending so much time watching the gently rolling muck around her that when two spiders dropped down from the branches above, she almost lost her balance. She knocked them aside and continued to the patch of ground ahead. Jade propped her tired frame against her cane before starting forward again at a loping jog.

"Sly!"

Robbie's sudden warning made Jade jump, alerting her to the sound of splashing water behind her. She glanced back to see a huge serpent rise out of the muck. Its red body patterned with yellow markings glinted with the water rolling off its smooth scales. Spines trailed down its back and fins adorned the side of its head. Keen yellow eyes trained on Jade. Its mouth opened to let out a deep hiss that reverberated through her and showed off deadly fangs.

"Run!"

Again, Robbie's urgency pushed her into action without another moment of hesitation. She darted to the slick branch ahead and ran as quickly as she could while balancing. In Jade's rush to find safety she acted on autopilot, sliding on vines, running along branches, swinging on some, anything to keep distance between her and the snapping snake beast. She ran along another long branch and leaped for a platform made of stone. The beast trailed behind her, chomping at the vines and branches she used to stay ahead of it. Its eyes locked on her. She thought it would strike but instead it slithered down into the water and Jade watched it go, the spiked tail the last thing she saw.

She let out a relieved breath that was cut off when the beast suddenly launched up with enough force to break apart the stone platform she stood on. Now in free fall after being tossed into the air Jade came back down, seeing the beast's fanged maw under her. She flipped out of the way in time as it snapped at her. She landed on its head and slid down its back, catching a spine with her cane and hanging on as it lunged forward with rage. It smashed through the gate, jarring Jade off it to hit the ground hard. The snake dipped into a pool of water and then back out to crash down the bigger gate and then sunk into the pool of watery muck under the contraption she had spotted earlier. She waited to make sure it wasn't coming back before letting her tired body slump to the grass.

"Sly? Sly! Sly, do you copy?"

"Yeah, what's up?" she responded.

"Don't 'what's up' me! I was worried! I thought you weren't going to answer again, like when you were shot…"

"Thanks buddy, but I'm fine. A little banged up, but fine. My plan worked by the way. Now we can see what that thing-a-ma-jig is," she said, reluctant to pick herself up and continue with the mission. She got up eventually and jogged over to the newly opened area. Some of the guards she had seen milling around before had scattered with the beast's arrival so at least there was less guards to deal with.

"You have any idea what this is?" Jade questioned, taking out her binoculars to get a closer look without actually getting closer.

"It looks like some giant voodoo egg beater to stir up that unsanitary mess."

"Maybe if I can get over there and mess with the…cauldron, for lack of a better word, I can get enough steam pressure to get launched up to Clove's skull temple," she suggested.

"Ok, sounds like we've got a plan. To get around that thing stay in the shadows made by those big masks hanging from it. You don't want the remaining guards to see you."

"Got it," she approved, sliding away the binoculars to move forward. She shifted into a mask's shadow and moved quickly with it, staying out of sight. She circled around and up to the overhang above. From there she jumped over, spinning her cane so that when she landed, she took out all the guards at once. They screamed their shock and fell into the churning muck below. Jade looked around for the heavy top and then closed it, stepping on it to build up steam. It hissed and the contraption speeding up was just the reaction she wanted. She readied herself on the cauldron's lid and was instantly launched into the air when the whole thing blew from the pressure. She forced entry with her body cracking through the brambles, vines, and branches that made up the structure then fell to the floor hard enough to be winded. She rested her head on her arms while she laid on her stomach and wondered if she would be able to get out of the upcoming fight alive. She gave herself to the count of five and then got to her feet, scooping up her cap and using her cane to push herself up. She dragged herself forward and stopped when a woman's voice addressed her.

"I could feel that Cooper vibe coming. Most distastefully bad juju," it spoke in a slight accent. Jade stood up straight to get a look at her target. She was a big woman with thick black hair covered with a bandanna. Her ears were pierced with rings of gold and her fingers wore rings with jewels. A huge diamond hung around her neck. The purple she was clad in reminded her of the color's significance while Clove's gaze made even Jade uncomfortable.

"Yeah, well you give me the creeps too, lady. Cooking up ghosts isn't a very neighborly pastime," Jade retorted, crossing her arms. Clove laughed mockingly.

"Oh, Sly. I see your mouth moving but all I hear is blah, blah, blah. Well, if jaws need to flap, then let them flap. See you in the next world, Sly Cooper," she growled from her perch. With a wave of her hands the giant skull they were in gnashed its teeth. Jade noticed the pointed fangs and ran for it. The jaws crashed together and Jade waited for them to open. When they did, she gracefully hopped on the point then jumped to the safety of the molar when the teeth met up again. She continued closer to Clove in that way until she was close enough to jump to her perch. She swung but Clove disappeared to a new location. Jade tried to follow but as soon as she touched down on a rock formation Clove shot a blast of energy at her.

"What the hell?!" she shouted as she jumped out of the way just in time. She caught herself on another formation and hauled herself up on it.

"Was that some type of voodoo magic?" she demanded. Clove just laughed and struck again. Jade nimbly dodged, taking advantage of her new position to get closer. She swung when she landed next to Clove but she evaded again. Jade snarled and had no choice but to follow. She jumped to the next rock formation and instantly realized that they were few and far between. Clove's grin widened as she began slinging spells again. Jade had never hit her limit before. Hell, she didn't think she had one, but jumping so far over and over again while staying out of the way of the crazy lunatic's magic was pushing her to the brink of exhaustion.

Her most recent jump landed her on her stomach. She clung to the rock, her ragged breath making her lungs burn. Clove blasted the rock and it crumbled, sending Jade sliding over the side. She pushed off into a back flip, found purchase on a rocky edge behind her, and pushed off to fly for Clove's latest and last perch. There was nowhere else she could run to. Jade just had to reach her, but she fell short. She caught the ledge with her cane and attempted to pull herself up but her arms shook. Her body was officially out of steam. Clove peered at her from above and set her bare foot on the head of the cane. She shoved once, making it slip.

"Go ahead and do it you sick, twisted-" Jade ranted in anger at herself which she projected at her enemy. Clove's eyes flared at the defiance and she reached down to grip the cane instead. She yanked Jade up with it but swung her around to slam her into the wall behind them. She fell on her stomach with a cough and was hauled up by the front of her shirt. Clove held a fist in her face, the strange energy swirling brighter and brighter. Jade blindly used her foot to scoop her cane up then pop it into the air to her hand. Once it was tightly gripped in her fist she unloaded on Clove, knocking her out. She slumped over on her side, dropping Jade who swayed and then fell to her knees. Well, that was a close one. Jade got back up to look for a way out and let out a grateful sigh when she pushed aside a bone shrine at the back wall to find a tunnel that took her outside. Papers under the dusty bones drew her eyes away from the exit. She bent down to pick them up and dust them off. They were the files and notes she needed. She put them in her backpack and left. She slid and almost fell face first as she stumbled down the incline.

"Murray, get Bentley to pinpoint my location. I'm too tired to figure it out. Bring the van, quick," she patched in.

"On our way."

When she got the response she finished descending down the hill to reach a more stable and leveled out surface. Only then did she allow her body to sink to the ground. She rested on her back and stared up into the vast sky. Soon her eyes felt heavy and she lost consciousness.