Here's the next chapter as promised! Also, I'm officially done with summer school and can finally relax again! WOOOO (cue dork dancing)
Anyway, I won't keep y'all long. Please enjoy this chapter and thanks for all the reviews last chapter (and for the rest of the story as a whole)! Glad y'all are like the plot so far :)
~Delyth
Chapter Eight
Thrift Shop
By the time they finally arrived to Rajan's castle estate, Jazlyn was ready to claw her eyes out from being cramped up in a tight space for so long. Sure, they had a few stops for stretching their legs, grabbing a few snacks, and using the bathroom, but they never stayed in one town for too long. When Murray was tired enough, they'd pull off the road and sleep until he had enough rest before they continued. Even though she loved the sights as they traveled whenever she traded places with Bentley in the passenger seat, the snow leopardess was glad that they'd finally arrived.
Throughout the entire ride, Jazlyn tried to ignore the raccoon as much as possible, but no matter how hard she tried, she could sense his eyes on her face. She didn't dare look at him or acknowledge that she knew he was watching her. Even if she had, there was no way Jazlyn was going to have a personal conversation with both Bentley and Murray present. She was embarrassed enough for her own actions and the way she reacted toward Sly, the teenager didn't need nor want the turtle or hippo to judge her. In the end, she decided to listen to the results of Bentley's detailed research.
Apparently, Rajan was born in the slums of Calcutta and started his spice operation as a young teenager. As his clientele grew so did his operation as he gained more and more money from dealing on the streets. Eventually, he became a renowned member of the Klaww Gang and ran an enormous spice operation that supplied over half the countries of the world like the United States, Canada, England, France, etc. The list went on and on, making Jazlyn wonder how she'd never heard of the drug until recently. In any case, Rajan dubbed himself the Lord of the Hills and had quite the ego if his clear arrogance over showing off the Clockwerk wings in this ball was any indication. She figured the tiger would have plenty of guards roaming the entire estate to make sure his guests weren't going to steal from him, or that the Cooper gang wouldn't interfere with his week-long spectacle.
Sly remained eerily quiet after Bentley finished debriefing the rest of them, and Jazlyn couldn't fathom why other than her refusal to talk to him or the mention of the monster's wings who had chased down several members of the Cooper clan. She could understand the latter, but she really hoped that his downcast demeanor had nothing to do with her. And maybe she was just overthinking the situation. Normally, Jazlyn wouldn't have obsessed over herself so much and how her actions and decisions affected a group of mammals, but it was becoming abundantly clear that she liked the Cooper gang.
"You okay, Spots?" The master thief asked from behind her and making her jump a foot in the air.
She nearly dropped the box that held Bentley's precious technical equipment as she turned around to stare at him wide-eyed. How long had she zoned out? Apparently, long enough that the snow leopardess was now blocking the entrance of their new safehouse and keeping Sly from entering with his own burden. They were unpacking the van and placing their goods into a cave-like structure that was located just in front of the massive moat-and-drawbridge to Rajan's home. There wasn't much inside the cave but it was large enough for all of them and for their equipment that Jazlyn was beginning to wonder how they possibly fit all of it in the back of the van.
"Yeah, sorry. I was thinking about something." Jazlyn juggled the box she was carrying in her arms long enough for her to wipe the sweat from her forehead. Her heavy, thick fur was making things very difficult as her kind weren't built to live in humid, tropical environments. She wasn't the only one sweating, but the boys didn't have quite the same dilemma that she had. What was going to be annoying was making sure she stayed really hydrated and not push her body as she rebuilt her endurance.
Sly raised an eyebrow, "Worried about being so close to that elephant patrol unit?"
They both glanced at the giant elephant walking nearby the drawbridge, a spotlight attached to a tent-like saddle on its back. When Murray was driving closer, they grew worried that whoever was inside that tent would hear the van's engine, but luckily, they slipped under its radar.
"No, I'm not concerned about that anymore." She looked down, suddenly very unsure of herself and she hated it, but for the sake of repairing their shaky friendship, Jazlyn swallowed her pride. "Sly?"
As Jazlyn met his curious stare, she took a deep breath and tried again. "About that night back in Monaco…I—"
Green eyes widened as her entire body froze and the words she was trying to say lodged into her throat as the raccoon pressed a single finger against her lips. The breath in her lungs stilled mid-inhale and Sly took advantage of her abrupt silence. "You don't have to say anything. I crossed a line and I shouldn't have pushed it. Sorry for offending you."
"You're cutting me a lot of slack. I don't get you," Jazlyn said, shaking her head in mild bewilderment as she pulled away from him. Was he apologizing because he knew that he'd done wrong or was he just doing it to please her? Or, was she reading into it too much again?
Sly sighed, "I shouldn't have pushed you like that, it wasn't any of my business."
"And because you feel bad for me."
"No, I don't." His eyes sharpened and the grip he had on the box tightened. "You've been through shit that's made you stronger and untrusting toward strangers. Anyone who can survive what you've had, is strong and doesn't need any pity from anyone."
Instead of answering, Jazlyn turned on her heel and entered the cave. Honestly, she didn't really know what to say in response to any of the stuff he'd said. Her mind seemed to be reeling a lot more after the raccoon said or did something that shocked her.
She swallowed, setting the box down and immediately heading to the far corner of their temporary home to go through her bag for tank tops and shorts. Behind her, she could hear Bentley talking to Sly about taking some recon photos of the party and its guests to figure out their next move. So far, they knew Sly was going to have to infiltrate the ball at some point, but for now, recon photos were top priority.
As she grabbed a cropped top and a pair of jean shorts, Sly was already leaving for recon and Bentley was busy setting up communications and his laptop. Murray announced with a grin that he was going to stash the van. Somehow—and she was questioning the physics of the van's space—they had a folding table that Bentley had placed in the center of their cave. They even had chairs that were hiding behind a multitude of boxes and not once, had she seen either the table or chairs until now. Their way of packing was on a whole different level, that's for sure.
Jazlyn reached for the leather belt that had holsters for her fu tao swords to rest at her hips, and once her swords were safely secured, she made her way to lean over Bentley's shoulder to watch his computer screen. Already, the turtle had successfully hacked his way into Rajan's security system and was sorting through camera feeds until he found the ballroom.
Guards littered the entire scene, patrolling along the balcony that overlooked the ballroom and its crowded dance floor. A rendition of the eight-armed goddess Durga was placed centered stage behind a throne-like chair. Its golden hue was outshined by the large silver Clockwerk wings that were attached to the tigress's back. If not for the terrifying story associated with those wings, Jazlyn would have gawked all day long at the pure beauty of the statue and the Clockwerk wings that had helped a monster commit murder. She shook her head, refocusing on the screen and searching for Rajan, the spice lord, or other notorious guests like the Klaww Gang.
"Sly, don't go out on the balcony or you'll be caught. Try to get pictures of the Clockwerk wings, Rajan, and other party guests." The turtle paused a moment to shuffle through papers until he found what he wanted. "According to the guest list I acquired, two members of the Klaww Gang should be there as well as some Interpol agents."
"Alright, pal. Any names or descriptions for these Klaww Gang members and Interpol agents?" Sly only sounded amused at the thought of two more notorious members of a gang he's basically at war with and Interpolagents infiltrating the party. She rolled her eyes, of course, he'd find the entire situation laughable.
Bentley handed a sheet of paper to the snow leopardess, barely looking up from the guest list he was skimming through. "Jazlyn, read over those security formations. Take note of ways Murray and I can get into Rajan's stronghold."
She gave the turtle a mock salute, grinning, "Aye, aye, captain."
~o~
After hours spent studying the schematics of the palace as well as the security procedures, Jazlyn rubbed her temples with a sigh. The only way for both Murray and Bentley to get inside the estate was through the drawbridge that was kept under lock and key by several guards. Crossing the river through the sharp pointed rocks was virtually impossible for the turtle and hippo, but Sly could easily cross it without a problem thanks to the skills he learned by reading the famous Thievius Raccoonus. She reached for the cup of tea Murray had made for her an hour ago and grimaced at the cool liquid passing through her throat.
She stood up from the space she claimed as hers at the table and stretched, tail twitching at her feet as several vertebrae popped. Her head turned to the side, watching Bentley still pouring through the pictures Sly had gotten from recon and digging through ThiefNet and the Internet to find more information about the two members of the Klaww Gang and the Contessa, an Interpol agent. Jazlyn grabbed her notes and the sheets of paper Bentley had handed her with her own scribbled notes in the margins. She'd also sketched out a few possible plans that would shut down the high security surveillance system Rajan was using. Bentley, no doubt, would want to get rid of the helicopter that patrolled the skies as well as the SUV that was equipped with missiles, of all things.
"Bentley," she nudged him, and barely contained her smile as the small turtle jumped in his seat. "I've got some good news and some bad news."
He stopped what he was doing and faced her, adjusting his glasses. "I don't know how I feel about that, but okay. Tell me the good news first."
Sly, who had long since returned from his recon mission, perked up in the corner where he was dozing. He made his way to the table and claimed his seat across from Bentley while Murray continued his coloring at the table, completely zoned out despite the potentially serious conversation. The large hippo who liked the fight and showing his strength was such a gentle, kind soul with a childlike innocence. It was so cute, and Jazlyn couldn't help but smile as he grabbed another colored pencil from its box.
The snow leopardess handed the turtle her notes and the files. "Well, the good news is that I found a way for you and Murray to make it inside the estate—the drawbridge. According to the security file, the drawbridge normally remains down, but considering the large number of guests and the threat of an attack or raid, Rajan has ordered the drawbridge to remain up and under lock and key."
She crossed her arms and shifted her weight to her left leg. "The bad news is that the only way to get the keys are by pickpocketing them off of several different guards. Once the guards realize that the drawbridge is down and the keys to the padlocks are missing, they'll know that something fishy is going on. Once Sly unlocks the drawbridge, one of you will have to enter and he'll have to pull the bridge back up to avoid suspicion."
The raccoon rubbed his chin in thought, eyes thoughtful. "We'll have to keep opening and closing the drawbridge every time Bentley or Murray have to go in. Doesn't seem too bad."
"That's not the issue here, Sly," Jazlyn sighed, and explained, "The difficult part is making sure the guards don't realize their keys are missing. According to security procedures, at the end of a guard's shift who has the key, another guard will take over his post and hold the it. We'll need to make decoys of some kind so they won't suspect anything."
Bentley nodded, not bothering to look up from the stack of paper she'd handed him. "She's right. I think I should be able to create a dummy key for Sly to replace the real one with. It might take the rest of the night, but by tomorrow they should be ready."
"So, we wait? Isn't there something else we can do in the meantime?" Sly whined, and Jazlyn still couldn't get over the fact that this male raccoon was almost two years older than her and he was acting a like child.
She rolled her eyes. "There is something you could be doing, Cooper." He glanced over to her, gaze curious as he waited for her to continue. "I'm sure Bentley will agree with me when I say that you need to get into that ballroom."
The turtle looked up from reading and blinked owlishly at her, clearly astonished that she had guessed what his next course of action was. If she was going to steal something from a spice lord, then she was going to infiltrate and spy for a few days before going into action. By the way Sly carried himself, she could tell that he moved like a dancer at certain times and would be the perfect choice to be a guest attending Rajan's ball. All he needed was a nice tuxedo and comb back his tuft of hair on top of his head.
As she eyed him up and down, Bentley cleared his throat noisily and said, "I agree. Sly, you'll need to find a tuxedo if you want to enter the ballroom. Maybe you can find a spare in the guest house."
Jazlyn took a deep breath, suddenly very nervous for what she was about to say, but the topic needed to be brought up. "He'll need a date, Bentley. It'll be too suspicious if he just shows up alone. Most of the guests have a female escort at their sides and Sly stands out enough because of his cockiness."
"Cockiness?" Sly repeated, taken back and possibly offended, but Jazlyn and Bentley ignored him.
"I'm not sure about you being in the field yet, Jazlyn." Bentley held her gaze and she held her ground, her eyes burning with intensity.
She wasn't going to back down now that she'd said it, and the snow leopardess took a deep breath as she said, calmly, "Sly will need backup and no offense, Bentley, but you and Murray won't fit into that crowd. They'll know that you're not wealthy aristocrats or drug lords. Plus, Sly will need someone to watch his back, and believe it or not, but I've gone undercover several times in the past. I'm not an amateur."
"You're not fully healed," he argued weakly, knowing full well that she was right—Sly did need someone to make sure he wasn't getting into trouble and since the drawbridge was still up, Bentley or Murray wouldn't be able to help him if something went wrong.
The snow leopardess snorted, "If everything goes well, I won't need to exert myself too much. You know I'm right, Bentley."
Before the turtle could reply, Sly smirked and rested his cheek against his palm. "You really want to be my date, huh, Spots?"
"Oh, shut up, Cooper." She refused to let her cheeks flush at the comment, instead she waited for the turtle's reply. "Well?"
After a long moment, the turtle finally sighed in defeat and placed the stack of files on the table. He reached into the pack beside him and pulled out a small container labeled 'COMMUNICATIONS.' She raised an eyebrow at the plastic box and held out a hand when Bentley pulled out whatever it was he was looking for. He placed it in her paw. "This earwig is one of my own creations and allows me to hear everything that goes on without you having to press down on the receiver. It also records all audio and there's a tracker in it as well."
She placed it in her ear and could hear a slight buzzing sound as Bentley connected the earwig to his laptop. "You never fail to go all out, eh, Bentley?"
He didn't reply right away as he fiddled with his computer. Jazlyn met Sly's bemused gaze and he winked at her with another typical smirk sliding into place. She rolled her eyes and headed to her corner to grab her fu tao swords and her sheaths. The leather belt that was designed specifically by her was comforting as she slid the fu tao swords into their individual sheaths, and she reached for two straps that attached to her thighs that held her daggers.
When she finished, Bentley was already creating a waypoint for them to start. "The guest house will be heavily guarded, but you should be able to sneak past the guards with ease. Jazlyn, don't push yourself and stick close to Sly."
Jazlyn bit back her protest and nodded. She could take care of herself in a fight if it came down to it, and she certainly didn't need a babysitter when she could handle herself despite not having nearly enough experience like the Cooper gang did. Either way, she wasn't going to let Sly think that they weren't equals—she wouldn't be treated like a burden.
As they left the safehouse, Sly stopped just outside the entrance and pulled her to a stop. "I know you're not dead weight, but you're out of shape since being hurt. Bentley only wants to look out for you. We all do."
She sighed, her irritation dissipating. She wasn't used to being in a group that actually cared for her wellbeing. "I know, but can you blame me? I'm not used to anyone caring while on the job."
"That's right," Sly said, releasing her arm and beginning to walk again. He led her to the nearby stream that flowed on the north side of the sprawling palace estate. "You sometimes worked with mobsters."
The snow leopardess eyed the jutting rocks that remained unmoving against the river's current and noticed a boulder that was just flat and large enough for them to rest on. She's walked and run across several different kinds of terrain other than the flat rooftops of Paris but jumping across sharply pointed rocks would be a new one for her. Sly glanced over his shoulder, a calculating gleam appearing in his eye as he flicked his gaze from her and back to the rocks.
She knew what he was planning before he even opened his mouth and held up a hand. "You're not carrying me across. You go first and I'll watch—I'm a quick learner."
The master thief was hesitant at first, but he relented after holding her determined stare for a few seconds. With a sigh, he took a closer step toward the riverbed's edge and motioned with his cane toward the first jutting rock. "The key to landing is gauging the rock's point and creating a gap between your feet. You also shouldn't stay in the same spot for too long either."
He took a deep breath and jumped across to the first rock, landing with perfect ease. Jazlyn's eyes zeroed on his feet, noting the way they gripped the small surface of the rock's peak. The raccoon looked over his shoulder again to make sure she was paying attention before hopping to the next one until he reached the boulder embedded in the river bed.
"You think you can handle it?" He called over the river's chatter.
Jazlyn fought to keep her eyes from rolling at his worrying but nodded anyway. She'd never done this before and he was only trying to help her. The skill he showed with such finesse made the entire act look so easy, but she wasn't cocky enough to say that it wouldn't be a piece of cake. Quite the opposite. For everything to work accordingly, she needed to land correctly without any mistakes or she'd make an impromptu dip in the cool water.
Her tail flicked in anticipation behind her as she stepped to the edge of the riverbank. Her eyes were focused on her target as her legs instinctively prepared for the jump and landing. Without an ounce of fear, Jazlyn leapt for the first rock and perched on the sharp point with near perfection, but she could feel her grip slipping plus her balance wasn't stable enough to remain in her current position for long. She could feel Sly's intense eyes on her as she made the second jump and settled on the rock much more smoothly than the last. Her lips twitched into a small smile as she made the last leap for the boulder Sly was standing on.
The raccoon's face held several different emotions—the most prevalent were surprise and…pride? Mentally shrugging it off, Jazlyn dusted off imaginary dirt as she met his darkening stare and an intense electric shock bombarded her senses. Heat threatened to rise to her cheeks and the snow leopardess looked away to find another step hold, if you will, to climb the palace's walls. An overgrown vine rested in a corner of the stone wall, leading up to the arrow loops, and their way in. She didn't bother to warn Sly as she took a few steps backwards and lunged forward with a burst of speed. Her muscles bunched together before she shoved off the boulder and toward the stone wall's overgrown greenery.
Luckily, the vine barely moved from her abrupt weight as her hands latched firmly around it. She clenched her teeth at the sharp pain stabbing her sides at her decision to jump across a river and slam into a stone wall. Glancing behind her, Jazlyn saw Sly shaking his head and pointing above her, miming her to be quiet.
Without questioning his judgement, Jazlyn remained still and silent, even as her arms burned, and air hissed between her teeth from the pain. Minutes felt like hours before Sly finally gave her the all-clear and she climbed her way up, carefully searching for anymore guards who were patrolling the area. As she pulled herself up and through two arrow loops, Sly made a running leap for the vine as well and barely grunted from the impact as he placed his precious hooked cane in his mouth while he ascended.
"The guest house is to the south and over a bridge. We'll need to make our way past the guards," Sly murmured after pulling his cane from his lips. He looked around for the next possible guard before he spoke again. "Bentley, we made it over the wall. Spots and I are heading toward the waypoint now."
Her earwig buzzed to life, Bentley's nasal voice coming in loud and clear. "Good. You'll both need to work fast—the sun will be rising in the next five hours."
"Roger," Jazlyn told him, starting forward and leading the way with practiced ease. Her steps barely made a sound as she glided across the stone and toward a tunnel that would lead them to the bridge for the guest house through a back alley.
Sly caught up with her, eyes searching for danger even though his focus was on her. This would be the first time he'd see her in action as a thief and not a snow leopardess ready to claw his face off. The corner of her lips curled upward at the memory from when they'd first met as she entered the dim corridor. Her eyes quickly adjusted to the torches' illuminating glow and her ears twitched on her head, listening intently for the nearest set of footsteps. Beside her, Sly moved slightly to her left and pulled ahead in case a guard did see them and they'd have to fight. She didn't bother to protest; instead, Jazlyn allowed him to take the lead as they exited the tunnel and into the moonlight.
Despite the large amount of land Rajan owned and the houses that appeared to be occupied by civilians, there was no one out on the streets. Not even adults lingering around dark alleyways after drinking too much, and she wondered if Rajan had placed a strict curfew on the residents who lived here. Either way, the only mammals out and about were the guards the tiger had employed.
"There's a guard coming our way," Jazlyn whispered, pointing to their right where a small, hidden path was. She could see the light of a torch casting a golden hue along the gray stone steps.
Sly nodded, speeding up his pace with the snow leopardess following quickly on his heels. Her hair whipped across her face as a sudden gust of wind coming from the bottomless canyon they were walking beside decided to make itself known. She puffed air up towards her bangs to move them from her eyes and flicked the end of her braid back over her shoulder. They drew near the bridge where a rhino patrolled the length of it tirelessly. She frowned, they were going to have to find a way pass him to reach the guest villa.
They crouched near a row of barrels, watching for any other guard to appear before they made a dash for the rooftop of a nearby building that was free of a small patrol guard on the roof. As Sly helped her up the final railing, her eye caught a strip of vine winding around the left bridge post all the way across the canyon and to a small uphill path etched into the cliffside. The path climbed the cliffside to the cobbled streets of the guesthouse apartments.
Sly noticed her line of sight and came to the same conclusion as he steadied her on the roof's edge. "We'll need to sneak pass the guard and check the vine's strength before crossing. Not a bad plan though."
"So long as we don't fall." She grinned, watching the lone rhino walk further away from the front of the bridge. As soon as the rhino's torch was almost at the end, both Sly and Jazlyn slinked off the building and rushed to the vine. Inspecting it quickly, Sly pulled the vine hard in his hand and tested its durability before moving to climb off the edge of the cliff.
Jazlyn made sure her weapons were secured and tensed, ready to grab the raccoon if the vine snapped under his weight. Thankfully, the vine held as he moved carefully and quickly along it, not even struggling at having to climb sideways along the bridge's structure. Awed, she nearly lost herself in watching him and almost was caught by a stout, gray goat equipped with daggers walking straight toward her. He was whistling a jolly tune, not at all paying attention to his surroundings, which helped her greatly as she shimmied onto the vine and began to follow the master thief.
The hardest part about climbing for her was the fear of looking down into nothing but an abyss. She climbed up buildings and preferred the rooftops more than streets anyway, but what freaked her out was not seeing what laid below. Teeth clenched tightly, Jazlyn refused to look down and instead, focused on Sly's curling tail as he moved expertly in front of her. After nearly ten minutes of anxiety, they finally made it to the small jutted path of the cliffside.
Her breathing evened out as soon as her feet touched solid ground and Sly steadied her when she stumbled. Chuckling, he let go of her elbow once she found her balance. "Alright, Bentley, we're heading for the first guest room."
"Roger. Try not to make too much of a mess. We don't want Rajan or the guests to realize that they've been…liberated of a few items."
Raising an eyebrow, Jazlyn shared an amused glance with the raccoon. "Liberated? You make it sound like we're freeing slaves or something."
"Well, we are investing our lives for the greater good." Bentley huffed, and the snow leopardess could hear his exasperation it was so thick in his tone.
She laughed, allowing Sly to take point as they made their way up the cliffside. "Whatever you say, Bentley."
The turtle didn't reply after that as the raccoon peaked over the edge of the cliff to check for nearby guards. She waited, breathing quiet and mind completely focused on the task at hand. Her heart was thrumming with excitement and anticipation as they stepped onto the paved streets. Sly pointed at a balcony where a glass-paned door was cracked and giving them the perfect opportunity to break in. Nodding that she'd seen what he wanted, she listened to her surroundings, searching for the heavy steps of a rhino patrolman.
"Should be clear for now. Let's get to higher ground." Sly grunted in agreement of her assessment, leading the way as they made a beeline for the low balcony.
Her muscles coiled, preparing for the jump, and as her feet left the ground, a sense of flying fluttered over her as she smiled. She landed with ease on the balcony's railing, completely unbothered by the thin stone perch as her eyes surveyed their surroundings once more while Sly climbed. Only a few hundred yards separated them from the nearest guard—a thinly built chimp with a wooden pole that was lit at the top and he had a flask of some sort in his hand. She wasn't sure what the monkey could do with that combination in a fight but decided it was best they stayed as far away from Rajan's men as possible.
While she continued her survey, the raccoon hopped over the railing and peaked inside the guest room. He murmured her name to gain her attention and motioned that the coast was clear. Jazlyn rolled her eyes at his charming smirk as he held the glass door opened for her to enter first. The room was large and spacious with two levels, a living room and lounge area that led to the balcony and a higher level that could be reached by a two-step staircase. A king-sized bed furnished with satin sheets and a canopy was the center of the upper level with a nightstand on either side along with a handmade, weaved basket. To the left of the bed was an expansive closet that was filled with clothes, which made her wonder what all did a single mammal need for a week's worth of a ball? She eyed the wardrobe on the other side that led into the small bathroom area as well as a mini-dressing room.
Sly whistled, already rummaging through a few suitcases that were filled to the brim with nice tailored clothes like suits, cocktail dresses, and what looked like old-fashioned ballroom gowns. "Whoever stays in this room doesn't spare any expense."
"I'm pretty sure that's everyone at this ritzy ball," Jazlyn said wryly, nose wrinkling in disgust at the puffy fuchsia dress she pulled from the second suitcase beside the one Sly was digging through.
He laughed at her expression. "I figured you'd like dresses, Spots."
"Not the ones that look like an old Victorian outfit." She shoved the offending gown back in the bag and headed for the closet, hoping that the occupant of this room actually had a dress that wasn't horrid like that one.
While she shifted through the closet, Sly found a tux jacket in his size and a red bow tie hidden in the wardrobe. If it weren't for the fact they were invading someone's privacy, she would've considered this a shopping spree.
Her eyes widened at the golden two-piece dress she discovered between a lavender pantsuit and a pink cocktail dress. It was a crop top with three silver chains dangling around the midriff while the skirt had two long slits up the sides, which would've completely shown off her toned thighs and legs with each step and shimmer of the fabric. Hanging from the hanger's hook, three silver bangles of various sizes rested—two big enough to fit along her biceps and one for her neck. Without hesitation, Jazlyn grabbed the outfit and placed it gently into the backpack Bentley had given them just before they left. After folding it very carefully to keep from wrinkling it, Jazlyn looked up and met Sly's intense gaze.
Blood threatened to rush to her cheeks as she realized he'd seen the sexy dress she decided to steal. It took all her willpower to hold his stare and not show any sign that she was affected by what he was doing. In fact, she was proud of her body and didn't care at all that the dress she'd chosen revealed so much fur. Sure, it would draw a lot of attention, but wasn't that the point? When it was time to take the Clockwerk wings, they would need a distraction to keep both the guests and Rajan busy. So, no, she wasn't going to let her embarrassment take hold of her, instead, she raised her chin slightly and smirked.
The raccoon opened his mouth to say something, but voices from outside the room's door were drawing closer. Quickly, Jazlyn shoved the backpack at the raccoon and proceeded to hide under the bed while Sly disappeared in the wardrobe.
"Lord Rajan is growing more paranoid by the day," One baritone voice said, seemingly exasperated by the situation.
There was a pause before the second voice, a higher pitched tone, answered. "Yeah, that ol' tiger needs to relax. That raccoon and his pathetic gang ain't getting pass us."
A snort, and Jazlyn could see the light from the rhino's torch into the room through the bed's blankets. "There's been rumors floating that they're already here—hiding somewhere."
"Bah! Nothing but hearsay. They're just trying to make up an excuse to be sporadic," the monkey said, walking passed her hiding spot and checking the lower level of the room.
The rhino headed for the bathroom as he replied, "Still. There's something strange goin' on around here. I can feel it."
"Well, your gut has gotten you into trouble before, Ajit, and we're wasting time checking all the rooms. No one's getting in here."
As the monkey returned to the front of the bed, Jazlyn held her breath as Ajit stood right in front of her. She kept as still as possible, barely breathing, and willed her heart to calm as she inhaled deeply through her nose. If she let her heart race out of her chest then Ajit's companion could easily hear it and discover her hiding place.
Finally, after what seemed like forever, the pair continued their argument outside and left the room blissfully silent. Jazlyn counted to ten in her head before warily crawling out from under the bed. Only when she was absolutely sure the two were gone, did she finally relax. The door to the wardrobe creaked open as the raccoon peeked outside, then proceeded to exit his hiding spot with a wild grin. Despite being nearly caught in the middle of a heist, Jazlyn couldn't help but grin right back at him. The thrill of thieving and nearly getting caught, while it terrified her, the after effects of the adrenaline rush was totally worth the fear. When she had first started stealing, the snow leopardess had been so scared of getting caught that she was overly cautious and didn't really enjoy the art that was thieving at all. She only saw it as a means of survival, but after molding her craft into what it is today, Jazlyn loved every bit of it—even the times where she felt the police or guards were on her tail.
What once was survival had become her specialty and full-time job.
"Well," Sly said, his smile widening as he met her gaze and interrupting her thoughts, "that was interesting, wasn't it?"
She cocked a hip and crossed her arms with one eyebrow raised. "That those two fight like an old married couple or the other rooms are free of guards?"
"Both," he chuckled, shifting the straps of the backpack on his shoulders more comfortably. With the hand holding his ancestral cane, Sly pointed toward the door the two guards had just exited. "Shall we?"
Rolling her eyes at his wiggling eyebrows and smirk, Jazlyn waltzed toward the door to continue their mission.
