Maximum Security Prison, Exact Location Classified. 2:01pm 26 July 2013
They stop on the way to get new coat of paint, switching from the fire truck to a police van. This will make Sly's back-story more convincing. He is meant to be a guard who has been transferred from another prison in order to help fulfil the shortfall of guards at 'The Chasm'.
"Go time." Bentley announces as they pull up to the entrance. Sly gets out of the back, ready to be on the other side of the jail cell.
"You're the new guy right?" The checkpoint guard asks.
"Yes I just got assigned here." Sly replies back.
"Well just scan your ID card here and I can give you the tour." He states. Sly grabs his card out and scans it in the scanner. It turns green. No trouble this time.
"Thank you… Geoff Cooper." He states.
"No problem." Sly replies. "What's your name?" Sly asks his superior.
"Hank." He replies. Sly thinks to himself why Bentley chose Geoff, but then again. He wasn't that good at naming his gadgets. Hank checks his watch in anticipation for something.
"Your just in time, you see, one of our inmates is a rapper. And every day at 2pm we hear it over the loudspeaker, his lines are amazing." The brown pug says in awe of this inmates rapping.
"Who is this…?" Sly starts to ask but the loudspeaker tells him who it is.
"Yo! Yo! Yo! It's the Grizz, going to play down for you a fresh new rhyme, one line at a time." The grizzly bear rings out from the speaker. A pang of dread goes through Sly. Hearing his rapping is like nails on a chalkboard.
"Check this out!" Hank says as he walks Sly over to their first destination.
"Gerry, get that beat going." Grizz shouts across his cell for another criminal in another cell to beat box. A rapping beat is heard and after a 16 beat intro it begins.
"I'm all in a funk because the place has just stunk
from a skunk, screaming in his own bunk.
He shouted, he screamed, he sobbed and he seemed
Like he's going to break down, for the time being."
"This here is the guards room, you get a locker once we clear the last guy out. He died on the job yesterday from a prison attack." Hank explains.
"He's nefarious, emotionally precarious.
But now he is crying in a way that is truly hilarious.
And when you're down like that
You need the moves of a cat
To get out of that state of mind and find your way back home."
"This is the recreation area, the 'normal' inmates only get an hour a day so we like to use it for ourselves most of the time. Solitary guys get nothing." Hank explains.
"It's known, that when down in the dumps
There will be many humps and bumps
That shake you around and around
Until you've found what you need to see."
"This is the cafeteria, we serve the finest quality prison food in all of Europe. Ha, couldn't keep a straight face." Hank giggles.
"To be, what you want and need
Stuck in here? No way! That's gonna feed
The need to make others bleed
So heed this message, before you cut me out.
If you agree with me, can I get a shout?"
Loud cheers come from the cells as the new guard walks along the rows of inmates.
"These are all the low level inmates. You've got serial killers, paedophiles, and rapists here. Those kinds of low level stuff." Hank explains to Sly, whether he believes these are low-key offenses or is just being sarcastic is a mystery for Sly.
"Only the very top guards, like myself, can enter the solitary area for criminals so bad their crimes are indescribable." Hank explains. "Okay, you're here for today, rec time starts in 1 minute. You good?"
"I'm good." Sly replies. The other guard walks into the solitary area twirling his own truncheon. Sly gets out his own.
"Opening doors." A computer voice says in a monotone and the cell doors open. Sly sees the faces of his counterpart criminals. All of them seem angry on the outside, venting their frustration at being here, either because they were caught or just can't wait for the day of release, which for most of them is non-existent. Most of them will die in their cells with only a cement wall for company. The prisoners all shuffle out with heads hung low, Sly doesn't have clue what to do, so he follows the guard in front of him, shepherding the prisoner to the rec area. But one of them has had enough, he besets on the guard. The brute strength of this prisoner overwhelms the guard. Sly jumps in to help out, giving a smackdown with his cane until the prisoner is limp.
"Whoa, you saved my life!" the guard thanks this new guard.
"I get that a lot." Sly replies.
"Whoa, your truncheon is awesome!"
"They have these back at my old prison." Sly explains. Bentley overheads all of the conversation and has done some background work.
"Okay Sly, if you manage to control 4 other prisoners before the hour is over, they usually promote you to the solitary area, where you need to be." Bentley clarifies.
"Couldn't be easier." Sly replies, confident he can complete the task and sure enough after 10 minutes he gives the smackdown on 4 other criminals. For someone who would see this guard and think that he is weak. He certainly isn't. He can develop power quickly and deliver it through multiple blows of his cane. It's the strength part that Sly doesn't excel at. As he finishes the 5th prisoner, Hank comes rushing out to the yard.
"Geoff, you better get your ass in here because that was the best display of prisoner control I have ever seen." Hank says in awe of his new guard. Sly is silent as he walks with Hank to the solitary area. The huge metre thick door opens to the swipe of a card and he gets his first glimpse of the inside. The hallway is clean and the doors are impenetrable, especially the glass window which signifies Le Paradoxes cell which was specially modified to be hermetically sealed to keep the stink in. They are about to walk down the hallway to inspect the prisoners but a loud alarm rings out.
"Oh boy, it's a new prisoner." Hank squeals in excitement. A crackle comes from his walkie-talkie.
"It's a high value prisoner, goes in solitary now." The warden instructs over the radio.
"You hear that? This the best part of the job new kid." Hank explains in happiness as they rush to the entrance again, so close to getting to Le Paradox. A prison truck has come to deliver the new prisoner. What they see is a prisoner who is bagged and gagged. Unable to talk, see or be seen. The prisoners entire body is covered, even the tail.
"The new prisoner goes in Solitary now, and since it is a new prisoner, the new boy can do it. He's been quick to ascend the ladder." The warden says as he heaps praise on this new guard. Sly walks up to the prisoner and escorts the prisoner to the cell in solitary. Sly, having finished with the task, feels a little pleased with himself. Having locked up another criminal who got caught. It's like natural selection for criminals at work, weeding the poor ones out from the best. Two other guards remove the various restraining devices from the new prisoner as Sly walks away.
"You cowards, is this how you treat a woman?" A loud shout rings from the cell, Carmelita's voice. Sly feels like he has a heart attack as the immense impact of a proverbial freight train comes running over the top of Sly. He falls to the ground and faints, knowing that he has just locked up his own girlfriend into prison.
Prison Parking lot, 2:19pm 26 July 2013
Bentley is frantically searching for Sly, he hasn't responded for a minute. Murray is also glued to the screen which Bentley types furiously at, hoping his buddy is okay. Bentley finally manages to finish what he was doing, trying to upload the security camera feed. This was a much harder hack than usual but nevertheless he is in. It doesn't take long for them to find Sly. He's in the medical bay, not moving. A single doctor is moving around him, doing tests. The sound recorder on the camera reveals that Sly is okay but he has fainted. From what? Sly isn't scared of anything, Bentley thinks to himself.
Medical bay, 2:20pm 26 July 2013
But the thief who has fainted is now waking up, he opens his eyes to see a doctor recording something on a clipboard, but it's what he can hear that's drowning him out. The shouts and jeers from what sound like all the guards in the prison. All of them have crowded up against the door to see the racoon that fainted for putting away a girl.
"Geoff." The doctor asks Sly. It takes a second for Sly to remember that he is not Sly but Geoff.
"Yeah?" Sly says, still dazed from the fall.
"The good news is that you're okay." She explains. "The better news is that they want to see you."
Sly gets of the bed and walks slowly to the door, the shouts build up, anticipating his entrance. Sly opens he door and the crowd erupts in a sea of noise. But the sea parts for Sly, creating a walk of shame. Sly walks slowly, knowing that it's his only way out. He hears the verbal abuse of all types. He gets pushes around between both sides of the guards as they get more unruly. Sly has now had enough of it. He stops and turns. He is going to stand up for Carmelita.
"Stop it now!" He shouts to the guards who just burst out laughing.
"You think that's funny?!" Sly shouts again, the guard continue to laugh but the rage in Sly has grown to boiling point.
"That's it!" He shouts as he swings his cane at the nearest guard, knocking him out. The crowd goes silent and they start to back off as Sly swings the cane around him to create space for himself. They pay attention now to what he has to say.
"If you knew what it's like for me now," Sly shouts in desperation. He pauses for some heavy breathing, his fury growing further."Then you wouldn't feel so happy with yourselves."
The guards are silent, unable to react to what they have heard.
"Now you guys should back off, and go back to your posts or this with get messy very quickly." Sly gives his ultimatum. He looks like he means business. But standing at the back is Hank who is having none of it.
"Give it up now Cooper, you can't take on everyone." Hank warns like he knows it's not possible. There are 83 guards between Sly and Hank. He doesn't think this new guard has a chance.
"Watch." Sly announces as he begins his attack. What follows next is as poetic as it is violent. Every swing of the cane is like another paintbrush stroke on the canvas that's the guards opposing him. He disposes of them all in a way that is not only effective but looks beautiful. The cameras are rolling. His anger only accentuates the passion that flows through Sly. His love for Carmelita is stronger than a barrier of almost 100 prison guards. Hank is now blubbering on the ground unable to face the unfathomable reality that has beset upon his eyes.
"No, no, no, no." Hank quickly begs for mercy as the raccoon stands over him.
"I thought you'd be better than this." Sly says, disappointed at Hank.
"Wh - who are you?" Hank stammers to Sly, his teeth chattering violently. Sly changes back into his normal thieving outfit. The look on Hank's face as look of surprise, anger and horror all rolled into one.
"The name's Sly, Sly Cooper." Sly confidently states.
"No! It can't be." Hank says in disbelief, 'how could he not pick out the master thief Sly Cooper?' he thinks to himself. But he doesn't get that far as Sly has already finished him off with silent obliteration.
"Yes it can." Sly says, completing the sentence as he finishes whirling around Hank's now disappeared body. But during the takedown, he has taken his card, giving him access all areas.
Sly walks slowly in the now silent prison and casually opens the huge metal door and walks to Carmelita's cell. The same card manages to open the cell door.
"What is it now?!" Carmelita shouts at the wall, not facing the raccoon standing outside.
"I'm sorry." Sly apologetically states, no words could rectify the situation he has caused.
"Sly? What are you doing here? How did you get in?" Carmelita asks, she knows nothing of the plan that has just gone totally wrong.
"I put you in here." Sly succinctly explains, still his head hung low at the inadequacy he feels about what he has done to her.
"You were handling me when I couldn't see?" Carmelita asks, slightly angry at it. But she has fewer emotions about it than Sly.
"Yeah, I see why I like being on the other side of the law." Sly jokes as he tries to see the funny side of it.
"Just get me out of here." Carmelita states, Sly reaches out with his cane and he lifts her up. Carmelita starts to run frantically for the exit but Sly is walking slowly like he's just on the street. She realises that Sly is not running so she stops and turns.
"You going to hurry up?" She asks, anxious to get out.
"We don't need to." Sly replies calmly back. This confuses Carmelita.
"Why?" Carmelita asks.
"Take a look." Sly replies back. Carmelita walks on and sees the hallway full of unconscious bodies like a tornado has been through the centre of them. Bodies strewn across the floor, some stacked up high whilst others are just contorted into positions no live person could achieve.
"What did you do?" Asks Carmelita with a slight hint of anger.
"They had it coming." Sly replies back, rationalising the situation.
"What did you do to them?" She asks again, her anger rising.
"They're not dead, just unconscious." Sly tries to explain.
"What difference does it make? I don't want to be associated with a murderer. I thought you might have changed after seeing Le Paradox but this…" Carmelita says with full anger.
"I did that to save you." Sly shouts back, trying to explain what happened.
"That's it ringtail. I'm not going with you again." Carmelita says at the peak of her fury. Those words shock Sly.
"But…" Sly starts in desperation to save their relationship.
"It's Ms Fox now. And you are coming with me." She says as she reverses the roles to the way it was. She now is attempting to fulfil a promise made more than 10 years ago, to put Sly away. "You're lucky I don't have my shock pistol here." She says to him as she walks him out. Sly thinks about breaking away from her. But he loves her too much to damage that perfect fur coat or hurt those hazel brown eyes.
But there has been another observer; Bentley has seen it all on the security cameras. He too is shocked about what has happened. But he knows their relationship is about to fracture and he needs to show her the truth. He points to the entrance and Murray drives there. Carmelita comes out and sees the police van already pulling up.
"Carmelita: Looks like you're going to see my friends early." She taunts to Sly. The side door opens to reveal Bentley ready to jump out at them.
"Carmelita, don't do this." Bentley warns.
"Get away from me!" She shouts, turning Sly away from Bentley.
"I saw the whole thing. Sly would never do something like that unprovoked." Bentley explains, desperate to keep this outburst contained.
"That doesn't make it any more innocent." She argues back.
"If you look at this and you still want to take him away, then fine, otherwise we won't let him go so easily." Bentley goes all-in in order to save his friend.
"You would still come after me even if I took him away." She argues back again. But their conversation is cut short as alarms ring out from the prison. Someone must have gotten their consciousness back to ring the alarms.
"You don't have a choice now. Who are they going to believe? The guard or the prisoner?" Bentley says knowing that she has no choice but to go with them. She realises this as well after trying to find a reason not to. She reluctantly goes in with the van and they drive off. Bentley gets out the security camera feed on his screen.
"The security feed from the prison shows everything." He states. Carmelita looks at the screen, casually at first but then looks more intently as the actions roll on by. Carmelita watches the tapes with sound. She sees what happened with Sly after he realised what he did, a tiny gasp is heard but she covers it up. She then sees his unceremonious walk of shame, a tear rolls down her face but Sly doesn't see it. She then sees him single handedly take out the 83 guards. She sees him change out of his disguise and into his outfit and stand over the guard.
"The name's Sly, Sly Cooper." Sly says on tape.
"No, it can't be." Hank replies. She sees Sly take him out.
"Yes it can." Sly says on the radio, but behind her, Sly mouths those three words.
The tapes roll on to Sly getting Carmelita out of prison but they don't need to watch that. Carmelita is trying to stop her feelings for Sly being shown but it is inevitable. The way he stood up for her against an unruly mob, that he deeply cares for her, is one that brings Carmelita to silent tears. She leans on Sly in the back, Sly is only too happy to give her comfort but in a sensitive and gentle way but trying to be cautious after what happened just before. The others in the van try to hide their emotions in this delicate time but inside they know their love for each other is only getting stronger. Murray continues to drive onto the lab.