Epilogue
8 months later: Washington, D.C., United States of America; Monday, February 2nd, 2009, 8:16 A.M.…
Fresh off his third inauguration, President George W. Bush had just gotten off the phone with the latest acting Prime Minister of Britain, David Cameron, with further discussions on potential reconstruction plans lined up on the horizon. The Oval Office was buzzing with activity. Occupants included, but were not limited to: Vice President Cheney, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, Attorney General Michael Mukasey, Chief of Staff Josh Bolten, CIA Director Michael Hayden, Senior Advisor Karl Rove, and even Bush's younger brother Jeb.
"Shuvalov's on standby."
"Tell him to wait a little longer. I can only handle so much at once." Bush muttered, placing a hand over his forehead.
"Being the first – and only – President since FDR to exceed two terms has kinda lost its glory, hasn't it?" Jeb commented.
"You have no idea."
"Not yet, anyway." His brother returned with a chuckle.
"Sir, Senators Obama and Clinton say they want to meet with you for a brief exchange of ideas on how to handle this reconstruction…"
"Sir, my sources tell me that one of the major questions the press will have for you at the next briefing is whether or not you want to comment on the mysterious nuclear explosion in the South Pacific…the grapevine is insisting that it was some covert operation performed by our guys, even though I've kept insisting that we have no idea who or what it came from…"
"They're already asking who you want to endorse for 2012."
"Alright, alright. Everyone…everyone!"
Bush waited until all the activity died down.
"Thank you. Everyone just take a break. We all deserve it. Even just five minutes, please."
After a few various responses, the room's occupants gradually filed out until only four remained: Bush, Cheney, Rove, and Jeb.
"Well, gentlemen." Bush started. "This is the beginning of a long, hard journey."
"But the destination will be sweet." Cheney added.
"We'll be long gone before this country and this world ever reaches the destination."
"In a way, maybe that's the most fitting way to remember it." An older voice commented.
The four men all turned to see none other than former President, and father of two of the room's occupants, George H.W. Bush enter the room.
"Sorry I'm late, boys."
"It's good to see you too, dad." George said as he walked up to his father for an embrace. Jeb did the same.
"But as I was saying. Continual reconstruction from this terrible tragedy will remind us all of our humanity. It will remind us all of the universal problems we face as a civilization. That'll be our memorial to those who died: The continual efforts to rebuild the world they left behind. And through it all, it will be the best way of putting aside our differences and avoiding another petty war like the ones we were just in. You, son, have united this world like never before. Through your bravery, your near self-sacrifice, and with a willingness to tackle the impossible. You did it. And you, Dick, and Karl, and Jeb…you all saved the free world."
The President was doing his best to hold in the few tears that were about to slide down his cheeks. "Thanks, dad."
Then a pause as the last few words from his father sank in. A slight tinge of sadness came over him, and he couldn't help but start to speak up.
"Actually, dad…I…"
"Hm?"
In that moment, Bush turned to face his Vice President. Although not a single word was exchanged between them, the expression conveyed the entire message. Perhaps as a result of the long, professional friendship they had over the last eight years and before, Cheney knew almost instantly what Bush wanted to say to his father. He wanted to tell him, and the other two men in the room, the one major secret that had been kept between the President and Vice President only. The secret about the mysterious, nameless, faceless ally who was the real reason they had managed to destroy the evil machine.
After a brief moment of consideration, Cheney shook his head.
"Uh…never mind. Now how about we all get out of here for a bit and get some fresh air?" George suggested.
"That sounds heavenly right about now." Rove added.
"Alright, alright. Let's all take a walk." The President agreed.
With his father and Vice President on his left, and his younger brother and his senior advisor on his right, the President of the United States finally left the Oval Office for the first time that day.
Had any of the five men turned around at that moment, they just might have caught a glimpse of the figure that quickly swept past the massive window behind the Resolute Desk, having witnessed the entire emotional scene with the help of a stethoscope-like device that allowed him to listen in through the walls. But although the figure would be long gone by the time the President returned, George W. Bush would eventually return to his chair and find something new on his desk, situated right in the middle for him to notice right away. And although he wouldn't recognize the symbol that it bore or the exact identity of the man it represented, he would have a hunch that it was the closest thing he would get to an answer as to whom his mysterious ally was.
A small blue and white placard in the shape of a raccoon's face.
…
I could probably go on and on about all that has occurred in the years since it all ended. If I did that, the epilogue would probably be just as long as my chronicling of the events themselves. So I guess I'll keep it simple.
In the wake of the successful destruction of the Death Ray, Bush's popularity soared right back up to its post-9/11 numbers, with Gallup holding him at 98%. Following the brave near-sacrifice that he and his entire staff made, very few continued to complain about his performance, as well as his executive waiving of the 22nd Amendment and the federal election processes in the event of emergency wartime. Thus, he served out a full third term – the first president to do so since Franklin Roosevelt – and all members of Congress – from the House to the Senate – remained right where they were as well, their regular terms all extended throughout the next four years (two years in the case of the House of Representatives and the select few Senators who were up for reelection as well in 2 years). As expected, the Republicans made sweeping gains in the midterm elections in 2010, gaining a supermajority of the lower chamber and coming to a slim minority in the Senate. The full election process resumed on November 6, 2012. As expected, it was a Republican sweep that would've made Ronald Reagan proud. It was, however, largely riding off Bush's coattails, as Republicans took complete control of Congress and retained control of the White House with the landslide election of Bush's younger brother Jeb, along with his charismatic and young vice president, a Florida politician by the name of Marco Rubio. It's only been a little over a year into his first term, but many political analysts and commentators are predicting that not only will he easily be reelected in 2016, but the door is wide open for Rubio to be elected in 2020 and reelected in '24, also by landslides.
Obviously, the global reconstruction process was slow to start, but it's beginning to show promising results. Starting under George W. Bush and continued by Jeb, or "President Bush III," as some have called him, the United Nations is now the Global Reconstruction and Unification Organization. It is led by the United States, Canada, and Australia, with additional participation from Mexico and several prominent South American countries such as Brazil, Peru, and Chile, and even a few African countries such as South Africa. The main priorities include trafficking refugees to designated "decontamination areas" in remote locations such as Africa, South America, and mostly Antarctica. Subsequently, those refugees will be sent to designated "safe zones" located within the US, Australia, and dozens of islands located throughout the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans. The other major operation, of course, is working to decontaminate certain areas that were hit by the Death Ray and attempt to make them habitable again within the next several decades. But obviously, the goal that is faster and more achievable is their top priority.
Such a global reshifting of the entire world's stage, complete revamping of the international community, and a whole new chapter in the history of mankind...contained to just a few short paragraphs. Even I cannot comprehend this as I write it.
And in case you're wondering; no, there hasn't been much reported on the mysterious nuclear explosion in the south Pacific, far from where the Death Ray went down and with absolutely no reports whatsoever of any nuclear missiles launched in that area. As far as the international community was concerned, there wasn't even an island in that location.
And if there was before, it certainly isn't there now.
But whatever the history books may record, whatever may happen over the next hundred years as the world unites to repair, rebuild, and restore as much of the damaged countries as it can, I can guarantee you this: None of them will know one very significant detail concerning the truth. None of them will know who the mysterious caped figure was who delivered the schematics to the President. None of them will know that the man who effectively saved the world from complete global domination by a terrorist organization…was the very kind of man that society would vilify. A thief. A criminal. A man considered to be the worst of us all…saved all of us. The world will never know that it was Sly Cooper who saved them.
Bentley finally paused, setting the quill pen back down on the wooden desk and taking another casual sip of wine. The candle flickered lightly beside him, casting a smooth orange glow in the immediate area. Outside, the sun was setting over the Pacific Ocean. The waves crashed against the rocks at the base of the cliff, silently, of course, with the repaired glass sliding door closed and muting the sounds of nature outside. Thus, the only thing he could hear was the tick-tocking of the grandfather clock across the room.
He glanced over at a newly-arranged display against the far wall, surrounded on both sides by other artifacts and memorabilia displayed on pedestals, and with various commemorative pictures covering the wall behind it. It was a glass case, a shadowbox, containing several of the key possessions of his late friend, including the red backpack, the two wedding rings, the picture of him and his parents, and in the center of it all, that beloved, ancient book.
Bentley smiled a wry smile before he picked up the pen again, dipping it into the ink once more before resuming.
And so I continue on. I am the lone survivor. I am the last man standing. I have lost the love of my life. I have lost my two best friends. I have lost a vast majority of my possessions and my wealth. I contemplated staying on that island to await the nuclear blast as well. But I persevere because it is my duty, given to me by my dying friend with his final breaths. He didn't want to see one more of his close friends die because of the skeletons in his family's closet. My survival made Sly feel a lot better than I did. It was the final act of selfless camaraderie between the last two members of the once great Cooper Gang.
But now, beyond the immediate act of my survival that Sly delegated to me in that moment, I have given myself a new task. Surviving is not nearly enough. I must continue on the Cooper Gang's legacy. Obviously, I have given up on thieving forever. I don't understand how anyone - especially a thief of honor - would dare consider such tactics in this newly-volatile world we now live in. Instead, I am living the Cooper legacy in this documentation that I am writing right now. My final act as the final member of the Cooper Gang is one that is perfectly legal. Not only is it legal, it is vital. It is imperative that I record this entire endeavor, from the Krak-Karov Volcano in June of 2006 to that small island in the South Pacific in July of 2008. Obviously, I can't even begin to imagine how I could possibly publish this and spread it across the world like it so righteously deserves to be. But all I know is that it must be recorded in any way possible. So for now, this single copy will have to do.
As long as there is fellow man, willing to continue on despite all that has happened, then there is hope. As such, as long as this copy still exists, I will continue in my final quest. Sometime...sometime in the future...be it near or distant...this story will be known. When the time is right, the world will know. The world will know the truth. The world will know about the man who saved them.
He stopped for another sip of wine, then glanced over at yet another piece of memorabilia across the room. A special, front-page cover of The New York Times published the day after President Bush's Oval Office address about a week after the destruction of the Death Ray. The title highlighted the key line from the speech, which many were already using as the name for the entire address.
BUSH: "THE WORLD IS FREE"
Bentley then quickly jotted down the final line.
They will know that because of Sly Cooper...the world is free.
The End
