CHAPTER THREE- On the Town
"We'll take my truck. It's got the most room.", Andy said, heading toward the garage. Everyone except Chris, Andy's hedgehog friend, followed.
"You coming, Chris?", Andy asked. "Nah. I think I'll stay.", the hedgehog replied. "Okay, ya dork.", Andy said. "Just try not to burn down the house or something.", he continued.
"Uh, this garage is empty.", Sly said, looking around. "Wait a minute, my friend.", Andy said, pushing a button on the garage wall. The floor opened up and two vehicles rose up from below.
"Impressive.", said Bentley. "All right, everyone. Get on in.", Andy said, opening the rear doors of his truck. "Nice car.", said Murray, looking at the blue Mercedes sedan parked next to the van.
As Jake started up the truck, Andy pushed a button on the dashboard, opening the garage. The truck then zoomed off.
"Where are we headed?", asked Jake of his raccoon friend. "Let's head to the Fifth Street Diner first.", Andy responded. "I'm starving."
"So am I.", Murray said. "You're always starving, fat boy.", Sly said. "I hope this restaurant isn't some greasy spoon.", whined Bentley. "This guy always seems to have something to complain about.", said Tony of the turtle.
"Tell me about it.", Sly said. "So Andy," he said "How did you end up getting caught the last time you tried to steal from FOWL?", he inquired. "You don't have to answer.", Sly said, thinking twice about his question.
"It's OK.", Andy said. "Well, all was going fine until my cloaking device crapped out." "You have a cloaking device?", asked Bentley. "Yeah, but it's still got some bugs. Anyway, my cloaker failed, I was spotted by some thugs, and the next thing I knew, a deranged chicken was topping a pizza with the skin of my paws.", Andy continued.
"That's disgusting.", Bentley said. "Was this chicken by any chance the infamous Steelbeak?", Sly wondered.
"Yeah. That's the prick who put me out of action for five months.", Andy responded.
"Well, hopefully we'll take him down tomorrow.", Sly said. "Yeah.", said Andy.
"Well, here we are.", Andy said. "The most popular eatery in Forest City. "This place?", Bentley asked. "Shut up, you little twerp!!", Tony yelled. "Easy, Tone. This guy may be annoying, but he's our guest.", said Andy.
The six of them entered the diner. They were greeted by a female raccoon. "Andy, love!", she said, kissing him. "So good to see you!" "You owe me five bucks.", Sly said to Bentley. " I told you he wasn't gay.", he continued.
"And who are your friends?", the raccoon girl asked. "That's Murray, Bentley, and Sly.", Andy said.
"Wow! Sly Cooper! A celebrity in my restaurant.", she said. "Have a seat. Someone will be with you in a moment."
"Wow, That's your girlfriend?", Sly asked. "Yep. Sandra and I have been seeing each other for the last three years.", said Andy. "You're lucky.", the younger raccoon said.
"I saved her life once.", said Andy. "That was possibly the best day of my life.", he continued nostalgically.
Just then, the waitress, a rabbit, arrived at the table. "Are you folks ready to order?",. she asked. "I think so.", Andy replied.
"I'll have two of everything on the menu.", Murray said. "Easy there, Hungry Hungry Hippo. You don't want to have a coronary.", quipped Jake.
The others ordered. "So, Andy", Sly said as they waited. "Whatever became of that giant ruby you pilfered?" "I returned it to the original owners.", Andy answered. "And collected a nice reward."
"I see.", Sly said. The food then came. The group finished their meals. Andy paid for their feast with a sack full of gold coins. "This is the only place around here that takes stolen pirate gold.", he said, as they headed outside. "That's good to know.", Sly responded.
"That food was terrible.", Bentley complained. "Do you like anything?!", Tony snapped. "Well, I thought it was great.", Murray said with a belch. "You'd eat the backside of a skunk.", Bentley said to the hippo.
"Listen, turtle.", Andy said. "My girl built this place up from nothing, and the last thing I need to hear is you pissing on it." "Yes, sir. I'm sorry.", said the turtle.
"Where to now?", Jake asked as they all piled back into the van. "Let's go over to the old headquarters.", replied Andy.
"You've got it.", the bear said, starting the truck. "Obsessive Compulsive Turtle here is going to love this place.", said Tony. "What do you mean?", asked Bentley. "You'll see.", said the crow.
They pulled up to an old ramshackle building. It looked like it had perhaps once been a government office, or maybe a school.
"Here we are.", said Andy. "The old meeting place." Andy opened up the glove compartment of the truck and took out an ancient-looking key.
"This was once the city hall.", Andy said as he unlocked the front door. "It became the Bridge Street gang's headquarters around 1910."
"So this gang pre-dates you?", Sly asked. "Oh, yes.", Andy responded, turning on the lights. "This place is FILTHY!!", Bentley interjected.
"Shut up, dumbass!", Sly urged his friend. "The Bridge Street gang has existed for centuries.", said Andy.
"I'm just its latest leader.", Clark continued. "So how did you become involved with this organization?", inquired Sly. "This was the only place I could find friendship.", Andy answered. "I find that hard to believe.", Sly said.
"Well, it's true.", Andy asserted. "But that's all behind me now." "So, how did you end up becoming leader?", Sly asked. "Our last leader, Ted, was killed in a gun battle with a rival. I picked up his weapon and returned fire.", Andy said.
"The rest is history." "You know, life for the Bridge Street Four wasn't always as smooth as it is now.", Andy continued. "At first, I didn't even know who was part of my gang." "At one time, we had about thirty members! There was so much confusion in those early days."
"You know Tim Merriweather?", Andy asked of Sly. "The fox who thinks he's me?" "Yeah.", Andy said. "Well, he was a member of my gang once. I booted him as soon as I found out what an idiot he was."
"Is that so?", Sly said. "Looking back,", Andy said "I don't know how we ever got to where we are today." But,", he added. "I'm loving every minute of it."
"Let's get out of here.", said Andy. "It's getting late." "You're right.", Sly said. The six of them once again piled into Andy's truck and they headed back to his house.
Andy put his feet up on the dashboard and reclined his seat. Sly sniffed the air and smiled. "It sounds like you've led quite a life.", he said.
"What about family?", Sly inquired. "You do have one?" "Yes.", said Andy. "I really should introduce you to them some time. My mom thinks you're the greatest thing since sliced bread." "Really?", said Sly.
They arrived back at Andy's house. "All right, boys. It's time to get to work.", he said exiting the vehicle.
"We'll take my truck. It's got the most room.", Andy said, heading toward the garage. Everyone except Chris, Andy's hedgehog friend, followed.
"You coming, Chris?", Andy asked. "Nah. I think I'll stay.", the hedgehog replied. "Okay, ya dork.", Andy said. "Just try not to burn down the house or something.", he continued.
"Uh, this garage is empty.", Sly said, looking around. "Wait a minute, my friend.", Andy said, pushing a button on the garage wall. The floor opened up and two vehicles rose up from below.
"Impressive.", said Bentley. "All right, everyone. Get on in.", Andy said, opening the rear doors of his truck. "Nice car.", said Murray, looking at the blue Mercedes sedan parked next to the van.
As Jake started up the truck, Andy pushed a button on the dashboard, opening the garage. The truck then zoomed off.
"Where are we headed?", asked Jake of his raccoon friend. "Let's head to the Fifth Street Diner first.", Andy responded. "I'm starving."
"So am I.", Murray said. "You're always starving, fat boy.", Sly said. "I hope this restaurant isn't some greasy spoon.", whined Bentley. "This guy always seems to have something to complain about.", said Tony of the turtle.
"Tell me about it.", Sly said. "So Andy," he said "How did you end up getting caught the last time you tried to steal from FOWL?", he inquired. "You don't have to answer.", Sly said, thinking twice about his question.
"It's OK.", Andy said. "Well, all was going fine until my cloaking device crapped out." "You have a cloaking device?", asked Bentley. "Yeah, but it's still got some bugs. Anyway, my cloaker failed, I was spotted by some thugs, and the next thing I knew, a deranged chicken was topping a pizza with the skin of my paws.", Andy continued.
"That's disgusting.", Bentley said. "Was this chicken by any chance the infamous Steelbeak?", Sly wondered.
"Yeah. That's the prick who put me out of action for five months.", Andy responded.
"Well, hopefully we'll take him down tomorrow.", Sly said. "Yeah.", said Andy.
"Well, here we are.", Andy said. "The most popular eatery in Forest City. "This place?", Bentley asked. "Shut up, you little twerp!!", Tony yelled. "Easy, Tone. This guy may be annoying, but he's our guest.", said Andy.
The six of them entered the diner. They were greeted by a female raccoon. "Andy, love!", she said, kissing him. "So good to see you!" "You owe me five bucks.", Sly said to Bentley. " I told you he wasn't gay.", he continued.
"And who are your friends?", the raccoon girl asked. "That's Murray, Bentley, and Sly.", Andy said.
"Wow! Sly Cooper! A celebrity in my restaurant.", she said. "Have a seat. Someone will be with you in a moment."
"Wow, That's your girlfriend?", Sly asked. "Yep. Sandra and I have been seeing each other for the last three years.", said Andy. "You're lucky.", the younger raccoon said.
"I saved her life once.", said Andy. "That was possibly the best day of my life.", he continued nostalgically.
Just then, the waitress, a rabbit, arrived at the table. "Are you folks ready to order?",. she asked. "I think so.", Andy replied.
"I'll have two of everything on the menu.", Murray said. "Easy there, Hungry Hungry Hippo. You don't want to have a coronary.", quipped Jake.
The others ordered. "So, Andy", Sly said as they waited. "Whatever became of that giant ruby you pilfered?" "I returned it to the original owners.", Andy answered. "And collected a nice reward."
"I see.", Sly said. The food then came. The group finished their meals. Andy paid for their feast with a sack full of gold coins. "This is the only place around here that takes stolen pirate gold.", he said, as they headed outside. "That's good to know.", Sly responded.
"That food was terrible.", Bentley complained. "Do you like anything?!", Tony snapped. "Well, I thought it was great.", Murray said with a belch. "You'd eat the backside of a skunk.", Bentley said to the hippo.
"Listen, turtle.", Andy said. "My girl built this place up from nothing, and the last thing I need to hear is you pissing on it." "Yes, sir. I'm sorry.", said the turtle.
"Where to now?", Jake asked as they all piled back into the van. "Let's go over to the old headquarters.", replied Andy.
"You've got it.", the bear said, starting the truck. "Obsessive Compulsive Turtle here is going to love this place.", said Tony. "What do you mean?", asked Bentley. "You'll see.", said the crow.
They pulled up to an old ramshackle building. It looked like it had perhaps once been a government office, or maybe a school.
"Here we are.", said Andy. "The old meeting place." Andy opened up the glove compartment of the truck and took out an ancient-looking key.
"This was once the city hall.", Andy said as he unlocked the front door. "It became the Bridge Street gang's headquarters around 1910."
"So this gang pre-dates you?", Sly asked. "Oh, yes.", Andy responded, turning on the lights. "This place is FILTHY!!", Bentley interjected.
"Shut up, dumbass!", Sly urged his friend. "The Bridge Street gang has existed for centuries.", said Andy.
"I'm just its latest leader.", Clark continued. "So how did you become involved with this organization?", inquired Sly. "This was the only place I could find friendship.", Andy answered. "I find that hard to believe.", Sly said.
"Well, it's true.", Andy asserted. "But that's all behind me now." "So, how did you end up becoming leader?", Sly asked. "Our last leader, Ted, was killed in a gun battle with a rival. I picked up his weapon and returned fire.", Andy said.
"The rest is history." "You know, life for the Bridge Street Four wasn't always as smooth as it is now.", Andy continued. "At first, I didn't even know who was part of my gang." "At one time, we had about thirty members! There was so much confusion in those early days."
"You know Tim Merriweather?", Andy asked of Sly. "The fox who thinks he's me?" "Yeah.", Andy said. "Well, he was a member of my gang once. I booted him as soon as I found out what an idiot he was."
"Is that so?", Sly said. "Looking back,", Andy said "I don't know how we ever got to where we are today." But,", he added. "I'm loving every minute of it."
"Let's get out of here.", said Andy. "It's getting late." "You're right.", Sly said. The six of them once again piled into Andy's truck and they headed back to his house.
Andy put his feet up on the dashboard and reclined his seat. Sly sniffed the air and smiled. "It sounds like you've led quite a life.", he said.
"What about family?", Sly inquired. "You do have one?" "Yes.", said Andy. "I really should introduce you to them some time. My mom thinks you're the greatest thing since sliced bread." "Really?", said Sly.
They arrived back at Andy's house. "All right, boys. It's time to get to work.", he said exiting the vehicle.
