Disclaimer: I own none of the rights to Lupin III. Original rights belong to Monkey Punch.

A/N: *Jaw hangs open* That is the longest review I have ever seen.

Vincent – Not to mention the best you've ever gotten.

Kev – Well now that deserves something special.

Fox Xanatos – I like to think that I am doing something worthwhile with all of the spare time I have.

Megawing – Yes I did know that Lupin's first name was Arsene but thanks anyway. Lupin is a master thief. No one can keep him down.

J. Lucy-Daisuke – I can't thank you enough for that review. I will encourage all of my readers to read my bio. It may explain some of the questions I know you have. I just recently updated it to give more information about myself. It is optional but I encourage it. And I've read one or two of your fics. They are quite nice. They show great promise. Most of them are easy to read and flow well from one paragraph to another. I did see some grammatical errors but nothing major. Your fics are worth reading.

Chapter Three: The Joker

            Inspector Koichi Zenigata sat in the kitchen of his hotel room. His trademark hat and coat were hung on the coat rack and his handcuffs were lying on the table. A bowl of stale cereal in less than refrigerated milk sat in front of him. The spoon dangled limply from one hand as he rubbed his eyes with the other. The apartment was rundown and, for lack of a better word, shabby. The mattress had felt like a bed of spikes, the food was substandard, there was not heating, and all the furniture looked like it had been stolen from someone else's dumpster.

            His budget had been shrinking for the past few years. If it weren't for the fact that Lupin kept taunting him at every turn Zenigata would have requested a desk job and settled down with a family by now. Zenigata admitted to himself that he had a short temper and more pride than he could afford but he just couldn't let Lupin roam free forever. He just had to catch the sneaky little bastard.

            Even so he couldn't help but remember the last time he had visited the home office in Japan. He had become world famous for his failures. Everyone taunted him and poking fun at him. They kept asking him where Lupin was and when he would bring the thief back. The chief even asked if he wanted to take his pension. He had laughed then but he was starting to feel his age. For the first time in fifteen long years Zenigata began to consider giving up.

            He placed his elbows on the table in front of his rancid cereal and placed his face in his hands. When was the last time he had any fun? When had he taken his last vacation? Ten? Twenty years ago? When had been the last time he actually read the newspaper and not worried about what Lupin the Third was up to?

            Inspector Koichi Zennigata's resolve was beginning to fade. He was so stressed from day after day after day of chasing the hyperactive, boyish, clown of a thief around the globe. No matter how hard he tried Lupin always slipped through his fingers. He wasn't even getting paid overtime for his efforts. Every morning and every night for two painfully long years the inspector had pondered, considered, and postulated on quitting the police force. Every day it seemed more and more appealing.

            He stood and grabbed his uneaten food sloshed it into the trash and rinsed his bowl out. He put his mud colored hat and coat on, grabbed his handcuffs from the table. He then plastered a painfully fake look of determination on his face. He may have been thinking of giving up but he would be damned if he was going to let that bastard Lupin learn about it.

((()))

            Lupin sat atop a building once again holding binoculars and listening through a set of headphones. This time however he was not in a good mood. He was staking out a museum for any hints of what Gray and the Wolves were after. The sun was slowly setting over the horizon and he had gotten nothing all day. He was just packing up to return to the hotel when he heard voices.

            Carefully he crept around until he found the source of the voices. Gray was standing on the opposite side of the building to the right. With him was who Lupin guessed was Red.

            "Gray honey, what's bothering you?" the auburn haired woman asked. "You've been up here for hours."

            "You have no idea how hard it is to be rude to the person you have idolized since childhood. I didn't want to be callous to Lupin but he'd just get in my way. I'm trying to make a name for us and if he pulls a job here ours will go unnoticed. The whole world knows who Lupin is, but only the Pittsburgh Police department and Inspector Blue know who we are."

            Red leaned on the young man and began to sooth him in a sickening sweet voice. "Please Gray," she began, "Why don't you forget about that stupid cop and the stuck up thief. Just let me take all of your problems away." Gray absently pried Red's arm from around him and placed her about a foot away. It was if this was a routine gesture. Red began to pout.

            "I can't forget about Mae. One of the reasons I became a thief is so that I could follow her around the globe after she joined Interpol. I just wish she would remember who I am. We were good friends for so long." The young man sighed. "And as for Lupin, I finally get to meet him and we get off on the wrong foot."

            "Fine," Red huffed, "Sit up here and mope all night. See if I care." She walked toward the roof entrance, "What does he see in that idiot cop anyway."

            Lupin was going to leave when Red disappeared from sight but he decided to wait when a man dressed in a black suit stepped onto the roof. Surely this must be Black. "Are you still up here?" he asked. He pulled out his metal pocket flask and took a swig as he walked toward the edge of the building to stand next to Gray. "Why the hell should you care about that pervert anyway?"

            "You wouldn't understand it. My parents abandoned me when I was eight years old. I was roaming the streets and every newspaper I slept under had a picture of Lupin the Third on it. He was suave, debonair, and a ladies man. I wanted to have that kind of success in my life. I wanted to prove to my parents that I was good enough for them."

            "Hell no," said Black firmly, "I never told you my personal past and I don't want to hear yours. Keep it to yourself man." He took another swig from his pocket flask and walked back to the stairs passing White along the way.

            White indeed looked like a hockey player. He looked like some pro wrestler put into a business suit. He stood silently by his leader and good friend for some time before speaking. "Do you want to talk about it?"

            "Thanks White." He smiled up at his tall friend. "Its just that so much has been going wrong for me these days." White gave him a questioning look. "Sure our heists go off without a hitch," he said, "But things just aren't going well for me personally. Mae Wills doesn't recognize me at all. Seven years of chasing after her and she still doesn't remember who I am. Red is hanging all over me like a priest on a potential convert and Lupin the Third shows up in Dublin just as I'm about to plan a huge heist. One that will put the Wolves in international news."

            "What is this mysterious job you keep talking about? You haven't told anyone what it is yet."

            "No I haven't but I will tell you guys in about a day or two. I don't want anyone to know where I'm going to strike until I'm ready. This must go off without a hitch or we have to wait years for another opportunity like this."

            "All right," the big man said, "But why don't you come down to the room and have something to eat. I've prepared a traditional Irish Stew for us tonight and I even bought the ingredients for that special drink you always make."

            "That sounds good White."

            "What is the secret ingredient in that drink of yours anyway? I just can't figure it out."

            "If I told you it wouldn't be a secret, now would it." The two friends strolled over to the stairs chatting.

            Lupin was extremely confused.

((()))

            Lupin sat in his room that night trying to figure out just what he had heard that day. With all the information he had gotten he couldn't sleep without tying to figure some of it out. Even with all that he had heard Gray was still a mystery to him and Lupin would go through any amount of trouble to find out all mysteries.

            One fact still remained. Gray had insulted him. No one insulted Lupin and got away with it. Lupin began to plan a big heist then and there. It was going to be big and flashy. He was going to leave his mark on the Emerald Isle and no one was going to stop him. Not Gray. Not Zenigata. No one.

A/N: I hope this chapter warrants reviews as great as the last chapter did.

Vincent – We can only hope.

Kev – Well this is all I could come up with for now. I hope you guys like it.

*Tearing sound in the Background*

Kev – Uh… Vince?

Vincent – Yes?

Kev – You did take Cid's axe off of him didn't you?

Vincent – I think so, why?

Kev – Because there he goes. *Points after raving lunatic running by*

Vincent – Oh &%@^!!!

Kev – Until next time; Ciao!