Plot: It's been a year since the defeat of Clock-La and the total destruction of Clockwerk, and, for the Cooper gang at least, things have gotten back to normal. A heist here,a heist there, and of course escaping from the lovely Carmelita everywhere.However with a simple letter of challenge all that threatens to change. The past is about to rear its head and claim all that Sly and the gang holds dear. But will they be able to stand against someone from their own past thought dead?
Disclaimer: Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus™ belongs to Sucker Punch, as does the sequel Sly 2: Band of Thieves™.
Death by Vengeance
Prologue: Let Sleeping Tigers Lie…
By: Kyra-Arcide
Somewhere in the Middle of the Ocean:
"Man overboard!" A far away voice shouted somehow breaking through the hold that the ocean's power had upon her. The cold water that embraced her physically and dulled her senses with its icy touch receded ever so slightly from her dormant thoughts. While it wasn't much, it was just enough to allow a tiny spark within her heart that had dimmed from a raging fire to a pin-prick of cold life to begin to grow once more.
"I'm just saying that this job has all the markings of the Klaww gang…There are other thieves besides Cooper in the world, you know."
Her fingers twitched as images and noise bombarded her from all sides completely blinding her from the sound someone or something approaching where she was sprawled half in half out of the ocean.
"I've acquired this key to Dimitri's club, but as a cop I cannot legally enter. You on the other hand…My world isn't quite as black and white as Carmelita's."
"Are you using me to get close to old Ironside over there?"
"Keep up with me if you can, Cooper. This place can be rather dangerous."
Her breathing quickened exponentially as her eyes darted back and forth underneath her closed eyelids. Her hands had now tightened into twin fists as if she was about to go into a fight, and the spark within her had grown to a small blaze. The more it grew, the more its cold light banished the ocean's hold upon her, and the more she could remember.
"I had to practically carry you and your pathetic gang through the first few jobs. I was so happy when I was finally allowed to throw you to the Contessa and go after the Clockwerk parts on my own."
"Man, she looks pretty roughed up. It was pretty lucky for her that she found this piece of debris." The man whistled in appreciation. "This thing is huge."
"Yeah," She felt someone kneel down next to her and gently touch the side of her neck even as he continued to speak. "It probably came off that blimp that crashed back a year ago or so." He paused for a moment. "Her pulse is real weak, but it's there. Go get some blankets off the ship while I pull her out of the water."
"Aye, aye, sir." The first man moved quickly away from her even as she felt someone gently pick her up from underneath her arms and extract her from the ocean's steady pull. Slowly the aches and pains of her battered body began to intrude themselves upon her thoughts, but nothing could distract her from feeding the cold fire within.
The hatred that consumed her…
"I betrayed the Cooper gang and Interpol. What made you think I wouldn't betray you?"
The hatred that had refused to let her fall into the oblivion that was death.
"I will hunt you down and destroy you, Cooper gang! My hatred of you will keep me alive, and you will never sleep another night for the rest of your pathetic and miserable lives waiting and wondering when I'll strike next!"
The fire was now a blazing inferno, bigger and stronger than ever before. Her pulse grew and her skin warmed to the touch. Her fingers unclenched momentarily only to clutch onto the sleeve of the man who had pulled her from the water as he wrapped her in the blanket that had been so hurriedly fetched from the ship.
"Clock-La will live on!"
Her eyes snapped open and for a brief moment they shown red in the half darkness of dusk. Vengeance against those that had stood in her way would be oh so very sweet…
"Hold on, girl." The man soothed as he felt her tense in his grip. "You're safe now. Everything is going to be okay."
Yes, everything was okay for now, but in a little while nothing would be okay…
…For anyone.