Disclaimer: Sly Cooper and the Cooper gang are property of Sucker Punch and I am just using them to entertain the masses with a good story. I only own the character Todd and the other elements of the story I have created my self.

Chapter 8

Carmelita's Heritage

Sunday was commonly a day of rest for the Cooper gang unless they were on a job. Sly had decided that it was a good day for them all to head to the largest mall in Paris for a day of shopping. Everyone agreed to go except Todd, who just said he had some work to do, and it needed to be done right away. Sly accepted the excuse, and after everybody had gotten somewhat disguised Bentley and Murray got into the van while Todd let Sly and Carmelita take his truck, if Carmelita would be the driver. Carmelita took Todd's keys and soon Todd was the only one in the house, and that was what he needed.

Todd quickly changed into a pair of white wizarding robes he had been given by his teacher when he had official completed his training as a wizard. The white robes allowed magic to flow better, and Todd just liked how he looked in them. He stepped out of his room in the white robes with a brown spell book tucked under his arm. He walked into the living room, and with a snap of his fingers pushed the furniture up against the walls, clearing a large space in the center of the room.

Todd then dug in one of the draws on the entertainment center and pulled out a small brown leather bag. He centered himself in the empty space in the living room and set the bag at his feet. He then popped the book open and after flipping a few pages he found the diagrams he needed. He placed the book down where the leather bag was and then set the bag on the book. He began to mumble something under his breath and soon white chalk erupted from the bag and formed a perfect circle around Todd. It then continued to draw an elaborate design within the circle, and once all the chalk was used up Todd picked the spell book up and said in a single breath.

To the elements I make this plea

Come forth and carry me

My question requires an answer

And no one is the answer's master

So let me travel by your will

Let me investigate until I get my fill

Does Carmelita Montoya Fox have the thieving spark?

And if she does, where in her family did a thief leave his mark?

Suddenly the chalk began to glow a bright yellow, and in a flash of light Todd was gone. When he opened his eyes he saw he was standing at the tip of the great pyramid in Cairo, Egypt. Todd had time traveled before, and knew that this was not the modern day Egypt. He opened his senses, and found someone who was telling someone else the date. Todd listened to the date, and smiled when figured out that he was back in the time of Slytencaumen, the pioneering ancestor of the Cooper family.

As if on cue Todd could hear several palace guards shouting something in ancient Egyptian. Luckily Todd knew to listen for a few key words, and he heard the word for thief. He focused his energies on finding the one they were pursuing, and just as he saw the thief turn a corner and suddenly disappear.

Now, to one who didn't know about Slytencaumen ability to vanish from sight they would have been seriously confused, but Todd knew better. He quietly transported himself to the rooftop across the street from where Slytencaumen was hiding, and waited until the guards ran passed. A few moments after the guards had run past Slytencaumen reappeared and began to run in the opposite direction. Todd quickly and silently jumped down from the roof, and began to follow Slytencaumen. Instead of running after Sly's ancestor Todd used a low level levitation spell to follow him in utter silence.

Todd only had to hide once when his robes hit the tale of a cat that was sleeping beside a house, and spooked the pour creature to death. He ran like lighting into his owner's house, but not after knocking over a broom he had been sleeping by and causing a bit of a racket. Todd was able to get into an alley before Slytencaumen turned around. After a few seconds Slytencaumen had continued running, and Todd slipped out of the alley and continued to follow him. They crossed the city until they got to a small house on the edge of town. Slytencaumen quickly went through the door way and closed the make shift door behind him. Todd jumped up to the roof of the house, and peered down through a hole in the roof.

Slytencaumen crossed the room and sat down on the rug as he began to dig through the spoils of his work. Suddenly a woman came walking into the room with tears in her eyes. Slytencaumen got up and hugged her as he said something in ancient Egyptian. Todd sighed and muttered something that let him hear what they were saying in the English language. He then reversed time a little bit and was able to hear Slytencaumen say, "What is it my ruby of the Nile?"

The woman sobbed in his arms as she said, "Slytencaumen, the pharaoh's messenger came while you were gone. The pharaoh has passed a new decree. He's making us put one of our children into the royal academy where they are going to train them to be the pharaoh's royal guard. He is tired of the complaining of the nobles whom you have stolen from. Slytencaumen, what are we going to do."

Slytencaumen looked over to a corner of the room and said, "I will teach my son how to be a thief, so we can carry on the tradition of thieving from those who have become corrupted with their own wealth. The new born, the girl will be the one we will allow to be taught in the ways of the royal guard. She and none of her decedents can know that they were related to use. I will take the boy and head to Alexandria. You must stay here and say I have gone on a long journey with our son. Once our daughter has come of age let them enlist her in the royal academy."

Suddenly a knock came at the door and the voice of a royal guard could be heard shouting for them to come out of the house. Slytencaumen held his wife tight for he could sense as Todd could that the house was surrounded. Todd knew he had to do something, so against he better judgment he leapt down from the roof as he pulled the hood of his robes on, hiding his face. He knew that exposing himself might alter the time line, but he had a feeling it needed to be done. The guards quickly asked who he was, but Todd didn't say a word as darted toward the nearest guard and punched him so hard in the face he was out cold on the spot.

Slytencaumen and his wife listened as the sounds of fighting erupted outside their house. After a few minutes everything fell silent, and Slytencaumen slowly opened their door to see an entire battalion out cold on the ground, at the feet of this strange figure in a white robe. The figure just turned to him and said, "Go now; there is a boat at the northeast docks that will leave for Alexandria at dawn. That will be your last chance to get out of Cairo by any normal means."

Slytencaumen quickly disappeared inside the house and had packed up everything he and his son would need to go live in Alexandria. Todd just stood by the door until Slytencaumen and the boy were about to leave when Slytencaumen asked, "What can I ever do to repay you."

Todd just said, "Live long, teach your son to be a great thief, and do this one thing."

Todd paused a second before he said, "Create a book. A diary of sorts so that all your decedents can know the thieving techniques you use. So that as the book passes from a fathers hand to his son it will get larger and become the ultimate guide to thievery."

Slytencaumen nodded his head as he lead his groggy eyes son out of the house, and of to Alexandria. The wife held Todd's shoulder a second as she asked, "What do you wish me to do?"

Turned to the woman and said, "Do as the pharaoh asks, and when this young child comes of age enlist her in the royal academy."

With that Todd left the house, and after he was a few blocks away he felt the time on his spell run out and he was thrust back to the present. He now was lying in the middle of the living room, the chalk all off the floor and back into its bag. Todd glanced at the clock and knew that he still had a couple of hours before the others were due back from the mall. He quickly cleaned up and changed into his usual cloths as he jumped onto Bentley's computer and began to trace Carmelita's roots.

As the clock struck 5:00 in the afternoon Todd leaned back in his chair and smiled as he said, "It is true. Carmelita is the descendent of the daughter of Slytencaumen. That one night created both a great family of thieves, and an equally great line of law enforcers. Isn't that just an interesting bit of history?"

"What's such an interesting bit of history?" Todd jumped at the sound of Carmelita's voice. She had walked into the room with a few shopping bags in her hands.

After Todd had calmed down a bit he asked, "Where are Sly, Bentley, and Murray."

Carmelita set down the bags and took a seat on the couch as she said, "They stayed at the mall to catch a sci-fi movie. It looked terrible to me, but I guess it's a guy thing. So, what were you just talking to yourself about?"

Todd paused a second, trying to think of a good story when the phone on Bentley's desk rang. Todd quickly picked it up and said, "Hello."

"This is computer brain, is this you wizard." Todd got a confused look on his face until he figured out that is was Bentley's voice coming over the line. Bentley had only ever used code names when he was afraid the line could be tapped so Todd played along.

"Yep you've got the wizard. I'm here at the workshop with the apprentice. What is the problem?"

"Sitting Duck, Brawler, and I have seen Strong Arm here and we over heard that he is going to put the sword up for purchase at his party he is having this Friday. I noticed he had an Indian Water bug on his jacket. Can you check my Indian Water Bug file to make sure it is there?" Todd thought about the clues in the sentence and then opened up a program on Bentley's computer. He had just told Todd that he had planted a homing beacon on Strong Arm and Todd had to verify that it was working. As soon as the computer registered the single Todd got back to the phone and said, "That is a go Computer Brain, The Indian Water Bug file is good, anything else?"

Bentley said, "Nothing else Wizard, Computer Brain out." Todd then hung up the phone and sighed as he watched the homing beacon on the screen head in the direction of Strong Arms hideout.

Carmelita walked over to the computer and said, "So, what happened?

Todd looked toward Carmelita over his glasses and said, "Strong arm is putting the sword up for sale, so that means that we have to steal it before the purchase can take place, and get out of their fast because the second he goes to fetch the sword to present it to the buyer he will be on to us. This will complicate our plan."

Carmelita realized as she looked at Todd a second and realized she didn't have a clue what the plan was or what it entailed. After a few silent moments Carmelita asked, "What will be different?"

Todd smiled as he knew that Carmelita's curiosity had gotten the better of her and he said, "Well, since the party is so close I doubt that Strong Arm will make any drastic changes, so our original plan will still work, but we need to tweak the time tables and make it go faster. Strong Arm will have the sword on display in the center of the dance floor at the top of a grand and detail obelisk. The party would center on the obelisk, and now he hopes that he would be able to pass the sword he can't even use off and get a large some of money for it."

Carmelita shrugged her shoulders as she said, "So, what difference will that make?"

Todd took his glasses off and began to clean them as he said, "It means heightened security on a security system that was already the definition of over kill."

Carmelita looked at him and said, "So, what's our plan now?"

Todd placed his glasses on his face again and said, "Bentley name the plan Operation Fox Magic. Bentley had gotten in and modified the guests list so it includes Mister Will and Miss Carmen Masquerade. That will be you and Sly. Bentley had gotten Murray hired as the one of the 5 security personnel that are guarding the Sword of 8 Elements. Once the party has started you and Sly are to dance and just be ready when its time to get the sword. Though I am a master of elemental magic, the magic the sword is forged of, it will still take a few minutes to synchronize the elemental forces within the blade. This will help me to keep a full and complete grasp on the massive amount of energy it contains. At max it will take me fifteen minutes to get ready and then I will notify Bentley that I am ready at my end. He will then contact you two and Murray. Sly will bump into Murray and they will get into a shouting match. This will act as a distraction for the other four guards. While this is going on you are going to be placing a small device Bentley and I are developing."

Carmelita asked, "What will the thing do?"

Todd just smiled and said, "Hopefully it will keep anybody from noticing the sword has been stolen until it to late. The device is a mixture of magic and technology that will project a hologram of the sword right on top of the sword. Once you have the item in place you give Bentley a quick call and he will notify me that I can make my move. During all this I will be hiding as a shadow on the ceiling right above the sword. I will jump down from the roof and using my earth magic I will create several statues of myself and cause utter chaos. While I fall from the ceiling to the floor I will grab the sword and pass it off to Sly who will have a make shift sheath for the sword. Once the sword is sheathed you, Sly, and Murray will make a break for the van. I will cover you with my statues and once your gone I will melt into the shadows and leave them to deal with my statues. Fifteen minuets after I have left the statues will turn to dust, and we will have the Sword of eight elements in our possession, and off the streets."

As Todd finished describing the heists Sly, Bentley, and Murray came walking to the living room carrying some grocery bags and a few bags from the shopping mall. They all talked, and spent the rest of the evening working together to fine tune the plan, and give it a time scale that could be changed in case of an emergency.