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 thecharacters that I have personally createdand the other elements of the story I have created my self.

Chapter 4

Old Friends and a Frozen Enemy

Eclipse met Sly and Carmelita at the airport at their scheduled time. Sly and Carmelita had decided to disguise themselves as a couple who were going to California on vacation. They both had tropical, flowery shirts on, sunglasses, shorts, and sandals. Eclipse had chosen to travel in a simple light blue T-shirt and blue jeans with running shoes. As they flew Eclipse kept to him self while Carmelita told Sly what she could about Bentley and Penelope. It was mid afternoon when they arrived at the hotel nearest to the research center. After checking in and changing into their usual clothes they waited for the sun to set. Once it was dark out Eclipse led Sly and Carmelita out onto the streets.

As they walked Eclipse said, "Now, are first stop in trying to find these two will be their apartment building. They each have an apartment in the building, and the two apartments are right beside each other. We will first try and convince Penelope you really have gotten your memory back before will face Bentley."

Sly sighed and said, "For some reason, I have a feeling this isn't going to be easy."

Carmelita nodded her head and said, "That does seem to be your record Sly. If the plan is too simple something pops up to make it much more complicated."

They walked in silence until they got to the apartment complex. Eclipse had Sly pick the front door lock and they quickly went up to Bentley and Penelope's floor. They walked to the end of the hallway, where Penelope and Bentley's apartments were, and knocked on Penelope's door. They knocked several times on both Bentley and Penelope's doors, and got no reply. Eclipse was about to have them leave when Sly thought he heard something coming from Bentley's room. He put his ear up against the door, and listened carefully. This time he was sure he heard something in the apartment.

After playing with the 3 deadbolts Bentley had on the door the trio was in the apartment. Eclipse and Carmelita looked around the living room while Sly went through the other rooms. He was passing through Bentley's bedroom when he saw a blinking light out side the window. Upon further inspection it appeared to be a metal ball with a grapple on it. He opened up the window and grabbed the strange device.

Sly took the thing back to the living room, and gave it to Eclipse. He examined it a second before he said, "Yep, this is Bentley's grapple cam, but the battery is about to die. I'll just give it a quick charge."

Eclipse held the grapple cam in his open palm as small blue lightning bolts shot from his hand to the grapple cam. Soon the item began to make several other noises as it began to turn on. When the battery was fully charged they could hear a nasally voice coming from a speaker built into the grapple cam. Eclipse set the grapple cam on the table and said, "We didn't get that, please repeat."

The voice sounded thankful as it said, "Thank goodness, my name is Bentley. I am in the Olympus Research Center's basement, and a wanted criminal named Jean-Bison is upstairs forcing my coworker, Penelope, to build something for him."

Eclipse looked over to Sly, who was just sitting there. The voice, it seemed familiar to him. He waited a second before he said, "Bentley?"

The device went quite for a second and the Bentley's voice came over the speaker saying, "Sly, is that you?"

Sly nodded his head and said, "Yeah Bentley, it's me."

Bentley said, "Oh Sly, I have missed you so much. I can tell you being a thief was so much better then this job here. I mean, the whole nine to five gig is so boring. Even Penelope wants the gang to get back together. I…"

Suddenly, Bentley's voice stopped coming over the line and they heard another voice shouting, "Hey turtle, who are you talking to."

Bentley stuttered as he said, "No one Bison. I am just thinking out loud."

Jean-Bison replied, "Yeah, I ain't stupid like you, and I can prove my point. That is a microphone isn't it, your talking to someone aren't you, you stupid crippled turtle. Well, who ever you are know this. If I catch wind the police are on their way here I will leave them to pretty presents for them to bury in the ground, about 6 feet deep. You hear me." The line then went dead as they heard the sound of someone smashing the microphone.

Eclipse looked over to Sly and asked, "Do you really remember Bentley?'

Sly stood up and said, "The voice, it is so familiar, and I know I should know the guy. I guess the only way to remember is to save him and meet him face to face."

Eclipse and Carmelita nodded their heads and head out the door. As they walked Carmelita told Sly all about Jean-Bison, and how it had been through the efforts of his gang that he had been brought into custody. After a few months he got out on parole, and became and major environmentalist. That was until he was frozen solid while trying to save a bunch of penguins.

The trio got outside the research center's front gate and saw a bunch of robots patrolling the outside. Eclipse motioned for Carmelita and Sly to follow them and he led them over to a building across the street from the research center. They used the fire escape to get onto the roof, and they used it as a vantage point to see what was going on at the research center.

Eclipse said, "Jean-Bison is smarter then I thought. He had Penelope reprogram the places security robots. They are probably going to use lethal force if they spot us, but maybe we can get in another way."

Carmelita looked around the outer wall and said, "Where, the only gate is the front one and there are 5 robots guarding it."

Eclipse turned toward Sly and said, "Well, let's see some of those thieving skills in action. You should be able to see a way for use to get in."

Sly looked around for a while, when a power line a few buildings down caught his eye. It went straight over the street and research centers wall to connect with the research center's main building near the roof. He turned toward Eclipse and said, "I think I see a way in. Look at that power line."

Eclipse and Carmelita saw that it was a perfect means of entry for Sly, but not for them. Eclipse then said, "Here is how I think we should do this. I will use my powers to drain the line of it power and make it safe to run on. Sly, you will carry Carmelita across the wire using your rail walk. Once you are inside the building try and find your way to the basement. Get Bentley and have him lead you to the buildings central computer. He should be able to use it to shut down all the security robots and make it possible for me to get in. Then, once inside, all four of use will search the center for Penelope and Jean-Bison. Since Bentley knows what is in the research center he can give us a means to put Jean-Bison in his place. Once we have a mean of dealing with the short tempered lumberjack we will split into two groups. One group will go save Penelope and the other will deal with Jean-Bison."

Carmelita and Sly nodded their heads and the trio quickly made their way across the roof tops to the power line. Eclipse drained the line of it energy, and after a little bit of flirty chit-chat Sly was carrying Carmelita across the power line to the research center. With a little effort the pair was soon standing on the research complex's roof. They looked around for an entrance, and Sly spotted an air vent plenty big enough for them to crawl through.

Though Carmelita wasn't thrill with crawling through the air vent she followed Sly as they crept through the network of vents until they found their way to the basement. Sly used his cane to smash the grill on the vent and they both jumped down into the pitch black basement. Carmelita began to feel around for a light switch while Sly tried his best to see what was in the basement. While scanning the basement he saw what looked like a lump in the floor, and it was breathing. At that moment Carmelita found the light switch and Sly saw that the lump was a green turtle that was on the floor beside a thoroughly damaged and gutted wheel chair. He walked over the turtle and said, "Hey, buddy, are you okay?"

The turtle stirred and looked up at Sly. That instance a smile crossed his face and he said, "Sly, I knew someday you would come back."

Sly sighed and Carmelita said, "Hello Bentley."

Bentley's eyes bulged as he said, "Inspector Fox, what are you doing here. Hurry Sly, run, before she can get you."

Sly turned away from Bentley as Carmelita walked over and helped the turtle into his battered wheel chair. After a few silent moments Bentley said, "Sly, it's me. Bentley, your old friend. Don't you remember me?"

Sly shook his head and then Carmelita said, "A guy named Eclipse is helping him to get his memory back, but right now all he remembers his life before he went to Happy Campers Orphanage."

Bentley sighed and said, "So, he doesn't remember me. I guessed as much. When I saw his name in the paper for busting a criminal with you I thought he had either gone mad or something had happened to him."

Carmelita turned and said, "He has amnesia Bentley."

Bentley sighed and said, "So, I guess after this you'll be going back to Interpol. After you save me, a perfect stranger."

Carmelita set her hand on Bentley's shoulder, and after a few minutes Bentley said, "Probably be better if he didn't remember me anyway, he probably has the perfect life now."

In an instance Carmelita raise her hand of Bentley's shoulder and slapped him across the face with a resounding smack. Sly turned in shock as Bentley placed a hand on his cheek. After a few seconds Carmelita began to cry as she said, "You shut up. Sly is risking everything to have this one chance to get his memories back. Not only for himself, but for you and the other Cooper Gang members. Eclipse told me how every member misses Sly, and how they wished that he would come back and be a thief. Your right, I would prefer it if Sly remained an Interpol officer. This past year has been the happiest in my life, but I am willing to put my trust in him that once he gets his memory back nothing will change between us. So, if you really don't want him to remember you, then we will leave right now and leave you to Jean-Bison."

Bentley stood in silence as did Sly. Bentley had struck a nerve for Carmelita, and Sly and Bentley could have felt the emotion in the air like it was a heavy mist. Sly slowly walked over and said, "Carmelita, are you okay."

Carmelita turned and it ripped Sly's heart out to see her crying. He slowly brought her close and held her tight as he said, "I promise, no matter what happens. If I get my memory back or not, I will never forget what you mean to me."

Bentley didn't know it, but a smile was crossing his face now that he saw just how happy Sly and Carmelita were in each others arms. He sighed and wheeled himself over and said, "I am sorry Carmelita. You are right, I would give anything to have the old Sly back, but let's not worry about that right now."

Carmelita nodded her head and dried an eye as Sly released her from their embrace. She took a breath in, got her usual mind set, and said, "Come on then, we need to get up to the center's central computer."

Bentley looked quizzically at Carmelita as he said, "Why do we need to go there?"

Sly replied, "We need to disable the security robots patrolling the building exterior. With them down Eclipse can get in and help us save Penelope and take Jean-Bison down."

Bentley nodded his head and the trio was soon in the front lobby of the building. Bentley lead them to the central computer with little incident. Bentley knew the Security robots patrol schedule, and they were able to get to the central computer with out being detected.

Bentley quickly went to work trying to disable the security robots. As he typed he said, "So, Sly how has it been. I haven't seen you in a year."

Sly turned and smiled as he said, "Beside the whole no memories thing, it has been divine. I can say that Carmelita and I are officially dating."

Bentley shook his head and said, "Now that is one thing I never thought would happen. I know it should have happened, but never thought it possible. I guess even getting amnesia can have its up sides."

Sly shrugged his shoulders and said, "So, how close are you to shutting down the security robots."

Bentley sighed as he said, "Here is the thing Sly. Jean-Bison has the security robots on the inside check in with him regularly. If I shut them down he will surely notice and come up here to figure out what is going on, but I can mess with their operating systems, making them sluggish and slow to respond. I can also disable their link to the research centers alarm system. If your friend Eclipse can take out all the robots outside in five minutes flat, then he can easily slip in here undetected. Do you have a way to contact him?"

Sly and Carmelita looked at each other and then Carmelita said, "Actually, I don't think we do."

Bentley turned around and eyed them as he said, "You seriously came here to save me and Penelope and didn't bother bring any radios. That is like basic equipment."

Sly shrugged and said, "Sorry, but we had expected to catch you two at your apartments. Didn't think we be pulling off a job just to get a hold of you."

Bentley sighed and said, "Well, does he still have my grapple cam with him."

Carmelita thought a second and then said, "Yes, I do believe he took it with him when we left your apartment."

Bentley nodded his head and typed a few things on the centers main computer. We could then hear this humming coming over the speakers. After a second a microphone rose out of the desk beside the keyboard and Bentley took hold of it. He tapped on it to make sure it was working before he said, "Hello. Is there a Mr. Eclipse somewhere near the grapple cam?"

The trio heard the humming stop and Eclipse's voice came over the centers speakers as he said, "Hello, is this thing still working?"

Bentley replied, "Yes it is. Now listen Eclipse, I can't shut the security robots down. I can make them slower, and unable to contact the centers alarm system. If you can destroy all the exterior robots you can get inside. Think you can manage."

Eclipse chuckled and said, "Hey, how many robots are there?"

Bentley checked some figures and said, "There are 30 robots patrolling the centers exterior. Why?"

Eclipse said, "Time me."

Bentley got a look of confusion on his face, but then shrugged his shoulder as he pulled a stop watch out of a drawer and then said, "Alright, Ready, Set, GO!"

Eclipse leapt of the roof top he had been waiting on, and drew his sword. He then ran at the front gate and sliced a hole in it. The second he did all the robots on patrol headed for his location, but he smiled and said, "Just making it so much easier."

Eclipse raised his blade up and it began to glow a dark yellow color as he said, "Bed of Spikes." He drove his sword into the ground and as his sword went deeper into the earth thousands of other blades rose further out of the ground, destroying all the robots in one fell swoop. He then quickly pulled the sword out of the ground and sheathed the sword as he said, "Time."

Bentley's voice came out of the grapple cam. He sounded like he was shocked when he said, "47 seconds. That was amazing. What kind of sword can do that?"

Eclipse chuckled as he calmly walked toward the front door and said, "It is not the weapon you wield, but the way you wield it, but lets not dwell on that. Let's focus on getting Penelope to safety first. Bentley, how about I meet you three in the lab where Jean-Bison and Penelope are. You will get their before me, but I'll be right behind you."

Bentley replied, "Understood. We will soften Jean-Bison up a bit, and then you can come in a drop kick him to the next county." With that Bentley shut of the computers link to his grapple cam and he, Carmelita, and Sly headed down to the lab. They were able to make a straight shot to the lab, only having to hide once or twice to avoid some of the interior security robots.

As they neared the lad they could hear Jean-Bison saying, "Can't you work any faster. Here I save you so much work by bring in one of my old Iron Horse trains, and you still have yet to turn it into a flying Iron Horse, a Iron Pegasus."

Penelope voice trembled as she said, "I am g..going as f…fa…fast as I can. I am almost done making a part to replace the Clockwerk lung that used to run the train."

Jean-Bison growled as he said, "Well work faster, or do I need to go get that stupid turtle out of the basement and make him pay for your laziness."

Penelope's voice got loud as she said, "No don't hurt him. I'll work as fast as I can."

Bentley had had enough, and he burst through the lab with Carmelita and Sly right behind him. He wheeled till he was a few yards away from Bison when he yelled, "You leave her alone Bison. Your quarrel is with me, not Penelope."

Jean-Bison turned around and said, "Well, I guess the stupid turtle found a way out of the basement, and then got him some back up. The scrawny raccoon Sly Cooper and I don't think I know the fox lady, but I think I liked to."

Sly stepped forward and said, "Sorry Bison, Carmelita is taken."

Bison shrugged his shoulder as he said, "Oh well, I guess it wasn't meant to be." Jean then quickly scooped Penelope up and pulled out his ax as he said, "Now, any of you take a step closer and she gets it, understand."

Bentley, Carmelita, and Sly all put their hands up and Jean-Bison chuckled as he started to head for the labs far exit. What he didn't notice was someone come in through the exit. Eclipse saw the situation and with bullet like speed tackled Jean-Bison causing him to toss Penelope across the room. Bentley was quick to act, and was able to catch Penelope in his lap before she hit the ground. Penelope smiled up and Bentley and said, "Nice catch Bentley."

Bentley smiled and said, "Now what kind of guy would I be if I let my beautiful girlfriend fall down. You think I was LeFwee or something."

Penelope chuckled a little and said, "Now don't bring up that old pirate."

While Penelope and Bentley were exchanging flirty comments Eclipse and Jean-Bison were starring each other down. Jean-Bison looked Eclipse over a second and then said, "What is this? Now I have to deal with a scrawny wolf in a white robe. What else can go wrong today?"

Eclipse lowered his eyes as he said, "This can go wrong." Eclipse slid his sword out of its sheath and it began to glow a mixture of white and black as he said, "Mirror Image". Suddenly the sword let off a thick smoke that hid eclipse from everyone in the room. As the smoke began to settle Jean-Bison rubbed his eyes and said, "What, there are two of you now."

It was true; Eclipse's spell had split him in two. He was original a silver wolf, but now there were two wolves. One had fur as white as snow while the other had fur as black as night. The white wolf smiled and said, "Yep, my name is Solar. I am Eclipse's good side."

The black then sneered as he said, "And my name is Lunar, and I am Eclipse's dark side."

Solar said, "And when we fight in unison."

Lunar said, "Nobody can defeat us."

With that both Lunar and Solar charged Bison. They drew their swords, and, instead of slicing Jean-Bison, they used their swords as pole vaults and jumped over his head. They then landed and they both did a round house kick to the back of Jean-Bison's head. This sent the lumberjack flying across the room and into the very hard wall of the laboratory. Jean-Bison was out cold, and while the others were looking to see if Jean-Bison was truly defeated Solar and Lunar melted together back into Eclipse.

Bentley and Sly spent an hour getting caught up while Carmelita helped Penelope tie Jean-Bison up really tight. At the same time Eclipse had taken a liking to the flying train, the Iron Pegasus. Penelope had almost completed it; she just needed to wire all the circuits. With that in mind Eclipse opened up one of the trains panels, and while the others were distracted, finished wiring the train.

Penelope had just gotten off the phone with the local police when she said, "Well, we have 15 minutes before the police arrive. I made it sound like Jean-Bison was still terrorizing us, so they are going to come in here fully loaded."

Bentley nodded his head and said, "Then I think it is imperative we get back to my and Penelope's apartment. We will need to pack if we are going to be rejoining the Cooper Gang."

Sly sighed and said, "Thanks Bentley. I really wish I had all my memories back. Heck, I don't even know how we met, but with your and Eclipse's help. I will have all my memories back, and then we can repay Eclipse for his assistance by helping him steal back the map to the Pure Magic Gems."

Bentley nodded his head and said, "Agreed. Now, you guys will have to find another way to get out of here. Penelope and I have to stay here to make sure nobody knows you were here."

Eclipse smiled and said, "Then, let's leave in style. Anybody up for a train ride."

Penelope looked over to the train and said, "You finished wiring it."

Eclipse nodded his head as he turned and began to walk for the train. Sly and Carmelita quickly followed and Bentley opened the large hanger doors that were attacked to that part of the lab. The Iron Pegasus left the lab just as the police began to pull up, and luckily none of them noticed the sound of a train engine puffing along above their heads. As Eclipse flew the Iron Pegasus Sly and Carmelita climbed onto the top of the conductor's cabin and looked up at the stars. As they flew Carmelita looked over to Sly and said, "Hey Sly."

Sly smiled as he said, "What is it my most precious treasure?"

Carmelita blushed a little and then said, "I was wondering. I saw how badly Bentley had been beaten up by Jean-Bison. If I was in trouble, would you fight that hard to protect me."

Sly smiled and put his arm around Carmelita's shoulder as he said, "I would fight ten times as hard if it meant you would be safe." Carmelita smiled and snuggled into Sly's chest as Eclipse flew the train over the Californian coast line. Eclipse could hear what was going on above him, and decided to give them fifteen minutes before he would head for their motel and park this thing on the roof.