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 characters that I have personally created and the other elements of the story I have created my self.

Chapter 8

Sabotage and the Sky Serpent

The group had assembled for the last time at the Sky Serpents operations car. The rest of the gang's meetings would take place at rented board room at the racing track. Bentley stood in front of the group with his infamous slid show ready as he said, "Alright lets get started. We have found out that Murray is willing to rejoin the gang, but he can't until he has fulfilled his obligation to his sponsors. That is either paying them an outrageous sum of money, or if Murray can win the big race. Now, the race is broken into three parts. The first set of races are the prelims. The second set is the semifinals. Then, with only four teams remaining, we go into the finals."

Bentley paused a second and then said, "Now, except for our and Murray's team. Most teams have 5 to 6 vehicles at their disposal. That puts us and Murray at an extreme disadvantage. Now, the first race is in three days, and in that time we need to accomplish a few key tasks. First, we need to find the essential altitude inhibitors. With out that, we are illegal to compete in the races. Second, we need to even the odds. So, we are going to turn off some of the garage security systems and make it possible for the other teams to get sabotaged. With Panda King influencing Muggshot's decisions, we should be able to get him to do all the dirty work. The third job is to sabotage Muggshot's cars so that it will be a bit more level playing field when it comes to the final race. Other then that, all we can do is do our best and hope Murray will be the driver he always had."

Everybody nodded their heads and left the operations car, heading out to do their jobs. Panda King was the first to leave the forest as he headed for Muggshot's garage, ready to give Muggshot subtle nudges in the right direction. Bentley and Penelope began heading for a vehicle part shop, going to get the illusive part they needed for the Sky Serpent's engine. Eclipse stayed back at the Sky Serpent, acting as job coordinator, and finishing the final adjustment to the Sky Serpents engine. Finally, Sly and Carmelita began heading out to the other teams' garages, getting ready to lower the security systems long enough for Muggshot's goons do the dirty work.

Panda King made his way across the city to the track. He easily got by the security guards and into the racer dorms. He found his way to the board room given to team Muggshot and stepped in. Inside Muggshot was giving all his drivers a final peep talk before bed. He noticed Panda King come in and said, "King, good to see yeah. I was just about to send the boys here off to bed."

The Panda King turned and said, "That may not be wise."

Muggshot gave Panda King a look as he said, "Oh really, why is that?"

"I have heard that some of the other team's garage security systems are going to be knocked out tonight. This would give us the chance to sabotage their cars, and get the advantage in the races to come."

Muggshot smiled excitedly as he said, "Okay you meat heads, change of plans. We will stay up all night if we have to, because the less competition, the better."

Panda King smiled lightly as he dialed a number on his cell phone and said, "Agent Monarch to Mr. and Mrs. Theif. The army is ready; you may begin your work."

Sly nodded as he said, "Thanks Agent Monarch. Mr. Theif out." Sly shut his binocucom off and turned to Carmelita as he said, "So, ready to get this started."

Carmelita nodded her head as she followed Sly to the first garage. They had been able to get their hands onto the race rosters, and knew they were racing the teams in garages 23, 54, 110, 176. Sly and Carmelita made their way to garage 23 and slipped in with out detection. The main switch for the security system was behind a cage with a pad lock and a combination lock. Carmelita used her shock pistol to break the pad lock, and Sly used his gentle touch to open the combination lock. As they left the now defenseless garage Carmelita called Panda King and said, "#23, open for attack."

Panda King responded and told Muggshot, "I have just gotten word that the security system for garage 23 has been deactivated."

Muggshot grinned and said, "Alright boys, go do what I pay you overtime to do."

Several of Muggshot's goons left as Panda King called Carmelita back and said, "Forces on the way. You may move on to the next target."

Carmelita and Sly moved from garage to garage, destroying the defenses and going on to the next as Muggshot's goons came in a did a lot of damage. They had just entered the last garage when they noticed that the security was much more advance then the other garages. They had a wall of lasers that only left room for someone to jump over top of them. Then, another set of moving lasers separated the security power switch from the rest of the room. Carmelita looked over the scene a second and then said, "Sly, I'll give you a boost, and then you can shut the system off."

Sly nodded his head and in a few seconds found himself on the other side of the first laser wall. He then watched the lasers for a moment and saw he couldn't get all the way through with out being detected by the sensors. So, he used his cane, and with unprecedented speed he quickly hit the switch and then retracted his cane before it could be detected.

Carmelita and Sly were about to leave the garage when a set of alarms went off and the staff door sealed itself shut. Carmelita spun around and said, "That must have been a fake switch."

Sly, looking startled, said, "A fake switch. What that heck is that?"

Carmelita kept scanning the room as she said, "It's a new kind of security system. They disguise the real security control switch as a common item in the room. It is supposed to fool thieves by making them throw the real looking switch, alerting the system to their presence."

Sly got a worried look on his face as he said, "We need to get out of here. Is there a way to turn the system off for real?"

Carmelita nodded her head and said, "It's like one of those I Spy books. Find the one item that is even the slightest bit out of place, and that would most likely be the real power switch."

Sly and Carmelita searched the room for a good ten minutes. They knew that they were running out of time, but finally Sly noticed that a wrench was sticking out of the wall beside one of the tool boxes in the garage. Carmelita quickly ran over and threw the switch, shutting the alarms off and unlocking the staff door. Sly and Carmelita were out of the garage like lighting, and were able to duck behind a couple gas pumps as the team in question came running up to check their garage. Luckily, Sly didn't call Panda King, or Muggshot's goons would be swarming the place.

They waited for the team to leave then, while Carmelita kept guard outside, Sly went inside and turned the security system off for real this time. Sly exited the garage and walked over to Carmelita who had already called the Panda King. Just as they were leaving the scene Muggshot's goons came running and disappeared into garage 176 to do their dark dead.

Sly and Carmelita met outside the track, sly smiling as he said, "Well, that was fun. I must admit Carmelita, I probably be in big trouble right now if it wasn't for you."

Carmelita sighed as she said, "How low have I sunk that I am helping thieves."

Sly frowned slightly, but not for long as Carmelita quickly wrapped her arms around him, and gave him a loving kiss. Once their lips had separated she said, "You know what, I think I like it down low, slumming it with the criminals."

Sly flashed his usual charming grin as he said, "Now, I am not a criminal. I am a thief, which is quite a few levels above a criminal. Especially when you consider I never steal from normal, hard working, citizens." Sly and Carmelita shared one more kiss before Sly quickly flipped out his Binocucom and said, "Hey Eclipse, you need anything else while were in town."

Eclipse rolled him self out from underneath the train. He had gotten dressed in a white T-shirt and blue jeans for the greasy work he needed to do on the train. He walked over to the radio and said, "I just need that altitude inhibitor. Why don't you two go give Bentley and Penelope a hand? Panda King will be staying with Muggshot's team for the rest of the operation, so we don't need to worry about him getting back here. Once I have that part installed you and I will go enter into the uncommon vehicle division as team Cooper. At the same time, Carmelita, Bentley, and Penelope will get into their hotel rooms. That is where we stand right now. Other then that, we have to wait till tomorrows gang briefing before we can do anything else."

Sly nodded his head and put the Binocucom away. He turned to Carmelita and said, "Well, it's your call beautiful. You want to go give Penelope and Bentley a hand, or go grab a bit before we head back."

Carmelita grabbed her own Binocucom. Though she wasn't completely familiar with the devices operation, she did know how to use it to call the others. She pressed a few buttons and then looked through the viewing screen as she said, "Bentley, Penelope. You guys there."

Bentley's nasally voice came over the binocucom as he said, "What is it Carmelita. We are kind of in the middle of something."

"Do you need our help with the altitude inhibitor?"

"Nope, we are just having a little trouble hacking into the auto part shop' computers to find where they have it stashed in their warehouse. I doubt there is much you could do other then carry back for use."

Carmelita replied, "Alright, see you back at the train."

Carmelita hung the Binocucom, turned to Sly and said, "They don't need our help, so I think I will take you up on that dinner date."

Sly grin widened as he said, "Then, lets go paint the town red. I think I saw a bistro in another part of town. Think you be interested in some fine dinning."

Carmelita huffed as she said, "In this outfit. I think not. How about that burger joint on the corner?"

Sly shrugged his shoulder as he said, "I could go for a double cheese. Lead the way, I and my heart at your command."

Carmelita blushed slightly as she leapt off the roof top and slowly strolled down the street toward the diner, Sly following close behind.

Eclipse put the radio down and continued his work with the Sky Serpent. He had made several changes to the trains design. The way it stood now it looked completely normal, but that was because Eclipse was designing it so in the end he could switch between its usual operation mode and it race mode. Not an easy feet, but Eclipse felt that if he was going to make it a racing vehicle he should be able to use the design when ever he wanted to. He walked over to the computer set up outside the operations car and typed a quick command and turned to watch his work unfold.

The engine lurched a bit as it lowered hydraulic feet to raise it off the ground. The four fans that usually stuck right out the side of the train began to lower themselves. Once they were low enough they slid under the train and locked into the second position. Doors on the train's front cylinder opened up and two jet engines moved out and were attached to the side of the conductor's cab and were locked into place. Finally the trains smoke stack disappeared into the interior of the train and two long exhaust pipes extended from the front of the train, ran along its side, and ended a few inches behind the conductor's cab.

Eclipse smiled as the train set itself back on the ground, meaning the transformation was complete. All he needed to do before he take this baby to the track is unhitch it from the rest of the train, make the final calibrations on the jet engines, and install the yet to be acquired altitude inhibitor.

Eclipse continued to work for another hour, and was about to call Bentley about the inhibitor when wheelchair dynamo came rolling up with Penelope who was carrying the altitude inhibitor. As Penelope handed the final part to Eclipse he asked, "What took you two so long, and where is Sly and Carmelita?"

Bentley shrugged and said, "Hay, when a place has 20 firewalls guarding its warehouse asset records, it takes a while to get through them all. Also, Sly and Carmelita called and asked if they needed our help, but we turned them down."

Eclipse sighed as he picked up his cell phone and rang Sly's cell phone. That was how the team's communication system works, depending on where and when you need to call someone determined if you used the Binocucom system or a cell phone. Since Eclipse was guessing they were out on a date or something he went with the latter. The phone rang a couple times and then Sly picked up and said, "Hello."

Eclipse said, "Sly, where are you and Carmelita right now."

Sly replied, "At the diner on the corner of 20th and Slip Stream Boulevard."

Eclipse nodded and said, "Well you can stay there. We'll come pick you up."

"Does that mean you have the train's modifications done?"

Eclipse smiled and said, "Yep. This thing is now a lean, mean, racing machine. We'll swing by and pick you up. Then will take Penelope, Bentley, and Carmelita to the hotel where they have some rooms and will go get ourselves set up at the track."

Sly nodded his head and said, "Alright, we'll be waiting." He then hung up the phone and turned back to Carmelita. They had both just finished eating the main course and had ordered their desserts when Eclipse called. Just as Sly hung up the waitress came back with the desserts. It was two simple slices of white cake with chocolate frosting. Carmelita was about to take a bite when she said, "So, it sounds like we aren't heading back to the train."

Sly nodded his head as he said, "Yep, Eclipse has the Sky Serpent ready for the race. He will be swinging by with the train engine. He'll first drop you, Bentley, and Penelope by the hotel before he and I head over to the track to get team Cooper registered."

Carmelita nodded as she finished a bite of her cake and said, "So, is that all who are on our team. Or, do I have a roll in it."

Sly smiled a little devilishly as he said, "We could use a cheerleader."

Carmelita choked on the bite of cake she had in her mouth a second. After clearing her throat she shot Sly a deadly look and said, "Do you have anything else, because I would rather have a dinner date with Clockwerk then be a cheerleader."

Sly chuckled a little and said, "I think Eclipse would be the one to ask. He and Bentley are the only ones that have read the rules for the race. I do believe you can help with something though."

Carmelita eyed Sly as he smiled a grin that made her worry just what this job was. She didn't have to worry long because they could soon hear the sound of the Sky Serpent coming down the street. The pair stepped out of the Diner after they had paid their bill and saw Eclipse leaning against the train smiling as he said, "So, what do you think."

Sly smiled as he walked down the side of the train and said, "It looks great Eclipse. The jet engines are a nice touch, but what was the problem with the train's old design."

Eclipse walked over to Sly and said, "The old design was focused on torque. It had to be able to keep going while towing all the other cars and driving their hover fans. This new design takes a lot of the power that drives the hover fans and leaves what is necessary to keep the train its comfortable 6 inch cushion of air. The rest of that power is sent to these new jet engines. They were originally operated inside the train, but putting on the sides of the engineer's cab, it increases their efficiency and power by 300."

Sly nodded his head and Carmelita just shook her head. She couldn't believe how easily guys could get worked up over a thing as simple as new vehicle parts. She walked over to Sly and tapped him on the shoulder as she said, "Can we get going?"

Eclipse turned and said, "Yes, let's get going."

Sly quickly said, "Wait, I needed to ask you something Eclipse."

Eclipse turned and said, "What is it?"

Sly walked over and whispered something into his ear. After a second Eclipse nodded and began to smile evilly. Carmelita's curiosity finally got the better of her and she said, "Okay, what's so funny."

Eclipse continued to smile as he said, "Calm down Carmelita. It isn't anything bad. Sly just reminded me that our team has to have a set business manager to be eligible for some of the free services provided by the track. You feel like filling the position?"

Carmelita let out a relived breath as she said, "I thought Sly was trying to pass off his cheerleader idea. I would be much more willing to be the team's official manager during the races then a cheerleader."

Eclipse smiled as he said, "I'll explain what your job's responsibilities are while we are taking Bentley and Penelope to the hotel. Also, what is this cheerleading idea? I think I like the sound of it better."

Sly was about to open his mouth, but Carmelita quickly put her hand over his mouth and glared at Eclipse. Eclipse just sighed and turned to get into the train, planning to ask Sly about the whole thing later.