Chapter 26
"Woo," Bentley observed from the security of the team's van. "There certainly is lot of them, isn't there?" Two large step-vans were unloading black-uniformed combat-equipped troopers.
"Yeah," Carmelita replied, looking out the window. "Looks like the Chief's called out the entire Quick Response Force this time." She idly rubbed the knuckle of her index finger just below her full lower lip, feeling a wash of nostalgia. A little more than a couple of months ago, she would have been out there too…leading the charge.
"Any regrets, Carmelita?" Sly asked softly from his position beside her, his dark brown eyes full of concern as he softly rubbed her back with his hand. "I know this can't be easy for you."
Carmelita smiled wanly, but very much appreciated his concern and support just now. "Well…a little bit," she admitted, resting her head on his shoulder a moment. "But I know Interpol never would of got the goods on Polarsky without our help, Ringtail. So…I'm pretty content, sweetheart."
"Good," Sly replied, satisfied. He leaned over to softly kiss Carmelita's head, enjoying the tickle of her thick hair as he did so. "Now…let's watch," he prompted as she sat up, allowing him to take her smaller hand in his own possessively.
Carmelita grinned at that, enjoying the fact that he loved her so. "Yo, Bentley!" she teased. "Does this thing have a microwave? Because, amigo…I'm dying for some popcorn right about now." Sly snorted at her notion, chuckling. Carmelita laughed softly too.
"As a matter of fact," Bentley replied smugly, even as Sly and Carmelita goggled at him…smelling the aroma of freshly-popped popcorn just then. "I couldn't agree more…"
"Go! Go! Go!" softly cried the leader of Interpol's QRF to her team. The black uniformed members of that elite unit moved in pairs, their shock rifles at the ready, their matte black helmets in place, faceguards down.
"Well, Lieutenant," Inspector Kitty Petro remarked, standing beside the bobcat woman commander. "You're guys and gals certainly look up for tonight's op."
Leutnant Uma Metzer---a former German GSG-9 member, that being the German equivalent of the British SAS---nodded her thanks, her bright green eyes intense. "Ja! They are good…just watch, meine Freundin." Kitty looked over to Ling beside her, just a moment before both of them jumped as a dull explosion rang hollowly, the shock wave ruffling Kitty's short hair.
"What was that?" Kitty demanded, drawing her shock pistol…actually it was Carmelita's old shock pistol.
"Shaped charges, liebchen," Lt. Metzer explained, "we use them to breach fortified doors, you see." The bobcat's cheek ruffs stiffened, and then she smiled, evidently liking what she was hearing in her headset. "Ja! Sehr gut! Come, my troopers have secured an ingress point."
Chief Rob then joined them, with Inspector Trish Connelly in tow. "Good work, Metzer!" he intoned, nodding at his QRF commander. "Now, divide your force into two…Inspectors Petro and Chu will lead one, while Inspector Connelly and I the other. You may go with which either team you wish, your choice."
"Be careful, Ms. Connelly," Kitty teased, nodding her respect to the cute Irish vixen. "I'll catch it hot from Carmelita if anything happens to you."
Trish Connelly laughed a soft, warm laugh. "Don't you fret none, love," she assured Kitty as she drew her own shock pistol. "I'll be keepin' the Chief and meself from harm, doncha know. 'Course, it won't hurt havin' some o' Uma's boys around…just to keep things lively, y'see." She nodded over to the tall, muscular bobcat woman, who grinned, her very white teeth gleaming briefly in the moonlight.
Kitty grinned, shaking her head. She was beginning to see just why Carmelita got along so well with this Trish…she just had a way of charming people. "C'mon, Tall-Dark-and-Handsome," she teased Ling, indicating he come with her with a jerk of her chin. "You comin' with us, Metzer?"
"Jawohl!" Leutnant Metzer replied with a nod. "I have a feeling, ja, that you two will be where the action is this evening."
"Don't you know it, girl," Kitty responded with a grin. "Okay, Uma…it's okay if I call you Uma, isn't it?" Kitty looked over to the big burly girl, giving her the benefit of her big blue eyes.
Lt. Metzer nodded, grinning. "Ja, that's okay," she acceded. "Now, follow me," she added, unslinging her big shock rifle off of her shoulder, and activating it with a dramatic flair. She then nodded to her section of eight QRF troopers, then lifted her hand, made a fist…then, she paused a moment, then pointed two fingers of her free hand to her own eyes, then turned and pointed her hand down the hallway beside the blown door. The troopers split into four pairs, and began moving slowly down the darkened hallway.
Kitty frowned…exactly how were they supposed to see in the dark? "Um, Uma?" she whispered.
"Ach!" Uma replied then, slapping the front of her helmet gently. "Here, put these on, you two." She handed the pair each a set of futuristic-looking goggles, that trailed a short cord that led to a small battery pack which clipped to their belts.
Kitty nodded her head, slipping the goggles on, and clipping the battery to the back of her belt. She reached back, and thumbed the activation switch on. "Cool," she breathed, grinning. Night had abruptly turned to day…everything now like broad daylight…except everything was in shades of green. "Night vision goggles," she explained to Ling.
"Quite useful," Ling opined, nodding to Uma, who nodded back and began leading them off behind the cover of her troopers.
"Room One-A, secure," came the sound of some unknown trooper in all three of their ears a moment later. "Moving on." The next two rooms followed the same routine.
Kitty flinched a moment later as she heard a pair of quick basso thrums of a pair Fabrique Nationale FN-11 shock rifles. "Two targets contained; Room One-D secure," came the next report.
"Ja, proceed," Uma replied, moving her troop along. She then turned to Kitty and Ling, appearing very alien in their NVGs just then. "Keep close, ja? There is some opposition inside it seems..."
"Oh, yeah," Kitty assured her, glad to have the big, armored woman with them just now. "We're right behind you, Uma."
"Three targets incapacitated; Room One-Twelve secure," came the next response. Kitty frowned a moment, then realized that the troopers with the Chief and Trish were numbering their rooms instead of assigning them letters.
"Sounds like the Chief and his team are keeping busy," Kitty noted to Ling, who simply nodded.
Uma hitched her flak jacket up to a more comfortable position. "Keep your eyes and ears open, you two," she warned them.
Kitty was about to respond with some witty remark, when she heard a sharp coughing sound, then something zipped past her head like an angry wasp. She whirled, dropping down to one knee. She blinked seeing a tall slender raccoon standing no more than five meters away, his hot silenced pistol a bright green in his hand through her NVGs. Kitty brought Carmelita's lucky shock pistol up, and snapped off a blast.
Arkady Reyznekov frowned as he saw his target remain standing, and began to move to correct his aim. He blinked a moment later as a huge ball of blue-white energy zipped at him, faster than he thought possible. He had just begun to dodge when he felt the ball hit him. He screamed as his neural networks lit up with excruciating pain for a nano-second, followed by his being rendered blissfully unconscious, his limp body flopping to the floor.
"Target incapacitated," Kitty observed, her arms trembling from her close call.
Uma Metzer was already in motion, her lips a taut line of disapproval. That bastard should not of escaped her…or her men! "Nice shot, Inspector," she remarked as she threaded a set of stout flexi-cuffs around the unconscious raccoon man's wrists and then his ankles. "Es tut mir leid, Fraulein Petro," she reluctantly told her. "I'm sorry."
Kitty waved her apology away. "Don't worry about it, Uma," she assured her. "I'm fine. Let's get on with this."
"Ja!" Uma replied, pleased, her opinion of Kitty racheting up a notch.
The four pairs of QRF troops knew their business, and after nearly fifteen minutes, they had secured the entire ground floor…incapacitating and arresting twenty criminals in the process.
"Lt. Metzer," came Chief Rob's voice a moment later. "Take your troops up the western stairwell to the third floor. My team will take care of the second." Chief Rob nodded over at Trish Connelly who now wore a flak jacket of her own, after having narrowly missed being hit by gunfire. "Contact me immediately if you apprehend Polarsky."
"Jawohl, Herr Hauptman!" Uma responded efficiently, but with a smile too. "Come! We have two flights of stairs to ascend. What fun, ja?"
"Yippee," Kitty groused, hating to have to exert herself any more than was absolutely necessary. "Can't we just find the elevators, Uma?"
Uma blinked, surprised. "Nein! They would expect us to come that way, ja? We must surprise the scum, is that not so?" she responded, quirking up one dark eyebrow.
"Yeah, yeah," Kitty replied wearily. There was some nights where being an Interpol Inspector could be a real drag…like tonight for example. "Go on, we're following…"
In five minutes, Uma and her troopers were on the third floor, kneeling in a protective semi-circle, weapons up and active. Not one of the QRF folks was even breathing heavy. The same, however, could not be said for poor Kitty, who was puffing by the time she made it out of the stairwell, where she leaned against Ling while recovering.
Uma grinned, shaking her head. Inspector Petro could certainly use more time at the gym, she observed…but, that didn't take away from the fact that the girl was good at what she did. Very good indeed. "All rested now, liebchen?" she teased.
"If you laugh, I'll tear your throat out, Uma," Kitty growled with a grin. "I'm fine now…let's get." She stood up, not liking the fact that her thighs were trembling slightly just now.
Uma chuckled softly. "Ja, I quite agree," she replied, then turned to her troopers. "Achtung! Forward, troopers…quickly, but safety above all else, ja?"
They troopers nodded, and broke into pairs again. And, so the litany began again. "Room Three-B secure; no occupants," came the trooper's characteristic terse responses.
Kitty moved along, then stiffened when she saw the next room, which had a name plate on it which read, M. Foloreva. "Uma, take your guys down the hall, Ling and I have this section, okay?" she commanded.
"Ja!" Uma replied, impressed by Kitty's initiative. "Be careful now, liebchen." She grinned one last time, then trotted off to take command again.
"Kitty, why have we---?" Ling asked softly, then stopped.
"Foloreva, see?" Kitty explained. "This is one of the girls that helped Sly and Carmelita, buddy. We're supposed to get these two to safety…and that'd be awfully hard to do with Uma around, don't you think?"
"Oh," Ling replied, then nodded, grinning sheepishly. "Well, yes…it would."
"Thought so," Kitty replied, grinning. "Look, I'll take Foloreva here…go see if you can find this Umanova gal. Carmelita said they weren't too far apart." Kitty grinned broadly then, before pretending to be stern. "Oh, and Ling?"
Ling, the polite gentleman that he was, paused, looking her way. "Yes, Kitty?"
"No hanky-panky with the pretty girls, you hear me?" she teased, working hard to not laugh.
Ling, right on cue, bristled with indignation. "Kitty! I would never---!" he protested, only to be cut off as he saw Kitty convulse with laughter. "Very funny," he added, frowning and shaking his head. He moved off.
Kitty felt just a little bad about teasing Ling…but, she had to admit, his expression had been quite priceless. She'd work that stiffness out of the Tibetian hunk yet, she told herself. She then stood back, and kicked open this Foloreva person's door. In the movies, the solid door would blast open with a shower of splinters…however, in reality, Kitty found, it bloody well hurt! "Yeowch!" she hissed, dancing about, favoring her hurt foot. "Damn it, damn it, Damn it!" she muttered, until the throbbing relented.
"Stoy!" came an obvious female voice from within the room. "Come no closer!"
Kitty was in no mood for theatrics! "Maria Foloreva?" she called out. "If that's you…you'd better get your sorry butt up front and center…now! Trust me, you do not want to make me come get you!"
Trembling, a slender beautiful Arctic Fox got to her feet from behind the safety of her desk. "K-Kitty Petro?" Maria asked with trepidation. "That is you, da?"
"Da," Kitty replied cleverly. "Hmm, so you're Maria, are you?" Kitty observed then.
"Da, I am Maria," Maria replied, hating the fact that she was trembling with fear and uncertainty.
"Well, c'mon then!" Kitty commanded, moving over to loop a hand inside Maria's elbow and pulling her around the desk. "We got to meet up with Ling and…er, what's your cute little tigress' friend's name again?" Kitty didn't mind Maria's name…it was easy to remember, but…the other, gah…those Russian names were such a pain to remember!
"Her name, Comrade Petro, is Svetlana," Maria offered helpfully. "And, she is a very brave young woman."
Kitty nodded, liking how this vixen stood by her friend. "No doubt she is, Maria," Kitty replied, "but, time is of the essence right about now, don't you think?"
"Da, you are right," Maria agreed, following along, allowing Kitty to usher her about with tugs on her elbow.
"Ah, Kitty," came Ling's soft masculine voice that moment. "May I introduce you to one Svetlana Umanova?"
Maria beat Kitty to the punch, softly squealing as she caught sight of her friend, and rushed forward to pull the small tigress into her arms fiercely. Maria kissed Svetlana's cheek in her happiness. "Oh, I am so happy to see you, my friend!" she cried.
Svetlana pressed her cheek to Maria's in relief. "As am I, Maria," she stated softly, hugging her friend tightly. "As am I."
"All right, you two," Kitty replied gruffly, not wanting to show them that she was touched by their display. "I'm supposed to see you---wait!" Kitty began, but halted as she heard Chief Rob's voice suddenly in her headset.
"Inspector," Chief Rob spoke, "Lt. Metzer has just apprehended Raikon Polarsky." The Interpol Chief's voice was almost smug in his satisfaction. "He didn't go down without a fight now, true…in fact, it took eight stun blasts to render him unconscious. But, I'm sure he'll be all right…er, after all his singed fur grows back, I mean."
"Great, Chief!" Kitty replied, nodding her head. "So, what about the others?" Kitty wanted to know.
"His second-in-command, Ludmilla Tetrakova," Chief Rob went on to say, "was found already unconscious. She's already on her way to the hospital. The QRF medics said she'd suffered from a blunt force trauma to the head. They assure me she'll be fine too…after her headache abates, of course."
Kitty grinned over at Ling. "Roger that, Chief. That's great."
"It is, Inspector…it is indeed," Chief Rob crowed. "Now, I'll met you and Inspector Chu up in Polarsky's office. Lt. Metzer said she'd discovered something I needed to see."
"Right, Chief," Kitty radioed back. "We'll be there in five minutes."
"See you there, Inspector," Chief Rob replied. "Good work again, Ms. Petro."
"Well, girls, it's been real," Kitty told the waiting Maria and Svetlana. "If you two take the western stairwell down to the ground floor, then move out the back door…you'll find a warehouse. Do you know of it?"
"Da, we do," Maria answered for them both, Svetlana nodding her head in agreement.
"Good," Kitty instructed then. "Then, get both of your cute little rumps over there, ladies…and you'll find around back…your ride out of this funhouse. Do you understand?"
"Da, we do," Maria again answered. "And, thank you!" She then moved forward to take a very startled Kitty's face in her hands…before she promptly kissed Kitty upon each cheek in her thanks. Kitty sputtered, but had no chance to recover before Svetlana---who was nearly her own height---did the same!
"Hey!" Kitty protested, then grinned…watching Ling turn several shades of scarlet as Maria, then the even prettier Svetlana, gave him the same kiss on the cheek routine. "Nice shade of pink there, Inspector," Kitty teased Ling, who only smiled weakly back. "Now, you two…get!" Kitty added, reaching over to give the closer Svetlana a crack on her shapely rump.
"Hey! We are going, Comrade Petro," Svetlana yelped, then laughed. As they left, Kitty heard Svetlana grouse to her friend. "What is it about my backsides that everyone feels the need to swat, my friend?"
Kitty shook her head, hearing Maria reply with a laugh. "I have no idea, Svetlana, my dear."
"C'mon, sweetie," Kitty told Ling, once they were alone. "We gotta appointment with the Chief!"
Kitty and Ling arrived…and just a moment before the Chief. They all moved over to where Uma sat in Polarsky's high-backed leather chair. Upon seeing them, Uma got quickly out of her chair. "Gute Nacht, Chief," she greeted them.
"Good evening, Lieutenant," Chief Rob replied, moving to the desk, where he saw a most peculiar thing…a white gift box, wrapped by a blue and red ribbon and bows. "Your QRF boys did some fine work tonight, Metzer. Good work."
"Danke, Chief," Uma replied, snapping her booted heels softly together and bowed her helmeted head.
"What's this?" Chief Rob asked, moving over to the box on the desk.
"I don't know, I'm afraid," a puzzled Uma replied, looking as Chief Rob picked it up. "It has no addressee, you see."
Chief Rob looked quizzically at the box…until he spotted a most familiar blue card tucked beneath the ribbon. He groaned then, "Great…Cooper again," he growled…then frowned. "What the---?" he added, pulling out a similar looking, yet different card…done up in red. "Oh, great! Just marvelous…now there's two," he groused aloud, running a hand through his short grey hair. "Now I've got two Master Thieves in my town to contend with."
Kitty grinned, knowing just who that second Master Thief might be. "Congrats, Carmelita," Kitty muttered, grinning broader.
"What was that, Inspector?" Chief Rob growled, his eyes narrowing.
"Nothing, sir," Kitty replied in seeming innocence. "Just wondering what was in the box was all, Chief."
"Good point," the irritable canine Chief of Interpol Paris agreed. He brusquely tore off the ribbon, and used his thumb to break the tape sealing the box closed. He closed his eyes briefly, then sighed and dug down into the box. He pulled out two things…a CD, and de Anillo del Fuego, the famed Ring of Fire. He held the big ring up to his eyes, shaking his head in awe. "Boy, now that's what I call a Ring, folks," he observed, holding the ancient South American artifact out for them to see.
"Sehr schoen," commented Uma Metzer, her green eyes intent on the priceless thing. "What about the CD, Chief, ja?"
Chief Rob didn't say anything right away…instead he reached into his pants pocket, extracted a maximum strength antacid, and popped it into his mouth, chewing. "To answer your question, Lieutenant," the Chief responded after swallowing the chalky unpleasant-tasting tablet. "It most likely contains data and recordings that will allow us to put that scumbag, Polarsky, away for most of his life."
"Das ist gut, ja?" queried the burly yet attractive German. Uma would never win any beauty contests, mind you…but she was rather cute in her own way…a sort of girl-next-door kind of appeal. "That is what we always hope for, is it not, Chief?"
"Yeah, yeah," Chief Rob groused, tossing the CD back on to the desk. He then turned to Kitty. "I've got to report to the Governor-General ASAP," he informed them. "And, as such, I'm leaving Trish here in charge," he added, indicating a most-startled Trish with a jerk of his meaty thumb. "You and Chu provide her whatever she needs." He then put his jacket back on, and turned toward the door. Before he left, he turned back one last time. "Again, all of you, good work."
Trish Connelly waited until the Chief was long gone before she spoke. "Faith, but that was odd," she remarked, moving over closer to Kitty, Uma, and Ling. "The old Chief would of reamed us all out good and proper."
"Maybe he regrets making Carmelita quit," Kitty suggested, reaching out to shake Trish's hand in greeting. "Hey, it's been a while, Trish."
"Why so it has, Kitty darlin'," Trish replied in her charming Irish lilt. She then looked Kitty over with a keen shamrock-green gaze. "So…how's Carmelita been doin', love?"
"She's good," Kitty replied with a nod. "She's always asking about you…you know, how you're doing, have you finally found a husband yet…that sort of thing?" Kitty gave Trish her most irrepressible smile.
"Aye, that's Carmelita, all right," Trish responded with a soft laugh. "Well, you can tell the lass I'm doin' fine. An'…as fer that husband she wants me to find, yeh can tell her that I'm a-still lookin', so I am." She ran her hand over her head, pushing her now longer reddish-blond hair back behind her pointed ears, grinning.
Kitty felt an odd comraderie with this vixen…like she was some sort of surrogate of a kind for Carmelita. "Yeah, well…I'll tell her, Trish," Kitty replied. "So, you're Inspector-In-Charge, girl…what do you want us to do?"
Trish thought a moment, then acted. "First off, Uma my friend…you're done, here, dearie. You can get you and yer lads packed up, and head back. I'll be sure to put in more than a few good words about you in my report. Thanks again, we couldna done it without you."
Uma smiled, pleased by Trish's praise, though just a bit uncomfortable with it. She bowed, then moved over to shake Trish's hand, then Kitty's, and finally Ling's. "It's been an honor to be working with you…each and every one," Uma replied happily. "Just let me know…QRF will always be there when you need us to be." She bowed one last time, then hustled from the room.
"Now," Trish replied, crossing her slender arms across her chest. "While I'm fair certain the Chief missed it…I didn't miss that look you got, Kitty me love, when you saw that red calling card of Cooper's." She canted her head, her soft curly hair moving with that movement of her head. She then gazed shrewdly at Kitty, then Ling…both of whom tried their very best to keep neutral expressions. "Ah, I see! Let me take a guess, shall I? That red callin' card…why that'd be me old friend Carmelita's now, wouldn't it?"
Kitty shook her head, but allowed. "Not a bad guess, Trish…but I ain't sayin' anything more than that."
"'Tis fine," Trish replied with a knowing nod. "I don't want either o' you to be catchin' it hot from the Chief, so I don't. But, when you see Carmelita next, kindly let her know this lass is rootin' for her. Could you do that for a poor Irish lass, such as meself now?"
Kitty couldn't help it, and burst out laughing. "I'll be sure to let her know…next time I see her, that is, Trish," she replied.
"Faith, there's no talkin' wit' the likes o' you, you rogue," Trish laughed. "Git now…and let a proper detective take care o' the details, you."
"Thanks, Trish," Kitty said, shaking hand in farewell. "I owe you one."
"Now, where have I heard that before?" Trish replied, waving the Interpol CSI team in to collect evidence.
Kitty grabbed Ling's arm, and pulled him out of the office…heading for their next intended destination…the warehouse!
Maria and Svetlana finally made it to the outside corridor of the ground floor, having to dodge the occasional Interpol patrol. Maria then opened the back door to the place, and gazed out the partially opened door. "There's the warehouse Kitty spoke of, my friend," Maria whispered. "Come, we must leave this place! Soon, it will simply crawling with police, da?"
"Da, you are right, Maria," Svetlana replied. "I am ready when you are, my friend," she added, pausing to squeeze Maria's hand in thanks, her big dark brown eyes shining with gratitude.
Maria looked back, and smiled fondly at the younger girl. "If one good thing has come from all this," she mused aloud, "it is finding you, my friend." She then shook her head. "To think of how we acted when first we met, no?"
Svetlana grinned, but urged, "We can discuss that later, Maria my love. We must go…now!"
The two girls waited, then when it was clear, dashed hurriedly across the deserted street to the warehouse. They hugged the cinder-block wall with their backs, stealthily moving until they slipped like wraiths inside the big rolling door of the place. Once inside, the two heaved a sigh of obvious relief. "Whew! This is exciting…but nerve-wracking, da?" Svetlana observed, her heart still pounding in her chest, but her eyes shone with excitement.
"Took you two long enough," a most familiar voice observed, nearly making poor Svetlana faint dead-away. She had to clutch Maria's shoulder until her senses returned.
"You scared me," Svetlana accused, pushing her wavy black hair back over her shoulders, her eyes angry.
"We apologize," Ling Chu offered, when Kitty just grinned at the two cleverly. "Don't we, Kitty?" He looked at her disapprovingly.
"Yeah, yeah…sorry 'bout that," Kitty replied with a certain lack of sincerity.
Just then, a pale tan panel truck silently rolled into the warehouse, coming to a halt beside the four of them. "Could I offer any of you three gorgeous ladies a lift somewhere?" a smooth, suave voice offered…just before Sly Cooper stuck his head out of the panel van's window, his eyebrow waggling.
"Comrade Cooper!" Svetlana exclaimed, her heart pounding fast again…for an altogether different reason this time! "It…it is good to see you again," she added, faltering under his direct gaze.
Maria smiled, realizing that her friend Svetlana had herself a crush…and on Sly Cooper, no less. She grinned at the rascally raccoon. "So, you are our salvation once more, Sly Cooper, nyet?" She shook her white-haired head in mirth.
Sly could see he didn't effect the older Maria the way he did Svetlana…and that was just all right by him! "Hey, all girls need a white knight every once in a while, right?" he observed with a charming half-grin.
"Sly, behave," chided Kitty…though she did have to admit she wasn't entirely unsusceptible to Sly's charm. "Or, I'll sick Carmelita on your flirty behind, mister!"
"Me? Flirt?" Sly questioned, putting on a pretend pained expression for just Kitty's behalf. "Why, how could I not…in the presence of such beauty you three possess in such abundance, hmm?"
Kitty laughed, then looked over at Ling. "You takin' notes, buddy?" she asked, indicating Sly with a cant of her head. "This guy is smooth…"
"So," Svetlana proposed hopefully, "we are to stay with you, Sly Cooper?" She unwittingly batted her long-lashed eyes at him, smiling her most fetching smile.
"I don't think so," came yet another voice from the interior of the van. Carmelita poked her head up, and then tweaked Sly's ear in reproach, causing him to grimace. "That'd be like putting a kid in the candy store," she replied with a shake of her head. She knew Sly would be faithful to her…but that didn't mean he would flirt outrageously with the two pretty Russian girls. Something's never change, it seems…
"N-No?" Svetlana gulped upon seeing Carmelita, as well as seeing her disapproving look. "T-Then who are we to stay with then, Ms. Fox?"
"You'll see," a mysterious turtle fellow piped up, waving once at the two. "We've got just the place for you two."
"Where?" Svetlana wanted to know, trembling as visions of dungeons flitted through her head.
Carmelita chuckled at the girl's tremulous voice. "Relax, Svetlana," she counseled, smiling at the nervous young woman. "We agreed to help, and we will, all right?"
Svetlana smiled timidly, still not quite certain about this tall, formidable Spanish vixen. "Of course," she readily agreed. "But---"
Maria chuckled and put a small hand over her friend's mouth, smiling at her. "Hush now, Svetlana," she said, "I trust Carmelita…as should you."
"Incidentally," Bentley added, "I'm Bentley…Sly's friend. Nice to meet you both," he said as the two Russian gals climbed into the van, as Kitty and Ling entered via the back doors. Bentley held out his thick-fingered hand to first Maria---who was closer---then the now shy beauty, Svetlana.
"Be nice to him, girls," Kitty advised with a grin. "Cuz, it's his girlfriend's house that you'll be staying at."
"Da," Svetlana replied, intrigued. "I have never met a turtle woman before. What's her name, Bentley?"
"Well, her name is Yuri," Bentley responded, making a face. "But she's not a turtle, you see…she's the most beautiful snow leopardess you'll ever be fortunate to meet."
Svetlana smiled gently, liking this nasally-voice turtle. She liked the fact that he thought his girlfriend was that beautiful. Then, it hit her…he said his girlfriend was a snow leopard! "Excuse me, please," Svetlana mused aloud, "but did you say your girlfriend is a snow leopard?"
"Yes, I did," Bentley replied suspiciously, eyeing Svetlana crossly. "You got a problem with that?"
"Nyet! Nyet," Svetlana verbally backpedaled, realizing that she was figuratively skating on the edge of a minefield. "I do not. I am…how you say, surprised is all. I had not thought such a match possible. I am happy for you both, please understand…but it is unusual, is it not?"
Bentley nodded, mollified. "Yeah, I imagine it is at that," he relented. "But, hey…love is like that, you know."
Svetlana nodded eagerly. "Da!" she said. "So…when do we get to meet this Yuri of yours, Bentley?" She saw Maria nod her head slowly, approving of Svetlana's means to mending fences…so to speak.
"In about a half-hour," Bentley replied with a grin…obviously looking forward to seeing Yuri again.
Svetlana nodded at his answer. "So…may I ask…what does she do for a living then? Is she a thief like you?" she asked…after all, she was curious!
"Well," Bentley began, his pride in his Yuri showing up again. "Does the name Madame Yuri Sing ring any bells for either of you?" He waited for the girls' response.
"You mean the Yuri Sing?" Maria gasped, becoming excited. "The most famous fashion designer in all the world? That Yuri Sing?"
"You better believe it!" Bentley crowed.
"Oh no," Sly groaned, grinning. "Now you two have done it. Now, we'll never hear the end of it…"
"We will be living with Yuri Sing?" Svetlana questioned, a grin blossoming on her face. "W-Will we get to work with her, perhaps, yes?" Svetlana turned to Maria, and took her hand, grinning madly. "Ooh, Maria! Did you not say that perhaps this was the first day of an exciting new life for us?"
"Da, I did," Maria agreed. "But, I scarcely could of imagined this!"
Bentley grinned, appreciating all the girl's excitement. "We'll have to see about that, girls," he said. "But, I'll put in a good word for you with Yuri, when we see her."
Bentley was unprepared for what happened next…as Maria and Svetlana---both very pretty girls indeed!---leaned over to smother poor Bentley's face with grateful kisses. "Girls!" he protested, prevented from moving by being seat-belted in. "Stop!"
Kitty and Carmelita both grinned wickedly at one another…enjoying poor Bentley's embarrassment. Well, he might be embarrassed, they told each other with their eyes…but that silly grin on is face said he wasn't all that displeased with what was happening!
Bentley's complexion had finally reverted to his more normal olive-green tone by the time the van rolled to a stop curbside before Yuri´s suburban Paris villa. Sly got out, then moved around to slide open the door to first allow the chattering Maria and Svetlana out. He then opened the other door for Bentley, then finally the back, to allow Kitty, then Ling to debark. Last but not least, Sly put his hands on either side of Carmelita's waist and hefted her bodily out of the van and put her down on the ground, smiling affectionately at her.
"Well," Sly ventured after he had kissed his lady love. "How's it feel to be a Master Thief, querera?"
"Pretty darn nice, actually, sweetie," Carmelita replied, hugging him tightly for a long moment. "I couldn't of done it without you, though. Thanks so much, Sly," she added, her big beautiful brown eyes shining with thanks and love.
"You're welcome," Sly said graciously, then added, "but I'm pretty sure you could of done it all on your own, Carmelita. You got talent, my love. And, lots of it, girl!"
"Ah, bon soir, everyone," came a pleased, tired-sounding, sultry voice from behind them all then. They all turned to see the incomparable Yuri Sing gliding her way toward them…looking glamorous even in an old blue bathrobe. Her glorious green-gold eyes studied them all. She wore her bright gold hair down this evening, soft and sweeping over her one shoulder. She moved forward, then leaned over to kiss Bentley upon the lips in greeting. "Ah, it is so good to see you once more, mon cher," she said with happiness.
Svetlana sighed, smiling. "Dasfindanya, Madame Sing," she said in greeting, curtsying politely…even though she wore a jumpsuit, and no dress. "It is very much a pleasure to meet you."
"What a sweet child," Yuri observed, smiling warmly at poor Svetlana, causing the younger girl to blush furiously, though she grinned as if she were in a dream of some sort. "What is your name, young woman?"
"Um," Svetlana replied, stumbling verbally at being addressed by the world-famous Yuri Sing. "I---I am…um, I am Svetlana Umanova, Madame," she finally managed.
"I am Maria Foloreva, Madame," Maria added, curtsying too, in the presence of the world famous Parisian.
Yuri moved forward, gazing with interest at the two. She ran a hand through Maria's exquisite snow-white tresses, smiling. "Such hair," she observed, almost enviously. "I have outfits that one with hair like yours would be perfect for, my dear." She then turned to the adoring Svetlana, and---much like she had with Kitty long ago---took her chin in her hand, her green-gold gaze intent. "Ah, what a face!" she whispered, smiling. "Young woman…have you ever considered a life on the runway?"
Svetlana trembled in Yuri's hand, feeling as if she might faint dead-away. "Nyet…I have not, Madame," she confessed. "Should I?"
"Mmm, perhaps, dear," Yuri said mysteriously, a trace of a smile on her lips. "Now, ordinarily, I would give you a tour of my home," Yuri observed, then yawned despite herself. "Pardonnez moi," she muttered hastily, an small embarrassed smile on her face. She turned to Bentley and said sternly. "The next time you need my help, mon cher, please allow me a day's notice, nes pas?"
"I will," Bentley assured her quickly. "I promise, Yuri."
"I know you will," Yuri replied, giving Bently a loving smile. "Now," she added, looking over at the keyed-up Russian girls. "You poor dears must be positively exhausted," she observed. "I heard that you two have had quite a night, no?"
Svetlana looked to Maria, then back to Yuri and shrugged, nodding.
"Then, since that is the case," Yuri declared to them all. "No more talk for this evening. It is time for we beautiful girls to get our much-needed rest, no? So…Monsieur Sly? Will you too be staying at my home this evening?"
"No, thanks Yuri, but no," Sly answered. "We're just leaving the two girls with you, and we'll be heading home."
"Ah, I see," Yuri said, approvingly. "Since that is the case, as you say, then I will bid you all a fond adieu, my friends." She kissed Sly on the cheek, then Carmelita. "I do hope your shoes worked well for you, my dear." She then hugged the very tired Kitty, and finally kissed Ling Chu good-night as well.
Yuri then smiled over at her Bentley. "Good bye, mon belle cher," she whispered to him, kissing Bentley for a good minute or longer, making him nearly swoon. "I wil see you later, sweetheart." They watched the others pile back into the van and then head away.
Yuri waved the two girls inside, pausing to linger a look after Bentley as the van disappeared from sight. "Well, now," she said, turning to smile at the two Russian gals beside her. "Come inside, and allow me to show you to your rooms, no? Then, after a good night's sleep, and when we are all properly rested, we will talk again tomorrow, yes?"
"Da, Madame Sing," Maria replied tired, but smiling. Svetlana could only nod her head in her exhaustion.
Yuri smiled, content for the moment. "Then, please, let us go inside. Oh, and mademoiselles, please…do call me Yuri…"