Authors notes: Okay I know I don't try to update my stories till the weekend but I just couldn't wait to write this chapter any longer. And I'm sure none of you could either. So without further delay lets begin. I do not own any of the characters in this story all rights to owners. This is JUST FOR FUN!
Sly Cooper (c) Sucker Punch Productions
Carmen Sandiego 2019 (c) Netflix
Cooper, Sandiego & The Gang in:
:The Sly Nights on the Riviera Caper:
Bentleys POV:
In the night sky over the city of Paris (Sly's dimension.) The giant blimp owned by the fiendish Cyril Le Paradox was burning. The time tunnel inside it was damaged and about to explode. Far below Bentley, Murray and Inspector Carmelita Fox watched with anxious faces. Knowing their leader Sly was still in there facing the menacing skunk.
"I'll never forget that night." Bentley watched in horror as the blimp suddenly disappeared in a blinding flash of light without a trace. "The night everything changed..."
Later Bentley and Murray with the team van flying across in hover mode searched the river for any trace of their missing leader. All they found was Le Paradox himself. He was then later picked up by Interpol and escorted to jail.
The smart turtle had returned the Thievious Racconus to its resting place fully restored from stopping the manipulation of time.
"After we stopped Le Paradox's time caper to erase the Cooper line, our friend and leader Sly vanished without a trace. At first we hoped he would show up but as the weeks went by we had to face the grim reality. So we tried to move forwards."
Bentley was at his computer looking at his holo screen and running some calculations. However everything he tried kept coming back negative.
"Though we stopped talking about it I still didn't give up trying to find Sly. I ran every check, looked into all the sources I could find. But I found nothing."
Bentley looked at his invention the time machine with very deep doubt. He thought it could help them but without knowing whether Sly was sent through time and when he landed it wouldn't be of any help.
"The time machine wouldn't help, as we didn't know where Sly was or when he was."
As more weeks passed by Bentley had become obsessed staying in his lab writing down every possible theory and solution he could think of to the problem.
"Needless to say I'd become a little obsessed, Murray and Dimitri were worried about me but I swore not to give up until I found him..."
(Note: This takes place during Sly's first few capers with Carmen)
One day Bentley was running some simulations on his computer and looking at the remains of the blimp. Then all of a sudden he made a discovery.
"I was ready to give up. But then I made a startling discovery. Analysing the remains of Le Paradox's blimp I found traces of Tachyon particles, time space energy. These I learned were highly trackable and if Sly was still on the blimp he would've been exposed to those same particles."
Bentley scanned the wreckage and found small traces of Tachyon particles. With further study he came to a startling conclusion! He found what he was looking for. Later he was working hard round the clock disassembling and reassembling the time machine into something new.
"Wasting no time I worked day and night reconfiguring the time machine into a dimensional gateway device. I then grabbed my gear and raced off to find my friends."
He later collected his thief gear his explorers hat and firing up the jet engines on his wheel chair he blasted out of the lab.
Boston (Sly's Dimension):
Bentley had arrived in Boston city and was sitting in the rafters of one of its famous wrestling arenas in the old Boston Gardens. In the ring was his old friend Murray against a lizard wrestler in red tights.
"First order of business was to round up Murray. He was the muscle of the team, and who ate all the cookies we stole back in our orphanage days. Since the events of that night he'd moved into the pro wrestling circuit where he remains undefeated."
Murray lands blows with his opponent pulls him into the air, spins him round then slams him on the ground with an almighty crash. The hippo muscle stood triumphant over his opponent flexing his muscles with a smirk.
"I know it was all to keep his fighting skills sharp so he'd be ready for the moment we found Sly…"
Murray exited the ring and much to his joy he was greeted by his best friend Bentley who smiled glad to see him. Murray wasted no time pulling him into a hug as he squeaked like a chew toy.
"When I showed up he knew that day had come. After I explained the situation he was more than happy to help." However little did the two of them know they were being watched by someone hiding in the crowd.
Paris: Cooper Gang hideout:
Later the two friends were back at their old Paris hideout. The pink hippo fitted the dimensional gateway device to his van. Meanwhile Bentley was at the desk he was deep in thought about something. He looked to a picture frame on the wall of Sly with a certain foxy interpol agent.
"I had thought about Carmelita in on this, I knew out of all of us she took Sly's disappearance the hardest…"
The scene shifts to Inspector Carmelita Fox armed with her shock pistol zapping criminals stunning them in their the cuffs on them and pinning them to her car to be taken away.
"…She'd thrown herself into her work taking down criminals left and right. But I decided against it, I knew it was wrong but I didn't want to get her hopes up, as we didn't know for sure if we had found Sly."
Soon the two thieves were ready to go, but were unaware that Carmelita had been tailing them since Boston. She looked and saw they were readying a modified time machine. It was then she realised what was happening or rather who they found.
"There was no turning back now, we were setting off into parts unknown. I wasn't sure what lay ahead of us, but as we howled through the space time continuum I knew that wherever Sly was we wouldn't rest until we found him…"
Bentley was making the final few calibrations to the machine before activating it. The garage doors of the hide out swung open and Murray slammed his foot down on the accelerator and the van surged forwards. Bentley hit the switch and activated the dimensional gateway the vans wheels turned into hover jets and they blasted straight through a dimensional portal with Carmelita hanging onto the vans spoiler for dear life. The van vanished leaving behind a trail of burning tire tracks.
"…This was gonna be a long trip."
New York City: Carmens dimension:Present day:
In the great and beautiful city of the Big Apple, with the tall skyscrapers and ascending height of the Empire State building New Yorks most iconic landmark next to the Statue of Liberty.
"Ah New York city!" Zack cheered. "The Big Apple, home of the best Pizza in the world!"
"You and your stomach bro." Ivy said rolling her eyes.
"Well New York isn't just the home of pizza Zack." Carmen then pointed out. "its also headquarters to the United Nations a global organisation dedicated to maintaining international peace and relations across the globe. Not to mention the Statue of liberty a gift given to them by the french in 1886 for its Centennial anniversary. Their way of showing friendship between nations."
"But instead of enjoying the sights where are we…." Ivy said. Which then revealed the crew lead by Sly were at an old disused freight tunnel loctated on the east side of New York. "In an old creepy railway tunnel!"
Some days after the crew saved the Magna Carta from VILE's sinister fingers. Sly suggested a trip to New York, but to the surprise of everyone instead of doing some sight seeing he instead brought them to a disused rail tunnel. Carmen wasn't sure why Sly brought them here but he had to have a reason. This was about to come clear.
"Okay Sly why exactly have you brought us here?" Carmen asked.
Sly smiled as he turned to face the crew spinning his cane and leaning on it. "Well I'm glad you asked Red. Remember when we first met I told you I could teach you some things VILE hasn't taught you?"
"Yeah I remember?" Carmen remembered those words well.
"Since VILE's decided to step up their game sending that crazy Paper Star girl I figure we need to step up our game." Sly explained. "So its time I enrolled you guys in a class of my own….Stealing like a Cooper 101."
Zack gasped with excitement as he knew what that meant. "Wait you mean we're gonna learn all the thief moves from your stories AWESOME!" He exclaimed and the words echoed through the tunnel.
"Yeah sorry Zack but these moves are something that only a skilled thief can pull off, which Carmen fits. But your more than welcome to learn." Sly explained knowing the traits of his ancestors could only be pulled off by a well trained thief.
"AW well thats still cool." Zack accepted.
"Uh one problem with that Ringtail. Didn't you say you learned from that book of yours?" Ivy asked referring to the Thievious Raccoonus. "How are you gonna train Carmen if you don't have it with you."
Sly just smiled. "Well thats just it Ivy I don't need the book itself, I've spent a long time reading it, every trait every trick all safe in here." He pointed to his head. "Besides the Thievious Raccoonus doesn't make great thieves it takes great thieves to make the Thievious Racconus."
Ivy took that in knowing it wasn't the book but the one who read it. In Carmens mind she knew that Sly was right if VILE was stepping up bringing in Paper Star to stop them. They needed to be ready for what came next, and that meant learning something new to surprise them.
"Well in that case…." Carmen decided. "Start your teachings."Sly smiled at that. With no time to loose he began teaching Carmen Sandiego the ways of the Cooper Clan.
He set up some long wooden poles on the disused rails. Carmen was wearing her black stealth suit and had her hair down. Zack and Ivy watched with interest as Sly set up the course.
"Okay Carmen we're gonna start with the basics. With a trick called the Ninja Spire jump." Sly explained as he walked up to her from the rails. "This was a move pioneered by my ancestor Rioichi Cooper, master ninja and master chef."
"I remember this, you said he invented Sushi where your from right?" Carmen asked remembering the stories he told her of his Time travel caper.
"Yep even opening his own sushi shop, which while very prosperous also provided the perfect cover for a ninja thief." Sly explained.
"Hm impressive." Carmen said.
"Yeah but fish yuck why fish!" Zack gagged.
"Anyway…" Sly continued gesturing to the poles he'd set up. "This was his signature technique, the Ninja Spire jump, it was a means of sneaking into heavily fortified castles in Feudal Japan. But also acts as a way to do covert surveillance from up on high."
Carmen watched as Sly prepared to perform said technique. "Now it's all about the movements."
With that Sly took a run and a leap Carmen saw he twirled in the air like a dancer then landed on the centre pole in a crouching position. Like a ninja. To the thief in red this reminded her a little of her combat and scale jumping training from her time at VILE academy.
"Whoa talk about awesome acrobatics." Ivy said impressed.
Sly then leaped over to the opposite side of the rail yard tunnel platform. "Okay Red now you try."
Carmen took up a running start then ran made a leap to the pole performed a twirl and landed on the pole in the same crouching position. Sly was very impressed, she was able to perform this move but given her own training he wasn't surprised.
"Nice Carmen and on the first try too." Sly said impressed.
"Well its not to different from my training at VILE." Carmen admitted leaping down from the poles.
"Oh but we're only just getting started Red." Sly smirked confidently.
For the rest of the day Sly taught Carmen all the Cooper Clans tricks of the trade that he learned from the Thevious Raccoonus. Using the rails in the rail yard Sly taught Carmen the ways of his ancestor Tennessee Kid Cooper greatest outlaw of the old west. Zack was all but excited to know of Sly's gun slinging the raccoon thief taught Carmen how to do the cable walk. They stood high on the roofs of the city where some cable lines were hanging up.
"Okay lets take this one slow, the cable walk allowed Tennessee used took a lifetime of theft in the old west." Sly explained. "So we'll start slow then quicken the pace."
Carmen nodded at that idea. So they did Sly walked slowly along the cable line first then followed by Carmen who kept her balance. As they repeated the same sequence and each time they did they picked up speed. Soon the scarlet super thief had it memorised and was able to walk along the cable at a fast pace no problem. Sly was very impressed.
Back in the rail yard they worked on another of Tennesee Kid Coopers techniques. The Rail slide. For Carmen this was quick to master as she and Sly rode along the rails side by side. She could see how Sly's ancestor used this technique to rob rolling train cars.
Next Sly lined up another test for Carmen. It appeared to be a path of walls with barrels in some places . Zack was standing near one of these barrels with a piece of New York Pizza in his hand. While Ivy was wandering the different walls like a guard. This was all part of the next technique Sly was teaching Carmen.
"Okay this ones gonna be a little tricky." Sly explained "this is a technique made by the very pioneer of the Thievious Raccoonus Slytenkamen my Egyptian ancestor."
"I remember you told me about how he stole from greedy pharaohs and corrupt nobleman." Carmen remembered from when she heard Sly's backstory.
"Yep and his skill was that of invisibility, actually blending into his environments." Sly explained. "Even using vases or other means of concealment nearby to sneak up on unsuspecting thieves."
"Hm, sounds like an advanced form of Stealth 101." Carmen guessed.
"Yep minus the origami though." Sly explained. "Now the trick is to blend into your surroundings. Like so."
The Raccoon thief then demonstrated as he entered the course. He snuck around the walls and crouching down crawling around the wall. Carmen could see he was using timed movements. Just then Ivy was approaching him, then as if by magic Sly kept against the wall and it was almost as if he was invisible without hiding in the shadows. Carmen was amazed. Ivy walked past without even seeing him.
Next Sly looks and sees Zack eating some pizza and quickly scurried into a nearby barrel and released the bottom of it. He slowly crept along near Zack who was unaware of his presence. He quickly picked Zacks pizza box for a slice.
The Boston brother looks at the box and sees one slice of pizza is missing. "Wha! What happened to my pizza slice?" Zack acted out.
Sly popped out of the barrel then looked to Carmen. "Okay Carmen your up next." He called.
With that Carmen entered the practice ground. She slipped along the walls quietly, the was thankful for remembering her stealth training. She slowly snuck along the floor, and she saw Ivy coming towards her. She stayed quiet and stayed against the wall. She held her breath. She thought Ivy was acting as she walked past her, but in actual fact she couldn't see her at all. It was like she was truly invisible. Ivy walked past and Carmen slipped past.
She then noticed Zack. Like Sly she slipped into the barrel and snuck along releasing the base. Then she picked Zack's pizza box as he walked past the barrel.
"Huh!" Zack noticed another slice of his pizza was gone. Carmen emerged from the barrel holding the pizza slice in her hand. Sly smiled very impressed it was as if looking at her she was already becoming a natural worthy of the Cooper name.
As night began to fall it was the final test. Sly had set up an obstacle course each one incorporating what he'd taught Carmen. Poles over the rails, cables and rails in the yard and a maze of spot lights. The prize was a box of New York style pizza which would act as the prize that VILE had stolen. Sly, Zack and Ivy watched from the other side.
"Okay Carmen this is it, take all I've taught you and put it all together in this obstacle course." Sly called. On the opposite side of the course was Carmen now suited up in her signature red coat and hat.
She smiled as she felt she was ready. She moved forwards to the first obstacle the poles. They were at different heights and the last was the tallest. Moving quickly she performed a series of Ninja Spire jumps on each pole one by one forcing another jump on the tallest pole. She stood in a crouching position. Looking from her vantage point she could see the cables and rails. She jumped down and slide along the rails and saw what looked like an old subway car in front of her.
She jumped quickly and caught onto the cables above swinging on top of them and running along them.
"Yeah! Go Carm!" Zack cheered.
"You got this Carmen." Ivy cheered.
"There we go you've got the rhythm now." Sly called encouraging his fellow thief/protege.
Carmen arrived at the maze and could see the task was to avoid the spotlights, and make it to the other side. She entered the maze cautiously. She crept across a wall quietly as she came up to the first spot light. The light was swinging side to side, timing her movements carefully she quickly slipped past the light. The next was a cardboard cut out of a VILE operative. Carmen looked and saw a barrel close to her so she slipped into it, released the base and crept along to avoid being seen. She noticed the guard had a keycard so she crept close then stopped so she would avoid being discovered. Sly was impressed he could see she remembered to freeze to avoid being captured. She then slipped her hand out and picked the cut outs pocket.
She then emerged from the barrel and ran along quietly. She saw two spot lights moving in different directions. So using her stealth training from the raccoon thief she quickly moved past one spotlight and stayed perfectly still to avoid the second spot lights glint close to her. Once it past she moved along. Then she faced her prize. It was on the other side of a make shift trip wire trap to imitate laser grids.
"Hold up you didn't teach her anything about this Sly?" Ivy asked.
"Wait for it." Sly said.
Strangely Carmen was smiling and she leaped into the tripwires performing backflips and front flips through the maze. Then she slipped under the final wire and reached the pizza box. Picked it up and left a calling card.
She had done it. "WAHOO Nice one Carmen!" Ivy cheered.
"Yeah you aced it Carm!" Zack agreed as the Boston siblings came to congratulate her.
Sly then came over with a very impressed smile on his face. "Well Carmen I have to say, you're way more skilled than VILE ever realised. I'd say your worthy of a passing grade in my book. Are you sure you don't have a hint of Cooper blood in your veins?"
"You sure you weren't trained by VILE?" Carmen smirked back as she handed the pizza box to Ivy and Zack.
"Heh touché." Sly chuckled shaking his head. Just as they were all about to celebrate with a pizza dinner. Carmens phone rang, and she saw on the caller ID it was Player calling.
She answered the call. "Hey Red how's New York?" Player asked.
"Oh been eventful thanks to Sly's training program." Carmen said.
"Training, well maybe the best time to use it." Player explained. "Just decrypted some data from the VILE hard drive and it's telling me something vile is going down on the French Riviera namely in Monte Carlo."
"Monte Carlo?" Sly perked with interest. "Now this sounds like my kind of mission."
"Well let's wrap up and head down there." Carmen said.
Soon on Players computer screen the globe shifted to the south east of France on the Mediterranean coastline. "Located on the southeast mediterranean coast of southeastern French Rivera is famous for its great city's and glamours beaches. Monte Carlo being one of them." Player shared his facts.
"Wow fun in the sun! Now we're talking." Ivy said eager.
"Well Ivy Monte Carlo isn't just known for its beaches." Sly pointed out.
"Right. Its also known for it's casinos." Carmen agreed.
"I can see why." Player added. "In the year 1856 Charles III the prince of Monaco granted a concession of 30 years to Napoleon Langlois and Albert Aubert to create a facility for sea bathing for treating diseases and to build a casino."
Visuals of the Prince of Monaco and the proposal for a casino then appeared on screen.
"Sadly the initial casino was unsuccessful and had to be relocated several times, before reaching the location in the Les Spelugues near the caves of Monte Carlo its success came slowly." Carmen shared.
"Another of Monte Carlos famous landmarks is the Saint Charles Church which was complete in 1883 and a century later was restored." Carmen added.
"Yep but if you have a need for speed head down to Monaco, which is actually its own micro state on the rivera." Sly said. "Since 1929 was host to the annual Monaco Grand Prix for the Formula one racing circuit and the entire town acts as a racetrack."
"The whole towns a race track! Now this is our kind of scene Ivy!" Zack cheered.
Monte Carlo:
Soon Carmen, Sly, Zack and Ivy had arrived in the warm French Riviera during a hot summers day. They were walking around the Spélugues or Ward of Monte Carlo right outside the Monte Carlo Casino.
Sly was in a casual attire disguise of his blew sweater, grey pants blue vans sneakers and a yellow scarf hiding his face whilst wearing his normal cap. Carmen was in her casual red hoodie attire as she and the Boston siblings walked around the square.
Through the air they heard the sound of revving engines and speeding vehicles from below. This was the sound of the Formula one race cars speeding round the Monaco track below.
"Ahh I love the sound of revving engines in the morning." Ivy breathed in.
"Man we can head down and check out the track!" Said a rather eager Zack.
"Save that for later, Players intel indicates VILE has something going on in the Monte Carlo Casino." Carmen said. "So until he finds out more…"
"We case the place and see if we can't find anything VILE could exploit or any clues to what they're up to." Sly finished that sentence.
"Exactly." Carmen replied and the group headed inside the Casino.
Upon entering the main hall Ivy and Zack were all but taken in. At first they thought it looked like an esteemed manor than a casino. Carmen was taken in by the german style architecture.
Soon they arrived in the casino area itself, seeing the vast amounts of roulette tables before them. To Sly this all but took him back to when him and his gang took a break in Monaco after stopping Dimitri's counterfeiting scheme and recovered the Clockwerk tail feathers.
"Whoa awesome this place looks like its made of gold!" Ivy said amazed.
"Thats because it is." Sly said looking around.
"Okay crew let's split up and look around." Carmen suggested and so the crew went off in different directions.
Carmen headed into the balcony area and looked at the view of the gardens. She looked at the possible venerable points for thieves to enter. So far she found nothing to indicate VILEs means of robbing the casino.
The Boston siblings weren't having much luck either. Mostly because Zack decided to have a go on one of the slot machines.
"Come on lucky cherry!" He pleaded as he pulled the lever and the slots span and span again and again only to end on one cherry, one money sign and one cherry. Which wasn't a full stack but he still won a small amount of money.
"Bro enough of the slot machines already we got work to do." Ivy reminded.
"Aw come on sis one more round." Zack insisted pulling on the slot machine lever and trying for one last chance at a full slot.
For a brief moment it looked like he was gonna get a full set of cherries as one cherry appeared, as did a second. Zack's eyes widened at the joy of getting a full set, until out of nowhere the third wheel nearly landed on cherry only to land on a BAR symbol.
"WHAT!" Zack cried at his loss. However Ivy noticed something off about that last slot how it happened to glitch at that moment.
Sly meanwhile was about to make a discovery of his own. He was scouting out the Roulette tables. He looked around the room casing the security cameras and entry points in the large circular windows above.
His gaze looked upon the roulette table itself seeing people placing their bets and chips down on certain numbers. One of which was a rich boat captain who seemed to be having a bit of bad luck.
"Oh and I wanted 17 black. You sure thats right?" He wondered.
"Yes Monsieur." Said the dealer.
Sly watched the game closely as the captain placed his next bet. "Okay one hundred euros on 17 black." The captain decided placing his bet.
"17 black no more bets." Said the dealer.
The wheel span as the white ball entered the wheel. Sly knew something was off, especially about the dealer with his pale complexion he couldn't help but wonder if he had seen him before.
The wheel span and span round and the captain had his fingers crossed. Suddenly Sly spotted something out of the corner of his eye. The ball was about to land on 17 black when it suddenly bounced on.
"18 Red." Said the dealer much to the crowds disappointment. Sly saw it wasn't a coincidence that the ball just happened to bounce.
Just then he saw someone at the cashier and he was walking away with a fist full of euros as his winnings. Sly had a theory he had to know for sure. So he walked towards him and accidentally bumped into the person.
"Hey watch where you are going!" The person said.
"Sorry Monsieur." Sly apologised but secretly he managed to snatch away a single Euro hiding behind his back.
Later the crew met up outside the Casino to compare notes. "So you guys find anything?" Carmen asked.
"Nope not unless you count Zack losing at the slot machines five times." Ivy answered.
"I almost had the full cherry set I tell ya!" Zack exclaimed.
"I checked all the venerable points of entry and while VILE maybe able to get inside I doubt they could access the cash vault." Carmen theorised. "We're missing something."
"I think I know what it is." Sly pointed out getting everyones attention. He pulled out the Euro he pickpocketed from the casino.
"You pickpocketed someone?" Carmen questioned. "What did we talk about no stealing for personal gain Sly?" She was a little hurt by this despite not hearing the full story.
"Believe it or not Carmen I took this for good reason, see for yourself." Sly handed her the note and she looked at it.
"Its just a normal Euro?" Carmen questioned.
"Take a closer look, tell me what you see." Sly hinted and so Carmen took a closer look at the money and upon close inspection she saw what Sly was talking about.
"Its counterfeit." She realised.
"What?" Zack said in surprise.
"Your kidding!" Ivy said looking at the note as well.
"Yep, theres another thing, I looked at some of the roulette tables, and guess what." Sly explained. "Most of them are fixed."
Carmen and the Boston siblings were taken aback by this development. "What? No way that casinos owned and operated by the government?" Zack questioned.
"They may have a point bro." Ivy spoke. "That slot machine you were on was fixed too it was about to be a full stack but then it stalled and landed on something different."
"And anyone who wins walks out with counterfeits so detailed not even a back machine could tell the difference." Carmen said. "But whats the angle?"
"I think I might know." Just then player called in.
Players Room:
In his room Player had finished decrypted the data in the hard drive on a certain file. "I'd just finished decrypting data on an ongoing VILE operation of replacing some of the roulette tables and slot machines in the casino with accurate doubles which are fixed."
"Stealing peoples money right under their noses." Sly realised.
"In plain sight defiantly VILE's MO." Carmen realised.
"Theres more, its a two way heist, robbing people and the casino at the same time." Player explained.
"Let me guess with so detailed counterfeit notes no-one would be able to tell the difference." Carmen guessed. "Then replacing the money in the cash vault in the Casino itself."
"Man VILE are the lowest of thieves, I mean its like Dimitri all over again." Sly explained. "What kind of crime syndicate prints money theres no honour in that?"
"VILE doesn't care about honour Sly." Carmen explained.
"So whats the caper?" Player asked.
"Simple we take back the real money and give it back to the casino and the people they've taken it from." Carmen planned. "And destroy VILE's printing capabilities so they can't make more."
"And if I'm right the press and counterfeit plates are somewhere below the casino. Dimitri's counterfeiting operation was right where no-one would think to look so it stands to reason VILE would do the same thing." Sly theorised.
"Wow its like you guys can read each others minds." Ivy smirked.
"Yeah sis in a way Carm, you and Sly are kind of alike." Zack joked. The two thieves looked at each other with the same raised eyebrows and smiles. They had to admit their friends did have a point.
The Following Night:
As night fell, the Casino was lit up with colourful lights, and the lights of the Rivera could be seen illuminating the nights sky in the distance. On the water front yachts could bee seen and all the people on board partying and having a good time.
Meanwhile at the Casino, loads of people were there having a good time too. Men and women were dressed in fine clothing, tuxedos and dresses, it looked like a scene from a James Bond film. However unbeknownst to everyone a small flying drone clad in red flew among the roof of the casino to avoid being seen.
On the rooftops opposite the casino, Carmen and Sly now clad in their signature thief gear stood watching the bright display. Whilst Zack and Ivy had the controls of Red Drone. Carmen couldn't help but noticed the smile on her partner in crimes face.
"Why are you smiling?" She then asked.
"I gotta tell you Carmen, it's gonna be a real honour robbing this casino." Sly explained with anticipation.
"Never robbed one before huh?" Carmen guessed.
"Well not unless you count the Casino me and my gang hit in Mesa city when we took on Mugshot to get his part of the Thievious Raccoonus." Sly explained. "But no never robbed one this big, it's like a total thief's right of passage."
"Okay while I share your enthusiasm we need to be careful VILE could be on site we need to be prepared." Carmen reminded.
Sly knew his partner in crime was right this was no time to make over enthusiastic mistakes. He was wondering about who could be behind this caper, and instantly suspected the dear countess.
"Carm, Sly." Ivy called getting their attention. "Red drone got a bite."
The two thieves looked over Ivy's shoulder and looks at the feed delivered by red drone. They saw the same pale skinned dealer that Sly saw earlier. But he wasn't alone. He was with a certain hatted individual.
"Dash Haber." Carmen guessed.
"Him again! I do not like that guy!" Zack glared remembering him from their Swiss Chateau party crashing.
They noticed Haber and the dealer heading out of the casino floor and towards a rear door. This earned their curiosity. Ivy shifted the control sticks to secretly follow them. Just out of the corner of his eye he spotted someone in the background for a moment it looked like a poorly disguised turtle with a moustache and tux in a wheel chair.
Zack noticed the surprised and disbelieved expression on the raccoon thief's face. "Hey Sly, you alright?"
Sly snapped his attention to Zack. "Uh yeah you say something Zack?" Sly asked.
"Its just you look like you'd seen a ghost?" Zack asked.
"Ah just thought I saw…ah I was probably seeing things" Sly sighed.
"Look there." Carmen pointed and the looked to the visuals and saw Dash Haber and the dealer heading into the casino's head office. Red Drone was about to fly inside until the door slammed shut in front of it.
"Ah nuts! Sorry Carm." Ivy apologised.
"Don't worry Ivy, now we have an idea of where to go." Carmen said understanding.
"Hm looks like we gotta head for the main office." Sly noticed.
"Based on the recon the gardens are our best entry point." Carmen remembered. "We scale the wall and get in the office from there."
"Be careful Red, the gardens are crawling with guards." Player warned.
"Then I hope you remember your training Carmen." Sly pointed out.
"Okay, Zack, Ivy stay close to the casino main entrance, we may need a quick exit." Carmen said as she and Sly activated their respective gliders and they glided away from the rooftop towards the rear of the casino.
The two thieves glided close to the gardens, unaware they were being watched from a rooftop from close by. But it wasn't a VILE operative.
The thieves landed in the gardens at the rear of the Casino and entered them. They concealed themselves in the shrubbery to avoid being seen by the security guards. They crept through the under growth sneaking past guests and guards. To get a better vantage point Sly climbed on one of the palm trees with his cane in his mouth. He reached the top and saw the balcony entrance.
Carmen soon joined him perching on the palm tree. "Looks like its gonna take some fancy foot work to get up to the balcony." Sly pointed.
"Lead the way partner." Carmen motioned and so Sly leapt from the palm tree and performed a ninja spire jump on the next tree and the next with Carmen close behind him performing similar movements.
They soon dropped to the bottom of the grounds. Just under the balcony. They fired their grappling hooks and scaled the wall. They reached the top of the balcony and ran across the different areas of the roof. They soon arrived at a window. Carmen pulled out a small pen like device that sparked she put it against the window lock and it helped to release the window mechanism.
The two thieves crept inside and from the visuals provided by Red drone they knew they were in the corridor not far from the main office. They stood against the wall outside the door as Sly slowly turned the knob of the door and slowly opened it. However they were expecting Dash Haber to be in the room. Yet there was no-one but an empty office that looked more like a luxury penthouse.
"Search the room they couldn't have disappeared." Carmen said and so they searched the room for any sign of the presence of VILE operatives. So far nothing. Just then Sly came across something out of the ordinary in the office. He looked and saw a rather large looking safe door. Too large for this kind of office.
"Carmen." Sly called getting her attention and she came over to him.
"You found something?" She asked.
"Yeah, doesn't this seem like a rather large vault for an office like this?" Sly asked in a hinting way.
Carmen looked at the vault door and could see what Sly meant not to mention it was a dial locked door. Normally up to date vaults have computerised codes.
"Player, we're in the main office of the casino, and we're looking at a rather old fashion vault door." Carmen called Player.
Players Room:
Player was looking at the schematics of the Casino to better help the two super thieves. However when he looked at the schematics for the main office. He noticed something.
"Carmen I'm looking at the schematics and theres nothing here about a safe or vault room." Player relayed.
"Are they up to date schematics?" Sly asked.
"Yeah theres nothing there but a blank wall." Player confirmed.
The Casino:
"An old fashion vault inside a classy casino office." Carmen realised. "We need to find out whats on the other side."
"Too bad we don't have a certain someone who can crack a vault like this by hand." Sly hinted to which Carmen smirked at.
"Think you can crack it?" She asked.
Sly just smirked back at that idea. "All it takes is a light touch."
He approached the vault door and clicked his fingers he then started turning the dial around both clockwise and anti clockwise. He had his raccoon ears against the door so he could hear the tumblrs.
After several turns he heard a click. He'd cracked it. However what happened next he couldn't have guessed. Suddenly he felt the doors rumble and he stood back as the vault opened sideways instead of outwards. It revealed a secret looking lift.
"Well after you milady." Sly bowed like a gentleman.
"You're such a gentleman." Carmen teased as the two entered the lift. Carmen pressed the only button in the lift and the vault door closed as they descended into parts unknown.
Outside the Casino:
Meanwhile waiting outside the casino at the water fountain Zack and Ivy waited to hear from their friends. It had been a few minutes since they entered the casino.
"You think they found anything yet?" Zack wondered.
"No closer than the last time you asked. They'll call if they need help." Ivy reminded.
Just then she saw something that caught her eye. It was a black van heading to the streets close to the casino. She poked Zack's shoulder getting his attention and points to the van. The Boston siblings snuck towards the street where said van was. Peaking round the corner they saw it was a couple of VILE agents in their armour they were with El Topo. Who then opened a door on one of the buildings and entered it.
"Oh boy!" Ivy whispered then tried to call Player. "Player…" However when they tried to walk away they found they were facing a VILE agent standing in front of them. He looked rather large and intimidating.
"Oh uh silly us this isn't the race stands!" Zack said rather nervously as the two tried to back away only to be surrounded by the other two VILE agents.
It looked like the Boston siblings were in deep trouble. One of the VILE agents was about to pull out his crackle rod when suddenly.
"THUNDER FLOP!" Yelled a voice from above and suddenly a rather large looking figure slammed into the ground and sent out a shockwave that knocked the operatives off their feet knocking them out while the Boston siblings were unharmed.
When the dust clear Zack and Ivy looked at what had just saved their lives and when they did their eyes widened with shock and amazement.
Far Below the Casino:
Meanwhile the secret lift had arrived at the ground floor. Carmen and Sly exited the elevator and snuck cautiously through the hallway. At the end of the door they saw an archway. When they went through on the other side was something unbelievable.
In the room there were vast numbers of printing presses in the room and at each of them were VILE operatives and they were all under the direction of their lead counterfeiter. He had long tanned coloured hair and wore a suit it was the same counterfeiter from the Countess's dinner party during the Vermeer caper.
Sly was more than amazed, this operation had to make the one Dimitri was running look like an outdated printing service.
"Well looks like we found the source of the counterfeit money." Carmen guessed.
"Man this makes Rajan's spice operation look like a laundry service." Sly said bringing up his Binocucom and called Player. "Player you seeing this?"
Players Room:
Player received the visual from Sly and he looked at it. "Whoa thats a lot of printing presses, they must be printing money on a vast scale so they can transfer it to the cash vault." He surmised.
"Which would mean the real money is being stored somewhere in here?" Sly guessed.
"Yep." Player answered.
The Printing room:
"Then we need to shut this down, any idea where the printing plates are being stored Player?" Carmen asked.
"Best guess the largest printer in the room they must copy them and send them off to the rest." Player guessed.
"So even if we take the plates they'd still have spares." Sly guessed.
"Right." Player answered.
"Then we need to bring this whole place down, and get the original money back." Carmen surmised before turning to Sly. "Sly you get the plates and see about stopping the presses I'll get the real money and meet up back at the lift."
"Okay, I'll see if I can find out about the money and forward it to you." Sly said. "I'm sure that they have a few spare armoured suits here I could use as a disguise." He then pulled out his cane and handed it to Carmen. "Here, it won't be of much use to me where I'm going."
The two thieves nodded and headed in opposite directions. Sly snuck down to the crew lockers and as he suspected he found left over VILE uniforms. He grabbed one and dressed himself in it so he would blend in.
"Hm nice material but not too crazy about the colour." Sly wondered as he placed the helmet on his head and headed to the main press room. It was located at the back of the room. Carmen had used the cane to perform a hook climb on the rafters above so no-one would see her.
Just then entering the room was El Topo who came out of another lift at the other end of the room. He approached the counterfeiter who was talking with Dash Haber.
"Your late." Dash said.
"Hey I got caught in traffic mi amigo you try getting through all the parties in this town." El Topo complained.
"Anyway is the next load ready to be exchanged at the Casino?" Dash asked the counterfeiter.
"Yes the genuine money will be switched out of the cash box any minute now, but the next supply is taking a while. Had a problem with the main press." The counterfeiter explained. "I've requested maintenence to take a look."
"You called." Called a rather strange voice and the three looked to see a VILE agent who was actually the concealed Sly.
"And who might you be?" Dash asked.
"Its me the maintenance man you called?" Sly asked in his Italian accent. Up in the rafters Carmen had a completely bewildered look hearing his accent from the rafters above.
"You look…different than the other maintenance man?" The Counterfeiter questioned.
"The other mans out sick something about too many drinks in the casino." Sly said.
"Uh Is there something wrong with your voice mi amigo?" El Topo asked.
"No I've talked like this my whole life." The disguised Raccoon explained.
"I see, well heres the key to the main press hurry with the repairs." The Counterfeiter handed him the keys to the main press.
"So just curious where's the genuine money being stored?" asked the disguised raccoon.
"Oh course you'd forget its in the store room just five doors down on the top floor." El Topo explained until Dash put his hand up.
"I'm sorry but why do you need to know this?" Dash asked.
"Uh just in case I need to inspect the chute for problems." the disguised raccoon explained and Carmen listened through the communicator.
"Okay fine get to work." Dash dismissed as they left the maintenance man to his work as they had to check on the counterfeit money shipments.
Sly smirked in his disguise and then contacted Carmen. "You get all that Carmen?"
"Yep heard everything, but Sly thats got to be the worst Italian accent I've ever heard." Carmen said on the coms.
"Eh everyones a critic." Sly shrugged as he headed towards the main press room whilst Carmen fired her grappling hook and swung over to the top floor of the room then headed down the hallway. Unaware that someone else was down there following her.
The door to the main printing press was opened by Sly who discarded his disguise and found the press. He opened his Binocucom.
"Player I'm at the press any ideas where the plates are?" Sly asked.
"Try looking inside the press and unlock them." Player suggested. "I'll check the schematics and see if theres a way to destroy the presses and counterfeits. I….."
Suddenly Players feed started to cut out for some reason which Sly then noticed. "Player? Player your breaking up, hello?"
Then from out of nowhere. "Sly… are you there?….Sly?!" Called a familiar voice. Sly knew that voice all too well.
"Bentley?" He called then suddenly the voice cut out and was switched back to Player.
"Sly what happened? We lost contact for a moment." Player asked however Sly was so frozen in shock he never heard Player. "Sly? Sly you there?" Player called which eventually snapped him to attention.
"Uh what oh yeah sorry Player the walls of the printing room must be messing with the link." Sly dismissed what just happened. "I'll get the plates, you find out how to derail this counterfeit caper let me know when Carmen gets the real money."
Players Room:
"Uh yeah sure." Player said ending the transmission leaving Sly to his work. However he was a little curious about why the feed cut then he heard his screen beeping and suddenly turn a green colour.
"What the?" Player gasped in surprise. Then an avatar of a cartoon turtle appeared on his screen.
"Hello you've just been hacked!" Called a voice, "I've been listening to your communications I'm trying to contact my friend Sly… can you help?"
Player was taken aback his system had just been hacked by an unknown hacker. And now he was asking about Sly. "Who is this and how did you get past my system?" He replied.
"Oh well first I'm a genius data bases like this are childs play and second I'm a friend of Sly's I'm trying to help him." The voice called back.
"O…kay, well if your a friend of Sly's how do I know I can trust you?" Player asked.
"Look theres no time for this Sly could be in trouble and so could anyone else down there." The voice explained.
The young hacker wasn't sure he fully trusted this mysterious hacker or his intentions. However he saw his logo reminded him of Sly's calling card. He was weary but if he could help than what did he have to use. If this was a trap by VILE its too obvious.
Under the Casino:
Meanwhile Carmen Sandiego armed with Sly's cane had just made her way through the corridor on the top floor. She looked round a corner and saw a door. The door opened to reveal a VILE agent exiting it and swiped a key card to lock it. The agent walked away from the room. Unaware that Carmen was behind him she pulled out the cane and used it to pick the agents rear pocket getting the key card and flipped it into her hands.
Carmen had to admit she was beginning to see why this cane was used. It was a good pick pocketing tool. She swiped the card against the reader and when she entered the room she found what she was looking for.
In front of her was a trolley full of money the real money that was taken from the Casino and from the people who lost it to the fixed tables. She even saw some disassembled roulette tables and were replaced by tables made by VILE.
"Here we go." Carmen said as she saw more money head down the chute. She knew these were delivered in loads to later be picked up.
"Player I've found the real money any chance of…." Suddenly the chute was closed even before she asked it to be hacked.
"Wow you must be psychic?" She said impressed.
"Uh actually Red, that wasn't just me." Player explained.
"What? But then…who was it?" Carmen asked.
"Its a long story I'll explain later. Sly's getting the plates." Player relayed.
Regardless she raced to the trolly and zipped it up ready to move out of the room. She was about to leave when suddenly.
"Don't move!" Said a voice with what sounded like an electrically charged weapon.
She turned her head slowly and standing behind her was a humanoid female fox with dark blue hair, brown eyes orange and cream yellow fur. A yellow jacket over a blue sports bra. dark blue mini skirt brown buckled boots and a necklace with a police badge attached to it. Her jacket sleeves were rolled up and she wore yellow fingerless gloves. She was armed with a red and yellow shock pistol.
"You don't look like any VILE operative I've seen before?" Carmen questioned.
"And you look like every thief I've seen before I…." Just then Carmelita noticed a certain cane the thief in red had in her possession.
"Where did you get that cane?" She then demanded. Carmen quickly used it to whack away the shock pistol and slip past her. Carmelita quickly turned and faced the scarlet thief.
"Who wants to know?" Carmen asked.
"Why I d…." Inspector Fox reached into her jacket for something only to find it was missing.
"Inspector Carmelita Montoya Fox. Interpol." Carmen spoke revealing she had her police badge in hand. Just then her eyes widened when she looked at the fox woman.
"So…you're Carmelita?" She asked.
"You know my name?" Carmelita asked rather taken aback how did this thief in red know of her name.
"Yeah, and judging by how you reacted to this cane I'd say we have a mutual acquaintance." Carmen realised.
Just then it hit Carmelita. "Wait…you know Sly? Where is he?!" She demanded.
Carmen wanted to explain but she knew she had a schedule to keep especially if VILE should suddenly show up. "Sorry no time to explain you need to vacate immediately. Its for your own safety."
However Carmelita being the fiery cop she was wasn't having it. "Oh I think my little shock pistol friend here would disagree." She said aiming her shock pistol at her red target. "Now talk!"
Carmen knew what she had to do, she ran towards Inspector Fox who immediately fired a shock blast towards the red thief. Carmen slipped under her then got behind the money cart and pushed it past Carmelita and out of the room. Carmelita growled as she picked up her pistol and perused her target.
She quickly turned a corner and saw Carmen pushing the cart down the corridor. "I ORDER YOU TO STOP!" She exclaimed.
Carmen stopped as the foxy inspector gave chase after her. Carmen turned slightly. "You didn't say for how long." Carmen said as she pushed the cart away with Carmelita firing shock blasts.
Meanwhile:
Meanwhile in the main press room Sly was able to open the printing press and found inside the counterfeit plates. "Jackpot." Sly said as he removed the plates and placed them in his black sack.
"Hold it!" Called a voice and he turned to see Dash Haber and El Topo in the doorway.
"Cooper!" El Topo glared.
"Well well so this is Carmen Sandiego's mysterious partner in crime. Seems the faculty was right you are a raccoon in person." Dash said smirking.
"El Topo, you running with Mr hat trick now, where's your buddy goat boy?" Sly asked as he tightened the black sack.
"Le Chevre is recovering from an accident on the job, this is a temporary stand in." El Topo explained given the damage a certain paper throwing thief inflicted upon him.
"Okay fur ball its clear your a tough guy but your outclassed. Why don't you just drop the plates and we may let you walk." Dash said.
"No deal, Carmen was right you and the rest of VILE need to be stopped, you insult thieves and law enforcement alike." Sly defied.
"Wow I guess he was right you are a hard rock to move. But we can either do this the easy way or the hard way." Dash then said.
Sly was a little startled he said? Who was Dash Haber talking about. "I have no idea what your talking about. And your hat sucks." He cracked.
Dash gasped at that insult to his attire. "Oooo wrong answer vermin!" Dash then removed his hat mush to Sly's confusion then out of nowhere saw blades came out of the hats rim.
He tossed it towards Sly like a razor sharp throwing star luckily the raccoon thief was able to flip out of the way and avoid the strike as the hat was then brought back to Haber by use of a magnet in his hand.
"Whoa, neat little trick." Sly breathed in surprise. He didn't expect that.
"Nice huh I call it the buzz cut." Haber smirked as readied his hat and tossed it towards Sly again. He jumped out of the way of the saw hat. He reached for his cane, only to remember he didn't have it.
"Oh… right, damn it." Sly grimaced in realisation. The hat saw blade came at him again and the raccoon thief ducked out of the way for the blade to just slice at his shirt on the shoulder.
Suddenly El Topo grabbed him from behind and restrained him. Sly quickly slipped out of El Topo's grip and then swatted him across the face with the plates in his sack. However the hat blade struck him in the shoulder causing Sly to fall to the ground gripping his shoulder in pain. He looked and saw the hat return to Haber as he an El Topo stood over him.
"Not so impressive now are you ringtail." Dash grinned smugly.
"Hate to tell you, but only one person calls me that!" Sly growled holding his shoulder.
The two VILE operatives were about to capture us when suddenly. They felt a prick in their backs, and suddenly felt rather drowsy and collapsed to the ground like dominos Sly looked and saw they had darts in their butts. He recognised those darts very well and he looked to the door and saw the one who fired them.
It was Bentley armed with his crossbow and tech wheelchair. "Really Sly, am I always gonna be the one who saves you when your stuck in a jam?" He asked.
Sly was too overjoyed and relieved to see his friend to even care about the wound in his shoulder anymore. "Bentley!" He said running up to his friend and giving him a hug. Which the turtle was more than happy to return.
"You sure turn up in the strangest places pal." Sly said rather happy.
"So do you old friend, I've never been more happy to see you alive, after the blimp…" Bentley tried to hold back his tears but just couldn't.
"Hey its okay pal I honestly didn't expect that to happen. But how did you know where I was?" Sly asked.
"Oh I had some help." Bentley said revealing his robot tablet screen on his chair and it was Player on the other line.
"Player." Sly smiled.
"Yep, I was a little weary of Bentley here but after he explained the situation I was more than happy to help." Player explained.
"Yep thats Bentley I…" Suddenly he realised something if Bentley was here then.. "Wait, where's Murray is he here too?"
"Yeah come on let's get out of here and meet up with him." Bentley explained.
"No we need to find Carmen first and deal with this fake money factory." Sly then said.
"No worries blue, Reds got the real money and is heading for rondevu." Player explained.
"Okay, and as for the printing presses I've got that covered." Bentley said as he pulled out a small device and pressed down on the red button.
Then suddenly small devices the turtle genius had placed into the printing presses beeped then exploded. The presses were in flames as were the counterfeit money notes. The room suddenly caught fire. Sly just smirked at Bentley.
"Thinking ahead as always Bentley." He said. "Come on let's find Carmen."
"Who?" Bentley wondered.
"Long story pal lets get moving and I'll tell you." Sly explained as the two friends hurried out of the room or in Bentleys case rolled out. Not before he fired an explosive dart at the last printing press which exploded into flames soon after.
Carmen eventually reached the main printing press room to find it up in flames. It was clear that Sly had done his work, but maybe over did it a little.
"Carmen!" cried a voice and she turns to see said raccoon thief approaching her with his turtle companion close behind him.
"Way to derail a counterfeiting ring." Carmen said but then she noticed the bespectacled turtle in the tricked out wheelchair. "Wait…who's this?" Carmen asked.
"Okay quick introductions. Carmen Sandiego, Bentley. Bentley, Carmen Sandiego." Sly explained as best he could.
Carmen looked in genuine surprise, she was looking at one of the friends that her raccoon accomplice had told her about in his stories. But how he got here was a mystery to her and him. But right now that was the least of their problems.
"Okay explain later right now we need to get out of here." Carmen explained to the two thieves, suddenly they were interrupted by the sound of an electro blast that nearly hit them if Carmen and Sly didn't dodge them.
"HOLD IT RIGHT THERE!" Called a voice, Sly's eyes shrunk in surprise and turned to see a certain Inspector Fox at the other end of the corridor.
Carmelita saw her escaping red thief, but then her eyes shrank as she saw who she was with. "S…Sly?" She gasped.
"C..Carmelita?" Sly gasped in surprise. Bentley was just as shocked how the heck did Carmelita get here or even know what he and his accomplice were up to.
The two were speechless as they locked eyes. Carmelita eventually lowered her shock pistol and started running towards Sly and likewise he did the same. It looked like tears of joy were building in their eyes. They almost reached each other until.
BANG!" A large explosion from a wall in the hallway had blasted Sly and Carmelita away from each other and the hallway was caved in.
"Carmelita!" Sly cried as he ran to the wreckage and tried to clear away the rubble. He kept pulling away rubble but Carmen stopped him.
"Sly I'm sorry but we need to leave now!" Carmen tried.
"No I'm not leaving her behind!" Sly exclaimed.
"Sly we have no choice we need to get out of here before we're burned alive!" Bentley sadly agreed. "Don't worry this is Carmelita she'll find a way out!"
The raccoon thief didn't want to leave Carmelita behind, but at the same time if he stayed he'd put his teammates at risk and would leave the world wide open for VILE to exploit. With one consoling look from Carmen he had no choice.
"I'm sorry Carmelita." Sly said as he Bentley and the thief in red hurried out of the press room with the real money cart in hand towards the lift.
On the other side of the rubble Carmelita had just regained consciousness from the blast and saw the place was going up in flames. She knew she had to find a way out.
"I'll find you again ringtail." Carmelita vowed with a tear in her eye as she fled the scene.
The secret lift in the Casinos main office opened as the three thieves emerged from it and smoke was pouring up from the lift. Carmen looked around for any signs of a quick exit.
"We need to get out of here." Sly realised.
"This way!" Carmen said as the three headed out of the main office.
Bentley rolled on his wheel chair as fast as he could to keep up with them. They quickly pushed the cart through the hallway and down the stairs away from the main casino floor.
"Player please tell me Zack and Ivy are at rondevu." Carmen called Player.
"Yep in fact closer than you think." Player replied. This just had Carmen confused.
Through sneaking around they eventually exited the casino through the rear entrance to avoid being seen. Dawn was just beginning to break upon the riviera. However just then from out of nowhere a group of VILE agents appeared armed with crackle rods sparking with electricity. They were surrounded. Carmen handed Sly his cane and they stood in a battle stance whilst Bentley loaded his crossbow with one of his darts.
The agents closed in on them when all of a sudden came the sound of a revving engine and a La Cucaracha Horn sounding aloud. The raccoon thief's eyes widened as he recognised that sound anywhere. The agents and thieves turned to the source of the sound then crashing through the gardens was a rather large blue van which soared in the air and landed on the ground swerving in front of the thieves.
It was the Team Cooper Van. In the drivers seat was Murray himself. "Hey Sly! We found you!"
"Murray!" Sly exclaimed with joy. "Boy you're a sight for sour eyes!"
Carmen was even more surprised another of Sly's friends he talked about in his stories. More to her surprise he wasn't alone. The side door opened to reveal Zack and Ivy sitting in the back and the passengers seat.
"YAHHOO THAT WAS AWESOME MAN!" Zack cheered. But Ivy was a little dizzy but soon got over it.
But then her train of thought was interrupted by the sight of more VILE operatives arriving on the scene two of which were El Topo and Dash Haber all covered in soot. They were not very happy.
"Time we make tracks!" Ivy suggested and with no time to lose Carmen, Sly and Bentley hopped into the van with the money trolly and shut the door behind them.
"Hit it Murray!" Sly called.
"BUCKLE UP FOLKS!" Murray exclaimed as he put the van into gear and slammed on the accelerator pedal and the van surged forwards.
The van sped through the gardens twisting and swaying like it was being driven by a maniac. Not surprising seeing this was Murray at the wheel with his past demolition derby experiences.
"Look out!" Ivy cried as Murray swerved the van to avoid any of the plants or water feature as they blasted round the gardens to find a way out.
"Watch out for those trees!" Bentley warned. The van swerved around the palm trees then zoomed past the VILE agents and crashed through the side gates.
At the front entrance the people were coming in and out of the Casino but then out of nowhere the team van crashed through a wall startling everyone as it made a sharp turn and went down the road.
"UGH! I think I cracked my shell!" Bentley groaned as in the back of the van. Everyone found it tricky to stand up as they were being bounced around in the back.
At the building where El Topo arrived at the door opened to reveal Carmelita emerge from the building coughing given the exit she took. Suddenly she noticed the Cooper van zoom by the building. She ran out trying to catch them but they all but disappeared from view. She groaned in frustration. Suddenly she heard the sound of another vehicle approaching and she leaped out of the way. It was a black sports car being driven by Dash Haber whilst El Topo was in the passengers seat.
Carmelita honestly didn't know what was going on, but if they were after Sly it wasn't good. She had to act, she then noticed another car which was a grey jaguar.
The team van zoomed down the roads of Monte Carlo. Inside Sly was more than happy to see his partners in crime and childhood friends once again.
"Guys so good to see you!" Sly said glad to see them. "So what brings you to Monte Carlo?"
"You too pal we came to find you after what happened with Le Paradox." Murray explained.
"So Zack how did you and Ivy end up with Murray?" Sly then asked.
"Well funny thing we came across the Mole guy entering a building but some guys from VILE cornered us." Zack explained.
"We would've been toast if hippo boy here hadn't dropped in. I gotta say Sly your friend has a way of making an entrance." Ivy added.
"Hey catch up time later!" Carmen called getting their attention. She looked to the rear view mirror. "We got a tail!"
The group looked and saw they were being followed by a rather ticked off El Topo and Dash Haber. Sly then looked to his hippo get away driver. "Murray think you can shake a tail?!"
"I've been shaking it all night long chum!" Murray said.
"Not your booty the tail!" Carmen clarified.
(Music plays: Born to be wild)
"You got it!" Murray floored the accelerator pedal and the van zoomed through the streets of Monaco with Haber and El Topo close behind them.
They zoomed down the narrow and hilly streets of the city. Haber drove along side the van and leaned out of the drivers window and pulled off his hat sharpening its razor blades. He tossed it at the escaping gang and it just caught the bonnet.
"AW COME ON I JUST WAXED THAT!" Murray exclaimed. "NO ONE HARMS THE MURRAYS BABY!"
Murray rammed the side of the car with his van then and zoomed away nearly knocking Haber off balance. He slipped back in and retook the wheel chasing the van wound around the ever twisting roads. Then all of a sudden there was a barrier ahead. Carmen and Ivy saw the barrier.
"Heads up road block!" Carmen cried.
"Not to me it isn't!" Murray smirked as the van crashed straight through it. Suddenly they found themselves on the Monaco race track.
"Wait we're on the race track!" Zack cried. "Awesome! This is like a scene from Rouge Vendetta seven!"
The van raced down the track with the VILE agents close behind they power slided round the corner of Portier and raced through the tunnel the engine noises echoed everywhere. They came out the other side and as they went down the straight the van soared into the air and landed with a bump shaking up everyone in the back. Murray then shifted gears and hit the breaks performing a power slide around a corner then zoomed forwards and crashed into another barrier leaving the track and onto the high hills of the riviera.
The two VILE agents were catching up. So Carmen decided to change tactics. "Take this turn!" She called and Murray made the turn swerving round the corner as they headed up the twisting turning roads.
The VILE operatives were slowed down but suddenly someone rammed into them. Dash and El Topo looked and saw it was a humanoid fox driving a grey jaguar. "Not today criminals!" Carmelita exclaimed as she rammed into them again.
Far ahead as the Van zoomed round a corner Ivy looked back and saw the silver car behind the one pursuing them. "Hey who's that?" Ivy asked and Sly looked out of the rear windows and saw it was a certain fox lover of his.
"Its Carmelita!" He said seeing she was trying to slow the VILE operatives down.
"Wow she is an angry driver?" Carmen realised.
"Yep she's kinda cute when she's angry just like Ivy." Sly agreed.
"Don't push your luck raccoon boy." Ivy warned.
Carmelita kept ramming to the side of Dash and Topo. Eventually had enough of this tailgater. So Dash took off his head and tossed it out the window with its blade spinning. Carmelita ducked from the attack as it sliced the font window support pillar then it returned like a boomerang and struck one of the wheels as it slashed the tires causing Carmelita to spin out of control.
She was forced to jump and abandon it as she jumped the car swerved off the road and tumbled down the mountain side. Carmelita was safe as she watched the bladed hat return to its owner and the car disappeared from view.
Far ahead the two VILE Operatives had managed to catch up to the Cooper team van Haber smirked knowing they were closing in whilst El Topo was getting a little car sick. They were soon neck and neck with the van.
"Man these guys don't give up!" Murray realised.
"Yeah they're that kind of people." Ivy said.
"Uh I hate to rain on everyones parade but theres worse to come!" Bentley then said looking at his tablet and holo console.
"Whats worse?" Zack asked.
"The fact theres a sharp turn up ahead that we'll reach in 12.5 seconds! We won't make it in time." Bentley explained.
"Uh Bentley are you saying…" Sly said much to Carmens worry.
"Theres a cliff!" Ivy was right dead ahead of them was a sharp turn ahead that overlooked a cliff side with the view of the Rivera in sight. However Murray didn't slow down he just kept pushing forwards.
"Uh Murray!" Bentley panicked.
"Slow down what are you doing!" Carmen cried.
"Just setting up for the jump!" Murray smirked as he floored the accelerator and shifted gears.
"WHAT!" They all cried.
As they got closer and closer El Topo saw the sharp turn ahead. "Mi Amigo theres a cliff ahead!" Dash looked ahead and saw it was a cliff and panicked as he swerved the car to a stop. However he looked and saw the van wasn't stopping but still speeding forwards.
"Have they lost their minds?!" Haber exclaimed.
The van got closer and closer and everyone panicked Bentley and Ivy clung to each other screaming whilst Zack braced himself in his seat screaming Sly just held onto the drivers seat while Carmen held the passenger seat tightly.
"MURRRRRAYYYYYYY!" Bentley and Sly screamed as the van sped right off the cliff side in slow motion. It was like something out of a Fast and Furious movie.
The van soared in the air then began falling down from the sky with everyone screaming and floating from the zero gravity. Murray quickly pulled on a cord in the centre of the roof then outside large parachutes emerged from the roof and stopped the van mid air and it slowly began gliding across the air currents.
"Welcome to Air Murray thanks for flying." Murray said mot even noticing everyone was frozen in shock.
Bentley and Ivy were still clinging to each other, she had his glasses and hat on whilst Bentley had Sly's cap on. Sly was frozen in shock with Carmens hat on his head whilst the thief in red herself was frozen with a blank stare Zack was frozen in place with a dropped jaw.
"Well…thats one way to shake a tail." Carmen said.
"Yeah, thats Murray." Sly said taking her hat off.
"That was…AWESOME!" Zack yelled excitedly. "Way to bring the cavalry!"
"Pal. The Murray is the cavalry!" Murray said flexing his muscles.
"Just tell me when we're back on solid ground." Bentley said trembling.
"Ditto." Ivy agreed who was practically shaking in shock.
Murray decided to change the subject. "So Sly who the heck were those guys?" He asked.
"Boy have I got a story to tell you guys." Sly said as the van glided down in the sunshine views of the riviera.
(Music ends)
Dash Haber and El Topo just watched as they saw the van glide down back to the ground. They were both taken by surprise. "Thats got to be the craziest driver I've ever seen." El Topo said.
"Oh boy the Faculty will never believe this." Dash agreed scratching his head.
Far below on the mountain roads Carmelita saw the Copper team van gliding in the air down to the city below. She smirked. But at the same time she wondered about his new accomplice in red who was she? She needed to find answers. She was just about to find a vehicle when suddenly. A puff of blue gas hit her dead in the face.
"What the…" She choked but then suddenly passed out and collapsed into the arms of a certain male agent in black. With his partner Agent Zari.
"Chief, we lost Cooper and Sandiego." Agent Zari said. "But we may have something just as important." She looked at the unconscious Foxy Interpol officer.
Later: Hill views of Monaco:
The following morning, the Cooper team van was now parked on one of the mountain views over looking Monaco. After everyone recovered from the narrowing car chase Sly, Bentley and Murray all shared an emotional hug.
"Sly its really you! I'm dreaming aren't I?" Murray said balling up in tears as he hugged Sly rather tight.
"No Murray, you're not dreaming." Sly chuckled as he patted his hippo friend on the back.
After this reunion Sly then told his friends all about what happened after the battle with Le Paradox how he first met Carmen, Zack, Ivy and Player. He even told them all he was told about V.I.L.E and the many capers they've been on to stop them. After this they waited for Murray and Bentleys response.
"So let me see if I have this right." Bentley said. "After your fight with Le Paradox you ended up falling through a dimensional vortex, meeting another thief who has a passion for red clothing is stealing stolen things from a major crime syndicate who she trained from but then left after finding out their intentions."
"Yep thats the sum of it Bentley." Sly nodded.
"Wow Sly you really have been busy." Murray said.
"Yep leave it to you to get tangled in your usual amount of trouble while you were gone." Bentley chuckled amusingly. Sly just gave an awkward chuckle as he shook his head. He then looked to Carmen who stepped forwards looking at his gang.
"Murray Bentley, allow me to introduce Carmen Sandiego. Carmen this is Bentley and Murray." Sly introduced.
"So this is the Cooper gang I've heard so much about." Carmen said rather impressed. "I've gotta say you defiantly live up to the stories I've heard."
"A pleasure Mrs Sandiego." Bentley said offering his hand for a handshake which Carmen accepted. "Sorry for not rising legs haven't been the same since a little mishap with a hate fuelled mechanical owl."
"So I've been told." Carmen understood.
"Whoa check this out!" The group then turned to see Zack and Ivy looking over the Cooper team van.
Ivy had the bonnet up to check out the engine. "Whoa twin turbos, jacked up carburettors, supped injectors. This things built to tear up anything in its path."
"Sis I hate to say this." Zack said looking over the van. "But I think this could give our racer a run for its money. I mean check out this paint job!"
"You said it bro." Ivy agreed.
"And these two are Zack and his sister Ivy. Reds muscle and get away driver." Sly introduced.
"I know my baby is one sweet ride." Murray said humbled. "Built her from my own two hands."
"Well you got the skills to drive this beauty pal, so where'd you learn to drive like that?" Ivy asked.
"Oh years of practice at being a getaway driver since our first caper, not to mention some time on the racing circuit." Murray explained.
"You were a racer?" Zack said amazed.
"Stock van class and demolition derby remain undefeated." Murray said proudly.
"Hah ha I love this guy Ivy!" Zack chuckled.
Just then Player chimed in on Bentleys tablet screen which appeared on his wheel chair. "Hey guys I see you've all met now." Player called.
"So Player how'd you find these guys?" Carmen asked.
"Well somehow someone hacked my system and then this guy appeared. He said he was a friend of Sly's but I couldn't be sure." Player explained.
"Yes but after a lengthly conversation between minds we soon came to an understanding and Player here could see I was here to help." Bentley explained. "And with his help we were able to shut down the security to the printing press room and stop any further money coming down the cute."
"Yeah but the arrival of your girlfriend was unexpected." Carmen said.
"Yeah, there is that I suppose." Sly said.
Carmen could see that Sly was both glad his girlfriend was now in the same world with him. But at the same time he was a little saddened at leaving her behind. "You okay?" She asked with a hand on his shoulder.
"Yeah I'm fine. Besides knowing Carmelita it won't be long before we meet again." Sly said smiling.
Carmen smiled at Sly's optimism but then a thought crossed her mind. "If your still sticking around that is."
This had gotten Sly's attention. "I mean your friends are here now which means theres a way for you to get home now, so well…"
"Hey." Sly interrupted her. "I'm not the kind of thief that leaves just like that, when I'm on a job no matter where I am I see it through. And I can't really go back home knowing the kind of trouble VILE could cause." He placed a hand on his partners shoulder. "Besides…I'm with you till the end of the line Red."
Carmen couldn't believe it despite there now being a way for the raccoon thief to return home. He was still committed to helping her against VILE. She did have to admire his dedication and likewise Sly admired hers he was beginning to grow fond of Carmen and he was to her.
"But…" He then said. "Now it's a package deal you want to keep me around. You take my gang too." He gestured to Bentley and Murray.
"Hes right Carm I mean we could use their help." Ivy agreed.
"Yeah these guys have the skills to pay the bills." Zack agreed.
"Plus having an extra hacker on hand would be useful for future jobs." Player added.
Carmen smiled already knowing her answer. "As far as I'm concerned they're already a part of this crew. And your right Sly. With Paper Star and this latest caper it proves VILE has been getting smarter so we need to be ready for it." She said. "Bentley Murray, you in?"
The two friends looked at each other. They could tell they were both thinking the same thing. They had come here to bring Sly home but they saw that he was dedicated to helping the thief in red bring down this VILE. Plus with Carmelita missing they couldn't very well leave her here and knowing their leader so well when he sets his mind on something he never quits.
"Well someones gonna have to watch out for this guy the next time he gets cornered. So it might as well be us. We're in." Bentley said.
"Well boys welcome aboard." Carmen smiled.
"AW YEAH THE COOPER GANG IS BACK BABY!" Murray cheered and everyone shared a laugh especially Sly who was the happiest of all knowing his family was together again.
"Oh and Sly." Bentley then said as he moved his robotic chair hands to the back of the wheel chair and pulled something out of a compartment. It was a book. But not just any book. This had the emblem of the Cooper clan on it and atop it were gold and blue letters that read.
"The Thievious Raccoonus?" Sly said in surprise.
"Yeah brought it with us just in case." Bentley said.
"No way! Thats the book of thieves in Sly's family! Awesome!" Zack cheered in delight as Carmen took it from Bentley who with Slys nod of assurance let her have it.
She opened the book and saw a lot of history behind Sly's family. Zack and Ivy were instantly taken in reading the book Sly just looked with a knowing smile. That things were about to get a lot more interesting.
Slys P.O.V
"So yeah, things may not have gone exactly by the book, we managed to get the real money back and VILEs counterfeiting scheme was down the drain."
Soon outside a government building the money trolly containing the real money stolen from both the people and the casino lay outside. Much to the surprise of the local police. Later Bentley used a laser from his wheel chair to destroy the original counterfeiting plates so VILE couldn't use them again.
"So we dropped off the stolen money with the cops who returned it to the casino, and then disposed of the stolen counterfeit plates….."
Soon the gang were in the bleachers at the Monaco race track watching the number of race cars zoom by in the race. Murray wearing a disguise of a black jacket, blue jeans and white shoes with sunglasses cheered on the racing event with Zack and Ivy. Bentley was wearing a disguise of a blue shirt with glasses and a moustache. They were blending in.
"After that we took a couple of days off, and enjoyed the Monaco grand prix, even took in some sun on the beaches. But I was still worried about Carmelita, does this mean I have a chance to make things right with her. Well knowing her it'll only be a matter of time before we cross paths again."
The crew held their hands in a stack then they all appeared in a group shot suited up in their thief's gear. " And with my gang now with Carmens crew our team would never be the same. VILE better watch out."
End of Sly's POV
Isle of VILE:
In a corner of Dr Bellum's lab a lonely figure in the shadows was looking at a video recording on the monitor. It was footage of the Cooper team van racing down one of the streets from one of the speed cameras. It showed Carmen, Sly, Murray, Bentley, Zack and Ivy inside it.
The figure let out a sinister chuckle. "Heheh so looks like the gangs all here….good." The figure moved closer to the light.
It revealed him to be a humanoid muscular purple furred mandrill monkey with blue gloves, pants and a white lab coat. On his head he had what appeared to be a metal interface device of some kind. This was an enemy that Sly and Bentley thought was long since dead.
"…Because now I can finally be rid of those who robbed me of the treasure I rightfully deserved! Wait until they get a load of me." Dr M chuckled in the lab knowing that he would now have his chance at revenge.
Authors notes: DUN DUN DUN! Well as most of you theorised already, the mysterious lab partner of Dr Bellum is none other than Dr M. The explanation of what brought him into the company of Isle of VILE will come in later chapters. Also now the Cooper Gang is united once again, and have instantly joined Carmens crew as muscle and field hacker to help Player.
I'm sure many of you can guess what references I used in this and I chose Monte Carlo/Monaco for this chapter since its the kind of location to feature in the canon series and yes Carmen now knows the moves of some of Sly's ancestors thanks to the training session in New York and she may learn more now with a certain book in play. But what will become of Carmelita now she's in the hands of a certain secret secret service. All will be revealed next chapter where the expanded Cooper & Sandiego Gang land in San Fransisco for a little stamp collecting.