*Sly POV*
Getting inside a world-class vault would take a team of world-class thieves, a group of specialists, each member contributing their own particular talent. It was clear that we needed Murray back. Not only was I missing a lifelong friend, but his brute strength helped get us out of more than a few scrapes in the past.
Ever since Murray left, we've received word that he's been studying an ancient mystical art known as 'Dreamtime' from an Aboriginal Guru. From all accounts, things went pretty well, and his teacher even sent him on a walkabout to locations all over the globe to complete the training. Latest reports have sighted Murray in beautiful Venice, Italy, but what he's doing there is a mystery. Thankfully, the prison we visited McSweeny in just so happened to be in Italy.
However, I'm quite worried about the local mob boss residing there; Don Octavio. Growing up, he used to be a real celebrity in the neighborhood. Everyone loved to hear him sing Opera and said he was destined for greatness. Sadly, just as his career was starting to take off, musical tastes changed. Suddenly, it was all about Rock & Roll, and nobody wanted to listen to opera anymore.
He held onto a few loyal fans, and it was these mobsters that took him into "The Business." We knew heading onto his turf was dangerous, but worth it for a chance to make things right with Murray.
After finding the part of Venice where Murray had last been reported being seen, the Cooper Gang made a Safehouse out of an abandoned building by one of the bridges. Ben even ordered pizza so they didn't go hungry.
"Given Murray's criminal past with us, maybe we should check out the Venetian police station? If he's not already in prison, they should have profiles on all the thugs in Venice." Bentley said with a worried frown as he typed on his computer.
"Then that's where we'll go. Come on, guys!" Ben said as he, Sly, and Neyla all headed out before making their way to a large dome that was pretty hard to miss.
"That massive dome marks the Venetian police station."
Sly smirked. "Cops 'round here really like to make an impression."
Bentley shook his head on the other end. "I'm afraid it's a losing battle. Don Octavio runs the show in this neighborhood. It's his security forces patrolling the streets, not the cops."
"Let's just focus on getting inside," Neyla said before her trained eyes saw the top of the building. "And I think I might have just found it."
Ben then aimed his bionic arm and fired a powerful Hookshot from the palm, which wenched into the flagpole and allowed him to pull himself, Sly, and Neyla to the top. They then snuck in through the vent system and into the cell block.
"Hey, Murray?... Is that you?" Sly whispered, trying not to alert any guards that might be in the area.
"Murray? That name's a stain on my pants, bro..." Said a familiar voice before a lanky figure stepped out of the shadows, revealing none other than Dimitri.
"Cooper...and the Joker Boy and Crackerbox Cat. You all got some fuzzy dice to come around here."
"It's good to see you too, Dimitri. Sorry if I was a little rough with you back in Paris all those months ago." Neyla frowned.
Dimitri narrowed his eyes. "Looking for Main Man Murray, eh? Sorry...But I'd rather see the Fiesty Feline get busted big time! GUARDS! POLIZIA!"
"Stop!" Ben said as he put his hand through the bars and covered Dimitri's mouth, thankfully, none of the guards were alerted. "If you bust us, who's gonna get you out?"
Dimitri frowned as Ben removed his hand from him. "You might get this cell door open, but the cops would throw down and bust me on the way out, and then I'll get the double sentence, grief!"
"Well, how about this? We go get your door unlocked, then we distract the coppers and they chase us outside. You should be able to escape during the chaos," Neyla said as Sly and Ben nodded in approval.
"Now THAT'S a plan I can get behind!" Dimitri said with a smile. "Dimitri is free and Kitty is cooked! Key for Cell is in head cop lady's office." Neyla sighing at that last bit.
"Listen, Dimitri, if we ever see each other again we can start over. Not as members of the Klaww Gang, but as thieves with benefits, perhaps?"
"Get me out of here and I'll find Murray no sweat. Just stay down low and out of sight near them coppers, bros. They're a bad bunch of bunnies." Dimitri warned as Ben, Sly, and Neyla nodded, going invisible and sneaking through the room full of police officers, who were being shown a presentation of the situation going on in Venice by Carmelita herself.
"Well, well, seems Old Ironside has got quite the boys on her side this time." Neyla chuckled as Ben held a finger to his lips.
"Less talking, more sneaking."
Sly soon ducked under a table and got into Carmelita's Office, finding the key to Dimitri's cell before crawling back outside, rejoining Ben and Neyla as they were listening to Carmelita's presentation.
"Let's get back to business, now, where was I?... Oh, right, also, we seem to have some leads to the Cooper Gang. They're also on their way here, so keep your wits sharp about them too. Especially the members in Neyla, Phantom Joker, and Sly Cooper. They have tons of impressive abilities."
"I feel so flattered."
The trio made their way back to Dimitri's cell and used the key to open the lock before Ben opened up his palm and three spider-like appendages came out of it, connecting to the rotation lock and doing intricate twists to get the door completely open.
"How'd you get that bling-bling Robo-arm, Benny-Boy?" Dimitri asked as Ben winced.
"Clockwerk bit it off before we destroyed him once and for all. Don't worry, I've been managing."
"Especially since Bentley put all those wonderful toys in it." Sly playfully said as Neyla looked away, still feeling rather guilty about being the catalyst that led to Ben losing his limb and Bentley being crippled in the first place.
"Okay, enough reminiscing about painful memories. It's time to get the cops chasing after us. You get to find where Murray is." Ben said to Dimitri.
"Solid. Don't worry no mind, Straightway I'll pass word for Murray to find you. Meet at Rialto Bridge, Big Italian landmark."
The trio nodded, absorbing the information before Sly spoke. "Okay...guess it's showtime."
Ben, Sly, and Neyla headed out into the presentation room and proceeded to get Carmelita and her guards' attention the only way they knew how.
"Hello, assorted meatheads!...And lady~." Sly said as he wiggled his eyebrows at Carmelita.
"You guys must be so high-strung being cooped up in here! What say we go for a jog?" Ben asked as he began running in place.
"Hey, Old Ironside. Missed me?" Neyla asked as Carmelita glowered at the trio when she noticed them.
"You three?! Grab them, men!" Carmelita yelled as she and her forces chased the trio out the door and out to the water's edge, stopping at the pier.
"You've got some serious nerve showing up in my squad room."
"I was afraid we were growing apart. Haven't seen each other for a while after all." Sly smiled.
"Then why don't we spend some quality time together? You, me, and a pair of handcuffs wrapped around your wrist and connected to mine?" Carmelita asked in her own snarky attitude/
"OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!" Ben laughed as Neyla giggled behind her hand.
"Wow, Carmelita. Since when did you get so straight and to the point?"
"I know, so forward," Sly said, smirking. "What happened to the demure girl I used to know?"
Carmelita just rolled her eyes. "She grew up and stopped taking grief from guys like you."
"'Guys like me'? Are you saying I've got some competition for your affections?" Sly asked in a fake incredulous tone.
"I hope it isn't me! I'm already with Neyla!" Ben said as he wrapped his regular arm around her waist, causing the Tigeress to purr in delight as her tail wrapped around his waist playfully.
Carmelita just scoffed and resumed the chase with her guards, who all had jetpacks and were armed with Ultimax 100 Light Machine Guns loaded with Explosive Rounds. Despite the heavy artillery, the trio outclassed them in speed and agility, running across the waters on the small points and ropes until they finally got to the bridge.
It was there that Murray leaped out of a manhole cover. He was wearing Dreamtime makeup over his eyes and a short yellow cape along with a bone necklace and a headdress.
"Greetings old..." Murray was about to say before he noticed Carmelita out the corner of his eye. "INSPECTOR FOX?! Man, you're in it again!"
"This is gonna suck!" Ben said as he cannonballed down the open manhole, Sly, Neyla, and Murray jumping after him together and closing the lid behind them.
"You better take a shower the next time we meet up, Cooper!" Carmelita said before addressing Neyla. "And as for you 'Constable' Neyla, keep hiding in the sewers like the RAT you are!"
Neyla heard Carmelita's words directed at her and sighed, feeling a hand on her shoulder from Ben, who gave her a reassuring nod before they continued on their way and climbed out of another manhole cover by the side of a large and colorful Ferris Wheel.
"Thanks for the quick escape, Murray. We owe you one... Again." Sly said as Murray nodded with a smile.
"Of course, searchers, we are all in need of peace."
"Wow, you're really into the Dreamtime gig, huh?" Ben asked.
"My mind is clear. Like the woodland after a forest fire."
Ben placed his bionic hand on his Hippo friends' shoulder. Murray looked at it with a deep sadness in his eyes as the human boy spoke.
"Murray, we need you back with the gang. The thing with me and Bentley, it wasn't your fault. We don't blame you for the arm or the wheelchair."
"Sorry, Ben, I walk a different path. My Guru, in his wisdom, told me to lose myself and not return until the black water ran pure, so here I stay."
Neyla snorted. "You sure he didn't tell you to get lost and not come back until you've cleaned out the water filter?"
"Come on! I'm on a real Spirit Quest here!" Murray barked, not appreciating Neyla's tone.
"Well, what if you could help us peacefully? You wouldn't need to hurt a fly." Ben suggested as Murray hummed, rubbing his chin.
"I can totally do that! What do you need me to do, old buddy?"
"First, come back to the Safehouse with us," Sly said with a fond look in his eyes. "We miss you, big guy."
Murray looked a little hesitant but the reassuring look in both Sly and Bens' eyes won him over. "Alright, I'll do it. But I'm sure you want to also hear about my training, right?"
"Maybe it could give us some help in the long run, big boy." Neyla said with her arms folded and a friendly smirk on her face.
"Alright! It's a long and awesome story...you got any gum?"
Ben opened a small slot in the index finger of his bionic arm and pulled out three strips of watermelon-strawberry gum for him, Sly, and Neyla as Murray told them the tales of his Dreamtime training with his Guru.
When Murray arrived at the Safehouse with the Trio, Bentley immediately wheeled over and hugged his friend, just glad to see him again. After some manly tears were shed, Bentley got down on working on the plan.
"Okay, according to what I've been able to decipher from the meeting Carmelita had with her mercenaries, we can safely assume that Don Octavio is the one responsible for the tar pollution in the city. As we are all non-law operatives, we can get directly involved. First, Sly, Ben, and I will break into Octavio's opera house and snoop around for any kind of evidence. Meanwhile, Neyla will try to tail the Don as he makes his way through town. Some incriminating photos of his crimes in progress should be enough to lock him in the clink. But other than that, I've intercepted a call from Octavio's men. They plan on sending out the Blue Viper gondola gang to attack Carmelita during her midday patrol of the waters. So when it gets to that time, me, Sly, and Ben will go after them to prevent any harm coming to Carmelita."
"The Blue Vipers?! Those guys are nasty!" Sly exclaimed, worry for Carmelita gripping his heart as Ben opened up a compartment in his bionic arm that revealed a digital clock that told the time of the day in the area.
"Man, I love all the features you put in this arm, Bents. Alright, we all have our assignments." Ben then turned to Murray. "Don't worry, Murray. The black water will run pure soon enough!"
"Thanks, guys. I really appreciate it." The Hippo Beastkin smiled.
"Alright boys, let's get to work." Neyla said as the group went to do their assigned jobs.
Next Time: Pure Waters!
The Cooper Gang head to their assigned jobs in order to stop Don Octavia's evil schemes and free Venice from his iron grip!