Master of Thieves
Chapter 2: The Gang's Resolve
At the warehouse district, a female Vixen is investigating a possible illegal drug exchange: She wore a red collar with the Interpol logo attached, a purple shirt underneath an Interpol-branded jacket, purple tight pants, and black boots. She then gripped her trusty Shock Pistol in her paws tight, leering her eyes at the door, thinking "I'm certain this is where the exchange will take place… Just gotta make sure they make the exchange, or they'll be out of there before I can even make an arrest."
She then silently approached the warehouse door and peered into the small window, witnessing masked thugs wielding semi-auto rifles, with one carrying a duffel bag over his shoulder. Carmelita then shifted her gaze to the other end, witnessing 2 mafia bodyguards, holding briefcases, approaching the thug with the duffel bag. A few moments later, a stout rat with shifty eyes came into view and did some talking with the head thug, before they shook in agreement.
Seeing her cue, Carmelita aimed her shock pistol towards a Fuse Box and shot it, resulting in the electric roller doors slamming shut and the auto skylights closed, rendering visibility inside the warehouse in just a few feet. There was confused pattering, thugs bumping into one another, when Carmelita entered the warehouse through the fire door; when it slammed shut, the thugs pointed their guns at the door, realising that someone caught wind of the deal. Before they even took a step forward, they were immediately immobilised by jolts of lightning, including the mafia bodyguards and client.
Carmelita then stood out of the shadows into a ray of light and called for backup, wearing a triumphant smirk as she did. She then had a call from dispatch, requiring her to return to HQ immediately for a possible lead to Sly's disappearance. Her eyes widened in shock as there's finally a clue as to where and when Sly might've gone to, so she left the warehouse and sped to Interpol.
She then parked her vehicle in her space, before rushing inside the HQ to the Computer Labs. She then formally greeted Inspector Barkley, who gestured her to look at the computer screen; she then assessed the screen and inquired "Inspector Barkley, I hope you don't mind my inquiry, but why is this important to Sly's disappearance?" Inspector Barkley then replied "Firstly, I'm well aware on how close you and Cooper are and I understand on your willingness to take the case; secondly, a curious individual came in the lobby earlier today, which connects to an eyewitness account at the Information Centre just this morning."
Her interest peaked, she assessed the computer screen more closely, before her eyes widened at the results: It was a partial DNA match, with only 12% to a perfect match. She then took a colourised printed copy and went to the door, when Barkley shouted "Inspector! Where do you think you're bolting off to?" Carmelita then replied in a hurry "Cooper Gang!" She then rushed out of the computer lab, much to Barkley's mixed expression of annoyance and amusement, muttering under his breath "Of course…"
Meanwhile, in the downtown area, Terry is looking for directions to a place that accepts tenants, when he sees the same female echidna walking along the sidewalk, with her purse on her shoulder and using her cane. Terry waved at the echidna with a smile, who waved at him back, when her purse was snatched by a thief; as she cried at the thief "Thief! Give the old lady her purse back!"
The thief sprinted through the crowd, who was suddenly tackled onto the ground and the purse was pried from his paws, before Terry said after restraining him "Dumb move, pal…" He then hoisted the thief onto his feet, before he gave the purse back to the echidna, who praised him for his kindness. He then passed the thief to an officer, who handcuffed the thief, before he turned his head to thank Terry, but was surprised to see him gone so suddenly.
A few blocks away, Terry stopped and looked around, realising he's in a partly run-down part of the city; he looked around the block, until he saw a sweet looking van, unaware it was the Cooper Van itself. Terry then saw a sign on the window next to the van that said 'Tenant Wanted; Rent will be discussed personally."
Terry then peered into the window and didn't hear nor see any movement inside; he then reached into his duffel bag and got out a diary and a pen, before he wrote down 'Looking for place to stay; Will come back by 9. T-' He then ripped and folded the paper containing the note, before slipping it in the window. He then checked his watch and saw it was 1pm already; seeing he's got plenty of time left, he decided to take in the sights of the city.
Elsewhere, at the Arc de Triomphe, Carmelita was waiting on the bench impatiently for Bentley and Murray after calling them on her Binocucom to meet her here ASAP, when she finally saw them emerging from a group of tourists. Carmelita leaned back her head and sighed in relief, before she scolded "You took your time, you guys! I've got something urgent to share with you!" Murray made a neutral shrug, before he and Bentley approached her; Bentley then asked Carmelita "May I ask, what kind of urgent information you got that you can't discuss on the Binocucuom?"
Carmelita then grabbed the printed DNA Comparison File from her pocket and gave it to Bentley; with a brow raised, Bentley took the paper from Carmelita and looked at the page, before his other brow raised in astonishment. Bentley then said "Is this…?" Carmelita replied "I couldn't believe it either... I mean, there was a suspicion person report at the information centre just this morning with the witness describing the suspect that looks like Sly, yet he requested at HQ a DNA comparison." Murray then looked at the printed DNA comparison, before he said "We saw him just exiting the Diner, but we initially thought he was Sly."
Carmelita looked up at the two, before she gives it a good think over; she then replied "Is there a record in the book consisting of the probability of relatives from one of his ancestors?" Bentley drummed his fingers on his knees: he looked through the Thievius Raccoonus in the past four months, in case there was an inconsistent page that'll lead to where Sly has ended up, but he didn't pay attention to the relatives. Bentley then said finally "We should have a look…" Carmelita and Murray nodded, before they went to the Hideout, just missing Terry as he was arriving at the Arc de Triomphe to sightsee.
Minutes later, Bentley unlocked the door to the hideout, when he saw a slip of paper land on his lap by the sudden draft. Murray noticed it too and asked "Bentley… You don't think…?" Bentley unfolded the slip and read the note, before replied with his brows widened "Uh, definitely." Carmelita then took the note from Bentley's grip and read the note, when Bentley hurried to the Cooper Vault and grabbed the Thievius Raccoonus from the pedastel; he then wheeled hurriedly to the desk and flipped through the pages until he came upon Thaddeus Cooper's portion in the book.
Carmelita then said after re-reading Terry's note for the 5th time "Even if there isn't any mention of a splintered relative from his ancestors, I don't think he's planning of leaving Paris anytime soon." Bentley then replied in a flat tone "That's because there's a page missing… Look." Carmelita and Murray looked at the book and saw a straight cut near the book's spine; Murray and Bentley still recalls helping Sly recovering the pages from the book, but the way this page was cut, it was definitely not made by any former member of the Fiendish Five. Carmelita then noted "We should find him… if there's even the slightest chance he's a family member of Sly's, then we will need his help." Murray then replied "That's great, Carmelita, but the city itself is large, so he could be anywhere; we don't even know what he's doing right now."
Back at the diner, Terry swung by and greeted the waitress, who said with her tail swaying slowly in interest "Hi, cutiepie. I was thinking about you…" Terry bared his teeth with a smile and chuckled softly, before he replied "That's rather flattering…" The Opossum Waitress made an endearing leer at Terry, before she asked "So, what can I get ya, honey?" Terry then ordered a Chicken and Mayo sandwich, much to the Waitress' delight; she then gestured him to the same booth he was in earlier, before she retreated to the kitchen.
No sooner when he sat down, the waitress came back, wearing her casual clothes: She wore an olive plaid shirt over a white singlet, a blue/pink checkered skirt, black stocking and a pair of shiny black strap shoes with a pair of white ankle socks. She held in her left paw a Chicken and Mayo Sandwich in a triangular plastic container, before she sat in the opposing seat and gave one half of the sandwich to Terry. Terry was blushing when he saw the waitress' casual clothing, before he blankly took the sandwich piece while still blushing, much to the waitress' delight. Terry then made a weak smile, before they ate their sandwich pieces as the waitress looked at him in desire.
When Terry made another bite in the sandwich, the waitress asked "So, you came here to Paris as a tourist?" Terry shook his head as he chewed on his bite; the waitress then asked again "Or a vacation? Honestly, the City of Love is one of the best places to take one." Again, Terry shook his head, before he swallowed his bite; the waitress then asked, tilting her head with a curious look "Well, if neither option is the reason you're here, then what is?" Terry then replied, seeing that the waitress is interested about him "Well… I'm looking to find my distant cousin… though considering what animal I am, you can hazard a guess." The waitress gave it a good thought, before she replied "Unless I'm mistaken… it'd be a… Sly Cooper?"
Terry nodded at the waitress, although wondered if she'd be disgusted if she knows he's a relative to the famous Cooper Clan; to his surprise, the waitress flexed her fingers and looked at Terry with increased interest and added "Well, that's mighty interesting, cutie-pie." Terry then felt relieved from the response, before he muttered "It's Terry…" The waitress then inquired "I beg your pardon?" Terry then repeated a little louder "My name… My name is Terry." The waitress widened her eyes a little, before they calmed and she replied "That's a mighty fine name. Mine's Pearl."
She then held her palm out, before Terry gently shook her palm in a genuine smile; Pearl blushed when she felt Terry's palm shaking hers gently. They then finished their sandwiches, glancing at one another with each bite, before Pearl asked "So, what you planning to do this evening?" Terry then replied "Well, I haven't got a clue… I suppose I can go to a club or something, have a good time…" Pearl gave it a thought, before she replied in a cunning smile "I know just the place…"