Hey everyone,
So this chapter is going to be divided. The first half is going to be full of humor, the second half will be less pleasant. Basically we are first going to have fun with the Cooper Gang and them getting used to Carmelita being part of the team and then we are going to cover Michael and him starting on keeping an eye on Barkley. And he is NOT going to like what he sees when he turns his security eye on that badger-dog.
Let's do this,

Venquine1990

Chapter 14
Fun and Trouble

24th of June 2007
Cooper Hide Out
Carmelita's POV

Warmth engulfs me from all sides. A soft sense of warmth covers me from the top and some kind of fluid warmth covers me from below. My head is also surrounded in various shapes that all seem to offer comfort and support. All together I have never felt warmer, softer and more pleasant and well-rested as I feel myself slowly waking up. Normally, as I blink, the sight of a strange foreign wall would instantly alert me.
But as I groggily look around, my mind slowly restarts itself and I remember everything that happened the other day. How I woke up in the shop belonging to the Madam Urmila, how I dressed myself in my new work outfit, how I pretended to be a statue, how Sly Cooper treated me like a goddess both while I was pretending and after, how I had my interview with precious little Darcy and how my family and Bentley found out about everything Barkley put me through the past two years. And finally one thought completes it all.

"I'm part of the Cooper Gang now. I'm the second new member to their team, besides Guru. I need to get up so I can gather my things and then head for the homes of the others. I need to use today to prepare us all for our change of work and lifestyle." Yet for the first time in almost three years, I don't feel the same physical drive and need as there is behind my thoughts. Instead I just want to close my eyes and continue enjoying the comfort of my new bed.
I grimace and mutter: "Come on, Fox. Your new team needs you. You need to do this so you can be with your family again. Get out of bed, for them." And while I remind myself that I can just enjoy this bed from now on whenever I feel like it as it's mine now, I push off the comforter and get out. I instantly feel slightly filthy as I realize I don't have clean underwear with me. Yet I just grab my jacket and boots and head out.

"JIKES!" A loud voice shouts from besides me and I fight down on a yelp of my own as I turn my head. I notice Murray with his hand on his chest as he says: "Goodness, I'm going to have to get used to you being here, Carmelita. I saw you come out of that room and for a second I thought you were about to arrest me or something." I rub the back of my head as I say: "Sorry about that, big guy. I was just heading for the bathroom."
Murray has calmed down and smiles at me as he says: "Just give it a few days, Carmelita. Before you know it, you'll be as close to the team as the rest of us." Yet at this I can't help but giggle and ask: "Aren't I already that close to Sly?" Murray laughs back and says: "Good point. You've always had a special place in Sly's heart, ever since the day you guys met." I giggle along and then ask: "Fourth door on the right, right?"

Murray nods and then I notice something. "Uh, Murray?" I call out to him while I motion for my right ear. Murray rubs his hand behind his own and mutters: "Oh." As he rubs a bit of mud away from his ear. "Thanks for that, Carmelita. For some reason I can never get my ears cleaned up after a mud bath." He explains and I ask: "What about a mirror?" Murray shakes his head and says: "I removed the one from my own bathroom myself.""And what about one in the hallway? I have one near my front door, you know?"
"Huh, why didn't I think of that? Thanks Carmelita." I smile at the big guy and then notice that, while we talked, Bentley has also left his own bedroom. The turtle is smiling and I decide to be bold. I pass Murray, who heads down and whisper in his ear: "I know this is a pretty old hotel and all, so I was wondering if you ever found any left-over lingerie or something? I kind of only packed for a single night when I left work on Friday."
The turtle turns red at hearing this and then even moreso for some reason. "Please don't get mad at him for this. Sly once bought a whole set of different bits of underwear in various sizes. He put it away right after buying it, though. It was just another way he wanted to bring his fantasies into a little more reality, you know." I smile at the turtle and whisper: "I probably would have been angry, if he had bought them in my specific sizes."

The turtle sighs and mutters: "They're in the wardrobe with the drawers." I nod and return to my bedroom. Yet as I head over, a sense of concern and fear overwhelm me and I think: "Wait, what style will I find when I open that drawer?" I shake my head and continuously chant to myself: "Sly is not Barkley. Sly is not Barkley. Sly is not Barkley." And this chant helps me open the drawer with confidence. Confidence that is joined by a sense of relief and wonder.
The lingerie in the drawers is all either tanned, white, white and black striped or a dark orange-red. It also looks to be made of high-class material and suddenly I wonder if Sly, perhaps, bought this from Urmila and her store or something. And when I notice the very tiny US in the upper right corner of one of the pieces, it confirms it to me. I happily pull a nice looking set from the drawer, but as I close it, a voice behind me whispers:

"Please tell me this isn't a dream." I turn my head and giggle as I notice Sly standing in the doorway, his gaze firmly fixed upon my person. I quickly tuck my underwear into one of the pockets of my jacket as I don't feel ready for that yet. I then fully turn around and Sly mumbles: "Please tell me that you're really here, in the hide out, with me." I giggle as I remember him talking about behavior like this the other night, while we were in the van.
I move over to where he stands and want to point out that I don't have my Shock Gun on me. But then I realize: "Wait, that might be something I say in his dreams. I need to say something that is – unexpected. Something more – unusual." And after a moment of thinking, I realize something that might just work. And so I happily mutter two sentences: "Beauty and the Beast. I see the Light." And instantly recognition flares in his eyes.

A second later, his lips are on mine and he kisses me with an intense fervor and glee and joy. I wrap my arms around his neck and he wraps his around my waist. We part after a few minutes and he whispers: "It wasn't a dream." I giggle again and mutter: "No it wasn't, birthday boy." Sly pulls me close against his form and says: "Thank heavens it wasn't. I woke up this morning and almost regretted the very idea. It all felt too wonderful to just be a dream."
I happily smile at this and then Sly moves his hands up my back a bit and says: "Your back feels better. I don't feel the same tension in your muscles as I did the other day. Good to know." I smile at him and say: "That waterbed was a dream to sleep in. I actually had to force myself to get out of bed earlier. I haven't felt like that in almost five years. Just the knowledge that it's mine from now on got me to leave its warm, watery comfort."
"I'm glad. You need to recover from all the stress you've been under. If you want, I can give you another massage." I sigh just at the thought of those divine fingers working on my muscles once again, but I recenter myself and mutter: "When I get back. I have to work first. Get everything ready for the move tonight." Sly nods and he lets go off me. Yet he also instantly takes my hand in his own and happily guides me downstairs.

Yet I stop him at the top and say: "I need to shower and change first. Give me a few minutes, okay?" He nods and happily tells me: "I'll have breakfast ready by the time you're done, promise." I peck his cheek in gratitude and head for the bathroom. The room itself is quite nice and in the same style as the kitchen. There is a shower with glass walls in the left back corner and a nicely sized bathtub build against the far right of the back wall with a towel rack between the two.
I pull off my cloths and suddenly notice that each piece also has Urmila's brand hidden within a few corners here and there, such as on the inside of the waistband of the pants. I silently vow to myself to look for these brands in my other cloths. Then suddenly a thought strikes me. "If I only take the cloths with me that Sly got Urmila to make for me, I will decrease the chance that I will be recognized the first few weeks. It will help me improve my stealth skills."

I grin at my own idea and quickly head inside the shower stall. I make sure to wash my hair thoroughly and make use of the shower gel that, according to the label, has a relaxing effect on the body. And just the aroma that escapes the bottle as I pop it open fills my nostrils most pleasantly. I quickly squirt a nice large dosage onto my hand, yet as I spread it out onto my tail, a sense of guilt overcomes me.
"I'm buying my own bottle post haste." I think to myself as I wash the suds out of my fur. I finish up and dry myself off before I put my new underwear and my new work outfit back on. The bathroom also has two mirrors, one above the double sink and one against the front wall just to the side of the door. I quickly admire my looks in the second mirror one last time and head out. I head down and notice Sly grinning at me as I enter the kitchen.

Yet he also seems confused at the lack of shock from his friends and as I sit down at the table, I tell him: "You were the third this morning, Sly. I actually shocked Murray and Bentley spotted me as we talked." The Ringtail nods and then I turn to Bentley and say: "Oh, before I forget. I'm sorry, but I used quite a considerable amount of that one shower gel with the relaxing aroma. I'll buy a bottle of my own after I'm done packing."
But Bentley just waves his hand and says: "Don't worry about it. We always have at least four to five bottles in storage of everything, especially toiletries as well as cleaning supplies. It reduces the amount of times we need to shop, thus decreases the chance that we might be spotted. Anything to keep ourselves safe, yet well equipped, after all." I nod and feel relieved at hearing this, yet also appreciate that I get to learn more about the Master Thief lifestyle at the same time.

Breakfast is served and while Sly takes his seat, he asks: "So Carmelita, how exactly do you plan to head to your place? No offense, but it wouldn't do any of us any good if you're seen around these parts." I shrug and say: "That depends. Is your roof anywhere close to the roofs of other buildings? If so, I'm sure I can cross a few blocks that way before I take a cab or the train or something." Yet Sly starts to grin and says: "Close. Eight out of ten."
I look confused and he raises a finger in an educative manner as he says: "You're part of the team now. The idea of using the roofs is definitely the way to go, but you could have added that we'd let Urmila pick you up. After all, you are supposed to spend time with her this weekend. The two of you being seen around Paris will do your alibi a lot of good as well as help us keep Barkley off your back until Monday when Michael will strike."
I nod, yet I grimace and mutter: "I wouldn't want to take up more of her time than I need to. She might be close to you guys, but she's also a famous designer. I wouldn't want to keep her from her work." Yet Bentley says: "Urmila never works when it's Sly's birthday or ours, for that matter. If the birthday is on a weekend day, she always takes the whole weekend off. You've got nothing to worry about." I sigh relieved and nod. "I'll call her after breakfast is done." Sly ends the whole discussion.

A few hours later
Edwards' residence
Michael's POV

Yesterday was everything I had hoped it would be and more. I knew Cooper would treat Carmelita well, but what I saw him do when he thought she was a statue exceeded my every last expectation. I've been married to Melanie for six years now and I have always believed myself to be an excellent husband. But Sly didn't just treat Carmelita with extreme amounts of love, adoration and respect, he treated her as I have treated Melanie since we started dating.
Like Carmelita, I quickly realized early on in my career that the majority of my arrests were male and I also arrested my fair share of rapists and people who harassed women for a living. It took a lot out of me not to grow the belief that I was an exception to the rule of what men are like these days. And Barkley and his behavior of the last two years certainly didn't help with that. Yet now I can't help but think: "He's more of a criminal than Sly could ever be."

And this thought is what gets me out of bed early on a free Sunday. I quickly change my underwear, but keep on my nightclothes as I don't plan to leave the house today. Breakfast is a lot of fun as Melanie and Angela work together to make brownies and pancakes. And while my little girl is now browner than her natural fur color, there is a huge grin of pride on her face while we enjoy the large platter of breakfast goodies.
Afterwards Melanie dresses our little girl and says: "I'm going to go visit mum for the day with our little girl. You have fun spying on your boss and proving your colleagues that they're old-fashioned fossils, alright honey?" And while I absolutely adore her for how she adds humor to the way the two of us speak in code, I nod at her. Our coded words are meant to protect Melanie's innocence something that I consider quite hard with my current profession.

I wait for my wife and Angela to leave the house and then move over to my little niche in the living room. The whole section is closed off with a set of doors build into the room, double doors that are heavily locked and secured, with a system within the wood that allows for the lock to constantly be out of Angela's reach. I quickly undo all the security and happily seat myself in my personal workspace behind the two doors.
I crack my fingers as the computer with the five monitors in front of me, which are all situated on different levels of the desk that is behind the doors. The main monitor is in front of my face and two other monitors are on both sides. The last two stand on the level above it and I know that if I were to buy another and put it above that, I would create a pyramid like formation with the six of them. Yet while that is something that I plan to do soon, I just focus on the task at hand.

My eyes move from one monitor to another and then the third, fourth and fifth as I start it up, get access to Interpol and then work my hacking magic. I easily crack through the security system that is meant to protect the cameras in the building and what they record. While I do this, I use the screen on my right to view the recording and also plug the little earpiece that Bentley gave me before I left Urmila the other day.
"Bentley, do you copy? I'm almost done cracking the firewall around the camera monitors. I should have visual on Barkley in about two to three minutes." I use my free hand to keep typing and to keep swiping my mouse across the several screens while I use the other to press the earpiece in the hopes of contacting Bentley. Yet then I feel my face heating up as I hear Murray instead and he says: "Eh sorry pall, you pressed the wrong button. I'll let Bentley know so he can redirect the call."

For a short second I let go off my computer and rub the back of my head. I feel glad that I waited for Melanie and Angela to leave and that I'm currently alone. Then, just as I hear Bentley's voice in my ear, my hacking system breaks through the firewall. And the screen on my left shows the screen that holds all of the numbers of the cameras inside the building as well as a detailed list of their locations. "Sorry Michael, I should've explained the ear to you the other day."
"Just a rookie mistake, Bentley, nothing more. Now I don't know if you've spied on Interpol through our cameras before now, but you'll need Camera #363 to watch Barkley." The turtle states the affirmative and I quickly scroll my mouse over to the proper number on the screen. Then the monitor on my right lights up and shows an office as well a badger with brown fur and a large moustache sitting behind a desk.

"Wow, looks like we hacked his camera system just in time. He seems to be reading Carmelita's article." Bentley says in my ear and I grimace as I say: "Yeah, and he's as happy about it as I expected." I chance a quick look behind me and spot my own copy, which I know Melanie left on the coffee table just for me before she left. A part of me is tempted to fetch it, but instead I turn my focus on my fourth screen.
And with just a few clicks of my mouse buttons and a few dashes on my keyboard, I load up the internet, access the newspaper site and pull up the article itself. I smirk as the picture might have made Barkley think that his little plan worked, but the title of the article instantly negates this. Yet its wording also intrigues and confuses me. "Hey Bentley, I got the article in front of me. Listen to the headline above it.
Master Thief and Interpol. The Story of a Thousand Heists." Bentley laughs in my ear and says: "When we're done, send me a copy of that, will you?" I nod, but then the grin disappears off my face as I say: "Crud, looks like he's done reading." Bentley growls: "Either that or he didn't get through the whole article before he lost his temper." And yet again I feel glad that Angela isn't home as Barkley is just cursing up a storm in his office.

Still, just to be safe, I quickly grab and plug an earphone into my other ear and into the computer. "That no good rotten little cunt. I'll show her what happens when you express affections for someone other than your boss, your superior!" From the corner of the screen I notice Jason standing in the doorway. To my amazement, the elephant actually looks a little unsure about what his boss is saying and he even starts to mumble in an unsure manner.
"Eh boss, I get that Fox outsmarted your little trick, but her article is going to do Interpol a lot of good. Does it really matter that she praised Cooper a bit like that? I mean, she does still prove she considers him nothing more than a criminal and that it was just a matter of her exhaustion after months on the run. You – you know she doesn't really see him that way – right?" But Barkley seems too angry to hear a word out of the elephant's mouth.

He glares up at the pachyderm and growls: "I've had it. I've had enough of her, her ego and her damned pride. I haven't worked my tail out of my body the last two years to break her and that damned spirit of hers just to let one lousy weekend and a rookie reporter undo it all." The more the badger talks, the more worried I get. And while I'm sure Bentley's the same, Jason also seems to start looking scared.
Barkley growls and glares menacingly at Jason as he growls: "Get it out." And just those three words make Jason blanch and make me beyond anxious. "Boss, are you – are you sure?" Jason asks and Barkley jumps up and slams his hands on his desk as he rages: "Bring it out, damnit! Bring out those damned spices tonight! Take them out, get to the kitchen and make sure that they're in tomorrow's pasta!Then get to Fox's residence and steal all her FOOD!"

"T-t-t-th-th-then what, boss?" Jason stutters and while it bugs me that a badger like Barkley can scare an elephant like Jason, Barkley growls: "Then tonight, you will go home and make a huge pot of pasta yourself. Or tell your wife to do it. Or your sister. Tomorrow I will reward Fox and make sure she can have a private lunch break half an hour earlier than the rest. Once she has her plate, you will sneak into the kitchen and switch the pots around. UNDERSTAND?"
Jason nods at him, his normally grey skin now white as snow and I mutter: "Barkley has completely lost it. He's normally an expert on remembering who's related to who and whatnot. But he's so far gone, he completely forgot that Jason's dating Liesbeth, that his parents died two months ago and that he's an only child. This really isn't good." Bentley hums fearfully and says: "You're right, especially if those spices are what I fear they are."
I bite my lip and with sheer hesitation and trepidation, I ask: "What do you think they are, Bentley?" Bentley gulps and says: "If I'm right – and I really can't imagine how that can even be possible – but if I'm right, then those are the Klaww Gang spices. The ones that they were producing in order to aid in Clockwerk's revival. But that doesn't make sense as those spices are supposed to induce hatred." Yet then I hear Barkley speak up again.

"That no good little runt. If she thinks she can continue to defy me and escape me – I will prove her wrong. Thank you, grandma Barkley. Thank you for teaching your precious little grandboy about how to cultivate different spices and how they evolved over the years. Cooper really was a fool when he decided to destroy those useless metal parts of that ridiculous avian. He should have gone for the spice production instead.
Oh well, his loss. And his loss will soon lead to the loss of Fox's irritating stubbornness and her belief in her so-called rights. Hmmm, maybe I should see if I can get those losers that claim to be her family to watch it happen. Maybe call them to my office once I have that fox nicely within my grasp, begging for me to give her more of my meat. Yes, that will do nicely. I'll make sure to call in that sister of hers first. That ought to really break that bond between them."

The more the badger talks, the harder it is for me to keep my temper under control. Yet my computer still experiences some of that rage as I slam each and every finger into my keyboard. I let my rage drive me and quickly create a copy out of the camera file that was just recorded. A bit more work and, while I work through my own personal firewall, I save the file with everything else I have collected about the disgusting bit of vermin.
"Michael, we need to do something about this." Bentley suddenly says and I sigh as I mutter: "The most I can do from over here is watch Barkley and use my control over the cameras to create some fake images to distract the guards and maybe confuse a few other officers. If I were to show my face, it would instantly make Barkley suspicious." Bentley hums and then he suddenly asks: "Do you by chance know Helena's communicator number?"
This question startles me and it takes me a moment before I reply. "I believe it's 322-489-165-8." Bentley hums and I ask: "Wait, are you actually going to try and hack into her communicator?" And Bentley makes my eyes widen as he tells me: "I'm not going to, I just did. Leave the rest to me and Helena, Michael. But stay behind that computer of yours. Those distractions could come in handy in case Helena needs some time to snoop around. Oh, and let's keep an eye on Jason."

I reply with a quick affirmative, while I think: "He really is something else. I usually need at least ten minutes to hack into that communication system and he did while we were talking. In just a couple of minutes." Yet while I think this, I keep typing on my keyboard and directing the cameras to follow Jason. The elephant enters the unisex changing rooms and my heart sinks. "Is he really going to –?" I think, but as I do, Jason shocks me and proves me wrong.
Instead of the elephant heading for Carmelita's locker, he heads for one further down the changing rooms. Like always, a small part of me feels disgusted over the fact that there are cameras in the changing rooms, but another part of me feels grateful as it allows me to gather more evidence. And then my eyes widen as I watch Jason open his own locker door. And Bentley proves me that he is still watching as well as suddenly the camera shifts focus.

It moves from Jason to the locker and down to the bottom of said locker where – to my shock and horror – several trays full of dirt are stacked, the dirt full of small plants that all have Bordeaux red leafs growing on them. What's even more shocking is that the plants all seem to be in various stages of development and growth. "Great aerodynamics! Those are them! Those are the same spices that Sly and I encountered while we were taking down the Klaww Gang!"
Bentley screams in my ear while Jason bends down. He seems to inspect the spices and gently runs his thick finger along a few of the plant leafs. "Yeah, those should do. If I put the spices of this plant and this plant in the pasta, it should work well enough that I can get the boss off my back. Though, I guess I'll have to try and convince Lissy that we should have our lunch date elsewhere. Maybe if I give her a few hints of what's going on, she'll let me take her out to dinner instead."
The Elephant nods to himself and closes his locker again. But then, to my shocked delight, Bentley actually manages to let the camera zoom in on the locking mechanism. And what's more, Jason even mutters softly: "Four-six-five-three. There." The elephant nods and leaves the room. I myself just stare at the screen, that still shows the locker in question, with a grimace of disgust on my face. But a few minutes later, Bentley distracts me.

"Michael? Come in, Michael. Come in." I breathe in and out to make sure I don't let my anger out on my partner in crime and growl: "What do you need me to do, Bentley?" But Bentley shocks me and says: "Nothing. At least not now. I just spoke with Helena. She's going to get the spices once she hands in Carmelita's paperwork. Once that happens, you and I just need to keep an eye on the hallway outside the locker room. Until then, just try to regain your cool."
I growl at this and Bentley says: "Look, I want to get back at Barkley just as much as you do. Trust me, if I had my way, I would stack my dart gun with all of my explosive darts; roll my wheelchair over there and then blast that damned building. But that would endanger Carmelita's family, not to mention the few Interpol officers who have nothing to do with all this. We just need to calm down, stick to the plan and get Barkley the right way.
After that, we can hunt him down and make him pay – if Interpol International doesn't do it for us, that is." My eyes turn to the fifth screen at this and at the large amount of files that I have been collecting over the years. "Oh trust me, they will." I both think and growl before I calm down a bit and say: "Alright, Bentley. I trust you. I'll try to calm down." Bentley replies: "Good. Just keep an eye on that hallway and leave the rest to Helena and me. We've got this."

And it started,
And trust me, I have much more planned for the new Cooper Gang and their allies before Michael takes Barkley down the legal way. Next up, Helena. And that girl is going to prove that, if you want to mess with her little sister, you have to go through the older sister first. And while she might not be a wolf, per say, she can be just as big, just as bad and just as nasty. Sorry, I couldn't help myself there. But I do assure you, that this is going to be goooooooooooood.
Laterzz,

Venquine1990