Chapter 19: Card Sharks

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Here we go again. Sly Cooper belongs to Sucker Punch.

There will be less blowing stuff up than usual action chapters, but stuff will blow up. I guarantee it.

Now, onwards!

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"So what stuff should we blow up for this heist to work out?" List asked, grinning.

"Not much. There's still heavy guard presence even during the event that Miss Fortune's added to her calendar, though, so we need to… reduce her headcount. That's going to be a job for both of us, with a little bit of side work."

"Point me in the right direction."

"First things first. We need to goad the good Inspector into action, and get her somewhere she can do our work for us without being found out. To that end, I've found a hole in their security that should allow me to shut down all recordings of their patrol routes without raising suspicion."

"…Wait, so…?"

"You goad the Inspector into following you outside. Don't worry, I've got a hack cooked up that'll keep the two of you off the cameras. Meanwhile, I'll mess with the guards on patrol - get them all headed for the town center."

"Let me guess. You want me to lose her there, giving the lovely Inspector cause to take out her frustration on the guards you send her way."

"Got it in one."

"Then I'll get to work. Let me know when you're ready to go."

—

"Hack's up and running. You have fifteen minutes to get the Inspector outside before their system auto-purges. I'll send the first guards towards the target once you're both outside."

"Understood."

List made his way seamlessly through the crowd, scanning the area for his quarry. He knew that it would be difficult to convince the Inspector to follow him outside without breaking cover, but he had an idea.

Catching a glimpse the cinnamon fur he now knew so well, he grinned. It was a little tricky, but if he pulled this off right…

A little careful maneuvering brought him around the corner from the Inspector without being spotted. Leaning against the wall, he grinned before beginning.

—

Zut. I know that they're here… Even in this crowd, I should have been able to spot any of them… thought Alayna, making her way through the crowd. So far, the only unusual thing in this place was that jackpot earlier…

She froze, however, on hearing a familiar voice around the corner. Flattening herself against the wall, she listened closely to the softly spoken half of a very interesting conversation.

"…So as long as I can get to the rendezvous… Right. I'll head there now."

…Found you.

Creeping around the corner, she was just in time to watch as a familiarly ringed tail disappeared out of one of the unlocked side doors. Grinning widely, she crept out after him, retrieving her trusty shock pistol from its hiding place.

Another flash of grey showed her where to go, and she followed with that hunter's smile already on her face. This was her favorite part of any assignment - the bit where the criminal was on the run.

Turning a corner, her grin grew wider as she realized that her target was being slow and careful. He was peeking around a corner, looking for danger ahead. She would've given anything to see the look on his face when he felt the barrel of her shock pistol press up against the back of his head.

"Inspector Marais?"

"Fancy meeting you here, Voleur. You're under arrest."

"On what grounds?"

"Multiple thefts of varying scale. Assault and battery. Resisting arrest. Take your pick, the list's very long."

"Aw. And here I was, about to give you a present."

"Attempted bribery can be put onto the list just as fast as you like, Voleur."

"I mean, it's a little illegal on my part. But I figured you needed to vent some frustration."

"Stop trying to change the subject."

"Come on, now. You know me better than to think I haven't got a plan."

"What, are you suggesting that I should just shoot you now?"

"Maybe."

Faster than she could blink, her shock pistol was out of her grip and in the air. With a sly grin, List took off, running deeper into the alleys as a growl escaped the Inspector's throat.

"Vous ne échapper à ce temps (You won't escape this time)." she muttered, catching her weapon before dashing after the thief.

—

"Got her on my tail. How long before the guards start showing up?"

"Not long. A minute, at the most."

"Got it, then I'll-"

A yip of surprise interrupted the normally calm and collected thief, changing his focus as the unmistakable buzz of a shock blast whizzed by his comm.

"…Did she… Almost get you?"

"She's gotten faster, and she's gotten more accurate. A lot more. Of both." came the shaken reply.

"Then don't distract yourself with me. Just run!"

List took the advice when it was offered, switching off the comm. Concerned, the jackal bent down to grab her BB…

…and grinned as she heard a new option present itself.

—

"Vous ne pouvez pas courir pour toujours, lâche (You can't run forever, coward)!"

Another yip as a bolt flew uncomfortably close, but she still couldn't hit the evasive thief. It was beginning to make her angry just how good he was at dodging her shots.

"Any man would run from a woman brandishing a gun!"

Growling, she continued pursuit, turning a sharp corner into another alley. "You can't lose me by turning corners, Voleur!"

"I know! That's not the plan!"

"The pla-?"

She was cut off as she burst out into the central plaza - a place chock-full of guards. List was waiting just ahead, cane in hand and looking out over the sea of meatheads.

"That's the plan." he remarked, grinning at her stupefied expression. "Honestly, it took a little longer than I thought to get here. Didn't expect so many to show up at once."

He then tapped his ear, listened for a moment, and his eyes went wide.

"Well, it's been fun!"

With that, he reached his cane out to one side. A faint roar suddenly became a close one as the Cooper Van burst into the plaza, List's cane hooking onto the side as it did. The assorted meatheads crowding the plaza opened fire after a moment of stunned silence, but were unable to stop the vehicle as it plowed through the plaza.

"I'd love to stay and chat, but I've got a heist to pull!"

List swung himself safely into the back of the van just as Alayna opened fire, her shock bolts more than sufficient to send a couple of the guards to dreamland. More and more piled up as shock bolts and vehicular assaults… continued.

"THIS IS SO AWESOME!"

The unmistakable shout of an excited bear - Rick was wide awake, and enjoying himself immensely as he plowed through the sea of easy targets. The van had been heavily armored for just such a situation, and resisted both bullet and body as it made its path of pain through the enemy.

"…Ils sont fous (They're crazy)." the Inspector muttered, making short work of the few guards who had their sights away from the van now mowing down so many of them.

It didn't take long for the van to decimate the goons, leaving only a few still up and shooting. With a huge grin, List waved from the back of the van as they sped off into the night, leaving the Inspector to clean up.

And clean up she surely did, quickly dispatching the few remaining guards, ending the last group by shooting an exposed generator, and causing it to go up in flames. Staring after her real quarry, she growled again. "A warmup. How nice. Now for the main event…"

—

"So what's the heist plan?"

"It's a smash and grab. You and I will cover Rick while he makes his way to the vault - I'll snipe, you sneak. Once he's got the loot, we get the hell out of here - no messing around here. We've got no time to be subtle, and we just ran over half the goon force around here."

"Back to basics. I like it."

"Besides, the commotion we caused will draw out Miss Fortune regardless. All that planning for nothing…"

"I could always sneak up to the top and meet you two at the base of the groundwire."

"That… Thanks, List. Grab some valuables from the big bad's living quarters, then zip line down."

"No problem. We're ready to roll then - let's go!"

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Short chapter, but I could barely make myself write it all. Had to stretch one idea a long ways, and I only just remembered to make something explode.

Next chapter will be a direct lead-in to the boss battle. There will be smashing.

Also - 1000 views WOOHOO

With their heist plot in ruins, the Cooper Gang seems to be improvising big-time. Will their chewing-gum-and-prayer plan hold, or will they be running for their lives without a penny from that vault? Find out next time in Chapter 20: All In!

KeyFire! PEACE OUT!