While I was off of FanFiction, I finished Sly 3 (In one Saturday and still had time to go see a movie, thank you very much!) and couldn't help but grin at the end. Just by looking at the whole perspective, you can tell that Sucker Punch is considering a fourth Sly Cooper installment. Just like Ratchet & Clank and Jak & Daxter. Ah well. Here's chappie four!
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Artemis crouched beside Carmelita atop the chamber, awaiting Sly's signal for go time. Carmelita watched Artemis clench and unclench her fists in an attempt to shake off Bentley's words, which had haunted each team member since their departure. Carmelita leaned to the side of Artemis's head and whispered in her ear,
"Relax. You know how Bentley exaggerates all the time." Artemis nodded, but turned and whispered back.
"True, but with all this security, and my family's past run-ins with The Darkness, I'm beginning to think Bentley had a point: We either work together with exact precision, or we leave with more space in the van." With that, Artemis tensed and began to concentrate on waiting for the signal. Carmelita also stopped and took the shift of lookout, horrible images popping into her head of something happening to her friends…or…
"Art, head inside with Carm and begin working your magic on the defenses. Bentley will hack the terminals and then we're all clear for the loot haul." Artemis tapped her necklace binocucom with her finger lightly.
"10-4. Descending, Art out." Artemis tapped Carmelita on the shoulder with a big grin on her face.
"Showtime."
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Sly slid across the security wires linking the towers together and jumped to the left sharply as a spotlight swerved in his direction. He ducked beside the air vent and held his breath, cold sweat drenching his forehead. Relief swept over him as the spotlight swooped over to the right and continued patrol. He popped the vent cover off and crawled inside. He opened the link connecting his binocucom and Bentley's computer.
"Bentley, I'm in the air vent. How 'bout a little help with the directions?" There was a tiny crackle, then Bentley's nasally voice replied calmly through the other end of the line.
"Sure thing: go straight, first fork is left, next three forks are right, last fork is straight. You get all that? Left, Right, Right, Right, Straight."
"Thanks pal, Sly out." He shut down the link and began crawling through the vent. 'Good thing Bentley's not here. Claustrophobia would settle in real quick on that poor guy.' He found the first fork and went left, continuing down the dark ventilation system. He made the three rights, then continued straight until he came to the other end of the vent. He slid through and hopped atop a chandelier, looking for the four terminals.
"Bentley, I made it through the vent, but where are the terminals you wanted me to splice the security on?"
"These aren't ordinary terminals. You have to promise me you WON'T laugh at where I'm about to tell you they are."
"Come on, We've seen some pretty unexplainable things throughout the years, what could surprise me now?"
"Oh, I don't know, maybe the fact that you'll have to shove your hand up the ass of each of those horses"?" Sly flipped backwards and looked at the two statues of knights on horseback that were about seven feet tall each.
"You can't be serious."
"Trust me, these people aren't exactly known for their sanity." 'I'd have never guessed, Bentley.' He jumped on one of the horse's tails that seemed to be flowing in a nonexistent wind and looked at…oh god, do I really have to say it! That's it, I'm just skipping that part, we're fast forwarding to AFTER he does…shivers.
"Bentley, you'll never let me live that down, will you?" He could just see his little turtle friend now, grinning like an absolute fool. That little "experience" was something he wouldn't mind just forgetting, but not Bentley! Oh nooo!
"Me? Let you live something THAT disgusting down? I would never!" He rolled his eyes and left the same way he came in, swiftly pulling out his binocucom and opening the link to Artemis.
"Art, head inside with Carm and begin working your magic on the defenses. Bentley will hack the terminals and then we're all clear for the loot haul." He listened as he heard her voice over the line.
"10-4. Descending, Art out." The link shut down as Artemis shut her end off. He put his binocucom away and made a stealthy dash to rendezvous with Nick and Murray.
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Nick groaned inwardly, wishing he'd paid better attention in the dojo training him and Artemis took, lest guards should accost them and discover they weren't actually friendly. Murray shifted on his feet, nudging Nick (Ha! More like shoving) as he saw an entire group of guards coming their way. Murray tensed his muscles as they came closer. Granted, he knew that he was perfectly capable of mowing down the first two rows like fodder, but the guards behind those rows were about twice his size in height and width that looked like they'd been on steroids for years.
"Psst! Murray, Nick, I'm up here!" They both looked up to find Sly perched atop a dead lamppost. They both sighed in relief now that they knew who it was that was calling out to them. The guards were coming even closer now, so close they might be able to see Sly. Both Nick and Murray looked back at the guards and said only loud enough for Sly to hear, "Get on the rooftop where you won't be seen." But it was too late, for the guards had seen Sly atop the two "guards" and were charging at them full throttle. Murray raised his clenched fists at chest level, though he wasn't sure he'd be able to carry the fight if Nick and Sly didn't take out at least 10 guards each.
The guards knocked into the thieves head on, though the battle wasn't lost yet. At least a dozen guards pinned Murray, but he let out a guttural roar as he thrust his fists in the air, energy exploding from his body as the guards went sailing, some of them even managing to knock other guards unconscious. Sly muttered something incoherent as the golden part of his cane began to glow. He swung the cane in a circle around him, sort of putting a barrier around himself. Nick tried for all he was worth, but if only he had paid better attention to the sensei…well…let's just say that Sly and Murray had to watch his six quite a bit. Sly pulled out his binocucom and immediately linked Bentley.
"Bentley, this is Sly. How far are you on those terminals?"
"Almost…THERE! If my calculations are correct-" He was cut off as Artemis pulled a three way link.
"Artemis and Carmelita should be down by Otto Van Cooper's possessions. And that is correct, Math Wiz." The door remained shut from the front, but the others could still hear Artemis and Carmelita putting the stuff in the van. "Doing awesome, just a few more!" Murray yelled over the roar of the fight as he sucker punched a thug that was trying to do some damage to him.
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"Showtime." Carmelita grinned along with her and nodded, both of them sliding down the opening Bentley had mentioned one at a time. They landed on their feet and waited for their eyes to adjust to the absolute darkness that surrounded them.
"So, how tight are these "mojo security forces" anyway?" Carmelita asked as they walked in front of a door that seemed to be giving off a bright blue glow that signified it had a spiritual aura. Artemis sighed and pulled a coin out of her pocket.
"I'll show you." She skillfully flicked the coin at the door. As soon as it touched the door, there was a bright flash as the coin gave off a tiny electric spark and disintegrated into nothing. Carmelita gaped at the door, her jaw found a residence at the floor. Artemis nodded cockily.
"Uh-huh. Now picture that, only your neck. Painful experience, I assure you." She stepped in front of the door, placing her hands on the barrier. The barrier whirred and shot electricity everywhere, but seemed to just disappear within a matter of seconds.
"You gotta teach me how to do that."
"Maybe when you get a little older." They but grinned and made their way downstairs, their eyes widening at the sight before them. All around were detailed blueprints to machinery, strange weapons and an entire arsenal of ammo for each gun, armored biplanes and other vehicles that were disassembled, their parts sprawled about.
"Alright! Let's get to work." She tapped her binocucom necklace.
"Bentley, you there? We're in position for the haul. Bring the van and make some room."
"Rodger, en route to your position."
"You don't think something will happen, do you?" Carmelita asked once Bentley's end of the link was shut down. Artemis shuffled her feet uncomfortably.
"Anything can happen at anytime. I try not to think about it, so that thoughts like that don't get in the way of the operation." This seemed to suffice Carmelita's curiosity, for she went back to getting things ready to move to the van. Artemis watched for a second, thinking, 'I have this horrible feeling, but I can't describe it. What's wrong with me?' before she went and helped Carmelita. The sooner they finish the job, the sooner her mind could be put to rest.
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Okay, more action than angst or romance so far, but I warn all of you: this next chapter is NOT for huge Sly fans…it full of angst. I will say no more!