Chapter 6: War is hell
Standing on top of the tallest tower of the besieged citadel, Sly observed the nervous movement of Contessa's guards below. Only a minute ago Bentley had given the order for the mercenary troops to start a full frontal assault on the castle. News had been received on INTERPOL's side with noticeable enthusiasm whereas Contessa's guards had soon realized that they were heavily outgunned. Bombers circled between the castle towers, wreaking havoc among the occupants of each rooftop and bridge.
"The blimp's arriving, Sly", Bentley announced as he jumped on the raccoon's back.
Miraculously the blimp had so far survived destruction and Sly could only hope as he jumped that it would remain so for the duration of their operation.
"Make sure you don't miss the rope!" Bentley shouted over Sly's shoulder as they glided through the air, "I don't want to drown!"
But Sly Cooper had no problems steering his paraglider towards the slow-moving dirigible, nor had he any problems grabbing the rope hanging down on one side and hoisting himself to the deck. From earlier reconnaissance Sly knew there to be only two wolf guards crewing the airship and as he landed on the deck with Bentley still on his back, the two guards emerged from the gunman's perch at the back. Neither saw fit to stop to questions and attacked head on. While Sly assumed his battle stance, Bentley was quick to jump off of his back and loaded his crossbow with its usual sleeping darts.
Both guards jumped at Sly, apparently deeming him the greater threat, a mistake that would prove costly to them. In their haste neither had spotted Bentley's small weapon and it didn't take long for one of the wolves to fall to the deck, knocked out by the sleeping dart buried in his neck. The second guard soon followed being distracted by his companion's sudden collapse, he provided Sly with a window of opportunity to smash the wolf's head with his cane. Bentley finished the job by jabbing the other guard with a dart as well.
"I'll grab the wheel and start steering us to the Rehabilitation Tower", Bentley said as he walked towards the back of the deck.
Sly only nodded and stayed where he was, again observing the escalating conflict happening below him. The mercenaries hadn't gained much ground. The bridge that lead to the citadel provided Contessa's guards with a marvelous chokepoint and the bombers, having to dodge and weave between enemy fire and the forest of towers, had a hard time performing precise strikes to discombobulate the enemy forces. However, INTERPOL's tanks were slowly blowing up a bigger opening for themselves with blasts from their tank turrets. The gang would have to move quickly in order to avoid being in the middle of an open battlefield... any more than they were already, that is.
"Rehabilitation Tower straight ahead", Bentley's voice crackled through the gang's shared earpiece channel.
Sly looked ahead and indeed the balconied tower was fast approaching. Before the blimp had fully stopped Sly had already jumped off and was impatiently waiting for this turtle friend to join him. Bentley hurried, knowing his friend's anxiety over the captive tigress and they were in position in no time at all. Sly beheld the scene before him with the same horror as last time. Neyla was still strapped to the Iron Tech 2-50, the Contessa was still operating the terminal and the Clockwerk eyes didn't break their relentless glare. The Shadow Guard was notably absent from the room, most likely having being sent off by the Contessa to give her more time to perform the brainwashing procedure.
"Tell me, Neyla", spoke the Contessa suddenly, "while you still can, what possessed you to release Sly Cooper and his little friends from my prison?"
"I don't expect you to understand my reasons", Neyla growled.
"You're right, I do not, which is precisely the reason I am so intrigued. What reason could you possibly have to set free such a threat to our entire operation?"
But Neyla deigned not to answer and so the Contessa was left unsated for the moment.
"How's it looking Bentley?" Sly asked in a whisper.
"Almost there...", Bentley replied tensely.
Sly nodded, even though his hacking friend wouldn't see it and returned his attention back to the other room.
"Surely you didn't expect them to amount to anything greater than what the Klaww Gang has planned?" the Contessa continued, "No, that can't be the answer..."
Sly's heart clenched as he listened to the spider go through different ideas and possibilities for Neyla's double-cross until...
"But, no... that couldn't possibly be..."
Suddenly, the Contessa laughed. The horrid sound echoed in the small room and made Sly shiver. He had never heard a more eerie laughter from any of his past foes, one being a psychotic, eternal robotic owl hell-bent on the destruction of the entire Cooper Clan.
"Please, Constable Neyla, do not tell me... you are in love with Sly Cooper", the Contessa said, still chuckling.
Sly saw Neyla freeze and a horrified expression spread across her face. Similarly, he himself tensed and turned back to Bentley, who was still furiously typing away.
"Bentley", Sly implored.
"So close...", the turtle muttered.
"Ah-ha!", exclaimed the Contessa triumphantly, "I've isolated the brain pattern! It is time to rejoin the Klaww Gang, Neyla".
"No!" Neyla shouted as Contessa began finishing her brainwashing.
Sly wanted nothing more but to slip through the bars and wrench open the restraints around Neyla's wrists. Yet he stood rooted in the shadows, waiting intently for a sign from Bentley to jump into action. The Clockwerk eyes' glare intensified, casting a blood red hue on everything in the room. Neyla struggled and strained against the unyielding hold of the Iron Tech and suddenly, she screamed. A bloodcurdling sound that reached deep into Sly's very soul, clenching with an iron grip.
"We're too late!"
Bentley's panicked explanation snapped Sly out of his trance and he decided that a change in the plan was needed. Neyla's screams quieted and the terrible feeling within the raccoon was replaced with fierce determination. He would save Neyla and deliver the Contessa to INTERPOL.
"Cover me, Bentley".
"But the plan!"
Bentley's protests were ignored as Sly slipped between the bars separating him from Neyla and the Contessa. He landed in the room with almost no sound, but nonetheless, the Contessa spotted him.
"Ah, Mr. Cooper", she intoned with barely masked disdain, "I was right to expect your arrival and have taken the necessary precautions".
The warning in her words didn't go unnoticed by Sly and he prepared himself for anything... almost anything. What the last member of the Cooper Clan was not prepared for was the supposedly restrained lilac tigress to pounce at him from across the room and tackle him. Neyla was free and was assaulting Sly like a madwoman. Her claws struck out, attempting to rake his face, but Sly danced away, refusing to hurt her.
"Neyla, stop!" Sly pleaded.
"I'm afraid she no longer can. Her mind is now mine", said the Contessa, reveling in her triumph.
Again, Neyla pounced on Sly, her once green eyes turned red as blood, hands outstretched to catch him in a deathly embrace... And again, Sly wound his way around her, and away from her. This didn't deter the tigress for long, though as she spun around and came at Sly for the third time under Contessa's watchful eyes. Sly was desperately trying to think of something. He couldn't hurt Neyla. He wouldn't! But she was a dangerous threat, her every strike aimed to cause as much damage as possible. Sly stood his ground and faced her head on as she charged at him. In her hands was a longsword snatched from the tower's wall. The tigress was going in for the kill.
"Neyla, please!" Sly shouted, "She can't force you!"
But the tigress never faltered and once more Sly was forced to dodge away from her.
"Actually, Mr. Cooper, I can", came the Contessa's cold reply, "Kill him, Neyla. He is a threat to both us and our operation".
Obediently, Neyla raised the sword and leapt towards Sly, but this time he was ready. The golden hook of his cane clashed against the dark iron sword. Sly caught the blade and with his cane wrenched it away from her hands. The blade flew scraping across the floor, away from them. Taking advantage of Neyla's momentary confusion, Sly pushed her against the wall, trapping her hand between it and her cane.
"Neyla, listen to me! This isn't you! You don't want to kill me", Sly implored.
"What she wants is no longer hers to decide", mocked the Contessa, "Now kill him!"
Neyla struggled against Sly's grip, but he held her fast, leaning ever closer the more the she fought.
"Come back to me...", he whispered.
With these words as his final prayer, Sly brought his lips to hers in a gentle kiss. Her struggling ceased and for a moment he forgot all that there was, only relishing in their reunion, knowing she was now safe with him. He pulled away and looked at her eyes. They were closed. With abated breath he let her loose and touched his hand to her cheek and so she looked at him... with the comforting emerald stare he had missed for all the long weeks of their separation.
"Sly...", she whispered, "You came".
"Yes, Neyla", he replied, "And I will never leave".
She smiled him a fond smile and squeezed his hand that still stroked her cheek.
"No!" a choked shout broke the spell, "It's not possible!"
Both lovers turned to the source of the voice, the Contessa and stared at her hatefully. She had turned Neyla against Sly, held her captive and almost had her murder the raccoon. If that had happened, Neyla would have never forgiven herself. Panic slowly spread across the Contessa's face as the two approached. Her Shadow Guard was gone, her only shield had been broken and now she stood alone against the two vengeful lovers. The spider made as if to run away, but her way was cut short, by Sly who leapt and blocked the only door in the high tower room. She backed away, only to find Neyla behind her, brandishing the same sword she had almost struck Sly with. Slowly, the two advanced, step by step pushing the Contessa back towards the Mind Shuffler.
"Bentley", Sly called, "bring the bomb".
The Contessa's eyes widened as she realized their intention and again she made to flee, but Neyla intercepted her and in one fell sweep of her sword, the Contessa tumbled, her right set of legs considerably shortened. She cried out in pain as Bentley planted the Bad Mojo collector and rigged it to explode.
"Take cover!" he shouted in his panicky way and they all rushed to the window they'd entered from.
A massive explosion shook the tower and for a moment, none of the three dared to peek inside, afraid what they might find. Sly exchanged looks with Neyla, then Bentley and then turned back to the window. He slowly slid it open, slipped in and took in the sight before him. The tower room was filled with red, puffy haze, lowering the visibility extremely. Amid the haze however, they could all spot two pulsating orbs of light.
The Clockwerk Eyes.
I believe here is a good spot to end it for the day. I do hope you have enjoyed. Review and stuff...