Thank you so much you guys. I'm glad I can surprise you with a twist or turn here and there.

Alright, let's tame this iron horse!

Chapter 14 Theft on the Catania Express

"You heard me!" a heavyset possum bellowed. On each side of him stood muscular fennecs. Each large-eared fox held a 9 mm semiautomatic handgun, and the possum himself gripped a revolver in his fingerless gloves.

The crowded train car was now full of distressed passengers. Children began to huddle close to their parents and loved ones, and males held their mates protectively.

"No please! I don't wanna die!" a worrisome jackal shrieked.

"No one's gonna die," the possum spoke loudly and firmly. "Long as you do as exactly as I say. Now, hands up. Everyone!"

Carmelita stared straight ahead, afraid to even breathe. She had to keep reminding herself that she couldn't whip her pistol and badge up and save herself. She was 'bad' now.

Hands shot up all over the train. Whines from frightened children could be heard all over as well.

Sly immediately shot a look to Bentley, Penelope, and Murray. He stuck two fingers out before swiftly turning his gesture back into a raised hand, and they each gave a nod.

"Hey! You back there! I said hands up!"

The fennecs cocked their weapons and the whole car fell silent.

The glaring possum scanned his audience. "Now that you're all complying," he growled, "here's what's gonna go down. You're all gonna give us everything you got, and we spare your lives. Got it?"

Everyone wordlessly nodded.

So he started at the front, forcing terrified passengers to empty their wallets of all their cash and were even told to give up any jewelry they owned as well.

As they made their way to the center, Carmelita grew more nervous. "What are we gonna do, Sly?" she whispered, still staring straight ahead.

No answer.

"Sly?"

Slowly she turned her head. She was horrified to see that he was gone. She frantically looked to the seats where the other members of the gang had once sat. They were gone too.

"Is there a problem, miss?" came a menacing growl.

Her head snapped up to see the formidable trio of robbers, looking at her suspiciously.

She shook her head. "No. No problem."

The possum held his gun up to Carmelita. "Good. Now hand over your goods, if you'd be so kind." He grinned a cavity-filled grin.

Slowly, Carmelita reached into her purse.

"Don't you dare give that bandit one single penny, ma'am!" called a voice.

The possum's head shot up to see a raccoon crouching atop a ledge overhead. He folded his arms admonishingly across his chest. "Come on boys, now do those valuables belong to you?"

The possum growled, not in the mood for chitchat, and shot at him. Numerous women screamed out in fear at hearing the revolver being fired.

Expertly, Sly darted out of range of the bullet, and somersaulted to the floor. He dove under a seat before the possum could turn around.

"Oh shit! We got us a punk who's gonna give us a run for our money, eh?" the possum roared out. He looked around for Sly, who was nowhere to be found. "Where'd ya go, raccoon boy? Come on out and show yourself!"

The two fennecs ran back to the front, searching for the troublemaker, but were instantly grabbed up by the nape of their necks. Before they even saw the face of the hippo who had grabbed them, they were forcefully thrown to opposite walls of the car, yelping as their heads hit the hard metal. Their handguns hit the floor near them with a clatter. They jumped up and scrambled for their weapons, the only things that were making them threatening, but were a smidge late on it, as a certain mouse had snatched them up as they crawled forward for them.

She smirked at them before darting to the door, making her way to the front of the train.

The possum turned to see his team fight Murray with much difficulty, struggling against the robust hippo's incredible strength. The possum gawked angrily in disbelief. "Who the f-"

From underneath a crowded seat, a striped gray and black tail wrapped around the marsupial's ankle, tugging it forcefully, causing the possum to flail backwards and fall to the wooden floor before he could utter another consonant. His head hit with a loud thud.

Sly stood over the dumbfounded thug and waggled a finger at him. "Whoa whoa, easy with that mouth of yours buddy! There are kids on board after all." With a wink, the charming raccoon kicked the shocked possum in his left hand, which sent his weapon flying out of his grasp and into Sly's. He tossed the revolver to his turtle friend, who in turn caught it and wheeled out in the direction Penelope had gone.

The possum snarled and stood up, a hand rubbing at the vicious throbbing on the back of his head. He pounced forward, reaching for Sly, who then flipped backwards through the air, landing atop a wide-eyed meerkat's headrest.

The possum stalked toward him and tried to grab him. He made his way down the aisle, lunging for Sly, but every time he did so, Sly flipped backwards onto another seat. As they continued their game of cat and mouse, or possum and raccoon, all over the train car, the possum grew livid. "Listen you trash-pickin' rat, I've had enough of you complicatin' my simple robbery!"

Sly crossed his arms. He then continued to spin through the air, hopping from headrest to headrest. In mid-flip, he responded casually, "And I've had quite enough of you disrupting the peaceful train ride I was taking. Guess we're both just in each other's way, aren't we?"

Murray had been sneaking up behind the possum while Sly had been distracting him. Using his fists of steel, Murray slammed down hard onto the possum's skull, knocking him out cold.

"Thanks, pal," said Sly as he picked up the bag of stolen cash and jewels out of the unconscious marsupial's limp right hand, and slung it over his back.

The passengers rejoiced, thinking their troubles were over, when two more fennec henchmen busted through the train car entrance.

"What the hell is going on in here?" one of them asked.

No one dared answer.

The other fennec stared ahead at Sly, who happened to be holding the bag of loot.

He pointed to the raccoon. "Hey! He's screwin' up our plan! Let's get 'em Garth!"

Sly rushed over to where Carmelita still sat. He helped her up. "Time to make our escape, milady. You ready?"

Before she could answer, he grabbed her wrist and swiftly led her to the back door, Murray trailing not too far behind.

Sly waved at the fennecs casually. "Want this, Big Ears?" he asked, lifting the bag up to show them. "Well come on then!" he called before opening the door and entering the next car with Carmelita and Murray.

The three found themselves in a car filled with luggage.

As Sly ran with Carmelita toward the back of this car, she looked at him.

"You always taunt dangerous robbers holding loaded weapons?" she huffed.

He grinned as they sprinted. "Hey, c'mon, I am a dangerous robber! And besides," he breathed. "I've been running from the danger of your loaded pistol for years after taunting you! It was more like flirting, but never mind the specifics."

The three continued to run until they heard the door bust open behind them.

"Stop!" one of the fennecs called. "Get back here with our stash!"

Sly smiled and shook his head. "Tempting offer," he called, "but we're gonna have to pass."

They were about to exit to the outside, but the door seemed to be jammed shut. No way out.

Sly and Carmelita turned to see the lean robbers closing in on their position.

"Murray, try to pry this door open," Sly ordered. "Carm and I'll take care of these guys." Murray nodded and raced for the hatch.

Carmelita nodded as well. She did have some experience with fighting off tough offenders. The only difference was she didn't have her trusty shock pistol to aid in her fight this time.

"Remember our training," Sly told her, crouching low.

"I got this, Ringtail," she said, clenching her fists. Even though she was a good eight months along, she could still take care of herself, if the situation called for it.

At least she hoped she could. She'd never fought in this kind of biological condition before. This was a first.

Sly ran for one fennec, leaping over him as he reached for the agile raccoon. He rapidly whipped the hook end of his cane toward the train robber's head. It smacked him hard on his nose. The strapping fennec stumbled backward, and Sly used the fennec's muscular chest as a springboard, performing a fluid spin in the air. The force put on the fennec's chest sent him tumbling to the ground.

Carmelita waited in fighting stance as the other burly fennec fox lumbered toward her. He scoffed as he looked down at her.

"Like I'm actually gonna hit a girl," he bellowed. "A pregnant one at that."

Carmelita smiled, narrowing her eyes. "Ok, don't then. I'll do the hitting." She then proceeded to punch him square in the chest and roundhouse kick him with the toe of one of her spiky-heeled boots.

"And kicking," she added.

The astonished fennec fell back, but quickly bounced back up and attempted a fierce blow at her head.

She ducked. He then attempted a few hooks and quick jabs at her face, but she was a little quicker with her dodges. He apparently wasn't prepared for her swift evasion and having one small window of opportunity, she struck him forcefully in the face. This time he stayed on the floor a little longer, his nose dripping blood.

He wiped at it and snarled up at her, gritting his teeth. "You little bitch," he muttered.

She jumped atop a towering stack of luggage and looked down at him. "C'mon, there's no need for name-calling, sir. I've been nice to you." She couldn't believe her ears. She had spent so much time around Sly, she was now bantering with enemies just like he did! Whoa…

His nostrils flared as he glared at her. "Heh, yea it's real nice to give someone a bloody nose."

Her large auburn tail darted around behind her. "Hey now, I was simply defending myself. Repercussions you receive are brought on out of protection. I'm looking out for the safety of two here, after all." She smiled before somersaulting off the luggage and kicking him hard in the chest once more.

About that same time, Sly had worn his own adversary out. He had slipped a rope out of his knapsack and tied the winded fennec up. He looked over to see Carmelita with her hands on her hips, looking down at the fennec she had fought. He was curled up on the metal flooring, holding his chest, groaning.

Sly whistled as he walked over, taking her hand. "Nice job, my skilled apprentice."

She rolled her eyes.

Together they tied up the second fennec foe.

By then, Murray had finally pried the stubborn metal door open. The three ventured out to the outside of the train and gripped the railing, thinking it was all over.

Then Murray looked around. "Where'd Bentley and Penelope go?" he asked.

"They're at the front of the train," Sly answered. "We should go make sure they have everything under control up there."

So the three climbed the ladder to the top of the train and took to the upper level, leaping over gaps between the train cars as they ran.

Recognizing a familiar car, Sly suddenly stopped and peered into the window.

"Hey! It's that raccoon that saved us!" someone from inside exclaimed.

Sly grinned as he waved at the crowd. He threw the bag of valuables at the passengers he recognized. "I trust you all to divide it all up with everyone getting back what was taken from them. We're all adults here. No bickering," he called, and the three continued to make their way to the front.

Carmelita found it hard to keep up with Sly and Murray. Her feet were already outrageously sore, and running in spike-heel boots did not help the matter. And it was already difficult for her to keep her balance on normal ground, much less on the top of a moving train.

When they reached the locomotive car, they jumped through to the floor below and saw Bentley and Penelope being held at gunpoint by one possum, while another possum was at the locomotive controls.

Great, Sly thought. More possums with guns.

"What's a matter, mousy girl and turtle in chair?" snarled the possum. "Not so tough now that your bullets are spent, yea?" He shoved his weapon into their frightened faces.

"Hey!" Sly called to them. "There's some crazy group that's disrupting your robbery!" He pointed toward the door. "They're making quite a disturbance! Back in the dining car. Hurry up and stop them!"

The brusque but foolish possum considered that and put his weapon down, making his way to the supposed disruption.

Sly shook his head as he saw Murray reach out and grab the possum's head and slam his flailing body hard against the ground.

The others surrounded the final possum conducting the train, who had a deranged look in his eyes.

He looked warily to the group of friends that were huddled over him angrily, and he lost it. "No!" he yelled, before abruptly shoving Carmelita to the ground and hurdling over her body. He ran to the nearby window. "No, you ain't taking me to jail! I ain't goin'! I won't!"

Sly knelt down to help Carmelita up.

Everyone watched as the panicked marsupial leaped out of the window and fell to the harsh valley earth below the train tracks with a thud.

Murray ran to window to see the fennec's mangled body in the underbrush. "Ouch," was all Murray said.

Penelope ran over to where Carmelita was laying. "Are you ok?" the mouse asked as she and Sly helped the vixen to her aching feet.

"I'm fine," she answered. "But none of us will be if we're on board a runaway train."

Bentley wheeled over to the computing dials and levers. "Got it covered," he told them.

"You can control this thing?" Sly asked, doubt in his voice.

"No, but I've studied up on locomotive engineering before," he answered, looking over the many brake pads, levers, buttons, and dials in front of him. "Shouldn't be too complicated for me, anyway."

"Well c'mon!" Penelope shouted. "Let's get a move on!"

Murray joined the couple at the controls. "What do we do?" he asked.

Bentley began giving the two orders. "Penelope, turn those two dials halfway. Murray, grab that lever there and pull it hard! In approximately 10 seconds, slam your foot down on that pedal there."

Bentley turned to Sly, knowing he would be no help in train maneuvering, and said, "Sly, you and Carmelita keep those passengers calm."

"On it," Sly replied, and he and Carmelita returned to the passengers who had no idea that their lives were in the hands of a group of individuals who weren't licensed to operate an intricate locomotive engine.

They assured the passengers that everything was under control while leaving that small detail out.

And, surprisingly, it was. The train actually made it safely to a train station where they stopped to wait for a legitimate group of conductors and engineers who could transport them safely the rest of the way to their destinations.

The passengers joined the Cooper Gang on the ground at the station entrance. They all cheered and applauded the unusual group of friends for saving their lives and retrieving what had been wrongly stolen from them by the scheming mob of possums and fennec foxes.

A young rabbit girl ran over and hugged Sly's leg. "Thank you sir," she said cheerfully.

He patted her head. "No problem kid. We're just glad everyone's safe."

The young bunny looked over to Carmelita and rushed over to her, grabbing her hands. "Is he your husband?" she asked, pointing to the handsome raccoon.

Carmelita smiled. "Yes he is," she answered.

The little girl then placed her hands on Carmelita's round stomach. "Ooh! The baby's so lucky to have such amazing cool heroes for parents!"

Sly and Carmelita smiled at each other.

"Aww!" came a few voices from the crowd.

"How sweet!" a female spoke.

"Hey! That hippo guy took out those two bad guys with guns!" a young cat boy exclaimed. "I seen him!"

While the children and some adults were commending the hippo for being so courageous, Tabby approached him bashfully.

"That was incredible," the warthog squeaked in admiration.

Murray smiled at her and shrugged. "All in a day's work, ma'am," he said humbly.

Tabby giggled.

Soon everyone dispersed into the station to await a new train, and new engineer, for their actual trips.

When a new crew arrived and everything was situated, a train station official came out and greeted Sly, shaking his hand.

"Can't thank you enough for your quick thinking and bravery today, son. Now we can throw those low-life good for nothin' robbers in the slammer, where they belong!"

"It was nothing sir," Sly answered.

The leopard cocked his head, his ears twitching. "Say, has anyone ever told you look an awful lot like that Sly Cooper character?"

Sly looked up, pretending to think for a moment, a hand over his muzzle. "You know, come to think of it, I might've been told that before. He must be my evil doppelganger!"

The leopard laughed a hearty laugh. "Must be. Well then, is there anything we can do to express our gratitude to you and your friends?"

"Sir, we just wanna get to Italy. That's all we're after at this point."

"Surely there must be something," the leopard prompted.

"Hmm," Sly said, looking over to his friends and wife who were all sitting on a bench. Carmelita was looking quite exhausted as she squeezed her feet within her chic but uncomfortable boots.

Sly turned back to the leopard. "Think my friends and I could ride the rest of way to Italy first class?"

Hooray! Carmelita bantering! Finally she's having a little fun on the other side of the law.

Had to satisfy the adventure portion of the story and keep it exciting! I'm terrible at action sequences I know. I apologize, but I felt it was a decent attempt.

I can has cookie for effort? No cookie? Review will suffice. :)

And fret not you lovers of love, the romance will return.

Also it's about time for a certain villain to make his appearance again, don't you think?