Authors Notes: Hi folks and we're back with Thieves united, can I just apologies for the long wait for the update to this story, but I have had a lot going on in my freelance and personal development work as of late and have recently suffered from a migraine so I just needed to step back from things for a bit but I am fully recovered and I have no intention on abandoning this or any of my other stories. Plus I am coming close to finishing Avengers Avatar saga and for those who have followed my stories in the past you know what that means. So I've decided to update this story now so you won't have to wait any longer.
Now without further delay lets begin!
Sly Cooper (c) Sucker Punch Productions
Carmen Sandiego 2019 (c) Netflix
Cooper,Sandiego & The Gang In
:The Crackle goes Kiwi Caper:
Slys POV
In the setting sun of San Diego, a Red Eye jet soared into the sky carrying its passengers. Being Carmen, Sly and Shadowsan, their destination Moscow Russia. They sat in the passenger compartment, and Carmen had her laptop out while Sly and Shadowsan gathered round her.
"So after a hectic Fast and Furious caper, we got ourselves a new hideout. But sadly for this crew there wasn't much time for moving in. While, Zack, Ivy, Bentley and Murray worked to get the hideout up and running the rest of us headed off to Moscow. On the flight there Carmen and Shadowsan gave the rundown on the Faculty member behind this latest caper."
Carmen made a few keystrokes, and brought up the details on a certain scientist who was one of the VILE Faculty members.
"Doctor Saira Bellum, chief scientist of VILE who's intelligence rivals, Bentley and Penelope put together. Who's specialty was teaching students at the academy on using tech and science for their heists, and is the mastermind behind their tech namely the Crackle Rods."
An image of Dr Bellum appears and showing off her many technological marvels like the Crackle Rod and how she taught her classes.
"Starting out in life as a passionate scientist the continent of India she was a specialist in so many fields it was hard to keep track of them all, a genius scientific mind…"
A younger Dr Bellum was nose deep in a book on different science majors and mechatronics devising plans and blue prints. She would even tinker with a few rudimentary inventions such as a coco delivery machine that made the hot coco and then moving down a conveyer belt delivered it to the recipient. The scene then changes to where she's an adult now fully mastered in her field and demonstrating her latest invention before a panel of scientists. She unveiled her creation being what appeared to be a rather advanced looking robot with drills for hands.
"But well, lets just say the scientific community wasn't ready for her eh…. creative flare to problem solving."
The robot started drilling into the soil in the demonstration area that dug and dug all the way down until it hit something. Then out of nowhere crude oil shot the robot out of the hole as it landed and sucked in the oil through its drill arms. Suddenly the robot unleashed fire from it scaring the scientists away. Apparently this was meant for mining crude oil without damage to the environment. Well clearly Bellum didn't get that message.
"No doubt it was thanks to that she earned a seat on VILE's Faculty developing new weapons and tech for their operatives. No wonder Dr.M is her lab partner those two would get on like a house on fire."
The scene shifts to Dr Bellum standing before a VILE logo with Dr.M standing next to her. After hearing that explanation from Carmen and Shadowsan this made the Raccoon thief slightly worried. Hard not to be given the likes of Dr Bellum and Dr.M being lab partners would be of great concerns given the monkey scientists own pension for inventing but with a more Frankenstein feel.
"Those two together make a deadly combo and now it seems they were after something in the Kremlin's government servers…"
Soon the trio arrived in Russia and got off at the Sheremetyevo International airport in Moscow. Shadowsan wore a black long coat with sunglasses while Sly wore what looked like a punk outfit with his human hologuise. While Carmen wore her normal red hoodie over her head with sunglasses just in case VILE was watching.
"Whatever it is, it wasn't good if VILE wanted it so after we received our 'credentials' from Bentley we headed out to the Kremlin."
POV Ends
Night had fallen over the city of Moscow, and many people were still out and about, as the lights lit up many of the city's capital landmarks. One of which was the Kremlin.
Far below the surface lay the government facility, and at the Security desk three soldiers dressed in Russian Military attire approached the desk where an officer saw them approach.
"Credentials please." He asked. So the three soldiers handed over their ID's/Passports as the soldiers began inspecting them, passing them through a scanner which scanned its contents and entered it into the system. After looking at the scan the soldier returned their ID's.
"Thank you General." He thanked. As the three soldiers walked through the ID pictures were that of Carmen, Shadowsan and a certain disguised Raccoon.
"As you were." Shadowsan saluted the other soldiers as the three walked through the security office. As soon as they were in the clear the three of them smiled at each other that their plan had worked.
"Player, Red and Blue Hats are in Red Square." Carmen relayed to Player via her com earrings.
"Glad to hear Bentley's IDs worked out." Player replied as they made their way to an elevator.
"Okay so where are we going?" Sly then asked.
Players Room:
Player typed on his keyboard bringing up the blueprints for the building, namely on the room they were heading for. "The server vault's on sublevel four. If our intel is accurate, VILE could already be inside."
The Kremlin:
"Any ideas on what they're after?" Sly then asked.
"Still working on that." Player replied.
Far below on sub level four lay the server vault of the building. All seemed quiet, however in the venting system above the room a grate began to move. Then popping out of the vent was. Neal the Eel VILE's slipperiest operative.
"Whoo! Easy-peasy." He smirked.
With ease he slipped out of the vent and lowered himself to the ground. He began walking through the many servers in the vault and opened the com line located in his head mask.
"Neal the Eel to Dr. Bellum. I'm in." He relayed and looked along the hall of servers until finally he reached one at the end of it. "Server 6609 located."
"Well done, Neal. You might make faculty yet." Dr Bellum called in on the com line.
"Well, I hear there's an opening." Neal said rather modestly. "And you know how much I enjoy worming my way into those." He pulled out a VILE flash drive and plugged it straight into the USB port located on the server. It began to upload some kind of virus as the screen went green it was searching for something in particular.
"Searching database." Neal stated and soon the uploaded virus had found what it was looking for as it beeped. "And Bob's your uncle."
"I have seven uncles, none of whom are named Bob." Bellum said on the coms not getting the saying.
"It's just a turn of phrase, love. Means "I found it." Neal explained.
Elsewhere: Bellums Secret Lab:
Dr Bellum was talking to Neal on her phone from her lab in a secret location. "Then say that. I'm a scientist. Colorful vernacular only serves to confuse me."
Just then Dr M came into the lab. "Saira has Neal found the data?" He asked.
"Yes but he's being very confusing with his language." Saira stated.
"Hey sorry you can't take slang doc." Neal relayed over the phone.
Dr M then took the phone and spoke into it. "Forget your cultures slang for now, have you obtained the schematics we need?!"
Kremlin: Server vault:
"Okay okay calm down Doc M." Neal said as the flash drive downloaded the data. The drive beeped and Neal pulled it out of the port. "Download complete. Is that direct enough for you?"
All of a sudden he noticed three certain thieves arrive on the scene from the door way. The latter of which noticed the slippery VILE operative.
"Do svidaniya, comrades!" Neal exclaimed as he made his escape with the stolen data.
"We will take the eel!" Shadowsan said as Sly deactivated his hologuise revealing his true racoon form.
"I'll take the server." Carmen said as Shadowsan and Sly set off after Neal while the lady in red hurried to the server pulling out her lipstick flash drive. "Player, uplink's live. See if you can retrace Neal's slimy trail."
Neal ran through the halls of servers with Sly and Shadowsan hot on his trail. "Lets split up we'll cut him off!" The Raccoon thief suggested.
"Agreed!" Shadowsan nodded as he went left Sly went to the right and leaped up onto the top of the servers performing a ninja spire jump, jumping from each of them.
Neal ran down the hall towards the open air vent he exited earlier. However as he rounded the corner he saw Shadowsan was standing in front of him. Shadowsan glared at his opponent and charged straight at him. Neal was taken by surprise but also glared as he charged at him. Shadowsan threw a kick towards Neal but he just slid right under him only for the ninja to grab the thief by the wrist. Neal held the flash drive in his free hand.
"Ah, Instructor Shadowsan." He greeted. "When they told me you defected over to the red side, I didn't realise they meant Russia."
"I will take the data." Shadowsan said with an angered glare.
"You will try." Neal smirked then with one push on the floor he literally slipped out of Shadowsan's grip taking him completely by surprise. "Butterfingers!"
He growled as he ran after Neal and just before the thief could jump up to the vent he was intercepted, by Sly who kicked him back with a roundhouse as he hit the ground. He looked up and saw the Raccoon thief cane in hand.
"Well well so this is the infamous Sly Cooper everyones making a big deal about eh?" Neal smirked. "Gotta say Doc M was bang on the money wherever our little Black Sheep goes her ringtail friend follows.
"Heh glad to hear Dr M speaks so highly of me." Sly smirked back.
"Well gotta slip." Neal said as he got up only to be restrained by Shadowsan.
"Don't think so pal." Sly said to him.
"Oh, pretty slick." Neal smirked but then slipped right out of Shadowsan's grip again and then span round and tripped him up and fell to the ground.
"Huh?!" Sly was caught completely by surprise.
"But I'm slicker!" Neal smirked and made a run for the vent. However Sly made a run at him, he swung his cane only for Neal to slip under it, however the Raccoon thief then used his tail to trip up Neal as he fell to the ground. dropping the flash drive.
Sly noticed it and quickly made a dash to get it. However Neal pushed himself along the floor and literally slide right by and grabbed the drive standing up again.
"Whoa, this guys more slippery than Neyla!" Sly thought. "Okay I gotta ask, why sign up with VILE? Hated life in the circus?"
"Oh ha ha funny mate, says the original circus freak." Neal smirked and made a run at Sly only for Shadowsan to leap over him and kick the slippery operative to the ground sliding across the ground.
The two then made a dash and pinned him down on the ground in a dog pile. "Ha try and slip out of this!" Sly smirked. However their victory was short lived as Neal smirked and slipped out from below them, then put his hands between two server walls and started climbing up them.
"Hey, get a grip!" He smirked.
The Raccoon thief growled as did Shadowsan this guy was seriously getting on their nerves. Neal used his arms and legs to climb up the servers and then slithered into the open air vent with the flash drive in hand.
"Do you mind if I vent?" Neal said teasingly as he disappeared in the vent but not before waving goodbye with a coo. Shadowsan clenched his fist and growled in anger and frustration, just as Carmen arrived on the scene. Sly was completely dumbfounded.
"Seriously! Just where the hell do VILE even find these guys?!" He exclaimed.
"I have often asked myself that very same question many times." Shadowsan said in complete agreement. He then turned to Carmen. "Do we know what they were after?"
"Players working on it now, lets hope he and Bentley can pick up the slippery trail." Carmen said.
"Please don't say slippery." Sly groaned, looks like his pride wasn't the only thing wounded.
The Hideout:
Outside the new hideout of the Cooper & Sandiego Gang. Murray was hard at work with a builders hat on. He was standing on top of some scaffolding as he lifted off the Carmen Brand Outerwear sign from the front of the warehouse. Then put in its place a new sign which he bolted in place and on the front it said "Zack & Ivy's Auto repair with a spanner and bolt under the decorated lettering in red and orange. Murray smiled at he then bolted the sign in place with a bolt gun.
Inside there was also some renovations going on in the living area. Zack and Ivy were wearing builders hats, Zack was hammering some planks while having a sandwich. Ivy was sealing some boards together with sealant as they were working on some of the furniture. The current furniture was a few boxes and a wooden pallet as a temporary table until the furniture they ordered came in. Carmen, Bentley and Sly sat at the table with his computer with Shadowsan.
Murray then came up the stairs. "Hey guys new signs up and soon we'll have awesome lifts and tool shelves!" He said.
"Awesome! I can't believe the cover for this place is our own auto repair shop! Now this is hiding in plain sight!" Zack said excitedly.
"Well don't get too overexcited yet bro we still got a lot to do before this hideout is up and running." Ivy said. Then looked to the hippo enforcer. "Hey Murray think you can make a start on the kitchen?" Ivy asked.
"You got it Ivy." Murray saluted and went over to the kitchen area. "Now where's my hammer?"
Meanwhile Bentley was still decoding with Player. "So any luck on what our slippery friend was after?" Sly then asked.
"Well it took some serious code crunching between me and Player, but I think we've deduced what VILE stole from the Servers." Bentley explained.
"Yeah." Player said from the video call on Bentleys tablet.
Players room:
"Technical specs for an experimental electromagnetic pulse generator, codenamed, "Trip Wire."" Player explained as he looked at said specs on his computer while on the video call. It was a spherical device. "The Russian government attempted to design the next generation of EMP device, long-range with ultimate pinpoint accuracy."
"In layman's terms, it's able to generate an electro magnetic pulse with a much wider range than any conventional EMP bomb." Bentley explained. "It was intended for military application."
"Hold up, attempted to?" Carmen then caught onto Players statement.
"As in past tense?" Sly caught on as well.
"Yep, they couldn't crack it, so Trip Wire was shuttered." Player confirmed.
The Hideout:
"But something tells me that VILE wouldn't go to the trouble of stealing failed prototype specs unless they could do the impossible." Bentley then deduced to which Shadowsan then confirmed.
"Indeed, Dr. Saira Bellum thrives on solving the unsolvable." He said.
"And if she manages to engineer a working prototype from the stolen plans, VILE will possess the means of disabling any electrical grid in the world from anywhere at any time." Carmen then added with her thoughts on what they would use it for. Ivy nudged Zack to listen in on what they were saying. It even perked Murrays attention.
"So wait they stole specs to turn the lights out?" Murray said confused.
"Like to cause instant blackouts?" Ivy asked. "Why go to all that trouble?"
"Create power outages that would shut down security systems and allow VILE to steal from the cover of darkness." Carmen explained turning to the listening group.
Sly then realised where he'd heard this kind of thing before. "Ah I get it, the old lights out trick!" He said. "If there was ever a vault we thieves couldn't open all we'd have to do is kill the power to the electrical grid, open the vault and make off with the loot before the back up power kicked in."
"Thats correct Sly, however there's one difference." Bentley agreed. "With the Trip Wire device it would be powerful enough to take out any form of back up generators or even the most advanced security as well. VILE would essentially have a free hand, and could take their time without worry of the police being alerted. Its diabolically brilliant in a horrific way."
"Sounds like the ultimate crackle rod." Player then interjected. "Any chance the electrician formerly known as Crackle is involved?"
"Crackle?" Murray asked.
"Oh yeah thats right you guys weren't there." Sly realised. "long story short Crackle is Carmens former classmate from VILE, but the last time we saw him he was an electrician in Sydney." He then explained.
"For good reason." Shadowsan said leaning over to the computer. "Crackle has no memory of ever being associated with the Villains International League of Evil."
"My old classmate Gray suffers from amnesia, which we now know was caused by Dr. Bellum." Carmen agreed with something of a heavy heart.
"Hmm." Bentley pondered for a while. "Shadowsan, am I correct in assuming this Gray fellows amnesia is a security precaution to protect VILEs existence?" He asked the former Faculty member.
"You are very correct Bentley, in the event a VILE operative is captured he is released from jail and then returned to the academy to have their memory wiped of everything regarding VILE." Shadowsan explained. "To suppress the criminal element before releasing them back to the public eye."
"I'm guessing they're released by the gruesome twosome we saw back in Greece?" Sly asked.
"They are sent to collect them, but the strings are pulled by an operative VILE have placed in the British Secret service." Shadowsan explained.
"Wait what!" Sly exclaimed. "They have someone in MI6! Boy these guys get around."
"Well it wouldn't be the first time there was a mole in law enforcement Sly. Remember Neyla?" Bentley reminded, as they recalled that Constable then turned Captain Neyla was secretly a mole in Interpol for the Klaww Gang.
Players Room:
"Anyway, back to the subject at hand." Player then got everyone back on track. "So, what's the caper?"
The Hideout:
Carmen smirked. "What else? We disable Dr. Bellum's prototype before she can use it and delete the plans so she can't rebuild it." She explained.
"So any idea where Bellum's hold up?" Sly turned to Shadowsan who pondered on that subject.
"Judging from the involvement of Neal the Eel, Dr. Bellum's base of operations for this project would most certainly be her laboratory in New Zealand." Shadowsan explained.
Suddenly Zack, Murray and Ivy jumped in rather excited. "Yes! Back to Australia!" Zack cheered.
"Throw another shrimp on the barbie, mate!" Ivy agreed in an Australian accent.
"Alright! Maybe I can see what my Gurus home is like in this world!" Murray said excitedly but then looked a little worried. wait there's no Mask of Dark Earth here is there?"
"Don't worry pal there's no Mask of Dark Earth in this worlds version of Australia." Sly assured him.
"Dudes." Player said getting everyones attention. "New Zealand is actually a completely different country."
"Its true they may have similar accents but New Zealand is its own country though it is on the Southwest of Australia." Bentley added.
"Hold on. It's not the capital of Australia? Pfft, news to me." Zack said.
"You sure? They're both down under." Ivy then cracked which received an amused smile from Carmen and chuckle from Murray.
"Heh ha good one Ivy!" Murray chuckled. Sly just shook his head smiling at this crews antics.
"Technically, I guess. But, yeah, I'm sure." Player explained as he displayed a map of New Zealand and Australia on a globe map with New Zealand highlighted.
"I must caution you. The laboratory is Dr. Bellum's highest security facility." Shadowsan then warned the crew about their intended target.
"Ah no offence Shadowsan, but I never met a building I couldn't break into." Sly said a little confident.
"I'm afraid Shadowsan isn't kidding Sly." Bentley explained as he typed on his holo keyboard. "Player just brought it up on the VILE hard drive." He then swiped on his tablet projecting the facility as a hologram, it looked like a pyramid like spire shaped building. The holo presentation then brought up the security measures.
"What we're looking at is a rather grim reminder of what the modern-day thief is up against." Bentley explained. "Security cameras, computerised locks, and even high security electrical fields. The place is essentially a fortress, but you know a part of me has to tip my hat to Dr Bellum, this is very advanced tech, if only she channeled it to more honourable causes the things she could've done."
"Stay in the light little guy." Carmen reminded him.
"I'm trying red." Bentley said.
Players Room:
"Anyway to even get near Dr. Bellum's computer lab, you'd have to cross a series of four electrical fields with a fail-safe." Player explained as he brought up the specs on these electrical fields If more than one field is deactivated at any given time, the entire building goes into lockdown."
The Hideout:
"Wow, we could really use a tank." Murray realised a little worried.
"But we have our own ninja. Ninjas can go anywhere they want, right?" Zack said gesturing to Shadowsan who was very quick in disagreeing with him.
"Moving unseen among shadow is one thing. Passing through high-voltage electricity, entirely another." Shadowsan said.
"Fortunately however." Bentley then began. "Like any so called 'impenetrable fortress' it does have a weak-spot we can exploit." He explained. "Player care to explain?"
"Right." Player then showed on the holo presentation the facility and a second building just across from it. "Bellum's lab draws all its power from a nearby electrical substation. If we get into the substation, we can manually shut down the fields, grid by grid."
"So mine and Sly's movements would need to be perfectly synchronized, like a dancer." Carmen realised.
"Or else crispy, fried Carmen with a side of sizzled Sly." Ivy saw where this would go if something went wrong.
"Well good thing me and Red are always synchronised in our thinking right?" Sly said a little charmingly. To which Carmen rolled her eyes.
"What's the problem? Player has wicked awesome gamer reflexes." Zack then said gesturing to Player.
Players Room:
"We can't risk the server lag or any voltage spikes that might blow a fuse." Player explained. "We would need someone on site who really knows their electric."
The Hideout:
"Well thats no problem, Bentley knows his stuff when it comes to tech!" Murray then said encouragingly.
"Yes Murray, but I suspect that Dr M has incorporated some of his own ideas into this facilities security." Bentley explained. "Plus no doubt after my little hack attack on Dr Bellum during our Fashionista caper in Milan she will have no doubt had M upgrade her security since he rivals my own genius. This requires someone who has worked with stage lighting."
"So can we think of anyone who fits that description?" Sly wondered. Shadowsan did have one idea of who might be suitable for this particular task. However he wasn't sure that Carmen would agree to it, or even like it given who it was.
"Crackle was the finest criminal electrician VILE ever had." Shadowsan suggested.
"Gray's out of the game. We can't pull him back in." Carmen disagreed.
"Not even to play for the good guys? We know he has stage lighting experience." Player then said.
"Plus this requires a steady and skilled hand to make sure you and Sly get through those fields without sounding any alarms." Bentley agreed.
"Whoa, are we breaking into a lab or putting on a show?" Ivy questioned.
"Eh I just learned to roll with it." Murray shrugged. "Though I wish I brought my dancing shoes."
"If Dr. Bellum were to lay eyes on Gray, his safety would be compromised." Carmen said with some worry in her voice, namely for the safety of her former classmate who now had a clean slate.
"Two completely different locations, remember? Problem solved." Player showed the lab and the substation and they were completely separate locations.
Carmen was still unsure about this. "Carmen." She then looked to Sly. "Look I get you want to keep Gray safe but I think Shadowsan has a point, from what you told me back in Australia. Gray, knows his stuff when it comes to electrics and as long as we keep his head down in there VILE will be none the wiser." He said to her. "But it's your call."
Carmen didn't like this at all putting Gray back in the field, but Player did have a point he would be in a completely different location, one which had no security what so ever. So there would be no chance that Bellum would see him there. Plus having a skilled electrician on hand would be of big help for the heist as long as they kept Gray out of the line of fire. So with a sigh she came to a decision.
"Alright. We'd need a cover story. Gray can't know what he's actually doing." She said.
"W…what?" Zack questioned.
"Huh?" Murray scratched his head.
"How do we pull that off?" Ivy wondered.
"Like you said Ivy, we put on a show." Sly smirked.
"Yes and I may have a way." Bentley then said. "A small trick we pulled on a job in our version of Russia at the Bolshoi Theatre."
Soon Player brings up all his facts about New Zealand, as the globe lands right onto said continent. "Located way down in the southern hemisphere, New Zealand is made up of two main islands and about 600 smaller ones." Player explained.
"The country is so remote, it was actually one of the last land masses on our planet settled by humans." Carmen explained as then suddenly a sheep popped up.
"Whoa! And sheep, apparently. About 30 million sheep live on the islands." Player explained his facts.
"Yow thats a lot of wool." Murray said amazed.
"Yeah but I reckon we could take'em." Sly said.
"You're not pulling the wool over our eyes." Carmen then joked as said sheep was then shaved. "That amounts to nearly six sheep for every Kiwi."
"What the fruit?" Murray questioned all confused.
"No Murray, the people." Sly corrected. "It turns out New Zealanders proudly refer to themselves as 'Kiwis'."
"Thats right Sly, named after the native flightless bird that's their national symbol." Carmen confirmed.
"Indeed, and New Zealand is also famous for its indigenous Maori culture." Bentley then explained. "A series of customs, cultural practices and beliefs on the indigenous Maori People who arrived in New Zealand after several waves of canoe voyages around 1320 and 1350."
"Thats right Bentley and they originated with the settlers from East Polynesia." Carmen confirmed.
"Plus let's not forget New Zealand is also home to many beautiful picturesque landscapes which would make the perfect romantic getaway." Sly said charmingly.
"You and your ideas of romantic ringtail." Ivy said.
"Hey it's a gift." Sly said.
"So you're saying New Zealand really isn't in Australia?" Zack then asked as the globe showed the two completely different continents.
"That's right, Zack. It's its own country. Over 1,000 miles southeast of the Australian continent." Carmen explained.
The scene then reveals that she, Zack, Ivy, Bentley, Murray and Sly are on a Red Eye jet flying for their destination. However it wasn't New Zealand.
"Then why are we flying to Australia?" Zack then asked all confused.
"To wrangle our electrician." Carmen explained as they arrived in Australia.
Sydney,Australia:
In a lone cafe in Sydney Australia, Gray or um Graham sat at a table having a coffee. His gaze was looking at a certain pavement overlooking the Sydney Opera house where a certain girl who stood him up vanished without a trace. He took a sip of his coffee and reading a book when two certain someones arrived.
"You're late." He said as he looked to see Carmen now in her casual attire and Sly in his casual attire and hologuise.
"Fashionably, I hope." Carmen said before sitting down at the table. "I'm sorry I stood you up, Gray." She then apologised.
"Um, it's…" Gray was about to remind her.
"Graham. Right." Carmen corrected herself still not getting used to that. It was then Gray noticed her companion.
"Ah and who's this guy?" Gray asked.
"Oh yeah I guess I'm hard to recognise when I'm not in my uh, cosplay yeah that." Sly explained and then Gray realised who it was.
"Wait, oh its you! Old blue sneakaroo! So thats what you look like without the cosplay." Gray realised.
"Yeah, names Sly by the way." Sly offered a handshake which Gray accepted.
"Graham Calloway, and Sly huh thats a pretty slick name." Gray complimented.
"Yeah my Mom and Dad were a creative bunch." Sly shrugged.
"Anyway." Carmen got back to the matter at hand. "The reason I never showed up was because I was called away on business at the last minute." She then explained.
This got Gray a little curious. "What kind of business?"
"Me and Sly run an international charity for abandoned children." Carmen explained. "In fact, that's the reason we came to see you today."
"Oh?" Gray said even more curiously with a raised eyebrow.
"We are sponsoring a big fundraiser in Auckland, New Zealand, this week. Selections from Swan Lake." Carmen explained.
"Tchaikovsky." Gray instantly recognised the name of the opera.
"Ah you've heard of it?" Sly asked.
"Well I've lit a few Russian ballets at the old Sydney Opera House." Gray explained.
"Yeah my friend Murray saw the Swan Princess films adapted from that play still made him cry near the end." Sly commented.
"Yes well we have a slight problem. Fortunately for us, our lighting technician dropped out, and I'm hoping you can help." Carmen explained.
"You'd really be saving the day here pal, and for the kids too." Sly explained.
Gray took a minute to think on this proposal and then looked at them with an answer. "Alright I'll do it, one condition."
"Which is?" Carmen asked.
"You have that cuppa with me afterwards." Gray then said gesturing to his cup of coffee.
"Oh I'm sure that can happen, right Carm?" Sly said with a teasing smile. Carmen could only respond with a smile of her own.
"Absolutely." She smiled as she and Sly stood up from their chairs. "I'll have the foundation book you a flight." She said as she left and Sly gave a two finger salute as he to left with Carmen.
Soon the crew were back on board the Red Eye jet bound for New Zealand, just as Bentley was going through one of his holo presentations for the plan.
"Alright lets review crew." Bentley said drawing everyones attention. "Heres how we execute what I call Operation Lights Out, we fly into Aukland New Zealands largest city famous for boasting its famous skyline compliments of the sky tower."
"Okay so why Aukland?" Sly asked.
"Because Dr. Bellum's lab is located just outside city limits, not that Gray will ever know it exists." Carmen explained.
"Right because to him it'll just be the opera house where we're holding our 'charity event.'" Sly realised.
"Exactly, now it goes without saying that will have no doubt already started constructing her prototype with the stolen plans. And as we know the lab is equipped with the most advanced security imaginable which to any thief would be an impossible task." Bentley explained. "However we have the advantage. Carmen if you would."
"Right. Gray will be doing his part entirely from the nearby electrical substation, which we will lead him to believe is the backstage entrance of the children's theatre." Carmen explained as the visuals show Zack and Ivy putting a star on the door of the substation to make it look like the backstage entrance.
"This way, VILE never sees Gray, and Gray never sees VILE, the reason we opted to have Shadowsan remain at HQ." Carmen then finished.
Zack and Murray gasped at that. "He's waiting for the cable guy?" Zack asked excitedly.
"No." Carmen chuckled. "Gray only knows Shadowsan from his time at VILE Academy. Who knows what hidden memories spotting the face of any VILE instructor could trigger?"
"Which is why we'll have to tread carefully during the heist." Bentley explained. "For we don't know the full extent of what Bellum's mind wipe has done."
"How'd you mean Bentley?" Ivy asked.
"Well just because his memories at VILE aren't there it doesn't necessarily mean they're gone. More like repressed." Bentley explained. "But over time repressed memories have a way of trying to find their way to the surface again, or they may come serging back if someone sees or hears a certain thing, a face, a voice, a place you name it."
Players Room:
"Right which is why we can't risk awakening any memories or criminal impulses, especially not while Carmen and Sly's fate is in Gray's hands." Player also reminded.
The Jet:
"Right so we're gonna have to be careful." Sly realised just how precarious this plan really was.
"So Gray will operate a lighting board from his control booth, shutting down Dr. Bellum's surveillance cameras and security systems," Carmen continued to explain the plan showing what Gray will be doing. "including the notorious electrical fields, one by one and in sequence, all while under the illusion that he's controlling the stage lighting of a live theatrical performance of Swan Lake." The slide show shows the screen of the substation replaced with a performance of Swan Lake.
"How're gonna do that?" Murray asked.
"With a little case of misdirection right Bentley?" Sly asked knowing the answer.
"Indeed Sly." Bentley explained.
"His cue sheets will be timed to a prerecorded ballet, the one you'll be hearing in your earpieces as you pirouette your way through Dr. Bellum's gauntlets." Player explained showing the diagram of the electrical fields and the performance itself.
"Whoa talk about total synch up!" Murray said. "But won't Gray hear all the action going on outside?"
"Got that covered too pal." Sly said. "As a safety net so its believable Gray will be in constant communication with the stage manager of our little ballet performance."
"An efficient but friendly Kiwi we'll call "Peter."" Carmen explained when its revealed the person Gray will be in contact with is Player.
"Hello guys Peter here." Player said in a New Zealand accent.
"And once you have access to Bellums main computer use this data drive to upload a virus that me and Player have engineered, it'll seek out the Project Trip Wire files and erase them from VILE's database, while also leaving a small surprise for them as well."
"But I thought you said Dr M might double her firewalls?" Zack asked.
"I did but fortunately I've had experience with some of M's tech in the past plus with Shadowsan's insight on how Bellum operates, Player and I were able to engineer the virus." Bentley explained. "Giving me a doorway through their firewalls from that side."
"And what's the surprise then?" Ivy asked.
"Oh just a little trump card that'll defiantly come in handy someday." Bentley explained.
"And when the big show's over?" Carmen then asked Player in a knowing way.
"We tell Crackle the crowd's demanding an encore and have him switch off the grid in reverse order so our swans can take flight." Player explained as the presentation showed the performance and the electrical grid going off in reverse order.
"Well lets make sure this is our best performance, and give VILE a show they won't forget." Sly then said encouragingly.
"Wicked awesome!" Zack cheered.
Aukland: Outer City Limits:
Upon their arrival the gang set to work getting everything ready. Ivy and Zack put the star on the door of the substation while Bentley was at work patching in the prerecorded ballet to the screen system in the control booth.
Soon everything for the big heist was ready. Just then a yellow taxi pulled up outside and Graham stepped out of it to see Carmen and Sly (in his hologuise) standing outside the backstage door.
"Graham, ready to rock?" Carmen asked him.
"Anything for the kiddos." Graham replied with a smile.
"Glad to hear it, it's gonna be a night to remember." Sly said.
"Okay. Curtain's at 8:00, and Sly and me are needed in wardrobe." Carmen said opening the door for Graham who merely gestured for her to go first so she went inside followed by him and Sly.
Several Hours Later:
Night had fallen over Aukland with the illuminance of the city in the distance. The VILE lab was also lit up. Inside many of Bellums machines were assembling the Project Tripwire device prototype. Electricity crackled as Bellum, Dr M and Neal the Eel oversaw the operation.
"Tonight is the night my friends. We are nearly ready to beta test." Bellum smirked evilly.
"Indeed, with this device in VILE's possession we will never have to worry about any advanced security ever again!" Dr M agreed. "Oh if only this kind of thing was in my home dimension, I know of a few acquaintances who would pay big for a device such as this!"
"Yes, and I do appreciate your assistance on this M, though it did mean taking you away from your 'projects'" Dr Bellum then said but Dr.M did pick up on something in her voice.
"Saira, am I sensing a little doubt in your voice?" Dr M asked.
"Oh of course not M, but the rest of the Faculty are beginning to ask questions about what you've been doing, and to be honest so have I. As a scientist I am rather curious myself." Dr Bellum then said.
"I'm not surprised, but rest assured what I have been working on will change the playing field against our enemies." Dr M simply said.
"I gotta say doc, you do have ambition." Neal commented.
"Thank you Neal I do have vision." Dr M said confidently.
"Yes a rare ambition, sometimes you think like one of the Faculty." Dr Bellum then complimented.
"Ah a very honourable compliment Saira." Dr M said rather humbly as he turned back to the sparks of the assembled machine. "One that will soon be reality." He said to himself.
Players Room:
Player sat at his desk and cracked his knuckles, he used his mouse to click on a file on his computer, which was the file needed for this task. He was monitoring Carmen and Sly via their icons on his computer showing they were getting into position outside the lab.
"Player, time for curtain call." Bentley called in.
"Cue music." Player said as he clicked the mouse and as he turned to his other screen showing an opera stage for Swan Lake the sound of an orchestra tuning their instruments could be heard. He clicked on a microphone in his room.
"Okay, Graham, you're on." Player said in his New Zealand accent.
Aukland:
In his sound booth/control room for the opera/substation, Graham was all set up. He put on his headphones which he was talking to 'Peter' through. He looked at the screen showing the opera stage.
"Remember, timing is everything." Player explained.
Outside the lab, Carmen and Sly snuck along the outside wall but stopped close to the door, as they saw above them was a security camera which was keeping a solitary visual.
In his control room Graham began hitting several keys on the keyboard and the first one deactivated the security camera. However in his view it raised the curtain on the opera. Another key was hit which deactivated the high security lock allowing Carmen to open the door. She and Sly then slipped inside, and just as Graham hit another key stroke the door closed and the lock was reactivated.
"Player, Red & Blue Swan is in. En route to secure sub-level." Carmen relayed on the coms as she and Sly hurried to the elevator at the entrance. The elevator went down to the sub level and opened to reveal a hallway. The two super thieves ran down the hallway, until they came up to an open door which lead to a small hall before their obstacle. The electrical grid.
In the substation the prerecorded Ballet was all but ready and the dancers were in position. While in the lab Carmen and Sly came into the grid and were faced with the barriers of high voltage electricity. From a birds eye view it appeared to be three corridors like a maze.
"This is where the fun begins." Sly smirked to his partner who smirked back.
"Red & Blue Swan have arrived at shock corridor." Carmen relayed to Player.
Players Room:
Player had their position, and it was time to begin the performance. "Copy that." He relayed to them, then turned to his microphone. "Okay, mate, fade up centre stage on "Dance of the Little Swans."" He said to Graham in his accent.
Aukland:
"Opera, ballet... Here's hoping the next gig involves stadium rock." Graham said, as he used the switch in front of him to fade the lights on the centre stage. Then "Dance of the Little Swans" begins to play.
In the electrical grid Sly and Carmen stand ready listening to the music to time their movements. In the substation Gray begins moving the fader switches which lowered the electrical barriers to the ground, and the two began pirouetting through the hall. As the ballet dancers danced it was synchronised with the thieves movements.
Graham was paying close attention to the timing of the dancers movements and moved the fader switches accordingly. As the barriers rose again Sly and Carmen narrowly jumped the last barrier and moved to the second corridor.
The dancers reversed their performance and Graham moved the second set of faders accordingly, and like wise Carmen and Sly continued to pirouette through the gauntlet of electrical barriers. They just managed to leap the last barrier before arriving at the next corridor. They continued to time their movements to the music perfectly in synch.
Graham continued to move the faders alongside the recorded ballet on the fourth set. While Carmen and Sly continued to literally dance their way through the electrical barriers which fell and rose again and again. One almost caught Sly's tail if he hadn't leaped with Carmen over the last barrier to the final corridor.
Graham moved to the fifth set of faders as Carmen and Sly carefully timed their movements. Graham began moving the faders following the dancers. The two thieves danced through the fields, though they began to rush so they wouldn't get hit by the electrical fields, as the song was drawing to a close the two leaped over the final barrier, Carmen almost tripped but Sly was able to catch her in a dancer like way. On their earpieces they heard the thunderous sound of applause. They stood up and saw they had made it.
"Whew, a nearly electrifying performance." Carmen said impressed. She then looked to Sly."Nice moves partner."
"Thanks, makes me glad I took those dance lessons for the Russian Ballet when me and the gang pulled a job at the opera house." Sly said nearly out of breath.
"You do ballet?" Carmen said with a raised eyebrow.
"Hey the tangos not the only thing I specialise in, besides gotta be with my looks." Sly then cracked.
"Cute Sly, now quit messing around and get those plans, it's only a matter of time before VILE discovers your presence." Bentley called in on the coms.
"Copy that Bentley." Carmen replied. "Lets go." She said as the two thieves hurried out of the shock corridor.
The door opened and they were soon inside the computer mainframe room. They entered and headed to the computer. Where Carmen pulled out her USB lipstick and inserted it into the USB port.
"Bentley your up." Sly called on the coms as VILE's files appeared on the screen.
From his concealed hiding place, namely the Team Van close to the substation. Bentley began his work. "On it uploading the Virus now." Bentley relayed and through the connection he uploaded his virus right into the computer mainframe.
The virus which was a rather bulky looking Bentley avatar worked its way through the mainframe. However it came across a road block, a very heavily encrypted firewall.
"Just as I thought they've updated their firewalls since Milan." Bentley realised but then gave a smirk. "They just never learn." He smirked as his avatar then formed a large mace and smashed its way right through the fire wall. It even blew off the smoke on his mace and made his way through the system until it found the files.
However elsewhere a small beep sounded on a console and Dr.M saw it from a distance. He smirked with anticipation he knew who was here.
"Okay, searching for Project Trip Wire files." Bentley relayed and the virus looked through the files until it found what it was looking for. "Files located, scrubbing database now."
The avatar started to absorb the Trip Wire files making a copy on its own code, then it formed two rather large looking cannons on its back and began firing at all the data completely destroying it.
"BOOM Goodbye stolen tech!" Bentley cheered. "Now for my secret weapon." The virus then left something behind in the mainframe, what appeared to be an icon in the shape of Bentley's calling card.
Server room:
"Good job Bentley. Off to find Dr. Bellum's prototype." Carmen said as she removed her usb drive and they exit the server room however someone was in the hallway waiting for them.
"Well well, it seems we have uninvited guests!" Dr M sneered as he was now plugged into his newly repaired Spider mech once more. His glaring gaze shifted from Sly to a certain thief dressed in red. "Ah…Carmen Sandiego, we meet at last I must admit you look different from what the Faculty described." He mused.
"Dr M I presume?" Carmen said.
"Yes indeed." Dr M smirked "I believe it is time that you and I got better aquatinted little black Sheep!" Suddenly a cable was fired from the left front leg and ensnared Carmen round the waist yanking her away.
"Carmen!" Sly exclaimed as he ran after her only for him to be cut off by a wall that divided the room. He hit the wall and thumped on it with his fist. "Carmen!" He yelled. "Bentley its M he's got Carmen and split us up, I need this unblocked now!"
"I'm on it Sly!" Bentley called however.
"Well well well." Sly heard a familiar voice from behind him, he turned around to see Neal the Eel standing behind him. "I've heard of sheep wandering into New Zealand, but ring-tailed rodents is a new one."
"Are you for real?" Sly questioned, he didn't have time to deal with this clown, so he drew his cane and stood at the ready. Neal ran towards the Ringtailed thief then slid along the ground and tripped him up with a leg swipe. Sly hit the ground on his back while Neal looked smirking.
Sly got up and readied his cane as he ran towards Neal who ran at him and slid past him. However this time Sly was ready he quickly used his cane hook to hook Neals suit collar and then swing him across the room and into the door.
"Guess what pal your not the only slick one around here! Now I have a dance partner to save!" Sly said as he ran back to the wall. However, Neal wasn't done with him just yet. He pushed from the floor sliding across the floor and grabbed Sly by his ankle causing him to trip.
Meanwhile on the other side of the wall Carmen was at the mercy of the mad Doctor M. Who looked at her restrained with sinister intent. "So easy to capture, the so called uncatchable Carmen Sandiego. How can one small Black Sheep be so troublesome!"
Carmen then pulled something out of her coat, a taser and struck the wire that restrained her which sent an electric current through Dr.M's mech causing him to cry out in pain. Using this Carmen slipped out of the cable and landed on the ground, and rolled to the side narrowly dodging a strike from one of M's spider legs.
"You obviously don't get out much do you, I always wondered why Bellum would talk to herself outside of classes and now I see why she was really talking to you." Carmen said. "Weird I didn't take her for the type to talk to apes."
Dr M growled at that. "Ah such fire my dear I do see a lot of Cooper in you self absorbed and a glory hog just like his father!"
"Look I don't know what happened between you and Sly's father but it's not the same with me and him!" Carmen deflected.
"Really?" Dr M then charged forwards towards Carmen who quickly ducked out of the way only to be swatted away by the left rear leg of Dr.M's mech and hit the glass wall.
"Then why is it called the Cooper and Sandiego gang hm, his father was the same he always sought glory for himself and always made me second best just as Sly does with Bentley and now you!" Dr.M taunted her.
"Your wrong we are partners, we are equals but more than that we're family and we trust each other!" Carmen yelled at him as she leaped over the monkey scientist and then fires her grapple line weaving all around the mechs legs, then with a firm pull she made M tumble to the ground.
"Family HA! He'll betray you the first chance he gets just like his father betrayed me always made me second best always squandered my potential, and never gave me the credit I deserve!" Dr M exclaimed as he got back up. Carmen took his words but she knew her own judgement of her partners and her crew. She knew Sly was an honourable man or well raccoon, then she realised it.
"Wow, you know you talk a lot about your own superiority but you know what your problem is?" Carmen began. "You let your insecurities and pride get the best of you how you think your so better than everyone else. I don't think Sly's father betrayed you. You betrayed yourself!" She said and it looks like her words really stung M and it was making him angry. "And here you are latching onto an excuse just to hurt people, and you think VILE won't be any better your just a puppet, and the minute you serve your purpose they're gonna cut your strings!" She then made her hands into scissors to show it.
"I AM NOONES PUPPET! You know I was right you are more like Sly! So full of pride yourself if anything I would be as close to say your his dimensional counterpart!" Dr M raged as he charged towards Carmen who quickly dodged out of the way performing a ninja spire jump over the mech and landed on its head. She saw what looked like its main core unit.
"This looks important!" She pulled out her taser and slammed it right into the core sending an electric shock which shocked all the way to Dr.M's interface giving him a nasty jolt of electricity.
On the other side Sly was still pinned down as Neal held his ankle. "You know I have fond memories of Black Sheep back at the academy, she was always the island mascot while I was class of…" Sly quickly took advantage of Neals gloating and flew a kick towards his face forcing him to let go of him.
Sly quickly shot back up and tried to stomp him down only for Neal to slide away and kick him to the wall. "How did you two slip in here anyway? You part eel?"
"What can I see we have a way of slipping into tight spaces." Sly cracked.
"Hey I do all the wise cracks around here!" Neal complained.
"Bentley any time now!" Sly muttered through his com.
Bentley was hacking like mad trying to overcome the security fire walls of the mechanism holding the dividing wall into place. Until finally. "A…nd. Release!" Bentley deployed one final key stroke.
Then just like magic the wall was lowered just in time to reveal Dr.M being shocked by Carmen who saw Sly was at the mercy of Neal, so she quickly leaped off the mech and then kicked Neal right into the other wall. She quickly rushed over to Sly.
"Sly you alright?" She asked.
"I should be asking you that!" Sly said a little worried, then he spotted M was detached from his mech and recovering from that nasty shock. "Whoa what happened to him?"
"You could say he had a shocking time." Carmen smirked, however it was short lived as Dr.M recovered and glared hatefully towards them and yelled in a rage smashing his chest all gorilla like. Neal had recovered and the two thieves found themselves cornered.
"Something tells me its time we cut this performance short." Sly said to his partner.
"Player time for that encore." Carmen relayed as Dr M then charged towards them as did Neal. Timing their movements carefully Carmen grabbed Neal and slammed him into the glass and just before Dr M could reach them.
BANG! Blasting through the rear wall was Murray who rammed his way through grabbed M by the ankle and slammed him into the glass as well.
Players Room:
Player had to act fast to help his friends. So he turned to his radio. "Okay, Graham.."
Substation Aukland:
"curtain call for "Dance of the Little Swans."" Peter relayed just as the curtain went up for the second performance.
"Already?" Graham said completely taken aback.
"I know, right? Crowd's going wild!" Peter relayed as Graham began manipulating the faders/electrical fields.
The fields then lowered, which gave Carmen the opening they needed as she pushed Neal to the ground and Murray threw Dr. M right into the fields themselves as Sly then pinned him down.
"WHAT!" Dr M exclaimed.
"Are you mad you'll frie us all!" Neal exclaimed. However the two then leaped off their opponents knocking them into the far wall just as Graham raised the fields trapping them like rats in a maze.
"Hold faders now!" Carmen called on her ear piece.
Players Room:
"Graham, lock faders in current position." Player said in his accent.
Aukland:
Graham was most surprised by Peters instructions. "Wait what?" He said surprised.
In the facility Dr M and Neal were now confined within the electrical fields. Carmen and Sly went up to Murray. "Nice entrance big guy." Sly thanked.
"Hey I did say we could use a tank to take on this place, and there's no better tank then The Murray!" Murray said flexing his muscles. "Plus Bentley figured you could use the extra muscle."
"Thanks Murray." Carmen thanked with gratitude, she then looked to the confined villains. "I'd stay put unless you wanna be an electric eel."
"Yeah and not the kind your related to." Sly then cracked as they walked by. "Oh and M, guess your shocked at how good Carmen is huh." He and the others then took their leave.
"Slick." Neal grumbled while Dr M was more than frustrated he was enraged!
Back at the Substation, there was a problem, the footage Graham was looking at was glitching back and forth. "Peter, there's something wrong with my feed." He relayed.
"Technical difficulties, mate." Peter/Player relayed.
Players Room:
"Please stand by. And don't touch those faders." Player said as he kept his eyes on Carmen, Sly's and Murrays position.
Aukland:
So Graham did so he didn't lay a single hand on the faders as the show continued to run its course, however when the ballet dancers finished their performance and the curtain fell, the lights faded. Graham was confused he didn't even touch the light controls? Then suddenly it hit him.
"Wait. Is this a recording?" He realised. "Why have I been lighting a pre-recorded performance? Peter?" He then grew suspicious.
Players Room:
"Uh, there's a perfectly logical explanation." Player tried to explain a little nervous. "Just sit tight, Graham." However while Player was typing on his keyboard he noticed he got no response.
Aukland:
"Graham?" However the substation control area was empty, and Graham was nowhere to be seen only his headset was there on the chair, and the door leading out was open. He had gone.
Bellums Lab:
Back in the lab construction on the Trip Wire prototype was complete. Bellum smirked at her work in marvel of her achievement. "Neal, M, we are ready to launch." However, when she turned to face them, they were not there. "Neal? Doctor M?" She wondered. "Oh, where did that sea snake and brainiac ape slither off to?" She then wandered out to find out where her cohorts had disappeared to.
Substation:
Out at the substation Graham had just exited and was looking for answers. "Carmen! Sly!" He called out and when he looked ahead he saw the lab clear as day. "Must be the main stage." He realised as he walked towards it.
Inside, Carmen, Murray and Sly were running down the hall heading towards Bellum's main lab to find and steal her prototype. "Guys where are we at?" Bentley called on the coms.
"We're warm." Carmen relayed. "Player how's the ballet?" She then asked.
Players Room:
"Uh, on indefinite intermission." Player explained as he looked rather worried by what he suspected happened.
"What do you mean?" Sly asked.
"Our lighting tech walked."
Bellums Lab:
"WHAT!" Everyone exclaimed.
"Guys this isn't good, if Gray so much as sees anything related to VILE at all." Bentley realised on the coms.
"Already on it Bentley, Zack and Ivy are combing the grounds for him now." Player then said.
"Find him. We're too close to turn back now!" Carmen then said.
"Murray you best see if you can find him, if VILE finds Neal and M it'll mean they know we're here think you can make a little noise." Sly said to him.
"Buddy when it comes to making noise, The Murray is the loudest one there is!" He said as he ran the opposite direction while Carmen looked very worried.
"Hey." Sly then said to her. "We're gonna find him."
"I know." Carmen understood, "Come on." She and Sly headed out to look for that prototype.
Elsewhere Dr Bellum arrives at the electrical field grid, and imagine her surprise when she finds Dr.M and Neal contained within.
"Uh... Bob's your uncle?" Neal said nervously.
"Shut up Neal." Dr M said harshly. "Saira if you wouldn't mind helping us out of our little predicament."
"Very well." Bellum said as she pulls out a remote control. "But tell me Neal who would be my auntie?" She then deactivated all the electrical fields allowing the two trapped thieves to escape.
"Take a wild guess." Dr M said.
"Carmen Sandiego and Sly Cooper, and they took off that way!" Neal said as he, Bellum and Dr M ran down the hall in right direction. However what they didn't see was Gray on the other side of the shock corridor looking for Carmen and Sly in this 'opera house'
"Carmen?" He called but got no response. "Carmen?" He called again but no reply as he walked through the disabled shock corridor.
Back in the junction corridors of the lab complex, Drs Bellum and M along with Neal find several security guards. "Red alert! We have intruders!" Bellum warned.
"Search the facility do not let them escape!" Dr M exclaimed as the guards headed off to find the intruders, Bellum and M headed back towards the lab while Neal checked the other hallways.
Main Lab:
At last Carmen and Sly had arrived at Bellums main lab, and there before them was the Trip Wire prototype. "Bingo." Sly realised. Carmen checks the coast is clear, and the two make their way to the large device, and were about to grab it when.
"Carmen? Sly?" They turn to see Graham standing in the door way of the lab shocked.
"Sandiego!" Dr Bellum exclaimed.
"Cooper!" Dr M growled.
"Uh is there an echo?" Sly joked under pressure. Realising there was no time to secure the device so they dashed for the exit where Gray was standing.
"Uh.." Gray was about to ask until Carmen grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him away.
"Come on!"Sly said as they hurried away from the lab with a still utterly confused Gray.
"What kind of concert hall is this?" He asked.
"Experimental." Carmen simply said.
"Yeah and the theme is uh mad doctors lab!" Sly added as they hurried down the hallway.
Just then Neal arrived in the Tripwire lab to find their targets had escaped. "Now what?" Neal asked.
Dr M then looked to Dr Bellum. "Saria, I believe the time has come for that beta test wouldn't you agree?"
"Agreed Doctor, if this is the game they wish to play." She then looked to Neal. "Raise the sphere!" So Neal hit a button on the control panel, which made the sphere rise from its platform and formed what looked like an array device.
"Carmen Sandiego and Sly Cooper will surrender, or tonight will come to be known as the night the lights went out in Auckland." Dr Bellum smirked with a glint in her goggles.
In the hallways, Carmen, Sly and Graham snuck through, however as they looked around a bend they saw a couple of security guards. They catch sight of them and begin powering up their crackle rods.
Carmen looks to Gray. "Stay down." Leaving Graham even more confused. Carmen and Sly run out into the open dodging electric blasts from the crackle rods while the Raccoon thief draws his cane. With a swift movement Sly catches one guards crackle rod with his cane hook then tosses it out of his hand while Carmen leaps up and kicks the guard to the ground.
As Graham peaks round the corner, the thief in red tries to wrestle the Crackle rod out of the other guards hands. He resists but then Sly leaps in over the guard and then kicks him in the back sending him flying into the other guard dropping the rod that rolled all the way towards Graham. Carmen looked worried would the sight of her classmates old weapon trigger his dormant memories of VILE. Her train of thought though was interrupted.
"Thought you could give old Neal the slip, eh?" Neal smirked.
"Seriously find some new material pal eel puns went out of style years ago." Carmen said.
"Ooh good one." Sly commented.
"Thank you." Carmen thanked as the two ran at Neal. Carmen threw her fists at Neal who simply slipped away to avoid them. However Sly then swooped in swinging his cane jabbing him in the gut then kicking him away. However Neal just slid across the floor pushed himself along, and before Sly could react he legswiped his foot tripping him to the ground then grabbed Carmen holding her in an arm lock.
Far away several more security guards were converging on their location all armed to the teeth with Crackle Rods. "Move move move!" One guard up ahead sounded. "We cannot allow the intruders to escape!" However just as they turned a bend they were greeted by a very scary sight.
Murray who was cracking his knuckles in anticipation. "Hey there fellas." Seconds later the sound of punches and screams from the guards could be heard even one was flung straight into a wall.
"OH YEAAAAHH!" Murray yelled in triumph.
Back at the main hall Sly got up to see Carmen was retrained by Neal in a very tight grip. "Little known fact: this eel has quite the grip." Neal taunted pressuring the grip he had on the thief in red.
"Carmen!" Sly called as he got up and was about to attack the eel thief.
"Ah ah I wouldn't do that if I were you mate, one wrong move and I'll snap her like a pretzel!" Neal threatened.
Sly growled at Neal as it seemed they were in a stand off, he couldn't attack for fear he might hurt Carmen but if he didn't well VILE don't make hollow threats. Neal kept applying even more pressure to his grip on Carmen who groaned in pain as he did. However an unexpected salvation came when suddenly. Neal received an electric shock forcing him to release Carmen who fell into Sly's arms.
After a minute Neal collapsed to the ground unconscious, and standing behind him was Graham armed with a Crackle Rod. Despite the rescue Carmen was worried, as was Sly was this Graham or Crackle. A second later he tossed the Crackle Rod away.
"You don't run a children's charity." Graham then said realising this wasn't a charity event. Carmen smiled in relief seeing that no dormant memories were triggered.
"I'll explain over that coffee." Carmen said to Graham as he took his wrist and they hurried away.
"Yeah so lets get out of here you can get that coffee." Sly then joked.
They soon made their way to the stairwell and started to climb it. Just then Murray called in on the coms. "Hey guys I've given the guards a beat down you won't have any trouble."
"Nice Murray meet the others outside we have Graham." Sly replied then Carmen got on the coms when they made it to the second floor.
"Zack, Ivy, bring the van. Graham's ready for pickup." Carmen said.
However outside it seems there was more going on as Zack and Ivy gaped at something. "Uh, Carm, we may have a bigger problem."
"What is it?" Sly asked on the coms, as the Boston siblings watched the Trip Wire device ascend on a tower in the centre of the lab.
"I wish we knew Ringtail." Ivy said on the coms just as Murray hurried out to join them and saw the tower.
"Oh boy!" Murray breathed.
Just as they reached the next level, Carmen, Sly and Graham all heard a voice on the towers PA system. "Carmen Sandiego, Sly Cooper. Surrender, or I will discharge an electromagnetic pulse from my very own Sky Tower, one that will disable every shred of technology in Auckland." Dr Bellum spoke sinisterly which made Carmen realise the horror that VILE would unleash. The device crackled with electricity as it glowed on the peak of the tower. "Hospitals, emergency services, air traffic control will all be in disarray. Only you can avert this disaster by turning yourselves in."
"Indeed." Sly glared as he knew that was Dr M's voice they were hearing now. "I can't imagine the two of you would want the loss of so many people on your hands. What with your so called moral code. Your father made the choice of defying me Sly, will you and your protege follow in his footsteps?"
"Thats low, even for you doc." Sly growled.
"Guys who is that?" Graham asked.
"Do you recognise the voice?" Carmen said with a worried look that he did.
Graham thought for a moment but then spoke. "Don't think so. But what are we going to do?" He then asked.
"Bentley, any ideas on stopping this black out?" Sly asked.
"I've tried to hack the device but its activated remotely and I can't isolate the signal until its triggered." Bentley relayed.
"Any other ideas?" Carmen asked through her earpiece.
"Yes but its a risky one." Bentley relayed. "How good are you at heights?" This told the two of them what they had to do. Kill the problem at its source. The two looked at each other confidently and hurried with Gray up the staircase.
Cutting to the roof the door slams open and the trio hurry out to gaze upon the very very high sky tower housing the Trip Wire device. "Whoa thats high." Sly realised. "And we've gotta go even higher!"
"Yep." Carmen said to him before turning to Graham. "Afraid of heights?" She asked him.
"What? No." Graham said a little nervous.
Carmen then went and offered him her hand which he took as she pulled him in close. "Hang on tight, don't let go." She said as Sly drew his cane and the two fired their grappling lines which clung to the top of the tower.
"Oh and uh, don't look down." Sly said but before Graham could respond they shot into the air at very high speeds.
"YAHHHHHHHHHH CRIKEY!" Graham screamed as they landed on the very top of the tower and climbed up the side. They were now looking at the inner workings below the Trip Wire sphere itself.
"Can you deactivate it?" Carmen then asked Graham who was completely taken aback by the request.
"I-I'm just a lighting tech. What makes you think I know anything about industrial-grade electric?" Graham questioned doubting himself.
"Oh come on Graham don't put yourself down, it may not be stage lighting but its electrics thats what you do, so work outside the box and improvise!" Sly encouraged.
"But how do you know I can do it?!" Graham asked still in doubt.
"It's a hunch. Just do like he says and roll with it." Carmen also encouraged.
So with a deep breath Graham took a look at the device. "I don't even know what I'm looking at."
Sly then pulled out his binocucom and contacted Bentley. "Bentley any ideas?" Sly called.
"Look for the main circuit drive, it should be behind the centre panel." Bentley relayed seeing the device itself.
Hearing this Graham reached to pull off said panel but sighed nervously. "It won't blow up in our faces, will it?"
"Fingers crossed pal." Sly said crossing his fingers.
"Focus and hurry." Carmen said worrying that any minute Bellum could trigger the device.
So Graham removed the panel revealing an intricate number of wires and circuits inside. "I just don't…" Graham doubted looking at the circuits and wiring when suddenly he realised what he needed to do. "Oh, wait, what's this?"
He reached into the machine and then pulled out a small box device. It looked like the main circuit drive for the device's power source. "That oughta do it." They hear the machine powering down, it sounded like they had succeeded. However their joy was short lived as an alarm started blaring from the device.
"That doesn't sound good." Graham said.
"Noises like that never are!" Sly realised.
"Its overloading you gotta get out of there NOW!" Bentley called on the coms.
With that Carmen once again offered her hand to Graham. "Do you trust us?" She asked him. Graham looked out seeing it was a long drop from the roof, telling him what it was the thief in red was proposing that they do.
"Hang on tight, don't let go?" He groaned and so the two hold each other close and then tipped right off the building with Sly jumping down behind them.
"CRIKEY!" Graham cried and in a split second the two thieves opened their gliders and flew away from the area. On the tower balcony, Neal, Bellum and Dr M hurried out to see the thieves flying away. Dr M glared at their escape as did Bellum.
"Very well, then. Lights out, Auckland." Bellum then activated the device, however she was in for an unpleasant surprise. Trip Wire exploded in an instant unleashing an explosive shockwave destroying it completely. Seeing the explosion, Zack, Ivy and Murray climbed into the team van where Bentley was waiting for them and immediately drove away.
This explosion left the two scientists and VILE operative completely surprised as they all had blank looks. "Oh poodoo!" Dr M muttered.
"A..nd Bob's your uncle." Bellum simply said leaving Neal with a weirded out look on his face.
Far away Carmen, Sly and Graham glided over a forest far from the lab. However Carmens glider was slowly descending to the forest canopy with the extra load. "This glider isn't designed for two." Carmen exhaled as Graham held on tight.
"We're going down like a kiwi? Flightless bird, national symbol of…" Graham was explaining before Carmen interrupted. "Brace yourself!"
The glider slowly descended into the forest, Sly knew they were going to crash he had to try and do something. So he pulled out his cane and fired a grapple line grabbing the main strut of Carmens glider he tried to pull them up to slow their descent.
"Sly break off you'll just crash with us!" Carmen called to him.
"Not a chance Red if you go down I go down too!" Sly growled as he tried to pull them out of the dive but it was no use. The pull was bringing him down as well and they glided down to the forest floor and retracted their gliders before they slammed into the ground with a *CRASH!*
The three lay on the ground completely unconscious. Moments later Sly regained consciousness groaning as he came to. He looked over and saw Carmen was knocked out. "Carmen!" He cried as he ran over to her and saw she was missing her hat, and likewise so was he.
He looked at her and nudged her shoulder. "Carmen? Carmen?" Then he heard a faint groan and she regained consciousness.
"Uhhh…Sly?" She groaned. Sly breathed a sigh of relief to know she was okay.
"You okay?" He asked as Carmen got up.
"Yeah." She groaned but then saw Gray lying on the ground across from her. "Gray?" She groaned.
The two ran over to him quickly and looked him over to see if he was hurt. "Gray?" Carmen called again as she rolled him on his back. He was unconscious and quiet, Sly checked for a pulse to see if he was okay. He could feel a pulse then a second later.
"It's Graham." He groaned as he opened his eyes smiling. Carmen gave a smile of relief and Sly sighed in relief as well, and luckily that crash didn't knock any unwanted memories back into place.
Sly supported Graham as he tried to sit up, however Carmen was curious about something. "So, how did you know how to sabotage that device?" She asked.
"It just felt very familiar." Graham wondered. "You ever get déjà vu?"
"Nah I just call it instinct." Sly simply shrugged. "It never fails to follow your instincts."
"Huh, electricians instinct eh." Graham pondered but Carmen was just relieved her former classmate was alive and safe, and had no memory of VILE what so ever.
The following Night: Sydney: Australia:
At a local cafe looking out at the Sydney Opera house, Carmen now in her casual attire was enjoying a coffee with Graham. Sly not wanting to be a third wheel decided to watch from afar.
"Carmen, I have to know... are you and that Sly guy spies?" Graham then asked as Carmen took a sip of her coffee. "Part of some kind of secret service?"
Carmen smiled at that question. "We do provide a service, and it is secret, so, yeah, something like that. And Sly, he's my partner you could say we met under unique circumstances."
"Sounds like more than just a partner to you." Graham couldn't help but notice.
She gave a warm smile at that. "Yeah…I guess, he's like a…a brother to me."
"Kinda figured that." Graham smiled supportingly. However there was one other thing on his mind. " But we are the good guys?" He asked with a concerned look.
Carmen smiled at that before she looked at him determined. "Absolutely." She said and Graham responded with a confident smirk of his own. "Only you need to forget this ever happened." Carmen then told him.
"Pfft, no one would believe me anyway." Graham scoffed as Carmen reached into her jacket pocket for something.
"I wired funds to your account for your help." She then handed Graham a folded piece of paper.
Graham was completely taken aback by what was given to him. "What? H-how could you possibly get my bank account number?" He wondered surprised, but what surprised him the most was when he unfolded the cheque and saw the amount. "Crikey! Carmen, I can't accept this." He tried but when he looked. Carmen was gone without a trace.
"You are a cheeky one." Graham said with a smirk.
On the harbour Carmen with her hood up walked along it, and soon she was joined by someone else. "So looks like Gray figured out there's more to Carmen than meets the eye huh?" Sly said as he joined her with his own hood up over his raccoon features.
"Wasn't too hard, but I'm convinced he has zero memory of VILE." Carmen said with some relief in her voice. "And we thankfully managed to pull off our little caper without VILE ever laying eyes on Gray."
"All in all a job well done." Sly agreed. "Still we could always use him on future jobs."
"No." Carmen said looking down a little. "The last thing I want is to pull Gray back into this again. Bentleys right anything could trigger old memories to emerge, so its best he live his life away from VILE."
"Yeah I understand." Sly realised she was right and then smiled warmly at her. "So, what you said to him at the cafe, about me being…"
"I meant it." She said with a warm smile. "Gray may've been like a big brother to me back at VILE but.. but you've always looked out and supported me no matter what. That sounds like a brother to me." She said which did put a warm smile on the Raccoon thief's face.
"Still I wasn't there for you when Doc M grabbed you." Sly said with a little guilt.
"Hey it wasn't that bad I did get some one on one time with him, and lets just say he had a good few things to say." Carmen said to him. "Namely about your father and how he betrayed and mistreated him."
"Carmen." Sly said to her with a look in his eyes. "Look whatever happened between him and my dad its…its not like that with me, Bentley or you…I.."
"Its okay Sly." Carmen assured him. "I know, besides M claims your father betrayed him, well honestly I think he betrayed himself to his pride, superiority and jealousy. In my book actions speak louder than words, in all the time I've known you, your an honourable man and thief Sly Cooper. And I know your dad was too."
Sly was trying so hard not to shed a tear at that, and she was right what happened with Dr M and his dad years ago didn't define the here and now. "Thanks, it all just proves I didn't know much about my dad and his gang but it doesn't matter I know who I am, and I know the kind of man he is. And you know, your pretty honourable yourself Carmen Sandiego."
Carmen gave a warm smile at those words, then she gave a slight chuckle. "You know its funny, Dr M also said how you and me were each others dimensional counterparts, I guess that makes sense in a way."
"Yeah I suppose, I mean I'm pretty sure your me right?" Sly chuckled.
"Hold up mister." Carmen then gave a teasing smile and pointed at him. "What makes you so sure your not me?" She pointed to herself.
"Well..I mean come on I…eh…" Sly tried to think of a response to that but sadly.
"You got nothing." Carmen said teasingly elbowing him.
"Yeah I got nothing." Sly finally admitted as the two wondered from the harbour and disappeared into the night to meet up with the rest of the gang.
Slys POV:
"So yeah, we took a big chance bringing Gray into this Kiwi caper, but it all worked out. And it looks like VILES black out plans have all but shorted out. But I still wonder what did Dr M mean by my dad made the choice of defying him. I mean he could've been messing with me but my gut instincts telling me maybe there's more to it."
Sly looked out on the ocean looking at the Sydney opera house as he thought of a certain lover of his. "Still would've thought all this noise in Russia and New Zealand would've gotten ACME's attention namely Carmelita and Jules, it was still weird not having her show up to try and arrest us like in the good old days."
Just then he gave a knowing smirk. "Oh well I'll send them a postcard wouldn't want them to feel left out." Then a postcard appeared with a picture of the whole gang exploring the sights of New Zealand with the words. 'Wish you were here -S XX' written on it.
"Just as soon as I figure out where to send it."
POV End
Elsewhere: Secret Location:
However in a secluded location, footage of Carmen and Gray at the cafe was being played, and the people watching it was Agent Zari and Chief.
"This surveillance was obtained less than an hour ago in Sydney, Australia." Zari reported to Chief who looked at the two and noticed how close they looked.
"Find out everything you can about Carmen's friend. He may be of some use to us." Chief instructed, it seems she may've found the link that she needed to get to Carmen, and that key was Gray.
Isle of VILE:
Back at VILE academy, Dr M stood before the four Faculty members as he had requested an audience with them. Namely about their recent loss of the Trip Wire Device.
"My dear Faculty, as you all know the betrayal of Shadowsan has left a void in our leadership and as such many of our operatives have grown very ambitious in trying to fill that void." Dr M voiced to the Faculty. "However at each turn their ambitions have brought nothing but failure, due to perhaps arrogance or being over confident in their plans." He showed a slide show of the foiled capers of Dokuso,The Mechanic, Miss Booker and even Neal the Eel. "This recent loss only proves the vital urgency of filling the vacancy left by our traitorous ninja."
"Thanks for voicing the obvious Monkey boy but I don't see you showing a solution." Coach Brunt voiced.
"If I maybe allowed to continue Coach Brunt." Dr M said with respect and Gunnar nodded allowing him to continue. "It is clear the requirements you have set, absolute loyalty to VILE, evil to the bone and a scheming mastermind, but I believe the most important quality of all is…ambition and the vision to take our plots to heights we can only imagine." Dr M continued and his words were starting to intrigue the Faculty.
"So imagine if someone did have that ambition and vision. Imagine say…." Dr.M was building up to this in his speech. "Me."
To say the Faculty were surprised at the monkey scientists proposal was an understatement. Was he proposing they consider him for the fifth place on their Faculty? Though he raised good points some members had their doubts.
"You?" Cleo questioned. "And what exactly makes you Faculty material Doctor?"
"Well have I not proved myself loyal to VILE and to the four of you, and he intel I have provided on the Cooper Gang has granted insight into how we may combat him and Black Sheep." Dr M stated making his case. "I have a genius criminal mind and could improve our operatives efficiency in ways you can never imagine!"
"You make a valid case Doctor M." Professor Maelstrom then spoke. "However you know fully well that the position of Faculty isn't simply given. It must be earned."
"Yeah and you're calling yourself loyal yet you've been cooped up in your lab doing something behind our backs. How is that trusting monkey boy?" Coach Brunt then questioned.
Dr M just chuckled at that. "I'm rather glad you brought that up. I won't deny I have been working on something in private since Shadowsan's desertion, but I will keep you in the dark no longer, and this caper I have planned will reveal what my work has been for."
"How is that Doctor M?" Doctor Bellum asked.
"Because my dear Saira, as I speak the Cleaners are currently on route to Kentucky." Dr M smirked.
The scene then changes to a certain point in Kentucky USA namely around a certain military fort. "For what promises to be a heist…for the history books."
Authors Notes: DUN DUN DUN! Now hows that for a cliffhanger folks!? Now I decided to change the fights in this episode a bit and I decided to involve Dr M in this caper as well and have him get some one on one time with Carmen who would figure out his true motives how he just betrays himself and is guided only by his own superiority and bitterness towards the Cooper Clan. Also it looks like the gang got away with the caper without Gray seeing VILE and likewise they him, but now it seems that ACME now has eyes on him now.
Now though it seems Dr M's play for the seat on the Faculty is about to come into play, just how will he enact his plan do you ask? Well you'll have to wait and see, I appreciate your continued patience and I will update soon. Until next time...
WHERE IN THE WORLD IS COOPER AND SANDIEGO!