Soul Rider: Now, let's continue.

Part 3: The Inspector Finds Out

*Beijing Interpol Station, 10:32 pm*

Inspector Fox doesn't like that she couldn't go on patrol of the Beijing Museum of Magic's new artifact, the Devil's Stone. According to her boss, Inspector Barkley, the necklace will turn her them into a criminal if she stays in its presence too long. She doesn't believe it however and thinks instead that he is not trusting her and so lies. And now that Cooper got away with it 8 minutes ago, Carmelita is frustrated and growls as she sits in her assigned office.

"Those idiots," she says under her breath. "If I'm not around, Cooper gets away without ANY effort."

"Um, Inspector," a blue cat murmurs as he walks in, "You know you can leave for your apartment now. Your flight to Monaco headquarters is tomorrow near 6 in the morning so you should get as much sleep as you can."

"How can I sleep when Cooper is still on the loose? I know he's still in Beijing, and I'm going to lock him up the moment I see him."

"He probably hit the hay after that heist. And I suggest that you do, too." The cat exits the office. The fox groans to herself as she pulls on her Interpol jacket. Grabbing the file on Sly Cooper, she departs from her office and the station itself.

*next morning at Beijing Airport, 5:45 am*

Carmelita waits in her seat impatiently for her flight. She had arrived a few minutes ago and already went through the passenger checking procedure. For police, anyway. For a moment, the vixen spots a familiar striped tail. She decides that it is just her imagination and picks up Cooper's file from her Interpol bag.

Flipping through the many papers in the file, she finds one that she never did see in her previous inspections. It is an article about the Devil's Stone. According to the article, it has been the most common target for Coopers for so long that it became a tradition in the clan. The Inspector certainly didn't expect that. It adds, however, that the member must then immediately hide it from the world the best they can because even they are not resistant to the dark powers the jewel possesses. Plus, it's best that it's not in ANYONE's possession. However, it keeps being "rediscovered" and so the tradition goes on.

"My boss WASN'T lying…" she murmurs to herself. "This stone really IS the devil. And if Cooper still has it…" She pauses for thought. "… No, he was supposed to hide it as soon as he stole it. Still, there's that possibility…"

"LISTEN HERE, 'GUARD'!" a deep familiar voice roars. Carmelita shoots her head up from the article to see a group of three men in kimonos and a freaked out Bengal tiger guard. The one yelling is a big pink hippo with a red and yellow wrestling mask in a red and yellow kimono to match. He seems very agitated with the guard. A green turtle in a wheelchair watches with some agitation while wearing a sea green and cerulean kimono. Next to them is a pretty skinny, grey raccoon in a black turtleneck under a light blue kimono with a white sash, his tail poking out from the bottom. Unlike his two companions, he just looks impatient and annoyed with his arms crossed.

"EITHER YOU LET MY BABY ON THE PLANE OR I'LL GOING TO SUE THE WHOLE AIRPORT BECAUSE WE PAID THE FEE!" the hippo roars again. This time seems louder and everyone nearby, including Inspector Fox, had to cover their ears. The frightened guard frantically nods his head and gives an order into his walkie-talkie to let the hippo's "baby", which is his van, onto the plane. The hippo calms down and gives a pleased smile. "Thank you," he says normally and the three take seats (well, two in this case) in front of Carmelita. While the hippo pulls out a lunchbox, the turtle gets out a digital computer from nowhere and the raccoon takes out a map and unfolds it. He places it on his lap. His two friends don't seem to notice that he's evilly smirking, but Carmelita does.

'What's he up to?' she thinks. The raccoon then reached into his kimono and pulls out a gold necklace with a big diamond that was secretly around his neck. It looks like the back of an Egyptian beetle. He stares at it with the same look. Then, something clicks in her mind. Glancing back at the picture of the Devil's Stone in the article, she looks back at the raccoon's necklace. They're the same. That raccoon has the Devil's Stone. And that raccoon is Sly Cooper. And the hippo and turtle are his gang.

Carmelita is about to get up and arrest them when she notices something. Sly has never smirked with such evil intent. NEVER. And his eyes… they aren't that cocky chocolate brown, but are jet black. Plus, his visible fur seems to be getting darker by the minute. How are his friends not noticing any of this? Just looking at Sly now is starting to freak Carmelita out. Her eyes fall on the diamond. That is the cause. Because Cooper still has it!

'Cooper still has that stone of the devil,' she thinks. 'This is certainly not good. No. HORRENDOUS! A cursed gem THAT makes anyone pure evil in the hands of a MASTER thief! Who knows what kind of theft havoc he'll cause!'

"Flight A7 to Monaco, all passengers waiting to board, please board immediately," says the announcer. It breaks the vixen's thoughts as the Cooper Gang get up from their seats and go to board the plane. Carmelita watches Sly in particular with eyes of, surprisingly, angst and worry. Her expression then changes to firm and determined.

'I better keep an eye on Ringtail during this flight,' she mentally tells herself. Putting the file back in her bag, the Inspector goes to board the plane.

Soul Rider: Now only Carmelita knows what's wrong with Sly. Wonder where this take us…?