Thieve's Code: Chapter 1

Carmelita Fox leaned back in her chair in her office, her boots resting on the desk. It had been a slow week for Interpol, and she was on the verge of complete boredom. Her ears perked when she heard a knock on her door.

"Come in," she called. The door opened and a brown mouse in a deerstalker cap and Iverness coat stepped inside.

"Are you Miss Carmelita Fox?" He asked in a London accent. The fox raised a perfectly arched eyebrow.

"Inspector Fox to you, mouse. " She said. "Why do you ask?" The mouse nodded.

"Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Basil of Baker Street. I was assigned to you for a job." The fox sat up straighter.

"A job? What's happened?" Basil clasped his paws behind his back.

"There have been several heists in London that my superiors would like me to look into, but they lack knowledge on a certain thief you've been chasing." He pulled out a familiar calling card and handed it to her. "Does this look familiar to you, Ms. Fox?" Carmelita snatched it from the mouse, looking over it.

"Inspector Fox," she snapped. "And yes it is familiar. Where did you get this?" Basil shrugged.

"We found it in the vault of one of the best embezzlers in Europe, Ms. Fox. A friend of mine who was a client recommended you and your squad to me to help bring this criminal down." Carmelita lifted an eyebrow.

"They sent you here to recruit me, huh? Well, it's your lucky day, mouse. I could use a new partner." She stood up and pocked the calling card, something that didn't escape Basil's notice.

"More like assistant," the mouse said with a sniff. "I only require your knowledge of the criminal and your expertise on his family. From what I've heard, he's never been caught yet." Carmelita nodded, gritting her teeth.

"One of these days, he will be. Mark my words, I made an oath to put that raccoon behind bars!"

"Indeed. Perhaps we can get a jumpstart on that oath if you accompany me to the boat that will take the two of us to London." Carmelita gave him a challenging smile.

"Let me get my things together and we'll leave immediately."
```
Meanwhile in London, Sly Cooper hopped through the window with the sack of embezzled money on his shoulder.

"How's that for a fine haul?" The raccoon said with a grin. Bentley the turtle nodded his approval.

"Nicely pulled heist, Sly. It looks like we're on a roll here. I've never seen so much criminal activity!" Sly nodded.

"Yeah, and almost half of it is organized. Know anything about that, Bentley?" The turtle nodded.

"According to my research, and some old newspapers, it appears we've arrived just in time for a power struggle among London's underground. Around a year ago, Mouseland Yard's best detective helped put an end to a criminal mastermind who called himself the Professor." Sly nodded.

"I heard about him. Ratington, right?" Bentley shook his head.

"Close, but no cigar. His name was Ratigan. He was probably the best thief and crime lord on this side of the Atlantic." Sly shrugged.

"Can't be too good if he got caught," the raccoon remarked.

"Don't be so quick to judge, Sly. This guy was never caught. He fell to his death off of London's clock tower." Sly winced.

"Yikes, now there's a way to go. So, what does this have to do with our recent explosion of goons and crime sprees?" The thief asked.

"Well, after Ratigan fell out of power, various other criminals under his control started fighting to fill that vacuum of power, and it looks like we've stumbled right into it."

"Well, that shouldn't mean much. I mean, as long as we've got jobs to pull, right?" Murray said from the driver's seat of the van. Sly nodded.

"Murray makes a good point, Bentley. We've had a nice little vacation, but I think now's a time for action. Besides, we're doing this city a favor by taking out all the bad guys, right?" The turtle nodded, and started when the monitor beeped.

"Looks like we'll have to clean up another mess the Professor left. We've got a jewelry heist on King's Cross." Sly grinned.

"All right, maybe this time I can find the right ring for Inspector Fox." Bentley face-palmed.

"Just keep your mind on the mission, Romeo."