//------------------------------// // Time Out: Recruitment // Story: Dressed to Steal // by Tatsurou //------------------------------// As we made preparations to go to the next era Le Paradox was messing with, Mom raised a point that we were all forced to consider...mostly because she refused to let it go... "I think we need more backup with this," Carmelita spoke up as Bentley continued to make tweaks to the time machine for the next jump. "You don't think we can handle this on our own?" Sly asked teasingly. "I don't think we should risk it," Carmelita pointed out flatly. "We're dealing with someone who's making plans that involve messing with time, and specifically targeting the Cooper family. Do we really want to risk how much he already knows about us, and what he might have set up to counter us in other eras? Not to mention he's in the air, and last I checked we didn't have a plane." "I could modify the van to fly," Bentley allowed thoughtfully. "It can easily get the speed it would need for that, though getting the energy for that and the time machine might be difficult..." "Wouldn't it make more sense to get some help that came with a plane?" Carmelita pointed out. "One that has survived time travel before and has a slew of weapons to help us out in other eras? Not to mention some skilled fighters to help us out? Ones who wouldn't blink twice at working with a family of thieves if it meant saving the world?" "You know where to find something like that?" Coco asked curiously. "I do," Carmelita confirmed. "We'll just need to make a detour before we make our time jump, and we'll have all the backup we need." She walked over to Murray. "How fast can you get us to Megakat City?" It didn't take long to get to the City Mom mentioned. While Dad had never pulled a caper there for some reason, I had heard of it. It was almost as infamous as St. Canard as far as crime, but where St. Canard was all but ruled by criminals, Megakat City kept its criminal element firmly in check...along with its regular supply of monsters and kaiju. Once we were there, though, Mom insisted on going in alone to get the recruits she needed. Dad assumed it was an Interpol thing. He was wrong. Deputy Mayor Callie Briggs glanced up from the paperwork on her desk as she saw the vixen sweep into her office. She recognized her instantly, and could only pray whatever brought her to Megakat City wouldn't mean more headaches for the Mayor's office that she'd have to deal with. "Can I help you?" she asked calmly. "I hope you can," Carmelita offered softly. "I'm-" "I know who you are, Inspector Fox," Callie interrupted. "Your 'pursuit' of Sly Cooper has made you rather famous - and infamous - beyond Interpol." She was pleased to see the Interpol agent wince. She always preferred to keep law enforcement from outside the city off-balance until she got the measure of them. "Now I have to wonder what business brings you here to this city...and to this office as opposed to Commander Feral's." She did not like the smirk she got in response. "I understand you can put me in contact with the SWAT Kats." Callie blinked, but managed to maintain her stoic expression otherwise. "I don't know what you've heard, but this office has no connection with vigilantes, no matter how honorable they've been or how many times they've saved the city. Official policy is still-" "I didn't come to ask the Deputy Mayor to put me in contact with them," Carmelita interrupted. "I came to ask you, Callie Briggs, to put me in contact with them. And don't bother trying to deny it. I know you keep the emergency comm line in your purse." Callie frowned, but changed tactics. "Why do you want to get in contact with them?" she asked carefully. "They've never been active outside of Megakat City-" "Except when they were active in Megalith City 800 years ago," Carmelita pointed out. "But this isn't Interpol business that brings me here. Now are you going to help me, or do I have to blow up a building to get their attention?" Callie sighed as she reached into her purse. "If you tell anyone..." she began as she pulled out the small, triangular communicator. "You aren't the only one who skirts the law to uphold it," Carmelita answered readily as she accepted it. "What are their call signs?" "Razor and T-Bone," Callie answered ruefully. Carmelita blinked in shock. "No way..." she murmured softly. Turning, she pressed the button. "Come in, SWAT Kats," she spoke calmly. "Do you read?" Almost instantly, a gruff voice answered. "Who is this?" the voice demanded. "How did you get this channel?" Carmelita grinned widely. She knew that voice. "You don't recognize my voice, T-Bone?" she asked playfully as she leaned against the desk. "I'm hurt. And after all the fun times we had together..." "Look lady," T-Bone interrupted. "You either answer my questions or-" "And you really resurrected those code names?" Carmelita continued teasingly. "The last time I called you T-Bone, we were breaking into Professor Hackle's lab grounds to play Kat Kommandos with the junked experiments he had set up." The other end was silent for a time. "...holy shit, VIX?" T-Bone gasped in amazement. "I haven't heard from you since you got tapped for-" "And I thought you were good at keeping secret identities," Carmelita interrupted. "No wait, that was Razor." "Did you say Vix?" another voice called out through the comm. "Is she back in town?" "Well hello to you too, Razor," Carmelita purred happily. "Look, I'd love to chat and reminisce with you both all day, but that's something best done in person...not to mention I'm on a bit of a tight schedule. Long story short, I need your help." "Interpol wants to recruit us?" T-Bone asked in shock. "Not Interpol," Carmelita corrected. "Family business." "...last I checked, your entire family was cops," Razor pointed out dryly. "Other side of the family, if you catch my drift." After a few beats of silence, a concerted, "YOU'RE MARRIED?!" echoed from the communicator. Carmelita chuckled. "Not yet, but it's my fiance's family business I need your help with...before our daughter gets it into her head to try and do things her way. I'm fine with a few ripples, but I don't think the Old West needs an army of golems on the march. Heck, I don't think Prague needed it." Callie's eyes nearly popped out of her skull. She knew that story... "So you need some hot shot pilots who aren't afraid of a few quantum butterflies?" Razor deduced. "We're your guys, Vix!" T-Bone declared firmly. "Just tell us where to meet you, and how you're planning on taking us with you." "How's the country out behind Hackle's lab work for you two?" she asked curiously. "We'll be there!" Razor responded eagerly. Carmelita smiled as she handed the communicator back to Callie. "Thanks. I'll try to have them back before too long." "As long as the world's still here and recognizable by the time they get back, I'm sure they can pick up whatever pieces need it," Callie concluded. "Good luck." Sly and the others were shocked as they saw the Turbokat jet descend right in front of the van. They'd known Carmelita was bringing in impressive backup, but this was certainly a shocker. What was even more of one was when she rushed up to hug/tackle the two pilots as they leapt out of the cockpit, the embrace quickly becoming a wrestling match. When it ended - without a clear victor - all three were laughing. "Looks like you two kept in shape," she observed playfully. "We had to," T-Bone pointed out. "Not all of us were cherry-picked to be part of Interpol's elite straight out of the Academy due to straight A's." "It's called studying, T-Bone," Carmelita taunted. "You should try it some time." Razor let out a good natured laugh. "Introductions, Carmelita?" Sly asked curiously. Carmelita grinned. "Sly, Murray, Bentley, Coco, this is T-Bone and Razor...or at least, that's what they go by now. I knew them by that back when I was seven." "The three of us were always getting up to trouble," Razor pointed out expansively. He then blinked. "Wait...Sly as in Sly Cooper?" "In the flesh," Sly chuckled happily. "Does that mean they're my Uncles too, Mom?" Coco asked eagerly. T-Bone promptly scooped Coco up and onto his shoulder. "Absolutely! Say, did your Mom ever tell you about the time she swiped her Dad's badge?" "She did what?" Sly and Coco asked in shock. "T-Bone, you don't really-" Carmelita began. "And then we all stood on each other's shoulder under a trenchcoat and pretended to be a single police officer!" T-Bone continued. "We pulled the Mayor over and made him get out of the car, then took it for a joyride!" Carmelita groaned and buried her face in her hands. "Maybe I shouldn't have brought you two in..." she grumbled morosely. "You act like that's the worst story we could tell," Razor pointed out with a laugh. Sly's grin only widened.