A Thief's Honor [Book 2]

Ch.20 Jealousy is a Harsh Mistress

"R-Rae, wait! I swear, it's not what you think!" Sly tried to reason. "Penelope, she just--"

"Shut up!!" She shouted rather loudly, Sly instantly stopping dead in his tracks. "Every time... Every single time that girl does something involving you, I can't help but get so angry, so possessive, so goddamn jealous! It's because of her! Why!? Why do I feel so angry whenever you're around that damn mouse!?"

"I-I don't know, it's just--"

"Shut up!! Just shut the hell up!!" Rae screamed.

"Rae, please, I--" Sly cut himself off when he heard low sobbing, realizing the fox before him began to weep.

"I'm not the jealous type, you and I both know that, but whenever I see you with her...it just makes my blood boil and my heart ache..."

The raccoon cautiously approached Rae, genuinely concerned about her, but it wouldn't do him much good as he reached out to touch her shoulder. "Rae, I'm sor--"

"Don't touch me!!!" She suddenly barked, smacking his hand away as she glared at the raccoon with tear-filled eyes. "Just leave me alone..." And with that, she turned and dashed away, Sly just standing there, unsure of whether he should be angry or upset.

-45 Minutes Earlier-

Murray and Penelope discovered the strange radio signal, realizing it was none other than Murray's missing van. It had been frozen in a block of ice and the ocean currents managed to carry it all the way to China. After smashing through most of the ice, the hippo had decided to drag it back to the Safe House while Penelope used what little fuel she had left in her RC Chopper to deal with the guards that would get in his way. However, when large spikes near the bridge suddenly sprang up, there was nothing she could do from there.

"Sorry, Murray, but I'm out of fuel, and I can't do anything about those spikes in your way..." Penelope apologized.

"But we're so close!" Murray begged.

"You did your best, but we just...ran out of options."

"She's right, Murray, it's hopeless. Get out of there, save yourself!" Bentley chimed in.

"I will not, no...I will never leave her behind again!" The hippo declared.

Meanwhile, up above, the Panda King was witnessing all of this, striking him deep down. "Words to tear at a father's heart, would that I had such passion when they came for my little Jing King. Fear not, hippo! I will destroy the spikes blocking your path!" The Panda King said, firing a turret to destroy the spikes as Murray continued on.

"Please be careful, Panda King!" Penelope called to him. "A careless shot could hurt Murray!"

"Worry not, little mouse, I am an expert with my profound fireworks." He replied, taking out any guards that tried to attack Murray.

It was touch and go for a while, the guards almost landing a few hits on Murray, but with the Panda King's outstanding accuracy, he was able to destroy all the spikes and protect Murray while he pulled the van up to the Safe House. When he finally reached the hideout, Murray removed the harness from around his torso and went around just as the Panda King hopped down, but Murray didn't need any help in pushing the van the rest of the way into the small cave. Once fully seated inside the cave, Murray turned to face the panda.

"Well done, Hippo. You have lit the flames in my soul, I feel awake for the first time in years."

"No, thank you, Panda King. You can ride in my van any time; you've got shotgun for like, a month!"