"Hidden Agenda"

[Civ3King]

Im a little more confident with my writing now, so I'll begin my new story, "Hidden Agenda".


The world had finally come to peace with the signing of the Kyoto Treaty in 1953. The American Republic and the Aztecian Communisom had made it sucessfully out the war as the economic and militiristic powers. However, peace is slowly falling apart between the two super giants. The world nervously watches from there white and black televisions as the two countries flex there military muscle.



"I thought we had an agreement General Patton. No Amercian military of any kind is supposed to cross over into are borders. It cleary states that in the cancelation of your right of passage. How many times must we discuss this, before we see your 3rd and 6th infantry leave are northern jungels?", Mr. Maxtla, the ambassador of the Azectian embassy in Washigton asked as he slapped down the thick layer of papers, neatly stappled together on the desk.


General Patton looked down at the papers then slid it forward towards the ambassador. "We will remove are forces in sufficent time, do not worry Mr. Maxtla. Assure Montezuma that he has the word and trust of American Republic and President Lincoln.", he said calmly.


"Frankly, General Patton, Montezuma is tired of asking for one thing and gettting another from Mr. Lincoln. He's tired of dealing with the constant intrusion of your soldiers on are territory. I personally believe that your president wishes to disrespect are country and leader."


"Believe me Mr. Maxtla, we meen no threat to your country and people. We are just having difficulty getting are troops the transportaion and communication its needs to evacuate from your territory in an orderly and timely manner. After all, it is a jungle."


"We have given your country enough time to deploy out of are territory, General. You and I both know that Aztec and America don't need another blemish on the relationship. Montezuma is tired of your Democracies old and played out "games". You have four more months to leave or are military willl "escort" or your toops out. With forceful means if neccesary."

Mr. Maxtla picked up the thick collection of papers lying on the desk and perceeded to hed out the room.

"It was nice talking once again ambassador. Im sure will see eachother again.", Patton said with a warm smile.

"Oh, Im sure we will General. Remeber, four months and not a day more.", with that, Mr. Maxtla stepped out the blue walled room, slamming the door behind him.

General Patton twitched his eyes a bit as the door slammed. He hated dealing with the Azetican Ambassador, who always seemed crancky. Wasn't it the Diplomatic Advisors or the American Ambassador to Aztecs job to handle these situations? But as long as President Lincoln saw General Patton as "more fit" to deal with these situations, he would be stuck taking the crap of "pissy" ambassadors.

Patton heded towards the door with it's solid gold door nob, a symbol to the Democratics immense wealth. He was about to open the door until it suddenly swung open. The door smacked him on the head and sent him stummbling backwards about three feet away from the exit. Patton rubbed his head and then brought his hand down to reveal President Lincoln standing in the doorway.

Patton saluted his tall and stiff chief commander as he recognized his face. "Hello President Lincoln, what brings you by?"


Lincoln rolled his eyes, "You know exactly why im here, how did it go?"

"It went a little better then usual. Atleast he didn't snap his glasses in half in frustration."


"Aww good it went well then.", Lincoln said with a pleased smile.


"Well not exactly, sir. Montezuma is still displeased by are slow movment out f his territory."

Lincon laughed at the thought of Montezuma. "That old communist fool, still thinks the Americans fear him, ever since he signed an alliance with Anti-American Guerilla Coalition (AAGC) along are borders."

"With all do respect President, radicals from the AAGC still show a threat against are military bases and cities along the Tultitlan jungle. We shouldn't take them lightly."


"Correction, General. They will no longer threaten us anymore.", Lincoln said comfidently.

"What do you mean exactly sir? Im afraid I don't understand...."

Lincoln moved over to the meeting table that was sitting in the middle of the room. He switched on the medium sized T.V. that was sitting on the right side. Lincoln turned the nob until he got to the National News Channel.

"Today in Teayo, riots continued in the steets against the Communist Goverment set up by Montezuma. The crowds are being supressed with rubber bullets and tear gas. Fourteen deaths have accoured so far."

Lincoln turned off the T.V. as the news reporter finished her statment. He then turned to Patton.

"I don't quite get what your aming at sir."

Lincoln sighed and looked at Patton with a sly grin, "Riots don't happen for no reason general."

Patton sligtly dropped his mouth as he began to undertsand. Lincons hidden agenda.

[ChaotikVisions]

Good start, looks like things are heating up. I love history though, any chance for more information on the previous WW? Thats if this is based on a game, if not it doesn't matter, heh.

[ChrisiusMaximus]

Nice start now on with the story.

[faded glory]

good story

[faded glory]

cross post actually

[vovan]

How come your "double posts" come a minute apart, fd? Are you sure you are not just trying for another +1 in a forum that's rarely visited by the mods?

EDIT: Ooops, I'm too late. The guy's already been banned. Just an hour ago, too.

[vovan]

Hehe, I finally have had time to go through the actual story. Very promising beginning, Civ3King.

[Civ3King]

Nope, its not based on a game. Don't worry, the previouse war will have little if anything to do with this story. It was more of a brief summary of the current situation.



The American agent, known only as "Sly", watched from the immense crowd of Azectian citzens that had gathered around the court of Teayo. He lowered his black tented shades and looked down at his golden pocket watch. He smiled to himself as the watch slowly counted down to 4:45 PM.

"Almost time.", he muttered lightly to himself as he turned around and slipped out the crowd.

He pushed up his shades as he walked away from the crowd into a coffee house which had no more then five or so customers. He sat down keeping his eyes on the courthouse balcony. He watched intently as Mayor Tueclo spoke to the crowd with his powerful voice. Telling the blind and easly persuaded citzens of how Montezuma would soon bring them the modern prosperity they deserved and hungered for. However, in a few mintues that would all change.

The waitress, wairing a rather skimpy skirt, slid over to the agents table and pulled out a notepad with a freshly sharpened pencil led.

"May I offer you something today sir? Remeber that we also have a coffee and bagel special where you get three free bagels with every cup of coffee.", she said with a smile which gusied the true hate she had for her job.

The agent paused for a moment, not fully understanding her heavy Aztecian accent. After about ten seconds he answered the waiting waitress in a choppy and broken Aztecian. "Umm, yes I'll just take that."


The waitress rolled her eyes and heded off to the kitchen in back of the coffee house.

"If they were going to send me to Aztecia, the least they could of done was to teach me the proper Aztecian language and accent", He thought as he looked down at his watch, which was now five seconds away from 4:45. Sly looked out the window of the coffee house onto the courthouse balcony where the mayor was finishing up his speach.

"5...4...3...2....", he counted down in his head until he finally hit one. In an instant the courthouse balcony bursted into a firey explosion sending chunks off brick, stone, and wood onto the gawking crowd below. The mayor was no where to be found in the thick, black smoke. Downtown went into full chaos as the people despretly scrammbled for they're lives. The panic was so intense that the fire trucks and police were not able to reach the flamming buidling. Sly clapped to himself in victory as he watched his operation go off without a hitch. Or so he thought.

The waitress came back with the tray holding his black coffee and bagels. She lowered the tray onto the table and carefully placed each item on the table before Sly. She looked around the coffee house noticing that all the customers had left.

"Where did everyone go?", She asked Sly, scratching her head puzzled.

"I think they left, because of that", Sly answered pointing out the window to the chaotic scene no more and a few yards away.


The women almost spilt the coffee cup onto the table as the full picture hit her. She staggered back and covered her mouth in disbelief. Sly just calmy picked up the coffee and sipped it quietly. He then took a bite of the bagel and held it up infront of the waitress.

"Not bad", he said to the troubled waitress.

The waitress looked at him as if he was insane and ran to the kitchen. Sly simply shrugged and continued enjoying the meal.
He unrolled a newspaper lying on the table adjacent from his own. He slowly read the first headline on the newspaper that read "Broken Trust?" wich refered to the American and Aztecian relationship. He would of read on , but something or somone caught the corner of his left eye. He slowly put the newspaper down, revealing two rather bulky Aztecian men dressed in grey suites, with matching tie and shoes. Sly raised his eyebrow and looked between the two men studying each one.

"May I help you two?", Sly asked, taking another sip of the bitter coffee.

The man on the right answered first, "Im going to need you to come with us, sir."

"Why?", Sly answered nervously and with even more choppy Aztecian accent.


"We have reason to believe you were involved in terroist attack that just occured."


"I assure you both that I know nothing about this attack. Infact I find it just as horrible and cowardly as you. Besides, what would an agent be doing in a coffee house, only yards away from his crime scene, right? Plus wouldn't I have some fancy codename or something?", Sly chuckled to himself as he looked at the men who were not sharring the same sense of humor as he.

"Of course he would, something like agent "Sly"?", the man on the right answered.

There was along pause and Sly reached for his coffee cup. He put it to his mouth and sipped it once more. He then set it on the table.

"I will ask you only once more, come with us."

"Alright let me just finish this last bit of coffee....", Sly picked up the half empty cup of still hot coffee and brung it to his mouth. Suddenly he he pushed the cup forward splashing the hot liquid onto the man on the right. The man screamed in pain as the hot coffee burned his face and eyes. Sly then quickly through a right hook to the man on the left. The man staggered sideways into a table as Sly's fist rammed his jaw. Sly quickly fled towards the back and into the kitchen doors. He entered the kitchen, quickly passing the waitress who was busy sulking by the stove, cooking "The chef's choice of the day". He stopped and turned around to face the waitress.

"Put it on my tab", he blurted out to the waitress who just stared at the "mad man".

Sly zig zagged through the kitchen until he finally spotted the back door that he wasn't sure was even there in the first place. He quickly turned the door handle and opened it quickly. The first thing that hit his eyes was the bright sunlight. The second thing that hit him was the left fist of the Aztecian man he had right hooked before. Sly's world instantly went dark as he collapsed to the ground. Sly would not be paying off his tab anytime soon.......

[ChrisiusMaximus]

Poor old Sly keep it coming King

[vovan]

Originally posted by Civ3King
The American agent, known only as "Sly"...

Yay, another Sylvester Stallone movie. Good stuff, Civ3King.

[DAEMON]

On behalf of myself, and the ppl I represent... We demand more.....

[vovan]

Don't think that Daemon here represents me, so, I'll say: I want more, too.

[Civ3King]

Sorry guys, had to deal with an internet parasite/virus thing, but all is ok now. Anyway, here is the next part.


Sly lifted his head throbbing head from the table with a quiet moan as he places his hands over his tired face. He wondered to himself where he was and what was going on as he slightly opened his eyes, which met the dark outline of his hands. Another sharp pain, this time from between his eyes, reminded Sly of his incounter with brute Aztecian men. He sighed to himself and rubbed his forehead gently with his right hand fingers.

"Great, just great Sly. Look what fine mess you've gottin yourself into this time.", he muttered angrily to himself as he sat.

He slowly lowered his right hand away from his forehead, expecting to see a dark and dank jail cell or something of that nature. Instead, Sly was met with a rather inviting and cousy room, filled with luxuries furniture, German imported if Sly wasn't mistaken. He then slowly looked to his right and caught a blazing fire place in the near corner of the room. Finally he looked left, where a door had been slightly cracked as if somone had previously entered the room before.

"If this is the "horrible" Aztecian prison chambers I've been told about, then I don't want to go back to the Washington.", he said with a laugh which showed no intimation of his true worries and fears. He looked away from the door for a few seconds until something or somone caught the corner of his eye. The door smoothly slid open, revealing a rather beautiful Aztecian women, about 5'10 in height, a wonderful figure, and face to match. Sly instantly broke his neck as the lovely lady, dressed in usual house maid attire walked past him without a word or glance. He watched her from the corner of his eye, trying not to look obviouse, but at the same time trying to sneak a peak at her, whenever possible.

Though Sly was in awe of her remarkable beauty, he found her quite odd. She didn't sweep or dust or do anything involved with cleaning like any normal maid. Instead, she walked about the room examining every window, corner, and crack laying along the walls, as if she was a repair "man" or some convict looking for a way out of there prison. Sly watched the women move from wall to wall, window to window, until she finally stopped and looked up at the ceilling. The women stood there for a second in deep thought before moving over to Sly's position at the table. Without warning, the women slid her left hand around the mouth of Sly and brought her mouth to his ears. Sly screamed, but his nose was only muffled by the womens palm.

"Shh, shh...Eye of the eagle.", she whispered calmy into Sly's ear.

Sly immediatly stopped screaming as he recognized the American Intellegnce secret phrase for identifying other agents. He then turned his head to meet eye to eye with the women, who had deep green eyes. As Sly calmed down, she moved her palm away from his mouth and rested it ont he tables edge.

"Who are you? Your an American Agent arn't you? Only American Agents know that phrase."

"Will you keep it down!?? Man, when they said I was rescuing a rooky I didn't think they were seriouse. My name is Joanna, but for now you will be calling me Ixta."

"Rooky? ROOKY?!! I'm not a rooky, Miss "Ixta" or whatever you call yourself."

"Oh, and I guess beeing uncovered ten mintues after your mission was complete and also being caught in a record of thirty seconds after your escape is just the usual work of a veteran, right?", Ixta said with a laugh as she rolledher eyes.

Sly was about to counter he comment until Ixta told him to hush for a second. She then dashed to the side of the room, pulling the confussed Sly with her. They waited quietly for a second as the sound of footsteps past the doorway and eventually left their ears. Ixta isghed with relief and grabbed a nearby chair. Sly watched even more confussed as she placed the chair in the center of the room and got ontop of it. She then slid part of the ceiling aside, making an escape for the the two spies. She then climbed up into the opening and signaled Sly to follow her. Sly reluctantly did as he was told and climbed his way from the chair into the air ducks.

Ixta slid the ceiling panel back in its former position and looked up at Sly. She then slipped off the maid uniform revealing her pure leather outfit with black boots to match. She moved maid uniform aside from her and reached into her black boots. Sly watched for a second as Ixta slowly removed a handgun from her boot. It was new and slicker model that Sly had never seen before until now.

"Here, this is yours. Your going to need it.", she said tossing the gun towards Sly.


Sly insinctivly caught the gun with his left hand and looked at it as if he had never layed eyes on a weapon before.

"Whats wrong? Never seen a gun before?", she said, noticing his wondering face.

"No, It's not that. I'm just wondering what I need this for? I mean, were just going to sneak out undetectied, right?"

Ixta laughed as he finished his sentence. "I hate to dissapoint you, but the goverment didn't just send me hear to save some rooky."

"What do you mean?", sly said, putting away his gun.

"What do I mean? Wow, you really are a rookie, arn't you?"

Ixta paused for a second and crawled ahead of Sly.

"I mean... were going to assassinate Montezuma."

[ChrisiusMaximus]

excellent !!! Bravo well done well worth waiting for.

Few typos cause I bet you typed it fast as the inspiration came to you, but none the less excellent work.

[vovan]

Very nice. Keep going.

[SKILORD]

I must agree, it is quite good.

[Civ3King]

"Assassinate Montezuma?", sly said as he scurried along the metal shaft behind Ixta.

"Did I stutter? Yes, assassinate him...", she continued as her eyes shifted to the right were another shaft ran off the one they were in. "Quick to the right."

Sly soaked in what he had just heard as he banked into the new shaft. After a few minutes of silence between the two, Sly spoke up.

"Where are we anyway?"

"Were in the Palace, also known as the "The Sun Temple", because of its design."

"Palace? Why would they keep me captured in the palace? Shouldn't they of tooking me to their intellegence base or atleast a jail?"

"How would I know, do I look like Aztecian Intellegence to you?", Ixta replied with an angry tone in her voice.

"Sheesh, I was only wondering. Don't have to blow your top."

"Shh, were almost here."

Quietly, Ixta pushed her left ear against the warm floor of the shaft. She sat there quiet and still as if waiting for something. After a few seconds she then moved back on her knees, while at the same time slightly sliding the shaft panel away from its position as to leave a small opening for somone to get out of. She then popped her head down in the opening and after a seconds she popped her head back up to face Sly.

"Listen and listen good. There is a buttler heading down this way and I want you to jump down, take his cloths, and then walk into that room on the immediate left. Got that?"

"Sounds simple enough. Is that all?", Sly said with a hint of arrogance in his voice.

"Oh yes, and one more thing...try and drag Montezuma out his office so I can get a clear shot of him."

"Sure, I can do...wait...what?!! Just wait a minute!!", Sly cried in protest.

His pleads, however had fallen on deaf ears and Ixta had already managed to push Sly down the small passage, bumping his head on the way. Sly rapidly fell to the green colored carpet that carried the seal of Communist Aztecia, a Jaguar Warrior carrying a hammer and axe with smiling faces of Aztecian citzens marching onward behind him.

Sly slightly shivered as he reconized the mighty emblem and jolted himself onto his feet. He then looked down the hall where the buttler was busy "test tasting" Montezuma's elegant dinner. Sly slowly tip toed to the buttler with the quitness of a mouse in a den of lions. The buttler finally noticed him, but by that time Sly had managed to sweep the innocent buttlers feet from under him and was covering his mouth. Sly looked down the lenght of the hall to make sure no one else had seen him and when he was confident that all was clear, he dragged the man into the nearest room and continued with the next step of Ixta's plan.

"Not bad.", Ixta said to herself from the shaft, a bit impressed with Sly's agility.

The sounds of muffled cries could faintly be heard as Sly exited the room. After looking down and up the hall once more, he wasted no time in getting into character as the buttler. He gracefully pushed the silver cart that carried the lavish dinner of Montezuma into the room he was supposed to draw the communist ruler out of. He entered the room which was partly flooded with light from the open window. After a few moments of adjusting his eyes to the light he stopped the rather squeaky cart in the middle of the room and looked about it.

To Sly's suprise the room was a bit more croweded then Ixta had bothered to describe. To the side of the entrance way, stood two gaurds, who appeared to be the same men that captured Sly in the resturant earlyer that day. Atleast, he thought it was today.
To the immediate right lay Montezuma, his military advisor, and his diplomatic advisor, so Sly guessed anyway. Montezuma and his company paid little attention to the agent in disguise as he set the food on the nearest table. This was both a good and bad thing for Sly. Good, because it gave Sly less chance for his idenity to be blown, but bad, because he needed the attention of Montezuma to bring him out the room itself.

"This will be a tuff one.", Sly muttered to himself as he set the forks and spoons out onto the table and contimplated his next move.

After Sly completed his task, he then went back over the cart and began to push it towards the door, but this time he took a route that went past Montezuma himself. As sly came closer her began to relish in the irony of the military advisor, bragging on about how "solid" their intellegence was. Little did they know an American agent was in the their mits. As Sly came by Montezuma, he slowly grinded his cart to a stop and faced the towering leader.

"I do not mean to interupt your meeting sir, but the chief chef wishes you to taste his new dessert. He thinks your taste buds will be the most delighted.", he said in the best Aztecian accent he had ever spoke since his training.

The cart begin to tremble with Sly's nervously shaking hands as he waited for Montezumas reply. He wondered in his mind if he had said the right thing or not, knowing his whole cover might of been blown with one sentence. Sly, however would be spared as Montezuma answered back with a friendly smile. Even with a sentence he actually understood.

"I suppose we can continue this on tommorow, Besides, my sweet tooth has been aching for something sugery. I accept Mr...?"

Sly paused for a second as his mind zipped through a list of Aztecian names. "Umm, Mr. Popolexita...", Sly said with unsure looks upon his face.

"Ah, very... intresting... name Mr. Popolexita, thank you for your service. Come, let us go the kitchen and taste this delectible dish."

Sly pressed his now relaxed hands on the cart and pushed it forward behind Montezuma. "Montey isn't as bad a guy as they say back in America. He's even a little bit friendly. Too bad he's about to become target practice of Ixta.", Sly thought to himself as he pushed the cart out the doorway and into the hall.

Sly was about to slide off into one of his many day dreams until something caught the corner of his eyes. It looked like something or somone was crawling from the room he had undressed from. As he turned his head, he knew who it....he....was. He was the real butler. He had somehow untied himself from the chair Sly had left him at and was making his way down the hallway towards the group. Apparently, Montezuma had also caught eye to the struggling buttler as he heard the confussed shouts of the ruler.

"What is the meaning of this? Who in world is that on the ground?!"

At the same time, both of the burly gaurds at the door stepped out to analyze the situation. The two simutanously looked from the tied up and gagged buttler on the ground, then Sly, and then towards Montezuma. In an instant, Sly broke out into a cold sweat, he could feel each drop of moisture slowly dripping down his back and front. The men had caught him the act. Surely they recognized Sly's face from that cafe, didn't they? The hall way stood silent for a seond, which felt like hours to sly as he waited for the burly men to blow Sly's cover....

"Hmm, must be some crazed worker or some revolutionary running about the palace, sir. Will handle the situation."

"You better, and don't be hasty either.", Montezuma said with a sturn and cold face that he was so often depicted with on American propeganda commercials. After the two men hurried down the hall way Montezuma turned around to tell "Mr. Popolextia" how lucky he was that it wasn't him who was harrased. To Montezuma's suprise, Sly was no longer there, only the empty silver cart, which left no hint of his where abouts.

Sly looked back to see if anyone was chasing him after he turned the corner. 'Where is Ixta anyway?!! She was supposed to make the shot!"

Sly then turned his head back around only to meet an arm, dangling from an open roof panel. As he saw the appendage, he came to a full slide on his heels and infront of the arm. He looked up to meet the face of Ixta who was signaling Sly to grab on. He hesitated for a seond, but heard the footsteps of somone approaching him from behind. He then jolted from his feet and lached onto Ixta's arm. With a powerful pull, she managed to lift Sly off the ground and into the shaft. She then closed the shaft as Sly stumbbled in and let some air into her lungs.

"Can't you do anything right?!", Ixta said as she gasped for air.

"Me?! Weren't you the one who was supposed to...oh...I don't know...assassinate Montezuma?!!", Sly said in a sarcastic tone.

"Well, I could if I didn't have to save somones butt every ten minutes!", she snapped back.

They both sat quiet after the tiny despute, before Ixta began to crawl into another shaft leading from the one they were currently in.

"Where are we going now?", Sly asked following her.

"Were going to Washington.", Ixta said with a sigh.

"Great!!", Sly thought happily to himself as he heard the news.
But of course, nothing is ever as easy as it sounds...

[ChrisiusMaximus]

Very good and more than a little amusing to boot. Nicely written and well humoured in fact nicely balanced and very enjoyable to read.

[Civ3King]

Ixta grunted as she kicked the vent opening with all her strength. The lead gate fell to the ground making a clanking sound as it landed. After Ixta examined the empty streets from above, she then jumped down from the side of the brick building with perfect agility, followed by Sly who simply fell to the ground.

"That was easy.", Ixta said as she rose off her right knee, revealing her true height.

"Easy?! What were you smoking while we were in there?", Sly groaned as he got up from his backside.

Ixta ignored Sly and continued towards the open streets of the city. The sunlight radiated against her face as she looked upon the congested streets of Tenochtitlan. She breathed in "fresh" air of city life as she stepped up to the edge of the sidewalk. She waved her hands about and yelled out something, which Sly tried to make out as he watched from a distance.

"What are you doing?", Sly asked her as he jogged up next to her on the left side.

"Calling for a taxi."

After a few taxis passed by the two, one finally came to a gentle stop before them. The man in the Taxi waved them with his right hand as he stopped. Ixta nodded and walked around the backside of the blue vehicle to pay the driver. She reached into her boot where she kept most of valuables, but to her surprise she found he wallet missing.

"What’s the problem Ixta?"

"My wallet must of fell out back there in the shafts"

They both looked at the taxi man who was becoming a little more then impatient with the two agents. He began holding his hands out for his proper payment. Ixta then looked at the driver and spoke up to him in Aztecian.

"Excuse me sir, were going to need to confiscate your vehicle for purposes that we cannot reveal at this current time. Trust me, it is the best interest of your country that we take your car", Ixta said with a smile.

However the driver would hear none of it and began to bellow with words neither Sly or Ixta had ever heard before, but knew they weren’t nice. Sly sighed and gave a quick but forceful punch to the driver’s face, instantly knocking him out. He then opened the green door and tossed the driver on the sidewalk.

"You are such a man...", Ixta said rolling her eyes as she entered the drivers seat.

Sly smirked and sat down in the passenger’s seat. Ixta waited for an opening and then turned into the active streets of the city, towards the American border.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The city life turned into the rural country and then into the shady canopy of thick jungle as she drove down dirt road. Ixta turned the broken knob of the radio, which only gave static filled portions of the weather and news. She glanced over to Sly who was sleeping like a baby, drool running down from his mouth and his loud snoring filling her ear. She mumbled something under her breath and then cut to the rear view mirror, which showed a black car with tented windows. Ixta raised her eyebrow and pressed her hands against Sly's shoulders in hopes to wake him up.

"Sly, Sly, wake up!"

Sly turned with a moan, batting her hands away. "No mommy I don't want to go to school.... The kids pick on me and say I have big geeky glasses...."

Ixta rolled her eyes and began to shake Sly violently. This time breaking him from his peaceful sleep.

"What?! What?! Why did you wake me?", Sly said jumping from his relaxed position.

"This car behind us, it has been following us ever since we left the capital. Don't turn around, just look into he rear view mirror."

Sly glanced at the rear view mirror and sure enough there was a black car, cruising a short distance behind them. Ixta pressed against the gas, letting the car accelerate away from their pursuers, but the car behind them just increased its speed as well. She then pressed against the gas more, bringing the car near its top speed of 95 mph. The car behind them mimicked the agent’s car, but this time began to bump up against the back of their tiny blue car.

"What the heck is going on?!", Sly said as he jerked forward from the impact.

"Hold on Sly.", Ixta said as she pressed against the gas peddle with all her might, shooting the car forward at 95 mph. However, the taxi cars full speed was not enough to get the followers off it’s behind.

Ixta then made a sharp turn to the left, into the opposing lane throwing the driver behind them off. Their pursuer then speeded until becoming parallel with the passenger’s side of the taxi. Sly looked across into the tented window of the car, unable to make out the driver’s face. Ixta was also trying to make out the driver’s appearance, but as her eyes left the road a large truck was coming towards them. The honk of its massive horns broke Ixta from the side window and back in front of her. Instinctively she pushed the steering wheel to the far left, bringing the car into the jungle and barely missing the oncoming mac-truck. The car rattled and thundered as it ran over thick roots, branches, and vines before coming to a nosey halt.

Ixta rubbed her bleeding forehead that had hit the steering when the car stopped. She then looked over to Sly who was still screaming like a little girl who had just seen a monster. She covered his mouth with her right palm and opened the door with her left hand. After he stopped screaming both Sly and Ixta stepped out the car and examined their surroundings. They were in a dark, moist, humid, jungle and best of all they were lost.

"Great, what now?", Sly grumbled loudly, his voice echoing the through the jungle, sending a few birds flying away.

Ixta scratched her head and looked up into the canopy, which let in a few fragments of light. "We walk."

Ixta paced forward in a random direction, stepping over roots and ducking under low branches as she moved. Sly followed behind, quietly keeping his head down towards the ground. After ten minutes he spoke up in a nagging tone.

"You know Ixta if you were supposed to save me, then how is it I find myself endlessly trudging in a hot jungle on the brink of death? Not to mention almost getting ran over by a freaking mac-truck. What was Washington thinking when they sent you anyway?"

Sly paused for a moment as he waited for Ixta to counter his comment with her own, but there was only silence.

"Oh come one Ixta. Don't give me the silent treatment, I didn't mean it."

Sly was met with another pause of silence before he lifted his head up to look at Ixta. However, Ixta was no longer in front of Sly or anywhere near him for that matter.

"Hello? Ixta? Where are you?", Sly called out into the green surroundings.

After a moment he heard the snapping sound of a twig behind him, followed by the sounds of someone scurrying away.

"Ok Ixta, you've had your fun. Now come out, it's not funny anymore."

Sly turned around to face the noise as he felt a presence behind him.

"There you are Ix...", Sly gulped as he met the face of a male jaguar, which licked its chops in hunger. The jaguar then snarled loudly at Sly who was now a petrified stone. “.... You’re not Ixta..."

Sly then pivoted around and ran forward away from the beast. He could hear the paws of the jaguar beating against the ground behind him, but he dared not turn around to face it. Suddenly, his foot caught against a root and he flat onto the ground and into a roll. As his roll stopped against a tree trunk, he regained his eyesight revealing the jaguar only a few feet away from his position. Sly desperately tried to get to his feet, but the jaguar was already in the air, to pounce his prey...

[ChrisiusMaximus]

Phew what next for our intrepid hero ? this is great stuff