Kat: Okay, the songs were (in order):

AFI- "Miss Murder"

Panic! At The Disco- "The Only Difference Between Martyrdom And Suicide Is Press Coverage"

Akon featuring Eminem- "Smack That"

I can't believe no one got it. Oh, well. Now, on with the story.

"Do you get the feeling we're being watched?" Daxter asked. The duo was walking through the slums on their way to the industrial section. A few weeks had passed since the meeting, and the rumors Ashelin had told them about had spread like wildfire. The Council still didn't believe the rumors, but unfortunately, the citizens were the type to believe gossip. In other words, stupid people.

"Kind of," Jak replied, trying to ignore the glares and dirty looks he got from the people on the street. As he passed, people started whispering and children ran to their parents, pointing and saying things like "Look, look, Mommy!" or "It's that guy! Why isn't he in jail, Daddy?" One person threw a rock at Jak, which missed its target, but came close… and hit Daxter in the back of the head.

"WHO THREW THAT?!" Daxter yelled, pulling himself off of the ground. The people stopped talking and froze. Would Jak flip out and tear the culprit to pieces for hitting his friend?

"Come on! Fess up so I can…" Daxter felt someone clamp their hand around his mouth.

"That's enough, Dax…" Jak said. Daxter just blinked at his friend. Jak picked his friend up and put him on his shoulder.

"Easy for you to say; you're not the one that got hit with a rock," Daxter replied, rubbing the back of his head.

"Come on. Onin wanted to see us," Jak said as he continued on his way.

"Then why're we going the long way? So more people can throw stuff at us?" Daxter ducked as an empty bottle flew over their heads.

"The short way is blocked off because of the Metal Heads," Jak replied, casting a wary eye on a group of teenagers who were picking up rocks and other debris. "Besides, you were the one that wanted to go to the industrial section."

"On my own time," Daxter murmured to himself. He wanted to see if Osmo and his son were alright. He hadn't heard from them for a couple weeks, and he was getting worried since the KGs had taken a majority of the industrial section. Daxter didn't know if Osmo's shop was part of the portion that had been taken, but he hoped not. He hoped that Osmo's shop was along the path that the Freedom League had designated safe for people that had to get through.

They finally got to the entrance to the industrial section and a Freedom League guard came up to them, his blue armor a little too big for him.

"I'll be your escort through the industrial zone," he said. His voice was unusually high-pitched.

"No need; I can take care of myself," Jak replied. He was more worried about the new recruit's well-being. If something happened, Jak would have to be the escort.

"Thank you sir!" the guard said. "I mean, uh…" the guard tried to lower his voice. "My orders are to escort people through because of the danger."

"Don't worry, we won't tell Ashelin," Daxter said.

"Uh…" the guard watched as the duo entered the industrial section. The guard lifted his communicator to his mouth and spoke. "They're in."

"Alone?" the menacing voice on the other line asked.

"Yup. They bought the whole 'helpless rookie' act."

"Excellent. Initiate step 2. We'll get them off the beaten path, and then…"

"We'll get rid of that meddling rodent and his boy." The guard's voice changed into a robotic one. "Got it."


Daxter looked around. There weren't any people on the street. Not surprising; there were only people on the street here during the morning and evening rush hours. On the other side of the force fields that had been put up, you could see KG robots walking around, staring at the people or destroying buildings… usually. Now, there were none in sight.

"I don't like this, Jak," Daxter said. "Where is everyone?"

"I don't know about the KGs, but…" An explosion cut Jak off. In the distance, they could see smoke billowing up.

"What now?" Jak asked, running down the path. As he turned a corner, they saw a small building burning with a group of robots in front of it. Daxter leapt from Jak's shoulder and started to climb up the wall of a nearby building.

"Daxter! What are you doing?" Jak yelled.

That's Osmo's shop! Daxter thought, his heart racing. When he got as high as he could, the ottsel jumped down on the other side of the force fields and ran to the shop.

"Osmo! Ximon!" Daxter called.

The KG robots there looked towards the source of the new voice. They readied there weapons and aimed them at Daxter.

"Dax!" Jak called.

The KG robots opened fire on the ottsel, but Daxter was too quick. He weaved between their legs and leapt over the smaller bots. Nothing was going to keep him from rescuing his friends.

"Osmo! Ximon!" Daxter looked for a way into the shop, but the entrance had been blocked by flaming debris.

The KG robots concentrated their fire on Daxter's spot. Daxter jumped to the side as another explosion rocked Osmo's shop, blowing open the door. Daxter got up and ran into the shop, crawling under the burning wreckage.

"Osmo!" Daxter coughed. "Ximon!"

Daxter kept low, but he still choked on the smoke. He tried to see through the black haze for any sign of his friends. On one side of the room, the crates that held the exterminator gear were burning quickly, probably because of the dry straw that cradled the equipment.

"Osm--" A piece of the ceiling fell, landing on the ottsel. Daxter coughed as he felt the embers singe his fur. Daxter pushed the rubble off and continued making his way to the back. Once in the back hallway, Daxter got up and ran to the sleeping quarters. There, he found a shape lying motionless on the bed.

"Ximon!" Daxter yelled. Daxter jumped onto the bed, hoping Ximon was okay. Daxter checked his friend's breathing and pulse. He was still alive, and the only damage seemed to be a gash on his forehead, which came—presumably—from the falling debris.

"Ximon, wake up!" Daxter shook his friend as another piece of the ceiling fell.

Ximon groaned and opened one eye. "Wha' happen?" he asked groggily.

"The place is burning down! Where's your dad?"

"Uh, out in the front of the store, checking inventory, I think…"

No… Fear struck Daxter's heart. Daxter shook his head and pulled Ximon into a sitting position. "Listen, we can't get out through the front. It's blocked by debris, fire and KG robots. Uh, go through the Warp Gate in the hangar, it should be safe outside the city."

"What about Pops?" Ximon asked, standing up and holding his head.

"I'll get him," Daxter answered untruthfully. Unless Osmo was out, or in the hangar, then he was…

"Okay, 'lil buddy," Ximon said, going to the hangar. Daxter followed, hoping he'd see Osmo there. When they entered, Daxter looked around the small room. He wasn't near the boxes of stuff on the left, the large round basin that housed the Warp Gate on the other side of the room, or the control panel on the right. In front of the Warp Gate was an old-fashioned Zoomer pad with something covered with a tarp over it. Daxter hit a few buttons on the panel and the Warp Gate activated. Ximon pulled a lever and the canvas was lifted, revealing an ancient crop-dusting Zoomer.

"Pop would want us to take care of Ol' Betsy," Ximon said, as he got on the vehicle.

"Go. I'll catch up," Daxter said. Ximon nodded and drove through the Warp Gate. Daxter sprinted through the hallway, where the fire was starting to spread to. Daxter ignored the smoke and flames as the entered the room. He ran around the smoldering desk and ran straight across the room to the crates.

Daxter had to do nothing more than look behind some to confirm his fears. Daxter clapped a hand over his mouth and turned away before vomiting into the flames. Tears threatened to come, but whether it was from grief, the smoke stinging his eyes, or nausea was to remain a mystery.

Daxter had known what he'd probably find, but he wasn't any more prepared for it. He wasn't prepared to see the burnt body of an old man that had been so good to him. He wasn't prepared for the crumpled black skin, the blood that had been shed from the death blow, a piece of debris stuck in the old man's head. Daxter stumbled from the crates to the center of the room, where he vomited again.

"No…" Daxter let out a quivering wail. "NO!"

Daxter slammed his fist onto the floor multiple times. "NO! No! No! No. No…"

Shaking, Daxter got up. How was he supposed to tell Ximon? Daxter didn't even jump when a piece of debris fell less than an inch from him. Daxter walked to the back of the store, to the hangar.

Before he left, he spotted something on the control panel he'd ignored before. The communicator that Osmo had given him when he started work. Daxter grabbed it and looked at the boxes. He looked in one and fate handed him the belt that Osmo had given him to carry his gear and the electro-swatter. Daxter grabbed these things and put the belt on as the flames started to enter the room. Daxter put the communicator into its small holding pouch and put the swatter away too.

These things, which he'd shed without a second thought earlier that year, meant so much now. Perhaps it was because all he had left of the kind old man that had treated him so well… who'd been the first to actually praise him.

Daxter looked at the fire, which was now starting to burn the boxes in front of him. Daxter ran to the Warp Gate and jumped through.


"Daxter!" Jak yelled. The shop had just collapsed and Daxter hadn't emerged. The KG robots seemed to be talking to each other, but Jak didn't care about that. His best friend could be dead.

"Daxter!" Jak shouted. This time, the KG bots took notice of him. Jak took out his Morph Gun as they approached. Once they were close enough, they rushed at him. However, before a shot was fired, the KGs hit the force field and were thrown back. Several of the robots had short-circuited, but the tougher ones were still standing. They tried to get to Jak again, but to no avail. Finally, they gave up and dispersed.

Jak tried one last time to reach his friend. "DAXTER!"

Suddenly the talk box came to life beside him. "Jak! Where are you?" the voice squawked. "It doesn't take you that long to get over here, even with the detour!"

"It's Daxter," Jak said. "He… he ran into a burning building and it… it collapsed… with him still inside."

There was an eerie silence on the other end of the line. Jak wondered what Pecker's reaction was. Suddenly the bird spoke, his voice quiet.

"Are you sure he's… dead?"

"No, but… I can't get to him. These force fields keep me from going anywhere."

"… Onin says get over here."

"I can't just leave him here!"

"Jak, there's nothing you can do. Just get over here."

"But…"

"Now, Jak!"

The line went dead and the talk box disappeared. Jak looked at the wreckage. What was so important that Daxter had to do something crazy like that? Why had Daxter run through a crowd of deadly KG robots only to run into a burning building? Jak took a few small steps before breaking into a sprint towards the port.

He's not dead. He's not dead. He's not dead…