To anyone who's bothering to read this author's note: Thanks for all the supportive reviews telling I better keep Jak or I'll be personally killed. :) Not just the recent but the older ones as well. I got your message loud and clear as a blue skied day in the country. Its good that you all speaking your opinion on this story and I never knew such feelings for our hero Jak was so strong. I mean he's the star and famous but... I dunno.

To be honest I can't tell you if I complied with your wishes because that will be spoiling the story but I can tell you that I've read every single review and all you're messages and encouraging support are with me. And I'm not scared of you lot either so the only way to find out if Jak lives is to read the story. (Wicked Grin) I'm mean but hey I don't want to spoil the ending but I'll throw you all a bone... Dark Jak is involved.

Now I'll make up for the last chapter. I had a lack of detail and pushed you in the deep end. I'm going to back track a little and help you out. Yyou probably noticed Keira isn't my strongest character. Not much of her original character is projected through her- she's still a 1D character to me.

This piece is unbeta-ed like all the previous chapters but future chapters it will be.

Kiera entered the room and looked through the one way mirrored glass. The room was metallic dark gray with a spot light in the middle shining on the lone chair. But the metal chair was occupied. She looked upon her attacker. It was strange to see a pale face, black gelled hair, brown pristine eyes and medium posture. Realization dawned on her. It was that young doctor, Raynor, that she first met in the elevator and then beside Jak's bed. He was just a rookie doctor straight from med school. Why would he do this?

The intercom allowed her to hear sound inside the room. She heard the interview conducted by her rescuer Hadre.

"What is your name?" Hadre's skinny posture paced around the chair where the culprit sat

The dark haired man smirked and folded his arms, "What makes you think I'm going to tell you? What does it matter? You already know I'm connected to Nrim. That's all you need to know"

Hadre shook his head. His blond locks bounced against his freckled light skin.

His mouth formed into a smile, "You want to live?"

The black haired man snorted, "I'm a dead man anyway"

"How about I make you're passing more painful or make you a new crippled beggar?" Hadre pulled out his pistol, "Or maybe get rid of your manhood?"

The black haired man paled further.

Hadre smirked, "Talk. What's your name?"

The dark haired man gave a dark look but finally spoke, "Raynor"

"What's your connection with him?"

"Just a grunt"

"You know any of his associates?"

"No" the dark haired man said too quickly

Hadre frowned. He moved his pointed pistol and fired. Red light flashed before embedding itself into the man's calf muscle.

"Ahhhhh! Shit!" the man swore gasping at his leg

Keira from behind the glass looked away.

"Don't screw with me Raynor. I want names" Hadre's face turned full on hard and dark

A few hours ago Hadre was so nice to Keira and saved her life. Now he was a real hard 'bad cop' kind of guy.

"Ahhh! Screw you!" Raynor spat

Hadre moved the pistol to his other leg and the dark man's brown eyes went wide.

"Ok! Ok! I know only one name! I swear! Don't shoot me again!" Raynor pleaded

"Who?"

"Bree. Bree! Her and Nrim works close and Bree is pushing for the Eco Freak's death!" Raynor gasped

Keira moved closer to the window.

"Why?" Hadre demanded echoing Keira's question

"I not sure"

"That's not good enough" Hadre applied pressure to the trigger

Raynor saw it and began speaking fast, "She's, she's a hitman-or woman. I think she was hired by someone and worked with Nirm. But that's all I know I swear!"

Hadre looked down on him before diverting the pistol to his hip.

"I'll be back"

"Please I need something for my leg" Raynor gasped

"I'll see what we can do" Hadre said over his shoulder before leaving

Keira turned away from the window in disgust. So someone hired this Bree to kill Jak. The question is who. She turned to the door and left the small room. She needed some more answers.

"Your friends travel far for such a plant" the large beast commented as he hiked up the mountain with ease

"Well its Jak's life at stake" Daxter pointed out

The large blue Snow Lurker trudged up the mountain with the orange Ottsel on his shoulder. The gentle giant had been climbing over night in an effort to catch up with Sig and the others. They already had the plant but the Ottsel had no means of getting home quickly other than by Jet Packs. Sig had Jet Packs. All they needed to do was reach the group and go home.

The sun was climbing the clear sky as cold air light bushed against the two animals' fur. The Snow was deep but the large blue Lurker walked through it with years of practice and ease.

Daxter just realized something, "Hey what's your name?"

"Oltmar" the large blue Lurker replied, "In Lurker language, Oltmar means 'Brother of Mar'"

Daxter raised his eyebrows, "You knew Mar?"

Oltmar snorted, "No. It is the name of my tribe. I am one of last of my tribe. I carry on our Legacy. I renamed myself Oltmar so I do not forget where we Lurker brothers are from. My tribe was good friends with Mar. Mar understood us and treated Lurker brothers with respect. Our tribe and Mar forged an alliance against Metal Headers and we promised to help protect the Precursor Stone when it is time. In return Mar let us be in Mountains. Then Mar died. It was a sad day. Metal Headers attacked, new leader didn't help. Many Lurkers died or forced to be slaves that day"

"Oh" Daxter didn't know what to say

"Do not be sad Orangy Warrior. Mar promised his descendants will fulfill promise and that we must remind them of it. There is still hope for Lurker tribe"

"Oh"

"We are now climbing peak" Oltmar stated, "I smell sent of guns here"

Daxter remained silently on the Lurker's shoulder as Oltmar started to climb the steep icy slope.

"I am sorry Orangy Warrior. Oltmar been talking much, what is your name"

"Daxter"

"Daxter. Your name mean anything?"

"You ok?" the old green man asked concerned

"I'm fine daddy" Keira replied and gave a smile to reassure him, "Just tired"

"You probably already know but Nrim is behind Jak's current condition" Samos said

Keira knew alright. She looked him up along with the three other superiors. Even Jak's injection was done under one superiors wing it was fault of another superior. Nirm is a prodigy doctor that is in charge of the emergency wing of the hospital. They found out he's possibly linked in Jak's rapidly deteriorating condition and this guy Raynor was a grunt of his. Raynor the young doctor fresh out of med school. Probably that was a cover up.

"Yeah I know" Keira replied flatly

"The Shadow is sending out Underground agents to find Bree. We need to find out who hired her to kill Jak"

"Can I talk to Raynor?" Keira asked, her voice taking a soft tone

Samos frowned, "Why?

"I want some answers" Keira said

Samos studied her daughter. She looked pale in the man made light. Her eyes lost spark and her hair looked tangled. The attack from last night took its toll on her. She hardly slept a wink. Samos put his hand on her shoulder and squeezed it. She turned her neck to him and gave a tight smile. She moved off to have the visit with Raynor.

She entered the interrogation room. Raynor sat silently with a bandaged leg, one wrist cuffed to the chair leg he leered at the new guest.

"I told you to back off" he sneered

There are people who know who you are and what you are doing. I'll be careful if I were you. They obviously known for sometime or they wouldn't have done this to Jak. I'll back off if I were you

"So you did" she said flatly remembering his warning when he came to her when she visited Jak.

"But you have to go snooping around" Raynor shook his head

"Why?" Keira as simply

"Why what?" Raynor snapped

"Why did you do this to Jak?"

"Orders sweetheart"

"How could you walk around the hospital knowing you condemned a man to death and thinking you can play me like a instrument?" she glared

"Its called protecting the city" Raynor said levelly

"Or a lack of morality" Keira retorted, "Protecting the city from what?"

"Dangerous monsters like Metal Heads, Lurkers... and you're purple boyfriend"

"Jak has done more for this city in a space of six months then you could ever do in a life time and he has given hope to this city! How can you do this to someone who is saving yours and everyone else's life?" she demanded

Raynor slammed his fist on his knee, "Dammit! What would you know? You're just a pretty face. A daddy's girl! I was born a Slummer like a third of this city. My father was killed by Metal Heads. My mother was mauled by a Lurker and the Baron's lab rats run amok in the city!"

Raynor breathed to recollect himself, "True I can't deny what the two faced blondie did but the fact remains he's a menace to this city, his run from the law has caused accidents and unnecessary KG alerts which risen the death toll of the civilian population to an unbelievable high. You see, its not morality. Its protecting the innocent"

"I thought you were following orders" Keira said cold and bitterly

"I am but I wasn't forced to join. Even if your boyfriend survives there is too many of us. He'll be a target again"

"You make me sick" she said disgustedly

"I hope you choke on your own vomit and then you can see your boyfriend in the heavens above" Raynor replied with a cold sneer

Keira turned and stormed out. She just wanted to kick the crap out of him but she was too tired and too emotional to do it. She needed some time alone, some sleep and see Jak get well. Perhaps one day she can beat the crap out of that creep. Until then she'll just have to play helpless again and wait for the cure. Jak had a day or two more until the effects were irreversible.

Sig stopped, "We'll rest here cherries"

Everyone groaned in relief. Sig could go on for a few more hours but the underground couldn't. Sig was a Wastelander at heart and treacherous terrain was nothing new to him but the city folk wasn't use to this hiking. They weren't simply trained for it so as much as it displeased him he had to wait for them. Maybe he should make a comment to Torn about them.

Sig sat on a nearby rock. He knew this quest was hopeless. If those Metal Heads didn't attack then they would have got the plant by now and they wouldn't have lost so many lives and men. Torn was put out of action, about six men died including Jak's little rodent. Jak would be either mad or sad from the Ottsel's demise. If Jak did survive.

Sig stood up again, "Come on rookies, we got a plant to get"

Quiet groaning echoed as the remaining five men heaved their heavy Jet Packs to start the trek up the mountain. Sig was to make a comment but he was interrupted by a loud roar that echoed across the frozen air. Sig knew that roar and immediately raised his Peace Maker. The remainder of men pulled out their rifles and quickly looked around to find the source of the noise.

Suddenly a blue and gray gorilla looking Metal Head jumped out in amongst the men, pushing them back in a heap. The element of surprise was on the Metal Head's side and he lunge for attack. Sig raised his Peace Maker to apprehend the nuisance but he saw more popping out of the snow in a shower of flakes. Each roaring a war cry that showed defiance and danger.

Sig used his normal gun feature on his Peace Maker to pick out all the Metal Heads that were appearing. Then a loud noise came from behind. He turned with his Peace Maker at the ready to see the large scorpion like black Metal Head blast out of the snow. It's face was screwed up with anger, its carnivores teeth was bared and drooling, its four red demon like eyes glowed from the darkness of his face. His head was fitted with a gray like crown that protected its head and gave an intimidating look. The bone started from between his eyes and rose above his head in a spiked crest and nestled on it's forehead was the large Metal Skull Gem. It's tail wagged slowly, with its stinger poised and ready. White steam pumped from it's nostrils and mouth like an angry dragon. It's two black muscular arms, complete with large claws, were spread and ready to take on the Wastelander. It proved before, Peace Makers were ineffective against them.

"So we meet again" Sig pumped his gun before pointing it at the Metal Head

The black Metal Head roared, its howl shrieked in acceptance of the challenge this human posed.

"Then lets roll" Sig pulled the trigger

Red shots smacked into the creature. The creature's body was jerking from the force of the shots but still remained alive, even if Sig actually shot him square in the chest.

The black Metal Head seemed to regain itself and stopped jerking at the fire. Instead it approached Sig with full body force. It plowed through snow as if it was air and rammed into Sig making the big man stumble. The creature roared and with unbelievable bounce it sprang from the depths of the snow on the Sig's chest. Sig could no way keep his upright position. Gravity and physics were working against him as the creature sent him to the cold hard slope of the mountain.

Sig held his Peace Maker between his hands and shoved it towards the monster that was on top of him. The scorpion grabbed the Peace Maker with it's large hands and pushed down on Sig with equal force. Sig gritted his teeth, his muscles pushed and worked against the beasts. The creature saw it was losing the battle so using gravity it threw its weight on his arms pushing the Peace Maker down. The sudden strength of the Metal Head was too much for Sig and his elbows folded out. He could feel his own Peace Maker on his neck. The creature leaned forward, its face grinning and its red eyes in gloating glee. It snapped it's jaw and hissed in mockery.

Sig turned his face to stop the warm saliva getting on his features. Sig clenched his teeth and growled. He screwed his eyes shut pushing all his adrenalin and strength to his arms, trying to fight against the force of the Metal Head. The Metal Head still put its weight behind his arms and fought against Sig's determined strength.

The creature gave a growling laugh taunting, mocking Sig's fruitless efforts. Sig was a proud man and would let this creature beat him but his effort was going in vein. If he stopped pushing against the Metal Head the Peace Maker would be pushed right against his neck and the Metal Head wouldn't hesitate to choke him.

He didn't like to admit things, but now he would admit he needed a little help.

Onward to chapter 11

Wait! Wait! before you go and storm down her door and kill her with anything you could find... please Review! Pretty please with a cherry on top? Or cream... or ice-cream... or chocolate?