A World We All Live In

Chapter 29: Another Brick In The Wall Part 1

I came around the last corner smoothly and headed for the finish line. This was so much harder when other racers were on the track with you. Up ahead I saw Erol struggling to catch up with Jak who was at least a second ahead. I leaned forward as much as I could trying to catch up.

There was a loud explosion behind me that gave me a little extra boost forward. I didn't dare look behind me. I'd find out who had blown up after the race was over and Jak had the palace pass in his hands.

As I continued to gain on Erol I saw him look back at me and I smirked. It'd be great if we both beat him. Especially since I had no prier racing experience. HA! This would be great. I smiled wider as I barely taped the back of Erol's zoomer. He lost control for a second and that gave me a chance to get ahead.

Soon, I was in second place. I glared at Erol behind me through my helmet. He had no clue who I was. Thank god or he'd probably try harder to kill me. Jak looked back for the first time and I saw him smile through his helmet. I smiled back and tried harder to catch up.

He caught my challenge as we continued through the track. The crowd roared louder than before because it was the final lap. I knew Jak would win. There was no doubt about it.

The track wasn't that long and it seemed to get shorter and shorter with each lap. I soon grew bored with it. After the second lap I think was when I really started to get bored with this track. That's why I never got into racing, because it's the same thing all the way around.

And before I knew it we were coming around the last corner. I'd slowed a bit but was still in second place. I saw Jak cross the finish line in front of me. I smiled under my helmet and quickly went past the finish line just as Jak was climbing off and going to get the pass that waited at the end. I drove up beside him. I would have taken the horrid helmet off if it wasn't for the fact that the only reason I was wearing it was to hid my identity from the guard.

Jak turned to look at me as the baron's platform lowered down to our level. Jak pulled off his helmet but motioned for me to keep mine on. I began to shake. I didn't like this at all. We were surrounded by Krimson Guards that are trying to find and kill us and the only way out of this place was to the right. And I had no clue how many guards were out there.

Suddenly, Baron Praxis was right behind us saying something… I had no clue what. No my mind was staring at the maniac coming around the corner at full speed when everyone should be getting off the track. That maniac was Erol.

He smiled under his helmet. My breath caught in my throat and I shivered. I couldn't move, I was frozen, mouth agape as Erol drove right towards Jak and I. I stayed right in his path, not moving, like I was glued to the seat of the Hover-Bike.

And suddenly I was being pressed to the ground. I barely saw the two vehicles collide not far away then just a rumble as something exploded. I hadn't noticed it till now but my helmet fell off my head when I was pulled from the Hover-Bike.

I had by eyes squeezed shut when I was lifted from the ground. I didn't dare open my eyes and I couldn't hear anything. All I knew was that Jak was carrying me away from the track and we were being followed by Krimson Guards.

The explosion… It must have been Erol crashing into the barrels of Eco that was part of the prize. He was dead now so we didn't have to worry about him.

I looked up at Jak and he clutched me as close as possible to his chest as he climbed onto a zoomer. With KG behind us we headed away from the stadium.

The guards chased us a good ways around the city only to lose our trail. Lucky for us, most of the guard was out in the city hunting for us so we just walked through the front door of the palace.

Jak of course still had me clutched to his chest as he climbed off the zoomer and ran inside the palace. It wasn't until we were inside and near the lift did he out me down. Though, he didn't let go of me.

The blonde/green haired renegade plopped down just outside the lift. He pulled me into his lap and just held me without speaking. Every now and then he would rub my back or stroke my hair.

Finally, he sighed and pressed a kiss to my forehead. I smiled as he went on to rub my back again. I began to wonder how long we'd been here.

Jak finally spoke, "Don't ever do that to me again!" He was angry but I knew I was forgiven.

Still I mumbled, "Sorry" in his ear before he stood up.

He still clutched me close to him so I just relaxed and laid my head on his chest. Jak pulled back and pressed a small kiss to my lips before speaking.

"Come on, we better get going" he said, pulling away from me and getting on the lift.

I followed him and soon we were heading up. Sometime during the ride up, Jak's hand slipped into mine. As the lift stopped I pulled out a pistol ready to shoot anything.

The door opened and everything was calm. We were standing in front of the door that led to the throne room. I stared at the enormous door and Jak gave my hand an affectionate squeeze before he pushed the doors open.

The room was huge… and done completely in KG colors. It was annoying. The back wall where stairs led up a throne was made completely glass along with two sections to the left and right.

This entire room gave me a headache.

Not only was it very high up but it spun! I leaned heavily on Jak clutching my stomach. I felt sick.

I heard a gun click behind us and I jumped around to see the baron's daughter there with a pistol pointed at Jak and I. I stood in front of Jak holding both my pistols at her. Ashelin's eyes just narrowed as the looked at us.

"I shouldn't have trusted you two!" she hissed keeping the gun pointed at me.

"Back where we started, huh?" Jak rolled his eyes as he looked over my shoulder at Ashelin.

Ashelin growled then stepped closer to me putting her gun under my chin, "Don't play with me! All along you've been trying to undermine our war with the Metalheads. Who's side are you on?"

My eyes narrowed more, "Listen Ashelin, your father's planning something terrible and if…"

She pressed the pistol more into my throat as she spoke, "My father plans to destroy the metalhead army once and for all!"

"If he cracks open that stone, the explosion will kill all of us! Don't you get it?!" I shouted in her face. Slowly she lowered her gun from my face.

Jak and I moved to leave but then I felt the cool metal end of Ashelin's gun against the back of my neck.

"Don't move" she pulled out her comm. as she spoke "Vin? Come in."

"What? What? I've got my hands full here you know!" Vin whined and Ashelin rolled her eyes as I glared at her over my shoulder.

"You know all about the Precursor Stone myth, right?" she questioned still staring intently between me and Jak.

"Sure," Vin began in a gloating voice "I did my Econetic Energy Doctorate on Precursian Theoretical Physics, why?"

Okay now my brain hurt that was to many big words. My headache began to worsen as I continued to stand there.

"What would happen if… oh say… the Precursor Stone were to be violently cracked open?" asked Ashelin as I gripped my head. She kept the gun pushed firmly against the back of my neck.

"Great! As if I didn't have enough to keep me up at night, you give me one more thing to dread. Thank you very much," he paused as he thought then continued speaking "If someone actually had the stone… according to my calculations a runaway eco surge from it being cracked open would… theoretically destroy… EVERYTHING!!!"

"Everything?" I could tell Ashelin was stunned. I smirked at this as she let the gun drop away from the back of my neck.

"All things… every single thing," Vin sounded on the verge of tears "Now if you mind I'm gonna go throw up. Bye bye!

Everything was quiet as Ashelin put away her comm. Jak finally spoke.

"Trust us Ashelin. We have to stop him"

Ashelin turned to us and spoke in a low hiss, "I'll try to find out more. But right now, my father is meeting Krew at the secrets Weapons Factory near the Dig. Here. That's my top level security pass. It'll get you into the factory but it won't get you back out. We never had this conversation."

And she left without another word, she just handed Jak a black pass and left the room. I looked towards Jak and saw that he was staring out at a passage leading out of here I hoped. He grabbed my hand again and led me to the passageway.


Jak and I dropped down outside the palace and took off running for a zoomer. Jak was already on it and ready to go as I swung my leg over the seat. He floored it and I gripped on tightly to the back of his shirt. No guards were following us but they were sure to raise the alarm and in form others that two Underground members just broke into the palace and were now running lose in the city.

I laughed as we came around the corner. This was getting fun… in a strange and slightly creepy way.

Anyways Jak made a beeline for the Air Train and soon we were heading out towards the dig. Jak sat down in the very back of the vehicle and I sat next to him. It would be maybe a thirty minute ride so I leaned my head against his chest to rest. He wrapped his arm around me and kissed me lightly on the head. I smiled and relaxed in his arms.


Kala smiled at me as I opened my eyes. Everything was still the same. Same wall colors, same beds, same clothes, same everything. I sat up and smiled at Kala. She just smirked as I swung my legs over the side of my bed.

We sat side by side for a moment, not speaking. I looked at my dark friend through the corner of my eye as she rolled her pitch black orbs.

She looked at me before speaking, "Ya know, you were smart to sleep now. You, the rat, and your boyfriend aren't going to have many opportunities to sleep now. I bet the rodent is off somewhere asleep."

I nodded my head in agreement, "You don't speak to me much, why is that?"

"Because the end is coming and I'm saving up every ounce of Dark Eco I can," her and odd look and she continued "Just in case."

I rolled my eyes and plopped back on the bed. It was so soft and it smelled like Jak. Kala laughed quietly as I rolled onto my stomach and took in a deep breath. After a minute or so I looked at her with a questioning look.

"You really are crazy 'bout him aren't you?" So that's what that laugh was about.

I rolled back onto my back and sat up looking at the ground. Through the corner of my eye I saw Kala give me this odd look like I was lying.

"Yes, Kala, I'm crazy about Jak," I paused then looked at her "What do you think of him?"

"Well that dark side of him is hot! Other than that he's a good guy," she paused smirking "I think you should keep him."

I laughed falling onto the floor. Kala knelt down beside me, laughing a little also.


I suddenly jerked awake, hitting my head against Jak's chest. Somehow while I was sleeping, I ended up with my torso completely in Jak's lap and my head resting in the crook of his arm. Jak smiled down at me then gave me a small kiss on the lips.

"You must have been having a good conversation with Kala, you had this huge smile" he joked.

I smiled again remembering our little talk, "Yeah…"

"Mind telling?" asked Jak and I blushed slightly.

"She said," I held back a laugh then spoke again "She said she though Dark was hot!"

Jak burst out laughing and I couldn't help but laugh along with him. It was awhile before our laughter died down.

"Really?" I nodded and Jak shook his head.

"So why did you wake me from my beauty rest?" I questioned, crossing my arms in fake anger.

"Well Sleeping Beauty, were almost to the Dig, just thought you'd like to know where I've gone" he said quietly and I was confused. I blinked as I felt the transport land and the back door open.

"Where you've gone? What are you talking about?" I asked as Jak moved from under me. He stood up and I jumped up behind him and he saw I intended to go with.

"Jenny you're staying here," Jak argued gently setting me back on the seat. I just pushed him away and glared.

"NO! I'm going, weather you like it or not" I crossed my arms and walked out of the Air Train.

Jak ran out behind me and jerked me around, "No you're staying here! I won't let you go in there! If I can't get back out you'll have to finish off the baron and Metalhead Leader."

"Jak don't you get it! If you die so do I," I pulled my arm out of his grip and back towards the entrance to the Weapons Lab "If that's what you think will happen, let me go and you stay here."

"I'm not letting you go in there alone!" his voice was beginning to rise. I took a few more steps back towards the lab.

"Then were both just going to have to go in there" I looked down and saw the pass in his hand.

I shot forward and grabbed the pass then dashed for the Weapons Lab. Jak seemed stunned for a second then took off after me. I reached the entrance before he had caught up with me and ran inside. The doors didn't close quick enough though and Jak jumped through them at the last second before they slid shut locking us in here.

"Fine" he mumbled as I pushed the pass into my pocket.

Jak walked over to me and wrapped his arms around my waist and kissed me. I wrapped my arms around his neck and began to twirl some of his hair in my fingers. He pulled back and smirked at me.

"I hate you" Jak said smiling widely at me.

I laughed and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, "I hate you more."

Jak rolled his eyes and grabbed my hand as we walked towards the nearby lift that would take us down into the lab.


Me: Yeah!!! Chapter 29 is completely!!! So whatcha think? I bit you all a Happy Almost Thanksgiving!!!! If you celebrate it. Lets see things I'm thankful for…

All my wonderful readers and reviewers and friends and family and a lot more things. Well till next time!!!