As Trinity contacted Jak, both Trin and El sneakily made their way back and deeper into the Industrial Zone. Most of the areas were desolate, citizens were forced to move out of the areas or were getting their residences checked for any housing of UG rebels.

The mere sight of Krimzon Guards shoving innocent people around was an aggravating sight, but they had to move on and quick. 'Soon. We'll make our payback.'

They both hadn't spoken to each other after their...scenarios. Trinity silently felt like Elise wouldn't want to talk to him anyway, but he didn't care. He had to have her tag along with, despite the major risks of being caught if she were to transform in the middle of their infiltration.

When they rejoined Jak and Dax, they had noticed how tense Trinity was while Elise on the other hand, was pissed beyond words.

"You sure about this Trinity?"

"Yeah, let's hurry."

"Nngh, my ottsel instincts tells me this is a bad idea!"

"Can we get this over with?"

They stepped onto the metal grating of the rusted elevator. They took no time to waste as Trinity vaulted forward and crossed the bridge instantly!

"Woah! Careful there hotshot! OW!"

Elise had snatched the poor rodent and flung him across the bridge that connects to the palace's support tower!

"YEAGGPLHSBLBBGHMMNGBLEPHAA!" Daxter exclaimed, being electrocuted by shock arcs that lined the path.

Being a ridiculous sight, they either smiled, laughed, or chuckled.

The group tried their hardest to catch up to the masked man, who navigated so quickly and smoothly it seemed as if he's been here before.

"Trinity..." Even Jak had to catch his breath, "You're too fast."

The area was dark, rainy, and windy. There were no flying creatures or walking people, everything was mechanical. Trinity didn't waste a moment's fleeting second as he had thrown Blue Eco grenades to disable the turrets and sensors.

Trinity checked on the others, climbing up and meeting him. "Shh, listen... Listen very carefully."

Elise gritted her teeth as she and the others leaned onto the edge of the rooftop's glass. Trinity whispered softly so only she could hear him.

"Keep it together."

The man in graying beard with a metallic visage paced around, speaking to a large holographic beast "I've told you, I will have more eco by week's end. We'll transport it directly to your nest, as promised." He bowed deeply.

They all knew judging by its bulbous gem on its forehead that it was the Metalhead leader. "A deal is of no value if you can't deliver, my dear Baron." The monster growled with deep anger."I grow impatient with your puny gestures. Give me the agreed upon eco soon, or the deal is off, and your precious city will pay the price."

The head then vanished and the blue light stopped highlighting the entirety of the room.

Erol outraged, the sight of him stirring emotions within all of them. Trinity gripped the ledge tightly, they weren't sure whether or not it was pure anger - or something else.

"He's toying with us! Let me lead an assault on the nest before it's too late! I can take him!"

Baron Praxis continued to walk around, his sword jingling on his belt with a deadly gleam. "Patience, commander. No one has ever penetrated the Metal Head nest, you know that. I've seen what comes of such foolish plans..." His fingers absentmindedly traced the metal part of his head. "No! Strength is their weakness. We play helpless, we train them to eat from our hands, and then... Move forward with the plan! Tell Ashelin to up her patrols. I want that tomb found."

Erol grumbled. "But your daughter has not been... agreeable."

The ruler groaned. "I'll see to that problem, one way or another."

Jak narrowed his eyes. "Ashelin is the Baron's daughter?"

The booming voice of the Baron echoed within the walls. "And find that child! If you'd spend half as much time looking for the little brat as you spend flirting with that mechanic girl, we would have pinned his royal ass to a wall long ago."

Trinity gritted his teeth. 'Over my dead body, you heartless, power-hungry madman.'

"As you wish..." Before Erol went off, he stopped in his tracks. "Sir." He cleared his throat.

"What is it?"

"The imports at South Town - they had been reported destroyed."

The Baron bellowed, "And it was because of your INCOMPETENCE that you had failed me! Tell me boy, was it because of that traitor?"

"Yes." With the Baron's back being turned, he did not notice Erol's look to the side. Which was aloof of him, in Trinity's eyes.

'Don't tell me Erol... You still have remnants of your old self?'

"And remind me again, who's fault was it that they had not predicted that blasted Trinity's betrayal and he who had sought to destroy all of the Dark Eco research and works the old man left?"

Trinity's heart stopped at the mentioning of his name.

Elise's mind raced in surprise. She quickly snapped her gaze towards Trinity, her one look of anger turning to one of hurt. 'He knew...'

"It was I, sir Praxis..."

"Exactly." He growled with utmost hatred. "That man proceeds to do everything he can to disrupt my plans... I should've ended his life with dark eco and placed him in the DWP myself! Just like that old partner of his."

Trinity let out a huff of immense fury. But he continued to restrain himself and listened like the others, who eyed him in concern. Jak held back from asking Trinity if he was alright, going back to listening.

Praxis waved his hand. "Once you or any of my troops find him, I want you to take. Him. To. Me. I want to tear off that wretched mask of his. I want his head and blood on MY sword. Show the people of Haven and the worms of Underground his true face impaled on my blade. There are no heroes in this Haven of mine, I shall be the only hero and herald that brings hope! Do you understand, boy?! Show me that you're worth being a commander in my ranks..."

"Yes -"

In an unfortunate moment, Jak failed to stop his friend for a second time. "ACHOO!"

"What was that?!"

They all pulled back and Jak had his friend, covering his mouth. "Eheheh...whoops."

"Let's go!" Trinity whispered.

The group began to run alongside each other, Daxter squirming to properly climb on Jak's shoulder. Elise took a quick glance at Trinity. "How did you know?!" She blurted out. "And why didn't you tell me you knew my father?!"

"I didn't know it was the same man!" Trinity tripped over his own words. "I knew because me and Erol were responsible for cleaning up Dead Town - we found works, he wanted to use it to save Haven! But he- Argh!"

Trinity slipped missing an elevated part of the roof and stumbled for a bit, he caught himself.

"Erol's not the same man I knew." He stated rather stiffly. "I can say more when we return, right now - we're still on the palace!"

"Ah!" Elise tripped as they ran, gaining her balance back. To be fair, the metallic ground was glossy with rain. "You're a DEAD MAN when we get back, Trinny!" She shouted, gritting her teeth. "That's if we don't die because of that damn rat!"

"Hey! I had to sneeze!" Daxter retorted.

"I should've shoved you in a cooking pot a long time ago!" She growled, earning a nervous laugh from Daxter.

"What the hell do we do now, Trinity?!" Jak shouted, letting out soft huffs as they ran together.

A massive black shadow floated in the skies before them as they landed onto another platform!

"So, we have rats in the walls, do we?" A voice filled to the brim with poison erupted from the floating machine that had steel, tentacle-like arms."A rat and the worms of the UG rebels it seems. Back for a few more dark eco treatments?! And you, you Masked Devil brat! Allow me to put you ALL out of your misery!"

"I'd love to see you try." Trinity pulled out his Snipertron, a queue as the rest took out their own weapons!

"THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO!" The mounted guns of the floating Squid Mech wounded up!

"SPLIT!"

"You regard me as a fool?! I can take all of your worthless, puny lives!"

'Blasted, they can target two different directions?!'

Hellfire rained on the roof as Trinity was on his own side alone, dodging streams of eco energy blasts! It shredded the ground they stood on, while Jak was firing non-stop with his Blaster Gun and El was flanking with her Phalanx Pistols!

They couldn't run, there was no other place to flee. They couldn't find a way to climb back up if they wanted to and the only thing stopping them were electric gates.

"Shoot up those pods, Jak!"

"It'd be easier if that fatass would stop moving around so much!"

"Agh, crud!" Trinity rolled into a thick metal cover, "Pinned!" The bullets and blasts had begun to bounce back off of the box, Trinity hunkered down and laid low as shrapnel and sparks spewed everywhere.

*BOOM!*

"URGH! Why don't you all just die?!"

"Take that, ya bloated, oversized hip hog!"

Trinity used Dax's distraction as an opportune moment to take aim and let the Snipertron roar with its eco bullet!

*KABOOM!*

The machine flew outta control and bashed into the electric gates! But it wasn't enough.

The trio followed suit, with the Baron yelling curses and taunts. "I should've been there myself to see your girl die!"

Trinity grimaced, taking his sniper rifle and tried to shoot Praxis square in the head! It took the old ruler by surprise, seeing that the yellow tracer made a mark upon the glass - dead on where his brain is.

'You'll pay when I get through with all this - you'll all pay.'

They all took cover once again as the Baron's mech used blue eco from the shocking fences to recharge himself.

"We could take him down right here and now, Trinny..."

'Don't get in my way, Moria. I mustn't.'

The sounds of ear-splitting gunfire brought him back from his daydream, within a blink the ghost was no longer next to him.

Elise and Jak on the other hand, were quickly formulating a strategy. "I'm a better shot and this gun's stronger than those pistols, distract and I can take him!"

"Stronger?"

Dawn: Oh, Jak. If only you knew.

Beth: I know the temptations are high, but we have to keep it together for him.

Dawn: Precursors, I hate it when you're right.

Elise bit her lip, thinking for a moment. "Alright. I'll distract him and you shoot the pods. Try not to miss or he'll realize what I'm doing." She let out a short breath. "Now get your ass moving!"

"Oh, no -NONONO DON'T THROW ME IN FRO- EEEIYYGHHAA!"

"Dax!"

She flung the poor ottsel at the Baron, "Filthy scum!" Trinity blasted another pod, penetrating the shields that covered the rears! "Take that!"

The tentacles shot forward at Trin! He tried to jump out of the way, but it shattered his cover and blew him away. He scrambled for it as The Baron shot missiles into the air! Gunfire pelted behind Praxis, causing him to turn his attention to Elise. The thunderclouds gargled and growled overhead.

Jak's gun made him lose control and flew away into another part of the palace support tower! "Come back here!"

Trinity didn't bother to dust himself off, catching up with the others. They had to carefully hop across a few platforms until they saw their target again on the balcony, the Squid Mech smoking hot.

"No more puny shields, I'll annihilate you!"

"Keep talkin', your highness." Trin taunted.

The mech whirled around on Trinity, Praxis frustrated and breathing hard like a rabid animal. Even from outside of the canopy Trinny could feel anger seething under that steel face of his. Unlike the other times however, it flew low, the tentacles spun at fast speeds!

"Eat this, traitor!"

*FWOOOSH!*

'Ah, crud.'

The masked soldier placed his rifle on his back and began sprinting away from the others, the machine was sending forth fiery tornadoes at him! But some of the straying whirlwinds were aimed at El and Jak!

'If I can get close enough...' Rather than retreating, Jak was rolling and dashing forward The Baron!

"You idiot, Jak! What in Precursors are you doing!?"

Trinity had already been shooting at Praxis, but the ruler snarled. "You can't fool me, boy!"

"Yes I CAN!" Jak transformed in the middle of his run, sidestepping! His hair and skin was ashy gray, black, lifeless eyes glared at the Baron.

Soon, Trinity realized what Jak was doing, he shouted at Elise! "Get DOWN!"

"RAGH!" Everything seemed to come to a slow. Jak inside felt like he was far away, but oddly maintained control of himself. All around him were Dark Eco being gathered in the palm of his clawed hands! Even Trin felt like his Dark Dagger was being pulled for a fraction of a second. Dark Jak snarled with a two-fanged smile, pounding the balcony with his fist!

*BOOOM!*

The blast, despite well out of its radius, forced everyone away! The sheer power was enough to shatter the glass planes from other levels of the tower, the metal ground was distorted and cracks formed all around him.

The Baron had enough time to fly backwards to not receive the full damage of the blast, but the parts of his Squid Mech crumbled away. He flew off into the distance, "The dark powers I gave you can't protect any of you forever! Since I made you, I can destroy ALL of you!" Jak felt drained of the dark eco leaving his body, Elise helping him up and they all loomed over the rails as they watched the burning, spluttering machine hover under to the lower levels they can't reach.

Jak grinded his teeth, Trinity crossed his arms, and Elise spat on the ground. But Daxter, feeling like he's had enough for one day - casually waved it off. "Yeah, whatever! Bye bye!"

"You guys ready? We still need to get out. Quick." Trinity holstered his Snipertron. "There should be an elevator, it'll lead to the Main District - we ain't done just yet."

"What ELSE is there that we could possibly do?!" Daxter shouted, earning a deadly glare from Elise.

"Respect your elders," She grinned, holstering her guns and earning a snicker from Jak. "After all this? I'd rather go back to the UG and drink till I forget, but if Trinny says we have somethin' else waiting for us then let's just get it done."

She nudged Jak's shoulder softly, "Nice job by the way. Really impressive for a newbie." She joked, earning a playful shove from Jak.

Trinity grumbled under his breath. "I'm not that old..."

They climbed up and onto the next floor. The group was running through the hallways and past the excessive pillars lining the path, sculpted metallic faces of a woman traced the walls.

'Have I seen this woman before?' Trinity thought distractedly, but snapped himself back to the mission. Banners about "peace" and "honor" of the Baron's symbol were hung in every disturbingly clean corner.

Taking the fast elevator, they rushed out of the Palace! "Come, quick." Trinity made sure they followed him closely as he stole a four-seated zoomer, all keeping their heads low and Daxter leisurely sitting with his arms behind his head.

The KGs were squirming around moreso than usual. Trinity headed to the East Bazaar.

"Why are we going through here? Brutter isn't even on this side either."

"The Seal of Mar."

"Huh? That piece of rock thing?" Daxter jumped on Trinity's shoulder to look at the brick brown tablet.

"We're going to Onin's."

"The one Ash said about a blind woman?" Jak raised an eyebrow. He crossed his arms. "Do you know them?"

Elise blinked, "So it is true..." She whispered, glancing at Trinity. "I've only ever heard of her from Okasan - is she really as wise as he said?" She asked. The two were still hesitant on speaking with each other, but still managed.

"More than enough to trust my own fate in her hands."


JV007 A/N: Boss battle DONE! Killed that mech! Now before they get some shuteye and THEN RETURN to the UG with a very pissed Torn... We're going to meet Onin. Elise not only found out something about Okasan, but with the meeting - Trinity has quite an explanation to give.

Butterfly A/N: And quite the many bottles of alcohol he owes (:

Yep, which he could...acquire.

Sending love for butterfly123199 !