She walked the ramp to the security gate and entered Haven forest. She wandered about aimlessly till she found herself at the top of the waterfall looking out above the forest. She sat on the edge of the bank her feet in the water, small fish swam around flitting back and forth. Serena could see out over the falls to the basin below, there were a couple of metal heads with big slender bodies and wings that were chasing the fish in the bottom rivers and ponds. Serena sighed and relaxed a little, it was the only time she had in a long time that was just her, she thought of what the Baron has said about Erol and the mechanic, she was beginning to distrust him but there was no way she could just drop their relationship.
Her feelings for him were strong but she knew if she ended it with him he may not let that happen and she would end up in a situation far worse, it was bad enough she couldn't get out of the guard. She knew too much, the only way out would be death. She sighed again knowing that she was stuck.
A tall blond figure appeared on a hover board down the bottom of the cliff. "Oh you have got to be kidding me! " Serena sighed knowing her peace had been interrupted.
The man chased down the metal heads with wings on his jetboard till they were gone. Serena grabbed her boots, put them on and went to the edge of the waterfall The man had stopped at the waterfall but hadn't looked up. She jumped and dove into the water below, missing the sharp rocks at the bottom. She had spent many a hot summers day down here with troops cooling off in the water she knew the falls like the back of her hand. She surfaced at the edge and the man was standing there arms crossed smiling. "You following me now? " Jak asked her and offered his hand, she grabbed it. "What the?" He said in shock as Serena pulled him into the water and laughed. He surfaced and spat water at her, they both laughed and swam to the edge of the pool and sat on the bank. "Hey there sweetcheeks, how's the big bad Krimzon guard doing? " Daxter waltzed over and jumped on Jak's shoulder. "For starters, I am not Krimzon guard I am Elite guard, there is a difference. I'm fine I came here to chill and think and then I spotted you two. " Serena said to the men. "So your not following us? " Jak asked sternly.
"Don't get your hopes up there lover boy. " She laughed. "Far from it, it's good to see you two again."
"Good to see your face has healed up a bit since last time I seen you. " He motioned. "Yes well you are partially to blame for that one, it's not the first time and most probably won't be the last if I keep helping Torn out." Her face dropped and she stared at her hands in her lap. "You know the tattoo wonder? " Daxter pipped up. "Ahhhhh more than you know. " "How well do you know him? " Jak asked. "Let's just say on an intimate level. "
"Whoa you mean he has more than one mood? " Daxter said in shock. Jak gave him a clip round the ear and Serena just laughed at him. "How has things been since you got out of the cells, I hear the guard are hunting you harder now since you decided to be a rat in the walls?"
"Haha, Yea Torn wasn't happy about that one," he said sheepishly rubbing the back of his head. "I still have a few plans for Praxis though. " "Be careful though, Ashelin and I can only help you so much." She said with worry .
"Have you ever thought of just leaving the guard your obviously not happy there? " Jak asked seriously. "Well yes on many occasions, but it is all I have known since I was young, I joined when I was sixteen. I worked my way through the ranks thinking I was doing something good. The more I worked my way up the more I became involved in The Baron's plans the more knowledge I had the more I realised I had gone too far. I would love to leave but it would cost me my life."
Serena stood and looked off over the water. "I want nothing more than to return to Spargus and enjoy a simple life again. " Jak stood and came up behind her put his hand on her shoulder, Serena turned her head and looked at him. "We will find a way to get you out we promise. I have to go Serena The Shadow needs me to do something for him. "
"All good you go ahead I'm going to enjoy the forest and a sense of freedom for a bit longer." She smiled at his kind gesture. Jak and Daxter left Serena to her thinking.
Serena walked back through the security door back into the city. The first thing she noticed was that it was quiet, there weren't many people on the streets and the children were gone. Her communicator rang. "Commander Acheron here. " She answered.
"Acheron, it's Erol, I need you to get your delta troop together, the Baron wants all children in the city collected up to try and find that royal brat!"
"Rodger that Commander Erol. " She responded sharply, and the line went dead.
Serena had a sudden thought, "shit!" she whispered under her breath. She pulled out her communicator and rang Torn.
"Torn here." His rough voice answered after the first ring. "Have you got the kid?" Serena asked. "The Shadow just sent him off with Jak to take him to Kor." He told her curiosity peaked in his voice. "Shit! Torn the Baron has got the troops arresting all children in the city, you need to make sure Jak is aware and keeps the kid away from them! " She said worry filled her voice. "I'm on to it, get to the power station and meet them there."
Serena rang her troop got them organised and out doing The Baron's dirty work whilst she made her way to the power station, only hoping the small boy was safe. She had visited the underground a few times in the last couple of weeks and had made a bond with the small boy. They played together whilst the men organised sabotage jobs. She slid into the power station seeing Jak speaking with Kor, the small boy and his crocadog waiting patiently.
They turned and looked at her, the small boy ran to her and hugged her. The crocadog bounded up behind him growling, Jak put his hand down and scruffed the dog, who immediately sat and wagged it's tail. "That's strange that insufferable mutt has never liked anyone before. " Kor's observation was correct. Serena didn't take much notice of the conversation as she looked over the young child and smiled at him. " Have you behaved today and are you okay? " She asked him holding him at arm's length. He nodded and she smiled and hugged him again. "Be good for aunty Serena okay?"
She stood up and scruffed his hair. Jak turned to her, " thanks for the heads up Seri, you really helped out. "
"No big deal Jak, I better get going before someone notices I'm not doing my job. Thanks for looking after the boy. " She quickly hugged Jak and left the power station.
After filing reports Serena went home exhausted. Sasha greeted her with excited chirps and jumped up on her shoulders.
"Hello to you too miss affectionate " as the muse smooched her face and jumped to the kitchen bench. "Ahh sorry I'm guessing it must be food time? "
She busied herself making food for her muse and then went to the bedroom, she dumped her jacket on the bed but her communicator hit the floor.
Bending down to pick it up she spied something under the bed. It sparkled slightly, she lay on her stomach to grab it out from under the bed. She grabbed it when something grabbed her leg and pulled her out and flipped her over. She reached for her pistol but her hand was pinned above her head. Panic rose in her chest until she realised it was Erol kneeling above her. She slapped his chest, "jeez Erol you could of warned me. " He laughed and bent down and kissed her. "I couldn't stay away and I'll be honest, I've not been the best partner in the last couple of weeks so I thought I'd come round and apologize."
"Well your probably right and I can't stay mad at you forever Erol." She smiled at him and he smiled back at her with love in his eyes. He was the one thing at this moment that made this war bearable.
"What were you doing under the bed anyway? " He asked pulling her up with him as he stood. "My communicator fell on the floor and I found a ring I had forgotten about." Opening her palm she held out the precursor ring. "It's meant to be a family heirloom, one of the pieces from the house of Acheron." She stated.
"Ah woman and their trinkets," he smirked, "I need you to do a favour for me, I need you to take out the new elite hellcats out into the city. We have had too many close calls this week with the underground." Erol turned and stared out the window onto the street.
"We have had too many close calls at the moment." He placed his hands behind his back repeating himself as though he held suspicions against her as Serena stared at him.
" The strip mine had been attacked on multiple occasions disrupting the flow of eco into the city, the drill at the dig sight was taken out, Vin has been giving out secrets, we even had a coordinated attack from the underground they took over a series of controlled weapons systems and took down a air tanker. My patience with them is growing ever thinner."
He turned to her, "you will be personally on one of those hellcats Serena and I want them out patrolling the south east side of the city."
Just like that he had gone from the loving playful man, back to business again.
"Yes commander Erol, I'll get on it right away." She responded with little emotion.
"Good I expect those cats to be up and out by seven am." He grabbed her chin.
"If not I will personally see to your punishment this time, not the Baron." He smiled wickedly as though he enjoyed the thought, kissed her and left.
Serena sat on her bed wondering what the hell just happened, Erol's mood changed faster than a set of racing lights. Her communicator began to ring.
"Acheron here." "Seri its Torn, we need to meet." Torn's voice came over the communicator.
"Sure when?" She responded with a slight concern on her voice.
"Meet me at the Oaken Barrel bar in the slums in ten." He said concern laced his voice.
"On it." Serena closed off the communicator grabbed her black leather jacket and the keys to her zoomer.
The Oaken barrel was a dive of a place the bar was hazy with gloomy lights, Torn sat in the corner staring in the mug of ale he had.
"You dont need to drown your sorrows you know, I'm right here." Serena winked at him.
"Seri, good to see you," he pointed at the seat across from him and she grabbed it.
"I think Ashelin might be in trouble,"
"What makes you say that?" She queried as a woman laid a mug of ale in front of her.
"The underground has been getting death threats from the Baron I'm worried Seri, we need Ashelin to help where she can and I need her. I think the Baron is going to use her to flush us out."
"I wouldn't put it past him Torn he will try anything to ensure he gets what he wants no matter who he uses." She took a swig of the ale surprised that it was actually good.
"Look, if something goes wrong I need to know you can help me," he grabbed Serena's hand, " I'm begging you, I can't let anything bad happen to Ashelin."
He pleaded with her.
"You have my word, I will help anyway I can, how do you think the under ground has gotten this far?" She smiled and squeezed his hand, " it will be okay Torn we just have to find a way to stop him." "The shadow seems to think he has the answer and can find Mar's tomb, I think he's mad but he seems to always find the right way through this stuff and that boy you helped escape seems to be the key."
"Well the answer is clear we need to just hold out and help where we can." Serena looked around the bar and leaned in towards Torn.
"The Baron wants elite hellcat cruisers out in the south east side of the city.
These cruisers are faster, stronger, more agile and dangerous. He is out to put a stop to the underground." "Don't panic Seri my boys can handle them." "Alright then." Serena raised her hands and stood up from the table, "don't say I didn't warn you." She said as she walked out the door and to the palace to get the hell cats online and operational.
Serena spent the next three hours going over the hell cats ensuring the crew knew their new patrol routes.
"Briggs are you happy the crews know what they are doing, your in charge of the hangers." She asked him her patience growing thin.
"Happy as I'll ever be commander Acheron." He replied to her with a hint of anger in his tone, it was well after midnight and she had to drag half her troops out of bed to get Erol's and the Baron's demands done.
She leaned against the doorway to Briggs office.
"Thanks Briggs, I'll be in my office if you need me." Serena walked the empty halls to her office, she sat down in her comfy chair and started to fill out the paperwork required, her eyes slowly started to close and before she knew it she was asleep on top of her desk.
She dreamt that night of a dark and empty underground tomb.
A statue of Mar sat in a huge casim with a cheeky grin on its face. The chest appeared to beat as though it had a heart of it's own.
As she walked to the statue she began to climb it and could see the heart of mar beating in side, she reached for it and as she almost touched it the statue crumbled and she fell into the darkness below.
She hit the ground and sat up, she could see the faces barely in the darkness, Erol, Praxis, Jak, Torn.
All glaring at her all at once shouting the things she had done wrong.
"Acheron, you were meant to be in the war room fifteen minutes ago!" Erol shouted at her door and walked through.
Serena rubbed her eyes and sat up from her desk. " Yes commander." She mumbled.
" Are you still in the same clothes as last night?" He asked her confused.
"Yes, I came back got the hell cats sorted and was doing paperwork and must of fallen asleep at my desk." She got up and walked past Erol in the direction of the war room.
She swiped her card and walked in followed by Erol.
" Acheron you look like shit, your late, I want you on the next shift of hell cat cruisers. You better have a good excuse for this." The Baron turned to her.
" I was up all night getting crews sorted for the cruisers to be out at seven am as planned Baron Praxis." She responded gritting her teeth holding back her anger as she knew it would result in a back hand or else.
"Good I need you to help eliminate this underground scum from the streets of my city, I expect you to be on those cruisers all week." He told her.
Serena let out a sigh, " yes Baron."
The Baron caught whisper of Serena's sigh, and spun and grabbed her throat.
"Without the attitude, you little cow!" He roared at her squeezing her throat tighter and lifted her off the ground, Serena clawed at his hand.
"I have almost had enough of you."
"Your excellency, I will deal to her." Erol said calmly.
Praxis seemed to hear the commander and dropped her.
" As you wish commander." The Baron chuckled.
Serena swallowed in huge gulps of air as she lay on the floor where she crumpled.
Erol's boots came into view, she looked up at him, he smiled wickedly as he extended out the taser stick, his favourite thing to punish with.
" On your feet Acheron!" He yelled. Serena tried to climb up the near by holomap desk.
"Not fast enough!" The taser connected with her side and she felt instant pain, but she wouldn't let him hear her.
She bit her lip through the pain as she dropped. The Baron waltzed over to a chair and watched as repeatedly Erol did the same thing over and over till she made it to her feet.
The Baron had a sick smile on his face as though he enjoyed watching her suffer.
"Now walk to the Baron bow and apologise." Erol spoke to her just so she could hear.
She walked to Baron Praxis and got on one knee, blood dripping from her mouth and breathing heavily she bowed her head low.
" I'm sorry you excellency I meant know disrespect." She said through her laboured breathing.
The Baron laughed, " maybe you should do this to your pet more often Commander Erol. Get out of my sight you bitch and get those hell cats out of my hanger and in the streets!" He yelled.
Serena nodded and left the war room. She went to the commander's barracks and organized new uniform not caring about her armour she washed her face and redid her hair.
Looking presentable enough for her men she left the barracks for the air hanger.
Serena climbed into the cockpit of the hell cat, it had been sometime since she had been in one and she missed it.
Back in her krimzon guard days she was one of the best pilots around.
" Shit Acheron what happened?" A familiar female voice pipped up next to her as Ashelin sat on the seat next to her.
"A shit morning thats what happened." She responded, " what are you doing here anyway?" She asked the red headed woman. " My father asked me to accompany the hell cats first turn out, he didn't say which one though." Both woman laughed.
Serena was glad it was Ashelin coming with her she could always turn her mood around.
"Well an excellent choice, I could do with you here today, ready for some fun?" " Of course!" Ashelin told her.
The week went by slowly the hell cats were proving their worth with five underground members taken out this week. Serena knew it would only be a matter of time before Torn sent out a retaliation against them.
She hated playing sides as she had to watch those from either side suffer.
Serena flew the hell cat round the next bend and that's when she seen Jak come running flat tack rifle pointed at the hell cat and let out a hail of bullets. Her man Doug who she was flying with went down straight away, dead.
A round went through the main onboard computer and the hell cat lost all responsiveness and was heading into the ground.
Serena jumped and rolled from the hellcat as she watched it hit the ground in a fiery ball. " Oh you have got to be fucking kidding me!" Slipped out of her mouth, her communicator instantly rang.
"Acheron what the fuck is going on, we have lost contact with four out of five hell cats." Erol's voice came over.
"I just flew round a corner and had Doug shot and killed my main onboarding computer shot out and my hell cat go down."
"What the fuck Acheron." "Its the damned underground it will be retaliation for their men." She told him.
"Well now I think its almost time to test out those blast bots, I've been given information that might pinpoint the exact location of this underground." He said triumphantly.
"Get a clean up crew organised, I'm sure your going to be doing paperwork for the next week." Erol laughed and cut the comms.
" What the hell is his problem?" She asked out loud.
People stared at her as she paced waiting for the clean up crew to drag what was left of the hell cat back to the hanger.
"Move along!" She yelled at a man who was standing there gaping at her.
She flicked her communicator open and rang Torn.
"Torn here,"
"Torn its Acheron, Erol has the location to the hideout, we didn't have this conversation." She cut the line.