"Acheron I have a task for you." He told her quietly, Serena had a quizzical look upon her face and removed her helmet.
"What do you require?" She asked.
" My own daughter seems to have made some friends with this underground scum, it's a betrayal to me, but I think I can use this." He sounded slightly hurt, but also like it convieninced him.
"What did you have in mind Baron Praxis?" Serena's interest peaked. "I want you to use some of your old connections with the traitor ex commander Torn and get this message to him." He handed her a video communicator with a recording on it.
"You know I don't have connections?" She told him, she waited nervously for his response unsure if it was going to be followed with a backhand.
"Of course I do, stupid girl, a war isn't won without crossing lines, anyone can be brought for the right price, you of all people should know this" He chuckled.
"I know how close you two were, you always sidle off to the commanders. Now off you go I expect that message to be delivered quick sharp." The Baron walked out of the throne room leaving Serena standing there looking at the small device in her hand.
"What is he up to now?" She whispered.
Serena walked down the steps to the underground head quarters removing her helmet. It wasn't uncommon to see the odd guard come through, the underground had many eyes.
There were bunk beds that lined the walls that made for a small entranceway down to the main room. A large table dominated the room and was covered in papers, blueprints and plans that made their way around the room and lined the walls, there were pictures of the Baron and of Erol, of herself even.
A fire place used for cooking and heating sat in the corner and gave the room a nice glow and doors led off to private quarters of the commanders and leaders within the underground group.
Torn was bent over the table looking through plans, without glancing up he spoke.
"What is it now? I am busy."
"Well isn't that a fine hello." Serena said as his head flicked up at her voice.
"Serena I wasn't expecting you." Surprise upon his face.
"No you weren't, I have this from Praxis himself, asked me to use my connections to get it to you."
"You weren't followed were you?" "No I wasn't, you know Erol knows your location and I have men posted down the street."
"Your right, I wonder what he wants?" As he stared at the small unit Serena handed to him he placed it in the middle of the desk, the door to the underground opened but they ignored it as a man walked out.
Torn pushed a button on the communicator and the message started with a picture of the Baron's head.
" Greetings traitor, ex commander Torn, I have sent this message as a plea bargain." He spoke and Torn and Serena looked at each other, Torn silently asking her and Serena shrugged her shoulders.
" You may know my daughter Ashelin, a little too well, I have had commander Erol follower her and well, I dont appreciate spies, no matter who they are." An image of Ashelin popped up, her tied to a chair and next to her was Erol holding a pistol to her temple.
The image flashed back to Praxis speaking.
" I want the locations of these underground fugitives by tomorrow's end, if not, I will have to make my commander here pull the trigger on my own daughter." The Baron's image laughed.
"Fuck!" Torn yelled and slammed his fist on the desk.
" Here's the list, do not dissapoint me like you did as commander of my Krimzon guards." He yelled.
Names started scrolling past on the message screen, Serena recognized more than a few, she frowned for a moment soaking in the silence then turned to Torn, a thought came into her mind, she hesitated and then stated her mind.
"Why not let the Baron think he had a small victory.
I have plans here of the sector he would hold them." Serena brought out her handheld tablet and brought up the schematics for him to see.
"If you want I can get Vin to loose power to surveillance in that sector and get the doors open into the palace to get them out." She told him as she pointed out the sector on the device.
"Why would I do that?" He asked her his head hung low.
"Cause you and I both know the Baron wouldn't hesitate to kill Ashelin." She told him.
"I cant give up the locations Seri." "You get them in, I promise you I will lay the path for one of your men to get them out. You know the Baron will kill his own daughter if it means he gains the upper hand against you, I know you love her so don't betray her." Serena became angry, grabbed her device and turned to walk out the room when Torn grabbed her shoulder. Serna stopped but didn't turn around.
"Get those codes Acheron I will tell my guys to go easy and without a fight. I will give their locations to him." She nodded put her helmet on and walked up the stairs just as Jak walked in, he scowled at her not knowing who she was as she continued on out the door she picked up her two men she left as watch outs, knowing they would take her secrets to the grave and continued on her walk back to the palace.
She walked up the stairs to the palace doors, She excused her men and went to find the Baron.
Serena found him with Erol, conversing quietly over the holo map in the war room " Commander Acheron that was rather quick, did you get the message to the traitor?" The Baron asked her a gleam in his one eye.
" Yes Baron Praxis, I am currently awaiting a response with the pick up locations of the fugitives." Serena responded sharply.
"Good, for once you can actually do something right, I expect the location of those underground scum as soon as possible."
Serena bowed to the Baron he left the room and she turned to leave.
" Hold up there Acheron, the Baron may have dismissed you but I haven't." Erol sauntered over to Serena, a smile on his face and a keen look in his eye.
" When was the last time we had any sort of contact?" He asked her.
She put a finger on her chin in thought.
" Let me think, that would have been when you beat me infront of the Baron." She folded her arms in anger and turned away from him, Erol came to stand infront of her.
He untangled her arms and held her hands.
" Seri we both know he would have done a lot more damage than I." He stroked her face and tilted her chin up so that she was looking at him.
He smiled at her and his smile was contagious.
"Good you can still smile, I am glad," Erol again stared into Serena's grey eyes leant forward and in a blink he had locked lips with her.
Weeks of built up tension and passion were put into that kiss he pulled her toward him and held her against him.
As much as Serena had been angry with him and had pulled away from him she had missed him and she put herself into that kiss.
He broke away from her breathing heavily and she matched his breathing.
He tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
"I still love you Acheron." His head rested against her's, she closed her eyes, she knew she couldn't get away from him, she knew he would always be there, if she tried to leave he would make her life hell. She opened her eyes let out a breath, looked up and stared into his amber eyes. "I love you too Erol." She whispered, he smiled and kissed her again. She knew he was not right for her and she had to keep it up for the sake of the underground but deep down, amongst all the shit that had been going on with the war, he was the only some what constant in her life and she remembered what Ashlin told her that night at the cheeky minx.
No one will forgive you if you fall in love.
Serena did love him, in a sick and twisted way.
Serena sat bolt up right in the bed, Erol stirred next to her but didn't awaken, the room was lit by the outside lights, the apartment was in the courtyard across from the stadium.
She stared out at the black sky, the stars all but snuffed out from the cities, pollution, she grabbed the robe next to the bed slipped it on and went to the wall length window.
The streets were quiet she could see a few patrols wandering and the odd person here and there minding their own business, heads hung low trying not to draw attention to themselves. The odd zoomer flew past and into the courtyard infront of the Mar stadium.
The giant ugly statue of the Baron stood to one side of the courtyard.
Serena had always hated it, the statue depicted him as a hero his sword held high above his head in a triumphant pose upon a pedestal.
Disgusting thing she thought to herself.
She turned and stared at Erol as he slept in the bed peacefully, his copper hair tousled from sleep and other things, she smiled to herself as she remembered their earlier night together, rough and passionate as if they could not get enough of one another.
She sat in the black leather chair in the corner and watched him.
The only light in the room was from the torches that burnt in the courtyard below next to the stadium, shadows flickered on the wall.
Serena sat there as so many thoughts went through her head, she worried about those who Torn had to give up to Praxis, about crossing the Baron again, about getting found out.
She almost hesitated in her mind about getting the codes but couldn't do it she could not let those people go through the tourtorist acts the Baron practised.
Her mind deep in thought she almost didn't notice the room starting to glow with a blue light.
Serena turned to the window just in time to see the statue explode by a blue eco beam, and the apartment shook as the debris rained down on the courtyard, the head crashed down revealing a door.
She stood and stared as Erol sat up right in bed.
"What the fuck was that?!" As he grabbed his pistol from under his pillow.
Serena just stood in shock at the pile of rubble on the ground below.
Erol in nothing but his boxers stood next to her at the window his pistol now loose in his hand and she heard it clatter to the floor.
Serena stayed silent as she looked at the door a thought came across her mind but she wasn't sure until she voiced it out loud.
"Is that what I think it is?" She asked Erol.
"Mar's tomb," he said in shock, "the stories they told us as kids at bedtime were true, the light tower must exist to shine down on the entrance to Mar's tomb." He said in wonder.
The comms unit rung and an image of the Baron's head appeared his face in anger.
"Commander Erol what the fuck is going on?!" He growled.
" It looks as though the precursors have granted us our wish." He replied calmly.
"What bullshit is this?" He yelled.
" I have reports of an explosion in the central city, this better not be some underground bullshit."
"I believe the entrance to Mar's tomb has just been found for us." Erol chuckled.
"Organise the taking of the under ground fugitives, we all know they have been looking for it, this is our chance commander." The Baron smiled wickedly as the holo image flickered.
"Commander Acheron I know your there." The Baron snarled, " I want you to get in contact with that traitor and get the final locations sent out and we will exercise a simultaneous capture across the city."
" Yes Baron praxis," she told him.
"Commander Erol I'm relying on you to see this fully through, I will go after the precursor stone personally." The holo image cut out leaving the two commanders alone.
" You heard the Baron." Erol smiled with glee, "this shall be our crowning moment."
The coordinated arrests were in place they just had to wait for the exact moment to play them out.
Torn was a wreck when Serena contacted him but she had already planned the fugitives escapes with the help of Vin and a few of her most trusted men who also worked for the underground.
She wore her full armour her voice distorted by the helmet comms, so none of the fugitives she knew of knew it was her.
They watched in silence from the shadows as they first seen two old men, one in blue robes with long grey hair and a cane, the other a almost green toned skinned man who seemed to be at one with the earth. He walked on logs for shoes and again had a cane. They both walked the young boy, the heir of Mar, to the entrance of tomb.
The young boy was scared and tried to pull away but the old men ushered him into the lift.
Serena's men went to make a move, "Hold position." She told them and as if it was on queue the blond haired man and the orange rat entered.
They waited ten minutes in agonizing patience, she gave the nod and opened up the main comms line on the communicators.
"Move now!" She yelled to the comms, and simultaneously across the city the men and woman moved in on their targets.
Her crew moved to the tomb door, herself and four men fit in the lift, which took them deep under ground.
The lights flickered on the lift as it kept going down and down.
"Ready yourself men, safeties off and be prepared for what is ever down there.
The blond one is extremely dangerous.
Remember prisoners only." She told them as she checked over her blaster rifle, she cocked it as the doors to the elevator opened to the underground tomb.
The noise of the elevator doors alerted those still there staring at the door they turned.
"Freeze!" She yelled at them.
There was only the three of them, the small boy and the two old men, Kor and the shadow. All three put their hands up high, "Arrest these men on the grounds of high treason against the city of Haven, and his excellency the esteemed Grand Baron Praxis." She told her guards who placed handcuffs on the two men.
"I want them put in holding cells immediately, reports on my desk and then back to regular routines." The men nodded.
The young blonde boy cowered ,she had a flash back to Jak when she first met him cowering in a cell, she couldn't put the young boy in a cell.
" Take the boy to Ashelin, she is already on lockdown, she will look after him till I get there to sort this out." Serena felt a pang in her heart for him as she ordered them to take him to Ashelin.
The boy reached out to her as one of the men picked him up and took the prisoners up top, she turned away and stared at the large precursor statue above the closed door.
She sat there in contemplation for a moment at the conundrum, she picked up her communicator.
"Jinx you there?" She spoke.
" I'm always here for you baby, what do ya need?" The man's voice came through.
"I think we are going to need your expertise, I've sent you the coordinates, and bring some of your favourite toys." "Okay baby doll I'll be there pronto." He cut the line.
Serena was going through her plans in her head for the prisoners escape when the elevator door opened and in walked the Baron, followed by Erol and two guards.
"Good work Commander Acheron the arrests went without a hitch, I'm rather impressed." The Barom scoffed. "Thank you Baron Praxis," she bowed and took of her helmet. "We were in time to capture three out of the five, the Dark eco freak and his rat are in the tomb, behind this door." She pointed.
"Mmm maybe I was wrong." He mused, but before he could continue and yell at her Serena pipped up.
" I have thought ahead and organised an explosives team to come get the entrance up top expanded and here to make way for your new KG unit that Vin has up and running your excellency." She spoke quickly.
" Brilliant, get up top and organize it asap, I want that precursor stone."
Serena nodded bowed and walked past the two men who had turned to converse in private and took the elevator up top.
During her planning with Torn to extract the prisoners Serena had made allowances and tolerances to distract the Baron and Erol during the week before.
In this time she had managed to get Krew to allow her to use his main salvage boy Jinx, incase any explosives were needed.
As the elevator doors opened up and Serena walked into the early hours of the morning light, she saw Jinx leaning against his zoomer.
"Hey there pretty lady, old Jinx here has brought you the goods." He patted the crate on the back of the zoomer.
He walked up to her, Jinx was not much older than her, and not bad looking, dirty blonde hair swept back into a pony tail, combat gear and as always he never went anywhere without a cigar hanging out of the corner of his mouth.
" Thanks for coming Jinx," she smiled at him.
" Anytime baby." He retorted, he was always such a flirt.
" Serena stopped infront of him, "should you really be smoking that around those?" She pointed to the cigar.
" Relax sugar don't you worry, you leave it all up to me." He walked around her and began busying himself setting up the wiring and planting the explosives.
The doors for the elevator slid open the Baron and Erol stepped out.
"Watch this man Acheron and let me know once the entrance has been opened and I will be back to collect what is mine." The Baron said and walked away with his guards.
Erol walked over to Serena, "see I told you our crowning glory is just round the corner." He smiled.
Serena smiled back to him, "I am going to take Jinx down to the other entrance to place charges." She told Erol, who glared at Jinx.
"Don't worry lover boy I'll bring her back in one piece." Jinx told him and winked.
Serena laughed as they walked to the elevator and in.
"What's up his nose?" He asked her as the doors closed.
"He isn't too fond of other men around me by the looks, I think someone is easily jealous." She laughed.
"Who wouldn't be? Your a fine piece of ass baby." He winked at her looking her up and down.
" Oh for precursors sake Jinx let's just get on with the job okay?" She sighed.
"Alright alright we are here anyway." The door slid open and Jinx busied himself getting the charges ready.
Once done they headed back up top.
"I've rigged this baby with a remote detonator, so you don't have to be too close sweet cheeks."
"Good thanks Jinx, you have helped out impressively." Serena thanked him as he saluted turned and got on his zoomer and took off. "Acheron!" Erol yelled from across the courtyard. She turned to see Erol and the Baron.
"Are you done with the charges?" The Baron asked, she suppressed a yawn and spoke.
"Yes all yours Baron Praxis, but if you dont mind I will stand myself down for a couple of hours." She told him.
"Fine by me, you actually did well today." The Baron grabbed the remote she handed him.
"Erol do you mind?" She nodded her head at his apartment.
"Go right ahead the Baron and I have work to do." He told her.
She left to Erol's apartment as she heard the explosion of the entranceways, not even blinking she walked to try and get some sort of rest.