Zoe

I sat up in bed, rubbing my eyes. I felt terrible and my head spinning.

"What-happened?" I asked aloud to myself.

"Something that shouldn't have happened." A voice answered, I instinctively grabbed the gun from my side and pointing it at the intruder, realizing it was seem.

"What the heck, Seem? You watching me in my sleep?"

"No, I just arrived and awaited your awakening, dark one." She answered.

"Enough cryptic bullshit. Explain why I'm here."

"Simple. After the extraction of the excess of dark eco, my monks carried you back here. Where you could sleep off the exhaustion. But I must ask you something."

"What?" I asked in return, swinging my legs over the bed to stand. The monks were kind enough to take off my boots so sand wouldn't get on my bed, but it was pointless. Sand, it gets everywhere and I didn't like it.

"A dark eco crystal is in your possession. Where is it?"

"Why do you think I know? I was passed out since yesterday afternoon. You sure you didn't take it? You're the one watching me in my sleep."

She was silent, narrowing her eyes before turning away and leaving. I sighed, putting on my boots and heading outside to the garage. It was early enough that Klevier wasn't there yet. So I could finish the car before he got here. All my tools were where I left them so I started working from where I left off. After an hour or so, Jak and Daxter walked in.

"Hey, Z!" Daxter greeted.

"Hey boys." I smiled, "Sorry I can't give you a tour, I gotta finish this or Klevier'll have my ass."

"Why are you so worried about it? You can take on the big guy." Daxter said, "You've certainly taken on bigger."

I sighed again, waving the wrench in my hands. Jak looked bothered by something. He hadn't said a word to me yet.

"Something on your mind there Jak?" I asked, poking him with the wrench.

"Zoe, why do you hang out with Seem so much?" I blinked, stunned by his question. I looked away, now turning back to the car.

"She… helps me." I answered, which was the truth.

"She hates dark eco. So I figured…"

"She'd hate me too? I thought that at first but… she wants to help me control it. So I don't hurt anyone."

Jak sighs, walking to where I am and picking up a wrench.

"What're you doing?" I ask, a smile creeping up on my face.

"Helping." He said, "You too Dax."

"What? I'm no mechanic!"

"You can fit in places I can't reach." I smiled.

"Oh because of my size?" He asks, jumping up on the hood.

"Exactly, now get in there, fur ball." I laughed.

With the boys' help, a four hour job turned into two. I smiled as I started the car, it roaring to life.

"Oi! Zoe!" Klevier's voice rang out as he entered the garage. I looked over at him. But he faced the boys as soon as he saw them.

"You guys looking for a bit of action? The scopes show a group of metal heads moving through the desert not too far from here. I don't like metalheads almost as much as I don't like you or your little girlfriend. And you got some proven to do. Intercept those bad boys and give em hell. Who knows you might get a few toys for your effort." He said, pointing at Jak. I growled but stated quiet.

"Why does it sound like you're leaving out the dangerous parts? Jak I'm getting some nasty juju vibes here. I don't have these whiskers for nothing you know." Daxter said.

"Relax, we could handle a few metalheads." Jak said.

"Have you ever seen a wasteland metalhead?" Klevier asked.

"No… why?" Daxter asked.

"Nothin. Just wondering." He said.

"I'm going with you guys." I said, hoping in the passenger seat of the car I was in. "I can be gunner while Jak drives."

"The dream team is back again!" Daxter exclaims as he and Jak hop in. I laugh as we spin out of the garage and into the desert. I placing my goggles on my face and bandanna over my nose and mouth.

It wasn't long before the first one crashed through a sand dune a few feet from us. It was massive and had a cannon on it's back, but the glowing eyes were the same.

"Whoa! That's one big momma!" Daxter yelled.

"Keep on it Jak!" I yelled over the wind, aiming the gun at it. I fired, the bullets hitting it's soft underside. Almost an entire clip was emptied before it crashed to the ground, dead.

"Another Clip, Daxter!" I yelled as I pointed out the location the second one might pop up at. Daxter handed me the end of the clip of machine gun ammo and I reloaded as soon as the other one came around the corner and shot it's cannon at us. Thanks to Jak's excellent driving skills, we avoided it just in time. I unloaded a good portion of the clip into this one, it collapsing as we chased it down.

"How many more, Z?" Jak yelled over the wind.

"Two more I think! They'll be more aggressive now, so watch out for their cannons!" I yelled back as we raced through the sands again, it being a very rough ride. We took them down without any hassle, the last one collapsing and something falling off it's back. We stopped the car and approached, it being a dark eco crystal and some communicator. Jak picked up the crystal as we heard a familiar voice coming from the device.

Metalhead leader report! What's happening? If you lost that cargo and you're still alive ill kill you myself. It said, a strange face popping up on the communicator. It looked weird, half man half robot. But I couldn't shake the awful feeling in my chest upon seeing it. I nudged Jak, who was staring at the crystal. He looked at it too.

I want every dark eco crystal you can find! Time is short! Can you hear me? Then the face looked up at Jak who was approaching it. Wait. Not you!

But it was cut off by Jak smashing it with his boot.

"I don't like the sound of your voice." He said.

"Ha! You sure kicked sand in his face. Oh yeah. That was good." Daxter added.

"That face looked familiar. Z?" He turned to look at me but I couldn't shake that awful feeling in my gut.

"Now you two are getting paranoid. Come on big foot, let's get back. This desert is giving me the creeps." Daxter patted his shoulder. Jak looked at me, and I shook my head. Maybe Daxter was right. I jumped in the vehicle as Jak took off back into the desert and back to Spargus.

Jak, Daxter and I sat at the juice stand a few feet from the beach, I staring at the water. It kind of reminded me of Sandover village, and the water and calmness there. A lot better than Haven city. Jak was kind of quiet the whole ride back, I agreeing to take him to get drinks like I promised.

"So. How did you two end up here?" I asked, turning to face Jak.

"You wouldn't believe it! The city was attacked by haywire robots and who does the city blame? Jak of all people! The one who helped save their buts. So Count butt face and council of idoits kicked us out! Well he kicked Jak out but pecker and I decided to tag along because obviously he wouldn't last a second out here!" Daxter exclaimed.

"The council kicked you out of haven city? Well that seems unfair. But it doesn't surprise me. Count Veger was the one who almost killed me." I explained. Their eyes widened. "He insisted I scout the desert for that metalhead nest, remember? As the tracker stopped beeping I came upon an empty cave, and I turned to go back to my vehicle. As I got pretty close it exploded. Shrapnel raining from the sky. A big piece landed on me, impaling my stomach. Missing my major organs by an inch. I got lucky. The dark eco wad keeping me alive as a scouting group from spargus found me."

"Zoe… that's awful. You've been here ever since?" Jak asked.

"Yeah. Recovering and hoping maybe someone from Haven city would come." I sighed dejectedly, sipping my drink. It wasn't the same as what Tess would make, but just as good. The alcohol was what mattered.

"Everyone but Ashlein, Torn, Tess, Daxter and I thought you were dead. But we just thought you were missing. The council forbade any of us from looking and when we were about to launch a search the city was attacked." Jak explained. "It was chaos, Z."

"But none of that matters now, right? Spargus accepts us and you got your second fight tomorrow morning." I smiled.

"You're not gonna help us this time are you Zoe?" Daxter teased. I paled.

"How'd you know about that?" I asked.

"Seem told us. After we asked what happened to you." Jak said. "What did happen?"

"I.. lost control. O-only for a little bit! I got it covered, Jak. Don't worry. It's fine." I reassured him. I didn't need him to worry about me. He needed to focus on his powers and the fight ahead.

"Okay Zoe. I trust you." He said and I sighed slightly in relief.

"Im glad you do." I hopped down from my seat. "Let's go walk on the beach you two." I said, grabbing my drink and Jak's hand in the other. Trying to forget the day's events. And It worked. Kind of.