Jak II
ACT 1: A City Under Siege
Chapter 10: The Innocence of Lurkers

Little Jak has healed progressively. His healing powers were something that he easily adapted to. Samos and I both researched and found out his healing skills are much faster then an average person. Unfortunately, as his aged, his powers seem to diminish. Samos told me it was fate. Naturally to better protect himself from dangerous exposure. He told me he would regain his powers back when the time came.

I was thrilled (after the short initial shock) when Kiera and Daxter came to visit Jak when he was hurt from that Lurker. I left the room to let them talk privately, but an old man concerned for his nephew can't help but listen in the conversation.

"I can't believe you did that, Jak." Kiera gasped, "That was…well…stupid."
"Well, you going off in that cave was even more stupider." Daxter placed his hands on his waist.
"Shut up, you stupid red head." Kiera growled, raising her fist with Daxter flinching from the mere sight of it, "We're here to thank Jak, you moron."
"You don't have to thank me." Jak spoke softly.
"Jak, you saved both our lives." Daxter gasped, "I'm not really sure WHAT you did, but you saved us."
"I'm not quite sure what I did either." Jak responded, "My powers…they feel familiar, but I don't know it very well."
"…Well, Jak…you saved us and…and I want to thank you…and…" Kiera stopped, cheeks blushing. This was going to be hard for her, "………I'm sorry."
Jak smiled that innocent smile once more.
"You don't have to be." Jak answered, softly, once again.
"Why are you always so nice to me?" Kiera asked, her voice breaking down from guilt, "I always made fun of you and beat you up, but you're always nice to me."
"I am because this is who I am, Kiera." Jak answered, "I believe everyone is good inside."
"Even the Lurkers?" Daxter scoffed.
"Yes, even them." Jak nodded slowly.
"You're different, Jak." Daxter sighed, scratching his head.
"I know." Jak smiled, "But then again, we all are. We each have our own dreams, our own hopes, and our own destiny."
"Yea…." Kiera and Daxter nodded.
"Jak, are you still my friend?" Daxter asked, "After all, I nearly sent you on to your doom when we went down the cave."
"Yes, Daxter, of course." Jak nodded.
"Good." Daxter smiled, "I'm sorry, too for dragging you down there." Jak just smiled.
"…Can I be your friend, too?" Kiera asked shyly. Jak nodded. Kiera smiled and regained her confidence again.
"Well, that settles it!" Kiera raised her hand, "You have inspired me, Jak! From now on, I will only use my beating up skills to help out the little guys! No more picking on people! No more bullying! The three of us can be the ultimate best friend pack. We'll go around helping people…"
"…and have fun at the same time…" Daxter continued.
"…With new adventures waiting for us." Jak finished in his still soft voice. The three were officially friends. They each placed their hand on top of each other, giggling and smiling…

………………

Main City Area, Haven City
Month 10: Octeria, Day 21 (Fall Time)
Year: 299 TOMH (Time of the Metal Heads)

It was a light rain as the trio left for Baron Praxis' palace. Jak wrapped his overcoat around him to keep as much warmth as possible. Daxter, with only a white scarf around his neck, only causally stared at the scenery. The sky was dark and cloudy as it was over 10 PM. The lights were on and people still walked aimlessly, like drone robots. It's like the city placed them under a spell. It's like they had nothing better to do then walk. After all, they can't just simple walk out of the city. Restrictions, rules, and Metal Heads all kept them inside.
Jak walked in the opposite directions compare to most of the people passing by, keeping as much low profile as he could. After some more aimless walking, Jak saw a scene that would change his opinions on a certain species he wasn't all that aware of…

"IT'S ESCAPING!"
"GET IT!"
"SHOOT IT! SHOOT IT!"

BAM!

"HA! HA! Right on the arm!"

Jak stood frozen as he saw this entire scene. Daxter and Puar looked unfazed, however. The creature they shot landed smack on his stomach, his face just inches away from Jak's feet. With magenta colored fur and maximum size of nearly 9 feet or so, shackles on his wrists and ankles, a metal slave collar, and with a bleeding right arm, Jak saw a Lurker. He stood silent. Three men and a Krimzon Guard approach the beast.
"Trying to escape me, eh?" cried one of the man, "What kind of a slave are you?" The man promptly kicked him.
"Dirty, filthily animal!" cried the second man, "Stupid bastard of a creature!"
"You're only job is to serve and you try to run off, you ruddy piece of carpet!" the third man spoke. He, too kicked the creature. Again, Jak stood silent. His face was more then enough to know that this was a horrid sight. This creature, this creature he battled back home where they roamed free in the wild ended up being lowly slaves to the people of Haven City. People surrounding him looked on with interest, not because of the treatment the Lurker was getting, but because they were causing a scene. After a while, the people ignored the whole dilemma and moved on. Jak felt a sense of guilt and sorrow, and to a certain extent, shock. His revenge briefly left him.

"Stand back, I'm gonna shoot it." The Krimzon Guard came, getting his gun ready.

The Lurker's big, glassy, yellow eyes stared right back at Jak's glowing blue ones. The creature was asking for mercy, yet at the same time, he was prepared to die. He paid the price for being risky, to escape, to be free. Now, he would die.
"Things are never simple in Haven City, you bloody beast." The KG spoke, "We are simply subjects under the rule of Praxis and you are lowly servants to do our every command…fail and you die." The gun was aimed at the Lurker's head. The Lurker growled a little and he was promptly kicked by the Krimzon Guard. Then the KG's boots dug deep into the Lurker's fur, so deep that he started to bleed on the neck where the boot was sticking up to. Then, he kicked him some more.

"Jak, let's get outta here." Daxter yawned while speaking in a slightly whiny tone. He was used to seeing Lurker abuse.
"Daxter…what's going on?" Jak spoke.
"The Lurkers are Haven City's slave hold." Puar explained, "They live to serve us. They don't, they die, simple as that. Hardly any Lurkers ever escape. There's nothing we can do. It's the Baron's rules."
"But look what's happening to him!" Jak shouted, "Someone stop him!" He saw the people just pass by, ignoring all this, "You bloody bastards, a Lurker is hurt!" They kept walking.
"Jak, why do we care?" Daxter shouted, "What did they ever do to us? Nothing but trouble!"
The kicking continued. Each boot to his head lead out a small growl from the Lurker. Then, the KG aimed his gun once again to the Lurker.
"DAMN IT!" Jak ran up and tackled the guard down, "STOP THAT, you bastard!" Then Jak started to punch the Krimzon Guard.
"How do you like that?" Jak cried, "How do you like to be beaten up? How do YOU like to be tortured? HUH! Does it make you feel big? DOES IT?"
"Jak!" Daxter gulped, "You're making a scene."

The Lurker, surprised, slowly rose up, his arm and neck still wet and sticky from the blood, and his head still pounding.
"RUN!" Jak ordered the Lurker as he continued to pummel the KG. A crowd was gathering around with cheers and shouts.
Jak, too got his share of injuries as the Krimzon Guard lend his fists into battle.
The Lurker just stood there, impressed that one of these elf-like species was actually standing up for his kind. Jak continued to beat up the KG while Daxter and Puar looked on in horror and shock. The Lurker, never one to trust precursians after what they did to his fellow Lurker brothers, just watched while his left arm held the blood on his right. Something sparked inside of him. The Lurker felt something burning inside of him. A renewed sense of pride and courage. He, despite his injuries, ran into the fight, grabbed Jak, then Daxter and Puar, leaped over the crowd (Lurkers have been known to be great leapers), and ran (also great sprinters).
"Krimzon Squad 29! We have a slave on the loose! It's heading for section 5. I repeat, section 5!" The guard spoke to his communicator.

Jak was shocked. The Lurker just picked him up and was now being carried by the fuzzy beast. He ran off in the opposite direction of where Jak didn't wanted to go. Jak didn't say anything though. He couldn't think straight at the moment. Each step the Lurker took affected Jak's forehead as a headache was starting to build up again. Jak remembered he wasn't fully healed yet from his fever. After a bit of running, the Lurker hid and waited until everything cooled down. They were in a dark alley.

"Are yous okay?" The Lurker asked Jak.
"I should be asking you that." Jak gasped.
"It looked like yous was going to throw up." The Lurker came in, "I is sorry for running so hard like that."
"It's okay." Jak sighed, "Are you okay? Your arm…neck…"
"I is fine…" The Lurker then proceeded to block the blood in his arm.
"Here, let me help." Jak was back to his more calmer side again. Daxter and Puar watched as Jak took out some gauzes and bandages from his small bag. He also took out some medicine spray. After spraying some on his arm and neck, Jak wrapped the bandages around the Lurker. It took a good 5 minutes or so, but the bandages were in place and everything was slightly better.
"Thank yous." The Lurker sighed, "This feels better. Yous good at first aid."
"Leading Junior Ottsels back when I was 10." Jak grinned. The two were in brief silent before the young blonde spoke.
"I'm Jak." Jak introduced, "This is my friend, Daxter, and Puar." The two waved. The Lurker smiled.
"I is called Kami." The Lurker introduced.
"Kami…" Jak repeated, "Uh…Kami?"
"Yes?"
"Why are the Lurkers slaves?"
"Is your head been under rock?"
"You could say that."
"Lurkers been slave since Baron ruled Haven Kingdom. Baron sees us as worthless, so Baron made us slaves. Baron sees Lurkers as only low-smart creatures who's only goal is to serve "highest being", which is Baron's people."
"Where I come from, Lurkers were everywhere." Jak sighed.
"Yea, and they made a mess out of everything." Daxter sighed, "Especially since they worked for Gol and Maia, remember that?"
"We Lurkers worked for Gol and Maia because we had, too. We had to survive, so we worked for them."
"Had to?" Jak was intrigued.
"We Lurkers were once allies and friends with your kind, Jak." Kami continued, "We shared foods, lands, anything. Then yous species got greedy and stole from us Lurkers. We grow poor and end up living in caves because of yous. Deep lava filled caves. It was only place where your kind did not tamper with. Good thing we can survive such heat."
"Now I know you're lying!" Daxter cried out.
"I is not lying!" Kami hissed, "I is not lying at all! I is speaking the truth!"
"Go on." Jak sat on a wet crate that was missing a few pieces of wood here and there and suffered a few splinters, but was otherwise a decent sitting arrangement.
"We no liked the caves, but we adapted to it. But everyday, we all die, little by little." Kami continued, "Lack of food and yous kinds already everywhere and always fighting back with your more advance technology kept us in our caves. Then one day, we Lurkers were saved by two of yours kind. They were different in looks as their skins were very dark. They told us Lurkers that they will bring our homes and lands to us. We no believe them at first, but they made proof by destroying a village full of people like yous. Rock Village. We Lurker males joined and made army and called help from other Lurker brothers to help fight cause. It was only way to survive, even if we did dirty, bad things."

Jak, Daxter, and Puar all stared at each other.

"Once Gol and Maia all gone, we Lurkers continued to survive as best as we coulds." Kami sniffed back a tear, "The good news is we learn to better adapt in caves and find food better. Bad news is, it little too late as many of our kind has died. Right now…they is only 2000 of us left!"
"2000..." Jak gasped, "…That's not a lot."
"Yes, especially since this city alone has over 25,000 of precursians alone with more outside of city limits and possibly more outside of Haven Kingdom." Puar sighed.
"Now what?" Daxter asked, "Do we leave him alone or help him?"
"I must find a sewer hole." Kami started, "I is escape there and go home where I is belonging." Jak stared down at the small puddle, showing his reflection, apparently pondering.
"Please, will you not help me?" Kami gasped, "I is needing to go home! I have wife and sons and daughters! I miss them!"
"You got kids?" Daxter cocked his head. Kami nodded. Daxter scratched his head. "Huh…who'd have thunk?" Jak still had his head lowered, silent.
"None of this would have happen if yous kinds had shared lands with us…or maybe if…Gol and Maia did not die." Everyone was silent, waiting for Jak to say something. Jak still had his head lowered down as guilt struck him again. He was responsible for Gol and Maia's supposed death. If he did not killed them, the Lurkers might have prospered. Because of his people's greed, the Lurkers, creatures as innocent as Jak once was, would have survived. They would have thrived. Jak sighed and sniffed his nose a bit. He had the Baron to capture, but the good inside of him refused to let the Kami wander alone.

"Jak, are you crying?" Daxter asked with concern. Jak shook his head.
"No, I just have a runny nose." Jak answered as he lifted his head off, "I was just thinking."
"Jak, you're sickness." Daxter sighed. Jak nodded and stood up. He now had a determined face.
"Okay, I have an idea." Jak confidently spoke, "Kami…let's go find a sewer hole and send you back home."
"What, now?" Daxter cried out, "You ARE aware you got less then an hour to find one! Vin closes the elevator at exactly midnight!"
"I know." Jak nodded, "But Kami needs protection."
"There are other Lurkers who need protection, too, ya know!" Daxter cried out.
"One saved is better then none." Jak answered, "Besides, I feel like…like I have to make up for what I did."
"What you do?" Kami asked. Jak stood silent and shook his head.
"Nothing, let's go." Jak gestured, "We have to find the nearest hole…which is where?"
"Right in the same direction on our way to the palace." Puar answered as she displayed her map, "It's quite a walk, but if nothing bad happens, we can make it to that sewer hole and reach the elevator in record time, master Jak."
"Good, let's go." Jak nodded, "Until then, Kami, pretend you're my slave."
"OH!" Kami sniffed, "You is wonderful, Jak!" Then Kami proceeded to give him a giant bear hug.
"No…problem." Jak choked.

……………………

Daxter stuck his head out and looked left and right.
"Coast is clear!" Daxter okay-ed.
"Right, let's go." Jak ordered. The four left the alley. Daxter once again hid in Jak's bag to lessen Jak's target and suspicion from the Krimzon Guards. Jak kept his red hood over his mouth and nose as well and placed his hood (attached to his leather overcoat) over for better disguise. He then came out with a rope in his hand, tied to the collar around Kami's neck, like a real slave. Puar hovered close by.
The two walked while the rest was in one in Jak's bag and the other was hovering, while people passing them by like nothing matters. This was common appearance as far as anyone was concerned. Jak had noticed many Lurkers with leashes that people dragged and carried. Despite their dirty appearance, he never truly realized that Lurkers were in such a distress situation until now. Jak and the others also saw several other Lurkers, some of whom Kami knew. Kami, with a sad expression in his eyes felt guilty. He would be the possible one to escape while the others were left to rot. Kami sighed in sadness, but he could not back down now. They continued.

……………………

"And you haven't heard from him since?" Vin cried out, panicking in true Vin fashion.
"Please, Sir Vin, calm down." The kid spoke, "I have not heard from Mr. Jak in a while." The two were speaking via COMPS. Vin had his own while the Kid borrowed one from an Underground member.
"Oh, by the Precursors!" Vin clenched his teeth, "I can't wait till Midnight, I'm so tempt to shut this down!"
"Please, Sir Vin, don't be tempted!" The kid ordered, "Mr. Jak is doing what he thinks is right."
"You're supporting someone you barely even know!" Vin cried out, "I barely even know him! He tends to keep to himself a lot."
"I know him a lot more then most people would think, Sir Vin." The Kid sighed, "He is certainly a different person…I have a feeling he will help us greatly in our fight for the kingdom. He feels different."
"That's what you said about with Kor." Vin sighed.
"Yes, but with Sir Kor, it feels…bad (not to say anything bad on Sir Kor, oh-no, not at all)…with Mr. Jak…it feels…it feels like…hope." The kid answered, "Hope…I have never felt it since the time of that faithful attack 3 years ago…the time my parents died…but ever since Mr. Jak came, I felt…happy." Vin sighed deeply, not doing a great job convincing the child to listen to him.
"There is something about him that I cannot place a finger, but I do have some theories on who he might be." The kid grinned cleverly. He noticed Van's stressed appearance, "Hang on a bit longer, as much as you can."
"What is so special about that boy?" Vin sighed as he sat on a chair.
"Well, from one Precursor expert to another, I believe Mr. Jak inherits powers…magical powers beyond anything a mere mortal could possess."
"…Like you?" Vin gasped.
"Yes…I can sense them." The kid raised his head, "His powers are constantly growing. The first time I met him, I felt barely anything. He had virtually no magic, but as time grew and months passed, his magical level has grown dramatically. It's like he used to possess such powers, lost it sometime during his life, and now…is slowly regaining them."
"Well, I've been hearing a lot of him turning into a dark monster and…" Vin started.
"No…this feeling is one of good…pure light even." The kid kept his stern face, "No one else can have such powers. Only the first born royal family members."
"But that's impossible, you're the current first born, heck, the only child." Vin spoke, "How can Jak possess the same powers as you?"
"…I do not know." The kid answered, "I will find out. Until then, I trust in him completely."
"Hey, where's your other half?" Vin just now noticed that The Kid's pendent was split in two.
"I gave one half to Mr. Jak." The kid answered, "His powers are the same as mines…he will be able to use it…he won't be able to control it so well, but in time and if my theory holds true, he will. I trust him…"

…………………

"I see it!" Puar shouted out loud.
"PUAR!" Jak placed a finger to his lips, "Shush!" Puar squeaked and apologized. The sewer hole was seen from a few feet, they were almost there. Kami literally burst into tears.
"Oh, Jak, thank yous." Kami whispered, "I shall tell all my Lurker buddies of what yous did to me." Jak nodded nervously.
"Okay, we're almost there." Jak spoke, "If any Krimzon Guards start suspecting us, I want you to run for the hole like mad. I'll keep them at bay."
"But yous might get hurt!" Kami gasped "Yous come with me!"
"I belong here, Kami." Jak sighed, "Just be careful of the Metal Heads when you reached down there. Okay?"
"Metal Heads no problem for Kami!" Kami grinned, showing off his large teeth and fangs, "Lurkers are strong survivors and fighters!" Jak cleared his throat.
"Ya know, you think those Lurkers would be so smart to actually invade the palace from the sewers." Daxter sighed, "Would have conquered the city in due time."
"Oh, give the Precursians some credit." Puar giggled, "Sewer holes are tightly shut and only opened with official permission. The one we're going in is currently unlocked, but it'll close soon, so we better hurry!"

So close, the sewer hole was so close, then something from Kami's slave collar beeped red.

"Hey, you!" The four turned around and saw a Krimzon Guard heading their way, "FREEZE!"
"Shit!" Jak cried, "RUN!" Jak quickly took out his red gun, the Scatter and started to shoot. More guards came as the citizens ran in fear. The Krizmon Guards were hard to take down; due to their massively huge armor, made up of the best titanium money can buy.
"How the bloody hell did they find us?" Jak cried.
"It my fault, I wear collar that has tracking device the soldiers use to track runaway Lurkers!" Kami answered as they ran, "I is forgotten about it!"
Jak groaned and continued to shoot as best as he could. If he ran out of bullets, he placed in more. If he ran out, he switched guns. It got to the point where he had to stop and shoot to better aim them. He kept blasting them away as best as he could. Kami just stood there, once again, surprised at Jak's sacrifice to save him.
"KAMI, STOP STARING AT ME, RUN!" Jak shouted. Kami stood still.
"BLOODY HELL, RUN!" Jak shouted again.
"You better do as he says; he can't hold them for very long!" Daxter shouted.
Kami, nodded, and ran straight for the sewer.
"STOP HIM!" The guards cried out.

Several guards from random places in the city started to shoot at Kami. Kami, feeling confident and inspired by Jak, dodged the bullets. The other guards tried to tackle him down, but Kami leaped or slid out of the way. He ran as much as his skinny legs could carry him. He was so close. The guards shouted for the Lurker to be shot dead.
"KILL HIM!" Kami dived in and into the sewer hole he went.
"YES!" Jak grinned. After a few more shootings, Jak ran off in an acrobatic sense. He back flipped up a small building and started to runaway as guards started to shoot him. The other half of the guards entered the sewer, but found no trace of Kami. They didn't bother to stick around so long; sewers were common breeding grounds for Lurkers.
"GET HIM!" They shouted. Jak, laughing in a mischievous manner, dodged the bullets easily and ran off.

"It's almost Midnight, Master Jak!" Puar warned.
Jak nodded and went straight for the elevator. The guards have lost him, but this was no time for him to stop as he was running out of time.
"There, there's the elevator!" Puar shouted, "That long tower!" Jak ran and leaped as the tower door opened. He was inside.
"I did it!" Jak gasped. He was surprised again when he felt a rumble. The elevator was moving…and quite fast, too. Jak clutched onto whatever he could until they reached the top, which they did in mere seconds.
"Whoa." Jak gasped, clutching onto his stomach, "Ooh, that didn't feel good."
"Jak…are you sure you can do this?" Daxter asked.
"I'll be fine." The trio exited out of the door and saw themselves at the very top. The entire city was below and at their view.
"Holy-" Jak gasped. Daxter, gulping, went closer to the edge, screamed, then climbed up Jak's shoulder.
"We're at…the VERY TOP!" Daxter squeaked, "VERY, VERY TOP!" Daxter then eyed the narow walkway they had to pass.
"Oh…we're gonna cross that?" Daxter gasped.
"We have no choice." Jak sighed, "Come on."

As Jak took his first step, a cry came out for his name.
"JAK!" Puar sent a holographic image of Vin.
"VIN? Are you TRYING to make me fall?" Jak cried, clutching his chest from the slight surprise he got.
"Sorry…errr…ahem…the elevator is officially closed, it's midnight. I cannot open it up again. You have to find a way down on your own." Vin instructed.
"Don't worry, we'll be fine." Jak winked.
"You better survive!" Vin's shaky voice came, "That kid trusted you with his most important item!" Jak gasped and took out his half of the pendent the kid gave him and was relieved to see it still around his neck. Jak held it tightly.
"Despite what you're doing, the kid trusts you." Vin sighed, "You better not fail him!"
"I won't." Jak said sincerely.
"Okay….good luck." Vin ended with his usual scared tone.

With that phone call over, Jak eyed the narrow walkway and sighed. Daxter on his shoulder, Puar closely following him, a gentle rain over his head, Jak, adjusting his overcoat, and placing the hood again over his head, stared to walk to his destination. He had many things on his mind: His home, his revenge, his dark side, the child, but for right now, he wondered…if Kami would be safe…
To Be Continued…