Torn reacted first, shooting the crab head metalhead down in a moment. the eco was absorbed into her in a moment.

"how the hell did a metalhead that huge get so deep into the city?" the girl looked at her hands where the eco had flown into her...

"what did you do that for?" she looked up at jak and walked over.

"because a metalhead that huge would hve killed us like that!" Daxter snapped his fingers softly, nothing like his voice..

"he wouldn't have.. he said nothing of hurting you.." Torn walked forward, holding his gun cautiously, as if she were about to turn into a metalhead herself.

"your telling us... - we are supposed to believe that you can speak to those things and they can understand you?" she cocked her head a little

"these creatures are quite docile as I know them.. I dont know what you did to them that they have grown so hostile. but their language is not complex. I used to speak it on a regular basis." Torn turned back to his desk and didn't face them. determined not to show he was even the least bit impressed.

"Bring her with on your mission, but dont ever bring her back here again. if she does not have loyalties we cant trust her not to reviel us should the baron capture her again." Daxter smiled triumphantly and once again was cut off before making a witty remark..

"Fine. but we need to know the mission we have first." Torn stroked his boomarang blade teasingly as he spoke slowly, just to annoy jak..

"right, I didn't tell you did I? vins gotten himself lost in the strip mine again in his attempts at changing the portals to get to other places.. you need to go save his hide. maybe the girl will be some help against the metal heads." she smiled softly as he accepted her help and picked up the sleeping daxter.. softly shuttling him to consiousness.

"I should like to meet someone new.. is this 'vin' a friend of yours too?" daxter climbed on her shoulder like she was jak..

"you could say that I guess. were really more like bodygaurds for the guy. hes a bit too paranoid to have friends he trusts." he rubbed his chin thoughtfully "come to think of it.. it would make a great joke if you yelled some metalhead speak at him behind him.." Jak rolled his eyes at him..

"hes a computer wiz and a contact for us who has gotten himself stuck in the strip mines more than once. the place is crawling with stingers and grunts" she jumped up, grabbing a cuiser right in front of a crimson gaurd.. the guy automatically grabbed for his radio and Jak reached for the controls in a rush to get away from the guy.. the girl instead warped her voice into a very official tone and hovered next to him..

"you wouldn't turn me in would you man? Im new to the job.. I just need to comendeer this cruiser cause Im late to my patrol area.. lend me a break huh?" the gaurd looked confused a moment before putting away his radio and looking away.

"alright.. I know how you mean, I remember my first job.. just dont do it again. we have a bad enough rap already.." smiled and nodded, turning the cruiser towards the warp tunnel in vins lab..

"that was pretty smooth back there girl.. I dont care what torn says. your on my team." she shrugged as she drove, moving far more precicly, even with the bulkyness of the two seater..

she jumped off in precise timing, the cruiser blowing up on impact, jak and daxter just avoiding the explosion.. "not too good on the parking though.." she smiled as she walked into vins place..

"well you know somebody always takes your ride by the time you get back.. theres no point in keeping it up in shape.." she waited by the door for them to come in.. she was suddenly grabbed from behind as a troop of krimzon gaurd surrounded them.. Erol himself held her by the neck, injecting something into her shoulder.. "whats- going.. on?" she fell asleep in his arms as he grinned maliciously..

"as much as Id like to play around Eco Freak, the barons orders were very clear.. take our weapon back and bring her back immidiatly" he jumped on his racer, throwing her holding her across the front limply.. "beat you up later Eco Freak.. Ive got a weapon to deliver.." Jak scowled darkly at Erol as the krimzon gaurd blocked him from attacking Erol.

"Where am I?" the girl pushed herself up slowly, her back meeting cold metal that seemed to burn through her ragged clothes and freeze her flesh. She remembered this place.. wait, remembered?

Jak had made quick workd of the gaurds, getting one to inform him that the distress signal had been only to lure Jak and their 'weapon' out.

"I should have known better. I should have protected her!" Daxter smiled wryly at him as he worked out his anger..

"say -uh jak, you wouldn't be falling for this girl are you?" Jak swatted him away, his voice true to his words..

"shes just a kid, I just feel like I was responsible for her. From what I know she was the only other expariment that succeeded in the barons twisted schemes. I cant let the baron torture her any more than he already has." he hopped a parked zoomer and started it up.

"so where're we going? back to torn?" Daxter hung on as well as he spoke, for once quiet in voice..

"No, we are going to the barons palace, whether he lkes it or not."

A bright flash from a flare in her face disordered her as erol pulled her ouf of the cramped metal cell and injected into her shoulder the same liquid that incapacitated her the first time.. Aparently it was weaker than the last though since she only went limp as Erol plaed her on the metal chair the eco was administered to.

"You shouldn't have betrayed me dear, but I will forgivue you.." Erol snapped the binds to her wrists and ankles. "You do not know any better, only what you are told." he lowed the adapted administer for the eco. at teh small of her back to pour the eco into her body. "You wont be bothered by that anymore.. all you need to know is that Jak must die." his low, menacing voice was drowned out by her screams as with each drop of eco that touched her flesh, it flowed its way through her bloodstream and into her brain, burning each memory out of her mind.. all except for one.. yes.. I am your friend now...

Nik: nother cliffhanger.. not that anyones listening save my only reviewer.. Im leading up to a brainstorm I got a few days ago and have been writing instead.. so that explains why this is so late.. Ive been writing in the future so you dont have to wait later. though the more I think about it the worse an idea it seems to be... anyway, please review!!!