A/N: I got some pretty good reviews for my first chapter, and this made me a very happy girl! It looks like this fic went off with a bang. I've just been so busy this Christmas that it has taken forever to actually get onto my computer and find time to type. Well, here is your second chapter. I hope you like it!

Disclaimer: You have to ride the short bus if you think I own anything that clearly is Jak and Daxter because it is clearly Naughty Dog's creation.

Chapter 2 One Minute

Tuya slowly led the three through the Slums of Haven City with what confidence she could muster. She didn't know the city all too well, so she hoped with all her heart that she didn't get them all lost. She didn't want to think of the consequences if she made that mistake. Kor would kill her for it.

"You do know where we are going, right?" Roxie asked Tuya as she read a flash of the girl's thoughts. She still hadn't told Tuya or Jak that she was a Mind Speaker, but Daxter was bound to tell his friend this sometime soon, or she would have to tell Jak if she hung out with him a lot later on.

"Yes," Tuya said quickly behind her shoulder. She bit her lower lip while looking forward. She forced herself to think straight and not get into her old habit of freaking out over small things. This let her remember the city more clearly, and she quickly found the dead end that led to the secret Underground Hideout.

Torn was already there with Tess. They were chatting quietly, but quickly stopped when seeing Tuya with the others behind her. Tess shot both Torn and her friend a questionable look then put on a frown on her face when she saw Torn's eyes narrow at the others.

"We're looking for Torn," Jak said while lightly pushing Tuya to the side to talk to the Elf. Tuya hung her head in silence at the sharp look Torn gave her. "She didn't send us, if that's what you're thinking," Jak covered for the Human girl. "Kor did." Torn gave Jak a nasty look while still keeping silent. He was summing up the young Elf. He would be a good addition to the Underground.

"Are you…Torn?" Jak asked the Elf with some hesitation in his voice and actions. Roxie knew that her dad worked for the Underground. It had been so long ago that she had seen this Elf before, so she wasn't sure if this was Torn or not. But she would have some heck of a time getting into this team.

"Maybe he's a mute," Daxter piped in at last. Right away Torn didn't like the creature. He just didn't like animals it seemed. "Like you used to be, Jak," Daxter finished with a shrug.

"New members make me nervous," Torn finally said while stepping back from the three. "If you want to go join something, you and your pet, here, can go join the circus," he said. He smiled slyly at the dirty look Daxter gave him.

"We want to join the Underground," Roxie butted in while pushing Jak aside. "I know you need new members. We are fit for it too. Let us join." What was she doing? Did she really want to join the Underground like her dad? She sure would go far to do her friends a favor.

"Go take down the Baron's banner in Dead Town," Torn said. He took out a dagger from a strap behind him and threw it into the air skillfully just to see how the young ones would react. He caught it while it fell and smiled down at them. Only the orange one looked a bit freaked out from his move. "I'll then consider letting you join," he said.

"Can I go?" Tuya jumped in. There was silence in the alleyway for a few seconds as Torn registered in his head what she had just said. For the first time in his life he couldn't form any words in his mouth. He was just stuck there with nothing to say. She had caught him off guard somehow.

"No," was his only and stubborn answer.

"Why not?" Daxter asked. This surprised Jak a little because he was all ready to go and do this simple task. Why was Daxter putting up a fight for this girl that clearly looked like she had no skills in fighting or defending herself if the time came? Sure, her looks were breathtaking, but Jak didn't want to catch fainting girls if he had to get into danger. And the Elf had a good feeling they were going to see life threatening situations in due time.

"She can't go," Torn repeated firmly. "She doesn't even know this language enough to understand a command you might give her. She will only be in the way."

This seemed to tick Tuya off. "Merlander teach me," she said while pulling her deadly boomerang out of its holder on her thigh. "I whack you're head off now," she muttered at him in rough Elfish while threatening to hit him with her sharp weapon. Tess almost let out a giggle at the stunned look Torn gave Tuya.

"Fine," Torn gave up finally. "I don't care anymore. Just take you're pet, Tuya." He opened the door to the hideout, and out came the muse in a hyper mass of fur. It ran around Torn's legs about five times till it got bored and ran over to sniff Jak whose smell was all new to him.

"Haven't seen one of these in a while," Jak mumbled while stepping back in surprise. Mozart then started to run around Jak's legs as well with little chirps and meows of delight of a new friend. Tuya picked up her pet with her cheeks turning a light pink as she muttered a sorry.

"Its fine," Jak said with a warm smile. They started to walk away and Jak finally asked randomly, "Uh, guys, where is Dead Town?"

Roxie and Daxter laughed at him. "Boy, you have lot's to learn," Daxter said to his friend. "You might need a tour of your new home."

- Bo -

"Ready, set, go!" Bo yelled to Flash. The kid was gone in a blue spark. The Human girl smiled from where she was standing on a rock in the Pumping Station. She looked over the ocean and watched silently as Flash zipped over the water's surface. "Come on," she whispered while looking at her stop watch in her hand.

Flash kept running at his top speed. At the speed he was going, he could run on top of water easily. The only problem was that he couldn't keep up that speed and couldn't even go for a minute yet. He would get worn out and lose power. One time he shorted out in a way and was left with no blue eco in his system for hours. It was very difficult for the kid. But he and Bo were determined to pass the minute time limit.

The kid was growing up quickly. He wasn't his over hyperactive annoying kiddish self that he used to be. He was becoming more mature, somewhat, and he was trying his best to calm down and control his blue eco powers. He had decided that if he was going to get stuck with these powers, he might as well as understand them and take hold of them. When Roxie and Daxter had first seen him he was ten in Human years, but that was two years ago. He was now 12 in Human years and very close to being a teen. Not quite there, though.

"Keep going, Flash!" Bo yelled over to him. "Hang on for 20 more seconds! You can do it!" She was proud of the Elf. They had been practicing this for two weeks now. At first they really had no reason to do it, but Flash wanted it, so she had helped him time himself. But now they had a reason.

Bo had calculated it out that if he ran this fast for at least one minute, he would be able to go over the ocean and right to the Wasteland city, Spargus, which sat right next to the ocean. If Flash could make it past a minute, he could go to Spargus and send Merlander messages. They both loved that idea, so now they were trying to make that time.

Flash was now feeling his energy flow out of him. He wouldn't be able to go this speed for much longer. He squeezed his eyes shut and focused on his blue eco left in him. He heard Bo call out to him that he had ten seconds left. He had to make it!

Water splashed into the air where Flash went back and forth close to Bo's rock. Blue lightening flashes flew up behind him. The kid was only a blur in Bo's vision.

Bo smiled widely when she started to slowly count down from five. She yelled at the top of her lungs out to Flash, "You made it! One minute! You did it!" Flash smiled faintly as he kept on running. Bo stopped jumping up and down from joy and excitement and stared in shock as she saw Flash keep going even though he was past his time limit.

"A minute and ten seconds!" Bo called out to him with surprise in her voice. "Stop before you hurt yourself or short out, Flash! What are you trying to do?"

Flash didn't answer. He just wanted to put on those extra few seconds to make sure he could absolutely make it if he went out to Spargus. Now he knew for sure he could do it and was proud of himself. But that happy feeling was short lived when his powers totally shut down on him like the day before.

It was a scary feeling. Everything in him stopped on a dime. A sharp yell of surprise sounded from the Elf as he fell into the water with a loud crash. Water was thrown high into the air because the fall was after he was going a tremendous speed. The salt water of the ocean pored into Flash's mouth as the air was knocked out of him from the hard impact.

"Flash!" Bo yelled his name in fright. "Please be okay!" She was useless as to helping him. Underwater Metal Heads lived in these waters. The last time Flash shorted out, there had been none around. But today could be different. She didn't want to risk it.

Flash swam to the surface and coughed a few times with a wince. He waved over to Bo to tell her he was fine. "Get out of there! Metal Heads could be in the water!" he could faintly hear her yell to him.

"Yes, mother!" he yelled back sarcastically. He saw her fold her arms in front of her as her silent anger was released. Flash laughed at her predictable actions and then started to slowly swim to the shore. He was tired and very worn out from his run. Having no blue eco abilities was a hard and different experience for him. He was just so used to being able to be going at a fast pace which seemed to be normal for him. Everyone else was the ones going slow. With no powers, he could see the world in their eyes. It made him think deeply the last time.

Suddenly a hard, metal hand clamped down onto Flash's ankle. The kid gave a yell of fright right before he was pulled into the water once again. Flash held his breath before going under. He fought for his freedom as he descended rapidly by hitting and kicking the metal tentacle of the squid like Metal Head holding onto him.

Bo was up in a second. Her jacket was off along with her shoes. She dived gracefully into the water as if she was mermaid. She swam out to where she last saw Flash and then took a deep breath before submerging. Her long, red hair floated around her head when she hovered in the water to spot where her friend had gone to. Her eyes stung profusely as she searched for him, but she ignored the pain.

The air in Flash's lungs was almost out and now his body was screaming for something he used to have so much of. The boy opened his eyes in the water and almost wished he hadn't, but he kept them open to see if there was an opening where he could escape.

Bo took out her Bo Staff and whacked it down onto the metal arm of the creature. The Metal Head wasn't affected by it and kept his hold onto Flash's ankle. Once the boy died of downing he would be a perfect snack for it.

Flash shook his head at Bo for her stupidity. He pointed to her knife on her belt and then motioned for her to stab the creature. Bo had a better idea. She took the knife out and made a tiny cut on the palm of her left hand. She then grabbed the tentacle holding Flash. The boy watched her in confusion. What was she doing? Humans were so weird.

He got his answer when the metal on the tentacle started to burn off it. Flash's bright, blue eyes widened in shock till he was free from the creature's grip. Bo swam down to the bottom of the ocean with determination flowing in her. Flash followed her with loyal confusion. The wounded and angry Metal Head was knocked off guard when seeing the two go the opposite way they should have gone, so his attack was off by a few seconds. Those seconds were all Bo needed.

Please let this work! She pleaded in her head while putting both palms of her hands on the ocean floor. Nothing happened. The payment is not enough! NO! I should already have enough payment with all the pain of my past! Why can't I exchange it with that?

Her frustrated thought triggered the memory of Akki dying. She cringed as the remembrance gave her too many unwanted emotions. Then something she didn't expect happened. The floor under her palms rose quickly. Both Bo and Flash were pushed to the surface and gasped for breath once the rock under them stopped rising.

"How…how did you do that?" Flash asked her weakly. They both were lying on the rock pedestal gasping for long awaited precious air. Flash gave her a funny, curious look with his usual mischievous smile playing on the corners of his lips.

"I've done alchemy a few times before," Bo said faintly. "But it only worked when I drew blood because I thought that was the only way I could have equal payment."

"That little cut couldn't have been enough to move earth like you just did," Flash stated the obvious.

"Yeah, I know. It wasn't," Bo said. "But I thought of Akki dying and suddenly it moved like this. Maybe if I remember a past pain I can use it as payment."

Flash gave a small chuckle and said, "You are making no sense to me. Humans are so complicated."

"Complicated?" Bo asked him with a hint of anger in her voice. "Explain."

"Um…" Flash said while fumbling for words.

- ? -

The dark man silently watched the fight unfold before him. His hard, brown eyes took in every move and mistake both sides made. The Marauders fought ruthlessly, but it was clear to the man who was the good drivers, which were the Elves of Spargus.

The doors to the fortress opened up and out came a few more vehicles to join in on the fight against the enemy attacking their city. The man on the cliff spotted one dun buggy ridding towards him. He kept watching the fight with little curiosity in his eyes.

The lone vehicle gained ground quickly, and in seconds, was roaring past the man. The guy didn't flinch or even blink as he almost got run over. He kept his hands in the pockets of his black trench coat that flapped behind him in the wind.

The dun buggy stopped behind the mystery man. "Yes?" the man asked the driver behind him. "You called."

The driver jumped out of his seat and gracefully landed on the sandy rock next to his vehicle. He stood up straight and tall while pulling his hood off his head. His sharp, violet eyes landed on the man before him. He walked up next to him and looked at the event going on a few miles away with as much interest as if it was a fly.

"Him," the Elf finally said while pointing to a dun buggy that just took out another vehicle that had belonged to a Marauder.

"Him?" the other man asked with some small surprise in his voice. "He is a teen. Useless and boring to kill."

"I want him alive," the driver said simply.

"That's new," the man stated.

"I'll give you a day, Marek. Do you need more time?"

"No," Marek answered calmly. "This will be fairly easy." There was some silence as only the faint sound of machine guns and rockets sounded from the battle far away from the two men. "He's a good driver," Marek pointed out.

"Yes," the Elf said with a nod. "He should be." More silence between the two. "I expect a lot from you because you're Human," the man finally said while pulling his hood back on. "Don't disappoint me."

"When have I ever let you down, Marcus? You will see the young boy at your door step alive and well tomorrow," Marek said. "Don't forget the money."

"I won't," the Elf said before climbing back into his vehicle. He started up his dun buggy and right before riding off into the night he said to Marek with a sly smile, "Remember. Alive."

"We'll see," Marek muttered as he kept his eyes pinned on the battle. He frowned deeply as the dun buggy drove away behind him. He stayed there in the same position till he couldn't hear the vehicle anymore. "Well kid," the Human muttered to himself. "You must be of some importance to Marcus if he wants you alive."

Marek let himself express a hint of a smile as he started to casually walk down the sand bank with his hands still in his pockets. The whole time he watched the battle with unwavering eyes. He then looked to the doors off to the side. It was the main entrance into the city. It would be his ticket in.

The man took out a cigarette from his trench coat pocket along with an old Earth lighter. He lit the cigarette with a small flick of his thumb then put the lighter away. He blew a small smoke ring into the dark air as he kept walking.

"Too easy."

A/N: Sorry if the chapter is kind of short. I'm sure this fic will pick up on the next chapter. I just spent a lot of time on my Teen Titan fic and didn't have a lot of time to do this fic. I hope this was enough of a cliffhanger to keep you guys coming back for more to read. The next chapter will be up on New Years day! It will be my first update of the year! Merry Christmas everyone! Please give a review! Thanks!