Chapter Two: When We Wake Up
'Keep your eyes clear and focused...for if you can't see the trust then where are the lies?'
-The Precursor Scrolls of the Enlighten, Volume I
Eyelids flashed open and revealed a pair of pale blue eyes with pupils dilated and hungry for light. Groaning softly as he sat up he noticed he was on one of the bunk beds and he was half-naked. Staring at the tattoos that lined his chest he traced a section with his finger and realized that was the exact line Hazel traced. Shivering slightly at this he remembered what happened last night….
Getting up quickly, the rebel checked if the coast was clear before taking off the rest of his clothes. Grabbing a dry towel that hung on the ladder of the bunk bed, he wrapped it around his waist loosely. Making a quick left he pushed open the door to find himself in the bathroom. The lights were shinning brightly, making him wince in pain as he suddenly preferred the darkness. Shivering violently as his feet touched the cold floor he made his way to an empty shower. That is when he realized that the shower next to him was running.
"I heard what happened last night." a voice from the stall beside him broke through the sound of running water. Torn tossed his towel on the thin wall, which separated himself and the person next to him. Allowing the warm water to hit his body he sighed and began to debate if he should reply.
"If you're wondering if you can do anything to help…you're wrong. I talked to Crew and all he could tell me was that the regular people came in…all that was new was that Errol was flirting with Tess. Sorry Jak…but it's just hopeless." Torn replied in his gruff voice as he began to scrub the dirt and sweat off.
"That's where you're wrong. Daxter and I could go to the palace and see if she's with Errol. I mean, we are going up there anyway to have a look around…" Jak replied but was soon being yelled at by Daxter.
"Wait? What? Me? I have things to do…and there is no way I am going near that slime-ball Errol." the rodent yelled fiercely as Torn heard him patter off away from the showers.
"We'll go after I'm done with my shower…we'll report back to you around noon." Jak laughed softly as Torn heard Jak's shower quite down and stop. With that said the young man left with his towel, leaving Torn silent in the water. It was possible Errol was behind this madness. Reaching for the knob he turned the water off and slowly grabbed his towel. Everything was going all wrong…it was just his luck.
"Shut up Dax…I'm climbing as best as I can." the yellow-haired young man snarled as he heard another sarcastic comment from Daxter. The wind whipped his body viciously as he finally reached the top of the tower. "When we bring Praxis down…remind me to add more elevators." he growled as he made his way toward a part of the ceiling made up of clear glass.
Peering down he spotted Praxis talking to Asheline, confusion penetrated his mind as he remembered her helping him…the Underground. So why was she with Praxis? A spy? Frowning, he made his way toward a vent and gracefully shot the vent with his Blaster gun, which unceremoniously landed on Daxter who chose to get of Jak's shoulder a few seconds ago.
"Come on, Dax. This is no time for a nap." Jak teased as he clambered into the vent. It was a tight squeeze but he managed to slither himself through. But the main problem was the temperature…it was freezing. Already he could feel his blood turning into ice but he ignored the temptation to turn back. "Daxter…get up here and lead the way." Jak stammered and he quickly felt the rodent's fur brush against his hand and face.
"Fine…I'll find our Errol, just go outside. You are beginning to resemble an ice cube." Daxter muttered as he got on all four and began to bound through the passageways. Jak sighed with relief and inched himself out of the vent. Falling roughly on his back he moaned in pain before sitting up and waiting for his friend to return.
It was unpleasant in the vents; mold and dust grew in the corners that threatened to lunge at Daxter. But was more unpleasant was the voices that traveled from all the vents to reach Daxter. They all seemed like whispers; some were talking of overthrowing the Baron while others talked of their bets for the next race and some talked about lust. It was sickening. After what seemed like hours, Daxter peered into what seemed like Errol's quarters and gasped when he saw a gruesome sight.
"I can rip you into shreds and feed your remains to the rest of the Krimzon Guards. Tell me…tell me if you value your life! Where is he? Where is he hiding?" Errol roared with pure rage as he had a battered and bleeding girl pinned down on the bed. A hysterical laughter broke out from the girl, catching Errol off guard. "Do you think this is funny? I can tear your tongue in two and hand it to the Baron as a gift. Is this really funny, Hazel?" he spoke savagely as Daxter noticed the large cut on Errol's right arm and the large scar on his tattooed chest.
"Yes, I find this oddly funny." she smiled as she felt herself being tossed roughly on the ground. The Ottsel cringed as he saw the hot blood that now drenched the floor and her body. This was definitely Errol's doing, what surprised Daxter the most was that she was still alive. Daxter pried himself away from the scene as things began to take an odd twist. Frowning, the rodent dashed back toward Jak to see him back at the window-like ceiling. Hopping on Jak's shoulder he remained silent and waited for Jak to ask him what he found.
Heading toward the elevator Jak found on the roof top, Jak looked at his companion and asked how it went. "Hazel is alive. She's with Errol…just like what you said before. But it is horrible, in my opinion. Errol is just beating her to death until she spills out the Underground's secrets." Daxter recalled and was awarded with Jak giving him a dark look.
"Let's go back to Torn and tell him about Hazel. I just hope Torn doesn't have any feelings for her...for she might not live to see tomorrow." Jak replied as they reached out and felt raindrops crash on their heads. Quickly kicking a man off his zoomer, they speed through the heavy traffic toward Torn.
"How did things go? Did you find her?"
"Well, we found her but she seemed to be busy at the time being." Daxter replied as he jumped up on the table. Torn gave a questioning look and turned his gaze on Jak for an answer.
"Daxter saw Errol threatening her for the location of you, I suppose. But she just laughed and was abused by Errol once more. Or so what Daxter told me on the ride back here. I'm just surprised she's still breathing." Jak replied painfully and watched Torn collapse on the chest sitting in the corner.
Torn took a deep breath and leaned his head against the wall as he searched his memories for an answer. "She's toying with the devil." Torn spoke out in his scratchy voice as he closed his eyes and managed to crack a small smile. "I'm not sure if it's for the Underground's benefits or Errol's." he added as he opened his eyes to stare at Jak, expecting him to ask about his comment.
To his surprise it was Daxter who asked, "What do you mean?" Torn tilted his head slightly to the left, motioning them toward Errol's picture on the wall. Getting up, Torn paced silently before Errol's picture and paused before it.
"She was a Commander at the time being and was well-known for her 'dirty' tactics. Don't ask me what I mean by 'dirty' tactics…you'll find out sooner or later. Anyway, she was leading an assault on the Underground a year back with Errol as her second-in-command.
The assault was victorious and the Underground lost thirty men and their spirit to continue in this war. From what I heard from Sig, they lost there selves in alcohol and had quite a session out back. Ever since then they have never been separated…and I mean that literally. They either had their lips connected or their pelvises.
A month passed and Hazel caught a glimpse of the dark eco injections. Errol was in charge…as you already know, Jak. She watched as a young child die before her eyes as dark fluids poured out of the girl's eyes. That is when she suddenly left and joined the Underground. Before she left, she gracefully got in a fight with Errol and slashed his chest with her dagger. Our spirits were replenished when she joined the Underground until now…it seems Errol found her. What you saw in Errol's room is not even close of what those two are truly capable of. If they wanted they could of both killed each other right there on the spot." Torn finished sourly as he glared at Errol's picture.
"Hazel seems like quite the woman… Jak why is it we never truly got to meet her? Torn…so tell us what's her 'dirty' tactics are." Daxter grinned slyly as he rubbed his paws together but Jak just smacked the rodent on the head before looking up at Torn.
"What do you want us to do?" Jak asked as his eyes narrowed at Errol. It was Errol who found him when he first reached this god-forsaken place…it was Errol who made his life hell. "I'm willing to bash his head in…" Jak offered as he felt the anger inside of him shimmer.
Torn still didn't fully trust Jak…he still had proving to do and so he lied easily, "Nothing. We just have to wait, in the mean time I need you to go help Vin out. Be careful Jak…these times are getting more dangerous by the second." Before Jak could reply, Daxter answered in a sarcastic tone, "Yes, we know. We'll try not to get seduced and beaten by Errol along the way."
Torn watched the Ottsel and the yellow-haired young man march off. Torn grasped his new communicator and spoke softly into it, "They are heading off toward Sector B-12. Keep a close eye on them…I'm going to see if Hazel's communicator is on."
His communicator crackled in response, "Yes sir." With that Torn licked his lips and carefully called for Hazel. He prayed there would be a response…she might need back up or help. But then Daxter's and Jak's story rang through his ears and he almost hesitated….what if he blew her cover? Maybe this was all a trap?
"Hazel? Are you there?" Torn spoke out savagely and waited impatiently for a response. All he could hear was laughter…cold, dripping laughter that echoed through his ears. "Hazel?" he asked again as his eyes stared at crackling fire, something was wrong as usual.
More laughter was heard followed by a cruel and unfeeling voice that whispered into the communicator, "Hmm? I'm sorry; Hazel isn't available for the time being. She's to busy screwing around." Torn felt his right eye twitch with frustration, he was talking to a bloody bastard called Errol.
Torn turned his back toward the door and failed to hear it open and close quietly. Before Torn could threaten Errol a soft voice whispered into his ear. "Loose something?" the voice asked as a slender arm wrapped around his chest. Torn turned his head slightly to gaze into the face of a Commander of the Krimzon Guard.
His communicator crackled and died as he dropped the machine on the cold ground. Muttering a few curses he fully turned around and broke out of the hold he was in. There before him was a fully-armored Krimzon Guard; in a flash he had the guard pinned on the floor with a dagger raised and ready to plunge through the guard's exposed neck.
"Torn…it's…me." the guard gasped as Torn's knee was becoming heavier on it's chest. Torn frowned and cautiously took the helmet off to stare into a pair of green eyes. "Now…get off. You're hurting me." the guard gasped again and sighed in relief when Torn got off.
"Hazel…I thought you were with Errol? Are you alright?" Torn asked as his eyes went up toward the door. Slowly getting in a sitting position the blood and the tattoos on her face gave her a darker appearance. A tattooed line that ran down from her left eye to her neck was lined with small scratches and bruises.
"I was with him…until he failed to escort me to the bathroom. I found a KG sitting in front of the entrance so I decided to try his armor on and leave. Erol still thinks I'm in the palace. Just a few cuts and bruises in all…but I'm fine." she gave him a lopsided grin.
"Good…because you are in deep shit with me." Torn suddenly snarled as he shoved her roughly on the ground again. "Do you know how many major missions were put on hold because of you? We thought you were still alive and somewhere in the area. Then Crew…he had a bitch fit at me because all his eco shipment were destroyed! Then to top it all off, five of my best men had a run in with some guards because they were in a restricted zone looking for you!" Torn spat at her with blind rage as his eyes were now narrow slits.
"Well…at least no one died." Hazel replied softly as she looked away from the furious rebel. She could feel his hot breath brush against her cheek as a deadly chuckle came out of his lips.
"Those five men are dead, Hazel. The blood is on your hands." he whispered savagely. Gradually getting off of her, he stood up and towered over the former Commander of the Krimzon Guards. "You have proving to do…and I expect to hear the whole story tonight. After your mission…I want you to meet me at the Hip Hog Saloon." he countinued as he sheathed his dagger.
"But I just got back!" she exclaimed but cringed when she saw his death glare that seemed to burn holes in her pride.
"Deal with it. Clean yourself up; two of my newest recruits will be here shortly. Then you will all head off and complete your mission." Torn snapped back as he watched Hazel head toward the bathroom. Leaning down, Torn picked up his communicator and headed toward his usual spot by the table.
A few minuets passed and Hazel was standing before Torn with her helmet tucked underneath her arm. Jak and Daxter strolled in loudly, making Torn growl fiercely at the two…but they avoided his stare and countinued to laugh in pure bliss.
"I swear, Vin is blind as a Metal Head! It was in his pocket the whole time!" Jak rolled his eyes and recalled the man scurrying around in search of his remote.
"I know I was this close to- whoa another woman in uniform! Mmhmm. This is my lucky day." Daxter grinned as he spotted Hazel still in her KG uniform. Torn sighed in distress and broke through Daxter's old pick-up lines, "As you now might know…this is Hazel."
"Didn't we just see you at the palace though? How did you escape?" Jak asked curiously as he shifted his weight to his other side. This all seemed a bit confusing unless Daxter also is seeing things like Vin.
"She can tell you later…for right now we have more important matters to attend too. As you know, Vin is unable to access the main elevators, security and doors in the palace. So I need you two and Hazel to capture and interrogate the Head of Security. He should be somewhere near Sector B-2… Oh, Jak and Daxter…I need to talk to you…alone" Torn broke through once more as he felt himself becoming more irritated as the day went forth.
"I'll wait outside." Hazel murmured as she made her way outside and away from the still boiling Torn. Satisfied when the door slid shut he frowned at the still drooling Daxter, due to Hazel, and the silent yellow-haired man beside him.
"I just want to give you two a heads up. She's dangerous…and you will finally get to see what her 'dirty' tactics are. It's a horrid- just be prepared for what you will see." Torn spoke out in his rough voice as he turned his back to them.
"You can count on us." Daxter grinned as he placed his paws on his hips in a defiant pose. Torn scoffed and seemed to feel Daxter's stupid grin boring into the back of his neck.
"Are you still here?" Torn replied in a tone that told the two to go or come out alive with scars on their faces. He turned back around when he heard the door slide shut once more…that was when he realized that he was once again alone. Tracing his jaw line with his index finger he leaned against the wall and cursed his past and Hazel's.
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