Chapter XXXVII: The Final Race

LES: The date in Jak's world is October 3, 2269! Less than a mouth until Jak's death date!

Jak: You're really enjoying this, aren't you?

LES: Maybe. To kill, or not to kill. That is the question! And, on another note, you won't believe how long I've been planning this chapter! I've been planning it since before I began writing this story! And, believe me, it's a lot different than it originally was.

The final race was today, and Jak knew it. People had been talking of nothing else for a week. Everyone in the Underground was placing bets as to who would win. Of course, Erol had no one betting for him. Even though he had won the race many times before, people were hoping that he'd lose.

"So, who do you think will beat Erol?" One man asked Jak. (No one except Keira, Daxter, Samos, Erol, and that assassin knew that Jak raced under the alias 'Seth')

"That Seth guy." Jak said instantly, with the merest hint of a smile. "He definitely has what it takes to beat Erol.

"Yeah!" Daxter piped up. "He's cooler and has more girls…"

"Shut up." Jak hissed.

"Right."

It was time for Jak to get to Keira's garage. So Jak got up and calmly walked out of the Underground Hideout to get over to the garage unnoticed.

Jak and Daxter walked into the Garage to find Samos waiting for them. "Jak, Keira will be here in a minute, but she wants you to get into your racing outfit." Samos pointed at the blue racing outfit on the bench.

Jak grabbed them and went into another room to change.

Jak walked back out into the Garage in the blue racing uniform a while later just in time to see Keira come out from behind the curtain. Both Jak and Keira were careful not to make eye contact.

"So, what's behind the curtain?" Jak asked, staring firmly at the silhouette behind the curtain.

"Okay, I'll show you guys what I've been working on if you promise not to laugh." Keira said, glaring at Daxter.

"Oh! I love surprises! And I love to laugh!" Daxter said. "Show me! Show me!"

Keira pushed back the curtains and Jak stared at what was behind them. "I've been using old artifacts to make a replica of our crashed Rift Rider machine." Keira said. Indeed, it was an exact replica of the very machine that had sent them into the future in the first place. "We can use this to get back home." She said, patting the metal frame with more than a little pride in her voice.

"That's my girl!" Samos exclaimed proudly.

"But I'm still missing a few pieces." Keira continued.

"Figures." Samos grumbled.

"I haven't managed to find a Time Map. And I need that red energy gem that history books call the 'Heart of Mar'." Keira said. "And I've looked in every book on Precursor history that I can find, but the Rift Ring seems to have vanished into thin air."

"You did all this?" Jak asked, amazed. Then he trailed off. "I mean… er… that's useful."

Daxter groaned. "Please! Will you two quit moping around and make up all ready?"

Jak chose to ignore Daxter's comment. "I've seen that Heart of Mar gem. Krew has it. Don't worry, Keira, I'll get those artifacts."

Suddenly, the speakers shrieked as the computer voice came on-line. "Attention all drivers, the Class One Championship Race is about to begin. Kindly report to the race track."

"Well…" Jak sighed. "Here goes… the Race of my life."

Keira suddenly had a flashback of the day Tigran had died. He had said the same exact thing before he walked to the track and the race that would end with him dead, burned, and nailed to the concrete floor of the track.

"Jak, wait!" She said suddenly. Jak stopped, but didn't turn around. "I just want you to know… well… you're the best racer I've ever seen. And… well… please be careful."

"Jak's the best racer?" Daxter demanded. "Hey! What about me? I helped get us here!"

"Do you want to drive?" Jak asked, looking down at his rodent friend.

Daxter's face blanched. "Against that crazy loon, Erol? No way! You've got the handlebars, brother! And you'd better keep us alive or I'll never speak to you again… obviously…"

"Leave 'em in the dust, Jak!" Keira said.

In Erol's garage, the Commander was meeting with his personal assassin. "Eleven's grown too bold for his own good." Erol said. "I'm changing your assignment. I'm putting a hit on him now."

The assassin grinned behind his black mask. "Finally."

"Do you remember that racer I had you take care of several years ago?"

"Tigran?" The assassin asked.

"Yes. Do you think you could maybe recreate that 'accident'?" Erol asked. "It was quite a shot. Could you do it again?"

"I've improved over the years." The assassin said, shouldering his rifle. "It will be a piece of cake."

"Haha!" Erol laughed. "Now this is what I call killing two moncaws with one stone. I'll get rid of the Dark Eco Freak, and if Keira cares about him as much as I suspect, it will destroy her life. She'll come crying to me, begging me to help her."

"Very good, sir." The assassin said automatically.

"You just make sure that the Freak is dead before he crosses the finish line, and I'll make you a rich man." Erol said.

The assassin saluted. Now they were talking money, now he really had the assassin's attention. "You can count on me, sir."

Jak walked out onto the track, fully disguised, and was instantly confronted by Erol. "You fool, you actually came." Erol spat. "You know, you're going to end up just like your predecessor if you don't lose your cockiness."

Jak recalled the name of the man who raced for Keira before him. "What do you know about Tigran's death?" He demanded.

"I know a lot more than anyone else." Erol said, lowering his voice so that only Jak could hear him. "Seeing as I'm the one who ordered him killed."

Jak blinked. "Tigran wasn't killed. There was an accident on the track. His zoomer exploded, Keira told me."

"Oh no, it wasn't an accident by a long shot. My person assassin, you've met him, is a great shot. He was able to hit the gas tank of the zoomer."

"The gas tank?" Of coarse! Shooting the gas tank of a zoomer would cause an explosion. "So… you're responsible for Tigran's death!"

"Not only Tigran's death, but Bease's as well. I actually killed him myself, right in his own garage." Erol said. Jak recognized the name of the man who ran Bease Racing before Keira.

"You're an evil, sadistic bastard, you know that?" Jak stated.

"I try." Erol said. "But, the best part of Tigran's death was watching Keira cry over her dying boyfriend's body."

"Boyfriend?" Jak asked, confused.

"Why yes, we all know that she was rather… fond of him. She kissed him as he lay dying. And he told her continually that he loved her." Erol paused. "What? Didn't she tell you?"

Jak couldn't speak. But one thought played over and over in his dazed mind. Keira had a boyfriend while I was in prison? Jak couldn't take it anymore. He turned and walked over to the racer that waited for him. Jak got on, and Erol got on the one next to him.

"I'm not done with you yet!" Erol hissed. "I want more than just to win, Eco Freak! I want you!"

"Okay, that's just wrong." Daxter said loudly, so some of the other racers heard too. "If you're after that, the least you could do is buy him a drink!"

Jak gagged loudly and Erol blanched.

And then Praxis, on a floating podium hovered just above the track. "Welcome to the four hundred and fiftieth annual Haven City Racing Championship to take place this day of October 3, 2269! And greetings racers! Today, your nerve and skill will be tested for our amusement! If by some small chance, one of you manages to beat our Grand Champion, Erol, you will be awarded a month's supply of Eco and a short tour of my Palace!" Then Praxis added in an undertone. "To see how the other half lives…" Then louder. "Good luck, and die bravely! Ready! Get set!" Jak and Erol leaned forward in anticipation. "Go!"

Every racer shot forward, but Jak and Erol got to the head of the pack almost instantly. "You'll never win, Freak!" Erol yelled.

"I'll win… or die trying!" Jak yelled back, using a boost to get ahead of Erol.

It was the fifth lap, and everyone had crashed or was dead except for Jak and Erol. They appeared just about evenly matched, neither seemed able to hold to top spot for long. It was only a short distance to the finish line and Jak was slightly ahead.

Up in the stands, the assassin watched the Eco Freak approach the finish line. It was now or never. The assassin raised the weapon…

Jak watched the finish line draw closer in slow motion. Erol was slightly behind him… he was winning and nothing was going to stop him now… except…

Jak suddenly got the strangest feeling that he was in danger. He didn't know what it was, but something was definitely wrong…

The assassin aimed and shot a single bullet that was right on target…

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a voice yelled, "TURN!" Right into Jak's ear. Jak was so surprised that he jerked the handlebars. He happened to zoom right into Erol.

"What the…" Erol instinctively slammed on the brakes to avoid a collision.

Jak didn't know that he had dodged at just the right time. The bullet had hit the armor of the zoomer and bounced off harmlessly. The danger feeling disappeared and Jak pulled back on course. He left Erol far behind and crossed the finish line in first place.

Jak slammed on the brakes. "You did it! You did it!" Daxter yelled.

Jak's heart was soaring. The entire stadium was cheering madly for him. Sure, they wouldn't be doing that if they knew who he really was, but it felt good all the same. His eyes scanned the crowd. Keira was screaming her head off in the manager's box, but then Jak remembered what Erol had said to him before the race.

But he would talk to Keira later. Praxis floated down, unable to recognize Jak with the helmet. He tossed a Palace pass to Jak, who caught it deftly. Daxter was blowing kisses at random people in the crowd. "I love my public!" He exclaimed.

"Ahh… a brave man of the people. Seth, is it? Congratulations, you are the first man to ever beat Erol in a race. Remove your helmet." At first, Jak thought of doing no such thing, and then Praxis added, in a low voice that only he could hear. "In my world, good men are either bought or broken, so which is it going to be?" Jak frowned angrily.

"Neither." Jak said, removing his helmet. You could hear a collective gasp go around the stadium. Bet none of them expected this.

"What?" Praxis gasped right along with them.

"Just a little closer, Praxis." Jak said. "We need to talk."

"Fool!" Praxis spat. "Don't you get it, Eleven?"

"Why do you persist with this 'Number Eleven' thing?" Jak demanded. "My name is Jak!"

"You aren't worthy of a name! You are a weapon!" Praxis roared. "Don't you get it? It's over! All the heroes died long ago! Only survival remains, by whatever means!"

"Whatever means?" Jak repeated angrily. "If you crack open that stone, you'll kill us all!"

"You still don't understand!" Praxis cried in a fury. "I can do whatever I want! This City is mine! These lives are mine! This war is mine! And in war people die! Kill him!" Several of the guards lowered their weapons to blast Jak into oblivion.

Jak crouched, ready to fight for his life, when a guard looked passed Jak. "Look out!" He yelled. Jak spun around and saw that Erol was racing right at him.

Erol grinned insanely as he aimed to run Jak over. "I win, Jak!" He hissed.

The Dark Elf rolled out of the way just in time as Erol shot past. He was now going straight into the Dark Eco. A split second before Erol impacted, Jak transformed into his Dark self, thereby shielding him from the explosion.

Erol hit the Dark Eco barrels and the whole thing exploded. Dark Jak was protected by his Dark powers, but he could only assume that Erol had not survived. As far as he knew, Erol had no channeling powers of his own. The Dark Eco cleared enough to reveal Erol mask lying on the ground, Erol's body nowhere in sight, and Praxis managed to survive by getting out of the way in time. Praxis pointed straight at the Dark monster. "After him!" He ordered.

Dark Jak looked around for an escape route, for even he couldn't possibly face every guard in the City. Dark Jak leapt up into the stands. People screamed and ran, but Dark Jak paid them no attention. Instead, he ran out into the outside area of the stadium section. Then the demon ran like the hounds of Hades were after him towards the closest hiding place, where he could be safe: the garage. Dark Jak ran in and hid in a small corner.

Suddenly, the door to the track opened and Keira ran in. "Jak!"

Dark Jak, unable to say anything in any normal Elvin language, growled at her, warning her to keep away.

Keira gasped when she saw the thing in the corner. It was the first time she had ever seen the Dark Monster in person. She backed away in fright. "Just stay back!" She ordered. "Don't come near me!"

Dark Jak looked away from her in shame and tried to make himself as small as possible in the corner.

"Don't worry, Keira." Daxter began helpfully. "Jak's got it under control. If he didn't, he'd be out there killing people right now."

It took several minutes, but Dark finally disappeared, leaving only Jak. He got out of the corner, head still hung in shame. He never wanted Keira to see his Dark form.

"I can't stay here for long." Jak said slowly. "It's not safe for me here."

Keira didn't say anything for several moments. Finally, she said. "Come with me."

Jak followed Keira out of the garage,

Keira drove Jak to a small house in the Slums. Jak didn't once say a single word during the ride, but Daxter sure talked enough for the both of them. Jak and Keira jumped out of the two-seater zoomer. Jak eyed the place. "So, what's this?" He asked finally.

"This is Carla's house, where I've been staying for over two years." Keira said. "She's a widow who lost both her husband and her son years ago, but she took me in when I had no where else to go." Keira walked in first, Jak followed quietly behind, with Daxter on his shoulder. "Carla, I've brought someone." Keira called into the house. An older woman walked into the room. She had blonde hair that had streaks of gray in it and blue eyes. "Don't freak." Keira said quietly.

Quite suddenly, the woman called Carla did freak. She pointed right at Jak. "Oh my Precursors! It's him! The murderer!"

Keira interrupted her. "Carla, stop! This is Jak. Remember, I told you about him. Besides, Jak promises that he'll be good, don't you?" She asked, looking at the elf in question.

"What? Oh, sure." Jak said quickly. "Don't worry… er… Carla. I'm not going to kill you or anything."

She looked at Keira. "But… I thought you said that the wanted man wasn't the Jak you knew…?" Carla asked. But Keira remained silent, signaling that she wasn't going to answer her right that moment. "Uh… if you'll excuse me…" She left the room.

"Hey, lady, this is a nice place you've got here." Daxter followed her out of the room. Jak could only hope he wasn't going to flirt with her, she was much too old for him.

This left Jak and Keira alone in the room together. Suddenly, Jak spoke. "How could you?" He asked quietly.

"What?" Keira asked.

"How could you, Keira?" Jak demanded, looking over at her, an angry fire in his eyes. "I heard what you went and did! I was in fucking prison for two damn years and you go off with some man!"

"What are you talking about?" Keira asked, confused.

"You know what I'm talking about!" Jak said. "Tigran! I've heard that relationship went a bit deeper than business."

"How… how did you find out about that?" Keira asked.

"Erol told me, before the race." Jak said. "He said that Tigran said he loved you and that you kissed him when he dying!"

Keira's mouth hung open. "Since when did you believe a single word Erol said?" Keira asked. Jak didn't answer, but glowered angrily. Keira sighed. "You don't understand."

"What don't I understand?" Jak demanded.

"I won't deny that Tigran… had feelings for me. But those feelings were never returned. I never loved Tigran. He was like a brother to me… like you used to be a brother to me. He wanted more than that, but I… never loved him that way."

"Oh yeah? Explain the kiss." Jak ordered.

"Okay… I did kiss him." Keira admitted. "But you've got to understand, Jak! He was dying, it was his final wish. I—I couldn't say no." Jak didn't say anything for the moment. "But don't try to blame all this on me! You were in prison… prison, Jak!"

"Oh yes! I was having the time of my fucking life in there!" Jak yelled sarcastically. "Getting tortured, beaten, almost r…" Jak almost let his terrible secret slip, but he quickly recovered. "And, as an added bonus, I'm going to die soon! Yes, my life is in perfect order!"

"Jak!" Keira yelled to silence him.

But Jak had worked up a steam and he couldn't stop. "I've been through things that would kill you! I am the only survivor! Thousands died before the Dark Warrior program even started, and the rest died slow painful deaths by Dark Eco Poisoning! Only I survived!"

"But you didn't!" Keira yelled, finally making herself heard and Jak stopped shouting. "You did die in prison. I had a dream, Jak, over a year and a half ago… but I never forgot it. In my dream, you told me that you wouldn't survive where ever you were and I'd never see you again."

"Keira…"

"I didn't believe it! I couldn't believe it!" Keira yelled, the beginning of tears in her eyes. "But, now I can only accept it as the truth. I never saw Jak again. He died in prison, not physically, but spiritually and emotionally." Now her face was running with tears.

After a long silence, Jak spoke, but his voice was calmer. "It was a… necessary death. I was young and innocent. You have no idea what happens to young and innocent boys in prison. I had to let that side of me die or I wouldn't have survived, or I would have been more screwed up than I am now."

Keira frowned, then walked up to him briskly. She raised her hand, but the elf was too shocked to react. She swung and slapped Jak as hard as she could across the face.

The Dark elf was in shock. During his life he had been tortured, shot, beaten, electrocuted, eaten, and had been killed in general; but he had never ever been slapped! (Much less by a woman!)

But Jak barely had time to stay in shock over the slap, mainly because of what happened immediately after. Keira then wrapped her other around Jak's neck and pulled the completely surprised elf into a kiss. Only complete and total shock registered for a few moments and Jak didn't think of kissing her back for several seconds. Then, slowly, the initial shock wore off and he began to kiss her back.

Jak's hands moved seemingly on their own, both wrapping around Keira's body to pull her closer.

Then, after what seemed an eternity, the two pulled apart. Silence reigned for several seconds. Finally, Jak spoke. "Okay… what just happened?"

Keira looked just as shocked and surprised as he was. "I—I don't know." She admitted, blushing deeply. "I was just so mad at you and… then…"

"You kissed me." Jak said with a rather wicked grin.

"Er… yeah… I guess I did." Keira said. "But I, for one, rather enjoyed it."

Jak laughed, but not for long as Keira threw herself at Jak once again. The elf, caught off-guard once again, fell down onto the couch as she tackled him.

Keira straddled the young elf, pinning him to the couch. "I've waited a long time for this. Just you and me."

"You friend Carla and Daxter are still in the house." Jak pointed out nervously.

"I don't care." Keira kissed him again. Though Jak wasn't as surprised anymore, he kissed her back. But he couldn't help but wonder how they had gone from arguing to making out in thirty seconds flat. It seemed kind of far-out. But Jak wasn't complaining. Keira pulled away slightly earlier than Jak would have liked, though. "I've really liked you for a long time." She said. "I missed you." Keira embraced Jak, who returned it, somewhat awkwardly. "I've missed you so much, Jak."

"I've missed you too." Jak said.

Suddenly… "Eww! Gross! I leave you two alone for two minutes and you get ideas?" Jak and Keira looked around, and their worst fears were confirmed. Daxter and Carla were standing in the doorway. Daxter had his little arms crossed in disgust and Carla had her eyes firmly averted.

"Nothing happened! I swear!" Jak said, pushing the she-elf off him and getting up off the couch.

"And how can I believe you?" Daxter demanded. "I know how you two are. 'Oh no, we're not madly in love with each other'!"

"What?" Jak demanded, afraid that Daxter was going to tell everyone about his confession.

"Daxter, that's enough." Keira said. "Nothing's happening between Jak and I."

"Not yet, anyway." Daxter hissed, then he looked at Jak. "Jak, buddy, how could you do this to me? You two are friends, and you're both my friends! What if you break up totally mad at each other? Not only will your friendship be ruined, but I'll also be the middleman! And worse, what if you stay together and it becomes embarrassing to be around you guys in public? What then?"

"Shut up, Dax!" Jak yelled desperately. "You're over-reacting! What? Two childhood friends can't hug each other anymore?"

"Not when those two childhood friends have a history of romance." Daxter pointed out.

"Shut up!" Both Jak and Keira yelled, blushing.

"Okay, that's enough!" The woman Carla said suddenly. She rounded on Daxter, who shrunk under her glare. "You! They are quite old enough to decide to date!" Jak blushed more and more. "As long as they consent, they can do anything they want!" Carla swiftly winked at Keira and Jak caught it. He grew more confused.

"Umm…" Jak said, trying to defend himself. "It's not really like that…" Jak began.

"And you!" Carla round on Jak. The Dark Elf involuntarily shrunk as she turned her sights on him. Jak had no idea what it was like to get yelled at by a parent, but if he had to guess, he'd say it was how Carla was yelling at him now. "Quit hiding your feelings! You only have so long… you've got to live now!" Jak shivered, this woman had the effect that Onin had. She seemed to know more than she should. Like she knew that he only had about a month to live.

Jak suddenly grabbed Keira's arm. "I need to talk to you… alone." He led her out of the living room and found his way to a bedroom.

"Jak?" Keira asked, uncertainly.

"No, I don't want what you are thinking about." Jak said, reading her mind. "But I do need to talk to you… about us."

"I don't understand." Keira said as Jak locked the door.

"Keira, you care about me, right?" Jak asked.

"Of course I do." Keira said.

"Don't."

"What?"

"Don't fall in love with me." Jak clarified. "I—I don't have that much longer to live. I can't allow you to hurt yourself like that. If you fall in love with me, and I die, the loss to you would be… unbearable. I can't let you feel that pain. We can't be together… Keira. You care for me too much already."

Keira lowered her eyes. "I understand, Jak." She said sadly.

Jak cupped her cheek with his hand. She looked up at him, tears running down her face.

"I'm sorry." Jak turned and walked out.

Daxter met Jak in the living room. "That was…" He paused. "Fast."

"We talked." Jak said shortly. "We have agreed on something." He glared at Daxter. "We're not getting together. I hope you're happy."

"Is this because of what I said?" Daxter found he suddenly regretted saying those words. "Don't you love her?" He asked quietly.

"It's too late now." Jak said. "Besides, it's because I love her that I can't be with her. It's over." Daxter didn't understand what exactly Jak was saying. It didn't make any sense. He couldn't be with Keira because he… loved her? Where was the logic in that? Jak sighed. "Well, I've still got this." He pulled out the Palace security pass. "Erol is dead, and I can only hope that he felt the pain that Dark Eco causes before it tore his body apart. Praxis is still alive and Krew… I'm getting sick of looking at him." Jak shuttered in disgusted.

"You've got that right." Daxter said, copying Jak's shutter.

"Let's go get Praxis!" Jak hissed. He walked out of the house without ever looking back.

Keira watched him go, tears still running down her face. "It's too late." Keira whispered to Jak's retreating back. "I didn't think I still loved you, but I only love you now more than ever. I love you, Jak."

LES: It's an old Hollywood truth. A long awaited kiss is always better after a good slap! It's so sweet! Believe it or not, the slap wasn't added until I was just about writing it. Then I watched a TV show about greatest TV moments. And about half of TV's greatest kisses were preceded by a slap by one or both of the parties. Also, Jak's refusal to start a relationship came late in the brainstorming sessions too. I decided that Jak wouldn't want Keira to get hurt by his death, so he would push her away. I hope this didn't seem too corny. And if it did, you are reading the wrong story because more will come… eventually…