***Jak's POV ***
Daxter and I returned from The Strip mine, Running into Kor immediately.
"I can't believe it! We were so close! The Baron stole the Precursor stone right out from under us! And after all of our planning and hard work, torn has betrayed the cause." Kor said.
"Torn meant well. He was protecting one of our own." I defended him, knowing that if Zoe found out it was going to get a lot worse for him. He was already on thin ice with her, and I've seen her angry before.
"We must get that stone back." Kor urged.
"we're working on it." I responded.
"Yeah! We're working on it!"
"I've underestimated this Baron, now it has appeared he has taken the boy as well. Think… what would the Baron's next move be…"
"Well, If I had the precursor stone with all that power. I would use it to build a giant palace. A palace with the biggest harem of women the world has ever known and there'd be a swimming pool filled to the brim with chocolate, slightly minty. Yeah, yeah. A massive pool with gooey chocolate. And the the girls and I would jump in together- "But I interrupted Daxter by hitting him in the head. This was serious.
"What?" He asked.
"I want you to go out to the drill platform again. If you could destroy the main control tower there, it should temporarily stop the baron's use of eco to harm us. Take Zoe. She can hack into it. "
"Where is Zoe?" I asked him.
"I thought she went with you." He shook his head.
I sighed. She must've either went to Onin's tent or went after the Kid.
"We might as well go without her. C'mon Dax." I said as he hopped on my shoulder.
"Will she be okay without us?" Daxter asked.
"Yeah dax." I said, hoping I was right.
*****Zoe's POV****
The giant computer loomed in front of me, one monitor displaying the cell block I spent many days in. The other the symbol of the baron, asking for a password. I sighed, looking for a port to put the flash drive. I ducked under the desk and amidst an entanglement of wires, I spotted one. I inserted it, the computer making a noise as I poked my head up. There was about a million files on this thing. I sighed, searching for the Dark warrior project. There must be everything I need on one file, right? I wish my luck would hold out. After about 20 minutes, I found it. Curiosity got the best of me as I opened it. There were three separate files in this one. One which a name attached to it. Jak, my name and one called Rei Acheron. But… it couldn't be. I clicked on it and a whole report popped up. She was test subject number one. The one who started it all. Not Jak. Not Me. She was here for at least 24 years. Being a prisoner for five before escaping and disappearing. But that meant she was probably alive and in the future with us. I closed out the files, and moved them to the flash drive. Once they were, I reached under and grabbed the device, compilating whether or not to just destroy this. It would be easy.
"Hello, Vixen." I heard Erol from behind me. I groaned, turning around. He was holding his gun, pointed at my chest. I quickly went to pull out mine, but he shot it out of my hand.
"We can do this the hard way or the easy way. Come with me, or I will shoot."
"Go to hell." I spat as he fired, I ducking and the bullet hitting the computer behind me. That solved that issue. I then ran at him, he firing again and missing me once again. I swung my leg at the gun and my boot clipped it enough to fling it across the room. He growled, and swung at me. I blocked it with my arm but he punched my stomach, knocking the wind out of me. I coughed, shaking my head and orienting myself before dodging a kick. I punched him back in the face he turning his cheek.
"I won't let you get away this time, Zoe." He spat back, blood on his lip. I put my fists up, ready for another go. He kicked me again, strong enough to knock me back into the computer, alarms going off. I ignored it as he ran at me and tried to punch me, his fist colliding into the keyboard. I activated the dark eco in my arm, firing it at Erol he being pushed away.
"You have to rely on the powers I Gave you! How Pathetic." He laughed, dusting off his armor.
"You gave me a curse, you bastard! I didn't ask for it!" I yelled, activating the other arm and brought my hands together to create another ball of pure concentrated dark eco. The electricity ran down my arms as I threw it at him, he dodging it this time. It did blast a hole in the wall behind him.
"You are powerful! You don't need to be the Dark Sage." He says as I ran at him once again, swinging at him but as he blocked it, he grabbed me and threw me at the ground. He slammed his fist I moving my face away again. I threw both my eco powered arms down in an attempt to mimic Jak's Eco bomb, the ground shaking as it crumbled below us. We both fell, landing in the cell block platform. I rolled, groaning in pain. Erol landed a few feet from me.
"This is getting old!" He yelled out. "Why won't you just stay down!?"
"I was about to ask you the same thing." I managed to get out, slowly standing before I was knocked down and thrown at the metal chair and machinery. I spat out blood and coughed, kicking him again. He stumbled back and growled angrily. I threw eco again, hitting him in the chest and exploding. He slid back. I walked to Erol, he catching my kick and flinging me towards the door. I landed on my back, trying to get up but he placed a boot on my chest.
"Enough. Last chance. Join me or Die." He spoke.
"You know, you keep saying it but I think you won't kill me." I gasped out. He then pulled out a gun, pointing it at my face.
"You'd be surprised. Your Friend will soon meet you in hell, Eco freak. Goodby- oof!" He was soon flung off me by a well-placed kick, landing near the weakened chair. I looked up at my savior.
"A-Ashelin?" I asked, she looking down and puling me up.
"Come on. He won't stay down forever." She said, making sure I could stand. I nodded as we ran out the door, I punching the control panel, effectively locking Erol in the room. But I didn't think he'd stay there. Alarms blared as we ran out the way we came, landing outside within minutes. Once we were in the alley, I collapsed against the wall.
"Are you alright?" She asks me.
"I… I'll be fine. But You saved me. Why?"
"He was going to kill you. Besides, if I didn't, Jak would never let me hear the end of it." She chuckled.
"Fair. Thanks." I breathed; pretty sure he broke a rib.
"anytime. C'mon, I'll drive you to the hideout. It's late and you need a shower."
"We both do." I waved as she helped me on the back of my bike, she taking the driver's seat. we sped off, alarms still going off behind us.
"You get the drive?" She asked.
"No, Ashelin I didn't get my ass kicked just to leave the thing." I said sarcastically.
"No need to be a smartass." She said as we turned a corner.
"There is always a need to be a smartass. But yeah. I got it." I sighed, we stopping in front of the hideout. She helped me in, Torn brooding over the map as always.
"You look like shit, Zoe. What happened?" He asks, confused to see me with Ashelin.
"I lost a fight. What's new?" I asked, passing Ashelin the drive before walking to my room, grabbing clean jeans and my usual pink crop top before getting into the cold shower. The cold water ran over my bruised body and dark marks. I closed my eyes and placed my face against the cold tile, mind reeling. Not only is my mother alive, but somehow, she was in the future. Dad told me she died in an accident with Precursor technology. Then… we were so close to stopping the Baron, and I almost died. I turned the water off, drying my hair and body, dressing my wounds and putting on clothes before going back out to see only Ashelin in the war room, she looking up at me.
"You're looking better. Might want to get some rest. The last race is tomorrow. If your team wins, you'd get to tour the palace, and I'm not sure how'd the baron would react."
"Jak and I will figure it out. We always do." I sighed, she placing a hand on my shoulder.
"I was right in choosing you for this mission. Even though you got hurt."
"It's alright. I get hurt a lot."
"Still, no one deserves to be tortured like you and Jak were."
"and neither did my mother."
"Your… mother?"
"I… saw the name Rei Acheron. That… was my mom's name. I thought she died when I was a little girl."
"I don't know much about that. I'm sorry Zoe."
"It's okay, Ashelin. Not your fault but hey, don't hesitate to call me when you need to."
"So, we're friends now?" She asks.
"If you want to be."
"That sounds nice, Actually." She smiles. "I'll see you tomorrow. Good work tonight, Z."
"Thanks. See ya, Ash." I waved as she disappeared up the stairs, a grin on my face the rest of the night.
***(the next morning) ***
We gathered around the curtain in the garage, ready to see what Keira was working on.
"I'll show you guys what I've been working on if you promise not to laugh."
"Ooh I love surprises and I love to laugh. Show me." Daxter said.
"I've been building a replica of our crashed rift riding machine from old artifacts." Keira says as she pushes aside the curtains. I was… impressed.
"That's my girl!" Samos said.
"But I'm still missing two pieces."
"I'm guessing a time map and something powerful enough to power the rift?" I asked.
"Yeah! How'd you know that?" She asks as I pointed to the wall where two pieces of paper shown the items.
"Oh. Well history books called the artifact the heart of Mar. and I've looked in every book I could find on precursor history but the rift ring seemed to have vanished."
"You did all this? That's… useful." Jak said.
"would you two stop moping around and make up already?" Daxter asked them. I sighed.
"I've seen the heart of Mar. Krew has it."
"Of course, he does. We'll get those two artifacts Keira." I spoke.
Attention all drivers. The class one championship race is about to begin. The announcer said over the loudspeaker, I looking at Jak nervously.
"Well, Here goes. The Race of my life." Jak says, turning away.
"Jak, wait." I said to him, he stopping.
"What is it, Z?" He asks.
"Kick some ass for me, okay?" I smiled, he nodding before I kissed his cheek. "And good luck."
"Hey, what about me? I helped get us here!" Daxter said below us.
"Do you wanna drive?" Jak asked.
"Against that crazy loon Erol? No way! You got the handlebars; brother and you better keep us alive or I will never speak to you again. Obviously."
"Leave em in the dusk, Jak." Keira says as he hops on the blue zoomer, I smiling nervously as he drove off. Keira, Samos and I walked to the stands, I seeing a slightly beat up Erol drive around to pull up beside Jak.
"Greetings, Racers! Today your nerve and skill will be tested for our amusement. If any of you by small chance beat our grand champion Erol, then you will be rewarded a month's supply of eco! Good luck and die bravely. Ready… get set… Go!" The baron announced, the crowd cheering as the racers took off, I watching intently and nervously. This was it. If Jak lost… then we were lost. But I knew he would win.
"Let's see if your project bike can last against Erol." Samos said.
"It can." I said in response. It has to. They rounded the first corner, Jak tailing behind Erol who was in third. He passed two more drivers in the straightaway before turning into the tunnel and disappearing for a split second.
"Look, Jak is keeping up, Daddy. You are seriously underestimating Zoe." Keira said.
"Keeping up is one thing. But if he can pass him is another story." Samos argued as the crowd around us roared as they went into lap 2. Jak in second, Erol in first. I remember telling Jak about the boost and afterburners, possibly being able to slow down that insane racer. I was surprised he got out. But then again this was Erol. No matter how many times I'd faced him, he always came back. Like Me. My side ached, I placing my hand over the bandage.
"You okay Zoe?" Keira asked. I shook my head.
"I'm fine. I uh got in a fight last night." I explained, turning my attention to the race. Erol slipped into a shortcut, Jak on his tail. Attaboy Jak. I gripped the railing, heart racing.
"It better have not been with Torn." Samos said in reference to the fight I mentioned. I shook my head.
"No, no. It was A KG member." I spoke. Technically telling the truth. They finally entered the third lap, the whole crowd on edge. This was it. Krew was gonna lose a lot of money. I could feel it. Jak followed Erol into the shortcut again, they flying out into the straightaway before the finish line. But Jak used the boost, flying over him and landing in front of Erol. He then used the afterburner, spraying the front of Erol's bike and causing him to be blinded temporarily. Keira and I cheered as he crossed the line, winning. The entire crowd went crazy as Jak stopped, waving his arms. I ran down there, not caring and I flung myself at him he catching me. He spun me around. He then caught the badge as the eco floated down he waving more at the crowd.
"Thank you, thank you very much! I love my public." Daxter exclaimed.
"You were awesome!" I said to them both.
"A brave man of the people. And who is this worthy opponent? In my world, good men are either bought or broken. So, which is it gonna be?" Baron Praxis asked, we turning around to face him.
"Surprise." Jak said, a grin on our faces. I crossed my arms.
"Miss us?"
"What?" The baron exclaimed.
"Just a little closer. We need to talk." Jak said angerly.
"Fools! Don't you get it? It's over for you two. All the heroes died long ago only survival remains. By whatever means this city is mine. These lives are mine! This War is mine! And in war people die! Kill them." He says as the Krimzon guards beside them pumped their guns, pointing at us.
"Look Out!" One guard exclaimed as I heard a zommer approach us fast, I pushing Jak and Daxter out of the way just as a Erol tried to hit us, The Baron's platform flying out of the way and Erol running into the Eco. An explosion rang out, Erol's helmet landing a few feet from us.
"You Okay?" I asked from on top of Jak.
"After them!" The baron exclaimed as I pulled Jak and Daxter up, we jumping onto the zoomer and speeding away, into the city.
