Corad: Howdy again ppls! I'm finally updating again...thank god...thanks to everyone who reviewed! It's the reviews that keeps me writing. So thanks guys! Also, one of my kind reviewers is right on her theory! And, I would like to say the wolves name...but I kinda can't right now...you'll see why soon ok. But thanks for reading this and reviewing! Now, this is the next chapter. I hope it's ok for you all, so enjoy.
Don't own...them...I've said this how many times? Oh well, gotta do it I suppose...Chapter 26 – The Search Party
"Alright, get up! We have to set out as soon as possible." Torn's voice rang throughout the silent underground base early the following morning, waking both Jinx and Daxter. "Come on! Move it!" he spat, slamming his fist down on the desk he was standing by.
"Why so early?" Jinx mumbled, rolling over in his bunk bed and glaring at Torn through sleepy eyes. "It's not like the boy would be in any mortal danger or anything," he continued, yawning widely and rubbing his eyes to get the sleep out of them. Torn growled and approached his bed.
"We need to find him, before he dies of dehydration. He could be anywhere out there, so the sooner we get outta here, the better chance we'll find him…alive…" Torn replied, putting his hands on his hips, and staring at Jinx and then towards the Ottsel who was just beginning to stir.
"W-what time is it? God Tattooed Wonder…can't you let us sleep?" Daxter asked, sitting up and stretching. Torn rolled his eyes, before heading back to his desk. He looked around the paper littered surface, and pulled out his holster belt with his two hand guns in them.
"Ok rat…like I just told Jinx. If we don't head out now, while it's still cool out there, we have no chance finding Jak 'til he's as good as dead. Got it?" Torn muttered, putting his holster around his waist, and buckling it in place. "If you'd rather sleep than find your best friend, then that's fine. But I'm leaving shortly," he finished, rummaging around some of his shelves on the wall for a bottle. He found an empty one, and filled it with water.
"Ok…ok…I'm up," the Ottsel sighed, dragging himself out of bed and wandering to the centre of the room. He was soon followed by Jinx, who stood next to him. "Are we splitting up, or what?" Daxter asked suddenly, and Torn glared down at him, while strapping on what looked like his communicator to his wrist.
"Good idea Daxter…Jinx, you take the spare zoomer parked out the front. We'll head out separately, for a better chance of finding him. Here…take this and who ever shall find Jak first, tell the other. Understood?" Torn asked, handing Jinx a spare communicator. Jinx took is grudgingly, and stuffed it into his belt. "Ok…Dax, you commin' with me, or going with Jinx?" Torn said, grabbing his full water bottle and heading to the exit of the underground.
"I think I'll go with you Torn…" Daxter replied, seeing the not-so-happy face of Jinx as he followed Torn up the stairs. Once the three were outside, Torn indicated to a parked, single seated zoomer, towards the end of the alley way. Jinx cursed under his breath as he passed Torn and Daxter, before leaping onto the seat and starting up the engine.
"Come on…let's get moving," Torn muttered, striding over to his Hellcat parked beside the zoomer with Jinx upon it. "Good luck in finding him. Be armed at all times…and…" Torn said, looking down at Daxter briefly, before continuing. "Even if you do find Jak… and he's…gone…bring him back anyway," Torn murmured, finding it difficult to say those words. He feared it hadn't come to that. He knew Jak was strong and had a good sense of survival, but the wasteland was no place for even the experienced. He knew of that himself.
"Whatever," Jinx spat, revving up the engine, before flooring the zoomer, and speeding out of view. Torn sighed, before getting into his blue Hellcat, and starting up the ignition. Daxter leapt into the front seat beside Torn, and looked up at him, his face full of worry.
"You…didn't mean that, did you? I mean, Jak is still…alive…isn't he?" the Ottsel asked, fear overriding his voice. Torn sighed again, and didn't answer Daxter. He focused instead of finding Jak, not thinking of what may have happened to him. Torn flipped a switch on the hellcat controls, and it began to rise steadily. Once the hellcat had gained enough height, Torn too floored the pedal, and the car began flying quickly over the slums.
The wind whipped at both Torn's and Daxter's faces as they sped on. Jinx was nowhere in sight, and Torn just hoped he was already over in the wasteland. "When we do find him Daxter, remind me to tell Jinx. We don't want to lose him either to the desert," Torn muttered loudly, as the walls of the city boundary came into view. Daxter grunted in reply, before they both fell silent. The city walls were below them now, and Daxter took a quick glance at Torn, to see how he was handling the situation.
Torn however, just kept his face blank and focused in front of the hellcat. Seeing no reassurance, Daxter gazed down to the ground, 8 meters below them. He figured he should just keep a look out for his friend. The duo spent the next hour or so just flying around, searching desperately for Jak in the dunes of sand. With no luck, they kept searching in the heat.
"Where is he?" Torn hissed after ages of silence. He slammed his fist down on the dashboard of the hellcat, and yelled out in fury. "Damn Jak! I should have been with him. Maybe none of this would have happened," he said quietly, more to himself that to the Ottsel beside him.
"It's not your fault Tough guy. Even if you had come, it wouldn't have changed anything," Daxter said, trying to get Torn to snap out of it. Torn growled, but kept his mind on the task. Some more time had passed slowly, before Torn's communicator began to beep. The elf slowed down the hellcat, and landed it roughly on the ground, before flicking his communicator on. He held his wrist to his mouth, and spoke loudly into it.
"Yes? Any luck!" he yelled, and he was met by Jinx's voice, sounding harsh and dry. "Yes, I've found him Torn. Not looking so good I'm afraid," he replied. Torn looked up and felt the blood in him go cold. "Where are you!" he spat, and it was a while before Jinx replied.
"I'm…about 17 miles from the city wall, heading North West. I can see…Spargus chimney in the far distance…um…a whole bunch of large rocks to one side…I remembered passing a small stream about 3 miles ago. Please, try and get here quick," Jinx said, before the communicator went dead. Torn cursed loudly, and slammed his foot on the accelerator, the hellcat speeding up rapidly and tearing sand up behind it from the force.
"Keep a look out for some large rocks or a stream Daxter!" he yelled, and the two kept scanning the sand below as they traveled further and further into the wasteland. A short while later, they flew over a stream, and Torn turned the hellcat to face North West before flooring the gas again. It wasn't long until the two could see some large rocks up ahead, and as they passed by them, they saw a parked zoomer, with a figure kneeling down in the sand.
"Good, we're here," Torn muttered, slowing down the hellcat and lowering it gradually to the ground. He switched off the engine once the hellcat was parked, and leapt out, running over to Jinx's hunched back. "How is he?" he said, breaking through the silence as he approached his comrade. Jinx turned around, and gazed up at Torn, shaking his head.
"Not too good. Torn, the sooner we get him back to the city, the better. God knows how long he's been out here," Jinx muttered, gazing back down to the unconscious form of Jak. Torn growled lowly, and kneeled down beside him, taking his bottle of water and removing the lid. He began to pour some water across Jak's face, and smiled in relief when the boy began to stir.
"Jak…Jak, can you hear me?" Torn asked gently, prodding Jak in the arm. Jak grunted in return, and opened up one dazed eye. "Thank god…ok, Jinx. You take Daxter Back to the city. I'll take Jak with me in the hellcat. Help me put him in, will ya," Torn said, replacing the lid on his bottle and tossing it over to his parked hellcat. Jinx stood up, and grabbed Jak's arms, while Torn took hold of his legs. Together, they moved Jak to the Hellcat, and managed to seat him inside.
"Ok…Dax, go with Jinx. We'll meet back at the city," Torn stated, getting into the hellcat after picking up his water bottle. He switched the engine on, and raised the car to a driving height, before putting his foot down. The hellcat sped up, and the long journey back to the city took place.
"See ya there!" Jinx yelled, zooming past Torn with Daxter grasping onto his back just to stay on. The two were almost out of sight, and Torn just wished that Jinx would have shown some common sense and kept within range, just incase he was needed again. Torn rolled his eyes at the thought, before looking over at Jak, who was sweating vigorously. "Here Jak…have some of this," Torn said, picking up the water bottle from the floor and handing it to Jak. Jak took it gratefully, and gulped down some water so fast that he began to choke.
"It's not a good idea to drink that fast Jak," Torn muttered, watching as Jak drank more and more of it. Jak ignored him however, like he always did. Instead, he sat back in the seat, complaining of a stomachache. "I wonder why!" Torn mused sarcastically after Jak had tossed the empty bottle to the ground.
"Geez…what were you thinking last night anyway? You could have been killed," Torn said finally, as the city wall came into view at last. "It's a miracle you're still alive Jak," he finished, but was met by an angry grunt.
"I told Jinx I had to be back by dark. It was his fault…if he'd just let me head out earlier, instead of waiting…god, it's his fault," Jak said hoarsely, his head aching painfully. "I can't remember what exactly happened…I remember fighting with a wolf…she was strong, a brown color…she was one hell of a fighter…and then…I was downed, but, I was taken to a cave…by…someone…I awoke early this morning, and set out…the heat just got to me before…I couldn't carry on walking," Jak muttered, his voice starting to go.
"I'm just glad Jinx found ya. Even if it were his fault this happened…I told him to keep it quiet Jak," Torn said, glancing over at the younger elf whose head was resting peacefully against the seat. "I think it would be a wise idea to talk to Onin Jak…she knows everything about you…and maybe, she can help. Promise me you'll see her," he murmured, but Jak had passed out. Torn sighed, and drove to the city, as Jak rested.
Corad: Yeah...another chapter done...so, was that one ok? I hoped it was...I'd like any reviews guys if you have the time...it's what keeps me writing...I think I already said that, didn't I?...nyeh...anyhow, I'm gonna update again soon. Right now I'm controlling certain internet rage...took me ages just to update that palace stories fic...ggggrrrrr...well, see yas later guys!
