Sharok: Um, for multiple reasons, Corad is unable to be here right now...she didn't take our gun threat seriously, so now she's on the run somewhere. If only she'd gotten off her lazy ass sooner...but enough of that, she wanted to thank everyone for their reviews, and also to those who just read it and couldn't be stuffed reviewing. Kinda like me if I could leave reviews...geez I'm lazy (sounds of Erol, Jak and Torn loading guns in Sharok's direction) Errr...I mean...geez I'm lazy...I know she's just happy to have readers. Thanks to MoonClaw too for looking at her pics. She's honored you take up time to have a look :) Now...I think I'll leave it there, and let you all read...
Torn: If Corad seriously owned us, then I'm sure we'd all be on the run from Praxis driving the Ram Rod...now that's a scary sight...
Praxis: (Appears out of nowhere) Did you say my name?
Torn: Errr...no...(does nervous eye thing) Please enjoy
Chapter 40 – Hanging in the Underground
The cheering of the crowd followed Jak and Daxter from the Stadium, as they made their way to the underground. Jak felt he just needed to hang out for a while with Torn and possibly Jinx if he were there. Lately he'd become closer to Jinx, and almost classed him as a friend. It was a scary thought, but it was true.
"Hey Jak, where are you going!" Keira yelled after him, and Jak turned around to see her running up to them both. Jak laughed nervously, and glanced down at the ground, thinking of an excuse. "Well, Dax and I…we just need to hang out for a little bit…you know, with the guys," Jak replied, looking up into her eyes. She nodded, before wishing him a good bye, and stalked off. Jak figured she was a little hurt after he'd left so suddenly. But right now he couldn't really care. He needed to get out of the spotlight.
"Wait up, freak!" Jak turned his head towards Keira's retreating back, and spotted Erol strolling forward, a big sneer on his face. Jak laughed loudly when he realized Erol had faint mascara marks under his eyes, but managed to control himself soon after.
"What do you want?" Jak asked, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow. Erol stopped short in front of him. "Take me with you. Ashelin says I need to be under your eye 24/7, so take me along," he said in a demanding tone, and Jak snorted.
"Yeah right! Torn will kill you! He hates you Erol, if you've forgotten. If I were you, I'd head back to the Naughty Ottsel and look after Skytha…you didn't leave her alone, did you?" Jak asked in concern, surveying Erol closely. Erol shrugged, and muttered something about her looking for her brother.
"Erol! She's not allowed out! If she's found near another murder, or seen causing trouble, she'll be kicked out!" he snapped angrily, feeling rage rising up in the pit of his stomach. He could hear Dark screaming out words to encourage his release, but Jak calmed himself down, and tried to talk with a steady voice.
"Please, go and find her. I will be back at the bar shortly. I just have to ask Torn something. Erol, why you came out here in the first place…" Jak started, but was cut short by Daxter, who was slapping Jak on the cheek. Jak swatted away his friend's paws, but followed Daxter's stunned gaze into a bush. He squinted his eyes, noticing something black moving around.
"Let me take care of it," Erol muttered, inching up to the bush and pulling out his handgun from his thigh holster. He leapt in front of the bush, gun raised and shot into the leaves. A loud yell was issued, before a small black thing ran out and headed in the direction of the mechanic garage.
"What was that!" Erol shouted, his eyes open as he followed the dashing movements of a black Ottsel. "I believe that was…Dax, you don't know him, do you?" Jak asked, relief spreading through him. For a split moment, he'd feared it had been another wolf, but luckily it wasn't.
Dax scratched his head behind his ear, and shrugged. "Never seen him before…wonder if he suffered the same fate as I did?" Jak laughed quietly, as Erol cast a confused look between the two. "Let's find out!" Daxter said, enthusiasm riding in his voice. Jak shook his head, and pointed to the garage.
"No way am I going back there," he replied, before turning back to Erol. "Now, can you please find Skytha…oh and Erol…mascara looks good on you," he sniggered, eying Erol's face that was slowly contorting with fury. Jak turned around and ran towards a zoomer before Erol had a chance to whack him one.
He leapt onto the leather seat of the nearby zoomer, and switched on the engine, watching as Erol wiped at his face, obviously trying to remove the black makeup that Skytha had attacked him with earlier. Laughing at the sight, Jak changed hover zones, and sent the zoomer flying top speed towards the underground.
By the time they had arrived outside the underground, Daxter was shaking in fear. Jak had managed to get the zoomer to the base, but along the way almost killed them both. He hadn't seen the caged hellcat pull out in front of him, and just narrowly dodged it. But now, his Ottsel friend was shaking for his dear life.
"It's ok Dax…we're ok, see," Jak muttered, standing outside the underground door which opened up letting them both in. Daxter gulped loudly, and gave his friend the thumbs up to say he would cope. Jak grinned back, and made his way down the stairs. He could see Torn and Sharok sitting at the back of the room, and also noted Jinx sleeping on one of the beds.
"Hey Jak!" Torn whispered loudly, waving at Jak as he approached the desk. He stopped beside a chair, and pulled it up to the desk, before sitting down. He leaned into the table, and gazed at Torn, a smile on his face.
"I won," Jak murmured quietly, resting the trophy he'd just won from the first race. Torn smiled brightly, and took hold of the bronze cup, examining it thoughtfully. "Nice job me lad," Sharok exclaimed softly, slapping Jak lightly on the back. Jak winced a little, but beamed back.
"Yeah, a nice surprise Jak…although, I always knew you'd win," Torn said, handing the trophy over to Sharok who began to look at it in interest. Jak was about to say something in return, but Daxter interrupted again from over at Jinx's bed.
"Err…is he meant to be thrashing about?" Dax yelled, gazing up at Jinx moving around in his sleep. Torn got up from the table, and wandered quickly over to Jinx, before shaking him awake. Daxter scurried back over to the desk, before Jinx could wake up and throttle him.
"Jinx man, what the hell's happening with you?" Torn growled, after he'd successfully woken up a horrified looking Jinx. "Well, what's happened?" Torn pressed on, leaning back from the other elf. Jinx sat up, and coughed a little, clearing his lungs.
"I dunno…was walking about, then this wolf jumped on me…I bet this is all Jak's fault," he whined, wiping at his sweaty forehead. Jak looked away from Jinx, who was now getting slowly out of bed. He guessed it was his fault Jinx was having nightmares about wolves attacking him. After all, it had been himself who had nearly tore Jinx to bits out in the wasteland.
"Speaking of which, here's goldilocks now," Jinx muttered, staggering over to the desk just as Torn resumed his seat. Jinx pulled another chair to the desk, and sat down beside Sharok and Jak, wincing slightly as his back hit the hard chair.
"Still not healed?" Sharok asked gruffly, and Jinx shook his head, trying to massage his back that proved slightly difficult for him. "Not to worry Jinx. No pain, no gain. At least after this you'll feel better," Sharok muttered, and Jinx rolled his eyes without him noticing. Jak snorted in laughter, but fought it back down before Sharok noticed.
"So Jak, what's the real reason you dropped round?" Torn asked lightly, leaning towards Jak a little. Jak sighed heavily, and rested his arms on the table before him.
"I had to come and talk with you about these deaths. I know you'd agreed to leave Sky alone, but can you really keep that promise? I mean, I told you she's here looking for her brother," Jak said, trying to force Torn to keep his word.
"Yeah Jak, I know. I won't harm her. If she needs to find her bro so she can leave, then I won't stop her," Torn replied, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms. Jak smiled lightly, and gazed at Jinx who held a pained expression on his face, then to Sharok who looked a little nervous.
"You ok, Sharok?" Torn asked loudly, after realizing too he looked a little misplaced. Sharok turned his face to Torn, and forced a smile. "Yeah, I'm just…a little out of my head right now. You guys keep talking ok. I've gotta head off," Sharok muttered, gathering up his dagger from the desk and slotting it behind his back. Jak and Torn both gave him a worried look as he headed out the door, before turning to each other.
"Wonder what's with him?" Jak asked, tapping his fingers on the desktop. Torn cleared his throat, and stood up, moving over to one of the spare beds. "He's been staying here. Always cautious that guy. Never speaks out of time, doesn't start any arguments. Although, there's one strange thing about him…seems to come home late at night, and heads early in the morning. Claims he's gotta patrol the city to protect the citizens. Dedicated to his work, Sharok…" Torn answered, settling down on a bed, and putting his arms behind his head.
Daxter pulled a face to Jak, signifying he thought both Torn and Sharok were crazy. Jak laughed out loud at his friend, catching the attention of Jinx. "Shut it Goldilocks! If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be sitting here like a lazy git with an aching back that feels like it's gonna split open again! And if it weren't for you, I wouldn't be awake!" Jinx shouted towards Daxter now, an unpleasant vein throbbing in his forehead above his cut.
Praxis: (cricket chirping) Why am I a loner? Do I smell or something? Where has everyone gone? ;.;
Ashelin: Father, what are you still doing here? I would have thought the guys running away from you would have you running after them? You're too pathetic...
Praxis: But sweetie...(star wars imitation) I am your father...
Ashelin: O...kay...guys, if you have the time, leave a review. If not, Corad doesn't mind...either way is good with her. I wonder if she's still alive? (shows Corad being pursued on foot by a few marauders in the Wasteland. Kinda looks ready to die on her own too seeing she's so unfit) That answers it for us. Let's all pray she never returns.
Corad: (somewhere in wasteland) Hey, I heard that! You're going down Ashel...oh no...not HEART FAILURE! (collaspes in sand before Marauder vehicle runs her over).
