Corad: Whoot, another week flown by...is it just me, or do the days go too fast?
Sharok: Um, I think it's just you...
Corad: Probably...but seriously guys, how the heck has it been a whole week? It only feels like yesturday that I put up the last chapter O.o Well, maybe we're being punished for something, so the days go quicker than they should...uh, moving on. Thanks to my fellow reviewers for your kind input! To Silver Horror, yeah Torn didn't kill Erol...but Torn's kinda on the road to death himself right now (does shifty eye thing). See, crazy comradeship can come outta basically anything...although, Torn and Erol being friends...I think I was high on sugar or something when I wrote that. Also thanks to Millenium Ring. Hopefully all your questions will be answered soon :D And finally thankyou to Phoenix! I'm so happy you've enjoyed my fic so far. Yeah, my bear hugs are pretty lethal...I mean, look at poor Hartinae on my homepage...he didn't stand a chance O.O

Sharok: Ok, Corad stench fest doesn't own Jak and Daxter, but unfortunately, she owns me...what fun (rolls eyes)
Corad: Hope you enjoy this chapter guys!


Chapter 73 – ThePath To Justice

The sight before him made him pale. That same sickening feeling he'd felt the night before was bubbling up inside. He felt like he would be physically sick. "Torn! Torn! What the hell!" Jak shouted out, sliding quickly out of the booth and dashing towards the door, dropping down on his knees. He threw an arm around Torn's shoulders and rolled him onto his back, panic firing up in his veins.

"Torn, wake up…WAKE UP!" His alarmed yells echoed around the room, and both Simron and Daxter rushed to Jak's side, looking down at the unconscious and bleeding form of their leader. "Dammit…not again…who's doing this! WHY?" He felt angry. Extremely angry. Somebody living inside Haven's walls was targeting his friends. There was no other way about it. It had to be true! "Come on Torn. Come on…" Jak muttered, shaking his leader awake.

"Jak? Quick Jak! She's going to die! You need to save her!" Torn shouted when he finally came around, his dull eyes looking up at Jak. His voice was rough, breathing rugged and forced as he shouted out. "He's going to…kill her…" he choked loudly, writhing around on the cold floor for a second under Jak's grip. The blonde narrowed his eyes, feeling a warm, wet, sticky substance pool under one of his hands. He lifted it away from his leader's shoulder, and gasped as crimson blood dripped off his fingers to the floor. He turned frantically back to Torn, the wound clear as crystal on him now.

"WHAT HAPPENED!" he shouted, eyes trailing the length of Torn's body and noticing a few more similar wounds. The leader could only keep silent, biting his bottom lip to hold back weak screams of pain. "Torn, who is in danger? Where is she?" This was beginning to get ridiculous. The older elf wanted this "she" to be saved, but he wasn't prepared to say anything. "I can't help unless you tell me."

"A…Ashelin…I went to the Palace to report…on Erol…he was there," the leader groaned, tilting his head up to look at Jak. His eyes were fading from their usual bright ones, and Jak could swear his voice was losing its strength.

"Who was there? If Ashelin's in trouble, tell me Torn! Do you want her to die? Do you want to die?" the blonde growled, tearing off his scarf and folding it into a neat little bundle. He laid it against his friend's shoulder wound, applying enough pressure to clot it up with a bit of luck. He felt however, that lady luck was not on his side today.

"Sharok…he's kidnapped her. I tried to stop him, but he pulled out his dagger. I was too slow to evade his attacks…I wasn't expecting him to turn on us," Torn whispered, watching Jak's attempt to stop his shoulder spilling blood. The crimson fluid was soaking his shirt, staining his armour and trickling out onto the floor.

"Dammit. I knew that guy was bad from the start. Why did I ever listen to Sky! Because of her…I…I'm losing everyone I care about! Simron! Get the medic. I have to save Ashelin," Jak instructed, taking one last glance down at his leader. The man was in a right state. It appeared that Sharok had only stabbed him three times, but if the blood wasn't stopped soon…he didn't want to think about it. "Daxter, stay by his side. I'm getting Mar's Armour!"

Daxter watched Jak leap up from the ground and dash upstairs to fetch the old armour he once wore. Maybe Jak felt it would protect him again like it had over a year ago. Maybe Jak knew it could save him. Daxter shook his head, looking down at Torn who was groaning quietly. "Out of all the people to be stabbed, it just had to be you."

"What does that mean?" Torn snapped, gritting his teeth in anger while he held Jak's scarf firmly to his shoulder. The ottsel only stayed quiet, looking at his leader with a hint of sympathy.

"Nothing tattooed wonder. I'm just wondering how stupid you must have been for this to have happened," Daxter replied casually, looking up at the stairs to see Jak emerge again, wearing his pauldrons, breastplate, gauntlets and shin pads. They shone eerily as Jak neared them, the dim lights casting a dullbronze glow upon the metal work. However, what caught Daxter and Torn's eyes were not how creepy his armour shone. It was his determined face. His eyes were narrowed and blazing, brow furrowed deeply and mouth a thin, deadly line.

"Daxter, let's go. We must save Ashelin, and kill Sharok," Jak growled deeply, kneeling down on the ground beside his furry friend. The ottsel gave Jak an alarmed look, before scrambling up to his shoulder pad. "Torn, Simron will arrive shortly with the medic. Hang in there…" the younger elf muttered, casting a worried glance down at his leader. Torn grunted in response, gripping the scarf closer to his wound. "Don't die."

Upon his last statement, Jak leapt up and fled out the door, his legs pumping hard along the pavement. He wasn't sure where he was headed exactly. Torn had only informed Ashelin was in trouble at the Palace. But if Sharok had kidnapped her, the chances he was in fact still hanging around there, were slim to nil. Where exactly would that old man go with a hostage? Back to the wasteland perhaps? Or into the sewers?

"Jak, up there!" Jak's ears pricked up, followed by his head after Daxter's loud gasp. His eyes trailed his buddy's outstretched arm pointing to the bright blue sky above, and saw two wolves soaring overhead. They were heading north.

"Keen spotting, Dax!" Jak shouted, sprinting harder towards an abandoned zoomer. He flung his body onto the seat upon arrival, and twigged the engine to life, feeling the life within it radiate into his body. Taking no time to think, he sped after the wolves, struggling to keep up. Not only were they too high up for the zoomer to fly, Jak had to weave in and out of drivers, pedestrians, guards and buildings. The whole time Daxter kept his gaze locked above, shouting directions to his blonde friend as the duo navigated through the city. At one point, both wolves had dived out of sight, sending a wave of nausea through Jak, but luckily they had flown back to the sky again a moment later. It was vital to keep them lockedin sight. If he lost them now, he may never see Ashelin again.

"Quick Jak! They're headed for the water slums!" Daxter snapped, lifting his head and following the wolves across the sky. The water slums? Either they were targeting HQ, or Sharok was at the pumping station.

"Right on it Dax!" he cried back, swerving around a sharp bend and kicking full life back into the engine. He sped quickly down the slums, unaware of the guards screaming at his disappearing back. Sure he was speeding and driving in a dangerous manner, but this was urgent. The law could wait.

Just as he had predicted, the two wolves soared over the high wall separating the water slums to the pumping station. If they were so keen to go in there, then surely the Leader would be too, right? Jolting the zoomer into a sudden halt outside the large, metal door, Jak leapt off. His nerves were aching his insides, and his mind was cluttered with reoccurring thoughts that went nowhere. After two months…two long months of fighting off wolves. After keeping Sky's secret and staying out of Sharok's way, this was the time to finally end it all. Sharok had gone too far.

The doors creaked open, the musty air trapped inside flooding out. Jak wrinkled his nose in disgust as he stepped in, waiting in anticipation as the next set of doors opened. As they slid open slowly, he stepped out, eyes casting a hard glance around their surroundings. Where exactly would Sharok be? His head shot up, hoping to see the wolves from before. If he could only catch a small glimpse, he'd know where to go. If only…

"There!" A flash of wing disappeared past the trees on the high cliff; the last clue Jak neededto accomplish this mission. Gathering up his wits, he rushed forward to the platforms, leaping on them in swift motions before climbing the steep paths to the peak of the cliff. By the time he'd reached to very top, his breathing was rugged and his head felt slightly faint after taking the climb at such a fast rate. As he moved through some shrubs however, he gasped quietly, pressing his back against a large rock.

In a clearing sat a group of wolves, all silent and watchful. In the centre of their gathered group was a man; Sharok. "Figures," Jak whispered in an angry growl, eyes narrowing at him as he addressed the wolves.

"My brethren, please forgive me! I have attained at last, the Governess of the city! The one who caused our starvation and downfall! She is to blame for all we've been through! She sentenced us to death through starvation, just like her father before her! She is to die here tonight to repay what's lost amongst our pack!" Jak's eyes grew wide in horror, shifting around the rock carefully to get a better look at Sharok. He kept perfectly quiet, breath caught up in his chest as Ashelin was forcefully dragged forward, her hands tied behind her back.

"She has sentenced us to death, my dear kin! She must die!" Sharok roared amongst the wolves, unsheathing the dagger from his back. "Little Lass, any last requests?" he sneered cruelly, face contorting in a twisted smile. Ashelin struggled to break free from his grasp, shaking her head vigorously to deny her death. "I take that as a no," the older man finished, pressing the dagger to Ashelin's throat. Jak could see her eyes widen in horror, her screams being muffled by a cloth tied around her mouth.

"Do something Jak!" Daxter whispered anxiously, gripping onto Jak's shoulder so tightly his paws were shaking. What was he meant to do exactly! Not only was Sharok fully capable of defending himself, but he had at least 8 wolves to aid him. Even if Jak were to morph into one of his three alter egos, he couldn't win. But the look on Ashelin's fearful face and her struggled screams blocked out any form of reasonable rationing. He couldn't just sit back and watch her die.

"STOP! Drop the dagger Sharok. Drop it now, and I shall kill you painlessly," Jak shouted, finally dashing out from behind the rock towards Sharok and his pack. He watched as Ashelin's face softened into an ounce of relief, but also noted the wolves' furry heads instantly twisting to look at him. Even Sharok had his cold blue eyes laid upon him. "Release the Governess. What has she ever done to you?"

"Everything Jak. Because of her, my pack is wilting away. Our numbers are growing short, their hope and faith to overcome starvation is vanishing before my very eyes. For years I fought to protect this pack, and for years I acted like a father to them! To have this…this girl... starve my brethren to nothing, it seems unwise for me to let this happen. She will die, Jak…and you shall follow," Sharok muttered, pressing his dagger firmly against Ashelin's smooth neck again. She squirmed about, taking in small, short gasps of air as the blade left a fine cut in her skin.

"You leave me no choice!" Jak roared, seeing a small trickle of blood run down the dagger's sharp blade. Taking no time to think, Jak pulled out his morph gun, switching it to blaster mod in an instant. The wolves around him began to rise to their feet, their low, threatening growls telling Jak Sharok would not be alone. "You want some too! FINE!" he screamed, sprinting towards Sharok, his gun aimed at shoulder level. The large beasts around him leapt forward, aiming to tackle Jak to the ground to save their leader, but the smaller man was too quick for them. He managed to dodge each fierce leap given to him, and rolled smoothly along the ground before jumping to his feet and spinning around repeatedly.

Daxter was clinging on for dear life as his surroundings flew past in a swift circular motion. He kept whimpering beside Jak's ear, but the elf ignored him and began shooting out a rapid fire of bullets. Some of the bullets were successful enough to embed themselves in the wolves, and one even whipped past Sharok's hip, narrowly missing him. When he was out of blaster bullets, Jak stopped spinning; eyes trying to regain their focus on Sharok's twisted, smiling face.

"Nice try Jak…but I don't wear armour for nothing!" Sharok roared, shoving Ashelin away roughly where she fell to the ground, struggling to break the binds around her wrists. Wolves began circling her, snarling and snapping their jaws, and although Jak wanted to rescue his friend, Sharok was preventing him. "You can't beat me Jak! I was one of the best Krimzon Guards Haven City had ever seen! Your father even hired me as his personal guard on many occasions before Praxis betrayed him! If you think a teen such as yourself can defeat 14 years of experience, bring it on!" Upon his final word, Sharok ran forward, dagger held out to his side in a numbing grip. His eyes were flashing murderously, teeth bared in a cruel grin while his long, black hair whipped behind him.

This was it. This was the final showdown.


Corad: Heh, never proof read anything while listening to "One Winged Angel"...I finally tracked down and hired out FFVII Advent Children last Sunday...and got addicted to Sephiroth's theme song thing...so um, if there are any mistakes left in this, then um...blame Sephiroth...
Sephy: >.O What did you call me?
Corad: Urrr...nothing...why are you here?
Sephiroth: You blamed your poor editing skills on me...don't deny it either you idiot...I heard it loud and clear...
Corad: Oh well...um...maybe you need your ears cleaning out then...(forces tall, dark and gruesome out the room with a long prodding stick resembling his sword) Now that that little problem's gone, I can continue. The final battle is upon us all...who will win? Lil Jak or the big hairy guy?
Sharok: Hey, I'm not hairy! Just because I have long hair...you can't assume that I am hairy!
Corad: Prrppp...all evil guys are the same...get out! (starts prodding Sharok's backside with Sephy's sword. Eventually he leaves) Heh, now he's gone, I can mourn in peace...Gundam Seed finished! I need my Yzak Dearka Yzarka Dezak! I need it! Um...please review if you have the time and enthusiasm. Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Now, where was I? Ah yes...come back Yzakira...I don't want you to end!