The Haven City cup.
"There you are!" An arm grabbed Serena as she walked down the hall and threw her back against it.
She winced at the pain as Erol pinned her against the wall.
He laughed in her face, his only inches from hers.
Serena didn't know what to think panic flicked through her mind as he trapped her, she held her breath as she waited for him to speak as he stared into her grey eyes and her into his green, she saw his anger waver for only a moment.
"Oh my dear, sweet, Seri what am I ever going to do with you, I now have all the power I could ever want over you."
His gloved hand ran up her neck and to her throat, "do I throw you to the Baron and let him deal with you or do I let your pain suffer over the years slowly like the lies you have told me?" His hand began closing over her windpipe "Erol please.." Serena managed to gasp out as a sharp sting crossed over her face and her neck snapped sideways. "Don't, Erol, please, me!" He pointed his finger in her face. "You belong to me! You have always belonged to me!" He snarled, he dropped his hand down and regained his composure from his outburst.
"Now here is what is going to happen, you are going to be a good little girl and when I say jump, I fucking mean it!" Erol's face came closer to hers, his lips brushed her ear, "you will do as I say and when I say, you will not leave my side unless told to." Serena shivered in disgust at his words.
"Now be the good little girl you are and get off to those races, play the great commander Acheron of the pathetic house of Acheron and do the Baron's bidding." He laughed.
"If you don't, I will kill all your little underground buddies, I know all their locations and all their safe houses, now run along, oh and don't try and communicate with them, I will know." He let her go and headed to the race track as Serena slid down the wall of the hallway to the dark red carpet floor.
Little did Erol know a plan was already in place.
Lieutenant Michaels walked the halls whistling as he turned the corner he saw the commander sitting on the floor, one side of her face red.
"Commander are you okay?" He questioned hesitantly.
Serena noticed the hesitance in his voice heard it waver, in that moment she knew who had told Erol, she wasn't dumb she could put two and two together.
Michaels was with her on most of her visits when she was in uniform to the underground.
Anger seared through her, "it was you wasn't it?" "What ever do you mean?" Again he faltered.
"You ratted me out, it was my right hand man this whole time!" She yelled as she unholstered her pistol and pointed it at him square in the forehead as she rose from the ground.
Her heart beat in her ears, all rational thought was gone, but her aim did not falter.
"Please commander you don't understand, he has threatened my family my children, if I didn't give him the information he was after he would of killed them. You have known me long enough to know my children are my world in this hell hole." Michaels pleaded with her.
Serena lowered her pistol and walked to Michaels and instead of throttling him like she wanted to, she hugged him, "I'm sorry my brother in arms, I don't know what will happen but once I am gone you are in charge." She spoke softly to him.
"I am sorry Commander, I have failed you." He hung his head as they broke apart.
"You did what you had to, my mind wasn't clear for a moment, resume the security detail, I do not know what will happen by the end of the day, good luck lieutenant." She saluted him and left, knowing this would be one of to last times she would see him.
Erol's threats sat uneasy in Serena's mind she stood upon the platform next to Baron Praxis, she could hardly think let alone concentrate on the task ahead.
She felt as though she had gotten off somewhat lightly, but now Erol held his threat above her head as though one would hold a yakow steak over a precursor shark, one wrong move and she was dead.
Serena had no choice but to obey his every whim, even if it meant destroying her soul for the sake and safety of her friends if she didn't get out.
"Commander Acheron you seem distracted under that mask." The Baron commented next to her.
"A lot of radio chatter your excellency, don't stress everything we need is in place." She lied to him.
"Good I want this to run smoothly and if that eco freak makes an appearance shoot him on sight." He growled.
"Ladies and gentlemen the class one races are about to begin." The automated women's voice sounded over the cheers of the crowd.
This was the largest gathering every year of the City, everyone, rich and poor, old and young came to watch the final class one race for the championship cup.
The crowds roared and screamed for their favourite racers.
The platform sat idol on the ground awaiting the ascent to address the crowd. Serena lent against the rail as she noticed Erol stride over in his racing leathers, she stiffened instantly remembering his threat from earlier.
"Ahhh Commander Erol, you better do me and my guard proud out on that track today boy." The Baron chuckled.
"I haven't lost a race this season and I do not plan on loosing this one either."
The cockiness coming through in Erol's voice.
"Commander Acheron won't you do me the honours of a good luck kiss, I am sure the Baron would not mind." He stared straight at her a smirk on his face, she reluctantly pulled off her helmet, remembering their earlier conversation and walked to him.
He grabbed her waist and pulled her close, "good girl." He laughed and kissed her passionately as though this would be his last kiss, as if nothing had happened, as if it was the true Erol she had fallen in love with all those years ago at the cheeky minx.
Serena caught herself and pulled back, the Baron chuckled at this public display, "hurry up boy you will miss the race." He grumbled.
He let her go and walked away to the track, Serena replaced her helmet and took her place next to the Baron.
The platform hovered and moved to the correct place above the track ready for the Baron's speech, Serena spotted Erol talking heatedly with Jak.
Praxis had not noticed Jak behind his racing scarf and goggles.
"Greetings racers!" He roared and the crowd erupted in cheers, the noise was almost deafening.
"Today your nerve and skill will be tested for our amusement." The Baron stepped forward to the front of the platform.
"If any of you by chance happen to beat our grand champion Erol, you will be awarded a months supply of eco!" Another platform lowered, guarded by a Krimzon guard beside the track, dark eco barrels were stacked high all stamped with the Baron's mark.
"And a short tour of the palace to see how the other half live." The Baron mumbled quietly with his hand infront of his face.
"Good luck and die bravely," the Baron lifted his hand the cheers from the crowd grew wild.
Jak and Erol glared at each other on the track, Erol lowered his racing helm.
"Ready get set..." the Baron yelled and the counter ticked down from red to green.
The racers sped off the track which was at its most dangerous, not only cause of the now open pits but as Jak and Erol raced head to head the sides of their zoomers scraping and trading paint.
Serena watched in excitement and fear, Jak was the underground's main hope at winning this war the last thing they needed was for him to die in a fiery ball at the hands of Erol on a race track.
The crowd roared as one of the racers crashed ending his life as quickly as the race had started.
"Come Acheron I know you are dying to see how this plays out." The Baron said and grabbed her arm and pulled her to the edge of the floating platform to watch.
She could see the zoomers race past in a blur below.
The last lap marker buzzed and she held her breath to see who would cross it first.
A streak of blue and blond passed first closely followed by Erol.
The platforms returned to their positions on the track, the racers dismounted from the zoomers.
Jak picked up the security pass for the palace doors as Daxter revealed in the crowds cheers.
"Thank you, thank you very much, mwa, I love, my public." Daxter yelled waving and blowing kisses.
The platform lowered behind Jak as he waved to the crowds his back to the Baron, who still had no clue as to who it was but Serena knew clear as day but she wasn't going to let Erol have another upper hand and anothet piece of information to use against her.
"A brave man of the people." The Baron said with little enthusiasm at the defeat of Erol.
"And who is this worthy opponent? In my world good men are brought or broken!" He slammed his fist on the railing of the platform.
"So which is it going to be?" The Baron asked in anger, Jak stood with his arms crossed he turned, "surpise."
"What?!" The Baron growled as he finally knew who the blond haired racer was, the guard on the platform all took aim at the blonde haired young man.
"Just a little closer we need to have a little talk." Jak beckoned at the Baron to come closer, an evil smile on his face.
The Baron almost leapt off the balcony in anger.
"Fool, don't you get it? Its over Jak all the heroes died long ago."
Serena stared at Jak down the barrel of her blaster rifle, he stood there mockingly to the Baron, she caught sight of motion behind Jak, Erol brought his zoomer to a standstill he eyed him with evil intention.
"Only survival remains, by what ever means necessary." The Baron bashed his fist on the railing to exert his point.
"This city is mine!" He waved his hand in the air, "these people are mine!" Asserting his point.
"This war is mine! And in war...people die... kill him!" The Baron lent over the railing.
"Look out!" Michael's yelled.
Erol twisted the throttle and the zoomer took off aimed right at Jak.
"I win Jak!" He yelled as he aimed the nose of the zoomer at him.
Serena grabbed the controls of the platform and shot it up in the air just in time, Jak dodged Erol barely as a loud boom was heard and echoed around.
There was an airy silence from the crowd an quiet hushed whisper went through the stadium.
Erol had ploughed straight into the dark eco barrels behind the platform, blinded by rage he forgot they were there his last thoughts were of her as he realised what was happening. The soundwave had throwen Serena off the platform to the ground below, the impact was hard from the eight meter drop, as she tucked and rolled and lay in a heap her helmet cracked "warning damage to..." the automated women's voice repeated in her ear, she threw it off in fustration, blood poured down her face from a cut above her eye.
The purple dark eco cloud cleared as the Baron yelled orders.
Serena ignored him as her heart strings pulled her towards Erol crawling on hands and knees towards him over the debris of barrels and zoomer.
Her body ached from the fall, bruised and battered, the shards cut through her gloves, but her mind was set on only one goal, Erol.
Serena had no idea as to why her body carried her to him, after his threat to herself, her friends, the way he had treated her over the years.
As she reached Erol, she found he was out cold, his breathing laboured, miraculously he was still alive.
Multiple bones broken, burns along his face and torso, contusions, parts of barrel and zoomer embedded into him. Serena stared in horror, even though in their final hours together she hated him more than anything, deep down she still loved the arrogant fool.
Tears streamed down her face, she sat next to him and put his head in her lap and cradled it.
As she cried the tears fell to Erol's face.
His eyes fluttered open and closed, "are you the angel here to take me to heaven?" He asked in laboured heavy words.
"Yes." She lied.
"I always knew you would be beautiful, just like her." He raised his broken hand to her face.
"Like who?" She asked.
"Like my Seri, my one real love." He smiled, closing her eyes.
Serena grabbed his broken hand and kissed it.
That was when she noticed the glow around her body and the dangled trendals of wings from her back.
She leant her face towards his and kissed him gently, she felt some of her energy transfer to him in that kiss.
His breathing became easier, a hand grabbed her shoulder gently and she broke the kiss, the glow faded the wings disappeared.
"Arrest the abomination!" A voice yelled above the chaos of people.
Serena knew it belonged to none other than the councilman, Count Vegar. He stormed through the people towards her, his cane pointed right at her, she was frozen, like the prey of the metalheads.
"Seri baby we have to get you out of here." Another familiar voice told her, the one that belonged to the hand on her shoulder.
"Jinx!" She seemed shock to see him, his words snapped her out of her daze and she remembered Torn's plan.
"Come on we need to go, now," he held out his hand to her, Serena turned to Erol.
"I will always love you in some strange way, goodbye my love." She grabbed Jinx's hand and they made their way through the crowds of crazed citizens to Jinx's hideout, away from the crazed Count and the chaos.
Jinx locked the door to his safehouse.
"You never told me you could channel." He turned to her as she sat on the couch and began removing the armour plating of her uniform.
"I always could, but you know what they do to people like me." She sighed, struggling to remove the chest armour.
"Here let me help babe, your beaten up enough as is." He laughed, his cigar hanging from his mouth.
"Fine." She said in defeat of the plates.
"So tell me doll why you didn't end up like Jaky boy?" He helped her lift the plates off her shoulder and over her head.
Serena sighed in relief at getting the weight off her shoulders.
"Well I channel only light eco, I have been able to do it for as long as I can remember my mother use to catch me doing it and tell me off." She laughed at the memory.
"So no scary evil looking thing then just the bright white angel looking thing, I can live with that." He put the armour onto the floor and inspected the cut above her eye.
"Lemme patch you up." He walked around the small coffee table of the lounge and into the bathroom.
"So is this your home?" Serena asked as she heard a cupboard in the bathroom open and close.
"Yea it ain't much but it's mine." He smiled.
"Shit!" Serena stood abruptly at Jinx entered the room, "oh how could I forget my poor Sasha." She said worriedly.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa sit back down honey," Jinx told her pushing her back down lightly onto the couch.
"You took a nasty tumble, I will send one of the boys to sneak in and get her here for you okay?" He said placing the first aid kit on the worn table.
"Thanks Jinx." Jinx busied himself walking to a cabinet and pouring two glasses of whiskey.
Watching him walk back over to her seat Serena couldn't help but be reminded of Erol, his favourite things smoking and whiskey, even the smell reminded her of him.
A tear escaped Serena's eye.
"Hey Seri baby what's wrong?" Jinx asked concern etched on his face as he pressed the cool glass into her hand.
"I am sorry." She quickly wiped the tear away embarrassed.
"The whiskey and the smoking it reminded me of him. I don't even know if he is alive." She said with a monologue toned voice.
"I know there is probably a lot going through your mind fight now doll face so just relax, Jinx will look after you I promised Torn. We did use to work together remember."
"Thick as thieves." She smiled briefly.
"There you go, that is the smile I like ta see." Jinx said as he grabbed her face.
"Let me clean you up ae?"
Jinx gently cleaned the dried blood from her face and applied butterfly stitches to the cut.
"Not as bad as it looked." He smiled at his handy work.
"There is a spare towel and change of clothes in the bathroom. Grab a shower and you can rest in my bed I will take the couch. I have a few things I need to do and let Torn know. Do not answer that door for anyone, they will be looking for you. I have secret hatch and tunnel under the bed if you need to use it, pistol in the night stand."
Serena stared at Jinx blankly for a moment. "Seri baby did you hear me?"
"Yes sorry I just can't believe everyone is helping me." She said to him.
"Well you have helped everyone else so much over the years, now it's the under grounds turn to help you." Serena smiled and grabbed Jinx in a hug.
Jinx froze for a moment then relaxed into the hug.
"Thank you." She whispered into his ear kissed his cheek then saught out the bathroom for a shower, followed by a nap.