|Valentine's Home, Laboratory|
'Oh, hold still. Honestly Meta, you're not a baby anymore, so you really ought to stop acting like one.' Valentine commented as she tried to draw some blood from the Metal Head. Meta wasn't too keen on anything sharp coming near her, and kept on fidgeting like crazy. Finally Valentine forced the animal still, and drew the blood as fast as she could.
'There, now that wasn't so bad, was it?' she asked the animal.
Meta let out a slow growl, before examining her front paw where the needle had broken the skin. She gave Valentine a dark scowl, licking the unnoticeable injury.
Valentine rolled her eyes, laying away the needle and storing the little glass tube, filled with blood, in a small refrigerator. Meta had been growing quickly, from a little pup that didn't know which paw to place first on the floor to something that was about as tall as little Mar. Her claws had been growing longer, more dark, and her mouth was now filled with a row of teeth that were as sharp as surgery needles. On top of that her wing span had now increased tremendously, being able to lift her off the ground without any seeming effort. Meta let herself drop to the ground, pulling in her nails so she would slip on the cold floor, lined with linoleum. There was something arrogant in the animal's strut, and when she turned around the yellow gem in her forehead sparkled.
'You think you're pretty tough, don't you? Well, better not forget I'm still the boss here, you little runt.' Valentine muttered, walking to the door. The door slid open before she got there, and Jak casually entered her work space. Meta immediately started to curl herself around Jak's legs, her way of saying hello. Soft sounds, almost like purring, came from the animal. 'Meta!' Jak exclaimed, almost tripping over the Metal Head. Meta started to purr even louder when he mentioned her name, before sauntering back to Valentine, where she dropped to her haunches. If she viewed Jak as a member of her hive, then Valentine was without a doubt the queen of it.
'Jak.' Valentine said, brushing her hair away from her face. She saw him less and less lately, and it was eating her up on the inside. Keira demanded so much of his free time, the only time she saw him now was either during a mission, or in the mornings and evenings. Daxter seemed to be feeling a little left behind as well, and he often spent a lot of time with the Kid and Meta now. 'What are you doing home so early? Weren't you supposed to take Keira out to dinner?'
Jak shrugged, scratching the back of his head. 'Well, something came up at her workplace, so we decided to meet up tomorrow evening instead. She's pretty curious about your place though, Valentine. Would you mind if I brought her over?'
Valentine tensed up at the suggestion. Keira at her place? She didn't think she'd be able to survive something like that. It was bad enough watching Jak being lovey-dovey out on the racing track, but doing that in her home…. She could almost feel the Dark Eco in her blood boiling over at the thought.
'I'd… rather you not.' She managed to bring out. 'It would cause way too much trouble with the security system, and in the end it would just mean another liability to my home. I can't risk someone being able to follow her when she comes to visit you. It took a pretty long time for me to get this place as safe as it is now. I mean, I wouldn't be able to do it a second time.' She started to blabber, and she knew it. There was nothing that she could do to stop herself from doing it however. Next to her, Meta had reverted to growling, seeing how distressed Valentine was. Jak hadn't noticed a thing however, and just shrugged.
'That's too bad. I mean, it would have been nice, just the three of us hanging around.' He reached to touch her shoulder. Valentine tried to ignore the little jolt that went through her heart when his callused hand slowly touched her bare skin. He was so close to her… and yet she wasn't even allowed to do anything to let him know just how important he was to her. He belonged to someone else, and that someone else was, unlike her, pure and kind. Not tainted. Jak continued talking. 'Well, if it's any consolation to you, Torn did give us another mission. We're supposed to go to the central security base. I'm supposed to get you in and out there, you get the information about the patrols for the next coming months, and then we're done for the day. How late do you wanna leave?'
Valentine looked at him. 'First we eat, and then we get prepared. If we leave around midnight, we should be there when the guards are at their drowsiest.'
|Central Security Base|
'You stay here, okay Jak? Warn me as soon as you see anyone approaching.' Valentine told Jak. He gave her hand a quick squeeze, and a curt nod at that. The warmth in his eyes almost hurt her as he looked at her. He liked her, but he didn't like her in the way that she wanted him to like her. She squeezed back, and quickly dove in the door. Daxter whispered a good luck after her. The room she entered was filled with stacks of paper and humming computers. Even though nobody was around at the moment, the computers were still turned on, crunching numbers throughout the night. A glance at a few of the papers showed her that the codes flashing by on the screen were indeed hers. Someone was trying to unravel them and use them as a basis for the new security coding system. That was pretty smart of them. She wondered who it was.
'Stop right there.' someone said behind her. She heard the click that was commonly associated with a gun being readied. 'Do not turn around, and put your hands behind your back.'
Valentine did as she was told. She could hear the person commanding her come closer. She wondered feverishly as to how the guy had gotten past Jak. When he was close enough, she swung her leg up, hoping to catch the hand with which he was holding the gun. She made contact, and in the moment her assailant was confused, she jumped them.
She looked straight into a pair of confused green eyes. Black hair sticked up everywhere in a messy manner, and when she looked to the hands she couldn't find a gun at all, only a pen. The man was scrawny, tall and had the pale skin of someone who always sits behind a computer screen.
'Where's the gun?' she asked him.
'I don't have one. I was bluffing.' He said, sounding rather dejected about it.
'What did you do with Jak then? How'd you get in?' she demanded, resisting the urge to shake the man.
'I didn't do anything to anyone! I was sleeping in here, and you snooping around woke me up. I just wanted to see who you were. And now I know, you're Valentine, aren't you? You're like the most wanted hacker the Baron ever had on his list. And I can see why, you're insanely good. Your codes are so complicated and yet so fluent, they're the best I've ever seen.'
Valentine was rather taken aback with that confession. She was almost grateful when Jak walked in the room, though he seemed to be just as confused as the man on the ground was when he spotted the two of them.
'Problems?' he asked, pointing his gun at the scientist.
'Not since you're here.' Valentine replied, getting up and wiping her hands. 'He tried to jump me with a pen. Which is braver than I've come to expect from anyone associated with the Baron. Get up you.' She directed that comment to their new captive, before looking at Jak questioningly.
'Some guards were coming through the hall. They turned right before they came here, so I don't think they'll catch us. Still, you'd better keep your mouth shut. Call for help and I'll be forced to make sure you're quiet.' He directed the last part to the scientist as well.
'And you're Jak. I suppose it's no wonder they got the two most wanted people in this entire city to work together. The both of you are one of the best possible combinations that could be possible with the given set of factors. Still, your work is extremely admirable.' He looked at their puzzled faces. 'My name is Jared. I used to work at Computer Station Beta, but I got transferred recently. You.. could consider me a captive here. Ever since Vin turned rogue, the Baron doesn't like the 'brainiacs' out in the city. Could give us wrong ideas.' He cast the both of them a grim look.
Jak and Valentine exchanged a glance. 'So you're not going to try to rat on us?' Daxter asked him. Jared shook his head.
'I need access to the Baron's most top-secret plans. Can you help me get to them?' Valentine asked him. Jared almost nodded, but looked away from her. 'I… I can't.'
'Why not?' Jak asked him, still being more than a bit suspicious. 'If you're the scientist that's responsible here, why can't you help us?'
'Look, the Baron's keeping an eye on my family. I screw up one more time, and he starts killing my people. I can't do anything to bring them harm. You have to understand that.' Jared said, looking at some pictures standing on a desk.
Valentine looked at the pictures. A young girl, two older men and an elderly woman were looking back up at her, smiling. Jared still had a family to protect. What the Baron could use against him, so could she.
'One word from me, and the Underground will bring them all to safety. Anybody you specify. All you have to do in return is get me those codes. Think you'll be able to do that?' she said. Her voice was soft, but her words couldn't have had a bigger impact.
'You can? But how? Why?' Jared almost couldn't get the words out.
'As you said, me and Jak are the top dogs on the list. We're important for the Underground. All I have to do is ask. They'll do it. They can all be safe before the sun comes up, Jared. All you have to do is give me the codes.' She stretched out her hand with her pocket computer. Jared trembled, but quickly accepted her computer. His knees buckled as he let himself fall into a chair, looking at Valentine with a look that could be considered pure adoration. 'If you keep them safe, I'll owe you a lot more than just a few codes. Consider yourself to be having a new ally.' He said softly.
|Valentine's Home, the Evening After|
Valentine could hear Meta growling all the way from the lab. She was so close in developing her cure, she could almost taste it. She was getting closer each day, and being interrupted like that didn't make her very happy. She got up and walked towards the living room, throwing off her lab coat in the process.
Jak was just opening the front door when she entered. Keira walked in, and was immediately stopped by guns pointing at her face. Jak panicked, warning her not to step further.
'That's Valentine's defense system! Ah, don't move. I'll go and ask her for the code.' Jake said, turning. When he spotted Valentine, he sighed with relief. 'Can you deactivate the turrets please?' he asked her.
Valentine stood there like frozen. She whispered to Jak. 'I thought I told you not to bring her here. What is she doing here?'
'I forgot something at the workshop apparently, she was just bringing it by. It's not really that big of a deal, right?' Jak said, looking rather guilty about the whole situation.
Valentine was about to growl something back at him, when she saw Meta sauntering towards Keira from the sides. Keira was watching her and Jak so intently she didn't see the Metal Head coming. Valentine stepped forward, planning on stopping the Metal Head, but she was too late.
When Meta pressed her snout to Keira's hand to smell her the woman looked down. And screamed. Meta took a small step back, flabbergasted at this reaction. Keira panicked, and started to fall back. The guns started to count down, not only tracking Keira but also Meta. Shots were being fired, causing Keira to scream even louder. Being shot at did the same for Meta.
Valentine heard herself screaming the deactivation code, but even after the silence Keira kept screaming. That wasn't Valentine's biggest problem. In the panic, Meta had taken the fastest way away from all the noise and bullets, out on the street. Valentine followed, leaving Keira to Jak.
'Meta! Meta! Get back here!'
Screams started to sound out on the street. Valentine ran out the door, and saw a stupefied Meta standing a bit farther, amazed at all the people that were screaming when they saw her. Then Valentine saw one of the Crimson Guard pointing a gun at her Metal Head.
'Don't you dare! DON'T YOU FUCKING DARE!' Valentine screamed, as she started running. The Guard looked at her in amazement for only a second. That was all Meta needed however. The young predator jumped for the man's unprotected throat, and had him down in a matter of seconds. Valentine ran as fast as she could, and dragged Meta away from the body. She could feel the Dark Eco reacting to the violence, pulsating and demanding to be released. She shook her head, and forced the Metal Head to look at her.
'Meta! You idiot! It's not safe here.' She looked around, and could already see Guards running towards them. The way to her house was blocked, and she wouldn't be able to go back. She looked back to the Metal Head.
'We have to get out of here, Meta. We have to. Do you understand?'
Those strange eyes shone, and Meta jumped up, spanning her tall wings. Before Valentine knew what was happening, the young animal's claws had dug in her shoulder, lifting her up as well. Meta started to fly straight ahead, keeping Valentine's feet above the roofs of the buildings they passed. Valentine screamed to be heard. 'Go more to the left, Meta, more to the left.'
Meta obeyed, flapping her wings. She was too young to be flying and carrying a load at the same time. Valentine could already hear her panting, trying to stay above the firing limit.
'It's just a little farther sweetheart, you can do it!' she said. It was true, she could already see the valve located in the Slums. Meta went down more rapidly now, and Valentine could see the ground come closer at an alarming speed. The wind tugged at her clothes, and she could hear the Guards in the distance. Eventually Meta had to let her go, dropping Valentine from two meters above the ground. She landed with a thump, and Meta landed near her, before running over to check on her.
Soft purring sounded next to her cheek, as Meta seemed worried about any damage that might have been caused. Valentine got up as quickly as she could, looking at the animal.
'Meta, you've got to listen to me, okay. You have to get away from here. There's no way I'll be able to sneak you back in. Everybody will recognize you. You have to go through the valve, and into the wilds, okay?'
Meta shrugged, and scratched her head. Valentine grabbed the scaly head between her two hands, looking into those already familiar eyes. 'No. You're smart enough to understand what I'm saying, there's no doubt about that. Now you have to brave and smart. You can make it out there, Meta. You have to. Go out there, and survive. I want… I need you to be safe, Meta. You're one of the few things I have in this world. I can't live with the thought that I if I tried to keep you with me, that you might die. You understand?'
Meta let out a miserable growl. Her eyes seemed to plead to let her stay. More small growls followed. Valentine imagined hearing the soldiers coming even closer.
'Go. Go Meta. I need you to be safe. I'll find you. I will come out there, and I will find you. After that, you will never have to be alone again. You are important to me. So please, stay alive.'
The Metal Head licked her cheek, and finally backed towards the valve. Valentine disengaged the security lock, and looked at the Metal Head through tear-filled eyes. When the lock started closing again, she ran away, into the maze of alleyways that was the Slums.
She swallowed back the tears, as she started to make her way home again. There would be a lot to talk about when she got back. Keira had better make sure she wasn't there anymore when she arrived. There would be a lot of screaming, and she was even considering unleashing some Dark Eco.
Keira had Jak. She even had Daxter to a certain extent. She had pretty much everything. As far as Valentine was concerned, there was only little Mar and Meta. And right now she had lost half of what she had been able to consider truly hers to keep. There would be a lot to talk about when she got back.
With a last, violent snort she wiped away the tears that had somehow escaped her. There would be time for weakness later, but now she had to be strong.
|Moon's note : hey, I'm back! This is a bit more of a slow chapter, but it's quite necessary for the later story, so bear with me. Also, nice to see you again, and have a nice day!|