"–as a seashell. They had to call and call. And pick the worms off me like sticky pearls. Dying is an art, like everything else. I do it exceptionally well. I do it so it feels like hell. I do it so it feels real. I guess you could say I've a call." Taken from: Lady Lazarus by Sylvia Plath, 1981

The ABC's of Perfect Mistakes

Chapter Fourteen: N is for Notorious

Jak landed hard on the ground, biting the skin through his lip and snarling as the three of Krew's boys laughed. He tasted the metallic tang of his blood in his mouth as he forced himself up, glaring as the three men grabbed the red gem that once under the statue of Mar.

"Thanks man!" Jinx shouted. "We'll take the heart of Mar back to Krew! Thanks for the escort." He added nonchalantly.

Jak growled and ran his fingers through his dirty hair. He got to his feet and looked to Daxter, his best friend was watching the men go with a mix of anger and hatred on his face. Jak took out his communicator and saw three new messages; one from the Shadow, one from Keira and one from Lena. How the Crime Lady got his number he'd never know but he knew what she wanted –and he still couldn't deliver it. He decided to go to Keira, since she was the easiest to get to.

It had to be after dinner when he made it to the surface and by the time he made it to the garage it was becoming twilight. The lights of the stadium stained the sky a sickly orange-brown. He looked around Keira's garage, stopping by her photos. He took one-off the ledge and smirked at it. A happy Keira stood outside of her current workshop, a giant smile on her face. He looked at the others. One of Lena and Keira hugging outside the garage; a photo of Keira working on a jet board (not his current one); a snapshot of Parker leaning on the worktable smirking at the camera; the last was of all the girls: Lena, Parker, Amberly, Keira and the blonde he saw in the Fortress –the elite guard.

"Well if it isn't the Dark Eco Freak!" Jak heard from behind him, he turned quickly as Erol came out from behind the wall. Jak took a step forward and with a snarl he responded; "Where's Keira?"

"Don't worry," Erol chuckled. "I'm keeping a close eye on her." He started to walk around tiger like a shark stalking it's prey. "You're the talk of the town, Jak! You give the people hope…" He leaned in close. "How pathetic. I would've enjoyed killing you in prison, but now, it'll be so much more fun to take you on the track, in front of the entire city. I can hear the roar of the crowd now… as everyone sees their hope die." He spat.

Jak was about to snap back when he heard Keira's voice echo up the hall. "It's good to have you back daddy."

"Yes," He turned when he heard Samos' voice follow after Keira's. "It's nice to be free again."

"You know," Erol said quietly. "Keira loves a winner, someday she'll be my mechanic."

"Stay away from her."

Erol chuckled and left the room, giving a devil-may-care wave to Keira.

She sighed in admiration. "Erol's the best racer I've ever seen."

"He's not what you think."

She snorted. "And you're a good judge of character?! People say you get angry and… change. Besides, the Jak I knew wouldn't be working for a guy like Krew!"

"I need Krew's connections to fight the Baron! Without my –You know what? Do it your way, and I'll do it mine. Just don't come crying to me when the walls fall down!" He shouted back stalking out of the room. He clenched and unclenched his fist. How could Keira think he was the bad guy? He was trying to save this city even though they welcomed him with needles and the worse pain he'd ever felt. He dropped down on the steps outside and dropped his head in his hands. He wished there was a manual or an aide to help him. He cursed himself for getting involved with this war in the first place –he shouldn't have brought that stupid Rift Gate back.

"You've been avoiding me." A voice said from above him.

Jak growled, he wasn't in the mood for a lecture with Lena. "Go away."

"That's not very nice." Lena chuckled bending down in front of him. He glared at her. "I was coming to see you race."

"I'm not racing."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Really? Every considered playing for my team?"

"You have a team?"

"Of course." She snorted standing up straight. "Did you think I had a garage for shits and giggles?"

Jak chuckled. "I don't know what I thought."

"Have you found her yet?" A voice asked from behind Lena. Her smile faded and stepped aside to show Amberly. Jak had to look away from the girl. Her red-rimmed eyes stared dragged into him, cutting his soul open and making him bleed. "You haven't found her. You're just sitting here," She looked to Lena. "Both of you. Laughing, joking while she's off somewhere, dying!" She looked to Jak. "This is your fault! If you became the weapon we needed for this war we wouldn't be running around in the shadows, setting of pipe bombs or pissing ourselves when we hear about the shrinking Eco levels." Amberly stomped away, heading straight for Keira's garage.

He chuckled and ran a hand through his hair. "I think I've pissed off every female I know today."

"I know where Parker is." Lena said calmly.

"What?" Jak said turning quickly. "How long have you-"

"Since this morning." She said cutting him off. "I've called but you haven't been picking up."

"How do you know where she is?"

"Her tracker." Lena smirked. "That green belly ring she's always wearing, it's a tracker and I finally found it. Erol has a strong scrambler but I have stronger sensor –and friends in higher places, they found her in twenty minutes."

Jak raised an eyebrow at her. "I don't like the sound of that."

She waved away his concern. "Don't worry about it. C'mon, you have a race to win." Jak smirked and ran back into the stadium. He could hear the clicks of Lena's heels as she raced behind him. Jak ran to the guardrail and looked down, instead of seeing all the racers lined up he saw a rider rush by followed by a mass of racers –an orange blur at the head of all of it. Jak looked to the screen, instead of his face on the board it was Daxter's. He looked to Lena as Daxter shoved ahead and the crowd cheered. Lena on the rail and smiled. "Damn he's good."

Jak smirked. "Who do you think taught me to race?"

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever." They watched as Daxter fell behind the other racers who bumped him but that didn't faze Daxter –or he hid it well. He rode strong, shoving past the racers and grinding along the gaps. He drifted steadily into the first place, picking up glowing boosters and using them to sprint far ahead of the others. By the time he crossed the checkered lines for the last time he was far ahead of the other and the winner. Lena cheered and jumped once shouting his name.

Jak smirked, he had no doubt Daxter could win the race and secure their spot in the first class race. The other racers crossed the line and the rankings were displayed on the screen, but Jak wasn't watching them. He was Keira and Tess cheering as Daxter took the trophy from the referee. He watched Keira, eyes glued on her as she spoke wildly to another racer in a blue and yellow racing suit –similar to Erol's. What did Keira see in the KG commander? What did Parker see in Erol? Even though he didn't know Parker's true feelings he knew Keira, or he hoped he did, and he hoped she was still the sweet girl from Sandover Village who used to pick shells off the beach for the Bird Lady. He knew one thing for sure; Haven City changed people.

"Let's get a look at that trophy," Lena smirked. "Maybe Dax will let us touch it."

"Me maybe…" Jak chuckled following the girl out of the racing area. She ran into Keira's garage and jumped on the teal haired girl's back. Lena cheered and laughed while Daxter turned to Tess.

"Hey! When do I get my winner's big kiss?"

"Maybe later," Tess teased. "If you're a good boy."

Jak walked in and smirked at his best friend as he jumped down from Keira's work bench. "Hey, we showed those class two losers a thing or two, huh?"

"I saw," Jak replied. "You drifted a little high in the turns a few times, but you hung in there! I'm proud of you Dax."

"Really?"

"Yeah, you did great."

"No," Daxter cheered. "We did great! Right partner?" He shouted jumping onto Jak's shoulder. Jak glanced to Keira and she turned away. Jak rolled his eyes and left without glancing back, he could hear the click of heels behind him as someone chased him. His communicator beeped and took it out, a small picture of a green diamond popped up on his screen before landing a block away from the stadium. He turned to see Lena slip back into the garage with a wave of her hand and the snap of her communicator. "What is that?"

"Parker's location."

"Really?" Daxter piped. "Are we going there now?!"

Jak paused looking back to the entrance of the garage. Something inside of him screamed no and ordered him to take on another mission. That part was loud and annoying but he could hear something else, and feel it too, the small piece of loyalty he had to her. The endless amounts of times she saved him or warned him. He cursed himself for feeling that, and something else he couldn't put his finger on. He turned quickly, almost knocking Daxter off his shoulder and ran down the steps. He could see the small apartment complex from the steps but he approached it carefully, scanning the windows for any movement or signs of life. He didn't see any flashes of crimson or red spikes of a commander. He peeked through the window, looking for a guard or anyone waiting to shot him but he saw nothing but a table with flowers on it. The door was unlocked so he slipped right in ringing the bell. Before he could dart out of the room a suited man walked in with a pen and pad, his face was covered in pinkish purple tattoos and silver studs that poked through his eyebrows, lips and nose. He gasped and dropped his clipboard and pen stepping back. Jak whipped out his gun and locked the blaster mod into place.

"I'm looking for Parker Drake. Black hair, green eyes, fair skin, used to work in the KG."

He nodded. "Erol's girl. She's upstairs, she used to be in the penthouse but she's on fourth floor now. Last room on the left." He tossed a key onto the counter. "It's locked." Jak grabbed the keys and ran down the hallway hearing the man shout: "I'm calling Erol, you - you, Eco Mutant!"

Jak rolled his eyes and took the elevator to the fourth floor, he pried the gates open and ran down the hallway. He slid to a stop when he passed one of the rooms, several women laid on the carpeted ground and several others were piled onto the bed. They wore different levels of clothing, some were only in underwear and others were wrapped in blankets or completely naked. He ran forward, not daring a glance into the other rooms that lined the hall. The last door was locked just as the man said, he slid the key into the lock and listened for the click. He pushed it open and walked in, he quickly shut the door and locked it –as well slid the chain into place. He turned to find a giant room, unlike the others, this was completely empty expect for a queen sized bed and two lamps on either sides of the bed.

Jak's nose tingled, he smelt that scent before. It wasn't common nowadays but back when he travelled around the world he knew the scent by heart. He used it in Boggy Swamp and at Gol's citadel, he stepped back when he saw someone on the bed roll over the IV bag above their head rattling on its pole.

"Parker…" Jak whispered rushing forward, he bent on the bed and touched her shoulder. "Parker, wake up. C'mon." With his eyes he followed the lines of the bruises on her face and collar-bone, he touched the skin along her jaw line and looked down to her arms. Both were lines with dark bruises with pinholes in them, the last one was closer to her wrist and the skin around it was a yellowish tint. He followed the IV line to the glowing yellow bag. He got off the bed and touched the bag. Yellow Eco, he knew the Eco by heart. He yanked the line out of her arm and started to shake her again. "Parker, wake up!"

Her eyes snapped open and he jumped back, panic washing over him as she tried to sit up but failed. He stared at her. He eyes, which used to be green, were now an electric yellow. She groaned and rolled over. Jak reached over and rolled her back, shaking her again.

"Parker! Don't go back to sleep!"

"Why?" She whispered, her voice dry like a hot wind. "I want to sleep… need to sleep."

Jak was about to argue when he heard a crash somewhere in the building, followed by shouting. He ran to the door to listen and could hear Erol's voice. He ran back to Parker. "How do we get out?"

"No way out…" She mumbled crawling to the end of the bed. Jak stared at her back, her back was covered in bruises and a large tree on her shoulder blade. He could also see scales on her hip, leg, arm and something that looked like a scar but was too detailed. She grabbed a pink house coat and threaded one arm through the sleeve, followed by the other and laid back down. "Can't escape…"

Jak moved from the bed to the large window, there was a small balcony but no fire escape or ladders. Across the small alleyway was another building, shorter than the one he was in. He ran back into the room and pushed the bed against the wall, struggling when it hit the carpeted section of the room but he easily lifted it over that. He could hear shouting down the hallway.

"Let's go Dax, ten seconds!"

"How are we getting out again?" Daxter shouted jumping on the bed beside Parker. "You've blocked the only way out!" Someone banged on the door and barked orders to someone else. Jak leaned across the bed and grabbed Parker, he pulled her to her feet before scooping her up.

She gasped. "What are you doing?"

"Saving your life, come Dax." Jak answered and waited until his friend jumped onto his shoulder.

"You're planning on going out the window aren't you?" Daxter screeched. "Oh Jak, no! Please no! Don't do this!" Daxter shouted as Jak kicked the rusted railing off.

"Ready?" Jak answered Parker.

She wrapped both her arm around his neck and rested her head on shoulder. "This is gonna hurt…" Jak turned when the door was kicked and he could hear the snapping sounds of the hinges. Erol stood with his men, all staring before Jak ran and leapt from the edge. Bullets raced past him but he couldn't hear them over Daxter's screaming. He used his hand to cover Parker's head and Daxter's body before trying to turn to his right to take the impact there.

He felt Parker's hand clench his shirt before they hit the ground. The gravel broke under them and he released Parker, throwing her away from him as his shoulder exploded with pain so bad he cried out. He rolled, smashing his head off the gravel and getting a mouthful of dirt that cut his mouth. When he came to a stop his ears were ringing and his shoulder was on fire, his right leg also burned from a bullet. He rolled his right shoulder and tried to get up, ignoring the spinning in his head. He saw Daxter spitting gravel out and cursing under his breath, his fur was red in patches places. Jak looked to Parker, her housecoat was torn to shreds and she was bleeding from her mouth. Though what surprised him was that she was able to get up, she forced herself to stand and limp forward. He pushed himself to his knees as Parker limped in front of him.

Suddenly, there was a humming in the air as if thousands of bees were swarming around them. At first, Jak thought he might have a concussion but he couldn't blink away the sparks of Yellow Eco that were leaving Parker's body. Her hands crackled with the dangerous Eco before she took another step forward. Jak saw the terrified expressions of the guards, they turned ran away from the balcony but they weren't fast enough. Yellow Eco exploded from Parker's body, shooting into the apartment and blowing out the windows. After a minute the blast stopped and Parker sank to her knees –but Jak caught her before her head hit the ground. He winced as his shoulder screamed in pain.

"Um…" Daxter said limping up to his friends. "What the hell was that?!"

"I don't know…" Jak said looking down at Parker. She twitched and whimpered as the Yellow left her system. "Let's get out of here." He said scooping Parker up, he stumbled and her head rolled. He looked down to her. Instead of the strange yellow he saw, or the vibrant green he was used to, her eyes were the colour of nothing. Not black or gray but an endless void of colour- unseeing, haunted and dead.

But at least she was breathing.

TBC…