Jak and Daxter and all affiliated characters and places are property of Naughty Dog. No infringement of copyright is implied or intended in this fictional work.

Sorry about the delays, I had some writer's block paired with working at a flower shop/Hallmark over the Valentine's Day weekend. :spazzes: Hopefully, this is a nice offering for everyone who enjoys this story.

Chapter 9: Competition

After leaving the stadium, Jak and Daxter headed back to the Underground. Once there, they were assigned another task. Daxter hoped it would be the last one today, she was getting tired and Jak looked a little peaked as well.

"This mission is going to require stealth and cunning," Torn said.

"So why'd you come to us?" Jak asked.

Torn scowled and Daxter rolled her eyes. "'Cause I'm the best, big guy," Daxter said. At Jak's incredulous look, she jerked her thumb at the Underground Leader. "Ask him."

Torn groaned and spoke as if someone was pulling his teeth out. "It's true, she's one of the best we've got."

Daxter beamed with pride.

He ignored her. "Right. I want you to take care of an ammo dump we've I.D.'d in the Fortress. There are lots of Krimzon Guards on constant patrol. We know it's vulnerable and we need you to blow up all the ammo you find inside," Torn ordered. He tossed them a pack with explosives. "It should only take a few. Maybe even one if you place it carefully."

"You got it, chieferino," Daxter said, ending with a mock salute.

"Keep it quiet," Torn said. He pointed at Jak. "And I mean you, Jak. Remember just one wrong move and you're out."

Ten Minutes Later

The duo crept inside the Fortress, using a route that Daxter had become familiar with during her numerous missions for the Underground. Having done this more times than she could count, Daxter took the lead in spite of Jak's objections. They ducked down passageways and across roofs, hugging the walls and keeping to the few shadows that the afternoon lent them.

Avoiding the Krimzon Guards was fairly easy, thanks to Daxter's experience and Jak's athleticism.

As they searched the compound they became more and more frustrated as the ammo dump eluded them. Daxter wondered if there really was one. "We don't have all day," she muttered.

"Maybe if we start pushing buttons," Jak suggested, indicating a door-opening panel. His finger reached for a bright shiny button.

Daxter shook her head in panic. "Don't touch that!"

Too late. A massive door about twenty feet away rolled up revealing a huge security tank. The tank rumbled forward toward the pair. Daxter felt her knees stiffen in terror. Her jaw worked up and down stuttering, "Jak."

Jak grasped her wrist and pulled her behind him. She was jerked out of her fright and found herself dashing alongside the blond warrior. The tank fired, striking a nearby building. Plaster and brick fell down around the pair as they continued to run. Daxter closed her eyes against the debris and when she opened them she couldn't see Jak. "Jak?" There was no answer.

The tank fired another shot and she screamed, ducking out of the way. She rushed forward, trying to elude the tank. What she didn't know was that Jak was not that far ahead of her.

The warrior ducked into an open doorway that was sheltered from the security tank. As Daxter ran past, he snagged her arm and pulled her in with him. He pressed her up against the wall and cupped a hand over her mouth. They stood there with locked eyes, one calm, the other filled with silent panic. The sound of the tank came closer and the redhead squirmed. Jak shook his head and they waited.

Moments passed.

The ground shook as the tank approached, knocking something off the wall.

The tank rolled past the doorway, continuing down the courtyard until it was out of sight. They sighed in relief. They were safe, if only for a while.

When Jak released her, the first thing out of Daxter's mouth was, "The hell kind of stealth is that? You keep that up and I'll lose all my street cred." She stepped away from Jak and looked around. Several large storage units were laid out along the side of a loading dock. Stamped on the sides of the crates were familiar looking symbols. Daxter raised an eyebrow. "I think that's our ammo dump," she said.

She set down her bag with explosives and started pulling out bombs. Jak stood by the open window near the back and was surprised to hear footsteps. "Dax," he whispered, waving her over. Daxter went over to him and Jak gestured to the window. They both peered out and were surprised at what they saw.

There were two Krimzon Guards talking with two Metalheads. The Metalheads were grasping large barrels and snarling at the Guardsmen. One of the Guards spoke, "These barrels are the latest shipment of Eco. The Baron says to take them and get out!"

The creatures growled and the Krimzon Guards cocked their rifles.

Jak looked at Daxter. "Metalheads in the city? And why are the Guards giving them Eco?" he asked.

"Well it ain't to impress the ladies, I can tell you that," Daxter snapped.

"We'd better tell the Underground," Jak said.

Daxter nodded. "Yeah, old sourpuss will need to know. First though—" Daxter held up a circular bomb, a grin on her face. "Want to blow something up?"

Torn had been right, one strategically placed bomb was all it took to destroy the ammo dump. The others they planted were just for fun.

Jak and Daxter sat on the edge of a roof watching the show. From a distance the fireballs looked fantastic as they hurtled through the darkening sky. The bright orange flared against the dark blue night and faded away. They clapped and commented on the best ones like children watching fireworks. It was nice being together and outside like the old days. Although Haven City was more polluted than Sandover, up on the rooftops the air smelled fine. As the last of the bombs detonated, Jak turned to his friend.

"We should probably head back," Jak said.

"Yeah," Daxter agreed. She bit her lower lip. "But can we stay out here for just a couple more minutes?"

Jak just smiled. "Okay."

They stayed for a time neither could figure out just enjoying the sights and sounds of the city. It was louder and brighter than their home, but there was something below the filthy surface that spoke of the grandeur and hope the stone and concrete once held. Perhaps with the Baron gone and the Metalheads defeated that feeling would grow stronger.

When they went back to the Underground and told Torn what they had seen, he called in his spies for some reconnaissance work. He had been disturbed by the news and even more disturbed that his information network had not discovered it first. Torn knew that he had some work ahead of him. He thanked the newly dubbed (by Daxter) demolition duo and dismissed them for the night.

They trudged back to Daxter's apartment pleasantly weary after a long day of missions. They hardly spoke a word to each other as they prepared for bed; they were just too tired. And once again, the routine that had established itself back in Sandover continued when Jak snuck into Daxter's bed just as she was about to fall asleep. And once again, Daxter did not object and pretended like it had never happened.

They woke early the next morning and had a quick meal before heading to the stadium. They didn't actually own a zoomer so once again they "borrowed" one from a slow to move citizen. Jak drove as, for some reason, he had a hard time relinquishing control to Daxter. She wasn't sure why, although she had a few ideas. One, it was a safety issue and Jak felt more comfortable if he was the one making the decisions. Or two, he really liked having Daxter clinging to his waist as he zoomed at ridiculously dangerous speeds around the city.

They dismounted at the stadium steps, not really caring where they parked. If the zoomer was missing when they came back then they would just take another one. Two years ago, Jak and Daxter would have been appalled at their casual attitude toward thievery but now it was the standard.

The demolition duo climbed up the stairs and headed toward Keira's workshop. As they rounded the corner and Daxter saw the one man she had hoped to avoid ever seeing again. "Crap, it's Erol," the redhead said. Daxter gripped Jak's arm, noting how his muscles tightened under her fingers.

"Well, if it isn't the Dark Eco Freak," Erol said. His eyes slid over to Daxter. "And his little girlfriend. I bet no one's been as good as me, not even Jak. I'm a tough act to follow."

Daxter rolled her eyes and snapped, "Oh yeah, it was so thrilling I don't even remember it."

Erol smiled, nonplussed at her comment. He stalked closer to the pair, invading that invisible line of personal space. "I can help you remember. I'm always up for a repeat performance and I'll make sure you're sober this time," he said. He reached forward to touch Daxter's cheek when Jak's hand smacked him away.

Purple electricity crackled around Jak's fingers and his nails were far too long. Daxter looked up in alarm. Jak had not transformed into Dark Jak but the other was struggling to get to the surface. Daxter shifted her grip on his arms to hold them down. She tried to sound casual, but could not keep the fear out of her voice. "Jak, buddy? Don't freak out on me, okay? We don't want to do any cleanup, right?"

Erol smirked. "He's a monster, little girl, just like me. But unlike him, I have the balls to take what I want."

Daxter flinched. The way he looked at her made her feel filthy and she didn't know why. All she knew was that she had to get Erol out of here before Jak did something they would all regret.

Suddenly, Keira burst through the door of her workshop. "Get out!" she shouted, pointing at Erol.

The Captain, the warrior and the sidekick turned their heads at her unexpected intrusion. "Keira?" Jak asked. Daxter was relieved to see that he was back to normal.

"Get out, you pig!" the mechanic yelled. When Erol didn't move, Keira raised her wrench and threw it at him. "NOW!"

Erol ducked out of the way. His face twisted with anger. "What about my racer?"

"You'll get your racer but don't ever come back here!" she screamed.

Erol pointed a finger at her. "You won't ever work again. I can promise you that," he said.

"Get out!"

Erol stood there for a moment, determining his options. Keira, Jak and Daxter all glared at him, daring him to try anything. Erol heard footsteps from behind him and saw an angry Duran welding a wicked looking nailgun. Considering he was outnumbered, Erol chose a strategic retreat. He pointed a finger at Jak. "See you on the track, Eco Freak," he said and strode off.

Keira panted, trying to catch her breath and control her rage.

Daxter turned her nervous gaze to the other woman. "Hey, remind me never to piss you off. Wow," she joked. When Keira didn't respond, Daxter sighed. She scratched her head. "How much did you hear?" the redhead asked, not sure if she really wanted an answer.

"Enough," Keira said. "I can't believe—he's such a—"

"Bastard?" Jak supplied.

"Yes," Keira said. She noticed Duran and waved him over. His timing had been impeccable. She wasn't sure if Erol would have backed off without the presence of an actual weapon.

The shy young man came right to her side. "Is everyone okay?" he asked.

The mechanic smiled. "We are now," she said. "Hey, my nailgun!"

Duran handed the heavy tool to her. His cheeks had a touch of red to them. "Thank you for letting me use it. It was a bi-big help."

Jak and Daxter raised their eyebrows. This was new. Daxter coughed into her hand and produced a teasing grin. "So who's your friend, Keira?" Daxter asked.

Keira flustered at her own rudeness. "Oh, Duran this is Jak and Daxter. Jak, Daxter, this is Duran."

Jak and Duran grasped hands and sized each other up. Duran was a clear-eyed young man with a firm grip. The handshake hinted at his strength without attempting to overpower. Jak approved. "Hi," he said.

Daxter looked the newcomer over and noting his coveralls asked, "So are you a grease monkey too, pal?"

"I'm just an apprentice," Duran replied. "I work with Gaius on the other side of the stadium."

Daxter nodded. "So I bet Keira's teaching you a lot—"

Keira wrapped an arm around Daxter's neck and clamped her hand over the younger woman's mouth. "I'm sorry, Duran, we have to prep for the Class Three Race," Keira said.

Duran looked down at his feet for a second, the disappointment obvious in his voice. "Okay. I should be getting back anyway."

"I'll catch up with you later if that's all right," Keira offered. Duran's smile was all the answer she needed.

As soon as the older man was out of sight, Keira released Daxter. "I can't believe you," she hissed.

"What? I didn't do anything. Sheesh," Daxter said, crossing her arms.

"We'd better get down to the track. The race starts in a few hours," Jak said.

Keira led the way, eager to redirect their energies elsewhere.

At the practice course they decided that Jak should ride for the race. Although Daxter could now drive, Jak had more experience with timed courses. So that was how the two women found themselves sitting on a bench by the sidelines, watching Jak zoom past them. Each time he made a lap, Keira would call out the time. After a while, Daxter spoke.

"Keira," She started. When Keira turned to look at her, Daxter started running her hands through her hair in embarrassment. "I, uh . . . I don't think I ever thanked you for the sleepover back when we were home."

The mechanic was surprised, but pleased at the unexpected thanks.

"I mean if it hadn't been for you and Tess—Not that I couldn't have handled being a girl on my own or anything."

Keira just nodded, it was kinder not to damage the redhead's pride.

"But you two helped. A lot," Daxter admitted. "So thanks."

"You're welcome," Keira said. She was curious about this other person Daxter mentioned. "Who's Tess?"

"Tess?" Daxter said, obviously warming up to a favorite subject. "Oh Tess is gorgeous. Body like you wouldn't believe, it just goes on forever. Rrawr. Hot. And smart too, you wouldn't think it but the things she does with a mod gun—" Daxter made some hand gestures that polite company would consider obscene.

Keira decided to alter the subject a little. "How'd you meet?"

"Outside a bar. Some jerk was harassing her so I stood up for her. You know I still make a pretty intimidating figure." Daxter flexed her muscles.

Keira rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, I saved her butt and she saved mine. Been friends ever since." A wistful smile played across Daxter's face.

"So you like her then?" Keira asked, trying to get to the heart of the matter.

"Who wouldn't? You'd have to be brain-dead not to like her," Daxter replied. She placed her head on her hands. "She deserves a good man—"

"You're a good man," Keira offered.

Daxter snorted. "Hate to break it to you sweetcheeks but I haven't been a man for a couple of years. I'm a little rusty at it." She then straightened up and brushed some imaginary fuzz off her shirt. "But not that rusty. Once I turn back to my manly self I'll be a babe magnet again in no time."

So Daxter hadn't changed quite as much as Keira had thought over the past two years. She still remembered Daxter's denial the day of her transformation and how she had held onto it even after she had given up the chance to be normal in order to save the world. Keira wondered how long the younger woman could hold onto it.

Daxter smiled. "Besides, she thinks of me as a little sister. Where'd you think I got the threads?"

"I wondered," Keira admitted.

The redhead pinched the sleeve of her shirt, offering it to Keira for a feel. "Nice, huh?"

"Yes," Keira said, rubbing the fabric. It was an inexpensive but comfortable material, ideal for a young mercenary.

"Speaking of threads you haven't changed your look much." Daxter looked her up and down. "Your pants are longer."

"The city's a lot dirtier than Sandover," Keira said.

Daxter nodded. "I hear you, I hear you."

Jak zoomed by and Keira called out the time. Once Jak was out of earshot, which was less than a few seconds, Daxter turned to Keira. "So this Duran guy—"

Keira interrupted a little too quickly, "He's just a friend."

Daxter rolled her eyes. "Right. Sure."

The mechanic was determined not to rise to the bait. They lapsed into silence.

Keira called out the time as Jak flew past again. She nodded in approval. Jak was good, very good when he was alone on the track. The mechanic wondered how he would hold up against the other racers, especially Erol.

Erol had been a champion racer several years ago but had gone into retirement once he became Captain of the Krimzon Guard. No one had ever thought he would come back to the track but one day last year he reappeared with intensity that he had never had before. He blew the competition away, both figuratively and literally, reclaiming his championship title again and again.

Keira had seen him race time after time and knew that if anyone would be a challenge for Jak, it would be him. And that was aside from Jak's personal vendetta against him, not to mention Daxter. Just thinking about that made her furious all over again.

Keira was not a stupid woman and it was obvious that Erol had done something to Daxter. Between the way Erol was swaggering and the terse words Daxter had spoken she could guess what it was. How could he hurt her friends that way? Keira looked over at the redhead.

Daxter didn't seem too bothered by what had happened that morning, but Keira wondered how much Daxter was holding back.

Before she could say anything, Jak pulled off the course. "How'd I do?" he asked.

"Great. We still have some time before the race so I'm just going to do a quick tune-up. I'll meet you down there," Keira said.

A half hour later and the stadium filled with anxious spectators. Food vendors hocked their wares and others sold binoculars or merchandise featuring popular racers. The atmosphere was electric and no one was unaffected. Keira and Daxter made some minor adjustments to Jak's racing gear, making him look as snazzy as possible.

Before Jak went out on the track, Keira gave him one piece of advice. "Erol likes to taunt his opponents before a race to psych them out. Whatever he says don't listen to him."

"Yeah, big guy. You'll get a shot at him, just not now. You got to wait so we can kick his ass together, right?" Daxter said.

Jak nodded. "Right."

As Jak approached the starting gate, he noticed that his spot was right next to Erol's. The Krimzon Guard grinned at him, his racing mask titled up onto his forehead.

Jak resisted the urge to punch that smug face.

Erol turned away from Jak and scanned the audience. He spotted Keira and Daxter. His grin widened. "Quite a little following you have there," he said.

Jak ignored him. He knew that he would have a chance at Erol but as Daxter had said, he needed to be patient. He straddled his zoomer and began preparing himself. Seeing that Jak was not paying attention, Erol proceeded to do his own warm-ups.

A cackling voice came over the loud speaker announcing the racers and building up the importance of this preliminary round. Jak tuned the voice out and focused on visualizing the race itself. His mind plotted out the course he would take and he saw himself at the finish line. There, Keira and Daxter would be there to greet him. They would hug him and make a fuss over him, hailing the conquering hero. And maybe, just maybe, he would have the courage to try what he did in the prison on Daxter again.

The countdown started. The racers leaned forward on their vehicles, hands gripping the handlebars. The sound of revving engines filled the air. The crowd cheered and called out the names of their favorites. Among the voices, Jak could swear he heard "Jak! Jak!"

"Jak," Erol taunted. Jak shook himself from his fantasies turned to look at his tormentor. "You know that since you're free she's fair game."

Jak's eyes narrowed. He wouldn't dare.

The Krimzon Guard grinned. "Once you're dead I'll just have to 'comfort' her myself, as many times and in as many positions as she wants. It won't take much to get her screaming my name." Erol pushed his mask down over his face.

The blond snarled in fury. He remembered what Keira had said, but this was Daxter and Erol had already hurt her once. He couldn't let that monster touch her again.

The light shifted from red to yellow.

Screw patience, he was going to kill the bastard.

Green.

And they were off.

The six racers took off like a shot. The different colors of their zoomers blended together as they sped through the narrow course. The course itself had numerous dangers: tight turns, sudden jumps, missing sections of track, not to mention the other racers. Jak had his hands full as he tried to keep himself in the race without getting killed. He leaned into the turns with his machine; feeling like it was an extension of his own body. Keira did amazing work.

Wind rushed through his hair as he leaned forward to cut air resistance. He was grateful for the goggles over his eyes. At these speeds, who knew what the hell would fly into them.

The first lap was pretty standard, the racers trying to get a feel for the road and for each other. Jak was in the top three the entire time, occasionally losing ground to Erol or to the racer in the green zoomer before catching up with them again. The audience's ohs and ahs spurred the competitors on, knowing that fame awaited the winner.

It was during the second lap that things got interesting.

One racer took a turn too tightly and the front of his zoomer clipped the wall. Metal tore and shrieked as he attempted to regain control. The other racers dodged the shrapnel that flew at them from the damaged zoomer. Luckily they were on a straight path so it wasn't too much of a problem. Suddenly, a bolt flew loose, taking part of the steering controls with it. He spun out from the line and smashed into a wall, exploding in a ball of flame. The crowd went wild.

Daxter gasped. "Holy Precursors."

Keira winced. "It happens almost every race. Poor guy," she said.

The other racers kept going. A minor thing like death couldn't hold them back.

"That'll be you next time, Jak!" Erol shouted over the din.

The blond let that go, knowing that if he got angry now Erol's prophecy would come true. Instead, he eased on the throttle as he crested a jump, just to make sure he didn't skew off course and smack into something. He could hear encouragement from Keira and Daxter as he passed by their seats. He waved and continued driving.

The racers rounded the third lap and Jak found himself right next to Erol. The other racer didn't spare him a glance as he punched up the throttle. Jak mimicked the movement, keeping pace with the Krimzon Guard. Erol twisted, smashing the side of his zoomer into Jak's.

Jak hissed as he was nearly thrown off-balance. So this was the way he wanted to play. Jak returned the favor and was satisfied to hear Erol growling over the roar of the engines. They continued this way, smacking their vehicles into each other, blocking the path so no one could pass them.

They were going around the final corner to the home stretch. Jak knew what he had to do. He cut the accelerator for a second, drawing back. Then he gunned it for ramming speed. He struck Erol's zoomer right by the handles and sent the other racer swerving to the side. Erol quickly regained control, but it was more than enough for Jak to take the lead and cross the black-and-white checkered finish.

"And the winner is . . . Jak!" the announcer called out. The crowd thrummed with excitement. For the first time in a year, someone had beaten Erol. His dominance of the racetrack had become synonymous in the minds of the multitude with the Baron's control over the city. If Erol could lose then there was hope for change.

Jak dismounted his zoomer and waited for Keira and Daxter. They did not disappoint.

Keira gave the warrior a hug. "Great job, Jak! I knew you could do it."

He returned the hug, feeling a brief moment of nostalgia for when they were children. When they were very young, the three of them would wrestle and play without a care in the world. When they grew older, Jak drifted toward adventuring, Keira toward her workshop and Daxter drifted to tagging along with Jak. But Jak knew that those early days were far behind them.

Daxter just stood there with a massive grin on her face. "You sure tore up that track buddy. Bam! Making them eat your dust," she said, her hands flying in wild gestures. She babbled at him, her excited words filling the air. She recreated parts of the race through pantomime, occasionally bumping into another zoomer, aka Keira, during her act. Keira smiled and cried out every time Daxter bumped her; she had missed everyone too.

Jak looked over Daxter's head and saw the Krimzon Guard Captain staring at them. Jak reached forward and wrapped a protective arm around Daxter's shoulders, hugging her to him. She glanced up at him for a moment, a little confused before continuing her conversation, although her movements were severely hindered.

Erol scowled at them now and Jak felt like he had accomplished his objective. He squeezed Daxter closer to him, a gesture meant to say one thing: back off. As long as Daxter was under Jak's watch Erol wasn't getting near her. The Captain stalked off the field to sulk about his second place trophy.

A loud beeping interrupted the group. Daxter scowled and fished the communicator out of her pants. "Ugh, it's Torn. Sorry toots, hate to race and run but we've got business to take care of," she said.

"That's okay. Duran and I will take care of the zoomer," Keira replied. "I'll keep you informed on when the next race is."

"The demolition duo is back on the job," Daxter said. "Let's go, buddy."

Jak and Daxter headed out of the stadium, Jak deep in thought. He regretted not being able to take care of Erol on the track but in the long run this way might be better. He liked taunting Erol like the older man had tortured him for two years.

The first year had jabs at his inability to scream as the Dark Eco burned through his system. Erol had taken great pleasure in asking how the boy was and then yelling when he couldn't answer. But the second year had been worse. Jak could handle the interrogations about his home and where he came from. He could handle the occasional slap or broken finger. He could also handle being tossed into the obstacle course and running it over after hour until he collapsed from exhaustion. What he couldn't handle was Daxter.

Every night before he would go to sleep Erol would come to his cell regaling him with stories of the night in the bar. The Captain described everything in excruciating detail leaving nothing to Jak's imagination. And when Erol ran out of stories, he turned to fantasies. Growing up in Sandover, Jak never imagined someone being that cruel and indifferent to another's suffering. It was during one of these sessions that Jak made the decision that would change his life. He would kill the Baron and Erol for doing this to him, for hurting Daxter to get to him and for the dark fire that sang in his veins. He would kill them both, their screams and suffering ringing in his ears for all eternity. And that suited Jak just fine.

A/N

I noticed from the game script that Erol wasn't really crazy until Jak 3 but man he was a nasty vindictive bastard in Jak 2. I hope I managed to capture some of that. :)