Kiri: ok, few questions to answer. Yes, I know all about the new Jak game. I got a release date for it too. At least, I THINK so. November 1. Can't wait for that one! And... no, the thing Erol gave Jakie isn't half of the Eco stone. Sorry. You'll have to watch and find out what it is.
Chapter 3: Back to Haven City
Haven City. What a mess! Obviously nothing had happened since I'd been gone. Well, Jakie Freya Mar was back in town, baby! Believe me, I was ready for anything. If I had to guess, I'd say it's been a little less that a month since I left the first time. Well, first things first: the Underground.
Apparently, I'd been mistaken. Haven was beginning to go to ruin, not by much, but the metal heads were starting to destroy the place. But despite that, I still knew the place like the back of my hand. Well, ok, almost like the back of my hand. I admit, I had a little trouble getting to the Slums and finding the dead end ally, but somehow I managed. I was a bit nervous while walking down the stairs towards Uncle Torn's 'office'. I was wondering what his reaction would be, seeing me again. When the second door opened, there he was, looking at his maps as usual. Honestly, doesn't he ever sleep?
"Torn, don't you ever do anything else?" I asked aloud. I must've startled him. He jerked his head up and started reaching for his knife until he saw it was me.
"Jakie! I never thought I'd see you again!" he exclaimed.
"Well, here I am," I leaned on the desk, "weather you like it or not."
"So get used to it, Captain Laryngitis," Dawn added.
"Not you too," Uncle Torn grumbled.
"So where's everyone else?" I interrupted.
"Jak and his rat are out on a mission, Mar only knows where Ashelin is," he said, sitting back down. "Jak should be back any time."
"Knowing him, he's out getting into trouble," I joked.
"Looks like you've finally grown up," he said, changing the subject. I scoffed.
"Very funny. And yes, It's been four years since I left," I stopped, "And just what is 'you've finally grown up' supposed to mean?"
"When you were here the first time, you were a squirrelly teenager," he replied.
"Thanks a lot, Uncle. That's really comforting!" I sighed and sat down near him.
"So what are you doing back here?"
"Saving Jak's ass again. Sheesh, the man can't even last four measly years without getting into some life threatening situation!" Dawn exclaimed. She's right, yknow. It seems like Dad's talent is fading with age or something… Little did we know that Dad and Daxter was standing right there in the doorway…
"Is that so?" he suddenly spoke out. I was so startled that I fell backwards in the chair, landing hard on the ground. OUCH.
"Don't do that!" I exclaimed, trying to pick myself up. Damn it, I really need to be more alert… I'll just stick it on my To Do list underneath Getting my dad back to full health, Kicking the Baron's ass and Finding the rest of that thing Erol gave me before I left the first time. Seriously, I've been looking for that thing for like… ever. Anyway…
"And what exactly is wrong with me this time?" Dad continued on.
"Heart disease," I answered, "one that doesn't have a cure yet. Where would you be without me around, Pop?"
"Looks like there's always something wrong with you in the future, Jak," Daxter commented. "But anyway, I see you decided to lose the 'I wanna be like my dad' look." I looked at my clothes and nodded.
"People were starting to mistake me for Dad and I was tired of the same old thing." And the conversation continued until Uncle Torn sent Dad out on another mission so I decided to do a little 'exploring'.
"So, where to first?" Dawn questioned as we drove through the city. I thought for a moment, and then headed towards the Water Slums.
"The Pumping Station," I replied.
"Jakie, are you going to look for the other half of that damn thing?"
"Yep. I don't know why, but I get the feeling it's somehow connected with our predicament," I responded. Dawn sighed.
"Whatever you say, Jakie…"
We reached the Pumping Station in a matter of minutes, but it took hours to search the place thoroughly. Dawn kept telling me that what I was looking for wasn't here, and I had to fight off a lot of metal heads. As it would turn out, it wasn't there at all. I was starting to think that I had been sent on a wild goose chase. But I still had the determination, so I started back for the City, when I ran into the one man I didn't want to meet.
Erol.