WooT! People finally started reviewing. Anyway, I promised I'd bring in another character in this chapter. I am, but she won't take Kirsten's spotlight, just so you know. Anyway, I am open to ideas and please feel free to give some if the story loses it's wow. Enjoy.

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We all arrived quite late after our dancing. We got out and only talked for awhile before deciding to go to bed. They were going to make me get up and practice early for my first match. I wasn't really looking forward to it. I could easily see myself being crushed against a wall or- as Torn and I argued- going through a guard-rail.

When I got into my room, I immediately took my shoes off and lay down. The room was small but with vibrant colors and a fairly large window with an orange curtain. I lay under the covers and listened to my breathing, thinking about the events of the day. Torn helping me out, Cutter creeping me out, the strange man in the dance club. And last but not least- Jak. He was so warm and friendly with me, I couldn't help but be scared for him. It seemed that through each of his adventures, he was chosen as the least likely to survive because so many people were after him.

I frowned and turned over. I wonder if he was safer with or without me. Probably not, because many people knew how close we were. And they could use his softened heart to their advantage. But then again, he had my help too. However much help I offered.

And then that got me to thinking- when would our relationship heat up? Like in the mature way. It couldn't now; it didn't feel like the right time. I was only fifteen. Now, defiantly not right. Lots of girls my age did things, but I wouldn't. I would have to wait. But that seemed okay, because Jak didn't seem to mind. I would talk to him about it.

I blushed.

Or maybe not. If was hard to talk about, of course it would be hard to do. I needed to put it out of my head. What's not thought of can't be brought up.

My eyelids slowly fell over my eyes and I dropped into hazy sleep. And surprisingly, I opened them again, gazing into daylight. No dreams. But maybe that was a good thing, no nightmares.
I got up and inhaled deeply. It must have not been too late, because nobody woke me up. I stood and stretched, clawing the air. Then, I realized I didn't have the right clothes on. I walked out barefoot and knocked on Keira's door. She was already up and let me in. I changed in her bathroom and freshened up. When I was ready, we both walked out into the lounge. Torn was sitting on the couch.

"Wow." I said sitting next to him. "You're not doing anything."

"Yeah, just thinking."

"And what are you thinking of?"

"Just this situation we're in."

I smiled. "Well, I find that thinking about it too much makes it seem worse than it is."

"No." He said. "Because it can't get any worse."

"No!" I jumped and hugged him. "Come on Keira!"

She shook her head, grinning. "No, he might eat me."

And then somebody walked into the room, from outside. Torn saw them first and his whole body tensed.

"Oh my god." He breathed.

I pulled away and looked. I held my breath. I didn't exactly know who it was, but her appearance took my breath away.

The woman standing in the doorway had purple braids all the way to her hips, eyes so beautiful yet sinister; I wasn't surprised at Torn's reaction. A scar traveled from her hairline, seeming to go through her eye down her cheek, but her eye wasn't touched. But when she blinked, I saw the scar lightly touching the top of her eyelid. She wore scanty leather clothing, and a cigarette hung out of her dark lips. She was so gorgeous yet dark I felt my stomach curl in envy. And then I noticed the tattoos on her face. Krimzon tattoos or Freedom tattoos?

Torn's face was so confused and shocked I kept glancing back and forth.

"Hello Torn." She said in a voice as sultry as Ashelin's.

"Jonna. Why are you here?"

"The same reason you are." She said and puffed on her cig.

She sat on the other side of him, pulling one leg up and facing him. He was watching her intently. I turned and looked at Keira. She shrugged and looked as baffled as I. I lowered my head so it was hidden from the woman's sight behind Torn. Then I mouthed to Keira, Get Jak and Ashelin. She nodded and turned around, trying to act casual. For effect, she stopped at a table and looked down at a paper and then went into the hallway.

"Are you racing?" Torn said.

"Yes."

"Are you poisoned, too?"

"No." She blew the smoke in his face. He actually didn't notice it.

"Then you're helping us?"

She smiled and lifted an eyebrow. "Nah. I'm with Mizo."

Torn's face twisted in anger. "What?"

She laughed and bit her lip. "You heard me. I'm sick of your goody two shoes junk. I'm racing for a good cause and that's to get rid of you."

Nobody said anything after this. It was like listening to somebody say they were going to kill you. Torn stared at her. Then he stood up.

"Get out."

Ashelin and Jak walked in, looking interested in what Keira told them. Jak kept walking but Ashelin stopped.

"What are you doing here?"

Jonna twisted around and looked at her. Then she slowly got up. "Ashelin, how are you doing darling?"

"Jonna here's racing for Mizo and the rest of those crazy drivers." Torn said.

And then I spoke up. "I don't see what's going on here, who is she?"

Everyone looked at me. Daxter walked in and hooted but I didn't really listen to him. Jonna walked over to me. "Look at this. Somebody here learning how to be one of the big girls, aren't you just precious." She bent and put a hand under my face and studied me. I pulled my head back and glared at her in disgust. I stood up and went around the couch to Jak. I stood next to him and we both crossed our arms.

She watched me and then grinned, dumping some ashes onto the carpet.

"Ah, Jak the cradle-snatcher. I've heard much about you."

Never in my life had my temperature shot up so high. I was so shocked at my self especially when I thoughtlessly shot forward, trying to get over the couch to her. But Torn grabbed me and pulled me aside. "No, Kirsten. She's not worth it. She's just trying to make you mad, you can't let her make you mad sweetheart."

I trashed and tried to squirm away. I felt my face twisted into such an ugly expression, I would be afraid of me. Keira was staring at me in shock. Jak had his arms unfolded and his face was red in anger.

I finally calmed down but I spat at her, growling. I was like a wild animal. I had never in my life wanted to hurt someone so bad. She was grinning widely and had even taken her cigarette out. "Well look at that, aren't you the hyper one?"

Ashelin walked forward and stood next to her. She thrust her finger toward the door and growled at her.

"Get out, now."

"Okay." She said blew smoke in Ashelin's face. "I will."

Ashelin snatched the cigarette from her and threw it down, crushing it. Jonna looked at her for a moment more and then turned to leave.

"I'll see you all out on the track today."

She walked out, her hips swaying naturally. Everybody was quiet, looking at the door.

And then Daxter spoke. "Wow. Who was that? And I thought I was a pain."

I sighed and Torn let go of me. I turned and put my hands on his shoulders, burying my face in his chest tiredly. He hugged me. "Sorry about that. She's always loved raking at everyone's nerves. She's good at it too."

"Who was it, Torn?" I said. I think I just made my very first personal enemy. The first person that I made a goal to strike down myself for myself. Torn sat down and I went back to Jak, hugging him too.

"That…" Torn said glumly. "Was my ex-girlfriend."

Everyone in the entire room dropped their jaws except for Ashelin, who seemed to already know. Rayn walked in. "Hey everybody."

We all glanced at her wide-eyed. Her eyes also got big. "What? What is it?"

"Jonna and I were together back when I worked for Praxis. She was working there as artillery captain. She saw to it that we got our weapons and showed how to use them. She also made them, like Tess. She really was pretty, but now she's…she's…"

"Slutty." Ashelin stated.

"Well, yeah that too. But she's so different. I don't know what it is. She looks and feels strange. She used to have red hair, cute freckles and wore colorful things. But she also had a taste for war and like I said; making people angry. She doesn't act different but I'm so confused as to why she's with the other team."

"Did you dump her?" I asked.

He looked at me in irritation. I bit my lip.

Daxter boomed. "You're such a jerk. Why would you break it off with that piece?"

"Daxter!" Jak snapped.

"What?!"

Jak rolled his eyes. "I felt dark eco when she was in here. It disappeared when she left. But she's drenched in it. And you can tell she took it willingly."

"But how did she get it?" Ashelin said.

"The Krimzon labs, most likely." Torn replied, his head in his hands.

We all dropped it at that point. Everyone talked for a bit and Torn suggested we get to work. We walked out together and I practiced my driving. I did four laps and he put some decoys up for me to practice on. The whole time I was driving I would occasionally think of Jonna and my foot would get heavier on the gas, impressing Torn. I would shoot at things more, feel more reckless.

I made a promise to myself that I would have her knocked off a race at some point or another. I was one-hundred percent sure of it.