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CHAPTER 18

Jak paced up and down the throne room of Haven Palace stopping every now and again to soak up more green eco and the occasional shot of light. He sighed heavily as he rubbed his eyes again and Torn looked up from the map he was currently studying "You're feeling it aren't you?" he asked

"What?" Jak snapped glaring at Torn

Torn moved over to him "When you got shot, Keira felt it...you're feeling whatever she's going through...is she in pain?" he asked

Jak shook his head "I just feel tired...they may have sedated her which is why I feel like dropping down right here"

"And you really think this has something to do with Krew?" Torn asked

Jak nodded "His granddaughter turns up from Kras, makes a bee line for my son and then a few weeks later some racer from Kras turns up in the garage and suddenly my wife is missing...of course it's something to do with his family...you know how bent he was...and his daughter is the leader of the biggest crime organisation in Kras...my guess is they want Haven and the easiest way to get it is through me"

"So why Keira?" Torn asked

Jak shook his head "Keira is the only one of us who hasn't got dark or light eco in her, she would be the easiest to keep captured plus they know whatever they do to her I'm going to feel so the weaker she becomes the weaker I become and the better the bargaining tool" he took a deep breath "They just didn't bargain on one thing"

"What's that?" Torn asked as the doors swung open and Taj and Anya ran in followed by a handcuffed Marissa being flanked by Erol and Jinx, guns pointing at her.

"Her...I don't think they thought I'd figure it out so quickly" Jak smirked as his children ran up to him.

Anya stood in front of her father tears lining her eyes "Daddy whats going on, where's mama and Damas and Lexa?" she asked

"Damas and Lexa are at Spargus Palace being guarded by wastelanders..." Jak began

Taj looked up at his fathers tired, sad and dark eyes "And mama?" he asked

"Your mother has been taken" Jak finished sadly as Anya burst in to tears and Jak pulled her into an embrace

Taj narrowed his eyes, they turned black and dark "Who has?...I'll kill them..." he growled

"Son calm down we have to be smart about this...they may think they have a bargaining tool in your mother but we also have one...now take Anya...I need a word with your friend over there" Jak said calmly handing a sobbing Anya to Taj.

Taj watched as Jak marched over to Marissa. The dark eco began to crackle over his skin as he came to a halt in front of her. He smirked and looked down at her "Now Marissa...I'm going to ask you one simple question...where is my wife?" he hissed

Marissa's eyes widened as she watched Jak's skin begin to change from tan to grey and back again, as his eyes changed from blue to black and his hands curled up into fists. She shook her head and sniffed "I don't know...honestly I really don't"

"So you're going to play this the hard way?" Jak smirked "Well dark hasn't been out to play for a really long time"

Marissa shook her head wildly before suddenly dropping to her knees "Please I really don't know where she is...all I had to do was give them the information and they did the rest...please I really don't know where she is...it wasn't supposed to happen this quickly..." she sniffed.

Taj and Anya stood watching and without warning and before Taj could grab her Anya flew from his arms and past Jak diving on Marissa and pining her to the ground "You bitch...I knew it...I knew you were no good!" she screamed before slapping her hard across the face.

Taj ran up next to his father "No Anya...not dark!" yelled Taj

"I don't need dark for this Taj" Anya hissed as she punched Marissa hard in the nose and blood splattered in all directions while Marissa wailed in pain and tried to cover her face with her hand cuffed hands "You tell us where my mother is right now or so help me god I will beat it out of you" she growled grabbing Marissa's bloody face and turning it to look at her.

"Dad...stop her...we need Marissa if we're going to find Mama" Taj pleaded.

Jak nodded and stepped forward grabbing Anya and pulling her off Marissa as she squirmed and kicked "That's enough Anya" he said calmly

"But she knows where she is" she screamed

Jak nodded "And she will help us get her back" he said nodding to Erol and Jinx who stepped forward and lifted Marissa to her feet just as Ashelin marched in.

She looked at Marissa and smirked a little "Good job Anya" she said approvingly "We could use you in the KG"

"How did you know it was me?" she asked

Ashelin pointed to her knuckles "They'll need toughening up...cuts and bruises on knuckles are a sure sign" she smirked "Now I've been in contact with an associate in Kras and he informs me they have a hanger at the sea port" she said unrolling a map on the table.

"Can we trust this associate?" Jak asked

Ashelin shrugged "He's never done me wrong before and we don't really have a choice do we?"

Jak shook his head as his comm unit began to buzz, he looked at it and frowned before docking it in the centre of the table so they could all see her "Where is she?" Jak hissed as the face popped up.

Rayn laughed "You really think I'm just going to hand her over" she shook her head "I thought better of the great warrior Jak"

"Did you now...well you should have thought of something else as well...like a very pissed off dark demon who wants his wife back!" Jak yelled

Rayn laughed again "I see you have the twins with you how very nice...getting the family involved"

"Well you did it...that's something else you didn't count on" Jak hissed

Rayn frowned "What family...I haven't got any family involved?"

"Oh well it looks like Marissa has just had the crap beaten out of her for no reason then" Jak smirked as Jinx pushed Marissa in front of the unit.

Marissa sniffed and wiped her nose "Mother...their going to kill me" she sobbed "Just give her back"

"You stupid girl Marissa...I should have known better than to trust you with something so important...you're just like your father...useless and incompetent" Rayn snapped "You've ruined things"

Jak shoved Marissa out-of-the-way "Now we all know what we've got to play with...why don't we start playing?" he smirked

"You took my father and his business from me...I want his business back...you do that you'll get your wife back safe and sound" Rayn stated

Jak shook his head "Your father wasn't good man, he would have killed us all, you included...I don't control the crime scene in Haven, I can't get that for you"

"Well you'll just have to think of a way to get it...I'll be in touch" Rayn hissed before disappearing off the screen.

Ashelin stood up "Now what?...she doesn't seem to give a crap about her daughter"

"It would seem that way...but she could be acting" Jak said leaning his arms on the desk as another wave of fatigue washed over him.

Marissa looked up "She isn't...she doesn't care about me...she never has...it's always been me and papa" she sniffed

"That's it!" Jak announced. He turned to Marissa and grinned.

Lucie rushed up to Rio in the school court-yard "Whats happened?" she panted

"I've no idea...Taj got a call from his dad and the next thing I know he's dragging Marissa out with Anya behind him" Rio shrugged annoyed

Lucie's eyes widened "Do you think we should go?" she asked

"I don't know what to do...I'm worried Lucie, really worried" he sighed

Lucie nodded "Come on...there has to be something we can do" she said smiling briefly and marching away.

"She's messed up!" yelled Rayn slamming through the door and in to the room that held Keira.

Razor looked up from the magazine he was reading while sat next to Keira's bed and frowned "Who messed up what?" he asked

"Your precious daughter that's who...I knew not to send her, I knew she wouldn't be able to do it...she can't do anything right" she fumed

Razor stood up and glared at Rayn "Hey...don't blame Marissa...you're the one who sent a teenage girl to do this job...you should have known"

"As always you stick up for her...you know they've got her...she's handcuffed and beaten...blood all over her face...she won't even have her looks to fall back on now" she snorted.

Razor paced back and forth "I don't believe this...he'll kill her...he'll kill my baby girl...what are we going to do?"

"Well Jak Mar won't be any good to anyone if he can't fight will he...I want her to be in as much pain as possible without killing her" she snapped before leaving the room "I was going to play nice but not now...I always get what I want"

Razor looked at the form of a unconcious Keira and shook his head "If only they'd given in" he sighed as his comm unit began to buzz.

Jak felt a sharp pain in his chest and he squeezed his eyes shut as his body absorbed it. Anya looked at him as she sat on the steps leading up to the throne "You okay daddy?" she asked.

Jak opened his eyes and looked at Anya "I'm fine angel"

"It's Mama isn't it...their hurting her?" she asked sadly

He shook his head "It's just the pain of not having her near me" he said smiling weakly before going over to Torn and Ashelin.

Anya looked at Taj "I don't think daddy will be able to keep this up for much longer...look at him, he's struggling to keep his eyes open" she sighed shaking her head "We have to get Marissa to help us"

"Dad said something about her father being the key...maybe if she called him...if he saw the state of her" Taj stood up "Where did they say they'd taken her?"

Anya looked up at him "The cells under the palace...but Taj isn't it risky...she could be playing us?"

"There's only one way to find out...and if she is she'll meet dark Taj" he hissed

Anya got and nodded "Okay...I'll cover for you...just be carefull"

Taj nodded and hugged his sister before sneaking out the throne room door and heading for the cells.

Marissa sat in a cold, damp, dark cell. From the look of them they hadn't been used for a while and the smell made her feel sick. She was still handcuffed and her nose throbbed with pain along with her head. She reached up a handcuffed hand and touched it gingerly wincing with pain as her finger came into contact with it. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes just as her cell door opened.

She opened her eyes and looked at the figure coming towards her, breathing a sigh of relief when she noticed Taj's deep blue eyes looking at her "I'm sorry" she whispered

"I don't need to hear your apologizes Marissa, I just want to know why?" he spat

Marissa frowned "Why what?"

"Why would you do that to someone...why would you want two people to die?" he asked

She shook her head "It wasn't supposed to happen like this...your parents were never supposed to be involved"

"Well what was supposed to happen?" Taj asked folding his arms across his chest

Marissa looked at the ground "You were supposed to fall in love with me and we were supposed to run Haven City together..." she started

Taj laughed "Really, simple as that...you can't force love Marissa"

"I know and as soon as I saw the way you looked at Lucie I knew I was fighting a losing battle so I came up with another plan" Taj raised an eyebrow "I knew you didn't love me but I also knew that you wanted me...so I thought if I could get you to..."

"You thought if I had sex with you you'd get pregnant and then I'd have no choice...the jet board course...you planned it" Taj snapped

Marissa nodded "It was the easiest way...your child would be heir to the throne and I could demand on behave of my child to take the throne and run the city until it came to age"

"God and I actually thought you liked me...you're just like the others" Taj said shaking his head

Marissa shook her head "No Taj...at first it was all just a plan but after a while...I really did start to fall for you and I was actually happy about trying to conceive your child...I do love you"

"No you don't...if you love someone you don't want to see them in pain...and losing my parents would be like ripping my heart out while I'm still alive to see it" snorted Taj before tossing a comm unit to Marissa.

She looked down at the small unit at her feet before looking back up confused "What's this for?" she asked

"Call your father...tell him we have you held captive and that you need his help..." Taj said

Marissa shook her head "He won't help...my mother is very powerful...if he helps you she'll kill him..."

"And what about you?" he asked

She shrugged "I'm probably already dead to her"

Taj couldn't help feel a little sympathy. He looked at her as she wiped a tear away and thought for a minute "Okay if he won't help you because of your mother...tell him that the future king of Spargus City promises to ensure he is kept safe...either behind the walls of Spargus or ensuring you and your father safe passage to anywhere you want"

"You would do that?...but what about you father?" Marissa said

Taj smiled "My father has always taught me that being a good warrior isn't all about winning the game but about how you play it...that brawn is nothing without a brain to go with it"

"And he'll help us...if we help get your mother back he'll protect us?" she asked

Taj shrugged "He would do anything for my mother, he would even give your mother what she wants if he could...but he can't..." he shook his head "It's simple either you and your father help us or a very pissed off dark demon is just going to rip that city to pieces until he finds her...maybe more than one dark demon...and they are all getting more and more pissed off by the second"

Marissa saw a flash of dark and sparks of dark eco crackle around Taj. She nodded and picked up the communicator "I'll try Taj but my father...he..."

"Just try Marissa" Taj said.

Marissa nodded and dialed the number.

Razor pulled his comm unit out his pocket as it buzzed and frowned "Yes?!" he demanded

"Papa...its me...please help me" Marissa sniffed

Razor looked at his daughters beaten and bloody face and his face crumbled "Marissa honey...what happened...who did that to you?" he snarled

"It doesn't matter I deserved it...papa I need your help...I need you to help get out of there..." Marissa started

Razor shook his head "I can't honey...you know your mother...she'll kill me"

"They have me papa...they'll kill me if we don't help" she begged

He looked at her face and sighed "And she'll kill me if we do"

"Papa they said if we help they'll help us get away from Kras, from mother...they'll protect us" Marissa sniffed

Razor shook his head "I can't sweetheart...I'm sorry baby girl, I'm so sorry" he sniffed and closed the unit, turning it off and throwing it on the floor "I'm so sorry" he repeated just as Keira began to stir.

"Papa...papa..." Marissa yelled into the unit "He won't help me...he's just going to leave me here to die" she sobbed dropping the comm unit

Taj stepped forward and picked up the communicator "There is another way...you could just tell us where my mother is"

"That's just it though Taj...I don't know...I can't help you...and he won't help me" she sniffed "I envy you Taj...your parents would do anything for you and your sisters and brother...you have so many people who love you"

Taj smiled slightly "My father has a saying 'If one of us fall the rest of us will limp' and you know what, we do"

"I wish I had that" Marissa said

Taj turned to leave "I'm sorry Marissa but by the end of this...if your father won't help us then I'm afraid this my be the safest place you could be" he said leaving the cell and slamming the door shut.

Marissa stared out into the darkness for a minute before her head crashed down on to her knees and she sobbed uncontrollably.

Razor looked down at Keira as she woke up. He reached for a mug of water and lifted her head slightly so she could drink from it. She drank big gulps before Razor pulled it away and rested her head back down. She blinked and looked at him "What's going on?" she asked groggily

"What would I get in return for helping you?" Razor asked

Keira frowned "What do you mean?" she enquired

"If I returned you to your family...what reward would I get?" he enquired

Keira shrugged "I don't know...maybe Jak wouldn't rip your head off"

"You see Rayn is very powerfull and she would have me killed if I helped you...but..." he looked down

Keira smiled slightly "They have Marissa don't they"

"Would he protect us...get us somewhere safe, away from Rayn?" Razor whispered

Keira nodded "If you help me Jak will help you and your daughter in any way he can...either that or let a dark demon out to play who will rip this city apart and every one in his way until he finds me"

"Rayn is very powerful...she has a lot of people willing to die for her" Razor said

Keira smiled "Yes but Jak has dark eco running through him which is at best unstable and light eco which will heal any wounds that he may get"

"But she has you" Razor smirked

She nodded "Yes I know why she has me...she's trying to make Jak as weak as possible...but even a weakened Jak is still a force to be reckoned with and there's still two others"

"Your children?" Razor asked

Keira nodded "I would never want my children in any danger and I hope it doesn't come to it but they have the same in them as Jak"

"Only they can't be fully trained yet, they must be weaker?" he enquired

She smirked "Jak didn't get his abilities until he was a teenager but the twins have had it in them their whole lives, they've been trained how to use it since they turned five"

Razor nodded "What about Marissa?...she's already been beaten"

"I'm sure that was just a knee jerk reaction to the news" Keira smiled knowing her daughter was responsible

Razor nodded "I need to think" he said marching towards the door "Stay quiet or they'll give you more sedative" he said before leaving the room.

Taj walked back in to the throne room and walked straight into his father stood frowning at him "Well?" he asked

"Well what?" Taj said looking up at him

Jak rolled his eyes "I know you went to talk to Marissa...I heard most of the comversation...did she call her father?" he asked

Taj nodded "He wouldn't help her" he said looking down sadly "And I should never have made them promises without discussing it with you"

"You used your brain...I'm proud of you...and it was a good idea" he smiled "What did her father say?"

Taj shrugged "He said her mother would kill him...how can a father do that...put his own life above that of his childs...and his only child at that" he said angrily "I felt a bit sorry for her"

Jak nodded "I think it may come down to me and the demon, son" he sighed

"What about my demon?" Taj said

Anya rushed up to them "And mine...three must be better than one"

"No way...I will not put my children in danger" Jak said shaking his head and walking away

Taj and Anya looked at each other before rushing after him "But dad...we've been trained...in the arena and the gun course"

"Yeah daddy...and we have the same healing powers as you...plus they know how to stop you...if we go there's less chance of mama getting hurt" Anya rushed

Jak spun around "What do you mean...you think I'd let them hurt your mother?"

"God no dad...but if you're stood there all dark and dangerous and ready to throw a dark bomb somewhere then they know all they have to do is hurt mama and you'd go down...at least for a little bit...if it's us they know that hurting mama won't affect us...only make us angrier so they might not bother to do it" Taj explained

Jak thought for a minute "That's a good point...you two could be a decoy" he looked at his two eldest children and all of a sudden saw two little screaming babies. He shook his head and turned away "No no no...it's far too dangerous...and I will not have blood on my children's hands before they even turn sixteen"

"I've killed marauders dad" Taj snapped

Jak turned around "That's different"

"How is it different?" Taj yelled "You send me in to an arena full of men trying to kill me yet you won't let me hurt the people hurting my mother..." his eyes turned black and his skin began to grey "You can't do it on your own dad and you know it which is why you haven't already got her back" he panted "You go running in there all dark demon all they'll do is put a bullet or a knife through mama's heart and then you'll both be gone and then what...then what do we do, who explains to Damas and Lexa...who dad?" he shouted

Jak stared at his son, stood angrily shouting at him, dark eco crackling over his skin as he tried to control the demon inside him. Taj blinked and let his eyes turn blue again but still holding his fathers glare, while Anya and the rest of the congregated KG stood staring at them slack-jawed even Ashelin and Torn.

Taj stepped closer to his father "We have to get her back dad...before they hurt her...we just have to...and we can help" he said quieter than before.

Jak nodded slowly "Yes we do son" he said before smirking and marching past him "Come on we've got some planning to do"

Taj nodded and took a minute to calm down, turning fully back to his normal self before following him with Anya at his side "I can't believe you just shouted at him" she whispered

"It did the trick didn't it" he whispered back.

Okay I think I'll end that chapter there. As ever I hope you enjoy and thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read and review this story thats means DarkSage, xJKxDTRx, Reko-Luna, Redterra, evilanimegenious,Kavell Anderson, DarkEcoFreak and DarkEcoFreak3. You lot are what keeps me writing thanks for the love. X X X X