Chapter Fourteen:

Dark Revenge, Part I

Only one thing remained that he could do, he acknowledged to himself as he sat in the dark, planning. The one person that had created the monster he had become, the one man who unrightfully usurped the throne from the true ruler. The one man who was responsible for the deaths of countless innocents, including Erin's. Only one punishment could fit the crimes that Praxis has committed.

Death.

And it will be by MY hands!

Just as Praxis had taken his love away, Jak was going to take the one thing that Praxis truly treasured, his life.

He sat, brooding on the rooftops, waiting for the sun to rise. The sky and streets were dark as he searched for any sign that the day was going to start. It was such a hassle to have to wait until the morning. Vin wouldn't open the doors to the Power Station until then, the paranoid man that he was. He barred the doors into the place during the night, which irritated Jak. There was no time to lose, Praxis must pay!

Mine and… and Erin's, by the Precursor's, it even hurt to think her name! Our plan had been to win the City Championship race to get to the Baron. There was no need to wait now. He was going to get into the Palace if he had to fight every Krimson Guard in the entire city!

What a sick world they must live in, when what's best for the majority of people overcame the individual. How many people had died already in this was against the Baron? Dieing so that maybe someday their children could grow up in a place without fear, but who would remember them? Erin had been fighting for a place that was never her own. It wasn't her responsibility, but she did it just the same, and it cost her life.

That's why he needed Vin. He knew all the entrances into the Palace, along with a way to take down the defenses. Perhaps it was suicide to try and get into the Palace, but what did it matter now? Erin was dead…

Jak slammed mental barriers around his mind; thinking about her was too painful. He wasn't going to let himself slip into despair; he had a job to do.

He sat on the rooftops, ignoring the ache in his heart, the hole that remained from the absence of her.

Finally the barred door lifted from the Power Station, allowing him access. He slipped down from the roof and climbed his way down the side of the building on a pipe.

Vin was busy working at the other end of the Station on a computer. Jak walked up to him.

"I need you to get me into the Palace."

He probably jumped ten feet in the air, yelling something about Metal Heads coming to get him. Perhaps in the past Jak would have found that amusing, but not any more.

"Jeez! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?! My heart can't take such treatment."

"Can you get me into the Palace or not?" Jak asked shortly.

Vin glanced at him long and hard. "I'd like to help you, but Torn ordered me not to. Said you were out of your mind for the time being. He want's you to cool down before you do anything rash."

"I don't care what Torn said," Jak growled, no one was going to tell him what to do.

Vin noticed the look in his eyes, perhaps he is out of his mind. "Ok, I'll help you, but if Torn asks, you threatened me."

Jak just nodded, he didn't care if Torn thought he was insane, all the better perhaps, because that meant that he wouldn't send anyone in behind him.

It took several hours for the two of them to devise a way into the Palace. It also required Jak to do a little leg work, but he didn't mind, at least it kept his mind off of… other matters. Jak had to jump a Krimson Guard and take his uniform and access pass. While Jak was working on that, Vin was making up a program that could manipulate the access pass so that he could change the information in it. Jak had to tail a Krimson Guard until he was stupid enough to enter a dark alley alone. He jumped him before he could call for backup. He stripped the man of his uniform and shoved it into a bag so he could get back to the Power Station unnoticed. When he got back, Vin was still working on the hacker program.

"Once the Underground asked me if we could hack the Baron's system, but his programs were too tough. Mar designed them, I'm sure, because I doubt the Baron has anyone under his command that could beat me at programming," Vin talked just to fill the silence, because Jak didn't seem to want to talk.

"The Shadow asked if I could add false access passes that would allow the Underground to enter the palace. Mar's system was just too tough. I had thought of this plan before, but the Shadow didn't think it was too plausible, because the number of uniforms we would have to get would arouse suspicion, and I never thought that anyone would be crazy enough to go in alone. No offense."

After a few more minutes of random talking and button pushing from Vin, he finished the program, "That aught to do it."

He handed Jak the access pass. When he flipped it open he saw that it now showed a picture of him instead of the Krimson Guard that it originally belonged to. It was exactly what he needed to get into the Palace.

"Thanks, Vin," Jak turned to leave in his newly acquired Krimson Guard uniform.

"You really are going to do this?" Vin asked. Perhaps he had hoped that Jak would come to his senses after he waited for a while.

Jak just nodded and exited the Power Station.

The street was getting crowded now. Many of the town's people were out and about for the day, along with many of the Krimson Guards. The crowd would make it easy for Jak to slip into with his red helmet firmly in place. He looked just like any other KG on the street.

The instant he left the Power Station, the radio in his helmet starting buzzing with many voices from the squads of KG's throughout the city. Many confirming their areas were clear; others were reporting any suspicious behavior in their sector.

Jak knew from the access pass that he was to be keeping a watch over the area near the Palace, which is why he had jumped the Guard in the first place. He headed for the Palace sector; not wanting the Baron to figure out something was amiss. Jak had decided what he was going to do. He would pretend to be the Guard that he had jumped until later in the day when the city had quieted down, after the end of 'his' shift. Then Jak would enter the Palace and report a malfunction with his helmet, and request a new one.

After that part of his plan, he would need to be quick. When he received a new helmet, he would head towards the exit, but instead he would enter the elevator to the main chamber of the Palace. Once there, his disguise would be worthless, because anyone he came across would probably kill him on sight instead of asking questions. He couldn't say that he 'just got lost' in the high security area of the Palace. His presence there would be suspicious, so he would have to be careful not to get caught.

If everything went according to his plan, he could reach the Baron without tripping any alarms. He would be unaware of his presence in the Palace entirely. Praxis has prided himself as having a plan for everything, expecting the unexpected, for never being caught with his back to the wall. Jak was going to use that weakness against him. He thought that he was safe in the Palace, but Jak was going to prove him wrong. Dead wrong.

None of the Krimson Guards he passed seemed to be concerned with him. He looked like one of them, so he must be one of them. The KG thought that they were untouchable, who would dare to oppose the Baron? Only a small group of insurgents, and they were nothing to worry about. That was the way they felt, no one would dare harm them. They were the will of Praxis, they did his bidding. And NOONE dared to get on his bad side.

Jak was going to use their arrogance against them; he alone was going to take out the one piece of the puzzle that controlled them all. A saying goes that if you want to kill a snake, you cut off the head. Praxis was the head to the snake that was poisoning the city and killing the citizens. But no, Praxis alone wasn't to blame. Those under his command were equally to blame for the condition of the times. If those under the Baron refused to obey, Praxis would have no one to order to do his dirty work.

Perhaps after he had dealt with Praxis, Jak would take out the man who had enjoyed handing out pain to countless people. The man who took sick pleasure out of torturing the helpless people in the Prison; the man who filled the last hours of life of defenseless individuals with misery until they died from the pain. The Baron's second-in-command was to blame as well, Errol, who felt no remorse for his actions, yet.

Jak would make them both pay, and anyone who got in his way.

He continued to patrol his designated area, trying not to arouse suspicion. It wasn't hard. He just had to walk like he owned the place. He did try to avoid the other Krimson Guards in the area, just in case any of them recognized the markings on the armor he had stolen. There always was a chance that someone knew the KG that he had taken it from.

Better to be safe then sorry.

Jak kept up his "evil and arrogant Krimson Guard" act for several hours, until the radio dispatcher announced that he was off duty.

"Private Sketch Maken, you're off duty," the voice announced in a bored voice.

"What?" Jak asked, "I cannot hear you very clearly." The 'helmet malfunction' piece came into play.

"YOU'RE OFF DUTY!" He yelled irritably over the radio.

"Sir … cutting… in and out…" Jak said, adding to the false malfunction.

"Private, report to the maintenance department in the Palace, they'll assign you a new helmet."

"Yes, sir," Jak responded as any trooper would.

So far his plan was working. Not one of the people he passed on the street suspected, not one of the Krimson Guards questioned when he entered the side door to the Palace. Everything was working perfectly.

Now he had to make sure it stayed that way.

When he walked up to the maintenance desk, the man only asked his problem. Jak dutifully answered that he was having problems receiving transmissions in his helmet radio. He nodded and asked to see it.

Jak removed his helmet without hesitation, but inside his mind he was praying that the man didn't know his face from the few posters that the Baron had posted. He looked at Jak for a moment then looked down at the "broken" helmet.

The man didn't recognize him.

He took the helmet to the back of the small shop and reappeared with a new one.

"Here you go, Private."

Jak thanked the man and walked at a normal pace out of the shop. When he was sure no one was watching and that he was out of sight of any cameras, he slipped into the elevator and pressed the button to the upper levels of the Palace. He was getting closer to the Baron.

The elevator hummed as it took off at a high rate of speed upward. The Baron's elevator was kept in good condition, while the rest of the city was left to fend for itself.

The elevator hardly made a sound.

When the large and lavish elevator opened, Jak cautiously poked his head out into the large chamber.

It looked deserted.

He walked carefully on the stone floor, not wanting to make too much noise. But also he tried not to look like he wasn't trying to draw attention, just in case someone happened to pass by. Any small thing at this point could ruin his plans.

He carefully traversed the large entry chamber, trying desperately to keep himself calm.

"You, stop!" A feminine voice yelled.

Jak recognized it immediately. Her boots made an echoing sound as she marched forward to his position.

"Turn around," she ordered. Jak did as she ordered, just as any KG would have done.

"Identify yourself and explain why you're in the area."

Jak wasn't too sure what to do, he stood there for many moments with his heart beating like crazy. Ashelin was the Baron's daughter, but she was also in league with the Underground. What would she do if Jak explained hat he was there to kill her father? Would her hatred for the state the city was in let him carry out his mission, or would her blood-ties mandate that she order the Guard to arrest him?

She didn't like his hesitation to answer. Perhaps it was because she was her father's daughter, but suspicion got the better of her. She pulled out her small pistol and aimed it at his chest.

"Remove your helmet," Ashelin's voice was hard, just like her eyes.

Jak sighed inwardly then slowly lifted the helmet from off of his face.

If she was surprised to see him, she hid her amazement well.

"What are you doing here, Jak?" He took her low tone of voice as a good sign. If she had yelled he would have been toast. Yet her voice was still hard and suspicious.

"I'm here to kill your father," Jak said without emotion.

Ashelin's face paled visibly. "What?" She whispered harshly after a long pause. "You can't get within thirty feet of him without him knowing it; he even eyes me suspiciously if I get too close. What makes you think you can get near him?"

She didn't sound loyal to her father, which was good. Perhaps he could use her help to get close enough to do the job.

"I've got nothing to lose."

Ashelin seemed slightly surprised at his answer. She didn't say anything in retort.

"Where is Praxis?"

She snapped out of her shock. "He's in one of his secret meetings in the throne room."

"Can you get me close to him?" Jak didn't like asking her help, she could just betray him if she wanted.

She looked like she considered it for a minute.

"Very well," she said quietly, "but if you succeed the City Council cannot know of my involvement. Without the real heir to the throne of the city around, and if Praxis dies, the power goes to me, but if it is known that I' involved the Council will deny me the right to take the throne."

Jak grew angry; she was only helping him so she could take the throne!

Apparently the anger shown on his face, because she continued, "Listen to me, if there is no definite ruler right off, the Council will go into deliberations to choose the next ruler, which could take months. And months without a ruler could give the Metal Heads the time they need to destroy this city. I'll only accept the throne until the true ruler is revealed."

If she was anything like her father, than this was just a clever plan to get the power her father had held unrightfully for years. But the honesty in her eyes made him believe her. Besides, she truly seemed to care for the city.

All Jak cared about what getting the Baron.

"Here is my high-level security pass, it will get you into the throne room. I'm going to the other side of the Palace to be seen so I can verify my alibi. And I must report my access pass missing as to not implicate myself. You're on your own, Jak."

Jak nodded, that's the way he wanted it.

"You don't mind helping to kill your own father?" Jak couldn't let his own suspicions die.

If she was pale before, now she looked like a ghost. For once in all the time he'd known her emotion slipped into her voice.

"My father died years ago," she answered. "The day he started harming innocents."

Then Ashelin tuned and walked quickly from the chamber, her mask firmly in place.

Jak placed his helmet on his head again, it could provide some more cover. At least until he got too close to the Baron and aroused suspicion.

He walked quickly, hoping to catch the Baron in his "secret meeting," maybe coming in unannounced would give him an element of surprise.

The Palace was massive and, at one time, had been lavishly decorated. The Baron had, no doubt, decided that his own red Military Emblem was more appropriate and had repainted the Palace. Covering up the Symbol of the House of Mar, who's descendents once ruled. Praxis may have covered up the chiseling on the walls, but you could still see it through the paint. If Jak hadn't been so obsessed with killing Praxis, he may have thought of how he usurped the throne from the true heir, who had been born into the family of Mar and deserved to rule.

But Jak wasn't interested in politics.

When he reached the large and decorative doors to the throne room, Jak paused for a moment. Jak was sure that Praxis didn't have a royal guard in the next room, they would have found the Baron's exploits with the Metal Heads…distasteful. It would be just him and Praxis.

This is for you, Erin, was Jak's last thought before he pressed Ashelin's security pass in the electronic reading-slot.

The door opened, announcing to anyone on the other side of his entrance.

Jak paused as he realized that more than just Praxis was in the next room. The redheaded nightmare was also there. Errol's face contorted into an evil, untrusting snarl as he noticed the Krimson Guard enter the room. But what was most disturbing to Jak was the other person in the room. The old man Kor was there, talking to the Baron.

He knew instantly that Kor had been using the Underground the entire time, but for what reason?

It didn't matter; he would pay for deceiving them all.

Errol drew out his gun and aimed it at Jak's masked face. "You've made a deadly mistake coming here."

Jak doubted that any of them knew who he was; all they could have deducted was that he was with the Underground.

"The Shadow has indeed grown bold to authorize an attack on the Palace," the Baron commented. "You won't live long enough to see your pathetic resistance crushed under the powers of creation!"

Praxis held up the Precursor Stone and it grew a foreboding red color. A blast of red electricity shot forth, trying to end Jak's life.

Jak swore and quickly dove behind a large pillar. The electricity smote the stone obelisk, shaking the very foundation of the Palace. Praxis just laughed hysterically.

"You cannot escape me!"

Jak ran out from behind his cover and moved to another pillar that was closer to the trio of thieves. They had all unrightfully taken his love away, and they all would pay.

Errol was moving closer to him, shooting at him any time he had a clear shot. Jak found it easy to dodge his rushed shots. He moved closer to where the Baron was sitting on his stolen throne. He indeed looked like a mad man, claiming the power from the Precursor Stone and trying to use it to destroy his enemies. What would he accomplish by destroying the Underground? Even if he succeeded, he should know that eventually someone else would start resisting him again. It was the vicious cycle of any mass of people under a ruthless king. They would do anything to held end the tyranny. Any person would, and that's what ended Erin's life.

Jak moved closer to his prey. None of the three seemed too concerned, he was just a nescience. One, they believed, that could be dealt with easily.

Their arrogance was going to be their downfall, just as he'd promised.

Jak poked his head from behind the pillar; it was then that he noticed that Kor had backed up behind Praxis.

Kor wasn't just a spy for the Baron; he just wanted the Precursor Stone for himself!

Jak would let him distract Praxis, and then he would strike when Kor thought he had won.

It was easy to hear the Baron's pain filled yell, but when Jak looked from behind the pillar, what he saw was astonishing.

The old man Kor held the Precursor Stone in his hands, but he wasn't a helpless old soul anymore. His body had been twisted into a hideous version of itself.

Jak was confused.

Kor had become a Metal Head; it was obvious, as his monstrous Skull Gem glinted in the green power that eked from the Stone. The green color added to the monster's aura, and he grew by the second. More deadly legs and dangerous wings sprouted from the old man as he watched, in shock.

The fiend clutched the Precursor Stone in his claws and stood over the bloody corpse of the late ruler of Haven City.

Jak's only remorse was that Praxis hadn't died at his hands.

"At last the Precursor Egg is mine!" The growling screech passed the talons of the monster's mouth. Jak had no time to comprehend Kor's statement.

Errol must have noticed an opportunity for him, for he felt no remorse for the death of his leader. He took aim at the Metal Head Kor and fired, no doubt desiring the Precursor Stone for himself.

Jak stood back as the two dueled, he would take out the one who remained alive after the fight.

Their greed would weaken whoever exited the duel, hopefully leaving a weakness he could exploit.

Errol was firing at Kor, while Kor used the green blasting power of the Stone to exterminate his enemy. Jak waited patiently for one of them to kill the other.

He didn't have to wait long.

Kor finally got a hit on Errol with the Precursor Stone's incredible power, the force of the blast threw him back fifteen feet, through the glass of the observatory window, and down the many stories to the streets below.

No one could have survived that fall.

Two down, one to go.

Jak skirted the pillar that had been his haven from the battle that took place. He wasn't going to hide any longer. Kor was near the enormous window, looking through the broken glass after his defeated enemy. In his gloating he must have forgotten about him, leaving himself vulnerable. Jak pulled out his peace-maker, charged, and fired.

Kor howled in agony as the pain ripped through his metal-like body, shocking and stunning his actions for a moment. Jak charged and fired again.

Kor couldn't defend while he was stunned, which gave Jak the upper hand. Jak continued to fire on him with the peace-maker until he ran out of ammo. With his final shot, the shock was so hard on Kor's massive body that he slightly fell to the floor. Jak definitely had the advantage.

But he had no way of knowing how long it would last.

Before the shock wore off of his final attack, Jak switched to the blaster and fired rapidly. Without the shock Kor would be able to fight back, and Jak wanted to take every shot that he could before he regained his mobility.

It didn't take Kor long to recover from the stunning affects of the peace-maker. He whipped around from the window where he had been pinned and lashed out with his spiked feet and the energy of the Precursor Stone at the same time.

Jak dodged many of the blows he threw at him, but the green Precursor energy was impossible to evade. The energy smote him in the chest, sending him into the opposite wall of the chamber, nearly knocking him out cold. The power was unlike anything he had ever known, and it was in the hands of the greatest enemy to the planet.

He had to find a way to take him down.

Jak had to force himself to breathe manually, as the blow knocked the wind out of him. He used the wall as a support as he forced himself unsteadily to his feat. His body protested through the entire struggle.

Kor's unnatural voice laughed.

"Even your little girlfriend lasted longer than that," he sneered viciously.

Jak stiffened at his words, and looked at he monster with nothing but hatred. Cold, consuming rage filled his mind and body as he looked at the mocking monster that stood at the opposite end of the throne room. In his anger over Erin's death, he had assumed that it was Praxis who had killed her. He had been oblivious up until this moment of the truth. He had been blind to the real powers that worked the fate of Erin's life. The grief and betrayal that Kor had committed would not go unpunished.

He would see to it, personally.

The anger built upon the grief, until he lost control.

In a flash and mournful yell, he transformed into his dark self. Jak didn't fight it. For once his dark side would serve a good purpose, punishing someone who rightly deserved death. He hadn't gotten to bring the Baron to justice, but he would for this hideous creature who justly earned his fate. An innocent woman was dead, and now Kor would meet the same end.

Jak rushed towards the monster and when he got within close proximity of him, unleashed his anger and sorrow in the form of an explosive Dark Bomb.

Even with the Precursor Stone in his possession, Kor couldn't shield himself completely from the blast. The dark energy ripped through his exposed limbs, causing the large creature to rear up on his hind leg/spikes. He continued to howl as the dark eco tainted his skin and metal, making it a sickly pale color.

Jak's anger was too much, even with the massive loss of his dark eco; he continued to keep himself in his dark form. Usually one blast would end his rampage, but not this time. He jumped in the air again, he watched as Kor realized what was coming. The second blast hit Kor while he was still on his back legs, sending him falling back and through the large, broken observatory window.

With all of his body completely drained of dark eco, Jak changed back and stepped foreword to the window. He watched as Kor tried to flap his broken and mangled wings desperately to gain altitude. It slowed his fall slightly, but not enough. He screeched one final time as he plummeted closer to the streets below. Jak watched as his massive body made contact with the street. His impact shock the Palace, as well as dealing damage to the nearby walls and buildings.

Watching gave Jak some satisfaction, but it wouldn't give him back who Kor took from him.

Nothing would.

At least he could live his life hoping that Erin had found some peace in the afterlife, knowing that the creature who brutally murdered her was dead. Perhaps her soul could obtain the peace that Jak knew he could never feel in his own heart.

But for now he had nothing.

Many booted feet marched into the throne room, Jak turned to watch what was going to happen now. Things had now been set into motion, but the outcome was no longer his choice.

Ashelin led a troop of Krimson Guards into the massive and damaged chamber. After crossing the large stone floor she knelt down by the bloody and mangled body of her father for moment, pretending to check for a pulse, but already knowing from the loss of blood that he was lost.

"Baron Praxis is dead," she announced to her men and stood. She stopped for a moment, trying to keep all the emotion out of her voice. "I inherit the right to rule until the true ruler is returned."

Jak watched as she surveyed the room. This was her chance to betray him; if she took it she would be just as bad as her late father had been. Frankly he didn't care what became of him, he had nothing left.

Her hard eyes set on him for a moment.

"He killed the Baron! Arrest him for questioning," yelled one of her lieutenants.

The men swarmed around him and aimed their weapons at him without orders from Ashelin.

The sea of red troopers parted as Ashelin stepped forward to question the prisoner. Jak couldn't tell if she was just acting according to mandate by questioning so not to arouse suspicion, or whether she truly was going to betray him.

"Did you kill the ruler of Haven City?" Ashelin asked. Questioning like her duty forced her to. Trying to get a confession was much easier then going to trial.

"No," Jak stated truthfully, "I didn't."

The loudmouth lieutenant scoffed at his answer. "Do you believe we are fools? If you didn't kill him then tell us who did."

Jak glared back at the lieutenant then pointed to the large broken window.

The lieutenant glared back.

Ashelin stepped forward onto the many broken pieces of glass and looked over the edge of the floor that ended abruptly. Her red hair, which was wrapped tightly in its usual rolls, didn't move in the warm breeze that blew through the quiet chamber. Nothing could be heard but the quiet noises of the streets far below.

She turned back to Jak quickly, her voice was hard, but he could see the regret in her eyes. "There's nothing there."

Jak didn't register as the many guns pointed at him again. It didn't seem possible for Kor to survive such a long fall. His body weight slammed hard into the concrete street below, he had watched it with his own eyes. He couldn't survive!

Except with the power of the Precursor Stone.

Jak felt a fool. He knew that Kor held the Precursor Stone when he plummeted to his death. He knew the Stone held power, but he couldn't dream that it would save someone from death.

That's what you get for assuming.

"You're under arrest until the investigation of this assassination is complete," Ashelin voiced, but her eyes didn't hold the conviction that her voice did.

Jak understood. She had to continue acting like she had nothing to do with the assassination of her father. If she was found to have connections with his death, it would cost her her life.

Too bad for them he didn't plan to go quietly.

Jak used his brute strength and kicked many of the gun barrels away from him. Without waiting a moment he ran for the other end of the chamber.

Several shots landed around him before he heard Ashelin yell, "Hold your fire! The City Council will want him alive for a trial!"

Jak knew that Ashelin could have easily let her men continue firing and report that he attacked them and died for resisting. At least he now knew for sure that she was on his side.

He ran to the elevator, it was his only chance for escape.

Jak could hear the squad of KG's running behind him, trying to bring him in.

They didn't stand a chance.

He had super human strength and used it to speed his running. When he reached the open elevator he quickly slid inside and pressed the button for the ground floor.

The doors closed just before the loud-mouth lieutenant could stop them.

When he reached the bottom floor he quickly exited the elevator and made for the main entrance. He slid into a group of KG's who were exiting the Palace, no doubt about to start their patrol.

He managed to escape.

He stayed with the troop of KG's until he was a safe distance from the Palace, then slide unnoticed into a dark side alley.

Jak sat amongst the darkness and ran his tired hands through his hair. He had failed in his first attempt to kill Erin's murderer. She wouldn't be resting peacefully yet.

But Erin hadn't been killed by Praxis. Had she been trying to tell him as she struggled to speak? Had she tried to warn him while he kept interrupting her, asking her to save her strength? Jak couldn't remember. He didn't want to remember anything about that night.

Jak could still see the deep crimson blood marring her beautiful skin, he could still see her struggling to breathe as he held her in his arms.

Had it really only been one day since it happened?

He had lost all concept of time when she died. One day or one year, Jak couldn't really tell. Every moment he was alive he remembered that she wasn't, which turned time into a type of torture for him. Of anyone he had ever known, she had been a person to deserve to see the beauty of life, but fate just tortured her for no reason. She fought the darkness inside her for as long as she could, and when she finally turned she still fought. Even after everything destiny had put her through, she harbored no ill will towards life, unlike Jak. She tried to move on, even if she was faced with her own dark reflection every time she did.

Erin deserved to be here, but Jak knew he didn't, not like she did.

She had tried to see the up side to every situation, despite her own doubts. She was an angel amongst devils on this planet.

Jak swallowed the guilt and sorrow of her death and concentrated on his mission.

Kor no doubt retreated to his nest, where he would be safest and he could organize his Metal Head army. He would be most secure there.

Vin had thought that going into the Palace alone was suicide, Jak could only imagine what he would say when he told him he needed a way into the heart of the Metal Head lair.

Author's Notes: Ok, the next chapter will be the last of book I, so then I can start on book II! YAY! Well, this was going to be the last chapter, but I tried to put a lot of detail into it and it turned out long so far, so I decided to split it into two chapters. The final battle with the evil Kor will be next! Then on to book II!