Hour 6

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon

AN: If you think you have it all figured out, think again. I don't even know how this is going to end.

"So, it just came out of the sky and blew everything up?" Keira was trying to get the story straight that Jak and the others were trying to explain.

"That was what it looked like," said Daxter. "I'm just as confused as you are. Just thank the Precursors that you two are alright."

"I hate to break up this nice moment of reunion, but can we please just head back to Haven now?" asked Greg, who was getting tired of sitting in the overcrowded zoomer. "You all are swell people and all, but I have the worst of luck being around you and want to the hell away from every last one of you."

"Someone seems to in a bad mood," joked Daxter.

"I have nothing against you, but I need to get back to the hospital. I'm over an hour late for my shift and my boss is probably pissed enough."

"What happened to, 'They prepare for these types of situations' and 'They should be fine without me.'"

"I was just saying that so you would all just leave alone and do your stupid quest without me. I'm not the adventuring type."

"Fine," Keira butted into the argument to make them stop. "Let's just go back to Haven and have everyone calm down. Maybe we can work stuff out over some lunch. After what you all went through, you probably need a break."

Everyone settled down as Keira drove all six passengers to the city. Tess, in the mean time, worked her way over to Daxter so she could give him a big hug.

"I was so worried about you," she said. "What came over you to do something like this?"

"It's a long story," he replied. "I just had to do it. Trust me on that." She smiled.

"I'm just glad that you're alright. But, why is Veger with you?"

"He's helping me find out what's going on. So far, he seems to know what little there is to know at this point. And that still isn't much."

"What does he know?"

"Just a name. Nothing more."

Tess glanced over at Greg. "Who's that guy?"

"Some doctor that came with Ashelin looking for me. I doubt that he likes us very much right now, considering that we got him mixed up in this whole mess."

"Why was he looking for you in the first place?"

Daxter thought about it for a minute before deciding to confess. "I stole something from his hospital." She had an unbelieving look on her face. "You have to understand, Tess. I had no choice. I couldn't allow anyone else to see what was in that envelope."

"Envelope?" He then showed her the folded note. "You did all this for some paper?"

"This isn't just 'some paper.' Tess, in ten hours something bad will happen. I don't know what, but it was enough for that ottsel to die trying to stop. Veger, help me out here. You read the note. Tell her it's real."

"It's real," said Veger, "and you shouldn't be mad at your boyfriend. He did the right thing."

"Daxter," Tess started, "I know you would never do anything like this without reason. You don't have to explain yourself to me."

He smiled. "Thanks."

It was awhile until they got back to Haven, but nothing else really happened on the trip so I'll skip ahead about twenty minutes.

"Okay everyone," Keira announced. "We're here."

"Good," said Greg. "I don't think I would've stayed on this cramped thing for another second before falling off. If you could drop me off near the hospital, that would be great." He looked back at the other passengers. "Well, I think this is the last I'll see any of you. And while I say that you all nearly killed me, I still fell like I should...."

"Um, doc," Daxter interrupted. "Isn't that the hospital building over there?" Greg looked back around and looked where he was pointing. Daxter was right. That was the hospital, and it was also nothing but a bunch of ruble and fire!

AN: How many of you saw that coming?

Greg couldn't believe his eyes. The place where he had worked for over ten years was up in smoke. Keira landed down a safe distance from where the building used to be. Greg immediately got out and ran to one of the firefighters to find out what happened. "How could this have happened? It was less than four hours ago that the building was up and fine."

"We don't know," said the firefighter. "The people who saw it happen seem to be in a state of shock. They are saying some nonsense about a fire ball coming from the sky and hitting the building." All Greg did was stare in disbelief at what he had just said. "I know. A tragic event like this can throw anyone into a state where they can't remember what happened and say crazy stuff. Once they calm down, we'll try to get them to remember what really happened." He was about to walk away when Greg said something else.

"I'm a doctor here. Did anyone get out of there okay?"

"I'm sorry, but everyone that was in there couldn't escape. It all simply happened too fast."

Daxter and the others got there just when they stopped talking. Greg was staring wide eyed at the fire and landed on his knees. His friends, co-workers, and all of the patients had all died in a blink of an eye.

"What caused this?" asked Ashelin.

Greg simply said, "A ball of fire." Everyone in the group looked at each other. They were all thinking the same thing, except for Greg. In a swift action, he grabbed Ashelin's pistol and aimed it at Daxter while backing up. "This is all your fault!"

"Greg, wait," Ashelin tried to reason with him. All he did was point the gun at her. "You don't want to do this. Stop and think for a second."

"I did, and I remembered that this all started when he came into the morgue. Tell me what is going on! What caused all this?! You know something that you're not telling me and it has something to do with you, and you." He pointed the gun at Veger.

"Stop," Daxter said. "He didn't do anything to you."

"Actually," Jak stepped in, "he probably did. I'm also having a feeling that he has something to do with this."

"Jak," started Daxter, "you're not helping. I know what he did in the past, but none of that has anything to do with what is happening now."

"Then how come his friend is involved?" asked Greg. Both Daxter and Veger looked at him in surprise. "Back when I was gaining consciousness in Spargus, I heard you two whispering something about working something out and finding his friend in the process. If you don't want someone to hear something, try whispering softer next time."

"What is he talking about Daxter?" Jak asked.

"I can tell you, but first he has to drop the gun and calm down," Daxter said, motioning the the doctor.

"Not a chance. Everyone that I knew and cared about was in that building. I want to know why they all had to die, now!"

"Listen, I'll tell you, but I can't if you shoot me."

"No, I guess not." He lowered his gun, only to aim it at Tess. "But I can still shoot her."

"No!" yelled Daxter as he tried to run over to Tess, but was stopped when Greg fired a warning shot. "Okay, okay, I'll tell you. Just don't hurt her. What do you want to know?"

"First, give me that letter you took." Daxter slowly walked over to Greg with the note.

"Please don't read it. You have no idea what you're doing."

"That's what I'm about to find out." Greg started to unfold the letter, but instead got hit in the head with a pistol and fell to the floor.

"Looks like I has to get you guys out of another one," said Torn.

"Thanks Tattoo-Wonder." Daxter took the note back from the doctor in pain. Ashelin took her gun back and started cuffing him.

"Why'd he do that?" asked Torn.

"Long story," answered Daxter. He went back to Tess. "You okay?"

"Yeah. Thank you."

"Where have you guys been?" questioned Torn.

"Spargus," said Keira.

"Our comms couldn't reach back to Haven," Ashelin explained. "Torn, do you know why that might be?"

"Yeah, actually I do. It seems that the communications tower was blown up."

"Blown up?"

"Witnesses say that a fire ball ca..."

"Came from the sky," Daxter finished for him. "That's now three from within the last two hours. What is doing all this?"

"Wait, how did you know about the one that hit Freedom League HQ?" asked Torn.

"Make that four. It seems that someone didn't want us to get back to Haven."

"Why would someone want to do that?" questioned Torn. "And how would they be able to do all this?"

"It's all has to do with that Ottsel from earlier," answered Greg, who was struggling with his cuffs. "He knew something, and now everyone who knew the slightest thing about it is dying. Just ask him." He motioned to Daxter.

"Shut up!" Ashelin yelled.

"Actually," Daxter began, "I think he might be right." Everyone looked at him. "Well, think about it. We all knew something, and that fire ball nearly ran into us back at Spargus. When we tried to get back to Haven, the comm tower was destroyed. Now, the entire hospital, which had the Ottsel's body in it, was burned to the ground. This all might be just covering up of evidence."

"That seems like quite a stretch," said Jak.

"You have any better ideas?"

"It just seems like a lot of trouble."

"For what's being planned, this trouble might be worth it."

"What is being planned?" asked Torn.

Daxter sighed. "I have no idea. That's what I've been trying to figure out for the past five and a half hours."

"Well, why is he here?" Torn motioned to Veger.

"He has a friend involved," Greg answered.

"Would you just be quiet," ordered Daxter.

"What's he talking about?" asked Torn.

Daxter looked over at Veger. "You want to tell them?"

"Like I have a choice." Veger told everyone there about Ryg and everything, except he left out unimportant parts that revealed secrets because Greg was still there. "And that's it. I have no idea what happened to him or where he went. But the precursors know I've been trying."

"You are all insane." It was Greg that spoke up and he began to chuckle. "Do you really expect me to believe that an old friend of his would go on some mission or whatever to find the secret to the precursors? And even if that were true, why would you risk everything to try and find this guy?"

"Hey, I'm just saying what he told me. And why wouldn't I try to find him?"

"Because no one wastes their entire life looking for a friend who vanished. Either you're lying, or you're not telling us everything."

"Dax," Jak said. "I have to agree with the doctor."

"I spent two years trying to get you out of prison," Daxter reminded Jak.

"Wait. Did he just say that you were in prison?"

"Yeah, doc. I was in prison once. Daxter also has a point, I guess. I just wouldn't suspect Veger to be the type to do something like that. What's his gain on all of this? Why did he agree to come with us?"

"I would do anything to see him again. That's why I'm doing this."

"He must have be some friend in order for you to go through all this," Greg said. "This guy is more than just a friend isn't he?"

Veger sighed. "No, he's n.....not my friend. He was my brother." Everyone was silent. No one dared to speak at that point. "He was my best friend, and my younger brother. The only family I had at the time. When he vanished, I thought I might die. I needed to find him. So, I rose through the ranks of the KG, bec..."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, time out," interrupted Greg. "How could you have been in the KG?"

Everyone looked at each other, waiting for someone else to come up with a plausible excuse as to how an ottsel was in the KG. "Long story," everyone said at once.

"Okay. I'll just except that answer for now, I guess."

"Anyway," continued Veger, "I rose through the ranks of the KG, because I would then be able to continue his research and possibly find out where he went. The only problem was that I was nowhere close as smart as he was and couldn't figure it out. I was getting desperate, so I thought I could find him if I found the Precursors themselves. I spent several years studying eco hoping that would lead me in the right direction. That consumed my life, and my mind. I went crazy because my experiments couldn't continue without a good eco-channeler." He looked at Jak, who knew exactly what he meant by that. "The rest, most of you know.

"It wasn't until it was all over and I was forced to live in the Wastelands that I even had a clue as to what I had done. The damage that I did to people and their families can never be repaid. I have to live with what I did. I can't continue to search for him, or I'll end up a monster again. I'll give you the info you need, but that's it. The best that I can do now is forget about Ryg. I'm sorry." There was an uncomfortable silence after he finished. Greg broke it.

"Did I miss something here?"

"Um," stuttered Torn. "Kind of. Anyway, it's none of your concern." Ashelin went over and undid his cuffs.

"Listen Greg," Ashelin said. "The day's been tough on you, so we'll just ignore the little incident we had earlier. You should probably go home and let us handle this."

"No." Everyone was shocked to hear Greg say that. "Whatever did this is going to pay for what happened, and I want to be there when you find it."

"Listen buddy," said Daxter. "I don't mean to sound rude or anything, but all you'll do is get in the way. Besides, Jak can handle anything that is thrown at him." Jak pumped his morph-gun to show that he meant business.

"Just let me help you find this thing. Please. I have to do this for everyone who died today." Greg looked towards the ruble that was once his hospital. "For them."

"Greg," started Jak, "you don't want revenge to fuel you. You become the very thing you hate and it doesn't make you fell any better. I know from experience."

"Well, what if I just keep a look out? You know, in case there are more flaming sky bombs or anything." Everyone looked at each other. "Just let me be a part of this."

"Fine," Ashelin answered.

"Thank you."

"But," Daxter started, "you aren't getting anymore guns."

"Fair enough."

"So, Dax. What do we do from here?" Jak asked.

"I have no idea."

AN: Sorry this chapter didn't really end that well, but this is all I could fit into this hour. Anyway, Happy Holidays.
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