Growing Desires

A/N: Okay, My new beta reader, who is my cousin, has been extremely busy lately and wasn't able to read this chapter. Sheis the only family member of mine who played the Jak and Daxter games.

Ihad to re-read this a million and one times out loud to makesureit didn'thave any major spelling or grammar mistakes. But if you see a mistake please let me know.

Alrighty then. Time for the Disclaimer.

Disclaimer: I do not own Jak & Daxter/2/3.

---Chapter Three: The Wastelander-Part One---

((JAK POV))

“Looks like we've found some live ones... heh, barely. Here's the beacon we were picking up. Who gave you this? We'll take them with us! Let's move! I smell a storm coming!”

I felt someone kicking me on the side of my stomach. I groaned in pain until I fanily had the will to open my eyes. I was laying face up on cold stoned floor looking up at a red mud dry ceiling. I knew immediately I wasn’t in the desert. My vision was blurry. The room I was lying in was probably no larger a old prison cell.

There were no windows, just one really shanking looking door. There were three people standing over me. I couldn’t really see them. It was to dim to make out there faces. The only source of light beamed through the cracks of the door and the ceiling. The room was very dark and smelled dusty. Like it haven’t been used in years.

A tall man who stood over me kicked my ribs with his heavy boots. I wanted to spit at in his face but I couldn’t have enough saliva to do so. My mouth was so dry I could feel the sand back my throat.

“Get up outsider!” He barked. I didn’t move, I hardly flinched.

“I said get up!” He kicked me again harder than before. I let out a small yell and rolled on my stomach. I tried to lift myself up but he kicked me again and I fell back down. I prayed to gods that the man won’t suddenly decide to kick me in the face.

“Worthless piece of trash!” Someone said. “I don’t see why you dragged him here Damas. He could hardly stand!”

“Monk, What you say of him.” A taller man said.

A women with a white and orange face came to me and laid her hands on my back. I shuddered but I didn’t move.

“He’s from the city with the great walls. I feel a bad omen from him. I felt the same negative energy from artefact my people found earlier...”

“You people and your stupid superstitions.” The fatter man interrupted. “Just throw some water on him.”

“Don’t mock my beliefs wastelander!” She spat.

She left my side to retrieve a small bucket. The strange women then threw cold water all over my face. The shock forced me up on my knees but I was still unable to stand. I began to choke and cough for a while.

“So your fanily awake, eh?” The man asked me. He was tall and sightly thin. He looked old enough to be my father. The other guy was the exact opposite. He was fat and extremely ugly. Both men had large guns similar to Sig’s peacemaker. Their armor was made from metal head bones. Their shirts, pants, and boots were not factory made. In fact the only person I knew who wore a outfit like that was Sig himself. I wondered if the two had anything in common. Beside the weird clothes and big ass guns.

“Wh-Where am I?” I forced myself to ask.

“I ask the questions around here outsider not the other way a around.” He growled.

The second girl who was leaning against the wall grab a clear green bottle and tossed to me. To my surprise I managed to catch it. She had dark brown skin, long purple braided hair, and dark golden eyes.

Her ears and belly bottom were pierced. Her clothes were made out of a thin material unlike the men. She wore long red skirt that touched the ground. Both sides were slit showing off her long slender legs. Her top was a cloth that was wrapped tightly around her chest.

“Drink.” She said.

I pulled the cork off the bottle and started to guzzle the blue liquid down. It was a strong sweet whisky I never tasted before. I didn’t care what it was. As long as I had something cool to drink I was happy.

“Easy there.” She said “That’s not your ordinary brand. Two bottles of ‘blue oasis’ could knock you out cold.”

“Give...Give me more.” I said to her “I...Just want something to drink...Please.”

She handed me a bucket of water. “This will do you better.”

I drank some and poured the rest on my head.

I slammed the empty bucket back on the floor trying to catch my breath. My mind was going through a million thoughts per second. I knew I was still in the desert but I wasn’t sure where. I wanted to know who found me and why they brought here. Most importantly I wanted to know where my friends were.

“I-I had a friend with me.” I said. “Two in fact.”

“There was no one else out there but you.” The fat man said.

“Yes there was. They were...” I started coughing. “...With me the whole time.”

“What are ya death boy or just stupid! I said there was no other men out there but...”

“They’re not men. One’s a ottsel. A talking ottsel.” I must’ve sounded crazy. “And the other was a bird, uh monkey...um...He could talk to! A lot...”

“You mean those things.” The monk pointed towards the table. Daxter was Lying on his back with his tongue hanging out from the side of his mouth and Pecker looked lifeless. I thought they were dead.

“Dax!” I got up on my two feet and stumbled towards him. I picked him up and held him in my arms.

“Dax Get up man!” I didn’t move. “Dax...com’on.”

“Tsk, Dry your tears outsider.” The nameless monk snatched Dax from my arms and dropped him head first into barrel of water near the door. “Your pet is not dead. Just thirsty.”

I pushed the monk out of the way and tried to fish Daxter’s corpse out of the barrel. He jumped out and clung onto the side as he gasped for air. I can’t explain the overwhelming feeling of joy watching my buddy come back ‘from the dead’.

“Who! What! Where! When!” He yelled.

“Dax you’re a live!” I shouted.

He just stared at me. I could tell from his expression he confused and probably a little pissed off.

“What’s the hell is going on?” He asked. “First, I was in a Haven, then I was in the frying hot desert, and now I’m in some tub filled with water! Are you trying to kill me?”

He propped himself out of the barrel and stood on the rim “Let me tell ya something Jak. I had it with these adventures. All I want is...”

He paused. “...Wait a second...Water? Water! WATER!”

He dove back in splashing water on everyone. After taking a few gulps of water he began shouting hysterically.

“Jak I found water! I found the oasis in the desert!”.

The purpled haired beauty yanked Dax out of the barrel from his tail.

“What is this?” She asked.

Dax grinned. “I found hot girl too! Oh precursors, I must have died and gone to heaven.”

“You’re not dead.” She said “At least not yet.”

The monk went ahead and dumped pecker in the water too. He coughed and gaged for a while before he realized what was going on.

“Oh” He groaned “Where are we?”

“It’s nice see that you’re still alive too turkey stuffing.” Dax said to him.

Pecker didn’t bother to talk back for once. He just shook his feathers and flew on my shoulder. Dax did the same and continued to make googly eyes at the girl.

“Sooooo...What’s your name cutie pie?” He purred.

“Easy there weasel.” Said the tall man. “That’s the Champion’s girl. Now, State your names.”

“Not unless you give me yours.” I said.

He growled and grabbed the collar of my torn shirt. Making sure we were face to face.

“You should watch your tone around here boy! Or else...”

“Or else what?”

“I’ll skin you alive and throw out desert along with your pets!”

“We like to see you try!” Dax countered. “You don’t want to mess with me buddy. I got fist steal.”

“Arrgggkkk! We’re not scared of you! I’ll take you all on!”

I was amazed how much energy those two had. I was still tired, thirsty, and hungry. But I was still willing to fight anyone that pissed me off. Before I was able to tell him to fuck off his purpled hair girlfriend stood between us.

“Wait Damas!”

‘So his name is Damas?’ I thought to myself.

“We shouldn’t be so rude to our guest.” She turned to me and jabbed her finger on my chest.

“Now you listen to me! We pulled you out the desert, gave you our water and this is the gratitude you give us? Your life belong to the wastelanders now and when we ask you a question you better damn well answer!”

“Me-OW! Kitty got claws!” Dax said “You might want to do what she says Jak. Her friends over there got guns!”

She was just as demanding as the men but I felt I could trust her. They did dragged my sorry ass out from the deadly sun. The least thing I can do is give them my name.

I sighed “I’m Jak and this is Daxter and Pecker. I’m willing to tell you anything you want to know.”

They questioned me like I was felon but I told them everything. Since the day the war broke out in Haven till the time I passed out from heat exhaustion in the desert. They understood that I was a ex-con banished from my home. When I told them about the city current situation the large man laughed.

“So its sounds like Haven is getting exactly what it deserve, eh? Good. But lets hope they all won’t come running over here when there’s nothing left of their precious city.”

The girl had look of concern on her face.

“Hm, So that’s why Siggy hasn’t come home yet.” She whispered.

“Wait, did you say ‘Siggy’?” I asked. “You don’t you mean ‘Sig’ do you?”

“Yes, do you know him?” She asked eagerly. “Is he still alive? Where is he?”

Daxter scratched under his chin. “Hold on for a second. Let’s see if we’re talking about the same Sig here. Is he tall?”

She nodded.

“One good eye.”

She nodded again.

“Really Built? Has a cool gun? Brown skin? Happens to be the biggest, baddest, coolest, metal head hunter the world has every known, ‘Sig’?”

“Yes! Yes! That’s him! How is he doing? Is he okay?”

“Uh, he’s fine,” I said “But why did you call him Siggy?”

“That’s his name. What else would call my fiancee?”

“Siggy! Fiancee!” Dax yelled. “Am I on the same planet!”

“Ugh! Enough of this foolishness!” The monk spoke. “You carry a dark power and now you have brought it here to destroy us!”

“What are talking about monk?”Damas asked.

“The boy is not pure. I feel his heart is covered in dark substance. You should’ve left him where he laid in the sand!” She left the room slamming the wooden door behind her.

“Yessh. Who was that painted face weirdo?” Pecker asked.

“Don’t worry about her.” Damas said. “She’s a monk. One of many that lives in this city.”

The large man sat on a old chair near the table. “They’re nothing but a bunch of superstitious idiots if ya ask me. They do nothing around here but look for old junk that was used during Mar’s rule.”

“They’re good to keep around.” Damas said to him “I believe they give my city ‘spiritual’ protection.”

“Bunch of yak shit if you ask me. Prayers wont help you against metal heads, thieves, or deserts storms.”

“Your city?” I asked Damas breaking his conversation.

“Yes, this is my city.”

Dax looked around. “Doesn’t look like much.”

“We’re in a small hut not to far from the city gate. We put all outsiders here until we decided weather or not to keep them.”

I didn’t like the sound of that. In fact I didn’t like the idea being in a small room with two armed men and Sig’s fiancee. I felt like I was being held hostage against my will. I swallowed hard before I continued to ask more questions.

“Where exactly are we?”

“Spargus.” He said proudly.

“Arrggkkkk! Spargus!” Pecker squawked so loud I swear my ear drums started to bleed. “The city of wastelanders, criminals, and murders?

He smirked. “The greatest city ever built.”

Suddenly I felt he was a threat.

“I’m not stupid. I know damn well nobody lives outside Haven’s walls.”

“Then why wont you go out there and look for yourself.” He waved his hands towards door.

I hesitated at first, not certain what to expect. I took in a deep breath and pushed open the door with ease. I stepped back trying shield my eyes from the bright sun. The hut was high above the ground. At least two stories and stoned stairs leaded down to the dirt street.

I couldn’t believe my eyes. The small hut turned out to be one of hundreds. Pedestrians walked up and down the dirt roads. It seemed that everyone one had gun or large weapon of some sort. Even the kids!

“Nobody lives outside Haven’s city walls.” Sig’s fiancee mocked. “Your right. Not just anyone can live in the desert. Only the strong survives in Spargus. Like Siggy our great champion.”

I felt dizzy all of sudden and stumbled away from the door. I sat on the floor exhausted from standing up for so long. Pecker flew off me shoulder and bowed.

“Oh great Damas! I have heard of your work for many years. I would be honored to serve by your side.”

Daxter rolled his eyes. “Brown noser...”

The girl gave me another bottle of whisky. I took my time and didn’t try to sallow the whole bottle. After drinking half I gave the rest to Daxter.. He took a sip.

“Whoa! This stuff is strong! It taste home made too. What’s the secret ingredients? Wait don’t tell me..”

He took another sip. “Let’s see, blue spotted berries, black fruit, some creamy juices and...uh...Something else I can’t seem to put my whiskers on.”

“Whiskey.” She answered for him. “Your very good. How did you know what was in it?”

“Well sweetie I own a bar back in Haven. Very fancy place, hooked it up myself.”

She rolled her eyes.“I’m sure you do. Tell me, what is the name of your bar?”

“The Naughty Osttsel. I named it after what the ladies call me in bed.” He winked at her.

Amazing. Here we are in a unfamiliar city in the middle of desert and this guy still managed to flirt with strange beautiful women.

The fatso who was silent for the longest period of, got up from his chair. He walked towards to door.

“This have been really exiting mate but I got some metal heads to kill.”

Soon after he left my stomach began to growl.

“I suppose you want something to eat?” Damas asked me.“Follow me.” He ordered.

I was starving. I got up so fast Daxter almost fell off my shoulders. Pecker flew on his shoulder and stuck his head up like he was royalty. After I caught up to him in the streets I trailed behind him. I wasn’t absolutely sure if I could trust him or any else for that matter. I was always on my guard.

“Where are we going?” I asked.

“My palace.”

I looked around and saw merchant shops everywhere. People were selling fruits, jewelry, and metal head trophies. Spargus didn’t look as glamours as Haven but it was still incredible. A entire city in the middle of no where.

After a few minutes of walking through the very primitive city we stopped at a large stoned gate. Compared to the other run down buildings, huts, and dried mud clay homes the place actually look pretty decent. The doors opened and we walked inside.

The place was huge but not as big as palace back in Heaven. Well...Now it is anyway. We sat down at long table and rough yet looking attractive looking servants poured us water in golden cups. Damas order our meals while I just sat there looking around the room. There were fountains of water flowing down the walls. Lanterns shinnied like rubies and everything look so clean.

“I’m going to be honest with you, Jak” He said. “In my city your either useful or dead weight.”

“Is that why you he saved me? For you can use me like some weapon?” I took a sip of water. “Hn...I’ve been down that road before.”

I could tell he was getting angry but I didn’t care. I continued “I’m not a wastelander. Not anymore.”

“Why not?”

“Because wastelanders are criminals. ”

He laughed. “And that’s why you’re here? Because you’re were a saint and the grand council threw you out.”

I opened my mouth to say something in my defense but no words came out. He was right, I was no angel.

“Besides I didn’t drag you here because I was generous.” He slammed the bacon Ashelin gave on the table.

“You see that little inscription on that back.?”

I picked up the bacon and noticed a symbol.

“What about it?”

“That’s the sign of royalty. It looked like it was scratched on. Only Three people know about that symbol. Me, The Baron, and his daughter.”

I held the bacon in my hands a little tighter. I beginning to consider going back...No! I still hated her and everyone else who betrayed me.

“Don’t worry. We’re all are criminals to them.” Damas sounded more sympatric, “When I was in Haven I thought everyone was against me. I was thrown out under false pretense. That’s when I learned there was no one else in this god forsaken world I could trust...”

He stopped for a moment before continuing his speech.

“Wastelanders found me half dead in the sand. Like you were. They could’ve left out there to die but they didn’t. They brought to the city and I realized these people lacked many necessities. Wells, food, vehicles. I supplied it for them. In return they made me their leader. In Spargus we don’t judge by your looks or how much money you have. We judge your pride, character, and most importantly strength!”

I had to admit I was greatly moved by his speech. I clung on every word he said.

“Prove to us that your more useful and we will respect you.”

‘Respect’ was something unheard of to me. Spargus was beginning to sound like heaven. A place where I can be accepted for who I am. There was nothing in Haven for me anymore. It was at that moment I decided I never wanted to leave.

“So what dose a guy like me have to do around to get respect?” I asked knowing the answer to that question. It would involve blowing some shit up, or beating the crap out somebody. Either one, I was satisfied.

“Heh, heh. You will know soon enough. But first we eat.”

The servants fanily came back with our food. It was looked so delicious. Me and Daxter never tasted food outside of Haven before. Our meal was mostly meat. No rice, no vegetables, nothing that was even consider healthy but It sure tasted great. I ate so much that I was sure I was going to burst. Pecker was filling his stomach with bird seed and whine. Damas saw that we were stratified and ordered us to follow him out.

“Come Jak.” He said. “You need to change and cut that hair of yours. If you are going to live in Spargus, you dress, eat, and look like one of us. Then maybe, if you survive in the arena tomorrow, you will become a wastelander. Believe me you’ll love it.”

For the first time since we met he gave me a friendly smile. It made me trust him and this city just a little bit more.

Six Months Later

A large cloud of sand floated in the air. I had my red scarf and wrapped around my face and my goggles were on tight. I gripped the stirring wheel of my sand rover and slammed my foot on the breaks. I could hear Daxter screaming from the passenger seat telling me to keep going and don’t stop.

But I had to or I couldn’t get a clear shot of the monstrous metal head charging right at us. I pulled my peacemaker out and took aim. The ground shook so badly I couldn’t hold the gun steady.

It was getting closer.

The ground shook harder.

Daxter continued to scream.

I squeezed the trigger but I didn’t let go. In other for the pacemaker to work I had to hold on to the trigger long enough for the gun to charge. If I release it to earlier the blast wouldn’t be strong enough to kill it. So I waited. It was close but not close enough. I held the gun steady until fanily I released my trigger finger.

BLAM! Right between the eyes.

The monster hit the ground. The earth stop shaking. Daxter stopped screaming, and I started to breathe again. I jumped out the rover and walked slowly to my prize. When I was certain it was dead I began to shout out in joy and excitement.

“Oh man! That close one! Look at the size of this thing!”

Daxter was still in the passenger’s seat breathing heavily.

“Don’t...You...Ever...DO THAT AGAIN!” He yelled. “I thought we were going to get trampled to death! I agreed to go metal hunting with you because you said we were going to shoot’em from a safe distance. Not right in their faces!”

“Sorry,” I said “I had to get close enough to kill it.”

“Why can’t we just look for artifacts or something...Like we use to do?”

“What was the fun in that?”

“I don’t care about fun! I care about making it back home without any broken bones!”

A few months ago I became an official wastelander and it has been great! Racing against war lords, hunting for artifacts in dangerous creepy places, and killing the biggest metal heads I have ever seen. Best of all the people here treat me like one of their own. Sure they don’t seem like the guys and girls you would trust. But they always had my back.

Even when I was fighting in the arena to prove I myself. I lost control of myself and turned into monster. I was expecting Damos to throw me out like what they did to me in Haven but instead he liked the fact that I was dangerous. The citizens even praised for what I can become.

They were blood thirsty and vicious son’s a bitches and they praised me. I love being a wastelander. It gave me a over whelming since of pride. The more mission I came back alive from, the more wastelanders respected me.

I even have a new nick name. Hero. The monks gave it to me. Not because they believed I was hero. It was because I wasn’t. An oxymoron sort-to-speak. It didn’t bother me when they called me hero. It’s was better than being called Eco freak.

Speaking of which the past three weeks have been weird. Like for instance me and Dax killed a enormous metal out in desert. After almost being trampled we manage to bring down and hard. When it fell I found a transmitted on it. It was damage and the audio was shaky but I could have sworn I heard Errol voice. He was the Barron right hand man and Keria’s wonder boy. He died during the a racing tournament a long time ago. So it could’ve been the desert heat playing tricks on my head again.

After that day, things started to get strange. Seem had sent one of the monks to an old temple near the volcano. He disappeared without a trace so me and Dax decided to do some investigating. We scouted the old temple were the monks had vanished and I couldn’t believe who we saw there. Veger, in the flesh. And he wasn’t alone. Our little friendly monk was there with him.

He kept ranting on and on about something called the catacombs. Curious about what they were talking about I followed them through the temple. Trying my best not to be seen. I must have taken the wrong turn because I ended up in a room with three large ancient statues.

They spoke to me.

The Gods spoke to me!

They told me had to muster some new power to stop “The Dark Ones.” To be honest I didn’t believe in all the hocus-pocus crap. After everything I seen and witness in my life I was still non-believer. If there were the gods how come they cant save the world?

“Dark eco runs through your veins, your heart, and even your mind. Making you more vicious by the day. Soon You will become your Dark side. And you will be unable to return to your former self.”

A white light came down in the middle of the room. I never seen a aura of light so beautiful.

“You must balance Good and Evil in order to survive. Look into the light and receive a power, hero”

I felt some great force lift me up and enter my body. The feeling only lasted for a second but to me it felt a like eternity. The light disappeared and I landed back on my feet.

I still felt the strange force inside but not as strong. For the first time in years I felt that I was in control over my own body! Since then I’ve been skipping one ice. Whistling tunes and hunting down metal heads.

Daxter began to mumbled cruse words at me while I craved off the monster head.

“You think mines is bigger then the Kleiver’s?” I asked him.

“How the hell should I know. They all looked the same size to me.”

I chuckled. “Yeah, I think mines is bigger too.”

“Oh ha ha Jak. You made a penis joke for once in your life...” He laughed a little bit. “You always sucked at dirty jokes, man.”

“Oh com’on I told some good jokes.”

“Riiiggghhhttt...Face it, you couldn’t make a knock knock joke funny to a pre-schooler.”

I tied the head to back of the rover and jumped back into driver seat and started the engine.

“Okay how ‘bout this joke: What the differences between Blond bimbo and a Roster?”

“Ummmm...I give up. What?”

“A roster would say cock-ka-doodle-do and bimbo would say any-cock-will-do.”

We both burst out in laughter. But Daxter laughed died out quick and turned into a sigh. I stopped laughing and looked at him. He had a gloomy look on his face as he petted his tail.

“What wrong Dax. The joke wasn’t that bad was it?” I said.

“Huh? Oh, no it wasn’t that. I was just thinking about Tess that’s all.”

I forgot for a second that Dax had a ‘girlfriend’. The dirty joke must have reminded him of her.

“You know Dax I could always bring you back to city.”

“Why?” He asked.

“Because you miss Tess and I’m sure she misses you too. You don’t have to suffer because of me.”

“What are talking about? Yeah I miss Tess but I’m not leaving you alone out here. You need me.”

“I’ll be fine by myself...”

“Listen Jak. We’ve been best pals since I had pants...Pants” He sighed “... I’m not going to break a great friendship for some chick”

It times like these I’m lucky to have a friend like him.

“What about Two hot chicks?” I asked.

“Not even two.”

“How about a whole palace full of girls and a swimming filled with chocolate?”

He yanked his ears. “Ugh...Not even a whole palace full girls.”

“What about a nice pair of pants?”

“Damnit Jak Don’t let me choose between you and the pants!”

We both laughed until our sides hurt. Our laughter was soon cut off by a loud beeping sound coming from my bag I kept on the floor of the rover. Dax crawled into a bag and pulled a blue bacon.

“It’s picking up a signal.” He said.

“Where?”

“Two miles east from here. The signal coming from...A Krimson Zoomer!”

I stepped on the gas pedal and Daxter fell back on his seat. It could’ve been Torn, or another Krimson guard but I knew it had to be one person. Ashelin. Dax was telling me to slow down but I wasn’t listening.

I didn’t even know why I was going so fast. She wasn’t in danger or else it would’ve have been an distress single. But still. I had to get there as fast. While I was driving over the sand dunes I wonder if it wasn’t her? And if it what would I say to her? What would I do to her?

I might have control over my anger now but I could still go off if that right bottons were pushed. After two miles I stepped on the breaks. There was no Zoomers in sight.

“Where is it Dax?” I yelled.

“I don’t know, these thing aren’t completely accurate. It might be a few yards or something.” He put on his goggles and used his lense as a telescope. I did the same. I saw nothing a began to lose hope about finding her.

“I see something!” he shouted.

“Where?”

“To your right! Don’t you see the zoomer”

I saw something that looked like a zoomer but couldn’t make it out. “Your goggles are better then mine. Tell me what else you see?”

“Well...It’s defintily a Krimson zoomer and uh...There’s someone sitting inside...He’s getting out...”

I sighed. He said ‘he’ so it couldn’t have been Ahselin.

“Oh my bad, It a girl...Hey it’s Ashelin! Man, she has nice ass...”

‘It is her.’ I thought.

“...Uh-oh...”

My heart skipped.

“Uh-oh?” I repeated “Uh-oh what?”

“It’s the wastelanders from the other city! Their heading her way! Quick, we gotta...”

I slammed my foot on the gas again going full speed. The wastelanders from the other village are the worst in the desert. They pray on outsiders like Ashelin. Her signal must have appeared on there trackers as well as mine. They’ll steal here zoomer, weapons, or anything of value. After they would take everything from her...they would...I don’t even want to think about because I wouldn’t let it happen.

“Dax tell me what’s happening.”

He tried his to keep his balance. “They got her surrounded!”

I could see the figures coming into view. “How many?”

“Five...no ten guys! Two in each dune hopper!”

I was getting closer. In fact I’m sure they saw me coming.

“Dax, are you ready?” I stood up from my seat.

“Ready for whaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!...”

I grabbed him by his tail and jumped out the car. I tucked and rolled for a few yards on the sand. When I fanily stopped and the rover slammed right into one of the dunes hoppers. It exploded killing the two drivers inside.

‘Two down. Eight more to go.’

During the confusing two wastelanders came jumped out their vechlies and charged. I cursing at myself for leaving the peace maker in the car I pulled my poor excuse for a gun from my gun holster and shot them both. One in the chest the other in head.

‘Four down. Six more to go.’

I heard five shots coming from my left. I couldn’t see who was shooting at who. The black smoke from the explosions was everywhere. I squinted trying to see past the smoke. Finally the desert wind picked up a moved the hazard smoke in a different direction. I saw one badly brunt and the other two was shot in the back. They were lying face down on the floor, all males. Thank the gods.

‘Seven down. Three more to go.’

I stepped over one of the bodies then another. I began to see more clearly now. It seemed I caused two cars to blow up, not just one. That would explain all the smoke. Three cars where still intact but unattended. And Ashelin wasn’t in her zoomer.

‘Did I hurt her?’ I thought as I carefully looked around for her.

“Behind You!” Someone yelled.

I turned around and saw a man twice my size hold a axe over his head. Suddenly a shot was fired. Blood squirted from his neck and he dropped like a sack of rocks.

‘Eight down. Two more to go.’

I saw her. She stood there feet slightly wide apart holding her gun in one hand. The flames of the wreckage still burning behind her and the hot desert wind blowing in her red dreaded hair. Her face was covered in sweat, small black smudges and blood. My god, She was beautiful.

She smiled at me but I didn’t smile back.

She put her gun away and started to walk towards me. Then, out of no where a wasterlander grabbed her from behind. He had his large arm around her neck and had her arms pinned to her back. I aimed my gun straight at his head.

“Let her go before I put a silver slug in your head!” I threatened.

He smiled showing me a full view of his yellow rotten teeth.

“I don’t think so boy!” He said “I kinda like the way this one smells.”

Ashelin grunted and tried kicking him but he was way to big to be knocked down.

He took a whiff of her hair. “Mmmmm, I’m sure she’ll taste delicious. I can’t wait fuck this one tonight!”

Before I could squeeze the trigger I felt a gun pointed at my left temple. I completely forgot about the last wastelander.

‘Fuck.’

“Not so fast!” He yelled. “Put down your gun or I kill you and the girl.”

I knew how these bastards operate. If I put down the gun he’ll shot me, and bring Ashelin to their hideout in the ruins. If I shot I could kill the guy who has her hostage. She then would have a chance to escape. But then the guy next to me will shot right in the head.

Put the gun down. I die. She’ll get raped and die eventually.

Shoot. He’ll die, I’ll die, She’ll live.

“I SAID PUT IT DOWN!” He yelled.

I pulled trigger.

---End of Part One---