Finding Hope

Chapter 1: The Underground

Sam was a girl around the age of 14. She had no home, no family, no friends, just herself. She lives on the streets of Haven City running from the Krimzon Guards on a daily basis. Why? Because ever since Barron Praxis came to power he ordered ever child in the city killed. No one knows why exactly he just did so now every time a Krimzon Guard sees a kid they shoot them. Most kids around Sam's age can pull off being an adult but Sam still looked like a kid. That and the fact she's widely known within the Guard for "disappearing" while they chase her. Some Guard thinks she a ghost of a past child they've already killed and some believe she's a myth but she is real. The reason she can "disappear" is because she has a necklace with a dark eco gem in it that allows her to turn invisible. She got it from her mother before she died. Sam greatly resembles her mother, long brown hair with green tips, dark purple eyes that match the deep purple of dark eco, and she was short which did help her hide.
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Today Sam was in the Water Slums just wondering around out of boredom no Krimzon Guard had noticed her yet which was good because she felt tired today and didn't want to run around much. She also knew of a good hiding spot behind a building to the far corner of the Water Slums that people tended to stay away from. She liked to sleep behind it because of that. Sam stopped and looked up at the city wall. She knew it was the only thing protecting them from Metal Heads but because of it she always felt she was in prison. But being in Haven City there really was no difference.

"There's the girl. Get her!"

Sam looked back in front of her and saw two Guards beginning to run in towards her blocking her path. She sighed, turned invisible, and ran off back to the slums. After running for a while she turned around to see that they had stopped following her. She looked around for a second to see if there any Guards there. Suddenly someone walked into her knocking her over. She looked up to see a younger man with long hair that faded green to blond with an orange rat like thing on his shoulder. Sam stood up and turned visible shocking the man and the rat.

"My bad. Sorry for getting in your way sir," Sam said bowing in apology.

They man was about to say something but Sam ran off before he could. He turned around just in time to see her turn invisible.

The rat spoke, "Jak please tell me you just saw a girl appear out of thin air then run off and disappear."

"Yea I saw her too Daxter," He said with confusion in his voice.

"Ok just making sure."

Jak and Daxter began walking off and Sam had actually hidden herself by them to see what they had to say. She liked confusing people like that.

Jak spoke again, "Think we should tell Torn?"

Daxter shrugged, "All I know is, is that girls don't randomly disappear like that and they shouldn't."

"She looked pretty young. Perhaps she's hiding from the Guard so they don't kill her. You think if we found her again she'd come to the Underground with us?"

Sam had heard about the Underground before. She always hears Krimzon Guards complaining about them and about the monster they apparently have. She knows they were hated by Praxis and the Guard but she still wasn't sure who they were.

Daxter sounded annoyed, "How the he-"
Sam cut him off, "Tell me about the Underground," she said still invisible.

Jak and Daxter looked around, "Your still invisible aren't you?" Jak asked.

Sam didn't answer.

Jak began to talk, "The Underground in a resistance against Barron Praxis. We're working on overthrowing him and getting him off the thrown so Haven City can be a better place for everyone. We also fight off any movements of Metal Heads we detect and we're currently looking for Mar's Tomb. I'm not going to make you come but if you want to follow us I'm sure we can find you a safe house to live in away from and Guards," Jak began to walk away.

Sam ran up to his side, turned visible and started walking with him, "So you guys are cool with kids and aren't trying to kill us?"

Jak looked at her, "No we're actually helping protect a kid a lot younger than you. The Underground believes he's the heir to Mar."

"Huh, and you guys are just gonna take me there and let me be apart of this?"

"Well we will hopefully just get you off the street and in a home."

Daxter looked at her, "Where's your family? They just dump you on the street when it was illegal to have kids?"

"Daxter!"

Sam looked down, "My mother is dead, I don't know who my father is. All I know is that my mother divorced him when I was young so I have no memory of him."

Daxter looked awkward.

Jak put his hand on her back, "We're here"

Sam looked up and saw that they were in a dead end alleyway in the Slums, "Where exactly is here?"
Just then the wall in front of them started to slide open and reviled a stairwell. Jak started walking down it and Sam walked behind him hiding in fear just incase they just lied and are about to kill her. She could never trust adults. She accidentally turned invisible because she was nervous. She stayed hidden behind Jak and stared at his back.

Jak began to talk to someone, "We found a girl on the streets running from the Guards is there any safe houses we can put her in?"

A mans voice began to speak, "We're full at the moment but we can put her here for the time being until we find someone who will take her in. Do you know where she is?"

"She's right-," Jak turned around and didn't see her. He put his hand out and slowly moved it around until he touched her hair on the top of her head, "Your invisible."

"Sorry," She turned visible; "I do that on accident when I get really nervous."

Jak stood beside her, "She's right here."

Sam looked at the man. He was standing behind a table and had a hard tattooed face and large brown dreadlocks and seemed to be unfazed that she just appeared out of nowhere.

Daxter spoke up, "How the hell do you keep doing that?"

Sam pointed to her necklace, "The gem in the middle is pure dark eco. It allows me to turn invisible."

The man spoke again, "How did you come across something like that," he asked seeming a bit angry.

"My mother gave it to me right before she died. I don't know where she got it."

"What's your name," the man asked.

"Sam."

"I'm Torn and until we find someone to house you, your going to living in here."

Sam nodded. She was a little afraid of Torn.

"Jak I have noting for you to do at the moment."

Sam turned to Jak and whispered to him so Torn couldn't hear her, "Does he not like me or just kids in general?"

"He just like that to everyone. He has his moments though," Jak patted her head and walked off. Sam wasn't sure what to do so she just stood there and stared at Torn.

Torn looked up, "Do you prefer to be housed with a female?"

"I'd prefer female but it doesn't matter."

Torn pulled out a communicator, "Willow."

"Here Torn!" A woman's voice responded pleasantly.

"Jak found a girl wondering the streets can I house her with you?"

"I would but my safe house was discovered and I'm sleeping on Rouges couch. And the only other girl that would house her is Tess."

"Do you know any guys that might house her?"

"Depends how old is she?"

Torn looked up at Sam, "How old are you?"

"I'm 14."

"She's 14"

"I can hear her in the room. And I don't think that's a good age for her to be housed with a guy."

Torn looked annoyed, "Why is that?"

"Honey have you started?" Willow asked.

Sam's face turned a little red knowing what she just asked, "No... not yet."

"That's why. So ask Tess and if she can't get back with me and I'll see what I can do. Willow out."

Torn sighed and looked back down at the table he was standing at. Sam saw that there were maps and other papers scatter crossed the table. She stared walking towards him. He looked up and Sam froze for a second.

"Do you need anything? Our pipes are still muddy so the water is bad."
Sam noticed a hint of softness in his voice be he still mad.

Sam looked at him, "Are you ok?"

"What?"

"You seemed mad ever since I got here. Did something happen or am I just a bother to you? I can survive just fine on the streets by myself."

"No there's noting wrong and I'd prefer you were with us."

"Whatever then," Sam said and walked over to a bed to lie down. She soon fell asleep but was awaken by Torn yelling. She sat up in bed.

"WHAT? What do you mean he was taken down by Guards?"

Sam didn't hear the response.

"He was one of our best men! Now who's gonna do it?"

"I-I don't know sir," The voice was coming from a communicator and sounded scared.

"I'll just get Jak to do it then. Torn out," Torn shook his head, "All our damn men keep dieing, Guard keeps discovering out safe houses, Metal Heads getting closer to the city, what's next?" Torn leaned over and put his arms against the table then put his forehead in his hands and sighed. He stood back up and saw Sam sitting up, "Sorry I didn't mean to wake you."

Sam understood now he was stressed out. She walked over to him, "You need to relax more."

Torn looked at her then looked down and sighed, "I know."

Just then a younger blond woman walked in, "I'm off for the rest of the day because some Krimzon Guards are interrogating Krew again. And I saw Jak earlier and he said he found a girl and brought her here," She walked up to smile with a very bright face, "Nice to meet you I'm Tess!"

"I'm Sam," Sam nodded her head.

Torn spoke, "Can I house her with you?"

"Can't my apartment building was shut down and I'm staying at Sig's place. What about Willow?"

"She's staying at Rouges."

"What about any of the guys?"

"Willow said she needed to stay with a girl."

Tess looked at Sam, "Why?"

Sam whispered in her ear.

"Ooohhhh.... So what are you going to do with her?"

"I'll have to keep her here for now."

Tess looked at Sam again, "I'll come and check on you everyday sweetie. I promise! In fact Sig only comes to his place to sleep so if you want to come over so you can be with a girl I'm sure he wouldn't mind."

Sam looked over at Torn as if for permission and he nodded at her. Sam looked back at Tess, "Sure."

"I'm also going to take you clothes shopping. I'm sure you wouldn't mind new clothes."

Sam looked down at her baggy tee and torn pants with shoes that were to small, "Yea that would be nice."

Tess smiled bigger, "Alright! We have to go back to the apartment first so I can get my money but then we'll be good to go!" Tess grabbed Sam's hand and started walking out the door.

Sam turned around and looked back at Torn, "Bye Torn."

Torn looked up from what he was doing and did a little awkward wave.

Tess had a vehicle outside and she hopped into one side while Sam jumped into the other. She had never ridden in one before but the fact that all the vehicles hovered scared her and she was always afraid she was just going to fall off.

"Jak told me about you necklace so I guess we don't have to worry about and Guards right?"

Sam turned invisible, "Right."

They flew through the slums into the industrial section and were almost to the port when Tess's communicator went off. She opened it, "Tess here."
A man with a raspy voice spoke, "Tess I'm re-opening, come back here."
Tess sighed, "I'll be there in a few minutes Krew," She closed her communicator, "Damn Krew. Sam I'm gonna drop you off at Sig's and let him and Torn know your there so someone can take you back. I would but if I take to long Krew will get suspicious of me. I'm sorry sweetie." Tess stopped in front of a building just in the port and took Sam inside, "If a big guy with Metal Head armor comes in that's Sig. I have to run bye," Tess gave Sam a hug and rushed out the door.

Sam was in a living room area and sat down on the couch. There was a pillow by the armrest so she used it to lie down this time making sure not to fall asleep. She was there for quite some time until she heard someone opening the door. She instantly stood up so they wouldn't see her imprint on the couch and turned invisible. A large man in Metal Head armor waked in.

He instantly spoke, "Sam you here it's Sig."

Sam turned visible and started walking over to him.

"Tess said you'd probably do that. Come on Torn wants me to take you back to the hideout," Sig said with a smile that comforted Sam. For such a big guy Sig seemed really nice.

Sam turned invisible and followed him out to the vehicle he had. After Sig heard her get into the vehicle he took off.

Sig began to speak, "Anytime you want to get out feel free to come over, I'm never there anyway."

Sam smiled, "Thank you very much."

Sig drove her back to the Underground hideout and dropped her off, "Tell Torn I said hey. See ya shorty.

Sam turned visible and chuckled, "Bye Sig." She walked into the hideout and sat down on a bed. She looked at Torn who had just looked up and saw her. Sam spoke, "Sig says hi."

"Alright," Torn said then got back to work.

Sam continued looking at Torn then laid down and fell asleep again.