As the trio returned to town, they got a message from Krew that he had a proposition for them, and to meet him at his bar if they were interested. As Onin did not yet have answers for them regarding the artifacts and Torn hadn't contacted them for anything, the group decided to investigate, as they had nothing better to do.
When the trio arrived, Krew got straight down to business. "Zoomer racing is the biggest sport in the city," he explained. "Has been for the past six years since personal Zoomer technology became widespread as the means of inter-district transportation. Before that, there was only military grade anti-grav, and even that was clunky and rarely used. Erol is the undisputed grand champion. He's crazy...and dangerous on the track." He smirked. "And he's the Baron's right hand man."
"So knocking him off his championship pedestal will take him down a few pegs and burn his temper?" Jak asked. "Making him easier to fight?"
"While you clean up by taking bets regarding the 'underdog'?" Daxter added.
"You're sharp, fellows," Krew replied with a chuckle. "I like that in those who work for me...but make sure you don't cut yourself with your wits. Such wounds have a tendency to...suppurate." He quickly brushed it off. "A client of mine is looking for a fast driver for her racing team. Here's a security pass to get you into the stadium." He tossed the pass to Jak. "Oh, and your racing contract. I acted as your agent, with just a...few trifles for me."
Shining carefully examined the contract. "So...did she include this clause that says the entire contract is subject to her analysis of our first race, at which point she can completely invalidate it for renegotiation directly with the racer?" He gestured to the fifth of twelve pages. "Here in the fifth paragraph?"
Krew snapped his fingers and growled. "That clever vixen..." he grumbled. "She'll only consider you if you can get from here to the stadium in less than three minutes, though. Good luck on that."
Smirking, Jak quickly led the trio out.
Exactly two minutes later, Jak, Shining, and Daxter leapt off the Zoomer they'd rode to the stadium. Entering, Jak looked around for who was interested in hiring them. "Hello?" he called out. "Krew said someone was looking for a race driver?"
"I'm busy right now!" a feminine voice called from the back...a voice that Shining couldn't help but think was strangely familiar. "You must be Krew's new errand boys. Look, I don't mean to be rude - you did get here fast - but I'm not interested in any new drivers just now."
"As long as she's not baking," Shining found himself muttering, though he had no idea why.
The woman apparently hand't heard. "Look, if you really want to race, try taking my prototype jet-board out on the stadium track. Beat the stadium challenge, and maybe I'll consider you for my team."
Smirking, Jak headed for the stadium, Shining and Daxter following.
Shining and Daxter sat back and watched as Jak did all sorts of flips, tricks, and jumps on the jet-board, plainly enjoying himself. "It's just like old times," he muttered to himself as the timer ran out, having racked up a score of 150000 points with his tricks. "Like testing things out for..." His face fell, and he hopped off the jet-board.
Shining frowned as a strange thought occurred to him. "Let's go see what that mechanic thinks about your skills, huh?" he offered.
Nodding, Jak put the jet board back on the rack and followed back, his face down.
As they returned to the garage, the woman behind the curtain whistled. "Wow," she proclaimed, amazed. "I never imagined someone could score that high. I don't have a place on my team for a new racer just now...but you certainly deserve a reward for trying so hard."
Hearing how she mentioned a 'reward' - and seeing the way Jak was practically drooling at the girl's silhouette behind the curtain - Shining's eyes widened. It couldn't be... he thought silently. He decided to test it. "As long as it's not a cake this time!" he called out jokingly.
There was a clatter as the woman stumbled behind the curtain, several tools falling from the shelves. "S-Shiny?" she gasped out in disbelief.
Jak's eyes widened. "...Keira?" he asked, his voice full of desperate hope, and for a brief moment sounding two years younger.
"...Jak?"
Before anyone could react, Keira had stepped out from behind the curtain, but she was different from when they'd last seen her. She was much older than any of them had expected. Instead of looking several years younger than Jak - she had been six years younger, the main reason for Samos original distaste for their relationship - she now looked about his age, maybe a little younger. She also looked more careworn, as though she'd lost hope for a long time...but as she caught sight of Jak, her eyes lit up, and she raced towards him.
Jak could only stare. Before, he'd known she was cute, pretty even. But now...seeing her face light up like that, she was breathtakingly beautiful. He was barely able to raise his arms to embrace her before she slammed bodily into him, her arms wrapped around him as she burst into tears.
"Jak..." she whimpered, clinging to him like a lifeline. "I thought...I thought you were dead..."
"For a while, I thought I was, too," Jak whispered back. "I...I thought I lost you..."
Gesturing with his head, Shining led Daxter out of the room, giving the pair some privacy.
"Where...where have you been all this time?" Keira finally asked, not moving from the embrace.
"Been stuck in the Baron's cells the past two years," Jak murmured back. "Getting pumped full of Dark Eco."
"That's awful..." Keira whispered, idly stroking his back. "But...what about the other four?"
"Huh?" Jak asked, confused. "What do you mean?"
"Jak...I've been stuck here, with no word from any of you, and no sign of Daddy...for six years..."
Jak was stunned into silence. At long last, he pulled her into a tighter embrace. "...talk to me..."