SURRENDER by mentira

A Note From mentira: Okay, this is actually only a half of what I'd originally planned for the much larger chapter I was going to post. However, I'm in a bit of a rut right now to finish it, and I don't know how long it'll take me to dig myself out, so this is something to tie over the few people who still read my story. Much love goes out to you wonderful people, I hope you all enjoy.

10.0 – Revisiting History

Jin could hardly believe the sight before his eyes.

Kazuya. A walking corpse, now that he saw him in broad daylight, unlike how on the night he and Xiao had fled from her apartment, with the same pale and scarred face, darkened tender flesh rising over wounds that hadn't fully healed. Newer skin tissue patched the area in the crook of his neck, another over his left breast and disappearing under the white cotton of his shirt, where he'd been repaired during his time with the G-Corporation. His hair was a bit longer, messier, jagged edges hinting that he'd tried cutting it himself at one point, though he still owned the same characteristic thick, black eyebrows that rested over the very same eyes he'd seen haunting his dreams ever since the last tournament. His right eye, the Devil eye, now lacking its internal flame, was a deep crimson red. Overall, he was still the same man, the same bastard who made him for what he was.

Though his presence here didn't baffle Jin as much as how he'd gotten here. How he'd known where to find them. Since their departure from the diner, he'd been very careful about not leaving any tracks for them to follow.

Do you doubt your father's abilities, son?

The voice resounded in his head, just like it had in his vision, his father's voice deep, haughty with arrogance and laughing with pure, bitter mockery. Jin's eyes widened in shock. He studied his father's face, watching for any movement of lips, though it wouldn't matter, as he wouldn't be able to hear a sound over the plane's engine and the churning of its propellers.

You're looking for what's already right in front of you, boy. Don't be stupid, you know very well what's happening here.

Despite his initial shock, anger burned within him. Kazuya was taunting him, a habit he hadn't missed on inheriting from his own father. Jin's fists tightened in his lap, though he wouldn't allow himself to give in to his temper and hatred. He had to watch out for Xiao, after all, who was still sitting right beside him.

As if reading his thoughts, Kazuya's eyes slid to the side, gazing at his son's companion. Jin watched in disgust as his father's eyes swept over Xiao, the unmistakable look of appeal in his eyes.

Not bad, Jin. Not bad at all. I'm glad to see that you've at least inherited some good taste from me.

Jin found himself opening his mouth, readying to say the words to tell this pervert off, when Kazuya's voice interrupted him.

Quite the temper now, haven't we? You certainly didn't get that dirty mouth from me. What does it hurt to let your old man have just one little look?

"Jin," Xiao's voice broke him from his train of thought. He turned to see her looking at him, worry and confusion evident on her face. "What's going on? What's he doing here?"

It was hard to focus on words. He could feel this irritating tickling sensation in the back of his head, a sort of incessant probing. Looking hard at Xiao, he forced himself to clear his thoughts, to rid all thought of himself and Kazuya from his mind. "He's here for me, Xiao," Jin replied honestly. "Now, listen, I want you to stay here—"

"What? Where are you going? You're not going out there, are you?"

Jin questioned his motives himself. He could just as well continue forward, plow over Kazuya and fly out of here, but there was a warning in the back of his mind that held him back from fulfilling that plan. Kazuya wasn't alone. He knew very well that he was no match for Jin on his own, that much was proven during the last tournament. Somewhere outside, he bet anything that there were men hiding around the hanger, waiting to pounce on him, and who knew what technology they'd have to bring him down? No, there was no way he could risk Xiao's life like that.

"I have to."

Xiao looked uncertain. "Jin…"

Jin turned, ignoring her concern, and opened the door at his side. He was just about to slide out of the plane, when he heard the seats behind him squeaking. He glanced over his shoulder to see Xiao climbing over the chairs after them. "What are you doing?" he demanded loudly over the roaring of the plane.

"I'm going with you," she shouted back.

"No, you're not."

"Yes, I am," she argued with a sudden, unexpected determination.

"Xiao—"

"Look," she said, sighing heavily, her lips pursed, brows knitting together in a frown, "I'm not gonna bullshit with you anymore about this. If you're going out there, I'm coming with you. That's all there is to it."

Jin stared at her, speechless, and unable to deny the realization of how beautiful Xiao looked this way: fresh, angry and irritable. With her face set hard, her hair falling in a cascade of black, silken strands over her shoulders, dark eyes narrowing on him.

"Fine," he said once he'd finally regained his composure. "But you stick close to me, and don't do anything without my say."

"Fine."

Silently, together they both got out of the plane. Jin stopped at the plane's side, unwilling to move any closer to the man standing before them.

What's the matter, Jin? Afraid? I guess I should give you some credit, seeing as how you haven't flown away in your little plane. Smart move. You know I'd just come chasing after you.

Jin dug his nails into the palms of his hands, biting into skin. He felt something soft brush up against his side. Xiao. Her hand lightly touched the back of his, a gentle reminder that she was right there beside him, ready to fight at his side. Bracing himself, Jin started forward.

Almost immediately, Jin saw strange men coming out of their hiding places, from around the building, parked vehicles that hadn't been there before. They were all dressed in black uniform, a uniform that Jin recognized. The Tekkenshu. Jin frowned to himself. What were the Tekkenshu doing with Kazuya?

These are my men, Jin. Mine. They work for me.

These are Heihachi's men, Jin protested inwardly, taking a cautious glance backward to make sure that Xiao was still will him—which she was—all the while not once breaking the pace at which he walked toward Kazuya.

All right, perhaps I did borrow a few men from your grandfather… But nevertheless, they follow my orders. Be mindful of that.

Heihachi hunts you just as you hunt me… How is this possible?

Kazuya didn't answer his question directly, instead retorting with another taunting question. Is this the way you treat your father and grandfather, with such disrespect?

I have no father or grandfather. They're both as good as dead to me.

Jin stopped at an average man's height's distance in front of Kazuya. Xiao came to a halt directly beside him, no longer hiding in his shadow. The man in front of them stood calmly, casually, a knowing smirk playing on his pencil-thin lips, while the Tekkenshu were slowing drawing closely around them.

"Well, hello, Jin," he spoke aloud for the first time. Hearing Kazuya's voice in all reality was more startling than inside his head. "Long time no see."

"I'd have hoped to have kept it that way," Jin retorted gruffly.

Kazuya feigned a look of hurt. "Aw, Jin, why be so hard on your old man? What's past is past. Can't we get over it and just…start over?"

"Funny, isn't that why you're here though? To dig up more past?"

There was a slight twitch to Kazuya's brows, the faintest hint that Jin had affected him. "I have no idea what you're talking about," he said smoothly, as though no such thing had ever taken place. His eyes switched over to Xiao. "Aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?" he asked.

Jin's hand reached for Xiao, wrapping protectively over her wrist. "Cut the bullshit, Kazuya. I know why you're here."

Kazuya ignored him, reaching for something in his pocket, a small plastic card. "Ling Xiaoyu, isn't it?" he read from it, then flipping the card around so they could see the printed side.

Jin heard Xiao's startled gasp, her feet scuffing against the graveled runway as she took a step forward, raising a clenched fist. "Why you… That's mine."

Kazuya tucked the card back in his pocket. "Ah, yes, I can see he was right. She is quite the little spitfire, isn't she?"

Jin held tight on to Xiao, keeping her close at bay, while at the same time making a quick surveillance of the Tekkenshu. One, two, three… There had to be at least two dozen or more surrounding them. He couldn't even begin to imagine how many there might be in hiding.

Count away, Jin. It'll do you no good. We're more than ready for you this time…

And as if on cue, several guns clicked off their safety mode.

Jin growled low in frustration. Kazuya was still going on about some nonsense or other, seeming as though he'd never taken a break anywhere along his sentence. This was stupid. Kazuya was stalling. He wasn't fool enough to play on the idea that his father was actually nervous, so the only other explanation was that he had no direct plan. He'd come so far as to corner him here, but now that he had him he didn't know quite how to go about him. Jin accepted this knowledge gratefully, deciding that he would play on Kazuya's disadvantage, turn the tables a bit.

Doing his best to clear his thoughts, and hoping that Kazuya hadn't already caught on, Jin daringly stepped over into dangerous territory. "What's this all of a sudden, Kazuya? I've never known you to be one to beat around the bush. It's not your style."

"Funny hearing that from you, son, seeing as how you know nothing about me," Kazuya retorted, apparently well prepared for just this sort of thing.

Jin gritted his teeth, refusing to back down. "You're right. How could I? I'd never even met you until four years ago. All I ever knew then were the fairy tales told by my mother, tales of a father who turned out to be nothing but that—a fantasy."

Bright red flared into Kazuya's Devil eye. Jin heard Xiao's startled gasp, and he was reminded that he had to be careful. He didn't want to reveal too much to her.

"You have a lot of nerve to bring her up at a time such as this, Jin," Kazuya spat vehemently, brows knitting closely together, nostrils flaring in anger.

As much as it disturbed Jin to use his mother as a form of distraction, he saw this as his only opportunity. While Kazuya's anger was centered on him, he squeezed Xiao's wrist discreetly, snagging her attention. "Why should it matter to you? You never cared about her. You left her to be killed by that…that monster."

"Don't impugn my loyalty to your mother. It was you who failed to protect her. You, who is supposed to be as powerful as me, allowed yourself to be tossed aside by a mere creature ten times less the power and strength we both hold. It is you who led her to her death, boy, not me."

Jin's resolve almost faltered, the sharp bite and brutality of Kazuya's words cutting so deep it momentarily knocked him off balance. For years he'd blamed himself of the very same thing, but to hear it turned on him by this man was almost too much to bear.

Xiao's fingers playing on the side of his hand reminded him of his place, her touch hesitant, questioning in response to his previous gesture. He could feel her eyes on him, a look of mixed confusion and concern, appropriate so as not to lead Kazuya into thinking something was up.

"Then why didn't you come to her rescue? If you're so high and mighty, why weren't you there to fight off the beast?" he demanded, feigning ignorance as a means to fuel Kazuya's fire. He'd learned long since he'd exposed Heihachi's corporation after the fourth tournament of his father's whereabouts during his youth.

A flicker of emotion crossed Kazuya's eyes, quick and fleeting, unclear to decipher, but there just the same. He shook his head abruptly, an ugly snarl molding his facial features as he clenched a fist at his side, his whole arm quivering with the intensity at which he maintained his grip, and Jin sensed that he was having an inward battle. Kazuya against the Devil gene, human emotion—which he doubted Kazuya had much of—against the will of the evil that possessed him.

Jin had seen this only too many times before in himself, and he knew a brief second's pity as he watched Kazuya's turmoil. Blood spilled from his hand, a crimson substance so dark and thick it was almost black leaking through his fingers. Kazuya looked down at his hand, observing what he'd done for himself.

Jin acted quickly, taking advantage of the moment. Looking over at Xiao, he nodded his head back towards the hanger. Xiao's eyes widened, understanding dawning on her immediately, but she shook her head in protest. He was touched by her devotion to stay at his side, but he couldn't be swayed. This was their only chance. He nodded his head once more and mouthed the words "trust me" to her.

He didn't give Xiao a chance to argue, for he then quickly turned his attention back to Kazuya, appearing as calm and natural as he'd been as the older man was just then looking up from his hand. The Devil had won, he realized with certainty. Any trace of humanity that he'd just witnessed was gone, and Kazuya now wore a look that was downright insanity. The laugh that he emitted was nothing short of that, either.

"Why do you trouble me with such things?" Kazuya mused. His voice was deeper, raspier, not his own. The red flare in his eye was more intense, the tone of his skin darker than normal. "Your mother was a cheap slut and a bad lay, who thought she'd stolen my heart but managed nothing other than to irritate me to no end and to take away the one thing that mattered to me most…"

Jin's eyes narrowed, a rage unlike any other he'd harbored towards this man before swelling deep inside. He wasn't sure whether this was Kazuya or the Devil speaking, but either way, Jin was this close to losing his demeanor and smashing his fist into the bastard's face. The thought of Xiao standing victim at his side was what kept him at bay.

"…And put it into the shell of a brat like you," Kazuya continued, rapidly changing from maniacal to menacing. "Enough of this nonsense," he spat, whipping his bloodied hand out to the side, sprinkling droplets of it, extending his fingers so that Jin could see the razor-sharp talons that had emerged there. "You have what I want. Give it to me."

"Over my dead body."

"So be it."

Jin heard the Tekkenshu shift around them, readying their arms to make fire.

You're mine, Kazuya's voice echoed inside his head.

He inhaled a deep breath, mustering all the strength his possessed, realizing that this was it. It was now or never.