Authors Note: Thanks to everyone who are taking the time to review! I really appreciate it…please keep reviewing!!!! I hope you enjoy this new chapter! In this one, we here more unsettling news of the paranormal, and with this tournament…nightly patrols…and new found friendships…what in the world is the Nephilim to do? PLLLLEEEAAAZZZZEEEE REEEEVVVIIIIEEEEWWWW!!!!!
If Jamie Parker had an addiction to anything, it was slumber. Since his calling, his nocturnal habits had changed dramatically. He patrolled at night, and often didn't get to bed until about 4 in the morning. A good night sleep for him consisted of five hours…which was what he had hoped he would get last night.
He got three.
He felt someone shaking him, and it roused Jamie from his coveted slumber. He glanced up from under the mountain of blankets to see his roommate, world renowned British Boxer Steve Fox, standing over him. Steve seemed like he was a nice enough guy. He was in his mid twenties, and had a sort of easy going way about him. His hair was about as blond as Jamie's own, and shaggy. Steve was apparently at the club last night too. He and a fetching Portuguese woman named Christie Monteiro (also a competitor in the tournament) had "hooked up" (Jamie always wondered what the hell that word meant exactly) last night…while Jamie was flung from a buildings' roof.
"Jamie, c'mon man! Ya gotta get up! We need to be downstairs in fifteen minutes!"
Oh crap! The tournament!!!!
Jamie's immediately leapt out of bed. He fished around in his luggage for clothes to wear.
Someday it will be completely acceptable to go anywhere in boxers…but until that time; you need to get dressed PRONTO!!!
Steve walked into the bathroom, while Jamie settled on some clothes that were baggy enough to fight in…and looked relatively decent on him. Jamie chose to wear a pair of well loved, frayed and ripped, somewhat baggy, denim jeans, and a red t-shirt. The t-shirt had Ralph Wiggum from The Simpsons emblazoned on it. Ralph had his finger ceremoniously stuck in his nose, and the caption read:
"I can dress myself."
After dressing, Jamie was ready to walk out the door; Steve decided to walk with him.
"So, you have a bit o' rough n' tumble with someone then?" Steve asked.
Whenever Jamie thought of the human brain, he always thought of it as some kind of giant, 19th century H.G. Wells machine…complete with whirring cogs, steam, and wheels…Jamie's gears were a little rusty, as he had just woken up, so he had trouble processing Steve's cockney accented, British-isms.
"Huh?" Jamie responded.
"Your arms mate, they're all black n' blue." Steve said, gesturing to the colorful kaleidoscope of pain that had become Jamie's limbs.
"Yeah…I guess you could say that." Jamie responded with a chuckle. Steve looked like he wanted to hear more, so Jamie quickly changed the subject. "What about you? I heard that you hooked up with Chrissy…Monteiro?" Jamie asked, purposefully getting the name wrong to better his chances of hearing Steve tell his story.
The British Boxer gave his trademark smirk that probably turned a lot of women into fans of boxing.
"Christie Monterio mate! She is sumthin' alright. We were sorta' together during the fourth tournament…then we kinda stopped talking…but that changed after last night."
"Really?" Jamie asked, with feigned interest.
"She like's it when I call her kitten, and when I nibble on her-"Steve began.
"Oh look! It's Hwoarang and the gang!" Jamie interrupted, saying the first thing that came to mind…only then did he realize how incredibly lame it sounded.
Jamie and Steve walked over to the rounded table where, Hwoarang, Julia, and Xiaoyu sat. Jamie looked around at Mishima Hotel's expansive dining area. Rounded tables with white table clothes were positioned around the room. In the center of the room was a steaming buffet table…which, to Jamie, was one of the most ingenious inventions that human life had ever come up with.
"Can I sit?" Jamie asked timidly, feeling for a minute like he was back in high school, and having to face cafeteria politics.
Hwoarang shrugged his shoulders indifferently. "Free country."
"He means yes." Julia added.
Jamie gratefully took a seat, next to Xiao and Steve. Soon, everyone began talking about the various activities that they had gone on last night.
"Yeah, we didn't see you leave Xiao. We felt kinda bad that you left by yourself." Julia said, voice thick with concern for her friend.
"It's alright, I just wanted to get some air. Besides, I saw Jamie, and we had a cup of coffee." Xiao explained, while she peeled her orange.
Immediately, all eyes were on Jamie.
"Jamie? I thought you were too tired to go out?" Julia asked, as a mischievous grin played on her lips.
"Hey, anyone who wants to make Jin Kazama's life miserable, by stealing his girl is okay by me!" Hwoarang crowed happily, as he slapped a hand roughly on Jamie's back.
Jamie and Xiao both lowered their eyes, and Jamie's face turned as red as Hwoarang's hair.
"It wasn't like that…" Jamie said quietly.
"It really wasn't…he offered to buy me a cup, and I took it." Ling stated, in an all business tone.
"Well, I'm glad that you had Jamie to protect you Xiao!" Hwoarang retorted.
The red haired Korean wrapped his arm around Jamie's shoulder…Jamie wondered what Hwoarang meant exactly.
"Here he goes again…" Julia sighed, and rolled her eyes.
"What's this then?" Steve asked, glancing up from his plate of scrambled eggs.
"Well, y'know that girl who was killed the other night," Hwoarang began. "The one who had the 'neck rupture' or whatever, anyway, the hospital she's at…the patients are starting to show symptoms of'neck rupturing'!" In fact, some of the doctors have vanished too! The police are keepin' it quiet, but ya gotta wonder…" Hwoarang trailed off, adding an air of creepiness to his tale.
"That's just a stupid rumor! Doo San Hwoarang, you're just trying to scare us and it isn't working anymore!" Julia scoffed.
Ling and Jamie exchanged quick glances, before Jamie dipped back into Julia's tirade.
"Anyway, I have it on personal authority that those coroners have taken an emergency leave of absence because they've been working to hard," Julia smiled. "In fact, they are so strapped for coroners, that they asked me to come down tonight to help. It's not really my field of study, but physiology is one of my hobbies and…"
"What do you see in her? I thought you of all people would never date anyone who's part of the nerd herd!" Steve asked Hwoarang.
Julia slapped Steve upside the head, while Hwoarang laughed. Xiaoyu pulled Jamie close and spoke softly.
"Jamie, I don't like this…"
"I know. It looks like this vampire issue isn't finished yet…I'll check it out tonight, but you need to convince Julia not to go…this thing has 'all you can eat buffet' written all over it."
"Alright."
"Walk with me…" Jamie whispered as he pulled his chair out.
As they walked to the buffet, the two began to speak more freely.
"Jamie, what if Kazuya, Devil, and the vampires are all connected somehow?" Xiao asked.
"It wouldn't surprise me. I read that people with Devil Genes tend to attract demons towards them. The devils that live inside the person are like demon warlords or deities or whatever. All these demons are probably devil's henchmen."
"Jamie…if those vampires take that hospital…"
"Believe me Ling, I know. Devil's army will have tons of new recruits and with all those sick people, they'll have plenty to munch on," Jamie sighed, and ran a hand through his hair. "The bright side is, that this girl, who I'm sure has been turned, has only been in there for two nights…we still have time to save that hospital…just not a lot of it."
"Remember our deal. I want to help!" Xiao responded.
"I know. Help me by talking to Julia, she'll listen to you."
Jamie glanced down at the buffet counter, with a plate in his hands. Heaps of delicious items were placed in silver trays. Jamie was incredibly hungry when he first walked in…but now, he felt as if eating anything would make him vomit. He noticed Steve walking over to the drink counter and pouring himself a glass of tomato juice…red tomato juice.
Jamie Parker the Nephilim shuddered with revulsion…
Author's Note: Alright, I've set the scene for another clandestine meeting with Kazuya, and his evil minions…oh, and another thing, I'm not trying to bash Christie or Steve…in fact, those two are my fav. Characters…I'm just going by what kind of attitude that those two seem to put in the game…I like Steve, because he looks like me if I was in Tekken, and I love Christie because I study capoeira. I just think Christie is one of those girls who is beautiful and knows it…but not bitchy or anything. And besides, I think those two make a good couple. Anyway, please review and let me know what to do, I don't want my story to get redundant or anything…okay, next chapter will cover more of the tournament aspect, following that, will be Jamie's patrol of the hospital. Okay, and here's the promo to get you to read more!
Will Julia be alright? Will the vampire's indeed take over the hospital? Will Jamie get critically wounded again?! Read on, and find out!