Chapter Twenty Four: Misunderstood

The air stank of cheap beer, stale popcorn, sweat, and cold hot dogs as Jamie Parker wondered exactly what he was doing here.

"What am I doing here?" Jamie asked, over the roar of the crowd.

"King is on fire during this tournament…there's a chance that he could take the crown." Jin said practically.

"Yeah right." Hwoarang snorted.

"Don't be so sure, he's been training really hard." Julia argued.

"And besides, Marduk tends to bring out the angry, pissed off warrior in us all." Asuka said cheerfully while Xiao laughed.

"Who knows, depending on this outcome, you might be fighting King tomorrow Jamie." Xiao said wisely…who lately, had become like a big sister to the Nephilim.

"Can't wait," Jamie began sarcastically as he slumped in his chair. "King or Marduk…huh? Psychotic wrestlers are my favorites."

"Hey." A person from behind Jamie in the stands called harshly. "You'd better watch what you say."

Jamie turned and stared at the young man behind him. "Excuse me?"

He looked Hispanic and around Jamie's age, his brown eyes glinted with such ferocity at the Nephilim that he himself seemed taken aback.

"Don't you compare King to that murderer Marduk…King fights for a worthy cause…he fights for children all over the world, Marduk just fights so he can hurt people."

"Look bro…I'm sorry…" Jamie said half heartedly.

"Yeah well, make sure you know what someone's fighting for before you judge them."

"I could say the same thing about you." Jamie said with a raise of his eyebrow.

"You're Jamie Parker right, Justin Parker's kid brother?"

I don't think you have the right to call me kid…you look about as old as I do…

"Yeah; that's me."

"Hmph…figured as much." The mysterious young man said before getting out of his chair.

"What's his problem?" Hwoarang asked.

"I dunno…I've never seen him before; he's not a competitor is he?"

"No idea." Kyo added.

"Whatever…another nasty person and it's another Friday night in the King of Iron Fist Tournament…seriously, I don't need another person pissed at me during this tournament, I've got Billy and Kazuya for that." Jamie responded flippantly before focusing his attention at the match below.

The fight took place in a traditional boxing ring, and Jamie and the others sat in one of the top rows…the announcer called the fight and it began. The crowd roared in jubilation as King and Marduk rushed at each other. Jamie had to admit too, that he felt caught up with the crowd's excitement.

Suddenly, Jamie felt his phone vibrating in his pocket, quickly, he took it out of his pocket and checked the number on the small screen…it came up unlisted, but the Nephilim felt like he needed to answer it.

Quickly, he headed out of the stands and into the lobby; Jamie flipped open his phone on the last ring and answered it.

"Hello?"

"It's Nina…I have some news. It's not Raven." Nina's calm, cool voice flooded Jamie's ear.

"What!" Jamie asked in disbelief.

"His name is Peter Colon; he's an American."

"So…why would he want to kill me? What do we know about him?"

"I did a background check on him. He's King's adopted son apparently."

"Wait…and his name is Peter…where is he right now?" Jamie asked.

"I don't know, but my guess would have to be that he's watching his father's fight."

"Okay, I guess I'll go back to my previous point; why does he want to kill me?"

"It has to do with this Ritual of Triumvarence that you, Grey and Mina are a part of. Essentially-"

"Oh don't worry, I know…apparently I'll end the world…only problem with that is that I absolutely refuse." Jamie retorted.

"Look, I don't know much about it…but this whole ritual has got a lot of influential people in the world sweating it out."

"It'd be nice to know more about it though…but Julia's working on cracking that disc that Kyo and I stole from Abel's apartment."

"I wouldn't rely on just that one disk though. This is a big chunk of the Zaibatsu's research…apparently, Lee's a big hand in this project…you might find some more information at his mansion."
"Well…Grey invited us to a huge pool party at Lee's mansion tomorrow…it's most likely a trap though, so I'd bring a weapon in addition to your bathing suit." Jamie said with a chuckle.

"I always do," Nina laughed. "Anyway, I'll leave you to handle Peter…good luck."

"Thanks Nina, but I don't think he's such a bad guy…I honestly think he's gotten the wrong impression of me is all."

"Let's hope your right." Nina said.

"Alright, good by-" But Jamie was interrupted by the loud, monotone sound of a dial tone.

The Nephilim sighed and leaned against the hard concrete wall…he snapped his phone shut and put it in his pocket. He wondered what he should do now…to go sit back and watch the match seemed pointless…he wondered if he should head back to the hotel and tell Kazuya and the others about the latest turn of events before he forgot.

He supposed he should…but he wanted to nip this Peter issue in the bud before it got any worse. Heihachi and Grey were one thing…but he couldn't afford to have another assassin gunning for him.

And who knows? Maybe this Peter guy would know more about this ritual. Prophecies were tricky creatures, and besides, if Jamie was to bring about the apocalypse, then he at least wanted to know exactly what he was doing.

Jamie was about to tell the others that he was leaving…it was never his style to pull that whole "lone wolf warrior macho" bullshit…besides, most Nephilim who tried that ended up dead…and Jamie Parker hadn't lived through these past three years by going by his ego.

He turned, and began jogging back up the stairs; Jamie was halfway up them when he noticed Peter walking down them at the same time as he was going up. Brown eyes met blue…and as cheesy as it sounded, it felt like one of those moments in movies where everything seems to go in slow motion as the two gave each other the stare down.

Finally, the world reverted to normal as Peter quickly jogged down the stairs. Jamie stood for a second watching him, letting him gain some distance before the Nephilim decided to follow.

"Guess talking to the gang's out for now…better take care of this Peter thing before it gets any worse…"

(New Scene)

(A/N: This section is told from Peter's perspective and what he's been told…it's all lies but he doesn't know it yet)

Peter Colon hated this.

If there was one thing that he wasn't sure he could do it was this.

Still, he had come this far, there was no way he would back down now. He wasn't particularly fond of killing, but it was for the best.

After all, Jamie Parker was evil.

His contact had told him so…a scientist named Doctor Abel had told him everything about what Jamie was. About how he was genetically superior and bred to bring about the world's end.

Peter couldn't believe it…had almost laughed at the possibility…after all, Jamie Parker was the younger brother of world renowned skate boarder Justin Parker (whom Peter admired). Jamie was fairly famous in the martial arts and extreme sports circuit…Peter had seen Jamie on the X-Games since he was about eleven.

And besides, Jamie didn't look at all like he was plotting the world's destruction. With his long blonde hair, and surfer/skater good looks, Jamie looked like he was a kid who belonged on the OC or Laguna Beach. He looked as if he was more concerned about catching a wave or busting a rail slide rather then plotting man kind's demise.

"But in the end times the Anti-Christ will come in a form that no one will expect and destroy all that is good."

And that's what Abel had said that Jamie was…the Anti-Christ…and if he completed this Ritual of Triumvarence, then Hell would be unleased on Earth. It made sense...Jamie was faster and stronger then others…and he hung around Jin and Kazuya…who had devil's living in them for God's sake!

Peter didn't like killing…he had never done it before…but the vast sums of money Abel had promised for the Anti-Christ's death would help Peter and his step father further aid the children of the world.

Peter may not have all those super powers…but he wasn't entirely defenseless either…he'd trained quite extensively in martial arts, and here lately, had trained with the sniper rifle.

Jamie was fast…too fast actually for Peter's untrained eyes from the night before, but he was confident that he'd catch Jamie this time.

He may have had a lot of power…but Jamie wasn't exactly the sharpest tool in the shed...thank God for small favors…apparently, that dumb blonde stigma worked for the guys as well as the girls…and Peter knew he could lure the Anti-Christ out to follow him easily.

Last night, he had been tempted to help Doctor Abel's protégé named Douglas Greyson, he had been attacked by that assassin Nina Williams…Grey, who Abel explained was a Nephilim…a young man called to fight demons and the forces of darkness…which was strange, because if Peter pictured anyone as the Anti-Christ it would've been Grey with his style of dress.

Still, Peter wasn't going to judge…he hadn't had the pleasure of meeting Grey officially yet…all he knew was that he was indirectly involved with this whole ritual thing…as was an innocent girl in the tournament named Mina.

Suddenly, Peter heard footsteps patter down the alleyway…quickly he crouched behind a barrel with his rifle shouldered…sure enough, Jamie had jogged in the alley, he slowed to a gradual halt and looked around.

"Hm…where'd he go?" Jamie asked himself.

Suddenly, Jamie saw that familiar damn red dot peer out from behind a group of dumpsters, it settled quickly on Jamie's chest, but Jamie jumped out the way just as a shot cracked off…instead of splattering the Nephilim's chest and guts all over the brick wall, it exploded against barrel's full of gas.

Crimson flames exploded as the barrels combusted behind Jamie…to Peter's surprise, he didn't see fear in his enemy's eyes…more like annoyance at the inconvenience.

"Ohwuh!" Jamie said in annoyance as he jumped up and ran towards Peter's hiding spot.

Quickly, Peter kicked out one of the empty dumpsters and it jettisoned towards Jamie with the speed of a train. If it were to hit him, then it would knock him straight into the raging inferno behind him!

Jamie leapt over the dumpster and in the blink of an eye was on Peter. The young man smacked Jamie with the butt of his rifle. Peter placed the rifle in one hand as Jamie reeled from the blow…but he quickly turned, and put Peter into a painful wrist lock.

"Bit of advice; guns never solve any problems." Jamie said as he side kicked Peter in the back.

As Peter stumbled forward, Jamie opened the rifle and unloaded the chamber. Gilded bullets tingled against the floor and the Nephilim moved to kick Peter…he hit his target against his enemy's temple, but Peter decked him hard in the gut.

"Oof…" Both grunted and fell at the same time.

Quickly, they leapt up at the same time and began to fight again, Peter's moves were very methodical and precise, while Jamie tended to be a bit more wild and improvisational. Jamie blocked Peter's punches expertly…for awhile, until Peter managed to kick him hard in the chest.

"Give it up Hellspawn I studied all your moves!"

"Yeah? Study this!" Jamie called as he head butted Peter in the face.

While Peter was reeling, Jamie quickly walked over to Peter and punched him in the face…deadly hand to hand combat ensued as the two combatants moved closer and closer to the inferno…finally, it turned into a deadly game of mercy…with Peter on the losing end.

"You can kill me…but the Nephilim will finish you off." Peter said angrily.

"Wait…what?" Jamie asked.

So bewildered was he that Jamie actually let Peter go and stared at him wide eyed…his eyes glittered with a mixture of hatred and confusion.

"What…what did you say?" Jamie asked quietly.

"I said that the Nephilim'll kill you hellspawn evil if you kill me! The Nephilim will-"

"Stop saying Nephilim…I'm the goddamn Nephilim!" Jamie said angrily.

He let Peter go and shut his eyes.

Peter knew that he should have killed Jamie then…just kicked him into the fire and be done with it…but the way Jamie was acting…how shocked and bewildered he seemed…it merited at least a bit of conversation.

"Impossible…you're the one who's going to bring the world's demise…Grey is the Nephilim."

"What?" Jamie asked. "Look…scenario okay? We stop this fighting…you don't go all wiggy, and we go to my friends and sort this out."

"Wiggy?" Peter asked.

"Yeah," Jamie said between pants. "Y'know…no kicko no fighto."

Peter wasn't sure what he was supposed to think…but Doctor Abel had said that Jamie was evil, and that he would surely attempt to kill Peter at first site…but Peter didn't feel as if Jamie was evil…he seemed so nice, and although they always said that the Anti-Christ would be hard to spot…but Jamie just seemed so damn…nice…

"Alright," Peter dropped his stance. "I'll take you up on your scenario."