Chapter Thirty Three: More Then Useless
Author's Note: Another chapter, please read and review and oh yeah, ENJOY!
Jamie Parker hated hospitals…he'd always had a childhood fear of them, and being in one at night did little to alleviate his fears…especially since he was in the ICU ward standing over the body of one of his good friends.
The fact that it was all his fault he was in here also weighed heavily on his conscious.
Jin Kazama, young heir to the Mishima Zaibatsu lay on the clammy hospital bed, his face and body as ashen and pale as the vampires that the Nephilim worked so hard to fight night after night. His body was shiny with a thin layer of sweat, and a look of complete and total agony contorted his features.
Whenever Jamie closed his eyes he could see the arrow protruding from Jin's shoulder…feel the life drain from his body…and see…
Grey's grinning, laughing, face.
When Jamie thought about Grey he could feel his fists clench and shake with rage…Jamie had never hated anyone in his life with as much ferocity as he did Grey…and in some ways, that worried him.
At first, The Nephilim felt sorry for the troubled young man, and thought maybe, if the two could talk, then he'd cross over to the good guys; then when Jamie realized that wouldn't happen, Grey was an annoyance…and now…
Now…Jamie seriously considered killing him…
Grey…how could anyone be so evil…so calculating…so…heartless!
It didn't matter now, there was no point in dwelling on it anymore; right now he needed to be in the here and now.
"Doctor Boskonovitch?" Xiaoyu asked. "What's wrong with Jin? Is the poison treatable?"
"Hm," The kindly, bespectacled doctor gazed at Jin's body, before coming to rest on the festering sore that the arrow had jettisoned through. "Ah…yes…I've seen this before…back when I used to work with Abel in the labs…I've only seen the prototype…but the poison has never been used in the field…well, until today."
"Well what is it then?" Kazuya asked.
"This particular poison attacks the central nervous system…granting the victim twenty four hours of life…"
"So…he'll…die…" Julia asked.
"There's a cure right? You said you've seen it before as a prototype so that means you must have made a cure." Hwoarang said.
"In…a manner of speaking there is one…" Dr. B began. "Abel created this strain of virus to target one person in particular…back in early 2002 for a certain Nephilim in Brisbane Australia."
"Mark Baker," Jamie responded hollowly as he stared blankly at Jin. "The Nephilim before me."
"Right." Dr. B replied.
"But Jin told me that Mark was bitten by a werewolf…and that in the end, Jin had to kill him so he wouldn't turn." Kyo argued.
"That's what Heihachi finally decided to do yes." Dr. B agreed.
"Alright, so what's the cure for this virus…we don't have a lot of time." Kazuya asked.
"The only known cure for this virus is…blood…more specifically, the blood of a sacred warrior…thus, the irony…there is a cure to this disease, but it's from something that isn't available when the victim needs it. The plan to eliminate Mark was to inject him with this virus and watch him die a slow and painful death…the cure, a new Nephilim wouldn't have been available until he was dead and his Successor was activated…"
Me…
That put a new twist on things indeed…Jamie didn't know a lot about Mark…and although he knew the truth behind the events that eventually lead to his Awakening…he found it weird that if Heihachi had proceeded with the original plan; Jamie Parker would unknowingly wake up on that fateful morning unaware of the events in Australia and also ignorant to the fact that the blood that coursed through his veins could have saved Mark.
And suddenly, as his icy blue eyes stared at his friends agonized form it occurred to him…
"We have a cure." He said slowly.
Everyone turned with shocked expressions to the silent Nephilim.
Wordlessly, Jamie walked over to a tray where a syringe, and tube lay, and picked them up.
"Maybe I can salvage something from this evening after all." He said in a low, emotion less tone as he stared down at Jin. "Dr. B; hook me up."
"Don't Jamie! This is just what Heihachi wants!" Mina warned.
"What do you mean?" He asked.
"Jamie…it's not known how much blood it takes to cure the virus," Dr. B said gently as he took the syringe and tube away. "It could take dangerous quantities of it from your body; before we even see results."
"Well, I'm sure as hell not using any of it right now…and besides, this is how it all goes right? Jin takes the life of a good friend and a Nephilim and is haunted by it…and now it comes full circle with a Nephilim taking his life to save a good friend…I mean, it's my own damn fault he came outside to find me."
"Jamie…no one's blaming you…" Xiaoyu said in a soft voice. "You couldn't have known that Grey was coming and it was a lot of information to hear in one night."
"Exactly Xiao; I save your husbands life…I give your baby back a father, in exchange for my life and Heihachi can't conduct this ritual…everyone wins."
"No we don't!" Hwoarang barked. "THAT'S FUCKING BULLSHIT JAMIE AND YOU KNOW IT!"
"Mina's right," Kaori added. "It's what Heihachi really wants…I mean, sure he wants his pet Ogre; but it wouldn't matter to him if you died either Jamie."
"You've been a pretty big thorn in grandpa's side for awhile now, and if you're gone he still has Grey." Kyo said.
"Grey's like his own private Nephilim-but-not-really anyway," Christie said. "And…and if you kill yourself like this Jamie…then you're just proving to Heihachi that you really are weak." She finished.
Everyone stood in stunned silence at Christies words…because, they were deep, meaningful, and they made sense.
"What," She chuckled nervously. "I'm allowed to have layers to my personality."
"Jamie, don't take the cowards way out man, I know you…hell I roomed with you…and we'll figure this whole mess out…Jin will be okay." Steve said.
The overwhelming love in the room seriously made Jamie want to cry…for some perverse reason he still wanted them all to hate him…to shout and proclaim that it was all his fault so he could act like the martyr and save Jin's life…
That would be the easy way out of course.
As far as Nephilim deaths go it would be like a dream vacation…the luxury to die the way that most normal people go.
Falling asleep and never waking up…it seemed so nice…
But Hwoarang was right; it was the cowards way out and something deep down that he was even afraid to admit to himself wanted to live more then anything in the world.
Jamie stared at his friends around him, and smiled fleetingly…
"I…I think I need some air…"
As he walked out of the room he heard Asuka mutter under her breath.
"Are we so sure we can think of another plan? He's a good friend and all but lets not forget that it is his fault that this happened to Jin."
Jamie couldn't be mad at her…she was right…
"Hey…" Mina began.
"Shut your mouth Asuka!" Kyo replied. "I'm your brother and if I can forgive him so can you."
"We'll find a cure it's around somewhere!" Robbie said resolutely.
And that was all he heard…he tuned the rest out as he walked outside to think…to ponder…and to be alone…
New Scene...
Fifteen minutes later found Jamie standing outside the hospital leaning against the wall and thinking. He almost never did this, but after the night he had he figured that it was okay.
He pulled the cigarette from the carton, put it to his lips and lit it. The Nephilim sucked in the nicotine and blew it out his nostrils.
All he wanted was one cigarette, but the orderlies wouldn't give him one, so he had to go down to the gift shop of all places to buy a whole pack which he never intended to use, and a lighter…which only came in three packs, so now he had two other lighters that he'd never use…he really did feel like he wasted five dollars.
Jamie rarely smoked…he had bought a pack of cigarettes on his eighteenth birthday just to prove he could, and the pack was still half full (this pack of course was in his house in a drawer though).
His brother used to smoke a pack a day, but lately, had weaned himself down to maybe one to three a day. Jamie supposed it was better then his brother's older habits when he would smoke more then just tobacco…and sell it to make money.
Jamie took another drag from the cigarette and repeated the process of blowing through his nostrils, only to suck it back into his mouth, to blow it back out. Honestly, he hated the taste in his mouth, and his fingers smelled awful, but he needed to do something remotely destructive to himself.
Justin had taught Jamie that in life, there were certain things that needed to be done a right way…their father had taught Justin, and Justin was going to teach Jamie. It was important to learn how to drink a beer, how to shoot pool, and bowl effectively, and smoke a cigarette.
Thinking about his brother made Jamie want to cry again…for he realized that not only would Jin probably die; he and Mina would also die and bring hell on earth…and he'd never see his brother again.
If there was one thing that he regretted more then anything since becoming a Nephilim it was the fact that he hadn't really spent anytime with his brother. He had wanted too of course, but saving the world tended to get in the way. As a Nephilim he had to conceal his identity, most people who knew him, knew what he was and how is fate was sealed…except for his brother.
Jamie never told Justin he was destined to die…that it was dangerous, but he wasn't guaranteed to die and so Justin Parker thought his little brother was some kind of real life super hero.
Suddenly, his phone rang, mercifully jarring him away from his thoughts…but he grimaced when he heard the ringtone and chorus of the song: Authority Zero "Over Seasons" Justin Parker's signature ring.
Jamie debated not answering it…but against his better judgement did so anyway.
"He…hello?" Jamie sniffed.
"Jamie…that you?" Justin asked cheerily.
"Yeah…what's up Justin?" Jamie tried to fake a happy tone.
"I just called to wanna congratulate you on how awesome you're doing in the tournament…we've all been watching it on the tour buses and…"
"Wait…where are you?" Jamie asked, genuinely concerned.
"On the way to Amsterdam now…we're gonna be there for a couple of weeks skating and stuff…anyway, everyone wants to say hey."
Suddenly, a loud assault of drunken and raucous "HEYS!" were heard so loudly that Jamie had to hold the phone away from his ear. Bam Margera quickly grabbed the phone and wanted Jamie to give him Christie's number…before giving the phone back to Justin.
"We're all doing really well…and hey, you'll never guess who asked about you."
"Who Jus?" Jamie asked.
"Shaun White,"
Briefly, Jamie had to think about who it was…and then he remembered; Shaun White was Jamie's age…and the two had become friends simply because both loved to skate, and they were the only two people on tour together who were fifteen (at the time).
They both liked the same movies, video games, and doing the same things…so naturally, a friendship was made.
Prior to becoming a Nephilim, Jamie considered seriously going pro with his skating…and the two often spoke of how awesome they'd be together…but then they had a falling out after Jamie became the Nephilim at sixteen, and hadn't spoken since then.
Now, Shaun was a pro skater and snow boarder…and although Jamie wasn't angry at him or anything, it seemed that Shaun was an eternal reminder of the life that Jamie wanted to have…that he deserved to have…
"Jamie…Jamie are ya there? Did I hit a bad patch?"
"What…no…how's he doing?"
"Well, he wanted to know if you were coming up…and I said that I wasn't sure but then I realized something…"
"What?" Jamie asked…already knowing where this was going, and dreading his response to it.
"See…your tournaments ending in like, a couple of days, and you don't go back to school until…"
"End of October remember?" Jamie asked.
"Right, and you and I haven't spent really any time together…so how about coming to Amsterdam after the tournament?" Justin asked in such a hopeful tone that it made Jamie's heart break. "Cuz everyone wants to see you really bad and it'll be a lot of fun."
"I don't know Jus…" Jamie began.
"Oh c'mon it'll be really cool and we can…"
"Well…we'll see what happens after the tournament…I might have some school stuff to fill out or something so…" Jamie lied
"Oh…" The disappointment in Justin Parkers voice made Jamie feel like a knife was being wrenched into his heart. "Oh…well…okay Jamie…that's cool…"
"I mean," Jamie began, his voice breaking.
"No it's alright," Justin interrupted as good naturedly as he could. "But anyway; I guess I'd better let you go do some training or whatever…tell Mina we're rooting for her too…"
"Okay." Jamie replied.
"Alright well, I'll talk to you later Jamie." Justin was about to hang up…but Jamie interrupted.
"Justin…"
"Yeah?"
What could Jamie say? That he couldn't make it to Amsterdam which was all he wanted to do more then anything right now because in a few days hell would be unleashed on Earth and it would all be his fault.
He'd spent three years being part of an ancient society that protected the world from demons and vampires, and here he was, about to bring the very thing he fought for to it's knees.
"Jamie? You alright?" Justin asked.
"Um…yeah…I just wanted to say that…whatever happens…I love you…Justin…thanks…thanks for taking care of me…"
"Wait…Jamie what's…"
And that's all Jamie heard before he turned his phone off.
He looked down at his cigarette, it was almost gone now…quickly, he took a final drag and flicked it into the bushes.
"Jamie?" A voice called from behind him.
Jamie turned to see Peter standing behind him.
"Oh…hey Pete." Jamie responded flippantly.
"I didn't know you smoked." Peter said with a shocked expression on his face.
"Look Peter, I do sometimes…very…very…very…rarely, only when I'm having an incredibly hard day…this being one of them. I know that like, one cigarette takes an hour off of your life or something but considering I'm not supposed to live long anyway what's another hour?"
"…I guess…" Peter mumbled. "Um…I saw your wrist…and I just wanted to say…."
"I fell," Jamie interrupted. "I ran outside, and I tripped on some glass."
"Jamie…listen; I'm not gonna judge you…I've…well lets say I've 'tripped on some glass too' when I was really upset once but…it's not worth it."
"That's what everybody keeps telling me, and I guess they're right. I'm too valuable to die; I mean, in the time it takes to find and train the next Nephilim it'll be…"
"That's not what I meant;" Peter interrupted. "It has nothing to do with sending the next Nephilim to fight or anything like that…it's because you have people in there who care about you as a person and want to make sure that you're alright…what happened with Jin is NOT your fault no matter what anyone else says…you couldn't have known what Grey was going to do…like Christie said; he's Heihachi's Nephilim-but-not and…"
Suddenly, Jamie's mind began to focus on Grey again…and instantly something occurred to him.
Only another sacred warrior's blood can cure him…
I'm an avatar baby…which means I can kick your pansy Angel ass from here to next Sunday…
I've gotten in killing distance of him twice and he's kicked my ass without even trying…
"…Jamie…you okay…" Peter asked.
"Yeah…yeah… Pete…I think I am…I think I've found a way to save Jin and stop this ritual."
Quickly, he ran back inside the building and up the stairs to Jin's room…he was breathless when he entered, but he explained his hypothesis.
"It might work Jamie; but how are you going to bring Grey back here alive?" Dr. B asked.
"The old fashioned way I guess." Jamie said.
"I don't like it Jamie; this Grey fella seems really strong." Robbie warned.
"You'll get yourself killed if you go alone." Mina added.
"Mina's right; at least take Hwoarang with you." Julia added.
"Sounds like a plan; but I don't even know where to begin looking for him." Jamie said.
Suddenly, the Nephilim's phone broke the short silence with a "Ta Da" sound…indicating that he'd received a text message. Curiously, he opened it.
You wanna finish this? Meet me at the Hon Maru temple and we'll throw down.
It's gonna be called as an official Iron Fist Fight and we'll see who's better.
Come alone though, you and I both know we wanna fight without our friends to back us up.
"Well…that settles that then." Jamie said, he stood and glanced at Jin. "I'll save you friend…I promise…now I'm going to prove that I'm more than useless…"
"Jamie…" Mina began.
"Listen…if I'm gone for more then three hours then come looking for me…one way or another though, this score is finally gonna be settled."
And without another word, Jamie Parker jumped out the window, and into the welcome darkness of the night.
Author's Note: Okay, I tried, but I'm not really happy with how this turned out…please don't be too hard on me and please read and review