Chapter 12

Jin sat in the lotus position surrounded by candles. His nightly meditation was coming to a close. It had been long and uninterrupted, just as he thought it would be. Most of the fighters were older and more experienced than he was. It was doubtful any of them would speak to him. It was doubtful any of them would speak to his grandfather. They knew what they wanted and what they needed to do.

There were a few fighters his own age, but most of them would probably portray themselves as seasoned fighters. In a way they were, or they wouldn't be at the tournament, but this would be a tournament unlike any other they had participated in before. As part of his training, he had looked at all the dossiers to understand his opponents. Of the fighters his age, only Julia was a question mark. Hwoarang would challenge him to a public fight. Xiaoyu would avoid fighting him if possible; her crush on him was obvious and an exploitable weakness. But Julia ... what was her motivation for being in the tournament?

Jin opened his eyes and stretched his arms. His shoulder joints crackled like a fire. Outside the moon had risen - a thin sliver like a cut in the fabric of the sky. His eye caught movement in the shadows below. Someone slipped out of one of the bedroom windows, a feminine shape with long hair pulled into pigtails.

'Julia,' Jin thought. He sighed. 'So much for a quiet evening. Perhaps I'll find out what motivates her sooner than I thought.'

Jin grabbed a shirt and stepped out into the hall.

"Kazama-san." Atsuo Oda jumped to attention.

"It's okay, Oda, you don't have to come along. I'm just going for a walk."

"But there's a lot of fighters about ...."

"True, but if I can't protect myself by now, then I really shouldn't be the final contestant in the tournament."

"Damn straight, kid," Oda said grinning. "You've outgrown my protection. Have fun, Kazama-san." Oda stood aside.

Jin strolled down the hallway until he had rounded the corner and then began running. He needed to find where Julia was heading and intercept her. If one of the security teams or Heihachi caught word that she had slipped out of her room and was roaming the compound after hours things could get ugly really fast. When she left her room, she'd been going east which was away from the banquet hall and towards the temple, but nobody should have seen or known about the temple yet. All the activities thus far in the tournament had been held in the central or western part of the complex. Maybe she had deduced that the east side had something special since nobody had been there yet. He took a short cut through the compound that would get him to the pathway that led to the rock garden and onto the temple quicker instead of moving around the perimeter of the compound which was what Julia would be doing now.

"Kazama-san!" One of the security guards snapped to attention and saluted, the other four hastily following suit.

Jin nodded his head in acknowledgement. "I believe there's a fighter loose. Couldn't tell who. I saw them going to the south. Check it out."

"But - " countered one of the guards.

Jin simply stared to quiet him. "There is a very elite team guarding the temple entrance and they can see clearly anyone who approaches. If whoever snuck out is stupid enough to approach them they'll get what they deserve. In the mean time, if possible I'd like to apprehend them before it gets that far. Sofu wouldn't be happy if the tournament were marred by the death of one of the contestants outside of a sanctioned battle. Should it make you feel better, I will stay here in the event that the fighter attempts to leave in this direction." He pointed to the hallway south and the security team, who knew better than to argue with Jin, scurried down the passage.

Leaning against the red lacquered railing, Jin closed his eyes and waited. By concentrating he projected his awareness outward to sweep along the leaves and corners where light from the paper lanterns didn't reach. For a few minutes there was nothing but the darkness. There. He could feel her presence among the shadows on the right, and although she hardly made a sound he could tell where she was.

"You can come out," Jin said. When she didn't emerge, he pointed in her direction to prove that he knew where she was.

Leaves rustled and Julia stepped from the shadows.

"There was a security team here," Jin began. "I suppose you knew that though. You may have gotten past them, but then what? What are you trying to do?"

"None of your business."

"My grandfather is hosting this tournament and has put me as the second in charge. Everything that happens here is my business."

Julia crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Then you can tell me where Heihachi has my mother."

"Michelle? I don't know. Why would she be here?"

Julia's eyes narrowed. "Don't play games with me. More than a month ago, Michelle came to speak to your grandfather and never returned. You have her somewhere. Give her back."

"I'm telling you, she's not here."

He dodged her initial lunge and blocked the two follow up punches she threw before he dropped to one knee and delivered a straight right towards her gut. She responded quicker than he anticipated and the punch slid off her firm stomach. Before he knew it, she had come up behind him and wrapped her arms around his body in an attempt to throw him to the ground. Only the girth of his shoulders prevented her right hand from grabbing her left wrist to complete the hold.

By flexing his arms, he broke free of her grasp. He was turning to face her when she ducked and shoved her forearm into his oblique muscles before snapping her fist up to his face. It surprised him more than it hurt, but it distracted him long enough that he felt her arm wrap around his neck from the front and one of her legs kick his out from under him. He landed on his side with her on top where she wasted no time in rolling him over to his face.

Instinctively, he curled up so she couldn't lock his legs straight and take away his chance to get leverage. He felt her right arm snake over his shoulder and around his neck in an effort to cut off the blood circulation to his brain. Furious, he clawed at her arm trying to find a way to gain back his advantage at distance combat. Karate hadn't prepared him for ground fighting and he was at a very distinct disadvantage.

Managing to get his feet beneath himself, Jin pushed himself off the ground, carrying Julia on his back. Violently, he shoved back hard against the wall, loosening her hold on his neck, before reaching behind his head and flipping Julia over his shoulder. She landed hard on her back, and Jin barely managed to stop his fist from striking her in the forehead. He backed away as she got to her feet.

"I don't want to fight you," he said. "I assure you, your mother isn't here. We've been preparing for the tournament."

"To hell with your tournament. My tribe is dying, my mother has been taken from me, and the one responsible for both is in the employment of your grandfather. Now, where is she?"

"As I told you, she isn't here."

"Where is she then? She had specifically come to Japan to speak to your grandfather. Did he at least see her?"

"I don't know. I'll ask him, okay. Trust me."

Julia seemed ready to contradict his statement when she suddenly staggered back. Jin moved to catch her fall, but she shoved him back. "Don't touch me. Don't touch me!" She went to her hands and knees, shaking her head as if something had gotten in her eye while she was in a fight and she was trying to avoid punches she couldn't see. Her necklace became luminesce.

Jin became aware of a dull throbbing in his head. Laughter out in the darkness. Ogre. It was coming. Jin swivelled in an attempt to locate it. The throbbing in his head increased, until he was unable to zero in on its position. He stood protectively over Julia in case it tried to ambush her while she was recovering, but nothing came. The pain abated and Julia got to her feet.

"You," she whispered. "You can feel it too?" When he just stared blankly at her question she clarified with one word. "Ogre."

Jin's jaw tightened, and he nodded. "It's what took my mother from me a few years ago. It's why I understand your concern for Michelle. I will talk to my grandfather on your behalf, but for now please return to your room. It's not safe here."

"The tournament will call it," Julia said. "That's what Kunimitsu told my tribe. Heihachi planned all of this. The tournament to attact Ogre and the kidnapping of Michelle to bring me here."

"What does he want from you?"

Julia stepped back. "Ask him yourself. I doubt he will give you the real answer, just like he won't when you ask him about my mother, but the sooner I find out where Michelle is, the sooner she and I can leave. It will be better for all of us then."

"I'll ask him. I promise. I'll send for you when I have information."

"If I find out you're lying ...."

"You may challenge me like any other contestant in the tournament." Jin watched her leave. Apparently he wasn't alone in his fight against Ogre, but for how long would she stand by him in his fight? It was clear she was only here for as long as she was looking for Michelle but perhaps if he could reunite them she would agree to help him further. For now, there were other questions to answer. Jin waited for the security team to return, empty-handed as he expected, before making his way to Heihachi's office.

* * *

Heihachi sat at his desk and poured a shot of Crown Royal into a highball glass. "My advice to you is to put it out of your mind."

"I understand, Sufu. It's just that she was very convinced that you had something to do with-"

"That is enough, Jin," Heihachi said. "As I said. I would not concern yourself with the aimless accusations of a contestant. Especially one who has no history within the tournament."

"As you say, Sufu, but if she has no history with the tournament, why is she here?"

Heihachi placed the whiskey back down on the desk untouched. "Powerful men attract powerful enemies. You should know this already. As you gain experience, you will also come to see that there are different kinds of fighters. You and me, we're stand up fighters. We put ourselves out there. You want to challenge me, I'm here. There are others who are not quite so straightforward. There are some who will fight with their fists, some who will fight with words, and others who will poison you or those who would be your allies."

"So you think she's trying to poison me against you with words?"

"All I am saying is that you would do well to learn a lesson from your father. He was once intimate with a woman fighter in the second tournament. The distraction proved too great and he was killed in the final fight."

Jin's eyes widened. "Both my mother and father were at the second tournament?"

"Ironically, the second tournament was where you were conceived. I wish I had had a chance to talk to Kazuya before the final fight, but he was headstrong and I figured he would learn for himself the lessons he needed. As a result, he left himself open and was killed. Soon afterwards, your mother went into hiding from the murderer as well. I was alone again, Jin, after all the sacrifices I made to create the best life I could for my family. So you see why it's important to me to make sure you succeed."

Jin balled his hands into tight fists. "The fighter that killed my father ... is that fighter at this tournament? Which one of them killed him?"

"He is, but do not concern yourself with it. The death of my son is the reason I am head of the Mishima Corporation again - believe me, I have my own scores to settle here as well. You should focus on the task at hand for you. The killer of your mother will be at this tournament soon and you must be ready for it."

"I am prepared."

"That is sufficient then. If it will put your mind at ease, I did speak to Michelle. It was very brief and afterwards I paid her trip back to America. They are a poor people, the Hopitu. Their homeland is desolate and they often become desperate. I wouldn't be surprised if she pawned the plane ticket and decided to stay in Japan."

"Would you have the Zaibatsu check the city? Like me, Julia has never known her father and has lost her mother. I need to do what I can to ensure they are reunited if possible ...."

"I understand, Jin." Heihachi took a sip of whiskey and gestured for Jin to leave.

Powerful men attract powerful enemies. Jin mulled over the thought and found himself shuddering after the door had closed behind him as he thought of what it would be like to have Heihachi as an enemy.

Instead of going back to his room, Jin retraced his steps back to where he had fought Julia. Aside from a few scuff marks on the laminate flooring, there was no sign anything had happened. The servants of the compound were nothing if not efficient. If blood had been spilled it would have been mopped and the floor waxed. If furniture had been broken, the room would have been refurnished. Satisfied that no suspicions would be aroused in any of the other fighters who might walk down this hallway, Jin continued on to Julia's original destination.

The temple was set away from the compound, beyond the small forest that grew in the western portion of the island. It was large enough that its top could be glimpsed at through breaks in the forest, but the paths leading to it were hidden well enough that you couldn't stumble upon the entrance haphazardly. Jin pushed aside the gingko leaves and nodded to the guards that had been posted outside. They nodded back as though seeing him for the first time, but there was no doubt that they had seen him coming through the forest for a while.

Built three stories high, the temple sat upon a bedrock overlooking a lake with only a single bridge leading from the cleared forest area that held the torii to the temple's entrance. The torii was a simple one created with two vertical posts holding two horizontal posts. There were no additional decorations although the top horizontal post held a graceful bend which reached its lowest point right at the center of the torii where a wooden board connected the upper and lower posts together. Mossy green tiles covered the top post, but otherwise the whole torii was painted a solid crimson.

Jin passed beneath the torii and onto the bridge where two of the guards stepped in front of the temple entrance.

It wasn't unusual for Jin to come to the temple at night and meditate in the hall, so that they would accost him now was unexpected.

"Good evening, Master Kazama-san," one of the guards said.

"Good evening, Haruto. Has it been quiet tonight?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good to hear." Jin attempted to walk between the two guards when they moved again to block his path.

"Sorry, sir, the temple is off-limits to everyone except Heihachi."

"Are you sure he didn't make an exception for me?" Jin asked.

"The temple is off-limits to everyone except Heihachi. He was very specific about that."

"I see. When did that order come through?"

"It's not important, Master Kazama-san. Only that it is the current standing order."

Jin contemplated slamming their heads together and going inside anyway, but there was the question of "then what?" He'd been in the temple before and had never seen anything out of place. He wouldn't be able to do a thorough search of the whole temple, especially not with the other guards patrolling the upper floors. He couldn't go all in - not based on Julia's fears, not without knowing more about it himself. Now was not the time to test Heihachi's ruling.

"Shall we have someone escort you back to your room, Master Kazama-san?"

"Not necessary, Haruto. I'll manage."

"Very well, sir. Have a good night."

"You too." Jin stepped away and began the trek back to his room. Before disappearing into the shadows of the forest, he turned back once. The guards hadn't moved yet. The temple stood as still as a grave and just as silent about the secrets buried beneath it.