Chapter 16: The Research Facility
Jin found that following Kazuya while keeping a safe distance to be ridiculously easy. Jin had imagined that Kazuya would be constantly looking behind himself, but he did nothing of the sort. In fact, he seemed completely at ease. The distance wasn't too far; a couple of blocks at the most. He couldn't believe how close everything was. The more he thought about it, the more it made sense. It wasn't as if Jin had ever seen the other driving. Kazuya had been able to walk to the park and to the hotel. Everything would have had to be within walking distance.
The building was quite unimpressive up close. It was just bigger than the hotel that he stayed at and had only one floor. There was only one light in the entire front side of the building that shined on the heavy, metallic sign that read "G Corporation" on the front lawn. Jin watched as Kazuya strolled right in through the front. He had a key, Jin realized, as if he owned the place. He watched from a distance as the other locked it from the other side and then sighed. At least he knew where to go when the place opened back up again. Jin quickly made his way back to the hotel and caught as much sleep as his anticipation could manage for the remainder of the night.
/
It was the weekend so he didn't have to wait until the evening to go outside. After grabbing some breakfast which consisted of more ramen, he made his way back to the small research facility. For the longest time, Jin simply stood watching the front door. Would a place like this even have a front lobby? There wasn't much traffic going in and out of the place. The parking lot had few cars in it. Jin's eyes narrowed. He didn't trust any of it. How could his father trust them with his life? He could hardly imagine his father agreeing to such a thing. He must have been desperate. That was the only conclusion he could make.
He thought he might go inside sooner or later, but then he decided it might be better to scope out the place for a while, seeing if anyone ever came or went. He came to sit behind a large tree on the opposite side of the street where the building was. Nothing happened three hours straight and Jin began to doze lightly. He woke up in time to see a large man in a white coat light up a cigarette.
"A doctor who smokes," Jin said to himself.
The man didn't simply stop with just one. He winded up puffing through at least three of them before stepping back inside. Jin waited longer for anything more. He saw a few women walk in with hurried paces. Obviously, they worked there. They all had on the same navy blue uniform. Nurses, cooks, perhaps, Jin thought. He saw other men in white coats step out every now and then and leave in their cars. They must have arrived there quite early in the day.
Jin wondered what they might be researching if this was a place dedicated to it. He hadn't seen any indication of it. He only knew of them through the research he had done at the library back in Japan. They were simply Mishima Zaibatsu's biggest competitor, always trying to one up the other. It was ironic how an heir to the very corporation they worked against sought their help. Perhaps that was what didn't sit right with Jin. He was sure G Corporation knew exactly who his father was and they seemed to be helping him unconditionally. Did Kazuya see the conflict of interest as well? Was he using that to benefit himself?
Jin found himself dozing again when nothing more happened. He roused himself near the end of the day at least the end of a typical workday and eventually saw the large man again this time leaving for good. Jin knew it would be foolish to assume that this was the man in charge of things simply because he was larger than the others, but he couldn't help it. Then he watched the man lock the front door which miraculously confirmed Jin's suspicions. Should he run up to the man? Should he demand that he tell him what he was doing to his father?—ask him what it is they were researching? Jin soon settled himself down again. There'd be no point in doing such a thing. He didn't know enough to even begin interrogating the man. How was he ever going to know enough to convince his father that this place wasn't the answer? Jin stood up then and returned to his room. Perhaps tomorrow he might do more.
/
Jin spent the next few days waiting and watching. He always saw the same large man in a white coat and eventually he began to get an idea of how many people worked there. He counted ten at the most including the cooks and nurses—if that's what they were. Still, he had no idea what he might do with such information. It wasn't as if he knew where his father was exactly in the building. If he were to go in there now, he'd be walking around blindly. He'd sooner get caught by one of the white coats and kicked out before he made it as far as his father.
He'd have to think of something, anything to further his plans even if his father knew already what he wanted. Jin had remembered that he had been in this situation before back in his dreams. None of his plans had ever worked the way he wanted them to. His father always seemed to be a step ahead of him without even trying, perhaps even without knowing. Fate had a funny way of ruining his plans. Jin had been unable to separate his mother from her ultimate fate. Now he found himself picking up the pieces of a life long abandoned. They both lived so far away from each other as if they had instinctively been running away trying to keep out of each other's hair.
He began to wonder if they still even liked each other in the same way as before. If that wasn't the case…then Jin was already fighting a losing battle. He was no expert in love. In fact, he didn't quite understand the kind of love that Jun and Kazuya had shared, but he did know that it had to exist if there was any hope of them getting back together. He wished he knew for certain what they both thought of each other. It was clear to Jin that his mother at least missed his presence, but was that enough. Was that love? Missing someone? Did Kazuya feel the same? Did he ever spend nights wanting to see Jun again, perhaps even shedding a tear? Jin shook his head at the image. No, he couldn't imagine his father doing such a thing. He usually kept his private thoughts under wraps so that no one could see. Only Jun could see through his façade, not him. He'd just have to ask him outright, maybe slip in the question when he least suspect it so that he might accidently tell him. Jin doubted he could be so clever. Besides, if Kazuya didn't want to speak about something, he wouldn't.
Tomorrow he would enter the facility. He'd go in the evening when no one ever seemed to step outside for a break. That must be when they were most occupied.
/
"Your recovery is going quite smoothly," the doctor said to the other walking into Kazuya's room unannounced as usual.
He found the other resting just as he had requested days ago. He had made his voice loud to alert the other of his presence and soon Kazuya was sitting up waiting for the other to continue.
"In a few days' time, you should be well enough to go through the rigorous tests we have prepared for you. Then we can finally begin analyzing that Devil Gene of yours."
"You sound very excited about the prospects," Kazuya said wearily.
"Why wouldn't I be? I'm a scientist after all. I like making new discoveries. I'm just glad you decided to trust us with it."
"And what do you plan to do with the information you gather?"
"Better humanity as a whole, of course. That is my mission in life, Mr. Mishima. Now you wouldn't be having second thoughts about this, would you?"
"No," Kazuya said looking down, "I already agreed to it. I've decided that this is the best way."
"Good," the doctor said with a pleasant smile. "Alright, I'll leave you to your much needed rest." And he took his usual abrupt exit.
Kazuya watched the door close and then lied back down again. Curse that child; he hadn't been more doubtful about his choice, about anything in his life until now. Children usually had a sixth sense when it came to trusting someone, but that didn't mean he'd simply agree with some kid's opinion about the whole thing. Did he even trust that doctor to be allowing him full access to his body? It was all pleasant smiles and condescending tones with that doctor. He hadn't led him astray thus far, but then it wasn't in his interest to do such a thing. That was really all he was banking on—self-interest.
He hadn't visited Jin in a while and Kazuya found to his surprise that he had sorely missed it. But lately he had found that his energy was lacking and his wounds beginning to bother him more so than usual. When he told Jin about how his day had went, he instinctively left out the part when they would have to change his bandages. They covered his arms and upper torso for the most part which was easy enough to hide with a long sleeve shirt which he always wore. The doctor was being truthful when he stated that his recovery was coming along smoothly. There was less bandages each day. Even so, he was still in constant pain, but it was tolerable. Tolerable, at least, until a few days ago.
That was when Kazuya became suspicious. The loss of energy, the increase in pain—had the doctor been responsible? Couldn't he have given him placebo pills instead of the ones that truly kept the pain at bay? Couldn't he have put something in his food that robbed him of his energy? All the doctor would ever speak about was how he should rest more. Maybe the doctor had finally gotten fed up with his nightly escapades. The key that he kept with him had been obtained by illegal means. The doctor didn't exactly know that he had it—or did he?
He wondered if he had any grounds for being suspicious. Maybe he was putting more stock in what the child had said to him than he realized. The doctor would ask how he was doing and Kazuya wouldn't even mention the changes that had kept him bedridden.
He'd be fine, he told himself. Even if there was some foul play, it wouldn't be in the doctor's interest to get rid of him—he simply wanted him to rest more so he did. He didn't have the energy to do much more. Still there was Jin…What could he be doing right now? Somehow, Kazuya couldn't imagine the other doing normal "kid" things like playing outside. No, Jin, had a knack for putting his nose where it shouldn't be. That was why he was here now getting involved with things he shouldn't. In fact, the most logical thing he could be doing right now was getting himself into more trouble which…didn't sit right with him. Shouldn't there be someone watching out for him?
Just then, he heard the door to his room open. It wouldn't make sense for the doctor to be visiting again so soon. Besides, if it was the doctor he would have said something already. Too tired to go and see just who it was, he kept his eyes closed. It was probably one of the nurses messing around with the clipboard they had on the far wall. Kazuya could never be sure what they wrote on that thing and he had never bothered to check it. He was turned to his side—the only mildly comfortable position he could find.
His ears waited for the usual sound of flipping paper, but it never came. Instead, he heard the footsteps moving closer and softly as if sneaking. A nurse trying to be silent?—they were never that conscientious. Finally, when his curiosity reached its peak, he began to sit up, but he knew even before he reached a sitting position that it was Jin.
"Jin?" Kazuya said with marked astonishment.
Jin froze where he was. He seemed out of place there. This was not a place a child should have been.
"Hi," Jin said as innocently as possible.
He must have sensed that he was in trouble. In fact, Kazuya could see the look of fear in his eyes. It was something that Kazuya had seen before and he had never liked. The thought that his son could be afraid of him was disconcerting. He had always been afraid of his own father and rightly so. His father was capable of great evil. He wondered if he had looked like that, the way Jin looked at him then. Instead of bursting in anger, he decided that it might be better to curb it for the time being.
"What are you doing here?" Kazuya asked as calmly as he could muster. He saw the other relax a little.
"I wanted to see you," he said, keeping his voice low.
"So you decided it'd be a good idea to coming sneaking into a place like this?" Kazuya said with a slight edge, but then regretted it when he saw the fear return to the other's face. "I haven't told them about you for good reason," he continued with a calmer tone.
"Because you don't trust them?" Jin suggested.
Then Kazuya sighed, "This has nothing to do with trust."
"You're gonna' let them do whatever they want to you and you're okay with that?"
Kazuya noticed that the other had relaxed completely, but then it was always like that when Jin was given the chance to speak his mind. "Is this what you came to do? Convince me that I'm making a huge mistake?"
"Well, I guess I can't hide anything from you. Yes, that's what I came here for. And how can trust have nothing to do with it? It has everything to do with it."
"I know what I'm doing, kid. If you're concerned for my life, don't be. It wouldn't be in their best interest to just kill me off not after they went through all the trouble of reviving me in the first place. They saw something that they wanted and I doubt that want is any less now."
Kazuya could see that there were a million thoughts going through the other's mind. He gave off every sign of being indecisive. Too young to be concerning himself with my problems. It took him a moment to respond.
"You still didn't answer my question. Do you trust them or not?"
"What does it matter?"
"I just want an answer."
"You want to hear me say it then? No, I don't trust them not in the slightest." When he said it out loud, Kazuya realized what Jin had been trying to get at. If you don't trust them, then why are you putting your life in their hands? He could practically see the words forming in his mind.
"Then why are you letting them do all this to you? Why are you putting your life in their hands?"
Why indeed, Kazuya thought to himself. He could see the look of silent triumph in the other's eyes probably patting himself on the back for finally saying the right words. "Jin, I think you should leave." He knew almost immediately that his command wouldn't have the desired effect on the other. He was stubborn now—it was written all over his face.
"No," Jin retorted. "Not unless you leave with me."
"You want to give me an ultimatum, boy?"
For once, Kazuya wasn't completely disturbed at seeing a hint a fear in the other's features. Perhaps he might leave.
"You haven't given me a good reason why I shouldn't just drag you out of this place myself."
Even with his fear he could still make claims like this as if he were in control of the entire situation. Kazuya was impressed.
"You couldn't drag me out even if you tried your utmost," Kazuya replied confidently even though he knew he was lying. At the moment, Kazuya wouldn't have been able to put up as much resistance as he liked for fear of passing out altogether. Jin hadn't the slightest clue how weakened his condition was and Kazuya wanted it to stay that way. As long as he appeared confident and strong, the boy wouldn't even attempt doing such a thing. He saw the hesitation in the others' eyes, but only a little.
"Why haven't you come to visit me?" Jin asked seemingly on another topic altogether. Kazuya was relieved.
"Is it a crime not to come see you every single night?" Kazuya didn't quite see where Jin was headed with this and he didn't like the mischievous glint in his eyes.
"No, I guess not. But why haven't you so much as left the building in the past three days?"
"And what makes you so certain of that?"
"I watched. I staked this place and never saw you leave."
"So that's what you do with your free time? Stare at buildings." Still, Kazuya was beginning to see where this was going and it made him a bit nervous. Of course he hadn't been doing normal "kid" things. Staking out a building for three days straight?—sure, that had Jin's name written all over it.
"I do what I have to. Tell me, why didn't you feel the need to ever leave?"
"Do I have to have a reason for everything I do," Kazuya replied hoping to divert the other. It was only a weak attempt and Jin wasn't going for it.
"You told me how boring it was here. You told me you like to go to that park when you're not doing anything."
"Perhaps I was otherwise occupied," Kazuya said back.
"The doctor wants you to rest—I heard him. So you don't have anything to do."
Kazuya frowned at the other. Eavesdropping on conversations? That also had Jin's name written all over it. In fact, anything a kid shouldn't be doing was fair game. "Well then, maybe I was simply resting."
"I think you're too weak to do anything else. You said you were recovering so you couldn't be at full health."
"And what if I am? What are you going to do about it? Do you think I'm fit to even go travelling to God knows where with you to some remote, forgotten corner of the world?" Kazuya couldn't believe he was actually trying to convince the other that going back to his home was impossible. It was the only ammunition he had left. As if he had even been considering doing as much. In all reality, if Jin was determined enough—he could drag him out perhaps even find some way of getting back home. It sounded ludicrous but it was beginning to sound more and more like a possibility if he didn't convince the other to back off.
"It's not remote," Jin argued.
"No, only a place with no hint of urban society in general—that is if that dream was correct about you. What does it matter anyway? I'm not leaving with you. It's completely out of the question," Kazuya said in a tone that he hoped told the other that he thought the whole scheme preposterous.
"You're afraid, aren't you?" Jin accused of the other.
"And you're just stumbling your way through the dark. I made my decision years ago well before you were ever born. The fact that you think that you can convince me otherwise is ridiculous. Who do you think you are?"
"I'm your son," Jin said back firmly. "And when I think my father is in trouble then I'll try my damnest to help him!"
"Keep your voice down!" Kazuya said in frustration and annoyance. He had no idea how to convince him to leave and now it seemed he would only get worse the longer he stayed. "Do you want them to hear you? I told you, you're not supposed to be here."
They both looked up when the door opened. Kazuya cursed under his breath when he saw who it was—the doctor.
"Sorry to disturb your heated discussion. It all sounded quite enlightening," the doctor said with a pleasant smile.
Jin was within arm's length of Kazuya and at that moment, Kazuya instinctively pulled the other closer to him. He received no resistance from the other.
"I wondered who you were, loitering about the place day and night. And now everything makes sense. Kazuya failed to mention anything about you, but then I always knew he was holding back on me," the doctor said addressing Jin specifically.
"You leave him be," Kazuya demanded of the other not liking the intent gaze he had on his son. "And you speak only to me."
The doctor slowly turned his gaze to Kazuya. "But isn't he the reason for all your stress recently? I couldn't for the life of me understand why your stress levels were so high when all the while it was the fault of a parent's innate ability to worry about their offspring."
"I don't see why I should have to discuss my personal life with you."
"When it concerns your health, it is quite necessary. In fact, it is your duty. You signed a binding agreement, Kazuya, of full disclosure."
Kazuya felt Jin become tense in his grasp. He could only imagine the kind of fearful expression he had now.
"So I didn't tell you. What do you plan to do about it? He simply came for a visit. He was just leaving."
"Leaving to where, Mr. Mishima? An orphanage perhaps? Or were you also lying about your family situation? Is there a wife somewhere? Foster parents?"
"It's none of your concern."
"He's living on his own then with no supervision save you. That's why you always leave at night. That's why you stole that key."
So he knows about that. "I simply wanted some fresh air."
"And even now you continue to lie. Mr. Mishima, allow me to take that child, your son, off of your hands. You don't need such distractions. He'll be well cared for and you won't have to worry about his wellbeing."
Jin shrunk back even more. Kazuya looked down at the other and all he could see was fear. He must have known that his prospects didn't look good. Worse, the thought of simply handing him over had actually crossed his mind. It would be simpler if he did what the doctor instructed, but where would that leave him? Where would that leave Jun? He didn't want to think about Jun right then—he had a decision to make right then and there.
"I…can't."
"Oh, don't make this hard on yourself, Mr. Mishima. I understand your concern. I even understand why you wanted to keep him a secret."
"I said I can't," Kazuya said firmly.
"You're in no position to argue. I am your doctor and I have full rights over you and your entire life."
A disgusted look came to Kazuya's face as he said this. He hadn't wanted to get anyone else involved besides himself. It might have been alright for the doctor to say as much had he been on his own, but Jin was listening. He heard every single word. How could he let that man have so much power over him? Was that really how he planned to live the rest of his life? Who knew if there was even a way to control this Devil Gene? It wasn't as if G Corporation had ever guaranteed a solution. Then he felt Jin leave his grasp.
"You don't know my father. He wouldn't let you control him like that. He says I'm not going with you and I'm not."
"A presumptuous one, isn't he," the doctor said with a smile.
"Jin, step away from him," Kazuya ordered.
But Jin stood his ground with crossed arms. The doctor bent down to him. "Poor child, you don't know, do you? Your father can't save you. He'll do as he's asked no matter how much he might struggle."
Kazuya groaned despite himself as he climbed off the bed. He was unprepared for the sharp pain in his abdomen when he stood up and he held it gingerly. He moved unsteadily towards the two and the doctor looked up with surprise. The doctor seemed far too surprised as if he had known it should have been virtually impossible for him to do so much. The doctor wouldn't have known as much unless he himself was behind his strange weakness.
The doctor straightened himself again and he was able to regain that smile of his. He still felt in control of the entire situation especially after noticing the other grimace.
"Don't push yourself too hard, Mr. Mishima. If you think about it calmly and civilly, you'll know that what I'm doing is for the best."
Kazuya hadn't said anything, he was too concentrated on moving one foot after the other. He only wanted to get close enough so he could…
The doctor cried out and then crumbled to the ground in sudden unconsciousness as a jarring fist slammed into his guts. Had the doctor known of the kind of lethal weapons that Kazuya always had at his disposal, he might have taken more precautions, but now was too late to think of such things. For now, the doctor was completely incapacitated.
Jin watched the events unfold with shock. He hadn't seen any of it coming. He looked up to his father then, clearly in pain and then his eyes dropped to Kazuya's arm which held himself quite tenderly. His father had been much weaker than he had been letting on, Jin realized.
"What are we going to do now?" Jin asked to the other.
Kazuya looked to the doctor and then his gaze returned to Jin steadily. "I can't stay here anymore."
/
AN: I usually never know what's going to happen until I actually type it. My surprise is as genuine as yours. Jin must be pretty elated. Stay tuned!
