Interrogation
Elizabeth Knight
Chapter 13
They didn't really have far to go. Since Goku was one of the heads of the board they lived close to the prison where everyone was locked in separate rooms. She remembered what it had looked like on the tour Trunks had given her. It was strange. She felt numb and unafraid to be headed there now. Goten took her to the first available room and deposited her in a chair. She didn't look up as he left, knowing there was nothing she could say to him to change his mind.
Zantha sat there for probably half an hour or so before anyone else came into the room. This time she looked up. It was Goku standing there and she wanted to start crying again. Tears filled her eyes but she refused to let them fall. At first they just stared at one another and then he walked towards her. "Why Deirdre?"
Zantha opened her mouth to speak but had to close it on a sob that threatened to choke her. She just shook her head keeping her lips pressed firmly together.
He nodded and then told her, "It will go better on you if you'll tell them the truth and answer all that they ask you. Make it easy on yourself. Talk to them."
Zantha allowed herself to smile for a brief second in recollection of this man. He was always so kind and gentle to her, and even now, knowing what he did, he was still trying to help her. "I'm sorry." she whispered to him.
Goku laid a hand on her shoulder and she looked up into his face. He was usually wearing a smile for her, but not today. "Me too." and with that he turned and left the room.
The door opened again and a mean looking saiyan woman and human man came into the room. "Tell us your name." the saiyan demanded.
Zantha bit her lip and shook her head. The saiyan laughed and slapped her across the face.
"I said tell us your name." Again Zantha shook her head and received a slap for it. "Don't play with me you hideous beast." The woman hissed at her, pulling her hair back so that Zantha's head was forced upwards to stair at the woman. "Who do you report to? The creature we caught this morning? Answer me or I'll make your life hell!"
The man moved us next to the woman and grabbed at the end of the blanket that was still wrapped around her body. Zantha began to fight them, lashing out at them with her claws. "Be still!!" the woman hissed at her, but Zantha began to fight harder as she felt the mans gripping hands reaching for her. Zantha turned her head and bit the woman's wrist that was closest to her face. The woman howled in pain and let go of Zantha's hair. When she did Zantha jumped to her feet, grabbing the man with one hand and throwing him into the glass on the far side of the room. He struggled to his feet, grabbed the woman, and dashed out the door. Zantha could hear the lock turning in the door.
Vegeta watched his son, watch Zantha from the other side of the two-way mirror. He'd been there for hours since she'd first come in. They'd had to restrain him several times while they interrogated her. Trunks had refused to leave, and it had taken Vegeta, Goku, Gohan, and Goten to restrain him. They'd slapped her in the face and he'd jumped to his feet. They had pulled her hair and he'd fought to get to the door. They had pushed her around and tried to examine her and Trunks had gone super saiyan almost breaking the hold the four saiyan had on him and almost succeeded in going through the mirror to get to them. When the two had come out of the room, Trunks had lunged towards them, but the four saiyan still held onto him. The two scientists had run for their lives from that room as well. The interrogators had left 45 minutes ago, and still Trunks stood at the window. Arms crossed, his gaze never leaving her form huddled in a dark corner. Her face was hidden in her arms with her flaming red hair cascading around her shoulders and arms now. After the interrogators had left her she had thrown the chair at the glass, and Trunks had backed up fully expecting it to shatter. He had watched her throw herself at the glass and then transform and use her tail. He had come forward and placed both hands on the cool glass when she'd rested her back against it. The minute his hands touched the glass she'd whirled around and hissed at the glass right in front of Trunks' face. He'd gone pale, but never moved. Trunks shook his head finally turning around, and walked out of the building. Vegeta still stood in the shadows. Zantha raised her head and looked in the direction Trunks had stormed off in. She couldn't see through the glass, Vegeta knew, which only meant the two had some kind of bond where she could sense him. But what kind? He'd have to watch them closely. A single tear rolled down one cheek, and Vegeta noticed it before she fiercely dashed it away.
Bulma descended on Vegeta in a furry the moment he came through the door. "How dare you!! How could you allow him to stay there while they interrogated her?" She demanded.
"He insisted on staying. Why? Has he said something to you? What do you know?"
"He hasn't said anything to me. That's how I know. He just went up to his room, and wouldn't say anything. He's hurting and he won't even talk to ME!!" Bulma cried. "He loves her. I know he does! I've known since ."
"He doesn't! My son would never fall in love with a creature as hideous as that!" Vegeta spat.
"He is. I'm telling you he loves that girl. I've seen the way he looks at her. I've seen the way he reacts to every little thing she does. He loves her!"
"I don't believe it. She's an alien race." he replied stubbornly.
"What about you? Do you love me?"
"Of corse I do." he growled.
"Vegeta, I'm an alien race to you. I'm human and your saiyan. She's closer to your race than I am."
Vegeta shook his head fiercely, "Your different."
"I'm not!" she yelled. "You get up there and fix this thing with our son." He just stood glaring at her for a moment, before he headed up the stairs to Trunk's room. Vegeta knocked, and when there was no answer he opened the door himself. Trunks stood at the window palming a strange pendant.
"That's her's isn't it." he wasn't really asking. Trunks didn't answer. "Have you mated with her?" Vegeta asked point blank. Trunks head whipped around to stare at him. He clamped his jaw shut and looked back down at the pendant in his hand. He saw her lying in the cave hand outstretched with the small thing in her hand. He remembered watching her in the hot spring and her wings unfurling in front of his amazed eyes. He remembered the horror on her face when she knew he knew who she was. *You should have just left me to die.* she'd said. *I couldn't do that.* He'd kissed away her tears after that. Just hours before she'd been safe in his arms. Safe? Well safer with him then where she was now. His heart was aching and he didn't understand why. He couldn't understand why he hurt. She was only spoils of war to be taken how ever he wanted. She wasn't even his own race! What was his race anyway? He was a half breed between two races. Those emerald eyes clouded with tears haunted his mind, and then he saw the scientist reaching for her blanket and the woman pulling her glorious red hair and his blood boiled again. Trunks looked back at Vegeta, scowled, then turned his back on him. A few moments later he heard the door slam behind him.
Zantha watched the door open, hoping against hope that it would be Trunks. She wanted him to tell her it would be ok and that it was ok to be afraid. Treacherous heart! She didn't need him, and she wasn't afraid! She wouldn't give these freaks the satisfaction of scaring her. She gasp when she saw the short figure enter her cell. "Vegeta!"
"Yes, it's me you witch." he hissed at her. "As if it isn't bad enough that you're causing trouble with my son, now it seems as if I'm going to have to fight off my mate as well."
Zantha smiled slightly. Bulma was such a sweet heart. It was nice to know that some of these people still liked her and cared about what happened to her. Zantha's head snapped up as Vegeta shook her fiercely.
"I asked you a question and you'll answer it!" he thundered at her.
"What?" she snapped, pulling away from him.
"Have you mated yet?"
"What!"
"You and Trunks. Has he mated with you yet?" Zantha shook her head, and he set her down, shaking his head. He didn't release her because he wasn't through with her yet. "My son is in love with you. You know that don't you?" he squeezed her arms.
"He'll get over it then, if he hasn't already." she replied, refusing to flinch from the pain in her arms.
Vegeta was quiet for a moment, then told her, "Saiyans mate for life ya know. The only time we take new mates is in the corse of a mates death."
"You should be glad I'm not his mate then."
"He's already chosen you to be his mate."
"Then kill me and quit jabbering on. Get on with what you came to do." She looked him right in the eyes showing no fear as she made her demand.
"I can't when I know my son loves you."
"HA!! You're a fool if you think that. He must not love me that much. It wasn't enough to keep me out of here was it? He just handed me over. Is that how all you saiyan's treat your mates? I bet you wouldn't have let Bulma go so easily."
"He only relinquished you because he had no choice. I wouldn't have, but I don't always have my son's insight. He knew if he hadn't we would have taken you by force."
"You want me dead so badly, kill me! I can't go anywhere. You have me trapped!"
"Why do you want to die so badly? Are you afraid of what will happen to you in here, or the thought that my son may do something foolish to claim you? Does he scare you that much?"
"I'm afraid of no one. Your son will never claim me."
"That's what my mate said as well. Never say never little one. Especially when my blood runs through his veins."
"You don't scare me and neither does your son."
"Then you must be afraid of your own feeling for him. Perhaps you love him too."
"NEVER!!" she cried, frantically fighting against his hold on her.
"Father!! Let her go!" Trunks threatened from the door way.
"I'm through with her anyway." Vegeta shoved her away from him. When she started to stumble Vegeta watched Trunks dart forward to pull her upright again.
"Don't touch me!"
"Zantha?" he whispered her name achingly.
"Leave me alone! You did this to me. It's all your fault." she fired at him accusingly. His eyes looked hollow and desolate for the first time since she'd met him.
He turned to walk away, then said over his shoulder, "I thought you might want to know what happened to your friend."
"Kyle?"
"He's in the next cell. I really can't say for how long, but for now he's safe."
"Don't mean my lover then."
Trunks stormed toward her and pulled her to his chest. "Don't push me Zantha."
"Truth hurts does it?"
Trunks narrowed his eyes and pushed her away as if she had suddenly burned him. Zantha growled in frustration as angry hot tears rolled down her cheeks. What did she expect? She didn't want anything from him anyway....did she? She couldn't honestly answer that so she didn't. At least secretly she'd accomplished what she'd unknowingly wanted to. He'd shown he was jealous and he'd held her to him if only for a moment.
Trunks stormed out of her cell and into the one next to it. The cat man was sitting at a small table eating the lunch that had just been brought in. He grabbed the tray and through it against the wall that corresponded with Zantha's. The cat man made no move except to watch him wearily.
"I'm about to go stark raving crazy if that woman of yours doesn't quit taunting me. I don't care if you are her past lover, your not her present or future one, so if you value your life you'd best find a way to make it clear to her that the two of you won't ever be together again. I wish I could do this a more honorable way and fight you for the spoils, but I'm not allowed to give you a fair fight, and I wouldn't do it any other way."
Kyle smiled at him. "Which woman of mine would you be referring to?" Trunks made a disgusted look and stamped out of the cell. Zantha was beating on the mirror and yelling, but he couldn't make it out. He took a deep breath to calm his nerves just a bit and then went in to find out what the hell she wanted now.
Zantha heard the commotion in the next room and thought he'd killed Kyle. She was sure that sounded like a body being thrown up against the wall. She couldn't make out any other sounds except Trunks yelling and then it was all quiet. She tried beating on the wall, but to no avail, so she pounded on the mirror instead. She was surprised when the door flew inward to her cell and just stood there staring at Trunks.
"This had better be good Zantha."
"I....Did you....Is he....alive?" she whispered.
Trunks frowned and then narrowed his eyes growing angry again. "He is for now, but if I choose to kill him I can, and no one would say anything about it. I'm just angry enough at the moment to go finish the job NOW!"
"NO!!" she sobbed running after him as he made for the door. He turned and caught her in his embrace.
"Why not. Why should I let him live. I don't need a rival. I refuse to have any! As spoils of war you don't have a choice to make anyone my rival."
"He's not." she squeaked.
"He's not what?"
"He's not your rival."
"He is if I say he is."
"He could never be your rival."
"Why not, Zantha? Are you going to admit you want me now? Are you going to promise never to fight me again? Would you be mine to save his life? What lies are you going to tell me now to save him?" He asked curiously. Zantha shook her head. "I'll kill him now so help me...."
"He's my brother!!!" she wailed, watching his momentarily stunned expression.
Then he was angry. "You've lied to me again. What else have you lied to me about?" Zantha bit her lip and looked at the floor. He forced a hand under her chin and made her look at him. "Will I never be able to trust you?" A tear escaped out of the corner of one eye and splashed on his finger tips beneath her jaw. "So be it then." Trunks swallowed hard and Zantha hated the look on his face as he released her. She didn't really want him to go. She wanted him to fight her on this too.
"Wait!" she cried as he began to back away from her.
"What do you want from me?"
"Hold me. Please." she begged. Trunks enfolded her in a crushing embrace, his lips coming down to meet her own. Zantha sunk into his embrace relishing the strong feel of him against her.
Vegeta watched the couple from the shadows in the hallway. This did not look good. As much as he wished it weren't so, he knew she was his son's choice and now he had to find a way for her to escape the compound. She would end up dying in here before his son could claim her as his own. Besides it wasn't the secluded place it needed to be for that kind of thing. Anyone could happen by and see his son with the prisoner and that wouldn't be good. The fewer people who knew about his son and the prisoner, the better. He'd give them a moment longer then he'd have to go get him. If she had been Bulma......well, private or public may not have mattered if he had yet to claim his own prize. His son however was different. He would claim her alright, because Trunks was his son and he would get what he wanted, but what he wanted was complicating things a bit. Zantha's back hit the mirror as Trunks pressed her up against it, and Vegeta knew it was time to call a halt to things before they got out of control. Maybe his son was more like him then he thought. Vegeta opened the door and both heads turned.
"It's time to go, Trunks."
"Go away." Trunks growled looking back down at Zantha. "I'm not through with you yet." he told her.
Vegeta put a hand on his son's shoulder. "Trunks, this isn't the time or place for that. Let's go."
Swearing Trunks set her back on her feet and pulled the blanket back around her shoulders. Zantha ducked her head, but Trunks wasn't having it. He forced her face back up to his own for a bittersweet kiss good bye. Vegeta followed behind Trunks and closed the door.
"If you can't keep your hands off of her when you're in there then I order you to stay away from her cell."
"You can't..."
"I can! I can also get it enforced if I need to and you know that too. It's for both your sakes."
Trunks glared at him for a moment, and seemed about to say something else but stopped. He nodded, then stormed off.