Chapter 5



"Gohan, Magami's dead, and…"

Gohan stopped her.

"I know, they think I did it, because I was there last."

Videl fell into Gohan's arms.

That was the last time they saw each other before the court date.

It had been a pleasant day in Satan City, the sun was shining and it was warm and breezy, it was so lovely out, in fact, that one could hardly miss it's beauty. But Gohan did. To him the day was a dark as any other; today the courts would decide if Gohan was responsible for the death of Odori, Magami, and Dominique. It had been a long trial, one that lasted nearly a week, and Gohan's defenses were weak.

"Where were you the night Magami Storm was killed?"

That had been the lawyer's first question.

"I can't remember."

The lawyer nearly fell over with laughter. That statement had made his case even easier.

"You can't remember?"

Gohan had shaken his head.

"Well, had you been drinking?"

"No."

The lawyer had paced back and forth in front of the stand, making Gohan extra nervous.

"So tell me what you do remember, Mr. Gohan"

Gohan thought, it hadn't taken him long.

"I was leaving my friend, Vegeta's house after receiving a call that Dominique had been killed. I left quickly, I couldn't handle it. I remember felling sick and stumbling out to my car, then after that I just sort of blanked out."

The lawyer laughed again.

"You sort of blanked out?"

"Yes."

"When did you come to again?"

"In bed the next night."

"So you were passed out for two days?"

"Not exactly."

"What do you mean, 'Not exactly'?"

"Well, my wife said that I had come home after Vegeta's, then I got a call from Magami and went there, and then came back home. Then I had helped my wife with the arrangements for Odori's funeral."

The lawyer had shook his head while looking at the jury, as if to say, 'Do you believe this nut case?'

"But you have no recollection of these events?"

"No."

That was when Gohan had decided he was a goner, but toady his lawyer had sent Gohan to a doctor to see if these 'blank outs' are a medical condition. After being examined, Gohan was told nothing other than to go to court, and hope everything was all right.

Now Gohan was walking to the courthouse (it would be a risk to fly and the cops had taken his car) in a very troubled state of mind. He wasn't sure he would be found innocent, and if he were, would it be the right thing? Was he guilty? Had he committed those crimes? He was beginning to think he had, who knows what kind of things he had done during those black outs.

'I've got to stop blaming myself, I didn't do those things. I'll be found not guilty, and then I'll go home. That's what's going to happen.'

'Oh, is that what you think? That you're innocent? Think again my friend.'

Gohan stopped, that voice had come back. He thought he was rid of it, but it came back.

'No, no, no. It's just my imagination. Everything will work out. I'm going to be fine.'

So Gohan thought.

'Oh, so you want to get off scott-free? Ok, but you can't do it on your own; you'll need me. Let me take over, Gohan. Let me take over. I'll pull you through.'

Gohan felt his knees turn to mush. He plopped down on the sidewalk, closed his eyes, and remembered no more.

It was around ten in the evening when Gohan came to. He was sitting on the couch, a glass of wine in his hand, and Videl asleep in his lap.

'Christ, what happened this time?'

But Gohan already knew. His other half had done it. Had set him free. But what now? Where does he go from here?

'Maybe I should just go with the flow a little longer. See how it all turns out, maybe I didn't do it after all, and maybe that voice in side me isn't so bad, it did save my hide.'

'Aww how touching. I think I'm getting' teary-eyed. Grow up ya mama's boy! You're not innocent, you killed those girls, oops, but there's more! You had a little black out today, and well, well, well. It looks like our friend Tai drank some terrible stuff this after noon. And you should be hearing from the fuzz in, oh I'd say, 3, 2, 1…'

Knock, Knock.

Videl woke up, and headed for the door.

"Hello, can I help you?"

These weren't just cops, they were FBI agents. But why FBI agents? They had no business here. Then Gohan knew it. Tai was an under cover FBI agent. She had been assi- no she had asked for this case.

'BINGO! Looks like our friend Tai got to close to the truth, but I thought you liked her Gohan? Oh, well you can't make an omelet with out breaking a few eggs, right?'

"Miss, we're looking for your husband, is he home?"

"Yes, but he's had a rough day, maybe another time."

"We're here because Special Agent Tai was found dead a few moments ago at a night club."

Videl nearly fell over.

'Oh, you're first public crime. Congrats, Gohan. This deserves a celebration, wouldn't you say?'

"What happened to her?"

Videl asked.

"She was poisoned."

Videl shook her head.

"Oh, Gohan you know how don't you? She wasn't just poisoned; she was frozen from the inside out. Wasn't it in the Cocktail you gave her?'

Gohan closed his eyes, trying to escape his thoughts. Now they came to him in visual form.

He saw Tai; she was in a nightclub, talking with some one. He couldn't see who, but his mind told him it was himself. He saw Tai finish her cocktail, and

(himself)

the stranger leave. His mind flashed to a vision of Tai's eyes bulging out of her head. Her hands grasping her throat as she gasped for air. He saw some guy try to give her the hime-lick, and he thought he heard her voice

'You numb-nuts, I'm not choking, I'm being frozen. My windpipe is freezing, and you're not helping! Asshole!'

but it wasn't her voice, it was her thoughts. He could hear her thoughts.

Tai's fingers turned blue, her face turned blue, and her eyes went dark. He watched as the dark shadow of death consumed her. Freezing her into a cruel representation of a wax dummy. Her eyes glazed over with a crystal blue cloud, and her lips turned bright red, but stayed soft. Ironically, she looked peaceful, beautiful, and graceful, like a figure skater.

Gohan opened his eyes; he breathed out and could see his breath. He was freezing cold. He turned and saw Videl still talking with the cops.

"No, Gohan has been here since after the court hearing at three this afternoon."

The cops left. Gohan breathed a sigh of relief; he hadn't done it after all. He didn't kill Tai. He had been home. Videl closed the door, and turned to Gohan. There was something in her eyes that made his shiver. One thought, one piece of knowledge, crossed his mind.

'She lied.'