Chapter 16 After Vegeta was rushed to the hospital, the doctors had performed emergency surgery to "save his life." The doctors and nurses were appalled at the amount of brain wave activity Vegeta showed when they attached him to the vital sign monitoring system.

"My...goodness," a portly nurse commented. "That isn't normal, is it?"

A younger doctor spoke up, "No, that's far from normal. We'll have to take some cross-section scans of his brain if his condition stabilizes."

A volunteer nurse, about Serena's age, noticed Vegeta's eyebrow twitch, "Oh! Was that a good response, doctor?"

"I think it had more to do with reflexes than anything," the doctor said almost doubtfully.

The nurse turned to leave, unaware of the thoughts that were forming in Vegeta's mind.

"That aura . . . I, I feel like I know it from somewhere. The crystal!! That's the Red Heart Crystal! It's been here, right under our noses the entire time! But, if it's been here, how come we haven't found it until now? No, wait, it's leaving, come back! Damn!"

The doctor and the nurses left the room, leaving Vegeta to the emergency ward's staff.


***


Back at the old museum, Goku was trying frantically to contact Dende`, "Dende`, Dende` are you there? Can you hear me? Come on, answer me! Dende`!"

Finally the empty room rang with Dende`'s voice, "Yes, yes, I'm here! Now, what is the matter, Goku?"

"Bad news, Dende`. Garlic's here already, and from what I hear, Vegeta's been messed up pretty good."

"Oh my."

"Yeah, but it get's worse. We haven't found the Red Heart Crystal yet!"

"Oh dear!"

"Right. Listen, Dende`, I really need some help here. Maybe you could get Gohan or Piccolo to come, and some Senzu beans would really help Vegeta right about now."

Dende` was silent for a moment before speaking, "It's possible, but it's also a tall order. All I can say is, I'll try."

"I don't mean to sound bossy, but you'd better try fast. I haven't the slightest idea where the Crystal is, or if Garlic does, either."

"Yes, I understand, but are we going to stand around and yap all day, or are we going to get some work done?"

Goku smiled, "I'm reading ya loud and clear, Dende`. See ya!"

Goku turned and hurried out the door after he was sure Dende` had cut the connection. The power was back on, but there was still no one out because of the late hour.

He gritted his teeth as he started back towards the hospital, "I hope Vegeta can hang on long enough for Dende` to get the Senzu beans for him. If he can't, we're in big trouble."

After a bit of walking, Detective Kosha came running. "Wait!"

Goku stopped and turned.

Kosha halted and caught her breath, then continued with what she had to say, "Listen, I'm not here to arrest you, only to get answers. For now, let's just say that you're right, and the Police can't handle this, whatever 'this' is. What are you going to do about it?"

"Well, I don't plan on handling this alone," Goku regarded her coldly.

Kosha was perplexed by this answer, "Who are you going to get to help you? There can't possibly be others who..." she trailed off at the sly look that formed on Goku's face.

"I know of at least half a dozen people who could help me in this situation, and I've already sent out for help. Someone should be here within the day."

"Who will be here? What's his name?"

Goku turned his back on the detective, "I didn't say I knew exactly who would come, did I? All that matters is that someone will respond to my S.O.S. and will come to help, I'm sure of it." He started away, "Now, I need to find Vegeta."

Kosha hurried to keep up with him, "But, isn't he the one that's critically injured?! He might not even live through the night!"

"Oh, he'll live. It's not in Vegeta's nature to give up to anything for any reason."

"I don't understand-"

Goku cut her off, "You wouldn't. I don't expect you to. Now, if you'd excuse me, I have work to do."

A hauntingly familiar purr set Goku's hair on end, "Worrk to do? And here I wass hoping to get a few worrds in with you."

Goku whirled around, eyes wide, and moved Kosha behind him as he did so.

Cinnamon stepped out of the shadows, "Pleasse, do not be alarrmed. I only wishh to talk."

"What kind of talk?"

The red cat glanced around, his long hair flipping about himself, "I'll tell you, jusst not here." He motioned down a nearby alley, "Come, follow me." He seemed to dematerialize back into the shadows as he made for the alley.

Detective Kosha was doubtful, "That's the same thing that tried to kill you, isn't it? It has to be a trap!"

Goku wasn't so sure, "I don't know. He didn't want to fight before, and he doesn't seem too eager to start a battle now. I say it couldn't hurt."

"What?! Are you nuts?" Kosha was appalled.

"Goku headed for the alley.

"But what if it's a trap?" She protested.

"We'll just have to find out," Goku gently kept Kosha behind him. "Better let me go first, just in case."

He carefully peeked around the alley's corner and saw Cinnamon at the far end of the alley with his back to them. Goku eased himself closer to the center of the gap between the buildings, still keeping one hand on the wall. Kosha couldn't resist the urge to see what was going on.

Cinnamon addressed Goku, "Thank you forr coming. I need ssomeone to talk to that issn't obssessed with contrrroling the worrld."

"Why come to me?" Goku still held on to the wall.

Cinnamon sighed, "You sseem to be much more rreassonable than yourr parrtner." He turned around and spoke quickly, "I need yourr help to kill Masster Garrlic."

"Wha-!" Goku's eyebrows shot up as he staggered backward a step.

The red cat turned his head left and right, shaking his hair as well, "Hearr me out. I neverr wanted to join Masster Garrlic's posssie in the firrst place, he made me. In rreturn forr the lives of my people, I had to ssurrenderr mysself and my family to him."

"Surrender?" Goku cautiously took his hand off the wall. "What do you mean by that?"

Still not meeting Goku's eyes, Cinnamon flattened his ears with the ache in his heart, "I am hiss sslave, as arre the resst of my family. Az long az Masster Garrlic holdss them underr hiss powerr, I musst do az he ssays, or he may kill them."

Goku seemed to have forgotten that Cinnamon was supposed to be his enemy, "Gosh, I always knew Garlic was evil, but I never expected him to stoop so low."

Cinnamon sheepishly looked up, his piercing red eyes filled with pain and sorrow, "I know what he hass done to them; I've sseen it. I don't want my family to ssufferr on my account any longer. If I could trade my ssoul for theirr freedom, I would." He winced and turned his eyes to the ground once more, "Az it iss, I can do nothing forr them."

"What can I do to help?" Goku asked sincerely, as though he was really sharing Cinnamon's pain.

The cat creatures ears shot up, emphasizing his hope as he looked at Goku, "You will help me?"

"Yes. I have a family of my own, and one of my worst fears is that someone would use them to control me. I know how you feel, Cinnamon, and I would do the same thing as you if I were in your shoes."

Cinnamon's eyes glazed over with tears, "Thank you! Thank you sso much! I will forreverr be in yourr debt if you help me!"

Goku took a friendly step forward, "You're welcome in advance. How can I help?"

"If you arre able to get my family away frrom Masster Garrlic, I will be frree of my prromisse to him, and I can fight along sside you."

Goku raised his eyebrows, "Sounds easy enough. But tell me, where does Garlic keep your family?"

Cinnamon tapped his red-furred chest, "He keepss them closse to his hearrt in little magic bottless. He hass my wife and my thrree children under hiss cape, wherre he can alwayss keep an eye on them."

"Well, that's a good start," Goku folded his arms and rubbed his chin with thought. "Are you sure he keeps them there all the time?"

"I told you all I know. Perhapss he doess, but perhapss not."

"Thank you. I'll do my best, friend."

"And I, mine. Frriend."

Cinnamon seemed greatly relieved that Goku had called him friend, and actually smiled before bounding gracefully up to the roof of the building, dissappearing into the night. Once he was gone, Kosha voiced her doubts.

"He's lying. Any fool could tell he was making all that junk up just to win you over."

Goku faced her, "I don't think so. If he was lying, he'd done an extremely good job of masking his feelings." Kosha stared blankly at him. "All the time we were talking, I was using my energy to feel if his words were true to his feelings. As far as I can tell, everything he told me was the truth."

"Even the part about the magic bottles?"

"Even that." Goku started walking away, "Come on, I'd better escort you back to the police station. There's no telling what could happen to you with Garlic Junior running amok."

Numbly, Kosha followed Goku.