Chapter Six

Both groups arrived the next morning prepared to work, deceive, and play matchmaker with the exception of Goten, he was only there to work.

All conspirators carried lists of possible ways to get two stubborn, or blind, people together. Zarah was the only one who had two lists with him, one for each of his cousins.

He had come to the conclusion that playing turncoat without the other group suspecting was going to be more difficult then he had anticipated. Pan would be the only one aiding in his endeavor and there was difficulty arranging meetings with Bra, thus, plots against Trunks would be less forthcoming. Meeting with Trunks and Maron was a great deal simpler, since he had to see each more regularly and his presence in their presence easily explained.

Trunks had left a message in his office already about Goten's recent employment and foresaw no problems in this move. This could only help in the process of 'Project Couple.'

"Good morning Zarah," Maron smiled as he entered his office.

"Maron," Zarah nodded a greeting, and carefully pulled out the correct set of plans to give to Trunks. "Here, I want you to deliver this to the president personally but before you go, page Goten to my office immediately."

Maron eyed the packet in her hands curiously, "Zarah, surely this isn't . . ."

"It is," Zarah sat behind his desk annoyed, "I was brainstorming last night."

Completely floored Maron held the packet of almost twenty pieces of paper with detailed schemes written cleverly by hand.

Zarah smiled warily, he had been up all night with Pan working on those damn lists and was feeling it. Not good when the day had just started.

"Maron, there is no need to be so closemouthed. If you are confused by anything I do, then just ask me."

Maron's eyes flicked up to the ceiling involuntarily then back to Zarah.

"Why were you so interested in the ceiling yesterday?"

One side of Zarah's mouth hitched and he climbed on top of his desk before motioning her to join him.

Hesitantly, she climbed so she could stand next to him.

"Look now, Maron, and tell me what you see," Zarah looked up to give her something to guide her.

She followed his lead and was surprised to see a perfect hole barely an inch in diameter.

"I don't understand," she frowned, resisting the urge to reach out to touch it.

"An invention misfired and this is the result," Zarah grinned, "Would you like to see it in action?"

"Um . . ."

He didn't give her a chance to answer as he pulled her off his desk with him and began rummaging through his desk.

Zarah pulled out a tiny canister with a equally small nozzle.

"All right, pay attention, Maron. This is a solid steel plate," a plate was held up for her to see, "Now watch."

Zarah carefully held the edges of the plate and sprayed the canister into the center.

Maron gasped as the metal seemed to just evaporate where he sprayed.

Zarah placed his hand through the hole to show the middle had in fact disintegrated.

"How?" Was all she could ask.

Zarah shrugged, "I am not entirely sure. I-"

He fumbled the canister and accidentally coated his hand.

Zarah screamed and lifted his arm in seeming agony.

Maron was frozen as one important fact hit her. His hand was missing. His HAND was MISSING!

Zarah halted his sounds of pain at the sound of a thump. He blinked, Maron had disappeared. He slipped his hand out of his sleeve and leaned over his desk to find her on the floor in a dead faint.

He calmly made his way around the desk and checked Maron's pulse.

He shook his head with regret, I guess playing practical jokes on Maron is a no go.

He picked up the phone and, regretfully, dialed Trunks' emergency line.

**

"So Goten," Trunks leaned back in his chair, "Do you understand everything you need to do?"

"Yeah, you pretty much made it clear," Goten smiled. "Trunks, I can't thank you enough-"

The phone rang shrilly interrupting Goten's words.

"One moment, Goten, this is my emergency line," Trunks picked up the phone, "What happened?"

Goten fidgeted nervously as his best friend's face grew darker and darker with every word the caller said.

"She fainted?!" Trunks exploded, "What did you do to her Zarah?! ... I'm on my way."

"What's going on Trunks?" Goten stood up automatically and followed his friend out the door.

"That is exactly what I am going to find out," he ground his teeth together.

Goten decided to just keep quiet and follow.

**

Zarah laid out his cousin on the table and studied her. At least she hadn't hit her head on the way down.

The door slammed open and the president stormed in, his wrath clear in his blue eyes as they swept over her unmoving form.

"What did you do?" The words were forced past his lips with barely restrained violence.

Zarah shrugged, "A harmless joke went awry."

"A joke?!"

Zarah shook his head, "You have no sense of humor. Just take her to the infirmary so I can get back to work."

Goten hooked Trunks' arms as he dove to attack.

"No, let him go," Zarah crouched and raised his hands palm up.

Maron groaned and sat up rubbing her head.

"Maron, are you ok?" Trunks slipped out of Goten's hold and by her side.

"Welcome back," Zarah snorted and pulled Goten to the side, "I have a job for you. Take this to the basement and leave it on the desk there."

Goten glanced at Trunks who was fusing over Maron before nodding.

"Right now?"

"Might as well," Zarah rolled his eyes.

"Right," Goten tucked the packet under his arm and left.

Zarah turned back and found his eyes widening in surprise as he saw Maron crying into Trunks chest. The president was holding her while looking very concerned.

"What do you mean his hand dissolved?"

"It was gone!" Maron sobbed, "How is he supposed to invent with one hand? What's Pan going to do?!"

"Maron," Zarah touched her back, "Look at me. I'm fine."

Trunks glared at him but loosened his grip when she pulled away.

Zarah held up his hands cooperatively and didn't dodge when her hand came flying towards his face.

The resounding smack was heard by everyone within a twenty-foot radius.

Zarah fingered the red mark on his face before sighing.

"I deserved that."

"Yes, you did," Maron's tears were gone and the look in her eyes reminded Zarah of his father when he was in very big trouble.

"I'm sorry," he immediately ducked his head.

Trunks was astonished at the sign of obvious remorse his horrible cousin was emitting. This had never happened before . . . Maybe Maron was just the thing they needed around here to keep Zarah in line.

Zarah shuffled his feet and peeked at her from the corner of his eyes.

Maron had her arms crossed and she gave all the signs of not forgiving him anytime soon.

"Oh Trunks," she smiled brightly in a complete mood swing, "Zarah wanted you to have his plans and I'm sorry I cried all over you."

"Um, no problem," Trunks accepted the papers gingerly.

"Maron," Zarah's voice reached her hears pleadingly.

She gave him another hard look before softening at his pouting face.

"You big baby," she smiled, "I forgive you."

"I'm not a baby," he straightened and scoffed at her words.

Trunks ignored them and started skimming the list.

**

Goten whistled cheerfully as he headed to his destination without another thought, the packet tucked happily under his arm. Things were looking up as far as he could see, he had a job, thanks to Trunks, and his mom was lightening up, at least for the moment. Actually, Trunks couldn't have given him a better job! What little boy didn't dream about becoming a secret agent or super hero of a sort and now he was going to be fulfilling it! With Sasoli no less!

She was really funny when the mood struck her and a great fighter as well as his closest friend after Trunks. This was going to be a great job, he could tell.

He paused in front of the rather scary looking door but knocked politely.

No answer.

He waited a few minutes before he opened the door and spotted the desk. He sauntered up to it and set the packet on it.

"A job well done," he grinned before he started heading back the way he came only to find an irate blue-haired scientist blocking his path.

"What are you doing in my lab?" Bra demanded hotly, anger was the best way to deal with the uneasiness in her stomach.

Goten ducked his head, "I was just delivering papers for Zarah . . ."

Bra crossed her arms and regarded him skeptically.

"Why would Zarah trust you to deliver his papers?"

"I work here now," Goten lifted his head and with a determined gleam in his eye, which made Bra fidget nervously, he said his next words ominously. "We need to talk about what happened the other day."

**

"What's wrong with my plans?" Zarah caught the packet of papers as they were flung at him.

Trunks looked at his cousin with disbelief.

"Zarah, at least three-quarters of your plans involve someone getting almost mortally wounded."

"And?"

"And I am not going to authorize you to poison, kidnap, beat up, and whatever else you have in that damn packet to either Bra or Goten!"

Maron winced as she started reading through Zarah's plans and agreed with Trunks, though not all of them were that bad.

"Why not? It worked with Pan!"

"What do you mean it worked with Pan!"

"She didn't look at me twice until her dad beat the shit out of me!"

"Zarah . . ." Trunks smiled in exasperation, "Pan didn't accept you because she felt sorry for you. She got with you because you romanced her."

"You did?" Maron's eyes were shining with admiration.

"I don't know what you are talking about," Zarah scoffed, "I did no such thing."

Trunks grinned evilly, he had found out the whole story from his sister who had been told by Pan.

"But Zarah," he put a hand to his heart, "What about the heartfelt confession? The pledge of loyalty?"

Zarah narrowed his eyes.

"I said nothing but the truth."

Lavender brows shot up, "Maron, what would you do if a guy said 'I've known you since before you were born. I-'"

Trunks dodged a flying fist and hid behind Maron laughing. Maron put up her hands in surrender hoping Zarah would stop.

Luckily for her, he did.

"Shut up," he snarled, "I met Videl when she was pregnant with Pan!"

"'I lost you but I've found you again.'" Trunks finished reciting.

Maron smiled pityingly at Zarah.

"I know you were simply telling the truth Zarah-"

"Thank you."

"-but the way you said it, makes it incredibly romantic." she finished.

"I told you so," Trunks was unrepentant, "So no violent plots alright?"

"Fine," Zarah grabbed the packet and ripped all the pages off except for the last two, "Now look at it."

Maron took the pages and skimmed through them when the last one caught her eye.

"Call in Sasoli?"

Zarah nodded, "This is her specialty."

Trunks was thoughtful.

"Hmm, as a last resort maybe."