Chapter Eight
Goten groaned as he felt something wet drag across his collar bone. His entire body felt heavy and his mind fuzzy. He couldn't see.
Panicked, he jerked his head up and blinked rapidly in hopes of returning his eyesight. The movement proved unsuccessful but revealed the reason behind his loss of sight. He was blindfolded.
He frowned, why on earth would he be blindfolded? Well, at least that's easily remedied.
Goten tried to lift his hands to his face but found them restrained as well. He became alarmed when the restraints held when he purposely tried to break free.
An evil giggle filled the air.
Goten froze as he tried to pinpoint the location and assess the possible threat to his being. Forced to relay on his other senses he inhaled deeply, perked his ears, and sent out a probing ki. A floral scent, perfume, his captives must be female. Goten wasn't sure what to make of that as he heard and his probe confirmed three weak beings in the room with him.
Goten jerked as he felt a cold hand slide down his chest, his bare chest! Completely alarmed, Goten pushed away from his assailment with his feet on the ground. He realized too late that he was bound to a chair and had only managed to tip it over.
"Look girls, he's awake," a female voice purred.
"Now, the fun can really begin," another cooed.
"Who are you?" Goten squirmed in his chair, scared when he found he was completely immobilized and helpless until someone released him.
"We're every guys fantasy," a third voice spoke.
"Now be a good boy and we'll have lots of fun," the first voice giggled.
Goten sent up a energy flare, desperately trying to get anyone's attention as three sets of hands started to roam his body. His only thought was, thank god he was still wearing his pants.
**
Bra glanced up annoyed as her phone continued to ring.
Damn thing!
"Hello?" She answered it.
"Bra, thank the gods you're there!"
"Zarah? What's wrong?" Bra was immediately concerned at his anxious tone.
"Have you seen Goten?" He demanded.
Bra stiffened, "Earlier. Why?"
"Damn it," Zarah cursed softly.
"Zarah, tell me what's wrong?!"
"I gave Goten your prototype coffee machine-"
"You did WHAT!"
"-to give to Trunks but he should have returned by now and I called Trunks. He says he hasn't seen him since this morning either!"
Bra stared at the wall in disbelief. That coffee machine had taken a couple of months of dedicated and back breaking work. It was capable of making any type of coffee drink there was, all you needed was to push the button, tell it what you wanted, and voila! The perfect drink! She was planning on marketing it to major coffee chains like Star Bucks and Z Time.
"Zarah, I didn't have any back up prototypes!"
"I know Bra! That's why you need to go find him!"
"What?"
"When I called Trunks, he was in the middle of a business meeting. There's no way he can leave it."
"Why can't you go?" Bra asked pleadingly.
"I wish I could but-"
"Zarah!"
Bra flinched as she heard Pan's voice over the phone.
"I have to go," Zarah hung up the phone.
Bra set down the hook unsteadily and slipped out of her cover alls. She threw them on her desk and felt out all surrounding kis. Goten had to be in the building somewhere! He wasn't a spy who would sell the invention to Tapion Inc.
She jumped as she felt a huge energy flare. It felt . . . scared . . . and like Goten.
"What the hell is going on?" Bra took to the air.
She had to go save Goten!
Bra growled to herself as she zeroed in on his energy. She was only going to save him because he had her invention, that was all.
She didn't even acknowledge the voice in the back of her mind that said otherwise. She wouldn't dignify it with a response.
**
Pan bit her lip nervously as Zarah hung up on Bra.
"What do we do now?"
"We wait," Zarah motioned for her to come to him, "Don't worry, Pan, they'll both be happier."
She relented and sat in his lap, he tucked her head under his chin.
"Have you talked to Bra about Project Union?"
"Not yet," Zarah held her loosely but firmly, "Later."
Pan sighed and snuggled into her husband. How she loved this stupid man. Jeez, when she had started training all those years ago she had never thought it would be a package deal. Husband, competition, love, drive, devotion, strength, and the promise of children. They would wait on the children though, she didn't think they were ready for that step quite yet.
"Why later?" Pan smiled as his tail wrapped around her waist.
"To see how it went," he nuzzled her hair, "To see if it worked. Distract her with project union if she's upset."
"You're playing a dangerous game," she curled her fingers into his shirt. "This could easily backfire on you."
He hummed thoughtfully.
"It's hard to believe you're risking your relationship with Bra."
"It's ok," he squeezed her gently, "If worst comes to worst I'll still have you."
Pan couldn't help the small smile at his words. He could be so sweet!
"Pan?"
"Hmm?"
"Well, I was talking to my dad and he said that my mom-"
"Zarah," Pan interrupted.
"Yes?"
"Shut up," Pan closed her eyes.
Zarah smiled at the top of her head before resting his head on hers.
"Ok."
**
Goten squirmed desperately against his bounds but couldn't avoid the groping hands.
He screamed against the gag as he was grabbed in a place he never expected to be grabbed in his life!
"What the hell do you think you're doing?!"
Goten tensed at the new female voice but let out a sigh of relief as the hands stilled.
"Um-"
"You wouldn't understand-"
"This is none of your business-"
"QUIET!!"
Goten jumped and couldn't contain his whimper. He felt completely violated and helpless with no idea if his torture was about to continue or end.
"Get out before I have you fired," the tone sent shivers down his spine.
The hands disappeared from his body and footsteps faded.
Goten jerked as he felt a hand on his shoulder.
"Oh my god," the voice was breathless and familiar, "Goten?"
Goten leaned away from the voice as far as he could and shivered as a hand touched his face.
"Goten," the voice was firmer now more recognizable, "You're safe now."
The gag was removed.
"Bra?" Goten pointed his head in what he thought was her direction.
"Yes, it's me."
His hands were freed.
Goten immediately removed his blindfold and was rewarded with the sight of blue hair.
Relief turned to shame.
"Are you ok?" Bra's eyes were filled with concern just for him.
Her hands untied his legs from the chair.
"Fine," he bit off as he turned away from her, not noticing how she glanced at him worried.
"Goten?" Bra reached out to him.
"Don't touch me!" Goten was on his feet, towering over her.
Bra retracted her hand, hurt that he would think she of all people would try to force herself on him.
"Thank you for . . ." he swallowed his pride, "the save."
Bra got to her feet quietly.
"Do you have the capsule?"
"What?"
"Zarah gave you a capsule?" She snapped, fury eating at her. She had just saved him from untold amounts of horror and this was how he was going to act towards her?! Bastard! She had gone soft too. Seeing him brought memories of when she had found and saved both Trunks and Zarah from the crazed females in the building, they had not been so lucky, Goten still had his pants on. Even Zarah had given her a grateful hug and here was Son Goten, snapping at her like it was her fault!
Goten reached into his pants pocket and pulled out the capsule.
"Zarah said to-"
Bra snatched it out of his hand.
"Forget what he said I'll deliver it myself," Bra slipped it into her pocket, "Next you get kidnapped, try not to do it with my inventions in your pocket."
She slammed the door when she left.
"Fuck," Goten slumped against the wall, "Now she's mad at me again. And what the hell am I going to do about my clothes?!"
**
"Zarah!" Bra brushed by Maron and into her cousin's office only to stumble to a halt.
Guilt hit her as she remembered that Zarah was fighting with his mate and it looked like she had intruded on a rather intimate moment.
Pan slipped off her husband's lap and frowned at her.
"What's wrong Bra?"
Bra opened her mouth to answer and then shut it. She couldn't bad mouth Goten in front of Pan.
"Did you find him?" Zarah leaned forward intently.
"Who?" Pan sat on his desk.
Bra didn't answer but tilted her head in the affirmative.
"And your capsule?"
Bra pulled it out.
"Zarah," Maron poked her head into the room, "Trunks is calling about the capsule."
Zarah nodded, "Pan, do me a favor and go with Maron to give the capsule to Trunks."
"Ok," she shrugged and left the room with Maron.
Zarah motioned for Bra to sit and leaned back into his chair.
"What happened?"
**
Trunks took one look at his best friend and shook his head. Goten was covered in scratches and lipstick, though, Trunks noted with relief, his pants were almost completely intact.
"I see the secretaries have given you a proper welcome. Are you ok?"
"Proper welcome?" Goten was incredulous.
Trunks gave a sad sigh.
"Sit down Goten," Trunks waited for him to comply before he continued, "I should have warned you but I didn't think they would act this fast."
Goten plopped into the seat with a minor look of betrayal.
"Tell me what happened?"
**
"I see," Zarah shrugged dismissively, "It was bound to happen."
Bra flinched, "What was bound to happen?"
"The secretaries attacking Goten," Zarah replied calmly though he was cursing on the inside. Damn it! He had not counted on Goten's anger at being rescued. He knew Bra's protective instincts would rear up and she would soften, he just didn't think Goten would harden. Damn! Goten was probably ashamed and doubted his ability as a man! He didn't realize the awesome power of women when desperate.
"Zarah," Bra glared, "How can you be so flippant?"
"It's best it happened now," Zarah turned to his computer, "Now he'll know to keep his guard up."
Bra fumed in her chair.
"I thought you would understand."
"I do understand," Zarah glanced at her, "Better than you ever could."
Bra continued to glare at him.
Hiding his smile under a carefully constructed mask of concern Zarah turned to face her fully.
"Bra, what's going on? Have I missed something?"
Suddenly the carpet become very interesting.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Bullshit Bra. Usually you would have mentioned such a thing happening to Goten on the way out the door but now you're here to specifically talk about how bad this must be. So, taking the risk of sounding redundant, what's going on?"
Zarah watched her fidget nervously, never making eye contact with him.
"Talk to me, Bra, I can't help if I don't know what's going on?"
Bra's mask fell into place.
"Nothings wrong."
Damn it! Zarah restrained himself from putting his fist through his desk. All right if she doesn't want to talk to me then fine.
"What did you think about my plans for project union?"
Bra welcomed the change of subject with a smile.
"You're not going to poison Trunks, Zarah."
"Damn, I knew you wouldn't let that one slide."
End of Chapter Eight
AN: I just wanted to thank everyone for the big response. It made me smile.