Chapter Twenty-Four

Zarah wondered around the building aimlessly. What had happened to Maron? He'd sent her to Trunks' office over an hour ago, she couldn't still be there . . . Could she?

Maybe Bra knew where she was . . .

If not, at least she could give him advice about what to do about Pan. He could also ask her the butt question, which had been plaguing him for days. She should know the answer, she was a certified genius. Maybe, he could ask Sasoli as well or maybe Trunks knew. . .

Trunks was nearly bouncing in his excitement as he watched a fax print. This day couldn't get any better! First, he got to kiss Maron, then, got her to agree to be his girlfriend, and now, the board decision regarding the secretaries was in! They had approved his proposal!

The damned women in his building would be forbidden to even approach him without a valid reason or risk job termination.

"Shelly," Trunks dropped the fax onto his secretary's desk, unintentionally startling the old woman. "Send this out as a memo along with the message: This will be taken into affect immediately and any resistance to these new regulations will result in the death of your career in Capsule Corporation. Sincerely, President Trunks Briefs."
"Isn't this a little harsh, Mr. Briefs?" Shelly inquired with concern as she read the memo.

"It's nothing less than they deserve, Shelly," he smirked evilly, "It's about time they got what is coming to them."

Trunks glanced at her when she dropped her pen and noticed something resembling fear in her eyes. He cursed himself mentally, he had forgotten how sensitive his secretary was to aggressive behavior." Don't worry, Shelly, your job will always be safe."

"Of course," she gave him a shaky smile as she went about her tasks for the day.

Zarah opened the door to Bra's lab only to find an empty room. Where is everyone? He thought as he shut the door and sent out a probing ki. Come to think of it, he hadn't seen Sasoli today either. In fact-

He stopped in front of the stairs leading to the upper levels of the company. His eyes narrowed as he turned around and walked back to his cousin's lab. He threw open the door and surveyed the room with a sharp eye. The room seemed as empty as it had the first time he had looked but his senses told him at least one, probably two, life forms were in it.

"Bra?" He mentally catalogued all possible hiding spots. Under the lab table, closet, under the desk, and there was also the adjoining training room to consider, though, he didn't feel any life signs from there. "If you don't come out, I'm going to start looking."

Bra and Goten eyed each other with panic. The last thing they needed was for Zarah to find them in this semi-compromising position. Goten opened his mouth only for Bra to shake her head at him, quickly she handed him his shirt, took a deep breath, and went out.

"Ah, there you are," Zarah smiled at her slyly, "I almost missed you." He noted the disheveled appearance and the loose hair. She never wore it down to work, it could get in the way of her inventions.

"Is there something you wanted?" She inquired archly and seated herself at her desk.

"I was wondering if you had seen Maron," he strolled over to her, noticing the slight tension in her shoulders.

"Just this morning," Bra replied as she started straightening all the items on her desk. "When Trunks decided he was God's gift to women and preceded to bestow that gift upon Maron."

"Explain." Concern creased his brows.

"He kissed her," Bra rolled her eyes, "And then swaggered off into the sunset."

"Sunset?" He was completely thrown, "But that's not possible. How can there be a sunset in the morning-"

"It's an expression," Bra interrupted before she lost him to scientific improbabilities.

"So he kissed her," Zarah returned to the original discussion, "On the cheek? Lips?"

"Let's just say, the next time he kisses someone like he did this morning, I don't want to be there to witness it," Bra shuddered, "Another thing I never wanted to see."

It was Zarah's turn to roll his eyes. "Whatever, Bra, I, for one, am happy for him."

She arched a brow. "Then I would suggest he change tactics. She's not going to just fall into his arms."

"No, life's never that easy." Zarah's gaze turned inward.

"Chauvinistic Pig," Bra snorted.

"You should talk," Zarah leaned against the wall.

Bra stiffened, "Excuse me?"

"Nothing," he shrugged, "Just heard some stories about your parents."

"From who?" She was outraged.

"Very reliable sources," Zarah grinned, "Uncle Vegeta, for instance, was never the candle light dinner type."

"Do I talk about your mom?" Was all she had to say about that.

"No, but I could tell you stories about yours."

"Get out of my lab before I maim you," she ordered darkly.

Zarah laughed and made his way to the door. "Glad to see you take after your father, but then again, maybe not. Tell Goten, he can come out now."

He had to slam the door shut to avoid the rather impressive ki blast Bra had hurled at his head. He thanked his lucky stars that the door had been specially designed to withstand such things.

"Bra! Bra!" Goten grabbed her ankle as she started to glow. "Calm down!"

Bra closed her eyes and ordered herself to breath deeply. There was no reason to be mad, especially since Zarah was in the dog house already with Pan. His relationship was in turmoil while hers was going smoothly. Now was not the time for anger but for action.

"Goten," she glanced down at him, "we have plans to make."

"Plans?" Was all he managed to get out before he was yanked out from underneath her desk.

"What are your feelings for me?" Bra had never been more serious in her life.

"I . . ." Goten couldn't help the blush that ran along his cheekbones, "I think I'm in love with you. I think I have been for a very long time and didn't know it. You?"

"Once I took off the blinders, it didn't take me very long to fall," she smiled at him with love in her eyes. "You're moving in with me."

"What?!" Caught off guard, "But your dad-"

"Goten," she framed his face with her hands to calm him. "I have my own place. It doesn't matter what my dad thinks."

He frowned puzzled, "You mean like when Zarah had to fight everyone because he didn't get approved first?"

"Yes, he claimed adult rights so he had to take responsibility for his actions," Bra winced at the memory of Zarah's bruise ridden body. "So I now claim the responsibility for my own actions by leaving the home of my parents. I must prove myself as a warrior and survive in the world."

"And you want me to move in with you?" Excitement was bubbling within him as everything started to make sense.

"Yes," she couldn't keep the smile off her face. "Unless, I'm rushing you." She glanced at him from under her lashes.

He lifted her chin. "Bra, I don't think you could rush me if you tried."

"It's like we've been waiting forever, hasn't it?"

He scooped her up in a bear hug, "More like we've wasted a lot of time pretending not to notice each other, but no more. I'll get my stuff during our lunch break. If that's ok?"

"It's perfect," she returned his hug a bit awkwardly. She wasn't used to such displays of affection but that didn't mean she couldn't get used to it. She laid her head on his chest and listened to his heart beat, oh yes, she could get used to this. . .

"So . . ." Sasoli slouched in Maron's office chair comfortably, watching her cousin put away files. "Is Trunks a good kisser?"

Maron blushed a fiery red before she could help herself, "Sasoli!"

"What?" Sasoli shrugged insolently, "I'm curious."

"Well, if you must know-"

"I must."

"-then, yes, he is a good kisser."

"Interesting," Sasoli smiled innocently and started to play with a rubber band.

Maron shook her head at her.

"You're just like your dad sometimes."

"Huh?" Sasoli blinked up at her, "What do you mean?"

Maron just sighed and shut the filing drawer with a thump. "You'll bug and bug for an answer, not because you actually want to know, but to see how long it is before they give in."

Sasoli shrugged again and made Maron laugh.

"Where's Zarah?" Maron glanced at her task sheet and realized she was done for the day.

"Where's Goten?" Sasoli slouched deeper into her chair, "The world may never know."

Zarah was humming to himself when he reached Trunks' office and knocked on the door. He wasn't prepared for the door to be thrown open with a rather impressive picture of a righteous victim above to receive justice.

"Oh, it's you," Trunks deflated and left the door open for Zarah to follow.

Zarah made his way into the room cautiously and studied the room for any surprises. When he was satisfied with the rooms safety, he turned a disgruntled expression on his cousin. "What is with the weird greeting?"

"Read and rejoice," Trunks tossed a fax at him.

Zarah's eyes nearly popped out of his head! He couldn't believe what he was reading! Everything he could have hoped for in this company had come true within a span of seconds. There was even a no touching policy! Brilliant!

"When?"

Trunks sat on his desk more than satisfied with his cousin's reaction. "I got it just now and it goes into effect immediately."

"You're the best Trunks," Zarah was surprised there wasn't tears of gratitude in his eyes.

"I know," he smirked.

Wails of distress were heard through the entire building echoed through the halls of Capsule Corp. that day as all the women realized all their efforts to gain the affection of the Briefs had been in vain. Though, if one listened closely, they could hear the sound of two males laughing.

"What the hell. . ." Sasoli peeked out of the door to see if she could locate the god awful sound without leaving the relative safety of the office.

Maron was too busy reading the memo she had just received to make a coherent reply.

"Do you think someone died?" Sasoli's tail twitched as it ached to form a question mark.

"No, just their hopes," a small smile played with Maron's lips as she settled on her chair.

Sasoli cocked her head to the side curiously before going to her side to read over Maron's shoulder.

"Clever boy."

"Indeed," Maron set down the memo, pleased with the fact the women would no longer be falling all over themselves to just to get close to Trunks. She didn't how far this . . . Thing . . . With Trunks would go but one thing was for sure, he had just, unknowingly, scored some points with this blond. Not that she was a jealous person but she didn't like the idea of others handling things that she considered hers-

Her brow creased as she realized what she had just thought. Did she really consider Trunks hers? And if she did, since when? He was cute but . . .

"Maron?"

The blond flinched as her cousin's hand settled on her forehead.

"Well, you don't seem sick," Sasoli was crouched at her feet regarding her with concern. "But your pale."

"I'm fine," Maron placed a hand over Sasoli's and let it rest there for a moment before removing it from her face.

"Hn," Sasoli straightened in one fluid movement, "I guess you don't have to pretend to be Trunks' girlfriend anymore."

"I stopped doing that this morning," Maron rested her chin in her hands with a pout. "Clever boy, indeed."

Shelly Arnold was virtually an unknown presence in the famous Capsule Corp. building for all that she was Trunks' secretary. She had led a quiet life and had been surprised to land such a prestigious job at her age, though, the answer had become clear.

Her boss hated women, but not just any women, young women. He never dated and went through such pains to avoid them. The only exceptions were herself and his family members. Recent events had just proved her theories.

Right now, at this moment, her boss was joking about all the possible ways to get rid of the young women with an unknown male. Saying things like 'termination,' 'plots,' and 'I can't wait until they're gone, forever.'

In the end, Shelly was afraid and she was writing down this conversation in case of future mishaps or the girls went missing.

Unaware of spies, the day went on until the work day was over and everyone went their separate ways or some went their own ways. Trunks was too busy talking to Maron to notice that his sister had left with his best friend in the opposite direction. Zarah had left an hour earlier to try and make amends with Pan by taking her to a fancy dinner and Sasoli was left alone on the roof of the building.

She had just been given the news of a new mission in the states, and that meant, it was time to leave.

She stood and brushed the dirt off her pants. Her eyes closed as the wind swirled around her and in her hair though it did nothing to lift the heaviness in her soul.

She had left a full report about Goten's progress and her opinion on his becoming a spy. She had written that while he would undoubtedly become a good one that she did not wish to continue his training. To be the best spy he could be, she would have to change him into something he was not, and she wasn't going to do that to him or Bra.

She sighed, damn. She didn't want to leave. . . and yet . . . she couldn't stay either. Her job, her instincts, wouldn't let her and now it was time.

Sasoli stepped up onto the border of the building, closed her eyes, and fell into the night.

End of Chapter Twenty-Four

AN: One more chapter to go, people. Read and review! Oh, and Cat Youkai . . . I think you missed the chapter where Bra and Sasoli duke it out. They fought after Pan and Zarah and before the boys. Ok, thanks for the reviews! Michelle