New Chapter!
Chapter 7: What else could go wrong?
Earlier that night, Around Three AM:
Scarlet opened the bright red door of her small home with a headache. It had been a long tedious night at the museum cleaning the papyrus manuscripts, decoding dozens of hieroglyphs, and cross referencing texts and sources. Ugh, at least it wasn't written in Sanskrit.
Tossing her keys on a nearby table she shut the door, flipped on a light and called out to Bulma. When there was no answer, she tried again.
No answer. Funny, she didn't say she was going out. She stood in the living room and closed her eyes, trying to sense her. She wasn't in the house. Scarlet walked into the kitchen and grabbed the cordless phone, dialing Bulma's cell phone number. She could vaguely hear it going off from somewhere in the living room. What was the point of having a cell phone if you left it at home?
Getting worried she looked at the list of phone numbers she had clipped to the refrigerator. She dialed Chi-chi's cell phone. No answer.
She tried Yamcha. After four rings he answered, "Hello?"
"Hi Yamcha. It's Scarlet, Bulma's mom, is she with you?"
"No, we went out earlier, to a club for her birthday with Chi. I thought she went home."
"You didn't drive her home?"
A pause. "No, we, uh, got into a little argument at the club, we split up. I thought she and Chi caught a cab went home when a fight broke out."
"A fight?"
"Yeah, these two guys started a fight. It was odd, They were dressed for Halloween or something, in some really ugly masks. I got out of there as soon as I could."
Coward, Scarlet thought. "You didn't make sure they were okay?"
"Um…no, I was mad at the time."
"So you didn't check to see if they were okay?"
"No-wait, the last I saw them, before I left, they were talking to this group of people. A motley cru of weirdoes."
"Do you know who they were? Or what they looked like?"
"Um…One was bald and kinda short, One was a little taller than Bulma with some weird hair, one guy was at least six two, and there was a pretty hot blonde with them. But I've never seen them before."
"Thanks anyway Yamcha."
"So wait…they're not home?"
"No. That's why I called you."
"Oh. Sorry."
"Too late for apologies now. Goodnight Yamcha."
"Goodnight."
Scarlet hung up the phone. She was really worried now. The guys in Halloween masks were probably demons, but Bulma should have been able to handle them-
The phone rang. She glanced at the clock on the stove, 3:30. If it was Yamcha….
"Hello?"
"Is this Buru-Bulma's mother?"
"Yes. Who is this?" Not Yamcha.
"I'm Vegeta."
"Excuse me?"
"I believe I'm he lost Pharaoh you're looking for."
Scarlet almost dropped the phone, "Look, whoever you are, you're not funny-"
"I've got Bulma."
"-and-what? Where is she? I swear if you hurt her-"
"Why does everyone think that? I will not hurt her. You have my word."
"Right."
"I don't appreciate your sarcasm."
"Uh huh, who-ever-you-say-you-are, I want my daughter back."
"I'm keeping her safe."
"From what? She can handle herself! I trained her myself!"
"From an old evil, you may recognize the name Freeza from your readings at the museum; he's after her. She's the reincarnation of the Arcadian Princess Buruma."
Shock flooded Scarlet. All this time…her daughter was Buruma. It's funny how blind people can be when what they're looking for is right in front of them. "And that means?"
"I need your cooperation."
"As long as my daughter is safe."
"Good. I need access to the new documents that were found in India earlier this month."
"No way. They haven't been properly analyzed and documented-"
"You want your daughter back?"
"Yes but-"
"Well, I want my princess back. You get me the documents, I'll return your daughter in one piece."
"You're holding her captive! You bastard-"
"I'd shut your mouth if you want her to live through the night." Silence, "That's good. She's sleeping right now. I need access as soon as possible; Freeza is already one step ahead of me. Do we have a deal?"
Scarlet took a deep breath, she too cooperate if she wanted Bulma back. "Yes, we have a deal."
"Good. When can I see those documents?"
"Tomorrow night. Midnight, I can have the lab empty by then."
"Perfect."
"When can I get my daughter back?"
"When Freeza is dead."
"How long will that take?"
"If I can get those documents, not very long. I'll let you get some sleep and eat, I need you wide awake tomorrow night."
"Wait. How did you get this number? How do you know I work at the museum, have access to the manuscripts? Did Bulma tell you?"
"No, there's this wonderful invention called the internet. I'll see you tomorrow night." He hung up.
Scarlet slowly lowered the phone back into it's cradle and sat at the kitchen table. He daughter was being held captive, for her own good, but still held captive, and she was being forced to give access to thousands of years old documents, wonderful. What else could go wrong?
A window shattered behind her, and a purple-ish lizard stepped through, two ugly looking demon following him. "Hello."
Well, there was her answer.
