Chapter 23- Blood
"So you want a blood sample, do you?" Dr. Briefs asked. "Well that may not be difficult, but I'll have to check."
"Check on what?" Detective Johnson asked. He and Dr. Briefs were now in the med bay.
"Hm?" Dr. Briefs blinked cluelessly before remembering their conversation. "Oh, yes. I'll have to check and see if the boy is stable enough for blood to be withdrawn."
"You don't already have a sample?"
"No." Dr. Briefs said simply. "Everything was in such a... a hullaballoo when he came in, that we didn't have time."
Dr. Briefs turned to the computer that operated the tank and pressed a few buttons. After studying a readout for a few minutes, he finally said. "Well, he is stable, but the only way to draw blood is to remove him from the regeneration tank. But once I do that, I won't be able to turn it back on."
"What do you mean? It should still have a few hours left in it, right?"
"Well yes. But if I would take him out I would have to shut the rank off, and turning it back on uses up more power than it has left. But like I said, he is stable. If it's really that important, I could take him out. I mean, he would only have until tomorrow at the latest in there."
Johnson considered it for a moment, and finally said. "I'll have to check on that." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a cell phone. After entering a number and waiting a few seconds, Brianna finally answered.
Hello.
"Hey. Brianna. It's Johnson. I need some advice."
Uh-huh...
"Well the only way I can get a blood sample is to take the kid out of the tank. But If I do that I can't put him back in. But on the other hand, he would have come out later today or tomorrow anyway."
Well we've got the results back from the lab, so we're all waiting on you. I really don't see where a half a day is going to make any bit of a difference, I mean, he'd live if you took him out wouldn't he?
"Yes. He's pretty stable."
Well I say go ahead and take him out. The sooner we get the blood sample, the sooner we get the case cleared.
"Alright. I'll do that." Johnson said and hung up the phone. Depositing it in his pocket, he turned to Dr. Briefs who was waiting patiently for the verdict. "Take him out." Johnson said simply.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Goku had finally managed to get himself out of bed. It was six o'clock in the evening now. Just minutes ago, Bulma had called and informed him that Vegeta was out of the tank. Goku, being terrible in math hadn't even noticed that it was too early. That is, until Bulma had informed him of that too. She was quick to add that he was, considering all circumstances, fine, however.
Now he was driving toward Capsule Corp. He didn't know why he was going. Bulma had told him that Vegeta was still unconscious, and that he probably wouldn't be let into the room, but he still felt the need to be there.
Finally, he arrived in the Capsule Corp. drive way. He quickly parked his truck and ran into the building. By now, he remembered how to get to the med bay.
After winding his way through the building for what seemed like forever, he finally found himself at the med wing. Immediately, Bulma came up to greet him.
Although Bulma had been able to answer most of his questions over the phone, she hadn't had time to answer them all. Now Goku's flood of questions began.
"Are you sure he's okay? Did anything happen? Why did they take him out? How long until he wakes up? Where is he? Can we see..."
He was silenced by Bulma's hand covering his mouth. With her other hand, she grabbed his wrist and started leading him down the hall. "First of all," She started. "Nothing happened since five minutes ago when I last talked to you. Second, he's about as fine as he's gonna get right now. And, for your other question, they took him out supposedly because some detective needed a blood sample and they couldn't get it while he was in the tank."
"Why didn't they just wait until the tank ran out of power?" Goku asked.
"I don't know." Bulma said stopping and pointing to a window. "He's in there, and no we can't go in. The doctors are putting him under surveillance for at least twelve hours to see how he adjusts."
Goku pressed his face against the glass much like a child would do when getting a first look at a new sibling. Vegeta was in a plain white room with a plain while metal bed and plain white sheets. The only things that added color to the room was the many machines, tubes, wires, and blinking lights, positioned around the room that seemed to swallow Vegeta up.
"He looks so frail." Goku pointed out.
Bulma didn't say anything although she agreed. There was really nothing to say. Both of them just stared into the room seemingly lost in their own thoughts. Finally, Goku spoke again.
"So, uh..." He started, seemingly not sure whether or not he wanted to continue. Bulma turned to look up at him just as Goku resolved his inner conflict. "Do they know when he's going to wake up?"
Bulma shook her head. "No. This is different from any other case. The doctors don't even know if he'll wake up...at all."
It was Goku's turn to be silent while he took in all the news. Finally, he turned back to Bulma. "Well, I guess I'd better go. I'm supposed to call my grandpa. But if there's anything else that I can do...you know...to help..."
Bulma shook her head. "Thanks Goku, you're really sweet. But everything's covered for now."
Goku nodded his understanding. "Oh well then, I'd better be going."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Rehtaf was greeted at the door by Locke, who immediately stepped aside and let him in. He had just arrived back in West City, a half an hour ago. It had taken him considerably less time to get back to West city than it had leaving it because he had driven 40 MPH's faster on his return trip.
Rehtaf glanced back over his shoulder just in time to see Locke cast a cautionary look out the doorway and then close it again. Rehtaf turned back and continued on to where he figured Shadow should be. Rehtaf had been to this place before, when they were planning the first attack on Vegeta.
An old abandoned something or other, in the most rundown part of town. How original. He thought as he continued his trek up some stairs. He was actually surprised that the police hadn't found this place yet. It seemed like such an obvious hideout.
Finally, he entered Shadow's 'office'. Shadow was waiting expectantly, sitting with his hands folded on the table. Rehtaf took a seat across from him without waiting for an invitation. Locke, who had followed Rehtaf into the room, stayed standing by the door.
Shadow wordlessly slid a crumpled newspaper across the table and then pointed to a spot where Rehtaf should read. Rehtaf did so, although already knowing what he would find. While reading the fine print, however, he felt his blood boil. A thousand ways to kill Vegeta were swimming through his mind. Without delay, he picked one. The operation would be risky however, and although he really wanted to feel Vegeta's blood on his hands, he didn't want to risk getting arrested. That was what his two 'partners' were for.
Rehtaf looked up from the paper and back to the expectant Shadow.
"I take it you have a plan." Shadow stated more than asked.
Rehtaf nodded.
Locked moved from his position by the door to stand beside Shadow.
Rehtaf looked from one man to the other to make sure he had their full attention before speaking. "Now listen up, I'm only going to tell you this once. This is going to be pretty risky, but fate is on our side. He's in a technology company that shuts down after ten o'clock. Therefore not many people are going to be up and about. We're going to wait until everyone's gone before we strike."
"When?" Shadow asked.
"Tonight."