Chapter Four

Uub took a bite of the pastry he had managed to grab on the way out of his apartment. He cursed around a mouth of crumbs as he was cut off by the car in front of him. It was times like this when he asked himself, "Why did I ever leave the village?" He couldn't have chosen a more different place to live and his job was non-existent there.

Police weren't really needed when money was almost a myth since they were so poor. Problems were handled by the village elder but those were few and far in-between since survival was more important than material items.

He might have never left if he hadn't met Goku. He'd never forget his master's words and the serious look on Goku's face.

"I am not going to be around forever. You must train and get strong. It will be your turn to defend our planet."

The comment had been interrupted by his master's stomach grumbling for food but the words had struck a cord in him. The few times he had ventured into the city in the early days, he noticed the incredibly substandard police department. He didn't know if they had grown complacent with Saiyaman taking care of the criminals or if they had always been this way. Either way, though, it had to stop.

If he was going to protect the world against outside forces then he might as well protect it from the forces within as well. He had joined and risen in the ranks quickly, his specialty, undercover. The mohawk which had given him such a problem with his peers and supervisors quickly became his only ally.

In his village, the mohawk was a sign of a boy who had become a man before his time. It was a mark of honor. The village still regarded him with a look of awe and respect that he had left them with the promise of winning the tournament money to buy food. He had received their everlasting gratitude when he returned with the money even though he hadn't won. To change his hair was to insult his heritage and family.

Here, in the city, the mohawk was the sign of a rebel. A street punk whose main goal in life was to make trouble. The chief of police had talked to him about his hair and even under the threat of dismissal, he'd refused to change it.

Finally, someone had suggested he work undercover and his career had taken off.

Now that Thompson was in custody, he was free to work on his private obsession. The Scalpel Case. Unsolved with incredibly little evidence linked at least hundred cases that ranged all over the world. The perp, only known as the Scalpel, was known to commit crimes such as breaking and entering, theft, assault, hacking into secure systems, espionage, conspiracy to murder, and consorting with known criminals.

This case was issued to every department in the judicial system and no one ever expected it to be solved. Some didn't want it to since the criminals the Scalpel liked to associate with ended up in jail sooner or later.

Uub was going to solve it. He had a gut feeling that everything was going to come to a head and soon. He'd noticed a link in all the cases, they all happened near, on, or because of Capsule Corporation. Every criminal that went against the company went down no questions asked but the ones who managed to get past the security system went down in more curious matters.

Also, the almost random movement of Scalpel made sense when one took into consideration that Capsule Corp. was an international company. The thing that was keeping the mystery from being solved was the departments weren't looking at the bigger picture. They wanted to concentrate on individual cases and that was their downfall.

The only way to catch Scalpel was to go Scalpel in the act and with all the trouble now . . . This might be the only chance to Uub had to catch him and he was going to act on it.

He glared at his phone as it went off. There was only one person who would call him at this time of day and that was. . .

"Uub."

"Thank God, I've reached you in time!" The Chief of Police sounded over the phone. "You need to go to Capsule Corp. for the meeting."

"What? They decided to cooperate? Why do I have to go? It's not my case."

"They will only cooperate willingly if you are on the case. They requested you by name."

Uub was silent. He knew a variety of people who might request his presence but none of them knew he was a detective.

"How do they know your name?"

"I'm not certain." Uub answered vaguely, as he turned completely around to go in the other direction. "Who's the lead?"

"Himbon and his partner."

"Shit."

"I know. Guess who you're partner is."

"Himbon." Uub answered resigned, "I'll try and fix it."

"Guess you got what you wanted, Detective."

"Chief, when I requested the case I had legimate-"

"You had conflict of interest."

"Why are you giving in now?"

"Well, for one, you're the best we have."

Uub just maneuvered through traffic and waited.

"And they donate a lot of money-"

"As long as we have our priorities straight." Uub mumbled under his breath.

"What?"

"I'm heading there straight away."

"Good, and find out why they asked for you."

"Yes sir," Uub hung up his phone as he stopped in front of the Capsule building. Stepping out briskly, he capsulated his car and placed it in his pocket. Of all the fucking luck, the one chance he might have to catch Scalpel and he was reassigned.

Approaching the entrance cautiously, not knowing how he was going to get in without flashing his badge and extremely reluctant to do so.

The guard glanced up at him and studied his appearance as he drew closer. With an abrupt nod, he pulled out a paper and held it in Uub's direction.

"You are to report directly to the President's office," the guard informed him briskly. "It's on the top floor."

"Ok," Uub to the paper and entered the building.

"Uub!" A familiar voice called out, "What are you doing here?"

"Goten," Uub stopped in mid stride to greet his master's son. "I am going to the President's office. What are you doing here?"

"I work here," Goten was beaming, "Plus, I just walked Bra to her lab."

Uub raised his dark brow a notch. Shouldn't Goten be more upset? His best friend was in jail.

"Hey, you'll come to the wedding won't you?" Goten burst out suddenly, "I'm sure dad will want to spar."

"Wedding?" Uub blinked.

"Oh, that's right! You're out of the loop." Goten threw an arm around his friend's shoulder and started guiding him down the hallway. "I'm getting married to Bra."

"Bra?!"

Goten laughed at the surprise in Uub's voice as they stepped into the elevator. Separating from Uub, Goten pushed the button for the top floor. "I know. I never expected to get away with marrying Vegeta's daughter."

"When's the wedding?"

Goten's expression turned sad. "We have postponed it until Trunks is released. We both want him to be there for the big moment."

They went silent and the elevator doors opened with a soft ping.

"I'll be there," Uub assured him. "Trunks never could have killed those women."

"I wouldn't blame him if he had." Goten's expression turned dark.

"Is that a fact? Who are you?"

Both men stiffened as a man stepped into their line of sight.

"Found another suspect already?" The man remarked sarcastically, "Maybe your reputation is well deserved after all."

"Himbon," Uub greeted the man darkly. This man was a transfer detective and had always rubbed him the wrong way. "This is a friend of mine, Son Goten."

"I would like you to come down town for questioning," Himbon ignored Uub.

Goten's face hardened but he said nothing.

"Do you have something to hide?"

"Enough," Uub stepped between them. "We'll get around to questioning the staff in due time."

"We have probable cause after what he just said."

"He is also engaged to the heiress of Capsule Corp. and Bra Briefs is not the type of person to take the harassment of her fiancé lightly."

Himbon raised an amused eyebrow at Goten, "You're going to hide behind your woman."

"You're overstepping your bounds," Uub cut off whatever Goten was going to say.

"No, you're overstepping yours," Himbon snarled, "Just because the higher powers want you on this case doesn't mean you deserve it."

The tension mounted between the two men. The difference was obvious, where Uub was dark in coloring Himbon was light, where Himbon was conservative in dress Uub was liberal if not daring.

"Enough."

All three men turned to find the current President of Capsule Corp. in the doorway of his office. His ice blue eyes were even lighter than Himbon's blond and blue-eyed combination. Zarah Briefs was the perfect picture of barely civilized wilderness with his tie pulled loose, his collar unbuttoned, and his eyebrows dangerously low making his eyes even lighter by contrast.

"Are we going to have this meeting or not?" Zarah asked the detectives drolly before turning his gaze to Goten, "I have a schematic for you to deliver to Bra."

"No problem," Goten's smile was back as he accepted the package and waved a cheery farewell to Uub.

"We'll have this meeting in my office," Zarah announced and left the door open for them to follow.

The detectives entered the office with a distrustful glance between them. The first thing they both noticed was a woman sitting behind the desk and she was asleep with a hat pulled over her face.

Zarah went over to the desk and sat on it. Somehow he had found a space on the paper ridden desk to sit that wouldn't disrupt them.

"Now, I want in detail what you plan to do to investigate the murders."

Disconcerted, Uub lifted a hand in the woman's direction. "Who?"

"She's the head of security," Zarah's eyes were hard and direct.

"A woman is head of your security?!" Himbon burst out, making both men glare at him. "I mean, shouldn't she be awake for this meeting?"

"I hate to agree but . . ." Uub made a helpless motion with his head.

"I see," Zarah's eyes narrowed as he took a power level check on both men and was intrigued by the results. "You are both correct, we'll have to continue this meeting at a later time. I'll have her contact you with the details."

"Wait, why don't you just wake her up?" Himbon suddenly panicked.

"She had a late night last night." Zarah answered dismissively.

Uub was quiet and just observed the people in the room. By all senses, the woman was asleep but something told him she was awake. Himbon was being irrational, the more the President told him to leave the more jumpy he got. Something wasn't right here.

"I'll wake her up," Himbon went to move around the desk.

"No, you won't," Zarah was there suddenly, blocking the way. "It's time for you to leave."

"Look pal, I am a detective-"

"Himbon!" Uub barked, "It's time to go. The Chief wanted us back for a briefing."

Himbon's fists were clenched at his sides as his eyes darted back and forth between them like a trapped animal. Then he shrugged, and straightened his tie as the tension seemed to melt right off his bones. "Whatever."

Uub narrowed his eyes at him but followed the man to the door.

"Detective Uub," Zarah's voice stopped him in his tracks, "I would like you to stay for a moment."

Uub nodded.

Himbon's lip curled as he turned to face the inventor-turned-President. "If he stays then I stay too."

"You will leave or I will see to it that this company never donates money to the police department again."

Himbon paled and quickly left the office without another word.

"I thought he'd never leave."

Uub's eyes shot to the woman who was now smirking though the hat still covered her eyes.

"Was I right or wasn't I?" She questioned.

"You were right as always," Zarah smirked as well.

"What's going on? Who requested I work on this case?" Uub demanded.

"I did," she finally ripped off her hat.

"Sasoli," Uub's mouth dropped open, "You're the head of security?!"

"He knows your name?" Zarah's voice held a touch of distaste.

"It's kind of hard to miss when Mom and Dad scream it at you." Her eyes narrowed.

"You're her brother," Uub couldn't believe the resemblance now that they stood next to each other.

"We're twins," she smiled charmingly at him.

"Whatever, she said you had dealings with saiyans before and this was confirmed by Goten and Bra earlier. Kakarot trained you for about ten years and you are the reincarnation of Evil Buu. You are completely human, and yet, are incredibly powerful. This is what we know about you, what do you know about us?" Zarah regarded the shocked detective coolly.

"I know your mother is a full blooded saiyan and that you are hybrids but . . . Your father did not emit any life force . . . He has the appearance of a human but cannot be human." Noticing their smirks he amended his comment, "Completely human. Her name is Sasoli and yours is Zarah Briefs . . ." He frowned, "How is your family connected to the Briefs?"

"Our mother is Vegeta's sister," Sasoli answered calmly.

Uub's eyes narrowed in turn, "Why are you just giving me all this information?"

"It's common information you'd find out the same way we found out your information," Zarah crossed his arms, "Goten."

"So if I ask anything personal?"

"You're on your own," Sasoli smiled sweetly at him, "I take it you wish to be undercover on this mission?"

"Yes," Uub nodded disconcerted at being read so well.

"I thought so," Sasoli stood up and went to her brother's side. "You will work with me."

Uub mulled over the situation quietly. The twins were handing him a golden opportunity to get on the inside and all the unfiltered information he might not have had access to before but at what price? They were showing a suspicious amount of trust to someone they had just met.

The door flew open and a short brunette rushed in. "Zarah!"

"Pan? What are you doing here?" Zarah managed not to flinch when his mate threw herself into his arms. "What's wrong?"

"I just heard!" Pan hugged him about the waist. "Are you ok?"

"What? What did you just hear?" Zarah was confused as he gently peeled his mate of him so he could look into her eyes.

Sasoli crossed her arms concerned while Uub was just uncomfortable and wondering why Gohan's daughter was so familiar with Zarah.

"Your dad came to our cave wondering if your mom had been over," Pan traced the outline of his face with her hand, "He told me the awful news."

"What news?" Zarah was beginning to get frustrated, "Just spit it out Pan."

"They've separated, Zarah."

"I know," Zarah's brow smoothed over, "Don't worry, they fight all the time."

"You didn't see it, Zarah, it wasn't a typical fight." Sasoli remarked crossly.

"It did seem to get personal," Uub intoned lightly.

"Uub?" A smile found it's way onto Pan's face. "Oh my god, Uub! Long time no see."

Uub tensed slightly at the rather dark look Zarah sent his way when Pan hugged him.

"You know each other?" Sasoli had a calculating look in her eye, she would have to have a talk with Pan later.

"We'd kind of have to," Pan remarked ruefully, "He's always visiting Grandpa Goku."

"Is that all?" Zarah drummed his fingers on the desk.

Pan cocked her head at him curiously when it dawned on her what he was thinking.

"We're friends, Zarah, nothing more . . . Nothing less."

"Hn."

Uub leaned over to Sasoli to whisper conspiratorially in her ear, "Are they dating?"

"They're mated or married, whatever." She whispered back in the same manner.

Uub hummed to himself before glancing at Sasoli fully. "Won't everyone think it's strange if I suddenly start following you around?"

"No," Sasoli shook her head, "I just trained Goten to be . . . my assistant but he wasn't cut out for it. As long as you stayed with me no one should be questioning your presence."

"What about Himbon?" Uub raised a brow, he had caught the pause in her speech but didn't know what to make of it. If she wasn't training Goten to be her assistant then what was she training him to be?

"He and his usual partner may go about in their usual fashion while you will do the real investigation with me." Sasoli nodded her head at him, "You will have access to the raw material while Himbon will get the edited version."

"Edited version?"

"You know better than that," Sasoli tsked, "There are saiyans in this building."

"Hn, I think you have a deal, Ms. Briefs."

He reached out to shake her hand.

"Call me Sasoli." She sealed the deal.

End of Chapter Four