Chapter Six

Sasoli twirled in front of a mirror as she studied the hours of work that Bra put into her halo-watch.

She had never looked so prim in her life. Bra had done a good job, making sure the skirts were long and loose enough so Sasoli could wrap her tail around her middle thigh without creating any questionable bulges. Fashionable hats and ki ironing her hair flat would make her face look different enough to pass for different people.

"I'd never thought I'd see my little girl in office fatigue," a dry voice intoned behind her.

"Dad?" Sasoli's surprise showed only in her voice, "What are you doing here?"

"I was wondering when you were going to be home," 17 glanced to the side, avoiding her eyes.

"Why?" Suspicion sharpened her tone.

"I still need your help," his head went down and he shuffled his feet awkwardly.

"Dad," Sasoli whined, "I was up all night last night! I nearly slept through the security meeting I had Zarah arrange."

"Please," he pouted pitifully.

"I can't right now," Sasoli turned her back on him, "I'm working."

"Doing what? Paper work?" 17's gaze turned from sad to skeptical.

"No, I planning on being kidnapped, tortured, and finally killed," Sasoli charged her hands with her ki and started the tedious process of straightening it.

"Cool," 17 sat on a random desk, "Can I watch?"

Sasoli lifted a brow at his reflection, "Dad, I don't think that any self respecting criminal is going to attack a seemingly helpless young woman while another strange male watches."

17 placed a hand on his chest, offended at the thought of blowing her cover. "I do know how to become one with the shadows, Sas, I was a menace to society long before you were born."

Sasoli snorted to herself and set a hat on her head gingerly, completely her look. "Whatever, dad, just don't scare away my would-be kidnappers. I need them to take me to their hideout to make sure it's just one."

17 slipped off the desk in a smooth motion and tipped his imaginary cowboy hat at her.

"I hope you get attacked."

Sasoli grinned as his reflection left the room, "Me too."

Uub inched closer to the edge of the building, trying to find a more comfortable position. He had chosen the top of the adjoining building for his stake out which allowed him the perfect view of all the comings and goings from the entrance of Capsule Corp. as well as enabling him to keep an ear out for trouble in the back exit. He was keeping an eye on the front entrance especially though, since most of the snatchings had occurred there.

He frowned as he watched yet another woman leave the building. This must be the twentieth woman with short dark hair and a similar build to the victims. This one, though, seemed angry . . . I wonder why?

Sasoli was desperately trying to keep her lip from curling as she growled at her father.

"What?! Dad! What?!"

"Sasoli, can we go yet?" 17 asked in saiyan. "I'm bored."

"No, dad, we can't leave. I'm working," through a force of will she kept her entire demeanor calm and her word lyrical as if she were singing to herself.

"But it's been three hours already," he whined.

"Dad! I will be done when-" Sasoli was jerked off-balance suddenly and her ankle twisted as the heel snapped.

"Give me your purse," fingers dug into her arm as hot air shot into her ear, "be quick about it."

A gun appeared magically and was aimed between her eyes, which were wide with surprise.

"My purse?" Sasoli's couldn't help the confused note in her voice as she stared down the barrel of the gun.

"Give it to me," the safety was clicked off, "or else."

The finger tightened on the trigger.

Annoyance narrowed her eyes and she moved to crush the gun with her hand when her assailant disappeared.

She blinked stupidly at the empty space in front of her.

A strangled gasp and a curse made her turn to find Uub clasping the man in handcuffs.

"You have the right to remain silent . . ." the detective began.

Her hands curled into fists and she saw red.

Uub felt the atmosphere change and the hair on the back of his neck shot up. He turned and in time to catch the embodiment of fury before it had a chance to separate his upper body from his lower. He slid a few feet but managed to keep a grip on the forearms of his assailant.

"What the HELL do you think you are doing?!"

Uub locked eyes with blue flames and was startled to find the woman he had just saved was attacking him.

"You have no right, saving helpless women." The blue flames burned hotter, "Who do you think you are?"

Male laughter made both combatants turn to find 17 sitting on the suspect laughing himself silly.

"Did you hear what she just said?" Blue eyes twinkled merrily, "Sasoli, pause and reflect."

The steel cords in Uub's hands softened to the consistency of flesh and pulled gently away. An embarrassed blush brushed her cheeks as she covered her own laughter with her hand.

"Sasoli?" Uub blinked at her as she took in her completely altered appearance.

"Ok, fine," Sasoli shared a grin with her father, "You can rescue helpless women but don't rescue me."

"Much better," 17 nodded and was about to get off the perp when Uub's expression darkened.

"Wait, this was a set up?" Uub loomed over Sasoli disapprovingly, "You were enacting a sting operation?"

Threatened, Sasoli straightened her spine and met his glare with one of her own.

"And if I was?" An eyebrow arched angrily.

"You have authority to pull a stunt like this," Uub's lip curled, "You might as well put on a super hero outfit and come up with a stupid name."

"You mean like Gohan did?" Sasoli snapped out, angry at having to defend herself.

Uub bit off a curse, and turned away to compose himself before he accidentally badmouthed his master's son.

"I don't answer to you," Sasoli huffed and turned to leave.

Or tried to.

Uub spun her around, caught the reflexive punch, and blocked the knee. "You want to catch bad guys, join the force."

"You forget, I'm not human." Sasoli snarled at him.

"Even saiyans can be vulnerable when caught off guard."

Sasoli stiffened as the event replayed in her head. She had been caught off guard when the mugger had tried to yank her purse off of her. Still, her father usually wasn't there to . . . No, she would make no excuses. She was a better warrior than that and she would prove it.

"Speak for yourself," she pulled with just enough strength on the arm he'd caught while extending her leg. He tripped and went sprawling while Sasoli crossed her arms across her chest. "I protect this company."

Uub was on his feet in one angry movement, "You can't if you're dead."

"Are you two quite finished?" 17 inquired, still perched upon the mugger.

"Yes," Uub brushed the dirt off his coat. "At least you had the sense to bring back up."

Sasoli's mouth dropped open and her eyes narrowed.

17 sighed and phased in front of his daughter to flick her noise.

She squeaked with shocked outrage.

"Down girl," the android turned to the stunned detective, "Your bad guy is getting away."

Uub disappeared.

"Dad," Sasoli growled at him.

"Sas, tonight is a bust. Go home," 17 ignored her saiyan mutterings and watched her fly away. "She's gone, you can come out."

"You make it sound like I am afraid of her."

Uub stepped from the shadows.

"Aren't you?" 17 snorted and turned to examine the young man in front of him. His blue eyes narrowed as they caught sight of the scratch on the detective's cheek. "Did she give you that?"

Uub lifted a subconscious hand to his cheek and nodded.

"She doesn't frighten me, she . . . confuses me. First, she drags me into this case and then she attacks me."

"Hmm, that explains it then," 17 nodded and turned to leave.

"Explains what?"

"The scratch," 17 sighed, he hated having to explain himself. "You're invading her territory, the scratch was a warning."

"But she was the one-"

"Doesn't matter," 17 smirked to himself in memory, "When I first married her mother . . . I remember the first morning after we woke up . . . I was watching her sleep. She hates that but I didn't know it at the time. She wasn't used to waking up with someone hovering over her and she struck out before she could remember who I was. She gave me a mark very similar to the one you're sporting."

The android indicated the scratch.

"She told me it was a territorial instinct and not to watch her sleep again or next time I could lose an eye." 17 rocked back on his heels and chuckled to himself. "So the next morning, I woke up and watched her sleep and, sure enough, she went for my eyes upon waking."

Uub listened, completely absorbed by this bizarre story. What kind of person is conditioned to attack in an unfamiliar environment? And what kind of man willingly endangers himself and laughs about it?

"What happened?" He asked and then ducked his head embarrassed. Of course the man before him had not lost his eye but . . .

"Her mistake was in warning me," 17 continued without missing a beat, "I caught her hand and managed to subdue her until she realized who she was attacking. After our morning exercises, she would warn me, everyday, not to watch her and, every morning, I would continue to ignore her."

"But didn't she keep attacking you?"

"Yeah," 17 smiled a very male smile, "It made for very interesting mornings. The point is, she tried to condition me to her habits and, instead, I conditioned her to mine."

"Does she still do it?" Uub was insatiably curious.

"No," something like regret flickered in 17's eyes, "but then we're separated at the moment. Maybe . . . When she comes back, I'll have to get her used to me again . . ."

Compassion flooded Uub's senses and he clapped the android on the back, "I wish you luck.

"Yeah," 17's eyes cleared and sharpened all at once as they met Uub's, "What were you doing when she scratched you?"

"What?" Uub was startled at the sudden suspicion.

"Why did she scratch you?"

"I . . . She . . ." Uub put his hands up in surrender, "She was fighting with her brother and I got in-between them."

17 was quiet for a long moment, his blue eyes never blinking.

"I see," 17 sneered at the young man before him, "You're a cop. I don't like cops."

Uub released the breathe he hadn't realized he was holding as the strange man disappeared into the shadows. He wasn't sure what he had done to earn 17's distrust but he had a feeling he was going to regret making an enemy of him. The only thing that had been confirmed that night was the person known as Sasoli Briefs was just as unpredictable as he had thought. This was going to be a long case.

Idly he made his back to his mugger. He had secured him in his car for safe keeping so he could deal with the vigilantes.

He sighed and kicked a random stone. What were they thinking? And, more importantly, what were they going to do with the killer had they caught him? In fact, he would like to know exactly what she was doing in the bar the other night. She had said she was 'undercover' but she was only company security.

Damn it! Nothing was making sense! She was putting herself in situations that she had no experience to handle. What the hell was she doing hitting on Thompson?!

Unless. . .

Some pieces fell into place as Uub rushed to his vehicle and threw it into drive. Could it be possible that the Scalpel was a woman?

End of Chapter Six

AN: Sorry for delay, finals and crap. Forgive me?