Chapter Twenty-One

The situation at Capsule Corporation was a bit different, well the management was a bit different. After 18 had revealed the conversation she'd overheard to Bulma, the news had spread like wildfire among the inner circle and met with varied reactions.

No one told 17.

Uub and Sasoli had no idea they had been outed and continued their day as planned.

"Ok," Uub handed the case file to Saosli, "You review and I'll go question Vegeta."

"Ok," Sasoli took the case file and flipped it open, "Good luck."

Uub accepted the saying gratefully was off when he was grabbed by Bra of all people.

"Uub, just the person I wanted to see."

He was dragged to the basement.

"Uncle 17, can you do me a favor and give these to my mom," Bra picked up a random prototype and gave it to him.

"Sure," he took the package while eyeing the detective suspiciously.

After the android left Bra went on the attack.

"So tell me, you and Sasoli . . . you know, right, so how did her tail move that made you aware she wanted more? No, wait, start from the beginning."

She stared at him expectedly.

He stared back.

". . . What are you talking about?"

Bra harrumphed and opened her mouth to explain when Bardock entered the lab.

"Leave him alone, Bra," the older saiyan was unusually gruff, "If you want to know about saiyan tails then grow yours back."

"But-"

"Bra," Bardock was stern, "I think your mother called you over the intercom."

"Did she?" Bra left the lab reluctantly.

Uub exhaled relieved. He had felt like he was on the wrong end of an interrogation.

"So," Bardock met the younger man's eyes, "You touched her tail, huh?"

Uub stiffened, how on earth did Bardock find out about that?

"You did!" Bardock chuckled and nudged the detective, "Female saiyans. I used to wonder why the girls had tails, too, when I was young but then I met Kakarot's mom. Now, there was a saiyan who knew how to use her tail."

"Wait," Uub was a bit more forceful in his tone then he would have liked but, then again he had a point to get across. "Are you implying that Sasoli and I have . . ."

"Mated," Bardock finished with a smirk, "Why else would you be touching her tail?"

Uub turned a bright red then as he remembered the conversation he had earlier with her mother.

"But - I - we - it's not -"

Bardock tilted his head and waited for the Detective to just spit it out.

"She was the one to touch me with it," Uub finally managed.

"Even better," Bardock grinned toothily.

17 walked into the lab along with Bra who noticed Uub with surprise.

"You're still here?"

"I was just leaving."

The usually calm detective practically ran from the sublevel basement.

After about five minutes to calm his racing heart, Uub took another to process what had just happened. They thought he had slept with Sasoli. That was the only conclusion he could make . . . the innuendoes, nudges, and those questions.

His mind drifted back to the night before and he realized if she hadn't startled him, they might have. . .

He pulled at his collar as he became uncomfortably hot in his own skin.

They might have sealed the deal so to speak.

He ran a hand through his hair frustrated. How had they gotten to this point? That was what he wanted to know.

Truth be told, he had never been in a relationship that lasted beyond the first date. He wasn't the type of guy who just forgot his roots and sought out his own pleasure.

Heaven only knows how many girls he could have slept with on a whim if he wanted to but didn't. Alright so it wasn't that many. . . at least three . . . one for sure. . .

Uub was a man of conviction. If he wanted something then he worked hard until he earned it and he kept it.

Which was why he found his current predicament so daunting. It shouldn't have happened that way and what he'd said to her mother . . .

He groaned.

No wonder Sasoli could barely met him in the eye.

He was going to have to apologize . . . to them both. . .

"You don't look like you've touched a tail."

Uub's head snapped up to see a very amused Vegeta.

"But I guess I shouldn't compare you to an android, should I?"

Oh god . . . Uub broke out in a cold sweat, This is going to be a very long day.

Sasoli spent about twenty minutes reading through the interviews before becoming bored. Police work was tedious and unproductive, no wonder it took them so long to solve anything.

She flipped through the victim profiles, absently noting the similarities between them and herself.

I still think I'm perfect bait.

Her thoughts were interrupted when her mother threw down a file on her desk.

"Her termination is imminent," the full saiyan announced without preamble.

Sasoli picked up the folder and discovered it to be an employee profile. A young secretary with blue eyes . . . black hair . . .

"Why?" Her expression was deadly serious.

"She isn't here," Ava crossed her arms, "She obviously wishes to cease employment."

"She didn't call in?" Sasoli glanced at the victim profiles, noting all the similarities with the file in her hand.

Ava shook her head in the negative.

"We have a problem."

"I used to imagine Bulma with a tail . . ."

Uub was in a different sort of crisis. Then, an image forever burned in Uub's memory, an almost perverted grin crossed Vegeta's face as he went silent.

"Um, Vegeta . . . Have you been killing secretaries by any chance?" Uub desperately tried to change the subject.

Vegeta frowned, "Secretaries?"

Uub breathed a discrete sigh of relief as the saiyan stared off into space.

"Directly, no. Indirectly, probably. Why?"

"I just needed to eliminate you as a suspect," Uub sighed.

"Hn," Vegeta turned back to face Uub, "About Sasoli-"

"I've got to go."

Vegeta's frown deepened.

"I mean . . "

"Uub!" Goku swept in, "I've been looking all over for you!"

"Master Goku!" Uub was unbelievably happy to see the goofy saiyan.

Goku was unusually serious which put Uub on edge. "I need to speak with you," his eyes flicked to Vegeta, "alone."

Uub nodded solemnly and followed his master.

"Another time then."

Was all the detective got out before he was yanked around the corner.

After a quick check to make sure no one was within hearing distance, Goku leaned close to Uub. "What's going on? I heard . . ." Goku glanced around nervously again " . . . slept with Sasoli."

"What?" Uub's mouth dropped open. Even his master-

"I also heard you were touching her tail," Goku frowned.

Uub slapped a hand to his forehead.

"You shouldn't do that," Goku lectured. "A tail is very sensitive. When people grabbed it. I couldn't even move it hurt so much."

The detective was floored. He never even thought he might hurt her if he had touched it.

"Of course," Goku touched his chin in thought, "that was before I strengthened it. Still . . . it was sensitive."

"Goku, I didn't sleep with Sasoli," Uub was adamant.

"No?" Goku took in the faint blush, "Close though, ne?"

God, Uub's cheeks burned, I wouldn't be so embarrassed if I had slept with her.

Goku laughed, "You know, I used to imagine Chichi with a tail." His smile changed as his thoughts turned inward. Eerily the same grin Vegeta had just sported moments before.

"It's going to be a long day," the detective muttered miserably.

"Problem?" Ava raised a brow.

Sasoli dialed the employee's number while simultaneously turning on the television.

"Finally, luck has blessed a Capsule Corporation secretary. This brave young woman survived a brutal attack and had enough sense to call for help before it was too late."

Sasoli dropped the phone.

Ava lifted the other brow as well, "She was attacked?"

"Yes," Sasoli turned off the screen and started for the door.

"Oh, Sasoli," Ava smirked at her daughter, "that male is . . . an interesting choice. Appropriate but-"

"Mom, this morning," Sasoli fidgeted in the doorway, "Uub, he didn't know what he was saying. He thought he was reassuring you that I was perfectly safe in his presence."

Ava just met her look blandly, "And your tail?"

Sasoli winced, "That was my fault. I got carried away."

Ava smiled, "It would be hard not to around that one."

" . . . so I just wanted you to know - What?"

Ava positively giggled. She never giggled.

Sasoli's eyes grew wide.

"Your father is a handsome human," she shrugged, "but being what he is . . . doesn't allow for musculature. Something I see you won't have a problem with."

An appreciative smile.

Sasoli nodded, she had noticed that too, her tail twitched at the thought.

"So nothing happened?"

"We," Sasoli licked her lips, "kissed, and . . ."

"Got carried away," Ava finished, "and your tail 'popped out.'"

Sasoli nodded, not quite meeting her mother's eyes.

"Hmm, I see," Ava narrowed her eyes, "Why did you stop?"

Sasoli locked eyes with her then, "It never should have happened."

Ava smirked.

"We barely know each other."

She rolled her eyes, she had picked up the human gesture from 17.

It was effective.

She liked it.

"He's a detective and I'm a spy."

"And you've chosen anyway."

"Yes," Sasoli's mouth snapped close. She'd already admitted it to herself but to announce it aloud . . . to her mother . . . made it sound so final.

"He invited you to see what he brought to the mating. Your instincts must have been screaming," her dark eyes turned mysterious with feminine power, "I'm surprised you didn't jump him."

Sasoli crossed her arms self-consciously, "Well, it was a near thing."

Ava laughed delighted before she turned serious again. "You're denying your instincts. No good will come of it."

"It can't be helped," Sasoli's countenance hardened, "We're too . . . busy at the moment."

"Never stopped us before," Ava cocked her head, "It will be interesting to see what happens."

"What does that mean?" Sasoli demanded.

Ava put her nose in the air, "Don't you have to report an attack on one of my secretaries?"

Sasoli cursed and dashed out the door.

Uub felt he was a terrible person. He nearly worshiped the ground his Master Goku walked on for at least ten years and, now, all he wanted to do was find a polite way to ditch the saiyan.

Of course the topic of conversation wasn't helping.

"Chichi would be cooking with her tail swinging back and forth."

Then an angel came sweeping down the hallway majestically to rescue him.

Okay, it was Sasoli and she was running towards him with a determined glare.

"Uub," she slid a little on the floor but caught herself before he could steady her, "We've got another victim."

"What?" Uub frowned as he realized he hadn't seen Himbon and Beasely.

"She's alive. A witness," Sasoli was elated as the possibilities dawned on her. They could free the boys, get the company back on track, get married . . . Wait . . .

"We have to get to the police station," Uub was perplexed. Why hadn't they called him?

"Right, let me grab the file," Sasoli was off, "I'll met you at the car!"

Uub hummed to himself in agreement.

"She's a good fighter."

Uub jumped, now he knew he was an awful person. He'd forgotten all about his master Goku.

"Is she?" Uub honestly didn't know. He'd only witnessed brief attacks and skirmishes. Not enough information to evaluate her skill.

"You don't know," Goku hooted with laughter, "With her you'll never need another sparring partner. She's trained with almost everybody."

"Really," Uub was intrigued but as always there was work to be done. "Sorry, I've got to go."

"Okay, I've got to guard the door." Goku smiled and waved.

Back to business, Uub started looking for his capsule car.

Ava stepped from her daughter's office to find she was surrounded by the women who worked on the thirty-first floor.

An assassination attempt?

"Problem?" She purred.

"Yes, you," the same outspoken redhead Ave noted, "You're going to quit."

Ava arched a brow.

"Impossible. The Vegeta line never quits."

"Then we'll make you quit."

The circle tightened threateningly.

Ava got them all off guard by laughing.

"Then make me," she slid smoothly into a stance.

The women attacked.

"This is bullshit," Sasoli glared at the file.

Uub glanced at her from the corner of his eye as he parked the car. They had made surprisingly good time driving and it had allowed Sasoli to finish her absorption of the police file.

She slammed the door.

Uub capsulated it and took the case file from her.

"What's wrong?"

"They have one piece of circumstantial evidence, speculation really, and they're holding the boys in jail!"

"Sasoli-"

"No," her blue eyes were aflame with purpose, "You go talk to your fellow detectives."

"What are you going to do?"

"Get everyone out of jail," she stomped off.

Uub's brow creased as he did as ordered. It was time to find out what the hell was going on.

Goku and Vegeta were guarding the door when three secretaries came running at them.

"She's being attacked," they cried and pulled on their arms, "Come quick! They'll kill her!"

Goku immediately took off with them and then paused, "Aren't you coming Vegeta?"

"Our mission is to guard the door. You go."

"Right."

"It is a gross misconduct of civil rights. You have no evidence to place them at the scene of the crimes, you have no witnesses, no murder weapon, and absolutely no right to hold them in prison until you do!" Sasoli ranted.

She was nose to nose with the DA and not budging.

"You will release them right now or I will not only sue this police station for breaking the very laws it's sworn to uphold, I'll sue the city for housing such a corrupt system, and I'll sue you personally for obstruction of justice."

The DA paled and disappeared.

Sasoli smiled coldly at all the bystanders as she tapped her foot impatiently. They were either going to comply with her wishes or throw her out.

A lowly prison guard appeared.

Sasoli narrowed her eyes at him.

He flinched.

"We can't release them, right now. They're in solitary confin-"

"They are innocent men and you will release them now," she spat and was satisfied when he jumped to comply.

A second later Zarah and Trunks appeared still decked out in their prison gear.

"Where's Son Goten?" Sasoli demanded.

"Well, you see . . ." the guard cringed at her glare, "His charge is different. He broke the glass-"

"No, he didn't," Trunks accepted his clothes from a shaking police officer, "I did."

"There you go," Sasoli jumped on it, "He's innocent. Let him go."

"But-"

"NOW!"

"Yes, ma'am."

The Briefs watched with mild amusement as all the officers scrambled to obey that one.

"What took you so long?" Trunks quipped.

Sasoli glared at him.

"How long ago did you pass the bar?" Zarah queried.

A discrete stomp to his foot later and the cop reappeared with a very grateful Son Goten.

"Sasoli," he bear-hugged her, "Thank god, I think my mom was about to commit suicide."

The Briefs males rolled their eyes at the display of gratitude.

"Then shouldn't you go stop her," Sasoli's tone was concerned though her manner was irritated as she tried to get down.

Goten put her down and shook his head.

"No, that kind of thing can take all day."

"Did they give you back the ring, Goten?" Trunks swooped in on his best friend.

A bright grin was his answer.

Trunks hooted his delight.

Zarah leaned in to whisper to his sister, "Hard to believe we're all going to be related by marriage and blood."

Sasoli nodded before glancing around for Uub. He should have been here already. Where was he?

Goku came around the corner and was horrified to discover a pile of unresponsive females. The three that had retrieved him for help fled in terror.

Ava sat atop the pile, calmly writing a list of names on a paper.

"Kakarot, please escort these women to the door. They no longer work here."

She slid off the pile and sauntered away, already planning her next move.

"Oh, and be careful. Some of them have broken bones."

Goku studied the human pile and smiled as he realized they were all touching.

An instant transmission later and Goku was proud of a job well done. That's when Vegeta yelled at him to take them to the hospital and come back.

Overall, a very successful day.

Uub's day was turning nightmarish in comparison. First he got engaged on accident, had a horribly misleading conversation with the mother of his partner, which everyone found out about and felt compelled to share personal experiences with him, and now this?They were trying to shut him out of the case.

"Golden boy is just trying to impress his ex-girlfriend!"

Correction, Himbon was trying to get him thrown off the case.

"Ex-girlfriend?" Chief Dumass frowned consternated by the news, "You had a girlfriend?"

"It has no bearing on the case," Uub copped out.

"He's right," Beasely was supportive, "Sasoli is not a liability but-"

"Sasoli?" Chief Dumass sat up, "Sasoli Briefs?"

Uub sighed.

"The one and only," Himbon announced triumphantly, "He's even shown her the case file."

Chief Dumass was on his feet.

"Wait - I thought -" Uub frowned.

"You gave her the case file!"

Everyone went quiet at the angry sound of the Chief's voice.

"You gave a rent-a-cop ex-girlfriend an official on-going case file?"

Uub met the Chief's furious eyes evenly.

"No, Himbon left an on-going case file in her hands to give to me."

The chief took a step back and observed as the detective's glared death at each other.

"Beasely."

Beasely flinched as all three men looked at him to settle the dispute.

"I think we should get back to the case at hand. We have a stabbing victim who's claimed to be attacked by a man in a cast."

Uub filed away the new information in his mind.

It didn't match.

The killer usually drugged his victims and killed them by slashing their throats. He had to have two hands. One to subdue the victim and the other to hold the drug over the victim's mouth.

Nearly impossible for a man with a cast on his arm.

"Yes, that's what we should be talking about," Chief Dumass' eyes were hard, "About why a serial killer would change his habits."

"Obviously, the reason is the upped security at Capsule Corp." Himbon rubbed his forearm in memory. He had been detained in the hallway by the shorter one and only his badge had convinced the thug to let him proceed. "You should see the brainless thugs they hired."

"Goku and Vegeta are not brainless thugs," Uub snapped without thinking.

Beasely winced.

"Goku? Vegeta?" The Chief was incensed, "Well, it seems you know everybody at Capsule Corp."

"Why is he even on the case?" Himbon was positively gleeful, "Isn't he too close or something?"

Beasely gave him an odd look.

The Chief and Uub locked gazes. They both knew exactly why Uub was on the case at all: To keep the Briefs happy and the money to the police flowing.

"You will be allowed to continue gathering Intel for the case but you will no longer be allowed access to any new evidence."

Uub and Beasely were stunned by the grave announcement while Himbon was positively bouncing off the walls.

The phone rang and was snatched up by the irate chief.

"This isn't right," Beasely muttered just loud enough for Uub to hear.

"I see," the Chief's tone was sharp enough to cut, "It seems Ms. Briefs the lawyer has just liberated three possible murderers."

Uub shrugged, "How can they be the murderers if they were in jail at the time of the attack?"

The detective left the room while his boss choked with rage.

Uub had to find Sasoli.

"Uub! Wait!"

Uub paused and turned to find Detective Beasely panting after him.

"I'll slip you what I can," the winded detective managed, "Something isn't right."

Uub nodded his agreement, things hadn't been right for awhile.

"He said something to the victim."

"What?"

"The perp, he trailed her to her house. He attacked her when she tried to get out of her car. He said, 'I found you.' He stabbed her twice viciously and then she said he stopped to really look at her. 'You're not her.' He spat and walked away."

"Description?" Uub would have to think about that one.

Beasely shook his head frustrated, "The only clear thing she could remember was he had green eyes and a cast on his right hand."

Uub swore softly under his breathe.

"I know," Beasely rubbed the back of his neck, "but it's more than we had."

"And it clears the Briefs and Goten," Uub frowned, it cleared Himbon too, he had blue eyes.

He blinked, Why did-

"Yeah, I guess it does," Beasely glanced around, "The Chief is still pissed, though."

Uub snorted and started down the hallway.

"Where are you going?"

"I have intel to gather," Uub responded sarcastically, and a female saiyan to find.

"Do we have to wait for Uub?" Trunks whined, "He knows where we work."

Sasoli gave him a look and the now restored President of Capsule Corp. stopped his stint and pouted.

Goten snickered as Zarah whispered something in his ear.

Sasoli watched them wearily as Trunks joined them and also started to laugh. She didn't want to know.

She didn't.

She really didn't want to know why they were sneaking glances at her and laughing.

She didn't.

"Sasoli."

A smile lit her face automatically as she faced Uub.

The laughter increased.

She glared at them.

"What's so funny?" Uub inquired lightly as he nudged her arm.

They laughed harder.

"I should have let you rot," Sasoli stuck her nose in the air. She gasped as she was shoved to the side as a shorter dark-haired female launched herself at Zarah.

"Zarah!"

Zarah caught his wife and immediately stuck his face into her hair.

"Pan," he sighed blissfully, "I missed you."

"I missed you, too," Pan whacked him, "Don't ever get involved with Trunks' schemes again!"

Zarah set her down, ignoring his now aching head, "How did you know?"

"My mom used to work with the police," Pan shrugged and kissed her husband senseless.

The cops hooted and cat-called until Sasoli glared at them and they decided to move on.

Trunks and Goten brightened as they imagined their reunions, though Trunks was just dreaming. Maron was far too reserved to do what he was thinking . . . in public.

Sasoli cleared her throat and was ignored. She repeated the action and was not acknowledged that time either.

Truly irritated she went closer to the oblivious couple with serious plans to damaging one or both of them when Zarah's tail circled his wife's waist. Sasoli gasped and started yelling at her brother about basic decency.

Uub found his eyes glued to Zarah's tail and Pan's casual acceptance of it's touch before he forced himself to glance away.

"It's fascinating, isn't it?" Trunks was at his ear suddenly, "The tail? How it moves. Reacts."

Uub took a step to distance himself, "Don't you have one?"

"No," Trunks smirked, "All the more interesting, hmm?"

Goten grinned, "Gohan used to tell me about his tail. He said it was really sensitive."

Uub kept a straight face, "So I heard."

"Really?" Trunks glanced at Goten, "How much did we miss in prison?"

"I don't know, Trunks," Goten took the question seriously, "I bet Bra knows."

Uub paled to Trunks' delight.

"Ahem," Sasoli got everyone's attention that time, "We need to go back to work."

Trunks sighed sadly, "Play time's over."

"Yes," Zarah reluctantly parted with his wife, "The cows won't bring themselves in."

They started moving to the exit when Goten leaned over to Uub.

"Cows?"

"I'm not sure he meant - Do you have cows at Capsule Corp.?" Uub was flabbergasted, he really didn't know.

"I'm not sure. Maybe-"

"No, we don't," Sasoli glared at the snickering Trunks and Zarah. "It's an expression."

Goten was still confused so Uub decided to change the subject.

"Excited to see Bra?"

Goten flushed but grinned happily, "Yeah, though probably not as much as she will be when she sees me."

Uub nodded politely, though he didn't quite understand the comment.

Sasoli leaned into him, "They're already married in saiyan terms. They're just going through the motions of the wedding for their moms."

"Oh," was the only comment Uub could really make.

End of Chapter Twenty-One

AN: I can't be stopped::Computer turns off suddenly and without warning losing all information: Ok, maybe I can. :Sigh: Why me . . . :Brightens when notices all the reviwes: At least I haven't lost my fan base! Thanks to all who reviewed. I hope you enjoy the chapter!