Disclaimer: I don't own Dragonball z

Chapter 18

The War Resumes

Videl tried not to panic. How had the last two weeks gone by so quickly? And she hadn't been alone for a second; there had been a guard with her twenty-four hours a day, her cell phone confiscated, her days off suspended and her father held on the base. She had no choice. She hated herself; she felt that she had betrayed Gohan and his family. But there was still hope. Hope that she had underestimated the Saiyans abilities. She wasn't strong enough to fight them.

"We're approaching the target, get ready," the commander ordered. She sighed and pulled her night vision goggles down. She truly loathed herself. She looked through the front window of the truck. There was Capsule Corp, dark save for the security lights that promptly went out as the power was cut. She turned and looked at the other soldiers in the truck. None of them were handcuffed. They were all there willingly, putting their lives on the line for their planet, or so they believed. 'Idiots,' Videl thought, 'They're not laying their lives down, they're bowing to our future masters.'

"Satan, don't stray from my side, or I'll put a bullet in you," said the commander. Videl nodded. That had been the threat of choice for the past two weeks, since General Greed had asked her about Saiyans. She had tried to deny any knowledge but then the pictures had come out. Pictures of her with Appura, with Appura's tail on show, Vegeta in his armour. Pictures of all of them in their Saiyan gear at the funeral of Ima's mother, of Goten and Trunks displaying their strength and Goku carrying entire trees on his shoulder. She couldn't deny it. They had cornered her, threatening her father in the process.

The truck stopped and the soldiers piled out. General Greed was there already. "The Energy Shields are already activated, they'll prevent the Saiyans from being able to detect you," he announced, "And our tech guys should be hacked into the surveillance cameras in a matter of minutes. You are aiming for the fifth floor, that's the bedrooms." Videl looked up at the house in the distance. She had spent a few nights in those rooms, once in Gohan's arms. That had been the most embarrassing part, when they had started asking about her relationship with Gohan. When had she first gotten involved with him? When had she started sleeping with him? Had there been any 'accidents'? They had wanted to know if Gohan had gotten her pregnant at any point. More embarrassingly they had started asking if there had been any indications she would be passed on to Goku or Vegeta, or if either of the two older men had ever made a pass at her. Videl shuddered at the thought. The very idea seemed wrong. Then they had wanted to know how Gohan's Saiyan heritage had affected him in bed. Aside from losing control once or twice, it hadn't affected him in any way that Videl could tell. Then again, she had no basis for comparison. She had scolded herself for running away from Gohan at the first sign of trouble. If she had stayed with him, maybe it would be her up in those bedrooms, maybe it would be her cradled safely in his arms…maybe it would have been her child whom Gohan had fathered. She blinked and shook her head. No, she had to keep a clear head, now was not the time for regrets. She had made her decision. If she was meant to be with Gohan, fate would have led her back to him before Appura had gotten there.

"Security footage is online," said a voice. Videl peered around the commander's shoulder. A set of screens had been set up next to a truck. There were six screens. On one were Vegeta and Bulma, Bulma's parents on another, Goku and Chi-Chi, Gohan and Appura, Trunks and Goten, and finally Kabu asleep in his crib. Videl felt another twinge of guilt.

"Alpha team with me," said the commander, "That means you, Satan." Videl felt a tug on her arm and was pulled along to the main doors.

The doors slid open as the technical team overrode the household systems. Alpha team moved in. They were on edge; Videl could see it in their faces. They needed to reign it in otherwise the Energy Shields they had been given would be useless. That would be bad. Their agitated Ki's would wake the sleeping Saiyans upstairs, which would be very bad indeed. The one thing that seemed to be going Videl's way was the fact that the team was taking the long way round the house. It gave her more time, more time to figure out a way to escape, to warn the Saiyans. They had reached the stairs. As they were climbing, Videl saw the beads of sweat on the commander's forehead. His eyes were twitching from side to side. He was starting to panic. The team had closed in on itself. Videl took her chance and slipped away from them, finding a staircase hidden in a hall closet. She ran up the next three flights of stairs, arriving on the fifth floor, the family bedrooms. She was just emerging from an identical closet when she heard a crackle on her radio. 'Satan, where the hell are you?' the General hissed. She slammed her hand onto the radio. She swivelled around and saw a familiar panel on the wall. She bent down, switching off her radio. She tapped the button. "Isis?" she whispered.

"Greetings, Videl Satan," the internal communications system replied.

"Isis, activate the Home Invasion Alarm, authority code, Vegas Sierra One, confidential," Videl whispered, hoping the old code Bulma had once given her still worked.

"Authority code recognised. Home Invasion Alarm activated in five, four…" Videl quickly swivelled back around and fled back into the secret staircase. She was on the fourth floor when a high-pitched alarm started blaring through the house. She had just made it out the second floor closet as the Alpha team reappeared with Beta team right behind them.

Son Goku was up the second the alarm sounded. He immediately raced for the stairway just a few feet from the door of the guest bedroom he was sleeping in. He was in a panic. He could sense no unusual Ki's in the house but knew something had to have triggered the alarm. He could sense Vegeta close behind him. He was just stepping out onto third floor when a spark caught his eye, a flash of green. He gave a yell and stumbled backwards onto Vegeta as a shower of bullets peppered the wall right behind where he had been standing. The bullets stopped and Goku heard clicking. He looked at the wall. A bright pink liquid was oozing out of the cracks in the wall. He sniffed the air. Something about that liquid smelt bad. There was a gleam of silver on the floor. He quickly snatched it up and ran back up the stairs with Vegeta quickly behind him.

"What the hell is going on? Why didn't we sense those soldiers entering the house?" Vegeta barked as the others began appearing.

"I don't know, but that pink stuff, it just reeks of bad, like some part of me is saying to keep away from it," replied Goku, "And then there's this." He opened his hand and revealed the sliver of metal he'd found on the floor. Bulma cast a quick glance at it before doing a double-take.

"That's impossible," she said, "Capsule Corp developed that alloy, and I'd recognise it on sight. Look at the shine, but you can still see the grain."

"What is it for?" Vegeta asked.

"We developed it for a World Army contract, this is the strongest alloy we have on this planet," Bulma explained, "Stronger than the Capsule Ships we made for going to Namek."

"How strong?" Goku asked. Bulma looked him right in the eye.

"Strong enough to pierce Saiyan skin easily," she said.

"Shit!" Vegeta cursed, "They've come for us. They've found out who we are and have come for us." A small cry drew their attention to the others. Appura was cradling Kabu in her arms, trying to sooth her distressed son.

"Vegeta, if that pink stuff is what I think it is, and their bullets are made of this stuff," Goku said, "They're probably not planning on taking us alive. There's too much interference coming off whatever is blocking their ki for me to use Instant Transmission and we've got to get the kids out."

"Agreed," said Vegeta, "Let's go. We can force our way past the soldiers easily enough."

"Take the closet stair just in case they're on their way up," said Bulma, "Chi-Chi and I can give them the run-around, buy you some time."

"Thanks Bulma," said Goku.

"Thank me later, now go," Bulma ordered her eldest friend.

"Mom, I'm scared," said Trunks.

"It'll be ok, son," Bulma said, bending down to hug him, "I'm a well-known human civilian. I'm not worth the hassle they'd get from killing me. I'll be fine." She gave Trunks a hug and a kiss.

"Now all of you go!" she barked as she stood up. She watched as the Saiyans disappeared down the stairs. She turned to Chi-Chi.

"C'mon, we've got to go make some noise," she said.

"I don't like this Kakarot," Vegeta muttered under his breath, "I don't like not knowing how many there are or where they are."

"Neither do I," Goku said as they reached the bottom step, "But if those bullets can pierce our skin, we have to be careful." He carefully opened the door and looked around.

"All clear and it's a clear run to the front door," he said.

"Dad, that doesn't seem good," Gohan said, looking up from Kabu.

"No it doesn't, but we have no choice," said Goku.

"No choice except to walk out the front door straight into the arms of our enemy," Vegeta spat.

"C'mon, let's go," said Goku. He pushed open the door. He was followed by Gohan, Appura and Kabu, Goten, Trunks, Tarble with Vegeta bringing up the rear. The Saiyans quietly picked their way across the hall, stopping every so often to listen for the soldiers. The only noise they heard was Bulma and Chi-Chi shouting and throwing things. They were mere feet away from the door when Appura froze. She could hear something outside.

"What's wrong, Appura?" Tarble asked.

"Oh no, not good," she replied, barging forwards past Goku. She led them up to the doors which opened. Dozens of helicopters surrounded the house, the combined force of their spinning blades whipping the air up causing Appura's hair to fly about. There were shouts from the soldiers that littered the yard. "Shit, we'll never get past all of them," said Gohan, "Back inside now!" The Saiyans turned and ran back into the house.

"Ok, new plan," said Goku as they ran back to the main hall way.

"There's a secret escape tunnel underneath the kitchen floor," Appura said, "If we have enough time, we can all get through it."

"There isn't enough time," Vegeta said, "Those humans outside I can sense and they're coming for us!"

"Then I say the kids go through the tunnel," said Goku, "Where does it lead, Appura?"

"Outside the city," Appura replied, "We'd be able to just fly away."

"Sounds good, you and Gohan will take the boys, as soon as you are out of the city, you go to Master Roshi's," said Goku, "Your dad, Tarble and I will hold them off."

"Dad…" Gohan started.

"Don't argue with me son, I will find you there," said Goku, "Your mom and I will come to Master Roshi's. We will find you."

"But Dad…"

"No buts," said Goku, "Look, you grew up without me around, and as well as you turned out, and I don't want Kabu to go through the same thing. You're a father now Gohan, Kabu is your priority; he needs his father to protect him." Gohan didn't say a word.

"Go! Go! To the tunnel!" Goku ordered. Appura turned on her heel and ran for the kitchen, Goten and Trunks right behind her. Gohan lingered for a moment before following.

Appura was right; there was a secret tunnel under the kitchen. She merely had to touch a panel by the kitchen door and the internal system opened it for her. Goten and Trunks went in first. Appura handed Kabu to Gohan before lowering herself in. Gohan handed Kabu to her before jumping in himself. The hatch sealed itself behind him.

"They'll be fine," came Appura's voice in the darkness.

"I hope you're right," he said.

Vegeta watched as his son, his daughter and his grandson vanished into the kitchen. He turned and looked at the younger Saiyans next to him. Tarble looked scared. Kakarot looked solemnly at Vegeta.

"You know we're not likely to get through this in one piece," he said.

"I know," the Saiyan Prince replied, "But I won't go down without a fight. We probably should have sent Tarble with them."

"No!" said Tarble suddenly, "No, the King's second son always protects the bloodline of the first. It is my duty and my honour to protect your children, brother." Vegeta almost smiled. The three turned and faced the door.

"Well, let's not keep them waiting," he said, powering up to Super Saiyan. Kakarot followed suit. All three ran at the door, bursting out and taking to the air. The city seemed to burst with life after the apparent emptiness of the house. All those Ki's fluttering about. It almost blinded Vegeta's mind. He took out two of the helicopters swiftly, Kakarot took out three, and Tarble managed one. The soldiers on the ground opened fire.

Vegeta dodged those strange bullets the humans had easily. The helicopters soon opened fire too, forcing the three Saiyans down onto the ground. Vegeta saw a soldier lining up a shot at Tarble's back. His instincts kicked in. "Tarble, look out!" he shouted, running over and knocking his brother to the side. The shot rang out as Tarble hit the ground. Vegeta felt a peculiar sensation, made even stranger by the wide-eyed look Tarble was giving him. He looked down. His red Saiyan blood was staining his clothes. He touched it with his fingers. As he did so, he could almost feel his ki falling away from his grasp. He fell to his knees as the other Saiyans stared in disbelief. Two more shots rang out in quick succession and two more Saiyans fell to the ground as Bulma and Chi-Chi were pulled from the house in handcuffs.