The Cell Game

Chapter 1: Agents

In a building, a woman sat at a desk, talking on a phone. "Is everything in place?"

A man answered on the other line, "You weren't supposed to relieve me."

"I know, but I felt like taking a shift."

"We're going to kill him. Do you understand that? He's going to die just like all the others."

"Goku believes he is The One."

"Do you?"

"I... it doesn't matter what I believe."

"You don't, do you?"

"If you have something to say, I suggest you say it to Goku."

"I intend to, believe me. Someone has to."

The woman heard a sound, a pop, on the phone. "Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?" the man answered.

"Are you sure this line is clean?"

"Yeah, of course I'm sure."

"I better go." The woman hung up the phone and started typing on the keyboard.

In the alley, a black car rolled up. Three androids got out of the car and walked towards the lieutenant. "Lieutenant?" One android said. "You were given specific orders."

"I'm just doing my job," he answered. "I think we can handle one little girl. I sent two units. They're bringing her down now."

"No, Lieutenant, your men are already dead," The android smirked and walked off.

Inside the building, the policeman were putting handcuffs on the woman when she kicked out her legs, sending the cop flying back against the wall. The police opened fire, bullets raking the wall. She snatched a gun in one cop's hand, and fired it, killing every cop. The woman took out her cell phone and called a number.

A voice answered on the other line, "Operator."

"Goku! The line was traced! I don't know how."

"I know. They cut the hardline. This line is not a viable exit." Goku sounded calm.

"Are there any androids?"

"Yes. Four."

"Darn!"

"You have to focus, Videl. There is a phone. You can make it. Go."

Videl dropped the phone and burst out the room just as an android entered the hall, leading another unit of police. She raced to the opposite end, exiting through a broken window onto the fire escape and up onto the roof. The android and police followed her. She began to jump from one roof to the next, landing in a glass window, and tumbled down the stairs.

"Come out! I know you're there!" The android said, ready to fire a chi blast.

Videl said to herself, "Get up, Videl. You're fine. Get up - just get up!

She stood, limped down the rest of the stairs, and emerged from the alley to see a phone ringing. Across the street, a garbage truck suddenly made a U-turn, accelerating fast. Videl saw the headlights of the truck arcing at the telephone booth.

She ran in the phone booth and answered the phone just as the truck crashed into the booth. After a moment, the android stepped out, followed by the other two, and inspected the wreckage. Videl was gone.

"She got out," the Agent 17 said.

"It doesn't matter," Agent Cell said.

"The informant is real," Agent 18 said.

Cell smiled. "Yes."

"We have the name of their next target. The name is Gohan."

"We'll need a search running."

Agent 17 reached up and touched his earpiece. "It's already begun."