Hiyas fellow AsuCaga fans! I'm here to bring you the much awaited 15th chapter of The Zala Files. In this chapter Athrun will be briefly questioning the suspects just so you can get a feel for who you may think the murderer or murderers really are. It will be longer than the last chapter, but shorter that the 13 page 12th chapter. -giggles- there is a reason for these short chappies I promise you...I'm working on how to fully prove who the murderer really is. I hope you all like this chapter..it is the product of some spur of the moment writing of mine. I just got an idea the other day and ran with it, so I hope you all enjoy. -smiles-

Disclaimer: I do not own GS, GSD, or the AsuCaga happiness that runs throughout this whole story. It would be nice if I did though. -giggles-

-The Zala Files- Chapter 15: Swingers Night Club pt.I-

-December City. March 8th,CE 75. Location: Zala Country Estate. Time: 10am. -

Athrun threw on his usual maroon shirt with his black pants and shoes, his black Chinese style jacket, and pulled the Haumea amulet out so it rested outside of his jacket. He took the jewel in his hands and fingered it. He smiled as he held it tenderly in his hand and thought: "I'm so glad to be able to be in your life again Cagalli. I will live up to the honor you have bestowed upon me by giving me this piece of your heart." He then made his way down to the kitchen and had a quick breakfast before stepping outside and into his black convertible. Auel was intent on discussing the case with him before he left so he would be prepared when he met Athrun there later on.

Auel handed Athrun the umbrella that he'd left inside and asked curiously: "How many suspects did you say there were again?"

Athrun placed the umbrella in the back seat and put his sunglasses on: "Nicol said there were nine people there the night of Tolle's murder. He's assembled them all there right now per my request."

Auel raised a sky blue eyebrow in curiosity: "This might not be any of my business, but what about Lady Cagalli? Isn't she coming to the questioning with you?"

Athrun shook his head as he buckled his seat belt: "No...not with me. The last thing she said to me before she left was that she'd meet me at the club."

Auel smirked in his direction: "She left rather late last night. Did you drive her home?"

Athrun turned a bright shade of red in embarrassment and stammered: "S-she didn't ..."

Auel chuckled at his awkward state and further pressed him: "She didn't...what?"

Athrun turned his red face away from the nosy Auel and mumbled: "I slept at her place last night, then left early this morning and came back to sleep in my own bed so you wouldn't ask me all these annoying questions early in the morning." ... "There...are you happy now?!"... "Was that enough to fuel your imagination for the day?!"

Auel chuckled and nodded: "Yes..Yes..that'll do for the day. So...will the council let Lady Cagalli out of her meetings?"... " What about Seran-san?"... "Won't he ask her where she's going?"... "And let's not forget Lord Kira, I'm sure he'll have questions too."

Athrun chuckled at Auel's inquisitive nature: "She has no council meetings for the rest of this week and Lord Kira is with Lady Lacus Clyne touring a few cities to promote the peace treaty."

Auel nodded and then smirked again: "You still haven't answered me about Seran-san...is he still out of town?"

Athrun turned a slight red and coughed: "Yes...he is...he'll be gone for another week or two at least."

Auel grinned: "Just let me know when you want me out of the house..." He winked in Athrun's direction: "If you know what I mean."

Athrun turned bright red as he started his car: "A-Auel-san!"... "Knock it off."

Auel chuckled: "Okay...Okay..I'm done this time...I promise."... "Sorry for holding you up. I'll be there by one o'clock like we planned."

Athrun nodded as he adjusted his rear view mirror: "Good...okay...I'll see you then Auel-san." He waved goodbye to the sky blue-haired boy and drove towards the direction of his friend's club. His friend Heine and Kira's friend Tolle had been partners in keeping that night club alive for the past four years now, so poor Heine's nerves must've been shattered beyond belief. His other friends Dearkka, Rusty, and Miguel frequented that club quite often. Miguel and Rusty were even part time help there. It troubled Athrun that Miriallia, Cagalli's friend; was on the list of suspects along with his other friends. Miri had been Tolle's girlfriend a few years ago before she started dating Dearkka, and one year later when that relationship tanked, she was now very much single as far as Athrun knew. Poor Dearkka had been literally crying on his shoulder for months after that breakup. He seemed to be doing a lot better now as he's been out with a few other girls since then. When Athrun pulled into the club's parking lot, he didn't know what to expect. It wasn't until he stepped inside the club known as the "Swingers Night Club," that he was fully able to notice the depressed and chaotic state the club and everyone in it were in. It was then that he heard a disgusted voice from behind him: "Well...you bastard. You're finally here I see. You sure took your sweet time."

Athrun sighed heavily: "Nice to see you too Yzak."

The silver-haired Duel pilot hissed: "Do you have any idea how hard it is to keep several pissed off and depressed people in one room together without getting torn apart?!"

Athrun casually took off his sunglasses and answered back calmly: "I can't say that I've dealt with a lot of depressed people, but put all the pissed off people together in one room and that would equal all the nasty verbal abuse I get from you on a daily basis."

Yzak growled at the calm and cool Athrun: "Whatever...I've held them back for as long as I could, now you deal with them...Commander Zala."... "Where's the damn bar in this place?!" He stalked off angrily in the direction of the bar that Dearkka had pointed him in.

Dearkka sighed heavily and ran his fingers through his unruly blonde hair: "I swear...everyday he just gets angrier and angrier. If I could just shoot him with tranquilizer darts I would totally shoot him with about eight of them."

Athrun chuckled: "The anger management classes not working?"

Dearkka shook his head and heaved another heavy sigh: "Don't even get me started on that. I feel sorry for Shiho since she's the one who has to live with him. Hopefully they'll still be going out when it's over."

Athrun glanced over his shoulder to look at Miri and asked in a concerned tone: "How's Miri doing?"

Dearkka shook his head: "She's pretty upset about it. Even though they weren't dating anymore, they were still good friends."... "I wish there was something I could do...but I'm suspected too so if I try to do anything...I'll get hauled away."

Athrun glanced over at Miriallia who was having a drink of water at the bar. Heine was doing his best to try and console her. He excused himself from Dearkka and went over to take a seat next to Miri. He placed a supportive hand on her shoulder: "Miri...it's me Athrun."

Miriallia looked up at him with tears in her baby blue eyes: "Athrun...I'm so glad you're okay."

Athrun raised a blue eyebrow in curiosity: "Hmmm?"... "Why wouldn't I be?" He thought for a minute and his eyes widened as he remembered that Miri had been there the morning he snuck out of Cagalli's room three years ago never to see her again until recently. He nodded and smiled: "Well...thank you for your concern about me Miri...I'm back for good this time...and what's most important is that you're okay and safe." He handed her a handkerchief from his pocket.

Miriallia smiled through her tears and accepted the light blue handkerchief as she wiped her eyes with the corners of it: "The guys have been sitting here with me trying to lift my spirits a little bit."

Heine handed her another glass of water and shook his head: "I hate seeing girls cry. It's just so...it really hits you right in the heart you know?"... "It makes you wanna go right out there and drag the son of a bitch who caused it in here and beat the crap out of them."

Athrun nodded intently in his friend's direction: "I understand what you mean...but we can't rush headlong into this..we need to take it piece by piece. First I'll find out who did it and then I'll beat the crap out of them." He noticed Miri and his red-headed friend holding hands at the counter as he talked.

Heine noticed Athrun eying him and chuckled: "Didn't I tell you?"... "Miri and I are dating as of last week."

Athrun's emerald eyes widened in shock: "Really?"... "What happened with LunaMaria-san?"

Heine shook his head: "It just wasn't working out. She was starting to pick fights with me and any girl that talked to me. One day, my mother came in to talk to me about coming over for dinner and Luna thought she was a girl trying to pick me up!"... "My mother was flattered, but I was so freakin embarrassed it wasn't even funny...the whole bar was staring at me and calling me a whipped puppy."... "Boy was that one embarrassing night."

Athrun chuckled at his friend's unfortunate circumstances when it came to girls: "Geez...I guess Luna hasn't changed since she went out with..." Before he could finish his sentence, a voice equal in anger to Yzak's growled: "What the hell are you doing here?"... "Traitors aren't welcome here."

Athrun turned around to come face to face with Shinn Asuka, another ace pilot of ZAFT. His red eyes flared with the same anger Athrun had seen in them when the boy was fighting a battle, only this time the anger was directed at him. Athrun looked him square in the eye and replied coolly: "Well...if it isn't young Master Shinn Asuka of Asuka Technological Industries. It's been awhile hasn't it?"... "You still seem to hate me as much as ever I see. Maybe you should sit over on that side of the room..." He pointed to where Yzak was sitting and grumbling over his drink. Athrun flashed a small smirk in Shinn's direction as he finished: "...that's the screaming room."

Shinn sniffed and then smirked: "Trust me. I haven't missed you or that self righteous attitude of yours. Ever since you started working at home, the ZAFT base has been so relaxing...and the girls on the base are a lot more focused than they were when you were traipsing about the obstacle course shirtless."

Athrun casually ran his fingers through his neck length navy blue hair and smirked: "It's not my fault that I happen to sweat after a workout like that...if those girls stare at me then that's there own business, not yours. Also, when my father shows up to personally train your unit you won't be so relaxed...trust me." He then noticed a shy and pretty blonde girl in a white and blue sun dress standing next to the angry brunette: "You must be Miss Stellar Loussier...it's nice to meet you." He smiled politely and shook her outstretched hand.

Stellar nodded and smiled back: "Just Stellar is fine thank you... Lord Zala. Nice to meet you too."

Athrun nodded and smiled in response: "You can call me Athrun. Lord Zala is too formal for me." He chuckled to himself as the blonde nodded shyly, he thought: "Boy...she must have the heart of a lion to be able to put up with Shinn." Once Miguel and Rusty were present and had chatted him up, the second to last person Athrun was waiting for appeared showed up with a punky looking green haired guy following her.

LunaMaria smoothed out her pink mini skirt and briefly played around with her hair while she greeted Athrun with a flirty smile: "Nice to see you again Athrun-san." She looked around the room briefly and then asked: "Is my sister Meyrin with you?"

Athrun smiled and shook his head: "Nice to see you too...and no...she's visiting your folks, she'll be back next week, so it's just me today." He glanced behind her and asked curiously: "Who's your friend?"

Luna glanced behind her: "Oh...this is Mr. Sting Oakley. He's head of a major law firm here in December City."

Sting bowed politely to Athrun: "It's a pleasure to meet you Lord Zala. I've worked on some cases for your father this past year."

Athrun raised a blue eyebrow in curiosity: "Father never mentioned he was in any kind of trouble." He thought to himself: "Why did he hire a lawyer from out of town to represent him?"... "Father...what's going on in that head of yours?"

Sting shook his head: "Oh..it was nothing big don't worry. Just some small claims matters."

Athrun nodded : "I see." He glanced around the room and sighed heavily to himself: "I guess she's not coming." He turned to face everyone in the room and began the questioning: "Okay. Here's how it's gonna work...I'm going to ask each of you one question individually starting with Heine and ending with Mr. Oakley. First off...Heine...you found the body. Did you notice any fatal wounds?"

Heine shook his head firmly: "None that I could see...but..." he held up a sealed plastic bag in his hand with an empty vial in it: "...I did find this out in the alley after the police took the body away."

Athrun's emerald eyes widened in shock: "I've seen that vial before...that's the same drug that was used to poison Lord Uzumi last week...and nearly Lady Cagalli too."

Shinn muttered under his breath: "Good riddance if you ask me."

Athrun shot the red eyed boy a death glare so horrible it caused him to step back a little: "Speaking of asking you...where were you when Mr. Koenig was murdered last night?"

Shinn let out a frustrated huff and ran his fingers through his unruly short dark brown hair: "I was here having a drink with Stellar. She just got home from her job as a principle dancer at the ballet company down town."

Athrun nodded: "Okay...that's an acceptable answer." He then flashed the boy a smirk: "You're underage though...at least for the really hard drinks...so you shouldn't be drinking sake. Still using that fake ID I see." He chuckled at Shinn's pissed off face and then turned to Miriallia: "Miri...you were here to see Heine right?" Out of the corner of his eye, Athrun noticed Luna glare jealously at Shinn and Stellar and then at Miriallia and Heine.

Miriallia nodded as she took a sip of water: "Yes...I was talking to him, Miguel, and Rusty all night. I even helped them wait some tables."

Rusty nodded in agreement: "Yup...it was pretty busy last night so we needed all the help we could get."

Miguel also nodded in response: "Yes...and it was heaven sent that she showed up when she did. There were a lot of customers and we were also interviewing new singer applicants."

Athrun nodded intently at everything he was hearing and began to process a few ideas of what may have happened last night. He left his thoughts for a minute before he got too buried in them, turned to LunaMaria and asked: "Were you conducting those interviews?"

Luna nodded and sighed an exhausted and heavy sigh: "Yes...and believe me...it was such an ordeal. If I could, I would do all the numbers by myself, but I'm only one girl and Miss Loussier is only available weekends. We had to hire a new singer to take the other half of my numbers."

Athrun made a mental note of that as well before turning his attention to Dearkka who was standing next to him: "You were here trying to pick up girls weren't you?"

Dearkka chuckled: "Guilty as charged I'm afraid...but that proved fruitless I assure you."... "I did set a new record though...shot down seven times in one night."

Athrun chuckled and shook his head as he thought: "He still likes Miri...I can tell by the way he keeps looking at her." He then finally turned to Sting and asked: "You were here on business last night Mr. Oakley?"

Sting nodded firmly and responded: "Yes. I needed to discuss some financial matters with Mr. Koenig, but he seemed to be really busy, so I had a few drinks while I waited for him."

Athrun nodded for the last time and made mental notes of everything he'd just heard: "Okay. I've got what I need for now. If you don't mind, I'll have a look around the club and see if I find anything the police may have missed."

Luna flashed a flirty smile in his direction and laced her arm through his: "I'll show you around. I can give you the grand tour." Suddenly, a voice from behind all of them replied in a silky tone: "If you don't mind...I'll give this tour."

Athrun turned at the sound of the familiar, sultry voice and his emerald eyes widened as big as saucers at the sight in front of him. It was Cagalli! At least, he thought it was. She wore a black spaghetti strapped dress with a long slit up the leg showing off her slender legs and matching black heels. She wore her short, spunky golden hair the same as always and had the faint scent of Cherry blossoms surrounding her along with a dab of cherry flavored lip gloss that put a nice ruby red color to her beautiful pouty lips.

Luna pouted in a frustrated manner and whined: "Awww...c'mon Miss Yula! You just started here yesterday and barely know the place...let me give the tour!"

Cagalli replied in the same cool tone as before, a slightly pissed off tone slipping out as she replied: "I said...I'll give this tour."... "I'll show him around, it's not that difficult to find things in this place." She snatched Athrun's hand and, just to piss Luna off; purred in his ear: "Follow me..." "...big boy." She noticed him turn beet red as she dragged him behind her. Once they were out of sight and back stage behind a locked door, she eyed him: "Thought I would punk out did you?" She pointed behind her and smirked: "It was because of me that Heine found that vial...if I hadn't pointed it out while he was taking out the trash this morning, you wouldn't have any clues to go on."

Athrun shook his head trying desperately not to look her up and down like she had done to him a few days ago: "N-No...I knew you would show up."... " Really?"... "What time did you get here?"

Cagalli grinned: "Yes...and I left the house while you were sleeping at around four this morning. Remember when I said I was going to the bathroom yesterday afternoon after we found out about the murder?"

Athrun raised a curious blue eyebrow: "Yeah...I remember. I also remember that you were gone so long I thought you fell in."

Cagalli smirked: "Well..for the hour that I was gone, I was auditioning for that singer job here and I got it." "Didn't know I could sing did ya?"... "Lady Lacus isn't the only one who can belt a tune out."

Athrun smiled warmly at her and nodded: "I'm impressed...you're sneakier than me...Miss Yula."... "Like I said...I knew you'd show up."

Cagalli rolled her eyes and smirked: "Oh please. I saw you from back here looking around like a lost puppy." She ran her fingers through his neck length blue hair as she played with his bangs: "You need me so bad."... "That's so adorable."

Athrun turned bright red and stammered: "Y-Yes...well..." He eyed her dress then shyly looked away: "What's with that dress?"

Cagalli's amber eyes flared angrily as she hissed: "What's wrong with it?!"

Athrun blushed slightly as he stammered: "N-Nothing!"... "I just...you ...you look..."

Cagalli raised a golden eyebrow in curiosity: "I look what?!"

Athrun couldn't take it anymore. Her pouty lips, her intoxicating scent...that dress. He caught her by surprise as he pulled her in for a hot and ravenous kiss, his arms drawing her petite body so close to his that he could feel her heart beat. He broke the kiss first and whispered breathlessly next to her ear: "You look hot."

Cagalli smirked devilishly: "Hot huh?"... "I've never heard you use that word before...you're always such a gentleman." She ran her wandering hands up and under his jacket to lightly caress the soft skin of his back and whispered hotly next to his ear as she still held that devilish smirk upon her lips: "I like it."

Athrun gulped and turned a bright shade of red as he shivered at her delicate touch: "C-Cagalli...I..." He had to bite his lip to keep from losing it as she kissed the spot on his neck she knew enticed him. Finally, he lost what little of his calm and cool demeanor he had left and he shoved her up against the wall and began kissing her wildly, hungrily, his tongue playing around with hers as he briefly took the scalding hot kiss deeper. He again broke the kiss first long enough for Cagalli to breathlessly growl: "I want you...now...but we need to look for more clues."

Athrun nodded as he held her close and sighed heavily in disappointment: "Uh huh...unless..." he glanced at her for a second and smirked: "...you found anything else?... "Is there any...ummm..." He coughed briefly: "Is there any "room" in particular that you think we should check...something you think the police missed?" He turned a slight red and shyly turned away from her once he realized what he was suggesting.

Cagalli flashed him a small sly smirk: "Ahhh...I see what you mean...hmmm...any rooms I haven't gotten a chance to thoroughly check?" ... "Well...there is... "my room"... we can start there." "How long did you tell them you'd be gone for?"

Athrun redid the buttons on his jacket that she had undone and smirked devilishly: "Two hours."

Cagalli grinned mischievously, and winked at him as she joked: "That's plenty of time for someone with your Coordinator capabilities."... "You could go three, four times at least in an hour."

Athrun briefly turned a bright shade of red at the bold compliments from the fiery blonde and flashed her one of his sexy smiles: "I don't know...maybe...let's test that theory shall we?"... "You and I can look for clues while we test it." He took her hand and walked with her down the hallway to her dressing room: "Then maybe you could finish giving me that tour you promised me."

Cagalli shook her head, chuckled a bit, and placed a sweet kiss on his forehead: "You amaze me...come on..let's go." She continued to pull him down the long corridor to her room and the two stopped short when they saw a girl with long pink hair lingering outside of it and placing a small vial that looked like perfume, in front of it. Athrun's eyes widened as he exclaimed: "Meer?!" The girl whirled around at the sound of his voice and then took off like a rocket out the back door. Athrun ran to the front of Cagalli's dressing room door, picked up the vial, and tossed it to the ground. He watched as it left a hole in the wooden floor of the stage.

Cagalli glanced at Athrun worriedly: "Isn't that the same stuff that Fllay put in my fathers drink..and mine too?!"

Athrun nodded and took her hand in his once again: "Yes...and it's also the second time I'm seeing her holding it." ... "What the hell is going on here?"

Okies everyone...that's the end of the 15th chappie of The Zala Files. I just couldn't resist having Cagalli call Athrun "big boy." I'd like to thank my friend daisukiasu'n'caga for her inspiration for that. I read it in her Girl Next Door fic and totally fell in love with it. -smiles- This chappie was just to introduce the new case and give everyone the list of suspects so they could try and guess the murderer or murderers. I'll only tell you one thing for sure...Yzak is not a suspect. What is Athrun and Cagalli's plan to draw out the murderer?..And how is Auel going to help them? Will Yzak and Shinn ever stop being angry? -laughs- You'll find all that out in the next installment. See ya then! -giggles-