Chapter 2: Decent to Madness

"Piccolo we need to talk." Goku said as he appeared before his one time nemesis.

Piccolo growled. "What? Do you finally have time for your son now? Done screwing around?"

Goku sighed. "When did your link with him go out. I want to find him just as much as you."

Piccolo stayed quiet for a moment. He knew he needed any help he could get to find Gohan. "It went out a few hours ago. As well as his ki. I don't think he's dead, but obviously something happened. I last sensed him around here. Do you know why he was out here?"

Goku nodded. "Somewhat. I sent him out the house so Chi and I could have some privacy. He was suppose to be home by eight though. I wonder what happened. Why was he out here? Where are we anyway?"

"We're in the northern mountains. Gero's lab is around here, but why would Gohan look for that?" Piccolo asked himself.

"Why would he look for Gero's lab. Didn't Trunks and Krillin blow it up already?"

Piccolo nodded. "They did. I don't know why he came out here. Maybe he thought there was something left in Gero's remains of a lab, but that makes no sense."

"Well we won't be able to find out by standing here. Lets start looking for him." Goku said as he started his search.

(With Gohan)

The only thing that could be heard was Gohans screams and Jasons maniacal laughter. He heard a beeping noise and checked a device he left on his table. "Hmm it seems like my scanners picked up a couple of travelers. Piccolo and your father."

Gohan smiled slightly though he was still out of breath and feeling pain like no other. "They're here to save me."

Jason turned to him with a smirk. "Is that what you think?" I put the rock back in place after you came in here. There is no way they will see the hatch. They won't know the rock is hollow unless they knock on each rock in this mountain range. How does it feel for them to come so close, but not be able to save you."

Jason walked up to Gohan and ran a knife down his chest causing him to scream out. "Your body is starting to heal slower now. I guess I'm putting your body through the ringer. It needs time to rest."

"And you're going to give me that rest?" Gohan asked sarcastically.

"Oh sarcastic huh? I'll get that out of you. Even as a half saiyan you are really tough to endure all of this."

Gohan had scars all over his body. He had knife wounds, burn wounds, and scars around his fingers and toes where they were constantly being cut off. He had wounds from being electrocuted and hit with blunt objects.

"How did your other subjects last longer than the first day?"

Jason smirked. "Oh don't compare your treatment to theirs. I'm going all out on you. I only have about eight or nine days before we all die anyway if Cell has his way. I'll make sure to have my most fun on the day of the Cell games." Jason twisted Gohans fingers in a weird angle breaking them.

"If...yo...u want ...t..t..to live...then let me f...fi..fight at the C...Ce...Cell Games. We can b...beat him."

Jason cut Gohans broken fingers off. "And give up my fantastic new toy? I don't think so. I'll be back in the morning to continue my fun." He left the room leaving Gohan to himself.

Gohan started crying his eyes out. "This is so painful. What did I do to deserve this? I would much rather be dead. Dad? Piccolo? Someone please help me."

(With Goku)

"We've been searching all night Piccolo. Lets look in some different places for now. I'll contact the others to get more eyes in the sky. "

Piccolo growled. "You do what you want. Something tells me that Gohan is in this area. I'm going to keep looking around here."

Goku sighed. "This is a pretty vast area to search Piccolo."

"So because its a big area you don't want to search it anymore? Do you even care about your son?" Piccolo yelled in rage.

Goku scowled. "Of course I do! Its just pointless to keep looking in the same area we already spent all night looking in. You say you think he's around here, but we found nothing. I'm willing to search the entire earth for Gohan, not just one spot."

Piccolo turned away. "You look your way and I'll look mine. You may not trust my intuition, but I do. I will find Gohan with or without your help."

"Fine." Goku said. "I'm going to get some help and search in different spots."

"Do what you must." Piccolo said as he continued looking.

Goku disappeared to get more help.

(8 days until the Cell Games.)

"So he just up and disappeared? How did that happen?" Krillin asked after he heard the story.

"This does sound kind of weird." Tien stated.

Yamcha snorted. "It sounds really fishy if you asked me. You sure someone didn't kidnap him or something?"

"Who could kidnap someone as strong Gohan. He's a super saiyan for crying out loud. I don't think he could be kidnapped if he wanted too." Krillin yelled.

Goku just hung his head. "I don't know whats going on or where he is. We need to find him quick though."

"How are we suppose to look? We can't sense his ki and its not like he has a dragonball on him." Tien stated.

Yamcha snapped his fingers. "The dragonballs! We can use them to find him if all else fails."

Goku sighed. "We need to use those to wish Cell's victims back to life."

"Isn't Gohan more important Goku?" Trunks asked.

"The dragonballs grant two wishes now if I'm not mistaken." Tien said before Goku could answer. "We can use the first wish for Gohan and the second on the people that Cell killed."

Krillin nodded. "Tha'ts a great idea."

"Yeah, but if we do that we'll have to wait until after the Cell games. Who knows what will happen to Gohan by then." Trunks said.

Goku sighed. "You're right Trunks."

"Maybe you can use the Namekian balls?" Krillin stated.

"I already owe them for letting me take Dende as our guardian. How would it look if I go up there asking to use their balls too. In the end though I might have to do it. I might need to do it." 'Gohan is the only one of us who can beat Cell. We need him for the Cell games.' Goku thought.

Trunks slammed his hand on the table. "Well I'm not going to just sit here and wait for a miracle to happen. I'm going to look for him." He jumped up and flew off.

"He's right. Lets go look for Gohan you guys." Krillin said as he flew off as well as everyone else.

(With Jason)

Gohan was struggling against the chair. He thrashed about, but it didn't seem to do much of anything. 'Okay visualize your pain going away Gohan. Think of a mantra to repeat. Something to keep your mind busy.'

"AGHHHHHH!" His thoughts were interrupted when Jason started peeling off Gohans finger and toe nails.

"Ah that's the scream I was waiting for! I wonder if they will regenerate like your toes do? If they do I wonder how long it would take." Jason said with glee.

After an agonizing 10 minutes his nails started to grow back. "Your body takes longer to regenerate after all the torture I put you through. I guarantee by the time I'm done with you, you will be able to regenerate immediately after the injury happens. Its like I'm creating the ultimate super weapon."

"That's i...if I li...live that lo...long." Gohan stuttered out.

Jason walked up and picked up a sledge hammer. He swung and hit Gohan in the arm effectively snapping it in two. Gohans screams rang throughout the room. "Oh you'll live that long, but we'll all die on the day of the Cell games anyway. And don't think I didn't see you trying to keep your mind off the pain. That's not what I want. I want you to accept the pain. Embrace it and keep screaming your head off for me."

Gohan started convulsing. Jason started walking away. "I'll leave you to your devices now. Tomorrow I'll check how long it takes for your eyelids to grow back. Then I'll test the eyeballs."

"I'm...no...not...su...sure Na...me..kians can gr...ow back ey..eyes." Gohan stuttered out.

"No they probably can't, but my regeneration serum is a lot better than namekian regeneration. I got the basis from them, but I took it a couple of steps further. That's why I need my test subjects. To reach further heights in science."

"I tho..thought you...we...were...just a psychopath." Gohan grunted out.

Jason picked up a wrench and swung it at Gohans mouth knocking out several teeth. "Oh believe me I am. Now I wonder when your teeth will grow back. This is so fascinating, but I'll have to run that test some other time."

Jason walked out leaving Gohan bleeding from the mouth. He closed his eyes and passed out from the pain.

He looked around and saw that he was inside his own mind, but ironically he was still tied to the chair. "Even in my own mind I'm stuck in this chair." He said to himself.

"That's because you're letting it happen." A voice yelled out.

Gohan saw himself walk in front of his view. "Who are you? Why do you look exactly like me."

"I'm a figment of your imagination. I was created due to all the mental strain you've been going through."

Gohan looked confused. "You said I'm letting it happen. What do you mean?"

"I mean you're in this chair because you choose to be. You need to accept and embrace the pain. That's the only way you'll break free. You need to channel your inner hate. Become a monster to beat a monster."

Gohan shook his head. "I can't go against my morals like that. I can't become a monster. That's the one thing I fear most."

"Its either that or continue to suffer. No one knows you're here. No one is coming to save you. If they really loved you they would've used the dragonballs by now. You can only rely on yourself to get out of here."

"My dad will save me." Gohan said sure of himself.

"Don't rely on him. He'll only disappoint. So will the rest of your friends. You can only rely on yourself. Accept that or you will die by this madman."

"My dad and my friends will come for me. I have faith in them." Gohan said with confidence.

"You'll sing a different tune later, but hopefully its not too late by then."

Gohan sighed. "I'm creating illusions of myself in my head and having full conversations with them. I'm really starting to lose it. Please come soon dad."

A/N: End of chapter.