Chapter 4
In the hospital.
Officer Videl went s the doctor signaled for her. She sat by
Bulma's bedside and spoke softly.
"Ms. Bulma, I'm Officer Videl from the Western Capitol
Police Department." She showed her badge, then continued
"We need to know what happened."
Bulma struggled to speak. "...Trunks..." she finally managed to say. Videl looked at the doctor, who nodded, then said as calmly as she could, "I'm sorry, Ms. Bulma. Your son is dead."
Bulma just closed her eyes, as tears rolled silently down her cheek. Videl hated this part of her job; even though over the years it had been a major part of the police officers' job to identify the cyborgs' victims and inform their families. They were helpless against the cyborgs, and that was the most that they could do. And now, 3 years after the cyborgs suddenly disappeared, this woman and her son had been attacked and bore wounds characteristic of those inflicted by the cyborgs. The burns and cuts were made by ki blasts and as far as anyone knew only the cyborgs could that. Or at least only they could have made ki blasts that destructive. Had they returned? Were they not dead after all? Videl had to know, and she must sk Bulma soon because she's not going to make it, the doctor had told her. So Videl asked Bulma again, "Could you tell us who did this? Was it the cyborgs?"
Bulma struggled to breathe for some time before Videl could hear her voice again, even softer and barely a whisper. "....n...no...." She was gasping for breath now."....Cell....t..time..ma..."That was all she managed to say before she too, joined her son in the afterlife. Videl slowly left as the doctor and nurses tried in vain to resuscitate her, and then gave up.
So it wasn't the cyborgs. Videl couldn't make sense of what
Bulma was trying to tell her. Cell? That was what she just said.
What cells? And time. She'll have to return to Capsule
Corporation later to coninue her investigations. For now she'll
return to the station and question the witnesses.
At the police station, Tea was being questioned by Officer Shapener when Videl came in, still reading the report. Tea and Supper. Twins, age 19. Caught over 7 times for robbery/attempted robbery and stealing. They found Bulma and called the ambulance. They had also just escaped from jail today.
"Well, well..you escaped from prison today and were found in someone else's home , stuffing your pockets with their belongings. How did you escape?" she asked.
Tea crossed his arms. "The stupid cop forgot to lock the door. It's his fault he let us out. Look, can we go now? I told you everything that happened when we got to Capsule Corporation. And I want to see my sister--"
"I told you, your sister's fine. She's being questioned by someone else so we'll know in which parts of the story you're lying." Shapener grinned.
Tea sulked. Damn.They knew Supper was a bit too truthful. He turned to Videl."Can't you just let us go? If it wasn't for us, Bulma would've been dead by now..."
"She is dead." Videl interrupted. "She died 10 minutes ago. Now tell me, why did you stay? If you'd just left you wouldn't be here now and you'd get away with all those stuff you stole from her home."
Tea stared at her. "What do you think we are, murderers? We couldn't just leave her like that-- Don't you think we've seen enough people die already? Like.." he stopped his outburst as he thought of the day he and Supper had found their mother in the rubble of their home after the cyborgs' attack 7 years ago. They couldn't pull her out and there was nothing they could do to save her. At least they had been with her when she died.
Videl's tone softened. "I know. You tried to save her." Then her tone got serious again. "But we still need to question you some more, and then there was the robbery attempt you pulled the other day. And your escape from jail."
It was four in the morning when they finished questioning the twins. Videl was feeling tired, as she drove home. She hoped her father wouldn't wait for her again.
Back at the police station, the guard was sleeping peacefully. Somehow, his coffee tasted a bit funny, and it was making him sleepy. Tea lay in his cell staring at the ceiling, waiting for his sister to come and fetch him. Sure enough, she appeared a few minutes later, calmly removed the keys from the sleeping officer, got his brother out, returned the keys and they calmly walked out.
Life goes on as usual in the Western Capitol.