Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ And We Were Angels ❯ Discovery ( Chapter 14 )

And We Were Angels

By: AMCM74

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Chapter 14 - Discovery

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"Hello, I am Dr. Whitley." The woman smiled and held out her hand to Dr. Briefs. "I believe Dr. Ogata informed you that I will be performing the surgery with him as my assistant?"

"Yes, he has." Dr. Briefs reached out and shook her hand. Motioning to Bulma, who stood by his bed holding a vase of slightly wilted snowstar lilies, he added, "This is my daughter Bulma."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Miss Briefs."

"Likewise, Dr. Whitley." Then she asked her father, "Are they performing your operation tomorrow, Poppa?" Bulma turned away and tossed the flowers in the trash.

"Dr. Ogata said I was well enough." Dr. Briefs smiled at Dr. Whitley. "I want this surgery done as soon as possible so that I can start my treatments. Besides, I want to go home." Winking at the woman he added, "Being in this bed is killing me faster than the cancer."

"If only that were the truth," said Dr. Ogata as he entered the room. "Briefs, you know that you will not be jumping out of bed and running back to work. I have already explained that to you."

Dr. Briefs arched an eyebrow. "Time waits for no one. I have a thousand new ideas rattling around in my head."

Bulma frowned and touched her father's arm. "They can wait. Right now your health is more important."

"And leave you alone to deal with those pit bulls I work with?" Dr Briefs scowled. "Not a chance."

"I can handle them." Bulma forced the image of Mr. Hikari out of her head.

Dr. Whitley laughed. "You have a strong daughter. I am sure she can take care of things a while longer. Now, I know all of this will be review for you Dr. Briefs, but I would like to go over the procedure along with all the risks involved."

"Again?" Dr. Briefs groaned. "Dr. Ogata already went over it fifty billion times with me!"

Dr. Ogata chuckled as Dr Whitley pulled up a chair. "I am sure that fifty billion and one won't hurt you then."

"Bulma dear, could you get me some coffee?" Dr. Briefs looked at his daughter with pleading eyes. "I am going to need it to stay awake."

"Sure Poppa." Bulma had already heard it all herself, so she really didn't mind missing part of it. She walked out of the room and down the hall on her way to the cafeteria. As she came to the corner by the nurses' station, she saw a man standing there that she recognized. She froze. Bulma didn't know him personally, but he had been at hundreds of her father's press conferences in the past. She leaned against the wall and listened.

"Here is the money I promised." The man said. "Let me know if you get any more information on the Briefs case."

The woman's voice was shaky and Bulma could hear the sound of rustling papers. "I really shouldn't be accepting this here. If anyone finds out I talked to you, I could lose my job."

"So you don't want the money? I was under the impression you couldn't get a hold of it fast enough."

The nurse snapped back, "That's not the point!"

Bulma didn't let them get any further before coming around the corner. She was boiling over with rage. The reporter froze and backed away, while the nurse at the reception desk paled to a sickening shade of white.

"How dare you!" Bulma hissed as she clenched her fists.

The man threw his hands up. "It's freedom of the press. The public has a right to know!"

"My father is seriously ill! The public does not have the right to pry into his personal life!" she snapped back.

"That's not true. Capsule Corporation is the largest and most influential business in West City. Dr. Briefs is at the center of that company, and without him it's nothing but a empty husk. Thousands of citizens rely on him for their livelihoods."

"You're just after a story, so this is pointless." Bulma knew she was not going to get anywhere with the reporter. She glared at the shaking nurse and spat with venom. "You're finished."

"Threatening my source?" The man pulled out his notepad. He stepped toward Bulma. "Now I see how you do business Miss Briefs. I am sure my readers are going to love hearing about this side of the Capsule Corporation heiress. Tell me, is that something you learned from your father? Or is it your life of fame and fortune that gives you the feeling of superiority?"

"It's called Doctor-Patient Confidentiality! There is no way that she could have learned of my father's condition without looking at his records. Last time I checked, making that information public is illegal without the patient's permission!" Bulma fired back.

"I am so sorry, Miss Briefs!" The frantic nurse quickly glanced around the room. It was clear she was afraid someone would show up at any moment and discover what was going on.

Bulma growled at the halfhearted apology. This woman was the reason why Mr. Hikari was blackmailing her. If not for the nurse's big mouth, she would still be dealing with Johanna Marley and her nasty attitude, rather than the corrupt businessman who had lewd thoughts and plans concerning her. "You should be! The information you leaked has already had ramifications you can not possibly imagine!"

"Care to share those details with your devoted public?"

"Stop it!" The nurse snapped back. "Please, just get the hell out of here!"

The reporter shrugged. "Just doing my job. If either of you want to make a statement, let me know."

The nurse came around the desk. "Please come with me. I believe that weasel is probably lurking around the corner waiting to hear more."

"I would prefer not to." Bulma turned, dismissing the woman.

"Just so you know, I didn't have a choice myself." She whispered. "It was for my daughter."

"Save it." Bulma didn't want to forgive the woman. She wanted to be angry. She was sure the nurse had her reasons, probably very good ones. It was just that Bulma was in no mood to hear it. Nothing was going to make up for the situation she found herself in with Hikari. Marching quickly, she walked angrily past a large man standing in the hall. "Get out of my way!" she growled as he was pushed against the wall.

As soon as she was out of sight, Goku muttered, "Well Vegeta, you're right. She's in a fine mood, isn't she?" Looking at the angel observing the woman with narrowed eyes, Goku continued, "So what are you going to do?"

"Why the hell do you think I got you?" Vegeta turned to the larger angel. "MORON! She fired me!"

"We can't be fired." Goku shook his head. "Can we?" Vegeta shot Goku a look that could have knocked lesser beings to their knees. "I have never encountered a human trying to fire their guardian angel!" Goku defended himself. "So how would I know?"

"And to think I thought you would be useful" Vegeta groaned. He should have stuck with Bardock. "I certainly don't intend to let the woman go through this alone. I will be there with her, and I will find a way for her to overcome this."

"Ahhh... Hikari. There are a few options, but the clear choice is convincing her not to go." The large angel rubbed the back of his neck. Yes, this was a touchy situation. Actually, blatant intervention like they had been doing for Bulma was normally frowned upon, but she was a special case. Ever since Goku had made the original plea for Vegeta to be placed amongst the mortals, he knew it was a risky move. It seemed like the only choice left. Letting him go over to Radditz and the rest was just unacceptable.

"I already tried that. What do you think got me fired?" Vegeta said in a huff. "Just tell me the old man is going to live and let me get to work."

Goku snapped back, "You know I can't just go around deciding fate like that! There are limits to what I know and when I know it."

"Then let's play a little game, shall we?" Vegeta turned with a cocky smirk on his face.

"Let's not."

"Ok, I can do this the easy way or the hard way. If you want it the hard way..." Vegeta turned and started down the hall.

"What do you mean the hard way?" Goku stammered, suddenly feeling ill at ease.

Vegeta stopped. He was ready to play hardball with Goku. The Angel of Death was not the only heavy hitter in the realm of heaven. After all, Vegeta was the Chancellor of Angels. It was time Goku remembered that. "If you won't tell me what I need to know, then I know someone who will."

"You don't mean Radditz do you?" Vegeta heard the tremor in Goku's worried voice.

"You caught my drift nicely."

"You can't do that, Vegeta!" Goku's hand shot out and Vegeta dodged it easily.

"You haven't given me much of a choice. Just answer me one question Goku." Vegeta pressured the other angel. "If you tell me just one thing, then I won't bother you about it anymore."

"Fine. I will play your little game. What do you want to know?" Goku sighed in defeat. "Remember, I can't tell you when Briefs is going to buy the farm."

"Agreed." Vegeta looked around and walked up to a food cart that had been pushed into the hall. Looking over it he pulled up a container of milk and looked at the two-week expiration date on it. Holding it out to Goku he calmly asked, "Whose got the longer life expectancy, Dr. Briefs or this carton of milk?"

Goku blinked. That was crafty. "Dr. Briefs will be around long enough to throw out the sour milk."

With a satisfied smirk, Vegeta tossed the carton to Goku. "That was all I needed to know."

Goku caught the container and frowned. "I don't understand how that is going to help you Vegeta. You still can't tell her straight-out that her father is going to live. It would go against our code."

"I don't have to tell her." Vegeta turned in the direction Bulma had gone. "I just have to stall her. If I can get her through the next week without her doing something overly stupid, then everything will turn around. I am sure of it."

"What about Hikari?"

"Give me some time. I am sure I can think of something."

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