Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ WALK LIKE A MAN ❯ Chapter 13

DBZ............don't own it

As the workweek drug on, the whole floor seemed to still be in disarray. The extent of the robbery hadn't been felt the first day, but as the week progressed new problems came to light.

"Mike can I use your computer please?"

"What's wrong Tanya?"

"I placed my disk in and .... nothing. Everything seemed to be erased. I think the system had been compromised. All that work lost. It will take me a month to get it all back"

"Let me check it out" after inserting the disk, it flashed "disk error" over and over again.

"Is it savable?" Tanya asked

"I can have one of the techs look at it" Mike took out his warlike talkie and buzzed the Technical department.

"Thanks Mike. I hope this works. I'd hate to have to spend my weekends doing this over"

"I think we can retrieve it. Have a little faith"

Tanya hesitated before leaving his desk "Mike, um...want to go out sometime?"

Mai smiled "I'm flattered, but it's not possible. You're a nice gal in all. I just don't ......"

"Dig girls?" Tanya said slipping her hand on her hips.

"What?"

"There's a pool going around that you play for the other team" she showed him the office chart "I bet five you're straight"

"Why would anyone think I'm gay?"

"Look at you. You're small and very, very neat. Polite and courteous and you hang around Trunks all day. I can't blame you though. I'd hang around him too"

"I'm not gay" Mai's voice raised a bit "I'm just being myself. People have a problem with a man being sensitive"

"Yea but you are way too in tune with your feminine side. It's nice, but strange"

Tanya skipped away as the computer tech came to her cubical.

"People think I'm gay" Mai said to herself watching the eyes of the whole floor watching her.

"So little man. Struck out with the lady?" Malachi slithered over to Mai's workspace "that's one fine piece of ass I tell you" he sat on the end of his desk "how do you do it?"

"Do what?" Mai asked dryly.

"Stand being around all this snatch.... man I'd be drowning in it if I were in your shoes. There's so much to choose from." He eyeballed Brittany "see look at that one. I bet she can bend theses long ass legs behind her head with ease. Young and pretty......innocent . That's how I like them"

"So you can take advantage of them? " Mai stood up from her chair "typical....."

"typical?"

" What's buzzing your hive Mikie?......you know how us guys are"

"No I don't. The men I know are caring and have manners. They want a quality relationship, not just a "hit it and split it" thing. And that one..." he pointed to Brittany "...is definitely off limits to you"

"You treating me short stack?"

"Take it however you want. Mr. Stacy and I use that term loosely" Mai smoothed out her jacket "I've got business to get to.....good day"

Mai bumped him as she passed him while he stayed seated on her desk. It was bad enough having him here, having to look at the face that tried to destroy her. He was creeping around like some sneak......well he was a bit of a sneak if she remembered correctly. She was totally against Trunks hiring him .......but he felt he needed a little extra protection for his staff.

"I hate his guts" she mumbled under her breath as she headed to Trunks office. Her fear of him still lingered, but a new problem surfaced, there was a letch on the floor now. Mai know all to well the game that Malachi threw at women. She had become so close the workers; she'd be damned if he was going to use any of his co- workers in one of his sick games. But she had to be careful, very careful. Dress like Mike she resembled Jamie to the tee. She was surprised Malachi didn't have a flash back of the ass kicking Jamie gave him the night she landed in the hospital. So far luck had been on her side.

"That guy burns me" she busted into her bosses' office reeling with anger.

"Whoa, mini-me clam down. What's wrong?"

"That Mr. Stacy. I could toss him"

"He is a bit of a pest. But he's needed"

"We did fine without him"

" The women are rattled. They need to feel protected. He's here to protect"

"Gets under my skin is what he's doing" Mai sat down " how much you know about this guy?"

"Well he was once a Western Capital officer, very decorated for outstanding service. Moved onto Pepper Town and retuned about 3 years ago. He's a detective and does private security on the side. Was that enough for you?"

"No" she said a little shocked and disappointed "I want his background checked and rechecked " Mai grumbled crossing her arm across her chest.

"Let's let the man do his job. So we can do ours"

Mia wondered why the little indiscretion of his battery charges weren't in his file. Jamie's' whole police career was destroyed defending her, and this ass got off with just a slap on the wrist? There was no way in hell he going to get away with that.

"Hey got any plans for this weekend?" Trunks asked.

"No. I'm just going to catch up on some much-needed rest. That little bug I caught really worn me down"

"Too bad. I wanted you to meet Mai. I was taking her to the theater, but some other time"

He'd asked Mike frequently to meet his ladylove. Each time he had some lame excuse for not being able to be in the same room with the woman. It was hard watching his face in disappointment each time he said the he had other plans. Trunks was his best friend ........and quite frankly Mike was his. He never hung out with any of the other staff. He didn't invite any of them to functions. Part of Mai was ashamed to be playing him on both sides. He wanted to connect with a male figure......like the one he lost in Gohan. Mai was to the point where she couldn't face him some days; the guilt seemed to be making her ill.

"You ok Mike?" Trunks asked as she put her hand to her head.

"Little dizzy"

"Lie down" he made a space for her on the sofa "put your feet up" he rushed to his office refrigerator and pulled out a ginger ale soda "Drink. It helps"

Mai' s stomach seemed to be doing flip flops more since returning from Ginger Town. She figured she picked up food poisoning either at the hotel or on the plane.

"You been to the doctor?"

"No . I hate doctors"

"You really should get checked out"

'I'm fine."

"What if it's something really serious" Trunks knelt down next to her on the sofa and gave her a cool rag for her head "What if its something internal and you need surgery"?

"I doubt if it's that. I probably just got food poisoning"

"Look taking things for granted isn't wise. You realy should try taking better care of yourself. You've been floating around here wincing over in pain, throwing up ever since the fight. What if Sid 's punch ruptured something?"

"Then I'd be dead by now" Mai said as a joke, but her boss wasn't laughing

"Look; don't take it for granted that everything is fine. Things happen and you never know how much time you have left" he frowned up tying to put ice in the cloth "I'd hate it if you really go sick ok. I'm just looking out for you" he fumbled with the ice, dropping some pieces on the floor.

"Sorry boss" Mai regretted her attempt to humor him "I'll have myself checked" his word struck her two ways. He didn't want something simple to take away another friend, he had already lost so much so early. And her thoughts turned to Cassy, little Cassy, who was brave each time she went to the doctor only to find something else wrong, yet smile through the whole thing.

"I'll see about an appointment soon"

" You'd Better" Trunks placed the ice filled rang on Mikes head " if you don't ........You won't like the consequences " he took a large pieced and shoved it down Mike's collar sending the cold piece of ice straight down his chest. Mai let out a yelp and jumped off the couch trying to release the traveling cube. "Oh you're so going to pay for that one. He picked up some of the dropped ice and threw it at this boss, who took the bucket filled with ice and tossed it at Mike. There were ice cubes everywhere. Outside his office you could here them yelling, and ice hitting the walls and windows. Bulma walked by and stopped at the door, her first instinct was to burst in and demand the horseplay stop. But the fact that her son hadn't been this active in an awhile, and he seemed to smile just because Mike was there, she only smiled and went on her way.

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Sometimes it seemed that Malachi was around only to irritate Make. He tried to use Mike as his little informant, wanting personal information on employees. The case of the break in still had no leads. It could have been anyone from a jealous client or just some teens blowing off some steam. With the exception of the offices being vandalized some equipment stolen it wasn't too bad. Sometimes Malachi seemed to over dramatize the whole situation just to keep his little private agency working overtime.

"So Mikie what's new?"

He slithered over like a snake in the grass.

"Not much.....But you're the detective you tell me?" She smirked at him.

"Funny little man, funny. Hey let's stop all the fighting and be friends ok. I really want to get along with everyone here and since it seems I'll be here for a long time......"

"Look save the buddy, buddy speech for someone else. I've got your number. I know your kind...."

"Hey, if I rubbed you the wrong way I'm sorry" Malachi interrupted "I'm not trying to come off that way. I just want to fit in like everyone else. It's hard to be the new guy ......you know how that is seeing you've been here only a few months"

"Just keep in mind everyone up here is like family. We look out for each other" Mai was thrown off guard by his little attempt at sincerity "I guess I'm sorry for snapping at you"

"No sweat. Hey, sometime we should do lunch"

"I'll see" she watched him walk into the elevator heading down hopefully he's stay on the ground floor for the rest of the day. Her instincts said keep on her guard, but her concise said give a little trust, for the sake of everyone around her don't tell everyone what a jerk he is. Trying to put him out her mind she heading for payroll to pick up checks and then to legal to pick up files to be reviewed and signed. Trunks was going to flip having so much to do, he was planning a romantic evening and she was looking forward to it as well.

"Hey" she plopped the files in front of him and pulled out his personal pen "start signing"

Trunks slumped his shoulders and began signing the payroll checks for his floor. Thank goodness the rest were computerized.

"Did you get the reservations confirmed"?

"Yes sir, you and your ladylove are expected at a private table, at the exclusive Le Flue"

"It took me ages to get that one. I hope it lives up to all the hype"

It should. Besides it doesn't matter where you eat, as long as you two are together right"

"True . She'd rather eat out of cardboard cartons under the stars on a blanket. I sometimes wonder how I got so lucky"

"Fate"

"You beloved in fate?"

"Yes...it's already been planned. Your life, your love, children. It's all been planned"

"Well I guess if this is fate I should stick to my plans" he pulled out a small box form his drawer. Mai heart stopped and her eyes go as big as saucers. Trunks fiddle with the box for a moment then returned it to its safe place.

"Oh did you want to see it" he asked Mai

"No.....no it's a personal thing .I'll see it whenever" she smiled beneath her stern look. He bought a ring, or what she thought was a ring. It was small enough to be a ring. Mai didn't want to get her hopes up too high. It had only been a few months of dating...but her feeling were stung for him. If he did ask she would say yes, she way sure of it.

"I kind of think I'm jumping in to this with blinders on" Trunks added "but something tells me not to wait"

"Go with your gut" she watched him with love in her eyes " if you love her ....... make it official "

"I do. I know it all seems so unreal, but I do love her. That's why I work so hard to get things together. I want to be a good husband, and a father"

"You'll be fine at both."

"You think?"

"Yea. You've got patience and a lot of love to give" Mai stared at her boss starry eyed.

"You ok Mike?"

"oh ....... yea......yea I'm fine" she shook off the feelings and went back to work.

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"Hello Dax? It's me Malachi; I need some info on a Mike Daveson"

Malachi wouldn't put up with being disrespected by anyone, especially a runt like Mike. If there was some dirt on the guy Malachi was going to find it and serve it up on a silver platter "let's see what that little fuck has hiding in his closet"