[02] Mountain Sector

[Vad]

Immediately after the Saiyan had passed out his mind was launched into an all too familiar black abyss. This time he welcomed it, but instead of succumbing to the nightmares he fell into a coma like sleep. His exhausted mind and soul began to regain it's lost willpower and mend certain thoughts and emotions. For the first time in several years his mind was allowed the freedom to process everything he had seen. It felt like a heated night in bed with his wife only it was non stop. He felt relief overtake his mental prowess as concerns and dreams were examined and put to rest. The process was almost inhuman, but Vad was far from a normal person. His mind was severely damaged; it had been ever since he was a young boy. The sadism he came to know, however, had benefited him in more ways than one. While a normal person would have gone mad experiencing even a third of the stuff he had in his life or even the pain, Vad Zulenka could discard the why and the how. He could literally ignore all ethical conscience and kick Jimeny Cricket out on his ass.

He was by nature truly evil. Though some part of him felt emotion. This part was newly created and still in beta testing, so to speak. Trixie had introduced love and pleasure (that didn't involve killing people) into his life. She, along with his father (of all people), had shown him the value of befriending people and keeping them as allies. The Saiyan princess, Sage, was the first one to bring the want to help someone into his life. The emotion that claws at ones mind to take hold and tell that person everything would be okay. Of course Vad wasn't that type of person, instead he slaughtered anything trying to harm the young doctor. He kept her safe and put his body and life on the line not because of her royalty , but because she had offered to help him save the one person he cared most about in the world.

Beatrix Zulenka.

Their was little to say about Piper. She, with the use of an unknown ability, automatically knew Vad wasn't as dangerous as he lead on to be. She assisted him in destroying an immediate thread on Earth, but Trixie had decided to save her. The blond haired woman taught nothing he hadn't already learned; or so he believed. Misa Fujiroka had healed them in a time of need and provided a bit of comedic relief to the group during his time on Earth fighting Sasha. She was short lived, but he learned briefly what it was to laugh; laugh at something funny and not at someones stupidity or pain.

***

Vad regained consciousness slowly. As he opened his heavy eyelids his vision was blurred and the only thing he could see is what looked to be the ceiling of the bunker. His wounds had been crudely closed and bandaged. But by who? Pain radiated from each wound as the Saiyan slowly rose to a seated position. His vision was slowly becoming focussed and the environment around him being pieced together. Zulenka's temples throbbed painfully at the loss of blood. He felt nauseas, hungry, and thirsty. The soldiers greatest enemy is dehydration and the man rarely drank anything. Then again he wasn't a normal human soldier on the front lines. His Saiyan blood and the KI wells he possessed gave him an inhuman stamina. Over time his body became adjusted to feeding off of his KI for things it needed. It was crude, but it kept the Saiyan going. It certainly didn't replace a good meal though.

Examining the room further he noticed the armor he once adorned was piled in a corner. His simple civilian clothing remained on him, but they were blood caked and torn in areas around his injuries.

“Gah. I feel like shit.” Vad whispered to himself.

Sliding his legs to the right he placed them on the cold concrete floor. Rubbing the bridge of his nose he closed his eyes in an attempt to stop his head from pounding. Placing most of his weight on his good leg the Saiyan managed to get to his feet. Hobbling over to the open medical kit he removed a bottle of pills and slipped it into his pants pocket. Making his way slowly to the opening of the room he peered down the hallway to his left. A set of stairs lay positioned ready to take him deeper into the bunker. Vad wasn't about to try navigating a flight of stairs. Not in his current condition. Across from him he saw an area that looked like a small storage area. He began to hobble across the hall and into the room.

The full-blood's assumption was correct. It was a storage room. Several refrigerators and freezers sat in the back corner while metal shelves were stocked with dry food and ingredients. Eyeing the shelf closest to him he noticed a bottle of water and a protein drink. Limping to the shelf he rested his weight against it as he painfully knelt down to pick up his two desired items.

Placing the protein infused beverage on a shelf easily accessible to him he twisted off the cap to the water and popped four pain killers into his mouth. Taking a long gracious drink of the room temperature liquid he finished the bottle. Discarding the empty container he took a breath and felt a wave of relief wash over him. A sigh escaped the lips of Vad as he reached for the canned shake he had removed from the bottom shelf.

Popping open the aluminum top he downed half of the shake before letting a belch escape his stomach.

“This should at least provide something to rebuild my muscles for the time being.” Zulenka mused as he took another drink of the shake.

It was good. Thick and creamy it tasted like chocolate cake mixed with frosting; or that's what the can had said. Vad had never eaten anything of that sort. Restricted to meats and complex foods to keep his body healthy had kept him away from any sort of junk food.

Need to tell Trixie about this when I'm done here.

Crushing the empty can in his hand he tossed it to the floor like the previously full bottle of water and turned toward the exit.

“Time to have a seat and wait for a bit.”