Android 16

This device, which looked much like the Dragon Radar, was a Scouter Bulma had modified from the Frieza Force's combat-power Scouters.

It could detect unusual energy fluctuations and computer network nodes.

The Scouter in Son Gohan's hand had picked up a computer signal nearby.

A computer network signal out here in the deserted Great Gobi was clearly no ordinary thing.

Son Gohan followed the Scouter's reading.

A few minutes later, he descended from the sky and looked at the cave before him.

The cave was well hidden. Thick bushes grew around it, concealing the entrance.

Without the Scouter, Son Gohan would have had a hard time finding it.

Son Gohan raised a finger. A streak of energy shot out and instantly set the bushes ablaze.

Before long, the bushes had burned away, leaving ash scattered across the ground.

With the bushes gone, the round cave entrance lay fully exposed to Son Gohan's view.

Son Gohan waved away the dust and acrid smoke, then leaped into the cave.

After five or six meters, a heavy steel door blocked his way.

On closer inspection, a striking emblem was stamped onto it.

The emblem had a red background and a white border, shaped almost like a bow, with two capital Rs on it.

It was the Red Ribbon Army's logo.

Son Gohan's spirits lifted.

He had searched everywhere, only to find it with hardly any effort.

At last, he had found it.

Dr. Gero's laboratory had to be here.

With that thought, Son Gohan briefly flared his energy to signal Trunks.

Sensing Son Gohan's rising energy, Trunks erupted in a blazing aura and flew toward him at top speed.

Soon, Trunks landed, ran into the cave, and reached Son Gohan's side.

"Gohan, did you find it?" he asked.

Son Gohan pointed to the heavy steel door behind him.

"If nothing unexpected has happened, it's behind this door."

"Oh?"

Trunks stepped past Son Gohan and pressed a hand against the heavy steel door. The metal felt cold beneath his palm.

He knocked on it, drawing a dull thud.

"Gohan, this door's made entirely of steel plate, over forty centimeters thick. What do we do?" Trunks asked.

Son Gohan said, "What else? We open it by force. Trunks, you do it. Just watch your strength—don't destroy what's inside."

"Okay." Trunks nodded.

Son Gohan stepped back.

Trunks stretched out his palm and pressed it against the steel door.

His energy surged!

Boom!

A tremendous crash rang out.

In an instant, the ground shook, and fragments of rock pattered down from overhead.

Trunks had shattered the steel door, at least forty centimeters thick, with one strike.

"Uh, Gohan, I think I used just a little too much force." Trunks laughed awkwardly.

"It's fine. Let's go." Son Gohan waved the dust aside, passed through the ruined doorway, and stepped inside.

Trunks waved away the smoke too, following close behind Son Gohan.

Beyond the door, a spacious laboratory appeared before them.

Unlike the dim cave, the laboratory had numerous glowing energy stones embedded in its ceiling.

The stones illuminated the entire space, making the laboratory as bright as day.

Dr. Gero had hollowed out the weathered rock inside the mountain

and built this sizable secret base.

The laboratory was dense with cables, bundled together and strewn across the floor and walls.

Several giant computers stood there, their screens black. They had already stopped running.

The archive room was crammed with Dr. Gero's manuscripts and work notes.

In the main hall stood three Nutrient Hibernation Pods, some upright and some lying on their sides.

Two of the pods had already opened. Only one remained sealed, with energy pipes plugged into either side to supply it with a steady flow of power.

Not far from the pods lay a headless corpse.

Calling it a corpse was generous. Nothing remained but clothes and bones.

Judging by the clothes, the headless corpse was Dr. Gero himself.

The unfortunate Dr. Gero had awakened Android 17 and Android 18,

then tried to control them with a special remote. Instead, Android 17 had turned on him and killed him.

Android 17 had even blown his head apart, leaving his body mutilated.

On the other side of the laboratory, a large hole had been torn through the wall.

Android 17 had probably ripped it open by force back then.

The hole led straight out to the Great Gobi. Wind and sand had poured in, leaving piles of sand across the laboratory floor.

Son Gohan crouched beside Dr. Gero's remains and searched them.

After pulling the only pen from Dr. Gero's breast pocket, Son Gohan stood and kicked the headless skeleton out through the hole.

"Trunks, collect everything useful," Son Gohan instructed.

"Yes, Gohan." Trunks nodded, took out the Storage Capsules he carried, and packed away the computers, notes, and assorted manuscripts.

Son Gohan walked over to the Nutrient Hibernation Pods.

First, he put the two open pods into Storage Capsules. Then he crouched to examine the only unopened pod.

A number was written on it.

16!

Through the pod's transparent glass, Son Gohan saw a tall, powerfully built android lying inside.

The android had an angular face with strong features and short red hair.

He wore green armor over a black bodysuit, with white socks and short green boots. His expression was cold.

It was none other than Android 16.

Dr. Gero had modeled this fully mechanical android on his own son.

Dr. Gero's son had been a high-ranking soldier in the Red Ribbon Army,

but had been killed by enemy gunfire during a mission.

Out of love for his son, Dr. Gero had given Android 16 formidable strength and a terrifying explosive device.

But he had not wanted Android 16 damaged in battle,

so he had designed Android 16 to have a gentle temperament.

As a result, Android 16 not only disliked fighting but also loved peace, nature, and small animals.

To the ambitious Dr. Gero, that made him a failed creation.

So Dr. Gero had never activated Android 16.

He had remained asleep until now.

Son Gohan placed a hand on the pod. After a moment's thought, he decided to reactivate Android 16.

He had two reasons.

First, Earth had far too few powerful fighters. Android 16 had considerable fighting strength and might prove useful someday.

Second, Android 16 was gentle and peace-loving, not a vicious criminal like Android 17 or Android 18. Waking him carried little risk.

He was an android whose benefits far outweighed his drawbacks.

Besides, given Son Gohan's current strength, he could easily deal with Android 16 even if the android somehow rebelled.

Even Trunks, let alone Son Gohan, could handle Android 16 with ease now.

After their long training in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, the two of them had astonishing base strength.

And even in terms of their transformations,

Son Gohan was only one opportunity away from Super Saiyan 2, while Trunks had fully mastered Super Saiyan Full Power.

No matter how strong Android 16 was, he could not possibly match them.

Son Gohan examined the pod carefully, found the activation button, and pressed it.

A series of clicks sounded.

The pod's lid slowly opened.

Trunks, who looked ready to pry up the floor tiles too, came over.

"Gohan, I've collected everything. What are you doing?"

Then

he saw a huge android sit up inside the pod.