(A/N): I don't own Ghost Hunt, I forgot to add that last time. By the way, the game Sinead is talking about is that new Lara Croft game. I think I might introduce her later on, I'm not sure. Thank you for reading this!

"Hey, John! Sinead here. The game is so good! The graphics, aaaaaaah! Ring back as soon as you get this, kay? Bye!"

-Beep-

"Excuse me, Father Brown, this is Father Toujou. I was just wondering why you didn't show up for mass today? Is something wrong? Please, ring me when you get this."

-Beep-

"Hello, Brown-san, this is the Shibuya Hospital. You failed to show up for your shift today, and you have not rung to give a reason. Please do so, and in future, if there is any reason why you may not show up, ring in advance."

-Beep-

"Hey, John-kun! It's Mai. Um, I'm sorry it's really short notice, but we've got a case, and Naru's wondering if you could come help out? It's an old theatre in the city centre. Ring back if you get this."

-Beep-

"Joooohn, why you no pick up phone? Sinead is sad. Pleaaase ring back."

-Beep-

"Oh, Father Brown, this is Father Toujou again. I apologise, I did not realise you were on a business trip. I hope you find it useful."

-Beep-

"Hello, Brown-san, this is Shibuya Hospital. We were told you are currently on a business trip, even though you did not book a holiday. In advance, please book for a leave, or at least notify someone in reception. Thank you."

-Beep-

"John-kun, this is Mai again. I don't want to, um, impose, but, uh, why aren't you returning any calls? Is something wrong? Please call back if you get this."

-Beep-

"Sinead here. How come you're on a business trip? Some guy just rang me and said you're going off for a business trip? Why didn't you tell me? He said you might be out of contact for a while. Well, as soon as you get this, ring back."

-Beep-

"Sinead here. You know what? I'm coming to Japan, I've booked the plane tickets. I'll see you over there."

I stared at my feet as the answering machine rolled off the messages one by one. As each beep sounded, and another message played, I found myself wondering more and more who exactly made up this excuse about the business trip. I would have to ask.

-Beep-

"Hey, it's Mai again. Umm…I know you're on a business trip and stuff, but we were all wondering when you'd be coming back? You might not get this message, but if you do, call

back when you get it, ok?"

In the end, I had not called the police. Well, apparently, Doctor Nakamura had contacted the police, but so far no one had acted or visited. They promised to 'keep it in mind', but I doubted they gave my case any second thought. They probably had more urgent cases to investigate than some foreigner who was suffering amnesia. I didn't really care, though. The problem was, Doctor Nakamura and everyone at the hospital was trying to make me remember, forcing me to regain my memories. The police would do the same. The thing was, while I wanted to find out what happened, I had decided I did not want to remember it. The mere snippets of memories were enough to make my blood run cold. After looking in the mirror and seeing that mark, I was now even more determined that whatever nightmare occurred during that month, the memory would stay under lock and key. Was I able to achieve both goals? I hoped so.

Nervously, I picked up the phone and dialled in the hospital number. The tone rang for a while, then someone picked up.

"Hello, this is Shibuya hospital, how may I help?" I heard the receptionist's voice, a bored young woman.

"Um, this is John Brown. I've been absent recently."

"Ah, Brown-san. We received an email from your colleague."

I froze. The 'colleague' Abe-san mentioned. Quickly, I grabbed a scrap of paper and the closest pencil I could snatch.

"Um, which colleague?" I asked.

"He's introduced himself as Naoki Kobayashi. He said he works with Father Toujou and you at Church."

I frowned. No one by that name worked at the Church. I scribbled down 'hospital', the name of the colleague, and next to it, I wrote 'Church'. The writing was scrawled and slanted, due to one hand being in a sling.

"Well, I should be able to make it in for next week." I told the receptionist.

"Ok, I'll write you in for then. Is that all?" The receptionist's voice sounded irritated, probably for my unauthorised absence. Somehow, I felt that she did not quite deserve to criticise when she did not appear to realise I had been hospitalised for two weeks in the same building.

"Um, by any chance, did my…colleague…visit you?"

"No, we just received the email."

"Ok, thank you."

The phone hung up, and I quickly dialled in Father Toujou's number.

"…Hello?"

"Father Toujou, it's me, Father Brown."

"Oh, Father Brown! It's been a very long time, hasn't it? A month, I'd say."

"Yes, I'm sorry about that."

"Did you enjoy your business trip? It was for a case, was it not? From Shibuya Psychic Research? "

Again, I paused. A case from SPR?

"…Um, yes. Did you…talk to one of my colleagues?"

"No, not exactly. They sent me an email, to say you might be gone for some time. I think it was from that tall Chinese man."

Since when did Lin send out emails? "Ah, I see. I just wanted to make sure you got the message. I'm sorry it was such short notice."

"That's fine. Will you be coming to mass on Sunday?"

"Yes, I'll definitely be there."

"Wonderful. I'll see you then."

On the piece of paper, I wrote 'Church:', then 'Lin' and 'SPR'. I guess it was time to ring SPR now. With no hesitation now, I dialled in the number and waited in anticipation for someone to pick up.

"Hello, Shibuya Psychic Research. This is Mai Taniyama speaking, how may I help you?"

"Um, it's John." I wondered what the excuse would be this time.

"Eh, John-kun? Finally! We've been sending you loads of emails and messages, and you never responded! Where have you been? A business trip, right? For your hospital training or something? Wow, we haven't spoken for a whole month! It feels like ages! Everyone was wondering where you were, you know."

So now it was hospital training. "I'm really sorry, I didn't mean to disappear like that. I assume you got the message, right?"

"Yeah, a guy called Masaru Sato emailed to say everyone was on a trip to improve your performances." I recognised the name Masaru Sato; it was the care taker at the hospital.

"Well, anyway, we've just received a case, and now that you're back, would it be ok if you helped out?" Mai asked hopefully.

"Um, yeah sure."

"Great! It's a case from this manager of an estate agency. He wants to sell this house, but there are loads of rumours and stories about strange things happening in it, so Naru agreed to investigate. I'll email you the address and details. We're heading over there tomorrow, it's not too far away from Tokyo."

"Ah, ok." Meanwhile, I was already writing down this new information – 'SPR:', 'Masaru Sato' and 'hospital'.

"I'll see you tomorrow, then!" The phone hung up once more. I looked down at the scrap of paper in my hands. So someone emailed each work place, pretending to be from a different work place, and informed my real colleagues I was on a business trip, changing the name each time. The information worried me, that someone would go to such lengths in order to cover my disappearance. It could be easily found out, after all, so whoever was doing this was taking a risk. But something stuck out to me. So far, it seemed that this mysterious 'colleague' was acting through email. All except Abe-san had not seen this person. Why did this person show up in person to Abe-san, yet act through email the rest of the time? Whoever this 'colleague' was, they had been acting carefully all this time, so to reveal their appearance to Abe-san seemed a bit…strange.

When the phone rang again, I almost jumped out of my skin. Fumbling for the phone awkwardly with my good hand, I answered it.

"Hello?"

"This is Shibuya Hospital, we were just ringing to tell you that your colleague left behind a message for you."

A message? "Oh, what kind of message?"

"He wanted you to know that he's looking for you. He just rang now, so I told him I would pass on a message."

I swallowed. "He's…looking for me?"

"Yes, but the system crashed, so I just said I'd pass on the message and he said ok and hung up. I don't know what's up with the computer system here, it's ridiculous…"

As the receptionist talked on, my mind went completely blank. I could hear her words, but they did not seem to sink in. For I was suddenly very, very afraid.

"…anyway, I better hang up, the others will kill me for rambling on while I'm meant to be working. Bye."

-Beeeeeeeeeeeeeep-

So my 'colleague' was looking for me.

Something told me that wasn't a good thing.