A/N: Sorry, sorry....so sorry for the late (waaaay late) update. I got a job and have been super busy. I really wanted to finish this story before November...and I am so close I can taste it to finishing this story...

Anyway, thanks to all those who helped me write this chapter! Could not have done it without all your help!

The silence was maddening, but there was really no logical explanation as to why. They had come to a wall; and vast and impenetrable wall.

They now knew what the tablet was and where it originated. They were able to decipher what was written on it and they had even formulated an idea as to how it ended up in the pond at the inn…

Now all that was left to figure out was how and why the tablet actually activated a curse… and if that curse was related to the problems occurring at the inn. If they were indeed related then they needed to formulate a plan to stop its effects. Sounds simple enough…Naru scoffed at his own inward line of thought. 'Simple…ha, it's anything but.'

"Well…" Bou-san paused a moment before he continued, "if we start from the top of the list…maybe a person or some external source activated the curse?"

"But how…if a person did it then why is it not affecting more people? Also, there would be a reason why someone would want to activate that particular tablet, wouldn't there?" John pointed out while still in thought. It didn't make much sense that a person could be behind the tablet and the problems at the inn given the certain circumstances that were presented.

"But a person would have to have a particular reason or motive, right?" Bou-san glanced to his side to see if he was getting any reaction from Naru. "Unless…it was done subconsciously…or something."

"That could be a possibility." Naru finally stated. They didn't have enough to go on to prove or disprove anything yet. Though the pieces were just not going together…

"Next?" Naru prompted.

"Well…" Bou-san and John exchanged looks; Lin continued to type on his laptop seemingly uninvolved. "Could it have something to do with something the tablet came in contact with?"

"Like what?"

"Like when it was pulled from the water, it was exposed to air. Or maybe it could have reacted to Mai's touch?"

"That seems unlikely since the problems at the inn were pre-existing and they are continuing even after the tablet was exposed." Lin suddenly voiced without so much as glancing up from his typing.

"But what if the inn and the tablet are unrelated?" Bou-san sighed, "what if there are two different issues going on at once here?"

"That could be a real possibility as well…" Madoka's voice sounded from the speaker phone currently sitting on the table. "There are too many questions and not enough answers."

"Could there be a time frame for activation?" Yasuhara questioned earnestly.

"Is there a way we can block the curse now that is has been activated…even though we don't know what started it?" John had been wondering that for awhile. What if they could not figure out what started the curse? Where they just going to let the girls die? There had to be a way to deal with the curse even though they didn't know what was behind it.

"There could have been a time frame to activation, but there is no real way to tell; and as far as blocking a curse that has already been cast and has taken effect is rather difficult to near impossible. Since we do not know the details of what caused it, there is no way to weave a counter spell against it…or even a counter curse to cancel out the first." Lin finally stopped; typing to make sure every one heard his explanation.

He didn't want to admit it, but Lin knew they were right back at square one. They had more information than before and seemingly a good lead, yet in reality they hadn't made any progress at all. As good of an Omiyouji as he was, Lin knew he needed more to go on to be able to cast something strong enough to counter such a curse. A general spell just would not cut it and it could be dangerous blindly weaving something when he didn't know the full extent of the curse and what was behind it.

They were stuck.

-x-

"We can toss out all the ideas in the world, but we need something to go on! Some action to take!" Madoka let out an exasperated sigh. Lin tuned back into the conversation going on around him. Naru was still brooding on who knows what and Bou-san was arguing no doubt on some unimportant detail.

"Well maybe if you guys were not so far away at that secluded, backwoods inn we would be able to timely get to you to help out!" Madoka complained.

"Well sorry for having to take a case in this area! There are woods and natural springs here…it is the perfect place for inns and resort areas. There are a lot of lakes and scenic winding roads too, so sorry for being trapped in a rustic location!"

Lin perked up at the banter going on. It was so obvious…one of the basic things one would look into when trying to eliminate possible causes. Why hadn't he thought of it before?

Ignoring the continuing discussion around him, Lin quickly brought up several windows onto his laptop screen…one of which was a topographical map of the area and the inn that he had secured upon arrival. He had intended to just file it away with other case information once the case was completed, but now it was absolutely essential.

Lin's hands quickly passed over his keyboard as he brought up several reference pages and case studies. There. It all made sense…'This could be it, this could be the reason for everything…' Lin thought to himself as his mind worked a mile a minute running through all the possibilities the new found theory entailed.

That's all it was; a theory. No better than any of the idea that had been tossed out so far, but unlike the others it was a theory they could act upon. There was enough fact and information to actually try a counter.

It would be trial and error. If it didn't work, if this theory did not pan out, then they would have to go back to the drawing board and try again…of course which used precious time that they didn't have.

They needed to act, and they needed to act now…lives were depending on it.

-x-

Lin hesitated a moment. He took a fleeting look at his screen; all the information was there neat and organized ready to be explained to everyone. 'It may be just a theory, and it may not be much to go on. But at least it is something…something that we can use and test…' Lin sighed and took a breath.

"Location."

"What?" Madoka and Bou-san said simultaneously. John and Naru both offered up their attention and for a moment the whole room was still.

"Location." Lin repeated rather obviously. "The reason the curse activated…it could be this particular location."

"Explain." Naru voiced sternly if not desperately. Lin caught the urgency in his voice, though most would not have noticed.

"It all makes sense…why this curse activated and others of its kind have not…its because of where the curse ended up."

"In the spring you mean?" Bou-san asked slightly confused.

"Yes, but particularly the spring located at this inn. I cross referenced a map of the inn and surrounding area and it appears that this inn is a cross road." Lin explained carefully.

"A cross road?" Yasuhara paused.

"A cross road, or cross roads rather, refer to points of passage by spirits. They are characterized by heightened spiritual energy due to the activity of spirits using them for crossing." Naru explained stoically.

"What makes you think this inn is a cross road then?" John asked curiously.

"There is a mountain to the North, a River to the South, hills to the East, and dense forest to the West…" Lin started.

"Meaning there is a natural flow of energy right to this location making it the perfect path…" Naru finished.

"So the curse must have fed off of this rich energy and was able to activate, right?" Yasuhara questioned.

"Most likely." Lin answered shortly.

"So what can be done?" John asked the question that was on everyone's mind. That was the real question; they were running out of time…

"Can we block it some how?" Yasuhara asked anxiously through the speaker phone.

"The curse must be blocking the path as well…causing all the activity at the inn…" Madoka paused, "the spirits are stuck there…"

"The only logical way to break the curse would be to destroy it by countering it with something more powerful…" Naru stated offhandedly. As things were, they could not change the cause…the location. Even if they moved the tablet away it wouldn't help since it had long since been activated. Even if they charmed it to block some of the effects, that would not solve the overall problem. The energy from the area would continue to feed it…and it would continue to get stronger. The only way to stop it now was to 'fight fire with fire' so to speak. They needed to counter it with something similar and something stronger…something that would eliminate it for good.

Naru sighed at the uproar of mummers his suggestion elicited. They didn't have time for this. If it failed, if this route was the wrong one then they needed to act now so that they could try something else as soon as possible. "Lin…"

"Yes?" the older man answered in a conditioned way, yet he knew that Naru had already formulated a hypothesis plan that he wanted to try. Even if it was a thrown together plan, formulated quickly based on limited information, it was something…and something was always better than nothing.

"I want you to cast a counter-curse" Naru said sternly, "one that will negate the current, active curse."

"What!?" Bou-san and Madoka exclaimed almost in unison.

"It will have to be in the same class as the activated one, so research and figure out the best way to weave it. Either way, it is going to have to somehow overpower the forces invoked by this one." Naru let the curse tablet clatter on the table top bringing everyone's attention to him. "Any questions?"

The withering glare Naru was unintentionally showing caused all those present to remain silent. It was not like any of them had any better idea to go on. Madoka and Yasuhara voiced their agreement quickly before dismissing themselves. They made it painfully clear before hanging up that if any more assistance was needed to call them immediately and they would be more than ready to help. They also made it clear that they needed to be updated on the situation frequently…or else they would make things difficult.

No one wanted to know exactly what this 'difficult' meant, so everyone easily agreed and let it be.

"I will start on this immediately." Lin suddenly stated.

"Will you be able to do something like that, Lin-san?" John asked concerned. Was that really something he knew how to do?

"I should manage…" Lin said fleetingly as he was already moving away from the table to gather the information he required. It was already late and he needed plenty of time to prepare. He had never done anything similar…it was going to be a challenge. "In the meantime I suggest the inn be swept again."

"That's a good idea. John and I can do that Naru." Bou-san said as he got up.

"Good…" was the only response Naru had to offer. He didn't feel much like going with them. It was late so they would probably turn in once they were done. He dearly wanted to vulture over Lin and watch his progress but Naru knew what a futile action that would be. He would only succeed in annoying Lin and worry himself more…which was something he didn't need.

-x-

Naru watch Lin for a moment. He was quickly and effectively working on his task which made Naru feel a little useless. Everyone was working hard on their given task except him. What could he do? What was there to do?

"Naru…" Lin's voice startled Naru from his depressive line of thought. "Go and sit with Mai. She needs you right now."

"She is unconscious." Naru stated flatly. What was the point? It would be a waste of time…of effort. Surly, there was something more worthy of his time…

"Go to her Naru." Lin stopped what he was doing and fixed the boy with a stern look. "She needs you…and right now there is nothing more important needing your time than her."

Naru sighed. He knew Lin was right…he had nothing better to do. He had been so busy thinking and working on anything, everything else…so that he wouldn't have to think of her. But now it was like he had no choice but to confront her. A part of him felt guilty…that somehow the current situation was in part his fault. Maybe if he had kept a closer eye on her…maybe if he had been more adept he would have figured out sooner that the girls were in danger…

Maybe if…

No, it was no time to think about 'what if' or 'only if' that much Naru knew. He sighed again. Fine; he would give in this time…do what he was told for once. "I understand." He voiced heavily. "I will be with Mai if you need me."

Lin smiled to himself, "Alright..."

A/N: So there you have it! I will be working on the next part with Naru/Mai fluff and glory. Also, the exciting climax is on its way!!!!!!! Look forward to it! Comments, ideas, idle chatter always welcome!