Lin looked around him, how did he get into this one? Things had gone from bad to worst and were declining fast. Martin had called, the next day, while he was gone a few hours Naru had learned about a case from the monk and scheduled to arrive the next day. Today. He had little to no research and Noll was pressing to get out on the case.

Simply put Naru was throwing a fit.

However, this case was nothing they were prepared for.

Now he carried Mai in his arms as he ran through the building. He had left to get equipment from the van and when he came back all hell had broken loose. The only things that held him steady were her words; 'Lin-san, only death awaits both of you, if you chase after him now.' Mai's words cut clean through Lin's panic yet now as he carried her battered spirit form back to her body that wavered between opaque and translucent, he wondered. How much had she sacrificed for them?

Flashback

Ayako, Masako and Mai had met him running out while he walked in with a box of cords. Masako and Mai struggled to hold Matsuzaki-san up between them, her semi-limp form dragging her feet behind them.

"What happened?" Lin questioned critically eyeing the three girls.

"Mai started to shake and told us we should leave, Ayako laughed and went in the bathroom, a few minutes later I sensed something in the bathroom, we heard a clunk and a scream and went in to find a ghost strangling Ayako." Masako explained.

"I used the nine cuts, but not before Ayako passed out, we need to get outside and regroup."

"Noll?" Lin asked, in his worry letting Naru's real name slip.

"He went with John and Bou-san to the attic, he should be fine." Mai reassured. She and Masako took a few steps forward. Lin debated on helping the girls or continuing on, but moved to take over carrying the miko. Mai supported her head while Masako led and smoothed her kimono. At the threshold of the front door, there was a crack, loud and thunder.

Lin felt a push and heard a scream come from close behind him.

The push set him off balance and he leaned forward and turned as he fell out onto the lawn careful not to fall on top of and crush the unconscious miko he carried.

As he recovered from the fall, he turned to see the damage behind him. The awning over the door crashed down where he once stood, and underneath he saw a small figure trying to extricate her leg from the debris. Lin Adjusted Ayako so she laid a few feet beyond the door in a neutral position then hurried over to Mai.

He removed the small wood from atop her legs then braced himself to lift the support column from her ankle. He lifted it a few inches; while she crawled forward a few feet out from under it, whimpering each time she jostled the leg. Lin dropped the column unable to hold it any longer and moved to look at Mai's leg.

She winced as he touched it, "why," he asked, while examining her leg.

"Why what?" she grimaced, Masako brought the first aid kit from the van to Lin, he grabbed a couple broken boards and braced each side of Mai's leg with them. Mai hissed in pain. "Why did I push you?"

Lin grunted his ascension.

"You would have for me." She said simply then sucked in a quick breath as he wrapped her leg.

"I can take a hit and fall better then you," Lin said simply.

"Yeah," she agreed, closing her eyes trying to block out the pain. "But then who would save Naru?" Lin's head snapped up and looked dead into her eyes, willing her to tell him everything she knew.

"They are all safe, but not for long." She stated, and Lin hurriedly finished wrapping her leg, gently he set it on the ground then in one swift motion stood and plowed forward to the house. Mai reached her hand out and grabbed his leg.

"Lin-san, only death awaits both of you if you chase after him now." Mai's words cut clean through Lin's panic. He stopped dead in his tracks, as Mai tugged on his pant leg.