Chapter 3: University Quandary
Summary: Mai woke early to mentally prepare for her meeting at the Admissions office of the University of Hawaii Manoa Campus. She resolutely refused to think about who was coming to assist with the investigation!
Author's Note: I want to thank you for reading my first story on this site! Thank you's go out specifically to Shunakoo25 and pennYnnep, I appreciate the encouragement and helpful hints!
As stated in my A/N in my first chapter the case sites are real places in our world, however the people and events are fictional. Or based on legends that surround the real life locations. That being said, the property described as belonging to Aria Marie Kalani-McLoughin is completely fictional. As is the private beach and dock! Just so we are all clear. *grins* I wish I owned a stately three story mansion on a private beach with it's own dock!
I hope everyone enjoys this next installment of The Darkside of Paradise!
Case File 1: The Blood Soaked Dorm - Part 2
After waking earlier than expected, Mai prepared herself with a quick shower before dressing in the pink sundress and matching sandals Aria had gifted her with the day before.
Mai ventured into her sitting room, where her floor to ceiling window was flanked by floor to ceiling bookshelves. Her window, she realized, faced the back of the house. Which meant she had an amazing view of the private breach that was a part of Aria's property. Between the house and the beach, Aria had an tropical garden oasis. Hibiscus flowers and Birds of Paradise flowers seemed to run rampant throughout. There were also Coconut Palms lining the transition between the back garden and beach.
As Mai moved closer to the pane glass window, she realized a door had been carefully fitted to look like part of the large window. Finding the handle she unlocked the door, gently opening it allowed the early morning breeze to carry in the scent of the ocean mixed with the scent of the different flowers that grew in the garden.
Mai stepped out onto her balcony, she pulled the door shut, but lacking the key she could not lock it. Stepping up to the balconies railing she swept her eyes left to right, to her right she noticed stairs leading down to the garden. With a smile Mai took them down to the garden level just in time to see Aria's butler, Sebastian, begin to set out breakfast.
Mai grinned, "What a lovely idea, breakfast in the garden!"
Sebastian looked up from his task, "Good morning, Miss Mai. I hope you slept well?"
Mai's smile faded just a bit, "I slept as well as can be expected after one of my dreams." She really didn't want to talk about more than that.
"Ah... Miss Aria did say you have retro-cognitive and sometimes precognitive dreams. I am sorry you have had one this soon. She said they usually happen once you are on a case? I know one has not been accepted yet..." His tone was questioning, he had been assisting his employer on cases almost from the first. His opinion of the young lady from Japan was high before he met her yesterday. It had only gotten higher.
Mai's eyes opened wide in surprise, but thinking for a moment she understood. "You are more than Aria's butler! You're her assistant in her investigations too!" Knowing she guessed correctly by his surprised look she continued, "To answer your question, I had a precognitive dream about the University case. We decided to take that case last night just before calling my old team from Japan to ask for their help."
Aria choose that moment to join them. "That's right, Seb, we'll be investigating the 'missing students case' at the University of Hawaii Manoa Campus. We will need seven guest room prepared for the SPR team." She then turned to Mai with a grin. "I see you found your private entrance. Here is your key to the door. You've lived on your own long enough you don't have to ask my permission to have guests, though I would like to know if you head out on your own."
Mai nodded, "Of course! I would never just leave without telling you. I probably won't even after I learn my way around O'ahu. Oh as one of my classes, can I take a basic English course? I tried learning in high school, but I'm really not very good. I know English is the primary language spoken in Hawaii."
"I was going to suggest that to you. All my employees are bi-lingual, to be hired they have to know Japanese as one of their languages."
Mai's brow furrowed, "Why?" She asked a bit confused.
"Because I had planned to invite you to Hawaii after you graduated High School all along. I also knew you struggled with English. It does not hurt to know more than one language you know!" Aria chuckled. "I personally know English, Japanese, Chinese and two dialects of Polynesian, Hawaiian and Samoan."
Mai's eyes googled, "Why so many?" She asked curiously.
"Actually that's not that many. Some are just rarer. Remember I had a native Hawaiian Grandmother and a Japanese Grandfather on my Mother's side, and an Irish Grandfather and Chinese Grandmother on my Father's side! I learned the Chinese and Japanese in self defense when I was small so I could understand the arguments my Japanese Grandfather would have with my Chinese Grandmother! I learned Hawaiian to make my other Grandmother happy!"
They had sat down at the patio table in the garden while they were talking, and Mai had to giggle about the self defense of learning languages. "I guess if my family was as racially diverse as yours I would have done the same thing!" She admitted.
Aria chuckled, "Come on, we need to finish breakfast. We need to leave for your appointment soon!"
Mai deflated a bit, "I know, I'm just nervous about being on University grounds after that dream last night."
"I can't say that I blame you. I think after your interview I want to check out the Hale Aloha Lehu, which is the last place the two missing students were seen. I believe the Dean told me they had been visiting the students assigned to room 406."
Mai felt the blood drain from her face, and the fork fell from her suddenly nerveless fingers.
Alarmed Aria reached for her young friend and Sebastian returned in time to see Mai faint...
The Dream...
"Mai.. Mai!" The voice called to her. Opening her eyes she saw her Dream Naru...
"Hi Gene." Looking around she spoke "Okay, so where are we?"
"Look over there." He said pointing into the distance.
Mai followed his gesture and saw a round stone building. There looked to be students standing in front of it. Mai listened as the two boys egged the two girls with them on. "Come on, we all agreed to this test of courage. We have to do this quickly, before the supper intendant of the University orders the tower repurposed into dorms!"
One of the girls responded, "We know! But it just looks so creepy!"
The other boy responded, "Of course! It wouldn't be a test of courage if the building didn't look at least a little creepy!"
Mai studied their clothes before glancing at Gene, "Was this in the 20's?" She asked.
"1919, August. If I have my timeline correct. Six months before they started the construction to repurpose the tower."
The scene changed, now construction workers were exiting the building. They looked rather sick to Mai. The, then, Dean joined them, "What is it?"
The lead worker answered. "We found the four missing students... Well at least we think it's them."
"Why can't you tell?" The Dean asked.
"It looks like their bodies have been sucked dry. They look like mummies that have been dead 100 years, sir."
The scene fades away, and Mai turns to Gene, "So what ever happened then is happening again?" She asked, concerned.
Gene looked sick as he nodded. "It cycles, ever 15 to 20 years a new set of four go missing. They are always found six months later and from what I've found they all have a similar appearance to these first four. The groups are always two boys and two girls, with the boys going missing first."
Suddenly Mai felt herself being yanked from Gene's side. She found herself in utter darkness. She knew something was in that darkness, she could hear it breathing. It, whatever it was, it sounded malicious... "W-who's t-there?" She asked, her voice shaking.
As soon as the question left her lips, something laughed, low and menacing. A deep and terrible voice spoke, "You will be my finest accomplishment. You will join the legion of blood!"
Terror gripped Mai as she felt a thick visceral liquid rise up her leg, there was a metallic smell that grew stronger as the liquid climbed higher. Oh my god... This is... Blood! As that thought crossed her mind, a scream was pulled from her lips. One thought came to the fore... Naru! Save me!
Aria's Garden Patio...
Mai could vaguely hear someone calling her name.
"...Mai! Wake-up, Mai!" She could hear fear in the familiar voice.
"A-aria?" She asked, her voice sounded weak even to her own ears. She blinked her eyes, trying to focus on the person cradling her.
"Thank goodness. Mai, you scared me! You fainted when I mentioned a certain room, then maybe five minutes later you started screaming. What happened?" Aria filled her in, deciding if they were late they were late. Her voice had dropped lower in her concern.
"I think I saw the dorm you were talking about, but before it was repurposed. There were two young men and two young women participating in a test of courage. The vision skipped to what I assume was 'later' and some construction workers stepped out of the tower gagging. They told a man, I think was the Dean, that they had found the missing students." A shudder passed through Mai as her brown eyes met Aria's green eyes. Mai's brown eyes were filled with fear.
Aria hugged her closer. "Is that all that happened?" She asked as she stroked Mai's hair in a vain attempt to calm her down.
Mai shook her head. "After that I was pulled into complete darkness. Something evil told me... Told me I would be it's finest accomplishment and that I'd be joining it's 'legion of blood'." Mai's trembling became worse.
Aria sighed, "We really need to make that appointment, we won't get another until next month or later. Are you up to going?"
Mai thought for a moment before nodding. "I want to get signed up, and I may not be enthusiastic about checking out the dorm, but I get this feeling we don't have time to waste."
Aria nodded. "I think you're right. Though I dislike being without those your spirit guide wants here."
Mai smiled, "I'd rather do a preliminary check, so we have some hard data for Naru to sift through. He'll be less likely to give us a hard time with something case related to read over!"
Three hours later... University of Hawaii Manoa Campus...
Aria and Mai exited the Admissions office wearing smiles. The interview had gone well. Aria acted as Mai's interpreter, as the Admissions Officer they spoke with did not speak Japanese. In Aria's mind it was a sin to have a someone in that position that only spoke English, as Hawaii was a culturally diverse place with several languages being in used by the people living here. Letting out a long sigh, Aria muttered, "Oh well, let's go speak to the Dean and tell him we've taken the case."
Mai nodded, knowing that is they wanted to find the missing students alive, they would have to move fast. The campus was far larger than Mai had anticipated, though her two classes were in the same building, just on different days of the week. Many of the buildings felt old yet they were well maintained. Other structures were obviously built in the last ten to twenty years.
As Mai looked around she stopped to stare at a tree she had never seen before, it was beautiful with long narrow leaves that made the tree look like it had a bush mop of green hair, at least from a distance. "What kind of tree is that?" She asked glancing at Aria.
Looking over where Mai was pointing made Aria grin. "That is one of the native Hawaiian trees. They only grow in Hawaii. They are Acacia Koa, or simply call Koa by the locals."
Mai giggled, "Koa, I'll have to remember that! I think they are beautiful!"
Aria smiled affectionately at her young friend. "You should see them in full bloom, it's too late in the season now."
They had continued walking, seeing more Koa along the way to the Administrations building that housed the Dean's office.
Meanwhile at the Kalani Estate...
The phone rang. Sebastian Himura answered it, "Kalani Estate, Sebastian speaking. How may I assist you?"
"My name is Shibuya Kazuya. My associates and I will be arriving in Hawaii around 4 P.M. your time, tomorrow. If you could let Miss McLoughlin know I would appreciate it." Naru paused before asking. "How is Miss Taniyama doing? I know she had a vision in the night."
Sebastian thought before answering. "She fainted during breakfast. During the time she was unconscious she had another vision. It disturbed her enough that Miss McLoughlin almost cancelled Miss Taniyama's admissions interview."
"Did they get more pertinent information on the case?" His voice was strained. He detested being away from Mai when he knew she was having visions about a case, and the fact the visions started before they accepted the case worried him!
"That sir, I could not say. Miss McLoughlin had me running an errand shortly after she fainted." Sebastian stated stiffly.
"I see thank you for your time. We will see you tomorrow." With that Naru broke the connection.
Sebastian sighed writing out a quick note and leaving it on Aria's desk. Letting out another sigh he muttered, "There is still so much to do!"
Manoa Campus...
Mai was examining the file the Dean had given them on the missing students. When Aria first received the case there were two people missing... Now there were three. All three were in their late teens to early twenties.
The first to go missing was a man with deep brown hair that had reddish highlights and stormy gray-green eyes and a knowing smirk, named Marcus Donovan. Studying his photo Mai thought, This guy looks almost as mysterious as Naru. I wonder if he's as big a narcissist as Naru?
The second was a man with golden blonde hair and startling clear blue eyes and a cheesy grin, named Trey Reeds. Looking at his photo Mai thought, He looks like a player. Probably has a different girl every weekend!
The third person to go missing was a female student named Dominique Vienna. She had long strawberry blonde hair, blue-green eyes and a gently kind smile. A great sadness fell over Mai as she looked at the photo. I bet she is as kind as she looks in this photo. I hope we can find them before it's too late!
Aria got Mai's attention, "We are here, Hale Aloha Lehu."
Mai looked up at the circular dorm and shuddered. It looked calm and inviting, yet Mai could feel an underlying dark presence. She could also vaguely smell blood on the wind. As they stepped into the building the smell of blood became overpowering to Mai. She gagged yet managed to not lose what little food she had gotten down that morning.
Aria looked at her and saw how pale she had gotten, "Mai? Are you alright? Do you need to go lay down?"
Mai took a shuddering breath before answering, "I'm okay. Let's get this over with so we can go back home."
"Alright dear heart. Dean can you show us the room in question?"
"Of course, this way." They were soon standing in front of room 406. "We have moved the tenants out of this dorm room and made it off limits."
"Good idea." Aria said as she opened the door.
Without much hesitation Mai walked into the room. The smell of blood was so strong she expected to be standing in a pool of the stuff.
Aria had entered as well, but ended up turning to face the hall as the Dean continued to talk to her, thus Aria missed what happened in the room. The only indication something was wrong was a slight clicking noise. When Aria turned to face the room... Mai was gone... Only the file she had been holding remained, lying on the floor in the exact center of the room. The air left Aria's lungs in a whoosh as she fell to her knees. Then she screamed..
"MAI!"
Author's Note: I know! I'm sorry! But we've got to have a good cliffie now and then! Please don't hate me!
Edited 6-6-2017: Corrected wrong word choices.