Chapter 4: Case 1

"Suki, she's gone missing!"

No one else on the team said anything, waiting to see if Naru would fire back at the young man again. Instead he grabbed his notebook and took his seat.

"When did this occur?" Naru shifted quickly into interview mode.

The boy seemed to calm himself a bit, running his hand through his chocolate locks, and contemplating the question.

"This morning it was time for school, and it's my job to wake up the small children. When it was time to walk with the kids over to the school bus, I noticed Suki was missing. I asked one of the kids where she was and they said she wasn't feeling well. I sent them off with one of the staff, and went to go check on her. She was in her bed with stomach pains, so I gave her some medicine and sent her back to bed and let one of the nuns know she was there. I got ready and went to school, but when I got back s-sh… Suki was gone." The boy clenched his hand angrily quaking in rage.

"How did you know she was missing? Could one of the nuns just have taken her to the infirmary?" John stepped forward to ask.

"I looked everywhere and asked everyone. The nun I sent to look after her said she checked on her multiple times throughout the day and she was still in bed. Plus when I was searching around the grounds and forest I s-saw.." the boy's voice cracked a bit of sadness apparent in his voice.

"…her doll was on the ground. Our mother bought her that doll, so she'd never leave it behind." He said tears spilling over.

"Lin checked the recordings near the back bedrooms for the last hour." The Chinese man complied speeding past through film, as everyone in base gathered around with the exception of Mai who was stranded at the table.

"Stop!" Naru said urgently surprising everyone around him.

"Start at 3:45:17 and play it frame by frame." Lin did just that and the shot revealed the back door…

… and a very very low sound was heard.

Lin raised the volume and replayed the short time lapse.

A little girl was seen exiting her room, almost silently. She had long black hair and the same emerald eyes as her brother, but they seemed to be in a trance. The screen revealed a piece of paper in her hand before she disappeared from around the corner. The next camera view showed the hallway that joined the two corridors, where the girl should have appeared, but she never did. Lin scrambled through nearly half an hour of film, with no sign of her.

"She had one of my charms in her hand, which must be how the spirit or whatever we're dealing with got in." Ayako said aloud with a tense tone.

"It's like she's gone out of thin air." Monk said scratched his head. The whole team seemed dumbfounded by the events.

"Do you think the man from Mai's dream is like Urado and can faze through walls." Yasu said pushing his glasses causing them to glare from the reflection of the monitors. Masako's eyes widened at the very thought of Urado; she forced out a shaky breath.

"No, he isn't that strong yet."

Everyone turned over to Mai who was forgotten in all of the drama by the monitors.

"Hmm…explain Mai." Monk inquired sounding a bit like Naru.

"Don't get me wrong he's very strong, but he's no demon, at least not yet. It's probably why he's collecting the victims, to get stronger." Mai elaborated as a pensive, distant look furrowed her brow.

"Is that your intuition speaking Mai?" Naru asked, but Mai shrugged, not confident enough to give a definite response.

"If that's true, and the girls really aren't fazing through the walls, then where are they going?" Naru asked her.

"Umm… beats me. You'll probably have to search the area. If she's small maybe she slipped through a window or vent. Mai replied twisting the end of her ponytail.

"Either way, the details of how the girls are disappearing don't matter. Right now we have one that is already missing. We have to go look for her in the forest! It's the only place she could be at this point." Ayako said crossing her arms in vexation.

"Matsuzaki, Masako, Mai and Yasuhara round up all the girls and keep them in one room don't let them out of your site. Make sure it's a place where there are already charms in place. Lin, Monk, John, we're going to look for Suki." Naru barked orders left and right bringing his team to action.

"I want to help you search!" the boy said making everyone stop in their tracks and look at Naru.

"No, I won't be held liable if you get injured." Turning the boy down flat. His expression looked like someone had torn his heart out. Mai really felt for the boy, he was just trying to find his sister. Mai limped over to Naru before he could leave base, and grabbed his arm making him turn around.

"Naru!" Mai yelled her face simmering with anger. Naru turned toward her impatiently.

"Let him go with you. H-…" Mai paused and looking back over at the boy with a polite smile.

"I'm sorry, what's your name?" She asked a bit too sweetly making the boy shiver.

"It's Suzaku, Fujioka Suzaku." He bowed quickly wiping his tear-streaked face.

"And let Fujioka-san go help you look! He wants to find his sister more than any of you and you're not going to bench him! Besides, he probably knows the area and can navigate the forest." Mai finished glaring flames into her boss's eyes. Naru instead of becoming angry at Mai, he directed his death stare to Suzaku, squinting dangerously.

"Fine, he better not hold us back." Naru said taking off down the corridor. The boys filed out of base but Suzaku stopped in front of Mai surprising her with a hug making her blush.

"Thank you so much." The words fumbling out his mouth as he let her go. He was out of base in a flash to catch up with the rest. Mai smiled and watched him go, a silent prayer occupied her mind.

"I saw that Mai." Yasu said parading out the door, looking back only to wag his eyebrows at Mai.

The men entered the forest, Suzaku and Naru led the group into the brush. With only a few hours left of sun, time was of the essence.

"This is where I found her doll, so I could only guess she went down this path. I've been down this way before, and it leads to this open field with stone slabs in the middle of it." Suzaku shared.

"Naru, Mai mentioned seeing a large stone in her first dream, correct?" Lin stated and the young scientist nodded his acknowledgments to the group.

"Let's go." Naru said and they pressed on at a more hurried pace.

"About this time I make sure the kids gather together and do their homework anyway. So if any of them ask why just the girls, say that's it's just for that reason." Father Kato said hoping not to panic the children. There were at least 30 kids currently under his care, and they all seemed to love him. Mai couldn't understand how the police could even accuse Father Kato of the disappearances.

"I'm sorry, we haven't met yet, but my name is Father Kato, pleased to meet you, young lady." He said to Mai and she smiled and bowed to him.

"I'm Taniyama Mai, nice to finally meet you, sir." Mai attempted a bow, but merely stumbled on her crutches.

"Oh dear, what happened to your leg?" Father Kato looked down at her large foot cast.

"An unfortunate injury from a previous case. Mostly chocked up to my clumsiness. I should be fine in a little more than a week though." Mai said waving away his concern. The clock in the room notified the hour. Mai noted the time and saw how dim the light was getting outside the window.

"I hope they find Suki, it'll be dark soon." Mai said her hand clutching her crutches tighter.

"Have faith, my child. All will end well." He spoke wisely, but it was little comfort. Suddenly Mai could feel a dizziness coming on. Her hand flew out to grab the nearest counter losing her balance and a crutch in the fray. The darkness pulled her harder and harder until all she could do was succumb to it.

Mai awoke with her back against the water fountain and finding herself back in the flower garden whose beauty she'd grown to resent. She looked down only to realize she was in a black tulle dress with a circle skirt that ended around her shins. Her hair was even down and no longer in the low ponytail she was sporting today.

'Er…since when do I change clothes on the astral plane?' Mai asked herself standing quickly. She wanted to believe once again she was experiencing someone else's perspective in a vision. But things were never the way they appeared in this treacherous garden.

"Surprised by the dress? I've been imagining you in something like it since we first met." You-know-who said from behind her. Mai turned her hands on her hips, her face in a scowl toward the handsome specter. Mai marched over to him even though every part of her being was screaming at her to stop. She pushed him hard in the chest, and he actually had the decency to look surprised.

"Where is Suki?!" Mai yelled her fury enough to disturb his balance. He righted himself gracefully and a smirk found its way onto his face, he tutted his finger at her again.

"You know the price of this information until yours are more willing, my lips will be sealed." Mai could feel saliva collecting in her mouth as if she were about to be ill.

"If you weren't going to tell me, then why have you brought me here !? I know the feeling of being dragged onto the spirit plane, so why?" Mai said her temper rising, nearly out of her control.

"Asking me more questions? You don't seem to get the concept of bargaining very well, now do you?" He said as he walked past her to sit by the fountain simply admiring its beauty.

'Damn it! Stubborn pig!' Mai thought angrily her veins popping out of her forehead. She turned her head and watched the man who seemed to be paying her no mind and just enjoying the fountain. It was crystal clear he was baiting her. Forcing her to the brink to give him what he wanted. She hadn't felt it first hand, but her instinct told her this man was capable of great malice. What would he do to Suki if she wrote him off again. Mai also wondered if she could trade anything else, but knowing the type of man she was dealing with, he'd raise the stakes if she relented. In perspective, the risk was worth the reward of Suki if he was true to his word.

'If it's for her sake then…'

Mai marched up to the fountain and sat with her nose in the air. The man smirked fiendishly making Mai blushed deeply and narrowed her eyes.

"Fine."

"Fine, what?"

"Fine, you can kiss me." Mai said and before she knew it she was on the ground with him above her. He leaned in for what Mai thought would be the kiss, but instead, he placed his ear to her chest.

"H-hey!"

"Your heart is beating quite fast Mai, it's much like a fluttering hummingbird." This only made it beat faster as he leaned up again and traced his finger over her lips. His eyes stared into hers for what seemed like hours.

He was dissecting her.

Savoring before a meal.

Mai had to focus on her breathing to force time to pass. After too many moments of his repulsive eye wandering torture, she chose to abort. Mai moved her arms to push him away from her, but he was quick to grab each wrist and push them down and secure them above her head.

"Not so fast my little hummingbird." He said his voice husky and deep and he leaned in and finally allowed their lips to meet. He licked her lips forcing his entrance to deepen the kiss as Mai whimpered. He was forceful like he wanted to suck out every breath from her lungs. She could feel the cold air of death pass between their lips and settle into her belly. She hadn't kissed many boys, but that was definitely not normal.

Her eyes flew open and she began kicking for her life trying to move the behemoth off of her. Finally, his grip loosened enough for her to yank her arms from his grasp, and push hard against his chest. Their lips separated loudly and Mai gasped frantically for air. She crawled away as fast as the cursed dress could take her.

He remained seated on the ground with the same devilish smirk as she collected herself. She could still feel like something very cold crawling inside of her, but she didn't have time to ruminate.

"There ! Y-you got what y-you wanted you." Mai paused to spit and wipe her mouth. "Now tell me everything I asked you." With each second she increased their distance.

"You've asked me a lot of things Mai, elaborate." He too rising and returning to his perch on the fountain.

"First, I want to know your name."

"Shadow."

"What? I don't mean a nickname I mean your real name!" Mai repeated her question.

"That is my real name." Mai could have burned flesh with her glare. Frustrated and repulsed, she continued the interrogation.

"Why are you taking away girls?"

"Hm... how do explain it?" He looked off at nothing in particular and tapped his still glistening mouth. "Think of it like taking a plain white piece of paper, and covering it in marks and making your own. I gain power from molding things."

'Another riddle. I'll just have to be more specific.' Mai pondered refusing to let this stupid Shadow man get the best of her.

"Where is Suki's exact location?"

"She's at the highest point in the forest." He said still looking off to nowhere.

"Is she alive!?" Mai yelled her hands gripping into fists. He looked at her and his eyes looked impossibly serene.

"That depends on when you find her." He chuckled folding his hands over his chest.

Mai pushed air harshly through her nose and tried to even out her breathing. Even if it would take her team to decode his words; she had gotten her most pressing questions answered. Of course, she wanted to know the location of the other bodies, but finding Suki alive was more important now. She looked back at Shadow and he was still watching her very closely.

'His attitude toward helping me has completely changed. He must know that I'll be using all of this information to get rid of him. There's something I'm missing...' Mai wondered getting a horrible pit feeling in her stomach at the mere thought of his true intentions.

She would find out sooner rather than later. Either way she was running out of time, so she willed herself awake like usual, but nothing happened.

She had a sneaking suspicion why.

"Shadow, I need to leave this spiritual plane and wake up." Mai demanded growing impatient and needing desperately to get far far away from him.

"I'm sorry hummingbird, but that requires payment of another kind."

"What?"

"Sorry, but I promise that this payment is less physical. I just want to know the name of your spirit guide." He said nonchalantly, but something told Mai that she shouldn't tell him. His distant look never wavered, but Mai didn't budge this time. Many tense moments passed as Mai contemplated what she may be giving up.

'It's like he's casting something over me with all these strange requests.' Mai realized.

She had to weigh the definite harm to Suki's life and the potential harm to Gene's afterlife. She wanted to vomit. She appraised the villain in front of her. Her instincts felt that the majority of his negative intentions were directed towards her. So far they had no evidence of him ever killing or harming a man. At least not directly. Gene, like Naru, was more capable than her and could outmatch this man on equal footing.

Mai put her faith and prayers into him and his strength. She tried to exit once more on her own strength, but could not.

No turning back.

"Gene. His name was, well is Eugene." Mai uttered completely resigned. Shadow watched her and smirked diabolically. Then suddenly started to laugh like a madman. His laugh wasn't mischievous like her previous visits. This one was sinister, malicious… just plain evil. Watching the specter act like a lunatic made her nervous and only proved that she sealed her fate.

'Gods, protect me.' She prayed in her mind.

"I need to go. Now." Mai said forcefully. Her voice brought him back to his senses, and his face returned to his sardonic smirk.

"Yes, of course, my dear. We'll be seeing each other very soon." With that Mai felt herself returning.

Click click click click click click click

When Mai awoke to the sun just barely creeping over the horizon. She rubbed her eyes letting them adjust to the orange hues entering the bedroom. She felt eyes on her and turned to see Lin watching her, his chair angled toward her. Things weren't adding up in Mai's head at all. His typing was the only sound in the room

Shouldn't she be in the common room where the girls were waiting for the guys to come back. She was back in the room she shared with Naru, but Lin was working at the desk in the corner.

"It's morning?" Mai voice rasped trying to come to her senses.

"Yes." Lin replied staying in character and remaining a man of view words.

"Did you all find Suki?" Mai gripped the sheet already knowing the answer.

"No, we did not find her." Mai's heart broke knowing how her brother must be feeling right now. She could feel her eyes welling up with tears until she remembered her dream.

'I have to tell Naru what I know.' Mai said, fire filling her insides.

"I have to see Naru, right now. I have important information for him." Mai voiced and Lin nodded. He excused himself to stand outside so Mai could change from the nightgown someone put her in. Lin returned dutifully to the room once she called him.

"Um… Lin." He looked at the girl impatiently.

"My crutches aren't here." Mai chirped.

Lin looked around the room a second time and sighed very loudly. He walked back over to Mai and kneeled down with his back facing her. Mai tried her hardest not to laugh at the notion of getting a piggyback ride from Lin again after their case with Kenji. She got on and the two headed to base.

Mai started to reminiscence about the past for a bit, but was quickly brought to Earth when Lin arrived in a very full base.

As soon as the duo entered Yasu, Ayako, and Monk started to laugh while Naru merely rolled his eyes. Even John and Masako had to

smile at the unusual surprise.

"Shut up! My crutches weren't in my room when I woke up, so what was I supposed to do." Lin deposited Mai beside the couch and found his secluded corner by the monitors to resume his work.

"We're just glad to see you awake Mai. You fainted yesterday and we couldn't wake you at all, even after the guys returned." Ayako said bringing the girl a cup of tea that she graciously accepted.

"Lin said the search was unsuccessful." Mai addressed her voice low and sad. The room seemed to become tense.

"Naru, I have information about the case." Mai announced her voice hopeful. Naru turned away from the monitors and grabbed his black notebook and sat across from his assistant.

"The man who's in my spirit plane said his name was Shadow, and yes, he said that was his real name. I asked him why he was taking the girls and he said… let me get this right, he said

'Think of it like taking a plain white piece of paper, and covering it in marks and making your own. I gain power from molding things.'

Then I asked him where Suki's exact location was and he said she was at the highest point in the forest. But he wouldn't tell me her condition, only that it depended on how quickly I could find her." Mai finished hoping that Naru would be able to pull together the pieces.

"Lin, the map." Naru called and within seconds it was in his hands. Naru eyed the contour and circles where the topography was most dense. Monk who was sitting next the narcissist saw what he saw and grunted in frustration.

"That's impossible!" Monk yelled his eyed widening.

"What? What is it?" John asked looking at the map. He stepped back with a confused face placing a hand over his mouth.

"No way." John stated in disbelief.

"Hello! Fill us in!" Yasu complained flinging his arms up in frustration.

"Mai, do you remember the first dream you had after arriving here." Naru started and she nodded, urging him to continue. "There was a field with large rocks in the center. Suzaku described a location and we all drew the connection. It was the first area we started our search for Suki. According to this map, that same we field we investigated yesterday is the highest point in the forest." Naru revealed grimly.