Disclaimer: Don't own YYH or the real person Katrina Kon.

Chapter 36:

"Gone? But how?"

"That's what we all are trying to find out. She didn't show up for her lunch period, so we went to look for her in her room. She wasn't there, and neither were any of her clothes or anything. We think that either she left of her own accord, or that she was taken by someone who wanted it to look like she left of her own accord."

I'm amazed. "How do you do that?"

He shrugs. "I use something called brains. And you know what's even weirder? The fact that today was the day that she was going to under the Deceit Detector. Pretty convenient, how she chose this particular day to run."

"I never liked her," I growl.

"She certainly has been hiding something. It's all too perfect. The day after she learned about Koenma's deceit tools, she accidentally broke them. Then she either runs or is kidnapped on the day of her hearing. So odd."

I notice the look he is giving me. "No, I am not going to find her."

"Why not?"

"Cauze she's a frickin' bitch. She deserves to rot in some rat infested cellar."

"But she is innocent, although secretive."

"You know, I don't know if she is. She steals stuff that would help us later. The Farina drug, your rose, my Commir…I don't trust her. What if she's working for him?"

"No. There's too many holes. We all know Sensu doesn't employ humans, considering they're very weak. And also, if he was trying to draw you in by kidnapping his own employee, why would he have let you escape?"

"I haven't figured that part out yet," I admit. "I just need more time."

"Well, we're out of time."

I nod. Strangely, I am not worried one bit. He does the same and steps out the door. Right before, he winks a green eye. "What did you do to Hiei today?"

"More like what did he do to me. Why?"

He snickers. "Because he goes red if he even hears your name."

"You don't wanna know, okay? You don't wanna know."

"Yes I do. Please?"

I glare. His puppy face is maddeningly convincing. "He k---k---kis---yuck---kissed me."

Instead of laughing, he smiles. "No one's been able to make Hiei smile in a long, long time. Feel special. Maybe you can open him up a little."

I smile. That analogy reminds me of a clam I once tried to pry open when I went to the beach with my mother. I tugged and tugged, finally breaking part of its shell. It was then when I fully understood how much clams dislike having their shells broken. I remember it peeking out that tongue like body and looked around, and when it spotted me, it rather lunged. Of course, my chubby legs couldn't outrun this amazing clam, and it leaped up to chomp on my ear. Quite hard. My mom heard me screaming, and came to pry it off, but even she could not pry it off, so we had to cut our visit short to get the doctor.

I had needed a tetanus shot, and the evil clam had to be put to sleep before it could be tugged off. I remember my satisfaction at seeing the needle penetrate it's fragile, evil body; hearing it's last breath… "You…will…pay…"

I had quite a few problems with clams over the years. And I'm comparing Hiei to a clam. I need a life.

My mom and I were very embarrassed, and from then on I stayed away from clams. Maybe that's what I should do with Hiei. Better not risk breaking his shell. He'll turn on me.

So, does this mean Hiei is another clam I'm trying to poke my business into? Maybe I should leave him alone. He might bite my ear cleanlyoff this time.

His expression turns grimmer (I assume I was not paying attention again). "Be on the lookout for any more disappearances, okay, Kat?"

"Uh-huh."

He leaves. I decide to go back to my room. I need to think, and think hard. I don't think I want a relationship, with anyone. I just like to be alone.

Besides, who'd want to spend their lives with a clam?

A horrible vision comes to me. A little black clam...Hiei's head inside it...

I jump involuntarily. Maybe I can talk to Keiko and pointedly ignore Mie…

I finally reach the door to our room, and open it. What I find is not solitude. I find chaos. The furniture is ripped and shredded, there are massive footprints on the floor, which is also shredded, and I won't even mention what happened to the walls.

Perhaps the most disturbing thing of all was the fact that there is a spot of blood on the floor. I also hear a closet start yelling, so I open it and see Keiko tied up in a corner. I loosen her bonds, but it takes her quite a while to calm down. She just keep screaming and jabbering. I don't know why no one else discovered this.

When she can speak, she tells me that Sensu, or what she thought must be Sensu, just made off with Mie not two minutes ago.

"But Keiko, why wouldn't it take you too?"

"I dunno. It just looked back and forth between Mie and I, sort of deciding, and just grabbed Mie, and sank its claws into her side. That's why the blood is there. She started screaming ' "I'm sorry," ' but it still took her out of the window."

"Keiko, Lahri's gone too. There must be a connection."

"If there is, I can't see it. I'm never going to sleep again." She gives an involuntary shudder.

"What did the beast look like?"

"Kind of a ghostly white Tiguro. Abominable Snowman. It looked similar to the thing Mie and I saw attack Botan. But it wasn't the same. This thing actually looked sane, like it knew what it was doing. The other one just looked confused and insane. That's why I think it was Sensu himself."

I look over Keiko one more time, despite her protests that she is fine as can be, and go straight up to Koenma. This has gotten way out of hand.

I fling open the door, and yell in face "DON'T RUN AWAY FROM ME THIS TIME!!!!"

He stares at me. "WHAT IS IT?" he shouts back.

"MIE HAS BEEN KIDNAPPED!"

"REALLY?"

"YEAH!"

"LET'S STOP SCREAMING!"

"OKAY!" We're both hoarse anyway. Not even I know why we are talking so loudly to one another.

"So, what was that you were saying, Katrina?"

"Mie, you know, my friend Mie, has been kidnapped, at least from Keiko's side of events."

"Really? Along with little Lahri? Gee, Mie is not the luckiest girl, is she?"

""Don't joke now! I think there must be some kind of correlation."

"You're certainly a sharp one. A good Spirit Detective."

I shake my head. "I don't want to be come great detective. I want to be," I think for a moment. "A French chef. Yeah!"

He giggles. "You're kidding no one but yourself."

"I know. Anyway, how will we get them back?"

"I don't know. I really don't. I wish we had Genkai for this sort of thing, but she's not due for her waking in another few days."

"Who else can I talk to?"

"Him." He points behind me. Yusuke has entered the room, with Hiei in tow. Hiei is very red and muttering very darkly; avoiding anyone's eyes, particularly mine. But that doesn't matter, since I can't look at him anyway.

"Yusuke? Why Yusuke?"

"Well, he was the only one officially made a Spirit Detective. He's got the skills you do, and he has also never lost a fight with anyone, like you. Except to you. So you two are a perfect match."

I'm pretty sure he didn't mean that the way it sounded, but it still came out really odd. All three of us are glaring at each other. Hiei still won't look at anyone.

Koenma actually blushes. "Sorry. I just meant the two of you working together might work out really well."

Yusuke and I look at each other and start to laugh. "Nah."

"Well," begins Yusuke pompously, "I was just about to show you some fabulous clues I've found." He looks at me; daring me to try to beat him.

"Oh, but Koenma, I wished to talk to you about the fact of Mie's disappearance and how we can prevent it in the future."

He looks back and forth at us, deciding whom to consult first. "Well, Katrina, I'll talk with you first. We do need to prevent more abductions of our best people."

I try not to gloat too hard at the look on Yusuke's face as I lead Koenma out the door.

"We need to check and recheck identities," I say simply.

"Oh, that's all?"

"Yup."

"I should go inside again, then. YUSUKE!"

"Runaway," I whisper. He turns around and glares at me. "What?"

"You're a little run-away." I sing it softly.

Angrily he jumps back into his office, accidentally running into the door headfirst, and thus, smashing into Hiei. I see a very dazed black haired boy come out a moment later, but not too dazed to keep from hitting Koenma over the head on his way out with his sword. Not too dazed to see me standing there.

We give nervous stares. We both mutter a quick 'Hello' to each other and flee in opposite directions. Is this how it's going to be now? Us avoiding each other for the rest of our lives?

I realize I have gone the wrong way. Now I am lost, with no navigator because Keiko is still upset over the fact that I insulted her precious political candidates. Now I'll have to find my way out alone.

Oh darn, there's my bro! I try to hide, but…

"There you are! Are you lost?"

"Yeeeeeesssss."

"Well, I can help you get back if you want."

I don't want to, I really don't want to.

"Yeah, I think I will."

If I wasn't dead before, I certainly am now.

"You like the idea?"

No!!!!!! "Um, okay, I guess."

"You don't sound convinced."

"Well, but you aren't the best directionally oriented."

"I've been practicing."

Great. Wonderful. Whatever. Just leave me alone! "Kurama, I need to go back to Koenma's so if you'll excuse me…" I slip by him, and leave him with a puzzled expression on his face.

Whew! I'm glad I avoided that dilemma. Now, where can I go? I'm puzzling over this stupidly, until I notice something on the ground.

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