A/N: You guys are awesome! Thank you for all the reads, favorites, follows, and comments. Enjoy this next chapter!

CaitHawke4Ever - I hope the fluff makes up for all the torture they go through in this next bit. I hate being mean to them. Thank you!

Damaged Forest Spirit - I get excited whenever I see a notification for your comments! Thank you so much for them!

Warning: This chapter is probably the most intense one. Again, think Blood Stained Labyrinth.

Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt.

Language Key:

Regular = Japanese

Bold Italic = Chinese

Bold = English

Chapter 8:

It was half past eight when Oliver settled into his study. He'd already had a healthy breakfast, courtesy of Luella. He didn't have much work to do, since he and Martin had finished their latest project the day prior. And Gene was still lazing in bed.

Oliver figured that now would be as good a time as any to check in on Mai. He hadn't done it much in the past few days. The part of the day he was worried about, where she was working and potentially alone, he was usually asleep for. Then, the rest of the day she spent with Lin. He knew she was safe then. Plus, he really didn't want to watch as they talked and made googly eyes at each other.

But he'd been restless for the past couple days. Another day she spent over there was another opportunity for the monster to find her. He wanted her home. He wanted her safe.

He and Lin had discussed their plan of action. They'd agreed it'd be best to wait until the DNA results came in before they told her the whole truth. They hoped that if she saw the proof, she'd be more willing to accept it. Then, they'd start convincing her to fly home.

If her reaction to Lin was any indication, Oliver doubted it would take much to convince her. Plus, she had mentioned being open to meeting any potential siblings. He just hoped that still held true when those siblings asked her to move almost six thousand miles away.

Lin was supposed to pick up the results today. Which meant that Mai was alone in the hotel room. He had no reason to believe she was in any danger there, so long as she stayed in the room. But he was still curious as to how she was feeling.

He reached out for the old, faded hair bow. His fingers had barely brushed against the fabric, his guard still mostly in place, when strong emotions washed over him. He gasped, crushing the bow in his hand. Before he knew it, he was pulled in.

He was in her body, stumbling into a decrepit building. Ahead of her, a man had his back to her. He held a girl in front of him, keeping her close. Oliver thought he recognized the Kimono fabric the girl wore. Masako Hara. Sadness, anger, and fear coursed through Mai's veins making a volatile cocktail of emotions. The strength of it had Oliver reeling as much as it drew him in.

She tried to think. She had to think. She had to do something. She couldn't let Masako get hurt by this man. A technique crossed her mind. She'd been forbidden to use it on living people unless it was a last resort. This was definitely a last resort and that monster could hardly be considered a person.

She held her hands the way she'd been taught. With each quiet whisper, she sliced through the air in a different direction. She'd successfully used the nine cuts. The man cried out in pain, dropping Masako to the ground.

Mai didn't waste any time to pull Masako out from under him. She got her up on her feet, pushing her towards the exit. Masako sprinted for the door and Mai was right behind her. But while she'd been helping Masako, the man had been recovering. He grabbed Mai by the hair, pulling her back to him.

Mai cried out in pain. The man only tugged harder. Masako glanced back, horror stricken. Mai yelled out to her, "Run! Run!"

She listened, leaving Mai alone with the monster. The monster chuckled. He was amused by this turn of events. "You think you've won something? I only wanted you all along."

Mai sniffled. Tears streamed down her face as the pain in her head worsened. The monster resumed the trek through the disgusting building, dragging her by her hair. He led her through a door. Down some stairs. Through twist and turns in the darkness.

The smell of blood grew stronger the further they went. Mai's stomach clenched. Images of previous visions flashed through her mind. Oliver was overcome with a nausea he couldn't tell was his or hers.

All too soon, they came to another door. Mai's entire body locked up as she recognized it. He threw it open and shoved her inside. The abrupt movement made Mai loose her footing. She fell to the floor. Her body landed in a dark, sticky liquid.

In the dark, she couldn't see where it came from. But then he flipped the switch. Bright lights illuminated the torture room. Mai knew from her visions that there would be an examination table in the center of the room. Chains would line the walls, possible holding other girls. But in this moment, she couldn't see that.

All she could see was the girl on the floor a few inches from her face. Her body was slumped over. Her naked skin was pale. Her eyes were open wide, lifeless. Her blood pooled around her. It joined the flood of blood on the floor. Soaking into Mai's clothes. Staining her skin. She screamed.

As she screamed, Oliver felt his control slip. The familiar buzz of energy broke free. His veins turned into live wires. Her strong emotions mixed with his, creating a perfect storm. Through the chaos, he could feel someone tugging at him. They were trying to pull him away from her. He resisted them - he resisted logic. He needed to be with her. He needed her to stay alive. But still, he was ripped from her.

He opened his eyes up to find Madoka hovering over him. She was frantic. Words were spilling from her mouth. Tears were falling down her cheeks. He couldn't hear her, though. A barrier of energy stood between them. Dark spots clouded his vision. His thoughts were only on one thing, "Mai!"

Lin rushed through his task. The packet in his hands wasn't nearly as important as getting back to Mai. He really shouldn't have left her after this morning's news. He should've stayed with her. If not for her safety, then for her mental state. She naturally hadn't taken the news well. He feared the places her mind would take her if she was left alone for too long.

He hadn't been particularly worried about her safety. Well, no more than usual. She was hidden and protected so long as she was inside his room. And she had no reason to leave it. There shouldn't have been any reason for the door to open until he returned.

But even so, he was getting antsy as he entered the hotel. The distance that had grown easy these past few days now felt like torture. His pace quickened with every step closer he got to the hotel room. With every step closer to where she was supposed to be.

Finally, he'd made it to his door. His shiki, Chen and Qing, fazed through the door ahead of him. He fumbled in his pocket, searching for the key card. He slid it through the electronic reader. The lock trilled, granting him entrance.

The room was empty. Lin tried his best not to be unnerved as he walked in. He threw the packet on the bed and looked towards the bathroom. The door wasn't quite closed all the way.

"Mai?" he called out. Silence answered him.

"She's not here," Ayumu buzzed.

He hovered over the desk, bringing Lin's attention to the envelope sitting atop his laptop's keyboard. Lin opened it to find a check from Hara. He didn't have much time to dwell on it as Ayumu pointed him towards the notepad on the desk. A name and an address was scratched on the surface.

"Mai found his hideout," Ayumu explained. "He's taken them there."

All the air left Lin's lungs. His gut felt like it'd been punched. Panic seized him. Mai was gone. The monster had taken her. She was there with him now.

Lin willed himself to get a grip. With shaking hands, he looked up the address Mai had left. It was close, too close. But right now that worked in his favor. Without a moment to lose, he ran out of the room.

On the way back out, he noticed the police officers he'd passed earlier. He called out to them, asking them for help. He didn't give many details, but they followed him when he mentioned the missing girl. He knew he'd probably have to answer a ton of questions when this was over, but that didn't matter right now. The only thing that mattered was keeping Mai safe.

He tried not to think about how long she'd been gone. He tried not to imagine what she may have already went through. He kept his focus on finding her. The abandoned warehouse she'd led him to was only a block away. One of the first things he noticed was how closely it was situated to her apartment.

The second thing he noticed was the young woman running away from the old building. Disappointment flooded Lin when it wasn't Mai. Instead, Hara rushed out to them in a panic.

"He has Mai!" she cried out.

Lin ran into the building, not sparing her another glance. He surveyed the vast space. It was empty except for some debris and some abandoned equipment. At the far end of the building, a door stood slightly ajar. His shiki hovered around it, sensing that Mai lay beyond.

Lin threw the door open, finding the entrance to a stairwell. He followed his shiki downwards. They led him through the darkness. Their light illuminated the twisted labyrinth they walked through.

A few of the policemen were close behind. He caught the beam of their flashlights on occasion. He wasn't about to wait for them, though. He wasn't stopping until he had Mai back.

After several twists and turns, a heartbreaking scream pierced the quiet. Lin quickened his pace. His heart pounded in his chest. Mai!

He raced through the maze. Each turn brought him closer to her. The metallic smell of blood hit him as he went in further. His stomach rolled. She had to be near.

Finally, he reached another door. Light filtered through the seams. Sounds of metal clanking and whimpering escaped through the cracks. He burst through the door.

He found Mai several feet away. She was strapped to a table. Blood covered most of her body. A knife hung dangerously close to her skin. Her wide eyes, wet with tears, met his. Terror gripped him.

The monster's face hovered an inch above hers. His grin faltered when he noticed Lin. He lifted the knife in his hand. He held it above her chest. He steadied himself for the plunge.

Lin wasn't going to make it. He was too far away. He whistled to his shiki. Granting them the permission to do what they'd wanted to since the beginning.

They cut through the monster, sending him staggering back. He dropped the knife onto the floor, his lifeless body followed it. Blood splattered from the impact. The cause of death would be ruled as a heart-attack. The shiki left to recover.

Lin sprinted to Mai's side. His shaking hands undid the straps that tied her down. Her body trembled from the sobs that escaped her. Once she was free, he pulled her into his arms.

He held her close. He didn't care about the blood seeping into his clothes. Or the bodies piled on the floor. Or the policemen filing into the room. The only thing that mattered was she was safe.

He reveled in the feeling of her arms wrapped tightly around his neck. He buried his face in her hair. He had to keep telling himself she was okay. She was alive.

He didn't know how long they stayed like that. He only knew it was too soon when the medic pulled them apart. He stayed close, watching as they looked her over.

As he noted earlier, blood covered her body. Tracks of tears and blood stained her face. Her clothes were tattered and torn. Luckily, her physical injuries were minimal. Bruises were forming in various places, mostly where the straps had been. There were a few scrapes, but nothing too serious.

Lin thought he could breathe again once they were finished. But then, the police wanted their statements. At least for that, they got out of that awful room. The medic had given the okay, so he carried her outside.

She hid her face in his neck. Hot tears fell as she shielded herself from the horrors they left behind. He didn't blame her - the things they'd seen were sure to haunt them for a long time. All they could do for now was get some distance from it.

As they exited the warehouse, the sun was setting. The city was bathed in the warm, orange light. The sight was a comfort after all that happened. The nightmare had ended with the day.

Mai twisted in his hold, turning her head to see it. He could feel her sigh. "Thank you, Lin-san."

It was the first she'd spoken since he'd found her. The first words he'd heard from her lips since he'd left her earlier that afternoon. Her voice was weak and hoarse. But he'd never been happier to hear it.

He planted a kiss on her head and closed his eyes. She was alive. She was safe. She was with him once more. This time, for good.