Sept 24th

10 am

For once it wasn't Mai that was late but Oliver. The PRI group already had the van loaded and were waiting to go. They planned on taking their van and another car to transport everyone but Oliver decided to pitch a fit about the integrity of his equipment versus hers once he arrived with his own van.

"Oliver, do I have to remind you that you technically hired us to help out on this case? You aren't the boss here. Besides, we already loaded the van." Mai cleared her throat when she realized her voice was taking on the same discordant tone that came out when dealing with his pigheaded nature.

Noll felt his temperature rise. He hadn't secured much sleep the night before so he was having a harder time then normal tapering his emotions. He woke up at about 2:30am. His dreams had unsettled them. It wasn't because they instilled him with fear but because they had felt so real.

The dream itself felt quite tangible. He could smell her perfume, touch her skin, hear her sighs, and if he had let it get further he was sure he could taste the flavor of her skin. The taste of her lips was real enough the peach flavored lip gloss he dreamed haunted him. He woke up in a state of heat and discomfort.

Trying to get back to sleep had proved fruitless so he stared at the ceiling and attempted to go over the case in his head. But even when he did that his thoughts would bring him back to his former assistant. It had been only a couple days since he had returned but he hated the new emotional distance he felt between them. He had to get her to at least break down and call her Naru again. Maybe he would just rile her up somehow.

Mai waved her arms in front of Oliver. When he blinked at her in response. "Wow, not like you to phase out like that. I don't believe I have ever seen the great Oliver Davis look so dazed before." She was familiar with his pensive thinking pose but this was different.

Noll chose to ignore her and continued the conversation as if there had been no pause. "You may have loaded your van but I also loaded mine. We will take both to ensure the equipment is secure."

Mai sighed. There was no point in continuing this argument as much as she wanted to. She turned her back on Oliver when she heard a new car door slam and was throttled from behind with a pair of slender arms that now wrapped her waist. "Mai!"

Mai turned to look at the woman who had called her name. "Madoka? Oliver didn't say you were going to be joining us! I didn't even know you were in Japan."

When Mai called him Oliver Madoka momentarily flinched. She glanced at Noll. His face may normally seem impassive but now he was fighting to hide his grimace of annoyance. "I came in a couple nights ago. It was late so I was too tired to make the meeting."

Monk drove the van that Mai was riding in. Along with herself and Monk was of course Ayako and Gene. Masako couldn't make it such short notice but when Mai called her to inform her that Oliver was back she let out a piercing screech.

Masako and Mai had slowly started to grow closer to each other over the past four years. When Mai and Masako had finally talked about Oliver, and how they both felt was one of the tensest moments Mai had ever experienced. Not because of who she was talking to but because Mai was concerned about what Masako might reveal. Turned out Masako had pretty much given up on her own feelings for Oliver. "Honestly, I think our friendship helped me get over it. My feelings were mostly occupation appreciation. Well, I guess I can't deny how attractive he is either." Both girls burst out in a fit of laughter.

Gene poked at Mai's shoulder. She had been looking out the window at the landscape passing by. Not really seeing it while she reminisced. "What's got you so somber, Mai? Is it that idiot scientist brother of mine?"

Mai let out a breath like a deflating balloon. She turned back to the window without answering him. What was the point if she lied Gene would call her out on it. If she admitted it that would open a whole new can of worms she didn't want to deal with.

He poked at her shoulder again. "Mai? When we get to the house can I pair up with you for a bit? I actually have something I want to tell you and I figured working and talking is the best way to spend our time."

Mai looked over at the near replica of the only man that made her belly tingle with butterflies. The scar marring his face always made Mai sad but then she thought of how it could be worse. She wanted to talk to Gene too. Not over anything important really she just missed his presence. He no longer was her spirit guide since coming out of the coma. But for some reason she still seemed to sense his presence in her dreams regardless of that fact. She took comfort in that sensation when things seemed most grim. It was something she hoped she would never have to give up.

Mai considered his request again before responding. "I think we can manage something. I mean we have to meet with the clients first."

"When is Yasu supposed to report to you with his background information?"

"Well, his work at the newspaper comes first so I don't try to pressure him too much. But I know he plans on driving out here himself when he gets the information. He will call me beforehand though."

The vans pulled up in front of a large building. It was definitely an old building. It could have been from the Edo period according to the way the roof was built. She somehow doubted it though. It was probably built in commemoration for the time period. Still, she had to question why anyone would renovate such a beautiful building. She didn't see any scaffolding. She sincerely hoped that most of the work was being done to the interior.

Noll noticed how Mai was staring at the house in awe. She obviously appreciated old architecture. It made him wonder if she liked art. If she did what style of art was her favorite? Who was her favorite artist? He cleared his mind and went up behind Mai. "I think you are supposed to be working. Specifically I think you are supposed to be getting the equipment out of the van."

Oliver's words catapulted Mai out of her admiration and into frustration. She turned and glared at him but said nothing in retaliation.

Her quiet approach was confusing him. It was like she had adapted some of his traits. He missed how she blew up at him he would replay those moments in his mind and laugh in his head. What would really get her upset? He wondered then came up with a clever idea.

They had finished setting up the equipment and while Noll would never admit it aloud some of the equipment PRI had was in better condition then his own. He slyly smiled in his head. "Now that we are set up...Mai, tea."

He watched as her face turned from its peachy normalcy to a fiery red. "Na-" she paused for a moment and took a breath, "Oliver, I am not your assistant. We are colleagues. I planned on making tea for everyone because everyone appreciates my tea. But now, you won't get any."

Noll's face fell. No...tea...

Oliver and Mai were now in a large sitting area with the Hisakawa's. Hisakawa Haruka was a beautiful woman with long dark straight hair and deep forest green eyes. Her belly was rounded with child and her hand repeatedly rested there as if to offer her unborn child reassurance. Hisakawa Kaede was a handsome man with a kind face. He wore glasses that made his hazel eyes stand out. His black hair was styled back from his face.

Mai smiled kindly at Haruka. "How far along are you in your pregnancy?"

Haruka smiled back. "Seven months, the renovations were supposed to be done a month ago but we keep having setbacks."

Mai continued, "Have the disturbances affected the baby?"

Noll glanced at Mai. This wasn't an afternoon tea with a friend this was an interview with a client. Where was she going with this?

"No, the doctor says our daughter is doing fine." She smiled pleasantly at Mai as if to thank her for her concern.

"Oh a girl? What do you plan on naming her?" Mai was actually drifting from the interview at this point. She felt Oliver's glare of annoyance at her side but she couldn't help herself. She always loved children.

"We plan on naming her Emiko."

"Hmm the kanji being blessing beautiful child?" Mai asked.

Haruka nodded. "Exactly!"

"What a lovely name!"

Noll finally interjected. "I'm sorry for interrupting but we seem to be getting off subject here. So, what can you tell us about the disturbances?"

Kaede looked at his wife for a second. "We can mostly only relay what has happened. We have been staying at our old house while the renovations are completed."

Haruka said, "I have experienced some odd moments. I originally just attributed them to the fact that this was an old building. When we first entered the house it was dark and vacant. What little furniture there was was covered with cloths and the place seemed to be vacant for years."

"Who did you inherit the house from?" Mai asked.

Kaede responded, "I apparently had a great uncle I was not aware of. He was estranged from the family years ago. When I asked my parents about him they were both clueless. My grandparents have passed and I have no other great aunts or uncles on that side of the family."

Oliver looked back an Haruka. "You mentioned odd moments. Could you elaborate?"

"It was mostly just the sensation that I was being watched. I would get chills and shiver out of nervousness. I remember one time Kaede and I had ventured into the master bedroom. He looked around then continued on to another bedroom. I lingered. I thought I heard moaning. Kaede shortly after called me to the next room asking if that should be the nursery."

Mai turned to Kaede. "Did you also hear the moaning that day?"

Kaede shook his head. "No, but I was shifting around some of the furniture before asking Haruka to come to my side. I might have been causing too much noise to notice."

"Is there anything else either of you have personally experienced?"

Kaede shook his head. "No you will probably want to talk to the carpentry company working on the renovations. But I can relay some of the things I have heard."

Noll nodded telling him to proceed.

"One man said he kept hearing a woman's voice muttering the word red over and over again. One of the architects in charge, a woman by the name of Naoki, she had an accident. She fell down the stairs. It wasn't anything serious she just overlooked a loose plank. But when she tried to get up she felt hands clasping her throat and squeezing. Later on when she was examined at the hospital they noticed bruises had appeared. Many have reported back the same moaning and sense of being watched."

"Any room specifically?"

"Hmm, you may want to ask the crew that. I didn't think to ask that detail myself."

Noll nodded and reached for a cup to fill with tea. Mai immediately smacked his hand away and glared at him. "Na-Oliver, I said no tea for you!"