Mai sat at the airport, folder in hand. Lin stood next to the bench that Mai was sitting, quiet as usual. They were waiting for Naru to get back from London. Lin had gone with him, but returned early to make sure that everything was going well. Mai wasn't surprised that he had come home so soon. Ever since Mai had told everyone about how her parents were dead and she lived on her own, Lin had started to act like a father to her. It had been quite strange at first, but now she wouldn't have it any other way. She liked having someone caring for her, watching her back and keeping her safe. Though sometimes he played the father part too well. Mai got to her feet as an announcement of the planes landing rang though the airport. Many people swarmed the place where many of the passengers were coming from. Mai approached the crowd, getting to her tippy-toes to get a better look at all the passengers faces. Lin approached, standing right next to Mai, placing a hand on her head.

"I'll tell you when he gets off," Lin said, almost silently. She grinned a thank you and rested back onto her feet. Lin sat there quietly, his hand still on her head, twitching every now and then when someone would get off. Finally, after about ten minutes, Lin patted her head and placed both hands behind his back. The best way for him to show that Naru was coming, without saying a word. Mai nearly jumped with joy. Her feet were killing her and she was starting to get a head-ache. You would too if you were wearing a white button up shirt with a blue jacket, rather thick, and a matching skirt, slip under- neath. To make it even worse they were standing in a large group of people who would not stop moving. Mai ran a hand over her forehead, wiping off the layer of sweat that had started to build up.

"Lin," a voice came ", Mai." Mai looked up at her name to see Naru walking up to them. Mai smiled at the normally straight faced man in front of her and gave a bow. Naru gave a slight tilt of the head in return then turned to Lin and started to discus the case that Lin and Mai had brought with them. Gosh, Mai thought, Not even home for five seconds and the first thing he does is check out the case. Mai handed Naru the folder and stepped back a bit.

"So they believe that the house is taking people and eating them," Naru said, surprisingly loud. Mai looked around at the people that stood around them. Most of them were watching them, those who weren't were giving strange glances. Mai turned to Naru and motioned for him to come over to her.

He approached and looked down at her. He seems to have grown just a b.., Mai cut her thoughts off and looked back at Naru. "Um, I don't know if you've noticed, but we are standing in the middle of an airport right now." Mai's words came out strong, but ended off with a bit of a waver. She hadn't looked this man in the face for over two years and she had forgotten how frightening he could look at some points, even if he wasn't trying. Naru looked up from her looked around and then placed his 'I noticed' look on her. "Well don't you think it would be better if we discus the case in the car or something so we aren't making a big seen in public." Mai looked to Lin for help, he tilted his head to the side as if trying to find out what she was asking him for. When Mai throw a glance at Naru, Lin gave a slight node and pushed forward.

"Mai's right," Lin said, almost a whisper ", We should discus this latter." Naru turned to Lin, gave a strange look at Mai then turned, and walked to his luggage. Lin grabbed it for him and pulled it out to the car. Naru climbed into the passengers side as Mai opened the trunk. Lin threw in the suitcase and slammed the trunk shut. Mai and Lin climbed into the car and shut their doors. They drove out of the parking lot when the warm air of the heater finally reached the back seat where Mai sat. It had started to snow when Lin and Mai had gotten to the port. Mai watched the snow as it raced past her window. Every year for Christmas Mai would go to the church John helped out at and pay her respects to Kenji. This year she had gone early because Lin had thought that the case may go through Christmas. Mai had been hoping to see John there this year, but the father at the church had said John only came around a few times a month, holidays were times when he was sure to show up.

"Mai," Naru said, interrupted Mai's thoughts. "It has been a while since we have seen each other, but has it been that long for you to have grown your hair out that far?" Mai pulled her hair over her shoulder. It had been a while since they had seen each other, but not many people could grow their hair out from above their shoulders to past their hips in less then three years. Mai had always had hair that grew rather quickly, though she never let it grow out before, she had always cut it to short lengths.

"Yea, I guess it has been a long time, huh," Mai said. Lin shot a look at Mai through the review mirror, but she cut it off with a glare of silence back. Lin got the message.

"Well it looks good on you," Naru said with a smile. Mai blushed, she hardly ever got a smile, let alone a complement, from Naru. Mai smiled a thanks back and settled in her seat drifting off into a dreamless sleep.

...

Mai was launched awake as they hit dirt road going almost sixty miles an hour. Mai rested her head back down on the pillow she had brought along with her, and watched the trees fly past her window. She could see snow that had gotten its way through the lock of branches above them. The out line of a person appeared in the road in front of the car. Lin floored the brakes causing everyone in the car to hit the restraints on their seat-belts. Mai rubbed her shoulder and looked out at the figure that was walking towards the vehicle. Mai watched the person till the reached the car. Naru rolled his window down and the man approached.

"Hello," Naru said ", how can we help you." The man looked down at Naru.

"Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle, she did it, she got Oliver Davis to come." The man's cold expression changed to a more humorous one. A joke, Mai's thoughts questioned. "I use to work in the house down the rode, the Miyagi Mansion. I'm gessing that's were your going right."

"Yes," Naru answered. "Mrs. Sasaki Miyagi called us a week or two ago. What do you mean that you use to work there?"

"Oh," the man said ", I quite this morning." He tone darkened. "That house is the work of the devil. Many things have gone wrong and I am no longer going to work for that woman. I was her gardener, but too many things have happened, I could no longer stand being anywhere near that place. You shouldn't go, at least not with a young child." The man pointed at Mai.

"She's not a child," Naru said, looking up at the man with the straightest face Mai had ever seen.

"Yep, I'm in high school." The man looked at her with a laugh.

"In that house your considered a child until your eight-teen." The man smiled, turned, and continued walking down the rode. Naru rolled up his window and Lin put the car into drive and continued down the rode. Mai sat and questioned the man until the car came to a halt. She looked up at the mansion in front of them. Two figures stood in the drive way. Ayako, Monk!