I do not own Ghost Hunt.

Wah! I can't believe so much time has passed so quickly! Sumimasen! Please enjoy :)

Mai dropped her hand from the door knob and turned slowly to face the quadruplets. She watched them warily as her entire body trembled. They knew? They knew what was coming? They could tell her what she would be up against. What they all would be up against. Her nightmares during the Ammit case flooded back to her in an instant. In her mind's eye she saw the world burning again and saw herself standing over the corpses of her friends. She shut her eyes and shook her head violently to get rid of those disturbing images.

"Tell me what you know," she ordered, taking a step forward.

A sister stepped up. "We will tell you what you want to know. But only on the condition that you help us."

Mai hesitated. She didn't know if what they would tell her was the absolute truth but she couldn't pass up on this chance. Naru hadn't mentioned anything about the Spirit World after they had sealed Ammit back in her grave. She hadn't pressed the issue either but it disturbed her a little that on the outside he didn't show the least bit of interest in finding out what was coming. It also didn't escape her that she could use the sisters to gain ground in the case they were supposed to be working. They might even be able to tell her where Masako was.

"I will help you on two conditions," Mai started slowly. "The first is that you tell me everything you know about what's been happening in this town. And the second is that you tell me what you know about whomever is coming. All right?" When the sisters hesitated Mai added the final part of the deal. "One condition represents me helping only two of you. So if the other two need my help to move on, as that's what I'm assuming you need me for, then you will agree to my demands."

After a moment of silence the sisters began to chuckle eerily. "That's why we like girls," one of them cackled. "So devious."

"Of course, we agree to your deal," another said.

"But first you need to take care of the boy on the other side of the door."

"Huh?"

Mai spun and wrenched the door open. To her surprise Monk tumbled into the room, landing at her feet in a heap. He groaned loudly and sat up, rubbing his side. The sisters hissed at him, keeping well away from him. He stared at them for a second before jumping to his feet and dragging her out of there.

"Monk, stop it," she cried out. "Let go! They have information we need to save Masako. Monk!"

"What the hell were you thinking, kiddo?" he muttered fiercely. "I knew you lied to me this afternoon about this place, Mai, I knew it. Why did you think you couldn't tell me about this? Or even Naru, for that matter?"

Mai yanked her arm back with all her strength. Monk, obviously not expecting that show of defiance on her part, released her. "This is exactly the reason why. As if you or Naru would have let me come here by myself if I had told you."

"Why would we?" Monk exploded in a whisper. "Or have you forgotten that Masako was taken? We can't afford to have another member of SPR go missing. It's too dangerous, Mai."

"And yet I'm still fine!" she snapped, cranky beyond reasoning. Now she was glad it wasn't Naru who had found her. If it had been him he wouldn't have let go of her until he had locked her up in her room. "Those…women…could tell us how to find Masako. How can you ask me to just let that slip by without at least trying to grab a hold of it? Would you do the same?"

Monk hesitated before sighing deeply. "You're right, of course. Any clue at this point would be gold." The frown came back on his face. "But don't think that Naru won't hear about this, Mai."

She nodded. "His reaction doesn't matter to me regarding this. I stand by that, Monk. I'd also like to ask you to wait outside while I speak to the sisters."

"No way," Monk protested loudly. "You don't know what they're capable of."

"I know that they need my help to get out of here. That leaves me with all the power. They won't hurt me. You, on the other hand, I can't guarantee."

Monk grumbled to himself, clearly fighting with the outcome, but giving in nonetheless. "All right, fine. But I will be right outside this door if you need me, okay?"

Mai nodded, a thin smile appearing on her face. "Thank you."

She turned back and walked into the room. The sisters were as she had left them, hovering in the far corner of the room. When they saw her their stances relaxed a little and they came forward as one.

"Shut the door," one said in a low voice.

Mai did as she was bade to do. Then she made her way over to the round table and sat down, waiting for the sisters to do the same before she started voicing her questions. "What is going on in this town?"

"Something dreadful," a sister said quietly. "We've been trapped here for decades. We just want to rest in peace but he won't let us."

"Who won't let you? The master?" Mai questioned.

"Yes. He bound our departed souls to these…these soulless creatures," another answered, lifting up an arm and gesturing wildly. "Every single one of us. Even Maverick."

"Maverick isn't like us. He prefers to be a good little soldier. Doing the master's bidding without question. Always hunting them down, always dragging them against their will. Even if they hide he always finds them. There is no place to hide from Maverick."

Chills swept down Mai's spine. "Then does that mean the only reason why we are still safe is because he is letting us?"

"Yes. No one can hide from Maverick. If you are free it is because he is letting you have your freedom. Why, I don't know."

"Where can we find the master? And my friend, Masako, where is she being held?" Mai said urgently. "If you know you must tell me, please!"

One by one the sisters shook their heads. "That we don't know, love."

"The master is never at the same place twice. Very difficult to track, that one."

"He always knows, he's always watching."

"He knows about everything that happens in this town."

"He probably even knows that you're here with us."

"He even knew when that trio came into town a few days ago."

"Oh, yes, yes, I hear he was furious at them for what they did."

Mai's ears perked up. "The trio? You mean the ones who set up those cameras?"

As one all four sisters leaned in closer. "Yes, the same trio."

"The master thought to draw the trio out again but only one of them showed up."

"Naru," Mai breathed. "Why? For what purpose? From what I hear your master already destroyed those cameras."

"Don't underestimate the master. He wasn't too pleased at the invasion of his privacy. He won't rest until he has all three of them."

"Unfortunate for the one who brought others with him."

"The master wasn't happy about that either. Neither was Maverick. Makes his job more difficult, doesn't it?"

"Perhaps that's why they're all still alive?"

"So then why did he take Masako if he was after Naru?" Mai asked.

"Maverick says they are not directly related. The master has a type and she fit the bill. He likes girls who already look like dolls. Makes his exchange easier."

"Ex-exchange?" Mai asked hollowly. "What do you mean? What does he want with her?"

"What do you think?"

"That's a dumb question, Mai, when you already know what the master loves to do."

"We're proof of that, aren't we?"

Suddenly getting Masako back beat the priority of solving this case.

Thanks for reading :)