Note: Please re-read the ending of chapter 14. I've changed the last scene between Naru and Mai quite a bit so I highly recommend reading that before starting this chapter.

Happy New Year everyone! I know it's been a while (so sorry!) but here's the next chapter in the story. Not sure how many of you are still around but I hope you enjoy!

p.s: my explanation for where I've been is at the end of the chapter.

Chapter 15: Down Under

Arriving at their destination, most of the team wondered if they were in the correct place. They were expecting tunnels, gaping holes, and large machines. Not an ordinary-looking, isolated compound in the middle of the mountains.

Reaching the gate of the ten-foot fence that surrounded the compound, two armed security guards asked for everyone's ID's and inspected their vehicles before directing them to the largest building and allowing them through the entrance.

"Finally," Mai all but groaned in relief as she exited the parked rental car alongside Takigawa and Masako, "I will never understand how people can have desk jobs. Sitting for hours on end was driving me crazy!"

"Just be happy that we didn't drive all the way here," Takigawa replied as he too stretched his legs, "If you thought three hours flying and another driving was bad, try to imagine fifteen in a car."

"No thanks." She replied in a depressed tone, body slumping at the idea.

Their small talk was soon interrupted by a familiar voice. "Quit dawdling, we still have a meeting to get to and I will leave you behind."

The two turned to see their boss walking away and towards a heavy metal door before quickly following after him along with the rest of the team. As they drew closer to the large building, a faint sound met their ears and steadily grew louder the closer they got. By the time they reached the door, the group could identify the sound as machinery. What surprised them, though, was how silent the noises were. Given the size of the building and what they knew of the location, they expected a lot more.

Naru didn't waste any time contemplating the building and instead pressed a red button on the keypad that was attached to the wall near the door. Soon enough, a voice came over the small built-in intercom asking their names and purpose. Swiftly providing said information, Naru and the rest of the investigators waited a few minutes until the light above the door lit up green and a loud but short alarm indicated that they could enter.

As soon as the door was cracked open, they were immediately assaulted by the raucous noise of heavy machinery.

An average looking man in business clothes stood behind the door, waiting for them, and motioned for the group to follow. Not wanting to shout over the roar of metal, everyone opted to remain silent and instead observed their new surroundings.

The most obvious feature was the row of massive wheel-like machines that were depressed slightly into the floor and spinning rapidly. These seemed to be the origin of the deafening noise.

A handful of soot-covered men moved around the huge machines working on one task or another.

Above them and on the far side of the building, a room with ceiling to floor windows was suspended above the ground overlooking everything. It was this room that their guide directed them towards.

After crossing the large building, they passed through another metal door that, when shut, finally allowed the members of SPR to hear their own thoughts again.

"This is the administrative area," the man explained while they followed him up a flight of stairs, "Our CEO is just up ahead."

Walking up to a wooden door, their escort knocked three times before opening it and sticking his head through. "Sir, the team you hired is here to see you."

"Send them in." A slightly rough voice responded.

Their escort then proceeded to hold the door open and motion for them to enter.

The first thing they noticed was the view of the factory and its workers through the windows. Next was the tasteful wood desk where a middle-aged man was rising to his feet.

Without pause, Naru walked in front of his employees and bowed in greeting, the rest of SPR quickly following his example. "Mr. Hishikari, we spoke on the phone. My name is Shibuya Kazuya and these are my associates Koujo Lin, Hosho Takigawa, Masako Hara, John Brown, and Mai Taniyama."

"Ah, yes." Returning the gesture, Mr. Hishikari straightened his suit with a pleasant smile. "Thank you for accepting our case, as well as your assurance that your company would be…discreate."

"Client confidentiality is a top priority for my company. We can appreciate the need for discretion, especially in our line of work."

"Good, good. Please," the businessman motioned to the chairs and couches situated before his desk and around the room, "have a seat. There are a few logistics we need to discuss before you can begin."

Taking their cue, everyone found a place on one of the couches while Naru and Lin took the seats in front of the desk.

"I see no need to rehash topics we've already covered so I'll skip the reason you're here." Leaning back in his seat, Mr. Hishikari directed a stern gave at all of them. "What you all need to be aware of are the safety precautions that will need to be followed. These are in place for your team's, as well as my staff's, safety."

All the investigators made sure to pay attention to what the older man said next.

Leaning forward, the CEO placed his aged hands atop his desk. "First, when blasting is happening you will not be inside the mine. I will have a schedule given to you of when this will occur, and I expect you to adhere to it."

Nods of their agreement were given by everyone before Mr. Hishikari continued. "Second, while in the mine you shall be escorted by one of the workers. Our company has been mining this area for over fifty years meaning lots of shafts, tunnels, and ways for you to get lost and never found. If you ever need to go down and a miner isn't available, stick to the lighted areas. Better to wander where you have a hope of getting back than stumbling through the darkness."

The words were acknowledged once more but more hesitantly by some this time, mainly Takigawa and Mai. The idea of getting lost in the underground tunnels and possibly forever was not a comforting one.

"Last, each of you will all wear a helmet, headlamp, and boots whenever inside the mine. These will be provided to you before you first enter. Now," Reaching into one of the desk's drawers and pulled out a stack of papers that he handed to Naru, "I'll need all of you to sign these before you can get started. It's a release of liability form and an agreement stating that you will not steal from the mine."

"Of course." Taking the offered documents, Naru grabbed two for himself before handing them off to Lin to be passed around to the others who began reading through them then signing. "We'll be sure to follow your procedures as stated."

"Thank you." The CEO then pushed a button on his desk's phone. "Mizuki, please come escort the investigators to their room." Not waiting for a reply, he stood from his chair. "If there's anything that you need during your investigation please don't hesitate to let either myself or Mizuki know."

Naru followed the man's actions which were quickly mimicked by the rest of SPR. "I'll be sure to keep it in mind."

"Everyone, meet Gamo Yoshitake, the foreman of this mine."

Standing inside a second, much quieter, building on the complex, Mizuki introduced the team to a middle-aged man, with more gray than black in his hair, and a rugged appearance. He looked over the group with stern, suspicious eyes. "These are the people that'll be figuring out what's going on?"

"Yes," Mizuki answered, "They come highly recommended for…situations such as these."

"Hm." Gamo didn't look impressed and the investigators suppressed their reactions to the open questioning of their abilities. "Follow me."

The foreman then walked off and the group quickly followed, lugging their equipment and leaving Mizuki behind. This building was full of other workers, all in mining gear, either talking, eating, or inspecting buckets of rocks. Upon entering the building, the team was met with suspicion and slight hostility. The miners didn't offer any greetings and seemed to be staring them down or ignoring their presence altogether.

Stopping outside a plain gray door, Gamo opened it while ushering the team inside. "This was the only room we had available that met your specifications. Your bedrooms are in the barracks with the rest of the miners."

A few of them expressed their thanks before he left them to their own devices. Glancing around the medium-sized room, the team began placing their equipment against the cement walls.

The room was bare except for a few folded plastic chairs leaning against the wall and one foldable table assembled at the end of the rectangular room. Takigawa, Lin, John, and Naru unloaded their screens on the table while Mai put down the microphones she'd been carrying. Masako had already unfolded one of the chairs and claimed it as her own. "A little help here, Masako?"

The medium merely lifted her sleeve and looked at Mai with amusement. "And risk ruining my kimono? You've dressed far more appropriate for such a job."

"You little brat." Mai glared in annoyance at the smug celebrity, grip tightening on the mike stand.

Laughing, Takigawa watched their interaction. "Mai, just let it go. She's trying to rile you up."

"I know that!" She hissed at the monk, turning her glare towards him. "Doesn't mean it still doesn't piss me off."

"And still no manners I see, even after all these years." Masako's mocking tone only brought Mai's focus back on the medium, distracting her once more.

Before she could retaliate, Naru's no-nonsense voice interrupted. "Mai, if you scratch that it's coming out of your paycheck."

Breaking free from her anger, Mai looked around in confusion before squeaking in surprise when she noticed how close the wall the microphones were. Straightening them out before they fell, she sighed in relief until silent snickers caught her attention.

Takigawa was unsuccessfully trying to smother his laughter at the site the young girl made. They were soon silenced when a pen harshly collided with his forehead. "Hey! What was that for?"

Mai only huffed and went back to assembling her equipment. "Obviously, since Ayako's not here, someone has to keep you in line."

"By throwing things at me?!"

"Seems to work for her." Mai's blasé tone was betrayed by the smirk forming on her lips.

John, the peaceful soul he was, quickly stepped in before things escalated. "Guys, let not start fighting, okay?"

Naru quietly sighed at his team's actions. Even with two of the most rambunctious members of his team gone, the rest still found ways to be headache-inducing. Looking to his assistant, Naru narrowed his eyes at the slight upturn to Lin's lips.

Traitor.

Needing to get everyone back on track, he finished what he was doing, leaned back against the table, cleared his throat. "Once you're all done, we'll be meeting with the foreman so he can give us a quick tour of the mine. He'll also be introducing us to the other miners that will act as guides for us while we're inside the mine." With everyone on his team now paying attention, he continued. "This place has been mined for over 30 years, meaning the tunnel systems are extensive. Under no circumstances are any of you to enter the mine without another team member or a guide. Preferably both."

At the mention of the foreman, the memory of his unfriendly and slightly cold introduction sprung to mind for the team. As well as the reactions of all the other workers.

"Yeah, somehow I get the feeling they're not too happy about us being here," Mai said, folding her arms.

John tilted his head, brow furrowed slightly. "I don't know if everyone noticed but they all seemed to really be fixated on the girls."

Both Mai and Masako exchanged glances at this. They had noticed as well. While the whole group was subjected to the stares, the females specifically garnered the most attention.

"That's not unexpected," Naru said, placing his hands in his trouser pockets. "Miners are notoriously superstitious. One of the main beliefs is that women symbolize bad luck, especially if they enter the mine."

The group looked at him in confusion, so he elaborated. "Decades ago, women were only seen at mines during times of tragedy, such as the death of a husband or family member in the mine. They became associated with the events until it became a common belief that having a woman in a mine would only bring misfortune."

"They're not going to expect us to just sit around up here and do nothing, right?" Mai asked while gesturing to herself and Masako, who looked equally annoyed at the prospect.

"No, but you shouldn't expect a warm welcome either."

"Great," Mai grumbled under her breath.

Naru ignored the sarcasm and continued. "With the situation being what it is, Lin and I shall be the ones conducting the interviews since the miners will most likely respond better to a male presence. I want the four of you to head into the mine and set up the equipment. John, I want you with Ms. Hara, Monk you're with Mai. Get a feel for the place and report if you notice any abnormalities or sense anything."

Voicing their agreement, the four grabbed what little equipment they had and made their way to the mine's entrance.

Knowing that they would be conducting this investigation almost entirely underground in cramped passages was very different from experiencing it.

After leaving the base, Mai, Takigawa, John, and Masako found Gamo who, after giving Masako's kimono a mocking look, directed them to the entrance of the mine.

The shaft was close to twenty feet in diameter, round, and had a large steel elevator attached to the side of it. Looking down into the pit, the team could see a faint light at the bottom. Takigawa estimated that it was at least an eight-story drop to the bottom, possibly more. Running down the shaft walls were dozens of wires and a large flexible yellow tube that all disappeared into its depths.

"Here," Gamo said while handing out mining helmets and boots to all of them, "these need to stay on your head at all times while in the mine. In some areas that little light at the top will be the only way to see where you're going. Lose that and you're as good as gone."

Accepting the items and the warning, everyone put them on along with what looked like rain boots, though the last was done reluctantly in Masako's case.

"Oi! Fukuma! Kawano!" Gamo called out while watching them put on the gear. Not long after that, the group was joined by two men who looked as though they'd been in the mine all day. Both were in yellow overalls, boots, and covered in dirt. The one on the left was a few inches taller than the other but both looked in their thirties.

"You called?" Asked the one on the right. Both men had given the ghost hunters assessing looks before focusing on their boss.

"I'm assigning you and Fukuma to show these guys around the mine. Try to make sure they come out in one piece, yeah?" Gamo's flippant tone towards the investigators rubbed a few of them the wrong way. The foreman really wasn't thrilled with their presence and, based on their expressions, the so-called "guides" weren't too thrilled with them either.

"Boss we've got blasting scheduled all this week, we don't have the time to play tour guide." The now identified Fukuma stated with a frown.

"Trust me, I know, but these are the orders from the big man upstairs. Can't do much about it." Gamo then turned back to the investigators. "These two will be your chaperons while in the tunnels. Don't even think about going in unless you have one of them or myself with you. Got it?"

While they weren't thrilled with the brusque treatment, they've also experienced worse. Being in the profession that they are, having a thick skin was something that you needed.

Ignoring the delivery of the statement, they agreed to the condition without fuss. Seeing this, Gamo gave them a searching look before nodding and leaving them with the two workers.

Motioning with his hand, Kawano, followed by Fukuma, started towards the lift. "Come on, follow us."

The four shared considering looks before following. The lift itself was large enough to fit them and probably ten more people. After stepping on, Fukuma shut the door while Kawano pressed a button that began their descent. As she watched the walls of the shaft slowly swallow them up, Mai took a deep breath and focused on the reason they were there, trying to distract herself from the feeling of being trapped.

John, having noticed her actions, bumped her slightly with his elbow to get her attention then gave her a small encouraging smile. She responded in kind, smile a little weak, then went back to watching their decent. He made a mental note of her reactions for later thought.

In no time they had reached the bottom and a giant cavern was revealed to them with several tunnels branching out from it. Lights were hung sporadically from the ceiling, enough to illuminate the area and they also trailed down and into the tunnels. They could hear the faint sound of drilling and what sounded like engines echoing all around them.

Fukuma opened the lift's door and waved everyone out before following behind and closing the door once more. Kawano was the first to break the silence that had descended on the group. "So how did you want to do this?"

Takigawa was the one to answer. "We need to place these where you guys have been experiencing the most activity." Hefting the equipment he was holding onto his shoulder, making sure to keep a professional disposition. "It'll be faster if we split into two groups. That way we don't keep you too long."

The miners looked at each other before Kawano shrugged. "I see no problem with that."

"There's a lot of places if your only criteria are strange occurrences," Fukuma said, eyeing their equipment. "You really don't have enough to cover it all."

"Then just focus on the areas with the most alarming activity," Takigawa responded. "We've got enough with us for four sites."

Fukuma glanced at his co-worker. "I'll take the east drifts if you want."

Kuwano, who had seemed to be deep in thought, met Fukuma's eyes before letting out a sigh. "No, I'll take the east. You show them the north drift and ballroom."

The SPR members watched the strange interaction, wondering what had caused Kuwano's hesitation. Also, ballroom?

"Lead the way when you're ready." Takigawa motioned towards the multiple tunnels.

Taking their cue, both men started moving in adjacent directions. Takigawa and Mai followed Kuwano while John and Masako trailed behind Fukuma. Looking back at the two investigators with him, Kuwano couldn't help but let out a comment. "At least I'm not stuck with the little princess."

Both Mai and Takigawa looked back at the said princess, trying to hide their snickering, and saw that Masako was glaring at their escort while John tried to distract her. Apparently, echoing chambers don't make the best place for a private conversation.

Kuwano didn't seem the slightest bit bothered by this and continued as though nothing had happened.

At first, Mai tried to keep track of where they were going but soon it was a hopeless effort. The tunnels were long, narrow, twisting, and branching. Every entrance to a new tunnel was marked with a letter and a number. The one they were currently traveling down was E5 and it was dark and damp. She was very grateful that they had been given the boots since her sneakers would have been ruined by now.

It seemed that the further in they went the louder the sounds of the miners working became. They had yet to run into anyone but both Mai and Takigawa figured that they'd be kept away from the active mining sites as much as possible.

It was after the next corner that they came upon something other than rock and wood. It was also were their chaperon told them to stop.

The area was about four feet wider than the tunnel they'd been in and there were two more tunnels branched off from it. However, what really drew their attention was the large machine that looked a bit like a loader that was parked in the entrance of one of the tunnels. The machine had a bucket to scoop up the dirt, but the body of the machine was elongated and the seat with the controls was situated at the back and sideways instead of facing foreword. The most glaring fact about the scene was that the machine looked as though it'd been in an explosion.

The entire area where they assumed the engine was held was completely covered in soot and the metal was melted in some places. The panels surrounding the engine were falling off and the driver's seat only had about half of it left while the rest resembled a piece of charcoal.

"What happened here?" Mai asked, curiously examining the scene.

Moving till he was standing about seven feet from the machine, he turned sideways until he could see the mucker and the investigators in his periphery. "About two weeks ago," Kuwano began, "we were clearing the drift behind it. When the mucker was bringing the first load out it suddenly caught fire."

"Two weeks?" Takigawa questioned, glancing back at Kuwano as he moved closer to the machine. "How come you haven't moved it? It's gotta be getting in the way of production."

As Mai began setting up one of their cameras and speakers, she listened attentively to Kuwano's answer.

"It is." He agreed, his frustration bleeding into his words. "Our mechanic came down and took a look at it, but he couldn't make heads or tails of what the cause was." Walking closer to the destroyed machinery, their guide started glaring at it. "Tried moving it out of the way but, every time we tried, the damn thing would catch fire again."

Both Mai and Takigawa looked at the man in shock. Whatever was in these tunnels didn't seem to want them working in that area.

"So, no one's been back there since then?" Mai asked as she began attaching the mike to the camera.

There was a moment of silence where both investigators wondered at the sudden hesitation before Kuwano finally responded in a clipped tone. "No."

The response only made them curious. "What do you mean?" Takigawa asked.

Seeing that Mai was finished with her task, Kuwano starting walking towards the blocked tunnel. "Come on."

Takigawa and Mai exchanged cautious glances before following behind the silent miner. It was a tight squeeze, but they made it past the broken mucker and into the tunnel itself. Both investigators immediately felt the difference in the atmosphere of this part of the mine. There was a kind of pressure in the air that was enough to register but not enough to be uncomfortable…yet.

The tunnel itself was angled so they were gradually going down further into the earth. The further in they went, the warmer it became. At some point, both Mai and Takigawa had rolled up their sleeves while Kuwano acted as though the heat wasn't affecting him at all. They eventually made it to the point where the lights overhead stopped, and they were forced to navigate using their headlamps.

As they progressed, the sounds of drills and other machinery slowly faded away till the only thing they could hear was the water dripping from the ceiling and their boots splashing through the puddles. Several times, Mai thought she saw movement in the shadows but, with all their headlamps bobbing around the space, it was hard to tell for certain.

It took around ten minutes in total until they came upon a blockage up ahead in the tunnel. At first, the investigators assumed they'd finally reached the end of this particular section, but the closer they got the more it became apparent that it was not a flat surface they were looking at but a pile of large and small stones alike that completely sealed off the tunnel.

"This," Kuwano began, interrupting the duo's thoughts, "is a cave-in that happened almost two weeks ago." His posture was rigid, he couldn't seem to tear his narrowed eyes from the rubble. "One of our men came down here two days after the mucker caught on fire to inspect the drift, make sure everything was still stable. We're not sure if he ever made it to the end or not but about fifteen minutes after he entered the drift the men working near this area heard the thunder of a cave in and called the alarm to have everyone evacuate the mine." The miner's hands slowed balled themselves into tight fists, "Once they did their headcount, we realized someone was missing. We had to wait till things settled in the mine before going back down."

"He got caught in it, didn't he?" Mai asked in a somber tone.

Kuwano's fists tightened till his knuckles turned white, his brows drawn together and a scowl gracing his lips. "By the time we got down here half the drift had caved in, there was no way for us to get through. We tried calling for him but…after ten minutes of trying we knew. Little by little for the past two weeks we've been clearing this tunnel, but we still haven't found his remains."

Sympathy, along with trepidation, was felt by both investigators at the pain of their guide as well as the realization that the body was still in the tunnel with them.

"I'm assuming you've already searched the rest of the mine to see if he might have been somewhere else." Takigawa gently asked.

A flash of irritation crossed his face at the implication. "At each new section of the mine that we enter, we have to radio in to the hub and tell them our location." Here, Kuwano sharply gestured to the radio attached to his hip, eyes flickering to the monk. "It's how we knew he'd gone in fifteen minutes before."

Mai gave Kuwano a moment to cool down before speaking. "Were you close to him?"

His brows loosened in a show of grief for but a moment before the anger took over the miner's ruff features once more as he went back to staring at the cave-in. "Yasui was a good friend, we were greenhorns together. Understand this though," removing his gaze from the rocks, he locked eyes with Takigawa and then Mai, "mining's a dangerous job. When you're underground for hours on end with the same people day in and day out, you learn to trust the people on your crew, they become your family." Closing his eyes, Kuwano stood there in silence for a moment before continuing. "We all took it hard, especially his wife. All we want is to stop whatever's causing this and get his body out of the godforsaken hole."

Both Mai and Takigawa felt the weight of the silence after Kuwano's admission. It was a horrible thing for someone to go through and knowing that his friend's body was crushed somewhere ahead of them only made it worse.

Steeling himself, Takigawa offered the only comfort he could. "I'm not sure what religion your friend practiced if he did at all, but I'm a Buddhist monk from the Koya sect. I'd like to offer a prayer for him if that's okay with you."

Kuwano shrewdly eyed the stylish clothes and dyed blonde hair of the man before him before looking at the compassionate but determined expression Takigawa had. "You don't look like any monk I've ever met."

"Despite my looks, I assure you," Takigawa held Kuwano's gaze and refused to back down, "my credentials are very real."

Mai watched the stare-down from the sidelines and felt the tension build around them. Just as she was about to intervene, Kuwano turned and walked a few feet away from them before leaning against the mine wall. "Fine. His full name is Yasui Seihachi."

Nodding in understanding, Takigawa put down the camera and mike he was carrying, grabbed his prayer beads from his pocket before kneeling, performing a quick bow towards the rubble. Placing his hands in the common prayer position, he began reciting his prayer. "Em Am Ho. Ngo Tshar Sang-Gye Nang Wath' Ye Dan. Ye Su Jo Wo Thug Je Chen Po Dang. Yon Du Sem Pa Thu Shen Thob Nam La."

He continued reciting for the next couple minutes but, just as he finished, Mai began feeling as though she was being watched. Discreetly glancing around, she couldn't see anything. Whether that was due to the low visibility or not she couldn't tell but the sensation stayed for a few seconds after Takigawa did a final bow before seemingly vanishing. As if it was proving a point.

Mai had a feeling that, though the prayer had good intentions, for some reason Yusai was still lingering.

On the other side of the mine, John and Masako continued following Fukuma through the maze of scarcely illuminated tunnels. They had already stopped at one location where the tube feeding oxygen into the mine had to repeatedly be repaired due to holes being slashed in it. In that same tunnel, miners had also reported equipment failure and feeling unusually cold. Both investigators had swiftly set up their equipment before moving on to their last stop.

The trip was slow going due to Masako's yukata not allowing for a full range of motion. Something that their guide was quick to notice and grumbled about, causing a tense atmosphere between the two that John chose to ignore after peace efforts on his part failed.

They'd been walking in silence for a good seven minutes till John decided to try engaging their guide once more. "So Mr. Seiki-"

"Just Fukuma's fine. No need for being polite down here." The miner interrupted without breaking his stride.

"Right…of course." John agreed with a hesitant smile. "I was actually wondering how long you've worked here?"

Fukuma glanced back at him briefly then faced forward again. "About 4 years now give or take."

"And how long has it been since these problems started?" John replied, equally curious and happy that the man seemed to be open to questioning.

"Always been an issue ever since I got here. Not sure exactly when it started though." Leading them around another corner in the tunnel he continued. "You'll wanna ask the older miners about that. Anyway, this is the ballroom."

They entered into a cavernous area, the ceiling about ten feet high and the area itself close to thirty feet in diameter. It appeared that this area was actively being mined as well. Drills, poles, and wood were scattered around the widened section with scaffolding reaching the ceiling towards the center of the space. Moving further in, they saw, above the scaffolding, a tunnel that it seemed the miners had dug into the ceiling. Tilting their heads up so their headlamps could illuminate the dark hole, it appeared to go up a few stories before connecting to another tunnel at the top.

Standing off to the side, Fukuma watched in boredom as the two ghost hunters observed the area. "This is where our guys have been shoved and had things thrown at them. One guy even came back with what looked like a handprint shaped bruise on his back."

While Masako continued to stare intently into the shaft above them, John tried to get as much information as he could. "How often do these things happen to the miners?"

Meeting his eyes, Fukuma responded. "More often than not. It's not exactly something the guys like to acknowledge so you'll need to ask around for a better idea."

"And what about you?" Seeing his puzzlement, John further explained. "Have you ever experienced anything?"

A frown took over the miner's features as he seemed to be considering something before he finally spoke. "In the drift that the shaft leads to. It's an older part of the mine, been decades since anyone's been in it. Stuff always seems to go wrong in there though." Shifting so he was leaning against the rocky wall, he continued. "I've had batteries that were fully charged drain in seconds, tools go missing then turn up in random places, and it just…doesn't feel right up there."

"I'm not surprised you could pick up on it." Both men turned towards Masako while she continued to gaze into the shaft. "They don't want you up there. With all the energy they're draining from your tools, it seems that their presence has become more…tangible in this place." Finally dropping her eyes from the hole, Masako turned towards Fukuma. "Have these incidents become more aggressive over time?"

He watched her, pure skepticism written all over his face about the statement the medium just made. "Like I said, you'll need to ask around for a clearer picture. Nothing's changed much since I was assigned to this area."

Not bothering to continue questioning the man, Masako addressed John instead. "We should get as wide of an angle as we can, but make sure the shaft is visible."

"Right!" As he went to go do just that, Masako once more faced their guide.

"The spirit appears to be protecting something, I would recommend avoiding this area if at all possible. If not, exercising more caution than usual when working would be best. We're not sure what might set it off."

Huffing at the instructions, Fukuma nodded his acknowledgment before going back to watching John set up their equipment.

Masako silently observed the miner while they waited. She had a feeling that most of her warnings weren't going to be heeded. A sliver of frustration swept through her, but she recognized that these men weren't likely to listen until something dramatic happened. Things so far had only been mild inconveniences, nothing alarming.

In her experience, she knew it would only be a matter of time until things took a turn for the worse.

Standing outside the building housing their base and rooms, Mai enjoyed the cool, fresh air of the mountains. "Were you able to find anything?"

From the speaker of her phone, the familiar voice of Kenshin came through. "It's saying we have records about the company but they're hard copies, so we'll need to have them faxed over to us from the local government."

"Great," Mai grumbled, leaning against the outer wall of the building, "I thought everything was supposed to be digital by now. Wasn't that part of some mandate they passed a couple years ago?"

"You should know by now that what the government says and what they actually do are more often than not two very different things. Some places took it as more of a suggestion." His deadpan tone with he added sarcasm at the end only caused Mai to roll her eyes.

Staring lazily at the cloud spotted sky, Mai could only sigh in resignation. "Then I guess I'll just have to tell Naru to wait for his records."

The sound of shuffling papers came through the speaker before Kenshin began speaking again. "You know you don't have to work for them again if you don't want to, right?"

His concerned tone put a small smile on her lips. "Working with not for. Big difference there. For one, no more demands of tea like I'm some pet. For another, this is just a trial run. If it doesn't work out, then we'll go our separate ways except for when the force calls them in."

"Fine, fine. I just can't help worrying. You know how I feel about them."

A familiar warmth filled her chest causing her features to soften and her smile to widen. "I know," Mai softly admitted, "but I have to face this at some point, right?"

"Well look at you being all grown up," Mai could hear the smile laced into his teasing words, "why, it seems only yesterday that you were just an angry little thing, temper flaring at the slightest of injustices. Granted, I don't think the height problem will be fixing itself any time soon."

The smile quickly faded from her face as annoyance took over. "Just because you're freakishly tall doesn't mean you get to bully me! I am a perfectly normal height for a Japanese woman thank you very much!"

The laughter that answered her only incised her further. "There goes that temper, and here I thought you were finally making improvements."

"Don't make me plaster your secrets all over the station you jerk, because I will!"

Even more laughter was her answer. "I yield, I yield. Don't need a repeat of past incidents."

Huffing while closing her eyes, Mai's response sounded petulant, even to her ears. "If they had kept their comments to themselves, I never would have done anything in the first place."

With his laughter dying down, Kenshin addressed another matter. "By the way, Dr. Chiyoko wanted to know when you'd be available again so she can add you to her schedule."

"She does know that she can contact me directly, right? She doesn't always have to go through you." The last part came out more like a complaint than an actual statement.

Mai could practically feel the raised eyebrow on Kenshin's face as he responded. "Well if you actually responded to any of her texts or emails maybe I wouldn't have to play middleman."

A flush of embarrassment dusted her cheeks. He kinda had a point. "Okay fine! I'll message her to let her know, happy?"

"Exhilarated."

"You can cut back on the sarcasm now, thanks." Was her deadpan response. "Anyways, I should probably start heading back in, lord knows how impatient Naru can be."

"Alright. I'll let you know once I received the documents and sent them." He replied, back to his usual professional tone.

"Thanks, I really appreciate it. Tell everyone I miss them, okay?"

"I will. Be careful though. Mines are already dangerous as is, and with one death already reported you need to be cautious." His unease at the situation she and the team were putting themselves into clearly came through.

Staring straight at the building containing the entrance to the mine, Mai answered seriously. "I promise. I'll keep you updated as well."

"That's all I can ask. I'll talk to you later."

"Later, Kenshin," Mai replied before ending the call.

Letting out a harsh breath, Mai prepared herself for once more surrounding herself with her former team. Pushing off the wall, she made her way to the door then swiping her access card and waiting for the light above the entrance to indicate it was unlocked. Steeling her nerves, she straightened her posture walked through the doorway and let the door swing shut behind her.

Mining terminology guide:

- Shaft: vertical entrance to a mine
- Drift: mining name for the tunnel
- Face: the end of a drift where they are actively mining
- Ballroom: a man-made cavern
- Mucker: a machine that is used to bring blasted rock and ore out of the mine

Alright, sooooo...yes this story is still being continued. I was part of a very intense college program for the last year that really didn't leave a lot of time for extracurricular activities so I had to put my writing to the back burner for a while. Fortunately, I'm happy to say that I've graduated and now how much more free time. I'll be the first to admit that I'm not the best at regularly updating, but I do have the general outline for this case done so it won't take me another year or more to get the next chapter to you.

As always, comments, questions, and constructive criticism are all welcome! Even if you just wanna say hi, go ahead and leave a comment for me. I try to answer back to all of them and really appreciate everything you all have to say. I want to grow as a writer and your opinions really help.

Happy New Year!

shayrulz