Mai stared at the floor, refusing to look up and risk meeting the eyes of those who had once been her friends.

She didn't want to tell them, she couldn't, she wouldn't.

"Mai,"

Naru's cold voice whipped around the room once more, causing the girl to flinch.

She had long since slid off his lap, and he had elected to move to sit on the couch opposite her, giving his seat up to Lin, who had finally quit attempting to work.

She could feel all their eyes on her, boring into her, she could feel their curiosity, their concern.

A bitter taste formed in her mouth, she didn't want their concern or their pity. They couldn't have cared less about her before, why should they start now?

Warm hands landed on Mai's arms, pulling the brunette out of her reverie, Ayako kneeled in front of her, a first-aid kit open on the floor, studying the angry red burns that now covered her forearms.

Narrowing her eyes, Mai jerked her arms out of the Miko's grasp.

"I'm fine," she snarled.

Ayako said nothing and, appearing not to have heard the girl at all, simply reached out and pulled Mai's arms back.

She worked efficiently, smoothly, and, in a way that signaled experience, sanitized the burns, applied a topical ointment and wrapped them in gauze. It was over in minutes, the redhead packed up and left to her seat as soon as it was done, still saying nothing.

Mai felt emotion clog her throat as tears began to swim in her eyes.

She quickly blinked them back, reverting her gaze to the floor once again.

She had to tell them, they had a right to know, they were going there after all. A shudder ran through her body just thinking about it. She couldn't just let them go in blind. They had to know what they were up against.

"I- It was the day before you went back to England," she whispered, her cracked voice barely audible in the silent office.

"Lin told me and Masako to..."

Said medium nodded, remembering, "We went to the hotel. You stayed behind when I left, even though it was empty." she said.

Mai shook her head. "No" she whispered, "it wasn't."

5 YEARS PREVIOUSLY

"Why do I have to go!?"

Her glare would have been a lot more effective if Lin weren't so ridiculously tall. He looked down at her, his indifference tinted with annoyance.

"Because Masako is going and she can only sense the spirits - if there is any at all - you'll need to exorcise them."

"I want to be here," Mai said, trying to sound firmer than she felt.

"Masako doesn't seem to have any qualms about doing her job."

Lin normally would have realized how stupid that comment was, but he was just so busy and tired from all the packing preparations that he didn't care.

"Well of course she wouldn't! She's going to be helping with cases in England! I'll probably never see any of you again after this weekend, and you want me to spend it wandering a hotel with Masako!"

Masako huffed. It was meant to sound slightly offended, but Mai didn't miss the smug undertone.

"I'll meet you at the hotel in 15 minutes," the medium said, cutting off her next rant.

Unfortunately for Lin, it sparked a new one.

"She... you... all of you are so thoughtless! and rude! and- "

"It's shocking that you want to spend any time at all with such horrible people." Lin cut her off once more, a warning tone in his voice, "-although one might think that the girl who decides to yell at secretaries instead of doing her job might feel at home among such frustrating people!"

"I was so angry..."

"You're right! It is shocking that I would spend my time around you people! I hope this is the last time we come face to face! Have a nice time in England!"

"We went to the hotel. I knew something was wrong there. But it was late, the hotel manager wanted to leave, and Masako wouldn't stay.

"I stayed."

Masako had left roughly an hour before, right before the hotel manager, a kindly old man, gave her the spare key, informing her to lock up when she was done, and to leave the key in the mailbox.

Walking down the quiet halls, Mai could find nothing amiss. She didn't feel scared, yet the hair on the back of her neck tingled and her hand began to shake. Her body was calling out in protest to every step, like it knew something she didn't.

She probably should have gone back to base to get this set up like a real case - but she wasn't in a mood for another argument with Masako, she didn't want Lin's help, and seeing Naru was bound to make her cry - so she pushed onward alone.

She felt a distinct anger emanating from down the hall.

There was definitely something here, something dark and powerful, even if Masako hadn't sensed it.

It seemed to be drawing her in. Mai felt an almost uncontrollable pull to it, the urge was compelling, compulsive almost.

Mai walked along the darkened hallways, towards the kitchen. If she were smart, she would've turned on the lights, or been talking to someone on the phone, or even recording something. However, all Naru's comments about her intelligence had been whirling through her head, fanning her anger, and so she decided to prove him correct for once, simply to spite him.

A cold feeling of foreboding gnawed at the back of her mind as she neared the kitchen, dread seeping through all the pores in her body.

Every single ounce of sense, every nerve she had screamed at her not to enter the kitchen.

She drew closer to the door.

GET OUT OF HERE her mind yelled at her, sounding oddly like Gene.

She extended her arm for the doorknob.

TURN AROUND

She grasped the handle, twisting it.

GO HOME, GET OUT

She pushed the door open and stepped in.

The dark of the kitchen enveloped her and a pair of hands shot out to her throat, holding her in place.

Mai opened her mouth to scream, only to find that no sound came out.

She couldn't breathe, her lungs began to spasm, kicking her legs wildly, she attempted to backtrack out the doorway.

Stupid, she was so stupid. Naru was right, she really couldn't so anything on her own. Tears streamed down her face as black spots appeared in her vision, the hands kept her firmly in place as she struggled. A cold feeling washed over her as a face appeared in front of her, hazy and unfocused in her fading vision. All she could make out was a pair of glowing red eyes and an evil grin that sent chills down her spine.

As unconsciousness began to invade her mind, Mai saw the grin move, forming the only words she would hear for a long, long time.

"There now, pretty girl, be good and quiet,"

The voice was nasally, slick, slimy, and made bile rise in her throat.

"Go to sleep now,"

Her vision faded.

"Pretty, pretty pretty. . ."