With the rest of team S.P.R preparing for their cleaning's and exorcisms Mai was left to start clearing base. Along with Lin of course who was typing the last of the case reports.

Nevertheless it was a lonely task and Mai felt that there was once again more that she could have done.
With questions like:
What if I'd told them about my dream?
Is Nell involved?
What exactly did Naru find out to solve this case that seemed to go nowhere?
And who was the girl in the photo?

Typing and the occasional clicking was the only noise that broke the silent room and her restless mind.
Does Lin know something?

As she continued loading box after box she soon came to the still scattered files that contained all their research. Unable to help herself she found the photo of Nell occupying her once busy hands.

And again she ransacked her head for answers, finding only more questions.

Naru, do you think that...
Do you really believe that, Nell, could be our ghost?
Do you think she's dangerous?
There's no way, that she could, that she could ever, hurt anyone...
There isn't, is there?

"You know Naru will kill you for slacking, right?"
Mai jump with Lins' suddenly voiced concerns.
Dropping the photo along with the file in her startled state.
"I'm sorry" She mumbled quickly stooping to pick up the papers.

"What is it Mai?" He asked turning away from his computer.
"Huh?"
"You've been staring at the picture for the last ten minutes. You've probably gotten closer to the shrines inhabitants than the rest of us but it almost seems like this is more than your friendship with Nell. Do you know something?"

"It's no-...."
"I-"
She stopped and started again. Unable to find words to explain, anything really. She felt more confused than she had ever been on a case before and for once felt like everyone else knew something that her intuition couldn't convey.

She looked down once more at the photo in her hand before making a decision and standing up to face the tall Chinese man.
"I don't know anymore..."
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"Is everyting ready?" Naru asked as he and the young priest walked down the hallway that lead to most of the staff rooms.

"I have everything prepared. But Kazuya, are you sure ’bout this? I don't think that this is the best plan mate"

"Kazuya?" John asked again as the young head of S.P.R remained silent.
Naru looked down not revealing his facial expression. Stopping a few feet ahead of the fully clothed priest.

"To be honest, I don't either. But there's nothing else we can do now. Not without bringing more harm to the other occupants."
Sensing his companions disappointment he continued.

"This is why I didn't want to bring Mai here. Nor tell her the full truth of what exactly we're about to do here. If there was any other way, John-"
"I know." John interrupted. A sincere expression on his face.
Naru nodded and looked ahead.

"Alright. Then let's get started." He reached up and knocked on the oak wood door.
~~~~~~*a few hours earlier*~~~~~~~~

"Begin your preparations. We have a long night ahead of us... By tomorrow afternoon I plan on returning to Tokyo."

The priest headed down the hall to his room before being pulled aside by Naru.

"John. I need to fill you in on some details before the cleansing."
"Alright...Is something wrong?" He asked turning to his boss after he saw the expression on his face.

"The ghost we're cleansing might not leave so easily. Although I'm not one hundred percent sure. She might not put up a fight." The last sentence was almost an inaudible whisper.

"She?"
Naru only pressed his lips together and remained silent.
"Who's ghost are we..."
" Not a ghost. Not entirely, I'd almost call her a phantom. Mai can't find out about this. I'd rather not anyone else find out about this until she's gone."

"Are you implying that, we mi’ht have to resort to an exorcism."
"It might just come down to that. But I'm not ready to rule out a cleansing just yet. So be prepared for anything." He said a dead serious look in his eyes.
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~~~~~~~~~~~*current time*~~~~~~~~~

"So what do you think Narus up to? Any ideas on our mystery ghost?" Monk asked Ayako as she set up her candles beneath the painting.

"I don't know and I don't care. I just want to finish this job and leave."
"Oh common. Don't tell me your still brooding about Naru cutting you off."
"No.... I've just got this bad feeling..." She said looking up at the girl in the painting. An almost sad look in her eyes.

"What kind of feeling?" Monk asked, all trace of humor now gone from his face.

"It's nothing. Just something that if been wondering about ever since we got here. That's all."

"I know you better than that. Common, you can tell me." He said kneeling next to her.
"I don't know. It just doesn't make sense, does it? The email that appeared from nowhere, the missing people, the people that were drawn into the painting, the guests, and now there's two more ghosts to deal with. I don't think this is a case we can solve, Monk."

"Common. Naru knows what he's doing. Everything will work out. There hasn't been a case yet that we couldn't solve."

"There's the Vampire aristocrat." Ayako stated in a monotone.
"You know what I mean! Plus this is nothing like that case."
She signed after looking at the painting for a little longer.

"I guess your right. I'm probably just being paranoid."
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Mai ran panting down the hall. After what Lin had reluctantly told her she had no time to lose.
Naru...
The thought repeated over again in her head.

I have to get there before it's too late...

"Mai, Naru would never forgive me if I tell you..." Lin had said started. His next words would shock her beyond anything she'd ever believed, yet it put everything in perspective too.

She swallowed back tears and sped up even more.

"Naru... please....
Don't go through with this!!"
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The dark haired girl locked her door and started down the hallway.
Soon coming to a stop when she felt that something was off.

A cold empty smile graced her pale features as she turned to see the young ghost buster behind her with the priest in tow.

"So I guess, I've run out of time now, huh?" She said in her monotonous voice.