Dangerous Souls

Healing

Chapter 12-Why?

March Day 5, 7:24 P.M.

In Base, Naru walked in to see the rest of his team eagerly awaiting his arrival. He had been expecting to receive a scolding from Lin and some rather accusing questions from Madoka. He didn't expect to see the perplexed expressions worn on every member in the room. Even Lin looked confused.

Almost uncharacteristically so, Naru presented them a similar glance. It was only when he went to the wall of monitors and pulled out his seat that he realized just how dirty his hands were. He couldn't even imagine what his face looked like after wandering a dusty dirty cave and the trails for the last five hours. He definitely wasn't the Naru they all knew and were sometimes fed up with.

So he ignored the odd looks from his peers as he sat down, plugged his phone into a charger, and relaxed for the first time all day. "Before you ask, Mai is fine, she's in our room with Matsuzaki because she wasn't feeling well." He ignored the knowing look that came from Kiko by the table. "What happened while we were gone?"

"I'll get the tea, you're going to need it," Monk said standing up as Kiko and Yasuhara took turns explaining their encounter with Kuroki Hanako. Naru's face remained impassive as the story was told and Monk came back with tea for everyone.

"Not only was Kikuchi's story true, but the Moto couple wanted to prove it," Naru determined once he heard the rest of the tale. He took a slow sip of his tea. And silence hung in the air for a moment, before Madoka became too impatient.

"Are you going to explain why you're covered in dirt?" she finally asked with an exasperated sigh. Naru ignored her and took another sip of tea just as she continued, "Unless Ms. Kikuchi wasn't lying when she said she saw you and Mai going at it."

She was looking for a spittake. She got a spittake. But not from Naru. No, Monk was choking in his seat on the couch. Yasuhara and Kiko were sputtering at the table. And Lin only shook his head in defeat. Naru simply swallowed his tea and let out a sigh. "Funny, Madoka, because Kikuchi mentioned the same about you and Lin."

Lin simply put his head in his hand, while Madoka felt heat grow on her cheeks. Monk was still coughing while the two college students were trying to contain their laughter.

For the first time on this case, Naru had the upper hand on Madoka. To which, he smirked in satisfaction.

***

"That confirms everything we know," Ayako said with a sigh as Mai finished telling her what Tomomi had shown. "Hanako Kuroki paid us a visit, she and her husband owned the resort when Tomomi was kidnapped. They were the first couple from your vision."

Mai nodded as she felt another wave of sorrow pass over her for the girl. She didn't deserve what she was given. "That second couple though..." she said with a breath. "Tomomi wasn't the first girl they took and she wasn't the last."

"Tomomi told you?" The girl in bed just shook her head. "Then who?"

"My guide," Mai answered flatly. "I have a spirit guide that shows me visions of the cases we're on. He told me that the couple did ultimately get in a car accident killing the wife and leaving the husband paralyzed."

"Talk about too little too late," Ayako scoffed.

"That's what I said!"

"Did your guide show you anything else?" Ayako pressed as her face became somber. Mai didn't have to ask to know what she was referring to.

Mai sighed and began explaining what she saw with the Moto couple. She had just mentioned the couple going into the cave and stopped speaking. She earned a look from the priestess. "And? What else happened?"