[Shrinkmaster22]

-- Chapter 4 --

With Yuji in the next room, Kaori retrieves the needle and gets on Mina?s shoulders and starts trying to prop up the lid of the box. After several attempts and one or both of them losing their balance a couple of times, Kaori is able to slide the needle under the lid and use it like a lever to lift it. She then wedges the needle between the box and the lid, leaving just enough space for her to crawl out, the needle suddenly gives out and falls back into the box just as Kaori makes it through and climbs down the other side. No sooner dose she start making her way across the table, Yuji re-enters the room to grab some dry clothes out of his closet and then leaves again. With Yuji gone again, Kaori runs to the other end of the table to Yuji?s phone and fortunately find it flipped open. Before she could begin to start dialing, she noticed the folded card nearby with inspector Shinado?s number and immediately began the lengthy process of pushing down the keys one by one.

At the police station, Saiko sat at her desk reviewing the statements she had taken, when her superior said that the units heading back out to Enoki where another student has been reported missing. Her superior then tells her that she needs to finish the paperwork from the last four disappearances and won?t be joining them in the field this time. Left fuming and disappointed, she resumes her work and shortly after hears her cell phone ringing.

Kaori, exhausted form the dialing, hears Saiko?s voice answer on the other end; she tries desperately to respond, but she is too small for the phone to pick up her tiny voice well enough. Saiko on the other end can only hear an indistinct whining noise, but remains suspicious, as it sounds natural and not electronic. The call is then lost and Saiko is even more suspicious and immediately calls the electronic crimes bureau on the floor above and requests that the last incoming number on her phone be traced.

Kaori begins sobbing next to phone, fearing that she was unsuccessful and that she had failed the others. She returned to the side of the box to tell them the only remaining option is for her to escape the apartment. Kaori then panics as she hears Yuji coming down the hall and without enough time to make it back into the box, she climbs down from the table and hides behind some boxes in the corner. Yuji then enters and deposits his wet clothes in the laundry and leaves, Kaori seizes the opportunity and runs for the door only to suddenly come face to feet with Yuji.

Meanwhile, Saiko receives a call back from the technician that the cell phone is registered to a Yuji Inaba and came from a cell tower in the vicinity of his current listed address. She immediately left the station and headed for the address.

Kaori immediately turns to run with Yuji (now on his hands and knees) in pursuit. She dives under his dresser, dodging his hand by mere inches. With the dresser to heavy to move, Yuji desperately reaches under for the escapee and cannot reach her, Kaori remains cowering just out of the massive hand?s grasp. Yuji then grabbed the broom form the hall and started sweeping the handle side to side in attempt to force Kaori out, but she had already retreated to another area away from Yuji. In panic he started to practically turn the room upside-down to find her when his door buzzer suddenly interrupted him.

He quickly closed the bedroom door, sealing Kaori in for the moment, and made his way to the front, he opened the door, and to his great surprise, finds Saiko standing there.