"I think we may have a new client," Nolan announces to his team the following afternoon as they're getting ready to head out to a new place to investigate.

"Awesome," Lola Wells say, grinning.

"Woo-hoo!" Lennox cheers. Nolan chuckles as he hefts up the bag which held the cables and cords for the cameras.

"Who?" Sid asks.

"Uhhh, I believe she said her name was..Avery?"

"Interesting name," Sid remarks, heading out to the van, to begin loading equipment into it.

"Since when are you so judgy about people's names, Sidney?" Lennox teases, following him out. Nolan doesn't hear Sid's reply, but he's sure it's nothing polite. Sid, although an excellent paranormal investigator, isn't exactly the social type.

"I think it's fantastic, Nolan," Lola says, as she collects the extra extension cords. "Business has really picked up in the last feel months."

"It has." Nolan pauses. Lola lifts her head, watching Nolan's face. He's concentrating, hard.

"I know that look," Lola says, smiling.

"While I'm excited for us," Nolan continues, as though Lola hasn't spoken. "I always feel badly for our clients. I mean, nobody wants to deal with vengeful spirits."

"They're not all vengeful," Lola points out. Nolan nods. He knows this is true. Yet at the same time; he also knows whenever someone is dealing with the paranormal, especially hauntings, it can be frightening for those individuals.

"Just be happy we're not getting run out of town by the folks of Sahling with pitchforks and torches," Lola jokes. Nolan laughs.

"I'm definitely happy about that."

***

"You called them?" Everly squeals, smiling at her bestie. Avery nods.

"Calm down, would you? Yes, I called and spoke with the top man, a Mr. Nolan Wright."

"Very cool." Everly plops down beside Avery, who's scrolling through something on her phone, her brow creased.

"Why the look?" Everly asks, leaning over, trying to see what Avery was looking at.

"Oh, I'm just doing some research on their website," Avery replies absently. She comes across a photo of Nolan Wright.

"Damn!" Everly exclaims. "He's hot!" Avery lowers her phone, placing it, screen down, on her lap, scowling at Everly.

"That's highly unprofessional," she says, her tone sharp.

"Oooh!" Everly gives her friend a smirk. "Sounds like the guy's already got you rattled."

"He does not!" Avery snaps, but immediately controls herself. There's no need to get defensive.

"Uh huh..." Everly is smiling. Avery just shakes her head, lifting her phone and resuming her research.

"Wow," Avery murmurs. "This is quite...something."

"What do you mean?" Everly asks.

"Oh just stories or maybe more like testimonials, from people they helped, if you want to call it that," Avery replies.

"Read one," Everly says, curiosity overtaking her.

"All right. Let's see..." Avery skims the long list of testimonials.

"I have nothing but good things to say about Nolan Wright and his team of paranormal experts. If it wasn't for them, I'd still be scared to sleep in my own home at night. They're the real deal, in my opinion."

Everly burst into giggles.

"Wow! How much do you suppose Nolan Wright paid that person to write that testimonial?" She asks. Avery shrugs.

Truthfully, Avery never really thought about the paranormal one way or the other. She supposes there could be ghosts, lost spirits or whatever they were called. But she wasn't interested in finding out. Avery was beginning to think twice about this crap.

Avery quickly clicks off the website. She decides she's had enough of this paranormal stuff for the time being.

****

Nolan slowly walks down the long, dark corridor, holding up the thermal camera, as he and Lola head for a room in the abandoned hospital they're investigating.

"Let's check in here," Lola says, gesturing towards a small, dark room at the end of the corridor. Nolan just nods, following her. They've worked together long enough to know how the other thought.

Lola enters the room, shining her flashlight around, surveying the area. Nolan silently enters the room himself, turning in a slow circle, his gaze trained on the thermal camera's screen to see if there was anything showing up.

Lola held up a voice recorder, positioning herself in the middle of the room, ready to begin asking questions.

"Is there anyone here with us tonight?" Nolan continues to check around the room.

"Is there anything you'd like to say?" Nolan asks. They listen for a few minutes. Nothing.

"Should we move on?" Lola asks Nolan. "Or did you want to wait a few more minutes?"

"Let's wait a few more minutes," Nolan responds. Lola nods her approval.

"Why were you here?" Lola asks.

"Who brought you here?" Nolan asks. As he scans the area, something briefly shows up on the thermal camera, a bright spot of orange.

"Oh!" Nolan exclaims in delight.

"Did you catch something?" Lola asks. Nolan nods.

"There was a burst of orange on the thermal camera screen for about five seconds," Nolan says.

"Cool."

They wait a few more minutes before moving on. Lola's walkie-talkie crackles and Sid's voice comes through.

"Calling Lola and Nolan," Sid's voice says.

"Go for Lola and Nolan," Lola says into her walkie-talkie.

"Lennox and I are heading upstairs. We just saw a shadow figure in that direction," Sid informs them.

"Fantastic!" Lola says. "We're still checking out the North corridor. We'll check in with you in ten minutes?"

"Will do."

"Let's head down the opposite direction," Nolan suggests. Lola nods and they exit the small room, heading in the opposite direction in which they came from.

They continue on, until they reach an open room, which was most likely some kind of common room.

Nolan sweeps the thermal camera side to side.

"Is there anyone here with us, in this particular room?" Lola asks. They wait. Lola repeats the question. Then...there's faint footsteps coming from behind them.

Both Nolan and Lola swing around, searching for the source of the sound. The footsteps change direction and now seem to be coming from in front of them.

"There's definitely something here," Nolan tells Lola. "But nothing is showing up on the thermal."

They wait a few more minutes, but whoever was there has apparently moved on.

"I'm pretty sure I got those footsteps on the recorder," Lola says to Nolan, who grins.

"Awesome. Can't wait to review the footage."

"Me too."

***

Tuesday afternoon rolls around and Avery follows her GPS to the paranormal society, which is just an unassuming, small brick building located downtown.

She exits her car, slamming the door shut, locking the doors, slipping on her sunglasses and heading for the front entrance. A bell jingles as Avery opens the door and she steps inside, smiling at the man whose seated behind a big, wooden desk.

Avery puts on her winning smile as she approaches the desk. The guy, who appears to be in his late forties, wearing a baseball cap, a t-shirt and jeans, looking bored to death.

"Hi," he says in a monotone voice. "Can I help you?"

"Hi. I'm Avery Greer. I spoke with a Mr. Nolan Wright? I have an appointment with him."

"He'll out in a few." The man nods towards the chairs out in the lobby. "You can have a seat."

Avery offers him another smile, thanking him as she retreats to the chairs. As she takes a seat, she notices the man studying her with curiosity.

"So you're the one Nolan spoke with the other day?" He asks. Avery nods.

"I am."

"What's your deal?"

"Pardon?"

"Your issue," the man clarifies. "What are you dealing with?"

"Oh, I'm not here to hire you," Avery replies. "I'm just curious about what you do, exactly."

"Oh." The man leans back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. "What do you think we do?"

"I'm not sure," Avery says. "I admit, I'm a skeptic." The man chuckles, as if he's amused by her answer.

"I've come across plenty of your kind."

"I'm sure."

Nolan enters the room and glances over at Avery, who stands up.

"Miss Greer?" He asks, approaching her, his hand extended.

"Avery is fine," Avery says. "And I recognize you from your online photo, Mr. Wright."

"Nolan is fine." He glances over at Sid, who's smirking. "Let's go talk in my office. If you'll please follow me."

Nolan leads Avery to towards the back of the building. Sid flicks at Nolan's arm as he passes.

"What?" Nolan mouths.

"I have a weird feeling about her," Sid replies in a hushed tone. Nolan just shrugs, and hurries to catch up with Avery, who's already halfway down the hallway.

He comes up behind Avery, gesturing for her to enter the last room at the end of the hallway and she slips inside. Nolan walks around her, going to take a seat behind his desk, motioning for Avery to take a seat. She does.

"What can I do for you, Avery?" Nolan asks.

"Actually, I was hoping to do something for you, in a sense anyways." Nolan frowns thoughtfully.

"What might that be?"

"I don't know if you're aware, but I have a high profile video blog that I do on a weekly basis. My specialty is controversial topics."

"I..may have heard of your blog," Nolan replies. "Although I can't say I'm a fan." Avery smiles and Nolan feels his heart flip flop.

"Not everyone is."

"You said you were interested in..helping our society? How?"

"Since I'm considering doing a few episodes on my blog about the paranormal, I was thinking maybe you and your crew might allow me to accompany you on your jobs. Just to see what it's like."

Nolan leans back in his chair, hands folded in his lap, as he studies Avery. He thinks Sid was right about her.

"And if I refuse?" Nolan asks.

"What do you have to lose?" Avery presses. "Your group gets some free publicity and I educate people about the paranormal."

"You mean you'd educate the masses in your way," Nolan says.

"Strictly speaking, yes." Nolan abruptly stands, jamming his hands in his shorts pockets, an intense look in his dark eyes.

"That's a hard no, Miss Greer. Good day."

Avery scrambles to her feet, opening her mouth to protest, but decides against it.

"Thank you for your time, Mr. Wright. Good day." She briskly exits Nolan's office, saying a hasty goodbye to Sid and leaves.

Nolan comes up front. Sid is watching him. Judging from Nolan's uptight stance, Avery Greer must have really gotten under his skin.

"What'd she'd want?" Sid asks.

"She wanted to sabotage our reputation, that's what."

☆Two☆

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