<strong>Caleb Hatcher -- A New Challenger Appears?</strong><br/><br/>A laptop sat open on the seat next to Mr. Hatcher, its screen filled with several small windows each displaying spreadsheets, reports, zoning and liscense paperwork, and various and sundry other minutiae that came with running a business. Hatcher flicked through them half-heartedly, applying digital signatures and crunching numbers only to keep his thoughts well away from whatever might be happening inside the manor. Harvey, the driver, sat reclined in the driver's seat, an open book draped over his face; the man's snores were mostly quiet, but every now and then the windows practically rattled, and Hatcher idly wondered if the man's wife was deaf in both ears, or just on one side.<br/><br/>There wasn't much work for him to do anyway, really; his secretary, Ms. Foster, took care of much of the day to day paperwork, but unfortunately he had lacked Harvey's forethought to bring any other means of distraction along with him when they'd set out this morning.<br/><br/>Just as he was lamenting his boredom, the muffled sound of tires on gravel sounded behind the bus, and Hatcher peered through the windows to see one of his company cars approaching the manor. A young Asian man exited the car and spoke with the driver, than stood for several moments in the middle of the drive, staring up at the manor with a slightly awed expression. He seemed familiar, somehow, and Hatcher returned to the thick packet of folders he'd brought along and rifled through the envelopes within until he found what he was looking for.<br/><br/><em>'Oh, right. The young Mr. Kawashiro, flown in from Japan. Highly recommended.'</em>Hatcher looked back at the mansion as the other investigators disappeared through its gaping doors.<em>'Well, it's not exactly the cavalry, but at least it's something.'</em><br/><br/>The young man knocked on the door to the bus and called loudly. Hatcher fiddled with the door mechanism (naturally, Harvey didn't give so much as a twitch at the disturbance) and finally gave up, pulling the door open by hand.<br/><br/>"I am afraid I have made you wait, please forgive my tardiness, Hatcher-san!" Kawashiro said, a sunny smile firmly plastered on his expression. Mr. Hatcher extended one hand and nodded curtly, welcoming the new investigator onto the bus. "Not at all, Mr. Kawashiro. I'm afraid it is I who owe you an apology; I was uncertain if you intended to join us, and in the interest of time it was decided to move forward with those who had already arrived. But I can assure you, the job is still open and you are more than welcome to try your hand at it, if you're still inclined. I trust you've recieved the first dossier on the manor's history and past owners? Your other team members have already entered the house, but if you have any further questions before you enter I'll be happy to answer as best I can," Hatcher said.<br/><br/>As he spoke, Hatcher moved further back into the bus. He returned shortly with the equipment crate and sat it down in another empty seat. "As I told the others, I've taken the liberty of providing some basic supplies -- flashlight, communications radio, minor first aid kit, that sort of thing." He ran a hand over his head, wiping a thin line of sweat from his brow in the unaired bus, and turned to look back at the front door to the manor.<br/><br/>"I'm afraid this is all I can offer you, before you go in. This, and whatever answers I can provide. After you enter that house, you'll be on your own. Just...let me know when you're ready."