The Angel Chronicles Author: A. Dean Rating: P.G. Classification: X (X-file); UST Disclaimer: It's well known that the characters and situations of the television program "The X- Files" are the creations and property of Chris Carter, Fox Broadcasting, and Ten-Thirteen Productions; they have been used without permission. No copyright infringement is intended. Distribution: Feel free to distribute my work, as long as it still contains my name. I originally started this story in January under the title of "Angel"; please update in the archives. Many thanks to Mishka for doing such a wonderful job editting. SUMMARY: Mulder and Scully are assigned to a case dealing with a series of bizarre deaths whose only link seems to be through a child named "Angel". They are sent to investigate the deaths and the child's alleged involvement. Please send comments; both flames and raves appreciated. -------------------------------------------------------- FBI Headquarters March 19 3:30 p.m. They were in trouble again. "I don't understand how you could be so irresponsible, Mulder...and *you* should have known better..." That comment was directed towards her but it was something that she had heard many times before. She didn't have to glance at her partner to catch his apologetic look. Apologetic to her but not to the man in front of them. She let her mind wander a bit... if she only had a dollar for every time that they were in this situation in Skinner's office --- well, she wouldn't be a millionaire but she'd definitely be able to buy more than one of her weekly lottery tickets. "And that is all I have to say about this." She clicked back to reality as Mulder mumbled a quick "Thank you, Sir," and ushered her out of the office. They walked down the hallway in silence, Mulder's hand still on her arm from when they left the office. She could feel his gaze on the side of her face. His hand dropped and they stopped walking. "Scully, I'm sorry about..." She cut him off. "It's okay. I'm kind of used to you by now." Her gaze met his and he had to search it deeply to see if there was any underlying humor in it to let him know that she was really all right. Her copper hair shimmered even under the poor lighting of the hallway. The tiniest of smiles formed on her lips. "And for the record, Mulder, I don't think that the 'Aliens made me do it' comment won him over." He smiled, his eyes sparkling. "Tell me as a doctor Scully, do you think that I'm wearing on his last nerve?" Her only response was a sigh and the slightest change in her posture, accompanying a raised eyebrow. -------------------------------------------------------- The phone jarred her out of what was a pleasant sleep. She knew instinctively who it was even before she picked it up. There was only one person who would be calling her at 5 a.m. Trying to hide the last remnants of sleep from her voice, she reached for the phone. "This had better be good, Mulder." "What, Scully, not even a 'hello, how's it going?' What if I was your hot date from last night?" "No, he's right here beside me; what do you want?" Her quick comeback surprised him a little. "Skinner wants to see us..." "When???" "Right away. Are you ready? I'll drive." She sat up and pushed her hair out of her face, glancing one more time at the clock hoping in vain that the clock was about two hours slow. "Okay, I'm up. When will you be here?" "Now. I'm outside your apartment." As if to prove it, a light knocking could be heard from her front door. She mentally cursed the person who invented cellular phones. She hung up and stumbled to the door to let her partner in. "Cute" Mulder said when he saw her tousled hair and mid-thigh length night shirt. "Don't worry; you get ready and I'll make myself at home -- oh, and Skinner said to bring a suitcase." She flicked him a look which made him shut up and sit down on her couch. "You couldn't have called me before you left your apartment?" "Oh, and miss the fun of seeing you in your unmentionables?" -------------------------------------------------------- FBI Headquarters March 20 5:51 a.m. Assembled once again in Skinner's office, Mulder and Scully calmly waited for him to explain why he had summoned them so early in the morning. Skinner cleared his voice and began. "Thank you both for coming so promptly. I have you booked on a 7:30 a.m.flight to Houston, Texas. Seems like we have a situation out there, in a small town called Brayden." Scully leaned forward apprehensively. "What are we dealing with?" "Five deaths whose only link seems to be through one individual." Mulder fumbled with the clip fastening his FBI badge to his lapel. "Shouldn't we let the Brayden boys handle it? I mean, right now it doesn't seem like much of an X-file." "Wait, Agent Mulder; you didn't let me finish. According to the reports, it was first believed that all of the deaths were accidental, until a superstitious maintenance worker started making a fuss and saying 'Angel killed them'--- he soon became accidental death number five." Scully flashed him an incredulous look. "Sir, you believe that we're dealing with an angel?" "No -- just a second; I'm getting ahead of myself. I believe that this will help..." Skinner pulled a snapshot out of the open folder on his desk and gave it to Scully. Mulder leaned in closer so that he could see as well. The picture was dated for the current month and year in the bottom right hand corner. It was a close-up photograph of a pretty little girl who couldn't have been more than five years old. Her hair fell in gold ringlets, framing her face. Despite her elfin features, she didn't smile; in fact, her face seemed void of any kind of emotion. Only her eyes appeared to hint at there being a little girl behind the stoic expression. The agents returned their attention back to their boss. "That," said Skinner, nodding toward the photo, "is Angel." -------------------------------------------------------- Skinner's office FBI Headquarters March 20 Mulder took a moment to ponder the implications of the photo. "Do you mean to tell us that we're dealing with a child as a murder suspect?" Skinner gave a slight nod. "The Brayden authorities don't know what to do with her." He flipped through the papers on his desk. "Here we go, Angel Blake, age five. It says that she's considered somewhat of a problem child. She's been shuffled around between foster homes and the local orphanage for the past two years. She's been suffering from elective mutism, not saying a word since the death of her parents. Apparently, her father went on a drunken rage and killed both his wife and then himself in quick succession. It is probable that she witnessed the whole thing." Scully scrutinized the photograph once again. "What about the other deaths?" "All of the deaths were initially deemed accidental. However, it seems that the last 'victim' had managed to get the town riled up into believing that the deaths may have something to due with Angel before he, too, died in a bizarre accident...only confirming the town's raised suspicions." Mulder glanced at his partner. Their eyes connected and held for a moment before focusing once again on the man seated in front of them. "There's more. The orphanage that she's currently staying in is insisting that they'll only let her stay on a temporary basis. They believe that she may be a danger to the other children. As it is, they have her confined to her room." Skinner paused for effect. "Brayden is a small town where a homicide hasn't been reported for seven years. I'm sending the two of you down there to investigate these deaths and the child's involvement - if there is one - before the situation gets out of hand. The Brayden authorities are expecting you and will give you their full cooperation." -------------------------------------------------------- "...in the case of an accident, your seats can be used as floatation devices..." Scully thought that the stewardess' voice seemed just a little too chipper while delivering that last comment. She stole a look at her unusually placcid partner. Normally he would role his eyes at her when they were confronted with rather obnoxious flight attendants. It looked as though he wasn't even paying attention. He sat beside the window, seeming to stare out at nothing in particular. She knew that his blank look was camouflaging the fact that he seemed somewhat distressed over their new assignment. She lightly touched her hand to his so that they were sharing the armrest between their seats. He turned to face her. She lowered her voice to almost a whisper so that she wouldn't interrupt the stewardess' grand finale about emergency exits. "I thought it was my turn for the window seat." Mulder tilted his head to one side and leaned towards her. "Skinner made the arrangements. I always knew he liked me best." He nodded slowly as if to emphasize his statement. She smiled at him as the plane began its ascent. Mulder looked as though he was going to say something to her and then stopped. "Mulder, whatever it is, just say it." "It's going to be a long couple of days, Scully." She looked at him questionably. "Why do you say that?" "I'm not good with kids...I always have the feeling that they don't like me for some reason." She closed her fingers around his hand. "What's not to like?" He smiled back at her. "Coffee, juice, or a soft drink?" They turned to face the flight attendant who had so dedicatedly given her speech earlier on. Scully shook her head and Mulder indicated that he would like a cup of coffee. The flight attendant paused to give him a big smile and turned to pour his coffee. Mulder looked at Scully and rolled his eyes. -------------------------------------------------------- Brayden, Texas March 20 12:15 p.m. "Mulder, I feel like we're on parade -- people are looking at us." He glanced at his partner. They were walking down Main Street on their way to the Brayden law enforcement building. She was right, though; people did seem to be staring. "Um, Scully, I don't know if you've noticed but we don't exactly 'blend in' here." It was true. They were dressed in the standard FBI dress code while everyone else looked like they just fell out of a Levi's jean commercial. This made it very obvious that they were outsiders in the town. He smiled and shrugged. "Oh well, it's not as though I'm used to blending..." Skinner was not lying when he said that Brayden was a small, isolated community. They spent the last hour driving the rental car in from the Housten Airport. It took them no time to find the police department -- which also functioned as the town courthouse and jail. After they walked in and introduced themselves to the officer in reception, they were ushered into a back room where they were told that the deputy on duty would speak with them shortly. They sat down at a conference table and prepared to wait. 'Shortly' turned out to be longer than they had anticipated. The deputyfinally breezed in as Mulder was checking his watch for the umpteenth time. "Agent Mulder, Agent Scully, my name is Deputy Walker." Mulder and Scully each gave him a brief nod. "We really appreciate you coming on such short notice. Frankly, we're at our wits' end down here." The young deputy looked nervous in the presence of the two FBI agents. Scully noticed the sweat forming on his upper brow. Scully focused her attention on the deputy. "Why don't you start by telling us about the deaths." He seemed to gather his thoughts and sat down facing them. "The first death was in a foster home in which Angel was placed shortly after the death of her parents. During this time, Angel's foster brother, Jimmy, drowned in the family's swimming pool even though he had always been a very good swimmer. The odd thing was that he was supposed to be taking care of Angel at the time. You see, he was quite a bit older; ten years in fact." Deputy Walker reached for his glass of water on the table in front of him. He took a drink and continued. "The next three deaths occurred at Angel's second foster home. The Smythe family regularly took in foster children until they could be placed in a more permanent home. During her stay with them, the family went on their annual camping trip. Mr. Smythe had decided to take Angel and his two biological children on a short hike while his wife prepared dinner. Later on that evening, Mrs. Smythe began to worry when none of them had returned. After a couple of hours passed, she called the park authorities and Angel was the only one found. Since she hadn't spoken since her parents' deaths, she was of no help. The three Smythe bodies turned up about a week later. All signs showed that they had stumbled into a rattlesnake liar. How Angel escaped is still a mystery. She was once again placed back in the orphanage." "The situations involving the last death is why we called you. Joseph Conn worked as a custodian at the orphanage. For some reason, Angel terrified him. According to other staff members, he refused to have anything to do with her. He openly blamed her for the deaths occurring in the foster homes. He would tell anyone who would listen about the "Demon Child," as he called her. No one really thought much of it. Many simply dismissed him as being overly superstitious. That was until last Sunday." "While he was sweeping the landing above the steps leading to the second floor of the orphanage, Angel appeared at the end of the hallway. It appears as though Angel may have said something to him which caused him to back up to the edge of the stairwell. Witnesses say that they stood staring at one another until he consciously took one more step backwards -- causing him to tumble down the stairs. His neck was broken instantly." Scully looked at Mulder for a moment. She then turned her attention back to the Deputy. "She said something to him...? I thought she didn't speak." "Well, to be honest, we don't know. Witnesses all seem to agree that she 'may' have said something to him." Agent Mulder shifted in his chair. "We'd like a list of these witnesses." "Of course." Another Brayden officer entered the conference room and whispered something to the Deputy. Walker stood up and addressed the two special agents. "I'm sorry, but I'm needed in another matter. In the meantime, you will have full access to any information we have on the incidents." The deputy exited the room as quickly as he had entered. Scully stood up and looked down at her partner. "What do you think?" Mulder extracted himself from the rather uncomfortable chair. "I think that it's time we met an Angel." -------------------------------------------------------- Brayden, Texas March 20 4:45 p.m. The sign stood out against the dilapidated brick walls of the building: "Brayden County Orphanage". Children's voices could be heard coming from the fenced yard adjacent to the facility. The agents entered through the main doors. They flashed their badges and introduced themselves to the young woman at the front desk. She smiled as if she had been expecting them and buzzed them into the Director's office. The Director gestured for them totake seats in front of her desk. She was a stern-looking woman. Her dark, gray-streaked hair was pulled into a severe bun above the nape of her neck. She was heavyset and blockish in appearance. The dark clothing that she wore was rather bland and only seemed to accentuate her authoritarian position. "Agent Mulder, Agent Scully, my name is Ms. Johnson. Deputy Walker told me that I was to be expecting you. I can't say that I'm not relieved." Scully noted that her expression showed little relief, it was almost as though she wore a look of contempt. She glanced at Mulder to see if he noticed the same thing but his mind seemed focused elsewhere. -------------------------------------------------------- Their steps echoed down the hallway. They were on their way to Angel's room, located in a far region of the upper level. The partners waited patiently while Ms. Johnson fumbled for the key to the child's room. She finally found the right one and unlocked the door. She held it open and allowed the agents to enter first. Scully felt Mulder's hand on the small of her back, gently pushing her forward into the room. She stopped almost immediately upon entering. The room was tiny. It consisted of a small bed and a night table. The barred window was at an adult's eye level and it added only minimally to the dim light provided by the hanging bulb. The room was devoid of any type of children's entertainment. A small girl was huddled in the corner farthest from the door. Her face was hidden by rows of unkempt curls. Her white dress was almost threadbare, but it seemed to cover her adequately. "Angel." The Director spoke her name in a brisk tone. The girl lifted up her head and opened her eyes. Scully took a small step forward. Even in her disheveled condition, Angel had to be one of the most beautiful children that she had ever seen. Scully knelt down so that she was closer to eye level with the little girl. "Hello, Angel, my name is Dana." She stared for a moment at the woman addressing her and then craned her neck to look up at the other unfamiliar face. Mulder knelt down beside his partner. He smiled at the little girl. "Hi, Angel." Angel turned back to face Scully once again. Ms. Johnson moved closer behind them. "Angel, stand up off the floor; you're getting your dress dirty." Angel seemed reluctant to take her eyes off Agent Scully but did as the Director asked. "Agent Mulder, Agent Scully, I'm sure that you both understand that we have a tight schedule to run around here, and it's almost time for Angel's dinner." Mulder acknowledged the not so subtle hint and stood up off the floor. "Ms. Johnson, if it's all right we'd like to set up a time to ask you some more questions." The director nodded. Mulder looked down at his partner, who was still kneeling on the floor. "Scully..." He helped her into a standing position. As she moved to her feet, her room key and a motel business card fell out of the pocket of the coat that she had folded on her lap. Scully bent down to pick up the key and was surprised when Angel picked up the card that had fallen within the child's reach. The little girl cupped the card in one of her small hands. She ran her fingers almost reverently over the embossed lettering on the top and then held it up to the woman in front of her. Scully bent down and took the card that was offered. She smiled at the solemn little girl. "Thank you." Angel's expression didn't change as she stood staring at the adults in front of her. Scully straightened up for the second time and moved towards the open door. She turned around before exiting. "Goodbye, Angel." Her only reply was the sharp clicking of the lock as the door shut behind them. -------------------------------------------------------- Brayden Motel March 20 8:25 p.m. Scully gave an incredulous look to the man sitting on the bed in front of her. "Mulder, you can't possibly believe that there's anyway Angel could have been responsible for those deaths." "I didn't say that, Scully. I just don't think we should rule out any possibilities for right now." "Mulder, all I saw today was a severely traumatized little girl who should be placed in a facility better equipped to handle her needs. That woman has her locked away in a room with virtually nothing to occupy the mind of a normal five year old -- let alone one which may have some psychological problems." "I agree that she should be placed elsewhere; it's just that I don't think we should give up our investigation yet." He smiled at his skeptical partner. "Besides, I'm looking forward to our meeting with Ms. Johnson tomorrow. She's such a warm person to be around." She rolled her eyes at him as he stood up off her bed. "I'm going to go read over the file reports that Deputy Walker gave us. I'll bring them back to your room when I'm done," he said. She nodded in response and sat down at the desk with her laptop. She heard Mulder open the door. "Scully, I think that you should come here for a minute." She could see him standing at the open door, but it was too dark outside for her to see anything else. "What's wrong, Mulder, can't find your room?" She stopped short when she reached the door. Standing outside the room, looking up at Mulder, was Angel. -------------------------------------------------------- Picking up where we left off -- Brayden Motel March 20 Angel stood in front of the door, not moving a muscle except to blink. Her hair blew in wisps around her face, catching the red neon light from the motel's vacancy sign. It gave her an unnatural iridescent glow. Scully picked the little girl up and brought her inside. Angel was only wearing the dress that they had seen her in earlier on that day. She was wearing socks, but no shoes. "Scully, how do you think she got here?" Mulder knew that the orphanage had to be about a twenty minute walk from the motel that they were staying in. The question was rhetorical and Scully paused in her examination only long enough to look up at him. "Mulder, will you reach into my bag and grab a tee shirt? I think I should have a long-sleeved one in there somewhere. It will be swimming on her but it's better than what she's wearing now. See if you can find a pair of socks, too; her feet are damp." -------------------------------------------------------- Mulder went next door to call Ms. Johnson while Scully completed the little girl's physical. Apart from being chilled and showing signs of general fatigue, Angel seemed to be fine. Scully was glad that it was late enough in the season so that the temperature was well above freezing. "How's our little visitor?" Mulder walked back into the room carrying his cellular phone and a candy bar. Scully looked up at her partner. "She's fine, as far as I can tell. What did Ms. Johnson say?" Mulder reached down to give Angel the chocolate bar. She wouldn't take it from him. He shrugged his shoulders and placed it on the bed next to her. "Well, 'Ms. Congeniality' said that they weren't even concerned yet. It appears as though Angel regularly slips away from the staff when she's out of her room for dinner or washroom breaks and hides away in the building. She usually ends up coming out on her own volition, and our friendly Director seemed extremely surprised that she ended up here. She said she would send someone over here to pick her up within the hour." Scully reached over to open the chocolate bar and broke it into pieces. She offered a piece to Angel and the little girl immediately took one. If her expression hadn't been so serious, the child would have looked almost comical sitting on the bed dressed in Scully's borrowed shirt. She finished her chocolate and looked up to Scully almost expectantly. The woman smiled and broke her another piece of the candy bar. Mulder started to say something and then stopped. He shared a look with his partner and then glanced at the little girl. Scully knew that whatever questions they had about Angel's sudden appearance would have to be dealt with later. The ringing of a cellular phone interrupted the silence in the room. "Mulder here." Scully watched him pace the room while he listened to the person on the other end of the phone. He paused in his conversation to cup the mouthpiece and motion his partner over to where he was standing. He waited while she crossed the room and then spoke in a voice low enough so that the little girl wouldn't hear them. "It seems that Ms. Johnson's having a problem finding someone willing to come and pick up Angel...we can either drop her off or keep her here with us until morning." Scully looked back to the little girl sitting on the bed. He knew what her answer would be. "No, that's fine, we'll just keep her here with us until our appointment tomorrow," he said into the phone. A long pause followed and Scully could only imagine what was being said on the other end. "All right, then, we'll let you know if we have any difficulties." Mulder said his final goodbyes and then put the phone back in his pocket. Scully glanced at him questioningly. He moved towards her so that she would be the only one able to hear him. "I think that she may be defrosting a little; she seemed genuinely concerned for our safety." They were standing so close that they were almost touching. Scully looked up at him with a look of sheer disbelief etched into her features. "Mulder, I hate to sound repetitive but Angel's a five- year-old girl." He continued to look down at Scully. She could tell that he wasn't thoroughly convinced of the little girl's innocence. She shook her head slightly and broke their gaze. He took a step backwards. "Well, I guess I'll go see if the front desk has an extra cot." As he turned, his eyes fell upon the child still sitting on the bed. She was looking directly at him. He couldn't help but feel the chill that moved through his body as he watched her eyes unfocus and resume their vacant stare. -------------------------------------------------------- Angel was sleeping comfortably on the cot beside Scully's bed. The woman bent forward to adjust the child's blanket. The little girl stirred slightly but didn't wake up. For the first time since they had met her, she looked like any other five year old. She caught her partner's eye and nodded her head towards outside. He held the door open for her and locked it behind them. They made the short trek to his room next door. The agents stood staring at one another in the semi-darkness of the room. Scully spoke first. "I'm waiting." Mulder reached down to turn on one of the lamps on the bed table. "Waiting?" "Waiting for you to tell me your theory on how this little girl could possibly be a dangerous, if not diabolical, killer." He smiled at his partner. "Scully, now look who's the one jumping to conclusions. I just don't think that she's exactly what she seems." She sighed, but spoke in a much calmer manner. "Mulder, maybe it's just late, but could you please clarify that last comment?" "Take finding us, for instance. How do you think that she got here? Do you think that it was just coincidence?" She kept her eyes level with his; she knew he would continue with his train of thought. He started becoming more animated. He unconsciously leaned towards her. "What was that card you dropped, Scully?" She flashed him an empty look. "You know -- the one in the orphanage." She was beginning to see where this was leading. "It was the motel business card...Mulder, you don't think that Angel could have read and memorized it in the brief time that she held it. Most children can't even sound out basic syllables when they're five -- let alone be capable of making the connection between words and addresses. Angel hasn't had any formal education; she doesn't even speak." "But Scully," he repeated, tilting his head slightly, "how do you think she got here?" She looked up at him, unable to give him the answer to the question that was on both of their minds. -------------------------------------------------------- Brayden Motel March 21 3:38 a.m. She didn't know what it was that woke her, but something was wrong. Scully sat up on her bed disoriented. There was someone else in the room. She stood up and fumbled around in the black oblivion for her gun. She quickly realized that her search would be in vain because she had unloaded it and put it in her suitcase for safe keeping while the little girl was staying with her. She sat back down on the bed and tried to quell the beating of her heart. Her eyes were slow in adjusting to the darkness. She saw a glimpse of a shadow and then saw the familiar face of her partner leaning down towards her. "Scully, shhhh, go back to sleep." She got up and pulled Mulder in the direction of the bathroom. The door shut behind them and they were suddenly blinded as the bathroom light was turned on. She blinked to accustom herself with the light and stepped backwards. She turned to face the man in front of her. "Mulder, if I had a gun I would have shot you. What are you doing here?" She tried to remain in control while confronting her partner, clad only in his boxer shorts and tee shirt. "If I recall, that wouldn't have been the first time you shot me." He smiled coyly down at the angry redhead in front of him. She stood there gaping at him. "You woke me up in the middle of the night to take jabs at me. Mulder, I'm not amused." "I didn't mean to wake you. I thought I heard something and I wanted to make sure everything was all right over here." She sighed, the initial adrenaline rush subsiding. "Why is it that I can never get a decent night's sleep with you around?" He put his hand on the door knob and shut off the light again. As he opened the door he whispered, "Can't sleep because of me, huh? You should try harder to keep me out of your dreams, Agent Scully." He slipped into the blackness and left his partner standing under the door frame. She shook her head as she made her way back over to the bed. She squinted in the darkness to check on the sleeping form in the cot beside her. The little girl seemed unaware of what was going on around her. Scully brushed aside the hair that had fallen over Angel's face. The woman heard the click of the lock as Mulder exited the room. For the second time that evening, sleep was a long time coming. -------------------------------------------------------- Brayden Motel March 21 8:05 a.m. Mulder walked in as Scully was sitting on the floor braiding Angel's hair. The little girl was dressed in her original outfit once more. The white dress had been washed with the complimentary motel soap the night before and hung up to dry. Angel's hair was still damp from bathing. At first glance she looked almost like a different child. However, it was her emotionless expression that remained the same. He caught his partner's eye. "I trust you both slept well?" She gave him a look to let him know that she was still wasn't happy about their encounter the night before. She wrapped a rubber band around the end of the braid and stood up. He held out one of the coffee cups he was holding as a peace offering. She nodded her thanks and spoke to him in a quiet voice. "I talked to Skinner this morning." He waited for her to continue. "I asked permission to keep Angel here with us for the duration of the investigation. She was going to be moved soon anyway; this way we'll be able to keep closer tabs on her." She took a sip of her coffee. "Skinner said that he'd speak to Angel's social worker and, depending on what our investigation turns up, they'll decide where to place her permanently. In the mean time she can stay here." He knew that wasn't her only reason for wanting the little girl to stay, but he nodded his agreement. He had his own reasons for wanting to observe the child. -------------------------------------------------------- The shower felt heavenly. Scully let herself relax in the luxury of the steaming water. She had left Angel in the main room, occupied by the early morning cartoons on the children's network. The outside door was bolted and she doubted the little girl would try to leave. They had decided that Mulder should go alone to the meeting with Ms. Johnson. He would let her know that they would be taking temporary custody of Angel. They reasoned that it would be easier to get the Director to open up about the investigation if Angel wasn't around. She smiled at the memory of her partner's feigned horrified expression at the thought of facing the woman alone. She turned the water off. She could hear the television through the partially open door. She toweled herself off and got dressed. She rejoined Angel in the living room. The child heard Scully approach and looked up at her. Scully smiled. "What do you say that we go shopping to get you some more practical clothes?" Angel didn't respond but she did stand up. Scully picked up her jacket and keys from the table. She looked downat the girl's socked feet and decided that they would buy shoes first. She scanned the room for the TV remote. As she did, she noticed that her laptop's power light was blinking. She moved over to the desk. "Now that's odd," she touched a button on the keyboard and the screen came to life. It was part of her current case report she was working on the night before. She shook her head. "I could have sworn that I turned everything off." She stopped muttering and folded down the screen. The computer was cold to the touch, not the temperature it should have been if it was plugged in all night. She glanced at the little girl who was patiently waiting for her by the door. The child's expression was as vacant as always. Scully took one more look at the computer and switched it off. -------------------------------------------------------- Brayden County Medical Clinic March 21 4:45 p.m. "It comes down to the fact that Joseph Conn was scared of Angel. Ms. Johnson said that he threatened to quit if he had to have any contact with the child whatsoever. Don't you find it odd that a grown man was terrified of a tiny girl; even odder that he was conveniently killed in an accident while she was present?" They were sitting outside one of the clinic offices. Mulder was arguing quietly with his partner. She arched one eyebrow and looked up at him. He could read the skepticism in the familiar expression. "Mulder, even if the janitor was frightened of her, we have no evidence that Angel directly caused his fall -- or any of the other deaths, for that matter." They exchanged a look for a moment. He changed topics. "What if she did read the card, Scully?" She continued to meet his gaze. When she didn't answer, he continued. He leaned forward slightly. "It may suggest that her unwillingness to talk is all a ruse." She rolled her eyes. "What reason would a five-year-old girl have for pretending to be unable to speak?" He crossed his arms and tilted his head slightly. "Perhaps to cover up some underlying intelligence. If you think about it, Scully, a small child would have to be extremely intelligent to orchestrate these types of deaths." He took a look at her doubtful expression and smiled slightly. "Hypothetically, of course." They were interrupted as the door to the office opened. The agents stood to face the child psychologist that they had commissioned from Houston. He had just spent the last hour and a half assessing Angel's mental condition. He waved them inside the borrowed office. As they entered, Angel was being led out of the office by a young nurse. The child gave Scully a long look as she passed by. Scully looked questionably up at Dr. Rosdall. "She's just being taken down the hall for a drink from the machine. It will give the three of us a chance to talk." Mulder took no time before launching into discussion. "So what's your opinion on the child's mental state?" Dr. Rosdall sat down at the desk and rummaged through some papers. "Well, it's obvious that Angel understands much, if not all, that is being said to her. She scored average on many of the performance categories from Wechsler's Children's Intelligence Test -- excluding the verbal components." Mulder cast a sideways glance at his partner. "Just average?" "You seem surprised." He ignored the comment. "What do you think about her refusal to speak?" "Frankly, I'm not surprised. As a psychologist, Agent Mulder, I'm sure you would agree that the emotional trauma suffered in her past could have caused her to regress to a point where she's unwilling -- or unable -- to respond verbally. Not to mention the lack of proper psychological care for the past two years." The nurse reappeared with Angel. The child broke away from her companion and walked over to stand next to Scully. The woman smiled down at her and rested a hand on her shoulder. Mulder watched the subtle interaction and couldn't shake the foreboding feeling that ran through him. -------------------------------------------------------- Brayden Motel March 21 6:46 p.m. "Mulder, we've been here almost two days now and so far we haven't found one piece of conclusive evidence that these deaths were anything but accidental." She felt as though he wasn't even listening to her. She turned away from him. He touched his hand to hers and then immediately dropped it. It got her attention, though. "All I ask is that you give me a little more time before you recommend to Skinner that we close this investigation -- I'd still like to talk to the eye witnesses." She brought her eyes so they were at level with his and nodded her acquiescence reluctantly. If either of them would have been paying attention to the little girl, they would have noticed her empty the contents of three gelatin- covered capsules into the woman's drink on the night table. The glass caught the reflection of the child's smile as the powder dissolved into the liquid. -------------------------------------------------------- Scully felt her eyes drooping. She couldn't stay awake. The words were beginning to blur on the computer screen in front of her. She looked over at the little girl. Angel had fallen asleep early and Scully was ready to follow suit. She picked up her phone and dialed her partner's number. He picked up on the first ring. "Mulder." The one word answer was typical of him. She leaned the phone against her ear and rested her head against the wall. "Hi, it's me." She had to fight to keep her eyes open. "Scully, are you all right?" Mulder sounded concerned. "I'm fine, just tired. I think I'm going to get to bed early." "Early? It's only 8 o'clock." "Well, I didn't get a very good sleep last night." She didn't mean for the statement to sound so snappish. "Oh; goodnight, then." He sounded apologetic. "Don't let any bed bugs bite." She smiled faintly and hung up the phone. She managed to change and crawl under the bed covers in a matter of seconds. As she closed her eyes for the last time before falling asleep, she could have sworn she saw Angel looking over at her. -------------------------------------------------------- The little girl waited until the woman's breathing pattern was slow and regular. Angel knew that she wouldn't have to wait long. She had put enough of the drug in Scully's drink to cause her to sleep straight through the night. It had been ridiculously easy. She had found the sleeping aid medication in the woman's suitcase the night before. The directions were right on the label. Angel felt a twinge of regret. She didn't want anything bad to happen to Agent Scully. She just couldn't take the chance of the woman waking up before she was finished. Her facial expression hardened. It was all Agent Mulder's fault. She had read the case report while Scully showered. He was the skeptical one. He could ruin everything for her. She crept silently towards the door. Mulder was a threat to her -- and if there was one thing that she knew how to deal with, it was a threat. ** Angel worked quickly. She raised the thermostat on the wall, activating the old gas-burning furnace. She stood for a moment and watched the pilot light hypnotically burn its blue flame as the furnace roared to life. She smiled; the gas line was still activated. Her smile faded slowly as she reached inside the vent to smother the light with a damp rag. The gas silently began to fill the empty room. She left the thermostat on the highest setting and headed back towards the motel. -------------------------------------------------------- Brayden Motel March 21 11:31 p.m. "Come with me, Agent Mulder; I want to show you something." Mulder swiveled in the motel desk chair that he was sitting on so that he was face to face with the little girl. She was smiling at him. Her hands were clasped sweetly at her stomach. She truly befitted her name in the starch white nightgown with her golden hair curling gently past her shoulders. She was carrying a small jacket in her arms. He put down the pen he was holding. She repeated her statement and held out a small hand. "Come with me, Agent Mulder; I want to show you something." Mulder was unsure of what to say to the little girl who had spoken to him for the first time. "What do you want to show me, Angel?" He unconsciously let his eyes drift to the wall separating his and Scully's rooms. It was a brief glance, but the child noticed. "She's sleeping." She gave him a look that only the most precocious of children can master. It was almost condescending. "We don't want to wake her." Mulder stood up. "Where are we going, Angel?" The little girl shook her outstretched hand impatiently and he walked over to join her. She curled her small fingers around his. He looked down at their clasped hands. He brushed aside the initial feelings of apprehension. After all, she was just a small child. She gazed up at him and smiled. "Don't worry; we're not going far." Angel giggled and pulled him outside. -------------------------------------------------------- The walk to the farmhouse was a short one. Mulder was surprised when Angel let go of his hand and ran up the path to open the front door. She held it open and waited for him to enter. She followed him inside and shut the door. They were inside a small, single-story home. It looked as though it hadn't been lived in for a long time. They were standing in the kitchen. Mulder looked around. He noticed that the tiles on the floor were water stained and hinted at the remnants of some other kind of stain. The air was stale and smelled slightly acrid. The little girl's voice interrupted his examination. "Do you know where we are, Agent Mulder?" She was still standing under the door frame of the kitchen. Her blue eyes sparkled with intensity. "This was your home, wasn't it, Angel?" She smiled slightly, her expression hardening. For a second, she looked much older than her chronological age. "If you could call it that. My mother; he killed her here, you know?" Mulder nodded. "You were there, weren't you?" "I though you were quicker than that. Of course I was." She paused deliberately, "I killed him." Mulder watched her gage his reaction from across the room. He had the feeling that she was playing with him. "I thought your father committed suicide." Angel's face hardened in remembrance. "He was so drunk after he shot her, he passed out. They didn't even think of checking the fingerprints on the gun." She tilted her face in mock imitation. Her voice raised in pitch. "Oh, the poor little dear; what unfortunate circumstances, both of her parents killed in one day." Angel laughed at her own parody. "What about the other deaths, Angel? Were you responsible for them, too?" "Isn't that why you're here? You believe I was. But then again, you're a smart man, Agent Mulder. Why don't you tell me what you think." She was mocking him now. "I'm not the only one smart around here, Angel. I would guess that your I.Q. outshines mine. However, I'm willing to bet that all the intelligence in the world wouldn't give you what you really want." She put her hands in her jacket pocket. "And what's that?" She was enjoying their banter so far. She tilted her head innocently. "A mother." Her expression fell. "All of the recent deaths had one thing in common. They were all obstacles in the way of your 'mother quest'. You didn't want to take the chance at losing another mother. Your competition had to be eliminated. Even the poor janitor -- after all, who was going to adopt a 'demon child'?" Angel stared up at him with a masked expression. "Like I said, Agent Mulder, you are a smart man." She pulled her hands out of her pocket. He couldn't make out what she was holding. She stared at him from beneath the door frame. "But where do you fit in? You must have some idea." He watched her twirl the white object that she was holding. He could see now that it was a pack of matches from the motel. She tore off a match. Comprehension dawned on him and he realized what the acrid smell he noticed earlier was. He took a step towards her and she struck the match. The explosion occurred before either of them saw the flame. The last thing he saw before everything went black was Angel smiling. -------------------------------------------------------- Angel climbed up off the ground and dusted herself off. She stood staring at what was left of her old home. The roof and house skeleton were still intact. The framework was just beginning to burn in the aftermath of the explosion. Smoke could be seen tracing gray patterns up along the outside wall. As she had expected, the force of the explosion had pushed her outside through the kitchen door. Her initial experimentation with telekinesis had paid off. Her first real "success" had been the with janitor at the orphanage. It hadn't been that much of an adjustment for her to develop a telekinetic barrier which shielded her from much of the blast. The child thought about how different the world would be if everyone knew what could happen when you broke through the ten percent utilization barrier of the human brain. Angel walked back into what was left of the house. She looked over at the man lying in the corner of the room. His chest rose and fell in an even rhythm. She was disappointed to find out that he was only unconscious. She bent down so that she was kneeling above him. Her hair blew in wisps around her face. The room was slowly filling with smoke and she was finding it difficult to breathe. The child whispered to the immobile form. "I thought your partner might have been an easy one to manipulate, if she were to have become my mother -- but by now you've probably turned her against me. You're no different from the others." She smiled when he didn't stir. "However, I still may have a chance with her..." She was still leaning over him when the ceiling gave way. Angel had no time to prepare as the roof collapsed on top of them. -------------------------------------------------------- Brayden Motel March 22 10:46 a.m. She squinted at the bright light shining into the motel room. She felt awful. Scully sat up in her bed and felt a vertigo effect as the room spun around before her. She waited until the room was once again stationary and glanced at the clock. 10:46. All of a sudden, she was much more awake. Scully couldn't understand how she could have slept so late. She looked down at the cot beside her and realized that the little girl wasn't there. She dialed her partner's cell phone number as she fumbled around the room for her clothes. She had to pause twice to wait for the dizziness to subside. After about eight rings she gave up and walked over to his room next door. She found it unlocked. She opened the door tentatively. The bed looked as though it hadn't been slept in. Mulder's cellular phone and weapon were both still there. The nausea she was already feeling in her stomach was becoming more acute. -------------------------------------------------------- Scully returned to her room and debated about what to do next. She sat on the bed and rubbed her fingers to her temples. She happened to glance at the floor near Angel's bed and saw several glistening little pieces of plastic. She reached down and gingerly picked up one of the objects. It was half of a covering for a gelatin capsule. She recognized it from her sleep medication. Her mind flashed back to the drink she had before bed last night. She suddenly realized why she had slept so long and why she was feeling so terrible. There was a light knocking on her door. She opened it to find Deputy Walker nervously pacing on the doorstep. He forced himself to bring his eyes level with hers. "I'm sorry, Agent Scully, but there's been some kind of explosion at the old Blake residence." She kept her eyes even with his. "Explosion?" The young Deputy cleared his throat. "I'm afraid Agent Mulder was caught up in it. He's been transferred to Houston General Hospital. We tried calling you earlier, but there was no answer..." She closed her eyes momentarily and put her hand on the wall to steady herself. She paused there for a second, fearing the worst. Scully opened her eyes to face him once again. "Is Mulder all right?" She suddenly remembered the little girl. "Was Angel there?" "Why don't you let me drive you to Houston now. I'll explain everything on the way." -------------------------------------------------------- Houston General Hospital March 22 1:48 p.m. His entire body hurt. He opened his eyes and saw his partner smiling down at him. She touched her hand lightly on his uninjured arm. They held the stare for a moment. "Did you get the number of that truck, Scully? I really think he should lose his good driver credit." He laughed and then winced with the effort. "So, am I going to live, doctor?" "Well, aside from smoke inhalation, you've managed to give yourself a nice bump on the head. I think they said it was during your collision with the wall. Your left arm and shoulder are burned superficially -- don't worry; your doctor said the arm hair *might* grow back." He smiled and sighed. "Thus ending my career as a supermodel." He knew he must be okay if she was joking with him. She didn't smile, but he could see the hint of humor in her eyes. "Two of your ribs are cracked; I assume from when part of the ceiling fell on you. The ceiling was what protected you from much of the fire damage. Oh, and you managed to slide off the stretcher when the volunteer fire department hauled you out of the inferno, so you have a nasty scrape on your forehead." They held their gaze for another minute or so. He broke the stare first and looked at his bandaged arm. He flexed his fingers for a moment. He looked back up at her. "What about Angel?" She lowered her eyes. "They never found another body. They went back in when they realized that a child might be inside, but they didn't find anything except the jacket she was wearing. The house was completely destroyed after the second explosion when the fire reached the main gas line. The Brayden authorities are assuming that she didn't survive." Scully paused; she couldn't help but feel grief for the misguided child. Mulder closed his fingers around her hand. She looked up at him again. "What happened in there, Mulder?" They spent the remainder of the afternoon trying to sort out what had happened while they were in Brayden -- and how a little girl named Angel fit into the picture. -------------------------------------------------------- Mission, Oklahoma April 2 12:30 p.m. The woman heard a faint knocking coming from the kitchen door. She dusted her hands off on her apron and opened the door. She was surprised to find a small child sitting on the front steps. The child was beautiful. She appeared to have the remainder of some small cuts and bruises on her arms and face. Her golden hair curled in ringlets past her shoulders. She appeared to be crying. "Oh, Honey, where did you come from?" The woman bent down to embrace the child. "What's your name, Sweetie?" The little girl hiccuped slightly and looked up at the woman with a tear-stained face. "Angela." THE END http://www.mulderscreek.com/nurseryfiles.html