Title: Eric 02. Best Laid Plans Summary: While investigating unexplained deaths of several women in Ohio, Mulder and Scully are lured away to investigate the reappearance of a certain red- haired toddler. This investigation takes it toll on the agents as the situation becomes personal. And, yes, there is some romance here! Dedication: I have to dedicate this to the ladies at X-Files Views and Phenomena. Jan, you run a great site! You guys are the best! Thanks! Thanks to Claudia and Leigh for proofreading. Thanks to Ashlea for the great discussions that keep me on my toes! Visit my site for X-Files' fun and games: Spookyteacher's Classroom X- http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Starship/5467 Some Necessary Business: This is kinda, sorta, maybe a sequel to "Am I Not To Be Trusted?" which is now at Gossamer (YEAH!). It can also be found at Mulderoo's site 'X-Files Views and Phenomena' at www.geocities.com/Area51/Dungeon/3881, along with my other fanfic. I hope you'll choose to read that story before reading this. But, if you do read this first, here's the scoop on a key part of the plot that is continued in this story: In "Am I Not To Be Trusted?," Mulder and Scully investigate a mysterious oil spill in Louisiana. This leads them to a factory that is working on cancer medications. Mulder receives information about a baby boy with red hair along with data he'd last seen in San Diego at the nursing home in "Emily." During the course of the investigation, Mulder and Scully find this child and determine that there are experiments being done on children. The boy's foster parents are killed and, while Mulder and Scully are tracking a lead at the factory, Eric is taken to the hospital and disappears. (That was a quick and confusing summation, I know. Read the complete story for a better understanding.)
The Pampered Lady beauty salon "Oh, I love these scalp treatments! I think they're really helping. I can almost see the hair growing," says the woman with her head over a shampoo bowl. "I am NOT going to look like my mother. You could see her scalp through her hair. Damn this fine hair!" "Helen, I think it's probably the Rogaine your doctor prescribed. These scalp treatments are meant to help with circulation to counteract dryness and dandruff," Phillip gently corrects, up to his elbows in the conditioner as he rubs it into her head. "Don't be so modest. You ought to bottle this stuff!" Phillip shrugs as he turns on the water to rinse her hair. "Helen, is that you?" Phillip finishes rinsing her hair, and Helen sits up in the chair, able to see who called her. "Millie, how are you doing? So sorry we missed your dinner last Tuesday. I just felt awful." Phillip towel dries her hair. "Don't worry. I know how you felt," Millie offers. "I think it's a virus. I was feeling terrible Monday night and was afraid I'd have to cancel, but I felt better Tuesday morning." "I know. I was feeling better Wednesday. Weird, huh? Must be one of those 24 hour bugs." Phillip smiles as he leads Helen to the styling chair. "Did you hear about Emily?" Millie asks. "No...what's going on?" "Her Caroline is getting divorced! She had an affair with some guy at work, at least that's what Sharon told me." Phillip begins to style Helen's hair as the women discuss their friend's family problems, their own families' happenings, and other things. When Phillip finishes Helen, he turns to Millie. "You ready? Shampoo and conditioner?" "And I want one of your scalp treatments. It's been so dry lately, my skin feels like leather." "Phillip, thanks again. Wonderfulness, as usual. Here's your check and your tip." Helen pats the money lying on the table in front of the styling chair and winks. "Well, I'm off to the store and the dry cleaners AND the hardware store. Gotta pick up some woodworking stuff for Glenn. Millie...talk to you soon. Maybe we can get together and go out to eat this weekend." "Sounds good to me. I'll talk to ya. Oh, yeah. Vicki called me. The meeting this week's been cancelled. She's got that virus, too." Helen nods and walks out the salon door. "Now, Phillip," Millie continues. "I want the full treatment. You know what I like!"
5:30 That afternoon Helen is preparing salad for dinner, slicing tomatoes and watching Judge Judy on TV. On the TV a women yells, "You took my TV 'cuz you were jealous. He loves me not you. I want my TV back now! Or the 300 bucks!" She puts down the knife and rubs her forehead. "God, some people are so stupid! Who would air their dirty laundry in public like that?" she says to herself, as she pops two aspirin and takes a sip of water. Her husband walks in and asks, "Did you get that stuff I asked ya to get?" She finishes swallowing the aspirin as she nods and points to a bag sitting on the kitchen table. "You okay?" he asks as he grabs the bag. "Yeah, just kind of a headache. I'll live. Dinner will be in about 20." "K. I'll be out in the shop," he informs her as he heads out the back door. She continues the salad preparation, but suddenly she doubles over in pain. She crumbles to the floor and groans. She writhes in pain, then begins to inch her way to the back door. She manages to crawl to the door, but, just as she grabs for the knob, another pain rocks her body. She screams just before she loses consciousness. As her body goes limp, a thin, reddish fluid begins to run from her nose.
FBI Building Washington, DC The clicking sound of a slide projector as it is advanced is the only sound in the basement office. Mulder sits on his desk, clicking the remote and studying the slides of corpses flashing on the screen. He hears someone approaching and glances to the door. It opens and Scully enters the office. She glances from Mulder to the projector and back to Mulder. She exhales sharply and turns to Mulder. "You got back from the Gunmen's pretty fast. I didn't expect you for a couple hours after you said how important it was whatever you were going to see them about." "Yeah, they were showing me their newest surveillance toys. I told Frohike to just give me a list in case we need to borrow 'em sometime," Mulder offers as explanation. Scully nods at this and walks over to her desk. A thick silence hangs in the office. Mulder stares at Scully, who's suddenly very busy at her desk. Finally, Mulder shatters the silence. "Uh, Scully..." Scully looks up slightly. Mulder gestures with his head to the screen. She turns back to her papers and sits down at her desk. Then, she closes her eyes. "Well?" he tries again. She looks up at him again and chews her bottom lip lightly. He raises his eyebrows in question. Scully doesn't answer it. "The suspense is killing me, Scully," he says, another attempt at prompting her to jump in. When she doesn't jump in, he raises his eyebrows, almost comically, again. "You gonna tell me or do I have to pretend I'm the Stupendous Yappi?" he asks again, clicking the remote next to her ear. "Okay," she says, clearly annoyed enough to answer his questions. "Four women in Ohio have died in the last two weeks. No definitive cause of death can be determined in any of the cases." "No apparent wounds," Mulder observes, settling back into his chair and clicking through the slides. "No. There were no wounds," Scully confirms. "Aaannnndddd..." Mulder fishes for more information. "The coroner is at a loss. They were all in good health. None appeared to have..." "Scully," Mulder interrupts. "What is the X-File here? Why are we looking at this?" Scully seems to steel herself before answering. "All of these women had claimed to be abductees and were members of a local MUFON group." "Scully..." "A reddish fluid that contained blood, but also several unidentifiable compounds was..." "Scully...." he says louder. "...found in their nasal passages. Two had reported being multiple abductees..." "SCULLY!" Mulder yells, finally gaining her full attention. He studies her for several seconds. "Scully, why..." he grins but is interrupted by the phone ringing. He flashes her a "Hold on, you're not off-the-hook that easy" look as he answers the phone. "Mulder....yes, sir...no, sir. I hadn't...yes, she was just...Oh...yes...yes...yes, sir." He hangs up the phone and looks over at Scully. "That was Skinner. OUR 302 to go to Ohio and investigate these mysterious deaths is approved." The heavy silence returns as Mulder eyes Scully while she gathers papers on her desk. Mulder works his jaw muscles as he studies his partner. He stands up and walks over to the slide projector. "Scully," he says as he removes the slide carousel from the projector. Scully looks up, a bit reluctantly. "Who were you trying to convince?" he asks moving towards her desk. "Me, or you?" He punctuates this by placing the slide carousel directly on top of the papers she's been gathering. Scully looks at the carousel, then pushes it aside as she continues arranging the stack of papers. After an exasperated look flashes across his face, Mulder walks to his desk and grabs his jacket off the back of his chair. "How about we head to Ohio in the morning?" he asks, heading for the door. Scully looks up quickly. "Why not this evening?" she asks sharply. Mulder stops in the door, but doesn't turn around. "I'm busy. I have to go back to the Gunmen's. You make our reservations, okay? I'll call you later." He walks out the door, shutting it behind him. Scully stares at the door briefly. The she slams the file folder down on the desk. She exhales sharply and closes her eyes. Then, after a couple seconds, she opens her eyes and reaches for the phone.
The next morning Ohio Mulder and Scully arrive at the Putnam County offices. They walk into the building and down the corridor towards the coroner's office. "The coroner?" "Dr. Michaels." "Four?" "Four." "All MUFON?" "Mmmm hmmm." This conversation was going much like all of their conversations since the day before in their office back in Washington: almost telegraphic. Mulder opens the door to the coroner's office and follows Scully through it. They enter an empty lobby area. They look around for someone, but see only gurneys and other equipment. Finally, a man's voice greets them. "Hello," the man repeats, in a low voice, as he rounds the corner. Scully starts to say something, but she doesn't get a chance. "I'm Dr. Michaels and I've been expecting you. Please, this way," he explains as he gestures to a door. Mulder and Scully proceed as directed. As they go through the door, they find themselves in an autopsy room. The coroner follows them. "I'm sorry," Dr. Michaels says as he pulls back the cover from the body on the examination table. Scully and Mulder look at the body of the blond, slim, teenage girl. Dr. Michaels notes their reactions. His thoughts are interrupted by Scully. "Dr. Michaels, is this related to the other women's deaths"? "Pardon me?" the doctor asks, clearly confused. Mulder has been studying the girl's body; at least the areas that have been exposed. He walks closer to the exam table and notes the bruises and scratches on her face. Then, he notices the odd angle of her head in relation to her neck and winces slightly. "There is NO definitive cause of death in this case, as well?" Scully tries again. The doctor is speechless for several minutes. "I don't think so, Scully." The doctor looks pointedly at them and, finally, speaks. "Scully? Wait a minute....you aren't the Hendersons? The couple who are here to identify their daughter?" Mulder and Scully shake their heads in unison.
"I'm sorry. I thought... I mean, you looked like a couple who...well, I just made a big mistake," Dr. Michaels offers them as he pours three cups of coffee. Mulder and Scully are sitting in chairs in his office. He passes them the coffee and offers the cream and sugar, before sitting in his desk chair. "No problem. No harm done," Mulder assures. "It's a mistake anyone could've made. It's certainly not the first time." Scully looks up from her coffee, surprise then mild anger crossing her face, but only to the trained eye. "Doctor, why don't you fill us in an the details of the women's deaths? What have you determined from your autopsy results? Anything further than you faxed me?" she asks, turning her attention to the coroner. "Not much more, at all. I've done full autopsies, toxicologies. You name it, I've run it. A few slightly abnormal chem levels or other anomalies turned up, but nothing that should've been fatal. Here, let me show you what I've got." He pulls out four file folders from the file cabinet behind his desk and sets them down on his desk near Scully, who's moved closer. Mulder remains seated, drinking his coffee. Scully starts to flip through the folders, when they hear a door open and a voice call, "Hello?" The coroner sighs. "That must be the Hendersons. This probably won't take long. Doesn't ever, usually. You can keep going over the files and I'll be back." Dr. Michaels heads out of the office and they can hear him greet the Hendersons just as he had greeted them ten minutes earlier. Mulder stands up and sets his coffee cup on the desk, next to the file folders. "I'll meet you back at the motel, Scully." It's not a question. She looks up at him pointedly. "Where are you going, Mulder?" "I'm going to check out the MUFON group; find out what I can about those women's lives. You find out what you can about their deaths." Scully nods, but continues staring at Mulder. She has accepted his explanation but is still miffed at his sudden departure. Mulder walks to the door, then turns around. "Pizza or Chinese, Scully?" Scully tries very hard not to smile... she's still mad at him.
7:46 pm Pig in a Poke Motor Lodge After paying the driver, Scully climbs out of the taxi and stretches. It has been a long afternoon pouring through the autopsy and lab results. She glances at her room. It is dark and uninviting. On the other hand, the lights from Mulder's room next door are clearly showing through the drawn curtains. She considers her options and the balance is tipped when her stomach growls. Mulder is laying on the bed flipping through a file when Scully enters his room. "God, Scully! I was just about to give up on you and dive into that pizza," Mulder announces. "Dr. Michaels is a very thorough pathologist," Scully groans, taking her jacket off. "Yeah, no one I know like that," Mulder quips as he rises from the bed. Scully doesn't even bother to act perturbed; she's too hungry. Instead, she heads for the pizza on the table. However, she's cut off by Mulder, who's moved from the table in one stride, it seems, arriving at the pizza box seconds before her. He opens the box. "Mulder..." she begins to admonish. "Here you go, Scully," he says as her hands her a big slice. "Dive in!" Scully's taken a bit aback by his generosity. "Thanks," she manages get out. "Don't worry about it, Scully. Later, you can pay me back by giving the first massage." He punctuates this by taking a huge bite of pizza, leaving a glob of sauce on his chin. Scully leans in and gingerly wipes the sauce from his chin, saying, "In your dreams, Mulder." He locks eyes with her briefly. "Scully, you used that one before. You lose points for redundancy," he finally says playfully, tossing her a bottle of iced tea. Scully surrenders to her slice of pizza and iced tea. They eat in comfortable silence until only two slices of pizza remain. It's Scully who finally breaks the silence. "We found traces of an unidentifiable compound in all three bodies. We were unable to determine it's nature nor it's possible effects on the body. We don't know if it caused the deaths. I want some more tests on it." "It's not similar to anything else you've seen before?" "No. It's very unique. I've packed samples of it off to FBI Sci-Crime. And I sent some to the Gunmen." Mulder raises his eyebrows. "Good move. Well, I found out a little from the MUFON chapter president, Vicki Lindstrom. They hadn't had a meeting in about a month because she and some of the other members have been sick with some virus, she said. I got a membership list from her." Scully looks at him quizzically, then thinks better of it. She continues her narrative of the afternoon. "Just as I was leaving, Dr. Michaels got a call from a coroner in the next town. He couldn't find the cause of death for a woman. Dr. Michaels said it sounds very similar to the others. I'm heading there with him in the morning." "What's her name?" Mulder asks, grabbing a stack of computer sheets from his bed. Scully pulls out her notebook from her jacket pocket, which is on the back of Mulder's chair. "Let's see...," she says, flipping through the notebook pages. "Allison Martin." Mulder scans through the computer sheets. About halfway through the stack of sheets, he looks up at Scully, smiling. "What?" she asks. "She's on the list?" "She's a member." Scully assimilates the information for several seconds, glancing down. Then, looking up, she asks, "What's your point?" A simple question, but would there be a simple answer? "None, I guess," Mulder replies. "So, you're going with Dr. Clueless to see that other body tomorrow. I think I'll check out these MUFON members." "Mulder, shouldn't you go talk to the police and get the..." "Reports? Got 'em," Mulder interrupts, pointing to a stack of file folders on the bedside table, next to an open bag of sunflower seeds. There are hulls scattered all over the table. Scully starts to move to retrieve the folder. "Don't bother. There's nothing in there. They were waiting for the autopsy results to shed some light. So, we're still in the dark." He glances at his watch and leans back in his chair, stretching. Scully nods and tries unsuccessfully to stifle a huge yawn. She closes her eyes, just realizing how tired she really is. "Hey," Mulder calls after noting the yawn. "I think it's time for the good doctor to go to bed." Scully opens her eyes and looks at him, expecting further comment. But, there was no smartass remark. Just Mulder smiling at her. "Night, Mulder," she calls over her shoulder as she picks up her jacket and suitcase and heads out his door. As she's fumbling with the key trying to open her room door, it occurs to her that Mulder just gave her the bum's rush, pushing her out of his room. She got that funny feeling in the back of her neck that told her Mulder was up to something. It better not be a ditch, she thought as she glanced at his door just before entering her room. Mulder's room "What ya got?" Mulder says into the phone. Frohike, Langley, and Byers are on the other end, on a speakerphone at the Lone Gunmen's office. "We've been pouring through the data from Sci-Crime you gave us. That guy was thorough. I wish he were still around. We could use him," Frohike remarks. "What did that thorough data tell you?" Mulder asks curtly, not wanting to explain about the fastidious and Scully-adoring scientist. "We haven't finished comparing it with the data we gathered. But, our initial conclusions are that they are similar," Byers answers. "That's it?! Similar?" Mulder practically yells into the receiver. "Gee, ya think so?! Guys, I was expecting a good bit more than that!!" "We need more time for tests Mulder," Langly warns. "This is gonna take some time since we don't have the actual stuff to test. We're just going with data. And it's weird data at that!" "Langley, we may not have much time. Who knows what the timeline is. I want this worked out ASAP. I wanted it yesterday, you know what I mean?" "Mulder, we all know how important this is to you. It's important to us, as well, y'know?" Frohike asserts. "I want this taken care of. I don't like the uncertainty. God knows what else we'll find out," Mulder reasserts. "We're working on it as fast as we can," Byers reaffirms. "Tell me about the data comparison so far," Mulder prompts and the guys start thumbing through papers and computer printouts.
Pancake Palace Across the street from the Pig-in-a-Poke Motel Scully and Mulder are sitting at a booth in this glorified coffee shop. On the table sits two cups of coffee. "Hey, Scully, we meet back here for dinner?" Mulder quips, noting Scully running her finger down the edge of the table, disturbing years of grease buildup. Scully holds up her grease-covered finger and gives Mulder a disgusted look. "But, you have to admit the place has got atmosphere," Mulder parries as another cloud of smoke billows over from the next booth and the waitresses yell at each other behind the counter. Then, they are quiet for several minutes. Mulder's cell phone rings and he answers it. "Mulder... Yeah... Mmmm hmmm," Mulder mumbles into the phone, very much aware of Scully sitting opposite him. "Can I call you back?... Okay." Mulder grins flatly at Scully as he hits the button to end the phone call. But, his hand is slippery from the greasy table and the phone slips out of his hand onto the floor. Mulder fumbles for it as a burly man passes by their table. The man's right foot misses the phone, but his left foot makes full contact with a loud "Crack!" Scully's jaw drops slightly and Mulder winces. The man stops when he realizes what's happened. He reaches down and picks up the mangled phone. He sets the phone on the table. "Sorry," is all he says before walking on. Mulder picks up his phone, which is now in two pieces attached by a thin wire. He eyes it in disbelief. Scully starts to say something to lighten the mood, but then thinks better. Silence returns to the table as Mulder gingerly puts the broken phone in his jacket pocket. After a couple minutes of silence, Scully asks Mulder, "Who was that last call you got?" "What?" Mulder asks quickly. "Who just called you before your phone was trampled?" Mulder looks down at the table. Finally, he says, "You think they've got a reputable cell phone place in this town?" "Mulder, who was on the phone?" He looks up and exhales. "Okay, you got me. It was my bookie." Scully leans back in the booth and stares out the window. Mulder considers his options now, knowing he's just put a dent in their trust. He considers telling her part of it or all of it. He wonders if she's been worried about the same things that he has. Surely she has to suspect, he thinks to himself. Mulder is still considering his options when Scully brings him back to reality. "Mulder, what are you doing?" He looks at her confused. "What are you doing?" she asks again, motioning towards his hands. He looks down and realizes he's wound his napkin through the tines of his fork, and the napkin is shredding. He quickly removes the napkin from the fork. While he is removing the napkin, Scully inhales slowly. "I want to know what's going on," she says in a low voice. Mulder looks up. "All those meetings with the Gunmen, the phone calls the last two weeks... Frohike calls and you're out the door like a shot..." "Like a shot..." Mulder repeats, obviously caught off-guard by this. "Yesterday, you couldn't leave me at the coroner's fast enough. Then, last night, you practically shoved me out the door." "Shoved you out the door?" Mulder repeats, again. Finally regaining some composure, he counters, "Scully, you were exhausted. You were yawning, remember?" Scully cuts to the chase. "What are you working on with the Gunmen?" Cornered. He looks at Scully. She is quite upset, her brow is slightly furrowed and her mouth is tight. She just wants to know what is going on. He'd left her out-of-the-loop, again, and this time she was rebelling. He wanted to tell her from the beginning. He hated keeping secrets from her. It had gotten so much harder lately, they were both so closely invested in finding the ever-elusive truth. He was trying to protect her, but more often than not, she ended up protecting him. He opens his mouth to tell her, when the waitress arrives with their food. "Okay," she says loudly, "You got the grapefruit an' the bagel." She sets the food in front of Scully. "And you," she says to Mulder, "get the heart attack special. Two eggs scrambled, bacon, sausage, pancake short stack an' fried apples." She sets several plates and bowls of food in front of Mulder, filling up the table. "I'll be right back with some more coffee," the waitress assures after noticing their cups are half empty. Mulder looks up from his food, and begins again. "Scully, I don't want you to think that I..." The waitress who has returned with the coffee cuts him off, again. "So, we been trying to figure you two out. Babbi is convinced you're drug runners. Sara says you had car trouble and got stuck out here instead of at the Radisson by the highway." Scully looks at the woman, aghast. Mulder, obviously amused, asks, "And what do you think?" "Me? Oh, I've got it! You two are havin' an affair. You have to go to outta the way places so you won't get caught. See, you work for her father. If ya got caught, you'd lose your job an' she'd lose her family's fortune." Mulder does well to restrain his laughter, but his eyes betray him. The waitress doesn't seem to notice, but Scully does. She looks up at the woman in horror. Finally, Mulder is able to say to her, "Aren't you the smart one. You found us out!" Scully glares at Mulder. The waitress smiles widely, not realizing she's being played. "Don't worry," she reassures, patting Scully on the arm. "Secret's safe with me. Everyone's entitled to a secret or two." She punctuates this with a wink that makes Scully's stomach sink, before walking away. "Drug runner or mistress? What'll it be, Scully?" Mulder asks, clearly enjoying the moment. "Let's just eat and get out of here, Mulder." The waitresses behind the counter giggle loudly again.
11:23 am Mulder is just leaving Lin Crenshaw's house. She's the third MUFON member he's talked with in as many hours. He's discovered they all shared a hair salon and most of them saw the same OB/Gyn. He decides to head over to the hair salon first. He grabs the file folder from the passenger seat to put the MUFON list and his notes back in. He stops short when he sees the manila envelope sitting on the seat under the folder. He stares at the folder. Then, he leans his head back against the headrest and closes his eyes. He exhales, remembering all the manila envelopes full of information he really didn't want but had received anyway. He snaps to attention and grabs the envelope from the car seat. Dutifully, he opens the envelope.
7:15 pm It's dark as Scully pulls into the parking place in front of her motel room. She stretches as she exits the car, noting Mulder's darkened window. "Great," she mumbles to herself. 'No Mulder and no food,' she thinks. She grabs the file folder from the seat, shuts the car door, and heads to her room. She starts to prepare for her shower, pulling out some sweats. She never makes the shower. Her instinct kicks in telling her something is not right in the state of Mulder. She goes over and knocks on his door. No answer. She wasn't expecting one. She heads on to the motel office. The desk clerk tells her Mulder left an envelope for her, as he hands her a legal-size envelope. She opens the envelope and reads it on her way back to her room: "Scully- I got this information today while I was checking out the MUFON members. I tried to call you, but I got the 'no service' message. I've headed to Nashville to check this out before they move on, again. I'll meet you in the lobby of the Opryland Hotel at noon tomorrow. Study this information. Hopefully, I'll have some good news. Sorry, Scully, I did try to get you. See you tomorrow." There was no signature, just the note. Scully slaps the envelope against her leg as she passes Mulder's room again. Her cheeks are flushed as she enters her room, muttering, "Damn!" to herself. She plops down into a chair. Then, she looks into the envelope to get the information Mulder had sent her. What had fired Mulder up so damn much? She inhales sharply when she pulls out the picture of a red-haired toddler riding in a toy car. She pries her eyes from that picture and looks over the other papers she's pulled from the envelope. She, again, studies the picture for several minutes. The last paper is a handwritten note that says, "Opryland Hotel 6:15 am tommorrow." After reading that, she shoves the picture and the sheets of paper back into the envelope. She packs her suitcase quickly, and heads out to her car.
Nashville, Tennessee 6:13 am Mulder enters the lobby of the Opryland Hotel. He immediately begins scanning the crowd for his contact. He had no idea who he was looking for, but he'd know him when he saw him. Either that or the contact would find him. There are only a few people in the lobby at this hour, but one man notes Mulder's arrival from behind a newspaper. He sees Mulder move around the lobby scanning. After several minutes of circling the lobby, Mulder walks out into the atrium. He follows the indoor river, passing a few hotel guests heading to breakfast. The man, who now carries the newspaper under his arm, follows Mulder.
"Agent Mulder." The voice is low and behind him. He spins around and finds himself facing a tall man in his twenties. "This way," the man instructs. Mulder follows him into a doorway near the laundry room. "Where's your partner?" "She's not here. Where is HE?" "Where is she?" "I told you, not here. I'm here. Tell me where the boy in the picture is." "He's safe. He is in very capable hands. He's a happy, healthy two-year old.... for now." "Who has him? The ones who took him before? Is he in danger? Where is he?" "Whoa! Slow it down, Mulder. There's plenty of time for that. So, you left your partner back in Ohio?" "What the hell is this? My partner is not part of this, okay? You contacted ME. You set up this meeting because you said you had information for me about the boy," Mulder fires back, clearly getting irritated. "Now what do you have for me?" "In due time, Agent Mulder. I would think that you would've learned patience after all these years." Mulder gives him a cold stare.
The man with the newspaper sees Mulder and his contact from a short distance away. The man is partially hidden by a large plant, but it is discernable that he's wearing a baseball cap and thick-rimmed sunglasses. He notes Mulder and his contact arguing. Then, a man running past him snatches his attention and he ducks back further behind the plant.
"Agent Mulder!" Mulder and the contact turn quickly too see the man racing towards them, yelling. "Get out of here! It's a trap! They've set you up, Mulder! Get the hell out of here!" the man yells, still racing towards them. Mulder looks back at his contact. The yelling man leaps for the contact and tackles him. Mulder realizes the yelling man is brandishing a stiletto device. He makes a move to stab the contact's neck, but the contact deflects him. "Get out of here!" the man yells again, just before the contact punches him in the chest. The yelling man hits the ground and the contact kicks him, knocking the stiletto out of his hand. It lands a couple of feet away from him. Mulder takes the opportunity to make his escape, but he only makes it a few steps. "What's your hurry?" the Alien Bounty Hunter asks as he steps into Mulder's path. Mulder hastily considers his options. He moves to retrieve the own alien stiletto that he carries in his suit pocket. However, the Bounty Hunter is faster. He shoves Mulder backwards. Mulder quickly gets to his feet and attempts to defend himself. Mulder connects several times with his jaw and abdomen, but it has no affect on him. The Bounty Hunter is faster and stronger. He makes short work of Mulder with two sharp blows to his abdomen and one to his head. Mulder lands hard on the floor next to the yelling man, who's been reduced to a green, fizzy mess. Mulder fights to remain conscious but quickly loses the battle. "I thought they were all gone," the contact says, concern in his voice. "Clean it up," the Bounty Hunter orders, tossing the contact several towels from a nearby laundry cart. "What if there are more like him?" The Bounty Hunter ignores the last question as he hoists Mulder's semi-conscious form into the laundry cart and heads for the exit. The man with the newspaper briefly watches the contact start to remove the disintegrating body. He pulls his baseball cap down lower and moves towards a nearby exit, tossing the newspaper in a garbage can before going outside.
6:30 am "Hey, Scully," Frohike answers the phone. In her car, Scully purses her lips before speaking. "Anything?" "Nada," Frohike answers. "But, you said his cell phone's broken." "He's gotta be in the DT's by now," Langly remarks in the background. "Well," Scully replies as she turns the car into the parking lot. "I was hoping he might call you guys since you have been working so closely lately." Frohike has no reply to that. Instead, he throws a worried glance over at Byers and Langly. "Look, if you hear from him..." Scully stops short when she sees a white van drive past her. She recognizes the Alien Bounty Hunter driving it. "I know: CALL YOU. Got it!" Frohike hangs up the phone. Scully slows down and glances in the rearview mirror to get a better look at the van. She's considering what to do, when the car behind her honks. She realizes she's practically stopped in the middle of the road. She pulls to the side and the cars pass. The angry driver throws a nasty gesture at her, but Scully isn't paying any attention. She's watching the van take a right onto the highway and disappear from her view. She remembers the phone in her hand and presses the End button. Movement to her left startles her as the passenger door opens and an older man enters the car. "Follow them," he firmly instructs her. Scully has her gun out and aimed at the man. He doesn't move. "Who the hell are you?" she asks stridently. "Agent Scully, Agent Mulder is in that van. Unless you follow it now, you'll probably never see him again. And we'll all be lost." Scully considers this for a couple seconds before making a U-turn, cutting off two cars, and accelerating onto the highway. Scully spots the van quickly and takes up a safe position to follow it. "Who are you?" she asks again. "My name is Dr. Alvin Kurtzweil. I worked with Mulder's father at the State Department some years ago, until I figured it out." "Figured what out?" "What they were doing. What they are STILL doing." "Which is?" "I think you already know, Agent Scully. Your partner certainly does." Scully exhales sharply. She continues to cautiously follow the white van. They're still in pretty heavy traffic. "Where are they taking him? And why?" "They took him because of what he knows." "Why now? All these years, they've had opportunities, but they always let him go. Why now? What's happening?" "Chaos." Scully throws a surprised look at him. "They have no real leaders anymore. It's all gone to hell. Everyone's acting on their own, in some way. But, most of all, they want to stop it. So, they're trying to erase all they've done. They figure that will stop it." "Stop what? Colonization?" Kurtzweil glances at her piercingly. "The aliens are coming? Is that what you're telling me? That's what they want to stop? That's why they're taking Mulder? He knows too much about the colonization? About their plans? About the abductions?" Kurtzweil is silent. Scully shifts her gaze from Kurtzweil to the road and back several times. "You don't really know what their plans are, do you? You're just guessing!" Scully slams her hand against the wheel in anger. "I know they're going to kill Agent Mulder ...that they're destroying all their work... that the others are cleaning up the messes... that they'll stop at nothing now," Kurtzweil replies, equally angry. "Then where are they taking him? And who are THEY? THEM? Or the others?" Kurzweil is silent. Scully shakes her and mumbles, "Dammit," under her breath. "It'll be near a hot spot of activity. Someplace where they are growing corn crops just like the ones you saw in the desert. My guess is a military base." "Your guess?!" Scully asks exasperated. They've stopped at a traffic light and are about five cars back from the van. Suddenly it dawns on Scully what Kurtzweil just said. "How do you know about the..." Kurtzweil cuts her off. "Find him. It's the only way to stop them." Kurtzweil exits the car just as the traffic begins to move again. Scully watches as he disappears around the corner. About five minutes later, the van heads up the on ramp onto I-65 heading south. Scully continues her pursuit and dials her cell phone. "Can't stay away, huh?" Langly answers. "I'm following a van heading south on I-65 from Nashville. What are some military bases in that direction?"
Crystal City, VA Walter Skinner is heading into the office for another day with his nose to the grindstone. He walks towards the Metro station. It would probably be another long, uneventful day filled with tedious meetings and monotonous reports: his most colorful agents were in the field, after all. Two blocks from the station, a familiar face accosts him. "Where are they?" the Smoking Man asks. "Who?" "Mulder and Scully. Where are they?" He takes a puff on the cigarette in his hand. Skinner stares him squarely in the eye. "I'm not sure. They're in the field. Why do you want to know?" He knew if Smoking Man wanted to find them, something was going down. "You signed the 302. You know where they were going. Tell me." "That's official FBI business. I'm sorry, but last I checked you weren't FBI." "Don't play games with me Skinner. Tell me where they are!" His voice grows shriller as he tries to maintain control. "Why do you want to know? And, I'm surprised you don't know already. Or were all of your contacts roasted?" Smoking Man tosses the cigarette to the ground. As he grinds it out, he says in a low voice, "I can make your life miserable. I have before. Now, tell me where they are. Did they leave Ohio?" Skinner sets his jaw. "Go to hell," he tells him through clenched teeth as he pushes past towards the Metro station. Smoking Man glares at the back of Skinner's head and takes a long drag. He pulls out his cell phone, starts to dial a number, and then stops. He shoves the phone back into his jacket pocket and walks quickly towards his car.
I-65 near Athens, AL 8:47 am Scully glances at the list on the seat next to her. There are five places listed: Redstone Arsenal, Huntsville Fort McClellan, Anniston Maxwell AFB, Montgomery Eglin AFB, Fort Walton Fort Rucker, Dothan Scully had scribbled them down quickly while driving as the Gunmen ticked off possible destinations for the van she'd been following for the last 90 miles. She continues to follow the van as it makes a turn from Highway 72 onto Rideout Rd. Scully spots a security gate ahead and she slows down. The sign on the gate reads "Redstone Arsenal West gate." She can't pull over since she's in heavy traffic. The van goes through the gate unobstructed. She moves forward as the guard waves the cars in front of her through the gate. However, he stops Scully and she pushes the button to roll down the window. "What's your business here, ma'am?" he asks. Scully checks out his badge and sidearm. "I... I seem to be lost. Where am I?" She looks ahead and sees the van take a left turn and pass from her view. "Redstone Arsenal. Are you trying to find the Space and Rocket Center?" She returns her attention to the guard. "Yes. Where is that?" "Make a U-turn here just past the gate. At the light, turn right. It'll be just ahead. Have a good day, ma'am." He waves her past, watching as she makes the U- turn. Scully follows his directions to the Space and Rocket Center, unsure of how she was going to gain access to the base to find the van and Mulder. She pulls out her phone and dials. "Hello?" "Byers. I need you guys to get me access to a base. Redstone Arsenal. And I need it NOW."
Mulder awakens on the floor. A dark-haired man with a mustache is binding his ankles. His wrists have already been bound together. The dark-haired man doesn't realize his captive is awake. Mulder kicks the man in the chest several times and climbs to his feet. His head is killing him and he feels nauseous. He stumbles through the door and down the hallway. He's glancing about wildly the entire time, fearful of discovery. At the end of the hall is a stairway. He enters and starts to ascend the stairs, but hears voices up there and heads downstairs, instead. At the bottom of the stairs are double swinging doors. He looks cautiously through the small glass pane in one of the doors. Then, he enters quietly. The room is empty except for three large stainless steel vats in the center. He advances towards them, still vigilant. There are some plastic containers on the floor below a valve on one of the vats. Mulder opens one and sees the contents: a viscous, gold liquid. Mulder dips two of his fingers in and smells the liquid. He, then, looks across the room to a sign leaning against the wall: "Nature's Best Corn Oil." He wrinkles his nose and starts to replace the cover when he receives a crushing blow to his back. He spins to the ground and looks up to see the Bounty Hunter coming at him. The last thing he sees is the Bounty Hunter's fist coming at his head.
U. S. Space and Rocket Center parking lot A family walks through the lot on their way to the center. The kids are talking loudly as the parents try to calm them down. They pass a car and one of the kids calls out, "Hey, Mom. Everybody has to go in, right? It's too hot to stay in the car you said. That lady's staying in the car." "She gonna die, Daddy?" the other child asks. The parents glance at the red-head visible through the side window. "Daddy, you said nobody can stay in the car cuz we'd die cuz it's too hot..." the child protests, as the parents guickly shuffle the kids towards the entrance. Scully glances at their backs from inside the car. She has the windows down, but it is still oppressively hot. She is studying the papers Mulder left her last night. It's the same info they'd seen in Lousiana almost a year ago.She sighs after glancing at her watch again; she was losing precious time... time she could not spare trying to find Mulder. Kurtzweil said they were going to kill him this time. She flips through the papers until she finds the photo. A happy, red-haired toddler smiled at her from the photo. He's sitting in a toy car and appears very healthy. It was no wonder Mulder went marching headlong into danger. She's slightly startled when her cell phone rings. "Scully." She answers as another family passes her car, staring intently at her. She scrunches down a bit in the seat. "Scully," Byers responds, "we thought we should check in with you." "It's been two hours. What's the problem?" Byers clears his throat before answering. "I'm not sure... um... well... I don't think we're going to be able to crack this one. They, um... They seem too have thrown up more firewalls since we last visited their system." "They've added some serious new security lately. Beefed up the password encryption system. This is one bad ass system. Even more powerhouse than DOD or CIA or Dreamland," Frohike explains. "Must be something new they've developed since all that crap at Los Alamos," Langly adds. "However," Byers jumps in, "we are continuing to try to get you clearance. But, in the meantime, um... Frohike has an idea. You might want to try this, but, then again, you may um... think it's too..." "What is it, Frohike?" Scully interjects. Frohike smiles widely at his colleagues before beginning. "You could take the bus tour from the Space and Rocket Center there. They take groups over to the base to see where they're building the space station and all those historic sites where Von Braun walked... hallowed ground, ya know... Anyway, then you could make a break from the group and go exploring." Scully considers this before responding. "Just slip away and no one would notice? Wouldn't they know I left the tour? And, then, how do I find Mulder? I was counting on you guys to locate some suspicious areas on base. Now..." The disbelief is rising in Scully's voice. "I wouldn't have any clearance if I was caught." "He didn't say it was perfect," Langly says as Frohike sits down at the worktable with his head down. Another family passes by, staring once again at Scully. "Guys," she says, trying to ignore the stares, "keep trying and call me if you have more. GET ME IN THERE." She hangs up and returns the printouts and photo to the folder before placing it under the seat. After rolling up the windows, she exits the car and heads for the entrance. Once inside, she passes by the ticket booths. She looks at the prices, considering Frohike's idea. "Ma'am," the man behind the counter asks in a warm Southern drawl. "One, please," she requests as she walks up to the counter. "Rocket Center and the bus tour?" "Can I just get the tour?" "No, ma'am. The center admission is required." "Both, then, please." She's not smiling, peeved at having to pay attention to Frohike's way-out suggestion. "Okay, that'll be thirty-one seventy-six." Scully hands him the cash. "Here's your admission to the center. And here," he informs her as he hands her a receipt, "is your tour ticket. Present it to the driver at 3:50 for the 4:00 tour." "4:00? There's nothing earlier." "I'm afraid not, ma'am. You can enjoy the Space Center rides and attractions while you wait. And our food court is open. You're lucky. That's our last bus tour." Scully looks at her watch. It's almost noon.
A car pulls up to the loading dock of a warehouse and parks just as the Bounty Hunter steps out onto the dock. The contact Mulder had met earlier at the hotel steps from the car. The Bounty Hunter takes no notice of the man's presence as he checks some gauges on a control panel. "Is he here yet?" the contact asks, stepping up onto the dock. "No," the Bounty Hunter replies, continuing to check the panel. "Well, when is he coming? Shouldn't he have been here by now? We need to keep things rolling." The Bounty Hunter turns away from the panel and heads back inside, still ignoring the contact. The contact follows. "So, when exactly is he supposed to get here?" His question is met with silence from the Bounty Hunter, who walks to one of the large vats. "And where's Mulder?" The contact asks, following him. "Have you already taken care of him?" The Bounty Hunter again doesn't answer. He steps behind the vat. The contact begins looking around the large room. When he turns back, the Bounty Hunter is lunging towards him with an alien stiletto in his large grip. The contact moves to escape, but falls as the stiletto penetrates his neck.
Scully glances at her watch. It's 3:59. She's sitting on a NASA tour bus that is full of people. She sighs heavily and looks up as the driver enters the bus. She pulls her cell phone from her jacket pocket and presses the power button, turning it off. Then, she cautiously feels for her gun. The bus begins to move as the driver begins his tour speech. "Welcome to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center..." Lone Gunmen's office 4:00 "Got it!" Langly yells. "You're in?" Frohike and Byers ask in unison. "In and getting her clearance... now!" Langly declares as his fingers fly over the keyboard. Frohike and Byers watch him intently. "Done!" he announces, louder. Frohike and Byers turn towards each other. "Call her!" Langly yells. Both Frohike and Byers reach for the phone and briefly fight over the receiver. Finally, Byers concedes and Frohike dials the number. Byers crosses over to Langly's monitor and looks over his shoulder. "Damn!" Frohike groans loudly, slamming the phone down. "What?" Byers asks. "No service at this time. Damn cellular service!" Frohike grunts.
International Space Station Laboratory Building Marshall Space Flight Center 4:17 pm The tourists exit the bus and head into the lab building, following the bus driver. Scully hangs back, fretting with a disposable camera she bought back at the gift shop. She exits the bus last and walks slowly, distancing herself from the others. She looks around. They are the only ones there and no security cameras are visible. As the group ascends some stairs, Scully leaves the tour, ducking into a dining room to the right. She heads towards the hallway on the opposite side of the dining room, but freezes when she hears voices approaching. She steps over to the coffee maker, her back to the room. The voices grow louder and two workers in long lab coats enter the room. They head to the soda machine on the wall opposite where Scully is standing. "Geez! Do you believe that deadline?" one grouses. "Ain't no way! That's it! It cannot be done!" the other replies. They continue complaining as Scully fusses with preparing her coffee. After getting their drinks, the workers turn to leave, giving Scully only a minor glance. She quickly tosses the coffee in the trash and follows the workers into the hallway. They've disappeared around a corner. No other workers are around. She begins testing doors, listening for sounds of people behind the closed doors. She decides against the first door, but opens the second. She appraises the room, then closes the door and heads to the next. That door is locked, so she moves on to the fourth. She spots what she's been looking for and slips inside, shutting and locking the door behind her. She grabs the lab coat from the back of the desk chair and puts it on. It's a little long, but it'll have to do. She rolls up the sleeves and feels inside the pockets. Pens, papers, gum wrappers, a breath mint, and a set of keys are in there. She checks the id clipped to the coat lapel and quickly realizes no one would mistake her for the dark-haired and olive skin woman in the picture. So, she unclips it and turns it backwards. She checks the coat and the keys in her hand and heads outside. Once outside the building, she slips past the bus. She looks at the keys in her hand, hoping to find some clue as to which car they might fit. It was her lucky day! The key tag read: NASA motor pool car #6881. She grips the keys and heads in search of the official car. Behind her, she hears the tour group exiting the building and heading for the bus. She looks for some cover and spots some bushes. She walks quickly up some stairs to the second level lot and ducks behind those bushes. After the bus leaves, she turns around and finds that she's facing a row of white, mid-size, American made cars. Government cars, she thinks. She begins searching for the correct id number. She locates it and the keys fit. She's quickly on her way to find Mulder.
5:45 pm The sun is getting low in the western sky as Scully turns onto another road with more nondescript, four-story buildings lining it. Searching the arsenal property for Mulder, she was looking for signs of that van or the Bounty Hunter. She takes out her cell phone and dials a number. "Scully!" Frohike just about yells into the phone as soon as he answers. "Where are you? Did you get in? Did you find him?" "Yes and no. I've been searching for him for the last two hours. Did you guys ever get into their computer system?" "Yes! Langly cracked it. We tried to call you, but..." "Great! Then, check to see if there's anything on Mulder or where they might take him. It's gonna be dark here in a little while, guys." "We've been checking. The only thing we found was an area in the Southeast corner of the property. We can't find out anything about it. It's like some black hole out there. It doesn't exist, but it does. And there's a second network buried deep in Arsenal system that we can't get into." "Southeast corner?" Scully checks before heading the car away from the sun.
Half an hour later, Scully is driving down yet another paved road surrounded by pine trees. Suddenly the trees open up and reveal a huge cornfield. Scully slows down, half expecting to see more of those domes, "giant jiffy pop poppers." Scully slams on brakes as a warehouse appears on the other side of the cornfield. She throws the car into reverse and parks the car next to some pine trees.
Smoking Man walks down a hallway and stops at a door. He looks through the glass panel and takes a long drag on his cigarette. In the room, Mulder is sprawled on the floor, wrists and ankles bound. A thin stream of blood trickles from his nose, down his cheek, and onto the floor. Smoking Man exhales quickly, blowing smoke against the glass. A large hand unexpectedly yanks him by his shoulder. He swivels around and is facing the Bounty Hunter. "You have no business here. Leave," the Bounty Hunter commands forcefully. "We have things to discuss first. Like why is Mulder here? Why, for that matter, are you here? What is your assignment? And why weren't we informed?" "Leave. You have NO business here." "What is your business here? Why weren't we informed that Mulder was to be taken? That you were here? Dammit, I want answers?" "You need no answers. I have my instructions and they do not involve you or your PEOPLE," the Bounty Hunter replies curtly, turning to walk away. Smoking Man scrambles around the Bounty Hunter, blocking his path. "You NEED me and my people. You need what we have... what we know. Now, why did you take Mulder?" "He is a problem to be eliminated before the plan can proceed." He steps around the Smoking Man and starts to continue his earlier path down the hallway. "Eliminated?" Smoking Man asks, incredulous. "Eliminate Mulder and we'll have a far worse problem. His cause will become a crusade. He'll be a martyr." Smoking Man glances back towards Mulder's door. He does a double take, thinking he saw something. But, he sees nothing and returns his attention to the Bounty Hunter. "He'll be dead and a problem for us no longer," he replies matter-of-factly and resumes his walk. Smoking Man turns around again, this time to stamp out his cigarette in an ashtray. He glances back again, and something catches his eye. He looks closer. A reflection on one of the glass doors is what caught his attention. He looks down briefly before looking at the reflection again. He draws his lips together into a thin line before turning to follow the Bounty Hunter.
Scully waits, pressed against the wall, until the Smoking Man and Bounty Hunter are gone before continuing to check doors. After nearly walking up on them, she ducked behind the corner just in time. She crosses the hall, looking through the door windows. She spots Mulder on the floor through one, and tries the door knob. It's locked. She pulls her pocketknife from her pocket and has the door open in thirty seconds. Checking Mulder's vital signs, she determines his pulse is strong and his breathing appears normal. However, the pool of blood on the floor concerns her. His skin is pale and clammy. She checks his face, ears, and arms, before moving to his abdomen. Lifting his shirt, she notes the redness around his ribs and down lower, near his kidneys. She winces as she realizes he'd received a horrible beating. Her biggest concern is that she can't rouse him and his pupils are dilated. She presumes he has a concussion and could have internal bleeding. "Hold on, Mulder," she whispers to him. "Gonna get you to a hospital. Just hold on." She checks around the room and out in the hallway for some means of transporting him. Finding nothing, she looks down at him and considers her few options.
White tanker trucks are parked near the loading dock of the warehouse. Scully counts five of them and searches for any sign of people outside from a doorway about 100 yards from the dock. She glances back at Mulder, who's slumped against the wall, still unconscious. She frowns slightly, knowing just how little time she has to get him proper medical attention. After rechecking the loading dock area, she steps back and begins the complicated process of hoisting Mulder across her back. First, she manages to lift him up against the wall. Then, she has to hold him there while she turns around. Finally, she pulls his arms over her shoulders, so he practically drapes over her petite form. When she finishes and Mulder is somewhat securely positioned, a good bit of her hair has fallen onto her face and her suit jacket is hitched up on the side. She pushes her hair back and tries to straighten her jacket, but quickly gives up. She lumbers through the door and towards her car, struggling with Mulder's much taller and immobile figure. She stops short after taking just a couple steps: the Bounty Hunter has come out onto the loading dock and is checking a control panel. She ducks back inside and nearly falls down in the process. She leans against the wall, Mulder's body still on her back, waiting for the dock to clear. She hadn't been able to locate any other way out of there. After saying a silent prayer both for the Bounty Hunter to leave and for strength, she leans out the door again The Bounty Hunter is just going back inside the warehouse. She seizes the opportunity, taking off as fast as she can, carrying Mulder across the lot towards the cornfield and, beyond that, her car. She's halfway across when she hears voices. Turning to the loading dock, she spots the Bounty Hunter talking to two men. She dashes behind the nearest truck. She listens as she leans against one of the tires, hoping they hadn't been spotted. She can hear three muffled voices. There is mention of a pipe and "the stuff." She can't make out any more. Mulder's arms dangle in front of her and his head has fallen against her right shoulder. She listens closely to make sure his breathing is still normal. Reassured he's stable, she returns her attention to listening to the Bounty Hunter. She hears nothing: no voices, no movement. She leans out to look at the loading dock again. Nobody's on the dock or anywhere in sight. She resumes their escape to the cornfield again. She gets about six steps before the Bounty Hunter steps from behind a truck into her path. "Put him down and step away," he commands. Scully looks at the cornfield, just 25 feet away now and feels Mulder's breath against her ear. "Put him down now." He moves a couple steps closer. After some more hesitation, Scully clumsily lowers Mulder to the ground. She manages to cradle his head and lower it to the pavement. "Move away from him." She takes two steps to the side, her eyes never leaving Mulder. The Bounty Hunter moves to Mulder. He quickly picks him up and turns to Scully. "Follow me." Scully hesitates once again. "Follow me or he dies now." She follows. They walk onto the loading dock. Scully looks around, trying to find any means of escape. She eyes a large silver pipe attached to the building. It looked like the steam pipes in old apartment buildings. She looks back at the Bounty Hunter. "Wait here." He sets Mulder down on the loading dock and walks towards the control panel. He keeps a watchful eye on Mulder and Scully while he pushes buttons and checks gauges. Scully notes that the control panel is for a pipe that is attached to the tank of a truck parked next to the dock. He returns and leans down to pick up Mulder again. Scully grabs the pipe and manages to tear it from the wall. She directs the steam spray at the Bounty Hunter. The force pushes him back against the control panel. Dropping the pipe, Scully picks up Mulder, much quicker than before, and heads off the dock and towards the cornfield. On the dock behind her, all hell is breaking loose. When he fell against the control panel, the Bounty Hunter managed to hit several buttons and flip many switches. One of those switches released the pipe from the tanker truck. Black liquid begins spewing from the pipe as it disconnects from the tank. The truck drivers run out the door onto the dock. Realizing what is happening, they scramble to their trucks. The Bounty Hunter presses buttons and flips switches on the control panel, valiantly trying to stop the impending disaster. He turns around as he hears the truck engines come to life and watches all of them, except the one with the partially filled tank, leave. He turns back to fight with the control panel again. Suddenly, he jerks away, realizing some of the black liquid has fallen on him. He screams and runs back inside the building, trying to scrape the offending solution off.
The Smoking Man takes a short puff on his cigarette. He's been observing the entire loading dock scene from his car, parked a short distance from the warehouse exit. As the last tanker truck passes, he exhales and a smoke screen briefly obstructs his view. When it clears, he glances into the rearview mirror and sees a misshapen figure emerge from the cornfield about a quarter mile away. The figure separates into two figures as one is loaded into the backseat of the car. The smaller figure gets into the front seat and the car makes a hasty U-turn, following the same course the tanker trucks took. The Smoking Man takes one last drag, then tosses the cigarette out the window. He turns the ignition and departs.
Huntsville Medical Center Three days later Mulder sits on the edge of the hospital bed in jeans and a T-shirt. He's trying to tie the laces on his running shoes, but his broken ribs are making it extremely difficult. Scully steps into the room and, noting his trouble, moves to his bedside. She kneels and takes over tying the shoelaces. "I knew there was a reason I kept you around," he quips. The bruises on his face and head are clearly evident now and both of his eyes have black shadows around them. Scully gives him a thin smile as she rises. "I'm ready to get out of this joint," Mulder states and starts to stand. Scully puts a hand on his shoulder, stopping him. Mulder stares at the arm holding him down, before looking quizzically at Scully. "You have to wait for patient transport," she explains. "What?" he asks, his brow furrowed. "I have to go out in a wheelchair? No!" "Mulder, by now, you should..." She doesn't finish. Instead, she walks to the door and looks for the employee with the wheelchair. Mulder watches, his brow still furrowed and his eyes narrowed. Something was bothering her. She had been extremely reticent and distant ever since he'd awakened in the hospital two days ago. "Here he comes," she calls, stepping back into the room to let the man with the wheelchair pass. "Mr. Mulder?" the man asks as he enters the room. "Is that my only way out of here?" Mulder asks, nodding towards the wheelchair. "Yes, sir." Mulder sighs and transfers into the chair. He reaches for his bag on the table just as Scully does, too. Both have their hands wrapped around the handle, Mulder's hand overlapping Scully's. They look at each other for a couple seconds. "Let it go," she says in a low, firm voice. Mulder lets go. Scully heads out the door carrying the bag. "Pretty wife... strong, too," the man observes. Mulder doesn't even note the man's remark. He watches her, concern in his eyes. The man shrugs and heads the wheelchair after Scully.
Von Braun Villa Huntsville Next morning "We need to go back to Ohio as soon as possible to check out the OB/Gyn and the hair dresser," Mulder asserts. "And," he adds, lowering his voice, "we need to check out where that photo came from." Scully nods, concentrating on her bagel with cream cheese. They're sitting at the small table in Mulder's room. Both are eating bagels and drinking coffee. "We have to find out what happened to those women. I know it's connected somehow to the photo and what happened here. They went to great lengths to distract us." Scully doesn't even nod this time. She sets down her bagel and takes a sip of coffee. She looks out the room window, spotting a family loading luggage in the trunk of their car. Her eyes follow a small, blond girl as she climbs into the back seat of the car. "...going on with you?" Scully realizes Mulder's just asked her a question. Looking at him, she knows he expects an answer. "What?" she asks. "You need a multimedia laser show? What is bothering you so much that you can't pay attention to a word I say? What is going on?" "What?" she repeats, returning her attention to the family outside. Mulder grabs her arm, quickly getting her attention and an angry glare. "What is wrong?" he asks emphatically. "We have to get back on this case and all you're doing is staring out the window." Scully continues her angry stare, then looks down at her coffee. "You've been like this since I woke up in he hospital. You haven't spoken three words in a row to me. What the hell is going on? Are you mad at me? Mad at me for getting beat up?" Scully slams her hands against the table and pushes herself to a standing position. Mulder leans back in his chair. "Am I mad? Yeah, you bet I am! Mulder, you ditched me, AGAIN! You ran headlong into danger, as usual. And why? The truth? To find your damn, holy truth?! Do you know how many times you've ditched me? How much I hate that?" Mulder opens his mouth to say something, but nothing comes out. "All your secrets are going to get you killed. Do you know how many times I've seen you almost die?" Tears welling up in her eyes threaten to spill out. She hated crying when she got angry. So she yelled louder. "I want to know what's going on? Why are you so hellbent on searching for...the boy no matter what the danger? And what are you doing with the Gunmen?" She stops and looks down at him, expectantly. Mulder sits stunned. He tries to think of a defense. Scully misreads his confusion as a refusal. She makes a noise of disgust and turns sharply, heading for the door. Mulder quickly stands and grabs her wrist. "Wait," is all he gets out. "Wait? Wait?! For what?! You said I made you a whole person. How do I do that when you keep things from me? When you leave me behind?!" she yells and punctuates it by shoving him away. She again turns to the door, but stops when he says, in a low voice, "It's all for you." She shakes her head and turns around. "For me? How is it for me, Mulder?" "Scully," he starts, trying to keep his voice even, "you should know why I have to find Eric. Those records in Louisiana showed that he is yours... and mine. Somehow, he is our child. We lost Emily. They took away your chance to have kids." He stops for a moment. "He's out there and healthy, it appears. I want him with us. He's ours. He may be our only chance..." Scully's expression softens a bit. Mulder takes a deep breath and closes his eyes, summoning strength. "What about the Gunmen?" she asks, strain creeping into her voice. "What are you doing with them that you aren't telling me? Is it about Eric, too?" Mulder exhales and studies her face. He takes a step towards her as he speaks. "You still have that chip in your neck. It called you to that bridge in Pennsylvania last year, almost getting you burned alive. If we take it out the cancer could come back." Scully is looking up at him, a pained expression on her face. "I gave the guys data that Agent Pendrell had gathered on the original chip found in your neck after the abduction. They're comparing that to data they gathered from the chip in your neck now. We don't know if it was that chip that caused your recovery or the experimental treatment or your faith. But it's still inside you. I need..." He stops and takes a breath. Scully studies his face. "I need to know what it does. If you don't need it to keep the cancer away, then I want it out of you. I don't want you called to some bridge or mountain or spaceship or wherever to be burned in some goddamned alien war!" He stands there still, exposed. Scully walks toward him, tears falling down her cheeks. She embraces him. Mulder returns the embrace, folding his arms around her shoulders and lowers his head to hers. "Mulder," she mumbles onto his shoulder. "I meant everything I said before," he whispers into her hair. Scully turns her head against his chest and holds him tighter. A couple minutes later, Mulder pushes her away slightly, still holding her shoulders. He looks down into her eyes and whispers, almost inaudible, "Please say something. You dismissed me before, when I said I love you, thinking I was delusional. Talk to me, Scully." She looks away, continuing to cry. His shoulders drop. "Maybe I am delusional," he mumbles as he releases her and turns to walk away. Scully looks up, shocked at the sudden loss, and grabs him by his shoulders. She looks him in the eye, trying to restart their nonverbal communication. Mulder looks down at her, confused. She blinks away more tears and moves her right hand to the back of his neck. Mulder realizes what she intends and moves to meet her halfway. This time there is no bee, no time warp. Their lips meet. They stay like that for a long time: lips together with no discernible movement. Finally, they separate. Their eyes open and they gaze at each other. "I was wrong. You don't have to say anything," Mulder concedes. He wipes tears from her cheeks with his thumbs, his hands gently holding her face. They smile as their lips meet again. Mulder's arms slide down to her shoulders and they embrace tightly as their lips dance together. After some minutes, their lips part. Mulder brushes Scully's hair off her face. They stand studying each other's face, still holding each other. When they do break their embrace, they move in silence. They throw away the breakfast remnants. He squeezes her shoulders as he steps around her to gather his things. They head out his room door. Scully unlocks her door and they step inside. Setting his bag down, Mulder gives her a short kiss. Scully looks up at him, a look of amusement on her face. She crosses to the sink, her back to Mulder. He watches her move at the sink. Finally, he asks, "Ready?" She answers, "Mmmm, hhmmm." He smiles at her slightly sing-song answer. "Our flight's at 10:15, right? It's..." he glances at his watch, "9:25 now." "Ready," she announces as she zips her cosmetic case closed. She turns around and takes in Mulder's face for a minute. He's completely relaxed, now. Yes, he's still banged and bruised. But, he is clearly happy, his face full of color that wasn't there just a few days ago. She smiles; a happy Mulder pleases her. "Come on, then," he pulls her back to the moment. Scully puts her cosmetic case in her bag. After closing the bag, she carries it towards the door. Mulder directs her by putting his hand on the small of her back. She responds by taking his hand into hers and leading him through the door.
The Pampered Lady Beauty Salon 9:30 am Phillip tosses brushes and combs and scissors in a bag. "Sure you can't stay? I mean, man, you did big business for us. The ladies love you," the salon owner practically whines. Phillip shakes his head as he crosses to the shampoo bowls. The owner follows. "Please stay. PLEASE!" He is whining now. Phillip tosses the unmarked bottles of scalp treatment into the bag and closes it. "Sorry. No way," he says as he heads for the back door. The salon owner just stands there, looking quite forlorn. Outside, in the alleyway, Phillip hurries toward his car, carefully glancing around him. He unlocks the door and climbs in, putting the bag on the passenger seat. He inserts the key and starts to turn it as he glances in the rearview mirror. In the mirror, he sees the Dark-Haired Man with a mustache. The man grabs for him and they struggle. The Dark-Haired Man holds a stiletto in his hand, attempting to get it close to Phillip's neck. Suddenly, the movement in the car stops. The Dark-Haired Man exits the car, lowering the stiletto back into its case as he walks away, Phillip's bag in his hand. Green goo drips from the driver's side door onto the alleyway pavement.
Vicki Lindstrom's house 10:30 am "Okay, next order of business. They're having a hobby fair out at Buckeye Community College. I thought it'd be nice if we had a booth out there," Vicki announces to the group assembled in her living room. "I'll make some peanut butter cookies," one of the women offers. "Thanks, Madeline," Vicki smiles. "I'll have a list after we finish the meeting so you can sign up for work times. Next, here are the newsletters from the MUFON home office. Interesting piece on transplantation of memories." She sets the pile of papers down on the coffee table in front of her. "And, finally," she continues," we've all been shaken and saddened by the recent deaths of some of our members. Helen... Sara... Allison... Bess... Lana. This has shown a clear need we have: a committee to handle such things as funerals, and weddings, and births and other family events. I think a sunshine committee would be a great thing for us. Any volunteers?" The women gathered begin to talk among themselves as Vicki waits for volunteers.
Down the block, Dr. Alvin Kurtzweil observes the Lindstrom home from behind a large tree. He appears very nervous, glancing around frequently and wringing his hands slightly. He starts to walk towards the Lindstrom house, but stops when he hears screams coming from the house. He studies the house, trying to find the source and the reason for the screams. Through the front window of the house, flames can be seen, licking at the window panes. Suddenly, the flames erupt through the roof. The home is quickly becoming engulfed in flames. Kurtzweil is paralyzed with shock for a moment. Then, he leaps back for the relative safety of the tree. He watches neighbors starting to react to the situation at the Lindstrom house. As the next door neighbor turns on a garden hose to try to fight the fire, he turns to head for his car parked on the next street. He stops when he spots the Dark-Haired Man emerge from a neighbor's yard. No one else on the street notices him as he walks down the street, gets into a car, and drives away. "You bastards," Kurtzweil snarls. He's startled when he hears sirens and quickly resumes his path to his car.
Skinner's office "That chemical remains unknown," Scully informs the assistant director. "We have nothing with which to compare it. However, we do believe it is what caused the women's deaths." "What about your leads in Ohio? The hairdresser and OB/Gyn?" Skinner asks, reading the report. "The hairdresser is missing," Mulder explains. "His car was found behind the salon in an alleyway. His bag, that he'd packed at the salon after he quit, is missing. There has been no sign of him. The OB/Gyn has checked out. He had prescribed some medication to some of the MUFON women, but none of the medicines contained the unidentified chemical. And, two of the women weren't on any medication at all." "The entire MUFON group is dead?" Skinner asks, slightly shocked, after reading more of the report. "A hot water heater exploded?" He looks up at the field agents. "Yes, sir," Scully answers, shifting in her chair. "Cleaning up their mess," Mulder grumbles. "How's that?" Skinner asks. Scully turns her head towards Mulder, a worried look on her face. "They're cleaning up their mess. My guess is that they're getting close to colonization." Scully sighs and looks down. "That's the only thing that makes sense. They want to destroy evidence. Destroy any hope of fighting it. Those women were like Cassandra Spender: they had been abducted numerous times. Maybe they were very close to being successful hybrids, like Cassandra. It would make sense for them to have others waiting just in case..." Mulder concludes, looking over at Scully. "What concerns me more," Skinner interjects, "is the operation you describe at Redstone Arsenal. Scully, you said there were tanker trucks and pipes filling those trucks. Also, a man who should be infected with a deadly virus. According to you Mulder, there were large vats of, possibly, virus-infected corn oil?" Mulder and Scully return their attention to Skinner. "Well, that warehouse is empty, abandoned. Records show it was used as a storage facility and extra office space during the heyday of the space program. However, it hasn't been used for years. As for the corn crops, the arsenal administration allows university agriculture students to farm some of the land. Auburn University students had planted that field and were using it to study alternative irrigation methods. The corn was plowed a couple days ago." "Where were the plowed plants taken? Can we get them to study them?" "I don't have that information," Skinner admits. "Never to be found." Skinner looks sharply at Mulder. But, Mulder's looking next to him with a startled expression on his face. "They have the means to cover their tracks and thwart us at every turn... sir," she says bitterly. They sit in silence for several uncomfortable minutes. "Thank you, agents," Skinner declares as he closes the report. Mulder and Scully take the cue, rise in unison, and head out the door.
In silence, they walk towards the elevator, Scully pushes the button, and they wait. Finally, the elevator arrives and they board it. Mulder pushes the button for the basement and the doors close. They're alone on the elevator. "Scully," Mulder gets her attention. She looks up slightly. "We have to keep looking. We are going to find him. We won't stop..." His voice trails off as Scully returns to studying the elevator floor. He changes tactics. "I think someone owes someone else a pizza." He glances up at the ceiling. Scully's expression changes and she looks up, only to be faced with Mulder's "there's always hope" look. Her expression softens in response. "Anchovies?" she asks. "Nah... you hate 'em." The doors of the elevator open and Mulder directs her into the hallway. After just a few steps, Scully stops. "What?" She turns to face him and studies his face. She reaches for Mulder. His eyes widen and he glances around the hallway. Grasping him by the forearms, she turns him around. Then, with her hand on the small of his back, she guides him back towards the elevator. "Uh, Scully?" Mulder asks, slightly confused but also amused. "Where are we going?" "To get that pizza." She presses the button, then turns to look up at him. "And to finish what you started." Mulder's eyes widen yet again. Scully turns away, facing the closed elevator doors. He looks down, but its clear his thoughts are racing elsewhere. He turns back to Scully. "Scully," he starts, searching for the proper words, "we don't...I don't want us to..." He clears his throat and begins again, measuring his words. "I want this, Scully, but I want this to work. No jumping in and screwing it all up." She hasn't moved the entire time he's been struggling. When he finishes, she smiles widely and turns to him. The elevator arrives at that moment. She continues smiling and steps onto the elevator. Mulder's feet are planted in the hallway. He's trying to read her. "Mulder, get on the elevator." When he doesn't immediately hop on, she grabs him. He allows himself to be pulled onto the elevator. They stand side-by-side, facing the open doors. She pushes the button for the parking garage. "We're going to get that pizza," she explains as he glances over at her. "Then, we're going to the Gunmen's office. They should have some information for us by now." Silence. The doors close. Then... "On second thought, we better get anchovies. The guys love 'em and they'll be expecting some kind of payment." "We'll get two pizzas, Mulder." "And some beer. Might need it, depending on what the guys have found..." as he gets a faraway look in his eyes. Worry seeps onto Scully's face and she reaches for his hand. The End
Thanks so much for reading. I hope you enjoyed it. Send feedback to: Spkyteach@aol.com June 16,1999
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