Chapter 3: Lies and Damned Lies

2:57 AM

“What game are you playing Krycek?”  Scully demanded warily.

“Game Scully?”  He asked casually, as he perched on the edge of the high hospital bed.  Scully gestured towards him with the pile of bound paper.

“A false memory?”  She demanded sceptically. 

“That’s what I said.”  Krycek remarked dead-pan and Scully laughed as a thought hit her.  She believed that she’d figured it out. 

“You knew that I went to see Dr. Pomerantz today.  You got a copy of the tape of the session and someone typed this up in time for you to bring it to me.”  She explained. 

“You mean that you haven’t had *any* inexplicable flashbacks?”  Scully’s pause was long enough for Krycek to realise that she had.

“No – I haven’t.”  She lied firmly.  “*This* is a lie.”  She threw the file onto the bed next to him. 

“How’s Katherine?”  Krycek asked, surprising her.  For a second she forgot that she was not supposed to know about Katherine and she betrayed her shock.

“What do you know . . . ?”  Her mouth snapped shut as she saw Krycek smile. 

“I know that your daughter is almost as beautiful as you are.”  He answered. 

“What do you know about her?”  Scully asked the question anyway.

“I know what she is.”  He answered looking her directly in the eye.  Much as she wanted to, Scully could not look away.  She saw fear in his eyes, but what was he afraid of?  Of Katherine?  Of the truth being found?  Or of something else? 

“I’m not buying this Krycek.”  Scully told him to cover her doubts.  He looked down and grinned.

“You should be.  I’m trying to help you.” 

“Why would you want to help me?” 

“I sent your uncle that videotape and file.”  Scully’s eyes went wide and she stared at him.

“You?  Why?” 

“I have my reasons.”

“But you’re not going to tell me?”  Krycek smiled and nodded.  “Then why should I believe you?” 

“Because I’m telling you the truth.  That file is a lie but it’s not created by me.  It’s a lie to cover a much worse lie.” 

“Tell me something Krycek.  What do *I* have to do with this ‘test’ or whatever it was?”  Krycek smiled again. 

“If you don’t believe me about the false memory then you’ll never believe me about that.”

“Then let’s just say – just for a minute – that I believe you about that.  What really happened?” 

“A diabolical experiment which never should have taken place.  You’ll find the rest for yourself Dana.”  She flinched at his use of her name and his lips curved upwards almost imperceptibly.  “Just remember that nothing is what is seems to be, especially people.” 

“What are you really doing here Krycek?”

“Quietus.”  He replied softly. 

XXXXXXXXXXXX

3:13 AM

Mulder lay awake staring at the ceiling.  He didn’t like hospital beds, despite – or perhaps because of – the amount of time he spent in them.  His head stilled throbbed painfully but he was better now that he knew that no foreign object resided there.  He was actually surprised at how good he felt, considering that he had just had brain surgery.  Who were these people that had saved his life?  What technology did they possess that they could perform complex brain surgery without batting an eye?  Where did that technology come from?  ‘Jane’ had claimed to be an E.B.E. – but could he really trust that is what they were.  He’d been wrong about people before. 

His thoughts moved to Scully.  She’d said the words he’d never expected to hear from her, but for her it hadn’t seemed to be a release.  Maybe it had to do with meeting people from the future, something like that was bound to mess with your head.  To be honest, Mulder had trouble believing that it was true.  He could believe in the possibility of time travel, what he had trouble with was the thought that he’d actually met people from the future without realising it.  He should have noticed something surely.  He felt like a fool.  He’d been treated like fool by Scully.  Resentment boiled up for a moment but it was quickly dampened.  It wasn’t her fault, she’d only been trying to protect him.  <She still shouldn’t have done it>  A little voice taunted.   Mulder deliberately changed his train of thought. 

<She loves you>  He smiled broadly into the darkness.  <She *really* loves you.  I can’t imagine why after all the games you’ve played with her, but she still *loves* you>  At last he had found some of the happiness he’d been seeking for so long.  The future would not be him all alone – it would be the two of them together.  Maybe they’d get married.  It would be tough – getting past Bureau rules, managing to save alive, etc.  Whatever – none of it would matter because they’d be together and no one would ever break them up.  She was the only one he’d ever really trusted.   And she – this wonderful creature – loved him.  She *loved* him.

A soft knock at the door broke through his thoughts – which was just as well because he was on the verge of taking his delusions about the future to unhealthy manic extremes.  He smiled and thought that Scully would be the only person who would visit him this late at night. 

“I’m awake Scully.”  He called and the door opened slowly.  Mulder sat up in expectation of her, but it was not Scully that stepped into the room.  “Katherine.”  He said softly.  He’d not seen her since Scully had told him that she was from the future and was their daughter. 

“Hi.”  Katie replied shyly.  “I guess that Scul..”  She stumbled over the word.  “I guess she’s told you the truth.” 

“She said that you were our daughter.” 

“Yeah.”  She said with a lop-sided smile.  “I hated not being able to tell you but I thought it would be easier.”

“It’s just one hell of shock.  We only recently found out that we’d . .”  How could he word it?  How could he describe what he’d seen on that videotape?  Him and Scully in that bedroom?  “that we had . . you know . . about the test.”  He stumbled to a finish and Katie smiled weakly. 

“Yeah, I know.”  She replied.

“Do you know what happened back then?” 

“I only know what I was told about it.  I sincerely doubt that it was the truth, but others are readier to believe than I am.”  Mulder frowned at her words.

“What do you mean?”  He asked in confusion.

“That we all have to watch our backs.  The chase isn’t over yet.” 

XXXXXX*******

The clinic

10:13 AM

“Morning.”  Mulder said softly from the doorway and Scully turned around in shock.  She gasped and clamped her hand to her chest.

“God, you scared me!”  She exclaimed and he smiled. 

“Sorry.  I was missing you.” 

“Are you sure that you’re okay to be out of bed?”  She said, crossing over to him with her concern expressed in her features. 

“I’m feeling great.”  He reassured her.  “I haven’t felt this good in a long time.”  He looked her over.  She was dressed neatly in a burgundy suit and he was happy to note that she was wearing a skirt rather than trousers.  “You should wear skirts more often.”  He told her. 

“Men don’t take you seriously in this job if you wear skirts.”  She pointed out.  “We can’t all be like you Mulder and enjoy not being taken seriously.”  His face froze imperceptibly but Scully picked it up and realised that she’d hurt him.  “I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean that to sound the way it did.” 

“I know what you mean.”  He replied with a lop-sided smile.  “Where are you going?”  He asked changing the subject.

“I’ve got a meeting with Skinner.”  She told him, turning to the bed and fiddling with the sheets.

“What will you tell him?”  She turned back and looked up into his eyes.

“I’d like to tell him the truth, but I doubt that we’ll be alone today.” 

“Cancerman.”  Mulder sneered and Scully nodded.  “Something weird has happened here Scully, weirder than a time machine and a simple test.”

“You don’t know the half of it Mulder.”  She said dejectedly, sitting on the edge of the bed.  He sat down next to her.

“Tell me.”  He said quietly and she turned to look at him with a sad expression.  Her hand stole up to touch his cheek. 

“I love you.”  She said softly and he smiled. 

“I’ve waited so long to hear you say that.”  He leaned closer and their lips met.  For long minutes they embraced passionately.  “Do you *have* to go?”  Mulder said eventually, against her throat. 

“Umm.”  She replied with her eyes closed and her head thrown back.  She nodded a little.  “Yeah.”  She groaned.  They broke apart with regret.  Scully didn’t tell him about Krycek or what he’d said about the ‘false memories’, but – she promised – she’d talk to him about it when she got back.

XXXXXX*********

10:25 AM

Mulder watched from a window as Scully drove away from the building.  He smiled at the memory of the lingering kisses they’d shared and allowed himself to dream of what they had to come. 

“Mr Mulder?”  ‘Jane’ said from behind him. 

“What is it?”  He returned without turning around.  Scully’s car disappeared from his sight. 

“I need to speak to you.”   Mulder turned to face her with a question in his eyes.  The woman’s face was the same set mask that it always was.  “It concerns your sister.”  She said flatly.  Mulder’s face froze.

“*What* about my sister?”  Comprehension dawned on him as he looked at her face.  “You know where she is!”  He exclaimed.  ‘Jane’ nodded, but her face was apologetic. 

“We did, but I’m afraid that there is a problem.  We’ve lost her.” 

“What?”  He demanded incredulously, barely restraining himself from grabbing the woman by the throat and demanding a straight answer. 

“She was in California, along with her husband and daughter – but I’m afraid she’s disappeared.” 

Mulder stared at the woman in shock.  His sister.  Her husband.  Her daughter.  Was in California.  Disappeared.  He didn’t know what to think or even which one to think about.  Which question had precedence? 

“Disappeared?”  He chose the one word as his question. 

“We don’t know how they found her.”  The woman’s tone was still flat and emotionless.  “We’re sorry.” 

“Sorry?”  He glared at her, then turned away in disgust.  “Why tell me now?”  He said, dragging his hand through his hair. 

“We’d like your help to find her.”  Mulder laughed incredulously and spun around to face the woman. 

“I’ve spent half my fucking life trying to find her!”  He exclaimed. 

“Mr Mulder . . .”  She began calmly, but he cut her off.

“Just tell me what you want me to do.”  He said flatly, but anger simmered near the surface. 

“My contact in California has the details.  We’ve arranged a flight for you in an hour.” 
“What about Scully?” 

“We had arranged for her as well but she left before we could speak to her.”  ‘Jane’ responded.  Mulder’s nod was resigned. 

XXXXXXXXXXXX*

The basement

Scully pushed the office door open with her hip and clicked on the lights.  The basement looked as it ever did; cluttered a la Mulder.  She crossed to the desk and sank into Mulder’s chair.  This room had always been more his than hers.  She threw the file down on the table in front of her and looked around as if she was only now really looking at the place.  The room was comfortable – like a favourite pair of slippers – not the way an FBI office should be at all.  In an odd sort of way, Scully *did* feel at home in here.  Maybe it was because it reminded her so much of Mulder. 

Her meeting with Skinner had not gone as well as she would have liked.  She had lied and bluffed to cover Mulder’s absence but Skinner had not really bought it.  She didn’t want to alienate him just when he’d seemed inclined to help them. 

Pushing it from her mind, Scully reached forward and picked up the file on the Szabi and Fitzgerald case.  It did not seem as if the case was over yet but she knew that there was nothing more they could do to investigate it.  With a resigned sigh she stood up and went to the filing cabinet.  It took only a few seconds to find the correct place for the file and slip the plain fold of manila cardboard inside.  Scully had the odd sensation that something momentus had just occurred but could not work out why.  She was not to know that the file would never be touched again – by anyone.

Scully was about to leave the room when a brown envelope lying on the desk caught her eye.  Her name had been written on the sealed package with a black marker pen and the handwriting looked very similar to her own.  She tore the envelope open and up-ended the contents into her palm.  Out slid a small key with a large plastic tag.  The note accompanying the key gave the name of a bank and a safety deposit box number.  Scully’s brow creased in confusion.  The note was typed and unsigned.   She picked up the envelope again and studied the handwriting.  It really did look like hers.  The flashback was sudden and unsettling. 

////

Scully placed the typed note and key into the envelope and sealed it.  Then she carefully wrote her own name on the outside.  If they tried any of their games – there was always this.  She didn’t trust her errand boy, but she *could* rely on him to deliver this to her when the time was right.  He would not open it.  She fervently hoped that it would *never* be necessary. 

////

Scully’s vision cleared and she had to grip the desk for support. 

XXXXXX*********

Mulder got off the plane and headed straight for a phone.  He didn’t want Scully to think that he’d ditched her again.  He dialled the clinic first but she had still not returned there.  Instead he rang her apartment.  She wasn’t there either, so he left a message.  His brow creased but he forced away the feeling of protectiveness and worry that had settled over him.  She was probably still at work.  He rang the office – she wasn’t there either.  <Dammit, where *is* she?>  Once again he calmed himself down.  He rang her apartment again.

XXXXXX*********

Scully’s Apartment

Scully unlocked her apartment door and went inside.  She clutched the parcel that been inside the safety deposit box as if her life depended on it.  She had not risked opening the package inside the bank.  Obviously she had gone to a great deal of trouble to insure that this package did not end up in the wrong hands, it would be no good exposing it’s contents to the those people now. 

She crossed to the phone and placed the package on the table next to it.  The light was blinking on her answering machine and she was about to listen back to the messages when the phone rang.  She snatched up the receiver.

“Scully.”  She answered.

“It’s me.”  Mulder replied on the end of the line. “Where have you been?”  Scully’s brow creased when she heard his rough tone.

“I had to go to the bank.”  She said – it *was* the truth.  Mulder sighed audibly.  “Why?  Are you okay?” 

“I’m in California.” 

“What are you doing there?”  Scully demanded.

“They claim that they know – or knew at least – where Samantha is.”  Mulder said with a mocking tone in his voice.

“Who does?”  She responded warily.          

“The Network.”  He answered flatly.

“What do they know about Samantha?”  Scully began pacing.

“They claim that they’ve been protecting her for years, but someone’s found out where she is.  Now she’s disappeared.” 

“Do you believe them?” 

“Honestly Scully, I don’t know what to think right now.”  Again his sigh was audible.  “I’ll ring you back as soon as I have news.”  Scully stilled her movement and glanced at the package she’d left on the table. 

“I may have some news for you too Mulder.”  She replied.  “I love you.”  She said softly and with as much feeling as she could put into the words.

“I love you too, Dana.”  He answered quietly, using her first name with deliberate softness, and the line went dead. 

XXXXXX*******

Mulder hung the receiver up with regret.  Had he always missed her this much when they’d been separated or was this a new phenomena?  It was a potential X File that he intended to investigate fully at a later date. 

XXXXXX*******

Scully’s apartment

Scully picked up the envelope with trepidation.  She opened it carefully and sat down on the couch.  Gently she emptied the contents onto the coffee table.  Five micro-cassette tapes – the type she used in her Dictaphone – fell out.  Scully picked up one tape and found that it was labelled as tape ‘4’.  Why had she used so much secrecy regarding these tapes?

XXXXXX*******

The offices of ‘The Clones Network’

Sacramento, California

Mulder was struck with the oddest sense of deja vu as he stepped out of the car and looked up at the California offices of The Network.  He was positive that he’d seen the boxy office building somewhere before and that it had not been in good circumstances.  He caught himself before he actually shivered at the unusual feeling. 

XXXXXX*******

Scully’s apartment

Scully slipped the first cassette into her Dictaphone and – she drew a deep breath – pressed play.  For a few seconds there was silence, then her voice came out of the small machine.

“I’m not sure where to start.  This whole thing is such a mess.  If I’m lucky no one will ever need to hear this tape.  If I’m not, then I hope that I’m currently talking to myself and that no one else can hear this.  Especially not Mulder.”  The tone of voice became softer and faded away.  Then began again in a determined tone.  “This tape is my insurance policy against them tampering with my memory.  I wouldn’t put it past them after all that they’ve done to me so far.  I’ll start at the beginning since I don’t know how much I’ll need to repeat.  I was assigned to the X Files in February 1992 in order to spy on Fox Mulder and report back to the group regarding his activities.  They seemed to regard him as some sort of threat.  I just thought that he was an asshole.  This was not an image that was dispelled during our first encounter . . .”

XXXXXX*******

The offices of ‘The Clones Network’

Mulder faced a woman identical to the one he’d just left in Virginia. 

“My name is Lydia.”  The woman told him, but Mulder was wary.

“What are you?”  He asked and ‘Lydia’ smiled.

“I was aware that ‘Jane’ had informed you as to our true nature.”  She answered. 

“Yeah – *She* said that you were aliens.” 

“Then I guess that is what we are.”  Mulder gave up, he was in no mood for this silly bantering. 

“I want you to tell me about my sister.” 

“After much contemplation on this issue we have decided to let you view your father’s videotape as a means for your finding out that information.” 

“What videotape?”  Mulder demanded.

“Your father was a member of our group for many years before his death.  He knew for a long time where your sister was – in fact he helped us to rescue her.  That is what we do.  We rescue people.” 

“Cut the crap and show me this videotape.”  Mulder replied bluntly.

XXXXXX********

Scully’s apartment

The fifth, and final, tape whirred softly and then clicked off.  Scully didn’t notice.  She sat frozen and staring into space.  <Oh my God!>  Her mind whirled but her body stayed frozen rigid.  <What have I done?>  She prayed that Mulder would *never* find out the whole truth about this.  <Oh my God!>

XXXXXX********

The offices of ‘The Clones Network’

Mulder stopped the videotape.  All his dreams had just died.  Scully had lied to him and had conspired with ‘them’ against him.  He’d trusted her.  The pain was so great that it even outweighed his father’s words concerning Samantha.  In fact, Mulder had completely forgotten about his sister.  Scully had betrayed him.  He could think of nothing else.

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