Chapter 2: Gunpowder, Treason and Plot

1996

Hospital corridor

Scully sat in the uncomfortable orange plastic chair clutching her cross and cried.  The tears slid down her face and she prayed for Mulder to live through this.  <What would I do without him?>  She closed her eyes and thought about everything that had happened in the last few weeks.  It had all started with Amanda and her father.  Scully would never know what exactly it had been that had tipped Mulder over the edge and made him admit that he loved her.  She only knew that she loved him too, but it was all so complicated.  That file – that she’d read through three times before she’d finally fallen into an exhausted sleep.  Each time it had made less sense.  Some test carried out on Mulder, something to do with Thad Narcote.  Scully fingers tightened on the small gold cross and she sighed.  It felt as if she been waiting for hours.

Suddenly the corridor was awash with a blinding white light, which bounced and reflected off the cold white walls.  Scully screwed her eyes up tightly until the light faded to a sensible level.  She opened then to see a weary looking Mulder leaning against the far wall.  A Mulder who claimed to be from twenty nine years in the future. 

“Don’t you knock?”  She asked in a teasing tone.  He didn’t smile, he just looked down at his feet and swallowed deeply.  “What’s wrong?”  Scully asked, with a growing sense of foreboding.  He looked up and his eyes locked with hers.  Scully was almost afraid of what she saw in the bright green depths. 

“Things are *very* wrong Scully, but I’m here to try and change all that.” 

“What do you mean?”  She wasn’t at all sure that she really wanted to know.  Mulder closed his eyes as if he was in pain, then he gave bitter laugh.

“Now that I’m here I’m not sure where to begin.”  He ran a tired hand through his hair, messing up the obviously recently brushed strands. 

“Is it something to do with the implant?”  She asked and Mulder shook his head. 

“That’s part of it, but that’s not what..”  He tailed off.

“Is it to with this ‘test’?”  Mulder turned his probing gaze on her and she immediately felt very nervous but she couldn’t work out why.

“What do you know about that?”  He demanded, sounding the way he did when he was interrogating someone he didn’t like very much.  Scully was confused.

“Just what was in the file.”  She replied.  “That in February ’94 while we were in Washington State someone tested some kind of drug on you.  It was something to do with Thad Narcote. I don’t know anything else.”

“I want to believe you.”  Mulder said quietly and Scully jumped on his words.

“Why wouldn’t you believe me?”  She asked, with a rising edge of panic.  <You don’t want to know.  Tell him to leave.  Tell him to go away!>  He looked at with a hard expression.

“Because . . I know the truth.”  He answered and Scully’s eyes widened. 

“Tell me.”  She demanded.

“You already know.”  He answered flatly.  Scully shook her head incredulously.  “It was *no* test, Scully.”  It hadn’t seemed possible that Scully’s eyes could go any wider but they did.

“What then?”  She asked and Mulder sneered.

“You already know about it.”  Scully stood up and stormed over to him. 

“No I don’t.  I have no idea what you’re talking about!  If you’re not going to tell me anything then you should just get the hell out of here!”  She screamed at him as the tension in her snapped.  He stared down at her for a moment incredulously, then his expression hardened.  His hand shot out and he grabbed her shoulder.  He twisted them around and threw her up against the wall.  He held there with his hand and stood only a few inches away from her, blocking her escape with his body.  She struggled but he wouldn’t let her go.  His face was set in an expression of pain and despair.

“You want to know the truth Scully!?  The truth is that you’re lying little bitch!  You lied to me from the beginning!  It was no test and *you* knew about it!”  Scully was shaking her head in disbelief.

“No.”  She whispered desperately.  “I don’t know what you mean.” 

“Katie’s *OUR* daughter.”  He said bitterly. 

“What – Katherine?” 

“She’s the product of an experiment, that *you* helped to set up and she’ll die because of you.  They’ll send an assassin for her to my apartment and they’ll kill her and Fenegold but you’ll survive because you’re in it with *them*.” 

“No.”  Scully breathed.

“I’m a fool.  Despite all I know about what you’ve done – I still love you.  Oh God Scully – why is that?”  Then he kissed her.  It was devastatingly brutal kiss but it was not a kiss without passion, despite the difference in years.  Mulder broke away first and he flung himself away from her.  “Dammit!”  He exclaimed and put a great distance between them.  To Scully it seemed like miles.

Scully stood where he left her in a state of shock. 

“Oh my god!”  She whispered, astonished at what had just occurred.  She’d never seen Mulder like this.  <What is it that I’ve done?>  She didn’t know.  A beeping noise cut through the tension in the corridor.  Mulder looked angrily down at his watch. 

“Time’s up.”  He said quietly. 

“What do I do now?”  She asked him flatly.  He shrugged.

“I don’t know.”  His voice was resigned.  “I *do* want to believe you Scully.  I *want* to believe you when you say you know nothing about it.”  She shook her head.

“No you don’t.”  She replied.  “You’ve always wanted to believe that I’m working for them.”  Mulder closed his eyes slowly, then opened them and looked at her.  “You’ve never really trusted me.

“That’s true but I’m afraid that I may have been right.” 

“Mulder – I’ve never consciously betrayed you but I don’t remember the ‘test’ or whatever it was.” 

“Then for God’s sake Scully get yourself regressed or something!”  The light gate appeared off to Mulder’s left.  He sighed and walked towards it. 

“Mulder?”  She called and he turned back at the last moment.  “I love you.”  She said softly.  His lips twisted wryly. 

“Someone with a sick sense of humour.”  He answered cryptically and walked through the gate.  And Scully was alone in the corridor once again.

XXXXXX***

Saturday.

Scully stared out to the window of Mulder’s hospital room.  There was nothing much to see except an empty street.  Between the buildings in the distance, she could see that the sun was setting. 

“Scully.”  Mulder’s voice said huskily from behind her.  It was strange all of a sudden to hear his voice speak her name so softly.  She just could not forget the pain and despair she’s heard in his voice. <’I still love you.  Oh God Scully – Why is that?’>  She moved to his bedside.

“I’m here.”  She told him.  He looked up at her with half closed eyes.  His head was heavily bandaged.  Scully touched his temple gently.  He looked so lost and she loved him *so* much.  Could she really have hurt him *that* badly?

“Where am I?”  He asked.

“You’re still in the clinic.  The operation was a success – the implant is out.  You’re going to be fine now.”  She reassured him, but her heart was breaking.  <You *are* going to be fine.  I’m not going to let you end up like that.>  He smiled a lopsided smile at her.  “You should go back to sleep.”  She told him gently.  “I’ll make everything alright.” 

“Alright.”  He murmured with a smile as he drifted back to sleep.  Scully bent down and kissed his temple. 

“I love you Fox Mulder.”  She said softly.  He smiled sleepily. 

XXXXXX*********

Scully let herself into Mulder’s apartment.  The Mulder from the future had said a lot of things that hadn’t made sense to her but she recalled that he’d said that an assassin would come for Katherine at *his* apartment.  So Scully had come here from the clinic.  Katherine could arrive at any time, any day, but Scully was prepared wait here for as long as it took to fix whatever had happened.  She switched on the TV and sat down on the couch to wait. 

Scully woke with a start to find herself lying on Mulder’s couch.  A game show was on the still playing TV set.  A knock sounded at the door and Scully realised that it was the knocking which had woken her up.  Drawing her gun from the holster, Scully crossed to the door.  She let the gun drop to her side and opened the door a fraction.  Katie stood outside. 

“How’d you find me?”  Scully asked.

“I went to your place but you weren’t there.”  Katie replied.  Scully opened the door and Katie walked in.   

“I know the truth Katherine.”  Scully said softly as she closed the door.  Katie turned to face her.  “I know that you’re my daughter.” 

“You remembered!”  Katie exclaimed.

“Remembered what?”  Scully demanded and Katie’s face took on a nervous expression.

“Oh, did I say remembered?”  She hedged.  “I meant found out.” 

“Easy mistake.”  Scully drawled sarcastically.  Katie smiled sheepishly. 

“So what *do* you know?”  She asked. 

“Just that your mine and Mulder’s daughter.”

“That’s all?”

“What more is there?”  Scully demanded in a dangerously calm voice. 

Katie contemplated trying to lie to her.  She lowered her head and closed her eyes for a moment.  She would have to tell her. 

“There’s a lot more.” 

“Well you’ll have to tell me, but not right now.”  Scully said surprising her.  Katie watched in astonishment as Scully put her gun away and grabbed her coat from the couch.  “We need to get out of here before the assassin comes for you.”

“Assassin?”  Katie demanded incredulously.

“Yes.  I spoke to Mulder – the one from your future – and he said that you and Fenegold die in this apartment because of me.  So we’re leaving here now and going somewhere safe.”  Katie gave in and followed Scully out of the apartment. 

XXXXXX*********

“Who would be trying to kill you?”  Scully asked Katie once they were on  the road.  <Carrie>  Katie knew instinctively.  They had found out about her trying to help her father and now they had sent Carrie after her to kill her.  She was the only one who would be able to. 

“My superiors must have found out about me trying to help Mulder.”  She told Scully.  She didn’t need to know about Carrie just yet.  “Where are we going?” 

“My mom’s house.”  Scully told her.  Katie shook her head.

“No.  She’ll find us there.” 

“Who will?” 

“The assassin.”  Katie answered flatly.  “Drive to the clinic.  Peter should still be there.”

“The assassin wont go there?”

“Oh, she will but they’ll know what to do.” 

XXXXXXXXXXXX

The clinic.

“Peter!”  Katie exclaimed as she ran into Fenegold’s arms.  Scully averted her eyes as the couple kissed.  Scully couldn’t believe that this finely poised young woman was really her daughter, although she’d been secretly hoping that she was ever since she had found out that Mulder was the woman’s father.  Scully knew instinctively that the woman was holding something *very* important back but could not figure out what it was. 

“Agent Scully.”  ‘Jane’ acknowledged as she walked up to them.  Scully inclined her head in acknowledgement.  “Why did you bring *her* here?”  She asked.

“She brought me.”  Scully replied.  “Someone is out to kill her.”  ‘Jane’ turned to Katie. 

“Miss Ickes?”

“How do you know my name?”  Katie asked, stepping out of Fenegold’s arms. 

“I know a lot about you Miss Ickes.  Why did you come to us?” 

“I need your help.  I know that you’ve helped my father and my fiancee.” 

“But in your case it is somewhat different.”

“You’re obviously aware of what I am.”  Katie answered and Scully frowned at the words.  “Just as I know what you are.”

“Then you must know that we share some similarities.  You could almost be one of us.”

“You would accept me as one of you?”  Katie asked, her voice was choked with surprise.  ‘Jane’ smiled.

“We would enjoy that a great deal but others – including the people you work for – would not be content with that arrangement.” 

“Then we have to make sure that they don’t find me.” 

“Easier said than done I’m afraid.” 

XXXXXXXXXXXX**

Sunday.

The clinic.

“How are you feeling?”  Scully asked Mulder as she sat down on the edge of his bed.  He smiled brightly at her. 

“Better now that you’re here.”  Scully forced a smiled but she still heard his future self <’You’re a lying little bitch’>.  The words had stopped her from sleeping the previous night and  they still clouded her waking hours.  “What’s wrong?”  He asked with so much concern that it broke her heart all over again. 

“I have so many things I need to tell you Mulder but I don’t know where to start.”  She told him without looking at him. 

“Try the beginning.”  He prompted with a smile, as he attempted to cheer her up.  She looked up at him seriously and his expression changed back to one of concern.

“I love you Mulder.”  She said softly and he grinned.  He reached out to her but she pulled away from him.  “No.”  She answered in a panicked voice and he withdrew his hand.

“What is it?”  He asked with wide eyes.  Scully bit her lip.

“Katherine Ickes is from the future.”  She said flatly. 

“What?”  He demanded incredulously.  “Have you been drinking, Scully?”

“And she’s *our* daughter.”  She replied, ignoring his question.

“What do you mean ‘ours’?” 

“You remember the videotape?”  Mulder swallowed with difficulty and nodded. 

“That’s not all.  I don’t know exactly what happened, but the ‘test’ my Uncle Daniel told me about – wasn’t what it said in the file.  It’s somehow related to Katie.”

“Who told you that?”  He asked and Scully smiled bitterly.

“You did.  I had a visit yesterday from your ’future self’.”  She said the words mockingly. 

“I don’t believe that you’ve said any of this Scully.  People from the future?”  He said sceptically.  

“It *is* possible – by creating or manipulating wormholes . .”  Mulder smiled and interrupted her.

“I’m not arguing Scully.  I’m just surprised.”  She smiled, then caught herself and bit her lip. 

XXXXXX***********

Scully walked up to the door of Dr. Pomerantz’ office.  She’d vowed that she’d never come back here but she was tormented by Mulder’s words to her <’for God’s sake Scully get yourself regressed or something’>, so here she was.  After the last time she didn’t think that she could stand it but, for Mulder’s sake, she was willing to give it another try.  She knocked hard on the door.

XXXXXX***********

“Now Dana,”  Dr Pomerantz said softly.  “Begin where you want to.  Where are you?” 

“I’m in a lab at Quantico.”  Her eyeballs moved under the closed lids.  “The room’s very dark but the computer’s on.  I can’t see what’s on the screen.”

“What’s happening?”  The soft voice prompted through the memory. 

“I’m . . waiting for something.  A file . . on someone.”  Her voice tailed off as the memory began to lack focus.  Then everything snapped into perfect focus and Scully knew exactly what was happening.  She could even hear her own thoughts at that moment.  “I had hoped that it wasn’t true.  How could I have been so stupid?”  The change in her tone alerted Dr. Pomerantz that something was wrong but the words were spilling out and he wanted to hear *everything* that she had to say.  “How am I ever going to tell Mulder about this?” 

The tape in the machine whirred softly, recording every word.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Scully sat on the bed in the clinic that she’d slept in the night before and listened to the tape.  Her voice on the tape had a bizarre lack of emotion which she could not understand.  She forwarded it.  Then pushed play. 

“I was late into the office that morning ..”  She forwarded the tape.  “some sort of set up . .”  Forward – whirr-r-r-r.  “We flew to Seattle . .”  Click – whirr-r-r-r.  “blood samples for the previous twelve victims had disappeared . .”  Click – whirr-r-r.  “a relationship therapy clinic run by Dr. Thadius Narcote . .”  Click – whirr-r-r-r-r.  “For a few seconds our eyes stayed locked together . .”  Click – whirr-r-r-r-r.  “I wish that I could say that he kissed me first and thereby it was him that started it but I would be lying.”   Click – whirr-r-r-r.  “The sight of a figure in the woods startled me.”  Click – whirr-r-r.  “it was a developmental drug . .”  Click – whirr-r-r-r.  “I was incredulous by the change in him.  I was scared.  I tried to tell him that he was suffering from the effects of a drug but he was too far gone to listen . .”  Click – whirr-r-r-r.  “He lapsed into a coma . .”  Click – whirr-r-r-r.  “ glanced down at his desk, next to the ‘No Smoking’ sign was an ashtray with a cigarette stub still smoking . .” 

Click.  Scully gave up because she could take no more.  Anyway, she remembered it all clearly – the whole sorry mess was burnt into her memory.  A test on Mulder that made him think he loved her – her pregnancy – Duane Barry and her abduction.  She tossed the tape recorder away from her and lay down on the bed.  She didn’t think she’d get any sleep tonight – she was wrong – in ten minutes she was fast asleep. 

Scully was running.  Running.  It seemed like miles back to the cabin.  Someone or something was following her and she had to outrun it. 

“Get back here.”  The man shouted.  “Scully!!!”  With horror Scully realised that it was Mulder chasing her.  She was terrified.  She couldn’t let him catch her.  His hand grabbed hold of her sleeve and pulled.  She was spun around but she kicked and tried to get away.  She broke free but she caught sight of his face and saw a countenance gripped by anger and hate and distorted by the twisting shadows from the trees surrounding the car park.  She kicked out and hurt him enough to make him fall to the ground.  She was running again.  The cabin was ahead of her.  She glanced over her shoulder and saw Mulder advancing on her.  She was thrown off balance by looking back and tripped.  She crashed painfully onto the concrete – her leg twisting beneath her.  She screamed in pain.  Mulder had nearly reached her.  Ignoring the pain she grabbed her gun and pointed it at him.  He stopped running but continued walking towards her. 

“Stop!”  She yelled.  “Mulder!”  Her face contorted as her finger tightened on the trigger.  She couldn’t do it.  She couldn’t shoot him.  It wasn’t his fault.  It was *her* fault.  None of this would be happening if it wasn’t for her.  The gun fell from her fingers.  Mulder reached down and hauled her to her feet.  “Mulder – I’m sorry.” 

“Sorry!?!”  Mulder yelled incredulously.  “You bitch!  You think that can fix it?”  Tears ran unchecked down her cheeks as she begged and pleaded with him.  “How can I still love you?”  He ground out angrily and moved to kiss her, but Scully fought him.  She couldn’t let him – not like this.  She looked up at him and saw a man standing behind him.  The man raised his rifle and made to bring the butt of it down onto Mulder’s head. 

“No ! ! ! ! ! !”  Scully screamed . . .

. . . and woke up in her bed at the clinic.  She’d sat up in a reflex action and thrown the bed covers away from her.  Sweat was pouring off her and her heart was beating fast.  She sank back down into the comforting warmth.  Her eyes were wide with shock and fear – had it been a dream, or a memory?  There was something similar in her recollections – recorded on the tape – but there were subtle differences that she could not account for. 

A knock sounded loud on the door.  Scully climbed out of bed, grabbed her burgundy robe from where it had been hanging over an IV stand.  As she did so she was reminded that she was still in a hospital, although she had seen no patients here besides Mulder.  She crossed to the door and opened it a fraction.  The man standing outside was wearing a dark suit and long black coat.  His black hair was neatly slicked into place.  His face was familiar but different.

“Krycek?”  Scully asked incredulously.  The man looked much older than Krycek should have been but Scully was beginning to get used to the concept of ‘future selves’, much as she disliked the term.  The older Krycek smiled.

“Hi Scully.”  He said pleasantly. 

“You’re from the future aren’t you?”  The smile grew wider.

“You always were a quick study.” 

“Always?”  Scully commented. 

“I’d have thought that you’d found out by now – after your meeting with Dr. Pomerantz.  You and I have known each other for a *long* time, Scully.”

“I don’t know what you mean.”  Krycek looked at her curiously.

“The memory block held then.  That *is* a surprise.”

“Memory block?”  Scully asked, starting to comprehend what he meant.

“You didn’t really believe that pile of crap that they fed you?”  He laughed as he pushed past her into the room.  She stared at him incredulously.  “Shut the door.”  He told her and Scully did so, then turned to watch him as he placed a black leather briefcase on the bed and drew out a file.  He handed it to her.  “Seem familiar?” 

Scully took the file and read the opening paragraph.

“I had hoped that it wasn’t true.  How could I have been so stupid?  How am I ever going to tell Mulder about this?  There are so many things he doesn’t know about, things that I thought it best at the time to keep from him but it seems clear now that this could really be the end of everything.  He’s gonna hate me for keeping him in the dark about a case.”

She looked up from the page and stared at Krycek.

“What *is* this?”  She demanded.

“Haven’t you figured it out yet?”  Krycek asked with a smile  “It’s the transcript of the false memory they implanted in your head to cover the truth.” 

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