Chapter 4: Play the Devil
Scully’s apartment
Tuesday
3:21 AM
Scully knew that she had no chance of sleeping now. She really wanted to talk to Mulder about this but she didn’t want to talk to him on the phone. He’d *have* to know but she wanted to do it face to face. She’d have to go to California and find him. The micro-cassettes lay as she left them, strewn across the low table, as a taunting reminder of what she’d done. Scully closed her eyes and rested her head back on the couch. The words on the tape came back to her.
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“I didn’t know who or what Fox Mulder was and I didn’t care. They promised me promotion and a glittering career.” She laughed bitterly. “I was young and naïve. They told me that all I had to do was keep Mulder busy when certain things were happening, plant false trails and report his activities to them. It seemed so simple, until that night in Oregon. I didn’t believe in aliens or government conspiracies and I honestly didn’t believe that I was part of one until that night. When I found those marks on my back it was pure fear that sent me running to Mulder’s room. I put two and two together in my head and panicked. I really wouldn’t have put it past them to have involved me in their tests. They hadn’t then, but I couldn’t have even imagined what they had planned for me. Things began to change for me that night. I began to see Mulder as a person rather than a career opportunity. I saw then how little they’d told me about him. I’d known nothing about his sister or his family. After that I made it my job to find out.” She laughed wryly. “I was starting to like him.”
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Scully stood up off the couch and forced the memory out of her head. It was no use sitting here and going over things that could not be changed. Now was the time for action. She *had* to see Mulder.
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The offices of ‘The Clones Network’
Sacramento, California
Mulder sat on the over stuffed couch and stared at the now blank TV screen. ‘Lydia’ appeared in the open doorway and stood watching him.
“Why did you show me this?” He asked flatly without looking at her.
“We felt that this was the easiest way to impart the information about your sister to you.” Mulder turned his head and looked at her blankly.
“What about the rest of the information on this tape?” He asked without emotion.
“You would have found that information out anyway.”
“You don’t want me to find Samantha – you want me to find Katherine.” His words remained flat and unemotional. He felt switched off and distanced from the conversation, as if it were happening to someone else. The pain still filtered through. Scully. Samantha. His daughter. His father’s words drifted into his numbed brain.
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“The day they showed me Katherine was some relief to the pain I’ve felt all these years. I held my grand-child for only a few minutes before they took her away from me. I knew that she was your child Fox and I knew what she was. It was my idea that they give her to your sister to look after. She so wanted a daughter but she couldn’t have one because of what they – what we – did to her. I’m sorry Fox. I’m sorry I kept their existence a secret from you.”
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“I grant you that we are concerned about recovering Katie, but your sister is important to us. As are all your family.” ‘Jane’ said flatly and Mulder stood up with a resigned manner.
“Okay, where do you think my sister is?”
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Scully’s apartment
Scully had gone into her bedroom with the intention of changing her clothes, when the knock sounded at the door. Remembering warnings about an assassin looking for Katherine, Scully grabbed her gun and opened the door with caution.
“Scully?” Skinner asked from outside. “I have some information for Mulder but,” He twisted his lip in a mocking gesture. “I don’t know where he is.” Scully felt embarrassed, only this afternoon she lied to avoid telling him where Mulder was. Scully opened the door and let him inside. He crossed the room, and stopped out of sight of the window.
“What information?” Scully asked. Skinner looked at the table and saw the cassettes still lying there.
“Looks as if you’ve already had some information tonight.” He remarked.
“What information do you have for Mulder?” Scully reiterated.
“Where is he?” He asked flatly.
“He’s in California.” Scully conceded and Skinner frowned.
“I have information about a woman named Samantha Wiles, which may be of interest to him.”
“Why should she be of interest to Mulder?” Scully questioned.
“She’s being held at an air base in California along with her husband and daughter Katherine.” It was Scully’s turn to frown. <Katherine?>
“Why?”
“I’m not sure but there is a lot of security being arranged to keep them there.”
“Who told you this?” She demanded and Skinner smiled as if he was tasting something nasty.
“That’s the problem.” He replied bitterly.
“It was him wasn’t it. That man in your office.”
“Yes.” Skinner conceded.
“I know who he is.” Scully said softly. Skinner’s eyes went wide and flew to the pile of tapes on the table.
“This has to do with why you were assigned to the X Files doesn’t it?”
“What do you know about that?” Skinner laughed wryly.
“I’m afraid that I wasn’t privy to that information.”
“*He* wants us to go looking for this Samantha Wiles doesn’t he? Why?”
“I don’t know.”
“Then what do you know about Dr. Thad Narcote?” Scully asked. Skinner frowned.
“This has to do with him too?”
“You *do* know who he is.” Scully was curious.
“Oh yes – I know Narcote. He’s a highly respected but not really well known man within the Bureau. Officially he left four years ago.”
“Unofficially, he helps to ‘take care of things’.” Scully added.
“That’s a good way of putting it.” Skinner remarked wryly.
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The Wiles House
California
Mulder felt comfortable as soon as he walked into the house. Melissa would have said that the place had a good aura. The hallway wall was lined with pictures of a happy smiling couple; wedding pictures mainly. Mulder reached out and touched the face of the woman in a large close up of the couple. She was similar in appearance to the little girl that he remembered but this picture was of a happy smiling woman. Half of him was angry that she’d led a happy life but the other half was glad for her. Mulder forced the thoughts out of his head. He’d learnt too much in the last few hours and still hadn’t really had time to process the information.
He walked further and came to a photograph of a little girl. Her red hair was tied into long braids and electric blue eyes sparkled up into the camera lens. Mulder could have sworn that the picture was looking at him. He tore his eyes away from the image of hers with difficulty.
The living room had been violated. Mulder felt it as soon as he stepped up to the door frame. Furniture had been over turned and the floor was strewn with the remains of bright coloured flowers and glass from multi-coloured vases. Pages had been ripped out from books and were left where they had fallen. Pictures had been pulled off of the walls and lay smashed on the ground. The pleasant family room had been destroyed.
Mulder could scarcely take in the devastation. He wanted to give in to his tears but he didn’t. <Not in front of these ‘people’> He told himself angrily.
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The clinic
Peter Fenegold and Katherine Ickes were oblivious to the outside world. They had eyes only for each other. Neither of them saw Scully striding down the corridor towards them. She skidded to a stop a few metres away and coughed to get their attention. They turned to look at her in shock.
“I need to get to Mulder.” She stated firmly.
“He’s in California.” ‘Jane’ said from behind her and Scully spun to face her.
“What’s he doing there?”
“He’s helping us to find his sister.”
“Samantha Wiles?” Scully asked and ‘Jane’s’ face finally betrayed an emotion – shock.
“How did you find out that information?”
“I *need* to get word to him – he’s walking into a trap.”
XXXXXXXXXXXX
Samantha Wiles was freezing cold and surrounded by darkness. She was sat on a hard, cold, concrete floor with her knees curled up to her chest. Her head throbbed painfully from the blow it had received. She had no idea how much time had passed since the armed men had smashed their way into her house and dragged the family out. She did not know where they had been taken and she did not know where her husband was. Her small daughter was cuddled up next to her.
“Sammy?” The little girl wailed thinly. Samantha could never understand why Katie always called her by her name rather than calling her ‘Mommy’. They had spent long hours trying to teach her but she still referred to her both her parents by their names. There was no way that Katie could have known or even comprehended that they were not her parents.
“What is it, love?” Samantha choked out, managing to sound calm purely for the sake of the child.
“Sisters.” Katie said firmly and Samantha frowned into the darkness. <Where had she learnt that word?> The heavy metal door of the room was dragged open. The noise was ear splitting and bright light flooded into the room blinding Samantha. She heard the sound of heavy footsteps coming towards her, but could only make out a vague silhouette against the light. The image caused an intense fear to build up in her as she remembered that night, so long ago, when just such a figure had taken her away from her family.
“No !!!!!!” She screamed and grabbed Katie tightly against her.
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Scully buckled herself into the plane seat. Katherine and Fenegold were sat to her left and they too, were settling in for take off. Scully closed her eyes and held tightly onto the arms of the chair. She hated flying at the best of times, and this was definitely *not* the best of times. Scully felt the moment when the plane began to move and tensed. She tried not to think, but she needed to distract herself from the planes movements and her mind drifted back to the tapes.
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“The plane journey from DC was awful. We hit the worst turbulence but, as usual, Mulder was completely unaffected, while I was on the edge of panic. The thought of where we were going did not improve my mood. I pretended to read the case files so that Mulder wouldn’t get suspicious. I knew full well that the reason we were going to a small town near the Canadian border had nothing to do with thirteen men dying from a mysterious illness. I’d done my duty patchily over the previous year and I’d made them nervous. I knew it when they got Skinner to reel me in before the Tooms case. It was their way of telling me to get with the programme but I cared about Mulder too much by then.” She paused, then laughed softly. “Iced Tea.” She muttered under her breath. Then she cleared her throat and began again firmly. “It was the Tooms case that sealed our partnership and I knew that I couldn’t continue lying to him.”
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The Wiles House
Mulder stepped out of the front door and found himself looking at a familiar face.
“Katherine!” He exclaimed. The irony struck him that every time he saw this woman it was after he’d made some major relevation regarding her. “I thought that ‘The Network’ had pretty such sown up the market for your kind around here.” He remarked with a bitter laugh. The woman raised a gun to point it at him.
“Come with me.” She said flatly and Mulder frowned. She didn’t sound like Katherine. The voice was right but the intonations were all wrong.
“You’re not Katherine.” He said softly and the woman smiled nastily.
“No, I’m not. My name is Caroline.”
“Who are you?” He demanded. Caroline lowered the gun a little and looked at him with raised eyebrows. She smiled.
“I’m your daughter.” She levelled the gun at his head and watched as an expression of incredulity spread across his face. “Now move.” She gestured off to her right and Mulder walked reluctantly in that direction. <If I survive today then I’ll never have to worry again>
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Samantha bit the hand that attempted to cover her mouth and carried on screaming. Katie was dragged away from her and she was forcibly held back from following her. Her eyes were beginning to re-adjust to the light level and she could make out many forms in the room. Katie kicked and screamed against her captors.
“Get her on her feet.” A voice said firmly from beyond the men circling her and Samantha found herself being hauled upright. She stopped screaming purely because she could no longer breathe. Her lungs were raw with pain. The forms in front of her parted like the Red Sea before Moses and the man who had given the order walked into her line of vision. He was dressed in a dark suit. “And get the child out of here.” Katie was obligingly removed, although she continue to struggle.
The man reached into his pocket and pulled out a cigarette, which he lit slowly and deliberately. Samantha coughed, her lungs were in enough pain without inhaling the fumes. He blew out a stream of smoke from between his thin lips and when he spoke his voice was as whispery as the smoke itself.
“Hello again Samantha. It’s been a long time.”
“Who..” Her voice broke as she tried to speak. She began again but her voice came out as a hoarse stage whisper. “Who the Hell are you?”
“I’m an old friend of your father’s.” The man told her. Samantha wasn’t sure why but she instantly hated this man.
“Where’s my husband?” She demanded in a thin croak.
“He’s safe and he’ll stay safe if you just co-operate.”
“Go to Hell!” She told him as loudly and firmly as she could, but he just smiled.
XXXXXX***********
Scully kept her eyes closed through the entire flight. Katherine and Fenegold left her alone, assuming her to be asleep, but Scully was wide awake. Her mind was torn between concern over Mulder’s present position and the things which had happened to them in the past. The events of the past, as recollected by the tape, won.
////
“I lied my way through the start of the case. I pretended to be surprised that the blood samples were missing. I pretended to be as upset and angry as he was. It was almost a relief when he left me alone to do the autopsy. I knew that Narcote would be waiting for me when I got to the room in the hospital.” She sighed. “Narcote was angry at me, as I’d expected him to be. I hadn’t provided them with the data they required.” The sigh was more agitated this time. “When Mulder returned he was excited having discovered that his ‘good friend’ Narcote was in town. I wanted to tell him then, but the words were choked off in my throat. I just agreed with him and we went to Narcote’s office in town.
Mulder took the drink that Narcote offered him, but I refused. I didn’t trust them not to drug mine as I already knew that they intended to do to Mulder’s. I watched as Mulder and Narcote talked, and as Mulder slowly began to fall asleep. I knew the moment that he realised his drink had been drugged. He turned with what little strength he had left and stared at me. I tried to tell him with my eyes that I was sorry, but Narcote’s eyes were on me and I don’t think that I managed.”
////
Scully’s eyes snapped open when she felt the hand on her sleeve. Katherine smiled down at her. Scully wasn’t sure how she felt about her daughters, she was only glad that Katherine didn’t blame her for what she had done to them.
“Are you okay?” Katherine asked.
“I’m fine Katherine.” She told her.
“It’s about time you called me Katie like everyone else.” She said with a smile. Scully forced a bright smile in return.
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“What do you want with us?” Samantha demanded from the man with the cigarette. He took a drag before replying.
“Just your presence.” He answered with a shrug.
“Are we so important then?” She asked, her voice had recovered but it was still fragile. The man drew a last drag from the half-finished cigarette and dropped it to the floor. He crushed it with his heel and immediately pulled a fresh one from his pocket. He lit it before he answered her.
“*You* are insurance, just as you’ve always been.” Samantha’s face betrayed her confusion. The man put the cigarette to his lips for a moment, drew lightly, then exhaled a thin wisp of smoke. “Mulder is being brought here as we speak.”
“Who?” Samantha asked and the man smiled a thin smile.
“Your brother, Fox.” He told her with deliberate slowness. Samantha shook her head and replied firmly.
“My brother is dead. He was killed in a fire over twenty years ago.” The cigarette paused on it’s way to his lips and he gave a small laugh.
“Your brother is alive and well, although I’d have preferred him not to be.” The cigarette met his mouth.
“No.” She replied, still shaking her head. “My family died in a fire.” The surety in her voice was rapidly disappearing and she felt tears pricking at the back of her eyes. The man just smoked his cigarette.
XXXXXX*********
Mulder drove saying nothing. Caroline sat in the passenger seat with the gun aimed at his stomach, just out of sight of the window.
“Next left.” She said flatly, and Mulder turned the wheel. As he did so he realised where they were going.
“Why are we going to an air force base?” He asked, glancing over at her.
“Just drive.” Came the stiff reply.
“Who the Hell are you?” He demanded, anger surfacing.
“I’m your daughter.” She replied, without looking at him.
“You said that. You’re Katherine’s twin?”
“We are one. We are not alone.” She answered dead-pan and Mulder glanced at her again.
“What does *that* mean?”
“We are The Sisters. We are not alone.” She reiterated and Mulder frowned. He didn’t have a chance to ask anything else, because they arrived at the gates of the base. He drew the car to a halt and the Gate Guard looked in the window. Caroline leaned across Mulder to speak to him.
“Caroline Ickes.” She told him and he nodded.
“You’re expected.” He told her and Caroline sat back in her seat.
“I know the way.” She said to the guard and he stepped away from the car. The gate opened. “Drive straight ahead, then follow the road around to the right.” She informed Mulder in a flat tone. Mulder was very curious, Caroline hadn’t shown a badge or quoted a set of ID numbers – she’d just said her name. She was the same as Katherine <Oh shit!> his father hadn’t told him about a second daughter. Maybe he hadn’t known, but if he hadn’t known about that then was it possible that his father did not really know the truth? Where did that leave the information he’d given him about Scully? A faint glimmer of hope shone for Mulder. Just maybe, things weren’t as bad as they appeared to be.
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Scully stepped out of the airport terminal into the California sunshine, but the chill she felt was within her bones and nothing could take that away from her. Katie and Fenegold walked ahead of her as they crossed to the rental car. They drove first to the offices of The Network, but were informed, by a woman who looked identical to ‘Jane’ and introduced herself as ‘Lydia’, that Mulder was missing. Katie turned around in shock.
“Carrie.” She said and Fenegold stilled. Scully’s eyes went wide.
“Where is she?” Fenegold demanded.
“The air base. She’s taken Mulder there.” Katherine told him. “We have to go get him.”
“No.” Fenegold said firmly. “We need to sort out the time machine so that we can get home.” Katie glared at him and Fenegold drew back in fear. Her voice was deeper when she spoke.
“I’m going to help my father.” She said firmly and turned to Scully.
“Katie?” Fenegold said softly and Katie turned back to him. “I love you.” He told her. “Be careful.” She smiled back at him, then turned back to Scully.
“Are you ready to go?” She asked and Scully nodded absently. Katie eyed her carefully. “You know about The Sisters don’t you?”
“Yes. I do.” Scully replied. “Carrie – she’s one of you – isn’t she?”
“She’s the most dangerous. She’s the blood hound and she’s been well baited.” Katie replied and the hunting analogy reminded Scully vaguely of something. <’You should have listened to you aunt’> She could not work out the relevance of the thought.
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As Mulder got out of the car he was immediately surrounded by armed men. He and Caroline were escorted through a large hanger and Mulder got to see his UFO. The large triangular craft was propped on steel scaffolding and men were scampering over it checking the panels and whatever else they needed to do on the ship. It was almost too much for one day. His walk became resigned. Too much truth got boring after a while.
Caroline walked ahead of him through a metal doorway and into a room that was empty apart from a number of armed men, a man standing in the shadows and a pretty dark-haired woman slumped on the floor. Mulder recognised her from the pictures in her house.
“I’ve brought him.” Caroline informed the man in the shadows.
“I never doubted that you would.” He answered and the flash of light from the end of his cigarette as he inhaled, informed Mulder of his identity. He stepped out from the shadows and walked towards him. He stopped a few feet away and gestured at the woman. “Well Mulder, there’s your sister.” He walked away towards the door and ordered the other people in the room to follow him. The room emptied and the door slammed closed with a loud metallic thunk. This time they left the lights on.
Mulder’s eyes drifted to the woman sat on the floor. She was watching him with an expression somewhere between shock and happiness. He crossed to her as if drawn by a magnet and fell to his knees. Two sets of hazel eyes locked onto each other and tentative smiles appeared on their faces. Mulder’s hand reached out and he brushed a strand of hair away from her eyes.
“They told me you were dead.” She said urgently. He swallowed with difficulty.
“I . . I don’t know what to say.” He said in a rush. “I’ve never stopped looking for you. I never believed them when they said that you were dead.” She smiled up at him.
“I didn’t think . . I’m sorry . . I believed them.” She threw her arms around him and held on tightly. Mulder closed his eyes and returned the embrace. He allowed today’s unshed tears to finally fall.
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Katie drew the car to a stop in front of the gates and opened the window. The Gate Guard walked up to her and leant in.
“I’m Katherine Ickes.” She told him and he nodded. The gate opened and they went inside. Katie turned to look at Scully, who was eyeing her with a curious expression. “Lately I’ve been a regular visitor here.” Katie told her with a wry smile.
A armed man in uniform stepped out in front of the car, forcing them to stop. Katie leaned out of the window and demanded to know what was going on.
“I’ve been ordered to escort you to the main hanger.” He told her and got into the back of the car. Katie was indignant at being ordered around, but drove where he asked her to.
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Scully hurried along behind Katie as she stormed through the hanger. She looked around her in awe and her eyes took in a sight she had never believed existed. The giant triangular craft was exactly as Mulder had described some UFO’s to be and as she herself had described on one of the later micro-cassette tapes. They reached a metal door with an armed guard standing in front of it.
“Stop here.” The man following them ordered and Katie glared at him. He backed away in fear and informed her that he was only acting under orders.
“Nuremberg defence.” Katie murmured angrily, as the guard opened the door.
The door swung open noisily to reveal a near empty room. A man and a woman were sat on the floor facing each other. When they heard the door, they turned around.
“Mulder!” Scully exclaimed and pushed past the guard into the room. He stood up and the look in his eyes stopped her dead in her tracks, just inside the room. The guard slammed the door and Scully spun around in shock.
XXXXXXXXXXXX
Katie jumped for the door, but was too late. The guard was already locking it.
“Open the door.” She ordered the man.
“You have an appointment.” The first man told her firmly. Katie glared at him angrily but gave in and let herself be escorted away from the room.
XXXXXXXXXXXX
Scully realised that the door was locked and turned back to face Mulder.
“Thank God, you’re alright!” She exclaimed, crossing over to him and attempting to put her arms around him. He moved away from her. “What’s wrong?” She asked, but she was afraid that she already knew.
“You lied to me.” He said softly and Scully’s heart broke. He *did* know.
“Mulder, I . .” He didn’t give her a chance.
“I can’t believe that I bought your story. ‘I’m not a part of any agenda’.” He mocked. “Bullshit!” He turned away from her. Scully bit her lip and took a deep breath.
“Mulder, it’s difficult to explain. Probably impossible in this situation. I did lie to you – in the beginning but I couldn’t . . When I got you know you,” She shrugged. “I couldn’t do it anymore.” He spun back to face her, his expression was more pain than anger.
“Oh, and they just let you get away with that!” He exclaimed.
“No, they didn’t.” She said softly.
“What did they do – punish you?” He demanded in a mocking tone. She locked her eyes to his and tried to convey all her love with them.
“In a way. They took the knowledge of my children away from me.” A frown appeared on his brow.
“What?” He asked.
“I didn’t know about *any* of this Mulder. I only found out yesterday from a tape that I left for myself. They wiped my memory and rewrote what happened.” She guffawed. “I can’t work out why they didn’t just kill me.”
“You expect me to believe that?” He demanded, but his voice no longer held anger.
“I want you to, because it’s the truth.”
XXXXXXXXXXXX*
Mulder sat in the shadows in the corner of the room and watched Scully and Samantha. After Scully had said her piece, she’d turned from him and introduced herself to the other woman. Now the two women were talking so quietly that Mulder couldn’t hear what they were saying. It should have been the happiest day of his life. He’d found the truth in every sense, but *was* it the truth? He couldn’t be sure anymore. He’d trusted his fathers words, but his father had frequently lied to him. He’d trusted Scully, but she had just admitted that she had worked with his enemies against him. How could he work out the truth from the lies?
The heavy metal door began to creak and slid open. The three people in the room stood up and waited for their captors to enter. The only person that appeared was Katherine, or was it Caroline?
“Come with me.” The woman said softly.
“Katie?” Scully questioned, as they followed her out of the room. Mulder lagged behind. The woman smiled and shook her head.
“No.” She replied and Scully noted that her voice had a slightly different timbre to Katie’s.
“But you *are* one of them.”
“My name is Angelina.” The woman answered. “We are one. We are not alone.”
Mulder sneered and wondered if – whatever they were – they were programmed to constantly repeat that stupid sentence. He didn’t feel inclined to hurry after the women.
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All the guards along their way lay unconscious on the floor and, Scully noted, they all had a mark which looked like a burn on their foreheads. The women hurried ahead and did not notice that Mulder was not following them closely.
They left the hanger and quietly crossed to the shadows of the next building. The night was still and silent. It was almost an unnatural silence and it unnerved Scully. She turned back to look for Mulder. She expected to find him at her shoulder as he always was, but he was nearly 30 feet behind them. She stopped and opened her mouth to call his name softly. A shape moved in the shadows and Angelina’s eyes flew wide.
“No!!” She whispered loudly, but the noise was only inside Scully’s mind. Angelina pushed Scully and Samantha behind a pile of metal barrels. The men which burst out and grabbed Mulder before he even had a chance to run, did not see where the women disappeared to.
Mulder struggled against the confining grasp of the soldiers, but could not work his way free.
“Hold it.” A familiar voice said firmly and Mulder looked up to find himself staring down the barrel of a gun. For once the man wasn’t holding a cigarette but an object which killed far more quickly. “We should have done this a long time ago Mulder.”
“Go ahead and kill me.” Mulder told him. “I know the truth – you’re gonna to have to anyway.” The gun trembled as Cancerman laughed.
“You know the *truth*!” He mocked. “If you believe that then you’re more of a fool than I thought you were. The truth, as you’re seeking it, doesn’t exist. There *isn’t* magic end point when you know *everything*.”
Mulder knew in his heart that Cancerman’s statement was true, but he wasn’t about to concede it to him.
“You shouldn’t have tried to escape.” Cancerman continued. “It would have been a simple and effective plan. We were going to blackmail you with your sister’s life – just as we did to your father.”
“What about Katherine? What were you going to do with her?” Mulder demanded and Cancerman smiled.
“She was a part of our project, but she since she seems to have turned against us, will we simply have to dispose of her. As we will now have to do with Agent Scully and your sister – as well as her husband. You see, if you’d just left things alone all these people wouldn’t have had to die.”
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Scully listened to the conversation from behind the pile of barrels. At these words she turned to Samantha and found her staring back at her. They exchanged looks of concern and then paid their full attention to what was being said beyond the barrels.
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“You bastard!” Mulder exclaimed and broke free of the men holding him.
XXXXXX********
Scully jumped up with his name forming as a loud cry on her lips, but Angelina was quicker than her and clamped her hand over Scully’s mouth. She stopped Scully’s hasty movement before it drew any attention to them.
XXXXXX********
Mulder stopped inches away from the gun. His eyes locked with Cancerman’s.
“I told them that this would never work.” The other man said bitterly. “Why mess with time and implants trying to get rid of you quietly, when a bullet in the skull would do just as well.”
XXXXXX*********
Scully suddenly remembered her Aunt Cynthia’s dream as she’d described it to her that winter before Scully had joined the X Files. Her aunt had seen Scully hiding with a brown haired woman and a red haired woman – while Mulder got shot. It was only thanks to Angelina’s abilities that Scully’s screaming of Mulder’s name went unheard by the men on the other side of the barrels.
The gunshot echoed loudly through the night.