Title: M-Theory
Author: eXtreme Shipper
E-Mail: Vaskezz@bigpond.net.au
My Web Page: www.extremeshipper.com
Rating: R for some course language
Classification: T R A
Spoilers: X Files Movie, Arcadia, Colony, Triangle.
Disclaimer: The characters of Mulder, Scully and Skinner belong to
their creator Chris Carter and 1013 Productions. No copyright infringement
is intended. However, all original characters and content is mine.
Summary: Agents Mulder and Scully get an unusual invitation from the
military to investigate a situation neither of them could possible
imagine. Along the way Mulder discovers the Truth he has sought for
so long...
Feedback: Oh yes please!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
M- Theory
...CRASH...
Montana, United States.
Blackstone Military Base.
The military compound stood dark and silent in the early morning
chill. A ten kilometer long security fence surrounded the facility,
sporting large 'Off Limits to Civilian Personnel' signs posted along
it at ten meter intervals. The fence hummed with electricity to further
deter possible interlopers. Beyond the fence, there was no indication
of life. The large Ponderosa pine trees that sprouted beyond the western
personnel barracks swayed slightly in the cool gusts, shedding leaves
to dance across the grassy ground.
The rising wail of the klaxon alarms brought an abrupt end to the
peace. Their warning tones rang out across the compound. Overhead lights
automatically came on throughout the western personnel barracks, illuminating
the four dozen men as they hurried to respond to the situation. Bright
ovals of light from the search lights outside cast themselves across
the main courtyard, trying to locate the source of the intrusion.
In his quarters, Lieutenant Colonel Thontan snapped awake at
the sound of the first alarm. Forgetting all about sleep, the battle
worn officer swung out of bed and reached for the phone. He pressed
the watch-tower line and got to his feet, taking the cordless receiver
with him.
"Report." He barked. He could already hear the rhythmic footfalls
of his men on the courtyard below, rushing out on order, armed and
ready to deal with anything. A crackling of static drowned out the
watch tower officer's first words, and then he heard the humming...
"...just outside, sir! It's just hovering over the main courtyard!
My god..." The officer cried, while the unintelligible mumblings of
his second in command in the background were clearly audible. Thontan
stood up straight, a heavy frown crossing his aged face.
"Get a hold of yourself, man! Remember who you are, you're a Blackstone
Marine. You knew when you were assigned here what you would one day
see." When nothing else came from the receiver, Lieutenant Colonel
Thontan grunted in annoyance and stomped his way to the window.
Drawing back the heavy blinds, Thontan looked out onto his own view
of the courtyard.
There it was. Just as the officer had said, just 'hanging' in the
air, two stories off of the ground and level with his window. A jet
black craft, some sixty feet long and twenty feet wide. It was darker
than the night around it. It was so silent Thontan could hear the rustling
of the trees in the wind between the wails of the claxons. Thontan
stepped back sharply, and the craft moved. It darted sharply to the
left, shattering through the roof of the western personnel barracks,
and disappeared just beyond it. Straight towards the ground. The impact
tremor shook every building in the compound.
Thontan breathed in and out deeply, raising the receiver to his ear.
"This is Lieutenant Colonel Thontan, we have a Code 11 on the ground.
All recon units dispatch immediately to the western barracks."
The first recon unit marched across the courtyard, comprised of twelve
armed men dressed in bio hazard suits accompanied by a similarly dressed
yet unarmed base scientist. They rounded the corner of the western
barracks building and stopped in their tracks. Bits of the barracks'
roof were strewn across the ground, some lying on the rim of the thirty
foot wide impact crater that had just been punched into the ground.
Some seventeen Ponderosa pines lay flattened on the ground, the first
row now crushed within the crater, the outer rows flattened by some
other means. The base scientist gingerly extended a Geiger counter
towards the rim of the crater, being sufficiently covered by his armed
companions. Upon sighting the movement in the crated he halted.
"Something's alive down there..." He voiced, and was immediately
flanked by the armed men, giving him cover. He remained back while
the armed men slowly began to inch closer. The scientist, McKenzie
his tag read, moved back further as the first inhuman scream exploded
from the crater. He slipped and fell to the ground as more men rushed
by, training their guns on the figure in the crater. The figure that
held its head in its hands, and screamed...
...LURE...
FBI Building, Washington DC
April, 2001. Tuesday morning 8:52 am
Special Agent Fox Mulder sat behind his desk, an old case file opened
out in front of him, chewing on a sunflower seed. Silence pervaded
the room except for the tiny cracking sounds coming from his mouth
as he expertly split the husk. His hazel eyes scoured the file, searching
for something. Anything.
The office door opened, but Mulder didn't look up. He didn't need
to look up. There was only one other person who ever came through that
door. He heard his partner's heels click their way across the office
floor, saw out of the corner of his eye as she dumped her briefcase
on what she used as a desk. Only when she settled into the chair across
from him did he look up. She regarded him with her bright blue eyes
for a few moments, her eyebrow rising up a little.
"Seed?" Mulder offered her. Scully sighed.
"I take it that you've got nothing."
Mulder flicked the useless file and leaned back in his chair, his
answering silence being the only response he gave her. Scully nodded,
and reclined as far as she could in her own chair, folding her arms.
"Well, maybe we should make a start on our growing pile of expense
reports." Scully provided. Mulder groaned, rolling his eyes back and
twirling his chair a little.
"There's no chance you have a pack of cards on you is there?"
Mulder asked, but the look of determination had already settled on
his partner's face. Paper work it was until a new case showed up. He
extended his lower lip in what he hoped to be a sad and endearing expression.
It didn't even chink Scully's armour. She merely separated the two
piles waiting for them, plonking one before him.
"Sooner we start, sooner it gets done." Scully said, walking
over with her own pile of work to her area. She paused by her so called
'desk' to watch Mulder flick through the top pages, looking like he'd
lost his best friend in the whole world. Scully sighed.
"Mulder, I know you find this boring. So do I. But it's..."
The ringing of Mulder's desk phone cut her off in mid sentence. Mulder
picked it up after the first ring, looking hopeful that it might be
about something that could lead to a case. Scully forgot all about
the paperwork as she watched a frown slowly form on his face as he
listened to the voice on the other end.
"Now..? Sir, what is this abou... Yes, we're on our way. I just want
to know what..." Mulder tried to cut in. His hazel eyes met hers as
he dropped the phone back to its cradle. Mulder was on his feet in
a second, his eyes never leaving Scully's.
"That was Skinner. He wants us in his office now."
"Right now?" Scully asked, but the deepening frown on Mulder's face
put a halt to any argument she might have had. He nodded once, rounding
the table and striding for the door. Scully almost had to run to match
his pace, trying to side up to him.
"Mulder? Why?" Scully pressed, stopping beside her partner as they
entered the elevator. Mulder hit the floor number.
"He didn't say, but he sounded... almost alarmed. I don't know."
Mulder glanced back at Scully, her expression now mirroring his own.
He gave her a lopsided smile.
"At least we're getting out of the paper work for a bit." He got
a tiny smile from his partner. It faded as soon as they reached their
floor.
The agents strode through the hallway towards Skinner's office, peering
through the glass partition into his assistant's area. They were shocked
to see Kimberly looking out for them anxiously, almost leaning over
her desk as they entered her view.
"The Assistant Director will see you now." Kimberly spoke quietly
to the agents when they walked through the door. Mulder and Scully
nodded once to the assistant, only stopping when they reached the office
door. Scully glanced up at Mulder briefly, he reading her concern loud
and clear, as her hand gripped the handle.
Scully opened the door to see Assistant Director Skinner standing
by his desk, staring warningly at the three men in front of him dressed
in military fatigues. Mulder's jaw dropped open slightly in his shock,
his pulse rate increasing the instant he saw the military uniforms.
A flash of dark blue to the right caught Scully's eye, she turning
to see a fourth man seated at the meeting table. Judging by his three
star decorated uniform, Scully knew this man was a high ranking officer.
He was flicking through a file as calmly as one would flick through
the morning paper.
"Agents Mulder, Scully. These men are from the Blackstone
Military Base in Montana." Assistant Director Skinner rumbled, "I received
a call from Lieutenant Colonel Thontan," He nodded towards the seated
man, "ten minutes ago, advising me of this visit. It appears he has
a proposition for you."
Mulder stepped towards his superior, trying to read the dark
eyes behind his glasses. He could only see mistrust.
Both agents turned as the seated Lieutenant Colonel gave a
grunt. He shifted his battle worn body in the chair to focus on the
agents. Lines of age creased his face, but his eyes were bright.
"You have quite a history, Agent Mulder. You've clocked up quite
a few frequent flyer miles. Look here! Oregon, Idaho, Wisconsin." The
man's broad chest shook with a laugh, "Texas, Virginia, even Florida!
Then there's your overseas 'trips'. You've been to Mexico, Russia,
the Arctic Circle." The Lieutenant Colonel pushed himself to his feet,
closing Mulder's file on the desk while giving the agent a crooked
grin.
"Quite impressive for a one man operation. No offence to you, Agent
Scully."
Mulder stared at the older man, his mouth gaping a little further
at the fact that he had just been going through his file.
"Assistant Director, how did he..." Mulder began, but was cut off
quickly by the Lieutenant Colonel.
"It wasn't anything I didn't already know, Agent Mulder. Your pursuit
for proof of the existence of extra-terrestrials is almost common knowledge."
The older man grunted. Mulder's frown deepened.
"Common knowledge to whom?!" Mulder asked, unable to keep the tones
of trepidation and irritation from his voice.
The Lieutenant Colonel stopped before the agents, now ignoring the
Assistant Director. When Skinner made a move to intervene he was summarily
grunted at, as if he was a Private to be dismissed.
"Lieutenant Colonel Thontan, sir, I have never heard of a Blackstone
Military Base in Montana." Agent Scully spoke up, catching Thontan's
attention. Thontan locked eyes with the female Agent. She did not look
away, she stared almost defiantly right back. Not in the least intimidated
by his military status.
"Which base are you familiar with in Montana, Agent Scully?"
"There is the Malmstrom Air Force base outside of Great Falls. There
is also the Fort Harrison army base in Helena." Scully replied proficiently.
Thontan's grin stretched from ear to ear.
"Very good." Thontan rumbled, "The Blackstone installation has only
recently been constructed. She received her first unit in 1998, and
I took charge a few months after that." Thontan returned his focus
to Mulder, holding his hands behind his back. Mulder felt uneasy under
his scrutinizing gaze, as if the man was trying to peer through layers
of his skin and peruse through his mind like he had with his file.
"Agent Mulder, I'd like you, and your partner if you wish, to return
with me to the Blackstone base. There is something there that I know
you'll want to see. Of course, this is only a request." Thontan puffed
out his chest in sigh, "From one man who knows to another."
Mulder shook his head, rubbing his forehead in frustrated exasperation.
He could not believe this military official had come all the way from
Montana just to stand in Skinner's office and act like he owned the
building.
"And that would be what?" Mulder asked.
Thontan turned towards his men, holding one hand out while keeping
his attention on the agents. A briefcase was opened by the second man
and a file was handed over to the Lieutenant Colonel, who then handed
it to Mulder. Mulder took the file, giving the military officer a wary
look. He opened the file and his heart stopped dead in his chest.
"I was in an AWAC over the Antarctic ice shelf when I saw it."
Thontan spoke, his voice low and deadly serious. He tapped the glossy
A4 photo of the alien ship, the very ship that Mulder had rescued Scully
from only moments before, "Rising up over the Pole of Inaccessibility.
A big god damned craft coming out of the ice, just under a kilometre
in diameter, leaving behind a gaping crater that no bastard could miss.
I was the only one to get any shots of it, and it was gone so fast
most of the crew had convinced themselves they saw nothing by the time
we got back.
"Suddenly the project no one wanted to touch became a terrifying
possibility. I was the only one with the balls to take it. The Blackstone
base was created with its goal in mind."
Scully took hold of the picture and stared at it in pure incredulity.
Mulder had staggered back a step, his muscles slack as his mind tried
to take in what he had just been handed. A photograph of the ship from
Antarctica... a ship no one had known about except himself and Scully.
An aerial shot, from above the craft.
Assistant Director Skinner looked from Scully to Mulder, watching
as they both took in information that seemed to stagger them. He made
a motion to step forward, but was met by an austere glare from the
Lieutenant Colonel. At ease, soldier. As a former Marine, he knew what
the man meant. This wasn't his place.
"This is in my ball park now, Assistant Director." Thontan grunted
quietly. The Lieutenant Colonel recaptured Mulder's attention, holding
his hand out for the file.
"Agent Mulder, at Blackstone base we deal exclusively with the recovery
and examination of downed alien space craft. And at approximately 1:30
in the early morning of last Wednesday we managed to recover such a
craft. The vehicle is stored in a hanger at the base, and its single
occupant is currently being observed in the maximum security wing."
Thontan gave his waiting men a nod to indicate they were about to leave,
"If you wish to take me up on my offer, just follow my men. I have
the jet on standby by at the airport. Thank you for your time and co-operation,
Assistant Director."
With that the Lieutenant Colonel began to make his way from the office.
Mulder turned around, still flabbergasted at what had just taken place,
he barely hearing Skinner demanding to know what the hell was going
on. All he was aware of was that he needed to say something quickly...
"Lieutenant Colonel, we accept." He blurted out, to which Scully
gasped at. Her arm was taken by Mulder as he followed the uniformed
men out of the door, turning around to give his astounded superior
a quick apologetic shrug.
"You can read about it in the report, sir." He shot out as he disappeared
from the office.
Scully found herself having almost to run once again to keep up with
her partner, wanting to speak to his face rather than the back of his
head. They were moving through the FBI building at a rapid pace.
"Mulder! What the hell are you doing? You're following this man for
what reason? That he says he has a UFO? Mulder!" Scully exclaimed angrily,
grabbing Mulder's arm to rein him back a bit.
"Scully... I know this seems a little crazy. But I think this time..."
Mulder shook his head in exasperation, "Didn't you see the photo? It
was the ship! From Antarctica. No one knows about it, Scully! I saw
it, I know it is that ship!"
They turned a corner and entered the elevator, Mulder and Scully moving
to the back of it behind the enlisted men. Scully stared at Mulder
in sheer disbelief.
"They could have fabricated that picture on any PC with a scanner
and photographic editing software! Cut and paste, Mulder! I can not
believe you are falling for this!"
Mulder stepped back, looking like he'd been slapped. He rubbed a hand
down his face.
"Scully... I... How could they have duplicated the same craft, no
one saw it but me. You were there, Scully."
"Yes, Mulder. I was in Antarctica. I was half numb with frostbite
and was physically fatigued. And you had just spent 48 hours on the
go with no sleep and a gun shot wound to the head." Scully replied,
and stopped when she saw the hurt on Mulder's face intensify. He closed
his eyes, sucking his lower lip into his mouth. He sighed as the elevator
doors opened, the marines marching out first.
"Scully. I know what I saw." Mulder looked back at Scully, shaking
his head tiredly. There was an ache in his chest, the one he always
got when he and Scully argued. The one he always got when she gave
him that look, seeing the incredulity in her eyes. It was rare when
he saw that, he could only count a few times. When he stood on one
side of the fence and she remained stubbornly on the other.
Scully held Mulder's gaze, feelings of fear and uncertainty clouding
her heart. Mulder was so desperate to believe. He would do anything
to learn the truth, and that was just what Lieutenant Colonel Thontan
was dangling before him, like a carrot. She reached out to touch his
hand.
"Mulder, I know you do. And I believe in you. But I don't trust what
is happening here... We can find out another way, Mulder."
Mulder looked at Scully's delicate hand touching his, and then to
the marines waiting in the FBI building reception area. He closed his
eyes again. He knew what Scully was saying, and there was a part of
him, some small part that agreed. But the craft in the photo... He
had memorized its every line, every alien structure as it passed over
head. Granted, he hadn't seen it from above, but what he had made out
matched what he remembered exactly. Eccentric behaviour or not, the
man had seen it.
"Scully. You don't have to come with me, if you don't want to. But
this is something I have to look in to. He knows something, I know
that. And not just because of the photo. Why do you think he came to
us? He could have sent for us from the base."
Scully dropped her eyes from his, seeing his absolute determination.
There was nothing she could say, Thontan had done too good a job. She
felt his hand gently touch her arm, as if trying to get a response
from her. There was only one response she could give.
"All right, Mulder." She said, more resignedly than she had wanted,
but Mulder had not picked up on it. Once he had her support again,
Mulder was off. Scully followed behind him, this time not hurrying
to keep his pace. She stayed back to guard his rear, which she realised
she would be doing for the majority of this 'case', until what ever
conclusion came their way.
The ride to the airport was in heavy silence. Apparently the Lieutenant
Colonel had gone ahead of them in another car to the military jet,
they had been told by his men he would join them there.
Both agents looked out of the car window as it rolled to a stop on
the tarmac, airport personnel moving out of its way. Mulder and Scully
stepped out of the car, looking towards the small military owned jet
waiting only a few metres away, its engines already running. The agents
were escorted from the car and towards the boarding stairs that were
positioned by the entrance hatch of the jet.
The whine of the engines died to a low hum once they were
inside. Mulder and Scully stopped in the aisle. Six more men of the
Military persuasion stared at the agents, all wearing uniforms of higher
rank than those of the Marines who had escorted them. Mulder felt a
slight prod at his side, and he heard a grunted voice from behind him.
"Please take a seat, sir."
Mulder followed Scully to a nice aisle seat, far from the closest
marine, and sat down. Mulder found to his surprise there was plenty
of leg room, and the seats themselves were rather comfortable. He adjusted
his Armani suit slightly and then looked to Scully to see how she was
faring. She was already buckled in. She gave him a half smile, indicating
she was all right. Mulder leaned in to her slightly, keeping his voice
low.
"They haven't made any move to disarm us." He whispered, his eyebrows
rising in surprise. He would have thought that it would have been their
first move. Scully nodded, but otherwise didn't respond. She signed
internally, hoping that once Mulder had seen that the military officer
was obviously crazy and had nothing to support his claim they would
be back on the plane before lunchtime. Mulder looked up as all of the
military men drew to sudden attention as the officer in charge stepped
through the door of the cabin. Lieutenant Colonel Thontan straightened
himself up, giving the all too small door a glare of annoyance, and
basked in the respect of his men briefly. Leaving them at attention
for the moment, the weathered officer plucked a cigar from a lapel
pocket and fingered it.
"Sit down gentlemen, enjoy the flight." He grumbled, his wrinkled
face forming a smile, waving his cigar bearing hand at the seats, "Smoke
if you will." Thontan's eyes then darted to the FBI agents sitting
further down, and his smile increased.
As his men got themselves settled, the Lieutenant Colonel strode down
the aisle, followed by only one assistant. His dark but shining eyes
never left those of the agents. He stopped before them, and slowly
eased himself into a seat facing them. His right knee cracked loudly,
and the aged officer barked out a laugh.
"Damn, I'm showing my impediments. Do excuse that." He chuckled,
resting his hand on the offending knee.
Scully only smiled briefly, then clutched on to the arm rests
as the jet began its way down the run way. The Lieutenant Colonel calmly
lit his cigar as the jet left the ground, he puffing away contentedly.
Only when the air craft had levelled off did Scully let go of the arm
rests. Out of the corner of her eye she could see her partner shifting
about in his seat, seeming anxious to speak. Scully quickly shifted
forward, stepping in before Mulder could open his mouth.
"So, Lieutenant Colonel Thontan. You say you have a UFO at your base."
Scully opened with, folding her hands in her lap. The military officer
only grinned at her barely concealed disbelief. Mulder chewed on his
lower lip and nudged Scully's elbow to get her attention. Scully completely
ignored him and fixed her strongest glare on the military officer.
Thontan's smile nearly split his weathered face in two.
"I wouldn't have come all this way to get you two if I hadn't, Agent."
He chuckled, shifting himself into a more comfortable position. His
eyes never left Scully's, he not flinching under her gaze. Scully merely
continued.
"Do you have some evidence to back up your claim, a photograph perhaps?"
Scully asked.
Thontan's chest rumbled in a low chuckle, "Actually no. Our cameras
won't work when we try to take any kind of shot of it."
"What do mean, 'won't work'?" Mulder asked.
"They turn off whenever we pointed them at the craft. No matter how
far away we tried to take the shot." Thontan's smile was slowly disappearing.
His forehead creased slightly with his thoughts.
Scully shook her head, leaning back in her seat, "I don't believe
I'm hearing this."
Thontan watched the pair, Mulder giving her a pat on her arm, and
she shrugged it off, and propped up her head wearily. His gaze lingered
on Scully the longest.
"It's not uncommon. In fact most people cannot handle the concept
of alien life. All Marines wishing to work at the Blackstone Base are
put through rigorous testing to prepare them, the drop out rate of
which is over 90%. I've seen grown men piss themselves, drop to the
ground and wail like babies during the training." Thontan fingered
his cigar, "To see something truly alien... there's not a terror like
it."
Mulder leaned forward in his seat, getting the Lieutenant Colonel's
attention, hoping to take the heat off of Scully. He could see her
fear building, despite the stern front she was putting up. He locked
gazes with the Lieutenant Colonel for the second time that day and
saw nothing but sheer resolve in his eyes. The conviction that came
with knowing the truth. The Lieutenant Colonel nodded almost imperceptibly
at Mulder, seeing the same in the Agent's eyes.
"I know what you're both thinking. This is no joke. The alien craft
I am holding at my base is real, as is what I believe to be the pilot
of that craft. But as they say, seeing is believing..."
Thontan turned in his seat and hollered back down the aisle.
"Major Paxton, tell the pilot to begin his approach from the west.
We'll land on the western runway. Closest to the Site." Thontan boomed,
and the Major left his seat to comply.
"We'll be landing at the base in a few hours time. I'll have the
galley opened so you can have something to eat. I suggest you rest
up before we get there. You're going to need it." Thontan grunted and
pushed himself up from his seat, leaving the agents to sit in thoughtful
silence.
...DISCOVERY...
It was mid afternoon when the military jet began its descent towards
the Blackstone military base. Both Mulder and Scully left their seats
and moved to the nearest window, wanting to get a good look at the
facility. Mulder held onto the head rest, craning his neck as far as
he could towards the ground as they neared the base. He felt more than
heard Thontan approach them.
"We should be coming up on the crash site now." His voice rumbled
behind them.
The descending jet's shadow streaked across the Ponderosa pines that
bordered the western edge of the base. Then they saw it. A huge clearing
at the edge of the pines, just before one of the base buildings. Scully's
forehead creased when she saw the huge crater, and the crushed trees
around it. She and Mulder shared a glance, her heart rate increasing
along with the nagging feelings of fear.
Mulder and Scully moved into the aisle as the jet rolled to a stop
on the tarmac. The enlisted men stood waiting for the Lieutenant Colonel's
orders, not willing to move an inch without his expressed say so.
"All right, rest time is over. Major Paxton, get to Specimen Analysis
and brief the team on our current situation." Thontan gave the FBI
agents a nod and began towards the hatch.
Mulder and Scully followed the military officer down the waiting
stairs and on to the tarmac. Thontan led them towards a large open
quadrangle, not far from the crater they had passed over. Mulder took
a quick glance about the area. Apart from their small group, there
were no other people in sight. No squads of marines marching in time.
There was absolute silence. He and Scully exchanged nervous glances,
their brows furrowing.
When they had walked halfway across the vast quadrangle, Thontan stopped
them with an outstretched arm.
"Wait." He barked. Mulder looked at the area before them. Thontan
had stopped at the edge of a white line. The line stretched for twenty
feet, before falling away, tapering off some fifty feet beyond them.
Scully tucked some hair back that was blowing around in the slight
wind. Thontan turned to face them with sheer excitement lighting up
his face, and then walked into the marked area. He walked carefully,
as if he were walking on sacred ground, his eyes never leaving the
asphalt. Mulder glanced to the men standing with them and was shocked
to see the expressions of stark fear. One of the men decorated as a
Major was visibly trembling.
Thontan stopped before a white circle marked on the ground. He looked
up at the agents, smiling somewhat shakily.
"Come stand here..." He said quietly, reverently. Mulder moved first,
the small stones crunching under his feet as he stepped into the marked
area. Scully moved to walk beside him, not wanting to be left behind.
Her heart pounded in her chest as she walked. The hair that had been
waving in the wind suddenly settled. Scully looked to Mulder's short
fuzzy hair and saw that it too had stopped moving. The breeze had stopped
blowing. Seeming as if in slow motion, Scully looked back to the waiting
military officers on the other side of the line. Their hair was still
being buffeted by the slight breeze...
She bumped into Mulder, who had stopped before one of the circles.
She felt his soft hand touch hers, as if trying to ground her, and
then took his place at her side. Mulder was staring at Thontan, every
muscle tensed.
"Go into the circle. But you might want to kneel down first." Thontan
voiced, in the same reverent tones, his eyes wide with excitement.
Mulder stood for a few moments, having not felt the wind since he
entered the marked area also. The stones sounded different as well...
the sound was slightly duller... He slowly knelt, looking towards the
white painted circle, keeping beyond it until his knees touched ground.
Closing his eyes, he leant into the area above the marked circle...
...INEXPLICABLE FORCES SURGED THROUGH HIS BODY, SHIMMERING THROUGH
EVERY CELL... SEEMING TO PUSH THEM, ACCELERATE THEM... RE-ALIGNING
THEM... HE WAS EMERSED IN DARKNESS, YET FELT WARM AND SOOTHED, HE
SOARED...
Mulder pulled back, shaking from what he'd just felt. A light sweat
had broken out on his forehead, and his whole body felt slightly warmer.
A gentle tingling sensation filled him... it was like nothing he'd
ever felt before, but he wasn't frightened...
"Mulder!" Scully gasped, on her knees beside him, shocked at what
she'd just seen. Mulder hovering in place, his skin had seemed to ripple
in place...
"I'm okay Scully..." Mulder breathed, looking up at Thontan, trembling
visibly now. He had to blink the tears from his eyes... it had been
wonderful...
"Mulder..." Scully gripped him harder. Mulder looked at her, a smile
breaking out and he took her hand.
"Scully... it was like... it went through me. I felt it all through
me... it was wonderful..." He gasped.
"Agents." Thontan caught their attention, "Watch this." He dug his
hand into a jacket pocket and brought out whatever was in it, some
coins, a few pieces of paper, and a spare cigar. He knelt down before
the circle himself, and then dropped the items into it.
They stopped a foot from the ground. They hung in silence, the coins,
the paper and the cigar. Perfectly suspended above the asphalt.
Scully's mouth dropped open. Mulder's eyes grew even larger. Thontan's
mouth twitched in a smile at their reactions, and he flicked one of
the coins. It began spinning, and didn't slow down.
"I tried this when we first encased the craft. The coin span continuously
for three days, without slowing, before the area stopped emitting the
anti grav. The area shifted, its been here for the last two days."
Scully felt her strength leave her. She barely noticed Mulder's arm
as he caught her. All she could do was stare at the coin as it span,
defying all known physics, the laws she trusted, the laws she depended
on. Without sound, the coin spun on.
Mulder shoved aside his elation to focus on his stunned partner. He
hauled her up with him as she got to his feet, she just staring and
shaking. Thontan nodded gently.
"It's the shock. Not a good sign. She hasn't even seen the occupant
yet."
Mulder tightened his hold. He could barely believe it himself.
"Real..?!" He gasped, words having escaped him.
Thontan only grinned, and moved around the circle.
"You haven't seen anything yet."
Mulder followed Thontan out of the marked area, supporting Scully
as she could barely stand. The cool wind returned to ruffle his hair
as soon as he stepped outside of the area.
Agent Mulder and Scully could only follow the Lieutenant Colonel in
silence as he led them from the marked quadrangle. Mulder was still
trembling from his experience, the physical sensations lingering on
pleasantly. He looked to the stunned Scully under his arm and tightened
his hold on her, his forehead creasing with worry. She was staring
vacantly into space, letting herself be guided without any resistance,
her body boneless against his. He had never seen her this way... but
then she had never been faced with the absolute reality of an alien
space craft before. While conscious anyway...
They were stopped before the entrance to the main building of the
base. Mulder gently stroked Scully's head reassuringly as Thontan entered
his access code into the hydraulically sealed doors, feeling helpless
to stop her trembles. His concern grew when he felt her gripping him
tighter as the doors hissed open, sliding apart and out of sight into
the wall.
Scully held onto Mulder, her rational mind too frightened to realise
that she shouldn't be doing so. She fought internally against the terror
that gripped her. Her mind refused to believe what it had seen. She
couldn't believe... It couldn't be true! If... if that really was one
of Their craft under the asphalt... then Mulder was right. And They
did exist. They did exist... they did exist...
Scully closed her eyes tightly, desperately trying to focus on something
else. She concentrated hard on Mulder's comforting hand...
Thontan's voice gradually returned to her consciousness.
"...ready yet? Damn. Summers, give me your radio. I think the batteries
are dead in this one." Thontan handed the marine named Summers his
dead radio and took the working one, and strode ahead of the group,
leading them inside. Mulder frowned, wondering why he had to use a
hand held radio, were the phones out? He checked his cell phone with
his free hand, and found its screen completely blank.
"There must be interference with the signals, my cell phone's not
working." Mulder said for Scully's benefit. Thontan grunted ahead of
them, turning to grin slightly.
"Astute observation, Agent. Most of our standard communication equipment
isn't. Including the phones. We are having some success with these
small close range radios though."
"Ever since the ship came." Added Summers, which only strengthened
the grin on his superior officer's face. Mulder felt Scully squeeze
him just a bit tighter at his words. Mulder rubbed her back comfortingly,
hiding his own growing fear behind a crooked grin. This was real. This
guy, however cocky, was not playing around...
"Major Paxton, what is the status of Specimen Analysis?" Thontan
barked into the radio.
"...The final results have come in, and they've been triple checked.
Same result each time." Crackled the reply.
Thontan's face clenched slightly in thought, "Have McKenzie meet us
outside Observation. We'll be going straight in." Thontan returned
the radio to the belt holder, looking back at the FBI agents.
"We'll be doing down three floors to Level 3; Specimen Analysis."
He informed them. The Private named Summers remained with the group,
but the others moved away on a glance from Thontan. Mulder watched
them disappear down a side corridor, and he swallowed somewhat nervously.
Thontan led the agents through the metallic hallways of his base,
moving through hydraulic lock after hydraulic lock. Each hallway segment
ended or started with one, complete with green and red indicator lights
above them. Mulder watched the lights change from red to green as the
lock was opened. He was watching one when it began to flicker, the
green indication light threatening to go out. The activated lock ahead
of them seemed similarly afflicted, its red indicator flickering also.
After a few seconds both of the locks returned to normal of their own
accord.
The Lieutenant Colonel frowned, not liking what he had just
seen.
"How long have the locks been fluctuating like this?" He grunted.
"First time I've seen it." Private Summers voiced. Thontan shook
his head, glaring at the indication lights in undisguised irritation.
Once they had reached level three, Mulder felt Scully pull away from
his supporting arm and straighten out her pants suit. She walked the
rest of the way without his help. She gave Mulder a tight smile when
he tried to look into her face and answered him before he could even
ask.
"I'm fine, Mulder."
Thontan turned, and nodded his approval at her recovery.
"Nice of you to rejoin us, Agent Scully." He rumbled. Scully held
his gaze but her chin twitched slightly, she embarrassed at being caught
in a weak moment. Shifting her eyes she finally focused on the sight
before her. Large viewing windows ran the length of the corridor, from
floor to ceiling, the closest window bearing sign 'Specimen Analysis'.
Thontan didn't give them time to take in the view, he was already
moving towards the entrance. Mulder and Scully had to increase their
pace just to keep up. They strode through the labs, past white-coated
technicians who stopped their work to stare at them. Scully's eyes
travelled across the work stations, which sported the most impressive
array of equipment and labware she had ever seen. The largest station
held a fully automated DNA sequencer complete with robotic sampling
arms. Scully's eyes widened at the size of it, the soft flashes from
the laser mass spectrometer busy at work within the bulking device.
Scully tore her eyes from the advanced equipment to find themselves
walking towards a heavily sealed section, with multiple hydraulic locks,
each one opening as Thontan approached. They left the last of the locks
to stand in a white room, the words 'Specimen Observation and Containment'
stretching across the wall to the side of them. Scully followed the
words and saw a stairwell leading to another door, one marked Observation.
On the lower level, equipped with a decontamination chamber, was a
hatched marked Cell 01. From where they stood they could see the unbelievable
amount of pneumatics and locking devices on the hatch to Cell 01. In
the hiss of the cool air Scully could just make out the red laser beams
that criss-crossed it.
"Oh my, you really did it..." Came a gasp, and the agents
turned to see a white coated scientist staring at them from a panel.
He padded closer, peering at the agents through his black rimmed spectacles.
He was a short man, the same height as Scully, and was remarkable thin.
His face was thinly boned, which only made his glasses stand out further.
The label 'nerd' sprang to Mulder's mind briefly.
"Agents, meet Dr McKenzie, he is in charge of the specimen,"
Thontan began, but was cut off by the wiry scientist. He shook his
head, the action reminding Mulder of a sparrow ruffling its feathers.
"He is not a specimen! He has feelings," He glared briefly at the
officer in charge, "and I am not pleased with your tactics." He stomped
back to the panel, picking up the roster chart, and waved it, "Language
tests, pain sensitivity exams... I did not authorize any of this!"
Thontan didn't blink in the face of the small scientist's anger.
"McKenzie, you have had five days. Five days and still he hasn't
spoken a single word! I think it is safe to say that your 'gentle'
approach has failed."
McKenzie shifted about on his feet, able to feel the quiet impatience
rolling off of the Lieutenant Colonel in waves. He looked to the FBI
agents, not seeming surprised to see them.
"And so you brought them in?" He spoke quietly, his eyes loosing
their angry spark. Mulder could have sworn that sadness replaced it...
Thontan rumbled deep in his broad chest, "Yes." He turned to look
at the agents, "He won't talk to us. Perhaps he'll talk to someone
more... 'familiar'."
Mulder and Scully glanced to each other, each seeing the other's apprehension.
Each knew what was meant by the term 'specimen'. Scully watched as
Mulder's pupils dilated in his growing excitement, saw as his features
changed, his smile of awe from before slowly returning.
Scully breathed out slowly, putting a hand on her partner's arm to
remind him of where they were standing, and looked to the scientist.
"Will someone please tell us what is going on? Why have you brought
us here? What do you claim to have here?" Scully asked, surprised at
how strongly she could speak, inside she was shaking from unparalleled
fear.
McKenzie gave her a soft smile, ignoring the military officer, who
was moving to stand in the background.
"Of course, Agent... er..."
"Scully."
"Yes. I think the best way would be to just show you..." McKenzie
began towards the stairwell leading to the Observation room. Mulder
glanced quickly at his partner's face and saw the fear in her eyes.
He took hold of her hand, giving it a squeeze as McKenzie opened the
Observation room hatch via a keypad.
"Scully..." Mulder whispered, his eyes searching hers. Her clear
blue orbs glistened back, shaky but determined. Scully knew what he
meant with that single word.
"I'm okay Mulder... I.. whatever we find in there, we'll find it
together." She answered, giving him a smile despite her fear. Mulder
felt his chest lighten somewhat, and he felt the emotion he kept so
closely guarded try to creep through his sturdy walls. He felt such
love for her at that moment...
"Agents, you can step inside," McKenzie called out. Mulder led the
way up the stairs, not letting go of Scully's hand, and stepped through
the entrance with Scully right beside him.
Inside the room was larger than it had appeared out side. An array
of computer panels spread across the far wall, with some 21 inch screens
above them currently displaying nothing but static. Some bagged items
were on a metallic table to one side. The room was mostly dark, the
only illumination came from the computer screens and from the clear
spex viewing window looking down on the Cell below. A technician sat
on the only chair, studiously observing any activity in the Cell. His
attention did not waver as the FBI agents crept in.
The pair warily stepped towards the window, Scully gripping
Mulder's arm with her other hand as they turned to look through it
at the same time. They nearly dropped to the floor in their resulting
shock.
The holding Cell was sparsely furnished, with only a bed in the back,
and a round table in the front, only a meter from the viewing window.
Seated at that table was Mulder. Or a man who looked just like him.
Mulder's knees almost gave way, he found himself having to
steady himself against the panel with one hand. He stared in absolute
disbelief.
'Mulder' sat on a chair, his bare arms resting on the table. He was
dressed in faded blue jeans and a black t-shirt. His hair was tussled
and he had dark patches under his eyes. He just sat and stared at the
table, every now and again opening his mouth in a slightly deeper breath.
His forehead furrowed in emotion suddenly, and he squeezed his eyes
shut as if to force it back, wiping his hands over his face. After
a few moments he seemed to calm, and he returned to staring. His hazel
eyes were heavy with sadness.
Scully began trembling in her shock, her mouth hanging open as she
stared at a man who looked exactly like her partner. Who's eyes seemed
to bear the same pain...
"Oh my god..." She breathed, unconsciously holding on to Mulder tighter,
digging her nails into his arm.
McKenzie sided up to the gasping agents, looking into the Cell himself.
"I was in the first recon team out to the crash site. I was the first
to see him. Stumbling through the dirt kicked up by the craft,
not three feet away from it. His eyes were wild... When he saw us he
let out this horrific scream. He fought against the men that rushed
in, he didn't stop screaming." McKenzie shook his head, wincing, the
memory still fresh in his mind, "It was as if he was insane. He was
injected with sedatives, but they had no effect. He had to be carried
to the decontamination unit, where he screamed and hit at the walls
for hours. He cried so wretchedly... And then at 4:40 am he silenced.
When the men returned to take him out of decontamination, he didn't
resist.
"Once he was out of decontamination, we were able to retrieve his
ID from his jeans pocket." McKenzie moved to the metallic table where
he picked up an FBI identification wallet wrapped in plastic. He held
it out for Scully to take. She took it numbly, opening it, revealing
the bright blue letters of the FBI, gold emblem, and Mulder's photo.
"As soon as we learned of his government agent status, Thontan contacted
the FBI only to learn that Agent Mulder was in DC and had been the
whole time. Over the following 48 hours hundreds of tests were performed,
and DNA was extracted for fingerprinting." The scientist continued.
Mulder tried to still her shaking hand with his own. He reached into
his pocket with his free hand and withdrew his ID wallet. He flipped
it open.
"Oh my god..." Scully gasped, a hand going to her mouth. Both photos
and signatures matched.
Mulder was quickly gathering himself together, feeling a fury rise
within him that he hadn't felt for a few years. A fury that served
to chase away his shock.
"That is not a man. He looks like a man, but he's not." Mulder growled.
McKenzie shook his head, opening his mouth to speak, but Mulder didn't
give him time to get any words out.
"NO. Listen to me, he's... a shape-shifting alien. I've seen this
before, he can become anyone!" Mulder exclaimed, looking from Scully
to the scientist with an urgency in his eyes.
"Yes," Came Thontan's rumbling voice from behind them, "You spoke
about this in your files. Some kind of 'bounty hunter' that can take
the form of others, right?"
Mulder whirled and pointed excitedly, amazed and energised that the
military officer knew what he was talking about. Thontan snorted in
the face of his passion, shaking his head slowly. Scully moved past
them to the table, looking at the other items on it. 'Mulder's' wallet,
car keys, and reams of bloodwork data.
"I was able to take photographs of the Antarctic craft, Agent Mulder.
Presumably belonging to the same alien race as the 'bounty hunter'.
But this one, not a chance. It is..."
"Blood was toxic..." Scully interrupted.
"What?"
Scully turned to look at him from where she stood.
"You said their blood was toxic... you were affected by it
before in the Arctic Circle. It's like acid. It even burned my shoes
when I stood in a pool of it..." Scully expanded, being only able to
see the facts. It was too glaring a hole for her to ignore. She held
up some of the blood test results, "They were able to take blood from
him, test it..."
"Scully..!" Mulder exclaimed.
"Mulder, I'm only trying to figure this out! We.. we have to consider
everything... what facts we have..." Scully said tiredly.
McKenzie nodded, pushing his spectacles further along his nose.
"Exactly." He joined Scully at the table, handing her the latest
results analysis, "You seem to know what you're doing, what does this
tell you?" He asked. The female agent took the wad of papers, looking
first at the batch code on the top. SAMPLE BLOCK #1 it read. She then
began going through it, her eyes sifting through the jumble of information
that would have confused most other people. To Scully it felt like
coming home, she was back in her element.
"It's a DNA fingerprint analysis, with over 100,000 short tandem
repeats selected..." She looked up, stunned at the enormous size of
the test. It was way more microsatellites than were required for standard
genetic identification. McKenzie nodded softly for her to continue.
"Yes, and here is Agent Mulder's DNA fingerprint analysis." McKenzie
voiced, handing Scully a second DNA band nylon sheet, "This is just
one of the 90 we have, covering all 100,000..."
"What?! How..." Mulder stormed over, and found it was true.
"How did you get this?!" He fumed, glaring at Thontan. The Lieutenant
Colonel's face darkened slightly.
"Courtesy of the FBI database, plus some physical samples from your
last medical. We required it obviously so..."
"So you what, you charged in there, blabbering about National Security
and just took what you wanted?!" Mulder exclaimed, feeling violated
and more than a bit frightened that military personnel could get their
hands on his DNA. Thontan just smiled.
"It's funny you should mention National Security. Here's a thought."
Thontan strolled over to Mulder, a finger on his chin, "An alien space
craft appears over a military base, and then crashes. You come
out of it. The officials there contact the FBI, only to learn there
is an Agent Mulder there as well! Two Mulders!" Thontan's face darkened
even further, "If the craft had crashed at any other base but mine
you would have found yourself in a military prison DAYS ago.
You would have been subjected to every kind of test known to mankind.
Entire teams of scientists would flock to study you, to figure
out how the hell it could be possible."
Mulder stared into Thontan's eyes. His gaze didn't give an inch. Neither
did Mulder's. But it was true... the military would have reacted in
that fashion. His anger faded away as Mulder realised just how long
they had known of the existence of two 'Mulders'. Since last Wednesday...
they'd known all this time. A fresh spurt of fear extinguished all
traces of anger.
"And you want me to thank you, is that it?" Mulder grated, his voice
having lost some of its edge.
"No. Just as I said in your superior's office, I want the truth.
And he knows it." Thontan pointed to the Cell, where 'Mulder' sat dejectedly
at the table, "And he isn't saying a single fucking word. I need you
two to change that."
Scully stared up at Mulder, having been putting as many of the nylon
sheets together as she could. Sheet after sheet of the different DNA
samples were matching up, all of the tagged microsatellites pairing
up neatly, indicating that both samples were from the same individual.
"Mulder.." Was all she could say, she was trembling once again. This
time there was no doubt... "Unless the very foundations of science
are wrong, that man in the Cell is Mulder..."
Mulder stepped forward, "Could the test be wrong..?"
"Not with this many sequences matching... Mulder..." Scully showed
him, paring up sheet after sheet. Mulder turned to stare at Thontan,
clutching a handful of the nylon sheets. But the military officer was
no longer paying attention to him.
"All right. McKenzie, get in there. Try to get him to talk, give
us something we can go on."
The agents moved back to the view window as McKenzie left the Observation
room, taking with him all of 'Mulder's' bagged belongings. Mulder found
himself staring once again at the man inside the cell, clenching his
fists so tight his knuckles cracked.
Scully focused on her breathing as the scientist left. She was feeling
a tension headache coming on. She could barely believe she was looking
in on another man that might be Mulder... the man which all of their
attentions were now focused on.
The hissing of the hydraulic entrance lock shattered the silence within
the Cell. 'Mulder' blinked a little, bringing himself out of the
vacant stare he'd allowed himself to drift off into as the hatch swung
open. He sat up straighter as a bespectacled scientist stepped through
the hatch, carrying the bagged belongings and a hopeful smile.
"Good afternoon! I thought I'd pop back in for a spell. You've been
pretty quiet today." McKenzie spoke friendlily, cautiously moving towards
the table. 'Mulder' turned slightly in his chair to look at his visitor,
but did little else. The sadness never left his eyes. McKenzie sat
down at the table with folded hands, giving 'Mulder' a chance to speak.
'Mulder' didn't take it. Instead he looked back down at the table,
as if loosing interest. McKenzie's smile faded, and he shifted awkwardly
on his seat. The silence in the Cell was so absolute he could hear
the ticking of his wristwatch. McKenzie cleared his throat.
"They tell me you haven't eaten yet. Not that I blame you, military
rations are hardly a nutritious meal." The scientist thought for a
moment, and then brightened, "I can get you something from our own
stock. Travers is quite fond of the 'nuke' pizzas. I could get one
for you if you'd like."
'Mulder' huffed what could be construed as a laugh.
"That's hardly a nutritious meal either." He croaked out, his voice
was harsh and dry, he having not used his voice in some time. He tried
to swallow against the scratchiness, but having little spit all he
could do was roll his paper-dry tongue.
All in the Observation room gasped quietly; he sounded exactly
like Agent Mulder. Scully moved closer to the view window. Now that
the man was moving and speaking, she could tell instantly... Just as
she could always tell with her partner. He moved like Mulder, he held
his hands and flicked his fingers delicately like Mulder. Every tiny
facial expression...
"Oh my god..." She breathed.
McKenzie refrained from over emphasising the fact that the
man had just spoken his first entire sentence in nearly a week. Instead
he tried to keep him speaking.
"Yes. In our testing we learned that you are actually quite healthy.
Your vitamin count is high, your cholesterol low. It seems that you
have been taking good care of yourself for some time. Up until about
two weeks ago." McKenzie leaned forward, "It's the only reason you're
still able to stand now. But you won't be able to for long if you keep
this up."
At this 'Mulder', turned to face him, a frown slightly creasing his
forehead, as if he realised he had something. He seemed to think about
it, and then stiffly shook his head.
"No."
McKenzie sighed, raising a hand to his forehead to rub it. 'Mulder'
just sat, his hazel eyes, bleary and bloodshot, following his every
move. He didn't move a muscle, his chest rose and fell laboriously.
He seemed to be fighting for every lungful of air. McKenzie shook his
head sorrowfully.
"Why do you persist in not eating?"
'Mulder' straightened himself in his chair.
"I'd have thought that there were other questions you'd rather ask
me. Like your colleagues have. 'Where am I from? What was I doing in
an alien space craft? What is Mars like at this time of year?'"
McKenzie kindly shook his head.
"I'm far more concerned with your current state of health, Fox....
Er, Mulder." McKenzie quickly corrected as 'Mulder' grimaced at the
use of his first name, "You haven't eaten a morsel since you arrived.
You've barely drank enough to keep standing. And you are having a terrible
time sleeping, two hours a night if you're lucky, and even then you
quite often cry during asleep." 'Mulder' flinched at that but said
nothing. He just sat quietly under the scrutinising gaze of the scientist.
McKenzie was finding his silence increasingly disquieting. The man
just sat there, not concerned in the least in his own well being, nor
fearful of what else the base scientists might have in store for him.
He gripped the table in exasperation.
"Why, Mr Mulder? You sit in the dark, you mope around. You never
objected once to any of the tests we subjected you to. Why are you
so disconsolate?"
A thoughtful expression crossed 'Mulder's' face briefly.
"You know, I can't think of a single come back for that. That in
itself is pretty sad." 'Mulder' mused. He fell silent again, but remained
facing his visitor, seeming more alert now. McKenzie nodded, seeing
that one avenue of questioning was closed. He reached into his coat
pocket and brought out a palm pc, while putting the bagged belongings
out on the table for 'Mulder's' inspection. This caught the man's attention,
he having not seen his things since decontamination.
'Mulder' was suddenly leaning forward, going through the items. His
hand passed over the wallet, the ID badge, a few papers, ignoring them.
His mouth dropped open and his brow furrowed with emotion, as if something
was missing. And then he deadpanned, sitting back once more. But the
sadness lingered in his eyes, even stronger than before if that was
possible.
McKenzie was curious about his searching, but he didn't comment on
it. Instead he picked up Mulder's ID badge, holding it out to him.
"So you work for the FBI, Mr Mulder?" McKenzie asked, watching as
'Mulder' took the badge in one hand, and ran a finger down the gold
emblem. McKenzie watched him blink back tears, but one escaped and
slid down his cheek. 'Mulder' absently wiped it away with a forearm.
"Yeah..." He stared at the badge, and McKenzie wondered at what memories
were flooding through his mind. What did he see when he looked at it?
"Tell me about it." He asked, genuinely interested. 'Mulder's' eyes
shifted back to his. His stare was piercing, but soft at the same time.
Intense... He surprised McKenzie by answering.
"Well..." 'Mulder' looked back to the badge, "I'm a Special Agent,
I've been with the Bureau for 7 and a half years now. That's not bad
when you consider the 40% turnover statistics." 'Mulder' looked up,
and McKenzie swore he could see a sparkle in his eye, "I even got my
own office. Right up on level three. We got two desks right by the
window! We've only been in it for two months, the carpet still smells
new!" 'Mulder' smiled, and it lit up his face briefly. McKenzie smiled
at his smile.
"That's good!" He praised. 'Mulder' nodded, looking back at the scientist.
"Yeah, especially since for the last seven years we've been stuck
in the basement. In the old copier room. Not that I minded it back
then. I was left alone to work, and that's how I liked it." 'Mulder's'
voice trailed off and his smile slowly followed. His eyes stared out
past McKenzie, seeing nothing but the past. McKenzie sat quietly, hoping
he would continue. And he did.
'Mulder's' face creased in another smile, and he leaned in to the
table a little.
"See, my partner and I worked on these cases together. X Files. Cases
'outside of the FBI mainstream'." His hazel eyes settled back on McKenzie's,
"UFO related cases. The paranormal. Ghosts. Vampires. Predatory mutant
human beings; a liver eater, a fat sucker. You name it, we investigated
it." 'Mulder' smiled, "I drove most of the time, it drove her nuts."
McKenzie picked up the wallet from the table, opening it inside the
plastic it was encased in.
"It says here you live at... The Arcadia Apartments, 3164 Connecticut
Avenue, North West. Washington DC." He read out. 'Mulder' nodded absently.
"Yeah, got one month left on the lease."
"But your FBI records indicate you live at Hegal Place, in Alexandria,
VA." McKenzie frowned.
"Yeah, I did. I moved out six months ago. I'm paying more rent there,
but I don't mind. Anyway, the X Files got closed down, then re-opened.
Then closed down again, and re-opened. After the audit this year they
closed them again. I think AD Harman was expecting me to go crawling
back and beg for a second chance. He got the shock of his life when
I told him to shove it." 'Mulder' laughed out loud at the memory, "I've
never seen him so pissed. It was great."
McKenzie was flicking through a file from the case, trying to find
the records of Mulder's superiors.
"Ah... I thought AD Skinner was your supervisor? Or AD Kersh?"
'Mulder' frowned, "Yeah, Skinner was for the first six years. Kersh?
AD Kersh retired two years ago. Thank god he wasn't my AD!"
McKenzie stared openly. He couldn't believe it, such a glaring differentiation.
Two Mulders, with apparently two very different histories. He looked
to his palm pc, checking both Agent's details against each other. 'Mulder's'
work history seemed to diverge from Mulder's two months ago... but
his out of work arrangements changed four months prior to that...
He put the palm pc down to stare at the man before him, and found
that he had squeezed shut his eyes and was lightly biting his lower
lip. He looked like he was trying to fight some internal agony. The
man put the badge back down on the table and pushed his chair back.
"If you'll excuse me, I think I'll go lie down..." 'Mulder' mumbled.
He pushed himself from the table and padded back to his bed, his bare
feet making little slap sounds on the cold floor. He curled himself
on the bed in the dark, his back to the mirror, the only privacy he
was allowed in the Cell. He didn't even look up as McKenzie left his
Cell.
The occupants of the Observation room were speechless. Scully looked
down at her hands and saw that they were shaking. Mulder stood frozen
beside her, his face almost drained of color, still staring at the
man who for all intensive purposes appeared to be another Mulder. He
could see Scully's shaking hands but was unable to move to comfort
her. His IQ had taken a brief leave of absence the moment 'Mulder'
had opened his mouth.
The hatch hissed and swung open, bringing the agents back to their
senses as McKenzie rejoined them. McKenzie cringed slightly under Thontan's
scathing glare, and was glad when he looked away, hands on his hips.
"How..?" Breathed Agent Scully, almost coming out as a plea. How
can this be possible...? Tell me, so I can remain sane her eyes seemed
to plead.
McKenzie nodded, "I have known about one possibility for some days
now, the only thing that seems to fit what facts we have. Two Mulders,
sharing the same history up until a point where one's path diverges..."
Mulder's jaw clenched as he realised he understood what the scientist
was describing. His eyes widened with realisation, and he grabbed at
the air in the scientist's direction.
"Parallel universes..." He gasped.
Scully stared at Mulder, and Thontan turned away, muttering under
his breath angrily. McKenzie paid the military officer no attention.
Mulder looked to his partner.
"Science has always theorised that parallel universes could exist,
right Scully? Einstein, quantum theory..." Mulder exclaimed, energised
now. He stared into Scully's confused eyes, almost able to see as the
connection was made in her mind. Where theory and fact collided...
McKenzie stepped forward, "Yes. The concept of parallel universes
has been around for decades, but it has never been acknowledged or
even accepted as possible until now. Until M Theory."
"Oh my god..." Scully stepped back, her eyes widening even further
as she saw where the scientist was leading them, "M Theory..."
McKenzie clapped his hands in glee, impressed that the female agent
was able to follow him. Mulder tried to look into her face while touching
her arm, encouraging her to share with everyone, no matter how crazy
it sounded. Scully frowned, deep in thought.
"It's the most recent theory, claimed to be the explanation
for every event in the Universe. It theorises that all the matter in
the Universe is connected in one vast structure, like a membrane..."
She began. McKenzie excitedly interjected.
"Yes! Scientists have theorised for years that String Theory was
the answer- that all matter is made up of tiny strings which resonate,
the different frequencies or 'notes' representing the different particle
types. As it was studied, more than one version was found, five in
all, just to confuse things further. The mathematics showed that they
were dealing with 10 dimensional space for the strings to resonate
the right frequencies. Nine spatial and one time. But the equations
of 'supergravity', another competing theory, spoke of eleven dimensions.
"When they added the last dimension to their Five String theories,
they discovered that they were all the same. They were all simply expressions
of the same theory. Under this new thinking, the 'strings' were seen
to stretch and combine, and connected all matter. As Agent Scully said,
like a membrane! It was dubbed M Theory.
"The exciting thing about all this is that it is theorised
that the eleventh dimension if full of these membranes, many like our
Universe. Parallel Universes." McKenzie smiled hugely, "And we have
physical proof!" McKenzie pulled out the items from the bag he was
carrying and gave them to the agents.
"Agent Mulder's blood work shows a less than favourable vitamin
count and a questionable cholesterol level. Quite different from 'Mulder'
who is much healthier. We have physical evidence of different residences,"
He pulled out 'Mulder's' wallet, "On the driver's licence here. Also,
we ran some tests on some money from this wallet; the ink used in the
notes is of a different composition than any we've seen. It is not
used in US currency. This is important, as it shows the differences
in the surrounding environment as well..."
Scully met Mulder's eager gaze. His eyes were alive, questioning
hers. Asking for her belief... Her belief in science, the evidence
before them supported by that belief. Scully dropped her gaze, knowing
she couldn't go against it. Not after she'd seen 'him'. Her heart ached
to see that man's pain... pain she had only ever seen in her partner...
only more profound, if it was possible.
Mulder put a gentle hand on Scully's shoulder, knowing she
knew. She believed. He felt her trembling under his hand, and he gently
took her into his arms, trying to comfort her. He was surprised when
she didn't fight him.
Momentarily Mulder forgot where he was, forgot about the scientist
and military officer in the room, and just held Scully. Her arms had
gone around his waist, and she gripped him tightly. Memories of a tearful,
distressed embrace from years ago flooded his mind, after her encounter
with Donnie Pfaster. He allowed himself to drift in the feeling of
peace and love that came with holding her, feeling his chest grow warm
with the sensation.
It didn't last longer than three seconds. Thontan's grunt made Scully
let go and step away, as if reminding her where she was. She moved
back to the window as the military officer once again made his presence
felt.
"What about the ship, McKenzie? How do you work that into your
theory ?" He asked, his voice strained, as if he was holding back
his anger.
McKenzie didn't allow the officer's impatience to faze him. He held
up a hand disarmingly.
"One thing at a time, sir. As you said, 'Mulder' is the key to all
this. And right now he's resting, or something. We should wait a few
hours before trying again."
Thontan's sigh sounded more like a snarl. He fingered the radio on
his belt, and then moved past them towards the hatch.
"Dr McKenzie will accompany you for the rest of your stay, Agents."
He grunted dismissively, and slipped through the hatch. Mulder wasn't
sorry to see him go. He had seen the underlying anger in the officer;
he hadn't learned what he'd wanted to. Now the man was edgy and silent...
all of his previous 'hospitality' had evaporated. Despite the lingering
worry, Mulder pushed Thontan out of his mind and focused on the current
situation. He sided up to his partner.
"Is there somewhere we can get some food or something? You guys kind
of made us skip our lunch." Mulder smiled briefly.
"Of course, follow me." McKenzie said and led the agents out of the
observation room.
...LAB...
10:47 PM
The low humming from the various equipment thrummed in the background
of the lab. A few white coated lab personnel moved about, taking samples
from station to station, continuing on with their work and ignoring
the FBI agent seated on the chair close by.
Scully sighed and plopped the ream of papers back on the station beside
her, her eyes feeling the strain from constant visual study. She had
spent hours pouring through the results McKenzie had gathered on samples
from both Mulders. She ran rerun a few series of tests herself, just
to be certain. The test invariably came back the same as McKenzie's.
Mulder and 'Mulder' were genetically identical. There were still tests
she could run, dental X rays could be taken. But she had seen enough.
A small popping-crunch sound caught her attention, and she looked
up to a station a few meters away, where two techs stood before an
electron microscope.
"Damn, there goes another camera." She heard one tech grumble.
"That's the third today!"
"Yeah. Well there goes the Z4 series. We're out of replacements and
I doubt they'll bring in any more." The taller technician spoke, dropping
the now useless specimens to the bench. His companion frowned, looking
somewhat alarmed, and sat down.
Suddenly Scully felt a presence beside her. She turned on her seat
to see a man in his early twenties beside her, hands in the pockets
of his white coat.
"That's been happening a lot." The man nodded towards the far microscope,
"Equipment failures. None of the vid cams are working. And only one
of the microwaves are operational."
Scully relaxed slightly, seeing the tech only wanted to talk, perhaps
to allay his own fears. Scully understood. Despite her initial fear
having receded, she remained jumpy and on alert. Knowing that less
than 500 meters away lay an alien craft... Scully indicated to a spare
seat, and the tech gratefully sat down.
"You and the other guy were called in to solve the mystery, huh?"
The tech asked.
"Yes, we're in the process of gathering all the information we can.
I..." Scully looked up as another technician poked his head over her
station, grinning friendlily.
"What's there to gather, we know where he's from. Sliders!
" The man moon walked backwards, still grinning.
Scully shook her head, but her lips twitched in a brief smile. The
tech beside her threw a balled up piece of paper at him.
"Travers, shut it would you? This is serious."
Travers came to a stop, the paper bouncing off of his arm. He folded
his arms, still grinning.
"No, this is Nobel prize winning. And our names are going to be in
the small print!"
Scully suddenly stood from her seat, she was not in the mood for
juvenile behaviour at that moment. She fixed a harsh glare at 'Travers'.
"No. This is about a man, far from home, brought here by forces unknown.
Who is depending on us to figure out how and why. This isn't a chance
for you to achieve scientific recognition." She let her glare linger
as she walked away, her heels clicking loudly on the floor.
The seated tech watched the female agent walk out of the lab, and
then shot a glare at Travers himself. Travers shrugged.
"What?"
Agent Mulder stared up at the sign at the entrance to the empty canteen
area. The word 'Mess' was printed in large letters, but some one had
stuck the word 'Schrödinger's' in front of it. He shifted in his less
than comfortable seat and glanced across the metal mess table at McKenzie
who was watching him in fascination. Mulder gave him a brief lop sided
smile.
"I guess with all the dollars you guys were shelling out for state-of-the-art
lab gizmos and Star Trek doors you forgot a little thing called 'creature
comforts'." Mulder grumbled. His squirming leg connected with a metal
support pole and he grimaced, biting down a yelp.
"Astounding..." McKenzie leaned forward, pushing his glasses up further
along his nose, "You know he's never complained once about his lack
of physical comfort. Which should be quite extreme by now, not having
eaten for over 130 hours."
Mulder quietened at that. He fingered the bagged items spread out
on the table before him, picking up the FBI badge as Scully walked
into the mess. She stopped by their table and took a seat on Mulder's
side, trying to slouch into it as much as she could. She couldn't remember
a time when she had been more tired... At least not this week.
"Results are the same. Despite some differences in dietary intake,
Mulder and 'Mulder' are identical." She flicked her shoes off under
the table, not caring about etiquette at that point, "Perfect genetic
match."
Mulder chewed on his lower lip, shaking his head.
"When you examined him, did you find any thing to support a theory
of abduction? Any strange marks, scars at the base of the neck, pieces
of metal in his nasal cavity or teeth?" He asked the scientist.
"No. He had a few bruises to his chest and shoulder, one which looked
like from the butt of a rifle perhaps. No foreign bodies were detected
whatsoever. We had him thoroughly vacuumed for any particles he may
have collected from the interior of the ship, but none were found..
Not even a speck of dust." McKenzie answered.
Mulder glanced to Scully.
"Maybe... maybe he went willingly..."
Scully frowned, "Mulder..."
"Think about it. If I had the opportunity to go inside an alien craft
I wouldn't hesitate."
Scully couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"You're not serious." Her voice had gone hard. Mulder cringed inwardly
as he saw the brief flicker of hurt in her eyes. He quickly held a
hand out disarmingly.
"Hear me out Scully... it's the only other explanation of how he
could have been in the craft."
"Either way," McKenzie interrupted, "He is still the only one who
can verify anything."
Scully ignored Mulder's placatory hand, still hurt by his admission.
That he would so willingly leave her should the chance for discovering
the Truth arrive. That he would just step aboard without a phone call,
or any thought... It only made the possibility more credible.
"What has his health status been?" Scully asked, ignoring Mulder
as he tried to get her to look at him. She held firm.
"His health is excellent. However he hasn't eaten a morsel since
he arrived, he..."
"Nothing!? What do you mean, have you been withholding food?" Scully
sat up in unexpected anger. McKenzie just sighed.
"I am the head of the science team, but it is Thontan's base. And
Thontan's project. He has veto powers over every decision we make.
We have explicit instructions to offer food, but not administer IVs
or any such dietary supplements until he has talked. If Thontan isn't
in the Observation room while we're in with him some of his men are."
McKenzie looked truly concerned, "I have had argument after argument
with him, but he will not budge. Also I am afraid to demand too much,
he could send me from the base, and then where would 'Mulder' be?"
Mulder leaned forward.
"When you first saw us you said 'You really did it'. Did you know
Thontan was going to bring us in?"
McKenzie sighed, "He had been discussing the possibility two days
after he learned of you. He deliberated alone with the other officers
for days. I didn't realise how serious he was until I saw you in Cell
Containment. I think he knew all along, that for what ever reason 'Mulder'
wasn't going to talk. He believes he might when he sees you, and I
agree with him."
Mulder looked back at the items on the table. They were the only physical
clues they had as to the man's past. And delving into that might reveal
why he might have walked onto an alien craft, if that was indeed what
had happened. His eyes stopped at the man's wallet, which he opened.
The foreign address stared back at him, not changing to 2630 Hegal
Place, Alexandria no matter how hard he stared.
"Arcadia Apartments." Mulder voiced, glancing to the scientist, "Now
tell me you made this up."
"No. It is an actual residence, quite appealing really. I wouldn't
mind..." McKenzie began, but Mulder gently butted in.
"You don't get it... we were on a case, in this exclusive suburb
called Arcadian Falls, masquerading as a married couple to..." This
time McKenzie interrupted. With a laugh. He hooted once and clamped
his hand on his mouth, and tried to appear calm.
"Sorry. Yes? On a case you say?"
Mulder was frowning, "Why... what was that laugh?"
"Laugh? Oh... I do apologise. It's just...you two... did they believe
you?"
Mulder's eyebrows went sky high.
"Yes, of course they did! What... do you think they wouldn't?" Mulder
couldn't believe it. The man smiled apologetically and shrugged. Nearly
everyone they ran into thought they were married or a couple... Mulder
was surprised to find himself feeling unsettled that this guy thought
they weren't...
"To be completely honest, not... not exactly. It's just you two are
so opposites!"
Scully began to laugh at that point, leaning on the table with her
arms and laughing tiredly, but amusedly.
"You got that right." She breathed.
Mulder's frown intensified now. He sat forward, his posture defensive.
"You're not serious!"
McKenzie shrugged again, "No, it's like you two are just thrown together."
Mulder didn't know what to say to that. He sat there as Scully's laugher
drained away and the scientist looked through the wallet with the offending
address. An unpleasant hollow gaped in his chest, followed by a long,
familiar ache. An ache he had tried viciously to stamp down until he
couldn't feel it anymore, until he only saw his partner when he looked
at his partner, and not the woman he l...
"It is interesting though, perhaps you both share the same history,
both of you went on this case. Perhaps then this Mulder chose his new
dwelling after the experience?" McKenzie ventured. Scully snorted again.
"I don't see why he should, it was a dreadful case. Innocent people
died during it. We were both glad it was over and behind us." Scully
groaned, looking more tired as each minute passed. She propped her
head up on an elbow, having to force her eyes open. McKenzie had not
failed to notice Mulder's flinch as she spoke the last words. His eyebrows
rose in surprise.
"Perhaps not as much as you think, Agent Scully." McKenzie quietly
voiced, but Scully was too tired to respond. Mulder cleared his throat
and looked to her.
"Well I don't think we can do much more tonight. Why don't you get
some sleep in the lounge," Mulder indicated the lounge area beyond
the mess with a flick of his head, "We'll get a fresh start in the
morning."
Scully had little ground for argument. She puffed out her cheeks and
allowed Mulder to lead her to the lounge, which was little more than
a few grey coloured couches grouped together, with some science magazines
on a table in the middle. Mulder collected a few cushions and put them
on the arm rest of the largest couch, settling Scully on to it. Scully
tried to get comfortable.
"Are you going to tuck me in?" She asked jokingly, and then mentally
chastised herself. She really must be tired, she thought. Mulder gently
stroked her head.
"I'll even tell you a story if you want." Scully wasn't so tired
that she missed the tones of seriousness in Mulder's voice. His gently
laid his suit jacket over her, his hands lingering on her shoulders
as he arranged it comfortably. Scully closed her eyes, allowing herself
to revel in this rare attention.
"Get some sleep Scully, I think you're going to need it tomorrow."
As Scully listened to Mulder's footsteps moving away, the warm feeling
left her, his last words reminding her of what they were here for.
She held onto the lapels of Mulder's suit jacket and shuddered. Not
even Mulder's pleasant scent could drive the fear from her mind.
Mulder moved back into the mess, giving McKenzie a wave as he moved
off. Alone once again, Mulder moved to the furthest table while still
keeping Scully in his sight and sat silently thoughtful in the dark.
...THE CRAFT...
12:01 AM
It was surprisingly cool four levels below the surface. They hadn't
even needed to install air conditioning ducts. Lieutenant Colonel Thontan
strode down the narrow passage, with only the occasional overhead light
to illuminate his way. Thontan chuffed a laugh, it was funny that these
lights should work when over 80% of the base's equipment did not.
The white door at the end of the passage loomed closer. Thontan felt
his heart beat faster in his chest... He could hear the hum already.
The low, almost ultra sonic thrum emitted by the craft. Although this
time he couldn't feel it.
"...ir, op.. door now..." Crackled from his radio before it cut out.
Thontan ignored it, his men knew what was expected of them. He had
timed his walk through the passage to the second.
The white door shuddered as he approached it and slowly cranked open.
Thontan stopped in the doorway, his shakes beginning already.
Less than ten feet away the alien craft hung rock-still in the air.
Cloaked in the darkness of its cement tomb, with only the light from
the doorway illuminating it. Thontan's exhaled breath came out in a
low moan of mixed excitement and fear.
As Thontan's eyes adjusted to the low light level, the smooth, elongated
oval shape of the craft was just discernable, its sixty foot length
filling the area. There were no markings on its dark hull, just smoothness.
Without flaw.
Thontan staggered inside, shaking from the inside out just to be looking
upon it once more. Hot tears welled and slid down his cheek.
"So beautiful..." He breathed, "So perfect."
Thontan leaned down, looking beneath the craft at the meter high gap
between the craft and the ground. A few small pieces of concrete hovered
under it, as if caught in the same anti grav 'belt' the craft used.
He straightened himself, looking back to the craft's 'front'. He reached
out a hand, wanting to touch it this time... feel the alien metal under
his fingers...
A force stopped him from doing so. Less than a foot away from the
craft's surface, he met an invisible wall that moulded to his body
and held him firmly in place. Thontan cried out in sudden terror, and
discovered that he couldn't move backwards either.
"Hel... help!" He shrieked, terrified for the first time in
his life.
For a brief moment, he felt a shuddering sensation within his body.
The lights in the passage began to flicker, threatening to send the
trapped Thontan into darkness. Thontan screamed, immobilised and alone,
and now about to be in the dark. He lost control of his bowels in his
terror, screaming hysterically, his screams echoing around the cement
cavern that was proving to be his trap as well.
"NO!! Please!!" He screamed, and was plunged into absolute darkness.
The encompassing hum of the craft filled the world, resonating throughout
his body, it being the only sensation left to his senses. His lungs
seized up, he could not think. He no longer was a powerful military
officer with an alien ship in his possession. Now he was the
prisoner... held by a far more powerful force...
And then the lights came back on, and Thontan found he could move
once more. He scrambled for the door and ran, not waiting for the door
to shut, pounding down the passage as fast as his aged body could move
him. He didn't think about what had just happened, about possible implications...
that the craft was somehow sentient; showing him what he was doing...
Thontan stopped by the end of the passage to get back his breath and
his senses. He wiped a hand across his wet cheeks, trying to still
his shakes. He brought out his radio.
"Paxton," He spoke in even tones, "Once I am out of here I want you
to seal this passage... Yes I meant it. Thontan out."
The Lieutenant Colonel looked at his urine soaked uniform and pulled
the exit hatch open, pushing all thoughts out of his mind, even as
the thrumming of the craft filled the passage...
7:13 AM, THURSDAY, 11TH APRIL, 2001
The technician in the Observation room shifted in his chair, sleeping
on without waking. The monitor banks buzzed with steady static, filling
the room with their flickering light. He did not notice the man in
the cell as he tossed and turned on the bed in his Cell.
'Mulder's' chest shook with silent sobs, his arms wrapped around himself,
unable to escape the emotional anguish. He had to wait. He knew
that. It was a kind of cosmic punishment for being too eager, for not
being patient when he should have been. But for how long..? It had
been days now, and each day was more excruciating than the last. He
clenched his burning eyes, letting loose a groan of emotional agony.
Suddenly, he felt it. A slight shuddering that seemed to slide right
into his body, calming his heart. His eyes opened as a single word
floated into his mind, from an outside source.
SOON.
'Mulder's' sobs dried in his throat and the shuddering sensation left
him, leaving him alone. 'Mulder' pushed himself up from the bed, his
lethargy fading as fresh adrenalin began to course through him. For
the second time in his stay, he smiled shakily.
...MULDER...
7:20 AM, THURSDAY, 11TH APRIL, 2001
Scully awoke to the sound of excited voices. She recognised Mulder's
immediately; it took a few more seconds to work out that the second
voice was McKenzie's. Memories of yesterday came back fast. The military,
the craft, the man. Mulder. She sat up on the couch and opened
her eyes to see McKenzie gesturing animatedly to her partner, who was
getting up from his seat in the mess.
"Yes, he's up, now would be the opportune time to speak with him."
McKenzie whispered, shifting from one foot to the other in his excitement.
Scully was on her feet in seconds, taking Mulder's suit jacket along
with her. She sided up to him, taking note of his less than immaculate
appearance. His shirt was creased, his hair needed a brush. He must
have slept in the chair, if he slept at all...
Mulder nodded, and touching Scully's arm lightly they followed the
short scientist out of the mess.
The group emerged back into the main corridor, heading towards Specimen
Analysis. Mulder eyed the military men walking in the opposite direction,
paired up and fully armed. They passed the FBI agents without so much
as a glance, continuing on their way.
The automatic doors whooshed open on their arrival at the labs, McKenzie
leading them through the maze of stations. Scully glanced around the
area and sighted the technicians that she'd spoken to the day before.
When the man who'd sat next to her caught sight of her, he abandoned
his station and jogged towards them.
"Agent Scully!" He called out.
McKenzie didn't stop, "Not now, Fuller." But the agents were stopping
so he had no choice but do so as well. Fuller didn't look at anyone
but Scully.
"There's something I have to show you. I... I've only just run the
second series, the second Sample Block. I found..."
"Fuller!" McKenzie began, but Mulder interjected.
"It's okay. Scully, you go see what he has. You can join me when
you're done." Mulder voiced. Scully stared at him, her mouth dropping
open slightly. Typical Mulder behaviour, sending her out on 'errands'
while he investigated the deeper mysteries. Mulder seemed to know what
was passing through her mind as he added;
"It doesn't take two of us in there. He'll probably just show you
something you'll already know and then you can join me in a few minutes."
Scully sighed imperceptivity, resigned to her 'errand'. Mulder did
have a point, but then Mulder always had a 'point'. Mulder gave her
a lop sided smile and squeezed her elbow and then moved away with McKenzie.
With nothing else to do now Scully turned towards Fuller.
"What do you think you have?" She sighed.
When McKenzie and Mulder entered Specimen Observation and Containment,
they found the technician from yesterday standing on the stairs waiting
for them. He hurried down them, looking astonished.
"He's been walking around, looking at the mirror, checking out the
door. He's really alert in there!" The tech explained excitedly. McKenzie
moved to the Cell hatch, motioning for Mulder to stand in front of
it. The scientist nodded for the tech to go back to his station.
"Agent Mulder, there will be military guards waiting right here should
anything happen. Are you ready?"
Mulder looked to his hands and found they were shaking. It wasn't
everyday you had the chance to speak to yourself from another dimension.
The reality of what he was about to do was almost suffocating.
"Oh yeah, I'll be fine. Just ah... keep watch, I'll try to give you
a good show." Mulder joked, giving him a lop sided grin. The scientist
nodded towards his holster.
"Perhaps I should hold onto that for you?" He asked. Mulder
slipped the clip from his gun and gave him the clip, reholstering the
now unloaded weapon.
McKenzie pressed the hatch unlock release, and pulled it open.
Mulder stepped into a tiny booth within the hatch, just big enough
for a single man. When McKenzie sealed the hatch, vents opened up above
and on both sides and blasted him with chilled pressurised air. Mulder
held onto his tie and waited for it to end. When it did, the hatch
before him began its opening cycle. It slid across, revealing the dull
grey of the Cell walls, and a pacing 'Mulder' in the center of the
room.
'Mulder' stopped in his tracks as he heard the hatch shut. He looked
down at his hands and then turned to face his new visitor. His eyes
grew impossibly wide when he saw who it was.
Agent Mulder had to tell himself to breathe. It was just like staring
into a mirror... Except for the dark bags under his red rimmed eyes
and his tousled hair. Mulder could only stare as his counterpart took
a step towards him, his bare feet slapping on the floor. Mulder swallowed
and called upon all the courage he had to move to the table.
"I'm Agent Fox Mulder with the FBI..." Mulder spoke, out of
habit, his eyes never leaving 'Mulder's', "And I was wondering if I
could have a few words..."
'Mulder' looked to the mirror and frowned. His arm rose to point at
his visitor.
"What?!" He croaked, his voice scratchy from lack of use.
His hazel eyes were wide with an undefined emotion, flickering rapidly
as if thoughts were streaming through his mind. The man's eyes were
heavily bloodshot and he looked weary. His breathing was labored. Mulder
patted the table in the direction of the nearest chair.
"You can take a seat..." He said gently. 'Mulder' closed his mouth
and shuffled towards the seat somewhat warily, not taking his eyes
off of him once.
'W... what are you doing here..?" 'Mulder' asked shakily, looking
as amazed as Mulder felt. Mulder had to work hard to form a coherent
sentence.
"I'm here to help you... Mulder." Mulder said to 'himself', testing
the waters carefully. His counterpart frowned, looking at him sideways,
as if not truly believing what he was saying. Mulder heard his own
brief laugh issue from the man's mouth, but the smile didn't join it.
"You... how did you get in here..?" His voice was becoming stronger,
his frown deepening.
Mulder bit his lip, raising a hand slightly in a comforting gesture.
"That's not impor... I mean, what matters is... My god, you're really
me aren't you?"
'Mulder' sat back at his interviewer's sudden gush, but Mulder didn't
give him a chance to interrupt.
"You've seen it. You've actually seen the ship, you were in
it! Where..." He ran a hand through his hair absently, trying to think
of what to ask first, "How did you find it? Wha... Were there Grays?
Were they connected with... Oh god, Samantha! Did they..."
'Mulder' suddenly sat up, fully alert now, "How do you know about
the ship?"
Mulder broke out in a smile. It was there, right in front of him.
This 'alternate' him had all the answers... he knew...
"You know, don't you? You know the Truth!?" Mulder asked, feeling
an elation like never before rise within him.
'Mulder' looked at him cautiously, seeming to understand where he
was going. His previous lethargy had vanished. Instead of joining in
with his smile he closed his eyes and dragged his hands down his face.
"And what would you say the Truth would be?" He asked him.
Mulder leant in, "That extra-terrestrials, aliens, exist, and that
they're here. They've been here for a long time... and they're in communication
with us."
'Mulder' sighed, his eyes meeting Mulder's again, but this time with
an unfathomable sadness.
"The Truth isn't something that can be told or shown, it's what you
find. You have to find it yourself..." 'Mulder' voiced. Mulder couldn't
believe it.
"You what?! You mean, even though you know it, you can't tell me?!"
He cried out in disgust.
'Mulder's' eyebrows lowered over his eyes, he squinting in sudden
anger.
"Is that all you're after? That's all you care about? Finding ET?"
'Mulder'raised his voice, getting up and staring hard. He shook his
head slowly, his hazel eyes once again flickering with his developing
thoughts, "You didn't just walk in off of the hillside, did you. You're
not on some base 'tour'." 'Mulder' almost snarled, "Thontan got you
in, didn't he."
Mulder's mouth dropped open.
"How... you couldn't possibly know that..." He breathed, staring
intensely. 'Mulder's' eyes never left his. He saw when the anger dissipated
and an ocean of pain replaced it. Mulder was astounded at the level
of emotion the man was displaying. There were tears in his eyes...
'Mulder' broke eye contact, dropping his head, his shaking hands going
up to scrunch in his hair.
"I don't believe this... After everything, to have THIS!"
He lamented to himself, before stepping back, looking at himself once
more.
"You have to get out of here. Forget everything you've seen,
and get out. Tell Thontan what ever you have to, just get off of this
base. Right now." A tear escaped one eye and 'Mulder' angrily wiped
it away, "What is happening here... should not involve you. Go back
to DC, and to Skinner, or Kersh, or whoever your AD is."
Mulder was truly stunned. The sight of his counterpart's anguish sent
chills up and down his spine.
"I don't understand. Why are you here?!" Mulder implored, "What is
happening here already involves me. You know as well as I do I can't
just leave."
In Specimen Analysis Scully had followed the technician to
a sealed off testing area, well away from the main traffic of the lab.
There he turned to her, looking somewhat frightened. Scully waited
for him to speak, seeing now that something was going on.
"You remember... We... ah... When the guy was brought in, we were
given his clothes and some tissue samples for testing, right. There
was his blood..."
Scully nodded, "Yes, which you used for the DNA fingerprinting analysis.
Sample Block #1," Scully remembered from her looking over the file
last night. Fuller nodded jerkily and turned to a sealed cabinet.
"Yeah, Block #1. We started on the analysis and I was given his clothes
to take samples from. He had been wearing a gray t-shirt, covered in
blood..."
Scully looked up sharply, "Blood? Was he injured?"
"No, he didn't have a scratch on him. It wasn't his. I... I wanted
to run a second series on it. Sample Block #2. But since the 'guys
upstairs' didn't think it was a priority it got shoved back in the
schedule. I finally got to run it this morning..." Fuller brought out
a second thick wad of nylon DNA fingerprinting sheets, with over 32,000
microsatellites isolated and paired so far, and handed it to Scully.
"When I ran it through the same database as the 'ship guy', it came
up with a match. Scully. Dana Scully."
Scully felt all the air go out of her lungs, and she had to grab hold
of the bench. Her eyes drifted to the front sheet, with her blood type
on it. Fuller didn't know what to do so he kept rambling.
"I... haven't told anyone else, I didn't even let Travers know...
I knew I had to tell you..."
"Where is Thontan..." Scully asked, only vaguely aware that she had
spoken.
"I don't..." Scully stormed out of the testing area, results in hand.
She shoved her way through the lab, heading right for the see through
doors. They hissed apart for her, she storming out into the corridor.
To her astonishment she found the Lieutenant Colonel walking down
the corridor, flanked on both sides by three armed men. Not hesitating
for a second she strode right for him, holding up the results of the
test. The men had to stop, Scully stood right in their path, and didn't
move an inch. Her blue eyes flared angrily.
"Results of a second test, blood sampled from Mulder's clothes. Why
weren't we told about this? There was no mention of bloody clothing!"
She snarled, shaking from anger and the discovery. Thontan didn't flinch.
He looked calmly down on her, as if she were merely having a tantrum
and it would soon pass.
"No, there wasn't." He said.
"Why?" Scully demanded to know.
"Because it wasn't important information."
Scully shook her head in staggered disbelief. She had never felt such
rage build so quickly before...
"Not important?! The blood, it matches with my own!"
"Good for you. But that in no way..."
"I don't believe this... You withheld this information! Who are you
to decide what is and what is not important!" Scully fumed, "Why the
hell did you bring us down here if you were going to withhold information
from us? What else aren't you telling us?!"
Thontan's brow began to furrow. He had never seen this before, a woman
with such spirit. Normally he would have commended her. But not today.
For the first time since the whole situation began, he felt the slow
burn of anger grow within him. This wasn't good. Clearly, this woman
was a serious impediment. He began to wish he'd never given that Agent
Mulder the choice of bringing her.
"Agent Scully, it would be wise if you..." He began, but the red
headed woman all but slapped the words from his mouth.
"I don't want to hear it. I knew this was a big mistake coming here.
I thought at best you were crazy, and we would find nothing to substantiate
your claims and we would be back on the plane within the hour. But
to find..." Scully gasped for breath, shocked herself by the depth
of her rage. All the shock and emotional tension of the last 24 hours
bursting out in a rush, driving her anger, "...What you have here is
beyond anyone's control..."
Thontan had to physically restrain himself. His eyes narrowed, he
barely containing his own anger. His men picked up on it loud and clear,
they straightening themselves, just waiting for the order. Scully did
not see their hands move an inch closer to their weapons. Even if she
had she wouldn't have been afraid. She was an agent of the United States
Government here on invitation of the Lieutenant Colonel himself. They
had absolutely no authority to harm them.
Thontan's right hand twitched.
"Miss Scully, if I were you I would think very carefully about
the next words you utter. I also would be very aware of where you are
standing, and act accordingly. I will be pushed only so far. Beyond
that, I won't be responsible for the outcome of your insubordination."
Mulder watched as 'Mulder' ripped his hand from his hair, glaring
at him, beginning to shake.
"You can't leave!? Bullshit! You always could." He spat, stumbling
back to the table, his watering eyes boring straight into his counterpart's,
as if he could inject his urgency into his brain through the hazel
orbs.
"You think that everything is a lead to the Truth. This case, that
case... any possible glimpse and you're off chasing it!" He threw up
an arm, "To Hell with the consequences!" He calmed slightly, breathing
hard, almost wheezing, "There are other ways, Fox. Other times. The
right time and the right way."
Mulder glared at the mention of his first name, but let it pass. He
released his breath carefully, trying not to let the description of
his life from 'himself' unnerve him.
"What don't you want me to see here? You can go ahead and tell me.
If you're worried about breaking the Prime Directive I think that's
been pretty much trashed." He retorted, more defensively than he had
wanted to, but it had just came out. 'Mulder' seemed to deflate a little,
as if understanding the reason for such a defence. His anger faded
quickly, and sorrow took up pole position.
"He got you in to get me to talk... didn't he. When nothing else
worked..." 'Mulder' turned away, "Goddamn it!"
Mulder wasn't prepared for his counterpart's complete collapse into
anguish. He began to pace back and forth by the table.
"It's my fault this time... I did it again..." 'Mulder' mumbled brokenly.
"Hey, look, it's okay... Forget what I said. I'm just here to help
you, okay?" Mulder tried to soothe him, horrified at 'Mulder's' distress,
but 'Mulder' only stepped back further.
"It's not yet. But it soon will be. Just... make a run for
it, I don't think they'll even notice you." 'Mulder' turned his attention
to the mirror, "Hey!"
Mulder cursed under his breath, the situation was going from bad to
worse... what was the man thinking?! He wasn't even listening to him
now... 'Mulder' stormed right up to the mirror, anger rising once more.
"Hey, are you listening in there? Thontan! Or should I say Gerald
Maguire Thontan! Niiice name, and I thought Fox was bad! Nice try,
you sorry sack of horse shit! What are you going to try next? The CIA?
I have been in some slack assed military bases, but yours takes
the cake! Why don't you come in here and talk to me yourself?! I had
no idea you'd be this chicken shit!" 'Mulder' roared at the mirror,
releasing all of his pent up fury, "Although when you consider your
less than 'complete' anatomy, I can almost see why!"
The hatch to the cell began to hiss as it went through its opening
cycle. Mulder could do little but watch as 'Mulder' turned towards
it expectantly. 'Mulder mouthed the words 'I'm sorry' to him as it
slid open, and four armed guards poured in. Mulder was pushed to the
side as 'Mulder' began his charge, arms up as if to attack someone.
All time seemed to slow down. Gun shots cracked through the
air. 'Mulder's' body jerked around. His left foot flailed out as if
to make another step. Another bullet struck his shoulder, fountaining
blood, dropping him. A distinctly female voice suddenly rose above
the male shouts.
"Stop firing! God damn it!" Scully's voice. Mulder stared as his
partner rushed into the Cell to 'Mulder's' side as he lay on the floor.
Bright red blood flowed from 'Mulder's' wounds as Scully pressed her
hands against them. His hazel eyes rolled to meet hers, his pale face
speckled with his own blood.
"Scuhleeee..." He rasped before he lost consciousness. Scully looked
up to the growing crowd of military men, her blue eyes bright with
anger.
"Someone help him! Now!"
Mulder could only stare at the scene before him, not knowing what
to do. He was still standing there when the medics arrived minutes
later.
6:10 PM
Fox Mulder stood just outside of his counterpart's infirmary room,
looking in on 'himself' lying in the bed, IVs hooked up to his arms,
thick bandaging covering his freshly repaired shoulder. Standing by
his bed was his partner, keeping a close eye on the base nurse as she
checked the patient. Once she was done she slipped out, trying not
to meet Scully's angry glare, and clacked her away down the corridor.
Mulder sighed and leaned on the glass, watching Scully care for another
man. Another Mulder. How many times had she done the same for him?
How many times did he wake to see her smiling face? This time he had
been the observer, watching Scully as she furiously directed the few
base medical personnel about. She had overseen the entire operation,
all scrubbed and masked right alongside the surgeon, making sure that
every possible care was taken, and no mistakes were made.
Mulder's forehead furrowed. Was that how she had been all the other
times? He felt the nagging ache rise in his chest and tried to push
it away as he watched her touch 'Mulder's' arm. What, was he jealous?
That this Mulder was receiving the attention and not him..? Mulder
closed his eyes, knowing the answer to that one. Damn straight he was.
Mulder just stared at his partner smoothing his counterpart's forehead
with her delicate hand.
Scully looked down when she felt 'Mulder' move underneath her hand.
His forehead crinkled and he gave the most heart wrenching moan she'd
ever heard.
"I'm sorry... Scuhlleee... so sorrrry..." He moaned, half rising
from unconsciousness. Scully bent down, putting her hand to his face
as it twisted with his pain.
"Mulder... shhh, It's okay. You're in the infirmary, we're..."
'Mulder's' eyes opened to look into hers and Scully found herself
looking into an endless chasm of agony. His chest quaked so hard with
his sobs that no sound could escape. In his weakened state, he could
no longer fight it.
"Ahhh SCULLY, don't leave me... God please don't leave me..." He
cried, turning onto his side to cry into his pillow, hot tears cutting
trails down his face. He lifted his head when he felt her gentle hands
touch his chest, her arms trying to snake around him so she could hold
him. 'Mulder' wrapped himself around her with a sob, feeling her warmth
around him, her hands rubbing his back soothingly. He buried his face
in her neck and cried so hard he shook them both, clutching Scully
as if his very soul depended on her.
"I won't go, it's okay. Shhh... it's okay..." Scully cooed, horrified
at this Mulder's pain. It seemed to ebb from every pore. She felt her
own tears threaten at its ferocity.
Scully rocked 'Mulder' as best she could, his grip not loosening a
micron for over an hour. Even after his sobs had abated he clung on,
the occasional hitching breath escaping him. Eventually he loosened
his grip and lowered himself back onto the bed, his eyes red from crying.
"...You keep on saving me Scully..." He whispered, staring at her
as if she was an apparition, such agony in his eyes. Scully smiled
shakily at him, and stroked his hair back from his forehead. She pulled
the crinkled sheets back up to his chin.
"You try and sleep now, Mulder..." She whispered, trying her hardest
not to cry. 'Mulder's' well was far from dry, more tears brimmed as
she said his name.
"Scully..." He breathed, closing his eyes, as if savouring the sound
of her voice. Scully turned and left the room, unable to take much
more of his pain.
Mulder watched his partner leave the room and make her way down the
corridor, giving him only a brief glance. Mulder was shocked to see
tears in her eyes. She quickened her pace as 'Mulder's' voice floated
out after her.
He was sitting up in his bed, looking all around in panic for her,
his eyes huge with it.
"Scully?! Come back... Scully?! Scullyyyy!!!" He cried out,
and then collapsed back onto the pillows, his hands over his face.
His choking sobs wracked his entire body, filling the room with his
pain.
Mulder staggered back from the window, shocked to the core.
His counterpart was totally angsting out in a way even he couldn't
identify with. This depth of pain went beyond his own experience...
but did it? His thoughts began to creep towards the dark side of his
mind. He had been that bad before.
When Scully was taken...
A cold chill grew in his chest as he asked himself a forbidden
question: Where was this Mulder's Scully?
Before he could finish his thought Mulder heard footsteps approaching
and turned to see Scully led by the arm by an armed marine, with three
more behind her. Before he could open his mouth they had moved to his
side and grasped him also. Scully tried to look into his eyes but she
was jerked roughly back.
"Hey!" Mulder growled, and was himself shoved.
"No talking. You're going to see the Lieutenant Colonel. Move." The
marine grunted, and began moving off, Mulder and Scully having no choice
but to do as he commanded.
...CONFRONTATION...
6:50 pm Thursday, 11th April, 2001.
Mulder and Scully stood waiting in the hall of the administration
building, now unarmed and flanked by the four armed marines. The marines
had finally gotten around to relieving them of their Sig Sauers, Mulder
thought dryly. He glanced quickly to his partner. Scully's white shirt
was caked with dried blood and hours old sweat from her frantic activity
in the base infirmary, and actually crackled when she moved. Any time
they made a motion to speak they were glared at or jabbed in the side.
Mulder had lost all patience with them but his annoyed grunts only
resulted in sharper jabs.
The oak door to Thontan's office finally swung open and the agents
took the chance to move away from their escorts, who waited for them
in the hallway. Thontan was standing before his desk, his face dark
with anger. Behind him, windows overlooking the base allowed the evening
light to stream in, giving the office a pink sunset hue. Scully didn't
give him a chance to open his mouth. She stopped right in front of
him and let him have it.
"What the hell do you think you're playing at? How many bullets do
you think you need to defend yourself from an unarmed and weakened
man? I'm surprised he was even able to stand, much less 'savage' your
men!" Scully yelled in unrestrained anger. She unfolded a nylon DNA
sheet from her pocket and flung it at Thontan's chest. He caught it
but otherwise didn't react.
"This is the results of the DNA test on the blood on 'Mulder's' shirt.
Apparently it is mine. This and the fact that he arrived with his clothing
drenched in blood was not disclosed. Now I want answers."
Mulder stared at the Lieutenant Colonel, watching him closely for
any sign of physical danger he could pose to Scully. He glared darkly
behind his partner, silently warning him not to dare retaliate. Thontan
didn't take any notice, tossing the paper onto his desk.
"Those facts were, and continue to be, not pertinent to the outcome
of this investigation." He said slowly, as if explaining it to a child.
Scully nearly trembled with anger.
"And I said..."
"Agent, Scully..." Thontan growled.
"There could be someone else out there, a woman, possibly injured.
Now I..."
Mulder moved to step slightly in front of Scully as Thontan's rage
bloomed into view. His face twisted with it as he spoke.
"I don't give a damn if he had the Pope's blood on his shirt. It
is extraneous and distracting from the real goal: the craft. Which
brings me back to you." Thontan turned his scathing glare to Mulder.
"McKenzie seems to believe he is you from a parallel universe.
He overlooks one glaring fact though; how did he get his hands
on the craft? What'd he do, go up to goddamn Devil's Tower and wave
one down?" Thontan began to stroll along his desk, never taking his
eyes off of the agents.
"I have a theory of my own. A paradox." Thontan let that sink in
for a few moments, his eyes going from Scully to Mulder's, "An alien
craft crashes at this base, you get out. Filthy and hysterical. Some
research is done and a second Mulder is found, in DC. I decide in my
infinite wisdom to get you down here to 'investigate'. At some point
in the future the Agent Mulder I brought in, you, sneaks out and somehow
gains access to the craft. You attempt to fly it, but something goes
wrong. You 'jump' back in time, a week back, to appear over the base.
You can't fly the craft for shit and crash it, and then you stumble
out, screaming, realising what you've done."
Mulder and Scully stood speechless, stunned at the theory. Thontan
shook his head.
"I created my own causality loop..."
Scully stared, "You can't possibly be serious... the differences are
too great for him to be from this 'timeline'!"
Mulder stepped forward, "And people call me insane! My superiors back
in DC are going to be very interested in what we'll have to say about
what went on out here, they'll have the white coats waiting..."
Thontan snorted loudly, cutting Mulder off sharply.
"You really have no idea do you, Agent Mulder? I would have thought
you'd be smarter than this. There are forces out there bigger than
you, bigger than me. What I saw in the Antarctic proved that, and my
superiors know it. That's why this base is here, and that's why they
will disavow any thing you might say about it or what goes on here.
That's why I could walk into your superior's office and grab you and
he couldn't do a damn thing about it.
"Now I have a goddamned alien vehicle in a hanger, and two Agent
Mulders for the price of one. You sure as shit aren't going to step
a foot outside of this building!" Thontan moved back around his desk,
watching the agents strike defensive postures as his words hit home,
"I suggest you get comfy here in Blackstone base, Agents. You're here
for the duration."
This time it was Mulder's turn to calm Scully, not wanting to see
their military escorts hurt her. He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze
just before they were reclaimed by their escorts and removed from Thontan's
office.
Outside the building's walls, the sun was setting. The blue sky was
slowly transforming to the black of night, bringing with it the first
tentative stars. Armed personnel on guard duty hunkered down at their
posts, scanning the grounds with anxious eyes. More than a few looked
nervously towards the concreted quadrangle, feeling at the very edge
of their senses a faint tingling sensation...
7:04 PM
McKenzie stood nervously in the dull grey coloured hallway of the
base infirmary. Posted at either end of it were armed guards, watching
every move he made. He fingered his pass card in his hand, it now being
useless. His code was no longer accepted by any of the locks or doors.
He closed his eyes, trying to hold his growing fear in check. After
the FBI agents had been taken to Thontan's office, he had been brought
from the Lab to keep an eye on 'Mulder'. He took small comfort in the
thought that perhaps they thought he was still useful and he wouldn't
be shipped off of the base altogether.
McKenzie looked up from his post by 'Mulder's' room in the
infirmary to see the FBI agents walking down the hall towards him,
the armed guard resuming their positions after letting them through.
He looked questioningly at the agents as they stopped near
him.
"How did it go?" He asked quietly.
Scully walked past him, running a hand through her hair in frustration.
Mulder sighed, looking into the room where 'Mulder' lay sleeping on
a medical bed.
"Thontan is a mad man, he has hold of an alien space craft, and he's
grounded us to the base until he sees fit. That pretty much covers
it." Mulder rubbed both hands through his hair in frustration, "Arrggh!!!"
McKenzie nodded in commiseration.
"Then I doubt this will make you feel any better. More than 20 new
guards have been appointed throughout the complex, and the Lab has
been shut down. Also my card is now useless." The scientist looked
back into the infirmary room, "At least they're taking Agent Scully's
advice and keeping him in the infirmary. He needs the fluids."
Scully stood at the window, looking in on the 'alternate' Mulder.
His shoulder was heavily bandaged, but color had returned to his face.
She straightened as she saw him beginning to stir, and moved for the
door to his room. McKenzie and Mulder quickly followed her in.
Scully checked his IV drip as 'Mulder' slowly opened his eyes. The
starched sheets crackled as he wiped his eyes using his uninjured arm.
He dropped it the second he saw Scully. Instantly awake he tried to
sit up, and was scolded by Scully.
"Hey, slow down. You've been shot. You have to take it easy." She
spoke soothingly, pushing him back down with a hand on his chest. 'Mulder'
quickly looked for her partner, and saw him by the foot of his bed.
"Oh no... you were supposed to slip away!" 'Mulder' groaned,
"And Scuh... you're here!!"
Anguish took control of his features far too quickly, and Scully
tried to soothe him. She was shocked to see the fresh agony in his
hazel eyes.
"Yes, shhh. It's okay..." She hushed. 'Mulder' shook his head, trying
to stop the tears from escaping.
"No, it's worse! I thought it was just Mulder, but you're here as
well... I drew you both in..."
Scully stroked his hair, it was the only thing she could think of
to try to calm him. His heart monitor was beeping faster with his racing
pulse.
"It's okay, Mulder. What matters now is that we're here to help you.
That's all. Okay?" She was surprised when his hand snaked up to cover
hers and gently grip her wrist, his thumb stroking her skin. He used
his injured side to try and wipe his tears, but only tugged on his
wounds.
"Ow." He cried. Scully used her free hand to clear his tears away,
feeling slightly shaky under his touch. It was so gentle, so delicate,
like he was touching something truly precious. After a few moments
he seemed to realise what he was doing and he let her go. Scully was
almost sorry to loose the contact...
McKenzie cleared his voice, getting his attention.
"Well, Mr Mulder. That was some kind of stunt you pulled. You were
in surgery for two hours having the bullets removed and repairing the
damage. You were fortunate that no major arteries were hit." The scientist
chastised him. Gaining some control over his tears, 'Mulder' looked
to Mulder. He was frowning over the attention his partner seemed to
be getting.
"You didn't get out." He croaked. Scully tucked a stray strand of
hair back.
"Mulder, you were shot. We couldn't just leave you." She glanced
at her partner by the foot of the bed. He was chewing on his lip, looking
from the crumpled sheets to a shadow on the wall cast by a lamp. He
didn't know what to make of it, watching Scully care for another Mulder.
And what was he doing before, stroking her skin?!
'Mulder' shook his head again, swallowing dryly, "You should have
gotten away as fast as you could..."
Scully leant in, "No. Now listen to me. None of this is your fault.
You..."
'Mulder' closed his eyes, as if trying to clear his mind.
"You're wrong about that. It IS my fault. My coming here set
everything in motion... Thontan got you in...You both wouldn't have
been at this base if I hadn't been here... " 'Mulder's' voice trailed
off and a look of sheer amazement bloomed on his face, "My god... that's
why I had to wait..."
The door to the infirmary was suddenly flung open, the entrance of
four armed marines gaining everyone's attention. Menacing, black rifles
were slung in their direction as the Sergeant moved past them, glaring
coldly at the civilians in the room.
"Take them outside and keep them close." He barked, and the agents
and scientist were each grasped by the arm, the silent threat of force
draining weakening their resistance.
"What the hell..?! Hey!" 'Mulder' sat up, objecting loudly, only
to have two of the armed marines move towards his bed. The Sergeant
turned to 'Mulder' as the agents were roughly 'escorted' out to the
hallway. 'Mulder's' eyes followed their progress out, his heart monitor
beeps rising along with his trepidation. He looked back to the Sergeant,
his hazel eyes almost blazing with his fury.
The Sergeant merely grinned, his armed men on either side of the foot
of the bed, their black rifles slightly raised.
"You're done Mulder, or what ever your name is." He
grated, fixing his eyes on 'Mulder's', his lips twitching with his
anger, "You are going to talk, right now." He leaned in slightly, his
eyes flicking towards the captives in the hallway, "It looks like we've
got one Agent Mulder too many. We won't be needing them anymore."
'Mulder's' jaw clenched, but he gave no other outward signs of emotion.
He breathed out in a sigh and looked the Sergeant in the face.
"So, what do you want. The winning lotto numbers? Your palm read
maybe?"
The armed men to either side of him saw the funny side and shorted
laughter through their noses. The Sergeant wasn't as amused.
"Cut the shit. What do you know about it?"
"About what?" 'Mulder' asked innocently. He didn't even flinch as
the Sergeant stormed right up to him, his hand going to his holstered
sidearm threateningly.
"You're in no position to joke, son."
"You have no idea of my position." 'Mulder' answered, not
meaning it to be a lewd comment. The Sergeant's men sniggered again
but the Sergeant himself knew what he was referring to.
"I don't think you have any idea of the position you're in.
Not yet anyway." He withdrew his gun, "Now tell me about the ship."
'Mulder' bit his lip and looked thoughtful.
"Well... it was real big, it had bright lights all around it... it
was big like a city. And as it descended to the Tower it played these
notes..." 'Mulder' explained, and then hummed the musical notes from
'Close Encounters'.
Outside, in the hallway, McKenzie looked from Agent Mulder to the
man in the bed.
"Good Lord, what's he doing?! He's going to get himself killed!!!"
He gasped.
Scully shook her head, wanting to shout out and tell 'Mulder' to just
keep quiet. They looked to Mulder, as if he had some insight into what
he was doing. Mulder was just as dumbfounded. He had a pained expression
on his face, knowing that any second they were going to beat him or
worse.
The Sergeant was livid. His gun wielding hand actually shook with
his anger. 'Mulder' didn't stop there.
"No... no, it was more like... a machine, but not like the clunky
things we would make. It glided. It was the most beautiful thing I've
ever seen."
The Sergeant clicked an ammo clip into the gun, loading it with a
loud clack. 'Mulder' blinked innocently.
"You know you should really keep the safety on, the base might loose
its occupational heath rating."
"Go ahead, frag him, Sarge. I don't know why the LC wants to keep
his sorry ass around anyways." Spat one of the armed men, his weapon
training towards the man lying on the bed. The Sergeant's face twitched.
Not yet, he had orders to respond if he was 'difficult', but they wanted
some information first.
'Mulder' shifted in his bed, looking at each of the military men glaring
at him with contempt. He shook his head. The people in the hallway
couldn't believe the look of utter annoyance that crossed his face.
"Go ahead, Sander. Shoot me. Then you'll never know. Yeah, Sander.
I know your name. Your first name is Chip, although you had it changed
when you were 18 to Chris, but I know the truth." 'Mulder' growled.
The Sergeant's face paled.
"How... no one knows that... I had the records destroyed!!" He exclaimed,
"Not... I never told anyone!"
'Mulder' snorted, "You didn't do a good enough job. And you, Daniel
Barton," He looked to the armed man to his left, "How about when you
slept through your duty shift four weeks ago, you let your buddy Chits
get done for it. Now that's a man of good character."
Apart from 'Mulder's' breathing, there was absolute silence in the
room and outside of it. Private Barton opened and closed his mouth,
not knowing what to do with his rifle, lowering it and raising it towards
the man who could not have possibly known what he had done. 'Mulder'
looked to the armed man on his right.
"Tiernan Keefe, your pal Steeler was right, you are a complete wank
stain." 'Mulder' announced. Beside him, his heart rate had shot right
up, over 110, and sweat beaded on his forehead.
Mulder in the hallway saw his arm muscles clench in preparation to
move.
"What the fuck..." Sergeant Sander growled. 'Mulder' half laughed,
half sobbed in release.
"Not really, I guess I'm just lucky that things are so much the same
here." He slowly sat up, watching the military men's faces closely
as he did so. Private Barton's rifle swivelled towards the slightest
squeak of the bed. All of a sudden, 'Mulder's' cardiac monitor went
silent, all waving green lines vanishing into the blackness of the
screen.
"Did you really think that this was my first time here?"
...Escape...
Sergeant Sander was suddenly propelled backwards from the force
of Mulder's feet slamming into his chest. He crashed into the clear-spex
window, taking a tray of instruments down with him as he crumpled to
the floor. 'Mulder' rolled from the bed, whipping the bed sheets with
him as bullets struck the mattress right behind him. IV tubes went
flying, 'Mulder' landed with a thud and rushed towards the nearest
man, partly covering his rifle with the sheet, and crashing into him
like a rugby player. Bullets chinked off of the Private's armour before
his companion realised who he was shooting at, and then was collected
as well. One of the men's boots landed on the trailing sheet and he
tripped up, 'Mulder' doing a clumsy body roll over the pair and hit
the wall beside the half conscious Sergeant. In their confusion the
Privates kept firing their rifles.
The marines and agents outside dove for the floor as bullets rained
across the clear-spex. Creating cracked spirals in the bullet-resistant
pane. The agent's 'escorts' began crouch/walking towards the still
open doorway, aiming their own rifles at it. The closest marine leaned
in to try and see inside, only to have a grey oxygen tank swing out
from inside the doorway and collide with his head.
The clang was loud in the metallic hall, it reverberating along it
even as the marine slumped in unconsciousness. 'Mulder' stepped from
the doorway, dressed in only a thin hospital gown that left a lot of
leg showing. His eyes were locked with those of the last marine, the
oxygen tank still in his hand. 'Mulder' stepped clear of the doorway
and it slid shut of its own accord, trapping the Sergeant and his two
men inside, still hollering in frustration.
"Stand fast!!" The man yelled, raising his rifle, his hands shaking.
He had no idea how the situation had gotten so bad so fast, but he
we was going to end it right now, "You open that door!" He slowly rose
as 'Mulder' shook his head.
"I didn't close it..!" 'Mulder' exclaimed, realising he'd just lost
his edge.
"Bullshit! You fu..."
"Hey laughing boy!" Came Mulder's voice from behind him, and the
marine whirled to look at the second Mulder. The oxygen tank came down
on his head, and dropped with him to the floor, 'Mulder' giving his
counterpart an appreciative nod. Scully was looking around her, she
barely believing what she was seeing, while McKenzie knelt by one of
the unconscious men and began to undo his belt. He peered up through
his rims at 'Mulder' as he gave him a curious look.
"You'll need some pants!" The scientist exclaimed, pulling them down.
Once they were off he gave 'Mulder' some cover so he could put them
on.
Mulder took hold of Scully's arm with both of his hands, looking at
the lock indication lights above the hydraulic doors blinked from green
to red. Scully looked from one end of the corridor to the other, both
exits now locked securely.
"Mulder... this situation has gotten way out of hand. We have to
try and contact Skinner, this is way over our heads now..." She whispered,
her voice shaky. 'Mulder' strode up to them, dressed only in his new
camouflage plants and his shoulder bandage.
"It's okay, Scully. I've got it covered." 'Mulder' gave her arm a
comforting pat, Mulder shifting closer to Scully, not liking the fact
that his other self was touching his partner an awful lot. He put his
own arm around Scully, wanting it to be him to do the comforting, thank
you very much.
A flash of green caught their eyes, and they turned to see
the far lock indication light blink green. The lock hissed and slid
open of its own accord.
"Mulder..." Scully breathed in bewilderment. A huge smile spread
across 'Mulder's' face. He gently took each of their arms in his hands.
He gave Scully's arm a comforting squeeze, stroking it with his thumb
to reassure her.
"Okay, we're outa here."
Above ground, the men guarding the concreted quadrangle stood rooted
in place, feeling the vibrating sensation pass right through their
bodies. Their guns dropped to the ground, they releasing them in their
terror. Only then did the internal vibrations cease. As they stood
gasping in mixed relief and fear, they heard the deep metallic groan
of steel being twisted. They looked towards the closest building, to
the large spot lights that had been erected to light up the quadrangle.
The twin poles supporting the massive lights were being bent, pulled
down towards the quadrangle ground, like a flower drooping in the heat.
The steel groaned loudly in protest. A small connecting bar snapped
off under the strain, flying towards the centre of the quadrangle where
it stuck fast and stood straight up on the ground. A second later their
rifles slid towards the bar, and were puled up onto their muzzles,
the butts seeming to point to the sky...
The men fled, some screaming, alerting all personnel on their rounds
outside of the buildings.
The loud wail of the klaxon alarm rang throughout the base,
echoing through the corridors. Mulder and Scully half walked half jogged
with the other Mulder in between them, each hand holding on to one
of their arms. Ahead of them, lock indication lights that were once
red were turning green, doors opening for them well before they reached
them. 'Mulder' didn't seem surprised by this, instead he smile grew
as each lock opened, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
Scully joined her partner's stare at 'Mulder's' face. Sweat was rolling
down his cheeks, and he was almost panting.
"How...?" She cried, getting 'Mulder's' attention. He gave her arm
another gentle squeeze.
"It's all right... Scully. I'm just finally getting a break... is
all..." He panted, but smiled brilliantly.
"Bullshit... those locks only open with access cards," Mulder exclaimed,
on the other side of him, "They're opening before we even get to them,
leading us through... are you..."
"Shh." 'Mulder' silenced him.
'Mulder' slowed down, padding to a stop, his eyes on a t junction
blocked by red light bearing locks. His hazel eyes flicked from one
to the other. He licked his lips with uncertainty. Above them, the
alarming klaxon wail echoed on.
"Mulder..." Scully whispered anxiously. 'Mulder' flicked his head
in an indication to wait.
A few tense moments passed. 'Mulder' frowned helplessly and mouthed
the words 'which one'.
The lock to the right went from red to green, and 'Mulder' released
a sigh, tugging on the agent's arms, Scully's more gently than Mulder's.
"This way."
Scully continued staring at 'Mulder' as they resumed their pace, now
truly amazed. A growing patch of red on his shoulder bandage caught
her attention and to her horror she saw that he was bleeding. A trail
of blood was making its way down his lean, muscular upper arm towards
her.
"Muder! You have to stop, you're bleeding." Scully cried. Another
lock opened for them, they turning right. She looked to her partner
but he was seeing nothing but the locks opening by themselves.
"Oh my god... you're communicating with Them..." Mulder gasped, "They're
helping you..."
'Mulder' ignored his counterpart and gently shook his head at Scully.
"It's fine. I've had worse. I just have to get you two out, okay?
Nothing else matters." He led them towards an open lift at the end
of the corridor, moving to the back of it so he could rest against
the wall, eyes closed. He was coated with a fine sheen of sweat now,
and he was trembling from physical fatigue. He barely had enough energy
to stand. The doors slid shut and the lift began moving, without a
level being chosen.
Mulder pointed to the panel, which was operating by itself, but glared
at warningly by his female partner. Scully was more concerned with
the alternate Mulder's well-being. His wounded arm was rapidly being
coated with his own blood.
"Mulder... you have to stop." Her hands went up to his arm, but 'Mulder'
blocked her, his own hand touching hers in a weary warding off gesture.
"It's okay, Scully... not far now..." He gave her a comforting smile.
The lift shuddered to a stop, the doors sliding open to reveal the
level 1 corridor, blocked off in sections by the hydraulic door locks.
'Mulder' shepherded Mulder and Scully out of the lift by a touch to
their elbows, moving towards the first lock to go green and let them
through.
Mulder grabbed 'Mulder's' arm as soon as they'd gone through their
second lock, forcing him to stop.
"Hold up, I'm not moving another step until you give me some answers!"
Mulder growled, having had enough of being led around and kept in the
dark. This was himself for God's sake! If that's who he really was...
'Mulder' stared at him with a growing expression of anger, but Mulder
didn't stop there.
"How are you opening these doors? Huh? Is it Them? They're doing
it for you, aren't they? Why! You..."
'Mulder's' eyes had grown dark.
"We don't have time for this." He mumbled, and moved to keep going.
Mulder gripped his arm harder, pulling him back physically, making
the man almost stumble in his weakened condition. 'Mulder' glared furiously,
his mouth dropping open.
"You really are stupid, Mulder! Blind to everything but your precious
Truth! Look around you, look where we are!" He roared. Mulder
smiled a weary smile, shaking his head.
"I don't believe you. If you really are me, you wouldn't keep
it a secret. Especially to 'yourself'. If you know..."
"You have no idea what I know." 'Mulder' shouted.
"Then tell me!" Mulder stepped closer, staring right into his own
eyes. Both men's chests were heaving with their emotion. Scully could
only watch, breathless from amazement, as the exact duplicates stared
each other down.
'Mulder's' whole face stiffened and his jaw muscle clenched.
"No. I am you, but we are VERY different people." He spat.
"I don't believe that either, if you were you wouldn't be standing
here yelling at yourself." Mulder countered with.
'Mulder' suddenly silenced. His hazel eyes passed over his
counterpart's face, as if seeing some unknown truth, and his anger
left his face. His Adam's apple bobbed up and down with his swallow,
and he took a step back, calming down quickly. Mulder was still seething,
his own hazel eyes searching, knowing he'd hit a nerve.
Barely a moment later the lock they had just passed through hissed
shut behind them, sealing them into the corridor. 'Mulder' looked slightly
surprised at this. He moved forward, towards the still locked door
ahead of them.
It did not turn green.
Scully grabbed hold of her partner's arm and tugged on it sharply,
her blue eyes meeting his and chastising him silently.
"No more." She whispered, "We're getting OUT OF HERE." She turned
away, ignoring what ever sulking look he might give her, and looked
to 'Mulder'. He was waving his hand over the still locked door, getting
more worried.
"Mulder..." She voiced, her tones questioning.
"I.. uh... this should be opening..." 'Mulder' moved back and forth
in front of it, as if trying to activate a heat sensor to open it.,
"... just one sec..."
Mulder just watched him.
"Maybe they want us in here for some reason. Maybe we've gone as
far as they want us to..."
"Mulder!" Scully hissed. But his counterpart seemed to agree. He
stopped trying to open the door.
"He might be right..."
Lieutenant Colonel Thontan strode beside Major Paxton and several
of his most faithful recruits, their boots kicking stones across the
courtyard as they made their way towards the quadrangle area. The klaxon
wailed deafeningly, the spot lights that were working cast circles
of light across dozens of panicked men, running in all directions,
having forgotten their training in their terror. One man made the poor
choice of running directly for the Lieutenant Colonel, and was shot
down by the companioning marines. The group strode past the bloody
body on the ground, the Lieutenant Colonel nodding his approval at
his man.
"Nice shot. Didn't spare the cranium. It looks like there will be
a few recruits missing from the promotion line up this year." Thontan
grunted. Major Paxton could only stare at the amount of men running
around.
"Probably 90%, don't bother counting. Just like the tests showed."
Thontan pulled out a cigar and his lighter, flicking the splint. It
didn't light up. He tried four times. He let it drop from his hand,
and pocketed the cigar again.
"So, we know they have something against smoking." He chuckled, "Paxton,
I want these chicken shits rounded up ASAP. I want a perimeter set
up around the quadrangle in five, and..."
The officer stopped dead in his tracks. The night wind blew his jacket
about, and ruffled what was left of his hair as he stared into the
sky.
The hovering craft was absolutely silent. It hung 100 feet above the
base, illuminated panels on its underside sending out columns of light
to shine across the ground. Brilliant, soundless light played cross
the courtyard, dancing in front of the Lieutenant Colonel and his men.
The twin shafts crossed over, and darted outwards, changing color from
white to blue. It almost seemed... inviting.
Thontan felt a slight tingling feeling cross his hands, and his face
wrinkled in anger.
"No!" He shouted out, as the craft shut off its lights and darted
upwards at a fantastic rate. It had vanished into the stars before
Thontan could finish his cry.
"God damn it, the one in the quad is sending out warnings! Get out
there and establish that perimeter!" He roared and his men charged
off to follow his orders.
The three of them in the level 1 corridor all sighed in relief as
the lock indication light flicked to green. This time 'Mulder' didn't
need to take the agent's arms, they jogged right alongside him as they
resumed their progress through the corridor. Scully kept an eye on
'Mulder's' injured shoulder as they went. The bandages were now sopping
with blood, and his whole arm was nearly covered with it. 'Mulder'
caught her attentive eye, and laughed weakly.
"It's okay, Scully... I'm tough." Scully shook her head worriedly.
He was running on pure adrenalin, his brief infirmary stay being his
only real rest in a week. She was astounded at the man's stamina, just
like her own Mulder, drawing upon his endless strength to keep going
at all costs.
Mulder was watching the corridor layout very carefully, seeing they
had left the clean, officer-used hallways and were now moving through
what could be maintenance passages. Less shiny walls and more panels
and bulky protuberances. Yet they were still sectioned off by the hydraulic
locks. They had to have gone through more than fifty by now. Mulder
was astounded at the level of security. Had his counterpart not had
'help' they would have never gotten out.
The trio slowed to walking pace as they reached the end of the hydraulic
lock system, and encountered the familiar doors they were used to.
Hanging open, their bolted locks having been blown out by an unseen
force. Mulder pushed the door, it swinging easily. He turned to stare
at 'Mulder'.
"Why..?" He asked, his voice pleading. 'Mulder' pushed ahead, needing
to keep moving.
"Have you ever seen an insect in a spider's web? All struggling and
you know it can't get out? Then you get a stick and free it. I think...
that's what's happening here. Only They have a far more advanced stick."
'Mulder' breathed. His limbs were trembling from the exertion, "Come
on."
They exited the last door into a small loading bay, opening straight
out onto the base grounds. The klaxon alarms had stopped, the shouts
of frightened men filled the air. Many ran across the open bay, seeing
nothing except their own fears.
'Mulder' put a hand out, stopping Mulder from moving, and then looked
towards a small maintenance camera console on the wall. Its monitor
was working, showing a black and white picture of the base outside.
'Mulder' tapped the toggle key, moving the picture from camera to camera
until he saw what he was looking for. A hum vee, parked by one of the
barracks, free for the taking.
He turned back to the agents, and then lifted his head, as if hearing
something. A look of confusion and frustration crossed his face for
the briefest of moments. He shook his head.
"God damn it... all right. Ahh..." He looked to Mulder, then decided
against it, "Scully, okay, listen now. That car is parked next to the
western barracks. Near the big hole in the ground, but pay no attention
to that. You just have to get out. Okay? Go around the edge of the
buildings, there are two exit gates on either side so it doesn't matter
which way you go. If he gives you any crap just slap him, he deserves
it."
Mulder objected, "Hey!"
"Shh!" 'Mulder' hissed, and turned back to Scully, who didn't know
what to do or say. 'Mulder' took her hand, giving her a tender smile,
his intense hazel eyes gazing softly into hers, with all of the confidence
in the world.
"I... really am proud of you, Dana. This is a piece of cake for you,
you just have to trust in your own strength. I know you feel I am the
one with all of the strength, but believe me. You've got the intelligence
I haven't, and you just leave them turning around dazed in your wake."
Scully couldn't believe what had just come out of 'Mulder's' mouth,
she having thought that not long ago. Tears came to her eyes as for
the first time she really knew that this man was Mulder. Her
hand tightened over his.
"Mulder..." She breathed, and his face crumpled in a wave of sadness.
Her chest hurt to see such sorrow in his eyes. Quickly he fought back
his tears, and a smile returned to his face.
"Hey... just in case I never get to see you again..." He spoke, the
same words from a year ago, to another 'Scully', in another time...
Before her partner could act he stepped into her and pressed his quivering
lips against her forehead, kissing it lovingly, once twice three times.
"Hey!!" Mulder growled angrily, but 'Mulder' stumbled away,
back towards the door and was gone.
Scully stared after him, barely noticing her partner take her arm
and look her over as if for injuries. Some rifle fire stuttered in
the background. Scully closed her mouth firmly and grabbed hold of
Mulder's now dishevelled jacket.
"We're going."
Scully all but dragged Mulder behind her as she left the loading bay,
moving out into the cool night air. The agents accelerated into a run,
Scully following a path lit up before them by exterior lights that
had been off only moments before. She tugged on Mulder's arm, silencing
his words before they could be released, and ran faster.
The western barracks building stood deserted, debris from the shattered
roof still littered the ground. Mulder and Scully ran across the various
planks of wood and pieces of tiling, Mulder's eyes going to the huge
40 foot crater that pocked the ground less than 20 feet from the building's
wall. His head followed it as they ran past it.
"Forget it, Mulder." Scully hissed, tightening her hold on his arm.
Just past the barracks they sighted the hum vee. Just as 'Mulder'
said, it stood parked, both doors open as if it had been exited in
a hurry. Scully nearly cried with relief. She let go of Mulder's arm
to run around to the driver's side, she and Mulder climbing in. Her
eyes scanned the interior hurriedly for they keys.
"Where are the ke..."
Scully gasped in surprise as the vehicle's engine started of its own
accord. The dash board lights lit up, illuminating Mulder's expression
of sheer delight.
"Scully... oh my god... it heard you... They heard you!"
"Mulder!"
"Scully... I got to see it... I have to see it..." Mulder blabbered,
beginning to slide off of his seat. Scully lunged across to grab him,
but he was already moving. To her horror, her partner was running across
the grass, heading for the other side of the barracks, where grass
met the courtyard, leading into the centre of the base. ***
Scully slammed her hand against the steering wheel in frustration,
"Damn you!" She slid out of her seat and began her own run across the
grass in the direction that Mulder took. When she was halfway to the
courtyard she stopped suddenly and dashed for the building, seeing
four armed marines jogging in her direction. Scully pressed herself
against the wall and watched as the men stopped at the edge of the
courtyard and fanned out along its edge, as if making a cordon. With
no choice now, Scully edged back towards the other side of the building,
taking care not to step on any rubble and make sound. As quietly as
possible she picked her way through the devastation left by the craft
and took off at a run back the way she came.
Scully ran past the loading bay she had exited with her partner when
she heard her name called out.
"Scully?!" She stopped instantly, to see the alternate 'Mulder' coming
towards her, a small plastic bag containing his ID and belongings.
Scully glanced quickly to it, and 'Mulder' shook his head dismissively.
"I was told to get these... where... where's..." 'Mulder' didn't
need to finish his question. His eyes darkened with anger when he realised
just where Mulder was...
"That son of a ... I... he did it... I did it again..." He grated.
Scully caught her breath, still shocked and hurt that Mulder had just
ran off.
"He wanted to see it..." She gasped out, and 'Mulder' nodded, taking
her hand.
"I know... come on Dana..." He allowed her to lead, which Scully
blinked at for a moment, and then began moving again, deeper into the
base grounds.
Mulder jogged to a stop behind a wall of sandbags beside a building,
having no idea where he was. He had looked at every light on the way
in, none of them lighting up for him. He'd had to stay low in areas,
as there were quite a few men were patrolling about that was as collected
as he was, not racing around in fear. They all seemed to be moving
in the same direction as well, perhaps to secure the craft...
Mulder heard voices and hit the ground, hoping they didn't decide
to take the scenic route around the sandbags.
"...had to blow the entire grid, but we got the locks open. They
weren't inside. I found this scum, but no Mulder." Mulder heard McKenzie's
frightened gasp, he picturing a marine presenting him to his superior.
"What?! Sanders, that incompetent prick..." Thontan's voice, loud
and rumbling. Mulder's skin crawled hearing it, "They're out then.
Fine. Tell the men to kill them on sight. No fancy shit, I just want
them dead."
Mulder lifted his head to the sound of another man approaching, slowing
down from a run.
"Sir, I have confirmation, they are out. The western cordon just
spotted her by the western barracks." He spluttered.
Mulder's heart seemed to stop in his chest. Scully... they were going
to shoot Scully!!! He scratched at the grass, trying desperately to
move, but his muscles had seized with his horror. A choked cry escaped
him as he scrambled back behind the building. Once out of sight he
broke into a furious run, sprinting for Scully's life.
'Mulder' followed Scully as they emerged onto the lower slope of a
large grassy hill, pock marked with evidence of the last training exercise
held there. Scully paused, her eyes searching its crest for any sign
of Mulder. Scully wished she could have remembered more of the base
layout from their brief fly-over the day before. She turned to 'Mulder'
to meet his eyes. A look of growing horror was dawning on him.
"Is is why you were out here...? Looking for me?!?" He gasped. Scully
didn't know what he was talking about. She was about to open her mouth
when she heard her partner yelling frantically.
"SCULLYYY!!SCULLYYYYY!" Scully looked up towards the top of the hill
where his voice carried and began up the slope.
"Mulder!"
"SCULLY, NO!" Her partner's voiced called, it coming closer.
'Mulder' watched in a daze as Scully stepped up the hill. From the
far top right the other Mulder appeared, charging towards her but still
at a distance. The armed marines on the top of the hill got to her
much faster. 'Mulder' exploded into a run, seeing the black, laser-sight
mounted rifle being lifted, Scully's head turning to see her killer.
A horrified scream burst from his counterpart's lungs.
"NOOOO!!!" Mulder and 'Mulder' screamed in unison.
180 pounds of shrieking 'Mulder' slammed into the marine before
he could get a shot off. Still shrieking, 'Mulder' raised himself up
to drive his fist into the armed man's face again and again, sweat
and blood flying off of his wounded arm as he did so.
Mulder skidded to stop and grabbed his partner into his arms, tears
of horror rolling down his cheeks. He collapsed to his knees with Scully,
tightening his hold on her, quivering and wracked with nausea that
he had very nearly lost her. Scully trembled with her own shock, and
just clung to Mulder as he cried.
"Oh god... oh god Scully..." He wheezed, trying to enfold her as
close as possible to himself. He kissed her head, breathing in her
scent, trying to reassure himself that she was really still with him.
'Mulder' let the terrified and battered marine squirm away back up
the hill. He looked down to see Scully being held and rocked by her
partner, very much alive. His knees buckled underneath him and he hit
the ground, exhaustion claiming his body, and profound anguish claiming
his soul. He rolled over and crawled to a patch of grass a few feet
from the embracing agents, where he had lain... where he had held her
body...
"...Scully..?" He croaked, searching the grass. It was back. All
the sounds he remembered from that night, they surrounded him once
more... the shouts of frightened men, gun fire, and the thrumming of
an alien space craft. And Scully was still gone...
Mulder looked up from his armful of Scully, seeing his counterpart
searching the grass pitifully. His belongings were left to blow across
the ground in the wind. His whole body shook from his continuing ordeal.
Mulder blinked, suddenly understanding...
"Mulder..." Came Scully's voice, she having turned to look also,
"...the blood on his shirt..."
Mulder felt fresh tears come to his eyes, as he knew.
"His Scully was shot..." Mulder breathed sadly. The wind blew a piece
of paper towards him, from 'Mulder's' strewn belongings. It had not
been among the lot that McKenzie had shown him. Mulder grabbed it as
it bounced past and shakily opened it.
It was a scan print out with two photos and some writing. The first
photo showed his counterpart and Scully in an embrace... and kissing.
In the second shot the two stood apart, staring and laughing at the
photographer, who had sneakily caught the shot. The accompanying writing
read: Here's the Truth, Agent Mulder. Your newest shadowy informant.
Frohike's writing.
Mulder lifted his head as 'Mulder' reached out to take the paper,
his face streaked with his tears. He nodded brokenly to his alternate
self, the one not in love with his partner.
"I... looked so hard for it... for some meaning to life... I looked
for answers in the stars, when I had it beside me all along. I'm in
love with my Scully..." A few men ran down the slope past them, but
'Mulder' didn't notice them, "There was sightings reported over the
Blackstone Base and Scuh... she knows it's what I want, she suggested
we go. But she wanted to take the 114mm reflecting telescope this time..."
'Mulder' dropped his head in shame, "When the craft went down inside
the grounds we went in... I got caught, was interrogated, but I managed
to get out. I met up with Scully outside at the car... but then I left
her. I went off to see it..." 'Mulder' collapsed into wracking sobs,
"...I heard them say they were going to shoot... I ran back... but
too late. Scully died because of me!!!"
Scully pulled herself out of her partner's arms, amazed by the revelation.
This man loved his Scully, his partner... She began shaking from emotion,
feeling a surge of unparalleled joy at the knowledge... that Mulder
loved Scully, even if it wasn't her partner and even if it wasn't herself
directly. All her doubt, her fears, suddenly didn't seem so strong...
Mulder unconsciously drew Scully back against him, shaken to the core.
His voice wouldn't work, he could only gape and tremble, feeling as
if his own heart had been exposed... 'Mulder' knew what his alternate
self wanted to know. He looked towards the top of the slope as a gentle
tingling began creeping over his skin, his sobs abating at the familiar
feeling.
"As I sat there, Scully dead in my arms, the alien ship approached.
And it... spoke to me, right into my mind. It only wanted to communicate...
it was an unmanned 'scout' vehicle, designed for long range contact.
It said it had disrupted the 'local linear continuum' and it was required
to repair it."
Mulder began to see it, see how all the pieces fitted together. He
nodded towards his counterpart, looking over Scully's head cradled
against his chest.
"You went into the ship..."
'Mulder' half laughed, half sobbed, "Yes, if there was any chance
I could get her back I was taking it. The ship told me to wait, it
had to make some 'time incursion computations'... but I couldn't...
I slammed my hand down on the panel, and I ended up here... back at
Blackstone Base, just in another universe... I couldn't wait five fucking
minutes..." 'Mulder' put his head in his hands, shaking with the anguish
of his own actions.
Scully turned in Mulder's arms, unable to stand to see 'Mulder' in
such pain. She reached out a hand, trying to touch some part of him,
to give him whatever comfort she could.
"It's okay, Mulder. I don't, and wouldn't blame you. You hear me?
It is not your fault... I don't blame you..." She cried, wiping some
of her own tears away.
'Mulder' looked up to Scully, smiling tearfully.
"You were right, Scully... After the first time we ever made
love, we held each other and talked. And you just came out and said,
'They can't all be bad.' And I go, 'What?'. 'The aliens. They can't
all be bad.' You go. I laughed but you were serious. You said, 'If...
you're right, and other intelligent beings exist, logic would dictate
that not all of them would be bad. They would be as diverse and varied
as any race on this planet. As would be their intentions. While some
would seek out to do only evil acts... others may seek out to do only
good.' And I cried then, thinking I was the luckiest son of a bitch
in the universe to have her..."
Scully could no longer support her own weight, stunned with what she
had heard... at the lengths this man had gone to save her... another
her...
'Mulder' heaved a sigh, seeing their shock, their disbelief. He tried
to blink his tears away so he could see them.
"I LOVE Dana Scully with all of my heart and
soul. I have ever since I met her... and by whatever Gods that exist,
I am going to get her back. No expanse of time or space will stop me..."
He declared. There was nothing but absolute determination in his hazel
eyes.
'Mulder' lifted his gaze as a deep, thrumming sound rapidly approached
them, coming towards the top of the slope. The ground beneath them
vibrated with it. 'Mulder' began to gesture wildly for Mulder and Scully
to move.
"Go, go... get her out of here!!!" He cried. This time Mulder didn't
waste any time. He lifted himself and Scully to their feet and began
running, not looking back as the thrumming sound grew louder.
'Mulder' watched the agents run back towards the western barracks,
and heaved a sigh of relief. He'd saved one Mulder from his fate. He
turned back to the top of the slope and struggled to his feet, the
warming tingles infusing his muscles with temporary energy.
The smooth metallic hull of the craft rose into view, it gliding over
the top of the hill. Its sixty foot long bulk slid through the air
without effort, turning slightly towards 'Mulder', while moving into
a position just in front of him.
'Mulder' exhaled a shuddering breath, closing his eyes, weary and
exhausted.
"Please... take me home..." he whispered.
Scully slid into the driver's seat of the hum vee, Mulder right beside
her. Scully was not surprised to find the motor still running. Mulder
buckled himself in shakily and twisted in his seat, looking for a possible
exit route.
"...Okay, we can go along the fence, I think there's a..." The hum
vee lurched forward, Scully wrenching the steering wheel strongly,
directing the vehicle around the barracks and towards the courtyard,
now free of cordoning marines. She slammed on the gas and accelerated
forward, back towards the grassy training ground beyond. Mulder was
horrified.
"Scully, what are you..."
"It's okay, you wanted to see it." Scully responded, "We're in the
car now."
"No, I don't care ... you're all that matters. You're safe, and with
me. I've got what I need. You, Scully!" Mulder exclaimed, getting her
attention and staring into her eyes, trying to convey all the love
in his heart. He meant it, he truly did, surprising even himself at
the true feelings straight from his heart. Realising it gave him new
strength, seeming to reenergize him. Scully took a hand off of the
wheel and slid it under one of his, smiling tearfully at him. They
didn't need to speak, each one understood the other. Deciding together.
Mulder broke eye contact so she could guide the vehicle to a save viewing
spot but he didn't let go of her hand. Together the agents watched
the scene before them in amazement.
From within the alien craft came a deep rumble, signalling a change
in the frequency of the thrumming. The air seemed to fade from the
area, yet 'Mulder' found he could still breathe. He could no longer
feel the cool air upon his skin. With a resounding crash as loud as
thunder, parts of the alien ship's hull began to separate. Sliding
up and back along the sides, pulling the craft open in two directions
and revealing a brilliant, pulsating core of light.
'Mulder' stared straight into the core, which hovered in place without
any visible attachments, from which all of the thrumming and control
of gravity seemed to emanate. Blending colors rolled and pulsed, its
light illuminating the entire area. The swirling colors slowed, and
stopped, the core falling silent for a brief second, before it began
pulsing again. But backwards.
'Mulder' stood shaking, tears still rolling down his face, as the
alien vehicle's core began to accelerate, the thrumming growing faster
in time with the rapid swirls of light. The sound became a steady drone,
the light flashing brighter and brighter, further and further.
The ship began to reform itself, underneath the core and around it,
as its increasing gravity began to affect the area. Concentrating the
increasing pull only on itself. Its hull began to shake from the increasing
power, being pulled towards its own core. Alien mechanics groaned under
the assault. But the core spun on, faster and faster.
'Mulder' watched as his belongings spread out on the ground were picked
up and sucked into the craft's centre, vanishing into the light. The
thrumming drone was almost deafening now, the light pulsing near blindingly.
The gravitational forces shook the craft's hull violently, making it
warp hideously inwards.
But 'Mulder' held fast, staring into the brilliance of the heart of
the craft, into dimensions he could not fathom.
In the hum vee Scully stared, all color having drained from her face
once the core began spinning. She could not believe what she was seeing...
"Why isn't he moving?" She asked shakily. Her hand gripped his so
tightly both of their knuckles were white.
"I think... he's waiting. For the right time." Mulder could only
breathe, unable to take his eyes from the sight. It did not escape
him what unbelievable leap of faith Scully was making by allowing him
to see this...
'Mulder's' head jerked up as the familiar alien voice filled his mind,
this time seemingly in a shout of urgency.
N O W
'Mulder' began running, roaring out his beloved's name. His voice
carried, the light from the core flashed brilliantly as it encompassed
him. Sound filled the world, a rolling pressure wave followed it, throwing
every one within 100 meters from their feet. It hit the front of the
hum vee and propelled it backwards, wrenching the steering wheel from
Scully's hand. Its strength died seconds later, and the vehicle rolled
to a stop, its occupants gasping and shaken, but unharmed.
Mulder found himself pressed against his partner, he having thrown
himself across her body at the burst of the sound. He settled back,
she nodding to him that he was okay.
The grassy slope before them was empty. There was no sign of the alien
craft or 'Mulder'.
As the first marines began to stir from their thrown positions across
the courtyard, Scully began to slowly motor the hum vee away. No one
moved to stop its progress. It pulled onto the paved road leading to
the exit of the base grounds and headed for home.
...
FBI Building,
13th April, 2001. Friday 10:02 am.
Agent Mulder and Agent Scully sat in their chairs in front of Assistant
Director Skinner's desk, watching their superior thumb through Mulder's
report on the events at Blackstone Base. They sat calmly, holding their
emotions firmly behind their walls of FBI professionalism. The clock
ticked loudly on the wall the traffic on the street below could clearly
be heard so heavy was the silence in the office. Scully held her hands
on her lap, keeping her eyes fixed on Skinner's coffee mug, trying
to keep them from wandering to Mulder's face like they wanted to.
Mulder's eyes were skipping from one folded newspaper on Skinner's
desk to another. Each opened to a page with an article on the Blackstone
Base UFO sightings or the astounding power black outs experienced at
the Great Falls International Airport and Malmstrom Air Force base
between the hours of 7:00 pm and 2:00 am the following morning.
A shuffling of the report brought both agents back to attention. Skinner
took off his glasses to look the agents in the eye, his jaw muscles
working as he clenched his teeth in frustration.
"Agent Scully, it says here that you support Agent Mulder's claim.
That you witnessed these events, and can substantiate them?"
Scully didn't flinch from his questioning gaze.
"Yes, sir."
Skinner dropped the report onto his desk, "You can substantiate that
you saw an alien craft, that it took... another Mulder... back through
a dimensional portal to a parallel universe?"
Scully ran her tongue over her lips, "I can not tell you exactly what
it did, sir, nor can I explain it in terms which you and I might understand.
All I can say is that it was there, and... then it wasn't. And the
other Mulder along with it."
"Sir... have you heard from Lieutenant Colonel Thontan at all?" Mulder
asked, leaning forward and getting the AD's attention.
Skinner looked across his desk at some various items on it, looking
uncomfortable with the question.
"No, Agent Mulder. It appears that the authorities at Blackstone
Base have no comment on the matter. No report from them has been filed.
The Malmstrom Air Base has filed reports on the unusual power failures,
but nothing more."
Mulder nodded, "They're admitting nothing. Holding their tongues..."
"What could the possibly say?" Skinner said, and then closed the
report over, handing it back, "You may resume your normal field work.
There are no new cases at present. I suggest you catch up on your paperwork.
You're dismissed."
Mulder opened his mouth, astounded that Skinner was letting it all
go so quickly. Scully got out of her seat first and touched Mulder's
shoulder lightly.
"Come on, Mulder." She said quietly. Mulder gritted his teeth, but
stood up to leave, following Scully out of the office. Once they were
gone, Skinner looked at the folded newspapers on his desk. He scooped
them up with a sigh and deposited them in the trash bin, forcing himself
to return to his work. Not letting his thoughts wander where they wanted...
The ding of the elevator doors signalled Mulder and Scully's return
to their basement level office. Mulder scuffed his foot on the floor
as they wandered back to it, having to pick up their things. They had
unanimously decided to take the rest of the day off. Scully clacked
to her desk, where she'd left her briefcase, and just stared at it.
Mulder leaned on his desk, feeling the same listlessness. Scully looked
at her hands to find they were shaking.
She turned, showing Mulder.
"Look..." She held one out, "I don't think this one's stopped since..."
Mulder huffed a laugh, reaching out to lightly touch her hand with
a slim finger.
"Yeah? I don't think I've changed my underpants this often since
I was three."
Scully smiled at that one, dropping her hand.
"Do you think... he got back all right?" Scully asked after a moment.
Mulder studied her face. She looked different now. Older, maybe even
wiser. She'd never actually said the words, but she couldn't deny what
she had seen, Mulder knew that.
"I like to think he did... you know, after all of it. A happy ending..."
Mulder gave her a lop sided smile. Scully's smile slowly dropped from
his face. She gazed into his eyes from where she stood, he not looking
away, allowing her to search his. What was she looking for, he wondered.
"Back to his love." She whispered, and then looked down. She fiddled
with the catch on the briefcase, Mulder swore he could see her face
fall even further. She picked it up and made for the door.
"I'll see you Monday."
Mulder stood open mouthed as Scully left the office, his heart beating
faster in his chest. Did she... did she feel the same..? Was she just
waiting for him to do something..? Mulder gathered himself together,
knowing now. He had a chance... one brief chance... like many before.
Only he'd never taken it. That's what made himself so different from
the alternate Mulder... he'd never acted on his feelings.
He quickly strode from his office, seeing Scully nearly at the elevator.
"Hey, Scully?" He called out. Scully stopped and raised a hand to
her face before turning around. Mulder's heart fell briefly when he
realised she was wiping tears away, and quickened his pace towards
her. He jogged the rest of the way to her, stopping slightly closer
than he normally would. He smiled into her face, reaching out an arm
to lightly touch her elbow.
"What do you say to dinner tonight? At my place?" He said smiling
warmly, feeling an elation like never before sweep through him. Scully
frowned, and then nodded.
"Okaaay. Pizza or chinese?" She asked. Mulder shook his head, his
hand cupping her elbow gently, his fingers stroking her arm. Scully
noticed the usually intimate contact, and raised her eye brows.
"No, I'm cooking."
Scully's face transformed into a smile, she laughing at the image
of Mulder in the kitchen.
"Mulder, oh... I get it. We're talking re heated, or nuked, micro
wave dinners, yes?"
"No, Scully. Only the best for you. It's a surprise." Mulder said,
shifting even closer, the tips of his shoes passing hers, his face
now inches from hers.
Mulder saw the instant Scully understood. Her pupils dilated and her
blue eyes shone with realisation. She dropped her eyes, but he saw
the smile playing on her lips. He released her elbow and moved around
her.
"I'll come pick you up at 7:00." He said, leaning in to kiss her
head before he moved into the elevator. Scully turned and Mulder got
a last look at her astonished face before the doors closed.
The Arcadia Apartments
3164 Connecticut Avenue, North West
Washington DC
2:40 pm
Mulder stood on the pavement before the apartment building, just staring
at it. Its construction really was beautiful, with pale coloured brick
work and delicate finishings. Ornate signs welcomed the prospective
tenants and visitors alike. Mulder smiled, shaking his head. He understood
why his counterpart had chosen this building, it really was quite apt
for the two of them. Seeing as he had never felt so close to Dana as
he had in Arcadian Falls.
Taking a last look down the street, Fox Mulder stepped up to the door
and pressed the landlord's buzzer...
In another Universe...
Mulder woke up with a start, his hands automatically searching the
bed. They found his scrunched up duna, a stray pillow, but no Scully.
Mulder panted, his heart clenching painfully in his chest suddenly.
He sat up, his eyes trying to peer though the darkness of the room
into the open living area beyond, searching for a possible glimpse
of her. There was none.
"Scuh... Scully! SCULLY!!!" He screamed out frantically, ignoring
the searing pain from his shoulder as he tugged on his freshly operated
wounds. He couldn't bear it... was he back? Back in Hell with steel
grey walls, and Scully lying dead upon the ground...
"Mulder..! It's okay..." Came her voice, Scully appearing in the
doorway, dressed in her pyjamas. She padded quickly back to the bed
as Mulder burst into tears. He threw himself around her, trying to
crush her into him, drawing her back onto the bed with him. Scully
was used to this now. She soothingly stroked him as he cried, she speaking
into his ear, telling him she was here and alive.
"I'm right here, Mulder. It's okay... I love you. It's okay..." She
soothed, and was hugged even tighter. She felt his lips kiss their
way up her neck and over her face.
"My god Scully..." He cried, allowing himself to relax, but not letting
go of Scully one micron. Scully stroked her hand up and down his back,
closing her eyes in relief that he was calming.
He had saved her from death. Thrown himself into the Blackstone marine
who was about to shoot her... He had nearly beat him to death. She
had been horrified to see Mulder in such a state; he'd been shot in
the shoulder and was bleeding. He was well past physical exhaustion,
and was emotionally distraught. After she had dragged him from the
poor marine she'd had to almost carry him back to their car, on the
way he cried and blabbered about alien ships, time travel and inter-universal
traversing. Scully was sure he was delirious... until she'd gotten
him to the local hospital.
There the doctors found signs of near starvation and severe dehydration,
which was impossible for the mere five hour time he'd spent while held
captive in the base. Even more incredible was his shoulder wounds.
They were not fresh. The blood soaked dressings were at least twelve
hours old, and the wounds had been previously operated on.
And then came the story once he'd woken up.
A tale about a parallel universe where he'd spent a week, mourning
her death. Which he had then broken the laws of physics to come back
and prevent. He'd babbled in between sobs something about M Theory,
and creating a new time line and 'creating a new membrane universe'.
Two days later and she was still trying to wrap her head around it.
Mulder tucked her head under his chin and sighed a shuddering sigh.
"I missed you so, so much... You have no idea how much I love you..."
Scully patted his side, "Well, you moved time and space for me, I
think I have an idea." She said jokingly. Mulder moved back a bit so
he could look into her face, his eyes deadly serious.
"And I'd do it all over again if I had to." He whispered, stroking
her face. Scully allowed herself to be pulled back against him, content
to lie protected in his arms. She mumbled against his chest.
"Mulder, you're going to be stuck with me for allll eternity."
"Damn straight."
THE END.