Washington D.C., The White House, Oval Office -- 1944
Holding the clear canning jar up and slowly rotating it first left, then
right, and finally lowering it to his oak desk, the President of the
United States leans forward, sets his elbows on the desk and then steeples
his fingers. His intent, bespeckled gaze focuses on his Secretary of
Defense, then on his Secretary of War, and finally on his Secretary of
Security.
"Gentlemen, make very certain this never sees the light of day
again." he said gruffly.
The Secretary of Security took the jar from the Presidents' desk, "It
will be done." he frowned ever so slightly at the contents of the jar
that reflected his face. He then turned and left the Oval Office.
Upon entry into his own office, the Secretary of Security promptly labeled
the jar as 'Liquid Mercury' and sub-labeled it "Dangerous - Do NOT open
under ANY circumstances' before he set the canning jar into a foam lined
steel box. "You won't cause any more troubles for these great United
States." he muttered as he shut the foam lined steel cover for the box and
then secured it with a padlock. The box was labeled, "Item #3707300703"
and a DO NOT UNDER OPEN UNDER PENALTY OF LAW sticker was strapped over the lid. He then shoved the box under the lowest shelf of his storage room, to
be left there -- he hoped -- undisturbed for all time.
Three decades later the storage room of the Secretary of Security was
moved to another area -- all but the steel box, now so covered with dust
and dirt that it was missed -- and the room left vacant except for the
shelves.
A decade later, FBI agent Fox "Spooky" Mulder was given the storage room
as his office and summarily handed the X-Files. The steel box, however,
was unnoticed under the shelves by Fox or the movers.
Five years pass, its 1997, Scully and Mulder are having a discussion about
the latest X-File they just solved before going into Skinner's office to
report on it.
"Its a cover up, Scully, plain and simple." Fox stated calmly for
once as he printed up his portion of the report. He looked tired and old
in his dark gray jacket and pants, white dress shirt, red tie, and
slightly mud-caked shoes.
Scully gave him a dubious look, and paced toward the shelves. "And we
can't prove that Mulder." As always she looked prim and proper in her
mauve jacket and skirt, white blouse, sheer panty hose, and low-heeled
mauve shoes. She dragged a finger over a shelf, remarking, "You need to
dust this place."
Mulder sighs, "Yeah..." he looks at his watch. "We better head to
Skinner's office right now."
Hurriedly they head over to their supervisors office. A discussion with
Skinner ensues, the X-File is closed, and the two agents retire to their
respective homes for the night.
Scully walked into Mulders' office, and not surprisingly found him dusting
the shelves. She coughed on the dust in the air, "Morning Mulder, early
start?" for once she was glad she wore something a bit more casual yet
professional looking.
Fox smiled at her from behind a shelf, "Yeah, couldn't sleep too well
and finally gave up on it entirely."
She shook her head slightly, remarking, "That X-File really has you
in a bind doesn't it?" she slipped off her suit jacket and found a light
blue custodian's jacket set on Mulder's chair.
He walked toward her, wearing a similar jacket. "Yeah it does... but
dusting this place is getting my mind off it." he rubbed the underside of
his nose. "NO to mention my sinuses are getting a thorough thrashing."
Scully smiled, holding back a giggle, "That's what you get for not
doing house cleaning for a few years." she grabbed a dust rag and a can of
Endust on Mulder's desk. "Come on partner... time to tackle some dust
bunnies."
Mulder grinned, "As long as they aren't alien dust bunnies I'm with
you."
This time she laughed, briefly. Mulder sneezed into his handkerchief and
then grinned with that sparkle in his eyes before turning to go back to
his shelf. Scully shook her head and headed for another shelf. Several
minutes of spraying and cleaning dust... and she was sneezing too.
"Bless you." called Mulder.
Scully sniffed, and found her handkerchief, "You owe me one Mulder."
she blew her nose slightly and then set the used handkerchief on the shelf
she just cleaned.
He didn't miss a beat. "I'll think of something to make it up to
you... like taking another bullet?"
She glared at him, "Don't even joke about that... honestly Mulder..."
she accidently knocked her hankercheif off the shelf. It floated to the
floor.
He held up his hands in mock surrender. "Okay, no more joking about
bullets... promise." he flashed her that winning grin.
Scully sighed, shook her head, and stooped down to grab her
handkerchief. She noticed a lot of dirt and dust at the bottom of this
particular shelf. "You got a dust mop or broom?"
"Yeah." Mulder replied, and moved from where he was cleaning to a
dust mop leaning against the wall near his door. "Here it is." he walked
over to her and handed it to her.
She took it, and began to move the dirt and dust collection from
under the shelf. Mulder put his hands in his pockets. "Jeez you'd think
the guy that had this place before me would have done a better job of
keeping this place clean."
Scully couldn't resist to remark, "Look who's talking." the dust mop
hit something... she paused and swept at the area again. thunk "What's
this?" she pushed the mop around some more. thunk thunk
Mulder got down on one knee and peered under the shelf. "Looks like a
box." he got on both knees and reached under the shelf and grabbed hold of
the box.
Scully stood aside and waited while he pulled the box out. "That
looks like its been under there a long time."
"AACHOOO!!" came the reply.
A few minutes of dusting off the box and sneezing later, Mulder sat
at his desk looking through the drawers. "I know its here somewhere...
ah!" he pulled out a set of bolt cutters with a grin.
"You not seriously going to open that box are you?" Scully asked,
knowing full well what the answer was going to be.
He grinned at her and grunted as he pushed the cutters handles towards
each other. The padlock was summarily removed and Mulder opened the box
with that 'kid at his birthday' look in his eyes.
"Pandora's box have any meaning to you here?" asked Scully cooly.
He gave her a sidelong glance before reaching in and pulling the jar
out of the foam lining. "What makes you think that?"
She didn't answer his question, transfixed by the silvery liquid substance
in the canning jar. The labels on it were faded and somewhat readable.
'Liquid Mercury' and 'Do not open under ANY circumstances'. Fox sat back
in his chair and gazed at it too. He was first to break the silence.
"What do you think about this?" he asked, looking up at her.
Dana picked up the jar, which was as heavy as it looked, and said, "I
think this should be lab tested to see if its really liquid mercury."
Fox smiled, "How did I know you'd say that." he got out of his chair.
"Let's go."
Dana handed him the jar, "You carry it." and slipped her custodian's
jacket off.
A few minutes worth of walking to the FBI lab later. Scully slipped on her
white lab coat, lab goggles, and sterilized gloves.
Mulder set the jar on a lab table and remarked, "Don't you think
better protection is needed if this is liquid mercury?"
Dana came over and picked up the jar, "Of course." she placed her
heavy package in a self-contained portable lab. She then shut the door and
locked it closed. "For all we know, this is some radiated liquid mercury
from an old experiment." she put her gloved hands into the gloves that
were part of the portable lab.
Fox leaned over and watched intently what she was doing. "I don't
think you can bare hand that jar open Scully." he remarked.
Dana ignored him and carefully pushed one thin steel squared loop on
the side of the jar upward, which loosened the top squared loop holding
the top of the jar in place. She shoved this one over to side until it
came off the top of the jar. "You were saying Mulder?"
Fox grunted. "Show off." and flashed her a grin.
Dana attempted to pull the top off the jar, it wouldn't budge. "Seems
like they canned sealed this shut." she gritted her teeth and gave it her
all.
The top gave with a quite audible pop, and so suddenly that she lost
her grip on the top and it hit the side of the portable lab with a thunk.
"Shit!" Dana swore.
Fox blinked, and then grinned. "Easy there Scully, just a jar full of
who knows what really."
This time she glared daggers at him, she pulled her gloved hands out
of the portable labs' gloves and turned to Mulder. "Honestly Mulder...
stop it with the joking around." she said exasperated.
Fox stepped back and held his hands up, palms forward in front of
him. "Calm down Dana... all the stress from that last X-File is catching
up to you."
She frowned at him, then sighed, "Your right. I think I'll go get
something to eat and come back to this."
Fox smiled, "I'll join you. Nothing like a cup of coffee to wake you
up and calm the nerves."
Scully got out of his lab clothing and then joined Mulder at the lab door.
She locked the door behind them.
Back in the room, the silvery liquid in the jar MOVED.
An hour later...
Dana had just put on her lab coat when a startled exclamation came
from Mulder, "IT'S GONE!"
Scully couldn't believe this. She hurried over to see for herself. The jar
inside the portable lab was empty, there was no evidence to show that the
door to the lab had been opened. Mulder palmed his gun, his eyes searching
the lab intently.
"I don't get it. No one is due in for another hour, the door was
locked when we came back, there's no sign of this portable lab being
opened." Dana mused.
Mulder slowly edged around the room, looking into every corner of the
lab as he went, saying, "Meaning that whatever was in that jar found its
own way out... meaning we got trouble."
Dana couldn't believe him sometimes. "What are you going to do
Mulder? Shoot it? Its a LIQUID! Bullets won't hurt it!"
Fox frowned down at his gun and holstered it, "Then what Scully?!"
Something moved above his head, it was silvery... Dana screamed.
"Mulder look out! Above you!"
Fox lurched forward and did a somersault onto his feet. Crouching, he
watched as the liquid flowed down to the floor. "Thanks for the save
Scully." he noticed something move from another part of the room. "There's
two of them!"
"Make that three." Dana stated as she pointed her finger at another
silvery puddle flow toward the first.
The second silvery puddle flowed toward the first as well. "What now
Scully?" Fox whispered as he stood up.
"I don't know Fox, they got the way out blocked. I doubt we can
outrun them." Dana whispered back.
The three silvery puddles flowed upward and slowly began to take shapes.
The two FBI agents exchanged a glance, Fox was first to find his voice.
"For whatever its worth Dana... thanks for being there for me..."
"You too partner.... you too." she replied.
The three forms took on humanoid forms, then the liquid turned solid.
Before Dana Scully and Fox Mulder stood metal humanoids, one female, two
males. The tri-yellow colored female spoke, softly, in another language to
the two males. Both males were purple, red, and white... however where one
was purple the other was red, so you could tell them apart, responded to
her.
Scully whispered, "I can't believe this."
Fox was transfixed, "I wonder if they know where Samatha is..."
One of the males turned his gaze to them, solid yellow 'eyes' glowed
briefly. The other male followed the others gaze, then looked to the
female. Again speaking in that odd language. The female waved a hand at
him and shoved the closer male gazing at them with her other hand.
This time she spoke in plain English, "Depth, stop drooling over the
redhead. Honestly."
The FBI agents exchanged yet another glance.
Depth retorted, "I cans look alls I wants."
The second male piped up, "Don't touch, okay? After all they did free
us from our prison."
The female agreed, "Shadow is right."
Depth crosses his arms over his chest, "And what makes you think they
won't put us back, hmm Magmorta?"
Fox found his voice, "Uh ... excuse me... "
Magmorta focused her gaze on him, "Yes?" she said cooly.
Mulder licked his lips, "Uhm... did you say.. prison?"
Depth replied, "Yeah. That's what I said. Some of your military big
guns thought it be fun to stuff us in that little jar. I tell you if I
find those jerks they are SO DEAD!" he shook his fist under Fox's chin.
Mulder's eyes went wide a moment. Scully piped up. "I'm afraid that
you may be too late to do that."
Shadow 'eyes' narrowed slightly, "Meaning they are already dead, right?"
Dana nodded, "Yes... from the looks of it I'd say you were in a 1940s
canning jar. That was forty plus years ago."
Magmorta came close to the two agents, focusing on Scully this time.
"Even if this is so. As Depth put it, how do we know you won't put us back
in that jar for another forty plus years?"
Fox grasped at a straw, "What can two of us do that who knows how
many military guys did forty years ago? Nothing that's what."
Depth chuckled, "Smart one this guy. He's a point. Let's just find
the ship and get off this mudball."
Shadow looked to the agents before answering his friend, "Assuming
the military doesn't have our ship you mean. We need these two to help
us."
Scully noted the look in this ones eyes. "I don't think they'll hurt
us Mulder."
Fox wasn't so sure, however, "After your alien abduction... that was
the last thing I thought I'd ever here you say Scully."
Depth grumped from the other side of the room, "Don't tell me.. those
stinking gray, short, bald dudes again... geez those guys give the rest of
us a bad name!"
Shadow shot Depth a look, "Chill okay... if you had bothered to
listen to their explanation...."
"Shuddup you virgin!" retorted the other and turned his back to them.
Magmorta gave a exasperated sigh, "Excuse my associates... will you
help us?"
Fox brushed his hand through his hair. "With all the cover up going
on, I doubt we can find a thing on this ship of yours."
Scully concurred, "I'm afraid he's right."
Shadow's 'eyes' dimmed, "Shit."
Magmorta placed a hand on his shoulder, "You forget... we've got an
option under that mountain."
Depth snorted as he looked over his shoulder at them, "Oh just
great... now we get to dig into a mountain for a ship and stumble around
in the dark over dead bodies to get to home."
The agents exchanged a look.
Magmorta asked, quite sincerely, "Can you at least take us to that
mountain?"
Mount Saint Helens, Washington.
Scully set the jar on the ground as Mulder opened the umbrella next
to her. "So this is it. Who would think it." Mulder commented.
The silvery liquid flowed out of the jar, and into the three shapes of
Depth, Shadow, and Magmorta.
Scully picked up the jar and put it back in the car, then grabbed the
flashlights. "You guys don't mind if we tag along do you?"
Shadow looked down at them, now at his preferred height of 35'.
"Sure, why not." he leaned over and let the agents step onto his hand.
Magmorta smiled, "We owe you that much."
Depth was already stalking off toward the mountain. The other two caught
up to him soon enough, where he had paused to point a scanner into a cave.
"I think we found a way in. No digging, thank the weld."
The deeper into the cave, the agents flashlights helping to show the way,
the more the threesome had to shrink down in size to fit. Finally, they
found what they were looking for.
"Geez she's a mess." came the comment from Shadow as he shoved at the
ship, there was a groan and finally a pair of doors squeaked open slowly.
"Mister Understatement." muttered Depth as he shoved past.
Scully and Mulder followed Shadow in, Magmorta taking the rear.
"How does he put up with it?" Scully asked over her shoulder to the
female, rewarded only by a shrug and a smile.
They weren't too far in when they heard a WOAH!, a thunk, and then
Depth swearing somewhere ahead of them, "Dammit! Who told you to die here
ya jerk!"
Shadow snapped, just before Depth was about to kick the form, "Don't
you got no respect for the dead!?!"
Depth merely growled and stomped off. Magmorta called after him,
"Just watch where your going, hothead."
"Shuddup bitch." was the retort.
Scully shook her head, she examined the dead body. "Metallic.
Humanoid. Advanced technology... amazing no one ever knew..."
Magmorta gazed down at her, "And no one needs to know either. Let the
dead rest."
Shadow disappeared into the darkness, trying to catch up to Depth.
Fox went around the body. "Come on Scully."
Dana nodded, catching up to him, Magmorta paused and then followed.
She was not at all surprised to hear her friends exchanging cuss words
somewhere ahead.
Soon enough the agents and Magmorta found Depth and Shadow fussing over
some piece of equipment.
Scully cast her flashlight around, aghast at the shear number of
bodies... the variety of size, color... it was a scientist's dream... but
in this case it was a nightmare to her. "My God look at how many."
Fox shown his light on one in particular, "Sure get big don't they?"
Depth shouted, "A HA!"
Magmorta rushed over, "Is it working?"
Shadow nodded, "We can go home." he focused on the agents. "One thing
left to do."
Fox and Dana exchanged a look, "This can't be good." Fox said.
Depth pushed something on the device in his hand, a oval light opened
up... a portal. "Make it quick Shadow." then entered the portal.
Magmorta paused at the portal, looking at the two agents. "Thank you
for your help." and then entered as well.
Scully and Mulder looked up at Shadow, who was pointing another
device at them. His voice was soft, "Don't look so scared. I'm not going
to kill you... just help you forget." he looked around at the bodies,
"Not just us, but them too." with that a light hit the agents.
Fox Mulder woke up, with a throbbing headache. He rubbed his forehead
and glanced at Scully who was stirring. "Geez what happened."
Dana sat up, still groggy and her head hurting. "I don't know... I
don't even remember how we got here."
Fox got to his feet, a bit woosy still, and helped Dana to her feet.
They slowly tread for the car not far way, as Fox stated. "Me either. This
is just too weird, even for me."
They got into their car and drove off. In the back seat, the clear canning
jar rolled off the back seat and to the floor.
Dana reached around and picked it up. "I wonder if this is a clue."
Fox shrugged, "Way things have been going for us Scully, that's going
to disappear like all the other X-Files the government wants to cover up."