LONE GUNMEN

The One They Both Loved

SUMMARY: Frohike and Langly are in love with the same girl…meanwhile, a couple of people from Carly's past return to make her life a living hell. Will her past make her leave the Lone Gunmen and the one she loves for good?

PROLOGUE

The Michael Ports Computer Annual Convention
Tudors Building
Washington DC

John Byers moved through the crowd, his eyes trained on the tall, broad-shouldered man.

" You're nearing one of the hardware stalls," a voice spoke into his earpiece, " this is it Byers."

Byers moved a bit more quickly when he heard a voice speak to him, " John Byers? Is that you?"

Byers looked over, it was an old friend of his, Lenny Poole.

" Hi Lenny," Byers lost sight of the guy, " I'm kinda busy right now."

" What's your hurry? I've got a stall set up, come and take a look." Lenny took his arm and lead him to the opposite side of the room.

Meanwhile, a petite, slender woman discreetly adjusted the wireless earpiece in her right ear before making a beeline for Stephen Peterson, the man Byers had his eye on.

" The chip is in Peterson's pocket. Go for it Carly," Langly's voice coming from the earpiece instructed her.

" Jack Hillman?" she called to Peterson, " I can't believe it!" she rushed over to throw her arms around the man's waist, " You really are here." Her hand stealthily slid into his pocket and pulled out the mini-disc. She quickly stuck it into her pocket before he noticed.

" Excuse me, but I think you have the wrong guy," Peterson replied as he disentangled her arms.

Carly looked up, feigning embarrassment, " So I have. I'm very sorry sir, but you do look like my friend from a distance."

Peterson smiled faintly before turning and heading towards his stall. Carly looked around for Byers but could not see him. She left the room and headed outside for the van. Melvin Frohike opened the door and she jumped in.

" Good work," Frohike told her as she held up the mini-disc, " You are the expert at pick-pocketing."

" Where's Byers?" Langly asked, " I can't see him."

" He should have been coming out after me," Carly replied.

They waited for several minutes but still no sign of Byers.

" Byers!" Langly hissed into the microphone, " Where the hell are you?"

There was no answer, nothing but static, " Uh, I think we have a problem," Langly said, " one of us has to go back in and find him."

Carly jumped out of the van and headed back into the building before anyone could stop her.

Byers was pressed up against the wall, with a pistol aimed at his temple, " Where is your lady friend Byers?"

" I-I don't know," Byers stammered as Lenny's beady brown eyes bore into his.

" She took the mini-disc," Peterson told Lenny, " we have to find her."

" I'll as you one more time, where is she?" Lenny pressed the gun harder against Byers' temple.

" We're wasting time, just shoot him." Peterson ordered Lenny.

" I have a better idea, we'll go find the woman and kill her instead." Lenny grabbed Byers and tied his hands together, " and we'll come back for you Byers." He shoved Byers into a toilet stall before the two men left the men's bathroom.

" Byers!" Langly's voice spoke into the earpiece, " What's going on?"

Carly looked over at Peterson's stall but he wasn't there. Byers wasn't anywhere in the room and the only place left to look was the men's bathroom.

A hand clamped down on her shoulder, " Where is it?" a voice demanded and she turned around.

" Where's what?" she asked innocently.

" The disc, you stole it from me. I'd like it back," Peterson held out his hand.

" I don't have it, I don't know what you're talking about."

" I have your friend Byers tied up in the men's bathroom. He will die unless you give me the disc."

Carly was lost for words and at that moment, a voice shouted, " Stephen Peterson, you are under arrest!" they whirled around to see Special Agent Fox Mulder pointing a gun at Peterson. Lenny Poole was standing next to him, handcuffed.

Peterson shoved Carly out of the way and tried to make a run for it but Mulder tackled him to the ground, handcuffing him.

" Peterson, you are under arrest for stealing property of the FBI." Mulder began reading his rights as his partner, Dana Scully went to rescue Byers from the men's bathroom. They returned and Scully asked Carly if she was OK.

" I'm fine," Carly said, " Did you get the disc from Frohike Mulder?"

Mulder nodded and hauled Peterson to his feet, " Thanks guys, you've been a big help," he told Byers and Carly before he and Scully lead the two arrested men away.

" Let's go," Carly told Byers and the two headed outside to the van.

" Good work guys," Frohike greeted Byers and Carly when they climbed into the blue van. Langly started the engine and drove back to the warehouse.

" What was on that disc that was so important to Mulder?" Carly asked the three guys as they entered the Warehouse.

" We actually don't know, Mulder wouldn't say," Frohike replied. " It's confidential information, his words."

" Anyone want a drink?" Langly opened the refrigerator door and stuck his head in,

" We have beer, vodka, Jim Beam…more beer."

" I'll have some Jim Beam," Frohike decided, " anything in there for the little lady?"

" A bottle of red wine…where did this come from?" Langly held up the bottle, " do you want some of this Carls?"

Carly nodded, " What should we have for dinner? It's almost seven and I'm starving."

" We haven't had pizza in awhile," Langly suggested as he started pouring the drinks. He then passed them around. Byers sat on the couch and switched on the TV to watch the late news. Carly joined him and took a gulp of wine. She looked around at the warehouse and listened to the banter between Langly and Frohike.

Carly had been introduced to the Lone Gunmen almost 6 years ago and have been friends with them ever since.

" Earth to Doo-Hickey," a voice drawled behind him and he frowned at Langly.

" What?"

" The pizzas are on their way," Langly told him and went to join Byers and Carly.

" Frohike, come over here, Carly's on the news," Byers called out to the little man. Frohike joined them and Byers turned the volume up:

" Recluse writer Carly Garrett was almost murdered three years ago by her sister Madeline Garrett. Madeline will be due out on parole in a week-" Carly grabbed the remote from Byers and changed the station, her face white.

" Are you OK?" Langly asked her.

Carly nodded and headed into the kitchen to get some more wine. After hearing that report, she needed it.

She never forgot what Madeline said to her before being arrested. The threats came rushing back to her:

" Once I get out, I will hunt you down and finish what I started. I might be going to jail, but you'll never be safe from me again."