CHAPTER 2
The SUV tires kicked up dirt, rocks and sand while Mulder drove down the trail towards the mine. He glanced out of the corner of his eye over at his partner. Scully was deep in thought. He observed she hadn't said too much since they had left the hotel. He turned his attention back toward the path, eyeing the landscape which was practically nothing but desert sand and cactus with sage brush tumbling across the land. Scully shifted in her seat, turned back towards Mulder and looked at him before finally speaking.
"Could you imagine being in the Old West, Mulder? What people went through, I could never imagine, the hardships that people faced every single day."
"Haven't really thought of it, Scully, why? Do you see yourself as a pioneer wife, saloon girl, or a 'soiled dove'?" he waggled his eyebrows and she smacked his arm playfully, shaking her head.
"Soiled – dove, really Mulder? You think I'd be one of those 'girls'?" she quizzed him with a raised eyebrow.
"No, I don't think of you as one of those 'girls' but you know you would be a dead ringer," he gave her hand a squeeze, rubbing circles on top with his two fingers.
"Another one of your fantasies, Mulder?" He leaned in for a quick kiss on her soft lips and as he pulled away slowly, he winked at her. He smiled devilishly at her, turning his attention back to the dirt road.
"You think you're the only one with fantasies Mulder? I could think of what you could be a- "gun slinger, cowboy, sheriff, bartender, etc." she gave his thigh a hard squeeze making him jerk involuntarily as he fingernails dug into his pants.
"Scully, you always keep me guessing, that's what I love about you, mystery woman. I know you have many, many, fantasies about me, Scully. Some have already come true, well, haven't they?" he said turning to look at her. He made her cheeks flush and speechless, she turned away from him and looked out at the window again.
Mulder maneuvered the SUV over the rocks as the trail had become harder to steer. Moving slowly, over three off- center rocks, it was like rock climbing with a rock crawler, inching slowly over the rocks, finally over the top and back down the rocky terrain. Scully grabbed the hand grip, hanging on tightly. Then she loosened her grip as the SUV settled back down, over the terrain. Half a mile through the canyon the agents came upon the sign "Dutchman's Gold Mine." Pulling the SUV to a halt, and shutting off the engine, Mulder looked at the entrance and then back at Scully.
"Looks like Mr. Dugan's vehicle, Scully."
"Yeah, but where is Mr. Dugan?" she replied looking around the area.
Mulder got out of the vehicle and stretched, and scanned the desolate place. He watched Scully open the door and exit, shutting her door. Scully stretched as she walked back toward the hatch of the SUV to join Mulder, whom was already eyeballing her pale midriff as her shirt rose above her navel. The hatch had been opened but Mulder was still staring, remembering what happened last night in their bed. Scully cocked her head, smiling but she already knew what he was thinking and grinned to herself. She reached for the backpack, taking it in her hand.
"Mulder, are you coming or not?"
"Scully, you're such a tease. What you do to me," he closed his eyes, shutting the hatch, watching her walk towards the entrance of the mine.
They pulled out their flashlights, crisscrossing beams into the darkness, seeing the shaft tunnels go endlessly into the darkness. Mulder took the lead, looking back toward Scully who was nervously licking her upper lip, following after him. As they continued into the depth of the shaft, the boards above their heads started to creak an eerie sound as if warning of impending danger to come. Mulder stopped noticing the pick mark made into the wall. Finally, Mulder spotted a pile of rock debris in a large hump formation. He cautiously walked toward it, noticing a few fingertips sticking out from the rubble. He knelt down as Scully joined him at his side. Almost losing her balance, she leaned against him.
"Well, looks like Mr. Dugan was headed back toward the entrance and the ceiling caved in on him," Scully replied, wiping a strand of errant hair out of her eyes, looking at Mulder. Mulder shone his flashlight up towards the ceiling and back down over the wall, then stepped over the body of Mr. Dugan, as Scully stayed behind.
"Mulder, what are you doing? We came to find Mr. Dugan's body I think we need to get out of here before something bad happens," Scully whispered so low as to not cause a cave- in, and the walls of the mine seemed to come alive as Mulder continued walking towards the split in the tunnel.
"Wonder what you'll find Scully, gold or perhaps something paranormal?" he said looking back at her as she stood with her flashlight in her hand. Mulder took his free hand and started to feel around the mine dwelling finding pick-ax pits that Mr. Dugan had started. He pulled his finger out of the hole in the wall, finding a glitter of gold dust on his fingertips, then a small gold nugget behind another hole peaked out from the dust was hiding behind the gold dust, invitingly, twinkling in the flashlight beam.
Meanwhile, Scully maneuvered around the body of Mr. Dugan catching up with Mulder as he took the small gold nugget between his fingertips, showing her his prize. They both looked at each other and a black shadow caught his eye as it darted back through the opposite tunnel. He pocketed the gold, then turned his head in the direction in which he saw the shadow.
"I don't think we are alone, Scully," he mumbled under his breath, turning his flashlight beam in the direction in which the shadow darted towards. He motioned for her to follow him but the tunnel went into separate directions up ahead. They both stopped in their tracks, looking at one another.
"Now what, Mulder?" she huffed, turning her flashlight, looking down the other tunnel shaft and then back towards him.
"Which door would you like, Agent Scully?" he asked her.
"You actually believe something or someone is in here, Mulder? Mr. Dugan died of an apparent cave- in. I don't think he was murdered or foul play was Involved. Let's get out of here before our 'luck' runs out," Scully said, tugging on his arm, but he pulled away.
"I saw something Scully, whatever it is- or was- I want to find it," he responded walking towards the intended path he chose.
"Fine, I'll take the left."
Scully cautiously entered the shaft, looking up at the ceiling with the old wooden boards, wondering how long they had been there. Years, centuries even, the old wood shown its age, and she prayed they'd hold up. The further she went into the tunnel, her eyes seemed to be playing tricks on her. The walls looked like they were actually breathing. She rubbed her eyes, squinting to see what was up ahead, and she saw a small light beam shining. She stopped in her tracks as she heard footsteps coming closer and closer. The ground seemed less stable, making Scully hold onto the side of the wall, as the footsteps got louder.
"Mulder, is that you?" she called. The figure moved closer but no response. Scully stood her ground, looking back in the direction from which she came, figuring Mulder might have turned back. She found nothing but darkness. Debris started to roll down the side of the wall as if the mine was coming to life, Scully started to back pedal, watching behind her as she retreated from the direction she came. If Mulder was playing games, this was not funny. Soon Scully felt a strong frame behind her. She knew the familiar touch was Mulder so she turned so that the light shone into his dark pupils. He reached for her wrists, grabbing them in both hands so that she didn't smack him with her flashlight.
"Jesus, Mulder! Stop sneaking up on me like that. I heard footsteps coming closer and closer. I thought it was you but you apparently you were behind me, not in front."
"Someone doesn't want us here, Scully. There was tapping in the middle of tunnel and then it stopped suddenly. I didn't see anything no shadows, nothing." They retreated back toward the front entrance to see the dead body of Mr. Dugan. Suddenly the dark shadow moved behind the two of them, darting back and forth. As the two moved slowly, as not to cause a stir in the tunnel walls, debris started falling from everywhere causing dust, dirt, rocks to fill the air, the ground was shaking as if the mine had come to life.
"Scully, run… get out of here, hurry!" Mulder yelled. Before Scully could pick up the pace, debris had fallen in her path. As she covered her nose with her shirt, she turned to see that Mulder was right on her heels, doing the same. Dust fell from the ceiling right into their eyes, blocking their vision, which didn't help. Suddenly a loose board fell from the ceiling, knocking Scully out cold. Mulder stopped and checked on her to see if she was still conscious but nothing, he carried her small frame towards the entrance when another small rotted board fell from the ceiling, hitting him hard in the head, knocking him unconscious as well. He fell down as Scully came tumbling with him.
Minutes seemed like hours, and not sure what happened, Mulder stirred. He held his head in his hands as he searched for Scully, but she was missing. He didn't know how long he lay there or why Scully wasn't nearby. He looked around but no sign of her nor Mr. Dugan's body, either. He took his hands to rub the dirt out of his eyes. He saw light at the end of the tunnel entrance and slowly walked toward the opening, noticing something not quite right at all. The vehicles were gone only to be replaced by covered wagons and a herd of longhorns moving in the distant horizon.
"What the hell," Mulder furrowed his brow, turning looking frantically for anyone, especially Scully, but there was no trace of her. He looked down at himself and to his surprise his clothes had changed as well. He donned a pair of canvas tan pants, with buttons around the waist, and high pockets. He wore a striped blue and white shirt with pearl buttons, with a red bandana around his neck, and brown boots. He took all this in with pride, and he wondered if Scully ever fantasized him in Western wear. He couldn't wait to find her. But where the hell was she? he wondered. He walked down the path on which they arrived earlier but saw wagon wheel ruts in the dirt and began to follow them. He hoped it would led to town.
Scully woke surprised not to be in Mulder's arms. She held her head in her hands, coming to slowly. She wiped the dust out of her eyes and quickly glanced down at her clothing which had changed to a long flowing dress and a tight corset wrapped around her body, Victorian era. Scully's hair spiraled about her face as if she had come from a beauty parlor. She felt the softness of her silky strands, closing her eyes, just thinking, "this is a dream, wake up".
"This can't be happening," she murmured to herself, startled, she quickly got up, almost falling over with the high heels she wore, dumbfounded that she wasn't wearing boots anymore.
As she continued to stumble towards the entrance in her high heels a few men came into few. She clearly recognized them her eyes portrayed the two men resembling; CGB and Agent Spender but they were dressed in Western clothes resembling business men, sharply dressed with gold chain watches hanging from their suits. The younger man pulled the reins of the team of horses, stopping them, the horses nervously chomped on their bits shaking their heads as the brake was set. The two men climbed down off the wagon, walking over to Scully, who was startled.
"Well, Theo look what we have here," The older man said, puffing on his cigar. He looked at the man resembling Agent Jeffery Spender.
"Boss, we can trade her for another claim. I bet the miners would be happy with this exchange," Theo looked Scully up and down.
"Perhaps, that's not out of the equation, looks like we have a claim jumper. What's your name darlin'?"" he puffed once again on his cigar, blowing smoke away from his view.
"I don't know what you are talking about. I assure you I am not a 'claim jumper'," Scully replied looking back at the two men, who she despised. Scully thought about a name thinking about old western names of ladies. "My name is Lily Rose," she spoke, as she smoothed the dress out sliding her fingers down the silk, raking her hand through her red tresses.
"Lily Rose, explain yourself? Why are you here?" Theo questioned her impatiently.
"My partner and I were …." She stammered but quickly buttoned up her lip.
"Come on, you're coming with us," Theo took hold of Scully's elbow, leading her down the path to their team of horses, climbing up into the buckboard.
"Where are you taking me? Let me go!"
"To town and you can explain yourself to the Sherriff?"
Scully bit her lip anxiously to see the sheriff keeping silent as they traveled down the wagon path. The desert air was dry and often she would spy a western banded gecko scurrying about the rocks, as they got closer to their destination a small town emerged into her view. The town looked like something out of old western movie. The buck-board entered the town, called, Wickenburg. Scully took in the view; Murphy's Mercantile, Bub's Blacksmith shop, Longhorn's Saloon, and the Frontier Hotel. The hotel from town- it was the only recognizable thing that came to her mind and for a brief moment she knew that the only thing that had changed was the era.