CHAPTER 2
FBI HEADQUARTERS
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1999
17.30pm
'Mulder, can't that wait until Monday?'
'It's still downloading,' he replied, as if the suggestion of anything else was ridiculous. 'This is important.'
'More important than the fact I've been in meetings all goddamned day and I would really like to go home now?'
'It's the lab results on a core sample from Icy Cape in Alaska. The science team there has expressed concern at some of the anomalous readings they've received. Possibly an organic contaminant, but they can't be sure because the suspending fluid around it is apparently frozen ammonia.'
'Really?' said Scully, her professional curiosity piqued in spite of herself.
'They're just looking at preliminary test results, but they're hoping to analyze the tissue itself next week. If what I'm seeing here is accurate, the tissue sample is part of a much larger organism. Larger than a worm anyway. We may be looking at the parent source. Frohike and the guys went to a lot of trouble to hack this one out for me.' He looked up at her, his eyes green in the wan light from the terminal screen. 'How do you fancy a trip to Alaska this weekend?'
She raised an eyebrow. 'As interesting as it sounds, Mulder, and as much as I'd love to spend my first free weekend in a month worm hunting in sub-zero temperatures, I think I'll pass.'
'What's the rush anyway? Got a hot date to get off to?'
His eyes remained steadfastly on the screen, but a playful grin had touched the corners of his mouth.
'I did have, actually,' she whispered, leaning toward him. He accepted her invitation, moving forward across the desk, but just as his lips were about to brush hers, she pulled back. 'But I'm thinking of breaking it off. He's just too much of a workaholic. And you know what? It just doesn't make a woman feel particularly good about herself when her lover would rather spend his Friday night with a computer in a basement office than with her. So I guess I'll just go home, have a long soak in the bath, and have an early night. Alone.'
The computer issued a timely beep to say its download was complete. Mulder flicked off the terminal and grabbed his jacket from the back of his chair.
'Don't you think that's a little drastic?'
'What? Taking a bath? I don't think - '
'Ha ha. You know what I meant. I hear this guy of yours is quite the looker.'
'I'm sure he'd like to think so,' she smiled as he pushed a kiss into her hair. 'And don't think that's going to get you off either. I haven't seen you for two weeks, Fox. You promised me you'd finish on time.'
'I know. I'm sorry. But you're the one who volunteered to take over Doctor Klein's classes.'
'He had no one else to ask and I was the only qualified doctor with field experience available. Besides, he's an old friend. And I called you every night. Your answering machine and I got on so well it's taking me out for dinner next weekend.'
He had no defense to offer so he didn't even try. He hadn't been at home while she'd been away because he had either been following up old cases, investigating new reports of UFO sightings, or just sitting in his car up in the dark, peaceful foothills of the Appalachians, staring at the sky, hoping to see…
Hoping to see what?
He didn't really know anymore. But sitting there alone under the vast canopy of the night sky calmed him, helped him focus when he felt everything moving too quickly. It seemed to be happening with increasing frequency lately. Whether that was a good thing or not, he didn't want to consider.
'I'm sorry, Dana. I don't know what else to say. I've been busy too, you know, and I - '
'Yeah,' she sighed. 'Well… I don't much feel like doing anything special tonight anyway. I'd like to come over though. If you still want me to.'
He was about to answer when the phone rang. He hesitated, then decided to pick up. 'Of course I do. You head down to the car. I'll meet you there.'
She rolled her eyes. 'Yeah. Sure.'
Mulder stared at the empty space where she had stood as he reached for the phone.
'Hello?'
'Agent Mulder?' A breathless voice. Female.
'Yes, can I help you?'
'I don't have much time. Assistant Director Skinner is in danger. The illness he had has not been cured. They're coming for him.'
'Excuse me? Who is this?'
'You have to protect him.'
'No, no, wait. Marita? Is that you?'
The line clicked. A dead tone.
His heartbeat pounded in his ears. He was sure it had been Marita Covarrubias. Where had she been calling from? The last time he had seen her was at Fort Marlene. She had been an unwilling participant in the experiments to find a vaccine against the alien virus that had threatened to wipe all human life from the planet. Evidently the vaccine had worked because she was still alive. But she had been so ill, whether from the side effects of the vaccine or from the virus itself he didn't know. Either way, she had needed help and in the rush of ensuing events had been forgotten by him. He realized now that he hadn't given her a second thought after they had left the hospital. Hadn't he owed her more than that after all she had done to assist him in his work?
He looked down at his hand still clutching the receiver. He replaced it in its cradle. Stared at his fingers resting on top.
He couldn't take the risk of not doing something if someone's life was in danger. He dialed the Assistant Director's extension, but no one answered. Voice mail activated, but he didn't know what to say that wouldn't sound as if he were one step away from being sectioned. He tried Skinner's home, but had no luck there either.
Mulder switched off the lights and ran down the hall to the elevator where Scully was still waiting.
'Damn thing must be broken again,' she said, glancing at her wrist watch and pressing the call button. 'Was it important?'
'What?'
'The phone call.'
'Oh, er, no.'
She nodded. The lift doors finally slid open and they stepped inside.
Silence. Mulder rocked on his heels, stared at the digital readout, watched the numbers cycle down to level B1.
'Mulder? Something on your mind?'
'Huh? No. No, I'm fine. Sorry. Look, you pick up a takeout on your way over. We'll open up a bottle of wine, curl up on the sofa, watch an old movie…maybe I'll even let you stay over.'
'Maybe…' she muttered.
The elevator's bell signaled their arrival at the basement and the doors opened. Mulder walked her to her car. She opened the door and threw her pocketbook on the backseat, then turned to him.
'You sure about this tonight? I don't have to come over if you'd rather be alone.'
'No, I want to spend some time with you. I missed you.'
'You're sure everything is okay?'
'Positive,' he whispered as he pulled her into his arms. 'I love you, Dana.'
'Do you?'
'What's that supposed to mean?'
She sighed and pushed him away. 'I haven't seen you in two weeks and you've barely even looked at me since I got back. I missed you, I was looking forward to seeing you and right now I feel about as wanted as yesterday's leftovers.'
He tried to take her hand, but she pulled it away. 'Hey, I'm sorry. I've been distracted, I know…I've got some things on my mind, but I shouldn't have let them take over. Please, let me make it up to you tonight. I love you more than anything, Dana, you know I do.'
She closed her eyes as he caressed her face. 'I love you, too. But sometimes you drive me crazy, Mulder.'
He took her into his arms and this time she didn't fight him. 'Does that mean I'm forgiven?'
'It means you get the chance to make it up. Don't blow it, okay?'
He held on to her for a while longer, then kissed her as he let her go. 'I won't. I promise. I'll see you later.'
'Okay. Around sevenish.'
He was headed back across the lot to his own car when suddenly he was gripped with the irrational feeling that he was being watched. Relationships between agents weren't exactly unheard of, but not when they were working on cases together, and certainly not within the Bureau's time and on their property. He didn't need to give them any more reasons to want him fired. Even as he put his key in the lock, he couldn't shake the feeling.
He spun around. Scanned the few cars that were left.
He almost jumped out of his skin when he heard an engine starting.
Okay. Only Scully.
She waved as she pulled off, leaving him once again in silence that was heavy, fume-filled and oppressive.
The lighting was poor. Only a handful of cars there. Still plenty of dark corners where a person could conceal themselves. His eyes searched deep into the shadows.
Nothing.
And yet…
'Hello? Is anyone there?'
His voice echoed around the lot.
He peered around once more. Shrugged. It had been a long, tedious day. That phone call had his paranoia working overtime. He just needed to get home and unwind.
Krycek flicked the cigarette butt through the open window and immediately lit another.
A good night, at last. Something completely unexpected. Something that had kept him in his car, enticed him to slightly alter the plan.
He watched him reach for her. Saw the way she kissed him…
Damn, it had been a long time since anyone had kissed him that way.
Shit, he should have brought a camera. Spender would have loved this. Might even have been willing to forgive all his transgressions and take him back.
Yeah, right. He chuckled. Maybe in another life.
Sevenish, she'd said.
