THE GORMAN RESIDENCE
GEORGETOWN, WASHINGTON DC.

The townhouses in this part of Georgetown were old by local standards and worth more than Mulder could hope to make in his lifetime. Standing in the entrance hall of the Gorman residence while the maid went to find Senator and Mrs Gorman, he took in the classic, understated elegance of the fixtures and fittings and let out a low whistle. This was the way to live.

"Agent Mulder," said a man's voice, "how good to see you."

Mulder turned to face the newcomer, a silver-haired, fiftyish man in an expensive suit with his hand out, an equally expensively attired woman at his side. He shook the man's hand.

"I'm Senator Gorman," he said, "and this is Margaret, my wife. Let's move into the study, shall we?"

"I'd like to start at the beginning, if that's okay with you," said Mulder, seating himself in one of the deep leather armchairs in the study, while the Gormans took the sofa. "What can you tell me about Damon Kelly and this operation of his?"

"Perhaps this will help," said the Senator, picking up a remote and turning on the TV. He slid a tape into the VCR.

"This is a reception we held here for Damon last month," said Margaret Gorman, as the picture showed a room full of elegantly dressed men and woman, talking, drinking, and mingling. The person with the camera homed in on a particular man who was holding court and was surrounded by a crowd, mostly of women, who were hanging on his every word. He had medium-length dark hair, a neatly-trimmed van dyke beard, and wore a white suit over a black turtle-neck, a gold-hued medallion around his neck. He was of medium height and build and appeared to be in his mid-thirties. The senator freeze-framed the image.

"Damon Kelly," he said. "The woman at his left shoulder is his sister, Sabrina. She's a fashion model."

Sabrina was taller than her brother, younger and with long, dark hair, straight and parted in the middle.

"She's very beautiful," said Mulder.

"Yes, very," agreed Margaret Gorman. "How old would you say she was?"

"Twenty-one or two," said Mulder.

"She turns thirty next month. This time last year, she looked her age and her modelling career was winding down. Now she looks good for another decade at the top. His sister was the first woman Damon Kelly treated with his process. You can see why we're all so eager to experience it for ourselves."

"Can you describe the process to me?" asked Mulder.

"There's not a lot to it, actually. He asks that you supply an item of clothing you last wore around five years ago, along with a contemporary photograph. The first part of the process involves a visit to the clinic's hairstylist."

"'Hairstylist'?" said Mulder.

"Yes. If your hair was longer back then, he won't treat you. If it was shorter, then the hairdresser restores it to how it looked then."

Mulder was puzzled. He could think of no sensible reason why Kelly would have made this an aspect of his scam. It was something to file away for future contemplation.

"Go on," he said.

"Well, after the hairstylist is done, you then lie face down on a massage table, naked save for a towel over your backside. I didn't actually see what Damon did next, but I felt him place something cool and metallic on my back, and then drape the item of five year-old clothing I'd brought with me over this. I remember feeling an odd tingling, then Damon started giving me a massage. He has wonderful hands. This lasted about half an hour, and all the time I could feel myself getting firmer. When he handed me a mirror, I could see instantly that I looked younger. I was delighted."

"When did you realize there was a problem?" asked Mulder.

"The very next day. I had a scheduled medical check-up. When I had my tumour removed five years ago, it left a small scar. The scar had gone. My doctor was puzzled by this when he examined me, so he looked deeper, only to discover the tumour was back."

"Cancers can recur," said Mulder.

"Yes, I know," said Margaret Gorman, "but this was just too big a coincidence. I'd last worn the clothing I gave Damon just before my operation, now here I was with the tumour back."

"I trust you had it removed?"

"Yes. Fortunately, it had not been terribly large either time. But that's beside the point. I'm convinced Damon was responsible for the cancer returning."

"So am I, Agent Mulder," said Senator Gorman. "Whatever his process is, it's clearly dangerous and it needs to be investigated."

"It will be, Senator," said Mulder. "I give you my word."