Act III – Board of Game
Alaskan State troopers were also empowered to enforce fishing and wildlife laws. The next day, the agents waited while Captain V for Variety finished his phone conversation with the deputy of the Board of Game which set the rules. Mulder found it funny that it wasn't called the 'Game Board', but instead sounded like a dull alternative to the sport. He kept those musings to himself and when Impala was done, dutifully accompanied him to the medical office where the agents were introduced to the coroner, Dr. Benjamin Harrington.
The older man seemed pleasant. He had grown up in Alaska, but called Anchorage his hometown so he was new to Calqueg. Scully and he arranged a time that afternoon to examine the body of Cynthia Drewer then the trooper took them to Abigail Johnson's farm to discuss the butchered cows.
Mulder had a bad night with nightmares of losing Scully. One was so bad that she had to use the extra key they exchanged to come in and quiet him as the management was complaining. The intensity of his dreams weren't under control and he didn't know if they ever would ever be. The last few years, he had taken to sleeping over Scully's place on occasion as her proximity seemed to make them go away. Now, afraid he might lose her for good, the dreams had come back in force and Mulder looked like hell this morning and he knew it. Thankfully, neither Scully or V for Vigor made any comment.
In addition to his bad night, Mulder was about to have a bad day. Guess whose farm the yellow-haired ex-boyfriend worked on? Of course. Abigail Johnson's. His instincts were rapid firing but Scully would just tell him that it was just a fucking coinkydink that her old flame worked on the same farm where the only man that disappeared worked AND where the cows were butchered. Ya. That creep was in it up to his eyeballs and he was going to prove it.
Aside from the gruesome detail of the slaughter, which took place over the course of 5 months (interesting that it didn't happen all at once) they got little information from Miss Johnson. The woman was a young girl in her mid 20's who inherited the farm when her father unexpectedly died last year. Noah Gardner and Cole Banes were farm hands that had been with them for years.
The night Gardner disappeared, the workers ate dinner with Ms. Johnson in the house, as usual. Both farmhands went to bed in separate rooms on a small house away from the main one. Bane woke up, went to work and when Gardner didn't show, went looking for him. Thinking he might be injured, they got the police involved after a thorough search of the grounds, but didn't find him. He had worked there longer than Cole and never took off like that before. There was a small amount of blood in Gardner's bedroom, but working on a farm meant cuts and bruises. There wasn't enough of it to suspect foul play. Great! Their first dead end.
Cole was extremely cooperative, but Mulder got suspicious. Both Cole and Captain V for Visible stayed in the shadow of the barn. Cole walked back to show where some of the cow carcasses were and Mulder could have sworn, he caught an unusual glow. Scully's "friend" would have perfect opportunity and medical knowledge to make Gardner go missing and slaughter the cows with efficiency. If he was right, he had to find out what Cole's connection was with the other missing people and he would have him. Scully would require iron clad proof, but he has always trusted his instincts and they were on fire.
The agents were driven back to town and when Scully split off to do the autopsy with Dr. Harrington, Mulder started in on the families of the missing women. He wanted to speak to them in order, but the mother of the first victim, Sabra Pakak, was out of town for the day. Luckily, most of them lived nearby instead of on the outskirts where he would need a ride.
The trooper was true to his word and ordered a tow truck for their rental car, but they had to take it to Tok to fix it. That left the agents dependent on Captain V for Velocity or their own feet for transportation. Mulder wasn't too happy about that because it was Cold. Alaskan type Cold, not Washington D.C. type cold. This kind of weather seeped into your bones and made you ache, but he had a job to do and that Dream Team basketball game was getting closer by the minute.
Now, he had an even better reason for ending this case—Colsyn Bane. If that pretty boy thought that he was going to reignite his relationship with Scully, he was sorely mistaken. That woman was his even if he hasn't fully claimed her yet, and that was a detail he intended to rectify as soon as possible.
XXXXXXXX
"Agent Scully, I'll leave you in the capable hands of Dr. Harrington, our town doctor and now, coroner." The trooper re-introduced them and hastily made for the exit. "Doc, take care of my favorite pathologist for me. Sorry to drop and run, Agent Scully, but I've got business in Tok today and I'm already late. Dr. Harrington is fully briefed on all aspects of the investigation so feel free to pick his sizable brain for information. He's as smart as they come."
Scully watched the giant (but handsome) lawman leave then turned to the coroner. "Thank you, Dr. Harrington for letting me examine the body."
"Call me Ben." The older man smiled. "Did ol' Vlad make you call him Vee?"
"Vlad? As in Vladimir?" Scully smiled knowingly. "So, that is why he doesn't like his name. Vladimir Impala…"
"Or Vlad the Impaler." Ben finished for her. "The scuttlebutt is that the Captain was born in Alaska and then his family migrated to the lower 48. Guess it was a family name, he's number 8 or so, but he tries to hide it. But, in a town as small as this, nothing stays hidden for long. I don't blame him, especially now. Who wants to be known as a famous vampire with all this nonsense going on?"
He went over to a walk-in cooler and pulled out a cart with a corpse on it. "So, you're a pathologist and an FBI agent? That's a rare combination." Scully watched the young, dead woman emerge from the cold. "This is Cynthia Drewer and the only fatality we have had in Calqueg from unnatural causes since I've been here."
"How long have you lived in Calqueg?"
"About 10 years. I'm a transplant from Anchorage and therefore don't qualify as a sourdough around these parts."
Scully smiled. "Colsyn Banes used that term last night. What does it mean?"
"Well, my dear, a sourdough is an Alaskan native—born and bred."
"Why don't you count?"
"I'm a city guy. Most of the men around here are either miners or loggers. There are a few that do trapping or farming. That Colsyn Bane helps on the Johnson farm." Harrington looked carefully at her. "You do know that Bane has dated all the women that went missing as well as Cynthia Drewer—don't you?"
Scully stared at him. "What are you saying, Ben?"
"Did you know that Cynthia Drewer was pregnant?"
"Yes, it said so in the autopsy report." She paused. "Are you implying that Cole was the father or that is why she was killed?"
"Yes and yes." Dr. Harrington adjusted his glasses then uncovered the body. "Bane was already established in Calqueg when I arrived and seemed like a good sort until recently. Something changed in him when he started dating all those women. It began about the time the first girl vanished and I got more suspicious with each disappearance. So, when Cynthia turned up bloodless and dead—I immediately suspected Bane."
Scully went to examine the body. "What is your theory on how her blood was drained?"
The old doctor rocked back and forth on his heels. "I don't have one. That is why you're here. Course, what was interesting is who asked for you, or in this case, who didn't."
"What does that mean?"
"Captain Impala wasn't the one who contacted the FBI. Your group contacted him first. Someone else informed the Feds of the goings on up here."
"Why would someone other than law enforcement do that?"
Ben Harrington caught Scully's eye and held her gaze. "You tell me. I suspect Colsyn Bane of being involved of these disappearances and this murder. Suddenly, an old friend of Bane's, that happens to work for the FBI, shows up to investigate. That old friend also happens to be a beautiful former girlfriend." Scully opened her mouth, but Harrington continued. "Remember, this is a small town and word gets around quickly. I always try to keep my ear to the ground."
Scully was indignant. "Are you saying that two FBI agents are being set up by a local farmhand?"
"Not two—one. I'd watch my back if I were you, Dr. Scully. If I'm right, Bane isn't some insignificant worker. He is a cold-blooded murderer." Harrington clapped his hands and Scully jumped. "Well, enough gossip for today. Let's start the autopsy."
XXXXXXXX
Mulder was tired and cold. He has spent most of the day interviewing the families of 4 of the missing persons and felt drained. With each interrogation, his hunch grew, considering it was the same story told over and over again. They were all young women, bored with the town, wanting to leave but couldn't find a way out until they simply vanished one day. The most interesting part is that shortly before each one of them disappeared, they had been seen in the presence of Colsyn Bane.
The 5th interview was to Cynthia Drewer's family. She was the last in a string of strange events. Bane had dated her too, but she was different. They went out for 2 months before she disappeared, but the others were gone within a few days or weeks of their first date with the farmhand. The Drewer family agreed that Bane and Cynthia got along well and had a good relationship, but some family members confided that they suspected Bane was involved, but had no proof or real motive. Most of them believed the girls were still alive, but refused to elaborate. He guessed they were hiding something important.
Mulder decided that he needed to talk to Bane, alone, and started walking back to the Johnson farm. It was about 2 miles outside of the town's main borders, but without a vehicle, he didn't have a choice. It was unlikely that he would return before dark.
They call Alaska 'The Land of the Midnight Sun' because in the summer the sun shines virtually all day being so close to the north pole. Conversely, in the winter when the earth is tilted away, the sun barely rises and darkness comes early. Even though it was March, sunset was scheduled for 6pm, but due to the low height of the glowing orb, it was virtually dark by four.
When he got to the farm, his feet were frozen and was thankful that Abigail Johnson let him warm up before he confronted Bane. Mulder was determined to find out how involved the man was and even more determined to keep him away from Scully. Colsyn was in the barn tending to the remaining cows. His breath wreathed clouds above his head and he didn't bother to turn around.
"I knew you would be back, Agent Mulder. Did they tell you I dated all the missing women and Cynthia?" He swung around and in his hand, was a large knife and a rope. Cole noticed Mulder move toward his weapon. "Oh these?" He threw the implements down. "I was fixing a pulley. Are you here to arrest me? That's the only way you can keep me away from Dana, y'know. I didn't buy that act that you weren't more than partners. I saw your reaction to me and all the other guys in the room. Dana doesn't know how you feel about her—does she?"
Mulder was annoyed that his jealousy was so transparent. "I'm not here for that. You didn't mention that you were seeing these women. Why not?"
"I said I knew them and I did. I don't know what else you want from me."
"Were you the father of Cynthia Drewer's baby? She was pregnant when she died." Mulder watched the man's face very carefully and saw his features harden. However, Mulder thought that Bane seemed genuinely surprised.
"Pregnant? I didn't know. Possibly, I'm the father. Probably." Bane walked away from the agent. "Do you think that is why she was killed?"
"It's a factor to consider."
"Well, I didn't do it, I said that before."
"Didn't you find it odd that all the women have had a relationship with you? What did you think after Sabra Pakak went missing and then Pam Kinsey and then…"
"Shut up!" Colsyn yelled. "I know it looks bad, but those girls were unhappy with their lives. I'm not surprised they chose to leave."
"Couldn't they be dead like Cynthia and just not found yet? Why are you so sure they are still alive?" Mulder watched as Bane stared at the barn floor, but the man said nothing. Mulder was livid. "Some of the families think they are alive too. Why? What aren't you telling us?"
Colsyn Bane looked up and Mulder found himself unable to tear away from the green-eyed gaze of the younger man. "Do you believe in vampires, Agent Mulder?"
XXXXXXX
Mulder arrived back at the motel around 6pm and found Scully already in her room. With a quick knock, he entered as the door was unlocked. His partner was typing furiously at her computer.
"Mulder! I was getting worried about you. How did the interviews go?"
"Not much new information aside from the involvement of your friend, Cole. Apparently, he was seeing all of these women at one time or another."
Scully removed her glasses. "I know. Dr. Harrington told me. He pegs Cole as the murderer."
"What do you think?"
"I'm not sure. I want to keep an open mind."
"Are you still meeting him tonight?"
"Yes. I was just going to get ready. I'll see if I can get more information from him, Mulder. I realize he is a suspect and I'll be careful if we talk about the case." Mulder nodded. "I finished the autopsy of Cynthia Drewer."
"Did you solve the mystery?" Mulder was curious if there was a wound or not.
"No, but I did find some skin over her carotid artery that I wanted tested. Just like Ben said, there were no wounds that would account for how most of her blood was drained."
"Ben?" Now she was on a first name basis with another man. Mulder was being put through the paces this trip.
Scully snuffed. "Dr. Benjamin Harrington. Really, Mulder. You have been behaving odd lately."
"Must be something in the water. Why are you testing this skin?"
"Looks like it has been damaged, but recently healed. The underlying tissue bears this out. Like you, I have to go with my hunches. Something killed that girl by exsanguination and I'm going to find out how."
Mulder stood up. "Don't let me keep you, but check in when you get back. Stay around people."
"Muldeerrr." Scully whined.
XXXXXXXX
It was getting close to 11pm and Mulder heard a car approach. From the rattletrap of the muffler, it was the same piece of junk that picked up Scully close to 8pm and took her to the restaurant on the other side of town. He breathed a sigh of relief that she had survived and he could keep an eye on her again. Mulder cracked the window and moved the curtain just enough to see the goings on from the street to Scully's motel room. What he saw and heard made his blood boil.
"Dana, this has been one of the most enjoyable nights I have ever had. I feel so foolish for not pulling myself together those years ago and missing out of some the excitement in your life. I hope you will think about what I said." Bane was walking up to her door with his arm around Mulder's partner. Scully gave him a 10,000 watt smile. Mulder rarely got those.
"Cole, you said you were happy here and my job is in D.C. I don't see how that will work between us."
When the man pushed Scully up against the door to her room and kissed her, Mulder's jealousy boiled over, but just as he was about to bust out of his room and knock Colsyn Bane into next week, Scully said something enlightening.
"We can't, Cole. It didn't work out back then because we were completely different people and it won't work out now for the same reason. I don't want to ruin your life and I'm sure you don't want do that to mine."
"It's about your partner, isn't it?"
"Mulder? No. We care for each other very much, but crossing that line will never happen for us."
"Don't be so sure. He wants you." Cole tried to kiss her again, but she kept him at bay and he sighed. "I don't blame him. I want you too, Dana. Tell me who I need to kill to make that happen."
"That's not funny, Cole." Scully pushed him away and opened her door. Mulder could tell the man was thinking of forcing his way in, but a quick look from Scully quashed that. "I'll be sure to see you before I leave. I enjoyed catching up."
"Yeah…sure." The blond backed away. "I haven't given up, Dana."
"You should, Cole. That would be best for all of us." Scully went inside her room and firmly shut her door. Mulder almost walked away from his spy angle, when he saw a faint glow in the trees beyond the motel and watched as Cole noticed too, then walked after it. He vanished beyond the tree line, but a green glow was seen right before he disappeared.
