He woke to the sound of her high heels on the wooden staircase. He hadn't meant to fall asleep but he must have been more tired than he thought…
"Everything okay Scully?" He called out to her. She didn't respond at first but the sound of her footsteps stopped.
"I'm fine," she called back. Then he listened as she descended the stairs and came into the lounge where he lay on the couch. "I just needed a drink…" She held up a glass filled with water. "Are you okay?" He noted she was fully dressed and had her gun attached at her hip. He frowned and she gave him a sheepish smile.
"What's going on Scully?" He sat up and felt around to ensure his gun was still on him. "Did you hear something?" She slowly put the glass down on the coffee table and walked around it to sit on the couch next to him.
"Don't get mad Mulder…" She began. "I asked Gordon and Sloan to wait a street over." He was on his feet before she even finished speaking.
"You what!?" He yelled. Did she have a death wish? "Why would you do that?" He tried to lower his voice but fear and anger seeped into his words.
"It's the only way to catch him Mulder… you yourself said he won't give up until he gets the one he wants." She rushed her words, trying to convince him. "The other Agent's aren't far and only a phone call away. We are both armed and quite capable of bringing Marsden down ourselves."
"It's too risky, I'm going to call them back." He hunted around the couch for his cell phone and she sat still next to him. Before he found his phone he heard Marsden.
Marsden called out to him from somewhere in the house. Damn, that was quick. He must have been watching the house from the moment they arrived. Mulder pulled out his gun at the same time as Scully and they both searched the room.
"Call the others," he hissed at Scully. Adrenaline pumped through his body and his heart felt as though it was going to burst in his chest. He had no intention of capturing Marsden alive.
"Come out where I can see you, Marsden!" Mulder yelled. His eyes still on the constant lookout for any sign of movement.
"Your little partner did me a favour sending those other Agent's away." Mulder sent a glare in Scully's direction. She was whispering furiously into her phone and ignored him.
"Come out Marsden, or are you afraid?" Mulder taunted. Scully moved closer to him and whispered that the other Agents were on their way back.
"I am unarmed," Marsden entered the room through the doorway that led to the kitchen, his arms raised in the air.
Mulder spun his gun around aiming it at his chest. He couldn't shoot an un-armed man but the moment the asshole tried anything Mulder was pulling the trigger. He had already released the safety. "I just want to talk to you, Mulder…" Marsden spoke slowly and as he did he moved cautiously into the lounge. In his periphery Mulder could see Scully had her gun pointed at Marsden too.
"You are going back to where you came from," Scully told him, her voice strong. Marsden leered in her direction and Mulder almost pulled the trigger by mistake. Before any of them could say another word - the sound of gunfire outside distracted them. Scully turned her gun towards the front door and Mulder kept his on Marsden who was slowly backing towards the doorway he had just come through.
"Don't move!" Mulder yelled. "Don't you fucking move!" Marsden froze but had a look on his face that told him that he and Scully were dealing with something they didn't understand right now. Marsden's partner must be outside and he had likely attacked the other Agents. Mulder began inching his way towards the man desperately fighting the urge to turn around and check Scully.
"You okay Scully?"
"I'm fine Mulder," she called back. Marsden kept on smirking at him and it wasn't until he was only a few feet away that he realized why.
"I wouldn't move, Agent Mulder." A man appeared out of the dark hallway his gun aimed at Mulder. "It's her we want," he nodded towards Scully. "I won't hesitate to kill you." Mulder wasn't sure what to do. Did he have time to shoot both men? He would surely be shot in the process – but would it give Scully time to get away? "Miss Scully, if you could just put down your weapon and slide it over here." The man told her calmly, he didn't seem phased by this situation at all.
Mulder still didn't dare turn around but he heard Scully come up beside him and then watched as she placed her weapon on the ground and slid it over. Marsden put his foot over it but didn't bend down to pick it up. He knew he would be making himself vulnerable by doing that.
"Thank you Michael, hand me the gun now. He's mine to kill." Mulder knew this was his only chance. While the gun swapped hands from Michael to Marsden he had to shoot. He would shoot Michael first and then Marsden. Just as Michael took his fingers off the gun Mulder fired. The man fell to the ground looking up at the Agents – a surprised look on his face.
Mulder wasn't exactly sure what happened next. He must have been shot because the pain was immense and his leg collapsed beneath him. He heard Scully cry out and felt her cool hands on his face.
"Get him up Miss Scully, we need to leave." Mulder tried to point his gun at Marsden but found his hand empty – he must have dropped it when he fell. He winced as Scully helped him to his feet. He leaned heavily on her but gritted his teeth and tried to clear his mind. How would they escape, how could they get out of here alive? Marsden had his gun pointed at them and walked backwards towards the door. "Hurry…" He told them. Mulder desperately wished he still had his gun. This monster needed a bullet in the head.