- - C O N F R O N T A T I O N - - -
6:50 PM THURSDAY, 11th APRIL, 2001.
Mulder and Scully stood waiting in the hall of the administration building, now unarmed and flanked by the four armed marines. The marines had finally gotten around to relieving them of their Sig Sauers, Mulder thought dryly. He glanced quickly to his partner. Scully's white shirt was caked with dried blood and hours old sweat from her frantic activity in the base infirmary, and actually crackled when she moved. Any time they made a motion to speak they were glared at or jabbed in the side. Mulder had lost all patience with them but his annoyed grunts only resulted in sharper jabs.
The oak door to Thontan's office finally swung open and the agents took the chance to move away from their escorts, who waited for them in the hallway. Thontan was standing before his desk, his face dark with anger. Behind him, windows overlooking the base allowed the evening light to stream in, giving the office a pink sunset hue. Scully didn't give him a chance to open his mouth. She stopped right in front of him and let him have it.
"What the hell do you think you're playing at? How many bullets do you think you need to defend yourself from an unarmed and weakened man? I'm surprised he was even able to stand, much less 'savage' your men!" Scully yelled in unrestrained anger. She unfolded a nylon DNA sheet from her pocket and flung it at Thontan's chest. He caught it but otherwise didn't react.
"This is the results of the DNA test on the blood on 'Mulder's' shirt. Apparently it is mine. This and the fact that he arrived with his clothing drenched in blood was not disclosed. Now I want answers."
Mulder stared at the Lieutenant Colonel, watching him closely for any sign of physical danger he could pose to Scully. He glared darkly behind his partner, silently warning him not to dare retaliate. Thontan didn't take any notice, tossing the paper onto his desk.
"Those facts were, and continue to be, not pertinent to the outcome of this investigation." He said slowly, as if explaining it to a child. Scully nearly trembled with anger.
"And I said…"
"Agent, Scully…" Thontan growled.
"There could be someone else out there, a woman, possibly injured. Now I…"
Mulder moved to step slightly in front of Scully as Thontan's rage bloomed into view. His face twisted with it as he spoke.
"I don't give a damn if he had the Pope's blood on his shirt. It is extraneous and distracting from the real goal: the craft. Which brings me back to you." Thontan turned his scathing glare to Mulder.
"McKenzie seems to believe he is you from a parallel universe. He overlooks one glaring fact though; how did he get his hands on the craft? What'd he do, go up to goddamn Devil's Tower and wave one down?" Thontan began to stroll along his desk, never taking his eyes off of the agents.
"I have a theory of my own. A paradox." Thontan let that sink in for a few moments, his eyes going from Scully to Mulder's, "An alien craft crashes at this base, you get out. Filthy and hysterical. Some research is done and a second Mulder is found, in DC. I decide in my infinite wisdom to get you down here to 'investigate'. At some point in the future the Agent Mulder I brought in, you, sneaks out and somehow gains access to the craft. You attempt to fly it, but something goes wrong. You 'jump' back in time, a week back, to appear over the base. You can't fly the craft for shit and crash it, and then you stumble out, screaming, realising what you've done."
Mulder and Scully stood speechless, stunned at the theory. Thontan shook his head.
"I created my own causality loop…"
Scully stared, "You can't possibly be serious… the differences are too great for him to be from this 'timeline'!"
Mulder stepped forward, "And people call me insane! My superiors back in DC are going to be very interested in what we'll have to say about what went on out here, they'll have the white coats waiting…"
Thontan snorted loudly, cutting Mulder off sharply.
"You really have no idea do you, Agent Mulder? I would have thought you'd be smarter than this. There are forces out there bigger than you, bigger than me. What I saw in the Antarctic proved that, and my superiors know it. That's why this base is here, and that's why they will disavow any thing you might say about it or what goes on here. That's why I could walk into your superior's office and grab you and he couldn't do a damn thing about it.
"Now I have a goddamned alien vehicle in a hanger, and two Agent Mulders for the price of one. You sure as shit aren't going to step a foot outside of this building!" Thontan moved back around his desk, watching the agents strike defensive postures as his words hit home, "I suggest you get comfy here in Blackstone base, Agents. You're here for the duration."
This time it was Mulder's turn to calm Scully, not wanting to see their military escorts hurt her. He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze just before they were reclaimed by their escorts and removed from Thontan's office.
Outside the building's walls, the sun was setting. The blue sky was slowly transforming to the black of night, bringing with it the first tentative stars. Armed personnel on guard duty hunkered down at their posts, scanning the grounds with anxious eyes. More than a few looked nervously towards the concreted quadrangle, feeling at the very edge of their senses a faint tingling sensation…
7:04 PM
McKenzie stood nervously in the dull grey coloured hallway of the base infirmary. Posted at either end of it were armed guards, watching every move he made. He fingered his pass card in his hand, it now being useless. His code was no longer accepted by any of the locks or doors. He closed his eyes, trying to hold his growing fear in check. After the FBI agents had been taken to Thontan's office, he had been brought from the Lab to keep an eye on 'Mulder'. He took small comfort in the thought that perhaps they thought he was still useful and he wouldn't be shipped off of the base altogether.
McKenzie looked up from his post by 'Mulder's' room in the infirmary to see the FBI agents walking down the hall towards him, the armed guard resuming their positions after letting them through.
He looked questioningly at the agents as they stopped near him.
"How did it go?" He asked quietly.
Scully walked past him, running a hand through her hair in frustration. Mulder sighed, looking into the room where 'Mulder' lay sleeping on a medical bed.
"Thontan is a mad man, he has hold of an alien space craft, and he's grounded us to the base until he sees fit. That pretty much covers it." Mulder rubbed both hands through his hair in frustration, "Arrggh!!!"
McKenzie nodded in commiseration.
"Then I doubt this will make you feel any better. More than 20 new guards have been appointed throughout the complex, and the Lab has been shut down. Also my card is now useless." The scientist looked back into the infirmary room, "At least they're taking Agent Scully's advice and keeping him in the infirmary. He needs the fluids."
Scully stood at the window, looking in on the 'alternate' Mulder. His shoulder was heavily bandaged, but color had returned to his face. She straightened as she saw him beginning to stir, and moved for the door to his room. McKenzie and Mulder quickly followed her in.
Scully checked his IV drip as 'Mulder' slowly opened his eyes. The starched sheets crackled as he wiped his eyes using his uninjured arm. He dropped it the second he saw Scully. Instantly awake he tried to sit up, and was scolded by Scully.
"Hey, slow down. You've been shot. You have to take it easy." She spoke soothingly, pushing him back down with a hand on his chest. 'Mulder' quickly looked for her partner, and saw him by the foot of his bed.
"Oh no… you were supposed to slip away!" 'Mulder' groaned, "And Scuh… you're here!!"
Anguish took control of his features far too quickly, and Scully tried to soothe him. She was shocked to see the fresh agony in his hazel eyes.
"Yes, shhh. It's okay…" She hushed. 'Mulder' shook his head, trying to stop the tears from escaping.
"No, it's worse! I thought it was just Mulder, but you're here as well… I drew you both in…"
Scully stroked his hair, it was the only thing she could think of to try to calm him. His heart monitor was beeping faster with his racing pulse.
"It's okay, Mulder. What matters now is that we're here to help you. That's all. Okay?" She was surprised when his hand snaked up to cover hers and gently grip her wrist, his thumb stroking her skin. He used his injured side to try and wipe his tears, but only tugged on his wounds.
"Ow." He cried. Scully used her free hand to clear his tears away, feeling slightly shaky under his touch. It was so gentle, so delicate, like he was touching something truly precious. After a few moments he seemed to realise what he was doing and he let her go. Scully was almost sorry to loose the contact…
McKenzie cleared his voice, getting his attention.
"Well, Mr Mulder. That was some kind of stunt you pulled. You were in surgery for two hours having the bullets removed and repairing the damage. You were fortunate that no major arteries were hit." The scientist chastised him. Gaining some control over his tears, 'Mulder' looked to Mulder. He was frowning over the attention his partner seemed to be getting.
"You didn't get out." He croaked. Scully tucked a stray strand of hair back.
"Mulder, you were shot. We couldn't just leave you." She glanced at her partner by the foot of the bed. He was chewing on his lip, looking from the crumpled sheets to a shadow on the wall cast by a lamp. He didn't know what to make of it, watching Scully care for another Mulder. And what was he doing before, stroking her skin?!
'Mulder' shook his head again, swallowing dryly, "You should have gotten away as fast as you could…"
Scully leant in, "No. Now listen to me. None of this is your fault. You…"
'Mulder' closed his eyes, as if trying to clear his mind.
"You're wrong about that. It IS my fault. My coming here set everything in motion… Thontan got you in…You both wouldn't have been at this base if I hadn't been here… " 'Mulder's' voice trailed off and a look of sheer amazement bloomed on his face, "My god… that's why I had to wait…"
The door to the infirmary was suddenly flung open, the entrance of four armed marines gaining everyone's attention. Menacing, black rifles were slung in their direction as the Sergeant moved past them, glaring coldly at the civilians in the room.
"Take them outside and keep them close." He barked, and the agents and scientist were each grasped by the arm, the silent threat of force draining weakening their resistance.
"What the hell..?! Hey!" 'Mulder' sat up, objecting loudly, only to have two of the armed marines move towards his bed. The Sergeant turned to 'Mulder' as the agents were roughly 'escorted' out to the hallway. 'Mulder's' eyes followed their progress out, his heart monitor beeps rising along with his trepidation. He looked back to the Sergeant, his hazel eyes almost blazing with his fury.
The Sergeant merely grinned, his armed men on either side of the foot of the bed, their black rifles slightly raised.
"You're done Mulder, or what ever your name is." He grated, fixing his eyes on 'Mulder's', his lips twitching with his anger, "You are going to talk, right now." He leaned in slightly, his eyes flicking towards the captives in the hallway, "It looks like we've got one Agent Mulder too many. We won't be needing them anymore."
'Mulder's' jaw clenched, but he gave no other outward signs of emotion. He breathed out in a sigh and looked the Sergeant in the face.
"So, what do you want. The winning lotto numbers? Your palm read maybe?"
The armed men to either side of him saw the funny side and shorted laughter through their noses. The Sergeant wasn't as amused.
"Cut the shit. What do you know about it?"
"About what?" 'Mulder' asked innocently. He didn't even flinch as the Sergeant stormed right up to him, his hand going to his holstered sidearm threateningly.
"You're in no position to joke, son."
"You have no idea of my position." 'Mulder' answered, not meaning it to be a lewd comment. The Sergeant's men sniggered again but the Sergeant himself knew what he was referring to.
"I don't think you have any idea of the position you're in. Not yet anyway." He withdrew his gun, "Now tell me about the ship."
'Mulder' bit his lip and looked thoughtful.
"Well… it was real big, it had bright lights all around it… it was big like a city. And as it descended to the Tower it played these notes…" 'Mulder' explained, and then hummed the musical notes from 'Close Encounters'.
Outside, in the hallway, McKenzie looked from Agent Mulder to the man in the bed.
"Good Lord, what's he doing?! He's going to get himself killed!!!" He gasped.
Scully shook her head, wanting to shout out and tell 'Mulder' to just keep quiet. They looked to Mulder, as if he had some insight into what he was doing. Mulder was just as dumbfounded. He had a pained expression on his face, knowing that any second they were going to beat him or worse.
The Sergeant was livid. His hand holding the gun actually shook with his anger. 'Mulder' didn't stop there.
"No… no, it was more like… a machine, but not like the clunky things we would make. It glided. It was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."
The Sergeant clicked an ammo clip into the gun, loading it with a loud clack. 'Mulder' blinked innocently.
"You know you should really keep the safety on, the base might loose its occupational heath rating."
"Go ahead, frag him, Sarge. I don't know why the LC wants to keep his sorry ass around anyways." Spat one of the armed men, his weapon training towards the man lying on the bed. The Sergeant's face twitched. Not yet, he had orders to respond if he was 'difficult', but they wanted some information first.
'Mulder' shifted in his bed, looking at each of the military men glaring at him with contempt. He shook his head. The people in the hallway couldn't believe the look of utter annoyance that crossed his face.
"Go ahead, Sander. Shoot me. Then you'll never know. Yeah, Sander. I know your name. Your first name is Chip, although you had it changed when you were 18 to Chris, but I know the truth." 'Mulder' growled.
The Sergeant's face paled.
"How… no one knows that… I had the records destroyed!!" He exclaimed, "Not… I never told anyone!"
'Mulder' snorted, "You didn't do a good enough job. And you, Daniel Barton," He looked to the armed man to his left, "How about when you slept through your duty shift four weeks ago, you let your buddy Chitts get done for it. Now that's a man of good character."
Apart from 'Mulder's' breathing, there was absolute silence in the room and outside of it. Private Barton opened and closed his mouth, not knowing what to do with his rifle, lowering it and raising it towards the man who could not have possibly known what he had done. 'Mulder' looked to the armed man on his right.
"Tiernan Keefe, your pal Steeler was right, you are a complete wank stain." 'Mulder' announced. Beside him, his heart rate had shot right up, over 110, and sweat beaded on his forehead.
Mulder in the hallway saw his arm muscles clench in preparation to move.
"What the fuck…" Sergeant Sander growled. 'Mulder' half laughed, half sobbed in release.
"Not really, I guess I'm just lucky that things are so much the same here." He slowly sat up, watching the military men's faces closely as he did so. Private Barton's rifle swivelled towards the slightest squeak of the bed. All of a sudden, 'Mulder's' cardiac monitor went silent, all waving green lines vanishing into the blackness of the screen.
"Did you really think that this was my first time here?"
