Chapter Seven: Breaking the Ice
Present Day
"Well, what are we waiting for? Let us get going before we lose any more time," called Jackson. "Alright, alright. But I'm driving, I don't care that you're from D.C. You still don't know the area." "Fine." The two agents piled into a beige sedan and began the drive. "So, um, Alex." "Yeah?" "What's your emphasis?" "As in my specialty? Forensic Psychology. As to how I got into the F.B.I. was through a college internship program. I enrolled and was selected to shadow agents in my field of study one summer. It was then I found my calling, to join the F.B.I. How about you? What's your reason to join the F.B.I.?" "Well, I began as a criminal justice and pre-medicine student with plans to become a medical examiner. I constantly applied for med school, but never got in. At that time, I decided to apply myself and see if I could get make it in the F.B.I. As to my placement at the Seattle office is no coincidence seeing that I am from the area." "Oh, what part?" "Diablo. It's a small town on the opposite side of Mt. Baker. It's a very small town. Maybe even smaller than Glacier. It's beautiful out there, but growing up there wasn't much for us kids. We had to commute to the next town for school." "Sheesh, and here you are living in a city." "I don't mind it. I can still see mountains, I can still visit family, and if I wanted to, I could request a transfer to the Bellingham office." The two continued driving up the interstate in silence when the driver broke the silence. "So Alex, what are your thoughts on this case?" "Well, Preston. It still doesn't make any sense. Besides the connection to the trail and footprints, I couldn't tell you." "Oh," a disappointed response coming from the driver.
The two continued to drive in silence, when Jackson asked "What do you know about these missing agents?" "Besides their work in the X-Files which consisted of unsolved cases and were on the run back in 2002 from the F.B.I, not much… Well, besides that I don't know why exactly they were reenlisted. I didn't get a chance to meet them when they checked in as I was busy doing background checks on potential new recruits." "Oh." "What I can tell you is that their undercover names are Mason and Cecilia Schmidt. I tried to see if I could get any hits of any activity up there and no luck since they disappeared." "Were they to investigate Hannegan's Peak?" "Yes." "And they were last seen leaving town to hike or investigate." "And already, thirteen days have passed. We better hurry and hope we can find them." "Hey, we're at the Bellingham office!" "We are?" "Yeah, it's not much, but that's the point. Since it's only a residency office, there isn't a need or a demand to have more than a handful of agents working here. Anyhow, let's check in and see if there are any updates." Agent Gagnon led the way and the two agents entered the small office. "Is Deputy Agent Norvordosky here?" asked Gagnon at the front desk. "Why, yes! Here she is, coming off of her office," responded the secretary. "Agents, I presume you are here about the case up in Glacier?" "Yes," both replied in unison. "Well, I hate to break it to you, but we do not have any more information than you do on the missing people." The young agents looked at each either. "However," stated Norvordosky, "We did receive a possible clue connecting the missing people besides where they hiked and large footprints." "What would that be?" asked Gagnon. "According to an incomplete report from Agent Scully, at each scene, there was trace evidence of hair in each footprint that was consistent at each scene. This could supposedly been left by whoever is behind this. As to if this true at the seventh scene, we do not know." "Seventh scene?" questioned Jackson. "Yes, that seventh scene is the cabin that Agents Mulder and Scully were staying at," responded the Deputy Agent. Jackson looked at both the agents and exclaimed, "Then, we need to get moving. Come on Gagnon! We don't have much of the day left." "Hold it!" cried Gagnon, "The day is almost over and we are running on fumes. Let's call it a night, then start fresh tomorrow." Jackson looked at Gagnon and responded with "Fine."
The two agents thanked the Deputy Agent for her help and made their way to the car. Once they were in the car, Gagnon began to drive to a nearby motel and Jackson was looking out the window. "Hmm," as she thought to herself. "I wonder what is really going on up there. Even if we got a little bit more information, I feel that it doesn't help matters. We need a sign pointing us to the right direction."