Chapter 8: Work Doesn't Wait
The flight back to D.C had been delayed twice due to weather but when Skinner returned to his office he was greeted by a stack of messages all from Mulder; written messages and a full phone message system. Who does that anymore? Walter ignored them in his exhaustion and got right back to the work that had been waiting for his return. He hadn't even had time to head home or to wrap his head around what had happened in Kansas, he was running too late.
He'd spent the night in an airport, sleeplessly thinking about Mary, and he came into the Bureau as soon as he'd landed. His travel bag was still in the car and he wasn't in the mood to deal with anyone, but that wasn't in the card for him on this morning.
There was already a meeting planned for the afternoon and a stack of files to read through before they were closed or filed. He had a new week worth of assignments to dish out and his director to brief on the weekly situation. Walter tried to shut out the world and get his work done but as the morning turned to afternoon the phone messages kept piling up, and Skinner ignored the calls as they came in. Mulder was trying the phone approach more aggressively now.
"Sir, please, what am I supposed to tell him?" The secretary buzzed in again just before lunch."
"Is he on hold?"
"Yes."
"I'll take it," Skinner said with a sigh. "If I don't he'll be up here to harass me."
"Thank you," She said with and audible sigh of relief and transferred the call.
"I have work to do!" Walter barked as he answered the call, "and so do you. I've already worked through lunch. I'm not in the mood, Mulder."
"You've been gone for two days. Did you get my messages?" Mulder asked ignoring Skinner's harshness.
"I got them, did you get the case file I sent down to you?" He asked.
"I got it. It was a test flight by a group of college kids who are already being dealt with by homeland. I sent it back to you," Mulder answered. "Did you talk to them? Is that why you went to Kanasa?"
"Spying on me now?" Skinner asked angrily.
"You went on business funds and rented a car. I just happened to have seen the requests," Mulder lied.
"I went for a meeting," Skinner lied in returned.
"With the Winchesters?" Mulder asked bluntly.
"I have work to catch up on and a meeting this afternoon," Walter said by way of avoiding the question.
"But did you talk to them on your two day sabbatical?" Mulder asked again.
"I have a meeting in five minutes. Meet me tonight at Jack's Tavern after work and we'll talk non-FBI business then," Walter offered the compromise just to get Mulder off the phone. "And, for your information, my trip was worked related, not a sabbatical, and I don't answer to you, now do I?"
"I don't know if I can make it in time," Was the response to the offered olive branch.
"Get off the phone and get moving. If you don't show up I'll be done with this whole situation," Walter stated and slammed down the phone receiver just as his director entered the office with the rest of the panel for the meeting.
"Are you prepared for us?" the director asked and watched Walter stand up from his desk.
"Yes," Walter sighed, straightened his tie and came to the table to get back down to FBI business.
