Chapter Ten

"I'm telling you, he's dirty," Langly said to Frohike and Byers as they stepped off the elevator in Mulder's apartment building.

"I can't believe that," Byers said. "He seemed genuinely concerned about Agent Scully's whereabouts. It's doesn't make sense."

The trio stopped at apartment '42' and knocked. Mulder answered the door. "Come in, guys," he said.

They did as requested and were shocked to see A.D. Skinner already there. Each one looked at the other and then to Skinner and Mulder.

"Mulder, we think your friend here is up to no good," Frohike stated flatly.

Skinner looked at them suspiciously. "What did you say?" he asked.

"You're dirty, and you know it. Why not just come clean?" Langly asked. "I've got proof."

Mulder's face was ashen. "Goddammit, Skinner, you too?"

Skinner looked like the cat who caught the canary. "It…it's not what you think. Yes, I work for them. They threatened to kill me if I didn't. It's not cut and dried. I was only to get you to believe that Agent Scully was going to Indiana. But when you mentioned the Borderland Institute, I knew I had been used for something far worse."

"I'm lost," Frohike said. He looked at Mulder. "You believe this?"

Mulder had just been standing there. He wanted to leap on this man and choke the life out of him, but Skinner was far more powerful. He wouldn't have a chance. "Let him continue," he said.

"Well," Skinner began, "I hadn't pieced it together until right then. Scully might be trying to expose the Syndicate at the Institute herself. I'm not exactly sure how, but if they've figured out where she's going, it's an almost certainty they plan to kill her."

Mulder spoke next. "But why the ruse about Indiana? They could have killed her there."

"No, if she were really going to Indiana, and you were following her, the plan most likely was to kill you. She's the only reason you aren't dead right now. But this new development with the pregnancy. It still doesn't make a lot of sense…"

Byers produced a sheet of paper from his inside lapel pocket. "We have this," he said, handing it to Skinner.

Skinner looked it over, his eyes darting back and forth. "I never had this conversation," he said. "I wasn't even in the office. I was on my way tracking Mulder down. Shit! They're using me, too. Dammit!"

Mulder sat on the couch. The only light coming in the room from the window, casting shadows against the other four visitors. He rubbed his hands through his hair. "What shall we do? We have to stop her."

Skinner looked at Mulder with a touch of sympathy. "Look, I don't expect you to forgive me," he said. "I think she wants this. I'm willing to help try and stop her, if you'll let me, but I can't be held responsible if something goes wrong."

"All right," Mulder said as he looked at his companions, "let's go."

Xxx

Wednesday evening, and Dana Scully sat on the bed of the latest motel, just outside the city limits of Canton. She was loading her SIG 228. Tomorrow was the day: the day when all Hell would break loose. A day that was a long time coming, and surely one that would be remembered.

She knew all the players, save one. She wasn't entirely sure who that one would be, but it wouldn't matter in the long run.

Her gambit was simple: get in, get the information, the cavalry would arrive, and the Syndicate would be exposed. The only hiccup in the whole matter would be sacrificing herself for the greater good.

She hated herself for deceiving Fox the way she had, and sending him an email with one clue in it as to what was going to happen was her way of saying "I'm sorry."

The pregnancy just added salt to the wound. She knew she could not ever bare children. She had conducted several tests and the proof was right there. The second Mulder had injected her with anti-serum during her second abduction, he chemically sterilized her. He had absolutely no knowledge of this. They most certainly implanted something inside her on the ship before Mulder got there. It defied all reason and logic.

Dana had wanted to tell him. But that would surely have killed him even more so than what has transpired so far.

No…this was the only way.