Colonization is a slow process. One that began before either Mulder or Scully was born. The plan had been in the works for even longer than any human has known. The truth was that planet Earth didn't truly belong to humans; it had always belonged to the others.
William hated the knowledge that came with his gifts. He was always able to spot an alien in disguise and they seemed able to sense him. Most times they would just make eye contact and both would be uncertain of what to do. Other times they tried to communicate with him, William usually ignored these attempts. He didn't want to hear what they had to say. He knew one day he was going to have to face them as enemies and he did not want to make a friend of them.
He recounted any information to his parents that he had left out before, including the fact that old friends of theirs from the FBI were part of the projects going on to prepare for war. William had known of John Doggett and Monica Reyes for many years. Their assistance in information gathering and stockpiling had been helpful. The most surprising part to Mulder and Scully was hearing that the Lone Gunmen had been involved in this resistance.
"According to our time table we still have a few years. The goal is to prepare. Prepare to fight not only the colonists but also the super soldiers. Both groups will be fighting each other and humanity. There is a melding company that has been assisting us in creating bullets and other weapons out of magnetite making it possible to kill the super soldiers from afar. Obviously it is different with the aliens. All members are training hard on marksmanship and all are armed with the needles that can be inserted into the back of the neck. There is a facility in Alaska where many of the members go once a month to prepare and do briefings. I've never been there but I have skyped with the base before."
Mulder and Scully stared at their son wide eyed as he relayed all of this information to them.
"So this base in Alaska… What exactly is it for?" Mulder asked after a lengthy silence.
William's eyes were locked on to them and his confidence still amazed both of them.
"It is a safe place for the members of the resistance and their families to live. Almost like a military base with different forms of housing. There are rooms for all of you there. There always has been. There is room for me and my parents and my grandma. The base has been under construction since the 90s and is still not fully finished. A large chunk of it is underground. It's not as roomy there but it will keep us safe."
They both just stared at him again.
William sighed, "I know it's a lot to take in. Now that you are aware of all of this though they will need your involvement."
"No." Scully said face hard and cold, "We will not participate in this."
Mulder looked at her not knowing what to say.
William's intense gaze met hers, "You have to. It's the only way to survive this. They need both of you and especially the children to assist."
"I have already told you this but I will say it again: They will not be apart of this."
She glanced outside for a moment at her two younger children who were playing happily in the yard looking every inch normal.
Mulder's warm hand on hers brought her out of her retrieve, "Scully… This is the best way to protect them. Colonization is coming no matter what. There is no way to stop it. We can either join the resistance or we can die in what will surly be a show of force and war."
Scully shook her head vehemently and snatched her hand from his, "I'm not listening to this anymore. My children will not fight. They are not soldiers they are just kids! This discussion is over. Mulder and I can help but they will not be a part of this!" Scully stomped away to the two children playing in the yard and watched them from the porch.
William felt a sting of pain at her words 'my children'. He understood what she was saying but a part of him was hurt at not being included in that group. He looked down at his hands.
"She needs time Will. The past decade of our lives has been spent trying to be normal and forget all of this. She just needs to adjust. I'll talk to her."
William nodded silently.
"What do your parents think about this?" Mulder asked glancing at William's father who had taken a seat on the couch and was watching a documentary on World War II.
William shrugged and also threw a glance at his dad, "They believe all of it. They've seen what I can do. I think that it's something they have always expected, an apocalypse of some sort. In their minds it will be Christ riding out of the heavens to defeat the aliens but I don't know about that. I think we should train just in case Jesus doesn't make it. But anyway at first my mom had a reaction like hers though. But she prayed and meditated about it and eventually came around."
"They think this is part of God's plan?" Mulder squinted.
Will nodded, "Yeah. And who knows? They might be right. There is something that created the others and me. We are humanities last chance. Doesn't it make some sense that a higher power is preparing the human race?"
Mulder shrugged and looked outside at his wife and children, "I guess." He paused for a beat remembering the terrifying time when Scully was getting ready to give birth, "When you were born I reconsidered some of my views on God. I mean if God was going to give a miracle child to anyone it would be Scully. I lost a lot of that faith when she gave you up though. Holding Evelyn for the first time renewed some of that lost faith. Maybe it is God leading all of this. But it doesn't really matter in the end. Either way people are going to die and those two are going to miss out on some of their childhood." His voice was sad and thoughtful and William wondered if he was still even aware of his presence.
They sat there silently watching the children chase each other around the yard.
That first night Mulder pulled Scully to him and she let him but lay stiffly in his arms.
"Scully, you know he's right. You are smart; you know there is no way around this. Our lives are going to change, that's just the way it is." Mulder's breath was warm familiar on her ear but his words brought her pain.
She lay still and silent for so long that Mulder thought she might have fallen asleep until she finally answered.
"I know."
Over the next week the plans began to form. William gave them contacts and told them all he knew. Once Scully finally gave in the younger children joined them in discussion.
The first time they skyped with the base in Alaska Scully and Mulder were startled to be greeted by none other than Monica Reyes.
She gave them a virtual tour of the base and introduced them to others who were involved. They were shown a group of children whose ages ranged anywhere from 5 to 16. The children were training in all different ways. Some were moving objects with their minds, some were controlling forces of nature, others seemed to be reading and controlling minds. To Scully those were the most frightening. She began to wonder what would happen to her younger children; wonder what they would turn into.
"Well you won't be expected to join us until you're ready but I'd like to recommend getting your kids in some martial arts classes at least. Maybe start teaching them to shoot."
A chill went up Scully's spine.
"I can also get you hooked up with a man who can train the kids with their new abilities. He's also one of the new generation and knows what he's doing." Monica ruffled through some notes; "I'll send you a list of resources over a secure email. We also have a few things that we'd like the two of you to do for us inside the FBI."
Scully and Mulder looked at each other, uneasy.
"Nothing serious. Just keeping your ears and eyes open for different hot words and maybe nabbing a document or two in your spare time. I'll send you the details."
Scully looked down at her hands as Monica continued to tell them what was expected of them.
"Dana?"
Scully looked up to her old friends face on the screen.
"It's going to be ok. I know you're scared of this and want to protect your children, and I understand that! But this is the best way to protect them."
Scully nodded, "I know, I know. I've heard it all but I just wish I could raise them in a protective bubble so that they never have to see the things we've seen. I wanted to spare them this. For them to grow up not knowing of monsters and evil."
She watched the children who were playing a board game with Lyle and gave a small smile, happy that the man who raised her son was a kind man.
Mulder's hand covered her knee, "Monica how long do you think we have?"
She shrugged as if the question was unimportant, "Not sure. Anywhere from 2 to 5 years. But when it's coming we will know and we'll rally the troops."
"How will you know?" Scully asked her voice laced with concern.
"We have people on the inside on both sides. Not all super soldiers have completely forgotten their humanity, and not all aliens look down on humanity. They, like us, are all different."
"You can trust these sources?"
She nodded, "Absolutely. Some of the colonists have even partnered with humans and some have even interbred. They have a stake in it. But I have to get back to work I have a call with Germany in five and I want to grab a snack. You'll be hearing from me soon. Till then just do what I've advised."
"Alright. Thanks Mon." Scully said.
Both sides waved at each other before the image disappeared.
Mulder, William, and Scully were all silent for sometime.