Scully sat in the back seat with Wang's head on her lap. His arms were cuffed and resting on his stomach. His eyes were closed. He looked relaxed. Scully felt guilt start low in her gut. Would the man get medical help? Would Tom's music be loud enough to stop the hypnotics, if they were still programmed to attack? Would Eleanor, the woman attack? They had practically stock-piled liabilities into a tower that could topple at any time.

Mulder drove toward Town Hall, where they would isolate Wang. With any luck, he'd regain conscious in one of the little offices, tied to a chair. Scully rode in the back, just in case he roused early.

"Did you see how she was stroking his hair?" Mulder said.

Scully looked into the rearview mirror. "Who?"

"Eleanor. She was stroking her husband's hair. She regretted shooting him."

Scully didn't respond.

"God, Scully. What happened to their marriage? How can a relationship sour like that?"

"He was cheating on her Mulder. With a man."

"That doesn't mean they didn't love each other in some form. People's emotions run high because they care."

Scully sighed. "What's your point, Mulder?"

"Were you – are you afraid we're going to sour like that? Is that why you don't want to tell anyone about us?"

Scully almost laughed. "Do you have something to tell me, Mulder? Are you in love with A.D. Skinner?"

"Be serious, Scully."

Scully sighed. "I wasn't lying before. I'm afraid sometimes. If things go bad, I don't know how I'd recover. Telling everyone, making it official…"

He looked back at her again from the rearview mirror.

"And…you know…it's always worse for the woman at work."

"I know." Mulder's voice was barely perceptible over the hum of the motor. "You could do a lot better than me. I guess I'm afraid, too, that you'll leave. Hell -" he grimaced. "I don't know if I'd be any less crazy than Eleanor if you did."

"Mulder." She extended her hand toward him. He reached on back and they interlaced their fingers. "I choose you." She leaned back and readjusted Wang on her lap. "Can you believe in that, along with your aliens?"

Mulder's pursed lips relaxed. He grinned. "You know me, Scully. I'm a believer."

XXX

When Wang came to, Scully was pressed into Mulder's side and leaning against a wooden desk on the opposite wall. The wait had been a long one. With rope they had found in the car, they had secured him to a wooden chair in a large, town hall office nearly an hour ago.

Wang's faced was red. He scowled as he looked around the office. When he saw Mulder and Scully, his lip curled. "Mr. and Mrs. FBI are here to rough up the bad guy?"

"It's over," Mulder said.

"Oh, I don't think so. You've still got a town full of people who can't communicate with the outside world. They'll get confused and afraid when the camera crews come here to cover this freak show." He sniffed. "I wasn't kidding when I said they could be hostile."

Scully cleared her throat. "James, people are being de-hypnotized as we speak." Mulder had taught Scully that addressing a criminal by his first name established a dynamic where the interviewer held control. It was almost intimate, he had said. Some criminals will relax.

"You're lying." Wang said. He looked like a child in trouble at school. Certainly not relaxed, Scully noted.

Wang's gaze shifted back to Mulder. Mulder only smiled at him.

"You bastard." Wang struggled for a moment in the chair and then gave up. "You waltz around getting everything you want, breaking rules, sleeping with your pretty partner and face not a single consequence."

"Excuse me," Scully said. "His pretty partner is right here."

"I get one shriveled ounce of happiness and it's ripped from me and mocked." Wang chucked. "But hey – you'll know how I feel when she leaves you."

"That's what this is about," Scully said. "He left you. He made you feel ashamed."

Wang pressed his lips together into a thin, hard line.

"How much convincing did Eleanor need to agree to help you?" Mulder asked from behind her.

"No convincing." Wang's voice wavered and hitched. Scully stared at him. A bead of sweat was beginning to form on his brow.

"He was going to go back to her, wasn't he?" Scully whispered.

Wang's eyes widened for a moment. He hung his head and nodded. It took a moment for Scully to realize that he had begun to mutter again – Greek words. She clamped her hands over her ears and began to back away. She felt Mulder stand behind her and put his hand around her waist.

"You'll tire yourself out," Mulder said, loudly enough for Scully to hear. Wang looked at them again, standing together, and began to cry.