Water and Sun
By redprint
Chapter 10
**Mt. Hayachine**
FUSIO, SWITZERLAND
THURSDAY, JULY 16
9:24 HOURS
A month and a half had passed, and they were still confined to Fusio. The lab equipment father Gino had promised arrived a few days after their arrival from different parts of the country. She managed to set up a level 3 security lab in the house's basement with Paul's help.
She enjoyed working with Paul a lot. He was clever and resourceful, his manners calm but quick. They worked long hours together in the basement while Mulder and Nicola trained Rosa and Marco in field tactics and self-defense. Marco was already a martial arts instructor, but he lacked the depth that Mulder and Nicola had from working in the field. Rosa, on the other hand, was a complete beginner.
"You're very agile, Rosa," Mulder commented her moves. "But never, ever, turn your back to your adversary." He grabbed her from behind and tossed her on her back.
She yelped and quickly jumped up, "okay, fair enough." She attacked him with the elegance of a Shaolin monk and managed to throw him off balance.
He tumbled on the ground and cursed.
"I'm sorry," she stepped closer and offered her hand.
He took her hand, his male ego crying in the trenches, "You're becoming very good."
"Thank you," she replied, with no pride or happiness in her words.
He eyed her closely, "Are you alright?"
She gazed at him, and for a split second, he saw the pain behind them. "Oh, Rosa. It's okay. Let's finish for today."
She nodded, "Don't tell the others."
He stood up. "Okay, but you have to promise me something."
"What?" she asked, a little edgy.
"If it gets too unbearable, talk to me," he offered.
She stared at him but then agreed. "I think I can do that."
"Good," he smiled at her. "Come on. I'm taking you somewhere nice if you're okay with that," he suggested.
She smiled. "Do you think we can do that?"
"Well, we cannot venture too far away, but there are lots of breathtaking places in the vicinity. You'll see."
She let out a soft exhale and thanked him.
They walked to the house while Marco kept training with Nicola. His blows grew more potent, and Nicola had a hard time dodging them. His eyes were set on Rosa when Nicola knocked him on the ground.
"Careful, son," Nicola told him, "the person you love is always your weakest point in combat."
Marco looked at him with stern eyes, "How's your relationship with Dana?"
Nicola looked grimly at him, "Keep your voice down. It's fine. She's with Paul during the day."
"So, the feeling is just gone now?" he prodded.
Nicola's lips thinned, "How is it any of your business?"
"In combat or out of it?" he pointed out.
"You know very well what I mean," he replied.
"For one, you're my father, and I care about you," he told him and saw Nicola's features soften. "And secondly, we live together. The tension between you two is palpable."
"What do you mean palpable?" he asked, his tone almost outraged.
"As in tangible," Marco responded.
"Stop it. This is not a game. I get to speak to her during breakfast and dinner only with all of you around. We're never alone."
Marco leaned his head to the side, "That's exactly why, father. You don't allow yourself any spontaneity with her. She's also very controlled around you. I think Mulder knows."
Nicola eyed him, "Enough. I'm not having this conversation now."
Marco smirked. "It won't get better this way."
"What exactly do you want from me?" Nicola raised his voice.
"Do you really want to let her go?" Marco pushed him.
"Yes!" He almost shouted.
"Leave, then," Marco said calmly. "There's no other way when feelings run that deep."
Nicola exhaled heavily, "How could you possibly know how deep they are?"
Marco crossed his arms, "Are you really asking me that?"
Nicola stared at him and then closed his eyes, "Where do I go?"
"Underground. HQ would be the best idea, but it must be your choice."
"I know." He lowered his head. Could he let her go for good?
"You're asking the wrong question," Marco spoke gently. "You know very well you can't let her go. But you can honor their relationship and step aside."
He let out a long exhale and closed his eyes. To leave her was unimaginable.
It was then that Scully emerged out of the basement and waved at them. Marco looked at her and then at Nicola, "You certainly have good taste."
Nicola glared at him. "You can be very irritating. You know that, right?"
Marco smirked and walked to Scully, who was smiling kindly at them.
"Hey," Marco greeted her.
"I think we've found something," Scully told him as Nicola approached them.
Marco's ears piqued, "About the virus?"
"About its genome," she clarified.
Nicola stepped closer, waiting to hear the discovery.
"It has the longest RNA genome of all known viruses. Paul thinks it's due to adaptation to the Earth's environment. I think we can develop a vaccine," she explained. "We need to come up with a strategy."
Nicola looked concerned. "We can't leave this place for the time being. Any vaccine development will have to go through certain authorities. How do you plan to do that?"
"No," Marco shook his head. "No authorities. We're talking public health. If this cabal is so potent, it has infiltrated those areas of research and control as well."
"I'm afraid I have to agree," Scully replied and looked at Nicola. "Paul may have a solution. We'll talk over dinner."
FUSIO, SWITZERLAND
THURSDAY, JULY 16
18:10 HOURS
"Viruses can think. All of them," Paul explained as they discussed their latest findings. "But Purity, as Dana taught me to call the virus, is different from all other viruses known to men. It has 47,000 nucleotides which should make it defective. Only, it doesn't. Through dynamic evolution, it became stable, and moreover, it has learned how to infect others by controlling its host behavior. It has properties attributed to parasites, but it's viral in essence."
Scully interfered, "You should know that all viruses are obligate parasites. They lack the metabolic machinery of their own to generate energy or to synthesize proteins, so they depend on host cells to carry out these vital functions."
"How do you know it is alien?" Marco asked.
Paul sketched something on a piece of paper. "RNA consists of four nitrogenous bases: adenine, cytosine, uracil, and guanine. Uracil is a pyrimidine that is structurally similar to the thymine, another pyrimidine that is found in DNA. Like thymine, uracil can base-pair with adenine." He drew the RNA pairs and continued, "Purity is similar to an RNA virus, but instead of four pairs, it has two more."
"That's impossible," Rosa spoke. "There are only four basic pairs."
"Exactly," Paul confirmed. "It's the proof of its alien origin."
"But how?" Marco asked, puzzled.
"It supposedly came to Earth on a meteor from Mars that also carried the first building-blocks of life to Earth. The virus thrived on Earth and infected primitive humans, completely changing their physiology and transforming them into alien life-forms. In the last ice age, these aliens died, and the virus lay dormant underground until it resurfaced during Earth's current geologic period," Mulder explained.
"We analyzed the video that father Gino obtained from his mother," Scully went on, "and it without a doubt shows experiments on human subjects with Purity."
"This doesn't make any sense," Marco interjected. "If they were infected, they would have to transform into aliens."
Paul nodded, "They would, but the process was disrupted before the transformation began."
"How?" Rosa asked.
Scully turned to her, "We couldn't figure it out right away. But Nicola's assumption that these individuals were drugged was correct."
Rosa stared at her, not understanding.
"The drug worked as an inhibitor," Paul explained.
"What kind of drug?" Nicola asked.
"A new kind," Paul replied, "with magnetite nanoparticles as the magnetic delivery system."
"They probably had no idea what they were doing or the specific method of drug delivery. But it worked in our favor. There's a chance to fight it now without the need to develop a vaccine," Scully explained.
Nicola observed them quietly. Only God knew how awful those rituals were.
"The functionalized magnetite nanoparticles act against the virus, making it ineffective. There are some issues involving the application of such particles in the bloodstream of infected subjects that need to be further researched. Still, it appears that a proper injection of functionalized Fe3O4 nanoparticles in saline solution is effective in preventing the contagion," Scully explained. "Paul also found something."
Paul nodded. "Through genome sequencing of Purity, we were able to identify a gene that is found in parasitic worm biology of nematodes on this planet. We can target it with a particular drug that is being researched as we speak at HQ and prevent the virus's ability to begin gestation," he noted. "There is hope."
Nicola exhaled loudly, "You did the unimaginable. Both of you." He looked at Scully, too. It was a split second, but he saw the emotion behind her guarded smile.
"What about the cabal?" Marco asked. "They will certainly want to get their hands on the vaccine or drug if it turns out to be successful."
"Certainly," Nicola replied.
Mulder looked at Scully and said, "We need a plan for the weeks ahead."
She sighed, "I think it's already been made."
"What do you mean?" Mulder asked, his tone edgy.
Rosa shifted in her seat. The tension in the room was thick.
Scully looked at Paul, and he nodded. "HQ decided to infiltrate the cabal. The plan is in motion."
Mulder's eyes widened. "When did you discover them?"
"There was a breakthrough in the investigations two weeks ago. The mole led us right to them," Paul replied, weary of the fact that he had to keep it to himself.
Nicola eyed him, "It's a very dangerous endeavor."
"I know," Paul agreed, "but HQ found out they are planning a massive viral contagion."
"When?" Rosa asked, alarmed.
"We don't know that yet," Paul replied.
"This is insane!" Marco lost his patience.
"Calm down," Nicola warned him.
Rosa felt ill at the thought. "Are you sure about the contagion?"
"I'm afraid so," Paul confirmed.
Mulder fell silent. He and Scully had heard before about the threat of a worldwide contagion. It intersected with the date of colonization. He looked at her and saw her stare back at him. He swallowed and looked at Nicola, "You'll need our help."
Nicola nodded. "Mulder is right. You don't have any experience with the virus in the field."
"I'm not comfortable with that," Scully warned. "There are far too many risks."
Mulder eyed her. He could see the fear in her eyes. But it was a choice that someone else had already made. Turning to Nicola, he murmured something, and Nicola nodded.
Scully's lips thinned, and her eyes grew concerned once again.
Paul placed his hand on her shoulder, "It's okay. Don't be afraid. God will find a way."
She closed her eyes, hoping God would find a way soon.
FUSIO, SWITZERLAND
THURSDAY, JULY 24
08:30 HOURS
Scully was alone in the kitchen when Marco stepped in. His manner was calm but reserved.
"I've been tasked to get you to a certain place," he told her. He was careful with her, afraid he would stir her up. He knew how she hated unexpected events.
"Now?" she inquired and looked at him. She could recognize his father's energy in those intense grey eyes.
He nodded.
"Where?"
"Not far," he replied, his eyes fixed on her.
"Who gave you this task?" She crossed her arms. A clear sign of defiance.
He bit his lip, "I was asked not to disclose it."
She pondered his words. "I see."
"Nothing's wrong if that's what you're wondering," he clarified.
She eyed him with an arched brow, "Is it your father's idea?"
Marco shook his head, "No."
"Where is he, anyway?" she asked. "It feels like he's never around."
"He's gone to the store with Mulder," he replied. "He's always around."
For more than a month, she tried hard not to let herself go with Nicola. Even though her relationship with Mulder didn't miraculously improve on its own, she welcomed the newfound intimacy in their relationship. She could tell Nicola stepped aside, giving her more space, and avoided being alone with her. She guessed it was for the better. So why the hell did Marco's comment bother her so much?
"Okay, I'll go with you," she accepted.
COSPAT, SWITZERLAND
THURSDAY, JULY 24
08:54 HOURS
She held him fast as he skirted the road in front of them. Much like his father, he was competent in everything he did. He drove fearlessly, dominating every curve without much effort.
He wanted her to use his helmet, but she refused. Helmets were for drivers, she said. But the truth was she wanted to feel the wind blowing through her hair.
He sped up, and she pressed tightly to him. Her auburn hair flapped around her face furiously, making her close her eyes from time to time. He felt so strong. A force to be reckoned with. She shook her head lightly. This wasn't Nicola, nor did she want him to be. But there was something that both men—father and son—shared. And it sure felt like a force that could change the course of one's life.
"We're here," Marco said as he killed the engine and took off the helmet. He looked attractive with ruffled hair and his three-day-old beard.
They were at the end of the road, literally, and she could see a small church in the distance, surrounded by tall, dark green spruces.
"Come on," he urged her.
She walked after him, wondering what awaited them.
"Don't worry," he replied, not turning to her.
She scoffed at him and shook her head. She would never get used to it, ever.
"It looks old," she commented as they neared the small building.
He smiled to himself and kept walking. Once they reached it, he knocked three times on the old oak doors.
"Three times?" she asked.
He looked at her, "The Holy Trinity."
"Oh, of course."
The door opened with a long screech. "Entra, amico mio," a male voice greeted Marco.
"Lei è con me," Marco responded in Italian and looked toward Scully. "Parla inglese."
The door opened wide, and a short old man appeared. He looked at Scully without enthusiasm, "Are you ready to hold the burden?"
Marco fidgeted for a moment. It was a test.
Scully looked at the man resignedly, "I've been told that God will never give us more than what we can handle. And I held great burdens before."
The old man nodded and smiled knowingly. "Come on in."
Marco looked at her with admiration, his eyes reaching the dusty corners of her soul.
She looked away and followed the old man. Nicola went through her thoughts, but she shook him off.
The inside of the small church was modest but clean and tidy. There was an old wooden cross at the center of the altar. The old man pressed something behind it, and a passage appeared below his feet. The stairs disappeared into thick darkness. He handed Marco a lit candle and looked at Scully, "Marco knows the way. Follow him. I stay here."
She looked at Marco with doubtful eyes.
Marco smiled and walked past her.
She grasped his arm.
"It's okay. I wouldn't put you in danger," he reassured her and squeezed her hand.
Seeing his caring eyes, she relaxed a little. So much of Nicola's character was hidden in those depths.
"Where does it lead?"
"To the Underworld," he replied jokingly.
They walked into the dark void, the endless stairs taking them further down. The candle barely illuminated the narrow surroundings. It seemed like someone cut into the heart of the mountain.
"Is it very far?" She asked after what seemed like an eternity.
"We're almost there."
She followed his steps in the narrow dark space. She trusted him not to get them in trouble, although she had gotten to know his wild side by now. There was something untamed in his character. Pristine, if you will.
He turned to her in the dark and stopped. "You feel more than you let know."
She blushed and stared at him. "I guess I don't have the privacy of my own thoughts anymore."
He leaned his head to the side. "You're a devoted Catholic, right?"
She nodded, though she wasn't sure about the devoted part.
"Then you never had the privacy of thought," he pointed out. "God hears and knows everything."
She smirked, "True, but you're not God."
"No, I'm just my father's son," he replied and turned away.
She grabbed his arm, "What's that supposed to mean?"
"You love my father," he replied straightforwardly. "And you keep comparing us because you can't let go of him."
She tried not to show it but her heart was about to implode. She loved Nicola and Nicola loved her. Was it that obvious to everyone? She stared at him, unable to say anything. After some long, unsettling seconds, she let go of Marco's hand and apologized.
He sighed, "Look, I know you're reluctant and tired, but I'm not playing games with you. We're here for a reason."
"Are we?" she asked, rhetorically.
Marco observed her intently, "Yes, we are. It's hard to understand everything that's going on. But I see the fire in you, that blinding light that won't die. You're the strongest among us."
She blinked at him. The strongest one?
He stared into her eyes. "I'm not surprised my father loves you. Or Mulder for that matter. Even Rosa and I have grown fond of you."
She looked at him with desperate eyes.
They stared at each other in the darkened hallway. The candle that the old man gave them was throwing shadows against the wall.
"I'm not blaming anyone, Dana," he paused to adjust the burning candle. "But, please, understand that I have my own ways, and I'd really like to sit down with you one day and talk about all of it."
She understood him. Even though he shared his father's gift, he was his own man and she didn't honor that. "You're a very intense young man, intelligent and honest, and I like your company. I'm sorry I've made you feel otherwise."
The tension in his arms dissipated as he acknowledged her words. "Thank you."
She smiled, "Someday we could sit down and talk."
He nodded and smiled back. "We need to get going."
"Okay."
She followed him farther down the stairs until the passage significantly widened to reveal a metal door. He stepped forward, put down the candle, and dialed a number on the small pad beside the door.
"Phrase, please," a male voice said through the intermittent.
"Amor vincit omnia," Marco replied.
"Hello, Marco," the man responded.
"Hello, Scott," Marco greeted back.
The heavy door opened into a spacious room full of people, computers, cables, big screens, maps, and old books.
Scully looked questioningly at Marco, "What is this place?"
"Soldier and pilgrims headquarters in Switzerland. 150 meters under the surface," Marco explained and waved back to a young man waving at him.
"Are there more places like this one?" she asked.
His lips quirked up. "Only in Seattle, Washington, St. Petersburg, Berlin, Rome, Tokyo, Shanghai, Sydney, Nairobi, Johannesburg, and Rio de Janeiro."
She could see the bunker was drilled into the heart of the mountain. The space was cut into solid rock, the floor cemented. It was impressive.
"What are we doing here, Marco?"
"We're fighting the future, aren't we?" he looked at her with eyes so intense it made her heart skip a beat.
"Look where it's gotten us," she replied cynically.
"Well, we've met each other. That has to count for something." His lips turned into a gentle smile.
And your father, she thought.
"That too," Marco agreed.
She looked at him warningly, "Stop."
He smiled broadly and took her by the hand. His touch was gentle, manly.
She didn't know what to think of it. "Why me?"
"What do you mean?" he stared at her. "There are other women here, too."
"No," she shook her head, "why was I chosen to come here?"
His face softened, "I guess because you can be trusted, and then there's yours and Paul's groundbreaking work on Purity."
She stared at him, "You guess?"
His lips thinned, "I don't have access to all information."
"I see." She turned to the young man that was approaching them—the same that greeted Marco when they entered the room.
"Hi, there. I'm Jack Crawford." He offered his hand to Scully.
Crawford? She eyed him intently. "Hi, I'm Dana Scully."
Jack smiled at her. "I think you know my father, Matthew Crawford. He was—,"
"—stationed with mine in Japan when I was a little girl," she could hardly believe it. "I adored your father. How old you might be?" she asked.
"Thirty-three. My father had me much later in his life."
She sighed. "How's Matthew?"
"Old, widowed, and quirky," Jack joked. "And he keeps remembering Japan all the time."
"Where is he now?" she asked.
"He's here, actually," Jack smiled, and it was the same smile his father gave her when she was a little girl. "And so is your mother."
She stepped back in disbelief, "I'm sorry?"
"We flew her in yesterday," he explained. "She insisted on coming when Matthew contacted her three days ago. Due to security reasons, we asked her not to make any contact with you. I'm sorry about that."
"I want to see her," Scully sounded impatient.
Jack nodded, "Come with me. You'll meet my father, too." He headed for a separate room at the end of the spacious room. "She doesn't know you're here right now."
Scully looked at Marco, her eyes hopeful and unforgiving at the same time. Breathing deeply, she fought the rising feeling of excitement and anxiety. She hadn't seen her mother in a very long time.
Marco looked back at her, understanding her to the last fiber, and mouthed a sincere apology.
She held back her tired tears and followed Jack. Marco walked behind them, not certain he had any right to be there with them.
She sensed his doubt and looked over her shoulder, "I want you with me."
He nodded and stepped up.
SOMEWHERE DEEP INTO ALPI LEPONTINE, SWITZERLAND
THURSDAY, JULY 24
09:50 HOURS
"Oh, my God," Maggie cried out and covered her mouth as she saw her daughter enter the windowless room she and Matthew waited in.
"Mom!" she exclaimed and rushed to embrace her.
Maggie wiped her tears, "I haven't seen you in such a long time." Maggie turned to Matthew. "It feels so strange to meet you both here."
That's when Scully saw him. Old, charming, and with that gentle attitude, she remembered so well.
"Matthew," she acknowledged him and walked to him.
"Good Lord," he said in an unsteady voice, "look at you. I never thought I'd see you again."
She gave him a warm hug. "I know. I can't believe it either. It's been so long ago. I guess you know Marco."
"Not really," Matthew replied. "Although Jack told me about him."
Marco greeted them both.
Scully looked at her mother with the corner of her eye, having learned only recently how she had felt about Matthew when they were stationed in Japan. But Margareth Scully wasn't the type of person to betray her poise.
"Jack told me the reason for your visit," Scully cut to the point.
Matthew nodded and sat down, "Your father, I'm going to be very candid about it; he led an operation back in Japan that got him a promotion. But the true nature of it upset him so much that he decided to leave Japan."
Scully looked at her mother and saw her fidget slightly. She wouldn't look at her.
"What happened?" Scully asked, still eyeing her mother.
"A black substance killed five of his men," Matthew replied.
Her eyes widened. The Black oil? "It's a virus."
Matthew set his jaw, "I learned that much. But what you don't know is that your father prevented the contamination of a secluded village near the city of Tono in the Iwate Prefecture."
"It was on Mount Hayachine," Maggie said.
"You knew about it?" Scully's asked bewildered.
"I knew something happened up there to the two of them," she replied, feeling uncomfortable.
"That's right," Matthew nodded, "we went on a top-secret rescue mission and almost lost our lives. It changed our relationship, too."
Maggie sat quietly, her face unwavering.
"You know what I'm talking about," Jack said to her.
Maggie looked at him stoically. "It was a long time ago."
"How does any of it matter now?" Scully asked.
"Because your father found out what kills the black substance," Matthew replied. "He saved my life." He looked at Maggie. "Please, show her the journal, Maggie."
Scully looked at her mother, unsure what to expect. Maggie handed her an old journal. The leather was worn out and stained. It smelled of leather and tobacco.
Scully held it carefully as if afraid it might break in her hands. "Mount Hayachine, September 8th, 1979," she began reading. "We arrived at the village seven days ago. Almost all the villagers reported seeing an unidentifiable aerial phenomenon in the sky, following a loud blast and a subsequent crash of an unidentified object. Due to the steep terrain and vegetation, we haven't been able to find the object yet. Matthew is skeptical about the event. We'll keep looking. The villagers are frightened and look at us suspiciously. Something must have happened, and I'm not sure Russians are responsible this time."
Scully turned a few pages on. "Mount Hayachine, September 14th, 1979. I'm not sure it is wise to write about these things, but a feeling heaviness nestled in my chest. We found the fallen object. It's impenetrable, and the build material seems foreign, certainly not of the U. S. Army. I have a strange feeling that it's not even of this world, but I can't voice this suspicion to anyone. I see Matthew is confused as well but unwilling to talk about it. Tomorrow we'll revisit it. And older men from the village warned us it carries a disease. He might be right, but our mission is clear: find the object, report findings, apprehend the pilot, return."
"What the hell, Matthew?" Scully looked at him in anger. "This wasn't a rescue mission. This was classic recon, and the target was a UFO!" She turned to her mother. "You knew about it?!"
She shook her head. "I knew Matthew almost lost his life and your father never wanted to tell me what happened. He suffered nightmares and cold sweats, and then eventually let it go. When Matthew called me, I decided to go through your father's things again. I found this journal wrapped in an old cloth at the bottom of a wooden toolbox in the garage. I was amazed that you kids had never found it."
"His toolbox was off-limits for us. Even Bill didn't dare touch it," Scully replied. "This goes on," she noted as she flipped through the rest of the pages. "September 27th, 1979. I think the flying object is alive, though no one seems to be inside. At 12.04 a.m., a thick black substance emerged from the metal-like surface, moving on its own. Matthew was close, observing the moving liquid. It jumped him, entering his mouth, nose, and eyes. He collapsed. I raced to him, but others stopped me. Matthew regained his senses quickly but seemed different. He's sleeping beside me now. I fear for his life and mine. The villagers are nervous and angry. Some villagers are showing symptoms that resemble Matthew's. I sense a mutiny building up. Only the thought of my family calms me."
Maggie sighed and closed her eyes. She couldn't look at Scully or Matthew.
Scully put the journal down, "Clearly, you survived."
Matthew nodded calmly, "I know it's hard to read these pages. Your father was very courageous during those days, not that he lacked bravery in general. The old man that is mentioned in the journal was revered as the spiritual leader of the village. He told us about an ancient legend about how a black bird fell from the sky, infecting all who touched it. In that legend, the village people got well after fasting for three days and drinking water from the tallest mountain." He paused. "Mount Hayachine is the highest peak in the Kitakami Mountain Range that stretches through the east of Iwate Prefecture in Japan's Tohoku region."
"That area is rich with magnetite. It is where the first Western-style blast furnace was built in Japan," Scully noted knowingly.
He nodded, "Magnetite is precisely what saved us. And it's also what brought down the UFO."
"We've come to the same conclusion many times now," Scully pointed out. "But I never thought drinking high amounts of magnetite-enriched water could help."
"It's because of fasting, oddly enough," Matthew commented. "The old shaman told us that our bowels were our second brain. If cleansed, the holy water would work miracles."
"It jump-started your immune response," Scully suggested. "I gather it helps in the early stage only."
"Probably," he agreed. "Some of the villagers and four men on our team that got infected two days before me didn't survive despite the ritual."
"Didn't they change to aliens?" Marco asked, sounding strange to himself.
Matthew sighed, not wanting to reply.
Scully looked at him questioningly, "They did change, didn't they?"
Matthew had a hard time telling it. His voice became less confident, his eyes more distant. "I began to get better on the third day while some of the others started to act weird. Their skin was transforming into jelly and something inside them started to move. We had to kill and burn them all."
"Oh, my God!" Maggie gasped.
Scully looked at her, "It's okay, mom."
Marco sighed, leaning against the wall behind her. So much of what he knew about the world changed dramatically.
"Why did you contact my mother now?" Scully asked Matthew then.
Matthew looked confused. "What do you mean?"
"It's not a difficult question," she noted.
"Because Father Gino de'Medici contacted me and asked me to," he explained, his brows furrowed.
Her eyes widened. "He knew about the journal?"
Matthew shook his head, "No. He knew about Mount Hayachine before I told him anything about it. He was looking for someone to escort your mother to Italy."
Marco fidgeted behind her. He knew she wouldn't forgive Gino for this one.
"What are you talking about?" She was getting furious.
Matthew shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "I'm afraid I know only as much."
She turned to Marco, eyes accusing and angry. "This was all orchestrated. Wasn't it?"
Marco opened his mouth, but she cut him off. "Nevermind. I know who's idea was it."
"I think that father Gino and Mr. Mulder had your best interest in mind," Matthew told her.
"Mulder knows about all of this?" Scully asked. The hurt in her voice was evident.
Marco's ears piqued.
"He's part of the operation," Matthew confirmed. "Father Leonardo needed his insight into three violent crimes in connection with the Black oil."
"I know that," Scully replied, no patience in her voice. "I don't see how it has anything to do with my mother's arrival."
"It was my idea to come here, Dana," Maggie told her daughter. "I wanted to see you."
"Why did they contact you?" Dana asked her. "It wasn't out of sheer kindness."
"No, it wasn't," Matthew admitted.
Maggie nodded, "You're right. Mulder asked me about Japan, and the priest agreed that I could visit you. I negotiated my way in with the journal." She patted the old worn cover.
"How did he find out?" Scully asked.
Maggie looked at Matthew.
Matthew cleared his throat. "A young woman from Minnesota managed to make contact with father Gino, claiming she had information about a military operation on Mount Hayachine. She knew about the UFO and our team. She was the granddaughter of one of the deceased villagers. Those were the deaths Mulder was looking into."
Scully looked at him with arms crossed. "That's how Mulder got involved in this op."
Matthew nodded. "When father Gino told Mulder her story, he recognized your father's name. Later father Gino contacted me as well and asked me to call your mother and escort her to Italy. I asked Jack to come with me for safety reasons. He's military, too."
And no one had the decency to tell her about any of it. How dared they? This was her mother. She turned to Marco. "I'd like to leave. I want my mother to come with us."
Marco straightened up. "I'll call Mulder to get you."
"No, call Paul," she said and looked at her mother. She was grateful to have her beside her. "And have him fetch her luggage."
Marco nodded and left the room while dialing Paul's number.
Scully looked at Matthew, "The circumstances couldn't be more strange but I'm happy to have met you again." She hugged him and turned to her mother. "Are you ready?"
Maggie stood up. "It's been nice seeing you again, Matthew."
Matthew smiled warmly. "Keep in touch."
She smiled back. "I will."
As they walked out of the room, Marco came behind her. "Dana," he called after her.
It pierced her how he sounded like his father. She turned to him.
"All is set. Paul will be here in thirty minutes. Scott will take care of your luggage, Mrs. Scully," Marco said.
Maggie thanked him.
He looked at Scully. "I'm sorry this whole thing upset you. Gino can be a moron sometimes."
Mulder, too, she thought. "You don't need to apologize on his behalf. I'll deal with him in person."
"I know but I guess I care for you." He looked at her with those intense gray eyes. "If it's okay with you I'll return to Fusio with the bike. Scott will escort you out of HQ through the main entrance which is quite less dramatic than the one we took to come here."
"It's okay," she replied.
"See you both at the house," he said and turned away.
She watched him disappear around the corner and looked at her mother. "I'm happy you came."
Maggie stepped to her and hugged her tightly. Scully hugged her back. "I'm so tired mom."
"I know, honey," Maggie comforted her. "We'll have time to talk about everything."
"How long are you staying?" Scully asked.
Maggie let go of her and looked her in the eyes, "As long as you want me, too."
"We'll need to be careful," Scully warned her then. "We're safe here for now, but we can't leave this place."
Maggie nodded, "I know. Gino gave me all the details."
"Right," Scully replied. "I think the old Jesuit needs to atone. Not to mention Mulder."
Maggie sighed. "We all have something to atone for."
Scully raised her brows but before she could say anything Scott arrived to take them out of HQ.
ALPI LEPONTINE
SWITZERLAND
THURSDAY, JULY 24
12:07 HOURS
They exited out of a wooden cabin on a pasture near the main road. The trees and bushes hid them from curious eyes. Paul waited with his car behind the cabin and urged them in. Maggie could feel there was no room for mistakes.
"There's a road patrol coming our way," he told them as they hopped in.
"Now?" Scully asked.
"I'm afraid so," he replied. "I told Leonardo many times that this place wasn't as secure as it used to be."
Maggie looked at her daughter. "I think someone's coming our way."
Paul remained calm. "Let me handle this." He stepped out of the car, felt his pockets, and cursed loudly.
The officer stepped out of the vehicle as well and approached him carefully.
Speaking perfect Italian Paul asked him what was wrong.
The officer stopped in front of him and asked him for his documents. Paul looked at him quizzically and told him he was on private land.
Scully couldn't make out everything they were saying. She trusted Paul implicitly but the thought of dragging her mother into danger made her ill.
Paul opened the car's door and fished for his documents. "There's been a robbery nearby. They're looking for a white male in his forties."
"I don't have any ID," Scully reminded him.
"Don't worry," he reassured her. "You won't need it."
Scully looked at him as he closed the door and returned to the officer. He stepped near him, handing him his ID and asking him questions about the robber. The officer looked in the car's direction and saw Scully. He wanted to approach her when Paul asked him politely for his badge. Scully could understand that Paul was trying to be friendly but prudent. Strange times, he told the officer.
The officer nodded and reached for his inside pocket. It was empty. He patted all the other pockets and excused himself. He walked to the vehicle while Paul sympathetically followed him. But the badge was nowhere to be found. The officer apologized, knowing full well he was in breach of rules. Paul smiled and reassured him that he wouldn't file any complaint. They shook hands and the officer left.
Scully observed them in the side view mirror of Paul's car. "I think we're safe now."
Maggie exhaled softly and looked at Paul as he sat in his seat. "What happened?" she asked.
"He couldn't find his badge and had to stop the procedure," Paul replied calmly.
Scully smiled to herself, realizing what Paul did.
"That's unfortunate for him," Maggie noted.
"And very fortunate for us," Paul added. "He probably left it at the station or maybe he missed a spot in his car when he was looking for it."
Scully looked at him, her lips curling up. "Let's go back to the house."
They drove back to the unremarkable house in Fusio. She was angry at Mulder and Gino but happy to have a chance to spend time with her mother. Nicola kept coming to her mind. Marco unsettled her when he told her without hesitation that she loved Nicola and he loved her back. Not wanting to dive into it, she looked at her mother and squeezed her hand. Her focus was on her now.
FUSIO, SWITZERLAND
THURSDAY, JULY 24
18:45 HOURS
They all had dinner together, except for Gino who moved to the Swiss HQ to help Leonardo and avoid public exposure. They chatted and laughed, mostly about how Paul got rid of the Swiss politzei officer. Everybody knew what could have happened if he searched Scully but nobody wanted to bring it up. She was still upset by everything she learned but hid it well for the sake of others. Marco looked at her from time to time, knowing her state of mind.
"I wish Dana could cook like this," Maggie uttered and looked at Paul. They discovered early on that Paul was a man of many talents.
Scully opened her mouth in exaggeration, "Mom!"
"Careful, Maggie," Mulder warned her. "It's her weak spot."
"It's not a weak spot!" Scully retorted. "I just never had the time to cook."
"Right," Mulder said. "Never."
"Oh, Dana," Maggie cut in. "You know that's not true."
They all laughed, even Günther who always remained vigilant.
After dinner Rosa and Nicola agreed to do the dishes, Paul ventured to the lab, Mulder decided to go through some documents, Marco and Günther went to split and stalk some wood, while Dana helped her mother to settle in.
Günther and Mulder prepared the small room beside the kitchen that used to be a pantry back in the days to be Maggie's bedroom. "It's not very comfortable," Dana told her mother, "but at least you'll have your own little space. It gets crowded in the kitchen and living room during the day."
"Don't worry, Dana," Maggie reassured her. "I've seen far worse."
Scully nodded and fell silent.
"You're thinking about Mulder and Nicola, aren't you?" Maggie asked her straightforwardly.
Scully looked at her, "I'm thinking about what I want."
Maggie nodded apprehensively. "Don't be afraid to voice your needs. I've learned that the hard way."
Scully looked at her. "You didn't always have an easy life with dad, did you?"
"Marriage is rarely easy, and your father was good to me, but for a long time I believed I should put others' needs first," she looked at her daughter with limpid eyes. "It wasn't healthy."
Scully sat down on the bed and looked at her mother. "When did you change?"
Maggie closed her eyes and smiled. "When you kids left the house. I told your father some things had to change. He listened."
"Yeah, he listened," Scully commented in a bitter tone. Mulder wouldn't listen. Gino wouldn't listen.
Maggie sat down near her and looked her in the eyes, "Then you must make your voice heard. There's no other way."
Scully considered her words and leaned her head on her mother's shoulder. "Thank you."
Maggie kissed her hair and hugged her. "You're strong, Dana. Don't ever forget that."
Scully sighed and stood up. "I'll leave you to unpack the rest of your clothes." She walked out of the small bedroom and into the kitchen. She saw Nicola was alone at the sink and stepped closer to him.
"Hey," she greeted him.
He looked at her with warm eyes, "Hey. I released Rosa of her duty. She went outside to get some air." He was drying the dishes to make room for more.
"It's been a long day," she noted, allowing herself a few moments with him after a very long time. He looked handsome as usual, calm and focused.
"Yeah. It was quite a day," he replied. "I never thought I would meet your mother, and that close encounter with the police officer was no pleasant experience."
Truth be told, she was scared to her bones. "No, it wasn't."
He observed her as she took a plate in her hands and started cleaning it with a sponge full of dish soap. He felt it then. All that he tried to silence in his heart awoke near her.
"I guess you know nothing about the circumstances of my mother's visit," she hinted.
He had to attune to what she was asking him. "No, not really. I thought it was yours or Mulder's idea."
"You don't know anything about a certain journal or the strange deaths in the Iwate Prefecture of Japan?" She stopped cleaning the plate and eyed him intently.
He raised his brows, "Okay. What's going on?"
She exhaled and returned to washing the plates. "I thought I was the only one being left out of things."
"What things? What journal?" he insisted.
"It turns out my father knew about the Black oil and wrote about it in his diary. He also managed to cure his friend who got infected on their recon mission," she explained.
"I understand that he kept it a secret," he commented.
"Yeah, but that's not it," she replied, closing her eyes.
"What is it then?" he pressed gently.
She looked at him with eyes full of unreadable emotions.
"Dana?"
The way he spoke her name conveyed all the feelings he couldn't speak out loud, and it also aroused the infinite dormant sea within her.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't involve you in this matter," she backpedaled.
He brushed the inside of her arm with his forefinger, "I'm already involved."
She felt that touch all over her arm and neck. "I know. It just doesn't feel right to come to you like this. I'm being selfish."
"Let me be the judge of that," he pointed out and stopped drying the dishes.
She stared at him and then decided to tell him. "I don't like how Mulder and Gino handled the case. I asked to be kept in the loop but they both disregarded it. I didn't even know about my mother's arrival until I met her at HQ."
Nicola's lips thinned. He argued with Gino many times about his methods and approaches. They were not worthy of a man of his intelligence and spirit. Mulder on the other hand certainly acted in good faith but he managed to mess things up real good.
"I see."
"Yeah."
"Gino can be an asshole," he said then. He didn't want to go into how much of an asshole Mulder was.
She nodded. "Marco said the same thing."
"Marco knows?" Nicola asked, surprised.
"He took me to HQ on Gino's orders."
"Maybe I should feel offended as well," he complained.
She chuckled lightly but the sadness in her heart remained.
He saw it and gazed gently at her.
She caught herself gazing back and looked away. "I should finish washing these plates."
He nodded and helped her in silence.
FUSIO, SWITZERLAND
THURSDAY, JULY 24
20:03 HOURS
She found Mulder in their bedroom, going through a local journal.
"Oh, hey," he greeted her, lying on the bed. "I think I'll be fluent in Italian and German when we leave this place."
"We need to talk," she told him, her tone uncompromising.
He looked at her and shifted. "What is it?"
She sat down next to him, fighting the urge to be in his embrace. "I asked you to keep me informed. I asked you not to protect me."
Mulder looked at her, his eyes troubled, "Scully—"
"No," she shook her head. "You did what you always do—what suits you best to continue the search." She adjusted her hair. "How could you not tell me about the operation and my mother? How?!" She had to fight back tears.
He knew she would be angry if she found out about it the wrong way. He asked Gino explicitly not to tell her anything until he could tell her himself. Gino agreed promptly. But he never found the time to talk to her. "I didn't want to upset you about an uncorroborated story involving your father, potentially your mother, and the Black oil."
"Why didn't you tell me once my mother confirmed it? One you had all the evidence you needed?" she insisted.
He swallowed. "I didn't want you to be in any more danger than you already are."
"Really, Mulder? That's the reason?" She didn't believe him for a second. She was a former FBI agent for goodness' sake.
He lowered his head. Maybe he didn't have a special reason. He guessed he had crossed a line with no way back this time. "I thought it was for the best."
She nodded and wiped away her silent tears. "At least you're honest. But it's not enough this time."
"What do you mean?" A nervous energy crept into his stomach.
She looked at him with sad eyes, "I think I need some time alone."
He felt a knot in his throat. "I really screwed up this time, haven't I?"
But she didn't reply to his question. She could only feel pain and sadness. "You know me, Mulder. You know my strengths and weaknesses and if you still think that you have to protect me by not telling me things and taking absences without my knowledge, it's better that we—" she paused and exhaled heavily, "—call it quits."
He felt his world crashing down. His eyes pleaded with her to rethink it. "I don't want to call it quits."
"Neither do I," she looked at him with teary blue eyes. "But I can't go on like this—learning from stranges what you should have told me, asking others where you are, wondering when you might fall again into that dark abyss. I cannot stand it, anymore."
He looked at her, scared and speechless. In the midst of it all, he managed to upset her so badly that she was prepared to break up with him. And this time he couldn't blame it on tampered water, aural dissonance, or depression. Or Nicola. He saw how she distanced from Nicola and cut off any inappropriate interaction in advance. He looked her in the eye, his heart breaking into pieces, "Maybe you're right. We should take some time apart." He squeezed her hand. "I'm sorry for not being a better man."
Tears spilled from her eyes. She loved him deeply and it pained her that they seemed to have hit the end of the road.
He wiped away her tears, "I love you, Dana. I always will."
"Oh, my God, how did we end up like this?" She rested her head on his shoulder.
"We're both tired of this journey, not to mention getting old," he joked lightly, making her chuckle through her tears.
"There's still so much to do," she mused.
"There will always be," he noted.
"Do you think we could really stay away from each other? Live separate lives?" She looked at him.
He hummed. "Not really. I will always be around to annoy you."
"Maybe we would be better off as friends," she suggested.
He smirked, "And waste all that chemistry away?"
She laughed and then gazed at him. "You'll be in my heart forever. No matter what happens. Aliens, colonization, end of times. I will be there at the end of all roads."
Tears gathered in his eyes. "And you'll be my anchor, the one I always go to when I close my eyes." He leaned his forehead against hers.
It was heart-wrenching that despite all the love they had for each other they couldn't find a way to be each other's harbor.
"Did I ever tell you how much I craved you when we were still agents at the FBI?" She asked him, her voice clean and honest.
He smiled, "Oddly enough, never."
"I'm telling you now then." She kissed the palm of his hand. "It was around the time we investigated Tooms. God, we were so young and full of energy. You had that attitude of a sexy, witty partner that respects women. I was out of mind."
"Sexy, witty partner?" he repeated.
She smiled, "Yeah. I had to stop myself from doing something stupid. I wasn't sure how you'd react."
"What did you want to do?" he asked, amused.
"Wrap myself around you and taste every inch of your skin," she replied, honest and unashamed.
He felt something stir inside him, his body coming to life. "You may want to stop now, Scully, or you'll get what you wished for."
She gazed at him with teary eyes, "One more time, Mulder."
He stared at her and as if by command took his sweater off, letting her hands run over his chest and abdomen. She discarded her shirt and pants and helped him get out of his jeans. Stark naked she pressed her body into his, getting lost in the feeling of intimacy and love. "You feel so good."
He smiled and embraced her in his strong arms. Marveling at her body, he turned her on her back and pressed hard between her legs.
She whimpered loudly, making him cover her mouth with his hand. Her body was erupting all over into heavy heat. "I want it to last," she said.
"Lead the way then," he offered.
She made him sit and take her in his lap while she rocked them both gently. She neared his lips and kissed him softly. Her hands clutched his neck and she deepened the kiss. He responded in kind, making her gasp and moan. She wanted to imprint her love on his lips, slowly, with long strokes of her tongue. Her fingers intertwined with his, sealing the connection they always shared.
He broke the kiss and looked lovingly at her. "I craved you, too. Since that day you asked me to look at those mosquito bites on your back. I wanted you right beside me, good or bad times. I also wanted you to whimper in my arms and forget your name."
She smiled against his lips, moaning loudly as his tongue traced hers.
"You'll attract attention if you keep moaning this loud," he warned her gently.
"I don't care," she replied through wet kisses.
He caught her eyes, a fiery landscape in them, and kissed her deep. His body thrust into hers while pressing her down hard.
She gasped and stared at him. Why didn't they just go for a normal life after quitting the FBI? They could have had a nice small house and a dog. She would have worked as a medical doctor and he could have been a writer or counselor. Her track of thought was disrupted by the lick of his tongue over her aureole. She moaned and clutched at his shoulder. He sucked on the engorged nipple and hummed into it, making her writhe under him.
"I want you to fuck me," she whispered against his lips.
He grabbed her by the neck and looked at her. "When I say so."
She loved it when he played it like that. She never thought it would excite her but when one night a few years ago he proposed a little play in the bedroom she discovered a whole new world of sexual gratification.
"You want me bad, don't you?" he spoke against her lips.
She nodded.
"Good," he replied, "you'll want me even more, this one more time."
Her eyes widened at the gravity of his words and her body fell captive to her desires.
He fucked her good. On her back. On her stomach. In every way she wanted. And she reciprocated with honest devotion. It was a dance of two old souls. She pleaded and moaned under him when he pressed hard and deep into her. He groaned and begged when she rocked above him. It seemed endless and then it was over.
She lay spent over him while he caressed her back. "I don't think I can walk," she said when she regained control of her brain.
He smiled. "You're welcome."
She looked at him. "I missed this."
He nodded. "I know. I went about my ways too often in the last year or so."
"You did," she agreed. "But I don't want us to get stuck here. You did what you did and I did what I did. If we ever want to come back to each other, we need to look forward."
"Makes sense," he agreed. "But if we take a break from each other, I want us to be free to do whatever we want. If that's not okay with you, tell me now."
She observed him for a moment or two, "Even leave the search?"
"You want to leave it?" He asked.
"No," she replied.
"Okay," he felt less doomed now. "Would you agree to continue the search with me?"
She thought of it, "Yes, I would. Knowing about the cabal's plans and not doing anything would be a crime against humanity in these circumstances."
He kissed her forehead, "Then you have a partner." It wasn't easy to accept this new reality for him, but he knew how obsessed he got when he pursued a lead or helped out with violent crimes. He couldn't drag her into that darkness. It was his and his alone.
"You know I won't let you fall into that abyss of yours—no matter what," she reminded him.
He smiled at her, grateful he could still have her in his life.
She wasn't happy about this new situation either. It was hard enough to deal with all the foreseeable encumbrances and dangers. But at least she would have a chance to think things through and decide what she wanted.
"Do we still share the same bed?" He asked.
She didn't think of it right away, but then replied, "Yes. I don't want to burden others with our decision. If you're okay with it."
"I think I am." He ran his hands along her arms and turned her on her back. "I will miss this." He kissed her breast, her ribs, and down to her crotch.
She squeezed her eyes and felt tears behind them. "I'll miss it, too."
"I'm gonna stop now, or I won't be able to let you go," he confessed.
She nodded and wiped her eyes. There wasn't much more to be said.
"I need a shower, anyway," she told him and got up.
"Sure," he replied and put his boxers on.
She dressed in front of him and exited the room. Later, when she was alone in the bathroom, she cried her soul out.
TO BE CONTINUED.
"You loved me before seeing me;
You love me in all my mistakes;
You will love me for what I am."
― Luffina Lourduraj
"How the old Mountains drip with Sunset
How the Hemlocks burn—
How the Dun Brake is draped in Cinder
By the Wizard Sun—
How the old Steeples hand the Scarlet
Till the Ball is full—
Have I the lip of the Flamingo
That I dare to tell?
Then, how the Fire ebbs like Billows—
Touching all the Grass
With a departing—Sapphire—feature—
As a Duchess passed—
How a small Dusk crawls on the Village
Till the Houses blot
And the odd Flambeau, no men carry
Glimmer on the Street—
How it is Night—in Nest and Kennel—
And where was the Wood—
Just a Dome of Abyss is Bowing
Into Solitude—
These are the Visions flitted Guido—
Titian—never told—
Domenichino dropped his pencil—
Paralyzed, with Gold—"
― Emily Dickinson, How the Old Mountains Drip With Sunset
"Ever has it been that love knows not its own death until the hour of separation."
— Khalil Gibran
"The course of true love did never run smooth."
— William Shakespeare
"We have to be whole people to find whole love."
— Cheryl Strayed