CHAPTER SIX

" You know Dana, I just thought of something," Carly began, hoping she sounded natural.

Scully looked up from the autopsy reports she was showing Carly.

" That the person who burnt my father's body should have taken the other bit

of evidence. I would have thought if he wanted all evidence destroyed, he'd take that too-not just by burning the body."

" That's a very observant point you made," Scully smiled and went over to Mulder's filing cabinets, " the arsonist never thought to look in this office…so we figured he'd never find the vials in here." She then fished out the box of vials that held the black stuff found in Amos Garrett.

Carly's eyes went wide, " Wow, that was a brilliant idea." She shook her head, " the arsonist wasn't very smart was he?" she watched carefully as Scully returned the vials back to their hiding place. Scully closed the cabinets and glanced at the clock, " What's keeping Mulder? He's late."

As if on cue, Scully's cell phone rang and she answered it, " Mulder, where are you?"

" I'm with the Lone Gunmen Scully," came Mulder's reply, " I'm trying to find some information about the black virus, but came across some very interesting facts about our good friend Carly instead."

" Like what?"

" Is she there?" Mulder asked her.

" Yes,"

" I'll tell you later. I think if she knew I accidentally found her background files, she'll loose her trust in me." Mulder then hung up and Scully looked over at Carly. What did Mulder find that was so interesting?

When Carly left,, two hours later, Mulder arrived.

" Sorry I'm late." He greeted Scully. He was carrying a folder under his arm.

" You're extremely late Mulder," Scully pointed out, " It's a good thing Skinner hasn't come down yet."

" Here's the stuff on Carly," Mulder handed her the folder and she opened it. She read Carly's dossier.

" It says here, she used to be an FBI agent in the mid-1990s for New York?"

" Yup, and there's more. Keep reading."

Scully read down to the personal details about Carly. The main reason why Carly left the FBI was that her partner Noah Porter was killed during a hostage.

" Why didn't she tell us?" Mulder asked Scully.

" I guess its too personal," Scully mused as she glanced at the other documents which were Carly's medical records. They weren't incriminating, so she closed the file.

" She must have cared about the guy a lot to have quit the FBI," Mulder commented.

" Her files doesn't show anything incriminating," Scully said, " so I still trust her. She's been through a lot and doesn't need the third degree from you Mulder."

Mulder held up his hands in protest, " I wasn't going to give her the third degree Scully. I just found the information…interesting that's all. It goes to show even Carly cannot be trusted."

" But she's not a criminal Mulder!" Scully reminded him, " she hasn't done anything wrong."

" No, not yet anyway," Mulder pursed his lips, " Although…"

" Although what?"

" I've seen the smoking man leave her apartment-twice."

" What does he have to do with Carly?"

" He claims to have been a friend of her father." Mulder shrugged, " but I think he's planning something against Carly, I still don't know what yet."

" We have to warn her about the smoking man," Scully told Mulder getting worried.

" I've tried, she didn't listen. Its like she's falling for the guy or something."
Carly looked out of the window and saw the two agents leaving. Once they drove off, Carly grabbed the folder that held several print-outs. It was just a decoy so she could get pass Skinner if he bumped into her. She grabbed her handbag-big enough to stowe away the box of vials.

She took a deep breath and headed inside the building. Her cell phone beeped and she glanced at the screen. Spender had sent her a message:

' Did u do it yet?' Jeez, he sure was impatient!

' No, but just about to,' she replied back and pressed Send. She put the phone back into her bag.

As she feared, Skinner was walking towards her, apparently on his way home.

" Hi Mr. Skinner," her heart pounded and her mouth suddenly felt dry.

" If you're here to see the agents, they just left."

" They have?" she feigned disappointment, " I have something important for them about my father that I think they should know about."

" You could leave it with my secretary and she could give it to them in the morning."

Carly hesitated, " its confidential information. I don't trust anyone with it Mr. Skinner…only the two agents. It must not fall into the wrong hands."

" I give you permission to put it in their office," Skinner reached into his pocket and pulled out a spare key, " Here's the key to the office, bring it to me once you've finished. I'll be right here."

" Thanks Mr. Skinner," Carly took the keys from him and hurried down the hall before he changed his mind.

Carly unlocked the door and made a beeline for the filing cabinets. Much to her relief, Mulder didn't keep them locked.

She felt around inside and her hand came in contact with the box-eureka! She pulled it out and hid it inside her handbag.

She left the office when she realised she was still holding the decoy-the folder. Skinner would be suspicious if he saw her still carrying it.

Carly spotted a paper shredder on Mulder's desk-funny she never noticed it before until today.

She turned it on and shredded the print-outs, luckily there were only four and didn't take long-Skinner was probably getting impatient.

Now, what to do with the folder? It had nothing written on it-she got an idea. She went over to the filing cabinet and stuffed it at the very back. No one will be suspicious of a blank, empty folder would they?

Carly left the office and locked it. She joined Skinner in the hallway and gave him the keys.

He looked slightly impatient-but not suspicious

" Thanks Mr. Skinner." Carly walked with him out the building. Her bag felt bulky from the box and she was feeling guilty about stealing it…but rather elated as well.

Mission accomplished!