Title: Blessed Union of Souls I: Not the Doctor 07/11
Author: Somogyi
Email: somogyi02@yahoo.com
Category: SRA
Rating: R for language
Spoilers: Through Season Five
Keywords: M/S UST
Summary: A man from Scully's past returns, asking for her and Mulder's help to
stop the development of a deadly biological weapon. But will the case bring
Mulder and Scully closer together, or tear them apart?
Disclaimer: The X-Files, Dana Scully, Fox Mulder, and all other characters
associated with the series are the property of Chris Carter, Ten-Thirteen
Productions, and the Fox Network. Characters are used without permission and no
profit is being made.
*****
"Not the Doctor"
by Somogyi
somogyi02@yahoo.com
Chapter 7
Visiting hours are 9 to 5 and if I show up at 10 past 6
Well I already know that you'd find some way to sneak me in and oh
Mind the empty bottle with the holes along the bottom
You see it's too much to ask for and I am not the doctor
Returning to her apartment, Scully hastened toward her bedroom with her new
purchases. She quickly changed her clothes, donning a low-cut silk blouse and a
straight skirt that was a bit more form-fitting--not to mention a little lacking
in fabric--as compared to her usual outfits, as well as heels that were over an
inch taller than those she typically wore. Walking over to a mirror, then took
out a dark red lipstick and added a fresh coat. Next she dabbed some perfume on
her wrists and neck, as well as tracing a path down her chest.
She paused, surveying her handiwork.
*It needs something else,* she realized. *But what--?*
Inspiration hit then, and she began to rummage through the makeup case once
again. Picking up a dark brown eyeliner pencil, she placed a small dot on the
left side of her upper lip, just below her nose.
*Perfect,* she thought, admiring her new beauty mark.
Pouting her lips to ascertain the effect, she gazed at her reflection in the
mirror, barely able to recognize herself. *This is crazy, Dana. You've finally
lost it.* She shook her head. *But you've got to do it. It's the only way to
help him--and thus help yourself.*
With a final look at her reflection, she donned her trench coat--ensuring that
the synch was fastened securely--and made her wayback to her car. As she started
the engine, she spared a glance into the rear-view mirror and caught sight of
the same dark blue Chevy that had followed her since she left headquarters
earlier that morning. A few moments after she pulled away from the curb, the
Chevy pulled into the street behind her. Skinner's suspicions had been correct--
the local police were keeping her under surveillance. They could use some
lessons in the subtlety of tailing, she mused. She knew she could lose them with
little effort, and she suddenly had a devilish desire to do so. But she
restrained herself, not yet wanting them to know that she was aware of their
presence.
Arriving back at headquarters, she shut off the car and sat for a moment behind
the wheel. *I can't believe I'm resorting to this,* she thought. *I've sunken to
an all-time low.*
During her time with the X-Files, Scully had done her share of rule-bending and
had defied orders while in search of the truth--or, more often than not, so that
she could protect her partner. How many times had she lied to her superiors,
including Skinner? How often did she withhold certain facts regarding Mulder's
actions or try to talk her way around his indiscretions in her field reports? On
one occasion she had been held in contempt of Congress for refusing to disclose
his whereabouts, and ended up spending time in jail in order to safeguard him.
Now, though, the potential consequences of her actions could be far more serious
and have much more extensive repercussions than an official reprimand on her
record. If she were to be caught in the act for what she had planned for today,
then she could forget about working for the Bureau ever again. Hell, she would
likely not be able to escape a lengthy prison term--although the sentence Mulder
could expect if not cleared of these murder charges would be far worse. Since
her hands were being tied as far as the investigation into Andraven's murder,
she now had to resort to cloak-and-dagger in order to try to save Mulder.
*`Had to.' Interesting choice of words, Dana. Do you wonder what they mean?*
Loyalty was a trait her family had ground into her from an early age, and she
felt an obligation to help her partner. Despite how inconsiderate his behavior,
how selfish and stupid his leaving, no matter how much it hurt that he had stood
her up the previous night and thus quite possibly did not return her feelings,
she could not just sit back and do nothing. After all they had been through, she
owed him at least this much.
*Too bad he doesn't return that same consideration, Dana. It's getting to the
point where little that Mulder does should manage to surprise you anymore.*
This was becoming an all-too-familiar pattern: Mulder runs off half-cocked, not
thinking of the consequences, he gets into trouble, and she has to chase after
him in order to bail him out, like a good little partner. Did he continue to
behave so recklessly because he knew that she would always be there to back him
up? Did he constantly risk his own life and hers, as well as both of their
careers, because he knew that she would not just sit back without becoming
involved herself? Had she become so predictable that he was now taking her
assistance, her reactions--to say nothing of Scully herself--for granted?
What it basically boiled down to was that he was using her when it was
convenient to keep him out of trouble--regardless of the risks she herself
incurred. Though potentially dire under the worst of circumstances, in the past,
the ramifications of her becoming involved in his rescue amounted to little more
than a slap on the wrist. Now, however, the stakes were high indeed.
Her job--her career--were vital to her existence. If she were forbidden from
working for the Bureau in general or on the X-Files in particular, then what
would she do? She had spent the past six years putting her all into her career,
at the expense of her personal life. If it were to be taken away, if she could
not continue the work, then what would she have to show for her thirty-four
years? She had no husband, no children--hell, she could not remember the last
time she had even been on a date. This was all she had. Mulder was not the only
one for whom this job had become a means of existence. The X-Files were her life
now, too, and she was damned if she was going to let anything or anyone--Fox
Mulder included--take them away from her.
*Damn you, Mulder, for making me do this,* she thought irately as she exited the
car, brief case in tow, and made her way toward the Video Production Unit. As
the knowledge of what she was about to do began to sink in, her mind started
racing. *Lord, what would Mulder think if he knew his straight-laced, logical
partner was about to use her feminine wiles to procure some evidence in a most
illegal fashion?* she wondered.
For a moment, a thrill ran through her as she entertained the idea that he might
actually like it. But then it was replaced with revulsion: she was totally
repulsed with herself. She despised women who relied upon their bodies or their
sex appeal rather than their brains or their skills in order to climb the
ladder. She had always prided herself on the fact that she had achieved so much,
obtaining a position where she was valued and respected for her intellect, her
investigative capabilities, and her scientific competence--rather than how she
looked or with whom she slept. And now she was demeaning herself, using her
sexuality, just like the rest of them.
*Mulder may be a believer, but this is one extreme possibility even he would
doubt unless he saw it himself. And face it, Dana, even if he did, he would
probably be disgusted. He would expect better behavior from Special Agent Dana
Scully, M.D.*
Reaching the lab, she paused a moment outside the door.
*This _is_ decidedly un-Scully-like, isn't it? Hmm, maybe I should tell Mulder
about this after I find him. That way he can realize that I refuse to jump
through the same hoops time and again. He's not the only one who can act a
little reckless and go out on a limb in order to get the job done. Fair's fair,
Mulder: it's my turn to ignore the rules. Even if getting caught means that my
reputation is ruined, my career is over, and my freedom may very well be lost.
*Dear heaven, Dana, you really are on self-destructive mode all of a sudden,
aren't you? You need to let out some of these repressed feelings.
*All I have to say is that you'd better be in one piece when I find you, Mulder,
because once I get my hands on you, I want the pleasure of tearing you limb from
limb myself.*
She undid the belt of her coat, removed it, and slung it over her arm. Then,
taking a deep breath to steady herself, she opened the door and walked inside.
The lab tech was sitting by a computer monitor, studying the screen.
*Well, here goes nothin'. . . .*
"Agent Tyson?" she called, attempting to keep her voice low and sultry.
"Yes?" The tech seated at a nearby lab bench looked up. Catching sight of
Scully, his eyes widened for a moment even as the first hints of a smile began
to curl the corners of his mouth. She watched his gaze move slowly down her
body: from her face, to the clinging blouse whose silk parted to reveal the
creamy white flesh beneath, to the tight skirt that was short enough to reveal
quite a bit of thigh. "May I help you?"
Scully sauntered over to him, making a conscious effort to sway her hips even
more than usual. "Agent Scully," she told him, extending her hand. "I believe
we've met once before."
"Not that I recall," he replied, taking her hand. "I'm sure I'd remember making
your acquaintance." She could feel his thumb gently stroking the back of her
hand.
"Why, thank you," Scully smiled, even as her skin crawled. It took all her
conscious effort to repress a shudder and resist the urge to knee him in the
groin.
Well, at least she had been right about Agent Tyson. Rumor had it that he chased
anything in a skirt, having already tried his hand a large percentage of the
young, single administrative assistants and technicians, as well as the female
agents that came his way. She had workedwith him on occasion during the past six
years when the evidence warranted it, and Scully had recalled him as being
overly-flirtatious, even with no encouragement from her. Normally, she merely
maintained her cool demeanor, keeping the conversation strictly-business, as
well as keeping her distance so as to avoid any chance of contact. Of course,
the fact that Mulder usually accompanied her to the lab helped as well. He
seemed to sense her discomfort, and whenever they were viewing the videos being
analyzed, he would often strategically stand or sit between them so as to
prevent Tyson from getting anywhere near his partner. Though Scully did not like
being protected, she now could not help but wish that Mulder were here to keep
the Casanova at bay.
*If Mulder were around, then you wouldn't be in this position in the first
place, Dana,* she reminded herself. Annoyance once again rearing its ugly head,
Scully used the emotion as motivation to get the job done.
"So, what can I do for you today?" Agent Tyson asked, finally letting her hand
go.
"I'm here to pick up a tape that was being analyzed."
"Oh? I don't remember you bringing it in."
"I brought it in the other day. It was from a surveillance camera at a grocery
store. It was supposed to be ready this morning," Scully told him as she leaned
back against the lab bench beside Tyson, her torso at the technician's eye-
level.
"Let me check the computer for you," Tyson said, his eyes clearly focused on her
chest as he spoke.
"Thank you." *Pig.*
Reluctantly turning back to his computer, he typed in some information. "Hmm. I
don't see any record of it. Are you sure it was brought in?"
"I gave it in myself--to a young tech."
"Riley? That guy is scatterbrained. He probably took it in and forgot to enter
it in the computer. I swear, he'd lose his head if it weren't attached."
"Will you be able to find it for me? It's oh-so-important to my case," Scully
purred, looking up at him and batting her eyelashes.
"Don't you worry your pretty little head. I'll find it for you," he said,
placing a hand on her shoulder. "I'll have to check the back room. In the
meantime, why don't you sit down and make yourself comfortable?" he suggested,
pulling out a chair for her.
"How thoughtful of you," Scully replied, putting down her brief case and coat on
the counter top. Sitting down, she slowly crossed her legs, the gesture causing
her short skirt to rise even higher.
"I'll, uh, be, uhm, right back." It seemed to take a physical effort for Tyson
to tear his eyes from her legs. Scully smiled sweetly as he left the main lab.
The moment he was gone, she got to her feet, and hurried to the lab bench. While
she had been speaking to Tyson, she had been searching the room for the possible
location of her objective. Beneath the counter top was a cabinet that apparently
housed numerous video tapes. She opened the top drawer, labeled A-E and quickly
began to scan the labels. Adams . . . Alexander . . . Anderson . . . Andraven.
*Jackpot!* Pulling out the video tape, Scully removed it from the case and
placed it on the counter top. She quickly retrieved a small metal apparatus from
her briefcase and placed the tape inside. Pressing a button, she glanced at her
watch. She looked back at the door that Tyson had gone through a few moments
earlier.
*Come on,* she thought, listening to the low humming of the machine. *Byers said
two minutes. And that was allowing for a long tape.* She looked back at her
watch, her eyes focusing on the second hand. Each movement seemed to take an
eternity. *One minute. Okay, halfway there.*
She heard a crash from the back room, quickly followed by a muttered curse by
Tyson.
"Everything okay?" Scully called.
"Yeah! I'll be right there!" Tyson shouted back.
"Take your time!" She looked at her watch. Thirty seconds left.
She heard Tyson's footsteps. "It doesn't seem to be here," he called ahead of
himself.
*Shit!* Ten seconds left. *C'mon, c'mon.*
"Are you sure that Riley finished with it?"
Five seconds. *Finish, damn you!*
She could hear Tyson approach the doorway.
There was a beep as the machine finished copying. Scully quickly ejected the
Andraven tape, shoving it back into its case. She replaced the tape in the
cabinet and pushed it closed. She then made a leap for the chair and reseated
herself. Seeing Tyson's shadow in the doorway, she suddenly realized that she
was still holding the copying machine, and that her briefcase was several feet
away on the counter top.
Without time to hesitate, Scully pushed off the floor, sliding the wheeled chair
to the lab bench. She was in the process of returning the machine to her brief
case when Tyson reentered the room.
"I can't seem to find the tape," he told her. "Did you just hear something? Some
kind of ringing?"
"Ringing? Oh, that was my cell," Scully said, patting her brief case. "My
partner just called, to say that he had picked up the tape already from Agent
Riley."
"Well, that'd explain why I couldn't find it in back," Tyson said with a
chuckle.
"I'm so sorry to have troubled you, Agent Tyson," Scully said, her voice sugary-
sweet.
"No trouble at all. Listen, if Riley's analysis doesn't pan out, I'd be happy to
take a look at the tape for you. Go over it frame-by-frame with you if need be."
"That's a very generous offer."
"I've got some time later this afternoon. And maybe afterwards, we could go grab
a bite to eat?"
"That sounds wonderful," she told him as she slowly rose. "Unfortunately,
though, my partner and I have to go check out a lead on this case. Can I have a
rain check?"
"Sure. Give me a call anytime," he said, handing her his card.
"I'll do that," Scully said, taking the card and slowly sliding it into her bra.
"Thank you again for all your help."
"My pleasure, Agent Scully. And be sure to let me know if I can be of any
further assistance."
"I will," she said, retrieving her coat and bag. "Good-bye."
"'Bye."
With a final nod and a wink, Scully quickly exited the lab. She hastened down
the hallway toward the elevator. Entering the empty car, she pressed her back to
the wall, closing her eyes and letting out a loud sigh. *Lord, that was close.*
Right now, she had to get the copy of the tape over to the Lone Gunmen.
Hopefully, they would be able to tell if the supposed confrontation between
Mulder and Andraven had actually occurred on the night in question. She prayed
they would be able to find some sort of indication that the tape had been
doctored that would help to clear his name.
She was in the process of donning her coat when the elevator doors opened and a
man walked inside.
"Agent Scully, I was just on my way down to see you," came an all-too-familiar
voice.
Breath catching in her throat, Scully hastened to close her coat, her brief case
slipping from her grasp in the process.
"Here, I've got it," Walter Skinner said, bending to pick up her bag for her.
"Thank you, sir," Scully replied, taking it from him.
His eyes widened a moment as he caught sight of her face, and she could almost
have sworn she saw him trying to suppress a smile, but he quickly resumed his
usual scowl. "I wanted to give this to you," he said, handing her a file folder.
"What is this?" she asked, taking it from him.
"I thought you might find this report interesting," he replied cryptically. The
elevator doors opened, and he exited the car without another word.
Brow furrowed, Scully opened the file, her eyes quickly scanning the page. "I'll
be damned," she muttered. Even after all these years, she had yet to figure
Skinner out. As the elevator arrived at the parking garage, she placed Peter
Andraven's autopsy report into her brief case and headed back to her car.
End Chapter 7
*****
Author: Somogyi
Email: somogyi02@yahoo.com
Category: SRA
Rating: R for language
Spoilers: Through Season Five
Keywords: M/S UST
Summary: A man from Scully's past returns, asking for her and Mulder's help to
stop the development of a deadly biological weapon. But will the case bring
Mulder and Scully closer together, or tear them apart?
Disclaimer: The X-Files, Dana Scully, Fox Mulder, and all other characters
associated with the series are the property of Chris Carter, Ten-Thirteen
Productions, and the Fox Network. Characters are used without permission and no
profit is being made.
*****
"Not the Doctor"
by Somogyi
somogyi02@yahoo.com
Chapter 7
Visiting hours are 9 to 5 and if I show up at 10 past 6
Well I already know that you'd find some way to sneak me in and oh
Mind the empty bottle with the holes along the bottom
You see it's too much to ask for and I am not the doctor
Returning to her apartment, Scully hastened toward her bedroom with her new
purchases. She quickly changed her clothes, donning a low-cut silk blouse and a
straight skirt that was a bit more form-fitting--not to mention a little lacking
in fabric--as compared to her usual outfits, as well as heels that were over an
inch taller than those she typically wore. Walking over to a mirror, then took
out a dark red lipstick and added a fresh coat. Next she dabbed some perfume on
her wrists and neck, as well as tracing a path down her chest.
She paused, surveying her handiwork.
*It needs something else,* she realized. *But what--?*
Inspiration hit then, and she began to rummage through the makeup case once
again. Picking up a dark brown eyeliner pencil, she placed a small dot on the
left side of her upper lip, just below her nose.
*Perfect,* she thought, admiring her new beauty mark.
Pouting her lips to ascertain the effect, she gazed at her reflection in the
mirror, barely able to recognize herself. *This is crazy, Dana. You've finally
lost it.* She shook her head. *But you've got to do it. It's the only way to
help him--and thus help yourself.*
With a final look at her reflection, she donned her trench coat--ensuring that
the synch was fastened securely--and made her wayback to her car. As she started
the engine, she spared a glance into the rear-view mirror and caught sight of
the same dark blue Chevy that had followed her since she left headquarters
earlier that morning. A few moments after she pulled away from the curb, the
Chevy pulled into the street behind her. Skinner's suspicions had been correct--
the local police were keeping her under surveillance. They could use some
lessons in the subtlety of tailing, she mused. She knew she could lose them with
little effort, and she suddenly had a devilish desire to do so. But she
restrained herself, not yet wanting them to know that she was aware of their
presence.
Arriving back at headquarters, she shut off the car and sat for a moment behind
the wheel. *I can't believe I'm resorting to this,* she thought. *I've sunken to
an all-time low.*
During her time with the X-Files, Scully had done her share of rule-bending and
had defied orders while in search of the truth--or, more often than not, so that
she could protect her partner. How many times had she lied to her superiors,
including Skinner? How often did she withhold certain facts regarding Mulder's
actions or try to talk her way around his indiscretions in her field reports? On
one occasion she had been held in contempt of Congress for refusing to disclose
his whereabouts, and ended up spending time in jail in order to safeguard him.
Now, though, the potential consequences of her actions could be far more serious
and have much more extensive repercussions than an official reprimand on her
record. If she were to be caught in the act for what she had planned for today,
then she could forget about working for the Bureau ever again. Hell, she would
likely not be able to escape a lengthy prison term--although the sentence Mulder
could expect if not cleared of these murder charges would be far worse. Since
her hands were being tied as far as the investigation into Andraven's murder,
she now had to resort to cloak-and-dagger in order to try to save Mulder.
*`Had to.' Interesting choice of words, Dana. Do you wonder what they mean?*
Loyalty was a trait her family had ground into her from an early age, and she
felt an obligation to help her partner. Despite how inconsiderate his behavior,
how selfish and stupid his leaving, no matter how much it hurt that he had stood
her up the previous night and thus quite possibly did not return her feelings,
she could not just sit back and do nothing. After all they had been through, she
owed him at least this much.
*Too bad he doesn't return that same consideration, Dana. It's getting to the
point where little that Mulder does should manage to surprise you anymore.*
This was becoming an all-too-familiar pattern: Mulder runs off half-cocked, not
thinking of the consequences, he gets into trouble, and she has to chase after
him in order to bail him out, like a good little partner. Did he continue to
behave so recklessly because he knew that she would always be there to back him
up? Did he constantly risk his own life and hers, as well as both of their
careers, because he knew that she would not just sit back without becoming
involved herself? Had she become so predictable that he was now taking her
assistance, her reactions--to say nothing of Scully herself--for granted?
What it basically boiled down to was that he was using her when it was
convenient to keep him out of trouble--regardless of the risks she herself
incurred. Though potentially dire under the worst of circumstances, in the past,
the ramifications of her becoming involved in his rescue amounted to little more
than a slap on the wrist. Now, however, the stakes were high indeed.
Her job--her career--were vital to her existence. If she were forbidden from
working for the Bureau in general or on the X-Files in particular, then what
would she do? She had spent the past six years putting her all into her career,
at the expense of her personal life. If it were to be taken away, if she could
not continue the work, then what would she have to show for her thirty-four
years? She had no husband, no children--hell, she could not remember the last
time she had even been on a date. This was all she had. Mulder was not the only
one for whom this job had become a means of existence. The X-Files were her life
now, too, and she was damned if she was going to let anything or anyone--Fox
Mulder included--take them away from her.
*Damn you, Mulder, for making me do this,* she thought irately as she exited the
car, brief case in tow, and made her way toward the Video Production Unit. As
the knowledge of what she was about to do began to sink in, her mind started
racing. *Lord, what would Mulder think if he knew his straight-laced, logical
partner was about to use her feminine wiles to procure some evidence in a most
illegal fashion?* she wondered.
For a moment, a thrill ran through her as she entertained the idea that he might
actually like it. But then it was replaced with revulsion: she was totally
repulsed with herself. She despised women who relied upon their bodies or their
sex appeal rather than their brains or their skills in order to climb the
ladder. She had always prided herself on the fact that she had achieved so much,
obtaining a position where she was valued and respected for her intellect, her
investigative capabilities, and her scientific competence--rather than how she
looked or with whom she slept. And now she was demeaning herself, using her
sexuality, just like the rest of them.
*Mulder may be a believer, but this is one extreme possibility even he would
doubt unless he saw it himself. And face it, Dana, even if he did, he would
probably be disgusted. He would expect better behavior from Special Agent Dana
Scully, M.D.*
Reaching the lab, she paused a moment outside the door.
*This _is_ decidedly un-Scully-like, isn't it? Hmm, maybe I should tell Mulder
about this after I find him. That way he can realize that I refuse to jump
through the same hoops time and again. He's not the only one who can act a
little reckless and go out on a limb in order to get the job done. Fair's fair,
Mulder: it's my turn to ignore the rules. Even if getting caught means that my
reputation is ruined, my career is over, and my freedom may very well be lost.
*Dear heaven, Dana, you really are on self-destructive mode all of a sudden,
aren't you? You need to let out some of these repressed feelings.
*All I have to say is that you'd better be in one piece when I find you, Mulder,
because once I get my hands on you, I want the pleasure of tearing you limb from
limb myself.*
She undid the belt of her coat, removed it, and slung it over her arm. Then,
taking a deep breath to steady herself, she opened the door and walked inside.
The lab tech was sitting by a computer monitor, studying the screen.
*Well, here goes nothin'. . . .*
"Agent Tyson?" she called, attempting to keep her voice low and sultry.
"Yes?" The tech seated at a nearby lab bench looked up. Catching sight of
Scully, his eyes widened for a moment even as the first hints of a smile began
to curl the corners of his mouth. She watched his gaze move slowly down her
body: from her face, to the clinging blouse whose silk parted to reveal the
creamy white flesh beneath, to the tight skirt that was short enough to reveal
quite a bit of thigh. "May I help you?"
Scully sauntered over to him, making a conscious effort to sway her hips even
more than usual. "Agent Scully," she told him, extending her hand. "I believe
we've met once before."
"Not that I recall," he replied, taking her hand. "I'm sure I'd remember making
your acquaintance." She could feel his thumb gently stroking the back of her
hand.
"Why, thank you," Scully smiled, even as her skin crawled. It took all her
conscious effort to repress a shudder and resist the urge to knee him in the
groin.
Well, at least she had been right about Agent Tyson. Rumor had it that he chased
anything in a skirt, having already tried his hand a large percentage of the
young, single administrative assistants and technicians, as well as the female
agents that came his way. She had workedwith him on occasion during the past six
years when the evidence warranted it, and Scully had recalled him as being
overly-flirtatious, even with no encouragement from her. Normally, she merely
maintained her cool demeanor, keeping the conversation strictly-business, as
well as keeping her distance so as to avoid any chance of contact. Of course,
the fact that Mulder usually accompanied her to the lab helped as well. He
seemed to sense her discomfort, and whenever they were viewing the videos being
analyzed, he would often strategically stand or sit between them so as to
prevent Tyson from getting anywhere near his partner. Though Scully did not like
being protected, she now could not help but wish that Mulder were here to keep
the Casanova at bay.
*If Mulder were around, then you wouldn't be in this position in the first
place, Dana,* she reminded herself. Annoyance once again rearing its ugly head,
Scully used the emotion as motivation to get the job done.
"So, what can I do for you today?" Agent Tyson asked, finally letting her hand
go.
"I'm here to pick up a tape that was being analyzed."
"Oh? I don't remember you bringing it in."
"I brought it in the other day. It was from a surveillance camera at a grocery
store. It was supposed to be ready this morning," Scully told him as she leaned
back against the lab bench beside Tyson, her torso at the technician's eye-
level.
"Let me check the computer for you," Tyson said, his eyes clearly focused on her
chest as he spoke.
"Thank you." *Pig.*
Reluctantly turning back to his computer, he typed in some information. "Hmm. I
don't see any record of it. Are you sure it was brought in?"
"I gave it in myself--to a young tech."
"Riley? That guy is scatterbrained. He probably took it in and forgot to enter
it in the computer. I swear, he'd lose his head if it weren't attached."
"Will you be able to find it for me? It's oh-so-important to my case," Scully
purred, looking up at him and batting her eyelashes.
"Don't you worry your pretty little head. I'll find it for you," he said,
placing a hand on her shoulder. "I'll have to check the back room. In the
meantime, why don't you sit down and make yourself comfortable?" he suggested,
pulling out a chair for her.
"How thoughtful of you," Scully replied, putting down her brief case and coat on
the counter top. Sitting down, she slowly crossed her legs, the gesture causing
her short skirt to rise even higher.
"I'll, uh, be, uhm, right back." It seemed to take a physical effort for Tyson
to tear his eyes from her legs. Scully smiled sweetly as he left the main lab.
The moment he was gone, she got to her feet, and hurried to the lab bench. While
she had been speaking to Tyson, she had been searching the room for the possible
location of her objective. Beneath the counter top was a cabinet that apparently
housed numerous video tapes. She opened the top drawer, labeled A-E and quickly
began to scan the labels. Adams . . . Alexander . . . Anderson . . . Andraven.
*Jackpot!* Pulling out the video tape, Scully removed it from the case and
placed it on the counter top. She quickly retrieved a small metal apparatus from
her briefcase and placed the tape inside. Pressing a button, she glanced at her
watch. She looked back at the door that Tyson had gone through a few moments
earlier.
*Come on,* she thought, listening to the low humming of the machine. *Byers said
two minutes. And that was allowing for a long tape.* She looked back at her
watch, her eyes focusing on the second hand. Each movement seemed to take an
eternity. *One minute. Okay, halfway there.*
She heard a crash from the back room, quickly followed by a muttered curse by
Tyson.
"Everything okay?" Scully called.
"Yeah! I'll be right there!" Tyson shouted back.
"Take your time!" She looked at her watch. Thirty seconds left.
She heard Tyson's footsteps. "It doesn't seem to be here," he called ahead of
himself.
*Shit!* Ten seconds left. *C'mon, c'mon.*
"Are you sure that Riley finished with it?"
Five seconds. *Finish, damn you!*
She could hear Tyson approach the doorway.
There was a beep as the machine finished copying. Scully quickly ejected the
Andraven tape, shoving it back into its case. She replaced the tape in the
cabinet and pushed it closed. She then made a leap for the chair and reseated
herself. Seeing Tyson's shadow in the doorway, she suddenly realized that she
was still holding the copying machine, and that her briefcase was several feet
away on the counter top.
Without time to hesitate, Scully pushed off the floor, sliding the wheeled chair
to the lab bench. She was in the process of returning the machine to her brief
case when Tyson reentered the room.
"I can't seem to find the tape," he told her. "Did you just hear something? Some
kind of ringing?"
"Ringing? Oh, that was my cell," Scully said, patting her brief case. "My
partner just called, to say that he had picked up the tape already from Agent
Riley."
"Well, that'd explain why I couldn't find it in back," Tyson said with a
chuckle.
"I'm so sorry to have troubled you, Agent Tyson," Scully said, her voice sugary-
sweet.
"No trouble at all. Listen, if Riley's analysis doesn't pan out, I'd be happy to
take a look at the tape for you. Go over it frame-by-frame with you if need be."
"That's a very generous offer."
"I've got some time later this afternoon. And maybe afterwards, we could go grab
a bite to eat?"
"That sounds wonderful," she told him as she slowly rose. "Unfortunately,
though, my partner and I have to go check out a lead on this case. Can I have a
rain check?"
"Sure. Give me a call anytime," he said, handing her his card.
"I'll do that," Scully said, taking the card and slowly sliding it into her bra.
"Thank you again for all your help."
"My pleasure, Agent Scully. And be sure to let me know if I can be of any
further assistance."
"I will," she said, retrieving her coat and bag. "Good-bye."
"'Bye."
With a final nod and a wink, Scully quickly exited the lab. She hastened down
the hallway toward the elevator. Entering the empty car, she pressed her back to
the wall, closing her eyes and letting out a loud sigh. *Lord, that was close.*
Right now, she had to get the copy of the tape over to the Lone Gunmen.
Hopefully, they would be able to tell if the supposed confrontation between
Mulder and Andraven had actually occurred on the night in question. She prayed
they would be able to find some sort of indication that the tape had been
doctored that would help to clear his name.
She was in the process of donning her coat when the elevator doors opened and a
man walked inside.
"Agent Scully, I was just on my way down to see you," came an all-too-familiar
voice.
Breath catching in her throat, Scully hastened to close her coat, her brief case
slipping from her grasp in the process.
"Here, I've got it," Walter Skinner said, bending to pick up her bag for her.
"Thank you, sir," Scully replied, taking it from him.
His eyes widened a moment as he caught sight of her face, and she could almost
have sworn she saw him trying to suppress a smile, but he quickly resumed his
usual scowl. "I wanted to give this to you," he said, handing her a file folder.
"What is this?" she asked, taking it from him.
"I thought you might find this report interesting," he replied cryptically. The
elevator doors opened, and he exited the car without another word.
Brow furrowed, Scully opened the file, her eyes quickly scanning the page. "I'll
be damned," she muttered. Even after all these years, she had yet to figure
Skinner out. As the elevator arrived at the parking garage, she placed Peter
Andraven's autopsy report into her brief case and headed back to her car.
End Chapter 7
*****