Chapter four

Mulder woke as the first ray of dawn filtered through the blinds above his head, and almost jumped out of his skin. A pair of eyes stared straight back into his. He glanced down at Scully, whose head had just rolled over onto his shoulder and then back at 4, who was just leaving. She had re-gagged the two and tied their arms behind their backs, all without waking them.

"I'll be back to fix you breakfast later," she whispered. He sighed softly, realizing that this was his first dawn of captivity. Mulder closed his eyes and let sleep wash over his mind.

"...he knows now, and I don't know what to do with him. I failed my mission, Father. I need your advice."

The Cancer Man exhaled a puff of smoke and leant back in his chair. 4 sat on the edge of her seat, eagerly awaiting his answer, as Strughold paced behind her. She had never liked Strughold, in all the years that she had known him. He never wanted to listen to others' ideas, always hastily suggesting that people be simply erased from their problems. He had wanted Mulder dead. The rest had refused; they knew how much he was needed.

"Maybe we wouldn't be in this mess if you had all listened to me in the first place. No matter what you do to them, they only grow stronger. And you thought sending...that," Strughold pointed accusingly toward 4, "That thing to deceive him would work?"

"Maybe you had a plan of your own, Strughold?" The man took another drag and slowly exhaled.

"I told you my plan. Eliminate the problem. We have them; why not dispose of them?"

"Not yet," another elder replied. "Mulder is still needed."

Strughold stalked towards the Cancer Man and jabbed a finger at him.

"No, you are only delaying his death for one reason. You don't want to kill him because he's your son. You killed Jeffrey with no trouble. What is the difference?"

"Jeffrey was a fool. Fox is the difference. No, Strughold. Perchance...we have been working on the wrong person. We need something to lead him towards us."

Strughold looked up at him inquisitively.

"Go on."

"Perhaps Scully needs only to be broken, not killed. When she comes, so will the other."

"Perhaps," he conceded, "Perhaps...you are right."

bd

"I have decided to let you go. You have to leave here. They ordered me to...I..." Four began to untie the gags and pulled out the key to the handcuffs.

"What's the catch?" asked Mulder.

"No catch. I've prepared your things. Please go, please. I am forfeiting my life for yours, so please do not make it be in vain. Here," she tossed a few belongings in their direction, "Take these. Here are the keys to my motorcycle and here are some directions, telling you where you can go that's safe. You cannot have your car, just in case. Now leave."

Mulder shook his head. "No, there's gotta be some sort of catch here."

"How can we trust you?" Scully stooped to pick up her gun, opening the clip to make sure it was loaded.

"You don't have any other choices. There's no one left to trust. Just go."

4 drew an ice-pick out of her pocket, raising it high above her. For a moment she faltered, realizing that doing what her father had asked was destroying her chance to be herself. To the end she was true to only him, and to the end she would remain a clone. She bowed her head as a tear slid down her cheek and plunged the spike into the base of her neck. Scully began to reach out to catch the falling body, finally letting the pity she felt for her replica loose, but Mulder grabbed her arm.

"No," Mulder pulled her back, "The blood is poisonous. Leave her!"

He walked out the door, and Scully, after lingering a few moments longer, followed him. Together, they calmly walked down the hallway, placing their guns in their holsters and their phones in their pockets. Mulder gripped the motorcycle's keys tightly in one hand and took Scully's hand in the other. Once they hit the street they picked up their pace, not looking back, not looking to the side, not even concentrating on what was before them. Mulder got on the motorcycle and beckoned for Scully to do the same.

"Let's go."

"But Mulder...I-" Scully then turned to look at her apartment building. It had seemed so safe a week ago. She had a feeling this was the last time she was going to see it.

"All right," she whispered, "Let's go."