You crashed by the gate
Captured my fate
Salvation
My eyes couldn't see
I hardly breathed
I was down on my knees
Salvation



- 17 -

The best thing about being able to control people, was forcing them to
do things they would never do when in control.

The fun part of being almighty was being someone's salvation or
someone's hell.

And so he had decided that the best way to deal with the two
FBI-agents that had crashed his party was to have them pay for it
themselves. What better way to do that then to order the one he had
under control to kill the woman he had worked with for so long? If
she were to die, who better to kill her than the man she
wanted to save?

In the seclusion of his quarters, Dominique looked at the man that had
tried to screw it all up. He rested so comfortably and calm now. No
one would say that he was able to bring such a disturbance to his
people.
But he had done so, and now it was time to end it all.

The moment she woke up, she realized she was pinned to the ground. Was
she dreaming? A humming sound surrounded her. It reminded her of the
bees inside the dome they had discovered back in Texas. It sounded
like danger like a sound that would lead to her destruction.

But this sound was different. It sounded like a boiler that hadn't
been working for quite some time. The place she was at was dark and
she could not see where she was. But she saw where the sound came
from. It was a boiler and she was chained up beside it, attached to a
pipe with her hands cuffed so low that her back ached from the way
she was seated.
Her legs were chained too; she could hardly move them. There was
barely any space for her limbs to move and she hurt all over. But at
least they hadn't covered her mouth with a dirty cloth. She could
still breath normally.
She felt dizzy and numb and remembered something stinging her just
before she passed out. She thought long and hard about what happened.
She had left the driveway and had gotten into her car, taking the
only lane that lead in and out of 'Salvation Awaits'. She had her
cell phone ready to call Skinner.
By the gates they had stopped her. Immediately a sense of danger
overwhelmed her and she had felt the urge to simply drive through the
gates and get out of there, despite the fact that she was forced to
leave Mulder behind. On the other side of those gates at least she
would be okay.
The guards had stopped her by the exit, tapping on the window. She
hadn't wanted to open at first, but they had closed the gates and she
would have to do what they wanted.

'What's wrong?' she had asked, trying not to show her fear.
The man hadn't answered. Instead, with swift and fast moves he had
shoved a needle in her upper left arm and instantly she had felt
dizzy and passed out, her head dropping on the steering wheel. After
that, it had all gone blank until she woke up here.

She must still be on the SA-premises. They couldn't have transferred
her for a long time without anyone noticing. It would be too
dangerous for them. And she was still alive. At least then she still
had a chance to get out of this place in one piece.

What time was it? She had no recollection. She couldn't see whether it
was light or dark outside. She wasn't hungry. Then something seemed
to shift inside the room. She could hear a shuffle, like a foot
moving.
'Who's there?' she asked with dry throat, trying to get her eyes to
adjust to the darkness. 'Talk to me.'
No answer came but she could clearly hear someone breathing. Whoever
it was, he or she was locked up in here with her.

'Answer me,' she repeated, 'talk to me!'

After a long time something moved again, and this time she could see a
shadow moving through the room. She was terrified, not knowing who it
was and defenceless against any attack.

Then a light switched on, and she blinked forcefully. The light was so
strong it blinded her. She couldn't keep her hand before her eyes.
Tears sprung into them. Slowly she adjusted to the light.

'Who's there?' she repeated and this time the figure of the man she
had gotten to know so well appeared before her eyes. He looked down
on her and knelt until his face was very close to her.

'Mulder?' she said surprised. 'Mulder, are you okay?'
He didn't answer her question. Instead, he just looked at her as if
she was a stranger to him. He didn't know her. He didn't remember
everything they had gone through together. He didn't know she loved
him more than anyone in the world. But he wasn't the zombie he had
been before either. There was a mixture of anger and even hatred in
him.
'Mulder, please talk to me. Tell me you know it's me.'
He didn't move, but then his calculated and slow movements were aimed
at her. He seemed to be programmed to be here to attack her and to
kill her.
'I know who you are,' he finally said. 'You came to take me away.'
'Yes, I did,' she said relieved. 'You want to get out of here. You're
in danger.'

He shook his head. 'Dominique said you were going to split us up.
After all you did, you still had the nerve to come here to try and
take this away from me.'
Scully's look changed, realizing what was going on. 'Mulder, listen to
me. You are not meant to be here. You volunteered so you could get
Vickie Moss out. Do you remember that? I don't know what bullshit
Dominique fed you, but they're just that lies. Remember who I am.'

'I know exactly who you are. I've pulled a gun on you before and you
talked me out of it then too. But this time I'm going to finish this.
You deserve it.'
Desperately Scully pulled on her chains. 'Did he tell you to kill
me?' 'You need to be removed.'

'What did he use against me, Mulder?' she asked. 'Did he use our
friendship? Did he tell you something about me?' She stopped and
thought. 'Did he use your sister?'

Mulder's moves seemed slow and unreal when he pulled out her gun. They
had taken it from her body along with her badge, cell phone, wallet
and the car keys. It was ready to kill. She stared into its barrel.
He cocked the gun. She felt tears floating down her cheeks. She was
so tired. She couldn't handle this, but she needed to. She composed
herself, staring forcefully at her partner.
'He told you I killed your sister. Or did he say that I kept her away
from you? What did he tell you?'

He shook his head. His eyes seemed sad when he said, 'She's dead.
She's been dead all this time. I've chased a hope that she might
still be out there. I can't do that anymore. I need to face reality
now.'
'And shooting me will help you deal with your past?'

'I need to remove everyone that was a part of her search. You came
here to destroy me, so now I have to destroy you. Dominique said so.'

'Mulder, no ' she begged. 'Remember. Try to figure this thing out.
You're drugged up. This is not you. Dominique has a way with words.
Remember what happened in the past. Remember Robert Modell. He too
controlled you but you overcame his influence.'

'Dominique is better. He's a good man.'

'No, he isn't. You came here to expose him. He controls everyone that
lives here. He's no good. If you kill me now, you'll never be able to
forgive yourself. You'll kill yourself too. You'll die and he'll get
everything you worked for. Don't let him do this to you! We've been
through this before. You've aimed a gun at me before. You couldn't do
it then you can't do it now.'
Mulder seemed to hesitate but the gun was still aimed at her face. If
he pulled the trigger now and lost control, they were dead. 'There's
no other way,' he said but his voice started to tremble. 'I want to
stay here.'
'Why? Why do you want to stay? What has he told you that makes you do
this?'
Mulder blinked his eyes, rubbing his eyelids with his left index
finger. The gun swayed dangerously. 'I have no reason to go back.
Everything's lost.'
'You still have me. And your sister is still alive. I know she is.'

He looked estranged at her. 'She's dead. They found her body. He
showed me she's dead.'
'What did he show you, Mulder?'

'A picture of a skeleton a newspaper clipping. She's dead. She's
been dead for twenty years. And he said that you knew and didn't tell
me.'
Scully shook her head, trying to ignore the pain in her limbs. 'She
has not been found, Mulder. Your search is still ongoing. Your quest
here lies with Vickie Moss and Melissa. Do you remember Melissa,
Mulder? She's the reason you came here. You wanted to make up for her
loss. Are you going to allow Vickie to go the same way as Melissa?'

Mulder stared at her, blinking his eyes. It was so damned difficult to
figure out the truth. Dominique had told him she would say this. She
would try to save her hide. But she sounded so believable. He
startled as flashes from the past rushed through his mind. He
remembered vaguely what they had done together. But Dominique had
said she was a bitch that didn't care for him. She had dumped him
when the going got rough. She debunked his work. She was set in place
to stop him from finding the truth.

Yet at the same time he remembered nearly kissing her and holding her
in his arms before a bee stung her and he had been on the ice to find
her. He remembered how she had been by his side several times when he
was in trouble or ended up in hospital. He remembered her illness.
How could he remember all of that when she meant nothing to him?

But the drugs prevented him from thinking straight. He was a zombie
without a mind of his own. He lowered the gun and put it on the
ground, kneeling down. He shook his head and hid his face, trying to
figure it all out. He was so angry with himself for feeling this
way!
'Untie me, Mulder,' Scully begged, rattling the shackles. 'Find a
key.' They had given him the key. He was supposed to shoot her,
unlock her and dump her body in the pond with a weight attached to
her ankle. The water was deep enough to conceal her body for a while.
He shivered when he realized he would have done just that.

Slowly he moved towards the boiler and took the key. He unchained her,
and every move seemed too difficult to do. Finally she was loose. She
grabbed his wrist and pulled him towards her, hugging him so dearly
that every emotion seemed to come out. He held onto her as if she
were his saviour.
He opened his mouth to speak but she put her fingers on his lips and
said, 'you're not to blame. Let's get out of here first and get you
to a hospital.'
'The others I can't leave them. Vickie '
'We have to worry about them later. First we need to contact Skinner.
He needs to get us out of here. They took my cell phone. But Skinner
swore that he would raid this place if I didn't contact him by five.
What time is it?'
'Don't know it's getting dark.' Mulder's fingers moved slowly. He
had to remember something something important he had to tell
Scully. Then he remembered. Slowly he took out the cell phone Vickie
had given him and handed it to her. There was no connection from the
boiler room. They had to call outside. But the guards were there. He
put it back in his pocket.
'I have an idea,' Mulder whispered, forcing his mind to think
straight. 'You get out and call. Use front entrance. There's another
door to this place. Car is parked around near gate, keys in it.
Vickie is waiting. Hiding. I stay. Tell them you're dead and buy
enough time for you to get out. They'll believe me.'
'No, you can't do that. I'm not leaving without you! We've got my gun.
We can handle them.'

'No.' Mulder shook his head. 'There are six of them. We don't stand a
chance. Scully grabbed her partner's sleeve and pulled him towards
her. But she saw he had not told her everything.

'He's killing them tonight, isn't he?' she asked. 'Is he?'
'Don't know heard him talk. He ...' Mulder frowned. 'He said he was
ending it tonight. Planned a big meeting in the dining room. Second
floor. Last supper and then over. I'm part of it.'

'No,' Scully said, 'you're in no shape to do this. Please, Mulder.
Come with me. If I have to, I'll force you, I swear!'

Her partner stared at her long and nodded, hugging her again. She
moved her head against his shoulder, feeling his grip. If it weren't
for the danger lurking outside, she would have been overjoyed. Mulder
let go of her body, taking her face in his hands. He smiled. His
moves were still very slow when he knelt down and picked up her gun
from the floor.
She thought he was going to hand it to her. He acted as if he was. But
a sharp pain hit her head as the barrel of the gun came in touch with
her face, and she was knocked backwards. Without one word she stayed
down, losing consciousness immediately. A small trickle of blood ran
down her face.
Mulder knelt down beside her, caressed her face and stared at her
form. 'I'm sorry,' he mumbled. He pulled the cell phone out of his
pocket and put it into her jacket pocket. 'I couldn't let you go back
with me. I know you want me to be okay but I came here to do
something. I need to do it.'
He looked around, until he could find a sharp piece of glass lying on
the dirty floor. He picked it up, pulled up the sleeve of his sweater
and jabbed the glass in the flesh of his arm.

Mulder moaned as the sharp pain brought him back to his senses. Thick
blood trickled down his arm. The agent felt dizzy as he knelt down
beside his partner again and let the blood drip on the white shirt
she wore under her black jacket. A stain appeared, large enough to
have anyone believe she had been shot. He looked at it, ripped a
piece of the back of her shirt and bandaged the wound on
his arm with it.

Then he aimed the gun at the wall behind her and fired once. The
bullet struck the wall. Pieces of plaster dropped on the floor.
Mulder dropped the gun and lifted her up from the cold floor, taking
her in his arms. Her slim and seemingly lifeless body dangled in his
arms.
The back door to the boiler room opened and Dennis watched as he came
out with her in his arms. She was white as a sheet. He glanced
quickly at the blood on her chest and smiled. 'Good work, Fox. Put
her in the car. We'll take her to the pond. We have to hurry, it's
getting late.'
Mulder moved carefully as he put the body in the backseat of the car.
He blinked his eyes as he stared at her. She didn't move. He had
killed her. He really had killed her. He felt sick to his stomach.
But he couldn't take his eyes off her.
Dennis looked at him sceptic. 'I'll take care of her. Go to the house.
Dominique awaits you in the dining room. They're all waiting for
you.'
Mulder nodded and slowly walked to the front of the house. Inside the
main lobby, the other guard awaited him and guided him through the
glass doors to the second floor, where they all sat in the dining
room.
The agent looked at the expression on their faces and knew the end was
near. By that time it was six p.m.