disclaimer: property of FOX and 1013... everything else is mine
Spring Hill Mall Elgin, IL December 22, 1998 9:05 am
The next morning Mulder pulled the car into the parking lot in front of Sears. The mall was crowded and Christmas music played for all to hear. They walked down the main corridor until they came to a music store that was, and the surrounding area, roped off. A few police officers were scattered around.
A man in an over coat approached them with a tape recorder. "Sir, Ma'am, are you with the FBI? Can either of you comment on the current situation?"
"No comment at this time."
"Please, Agent, anything that you can tell the paper would be appreciated. We don't see fibbies around here that often."
"Look," Mulder said with annoyance, "the FBI will release an official report when the case is closed." He next took Scully by the arm and walked up to a police officer who was looking at a bullet hole in the wall.
They took out their ID badges. "Morning officer," Mulder said as he flashed his badge. "I'm Special Agent Fox Mulder and this is my partner, Special Agent Dana Scully." They all shook hands.
"I'm Officer Andrew Robins, with the EPD. Glad you could get here so soon. AD Skinner recommended you because he said you work in a department of the Bureau called the 'X Files?' What does that mean?"
"We mostly deal with the paranormal and strange disappearances. Looks like this is right up our alley," Mulder explained to the confused officer.
"Right, paranormal. Well, I'll tell you this is awfully strange, but paranormal? I don't know. The young witness is coming by today and thinks she is ready to be questioned," Robins reported as he led the agents into the hall to the right of the store.
"This is where it all happened. Once you're done speaking with the girl, we can do some more thorough investigating. When will you begin the interrogation?" The officer seemed anxious to get this over with.
"Well, I don't believe we'll really need to interrogate her," Scully said, "We just want to interview her on what she saw, and if she can back it up. It's not our desire to scare her. Officer Robbins, do you have somewhere private where I can talk with her?"
"Just you, Agent Scully? Why not you and your partner?" Robins sounded confused and even a little irritated.
"Robins," Mulder interjected, "see, Scully likes to talk to the females without me first, so they'll feel more comfortable before I come in. I can be a mean sonofabitch, if I want to be." Mulder grinned and elbowed the officer knowingly.
"Oh, you mean like good cop, bad cop?" Robbins asked brightly, as if he was just made privy to some FBI classified secret.
"Exactly," Mulder said, knowing full well what this particular officer would find impressive.
"Besides," Scully clarified, "Mulder likes to look into the crime scene more in order to work up a profile. Then we switch places. After, we meet again and compare notes. Wonderful relationship we have."
Robins did not seem nearly as impressed with this information as he was with the good cop/bad cop scenario. Suddenly, the trill of a phone was heard, and Robins picked it up.
"Right." Robins turned back to the agents. "She's here."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Sears Manager's Office 9:45 am
Scully looked at Mulder when she saw the young girl through the window. "She seems content and unaffected. I'll go in and make nice. Then you come back in, say, a half an hour?" Mulder nodded. "Are you going to go back to our new friend, Robins?"
"Yeah," Mulder smirked. "I want to take a look at that hall to find out if I can have the doors opened. I'll be back in 30 minutes." He began to walk out when he turned around and said, "Scully, try to keep an open mind. Remember, six teenagers and only one survives. Keep that in mind." With that he left to return to the crime scene.
Scully took a deep breath and opened the door. When she saw the girl look up, Scully smiled and received a warm smile back. The young witness seemed relieved.
"Hi, you must be Kathryn Lindsay. I'm Special Agent Dana Scully with the FBI." Scully shook her hand and sat down across the table from her.
"Yes, that's me, but you can call me Kate. That's what all my friends call me. I'll have to tell you I'm glad they sent a woman and not a man. I don't feel really comfortable talking to men."
Scully smiled at the girl. "You can call me Dana. I hate to tell you this, Kate, but I don't work alone. My partner's name is Fox Mulder, and he'll be here in about a half hour."
Kate looked uncomfortable, so Scully quickly added, "Don't worry, you'll like him. He's very nice, and I put up with him all day." Scully smiled at that, and hoped Kate recognized the good natured humor in the remark. Finally, Scully continued her interview.
"So tell me about yourself, Kate."
"Well, I'm sixteen, and I just got my license. It took me forever! Mind if I ask how long it took you to get yours?"
Dana blushed. "Six tries."
"Six! Dang, took me four, and I thought that was a lot. Oh, sorry," Kate said apologetically. "I didn't mean to be rude." Scully nodded to indicate no offense was taken and encouraged her to go on. "Well, at least I can drive. Um, I live with my parents, David and Rebecca Karson, and my younger brother Billy. He's three and a pain in my__"
"__I get the picture. What about school? Where do you go to school?"
"Elgin High. I'm a sophomore. I'm enrolled in the Academy of Performing Arts. I want to be a professional singer, and this is a wonderful program." Kate talked like an adult. She wasn't shy and appeared to be comfortable with Dana. "Did you want to be an FBI agent in high school?" the teen asked.
"Actually no, I decided that while I was in medical school." Kate's jaw dropped. Dana noticed the reaction and went on to explain. "I'm not only an FBI Agent, but a pathologist as well. You'd think it would make my partner jealous, but he's also a psychologist, and a very good listener too."
Dana hated to break the flow of the good conversation they were having, but she knew Mulder would be there in about ten minutes. And knowing him, he would be prompt, so she began asking questions about the disappearances.
"Kate, I need to know what you were doing the day," Scully glanced over the names, "Kevin, Andrew, Jeffrey, Sue, and Julia disappeared."
Kate took a breath and began to explain how they were shopping for gifts in the music store when Julia had to use the ladies room. They saw a corridor next to the store and a door at the end. They walked down there laughing and having a good time. When they got there the door was locked, but there was a window up high. Kevin lifted up Sue, while Andrew did the same to Julia. Jeffrey stood on a stool and looked in.
"While I waited for them to tell me what they saw, I had bent down to tie my shoe, but the next thing I knew they were screaming. I stood up, and there they were turning a bright blue color, and they were gone, just gone."
Scully shuddered when she said that. 'Gone, just gone.' Just like in Mulder's dream. "Did you scream?"
"Yes, I cried for help and a security officer came over. I started crying they had disappeared. The next thing I knew I was in my mom's arms surrounded by officers. They wanted to know where they were, but I couldn't help them. I dried my eyes and asked go home. I didn't think about it again until my mom said the FBI wanted to talk to me, and here I am." She seemed calm, and Dana noticed there were no tears in her retelling. A knock came at the door.
'Mulder,' Scully thought. "Wait right here, Kate." She opened the door to find Mulder standing right in front of the door as she predicted. She asked him to give her another minute. When Scully turned around she smiled at Kate.
"Who was that?" Kate asked dreamily. Dana knew exactly what the youngster was thinking and did NOT want to have to deal with a teenage's crush on her partner.
"That's Agent Mulder. You'll get the chance to speak with him in a moment. Just one more question, Kate. Did you ever see what was behind that door?"
"No, I never got chance. I just assumed that it was a bathroom. Why what do you think it was?"
"I'm not sure yet. Let's see what Agent Mulder came up with."
Dana invited her partner to enter the room. He came in slowly, but immediately took a seat next to Scully. "Kate, this is my partner Agent Fox Mulder." He shook her hand and Kate smiled.
"Hi Fox."
"Um, I'd prefer it if you just called me Mulder. Okay?"
"Okay," the teen replied demurely. Scully rolled her eyes slightly. Teenagers!
"Hi Kate, it's nice to finally meet you. Would you tell me something? Is this town bigger then I think it is, or wasn't it just a hick town at some point?"
"Actually, we just racked up a population of 120,000 in the last six months. It's the casino."
Mulder glanced over to Scully. Though he was surprised the youngster would have such information on the tip of her tongue, it did explain why he never remembered Elgin as being the metropolis it had turned into. "Looks like we have plans for this evening. Hope you brought chump change, Scully," he said with a wink and a nudge.
Scully gave him a look that said it all. 'Let's get this over with.'
"I really only have one question. Did the door to the place where you thought was a bathroom ever open? I don't mean just that day, but did anyone ever go in there?"
Kate shook her head. "I come here a lot, Agent Mulder, and as far as I know no one has ever gone there. My mother says it's probably office space for the mall and there's another way in for employees. I've never seen anyone come out of there either."
Mulder began writing on one of his business cards. "Here's the number of the hotel we'll be at. I want to speak with your mom in the near future, so have her call me," he added a new number, "or Agent Scully." Mulder passed the card over to her and Kate opened her mouth in amazement.
"The Elgin Days Inn? Lucky you! That place is always full. I'll have Mom get in touch with you. I hope to see you again. It's kind of neat getting to meet FBI agents." Then she left.
"So, Mulder," Scully said, a little relieved the teenybopper was no longer projecting hormones all over the room in her partner's direction, "What did you find out back there?"
"That Robins is even more of a jerk than I'd suspected. He moves too fast, and I think he's missing some important evidence. We'll have to come back again. I also don't think he likes the idea of a woman working the case."
"Oh, I see. Well, tough. It's a male dominated world I work in. Why is it you and Skinner seem to be the only men who understand? Are you sure you weren't women in another lifetime?"
"Yes, Scully, we were. During the womens' rights movement." Scully smiled at his remark.
Suddenly the sounds of Christmas music filled the hallways of the mall, and Mulder's eyes lit up. "C'mon, Scully. There's nothing more we can do for now, so let's do some shopping." And with a twinkle in his eyes, he added, "Then we can go gambling."
"Shopping, yes. Gambling, maybe; if we can find the place."
"No need to worry. I already knew about the place from the hotel, and Robins gave me directions."
"Why am I not surprised?"
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Days Inn 10:28 pm
Scully was sitting at the small desk in the corner of the hotel room listening to the tape she'd made of the conversation with Kate. Mulder was in the shower, and she could hear him humming.
Mulder had been sulking all evening. 'So, I won money, and he didn't. Get over it!' Mulder had risked fifty dollars on one hand of poker, and that was that. Scully on the other hand played slots and won seventy five dollars. She at least bought him dinner with the winnings.
Scully pulled out her laptop and opened up the report she had begun writing, so she could add the new information she had received that day. There was a knock at the door. Scully opened the door to find two bellhops carrying a cot. She indicated where to set it up as Mulder came walking out in a towel with soaking wet hair.
"What's this? Awwww, didn't we do okay last night? Now I have to sleep on this lousy cot!"
The bellhops looked with curiousity at each other and quickly left. "Sorry, Mulder. You get the cot or the floor. You can have the bed tomorrow if you like."
She closed her laptop and climbed into bed. "Oh, by the way, I got a call from Mrs. Karson, and she wants to meet us tomorrow around 1:00. So that gives us time to go back to the scene. Robins also left a message we'd be on our own, but we can call for back up if needed."
"Gee, how generous of him. But it sounds good, since we work better on our own." He flopped down on the big bed. Scully was about to protest, but he held up the remote indicating that he only wanted to catch some TV for a little while. Scully curled up on the other side of the bed and fell fast asleep.
At midnight Mulder went over to the cot, and as he got up his partner rolled over to the center of the bed. She sighed and her hair fell over her face. He laughed as she tossed for a moment then finally settled on laying flat on her back under the blanket. He curled under the covers of the cot when he heard a voice.
"You shouldn't be laughing about me tossing and turning. I know how much sleep YOU get at night." With that Scully turned away from him and they both drifted into a deep sleep.
end part 3/6
Spring Hill Mall Elgin, IL December 22, 1998 9:05 am
The next morning Mulder pulled the car into the parking lot in front of Sears. The mall was crowded and Christmas music played for all to hear. They walked down the main corridor until they came to a music store that was, and the surrounding area, roped off. A few police officers were scattered around.
A man in an over coat approached them with a tape recorder. "Sir, Ma'am, are you with the FBI? Can either of you comment on the current situation?"
"No comment at this time."
"Please, Agent, anything that you can tell the paper would be appreciated. We don't see fibbies around here that often."
"Look," Mulder said with annoyance, "the FBI will release an official report when the case is closed." He next took Scully by the arm and walked up to a police officer who was looking at a bullet hole in the wall.
They took out their ID badges. "Morning officer," Mulder said as he flashed his badge. "I'm Special Agent Fox Mulder and this is my partner, Special Agent Dana Scully." They all shook hands.
"I'm Officer Andrew Robins, with the EPD. Glad you could get here so soon. AD Skinner recommended you because he said you work in a department of the Bureau called the 'X Files?' What does that mean?"
"We mostly deal with the paranormal and strange disappearances. Looks like this is right up our alley," Mulder explained to the confused officer.
"Right, paranormal. Well, I'll tell you this is awfully strange, but paranormal? I don't know. The young witness is coming by today and thinks she is ready to be questioned," Robins reported as he led the agents into the hall to the right of the store.
"This is where it all happened. Once you're done speaking with the girl, we can do some more thorough investigating. When will you begin the interrogation?" The officer seemed anxious to get this over with.
"Well, I don't believe we'll really need to interrogate her," Scully said, "We just want to interview her on what she saw, and if she can back it up. It's not our desire to scare her. Officer Robbins, do you have somewhere private where I can talk with her?"
"Just you, Agent Scully? Why not you and your partner?" Robins sounded confused and even a little irritated.
"Robins," Mulder interjected, "see, Scully likes to talk to the females without me first, so they'll feel more comfortable before I come in. I can be a mean sonofabitch, if I want to be." Mulder grinned and elbowed the officer knowingly.
"Oh, you mean like good cop, bad cop?" Robbins asked brightly, as if he was just made privy to some FBI classified secret.
"Exactly," Mulder said, knowing full well what this particular officer would find impressive.
"Besides," Scully clarified, "Mulder likes to look into the crime scene more in order to work up a profile. Then we switch places. After, we meet again and compare notes. Wonderful relationship we have."
Robins did not seem nearly as impressed with this information as he was with the good cop/bad cop scenario. Suddenly, the trill of a phone was heard, and Robins picked it up.
"Right." Robins turned back to the agents. "She's here."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Sears Manager's Office 9:45 am
Scully looked at Mulder when she saw the young girl through the window. "She seems content and unaffected. I'll go in and make nice. Then you come back in, say, a half an hour?" Mulder nodded. "Are you going to go back to our new friend, Robins?"
"Yeah," Mulder smirked. "I want to take a look at that hall to find out if I can have the doors opened. I'll be back in 30 minutes." He began to walk out when he turned around and said, "Scully, try to keep an open mind. Remember, six teenagers and only one survives. Keep that in mind." With that he left to return to the crime scene.
Scully took a deep breath and opened the door. When she saw the girl look up, Scully smiled and received a warm smile back. The young witness seemed relieved.
"Hi, you must be Kathryn Lindsay. I'm Special Agent Dana Scully with the FBI." Scully shook her hand and sat down across the table from her.
"Yes, that's me, but you can call me Kate. That's what all my friends call me. I'll have to tell you I'm glad they sent a woman and not a man. I don't feel really comfortable talking to men."
Scully smiled at the girl. "You can call me Dana. I hate to tell you this, Kate, but I don't work alone. My partner's name is Fox Mulder, and he'll be here in about a half hour."
Kate looked uncomfortable, so Scully quickly added, "Don't worry, you'll like him. He's very nice, and I put up with him all day." Scully smiled at that, and hoped Kate recognized the good natured humor in the remark. Finally, Scully continued her interview.
"So tell me about yourself, Kate."
"Well, I'm sixteen, and I just got my license. It took me forever! Mind if I ask how long it took you to get yours?"
Dana blushed. "Six tries."
"Six! Dang, took me four, and I thought that was a lot. Oh, sorry," Kate said apologetically. "I didn't mean to be rude." Scully nodded to indicate no offense was taken and encouraged her to go on. "Well, at least I can drive. Um, I live with my parents, David and Rebecca Karson, and my younger brother Billy. He's three and a pain in my__"
"__I get the picture. What about school? Where do you go to school?"
"Elgin High. I'm a sophomore. I'm enrolled in the Academy of Performing Arts. I want to be a professional singer, and this is a wonderful program." Kate talked like an adult. She wasn't shy and appeared to be comfortable with Dana. "Did you want to be an FBI agent in high school?" the teen asked.
"Actually no, I decided that while I was in medical school." Kate's jaw dropped. Dana noticed the reaction and went on to explain. "I'm not only an FBI Agent, but a pathologist as well. You'd think it would make my partner jealous, but he's also a psychologist, and a very good listener too."
Dana hated to break the flow of the good conversation they were having, but she knew Mulder would be there in about ten minutes. And knowing him, he would be prompt, so she began asking questions about the disappearances.
"Kate, I need to know what you were doing the day," Scully glanced over the names, "Kevin, Andrew, Jeffrey, Sue, and Julia disappeared."
Kate took a breath and began to explain how they were shopping for gifts in the music store when Julia had to use the ladies room. They saw a corridor next to the store and a door at the end. They walked down there laughing and having a good time. When they got there the door was locked, but there was a window up high. Kevin lifted up Sue, while Andrew did the same to Julia. Jeffrey stood on a stool and looked in.
"While I waited for them to tell me what they saw, I had bent down to tie my shoe, but the next thing I knew they were screaming. I stood up, and there they were turning a bright blue color, and they were gone, just gone."
Scully shuddered when she said that. 'Gone, just gone.' Just like in Mulder's dream. "Did you scream?"
"Yes, I cried for help and a security officer came over. I started crying they had disappeared. The next thing I knew I was in my mom's arms surrounded by officers. They wanted to know where they were, but I couldn't help them. I dried my eyes and asked go home. I didn't think about it again until my mom said the FBI wanted to talk to me, and here I am." She seemed calm, and Dana noticed there were no tears in her retelling. A knock came at the door.
'Mulder,' Scully thought. "Wait right here, Kate." She opened the door to find Mulder standing right in front of the door as she predicted. She asked him to give her another minute. When Scully turned around she smiled at Kate.
"Who was that?" Kate asked dreamily. Dana knew exactly what the youngster was thinking and did NOT want to have to deal with a teenage's crush on her partner.
"That's Agent Mulder. You'll get the chance to speak with him in a moment. Just one more question, Kate. Did you ever see what was behind that door?"
"No, I never got chance. I just assumed that it was a bathroom. Why what do you think it was?"
"I'm not sure yet. Let's see what Agent Mulder came up with."
Dana invited her partner to enter the room. He came in slowly, but immediately took a seat next to Scully. "Kate, this is my partner Agent Fox Mulder." He shook her hand and Kate smiled.
"Hi Fox."
"Um, I'd prefer it if you just called me Mulder. Okay?"
"Okay," the teen replied demurely. Scully rolled her eyes slightly. Teenagers!
"Hi Kate, it's nice to finally meet you. Would you tell me something? Is this town bigger then I think it is, or wasn't it just a hick town at some point?"
"Actually, we just racked up a population of 120,000 in the last six months. It's the casino."
Mulder glanced over to Scully. Though he was surprised the youngster would have such information on the tip of her tongue, it did explain why he never remembered Elgin as being the metropolis it had turned into. "Looks like we have plans for this evening. Hope you brought chump change, Scully," he said with a wink and a nudge.
Scully gave him a look that said it all. 'Let's get this over with.'
"I really only have one question. Did the door to the place where you thought was a bathroom ever open? I don't mean just that day, but did anyone ever go in there?"
Kate shook her head. "I come here a lot, Agent Mulder, and as far as I know no one has ever gone there. My mother says it's probably office space for the mall and there's another way in for employees. I've never seen anyone come out of there either."
Mulder began writing on one of his business cards. "Here's the number of the hotel we'll be at. I want to speak with your mom in the near future, so have her call me," he added a new number, "or Agent Scully." Mulder passed the card over to her and Kate opened her mouth in amazement.
"The Elgin Days Inn? Lucky you! That place is always full. I'll have Mom get in touch with you. I hope to see you again. It's kind of neat getting to meet FBI agents." Then she left.
"So, Mulder," Scully said, a little relieved the teenybopper was no longer projecting hormones all over the room in her partner's direction, "What did you find out back there?"
"That Robins is even more of a jerk than I'd suspected. He moves too fast, and I think he's missing some important evidence. We'll have to come back again. I also don't think he likes the idea of a woman working the case."
"Oh, I see. Well, tough. It's a male dominated world I work in. Why is it you and Skinner seem to be the only men who understand? Are you sure you weren't women in another lifetime?"
"Yes, Scully, we were. During the womens' rights movement." Scully smiled at his remark.
Suddenly the sounds of Christmas music filled the hallways of the mall, and Mulder's eyes lit up. "C'mon, Scully. There's nothing more we can do for now, so let's do some shopping." And with a twinkle in his eyes, he added, "Then we can go gambling."
"Shopping, yes. Gambling, maybe; if we can find the place."
"No need to worry. I already knew about the place from the hotel, and Robins gave me directions."
"Why am I not surprised?"
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Days Inn 10:28 pm
Scully was sitting at the small desk in the corner of the hotel room listening to the tape she'd made of the conversation with Kate. Mulder was in the shower, and she could hear him humming.
Mulder had been sulking all evening. 'So, I won money, and he didn't. Get over it!' Mulder had risked fifty dollars on one hand of poker, and that was that. Scully on the other hand played slots and won seventy five dollars. She at least bought him dinner with the winnings.
Scully pulled out her laptop and opened up the report she had begun writing, so she could add the new information she had received that day. There was a knock at the door. Scully opened the door to find two bellhops carrying a cot. She indicated where to set it up as Mulder came walking out in a towel with soaking wet hair.
"What's this? Awwww, didn't we do okay last night? Now I have to sleep on this lousy cot!"
The bellhops looked with curiousity at each other and quickly left. "Sorry, Mulder. You get the cot or the floor. You can have the bed tomorrow if you like."
She closed her laptop and climbed into bed. "Oh, by the way, I got a call from Mrs. Karson, and she wants to meet us tomorrow around 1:00. So that gives us time to go back to the scene. Robins also left a message we'd be on our own, but we can call for back up if needed."
"Gee, how generous of him. But it sounds good, since we work better on our own." He flopped down on the big bed. Scully was about to protest, but he held up the remote indicating that he only wanted to catch some TV for a little while. Scully curled up on the other side of the bed and fell fast asleep.
At midnight Mulder went over to the cot, and as he got up his partner rolled over to the center of the bed. She sighed and her hair fell over her face. He laughed as she tossed for a moment then finally settled on laying flat on her back under the blanket. He curled under the covers of the cot when he heard a voice.
"You shouldn't be laughing about me tossing and turning. I know how much sleep YOU get at night." With that Scully turned away from him and they both drifted into a deep sleep.
end part 3/6