Disclaimer: I do not own Mulder and Scully and Skinner (or his
secretary). Although it would be nice to have such a creative
mind... ANYWAY, Mulder and Scully and Skinner and anyone else
whose name you recognize from The X-Files belongs to Chris
Carter ((the closet shipper)) and his goonies at Ten-Thirteen.
PLEASE, oh almighty surfer god, don't sue me. ((can you sense
the sarcasm there?))
Lieutenant Michael Talbot, 'Jack,' Mary Chapman, Annie Eddows,
Catherine Nichols, and SAC Frank Miles belong to me. Mary,
Annie, Cathy, and Frank were all named after people involved
in the original, TRUE Jack the Ripper crime series. The
original victims were: Polly Nichols (August 31, 1888),
Annie Chapman (September 8, 1888), Elizabeth Stride (September
30, 1888), Catherine Eddows (September 30, 1888), and
Mary Kelly (November 9, 1888). The crimes remain unsolved
today.
Rating: PG-13 for graphic violence and suggested rape
Category: X-File, Romance, Angst
Summary: A copy-cat killer with a surprising motive is stalking women
from Mulder's past.. and present.
Thanks to: Terrence Sharkley for writing "Jack the Ripper,"
and all my fans, and to plot girl! Hear her roar!
Author's Note: At the beginning of this story, Mulder and Scully are
already a couple.. just so you don't get confused :) There's a lot of
angst in here for both of our agents, especially at the end-but you
have to read the whole thing first. :)
!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!
"Shades of Crimson"
By: Penni
@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@
Dance Theatre of Baltimore
Baltimore, Maryland
August 31, 1999
9:31 AM
Mary Chapman entered the main studio of the theatre, looking
for her friend and co-worker.
"Cathy?" She called out, "You here?"
In the gloom of the unlit room, she could see the shape on the
floor. As her eyes adjusted from the previous sunligh, the horror of
the scene drew shaply into focus. A mass of raw flesh, like some
butcher's carcass, lay stretched out in front of the wall-length
mirror.
The fact that it had once been human could only be determined by
the shape-the nose and ears had been cut off, and the face skinned.
The head hung sideways, severed by a deep cut that started at the
left ear and ended at the right ear.
The remains of a leotard clung to the corpse. The stomach had
been ripped open and both breasts had been severed from the body.
The left arm, like the head, clung to the body by a slim shard of
skin. The thighs down to the feet had been stripped of flesh,
revealing gleaming white leg bones. Most of the internal organs
had been removed and were strewn about the room, and one hand
was burried within the mass that had once been a stomach. Blood
was splurted across the nearby mirrors and walls, and covered
what had once been Catherine Nichols. On the far wall, scrawled
in the dark crimson red liquid, was the message
"JACK IS BACK"
Mary covered her mouth, backing out of the room. From what
she remembered from her criminal history class, this was an exact
copy of the famous serial murders of Jack the Ripper.
(((Doo doo doo doo doo doo... roll opening credits)))
FBI Headquarters
Washington, DC
August 31
1:43 PM
Fox Mulder set his phone down and turned to his partner.
"Skinner wants to see us," he informed her.
Dana Scully nodded and got up, following Mulder out of the
room. Ever since they'd been reassigned to the VCU, he's been
so... melancholy. They arrived at their AD's office shortly, and
were shown in by his secretary.
"Agents, please sit down. I have a new and rather..." he paused,
seeking the right word, "disturbing.. case for you."
He handed them a file.
"Catherine Nichols, age thirty seven, was found-"
"What's her name?" Mulder cut in.
"Catherine Nichols."
Mulder nodded, hoping this wasn't the Cathy Nichols he
remembered.
"As I was saying," Skinner continued, "Ms. Nichols was found
brutally murdered in a second-floor dance studio in Baltimore. Her
body was discovered this morning at around nine thirty by her friend
and co-worker Mary Chapman."
"Why is the Bureau being called in?" Scully asked her boss.
"Because, frankly, the Baltimore field office and city police-
even the state police-are stumped. They have no suspect, no
descriptions, no murder weapon, and no obvious motives. Miss Nichols
was well-liked and respected among the community."
Crime Scene
Mulder and Scully showed their badges to the SAC at the murder
scene and were shown to where the body lay. In the background,
policemen were questioning anyone who had been in the building in the
last hour.
"This is how she was found," Special-Agent-in-Charge Frank
Miles told the newly-arrived agents.
Mulder took note of the message and of the surprisingly large
amount of blood.
"Nobody was seen leaving here this morning?"
"Not a soul. Even so, the first floor of this building is
a department store, and on this floor, there's a Disney store, a
music emporium, a dance accessory shop, a book store, and a small
coffee lounge."
"Did you question the owners?"
"Being done. Nobody saw or heard a thing so far, save for the
Sleeping Beauty waltz being played at a rather high volume this
morning."
"No fingerprints?"
"We haven't found anything that would give us a suspect."
"And there are no security cameras in the building?" Scully
asked.
"No, well, not on this floor. You have to understand, agents-
this is, or was, a good neighborhood. People kept their doors unlocked
at night."
Mulder nodded.
"But what's really getting us is the M.O."
"What about it?"
"I've never seen anything this grotesque before," Miles
admitted.
"He's copy-catted Jack the Ripper," Mulder told him, "a serial
killer in 1888 London who fixated on prostitutes. The case remains
unsolved today."
"So he's done everything the same?"
"All except one thing."
"Which would be..."
"I very highly doubt Cathy Nichols was a prostitute."
"I can assure you that she wasn't, Agent Mulder."
Mulder raised an eyebrow at this, but kept quiet.
"Agent Miles!"
Both Mulder and the SAC turned around at this sudden
interruption.
"Sorry to bother you, sir," a young police lieutenant said,
"but here's all the information we found on the victim."
He handed him a file and moved back outside.
"Actually, can I have a look at that?" Mulder inquired.
"Sure," Miles replied, handing him the folder.
Mulder took it, murmured his thanks, and flipped open the
file. He quickly read the first page:
Name: Catherine Teresa Nichols
Gender: Female
D.O.B: September 23, 1960
Parents: Mary Ellen Mullens
David Lawrence Nichols
His eyes fell off the page and his stomach lurched. This was
*his* Cathy.
"Mulder? You ok?"
He looked up and was met by his partner's clear blue eyes.
"You look a little pale."
"Yeah, I'm fine," he assured her.
"You sure?"
He nodded. "I'll be ok."
"Well, if you say so."
He gave her a weak smile. "So what did you find?"
"Hm?"
Mulder gestured towards the body.
"Oh.. well, she died at about eight thirty this morning, most
likely of strangulation. The coroner found marks around her neck,
consistent with the pattern of a rope. They're running a tox screen on
her blood as we speak..." she trailed off, noticing that Mulder looked
a bit queasy. "Are you sure you're ok?"
"I, um-" he paused, and his voice was quieter when he spoke
again, "I knew her."
"Oh," Scully said in a small voice, "I'm sorry.. how did you
know her?"
"It's ok.. we were in high school together.."
His face showed hints of tears, betraying his assurance that
everything was ok.
Not caring that they were in public, Scully reached up and
wrapped her arms around his shoulders in a reassuring hug. He returned
it, locking his arms around her waist. And the tears came.
'Jack' watched this scene from the shadows and smiled. He
would go after her last-draw it out, torture the man who had taken
from him the only women he had ever loved. He would pay, oh yes, he
would pay. He smiled as he walked from the scene, thinking of his next
victim... she trusted him. He would have fun with this next one.
FBI Headquarters
4:54 PM
Mulder looked up from the book he held as his partner entered
the room.
"If he's following the chronological pattern of the Ripper,
the next murder will be on September eighth."
She gave him a grim smile. "I only wish we had a lead on a
suspect."
He nodded and a moment of silence fell upon the agents.
"Are you ok?"
"Yeah," Mulder replied, nodding slightly, "I just can't help
but feel that the killing is connected to me."
"It wasn't your fault..."
"No, not that. I just... oh, I don't know... Cathy was my
first serious girlfriend."
"Do you want me to ask Skinner to reassign this case?"
"No. I'm going to solve it. I want to catch the son of a bitch
that did this. She may have had her flaws, and we out differences, but
nobody deserves to be killed like that... she was a good person."
"Will you be ok if I leave?"
"Yes."
"Ok, then.. I'm gonna head on home now. If you need anything,
don't hesitate to call."
He leered suggestively at her, "There is something I need."
She raised an eyebrow and smiled at him. "Not while we're on
a case... I've told you that before, *Fox*."
He winced at the use of his first name, "Tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow."
She gave him a little kiss on the cheek before leaving the
room.
BWI Airport
Baltimore, MD
September 8, 1999
12:33 AM
Phoebe Greene stepped out of the nearly empty airport and
quickly hailed a cab. She shoved her luggage in the trunk and climbed
into the back seat.
"Holiday Inn on Main Street," she told the driver.
"No problem," he replied, and dove off.
She got safely to the hotel, and slept until there was a knock
at her door at around one thirty a.m. She pushed herself off of the
mattress and opened the door, welcoming her friend into the room.
"Close the door behind you, dear," she told him, walking
towards the table on the other side of the room.
She heard the door shut. That was the last sound she heard
before a rope tightened around her neck and everything went eternally
black.
Dana Scully's Apartment
4:30 AM
Scully woke up to the decidedly unpleasant, shrill ringing of
her cell phone. She fumbled with the desk lamp, eventually turning it
on, and picked up the offending device.
"Mulder, this had better be good," she voiced drowsily yet
angrily into the reciever.
"Sorry to wake you up."
"No.. no problem at all," she retorted sarcastically.
"No, I really am sorry, but there's another body."
That woke her up. "Where?"
"The Comfort Inn on Main Street."
"In Baltimore?"
"Yes."
"Do they have an ID on the victim?"
"Yes."
It was then that Scully noticed Mulder's voice was cracking
a bit, and that he had obviously been crying a little recently.
"Mulder?"
"It was Phoebe."
"Where are you?" She asked after a heavy moment of silence.
"The hotel."
"I'll be there as soon as I can," she promised, and hung up
the phone.
Comfort Inn
5:13 AM
The multitude of police cars told Scully she had found the
right hotel. She parked her Ford Explorer in one of the few empty
spaces and quickly found the room she was looking for. She showed her
ID to the gaurd at the door and entered the room, walking over to
where Mulder stood. She carefully placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Mulder?"
He turned around. "I know what he's doing."
"What?"
"He's killing anyone I've ever had a serious relationship
with."
"Mulder, this could be coincidental."
Wordlessly, Mulder pointed at the wall. The words "Tracking
a Fox" were scrawled in blood.
"Mulder, let's go."
"I have to stay-"
"Mulder, we're leaving this hotel. NOW."
He looked down at her. She gave him a pleading look.
"Ok."
Scully's Apartment
8:39 AM
Scully set the phone down.
"I just called Skinner. He granted us the day off."
"You don't have to stay," Mulder told her, "I'll be ok here by
myself."
"No, you won't."
"I will."
She sighed. "Maybe so, but you shouldn't be alone at a time
like this.. besides, I love you, and I want to be sure you're ok."
At this, Mulder smiled slightly.
"Come here," he told her.
"What?" She inquired, walking over to stand in front of him.
He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her down
onto his lap, giving her a little kiss on the cheek.
"I think," he began, "you should ask for a temporary transfer-
get as far away from Baltimore as you can."
"Why?"
"I think you're on this guy's list."
She sighed. "I'm not going anywhere."
"It's not safe here, Scully."
She pushed herself into a standing position and paced to the
other side of the room.
"Mulder, I can take care of myself."
"I didn't say you couldn't!"
"Then why," she paused, noticing she was yelling, and lowered
her voice, "why do you want me to go somewhere else?"
"Because I love you," he replied softly, "and I don't want
anything to happen to you."
She walked over to him and leaned over, kissing him deeply.
"Nothing is going to happen to me," she assured him, and
kissed him again.
He pulled her down onto the couch with him and rolled over so
that he was on top of her.
"This," he told her, "this is the only good thing about
arguing with you?"
"What's that?"
"We always have fabulous make-up sex."
She laughed quietly, and they made sure that this time was
no exception to any other argument.
secretary). Although it would be nice to have such a creative
mind... ANYWAY, Mulder and Scully and Skinner and anyone else
whose name you recognize from The X-Files belongs to Chris
Carter ((the closet shipper)) and his goonies at Ten-Thirteen.
PLEASE, oh almighty surfer god, don't sue me. ((can you sense
the sarcasm there?))
Lieutenant Michael Talbot, 'Jack,' Mary Chapman, Annie Eddows,
Catherine Nichols, and SAC Frank Miles belong to me. Mary,
Annie, Cathy, and Frank were all named after people involved
in the original, TRUE Jack the Ripper crime series. The
original victims were: Polly Nichols (August 31, 1888),
Annie Chapman (September 8, 1888), Elizabeth Stride (September
30, 1888), Catherine Eddows (September 30, 1888), and
Mary Kelly (November 9, 1888). The crimes remain unsolved
today.
Rating: PG-13 for graphic violence and suggested rape
Category: X-File, Romance, Angst
Summary: A copy-cat killer with a surprising motive is stalking women
from Mulder's past.. and present.
Thanks to: Terrence Sharkley for writing "Jack the Ripper,"
and all my fans, and to plot girl! Hear her roar!
Author's Note: At the beginning of this story, Mulder and Scully are
already a couple.. just so you don't get confused :) There's a lot of
angst in here for both of our agents, especially at the end-but you
have to read the whole thing first. :)
!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!
"Shades of Crimson"
By: Penni
@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@
Dance Theatre of Baltimore
Baltimore, Maryland
August 31, 1999
9:31 AM
Mary Chapman entered the main studio of the theatre, looking
for her friend and co-worker.
"Cathy?" She called out, "You here?"
In the gloom of the unlit room, she could see the shape on the
floor. As her eyes adjusted from the previous sunligh, the horror of
the scene drew shaply into focus. A mass of raw flesh, like some
butcher's carcass, lay stretched out in front of the wall-length
mirror.
The fact that it had once been human could only be determined by
the shape-the nose and ears had been cut off, and the face skinned.
The head hung sideways, severed by a deep cut that started at the
left ear and ended at the right ear.
The remains of a leotard clung to the corpse. The stomach had
been ripped open and both breasts had been severed from the body.
The left arm, like the head, clung to the body by a slim shard of
skin. The thighs down to the feet had been stripped of flesh,
revealing gleaming white leg bones. Most of the internal organs
had been removed and were strewn about the room, and one hand
was burried within the mass that had once been a stomach. Blood
was splurted across the nearby mirrors and walls, and covered
what had once been Catherine Nichols. On the far wall, scrawled
in the dark crimson red liquid, was the message
"JACK IS BACK"
Mary covered her mouth, backing out of the room. From what
she remembered from her criminal history class, this was an exact
copy of the famous serial murders of Jack the Ripper.
(((Doo doo doo doo doo doo... roll opening credits)))
FBI Headquarters
Washington, DC
August 31
1:43 PM
Fox Mulder set his phone down and turned to his partner.
"Skinner wants to see us," he informed her.
Dana Scully nodded and got up, following Mulder out of the
room. Ever since they'd been reassigned to the VCU, he's been
so... melancholy. They arrived at their AD's office shortly, and
were shown in by his secretary.
"Agents, please sit down. I have a new and rather..." he paused,
seeking the right word, "disturbing.. case for you."
He handed them a file.
"Catherine Nichols, age thirty seven, was found-"
"What's her name?" Mulder cut in.
"Catherine Nichols."
Mulder nodded, hoping this wasn't the Cathy Nichols he
remembered.
"As I was saying," Skinner continued, "Ms. Nichols was found
brutally murdered in a second-floor dance studio in Baltimore. Her
body was discovered this morning at around nine thirty by her friend
and co-worker Mary Chapman."
"Why is the Bureau being called in?" Scully asked her boss.
"Because, frankly, the Baltimore field office and city police-
even the state police-are stumped. They have no suspect, no
descriptions, no murder weapon, and no obvious motives. Miss Nichols
was well-liked and respected among the community."
Crime Scene
Mulder and Scully showed their badges to the SAC at the murder
scene and were shown to where the body lay. In the background,
policemen were questioning anyone who had been in the building in the
last hour.
"This is how she was found," Special-Agent-in-Charge Frank
Miles told the newly-arrived agents.
Mulder took note of the message and of the surprisingly large
amount of blood.
"Nobody was seen leaving here this morning?"
"Not a soul. Even so, the first floor of this building is
a department store, and on this floor, there's a Disney store, a
music emporium, a dance accessory shop, a book store, and a small
coffee lounge."
"Did you question the owners?"
"Being done. Nobody saw or heard a thing so far, save for the
Sleeping Beauty waltz being played at a rather high volume this
morning."
"No fingerprints?"
"We haven't found anything that would give us a suspect."
"And there are no security cameras in the building?" Scully
asked.
"No, well, not on this floor. You have to understand, agents-
this is, or was, a good neighborhood. People kept their doors unlocked
at night."
Mulder nodded.
"But what's really getting us is the M.O."
"What about it?"
"I've never seen anything this grotesque before," Miles
admitted.
"He's copy-catted Jack the Ripper," Mulder told him, "a serial
killer in 1888 London who fixated on prostitutes. The case remains
unsolved today."
"So he's done everything the same?"
"All except one thing."
"Which would be..."
"I very highly doubt Cathy Nichols was a prostitute."
"I can assure you that she wasn't, Agent Mulder."
Mulder raised an eyebrow at this, but kept quiet.
"Agent Miles!"
Both Mulder and the SAC turned around at this sudden
interruption.
"Sorry to bother you, sir," a young police lieutenant said,
"but here's all the information we found on the victim."
He handed him a file and moved back outside.
"Actually, can I have a look at that?" Mulder inquired.
"Sure," Miles replied, handing him the folder.
Mulder took it, murmured his thanks, and flipped open the
file. He quickly read the first page:
Name: Catherine Teresa Nichols
Gender: Female
D.O.B: September 23, 1960
Parents: Mary Ellen Mullens
David Lawrence Nichols
His eyes fell off the page and his stomach lurched. This was
*his* Cathy.
"Mulder? You ok?"
He looked up and was met by his partner's clear blue eyes.
"You look a little pale."
"Yeah, I'm fine," he assured her.
"You sure?"
He nodded. "I'll be ok."
"Well, if you say so."
He gave her a weak smile. "So what did you find?"
"Hm?"
Mulder gestured towards the body.
"Oh.. well, she died at about eight thirty this morning, most
likely of strangulation. The coroner found marks around her neck,
consistent with the pattern of a rope. They're running a tox screen on
her blood as we speak..." she trailed off, noticing that Mulder looked
a bit queasy. "Are you sure you're ok?"
"I, um-" he paused, and his voice was quieter when he spoke
again, "I knew her."
"Oh," Scully said in a small voice, "I'm sorry.. how did you
know her?"
"It's ok.. we were in high school together.."
His face showed hints of tears, betraying his assurance that
everything was ok.
Not caring that they were in public, Scully reached up and
wrapped her arms around his shoulders in a reassuring hug. He returned
it, locking his arms around her waist. And the tears came.
'Jack' watched this scene from the shadows and smiled. He
would go after her last-draw it out, torture the man who had taken
from him the only women he had ever loved. He would pay, oh yes, he
would pay. He smiled as he walked from the scene, thinking of his next
victim... she trusted him. He would have fun with this next one.
FBI Headquarters
4:54 PM
Mulder looked up from the book he held as his partner entered
the room.
"If he's following the chronological pattern of the Ripper,
the next murder will be on September eighth."
She gave him a grim smile. "I only wish we had a lead on a
suspect."
He nodded and a moment of silence fell upon the agents.
"Are you ok?"
"Yeah," Mulder replied, nodding slightly, "I just can't help
but feel that the killing is connected to me."
"It wasn't your fault..."
"No, not that. I just... oh, I don't know... Cathy was my
first serious girlfriend."
"Do you want me to ask Skinner to reassign this case?"
"No. I'm going to solve it. I want to catch the son of a bitch
that did this. She may have had her flaws, and we out differences, but
nobody deserves to be killed like that... she was a good person."
"Will you be ok if I leave?"
"Yes."
"Ok, then.. I'm gonna head on home now. If you need anything,
don't hesitate to call."
He leered suggestively at her, "There is something I need."
She raised an eyebrow and smiled at him. "Not while we're on
a case... I've told you that before, *Fox*."
He winced at the use of his first name, "Tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow."
She gave him a little kiss on the cheek before leaving the
room.
BWI Airport
Baltimore, MD
September 8, 1999
12:33 AM
Phoebe Greene stepped out of the nearly empty airport and
quickly hailed a cab. She shoved her luggage in the trunk and climbed
into the back seat.
"Holiday Inn on Main Street," she told the driver.
"No problem," he replied, and dove off.
She got safely to the hotel, and slept until there was a knock
at her door at around one thirty a.m. She pushed herself off of the
mattress and opened the door, welcoming her friend into the room.
"Close the door behind you, dear," she told him, walking
towards the table on the other side of the room.
She heard the door shut. That was the last sound she heard
before a rope tightened around her neck and everything went eternally
black.
Dana Scully's Apartment
4:30 AM
Scully woke up to the decidedly unpleasant, shrill ringing of
her cell phone. She fumbled with the desk lamp, eventually turning it
on, and picked up the offending device.
"Mulder, this had better be good," she voiced drowsily yet
angrily into the reciever.
"Sorry to wake you up."
"No.. no problem at all," she retorted sarcastically.
"No, I really am sorry, but there's another body."
That woke her up. "Where?"
"The Comfort Inn on Main Street."
"In Baltimore?"
"Yes."
"Do they have an ID on the victim?"
"Yes."
It was then that Scully noticed Mulder's voice was cracking
a bit, and that he had obviously been crying a little recently.
"Mulder?"
"It was Phoebe."
"Where are you?" She asked after a heavy moment of silence.
"The hotel."
"I'll be there as soon as I can," she promised, and hung up
the phone.
Comfort Inn
5:13 AM
The multitude of police cars told Scully she had found the
right hotel. She parked her Ford Explorer in one of the few empty
spaces and quickly found the room she was looking for. She showed her
ID to the gaurd at the door and entered the room, walking over to
where Mulder stood. She carefully placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Mulder?"
He turned around. "I know what he's doing."
"What?"
"He's killing anyone I've ever had a serious relationship
with."
"Mulder, this could be coincidental."
Wordlessly, Mulder pointed at the wall. The words "Tracking
a Fox" were scrawled in blood.
"Mulder, let's go."
"I have to stay-"
"Mulder, we're leaving this hotel. NOW."
He looked down at her. She gave him a pleading look.
"Ok."
Scully's Apartment
8:39 AM
Scully set the phone down.
"I just called Skinner. He granted us the day off."
"You don't have to stay," Mulder told her, "I'll be ok here by
myself."
"No, you won't."
"I will."
She sighed. "Maybe so, but you shouldn't be alone at a time
like this.. besides, I love you, and I want to be sure you're ok."
At this, Mulder smiled slightly.
"Come here," he told her.
"What?" She inquired, walking over to stand in front of him.
He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her down
onto his lap, giving her a little kiss on the cheek.
"I think," he began, "you should ask for a temporary transfer-
get as far away from Baltimore as you can."
"Why?"
"I think you're on this guy's list."
She sighed. "I'm not going anywhere."
"It's not safe here, Scully."
She pushed herself into a standing position and paced to the
other side of the room.
"Mulder, I can take care of myself."
"I didn't say you couldn't!"
"Then why," she paused, noticing she was yelling, and lowered
her voice, "why do you want me to go somewhere else?"
"Because I love you," he replied softly, "and I don't want
anything to happen to you."
She walked over to him and leaned over, kissing him deeply.
"Nothing is going to happen to me," she assured him, and
kissed him again.
He pulled her down onto the couch with him and rolled over so
that he was on top of her.
"This," he told her, "this is the only good thing about
arguing with you?"
"What's that?"
"We always have fabulous make-up sex."
She laughed quietly, and they made sure that this time was
no exception to any other argument.