Partners By Chance - chapter five

Disclaimers located before chapter one.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ It was with dread that Scully pulled back the sheet and looked down on Penny. The person lying before her held little resemblance to the happy-go- lucky receptionist that managed Bishop so well.

"Oh Penny, I am so sorry" she whispered before clicking on the tape recorder and starting her examination. She worked quickly and was practically done when Mulder joined her in the autopsy bay.

He stood behind her watching in silence until she had finished her examination. He looked at the series of samples she was preparing for the lab.

"Well, we should know in an hour or so whether or not she was drugged with the same substance as the last victim and whether or not he used the same type of condom. As far as I can tell, though, Penny died the same horribly slow death as the others."

Scully wearily took off her lab coat and threw it in the bin. "Did Bishop send you after me?"

"Yeah, he has everyone else together already and wants us down there ASAP to give them everything we have."

"What about the possibility of leaking information to our killer?"

"I think Bishop is willing to take that risk now."

She nodded and slowly followed Mulder from the autopsy bay.

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Scully and Mulder found the other members of the taskforce talking up theories when they arrived in Bishop's office. They were all subdued, to say the least, but they were all going about their jobs even if their hearts weren't in it.

"Agents" Bishop said as they entered the room. He motioned towards the coffee pot before continuing "Needless to say, we are all eager to hear your report."

"Yeah" McCormick blurted out "The quicker we catch this bugger the better"

Bishop silenced McCormick with a look and waited while Mulder poured himself a cup of coffee. "Well, I don't have my report in front of me but I can give you all the basic idea off the top of my head."

The others settled down into the various chairs around the office and listened to Mulder.

"The killer is a male - probably in his thirties. He is a single man who is either in a horrible relationship or has had a history of bad relationships with women. He is determined to take out the frustration brought on by these bad relationships on his victims. These are individuals who are familiar to him. He feels a certain amount of affection towards them. That is why is drugs them before raping and mutilating them. In his mind he is giving them one bit of pleasure before killing them. He is concerned about cleanliness and the spread of disease so he uses a condom. He is thorough and takes time to clean up his victims to a certain extent before leaving them in an impersonal location but a location none- the-less where they will be found quite easily. He cares enough about them to make sure that they are easily put to rest and probably has even attended the wake and/or funeral of each victim. He must likely works in this building or has ready access to it. He is probably right among us never raising any suspicion about himself."

His audience was silent as Mulder slowly, methodically described the killer to them. McCormick was the first to break the silence.

"So how do we catch him Mulder?"

"He considers himself a kind considerate person, not a killer. He is smart but even the smartest of killers makes a mistake. We will catch him then."

"Doesn't make me feel too confident" McCormick muttered under his breath. "No offense Mulder, but I don't think it brings us any closer to catching the bastard than before."

"Perhaps not alone" Scully broke in "but together with the physical evidence we are in the process of gathering, we should be able narrow down the field quite a bit."

Bishop, unlike McCormick, was more than impressed with Mulder's profile. He could tell that Mulder was lurking pretty deeply inside of the killer's head and that it was only a matter of time until he found the missing link that would bring the case to a close.

"Well done Agent Mulder. I want you and Wakefield to work on eliminating as many FBI employees from possibility as you can. That should help a bit. Scully, you and Fraser start on all vendors coming into the building during the past month or so. McCormick, get hold of the security tapes from the victim's apartments. Maybe our killer made a visit before going in for the kill. You are the most likely to recognize anyone."

The agents parted tired but determined to work straight on through until they had a break on the case.

For almost 48 hours they worked at it. Making lists, looking at tape after tape and comparing notes. They took turns napping in one of the back rooms off of Bishop's office. During all this time, Mulder and Scully had not found themselves alone at all.

Finally Mulder stumbled upon Scully as she headed to the bullpen to work with Fraser on yet another list of FBI vendors. After glancing around to make sure they were truly alone, he took her hand in his.

"Alone at last" he said wishing he could hold her in his arms and knowing she would not allow it - at least not here.

"Well, what did you expect - it is nearly midnight"

Mulder tried to smile but was just too tired to do so. "I just wanted to make sure you haven't forgotten about our interrupted conversation."

Scully smiled a bit "I haven't forgotten - it is my happy thought that is helping me get through all this."

This comment from Scully did bring a smile to Mulder's lips. "Well, I have something that will probably make you even happier. Bishop is sending us all home to get a good night sleep. We actually don't have to report back here until 10 tomorrow."

"Really? That is the best thing I've heard all day"

Mulder dropped her hand and walked beside her towards the bullpen door. "Scully I wish we could take care of unfinished business tonight, but I think that I would fall asleep and miss the best part of it."

"Don't worry about it Mulder, there will be time for all of that later."

"Promise?"

"Promise"

Mulder turned and walked towards the elevator not noticing that the hall door was open just a bit. The man standing in the stairwell had heard it all and did not like what he heard. He turned almost purple in rage before turning and bolting down the stairs muttering under his breath the entire time. In his mind he had no choice - Scully would have to die.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ end of chapter five