Partners By Chance - chapter six
Disclaimers located before chapter one
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Mulder rubbed his eyes before popping yet another video tape into the VCR in his office. He had been viewing security tapes from Penny's building for hours but it didn't matter to him. He knew, although he was not sure how, that the killer had visited Penny sometime before her death. All he had to do was spot him on the tapes and he would have his killer.
The tape finished up some 60 minutes later and Mulder glanced up at the clock. It was nearly six o'clock. A good time to take a break he thought to himself. If he got a good meal in him now, he would be able to last long enough to get through these last couple of tapes.
He grabbed his jacket and headed up to the bullpen. The building was pretty much empty now, but he was fairly sure that his fellow members of the taskforce were floating around somewhere. With a little luck, he would be able to find a couple of them to bounce ideas off of while he ate. If he was extra lucky, he would end up with Scully alone.
His heart sank a bit when he spotted Fraser alone in the bullpen. Scully, who had been assigned the desk next to him, was no where to be seen. He walked over to Fraser who looked quite surprised to see him there.
"Fraser" Mulder said as he approached his desk.
"What are you doing here Mulder?"
"I work here Fraser"
"No I'm serious Mulder. Aren't you supposed to be somewhere else right about now?"
"Not that I know of - Fraser what are you talking about?"
Fraser looked around to make sure there was no one who could overhear him before he answered. "Aren't you supposed to be on a date?"
"A date? With whom?"
Fraser looked a bit uncomfortable but answered "Scully"
"Scully? What are you talking about?"
"Look Mulder, you don't have to play dumb with me. Scully showed the rose you left on the desk and the note. I tell you her face almost split in two from smiling when she read your note."
"Honestly Fraser, I don't know what you are talking about. I have been down in my office looking at tapes for the last 6 hours. I only came up here to try to find someone to go to dinner with."
"Really?"
"Yeah really"
"Then how do you explain this?" Fraser reached over to Scully's desk and picked up a piece of paper that was leaning against a small vase containing a single red rose.
Mulder took the piece of paper and read it "Can't wait any longer. Meet me in the park by the aquarium at 6 for a quick bit a dinner and some leisurely conversation."
Fraser watched the color drain from Mulder's face as he read the note. He swallowed hard and handed it back to Fraser.
"I didn't send this" he said his voice barely above a whisper
"Then who did?"
"Our killer"
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Fraser was right when he described how happy Scully had been when she discovered the red rose and note had been left on her desk. She had a hard time not blushing when Fraser looked over her shoulder and read the note.
He had asked her if Mulder was the lucky man and she had barely nodded her response. Fraser had smiled then too and had sent her back to her hotel with enough time to get ready for her meeting - but only on the understanding that they both return to work no later than eight o'clock.
Scully hadn't changed her clothes - that would have been a bit too obvious to her co-workers but did manage to freshen herself up a bit before heading over to the park. She sat on the bench enjoying the warm quiet evening wondering why Mulder had picked this particular spot. The park was basically deserted, mainly due to the fact that it had rained quite heavily just a bit earlier.
She tried to relax and enjoy looking out on the water. She had grown up on the water and still found a certain sort of peace whenever she was near it. She tried to appear casual as she looked up when she heard footsteps approaching.
"Oh" was the only thing that came out of her mouth when she saw that the man approaching her was not Mulder. Slowly, in her head, alarm bells started ringing.
She was in trouble, big trouble and she had to stall for time. "Did Mulder send you here to look for me?" she said slowly moving her hand towards her service weapon.
"No, I came here on my own. I thought we might get to know each other a bit better"
Scully reached for her weapon but her assailant was too quick. Scully barely saw his gun before he struck her head with it. She went out like a light.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Before Mulder had gotten those two words out, Fraser was on the phone. Within minutes he had contacted Bishop and Wakefield and arranged for them all to meet in Bishop's office as soon as possible. McCormick was not answering his phone.
While Fraser was gathering together the taskforce, Mulder was busily searching through Scully's garbage. The note that had come with the rose had been printed out on a computer meaning that the rose had probably been delivered. Mulder was frantically looking for the envelope in which the note was held. With any luck at all, the name of the florist was on the envelope.
"Got it" he exclaimed as he examined the small white envelope. "Fabulous Flowers - any idea where that is?"
"Yeah, it is right around the corner."
"Call them, will you and see if you can find out who sent those flowers. I am heading down to the park."
Before Fraser could answer him, Mulder was on his feet and out the door.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The park was quiet with only the occasion jogger interrupting the calm. Mulder stood at the edge of the park and quickly surveyed the scene. He spotted several benches but was instantly drawn to the one closest to the water.
He sat on the bench and put his head in his hands forcing himself to concentrate on the killer and not on Scully. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted something shiny. He bent over to pick it up and recognized it at once. It was the small gold cross Scully wore. It apparently had been ripped from her throat.
Mulder knew instantly that Scully had done this herself - to leave some small clue to her location.
He wrapped his hand around the cross and closed his eyes to think.
It was in this very position that Wakefield and Fraser found him a few minutes later. Wakefield went to touch him arm to break the spell she thought he was under, when Fraser stopped her.
"Leave him be"
"Why?" Wakefield said looking totally confused. "We need his help - he can't waste time sitting here worrying about Dana."
"He is not wasting time" Fraser explained. "He is putting himself inside the killer's head - figuring out his next move. He will know where to find her."
As if on queue, Mulder came out of his self-imposed trance and looked at Fraser and Wakefield.
"What did the florist say?"
"That the flower was bought by a Fox Mulder."
"Great - any security tapes we can view later?"
"I think so. Bishop is working on getting a court order to seize any evidence we can find there."
Mulder nodded before continuing. "She isn't far from here. She is not that big, but still carrying a full grown woman would definitely draw some attention."
Mulder paused for a second and looked around. About a block away there stood a building that appeared to be under renovation.
"Try there" he said "I will join you in a minute - I just want to look around here a bit more."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Scully thought her head was going to split into two pieces when she first opened her eyes. The pain was worse than anything she had ever experienced before. It was only by sheer force of will that she managed to push the pain back enough to concentrate on where she was and how she could get out.
She was in a small dark room that appeared to be totally bathed in candlelight. Looking around her it appeared that Mulder's profile was pretty much on the mark. The person who had brought her here, presumably to die, appeared to be going out of his way to make her last few moments on earth as comfortable as possible.
A few feet in front of her stood a platform covered with soft looking blankets, pillows and tie downs which would probably be used to secure her feet and hands.
There was soft music playing in the background and a dark figure hovering over a low box in the corner. On the box sat her gun.
Spotting her gun gave Scully a glimmer of hope although she had no idea how she was going to cross the room with her hands bound together and her head feeling like it was coming apart at the seams.
The dark figure turned and smiled when he saw she was awake.
"So you are awake Dana. I am glad. You are very special to me Dana - I wanted you to be awake for this."
"Why?"
"You are special because you are going to be the last one I am with for quite a while. Mulder is circling in for the kill and I plan to be long gone before he figures out the last of the puzzle."
"Why do you want me awake?" Scully asked trying to buy time - hoping that Mulder had found the clue she had left him.
"Because I really like you Dana. You are a kind woman. I want to show you my appreciation."
"How do you plan to do that?" Scully felt pure terror starting to overcome her.
"By loving you of course. By worshipping you in a way that Mulder could never do. To make you writhe with pleasure and moan my name. It is the least I could do for you before I kill you."
"You don't have to kill me you know. You could let me go and I could help you get the help you need. You are a kind man, I know that. You don't really want to hurt me."
"Dana, now you are sounding like Mulder. Please stop"
He walked over to Dana and bent over her to push her hair back and look at the large bump that was growing on her forehead. Scully spotted her opportunity and threw herself with all her might at him knocking the wind out of him temporarily and onto his back.
She hurled herself towards her gun hands reaching out towards it before he grabbed her from behind and threw her down again. There was pure hate and rage in his eyes as he struck her hard across the face.
"Bitch" he said and struck her again and Scully slowly faded into the darkness.
Scully felt like she was in a dream. She felt a small prick on her arm and thought to herself that she was being drugged.
The drugs took affect quickly. Her mind was vaguely aware of what was going on but she was unable to do anything about it.
She knew that she had been placed upon the platform and that her hands and feet had been bound. She knew, too, that the shirt and slacks had been removed and that her undergarments were slowly being removed as well.
She felt strange hands move over her body in quick exploration and her body respond to the touches. She felt the sensation of a blade being dragged against her skin cutting her and then everything went black. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ end of chapter six
Disclaimers located before chapter one
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Mulder rubbed his eyes before popping yet another video tape into the VCR in his office. He had been viewing security tapes from Penny's building for hours but it didn't matter to him. He knew, although he was not sure how, that the killer had visited Penny sometime before her death. All he had to do was spot him on the tapes and he would have his killer.
The tape finished up some 60 minutes later and Mulder glanced up at the clock. It was nearly six o'clock. A good time to take a break he thought to himself. If he got a good meal in him now, he would be able to last long enough to get through these last couple of tapes.
He grabbed his jacket and headed up to the bullpen. The building was pretty much empty now, but he was fairly sure that his fellow members of the taskforce were floating around somewhere. With a little luck, he would be able to find a couple of them to bounce ideas off of while he ate. If he was extra lucky, he would end up with Scully alone.
His heart sank a bit when he spotted Fraser alone in the bullpen. Scully, who had been assigned the desk next to him, was no where to be seen. He walked over to Fraser who looked quite surprised to see him there.
"Fraser" Mulder said as he approached his desk.
"What are you doing here Mulder?"
"I work here Fraser"
"No I'm serious Mulder. Aren't you supposed to be somewhere else right about now?"
"Not that I know of - Fraser what are you talking about?"
Fraser looked around to make sure there was no one who could overhear him before he answered. "Aren't you supposed to be on a date?"
"A date? With whom?"
Fraser looked a bit uncomfortable but answered "Scully"
"Scully? What are you talking about?"
"Look Mulder, you don't have to play dumb with me. Scully showed the rose you left on the desk and the note. I tell you her face almost split in two from smiling when she read your note."
"Honestly Fraser, I don't know what you are talking about. I have been down in my office looking at tapes for the last 6 hours. I only came up here to try to find someone to go to dinner with."
"Really?"
"Yeah really"
"Then how do you explain this?" Fraser reached over to Scully's desk and picked up a piece of paper that was leaning against a small vase containing a single red rose.
Mulder took the piece of paper and read it "Can't wait any longer. Meet me in the park by the aquarium at 6 for a quick bit a dinner and some leisurely conversation."
Fraser watched the color drain from Mulder's face as he read the note. He swallowed hard and handed it back to Fraser.
"I didn't send this" he said his voice barely above a whisper
"Then who did?"
"Our killer"
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Fraser was right when he described how happy Scully had been when she discovered the red rose and note had been left on her desk. She had a hard time not blushing when Fraser looked over her shoulder and read the note.
He had asked her if Mulder was the lucky man and she had barely nodded her response. Fraser had smiled then too and had sent her back to her hotel with enough time to get ready for her meeting - but only on the understanding that they both return to work no later than eight o'clock.
Scully hadn't changed her clothes - that would have been a bit too obvious to her co-workers but did manage to freshen herself up a bit before heading over to the park. She sat on the bench enjoying the warm quiet evening wondering why Mulder had picked this particular spot. The park was basically deserted, mainly due to the fact that it had rained quite heavily just a bit earlier.
She tried to relax and enjoy looking out on the water. She had grown up on the water and still found a certain sort of peace whenever she was near it. She tried to appear casual as she looked up when she heard footsteps approaching.
"Oh" was the only thing that came out of her mouth when she saw that the man approaching her was not Mulder. Slowly, in her head, alarm bells started ringing.
She was in trouble, big trouble and she had to stall for time. "Did Mulder send you here to look for me?" she said slowly moving her hand towards her service weapon.
"No, I came here on my own. I thought we might get to know each other a bit better"
Scully reached for her weapon but her assailant was too quick. Scully barely saw his gun before he struck her head with it. She went out like a light.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Before Mulder had gotten those two words out, Fraser was on the phone. Within minutes he had contacted Bishop and Wakefield and arranged for them all to meet in Bishop's office as soon as possible. McCormick was not answering his phone.
While Fraser was gathering together the taskforce, Mulder was busily searching through Scully's garbage. The note that had come with the rose had been printed out on a computer meaning that the rose had probably been delivered. Mulder was frantically looking for the envelope in which the note was held. With any luck at all, the name of the florist was on the envelope.
"Got it" he exclaimed as he examined the small white envelope. "Fabulous Flowers - any idea where that is?"
"Yeah, it is right around the corner."
"Call them, will you and see if you can find out who sent those flowers. I am heading down to the park."
Before Fraser could answer him, Mulder was on his feet and out the door.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The park was quiet with only the occasion jogger interrupting the calm. Mulder stood at the edge of the park and quickly surveyed the scene. He spotted several benches but was instantly drawn to the one closest to the water.
He sat on the bench and put his head in his hands forcing himself to concentrate on the killer and not on Scully. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted something shiny. He bent over to pick it up and recognized it at once. It was the small gold cross Scully wore. It apparently had been ripped from her throat.
Mulder knew instantly that Scully had done this herself - to leave some small clue to her location.
He wrapped his hand around the cross and closed his eyes to think.
It was in this very position that Wakefield and Fraser found him a few minutes later. Wakefield went to touch him arm to break the spell she thought he was under, when Fraser stopped her.
"Leave him be"
"Why?" Wakefield said looking totally confused. "We need his help - he can't waste time sitting here worrying about Dana."
"He is not wasting time" Fraser explained. "He is putting himself inside the killer's head - figuring out his next move. He will know where to find her."
As if on queue, Mulder came out of his self-imposed trance and looked at Fraser and Wakefield.
"What did the florist say?"
"That the flower was bought by a Fox Mulder."
"Great - any security tapes we can view later?"
"I think so. Bishop is working on getting a court order to seize any evidence we can find there."
Mulder nodded before continuing. "She isn't far from here. She is not that big, but still carrying a full grown woman would definitely draw some attention."
Mulder paused for a second and looked around. About a block away there stood a building that appeared to be under renovation.
"Try there" he said "I will join you in a minute - I just want to look around here a bit more."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Scully thought her head was going to split into two pieces when she first opened her eyes. The pain was worse than anything she had ever experienced before. It was only by sheer force of will that she managed to push the pain back enough to concentrate on where she was and how she could get out.
She was in a small dark room that appeared to be totally bathed in candlelight. Looking around her it appeared that Mulder's profile was pretty much on the mark. The person who had brought her here, presumably to die, appeared to be going out of his way to make her last few moments on earth as comfortable as possible.
A few feet in front of her stood a platform covered with soft looking blankets, pillows and tie downs which would probably be used to secure her feet and hands.
There was soft music playing in the background and a dark figure hovering over a low box in the corner. On the box sat her gun.
Spotting her gun gave Scully a glimmer of hope although she had no idea how she was going to cross the room with her hands bound together and her head feeling like it was coming apart at the seams.
The dark figure turned and smiled when he saw she was awake.
"So you are awake Dana. I am glad. You are very special to me Dana - I wanted you to be awake for this."
"Why?"
"You are special because you are going to be the last one I am with for quite a while. Mulder is circling in for the kill and I plan to be long gone before he figures out the last of the puzzle."
"Why do you want me awake?" Scully asked trying to buy time - hoping that Mulder had found the clue she had left him.
"Because I really like you Dana. You are a kind woman. I want to show you my appreciation."
"How do you plan to do that?" Scully felt pure terror starting to overcome her.
"By loving you of course. By worshipping you in a way that Mulder could never do. To make you writhe with pleasure and moan my name. It is the least I could do for you before I kill you."
"You don't have to kill me you know. You could let me go and I could help you get the help you need. You are a kind man, I know that. You don't really want to hurt me."
"Dana, now you are sounding like Mulder. Please stop"
He walked over to Dana and bent over her to push her hair back and look at the large bump that was growing on her forehead. Scully spotted her opportunity and threw herself with all her might at him knocking the wind out of him temporarily and onto his back.
She hurled herself towards her gun hands reaching out towards it before he grabbed her from behind and threw her down again. There was pure hate and rage in his eyes as he struck her hard across the face.
"Bitch" he said and struck her again and Scully slowly faded into the darkness.
Scully felt like she was in a dream. She felt a small prick on her arm and thought to herself that she was being drugged.
The drugs took affect quickly. Her mind was vaguely aware of what was going on but she was unable to do anything about it.
She knew that she had been placed upon the platform and that her hands and feet had been bound. She knew, too, that the shirt and slacks had been removed and that her undergarments were slowly being removed as well.
She felt strange hands move over her body in quick exploration and her body respond to the touches. She felt the sensation of a blade being dragged against her skin cutting her and then everything went black. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ end of chapter six
