Feeling fresher and more relaxed Mulder left his boot laces open as he hurried from his apartment. Tapping his foot anxiously he waited for the lift to arrive, jumping in through the half open doors and slamming the ground floor button when it did. Eventually he made it out to his car and pulled away into the street. He glanced at the clock on his dashboard and smiled. Taking his shower and throwing some belongings into a small bag took only 30 minutes, now all he had to do was get back to her and maybe then his heart would stop jumping.
With a sigh he pulled up at a red traffic light and his fingers drummed on the steering wheel as he waited for it to turn green. Taking in the sights on the street he thought of getting some food for them but decided he'd rather get back as soon as he could. He found himself thinking about her from the moment he walked out of her building and it was all he could do not to run back in and stay with her. But he knew she needed some time alone. He realised as much as she wanted him with her he was still a symbol of the emotional weakness she had suffered earlier that day. So giving the breathing space she needed he forced himself to leave.
The light turned green and he took off through the crossing, dodging traffic recklessly, hoping that there'd be no street cops. He counted down the blocks to her building, finding that he was holding his breath in anticipation, the need to see her unbearable. But finally he saw it and the sight of the black Taurus outside it calmed his nerves. He parked behind the other agent's car and walked over knocking on the window to get their attention. Agent Harris rolled his window down and Mulder leaned in.
"Any news? I can't seem to get hold of Lynch?" he asked.
"Lynch is still at the bureau, he's got a team down there investigating the list that you gave him," Harris replied.
"Did they get anything from them?"
"Nothing. They all seem to be legit."
Mulder wanted to slam his hands on the car but restrained himself. His phone rang and he stepped away from the car door to answer it.
"Mulder."
"Agent Mulder how is she?" Skinners asked.
"When I left her she was fine. I'm just about to go back in."
"I was speaking to Lynch and he doesn't seem to be able to find anything with the credit card check list."
"Yes sir I heard."
"But the field agents managed to get a description from the courier service of the man that arranged for the delivery of the package and it matched the description of a man seen outside Agent Scully's apartment the night of the burglary."
"Can you fax the picture over to me? Send it to Scully's fax line, I'll go in now and pick it up. She might recognise him."
"Okay I'll send it over now."
Mulder hung up and quickly made his way to her apartment. He knocked lightly on the door and waited for her to answer but when she didn't he knocked harder. This time calling her name out. A hot wave of fear flushed over him and he fumbled in his pocket for his keys, softly calling her as he stepped in to the dark room.
The beeping from the fax machine beside her PC drew his attention and he walked over to it tripping on his open laces and nearly falling onto the couch.
"Dammit," he cursed before bending down to tie them. He quickly tied a loose knot and then went over to the sheet of paper that had finally fallen from the fax machine. Once he looked down to the picture he noticed a smear of blood had stained his hand and he glanced around to see a small pool had already marked the carpet where he stopped to tie his laces. His mind screamed out her name and he rushed though the apartment calling to her only to stop in her bedroom.
The window had been broken and by the lack of glass on the carpet he knew it had been smashed out. The bed was tossed and messed as if there was a struggle and with a heavy heart he ran out to the agents who sat out in the car.
"SHE'S GONE," he yelled.
Harris and Farrell jumped out to meet him on the road, both of them confused by his yelling, urging him to calm down as he shouted orders for them to call Lynch and get the search team down here.
"I left a little over 45 minutes ago so we have to assume he had at least that window of time, I want road blocks up and we need to get a forensic team out here," Mulder said trying to keep his voice calm.
Harris was speaking on the phone to Lynch who was on his way with Wyman's team and Farrell had rushed into the apartment to double check.
"Didn't you search the building?" Mulder yelled at Harris who just put his phone away.
"Of course we did."
"How the hell did he get in there?" he said accusingly, pacing the street the fax sheet folded in his hand forgotten.
"Same way he got out?"
"He smashed through her bedroom window. There is no glass on the floor so he obviously broke out that way. He must have been in the building the whole time."
Mulder heard the accusing tone in his voice and knew that Harris would think it was directed at him when it was only himself he blamed for leaving her in the first place.
"The place is empty, looks like she put up a struggle," Farrell said as he returned but the dark look of fury on Mulders face stopped him from continuing. "What's that?" he said pointing to the page in Mulders hand.
"It's the description Skinner faxed over…" he said as he unfolded it. The picture stared back at him and Mulder felt all the blood falling to his feet.
"Agent Mulder…what is it?" Farrell asked noting the paleness he wore.
"It's…its Danny, Daniel Anderson," he stuttered, "I know this man."
"Who is he?"
"I know him…Scully…knew…knows him," he managed, needing to take a seat he sat into the back of their car and shook his head, unable to take his eyes off the picture.
"Where can we find him?"
"He was staying at the Hyatt, he's travelling with an Irish rugby training squad."
As he spoke Harris took down the details and was already calling information for the numbers.
"He's an old friend from college though…I…I don't understand…" he continued his voice getting ever lower.
Suddenly the quiet street was burst into a flurry of noise and lights as Lynch arrived with two squad cars in tow. The sirens blared through the silence and their red and blue lights cast a sense of urgency to the agents stricken faces. Soon Mulder transformed his worry and fear into an angry determination as he bantered through the details with Lynch and Wyman. A squad car had already been sent to the Hyatt to apprehend Daniel but there was no word back from them yet. As the search teams formed and the forensic team began their meticulous search of her apartment Skinner arrived and urged Mulder to leave. They argued loudly as Mulder walked through her place, desperately trying to find the vital clue that would tell him where he took her.
"No, I'm not leaving," he called over his shoulder to Skinner.
"Mulder you're too close to this one and your not going to help. Get out of here, blow of some steam and let us get this done," Skinner argued.
"If you think I'm going to leave this place Skinner your crazy," he yelled, "I'm staying," he concluded with a finality that gave Skinner no choice but to let him.
Watching him now Skinner understood his need to stay here, close to where she had last been. He'd seen it in Mulder before and had hoped never to see that desperate need again, but there it was, plain as day, traipsing around her apartment, his eyes delicately covering every inch, careful not to miss a single spot. Skinner left him to his search and joined Lynch out in the street.
***
Scully woke to a darkness that stung her whole body, attacking all her senses, in ways she didn't think possible. A strong light punctured the shadows for a second and it burned her eyes. Then as the flashes continued it hurt less until she could finally hold her eyes open to her surroundings.
The memories of what had happened were foggy and she struggled to realise where she was. She was cold and could feel damp tendrils brushing her neck, a strong smell of grass clung to her nose telling her she was lying on a wet lawn. She tried to reach over to her face to rub her eyes in an effort to clear them but she found she couldn't move her arms or legs and panic set in as she fought harder.
A heavy weight became evident on her pelvis and with a soft moan she lifted her head to see what might have fallen on her. The shadowy figure blended well with the dark surroundings and she couldn't make it out. She attempted to shake it off, bucking her hips, but with the little strength she had it made no difference.
"Calm down," the voice said vehemently low, "I don't want to have to hit you again."
"What…" her voice croaked and felt dry but she continued, "What are you doing?"
"Cheaters never prosper…you need to learn," he said, and as the volume of his voice changed she figured he had turned to reach for something behind him, the pressure now heavier on one side of her legs.
"I… wasn't cheating…" she mumbled afraid to confront him but needing to talk to him.
"I saw you. He was at your place…but when he left I took my chance."
He resettled himself back onto her legs and she felt a cold metal object resting on her bare torso. It was then that she realised that her clothes had been taken off and she was completely naked. As if the realisation of this brought her senses back online she began to shiver the wet grass seeping into her skin and bringing up goose bumps on her arms. Tears fell unbidden down her cheeks as her mind raced of how she could escape.
An image of Mulder appeared in her head and she could see him sitting on her couch his head resting in his hands. Calling out to him with the knowledge that he couldn't hear her was unbearable so she focused on her surroundings. Taking in the grass and the darkness, she could see little else so she looked up to see Danny staring down at her. Her training in hostage situations was minimal and now that she was the intended victim it all escaped her.
"Danny…what are you doing?" she asked tentatively.
"I'm avenging…cheaters never prosper," he said as he opened the box and fumbled with it's contents. Her eyes opened wider when she saw him take out the long nails.
"Who am I cheating on?" she asked her voice frantic now.
"Fox, coming out with me when you are so obviously in love with him…it's cheating Dana…I wont tolerate it," he said avoiding her eyes and closing the lid of the box.
"Danny, Mulder and I…we're just friends…we've never been anything more…friends."
"You may be only friends but cheating can happen on all levels," he said moving the box off her now and turning to the side searching the dark ground for something.
"Please Danny, you have to listen to me…"
"Shit," he said, leaning off her and searching the ground more thoroughly.
Without explanation he left, walking into the darkness disappearing into the night. Her cries became louder now that she was alone. Tugging her arms closer to her body she tried frantically to loosen her restraints. But there was little she could do. She could just make out the low stumps that had been hammered into the ground and was certain that she could never pull them free.
In the distance she could hear a car door slamming shut and she knew he was coming back. His soft footfall was hard to hear on the wet grass but she strained to listen not wanting to be surprised anymore. When it stopped she moved her head around trying to find him but it was too dark. Her jaw ached where he had hit her and the cold was making her tired. Her body couldn't fight for much longer as her eyes became heavy and it became harder and harder to think straight.
"Dana, I was thinking?" he said as he settled himself on her again.
"Really?" she mumbled, fighting to keep conscious.
"You don't really know Fox at all do you?"
Unable to form the words she didn't replay her head lolling to the side as the darkness reached out to her.
"I mean I lived with the guy for two years, and you never know anyone until you live with them," he continued on regardless, "he was one sorry son of a bitch back then…and it doesn't look like he's improved much."
Her head swam around his words and she tried to listen, waiting for a weakness that might distract or disturb him enough to give her a chance to be freed.
"The girls used to follow him around, swarm to his races but he never took much advantage of it. Until she arrived. Then everything went out the window…all friends, rules, study, training…nothing mattered to him except her."
"Sounds nice," she murmured desperately fighting to stay awake.
"Yeah…but she was my girlfriend."
Scully lifted her head up as far as it would go and saw him staring down at her with a fury she had never seen before.
Was it possible that Danny had been harbouring this anger with him all these years? she thought.
"Cheaters never prosper, Dana. I make it my business that they don't."
He reached into his pocket and pulled out the nails again, this time holding one in front of him he reached down to the ground and grabbed the hammer.
"Danny, you have to listen to me," she said but her voice sounded distant and scratched. "I am not cheating on Mulder…on Fox, I promise you."
He ignored her and placed the point of the nail against her skin. She struggled beneath him but his knees tightened on her holding her still. He lifted the hammer up and looked into her eyes. The fear he saw there fuelled his anger as he brought the hammer down onto the nail.
A white hot flash of pain burst into her chest and the medical training she had told her that he had possibly punctured a lung. Her mind reeled off all the treatments she would need and surgical procedures as her mouth yelled out in pain. Plunged into a cold darkness the pain disappeared and she felt nothing.
** Short chapter, sorry…but you gotta love a good cliff-hanger! **