"The right to swing my fist ends where the other man's nose begins." Oliver
Wendell Holmes
Chapter 8:
A Rough World
Vero Beach, intersection of Oak and Fathom Avenues. 10:06 p.m.
The horn shrieked plaintively into the night. Mulder paid no attention. He knew he had run the stop sign. But he didn't give a damn. He just stared ahead into the dark night. Beyond the swishing of the black blades. Beyond the cold rain beating the hood. Right to the point where the lights faded and darkness took over. Mulder felt the darkness in him. It whispered of sinister thoughts. Mulder listened closely.
He screamed through another intersection. Another horn cried out. Mulder glanced at the map on the passenger's seat. He could barely read it. But he knew he had to keep going. There was no way he could stop. There was no way he *would* stop. Even if he didn't really know where the hell he was going. He just had to keep going.
Mulder heard a cough in the back. Then some mumbling and another cough.
"Blake?" Mulder called over his shoulder. His eyes widened with concern.
"I should've trusted you, Agent Mulder" a weak, but game voice called back.
"That's fine now Blake," Mulder said, "I'm going to get you some help now."
Another cough.
"And do you know where our hospital is?"
"I don't want to take you there. We don't know who Deger has in his pocket."
"So we're flying by our asses, Agent Mulder?"
Mulder smiled. Blake laughed a soft laugh. But it died into a series of coughs. Mulder's smile faded.
"Don't worry, Blake. Scully'll be able to help you. You'll be just fine."
"The lovely Miss Scully," Blake's voice trailed off.
The car was silent. The rain kept on pounding.
His voice was low. "You know, Agent Mulder, I'm no fool. I can tell when I'm just stuck in the middle of something."
Mulder was confused. "What're you talking about Blake?"
Blake leaned himself up on his elbow. His face was lit up by a passing lamp. He had a slight smirk. Then it plunged into darkness.
"I can tell, Agent Mulder, the way Miss Scully glances at you sometimes. She's not really into me."
Blake lowered his eyes as he thought about Scully.
"She's just tryin' to make you notice her. And most guys'd kill for attention from a gal like her."
Mulder frowned. His mind was racing.
"It-it's not like that, Blake."
"Mulder, you don't want to pass up something like that. You'll regret it for the rest of your life. I know."
Blake was seized by coughs. He lay back down.
His voice trailed off. "I missed my chance long ago. Don't miss yours."
Mulder glanced over his shoulder. Blake was out. *Blake isn't making any sense.* He was just delirious, wasn't he?
But Mulder didn't have any time to wonder about the possibilities. He had to keep going. He sped on through the rain. Another horn yelled angrily. Mulder ignored it.
-----------------------
Vero Beach, parking lot of Medical Examiner's Office. 10:22 p.m.
Scully heard the squeal of tires in the parking lot. She looked up from her papers. *Its about time Mulder came back.* She was looking forward to talking to Blake again.
Scully got up from the small desk. She walked up to the glass doors that were the Office's entrance. She peered into the rain. A car was parked in the lot. It looked like there was only one person inside. She peered even harder. *Something's wrong.* Scully ran out into the driving rain. It pattered against her face. Hard. She kept running. But she stopped before the car. *Something's definitely wrong.*
Suddenly, the car's lights blinded her. Drops of rain fell like glinting gems in the light. She raised her hand in front of her face. It was a vain attempt.
"Dana Scully?" a voice called.
She still couldn't see who it was.
"Yes. What's going on?"
"Sorry. It's nothing personal."
Scully heard the click of a gun. She started to run back to the office. Before she made it a shot rang out.
-----------------------
Vero Beach, St. Simon Road. 10:21 p.m.
Mulder's head ached. His eyes ached. His ribs ached. Mulder ached. But from what he could read, he was close to the Examiner's Office. Which was good. Blake needed help. He mumbled deliriously in the back. He needed help fast. Time was running out.
Mulder kept going.
Wheels screeched. Mulder rounded the last corner. He could see the parking lot. Scully was standing there, in the rain. She was silhouetted by a bright light. *Shit. Something's wrong.* A man stood by a driver's open door. He held something. Mulder squinted. A glint of metal caught his eye. A gun. Mulder floored the accelerator.
Rain struck the car furiously. The world sped by.
Mulder caught the man in his lights. He had a cold look. But it wasn't half as bad as the look on Mulder's face. He was blank as a slate. And he felt just as much remorse.
The figure whipped his head around at the last minute. His eyes were wide. His mouth hung open. But he still had his Instinct. He aimed his gun over the roof at the oncoming car. He only got off one shot. It crashed through the windshield. The glass shattered. Mulder closed his eyes and looked away. He kept going. Then all was dark.
-----------------------
Copper. Maybe iron. Mulder woke to the warm taste of blood. His head screamed angrily. It rested oddly on the wheel. He heard some soothing noise. A reassuring sound. He remembered it from somewhere. It was close.
"-God Mulder. Are you okay? Mulder? Mulder?!?"
Mulder opened his eyes to an angel. With red hair. Scully. He mumbled something through his busted lip. Her hand reached through the broken window. It ran through his damp hair.
Her voice was concerned. "What happened? Oh God. You need medical attention. Come out here."
Mulder felt her reassuring arms lift him. He looked her in the face. Her red hair was soaked. Drops rolled slowly down her cheeks. Her blue eyes drew him in. She had a pained look of worry. *Damn. Do I look that bad?* Mulder thought.
He tried to crack a smile. "You should've seen what the other guy looked like."
Scully couldn't help smiling. Any anger she'd had before fell away like the drops on her face. It was a relief that he could still joke.
"Come on. Let's get inside, Mulder."
Mulder looked at the wreckage. He'd hit the other car near the front left wheel. It had spun around. And then flipped over. And over. The lot was a mess of metal, plastic, and oil. Mulder saw a body had been flung up to the office's entrance. It's hand still held the gun.
"Wait, Scully. I'm fine. It's Blake that needs your help."
Mulder grabbed her arm. He pulled her to the rear seats. Blake was awake. He greeted them with a smile.
"Evening Miss Scully. Sorry I can't get to my feet now."
Scully smiled again. *How can they joke in these conditions?* But her smile disappeared with a coughing fit by Blake. She reached through the window. His forehead was searing. A bad fever. She also saw the blood trickling from his leg. The same look she'd had with Mulder returned. She was worried.
"Hold on, Blake."
Scully turned to Mulder. "We need to get him inside. And then to a hospital. Right away."
Mulder painfully shook his head. "We can't trust anyone here, Scully. If we go to a hospital-"
She grabbed Mulder's arms. Blue met brown. Her eyes looked up directly into his. She was reasoning with him. Pleading with him. For his understanding. For his trust.
"Mulder, we *have* to get Blake to a hospital. He will die if we don't."
Mulder looked away. Her stare made him remember Blake's words. He felt guilty. And she was right. Blake did need serious help. He looked like hell.
Mulder hadn't said anything, but Scully understood he agreed now. She opened the door and helped Blake to his feet. Mulder supported Blake's other side. Blood dripped from his leg. Blake winced with every step.
"I'm awful sorry to burden you like this, Miss Scully."
*Always the gentleman* Scully thought.
"Blake, you'd never be a burden."
Blake managed a smile. "Thank you, ma'am."
They made it to the glass doors. Mulder stopped by the body.
"Can you get him in? I want to check this out. I want to find out about these bastards."
Scully nodded. Blake limped along, leaning on her tiny frame. He called back to Mulder.
"Oh, don't you worry about me, Agent Mulder. I'm in good hands."
Mulder smiled as Blake and Scully walked inside. Then he turned back to the body. He knelt over it. *Just who the hell are you?* The man had dark hair and a non-descript face. Certainly not one you'd expect from a gun for hire. He wore dark clothes. Mulder looked through the man's pockets. He found a paper with the words: 'Dana Scully- see examiner's office'. Mulder felt the anger welling up inside him. Then he found a driver's license. *So the bastard's name was Graham Caviare.* There was another paper in Caviare's coat. It read: 'Room 19'. It was all coming together.
Mulder stood up. He walked toward the doors. But he stopped. He heard something behind him. A groan. He turned to face the body. Well, not a body, as much as a person. Graham was alive. And he smiled at Mulder.
"We'd better get inside. The Kiwis have been following me for a while now. They'll want what you're after- what everybody's after- the rock. And they'll kill anyone in their way. Which is fine by me, unless you don't want any answers."
Mulder found himself hard pressed not to shoot Caviare right there. But he wanted answers.
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Hey there. Me again. Just wanted to let you folks know that there's another anagram. It's also another theme-like one. I gotta go finish my workout (you know how it is, show off at the beach, etc.), so I'll see you around,
-Your (very fit) Writer
Chapter 8:
A Rough World
Vero Beach, intersection of Oak and Fathom Avenues. 10:06 p.m.
The horn shrieked plaintively into the night. Mulder paid no attention. He knew he had run the stop sign. But he didn't give a damn. He just stared ahead into the dark night. Beyond the swishing of the black blades. Beyond the cold rain beating the hood. Right to the point where the lights faded and darkness took over. Mulder felt the darkness in him. It whispered of sinister thoughts. Mulder listened closely.
He screamed through another intersection. Another horn cried out. Mulder glanced at the map on the passenger's seat. He could barely read it. But he knew he had to keep going. There was no way he could stop. There was no way he *would* stop. Even if he didn't really know where the hell he was going. He just had to keep going.
Mulder heard a cough in the back. Then some mumbling and another cough.
"Blake?" Mulder called over his shoulder. His eyes widened with concern.
"I should've trusted you, Agent Mulder" a weak, but game voice called back.
"That's fine now Blake," Mulder said, "I'm going to get you some help now."
Another cough.
"And do you know where our hospital is?"
"I don't want to take you there. We don't know who Deger has in his pocket."
"So we're flying by our asses, Agent Mulder?"
Mulder smiled. Blake laughed a soft laugh. But it died into a series of coughs. Mulder's smile faded.
"Don't worry, Blake. Scully'll be able to help you. You'll be just fine."
"The lovely Miss Scully," Blake's voice trailed off.
The car was silent. The rain kept on pounding.
His voice was low. "You know, Agent Mulder, I'm no fool. I can tell when I'm just stuck in the middle of something."
Mulder was confused. "What're you talking about Blake?"
Blake leaned himself up on his elbow. His face was lit up by a passing lamp. He had a slight smirk. Then it plunged into darkness.
"I can tell, Agent Mulder, the way Miss Scully glances at you sometimes. She's not really into me."
Blake lowered his eyes as he thought about Scully.
"She's just tryin' to make you notice her. And most guys'd kill for attention from a gal like her."
Mulder frowned. His mind was racing.
"It-it's not like that, Blake."
"Mulder, you don't want to pass up something like that. You'll regret it for the rest of your life. I know."
Blake was seized by coughs. He lay back down.
His voice trailed off. "I missed my chance long ago. Don't miss yours."
Mulder glanced over his shoulder. Blake was out. *Blake isn't making any sense.* He was just delirious, wasn't he?
But Mulder didn't have any time to wonder about the possibilities. He had to keep going. He sped on through the rain. Another horn yelled angrily. Mulder ignored it.
-----------------------
Vero Beach, parking lot of Medical Examiner's Office. 10:22 p.m.
Scully heard the squeal of tires in the parking lot. She looked up from her papers. *Its about time Mulder came back.* She was looking forward to talking to Blake again.
Scully got up from the small desk. She walked up to the glass doors that were the Office's entrance. She peered into the rain. A car was parked in the lot. It looked like there was only one person inside. She peered even harder. *Something's wrong.* Scully ran out into the driving rain. It pattered against her face. Hard. She kept running. But she stopped before the car. *Something's definitely wrong.*
Suddenly, the car's lights blinded her. Drops of rain fell like glinting gems in the light. She raised her hand in front of her face. It was a vain attempt.
"Dana Scully?" a voice called.
She still couldn't see who it was.
"Yes. What's going on?"
"Sorry. It's nothing personal."
Scully heard the click of a gun. She started to run back to the office. Before she made it a shot rang out.
-----------------------
Vero Beach, St. Simon Road. 10:21 p.m.
Mulder's head ached. His eyes ached. His ribs ached. Mulder ached. But from what he could read, he was close to the Examiner's Office. Which was good. Blake needed help. He mumbled deliriously in the back. He needed help fast. Time was running out.
Mulder kept going.
Wheels screeched. Mulder rounded the last corner. He could see the parking lot. Scully was standing there, in the rain. She was silhouetted by a bright light. *Shit. Something's wrong.* A man stood by a driver's open door. He held something. Mulder squinted. A glint of metal caught his eye. A gun. Mulder floored the accelerator.
Rain struck the car furiously. The world sped by.
Mulder caught the man in his lights. He had a cold look. But it wasn't half as bad as the look on Mulder's face. He was blank as a slate. And he felt just as much remorse.
The figure whipped his head around at the last minute. His eyes were wide. His mouth hung open. But he still had his Instinct. He aimed his gun over the roof at the oncoming car. He only got off one shot. It crashed through the windshield. The glass shattered. Mulder closed his eyes and looked away. He kept going. Then all was dark.
-----------------------
Copper. Maybe iron. Mulder woke to the warm taste of blood. His head screamed angrily. It rested oddly on the wheel. He heard some soothing noise. A reassuring sound. He remembered it from somewhere. It was close.
"-God Mulder. Are you okay? Mulder? Mulder?!?"
Mulder opened his eyes to an angel. With red hair. Scully. He mumbled something through his busted lip. Her hand reached through the broken window. It ran through his damp hair.
Her voice was concerned. "What happened? Oh God. You need medical attention. Come out here."
Mulder felt her reassuring arms lift him. He looked her in the face. Her red hair was soaked. Drops rolled slowly down her cheeks. Her blue eyes drew him in. She had a pained look of worry. *Damn. Do I look that bad?* Mulder thought.
He tried to crack a smile. "You should've seen what the other guy looked like."
Scully couldn't help smiling. Any anger she'd had before fell away like the drops on her face. It was a relief that he could still joke.
"Come on. Let's get inside, Mulder."
Mulder looked at the wreckage. He'd hit the other car near the front left wheel. It had spun around. And then flipped over. And over. The lot was a mess of metal, plastic, and oil. Mulder saw a body had been flung up to the office's entrance. It's hand still held the gun.
"Wait, Scully. I'm fine. It's Blake that needs your help."
Mulder grabbed her arm. He pulled her to the rear seats. Blake was awake. He greeted them with a smile.
"Evening Miss Scully. Sorry I can't get to my feet now."
Scully smiled again. *How can they joke in these conditions?* But her smile disappeared with a coughing fit by Blake. She reached through the window. His forehead was searing. A bad fever. She also saw the blood trickling from his leg. The same look she'd had with Mulder returned. She was worried.
"Hold on, Blake."
Scully turned to Mulder. "We need to get him inside. And then to a hospital. Right away."
Mulder painfully shook his head. "We can't trust anyone here, Scully. If we go to a hospital-"
She grabbed Mulder's arms. Blue met brown. Her eyes looked up directly into his. She was reasoning with him. Pleading with him. For his understanding. For his trust.
"Mulder, we *have* to get Blake to a hospital. He will die if we don't."
Mulder looked away. Her stare made him remember Blake's words. He felt guilty. And she was right. Blake did need serious help. He looked like hell.
Mulder hadn't said anything, but Scully understood he agreed now. She opened the door and helped Blake to his feet. Mulder supported Blake's other side. Blood dripped from his leg. Blake winced with every step.
"I'm awful sorry to burden you like this, Miss Scully."
*Always the gentleman* Scully thought.
"Blake, you'd never be a burden."
Blake managed a smile. "Thank you, ma'am."
They made it to the glass doors. Mulder stopped by the body.
"Can you get him in? I want to check this out. I want to find out about these bastards."
Scully nodded. Blake limped along, leaning on her tiny frame. He called back to Mulder.
"Oh, don't you worry about me, Agent Mulder. I'm in good hands."
Mulder smiled as Blake and Scully walked inside. Then he turned back to the body. He knelt over it. *Just who the hell are you?* The man had dark hair and a non-descript face. Certainly not one you'd expect from a gun for hire. He wore dark clothes. Mulder looked through the man's pockets. He found a paper with the words: 'Dana Scully- see examiner's office'. Mulder felt the anger welling up inside him. Then he found a driver's license. *So the bastard's name was Graham Caviare.* There was another paper in Caviare's coat. It read: 'Room 19'. It was all coming together.
Mulder stood up. He walked toward the doors. But he stopped. He heard something behind him. A groan. He turned to face the body. Well, not a body, as much as a person. Graham was alive. And he smiled at Mulder.
"We'd better get inside. The Kiwis have been following me for a while now. They'll want what you're after- what everybody's after- the rock. And they'll kill anyone in their way. Which is fine by me, unless you don't want any answers."
Mulder found himself hard pressed not to shoot Caviare right there. But he wanted answers.
----------------------- -----------------------
Hey there. Me again. Just wanted to let you folks know that there's another anagram. It's also another theme-like one. I gotta go finish my workout (you know how it is, show off at the beach, etc.), so I'll see you around,
-Your (very fit) Writer
