Chapter Eight - Bringing Out The Dead
Scully, Krycek and Mulder spend the rest of the week talking to potential witnesses, making lists, comparing lists and making new lists. For all their efforts they found only one thing in common between all of the victims.
Angela.
Shortly before each of their deaths, Angela had spent time with each victim. According to the various appointment books and personal journals kept by each victim, the visits were all to serve the same purpose.
To contact her dead twin Andrea.
In Scully's mind, the fact that Angela had been in contact with each victim within a day of their murders made her a prime suspect.
Her theory was quickly shot down when, upon closer inspection of the facts in front of them, they realized that Angela had been with male company on the night of each murder.
"Are you sure that she can account for her whereabouts?" Scully asked Krycek and Mulder as she poured herself a cup of coffee. "How do you know that her lovers wouldn't lie for her?"
"I just don't think they would" Mulder protested.
"How can you be so sure?" Scully persisted.
"Because I was with her two of those nights and I can attest to the fact that she was otherwise occupied." Mulder snapped.
"Oh" Scully said feeling suddenly ashamed. "Sorry"
"Don't be" Mulder said forcing a smile. "It is your job to shoot holes in my theories just like it is mine to shoot holes in yours."
Through this entire exchange Krycek kept silent. He had long since learned to stay out of the range of fire when it came to the other two occupants of the room.
"So what else do we have to go on?" Scully said totally discouraged.
Krycek finally opened his mouth "Andrea."
This time Scully turned on Krycek. "Andrea. Do you actually think she killed all those people?"
Krycek was about to respond when Mulder cut him off. "There is only one way to find out"
"And how is that?"
"We'll ask her."
Scully still couldn't believe that she had let herself get talked into witnessing an attempt to contact some one who had died more than five years before.
She knew the only reason she allowed herself to be in the room was because it was Melissa who had agreed to try and make contact. Even though Scully felt the entire idea to be an incredible waste of time, she felt the need to be there just in case Melissa was in danger.
Melissa had greeted Mulder, Angela, Krycek and Scully when they entered the room.
When asked if she was nervous she shook her head and pointed to the large pendant hanging around her neck. "This stone keeps spirits from entering the body of its owner. I brought several others, would any of you like one?"
Everyone took one with the exception of Scully who looked at her sister like she had two heads when she was offered a stone. Mulder grabbed hers and threw it in his pocket - just in case.
Melissa turned down the lights and lit several very fragrant candles. She offered seats around the circular table to her guests. Only Scully hesitated about taking a seat but reluctantly joined the group sitting between Melissa and Mulder.
"Everyone join hands and try to clear your mind" Melissa said in a voice barely above a whisper.
Scully tried to clear her mind but was having a bit of difficulty. Apparently sitting next to Mulder hadn't been a very wise decision.
Mulder too was having similar distractions but soon they were both able to fixate on the candle burning in front of them and put thoughts of each other out of their minds.
The room grew quiet with the exception of the quiet chanting of Melissa. It seemed to go on forever when suddenly Scully felt Melissa hand jerk and then loosen its grasp on hers.
"Angela" Melissa said very quietly "she is here. I am going to let her in."
Scully opened her eyes to see her sister carefully take the pendant off from around her neck.
She spoke again but this time her voice had a totally different quality about it. "Angela, it's me."
Angela looked at Melissa but was obviously seeing someone else. "Andrea I am so glad you're here. I have missed you."
Scully looked shocked at this interchange and glanced over at Mulder who looked on calmly.
"Andrea, I have some friends here today who would like to ask you some questions. Is that okay?"
"Who?" the voice sounded a touch angry.
"Fox is here. You remember him, don't you Andrea?"
"Yes, I remember Fox. I will talk to him."
Mulder swallowed hard and spoke "Andrea do you remember Paige?"
"Yes. Never liked her. She wouldn't let me stay the last time I tried to be with Angela."
"Did that make you mad?"
"Yes, but I am not so mad any more. Angela has found her own way to let me visit her. So I can visit her more often and stay longer."
"Were you visiting the night that Paige died?"
"I was at the party. It looked like fun."
"Did you do anything that night?"
"I knocked over a few drinks" the voice coming from Melissa chuckled at the memory
"Anything else?"
There was nothing but silence.
Melissa jerked again and shook her head as to clear it. "She's gone"
Everyone around the circle stretched a bit in the seats and waited. Just what they were all waiting for was unclear - perhaps they thought that Andrea would 'appear' again.
When it was obvious that she was not, Mulder cleared his throat, took a sip of water from his glass on the table and turned his attention to Angela.
"Angela" he started "what exactly did she mean when she said you had found a way for her to visit on your own?"
Angela shifted uncomfortably in her seat but said nothing.
"Angela dear" Melissa said calmly "you can tell us."
Angela looked around the table then set her eyes on Mulder assuming him to be the least judgmental.
"Fox, you know what it is like to loose a sister."
Mulder nodded at her and she continued. "It tears you apart. Believe me, it is even worse when you are a twin and you have spent your entire lives joined at the hip."
"I tried going to a variety of psychics looking for the best way to get in contact with Andrea. Some of them were able to get through to her, but it wasn't enough. I could hear her speak with their voice but I couldn't feel her, couldn't touch her."
Scully tried to suppress a sigh as she adjusted in her chair but she listened carefully.
"So I started doing some research into the subject. I traveled to places all over the country and spoke to tons of people who managed to do what I wanted to do. I finally was able to come up with the right spell."
Scully could keep silent no longer. "You mean to say that you used magic to summon your sister?"
"More or less yes. Basically the spell lets me bring her spirit forward and lets it reside here for several hours. I am not sure of the exact length of time. It seems to vary depending on the lunar cycle. The fuller the moon, the longer the visitation."
"And how often to you summon her?" Mulder asked.
"Every thirteen days. Thirteen was her favorite number."
"And what happens after she arrives?"
"We just hang together for the most part. She joins me in my body and we just enjoy being together. We just do normal things - all of which she appreciates so much more now. now that's she is dead."
Mulder paled a bit when he remembered that on the nights of two of the previous murders, he had been with Angela.
"Does she spend the entire time with you? I mean, during your more private moments?"
Angela frowned at him for a moment and then got his meaning. "No, I wouldn't let her share in everything I did. She liked to have time during each visit to just roam around. She would stay with me for a while and then go off on her own. It bothered me at first, but not any more since I know I will be seeing her again soon."
Melissa, who was listening very intently, reached across the table and took Angela's hand. "It was you who summoned her today not me, wasn't it?"
"Yes, I'm sorry - I got impatient"
"Don't worry about it." Melissa said placing her pendant on again.
Having heard enough for the present, the three FBI agents left for Mulder's office. They were all silent with their personal thoughts during the car ride back with the exception of Alex Krycek who kept trying to weasel Melissa's phone number out of Scully.
Once inside his office, Mulder could barely control his enthusiasm. "Do you believe that story? She actually summons her and then Andrea goes off and murders at will with Angela being none the wiser. Talk about the perfect crime."
Krycek too seemed to be excited about the idea. "Perfect it is - I mean how could you possibly prosecute? The murderer is already dead."
Scully listened to the two men ramble on with different theories before finally cutting in.
"Are you trying to tell me that you actually believe that Angela can perform some sort of mumbo jumbo and get her dead sister's spirit to pop into someone's body."
"You were there Scully. You saw it with your own two eyes."
"All I saw was my sister trying to make her friend feel better by pretending to be her dead sister. What we saw proves absolutely nothing."
"Does it have to be laid out in black and white for you to believe it Scully? What about what Angela said?"
Scully was about to respond but suddenly felt very tired. Knowing that she could easily debate this topic with Mulder for several more hours, she decided to call it quits for the day.
"Listen, it's late. I think I am going to call it a day. If it makes you feel any better I will hop on the internet when I get home and do some research on these spells. If I find anything relating to the case, I will let you know."
"Works for me Scully. See you tomorrow" and before Scully could leave the room Mulder and Krycek were busy with their hypothesis again. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
End of chapter eight - more coming soon! Please let me know what you think!!!
Scully, Krycek and Mulder spend the rest of the week talking to potential witnesses, making lists, comparing lists and making new lists. For all their efforts they found only one thing in common between all of the victims.
Angela.
Shortly before each of their deaths, Angela had spent time with each victim. According to the various appointment books and personal journals kept by each victim, the visits were all to serve the same purpose.
To contact her dead twin Andrea.
In Scully's mind, the fact that Angela had been in contact with each victim within a day of their murders made her a prime suspect.
Her theory was quickly shot down when, upon closer inspection of the facts in front of them, they realized that Angela had been with male company on the night of each murder.
"Are you sure that she can account for her whereabouts?" Scully asked Krycek and Mulder as she poured herself a cup of coffee. "How do you know that her lovers wouldn't lie for her?"
"I just don't think they would" Mulder protested.
"How can you be so sure?" Scully persisted.
"Because I was with her two of those nights and I can attest to the fact that she was otherwise occupied." Mulder snapped.
"Oh" Scully said feeling suddenly ashamed. "Sorry"
"Don't be" Mulder said forcing a smile. "It is your job to shoot holes in my theories just like it is mine to shoot holes in yours."
Through this entire exchange Krycek kept silent. He had long since learned to stay out of the range of fire when it came to the other two occupants of the room.
"So what else do we have to go on?" Scully said totally discouraged.
Krycek finally opened his mouth "Andrea."
This time Scully turned on Krycek. "Andrea. Do you actually think she killed all those people?"
Krycek was about to respond when Mulder cut him off. "There is only one way to find out"
"And how is that?"
"We'll ask her."
Scully still couldn't believe that she had let herself get talked into witnessing an attempt to contact some one who had died more than five years before.
She knew the only reason she allowed herself to be in the room was because it was Melissa who had agreed to try and make contact. Even though Scully felt the entire idea to be an incredible waste of time, she felt the need to be there just in case Melissa was in danger.
Melissa had greeted Mulder, Angela, Krycek and Scully when they entered the room.
When asked if she was nervous she shook her head and pointed to the large pendant hanging around her neck. "This stone keeps spirits from entering the body of its owner. I brought several others, would any of you like one?"
Everyone took one with the exception of Scully who looked at her sister like she had two heads when she was offered a stone. Mulder grabbed hers and threw it in his pocket - just in case.
Melissa turned down the lights and lit several very fragrant candles. She offered seats around the circular table to her guests. Only Scully hesitated about taking a seat but reluctantly joined the group sitting between Melissa and Mulder.
"Everyone join hands and try to clear your mind" Melissa said in a voice barely above a whisper.
Scully tried to clear her mind but was having a bit of difficulty. Apparently sitting next to Mulder hadn't been a very wise decision.
Mulder too was having similar distractions but soon they were both able to fixate on the candle burning in front of them and put thoughts of each other out of their minds.
The room grew quiet with the exception of the quiet chanting of Melissa. It seemed to go on forever when suddenly Scully felt Melissa hand jerk and then loosen its grasp on hers.
"Angela" Melissa said very quietly "she is here. I am going to let her in."
Scully opened her eyes to see her sister carefully take the pendant off from around her neck.
She spoke again but this time her voice had a totally different quality about it. "Angela, it's me."
Angela looked at Melissa but was obviously seeing someone else. "Andrea I am so glad you're here. I have missed you."
Scully looked shocked at this interchange and glanced over at Mulder who looked on calmly.
"Andrea, I have some friends here today who would like to ask you some questions. Is that okay?"
"Who?" the voice sounded a touch angry.
"Fox is here. You remember him, don't you Andrea?"
"Yes, I remember Fox. I will talk to him."
Mulder swallowed hard and spoke "Andrea do you remember Paige?"
"Yes. Never liked her. She wouldn't let me stay the last time I tried to be with Angela."
"Did that make you mad?"
"Yes, but I am not so mad any more. Angela has found her own way to let me visit her. So I can visit her more often and stay longer."
"Were you visiting the night that Paige died?"
"I was at the party. It looked like fun."
"Did you do anything that night?"
"I knocked over a few drinks" the voice coming from Melissa chuckled at the memory
"Anything else?"
There was nothing but silence.
Melissa jerked again and shook her head as to clear it. "She's gone"
Everyone around the circle stretched a bit in the seats and waited. Just what they were all waiting for was unclear - perhaps they thought that Andrea would 'appear' again.
When it was obvious that she was not, Mulder cleared his throat, took a sip of water from his glass on the table and turned his attention to Angela.
"Angela" he started "what exactly did she mean when she said you had found a way for her to visit on your own?"
Angela shifted uncomfortably in her seat but said nothing.
"Angela dear" Melissa said calmly "you can tell us."
Angela looked around the table then set her eyes on Mulder assuming him to be the least judgmental.
"Fox, you know what it is like to loose a sister."
Mulder nodded at her and she continued. "It tears you apart. Believe me, it is even worse when you are a twin and you have spent your entire lives joined at the hip."
"I tried going to a variety of psychics looking for the best way to get in contact with Andrea. Some of them were able to get through to her, but it wasn't enough. I could hear her speak with their voice but I couldn't feel her, couldn't touch her."
Scully tried to suppress a sigh as she adjusted in her chair but she listened carefully.
"So I started doing some research into the subject. I traveled to places all over the country and spoke to tons of people who managed to do what I wanted to do. I finally was able to come up with the right spell."
Scully could keep silent no longer. "You mean to say that you used magic to summon your sister?"
"More or less yes. Basically the spell lets me bring her spirit forward and lets it reside here for several hours. I am not sure of the exact length of time. It seems to vary depending on the lunar cycle. The fuller the moon, the longer the visitation."
"And how often to you summon her?" Mulder asked.
"Every thirteen days. Thirteen was her favorite number."
"And what happens after she arrives?"
"We just hang together for the most part. She joins me in my body and we just enjoy being together. We just do normal things - all of which she appreciates so much more now. now that's she is dead."
Mulder paled a bit when he remembered that on the nights of two of the previous murders, he had been with Angela.
"Does she spend the entire time with you? I mean, during your more private moments?"
Angela frowned at him for a moment and then got his meaning. "No, I wouldn't let her share in everything I did. She liked to have time during each visit to just roam around. She would stay with me for a while and then go off on her own. It bothered me at first, but not any more since I know I will be seeing her again soon."
Melissa, who was listening very intently, reached across the table and took Angela's hand. "It was you who summoned her today not me, wasn't it?"
"Yes, I'm sorry - I got impatient"
"Don't worry about it." Melissa said placing her pendant on again.
Having heard enough for the present, the three FBI agents left for Mulder's office. They were all silent with their personal thoughts during the car ride back with the exception of Alex Krycek who kept trying to weasel Melissa's phone number out of Scully.
Once inside his office, Mulder could barely control his enthusiasm. "Do you believe that story? She actually summons her and then Andrea goes off and murders at will with Angela being none the wiser. Talk about the perfect crime."
Krycek too seemed to be excited about the idea. "Perfect it is - I mean how could you possibly prosecute? The murderer is already dead."
Scully listened to the two men ramble on with different theories before finally cutting in.
"Are you trying to tell me that you actually believe that Angela can perform some sort of mumbo jumbo and get her dead sister's spirit to pop into someone's body."
"You were there Scully. You saw it with your own two eyes."
"All I saw was my sister trying to make her friend feel better by pretending to be her dead sister. What we saw proves absolutely nothing."
"Does it have to be laid out in black and white for you to believe it Scully? What about what Angela said?"
Scully was about to respond but suddenly felt very tired. Knowing that she could easily debate this topic with Mulder for several more hours, she decided to call it quits for the day.
"Listen, it's late. I think I am going to call it a day. If it makes you feel any better I will hop on the internet when I get home and do some research on these spells. If I find anything relating to the case, I will let you know."
"Works for me Scully. See you tomorrow" and before Scully could leave the room Mulder and Krycek were busy with their hypothesis again. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
End of chapter eight - more coming soon! Please let me know what you think!!!