* * * * * *
The phone in my office rang. It was a shrill ring, breaking the relative silence in the room. There was nothing but the sound of my fingers hitting the keys of a typewriter, in my silent, empty home. I didn't use much of my home, mostly just my office. I didn't have anyone to be with. I woke up in my bedroom, ate in the kitchen, and did paperwork in my office. Of course, not all of the typing was paperwork, but the incessant rejection letters from publication companies were discouraging my writing. I blew the cigarette smoke from my lips and reached for the telephone.
"Hello," I said.
"It's Agent Vass," the voice on the other end replied.
"Ah, Agent Vass. Nice to hear from you. Where are you?"
"In Pennsylvania with Agent Mulder. Someone's tipped him off on some factory in Allentown. He's been rambling about this syndicate... Look, what have you gotten me into? You said I'd get promoted, no big deal."
"I know, and I'll keep my word. Of course, you must debunk Agent Mulder."
"That's not an easy task, Sir. He's got nothing to lose now. He lost his partnership with Agent Scully, and apparently that strained their romantic relationship, which he also seems to have lost. If he's fired, it won't make much difference, as he's said that he won't stop looking. He doesn't fear for his own life, as he's miserable without her. He feared his life before, because he knew she'd be crushed if he died… but now that they've been fighting--he thinks he's invincible."
"He's got nothing to lose when he isn't working beside her," I said, understanding my own fatal mistake.
"That's right," she replied.
"And that makes him search for answers all the more vehemently."
"It does," she agreed.
"Then I'll have to set things right. Your services have been greatly appreciated, Miss Vass."
"Look, I don't even know your name," she began.
"Nobody does," I told her simply. I was lucky I remembered it. Recently, my name had been limited to endearments like the Black Lunged Bastard, or Cancer Man.
"I'm somewhat afraid you got me into a big mess," she said.
"I clean messes up very well, Miss Vass, you can be sure of that. Don't worry, you'll get your promotion. And as for the factory Mulder has stumbled upon, it will be taken care of as well. Just go to sleep and in the morning you'll see that all has been set right with the world."
"Whatever you say," she replied.
"Don't try calling this line again, the number'll have been changed," I told her. "Nice doing business with you," I added, before setting the phone down on it's cradle.
Ah, I had been foolish to believe separating them would end their quest. Without her, Mulder had nothing to lose. I could see him in my mind, frantically thinking his precious proof would get her back. Well, this would have to be fixed. Firstly, I couldn't have him stumbling upon this factory. Too much was at stake to be exposed now. Then, I'd have Kersh reassign a certain red-headed agent to the X-files.
It always felt powerful knowing I held these lives in my hand. I had split them up, and I could put them together. Kersh would do what I told him to do. I was the master of the universe at times, and nobody would ever know. And for what? My life read like a novel, but nobody would publish it. Was I happy? It didn't matter. My choice had been made and the power was what I really wanted. I smoked my cigarette down to the filter and put it out in the ash try, beside its many fallen brothers.
Tiredly I picked up the phone, on my way to setting things right with the world, once again.
* * * * * *
I stood before the factory with Agent Vass, my mouth hanging agape like some kind of idiot. Scratch that, we stood before the place where the factory WAS. It was burned down while I was sleeping. There was this expression that I could just read off of Vass' face... She must've been working for Cancer Man, but never have expected it to go this far. I was a profiler, for Christ's sake, I could tell her her own story. She was a green agent, and he told her he could get her moving up the ladder. All she had to was make me look like an asshole, no difficult task, really, and that was it. She never had suspected it would end in arson.
"Let's go," I muttered, heading towards the car.
She said nothing, but followed me.
Once we began driving, I broke the silence. "So what did you tell you? Did he use his, 'I don't have a name' line on you? Or did you never even bother to ask?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," she said.
"You're a bad liar, Agent Vass," I told her. "If it's any consolation I don't think anyone was killed in the fire. I know, you didn't know he'd do that. You don't understand how deep his power goes. He's ruined my life, Vass, and he could've done it to you. You're young and stupid, and he must've promised you something pretty good. All you had to was work with a crackpot and make him look like one, which isn't difficult when he goes around talking about UFOs and little green men. So you agreed. Who could it hurt? Only the entire world, of course. That's what this is. That's what *he* is. Whether you ever admit it to me or not, I don't care, but I *know* who you are working for. I *know* that you ruined my chance at finding the truth--HER TRUTH! Do you know all the things HE had done to her, Agent Vass?" I was finding myself angrier and angrier. "I'll tell you what they did. I'll let you know who you're fucking around with. God, they almost killed her. They took her from me, and did tests... She turned up almost dead, just the sight of her... And they had put this chip in her neck. When she took it out, she got cancer. She almost died AGAIN because of those bastards. I know you didn't know that, I know it seems enticing to believe him--I almost went to work for him when she was dying. They didn't stop there, you know. Her health turned around with another chip, and the cancer's gone into remission. That's not all, Agent Vass. She can't have children because of them. They made a child, the same kind that factory tried to produce, with her eggs, only for it to die. They let the child find her, they let her *love* her little girl, only after they'd used her as a fucking lab rat! Only when they were done with her, only when she could die. I hope he gives you what he promised you, Agent Vass, because I wouldn't want you to ruin my chance at righting all of this for nothing." My tirade over, I glanced to see her silently sitting still.
Her eyes were wet with tears and she responded, "You're right. I didn't know. I didn't know."
The rest of the ride passed in silence.