Agents Reyes and Doggett both looked at their watches simultaneously. Mulder and Scully were both late, later than usual. The unmistakable sound of the elevator door opening rang out in the basement as the voices of Agents Mulder and Scully could be heard over the clicking of Scully's heels on the linoleum floor. A harried looking Scully and an amused Mulder came through the door.

Sorry we're late, Scully apologised. My car is in the shop and I had to call Agent Mulder for a lift. His car wouldn't start.

So I called AAA, and of course by the time they got there the car decided to behave and we had exactly two minutes to get here in morning rush hour. Mulder finished up.

Well we all seem to be having some car trouble this morning. My car is still in the shop from when that guy rear ended me last week, Reyes said.

Mulder smiled and was about to comment on it when he caught Scully's warning look, the one that said stop-now-while-you're-ahead. Thinking better of it, he closed his mouth obediently. For now.

We've got a new case, Doggett said, drawing the conversation to a more work related subject. He held up the file he and Reyes had been looking at earlier while waiting for Mulder and Scully to arrive. The local PD down in Russell, Georgia got a call from a Jonathan Price claiming that he had been injected with some kind of serum that was making him younger.

Younger in what way? Scully asked, thinking hard, already analysing the situation. After all if it were a joke, then the four of them would look very stupid and have to answer questions to Kersh. None of them wanted to face him.

It doesn't say exactly. He just claimed that he was becoming younger every minute.

The man who he is accusing of injecting him is a Dr. Plant, said Reyes.

Dr. Maurice Plant? Asked Scully recognition crossing her face. Doggett looked at the file, checking the full name.

Yeah, you know him?

He was a well-known government scientist searching for a way to slow the ageing process. The last I heard he was stripped of his title and thrown out of the government for performing illegal experiments on humans.

Well if it is him there this man could be the victim of some kind of experiment, said Doggett, looking around at the other three agents in the room.

Well what are we waiting for? Lets get going, Mulder said. How are we travelling, air, car, bus or train?

Car. The Bureau has decided to cut back on our funds ... Again, Monica answered while packing some files away into her briefcase.

Alright. Lets meet back here in an hour, Dana suggested and everyone agreed.

::Later::

Come on, start. Start! Mulder leaned down so that his face was level with the steering wheel. I promise I'll get your oil changed and give you a good washing when we get back if you just start please!

The engine gave a pathetic wheeze and died completely. He turned and looked pathetically at Dana. She was trying not to laugh at his technique to get his car to start. Talking to it.

I don't think the car heard you. She joked.

It did, it is just being a pain in the backside! Mulder exclaimed as he rested his head on the steering wheel.

I think I better call John, looks like we're all in the same car, Dana said as she took out her mobile and started dialling.

A whole car trip with the stubborn dog. Mulder chuckled. He'd have to remember that nickname for later.

Don't be so mean to him, She quickly said before someone answered on the other end of the phone. Hey John its Dana ... we would be on our way but Mulder's car has decided not to work ... we're still outside my apartment ... okay ... see you in a few ... bye. And then she hung up. Dana turned to Mulder who still had his head on the steering wheel. John said he'll be here in about 10 minutes, he and Monica were already waiting for us at the office. They're going to pick us up and then we'll go straight from here.

What I wouldn't give for a car that actually worked and was that was a nice sports car.

You going through a mid-life crises?

Hey! I'm not that old ... And no I was just thinking about this sweet car I wanted when I was 18, red convertible with a killer sound system.

Well if you start saving up now, maybe you could buy it when you retire.

Oh yeah I could just see me in my seventies in a hot red sports car.

As long as I get shot gun I don't care how old we are.

Ten minutes later a car pulled up behind Mulder and Dana's car. It was John and Monica. Mulder and Dana stepped out of the car and picked up their luggage from the boot. They quickly placed it in the boot of John's car and hopped into the back seat.

So what's wrong with your car? John asked as he pulled out into the road and started driving.

The fact that it wouldn't start was a slight problem. Mulder answered with a slight annoyed tone in his voice.

And no amount of bargaining would start it back up. Dana stated. Monica turned around in her seat and looked at her strangely.

She asked.

Mulder promised the car an oil change and a wash if it started, but it didn't work. John and Monica both started laughing.

Thank you Scully, Mulder said, deadpan and sarcastic as ever. Scully gave him an apologetic smile and put her hand on his knee.

You're welcome.

So how far is it from here to Russell, Georgia? Monica asked as they stopped at a red light.

Shouldn't be more than 7 hours, John replied.

Mulder leaned over so he could whisper in Scully's ear.


::11 hours later::

The Ford Taurus slid smoothly into the motel parking lot, the lights from the streetlights playing on the shiny black exterior. Reyes turned the keys and the rumbling of the engine ceased. She turned around in her seat and looked at Scully who nodded once. Monica flashed a devious smile at her before reaching over to turn the radio on. Classical music poured out of the speakers so faintly it was hard to hear it. With the press of a button, the station turned to a hard rock channel. Quickly she turned the volume up to maximum and yelled, Wake up boys!

Both Mulder and Doggett bolted upright, Mulder from Scully's lap and Doggett from the window. What are you trying to do woman? Make us deaf? yelled Mulder, hands clapped firmly over his ears. Doggett reach over and shut off the offending music.

Thanks for the wake-up call Mon.

Scully unbuckled her seat belt and opened the car door, stretching her cramped muscles from the long drive. Come on, we've got an early morning tomorrow and it's already 9:30. We're meeting with Detective Riley tomorrow morning at 8 am sharp.

Mulder got out of the car as well and went inside to check them in as the others grabbed their bags out of the trunk. An uneasy feeling crept into Scully's stomach as she saw Mulder's face when he came back out to the car.

Damn clerk got our reservations mixed up. We have one room with two twin beds and no couch. They don't have any cots and the best they can offer us is some extra bed sets and pillows. There is no other motel hotel around here for 30 miles leaving us stranded effectively in the middle of Nowheresville, USA.

Shall we draw straws to see who gets the beds? Doggett asked dryly.

Wonderful. A three-hour traffic delay outside of DC and now this. What next? Scully asked rhetorically. Nobody answer that, she added, looking especially at Mulder, who held his hands up in defence.

Well we may as well see the room. Then we can draw the straws, Monica said, heading toward the door Mulder indicated.

In the end Doggett and Reyes got the two twin beds that night and Mulder and Scully slept on the floor. Unbeknownst to them, someone lurking in the shadows in the parking lot watched the unfolding scene with growing interest.