Reference Information: If you are unfamiliar with any characters or facts in this fanfic, check the Appendix. It should be the very last chapter of the fanfic.
Chapter Two - The Investigation
23 Bay Street
Arlington, VA
May 21st, 2002
8:25 AM
An odd spectacle greeted the two FBI agents as Mulder and Scully walked into the house. The door was ripped off its hinges violently, its frame almost completely shattered. Several police officers were at the door, dusting for fingerprints. Mulder quickly led Scully into the room and pointed to the two burnt bodies embedded in the wall underneath a broken window. He turned to look at Scully.
"What do you make of this, Scully?"
"It looks to me to be some sort of an accident involving an explosion," replied Scully.
"Look closer, Scully. What do you see?" Mulder stepped towards the broken window and motioned for Scully to follow him.
"Well, I see a broken window. And two bodies apparently thrown into the wall due to a strong force applied against them. It makes sense that there was an explosion, Mulder, especially with the burns on the bodies," said Scully, surveying the scene.
"But if there was an explosion... Where's the debris? Something had to have exploded, but so far, all I can see is the broken glass from the windows, and fragments from the wall. Besides, when have you ever seen an explosion that only went in one direction?" Mulder walked back towards the center of the room and began to examine the floor. "And check this out, Scully," said Mulder, pointing to the faint outline of chalk on the floor. "A pentagram."
Scully raised her eyebrow. "So what are you suggesting, Mulder? A link to the occult? Satanism?"
"That may very well be, Scully," replied Mulder. Before he could elaborate any further, a police officer walked up to them with an evidence bag containing portions of a burned arrow in his hand.
"Agent Mulder? We found part of an arrow lying on the ground near the entrance. Looks like it was broken off while someone was trying to escape."
"An arrow?" Mulder took the bag and examined its contents carefully. The arrow had an antiquated feel to it, and it certainly didn't seem like a standard arrow that a modern archer would use.
"What is that, Mulder?" asked Scully as she walked over to him.
"I think that we may have a suspect here, Scully. An archer, apparently."
"An archer? Satanism? Well, this X-file just gets better every day," remarked Scully wryly. "Any ideas on what anyone could possibly be doing with an arrow, and presumably a bow? I mean, it's not exactly a conventional weapon."
"That's it!" Mulder snapped his fingers and grinned at Scully. "C'mon, let's go!"
"Where are we going, Mulder? What about the investigation?" protested Scully as Mulder pulled her towards the door. Mulder hastily stuffed the evidence bag back in the hands of the police officer and told him to fingerprint the arrow. Then, he ran out the door with Scully and stopped in front of the house next door.
"Mulder?" Scully was starting to get a sinking feeling in her stomach. "What are you doing?"
"Don't worry, Scully. I know what I'm doing," he replied, still grinning from ear to ear.
FBI Headquarters
Washington, D.C.
May 21st, 2002
11:45 AM
"I can't believe that we just went door-to-door asking about a guy carrying a bow and arrow, Mulder," complained Scully as she sat down on her chair, exhausted.
"It worked, didn't it? We've got a description!" exclaimed Mulder.
"Mulder, that description doesn't even make any sense! A guy with long blond hair carrying a bow, and a quiver of arrows, dressed up like Robin Hood?"
"Hey, there are plenty of weirdos in this world," said Mulder.
"Yeah, no kidding," said Scully, looking at Mulder and laughing.
"Hey! I resemble that comment."
"Seriously, though, Mulder. This doesn't seem right. How can some strange Robin Hood wanna-be be involved with the deaths of two high school girls?"
"Whether he's involved with their deaths or not, he was definitely at the scene of the crime. We need to track him down and at least take his statement on what he saw."
"Fine, you do that, Mulder. I still say this is nothing more than a freak accident. I don't even know why you're calling it a crime scene."
"I'm gonna go check the local hospitals to see if anyone fitting that description has checked in. Do you wanna go check out the victims' backgrounds at their high school?"
"Sure. Good luck, Mulder!" said Scully as she prepared to head out.
"You too, Scully!" Mulder still sat in his chair, chewing on a newly-opened bag of sunflower seeds. "Oh, by the way, can you get me that phone book from that drawer over there?"
Scully rolled her eyes and left the office. Mulder will just have to get that phone book himself.
Baker Street
Arlington, VA
May 21st, 2002
3:30 PM
Ash walked down the street towards Sparky's store, deep in thought. That lady FBI agent had been talking to her at lunchtime, asking about Candace and Daisy's involvement in satanism, of all things. She'd heard in the news this morning about some sort of accident involving the two, but she didn't quite link it to their attempt to conjure up Legolas. She frowned slightly. Jesus, I hope they didn't actually conjure up Melkor or anything like that.
She shook her head and laughed. OK, Ash, you're starting to get paranoid. Knowing those idiots, they probably set themselves on fire when lighting the candles or something. In fact, it'd be just like them to do something that stupid.
She finally arrived at the front door of Sparky's shop. Just as she was about to enter, she noticed that all the lights inside seemed to be extra bright today. What the hell? Is Sparky's store on fire or something? The ground underneath her feet began to rumble and she was almost thrown off her balance. Not wasting another second, Ash quickly took off in the opposite direction.
Ash covered her head as fragments of glass flew everywhere around her. What the hell is going on?! Then, she heard a snarling sound behind her. Oh, shit! She tried to run faster, but whatever was chasing her began to gain ground.
Ash screamed in pain as she was flung onto the ground, and sharp claws raked down the length of her back. The last thing she could hear was the clamor of the other pedestrians and someone yelling the word, "Orc!"