Discovery Park Seattle, Washington
17th December 2004 5.40AM
The water was cold and did little to help his fingers move smoothly over the skin of the body below him. Loud banging could be heard and he cursed his son for his inability to understand the word "silently". The body moved a little dragging his attention back to the crumpled form that lay beneath his feet. He lowered himself to straddle the man lying beneath him and with his knees, holding the body in place, he poured the cold water over the closed face.
Shock registered immediately with the body causing it to struggle to breath, but finally catching air in short sharp stabs of breath that covered his face in small puffs of air in the cold morning darkness. He fought against the restraints of the knees over his arms but it was useless, he could already feel his body shivering under the cool water. The bucket landed with a clatter behind him and he turned to call his son. Footsteps across the hardened mud approached dragging the long plank of wood behind it.
"Here...hold this."
He handed out the hammer to his son who slipped it into a brown leather tool belt. Fear registered in the eyes below him, but he placed his palm on his forehead and muttered beneath his breath words the shivering body recognised as Arabic. But before he could try to understand what was being, said the hand grabbed his shoulder and pulled him into a sitting position only to push him back down onto the plank the son had slipped beneath him.
From behind his hands were grabbed and held in place tied with an old frayed rope. He had a momentary reprieve at the thought that they were only going to use the rope, but it was dashed at the sight of the box of nails that sat by his shoulder.
He wanted to scream but all the air he pushed past his throat came out silently, his lips stilled not opening into the wide yell and his head remained motionless against the wood.
"Hail Holy Mary, mother of God."
The first nail was driven through his wrist with a surprising lack of pain but then he realised it wasn't the only thing he couldn't feel. Nothing was registering as he tried to wriggle his toes, lick his lips or even blink. He could feel the warm blood seeping from the wound collecting in the palm of his hand and he almost welcomed the warmth.
Soon the second nail went into the other wrist and the ropes were taken away. He heard the movements around him and tried to follow them with his eyes, but the paralysis seemed to stop even them from moving. Standing over his head looking down on him from behind, he was met with the cruel sneer on the all to familiar face but even the shock couldn't be registered on his stilled features. Hands reached down to him with light glinting of the metal in the small light from the torch in the son's hand. He could barely make out the spikes in the coiled metal until they came closer and were wrapped around his forehead. He wanted to scream with expected pain, but his face remained unmoving and the pain was nonexistent.
"Like this Dad?" The son's voice was behind him but he couldn't see what he was talking about.
"Yeah. Stick it in and up but not too far."
He felt his body moving with a force from his left side but without the feeling of pain he couldn't tell what it was. Suddenly the whole world shook and he felt himself being dragged across the wet grass. A light rain began to fall and he blinked the drops from his eyelashes. Air rushed out of his lungs and he found his chest moving slowly with deep breaths. The ability to move his head returned with sharp stinging pain as he rolled his head against the wood, pushing the barbed wire deeper into his skull.
He felt the wood moving and blinked his eyes again as they pushed the cross up higher and planted it in the hole that the son had just dug. His wrists tingled in pain as the feeling returned and he was surprised to feel his feet also nailed to the wood. His side burned with hot liquid pain with warm blood seeping from the open wound there.
"Shall I crucify your King?"
Looking down he saw his friend staring up at him, his bible in hand and his eyes open and smiling. He was scared and confused and he couldn't understand why he was doing this to him.
"Lets get out of here Dad."
He watched in despair still unable to call out, as the pain got stronger with every beat of his heart, he watched them walk away into the darkness.
Washington DC
17th December 2004 7.30AM
Most mornings on the cross-town journey to work, Dana Scully cursed Henry Ford for the mass production of the automobile. But this morning with heavy snow convincing most of the DC patrons to stay at home she cruised easily into work. Parking her car in the all but empty garage she jumped up and pulled her coat tighter around her body. A smile curved her lips as she strolled through the large white flakes, enjoying their cool sting as they melted against her forehead.
As a girl she would have danced in the falling slivers of snow facing the sky with her mouth open wide in anticipation of the clear snowy taste, a humble gift from God to clear the land, her mother would call it. But as she approached the main entrance to the FBI building she decided against the childish dance.
It was a cold Friday morning in Washington and with the heavy snowfall, she didn't expect to see the usual throng of agents inside, but she was surprised at the desertedness of the halls. Flashing her badge at the young security man she pinned her ID to her collar as she stepped through the metal detector.
"Nice to see someone decided to come in." She looked up to see AD Skinner walking out of the communal coffee room by the reception shaking thick snowflakes from his jacket and juggling a steaming cup of coffee and his case in his hands.
"Quiet?"
"Morgue."
She allowed a small chuckle to slip past her lips but as she caught up to him and he locked eyes with her, he saw no reaction to her mirth.
"What case are you working up in ATF?"
"Gleeson case. We're still at the surveillance stage. AD Jackson won't move on the warrant until we've collect a tonne of evidence." "Yes I was speaking to him yesterday. I hope you don't mind." They arrived at the bank of elevators and Skinner punched the button with the base of his palm.
"Concerning the Gleeson case?"
"Somewhat."
Her silence was enough to make him wary as he stepped into the elevator car and held the door open for her to follow. She hesitated for a second, not long enough to make an issue but just for him to acknowledge her delay.
"A case has come to my attention and I wanted to assign you to it." He had said it so non-chalantly as he reached out and hit the buttons for the third and fifth floor that it took a second for his words to sink in.
As the car started with a slight jolt, she whipped her head round to face him fully. He glanced up at the lighted floor numbers on the top of the door and prayed for the elevator to speed up.
"A case?"
"An X file."
"The X files were shut down over three and a half years ago, Sir." She enunciated the title so stoically that it left no doubt in his mind as to her displeasure.
"There may not be a department for the X files Scully, but that doesn't mean that all the cases disappeared."
With a resonate ding the elevator came to rest on the third floor and he stepped out keeping his foot in the way of the door. Steam from the coffee curled in front of him in danger of disrupting his vision, but he ignored it lowering his hand to get it out of the way.
"What did AD Jackson say?" Skinner held back his triumphant smile knowing that if her curiosity had been piqued she couldn't be too mad at him.
"He agreed to release you and Agent McLane to take a look at the case."
"What is it anyway?"
"A murder in Seattle. Killer left a note. The local PD are stumped and they requested help."
"I don't know, sir."
"Think about it, talk to McLane. Come up to my office at 2 and we'll talk."
Releasing the heavy doors he stepped back and watched as they closed with a heavy thud. She rode up to the fifth floor and quietly stepped through the empty bullpen making her way to the large office she shared with her partner David McLane. She was thankful David hadn't made it in yet as she rested her case on the desk and slowly slid into her chair.
An X file, she thought with a sigh. Three years she spent working diligently for the Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms Department, burying herself in her work in an effort to forget the X files and then she finds one handed to her on a silver platter. And now she realised it was all for nothing. She'd never forget, she wasn't even sure if she wanted to.
With her elbows on the table and her hands held up to cover her face, her only warning of David's impending arrival was the tuneless whistle he seemed to carry everywhere. He bustled through the office door wrapped in a cold breeze that dissipated quickly in the heated room.
"Brrrrr," he said loudly with a smile. "It is dammed cold out there Dana."
"I noticed."
"And did J Edgar declare a holiday and not tell us?" he continued oblivious to her sombre mood as he tossed his coat onto the coat rack.
"Come on, don't tell me you weren't tempted to stay in bed?" she asked forcing a smile to curve her lips.
"Of course I was but I am the responsible type! I braved the wintery conditions to spend the day in here listening to Gleeson's phone calls with you Dana!"
"Janet gone back to Boston for the Weekend?" "Yes." He slumped heavily into his chair with an exaggerated sigh making her laugh.
Turning on his computer he worked silently for a while before standing and declaring it time for tea. In all the years that they had worked together, no matter the situation or the location David always found time for tea at 11.30. He scratched his chin as he crossed the room and left without a word. The bull pen had remained empty with most Agents opting to call in or go straight to field assignments, so it wasn't long before he returned placing a coffee in front of her and sitting on the corner of her desk.
"So do you want to tell me about it?" he urged, blowing the steam away from his cup as he took a long sip.
"What?"
"What ever is playing on your mind?"
Her mind reeled with possible defensive remarks but her lips didn't seem to want to co-operate. Holding the cup with both hands she leaned back in her chair and glanced up at him.
"I spoke with AD Skinner this morning."
"Skinner?"
"He asked me to look at a case...us to look at a case." David nodded his head with a little sway, rocking it like a dashboard toy.
"What did you say?"
"I told him I'd think about it. Jackson has given us the all clear to take it if we want. He says that we'll need a lot more evidence on Gleeson before he looks for the warrant, and that Keats can head it up for a while."
"Nice to know they have our replacements already lined up." She smiled at his joke and sipped her hot coffee again, savouring the sour taste and searching for the right words. "What kind of case is it?"
"Murder case...an X file."
"You don't want to take it?"
"I'm not sure I want to go down that path again David." She put her cup on the table and dry washed her face with both hands.
"It's been four years since he left Dana."
"Doesn't make it hurt any less." Her voice was so low that he strained to hear it, but as he realised what she said he couldn't argue. What little Dana had shared with him had been painful for her and he wouldn't do anything to make her go through it again. Letting the silence envelop them for a moment, he gave her enough time to reign back in her emotions before standing and placing a warm gentle hand on her shoulder, giving her a squeeze.
"What ever you decide Dana. I'll back you either way." She covered his hand with her own and smiled up at him with watery eyes.
"Thanks David." He gave her another little squeeze before leaving and closing the door behind him.
The silence blared in her ears making her all the more aware of how alone she felt. Even after four long years without him she could still smell the faint hint of his cologne, still feel the warm welcome weight of his hand resting on the small of her back, and hear his low husky laugh very caressing her ears. His ghost haunted her every night, tempering her dreams and thoughts without release.
Maybe it was time she fought back she decided as she reached for her coffee and sipped it again. Maybe it was time she did some haunting of her own.
Georgetown Apartment
17th December 2004 8.05 PM
Scully raced from the car through the crunchy snow and let herself into the relative warmth of her apartment. Slamming the door, she dropped her case by the couch and pounced on the ringing phone.
"Hello?" she said breathlessly.
"Hey the caller is supposed to be the heavy breather not the receiver!" "I was running in from the snow, David."
"Sure Dana. I wont keep you I just wanted to let you know I spoke with Detective Gary Shane from the precinct in Seattle and he is delighted that we will be coming. He's arranged for accommodation to be ready for us and a rental at the airport."
"Doesn't he know the bureau usually handle all that?"
"He insisted Dana. Anyway I better get cracking if I want to make the flight. See you at the airport."
She hung up the phone and paused for a moment, her hand frozen on the receiver. The day had passed in a blur after her conversation with Skinner. Having decided to take the case, both she and David went up for the review in Skinners office and agreed on a plan of attack. Although it was Skinner who requested her presence on the case, he seemed almost reluctant to give it to her in the end.
The blue light from the fish tank blinked on and off dragging her attention back to the room. She walked over and tipped in a little food watching as the small fish raced to the surface to grab what they could before she raced herself to the bathroom to shower.
After changing and packing, she locked her apartment and slipped a small note under her neighbour's door to let her know she'd be gone and that the fish would need to be fed. It was a tough drive to the airport and she was glad when it was over, half expecting the flight to be cancelled due to the weather. David met her by the check in desk and they went straight to the departure after handing in their luggage.
"You okay? You seem a little distracted. Second thoughts?"
"Second, third, tenth...a million!" He slipped a heavy arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer to him as they queued to take their seats.
"Don't worry Dana."
"I'll be fine. So what was Det Shane like?" she asked as she slid into the window seat and he stowed their coats over head.
"It seems the Seattle police force are up in arms over this case." "What do you mean?" Her gaze that had been drawn to the irregular patterns the falling snow was making on the thick Plexiglas window turned to him, as he got comfortable in the small seat. At a healthy 6'2, David often complained that the Bureau should pay for first class tickets to accommodate his needs but seemed disinclined to do so today.
"Two Detectives on the case arguing as to the methods to take on the investigation."
"One wanted to call the Bureau?"
"The other didn't." He said turning to face her with his head leaning against the top of the headrest. "You look tired Dana. Why don't you get some sleep?" She smiled at him and couldn't help but relax a little with his wide frame all but protecting her from the other passengers.
"No that's okay. I wanted to read through the case file."
"Okay well I got a shoulder here that has your name on it if you change your mind."
Scully reached into the pocket of the chair in front of her and pulled out the small case file to read. Victim named Jared Wilks aged 33. Died from severe head wounds after a beating with several blunt objects. She flicked through to the back of the folder to see the coroner's photos of the body and a pile of rocks that sat next to it.
Her eyes scanned the photo seeing the open and glazed eyes stare back at her making her turn back to the report. The victim had been missing for 12 nights before a jogger on the beach uncovered the body. Nailed to the victim's chest was a small metal plate with an inscription carved neatly into its centre.
"Let he who is without sin, Cast the first stone." Without realising it her fingers reached out to touch the small printed words on the smooth white paper, her lips miming the words as she read it over and over again.
"David did you..." Glancing up to address him she saw his eyes had closed over and his mouth hung open a little. After his offer to let her sleep, it was he who gave in to the tiredness and it made her smile as she went back to reading the file.
The Sleepy Hallow Inn Seattle, Washington.
18th December 2004 8.06 AM
"I haven't slept that well in ages!" David declared as they walked from their rooms to the black rented sedan. He held the door open as she sat in and quickly raced through the light rain around to the driver's side.
"Was it the pastel colours? Or the soothing floral print on the duvet? Perhaps the nature scene paintings?" she jibed hiding a yawn.
"I don't know and I don't care none either!" he said laughing with her as they drove to the police station. He was delighted to see her in a marginally better mood, and even though she had immaculately applied her make up. They had worked together long enough for him to be able to see through any façade she might put up in an effort to hide her tiredness. She stifled a second yawn as they pulled into a car space and walked into the station.
"Detective Gary Shane?" David asked the desk sergeant.
"He's in interview room one at the moment. But he's on his own so you can go right on in. Down the hall second on your left."
David glanced at Scully as they walked away and he offered her a small smile. Knocking lightly before opening the door he was surprised at the force from the other end that pulled it open and out of his hand.
"Det Shane?"
"Yes, yes...Gary Shane. Are you from the FBI?" a heavyset man in a badly fitted suit approached them eagerly, holding out his hand.
"Special Agent David McLane and this is Special Agent Dana Scully."
Their hands were shaken vigorously by Shane who ushered them back out to the station lobby.
"There has been another murder."
"Where?"
"Body was found this morning out in Discovery Park."
It was a quick drive to the park and Shane filled them in on what little he'd found out about the murder scene. It was bustling with police activity already cordoned off with bright yellow police tape. A young officer held it up as they walked through and Scully watched as she spied David straying over to the coroner, retrieving his ever-present note pad from his breast pocket. She couldn't suppress the smile that curved her lips slightly as she turned her attention back to Shane. They weaved their way through the cars and trees to walk into an open hilled green area the sight of which stole her breath away. On the top of the middle hill stood a large crucifix, the victim, as of yet unknown, nailed to it,
Her feet suddenly felt heavy, as her eyes took in the battered body complete with crown of barbed wire and bloody wound to his side. As if sensing her shock, Det Shane gently touched her elbow.
"You read about it but it aint nothing till you see it."
The warm clasp of his fingers seemed to jolt her back to business. Four officers were just lowering the crucifix to the ground as they approached and she stopped almost 10 feet away. They lay it flat on the top of the hill and stalled as one by one they walked away, save for one man who hunched by the victims head, examining more closely the crown of barbed wire that was coiled tightly around his head, piercing the skin in different areas.
"Do we have an identification?" she asked her voice barely above a whisper.
"We're running prints but the forensic team just gave us the go ahead to move the body."
"I'd like to do an autopsy."
"We have a staff pathologist-."
"No I'd like to do it if that's okay." Her voice was stern but her eyes remained transfixed on the body before her.
"Agent Scully?"
Turning, she spotted David rushing over to her and noted the moment his eyes saw the victim. His face visibly paled but he regained his composure commendably as he turned to her.
"I spoke to the coroner about a facility for your autopsy. He said he'll arrange it and call us when it's ready."
"Thank you."
"Who found the body this time?" he asked Shane as the three made the final few steps to stand over the body. The hunched figure remained at the head one latex gloved hand carefully touching the coil of barbed wire.
"An anonymous tip," Shane said ominously.
"A body is crucified in a city centre park and left for what looks to be at least over 20 hours...and the only witness is an anonymous tip?" Scully's voice was incredulous with disbelieve at the facts before her. "You're telling me no one saw this man here?"
Shane looked sheepishly at the man who was bent before them but slowly the stranger stood up, keeping his back to his now rapt audience as he peeled the gloves off.
"The eyes sometimes see what they want to see regardless of the facts before them."
Expecting a quick retort from Scully the brunt of which he'd often been on the receiving end of, David turned to her only to see the blood drain from her face, taking her frown with it and leaving her with an expression of disbelief. The voice was so hauntingly familiar to her it made her breath catch in her throat with an audible gasp as he turned to face them.
"Detective Williams I presume?" David said extending his hand.
"This is Special Agent David McLane and Special Agent Dana Scully from the Washington DC Office," Shane said indicating each one in turn.
"Frank Williams." After shaking hands with David, Williams reached out to Scully who was stood still, staring at him, her eyes unblinking, frozen and confused. His hand hovered between them for a second before he reached it up to scratch an out of place goatee; a rueful expression on his face. "Any more plates?" David asked stepping towards the body in a physical attempt to pull the attention away from his partner. With a final lingering look at Scully, Williams turned with him towards the body, a surreptitious glance falling over the tall FBI Agent beside him.
"Yes." He pointed to the small plate nailed over the victim's head on the cross. "Shall I crucify your King?"
The conversation carried on without her input as she stood silently on the outskirts of reality, words swimming past her without depth or meaning. All she could see was the oddly recognizable grey eyes, knowing something was wrong but unable to figure it out. His voice sang a song in her head she longed to hear for so long and yet she could do nothing to answer it.
"And no leads were recovered by the forensic team?"
"Nothing obvious. A lot of stuff is still being checked out," Williams turned to face David fully, his hands resting languidly on his hips as if he was bored with the conversation.
"I understand. It's a huge process." David glanced over at her and a wave of worry washed over him at the stiff stance she was holding, her mouth closed tightly almost hiding her lips completely. "The phone call, was it recorded?"
"All calls to the emergency board are recorded," Shane stepped in eager to give something to the group. "It was traced to a phone booth at the entrance to the park."
"No prints found there?"
"This is a park." Williams's anger was obvious, David's calm tone of voice only aggravating him. "I don't know how it goes in Washington but a lot of people visit this park on a daily basis, a lot of them use the phone."
"Maybe not so many people visit it, if it took over a day for the body to be discovered."
Williams shifted his weight onto the other foot as he took a breath in through his clenched teeth, but before it could escalate further David's mobile rang. "Excuse me." He stepped out of the group and walked towards a clearing, one hand holding the phone to his ear, the other gesturing in circles as he walked. Shane glanced over at Scully who had lowered her gaze to the body before her.
"We'll have that ready for you as soon as we can Agent Scully."
"Thank you eh, Det...Shane." Without affording him another glance she turned on her heel and walked past Williams back towards her car taking more than a few deep-steadying breaths.
With her heart racing, thudding mercilessly against her chest, she sat into the car and watched through the rain rivulets on the windscreen as Detective Williams headed for a different car parked near a crowd of reporters. An officer approached him, handing him a sheet of paper. They laughed about something she'd never hear and her heart lurched at the sight of his smile. Her deep breaths were shaky but stopped suddenly as his head whipped round and their eyes locked. He paused in the rain, his car door hanging open and with one foot in it he looked straight through the crowds spotting her with ease in the passenger seat of the car. For a moment she wondered if he would approach her but with an almost imperceptible nod he stepped in and drove off.
"Dana!" David said through the glass and with a sharp knock making her jump her hands flinching off her lap. She rolled down the window and he leaned in a deep frown on his face. "You okay? You seem a little out of it."
"I'm fine." Her tone of voice left no room for argument, so even without believing her he let it be.
"I was speaking to the coroner and he said the body will be ready for autopsy at St Mary's in half an hour."
"Good."
"I'll drop you off."
He walked around the car and sat in, pulling away without another word. Scully watched the unfamiliar buildings go by, all of it suddenly taking on more meaning. Another city...another state.... why Seattle? She thought repeatedly until her head spun with questions she was afraid would never be answered.
A warm hand curled around her trembling fingers and she looked down in confusion only to see David offering what little comfort he could. Out the window she could see the entrance to the hospital and she realised she had missed the complete journey.
"Dana...if this case is too much..."
"No. The case is fine."
"What's wrong? I know something is wrong."
"David please just-," she began trying to pull her hands out from beneath his, but he gripped them tighter cutting her sentence off.
"Don't insult me with platitudes you know me better than that...and I you." She could tell he was angry but the words hadn't quite formulated in her own mind, the explanation, the possibilities were so astounding to her she was afraid to face them.
"David...let me figure it out for myself before you drag it out and psychoanalyse it to death."
She pulled her hands away from him and climbed out of the car, slamming the door behind her. There was nothing David could do but watch her small form rush into the hospital. He sighed and turned the car back on driving it back to the precinct.
He found it teeming with reporters eager to get the scoop on the murders, many of them speculating on the serial killer identity, shouting names to the police who walked by. In his dark suit and pale blue shirt, with navy tie, David strolled by them without much hassle, flashing his badge to the officer on the door to gain entry.
"Agent McLane?" The desk sergeant called out to him as he walked by.
"Yes?"
"Det Shane is in his office...wants to see you as soon as you get in."
He pointed a large arm across the room where David could make out the frosted glass windowed office with two figures pacing behind it. Cautiously he approached hearing the muffled words, amongst them his name.
"I can't work with the FBI Agents, Gary. I wont work with McLane."
"I need you on this one Frank, you can't drop the case now." He could hear Detective Shane saying earnestly before knocking lightly on the door. It swung open with a whoosh of air and she saw Williams and Shane standing shoulder to shoulder on the other side.
"Gentlemen."
"Agent McLane. Isn't Agent Scully with you?" Shane said exchanging a swift glance with Detective Williams.
"She's gone to perform the autopsy. I was hoping to listen to the phone call recording."
"Think we missed something?" Williams challenged.
"No. But maybe you weren't looking for it."
"Listen, we're all on the same team. We all want to catch this guy,"
Shane said placing a hand onto Williams's chest and pushing him back.
"That's all I want," David said sincerely.
Williams brushed Shane's hand away and stormed out of the room, wishing for a thick door he could slam but settling for a swing one to bash against the wall.
A/N: Okay this time the delay was not my fault...but I broke my hand and was out of service for a while! :) "Chapter a Day Keeps the Reviewer at Bay!"