Chapter 2: An Idiot Calls
9:20pm
Mulder lay on the couch, hands folded on his stomach, staring up at the ceiling. A now cold cup of tea sat on the coffee table, untouched.
She was there, he thought. I didn't imagine it. I couldn't have.
He remembered the dream he had had when the Smoking Man took him six months ago. There was something familiar about those streets in Brenda, like he had been there before, countless times, driving with kids screaming in the backseat. And the house. The brick house. What if the dream had some grain of truth?
The shrill ring of the telephone interrupted his thoughts. He got up, groaning.
"Mulder," he answered.
Langly's cheery voice sounded from the receiver. "Hey Mulder, we need you to come wave your AK-47 around at some dude with the ungainly name of 'LeFleur', or French for 'the flower.' Heh heh. Anyway, come on, Wolfenstein isn't the same without you."
"Look, Langly," Mulder began. "I—"
"Alright. See you. Oh, and Frohike says bring Scully."
Click.
Mulder took a deep breath. Maybe this would be good for him. A late night online with the Lone Gunmen might be just what he needed to get his mind off his sister.
He glanced at the clock. 9:30. His favorite Mexican restaurant was still open. He'd stop by and pick up some tacos. He grabbed his jacket, eyes roaming over his messy apartment. Someday I'll get around to cleaning it. Or maybe if I ask really nicely, Scully'll do it for me. He smiled inwardly. Yeah right.
May 2nd
10:12pm
Mulder stood in front of the Lone Gunmen's door, shoulders stooped, not wanting to crack his skull on the uneven ceiling. He clutched his jacket in one hand and the bag of tacos in the other.
He waited while the numerous locks and bolts were unlocked and slid back. The door opened a crack to reveal Frohike's stubbly face.
"We were beginning to think that you weren't coming," Frohike said before letting Mulder in.
"Yeah, well, I'm here now, aren't I?" Mulder threw his jacket somewhere in the dark room. "And I brought some tacos. With all the trimmings."
Frohike gave him a surly look. "No, not with all the trimmings. Where's Scully?"
Mulder chuckled. "She's already pissed at me for getting her up kinda early this morning. Don't want her really pissed."
"Yeah, 'cause he's whipped," commented Langly from his seat in front of the laptop.
There was a bit of amused silence.
"Anyway," Mulder said, rubbing his hands together. "I'm ready to kick this guy's ass." What's his name again?"
"The Flower," Byers said dryly, keeping a straight face.
"Ahh. The Flower, here comes the mighty Luke Skywalker. I am going to kick your ass."
May 3rd
2:04am
"Ahhhhh," Mulder said, leaning back in his chair. "The Allied Grays have won, once again." He smiled with satisfaction.
"So has insomnia, apparently," Byers said from the direction of the couch.
"Ah, shut up, Byers. Nobody likes a party pooper," Frohike retorted. He rubbed his eyes. "The Flower my ass. Heh heh heh. That was one hell of a game."
"And I, Lord Manhammer, is now 7th in the nation," Langly said smugly.
"Shut up, Langly. You weren't even smart enough to pick a name other than a role out of Dungeons and Dragons," Frohike said.
"Shut up yourself, you short-faced swot. You were the only one who got creamed by the Axis. Yeah. By The Flower. While you were guarding a castle. With all those walls around you."
"Yeah, well, you know what? That was only because I had to save yoursorry ass from falling over those damn walls!"
"I was not about to fall over those damn—"
Their banter was interrupted by a bring from the laptop.
"Instant message? At two in the morning? Man, you guys must be popular," Mulder said.
"Huh. From 'LeFleur.' How the hell did he get our screen names?" Langly wondered.
"Accept it already," Frohike grumbled.
"Yeah yeah yeah."
Langly's eyes moved back and forth. Frohike watched his expression turn from an indignant scowl to a puzzled frown.
"What?" he asked.
"Uh, Mulder, I think it's for you."
Mulder blinked. He leaned over Langly's shoulder and peered at the screen.
Life is a war, Agent Mulder. And you are about to win the biggest battle you will ever face. I know where she is, Mulder. Your sister. I will meet you tomorrow at the diamond at Rock Creek Park. Midnight. Imagine the spoils of this battle. Imagine all you will hold in your hands.
"What the hell?" Frohike said.
Mulder read and reread the message, not believing his eyes.
Byers got up from the couch and came over. "Jesus, Mulder," he said after scanning the message. "It's probably nothing. Some idiot wanting revenge."
Mulder shook his head. The words rushed from his mouth in a torrent. "No, no. There's something here. I know it. I saw her today. I did. I did. I've got to go." He jumped off his chair and hurried to the door. The metal barricade clanged loudly, and the Gunmen heard his footsteps resounding down the stairs. A car door slammed, followed by the screech of tires.
"Well," Langly said.
"Yeah," Frohike replied.
"He left his jacket," Byers said matter-of-factly, holding up the wrinkled garment.
A/N: Well, I hoped you liked this one…Wolfenstein is an online first person shooter game, set in World War II. I don't know much about it except that you fight either with the Allies or the Axis, completing objectives in each level. A friend of mine got 4oth in the nation, and I thought that it might be something the LGM occupy themselves with besides spinning conspiracy theories. Anyhoo, please review!! :-)