Chapter 6: And the World Turns

FBI Headquarters

Washington, D.C.

May 6th

8:14am

Scully sat at Mulder's desk, intent on her laptop. She scrolled through the files on the screen, looking for any reference to Senator Patrick Roberts. When she was halfway through her second cup of coffee, she came upon a newspaper article from June 1998.

"…Senator Roberts' sudden recovery shocked his doctors. 'We found him in the cafeteria, munching on Texas toast. He'd been brain-dead, due to the injuries to his spine and brain stem. It's impossible for someone to recover from such injuries. It's a miracle, that's all I can think of,' says Dr. Wayne Christian of the Bethesda Naval Hospital…"

Intrigued, Scully searched for the senator's medical files. To her surprise, the hospital database rejected her request. She tried again, this time using her credentials as a medical doctor instead of a FBI agent. Once again she was denied access. She tried several other databases, and each time she received the same message.

"What on earth is going on here?" she grumbled angrily. There was definitely something suspicious about the senator. Frustrated, she shut her laptop and stood up. One more trip to the three stooges' couldn't hurt, she thought to herself.

Lone Gunmen residence

May 6th

9:37am

"Why do you need them?" Frohike asked, following Scully to the table.

"Senator Roberts may be involved with the Smoking Man," she explained. The Lone Gunmen looked at her in surprise. "Yes, I know. It shocked me, too. Well, this morning I was looking for incongruities in his files when I found this." She handed them the article. "I can't access his medical records. I think something other than a miraculous recovery occurred here. That's why I need you guys to get me his files."

Byers looked up from the paper. "We're on it," he said. Langly nodded in agreement. His hands flew over the keyboard.

"This is weird," he said suddenly, fingers frozen in mid-stroke.

"What?" asked Frohike, crowding around the PC. Byers looked over Langly's shoulder.

"Senator Roberts' medical files are protected by a code from the Department of State," Langly answered. The Gunmen turned to look at Scully.

Scully frowned. "I don't know. Why would the State Department…can you get in?'

"Of course," Langly replied, slightly piqued. "I was just surprised."

Moments later, the printer whirred to life. Langly sat back smugly. "Piece of cake."

Frohike rolled his eyes. "It's the State Department, O Genius One. Amateurs can crack it."

"Well, let's see you do it, then, Frohike," Langly huffed.

"Guys," Byers warned, jerking his head toward Scully. She was standing by the printer, scanning each page as it glided onto the tray.

The three of them fell silent, waiting expectantly.

Finally Scully looked up at them, blue eyes wide with disbelief.

"What?" all three Gunmen asked simultaneously.

Scully inhaled deeply. "Apparently our senator was involved in a plane crash in the summer of '98. Rescuers found him clinging to life, with a hemorrhage in the brain stem and a broken spine. By all accounts he should have died, but they kept him breathing with a respirator. There was no hope for a recovery. Then a month later, a nurse came in to change his bedpan and found the room empty. They found him ten minutes later in the hospital cafeteria, walking, talking, perfectly fine." She paused, letting the Gunmen take it in.

"Lucky guy," Langly commented.

"Yeah," Scully said. "But that's not the half of it. Aside from the full recovery, they found him to be in perfect health. Prior to the accident, he suffered from Type II diabetes, heart murmurs, asthma, and a number of allergies. After the recovery, all of his previous conditions were undetectable. Suddenly he was the epitome of health, like someone had given him a magic potion. It's incredible."

The Gunmen looked at one another.

"Do you have any idea what happened?" asked Byers.

"I'm not sure," Scully answered slowly. "But I think I know someone who might."

Easton Clinic

Brenda, Maryland

May 6th

9:31am

"Fox Mulder," the nurse called into the crowded waiting room.

Mulder stood up reluctantly and headed to the door at the far end. Diana set down her magazine and followed, carefully stepping over the feet of three women crying into a communal wad of Kleenex.

"Good morning, Mr. Mulder," the nurse said cheerfully. "You'll be in Two. First door on the left down the second hallway."

"Thanks."

They followed the nurse's directions and entered Exam Room Two. It was like all exam rooms, with the bed in the corner and the counter along one side.

Mulder sighed loudly. "Do I have to do this?" he whined.

Diana shook her head in mock exasperation. "We talked about this yesterday, remember?"

"Yeah yeah yeah. You don't want me to turn psycho."

"Exactly," Diana said, grinning.

"Morning," a throaty voice said behind them. Mulder turned and saw a kindly man with a gray beard, looking up through bushy eyebrows; a folder lay open in his arms. "I'm Doctor Drew Easton," he said, shifting the folder and extending a hand.

"Hi," Mulder answered, returning the gesture.

The doctor let go and smiled at Diana. "So Ms. Fowley tells me that you'd like a physical as well as a psychological examination?"

Mulder glanced at Diana. "It was her idea, actually. I'm not crazy, you know."

Dr. Easton chuckled. "No, no, I'm sure you're not." He flipped through the folder. "Well, I see you're due for a tetanus shot, so we'll get that done first, okay?"

"Yeah, sure," Mulder answered, raising his eyebrows at the doctor's promptness.

"Okay then. Have a seat on the bed there," Dr. Easton instructed. Then he turned and left the room.

"Wow. He likes to get to the point," Mulder observed.

Diana only smiled.

A minute later, Dr. Easton returned with a syringe. He smiled warmly and motioned for Mulder to lift his sleeve. He rubbed Mulder's arm with alcohol, catching Diana's eye. She nodded her consent. Dr. Easton pulled back the plunger and thrust the needle into Mulder's arm. Diana watched as the liquid in the syringe lessened little by little.

Mulder began to feel faint. His eyes rolled into the back of his head. The drug worked fast; he was unconscious in a few seconds.

Dr. Easton withdrew the syringe and threw it in the trash can. "All right. He's out. Are we ready to go?"

"Mmhmm," Diana answered. She stuck her head out into the hallway and beckoned to the two doctors in the room across the hall. They came in and, together with Dr. Easton, lifted Mulder off the bed and carried him to the end of the hallway. Diana held open the back door as the three doctors took him outside and into the back of a waiting van. Dr. Easton shut the door and the four of them climbed inside.

"Let's go," said the man in the passenger seat when everyone was settled. He took out a cigarette from his breast pocket and placed it between his parched lips. "Let's go."

A/N: Sorry sorry sorry that it took so long! I wrote it, rewrote it, then rewrote it again, and I STILL don't like it. But here it is. Please review and tell me what you think!