December 20th, 2012

3pm

"I want to talk to my mother." William demanded.

"You'll talk to her dinner."

" No. Now. I want to talk to her alone."

Andrew looked bewildered by the demand, but Emanuel nodded. "Five minutes." Andrew said reluctantly, sending someone to get Scully. He allowed William and Scully to step outside, though a man with a gun watched from the window.

Trying not to let her surprise show that William had picked her to talk to, Scully asked what was wrong. She knew there had to be something wrong.

"He, um... threatened to kill you all if I don't go along with it. Starting with Owen and Benji." William confessed breathlessly.

Scully gave him a sad look. "You can't do it, William."

"But I think he's serious! He'll really kill my brothers, I'm pretty sure of it."

"Even so, you can't do it."

"You're just saying that because you're not their mother!" He accused her.

"No, I'm not. Just as soon as he killed them, he would turn on Mulder and I next. I'd die too, don't think I don't realize that."

"Are you saying you want to die or something?"

"Of course not."

"Then how could you say to refuse, even if doing so would make you die too?"

"Because the four of our lives, and probably yours as well, are insignificant compared to the lives of six billion people under their control. Many will be killed immediately, more will wish they had been. If you give in, you doom us all."

"Why me?" He moaned.

"Life is not fair." Scully said gently, echoing Mulder's words from nine days earlier. Had it only been a little over a week since he'd met his mother again? William wondered. It didn't seem to be that recently. "And life throws all sorts of challenges our way."

"Not challenges like this. No one else has to make decisions like this, except maybe people who have to decide to use nukes or not." William protested.

"That's true. But you're a special boy."

"I wish people would stop saying that!"

" People not saying it wouldn't make it untrue." Scully pointed out.

"I know, but at least I wouldn't have to think about it as often." William sighed.

An hour later

"Why did you let the boy speak to his mother alone?" Andrew wanted to know. Most of the cultists wouldn't dare question Emanuel's actions, but Andrew was well loved by their leader, so it afforded him a sense of entitlement.

"Because I knew what he was going to tell her."

"Which was what?"

"That I'd threatened the lives of his family if he didn't cooperate." Emanuel told him.

"I'm not sure how that's a good thing..."

"If he'd wanted to speak to Mulder, I wouldn't have allowed it. Mulder is a reckless man, and probably doesn't think anything of putting others in danger. Scully on the other hand is a mother."

"And mothers are more concerned for their children's welfare." Andrew deduced.

"Exactly." Emanuel agreed. "Even without having heard their conversation, there's not a doubt in my mind that she told him to do what I want, to spare her children's lives. It would be unnatural for a mother to think any differently."

"And will you spare their lives? Assuming that William acts as we wish."

"That is not for me to decide. If things go as desired, our allies will be making those decisions. All decisions."

"Yes, of course." Andrew replied, his mind drawn to the tantalizing idea of a world where humans were freed from making choices. "They'll decide what is best."