PART 19

Skinner awoke to find Mulder standing over him. He sat up and Mulder sat beside him, both were on the floor.

"Sir are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine Agent Mulder."

"What happened?"

"I honestly don't know. You left, Agent Scully...Agent Scully was not Agent Scully."

"What do you mean?"

"She, she changed, her appearance was...different to say the least."

"She became a he?"

Skinner looked at Mulder as if to say why don't you think I'm going mad, because he clearly thought that himself. But Mulder believed him, he didn't understand why.

"Yes, a man. What the hell is going on Mulder?"

"It's a long story Sir."

"Well I'd really like to hear it. Now."

"But I really don't think that you should get involved."

"Agent Mulder I am involved, as long as two of my agents are involved in something, then so am I."

Mulder looked at him, and Skinner could see that he still had doubts about whether to speak to him or not.

"I want to help you Mulder, I want to help both of you. We have to find her."

Mulder stood up from the floor and walked around the room. Skinner sat at his desk and got himself back together. Mulder stood in front of him and took a deep breath.

"Ok, I'll tell you, I'll explain everything. I could do with your help. I don't know what I'm

going to do if I don't get Scully back. I don't know that I could live without her."

Skinner looked at him above his glasses.

"Well I mean she's become so important to my work in the x-files, I need her."

"I understand Agent Mulder. We'll find her."

"Thank you Sir."

Meanwhile, Scully was being taken care of by a group of about ten people, who all looked like they'd been living in huts their whole lives. She didn't wake up until late that night, but when she did, she didn't know whether she was better or worse off than with CSM and Krycek.

She was in a room alone and she could hear people busy outside, she could smell something cooking and although she was extremely hungry, her hunger didn't seem powerful enough to let her eat what was eventually placed in front of her.

"Really, I'm not hungry, thank you."

"You must eat. You must regain your strength."

"I'm fine, that sleep did me the world of good, really."

"Well, you have not eaten for a long time I am sure."

"No, I guess not."

As she spoke more and more of food, she got more and more hungry.

"It is a special recipe that we only have ourselves."

"No kidding?"

"Yes, you will not find this anywhere but here with us."

"Who exactly are you."

A tall man that had escaped Scully's attention until now stepped forward from the group and sat opposite her at the table. The others were all looking at each other as if they were nervous about what he may say.

"You found her like the others?"

"Yes, the same."

"What others what are you talking about?"

"The others are all ok for tonight yes?"

"Yes, they are all fed and about to go to sleep."

"Good. See to it that lights are out and that everything is tidy. It's getting dark and we

don't want to leave any traces of life during the evening."

"Yes of course. Come on everyone, let's go."

Everyone but this one man left the room and left Scully alone with him. She watched everyone leave as they obeyed him. He then turned his attention to her. He studied her face and her body; he then stood up and moved to sit beside her.

"I thought that they'd finished. That it was going to stop."

"What?"

"It has been so long since they brought anyone out here."

"What are you talking about?"

"You do not know?"

"No! Know what?"

"There is a lot for me to tell you in a short space of time. We must talk in the dark. The

search will be done soon, they cannot find us in the dark."

"Look, I'm a federal agent, just let me rest tonight and I'll leave tomorrow."

"It's not as simple as that. Your FBI title won't gain you any points out here."

"I don't understand."

"You will. Oh you will."