Fox Mulder sat in a chair looking at the files left on the desk. A crunching sound could be heard as he cracked and ate sunflower seeds.
After a few moments, Ethan turned to him. "Agent Mulder, could you please not do that?"
Mulder spit a shell into the wastebasket. "Hmmm?"
Ethan motioned to the bag of sunflower seeds. "Could you not crack those? It's like nails on a chalk board to me."
"Oh sorry. Eating sunflower seeds helps me to better concentrate at times."
"Yeah, well I appreciate the gesture about wanting to find Dana but don't drive me crazy at the same time."
The door then opened and Patterson re-entered the room with a folder. "I've got it."
"The file on the murdered woman?" Mulder asked as he set his bag of sunflower seeds aside.
"Yep." Patterson set the file on the table and opened it. "Her name was Elizabeth Roland. She was 38 years old and lived there with her husband Craig. He was some big entrepreneur while she was just one of those well off, stay at home wives."
"Any children?" Mulder asked.
"One, a son by the name of Charles. Charles Ryan Roland. Apparently Charles disappeared shortly after her murder along with her blue, Ford Taurus."
Mulder tilted his head toward Patterson. "Blue, Ford Taurus?"
"Oh it gets better." Patterson replied as he pulled out a photo. "This is Charles."
Mulder stared at the photo. "Holy shit." He muttered. "Mr. Minette, I think you should take a look at this."
"What is it?" Ethan asked before he leaned over and looked at the photo. His eyes widened as he instantly recognized the face from the FBI student directory. "That's…that's Ryan Sedrick."
"He killed his mother." Mulder answered as he rose from his chair. "She was his mother!That's why he couldn't cut the eyes out!" He reached over and started looking over the files of the other victims. "Look, Joanne Straussberg, her mother was apparently best friends with Elizabeth." He opened another file. "Laurie Peterson, her mother knew her through some kind of country club they went to."
"What about the others from different states?" Patterson asked, wondering if there was some kind of connection.
Mulder pulled out the photos one at a time. "Ginny Rawlings,Patricia Horton and Rebecca Moore. All three knew Elizabeth in one capacity or another."
"That's the connection!" Patterson exclaimed. "He kills the daughters of the women who knew his mother."
"But why?" Ethan asked.
"Well, for whatever reason, Ryan didn't like his mother. That's why he killed her." Mulder put his hand to his chin. "Maybe in his twisted mind he thought that taking away the daughters of the mothers who liked his mom was some kind of justice? I mean…from what I know, rich women who hang out together can be quite bitchy. Maybe, he killed their daughters to get back at them for siding with his mom on whatever made him hate her so much?"
"So, you're saying that he took Dana because her mother knew Elizabeth?" Ethan chuckled. "Sorry, Agent Mulder, but Dana's parents weren't exactly rich."
Mulder continued to glance at the files. "What about being in the military?"
Just then, the door opened and an officer stepped in. "Detective Patterson, we just received word on that blue, Ford Taurus. It's been spotted at that house where that woman's body was discovered some months ago."
Mulder exchanged glances with Patterson. "He's got her at his mother's house."
Patterson nodded. "Not for long." He looked at the officer. "Carl, I want you to get as many units as you can over to 1345 North Oakwood. I want police cars, SWAT and emergency vehicles!"
Mulder turned to Ethan. "Let's go get your future fiancé, Mr. Minette."
Scully's head was spinning as she tried to keep her footing as she walked with Ryan. Her ears could briefly pick up his singing followed by what appeared to be organ music. As she continued walking, her nose picked up a sharp, pungent odor. And being both a medical doctor and forensic expert, she knew it all too well. "Ryan, what's…what's that smell?" She asked as she coughed slightly.
"Smell?" Ryan asked. "Oh, well that's just this house. It hasn't been inhabited in quite some time." He continued to lead her up a hallway, which lead to a room.
But Scully knew deep down that smell had nothing to with a house being old. "You…you said there were guests waiting earlier?"
"That's right, I did, didn't I?" Ryan stopped. "Dana, since we're getting married, there's someone I want you to meet." He then started leading Dana again. "I just didn't think it would be right if she wasn't here to see this. God, I'm so nervous." He took a deep breath and then motioned to the side. "Mom, this is Dana, my fiancé. Dana this is my mother, Elizabeth."
Dana's eyes widened and she let out a scream as she found herself looking at a rotting corpse in a dress.
"You'll have to excuse, Dana, Mom." Ryan replied as he looked at the corpse. "See, she just didn't expect you to be so pretty. Isn't that right, Dana?" He noticed Scully's silence and took his knife from his pocket and placed it under her chin. "You're being very rude to my mother, Dana. I told her that you screamed because you didn't expect her to be so pretty. Isn't that right?"
Scully swallowed as she took in a hushed breath. "Y…Yes it is."
"Well, you'll have plenty of time to chat with Mom, later." Ryan replied as he took the knife away from her throat. "Just remember don't insult her again ok?" He kissed her forehead. "Well, lets start our ceremony shall we? I can't wait to show you to everyone else."
"Everyone…everyone else?"
Ryan nodded as he started to lead her up the center of a room. "Dana, this is my family."
Scully put her mouth to her hand as she saw more rotting corpses in formal wear positioned in chairs. She closed her eyes as she struggled to keep her balance. "Oh my god!"
Ryan grabbed Scully to prevent her from falling. "Whoa, take it easy. I know this is a lot to take in right now on your wedding day. But…I just had to make sure that some family was here to witness this. To see my beautiful bride."
Scully shook her head as tears streamed down her cheeks. "Ryan…"
"Ssssh." Ryan replied as he wiped the tears from her cheek. "It's ok. None of this will matter once we're married. Come on, let's not keep the minister waiting." He then started to lead Scully back up to the front of the room.
Scully had to keep looking straight ahead so that she wouldn't think of all the rotting corpses staring at her. She then saw a man strapped to a chair. As they got closer, she realized it was a minister. Upon closer inspection, she realized that the chair had wires running through it. "Ryan, please….please stop this."
"Quiet!" Ryan replied curtly. "You mustn't talk during our ceremony until the minister tells you!" He looked back at the minister and motioned to him. "Please excuse my fiancé's rude behavior, Father. You may start."
"Dearly…dearly beloved we are gathered here to witness this couple in the bonds of holy matrimony."
"Skip to the end." Ryan replied motioning with his hand.
"But, I….I need to.."
Ryan took his finger and pushed a button, which sent shock waves through the chair and the minister. He watched as the man shook and screamed out in pain. "I said…SKIP TO THE END!"
Scully could only watch in horror as the minister writhed and cried out. She tried to turn her head away but Ryan grabbed it and put it back to the front.
The minister stopped shaking and tried to catch his breath before he continued. "Do…do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?"
"I do." Ryan replied with a smile.
The minister looked at Scully. "And…and do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?"
Scully's bottom lip trembled as she closed her eyes. "I…"
Ryan leaned into her. "Say yes or the next time you see Ethan Minette will be in a coffin." He whispered.
Scully put her hand to her mouth. She had to remember that she was doing this to save, Ethan and any woman that Ryan would have considered going after. "I…I do." She whispered.
"Then…then by the power vested in me, I do declare you husband and wife." The minister swallowed. "You…you may now kiss the bride."
Ryan turned and lifted Scully's veil. He caressed her cheek. "Such a beautiful wife." He then leaned forward and kissed her gently.
As Scully felt Ryan's lips on her, she trembled violently as she cried. She could not believe this was happening to her. And he had drugged her so there was nothing she could do to fight back. She was married now…to a psychopath.
Ryan pulled back from her lips and smiled. "We're married now, Dana. I'm so happy." He twirled her around once and brought her back to him. "And now….we can have our wedding night."
"Wedding….wedding night?"
"Well of course! Every wedded couple has a honeymoon don't they?" He reached down and scooped her into his arms. "Ours is going to be really special."
"What…what about the minister, Ryan? Are you planning on just leaving him?" Scully asked apprehensively.
"He'll be fine until we're done." Ryan replied as he brushed a strand of auburn hair away from her face. "I can't let anything interfere with our honeymoon, Dana." He carried her toward a room. "I have something very special planned just for us."
A small distance from the house, several cars could be seen making their way past all the No Trespassing signs and coming to a stop. Their sirens were all turned off to avoid detection and the officers who came out of them were very quiet. Detective Patterson, Fox Mulder and Ethan Minette looked toward the house from where they were standing.
Patterson spoke into his communication device. "All right, let's get everyone in position. I want the SWAT team to assemble on the North Side and wait for my signal just in case." He looked to Mulder. "Agent Mulder, I want you to come with me."
"I'm coming too." Ethan replied as he took a step forward.
Patterson put his hand up. "No, Mr. Minette, you need to stay here."
"Like hell, I am. That's my girlfriend in there!"
"Mr. Minette, you are NOT a law enforcement officer!" Patterson replied angrily. "You are a citizen, should anything happen to you I can not be responsible!
"How would you feel if your wife was trapped in there?" Ethan asked looking at Patterson. "How would you like to be left out here with uncertainty wondering if she was in there somewhere dead or alive?"
At this point, Mulder stepped forward. "Detective Patterson, I think we should have Mr. Minette standing back with the other officers. Just in the distance. When we find Agent Scully, she's going to need someone familiar to her to make her feel less apprehensive."
"Yes. Yes, that's right she will." Ethan replied back as he looked at Patterson. "Please?" He asked in a pleading voice.
Patterson paused for a moment and then looked at Mulder. "All right but if something happens, I'm holding YOU responsible." He then moved away.
"Thank you, Agent Mulder." Ethan replied with a smile.
"You can thank me after we don't screw this up, Mr. Minette." Mulder replied back.
Patterson spoke into his mic again. "All right, let's have everyone go on my mark."
Ryan slowly undressed Scully from her bridal gown and let it fall to the floor. His eyes brightened as he saw Scully in her bra and underwear. "More beautiful then I could have possibly imagined." He whispered as he caressed her cheek. "You are truly giving your husband a wonderful gift."
"Ryan, you….you can stop this." Scully whispered. Were it not for the drugs in her system, she would have kicked him in the groin and that would be the end of that. But since she couldn't, she had to try other psychological tactics.
"But I don't want to." Ryan answered as he picked her up and gently laid her on the bed that was surrounded by candles. "After all, you're my wife now." He ran his hand slowly from her neck, across her bra and to her belly. "You have an amazing body, Dana. I can see why Ethan wanted you so much." He glanced at her hardened nipples. "And I can see just how much you want me."
Scully cursed her body right now at times like this. It was reacting to instinct whereas she was completely repulsed. She tried to raise her arm to push him off but it felt like lead.
Ryan saw her trying to raise her arm. "What are you doing, Dana? Are…are you trying to resist me?" He reached forward and grabbed her arms, pinning them roughly behind her head. "Why did you have to try and do that, Dana? I wanted to make this a loving experience for you." He paused. "But…perhaps as my wife, I need to teach you a little lesson." He pushed his body against her. "Can you feel how much I want you, Dana?"
"You…you stop now and they will just arrest you for kidnapping, Ryan."
"Shut up!" Ryan yelled before slapping Scully across the face. "Do you REALLY think anyone is going to find you here?" He then noticed Scully trembling and blood coming from her lips. "Now you see what you made me do!" He kept one hand on her wrists and took the other to remove his pants and underwear. "I love you, Dana and I'm going to show you just how much."
Scully closed her eyes and cried out as she felt her bra and underwear torn off. The next thing she heard was a crashing sound from the background followed by a voice.
"Freeze! Get your hands in the air now!" Patterson yelled as he fixed his gun on Ryan. "Get off of her!"
Ryan smiled as he looked down at Scully. His pants were right next to him and they still held the knife. He paused for a moment before reaching for his pocket. The next thing that happened was a large sound followed by Ryan falling on top of Scully.
Patterson stood in the doorway with smoke coming from his gun where he had fired. He then spoke into his mic. "Get Mr. Minette in here now and give him a blanket! And call an ambulance!" He then placed his gun back in its holster and walked over to the bed. He could see Scully was absolutely terrified with the dead, naked Ryan on top of her. He picked up Ryan and moved him off of her and onto the floor. "It's all right, Agent Scully, help is on the way."
Ethan then appeared in the doorway holding a blanket. His heart sank as he saw Dana lying on the bed naked with blood coming from her mouth. "Dana!" He immediately ran to the bed and wrapped her in the blanket. "Oh god!" He hugged her tightly.
"Ethan." Scully replied in a weak voice.
"It's ok, baby. You're safe now." Ethan whispered in her ear. He could feel Scully trembling. "Ssssh….it's all over now."
Scully raised her arms and slowly placed them around Ethan. She then cried into his shoulder.
Patterson looked at Ethan. "Why don't you take Agent Scully out of here while we take care of Mr.Sedrick?"
Ethan nodded and carefully picked up Scully in his arms and carried her out of the room. As he made his way out to thank, Mulder, he found that he was no longer there. Why had he left? As he continued to comfort Scully, he then watched as the paramedics arrived and went into the back room with a stretcher. Within a few minutes, they came by him wheeling out the body of Ryan Sedrick.
Patterson walked up to Ethan. "Mr. Minette, we really need to get Agent Scully to a hospital."
Ethan nodded and carried Scully out of the house and to his car.
