CHAPTER FOUR

A/N: I can't be bothered going back to spell Krycek properly, I'll just do it from this chapter onwards.

" Hannah?" a voice whispered, " Are you awake?"

Hannah opened her eyes, her vision was blurry. Someone was standing above her. She felt groggy and her body screamed with pain. She licked her lips and all she could utter was a low moan.

" Hannah, this is Dana."

Hannah struggled to sit up but was held down. " W-where am I?" she asked in a shaky whisper.

" You were brought here, to the Washington DC Hospital, unconscious. You've been drugged, so your memory will probably be hazy."

Hannah's vision started to clear as Dana's form swam into focus. Dana was holding her hand.

Hannah felt as though she was in a deja vu'-not that long ago she woke up in hospital after being found. The first time they didn't know who abducted her…but now they knew.

" Who brought me here?"

" I don't know. I got a phone from an anonymous person, telling me you've been dropped off here-unharmed. Do you feel ok?"

" My body's sore…"

" You've been given something for the pain." And Hannah noticed she was hooked up to an IV.

" Hannah…can you remember anything?"

Hannah's memory was starting to come back…that doctor, the smoking man…that sinister young man with the gun and most of all, the tests. She knew she looked awful. She had more bruises and her skin was almost translucent.

Hannah slowly told her what happened to her and then asked, " Where can we find these men?"

" We can't…these men are part of a syndicate. We don't know much about them ourselves except that they don't like Mulder and his involvement with the X-Files."

" Why? I mean, are they involved in some kind of conspiracy or cover-up?"

" Mulder thinks so. These men have been around since the crash of Roswell."

" Roswell?" Hannah couldn't believe it, " These men exist because of little green men?"

" That and more. Mulder also knows the smoking man is involved with the disappearance of his sister."

" These men gives me the creeps, especially that younger man."

" Alex Krycek. He's not to be trusted…none of them are." Dana looked at Hannah…she so badly wanted to talk about their recent split-up…she missed Hannah.

" Hannah…" she began but was interrupted when Skinner walked into the room.

" Walter," Hannah greeted him, sitting up so she could hug him.

" I'm glad you're okay…we've been so worried." Skinner straightened up.

Scully's cell phone rang and she answered it. " sorry, but Mulder wants me…I'll see you later?" she asked Hannah.

Hannah nodded, and Scully left, looking back at Hannah wistfully before disappearing out the room.

Skinner sat down beside the bed, " What happened to you?" he asked, brushing a loose strand of hair from Hannah's face.

" Tests. Terrible tests…and I wish I knew what they were for and why…why me?"

Skinner didn't reply, " Those bruises look awful."

The memory of Alex Krychek punching her came flooding back. She'd never forget the look in his dark eyes just as the fist came flying at her.

" Krychek did this to me when I kept asking questions." Hannah said, " The other man told him to shut me up and he did."

Skinner frowned at this. He had his own conditions for Hannah and they had breeched them.

" I have to make a call…I'll be back soon. Are you hungry? I can bring back something."

" No…but I'm thirsty though." Skinner nodded and pressed a kiss on her forehead before leaving the room.

Don't leave me, Hannah thought but just stared after him. She was afraid of being left alone…just in case he came back.

" You are a fool!" Krycek hissed at the Well-Manicured Man angrily, " She knows us…she can expose us. If we can't use her for the experiments, then let me finish her."

" Mr. Skinner won't let you," the Well-Manicured Man replied mildly. I won't let you, he added to himself.

" Skinner can't be around to protect her all the time," Krycek retorted, " And neither can agent Scully for that matter. Don't you care that she can ruin us? The Project?"

The Well-Manicured Man didn't answer, " I'll take care of it." He told Alex, " Don't you go and do anything that will put us or the Project at risk." Then he turned and stalked out of the room.