Well, here's Chapter 6 to end the pain and suffering you've been enduring as a result of the cliffhanger (cough). I think I like this chapter a bit better, although I'm not sure if Brad's a bit too evil, but then again, it's the X-Files, there's no such thing as too evil! Anyway, here's Chapter 6...

Chapter 6

Monica had no idea how long she'd been asleep. All she knew is that she had felt some kind of sharp pain in her head, like a needle stabbing into her forehead, and then everything was black. It was the deepest she'd ever slept, very peacefully too. Oddly enough, it was when she woke up that her nightmare began.

Her first instinct was to scream, but the cries of her distress were muffled by the thick piece of tape stuck firmly over her mouth.

"I wouldn't try that again if I were you," Brad said smugly. "Didn't you think I would have thought of that? But oh, that's right, you didn't even bother to realize that I knew you were working on Alison's case and would never let you catch me. Outstanding job."

Monica's mind was racing. She needed to know what time it was. She was supposed to pick up Jane after work. What would her friend think? Where was her sweet daughter? John would be calling her around five, and if she didn't answer, what would he think? What if it was past five and he had already called? What if Brad had disconnected her phone? What if John thought she had gone out? What was going to happen to her? She needed to know, she was starting to sweat with anxiety and felt like crying, but knew that wouldn't make Brad feel any more sympathetic towards her. She just prayed that somehow she'd end up safe and she'd be able to get Brad locked up with that letter. But somehow she just didn't think life was that fair.

"Oh, and that letter, don't worry about it, I already found it," he said, as if reading her mind. "It wasn't very smart of you to leave the evidence bag in your briefcase. It's rather obvious."

She remained silent, refusing to take any more of his abuse – as if she could really help it.

"And something else, what's with your attitude?" He continued. "I really don't know what you wanted from me – we'd been having this thing for a year and suddenly you wanted to get serious? You got pregnant, what was I supposed to do? I wasn't ready to settle down; I'm still not ready to settle down. So you expected me to just go through with it anyway? What could I say? I didn't want you to keep it – I thought I made that clear. You made me feel trapped, so I had to do it. There's probably a lot you don't know about me, but what was I supposed to do? Don't go around acting all victimized – you were in fairy tale world and needed to wake up to reality."

He paced around the room, waving his gun frantically as he ranted. Monica couldn't believe him. The bastard! Of all the times he'd tried to rationalize it, this was the worst. Years had gone by and he still hadn't learned his lesson, still didn't feel one bit of remorse, still thought he was completely in the right. If she had been able to speak, she would have chewed him out until she had lost her voice. She could have killed him right then and there. She tried to calm herself down – she knew she'd need her strength at some point and couldn't afford to waste it fuming at Brad. It annoyed her that he knew how to manipulate her so much. He loved tormenting her and getting mad would only fuel his actions. Defeated, she remained motionless.

"Well 'Mon,' as I believe I used to call you, and a nickname your dimwitted partner has kindly taken over for me, I think we're going to be here for awhile, so you might as well get comfortable. See, I never came in to work today, so your fellow freaks are probably thinking they got off the hook. Unfortunately, they can't call you to celebrate. Maybe they'll come over? I hope they do. You see, sooner or later they'll figure out the situation, and they'll understand that I'll kill you if you don't agree to destroy all the evidence and drop the case. Of course I'll have to supervise this too. Just face it, I win."

Monica felt like kicking his snide face across the room, but remained helpless. A knock at the door seconds later made her heart feel as if it was undergoing the same treatment.

"Mon?" Came John's anxious voice from the other side of the door. "Are you there? I've been worried, and there's something I need to tell you…"

"Oooh good," Brad laughed, getting up from his seat on the bed and taking his gun with him. "It looks like we've got company."