Chapter Seven: Black Oil, Missing:
J Edgar Hoover Building, January 12, 1999:
Melissa was very worried, it had been two days since she had heard from Stephan and she feared the worst. She had been working hard on the files in the Sturhold Mining Facility, those very same files that Mulder had stumbled across years before. They were still in the same place, but with far more security on them, yet they did not take magic into account and it was Stephan who had helped her get into those files. What she found angered her and she had reported what she had found to her bosses, she had secrets she had to keep from even her sister and she hated it but there it was. There was a reason she was shot, and despite the threat to Covarrubias she could not come forward even at this time to have her prosecuted. A simple Obliviate had her not remembering what was said anyway or meeting with Melissa that day.
Melissa had gone to Stephan's house and found Randy there who had not seen his master in two days himself and was worried. He could not go to him as he was somewhere he could not get to and this worried Melissa. She knew the syndicate knew of magic but did not think the magical world a threat. They did not even know who was magical and who was not for which she was grateful. They saw themselves above everyone and believed there was nothing magic could do to stop them, that really there was nothing that could stop them. Today Melissa was in her disguise as an accountant of the FBI, she was Lyela Harrison and was going to see Mulder about her concerns. She was not amused to be the flighty X-Files worshiping girl but there was nothing to it, it was her cover and had been for years.
She walked into the basement offices, here many of the most important jobs were done, it might seem strange to have offices in a basement but every floor in the J Edgar Hoover building were needed and so the basement was used for many important offices. Here the X-Files resided in three offices with three desks. Dana was seated at her desk pouring over files while Mulder was reading one of his magazines. He closed it as she came in and shoved it in his desk but not before Melissa saw he was reading manga, again, in Japanese. He had given up porn when he had married her sister and replaced it with manga which was a bit better and it showed he had a respect for Dana doing that. She put her file on the desk and with a sweep of her hand soundproofed the office against any bugs, those listening would get a far different conversation.
"Stephan is missing" Melissa said taking out a small vial. "I was able to trace him to a hotel in Salem where I found this."
"Black oil." Mulder said holding it up and looking at what was inside. "He could be anywhere now."
"I had the Aurors do a sweep, his signature was found, a long distance Apparation to Oswego New York." Melissa said, "from there nothing, though they found his wand and mokeskin pouch."
"He would never leave those behind unless he could not escape." Dana said, "there is a nuclear bomb storage site there, or was, magicals helped defend it."
"Yes, we did, put up spells and curses as strong if not stronger than in Egypt, he probably hit one going in." Melissa said, "but why would he go there?"
"They are not used for nuclear weapons anymore." Mulder said, "a spaceship."
"Yea right." Doggett said entering the room, "hello Leyla, what brings you here?"
"Stephan Stone is missing." Melissa said, "he was last seen in Oswego."
"Only thing there now are abandoned missile silos." Doggett said, "there are no aliens."
"Fine, but something was there, and you explain this black oil!" Mulder said.
"A virus of some sort naturally occurring in oil." Doggett said getting a laugh from Mulder, "not funny, I will say it again why would aliens come here of all places?"
"Well a virus could have come from outer space." Mulder said, "it's still aliens."
"You did not believe in magic until you saw it with you own eyes Thomas." Melissa said glaring at him.
"My name, oh I am not a doubting Thomas, I believe in God but aliens coming to earth to take us over that is crap!"
"I agree with you." Melissa said, "but the truth is this black oil holds a key to whatever twisted plans the syndicate has! That and I now believe that they hold Stephan and who knows what they will do to him!"
"Good point, look lets not fight anymore, we need to find Stephan, and you know who can help."
"No, I am not using that rat!" Mulder snapped.
"I don't like him either but he has been useful." Dana said.
"He killed my parents!"
"It was proven he was set up, Luis Cardinal shot them." Melissa said, "shot me too, but yes rat-boy could help."
The one they called rat-boy was none other than Alex Krycek, a man who was only in it for himself. He was a great help but a could be a thorn in their sides when he wanted to be and no-one really liked him. Still he could get things for them and get things done by playing both sides, though for now he seemed to play the side of the X-Files agents. Doggett had enjoyed beating the stuffing out of him, just as much if not more than Mulder and even Skinner used him as a punching bag once and a while. He really deserved it as he was a low down sneaky sort of man who would do whatever it took to come out ahead. Still he was extremely smart, fluent in several languages and had connects in quite a few places.
"So call him, get him here." Melissa said, "or where ever you can, I will be there, or rather Leyla Harrison will."
"So will we." Mulder said, "you are not going alone."
"I can kick his ass no problem, even Dana has, it's my turn now." Melissa said, "he is our favorite punching bag after all. Though we do need his help."
"Very well I will contact him." Mulder said looking unhappy.
Two hours later found Melissa still as Leyla heading into a deserted parking garage. This disguise worked well, who would fully suspect a bubbly young woman with dark blond hair, a winning smile and perfectly put together suits and outfits. Krycek knew she was acting but did not know the full truth, nor would he ever. He came at the appointed hour clad in black from his leather coat to black pants and boots and long sleeved tee and gloves. He had dark brown hair, brown eyes and was very handsome though very much a low down dirty rat. Melissa stepped forward and her look when hard as she took him in.
"I know where he is." Krycek said, "what is it in for me?"
"What do you want?"
"The tail off my back, six months." Krycek replied.
"Two, that is the best I can do." Melissa countered.
"Four and we have a deal." Krycek.
"Three, that is the most I can do, you know that." Melissa replied.
"Fine, I will do what I can to bring him back alive and unharmed." Krycek said, "you better keep your end of the bargain."
"I have honor, unlike you." Melissa shot back at him.
"Honor never kept me alive." Krycek replied.
Melissa wanted to punch him, she really did, but he just sneered and walked off. She hated loosing a chance to tail him but what choice did she have? He would not get a full pardon but he was useful as a sort of kite, if one could call someone like him a kite spy if you will. All she could do now was wait and see if Krycek would deliver or not, if not she was going to introduce him to Mulder and Doggett's fists and this time film that!
"He better come through" she said later at her mother's house, "or I will kill him myself."
"Stand in line, why do we have to work with him again?" Mulder asked looking put out, "he can't be trusted."
"No but he can get places we can't." Dana replied. "Now Covarrubias is locked up he is really our only other choice right now."
"What did you find at the Sturhold Mining Facility?" Mulder asked.
It was safe to talk of that here, there were no bugs and no-one would trace Mulder and Scully here, well maybe Dana but not Mulder. He could evade with the best of them and knew how to make it look as if he were home when he was elsewhere. It was a dangerous time for them and they knew it, one slip up and they were all dead and they knew it. They had come close to dying so many times it was not funny, the closest was a few years ago when they had come across the Navaho recordings. The syndicate had got those back yes but not before a recording was made, they had no idea that recording was out there and if they knew Mulder and Dana's lives would be forfeit and they knew it. It was why Melissa had it and was working on it and the Sturhold Mining Facility and their connections to each other.
O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O
Yes things are heating up, how Stephan got caught in the black oil will be explained. It is hard to write conspiracy like this after all these years but it is fun too. Yes Krycek has a role to play though I would rather just kill him, it is no more than he deserves after all. He is a low life of the worst sort though instead of him killing Mulder's father I had Luis Cardinal kill both his parents. Still he is not a good person at all though he is needed very much here.
Anyway, do review please!