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"Scully, what are you doing here?" Mulder said as he opened his door at four in the morning to find her looking exhausted & uncharacteristically disheveled, she remained silent as he led her to the couch. "I'll make us some tea." He said as he excused himself to the kitchen. "Thank you." She said finally, her hands were trembling as she wrapped them around the steaming cup. "Scully, why won't you tell me what's bothering you? If you want to go back to Washington, I'll understand." "No, Mulder, you need me." "I always need you, but not at the expense of your mental & physical health." "I appreciate you're concern, Mulder, but going back to Washington isn't the answer, solving this case is." She said as he wrapped his arms around her in a comforting embrace.
"Three weeks later & five bodies in the morgue & all we have managed to come up with are a few dead-ended leads!" Skinner said heatedly to Mulder & Scully in his office the next day. "Sir, I have created a psychological profile based on what we've learned, as well as knowledge I have from working a few similar cases when I was with violent crimes." Skinner skimmed through it. "I'll release this to the local authorities, good work, Agent Mulder. Agent, Scully, can I have a word with you?" Scully nodded to Mulder & he left them. "I can't help but notice how run-down you have been looking since you've taken this case, now I know it's disturbing but…" "I assure you, Sir that I'm fine, I want to work this one & you know that Mulder needs my forensic expertise." "You got that right." Skinner said as he cracked a small smile. "Just take care of yourself." "Is everything okay?" Mulder asked as she exited his office. "Yeah, everything is fine." "Good, because I need your help on something… but only if you're up to it."
Scully looked away from the periodicals in front of her in disgust. "I know, it's disturbing, but I knew that I remembered reading about similar cases where the killer was never caught. Granted this was back before they had the digital forensic equipment we have now." Mulder said. "So, are you saying that this is the same guy?" Scully said. "I'm entertaining the thought, yeah." Mulder replied. "But he would be over seventy years old by now, the likelihood of him having the strength or the health to carry out these murders at the pace they have been committed is fairly unlikely." "So are a lot of the things we've seen, Scully. We're not exactly in the business of pursuing the everyday criminal." He said dryly, Scully couldn't help but crack a smile. "No, we're not, are we?" Over the years she had been assigned to the X-files, she had found herself becoming more open to the possibilities of answers beyond the realms of science & the laws of nature & physics.
"Dead? Are you sure?" Mulder said, Scully's er... 'secret source' had led them to Cedar Hills Hospice, where, according to her, John Riddles, the former friend of their killer was supposed to reside. "Yes, Mr. Mulder, as sure as I' am standing before you, he died of a massive coronary a few months ago." The chief physician said. "Did he have any visitors besides his family?" Scully asked "There was one, a tall, youngish, dark headed man that used to visit every week or so. I'll never forget him, he gave me the creeps." He said. "You don't keep your old security tapes, by any chance, do you?" Mulder asked. "Yes, we store them for insurance purposes, follow me."
"Scully, I wish I could understand how you're going to know this guy." Mulder said as they sped through the many boxes of tapes from the last three months. "I don't even understand it myself, I'll just know." She said, her eyes not wavering from the screen. Suddenly, she leapt from her chair as though she had been electrocuted. "T-that's him." She said shakily. "Yeah I can see how a person wouldn't forget that face." Mulder said as he popped the tape out, Scully jumped as her phone rang. She dug it out & looked at the ID, it was blank & a feeling of dread filled her as she answered it. "Good work, Agent Scully, I knew that you would find me, though I expected you to sooner… oh well." "Who is it?" Mulder asked, Scully ignored him & continued to listen. "Tell me, Agent Scully, how did you feel when you first laid eyes on me?" "Scared, then exhilarated." She replied. "Scully, who is it!" Mulder asked more urgently. "Well, I think that I've been helpful enough, all the clues are there… I look forward to meeting you in person very soon." He said chillingly as he broke their connection, Scully hit 'end' on her phone & put her hand wearily to her forehead. "Who was that? What's going on?!" "I wish that I could tell you, Mulder, but I just can't right now. Let's just work on catching this guy." She said as she grabbed her coat & made a hasty exit, Mulder complied as he followed her, worry was evident on his face.