Chap 3
"Don't even think about it." The man said, holding the straining Mulder in a chokehold, Mulder's gun pressed to his head. Skinner let his hands drop in a non-threatening position.
"Let him go."
The man laughed and tightened his grip on Mulder's neck. Mulder struggled to breathe, his abused body demanding more oxygen than he had the ability to get. Skinner saw that he was about to pass out and feared the sudden move would startle the gunman into shooting.
"At least let him breathe! He's going to pass out, and then he'll be no use to you at all."
The gunman sneered but loosened his grasp. Mulder sucked in air as soon as he could. The UNSUB seemed to tire of the standoff and gestured towards Skinner's gun.
"What do you say to a trade? Your gun for him." The man pressed the gun into Mulder's temple, enforcing his suggestion.
Skinner didn't like the idea of being weaponless, but he liked this man's use of Mulder as a hostage even less. He nodded. Pulling his gun out slowly, he started to remove the cartridge, when Mulder gasped. The gunman had pressed the gun tight against Mulder's head, and the blood ran down his neck to stain the collar of his shredded dress shirt. Skinner froze and waited for the gunman to make the next move.
"Hand over the gun slowly, butt first."
Skinner obeyed. As soon as the man had a firm grasp on the gun, he threw Mulder into Skinner's arms. Mulder stumbled and nearly fell, but Skinner reacted in time and helped him to regain his equilibrium. Mulder faced the gunman, one hand on his left temple and the other on his bruised ribs, and was finally face to face with the man he had been profiling.
The UNSUB's tall, thin build belayed his wiry strength, and the long brown hair framing his delicate features seemed at odds with the heavy, dark metal of the handguns he held. The man appeared as acutely interested in studying them. His calculating gaze seemed to penetrate the steel walls around the FBI's most unwanted and laid bare the depths of Mulder's psyche. Mulder met the man's emerald eyes with his hazel ones, and, for a few seconds, they seemed to peer into the maelstrom of each other's thoughts. Skinner broke the unusually intense staring competition.
"Who are you and what do you want with us?" He asked authoritatively.
The UNSUB spared him but a glance, quickly dismissing him in a gesture that riled Skinner to nearly uncontrollable fury.
"Let us begin." The man said in a grandiose voice. In one quick movement he threw Mulder's gun towards the two men and shot off down the hallway.
Mulder reacted quickly and snatched up the gun. With scarcely a thought, he ran after the UNSUB.
"Mulder! He can't get out! Let's get some backup! Mulder!" Skinner yelled as he saw him skid around the corner.
"I'm getting too old for this." He muttered as he ran after them.