Offices of the Lone Gunmen
9:45 A.M.
As editors of the underground conspiracy-driven newsletter The Lone Gunmen, its three-man editing and writing team had covered practically every topic imaginable vis a vis the federal government and secret activities. Stories ranged from technological developments that would remain quiet for at least a generation, to its interest in unexplained phenomena. That is how Melvin Frohike, John Fitzgerald Byers, and Richard "Ringo" Langley came to know Mulder many years before. During their first meeting with both Mulder and Scully, the clean-cut and understated Byers observed how Mulder's ideas were stranger than theirs.
Mulder's latest proposition was no exception.
"Now this one takes the cake," Frohike said, shaking his head with disbelief, pacing about the office. "I heard some story in passing about the Japanese fishing boat in the mainstream media, but not your idea about what happened to it."
"Byers," Mulder said, "you're the genetics expert around here. What do you think?"
"Well," Byers began, clearing his throat, "it's not entirely impossible. It would have to depend on the level of radiation, and what specific changes occurred in the lizard's genertic make-up. But the kind of lizard you're describing would have to be huge, especially to have taken out a ship of that size."
"Mulder said that one of the survivors said something about a dragon," Scully remarked. "Assuming he wasn't delirious, could it have been a komodo dragon?"
Byers shook his head. "They're among the largest lizards, but they're still too small to have done the level of damage that would have left little wreckage. Besides which, the accident happened thousands of miles from their native habitat."
"By dragon, I'm thinking of something more literal," Mulder said. "Something that breathes fire."
"It's a mystery then," Byers conceded. "An adaptation like that, for whatever purpose, would take many generations to develop."
"What about you, Langley? Any thoughts?"
"Yeah. Radioactive lizards are a real bitch to kill on Level Seven in Desert Base 34."
Noticing both Mulder's and Scully's confused expressions, Frohike explained Langley's response. "That's why he has to buy a new keyboard every two weeks. Keeps wearing out the same damned buttons."
"First-person-shooter game," Byers added. "It's like everything you've investigated thrown into a single free-for-all."
"Coolest game around," Langley proclaimed defensively. "You really have to have good hand-eye coordination to get through it."
"So, I can count on you to defend us when we get to the island?" Mulder asked.
"Hey, that isn't the same thing," Langley said nervously
Mulder reassured Langely. "I don't plan on going there myself, actually."
"So how are you going to find out what happened?" Frohike asked.
"We're all going to the island," Mulder replied. "Just like Langley in Desert Base 34."
"Virtually?" Scully asked.
"That's why you came to us," Frohike deduced. "You want to find plans for the island, or some kind of virtual replication."
"If I wanted something like that, I wouldn't have come to you," Mulder explained. "I had something more devious in mind."
"Thanks," Langley said sarcastically.
"Anyone know how to hack into a U.S. government spy satellite?"
Pointing directly at Langley, Frohike said, "There's your man."
"Oh, now..." Langley started, stepping back slightly. "If you wait a few years, you can see everything in the world just by getting on the Internet. You'll probably even be able to do map overlays on high-res satellite photos."
"When's that going to happen?" Mulder asked.
"It's already been developed. As with everything the military develops, everyone will know about it in a few years, and some of it will be used by everybody that can afford to do so."
"Like jet packs," Byers observed.
"So, what you're saying is that we could get a clear view of anything now?" Scully asked.
"Good enough to see a hamster's pubic hairs."
"Hey!" Frohike scolded, turning to glare at Langley. "There's a lady present."
"It's fine," Scully said, her initial shock having given way to mild amusement. "I am a medical professional."
"Not a veterinarian, though," Frohike grumbled before turning away from Langley.
"Frohike's delicate sensibilities aside, what I mean is that the resolution is quite excellent. You're thinking photos, Mulder?"
"I'm thinking live, from Daikaiju Island."
"From where?" Langley asked.
"Daikaiju Island," Mulder repeated. "It's Japanese for 'giant monster.'"
"I know what 'daikaiju' means," Langley pointed out indignantly. "Don't think that I've watched a bunch of anime in the original Japanese, and not picked up on a few words."
"Reason 169 you're still a virgin," Frohike commented.
"Kutabare," Langley grumbled.
"Live from Daikaiju Island?" Scully indirectly asked Mulder, trying to steer the conversation back to the original topic.
"What I mean is, Langley will hijack a satellite, and we'll see if we can find this dragon lurking about. If the resolution is as good as he says it is."
"Put those magic fingers to better use," Frohike added.
"You owe me big time, Mulder," Langley said as he walked to his workstation and settled into his chair.
"Langley means that, he thinks he's ready for you to get him une femme de la nuit," Frohike whispered to Mulder.
As everyone gathered around Langley, he barely disguised his continued tirade as a lecture. "This isn't as easy as it looks." As his fingers hammered into the keyboard, new security prompt screens kept making way for even more security prompts. "Even though I can override the passcodes, I have to do at least four levels of encryption so they don't detect what we're doing, and then do several levels of double-encryption whenever we're done with the peep show."
"He does this a couple times a month for laughs," Byers observed.
"Keeps the mind active," Langley said, staring intensely at the monitor.
"Are there any spy satellites that can detect radiation?" Mulder asked. "Like do a visual?"
"Exactly what I'm looking for. The closer to Daikaiju Island, the better."
Within a matter of a few minutes, Langley had overridden the safeguards on a suitable satellite within range of Daikaiju Island. He, Frohike, and Byers couldn't figure out why Mulder and Scully looked agape at the monitor, until Langley said, "Oh, yeah. You've never seen this kind of thing before."
"Byers thinks he saw Cameron Diaz sunbathing nude once," Frohike pointed out. "I think it was just some skinny blonde chick that looked a lot like her."
Langley toyed with the satellite's imaging capabilities, zooming in and pulling back a few times before settling on a view of the entire island.
"So, where do you want to start searching?" Langley asked.
"I'm not even sure how big this creature is," Mulder replied. "Does this satellite have some way of imaging radiation?"
"It's the closest one to the island," Langley said somewhat forlornly. "I should be able to do a sweep of the island."
Byers pointed to some spots on the island. "Looks like there are a couple of clearings. Here and here."
From one side of the monitor, Scully saw an object moving over the island. "What's that? Heading into the island?"
Langley moved the lens towards the object and zoomed in. "A helicopter. There's some kind of activity here."
"We should follow it and see where it goes." Scully said.
"Pull back a little," Mulder said. "That way, we can see what's in the surrounding area."
Langley's monitor showed approximately 100,000 square feet of the island, the helicopter a noticeable speck within the view. The vehicle continued on its westward path for a minute or so before making an abrupt 180 degree turn.
"Why are they turning around like that?" Mulder asked.
"Someone must have warned them off," Frohike said. "Either they're not supposed to be there or..."
A brilliant stream of blue light emerged from a point slightly further west of where the helicopter turned around. Within a few seconds, the stream stopped, and the helicopter was engulfed in an orange fireball.
Everyone stared at the monitor in shock. "What in the hell was that!" Frohike asked.
Although aware that he and everyone else around Langley's monitor had indirectly witnessed the collective demise of the helicopter's crew, Mulder calmly told Langley, "See if you can zero in on where that blue light came from."
"I'll try," Langley responded, sounding somewhat shaken.
"What was that, Mulder?" Scully asked.
"I think we've found our radioactive lizard."
"Not for long," Byers said. "Look what's happening to the monitor."
"We're being jammed," Langley muttered. "They figured us out already. I'll have to do some fast double-encryption."
"Now what?" Frohike asked.
"We've seen what we needed to," Mulder said. "I know one thing for certain, though."
"What's that?" Scully asked.
"Whatever it was that destroyed the helicopter, must've destroyed the fishing vessel. I just hope that it doesn't leave the island, and do further damage."
