Chapter Four

1000 EST/ 1500 ZULU

JAG HEADQUARTERS
FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA

Well, that was interesting. I sit down weakly as I recall the dizzying effect his final comment had made on me. His eyes, what a weird feeling. Looking into Agent Mulder's eyes was like seeing him seeing me, all the way down into infinity. It was as if time had stopped long enough for us to see infinity between us. The memory made my skin crawl.

Harm keeps asking me something, I try to focus.

"What did he say to you?" I can't tell if he's concerned or pissed off. I'm afraid to say anything, afraid that Harm will do something dumb.

"He said, 'Some things are better left unsaid.'," I glance at Harm, "What do you think he meant?" He gives me that 'I know exactly what he meant' look. Sometimes I think he can read my soul, he makes me feel like I have no secrets. He shrugs.

"Hey, I need you to make a phone call for me, sometime today. Would you do that? It doesn't have to be right now, but sometime today would be great."

"Sure," I offer, warily.

"I need you to call Jordan and ask her if we can talk to Darlin."

1335 EST/ 1835 ZUZU

JAG HEADQUARTERS

FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINA

I wait until after lunch, trying as hard as I can to put off talking to her. She was apparently madder than hell this morning when she left Harm's in a huff. Sighing, I pick up the phone, dialing Jordie's number, praying to God that she can just hear me out. I highly doubt I'm going to be the person she wants to hear from. But, of course, in typical Harm tradition; there's no way in hell he's apologizing first… of course he didn't start it. The phone rings twice, three times, and halfway through the fourth, her receptionist picks up the phone.

"Yes, may I speak with Commander Parker… it's about Darlin," the receptionist puts me through, and I am subjugated to that crappy elevator music until Jordan picks up.

"What do you want, Mac?" She sounds annoyed, and I'm not sure I like the way she clips the "c" at the end of Mac.

"Jordan, I need your help with Darlin. I have two FBI agents that want to ask her a few questions."

"Please don't do this. Darlin is finally settled in a new home, the last thing she needs is for you and the FBI to come in and shake her world up again. As her psychologist, I'm telling you it's not going to happen." She whines her protests in my ear.

"And as the United States Navy's representative to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, I'm telling you, this little girl is the key to something huge, something secret. I'd like to send Agent Scully by to pick her up tomorrow morning. If you want, I'll try and get you a visitors pass to come with her." She says nothing for a long moment. Finally I hear her heave a deep sigh.

"I don't understand you sometimes, one minute everything's fine, and the next it's like everything is a conspiracy. I'll be waiting for your Agent Scully," she seems about to hang up, pauses and adds, "But the first questions that I feel are too much for her, I'm taking her back to the safe house, are we agreed?" Damn, she should have been a lawyer—she drives a pretty hard bargain. No sense in upsetting her, so I reply:

"I agree. I just want answers. Tell Darlin I said 'Hi'." She doesn't even acknowledge my comment before she slams the phone down. 'Okay, then,' I think. I feel like a complete bitch for lying to Jordan, but I don't know why Harm didn't suck it up and do this himself. Agent Scully will be performing a series of tests on Darlin, and none of them will have multiple choice answers.

He'd better tell her to show up armed… Jordan can be a little jealous, and when she gets a load of the trim, tiny Scully—her temper may flare. I just hope I can avoid the fallout from this one.