FBI Headquarters
Washington D.C.
Wednesday, 6:32 p.m.
Special Agent Fox Mulder reclined in his chair and went over the final draft of his field report. Everything seemed in order, or as orderly as it could be while recounting the investigation of a Yeti in urban California. Although it had never been apprehended ("Nor had it even been spotted," his partner Dana Scully would remind him), Mulder was sure it was responsible for the slaying of midnight surfers in Malibu, leaving only mangled surf boards and swim trunks on the shore. There was no real explanation why a Yeti was in California, but...
Mulder's cell phone interrupted his thoughts with its shrill ring. He flipped it on, answering briskly "Mulder."
"Yo Mulder!"
Mulder rolled his eyes and grinned. Speaking of "surfer dudes." It was Richard "Ringo" Langly of the Lone Gunmen, or, as Mulder so often referred to them, the "Three Stooges."
"What's up Langly? You find another June bug whose underside resembles the bust of JFK?"
"No way man! Me, Frohike and Byers are gonna crack into some CIA files tonight at our place. They're mainly on Roswell, but they might turn up something else." There was a pause, and Mulder heard another voice in the background, probably Frohike's. "We got some cheese steaks too!" Langly added. "You down with that?"
Mulder sighed. Geeky as they were, the three guys (Langly, John Byers, and Melvin Frohike) were pretty close to being his best friends, after Scully. Besides, hanging with them made him feel less paranoid. "Yeah," he said finally. "Count me in."
"Great!" Langly said. Mulder heard Frohike talking in the background again. "Um, Frohike would also like to extend the invitation to Agent Scully."
Mulder grinned as his partner, Dana Scully walked into the office, knowing how much she hated being reminded of Frohike's crush on her. "Yeah, I'll mention it to her," he said as he hung up.
Scully eyed him. "Who was that?"
"Langly. He was offering dinner and a movie tonight for the five of us."
"Cheese steaks and hacking into CIA files? I think I'll pass."
Mulder faked offence, while actually impressed she had guessed the night's true festivities. "Come on. Frohike specifically requested your presence."
Scully rolled her eyes upward and said dryly, "Really Mulder, I think I'd rather stay here and finish up on your 'Surfer Yeti.'"
Mulder shrugged. "Your loss." With that he grabbed his briefcase, waved goodbye, and headed out.
Lone Gunmen Headquarters
7:21 p.m.
Mulder let himself into the warehouse the Lone Gunmen used as their magazine head quarters. Upon entering, he realized that no one was home. "Probably out getting the steaks," Mulder muttered. "And flowers in case Scully shows."
Suddenly, he heard a noise in the back room. Mulder pulled his gun, knowing that the three men always kept surveillance on the premises, and anyone trespassing was immediately considered a threat.
"Langly? Byers? Frohike?" Mulder called out warily. There was no verbal answer, but Mulder heard movement.
"Federal Agent," Mulder identified himself forcefully. "I want you to step out with your hands in the air, NOW."
Out from the darkness stepped 16-year-old Casey Byers, hands raised skyward, horn- rimmed reading glassed hanging off her nose. Her eyes showed childish worry, though she was obviously trying to come across as calm.
Mulder lowered his gun-slightly. "Who are you?" he asked her. "What are you doing here?"
Right as Casey opened her mouth to respond, the door opened. In walked Byers, Langly and Frohike. They all greeted Mulder, and then immediately realized the situation. It was John Byers who spoke.
"What happened?" he asked as he rushed over to Mulder and the teenaged girl.
"I found her," Mulder gestured with his gun, "in your back room, where you keep your files."
Byers put his hands on Mulder's arms, lowering the gun. "Calm down Mulder," he said. "She's my niece, Casey."
Mulder looked from Casey back to John. "Your...niece?"
Casey smiled and waved tentatively, her hands still in the air.
Mulder placed his gun back in the holster, but didn't take his eyes from Casey. "You never mentioned having a niece before."
"Yeah, well, my brother and his wife have never really approved of my uh, 'career choice,'" Byers muttered despondently.
"They think it's a waste of time and money," Casey added. "So can I put my hands down or what?"
Byers nodded to her. "She's staying with me for the long weekend. Her parents are gone on a trip."
Casey flopped down in a nearby chair. "Long weekend nothing. They left two days early!" She sighed dejectedly. "They're going on a trip like everyone else in the state...except me."
"You have school, Casey." Mulder smiled at how fatherly Byers could sound.
"I know, I know." Casey stared thoughtfully at the floor. Then she looked up and grinned. "I've been reading these files, and I figure I can retaliate by developing my interest in the paranormal."
Byers rolled his eyes upward and walked off to the main room. "I'm sure I'd score big with my brother after that. I can see it now...his daughter becomes interested in the one thing he hates..."
Mulder turned to Casey. "I'm Fox Mulder, with the FBI," he said. "Sorry about the gun thing."
Casey shrugged it off. "Don't mention it. If I had a gun, I'd probably pull it every time I got a little spooked." She paused a moment. "Speaking of getting spooked, Byers tells me you work for the FBI...the X-Files division."
Mulder nodded. "Yeah, I deal with the paranormal." Suddenly he realized something. "Did you just call him 'Byers?'"
Casey raised her eyebrows, confused. "Yeah...doesn't everyone?"
Mulder shrugged. She had him beat.
From the main room, Langly yelled. "Yo Casey, your school's on TV!"
Casey scooted past Mulder, who turned and followed.
The Lone Gunmen were sitting around a small TV, watching the local news. The anchor was reporting on a high school's recent rising violence-four major fights resulting in suspension over the past two weeks.
Frohike turned up the volume just in time to hear the school name repeated-—Cedar Grove High School. Byers turned to his niece, asking, "You know anything about this?"
Casey held out her hands in perplexity. "Beats me. I saw one of those fights first-hand. The girl came out of nowhere and just started punching. No real reason either."
Mulder frowned. "You mean she didn't have a motive for attacking the other girl?"
Casey shook her head. "Of course, this is all hearsay. Word around school is she was taken to the SRO office, interrogated by them and all, because of how badly the other girl was hurt. An hour later, she didn't really recall any of it. Didn't have any reason to hurt the girl either. No one knows if she's faking or not, so she was suspended from school 'till further notice."
"Did you know either girl?" Mulder asked.
"I didn't really know the girl who got beat up...I saw her around, y'know, but never had a conversation with her or anything. So I don't know what she's like." Casey paused, frowning. "But Shelly, the other girl, I knew her pretty well. Not a close friend, but I'd say I knew her well enough to say she was very mild-mannered. She's not someone you would consider a threat to your safety."
Mulder nodded. "Until now." He turned to the other three men. "Guys, I'm gonna pass on those steaks tonight. Think I have some work that needs to be done. I'll see you around."
They said their goodbyes, with Frohike adding a request for his regards to be given to Scully. Mulder got into his car and headed not for his apartment, but rather in the opposite direction-to his partner's.
Frohike's "regards" weren't the only thing he needed to tell her.