-1 CHAPTER 10: Tapioca, Plots, and Infernos

Wow, aren't the gas prices something? I would be astounded if I didn't know that all it boils down to is a dark plot by OPEC and high-ranking government officials to limit travel of Americans, cause social and economic ruin, and bring about another great depression. A few groups stand to make a good deal of money off of a depression, and it isn't us. My advice: FOR THE NEXT THREE DAYS, DO NOT GAS UP. Turn off any gas appliances, and don't buy gas, oil, kerosene or even lighter fluid. It'll cause a massive oil surplus, and they'll have to drop the price just to get rid of it. Tell your friends and family. The guys in charge want to mess with us, let's mess right back. Now, on with the story…

Membrane Residence

Feb 13, 12:42am

Agent Mulder walked down the sidewalk toward the Membrane house. He mulled over everything he and Scully had learned in the past two days. Mulder knew that this would be the case. He could use this evidence to prove that alien being were coexisting with humans on earth. As usual, he didn't care how it would look on the report. Mulder had no qualms against marching into Assistant Director Skinner's office, and telling him that there was a green skinned alien plotting the overthrow of mankind from an inner city house. If he had to, he would drag Skinner and the entire FBI to Zim's door, and ask to speak to his leader.

Mulder walked up to the door of Dib's house, and was preparing to knock when he heard a strange noise upon the roof. Backing up a few steps, he looked up. There was a faint, bluish light emanating from the house's roof. Mulder looked around, and quietly strode to the back of the house. Spying a ladder propped up against the house, Mulder again looked around, and began silently climbing.

"Come on…." He heard a voice mutter. "I know you're out there…somewhere." Mulder cautiously stuck his head up over the edge of the roof. Dib sat in the middle of a plethora of technology. A small satellite dish was connected to a laptop, from which lines ran to points unknown. Dib wore a pair of headphones jacked into the computer. Mulder watched with some fascination as Dib scanned the night sky back and forth with the dish, pausing a few times with a smile, only to have the smile leave his face. As Dib began typing on the keyboard of his laptop, Mulder finished climbing onto the roof, and approached him.

"Dib?" Mulder said. Dib jumped a little, and turning, saw Mulder.

"You kind of surprised me." He said. "I wasn't expecting you this late." He sounded different than before, Mulder thought. He wasn't as cheerful and talkative. Mulder watched as he went back to typing something into the computer. He hit enter, and positioned the dish on its automatic turret. Dib took off the headphones, and laid them on the ground.

"What can I do for you, Agent Mulder?" He asked a little forlornly. "Have you exposed Zim for the space monster he is yet?"

"There's still a little work to do." Mulder replied. He looked at Dib for a moment. "Is something wrong?" Dib's eyes immediately looked down, telling Mulder that there was.

"I'm alright."

"You sure?" Mulder asked.

"Yeah." Dib said. "It's just that…" He sighed. "Tomorrow is Valentine's day." Mulder smiled a little.

"Ah. Got a sweetheart you're worried about impressing?" Mulder asked.

"Mulder?" Dib asked. "Can I tell you something? I've kept it inside for a year and…I think you're the only person who would, you know…"

"What is it?" Mulder asked. Dib sighed, and looked up at the sky. He reached into a small cooler, and pulled out a cup of pudding and a spoon. He tore off the aluminium top, and sighed again, sitting cross-legged, and taking a bite, closing his eyes, and seeming to savor the flavor. He looked up at Mulder.

"Want a tapioca pudding?" He asked.

"Tapioca?" Mulder asked quizzically. Dib looked down at his pudding.

"Yeah…." He mused. "I dunno. Tapioca pudding always makes me feel better."

"Dib?" Mulder said. Dib nodded.

"It was last Valentine's Day." Dib began. "She walked into my life. The only girl I've ever…liked, you know?" He smiled a small sad smile. "Tak."

"What happened?" Mulder asked, kneeling beside Dib.

"We had a lot in common, I thought. We both hated Zim, she listened to me, you know? And she was so smart and…beautiful." Dib looked at the equipment. "You know what that stuff is doing, Agent Mulder?" Mulder looked over at the array.

"No…what?" He asked. Dib took another bite of pudding.

"It's a high bandwidth transceiver." Dib replied. "I have it set on transmit now."

"What is it transmitting?" Mulder asked. Dib looked to the sky again.

"Tak, please come back." He whispered, as if it were a prayer to the stars above. Mulder looked up, and then at Dib.

"You mean she was…" Mulder said, looking up at the night sky.

"The greatest thing to ever happen to me." Dib replied. He laid his now empty pudding cup down, and pulled his knees up to his chest. "Do you think I'm crazy, Agent Mulder?" Dib asked.

"No crazier than anyone else waiting for miracles from above, Dib." Mulder said with a smile. They were silent for a while as a falling star streaked across the sky. "I hope you find her."

"Thanks." Dib said. Suddenly, Mulder's cell phone chirped loudly. He fished it out of his pocket and answered it.

"Mulder." He said. He could hear several voices yelling in the distance on the other end.

"Mulder," Scully's voice said. She sounded a little shaken. "You need to get to the motel."

"Alright, Scully, I'll be right there." Mulder said. He closed the phone, and stuck it back in his pocket.

"Is everything okay?" Dib asked.

"I don't know." Mulder said. "But I don't suppose you have any transportation laying around anywhere, do you?"

Risinggaspricesareaconspiracy.Fightbigoil,getahorse

Feb 13, 1:21 am

Mulder and Dib arrived at the motel to be greeted by a throng of firefighters, police, and gawkers. The motel was a raging inferno, and red flames leapt into the night air.

"No. No. No." Mulder muttered, dropping the bicycle, and running toward the scene, with Dib right behind him. Two officers tried to stop Mulder, but he pulled out his ID. "FBI, let me through." He said. The officers parted. Dib pulled out his Swollen Eyeball Network ID.

"SEN. I'm with him." Dib said. The officers looked at each other and shrugged, then parted, letting Dib past.

"Mulder!" Scully called from the front of the crowd of emergency personnel. Mulder and Dib made their way over to her. The roaring of the fire and the hiss of the high-pressure water hoses combined with the din of all of the people made it hard to hear anything.

"Our evidence Scully!" Mulder yelled over the noise. "The file, the photos, your computer, it's all gone!"

"Mulder, what's going on?!" Scully yelled.

"I guess they figured we were getting to close for our own good!" Mulder replied.

"You mean this is some kind of cover-up?!" Dib called. Water rained down on them from the fire hoses.

"I guess we're on the right track." Mulder said. "Come on."

"Where are we going?" Scully asked, running alongside Mulder.

"We have to get to the witnesses before they do." Mulder said.

"I'm coming too." Dib said.

"No." Scully ordered. "It might be too dangerous…"

"If they're willing to go this far to cover up the truth," Dib said. "Then I might be in danger too. Besides, this was my case before it was yours."

"He's got a point, Scully." Mulder said. Scully looked back at the motel just as the roof collapsed.

"Alright," She finally said. "Come on."

What did you think? Maybe my writer's block is finally over. I'm going to try to start chapter 11 started tonight, so stay tuned in right here for the next installment.

Again, DO NOT BUY GAS for the next three days. Tell everyone. It's the only way we can bring the prices down. This is my conspiracy to undo theirs. Let's all get in on it. Well, until next time, cheerio.