The United Nations passed a resolution in late 2018 authorizing missile strikes in targeted areas throughout Africa and the Middle East. This was a painful and difficult decision for leaders throughout the globe but they felt they had no choice, alien colonists must be destroyed or humans will perish from the planet Earth.
South Africa separated from the rest of the continent and agreed to a military base that served as the UN's central strategic command. The missiles they deployed were swift and proved effective and the casualties of war were many. Like Russia the loss of life was staggering, but for a few, the Super Soldiers had been almost completely decimated and the focus on saving the remaining population and rebuilding the continent became the priority.
During the chaotic first wave of colonization, the terrorists in Afghanistan and Pakistan took control of their crippled governments and attempted to use nuclear warfare against the enemy. The alien's aircraft detonated their warheads in mid-air and the Super Soldiers systematically infiltrated the Middle Eastern organizations. The UN's primary target became a mountainous route between Afghanistan and Pakistan known as the Khyber Pass. As the missile strikes bombarded the area, it destroyed and showered the militant terrorists camps with magnetite and iron ore granules. When the region grew silent, out of the destruction emerged a people who were free to choose life over death, democracy over theocracy and friends over enemies.
A new kind of battle had begun, a ground war advanced across the planet, and it became a game of hide-n-seek without rules and no one knowing who is "it" and where "home base" exists.
The Syndicate's Human/Hybrid Cloning Project had created him alongside the Kurt Crawfords, Samantha Mulders and The Gregors. His DNA came from a pair of Soviet Scientists, cold-war immigrants, who had cloned their own son before they were imprisoned.
When The Original had found out about the existence of his clones and the fate of his parents, he had little choice but to leave his FBI post and join the Syndicate as their agent. He came to the organization with the understanding that his life and his eventual death would be filled with crimes and contradictions. The anger he felt against his mother and father and their work in cloning him was palatable, but once he realized his fury was to no avail, he decided to cut a deal. He would work for the Syndicate under one condition, in return for his service, his parents would be freed and at least one of his clones would be sent away, giving his replica a chance to live and work independent of the conspiracy's evil and manipulative ways. In some small way he felt this might atone for his sins. An agreement was made, an agreement among men who live by lies and deceit.
In 1994, the incoming CEO of an oil and gas conglomerate, the former Secretary of Defense who had also served as a Wyoming Congressman became the benefactor for Krycek III, known as Alexi. Alexi was fourteen, fifteen years younger than The Original and sent to Saudi Arabia where he was passed from oil worker to oil worker. He survived the first Gulf War and eventually found himself at Taif Air Base located in the central foothills of the western mountains of the country. After 9/11, the goals of the religious extremists became clear and the second U.S. & Middle East conflict finally became a war of ideology and oil. Alexi was sent to Indonesia for a while, then to Western Australia and finally Argentina before he was eventually sent back to the U.S.
The Syndicate is gone, the Super Soldiers on the road to defeat, and The Original is dead, but the former government forces who are nothing more than traitors against their county have sent for him. They claim it's for justice, but Alexi, knows it is hatred and revenge that drives them. His benefactor and their leader has been kept alive with medical intervention and artificial organs, he is bedridden and delusional in his old age. He still believes he will someday take over the stewardship of the planet, but even a second-generation clone knows the former Vice President has gone mad.
He checks his weapon, making sure the clip is full before tucking it into the small of his back. His vintage leather bomber jacket is heavy compared to the new textiles and faux leathers on the market, but he likes the weight and smell of it. He hides behind his dark glasses and baseball cap, but a disguise is not critical, after all only a handful of people would know him by appearance.
"You're extremely lucky to be alive, but I'm stating the obvious. Jesus, Doggett you really do take a lickin' and keep on tickin' don't you?" Mulder cracks a smile.
But Scully isn't at all amused. She crosses her arms tightly around herself and furrows her brow.
After arriving at the NYP and learning of the attack on their friends, they've made their way to the Boulder Medical Center where Monica and Doggett have been treated. The news of Skinner and Marita and Alvin Kersh has brought light to their attack and they realize they were targets.
"I can't believe no one was killed. I used to think that living next to the parking lot was a drag, but thank God it took the brunt of the destruction." Monica adjusts the sling on her arm and holds it close to herself. She and the others now know it was a long-range missile that missed her cottage.
"Who the hell is trying to kill us? I wanna know why." Doggett winces with pain as the laser closed wound above his left eye pulls. "Christ Dana, those kids left less than ten minutes before we got nailed."
There is an uncomfortable silence and Scully is the first to speak. Her words mirror what the others are all thinking. "Just being near us could be dangerous. We can't bring this down on William." She looks at Mulder. "We have to leave."
The spring semester at school is almost over and the summer session will start in mid-June. The residents are anticipating the new season, many will take challenging wilderness trips, some will work as interns in major cities and still others will prepare to leave the NYP and start their new lives as tradesmen, soldiers or college students.
Petie fidgets nervously and looks at her watch. She told Will to meet her after her writing class. It's time to tell him of her decision to join the army instead of going to college and she knows this news will anger him, but even worse, hurt him.
Will is waiting outside of the Science building for Petie. He is excited to tell her about the Chemical Engineering program at Purdue University. His advisor says he's already been accepted, he just needs to get his application in to make it formal. He knows she'll like Purdue and he'll help her find a program she'll be excited about too.
"Petie! Guess what!" He runs over to her and picks her up in a hug, "I've got great news for you!"
"That's good, but I have news for you too. Me first, okay?" She leads him off to the outskirts of the square and they sit down on a set of concrete stairs to talk.
"How's Kersh?" Gibson asks. He already knows, but Skinner's brooding about Alex Krycek has become annoying and he wants him to think about something else.
"His recovery is going well, he's out of intensive care and if his progress continues he should be discharged in about two weeks. Kersh is one lucky son of a bitch. I hope he appreciates that."
Skinner points to the open case file on Gibson's desk. "How's the investigation going?" He's referring to the missile that barely missed Monica's cottage.
"It's slow. The only things they've determined, is it's origin is Saudi Arabia. No magnetite or iron in it so that leaves out a friendly fire scenario. Our people turned it over to the DoD and they're picking up the fragments and trying to determined if it had a jamming device in it. They can't get a reading on where it was launched."
"What about Mulder and Scully? How long are they going to stay in Boulder? They're next if this is a systematic attack. What the hell do they think they're doing?" Skinner's questions are indicative of his mood. He feels like a caged animal and anxious to get out of the safe house.
"And you, have you thought about the danger to you and your wife?"
Gibson looks at Skinner and reads the spin of emotion in his thoughts. "Yes, we have. It's never easy, Walter. Anything and everything is never easy with Mulder and Scully, much less Alex Krycek."
It's the afternoon chore shift and Jamal and Nick are in the dining hall wiping down tables and benches. They kick at stray milk cartons and utter expletives when they find undetectable items stuck to the tables.
"What's with Will? You know what's troubling that boy?" Jamal asks his work partner.
"What else is there? You know the same old shit that gets everyone here the dreads… Workcorps, military or college and with Will it's the double whammie, he's got Petie trubs too. She told me he's making her feel trapped."
"What the fuck? She and Will have been like Velcro since they got here."
A serious expression crosses Nick's face. "Will doesn't see it, but it's time to move on. She's thinking about her future, Will's making up a fairy tale in his own head. We've all heard it, idealizing the past and how you can never recreate it. But Will's not ready to give it up. His dreams, you know?"
"Yeah, I guess, but I've seen some of those college girls…. Mmm.. Mmm! I think there's a lot to look forward to!" Jamal's eyes twinkle.
Nick shakes his head. "I just hope he doesn't do anything stupid. Like giving up on college or doing something lame like making Petie feel guilty… you know the kind of shit that some of them pull. Too much drama."
He pauses a moment as he scrapes at something on the bench. "Hard to believe, but I think I'm actually going to miss this place." He's completed his stay at the NYP and will be leaving this summer for California to begin his apprentice as an electrician.
"No, man… I get what you mean. Growing up in this bubble hasn't been all bad… Shit, Ya know you're going to miss the enchiladas..."
The two boys burst out in laughter.