ALLEGIANCE
by
Lacadiva
Disclaimer: The characters and situations of the television series, The X-Files are the creations and property of Chris Carter, Fox Broadcasting, and Ten Thirteen Productions, and have been used without permission.
Summary: After Mulder and Scully are wounded in a bloody ambush, Scully awakens to find herself in a world
where The Day has come and gone, and a choice must be made between duty and Mulder.
Note: I wrote this story several years ago and archived it at Gossamer. Recently unearthed it and thought I'd put it up at . Don't know if people read X-Files stories much anymore, but I cut my teeth as a fanfic writer on this story and a couple other XF stories. On with the show.
Chapter 3
"Good evening, Walt."
Walter Skinner looked up from the book he was reading and offered Scully a smile. "Twice in one week. I must be
getting luckier."
"I don't know about that."
"What can I get you?"
"How about a coffee? And some information."
"I'm not an informant. Not anymore."
Skinner placed a steaming mug before Scully, then poured himself a cup. He noticed the deep circles under Scully's
eyes, the paleness of her complexion, and the slightly drooping posture that made her look shorter than usual.
Mulder's imprisonment, no doubt, had gotten to her.
"I'm curious," she began. "How is it this place isn't bugged? Or is it?"
"Why do you ask?"
"I just want to make sure I can talk freely."
"About?"
"Mulder. I don't understand how all the pieces fit, and I was hoping you'd help me. You're close to Mulder. He
must have told you; my memory is trying to reassert itself."
"He mentioned it in passing. For your information, I have this place swept three times a day. And I have jamming
devices for the ones I miss."
"Who's the mole?"
"Mole?"
"The spy? It's not Mulder."
"What makes you think I know?"
"Just a feeling I get. Somebody around here has to know the truth."
"And you think that somebody's me? What about you, Scully? Where do you stand on the truth?"
"I would for once like to recognize it when I hear it. Krycek told me…he showed me a file. Mulder had my
mother executed. Is it true?"
"Yes."
Scully looked down at her hands folded on the bar. One tear streaked down her cheek and fell on her thumb.
"She would have died a far more miserable death, wasting away in re-ed. That's just my opinion. Besides, someone of a higher rank had to approve that order."
"You're saying I knew?"
"You were both different people."
Skinner passed her a white cocktail napkin. She gently blew her nose.
"Krycek is using Mulder to get me to submit to conceiving a child with him at the behest of the Colonizers.
Apparently they want -"
"You can't do that."
"I know, but -"
"No, Scully. You can't. If you do, you're dead. I don't know everything they did to you - the tests - but I know
enough to know that any progeny of yours won't be human. They won't even need you to bring it to full term. They'll take it and discard you like last night's trash."
"I have no intention of going through with it. I want to help Mulder to escape. And I want the Resistance to help me. Will you contact them for me?"
"I can't help you, Scully."
"Please, sir-"
"Don't call me that."
"What? Sir? That's what I used to call you. You were in authority over me. I don't remember it clearly but you
were, yet we were somehow friends. And you remember it too. Don't you?"
"I remember because my memory was never wiped. I'm one of the few they left intact, able to remember the
whole, sordid tale."
"Then help me! Tell me who I am! Tell me who we were! Tell me how I can save Mulder! Please, sir! Would you
have let Mulder be sacrificed then? Something in me tells me that he would put his life on the line for you or for me without giving it a thought.. I'm sure of it! I remember you risked your own life and career on more occasions than one for him. How is now any different?"
"The stakes are a little higher."
"Then what will it take, sir?""
"Don't!" Skinner drew a deep breath and stared Scully down. "This place may not be bugged, but a Colonizer
could walk in at any minute!"
"The Resistance! I want in."
"You already are."
"But I - "
"You're the mole, Scully."
XFXFXFXFXFXFXFXF
They sat waiting in Scully's Hummer outside an abandoned U-Lock storage facility on the outskirts of town. They
were told someone would come to escort them inside.
While they waited, Skinner told her everything he knew, which was enough to immerse Scully in more confusion.
Mulder was never the mole - at least officially. He did however do whatever he could to sabotage the Project from within. But it was Scully who provided the Resistance with information, such as where the convoy would be when the ambush occurred that left her wounded with a grazed temple. Now she realized why she was the only survivor.
"Playing both sides of the playing field. That's what Krycek called it. And that's how you've been able to survive," she said.
"It isn't the most level playing field we've ever encountered."
At that moment, the corrugated metal door was wrenched open. The Bounty Hunter gestured them inside with a
slight tilt of the head.
"No." The word escaped Scully's lips before she could stop it. She reached for her gun. "You set me up!"
"Will you relax, Scully! He's one of us."
"How do you know? How can you even tell?"
"If he doesn't break your neck when you step inside, you're safe."
With that Skinner hopped out of the hummer and headed for the door. The Bounty Hunter pulled back a slab of
metal to make his access easier. Scully put her gun away and followed.
They walked down the darkened, smelly hall, dodging rats, garbage and the remains of other people's belongings that had not been looted during the riots that followed the first Days. She followed the Bounty Hunter at a safe distance, far enough away to make an escape if he should turn on them.
Skinner stopped to allow Scully to catch up with him.
"You can relax, Scully, you're in resistance territory now."
"Why is he in the Resistance?" she asked, gesturing at the Bounty Hunter.
"He isn't, not exactly. He works for one of the many players who help keep the Colonizers off our backs, however."
"Who?"
They stopped at a door that read 'employees only'.
"The same power that keeps you busy rolling tanks over innocent people."
The Bounty Hunter opened the door and stepped out of the way. Cigarette smoke assaulted Scully's sinuses. Sitting at a desk, surrounded by a blue-gray cloud was the Cigarette Smoking Man.
"Keeps the game interesting, don't you agree, Sub-Commander Scully?" the CSM asked as twin streams
of smoke blew out of his nostrils. "I want to be on the winning team. Don't you?"
"Not if it means I have to sacrifice everyone to ensure my own survival," Scully said with a hiss.
"Not every one. I like you. You were my favorite convert. That's the only reason you've been allowed to continue
playing the game. I liked Mulder, too, but it seems his fate has been sealed." He stamped his cigarette out, and shook another from the crumpled pack.
"No," said Scully. "Not if you intervene. You have the power to help him."
"Why should I?"
"Because you'll have me in your hip pocket."
Skinner grabbed Scully's elbow and leaned down to whisper in her ear. "Don't make deals with the devil. You can't afford the price."
The CSM's smile looked like a cobra's face moments before striking. He lit the fresh cigarette and took a deep
drag.
"I don't care," said Scully, pulling away from Skinner and turned back to the CSM. "I need your help. And the help
of the Resistance."
"Mulder isn't important enough to call in such a favor."
"So I'll owe them. I can't let him die. It should be me in that cell."
"Don't be a martyr, Sub-Commander Scully."
"I'm not trying to be a martyr! What will it take?"
"A small favor in return."
"Tell me."
The Cigarette Man looked to Skinner to set the terms of the agreement. Skinner ran a hand over his bald head and felt sweat. "Kill Krycek."
She smiled slightly. "Consider it done."
XFXFXFXFXFXFXFXF
Scully sat in Blevin's empty office staring at the examining table. She had the table draped with fresh paper and had lined up instruments, antibiotic cleansers and bandages, waiting for her patient to arrive. She had used her internal influence to arrange for Mulder's trip to the infirmary, when Blevins would be conveniently on duty at one of the other two Colonizer bases where he patched up the wounded.
There was a knock, and then a guard entered to make sure the room was secured. Two more guards, half- carrying
Mulder's broken body, lifted him onto the examining table. Two guards left, one remained.
"You can leave, too, if you like. This patient's too banged up to be a threat. If he makes a move, I'll shoot him."
"Yes, Sub-commander." The guard left.
She then reached out to touch Mulder's swollen and bloodied hands. He pulled them away quickly.
"I don't want to hurt you, Mulder. I only told him I'd shoot you so he would leave. Let me see your hands."
Mulder allowed her to look at them, to touch them.
"No broken bones," she said, the clinician in her taking over. "But they're going to be pretty sore for a while.
She picked up shears and began cutting Mulder's sweat and blood stained shirt away from him. She flinched and
looked away when she saw the severity of the bruises. Deep, dark splotches covered his entire torso. She shifted
him to one side to pull the remains of the shirt from under him. Mulder cried out in pain, tensing, trying to curl into a protective ball. Scully found even more bruises and deep cuts crusted with dried blood across his back.
"They're running out of places to beat you," she said.
"So now it's your turn?"
"Mulder, no. I want to help you." She began dabbing away dried patches of blood, probing the open wounds to find out how deep they were. "I don't think you'll need stitches. I've arranged to have you stay here in the infirmary for a day or two, where I can keep an eye on you. And no one will be able to interrogate you. Why didn't you tell them I'm the mole, Mulder?"
He winced, sucking air loudly between this clenched teeth as Scully dabbed at another wound, and doused it with
antiseptic.
"Why didn't you tell them?" Mulder asked.
"Touche. First, because my faulty memory conveniently allowed me to forget. Skinner had to fill me in. Secondly,
because I realized if I'd told them, I'd be sitting in jail with you. With my sub-c status intact, I could at least arrange
for your comfort."
"Patch me up then spit me back out for more interrogating before the execution."
"No, not if I can help it. There won't be any execution. I've cut a couple of deals."
"With your husband?"
"With him, and someone else. And stop calling him that."
"And you believe your hus – Krycek, will honor his end of the deal? What's he want?"
"You don't need to know."
"Tell me."
"It doesn't matter, Mulder. Now hold still."
"Tell me!"
"He wants a child, Mulder. The Colonizers have ordered it."
Mulder tried to rise.
"Where are you going?"
"Back to D-Block. Guard!"
"Mulder, don't be ridiculous."
"You chose your side. I've chosen mine."
"I'm on your side, Mulder. I choose you. I have no intention of honoring my end of the bargain. I'd sooner rot
in hell than let Krycek lay a hand on me. Now please, lie back and let me help you."
Mulder was an inch from passing out. He lay back down on the examining table and closed his eyes against the
swimming sensation inside his head.
"Since when did 'trust no one' include me, Mulder?"
"I'm sorry," he said. "It hasn't been a good day."
They sat in silence for a moment. Mulder simply stared at her face, intrigued by how she scowled slightly in
professional concentration as she slowly wrapped Mulder's hands in gauze.
"I didn't know her then," he said.
"What are you talking about, Mulder?"
"You mother. Maggie."
Scully wondered if he saw her wince at the sound of her mother's name.
He continued. "I wasn't who I am now. When I realized later what I'd done, to her, to you - "
"I know."
"If I'd known, I would have done anything to protect her. For you."
"I know, Mulder."
"I'm sorry, Scully. I should have told you. I couldn't."
"There's something else I should tell you. The Resistance-"
Before she could finish, a Guard entered, a different one, followed by a Colonizer - the one Scully had dubbed the
Bounty Hunter. No, not the same one, she noticed. Thought he looked just like all the rest, the insignia on his
uniform indicated a lower rank. A bad clone batch, no doubt, she thought. Scully felt her heart rate pick up, but
continued wrapping Mulder's hands and fought to keep a poker face.
"Don't you generally knock before entering a room?" she asked.
"I have orders to deliver."
"I'm listening."
"I've come to tell you that Prisoner Mulder's transfer to Re-ed is scheduled for oh-six-hundred tomorrow morning."
Scully froze and looked Mulder in the eye. She had hoped she'd have more time with him. She thought she could
shield him from further harm. But then she remembered her deal was made with Krycek. She resumed wrapping his hand, and prayed none of them - especially Mulder - noticed that her own hands were shaking.
Neither the guard nor the Colonizer made a move toward the door. "You've delivered your message. You may go
now."
"Unfortunately, Sub-commander, there is some concern from Commander Krycek that the prisoner may attempt an escape. We are under orders to escort him back to cell block D immediately."
"Sure, fine, whatever," Scully murmured, hoping to sound nonchalant. Looking directly at Mulder, she asked, "Do
you have a last request before your transfer? Maybe I can get a letter to somebody. Family member, or a friend.
Perhaps your friend, George Hale, should know."
Mulder looked at Scully and could have sworn he saw a twinkle in her eyes. George Hale. The name sounded
familiar.
"George would want to be there for you, to say goodbye. I'll make sure he knows, and that he's there in the morning. Do you understand?"
Scully stepped back and Mulder tried painfully to climb off the examining table. The guard moved forward to pull
Mulder down, and slung one of Mulder's arms over his shoulder. Mulder wince and held back the urge to cry out.
As they walked by Scully, she gave him one last look and what Mulder could have sworn was a smile as she walked
out.
For the first time since his imprisonment and for reasons that were not yet clear, Mulder felt a sense of hope.
XFXFXFXFXFXFXFXF
It was still dark, thought a thin sense of light was burgeoning in the skies.
Two hummers and two motorcycle-riding guards flanked the truck that carried Mulder to the train that would
transport him and several hundred other prisoners to Re-ed. No doubt Krycek had ordered the showy extra security just to keep Scully in line.
Scully rode along in a hummer, a new driver at her side. She sent a silent prayer on Pendrell's behalf and also prayed that her hand would be steady when she aimed her automatic weapon at Krycek's face. IF he ever showed up.
The transport convoy had to leave without Krycek. Word came down that he had been called away on more
important Colonizer business. Scully was worried at first, but vowed that one way or another the s.o.b. would die
sometime before the sun went down this day. She hoped that the promise made by Skinner and the Cigarette Man would be kept. Mulder's life depended on it. Her life depended on it, too.
The hummer began to slow. Scully looked up and noticed all the vehicles had their break lights on.
"Why are we stopping?" she asked. Was this it?
"Uncertain, Sub-commander. Hang on. I'll check."
The driver killed the engine and stepped out of the hummer. Scully watched as he walked up to the vehicle in
front of them.
One loud gunshot rang out. Scully could not hold back her gasp when she saw a piece of the Driver's head fly away in a bloody chunk and realized he had been shot by a sniper.
She reached for her weapon. Then she heard the side window of the hummer being smashed in. She turned and
found herself looking down the barrel of a rather large semi-automatic weapon. Suddenly the entire road was
filled with men and women with similar weapons, all dressed in khaki green and camouflage uniforms from days
of old, all with faces painted covered, until the entire convoy was surrounded.
No one waited for orders to fire. The next shot came from somewhere behind Scully's hummer. Before she could duck or return fire, a fist crashed through the remaining glass in the window and grabbed her by the hair.
"GET OUT! GET OUT!" the Resistance rebel screamed. Scully opened the door as best she could with someone
yanking her hair, and climbed out. Her weapon flew out of her hand as she was thrown face down on the ground.
"Get your man out of there and get out of here!" the rebel demanded, then ran, ran off, laying down sporadic bursts of gunfire to cover her way.
Scully retrieved her gun and ran toward the truck that carried Mulder. She reached for the latch, ducking and
wincing as bullets flew all around her, hitting the truck, hitting the tires, striking mere inches from her face and
body.
She cursed when she found that the truck was locked, and she didn't have the key. The one who did was out there
somewhere, participating in the battle.
"MULDER!" she cried, banging on the truck doors. "MULDER! Can you hear me!"
She put her ear against the door and listed. She could hear a muffled voice, and could hear him banging against the door.
"STAND AWAY!" she yelled, then took several steps back and aimed for the truck door latch. She fired six times in
succession and watched as pieces of the metal flew away, until the locking mechanism was destroyed. Hope filled her heart as she raced to the doors and flung them opened. Hope died when she looked inside.
Krycek was holding Mulder in a choke hold with his prosthetic arm, and a gun to his head. "I just had to see for
myself," he shouted, "how far my wife would go to snatch the man she loved from the jaws of death. Unfortunately, you picked the wrong man."
END CHAPTER 3
Again, my thanks for your kind attention.