Chapter Ten

Anne woke up just before sunrise. Damn, she'd slept better outside then in. A tip to remember.

She stretched and checked the lot. The rental car was still gone. Damn Mulder, too.

Getting up, she went and got a cup of coffee from the motel lobby. It was slightly charred and lacked sugar and cream. Scully got up after she came back, already on the phone, which probably wasn't working, since she burst in the lobby a minute later.

"Can I use your phone? Mine's dead."

"Sure."

Scully tapped buttons ineffectually. "This one's not working, either."

"Phones go out here all the time. People blame the military."

Anne snorted. "Are they right?"

Of course, no one paid her any mind. Scully slammed the phone down, then looked outside at a slim gold car pulling up. Not the rental-it was too streamlined to be a Taurus. But Scully recognized it.

"Mossinger."

Scully walked out, nonchalant. Anne started to follow.

"Stay here, Anne."

"Fat chance in crimson hell."

Anne was better at nonchalant then Scully. But she wasn't feeling her own back up for a gun, either.

Mossinger exited Scully's room. "Oh, hi, Agent Scully. I was looking for you, saw the door was open…"

Anne rolled her eyes. "Use a different excuse, jeez. That one's so worn out you couldn't use it for summer curtains. What are you? Reporter? Crank? No, something else. James Bond wannabe, probably. Am I close?"

She heard the crackle of a two-way radio. "Redbird, this is Base. Come in, Redbird."

It was Anne's opinion that women worked together better then men, because they were more in tune with universal female body language and not as interested in having a pissing contest. So they were able to both dive into Mossinger's car. Anne had the doors locked, and Scully took out a Glock from the glove compartment. It was aimed at his face a second later when he finally got the door open.

"Hands on the car!" Scully yelled into his face. "Spread out! Now!"

"You are making a mistake, Agent Scully."

Anne blew a raspberry. She'd found a knife under the seat, and flicked it through her fingers. "Buddy, are you that stupid that you argue with a woman whose got a gun to your head?"

She tucked the knife into her belt. And when she heard the familiar putter of Roofer's scooter, wondered if the universe was out to fuck up the day.

Roofer and Elfie pulled up, still generally confused. "Where'd you dump my dad?" she asked them.

"He went to Yellow Base," Roofer began.

"We waited as long as we could," Elfie finished.

"Mother fudge nuts," Anne grumbled.

"Okay," Scully hadn't removed the gun. "This is how it's going to work. You are going to drive," and she tilted the gun a little into Mossinger's neck. "You are going to drive us to Yellow Base and have them hand over Mulder. Otherwise, I'll shoot you. Clear enough?"

"Very."

"Good. Anne, once he gets into the car, cover him with the knife until I get around."

Anne unsheathed the knife. As soon as Mossinger sat down, she had the blade pressed against his jugular. "Do not touch anything until she gets in."

"You are too big for your britches."

"Maybe they just don't make my size in this county."

Scully slide in the other side. "Start the car, and drive to the airbase."

Anne leaned out the window. "Favor, guys? Check up on the Budahas kids now and then. They could use some people to hang with."

Roofer and Elfie said something, but they were already moving down the road, blurring colors with the speed. She hoped it was assent.