Act II – I'm a Hippie, she's a Hippie, wouldn't you like to be a Hippie too?

Mulder roused Scully the next morning and they had a quiet breakfast. The road found the agents heading over to the Seven Rays Commune to visit the afflicted tribe. They were expected as the group leader was very concerned about the latest death. Being just on the outskirts of Denver, it wasn't too far from their hotel. Mulder assured Scully that all was well.

"I told you, Scully. No forest."

"Those are trees, Mulder." Scully said churlishly.

He got the impression she didn't have a good night's sleep. Neither did he. Whenever Scully was that close by—his dreams were fantastic and that could be good…or bad. Either way they were of her. He hated the ones where she was hurt or taken from him. Those were the worst. Sometimes she would come to him, like a lustful pixie and all the pain would leave. He liked those dreams best. Unfortunately, it didn't happen last night. He was surprised he didn't wake her with his moans. Some evil thing got a hold of Scully and he was going to lose her for all eternity. Thankfully, he woke up in time. He didn't examine that one too closely.

They pulled into a non-descript dirt road that led up to a very descript set of buildings, with a highly descript set of people. If the cast of Hair was fired and were living together somewhere—they found them. Thank god for GPS coordinates. This was off-off-off the beaten path. As they traveled to the main building, there were some people working in fields, others doing some sort of yoga and still others lounging about smoking something that didn't smell like tobacco. They looked happy, but Mulder was being generous. Hell, they all looked stoned.

Parking over to the side, Mulder and Scully rose from the car and the stoners…hippies…(ahem) fine upstanding members of the community, took notice and dazedly gathered in like children of the corn. All wore colorful clothing and some were in varying stages of undress which was odd considering it was almost autumn and there was a bite in the air. Whatever they were on probably made them impervious to the weather (or just indifferent).

Mulder took the initiative. They didn't look dangerous, but he noticed that Scully was getting nervous. "Hi. We are here to see Azure Harris." Like collective zombies, they pointed toward the structure Mulder had already identified as the main house. "Great! Thanks! Carry on."

He ignored Scully's wide-eyed stare and guided her up the path to the wood building that probably was a hunting lodge in a former life. The surrounding countryside was breathtaking with the autumn leaves and tall grasses. It was a clear day and the sky had few clouds. All of this against the backdrop of the mountains was the picture of peace. However, in stark contrast, the bright psychedelic paint job on the ex-hunting lodge brought tears to the eyes. Mulder crashed back to earth swimming in yellow, oranges, pinks and blues. Wow.

Knocking on the door, there was a lot of scuffling inside, but a man, mostly naked (he was covered with a towel) opened it and tried to smile. Mulder decided to ignore the scene. "Hello, is Azure Harris available? We are with the FBI and are expected."

"Yes…" He was stalling and glancing behind the door. He alternated between checking his partner out and looking behind him. "She will be ready in a moment…"

"Hello." A deep voice came from beyond the door. A tall dark haired woman opened it wide and the gigolo made a hasty retreat to a back room, but not without taking a last long look at Scully, who was trying hard to ignore him. She wasn't successful. The man was buff—and nearly 'in' the buff. Mulder found he was irritated at Scully's distraction, but the vision before him took some of the sting away.

Azure Harris was leggy, busty and gorgeous. Her tight (and he meant tight) tank top left nothing to the imagination. The shorts almost disappeared into an area that Mulder knew he shouldn't be staring at and he could feel Scully's fiery glare from the few inches that separated them. She was barely looking at him and still her eyes were still burning a hole in the side of his head.

"Ms. Azure Harris?" The woman nodded and Mulder managed to speak evenly. "I'm Special Agent Fox Mulder and this is Special Agent Dana Scully. We are here from the FBI to investigate the recent deaths." They both showed their badges.

Azure smiled slowly. "Your name is Fox! How wonderful! Very appropriately named." She drawled as she looked Mulder up and down. With a thumb, Azure indicated the man that answered the door as he just returned fully dressed. "His name is Tiger. Maybe you two will get along." She flipped her long chestnut brown hair with a swoop and laughed.

The woman extended a hand to Scully, but stayed focused on Mulder. "Welcome Agent Scully." They shook. "We were hoping for a crack team to come to our corner of the world. How much do you know about communes, Agent Mulder?"

"Just from what I read. Why don't you tell me about the Seven Rays?"

Azure finally included Scully in her gaze. Why don't I show the both of you? She walked ahead and started down a dirt road, shoeless. Approaching some out buildings she proceeded to explain. "The Seven Rays commune was named for the Seven Rays of the Church Universal and Triumphant. From that we learn that our Soul ray and our Personality ray are given a primacy, color, expression and location. All of us are searching. We call upon the master we need to achieve our goals."

"This sounds like Hinduism." Mulder questioned.

"It is based on that." Azure acknowledged. "Vishnu entered the seven solar rays which eventually explain all things. We don't follow that closely, but there is truth in everything, Agent Mulder. All religions have an element of it." Azure looked at Scully. "Do you believe that Agent Scully?"

"I believe there is such a thing as 'Truth' and that some religions have more of it than others. However, cold, dead, reality it what brought us here today."

Scully seemed upset. Azure stopped walking for a few beats and looked off into the fields. Mulder was surprised that the two women were at odds almost immediately. He found Azure charming.

"This is where we keep our animals." Azure explained in a monotone—her sing-songiness gone. She sounded like a tour guide now. Mulder tried not to react to the building. It was at least painted demurely if purple chickens and green goats were what were intended. Maybe the artist was color blind?

He turned his thoughts back to the commune leader as she droned on. "We are vegetarian, so we use milk and eggs. You probably saw the garden when you came in." Mulder nodded. "The meeting house is where you found me and the barracks are over there." She pointed to a series of brightly painted small buildings—all were a different color. "We are mostly self-contained. We pump our own water, raise our own food and keep to ourselves. It's hard to believe that people would die violently here. This is a place to find your life—not lose it."

"Why do you think they died?" Scully asked.

Azure looked at his partner as if seeing her as useful for the first time. "Some…spirit killed them. That's the rumor anyway. I suppose you are here to find out."

"Yes." Scully said unimpressed. "I am a forensic pathologist. I would like to examine your deceased members. I understand that you have power of attorney?"

"Correct." Azure didn't look at her. "You have my permission. I'll call Dr. Hammond and tell him to expect you. Is today too soon?" The woman turned her namesake eyes to Mulder.

Mulder saw that Scully was highly annoyed at the dismissal, but she was professional about it. "No, that would be perfect. The sooner the better."

"Consider it done." Azure said as she took out a modern cell phone and made the call. She ended it and rounded back to the meeting house. "If I don't see you until later, I invite you to dinner, Dr. Scully. We eat at 6pm. I'm sure Agent Mulder would like to interview the witnesses?" She smiled sweetly at him.

Mulder was mesmerized. "You can take the car, Scully. I'll probably be here all day." He handed her the keys and knew she was angry, but to her credit, she hid it well. It wasn't the first time she has been ditched.

Scully didn't say a word, but strode off toward the car. Mulder watched her go with a lot of regret. Hell, she was better off without him. However, without Scully next to him, the woman didn't seem so attractive. Azure was pretty, but Mulder had the unusual feeling that the light that made her beautiful a few minutes ago, wasn't hers at all. He glanced after Scully unconsciously, but Azure re-focused him.

"Agent Mulder. I'm sure you want to speak to a few of the residents here. Hearing what they think of our little slice of heaven will be better than me explaining it. They can also tell you what happened to Louisa and Beggar.

Scully was upset. She hated being treated like the little sister that was the third wheel on a date. Mulder did the equivalent of giving her $20 to go play video games while the kids made out in the booth. Sometimes he could be completely insensitive.

With the medical examiner's address from the case file, she GPS'd it to the right location. Scully gave her name at the desk and showed her credentials to the guard. She was given efficient directions to the morgue. Walking into the familiar atmosphere of polished tile, concrete and sterility, Scully zeroed in on an older man, somewhere between 50 and 60, looking at samples through a microscope.

"Dr. Hammond?" Scully asked and was rewarded with a warm smile.

"You must be Dr. Scully! Come in! I have to record my findings and I'll be right with you." Dr. Hammond returned to the microscope, but Scully appreciated the greeting. It was much more inclusive than Miss Legs-Up-To-Her-Chin back at the commune.

The man finished and crossed to her, holding out his hand. "Please to meet you, Dr. Scully. I'm Dr. Dale Hammond." He stepped back. "My my! If I had known they had such pretty FBI agents, I might have joined up!" Scully smiled shyly. "Do you teach at Quantico?"

"Not anymore. I'm a field agent."

"Really?!" Hammond was impressed. "I'm even more intrigued." He waved her over to a body on one of the autopsy tables. "Frankly, I'm glad you are here. This is Miss Louisa Richardson. She was a very young girl who, from my examination, shouldn't be dead. Perhaps a pair of youthful eyes will tell an old man where he went wrong?" He handed Scully the autopsy report. "I'll give you a few minutes to read that." Hammond walked back to the microscope.

Scully read through the report briefly and gave a cursory topical examination of the body. There were no troponin released into the blood indicating a heart attack, no stroke found and the toxicology report was clean for any drugs. That struck Scully as strange as most of the people they saw today were definitely under some influence.

What was also interesting is that Louisa Richardson was 2 months pregnant, but the fetus had died prior to her death. She would have to ask Hammond about that. The rest of the report looked well-written, but inconclusive.

"Dr. Hammond? Do you mind if I suit up and we can go over Miss Richardson's body together?"

"Not at all. The scrubs are in that drawer over there."

Scully got dressed, donned her gloves and face shield then returned to the room. The ME joined her and they got started. "Dr. Hammond, let's start by turning her over. Have you read the eye witness reports?"

"Yes. Quite fantastic." He grunted with the effort, but managed to flip the body. "Is that why you are looking there? Do you believe that a spirit attached itself and sucked out her life force?"

"Right now, I don't know what to believe."

Looking carefully over the girl's spine there wasn't much to see. However, Scully noticed an orange mark, almost like a burn to the right side near the pelvic area. She got a magnifying glass and saw that it was round with a dimple inside it.

"Did you see this?" Scully asked Dr. Hammond.

"Yes. I assumed it was a birthmark. It didn't look like a recent wound or scar."

"I'd like to take a sample from it."

"Alright." He got the kit.

"I would also like to examine her pelvic area and uterus. You mentioned she was pregnant?

"Yes, but the fetus was dead, desiccated even. Her reproductive organs were damaged too. It was most unusual. I noted it in the report."

"Do you have an explanation for the condition of the fetus?" Hammond shook his head.

"I think we should take samples of that too. Also prepare to run a paternity test on the men in the commune. It had to be one of them if she was only 2 months along. You mentioned that there was a previous death about two weeks ago?"

"A man named Beggar Price. He died mysteriously as well. No family have come to claim the body so he is still here."

"Good. We can look him over tomorrow." Scully and Hammond worked efficiently to reopen the Richardson body, take samples and pictures of the fetus and genital area. Scully found the womb, ovaries and tubes to be in an advanced stage of deterioration. It's odd that in a 23 year old this would have happened.

They sent the samples off to the laboratory and Hammond issued a heavy sigh. "You are a fast worker. Good too. I think we have both earned some lunch. Will you give me the pleasure of your company?"

Scully smiled and took off her trappings. "Sounds good, Dr. Hammond."

"Dale. Please call me Dale."

"Dana."

They walked down the street a few blocks and pulled into a small diner. The blonde waitress gave Dale a hearty welcome when he entered and indicated a nearby booth. In a few minutes she swept over to the couple with a pot of coffee in her hand she started immediately pouring for the man.

"Black coffee for my favorite doctor." The blond said cheerfully. She turned her pale green eyes on Scully. "Hi honey, Dale doesn't usually bring his ladies around, although I know he has a few on the hook." She winked at him. "What will you have to drink?"

"Just water. Thank you."

She nodded. "The menus are on the table and you watch out for this one. He is on the prowl." She turned around and Dale made a show of trying to pinch her bottom. The woman squealed and graced him with a beaming smile as she left.

Scully didn't know what to think. *This kind, sweet man is a lech?* "I take it you come here often?"

"You could say that." Dale drank his coffee. "That's Carmen and she looks out for me. I pretend that I'm a dirty old man and she pretends she doesn't feel sorry for me. It works for both of us."

Her water arrived. "You don't strike me as someone that needs pity, Dale." He shrugged and they looked at their menus for a while.

"Never did ask what interested the FBI in this case. The locals should have been able to handle it." The waitress came back and they both ordered. Scully had the customary salad, but she put chicken breast and oranges on it. Dale ordered a half ham sandwich and butternut squash soup.

"The main thing that interested the FBI was the call from Louisa's father, Senator Richardson."

"Oh." Dale looked at his hands. "That's too bad. That's means you and your partner are stuck in a political mess." He hesitated. "You do have a partner—right?"

"Yes. He is doing interviews out at the commune."

"He?" Hammond looked interested. "How long have you been partners?"

"Seven years."

"Do you work well together?"

"Yes. Very much so. He is a trained psychologist and I handle the medical and scientific details."

Dale smiled sadly. "I meant personally. How is your relationship with him?" He seemed to catch himself. "I'm sorry. That is a little too private. Don't answer that."

"It's okay, Dale. We respect and care about each other."

"Seven years. That's a long time when you are so young. Is he married—are you?"

Scully got the impression that Dale was asking, hoping to find a kindred spirit. "Neither one of us are married. How about you, Dale?"

"Widowed 5 years now. Cancer."

"I'm sorry."

"Me too." He brightened. "Had two children. I don't see them much as they live far away, but they taught me to do that video chat thing so I get to see them and the grandkids often. It makes it easier. Any children for you?"

Scully was brave. "One. She died."

"Now it's my turn to be sorry." Dale said kindly. "I've been a bit of a downer for this lunch. No more sad talk!" Scully was saved from having to reply by the meal arriving. They enjoyed their food for a while.

"I have a question for you Doctor. Do you believe that a spirit can suck the life force out of someone?" Dale looked at her from over his coffee cup.

Scully took a deep breath. "Well, the division where I work deals with strange and unexplained phenomena. That's the other reason why the FBI is here. If you had asked me that 7 years ago, I would have told you an emphatic 'no'. However, I've seen some things that leave room for doubt. Is it possible? Maybe. My partner and I are here to discover the truth. No matter what that is."

"Well said. I'm a scientist, like you, but I'm not as foolish to say there isn't more beyond what we can see, hear or touch. I think everyone has had incidences they can't explain. Last I checked, no human being knew everything. Therefore to arrive at a false conclusion just because there is something we don't know, it is arrogance." He sipped some more. "What if it is true Dana? What if there is an evil spirit? How are you going to fight it?"

"Luckily, that's my partner's strength. He's the believer and I'm the skeptic. He comes up with fantastic theories and I try to show him why that is impossible. Sadly, he is more often right than I am."

"Why is that sad?"

"Because it knocks holes in my comfortable black and white world. Mulder lives in the greys and loves maddening spirals where I prefer straight lines. It can be disconcerting sometimes."

"It sounds like you admire him."

"I do. We have solved many cases together because we think differently. The most mysterious are a combination of both worlds. Science and mysticism don't often agree."

"Do you think he doesn't need you?"

"Sometimes it feels that way. My job is to ground him in reality and his is to open me up to extreme possibilities."

Dale nodded with a small smile on his face. "Sounds like a good partnership. Does he respect your point of view, Dana?"

"Yes." Scully was definitive. "He just has trouble showing it at times."

"Ready to go back?" She nodded, Dale paid and waved at Carmen on his way out.

Mulder followed Azure into the barn. There was a young girl and an older man working in there. The girl was pretty with braided brown hair and bright brown eyes. She couldn't have been more than 21, but the man was even older than Mulder and that was taking his baldness into account.

"Leaf, Marshall, this is Special Agent Fox Mulder from the FBI. He is investigating Beggar and Lousia's deaths. He would like to ask you some questions."

"Sure!" The girl he assumed was Leaf bounced forward. "Ask away G-man!"

"Um…" Her cheerfulness took Mulder off guard, but he recovered. "What is your full name?"

"Autumn Leaf Erickson. That's my real name too, but I go by Leaf. My parents thought it was funny with the two references—y'know—the season and the Viking? They were hippies back in the 70's. I just tell people to spell my name as "Leaf—like a tree." It makes it easier."

"Ookaay." Mulder was warming to the girl. "Let's start with Louisa's death. What did you see that night?"

She shuddered. "We were just sitting around the communal circle like we do every Saturday night. We usually have a bonfire and just chill with some herb or mushrooms—stuff like that. Louisa wasn't taking any of that stuff, but she was there. Tiger came, sat next to her and they started kissing." Leaf paused smiling broadly. "I don't know if you met Tiger yet, but he is quite the social butterfly. Anyhoo, there they were when suddenly Louisa gasped and pulled away. That's when she started screaming. It was still a little light out and I could see this shape on her back. Tiger got a better look at it than me because he tried pulling it off, but he couldn't get ahold of it." The girl paused. "Poor Louisa kept screaming until she fell to the ground and didn't move again."

"What did the 'shape' look like?"

Leaf scrunched up her face. "Like I said, I was on the other side of the circle, so I only saw it when she pass in front of the fire or the western sky. It looked grey and didn't really have a form—like a body, but had arms that seemed to go around and through Louisa's body. It did appear to have eyes though—they were like glittering orange flames. That was creepy, Agent Mulder."

"Is that what happened to Beggar Price?"

"I have no idea what happened to Beggar. He was found dead in his bed one morning. He may have been that way all night. No one knows. We all thought he overdosed until Azure told us that the medical examiner said he didn't. He was an okay guy. A bit rude at times, but we believe that you should be able to speak your mind when you are among friends."

"Thank you Leaf." Mulder turned to the short, blading man.

If Mulder wanted to hurt the man's feelings, he would call him a dweeb, nerd or loser. However Marshall seemed to be extremely deficient in self-esteem as it was. He could barely raise his eyes to look at Mulder. "Marshall?" The man's head snapped up. "Can I have your full name and what you saw that night?"

"Yes, sir." Marshall began. "I didn't see much. Just all that screaming…"

"What's your name?"

"Marshal Aloysius Nobson…sir. I didn't see what happened before Louisa started screaming. I was…um. I didn't see that."

"What were you paying attention to before the incident?"

"Um…" Marshall looked guilty and glanced at Azure. "Not sure."

"Okay." Mulder might to circle back to that later, but he had a feeling that Marshall was feeling guilty about his voyeurism. As a fellow voyeur, Mulder absolved him. "What did you see?"

"Pretty much what Leaf said, but I didn't see all the tentacles go inside her body as much as I saw just one. It was connected to her back and it looked more solid than the rest."

"Where was it connected?"

"May I?" Marshall grinned and turned Leaf around. She complied happily. "It was about here." Marshall was pointing to a spot midway between the bellybutton and Leaf's buttocks. *That is interesting*

"You say she wasn't doing any of the drugs that night?" Both of them nodded their heads.

"Actually, she hadn't been partaking for a while." Leaf offered.

"Do you know why?"

"No." She said. "It's free choice. If she wants it, she could have it. There are a few others that don't use. They just meditate and stuff."

"But this was a change for her."

"I would say so! When Louisa first came here, she blew through everything we had. She tried it all—even the orange pill. I think that was the last thing she tried before just going herbal and then she eventually stopped that too."

"What's this 'orange pill'?" Mulder was getting curious.

Marshall was the one that answered. "It's pretty cool, Agent Mulder. I know you are a Fed and all, and I'm not even sure it's legal, but it opens your mind and frees your spirit. You actually leave your body. It's a hoot." *A hoot?*

"Have you both have tried it?" They nodded.

Azure, who had been quiet during this exchange spoke up. "Agent Mulder, the pill is an herbal concoction of my own design. Nothing in it is illegal and after meditating and preparing yourself, those that choose to astral travel signify their intent, by taking the orange pill. There isn't anything dangerous in it—it's more of a symbol. I lead a guided meditation three times a week and those who wish to leave their bodies behind for a while—take that trip."

"Did Beggar 'take the trip?" Mulder ask suspiciously.

"He did." Azure said. "As a matter of fact, he used the pill for the first time the same day he died."

"Azure, we will need a sample and a list of what that pill consists of so we can test Beggar's blood for them."

"Sure. Anything to help." She looked hard at Mulder. "Louisa didn't take it the day she died. I'm sure of it because I only give out one pill at a time so I can control who is using in case they have trouble."

"Trouble?" Mulder said interested. "Please explain."

"There have been some residents that are not as experienced with meditation and controlling their mind that have taken the pill to astral travel and had difficulty returning to their bodies. Leaf and I are good about talking them down which is why I don't let anyone do it alone."

"You were with Beggar when he took the pill?"

"Yes. He did fine and was quite alive afterwards. That's why I never thought to mention it before. It didn't seem relevant."

"I'll still need that list. Thanks to all of you, it's been helpful." Leaf and Marshall returned to their tasks just as the bell rung.

"Time for lunch!" Leaf said happily and both started to leave. "You are eating with us, aren't you Agent Mulder?"

Azure smiled at him. "Please do, Fox."

"Uh…please call me Mulder. I don't use my first name."

"Not even your partner calls you that?" Azure was watching him carefully.

"No, she doesn't. I don't normally use her first name either."

"I'm not judging, Mulder. I just find it interesting that someone who has a beautiful partner like she is, purposefully keeps her at a distance. Do you like women?"

"Yes, I like women." Mulder tried not to be offended. How was she to know? You need a scorecard these days…

"If I was your partner, I wouldn't waste any time showing you how sexy I think you are. Maybe she doesn't like men?"

"Scully is a heterosexual. Can we get off this topic?"

"I just wanted to know why you two haven't slept together—at least I don't think you have. Color me curious."

"Where is the food being served?" Mulder was terse and had to change the subject.

"In the large meeting hall."

Mulder immediately headed for it leaving Azure behind. He didn't like the questions because he didn't want to face the answers. Scully was off limits—verboten. He didn't have to like it, but he had to accept it. Pouring salt in his wounds wasn't helping.

When he arrived, most everyone was there including Tiger who was snuggling with Leaf. That man sure did get around. The other males seemed to have partners except for Marshall. He sat isolated and alone. Poor guy. The meal of the hour was a nice salad followed by cold gazpacho and a bean curd 'dessert' that made tasted like jellied canned peas with a molecule of sugar. Dessert usually meant delicious and sweet. Try again guys.

Mulder was just pushing away his bean curd when Tiger yelled at him from across the table. "Hey Fed!" Mulder looked up, and struggled with an illogical animosity toward the man. Sure he was younger, had more defined muscle and if the ladies were any indication—very pleasing in the sack. What kind of name is 'Tiger' anyway? *What kind of name is Fox?* He wanted to snarl a reply, but let his mask drop into place.

"Yes?"

"Where is your sexy, redheaded partner?"

Calm… Oozefrappa…. What irritated him even further is that Leaf was kissing all over his neck while the gigolo was searching for Scully. The man must have a libdo without an 'off' switch.

"She's working."

Tiger was disappointed. *Get used to it* "I'll see her later—right? She's coming for dinner?"

"That's the plan." The brilliant smile erupted from the man as he turned his attention back to Leaf. That totally closed the door on Mulder's appetite. He leaned toward Azure.

"Is he always like this?"

"Tiger?"

"Yeah."

"Pretty much. We gave him that name. His real name is Anthony Maston. A rake by any other name…"

"You don't seem to mind his attention to Leaf."

"We share everything here. Tiger isn't my only lover. It's a different way of living than the rest of the world. All of us wanted to get away from the corruption and evil of what people called 'normal' society. Every one of us works hard to support the group and we play just as hard. Some of us find we can do both at the same time." She paused. "Have you ever used 'assistance' to reach an altered state of mind, Mulder?"

"I'll take the 5th on that." He said carefully. "What's your story? Why are you here?"

"I used to be a lawyer. I started this place 10 years ago after losing my last case where injustice was done and every good deed got punished. I took my ill-gotten gains and bought this land. I've been happier ever since."

"You aren't completely happy?"

"I'm not sure humans are meant to be. It removes the drive to grow and expand their minds. I'm content with my life. That's good enough." Azure studied him. "You are searching for something. I can tell. Most of the people that come here are. Do you mind me asking what it is?"

Mulder wasn't sure he should answer, but she might be able to help. "I want to meet the Force that set me on this path. I want to look it in the eye."

Azure didn't act surprised. "That's admirable. Have you tried meditation before?"

"Yes and hypnosis. I wanted to reach that spiritual plane and see what's out there."

"I can help you. When you want to try, let me know. We'll do it together."

Mulder stared at her. It was affirmation that there was something here for him. "I will—thanks." He stood. "Sorry to switch gears, but I haven't asked where you were when Louisa died."

"I was at the circle, but I was meditating. I didn't even hear the screaming until it was too late. I confirmed she was dead, but saw nothing before that."

"Alright." He looked around the table. "Is there anyone else that can give me eye witness accounts for what happened?"

"Just Tiger. The rest…weren't in a state to give credible testimony."

"I would like to talk to him and then see where Louisa slept. Can I wander around after that until my partner comes?"

"You are welcome to explore, Mulder." Azure said with her bright blue eyes twinkling. They reminded him of Scully's and he found he missed her.

"Thanks. His phone went off and he read the text. "I need another favor. Can I get a DNA sample from all the males?"

"Why?" Azure was skeptical. "Are they suspected?"

"Not necessarily in Louisa's death, but it appears she was pregnant. We would like to know who the father was."

The woman's eyes widened. "I see. She didn't tell me. The people are free here, Agent Mulder. You may ask, but I won't demand. It's their choice."

"Fair enough." He rose and walked over to Tiger who was snuffling Leaf's shoulder. "Tiger, I wanted to ask you about that night. Can we take a walk?"

The man gave Mulder a sour look, apologized to Leaf by kissing her hand and complied. When they were out of the meeting house, Tiger turned to him. "Ask away, Fed."

"What did you do and see that night when Louisa died?"

"Well," Tiger thought. I was visiting the ladies, y'know making the rounds, when I made it over to Louisa. We kissed for a while, but then, she pulled away and started trying to scratch at her back. With the smoke from the bonfire, I didn't see it, but then-like, I did. It was some smoke creature with orange eyes that, latched onto her and it wouldn't let go. I tried to get it off, but my hands went right through it. It was totally weird. She was screaming for us to help her, but we couldn't! Finally, she fell down and died." Tiger ended his story softly.

"How long would you say this took?"

"About 3 minutes. No more than 5, I'm positive of that."

"Did anyone else try to help her?"

"No. Marshall is a chicken shit and the rest of the men were too stoned so by the time they realized what was happening, it was over. The women didn't know what to do."

"What was Azure doing?"

"She was a little out of it, at least at first."

"What does that mean?"

"I think she took one of her orange pills. She looked spaced and not present."

"Not even when the screaming started?"

"Not right away. She came back, but by then Louisa was dead."

"Have you taken one of her pills?"

Tiger looked nervous. "Yeah."

"What happened?"

"Nothing." Tiger looked anxiously around him. "Look, even Azure will tell you there is nothing in those pills that will separate your mind from your body. We've got some serious shit here that will…" He stopped, realizing he was talking to a Federal agent and moved on. "What I'm saying is that those pills aren't, like, psychedelic or dangerous. They didn't' work on me. Yeah, I gave her some bull about floating around for a while so I could keep my nightly visits, but that astral projection stuff is crap."

"So, what are you into, Anthony Maston?" Mulder was interested in this reply.

The man looked sheepish at the use of his real name. "I think you know, Agent Mulder. I get my rocks off—by getting my rocks off. The women are willing, I've had a vasectomy and I'm clean. Yeah, some might worry about STDs, but everyone gets tested before being allowed to stay and you have to be clean to be here. Don't tell Azure. She may suspect that I don't believe in this metaphysical junk, but I please her just as much as the others."

"You don't take drugs do you?"

"Nope. Will say that I tried them once, but I get my high another way." Tiger drew closer. "Speaking of that, when is like, your partner coming back? That redheaded hottie looks like she could use a little attention. I love natural redheads…"

"Stay away from her." Mulder found himself saying without conscious thought.

"What?" Tiger said surprised. "You sent her away. You don't want her. It's a little selfish of you to prevent her from getting what she needs if *you* aren't going to give it to her. That woman is sexual explosion waiting to happen. I've known lots of women and can tell her kind a mile away. Don't cramp her style, man. That's is so uncool."

"That's all for now, Anthony." Mulder strode off toward the barracks. This was becoming an uncomfortable trip. He was so sure he would find his answers here and all he was finding was more questions.