CHAPTER 17

"I wouldn't let him," Cara replied after a moment's hesitation.

Dr. Yarborough pressed his lips together. "It might not even matter," he murmured, mostly to himself.

Cara was confused. "What do you mean?"

"Well … you're currently sitting in a room in an underground building that is surrounded by magnetite from the Hammond Deposit."

Her gasp was more audible than she realized. "Will. He'll die if he comes here."

"I think that's what they're banking on."

"We have to warn them!" Cara's voice was urgent as she grabbed Dr. Yarborough's hand.

"Cara," he said firmly, pushing her hand away, "I'm here to treat your wounds." His tone implied that he wasn't about to get tangled in the mess of trying to help her in any way, shape or form.

"Please," she breathed, "you've got to help me. You're the only one who can right now." Her eyes searched his intently. "Your child is a Shield!" she continued. "If they find what they want, your child will die!"

Dr. Yarborough's eyes seem to look straight through Cara's, his face expressionless as he wrestled with his choice. He stepped away from the bed that Cara sat on, picking up a small bottle on the table behind him. "Miss English," he said after a pause of silence, "I cannot help you." Seeing Cara's disappointment in her face, Dr. Yarborough continued, taking her hand and pressing something into it. "I am here to treat your wounds," he said firmly, his eyes locked with hers. "Take this in a dire time of need," he said.

"What is it?" she asked.

"This liquid will strengthen you," the doctor replied, still locking eyes with Cara. "Its effects won't last long, but it will revive you should you need it."

"A pain killer," she said softly, hoping for something else.

"Yes," Dr. Yarborough replied. "But it's not terribly strong."

"It's okay," Cara sighed. "When do I take it?"

"When the pain is no longer tolerable," he said softly, squeezing her hand.

As the guard came into the room and took her with him, Cara gripped the bottle tightly, watching the doctor's eyes follow her out of the room with an air of solemnness and something else, something unexpected; it intrigued and puzzled her.

Hope, she thought.

11:58 AM

"The Gorge," Mulder said, crossing his arms over his chest as he leaned back in the office chair, looking at the latest results from their investigation.

"Makes sense," Scully chimed in. "It's basically a cut straight through volcanic rock on the river."

"Moist. No ventilation." Will's voice was quieter than it had been, the reality of the situation sinking in.

The three sat in silence, staring at the archived documents they had been reading online that were dated back to 1947. "It's 80 miles long," Scully finally said softly. She didn't receive a reply from either of the men in the room with her, not that she really expected to. She knew Mulder was trying to pinpoint where in the gorge Cara could be hidden, while Will was trying to figure out a way not to die just being near it.

A loud knock on the front door made all three jump, each previously too lost in thought to have heard the crunching of gravel under tires as a car came up the driveway. Scully looked to Mulder nervously; he stood with a small nod, taking his gun from his drawer and tucking it into his waistband against his back. Watching his father leave, Will stood, his arms reaching instinctively backward for Scully to shield her.

On baited breath, Will and Scully waited to hear something from the front entryway as Mulder opened the door. "Get in," they heard Mulder say softly, clicking the door shut behind them and locking it tightly with the deadbolt. Scully's eyebrow arched as she peered around Will's broad frame.

Mulder stepped into the office, Doggett and Monica following behind him carrying a small bag of luggage each. Will sighed, relaxing as Scully came around him, smiling at the new arrivals. "John," she said softly, giving Doggett a hug. She turned to Monica, the dark haired woman swooping down to embrace her. "Monica, it's good to see you both," Scully said softly.

"I wish it were under better circumstances," Monica said sadly, glancing at Will.

"How you holding up?" Doggett nodded toward Will.

"I've been better," Will mumbled, his mind running a replay of Cara's desperate screams.

"Well, I'm just glad you arrived alright," Doggett continued, knowing not to push Will any further. "It's good to see you, Mulder. Dana."

"Are you hungry?" Scully asked. "I can get you something."

"A cup of coffee wouldn't be bad," Doggett replied with a smile. "This weather is ... wet."

Mulder glanced out of the window, seeing the rain pick up again. "You get used to it," he said with a smirk, the four heading into the kitchen. "I'll get your bags," he added, picking up the luggage and following the others out. As he stood in the doorway to the office, Mulder realized Will wasn't following them. "William?" he asked. "Did you want coffee?"

Will shook his head, his focus glued on the pictures of the Columbia River Gorge on the computer screen. "No, thanks."

Mulder studied his son for a minute, his gut throwing up a red warning flag as he watched Will's body language. "Alright," he said, still studying him. "I'll be back in a minute."

"You don't have to babysit me," Will said sharply. "I'm fine to be alone."

Mulder dropped the bags, his hands falling on his hips. "William-"

"What?"

"Don't do this."

"Do what?" Will's back remained to his father.

"Don't go."

"What are you talking about?"

Mulder stepped toward Will, turning him toward him. "You know what I'm talking about," Mulder said softly, his voice dark with suggestion.

"Look," Will stepped closer to Mulder, "I don't need you or Mom to get hurt. This isn't your fight."

"The hell it isn't!" Mulder's jaw flexed. "If you walk out that door right now, it'll be the stupidest and most selfish thing you could do."

"What? To try to save my partner?" Will was growing angry; deep inside, he knew Mulder was right but didn't want to admit it.

"You can't do this alone, William."

"I put her at risk," Will said firmly. "This is all because of me. I don't need anything else happening to any of you because of me."

"You'll die," Mulder's voice was low and intense. "Is that what you want?"

"I want to get her out of there," Will growled.

"And we will. Together."

"Listen," Will said firmly, "I had magnetite injected into me and I survived for two days. I'll be fine."

Mulder grabbed his son's arm. "Wake up!" he yelled into his face. "Don't you think I might know what a mistake going it alone can be first-hand?" Mulder's hand tightened on Will, knowing Will could easily overpower him, or even kill him with a simple maneuver. "Do you know how many times my selfishness put the woman I love at risk? Too many." Mulder pushed Will's arm away, his anger overflowing. "Go ahead. Make your mistake. But just remember, it's not just your life you're responsible for."

Will watched in anger as his father left, taking the luggage with him and slamming the office door. He's right, he thought, still enraged. He looked outside, watching the rain bead up on the window pane as he sank into the office chair with a groan. As he watched the hypnotic strands of water travel down the glass, he absentmindedly wondered how the same beads of water would look on Cara's bare skin, his mind's eye seeing her pressed up against him in the shower. Will shook his head, guilty for having the thought at that moment; it seemed inappropriate. He ran his hand through his hair, his eyes still fixed on the rain.

"Water," he whispered. With a sudden sense of urgency, Will bolted from the chair, throwing open the office door and storming into the kitchen. "WATER!" he yelled, startling the other four adults as they turned to him. "Water. Water has diamagnetic properties!"

"What are you talking about, William?" Scully asked gently, seeing the odd combination of distress and excitement.

"The magnetite can be counteracted by water," Will said, rushing his words. "If I'm soaking wet at all times, it could be a strong enough repellant for the magnetite." He paused, glancing at his father. "The water will exude an internal magnetic field to counter an external magnetic field. I would essentially become a superconductor, forcing the magnetic properties outward."

The four others were silent, Doggett the first to speak. "William, it's still a huge risk."

"It could backfire," Monica added carefully.

"Look, I ran twenty miles through the Oregon woods, mountains all around me. I was fine. It was raining. Because of the water, I survived."

"This is a higher concentration of magnetite," Mulder said. "You weren't right next to the mountains. Or inside of them."

"Do you have any other suggestions?" Will challenged, still sore from their fight moments ago in the office.

"Other than stay here?" Mulder said, his tone accepting the challenge.

"You know that's not an option."

Scully stepped toward Will. "William ..." Her eyes searched his, her lips parted with unspoken words resting on them. "Are you sure this is what you want?"

He nodded, chewing his bottom lip as he took in her expression of silent worry and grief, as well as the thoughts she kept to herself. "It is."

"Alright," Doggett said, cutting through the tension. "When do we leave?"