Sanctuary – House of Capricorn
Athens, Greece
11:17 PM

After spending quite some time sorting through the mountain of shopping bags, the agents finally surrendered to the day's exhaustion. Scully stifled a yawn and rose, making her way toward the bedroom.

"Turning in already?" Mulder asked, not moving from his seat.

"Mm-hm… yeah. Why?" Scully paused in the doorway.

"Don't you think we should talk about this trip of yours?"

His tone wasn't accusatory, but it was enough to spark a flicker of irritation in her. She turned back and walked into the room, sitting down at the small table across from him. He just looked at her – calm, expectant.

"Mulder, it's not 'my trip,' and you know it. You know damn well we're not here on vacation."

"Could've fooled me. You seem to be enjoying yourself," he cut in.

"As I was saying," she continued, brushing off the sarcasm, "this isn't leisure. I'm not going to Japan to sightsee. We need to find out exactly what it was you injected into me. And beyond that, these people deserve answers about what… what happened in Antarctica. This is serious, Mulder."

"I told you already – I gave you a vaccine. It was handed to me so I could save your life from an alien virus. What part of that is still unclear?"

"What's unclear?" she echoed, incredulous. "I need to know exactly what it was. Whether there could be side effects. Whether it's still in my system…"

"You think I'd give you something that could hurt you?"

"Mulder," Scully exhaled, steadying herself, "I'm not saying I don't trust you. It's just that… do you have any kind of confirmation about what was in that syringe?"

Mulder went silent. He didn't have an answer. It was a technical question – and one he'd never had the chance, or maybe the resources, to fully explore.

"I'm not blaming you, Mulder. Really – I owe you my life, and I don't say that lightly. But you have to understand that Ineedto isolate this case. I need to know."

"You're right," he admitted quietly. "I'm sorry." He rubbed a tired hand across his face.

"Good." She stood again, but hesitated. "There's just one thing I don't get…"

"What?"

"All this time we've worked together, it always seemed like you were just waiting for the day I'd finally open my mind to some of these… possibilities. And now that I actually have reason to believe in all this madness – you act like you hate it. Why?"

"I don't know," he said simply. "We're both tired. Let's just get some sleep."

Scully walked into the bedroom, still unsettled by the non-answer. She had a feeling she knew what was bothering him – just not how much. She'd felt something similar before, watching him work with other partners. EspeciallyDiana Fowley.

xXx

Sanctuary – House of Capricorn
Athens, Greece
06:21 AM

"Agent Mulder!"

Mulder opened his eyes slowly at the sound of the voice. The first thing he saw was the face of the Cancer Saint.

"Well then," Deathmask said with a crooked smile, "how about we find out if you can still move?"

Mulder tried to push himself up on one elbow, but a bolt of pain shot through his arm and back, freezing him in place. Milo, who had come along with Deathmask, winced in sympathy.

"Wow… looks like he reallyislocked up," Milo said, barely containing a chuckle. "And it's not like you're that out of shape, Agent Mulder. I mean, you're not exactly overweight or anything…"

Deathmask shot him a sharp look that saidenough, and Milo wisely dropped the teasing before it went further.

"Forgive the lack of manners – he's Greek," Deathmask muttered. Then, turning back to Mulder: "But don't worry. Sarcasm aside, Milo actually knows what he's doing. He can work out muscle pain in a heartbeat. You'll feel like new."

Mulder didn't even get a chance to reply. Milo stepped forward and pressed his index finger into a few pressure points on Mulder's shoulders and along his side. The pain was sharp – blinding, even – but to Mulder's astonishment, the burning ache in his arms, back, and lower spine dissipated almost instantly.

"Don't get too excited," Milo said casually, avoiding eye contact. "I just numbed the pain a little. It'll be back in a few hours."

He seemed oddly uncomfortable with the way Mulder was looking at him – too much gratitude, maybe. It wasn't something Milo was used to.

"That's why we came to get you," Deathmask chimed in. "Time for a little exercise. Can't let this happen again just because you pushed yourself too hard once."

"Er…" Mulder hesitated, unsure how to respond. "I'll go get changed, then. Just give me a minute."

He stood slowly, still feeling it in his legs – but there was no way he was going to show it. God only knew where Scorpio-boy might press next if he saw weakness…

xXx

As they neared the training arena, Mulder grew more and more uneasy. From what he'd seen so far, what these people called "training" looked like the kind of thing that could land someone his age in a full body cast. It was hard not to picture broken bones – especially when he glanced at someone like Aldebaran.

When they finally reached the edge of the arena, he felt a pat on the back from the ever-smiling Italian Saint.

"Good morning, Saints. Agent Mulder," Shina greeted them politely.

"Buongiorno, Shina," Deathmask replied smoothly.

"You're early today,Maschera," she noted.

"We brought Agent Mulder for a little workout," he said, with a touch too much cheer.

"Is that so, Agent Mulder?" she asked, tilting her head slightly. "Don't tell me these two dragged you all the way out here – wouldn't you rather be resting?"

"No, I–" Mulder began, but Milo cut in before he could finish.

"He needs to move. He woke up totally stiff just from yesterday's walks. His muscles are packed with toxins. If he doesn't get the blood flowing, the pain's just gonna come right back."

"Oh, I see," Shina replied, her voice shifting to something a little more precise. "Well then, Agent Mulder, if you don't mind, I'd suggest training withusinstead. It'll be a lot more productive than letting these two pretend they're fitness instructors."

She narrowed her eyes at Milo and Deathmask, who both looked faintly offended.

Mulder's eyes widened. The uneasiness in his chest tightened. He rememberedexactlywhat the Amazon training sessions looked like. He wouldn't have minded doing meditation with the redhead, sure – but the blonde? And that fierce Italian one? He'dseenher in action.

"Don't worry, Agent Mulder," Shina added, her voice almost soothing. "Just some light exercises."

If only Mulder could see the smile hidden beneath her mask…

xXx

Graad Foundation
Tokyo – Japan
12:29 PM (local time)

The trip had been surprisingly fast – and almost luxurious. Scully had expected to arrive exhausted, but to her surprise, she felt remarkably clear-headed and ready for the long day ahead. After a short helicopter ride to a private airport, they boarded what was likely a supersonic jet. Within just a few hours, they were landing in Tokyo, stepping into the high-tech core of the Graad Foundation.

Aiolia had been guiding her through the facility, introducing her to teams and technologies that left her genuinely impressed. The scale of the place was staggering. She couldn't help but wonder what the FBI's Quantico labs could achieve with even a fraction of these resources – how many cases could be solved in half the time, how many errors could be eliminated before they even began.

Aiolia answered her every question with focused, passionate clarity. This was clearly his domain – he moved through the scientific environment as if it were second nature. His depth of knowledge was nothing short of extraordinary.

"Agent Scully, it's been about two hours – I believe the analysis of the first blood sample should be ready. Shall we take a look? And since we've just drawn another one, I'd suggest a short break. Maybe grab a bite to eat?" Aiolia said, ever thoughtful.

"That's a good idea. If you went through hypothermia and already had blood drawn twice, it would be wise to take it easy – something to eat, maybe fewer steps for now."

The voice was new, and Scully turned, startled. For a split second, she was certain she was looking at Saga. But something was undeniably different. The eyes. Physically, he was identical – but there was a sharper glint in this man's gaze. Cunning. It was the kind of look that made her feel like he was reading her entire psyche in one glance.

"My apologies," he said, extending a hand with composed confidence. "I should've introduced myself first. I'm Kanon, Gemini Saint."

TO BE CONTINUED...