Title: Safe Harbor Part IX Author: shawntaw Category: MSR, Mulder/Scully/Skinner friendship, ProfilingMulder Rating: PG, maybe R Disclaimer: Not mine. I'm making NOOOO money, honey. Summary: What does the future hold for Mulder and will Scully and Skinner be able to put the clues together to find him in time? NOTES: To all those who send me feedback..."Yooouuuu light up life, you give me hooooppeee.." Have you ever been serenaded over the internet before? *L* And to Teresa, who would like to kiss Mulder's boo-boos, I think...*wink* :) ***************************************************** Scully watched as the hotel employee's body was zipped into the body bag. He had been shot through the head, execution-style. "The only thing missing is his maroon room-service vest, far as we can tell," The kitchen manager was saying, "But, of course, I suppose he could have been carrying something else without my knowledge. I already told the other police this." She turned toward Skinner and the man he interviewed. Skinner was nodding, grimly, looking down at the ground as he listened to the other man speak. He didn't take any notes. This turn of events was not a huge surprise. It had become obvious to Scully that the killer had been watching for an opportunity to take Mulder and saw her chance when Mulder had ordered room service. *She had apparently killed the hotel employee, perhaps using a silencer by the lack of witnesses, took his vest, and had posed as room service in order to drug Mulder's tea and deliver it to his room. The killer had then been able to lead a drugged Mulder to.... Where?! Where is Mulder right now? What is happening to him?* Scully felt the knot tighten her throat again. She tried to take a deep breath. She became aware of Skinner's appraising gaze on her. Scully averted her eyes quickly and turned away to look again at the dumpster. Skinner's worried look never wavered. ******************************************************* Night fell. Mulder knew this because the little strips of light slowly vanished and the room became pitch black. *Cloudy night* He tried not to drink the water. He knew he should save it for what was to come. Mulder had found a bucket in the corner just before the sun completely disappeared and was able to attend to his basic needs. Bladder empty, he had sat on the small cot set up against one wall. *Scully and Skinner will find me* He tried to think of Scully and how she looked when she slept and how she looked when she worried and how she looked in those teal pajamas... Mulder sighed. This wasn't helping. Now all he could think about was the possibility that he'd never see Scully again. He decided to mentally go over his profiling notes, add any additional knowledge he could, and try to see if he couldn't make some headway on the case. Perhaps it could save his own life. The biggest concern Mulder had was the apparent revelation that the killer was a male. Scully and Skinner could be on the wrong track if they were following the tenative profile he had formed before his abduction. A scraping sound preceded a beam of light into the basement as Mulder scrambled to his feet and glared toward the opened door. "Who is it?" he called out, even though he knew he wouldn't get an answer. *Time to bait this guy and see I can get some information* "Wouldn't you like to know," said the sing-song voice with a laugh. The beam shone on the bottle of water and granola bar by the wall where Mulder had left them. "Saving them won't do you any good. I'll just take them from you when its time," he warned. "But if I die too soon, you don't get what you want from me, do you?" Mulder decided to use the only weapon he had against the killer - himself. "You said it yourself," Mulder added, "wouldn't want me checking out too soon." The killer seemed to be staring at him, but Mulder couldn't tell exactly WHAT was going on behind the beam of the flashlight. The small man was merely a shadow. "I could always take someone else. You are not indispensible, you know." His voice had become growly, barely restrained. "Why October 20th?" Mulder asked, "Why not just kill me now? What is it, some kind of sick anniversary?" The killer laughed harshly. "I'm not an idiot, Mr. Mulder. I may not be with the F.B.I., but I can see what you're doing." He seemed to be staring again. "With the brown hair and the light eyes.." he seemed to fade for a moment. "I bet you're into sports, aren't you?" Mulder frowned, wondering whether to lie or tell the truth. He decided to try a different tack. "No, actually. My job at the F.B.I. is profiling and its mostly paperwork. I don't get a lot of time to participate in sports or anything physical like that, why?" The killer flew into a fury. "That's not true! I saw you running! Its obvious!! Say it! Say it!! SAY IT!!!" His hysterical voice rose several octaves. He flung his flashlight without warning and it hit Mulder square in the forehead. Mulder's already dark world spun as he fell and began to recede into absolute blackness. "With the brown hair and the light eyes," the killer started again, this time spitting the words at Mulder, "and the jock mentality.... my father would have loved you." Mulder barely had time to wonder about that before his hearing followed his sight and he knew no more. ***************************************************** Scully sat up and gasped. There was a pounding on the connecting door. She flung herself out of bed, tripping on the bedcovers, and stumbled to the door. *MULDER?!* Scully started to open it, rethought and grabbed her gun from the nightstand. She reached out a shaky hand to open the door as the pounding sounded again. "Open the door, Scully! Are you alright? If you don't answer me, I'm going to knock down the door!" Skinner's voice boomed through the barrier. She breathed heavily, set her weapon back down, and unlocked the door. He paced in, looking pale and holding his own gun ready in front of him. Not seeing a threat, he spun to squint at Scully where she still stood - hand still on the doorknob and looking confused. "What's wrong, sir? And why were you in Mulder's room?" His eyebrows shot up. "What's wrong? What's wrong?" he said, incredulously. She blinked at him. Skinner lowered his gun and stepped forward, placing a hand on her arm. "You were screaming. I couldn't tell what you were saying, but it sounded pretty bad. I wasn't sure if you were having some kind of nightmare or being attacked." He paused. Scully was biting her lip and trying not to cry in front of him. Her jaw set and he knew the tears would go no farther than the sheen he saw in her eyes. "I stayed in Mulder's room because, well.." He knew she wasn't going to like what he had to say. "I was worried." He cleared his throat and stepped back, dropping his hand. He waited for her inevitable anger. Skinner wasn't disappointed. Scully's eyes sparked blue fire. "Do I have to start telling you too, sir? I can take care of myself. It was just a nightmare. No big deal." She stalked to her front door and flung it open. "You may return to your own room, sir. I do not require a keeper." Skinner, she noticed for the first time, stood regarding her without his glasses - a mixture of defeat and concern in his brown eyes. He walked barefoot to her front door and gestured to his drawstring shorts - the only thing he wore. "I assume I am at least ALLOWED to get dressed before I am evicted?" She blushed, her anger gone as quickly as it came. "Yes sir." Skinner shuffled to Mulder's door, mumbling loud enough for her to hear, "Good thing nothing was wrong. Can't hit a damn thing without my glasses anyway." Scully smiled ruefully and shook her head as she went back into her room and shut the door. ***************************************************** Mulder awoke to bright sunlight on his face and a throbbing pain in his head....and his stomach. His gut growled loudly. He sighed and sat up, tenatively. Mulder sat in one of the small rectangular patches of sunlight cast from the windows. *windows must face east* Hunger overwhelmed him. He looked around for the granola bar and was surprised to see it where he had left it. He broke it in half and ate one part. The other half he set back by the water. Mulder felt the knot on his forehead and was grateful that he couldn't see any blood where he had lain. *There could be internal injuries.* He could hear Scully's voice distinctly in his head. *That's what she would say if she were here. And she'd feel around on my head with her fingers as though she were doing some sort of telepathic x-ray of her own.* He smiled at the idea and imagined her reaction to such a notion. Mulder could clearly see her giving him "The Look." He unscrewed the top of the water and took a drink. He slowly swished it around in his mouth and then swallowed it. He had to be careful with his water too. Mulder wondered if there was somewhere he could hide a stash of water for later. He could convince the killer that he'd drank all the water - empty bottle - and the killer'd never know the difference. Except Mulder searched the basement and there was nothing. He sat heavily on the cot and decided to try to work on the profile again. Mulder considered the killer's comment about his father and stared into space - eyes unfocused - as he mentally reviewed his notes. He did not see the killer kneeling down by one of the basement windows, regarding his captive.... and smiling wickedly. ****************************************************** More on the way.....