<![CDATA[From: Christina L Bloebau <clb@acsu.buffalo.edu>
Date: Wed, 13 Jan 1999 19:35:27 -0400
Subject: NEW by Kronos: Stalker's Prey (1/2)
Title: Stalker's Prey
Author: Kronos
E-Mail Address: clb@eng.buffalo.edu
Rating: R
Category: XA
Spoilers: Takes Place Sixth Season sometime after Triangle
Keywords: Mulder/Scully UST, Mulder/Scully/Skinner Friendship
Summary: The escalating pressures of an admirer force Mulder to seek
help from Scully and Skinner. They become increasingly concerned as his
pursuer insinuates herself into his life.
Disclaimer: The X-Files characters herein belong to 1013 Productions
and Fox Broadcasting. Usage is made without authorization but with
utmost respect. Other characters and story are mine.
Archive: Anywhere appropriate with notice to author and name left
attached.
Author Notes: This is something pretty different for me. I was in the
middle of reading John Douglas' latest book, 'Obsession', as background
research for my novel 'Ascent to Hell', when I got the idea for this
short story. So I took a quick break from 'Ascent' and wrote 'Prey' on
a couple of very long plane rides. I encourage everyone to read
Douglas' books. The reality that such monsters as he describes exist
and are among us, masquerading as reasonably well-adapted, sociable
individuals, is truly frightening. What his latest book demonstrates,
however, is that sometimes we can act to prevent ourselves from becoming
victims. He also outlines ways in which we as individuals and as a
society can fight back against violent crime. Again, I encourage you to
read his books. Feedback on this story ('Prey') is greatly appreciated
and avidly anticipated.
Acknowledgments: Sincere thanks and appreciation to Julie, who just
refuses to let me get away with absolutely anything (and of course the
story is always better for it). Thanks also to Vickie and Kristina for
providing a very quick turn around on this!
*******************************************
Stalker's Prey
by Kronos
*******************************************
As soon as Mulder entered the bullpen he knew something was up.
Snickers and smirking looks followed him as he walked across the room.
He searched out his partner's desk and saw she was studiously avoiding
him. He felt the irritation sweep over him as he wondered just what his
fellow agents had in store for him this time.
He was some five feet away from his desk when he saw the flowers there.
What the hell? His step hitched a bit as he realized that someone had
left roses for him, and it was a sure bet it wasn't Scully. He glanced
across the aisle to see her still ignoring him. He was filled with a
combination of confusion and curiosity as he tried to remember the last
time he'd had a relationship with anyone that might result in flowers.
He reached for the card, even as he sank into his chair and shot a dirty
look at his fellow agents when loud kissing noises filled the room.
From a far corner, he heard a falsetto voice say, "Will you be my
Valentine, Spooky?"
He heard a snort from behind him and realized it came from Scully. He
had to school his face into nonchalance as a sharp feeling of betrayal
washed over him.
He looked down at the card in his hand and noted the name -- Fox. It
was written in a feminine cursive script with a wavy line underneath.
Curiouser and curiouser. He ripped it open and took in the words.
Dear Fox,
I enjoyed our lunch the other day and can't wait until we see each other
again. I look forward to our next date. In the meantime, these flowers
will serve to remind you of me.
Love,
Paula
He shook his head and snorted, then looked around the room again. "Very
funny, guys. Very funny. Whose idea was this, anyway?"
No one claimed responsibility and in fact, seemed to be confused by his
reaction. He shook his head again and threw away the card. He then
stood, picked up the vase with the flowers and walked over to his
partner's desk. She looked up at his approach and he almost froze at
her expression. He took a deep breath and took the last step, putting
the vase on the corner of her desk.
"Hey, Scully, don't say I never gave you anything."
Boy, did she look pissed. He tried to smile, to let her know he really
did want her to have them, no matter where they came from, but had the
feeling it came out as more of a grimace. He shrugged, then walked back
to his own desk and sat down again. He took one more look at the amused
faces surrounding him and muttered, "Assholes."
Some two hours later, finally caught up on paperwork from their most
recent scut work, he pushed back from his desk and turned to look back
at his partner. She was diligently typing away at something. He saw
that the flowers were still there. She'd moved them farther forward on
her desk and they now sat next to a photo of her family. He smiled and
turned back again, then glanced at his watch. Time for something to
eat.
"Hey, Scully, it's lunch time. Let's go out today."
"I brought lunch, Mulder."
"Oh, come on. You need a break. It's nice outside. Let's get out of
here."
She looked over at him finally and he could tell she was wavering.
"I'll even buy."
That seemed to do the trick. She arched an eyebrow and smiled at him,
then said, "Now how could I possibly resist such an offer?"
He stood and reached for his coat, then waited for her to precede him.
She'd just walked in front of him when she said over her shoulder, "So
where do you want to go?"
He followed her out into the hallway and was preparing to answer when a
young woman, tall, blonde and slim, pushed past Scully and stopped right
in front of him.
She said, "Fox, how could you?" and slapped him in the face so hard he
could taste the blood in his mouth. Through watering eyes he watched the
woman turn and run down the hallway, obviously in tears.
To say he was shocked would be an understatement. He stood with his
left hand partly raised to his cheek, mouth agape, unable to move or
hardly even breathe. What the hell was that? Who the hell was that?!
Scully moved first. She glanced down the hallway to where the young
woman had disappeared then looked up and down the hall where agents and
staff had stopped to stare. She turned to him finally and said kindly,
so that only he could hear, "Mulder, maybe we could do lunch some other
time." Awareness returned to him when she squeezed his arm gently and
walked away. He couldn't think, couldn't speak. Had absolutely no idea
what had just happened. He looked at his left hand, still raised in the
air and willed it to drop. Then willed his feet to move, one after the
other. Scully was gone from sight and he decided he could use some time
alone anyway to try to figure this out. He forced his feet to move and
headed towards the stairwell.
A half hour later he stood up from the bench outside and looked around.
It had to be a set up. They were trying to disgrace him. It was the
only thing that made sense. He stared up at the Hoover Building,
wondering if it was worth it. They'd tried poisoning, kidnapping,
murder, and trash details. Now it seemed they were going to try a fake
jilted lover. He took a deep breath and started walking for the side
entrance. He had to talk with Scully. She'd understand what was going
on. God knew no one else would.
He was climbing the steps, almost to the door when he thought he caught
sight of the woman out of the corner of his eye. He turned but saw
nothing but tourists and business people, all much more interested in
where they needed to be than in a lone FBI agent being harassed by his
own people.
He chided himself for his paranoia and entered the building. The trip
to his desk seemed to take forever, partly because he dreaded seeing
Scully. He felt guilty, even though he'd done nothing to warrant it.
He was actually relieved to see she wasn't back yet.
Jack Trimble, an agent who shared the bull pen with them, walked by and
leaned over a bit and said, "Heard she got you good, Spooky. Looks like
she had quite a right hook."
He closed his eyes and waited for the man to pass, then raised his left
hand to his cheek. It was sore as hell and must be a bright red now.
Oh joy. Probably by tomorrow it would be an interesting black and blue.
He logged on the computer and saw there were a few emails for him. He
scanned them quickly and responded to the easy ones, then opened one
from someone whose username he didn't recognize -- p.hastings@fbi.gov.
He jerked upright in his seat immediately as he realized this was her.
This was the woman -- Paula.
Fox,
I'm sorry I got so emotional but I couldn't believe you had given your
flowers away. And to her! It's okay, though. I know we can get past
this. We'll talk about it on our next date.
Love,
Paula
He felt his breath lurch and suddenly felt hot. He reached a hand up to
wipe at the sweat on his forehead. Who the hell was this woman,
anyway? How did she get into the Bureau earlier and how in hell did she
get access to the Bureau's email system?
He got on the intranet and did a who on p.hastings. The information
came back quickly -- Paula S. Hastings, a secretary in the VCS. Jesus!
She worked for the FBI.
A hand fell on his left shoulder and he jerked to the right, practically
falling out of his chair.
"Mulder, what's wrong?"
He tried to calm his breathing and reclaim his seat when he realized it
was Scully. He considered his earlier decision to talk with his partner
about this craziness and decided it could wait until later. He just
wanted to get through the day first. He breathed deeply and summoned a
sick smile.
"Nothing, Scully. Everything's fine. Really."
He knew it sounded pathetic but wasn't ready to pursue it just then. He
looked around, wondering if the woman was close by, then turned back to
his partner. He tried his best to sound like his usual self when he
asked, "So, what's on tap for this afternoon?"
She gave him a questioning look, as if not believing his earlier answer
but evidently decided to go along with him. "We have to get over to the
Labs, remember? They have the latest results on the Anderson murder.
And we still have the background checks across the street at three."
He nodded in acknowledgment and said, "Let's go." He reached out and
deleted the message, then signed off. Out of sight, out of mind. Hell,
if it worked for the US government, why not for him?
The afternoon passed quietly, if in boredom. He and Scully headed in
different directions a little after five and he decided it was probably
a good time to do some shopping. He was traveling by cab today so had
the driver drop him off at a market just a block from his apartment.
Ever since making it back from the Arctic, he'd been determined to have
real food in his house and to actually cook on occasion. He'd
discovered something called green vegetables and restocked every week.
He smiled at Carla, the afternoon check-out woman and grabbed a basket.
He still owed Scully lunch. Maybe she'd agree to a dinner instead. The
smile lingered as he picked out enough fresh vegetables for a salad but
turned into shocked recognition when a cart bumped into his.
"Fox, hi. Are you shopping for dinner?"
His breathing quickened to such an extent that he thought he was
starting to hyperventilate. This was unreal. Here he was, enjoying a
pleasant afternoon, doing his God damned shopping, in his own
neighborhood market, and this woman approaches him as if they're
live-in lovers. He backed up and started looking around, sure that
there were cameras on them somewhere. A hand reached out for his arm
and he jerked backwards. He knew his reaction was due to two things -
he was partly determined that there be no evidence of any physical
interaction with this woman but mostly he just wanted her to be anywhere
but where he was. Get a grip, Mulder, it's just a woman.
"Look, Ms. Hastings, I don't know who put you up to this, but it's not
worth your job. That's the least of what it'll cost you by the time
this is over. Just stop this now and walk away."
He tried to keep his voice steady and hard, so there could be no
misunderstanding on her part. He wanted to be sure she appreciated that
he was serious. Her shocked and hurt expression was the last thing he
expected.
"Fox, what are you saying? What do you mean, walk away? Are you trying
to break up with me?"
He felt the sweat start again as her voice got louder. He saw Carla
bending around the display to look at them, saw some guy off to the
right also staring. He didn't need this shit. And he certainly didn't
want anything to do with this woman.
"Ms. Hastings, this conversation is over. Just stay away from me."
He grabbed the handles of the basket and pushed it to the front of the
store, abandoning it without buying anything. He mumbled a quick
"Sorry" to Carla and started for home at a fast walk. He could almost
imagine the cameras clicking away and raised a hand to the back of his
neck. He thought he heard a distant "Fox" just as he turned the corner
at the end of the block. He ignored it and increased his pace until he
was jogging.
He'd calmed by the time he got home and decided he was blowing this out
of proportion. His enemies had tried subtlety before and been
unsuccessful. He was absolutely determined that his career would not
end because of this woman's deception.
He locked the door behind him and turned on the stereo, searching for
something light and easy. He then went into the kitchen and opened the
refrigerator, pulling out a bottle of wine that had been opened weeks
earlier. Just what he needed, a little vino to calm the frayed nerves.
Over the rest of the evening and night, he managed to convince himself
that it would all be better the next day.
*******************************************
He awoke early and decided to hit the gym before work. It had been
almost a week since he'd done anything to keep himself fit and he felt
the need to work off some excess energy.
The Bureau gym was deserted when he got there a little before 7 but
started to get crowded by 7:30. He was on the treadmill, running hard,
attention focused on the television suspended from the ceiling.
Clinton-gate was on every channel. He felt what amounted to a chill
down his spine and gradually became convinced someone was staring at
him. He turned his head to the right, sweeping his gaze around the
room, and didn't recognize anything out of the ordinary. He did the
same to the left, then shook his head to himself and muttered,
"Paranoia, paranoia. Get over it, Mulder."
Another five minutes passed and he felt more sure of it than ever. He
started slowing the machine down, having no desire to break a leg or
neck by falling off of it, and finally stopped, stepping off to the
side. He pulled the towel to his face and neck, wiping at the sweat
that streamed. He stepped down finally and turned completely around,
only partly surprised to find Paula Hastings on the stair climber
directly behind him.
Without a word he turned and practically ran for the locker room,
determined now to talk with Scully first thing.
The shower was quick. He was straightening his tie in front of the
mirror when he finally got a good look at his face and froze. The hand
mark was clear along his cheek and he knew that anyone seeing it would
recognize it for what it was. Jesus! His hands actually started to
tremble slightly before he yelled at himself to get a grip. He focused
on the tie again, then turned and picked up his suit jacket. Definitely
time to talk with Scully.
He headed for the door and stopped a few feet shy of it, realizing
suddenly that the woman might be out there, on the other side, waiting
for him. The last thing he wanted right now was to confront her or to
be confronted by her. He just wanted her to go away. Get the hell out
of his life. He steeled himself and opened it slowly, glancing from
right to left. It looked clear. He was embarrassed then at his actions
and immediately felt like an idiot. He was a trained field agent with
the Bureau for God's sake. He'd killed monsters and men. Defended
himself and his partner against all sorts of creatures. He could
certainly handle some woman who was just playing a role.
When he got to the bullpen, he was relieved to see Scully already there,
working at her computer. He was halfway to his desk when he saw the
package there. He came to a dead stop several feet away. He couldn't
do it. He was suddenly breathing hard, his knees were starting to get
shaky, and his hands were actually trembling. This was unreal. He
looked over at his partner and saw that she was staring at him, open
mouthed.
"Mulder, what is it? What's wrong?"
Her voice held such fear that it actually helped him to achieve some
degree of calm. He shook his head and continued to his desk, reaching
for the package. She was there by his side, standing next to him when
he turned to look for her.
"Scully, did you see who put this here? Did you see her?"
She was confused and obviously concerned but just shook her head. "No,
I'm sorry, Mulder. It was there when I came in about fifteen minutes
ago. Why?"
He shook his head again and began unwrapping it. He pulled off the lid
and found a sheet of paper lying on the top. There was a handwritten
note and already he recognized the writing.
Dear Fox,
Since we didn't get to have dinner together last night I figured we
could get together tonight. I'll meet you at Antonio's at 7 p.m.
I saw this and thought of you. Wear it to dinner tonight.
Love,
Paula
He pulled the sheet of paper up and saw a tie beneath it. A very
expensive designer tie, if he were any judge. He couldn't move.
Couldn't let go of the sheet of paper or the tie. It was as if the
hands he was seeing weren't his own. Then another hand came into view
and covered his. He looked to his left and found Scully close beside
him, her face filled with concern.
"What is it? Who is she, Mulder?"
He swallowed hard and forced himself to drop both items. He turned his
left hand so he could grab hers, relieved at the security it brought
him, despite any rumors such contact might engender. He leaned closer
and said in a rough voice, "I don't know. I swear to you, Scully, I
don't know who this woman is, but she's been following me. She sends me
notes and emails. She was at the store yesterday and the gym this
morning."
He knew he was starting to sound a bit too emotional and consciously
forced his voice to calm again. The fear that had begun to take hold
the day before consumed him once again. The truth was that this could
turn into a case of his word against this woman's, and if that happened,
he doubted seriously he'd have many defenders on his side of the
courtroom.
As ridiculous as it had originally seemed, their new strategy to
disgrace him just might work. He licked his lips and squeezed his
partner's hand tighter.
"Scully, I don't know what's going on here. I think I'm being set up.
I need help with this."
To his relief and her everlasting credit, his partner never questioned
the validity of his claims. Instead she pulled him to his feet and
said, "Let's go somewhere private where we can talk and figure out a
course of action."
He nodded and looked around him, eyes dropping onto the desk once more.
He picked up the paper and threw it in the box, then grabbed the box and
started to throw it away. Scully's voice stopped him in mid-throw.
"No, save it. Evidence."
It was repugnant to him, but he appreciated the value in the words and
nodded, dropping it to his desktop once more. He looked back to her
then and could have cried at the smile of encouragement she sent his
way.
"Come on, Mulder. Let's go to the conference room down the hall."
He followed her and stopped again, just inside the door to the hallway.
It dawned on him suddenly that that was where it had all started
yesterday. Scully seemed to realize what was happening. She looked
both ways then turned back to him and said, "It's okay. She's not
here."
He swallowed and gave a harsh snort. Shook his head sharply and left
the bullpen. The conference room was five doors down -- way the hell
too far away for his tastes.
When they closed the door behind them, and sat down at the table, he
realized that the word 'safe' actually popped into his head. He really
was starting to lose it. Cancerman, Krycek, aliens, and monsters didn't
make him blink, but a hundred twenty pound blonde made him sweat
bullets. He laughed at himself, then realized he'd done it out loud.
Scully didn't seem to mind, though. She had a pad of paper in front of
her and wore her most professional expression, with a dash of kindness
thrown in.
"Okay, Mulder. Tell me everything. Where you first met her, what kinds
of interactions you've had, what messages she's left you -- everything."
He drew in a shaky breath and began the recitation. It wasn't a very
long list. This had all started just yesterday morning, after all.
She was looking at him intently and it made him nervous. "You're
absolutely sure you never met her before? Not even casually? The first
card she left you made it sound like you'd definitely met."
"Scully, I'm telling you we hadn't. I've never seen her before. I
don't know - maybe she was at a meeting I was at. Or, or, was -- I
don't know. She works for the Bureau, so I guess it's possible she was
at the same place I was once."
"Mulder, she's quite a looker. I would think that you'd notice her if
you were both at the same meeting."
He wasn't completely sure why, but he found he was actually hurt by her
suggestion. For years now he'd only had eyes for her, after all.
Surely she knew that.
"There's only one woman I notice anymore, Scully."
He could see her complexion flush and knew she'd received the message.
She turned away from him for a moment and when she turned back actually
smiled at him. He was filled with love for this woman who accepted him
so easily for what he was. No one could have a better friend.
"Thanks."
She smiled even wider and said, "Hey, what are friends for?"
He saw her turn serious again then and she asked, "Are you ready to make
this official? I think you have to go on record and fast. We need to
lodge a complaint with Personnel and also with her direct supervisor.
And she's in the VCS under Jacobson and he reports to AD Skinner. I
think we should let him know."
He shifted nervously, realizing that it was quite a list that she'd
compiled. The thought of lodging a complaint against this woman for
leaving him flowers and a tie was ludicrous. He raised a hand to his
face, touching the bruise on his cheek briefly, then rubbed at his
eyes. Scully must have known his thoughts because her voice was sure
and compelling when she spoke.
"I know it seems like overreacting, but you know better than anyone that
these things can escalate. We need to nip it in the bud and send a
message that she can't possibly misunderstand. And if she has been put
up to it by someone else, this'll be a message to them, too."
He knew she was right. God help him, he'd be a laughing stock, but he
had to do it. He nodded quickly, as if he'd change his mind if he
didn't agree immediately.
"You know, Mulder, we have to tell Kersh, too."
He groaned at the thought, but again knew she was right. Damn it, it
just kept getting worse.
"I'll tell you what."
He looked over at her expectantly, wondering what she was thinking.
"How about if I go to AD Kersh and her supervisor and you go to
personnel. We'll meet back here when we're done. Okay?"
He was so grateful to her he had an urge to hug her. Instead he said
simply, "Thanks." It was all he seemed able to say to her lately and it
seemed woefully insufficient.
She stood and rested her hand on his shoulder before saying, "Come on.
Let's get this over with. We still have to meet up with that witness
this morning."
They were practically to the door when Mulder's cell phone started
ringing. He pulled it out and flipped it open, answering, "Mulder."
The voice on the other end caught him so by surprise he almost dropped
it.
"Fox, where are you? I thought we might have lunch today."
He pulled the phone away from his ear and just looked at it. This woman
was insane. The sudden thought that he couldn't escape her washed over
him and left him shaking.
His partner must have figured out what was happening because she put her
hand over the mouth piece and whispered, "It's her?"
He nodded and she whispered again, "Hang up. Don't say anything."
In the meantime, the woman was calling his name. "Fox, are you there?
What's wrong? Fox?"
Scully took the phone from his hand and closed it, cutting the
connection. Almost immediately, her own phone began ringing and they
just looked at each other for several seconds, neither moving. She
pulled it out finally and answered it. He could tell immediately by the
relief on her face that it was benign. No madwoman demanding Fox talk
with her. As Scully talked on the phone he moved to the wall and leaned
against it wearily. Bent over and rested his hands on his thighs,
allowing his head to drop to his chest. Why the hell was nothing ever
easy?
Whether this woman had been put up to her actions by the Consortium or
whether she was acting on her own was really irrelevant. The truth was
that she was getting to him -- had gotten to him already and was turning
him into a crazy man. He jerked at a touch on his arm and saw that
Scully was done with her call.
"Come on, Mulder, let's go. You ready?"
"Yeah. I'm ready."
She opened the door and checked both ways, then nodded her head,
signaling that all was clear. They separated in the hallway then, she
to see AD Kersh if he was available and he to visit personnel. The
sight of her disappearing around the corner almost elicited a groan. He
turned to the left and headed for the stairs. The sooner he got this
over with, the sooner he'd be back with his partner.
The visit to the personnel office went better than expected. They must
get more of these kinds of complaints than he ever knew. He filled out
a complaint form, was interviewed by one of their supervisors and then
sent on his way with an assurance that the office would inform Ms.
Hastings to knock it off.
He thanked the woman and headed for the stairwell, looking forward to
catching up with Scully. He glanced at his watch and saw they still had
an hour before they had to be at the Volker's for the witness interview
on the Saronson case. He wasn't really paying attention as he started
down the stairwell so it was a shock to see a familiar face coming at
him from the floor he was heading.
"Fox, there you are. I've been looking for you."
He froze on the stairs, then immediately turned and jogged the few steps
back to the landing. He was out the door in a flash and headed for the
elevator, praying she'd get the hint and just go away. She was
relentless, though, and was right on his heels. She slipped in just
before the doors closed and started talking, not caring that there were
several other people there.
Her voice was demanding as she asked, "Fox, what do you think you're
doing? You can't do this to me. You can't lead me on and then just
walk away from me. I deserve better than that."
He knew he shouldn't say anything, should just totally ignore her. His
training told him that speaking would just give her power over him.
Would prove that she could elicit a response. But he couldn't help
himself.
"Ms. Hastings, I've lodged a complaint against you. If you have any
sense of self-preservation, you'll stop following me, stop harassing
me."
The elevator doors opened and he pushed out past several people,
muttering, "Sorry" as he did so. He had an urge to find his partner and
escape from the Hoover for the rest of the day. He was halfway down the
hallway when he glanced back to see that the woman had not followed
him. Hallelujah, Praise the Lord! There was a God.
A little more than ten minutes later, Scully came into the bullpen and
headed his way, a smile on her face. He glanced around and saw that
there were actually very few agents in the room. She must have noticed
the same thing because instead of suggesting they go to the conference
room, she pulled up a chair next to him and spoke softly.
"How'd it go with Personnel?"
"Good. No laughter."
He'd said it wryly and she grimaced at him good naturedly.
"How about you? Were you able to see Kersh?"
"Yes. I have to admit I was surprised. He seemed to take it
seriously. I don't know, Mulder. I can't be sure, but if I had to bet,
I'd say he wasn't involved in this."
He nodded in understanding. He'd started to think this wasn't a set up
at all but rather the result of a seriously disturbed young woman,
acting alone.
"I also spoke with her direct supervisor. He was a bit less
responsive. He said she's an excellent secretary, has worked for him
for three years, has never been the slightest problem, is nice, smart.
Yadda, yadda."
He drew in a deep breath, then let it out slowly.
"So what now? I have to admit that I'm not particularly familiar with
this type of behavior. When I was with the ISU my specialty was serial
killers, not ..."
He let it hang, unwilling to say the word that had been in his mind
since this morning in the gym.
"Stalkers? Mulder, that's what she is. She's stalking you. We have to
take this seriously and take every proactive step we can to cut this off
before she escalates into something more dangerous."
He knew she was right, but somehow, because it was happening to him, it
was more difficult to acknowledge.
"I know. I am, Scully, believe me. I am taking it seriously."
She seemed to sense the heaviness that had settled over him because she
then said, "Hey, you still owe me lunch. Let's get out of here and go
see the Volker's and then I'll let you buy me lunch."
He smiled at her and asked, "Let me, Scully? You'll let me buy you
lunch? Gee, thanks for the honor."
An hour and a half later they'd finished the interview and were ready to
eat. They were close to his apartment and he convinced Scully to stop
in with him quickly while he picked up a file he'd accidentally left
there that morning. They approached the end of the hall and both
stopped a few feet away from his door. There was an envelope taped to
it, the name Fox clearly written on the outside in a familiar cursive
script. This was just too much. The woman was in his apartment
building now! Was nothing sacred?
Scully walked forward and pulled it off, then opened it after a quick
exchange of looks. A key fell out and he watched her expression
blanche.
"What? What is it?"
She looked up at him then, holding the key out and said, "It's your
apartment key, Mulder."
"It's what?"
He couldn't believe it. How the hell could the bitch get his apartment
key? That was how he'd started thinking about her now -- bitch!
He reached out and took the key from his partner's hand and pulled out
his own key ring. He compared them, then took the copy and inserted it
in his lock. It turned easily. Then he realized that he'd just locked
it. It had been unlocked before.
He closed his eyes and was suddenly afraid to open the door. Afraid of
what he might find. Scully took the decision from him by unlocking it
and pushing it open herself. It swung open wide and they both looked
in. Nothing seemed amiss. They entered side by side and headed towards
the living room. Scully opened his bedroom door and then moved into the
kitchen. She came back after the quick sweep of the apartment and
shrugged at him.
He'd been staring at his fish tank, feeling that something was strange,
different, when it dawned on him finally. There were too many fish in
there. He'd been down to three and now it looked like there were at
least ten. Scully was next to him, her hand on his arm, and he pulled
his gaze away to look down at her. He lifted his left hand and pointed,
then said, "She put fish in my fish tank."
Scully jerked her head around and he could see her grind her teeth in
frustration. She turned back to him then and said, "Get your things,
Mulder. You can't stay here now. Not until you get the locks changed,
at least. Besides, I think it makes sense to disappear for a bit."
He could barely think, but knew she was right. He nodded numbly and
allowed her to pull him into the bedroom. She went to the closet and
opened the door. He heard her gasp and turned to see what she was
looking at. His own breath was stolen from his chest when he saw it.
Scully knew him too well. Knew he would never keep his closet this
neat. The woman had broken into his house, put fish in his fishtank,
straightened the clothes in his closet, and ... He checked his drawers
and knew she'd been there, too.
He felt ill. Violated. She'd been touching his things! His
belongings. His clothes. His fucking undershorts. He was backing away
from the drawers when Scully came next to him and took his hand.
"Hey, Mulder. I think it's time we go shopping. You haven't bought any
new clothes in a while. Come on. Let's just leave everything for now,
okay?"
He actually had tears in his eyes and again felt an overwhelming
embarrassment. This was just a crazy woman. He was a fucking
psychologist, for God's sake. He should be able to handle this without
falling apart. He looked into the open drawer once more, taking in the
socks, all neatly rolled and placed in rows according to color.
He wiped at his face angrily, then stood a bit straighter and shook his
head. "No, Scully. It's all right. Grab a couple suits for me, will
you?"
"Sure."
They worked quickly and threw everything into a suitcase. When they got
to the door, he raised his finger and said, "Hang on. Be right back."
He went to the fish tank and dumped in enough food to either choke them
all or to last them for a couple days, then turned back to his partner.
"All right, Scully. All set."
After another run-of-the-mill afternoon, they finished up and headed
home. This time, to Scully's home. They walked in and she brought him
straight to the guest room.
"Why don't you get settled in and I'll get you some towels."
He merely nodded and hung up his suits in the closet. He pulled out his
undershirts and shorts, offended by the fact that they were folded in
unfamiliar ways. He shook them out, then threw them on the bed in
frustration. Picked up the suitcase and dumped the contents out, then
swept his hands threw the pile on the bed. Dammit, he hated this! He
heard a movement from behind and swung around to see Scully in the
doorway. The expression on her face made him melt and he was sorry that
he'd made such a show.
He had his mouth open but before he could apologize, she came to him and
wrapped her arms around him. Almost without thought he sank down on the
bed and hugged her, pushed his face into her and let the tears fall.
And he wasn't self-conscious. Wasn't embarrassed. This was Scully.
His friend. His best friend in the world. He hugged her even tighter
and thanked the Fates for bringing her to him.
She was making soft sounds, comforting noises that were just what he
needed. He felt secure here with her. He felt safe in the knowledge
that she was there for him.
An hour later, they were in the kitchen and he was taking great pleasure
in watching his partner cook. It was a rare gift to see her this way,
dressed casually, in her own environment, comfortable and relaxed. He
knew he had a smile on his face but for the life of him couldn't get rid
of it. She was responsible for it. She did this to him.
There was a knock at the door and she turned to him with her own smile
and said, "That'll be Frank from across the hall. I've been picking up
his mail for him and he's supposed to be back right about now. Here,
Mulder, stir this."
He took the spoon without question and set to stirring. He wasn't sure
what it was, but he was determined that he wouldn't ruin it. He heard
movement in the other room, and then heard Scully open the door. What
he heard next made his blood run cold.
"You bitch! You think you can steal him from me? Well you're wrong.
He's mine and we were just fine until you came along."
He launched himself over the couch and was beside his partner in
seconds. She was trying to close the door unsuccessfully. He threw his
weight against it and reached for the deadbolt as soon as it was
closed. Scully was turning the lower lock at the same time. Then they
both moved back from the door, still staring at it, listening to the
pounding from the other side. It ended finally after a long minute and
he assumed the woman had finally gone away.
He could think of only one thing -- the bitch knew where Scully lived.
It was all he could think, the only thing in his mind. She knew where
Scully lived. Jesus, what had he done?
"Scully ..."
She interrupted him before he could say anything else.
"No. Don't even think it. This woman is warped, Mulder. It has
nothing to do with you or any action that you have or have not made.
And you are NOT leaving this apartment tonight. Neither of us are.
Tomorrow morning we'll go see AD Skinner and then we'll start
proceedings to get a restraining order. In the meantime ..."
She reached out and grabbed his hand in hers before continuing, " ...
you better not let dinner burn because that's all I have in the house."
He smiled and forced a chuckle, then pulled her along with him.
"Okay, Scully, but you better oversee me. I'm not exactly practiced at
this."
The rest of the night was passed companionably, both of them able to put
the earlier blight behind them and just enjoy each others' presence.
******************************
End Part 1 of 2 (1/2)
*******************************************
Stalker's Prey (2/2)
by Kronos
(clb@eng.buffalo.edu)
*******************************************
Mulder was up early the next morning, in and out of the shower before
Scully even stirred. He knew she was tired and decided to let her sleep
in. He cracked the blinds in the front window and looked around. It
certainly seemed safe. Besides, if the bitch were out there, she'd
follow him, not Scully. He wrote Scully a quick note, telling her he
was going to go see Skinner around 8:30 and that if she wasn't there not
to worry about it, he'd catch up with her afterwards. Even as he wrote
the words, he knew there was no way Scully would miss it.
He left quietly, sure to lock the door behind him. He'd catch a cab at
the corner and would see her in an hour or so. The morning looked
bright and clear and he had hope that today would signal an upturn. It
wasn't like it could get much worse, after all.
He thanked the cab driver when he got to the Hoover and looked around.
Still all clear. Amazing. Maybe the woman had gotten the message
finally. He headed straight for his desk and checked email. Nothing
from p.hastings. He smiled and got to work, writing up the witness
interviews from the previous day. A little before eight, he called and
made an appointment with AD Skinner for 8:30, after convincing his
assistant that it was critically important and involved one of his
employees.
At almost 8:25 he realized that Scully had still not shown. He picked
up his phone and called her apartment, getting the machine. He figured
she was on her way and left a message for her, just in case she was in
the shower, then headed out. He was almost to Skinner's office when he
was intercepted by the mail delivery guy who thrust a small stack of
letters and envelopes into his hands with a quick, "Thanks for saving me
a trip, Agent Mulder."
He gave the guy a dirty look and started sorting through the envelopes
quickly, while still walking down the hall towards Skinner's office. He
saw the writing on a letter and stopped in his tracks, causing someone
who'd been following a bit close to crash into him from behind. He
ignored the muffled curse, just as he was unaware that the rest of the
mail spilled to the floor at his feet. He only had eyes for the piece
in his hands.
He opened it shakily and pulled the letter out.
Dear Fox,
I finally understood last night. The problem isn't you, it's your
partner. She keeps getting in the way and distracting you. Because of
her, we haven't been able to focus on each other. I'm taking care of it
for us, darling. Soon, it'll be just us.
Love forever,
Paula
With the letter still in his hand, he pulled out his cell phone and
called Scully's cell. He was breathing hard and couldn't think of
anything except his partner and her safety. "Come on, answer the damned
phone, Scully!"
He didn't realize he'd said it out loud, but gradually became aware of
whispering voices around him and staring eyes. The phone had rung at
least five times and he was starting to lose hope. "Answer the phone,
damn it!"
When he heard her voice answering, he almost dropped to his knees.
"Scully, are you all right? Where are you?"
"There's was a horrible accident on the interstate. They finally got it
cleared out but it took a while. I just now got past it and traffic's
speeding up again. Is everything okay?"
"Yeah." He realized he'd said it so softly that she probably hadn't
heard him so he tried again. "Yeah, everything's okay. I got another
letter and got a bit worried. That's all."
He heard a gasp on the other end and initially thought it was in
reaction to his statement. Her next words made it clear that it wasn't.
"Shit! Shit! Damn it!"
"Scully, what's wrong? What is it? Talk to me, Scully!"
He was shouting but didn't care. He heard a series of sounds that he
knew was the phone being dropped out of her hand. He continued to hear
her curse and he yelled at her again, willing her to tell him what was
happening.
"Scully! Scully, where are you? What's happening?!"
He became aware of someone right next to him, saying his name over and
over, but he couldn't take the time to acknowledge it. Suddenly there
was a cacophony of sounds that washed over him and he knew it was metal
crunching and glass exploding. Any strength he had in him left him
completely when the call disconnected a moment later. He felt his
knees give out and for several moments there was nothing but blackness.
Then he became aware of hands pulling at him, forcing him to walk.
He could only say, "No" over and over. And then he was sitting and felt
hands pushing him back against the couch. Then someone was pulling at
his hands, prying his fingers loose from the phone and he couldn't
summon the energy to argue the point. He allowed it to be taken from
him. Then hands were prying the note away and finally he felt a surge
of wrongness. The letter was important, he knew it but couldn't
remember why at first. Then the remembrance flooded him and he jerked
upright, yelling, "No! She did it. She's the one."
A familiar voice finally found its way through his scattered thoughts
and he knew it was Skinner.
"Mulder, tell me what's happening. Where's Agent Scully? Come on,
Mulder. Talk to me here."
He stared at the man and realized it was words that were being spoken
and the words demanded response.
"Scully. She was on the interstate. There was an accident. Oh God,
she's been in an accident. That woman did it. I know it. It was her
fault."
"Mulder, you need to calm down. One thing at a time here, okay? Now
where exactly was Agent Scully? We have 911 on the line, we need to let
them know."
He sat straighter and forced himself to think of her words.
"She said ... she said she'd just gotten past a point where there'd been
a bad accident so there should be police and emergency services
someplace close."
"Okay, that's good, Mulder. Kim, did you hear that?"
Mulder saw the AD's assistant nod her head, then turned to look back at
his former boss. The man was on a knee to the right of him, his left
hand on Mulder's shoulder and right on his arm. He appreciated the
contact, knowing he'd be completely lost without it. Skinner was
looking at him with compassion.
"We'll get an update soon. Now tell me the rest. What do you mean you
know who did it. How could you know anything about an automobile
accident."
Mulder shook his head almost violently and said, "No, sir. It wasn't an
accident. This woman ..."
He held up the letter for Skinner to take, then continued. "This is
what I was coming to see you about. She's been ... she's been stalking
me, following me, harassing me. She's crazy. She thinks that if
Scully's out of the way, then we'll live happily ever after and I don't
even know this woman!"
He heard the hysteria in his own voice but couldn't help it. Skinner
gripped his shoulder tightly and took the paper, reading it quickly.
When the man looked up, he could tell he understood.
"What's her name?"
He took a shaky breath and replied, "Paula Hastings. She's a secretary
in Jacobson's area."
Skinner stood and gestured to an agent who'd been standing quietly in
the doorway.
"Go pick her up. Hold her somewhere until I can get there."
The man nodded and gestured to another agent who'd been waiting just
outside the door. There were other men and women around and they all
looked concerned. Mulder realized that there were plenty of people here
who cared whether Scully lived or died.
The thought almost made him ill so that he had to lean forward. His
hands were clenched into tight fists and he could feel the tingling that
signaled lack of blood flow. He propped his elbows on his knees and
rested his forehead against his fists. He could hear Kim talking softly
and knew she was speaking with the emergency personnel. He was torn,
wanting to hear, but afraid to.
Agonizing minutes later, her voice raised up, over the hum of voices
from the hallway, and he heard her say clearly, "Agent Scully's all
right. They're taking her to the hospital just to check her out, but
they don't expect to keep her."
He felt the breath explode from him and hadn't even realized until then
that he'd been holding it. He released his fists and spread his hands,
dropping his face into them. He was whispering softly, over and over,
"Thank you. Thank you."
Someone was there again, at his side, and he knew it was Skinner.
"Did you hear that, Mulder? Scully's fine. You with me here?"
He nodded and allowed his hands to be pulled away from his face.
Skinner's image wavered as he blinked to clear his eyes. He nodded
again and forced out a strangled "Yeah, I heard. I heard."
"Come on. I'll drive. Let's go pick her up."
Mulder struggled to his feet, thankful for the AD's hand on his arm.
They'd just taken a couple steps towards the door when the agents sent
after Paula Hastings came back.
"Sir, I'm sorry. Ms. Hastings left work early this morning. She's not
here."
Skinner grimaced and said, "Get the police to pick her up. Attempted
murder charges to start with. We'll throw more at her when we get a
chance."
"Yes, sir."
Skinner pulled at him again and said to his assistant, just before they
headed out, "Kim, call me on my cell if there's any further news and
give AD Kersh a call and let him know what's happening."
"Yes, sir. Good luck, sir -- Agent Mulder."
A half hour later, they stood outside the emergency room, waiting for
Scully to be released. Where before he had been so weak he could hardly
stand, now he was so wired he couldn't sit. He wanted to go after this
woman and track her down. Make her pay for trying to hurt Scully.
There was movement to their right and they both stood still, waiting for
the police officer to approach them.
"AD Skinner, Agent Mulder?"
Skinner replied, saying, "Yes, that's right. Did you find anything?"
"It's still a bit premature, sir, but our tech seemed to think the brake
lines had been cut. It doesn't seem to have been an accident. I'd say
Agent Scully is pretty lucky to be alive right now."
Mulder felt himself go weak again and turned to sit in the plastic chair
against the wall. He allowed himself to sink into it slowly and
concentrated on breathing deeply. He kept telling himself that she was
all right. She was fine.
He heard the conversation continue but tuned out the words. He closed
his eyes and concentrated on breathing, in and out, in and out. His
nerves were shot. He was a wreck. It was all he could do to avoid
melting into a puddle of goo right there on the floor.
He became aware of a presence. A soft voice was speaking to him and he
was sure it was an angel. He dragged his eyes open and knew it was.
Scully was sitting next to him, her hand on his, and she was speaking to
him. He hadn't heard a word she'd said and still couldn't concentrate.
All he could do was look at her beautiful face, marred now by scratches
and bruises.
He reached out his right hand and gently touched a bandage on her cheek
with one finger, then ran his hand back through her hair. She looked so
delicate, so fragile, and he knew he'd been given a gift. Not only in
her friendship but her very life. He whispered her name and knew in his
heart he was whispering his love when he said it.
"Scully."
A tear rolled down her cheek then and he was angry at himself, knowing
it was his fault. He brushed it away with his thumb, then dropped his
hand down to her shoulder. Reached out with his other and pulled her to
him gently, carefully. He just needed to feel her in his arms. To know
she was there and all right. And finally her words got through to him.
"It's okay, Mulder. I'm all right. Just a bit banged up but nothing
serious. I'm okay."
He heard a throat being cleared and released her slowly, then looked to
his left where Skinner stood patiently.
"Agents, let me get you both home. I think everyone's had enough
excitement for one day, even if it isn't even noon yet."
Mulder nodded and stood, then reached down to take Scully's hand and
help her to her feet. She smiled at him and allowed him to help her,
taking hold of his arm as they walked slowly down the hall. There were
two agents at the end of the hall and Mulder looked at Skinner
questioningly.
The AD returned his gaze and shrugged, then added, "I don't think it's
wise for either of you to be wandering around with that woman on the
loose. It's obvious she's disturbed and until we find her, I want you
on 'round the clock protection."
He nodded his understanding and said, "Thank you, sir." He could care
less about himself, but it was obvious now that Scully needed someone
looking after her.
They were almost to the door when Skinner's cell phone rang. He
answered and both Mulder and Scully could hear that it was Kim at the
other end. From the AD's expression, the news wasn't good. Skinner
hung up, turned to them and said, "That was Kim. The police went to
Paula Hastings' home and discovered she'd just moved out. The landlord
had no idea where she went. She didn't tell him anything."
Mulder nodded, realizing he wasn't surprised. It would have been too
easy for them to actually find her. Nothing in life was ever that
easy. At least not for him.
Skinner brought them to Scully's apartment and instructed the two agents
at the door to stay there until they were relieved at 6 p.m. Neither
man balked and Mulder was glad for their willingness. He nodded to the
two men and then closed the door, joining Scully and Skinner in her
living room.
Scully was on the couch, looking smaller than usual. He had a thought
and excused himself to the back room for a minute. Scully would
eventually forgive him for what he was about to do.
When he rejoined them, Scully and Skinner were deep in discussions on
what to do next. When Mulder walked in, they both stopped talking as he
settled himself on the other end of the couch from his partner.
Skinner spoke first. "Mulder, Scully and I think you need to get a
restraining order in place. It'll be an official record that will allow
us to pursue a legal course of action against this woman."
"A restraining order? What about an attempted murder charge? I think
that should take precedence over some restraining order for harassment."
Scully's calm voice cut through his outrage, then. "It's not
harassment, it's stalking and the new legislation in Virginia makes it
much easier to establish a felony case, especially once a restraining
order has been violated."
It still seemed insane to him that they were talking about filing a
restraining order on a woman who obviously would have no respect for
such an embodiment of the law, especially when the bitch had just tried
to kill his partner and best friend.
"Mulder, it has to be done."
He couldn't deny her this, just as he couldn't deny her anything. He
sighed and nodded his head in acknowledgment. "Fine, Scully, I'll do
it."
Skinner stood up and spoke to them both. "I'm heading in to the
Bureau. I'll get things started. Mulder, if you can get away for an
hour later this afternoon, come in and we'll have you sign the
complaint."
Mulder pushed himself off the couch and nodded, then followed his former
boss to the door. It dawned on him then just what this man had done for
them. He'd dropped everything, brought Mulder to the hospital, gotten
the APB out on Hastings, brought him and Scully home, arranged for
protection, and was now talking about next steps. He was filled with an
intense feeling of appreciation and knew his voice wasn't particularly
steady when he said, "Thank you for everything, sir. I don't know what
I would have done if you hadn't been there."
The AD actually looked embarrassed by his thanks and tried to wave his
words off. Mulder decided not to let him.
"Really, sir. I mean it."
Skinner smiled at him then and replied, "It was my pleasure, Agent
Mulder." He raised his voice then and leaned around Mulder to get a
clear view of his other former agent. "Agent Scully, take it easy. I'll
see you both later."
They answered "Yes, sir" in unison as he left the room, then looked at
one another with smiles. It almost felt like old times.
Mulder convinced Scully to get some rest and shooed her to her room.
She'd been fast asleep for well over an hour when there was a light tap
at the front door. He smiled, knowing exactly who he'd find this time
around. He cracked the door open, then took off the chain and swung it
wide, signaling that all was well to the two men standing guard.
"Hi, Mrs. Scully."
She looked the same as always. She took his arms and leaned forward and
up to kiss his cheek briefly. He smiled at her and brought her inside.
"It's good to see you, Fox. You and Dana need to stop by sometime.
It's been a long time since you've visited."
He smiled again, wondering just how he came to deserve such women as
these Scullys in his life.
"Can I take your coat, Mrs. Scully? Maybe get you something to drink?"
"Thank you, Fox. Actually, I could use some coffee. Is it possible to
make some without too much trouble?"
"Of course. Sit down and relax and I'll bring some out."
"Nonsense, I'll come help."
She followed him into the kitchen and he was surprised when she asked,
"Where's Dana, Fox? You said she'd been injured. Is she all right?"
He immediately felt like an idiot and rushed to reassure her.
"She's just resting, Mrs. Scully. She's fine. A little banged up, but
nothing serious."
"What happened? You said it was a car accident?"
"Yes, ma'am, but it wasn't an accident. Someone intentionally cut her
brake lines."
"Who? Why?"
Getting to the point must run in the Scully family.
"It's kind of complicated, Mrs. Scully."
He could tell by her expression that she wasn't about to take an answer
like that.
"There's this woman who's been ... stalking me. This woman became
fixated on me and decided that Scully was the person who was preventing
our being together. She decided to get rid of what she perceived to be
her obstacle to happiness."
Mrs. Scully's eyebrow was raised and Mulder had to smile at the
familiarity of the gesture. Her eyes wandered to his cheek and his
smile faded.
"Where is this woman now?"
He sighed heavily and said, "We don't know. We're looking for her."
She reached out a hand and caressed his cheek lightly, letting him know
she understood.
"You'll find her. I know you will, Fox."
He smiled and worked with her silently to prepare their coffee.
An hour later, Scully wandered into the dining room where he and Mrs.
Scully had been talking quietly. She stopped a few feet away and stared
at him, giving him a dirty look. Then she smiled and walked to her
mother and hugged her.
"Hi, mom. Gee, I wonder what you're doing here."
Mrs. Scully laughed and replied, "Oh, a little bird mentioned that you
might want a little company for a few hours so I thought I'd just stop
by."
"It's good to see you, Mom. Of course, it's also unnecessary."
She shot Mulder another dirty look and then sat down next to her mother
with a sigh.
"How are you feeling, Dana?"
"I'm okay. Just a little sore, that's all."
"Well, I'll tell you what. I'll cook some dinner for you both and make
sure you're okay for the night, then I'll head home."
Scully's voice took on a combative whine when she said, "Mom, you don't
have to cook for us."
"Dana, I don't have to do anything. I want to. Now Fox just mentioned
before you came out that he had to head into work for an hour or two.
AD Skinner's expecting him. So why don't you lay down, Fox can go into
work, and I'll get something started for dinner."
Mulder froze at her words, as did Scully. It sounded so ... domestic.
But it also sounded damned nice. He moved again and glanced at his
partner. She was flushed and he was concerned for a moment until she
looked at him and gave him one of her all-out, no holds barred, smiles.
"See you later, Mulder."
He smiled back and said, "In a bit." He stood and walked a step to
Scully's mom, leaned down and kissed her cheek. "Thanks, Mrs. Scully."
He didn't see the wide smile that came to Maggie's face as he made his
way to the front door.
An hour later he was sitting in AD Kersh's office, with Skinner standing
somewhere behind him. Sitting in the waiting room was Collins, the
agent assigned to him as protection. Instead of feeling threatened, he
was actually reassured. Kersh seemed to be making all the right noises
and doing all the right things.
They were finished finally and the man said to him, "I hope we can get
this cleared up soon, Agent Mulder." He knew that was a signal so stood
and thanked the man, then turned and nodded to Skinner as he headed for
the door.
His former boss gave him a quick smile and said, "I'll check in on you
both later and one of us will let you know if we hear anything else."
He turned back before exiting and said, "Thank you, sirs."
He decided to pick up some work to bring to Scully's. He informed
Collins they were making a quick side trip and headed to his office. The
agents that shared the area with him and his partner seemed honestly
sincere when they nodded to him. No smirks today.
He logged on and cleared out a slew of emails, then started gathering
stacks of forms, papers, and files. The top one jogged something loose
and he remembered that he and Scully were supposed to go to GWU to
interview one of the professors there who'd been a witness in the
Anderson case. He cursed silently and considered his options, checking
the time. In all the excitement, it had completely slipped his mind,
even though it had been on both his and Scully's calendars.
He decided it was something he could do himself in under an hour so took
all the pertinent files on the case, a pad of paper, and stuffed them in
his briefcase. Time to tell Collins they were making yet another stop.
He glanced at his watch outside the Engineering Building and decided
that ten minutes late wasn't too bad, all things considered. He and his
shadow climbed the steps, then turned to the right down a long hallway.
According to what the professor had told him, they needed to take the
elevator up to the third floor where the suite of department offices
were. Mulder opted for the stairs, smiling at the groan he heard from
Collins.
"Buck up, Collins. Gotta keep in shape."
He started jogging up them just to be obnoxious and swept the door open
on the third floor with a flourish to let the heftier, older agent
precede him. The agent was being good-natured about the attempt at
torture and just smiled. Mulder decided to ignore the muttered,
"Asshole" he heard, knowing it was meant in jest.
He looked at his watch again and hoped the guy waited for him. They
turned to the left and passed several groups of offices, with
secretaries and faculty, students, and technical staff all mixed
together in interesting combinations. He saw the sign for the
Department office at the end of the hall and took the left into the
secretary's outside office.
He pulled out his badge and introduced himself to the woman there.
"Ma'am, I'm Special Agent Fox Mulder, this is Agent Collins. We have an
appointment with the Department Chair, Dr. Harrold Allen. Is he
available?"
To her credit, the woman took it well and merely nodded, then said,
"Yes, sir. He's been expecting you. You can go on in."
"Thank you."
He knocked on the door and entered, introducing himself and Collins once
more. He thanked the man for making time in his busy schedule and then
started the interview. It was more of a debriefing, actually. The man
had reported seeing something on the night of the murder of Wayne
Anderson but wasn't sure how pertinent it was. He'd already been
interviewed by the police but Mulder wasn't content with just reading
the police reports.
The man was precise and helpful and after a good forty-five minutes of
questions and answers, Mulder was pretty much done. He started
gathering his scattered papers to thank the man when a noise erupted in
the distance. He exchanged startled glances with Collins, both of them
wondering whether they were actually hearing what they thought they were
hearing, then jerked upright and grabbed for weapons.
Mulder ran for the door but Collins grabbed his arm and yelled, "No!
Behind me!"
Mulder turned to the Department Chair who still sat stunned behind his
desk and said, "Get down on the floor behind your desk. Pull down the
phone and call 911. Tell them Agent Mulder is on the scene and requests
AD Skinner be informed of what's occurring."
He turned back in time to hear the weapons fire get closer. Collins was
at the door, gun in left hand and right hand on the doorknob. The man
looked back and raised an eyebrow. Mulder nodded and moved into
position behind him. Collins cracked the door open, then opened it
further. Through it, they could now hear distant screams and inhuman
cries, amongst the gunfire. Collins stepped out slowly and Mulder
followed some five feet behind.
They were out in the secretary's office and he looked to the right to
see the woman hiding behind her desk. He gestured to the office he'd
just left and said, "Get in there and close the door. Get behind the
desk where your boss is. Only open it if you hear me or Agent Collins."
The woman moved quickly, opening and closing the door in a flash. When
he turned forward again, he saw Collins in the hallway, moving slowly
towards the origin of the shots and screams. He'd taken only a couple
steps when he saw Collins gunned down in front of him, blood gushing
from three or four wounds. He was torn between going to the man to try
to help and getting behind cover.
The familiar screeching voice that he'd come to know so well in the past
days convinced him that if he stepped out in that hallway, it would be
his life at risk as well. He couldn't help it. He walked forward
slowly, back to the door, and inched forward, attempting to see where
the woman was and what she was doing. All he needed was one clear shot.
He caught sight of her finally, still coming his way, submachine gun
poised. He looked over to where Collins lay, either unconscious or
dead. In a hostage situation, procedure was clear. Take no action that
might further endanger the lives of the hostages. The big question was
whether this really qualified as a terrorist action and whether these
people were hostages in the true sense of the word. Could this woman be
reasoned with? Convinced to let people go?
He pulled back again, gun heavy in his hand. He was breathing heavily
and could feel the sweat rolling down his back, prickling at his neck
and hairline. He stood with back against the open office door, head
bowed, trying to decide what he could do against what sounded like an
arsenal. The woman had started with something small, some kind of
handgun. But Collins had definitely been shot by a submachine gun.
What the fuck could he do against that? He needed to get in touch with
the Bureau's hostage negotiators immediately. He knew this was what he
should do. Instead, he moved forward, taking a step into the now empty
hallway. He heard her screaming farther down the hall and knew the
woman had passed them by for now. He verified it with a quick look out
the door, then took advantage of the opportunity and crossed over to
Collins.
He knelt down and checked for a pulse, relieved to feel one. It was
clear to him though that the man was in bad shape and wouldn't last long
if he didn't get help soon. He stood and started down the hallway
again, but caught sight of a young student in a room to his right. The
woman was lying on the floor, blood flowing from her leg, and she was
crawling, one inch at a time, away from the door. He moved towards her
and whispered, "It's all right. You're going to be okay."
He grabbed her under the arms and pulled her back behind some desks,
hoping she'd be out of sight of the doorway. He took her hand and
forced her to put it over the wound, saying, "Push down hard. You have
to apply pressure."
His hands were covered in blood, as was the weapon still gripped in his
hand, and he stared at the blood for a breathless moment. He knew he
had to move. He wiped his hands on his pants, transferring the weapon
from one hand to the other as he did so, then stood shakily. He moved
the desks a bit more to ensure the young woman would be safe from any
cursory look into the room, then headed for the door. It was clear now
that he needed help, and fast. These people and others might die
because he wasn't getting the right information out to the police and
the Bureau response teams. He had to get to a phone.
He slipped into the hallway noiselessly and moved quickly to the Chair's
office once more. He knocked on the door lightly, saying, "It's
Mulder. Let me in - fast."
He was able to slip in and lock the door behind him without being seen.
Jesus. Collins and God knew how many other people were out there
bleeding, dying, all because of him. He stood just inside the doorway,
gun gripped tightly in right hand and raised it to his forehead as if it
would help him think. Help him breathe. He sensed movement at the end
of the room and saw the Chair and the secretary looking out from around
the desk.
The man said in a loud whisper, "I got 911 and they said they'd call AD
Skinner. I'm still on with them, telling them what's happening."
Mulder dropped his hand and put his gun back in the holster, nodded in
acknowledgment, then pulled off his jacket and threw it to a chair. He
yanked at the tie, pulling it off as well, then threw it after the
jacket. He was so hot he could barely think.
He stared at the jacket for a minute and then took a couple steps and
pulled it back up, searching the pockets almost frantically. He found
his phone and thanked Scully for reminding him to recharge it last
night. He dialed a familiar number and almost sagged when he heard the
voice answer, "Skinner."
He took a deep breath and kept his voice low and soft as he spoke.
"Sir, it's me. It's Hastings. She's shot Collins. I haven't been able
to get to him. She has several weapons, a submachine gun and handgun at
least. I've heard screams from up and down the hallway. I think ..."
He could practically see the offices and classrooms strewn with dead
bodies and couldn't force himself to verbalize it.
"Mulder, we're on our way. The police are already there and I'll be
there soon. Where are you right now?"
He glanced around the room and answered, "I'm in the Department Chair's
office on the third floor. The Chair and his secretary are here with
me."
"Okay, just hang tight. SWAT and our response force will be there soon
and we'll let you know the plan. We won't call you -- I don't want to
create any unnecessary noise that might bring her your way so you call
me in a bit and I'll give you an update. And Mulder?"
He wiped at the sweat on his forehead and said, "Yes, sir?"
"Be careful. I don't want to have to explain to Scully if anything
happens to you."
He nodded and smiled sickly, then remembered he was on the phone and
said, "Will do," before flipping the phone closed. He stuffed it in his
pants pocket and then moved to the door to try to figure out where the
bitch was now.
It was actually quiet and he began to wonder if maybe she hadn't killed
herself out of some final grand gesture, but then he heard screaming
again and the machine gun rat a tat dominated all sound once more.
He heard her scream out then, quite clearly, "Fox, where are you? I
know you're here somewhere. We can be together, just you and me. We
can be together for all eternity, Fox."
He heard her crying then, actually sobbing uncontrollably. He
considered going out and trying to reason with her when he heard her
again, this time screaming angrily.
"This is all your fault, Fox. You shouldn't have treated me this way.
I deserved better than this."
He tried to swallow and realized he couldn't summon any spit. He pulled
out his gun again, knowing she was close, just outside the office. Why
she hadn't actually tried the door was a mystery. Of course, she wasn't
particularly rational right now, so maybe it wasn't a mystery after
all. She seemed to be wandering up and down the hallway aimlessly,
shooting randomly, just waiting for him to appear in front of her
magically.
She was moving away if the screams and gunfire were any indication and
he again thought of all the students, secretaries, and faculty who were
being killed and injured because of this woman's crazy obsession with
him. No matter what Scully or Skinner or anyone else said, this was
partly due to him. If not for him, this crazy woman wouldn't be here
now, turning all these people's lives upside down -- and even ending
them.
He looked at the gun in his hand and reached in his pocket to finger the
cell phone. He had a responsibility here. He was on the inside and was
armed. He had to try something to end this before more innocents were
killed.
He felt a calm wash over him as he made his decision and he was even
more sure than ever that it was the right one. He took a deep breath
and headed for the door, taking the knob in his left hand, the gun ready
in his right. Time to take a stand and do what was right.
*******************************************
Skinner stepped out of the car and took a quick look around, trying to
figure out just who among this mess of sirens, flashing lights, and
unmarked government cars was in charge. He caught a flash of red hair
to the right and looked closer. Sure enough, it was Scully.
He wondered briefly how she'd heard and then chided himself for his
naivete'. Between the Lone Gunmen who evidently spent every spare
moment listening to emergency calls, her own informants, and the Goddamn
news, she probably heard it from four or five different people within
minutes of the initial attack. He had to admit that he was happy to see
her.
He approached her quickly, knowing intuitively that the center of
activity would be by her. He nodded and reached out a hand to rest on
her shoulder briefly before saying, "What's happening, Agent Scully?"
She gestured to the man next to her and said, "AD Skinner, this is Lt.
Halden with the DCPD. They've been on the phone with a Dr. Allen.
Mulder's there in the room with him and they've been providing
information. It seems Hastings has just been wandering back and forth
on the third floor, shooting whoever moves. We know that Agent Collins
was shot, but aren't sure about anyone else. However, according to Dr.
Allen, there have been almost continuous gunshots and screams."
He nodded his understanding and looked to the officer. "What do you
propose?"
The man didn't look at all happy when he said, "We have to go in.
There's no reasoning with her. At this point, our psychologists claim
that what she wants is to go out in a blaze of glory and she wants to
take as many people with her as she can. Evidently, the one she wants
most is your man, Mulder."
Skinner was about to agree with the assessment when a young officer came
running over, a portable phone to his ear.
"Lt. Halden, we've got an update from inside. Dr. Allen says that Agent
Mulder has left the office and told him to stay inside with the door
locked."
He felt the frustration wash over him. God damn, Mulder, anyway. What
was he thinking!? But Skinner knew exactly what the man was thinking.
That he was responsible. That he had to do something or more people
would die. Hell, he'd probably do the same thing in Mulder's shoes.
He looked down at Scully and saw there was no decision to be made here.
She was checking her weapon, moving her extra clip so it was easily
accessible. He turned to Halden and asked, "How long 'til SWAT's in
place?"
"Five minutes, no more."
Skinner exchanged looks with Scully once more and said, "Not good
enough. Get us vests. We're going in."
He and Scully took off at the same time. He checked his own weapon and
stripped off his jacket and tie. He saw that Scully was taking off her
own restrictive jacket and was with him, pace for pace. An officer
appeared next to them with two bulletproof vests and they started
putting them on, even as they entered the stairwell that would bring
them to the third floor.
They got to the top and he waved at her to wait, then put his ear to the
door, trying to gain any insight into where Hastings might be. It
sounded as if it were clear. He nodded to Scully and cracked the door
open, then stuck his head out, inch by inch, weapon at the ready. He
saw nothing at all moving. In fact, it seemed there was nothing at all
but dead bodies lining the hallway.
He gestured to Scully to follow and they crept down the hallway, trying
to walk silently. The peace was disrupted violently and they knew
something was amiss outside their sight around a corner. There was
screaming and they both recognized a woman's voice. What followed
chilled them both and set them jogging down the hall.
Skinner clearly heard Mulder trying to talk to the woman. He heard his
former agent say, "Paula, you don't need to do this. We can work this
out. It's not too late to stop it."
He knew what Mulder evidently didn't -- that it was definitely too
late. This woman was not going to relent at this point.
He grabbed the wall to his left and swung around the corner and saw
nothing but the woman's back, with his agent fifteen feet or so away.
He couldn't tell what Hastings was doing at first but then there was a
jerk of her arm and the accompanying crack of a shot. Almost instantly,
Mulder dropped, obviously hit. Skinner saw his agent roll and bring his
right hand up, weapon still intact. Almost simultaneously Skinner
yelled the woman's name and she turned, gun raised and ready to shoot.
Three shots rang out, hitting the woman in the back, forehead and
heart. She dropped, dead eyes still open wide, and he could almost see
the entreaty that has seemed so much a part of her final moments.
Scully was already running down the hall and he headed after her, even
while pulling up the wrist voice unit Halden had thrown at him.
"Halden, this is Skinner. We're clear. Subject is down." He stopped
next to where Scully was kneeling by Mulder, pressing the wound on his
arm. He was reassured by the fact that Mulder seemed to be aware and
able to move, if slowly. Scully was helping him to sit up. Skinner
glanced down the hallway and took in the bodies that were scattered,
pools of blood forming black lakes on the white tiles.
He raised the wrist unit again and said, "We need all the emergency
vehicles and support you have. It's like a battle zone up here."
There was a muffled affirmative in his ear. He knelt down by his agents
and gripped Mulder's good shoulder carefully.
"You two all right here?"
He was relieved at the twin "Yes, sirs" so said, "I'm going to check the
victims. See if I can do anything."
Scully merely nodded. He wasn't surprised when Mulder said, "Scully, go
with him. I'm fine. Go on."
She checked his arm once more and then stood, moving to the first
victim. At the far end of the hall, around the corner, they could hear
the crash of doors opening and the ding of the elevator. The cavalry
had arrived.
*******************************************
The knock at the door caused three heads to raise simultaneously.
Maggie Scully moved first, saying, "Stay put. I'll see who it is."
Mulder was lying on the couch, fighting twin feelings of discomfort at
being waited on and contentment at having people who actually wanted to
wait on him. Scully was in a chair, feet pulled up under her, an open
book on her lap. He was staring at her and couldn't help it. Couldn't
pull his eyes away. The bruises and scrapes were dark and obvious
against her complexion and he realized once more how close he'd come to
losing her once again. She looked up at him then, as if she knew what
he was thinking and smiled. It lightened his heart, knowing she cared
for him.
There were voices coming from the front door and he strained his neck
enough to see that AD Skinner was there, speaking with Mrs. Scully. He
thought about sitting up, but Scully's voice made him freeze.
"Don't move, Mulder. Bed rest means you lie still. We're already
letting you get away with lying on the couch as it is."
He adopted a fake look of irritation and was delighted when she stuck
her tongue out at him playfully. She never failed to amaze him, did
Scully.
Mrs. Scully showed the AD to a free chair and excused herself, somehow
knowing that they needed to speak in private.
Mulder looked at the AD and allowed his eyes to settle on the package in
the man's hands. When he looked up again, Skinner met his eyes with a
look of compassion. He wasn't looking forward to this conversation.
Scully's voice broke through the silence, then.
"Sir, what did you find?"
The AD turned to her and lifted the package he held, handing it to
her. He gestured to it then and said, "We found a journal. I had them
make copies of some of the more important entries. We found her things
in your apartment, Mulder. She'd evidently moved in and set up house.
The lab techs will be collecting evidence and you should be able to get
back in there in a day or two at the most."
Mulder could tell his former boss wasn't sure how to say what he was
struggling with. The man looked over at him, as Scully started leafing
through the pages, scanning the words quickly.
"Mulder, I know I shouldn't have to remind you of this, but you know
this wasn't your fault. None of it."
"What was the final tally, sir? How many dead? Injured?"
Scully had looked up from the pages at his question and was staring at
him. He glanced at her then turned back to Skinner. His voice was hard
and unbending when he demanded, "How many?"
Skinner sighed and dropped his eyes, then looked up again when he
answered softly, "Seven dead, two seriously injured, the doctors aren't
sure whether they'll make it, and four others who were wounded but will
be okay. And Hastings, of course."
He still held the AD's eyes when he asked, "Collins?"
Skinner dropped his face again and shook his head.
Mulder felt his throat tighten and knew he couldn't keep back the
tears. He lifted his good arm and draped it across his face, pushing
hard. He heard Skinner get up and tell Scully he'd check back with them
later, felt the man rest a hand on his head for a moment, then heard the
door open and close. He tried to bite back a sob, but felt an
overwhelming sorrow that he couldn't fight.
There was a rustle by his head and he felt gentle hands on his
forehead, running through his hair. Stroking him and soothing him with
her touch. She leaned in then and he felt her lips on his forehead. He
cried in earnest then, unable to gain any control over the gut-wrenching
sobs that grabbed hold. And Scully was there, with him, telling him it
would be all right with her touch and her lips.
*******************************************
Journal Entry of Paula Hastings:
I met him today at Sally's retirement luncheon. He stopped in, looking
for Agent Samuels, wanting information on a case. He looked at me and I
knew it immediately. I knew that we were meant for each other. And I
could tell that he knew it too. It was Fate. Destiny. He's the one, I
know it. We'll be together for all eternity.
*******************************************
Journal Entry of Fox Mulder:
I am a psychologist, trained by education and experience to understand
the depths of depravity of which the criminal psyche is capable. But
despite my training, despite my experiences, I find that I am still
shocked at the ability of some people to rewrite the truth to fit their
own warped sense of reality. To convince themselves of the existence of
a life they wish to be true, regardless of the cost to the innocents
around them.
I have worked on murder cases, kidnappings, rapes, and all manner of
violent crime. But before today, before yesterday, I had somehow
thought I was exempt from being a victim of such crimes. That my status
as an FBI field agent who investigated them, somehow protected me from
the havoc wreaked on one's life when they are on the other side of the
violent act being perpetrated. I am left now with the knowledge that
regardless of station, regardless of position, of wealth or lack
thereof, one can be a victim. And it is a knowledge that strips me of
all feelings of security and safety that I might have once harbored in
at least one part of my life.
*******************************************
"Fox?"
He jerked upright at hearing his name, the name that Paula Hastings had
screamed out as she murdered seven innocents without even a thought,
then forced himself to calm when he realized it was Mrs. Scully standing
in the doorway.
"Fox, dinner is almost ready. Why don't you come in and join us?"
He took a deep breath and nodded to her, then put down the pen and
flipped the journal closed.
"Yes, ma'am, I'll be right there."
He stood and looked around the room that had been his home for the past
couple days. Scully's guest bedroom was decorated in light, pastel
colors, aimed at making visitors feel at home. But he looked out the
window and knew that someone could be there, at any time, waiting to rob
a person of their thin veil of security. To take away the semblance of
normality they'd taken so for granted.
He checked that his weapon was still in the top right drawer of the
desk, then left to join Scully and her mother for dinner.
*******************************************
The End
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