^*^*^ Given Building Sub-basement Level 2 26 September 4:00AM When he looked back on how he found himself in the air vent shaft of an unknown room in a long-ago sealed off part of the Given Building, it would seem as if a very long day had coalesced into a careening few hours. It would also occur to him that life had it cycles and its patterns and sometimes those very repetitions were comforting in their similarity and sameness. And sometimes they were responsible for the creation of tears in the very fabric of one's life. The cataclysmic return of Diana Fowley was one such tear. One that seemed to occur with surprising frequency. One that he adamantly refused to allow to fray any farther. By the sound of what was echoing through the shaft walls, Diana was doing her theatrical best to taunt and play with Scully. Sliding himself forward on his elbows, belly and knees, he wondered at the odd newness of his surroundings. The vent shaft gleamed; all polished silver sheet metal. It was clearly out of place in such an old section of an even older building. While he expected building inspections to ensure adherence to code, he nonetheless expected infrastructure to match the general age of the building. Someone had gone to great expense to outfit this area. Someone who planned to be here for awhile. He also thanked someone for the fact that whatever was supposed to flow through this vent; warmed or chilled air, seemed to be absent. As he drew closer to the cross-hatched cut-out grille in the surface of his current hideout, the words became crystal clear. Words from someone he used to think he knew, but just kept proving over and over and over again that he didn't; that maybe he never had. Diana Fowley; a woman with an obsession, a fixation, a dangerous bent that had taken her life so far off-course that it was now nearly unrecognizable to anyone save maybe herself. But he did recognize her; at least visually as he peered through the floor of the rectangular conduit. And he sucked in a breath through gritted teeth when he saw Scully. Leather straps banding her body and her forehead, an angry red palm print on her cheek, standing out against her fair skin. Shaking his head, he wondered how they always seemed to end up here, in this or a similar situation. One of them hurt or held hostage, the other rushing to the rescue. Even more striking was the number of times Diana seemed to enter the picture. She was obsessed all right. With him and with Scully. But only so far as Scully would serve her needs. He had to get in there. He knew he should wait for Skinner and Kimberley. Although his boss hadn't had to remind him, Mulder had called his superior anyway, keeping him apprised of his progress since he'd gone to the hotel. Since he'd discovered that his partner had been drawn here under the guise of scientific discovery, hoping to finally gain the answers she'd sought since the start of their case in Boston, he'd notified A.D. Skinner and the local authorities through Kimberley and Chief Alannis. He knew they were all on their way. He hadn't been very surprised to learn that Skinner was already in northern New England and about a half hour outside of Burlington when he'd reached him. It was obvious that, along with taking good care of his Agents, he had a soft spot for Scully; for both of them, actually. There was little that would have kept him in DC waiting to hear from Mulder. Especially since he knew Mulder's penchant for acting first, notifying sometime later. Mulder didn't dwell on the possibilities; weighing whether or not he would wait. Not after he'd talked to the hotel desk staff and then gone to her room. Nothing had seemed out of the ordinary; no incoming or outgoing calls from her room phone, no signs of forced entry or struggle. By all accounts, a rather typical evening of research while he was out on a case. And then he'd found her note under the desk. Where he'd sent it in his rage over finding her missing yet again. This had to be some sort of warped record, he'd mused. In the short length of time they'd been in Vermont, this seemed to be the second time she'd become the object of some sort of foul play. They were unfortunately used to their sometimes role as pawns in a grander scheme and their all-too-often role as a means to get to the other. But none of that made it any easier for Mulder. At those times, he became a driven man; a man with a consuming and relentless mission. So, once again, he was immersed in a search, sifting through clues, gathering bits of information. Only in this case, he'd been lucky; she'd left him the biggest clue of all. He'd fingered the ink on the envelope where she'd written his name. Then he'd quickly lifted the flap and removed the folded hotel stationary. There was nothing rushed in her writing and a small smile had played over his lips and twinkled in his eyes as he read: By the time he'd finished, he was grinning like a love-struck fool. On a hunt for his partner. He'd tried calling her cell and then the main number listed for the lab she was working in -- to no avail -- so he'd headed for the University campus. Upon his arrival, he'd located her Maxima parked adjacent to the main entrance. Again, he'd found no signs of a disturbance; everything had seemed to indicate that she was here of her own volition. His cell had chirped just as he had been about to enter the building, startling him. Since he had been using one of Kimberley's phones, he had assumed it would be her, but was surprised to hear Jemel's voice. He hadn't bothered to try to figure out how she'd gotten this number; he'd had no time for such trivial matters. Somehow having the presence of mind not to answer with his usual, 'Mulder', he'd merely listened for the caller to speak. Mercifully, she'd spoken in clipped phrases, telling him that the Boss had another job for him and wanted to see him immediately. Mulder's response had been quick and definite; he wasn't available for the foreseeable future. Don't call him; he'd call them. He'd hung up before Jemel could reply, never looking back or wondering what his partners in crime had thought. As far as he'd been concerned, the case was closed. His attention once again riveted in the present, he moved his head from side to side, trying unsuccessfully to work out some of the kinks caused by the cramped space, extreme fatigue and a healthy dose of stress and worry for his partner. Cursing himself and Diana, he unintentionally hit his head on the low-slung ceiling of the enclosure as he listened to her speak...supplying Scully with lies; outright fabrications that had no other motivation than to hurt and anger. Listening to his former partner explain to Scully where he'd been tonight and who he'd been with unnerved him and, by the look on Scully's face, was having the same effect on her. He knew she wasn't buying Diana's claims about having slept with him while they'd been in Vermont, but nonetheless...his former lover's voice rankled as she spewed forth pure fabrication followed by outrageous lie. "Why was he with me and not with you? Think about it, Dana. Think really hard and you'll know that for every minute he wasn't with you, he was with me. Right. Here. In. Vermont." Oh, the tall brunette was clever -- at least in her own mind, he thought. But she was also calculating and exceedingly cruel. Escalating her efforts since this summer when he and Scully had both been sure they'd seen the last of Diana. When they'd put the past where it belonged and moved forward with their relationship. The depth of that relationship never ceased to amaze him. He'd never met anyone with the capacity for both understanding and compassion that Scully had. He adored her for it. And that was the main reason he had to get her out of what appeared to be a rather elaborately constructed prison. From his vantage point in the ventilation system just forward of the pedestal chair, he could see the back of Aja's lab coat, her arms moving, hands busy. What she was doing he did not know, but the assortment of what he loosely described as 'scientific paraphernalia' looked ominous. What the hell would she be doing while Diana held Scully captive? Not a good sign. Not at all. Quickly scanning the room, his vantage point allowed only a long rectangular path. Farthest from his location was a cinderblock space; he could make out no furnishings or windows. Trying to wrench his gaze right or left, he was thwarted by limited view from the shaft. Just as he was about to check out the space closer to where Scully was being held, he noticed an odd play of light on a patch of 'wall' that appeared to be approximately seven feet high by three feet wide. There was no carpentry or other mechanisms marring the surface, but his mind suppositioned it might be a door. He filed that bit of information away. Back toward the center of his line of sight, he could make out two black-clad figures; one on each side of Scully. From this angle, he could not see their faces; only the lower halves of their bodies. The Fowley Henchmen Team from their build. Although they stood sentinel duty right now, the tension in their bodies was evident. They were poised to do her bidding at her word. Diana had positioned herself in between him and Scully, making it hard for him to see either of them. Just before Diana had moved in, he had tried to read Scully. He could tell from years of side-by-side encounters with a wide variety of criminals and witnesses that she was schooling her expression, knowing that what Diana wanted most was to prompt an emotional reaction. Knowing that she could not afford to provide any reaction. However, from the little he'd heard and from his earlier interaction with Diana at the hotel, he knew she was on the edge. A very dangerous edge. No matter how well Scully read Diana, there would be no predicting what would push the brunette's buttons at this point. As if she'd read his thoughts, Diana began again, obviously not having elicited what she wanted from Scully. Her voice was evenly modulated, but there was an undercurrent Mulder didn't like; as if she were teetering on a finely-honed edge. He held his breath as she rounded on Scully, standing just out of her line of sight. At least it gave him a clear view of his partner. "No comment, Dana? Or are you just allowing what I said to sink in fully? Or maybe you're picturing Fox in my bed..." Her voice trailed off as she stroked Scully's brow just below the leather strap. Her index and middle fingers massaged in a tight, tiny circle just above the bridge of Scully's nose now as she continued, "Let those images sink in. Because you know that even though you claim to be so very sure of his love for you, my words are creating seeds of doubt. Small seeds, maybe, but doubt nonetheless. Fox is good, Dana; so very good at making you believe, but he's only been true to one person over all those years. And I think we both know who that one person is." His elbow hit into the wall of the shaft inadvertently as his anger rose. He had seen Scully's eyes slam shut when Diana touched her and with each successive deluded declaration, they squeezed tighter still. Luckily, it appeared that no one below had heard his unintentional distraction. But, much as he wanted to remain and discover Diana's ultimate plans, he knew that at the very least, it was a precarious situation; one he couldn't allow to continue. Not for a moment longer. "Hang on, Scully," he mouthed and had started to back himself out when his attention was drawn to Dr. Sonjah. "I think it's fine now," she stated as she turned toward Diana. "But I need about twenty more minutes to be sure." He held his breath, waiting for some sort of reply that might indicate what she was talking about. Although he was suddenly hit with a very disturbing notion. His brain worked through the facts: Aja working in the presence of Diana and Scully, Aja luring Scully here with promises of new research. Research on the white paste. The white paste that both he and Scully had been subjected to and that they'd both believed had killed Diana. "Oh my God..." He whispered once again as he blinked his eyes several times, trying desperately to make out exactly what the scientist was doing. His attention, however, was drawn by Diana. "Twenty minutes more? Haven't you had just about enough time? Just get moving!" She spat her words without even so much as glancing at the other woman and then resituated herself at Scully's hips. Looking her directly in the eyes, her voice raised, losing her earlier attempts at mock control, she snapped, "I bet you're wondering just what Aja has cooking, aren't you," she laughed at her own question. Continuing on, surely knowing she'd get no response, she explained, her tone changing as if she were now speaking to a child. "Well, as you know, every experiment requires testing, trials before it can be ratified, so to speak. And before we can put this little experiment into the right hands, we need a few trials." Mulder watched, knowing he should be leaving, but feeling hopelessly and helplessly rooted to his spot as Scully's eyes grew wide with knowledge. And, although Diana probably would not see it, fear. But Scully said nothing, her attention fully on her captor. "Well, Dana, I'm going to allow you the ultimate opportunity to see your research come to fruition." Diana's smile grew considerably at her own words -- and then disappeared quickly when she failed to see or hear a response from the redhead. Mulder knew what was about to happen a split second before Diana leaned forward, one bent arm supporting her full weight on Scully's ribs and chest, as she raked the nails of her other hand across Scully's cheek. "You didn't answer me, Dana!" Backing up as quickly as he could move, while hating to leave Scully, Mulder headed for the opening approximately ten feet behind him. It was time for reinforcements. Landing with a quiet bent-knees thud in the hallway outside the concealed room, Mulder avoided the elevator. He had not known what he might find on the way down and hadn't noted any stairs that seemed to lead to the Sub-basement. Luckily, the elevator had deposited him down the hall and around the corner from where Diana was holding Scully. Heading in the other direction, he located a gray metal doorway marked, 'Exit'. Hoping it would lead him up two flights, he slowly and cautiously depressed the panic bar and eased the heavy metal door open. The small dark landing was musty and dry from disuse and he waved his hand in front of him batting aside the unseen cobwebs. Knowing it was most likely useless, he flipped open his cellphone as he took the cement stairs two at a time. 'No signal' in black against the green glow of the small screen taunted him. He didn't bother re-pocketing it as he reached the main floor, swinging the door open so hard it slammed against the wall. Wasting time. He was wasting precious time by calling for back-up, but reporting in to Skinner was something he had to do. He knew he couldn't risk Scully's life by going it alone; at least not totally alone. She'd probably hand him his head if he tried to extract her without back-up. 'Partners watch each other's backs, Mulder', she liked to remind him. He could almost here her crisp words, she the slight crinkle in her eyes as she tried to restrain the smile that threatened to play about her mouth. She well knew his proclivity for renegade and maverick behavior. And he knew that she still loved him -- even when she thought him reckless. Refocusing on the current situation, Mulder flipped open his cellphone, sighing loudly when he saw that his call still would not go through. Running the rest of the way down the hall, nearly knocking a lone student off his feet in the process, he slammed his way through the double doors at the building's exit. Breathing heavily fueled by the combination of sheer exhaustion, frustration and relief at finally being able to notify the AD, he bent over at the waist, his hands on his bent legs -- trying to slow the jackhammer in his chest also known as his wildly beating heart. The static on the line made it difficult to hear his boss's voice. "Sir? Where are you," Mulder panted as he regained some composure. Mulder rolled his eyes. Some things never changed, but for that he was also very thankful. "I found Agent Scully, Sir. I'm at the University of Vermont campus, Given Bio-Science Building...." Mulder could almost hear Skinner's sharp intake of breath as he described the details to his superior. The terse, clipped words made their point. And almost as if Walter Skinner had been standing next to him, the next words made Mulder wince and smile wryly. Mulder turned to head back into the building as he closed his phone. Turning once again, he stopped. His boss had been right; Diana needed Scully for leverage. It was him his former partner actually wanted. He could afford two more minutes to at least let the locals, under Kimberley's and the Chief's guidance, know the layout. He had no doubt that even with his considerable expertise, there were too many risk factors to go it completely alone. He heard the insistent wail of the police cars arriving and knew it would be over soon. If he had any say in the matter. His leather jacket flapping open, he bolted into the parking lot as he heard car doors slamming. Early, partial relief washed over him at the sounds. Back up had arrived making his decision easier. His decision to get Scully out on his own. ^*^ Scully had felt his presence. Of that she was very sure. She didn't know how or where, but long years of being his partner, being attuned to him heart and soul had produced a connection not subject to dissolution. But he wasn't here right now. She trusted implicitly that he would return; it's what they did for each other. No one left without the other. Not for long, anyway. But Scully also hated feeling helpless; without her own recourse. Especially when a woman she loathed was responsible for her hapless state. At least Diana had stopped with her incessant play to Scully's emotions. ^*^ "Agent Mulder, what have you got?" The Chief wasted no time on preliminaries, hands on her hips, her face and tone were all business. She reminded him of a certain Assistant Director. Mulder's response was equally succinct, his body coiled tension. It was obvious he wanted to be inside. "Two floors below the main. From the looks of things, that area's been off-limits for a long time. Accessible by elevator, but I think it's wired and has video surveillance." Kimberely was in professional mode as well, but Mulder could see her concern reflected in her eyes. She, too, was worried about his partner, her friend. "What's the lay-out, Mulder?" A uniformed man made his way through the gathering, extending his hand. "Agent Mulder, I'm Martin Shore." Mulder's small nod was about all he could manage at this point as he noted the officer's headset and mouthpiece. "Put this on and we can track you." When Mulder shook his head, Officer Shore's eyebrows rose in question. "No. I can't wear it. The woman holding my partner is a former Agent and, no matter what her current state, she's shrewd. If I go in there wired, she'll surely escalate the situation." He waved it away, explaining that one of them could easily follow his progress in the airshaft while the others headed for the emergency exit. Kimberley shook her head imperceptibly at Shore's questioning look. His only reply was a shrug as he signaled his team of six to follow the FBI Agent who had already headed back into the building. Chief Ennis radioed Headquarters of what was about to go down and then walked back to the squad car. She would wait for AD Skinner who would be arriving shortly. In the meantime, Kimberley caught up with Mulder who directed the officers toward the far stairwell which would take them down to the back entrance of Diana's lair. Taking his elbow, the OPP Officer took a step closer to Mulder, her no nonsense grip conveying her concern. Feeling the tension in him radiating outward, she tightened her fingers. "Mulder, think this through. Dana wouldn't want you to do anything rash. Give Shore's team a minute to get in place. You said it yourself; this woman needs Dana to lure you." His eyes darting back and forth between Kimberley and the stairwell door, Mulder gently removed his arm from Officer Kresge's hold. "Look, I hear what you're saying, but at this point, we're wasting valuable time. I know what Diana Fowley is capable of when she's in full possession of her faculties. I have a long history with her. But now," he paused, eyes downcast and then riveting the blonde woman's," Now she's no longer in full control, not working at her full capacity. I'm sure you can see the profile without my assistance. I'm going down there. Now." Striding away with purpose, Mulder stopped and turned. "Thanks, Kimberley. Scully's always been a good judge of character," he told her, a wan smile briefly lifting the corners of his mouth. And then he broke into a run. ^*^ "Chief, we're in position at the north entrance to the room. I've got Myers working on the locking mechanism. Shouldn't be a problem. Looks like the woman wasn't so concerned about being discovered from this location. I've posted Rutherford in the shaft. She's wired and on, but due to the amplification caused by the shaft metal, she'll only respond on emergency basis. Shore out." Turning toward the rest of his team, Martin noted that the two he'd sent to reconnoiter the hallway had returned. "No other breaches, Sir. Heading west, it's a dead end. East leads back to the stairwell. No windows or other access we could see." The report was delivered with efficiency as she nodded to her partner. "What do you need next?" Shore indicated Myers with a wave of his hand. "He's almost in. Look sharp, weapons drawn on this one. Fire only on my signal. Rutherford, hold your position. Let us know when you pick up Mulder on visual." His team was known for their ability to work seamlessly, moving as one, often operating on nothing more than non-verbal cues. Shore trusted them with his life and he knew that feeling was shared among them. When Myers stepped back, the door now opening into the featurelss room, the team leader circled his index finger several times and then followed his officers inside. Helmet lights off, their black uniforms became just so much more darkness. Sotto voce, Shore indicated their movements and subsequent locations in pairs and then notified Alanna Ennis that they were in place. Speaking with her usual confidence, she let him know that Skinner's rental vehicle was five minutes away and that he and Kimberley would follow Mulder's route inside. At her confirming 'affirmative', he went to silent running mode. With Myers and his partner, Trent McCauley, on point, the entry to the main room was soon secured. Taking the small listening device from his vest pocket, McCauley attached it to the wall while Myers gained them access. Unsure of the exact dimensions of the room beyond them, they had only Mulder's visuals on which to base their estimated distance. Shore had conveyed that they probably had at least one other wall between them, allowing them some modicum of sound distortion. Besides, from what McCauley now heard, Fowley's attention was more than occupied with the Scully woman. Aside from the occasional question or comment from the other woman, Dr. Sonjah, the room was eerily quiet. Although the odds were in their favor, Shore knew better than to rely on sheer number differences. Depending on their training, the two armed men Mulder had alerted them to, could still pose a serious threat to Mulder's partner -- and all of them. From the little Shore had learned about Diana Fowley's tactics, he surmised that her co-conspirators might be more than willing to go down in a blaze of gunfire. Tapping each team member on the shoulder, team leader Martin Shore signaled them to wait. ^*^ Mulder doubted the door would be open, just as he doubted he'd be able to enter unobserved. But that wasn't his goal. He planned a more direct approach. Banking on the fact that Diana wanted him there, that she knew he'd come for Scully. Well, he thought wryly, she was right on that count. His sole reason for being here now was to get Scully out. To get his current partner and lover away from his former partner. He was willing to play into her hands. To a degree. Patting his holster for reassurance, he approached the doorway, wondering if he should just knock. Envisioning Diana waltzing over to open the door as if she were welcoming him home... He shook his head to clear those random thoughts, to focus on what he needed to do next. "Hello, Fox." The carefully modulated voice startled him momentarily until he realized that he was being watched. Forcing himself not to not show that startlement for the lens, he schooled his expression and riveted his eyes directly in front of him. He knew that whether or not he replied, he would be invited inside. The sound of metal on metal as the door irised open preceded the almost-airlock sound. Raking a hand through his hair, Mulder stepped over the threshold as the portal resealed behind him. Much as he wanted to head straight for Scully, he took a deep breath and quickly scanned his surroundings. Aside from having a much wider view, everything looked exactly as he'd seen it from above. Trying to keep his gaze from wavering, he strode forward with purpose and confidence. Scully would call it, 'playing the part', he mused, smiling inwardly. And that was where his musing ended as Diana approached him, her hands cupping his warmly. He resisted the urge to pull back, but instead allowed her to draw him further into the room. "I knew you'd come," she purred as she tried to steer him away from where Scully sat restrained, and guide him toward the lab bench. Taking advantage of Diana's keen interest in propelling him forward, he turned his head left where he had a clear view of his partner. He immediately sought her eyes, trying to convey that he would get her out of this place and away from Diana. If the two men in black noticed his wandering attention, they gave no indication. As a matter of fact, Mulder noticed that they seemed totally disinterested in their subject. Contrary to what he'd observed earlier, their weapons were now holstered. He idly wondered if Diana had told them to do so when she had gone to open the door. And, if so, why? He'd never known the tall brunette to act rashly; although admittedly, he was probably not the best judge of 'rash' behavior. However, no matter what her motives, she had always displayed a shrewd and cunning ability to keep her wits while dealing with a situation that threatened to run amok. But this situation was about as far from 'amok' as it could get. He knew Diana had never been even close to 'fond' of Scully, but using her as bait and god only knew what else, was alarming. He had to play this just right, but he also had to move quickly. Without conscious thought, he was profiling Diana. And he didn't like what he was learning. The bottom line was that she was unstable and unstable people did unpredictable things. And when he posed the mental question as to whether or not Scully was in any real danger, he was sure the answer would be 'yes'. Diana's grip on his arm loosened as her fingers twined with his. If she were to stand any closer, he was sure they would become one. For a brief instant, the smile that lit her face reminded him of a partner he knew once a long time ago. A long time ago when the X-Files was new and their partnership inspired wonder and sympatico. But the smile quickly lost whatever was left of that young Agent as Diana seemed to focus all her nervous energy on him. "Fox, you must be curious about what I've been working on," she chattered, her hand idly stroking his back, her fingers moving to play with the hair at the nape of his neck. ^*^