Title: Mulder's Creek: 27 Roswell Revelations
Author: Neoxphile 
Author Email: neoxphile@aol.com 
Rating: PG-13 
Category: X-File , Friendship 
Keywords: Pre-XF, Alternate universe, Crossover 
Pairings: Mulder/Scully Romance, Doggett/Reyes romance 
Crossover Info: Dawson's Creek; Roswell 
Spoilers: X-Files seasons 1-8, Dawson's creek seasons 1-4, Roswell
Season 1 
Summary: Before Mulder and Sam return to Capeside, they go back 
to Candling long enough to get some horrific information about their 
father's workplace...and its plans for baby Price and others like him.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Opening scene

"All set." Sam declares as she steps back into the room in her night
clothes. Mulder, who has been patiently waiting to use the bathroom
wonders if shed taken the time to brush her hair while in there to
torment him for some obscure reason. The innocent look she gives him
as he passes by her makes him reconsider that. Maybe shes just being
a young girl after all.

Once hes washed up and changed for bed he asks Sam about the folder
she gave him earlier that night. "How do you know Zane?" Paranoia
spills into his voice. "Is he working for them?"

Sam shakes her head. "He doesnt work for them. They made him." 

"What do you mean, they made him?" Mulder gives her a bewildered
look.

"Some kids go to Candling because its a school, just like its
pretending, which is why they let us in tonight. Those kids have a
parent or parents who work there, mostly. Normal kids like me, you
know?"

"Was Zanes Mom or Dad a teacher?" Mulder interrupts.

"No. There are two other types of kids too. Kids who are different,
and kids who were supposed to be different but arent. Zane is one of
the second kind." Sam explains.

"How do you know hes the second kind?" Mulder presses.

"Because they let him leave when he grew up." Sam answers quietly. "I
dont know why, I just know thats what happens." She adds, giving
him an exasperated look.

Mulder finds the statement spooky, but lets it go temporarily. "Does
he know that you can talk?"

"Probably not, or if he does he probably thinks I stopped for some
reason. I was only five or so when he stopped talking to me at
school."

"Why?" 

"IHe didnt leave for a while after that, so it wasnt because he
left. I cant remember why he stopped talking to me." She says,
looking upset.

**
Theme song - "Stranded" By Plumb
**

Midnight, Tuesday, Winkin, Blinkin and Nodd Inn

Sam slips into a blue funk that Mulder cant seem to jolly her out
of, so he gives up and thumbs through the pile of folders . Zane
Archer, Spender Morgan, Samantha Leary, Price Leary, Mulder Leary.
Mulder Leary? "What the hell?" Mulder asks aloud.

"What?" Sam asks, looking over at him.

"One of these folders is on me." Mulder tells her.

"So?" Sam asks.

"So there shouldnt be anything on me. I was never here or anything."
Mulder says, shaking his head in bewilderment.

"So read it." Sam says, going back to her book.

Mulder frowns, wondering how she could have so little curiosity about
his folder. It is thin compared to the ones on either of his
siblings, which is why he hadnt noticed it earlier. He feels that he
should look through the other folders first, but a burning desire to
know what is in own grips him, and it proves too irresistible.

Theres only one piece of paper which he pulls out and begins to
read:

+++
General Public Testing Report
7-20-89

Subject Leary, a bright and active four-year-old boy, approaches the
tests with a lively curiosity. The subject shows very little ability
in the form of precognition, and his correct responses may well be
chalked up to chance
+++

Mulder puts down the paper, because a memory is swimming back to his
consciousness.

His father picks him up from daycare, and gives him an ice cream
cone. He explains that instead of going right home, theyre going to
go back to where he works. Mulder wonders if Daddy has forgotten
something at work, but Mr. Leary says no. Theyre going to go see
someone that he works with. When Mulder asks why, hes told that
theyre going to play some games. Since hes only four, this doesnt
sound strange to him.

His fathers coworker turns out to be an older woman who reminds
Mulder of the librarian in the childrens section. Hes shy, but she
offers to let him sit in a wheeled chair just like hers, and that
breaks the ice. Mulder spends a couple of minutes playing with the
chair, and she patiently waits for him to be settled.

Once hes ready to pay attention, she shows him a laminated poster
the size of a placemat covered in strange symbols. Some look like
balls, others like squiggles or stars. She shows him deck of cards
that has the same symbols on them. She shuffles through the cards and
tells him "Im going pick up a card and not show you, ok? I want you
to try to guess which card Im holding. You think about it then point
on the poster at which one you think Im holding."

Mulder laughs, and decides that its a fun game. She holds up cards,
and he points to symbols. She tells him that hes doing a good job,
and writes some things he cant read down on a piece of paper. When
theyre all done she gives him a sticker book and tells him that he
was a good helper. He leaves with his father and buries the seemingly
insignificant memory for the next thirteen years.


Suddenly afraid to learn anything else, Mulder pushes aside the
folders. He tells Sam that hes tired, so she tells him good-night
and turns on her book-light instead. Mulder finds it slightly odd
that she doesnt ask him about what he was reading, but soon falls
asleep.

**

Tuesday 9am, Winkin, Blinkin and Nodd Inn

The next morning Mulder plans to methodically go through the rest of
the folders. The first one he picks up is the Spender Morgan folder.
It contains stuff that makes him even sadder for the dead boy.

+++
September 20th, 1989
Status Report: Martin

Rebecca Martin has quit her position at Candling. She had previously
been informed that if she took this action, or threatened any legal
action, her son would not be returned to her. Apparently this does
not bother her, as she and her husband have sold their home in Maine
and can not be located.

Her defection is an unpleasant blow to the project. We had hoped that
we would be able to get her to relent, as we have in all but one
other case after taking extreme measures, but it seems that we will
have to continue without her genetic contribution to the project.
This is rather unfortunate, as she is one of the employees with the
highest scores weve recorded thus far.

Arrangements will be made for the boy. 

December 29th, 1989

Status Report: Morgan

Subject Morgan is making progress. He responds to being called
Spender, and no longer insists that his name is Scott. When asked he
will report that his full name is Spender Ryan Morgan, and that the
Morgans are his parents.

The Morgans have been flying out every other weekend to get to know
young Spender. Once the boy is fully acclimated to his new identify,
we will be sending him home with the Morgans. The Morgans have long
been loyal to Candling, and it is for this reason that we have felt
that they will make an appropriate family for the boy. We offered
them the choice of the two remaining wards, and it came to as
surprise that they chose the boy, who is older. Apparently theyve
always wanted a son, so his age was not an issue when they made their
decision. Its just as well, since we might yet get an agreement out
of the other childs parents.
+++

Mulder puts the report aside, suddenly sure that "the other ward" is
Sam. His head reels as he thinks about the fact that his sister might
have once been offered to other people. It is only the whim of the
Morgans that prevented his sister to grow up in Capeside. It scares
him to think that she might have been that close her whole life, but
would have been just as lost.

**

Mulder next reaches for Zanes folder, wondering how Sams speech
therapist fits into this puzzle. It surprises him a little that the
papers on Zane started many years before Sam was even born

+++
Subject Report: Archer
November 15th, 1979

Subject Archer is a healthy three-month-old infant. While he does
seem unusually bright, as of yet he is not showing any signs of
talent. However, since he is one of our first subjects, its hard to
gage when we should expect to see these things emerge. We will
continue to closely monitor him.

Subject Report: Archer
September 30th, 1985
Subject Archer is settling into the first grade quite nicely. In
retrospect it seems to have been a very good idea to keep our
subjects at the facility for their education as well as observation
and living arrangements. Archers class is the second class of first
graders.

Troubling is the fact that Archer, along with approximately one third
of his age-mates, still shows no signs of talent. It has been
concluded that in addition to producing many desirable subjects there
were several nulls born as well.

The current plan for nulls is to continue to keep them at the
facility in hopes that they will eventually show latent abilities.
Those that never show any talent at all will be allowed to leave the
facility at age eighteen after signing non-disclosure agreement. We
believe that this will not lead to disaster, because being raised
with the more desirable subjects should instill a proper respect for
the puissance of our wish to keep the program private, and allow them
to understand the likely consequences of breaking their agreements.
+++

Mulder flips through several more reports that lament Zanes lack of
"talent" and remark on his exemplary behavior and grades. He turns to
the last report and reads it fully instead of skimming it.

++++
Null Report: Archer
8-15-97
Subject Archer has been explained the non-disclosure policy, and
seems rather unlikely to break it. The set back he experienced a
while back seems to be very present in his mind, and the consequences
of that seem to impress upon him the seriousness of our expectation
that he not do anything to jeopardize the project. Thus far weve
released seven nulls, and have no problems from them. We expect that
Archer will continue this pleasant streak of problem-free releases.

Other than seeming slightly morose about the conversation regarding
the non-disclosure, he seems to be in high spirits today, his
eighteenth birthday. Although he is now free to go, he has chosen to
remain here for the next six days, as he gets ready to start his
Freshman year at the university of Connecticut. The fact that he is
lingering leads the staff psychologist (the one hired for nulls) to
believe that he harbors no ill will towards the facility, and that he
will continue to be well adjusted when he leaves us.
++++

Mulder wonders for a moment what sort of "set back with consequences"
would be powerful enough to frighten someone into never speaking
about how they were raised or why. And why is he being referred to as
a null, a nothing?

"Sam, would you mind if I take a walk? I need to clear my head a
little."

Sam looks at him and sees the tension etched across his face. "Sure,
go ahead. Im a big girl, you dont have to worry constantly about
me." She tries to sound bright and cheerful, but Mulder still looks
troubled as he leaves the room.

**

Mulder returns to the room with a large paper bag tucked under one
arm. Sam gives him a tentative smile. "I thought you were taking a
walk."

"I did, and its the strangest thing, I found this bag." Mulder says
with a grin.

"Whats in it?" Sam asks, pleased to see him looking happier.

"I dont know, I didnt look." He waits to see if shell play along,
then makes a show out of opening the bag. Peering inside, his eyes
widen, then he reaches inside. "Looks like a pint of Ben and Jerrys
chocolate ice cream..." he puts that on the desk, and reaches into
the bag with both hands. "It seems to beyes, its a chocolate cake
with white frosting!" He exclaims, putting it with the ice cream."
Oh, look there's also plates and forks, how thoughtful of someone."
Sam smiles at him. He rattles the bag. "I think theres still
something in here, why dont you see what it is?"

Sam takes the bag from him and pulls out a package that manages to be
long, flat, and lumpy all at the same time. "Looks like a present."
She comments.

"Maybe we should bring it to the local police and turn it in. We
wouldnt want to deprive someone of a gift." He peers down through
the plastic cover of the cake. "Although, whoever it belongs to seems
to be named Sam, too."

"Mulder!" Sam exclaims, tiring of the game.

"Oh, all right, maybe you should open it." 

Sam strips off the wrapping paper, and two things spill out of the
package: a book and a cardboard and plastic container. "Oh my gosh,
thank you!" she squeals, throwing her arms around Mulders neck.

"Watch the cake." He teases. "You really like your present?" 

"Yes, of course. Ive wanted this book about Batman for practically
ever, but since I couldnt tell Mom and Dad and I really like the
Spiderman action figure too."

"Im glad." Mulder says, pleased that there was a comic book store
nearby since he hadnt had the chance to shop before they left home.
"I have something else for you too" He adds shyly. Sam gives him an
expectant look while he rummages through the backpack. He yanks out a
yellow paper bag and hands it to her.

Sam cant quite figure out what it is until she spills the bags
contents onto her bed. Several envelopes land on the spread. She
gives Mulder a questioning look.

He looks embarrassed, but pleased. "I couldnt get the first one
until I was seven, since I didnt have any money to spend when I was
younger than that, but theres one there for every birthday from your
third on."

Sam looks shocked. "You bought me birthday cards?" 

"Mom and Dad pretended your birthdays were just normal days, but I
kept buying them, hoping that Id be able to give them to you some
day. So you would know that I knew you would come back to us some
day."

"Mulder, I dont know what to say" She picked up the cards, and
tried to decide which one to open first.

**

Its not until the picture falls onto the bed that Mulder realizes
that it came with him, stuck between two of the cards. Sams hand
reaches out and picks it up. "Whats this?" she asks before she
really looks at it.

"I think its you." Mulder tells her, remembering the trip he and
Scully took to Mystic Connecticut the November before. "It was taken
near home, though, so I cant figure it out how that could be if they
kept you here your whole life.

Sams eyes widen as she looks at the small faded photograph. "I
remember this. Oh my God, Mulder. Zane!"

Mulder gives her a concerned look. "What about Zane?" 

"Give me a minute and Ill tell you, ok?" Sam says breathlessly.
After a moment shes gathered her thoughts. "Remember how you told me
that you finally remembered what happened to me? While we were at the
movies?"

"Of course." He says thinking of the more recent occurrence of that
as well.

"Well, now I know what you meant about something rushing back to you.
I did leave here once, but I forgot about it." Sam says, her brow
wrinkling as tries to figure out how to explain what has come back to
her.

"Zane took you somewhere?" Mulder asks gently. He wants to
understand, but doesnt want to push her.

Sam takes a deep shuddery breath. "Someone, this older man, started
watching me. I was probably four or five, pretty little, you know? He
asked me questions, and was nice to me. Told me jokes and stuff. He
talked to Zane a lot too, I saw them together sometimes. I think Zane
was your age then, not quite grown up, but a lot older than me. Some
times the man would point me out to Zane, and if I noticed, I waved."

When Sam pauses for breath it is all Mulder can do to keep from
asking questions. Since he doesnt want to break her concentration he
behaves himself. Sams hands kneed the blanket, but he doesnt think
she realizes what shes doing. "One night I woke up and realized that
there was someone standing over my bed. It was Zane. He put his
finger to his lip, then lead me out of the room. Our friend was
waiting for us, and we quickly left the building. I didnt really
know what was going on, but I trusted them, so I went with them
without a second thought."

Sam looks over to make sure hes listening. He nods. "We went on a
plane. I was sleepy, but I sort of listened to them. The man was
supposed to be taking Zane to Boston to look at a college. Maybe for
a summer program? Its hard to remember their conversation since I
didnt really understand it, but I guess they were letting Zane go
because he turned out not to be special. Anyway, he had permission to
take Zane away, but not me. He wasnt allowed to go where the little
kids were, but since Zane was a kid too he was allowed to go wherever
he wanted without people bothering him, so thats why he got me. I
fell asleep after that."

"So the man took you away when he wasnt supposed to." 

"Apparently. When I woke up they got a car and we drove to these
little cabins. I was confused since I thought that we going to a
school for Zane, and there were no schools there."

"Just a bunch of little log cabins." Mulder commented.

"Yup. The man said that we were going to go to Zanes school a little
later on, but first we were going to meet some people. Mulder, I
think he meant Mom and Dad." Sam says, giving him sad look.

"What makes you say that?" Mulder asks. His heart squeezes in his
chest. All he can think of is what could have been if his family had
gotten her back eight or nine years earlier than they had.

"He made a phone call and sounded really happy. I got bored and
decided to play outside. Zane said we could do something neat to the
trees."

"Zane helped you carve your initials into the tree." Mulder
interjects.

Sam gives him a startled look. "Exactly. When we got back inside it
was about an hour later, and he wasnt alone. At first I thought that
maybe it was the people we were supposed to be, but our friend was
arguing with them. One of them hit him. That made me cry. He said
that they couldnt take me, but one of them picked me up and put me
in the car. They told me to be quiet, they wouldnt hurt him.
Eventually there was another plane, and before I knew it we were back
here."

Mulder was almost afraid to ask, "What happened to this friend of
yours?"

"I dont know, and Im afraid to think about it. I never saw him
again. I dont think Zane got in trouble, though, since I saw him a
few times before he left. He pretended not to know me anymore,
though, so I learned not to wave. That's what I couldn't remember
last night."

Mulder decides to change the subject. "We should probably eat this
before the ice cream melts. Sam nods, also happy to be able to focus
on more pleasant things.

**

2pm, Reel Deals

Doggett attempts to put the stickers with the store's new name on
them on the videos and DVDs , while being followed around, and asked
questions.

"Whats this one about?" A video is waved near his eyes. 

"Um Its about a pair of roommates that make a vow that theyll kill
themselves if the dont find true love by their 30th birthdays."

"Thats so romanticwhats this one about?" 

"A girl gets her neighbor to pose as her boyfriend so they can make
his ex and the guy who rejected her jealous."

"I like the sound of that and this one?" 

Doggett sighs. "Its a story that follows the love lives of four
couples. An older couple who is thinking of breaking up, one having
an affair, a woman who is reluctant to get involved with a nice guy,
and a young couple who are held apart by his personal problems."

"Oh! And this one?" 

"A remake of The Taming Of The Shrew, set in a high school." Doggett
gently pushes the video away from his face. "Sweetie, I know you
could read the backs of the boxes as easily as have me give
summaries, so I have a feeling that youre trying to make a point
here somehow."

Reyes bats her lashes at him. "Am I that obvious?" 

"Id like to say yes, but Im not sure that I understand what the
point is. You want to break up or commit suicide?"

"No!" She gives him an exasperated look. "Theyre romantic comedies,
and I want to spend time watching them with you. Get it now?"

"I wish I didnt." Doggett says with a wry grin.

"You watch the icky romantic movies tonight, and Ill go with you to
the racetrack this weekend. We can watch the cars varooommm around
the muddy track. What do you say?"

"You drive a hard bargain, but deal." Doggett doesnt tell her that
he would have watched movies with her for nothing more in exchange
than the chance to spend time with her.

**

* In order: If Lucy Fell, Drive Me Crazy, Playing by Heart, 10 Things
I Hate About You*

5pm Winkin, Blinkin and Nodd Inn

Mulder saved the most painful folders for last. He glances over at
Sam, who is engrossed in her new book, and then reaches out for her
folder. He wants her to be able to read it as well, but a protective
instinct tells him that he ought to preview the contents firstto see
how devastating they will likely be to her. Unlike the other folders,
most of the documents on Sam seem to be in a more casual, narrative
form. An unknown author addresses an unknown audience.

+++
May 2nd, 1989
First, its unfortunate that Learys wife became pregnant with their
second child before the couple could be recruited for our new
project. However, since the child is due in a matter of only two
months, we hope to include them by December. Their child will be four
months old at such a time, so another pregnancy at that point would
not be completely unreasonable from a physiological standpoint.

However, the wife is hysterically opposed to participating. At first
we thought it was the thought of having two babies so close in age,
which is understandable. In an effort to address that we offered to
hire a nanny to care for both babies, confident that this would
conquer her reservations. That was not to be the case. We then tried
to convince her that we would be allowing her and her husband to
raise the child we wished her to have, but this too turned out not to
be the source of the problem.

At this point its unclear if someone said something to her to scare
her, or if shes merely the victim of her own over-active
imagination, but shes afraid. Some how shes become convinced that
the prescient project babies are monsters. So far, we have not been
able to change her mind, despite our assurances that all our babies
have been perfect. We have gone so far as to show her two of the
non-resident babies who live in her area, but she simply accused us
of showing her different babies.

Since the Learys are not unique in their refusal, its all the more
troubling. Itd beginning to seem that the drastic measures that were
suggested at the last meeting may become regrettably necessary for
the project to continue, after all.

August 30th,1989
We have procured baby Leary as our hostage, as planned. However,
things did not go as smoothly as hoped. Traumatizing the hostages
four-year-old brother had not been part of the plan, for example. Our
associates explained that his waking up made their actions necessary,
but it doesnt excuse them.

Its unfortunate that things happened the way they did, since the
staff member who met him said that hes a likable little chap, if not
a suitable hostage. It was in fact, the report of their meeting that
led us to choose the baby instead; even at his young age he is
resilient and beginning to become self-reliant. We felt that his
parents would worry less about him because of the strength of his
young character.

Back on the subject of the hostagelike most two-week-old babies, she
is indifferent to her caretakers and surroundings as long as her
needs are being met, which they are. This in fact, makes her a
perfect hostage from our point of view, as it terrifies her parents
without harming her in the least.

Let me stress that it is not our aim to make this child suffer. Shes
our pawn, our tool to get her parents to cooperate. We plan to let
them worry about her for a while before revealing our demands
+++

Mulder feels a moment of self-hatred when he realizes how relieved he
is that their taking Sam really wasn't about anything that he could
have done differently. Even if he'd done better at the "test" they
still wouldn't pick him. The guilt that he'd felt since learning
about Spender's abduction fell away, but he couldn't stop feeling
angry at himself for feeling better. Sam didn't get to feel better,
so why should he?

**

+++
November 27th, 1993
Doctor Ascot has been dealt with, and subject Archer will no longer
be able to speak to Samantha as a consequence of the part he played
in the fiasco. We dont believe that the boy presents any danger to
her, and we realize that he was an impressionable youth following the
directives of a man he greatly admired, but their separation is for
Samanthas sake.

She was quite traumatized by the incident, and a continued
association with Archer is likely to reinforce the unpleasant memory.
Given her tender years she may well forget it if there are no
reminders.

We believe that Ascot may have photographed the girl, but we were
unable to find a camera.

September 8th, 1994
Setbacks Samantha is growing into a lovely child, and is now
attending kindergarten with the nulls and the staffs children who
are schooled here. Shes a favorite among the staff and other
children, but shes shy and quiet despite our attempts to socialize
her. Its slightly worrisome, since shed been much more outgoing as
a toddler and preschooler.

We had hoped that we would be returning her to her family soon, since
the Learys finally agreed to participate in the project.
Unfortunately, the first attempt was a failure, and Mrs. Leary
miscarried at six weeks. They do not seem eager to try again.

The current plan in place for Samantha is to continue to school her
here and release her at age eighteen, if her parents do not produce a
child for us. Its unfortunate, but as nice a child as she is, she
must continue to serve as an example of what results if we are
defied.

July 23rd, 2001
To everyones surprise, the Learys came to us and asked if they could
try again. We assume that the tick of their biological clocks is what
propelled this startling decision, but we did not ask why they waited
seven years, instead only expressed our pleasure at their
acquiescence.

May 10th, 2002
Plans are to release Samantha to her parents care within the next few
hours. We received a call early this morning to inform us that Mrs.
Leary was in the early stages of labor. The baby, a boy, is expected
to be delivered some time today.

One of the staff will be accompanying Samantha on the plane and
bringing her to the hospital where she will be reunited with her
parents. The staff member will await confirmation of the birth before
explaining to her the purpose of the trip. We expect her to docilely
follow the orders from adults, as it is her nature.
+++

Mulder sighs as he puts his sisters file aside. All of it had really
been to hurt their parents after all. A child was subjected to over
twelve and a half years of separation from her family just so people
with power could prove some sort of a point and bend someones will.
It makes him incredibly sad for his sister. He cant understand how
the person who wrote the files could have convinced his or herself
that what theyd done had not harmed Sam. It had hurt her immensely.

However, the startling revelation that his mother had had a
miscarriage instantly makes sense to him. *Hed have been nine at the
time, which is when his parents had their last argument about Sam.
The one that preceded his mother tearfully purging the house of all
reminders of Sam, which Mulder later rescued from the trash. His
mothers accusations that his dad didnt care about Sam, and his
fathers insistence that they move on now had a context. The argument
must have been about whether or not they should try again after the
miscarriage. He too wonders why they took seven years to change their
minds.

* refers to events recounted in episode 1x04

**

Mulders hands tremble as he reaches for Prices folder. It was hard
enough to read about the pawn, what fresh horror would be recounted
about the prize?

The first few reports in Prices folder are more about their mother
than the baby himself. They report that the IFV procedure was
successful, and that the pregnancy was normal and relatively easy
considering Mrs. Learys age. Its not until the tenth of May that
the reports begin to be about Price-the-person rather than
Price-the-unborn-fetus.

+++
Subject Report: Leary
May 10th, 2002

Male
8lbs, 4oz
21 inches in length
Apagar: 9 (five minutes)
Dark brown hair/blue eyes

His parents have chosen to call him Price Willem Leary. Biweekly
exams with parents have been scheduled.
+++

Mulder skims the first two reports, half eager and half scared to
read the one from Prices sixth week.

+++
Subject Report: Leary
June 17th, 2002
Mother has reported that Price has shown his first sign of talent.
This is slightly precocious as most babies dont begin to show signs
until 3-4 months old, but he is within the normal range.

We hastened to assured his parents that babies and toddlers tend to
only show sporadic bursts of talent, and an early sign such as this
isnt normally an indicator that they will need to worry more than
usual about him endangering himself.

The talent that was reported is among the rarer ones that prescient
project children typically possess, so it should be interesting to
see how strongly it develops. However, controlling non-human
creatures behaviors is not something we have a practical application
for at the moment. If Prices contemporaries begin showing this more
frequently, there are uses that could probably be found for it.
+++

Useful for what? Mulder worries. The only things the report confirms
are that Prices play with the butterflies had a significance, and
that he was not the only one to notice it. He wonders if his parents
will eventually ask for help documenting "signs of talent" and hopes
for once to be left out of things. He picks up the file again, hoping
that one of the remaining reports will shed light on what Candlings
interest in his brother is.

+++
Subject Report: Leary
July 22nd, 2002
Price is not showing any additional signs of talent, which is not
atypical. His mother, however, seems pleased about this, and there is
some concern that she believes that her son is ordinary. The truth is
that none of the prescient project children is ordinary. They are
more human than human. This, however, is not very reassuring to a
mother, as we understand.

We have tried to impress upon her that we stand by our promise not to
interfere with her familys upbringing of young Price, and that we
never remove non-resident children from their families: only children
born of surrogates are expected to be schooled by Candling, and we
will be only as intrusive as requiring bi-weekly exams throughout his
childhood. None of this soothes her fears.

We are thinking about starting a parents group, including the other
parents of non-resident project children in the area, so that she and
a couple other wary parents can benefit from those parents who are
more resigned to the parts that their children will one day play in
the grand scheme of things.
+++

Thats all there is. Just a few reports faxed from home, and not a
single additional scrap of information about this prescient project
or their plans for the sweet helpless infant who isn't even old
enough to sit up on his own yet. Mulder groans, he needs more
information. Fortunately, he thinks he can get some help on the
matter.

**

After Mulder finishes reading the files he turns to his sister. Sam
is still reading her birthday present, and toying with a second piece
of cake. She looks so happy that Mulder feels bad about disturbing
her, but disturb her he must.

"Sam, I'm done with the files. You should read them now." 

"I don't want to." Sam replies, hardly glancing up.

"Well, I guess it can wait a little while if you're at a good part of
the book, but-"

"I meant I don't want to read them at all." She interrupts.

"There's some really important, and upsetting, stuff in there about
you and Price." Mulder tells her, beginning to get upset.

"You can't make me read them." She challenges with a smirk.

"You're right about that, but I dont understand why youre so
indifferent to all of this." Mulder spits out.

Sams eyes are luminous with anger and sorrow. "Im not indifferent
to any of this."

"Then why dont you care about the truth? We both wanted to know." 

She shakes her head hard. "Thats not so. You assumed. You never
asked my opinion. Never. Not once. Finding the truth is your all
consuming passion not mine."

Mulder throws up his hands in exasperation. "How could you not want
to know the truth?"

To his horror, Sams eyes fill with tears. Most boys would have made
their sisters cry at a much younger age, but hes not most boys. His
heart feels like its bleeding when the tears spill down her cheeks.

"To you, to you the truth is a thing." Sam sobs. "Something
interesting, to be learned about, like science or math. Its. My.
Life. Dont you get it? The truth youre looking for is my life. I
had to live it. I dont want to remember it, remembering is confusing
and it hurts. I dont want the truth enough to hurt, I want to forget
and be a normal girl, with a normal family, but you wont let me."

Feeling like hes the most retched person on Earth, he starts to
reach for her, to offer her comfort, but he stops himself. "SamIm
sorry that Ive hurt you. But I cant promise that I wont do it
again. If it was just you it would be different, but I love our
brother as well." He says gently. "I know you love him too."

Sam nods and the movement of her head splatters some of her tears
across her cheeks. "Of course I do."

Tears sting in Mulders eyes too. "Because we love him, and want the
best for him, I need to find out more. I wish I didnt have to, but
those reports, they make me think that Price needs us to protect him,
and we cant do that if we dont know everything. I cant let them
hurt another baby. I just cant." He finishes brokenly.

Sam scoots closer, to him, and nods resignedly. "But its not your
fault. Nothing that happened to me is your fault."

"Whether it is or not is something we could go back and forth on all
day, kiddo. What if you dont go back? Ill need to tell you what I
learn, but what if you dont go back to Candling with me? Maybe you
could stay back at the caf and talk to one of the girls."

Sam leans up against her brother and puts her arm around his waist.
"I could deal with that." She whispers.

Mulder nods and looks at his little sister. He knows hes asking so
much of a thirteen-year-old, so much "Youre a good person, Sam. A
good sister." Neither of them say anything else, and they sit
together for a long time, waiting for their tears to dry and the fear
and funeral atmosphere to leak out of the room.

**

10:05 pm, Crash Down Caf
 
Liz flips the sign in the window from open to closed. Maria looks up
from re-filling a napkin holder and asks her best friend, "Do you
think we'll see those kids again?

Liz shrugs her shoulders. "I don't know. They're not from around
here, and they're supposed to be going home Thursday, so if we do
it'd have to be soon."

"Maybe it's just the wishful thinking talking, but I don't think that
we've seen the last of them."

"Wishful thinking because of the boy, I'm sure." Liz smirks.

"He's cute." Maria defends herself. "Strange name, but those eyes,
those lips" She smiles. "The way talking about him has the potential
to make a certain alien we know jealous"

"You're terrible!" Liz laughs. She feels a certain empathy regarding
complicated human-alien relations.

There's a sharp rap on the front door, which startles them both.
Maria catches sight of a pale face out in the dark. "Speak of the
devil," she mutters as Liz gets up to unlock the door.

Mulder looks gray-faced and out of sorts when Liz lets him in. He
casts them an apologetic look. "Um hisorry it's so late. Look, first
I wanted to tell you again how grateful I am that you and your
friends helped me get those files-"

"But now you're read the files and they're upsetting enough to make
you want to go back." Liz shrewdly guesses.

Mulder swallows hard and nods. "The stuff about why they took Sam and
why was hard enough to read but"His voice drops to a near-whisper.
"We have a little brother back home. Sweet little guy, just three
months old. Those files allude to plans they have for him"

Liz finds herself unusually glad to be an only child. "I'm going to
call Max and Isabel right now."

**

Wednesday 12:30pm, Witter home

"Doggett! You have a guest!" his mothers disembodied voice floats
into his room. Doggett groans and turns off the TV. Hed been
watching cartoons on the Disney channel, which isnt something he
wants his friends knowing about. He has a certain reputation to
maintain, after all.

Hes surprised to see Scully standing in the living room, enduring
small talk from his mother. "Hey, whats up?" he asks.

"Bessie made too many clams for lunch, so I wondered if youd eaten
yet." She says, holding up a bag from Ice House

His stomach gives an appreciative leap once the smell reaches his
nose. "Nah, I havent gotten around to that. Let me grab us a couple
of sodas and plates. We can eat at the picnic table."

"Ok, its a nice day for it." She replies.

A few minutes later, after theyve divvied up the clams, Doggett
finally asks her, "Sowhy have lunch with me?"

She shrugs. "Lets seemy boyfriend has gone off to his aunts house
for the week, Reyes is trying to drive Fowley insane over the Zane
thing, and I havent seen much of you this summer. Will any of those
reasons do?"

Doggett grins. "Awww, you missed me. Im touched." 

"Dont worry, my aim is getting better." She assures him with an evil
grin. "I cant believe that the summer is almost over."

"Me neither. But Im happy enough to put off school for a while." 

"I thought you were looking forward to being a junior." 

"I am. Im just not looking forward to the spring." He says between
bites.

"Whys that?" 

"Four letter word. Something that Reyes is going to go way overboard
about and drive us all insane over."

"The prom?? She cant be thinking about that yet." Scully exclaims.

"Youd think so, but shes already dropping hints." Is Doggetts
morose reply.

"Awe, come on. You knew this was coming, no reason to let it ruin the
entire school year for you."

"I was thinking, maybe I could fall into a convenient coma until
May..."

"With your luck shed find a way to get you there anyway. I can just
picture it. Her all dressed up in a pretty dress, you wearing a
johnny and being pushed, unconscious, in a wheelchair. Your hairy
legs all pale and spindly, jaw slack "

Doggett covers his face with his hands. "Ill get you for putting
that picture in my head." He lowers his hands and gives her a more
serious look. "Things are better now, right?"

"What do you mean by better?" She gives him a puzzled look.

"Well, when we went to the Zoo back before school let out things were
tense all around. But now that Sam is back, and that whole business
about Spender is over with, theyre ok now, right? And we are too."

Scully nods, thinking about how upset theyd been over the secrets.
"I think that everything is going to be smooth sailing from here on
out."

"Im sure youre right." Doggett says cheerfully, turning his
attention back to lunch.

**

7pm Crash Down Caf

"You should try a galaxy shake. They're our house specialty." Maria
says to Sam. Instead of a sky blue uniform, Maria is wearing black
shorts and a white tank top. It's her night off, so shes eating
dinner with Sam.

"Ok, sure." Sam agrees shyly. She thinks its nice of the older girl
to hang out with her why they wait for Mulder and the others to get
back. Unfortunately, Sams self-inflicted silence has left her rather
inept at conversing with anyone but her brother.

It doesnt bother Maria, however, who has enough words for the both
of them. "Ill get Liz to make you one, then." Once Liz had gone
after it she gives Sam a conspirital grin. "Dont tell Liz I told you
this, but that blond you met earlier tonight? Liz cant stand her."

Sam blinks. The girl, Tess, seemed nice enough. "Why?" 

"Tess has a thing for Max." Maria tells her, leaving out the aliens,
destiny and reincarnation bits. "That tends to cause friction between
people, you know?"

Sam nods, but she doesnt, not really. The idea of relationships
hasnt really taken root in her brain yet, beyond being a passive
observer to those of older peoples around her. But she knows that
Maria is looking for an agreement, so she nods.

"I knew you were a bright kid!" Maria praises her before entertaining
her with stories about Michael while they wait.

**

Meanwhile, Candling School

Since the plan is to go into the school and ransack an office instead
of merely grabbing a few files, Max decided that he needed Tess's
help. No one liked the idea, least of all Liz, since she and Maria
were staying behind, and she wouldn't be able to keep an eye on her
rival. Alex promised to report back, but the look Liz greeted the
suggestion with convinced no one of her happiness with the plan.
Since Max is de facto ruler, the others deferred to him despite the
grumbling.

Everyone but Mulder had breathed a sigh of relief once Tess and Liz
were headed in different directions. He didn't know any of them well
enough to understand the nuances to the tension in the air, and his
mind was more on his sister than any squabbling between his new
friends.

He's happy that leaving her behind this time will cause her less
anguish, but he feels alone. The others are kind enough to offer him
aide, but he alone has any personal stake in the success or failure
of the mission, at least beyond the desire not to get caught. The
knowledge of that makes him feel an aching loneliness. Although he's
not sure he'd be any less alone with her there.

At first he was confused as to why it was decided that Alex's
computer hacking skills were deemed necessary. "Can't you guys
just..?" He'd asked Max, waving his hand in the way Isabel had while
copying the files.

Max, not a person usually given over to mirth, laughed. "My sister,
who is the strongest of us in that regard, probably could make a
duplicate of the entire computer. I don't think that toting it out of
the building would aide us in a clean get away, though." He pretended
not to notice Mulder's red cheeks. "An every day, but intelligent,
person like Alex is our best bet."

Mulder nodded, and decided to make an small intrusion, hoping he'd be
forgiven his trespass. "Do you remember when you lived at Candling
school?"

Max shook his head, since he never had he of course didn't. "No. None
of us remembers anything that happened before we were found wandering
the desert, naked, when we were six years old. Even after that the
first few days after I was adopted are blurry." He sounded so
truthful that Mulder accepted it as the unvarnished truth, without
the rest of the details.

While what he'd told Mulder had been true, Max had within the past
few months remembered the events immediately prior to the ones he
described: His, Michael, and Isabel's escape from the ship they'd
incubated within for decades; their reluctant abandonment of the
sleeper who would become Tess "Don't feel too bad for me, though."
Max gave a small smile. "We're happy enough now to make up for the
lost memories." He concluded with less conviction. Sensing that the
subject is more painful than Max let on, Mulder didn't ask any more
questions.

Now, back in Candling for the second time, Mulder has little time to
think about Max's past. Michael and Isabel go to the first floor,
promising to provide a distraction. Mulder assumes that this will be
of an equipment failure nature, because, for reasons he doesn't quite
understand, he and the remaining two boys are wearing repairmen
uniforms. The girl, Tess, on the other hand is dressed normally for a
hot August day.

**

Tess stops at the end of the hallway and whispers "Go on to the
office. Ill keep an eye out." Max and Alex nod, and Mulder shrugs,
maybe they could use a lookout.

Downstairs Isabel and Michael work on providing the buildings staff
a little entertainment. Isabel takes the opportunity to dream-walk a
employee dosing in the break room. They already had a general idea of
where theyd find the circuit breakers, but a little interference in
the mans already mundane dream helps them pinpoint the location
exactly.

"Did you get what you needed?" Michael asks her once shes done
manipulating the mans dream.

"Yup, its one floor down from this hallway exactly." Isabel smiles
softly to herself, knowing that the dreamer will probably not mind
the fact that a pretty girl entered his dream long enough to ask
directions.

"Ok, then, lets do this." He replies, leading the way to the stairs.

The hallway is, by either fortune or the simple virtue of it being in
the basement, dark and deserted. They make a bee-line for the circuit
breakers. Isabel pries the door to the small box open, then nods to
Michael. "Im pretty sure thats a water pipe." She points. "Maybe
you can see if you can do anything to it."

"Why not?" He shrugs, then gives her a grin. "Dont tell Maxwell, but
this vigilante stuff is kind of fun."

"Righting wrongs where ever we go, sure thats us." She intones
dryly, rolling her eyes.

"Or wronging rights." He quips back as he examines the water pipe in
question.

Her eyes immediately locate the circuit breaker for the floor they
want to target- the first- taking care not to confuse it with the
floor the others are on. "On the count of three, ok? 123!"

She places two fingers along the lever for the circuit shes aiming
to destroy, and concentrates. Within a few seconds she can feel a
faint heat under her fingers, which she snatches away before the
melting plastic sticks to them.

If Isabel wields her power delicately, Michael uses his like a
sledgehammer. He holds up one hand in the direction of the offending
pipe, and releases a wave of power with a blue-white shimmer. The
pipe bursts, showering them both with water which they quickly back
away from.

"That should do it. Lets get out of here." Isabel says, grabbing him
by the hand.

**

Meanwhile

Mulder looks on anxiously as Alex types rapidly. Alex keeps up a
running commentary as he works. "Ive just aboutalmostok, got it!"
He exclaims as he finds a backdoor to override the password
protection. "This was easier than hacking into the FBI database."

Mulder nods, not really getting the FBI comment, and gives Max a
nervous look while Alex searches the hard drive. "That girl, Tess,
shes keeping a look out for trouble right?"

Max gives him a measuring look, trying to anticipate his reaction.
"Strictly speaking? No."

"No?!" 

"Tess isspecial. Even for people like us. She can make people see
things that arent quite reality. She doesnt make thing up
completely, so props like our uniforms make it easier on her, but she
can make people believe were supposed to be here. Dont worry." Max
tries hard not to smileHes never been able to explain their powers
to anyone who would believe him and not endanger them, or being
endangered by them, by getting them involved in what the humans refer
to as "alien business." So he finds helping Mulder refreshing.

"I promise to try not to worry." Mulder tells him, hoping to keep his
word.

While theyve been chatting, Alex has found the file. "Ok, theres
actually only one big file on this computer beyond the basic
operating stuff. Its a document and when I skimmed it, it had the
prescient project thing right at the top of the page." The cd-rom
drive pops open. Alex grabs the disk out and puts it in its case.
"Here you go. Sorry theyre not time to print it."

"Hey, no, this is great." Mulder says, slipping the case into a
pocket of the uniform. "Thanks a lot."

A few minutes later they, and Tess, leave the building unnoticed
amidst the chaos the lack of power and flooding on another floor are
causing. No one gives them as second glance.

**

Thursday 8am, Roswell Public Library

Mulder believes that he can sleep on the plane ride home, which is
why he got up early to come here rather than get an extra hour of
sleep like Sam is doing. He yawns as he waits for the computer to
boot. Having gotten there when the library opened means that he gets
first crack at the patron computers, but it also means that he has to
sit through the machines start-up process. He doesnt mind though,
since it only makes his way a few minutes longer.

His first impulse, the night before, had been to take the disk
immediately to the all night print place that mainly catered to
college students. He mentally nixed the idea when he realized that
the clerk doing the printing would see the document. He trusted his
new friends, but remained wary of everyone else in the desert town.

It had been difficult to say good-bye the night before. The two
waitresses had taken a shine to Sam, and thought she was "a neat
kid." Mulder himself found it difficult to find the words to fully
express his gratitude. In the end they exchanged addresses and
promised to keep in touch. If ever asked, Mulder intended to tell his
parents that they were pen-pals from a class project.

The computer finally finishes loading, and as he begins reading hes
glad to be in a public space, which helps him keep from
over-reacting.

+++
Candling Industries- Prescient Project 
 
Mission Statement 

Candling industries is committed to providing quality information
gathering operatives. Our operatives are highly trained, and come to
their employers with the assurance that they are the best that money
can buy. Operatives are suited to infiltrating objectives as well as
recognizance. Our operatives possess such talents as precognition,
mind reading, remote viewing, telekinetics, and mind control.

History

Candling itself has been in business for over 50 years, and has been
involved with genetic research since the beginning. Candling
initially began with the idea of furthering the efforts of the food
industry, and breeding better livestock. Before long the business
began to branch out and explore the possibilities of affecting human
pain and sufferingand monetary gain.

The Prescient Project itself began in 1977, and for the past 25 years
weve been committed to the creation of better spies. Our initial
vision was to use eugenics to create perfect spies, but it was soon
evident that this would not be the most effective means of reaching
our objectives.

Some of our first subjects are quite good in their own right. They
are the result of selective breeding. Their parents, recruited into
the project, showed natural talents towards mental powers. Some of
the oldest of our subjects have very obviously inherited their
parents gifts. However, eugenics failed to provide a steady source
of quality subjects. In fact several nulls - those with no gifts -
also resulted. Fine, productive members of society they may be, they
are not what we were aiming for. Least prospective clients fear
otherwise, let us assure you that nulls are treated with the utmost
respect as their short-comings are hardly their fault; nulls leave
our project and go on to lead normal lives, as are fitting for them.

In 1988 we began something revolutionary: gene manipulation. As you
probably have heard, scientists have begun to insert genes into
zygotes and viruses to produce spectacular results. A well publicized
example of the former is the creation of the rabbit Alba, who has
jellyfish genes that make her glow in the dark. Inserting DNA into
viruses, then injecting it into humans is already showing promise in
treating diseases, such as progeria, that are caused by damaged genes
which the injected DNA has been able to repair. Our work predates the
earliest public announcement of either sort of development.

We have isolated the gene that triggers the expression mental powers
and can now insert it into human zygotes before implantation. The
results of this have been extraordinary, as not only have there been
no nulls produced through this method, the powers held by subjects
are even stronger than those held by our oldest subjects.

Although it is slightly problematic that our most superior subjects
are still young children, we have been able to use this to our
advantage. While we do have several subjects who are currently acting
as "controls" and are being raised by their families so we can study
the progression of unfocused powers, the majority of our young
subjects live in special facility so we can oversee them. There, in
the facility, we are able to teach the children to use their powers,
and, more importantly, train them in the ways of information
gathering. The facility subjects are well trained by the age of ten
years; and many of them are already being utilized by various
interested parties. Many clients find that a young child, innocuous
by nature, is the prefect recognizance operative as virtually no one
is suspicious of a child who is pretending to be distraught over
being lost. (note: no children in our program are approved for
assassination missions; only operatives over eighteen years of age
can be contracted for that sort of work.)

At the moment we have forty-five subjects who are ready for
fieldwork, and expect, between control subjects we will be recalling
at age eighteen and new births, to have over one hundred by 2012.
There is a waiting list at the moment, so please make your requests
for contracting one of our subjects at least four months in advance
for recognizance work, and eight months in advance for wet-work.

Methods of Operation

In order to procure children for the project, we insist that all
employees who are not infertile give one child to the cause. Those
employees and their spouses who wish to raise the children undergo
IVF. Those who do not are expected only to donate genetic material,
which will be implanted in a surrogate. The children of the employees
in the later group are raised at the Candling School for Exceptional
Children. There we can monitor them closely, and help them learn to
control their gifts.

The actual method of creating prescience in the children was actually
relatively simple once we were able to isolate the gene that
activates the usually latent extrasensory abilities that all humans
theoretically possess. We have not had one failure since weve
learned how to insert the gene into zygotes. All of the children with
the gene have proven to have gifts.

In fact, there has also been no cases of deformity or any other ill
effect of the gene insertion. The sole side effect is that,
regardless of parental eye colors, all of the younger generation
prescient program children have dark blue eyes. This has not proven
to be a hindrance, as even a pair of brown-eyed parents can be
carriers for the recessive blue gene, so there are no difficult
questions to answer for in regards to their parentage. Since this was
a wildcard effect, we are just thankful that they did not end up
brown-eyed, which would be harder to deal with.
+++

Mulder pushes the eject button on the cd-rom drive, making the words
disappear from the screen abruptly. There was more in the document,
but it is all he can take at once.

If Mulder had read the e-mails that Reyes had received- presumably
from a spectral Spender- at one point, he would be even more
distraught than his is, because they backed up the validity of the
information in the projects history report.

As it is, Mulder puts the disk back in the case and covers his eyes
with his hands. Price is in no immediate danger, but he pictures
himself seventeen years from now, as a 34-year-old man sneaking into
his childhood home and spiriting his teenage brother away to
somewhere safe, where no one will want to use him as a spy, or
assassin.

His despair comes not from the worry over the potential disruption to
a life hes not yet living, since he would gladly sacrifice anything
for his siblings, but from the incredulity hed likely be met by in
the process. Intimately familiar with the mental processes of a
seventeen-year-old boy, he cant imagine that Price would ever
believe him. He wouldnt believe someone telling him the same story,
either.

**

Monday 8pm, Leary home

A car pulls into the driveway, and Mulder goes to the window. His
father is getting the bags out of the trunk, while his mother reaches
back into the car to unhook the car
seat straps.

Mulder has felt anxious about their arrival since they called him the
night before to say theyd be picking Price up on the way home. As
they walk up the driveway, he has to remind himself that giving into
the urge to snatch his brother out of his mothers arms and scream
accusations at both his parents might make him feel marginally
better, but would accomplish nothing productive.

Mr. and Mrs. Leary are smiling when they get into the house. Mr.
Leary starts to put things away while Mrs. Leary speaks to her son.
"Mulder, be a dear and take the baby so I can put my things down."
She requests while handing over the placid infant. "So how have you
two been? The house looks wonderful! I cant believe what responsible
and thoughtful kids I have. Youd never know that youve been home by
yourself for two weeks-"

Mulders worries about accidentally saying something inappropriate
evaporate when Sam runs into the room and throws herself at their
parents. "Youre home! Ive really missed you!" She exclaims. Mulder
is glad hes the one holding Price.

**
 Credits
Produced by CC, KW and Neoxphile
**

< Voice Over>
This episode of Mulders Creek featured music from: 

Smashing Pumpkins ("To Forgive")
Tricky & PJ Harvey ("Broken Homes")
And 
Reveille ("Closure")

Stay tuned for scenes from the next Mulders Creek
