| He looked at her as if that were the stupidest question ever. � It�s cold.� � We�re ten-thousand feet above sea-level, Mulder. It�s supposed to be cold. Now stop whining.� He stared after her as she headed around the front of the car. � What bit you in the ass?� She roughly yanked open the door, nearly dumping him on the rain-soaked grass. She�d obviously heard him. � Sleep-deprivation. Now get out.� He did so, saying to himself at the nose of the car, � And PMS rears its ugly head . . .� As he sat down and shut the door, she drew her gun and turned off the safety, aiming it at him even as she stared out the windshield. � I�m ready. Would you like to talk about it?� Did she have extremely sensitive hearing or something? He blinked and swallowed nervously. � . . . Nope, everything is totally under control,� he answered, not relaxing until the safety was put back on and the gun disappeared. � Good. Drive.� It only took five minutes for her to fall asleep and another twenty to slide to his shoulder. At the end of the two-hour drive she woke as he pulled onto the exit ramp for Paradox. � And you get on my case for not sleeping.� � I was. Just not very deeply.� He turned to the left and headed off down the dark road. He only got ten or twelve miles before he noticed what appeared to be a very high muddy river confined to a small space. � What is that?� she asked, leaning forward slightly. He then realized what it was and slammed on the brakes, throwing his arm out to keep her head from hitting the windshield or dashboard. She automatically clutched his arm and watched as the river became individual animals bounding across the road. � Deer . . .� � Lots of deer,� he emphasized, rolling his window down to stick his head out so he could watch them more easily. Once the last ones had passed he continued. But he hadn�t gotten far when she put out her hand. � Mulder, stop.� He did so. � What?� She pointed through the glass. � Look.� A pair of sharp yellow-green eyes bobbed slightly back and forth just outside the headlights. After a bit, the bobbing became more pronounced and it was then that a brightly-plumed creature appeared at a light jog in the very end of the headlights. It picked up speed until it was coming for them at a dead run and then, twenty feet away, it leapt high into the air and came crashing down on the hood of the car. The vehicle�s heavy front end screeched along the pavement and then bounced back up. The thing twisted its small head to curiously look at them through one eye. Then it pulled back and hissed hatefully, revealing a mouthful of gleaming two-inch fangs tipped with red. Closing its mouth, it made an odd barking sound and then opened its mouth again, treating them to the sight of its fangs extending another full inch and the blood dripping onto the windshield. They were just beginning to draw their guns when the thing, with a final shriek that nearly shattered the windshield, pushed off from the car and disappeared down the road behind them. They turned in their seats and watched it leave, their breath coming out in shallow, shaky pants. � . . . Was that it?� she asked. � I�m not sure I want to know.� He reholstered his gun and inspected the cracks in the windshield. � This is gonna cost.� She looked at him. � Do you think it beat us?� � No way to know until we get there.� Sench Residence Paradox, Colorado 6:00 A.M. The house was simple to find. The entire local police and the county sheriff were there. They pulled up and got out, flashing their badges at anyone who dared to challenge them. Inside the house, a woman sat on the sofa, hugging a girl of about seven who shivered in fear. Once they were identified, the sheriff shook his head. � I don�t know how much you�ll be able to get from her. All the girl will tell me is that it was a bird. But there�s nothing big enough to kill a man.� � The girl was the only witness?� � The mother was asleep until she heard the girl screaming.� They went over to the sofa and he knelt down to look up at the girl. � I�m Special Agent Fox Mulder with the FBI and I need you to tell me what you saw.� � FBI?� He nodded. � Am I in trouble?� Why did everybody think that? He shook his head and said gently, � No. But I�m trying to catch whatever was here and I need your help so I can find it.� � It was a bird,� the girl said. � It was as tall as my daddy. It was rainbowy and pretty, but it had teeth and it hurt him.� � Did it have feathers?� She sniffled and nodded. � Yes. But they were small, except on its wings and tail. The wings were the biggest feathers and then the tail. The rest were tiny all over it.� He looked up at Scully and silent communication passed between them. It was the exact same thing they had seen hardly fifteen minutes ago. He refocused on the girl and thanked her. � You�ve really helped me. Thank you.� She looked up as he stood. � Will you catch it?� � Yes.� � Promise?� � Promise.� They left and he asked, � So who�s next?� � I don�t think we should worry about that yet, Mulder. It doesn�t attack during the day, so we should get some sleep.� � But first we need to find out who the next victim is supposed to be so we can get to them first and warn them.� She consulted the printed list. � Mulder, neither of us are going to make it to Falcon in enough time to get even an hour�s worth of sleep.� � Good-night, Scully.� With a sigh, she put the paper in the back and closed her eyes. � I�m going to need to visit a chiropractor when we get home.� He started the car and glanced over at her, then did a double-take. � Gone already?� Knowing he wouldn�t need it, he wriggled out of his jacket and placed it over her. � One of us should be comfortable.� <--Division 2 Division 4--> |