�No, how can I help you?� Koskie asked.
�Excuse me?�
�I�ve been assigned to the X-Files.�
�What?� Mulder asked, hearing him perfectly well but not wanting to believe his ears.
�I�m your new��
�I heard you, I heard you.� Mulder mumbled, shaking his head.
�So where can I start?� Koskie asked.
�By turning around and walking right out the door you just came in.�
�I don�t think you understand, Mulder.� Koskie said. �I did not request to be put here. Let me say, it is better than double-checking my crossed T�s. Maybe I should be thanking them for getting me out of that ass wipe job, but if you don�t want me along side you, chasing little green men, you are going to have to take that up with AD Skinner.�
�Grey.�
�What?� Koskie asked.
�Nothing.� Mulder picked up his phone, dialing Skinner�s office. �I need to speak with Skinner.�
Koskie walked around the room, inspecting various objects from different X-Files.
�Don�t touch that.� Mulder snapped, his eyes following the younger man.
�Listen,� Koskie said, turning to face him, �I want to make this as easy as possible for both of us. I know the situation and I was quite fond of Agent Scully. She seemed to be a very respectable agent. If you want, I can go purchase a red wig and wear cute little outfits, otherwise you are going to have to deal with me. Just like I have to deal with you.�
�Don�t you ever mention her name again you son of a bitch.� Mulder spat, infuriated with the man. �Why don�t you go plant yourself on a chair and enjoy the soft upholstery against your ass, because you wont ever feel it, or anything else for that matter, if you bring her up again.�
�Touchy, touchy.� Koskie said, primly settling in the chair across from Mulder.
�Smartass.� Mulder mumbled.
�No, my brain tends to rest in my head. It�s so much safer up there.�
�Excuse me, Agent Mulder?� Mulder heard Skinner on the other end of the phone. �Smartass?�
�Oh, no, Sir. I�m sorry. I was speaking to someone else.�
�What can I help you with, Mulder?�
�I need to see you about the new arrangement you set me up with.�
�Mulder, I don�t have time for this, I am very busy.�
�Yes, Sir.� Mulder said, hanging up the phone. �I am going up to Skinner�s. Don�t touch anything.�
�Aye, Aye Captain.� Koskie said, saluting him. �Hey Mulder, by the way, I didn�t mean to��
Mulder slammed the door behind him before he had a chance to finish.
He stormed up to Skinner�s office and burst through his door, not listening to Kimberly�s objections.
�Sir, we have a problem.�
�As I see it, Agent Mulder, it is you who has the problem, not I.�
�Exactly. You have shoved this off on to me.�
�So you agree that you have no idea what it means to follow orders?�
�No, sir. I was referring to our little friend Koskie.�
�Agent Mulder, There is nothing to discuss. Field agents require a partner. There is no way of getting around it.�
�I don�t need a partner.�
�Agent Mulder, I am sorry, but there is nothing I can do about it. If you want to stay on the X-Files, I suggest you learn to like him. Koskie will grow on you, he is just as nervous about this as you are.�
�I wouldn�t call this nervous, Sir.� Mulder said, glaring at his superior. �I am pissed.�
Skinner held out the file and began to explain the nature of the case, when Mulder snatched the file out of his hand.
�I think I will do just fine reading it on my own, thanks.� Mulder said, as he headed for door.
�Agent Mulder!�
Mulder turned around to see Skinner red-faced, clenching his jaw.
�I would recommend you watch how you speak to authority, or you are asking for your walking papers.�
�Not a bad idea.� Mulder said, slamming the door.
***
Mulder drove down the dirt road towards the water until he reached a security checkpoint. He rolled his window down and leaned out towards the guard to be heard over all the noise coming from the shipyard.
�I�m looking for Dale Cooper.� He yelled.
The soldier leaned down. �And you are?�
Mulder held out his badge for inspection and Koskie followed suit.
The soldier brought a portable radio up to his mouth, reading their names. �Unit thirteen to Unit six.�
�Unit six.� The voice immediately came back. �Go ahead.�
�Agents Mulder and Koskie with the FBI to see Mr. Cooper.�
�Send them back.�
The soldier pointed down the dirt path they were on. �When the road Y�s, stay to the right until it ends. You�ll have to walk the rest of the way, but just follow the lights.�
Koskie glanced over at his new partner as they continued down the path. They hadn�t talked much. �You got any idea what this is about?�
Mulder shook his head. �You know as much as I do.� That was all he said.
�You know, Mulder, I am your new partner, much as neither of us wants me to be, so you might need to start clueing me in on a few things.� Koskie glanced out his window. �I�m not exactly looking forward to watching my career being flushed down the drain so don�t think you�re the only one not doing cartwheels over the new arrangement.�
�That�s the way to win over your new partner.� Mulder wryly replied. �Start things off on a good note by insulting the importance of his work.�
Koskie smiled, watching the trees pass by. �I�m merely stating the obvious, stagnant momentum of your career with the FBI once you burrowed down to the basement, no offense meant to you.�
�None taken.� Mulder replied.
They were silent for a moment before Mulder grudgingly gave in.
�There are lot�s of fascinating aspects of working on the X-Files.� He said softly. �You could see some amazing things as long as you�re willing to keep an open mind. You might even like it.�
�As long as people don�t start calling me Mrs. Spooky.� Koskie said.
Mulder skidded to a stop in the dirt and slammed the car into park. He turned and eyed Koskie, a weird look in his eyes.
�What the hell did you just say?�
Koskie had realized his mistake, too late. He had forgotten about Scully being dead. Again. His mouth had a tendency to run away on its own. He made a mental note to work on that.
�What can I say, Agent Mulder?� Koskie turned apologetic eyes on his partner. �I spoke before I thought. I�m sorry.�
Mulder ignored him and slammed the car door as he stalked away in the direction of the media lights. Koskie followed behind, glancing up the helicopters circling the area.
He shook his head, muttering. �Damn reporters.�
They came over a hill and stopped, staring down at the scene in front of them. Dozens of ships, more boxcars, even more people. Helicopter�s were circling around and every now and again, one would venture too close, only to be chased away by military helicopter�s.
Mulder and Koskie approached the crowd of military soldiers and men in suites milling around. They made their way over to an area cordoned off by crime scene tape tied down to orange traffic cones. They didn�t make it far before being intercepted by another soldier.
�Agents Mulder and Koskie?� He asked, stepping in front of them.
Mulder nodded, flashing his badge again. �Supposed to see Dale Cooper.�
The soldier turned and pointed towards a group of people gathered around a particular boxcar. �Mr. Cooper�s in there, he�s been waiting for you to get here before anything was touched.�
�Isn�t it nice to suddenly be so highly regarded.� Mulder mumbled, remembering his words to Scully on their first meeting. If only she could see me now, he thought to himself as they ducked under the yellow tape the soldier held up for them.
�What the hell is Cooper doing here?� Koskie said softly to Mulder. �This looks military to me.�
Mulder shrugged. �Last I heard, Cooper had been recruited out of the Bureau by the NSA.�
Koskie looked sideways at his partner. �Why would the National Security Agency be interested in the X-Files?�
�Who the hell knows?� Mulder grinned to himself, shrugging. �Nothing surprises me anymore.�
�Agent Mulder.� Cooper approached them, holding a hand out and clad in his usual somber black suit.
�Nice to see you again, Cooper.� Mulder said loudly over the buzz of a helicopter, his tie flapping in the wind. �I�m not sure how to address you.�
Cooper shot up an eyebrow. �Your Royal Highness?�
�That would be partly true.� Mulder replied. �Because you�d have to be really high to think I�d address you that way.�
�You can salute me, if you�d like.� Cooper smiled.
Mulder grinned back. �Now you�re just turning me on.�
Koskie watch the banter with his mouth partly open. �I wasn�t aware you two knew each other.�
�We worked together a long time ago.� Cooper explained.
�An undercover assignment.� Mulder said. �When I was first with the Bureau.�
Cooper leisurely looked over at him. �Undergarment assignment may be a little more accurate.�
�Don�t start, Chip.� Mulder was grinning, feeling young and just out of the academy again.
Cooper was immediately silenced by the nickname. �Okay, boys, if you�ll follow me this way��
�Who found the body?� Mulder asked, their shoes crunching gravel.
�A guard.� Cooper replied. �He was making his usual rounds and smelled it.�
Mulder nodded. �How long has it been?�
�Just over three hours.� Cooper replied, consulting his watch.
They reached the opening of the boxcar and the smell hit them like a wall. Koskie wrinkled his nose, believing he had never smelled anything quite like it. He glanced at Mulder and Cooper to see them slipping plastic booties over their shoes. He bit back a sarcastic remark; he�d already made more than his quota for the week, and followed their lead.
Mulder must have seen the expression on his face. �Evidence purposes.�
Koskie cocked his head at him. �No shit.�
�Bit of an attitude.� Mulder said softly.
Cooper nodded. �A bit.�
Mulder stepped into the container, sweeping his flashlight back and forth. A decomposing body jumped out of the dark and Mulder played the beam of light along it.
�Male. About six feet. A hundred ninety pounds. Caucasian.� Koskie was rattling off stats into a hand held recorder.
�Oh no.� Mulder said, looking at the small recorder in Koskie�s hand with dismay. �Not you too.�
�What?� Koskie asked defensively. �It helps me think back, later on when I�m writing the report.�
Cooper nodded. �That was always my argument for Annie.�
�Who�s Annie?� Koskie asked.
Cooper pulled his own recorder out of his pocket. �I never leave home without her.�
�Like a damn security blanket.� Mulder said.
Koskie stared at Cooper for a moment, then looked over at Mulder. �Okay, that is weird. I�ve never named mine before.�
�Where was this ship coming from?� Mulder bent over the body.
�Ireland.� Cooper answered.
�Top of the mornin� to ya.� Koskie bellowed out an Irish accent, standing next to Mulder. �Me poor, poor, fellar.�
Mulder shook his head. �Koskie, you are one disturbed man.�
Cooper joined the two of them, staring down at the dead man. A hole was torn where the man�s chest and stomach used to be.
�What the hell could have done that?� Koskie asked softly.
Cooper turned and played the flashlight around. �Looks like an animal attack.�
�Makes sense.� Koskie shrugged. �An animal would have to eat on the journey over here.� He shined his flashlight around, looking at the walls and ceiling. �There�s a lot of castoff on the walls, but not on the ceiling. You�d think there would be more above from the backswing on any weapon.�
�Even then,� Cooper said, looking at the walls, �these uniform trails don�t look all that uniform.�
Mulder�s face was full of dread. �Was the seal on the container broken?�
�No.� Cooper shook his head. �And it was affixed by the foreign shipper.�
Koskie squatted down next to the gaping wound. �So that means that the body was in here before it was sealed?�
Cooper nodded. �In theory.�
�So then, the animal would still be in here too.�
Mulder stood up, his hands on his hips, staring down at the body. He was chewing on his lower lip. Cooper joined him, taking in his intense stare.
�What are you thinking, Mulder?�
�Just kicking things around.� He eyed his new partner. �What do you think, Koskie?�
�Well, if you look at the skin tearing�� Koskie pointed along the outside of the wound. �If it was from a frontal assault, the skin should be pushed in, but it�s not. It�s pushed out.� He looked up at Mulder and Cooper. �It�s almost like something tore its way out of him.�
In the eerie glow of the flashlights, Mulder grinned.
�I need to get some pictures of the body in situ.� Koskie said, pulling off his latex gloves. �Has the ME been called yet?�
Mulder fought back a bitter sadness. The snapping sound of Koskie�s gloves brought back every imaginable image of Scully. It hadn�t been even a month since her death and he was pushing it away. Running back to work, running back to the Bureau, running back to the X-Files. Had he just been in Southern California last week? It seemed like so long ago. Being at Scully�s funeral, if that�s what you wanted to the party it had turned into. Dealing with one of the greatest losses of his life was bad enough, but having to share his sorrow with everyone else was horrible. Having to face Scully�s family, Skinner, the Lone Gunmen.
Having to deal with Alex Krycek.
�Mulder?�
He jerked his head over to see Koskie and Cooper staring back at him.
�Dreaming of silky nightie�s again?� Cooper asked, a hint of a smile playing across his stoic features.
Mulder stepped over the body and made his way to them. �Just don�t know when to quit, do you, Chip?�
Koskie began to take pictures of the area as Mulder and Cooper spoke in hushed tones; the darkness and silence of the boxcar interrupted by flashes and whines from the camera.
�What�re you thinking?� Cooper asked him. �You�ve got that look on your face.�
�This face?� Mulder looked seriously back at him.
�Not your �panic look�.� Cooper said. �The face where it looks like you�re having gas pain.�
�Oh, the face I make when all pieces of the puzzle just fell together and I don�t like they way it�s looking.�
Cooper nodded. �That�s the one.�
�Smartass.� Mulder mumbled as Koskie stepped over to them.
�Someone needs to tell the crime-scene tech�s to get in here.�
�Has anyone called the ME?� Mulder asked, stepping out into the sunlight.
Koskie and Cooper stared back at him, the former shaking his head. �Must�ve been a hell of a memory.�
�Huh?� Mulder looked quizzically at the two of them.
�We�ve already had this discussion, Mulder.� Cooper said. �The Medical Examiner�s on his way and he�ll make sure the removal service people pick up our guy.�
Something caught Mulder�s eye and he moved over to the corner of the boxcar. �I want the body sent to Quantico for further analysis.� He said, bending down to peer at something on the ground. �I want those lacerations tested for DNA.�
�DNA?� Koskie asked as Cooper brought his portable radio up to his mouth and began to speak.
�Yeah.� Mulder said absently. �Koskie, come here and check this out.�
�What�s up?� Koskie tried to take the booties off of his shoes as he walked.
Mulder watched the graceful performance, shaking his head and grinning as Koskie hopped around on one foot. He was finding himself annoyed that his new partner was so amusing. Damn, Mulder thought, why couldn�t I hate anyone anymore? First Krycek isn�t the tyrant I want him to be and now my new partner is a comedian.
�You okay?� Mulder pulled a straight face and looked up at Koskie as he finally stood next to him. �You need any help with that?�
Koskie rewarded Mulder with a look not too unlike the one�s Scully gave him when he was dangerously close to getting a kick in the ass. �You wanna tell me what�s up or you just gonna look at me all day?�
�I don�t know, Koskie. That�s a tough call.� Mulder said, pulling tweezers out of his pocket and using them to pick something up off the ground. �You have a mighty pretty mouth.�
�What the hell is that?� Koskie asked as Mulder held it up in front of his face and peered at it.
He inspected it for a moment before shaking his head. �Damn.�
Koskie squatted down next to him, squinting in the sunlight. �Almost looks like chicken skin.�
Mulder grinned. �Yeah, but you can�t make nugget�s out of this chicken.�
***
Mulder let go of the rung of the ladder and dropped down into six inches of sewer water. He twisted his face and spoke out loud to no one. �Oh yeah, that�s the smell I�m talking about.�
He turned on his flashlight and shined it down the tunnel. The beam of light stretched forever into darkness, first one way, then the other. The continuous drip, drip, drip of water sounded musical.
Mulder strained to hear something, anything. When Koskie practically fell into the tunnel from above, the splash seemed as loud as a sonic boom.
�Goddamn motherfucking sonofabitch!!!� Koskie exclaimed, quickly standing up and trying to shake the filthy water off of him.
�Is that so?� Mulder asked softly, walking into the darkness.
�You going to tell me what the hell we�re looking for, Mulder.� Koskie asked. �A giant, rubber chicken?�
�I�m not even sure what it is we�re looking for.� Mulder said.
Koskie called out to him, looking both ways down the tunnel. �You sure you�re going the right way?�
Mulder shushed him, flipping open a map in response. The two of them huddled together, shining their flashlights on the paper.
�Straight ahead is north.� Koskie said.
Mulder stared ahead of them, waiting for the feeling of what he should do to enter his head. �That�s the way we need to go.� He said, beginning to walk forward.
Koskie followed behind. �Are you sure?�
�Yes.� Mulder said, picking up his pace.
�How do you know?�
�I just do.� Mulder replied, a memory flooding his brain.
'Spooky Mulder.� Krycek said, grinning. 'Where do you think you got the sixth sense from?'
'Sixth sense?' Mulder whispered.
'They way you just kinda know, where to go?' Krycek said. 'The reason everyone calls you Spooky. You go in the strangest directions, no one else would think of, and it's right. Spooky. Not so spooky, just alien.'
A sudden image of him sitting on a bench. Krycek standing in front of him in that casual way of his. Mulder had hated him more than anything back then. He�d wanted nothing to do with Krycek, but Scully had wanted them to talk.
Mulder shook his head, begging the memory to go away. The more he thought of Krycek, the more he thought of Scully and he really didn�t need to be thinking of either one of them right now.
They walked in silence for awhile, consulting the map whenever needing to make a left or right and Koskie would chalk the wall to mark where they�d come from. The last thing they needed was to be wandering the New York sewer system. The rumors of what inhabited the network of tunnels were worthy of a dozen or so X-Files.
Moss hung from above, the walls were slick with algae, and every now and one of them would nearly fall because of the slippery floor. Neither of them was fond of the idea of falling into the sewer water and Mulder was reminded of his experience with the Fluke Worm guy. The sound of dripping water was almost hypnotic and he found his mind wandering again.
Powerless to stop them, the images flooded his brain.
Scully and Krycek, standing covered in pumpkin goo, surprise covering both of their faces at the sight of him. Krycek handing him a beer and telling him that he was going to end up like their father if he wasn�t careful. The three of them, laughing like fools at the dinner table. Krycek dancing to the Red Hot Chile Peppers. Scully and Krycek, having an intense stare-down on the beach in the full moonlight. Scully, crying in his arms as he wondered what the hell had just happened.
Mulder ran into a ladder face first with a resounding bang. He shook his head again as Koskie put an arm on his shoulder to steady him. No, he really didn�t need to be thinking of her right now.
�Look at that.� Koskie said softly, shining his flashlight at the water.
Mulder shined his own flashlight down at the weird substance that was caught on the bottom rung of the ladder, rippling in the water.
They both leaned down to take a closer look. Mulder grinned up at Koskie and whispered.
�Winner.�
Mulder climbed up the ladder and listened in silence for a moment to the heavy thud of bass. There was music coming from above him. He pushed the grate out of his way and hoisted himself up, looking around to make sure he wasn�t about to be rushed by a giant, rubber chicken.
The hallway was deserted and he stuck his head towards the tunnel just as Koskie popped his head up.
They both yelled in surprise as their heads knocked together.
�Damnit, Mulder!� Koskie exclaimed.
Mulder stood up, rubbing his head as his partner climbed out of the tunnel. �Well how the hell did I know you were coming up right after me?�
�Did you think I was going to hang around in the sewers all alone for the rest of the night?�
Mulder didn�t answer. He saw an odd, slimy substance on the ground in front of him. He stuck his fingers in it and brought his hand closer to his face.
�You always stick your hands in weird places?� Koskie asked, leaning closer to Mulder for a better look at the strange goo.
Mulder looked at Koskie. �You always need to crowd me?�
�You always need to argue?� Koskie asked, looking back at him.
Mulder cringed. �Is that offending aroma you or me?�
�I think it�s both of us.� Koskie answered.
Mulder had been about to crack a joke. He wanted to banter playfully like he used to with Scully, wanted to lighten up his heavy mood. He just couldn�t bring himself to do it. Him and Koskie reeking of sewer water suddenly reminded him of the time he and Scully had been covered in fertilizer.
They stared at each other in silence for a moment before Koskie grinned. �We�ll laugh about this someday.�
Mulder refused to be charmed by his new partner, regardless of how hard Koskie was making it. He stood up. �I need to tell you something.�
Koskie joined him. �Oh boy. Now I get the secrets of life.�
�Not exactly.� Mulder said, shining his flashlight in front of him.
�Then what?� Koskie followed as Mulder began to walk down the tunnel.
�That skin you saw. It�s from an extraterrestrial biological entity.�
�An EBE?� Koskie asked, a smile on his face.
Mulder looked at him in surprise. �Good, you already know the lingo. That much less I have to teach.�
�I feel so complimented.�
