He reinforced the delusion. �Krycek can�t stand me.�
Byers shrugged and turned to frown at an image on one of many monitors before walking over to see what Frohike was messing with. �Maybe he was just being polite, Mulder.�
Krycek had been nothing but nice to him since this whole mess began. He had tried to get Mulder to see his side of the story, and when Mulder refused to deal with it, Krycek had given him the space that he needed. He had even told Mulder that he needed to pull his head out of his ass when it came to Scully. He had reacted stupidly, jealously, sensing that Krycek had feelings for her that maybe he wasn�t aware of. Krycek had ignored Mulder, insisting that Scully was in love with him so it didn�t matter what kind of feelings he had. Krycek pushed him towards telling Scully how he really felt, that he was running out of time. Mulder never did. He had hesitated, and now it was too late.
He still hated Krycek. Still blamed everything miserable in his life on him. If Scully hadn�t been pregnant with his child, she�d probably still be here today. Not that the child was Krycek�s fault, but still. He needed to blame someone and Krycek was just as good as anyone else.
Koskie leaned over to speak softly in Mulder�s ear. �Someday you�re going to have to tell me what the hell is going on with Alex Krycek.�
�What do you mean?� Mulder didn�t look at him. He was vulnerable and didn�t want anyone seeing it.
�Last I heard he�d been killed, ran off to work with the CIA, became a double agent for the Russians, the British...Mostly I heard that he was your nemesis, that he was specifically working against the X-Files. But the night I was watching Scully�s apartment, you were all there. And he and Scully didn�t exactly seem to hate each other. I just want to know, if I�m going to be getting involved in any of this in anyway, what the hell is going on. Doesn�t seem fair for me to fight for something I know nothing about.�
�I told you, Koskie.� Mulder said softly, still trying to shed the weird soggy blanket that had fallen over him. �When the time is right, you�ll get your bedtime story. Right now I�m more concerned with the chicken.�
�Where did you find this?� Byers asked, looking at the claw and the monitor.
�New York. It�s from an EBE.� Koskie said, managing to maintain a straight face, it sounded so stupid.
�Thus, the chicken reference.� Frohike said.
Byers glanced over at Mulder. �Anywhere near where they took you after you were abducted?�
Mulder stared back, his mouth open. He shook his head. �I never even thought about that.�
Koskie sighed, letting his head fall back. �I�m seeing the Manhattan skyline��
***
They entered the building through the back door of the basement.
Mulder pulled out his flashlight and swept it over the room, searching out a path amongst the pipes, machinery and ducts.
�Mulder, do you have any idea what the hell we�re doing?� Koskie asked, swatting at a spider as he ran into a web.
Mulder grinned. �Well, it�s got a nice beat you can dance to.�
�Always the smartass.� Koskie said.
�I�ve reserved that title for you, Sugar Smacks.� Mulder said, ducking under some pipes. �Watch out for those-�
Koskie ran into the piping and grabbed his head.
�Pipes.� Mulder finished.
�Thanks, Fruity Pebbles.� Koskie said, wincing. �Oh, damn, that hurt.�
Mulder stopped and shined the flashlight in his face. �You okay, Cookie Crisp?�
�I�m fine, Captain Crunch.� Koskie said, holding up a hand at the light. �Get that outta my face.�
�Sorry.� Mulder mumbled, continuing ahead. �Grape Nuts.�
�Whatever.� Koskie replied. �Count Chocula.�
They walked in silence for a few minutes, sweeping the flashlights from side to side. Koskie suddenly began to sing softly.
�When you find your life�s in danger, when you�re threatened by a stranger, when it looks like you will take a lickin�.� He clucked like a chicken before continuing on. �Bok, bok, bok, bok. There is someone waiting who will hurry up and rescue you, just call for super chicken. Ba-KAK!�
Mulder picked up. �Steve, if you�re afraid you�ll have to overlook it. Besides you knew the job was dangerous when you took it.�
�Ba-KAK!� They both clucked before continuing on together.
�People drink his super sauce and throw the bad guys for a loss and he will bring them in alive and kicking. Bok, bok, bok, bok. There is one thing you should learn, when there is no where else to turn, just call for super chicken. Bok, bok, bok, bok. Just call for super chicken. Ba-KAK!�
They continued walking on in silence before Mulder shook his head. �I must be losing my mind.�
They both laughed softly in the darkness as they came to a ventilation shaft. Mulder looked around the room, then put the flashlight in his mouth so he could remove the grating.
Koskie shook his head. �Always sticking your hands in weird places�Now you�re shoving things in your mouth. Whenever will you learn?�
Mulder hoisted himself up into the shaft and reached his hands back towards his partner.
Koskie handed him the bag he�d been carrying. �You�re insane, Mulder. You know that?�
�Certifiable.� Mulder said, squeezing his legs into the shaft. �If we wait too long, we�ll never find the chicken.�
�Yeah, that�s what I keep hoping.� Koskie said, looking up at him. �You�ve been running off on suicide missions since I was assigned to the X-Files, Mulder. One of these times, you�re not going to come back.�
Mulder grinned. �Yeah, that�s what I keep hoping.�
�Oh great.� Koskie shook his head. �Partnered with Martin Riggs.�
�Koskie.� Mulder looked down at his young partner, uncharacteristic sympathy on his face. �You don�t have to come with me.�
Koskie sighed and shook his head, planting his hands on either side of the shaft. �But then who will sing all those lovely TV Tune duets with you? I was hoping we�d move onto The Love Boat.�
***
Mulder hesitated before making another right.
'Sewers, chickens, and raves, oh my.' Koskie said softly, shaking his head. �Now you've got me cramped in a heating duct. What is next? A harem of cross-dressing Wookies?'
'You made a career mistake when you joined the Bureau.' Mulder stopped again at another fork. 'Hallmark was probably hiring.'
'The next time you stop like that, I might accidentally crawl halfway up your ass before realizing you've quit moving.'
Mulder hung his head and laughed softly. He couldn't help it. 'Such a way with words.'
'I care enough to send the very best.' Koskie said. 'What the hell did I just stick my hand in?'
Mulder kept moving, suddenly sure of where he was going. The insistent 'you're on the right track' alarm was blaring in his head. Spooky Mulder. Not so spooky, the words entered his mind without his permission. Just alien. He shook his head. He hated when Krycek was right.
Thinking of Krycek always led to thinking of Scully. And he really didn't need to be thinking about her right now.
'Hold up there, Speed Racer.' Koskie said.
'Shhh.' Mulder whispered. 'I think we're close.'
'Close to what?' Koskie whispered back.
'I don't know.'
They crawled for another minute before Koskie's voice drifted up to him. 'The chicken must have a cold.'
'What?' Mulder asked softly.
'I keep crawling through slime.' Koskie said.
Mulder didn't stop. 'I don't feel anything.'
'You're probably immune to feeling slimy substances.' Koskie said. 'With all the weird places your hands regularly visit.'
'Koskie, does anything you're saying have any direct importance on what we're doing?'
'It's important to me, considering the new hair gel I'm covered in. I'm starting to feel like Sigourney
Weaver should be running around.'
Mulder stopped at another intersection. 'And that pun was entirely on accident?'
'Ass, Mulder, ass.' Koskie said softly. 'You need to warn me before you slam on the brakes.'
'Sorry.' He muttered. Mulder tried to think about which way to go. He couldn't. Nothing came to mind.
He could almost hear voices. They were faint, but they were there.
Koskie leaned over Mulder's shoulder to look down to the left, then to the right. 'Where to, Stupendous Yappi?'
Mulder glared at him.
'Ouch.' Koskie said, shining his flashlight in Mulder's face. 'Look at that lovely expression.'
�I hate that guy.' Mulder said. 'He was rude to me.'
'Oh waaaah.' Koskie said. 'Did he have poppy pants?'
Mulder stared back at Koskie for a moment. 'I must be getting soft in my old age. I never would have let anyone get away with the crap I let you slide by with.'
'Got me shaking in my boots, Mulder. But you still haven't decided where we should go.'
They both shined their flashlights in one direction, then the other.
'I'm thinking right.' Koskie said.
Mulder shook his head. 'I'm almost sure it's to the left.'
They both scooted out into the duct and the bottom gave out. They fell through the vent, through the ceiling, and landed on a table, sending it and them crashing to the floor.
Mulder tried to sit up and shake his head. His ears were ringing. He felt someone's hand on his shoulder and knew it was Koskie's.
Mulder opened his eyes and looked up to see several men staring down at them. He scanned the faces, some familiar, some not, before landing on one man in particular.
'Agent's Mulder and Koskie.' Dale Cooper said, staring down at them. 'Nice of you to drop in.'
Mulder couldn�t respond. How many loops could he be thrown for in a year?
Apparently Koskie was at a loss of words too; otherwise, several colorful metaphors and clever comments would be spewing from his mouth.
�Gentlemen, if you could excuse us, please?� Cooper said, never breaking eye contact with Mulder.
Everyone filed out of the room and Mulder straightened up to a sitting position, Koskie behind him.
�Well, Chip.� Mulder said. �For the first time in our courtship, I�m at a loss for words.�
�That�s a first. I figured you�d at least have some guilty comments ready to throw my way.� Cooper smiled and crossed his arms. The posture reminded Mulder of Krycek�s mellow slouching and he looked away.
�In order to have guilty comments thrown at you,� Mulder said as Koskie pulled him to his feet, �you would have to had done things to feel guilty about.�
�You of all people should know about compromise, Mulder.� Cooper said. �Most people want to do the right thing, but sometimes we have to think of the bigger picture. Means to an end, you know.�
�Why am I sensing another diatribe of self-serving righteousness masked as what sounds noble and true?�
Cooper raised his eyebrows at him. �That was quite a cluster of words, you just hurled my way, Agent Mulder. Have you been waiting to use that somewhere?�
The three men stood staring at each other. A silent minute stretched out.
�I need a bedtime story.� Koskie suddenly blurted.
Cooper creased his forehead, looking at the younger partner oddly.
Mulder shook his head. �I don�t think this is quite the time.�
�Well I need some kind of tale.� Koskie said, glancing between the two. �I�m totally lost. All I know is there�s a chicken on the loose.�
Cooper smiled. �Not anymore.�
Mulder and Koskie stared at him. �You caught the chicken?� The latter asked.
�The chicken came to us.� Cooper replied. �We called it.�
Mulder pressed his lips together and nodded. �Must�ve been one hell of a phone bill.�
�Damn.� Koskie shook his head. �ET was probably really pissed when he found out you could just phone home like that.�
�Oh, the poor little guy.� Mulder looked at his partner. �After all the trouble he went through��
�It gets ya right here.� Koskie put a hand on his chest over where his heart was.
�Are you ever serious?� Cooper asked, trying not to crack a grin. �You just fell through the ceiling of a building you really, really, really shouldn�t be anywhere near. Some of the men I was with are probably assuming that I�m disposing of you right now, you�ve been told the chicken�s here, and all you can do is joke?�
Mulder tilted his head, deep in thought. �You know, Chip, I�m very impressed. Placing international calls is bad enough, but inter-planet calling? Now that�s getting tricky. What kind of area code would you use for something like that?�
�NCC-107?� Koskie asked.
�THX-1138?� Mulder threw out another one and they were both silent.
Cooper cracked a grin. �Are you finished?�
Mulder and Koskie pointed at each other.
�R2D2!� They both exclaimed.
***
The three of them sat in chairs around the demolished table.
�Exactly how many chickens are out there?� Koskie asked, sipping a horribly bitter cup of coffee that Cooper had supplied them with.
�It�s really hard to say.� Cooper replied, grimacing after taking a sip of the foul brew. �Since there�s so many groups operating independently, there�s no way to tell.�
Mulder sighed. �How many organization�s are we talking about?�
�It�s really hard to say.� Cooper smiled, repeating what he�d already said. �Since there�s so many deals that have been made.�
Koskie raised his eyebrows. �Deals?�
�So many people with divided loyalties.� Mulder said, thinking of Diana, of Spender. �Not to mention my brother.� He said aloud softly.
�Huh?� Koskie asked.
Cooper leaned forward. �I didn�t know you had a brother.�
Did he just say that out loud? Mulder shook his head and looked down at the coffee in his hands. He really needed to get to sleep if he was starting to lose it that bad. �I don�t�I just meant, man in general, my brothers.�
�Oh come on.� Koskie said. �I don�t even know you and can say that you�re not that hokey.�
�Bed time.� Mulder said, looking at him.
�Well, I�m getting pretty damn tired.� Koskie replied, taking another swallow of the horrid Java.
�I think we�re about to get a tall tale from Chip, ol� buddy here.� Mulder looked at Cooper pointedly. �Whaddaya say, Coop? Wanna sit a spell?�
Cooper smiled. �Is that your ever-so-eloquent way of asking me what is going on?�
�That would be it.� Mulder nodded.
�What do you want to know?�
Mulder and Koskie glanced at each other. Koskie shrugged. �Have at it, Cocoa Puffs.�
Mulder faced him. �Who are you working for?�
�The National Security Agency.�
Mulder seemed surprised. �That�s the only boss you have?�
Cooper nodded.
�So, what are you doing here?�
�Oh, a little of this, a little of that.� Cooper smiled.
�I don�t think that�s quite the answer I�m looking for.� Mulder replied.
Cooper looked meaningfully at Mulder. �I�m not sure that we should talk about this in here.�
�Well. I really don�t care who hears what we�re talking about.� Mulder said. �If they have a problem, they can come discuss it with me directly.�
�It�s nice that you think so, Agent Mulder.� Cooper said, tilting his head to the side. �But I have certain standards that I am expected to meet. Certain parties to protect. Certain qualifications to rise up to.� He hesitated, then grinned. �If you get my meaning.�
�I�m sorry, Chip.� Mulder said. �But did you just threaten me?�
Cooper sighed, shaking his head and looking down. When he looked back up, Koskie had a gun pointed in his face.
�Because, that would reflect badly on the NSA.� Mulder went on. �I am, a Federal Agent, merely following up on a case that I was assigned to. I�d hate for anything BAD or politically INCORRECT to happen between the FBI and NSA simply because I stumbled upon some bad doings of the US Government while investigating a series of murders. In the interest of public safety, of course.�
�The NSA and FBI have incredible similarities.� Koskie smiled. �We have certain standards we�re required to meet as well. Certain qualifications to rise to.�
Cooper stared back for a long moment, then smiled. �It�s about time to call it a day, gentlemen. Who wants to get a drink?�
***
Slap Happy�s was a small, seedy bar that permanently reeked of alcohol and smoke. A pool table in the middle of the room fought for space with scattered tables and chairs. A jukebox stood in the corner; a drunken man was making a pathetic attempt at hitting on a woman as she searched through the lists of songs. Mulder, Koskie and Cooper crowded around a small table in the back corner and ordered a round of drinks as �Far Away Eyes� by The Rolling Stones blasted towards them.
��Much to my surprise, there she was�Sitting in the corner�A little bleary�Worse for wear and tear�It was a girl�With far away eyes��
�Here we are.� Mulder said. �No bugs.�
�Not the electronic kind, anyway.� Koskie looked around in disgust.
Mulder picked up his bottle of beer. �And I doubt any of your illustrious sidekicks are going to frequenting this fine establishment.�
�There you go again with the four syllable words.� Cooper shook his head. �I think you must do it when you�re nervous or insecure.�
�Ah, shit!� Koskie cursed softly and bent down to look under the table. �I think I just stuck my hand in gum.�
�For a field agent he seems so concerned about his cleanliness.� Mulder said.
Cooper smiled. �Nothing wrong with a little Obsessive/Compulsive Disorder.�
Mulder nodded his head at Cooper. �You planning on starting this sometime tonight, Chip?�
He sighed and took a sip of his gin and tonic. �I could never have possibly conceived of the scale of things when they brought me in the NSA. I knew nothing about the chickens or the whole colonization mess. I thought it was a project like Paperclip or Bluebook. You know, just the search for extraterrestrial life. I had no idea that we were communicating with them and had been for years. I didn�t know they were trying to make deals, trying to fool them, trying to lull them into a false sense of security while we were down here, plotting their demise.�
�I�m sorry.� Koskie said, confusion plastered on his face. �I�m a little in the dark here. Can you start at the beginning.�
�I was getting around to it.� Cooper replied. �I�m trying to summarize. And let me remind you, I don�t know the big picture.� Cooper said. �Just what I�ve had experience in.�
Mulder gestured with his beer. �Go on.�
�Let me think for a minute.� Cooper took out a pack of cigarettes and Mulder�s eyes widened.
�First the gin and now cigarettes?� Mulder shook his head. �The unshakable Dale Cooper only indulges in nasty habits when he�s really nervous.�
�Nasty Habits, Oingo Boingo, Only a Lad, 1981.� Cooper held the pack out towards Mulder. �I can spot your own disenchantment with the situation. Don�t forget that I know you too, Mr. four-syllable-word-man.�
Mulder eyed the pack for a moment, then helped himself to one.
Koskie shook his head. �Damn smokers.�
�Oh you be quiet, Koskie.� Mulder said, leaning into the lighter Cooper was holding out. �In case you haven�t noticed, our days haven�t been whimsical and peaceful.� He blew out smoke. �I�m allowed a certain amount of self-destruction.�
�Yeah.� Koskie crossed his arms and tilted his head at Mulder. �I notice you�ve been allowing yourself a lot of that lately.�
Mulder took a swallow of beer. �What are you trying to say?�
Koskie just shook his head, watching Mulder take a drag of his cigarette and blow out smoke. This was going to be bad, Koskie thought. If Mulder, when Mulder, finally cracks, it probably wont be pretty. He stared back at his partner and softly sang along with the music.
��So if you�re down on your luck�I know y�all sympathize, find a girl with far away eyes�
And if you�re downright disgusted and life ain�t worth a dime�Get a girl with far away eyes��
Mulder didn�t like the way Koskie�s eyes were boring through him. He felt vulnerable again. Draining the rest of his beer, he looked away and turned his attention to Cooper.
***
An hour later, Koskie�s mind was spinning. He was overwhelmed by everything he�d just heard.
�Let me clarify.� He said, getting weird looks from Cooper and Mulder, as if they�d forgotten he was even there. Must be all that alcohol, he thought wryly to himself.
�The chickens are newborn aliens.�
�The grey ones.� Mulder said.
�Okay.� Koskie said. �The grey ones want to colonize this planet. Obviously we don�t want this to happen. So the Syndicate was the organization dealing with the grey ones. An organization made up of government officials from all over the world.�
Cooper nodded. �That�s right.�
�And there�s another alien race. The Rebels as you so charmingly call them. They�re trying to stop the colonization because the grey ones are tyrannical, taking over the galaxy. They want to make alliances with us, against the grey ones, and stop any more control the little grey men are acquiring.�
�Yes.� Cooper nodded again and Koskie held up a finger.
�The Syndicate breaks in half. Some wanted to remain in negotiations with the grey ones; the others wanted to side with the Rebels against the grey ones. This tearing of opinions ultimately leads to the destruction of the Syndicate. So now that the Syndicate is gone, who�s left to fight?�
�The NSA, the CIA has a group, not to mention what�s still left of the Syndicate.� Cooper smiled. �There�s always going to be governments within governments. The Verein, which means �the truth� and is shortened from Verein der Wahrheit, has grown fairly strong. The Verein is a remnant offshoot of the Syndicate that has recruited people from the FBI, CIA and some highly placed government officials. They don�t do much in the way of science, no experimenting on humans or aliens. They are more about finding out what the grey ones are doing and stopping the unnecessary risks the unknowing public is exposed to from the less human organizations.�
Mulder hoped that nothing was revealed on his face. Cooper was referring to the group that he was working for right now with Diana and Marita.
�Let�s talk about the Chicken Run for a minute.� Koskie said. �The chickens were originally brought here to try to create a vaccine?�
�Against the black oil.� Cooper confirmed.
�This oil is the alien life force?� Koskie narrowed his eyes. �It chooses where, or who, it wants to hang out in and when it decides that this must be the place, gestates into the chicken.�
�Apparently, the chicken�s blood is the black oil.� Cooper said. We�ve lost quite a few scientists that way, not to mention the security measure�s we�ve had to develop. Lot�s of chickens flew the coop.�
�Which is where the hybrids come in.� Koskie held up his hands, pausing to collect his thoughts. �You create people specifically to find the chickens?�
�The hybrids were created for a number a reasons.� Cooper replied. �Most importantly, we need people who can withstand the virus, in order to create a vaccine. But also, it has been suggested by almost all of the parties involved that if an acceptable hybrid can be created, the colonization can take a very different course. Some of the hybrids can communicate telepathically so it�s very convenient for us when one of the chickens decides to head south for the winter.�
Mulder knitted his eyebrows together. �What happens if the chickens ever reach the grey stage?�
�Apparently, we simply give them to the grey ones. But I don�t know for sure.� Cooper said. �Most of my job is to cover the project�s ass. I try to follow what is going on, I report back. I try to make sure that nothing is getting out of hand, I try to catch backdeals and leaks. I follow the project�s progress, I find out what else is going on outside of the project. I don�t spin anything or kill anyone. I just gather data.�
�For the project?� Koskie asked. �Not the NSA?�
�We are a project within the NSA.� Cooper replied, lighting another cigarette. �We are not mainstream knowledge, for obvious reasons. But we act specifically with the National Security Advisor�s knowledge and approval.�
�Project.� Mulder repeated.
�Yes.� Cooper nodded. �Purity Control.�
�Purity Control.� Mulder whispered. �Haven�t heard that one in ages.�
