Chapter 10 After Mass, Doggett slapped Gibson on the back. "I was afraid those state troopers had you for car theft!" he grinned. "But you sensed I was okay when you got here," Gibson finished. The grin evaporated from Doggett's face. "Cop's instinct," he said, putting his hands in his pockets. Gibson smirked, but sensing Doggett's discomfort, added, "Whatever you say." Then his expression turned more serious. "I'm glad you came back. There's something I want to show you." Father Tomás, who had been speaking with Reyes, turned his attention to Gibson. "So you're the boy these two have been fussing over," he smiled broadly. Gibson scowled at Tomás, his eyebrows knit as he tried to block Tomás' sense of him. "Very good," Tomás said. "For a beginner. Now try this," he said, staring into Gibson's mind. Gibson's eyes widened and his face grew pale. "Hey! Stop that!" Doggett ordered, pulling Gibson away from Tomás' gaze. Tomás turned and looked blankly at Doggett. "The boy has a lot to learn," he said patronizingly. "As do you. Join us and I will teach you." Tomás turned and walked away, leaving Gibson and Doggett behind, open-mouthed. "What was that about?" Reyes asked, approaching Gibson and laying a hand on his shoulder. "I'm not sure," Doggett answered, his hand still grasping Gibson's arm from the other side. He and Reyes looked at Gibson, who looked from one to the other. "Me neither," Gibson shrugged. At Doggett and Reyes' surprised and doubtful expression, he added, "He's good. Very good." They stood silently for a moment, then Doggett asked, "What did you want to show us?" Gibson led them past the bakery, the smell of freshly baked bread wafting over them, making their stomachs growl. Gibson took Monica's hand, and she took John's into her other hand as Gibson led them down a narrow wooden stairway into a ravine. As they approached the bottom they smelled an acrid, burning smell, which grew stronger until they arrived at the bottom. They could hear the clank of metal and the distant voices of men. "What the--" Doggett started, but Gibson turned and shhhh'ed him angrily. They let go of each others' hands and looked around carefully as Gibson waved them toward the opening of a cave. The smell became almost overwhelming as they took a few steps inside. Suddenly they heard footsteps behind them, and then the unmistakeable "click" of a gun being cocked. ******************* "Turn around... slowly," the voice of an elderly woman said. Reyes and Doggett raised ther arms, then all three turned to see Mother Catherine, armed with a .357, and accompanied by Tomás. "You can put your arms down," she ordered, and she lowered her gun. "But I warn you, my eyesight isn't as good as it used to be." "She's bluffing," Gibson said smugly. "How do you know?" Tomás asked. "Because her mind-blocking isn't..." Gibson hesitated, then finished. "...isn't as good as yours." "Tomás," Catherine scolded. "Have you been toying with the boy?" Tomás looked at his feet and sheepishly replied, "Yes, Mother Catherine." The old woman scowled at him. "After we're finished with them, you and I need to have a talk." "Finish what?" Reyes asked. "Tomás tells me you don't want to join us," she answered. "I can't let you into this cave until we have a little discussion about that." "We'd like to know more about this Via Sub Rosa before we make up our minds," Doggett answered. Reyes nodded her assent, and Gibson looked at them in confusion. "You *do* know what 'sub rosa' means?" Catherine sneered. "It means 'secret,'" Reyes offered. "Yes," Catherine said with a superior tone. "And if we tell you more and you don't join us, then what?" She swung her gun to and fro, leading Gibson's head from side to side with it. Gibson gulped. Catherine continued, "You all know what you need to know by now. No need to poke around where you aren't supposed to be. Talk it over in your cottage. Lunch is in an hour. Afterwards I want your decision." She waved the gun toward the cave's entrance. Doggett and Reyes looked at each other with concern, and Catherine answered their unspoken thoughts. "Yes, the cottage is yours for as long as you want it, no matter what you decide. We know our duty." Catherine and Tomás marched them to their cottage, and left them sitting in the living room, with an admonition to stay put until summoned for lunch. John and Monica sat on the couch, and Gibson sat in the rocker. "Well?" John asked, looking to Gibson and Monica in turn. "What do you think?" "What are they asking us to join?" Gibson asked. After being filled in he said, "They hid me and Agent Mulder. Not these people, but others like them. They were very secretive, and they spoke in code, even when they weren't speaking." He checked Doggett and Reyes' reactions, and when he saw they were listening intently, he continued, "But they led Agent Mulder to the plant where he found out about the invasion date, and they..." "Wait!" Doggett interrupted. "What invasion?" "December 22, 2012," Gibson answered. "Mulder didn't tell you?" Doggett and Reyes shook their heads. "He didn't tell me, either, but... it was all he thought about all through that trial. It was hard to miss." "Who's invading?" Reyes asked. "The aliens. The ones Sister Catherine wants us to fight," Gibson answered. Doggett and Reyes stared at each other in horror. Finally, Doggett asked Gibson, "How do you know she isn't pulling a fast one? You may be able to read minds, but how do you know she isn't fooling you?" He put a finger to his temple. "You know, up here? She's a lot more experienced than you." "John..." Reyes put a hand on his forearm. "I don't think..." She stopped when she realized all she had was a hunch, a gut feeling. "All my life I've followed my instincts. And my instincts are telling me she's on our side." She looked into John's questioning eyes for a long moment, then looked down as if questioning herself. "I think they all are," she concluded. "Me too," Gibson agreed. "So, what are you saying?" Doggett demanded. "That we should join this.... this...." He thought for a moment and started over. "How do we know this isn't some kind of cult -- like that UFO cult that kidnapped William?" Reyes' eyes misted up at the mention of the baby Scully had given up for adoption but the question also jogged her thinking. "Technically, any religion is a cult," she explained. "It's only when they are destructive... when they separate people from their families, their jobs, their friends, or even society... for their own selfish reasons.. that it's a problem." "Sounds like these people, don't it?" Doggett challenged. "John," Monica responded with deliberate calmness. "Those things have already happened to us." Gibson watched John's reaction carefully. Gohn turned his gaze from Monica to Gibson and realized Monica was speaking for all three of them. "Gibson, we haven't asked you about your parents," John said. "They aren't my real parents," Gibson said brusquely. "I'm adopted." "Gibson, I'm adopted too," Reyes interrupted. "And I consider my adoptive parents my real parents." She waited a moment to give Gibson a chance to speak, and when he didn't she continued, "Real parents are people who take care of you, and want what's best for you, and loe you no matter what. Biology has nothing to do with it." "Then I guess I hae no real parents," Gibson said sullenly. "My so- called parents only cared about making money from their freaky whiz- kid, and when I refused to play chess they dumped me at that school." He scowled at Reyes and Doggett in turn, willing them not to feel pity for him. "And now?" Reyes asked, the openness of her expression inviting him to be honest. Gibson bit his lip then said, "I bet they haven't even figured out I'm not at that school." "Now, that can't be true," Doggett argued. "They must be worried about you." Gibson shot him a skeptical glance, and Doggett continued, "You haven't contacted them?" Gibson shook his head. Reyes sighed heavily, catching Doggett's attention for a moment. He gave the matter some thought then announced, "I want you to contact them, Gibson. We'll ask Mother Catherine and Tomás to help us get a message to them. It'll be a good way to test if they're on the level, too." "And if they are?" Reyes asked. "Then we'll see if they'd still want us to work with them if we returned to our jobs," he sighed. Gibson asked, "And if they don't -- what happens to me?" "Whatever happens," Reyes assured him. "We'll make sure you're okay." "And that you have as normal a life as possible," Doggett added. "And if you go back to your jobs?" Gibson asked tentatively. "It's up to you," Reyes answered. "Can I come with you?" Gibson asked hopefully. "Yes," John and Monica answered simultaneously. They smiled at each other and joined hands.