From schirmer@uslink.net Mon May 19 14:38:39 1997 Subject: NEW: Broken III: In Pieces (1/5) From: schirmer@uslink.net -------- *I postponed the release of Shattered and the once again revised (not a lot this time) Broken story to finish the would-be finale, which is what you're reading right now. This will wrap up some lose ends, but I'm leaving others open for three other stories. Please send any feedback, positive of negative, to ! * The characters and situations of the television program "The X Files" are the creations and property of Chris Carter, Fox Broadcasting, and Ten-Thirteen Productions, and have been used without permission. No copyright infringement is intended. Please distribute my work about freely, as long as it remains unedited and my name remains in the credits. Characters not regularly seen on "The X-Files" come from only me. * Short summary: Part Three in the Broken trilogy. Scully's cancer is causing her to fade fast, and Mulder's hellbent to stop her death. Unfortunately, Skinner and the Cancer Man are there to stop him. Small bits of M/S relationship. * Classification: X, with small bits of romance * Spoiler: This story takes place after "Tempus Fugit" and "Max." Everything after has not been taken under consideration. Heavy references (right now) to "The Erlenmeyer Flask" and "Momento Mori", plus references to the man called "X". * This story is approximately a PG-13, for language and violence. ****************************************************************************** The X-Files: In Pieces by Josh Schirmer Prologue St. Joseph's Hospital Washington, D.C. 3:09 AM He had been up all night. On the second floor of St. Joseph's, in a small, cramped room, Fox Mulder sat, cradling the hand of his ex-partner, Dana Scully. Her eyes were closed softly in the dim room. That was good. She needed her rest. She needed to conquer this fiendish cancer. THEY needed to conquer it. Mulder remembered the instant he had gotten the call. He was rewatching an old news broadcast, one he had taped years ago on a message from Deep Throat. Since he had quit, he had spent a lot of time thinking. The first thing that came to mind was Scully. He dwelled on those thoughts for a while. The next thought was the green liquid, the ooze Scully had found near a supposed alien saucer crash sight. It had taken him a while, but he remembered all about Dr. Berube's experiments, about the humans in tanks at the Zeus Warehouse, and how the man he had been chasing, a man named Secare, had bled green. And the shape-changing beings he had encountered later in life. They melted into green puddles. There HAD to be a connection. So Mulder had reviewed the tape he had recorded. He viewed it on end, looking for something, ANYTHING to go off of. Perhaps he could solve this case, find out what exactly was going on, without government help. Mulder had been in about the zillionth time through the tape when his phone rang. He picked it up, and with a tired greeting of, "Mulder," was given the bad news. Scully had been under a lot of stress recently, and her mother had stopped by, only to find her daughter sprawled out on the floor. After being rushed to the hospital, the doctor's had said that stress had affected the tumor and... Mulder didn't want to hear the rest. Nevertheless, the doctor had finished. And his words echoed through Mulder's brain like a scream through a canyon. "She probably only has 24 hours to live... maybe less." Only 24 hours to live... Only 24 hours to live... As he sat there, cradling her cold hand, Mulder felt a tear creep towards his eye. He withheld it. "Scully?" * * * * Scully's frustration was of great size, and her feelings for Mulder weren't helping. She had just been assigned to a new X-File, this one somewhere in Chicago. Something to do with aliens, she recalled. For some reason, Scully didn't really care. How could that black-lunged, Morley smoking son of a bitch do that to Mulder? Leave him alone in the cold. The Cancer Man had known Mulder would resign from his job the minute the news was given to him. And he was probably smiling about it right now. God, she thought. Why am I so dizzy? * * * * Deep Throat's voice echoed through the line. "Are you watching channel eight?" Hidden deep within a dark corridor of the Pentagon building, Deep Throat gave Mulder that one, smart ass clue before hanging up. He wondered how Mulder put up with it; how Mulder could handle being given the smallest lead and taking the biggest chances on it. As the receiver clicked, Deep Throat slowly walked through the large storage hallways. Around him, he could see many boxes, knowing what each contained. Alien corpse, that one, he thought, his eyes shooting to a large crate up at the top of the shelf. Implant, that one, his eyes focusing on a box near his head. He walked through the long hall he had come to dub as "The Forbidden Hallway", until he reached a small intersection. Veering to the right, he now walked upon millions of file cabinets and such. Slowly, Deep Throat exposed the manila envelope from his trench coat pocket. He clenched it tightly as he entered another small hallway, marked MO-MU from a sign posted above. The millions of files were what were known as The Government's Most Watched files. They had been collected for nearly a century, stored here over the past few years. Many focused on good qualities, people who would pay off. Others were serial killers. And then, there were the ones who imposed a danger without knowing. Yet. Deep Throat finally reached a large file cabinet. He opened it, scanning over many names, until finally coming across what he had been looking for. Mulder, Fox W. * * * * Scully paced the living room of her apartment, trying to sort out everything. Her mind raced at a thought a minute, from Mulder, to the X-Files, to the green substance, to the cancer, to everything. Frustration filled every inch of her body. What do I do about Mulder? Keep him? Or... What about this new case? By myself. What the hell was that green substance? And why the hell were Frohike, Langly, and Byers almost killed over it? What about this cancer? GOD, I feel dizzy. * * * * The Cancer Man inhaled deeply on the Morley. He had known about his partner all along, contrary to beliefs. His partner, who had come to be known as Deep Throat to Mulder, had been a source of information for almost a year. The Cancer Man had known since day one, but wouldn't let it show. Still, he didn't feel right. Sure, "Deep Throat" was breaking a lot of rules, exposing the information to another, and he deserved the penalty he was getting. After all, when you break rules at such a high level, someone's bound to get hurt. But this WAS his friend... The Cancer Man knew the plan. Deep Throat gives the men the package, the men give him a bullet to the chest. Done and done. The Cancer Man nodded at that, to no one in particular. And yet, something still wasn't right. The Cancer Man could sense something. What the hell had Deep Throat done that the Cancer Man didn't know about? * * * * Scully felt too woozy now. Something was obviously wrong. She needed to relax. To calm herself. To let the cancer rest. But how could she relax now?! Everything had gone to hell in the last week! She didn't know what to do about Mulder anymore! Or what to think about the green liquid! Or anything! God, how could she relax? That was the last thing she remembered. * * * * "X" had secluded himself in the dark hallways of the Pentagon building, in the aisle marked MO-MU. He had Deep Throat had made a pact only a few months ago. When Deep Throat had learned about Dr. Berube's testing, he and "X" had met, discussing Mulder's future. They knew that if Mulder was able to get hold of Berube's documents, or any information, he could blow the top off the entire government cover up. But what if Mulder failed? Deep Throat and he had decided that the only way to do it was the way they were. As a backup, in case Mulder didn't find everything he needed when he went up against Berube. That's why Deep Throat had hidden what he had. "X" had just come back to check. Slowly and quietly, he pulled open the file cabinet, and fingered through them, until finally... Mulder, Fox W. * * * * Mulder wrapped Scully's hand tightly. Her heart was beating at a constant rate. The loud, high-pitched "beeps" coming from a large machine told Mulder this was true. Still, Scully wasn't responding to any kind of communication. Mulder choked back another tear. "Scully?" he asked. He wasn't expecting a response. Nothing. "Scully, we've been through a lot together. Through thick and thin. We've been cocooned, we've been against mutants, we've seen things that no one can explain. And we've had rough times before." Mulder swallowed, feeling another tear coming up. Once again, he withheld it. "Scully, this is one of those rough times. But we've made it through them all before. We can make it through this one." He sighed. "The Cancer Man knew something was up with the 'UFO' crash in Minneapolis. I have a feeling it has something to do with your cancer. And GodDAMMIT, I am not going to let that bastard win." Another tear choked back. "That's why I'm leaving. I think I know where to find what I'm looking for. Getting in won't be easy, getting out will be harder. But I'll make it through it. I won't give up. "I know the truth is out there, and it's close." Mulder stood up. Slowly, he bent down and kissed Scully's forehead. He stared at her once more. Slowly, he walked to the door, and as he began to close it, he whispered. "I love you." A lone tear hit the ground. Mulder closed the door. continued... From schirmer@uslink.net Mon May 19 14:39:19 1997 Subject: NEW: Broken III: In Pieces (2/5) From: schirmer@uslink.net -------- disclaimer in part one The X-Files: In Pieces by Josh Schirmer Chapter One: In Outside the Pentagon Washington, D.C. 12:11 AM Slowly and quietly, the figure grabbed the gate. On the cold streets of Washington, D.C., a man sat, his features hidden by the black stretch suit he wore. He was a silhouette, creeping around in the night, nothing but. No sound at all. So far, everything was going as he had hoped. The black mask hiding his face did it's job well. He was completely unrecognizable. He was just a lone stranger, about to become a lone intruder. Silently, he pulled himself to the top of the gate. It took all his strength not to make noise, but success came. He glanced around as he lay down, hoping to conceal himself as part of the dark gate to anyone that might be watching. Almost directly below him, a guard stood. The man had expected this much. He knew that what he was going to do wouldn't keep a zero body count. Forgive me, Scully, he thought, pulling out his gun. * * * * Alex Krycek exited the Pentagon, heading towards his car. As he walked, his false arm squeaked a little. He sighed heavily. He was surprised to have lived after failing the Cigarette Smoking Man. Surely, he thought. This would be the last time. He'd get rid of more than my damn arm. And now look at me! I'm missing one arm, the other is wrapped up from a bullet to the shoulder! He'd make them pay. Every damn one of them. As he entered his car, he thought about Mulder. The Cancer Man said he had up and quit, furious over some new assignment. Krycek liked that. One less danger to the coverups. However, they still had Scully, and she had grown strong. Her anger had perhaps forced her to believe what Mulder had been saying all these years. Krycek was reminded of a line from one of his favorite movies, Return of the Jedi. "Your anger has made you powerful..." As he reached the gate, he looked around. There was no guard to open the door for him, no one to clear his exit. Something was wrong... Krycek scrambled out of the car, only to nearly trip over a body in front of him. He looked down to examine it. The brain of the guard had splattered nearly three feet, and blood was still soaking in. Blood leaked from the guards mouth, pouring down his chin. Krycek looked around. Who would have done something like this? Who would be breaking into the Pentagon? Who would... But Krycek already knew. He had to get to a phone. Fast. * * * * Phase One: Complete. Mulder had expected guards. He hadn't expected, however, that it would have been that easy. No fight. No muss, no fuss. One clear shot... He crept to a tree, nearing the entrance to the building. It, too, was guarded, but more heavily. Three men stood around the door, and two were patrolling nearby. They swung their flashlights about the yard. Mulder exposed his gun again. Slowly, he stepped out from behind the tree. He began to sneak towards the side wall, creeping past the guards. No noise, he told himself. No noise whatsoever. None at... Too late. The guard heard the crunching of Mulder's foot hitting a stick before Mulder did. He spun around, shining the flashlight a few feet in front of Mulder. Nothing else to do, Mulder dropped to the ground, hoping to blend in with the shadows, and waited. The beam of the flashlight approached him, and was soon directly on top of him. I'm dead, he thought to himself. I'm dead this time. Spooky got himself caught. Mulder knew how easy he could be seen against the green of the grass. He was done for. But the beam passed over him. Mulder's eyes went wide. What the hell? Why hadn't they taken him? Surely they had seen him against the grass! It would have been impossible to miss! Unless... "Hey, Earl!" called the voice of a guard in the distance. "What is it?" The voice of the closer guard came loud and clear. "Nothin'." Mulder knew now. It was all set up. Someone knew he was coming. "Nothin' at all." As the beam turned away, Mulder stood up. He didn't have much time. He'd have to make it in in a hurry. The Cancer Man would be coming. * * * * Cancer Man's Office Federal Bureau of Investigation Headquarters 12:31 AM "You think I was not aware of the situation?" The Cancer Man inhaled deeply, tasting the smoke that the cigarette contained. Alex Krycek's voice, almost a whine, chattered away on the other side. The Cancer Man was beginning to wonder why he had accepted him back after the recent Russian incident. "But why aren't you here? What is Mulder doing?" Krycek asked from his cell phone. The Cancer Man sighed deeply. "Krycek, Krycek, Krycek," he scolded. "Don't worry about me. All I want you to make sure of is that Mulder gets in and gets to where's he going. I'll be there on my own, good time." Krycek paused for a minute before stating, "And if he starts to run? If he starts to get away?" The Cancer Man snickered, snuffing out the Morley. "You know the drill." * * * * Mulder looked around. He had scaled the wall of the Pentagon without any trouble. Something was very wrong. How could the Cancer Man have known he was coming? Mulder sat down to relax for a minute, to catch his breath, and began to think... * * * * Mulder wiped the tear from his eye as he closed the door to Scully's hospital room and began to walk. His walk changed quickly to a jog, then sped up more. If he was going to get into the Pentagon, he'd have to prepare himself. And get some sleep. As he ran, he passed many strangers, but they were merely nothing to Mulder. His mind was set on his destination, and it didn't pick up any details but the ones Mulder was working out for his break-in. It was there he made the fatal mistake. The middle aged man stood, watching the young ex-agent approach. He had been given his orders, and was bound to follow them to a "T". As Mulder ran by, he slowly began to follow, rubbing his hand through his crew cut. It wouldn't have done Mulder any good to look at him. He wouldn't recognize the face; it was one he hadn't seen in three years, and even then, hadn't actually seen it. All Mulder got out of this Crew-Cut Man was, "Your cell phones been ringing like hell," and a black eye. He had been in charge of the murder that night, the one who had taken the package from the old man and shot him down. He particularly enjoyed killing -- it brought him pleasure to see another fall before his bestial wrath. Perhaps now, the Cigarette Smoking Man would let him finish the job he had started. As he walked, he pulled a phone out of his pocket. He dialed quickly, and as soon as the phone stopped ringing, immediately said, "Now following subject as instructed. Will report any other information as comes." He got a returning sigh from the other line, the sigh of the Cancer Man, and with a *beep*, turned the cell-phone off. The Crew-Cut Man had followed Mulder to his apartment, and, through the small bug which he had planted earlier, behind Mulder's fish tank, listened to everything Mulder said. He heard the rustling of bags, the typing of a computer, and finally got the pay-off. "Langly, this is Mulder," said the voice over the small bug. Silence followed, but not for long. "Scully's in the hospital. The cancer, y'know." More silence. "Yeah, but I'm gonna find out what." Silence. "Let's just say in a few hours we'll know how hard it is to break into the Pentagon." The Crew-Cut Man needed to hear no more. He pulled out the phone and reported it. Once again, he got the returning grunt. With the click from the other line, he knew his job was done. No blood to be spilled today. At least, not by him. Slowly, the Crew-Cut Man pulled away from Mulder's apartment. * * * * Federal Bureau of Investigation Headquarters 12:44 AM Walter Skinner walked through the brightly lit hallways. Granted, he shouldn't have been up this late, but he had to be. He had a purpose. He hadn't meant to hear it, but did. As he walked through the Pentagon that day, picking up some files needed for Scully's new case, he had passed by a guard whose walkie-talkie was spurting out a few words. Skinner managed to catch them. "...ossibile break-in tonight... middle aged man... goes by Mulde..." Skinner had stopped dead in his tracks. He spun around, trying to hear more. "...eave alone... no interfere..." it buzzed. "Repeat.... o interference." That was enough. That was all he needed to hear. He spun around and headed back to the exit doors, already knowing who was behind this all. After all, Skinner was now part of the coverups, and knew the Cancer Man's way of thinking. That's why Skinner hadn't punched out yet. He had waited, all day, for the black-lunged bastard to show his weasel little face. Ever since the recent reassignment of Mulder, Skinner's frustration towards the man had grown to pure hatred. It had been a while, and Skinner was tired of waiting. He walked to the Cancer Man's door, opening it without a knock. The first thing Skinner saw was the elder man's back, slipping on his jacket. He spun around to face Skinner, slipping on the last of the two sleeves. He was obviously startled by the presence of the Assistant Director of Resources. For a moment, both were caught in a blind stare. The Cigarette Smoking Man broke that silence. "You didn't knock," he rasped. Skinner shot back, "What the hell is going on?" The grayed man looked surprised. "I'm working late. But I have to get home. I don't want to miss tonight's 'Sightings'." Skinner was boiling. "Why are you having the guards ignore Mulder's break in? What are you going to do to him?" He took a step forward. The Cancer Man was now obviously getting angry, too. He grabbed a smoke from his pocket at let it hang from his lip. "Mr. Skinner," he said. "You are part of coverups. Nothing but. Don't meddle in affairs that are too big for you." Just one swing... Skinner took another step. "What the hell is going on?" he repeated. "Skinner, let this be your last warning..." the elder man threatened. One swing... "What the hell are you up to?" "Mr. Skinner, get out of my way!" was the command given as the Cancer Man lit his cigarette, stepping forward. One... Skinner tried to stop it, but it was too late. He acted only on hatred, sending his fist forward. It connected with the Cancer Man's face. Hard. In a matter of a second, the old man landed on the floor, his consciousness fading. Slowly, his eyes rolled back. A drop of blood trickled from the Cancer Man's nose. Skinner just stood, breathing heavily. * * * * Fox Mulder had entered the dark room through the skylight. Quietly removing the panel, he had lowered a rope and skidded down. Looking around, he found it a lucky coincidence he was in the right place. Beside him, box after box was stockpiled, each labeled with certain terms. Implant. Fetus. Tag #. Mulder smiled, tearing off his dark mask. This was it... His proof. He began to search, looking for any term that might help him find what he was looking for. Anything to do with "green" or "DNA". As he walked, another intersecting hallway caught his eye. Maybe what he needed was down there. He took the turn and began scanned the sides of the many shelves. The first was labeled "AA-AM". The next, "BA-BO". He turned his head. Similar labels on the shelves on the other side. Hmm... Mulder tried to determine what the labels might be, and decided to investigate. He entered the hallway marked "MA-MN" and found himself staring at many dusty file cabinets. Opening one, he read through the names. Maas, Mabb, Mable... Dossiers. Government dossiers. He closed the file cabinet. This wasn't what he was looking for! He exited, and as he turned to head back to the previous aisle, the label across from him caught his eye. MO-MU. An idea came to him. Mulder looked to his left, then to his right. No one. Good. He ran, secluding himself in the darkness of the aisle. Maybe it was time to find out what the government thought about him. continued... From schirmer@uslink.net Mon May 19 14:40:15 1997 Subject: NEW: Broken III: In Pieces (3/5) From: schirmer@uslink.net -------- disclaimer in part one The X-Files: In Pieces by Josh Schirmer Chapter Two: Found The Pentagon 12:49 AM Alex Krycek had been the first to hear about the alien presence in the "Forbidden Hallway". Krycek had just been passing by the desk outside the chamber when a small, red light began to blink. He instantly knew what it meant, but the guard outside helped make it crystal clear. "Somethin' inside," the guard belched. "We were told to let it be earlier." Krycek needed in that hallway. He had to do his job. If Mulder got away without a fight, the Cancer Man would surely have his ass. And when Krycek demanded his entrance, and the guard turned him down, he became a little angry. Krycek had grabbed the guard and pulled him into the men's room across the hall. One silent shot took care of his problem. Half of the man's head exploded with the point blank shot. Krycek felt the blood smear across his face. But that didn't matter now. All that mattered was Mulder. That's how he had found himself here. In this dark hallway. He had never been here before, but had heard stories about it, and how everything secret, everything the government wanted no one to know about, was right here. But no Mulder. Krycek examined the rope hanging down from the removed skylight. Mulder would have taken it up if he had run. That meant he was still here. Somewhere. Krycek exposed his .44. Somewhere... * * * * Federal Bureau of Investigation Headquarters 12:51 AM The Cancer Man's cigarette had been snuffed in the fall. Skinner hovered over the elder man, the blood running from his nose. He clenched his fists tightly, feeling the anger he had exposed. It reminded him of his old days as a marine. When nothing could touch him. When he felt higher than God. Skinner was as surprised as the Cancer Man when his fist swung. He couldn't believe he would just snap like that. One stupid move, he thought. Now I've gone and screwed my career. Still, he agreed. It felt good. The Cancer Man grumbled after a minute or two, squirming on the floor. That was good, Skinner smiled. At least he hadn't hurt the Chain Smoking man *TOO* badly. Slowly, the Cancer Man began to push himself up, raising himself to his feet. He wiped the blood from his face, almost losing his balance as he stood up, and turned to face Skinner. "Touche," he said. Skinner's eyes were a glare, his clenched teeth hidden by his closed mouth. "Don't piss me off," Skinner spat. "Not ever again." The Cancer Man was still a little dizzy, but began walking to the door again, and evil grin donning his face. "Ahh, but you see Mr. Skinner," he snickered. "That's my nature." Skinner moved as the man came closer. He had nothing to say to him. The Cancer Man, however, turned as he walked out of the door. "Skinner, I admire your courage," he spat. "That's why you still get your job." He pulled out a Morley, and slipped it between his lips. "Just don't piss ME off again." Slowly, the man turned and walked away. Skinner just shook his head, glaring. * * * * Scully dreamt. For almost 24 hours, she had been in a state of nothingness; a state of silence. Over that time, many recounts of past events had gone through her head. She vividly pictured her graduation from Quantico. Her father's funeral. The death of her sister. The first time she met Mulder. Although saddening, those images kept Scully alive. That, and the help of Mulder's presence. She knew she could always count on him. And that was why, if she ever caught out of this state, she would have to... Another image flooded her brain, this one more real than the rest. Scully glanced around. The room was dark. There was nothing. Everything was hidden, withstrained in the shadows. Nothing. Then, the light. Scully looked around frantically. Small, grey silhouettes approached from every side. Although features were hidden, Scully knew what they were. She knew WHO they were. She remembered. Looking around, she began to make out the features of the approaching beings. They were small in height, shorter than most humans. Their eyes were large, their four fingered hands outstretched. Some carried needles and other tools. They were extra-terrestrials. The swarmed around her, grabbing at her, pushing their sharp instruments into her easy to penetrate skin. She opened her mouth to scream, but there was no sound. She tried to run, to escape these horrible creatures, but was somehow unable to move. Another silhouette approached. This one was much taller than the rest. Scully strained to make out details, to see who it was approaching, but before she could, the figure stopped. It remained hidden in the bright light, all features non-visible. An alien smell filled Scully's nostrils. It was one she had smelt before. It was easily recognizable. Where the hell was cigarette smoke coming from? * * * * 12:49 AM Mulder slid the file cabinet open. He rapidly scanned through each name, searching frantically for his own. Mudner. Muhhy. Mujs. Mulder. Mulder, Fox W. He slid the file out of the cabinet and lay it on the cold, gray floor. He opened it to find a picture of himself, his FBI identification photo, with a dossier beside it. He read the description to himself. "January, 89. Fox Mulder has been one of the most helpful agents, assisting in the capture of Monty Props during his service to the Behavioral Sciences Unit of Violent Crimes Section. He has become an important asset. It has also been discovered, however, that he could impose a threat to the government at a later date. "February, 92. Since debunking the so-called "X-File" project, Mulder's impending threat has grown immensely. Suggest "watchdog" to keep him in line. "April, 92. Agent Dana Scully has fulfilled her duty of keeping Mulder in line. She is the only one who can keep Mulder away from the truth." Mulder stopped reading. Impose a threat? Scully keeping me away from the truth? What the hell am I worth to be called a threat? Disgusted, Mulder flipped through the dossier. It went on for pages like it had, finally coming to filed reports and his thesis. Mulder sighed. This wasn't helping at all. He needed to get back to the other chamber. Maybe something of use could be found there. As he tipped the file to put it away, however, something fell. Mulder looked down to see a medium sized manila envelope on the ground. He bent down, bringing the letter to his face. Across the envelope, in big bold letters, was a message. MULDER -- OPEN IMMEDIATELY. * * * * 1: 01 AM The Cancer Man's car squealed to a stop in front of the Pentagon. Opening the door, he began his journey towards the door. Mulder was definitely inside. He could feel it. This is where the fun began. * * * * 12: 58 AM Mulder opened the envelope, sliding it's contents into his hand. A small stack of papers, and a medium sized box. That was it. Mulder was obviously confused. Why hadn't he gotten this before? Who the hell was it from? Why was it in his dossier? Slowly, he unfolded the papers. The first one was a hand-written document. Mulder read it aloud. "Mr. Mulder-- If you are reading this, it means you have already broken a number of laws. No doubt you have broken into the Pentagon, but also seen things no one of your rank should ever have seen. "It also, means, however, that the truth is still out there, and that you are getting desperate. Well, Mr. Mulder, the truth is in here. In this building, in these hallways, and even in your hand. "What you hold is an uncensored document and proof of extraterrestrial life. Inside the package you will find what you need." Mulder stopped. He slid open the box and dumped it's contents into his hand. A small, glass container held something amazing. Mulder's eyes went wide. It was a sample of the green liquid. He continued reading. "The document will explain everything. This is the proof, Mulder. The proof that the truth is out there. "'Deep Throat'." "And that's where it belongs. The truth, I mean." The sudden voice startled Mulder. He looked up. Approaching was a younger man, a gun pointed towards Mulder, with an instantly recognizable face. The mustache didn't change the look of the rat. "Krycek..." Mulder spat. "In the flesh," Krycek shot back. He continued approaching. "And I have orders to stop you with any goddamn process necessary." The gun clicked. Krycek came a step nearer, a bright smile on his face. "Say goodbye," he snickered. "Mr. Mulder." * * * * Where the hell was the smoke coming from? Why couldn't she move? What was going on? Scully began to panic inside of her head. It was like a really bad dream, only much more real. One that she couldn't wake up from. Her heart began to race. Faster and faster and faster until finally... ...Gone. Scully's body went limp. continued... From schirmer@uslink.net Mon May 19 14:41:15 1997 Subject: NEW: Broken III: In Pieces (4/5) From: schirmer@uslink.net -------- disclaimer in part one The X-Files: In Pieces by Josh Schirmer Chapter Three: Sliding Downhill The Pentagon 1:03 AM Mulder didn't dare move. Hidden within a dark corridor in the depths of the U.S. Pentagon building, Fox Mulder, ex-Special Agent, was on his knees, held at gunpoint. His use-to-be partner and friend, Alex Krycek, approached him, his false arm hanging dead at the side and the other, bandaged from a bullet wound, holding a .44 directly at Mulder's skull. Krycek began to step forward. "You see, Mulder?" he asked. "Do you see how the government works? They piss on the good American citizens and do whatever they damn well please. They hide what they think could cause a riot. They deny knowledge." Mulder began to sweat, hearing the click of the gun, signifying it's readiness to kill him in an instant. Krycek continued. "That's why the Cancer Man took me back; in fear I might expose something. And that's why he sent me to kill you; fear of exposure." Mulder quickly flung the green liquid up, exposing it in the moonlit section of the room. "You see this?" he asked. "You goddamn see this? This is it, isn't it?! This is the evidence that they're here, that you government bastards help them! This is the thing that could save Scully, isn't it?!" Krycek fell dead silent. "ISN'T IT?!" More silence. "If I'm going to die anyway, tell me! Let me hear the truth! That's all I've worked for! Just tell me..." Mulder spun the glass container filled with the green liquid around. "Just tell me if this is it." Slowly, Krycek brought his gun down to rest beside him. He walked forward, nearing Mulder. Then, the shot rang out. Mulder was as startled as Krycek. He rapidly checked his body. Had Krycek just shot him? Where was the enter wound? Mulder looked up to Krycek. Krycek gargled a little, putting his hand to his chest. As he pulled it away, it shining in the moonlight, Mulder sat wide eyed. The hand was draped in blood, soaked beet red. Krycek looked at his hand until he could no more; until his eyes rolled back, losing consciousness. He fell to the ground, not more than a foot from Mulder. Mulder stared at the body of Krycek. But not for long. Quickly, he brought his eyes to focus on the being at the back of the long hallway of file cabinets. The man spoke, "Unwise to lower your weapon, Krycek." Mulder knew the voice, but the image gave away the gunman immediately. He was of medium height and weight, and above his head, a cloud of cigarette smoke swarmed. The man picked the Morley out of his mouth, and upon throwing it to the ground, snuffed it out with his shoe. "You..." Mulder hissed, grabbing his piece from his side. He tried to speak again, but only managed to choke out another angry, "You...!" As the Cancer Man approached, Mulder noticed the evil glint in his eye. His face was expressionless, twisted and cruel. It was a face Mulder knew all too well... a face he hated. A face he despised. "Yes, Mr. Mulder, me," he hissed, pulling another cigarette from his pocket. "Why the hell are you in here... as opposed to being over there, rooting through what you THINK is extraterrestrial proof." "What I KNOW is proof," Mulder spat. The Cancer Man returned a snicker. Mulder was frustrated, and he jumped to his feet, pulling the gun out in front, aiming it at the elder man's skull. "You think I don't know?!" Mulder yelled. "You think I have no GODDAMN idea what you do? You think I don't know THEY'RE out there?!" The Cancer Man lit the cigarette. "Mr. Mulder, what do you think I do?" Mulder clenched his sample. The Cancer Man hadn't seen it yet, if he was lucky. "I know what you do. I know that the government's in on it -- Duane Barry... remember him?... He helped me see the way you do things." "Duane Barry was a deranged man, Mr. Muld..." The Cancer Man rasped. "An alien abductee!" Mulder interrupted. "Not deranged! I know it, you know it, the whole damn government knows it." For a moment, both stood silent. Mulder tasted the sweat as it ran down his brow. He clenched his gun tightly. Finally, the Cigarette Smoking Man spoke. "Where is your proof, Mulder?" Mulder felt his grip around the small, glass case tighten. "You want proof?" Mulder said through clenched teeth. "You want some damn PROOF?! I'll show you proof!" Mulder couldn't stop himself. He raised the glass container for the elder man to see. The contents shifted as he did, oozing throughout the protective case. The Cancer Man's eyes went wide. His mouth drooped, dropping the cigarette to the floor. "Wh-where did you get that?" Mulder's eyes were winced. He gestured with his head back to the manila envelope and document, now sitting on the floor, near Krycek's motionless heap. "From there," Mulder said. "From Deep Throat." "Deep Throat..." the Cancer Man said, his voice almost as whisper. Mulder nodded, then dropped the hand holding the green liquid. "Now, are you going to tell me what this green crap is? Or do I have to..." Mulder stopped, suddenly surprised. The Cancer Man moved fast, shooting his gun up to Mulder's head. Both were breathing heavily, sweating, only two feet apart, both ready to kill. For a moment, time stood still. Both men waited. * * * * St. Joseph's Hospital 1:06 AM "Ready?! CLEAR!!!" The surge of power went through Scully's body, but she was unaware of it. Her image, her realistic encounter, had pushed her too far. She couldn't take it any more; she was tired of fighting. And, for the first time in her life, she let go. The doctors swarmed over her like bees over a flower, grabbing miscellaneous tools and electric devices, running around, yelling at each other. "BP's crashing!" and another "CLEAR!" were two that stood out. Where had the goddamn cigarette smoke come from? * * * * Mulder breathed heavily, the gun ready to fire. The Cancer Man was doing the same. It had come to this. And it was time to act. In almost the blink of an eye, the tables turned. Mulder swung his foot up, knocking the gun out of the elder man's hand. The Cancer Man stood back, afraid. But Mulder wasn't done yet. With another quick swipe of the foot, the Cancer Man was on the ground, Mulder brooding over him. "Now," Mulder said. "We're gonna make a little deal." "And if I refuse?" The Cancer Man asked. "Well," Mulder smiled. "I hear Hell's nice this time of year." * * * * 1:14 AM Everyone rushed around the room in Scully's hospital location. They buzzed about, screaming at each other, unaware of the lone man who had just entered the door. He was surprised. He hadn't expected Scully would be in a near-dead state when he got here. Shit. The younger man approached, dressed like a doctor. He went undetected. Good. This would please the Cancer Man... As he approached, he yelled, "MOVE BACK!" The doctor's were startled by this sudden command, but did as they were instructed. Slowly, the young man approached the dying girl, listening to the whining "humm", reminding all her heart had stopped. Slowly, he reached out. His eyes rolled back as he placed his hands on Scully's forehead. The doctor's looked around at each other, mumbling curses of, "What the hell is this?" and "Who is this guy?" But the young man didn't care. Because he knew what he was doing was right. Following orders is always a good thing when your dealing with the Cancer Man. For a minute, the room remained silent. The man stood, putting pressure on Scully's skull, energy rushing through him. And slowly, but surely, nothing short of a miracle happened. Scully slowly began to open her eyes. concluded... From schirmer@uslink.net Mon May 19 14:41:57 1997 Subject: NEW: Broken III: In Pieces (5/5) From: schirmer@uslink.net -------- disclaimer in part one The X-Files: In Pieces by Josh Schirmer Epilogue The Pentagon 1:08 AM "I hear Hell's really nice this time of year." Mulder aimed the gun, point blank from the Cancer Man's skull. The elder man had been taken by surprise by the strength of this ex-agent, both in his beliefs and his foot. After all, Mulder hadn't slept in over 48 hours. The Cancer Man thought over what Mulder had just shot at him. It was something he didn't like to admit, but Mulder was right. It was time to listen, time to understand, time to... ...Time to expose the truth. The Cancer Man inhaled deeply, then removed the breath from his lungs by way of sigh. "Go ahead, Mr. Mulder," he gestured. Mulder came closer to the Cancer Man and bent down to meet him on the floor. Mulder brought forward his other hand and grabbed the Cancer Man's wrist. The Cancer Man only had one thought going through his head. I'm going to die. The Cancer Man winced as Mulder opened the elder man's hand. He waited for the shot; waited for his imminent death. Instead, he felt something small hit his hand. He opened his eyes and looked down into his palm. There sat the green liquid. Mulder closed the Cancer Man's hand, then stood up. "There," Mulder finally said. "Is your truth. Keep it. You can get the document from over there -- I didn't get a chance to read it." "But why, Mulder?" The Cancer Man asked, getting to his feet. "What brought on this sudden change of heart?" Mulder shook his head. "Don't get me wrong. I despise you," Mulder hissed. "I absolutely hate you. You know how to cure Scully's cancer, you know about each and every cover up, and you know where my sister is. And someday, I vow, I will get my revenge. "But not tonight." The Cancer Man nodded, once again taking a Morley out of his jacket pocket and lighting it. "You've got guts, Mulder. What are you asking in return?" Mulder sighed. "Scully's dying. We both know it." The Cancer Man nodded. "Take my cell phone, get someone on, and get them over there to cure her." The Cigarette Smoking Man protested. "But I..." "If you can't cure her, save her. Let her live for a while. She deserves that. She deserves MORE than that," Mulder interrupted. Once again, both figures stood silent. They stared into each other, exploring each other's deep secrets and emotions. After what seemed like hours, the Cancer Man nodded. "Anything else?" Mulder nodded. "Yeah. I want my job back. I want my X-Files back." Mulder drew his cell phone and gestured it towards the Cancer Man. Slowly, the Cancer Man took it from him and brought it towards his ear. As the phone began to ring, the elder man nodded again. "So be it, AGENT Mulder." * * * * In the moonlight, Krycek bled. The sun had begun to creep up as Krycek let out his grunt of pain. Slowly, the man pushed with all his might. It took every ounce of strength to get to his knees. He looked down at the hole in his chest. It was a mortal wound. Krycek rose to his feet. Anger flowed through him like blood. He would have his revenge. Someday, they would pay. Every damn one of them * * * * The Cancer Man held the green liquid in his hand, staring into it. Already he had torched the article in his fireplace. Now, it was time to dispose of THIS. How in the hell had Deep Throat actually found a real, live specimen. It was beyond the Cancer Man's knowledge. Slowly, he tipped the contained, watching the liquid spill into it's grave. "There," he cooed. "Now, maybe, you'll be out of my life forever." With a FLUSH, the liquid disappeared. The Cancer Man walked away. * * * * TWO DAYS LATER Agent Scully lay in bed staring at the ceiling. She had been through a lot lately, no doubt about that, and still had a lot of things on her mind. She wondered about the repressed memory she had called during her dreaming state, wondering if it had been true, that the Cancer Man had been there, or if the antibiotics had been playing with her. She wondered about a lot of things, but there was one thing she was sure of right now, and that was what to do about Mulder. As that thought came to her head, she was surprised to see Mulder walk through the door, carrying a bouquet of flowers. She smiled at him. "Hi," she whispered. "Hey," he said, sitting down. Scully looked at him. Although smiling, she could tell something was troubling him. "Mulder," she asked. "What is it...?" He sat silent. "Mulder?" He sighed heavily, then looked into her eyes. "Dana," he said. Once again, she was surprised to have been addressed by her first name. "I love you, don't get me wrong about that. You mean the world to me." Scully smiled. "But...?" "But..." Mulder began. Scully didn't let him finish. "But I can't compete with the X-Files. They'll always be your first love. I know that." Mulder smiled. "You mean...?" Scully returned the smile. "I'm not sure the Bureau would like it very much either. The last thing they need is another 'Spooky'. That's why we shouldn't see each other. Right?" Mulder nodded. "But how did you...?" Scully reached out and grabbed his hand. "Because I was thinking the exact same thing." Mulder held her hand, smiling. "I guess we aren't as different as we once thought, Mulder. I guess there's something in us that will always connect." For a moment, both stayed silent, wrapped in each other's moods. They stared at each other, both flashing huge smiles. For a moment, everything was perfect. Then, Scully brought up a new subject. "Mulder," she said, her smile fading. "I got a visit this morning from... from the Cancer Man." Mulder's eyes went wide. "And he told me everything. He said he figured I should know. Know that you sacrificed everything to try and save me." Mulder nodded. Scully's look was begging for an explanation. "Yeah," Mulder said. "But I knew it was the right thing to do, because you're the only friend I've ever had. You understand where I come from, where I get all of my crazy explanations. Keep your skepticism, that's what you're good at. Besides, no matter what... you believe in me." Scully sat there smiling for a while, before Mulder stood up. "I have to go," he said. "I'm double parked and they want me back at the office. I just wanted to see how you were feeling, that's all." Mulder walked to the door, and upon opening it, was faced with a question. "Mulder?" Scully asked. He spun to look at her. "Why did you do it? You could have known everything. You could have found Samantha. "Mulder, you could have had the truth you've wanted for so long." Mulder smiled, beginning to step out of the door. "I know," he called. He paused for a second. "That's what I was afraid of," he finished. Slowly, with a small wave, Mulder closed the door. fin Please, let me know what you think! Send any questions, comments, ect. to ! I can't wait to hear from you!