"Never For You..."  An X-Files Novel  - Chapter 19/23  -Deceptions - Pt. I
by  L. McCullen

-------------------------------------

[Deceptions]



Wednesday, March 14
Georgetown University Library Parking Lot
9:58 PM


The soft clicking sound of an semi-automatic Ruger P85 MKII being
cocked belied its inherently dangerous nature.  An older model
handgun, it was a favorite of Kevin Saunders.  Nothing exotic, nothing
special.  In fact as most semi-automatic weapons went, it was rather
generic except for the serial numbers which had been etched away
into oblivion.  The product of Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. of
Southport, Connecticut  its manufacture date went back several years
to the early nineteen nineties.  Purchased from a small gun and pawn
shop on a back country road in Alabama, he had received little
attention as another proud American utilized his right to bear arms.

Remembering that day long ago, he mused about the changing gun laws
in the country that now made his favorite gun illegal to buy.  Thanks to
the Brady bill and others, only people in law enforcement were now able
to openly buy the high capacity version of the .9mm he loved so much.
Fully loaded with the fifteen hollow-point rounds compared to
maximum ten rounds that today's semi-automatics were limited to,
Kevin Saunders fingered the safety into the white position, un-cocking
the hammer, lowering it safely down mere millimeters from the firing
pin.

The cold wind from the feigning late winter, March day blew in from the
barely noticeable crack that Saunders had left for the smoke from his
cigarette to escape.  These late night rendezvous with potential clients
always made him edgy.  Nervous enough to keep his weapon drawn in
hand, ready for use.  The tint on his Ford Explorer's windows would
insure his privacy if any campus officers from Public Safety were to
sneak a peek inside.

Noticing the hour of the agreed meeting time was soon at hand,
Saunders swept the lot again looking for the telltale signs of headlight
entering.  As expected and told, a plain looking sedan turned into his
lane with only the parking lights engaged, stopping short of
his sport utility vehicle.  From the passenger side, a shorter woman
with a trench coat a few inches longer than it should be, came his
contact.

The woman, he knew.  After trailing her and digging deep into her past,
he knew more about her than she probably knew about yourself.   Her
rap sheet was long enough, but not as long as her last name which
protected her in most circles, but not his.

The woman, obviously nervous, approached the passenger side of
Saunders vehicle and tapped twice.  Unlocking the door and re-cocking
his Ruger in the same motion, Saunders waited for the petite figure to
climb in.

After settling in, the woman slowly opened his coat and produced the
envelope Saunders was waiting for.

"Open it."

The female visitor, slightly puzzled, didn't hesitate to do as told.  Taking
the oversized brown envelope, he pulled back the flap and held it up for
Saunder's approval.

Saunder's took his left hand out from his coat to show his visitor that no
hasty moves should be made if he intended to keep his life.  With his
right hand, Saunders reached for the contents of the envelope.
Fingering the bills, he thumbed through the bundle making sure it felt
right and all importantly the remaining contents were consistent with
the top two bills.

Hesitantly, the woman dared to speak, with a peculiar accent no less.
"This is the second installment, as requested."

"I'll be in contact."

Seeking his eyes for permission, the woman made her way out of the
vehicle and  back to her own ride which sped away as soon as she was
in.

Saunder's sat back comfortably tucking the ten thousand dollars he had
just made for accepting his latest assignment safely into his coat
pocket.  This new client was so far impressive.  After spending
considerable time investigating his background personally and tailing
him from time to time, Saunders was convinced it was solid, even
without the references.  He had followed all his rules, met his
requirements for credit and had only a small favor to ask in return.  Push
a few buttons of some guy who wasn't playing ball with some heavy
hitters.

Never having actually met the subject of his agenda, Saunders had
heard of him. You weren't much of an intelligence officer for the CIA if
you hadn't heard of he FBI agent known as 'Spooky.'  Kevin Saunders'
mentor had told him much about Mulder and how one day he may be
a valuable resource.

It was obvious someone else thought so too.


*************



Saturday, March 17
Annapolis, Maryland
7:46 AM

Jogging along his new neighborhood the past few weeks, Mulder
discovered that moving in with Scully had more than a few benefits he
hadn't anticipated.  The area was much friendlier to the morning runner
with sidewalks and the park down the street.  Following his routine of a
longer run than normal on the weekends, he spied the basketball courts
in the park, empty now, but filled my mid-afternoon.

On his way back, Mulder stopped running about a block from home
giving himself time to cool down and catch his breath.  Re-entering the
apartment quietly, he didn't want to wake Scully, who liked to sleep in
on Saturdays.  Hearing the shower being turned off he relaxed and
started to peel his sweaty clothes off.  Just as he entered the
bedroom, Scully was coming from the bathroom with a towel over her
head.

Knowing, she hadn't heard him come in, Mulder snuck up behind her
and pulled her robed body into his.  "Morning, Scully."

Jumping a bit from the surprise, "Jesus, Mulder.  That better be you or
you're going to be sorry."

Pulling tighter, "What if it wasn't?"

"I am a doctor remember?.......oh, Mulder?"

"Yeah?"

"You really smell bad."


Down the street...
8:26 AM


In an unmarked Explorer, Kevin Saunder's listened to the subject of his
latest assignment through the laser-equipped parabolic microphone as
he dictated notes into a micro-cassette recorder.  Finding Mulder's new
address had come with some difficulty,  considering he had just moved
to Annapolis.

      <<Subject returned from morning jog as usual.  Today he ran a
little longer - could be a weekend thing.  Confirmed that he is now living
with his former partner, Dr. Dana Scully.  Search database for her
records as well.  No real threat of security measures being used, if
detectable.>>

After listening a few more minutes at idle conversation, Saunders fired
up the engine of his truck and sped away eager to move on to his next
location where he would continue noting the daily routine of his next
subject.


**************

9:26 AM

Making his way from the bedroom after changing, Mulder smelled the
aromatic whiff of fresh caffeine.   Finding Scully engrossed in the
newspaper, he went about pouring his cup of coffee and stuck a bagel
in the toaster oven.

Several minutes later, the soft ring of the appliance startled Mulder out
of his meditation, prompting him to find the cream cheese in the
refrigerator.

"Oh, Scully.... what am I going to do with you?   Light cream cheese?"
He wrinkled his nose to her.

Realizing she hadn't said a word since he entered the kitchen, "Scully?
Everything all right?"  By this time Mulder was looking over her
shoulder to see what she was so interested in.   Spotting the latest
installment of the column devoted to Trent Rogers and who he was,
Mulder pulled it from her grasp and closed it while throwing it in the
trash.

"Mulder!  I was reading that!"

"Don't do this, Scully..."

"Don't do what?" She said looking completely innocent.

"I'm not going to sit around here and wait for some bomb to be dropped
about me or my father..... I can't let you do it either."

"There was still no mention...."

"You don't get it do you?  I don't care..... not anymore."

Her jaw set in control of her emotions, "You know, this might affect me
too."

"And that's exactly why I don't want you reading about ......"

Completely baffled by this latest word of Mulder-wisdom, she waited
for him to continue.

"If there is something  printed in there, we'll have no idea if it's true or
not.  The fact remains someone will be trying to use my father and
possibly me for their own agenda....... I'm not going to play their
games anymore...."

"As much as I would like that to be the case...... I don't think their going
to give you a choice...  give us a choice."

Seeing his pained expression as she hit on his worst fear, "Mulder,
Rogers gave you that key for a reason.  And whatever it is .......
someone, whether it was actually your father or not, wants you to
use it."

Rising from her chair, she approached him as his eyes studied the floor
while he had  backed himself up against the counter with his hands
planted flush on its top.

Standing as close to him as possible, without touching, she looked up
the shorter distance than normal to search his face for the feeling she
had heard in his voice. In a softened tone, "This isn't like you, Mulder.
You've never been....."

"What?  Afraid?  Is that what you think I am?"

Exasperated, "I don't know..... are you?"

An interminable silence echoed throughout the kitchen as he
confusingly told her 'no' with his head as it shook back and forth, but
'yes' with his eyes.  Eyes that couldn't bear to see what else his father
might have done to insure his safety and purpose.

"In all the time I've known you.... you've never been one to shy away
from the truth... to find the answers that you sought.  It was all you
lived for....    I don't want to see you get dragged through this again
either, but I fear if you... if we try to avoid it..."

She didn't have to finish for him.  He knew what she was saying.  The
fear of the unknown was the greatest fear of all.  Not knowing what
they would be dealing with used to be a daily event, but the end.... an
end was always in sight if not in reach.

Therein lay the greater tragedy.  After years of steadfast belief, after the
enormous sacrifices made, they had already learned the extent of deceit
these shadowy men had been capable of, shattering those beliefs and
nearly the man she loved.

Mulder had literally been created.  His life constructed to be used as an
asset in the greater scheme of plans once fostered through a code of
silence and oppression in order to secure a future for the few.

"I just don't know what this is about...... and yes, Scully... that scares
me.  I thought all this shit was over with."

"So instead of facing it head on..... you just want to ignore it.... hope it
goes away?"

A whisper of a grin edging up the corner of his mouth, "I guess that
was the plan."

Letting her eyes shut, she dropped her head and let her still damp hair
fall over one side of her face.  She felt relief that his use of the past
tense signaled his changing mind.

"You know...... whatever it is.... whatever he did or didn't do..."  Scully
lifted her hands to his chest covering the area where his heart rested.
"this can't touch you.... this can't touch us...."

Lifting her hands from his chest to his face he kissed them and closed
his own eyes as if he were offering a benediction to the woman, the only
person that had ever cared about him and who he was.




**************


Wednesday, March 21
Presidential Campaign Headquarters
Downtown, Washington D.C.
11:48 AM

John Campbell rested his weary legs behind the makeshift desk that
occupied his makeshift office relishing in the glow of his victory.  The
nomination he had sought after for so long was know clearly his.  After
the incumbent President had declined to run for re-election, fearing the
ensuing public landslide against him, Campbell had fought for his
party's nomination with token resistance.  The fifty-three year old
thought over the road he had taken for him to arrive at this point and
said a quick 'thank you' to the forces in his life that had gotten him
there.  Political parties in the landscape of politics that now ruled
Washington post "IRSHAM" were a different animal.

Campbell had made his way up the ranks as a Senator from a thriving,
southern state that had once made him a Governor. Campbell had
successfully maneuvered his way into insuring his constituents would
be employed, supported, and looked after if not by design, but by
fortunate events.  His strong charisma and personality were his greatest
assets, he knew, not his politics.

As in the case of so many Presidential elections during the past twenty
years, this was what his opponent feared the most.   A good public
relations job, a few well place ads, the media succumbing to his small-
town ways and Campbell was as good as in the White House.

Stopping to read all the bi-lines that heralded the reasoning behind his
overwhelming dominance in all of the primaries thus far, he didn't think
to read the other articles dealing with his leading contender once the
primaries were over.  Just like his future competitor's most recent wins,
Super Tuesday in the south had been a dog-fight for  Trent Rogers and
California looked to be just as tough.  Campbell leaned back in his chair
wondering what the Oval Office would be like to walk downstairs to
everyday.

Thinking aloud, "How could I never want this?"


*************


Capital Soup Cafe
Downtown, Washington, D.C.
12:36 PM

As she raised the spoon to her mouth to blow on the scalding broth,
Scully spied Mulder out of the corner of her eye while he read the day's
special edition of the Washington Post.  Dealing with nothing but
election results and 'spin' from those trying to interpret the results to
their advantage, this was the second time Mulder had started over from
the beginning, scanning every paragraph, sentence and word trying to
find some evidence of Rogers warning.

Since Saturday morning, Scully had backed off from the subject that
was all too soon becoming the focus of their lives.  Mulder's obsessive
behavior wasn't something she was unfamiliar with, but the fact he was
avoiding the most intriguing lead they had was driving her to a slow
death.

Wondering if he had ever purposely been obtuse about a piece of
critical evidence before, she shoved that thought from her mind as the
image of a frozen vile of her ova sprang to her mind.  If he had been, it
was to protect her, knowing full well what kind of risk to their
relationship it might bring.

In a bizarre way, the fact that Mulder would go to such lengths to
shelter her from unnecessary pain would always endear him into her
heart a little more than she would like to admit, even to herself.

"Mulder, there's nothing in there..... I read it myself."

Ignoring her comment, he turned another page.  Releasing a heavy
breath full of disappointment, Scully realized his investigative mode was
turned on again to the position she knew full well as 'overdrive.'

Mulder had heard her, he was just unsure of what to say.  He knew that
key he had been given was quite possibly the clue to unraveling the
mystery set before them.  Scully had gone back to slowly eating her
soup trying to forget the oncoming catastrophe if he didn't relinquish
his fears about his father's past.

Folding the paper, he stuffed it down in the space next to him on his
side of the booth.  Scully was obviously deep in thought, looking out
the cafe window into some unknown point in space as he examined her
demeanor.  As she would raise the spoon, full of the hot liquid, she
would press her lips together to eloquently breathe a cooling wisp of air
on the contents.  Stopping only for a second to perform this chore, she
would then take the spoon between her lips, followed by a dab of her
napkin resting in her other hand she kept in her lap.

By built-in reflex, Mulder reached for her right hand as it left the spoon
momentarily to find her glass of tea.  Surprised to be the center of his
attention all of a sudden, she lifted her eyes to catch his own as they
closed.

"You might want to take a Polaroid because I'm about to do something
I rarely, if ever, do."

Cautiously unsettled, "What's that?"

"I'm about to take my own advice and step away from this situation."

After another moment of self deliberation, "If...... if we're going to
figure this out, I can't lead this one, Scully.  I'm going to need you to
take over. I'm not the rational one here."

Grasping his meaning, she stroked her thumb over the back of his hand.
Smirking, "You never have been."

Relief that his message had been received, "So Agent Scully, what
would you propose be the first course of action towards solving this
case."

Pushing her soup bowl aside, she placed her other hand on top of his.
"My first course of action is the course of action 'we've' been avoiding."
Again with the 'we' instead of the 'you'  or 'I,' thought to himself

"Unfortunately this will have to be done on our own, seeing as this isn't
anything the Bureau or VCS is interested in.  Do you think 'our friends'
would help us out with the uhh...... 'key' aspects of this case?"

Catching her deftly used pun, "They would do anything for us....
especially Frohike."

Recalling their last visit to The Lone Gunmen's clandestine hangout, she
couldn't help but feel relieved again that Frohike was genuinely happy
for them and how their relationship had survived that tumultuous year
apart.  Remembering him using her given name for the first time ever,
his heartfelt words to her after the New Year had been rung in made her
think of him in a different light.

'Dana, I'm so glad your back in his life.  With you gone, we felt like we
had lost apart of ourselves also.'

Despite the aura of perversion he liked to facilitate, Melvin Frohike
summed up her feelings in a moment of clarity that she would never
forget.  The subsequent kiss to his cheek was something he would
never forget either.

"Well then...... I'll run it by their place this afternoon on my way to
Quantico with Holland.  Do you think they would mind Larry tagging
along.  I'm sure he would get a kick out of meeting them."

Not too surprised the key he had given her for safe keeping was
somewhere convenient, "I'll call the guys to warn them."

A stern look from Scully caused Mulder to reexamine his words.  "Warn
them about Holland, not you."


*************


Offices of The Lone Gunmen
3:46 PM

Standing outside the office door in the back alley, Scully looked up into
the hidden video camera she knew was there.  After pounding on the
door a few more times, "Hey, Frohike!  Open the door, it's raining out
here."

As the last words left her mouth the monotonous routine of one of the
inhabitants from this clandestine hole in the wall began to unlock,
unlatch and unsecured the metal door before Scully and Holland.

Looking over to her former partner, now subordinate, Scully held up
her fingers to show him the number nine.  Sure enough, after counting
down silently, nine locks were unfastened to reveal a short, spectacled
man with a wide grin on his face.

"Frohike," she said pushing past him to enter the lair looking for the
other two.

"Why Agent Scully.  To what honor do we owe this visit for today?"





END of "Never For You..."  Chapter 19/23  -Deceptions-  Pt. I

"Never For You..."  An X-Files Novel  - Chapter  19/23  -Deceptions -  Pt. II
by  L. McCullen

----------------------------------

Ignoring his flirtatious looks, "Frohike, this is Agent Holland, a friend
of Mulder's and mine."

Holland who had been captivated by the inner surroundings of the
place finally settled his eyes on the smaller man and shook his hand,
before going back to his enraptured observance of all the equipment
and technology surrounding and adorning the walls.

Seeing Holland's mind was some place else, Scully saw an opening.
Standing closer to Frohike than usual, she placed her arm around his
shoulder and led them away from Holland.

"Frohike, I need a favor."

Perking up, "Always at your service.  What can I do for you, Dana?"

Arching her brow to Frohike at the use of her first name quickly
disarmed the forever charming man who never knew how to stop.
"Uhh... sorry... Agent Scully."

Nodding her head in appreciation of the proper way to address her she
continued on with her persistent admirer.  Spying a look back at
Holland, Scully lowered her voice just above a whisper.  "I need you to
keep Holland.... occupied while I talk to the other two...... speaking of
which .. where are they?"

"Oh, they're in the back arguing over a new surveillance photo of Dealy
plaza."

Shaking her head in at their continued fascination of JFK's assassination,
"We need you guys to do a little research for us.  I don't want Holland
to know exactly why."

"Then why did you bring him?"

As she walked away from him towards his two dubious cohorts, "Better
check your subscribers list, Frohike.  You might be surprised to find
out who some of your fans are."

As Scully found her way through the entangled and perpetual mess of
the place she could hear the bickering between Langly and Byers from a
distance.  The beeping and burping of technology she had never seen,
nor ever wanted to know about sat idly by waiting to be played with by
one of its masters.

"But it has to be the head shot.... just look at the angle."

"Normally I would agree with you, Langly, but....."   Byers stopped
short of continuing as he caught the presence of someone unfamiliar in
the back recesses of the office.

Both of them just staring at her made her a bit self conscious.  "Don't let
me stop you guys..... keep going."

Throwing a look to Langly that said they would continue this
discussion later, Byers dropped what he was doing to give his full
attention to Scully.  "Agent Scully.  So nice to see you.... to what do we
owe the pleasure?"

"Mulder's not gone off and done something stupid again has he?"
Langly interjected.

"No, surprisingly nothing lately."  After all these years, Scully could
play their game as well.

"What can we do for you today, Agent Scully?"

Byers formality always put her at a little discomfort.  "Actually there is
something that Mulder and myself would like some unofficial help
with."

"Oh, really.  And when exactly has it ever been official?"

Ignoring Langly's comment, Scully slipped her hand into her coat
pocket and handed the key to Byers.  "This is something personal,
guys.  No case involved."

Examining the key suspiciously, Byers handed it to Langly for his
inspection.  "What exactly is this, Agent Scully?"

Releasing her held breath, "We were hoping you could tell us.  All we
know is that it was given to Mulder.  When he received it he was told it
could unlock some of the mysteries of his father's past."

"That's it?"

"Yes, Langly.  That's all."

"Who gave it to him?"

Pausing a moment to consider if it were wise to tell them, she decided it
would be a wise decision if they were to find out what they were hoping
to.  "Trent Rogers."

Slack jawed, Byers was definitely startled by the answer while Langly
didn't seem the least bit surprised.  Conspiracies of any magnitude never
seemed to faze him.

"We want you guys to find out everything possible about the key.
What it goes to, whom does it belong to, where is it we can use it.....
everything..... no matter what it takes."

Glancing back to Langly, Byers understood her completely.  "No
problem, Agent Scully.  We'll get right on it for you."

"Thanks guys.... oh and tell Frohike I'm sorry for sticking him with the
baby sitting detail."  As she left, Byers saw her retrieve Holland and
understood what she was referring to.


*************



Greenwich, Connecticut
Friday, March 23
7:46 AM

Waking up to another day, Teena Mulder fought off the sleep and tired
to place herself in the early morning hour.  A beam of sunshine falling in
her bedroom window, she rubbed her temples wishing the morning
headaches she routinely got would go away quickly.

Settling herself for a moment, she draped her legs over the edge of the
bed in anticipation of her morning shower.  Today would be longer than
most, she remembered suddenly.  A few errands to run,  an old friend
she had to see in the hospital and a dinner with her neighbor that night
would provide more activity than she was used to at her age.

Since her stroke, her doctors had warned her about too much exertion
of physical or mental activity.  This would probably be the busiest day
since coming home from Christmas after spending the holidays with her
son.   Recalling those fond memories of Dana and Fox, she thought
about giving him a call later tonight to see how they were doing.

Secretly, she had suspected they were living together since that
Christmas visit or at the very least, spending most of their time together.
Staying with her son at his place, they had visited Dana's apartment for
Christmas day.  She couldn't help but notice how relaxed Fox was at her
place and how comfortable Dana seemed with them there.  Seeing
them share the goodnight kiss when they thought she was in the
bathroom ended the speculation.

Finding her way into her own bathroom this morning, Teena started the
water in the shower stall and waited for the water to heat up as she
readied herself by taking off her night clothes and retrieved her terry-
cloth robe.

A few minutes later she stuck her hand in the stall to feel the
temperature and adjusted the dials accordingly.  About to step in, the
phone rang.  Cursing slightly under her breath for the disruption she
made her way to the phone on the nightstand.

"Hello?"

Nothing but an empty line greeted her.  No dial tone, no reply, just dead
air.  Replacing the hand-set to the cradle she shook it off and returned
to the bathroom.


*************

J. Edgar Hoover Building
Conference Room #2
11:42 AM

The section meeting was in full swing and close to winding down as the
lunch hour approached.  Scully sat next to Holland and her other
charges as they listened to SAC Hastings give final instructions on a
case that would involve a joint task force with the D.E.A.  Hastings had
been recently promoted with the departure of West to another field
office.

Mulder sat across the table from her and fidgeted while chewing on a
sunflower seed he had snuck past her.  Coming up every few minutes
with a new one, Scully wondered where he hid his seemingly limitless
supply of his favorite oral fixation. `Well, maybe second favorite,' she
thought to her self sheepishly.

As if on cue by some psychic force, Mulder chose that moment to look
at her, curiously noting a tinge of color creeping into her cheeks.

A loud knock at the conference room door interrupted the SAC.
Looking up to see Holly from communications, in a frustrated manner,
he let her come in. He knew better than anyone she would not be
bothering them if it wasn't something important.

Shyly, "Sorry to interrupt sir, but I have an important message for
Agent Mulder.  If you could excuse him for a minute."

Mulder looked up to SAC Hastings for permission to leave.  After
seeing the approval, he looked to Scully warily, wondering what this
could be about.

Leaving his things, Mulder got up and headed to the door where Holly
was still waiting.  After exiting, Scully continued to watch them through
the blinds as they talked in the hallway.

"Agent Mulder, we just got a call from the Greenwich PD."

A look of disheartening fright settled on his face in mere seconds of
hearing the word Greenwich, knowing it could only involve his mother.

"I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this, but your mother was found at
her home.  She died early this morning.  A neighbor found her.  I'm so
sorry."

Shock settling onto him, Holly looked more upset than he did for a
minute.  He had known this day would come.  The day when all the
family he had ever known would be gone forever, he just never expected
it to happen this way.  His eyes watered slightly at the thought of his
mom being gone forever.

Holly placed her hand along his arm to give him some comfort.  His
smile made her feel better as he covered her hand with one of his.

"Thanks, Holly.  Tell them I'll be there this afternoon."

Retreating  up against the glass window separating him from the
conference area, he ran a hand through his hair and regained some
composure as Holly left him to his own thoughts.

Scully had seen the whole interaction between him and Holly and was
disturbed at what she had seen.  The look on Holly's face coupled with
Mulder's posture told her the news had not been good.

Mulder re-entered the conference room with his head down and went
back to his chair where, instead of sitting back down, he grabbed his
jacket and files in front of him all the while unaware of the room staring
back at him.

"Agent Mulder?"  Jeff inquired.

Suddenly aware his name had been called, Mulder looked up.  "I'm
sorry, I've got to go home.  My mother...... she just passed away."

The slightly audible gasp from Scully prompted Hastings to look in her
direction.  Back to Mulder, Hastings made no attempt to hide his own
concern.

"Of course... please take whatever time you need."  Checking his watch
he decided it was time to break anyway and excused the rest of the
agents from the meeting as Mulder just stared blankly at Scully sitting
across the table.

Janice Ryan was sitting at the far end of the table with other members of
the D.E.A.'s group involved in the task force.  Although she had never
personally met Scully, she recognized her from the photos she had seen
in Mulder's apartment.  With most of the other agents filing out of the
room, she made her way to where Mulder was still standing.

Seeing his friend Jan approach him, Mulder looked over to Scully.
Blankly, Mulder introduced the two lost in his thoughts. "Janice Ryan...
I would like you to meet Dana Scully."

Recognizing the name as the "Jan", Mulder had often spoke of, Scully
quickly got up to exchange greetings with the mysterious woman she
had always been curious about.

Taking her hand, Scully could see her own concern for Mulder mirrored
in Jan's expression.  "I had hoped to meet you someday, Janice.  It's nice
to finally meet you in person."

Seeing Mulder's faraway look, Jan glanced back to Scully,  "Me too and
under better circumstances."

Mulder was on a different planet, let alone the same room.  Unaware of
the significance of Scully and Janice meeting for the first time, he held
his coat in one hand while gazing into the distance.

The mutual regard for Mulder was evident as both women saw a part of
themselves in the other.  Janice turned to Mulder and put an hand along
his arm.  "I'm so sorry Fox.  Please let me know if there is anything I can
do."

Glancing back to Scully, Janice made a motion with her eyes for her to
walk with her towards the door.  Throwing a careful look back to
Mulder to see if he would be all right, Scully walked with Janice.

Putting her own arm around Scully, Janice looked  to her and spoke
with her heart as usual.  "Dana?"

Surprised a little by Janice's forward nature, "Yes?"

"Here's my number.  Call me to let me know about the funeral
arrangements.  I would like to be there for the service."  Janice
produced a business card and quickly wrote an alternate number on the
back where she could be reached in case of emergency.

"Of course...... Jan?"

"Yes, please call me Jan."  The two women smiled at each other
knowing they both had a little more in common than they had suspected.

"Fox is going to need all the friends he can get now."

Nodding her head in agreement.  "It was nice to finally meet you Jan.
I'll call you from Greenwich tonight."

Jan left the room with a bittersweet smile of her own and disappeared
amongst the other agents and people in the bullpen area.

Turning back to see, Mulder she walked to him, standing as close as
she dare without touching him.  Looking up all she could see was the
loss in his eyes.  Eyes that held no light and spoke of only tragedy.
Looking down at her, Mulder had made no move since picking up his
coat.

"You're all I have left now."

Overcome by her own emotions by his heart-wrenching words, Scully
threw away the rules of professional conduct and cautiously wrapped
her arms around his waist burying her face in his chest.  "I'm not going
anywhere, Mulder."

Feeling him fight for a breath of clean air over his tears, she felt him
squeeze tighter as if to reassure himself of her words.

Pulling back to see her own reflection in his eyes, Scully looked at him
with such love and understanding as she remembered how comforting
he had once been at the loss of one of her own parents.

"Come on, Mulder.  We can catch a flight to Greenwich this afternoon."

Mulder closed his eyes in silent gratitude for her.  Not caring how it
looked, she grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the room and into
the bullpen area where some of the agents had gathered around to show
a sign of support after the word had spread.

Stopping at her desk to pick up some belongings, she found a note from
SAC Hastings informing her she had some vacation days saved up if
she wanted to take some time off in the 'near future.'  She smiled at the
note recalling how understanding Jeff had been to them over the past
few months.

Picking up the phone she made a quick call to Holly asking her to call
her mother and inform her of the situation.  Holly took her instructions
and expressed her condolences again, wishing for them to be safe on
their trip to Connecticut.


************

Garden of Reflection
Parkway Cemetery
Boston, Massachusetts
Monday, March 26
11:12 AM


The weekend had been difficult and dreary.  Expecting to find out
Mrs. Mulder had died of another stroke or other health related problem,
Mulder and Scully were in disbelief at the crime scene which they were
greeted with upon arrival.  The revealing sign of yellow crime scene
tape that surrounded the front door to his mother's home was a sight
neither were prepared for.

Finding out  she had been murdered in cold blood was even more
difficult to imagine.  A .9mm slug to the back of her head along with the
apparent lack of motive indicated a  murder for reasons yet to be
determined.  All weekend long, Mulder couldn't understand who would
want to kill an elderly woman who was failing in health anyway.  The
senselessness of the crime was only outweighed by the loss of the only
living relative he had left.

Catching himself from falling back into the stupor of depression he had
spent most of the weekend in, Mulder tightened his grip on Scully's
hand as he listened to the minister read words from scripture for his
mother.  Looking down, he could see Scully reciting the familiar
passage under her breath with unshed tears filling her eyes.  Before them
an open grave with the casket suspended above it, ready for the final
descent, spoke of the finality of the event.

Looking around, Mulder saw the other long faces that accompanied his
and saw those most important to him and his life.  Mrs. Scully had
arrived on Saturday afternoon to help with arrangements.  Janice had
done the same Sunday afternoon along with Byers and Frohike a few
hours later.  Langly had chosen to skip the service citing a disbelief in
funerals, but had sent along his condolences just the same. Assistant
Director Skinner had volunteered to represent the Bureau and had made
the trip this morning.  A few other non-descript relatives, some he
hadn't seen in many years, had also made their way to Boston for the
modest funeral service.

Choosing to be buried along side her ex-husband, Mulder found the
request comforting as he thought peacefully about his mother's
unconditional love.  Although his parents had not seen eye to eye in
the later years, he was always sure that the love was there.  It had just
been misplaced by the deeds of others with larger forces pulling the
strings of their family's  future.

The service ending, Mulder spoke to those who had filed by him and
Scully to pay their respects.  A sorrowful Margaret Scully held him for
several minutes as she spoke words of comfort that no one else could
seem to offer.  A few minutes later Janice, heartbroken at the sight of
Mulder, kissed him gently on the cheek and wiped away a few more of
his tears.  Finding the instant rapport with Scully again, Janice also took
her into her arms urging her to "take care of Fox," realizing the words
were unneeded, yet comforting to say.

As the cemetery emptied, the two of them stood there for a few last
moments noting the surrounding headstones.  Settling his gaze to his
father's, Mulder couldn't remember the exact details of when he had first
seen it.  Sometime after he and Scully had returned from New Mexico
and a few weeks after the funeral of Scully's sister.

"There was always so much left unsaid.  So much we endured......"

Scully looked up to Mulder, unsure if he was talking to her or his
mother's casket.

"I tried for so long, Mom.  I know I never told you, but I promised you
that one day I would find Samantha...... and I would bring her back...
that I would fix what was broken...."

Scully's grip tightened on his hand a little more.  Urging him, giving him
the strength to say his peace.

"I'm sorry that I could never do that for you, but I tried........ and I hope
somewhere... you will know exactly how much I did try.  Find your
peace.... find your peace with Dad.... and don't hate him for what he did.
I don't........ I don't think he was given a choice in the matter."

Standing there is silent communion with his mother one last time, "I
love you, Mom.  Don't ever think I didn't."

The men from the cemetery who had come to finish the final
preparations for the grave signaled it was time to leave.  Scully
squeezed his hand and tugged one final time.  Unable to go just yet,
Mulder brought his free hand to his lips and then placed those same
fingers he had just kissed to rest on the top of his mother's casket.
Whispering his love to his mother one last time, he turned to see
Scully's bottom lip quivering, as tears finally fell down her face
unrestrained.


*************

I-95 Southbound
South of Philadelphia
4:23  PM


Hovering just a bit over the speed limit, Kevin Saunders kept a constant
vigil for others who might be following him.  He had just left Boston a
few hours ago intent on getting as far away as he could from the scene.

That his business brought him into contact with death on a constant
basis was nothing new.  The fact he was called on to bring about
death wasn't his favorite idea though.  The money was good, the job
simple, but the heartless acts he had perpetrated in his life would haunt
him to his own grave.

The follow up visit to Boston that had been requested was a little
unusual, but this client had been anything but typical.  Hiding out in
Boston since his visit to Greenwich earlier in the week was convenient if
not downright eerie knowing the final resting place for his victim would
also be on her way there.

The sharp trill of his cell-phone broke through his thoughts.

"Yes."  Saunders answered.

"Did it go as planned?"

"Considering she's dead and Mulder is upset.... I would think you
should be happy."

"Did you send the note?"

"As requested."

"Very well.  We'll be in contact if further assistance is required."

Hanging up the phone, Saunders wondered if 'further assistance' would
ever not be required.  It hadn't yet.  The small deeds of his client weren't
often called for, but they were increasing in their occurrence and
intensity.


*************

Delta Airlines
Flight 647 to Washington D.C.
8:23 PM

Characteristically for Mulder, he had passed out on the plane ride home.
It wasn't a long flight, but the weekend in Providence and today in
Boston had seen him grab less sleep than normal.

After the service Mulder and Scully  retired to a local hotel where they
had spent the afternoon making some preliminary arrangements for the
closing of Teena Mulder's estate.

The will had been read without little surprise considering Mulder had
helped her re-draft it after his father's death.  The estate left to him was
modest, but substantial.  The house in West Tisbury with her residence
in Greenwich that had been set up for her by his father along with some
stocks and a smaller savings account was all that would be left of the
Mulder family estate.

Scully sat back in as relaxed a state as possible.  Airplanes had never
been her favorite mode of transportation, but over the years she had
learned get used to it and at times enjoy its convenience.

About thirty minutes from touchdown the captain came over the
intercom to relay mindless details about the city of Washington and the
gate numbers for connecting passengers.

The crackling, unintelligible voice woke Mulder from his slumber.  The
forty or so minutes he had spent asleep made him feel a bit more
refreshed than he had expected.  Looking over to the window seat he
felt Scully holding his hand stroking it softly as she looked out into the
night sky watching the lights from the ground make funny patterns to
those in the air looking down.

Turning his head more to the left, he could see her two smaller hands
covering his own lulling him into a relaxed state.  Hearing him move
around a bit, Scully turned back to her right to see Mulder was indeed
awake smiling tenderly at their joined hands.

"Hey."

Mulder's eyes rose to meet hers.  "Hi."

Both stared at one another for a long minute trying to find the
appropriate words realizing what was being said between them with
their hands was all that was really required.

"We almost there yet?"

"Yeah, we should be on the ground in a few minutes.  Did you sleep
well?"

"As well as you can in these contraptions they call seats.  Next time I'm
booking us first class seats."

Amused at his tone.  "Really?  I never knew you to be the big spender."

"Oh I'm not.  I.. I just thought I could stick you in the overhead."

A few years earlier, a different time and place would have gotten him a
stern look for such a comment, but with the past few days events, she
was willing to let him have some fun at her expense if it could get a
smile to his face.  At the moment a small smile from hers would do the
trick.

"Don't tempt me, Mulder.  It might be more comfortable than this."

Seeing that she was doing her part to make him feel better, Mulder
turned serious and picked up their hands holding them between their
faces.  "Nothing could be more comfortable than this."

Demurely smiling for him, Scully thought back briefly to the long day's
events.  "You know, Mulder.  You were right about Janice.  I do like
her."

"There's not a whole lot to dislike."  Thinking briefly about the day
himself, he continued.  "I wish you could have met sooner and not in
this way."

"At the very least, I'm glad you met her when you did, Mulder.  I can
see how some of her ways rubbed off on you."

Straightening up a bit in his chair, "Oh?"

"Yeah, she really seems to be open with herself ......towards others.   I
know I've never been able to be like that, but it's a refreshing change to
see in some people."

"So you think she's the one who finally slapped some sense into me?"
He asked mischievously.

"I think in a way, she slapped some sense into both of us."


END of "Never For You..."  Chapter 19/23  Pt. II

"Never For You..."  An X-Files Novel  - Chapter  20/23   -Testaments- Pt. I
by  L. McCullen

--------------------------------

[Testaments]




The affirmation of one's fears goes a long way to procuring new fears in
the enlightened age.  The ones that haunt your inner soul, knowing you
can never fully escape what you fear, can only serve to fuel your
passions in one of two ways.  Both being lethal to your existence yet
separately rewarding in insufficient ways.  Going forward to face those
fears or shying away.  The ultimate conclusion being that of hope or
despair in search of the way through it.


J. Edgar Hoover Building
Washington D.C.
April 3
2:12 PM

Back to the usual work-a-day grind, Scully was out of town for the past
few days on a case.  Boredom setting in, Mulder had plenty to think
about as he organized his thoughts when he got back to work.  Going
back and spending several days in Connecticut during the past week, he
was close to settling his mother's affairs.  Her house in Greenwich
would be sold along with the furnishings.  He decided to hold onto his
father's house in West Tisbury deciding with the support of Scully that
it would provide extra income as well as a nice retreat.  The houses in
Quonochontaug and Chilmark had been sold  well after it had been left
to him by his father a few years back even though most of his fond
memories of him and Samantha resided there.

Returning to work he found himself behind, but thankfully not too much
had piled up except his unopened mail since last week.  After avoiding
the daily filtering through of junk mail and other pieces of assorted
pieces of information, Mulder grabbed the stack and pulled out the
trash can from beside his desk ready to dispose of the usual bits of
garbage.

Sifting through the usual pieces of mail, he stopped at the sight of a
smaller envelope with a hand written address.  Seeing the postmark was
from Boston he ruefully thought it was another note of sorrow and
support for him.  Feeling better about the events of the past two weeks,
he opened the letter with no return address, curious to see who it was
from.

Inside was a smaller piece of paper with an address on it.  The address
was for a First National Bank of Palmetto, located in Charleston, South
Carolina.  Having never heard of such a bank nor having ever visited
there, Mulder flipped back over the envelope to note the postmarked
date.



*************

FBI Field Office
Salt Lake City, Utah
11:20 AM PST


Examining a specimen under the powerful microscope, Scully
carefully took notes into her cassette recorder noting several minuscule
details that she had been looking for on the piece of human tissue.

"The specimen is lacerated on the surface with smaller metallic looking
flakes......."

Interrupting her train of thought, her cell phone trilled loudly in the
quiet lab causing more than a few of her colleagues to jump as well.
Taking off her latex glove she quickly hit the talk button.  "Scully."

"It's me, Scully."

"Hey, Mulder.  You know, Salt Lake City is not a bad place to be
transferred.  You wouldn't believe the scenery out here."

"Well you might just wish you had taken that transfer after I tell you
what I found today."

"Yeah, what's up?"

"I received a present in the mail this morning."

"What?"

"An address to a bank in Charleston, South Carolina."

"What's in Charleston, Mulder?"

"I couldn't tell you if my life depended on it.  I've never been
there.  How about you?"

"One time as a little girl, but that was years ago on a family
vacation.............  Mulder?"

"Yeah?"

"What are you not telling me?   Why is the address of a bank in South
Carolina so important all of a sudden?"

"Honestly, I don't know.  It's what was on the envelope that has me
concerned."

Instead of asking the question, she let him continue, knowing he knew
her curiosity was piqued.

"It was postmarked from Boston........ the same day my mother was
buried."

"It could just be a coincidence, Mulder."

"And Elvis could really be dead."

"And your point is what, Mulder?"

"I don't think I have one yet.  I was just wondering if and when you
would be back here."

"Why?"

"I want to take a trip down south."

"Well, I'm supposed to catch a flight home tomorrow night.  If you want
I can switch it to Charleston and meet you there."

"Sounds good.   I'm going to be with the guys tonight.  They called to
tell me they found some info on our 'key' piece of evidence."

Silence filled the line as Scully wanted to tell him to wait, but knew he
wouldn't.

"Listen, Mulder...... give me a call tonight no matter how late it
is.  I want to know what's going on."


Moments later....
Outside the FBI Field Office
Salt Lake City, Utah

Dialing the number in his cell phone that were becoming increasingly
familiar, Saunders rolled up his window and collapsed the small antenna
on his digital receiver while waiting for his client to pick up.

"Hello?"

"It's Saunders."

"What do you have for me?"

"Well, he bought it."

"Did he?"

"Yes he just got off the phone with his former partner, Scully.  He's
heading for Charleston tomorrow night."

"Good.  Did he mention the key?"

"He made a vague reference to it about having some guys looking into
it.  He might have some outside help working on it for him."

"Excellent.  He's ahead of my plans already.  I hoped I wouldn't have to
use more drastic measures in persuading him to cooperate."

"You don't think having his mother killed is drastic?"

"Only a necessary evil to facilitate my plans.  If he had taken the hint
months ago, I might not have had to take such those measures.

 "Does this mean the Scully woman is to be involved further?"

"I hope it doesn't have to come to that, but if things don't go
the way I want them to she may be useful.  I want him to cooperate, not
retaliate.  Past instances where she has been used against him have
always proven unfortunate to those electing to take that road..... so it's
not a first option."

"Then why have you sent me all over the country following her?"

Saunders recurring feeling of paranoia was resurfacing as usual.  Ever
since that day he had posed a drunk watching his new client, he had
gathered as much information on him as he had been instructed to on
Mulder.  Keeping your friends close and your enemies closer had been
a way of life as a CIA operative that specialized in "wet" assignments.

"I thought she would be the one Mulder went to in order to find out
more about the key, but it seems I was wrong.  I need you to get back
here and find out who he is using.  I need you to monitor his progress if
this is to work."

"I see."

"No you don't ..... but I guarantee it... one day you will."

Hanging up the phone, Trent Rogers pulled out another Cohiba and lit it
impatiently.  He would have to get more forceful if the impending
situation didn't resolve itself as he had so assiduously planned.

Across the country, Saunders hung up the phone and fingered his
keyboard looking at the surveillance photos of the woman he had tailed
that day almost a year to today's date.  She had covered her accent well,
but not well enough for one who was familiar with Georgia.  The former
Soviet republic of Georgia.

To himself, Saunders thought boldly.  'But you see Mr. Rogers..... I
understand more than you think.'

*************

Offices of The Lone Gunmen
7:42 PM

"Mulder, you really need to lighten up buddy.  She's only been gone a
few days"

"Ahh, but you see Frohike.  A few days without Scully is like
experiencing a few years of your lifetime."  Mulder shot back.

Perking up, "Do tell, Agent Mulder.  Wait, let me get my tape recorder
ready."

"In your dreams, Frohike."

Waiting for the other members of this ultra-paranoid group of men to
show up, Mulder and Frohike traded comebacks and stories to kill the
time.  In a few short minutes the other two returned from the local
corner deli with their unhealthy looking dinner.

Tapping Mulder on the shoulder, Langly handed him a bag.  "Here,
Mulder.  We know you haven't had one of these in a while."

"Oh dear God.... not a cheese steak from Gelmen's"

"Oh yes.  Loaded too.  Tell me your lady let's you have these."

Mulder's lack of response prompted the other three to barely hold in
their laughter.

"Don't tell me she has you whipped already?"  Frohike asked while
trying to hold down his grin.

"Hey!"  Mulder shot back to him with a warning.  Grinning himself for a
split second, "You would kill to be the whippee."

Another round of laughter between him and the other two put Frohike
in his place for the time being.

"So Mulder, what's with this key?"  Byers held up the aforementioned
object and passed it back to Mulder in a small ziplock bag.

"I don't know... you tell me."

"So far, using descriptions, database and Internet searches we've come
to the conclusion it was manufactured by Graves and Bower Inc.
sometime in the fifties.  It appears to be a key that goes to a lock box...
maybe even a..."

"Safety deposit box?"  Mulder asked with a sense of dread.  Since
finding the address to the bank, something told him that the key was
somehow related to the letter.

"Man, I knew you were holding out on us.... what gives Mulder?"
Langly was slightly perturbed.

Pulling out the note to give to him, "I didn't suspect it until this arrived
today."

Handing the note to Byers and Frohike, Langly turned to his laptop
and started typing away furiously.  The other two looked at each other
with a sense of wonder that gave Mulder some concern.  "What.... what
is it?"

Turning back around to face him Langly answered. "We suspected it
would be a safety deposit box so we tracked down some lot numbers we
found on the key."

Picking up where he left off, Byers continued.  "It seems the company
who made your key has been out of business for a while now."

Mulder sighed in frustration fearing they had met a dead end.
"Damnit."

"Actually it's good news my friend."  Frohike offered.  "The fact they
don't make these anymore made it easier for us to trace the banks where
the cabinets were sent to.  We were able to narrow the list to about
seventy banks that still had them in use.  Most of them are older banks
located here on the east coast."

Langly had busied himself again on his laptop, tapping the down arrow
key in a rhythmic pace.  "Hey ..... where's that note?"

Byers handed it back to him while looking at the screen.  Immediately
the two looked at each other, then to Mulder.  Turning his laptop
around to face Mulder, Langly held up the note next to the highlighted
record on the screen.  "There you have it, dude."

The address in his hand and the one on his screen were the same.  A
sinking feeling came over Mulder with the implications that the
information alluded to.


*************

Annapolis, Maryland
11:33 PM

Sitting in the darkened living room, Mulder's mind was in high gear.
The key, Rogers, the envelope, his mother's mysterious death.  After
talking to the Greenwich P.D. last week, they were ready to close the
case and mark it unsolved due to the extreme lack of evidence.  One
slug, pulled from his mother's head, was all they had to go on.  It was all
coming in a little too close for comfort.

The phone ringing behind him startled him from his thoughts.  Finding
the cordless phone, he hit the talk button.  "Mul.. Hello?"

"Mulder, it's me."

"Hey, Scully."  He said in a disheartened tone.

"Mulder?"

"Yeah?"

"What's wrong?"

Stretching his legs out on the couch, "Everything."

"That bad?"

"Well, I'll let you decide.  The guys found what the key belongs to."

"Let me guess...a safety deposit box at the bank you were sent the
address of."

Smiling to himself at her resourcefulness.  "I told you, you were
psychic."

"I just thought I was smart."

Dryly, "Don't forget beautiful."

"After your call I got to thinking.  The key was very distinct looking, I
don't know why I didn't think of it sooner.   Then when you told me
about the bank.... things just fell into place."

"Well I'm glad things are falling into place for someone....."  The
obvious question hung in the air between them.

"Mulder.  I don't know how this is connected to your mother, but
Rogers did say they would stop at nothing to get this information and
expose him."

"But, why kill my mother.  Why not Rogers... why her Scully?"  His
raised voice radiated the irritation of the whole predicament.

Exasperated, "I don't know.... maybe they thought she had the key....or
whatever information Rogers has ....."

Sighing another long breath, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you....
I'm just so sick of this crap!"

"I know, Mulder, but we have to stay focused if we're to find out why
this is happening."

Releasing a deep breath, Scully could hear Mulder on the other end
doing the same.  "Are we still on for tomorrow night?"

"Yeah..... I've got the guys searching records.  I'm hoping they can hack
into some old records and tell me exactly who rented the box and for
how long."

"You don't think it was your father who rented the box?"

Pausing a second before continuing, "It's possible.... but something tells
me `Dear ol' Dad' didn't hide away the family secrets in a small South
Carolina town."

"Well, my flight arrives at 5:30.  When will you be there?"

"A little before that.  I told Hastings I would be taking some more time
to close the estate.... so it wasn't a total lie."

"Okay.  Get some sleep.  I know you're going to be up all night
wracking your brain with this, but you need some rest if we're going to
do this."

"I know..... I just wish you were here.... I would sleep better."

Closing her eyes imagining the same idea, "Don't worry, I am with you."



*************


Marriott Inn
Charleston, SC
Thursday April 4
9:32 PM

After settling into their room, Mulder and Scully sat across from each
other analyzing the data that the Lone Gunmen had been able to provide
so far.   The Gunmen had faxed the material to Scully's laptop.
Needless to say, the information was not making sense.

"Okay, we see that this bank hasn't rented many boxes in the past ten
years and the only one that matches the serial number sequence that
compares with your key was rented almost two years ago."

Taking her glasses off, Scully rubbed her eyes with the heel of her
hands, trying to keep her eyes open.  She had gotten as little sleep in
the past twenty four hours as Mulder had.

"You know what that means, Mulder?"

"Yeah...... Rogers certainly didn't get the key from my father.... not
unless he dug him up."

Tapping her fingers lightly across the keyboard of her computer at his
morbid thought.  "Well.... if he wasn't suspicious enough.... he certainly
is now."

"Scully....why would he lead us to information that could possibly
damage his campaign...... and why the hell are we in South Carolina
trying to find out?"

Focusing in on his last question, a sudden thought occurred to Scully.
Picking up her room key and putting on her shoes she stuck her hand
out to Mulder.  "If you have some change on you, I think I can tell you
why."

Looking at her like she had become the eighth wonder of the world,
Mulder dug into his pants pocket and came up with several dollars in
change, mostly quarters and newer one dollar coins that had been
recently approved by the mint.  The bronze looking coins were still new
enough to look out of place, but life without them was almost becoming
unbearable.

Taking the offered change, Scully leaned down and kissed his cheek.
"Be right back."

Whisking out the door, Mulder stared back at he screen of her laptop
looking for something he may have missed.  Some crucial clue as to
what was going on here.  It was becoming clearer by the minute that
they had been summoned on this chase, but for what cause was still not
determined.

Arriving back a few minutes later, Scully held a couple of cans of soda
along with a pack of sunflower seeds absconded from the vending
machine down the hall.  Seeing his favorite snack he looked at her
curiously.

"Scully I know seeds help me think, but I don't think they hold the
answers I'm looking for."

Shaking her head wordlessly, Scully pulled the day's local paper from
under her arm where he hadn't caught sight of it yet.  Plopping it down
on the table, it unfolded to the front page where in bold type it read:
CAMPBELL A LOCK FOR PARTY NOMINATION.

"There's your reason were in South Carolina, Mulder."

Reading the article, Mulder soon figured out why himself.  Campbell
was the former Governor for the state.  Who was most likely to be the
guy running against Rogers after the summer conventions?  Campbell.
How and where would damning information be kept against Rogers?
Charleston, hometown of the former Governor.

"This still doesn't make sense though..... why would Rogers point us
right to where the information was if he knew where it was all along."

"I think the question we should be asking here, Mulder is how does he
know where it is if the box is only two years old?"

"How else indeed...... unless he planted it?"

"What did you once tell me?  To believe the lie you have to live it?"

Interlocking his fingers behind his head, Mulder tipped back and
descended into all of the possible scenarios.  His eyes shut he ran over
the ideas about what was in there that could be so important for him to
find.  What was his connection to all of this.  This was starting to look
like a poor man's Watergate...... and maybe that's what he was meant to
find.

"So.... what's in the box?"

Morosely looking back to Scully, "If my worst suspicions are correct,
we'll find something that brings Rogers history into question."

"You still think he's not behind all of this?"

Letting the chair back down and staring at her, "No.... if my
worst suspicions are correct, he is most definitely the one behind all of
this."




END of "Never For You..."  Chapter 20/23  -Testaments-  Pt. I

"Never For You..."  An X-Files Novel  - Chapter  20/23  -Testaments-  Pt. II
by  L. McCullen

-------------------------------

Marriott Inn
3:53 AM


After finally getting to sleep just a few hours before, Mulder and Scully
had decided not to speculate any more until they had confirmation of
what was in the box.  Spooned behind Mulder, Scully's arm draped
across Mulder protectively as if even in her sleep she could keep them
safe.

The sharp trill of his cell-phone shook both of them awake.  Groaning at
the intrusion Mulder groped blindly into the darkness and found the
soft glow of the keypad from his phone.

"Mulder.."  Almost coherent.

"Sorry to wake you dude, but we have something that just couldn't
wait."

"It better be good Frohike.....I won't be able to keep Scully from
shooting you if it's not."

Not responding to one of Mulder's usual comments, Frohike's silence
brought to light the serious nature for which he was calling.

Taking the lead on the other end of the speaker phone, Byers spoke up.
"Mulder, using a beta version of some tracing software a hacker friend
of ours wrote, we traced the payments for the rental of  the box in
question to one Marko Leskosev."

Mildly amused, "And?"

"Mulder.. this dude is Russian Mafia... very bad karma, man,"  Langly
chimed in with.

"Oh wonderful... maybe I'll be able to get a good deal on some Vodka."

"No can do.  Dead men don't deal with the finer things in life very well."

"Really?  If he's dead why did you bother calling?"

"It might have something to do with where his body was found."

Knowing the answer before Langly could offer it, a bad feeling settled
over Mulder.  Mulder knew well from his time in the VCS that members
of the Mafia who were found dead were usually found for a reason.

A message.

A notice.

To their own.

To rivals.

To anyone in their business.

"Just thought you would want to know, Mulder.  He's got a rap sheet
longer than most perps you regularly deal with.  If you want we can
search the Bureau's computers for a file on him.  If you're being
watched, they might be tipped off if you pulled it."

Scully was starting to stir next to him while he finished with the guys.
"Yeah, do it. See who you can link up with him.  Who was his boss and
what kind of `work' he was into."  Hanging up, he rolled back over into
Scully's side and held her closer.

"What's up?"

Looking at the clock, "Unfortunately we are..."

"Mulder?"  She used her questioning tone that she normally reserved
for Mulder when she knew he was holding out.

"Nothing much...... just whoever rented the box is some dead Russian
Mafia guy found here in Charleston a year or so ago."

Sitting up in bed, Scully turned on the light next to her side of the
bed.  "And that doesn't bother you?"

Shielding his eyes from the blinding light, "Not at this particular
moment..... turn off the light... come back to bed.

Relaxing a little at Mulder's seemingly unflappable attitude, she hit the
light off and crawled back down.  Resting onto his chest, she listened
for his heartbeat trying to detect any concern that he wasn't showing.
Sure enough it was slow and steady as usual.  Pulling the covers tightly
around them she drifted off as well figuring like him, there was nothing
they could do about it right now.


*************

First National Bank of Palmetto
Charleston, SC
9:12 AM


Catching a southern style breakfast, Scully was sure she could hear
Mulder's arteries hardening as he scarfed down biscuits, ham and eggs
along with grits and pancakes.  Sticking to her normal slice of
cantaloupe and grapefruit, they finished in time to make it to the bank
just as they were opening the doors.

Following the older gentleman into the vault, he produced his set of
keys and matched the one Mulder had given him to the one on the
master key ring kept in the banks safe.  Inserting the master key in with
the corresponding key held by the assumed renter, the bank manager
turned them both and slid out the long metal box and handed it to
Mulder.  He guided them both over to a side room where he instructed
them to come get him or the guard when they were finished.

The small viewing room was just big enough for both of them to stand
up and place the box on the small table built into the side of the wall.
Less than a table, it was really just a shelf.  Staring at the box solemnly,
Mulder could feel  Scully's reassuring gaze as she took his hand in hers.
With his free hand, Mulder pulled up the thin metal top to reveal a long
manila envelope that had been bent and shaped to fit snugly into the
box.  Not very thick, but not thin, Mulder took the envelope and handed
it to Scully.

Checking to make sure the door was locked he nodded to her, silently
asking her to get the show on the road.   As he feared the papers and
grainy photographs he pulled out confirmed his suspicions.  Trent
Rogers and Bill Mulder together embracing, shaking hands and looking
like long lost friends obviously conducting some sort of business.
Other photos had Rogers sitting and conversing with unknown
subjects.  Subjects that Mulder thought looked a little too familiar.

"It's a setup..... we've been setup Scully."

Looking through the documents that described meeting places and
events along with the damning photos, Scully wasn't seeing what he
was referring to.  Without having to ask, Scully looked up at him
wanting a clearer understanding.

"Rogers..... he set us up.  He killed my mom .... and God only knows
what else."

"I'm sorry, Mulder, but I just don't see the connection.... if anything he
looks like he's the one who's being setup."

Counting on her ever present logic, he smiled to her.  "You see.... that's
what he wants us to think......  the problem is he didn't count on us
finding out his plan before he could enact it."

Shaking her head at Mulder's persistently backwards thinking, "Okay,
I'll bite."

"No...not here.... we have to get out of here... now."

Mulder quickly stuffed the envelope's contents back into the manila
folder and tucked it into the back of his pants under his coat.  "When
we leave here, make sure you look sad... I mean really depressed."

"Won't be too hard considering I'm in the dark as usual."

Seeing the underlying hurt in her eyes, he couldn't afford to elaborate
here.  "I promise, I'll fill you in when were alone."


*************

Marriott Inn
11:22 AM

Before stepping into their room, Mulder held his finger to his lips
making sure she wouldn't say anything more out loud to whomever may
be listening in.  Using the card key, he unlocked the door and let them
in.

Before she could turn around, Mulder grabbed her shoulder and
whipped her around into a deep kiss,  "Join me in the shower....."  For
several more minutes, they stood there kissing and necking as they
both started unbuttoning each other's clothes.  Unsure if this was for
someone listening in or not, Scully didn't seem to mind the attention,
especially after their seperation the past few days.

Whispering into her ear, "Sorry to put on the floor show, but I'm sure
were being watched.... at the very least listened to."

His whisper was so faint she could barely register it over the pounding
of her heart as blood rushed throughout her body quicker than normal.
Pulling her hand, Mulder led her to the bathroom where he started the
water and waited for it to heat up.

Stepping inside the shower stall, he wondered why he hadn't tried this
before at home.  It wasn't as if they didn't have a shower stall.  They
had a nice one with a built in seat in the corner.  The sound of the
shower along with the overhead fan would drown out any listening
devices that may be present.

"Mulder, if you wanted to keep whoever guessing we could have just
turned up the television."  The mischievous tone of her voice told him
she was just as turned on as he was.

"I would have, but then I wouldn't have had the chance to do this."
As quickly as he finished, he had pulled Scully under the shower spray
causing her to shriek at the hot water hitting her cooler skin.

Pulling him along with her under the nozzle, Scully took the opportunity
to shower his chest with light kisses.

"God, I missed you."

Leaning down, Mulder found her mouth again.  Tugging, pulling,
pushing at each other, Scully felt the heat rise up from her center as
Mulder's hands held her head to his.

Mulder slowly let his hands drift down her shoulders along her arms.
Scully had taken her time kissing all along his face and down his neck.
Dipping lower, Mulder embedded his face between her breasts unable
to decide which one to go for first.  Once he found the right one, he
opened his mouth and sucked in as much of it as possible.

Lost in the sensation of the moment, Scully could feel the throbbing
impulses of blood finding it's way to her core.  "Mulder... yes."

Close to his own breaking point, Mulder stood back up to his full
height.  Gliding his hands around to her back he started at the shoulder
blades.  Scully looked up to see why he had stopped only to see the
twinkle in his eye.

Before she knew it, Mulder's hands slid down her back, over her
buttocks and settled halfway down her thigh.  Nudging her back against
the tile wall, he lifted her gently above him.  Looking down to Mulder,
she urged him to let her slide down to where they wanted to be.

Holding on, with her arms wrapped tightly around his neck, Mulder ever
so slowly let her descend onto him.  The surreal feel of another human
inhabiting her was exhilarating.  Knowing, seeing, and feeling that it was
Mulder defined the essence of the moment.  A moment always savored
as they returned to a place reserved only for them, for as long as they
would both live and breathe.

Throwing his head back,  the sensation of being in her again always
brought him close.  The feeling of her so tightly clenched around him
would cause him to stop his movements.  Gasping for breath, Scully
tipped his head back down to find his mouth.  Mirroring his actions, she
let her tongue roam around freely inside him as well.

Lost in her mouth, his body obeyed a sub-conscious command to move
his hips.  Stroking against her gently, his lips found her glorious neck.
Her face turned to one side to give him better access, he pinned her
head against the cold tile with the bridge of his nose.

A sharp thrust into her punctuated his burning desire that was slipping
from his grasp.  With Scully flush against the side wall, Mulder pulled
his hips back and thrust into her hard.  A whimper of pleasure escaped
from Scully,  "More, Mulder.... more .... like that........ yes.."

Taking her cue he repeated the plunge into her.  Again..... harder......
faster....... again....... a  little more.

Scully rubbed the back of her head against the tile wall as Mulder
rocked into her harder and faster with each thrust.  All kinds of
random thoughts running through her mind.  The predominant ones
being that they should really take more showers together and the need
to find more interesting positions like this one.  She had uncovered a
hidden talent.

Concentrating on her own moans and gasps of pleasure, she felt her self
coil up in preparation.  She held onto the edge as hard as possible, until
she let go and stepped off into the sharp, almost electric tingle that
coursed throughout the rest of her, radiating from below.

Feeling her orgasm, Mulder held himself inside her, enjoying the
contractions of her body around his.   As they dissipated, he resumed
where he left off closer than ever.   Hearing the gentle words of the
woman in his arms urging him to continue on, Mulder felt himself
unwind the moment she said his name.  Her voice was always the end of
him.


*************


Coming down was such sweet sorrow.  As Mulder lay on his back on
the bathtub floor, Scully shielded him from the spray of the shower.
Nestled closely on top of him, she burrowed her way into his chest alive
in the afterglow of one of the most intense orgasms she had ever felt.

"Jesus, Mulder..... you been working out behind my back?"

Mulder laughed at himself too, wondering where he had summoned the
energy for that little stunt.  "Like I said before... you've always been my
strength, Scully"

Scully rolled her eyes.  "Now if we can only do something about your
pillow-talk."Another playful dig at his propensity to say something
incredibly sappy at the strangest times.

"Speaking of which, I think we came in here for a reason..... besides the
obvious one that is."

Leaning down, without any great pleasure, Mulder killed the mood by
enlightening Scully as to his thoughts about the plan Rogers had in
mind for them.

Pulling back without a question, Scully started to see what Mulder's
mind had put together.  Admitting he was right was still not easy for her
to do, but she had seen his leaps of illogical estimations come true one
time to many for her to discount his theory without more proof of what
he suspected.   "You think he's had this in mind all along?"

"I don't know ...... but I wouldn't be surprised.  If what he's doing this
for is what we think....he may very well have started late..... and needed
some help."

The desperate thoughts of what Rogers could be planning clouded her
mind Mulder pulled her closer.  They lay there under the shower
long after the water turned cold feeling the parallel sensation to what
they had just formulated was the true purpose of their involvement.


*************

I-26
Driving towards Columbia
2:45 PM


After checking out of the hotel, Mulder went to the local rental car
office and acquired a new car.  One he could pick out, himself.  The lady
behind the counter gave him a long look at the peculiar customer, but
obliged him anyway.  Afraid that the car they had gotten earlier was
bugged, Mulder made up a complaint to the lady and switched vehicles.

The quiet inside the car was only because of the storms raging in the
minds of it's two occupants trying to piece together this puzzle.

"Mulder, I see your connection, but ...... I just don't quite see the motive
to kill your mother.  You know... it still could have just been a
coincidence."

Mulder looked over seeing that Scully was only doing what came
natural to her.  It was her rational thinking that had brought him back
and saved  him so many times.  "Yeah... it might be a coincidence.... a
really bad one, but I just ..... Scully, you know what I think of
coincidences."

Thinking aloud, Mulder let her in on some more of his depressing
thoughts.  "I think it was probably a case of setting in motion two
different agendas.  He could erase the only living proof of his false
claims and get me involved.  That note I got.... that note was sent for a
reason.  He knew exactly what buttons to push."

"Well it's obvious this guy knows a lot about you and exactly what
buttons it takes........"  A horrible sensation fell over Scully as she
seriously considered her own words.

The biggest button that Mulder ever had was herself and she knew it.
They had used Scully time and time again whenever Mulder was being
led around for some insidious purpose.

Noting that Scully had trailed off and was deep in thought, Mulder too
considered her last words.  Now that his mother was dead and Scully
was by his side...  Margaret Scully.  If they had gone after his mom they
surely wouldn't stop with Scully's either.

Taking out his cellphone, he didn't wait to discuss this with Scully.
Quickly dialing the number of the Lone Gunmen he waited for it to pick
up.

"Lone Gunmen."  `Byers, thank God.'  Mulder thought to himself.

"Byers listen to me ...... get up to Baltimore right now and get Scully's
mom.  Get her packed for about a week long stay and escort her to San
Diego.  Use alias's, cash.... whatever...just get her there without anyone
knowing."

"What's in San Diego?"

"Her son... Scully's brother.  He lives on a military base.  It might be the
safest place for her right now.  She might be an easy target if the people
we're going against need another.... button to push."   Looking over to
Scully, he could see her wheels turning just as fast as his.

"But, Mulder, if these people are as dangerous as you think, they would
know where to look.  San Diego would be too obvious."

"Maybe so, but I just need a little time.... hopefully they won't have
enough time or energy to look for her."

Thanking Byers again for his help, he hung up to see Scully staring out
the window of the passenger side.  Biting on her thumbnail, she was
trying not to understand what was happening.

"Scully?  Scully.... look at me."

No response was forthcoming.  The interstate they were on was narrow
and old.  Fearing he might get distracted  he pulled off onto a gravel
shoulder and parked.

"Scully.  I really feel that they wouldn't go after your mom, but I just
want to be safe.  I just want to be careful."

Opening her door, Scully got out and slammed the door shut mumbling
a curse word or two under her breath.  'Oh what have I done now,'
Mulder asked himself.

Stepping gingerly out of the car, Mulder walked up to her slowly.
Desperately wanting to hold her or touch her in some way but not
daring to.

"I know you, Mulder."  Shaking her head, he thought he heard her
chuckle.  "You wouldn't have sent her to San Diego if you didn't think
there was a chance of it."

Sensing his closeness, Scully turned around to face him.  Looking up at
him with the silent tears streaking down her face.  "Mulder, when we
get to Columbia, I'm booking a flight to San Diego...."

Mulder's mouth fell open a bit, but he didn't protest.  Hearing her use
the word I instead of the usual we stood out most prominently in his
mind.

"Scully....if they're watching us then they will know where to
follow you......"

".....I've lost a sister and a daughter and you... you've lost everyone ...
your whole damn family to these assholes.... these men who think they
can control the world....... there is no way in hell I'm losing my mother...
not after all we've been through!"

"I'm going there to protect her.  No one will know better what to look
for if they are tracking her."

"Scully, what if they want to go after you instead.   I just...."
Mulder bit off his words before what was racing in his mind spilled out
of his mouth.  He had just inadvertently given her more ammunition for
getting away from him.  As far away as possible.

"Go ahead, Mulder.  Say it..... SAY IT, DAMNIT!"  Scully said through
clinched teeth.

Caught up in the moment, "I JUST WANT TO PROTECT YOU!
All right?  Are you happy now?"

Slowly and deliberately, Scully chose her words carefully. "Mulder, I
know where this is coming from.   It's coming from the same place it
always has."

Stepping closer to him.  "But I'm not her.... I'm not Samantha.....  let me
go, Mulder.  This guy is playing mind games with you."

Mulder wanted to say something, but stopped at the look of deep
compassion that was in abundance in her eyes.

"No one will know I'm going there.  If Byers can use an alias... so can I.
With a field office nearby I can get Skinner to offer around the clock
protection if I need it..... but Mulder... I need to be there...I need to be
there this one time for my family..... and for you."

Closing his eyes, he held back what he was about to say.  It would seem
manipulative and downright hollow in light of his own recent loss.
Instead he nodded his head slowly and headed back to the car.  A few
moments later, she rejoined him.


*************


Columbia Regional Airport
Columbia, SC
4:39 PM

After calling SAC Hastings to inform her of her mother's recent illness,
she used up more of her vacation time.  She called Byers back to inform
him of her plans to meet them in San Diego.  All the while, Mulder
silently made his way to the ticket counter and bought two tickets.  One
to D.C. and one to San Diego.  One under his name and one for Scully
under her alias, paying cash for hers.  A flash of her FBI credentials
silenced the airline ticket agent into overlooking  the mistaken name.

Approaching her gate, Mulder carried her laptop and carryon with him.
The first boarding call for her flight was announced.  Dropping her own
carryon by her side she turned around to face Mulder for the first time
since that dirt road somewhere along the way.

Looking into his eyes, she willed him to understand her motivations.

"For so many years, I was under the misguided notion that I was
holding you back and then you made me understand I was the one who
kept you going.  This time, however, I can't be there.  Not if you are to
see this through without it taking everything from you.....everything
from us."

Mulder, who had remained silent, drank in her words.  "You put me in
charge of this one and as your ASAC, I need to be elsewhere.  You get
him, Agent Mulder. You stop him from using you and your family to
destroy what we worked so hard to protect all those years when we
were partners."

"As your partner in life and in love, I'm doing this to insure that what
you might find will keep us together.  More than anything, I would like
to be right by your side when you take him down, but you know as well
as I do if something ever happened to me or my family, you would never
be able to forgive yourself...... that's why you sent Mom to San Diego....
and that's why I must go there too."

Seeing that some of it was starting to sink in, Scully wiped a tear from
her cheek and continued.  "As you told me one time.... do this for
yourself, if not for us.  Let me go now....and you concentrate on
Rogers.  This is something that only you can do."

Mulder's eyes were full of admiration and wonder.  The corners of his
lips drawing into a faint smile.

"When this is finally over, I'll be there.....and promise me to remember
this one thing, Mulder."

Palming his cheek gently, she wanted this to sink in, "If it were never for
you."  Her head shook back and forth,  "It was always you, Mulder....
always you."

Beyond words, Mulder's kiss mixing their tears was full of so much
meaning.  Holding her tight, he lifted her off her feet and held on tightly.
"I promise you, Scully."

The final boarding call was announced and Mulder gently set her back
down.  Looking back up to him with a smile that mirrored his, Scully
had a sudden idea.  Carefully finding the clasp to her chain that held her
cross around her neck, she took it off and handed it to Mulder.  "It's
always showed you the way before....why not now?"

Profoundly touched, Mulder held the cross in his palm remembering the
other times he had found it.  This time was different, however,  because
she was offering it to him.  The symbol of her faith was now her
symbolic faith in him.

Shaking his head, he placed it back in her hand.  "No, keep it.  If this has
shown me the way....... then I need it to lead me back to you."

A kiss to seal his promise was interrupted by the attendant coughing
loudly at the door, urging her to board the plane.

Slowly pulling away from her lips, Mulder whispered in her ear.  "I love
you, Scully."

The soft smile of Dana Katherine Scully lit up his heart.

"I know you do, Mulder."

Picking up her bag she walked to the ramp leading her away from
Mulder and to her family.  With a quick wave back she handed her
boarding pass to the attendant who had taken in the whole scene.  A
brave and cheerful soul, the attendant couldn't resist asking.

"Mrs. Hale?  I take it that was the husband?"

Scully thought to herself about all the times they had been mistaken for
a married couple before.  At more perilous times in their relationship
how they had scoffed at such a notion.  One time even throwing it in his
face as he lay in a hospital bed not long ago.

Scully realized in that moment that maybe their union was that obvious
to everyone else.

With a quick glance back to Mulder, she eyed the attendant before
continuing down the sloped ramp to the airplane.

"That's the man I'm married to."




END of "Never For You..."   Chapter 20/23  -Testaments-  Pt. II

"Never For You..."  An X-Files Novel  - Chapter  21/23  -Culmination -  Pt. I
by  L. McCullen

----------------------------------


[Culmination]




US Airways
Flight 232 to Washington, D.C.
6:02 PM


Fingering his beverage, Mulder's mind ran through the day's events
realizing what Scully had done was the most unselfish act he had
probably ever witnessed.  Where others would see it as abandonment,
he knew it was the ultimate symbol of faith and trust between them.

A trust to take down this evil man and his plans as only he could.
Forsaking the ability to keep a watchful eye on him, she knew he could
only dive deeper into the puzzle without her there.  He seriously
doubted he could have ever done the same for her.  Ironically he
thought to himself it was her that suggested the ditch.  He would have
to remember that the next time she accused him of the offense.

The next time.

In the recent past they had learned so well that love was sometimes
about letting go.  Letting go of the fears one held and trusting the love
that would always bring them back.  In the same respect, keeping a
personal watch out for her family would put both of them at ease and
allow Mulder the freedom to pursue what he had to in order to bring
Rogers down.

Starting over in his mind, Mulder thought about what he had seen along
with what he had been told.  Rogers had come to him under the guise of
an old family friend, someone who could help ward off any unsavory
bits of history which might do him harm.  But why?   Why would he
befriend him if only for the sole purpose of bringing himself down?

To Mulder it was simple and something Rogers had probably not
counted on.  All his life, Mulder had been used.  Used by others for
their own means, thereby fostering an abundant sense of speculation
and paranoia for those in power.  Along with his excellent abilities of
perception and applying behavior models that had served to create his
nickname, no one else was better at picking apart people's motives and
ambitions.  This was definitely not considered when evaluating
Mulder's  usefulness for this plan.

Formulating his own plan, Mulder set out to devise a ploy that would
not only protect him and Scully, but expose Rogers for the traitor
Mulder had feared he had become.  To do this properly, he would need
help.  Big league, powerful help that only one person he knew he could
trust to offer it without questioning him too much.  At one time, the
questions would have never stopped, but now Skinner knew.  He would
know not to question when Mulder was going full steam.


*************

San Diego Municipal Airport
8:43 PM  PST

Waiting by the corresponding gate, Byers checked for the hair color of
the departing passengers looking for Scully.  Margaret Scully, who was
looking just as feverishly, had not been any fun on the journey
westward.  Besides not knowing Byers from a stranger walking down
the street, she had been adamant about calling ahead to Bill to let him
know of her plans despite the need for discretion.  In the end, Byers had
let her use his cell phone, not wanting to take a chance.

From around a group of larger men, Scully appeared with her carryon
and a tempered look of anxiety on her face.  Knowing that look, like all
mother's knew, Margaret could tell all was not right.  Aside from the
fact she had been whisked away to her son's home with little warning
and even less reasoning, the confrontation due would not be easy.

Finding Byers waiting with her mother, Scully let out a small breath of
relief seeing they had made it safely.  Coming to hug her mother for a
minute, they exchanged a look that said all would be explained later.
Byers had bashfully stepped away to allow the reunion.

Looking over to him, Scully found his arm and reassured him of her
thanks with a light squeeze.  "Thanks a million for doing this, Byers"

With an appreciative smile, "No problem, Agent Scully.  Will there be
anything else?"

"No..... we can't thank you enough."   Looking back to her mother,
Scully shot her a look that said she would be right back.  Taking Byers
to the side, Scully produced an envelope and handed it to him.

"Byers, inside you will find some money to compensate you for the
tickets here and back."

"Oh, there's no need... not when you guys are concerned."

Gripping his shoulder loosely, "Yes there is.  You guys have helped us
more than you could possibly know."

Thumbing through the envelope he noted a smaller one tucked inside.
Looking back to her for an explanation, he didn't need to prompt her.

"Byers, the other envelope is for Mulder...... in case something were to
happen to me.  Please don't ever let him see it unless...... I'm gone..."

Stunned at the confidence and trust she was placing in him, Byers
slowly nodded in understanding.  "Nothing is going to happen, is it?"

"I don't think so, but this is just in case."

Byers drew out a small smile knowing that a very similar envelope was
waiting for her with the same instructions applied to it if Mulder were to
ever find an untimely demise.  Fearing his own end a few years back,
Mulder had come to them with the envelope that bore one name
on the front.

Scully.


*************

Crystal City, Virginia
Walter Skinner's Apartment
12:34 AM

To say Walter Skinner had been surprised to see Mulder at such a late
hour was not as much as a surprise as if he hadn't just heard what
Mulder had come to talk to him about.  A plan to subvert the most
cherished possession the United States had ever held on to.  Freedom.
Democracy.  The ability to govern one's self.

"Mulder, this just doesn't make sense.... why would he plant evidence
incriminating himself?"

Remembering the very same look of disbelief from Scully, Mulder
smiled to himself at the thought.  "Sir, I think he's double crossing me
into believing he's the guilty one.  He wants me to uncover this, expose
him and create a scandal."

"And how would that help him?  It would do nothing but destroy him
and his chances."

"Exactly.  That's what he wants.  You and I know what a scandal could
do in terms of media coverage and how it could effect the elections this
fall."

Letting out a long exasperating sigh, "I sure wish you would get to the
part about how this supposedly helps his campaign."

"I'm getting there.....just answer this one question.  Who would benefit
the most from the scandal?   Obviously Campbell right?"

"So?"

"Don't you see...it's all just a little too neat.  A little to ..... complete
for
my liking."

"So you think Campbell is not the one behind it?"

The gears were starting to warm up and Mulder was hitting the home
stretch.  "But, that's what Rogers wants me to think.  He wanted me to
pursue this, think that he would take himself out of the picture by
giving me the info."

"But you think he set himself up to have you believe someone....or
Campbell was after him all along?"

"What better way to create the lie.  Build the smoke-screen that no one
would question....or could question.   In turn he's setting both Campbell
and myself up to make it look like he was setup.  A plan so fantastic, the
media would never believe it.... they would just run with the obvious...
neat package and clear the way for Rogers to win, unscathed."

Skinner got up and poured himself a drink.  Offering one to Mulder, he
made two Scotch and sodas to keep himself loose.  Thinking  to himself,
Skinner was having a hard time believing Mulder.

`Of all the craziest, looniest ideas I've ever heard him spout, this has to
be the peace de'resistance.'

"All right, suppose he is double crossing you, why kill your mother?
What did she have to do with this?"

Taking the offered drink, Mulder fidgeted in his chair a little.  This
wasn't the first time Mulder had been used like this.  It brought back a
stinging reminder of Scully and him in a warehouse in Maryland.

"To make me believe.... to make me think that the information was so
damning to my father and Rogers that they would incite me into
action..... to make me believe his version..... to make me pursue his
original lead..... I don't know... piss me off....make it look good, take
your pick."

"Well I would say it did the trick.  You're all hyped up about nothing
but pure speculation.  What makes you think you're right?"

"Because they didn't anticipate my resources."

Pulling a file out of his briefcase he had brought with him, Mulder gave
it to Skinner.  "Leskosev.  Marko Leskosev.  Russian Mafia, all around
bad guy for the Vorankovich crime syndicate based out of New York.
He's the one who rented the box where the material was found..... the
same box where my father supposedly kept it for the last forty years.
He was found murdered a year ago in Charleston.  Three shots to the
chest, center fire.  Classic hit."

"Anything come up on ballistics?"

"Yes, something quite interesting came up in our Drug/Fire Ballistics
database.   I hadn't thought to search a particular area of the database
until....... well....... some things just stick in your memory more than
others."

Handing the report over to Skinner, Mulder sat back to see the absolute
shock that would register on his face.

Stunned, "Is this...is this correct?"

Nodding to his superior, "Yes it is, sir.  It all makes sense too.... doesn't
it?"

The weight of the ballistics evidence in hand lent a certain amount of
realism to what Mulder was suggesting.

Skinner took his own ruminations in and considered the possibilities.
Sighing, "Well, your record wouldn't exactly help your cause either.  In
fact, it was probably why you were used in the first place."

"I don't know why exactly, but I have no doubts Rogers knew my father
and some of the work he was involved in.  I'm sure he also knew of his
sacrifice  to his own family.  That would make my reasons for
uncovering my own father and him believable if questioned.  I think
they covered their bases pretty well."

"And Scully?"  Skinner asked, finding it strange that her name hadn't
been openly mentioned in the conversation yet.

"Scully is away with her mother.  She..... we wanted them out of
town in case Rogers tries anything. If he would go after my mother...
going after her or members of her family wouldn't be too far out in left
field for this guy.  She may be asking for some protection from a local
field office if she feels any heat."

Hearing the implied request, Skinner didn't need much else to go on.
"I'll smooth the way if she needs it."

"Sir, I know he's watching me... I know he's waiting for me to take this
public.  He is counting on me to unveil the pictures and documents that
would call into question his past.  He'll then pull out whatever trump
card  he's holding onto and turn it around, making me and Campbell
take the fall.   He knows my fascination with cover-ups and
conspiracies."

"And then what.... he goes on to take the White House?"

"He knows I would unveil the truth at any cost."

Looking Mulder over, Skinner finished his drink in one long swallow.
Asking the question he had always wanted to would take some
courage.

"Do you hate your father that much, Mulder?  Do you hate him that
much that you would risk your own potential harm to unveil the truth
about him and your family?"

Looking back down into his own glass, he noted the melting ice mixing
with the liquor.  A sudden phrase Rogers had once said to him finally
making sense.

`The son will avenge his father....'

"No sir.  He might think I hate my father... in fact that was probably
what he was banking on.  I took a lot of shit when my father was
implicated with those trying to cover up `Purity Control,' but it was only
then I knew why he did what he had to."

Standing back up, Mulder put on his coat and set the glass down on the
coffee table.  His own words taking root, Mulder started to understand
himself, maybe for the first time.

"Before my father died, he tried to tell me.  He tried to make amends.  I
know why he sacrificed my sister now....and I know why he raised me
the way he did.  He knew ..... and then I knew that his sins would be
known someday.... and that he didn't want me covering up for him.....
too much was covered up."

"No sir, that's how much I loved my father."

Stepping out the door, Skinner reflected back to the dark days when
Agent Fox Mulder was driven, seemingly without purpose, now
realizing the aim he had was not of his own making, but by his father's
design.


*************


Bill Scully's House
Saturday, April 6
7:58 AM  PST

After settling in late the night before, Scully and her mother shared a
room upstairs next to the master bedroom.  Bill hadn't said much,
except he was glad to have them come even if he didn't know why it
was so sudden.   On the ride home from the airport, Scully had informed
her mom that there were some threats made against her and Mulder
relating to an earlier case they had worked.  Although not a complete
lie, it was not a complete truth.   Her mother knew not to push her
daughter and let it rest at that.

Traveling always wore her mother out and Scully took the opportunity
to slip out of bed and get ready before her, allowing her mother a few
extra minutes to herself.  Scully turned the water on and reminisced
about the last shower she had taken the day before.

With Mulder.

A sad smile crept upwards at the corner of her mouth remembering
what it felt like to be held by him.  Agreeing not to call each other
directly, in fear of discovery, they used an old system of messages that
would be forwarded by the Gunmen to each other, just to let each other
know they were all right.

Creating an anonymous e-mailbox on the Internet at various free e-mail
servers, she would be able to send the Gunmen a message that would
be all but untraceable.  Both her and Mulder kept the list of numbers
and passwords in their wallets for safe keeping.  She would save it for
another day, fearing it was too soon.  The Gunmen kept the master list
and would know which message was from whom and when to deliver it.

Dressing in the small bathroom, Scully could hear the kids running
down the hall eager to catch Saturday morning cartoons and eat
pancakes like she used to.  The old base house that Bill had was so
much like the ones she had grown up in, she swore she could count the
tiles in the ceiling blindfolded if she had to.

Making her way down to the kitchen, her nephews were excited and
surprised to see their 'Aunt Dana.'  At least that explained to them the
reason they had bunked together the night before.  Hugging them one
by one, she made them feel special in the way only favorite aunts could
do.

Bill was helping the youngest cut his breakfast up when she caught his
eye.  It held the same cautious concern for her that she had seen last
night.   He was curious, she could tell, but he wouldn't come right out
when the others were around.  Not yet anyway.  A few minutes later
Tara made her way down the steps with their mother laughing and
talking about the latest exploits of one the brood.

Breakfast wore on and Scully helped Tara as much as she could with the
children.  Taking whatever small pleasures she could in nurturing her
nephews, Scully avoided the upcoming question and answer session
Bill would obviously put her through.  He deserved a few answers, she
knew.  Showing up to her brother's out of the blue with a weak
sounding excuse to visit would draw questions from even the most
accepting  sibling or parent.

Excusing themselves, Tara and Margaret left with the children to visit
the mall.  Scully knew it was really an attempt by her mother to leave
her two wayward children alone.  Refreshing her coffee, she refilled
Bill's cup with the most pleasant expression she could screw to her face
preparing for the onslaught.

Sipping his coffee, Bill looked earnestly at his younger sister.  Only six
years her senior, sometimes he felt she was the older one.  All the
events of her life leading to so much more than even he wanted to
imagine.  His younger sister, the very capable FBI agent who took on
criminals by day and personal demons by night.  He was tired of not
having her love and respect that she used to give so freely and in that
light, he remembered his mother's words from a few weeks ago asking
him to see her as a woman capable of choosing her own path and with
whom she chose to travel it with, no matter what he thought of it.

Literally feeling the tension in the air, "It's been a long time, Dana."

Looking over the rim of her own mug, Scully reflected on that point.
"Yes it has, Bill."

"I'm glad you came to visit, but I get the feeling from Mom this wasn't
exactly a social call."  Bill wore that smug look of wariness he had
perfected.

Closing her eyes, she took a last drink of coffee before jumping in and
giving him the answers he may not be prepared for.  "No, Bill.  I'm sorry
to put you out like this, but I needed to get Mom away from D.C. for a
few days."  She braced herself for her next words.

"We felt it was unsafe to keep her there at this time."

"We?"

Thinking of her partner thousands of miles away, "Yes, Mulder and
me."

"I see."  Bill drained his cup and took it to the sink where he rinsed it
out.  The deafening quiet in the kitchen was almost too much to bear.
Wondering how much a week at the Raddison would cost so she didn't
have to go through this all week, Scully quickly remembered that this
was it.  Now or never.  Agree to disagree and move on.

"I suppose that unmarked Taurus that pulled up this morning and the
one like it that followed Tara and Mom are your people?"

Surprised he had noticed, Skinner had come through after her chat with
the local field office SAC.  It seems an Assistant Director could pull
some pretty big strings without much of a story.  "Yes.  That's another
reason I wanted to be on base.  A little more secure in case I was
followed here."

"Do I want to know why you felt it necessary to put my family in danger
also?"

That one  hit below the belt, but for this conversation it was a legal
blow.  She had weighed her options on the way out here and felt it was
a calculated risk.

"That's why I'm here Bill.  The people that may want to harm Mom
wouldn't just stop with her.   I can take control of the situation and offer
protection you can't."

"Control?  You can't even control your own life for God's sake."

It was finally said  aloud.  What she had believed, she now knew for
certain and a part of her died in that moment.  The part that remembered
better times, family vacations and the big brother she once had.

"What about Charlie's wife and kids?"

"They were taken to a safe-house in Maryland."

Another pull of the strings by Skinner.  Calling in favors by the handful,
he would see to their safety.

His first real signs of anger showing through, "And what pray tell has
Mulder gotten you into that would threaten our lives.  What asinine
thing has that son of a bitch done now?"

Quelling her own anger, Scully responded with confidence.  "Nothing.
This is not of his doing.  He's trailing a suspect who we believe has
some pretty long reach."

"Oh, God.  Don't tell me he's chasing little green men again?"

Lightly chuckling to herself, Scully couldn't help but feel her brother
was so far from the truth, she didn't have the heart to explain all he had
done for the very country her brothers and father had so proudly
served.

In this moment of clarity, Scully understood why Mulder had never
wanted to set her brother straight.  She understood that for some, the
truth could never hold the meaning that it did to them.  Wrapped up in
their on worlds, the ones like her brother were the very ones they had
worked so hard for all those years.   Knowing their work could never
garner them any amount of public commendation or credit, she realized
it was enough for them to know and for them to see to it things were
right.... for all those who could never know, for all those who never
would.

Not expecting the humorous reaction from his sister,  Bill was now
miffed at her response.  "And speaking of which, where is he?  Why
isn't he here trying to fix this mess he got us into."

Deciding that never had officially come for Bill, she chose to disarm him
with the precious truth he would  never understand.  "He's right where
he's always been, Bill."

`He's saving the world....again.'


*************


Offices of The Lone Gunmen
12:37 PM EST

Spending the bulk of the morning hashing out the details of Rogers
carefully orchestrated plot with the kings of paranoia, Mulder was
literally stumped on how best to approach the situation.  Skinner
had offered any help Mulder could use, but right now he and the guys
were throwing any ideas up in the air trying to find something that
would fly.

"You know, Mulder, if you're being snooped like you think, maybe we
can catch who's watching you.  Find him and you might have your next
piece to the puzzle."

Mulder looked up to Langly's frail frame wondering when The Cure had
replaced his favorite band to adorn his T-shirt instead of The Ramones.

"What....you think I can take an ad out in the paper?"

"Sorry, man... just trying to help."  Langly shrunk within himself and
turned back to his computer.

"I know....I'm just tired.  I'm going to go home and sleep on it awhile....
I'll think of something."

Grabbing a few of the items he had brought with him along with Scully's
laptop, Mulder made his way to the door.  As Frohike deftly unlatched
the various locks on the door, Mulder turned back to face Byers and
Langly.  "You guys swept our place while we were gone?"

"Yeah, dude.  You were clean..... so we took the liberty of installing a
few devices of our own."

Looking suspiciously to Frohike, Mulder knew he would offer a clearer
explanation to Langly's vague comment.  "Yeah, we installed a new toy
of ours.  You know that guy who invented the laser jammer to foil
the cops using laser based radar?"

"Yeah?"  Mulder looked somewhat frightened to find out about the
latest techo gadget offering from his friends.

"Well, it seems as though they work really well on parabolic
microphones as well.  We installed a few to the windows so if anyone
is trying to listen in using the latest in laser technology.... oh will they
be in for a surprise."  Frohike looked back to his fellow comrades and
back to Mulder with a look of a proud and expectant father.

"Too bad there won't be anyone to listen to, but myself."  Mulder stood
there shaking his head.  "Thanks guys.  I'll be in touch later."

Stepping out to his car, Mulder turned the key and sped off.  With all of
his carefulness the past few days, Mulder hadn't given a thought to the
possibility that he had been followed to the lair of the paranoid geeks.
Even if that was the case, Mulder would have never guessed the
Gunmen would be as sloppy to not protect their own offices or perhaps
in their zeal to thwart others they had made it too easy for those with
similar know how.

The black Ford Explorer parked around the corner and its occupant
turned off the receiver inside the briefcase and waited a few minutes
before following his subject.  He knew where to find him, even
without the bug he had planted inside the clandestine hole in the wall
the conspiracy theorists thought was impossible to penetrate.




END of "Never For You..."  Chapter 21/23  -Culmination-  Pt. I

"Never For You..."  An X-Files Novel  - Chapter  21/23  -Culmination-  Pt. II
by  L. McCullen

----------------------------------

Annapolis, Maryland
2:43 PM


Turning over his side, Mulder felt the warm breath of his love gently
falling over his features.  Pulling her closer, he wondered just why she
had decided to come back to D.C. so soon.  Even with her close by she
wouldn't be as much help, but somewhere in the back of his mind he
knew he would always need her and right now he just didn't care why
she was back.  All he wanted to do was hold her the rest of the
afternoon and wish his nightmare of a life away.

Clutching the pillow tightly against him, Mulder let a small groan of
pleasure escape as he dreamed a little longer.  Unaware that he had
company, the line between the waking world and where he was blurred
slightly deluding his mind into believing his dreams.  Reality would pale
in comparison.

Deftly making his way inside, Kevin Saunders approached his subject
with caution, always alert to a possible trap.  Taking his favorite gun
from his inside holster, he ejected the clip halfway and snapped it in
again making that familiar sound a magazine always made entering the
gun handle.  Seeing Mulder's eyes flutter in recognition, Saunders sat
down on the coffee table in front of his sleeping form.

Pointing the gun mere inches away from his face, Saunders pulled back
the hammer with undeniable force intent on waking the "Spooky" man
in front of him.   Seeing more movement behind his eyelids, Saunders
waited for the sound to register in the FBI agent's mind and summon
him from his sleep.

A few seconds later, Mulder did indeed awaken to the sight of a gun
barrel pointed in his face.

"Oh, shit.....and I was having such a good dream."

"I could see that.  You must have some pretty strong feelings for that
pillow, Mr. Mulder."

Not amused at the returning comment, Mulder groaned a little in
discomfort.  "Mind if I sit up for my execution."

Pulling back a bit, "By all means, Mr. Mulder.  I want you to have my
full attention for this."

Sliding up into the sitting position, Mulder leaned back and took a look
around.  The blinds were still drawn and there was little light in the
room.    By habit, Mulder stretched his arm out to turn on a light.

"Uh, unh!  Leave it off."

"Sorry, should have known that one."  Mulder pulled his arm back and
rested it along the back side of the couch.  "Well... to who do I owe for
this great pleasure?"

"Let's just say a mutual friend.  A friend who was once my teacher and
once your informant."

Mulder scrunched his face up trying to make out some more of the
features on the face of his Saturday afternoon visitor.

Standing up, Saunders moved slowly to the chair next to the fireplace,
deeper into the shadows, aware he was being studied.

"Mr. Mulder I was going to keep my presence from you, but since you
want to know so badly and I fear that trying to find me would keep you
from what you need to be doing I decided to..... well let's just say I'm
answering your ad in the paper, shall we?"

Hearing his own joke being used in reference, Mulder knew then who he
was dealing with. The light of awareness showing in his eyes.

"Yes, Mr. Mulder.  I know all about you and your friends, but despite
what you want to do, despite what your instincts would have you do,
you can't worry about who I am."

"And why would that be?"

"Simply because you and I now want the same thing."

Suspicious, "Oh really?  How do you know what I want and how do I
know which side of the fence your playing on?"

"You will... soon enough.  I just came here to give  you two things.
One, this picture."

From some vest pocket, Saunder's produced a photograph.  Date
stamped on the back to April 12th of the previous year, Mulder studied
it to see two figures sitting on a bench in a familiar looking park.  One
was Trent Rogers puffing on a cigar and the other was a smaller woman
with strong facial features giving her a distinct look and appearance that
was familiar to most woman from a certain part of the world.

"Find that woman and you will have your connection.  The connection
you need to bring Rogers down."

Looking between the photo and the gun wielding man before him,
Mulder was losing his own sense of belief.

"Why should I trust you?   This could be just another setup to put me
on the wrong path."

Snorting back a chuckle, Saunders took on a whole new persona.
"Yeah, he said you would be this way.  I should have known.  That's
why long ago, before he died, he told me to give you the second part....
the part that would make you understand that even as I do my job, I can
still help you without compromising my position."

An intense staredown ensued.  "Make no mistake, Mr. Mulder.
Whatever Rogers requires my job to do..... I won't hesitate to do that
job."

Seeing the confusion in Mulder's eyes, Saunders wheeled his gun
around to the wall right next to a front window and fired.  Mulder
jumped in surprise at the action and didn't have anytime to react until
the gun was again pointed at him with smoke still seeping out the end of
the barrel.

"Find that slug and you will know how serious this is  and why I'm
here."

Walking to the door Saunders put his hand on the knob, resting it there
before offering one more tidbit of information.  "Money can buy lots of
things Mr. Mulder.  It can buy life, it can buy death, but it can't buy
the truth.... you should know that by now."

Slipping off into the hall, the door was shut gently behind the visitor.
Mulder sat there in silence wondering when his luck would run out.
Too many times he had found himself in this situation.  Unknown
agents of subversion visiting him and giving him ways to the truth.
When would it all come to an end?

Turning his head he looked at the hole in the wall mere inches away
from the window.  Getting up, he dug through his pocket and pulled out
a pocket knife that resided on the end of his key-chain and started
fishing for the correct blade.

Kneeling before the spot, it was barely waist high.  The angle, position
and placement of the spent bullet was curious at best.  Pre-meditated in
design.  A twitching of familiarity beginning to burn in his mind,
Mulder reached for the drawstring that would raise the blinds in the
window to offer light, knowing it wasn't the primary reason he would be
tugging on it.

As if a beacon in the night, a symbol of a time long forgotten, the
message was received in full.  The bottom, right hand pane showing the
mark of a one time informant found dead on his doorstep years before.

Masking tape in the shape of an X.



*************



United States Federal Penitentiary
Marion, Illinois
3:46 PM

The two guards escorting the lone lawyer down the hallway to a small
holding room looked curiously at each other.  Some heavy duty strings
had been pulled to get this diminutive ambulance chaser into see the
prisoner.  To their standards, the prisoner wasn't even considered a
good one.  A first timer who just happened to get his hand caught in the
wrong cookie jar.

The heavy steel door opened.  A medium sized room that was made of
various metals.  The table, chairs, walls...... everything.  All of it bolted
to the floor, just like the prisoner.  Shackled by his leg irons and
handcuffs, a chain attached to a U-shaped contraption protruding from
the floor held him in place.

Stepping inside, the guards finished issuing the lawyer instructions on
how to call them when he was finished.   Nodding in understanding, the
suit waited for the door to close behind him before he spoke.

"Good news, my friend.  It looks as though you have an admirer.  One
who can use your services.  Someone who can get you out of here if
you ... perform?"

The prisoner smiled a little.  Anyone imprisoned for life would, if just
given the proper motivation.

"And just who is this friend of mine?"

"Let's just say he's the only one with the power to pardon your sins....
or at least will be if you do him one small...... favor.  Nothing much
really... just a small task."

His interest piqued, the prisoner leaned forward a bit.

"In fact as a down payment for your services he's already arranged for
your transfer to a ..... shall we say a minimum security institution."

Mike Jarvis smiled brightly.


*************



San Diego
5:36 PM PST

Sitting on the back porch, Scully watched her nephews play with a
football, not at all concerned with it being out of season.  A familiar
looking baseball glove and ball would sit idly by while the young boys
did there impressions of Brett Favre and Troy Aikman, respectively.
Thinking back to similar times she could close her eyes and pretend it
was her brother's teasing her about her own imitation of her teenage
football idol, Terry Bradshaw.  Alternating between receivers she would
take turns with her brothers pretending to be Lynn Swan as her father
would lob those imaginary touchdown passes.

Catching herself, Dana smiled at the memory of her tomboy ways with
her brothers always in competition.   How little times had changed, she
thought ruefully.   Sometime while she had been time traveling in her
own mind, Tara had sat down beside her watching her sons play with
their father.

Tara's crescendoing voice alerted Scully to her presence.  "You know,
Bill tells me you were once the quarterback of the family."

Smiling softy at her sister-in-law, Scully wondered if she was that
obvious in her quiet meditation.  "You could say I had the desire, but
not the arm."

"He tries, you know?  He does a poor job of showing it to you, but he
tries."

Looking at Tara for more clarification on her statement, Scully
questioned her with a raised eyebrow.

"The famous Scully smirk.  I swear you and Bill can unnerve me when
you do that thing with your eyebrow.  You two must have gotten it
from your father, because I've never seen Mom do it."

Remembering a similar observation that Mulder had made one time,
Scully let it drop  aware of the unconscious gesture she liked to
make.  "What did you mean by 'he tries'?"

Coming back to her earlier thoughts, " I just mean that Bill has been
trying to let go of his fears when it comes to you and your life."

"You mean, Mulder."

"Yeah.... to some degree, but Mulder is just an obvious target for Bill.
He just ... he just wants you to be happy.... and safe."

"Somewhere deep inside, I know that's what he wants, but I've come to
the realization that no matter what I do, it won't be enough.  It never
could be."

Listening to her talk, Tara could sense this was no easy conclusion that
she had arrived at.

"Tara, almost a year ago, I learned to stop living my life for others
and start living it for myself.  That may sound selfish and arrogant, but
in my life I have tried to please others for so long before thinking of
myself...... I was literally losing who I was and who I wanted to be."

Tara continued to take her words in thoughtfully, matching what little
details she had heard of Dana's life and experiences to what she was
saying.  Thinking back to the losses and dashed dreams of her sister-in-
law she could begin to see where she was coming from and where she
was going.

"I love my brother, Tara, and nothing will ever change that, but it just
doesn't matter to me what he thinks anymore.  He hasn't seen the things
I've seen or done the things I've done.  For what it's worth, he can take
it or leave it.  I won't abandon him, but he no longer carries any
responsibility for me and until he can get past that feeling.... he won't
have the sister he wants or deserves."

"That guy Mulder means that much to you... doesn't he?"

Slightly disappointed in Tara, Scully thought she was finally making
headway with at least one member of her brother's family.

"That guy Mulder, as you put it, has little to do with Bill's problem!
This goes way beyond Mulder or whoever I choose to spend my life
with."

Feeling a bit bad for snapping at Tara, Scully tried to make her
understand a different way.

"Tara, if I were to come in here and question your motives and the
choices you've made in your life and disapprove of who you were, based
on hearsay and assumptions, would you like me very much?   Would
Bill like me?"



*************


A.D. Skinner's office
Monday, April 8th
9:43 AM


Informing Skinner of the recent events and what was going on, Mulder
persuaded Skinner to open an official file on Rogers.  Only he and
Mulder would be privy to it in case this could come back to haunt
Skinner.   Mulder allowed this concession in understanding that he was
asking Skinner to put his own reputation and career on the line as well.

"I took the slug down to the lab this morning.  Ballistics should have an
answer for us within the hour if it's what I think it is."

Searching Mulder's appearance for signs of doubt or lack of
commitment, Skinner found none.  "This ....informant who came to see
you, what makes you believe him?"

"He ..... let's just say his credentials check out."

"You're taking an awful risk if this blows up in your face, Mulder.  A
risk even I won't be able to help you out of."

"That's what this country was built on right... taking risks... taking
chances that what you believe in is better for you than what others
would have you believe."

Having no reply for a classic Mulder insight, Skinner addressed the next
article of concern.  A grainy photocopy of the photo given to him by
Saunders was the object of Skinner's focus.  "So... this person
could unravel the whole thing huh?"

"That's what I believe."

"Where's the original?"

Looking around the office for no reason, "That was sent to some...
friends of mine.  Some friends that could be of help..... as you may
remember."

The trio of strange and eccentric friends Skinner remembered at
Mulder's bedside after the events of the bombing in Dallas.  "You think
they can put a name to this face?"

With a confident and knowing look to Skinner, "I think they already
have a direction to go in."




*************

Corner of M & 13th street
1:39 PM

Making his usual check in with Rogers, Saunders checked his watched
and dialed the number he was familiar with by heart now.

"Yes?"  Rogers distinct voice greeted the phone as usual.

"Your boy is doing fine.  He should deliver the goods any day now.
He's contacted several media friends of his with the information and
should start the final phase of your plan as anticipated.  I'm also
assuming he will use his Department of Justice resources to unveil this
plan"

"Good, good that will help me clean that house of cards out as well....
any news of who those guys were he was working with."

Trained well over the years to lie with impunity, Saunder's delivered his
second deception to Rogers in this conversation, aware that his contact
with Rogers would soon come to an end for good.  "As best I can tell,
just some low-brow lab boys from the Bureau."

"Hmm... and what about the Scully woman?"

"What about her?"

"I've reconsidered  I think I will use her to ..... facilitate Mulder's
determination if you know what I mean."

"I thought you were afraid of backlash?"

"Well, let's just say, Mulder's credibility could be further destroyed
with the media by another murder."

"I don't quite understand..."  Hoping the politician in Rogers would
come out and spill the beans, Saunders hadn't yet been given the final
details.  Even though he knew who Rogers was working with to
secure the position of most powerful man in the world, he knew deep
down politicians loved to talk.

"You see that's the beauty of it.  When Mulder goes public with
evidence and proof of my 'supposed' duplicity, I'll be there waiting to
spring the trap..... my own proof that will make it look as if every action
and deed he has done has been in collaboration with Campbell and the
Vorankovich family to set me up.  To further confuse the matter and
seal their fate, I'll make it look like a deal gone bad..... his mother, his
former partner....dead in an attempt to reel him in."

His laughter fading, "Plus, he'll be so devastated... no one would
believe him if he started to talk."

"Well...... it seems you have thought of everything, haven't you?"

"Yes, I have if I do say so myself."

"You know the deal.  Make the deposit, inform me when to make the
hit and I'll take care of it."

"No.... not this one.  My sources tell me she's fled the area.... I need her
taken care of, but I need you here with Mulder."

"You know where she's at?"

"I know someone who might have an idea.  He's been close to her
before and should know where she would run to. Where she might feel
safe."

Closing his phone, Saunders sat back and replayed the conversation
through his micro-cassette recorder.  For such a well thought out plan,
Saunders would never cease to be amazed at how careless his clients
were.  All this time when Rogers had been so careful not to mention
specifics and events, he had let himself slip at the slightest hint of
interest and admiration of his plans.  When they had seemingly thought
of everything, they were constantly bereft at the everyday mundane
things such as telephones and conversations.

Taking out the cassette, he was amazed at what he held in his hand.  All
Mulder would need to take down Rogers.  All Mulder would need to
possibly take him down, also.

This was definitely a problem.

Struck by his own revelation, Saunder's realized that he might have to
make more than one special delivery tonight.


*************

San Diego
7:32 PM PST


Settling in after a couple of days at her brother's place brought back
memories of a house full of children and earlier times in her own life.
Sitting down in front of Bill's computer, Scully fingered the card she had
fished out of her wallet that held the names and passwords of unborn e-
mail accounts that would be used to contact Mulder through the offices
of The Lone Gunmen.  Logging into the appropriate site, she fingered
the sequence of numbers and words in that would create the mailbox on
the borrowed computer.  Gloria would be sending some mail tonight,
even if none were waiting for her on the other end.

After creating the account, Scully typed in her message constructed
with all the love and desire she could formulate into a few simple words.
Words that would tell Mulder she was all right and not to worry.

Knowing the computers at the Gunmen's office would be scanning
continuously for e-mail from the account she had created, she hit the
send button and prepared to wait for the automatic confirmation reply
that their computers would send back to let her know the message was
received.

After that, she would erase the files from Bill's computer and scratch
through that account, never to use it again.

Deciding to wait a few minutes, Scully stood up to get a glass of water
from the kitchen.  She was two steps there when the returning message
flashed through to her mailbox awaiting to be opened along with the
customary thank you letters and terms of service agreements the e-mail
service would always send.

Figuring her throat could wait a few more minutes, she eagerly sat back
down and opened the message.


<From: 30923TLG099@youserve.net
<To:     83830SDK938@hotmail.com

<To Georgia,
<
<Events taking shape.  Progress is being made.  My rootbeer is lonely
<for your iced tea.
<
<Will see you soon.  Take care.
<
<Love, George


*************

Lone Gunmen's office
10:34 PM EST

While going through the day's results on the search for the mysterious
woman, Mulder looked up to see the computer in the corner,
dedicated to watching for e-mail, sound a small chime signaling an
important piece of mail had been received and the corresponding
automatic response sent along its way.

Jumping out of his seat a little faster than he had anticipated, Mulder
made his way to the corner workstation and looked for the mail he
hoped to find.  Only one piece was waiting and Mulder highlighted it
without much hesitation.

<To:     30923tlg099@youserve.com
<From: 83830sdk838@hotmail.com
<
<Dear George,

<Unfortunately for you, It's raining sleeping bags here. ; )  I hope
<things are going well, because I can't stand not knowing.
<
<All my strength and all my love,  Gloria



*************



A.D. Skinner's office
Tuesday, April 9th
8:57 AM

Calling Mulder early this morning, Skinner had some rather unpleasant
news waiting for Mulder.  News that would go a long way to helping
Mulder and a short way to scaring the hell out of  him.  He even debated
whether or not to give him all of the news, taking the responsibility for
himself.  He had done it once before, why not now?

`Because things are different now, Walter.  Because if it were the
woman you love, you wouldn't want the same thing done to you.'

Hearing the familiar knock on the door, Skinner answered for him to
come in.

"You wanted to see me, sir?"

"Yes, have a seat.  I called you here this morning because of a package
left on my doorstep last night that I'm sure you would want to listen to."

Pulling out his own micro-cassette player, Skinner played the tape left to
him by the mysterious source Skinner could only assume was Mulder's
informant.  The other voice was one he was well familiar with.  Skinner,
as well as the rest of the nation knew the voice as the one they had
heard a few years back during the "IRSHAM" scandal.   The same voice
of one of the few members of Congress to survive the upheaval.  The
same voice now thought of to be a serious candidate for the Office of
the President of the United States.

The conversation played out with the same cold and calculating
precision in which it was delivered the first time, outlining the upcoming
hit on Scully as well as confirm his suspicions of who had killed his
mother.  As Scully would say, they had proof-undeniable of what they
were dealing with.

As Skinner suspected, the conflicting emotions he saw on Mulder's face
painted the picture of one who was elated to confirm his suspicions and
have that evidence so key to the unraveling, but disheartened at how
easy it was to talk about his loved ones in such a callous and trivial
way, as if they were just mere pieces on a chess board.

"I think it would be in poor taste to say congratulations on uncovering
a vast conspiracy to overthrow and manipulate the will of the people of
this country, don't you?"

Mulder looked down, trying to keep his emotions in check.

Skinner continued.  "What I want to know is why this was given to me.
Did your informant mention anything about me or this office, because if
this is real, I don't see why it was delivered to me.  Do you?"

Running through his mental filing cabinet, Mulder came across the only
connection he could think of.  "One time, long ago, Scully came to you
looking for me.... wanting information through, I believe she said,
'unofficial channels.'"

The conversation he never wanted to have was close to fruition.  " I
know."

"You remember the guy who you got my coordinates from?"

"Can't forget him.  He gave me a headache I won't soon forget."

"Those credentials I referred to yesterday?  Those credentials came
from the predecessor of my informant.... the same guy you met."

Hearing the words, Skinner let them sink in a minute before replying.
"Well I guess that puts a whole new spin on things, doesn't it?"

Eyeing Skinner suspiciously, "You tell me."

Ever since hearing the story of how Skinner had walked into his
apartment bloodied and beat up to relate the information to Scully,
Mulder had wondered if there was ever some kind of connection
between X and Skinner.

Feeling the tension in the air of unspoken secrets that would never be
discussed, "Let's just say... the credentials check out then."

Nodding his head slowly, "Okay, I guess we have an understanding."

Seeing the tacit approval given, Skinner moved on.  "Where do we go
now?"

"Well, we also confirmed the slug as being from the same gun that killed
my mother."

Unwavering, Skinner knew as well as Mulder it would be confirmed.
Sometimes, hunches felt too right to be wrong.  "So I guess that
clinches it ....... even without the tape."

Just staring down one another for a few moments, Skinner asked the
obvious.  "So who's the mystery lady?"

"According to my friends and records here at the Bureau, it is one
Emilla Simonowich.  A republic of Georgia refugee that made her way
over her about fifteen years ago, fleeing the communist regime of the
Soviet way of life."

Skinner almost deflated upon hearing the name, right in front of him.  "I
suppose we aren't lucky enough for the last name to be a coincidence,
are we?"

Smiling sadly, he knew he liked Skinner for a reason.  If only because he
reminded him of Scully when he was trying not to see the obvious.
Shaking his head, "Nope... it's one and the same."

"You mean we now have the two largest, and might I dare add,
feuding Russian crime families on the East Coast involved?"

"Wait.... it gets better."

Skinner took his glasses off and pinched the bridge of his nose, waiting
impatiently for the next bombshell to be dropped.  "God... what now."

"According to RICO in New York, their surveillance puts Emilla
Simonovich and Marko Leskosev together on numerous occasions.
Numerous..... romantic occasions, you might say.  Their sending copies
of the surveillance photos this afternoon."

"Jesus Christ!"

"RICO also reports that the feud between the families really didn't start
heating up until Leskosev's death."

"I would say she either picked the wrong boyfriend or she was setting
him up for her own family's dirty work."

The pieces were coming together in an all too frightening way.  Skinner
could see the look on Mulder's face as the cogs and wheels were busy
processing the information.  Skinner thought to himself that was just
what he was doing.  Processing.  His instincts.  His memory.  But, more
than that it was his feelings.  The all too important feelings that had
served Mulder so well with his days in the X-files.

Sensing a Mulder moment of clarity coming on, Skinner sat back to hear
the oncoming train of Mulder's latest offering, positive it would yield a
clearer picture.

"At best it would explain who's funding the capital for Rogers
'extracurricular' activities.... and at worst they are the one's behind it all."

Pacing back and forth, Mulder continued his deliberations aloud.

"I don't doubt for a second the Vorankovich syndicate would take the
fall with me and Campbell when this thing plays out.  Leskosev was
picked... used for that very reason.  What better way to rid yourself of
the competition?"

"Plays out?"  Skinner asked for clarification.

"Yes... we have no choice but to play this out.... Let Rogers think his
plan has worked... then catch him unguarded."

"Just in case you've forgotten, Mulder, part of letting this thing play out
is having Scully killed.  I'm sure it didn't slip your mind."

"No.... I'm taking care of that end," Mulder said with a gleam in his eye.

A gleam that spoke of a plan formulated long before the tape arrived in
the mix.  A worst case scenario in case it was discovered where she was
staying.

"What are you thinking?"

Not that he didn't trust Skinner, he just couldn't take the chance of
anyone knowing his plan, not even Skinner.   Sidestepping the
question, "I think we have the ace up our sleeves....... now we just need
to get the players to the table."

"So what's your next move?"

"I think it's time to see some Russians, don't you?"

Knowing Mulder's tendency not to elaborate, Skinner had one more
question.  The one that bothered him most.

"You see, Mulder, there's one thing that doesn't add up.  Your
informant is American, right?"

"From what I can tell, why?"

"If Rogers is being backed by the Simonowich family, why would he use
this informant for his dirty work?"

Mulder hadn't considered this point yet, but had an idea.  " Maybe he
just wanted a pro who he could cut loose if things got sticky?  I don't
know....maybe it's fate... maybe..."

"Better to be lucky than good?"

Smiling at Skinner in the same way fortune had obviously smiled on him
by sending him a killer with a conscience, "Maybe sometimes you have
to be both."

"Luck has a funny way of running out, Mulder."




END of "Never For You..."  Chapter 21/23  -Culmination- Pt. II