Title: Conundrum
Author: Chad Moore
E-Mail: Chad_Skywalker@webtv.net
Feedback: Always welcome
Archive: Yes, please
Date: July 23rd, 2001
Status: WIP
Series/Sequel: This story is a sequel to "Dangerous
Undercurrents."
Category: M/O
Rating: PG13
Spoilers: Set after the TV story "Existence."
Disclaimers: All familiar characters are owned by CC
and 1013; any others were conceived in my warped
imagination. Azathoth and the Great Old Ones were
created by HP Lovecraft and are now the property of
Arkham House. No infringement intended.

Author's Note: A very special thank you to my
wonderful beta, Bertina.

Chapter Seven: Missing Pieces

Walter wrinkled up his nose at the foul stench
invading Alex's cabin. Thanks to Mulder, the horrific
creature was no more than a bubbling stain. Mulder
stood close by, remembering similar events from the
past. Just like an elder thing's victim, in death all
the binding energy was gone, leaving nothing but a
husk.

"Mulder, what are you going to do?" Walter asked,
nodding his head to the bay window. Krycek and Jamie
could be seen talking outside on the front porch.

"I need to ask you a huge favor," Mulder told him, his
hazel eyes fierce with determination. "I'm going to
take Jamie back to my apartment. I think you should go
back to your place with Krycek."

"What?" Had he heard Mulder correctly?

Mulder continued excitedly. "Keep him there as long as
you can. Tie him down if you have to, but try to find
out what he's hiding."

Tie Krycek down? This thought caused a shocking warmth
in Walter's crotch. He cleared his mind and
concentrated on what really worried him. For some
reason Skinner didn't like the idea of Mulder and
Jamie alone together. What if Jamie had been
responsible for... Damnit Walter! Mulder's been an
influence on you!

"Ok," he reluctantly agreed.

Mulder smiled like a boy who just pulled one over on
his teacher. "I knew I could count on you." Walter
might seem a little hard-edged sometimes, but really,
he was as soft and tender as a marshmallow.

"Yeah," he sighed, "but you owe me big time."

He sure did! "The next time the Lakers are in town,
I'll get you courtside seats!" he said, slapping the
AD on the back.

Hopefully, he would have luck getting the truth out of
Krycek. Mulder knew he was hiding something. Skinner
was not a man to be trifled with. If anyone could get
answers out of a resurrected Rat, Walter could. And
Mulder could spend some time with his long lost lover.

Together, they headed outside where thick clouds of
rolling mist which accompanied the creature's arrival,
slowly dissipated around Jamie and the stunned figure
of Alex Krycek. Gripping his arm, he searched his
friend's deeply worried face for a clue to his sudden
revelation.

"Jamie," he began slowly. "What are you talking
about?"

Before his eyes, Jamie's statement and entire manner
changed. "Um... what? Oh, it's nothing, Alex."

Alex eyed him suspiciously. It was NOT nothing. Jamie
had just stood before him in deep misery saying that
he'd made something appear. Before he could question
him further, Krycek blinked rapidly and felt a strange
presence in his thoughts. Yes, everything was
perfectly fine.

Just then Mulder and a slightly dazed Skinner stepped
through the remains of the cabin's front door. Mulder
dodged a sharp piece of wood and stopped in his
tracks.

"What's going on out here?" demanded Mulder.

An incredulous Alex did not have an answer. He stared
at Jamie as if he'd forgotten something important.

"Nothing," he answered through gritted teeth,
releasing Jamie's arm. "He's just upset about what
happened."

Walking down the steps, Mulder gently pulled Jamie to
his side. "Jamie, is that true?"

Alex visibly bristled at being challenged.

"What?" Jamie said. "Um, yeah. Whatever he says."

"Satisfied?" Alex smirked.

Sensing the potential volatile situation brewing,
Walter joined them. "Look Nitro," he addressed Mulder,
then turned to Alex, "and Nine I hate to break up this
party, but were did the two suits go?"

Mulder snorted at the nicknames. Walter was right, he
and Krycek were like a couple of explosives when
brought together.

"I think that thing must've scared them off," Alex
replied, not believing his own words.

"Not likely," Mulder cut in, skeptically.

"Why do you say that?" Walter wondered, raising an
eyebrow. He winced from the cut sustained during the
attack.

"They probably followed us from the apartment," Mulder
hypothosied. "Avatar must be part of the cult and I
seriously doubt a shoggoth would scare them away." He
aimed his last retort at Alex, who scrunched up his
nose.

"Can we just get away from here?" Jamie asked
suddenly.

Mulder nodded vigorously. Jamie's strange reaction to
the events was just stress, that's all. He needed to
get him to a safe place away from Avatar, shoggoths
and Alex Krycek. He didn't want to mention the naga
box in front of the Krycek. He had a feeling it was
what Avatar was after and that was another reason he
desperately wanted to return home. He had to make sure
the box -- and the evil force inside -- was still
tucked away, safe and sound.

"Yes," he replied. "I'm going to take you back to my
place."

"Good." There was a hint of pleasure in Jamie's simple
response.

Alex plunged his hands deep into his pockets. "What
are we going to do there?" he questioned, uncertain as
to Mulder's decision.

"*We* aren't going to do anything," Mulder told him.

"Krycek," Walter interjected. "I want you to come back
to my place."

"Why, Mr. Skinner." He smiled sarcastically. "This is
so sudden."

"It's going to be sudden if Avatar has our homes
staked out," Mulder remarked. Why was Walter fidgeting
and looking down at his shoes? "I want to be sure
we're not being watched."

Walter nodded in commiseration. "Mulder's right. And
like you yourself said, he and Jamie need some time
alone."

"Too dangerous," Alex replied. "I'm not even sure if
anywhere is safe."

Jamie impatiently told him, "Alex, I'll be perfectly
alright with Mulder. We need to leave before those men
come back."

Alex sighed in defeat. Despite his better judgement
and his nagging doubts, he took Jamie aside. "Hey, are
you sure?"

"Of course, I am."

And just like that Alex was sure and confident.

Mulder slapped his hands together. "That's settled."

A nightbird call, strangled and throaty, emanated from
above them, then to their left, then to their right.
Shivering, Mulder looked at Jamie and felt it was time
to go. The cabin, which at first seemed to pull him in
with the promise of hope, now stood ominously in the
darkness.

And so, led by Mulder, they moved toward the car.

~oo0oo~

When the vehicle pulled out of the narrow, shrouded
pathway, Richard nudged the older man seated next to
him. Upon hearing the shrieking death cries of the
Leviathan, they had returned to their car and
concealed themselves along the country road. Their
waiting had paid off.

~oo0oo~

"They should not have tried to make physical contact,"
Blair's response crackled.

Gordon stood before him, relaying the excited phone
call from their two brothers. "But my lord, there were
only three men with the Deliverer. It would not have
been hard to take him tonight."

"It was a stupid risk. That Assistant Director Skinner
was already suspicious and uneasy when he left the
office."

"They had to call and tell you that a Leviathan
appeared," retorted Gordon stubbornly.

Blair listened to the excited babble with cold
disdain. "Yes, and somehow the unbelievers destroyed
it. Whatever they do, they cannot keep the Deliverer
hidden forever."

Gordon stood before the gleaming desk, anxious to
speak his mind. Matthew sensed this and waved his
hand. "Well?"

"What about your agent?" he pressed. He'd always known
Alex Krycek was a liability the day he stepped foot in
Avatar.

"Krycek has played his role well," Blair said, tapping
his finger on the desktop. "He gave us the computer
software, and participated in our tests."

"But, my lord," Gordon protested.

"His betrayal has not gone unnoticed. I will deal with
him in my own manner," Blair smiled back maliciously.
He stood and moved round the desk. "Contact Augustus
and Richard. Inform them of my arrival."

"Sir?"

"If you want something done right, do it yourself.
That's what my father used to say." Blair paused at
the doorway. "Are our brothers prepared?"

"They're just waiting for the word."

"Make certain that all are ready. When I return with
the Deliverer, we must not miss this opportunity."

Stratton's voice became a chant. "You lead us now."

Leaving the room, Blair strode purposefully down the
hallway and past the portraits he'd painted. His
secretary, Hannah Giroux, looked up from her computer
screen as her boss approached.

"Book a flight for Washington, D.C. immediately," he
told her.

"Yes, Mr. Blair." She nodded her short red head. "Sir,
you received a call from Professor Bowman in the
research lab."

"Inform him to have the facility ready upon my
return," he snapped impatiently.

Hannah quickly picked up the phone and punched in the
extension. She really hated this job! More and more,
Mr. Blair was giving her the creeps.

Matthew stepped into the nearby elevator and smoothed
down his suit as the silver doors chimed closed. The
strange events of his tormented life were moving
toward their supreme climax. His father had been a
fool, but he would not fail! Blair was a man with a
single obsession -- power. Just thinking about his
destiny, he was high on an adrenalin rush he could not
control.

~oo0oo~

Sometime later, having dropped Walter and Krycek off,
Mulder sat beside Jamie inside his apartment. He was
very, very worried. The reunion was not what he'd
expected. And Jamie's attitude toward the entire
incident inside the cabin left him feeling uneasy. At
least the naga box was hidden exactly where he left
it.

Jamie had remained quiet during the entire ride, and
Mulder's attempts to engage in small talk were
fruitless. He wasn't sure whether it was just shock or
whether Jamie just honestly didn't know how to
respond. The old Jamie, the one he knew and fell in
love with, would have thrown his arms around him and
smothered his face in kisses. This Jamie -- frozen,
silent -- was a stranger.

Mulder thought back to the day before Oxford's autumn
festival. With a beatific smile, Jamie had told him
how much he loved the ocean. It put everything into
perspective because it made him feel so small.

"Jamie, would you like to go to the beach?" he
suggested. With a powerful company like Avatar hunting
them down, they didn't stand a chance here. He had to
get Jamie out of the country, somewhere peaceful and
safe. Maybe then he could recuperate from his ordeal.
Mulder hoped 
so with all his heart.

"Tell me again how you started remembering," Jamie
spoke so suddenly that it nearly made Mulder jump.

Mulder sighed deeply. It was going to take time for
him to fully recover. Distant or not, Mulder was just
relieved and thankful to have him back. Sitting up on
the sofa, Jamie peered at him inquisitively. For the
first time, Mulder noticed that his eyes were no
longer green, but a dull shade of grey.

"I started having visions," he replied.

"Visions?" Jamie questioned.

"Yeah, at first I thought I was going mad." He decided
to omit the fact that he'd spent time in the hospital
because of them. "Then, I received a package from
Professor Wickham."

Jamie's eyes widened with interest. "Oh, really? What
was inside?"

"You're not going to believe this." Mulder smirked at
a private joke. "But it was a book and that damn box."

"The box?"

"It still contains the majority of Azathoth's essence
that the professor 
was able to capture," Mulder explained.

"Where is the box now?" Jamie prodded.

"Jamie, don't worry. It's in a safe place. Nothing's
going to hurt you again."

Jamie began pacing the room, full of agitation. "But I
can't help but be worried. I say you get the box so we
can get rid of it. Then we can get on with our lives."

Mulder stood up, taken aback by the driving tone of
Jamie's voice. "No, Jamie. We can't let if fall into
the wrong hands."

Jamie puffed out his cheeks in exasperation. He seemed
about to protest, but instead gasped and held onto the
wall. 
"Mulder, I'm dying," he whispered in a weak little
voice.

Mulder whipped his head up. "What?"

Jamie turned with a look of irritation, then a forced
smile. He held his arm tightly against his chest. "I'm
dying for something to drink. Could you get me a glass
of water, please?"

"Um, sure." Mulder moved toward the kitchen, casting a
nervous glance 
back. "I'll be right back."

Jamie nodded, completely ignorning him. "Ah-ha, ok."

Stepping onto the linoleum, Mulder leaned back against
the wall and exhaled. He was more worried about his
love then ever. Eyeing the portable phone, he picked
it up and began to dial.

~oo0oo~

Meantime, across town, Walter had carefully checked
his apartment for any signs of an intruder. Krycek, a
master of breaking into places, assured him there had
been no forced entry. Now they both sat across from
one another nursing glasses of whiskey. Walter had
needed a good, stiff drink and Alex had heartily
joined him. Actually, he was hoping to get the sly
Russian drunk enough to where he would talk openly.

Krycek quietly downed the contents of his glass,
thinking quietly to himself. Something odd had
happened just before they left the cabin. But what? A
thick fog shrouded his mind. He peered from time to
time at Skinner seated across from him. He'd forgotten
how handsome the man was.

He honestly couldn't believe he was here, back in D.C.
When he'd made the deal with Avatar to locate Jamie
Grayson in exchange for a clone, he promised himself
he'd never set foot in this town again. Matthew Blair
had been all too eager for the experiment to take
place. There was a risk that the clone would be
unstable. All the better for Krycek. He'd warmed to
the idea immediately. No matter what happened, the
clone would die and he could begin a new life. All he
had to do was deliver Jamie into Avatar's hands. But
that had all changed. And here he was facing the man
who'd shot down his clone, thinking that Alex Krycek
had become an insane, rabid dog. He would have loved
to have been a fly on the wall when it happened.

"Alright, so what's in that head of yours?" Walter
asked pointedly, causing Alex to jerk from his
thoughts.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Alex murmured innocently.

"Spill it, Krycek," Walter continued, casually setting
down his drink on the coffee table. "I noticed that
worried glance when Mulder drove away with Jamie."

Alex shrugged. "Oh, I'm just hoping he's going to be
alright. He was acting very strangely."

"Yeah, I noticed that," Walter added sternly. "What do
you think's going on?"

"I'm not sure."

"Come on. There's got to be a reason Avatar is after
him."

Alex frowned. How much could he confide in him? How,
when he hacked into Blair's computer files and saw
Jamie's photo he offered his services in exchange for
a clone? How he was initiated into their demonic cult,
worshipping a hell god? Shifting in the chair
uncomfortably, Alex replied, "I think Mulder has
something they want."

"Like what?"

"Something Avatar would kill to get their hands on. I
was hoping maybe I could find it and..."

"Hmm... maybe keep it for yourself?" Walter finished
for him. "Offer them a ransom?"

Alex sat bolt upright and gave the older man a dark,
wounded look. "No! I was hoping to help Jamie." He
paused. Why did this sound so familiar? In the back of
his mind, he heard a deep voice resonating, 'You must
help me.' He shook his head and continued. "I've put
myself in more danger than you could possibly
imagine."

Walter eyed Krycek warily. "Exactly what danger?
Avatar cloned you, and you stole computer equipment
for them. You take Mulder to Jamie and all hell breaks
loose."

"What do I have to do to prove that I've changed?"
Alex shouted, desperately. He reached inside his
jacket pocket and Walter's eyes widened. Jumping to
his feet, he held the silver palm pilot in his hand.
Breaking into a sweat, Walter steeled himself for the
piercing pain. He 
gasped in shock as Alex lifted the device and hurled
it to the floor. It smashed apart, glittering pieces
catching in the lamplight.

"What, I..." Walter tried to grasp the man's actions.
Edging off the sofa, he stared down at the liquid
crystal seeping into the carpet.

"I tried to control you." His voice was painfilled.
"And I realized how wrong I was. This should show you
that I want to put the past behind me."

Another slap of surprise hit Walter and he blinked
rapidly. This was not what he thought Krycek would
say. Was he serious?

Uncontrollably, Alex took Walter into his arms and
kissed him feverishly. Skinner broke away and held the
Russian at arm's 
length.

"Now I'm really confused," Walter sputtered, in the
back of his mind he 
knew this was just a distraction.

"Me, too. I don't know where that came from." Alex
stared off into space. Before his eyes, images flashed
before him. He could see himself in Oxford meeting
Jamie... and an alien voice, steeped in dark power.
'So, you know who I am. Good.' Words inside of his
head, conflicting with his desire to leave.

"I think Jamie brought something back with him," he
said slowly.

"What do you mean?" Walter's lips tingled from the
unexpected kiss.

"I-I don't know, but it's on the tip of my mind." Alex
struggled with his memories. He grasped at the lost
jigsaw pieces. Some powerful influence forced him to
return to the States, to bring Mulder and Jamie back
together, to keep Skinner occupied. But why? The
longer he was away from it, the clearer his mind
became...

Walter, suddenly afraid for his friend, gripped
Krycek's shoulders. Firmly, he shook him awake as if
Alex were in the middle of a waking dream.

"Tell me now! Do you think Mulder's in danger?"

Alex thrust him aside. "From Avatar, yes."

"Then, you have to help him. You have to tell me all
you know."

"Alright," he agreed, his green eyes peering intently.
"Helping Mulder won't change anything between us. I'm
doing this for you, I want you to remember that."

Pondering this, Walter sat back down, eager to hear
Krycek's story.

[Next episode: The Enemy Within]