Chapter Eight: Colony Of Devils Title: Dangerous Undercurrents Author: Chad Moore Email: Chad_Skywalker@webtv.net Feedback: Please! Archive: Yes, just leave my name on it Status: WIP Rating: PG Pairing: M/O Fandom: The X-Files Spoilers: None, this is pre-XF Disclaimers: Fox Mulder belongs to CC and 1013. Azathoth and the Great Old Ones are creations of H.P. Lovecraft and are now the property of Arkham House. HUGE Beta Thanks: Bertina Chapter Eight: Colony Of Devils By Chad Moore With darkness falling, Mulder ushered a skeptical Ryan inside the Halls of Residence before the curfew went into affect. A few students lingered in the lobby, but most were shut up in their rooms with blaring stereo systems shaking plaster from the walls. Ryan, an unwilling warrior in Mulder's mad quest against a cult threatening Jamie, followed after him as he bounded up the stairs. Taking two at a time just to keep up, Ryan reached out and tugged on Mulder's sleeve. "Hey man, do you really believe someone's going to break in and whisk Jamie away?" "If I didn't I wouldn't have asked you to come," he replied, matter of factly. With determination, Mulder continued on to the third floor. A sharp, piercing scream echoed along the hall. Racing forward, Mulder found Carolyn standing in the open doorway of his flat. "Carolyn, what is it? What happened?" he asked. Looking within, he found the room empty and the bed in a shambles. The covers formed a puddle on the floor, next to a smashed picture frame. Mulder stood frozen amongst the debris. "Jamie," he whispered. Turning, he gripped an upset Carolyn's arms. "Jamie! Where is he?" "I don't know!" she cried back. "You said you'd watch over him," Mulder shouted. Carolyn shook her head. "I locked the door behind me," she wailed. "Mulder take it easy," interjected Ryan, who pryed his hands loose from Carolyn. Mulder started pacing the room, running a hand through his hair. His worst fears were becoming a reality. "Maybe he left," Ryan suggested. "No, he wouldn't. Jamie wouldn't leave me," Mulder said, feeling a nervous anger building up within him like a volcano. "Look at all this!" He gestured at the mess around him. His foot skidded across something on the floor and Mulder knelt to pick it up. His heart nearly broke as he held the photograph of him and Jamie in a shaking hand. Beside it was a letter, in Jamie's handwriting. "Jamie was writing a letter home," Carolyn explained when Mulder touched it. "I promised I'd mail it for him when it was finished." Outside, a deep roll of thunder resonated ominously. Carolyn stepped up to Mulder with tears in her large blue eyes. "Mulder, I'm so sorry. I had no idea anything would happen." Mulder turned to her, his eyes lighting up. "Carolyn, did you see or hear anybody?" "I left for only a minute to get a drink," she explained, covering her mouth with a hand. "There were so many guys standing around." "Think, Carolyn! Any little thing could be important!" "Mulder," Ryan protested. "There was something," Carolyn replied slowly. "When I turned my back I thought I saw Jamie's friend going upstairs, but when I looked he was gone." "What friend?" asked Mulder excitedly. Carolyn bit her lip. "That actor guy, Sebastian Beal." Mulder could've punched a wall. He should have followed his gut instincts! ~oo0oo~ Sebastian strode purposefully through the thick glade of trees, the still unconscious Jamie in his arms. The curfew had made stealing the Chosen One away very easily. Destiny was about to be fulfilled. The lights of the university shining in the distance, Sebastian smiled. Even if anyone saw him, he'd left a surprise. So absorbed in his reverent thoughts, he failed to realize that Jamie was beginning to awaken. As Sebastian passed along a familiar path, Jamie suddenly kicked and pummelled, throwing Sebastian off balance. Breaking free, Jamie hit the ground and drowsily ran. Uncontrollably, he gasped and again felt a strange, pulling sensation in his mind. Regaining his senses, Sebastian lashed out and Jamie crashed heavily to the ground. Like an unstoppable wave, Sebastian swooped down and clamped a cloth back over Jamie's mouth. In the last moment of consciousness, Jamie desperately clawed at the Saint Christopher around his wrist. When the struggles beneath him ceased, Sebastian breathed heavily and removed the handkerchief. He didn't want to harm the Chosen One; Jamie was still his friend. But after centuries of waiting, not even friendship could stop him. Hauling Jamie over his shoulder, Sebastian continued on, unaware of a piece of gold shining in the moonlight. ~oo0oo~ Mulder sat beside the window holding Jamie's unfinished letter in his hands. Where could he be now? He should have just carried Jamie right off the campus until it was all over. He stared down at Jamie's handwriting... 'Grams, there's something I've never told you, but the day I left home I had a feeling, a tension building and waiting to break free. I'm not sure what will happen. You and mom both taught me to be strong and I'll always be thankful for that. Although I've wanted to run, I've decided to stay, hope and wait. For myself and for love. Yes, can you believe it? I've fallen in love and ...' That's where the letter ended, unfinished. Mulder's hands shook, an uncontrollable force of fury and pain sweeping over him. He felt like he could tear the university apart with his bare hands. How had this happened again? First Sam and now Jamie. "No, I won't lose you, too!" he whispered aloud. Ryan and Carolyn turned with a start as Mulder, his face flushed red, jumped to his feet and marched with a relentless purpose toward the door. Grabbing Mulder's shoulders, Ryan held back the steam engine will. "Woah, hold it buddy. Where are you going?" "I've only got three days before the eclipse," he said. "I still don't understand any of this," bemoaned Carolyn. "What is there to understand? A cult is going to sacrifice him!" "You don't even know where to start looking, Mulder! And besides, why don't you contact the authorities? Jamie's missing, right?" Ryan took a deep breath, trying to make his friend see logical sense, but Mulder wouldn't have it. "Go to the police? Oh yeah, I can just see it now: Officer, there's going to be a cult sacrifice in a few days which will usher in unspeakable evil..." Mulder threw his hands up. "I'm sure they'll call in Scotland Yard! Listen to me both of you, we don't have time!" "Exactly," said a voice from the doorway. The trio turned to find Professor Wickham standing with a leather satchel, watching them intently. "You! What are you doing here?" demanded Mulder angrily. "I came to warn you," the old man replied. "Mulder, who is this?" asked Ryan curiously. "Does the name Weird Wickham ring a bell, my boy, hmm?" the professor asked. Carolyn gasped. "Are you really him?" She'd heard rumors of the reclusive professor. "Indeed," he confirmed. Mulder pulled away from Ryan's grip. "Professor, I don't want to argue with you, but you just might be my only hope." Peering at the cluttered room, Wickham fixed Mulder with a steely gaze. "What's happened here? Where's the boy?" Carolyn exchanged a nervous glance with Ryan, and the sadness in Mulder's eyes spoke volumes. "He's been taken, hasn't he?" the professor accused. "You wouldn't be told!" Mulder urgently grabbed the older man's sleeve. "Wait! You have the information I need to save Jamie!" Wickham slapped Mulder's hand away. "There isn't any time!" "What do you mean?" asked Mulder, his eyes narrowing. Professor Wickham hung his shoulders in defeat. "The calculations, my calculations, were wrong." "What?" Mulder exclaimed. "After you left I examined my notes again," he replied sadly. "The eclipse will take place tomorrow night." Mulder's eyes danced feverishly as he processed this. His mind clicked over. "What do you mean?" asked Carolyn, fearfully. "There's still a chance to save him," Mulder broke in. "Look, I know who took him. If we track him down we'll find Jamie and put an end to this once and for all." Wickham stared up at him. "Do you really believe that you can defeat an evil from the dawn of time?" "I believe in the truth and I have a promise to keep." Carolyn's heart pounded in her chest. Her dear friend had been taken away as a sacrifical lamb to a crazy cult. She'd always laughed at Foxy's stories, but here it was -- the strange, the paranormal, the unexplained -- staring her in the face. She only hoped that Mulder could convince Professor Wickham to help and... What was that? A chill ran over her skin, like morning frost on glass. "Listen!" she whispered. From out in the deserted hall came a loud whispering, accompanied by a slithering echo. Outside, against the shadowed walls, a huge glistening body was sliding toward them... the Leviathan had been summoned to this place. The aura of the Chosen One white hot nearby. Mulder swallowed hard. It was the same nightmarish sound he and Jamie heard the night of the Autumn Festival. "Come on," said the professor, quietly. "Let's get out of here." Nobody moved. "I can't move," whispered Carolyn, tearfully. She felt a scream rising in her throat. That sound! She'd heard it before, near the woods! "My legs! I can't move my legs!" Ryan shouted. The same paralyzing force took hold of Mulder. He breathed heavily, willing his frozen limbs to work. Wickham stared at the three young people and made a quick decision. From his coat pocket he took out a large pentagram and held it to his forehead; with his other hand he dropped his satchel and frantically searched. "Close your eyes and concentrate on your legs," he instructed. "Do it, now!" Not waiting to be told twice, Ryan and Carolyn snapped their eyelids shut. Only Mulder stared wide eyed at the approaching horror gliding down the hall toward them. Darkness clung to its grey-green snakelike body, velvet wings hanging by its sides, a head shaped like a flat five-pointed star, its tentacled mouth hissing. Mulder's heart leapt to his throat in terror. It was a Shoggoth, an Elder Thing spoken of in ancient legends. This terrifying force could suck the life force from its victims... leaving them as a husk. Sweat trickled down Mulder's face and throat. The more he tried to move, the harder it became to draw breath. He knew he was going to die. "Jamie, I'm sorry!" he cried. Nearby Carolyn whimpered pitifully and even Ryan shivered in fear. "Ah-ha!" the professor shouted. Mulder's eyes cut to him and watched in amazement as the elderly man extracted a glass jar full of white powder and hurled it at the hideous monstrosity. An ear splitting roar resounded off the walls and Mulder, Carolyn and Ryan found that they could move once more. Sucking in great lungfuls of air, Mulder staggered past the professor and out into the corridor. Whipping a hand to cover his nose from an intense foul odor, Mulder gagged at the sight before him. The legendary Leviathan, in the midst of a death throe, shuddered on the floor. Its body dried up rapidly, the outer skin cracking and dissolving. Crumbling like the dry leaves outdoors, its wings disintegrated into dust. Soon, the screeching stopped and the entire form became nothing more than a vicious, bubbling stain. "Nasty," Professor Wickham coughed behind him. "W-hat was in that jar?" stammered Mulder, still amazed from the sight of the creature and his near-death experience. "Salt, my boy," he answered with a faint smile. "You know, I really quite enjoyed that!" "Salt, of course," said Mulder. It was obvious. According to legend the Great Old Ones were a part of the Earth and why couldn't their creatures be destroyed with a mineral that was here before they were? It was simply brilliant. "What happened?" asked Carolyn nervously. Mulder turned in surprise and found her leaning against Ryan for support. "Didn't you see it?" he asked, full of excitement. "I didn't see a thing," Ryan replied grudgingly. "All I know is that my legs couldn't move and now they can. Let's get out of here." "Yes, let's!" Carolyn nodded, enthusiastically. Mulder sighed and shook his head dejectedly. Actual proof of the supernatural and it shrivels up like a salted snail... typical! His thoughts snapped back to more pressing matters. He ran after his friends who were already halfway down the hall. "Ryan, wait!" he called. "You promised to help." Ryan turned. "Look Mulder, I'm going to get Carolyn home. I don't fancy going through another ordeal like that again!" "Ryan, I'm fine now. Please help him find Jamie." Carolyn looked up at him with pleading eyes. Professor Wickham appeared, wiping a spotted handkerchief across his brow. "I can assure you that you won't encounter anything like it, for now." "For now?" questioned Mulder, sharply. Wickham waved a hand dismissively. "Later my boy, later." "Later? So you're willing to help now?" Mulder asked, skeptically. He was still wary of the man since he threatened Jamie. "Yes," he nodded. "You must be out of your mind." "So I've been told," Mulder said, glancing at his two friends. The professor waggled a skinny finger at him. "It's up to us to sort out this awful business. But we must tread carefully." "Good," said Mulder. "Ryan?" Ryan thought for a few moments. He was a cut and dry, logical person. Not the type to believe in fairy stories. As much as he hated to admit it, something strange was definitely happening. "Alright," he finally said. "Let's get Carolyn home." ~oo0oo~ A cold, wet sensation across his face shocked Jamie awake. Head aching, he tried to sit up on a straw mattress. A face swam dizzily before him; Sebastian's, his one-time friend, now kidnapper, wearing a dark, hooded cloak. "You again?" Jamie asked, weakly. "I'm sorry I had to drug you," he replied, his voice unexpectedly gentle. "The effects will soon pass." He made to wipe Jamie's brow with a damp rag but Jamie pushed his arm away. "Where am I?" he asked. As far as he could see, they were inside a simple room, the walls were exposed rock with a very sturdy wooden door. "Where you were always meant to be." The fanaticism growing in his voice made a fire spark in Jamie's eyes. Pulling himself up, Jamie stumbled forward and pounded frantically on the door. "Mulder!" he shouted, futiley. "Mulder," Sebastian repeated, dismissively. "I have to find him!" Sebastian moved up from behind. "You'll soon forget him, Jamie." "No," Jamie said, firmly. He was determined not to let Sebastian see him cry. "You have no choice, accept that." Sebastian touched his shoulder and it sent a chill through Jamie. Shoving his touch away, Jamie held onto the door for support. "How can you say that?" he wondered aloud. "You were my friend... why are you doing this?" Sebastian folded his hands and sat down on a stool beside the mattress. "Generations of my fathers have been waiting for this moment. Now the time is finally right. Our great god will live again, through you, Jamie." Jamie shook his head sternly. "When Mulder finds me, you're going to wish..." "I'm afraid your Mulder will never find you," Sebastian said. "That is the way it will be." Shuddering, Jamie sensed a hidden meaning behind those words. "Oh." He turned and leaned against the door, listening to the steady drip-drop of water in the distance. "What is it?" "Oh, it's just that ever since I came to Oxford I knew something would happen. Not so much a feeling, but a certainty." He sighed heavily. "I just want to be away from here and back with the people I love." "Jamie, you're on the brink of fulfulling your destiny," Sebastian replied after a moment's hesitation. "Destiny," murmured Jamie under his breath. ~oo0oo~ Keeping close to the buidings, Mulder's group used the inky patches of the night to avoid the patrolling guards. The Vice-Chancellor's curfew was strict in the extreme. They couldn't afford to be caught now. Having safely brought a shaken Carolyn back to her flat, Mulder lead Ryan and Professor Wickham across one campus to the other. "Damnit Mulder," hissed Ryan. "Do you mind telling us exactly where we're going?" Mulder looked back. "To Sebastian's apartment. Jamie told me where it was and he could be there." Pressing his back against a large tree swaying in the wind, Ryan sighed. "It's just that sneaking around wasn't part of the curriculum." The professor, who still carried the leather satchel, hopped from foot to foot in agitation. "Can we go now, hmm?" he whispered. "We've got to find that boy before midnight!" Gesturing upward, Mulder and Ryan followed his gaze. A shadow had begun to pass in front of the moon. Heart pounding furiously, Mulder cut his eyes back to the professor. When they found Jamie he'd have to watch the old man closely. He didn't trust him as far as he could throw him. "Let's get going," Mulder advised, leading the way once more. Crossing onto the next lawn, a pair of eyes watched them intensely in the darkness. ~oo0oo~ "Sebastian, please listen to me!" Jamie cried for the umpteenth time. "If you let them do this, everyone will be plunged into darkness and suffering. Is that what you want?" Sebastian merely smiled and clasped the pentagram hanging from his neck. "You are so innocent. All will be open to you at the appointed hour." Letting out a loud sigh of exasperation, Jamie marched in front of him. "You can't do this! I thought you were different, that you cared..." He turned away, eyes beginning to fill with tears. Jamie thought about the friend who had been there for him and it filled him with disgust and sadness. "Oh, just go away. I can't bear this." "Jamie," Sebastian said with reverence. "You have been bestowed with the greatest honor in mankind's history. Your sacrifice will be swift, I promise." ~oo0oo~ Emerging from the garage apartment defeated, Mulder sood in the middle of a cobbled street staring up at the increasing darkness swallowing the moon. The professor had managed to jimmy open the lock, but the only thing they'd found inside were books on the occult. Not one single, solitary clue. Clenching his fists, Mulder's helpless fury threatened to erupt. Ryan stood beside Weird Wickham. "Now what, professor?" "In two hours it will be the end," he replied. "I don't believe it," Ryan said, running across to Mulder. "Come on, Animal, think! Where would he have taken Jamie?" Mulder hung his head. "I don't know." Ryan swatted him in the arm. "Don't give me that! You're the true believer, aren't you? You're the one who keeps going on about aliens, ghosts and things that go bump in the dark. We're running out of time!" Mulder gazed at him, clearly taken aback. He finally believed! "I wish I knew, Ryan. You don't know how badly." "You really love him, don't you?" "Yes." Ryan squeezed his shoulder. "We're going to find him." The professor waved his hands frantically and stepped in between them. "We don't have time to stand here chatting! They must not get him to that altar!" Mulder's eyes flashed dangerously. "What altar?" "Hmm, what altar he says!" Wickham exclaimed. "At precisely midnight the cult will escort your boy to an altar where he will be sacrificed." He removed his glasses and wiped them on a handkerchief. "Oh, why didn't you let me take care of this yesterday?" Mulder's blood boiled. As he was about to protest, Ryan shouted, "Hell!" "Exactly, my dear boy! Hell on earth, unless those fanatics are stopped," the old man agreed. "No! I just remembered something. The night we went skinny dipping at the lake, Jamie warned us not to go near the woods because it could be dangerous," Ryan explained. "That's right! And Carolyn said she heard that creature in the forest!" Mulder shouted, already running back toward the university. ~oo0oo~ Racing at break-neck speed, Mulder had arrived on the edge of Oxford woods ahead of Ryan and a breathless Wickham. Close by, the lake was still and the half-shrouded moon reflected off its dark surface like glass. Mulder began to search, letting the loose branches tear at his skin. He was close, he could feel it. "Come on, Jamie, give me a sign!" he called into the night. Trudging through the underbrush, the professor and Ryan arrived. "Contrary to popular belief," the old man directed toward Mulder, "my ancestors searched this wood extensively and never found a thing." Ryan snorted in derision. "Well, apparently your ancestors didn't have his determination." Rounding trees, diving through thickets, Mulder searched the area. Soon, Ryan and the professor joined in. A beam of light shot out from a thick torch held in Wickham's hand. Raising his eyebrows, Mulder plucked it from his grasp. "Just what I needed," he said, moving on to scan the trees. "What an infuriating young man!" Wickham muttered. "Tell me about it," Ryan agreed. Mulder drowned out their conversation and the sound of nocturnal creatures. Only one thing filled his mind. His eyes widened and he passed the beam back like a lighthouse lamp. There! The ground had been churned up. Rushing forward, he knelt down and found the imprint of a size 10 shoe. "Jamie!" he shouted. "Mulder," called Ryan, "what did you find?" Frantically, Mulder raised the light. He sucked on his bottom lip trying to work out what happened. Jamie must've gotten away... maybe he was hiding somewhere nearby. "Jamie!" All Mulder could make out were thick trees, a clump of rocks and... What was that?! Pointing the light down, there was a tiny sparkle on the ground. Hurrying toward it, Mulder picked it up and felt a surge of panic. With the crunching of fallen limbs, Ryan helped the professor through the trees. "What have you got there?" Wickham questioned, seeing Mulder holding something in his palm. "Mulder?" Ryan approached him caustiously. "It's Jamie's bracelet," he said in a hushed voice. "There's blood on it." The Saint Christopher medal gleamed under the light. Crimson staining its golden surface. "Mulder, I'm sorry..." Ryan began. Mulder pocketed the bracelet and looked up sharply. "No, Jamie left this here for me to find. He's somewhere near. I can feel it." Ryan turned to the professor, wondering what the old man thought. This wasn't the time for Mulder to go into his Luke Skywalker spiel. "What do you think, professor?" he asked. Wickham rubbed his bearded chin. "He could be right." "I am, I know it! Come on, let's try over here." Mulder started to move further into the woods. Suddenly, all three men froze. "Well, well, well, what have we here, eh?" A voice asked from the darkness. ~oo0oo~ The door of the makeshift prison swung open. Jamie steeled himself to make a break for it, but shrank back in fear as two men, dressed in similar robes as Sebastian, entered the room. They were followed by a taller figure wearing a terrifying golden mask. The rich velvet of his purple cowl suggested that he was their leader. "What is this? Satan's mardi-gras?" Jamie asked, defiantly. Behind the mask, the High Priest smiled. "Spirit. Strength. This is excellent." His voice was deep and reverential. "You can forget the pick up lines," Jamie replied, hotly. The Priest stared down at the boy, then pointed. Jamie felt a pair of strong hands turning him around. The two brothers flanking the Priest moved forward and lifted up his jacket and silk shirt. "Hey!" Jamie protested as his back was exposed to the cool air. What were they going to do? Nodding with satisfaction the Priest said, "You are indeed the Chosen One. Exactly as it was written." Quickly breaking away from the occultists, Jamie pulled his clothes back into place. "Alright, I've got a birthmark, so what?" The Priest nodded at the defiant boy. "Yes, you are perfect." He turned toward Sebastian, who remained fixed behind the Chosen One. "Prepare him." "My lord?" Sebastian questioned, curiously. "You are honored to escort the sacrifice," the Priest told him. "What!" Jamie shrieked, knowing what was coming. "My child, we have waited for aeons. You were sent to us as sacrifice to our great god Azathoth. At the appointed hour, the moon shall be swallowed and you will become the deliverer." As the High Priest and the two brethern stepped from the cell Jamie's wall of defiance fell apart in that instant. He fooled himself into thinking this was all some terrible dream; that he would awake any moment and be back in Mulder's arms. Jamie tried to protest, question and plead. Unexpectedly, Sebastian's hand touched Jamie lightly on the shoulder. Jamie shivered and looked up at him, eyes moist with tears. Stepping from the cell, they found a cowled figure waiting for them. Jamie felt a stirring from deep within his soul... undercurrents. His heart beating liking a drum, he could almost hear death bells crying out to the world. [Next Episode: Sacrifice]