Glassless Window by Hiro and May-conX Krycek blew on his hands trying to warm them. The weather had taken a fearsome plummet this morning. Jeans and a leather jacket weren't cutting it on this bitter day, and his neck was stiff and pained from suppressed shivers. The contact he had been sent to meet was late. As the minutes passed, he went from merely uncomfortable to concerned. The Old Man usually ran a pretty tight operation. Hiccoughs within his own house were rarely coincidental. The shifting power structures since the vaccine had entered the picture only made him more nervous. He was playing for an outsider when it came down to it. The Old Man had made his open play months before and had lost status within the group when he had failed to turn their path. Meanwhile the work went on. And he wasn't dressed for this weather. And his cheeks were undoubtedly turning red in the scorch of this wind. And his continued loitering was eventually going to draw notice. The chirp of his cell-phone brought him out of his thoughts. "Yeah?" "Krycek—this is Peterson. Dr. Willard has been detained. We still need you in place, though." Krycek fidgeted. He'd as soon leave this gray, overcast city behind. "Orders?" He heard Peterson draw a breath. "Mulder's in town." Peterson had his opinions about Krycek's track record as far as Mulder was concerned, Krycek knew. It didn't matter. "What're the orders?" "Dr. Willard spoke to Mulder and his partner. We need to know what he told them..." Krycek silently listened to his new assignment. The motel Mulder checked into earlier that day was roughly a mile away from his current location. He would walk. Knowing Mulder, an exhausted appearance would gain Krycek his sympathy. He had twenty minutes, give or take, before Mulder would arrive at the motel. He began the walk. It was always easier to sort things out while walking. Mulder was going to have questions. Extracting the necessary information from Mulder, without giving him anything important, would be very difficult. Normally, Krycek would use force. In Mulder's case this wasn't effective. Mulder was hard. Harder to break and harder to understand, than any other man Krycek had been ordered to confront. Their paths had crossed far too often lately to be coincidence. The Old Man had been responsible for the last time. Now this. Krycek wasn't sure if the Old Man thought him a good tool to use when dealing with Mulder, or if he had some other motive. For now, he would go where he was told. Krycek passed an alley where a drug deal was obviously being made. Dr. Willard had sounded so damned important earlier. The only thing he knew about the doctor was that he researched genetics. He supposed Peterson would follow up on that, while Krycek did his part. The wind was picking up again. Needle sharp blasts hit Krycek's cheeks, leaving them numb and red. He shoved his hand further into his pocket. Mulder's motel was just ahead. Krycek quickly picked the generic motel lock. Peterson had informed him that Mulder was being escorted away from a certain military-run facility even while they had been speaking. After his walk, Krycek had only minutes before Mulder would arrive. He quickly began to sort through the files Mulder had left strewn over the motel table. Krycek wondered briefly who Mulder's informant had been this time. Clearly someone on the inside. Someone scared and at not too high of a level in the organization. That, or someone playing Mulder. For, at best, the files laid out tantalizing half-bits of information. Whispers of cloning projects. An outline of psi tests administered. Too generic to be of any use. For a moment, he understood Mulder's frustration. Sometimes it seemed everyone was playing the man. Then he saw a name that made him start in surprise. Gibson Praise. He'd thought the boy safely under the old man's aegis. Apparently, the tables had turned again. Krycek shuffled through the pages for more references to Praise, but the single physical check-up dated last month was all there was. His instructions were merely to find out what Mulder knew. But he hated operating in the dark himself. If the old man didn't want him to ferret out the answers, he would have given him a fuller briefing. A car door slammed outside. Mulder would be angry and frustrated after his abortive attempt on Spender's pet facility. Krycek quickly slipped in to the bathroom, unpleasant encounters with Agent Scully not on his agenda for this afternoon. The door opened. From where he was hiding, Krycek couldn't see who was entering. "... from that alone, Mulder... You should have expected this." "It's not just that. There's something more here. We're not looking hard enough." "I'm going to do some research tonight, some referencing. If you'd like... we'll try again to contact Dr. Willard's assistant in the morning." Mulder sighed. "Alright, Scully, I'll see what I can come up with too." "I'll wake you around seven then. Night, Mulder." "Good night, Scully." The door closed. Krycek waited a few moments, debating how to go about this. He quickly peeked around the bathroom door. Mulder was shifting through the folders that were spread across the bed. He sat down on the corner of the mattress. Krycek turned back into the bathroom. He had to keep things calm and rational. He slowly walked out of the bathroom. Mulder was gathering the papers from the table. His back facing Krycek. "Working late, Mulder?" Mulder dropped the papers and spun to face the familiar voice. He glanced across the room. Mulder had left his gun on the dresser. "Krycek." They stood staring at each other for a long moment. He saw the thoughts processing behind the other man's eyes. Should he go for the gun? It was too far away. Did Krycek have a weapon? That was a harder one. Mulder stood up, and Krycek could no longer read his eyes. "You..." Krycek held up his hands placatingly. "Mulder, I—" "You what, Krycek? You have another bust to hand to me? You have a tip that leads to another mind wipe?" Mulder growled. Krycek watched Mulder's body tensing. Calm, he recited. Rational. If he could only get Mulder to go along. "I didn't know that happened, Mulder. I heard the rebel got away. I'm sorry you didn't get any answers." "Right," Mulder said. "You're sorry." Hazel eyes darkened with bitterness and old anger. "Mulder, all things being equal, I'd just as soon see you got your answers." "Sure," Mulder said, but he had backed away. "Of course." "Take Dr. Willard for example. I can give you the real truth behind his work. Expand on what he's told you." "I don't know any Dr. Willard," Mulder lied. "Mulder..." Krycek warned, feeling his patience fray. Mulder raised an eyebrow at him. Of course. Why would Mulder make it easy for him? Mulder walked calmly over to the dresser and picked up his weapon. Krycek followed the movement with his eyes, but made no move to stop him. Holding the gun discreetly at his side, Mulder said: "Now get out before I call Scully over and we arrest you. I don't need your kind of trouble right now." Krycek frowned, gloved fist tightening, but he headed toward the door. As Krycek reached for the knob, Mulder spoke: "You want to give me truth Krycek?" Mulder stepped forward. "I want to help you connect these dots." "You mean you want them connected." Krycek leaned against door. He cautiously eyed the other man. "What do you have Mulder? A few indecipherable papers... ? What Dr. Willard told you? You'll need more than that." "I don't need it from you. Get out of here." Krycek turned and left. He had some time. Mulder would need real information. Tonight, Krycek would have to gather it. He walked the mile back to his car. He had Dr. Willard's research lab address. He had seen the name of a retired Marine. Herald Thewis. No current address was given. Time to run some deep background checks. Krycek took out his phone and dialed. "Peterson? It's Krycek. Do you have some free time?" "It depends how you need me to spend it." "I need a background check run on Dr. Willard and his research." "I have a file on that right here. It's a censored copy." Krycek sighed. "Good enough. Also, on a Herald Thewis, t-h-e-w-i-s. Can you also see if there are any connections to the doctor?" "I'll see what I can find. Check back in a couple hours, give or take." "Thanks." Peterson chuckled. "You owe me." Then the phone was silent. Krycek started his car as the agents pulled out of the motel parking lot the next morning. He tailed them as far as Captain Thewis' street. He let his car idle around the corner. He knew what they'd find. The residence had been cleared out. Soon enough, the navy rental cruised by. Krycek observed Mulder take three turns in a row without signaling before he got his frustration under control. Finally, the pair pulled up outside the city hall building. Krycek watched as Scully got out. She leaned in the window exchanging some final words. Finally, she walked away, shaking her head. Krycek saw her enter the city hall building. He'd taken a less sanctioned perusal through city records himself the night before. Krycek followed Mulder out of the city proper and realized they were headed to the lab at which Dr. Willard headed up the research. This facility, like so many others Krycek had visited was located in slightly wooded area for privacy. As Krycek rounded the last turn, he saw the parking lot was completely empty except for Mulder's rental. The fact that the whole facility had been shut down after one man's disappearance did not bode well. Krycek eased his car back around the curve and parked it out of sight. As he slipped along the tree line, he saw Mulder approach the door and do something to the lock. He watched the door swing open, and Mulder disappeared inside. For a federal agent, Mulder sometimes demonstrated a remarkable disregard for due process. Krycek jogged along the tree line and then made a dash across the pavement to the front entrance. He didn't see Mulder, so he slipped inside. He moved passed the abandoned reception area. He passed two offices. Glancing in. They hadn't been emptied yet. But they were probably there mostly for show. Like for the reception of inquisitive FBI agents. He carefully approached the corner of the hallway. Peering around, he saw it was empty. No Mulder lurking in wait. Directly in front of him a gate hung open. Clearly a security check point. He passed through. The first room to his right was also an office. This one was larger, the back wall lined with filing cabinets. He opened one. It hadn't been cleaned out. His hand froze on the drawer for a minute as he felt his heart pick up a beat. If the site hadn't been sanitized, then it wouldn't be left unguarded either. Procedure he remembered from his days working for the cigarette smoking bastard dictated at least one guard for the inner level of the facility and at least one roving guard. Krycek hadn't seen anyone yet, but Mulder was in here, too. And Krycek didn't trust him not to get caught. He carefully eased the drawer shut, then he hurried silently and quickly down the hallway to find Mulder. He passed two windowless doors on his left. Both were securely locked. The hallway curved to the right. He heard a door slam. Krycek began to run down the corridor. "Freeze!" The strange voice was coming from just around the next corner. A gun fired. "I said freeze!" Krycek held his breath. Mulder began, "I'm looking for..." He was cut off by the stranger. "You are trespassing. Hands against the wall." Krycek heard movement. "Now kneel on the ground." More movement. "What are you doing here?" "I'm looking for my Doctor." That was so stupid, Mulder. This man's not playing. There was a sound of scuffling feet. When Mulder spoke again, his voice came quicker and he didn't sound so cavalier. "I'm a federal agent." "Who are you here for?" "A Dr. Willard." Dammit Mulder. "Why?" "He's needed in a federal investigation. I have my identification right here." "Hands where I can see them." Shit Mulder. You're going to get yourself killed. "Have you met with him before?" That's it. "Yes, just yesterday I..." The sound of a gun safety being removed drowned out all other noise in Krycek's ears. He hated playing the hero when the hostage was ungrateful. Krycek pulled out his gun and spun around the corner. Both heads jolted toward him. The stranger, gun in hand, turned to aim at Krycek. A shot was fired. Mulder jumped against the wall. Krycek threw himself to the ground. All was quiet. "You shot him!" Mulder was standing above the silent stranger. "You just shot a man in the head! You son of a bitch. You couldn't have got him in the leg, or shoulder even!?" Krycek began to stand. He took Mulder's gun from the dead man. "I just saved your life." Krycek handed the gun to Mulder. "There will be another man on his way now. I suggest we leave." Mulder raised his gun to Krycek's face. Krycek didn't change his expression. He calmly turned away from Mulder. Krycek began to run back through the structure. "Come on, Mulder!" He heard Mulder's footsteps behind him. They reached the door in moments. Krycek began to cross the parking lot toward his car. "Where are you going?" Mulder called after him. "Don't go far! I'll find you again, soon!" "What?" Mulder reached his car. A gun shot was fired. The bullet hit the ground near Mulder's feet. "Oh... shit." He jumped into his rental and started to speed away. Krycek looked back as he neared his own vehicle. A man had appeared from inside the structure, wielding a gun and running after him. They were already too far away for the guard to see their faces. Krycek reached his car and sped off after Mulder. He caught up with Mulder half a mile down the deserted road. Mulder slowed. Krycek honked his horn twice then pulled up beside him. They both slowed more. Krycek lowered the passenger window. He signaled for Mulder to lower his. "Follow me!" Krycek yelled through the open cars. He pulled ahead of Mulder and quickly accelerated. Mulder followed closely behind him. They were speeding excessively. The sun shown brightly in Krycek's eyes. He pulled his dark sunglasses out. A thick dirt cloud was being thrown up behind him. Mulder's vehicle had fallen back several car lengths. Krycek slowed to make a left turn. The road they were following took them further away from the city. The land around the road gave way to untouched fields and wooded areas. Krycek was speeding at ninety-five miles an hour. Krycek pulled off on an overgrown gravel driveway, throwing up small stones behind him. He parked his car behind the dilapidated barn at the end of the drive. He was gratified to hear the sound of Mulder's tires hitting the gravel behind him. He stepped out of his car, his breath puffing in the crisp air. He was leaning casually against his car when Mulder pulled behind the building. Mulder hadn't even quite finished breaking when he threw the car into park and stormed out. Krycek heard the rental groan in feeble protest to its treatment. Mulder's face was clouded with anger as he stormed up to Krycek. So volatile, Krycek smiled to himself. Mulder opened his mouth. Krycek hardly needed to listen to know what he was going to say. "Krycek! You goddamned murderer!" Mulder started. Krycek stepped forward, getting right in Mulder's face. "He was going to shoot you. Some people would be grateful." "You didn't have to shoot him dead! Is it so easy for you to kill? And what were you doing following me?" Krycek opened his mouth to answer, but Mulder cut him off to finish his tirade. "And you drive like a lunatic!" Well, not normally, Krycek thought, but there was something about knowing Mulder was following. Mulder had stopped, looking slightly startled by his own words. "Look, Mulder. You know you're glad I saved you. So stop pretending." Krycek saw Mulder open his mouth, but hurried on before he could speak. "In any case, it doesn't look like you'll be talking to Dr. Willard again. It's lucky for you I know a little bit about his research. Why don't you tell me what Dr. Willard already told you, and I'll see what I can fill in." Mulder's eyes narrowed. "No way, Krycek. That thug wanted to know if I'd already talked to Dr. Willard, too. I'm not doing you any favors." Krycek suppressed his groan of frustration. "I don't work for the same man he did." "Whatever." Mulder shrugged. Krycek decided to try a different approach. He removed his sunglasses and ran his hand through his hair, and tried to project a 'Look, I'm leveling with you' air. "I won't pretend I don't have my own motives, Mulder. But unlike your cigarette smoking friend and his thugs back there, my interests don't have to conflict with yours." "Krycek. You're a liar. Why should I believe anything you say?" "I told you the truth about Wiecamp Air force Base, didn't I?" Krycek watched Mulder's eyes turn inward. The expression on his face was strange: vague and distant. Krycek wished he knew what Mulder was thinking about. "Give me a chance." Krycek tried to put all the sincerity he could into his voice. "I can help you find Harold Thewis. Then you can decide." Mulder stared back at him for several seconds. Krycek was beginning to find the weighing intensity of Mulder's stare discomforting. Finally Mulder stepped back, and said: "Alright." Only as Mulder moved back did Krycek realize how closely they had been standing as they argued. He had an irrational urge to step close again and pick another fight. He shook the ridiculous thought out of his head. "Follow me," Krycek said, "I'll take you to him." Krycek turned to get back in his car. "Wait," Mulder said, reaching out and grabbing him. Krycek froze, Mulder's hand on his shoulder. God, he could hardly begin to explain to himself why his breathing had just picked up the way it did. He turned slowly, deliberately not disengaging Mulder's hand. "Yes?" "Should we take two cars? They saw my rental at the base yesterday..." Krycek blinked in surprise. Mulder wanted to go together? He wasn't used to Mulder giving an inch. "Okay. Get in. But I'm driving." Mulder turned, letting his hand fall away as he moved to the passenger side. Krycek remained leaning against the car, staring at the sagging roof line of the barn for a long moment before getting in. Krycek put his sunglasses back on. He turned to Mulder. "Buckle up." "Maybe I should drive." Mulder buckled his seatbelt. A large grin spread across Krycek's face. He put the car into gear and drove back down the driveway. Moments later, Krycek was speeding back down the road. After a few minutes, Mulder pulled out his phone. "What are you doing?" Krycek didn't even glance in Mulder's direction. "I'm calling Scully." Krycek turned to him. "No." "No?" Mulder looked dumbfounded. There was a long awkward pause. "Alright, Mulder. But you can't tell her who you're with. There's no way in hell Scully can know I am here... Tell me you won't tell her." "I won't." Mulder began to dial. "Promise." "I promise... don't flatter yourself." Krycek turned his attention toward his driving again. They were approaching the city outskirts. "Scully? It's me... Actually, I think I might have found him." The car turned right. "Well... It's a long story." Mulder was looking over at Krycek. Krycek shot a warning glare at him. "I need you to find out who owns the research lab, what groups worked out of it... anything else you can find. I'll call you again later. Thanks Scully." Mulder turned to Krycek. "How much farther?" "Few minutes." Mulder nodded. "Mulder... Who first contacted you? Was it Dr. Willard, or someone else?" "We're not friends yet, Krycek." Krycek looked over at Mulder again. He was not expecting Mulder to ever use the words 'we' and 'friends' in the same sentence. They sat the remainder of the drive in silence. They arrived at a plain two-story cottage-style house. One car sat rusting in the driveway. Krycek reached across Mulder to open the glove box. He was surprised when Mulder didn't flinch. Either Mulder was trying to play it cool, or he was letting his guard down. Krycek pulled out a pair of eyeglasses. "The guy wants to talk. He's supposed to be very paranoid. He might trust us, if we're honest about the doctor and his death." Krycek put the glasses on. He knew the effect. His entire appearance changed dramatically. Krycek saw Mulder smile a little, then he opened his car door. They met on the porch. Mulder knocked. When the door finally opened a tall, rigid man was peering out at them. "What?" Mulder snapped into his rehearsed greeting. "Hi. I'm Agent Mulder with the FBI. This is..." Krycek gladly cut him off. "Arntzen... Alexander Arntzen. Captain Thewis?" Krycek offered a handshake. The man took his hand and nodded. "May we come in, Sir?" Captain Thewis turned and gestured for them to follow. The living room was almost empty. A couch was shoved against the far wall. Garishly decorated with a gaudy afghan and pillows. A short coffee table sat in front of it. Two full ashtrays were spilling cigarette butts over their rims. There was a small television set on top of an unsteady tv-tray. The curtains were drawn. "Please, have a seat." Thewis walked into the next room. He reappeared with another chair. After sitting he finally smiled. "What can I help you with?" Thewis lit a cigarette. Krycek looked at Mulder. "May I?" Mulder shrugged. The look he shot Krycek said, 'only while it's good.' "You were stationed at Fulworth?" Thewis nodded, tapping a fresh cigarette out of the pack. "We're investigating some medical experiments run over last few years." Thewis shrugged tucking the cigarette into the graying hair behind his ear. "I retired almost two years ago now. I can only tell you what I saw then." "That's all we're asking," Krycek assured him. He casually adjusted his glasses and concentrated on looking nonthreatening and encouraging at the same time. Confidence inspiring. "For several years, the military has funded private research into cloning and pursued its own research in the area. The goals are fairly basic. Animal cloning for food resources was one focus. There were various ideas about application, some more realistic than others, but the research was general. That's what we pursued at Fulworth. But the truth is, private sector research left us far behind. And then around four years ago there was a major change of staff. A lot of new equipment came. Security levels went up." Thewis paused, fishing out another cigarette, not lighting this one either. Krycek asked: "Did you have access to these levels?" "I sometimes was involved in coordinating security. I was on all the different blocks at one time or another. The scientists, however, were not allowed to discuss their work outside their units. I'm not sure they knew the nature of the project. Just their piece of the puzzle. However..." Thewis lit up the cigarette. "Rumors do circulate." Krycek nodded. Thewis took a couple breaths of his cigarette. "There were children in some of those labs," Thewis said finally, pausing to look at his cigarette. "I never saw more than tests and trials... you know like psychology tests, IQ tests. Nothing too sinister if you forgot where we were. But there were others who talked about surgeries. I don't know. When my chance to retire came up, I didn't think twice." Krycek saw Mulder frowning next to him. He knew that whenever children were mentioned, the man must see his sister. "I think maybe some of the research they were doing was about twins, though. I saw seven or eight sets of kids taking the same test at once. It was weird." Thewis looked far away. "They all sat there, perfectly still. Perfectly concentrating. Perfectly self-contained. I've never seen kids act like that." Thewis looked at his cigarette again before stubbing it out."I don't know what else I can tell you." "You've already helped." Mulder shifted on the couch. "Did you ever meet a doctor named Christopher Willard?" "Dr. Willard? Yeah. I know him." "Did he work with the children?" Krycek took charge again. He pulled out the small notepad he often carried. "Dr. Willard was more a lab man. He worked on gene mapping mostly. I think he actually headed one or two of the projects. Though he never told me anything about them." "Do you recall anything he might have said that sounded... strange to you?" Mulder looked at Krycek. He looked as though he didn't recognize him. "Not specifically. My memory's been going to hell for some time." Thewis took the cigarette that had been sitting behind his ear. He flipped the stick over and over through his fingers. Krycek was looking casually down the hall. "What about a boy named Praise?" Thewis lit the cigarette. "No. I don't think so. Like I said... " He took a long drag. "I didn't really get involved with that... with the children." Mulder was staring at Krycek. Krycek wrote 'He's lying about Praise. Keep him talking' on his notepad. Mulder turned back to face Thewis. "Have you talked with anyone from the base since your retirement?" Thewis took several more hits off his cigarette. He looked out the front window to their right. "Nope. Can I offer either of you a drink?" "Actually, do you have a bathroom I could use?" Krycek stood. Thewis stood, too. "Yeah, down that hall. It's the first door on the right." "Thanks." Krycek handed his notepad to Mulder. Thewis sat back down. "How about you? Drink?" "No thanks." Krycek walked quickly down the hall. He passed the bathroom. The next room was an office. A computer sat on the desk against the far wall. An e-mail program was still loaded. They make it so easy for him. He quickly scrolled through the list. There was one e-mail from Dr. Willard. It was dated three days earlier. Krycek opened it. It's all over. Project Grandson terminated. No one is left. Leave. Chris Krycek closed the mail. He quickly glanced through the papers on the desk. A large office phone lay hidden under a stack of tattered screenplays and piano arrangements. One number was listed on the speed dial. Krycek left the room as it was. On his way back down the hall, he flushed the toilet. He came back into the room reciting the phone number in his head. Mulder was finishing a question. "... anyone else at the base work with you?" "Some men. Boys mostly. They were security." Both men stood as Krycek re-entered. "Thank you... Are we about finished here, Mulder?" Mulder looked at Thewis. He nodded. "Thank you, Captain. If there's anything else, how can we reach you?" "My home phone. I'm here most the time." Thewis nodded to them. "I hope you find what you're looking for." "Here's my number. Please call if you remember anything." "I will." Thewis escorted them out and locked the door behind them. Krycek sat down in the driver's seat once more. He scrawled the phone number on a page in his note pad and the tore it out. He handed the paper to Mulder. "Can you back trace an address on this?" he asked. Mulder shrugged. "It was on Thewis' speed dial," Krycek explained. Mulder flipped open his cell phone and placed a call. Krycek waited patiently while Mulder gave the number. Finally, Mulder ended his call. "154 North Water Street. It's a warehouse. Do you know where that is?" Krycek shook his head no. "I've got a map." He reached over Mulder once again to open the glove box, not shying away when his right forearm brushed Mulder's thigh as he searched for the map. After a moment, Mulder shifted a little, restlessly, but Krycek had found the map. The warehouse on Water Street turned out to be a dead end. It had been burned. The roof had collapsed in, and the rubble stank. The ruin looked no more than a few days old. Krycek waited patiently while Mulder called Scully and asked her to find out what had happened here as well. Since she was researching city records anyway, of course. He told her about Thewis, and then told her he had one more lead to follow. And then he hung up the phone. Sucked to be Scully, Krycek guessed. Not that he felt the least bit sorry for her. "I need to get my car back," Mulder said. Krycek nodded, and started heading back out of the city. He tried to breach the silence: "Thewis didn't say much. What do you think Dr. Willard was involved in?" Before Krycek could find out if Mulder would refuse to tell him again, Krycek's own cell-phone rang, breaking the moment. Krycek slowed the car. He raised his prosthetic to steer the wheel. Mulder stared at it. "Krycek." "Krycek. This is Peterson. We've got a contact you need to meet. Now. How close are you to the waterfront district? "Not too far." He glanced over at Mulder. He was still staring at the prosthetic limb. "I've... got company." "You can take Mulder," Peterson said. "You'd just better be able to handle any fall out. Fourth floor of the old Empire Hotel on Capital Street. You'll know it when you see it. The names Hecker. He's got some papers for the old man." Krycek listened to the dial tone for a moment, trying to decide whether it would be worth the trouble of bringing Mulder along. Not that Mulder would necessarily give him a choice... He put the phone away. "Krycek?" "Mulder." "Krycek..." Mulder's tone was warning. Krycek turned the car around. "We've got a contact to meet." "Okay." Mulder was silent a moment. Krycek glanced over at him. Mulder was still looking at the motionless hand. Krycek let out a chuckle. "I thought you'd noticed that before. Thought you'd noticed long ago." "No. Who... the men in Tunguska?" "It happened there. Some woodsmen thought they were doing me a favor." He looked over at Mulder. He looked as though he was searching for the right thing to say. "Fuck it. Hey... It's history." Krycek smiled again. Peterson was right. He couldn't have missed the Empire Hotel. It was impressive. And totally abandoned. The triangle of open land at the front must have added to the impression in its heyday, but now it gave Krycek nowhere to stash his car. He pulled around the corner and found a sad residential street to park it on. They walked to the back of the hotel. Mulder's glance to the left and then the right showed he realized the kind of neighborhood they were in. The way they were dressed. The thin line they might walk. Krycek drew himself up to look more menacing. Even Mulder noticed, taking a second like. A slight frown then a trace of a smile crossed Mulder's lips before he settled back into a neutral expression, as if he couldn't decide something. Krycek followed along the back of the fence until he found a small tear. Pulling back on the metal, he said, "Under the fence." He watched Mulder shimmy through the small space, surprisingly lithe and graceful in the action. His dark, expensive suit coat, though completely inappropriate for the exercise, appealed to Krycek as it appeared in juxtaposition with the bleakness of the scene. Krycek had a slightly harder time without someone to hold the fence back for him. Once under, they made a run for the building to get out of sight. It took a moment for Krycek's eyes, to adjust, but then he saw what must have been the main lobby, a huge open space, with marble and more marble. Everything was gone now, of course, but it was perhaps more impressive in its openness. He looked up at the ceiling, reaching at least two floors above him. The place was a ruin. It had clearly been abandoned for years. But a building built like this would remain structurally sound for years more. Mulder took a couple steps forward, also looking quite impressed. Krycek caught his arm before he could wander into the open area before them. Silently he motioned to the right, pointing out a set of stairs. They were wide with lavish wooden banisters, but hard to navigate for the layers of broken tile and chipped plaster that littered every step. Harder still to move silently. Krycek slipped once, but Mulder caught his elbow, holding him until he regained his footing. Krycek shot him a grateful glance to which Mulder replied with a shrug. Krycek counted flights to the forth floor. Moving from the relatively dark stairwell, to the bright, windowed floor, Krycek had to let his eyes adjust once again. When they blinked clear, he saw the silhouette of a man standing before the wall of glass- less windows. Krycek felt Mulder exit the stairwell and come to stand next to him, but he didn't take his eyes off the dark shadow of a man before him. The wind stirred his hair and his coat, but he didn't appear to be holding a weapon. "Hecker?" Krycek called out. "Yeah. Who are you?" Hecker called back without moving closer. "Krycek." Hecker nodded at the name. "Who's he?" "He's alright," Krycek called back. "Who is he?" Krycek hesitated a moment. "This is Agent Mulder." Apparently, it was enough for Hecker, because the man walked toward them. Krycek saw him holster the gun he hadn't seen. Hecker was looking oddly at Mulder, and it was definitely making Mulder uncomfortable. Hecker clearly was trying to work out what Mulder's presence here might mean, and was finding all the explanations odd. Krycek watched the way the man moved, and judged him to be something of a counterpart to himself in the old man's organization. He produced a small folio and handed it to Krycek. "This is the extent of the information I was able to gather. Get it to Peterson." Mulder opened his mouth to say something, but Hecker was already leaving. Hecker nodded to Krycek. "Good afternoon, Mr. Mulder," he said as he passed on his way to the stairs. Krycek walked over to the windows and looked at the city below. "Who's Peterson?" Mulder asked. Krycek didn't turn around to look at Mulder. "The guy I'm supposed to give these papers to." Krycek could almost hear Mulder's teeth grinding in suppressed anger and frustration. Krycek watched silently as Hecker walked calmly down the street away from the building. He walked back to Mulder. "Okay, we can go now," he said, taking a step into the stairwell. Mulder caught up to him, grabbing his arm, turning him around on the landing. Krycek saw the anger burning in his eyes. "Krycek! What was the point of this? Don't jerk me around! I want to know what's in those papers! Tell me what—" "My job was to pick up those papers! I don't have to tell you anything. Why should I tell you anything in exchange when you won't trust me at all too—" Mulder stepped forward, about to interrupt. Krycek put his hand on Mulder's chest and pushed him back against the wall. Mulder let out a groan that wasn't exactly one of pain. Krycek froze, startled by the sound. Krycek thought he must have looked pretty stupid standing there about to start a tirade, cut off short. But then Mulder looked down right mortified. Their eyes met. And the air seemed to get about ten degrees thicker between them. He didn't even realize he was moving closer until he was staring right into Mulder's eyes. Mulder looked lost. His lips were parted as if he had been about to say something but had forgotten how. And in the absolute silence of the building... in the absolute silence of the building... Krycek thought he could hear two hearts beating. And then, through the dead silence, the crackle of a foot step drifted up the stairwell. In an instant, Krycek changed the angle of his forward momentum, and only his cheek grazed Mulder's as he turned to run up the stairs, grabbing Mulder's hand and dragging him after him. Mulder followed him as he took the stairs two at a time. Pursuit was loud behind them. They hit the top floor. Fifteenth or so, Krycek thought distractedly. He glanced briefly at the half-flight of stairs leading to the open door to the roof. That would likely be a dead end, he decided. He headed onto the top floor, searching for a hiding space. The main hall was a mess and this high the wind through all the broken out windows buffeted he and Mulder mercilessly. Mulder's hair whipped around his head. His coat swirled around his legs. All the rooms were open and empty. Mulder had stopped where the elevator had come to its final rest half-way between the top floor and the crawl space above. It was insane, but the pursuit from below was getting closer. "Come on," Krycek said, as he climbed into the elevator. He pointed up to the crawl space and watched as Mulder pulled himself up. He looked up and saw Mulder staring down from the darkness above. Mulder offered a hand. He grabbed onto it, and waited helplessly as Mulder pulled him up, unable to do more with only one arm. Finally, he had enough purchase to belly crawl the rest of the way into the space. His feet had barely cleared the elevator when it groaned and choked its way down two more floors before it got stuck once again. Mulder was staring down at it. Krycek motioned with his head for Mulder to follow as he began to crawl along the small passage. Finally, it dropped out into a small elevator maintenance room. The conventional entrance was blocked over by rubble. The way they had come in had fallen two stories. He didn't think the searchers would find them. He just hoped he wouldn't have to call someone to get them out. He sat down next to an archaic, rusted piece of machinery. They'd have to wait out the searchers in any case. Mulder eventually sat down across from him. "Who's Peterson?" Mulder asked again. Krycek sighed. "Just a guy who is good at computers and organization. He sees that things get where they need to go." "And what do you do?" Krycek stopped fidgeting. "I do field work." "Am I an assignment then? You need what I know?" He didn't want Mulder to close off now. Krycek decided to tell him what he wanted to hear. "I want to know what the doctor told you. I've given you as much information. I saved your life. You owe me." "I do? Funny... I thought you were trying to even things out." Mulder clasped his hands together. "Okay, Krycek. Dr. Willard told me about a cloning project." "That's it?" "No. You knew Gibson was here." Krycek nodded, thanks to Mulder. "They were trying to isolate a certain gene in him." Mulder spread his hands. "Introduce the gene into a breed of clones." Krycek stood. "Project Grandson?" Mulder nodded. "Yes. You... know it?" Krycek shook his head. "Just the name." "Well, he was ordered out of the lab for no apparent reason early last week. He said he hadn't been allowed back since." "Did he say what he personally was working on?" "Yes. He handled a specific gene manipulation. More specifically, he told me as an effect of his work... these child clones would out live most humans." "How? Immunities? Longevity?" "I don't know." Mulder fished into his pocket. He pulled out a small piece of paper. "He gave me this." Krycek took the paper from him. He sat back down to examine it. In the half light of the room it was difficult to read. The note was written in almost illegible cursive. It said, 'Project was terminated. The boys have all vanished.' "Were you being watched?" "What?" Mulder asked quickly. "I'm trying to understand why he'd tell you so much... And write this." Krycek stood again. He handed the note back to Mulder. He paced across the room. "It almost seems he was trying to make things more convincing." Krycek turned to face Mulder again. "Did he say anything else?" "Only that he was in danger now." Krycek leaned casually against the wall. "What do you think about all this, Mulder? How it is connected." "I think this is just one of many identical projects. There's a lot of dirt to shift through here. I know this is very important. I know the answers to all the questions are falling together. You know it too. You're not afraid to help me see it... I can help you too." Krycek made no response. "What do you think?" Krycek cleared his throat. "I think Dr. Willard was involved with Gibson personally." Krycek paced toward Mulder and back. "Why do you think that?" "It sounds like a lot of people wanted him dead." "How does that tie them?" "You know how important Gibson is." Mulder looked down at his hands. He turned them over. "I know what he can do. I know what I believe he is. The only thing he can be." Krycek stopped in front of Mulder. "What's that?" Mulder stood. He was close to Krycek. "How are we going to get out of here?" Mulder asked, as if he hadn't heard the question at all. He looked around them, scanning the room. He turned around. Krycek grabbed his forearm and pulled him back to face him. "Mulder." He continued to avoid eye contact with Krycek. "Mulder!" Krycek tightened his grip. Finally, their eyes met. Mulder looked distant and considering. He parted his lips to speak, only drawing in a deep breath. Then he slowly opened them again. He tilted his head to one side and spoke slowly. "I think he's the answer. I think he's what's been missing. He's the link." Krycek slowly nodded, refusing to break eye contact. "He's possibility, Mulder. Our own potential." Mulder quickly looked away. Krycek grasped the other man's chin. He pulled Mulder's face back toward his. Krycek began to speak. "Mulder, why..." His voice caught in his throat. He didn't know what he wanted to ask. His hand dropped. He moved his lips several times, trying to form his thoughts into the right words. Mulder lunged forward. Their mouths met clumsily. Krycek felt Mulder's tongue move deep into his open mouth. Mulder's hand pressed against his neck, pulling him closer. The initial shock drifted from Krycek. He slowly closed his eyes. Both men were now eagerly pulling on one another. Their sturdy jaws moving frantically together. Mulder's kiss was beyond thrilling. The passionate battle ended when Mulder disengaged. Krycek's chest palpitated heavily. He could hear Mulder's breath coming even more viciously than his own. "We're not friends." Mulder spoke quickly. "No... Not friends." Krycek's voice came in unsteady gasps. "And... And we never... never will be." "Wouldn't dream of it." Krycek watched as Mulder stepped toward him again. Mulder bit his bottom lip and closed his eyes. Krycek felt feverish. He moved his hand to the back of Mulder's head. As Krycek wove his fingers into Mulder's hair, the agent's eyes flew open. Ages past. Neither one of them moved. Neither one of them breathed. Krycek waited, refusing to look anywhere else. He watched Mulder eagerly lick his lower lip in anticipation. Krycek let his jaw fall open. He brushed his lips against Mulder once. They kissed more tenderly the next time. A hand met Krycek's side and slowly moved up his back, drawing him even tighter against Mulder. Krycek felt soft kisses along his cheek. They stopped when they reached his ear. Mulder's hot breath sent shivers down Krycek's spine. He felt the hand trace down his back, over his hip. When Mulder reached his ass, Krycek let out an unexpectedly loud sigh. Mulder kissed his temple softly. Then his cheek. When Mulder reached his lips, both men were again over taken by passion. They began to devour each other. Krycek pulled on Mulder's tie until it tugged free. Mulder removed his jacket, then Krycek's. They rejoined with a long, deep kiss. Mulder moaned into Krycek's mouth. A cell-phone rang. Mulder's cell-phone. No one moved. It rang again. Both men were still frozen. Finally, Mulder turned away and reached into his coat. Krycek took a step back. The phone rang again. Mulder was staring at the opposite wall. He cleared his throat. He ran his hand through his hair. He began to take deep breaths. "Mulder." Krycek watched Mulder collect himself. "I found some of what I was looking for... Alright... Sounds fine." Krycek grabbed his jacket up. "Okay, eight o'clock." Mulder hung up the phone. He didn't look at Krycek for several moments. When he did he smiled. Krycek smiled back. "Well?" Krycek's voice was husky and dry. The sound of it surprised him. "How do we get out of here?" Krycek's smile faded. He looked at the blocked entrance. "I think we can move that out of the way." He turned to face Mulder again. Mulder nodded. "We'd better get to it." Mulder walked passed Krycek. Krycek watched as Mulder began to lift and push shingles and plaster away. Krycek saw that at some point Mulder had broken a sweat. His cheek's were full of color. Krycek had never been so attracted to the man. He was attracted to the man. Krycek realized Mulder was staring at him. "Are you going to help?" "I need to get my car back," Mulder told him. Krycek nodded absently, starting the car. It had felt nice to have Mulder at his transportation mercies. He could pretend certain things about their relationship. "I've got to meet Scully now," Mulder fidgeted with his belt. Krycek kept looking between Mulder and the road ahead, but Mulder only continued to look out the window. "I suppose you are done here now that you got the information you needed." Krycek thought Mulder actually sounded disappointed that he was done here. But then again Mulder always hung on to his sources voraciously. He hoped that wasn't what Mulder thought they were. But then there was the little matter of that kiss. Those kisses. That had been something real. God. Neither of them, it seemed, were going to talk about it. "I'll have to report in. If they tell me to be somewhere else, I'll go." Krycek wasn't sure why he was being so honest with Mulder. It was not likely it mattered whether he thought Krycek was leaving or being sent away. "Maybe if they don't have any new orders for me..." Krycek let it trail off. What was he going to say? Maybe if they don't have any new orders for me we can get together? That was absurd. He knew it. Mulder knew it. They drove on in silence. Krycek dropped Mulder off by his car. Mulder stood hesitating with the door open. The agent obviously had something he wanted to say. Krycek was on the verge of just telling him to get going to break the power of the odd moment. When Mulder finally did speak it was to parrot Krycek's early words back at him. Only this time they felt heavier with meaning. "I'm glad we were able to find that... our interests didn't have to conflict." For a moment, he thought Mulder was going to say more, but then the agent slammed his door and drove away. Krycek sighed, but then a moment later pulled out his cellular phone. He dialed Peterson, and gave his report as concisely as possible. He reported the incident at the lab. Peterson arranged a courier to pick up Hecker's papers. Finally, he told Peterson what Mulder knew from Dr. Willard. Peterson's in drawn breath at Praise's name was audible over the line. There was a long pause in the conversation during which Krycek kicked at the gravel in the fading sunlight. He spent a lot of his time waiting since he'd come to work for the old man. Waiting for people. Waiting for transportation. Waiting for instructions. Peterson finally spoke. "Okay. We need you to stay in the area. The Gibson Praise angle puts a new spin on things. Dr. Willard's work has just been upgraded in status to priority. You're our best choice for recovery." "Do you have credentials to get me into the base, then?" Krycek asked. "No. That is impossible. They began liquidating the project on Monday. Your best bet is to stick with Mulder." Krycek briefly wondered if the fates were conspiring. "Why?" "Right now, he has the biggest piece of this puzzle. And he's good at making the necessary connections. I'd put him on this assignment if he was mine to play with. Besides, you can use him as a smoke screen for your own activities. They spend enough time worrying about how to keep Mulder out of things that you might be able to slip inside their defenses while they are occupied." "How much can Mulder find out?" Peterson paused, considering. "Use your judgement. The old man wants Mulder pressing hard against the smoker's projects. Just don't endanger our organization or resistance operations." "Fine. Time frame?" "Check in with me every twenty-four hours. Your deadline is how quickly the smoker can pull his project completely out. My guess is three more days, tops. The situation is fluid. You'll have to play it by ear. And Krycek," Peterson paused. "Watch that you don't let Mulder make you forget how to think." Krycek ordered a coffee. Mulder would be with Scully for a while. Krycek was sure he could obtain the information that Scully gathered from Mulder. He didn't want to go to him empty handed, though. He'd glanced through the folder Hecker gave him before handing it off. There wasn't anything pertaining to the current situation. Maybe his thoughts on the case would be enough for Mulder. Krycek glanced at the large clock to his right. It was almost a quarter to eleven. Krycek took out his cell-phone and dialed Peterson. "Hello?" "This is Krycek. I need Mulder's cell-phone." "Sure. Hold on a second." The waitress filled Krycek's coffee mug. "Krycek, you got a pen?" He wrote the number on the napkin in front of him. "Thanks." He waited until eleven o'clock before calling. The phone rang seven times. "Mulder." "Mulder? It's me." "Who?" "You know who Mulder, don't say my name." "You... How'd you get this number?" "Where are you?" Krycek took a sip of coffee. "Why? Did you forget to ask about something?" Mulder asked. "I thought you'd want to ask me questions. Where are you?" Mulder sighed. "I just got back to the motel." Krycek sat for a moment before he asked: "Are you hungry?" "What?" "Have you eaten?" "No, I haven't." "Meet me in the diner at the end of 3rd and Main. Fifteen minutes." Krycek listened for Mulder's protest. It never came. "Okay. I'll be there." Krycek spent the next few minutes trying to think of what he might say. He knew he had to bring up Scully's research. He would have to discuss what they both knew already too. Krycek could easily lie, but they seemed to be working together now. Mulder walked through the door. Krycek smiled as Mulder made his way through the diner. Mulder slid into the booth across from Krycek. "So..." Mulder began. Krycek nodded at the approaching waitress. "Something to drink, sir?" Mulder looked up at the waitress. "Coffee." "Okay. Your sandwiches will be up soon." She turned and walked away. Mulder looked at Krycek. "Hope you don't mind Mulder, I ordered us clubs." "Sure. That's fine. Let's talk." Krycek watched Mulder shift in his seat. Krycek took a sip of coffee. Mulder was clearly expecting him to do most of the talking. He was going to have to get Mulder in the mood to spill his guts. He took another sip. Mulder was spinning his coffee cup between his hands. "Well?" "I think we should disregard everything Dr. Willard said." That had to get him talking. "Wait. He's our only lead so far... our only solid one at least. You've got to be kidding." Mulder was obviously not taking him seriously. "Mulder. Dr. Willard gave you that piece of paper for no other reason than to distract you from something. I don't know what, but he had no reason to give it to you and that bothers me." "I don't know, Krycek. I think he's giving me some important facts about the project itself. That he wrote its name on paper doesn't change that." "There's something I didn't tell you. I found an e-mail at Thewis' house. It was from Dr. Willard. He was informing Thewis of the project's termination. Thewis was hiding something, too." "Anything else you've been holding out on me?" "No." Krycek watched the waitress as she brought their meals. "Thank you." She smiled. "If you need anything else, my name's Vicky." She left the half full pot of coffee on the table. Krycek took a large bite of his sandwich. He watched Mulder remove the tiny sword from his before biting into it. Krycek ate a few french fries. "What did Scully find?" Mulder finished chewing and swallowed. "What do you want to know?" "Did she find Willard's assistant?" "No. There's no trace of him. Not even a record of the man's name." "What about the warehouse?" Krycek started the third quarter of his sandwich. "Well... There's a man we can go see tomorrow... he lives in the house down the road. Scully thinks he'll know something. The warehouse was empty when it burned. He might have seen who emptied it." "I think we both know who did." "Yeah. Maybe we'll get a license plate number or a truck company." "Mulder. They usually use cover names, unregistered plates." Mulder swallowed. "I know. We might get lucky." He sounded bitter. Krycek decided it was better not to push his patience. "Okay. We should look into Thewis. He's definitely got more to say." Mulder nodded. Krycek sat back as Mulder finished his sandwich. Then he pressed on. "Do you have a computer with you?" "Scully has hers." "I can have Peterson mail us whatever we need. Things Scully couldn't get at." "If you think it will help." Mulder refilled his coffee. "Get Scully's laptop. I'll meet you at the motel." "So, we're working together now?" "Why not? We need the same information... We can obviously help each other." "As long as you're not working for him." Mulder was staring coldly at Krycek. Krycek set his hand on the table. "He doesn't exactly like me. We don't share the same views." Mulder sat back, nodding slowly. "I'd hope not. He's sick. I'd hope you'd think damn near the opposite of him." Krycek nodded once. They didn't speak for a few minutes. Krycek sat drinking his coffee. Enjoying the companionable silence. He refilled his cup. Mulder was staring out the window. Krycek wondered what he was thinking about. Mulder broke the silence. "Where are you staying?" "What?" "Where are you staying? What motel?" "Oh. I'm not." Mulder looked like he was going to ask a question, but stopped. "You can sleep on the floor in my room... if you leave early." Mulder stood and dropped a ten dollar bill by Krycek's plate. He turned and left the diner. Krycek paid the check. Krycek stood hesitating outside of Mulder's door. Stick close to Mulder. That was the plan, wasn't it? And it wasn't exactly as if he didn't want to spend time with the man. But it was such a weird offer after what had happened between them earlier. But not in a bad way. Not at all. He debated between knocking and picking the lock, but then dropped the whole issue when he touched the knob and discovered that it was unlocked. He snorted. Yeah, Mulder, leave your door open. You never know what might come crawling in to see you. He stepped into the small motel room, quietly shutting the door behind him. Mulder glanced up from where he sat reading papers on his bed. He was wearing his glasses and he had his tie off, the top buttons of his shirt open. And he smiled. Krycek cleared his throat. Which might not have been the best idea considering he didn't have anything to say. "Uh... Scully's not going to come in here?" "She doesn't have the key," Mulder said reasonably. "Right." Mulder went back to reading his papers despite the fact that Krycek was still leaning against the door at the entrance. Mulder was always so damn hard to figure out. With Mulder ignoring him, Krycek let his mind turn to more practical concerns: "Mind if I use the shower?" "Go ahead," Mulder said without looking up. Krycek took his small bag and headed into the bathroom. He quickly cleaned, his mind on Mulder the whole time. He wanted the man. That was the truth. But he couldn't afford to jeopardize his mission by alienating Mulder. He pulled on a fresh t-shirt and a pair of boxers. He tucked the prosthesis into his bag. If Mulder didn't like seeing the empty sleeve, that was his problem. With that in mind, he resolutely stepped out. Mulder looked up. His eyes lingered slightly, looking Krycek up and down. Then he seemed to shake himself out of wherever he had gone. He cleared his throat and looked away. Abruptly Mulder stood, and piled up his papers. "I'm going to grab a shower," he muttered, heading for the bathroom. Krycek watched him grab his bag and then close the door behind him. He looked around the room. The floor was dirty. Apparently Mulder had called for an extra blanket because there was one sitting on the table top. Krycek shook it out and spread it on the floor as he heard the shower start up in the next room. He stole a pillow from the bed, thinking Mulder would have to say something if he had a problem with that. He settled down, facing the outside door and wrapped half the blanket over himself. Krycek closed his eyes against the light and tried not to let the thoughts in his head run around and around. He relaxed. Eventually, he heard Mulder shut off the shower. Some time later the bathroom door opened. The floor creaked as Mulder moved about the room. Krycek's mind focused on those small sounds, unconsciously following the other man's movement until he realized the footsteps were approaching him. He still didn't roll over and look, even as he felt the soft footsteps coming closer. Closer. He heard the creak of knees as Mulder crouched beside him. Mulder laid a hand on his shoulder. Krycek lay still with Mulder's hand resting warmly against him. A couple of drops of water from Mulder's wet hair fell onto Krycek's cheek. Finally, finally, Mulder spoke. "You could... uh... take half the bed. If you wanted." Krycek rolled onto his back to look up at Mulder. He liked the sudden sensation of being vulnerable, laid out below the other man. Mulder was looking down into his eyes, and Krycek, for the life of him, couldn't be sure what Mulder was thinking. Strands of damp hair fell across Mulder's forehead and his skin glowed slightly with the warmth of the shower. Inches above his face, Krycek saw where the gray t-shirt clung damply to Mulder's strong abdomen from being put on while the man was still wet. Mulder's hand, which he had disengaged when he rolled, now dangled casually, wrist resting loosely on Mulder's knee. Krycek reached out and took that hand, using it to lever himself up and then to pull Mulder to his feet when he stood. Then they were standing close together, holding hands as if they were about to shake on it. Krycek felt something was about to happen, but then Mulder pulled away and walked around to the far side of the bed. Krycek grabbed his pillow and followed Mulder's example, getting into the other side of the bed. He wasn't sure if this was kindness or torture on Mulder's part. He watched as Mulder leaned over to turn off the light, the thin t-shirt stretching over his back as he reached, emphasizing the pleasing musculature. He heard the sound of Mulder laying back down and settling in next to him. In the absolute darkness, he realized he was watching where he knew Mulder was resting. His eyes began to adjust. As the darkness resolved itself into images he found himself staring right into Mulder's eyes, and Mulder was staring right back. Suddenly it was too much to lay still. He reached over, letting his fingers brush along Mulder's cheek. Mulder's eyes widened, but he didn't move. Emboldened, Krycek leaned closer to brush damp hair away from Mulder's eyes and then trace his fingertips lightly along his lips. He felt Mulder's lips part under his fingers as the man prepared to say something, but Krycek pressed more firmly, signing for him to be silent. For a miracle, Mulder obeyed. Krycek was leaning mostly over Mulder now, and it was so easy to lean down and replace his fingers with his lips. Mulder lay still beneath him, and when Krycek slipped his tongue between Mulder's lips to run along the teeth behind, he let him. Krycek sighed, deepening the kiss with Mulder's acquiescence. Then suddenly Mulder began kissing him back, running his own tongue along Krycek's, pressing their lips more firmly together. The kiss went from soft to frantic in a moment, Mulder sucking the breath and will to resist this from Krycek. He was practically laying on Mulder now and this was so good and he felt Mulder, hard beneath him, pushing against his thigh and... oh God, those lips. Krycek decided what he wanted, what he was going to do, and consequences be damned. Regretfully he slid away from Mulder's mouth despite the slight moan as he pulled away. He trailed his lips and fingers down Mulder's neck and then ducked under the sheets. He shoved Mulder's t-shirt up and out of the way. He quickly moved his mouth down the strong body, hoping to make it before Mulder could protest. The blankets were heavy over his head and Mulder's chest then stomach then abdomen were warm in their cocoon as his lips brushed by. When he reached the band of Mulder's boxers, he reached down to push them out of the way. "Jesus, what are you doing?" Mulder's cry was muffled by the blankets. Krycek's mouth traveled the last few inches to his destination, and he wrapped his lips around Mulder's cock. Mulder gasped. His voice was unsteady when he said, "Don't do that!" Krycek felt the kiss of cool air as blankets were shoved aside. Feeling he might be shoved aside at any moment, he leaned forward and swallowed up as much of Mulder's cock as he could. "Stop. Oh, stop," Mulder moaned, but the hands in Krycek's hair now were holding him gently in place, not pushing him away, so Krycek didn't listen. He sucked hard, moving quickly, feeling like he wanted as much as he could have before he was stopped. Mulder was practically shaking now below him. "Stop," he whispered, even as his hands caressed Krycek's hair, lightly moving him along. His fingers tightened in Krycek's hair spasmodically, and Krycek took it as a cue to take him deep one last time. Mulder gasped and then shuddered as he came. Krycek swallowed. It was foolish, he knew, but he wanted it. He wanted it so badly. Besides, Mulder's sex life was practically nonexistent, a part of his mind rationalized. Reluctantly he pulled away. Mulder's breath was coming rapidly, harshly, in the silence. He stared at Krycek who withdrew to his own side of the bed. Krycek lay on his back. Mulder made several faint noises. They were more than whimpers, less than words. Krycek closed his eyes. He heard Mulder sit up. He heard him get out of the bed, heard the bathroom door close. Krycek rolled onto his side, his back to where Mulder had been laying. It was probably too much for Mulder. Mulder had definitely not been expecting the blow job. That didn't mean he didn't want it, though. Krycek heard the bathroom door open. Mulder's footsteps grew louder. He felt Mulder sit down next to him, leaning his back against the bedframe. Krycek held his breath. Mulder didn't speak. After a while he slid down. Krycek felt Mulder roll his way. A cool hand fell on his neck. Krycek turned to see Mulder staring at him. He rolled even more, to face Mulder. "You..." Mulder stopped. Then he smiled. Krycek watched him slowly move toward him. Mulder kissed him gently on the cheek. Krycek sighed. Krycek felt Mulder's smile grow. Mulder kissed Krycek firmly on the lips. Krycek's lips parted and he was rewarded with a single, fantastic kiss. The kiss ended and Mulder pulled away. Mulder sighed deeply. "Good night." Mulder rolled quickly away from him. Krycek lowered himself comfortably back onto the bed. He couldn't help the grin that formed across his face. The situation was so unexpected. It was so... nice. "Good night, Mulder." He closed his eyes. "Hey... will you wake up already." Krycek opened his eyes. Mulder was standing, fully dressed over him. He was tying his tie. "I've had to wake you twice already. I'm going to meet Scully soon." Krycek sat up against the headboard. He rubbed his forehead. "What time is it?" "Almost eight." Krycek watched Mulder put his gun into the holster he was wearing around his shoulders. "Where are you going?" "First, Scully wants to check around the warehouse." "Are you going back to see Thewis?" "I don't think we'll get anything from him. We'd do better to ask others at the base." "Maybe." Mulder lifted Scully's laptop from the table. "I'll leave this for you to use." He sat it on the bed next to Krycek. Mulder went into the bathroom. Krycek swung his legs out of bed and walked over to the bathroom door. "When should we meet?" Mulder was staring into the mirror. "I don't know yet. Scully gathered a list of local children adopted over the past few months. There are several couples we can question... Call me around three." Krycek nodded. "I have things to check too." Mulder turned toward him. "Don't hold out on me." He shook his head slowly. "I won't, Mulder." Sure Mulder, whatever you say. Mulder walked past him. Krycek watched him put on his coat and pocket his badge. "Talk to you later." He walked to the door. Krycek followed. Krycek spoke up as Mulder reached for the door knob. "Mulder..." Mulder turned. Krycek leaned forward and gently kissed him once on the lips. Mulder's expression didn't change. His face was utterly blank. Then, he turned and left. Was it something I said? Once the door closed, Krycek walked into the bathroom. He showered, brushed his teeth and replaced his prosthesis. He dialed Peterson's number. "Hello?" "Hey." "Hello, Krycek. What can I do for you?" Peterson promised to send Krycek the answers he could find to Krycek's questions. He gave Krycek an ftp site and a password. He also had sent Krycek an overnight FedEx package. In addition, Krycek was told they had a man working homicide in town. Detective Koewerski. He was to meet with him as soon as possible. Krycek picked up his package, as well as a bagel and coffee. He returned to his car. The package contained an FBI badge and identification for a 'Mitchell Beslark.' Krycek's picture accompanied the name. The package also contained a dry cleaner's pick-up slip. He found the dry cleaner was only a block away. He walked. The man inside looked him over as he entered. "Are you dropping off, or picking up?" Krycek placed the slip on the counter. The man looked at it. "Prepaid... Just one moment." The man retrieved two garments. He handed them to Krycek. "There you go. Have a fine day, sir." Krycek stopped back at the motel. He changed into the black Armani suit and pleasantly shaded navy blue tie he had just obtained. Perfect fit. He had to meet with Koewerski. At the station he quickly made his way to homicide. A petite blonde sat at a desk near the front. "Can I help you? Mister..." "Agent Beslark. I'm here to see Detective Koewerski." "The desk near the back, to your right. Would you like me to show you?" She smiled up at him. "No, it's alright. Thank you." Krycek smiled back. He found his way to Koewerski's desk. The man sitting there looked up as he approached. "Detective? My name's Beslark..." "Yes. I've been expecting you. Please..." Koewerski shook Krycek's hand. "Come with me." Krycek followed him into a lieutenant's office. Koewerski closed the door behind them. "Please, have a seat." Krycek sat. "I'll get straight to the point." Koewerski sat across from him. "I'm not sure what you're working on. I was told the new information that came to light has connected our cases." He tossed a folder toward Krycek. "Inside you'll see two reports, those are your copies. The two boys were found September fifth and October fifth. One was found in a parking structure downtown. The other, in a schoolyard. Both were naked... We thought we had a serial killer, but without autopsies we can't determine they were even murdered at all." "No autopsies?" Krycek opened the folder. "Both bodies went missing. The first from the morgue. The second, in the ambulance." Krycek shifted through the files as he spoke. "Reporters were at both scenes. We think that's how the thief learned about them." Krycek looked up from the folder. "There's no identifiable picture of the first?" "No. Only the initial pictures were taken. He was found face down, as he is in the photos. It was really sloppy work on our part." "Did you see him?" "Yes. As I state in the report, the two were almost identical. Both also had a tattoo." "A tattoo?" V "On the under side of their upper right arms. Letters and numbers." Krycek found the description on the first report. He read aloud, "I.S.E. 413." "And the other is I.S.E. 423." "Was there any other evidence found? How they were killed?" Koewerski sighed. "Well, according to the initial observations by both the emergency medics and the coroner, they probably weren't killed." Krycek looked up again. "You know they were found naked. There were no signs of struggle, no apparent cuts or bruising. No bruising from needle puncture. I suppose a toxin could have been ingested, but..." Koewerski trailed off. "I don't think so. It doesn't make any sense. Why would anyone kill the boys and leave them, only to return later and steal the bodies before an autopsy could be performed? It seems more likely that they died of something else. Or by their own hands." Koewerski was nodding while Krycek spoke. "Unfortunately that's all we have." Krycek frowned. "We're going to need more than that. Were you told what I found?" "I was told they might have genetic mutations. That they might have died of resulting complications." "It's possible." Krycek stood. "I suggest you tell the P.D. to keep things quiet if you find another. Tell your men in homicide to call you before anyone else." "I'm on it. If the pattern continues, a boy should have surfaced yesterday." Krycek scribbled his cell-phone number on to a post-it. "Call me when he does." "If he does?" "I'd count on it... Call it a gut feeling." Koewerski waved Krycek's number in agreement. Krycek added, "And keep with him until I arrive." "I will... Good afternoon, Agent Beslark." Krycek smiled. He turned and left. He returned to Mulder's motel, smiling faintly before setting Scully's computer up on the table and plugging the modem into the phone jack. He logged into the secured ftp site with the password Peterson had given him. He quickly downloaded the files into Scully's laptop and then purged them from the server. Peterson had traced the warehouse only as far as its holding company. Unlike Scully, however, Peterson recognized it as one of the smoker's. Not that that was a surprise. The only other information he offered on the subject was a tie to a local shipping company. Krycek thought he'd offer the information to Mulder even though he didn't think it would lead anywhere useful. Peterson also found evidence of a long friendship between Thewis and Willard. The kind, Krycek felt reading the file, where the one man might confide in the other. Krycek was more sure than ever that Thewis would provide more answers. Finally, there were invoices of medical supply shipments. Unfortunately, they meant almost nothing to Krycek. He couldn't help but wonder how Peterson dug these up. The smoking man's people wouldn't make it easy to trace them. Krycek was still reviewing these files when he heard the doorknob rattle lightly. Silently, he shut the laptop and hurried into the bathroom. He watched a man slip into the room, quietly closing the door behind himself. The man moved quickly and efficiently until he found Mulder's files where they were tucked in a night stand drawer. He spread them across the bed, quickly looking through the folders. Krycek crept out of the bathroom, coming up behind the hulking man. Hunched over the bed, he presented an easy target. Krycek reached back, then swung down to hit the other man across the back of the head with the butt of his gun. The thug went down hard. Krycek muttered a curse under his breath about the rather large problem he now had laying across Mulder's floor. Krycek did a quick check for ID, but, as he had expected there was none. Finally, he decided the best option would be to maneuver him out into his car. He managed it, reasonably certain he hadn't been seen. Krycek drove out of the city once again. He quickly found a suitably deserted spot and dumped the thug. An hour later, he was driving up to Captain Thewis' hidehole. Mulder didn't think the man would be of further usefulness, but Krycek didn't agree. He knocked and waited until Thewis cracked the door and peered outside. "What's the matter? The FBI has more questions for me?" Krycek stepped forward, forcing the door open. Thewis stepped back startled, and Krycek closed the door behind him. He said: "I don't work for the FBI." Thewis' eyes widened. Krycek could guess who Thewis thought he did work for. "You were friends with Dr. Willard," Krycek said. Thewis gasped and stepped back. "I don't know anything. I didn't tell anything important... you saw yesterday." Thewis hit a wall. "I didn't listen to anything Chris said. I'm not a security risk!" Krycek sauntered forward, projecting as much of an air of menace as he could manage. He almost casually settled a hand against Thewis' throat. "He gave you something," Krycek guessed. Thewis swallowed against his hand. "Y-yes." "What was it?" "Some files... He left some files. That's all. I didn't read them. I swear!" "And where are they now?" "Shit. The bus station. They're not the kind of thing I'd leave lying around. I have a key." Krycek raised an eyebrow. "Listen, I'm leaving town. I'll leave the country! No one needs to know. Just let me go! Your bosses don't need to know." "The key?" "Here. Here. Please." Krycek backed away, eyeing Thewis meaningfully. Finally he reached the door. "Go!" he said as he slipped outside. He wasn't going to do the smoking man's dirty work, but it wouldn't be long before someone else came along to clean up this loose end. Krycek glanced at his watch as he got in his car. It was almost three. He flipped open his cell phone. "Mulder." Krycek smiled. "Hey, it's me." "Hey." There was a lot of noise in the background, Krycek noticed. "Where are you?" "I'm at the bus station. We followed an officer here. He barely got inside when a bunch of military police hauled him off." Krycek sucked in a breath. Clearly Thewis wasn't the only one who knew about this locker. Perhaps Dr. Willard was still alive. He could have sent the soldier. If the smoking man had the officer prisoner now, it wouldn't be long before he knew about the locker too. Krycek had to get there first. He said to Mulder: "Can you stay there? Shit. Can you get rid of Scully? There's something we need to get." Mulder hesitated. Finally, he said, "Okay." "Good," Krycek said. "Meet me by the lockers." Mulder was leaning up against the locker bank, scanning faces in the crowd. Scully didn't appear to be anywhere around. Krycek breathed a sigh of relief. Mulder straightened the moment he saw Krycek approaching. Krycek watched the man's whole demeanor change with a smile. If anything, Mulder suddenly looked eager. Krycek wondered if it was for himself or the secrets he might hold. Mulder looked him up and down, eyeing his new clothes. "You visit a tailor, or something?" Mulder was trying to be nonchalant but his eyes were lingering way too long. Krycek shrugged, aware of how that movement looked in the dark lines of a well-made suit, pleased with the reactions he was getting. With a flourish, he produced the locker key from seemingly nowhere, and grinned. He was flirting outrageously, he knew. But, hell, it was working. Mulder reached out and took the key, his hand closing around Krycek's for a moment before sliding the key away. Okay, so he wasn't the only one flirting. Mulder found the locker in question. He inserted the key and turned. A brown accordion folder was the only thing the locker contained. He pulled it out, and moved as if to open it. "Somewhere else might be better," Krycek suggested. Mulder hesitated, then tucked the folder under his arm. "Have you had lunch?" "Uh... no, actually." Krycek followed Mulder across the street to a small diner. They slid into a booth. Mulder immediately began unlooping the string that held the folder closed. Krycek wished that he could have looked at the folder first, but events had moved way too fast for that. Well, Peterson had said that what Mulder found out was his responsibility. He just wished he knew what he was biting off here. Medical charts. Shit. Most the papers were copies of medical charts. Not only would he not be able to understand their importance beyond a certain point, but they might constitute hard enough evidence to get Mulder into real trouble if he could corroborate them. Krycek would have to stop to make copies for his employer soon, before Mulder lost them, as he inevitably would. "Is there one for Gibson Praise?" he asked. Mulder flipped through. "Yes." He turned it for Krycek to read. It was dated a mere two weeks before. He had been here that recently. Krycek took a deep breath, as much as he was loathe to admit... "Scully's going to need to take a look at those." "Yeah..." Mulder was saying, then his attention was drawn to the window. Mulder watched several dark coated men, walking way too purposefully into the bus station in a group. He covertly, half unconsciously, slipped the papers into the folder and under his coat. Krycek's cell phone rang, startling a small jump out of Mulder. "Yes?" he answered. "Agent Beslark?" "Yes. Detective Koewerski?" he asked, though he already knew. "We've got another victim. He's here at the morgue. I can only keep this under wraps for so long." "I'll be right there." This couldn't wait. Mulder had been watching him the whole time. "Be right where?" he asked. Krycek shrugged. It seemed that fate was conspiring to keep Mulder with him. Not that he was complaining. "To the 14th Precinct police station." Krycek slid out of the booth and made his way back toward the car. He pulled out his cell-phone. "Peterson? We need men immediately. 14th Precinct. There's a body to transport." "Evidence?" "Oh yeah." "Keep on it. They'll be there in fifteen minutes." Krycek reached the car and opened the door. He felt Mulder's hand on his wrist. "Who'd you call Krycek? Who's coming?" "Get in. We have to get moving." Krycek started the engine. He watched Mulder exaggeratedly buckle his seatbelt. He began to drive. This time he wasn't speeding for the show. "Well?" Krycek turned a corner. "I called Peterson." "Why?" "Because, Mulder, if we don't take this body the smoker will!" "You want to steal a body from the morgue? I think you've been holding out on me!" Krycek was approaching the station. "No, Mulder, I haven't. This all happened this morning." He quickly parked the car. "Krycek! I need the evidence in there." "I'm not taking it from you, Mulder. I'm saving it." Krycek pulled his gun on Mulder. Mulder froze, leaning against the door. "You can either help me... or I cuff you out here in the car until it's done." "Now you're pulling guns on me?" Krycek sighed. He put the gun away. "Please Mulder. Help." "Fine. You better be telling the truth." Mulder stepped out of the car. Krycek removed his fake identification and raced toward the morgue entrance. He flashed his ID at the man outside. Mulder did the same. They entered. "Detective Koewerski?" The detective appeared from behind a roaming file cabinet. "Agent Beslark. He's over here." Mulder was staring at Krycek. "This is my partner." Krycek glared at Mulder. He followed Koewerski to the end of the body storage units. Another man entered. "This is Dr. Thomas, our medical examiner." Krycek nodded to him. "The victim was found an hour ago in an alley less than three blocks away." Dr. Thomas pulled out a unit drawer. The boy that lay on the tray was little more than eight years old. His head was completely bald. Dr. Thomas pulled the sheet down to his waist. "You can see on his right arm. The same tattoo as the others." Krycek moved for Mulder to have a look. "This one looks the same as well?" "Uncanny. Again, no physically abrasions." Krycek nodded. He signaled for the coroner to close the drawer. "Detective, I need to speak with my partner alone. Do you mind?" Of course he wouldn't. Krycek's asking was just for Mulder's sake. "Of course." Koewerski took the coroner with him as he left. As soon as the door closed all the way, Mulder was in his face. "Well?" "Okay. The past two months boys like this one surfaced around the city. Both went missing before any medical exams could be done. This one will too, if we don't take it first." "How do I know this isn't what you were after all along?" "Mulder, the reports are in my car. This boy could prove to be the only physical evidence apart from medical charts we'll find. I recommend not losing him." Krycek picked up a glove and syringe. He handed them to Mulder. "What are you doing?" "Letting you get a blood sample before it's too late. Hurry, they'll be here any second." Krycek opened the drawer again. He watched as Mulder put the glove on. Mulder's eyes met his as if to ask permission. Krycek nodded. "Hurry." Mulder sunk the needle deep into the boy and began to withdraw his blood. The morgue door came slamming open. Krycek watched Mulder pocket the needle. They both turned to face the intruders. Krycek stretched outward to show he held no weapon. "Step away from the boy." They did. "Down on the ground." Krycek followed the orders immediately. A man came forward and approached them. He knelt beside Mulder. Krycek looked at the man. "He's with me," Krycek said. The man looked at Krycek for a moment then let the butt of his gun come down upon Mulder's head. "Shit! He would have helped! You didn't need to knock him out like that." "Don't tell me how to do my job." "Fine." The three men quickly bagged the body and carried it out. The man who hit Mulder turned to Krycek as he left. "Call it in." Krycek glared coldly at him. When the door closed, he rushed to Mulder. He rolled the unconscious agent onto his back. A large cut had opened above his eye. He needed stitches. "Shit, Mulder." Krycek stepped out of the morgue. Koewerski was talking with the coroner just outside. "Dr. Thomas, my partner needs medical assistance. The body was stolen. A thug cut him good on the head." "Again? Dammit! I'm coming." Dr. Thomas pushed past Krycek into the morgue. Detective Koewerski walked up to Krycek. "Did we get him?" Krycek nodded. He followed the detective into the morgue. Dr. Thomas was hunched over Mulder on the floor. "He needs stitches. Help me lift him onto that table." Mulder's cut took six stitches. After Dr. Thomas finished, Koewerski helped Krycek maneuver Mulder back into his car. Krycek drove them back to Mulder's motel. Krycek attempted to wake Mulder again. No such luck. He dragged Mulder into his motel room. After several tries he finally managed to lift him to the bed. "Will you fucking wake up? What did that doctor give you?" Krycek took out his notepad. He scribbled, 'Be right back. Me,' on a sheet. He tore it out and laid it next to Mulder. He also slipped the accordion file from Mulder's coat and took it with him. Krycek left the motel and drove first to an office store to make copies and then to the diner down the road. He called Peterson. "Krycek, great job." "Yeah. So?" "We still need you there. Stay with Mulder." "Mulder's still unconscious. Some asshole hit him really good." Peterson sighed. "Call if you need anything." Krycek heard the line go dead. He ordered two meals and coffee to go. When he got back to the motel room, Mulder was still passed out. His cell-phone was ringing. Krycek tossed the originals of the medical reports on the table. Krycek got a cup of water from the bathroom. He splashed the glass of cool water on Mulder's face. "Wake up!" he yelled. Mulder stirred. Then, he shot up. "What happened?" "Lay down a minute, Mulder." The cell-phone stopped ringing. Mulder reluctantly lay back down. "That bastard hit you with his gun. I'm sorry... I told him not to." Mulder reached up and felt the wound on his head. He winced as his fingers touched the bandage. "Fuck." "You took six stitches. You've been out almost an hour." Mulder slowly sat up. "Your phone rang. I think Scully's been calling you." "When?" "Just now. Where'd you leave her?" "I sent her to talk to Thewis. Ugh," Mulder said, touching the bandage again. "It's better to leave it alone. I'd think you'd know that by now! Thewis is probably long gone." "Scully thinks this is just case of scientific misconduct. She's worried about Gibson, though. It'll probably be good when she gets back. She can look at these charts for me." Krycek tried to hide the instinctive sour twist of his lips. Scully would arrive; he'd have to leave. Actually, it was amazing he got the time he did. "What are you going to tell her about where you got them, or how you got that nasty cut, hmmm?" His voice was harsher than he meant, but he was still feeling touchy about Scully. "What's between Scully and me is between Scully and me," Mulder bit off at him, picking up on his hostility. He probably feels guilty, too, Krycek thought. Well, that's just fantastic. "Look, we've got a military base and a lab. It's pretty obvious they were running some sort of experiment involving children." Mulder nodded. "We have evidence of cloning. We've found references to psychic testing. Gibson Praise has been here. That boy represents so much. I think they are trying to duplicate his gifts." "It fits the facts," Krycek agreed, well aware of how preposterous it would sound to the average American, but, hell, it was just another day at the office for him. "I'm more interested in how successful they were." Mulder frowned. "I'm more interested in seeing they are stopped." Krycek laughed. "In case you hadn't noticed they were already shutting up shop before you got here." "I've got the charts and the blood sample. If I had Dr. Willard I'd have a witness. I want to find him." Don't hold you breath, Krycek thought. "The charts lead back to Willard's lab, not the base. Who are you going to arrest? If the blood sample pans out. If Willard is still alive." Mulder was angry now. Krycek could tell, despite the man's efforts to look calm. His breathing was a little too measured. He was a little too still. And his eyes were stormy with emotion. Sometimes Mulder lived in a fantasy world where everything was going to turn out right this time. And he hated having his bubble burst. "What makes you think Willard is dead?" "Why wouldn't he be? Isn't that what they do to people who talk to you?" Krycek wasn't sure why he was pushing Mulder's guilt buttons. "They?" Mulder asked, pushing to the edge of the bed. "They! You are part of 'They' Krycek! Even when you are pretending to be my friend! Even when you are pretending your employer is so much better than the cancer man because the ends justify the means! You are still one of Them, making the truth conveniently disappear. Like a body from a morgue. We're not friends!" "And we never will be," Krycek repeated, turning toward the door. "Where are you going!" Krycek whirled back around. Mulder was off the bed, standing, posture radiating anger. "If the only reason I'm here is to keep an eye on you for them, then I think I can leave. Because I think your investigation's bottomed out. I think I know all I need." For someone who had been groggy minutes before, Mulder moved surprisingly quickly. Krycek merely blinked and found himself thrown against the door with Mulder pinning him in place. And then Mulder's mouth was on his. Angry. Demanding. A little desperate. But Krycek gave in anyway. Finally, Mulder pulled back to say, "If that was the only reason... ?" "Shit, Mulder. You're an asshole sometimes," he said pushing Mulder away softly. Mulder stepped back a little. "What else do you hope to get out of this case," Krycek asked him. When Mulder didn't reply, he said, "I brought dinner," gesturing to the take-out he'd left on the table. Mulder opened the bags pulling out the plates inside. He gestured for Krycek to sit and then began dividing up the food. They ate in silence for several minutes. "Okay, do you have any ideas?" Mulder asked. Krycek shrugged. "You can get your blood sample analyzed back in D.C." "But you don't need that. Your people will do the blood work on the original." Krycek shrugged again. Mulder's cell phone rang, and Mulder stood and stepped away to answer it. Krycek watched him listen for a moment. "Scully! I know... No... Listen, I found something. I need you to take a look at it." There was a long pause, then Mulder said, "I'm sorry. We'll talk when you get back here." Mulder hung up, shrugged, and then said, "Looks like you'll have to get going." Krycek nodded. It was completely expected, after all. "Come back later," Mulder suggested. "I'll tell you what Scully says about the medical charts and you'll tell me about whatever you discover in the next two or three hours." "Don't ask much do you?" Krycek muttered. He turned and left. Krycek drove south. After a quick phone call to Peterson and a few minutes of debate, Krycek decided his available follow-ups were few. He could ask Detective Koewerski about the research lab. But he wasn't sure how much Koewerski actually knew. Krycek parked the car and called him anyway. "Yes?" "Detective? Agent Beslark." "Hello, again, Agent Beslark, what can I do you for?" Krycek hesitated. "Have you had any luck identifying the boy?" "We're running his picture and prints through state adoption records. Though, most aren't up to date. We might not find anything." "Is there a possibility we'd find others that look like him?" Koewerski sighed, "If adoption records were commonly identifiable by picture, sure. Unfortunately most keep fingerprint records only... I wouldn't think these boys have matching prints." "Might be surprised..." Krycek trailed off. "Agent Beslark?" "Do you know anything about the military run research lab eleven miles south of here?" Koewerski was silent a moment. "Sorry... I didn't even know there was a lab." "Alright, please... Call if you find anything." "Will do. Good luck, Agent." Krycek didn't think he'd be hearing from Koewerski again. He knew the best thing to do was to relax until Scully read the medical charts. It had warmed up a bit that afternoon. As the sun went down, Krycek felt another cold evening coming on. He passed by a corner store on his way to the car and bought a six pack of beer. He didn't know if Mulder drank, but he could use some. Krycek would check in with Mulder soon. Krycek got back in his car. His cell- phone rang. "Yeah?" It was Peterson. "What's up?" "I'm being told the boy is all we'll need on this case. Finish up there and report in tomorrow." Peterson finished the call. Krycek dialed Mulder. It rang several times then stopped. "Mulder?" Krycek asked. "I'm here." "Scully have any luck?" Mulder sighed, "Not much... She wants to analyze the blood sample before she makes any assumptions about the charts. She recognizes Gibson's chart from the ones she's seen in the past. According to her... all the others have slightly different variation of the same disorder. She thinks the sample will yield similar conclusions." "Did she say why?" "She said... nearly all the charts show defects no one could survive. Dr. Willard's materials trace the defects back to abnormalities at one gene locus. She says the records on these subjects are either fake, or most the subjects are already dead." "Anything else?" "Other than that they are all far too similar, not really. We'll be heading back to Washington first thing in the morning. I presume you'll have the rest of this information by then through your own... group?" Krycek hesitated, "Are you asking me for our results?" There was a long pause. "No. Scully will be thorough." "Alright. When do you..." Mulder cut him off. "Good bye, Krycek. We're finished here." Then the phone went silent. Like hell we are. Krycek drove to Mulder's motel. Scully was returning to her room with a bucket of ice. He parked quietly and went to Mulder's door. He knocked once and waited. Mulder opened the door. Krycek pushed inside and shut the door behind him. He immediately pressed against Mulder and kissed him. He held there until Mulder began to kiss back. He forced Mulder backwards as they devoured each other. Krycek pulled back. "We're not finished yet, Mulder." Krycek took off his suit coat. Mulder stood wordlessly as he did so. Krycek smiled. He slowly removed Mulder's glasses and set them on the dresser. "You know that." Mulder said nothing, but his dark eyes were filled with his unspoken answer. Krycek reached out and brushed Mulder's hair back, smiling when Mulder stood still for the small intimacy. In fact, Mulder seemed to be waiting to see where Krycek would take them. Krycek loosened and then slid his own tie off without stepping back from Mulder. He liked the feeling of something building between them. When he reached out and caught the hem of Mulder's t-shirt, Mulder raised his hand to help him slide it off. He tossed it aside. Mulder's hand came down, hesitating in the air. Krycek reached out and took Mulder's hand in his own. He thought Mulder was trembling. He placed Mulder's fingers at the top button of his shirt and held them there until Mulder started undoing the buttons. He sighed as Mulder slipped the shirt from his shoulders, the backs of Mulder's hands sliding along his shoulders. Then Mulder's hands were loosening the buckles and straps of his prosthetic arm. Krycek stood still, but he didn't stop him. For a moment he'd almost forgotten, lost in Mulder's touch. And then Mulder was setting it aside and coming back to stand before him again. Krycek reached out his hand and ran it along Mulder's cheek, evening stubble rasping against his fingers. Mulder tilted his head into the touch. "I know this is okay," he murmured. Krycek smiled and then kissed him. He ran his hand slowly up Mulder's neck and through his hair. They stopped kissing. Their mouths remained a fraction of an inch apart. Krycek felt Mulder's lips curve into a smile. He stood enjoying Mulder's heated breath mingling with his own. Mulder kissed him lightly. Then sarcastically said, "What took you?" Krycek grinned deeply. Krycek ran his hand up Mulder's chest to rest on his shoulder. He gently massaged Mulder's tense flesh. "I got lost on the way over. Now... shut up." Krycek pulled Mulder's bottom lip into his mouth. He nibbled slightly before running his tongue over it and into Mulder's waiting mouth. He let the kiss last as long as Mulder wanted. Hungrily, Krycek rolled his tongue around Mulder's again and again. His hand continued to softly explore Mulder's back. When Mulder finally pulled away Krycek grabbed the edge of his sweat pants. They stretched a little and snapped back against Mulder's waist. Krycek's gaze fell down to the outline of Mulder's sizable erection. Krycek licked his lips and drew breath through his open mouth. His eye's drifted back up to meet Mulder's. Krycek realized he was panting. He couldn't stop the smile that had possessed his face, from growing. Mulder, apparently, had decided to take a more active role, because, the next thing Krycek knew, Mulder had grabbed his hand and was pulling him over to the bed. Mulder gave him a gentle push, and he fell, sitting on the bed with a little bounce, his feet dangling over the side. He toed his shoes and socks off, but was distracted before he could undress further. Mulder settled onto the bed to kneel on either side of Krycek's thighs. Krycek felt Mulder let out a long sigh as he came to rest his weight across Krycek's thighs. Then he leaned forward, and Krycek felt the hardness of Mulder's erection press against his own. He moaned, but the sound never reached his ears as Mulder swallowed it in a kiss. Distantly, he felt Mulder kneading the muscles of his upper back as he held him close, but all Krycek's perception was focused on lips and hips and that delicious rocking motion Mulder was making. He was pushing up into it, he realized, grinding groin against groin. Just when he thought this kiss was going to rob him of all reason, Mulder pushed him back with a grin, and he fell onto his back with a small sigh. Looking up, he saw Mulder still straddling his hips, sweaty and magnificent. A stray thought floated through his mind. To imagine when he had been complaining about the cold two days earlier that he would be warming himself like this now. He stared as Mulder bent... to lick his chin. He might have giggled, but with Mulder's hand in his hair and the portentous burning in his eyes, it was all too intense for that. Mulder sat back, trailing a hand across Krycek's torso to where Mulder's weight rested on Krycek's body, lightly caressing them both. Krycek's eyes inevitably followed the path of that hand. And, oh God, again, Mulder straddling him like that, and he in his suits pants, and Mulder in his sweats, almost made it seem all the more illicit. But clothing had to go, he decided. Right now. If only he could stop pressing up against Mulder for a moment. He laughed at how hard it was to coordinate his thoughts and actions all of a sudden. Mulder laughed, too, and Krycek wondered if he knew what joke they were sharing. But Mulder lifted up a little then, first sliding his own sweat pants down his thighs, and then reaching for the zipper of Krycek's trousers. Krycek grasped, and Mulder quirked a smile as he slowly pulled the metal down. He made the cloth a caress as he slid it down Krycek's thighs, and Krycek shivered a little despite the almost fever warmth he was feeling. And then Mulder was lowering himself down until hard flesh was touching hard flesh. He reached up and wrapped his arm around Mulder who fell with him back on to the bed where they kicked their pants the rest of the way off together. He kissed Mulder's throat; the pulse that beat there was as agitated as his own. The skin smelled of soap and clean sweat, tasted of salt. Krycek pressed his hips firmly against Mulder's. "Oh... Kry..." Mulder's voice splintered. Krycek felt Mulder's hand find his, and their fingers entwine. Mulder momentarily pinned his arm against the mattress, then pushed and pulled him further onto the bed. He watched Mulder slide off of him, wanting him so desperately to stay. Mulder ran his hand's up Krycek's legs. Krycek closed his eyes as the hands stopped just below his accruing ache. He waited. Nothing. When he finally opened his eyes, Mulder smiled. His head dropped down engulfing Krycek's entire shaft. Krycek nearly called out from the intensely comforting sensation of Mulder's mouth around him. He moaned loudly instead, bitting down hard on his bottom lip. His length was held in Mulder's mouth only seconds before it was released. Mulder disengaged and returned to lay gently on top of Krycek. They kissed fiercely. Mulder began rocking again. The agonizing friction between them sending fantastic heat through Krycek's veins. Krycek traced his hand down Mulder's hip. "Yes..." Mulder hissed into his ear. Krycek rolled Mulder onto his back, taking his eagerness as definite encouragement. Mulder laughed as Krycek landed on his stomach, their legs tangled together from the ungainly roll. Still laying across Mulder, Krycek reached for his discarded trousers. He placed a tube of lubricant and a condom meaningfully on the pillow beside Mulder's head. Mulder turned and stared at them for a moment, breathing ragged, and when he turned back his eyes were stormy as they met Krycek's. He kissed Mulder's mouth hungrily enjoying the desperation he had placed there, then he dragged his lips down Mulder's body until his was laying between the other man's thighs. He reached up and took the lubricant in his hand. As he slipped the first slicked finger inside of Mulder, he watched Mulder's fingers twitch and then curl into the sheets at his sides. From where he lay, resting his cheek on Mulder's thigh, he could feel Mulder's muscles tensing and twisting, as the man resisted the urge to move, thrust, anything, as Krycek caressed him with two fingers. Krycek carefully brushed his fingers across the prostate until Mulder could take no more and threw his head back on the pillow moaning. Only then did Krycek pull away, crawling back up alongside Mulder's body. He lay on his back, pulling the condom onto himself. Mulder watched him, wide-eyed and hungry, throughout the whole process. Finally, he reached out and found Mulder's hand, pulling the other man to kneel above him once again. Krycek reached up, placing his hand on Mulder's shoulder. He leaned his head back. Mulder ran his hands tenderly down Krycek's chest and stomach. Krycek tightened his grip on the shoulder and sat up. He leaned his head gently against Mulder's, letting his lips brush Mulder's ear. Mulder wrapped his hand warmly around his cock. Krycek inhaled deeply. He leaned back, watching Mulder's concentration. Mulder moved his hand, gently squeezing, letting the back of his hand stroke his own length. Krycek's ache became a yearning, his cock had begun to throb with desire. Krycek pressed his lips to Mulder's temple. He whispered, "Mulder... Now." Then Mulder was moving, lifting off of him. Krycek lay back down, waiting as Mulder took hold of him, guiding him to his entrance. Krycek let his eye lids fall closed as Mulder slowly sank down onto him. As Krycek filled him, Mulder's voice broke through the agonizing haze as a long moan. Mulder's hands pressed down on Krycek's stomach cautiously, his fingers trembling lightly on his skin. He saw Mulder had squeezed his eyes tightly shut. He wanted to see into them. "Mulder, look at me," he commanded. Mulder's eyes fluttered open as if he were coming out of a trance. When their eyes met, Krycek swore it burned. Mulder was panting and seemed a little lost. Krycek settled his hand along Mulder's hip and gently urged him to start moving. With a soft sigh, Mulder began to rise and fall. Krycek almost felt his eyes slip shut at the sensation but didn't want to give up the connection he had just commanded. Above him, Mulder wore an expression of intense concentration. Krycek smiled. He was letting Mulder do all the work, but it was sweet. Mulder's hands wandered over his face and chest, seemingly without pattern, and yet somehow everywhere Krycek needed them to be before he even realized what he wanted. One hand paused to tease a nipple, the other to stroke the hair above Krycek's left ear. Mulder gasped suddenly and began to move in a new pattern, and Krycek guessed that Mulder'd found the angle to stroke his own prostate with each slide. Mulder abandoned his playful caressing to brace himself as he began to move faster and faster above Krycek. Krycek groaned, unable to remain still. He began thrusting up off the bed into Mulder even as Mulder continued to move over him. He nearly toppled the other man's balance for one moment, but Mulder rode the storm furiously, panting, sweat plastering his hair in tendrils to his forehead. Krycek reached out to wrap his fingers around Mulder's erection and was unbearably pleased by the little choked sound that escaped from Mulder's lips. Mulder bit his lip, his eyes drifted upward to focus on the headboard somewhere above Krycek's head. Krycek squeezed his dripping erection. "Look... at me... now," Krycek grunted. Mulder's eyes met his and locked. Krycek pressed upward powerfully into the thrusts, stroking Mulder with the same quickening rhythm. Mulder was frantically gaining speed. Krycek felt himself climb. Mulder's eyes widened, he began to make tiny choked sounds with each thrust. Mulder was beautiful. Mulder was beautiful and perfectly connected with him. Krycek barred his teeth in a grin. He held on as long as he could. Mulder's hands grabbed desperately at his hips. Mulder shuddered violently above him in climax, continuing to rise and fall. The muscles surrounding Krycek's throbbing cock tightened. He cried out. Spasm after heated spasm rolled through his convulsing body. Mulder, still gazing glossily at him, made his orgasm that much more powerful. Finally he closed his eyes as the waves subsided within him. Mulder was hunched over him now, still rocking slightly and then coming to rest. Mulder lay still, draped over him, as his breathing slowed down and the hand slowly caressing Krycek's damp hair came to a lazy rest. Finally, Mulder moved to the side to lay beside him. Krycek was sorry to feel the weight and solidity of the other man lift off of him, but when he reached to put an arm around Mulder, Mulder let him and it was okay again as he turned to watch Mulder drifting into sleep. He watched Mulder sleep in his embrace for sometime, only acknowledging the passing time by listening to the sounds of passing semis on the wet road outside. He wondered when it had started raining. Sometime since he and Mulder had found this warm place. He sat up with a soft sigh. Mulder murmured something unintelligible, but drifted with him so his head still rested on Krycek's chest. Krycek reached for his watch. Surprised, he noted that several hours had passed in the quiet night. "Mulder," he said softly. Mulder barely stirred, curling a hand against Krycek's side. "Mulder," he repeated, and Mulder blinked up at him with sleepy eyes. "Mulder," he said, still softly, "it's almost morning." "It's still dark," Mulder murmured, not really awake yet. Krycek looked down at the sleepy agent, naked and rumbled he didn't look like the man Krycek had first met years ago. Nor did he look like the angry man he had taken to Tunguska. And he looked nothing like the frustrated, disappointed man Krycek had visited one cold night months before. Krycek took a deep breath remembering how nice it had been waking up in his bed the morning before, remembering how good this was. And he smiled when he realized he wasn't the only one this had been good for. "I have to get going," he said. Finally, Mulder sat up, trying to rub the sleep from his eyes. Krycek climbed out of the bed. He quickly strapped on the prosthesis, and then began pulling his rumpled clothes back over his body. He slipped on his shoes, then reached down to grab his tie and shove it into his pocket. When he stood back up, he found Mulder holding out his suit coat for him. Krycek turned and stepped into it, letting Mulder slide it over the prosthetic limb. He shrugged the fabric into place as he turned. Mulder stood inches away. Krycek leaned in for the goodbye kiss. He savored Mulder's soft lips briefly, promising to himself to remember their feel, and then he stepped back. Mulder didn't say a word. Krycek opened his mouth, feeling that he ought to say... something. But he closed it again. After all, what was there to say? He smiled faintly as he put his hand on the door knob. Mulder smiled back widely, and Krycek couldn't help answering back in kind. He walked out the door with that image in his mind. Epilogue: Krycek left the stuffed folder sitting on the passenger seat of Mulder's car. He stood casually across the street at the window of a tiny bakery. He absently wondered if Mulder would be leaving for work on time. He sipped his coffee. Krycek had wrangled copies of the boy's autopsy report and the analysis of the medical charts from Peterson and placed them in the folder for Mulder. Scully'd probably come to most of the same conclusions already. Yet the act of giving them to Mulder felt like closure. Krycek straightened as Mulder rounded the corner of his apartment block. He adjusted his coat as he approached his car and opened the door. Krycek watched as Mulder got in and buckled and then finally noticed the folder. Mulder lifted the folder and opened it. He sifted through the papers. Krycek smiled as Mulder turned around looking up and down the street. He opened the folder again, lifting the small notepad paper that read: "We're not friends." Mulder smiled. Krycek watched as Mulder started the car, adjusted his mirror, and drove away. hiro@mailandnews.com foxandrat@hotmail.com

November Challenge RATING: NC-17 for a good reason. SPOILERS: Up to and including "The End." DISCLAIMER: They belong to Chris Carter. But we know how to use them. FEEDBACK: Yes... Hiro: hiro@mailandnews.com May-conX: foxandrat@hotmail.com back to top

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