Part VI
"Feels good!" he whispered, almost purring with pleasure.
"I know," Baines replied in his ear. "Can you guess what I want to do
now?"
"Uh-huh! Me too!" Alexei let himself enjoy the warmth of Baines close
behind him for a few more silent minutes, in the cool of the early
morning forest air. He sighed, and the moment passed.
"That's it. Get it a little higher..... steady....... Now! Fire!"
Baines loosened his grip on Alexei's arms and stepped forward to
examine, with satisfaction, the beer bottles that Alexei had been
aiming at.
"Now try it on your own!" he said. Alexei put his body into the firing
stance that Baines had just demonstrated, and carefully aimed. He fired
the 45. One of the green bottles exploded.
"You've got a good eye for this," Baines said. Alexei fired again, with
identical results.
"Natural talent!" Baines said. Alexei grinned back at him.
"New way to have fun!" Alexei giggled.
"Yeah!" Baines acknowledged.
The three Lone Gunmen had heard nothing from Fox Mulder for over a week,
not an event in itself. But then Dana Scully had called that morning,
asking them if they had contacted him recently, and had reluctantly
admitted that she was worried. He had disappeared. Time to get onto the
Net and do a search, see if they could track Mulder by less conventional
means, whilst Dana put out an A.P.B. for his car. Certain sources were
contacted and favours called in, but the agent had, to all intents and
purposes, vanished from the face of the Earth. That is, until his car
was found in a scruffy motel parking lot a hundred miles out of
Washington. Next to another abandoned car belonging to a hire company.
Hacking into their records produced the driving licence records of one
Alex Smith......
"Well, how many people do we know with the name Alex?" Frohike was
sarcastic. "Just one that I can think of! And we know he's Mulder's
type!"
"Yes, but are we talking about Krycek or his clone here?" Langly seemed
doubtful. "There might be a whole army of them out there!"
Both of his colleagues glared at him. "That's so stupid!" Byers muttered
in irritation. "Don't you think we'd have heard about them by now if
that was the case. The two we've met were both totally amoral."
Silenced, Langly shook his head. Maybe it was stupid, but he couldn't
help the paranoid way his mind worked.
Alex Krycek slowly began to return to consciousness, it was like
fighting his way through a thick, syrupy darkness that clung to his body
and mind, making him fight hard for every step. Something was so wrong,
his body felt different, as if something was awry, not working properly,
and there was an awareness of distant pain. He fought harder against the
cobwebs that clung to his mind, and gradually came to full awareness.
He was lying, sprawled awkwardly on a low hospital cot, and when he
finally opened his eyes, he thought for a moment that he had somehow
been transported to a psychiatric ward of some sort, because he was in a
small white room, with padded walls and no readily accessible door. The
only break in the monotonous bleakness of the room was a small video
camera, high up near the ceiling, that tracked his feeble movements.
The sense of wrongness increased.
Alex tried to sit up, and though he made it half way, the sudden,
horrendous pain that lanced through him warned him to be cautious. His
right leg was on fire, the white hot ache of it sent a wave of nausea
through him, and he had to fight not to lose the contents of his
stomach. When the throbbing finally reduced itself to a more manageable
level, something that permitted a degree of thought, he dazedly looked
down. He was wearing one of those short hospital gowns, tied loosely at
the back, and reaching down to just above his knees, though it was
disarrayed at the moment. And a bulky dressing encircled his right
thigh, some kind of firm bandage that covered the site of the pain. For
the first time that he could remember, Alex found himself utterly
terrified.
He had to try and escape, that much was certain. Better that, than
staying here to be the Smoker's guinea pig. Forcing the fear away, he
took a deep breath and braced himself for the pain he knew would come.
Unsteadily, he forced himself to his feet, moaning at the ache that
spread down his leg, just from the movement of his thigh muscle, as he
slid his leg over to the side of the cot. Then he set his weight fully
on the injured leg.
There was a moment of ferocious, searing hell. He must have passed out
cold, for his next moment of awareness was lying face down on the floor,
his cheek pressing against the softness of the padded floor. He couldn't
move in the aftermath of pain, couldn't think clearly, and could only
breath in and out in small sobbing gasps, as his aching body gradually
adjusted to its new situation.
The door opened and Alex heard someone enter the room. Someone sighed in
feigned exasperation, and the toe of a shoe nudged his cheek.
"Interesting, isn't it Alex?" The Smoker sounded amused. "And quite
painful, so I'm told."
He chuckled.
"We performed a little operation on you, while you were drugged. A very
useful one, my scientists tell me. Did you know there's an interesting
little cell in the human Femur called a pluripotent stem cell. Very rare
in most humans. You however, are lucky enough to have more than the
rest of us. It's the main cell we use for cloning, because it can
differentiate itself into most body tissues. We need lots of them for
our research, and you're our main source!"
He took a long drag on his cigarette, then dropped the stub in front of
the helpless man's nose, grinding it into the floor beside Alex in a
vaguely insulting gesture.
"The doctors drilled a hole in your thigh bone, Alex, and took a sample
of your bone marrow. Then they put a high tech kind of drain in, to stop
the bone healing up. You're a kind of living factory for the cells we
need, and we can siphon off more as soon as your body makes them."
The Smoker grabbed his shoulder abruptly, and pulled Alex round to face
him. The younger man moaned helplessly, and tried to shake his head in
denial.
"No way!" he whispered. "I'm not going to give you what you want!"
"Oh you will, Alex. Because if you do something silly, like trying to
pull the drain out of your leg, it won't be you I punish. I'll give your
precious Mulder an education in how to satisfy my particular tastes. I
won't kill him, but he won't be worth much to anyone by the time I've
finished with him. He certainly won't want a man near him ever again, if
his mind stays whole, which I doubt."
His hand closed around Alexei's neck, and he shook the defenceless man
roughly. Alex whimpered desperately, as the pain blurred his vision.
"Do we understand each other, Alex?"
"Yes...." he whispered.
Dana Scully frowned in irritation, and rubbed tiredly at her eyes. Four
hours of work on her computer that evening had left her feeling stiff
and her hands and feet were cramped. Time to get that new office chair
with the posture adjustments. She rose from her seat and stretched her
arms outwards, feeling the blood rush to her fingertips. Time to have
that relaxing bath, then sleep for a while. She needed it. The search
for Mulder and Krycek had petered out from a lack of leads. Despite her
best efforts, and the help of the Gunmen, they had found nothing to help
them. And now Mulder had been missing for over three weeks. She wouldn't
give up! But she couldn't think of anything else to do, and her initial
despair at the loss of her friend had settled into a dull misery that
surfaced when she was at a low ebb. Like tonight, for instance. Damn it,
she missed him. His dry humour and his absurd theories....
"Why did you have to get involved with Krycek, of all people, Mulder?"
she muttered despondently.
"Maybe because they love each other!"
Scully whirled in shock, at the voice that came from directly behind
her, her hand going, uselessly for her holster, before she remembered
that her gun was on the kitchen table. Green eyes watched her from the
shadows on the other side of the room, a slightly amused smile on the
handsome face.
Alexei
"What the hell are you doing here, Alexei? I thought you were with
Krycek. Are you telling me Mulder and Krycek are together?" The
questions came flooding out, as she tried to overcome her surprise at
his silent appearance. Maybe the clone could ease some of her worries.
He smiled crookedly, and moved forward into the light cast by the small
desk light.
"They're together, alright. But I don't know where! Our smoking friend
seems to have taken them, and there are no leads that I can find. And
there's only one reason I can think of why he would need Alex, and it's
not a pleasant thought."
Scully's face fell in disappointment, for a moment. The young clone
sighed, and a slightly apologetic frown crossed his face. Alexei sounded
different, somehow, but it was nothing she could immediately identify.
"I hoped you might be bringing me some news of Mulder...." she admitted
sadly. "But at least I know where to look now. I have official access to
a lot of information sources.... and the Gunmen can try less legal
avenues of exploration."
Then it occurred to her what was different about Alexei. When had she
ever had a conversation with him. One that didn't involve his
shortcomings in education, or his pet topic of ice-cream? She had
always treated him like a child, slightly protective and affectionate,
since she knew all too well how he had suffered. When had he ever
sounded so resourceful, so competent? Talking about the leads in his
investigation! Scully's eyes went wide and she shrank back a step or
two.
"Who are you? You're not Alexei!"
The darkness behind the clone stirred and a second dark clad figure
materialised from the shadows, slipped an arm fondly around the waist of
the first.
"Hiya, Scully. You cross at me?"
A second pair of eyes, in a face and body utterly identical to the
first.
"This is Baines."
Alexei squeezed Baines' waist and the soldier turned to smile at him
tenderly. Then Baines grinned cheekily at Scully, so like Alexei in some
ways.
"We've met before, Agent Scully. I was the one who was busted up in the
car wreck!"
She watched Baines in disbelief, as he casually sprawled over her sofa.
Alexei nestled in close to him, his green eyes wide with apprehension,
as he watched her.
"Does Mulder know about you?" she demanded.
"Yes. We get along quite well together. When the others let me near
him....." Baines gave a wicked little smile.
"So Mulder knew you weren't Alexei when he brought you to Washington?
Damn the man! He could have trusted me a little more." Baines shrugged,
not in the least apologetic.
"He's paying the price now though, isn't he!"
"Just why are you here?" she scowled.
"To get them back safely. You have the resources to find them. I have
the military training to break them out of whatever secure location he
and Alex are kept in. We won't abandon Alex now that we've found him."
Alexei nodded, his expression, for once serious.
"Alright. But you'll have to stay with the Gunmen, it's too dangerous
here. You think you can handle that?"
Baines laughed. "No problem!"
Alexei smiled quietly to himself. Getting Baines to trust Scully had
been one of the hardest chores he had ever done. But now, they could
only wait.
Alex limped slowly to the bathroom, in the small suite of rooms he had
been given. Heavily guarded, of course. When he had started to co-
operate, his living conditions had improved dramatically. Not that there
was any chance of escape. Most days the effort of forcing his aching leg
into motion exhausted him in just a few small steps. Since they had
started to tinker with his cells, his immune system had started to
deteriorate, and he felt so drained and dizzy sometimes.
He was slowly becoming accustomed to the constant, wearing pain that
stayed with him day and night, and he had learned to move cautiously, in
a kind of old man's shuffle, to minimise the discomfort.
He scrutinised at his face in the bathroom mirror. He had seen better
days. A dreadfully pale, thin face stared back at him, eyes hugely
shadowed and with a haggard expression. They were draining the life out
of him, day by day. He watched a tear roll slowly down the reflection's
cheek.
But it was worth it.
If it keeps Mulder safe!
The Lone Gunmen had suffered the dubious honour of hosting the Krycek
clan for the past three days. Frohike was beginning to think that he
would be better off in hell, than with those two madmen. For a start,
anything edible in the kitchen that contained the least amount of sugar
had disappeared. Alexei the clone had shovelled up food as if there was
no tomorrow, and worse still, he obviously had the right kind of
metabolism to burn the calories straight off. He did seem to be filled
with energy all the time. Even in the middle of the night, when he would
play MTV extra loud and actually dance to it. Like he had never had the
chance before.
Baines, the second clone was worse. He seemed dour and uncommunicative,
but Frohike could remember from his last visit, exactly how dangerous
the soldier was. Langly had talked with him at one point, and had
claimed to recognise the name of the army unit Baines had trained in.
The secret ops guys who made the Navy Seals look like a bunch of
pansies! That guy was so sharp he was going to cut himself one of these
days!
Baines had watched the Gunmen constantly, since the two had arrived,
brought there by Scully in the middle of the night. He asked penetrating
questions and had actually contributed to their search with a few
suggestions as to the sort of medical lab Krycek might be taken to. Very
efficient.
Well, if he was anything like Alex Krycek, he would make a frightening
killer.
There was one anomaly though, that had stunned the three Gunmen when
they had first realised it. When Alexei had wandered over to Baines,
where he sat on the couch, watching them perform the latest computer
search. Alexei had draped himself like a cat, over Baines, sitting
astride him. And Baines had wrapped both arms around Alexei and kissed
him with a sensuality that had raised the hairs on the back of Frohike's
neck. Only the chime of the computer as the latest enquiry concluded had
made Baines stop, and glance over at the screen. Alexei had sighed
theatrically, and wandered towards the kitchen again. And other than a
slight flush to his face, Baines hadn't even seemed bothered by the
incident.
That night, the first that they had stayed with the Gunmen, had also
been surprising. In that it had proved that Krycek was, by genetics as
well as nature, an unprincipled son of a bitch. Baines had been given
Langly's room, and by then, the three Gunmen were not in the least
surprised when Alexei joined him. The rather loud sounds coming from
beyond the closed door had also made it obvious what the main recreation
of a Krycek clone appeared to be.
Business dealt with, both clones relaxed into each other's arms. Quite
when they had decided to consummate their desire, neither was certain.
only that long lingering kisses and hot glances had eventually melted
into something wild and tender and utterly precious between them.
Probably love, not that either of them had much experience of that sort
of emotion. It was probably one of the craziest places they could have
picked, but by now, Alexei knew the sort of danger their present
lifestyle brought. They could only seize the moment as best they could.
So their first time together would be in a stupid little borrowed room
in the Lone Gunmen's home. But neither really cared where they were, not
when glorious green eyes flashed in scorching intensity, passing secret
signals to each other. And sweet lips curved in welcome, before pressing
against smooth skin in benediction and worship. They were in love. What
else was there to say.
By mutual consent, both of them had gone into the bedroom, within
minutes of each other, raising more than a few eyebrows among their
hosts. Alexei smiled at Baines in the sort of way that made him feel as
if he were coming home. Alexei backed slowly towards the small bed,
pulling his t-shirt off, and somehow managing to divest himself of the
other clothes he was wearing with animal grace. Then he lay down on his
side on top of the covers, never taking his eyes off Baines. He began to
run his hands in a slow sensuous caress, rubbing chest and nipples,
stomach and thighs. A flushed and utterly desirable face was upturned to
Baines, and Alexei parted his lips and moaned softly, as he showed his
new partner how he wanted to be touched. Alexei drew two fingers into
his mouth and then trailed them across his skin, leaving a moist,
glistening trail that led downwards.
Baines was transfixed by the abandoned, wanton creature who lay in front
of him, no longer shy or hesitant. And totally serious. Alexei had never
shown anyone this much of himself before. Never trusted anyone enough to
openly display his desires. From what Mulder had told him, Baines knew
Alexei was the product of cruelty and neglect, and had always let
himself be used. How safe he must feel to uncover his secret desires
like that. Baines felt a wave of love and affection for his double. He
sat on the bed and reached out to gently run his fingers across the
silken skin. He wanted so much for this to be right for Alexei. He was
so scared that he would hurt his lover. Seeing his hesitancy, Alexei
gave a wicked smile and reached out his own hands in return. Baines
suddenly found his head grasped to either side, and intense green eyes
gleamed inches from his.
"I'm not made of glass!" he laughed. Then Baines was pushed back onto
the bed, and Alexei was above him, astride him. Leaning in for an
intense kiss as his hands roved across Baines' body. Baines opened his
mouth and drank in the sweetness of Alexei's mouth, as he was in turn,
hungrily consumed. The wicked gleam reappeared in the beautiful eyes,
and then Baines found his clothes rapidly discarded by the suddenly
urgent fingers that trailed fire in their wake. When had he become the
quarry and not the hunter?
A cry of triumph, as his body was finally bared to the other's green
gaze. They weren't alike in many respects, and now it was more obvious.
With pale golden skin, Alexei was softer and his body more lush, and
tender, with a voluptuousness that Baines lacked. He was, by contrast,
all hard angularity and smooth muscular fitness. How could anyone
confuse them?
Alexei was so much more experienced than he was. Baines was again
hesitant in taking the lead. Until, with a soft giggle, Alexei lowered
his famous lips and proceeded to demonstrate his particular talent. It
was one thing Baines had little experience of.
To feel his lover's mouth trailing kisses across his skin, then to feel
the constriction of Alexei's mouth as he was drawn into the moist
furnace of those full lips. He knew, distantly, what an effect Alexei
had on Alex when they had teased him into compliance. But he had never
dreamed anything could be like this. To see the dark head in motion
between his legs. To have his cock worked by that talented mouth, his so
sensitive skin tantalised and tormented past bearing, until his hands
were clawing desperately at the sheets, twisting into their folds, his
hips arching off the bed. He came with a hoarse yell, feeling the hot
pulsing of his body as he finally clutched Alexei tight to him.
Alexei raised his head in triumph, and green eyes almost glowed with
exultation. Baines realised that his double was enjoying himself
immensely. For once in his life, Alexei was getting exactly what he
wanted, and that something was Baines, body and soul. Baines found his
gaze drawn irresistibly to Alexei's hard erection, that rose from the
lush body like a glistening column. He reached out a tentative hand to
grasp it, and Alexei moaned wantonly, wriggling his hips, pushing
himself into Baines grasp. Baines began to spread the pre-cum that
flowed from the tip of that beautiful cock down its full length, then as
he was watched by his lover, moved astride Alexei, and lowered himself
by inches onto it. It was more than good, it was incredible. He could
have sworn that sparks were reflected in the eyes that watched his every
move, as he started to move. The focus of his world narrowed to the
hardness that pressed its way inside him in glorious epiphany. His body
was moving on instinct alone, his hands were too busy clutching at
Alexei, pulling him closer and closer. He lost himself in the glory of
lovemaking with this man.
Alexei's moans were increasing in volume, as he too lacked restraint.
God knows what the three Gunmen must be thinking, both clones were vocal
in their enjoyment of sex. Baines opened his eyes and caught a glimpse
of Alexei beneath him, totally out of control, arching off the bed in
abandon. The other man was glorious to behold, his lightly golden, sweat
slicked skin seemed to catch the light and appear like molten gold. And
the bliss in the green fire of his eyes. Baines lost the final shreds of
his restraint, then he was coming in a shattering climax, screaming, his
body arching backwards, his body jetting its seed uncontrollably onto
Alexei's chest. Seconds later, Baines felt the body beneath his
convulse, and Alexei reared up against him, crying his name with more
love and desire than he had never dreamed possible.
Their bodies sagged together, Baines ending up wrapped in his lover's
arms.
"I love you Alexei!" he murmured, nestling his head into his lover's
shoulder. The flash of heat that lit Alexei's eyes, and the slow, shy
smile were all the reply he needed.
In the morning, a cautious intrusion into their privacy by Langly, in
search of a t-shirt, had revealed the two clones sleeping naked in each
other's arms, both looking surprisingly innocent. Until Baines had
opened one eye in warning, and Langly had seen the knife appear, poised
for throwing, in his hand. Better, probably, to ignore the clones and
their odd notions of behaviour, Frohike and his friends concluded. Which
thought was reinforced when later Baines started to give Alexei a lesson
in unarmed combat in their living area, mainly ignoring techniques that
leave the opponent still alive. And Alexei thought it was fun!
"Got it!" Byers yelled, and was immediately surrounded by his
companions. "There are only three installations near Washington that
could house the medical facilities that Baines thought were significant,
and also have top secret clearance. Two of them would be a little too
crowded with civilians for a kidnapping to go unnoticed. Which leaves
one facility outside of Baltimore. It's our best guess." Baines nodded.
"Tell Scully to be ready. Alex might need specialist medical help, and
I want him kept safe if he has to go into hospital."
"Kick ass time?" Alexei said softly.
"Oh yeah!" his double answered.
Mulder struggled uselessly against the cuffs that were fastening his
hands together. Hardened steel was, of course, far too strong for him to
damage in any way. He was led by two guards down a short corridor, until
he came to a locked door. One of the men pulled a gun, and aimed it at
his head, while the other unlocked the cuffs, then the door. He was
motioned inside, and the lock clicked shut behind him. He glared at the
featureless metal for a moment before turning to inspect his latest
surroundings.
Time seemed to slow, and he would never afterwards remember falling to
his knees before the man he loved most in the world, who lay sprawled on
the bed, and pulling the unconscious body into his arms. In truth, Alex
was barely recognisable as the fit young lover he adored. His unhealthy
greyish skin was almost transparent, and stretched tightly over his
face, making it appear skull like. He was shivering slightly as Mulder
held him, and a moan was the only response Mulder could get, as he
kissed the limp body and found himself whispering loving nonsense to
him. Whatever had been done to Alex, he was burning up with fever, and
his body didn't seem to be fighting back properly.
The voice from up near the ceiling emerged from a high up speaker.
"I'm kind, Mulder, so I thought you'd like to see Alex before he dies.
He's been very useful to us, I should really put forward his name for a
medal. Posthumous, of course. Pity such a massive infection set in, we
could have used more samples. But I'm sure one of your little clones
could fill in for him, even if the samples aren't as pure." He laughed
for a moment. "Wonderful what some people will do to keep their loved
ones safe, isn't it!"
The Smoker must have been highly satisfied by the scream that Mulder
gave, a mixture of despair and denial, as he realised that they were
going to let Alex die. He was unquestionably satisfied by the large fee
the Government had paid him for the procedure. His Swiss bank account
was nicely swollen by it.
There was a commotion in the corridor that broke into the Smoker's
pleasant musings over money, and who exactly he could buy with it. Some
eager, well proportioned young man with a taste for the things cash
could buy, who was very flexible in his tastes. Maybe in Morocco or
Thailand, where life was a lot cheaper.....
"Sir!" One of his operatives rushed in to tell him the news. "We've got
the little whore back again. He was wandering round outside Mulder's
apartment, and our surveillance unit picked him up."
The Smoker smiled. Finally, things were all falling into place for him.
Just at an opportune moment, too. When Krycek died, he would have need
of a replacement, even one as flawed and inferior as the timid, sluttish
insignificance that called itself Alexei. And he had a debt to claim
from that particular clone, a small matter of a blow to his manly pride.
He decided to pacify the clone by giving him to his men, before the next
round of medical experiments started.
Alexei struggled of course, uselessly. His big eyes filled with pathetic
tears as he realised what was going to happen to him. Pitiable. Well,
almost. With a whimpering noise, he sank to his knees in front of the
biggest of the three guards.
"Please.... Don't hurt Alexei.... I can be good...." He whimpered as the
first man seized his hair.
"Let's drag the little slut to the cells. We can be more private there!"
The guards grinned at each other. The Smoker had chosen his latest batch
of men with care, after the fiasco with Baines. All were personally
loyal to him, and shared his particular tastes.
Alexei wailed loudly, as he was dragged by the hair, kicking and
flailing uselessly with his untrained hands, down the corridor. There
was little doubt in the clone's mind about what was going to happen to
him. A cell door was kicked open, and he was half pushed, half flung
inside. One of the guards laughed.
"We can be gentle, or we can hurt you, scum. Which is it going to be?"
he lied. Desperate green eyes watched him.
"Don't hurt Alexei.... Do what you want! Anything......" With a
frightened whisper, Alexei acquiesced. Grinning in triumph, the first of
the guards unzipped his bulging fly.
"I've heard you're famous for your talent with that pretty mouth," he
said. "Why don't you show us all...." He watched the bruised mouth
descend, and then found out that it was even better that the stories had
led him to believe.
Mulder had kept vigil over Alex for hours now, feeling his despair
increase as the younger man's breaths grew gradually shallower, and his
temperature seemed to climb. He did his best to cool the fever in his
lover's body by bathing him periodically with cold water. But it was
only a temporary remedy, and he knew it. Once the almost transparent
eyelids had fluttered, and Alex had stared up at him, barely conscious.
The corner of Alexei's lips had quirked up in a tiny smile of
acknowledgement, but the effort had seemed to exhaust him, and his eyes
slid shut again a moment later. So Mulder sat beside him, resting his
head on the pillow next to his lover's, so that Alex would see him if he
woke again. However remote a chance that was.
He was roused from an uneasy slumber by a loud noise outside the room. A
quick, anxious glance at Alex showed no change. But there was something
familiar about the voice he could hear wailing in distress.
Alexei?
He flung himself at the door, and saw, through the grill, the clone
being dragged to the opposite cell. The laughter of the guards told him
what they intended, then unmistakable groans from one of the guards told
him what was happening. His prudence and common sense vanished, because
his previous experience had taught him never to call the attention of
the guards to him. Pressing his face against the grill, he started
screaming in denial and hopelessness, pleading with them to leave Alexei
alone.
The guards laughed, when they heard the other prisoner's entreaties. But
Alexei..... His head jerked up, and the big guard hissed in frustration
as the clone stopped what he was doing.
"Did I tell you to stop, slut. Make it good, and I might even be gentle
when I fuck you later!"
He didn't even see the elbow that exploded upwards, impacting under his
ribcage and driving vulnerable tissues upwards. That secret blow, known
only to martial arts professionals that could, and did, crush the heart.
Before he even had time to realise he was dead, the clone had risen in
one fluid movement, and a fist like steel was driven against the second
guards forehead hard enough to shatter bone inwards into the brain. The
third guard made the mistake of reaching for his gun instead of running,
and the clone, almost lazily, seized the sides of his head and rotated
his neck until the vertebrae snapped and the spinal column was reduced
to mush. There were a thousand ways to kill with bare hands, and Baines
prided himself on knowing them all.
Silently he armed himself with the guards weapons, and pulled a small
receiver from where it was taped around his ankle.
"Target located!" he hissed. "Be ready!" He triggered the location
beacon.
He hurried to where Mulder stood, stunned, having seen the last stages
of the fight. Baines bared his teeth in a savage grin.
"They thought I was 'Lexy because he showed me his techniques. They got
careless. Tough shit!"
He unfastened the door, and went inside. His breath caught at the sight
of Alex, and it was his turn to stare in appalled grief at the
desperately sick man. His fingers touched the fevered man's face,
wincing at the heat of his skin.
"How long has he been this sick?" he said softly.
"Over a day that I know of!" Mulder sounded hoarse with grief.
"We've got to get him out now!" Baines replied. "The cavalry is coming,
so hold on."
He looked at his watch, then began counting backwards from one hundred.
When he reached eleven, the wall across the corridor exploded inwards,
as the high explosives Alexei had planted against the outer wall were
triggered. There was a rumbling of rubble settling, and a cloud of dust
billowed around the new entrance. In the distance, emergency klaxons
were blaring.
Baines sighed.
"Shit Alexei!" he muttered. "I knew I should have made you practice
counting in the nineties again!"
Alexei's timekeeping was exceptional, except when he couldn't remember
his numbers. He tended to leave the hard ones out. So a countdown to
triggering the explosives wasn't particularly reliable.
Somehow, Baines and Mulder began to carry Alex Krycek towards the hole
in the wall. It took both of them to lift him over the rubble. Which is
why they were taken by surprise at the appearance of the Smoker. Their
enemy pointed a gun at Baines.
"You really are the bane of my life, Baines. I should have had you
killed at birth. like we do to all the inferior clones. And your whore.
Both of you are defects."
Baines had frozen, and desperately looked for an opportunity to jump the
Smoker. Maybe it would give Mulder a chance for freedom. But he was too
far away.
"No!" A new voice sounded from behind the Smoker. "You're not gonna hurt
my family again!"
With a snort of contempt, the Smoker glanced dismissively at the real
Alexei. And his look of surprise stayed on his face as he fell, shot
through the heart by the clone he had forced to mature all too rapidly.
Baines grinned openly at his love, and then began the serious business
of getting Alex to help.
Alexei stood for a moment, staring at his target. He had thought that
killing would make him feel sick, but all he felt now was a disgust for
the man who had made their lives a misery. Wondering at his own courage
in stopping the Smoker. With a little frown of loathing, he aimed a
quick, petty kick at the corpse. Something small, a little book encased
in a plastic folder, fell out of the jacket pocket. Alexei stooped,
curious, and picked up the folder. Maybe it would give him some reading
practice later. Right now though, he had to help Mulder and Alex to the
car.
Alex Krycek lay frustratedly in his hospital bed. It would be weeks
until he was allowed out of here. And the delights of daytime television
were guaranteed to turn his stomach. Supermarket sweep repeats and a
rerun of Dallas. Nothing too steamy to excite the patient. These small
town hospitals! Still at least Scully's friend was a decent sort. She
had even managed to make Mulder take a rest every now and then. A giggle
broke him out of his daydream.
Alexei was practising breaking and entering again. Coming in through the
window, instead of using the door! Baines had unleashed a monster! And,
on cue, a second dark clad figure entered. Two sets of green eyes
inspected him like he was a slab of meat. Then, apparently satisfied
with what they saw, both came closer. Alexei bent and kissed his
forehead affectionately, and Baines squeezed his hand.
"You gonna tell him or can I?" Alexei was excited about something.
"Go ahead!" Baines smiled indulgently, "It's your find anyway!"
Alexei waved the little blue book at Alex. "Baines has been telling me
about Swiss bank accounts. And how we've got lots of money. Enough to be
safe forever. To buy a new life, and even get me a cabin with a real
horse!"
Baines laughed and wrapped his arms around Alexei. The clone nestled
back into his arms with a look of adoration. Alex found himself smiling
at the happiness in both faces. Then he thought about what Alexei had
said, and quirked an eyebrow at Baines.
"We have the bank book and details of the Smoker's Swiss bank account.
That's all we need to empty it. Over ten million dollars and it's all
ours!"
The three of them exchanged looks of sly delight. And when Mulder
entered the room, a few minutes later, he couldn't help but feel that
the Krycek clan were definitely up to something! As usual, he would be
the last to know. And it was probably illegal. But then, that's why they
were so much fun to be with. And why he loved them. But Alex most of
all.
This is the last episode in the Double Trouble book/series.
I'm thinking of a new story with Alexei and Baines later in the year,
tentatively entitled "The Clone Wars." dealing with the origins of the
Krycek clones, how clones are indoctrinated, and a new enemy they face.
Double Trouble
by Megaera
Baines wrapped his arms around Alexei and held him close, enjoying,
momentarily the feel of his beloved in his arms. Just to feel the firm
body against him, to smell the faint odour of soap and cleanness that
was an integral part of him. Alexei briefly leaned closer and closed his
eyes.
