Mulder felt his breath catch as his own were captured, captivated by
the wide pupils, darkened by sleep and lust, the bright, almost iridescent
blue and green iris appearing like a corona around a solar eclipse. Without
conscious thought he found his mouth descending to place a kiss upon each
eye, his pulse increasing as he felt the soft skin and fluttering of eyelashes
against his lips as the eyelids closed. He pulled back slightly, turning
to trail more kisses down the side of his lover's nose finally placing
another on the slightly upturned tip before pulling back to arms length
to rest with his chin cupped in his hand.
"Good morning."
Krycek smiled and stretched languidly then drew in his breath sharply
as his body reminded him of last night's assault. Mulder frowned, chewing
his lip guiltily as he remembered the abuse he had dished out. He felt
his stomach turn over in shame and repugnance at his actions and he turned
his face away.
"Hey! I thought we dealt with that last night."
Krycek sighed in mild annoyance at the way Mulder beat himself up with
guilt and remorse but knew it was one of the reasons why he loved this
man. Despite all that had happened to him, Mulder was still a sensitive
and caring human being where many others would have hardened both mentally
and emotionally. Last night's attack had been shocking for both of them,
neither believing Mulder had a streak vicious enough to carry out such
abuse on another. Although both now understood the reason for the deep-seated
anger, it had not completely erased the horror of putting that anger into
violent, physical aggression. Surprisingly, it had been the victim that
had comforted the aggressor as the anger flowed away leaving behind a horrified
Mulder.
The last time he had struck out in anger he had been under the influence
of mind-altering drugs in his water supply, courtesy of Cancerman but this
time there was no excuse. It had taken a lot of quiet discussion before
Mulder could come to terms with what he had done and accept that he was
capable of such violence. He could still not believe how quickly and easily
Alex Krycek had forgiven him until the Psychologist in him realised how
much Alex had hated his treatment of his ex-partner, finding the beating
and abuse at his hands strangely cathartic.
Krycek watched the thoughts cross Mulder's face and decided the best
way to show Mulder that last night and its terrible revelations were behind
them was to prove it. He reached across and cupped Mulder's chin in the
palm of his hand, applying a small amount of pressure to force the Agent
to meet his eyes once more.
"I love you. I always have.... Shh," his forefinger sealed the sensitive
mouth as Mulder started to respond to his declaration, "you don't have
to say anything."
Krycek moved his hand until his fingers were behind Mulder's head and
pulled the well-beloved face towards his own. Their lips met, softly, brushing
against each other, almost chaste. Mulder could feel soft, ragged breaths
against him as he pulled away a fraction and then he gave into the desire
that raced through his heart, body and soul, crushing his mouth against
the willing lips, his hands reaching to curl around the back of Krycek's
head to prevent escape. The bruising kiss deepened as Krycek opened his
mouth to the invading tongue that pushed insistently, ignoring the pain
from the ragged tear in his lower lip, tasting Mulder and being tasted.
Soft, wet heat filled him mixed with a slight ferric tang as the cut opened
under pressure, tongues battling as he felt his own mouth explored thoroughly,
almost gagging as Mulder pushed deeper across the roof and down...
They pulled apart suddenly, each gasping for breath, each feeling the
blood thrumming through their veins, thumping in their heads. Erratic breath
gradually brought under control as they stared at each other through lust-crazed
eyes. Mulder focused on the bright red blood, his hand brushing his own
mouth and finding traces. His non-verbal apology was accepted as Krycek
licked at the source then lunged towards him to place a kiss on his lover.
Mulder edged forward, playfully pulling away as Krycek reached for him
once more, mirrored grins reflected in bright eyes. He moved forward again,
dipping his head sideways to nuzzle against the slightly stubbled cheek,
his tongue finding the shell of one ear and rolling along the silken edge
before plunging into the recess. Krycek giggled and squirmed, pulling away
from the assault, crying out softly as Mulder nipped the lobe between strong
teeth, his words heavy with lust.
"Has anyone ever told you you're a sensualist?"
"Has anyone ever told you you're sensuous?... and beautiful... and erotic...
and... oh, so hot."
Mulder punctuated his words with a series of biting kisses as he moved
slowly down his lover's throat eventually stopping to suck gently on the
juncture of neck and shoulder. A low moan was his only response as Alex
arched his neck to give Mulder greater access. He pulled back to survey
his work, pleased with the red mark that branded Krycek as his own. His
smile broadened as he glanced up into the passion-filled features, noting
the closed eyes and hearing soft, ragged gasps escape from slightly-parted
bruised lips. His hand stretched down the muscular frame until he could
feel the silken, hardness through the rumpled cotton sheet, his fingers
tracing a line along the length of the shaft from base to tip. Suddenly,
he realised that he wanted to see Krycek lying naked before him.
He moved back until he was sitting at the side of the bed, sensing the
puzzlement in his companion, and then drew the white cotton sheet aside
slowly before reaching out to push up the long-sleeved T-shirt. Krycek
froze as Mulder started to undress him, holding his breath, his erection
softening bringing a frown to Mulder's face until the Agent realised why.
"It's OK, Alex. It's OK." He crooned softly as he coaxed his lover into
allowing him to remove his shirt. Krycek schooled his features into a neutral
expression as he watched Mulder drinking in his fill of the smooth, muscular
flesh lying before him. Mulder reached out to stroke across the left shoulder,
down the remainder of Krycek's left arm, lightly skimming over scarred
tissue and then back up.
"You're still beautiful."
Krycek sighed raggedly, releasing the breath he had been holding as
he found no deception in the bright, hazel eyes. Mulder had not seen him
completely naked until now and he had been so afraid of finding repugnance
on his face when he saw the scarred stump.
Mulder leant forward and retraced the path his hands had taken with
his tongue, licking across the still sensitive tissue before moving back
to capture one small nipple between sharp teeth, raking across the puckered
flesh before sucking hard. His hand crept lower to feel the blood pulse
back into Krycek, revitalising the almost lost erection as stabs of desire
coursed through his lover's body. Fingers played down the length of the
shaft, softly kneading the taut sacs before skimming even lower. He felt
Krycek's muscles tighten all over and the memory of what he had done come
searing back. Mulder stopped and pulled away in shame. How could he expect
Krycek to want him, or any man, in that way after what he had done.
Krycek grimaced as he sat up and reached out to Mulder to try and reassure
him.
"I want you to.... I'm just a little sore right now. Next time we will."
Krycek grabbed Mulder's face as he turned away in disbelief and self-directed
anger. "I mean it, Mulder. I want you... badly... but we'll have to wait
a day or so. Just take it nice and easy right now."
Krycek let his hand drop into Mulder's lap where he stroked the semi-rigid
shaft until it was fully erect, his fingers curling around the thick column
securely as he began a slow pumping action.
"Oh God, Alex."
Krycek smiled and continued his assault, eyes drinking in the sight
of his lover's arousal. The full lips parted as lashes flickered over the
green-gold eyes. Mulder threw back his head as the extra stimulation overwhelmed
his already intensified senses and cried out hoarsely as white fluid jetted
from him. He collapsed back onto the bed and watched through slitted, passion-spent
eyes as Alex licked spilled semen from his own fingers.
"And you say I'm a sensualist."
He reached out and pulled Krycek down beside him before reaching into
the bedside cabinet.
"Now it's my turn."
"You don't have to...."
Mulder bent down and snatched away the words before they could be uttered.
"Oh Yes, I do."
He squeezed a generous amount onto his fingers, dropped the tube over
the side of the bed and began to liberally spread the gelatinous lubricant
over Krycek before reaching below to ready himself. He kept his eyes fixed
on the apprehensive face below him as he guided Krycek's thick shaft to
the tight ring of muscle. Sighing softly, he lowered himself, hissing as
the muscle reluctantly gave way and then sighing as the momentary pain
coalesced into sharp-edged desire. He moved up and down slowly, taking
the shaft deeper with each downward plunge. He could feel the trembling
in the limbs beneath him, marvelling at the control Krycek exercised in
remaining still despite what must have been an incredible urge to thrust
upwards.
He bucked wildly, eyes and mouth wide, as the shaft rubbed across his
prostate, astonished by the incredible jolt of energy that stabbed through
him and angled his descent to discover that sensation again and again.
Beneath him, Krycek had given up trying to hold back, overcome by the
intense pressure of strong, tight muscles clenching him. He could feel
his body building, his hand clenching into the bed sheet, back arching
off the bed with a final thrust, screaming out Mulder's name as the warm,
sweet sensation spread out from the centre of his being, turning his insides
to liquid, his thighs to quivering jelly.
Mulder collapsed across the sweat-soaked body, aware of the stickiness
between them where he had brought himself to another intense climax with
barely a single touch on the now flaccid organ. He could feel Krycek's
chest heaving against his own as they both fought to regain control of
their breathing. Krycek moved slightly and Mulder sighed in disappointment
as he felt the now spent shaft slip from his body. He shifted until he
could pull the other man into his arms, placing gentle kisses along any
exposed flesh within reach.
When he looked back up he smiled at the sleeping man. Mulder tightened
his embrace and closed his own eyes.
The knock on the door brought Mulder out of a deep restful sleep but
it took a few moments for it to fully register. He untangled himself from
beneath Krycek and had started to sit up when the handle turned and the
door opened. Horror filled him as he recalled how the anger and violence
had drowned out all common sense to the point where neither had remembered
to lock the door behind them.
His eyes met Dana Scully's and his heart sank to the pit of his stomach
at the look of revulsion that crossed her pretty face. She knew. Even if
she could not believe the sight before her eyes, the smell of sweat and
sex that permeated the room would have given them away. Her eyes grew cold
and she indicated with a turn of her head what she wanted him to do. Mulder
nodded and as she closed the door behind her he crept out of the bed, careful
not to disturb Alex.
She was waiting for him at the far end of the parking lot, seated on
a low brick wall. She did not look up until he was right in front of her.
"How could you?"
Mulder swallowed; there was nothing to say.
"I never even knew you.... six years we've worked together. The porno
tapes, the magazines, the calendars." She looked up. "The girlfriends.
Oh, I admit they were few and far between but I always believed work played
the same havoc with your social life as it does mine."
"I never thought you'd be prejudiced...."
"Don't change the subject. This isn't about me and, to be honest, I
don't care if you like women or men... or both. But Krycek! How could you?
He murdered my sister, and your father for God's sake!"
"He didn't kill her. They weren't there to kill anyone. They were after
the DAT tape. They thought you had it and when Melissa came through the
door Cardinal panicked. No-one was supposed to get hurt...."
"And what about your father? The bullet came from his gun, Mulder. You
can't deny that."
"I don't deny it but it was an accident... my father lunged for the
gun, it went off."
Scully snorted in disbelief, her eyes wide.
"And you believe him? That lying... murdering.... rat! He's using you,
Mulder. Playing you like a.. like a..."
She looked away, not wanting to believe that Krycek could be anything
other than a cold-blooded killer, despite the fact that he had saved her
life only a few days ago, because then she would have no-one tangible left
to hate and she wanted to hate someone, some person rather than some nebulous
organisation.
Her eyes opened wider as something Melissa had once said about Customers
came back to haunt her.
During her late teens, Melissa had taken a summer job as a checkout
assistant at a local store. 'Whenever something goes wrong, they take it
out on me. I suppose it's easier to rant at some poor underling than find
the faceless bureaucrat who's really responsible.'
Is that what she had done? Had she parcelled up all her grief and anger
and posted it to Krycek just because he was a face she could identify?
What if he were telling the truth? Even the APB had stated that he was
wanted 'in connection' with events for there was nothing other than circumstantial
evidence to tie him to any of the crimes she believed he had committed.
"Scully?"
She shook her head, holding up her hand to ward off any physical contact
between them.
"I need to think." She looked up at him. "We both need to think."
"I have. It's not that I want to believe him, Dana. I do believe him....
and I... I think I love him."
"I don't want to hear this."
"OK." Mulder backed off, casting her one more entreating look before
turning away and walking back across the parking lot to his room.
As he stepped inside he became aware immediately of a pair of listless
green eyes watching him.
"She knows about us?"
Mulder nodded. Krycek sighed in understanding, his face tightening as
he climbed out of the bed to gather up his belongings. His heart felt like
it would break in two. He had hoped for a little more time—a few more
memories to keep him warm during the cold, lonely nights ahead. Mulder
reached out and took the items from his hand.
"It's OK, Alex. It's OK."
He pulled the younger man into his arms and kissed him gently, being
careful of the bruised mouth. He pulled back, a small smile playing across
his own. Words formed in his mind that had nothing to do with extra-terrestrials,
Colonists, Black Oil or the Consortium; words of love, of wanting but they
remained unspoken. He tried to put those words into his eyes, hoping Alex
would read them there and was grateful for the answering smile that crossed
the sensuous mouth, bringing life back into those eyes. Mulder swallowed,
his expression becoming serious and was grateful when Alex accepted the
change without doubt or fear.
"Tell me what you left out about the Colonists."
Krycek looked away and sighed deeply. How anyone managed to fool Mulder
was beyond him. The man seemed to have a innate ability to see through
the half-truths eventually. But where to begin?
"I wasn't unconscious or asleep when the alien from the Piper Maru took
me over. I was aware of every moment and of every thought both mine and
its. It had spent 50 years at the bottom of the ocean. The body it had
jumped to had died in the plane crash and it could keep only the autonomous
functions going during the long wait. There was no other sentient being
to talk to but it decided to avoid any in-depth contact with the Diver
and his wife, taking only what it needed to start the search for its ship."
"Why didn't it jump into me?"
"Body jumping takes energy, Mulder. You didn't have the information
it needed—I did. I knew where to find Cancerman—and Cancerman knew
where the ship had been taken. Have to admit it had a good sense of humour
or maybe it had developed that from me. I can remember walking onto the
plane and I was laughing so hard inside it got quite worried until it pulled
the information out of my head.
Fox Mulder, the man searching for the truth and little green men—and
it was sitting right next to you all the way from Hong Kong to the United
States. It found that pretty amusing. At least you didn't go overboard
with the beatings. I'm not so certain it would have allowed you to damage
its host body."
"We spent that entire trip in silence."
"It had nothing to say to you and it sure as hell wasn't gonna let me
do any talking." Krycek barked out a short laugh. "I spent that entire
trip being mentally raped. It was only after I started to fight back, which
kinda pleased it, that it started to tell me all about Life, the Universe
and Everything from an alien perspective—and the answer wasn't 42. You
see, Mulder, as the days passed its resolve to remain aloof weakened and
it became quite garrulous. It told me all about the method it used to track
me down, following the trail to Hong Kong and then following you to get
to me."
Krycek raised his eyes to meet Mulder's.
"I know everything that it knows albeit 50 years out of date but the
plans had been made. The date set only there isn't just one race of aliens
out there, Mulder. There are several; The Colonists and their clones—'Oilians' for want of a better name, the Kindred, the Grey ones. Other
races standing on the sidelines waiting to see what happens. Some of them,
especially the Greys, have been visiting us for millennia. Most of them
are just plain nosy, others interested in the planet and its resources.
Trouble is, the race that has decided to take over the planet is not necessarily
the most advanced but it is one of the most dangerous—and the others
decided not to intervene."
"So who is intervening?"
"I don't know exactly. This is something that's happened recently but
I could hazard a guess from what it did know."
"And?"
"A shape-shifter race and some of the Clones, a splinter group, like
your Jeremiah Smith and Kurt Crawford." Krycek paused. How much did Mulder
know about the Colonists and their cloning experiments? He decided to leave
nothing out. "The Clones are human/Oilian hybrids, produced from the ova
taken from abducted women. It would have been a hell of a lot easier if
they could have used human sperm. They could have collected that from the
banks without any trouble—no abductions necessary just a few bucks handed
out to the male student population to help with the cost of education."
"Sounds like the voice of experience."
"Not all of us came from the right side of the tracks, Mulder. A scholarship
only paid for tuition. It didn't cover accommodation, food, books..."
Mulder held up a hand, this was no time to get side-tracked.
"I'm sorry. It was a juvenile remark. What are the Colonists, Alex?"
Krycek stared at his one-time partner, lips drawn into a pout. He exhaled
nasally then relaxed.
"A parasitic life-form. They need host bodies but they can lie dormant
for millennia in the right medium. The first ones arrived on a meteor that
crashed into the Pacific 70 million years ago. Most left Earth just before
the meteor that killed the Dinosaurs crashed into the Earth believing it
to be an ELE: Extinction Level Event. Those that stayed survived underground,
reverting to their basic genetic form until a host could be found. They
rediscovered Earth when some returned on a meteor that struck in the Siberian
forest near Tunguska back in 1902. A team of scientists uncovered them
in 1904. Our parasitic friends took them over, surveyed the landscape and
decided the Earth was ripe for the picking. They sent word back via our
own communication equipment—radio telescopes—by altering them to send
the signal out rather than... well, you know. The others have been arriving
ever since by more conventional methods. You know, most of their technology
has been obtained through subjugating other races—a bit like the Borg
in Star Trek. Anyway, the colonisation plans were drawn up."
"You said the date was set?"
"Fifteen years from now." Krycek stared deep into the hazel/green eyes.
"Enough time for us to build defences if we start now. At the individual
level, we have the means to destroy them without killing the host. You're
living proof of that, Mulder, but alone that's not enough. Re-infection
is possible even if the vaccine is boosted regularly... and that alone
would require an immense production line to cater for every one of the
five billion people on the planet. The Variola virus is another way forward
but we'd still need to inoculate every person on the planet.... The sheer
scale will be our greatest weakness so we must take advantage of this Alien
rebellion to destroy them in space as well as here on Earth."
"Jesus.... so where's does the Consortium fit into this?"
Krycek laughed.
"Remember what I said to you: Resist or Serve. Most are Collaborators...
choosing to serve rather than take the risk of siding with the Rebels."
"Who is on our side?"
"My Employer."
"And?"
Krycek looked down. None of the other Elders could be trusted despite
divided loyalties. Most were too afraid the Rebels would fail and that
they and there families would suffer the consequences.
"Cancerman?"
"No.. at least I don't believe so although, God only knows. The man
spins so many webs of lies that it's hard to know where his loyalties fall."
Krycek's face had hardened. "But I wouldn't trust him as far as I could
throw him. He has his own agenda."
Mulder nodded. Krycek had only given him the tip of the biggest iceberg
in human history but it was enough to set his resolve.
"We need to go to BioTechnics. Will you help?"
Krycek looked away. The Well-Manicured Man had wanted Mulder side-tracked
long enough for BioTechnics to be cleaned out and he knew that work may
not yet be complete. BioTechnics was a large organisation and, probably,
under Colonist control. He knew he ought to say 'No', to somehow dissuade
Mulder from this path but he read the pleading in the darkened eyes and
saw how important it had become to the other man.
Krycek nodded and whispered softly, "Yes".
Scully frowned when she saw Krycek ease carefully into the seat opposite.
One side of his face was bruised at the temple and there was a small, jagged
tear through his lower lip as if he had bitten through it. It was obvious
to her now that more than sex had taken place last night. They had argued
and, judging by what she had seen, Krycek had come off worse.
"That looks like it needs attention. I've got some suture in my case...."
She noticed he could not prevent a grimace of pain as he sat down and
Scully found herself wondering at the rest of the damage Mulder had inflicted
- and how.
"Where else are you hurting?"
Krycek blushed and looked away, fuelling her suspicion that Mulder had
done something even worse to this man. Her thoughts returned to the hospital
where she had interned. The surrounding area had been a Hell's Kitchen
of multiracial groups. She had almost become immune to the steady flow
of victims of clashes between the rival Gangs: stabbings, drive-by shootings...
rapes, on females and males... and what she saw now, in the sight and posture
of the man opposite, screamed rape. For the first time, she felt real anger
at her partner. No matter who it was or what they had done, no-one deserved
to be sexually abused.
Krycek recognised the angry and appalled look on her face. Somehow she
had figured it out but he could hardly believe Mulder would have said anything
especially as he had insisted they kept it between them but Mulder and
Scully were closer than most partners, closer than brother and sister.
"What did he tell you?"
"Mulder? Nothing. I'm a Doctor, Krycek. I interned in an ER. I've seen
my fair share of... I can read signs. So... do you need any medical attention?"
Krycek shook his head considering himself lucky he had not been unused
to men or the few tears she could not see would have been much worse and,
maybe, required stitches.
"No, and don't worry. We straightened it out. It won't happen again."
Scully frowned wondering whether she had misunderstood their relationship.
Mulder had implied that they were willing partners but now she was not
so sure. The answer appeared several minutes later when Mulder came in
and sat down beside Krycek. There was no malice in the look they exchanged
and their body language spoke volumes as they angled toward each other,
hands and knees touching in reassurance.
Despite this, Scully was determined to have a few private words with
her partner. To her, the act of rape bordered on the unforgivable and she
couldn't let it go without letting him know, even if he and Krycek had
reached an understanding.
The Cigarette-Smoking Man frowned as he watched Alex Krycek cross the
narrow road between the run-down motel and the Diner. Through the binoculars
he could make out the bruises on his ex-lover's face and, from the careful
way he walked, he knew there were other less visible injuries. These bruises
were fairly fresh as Alex had no sign of them yesterday. He felt a surge
of anger as he realised who must have inflicted them. No-one, except he,
had the right to hurt Alexei Krycek.
Krycek joined Dana Scully at a booth by the window. He watched as they
talked, reading the body language in lieu of the actual words but his gaze
swept away as another figure caught his eye: Fox Mulder.
The Cigarette-Smoking Man followed Mulder's progress with barely concealed
hostility as he walked into the Diner and sat down next to Krycek but,
far from revulsion, his ex-lover greeted the other man warmly. Whatever
had happened had obviously cleared the air between them and they seemed
closer than ever.. intimately closer.
He shook a Morley from its coffin and placed it between deeply- lined
lips. A flick brought a flame and he dipped his head slightly to ignite
the cigarette before dragging in a lungful of nicotine. As he exhaled he
wondered how much longer he would have to wait before the trio started
back on the road. The FBI Agents must have back-tracked through the Companies
Register by now and learnt about BioTechnics Ltd. Krycek would have been
given orders to keep them away from there until it could be cleared but
Mulder could be most persuasive.
He exhaled, eyes closing in near ecstasy as the nicotine washed through
his head, clearing his thoughts as no other drug could do. If they were
to reach BioTechnics before the clean-up had been completed then the Well-Manicured
Man would find that his back had been well and truly exposed... by his
own man.
The Cigarette-Smoking Man smiled as he took another drag, closing his
eyes once more as the glut of options traced a path across his mind. The
Consortium would not have found it easy to convince the Colonists to clean
out BioTechnics. They would be most displeased at having to waste time
setting up the operation in another town. If he was careful then he might
be able to 'kill two birds with one stone'.
Yes, Mulder was the key. Mulder's presence at BioTechnics would embarrass
the Well-Manicured Man, exposing him to the suspicions of an already paranoid
Consortium. Of course, Mulder would have learnt too much and become a liability
so discovery would also put him in the right place to blackmail Alex Krycek
into renewing old associations. The choice would be simple: Come with me
or Mulder dies, here and now. All he had to do was convince the Clones
to leave Mulder and Krycek to him.
Yes, as long as they headed towards BioTechnics then everything would
be going to plan and he may even have the additional pleasure of killing
Dr Hudson. Her usefulness had come to an end. He watched as the trio left
the booth and headed back towards the Motel. A few minutes later they were
placing their few belongings into the trunk of Krycek's rental. Scully
climbed into the driver's seat and, moments later, they were heading back
towards the Interstate.
He waited until the car had a good head start before giving his driver
the order to follow, his smile widening as they turned in the 'right' direction,
feeling almost giddy with the pleasure he felt at being able to manipulate
and read events so easily.
They parked about 20 yards away from the main gate. After several minutes
watching the frenetic activity beyond the gate, Krycek leaned forward between
the front seats.
"How d'you wanna play this? Do we drive up to the front door or do we
sneak round the back?"
Mulder glanced sideways from the front passenger seat before replying.
"Both. Scully, call for back-up but wait at least twenty minutes before
coming through the front. In the meantime, Krycek and I will see if we
can find another way in."
"I think we should all wait here for back-up, Mulder. We have no idea
what we're facing...."
Mulder turned his brightest, most reassuring smile on his partner.
"Don't worry, Scully. I'll see you inside in twenty."
With that he eased out of the passenger door and shut it firmly but
quietly before pulling open the back door for Krycek. Krycek stared at
him for a moment, torn between Mulder's eagerness to confront the 'truth'
and Scully's need to adhere to FBI protocols. Finally, decision made, he
slid across the seat, wincing in pain as he climbed out. Mulder frowned,
deciding Krycek's reticence was due to his physical discomfort rather than
to Scully's outburst.
"You gonna be up for this?"
Krycek nodded in affirmation and, with a tilt of his head, indicated
the direction they should take.
Another 20 yards back they found a place where a tree grew close to
the perimeter fence. It was well out of sight of the guard house so Mulder
pulled himself up into the branches and then reached down to give Krycek
a hand up. He edged out a way and then jumped, rolling as he hit the dry,
scrubby ground. On reaching his feet he looked up and beckoned Krycek to
follow.
The Russian-American agent took a deep breath and hurled himself from
the tree. Just as Mulder had, he rolled to break the fall but still cried
out softly as pain flared through his abused body. Mulder helped him to
his feet, his eyes betraying his concern for the younger man, fervently
wishing he had not allowed his own anger to cause so much pain. Keeping
one arm around his lover, Mulder drew Krycek across the open space between
the fence and the side of the main building. They stopped, backs against
the wall and slowly edged their way towards the back corner.
A faint feeling of nostalgia hit him as he remembered the closeness
he had felt to this man during their trip to the Tunguska Gulag followed
by guilt as he remembered what had happened next. Mentally he vowed that
this time there would be no misunderstandings. This time he wanted Krycek
to know that he loved and trusted him.
Mulder turned to the younger man suddenly, reached out to grab his face
in both hands and then kissed him deeply and thoroughly.
"I love you."
He let go of the stunned man and flicked his head round the corner and
back. It was clear. Krycek followed him around the corner in a semi-daze
then shook himself. This was not the time to dwell on such spoken revelations,
even though he had guessed at this truth many months ago.
They stopped by the open doors of a loading bay. Another quick check
revealed the movement of several people involved in the loading and unloading
of crates. Mulder grabbed a nearby crate and hefted it onto his shoulders.
He walked into the bay with Krycek half-concealed by his side. No-one paid
them any attention and Mulder dropped the crate at the earliest opportunity.
They moved slowly as they made their way deeper into the building. Krycek
pulled Mulder back as a familiar figure came out of one of the side offices;
Dr Hudson. They waited until she had turned the corner before approaching
the door. Mulder grasped the handle. It was not locked. He eased the door
open to find the room empty. They slipped inside and started to rummage
through the desk and filing cabinets.
Mulder held up the file on Jennifer Lewis in triumph, pausing only to
stuff the contents into his jacket's inner pocket. He flicked through the
cabinet looking for other names that should not have anything to do with
Hudson and was not surprised by the result. He pulled out and opened several
more files.
Krycek looked over his shoulder, reading familiar names; Scully, Dana....
Mulder, Samantha.... then moved away to investigate another part of the
office while Mulder continued to search for his own internal list of names.
The Agent paused and added a new name to his list.... It seemed as if more
than just his fingers stopped when he found the file; his heart, his mind
skipped a beat.... Krycek, Alexei.
"Mulder!" Krycek called his lover's name softly but urgently, indicating
something he had found in one of the originally locked but now wide open
desk drawers. Mulder shook himself out of his state of shock and stuffed
the contents of the file into the inside pocket of his jacket with the
rest, replacing the cardboard folder in the cabinet. He moved across the
room and reached for the tube recognising the dark viscous fluid in one:
Black Oil. He stared at it, almost trembling as he realised what this meant.
Finally, he had in his grasp the proof of extra-terrestrial life that he
had been seeking for so long.
The door swung open suddenly, bouncing back slightly from the force
and Mulder watched in disbelief as Dr Martha Hudson entered the room closely
followed by.... another Dr Martha Hudson.
"Colonists."
Clone 1 smiled and addressed them both as she levelled the gun at his
chest.
"You should not have meddled in things beyond your capability. You leave
us no option but to eliminate you as a warning to the Consortium not to
interfere in our plans."
"Their presence here has nothing to do with the Consortium..." Both
Mulder and Krycek turned as one as the well-hated voice reached them. "...
at least, not knowingly. I will deal with this."
Krycek snarled at the Cigarette-Smoking Man. It was a trap, probably
had been from the very beginning but why would the Well-Manicured Man set
them up like this?
"What d'you want?"
"Oh, I think you know, Alex. Don't tell me you haven't told Mr Mulder
about our 'relationship'"
Krycek frowned, confused by the reference to their past that had been
brought up yet again. His eyes widened in realisation. It was a trap but
not the kind he had at first believed. The Well-Manicured Man had no part
in this and, if anything, Krycek's presence here with Mulder placed his
Employer in an unenviable position. Questions would be asked... suspicions
acted upon. The Group's paranoia had been on the increase over the last
year following the deaths of abductees at the Staging areas. They needed
someone to focus their fears on... someone to blame and Krycek had a feeling
that Cancerman was setting the Well-Manicured Man up as the scapegoat.
Unfortunately, there was nothing he could do about that now. Cancerman
would have left nothing to chance and, no doubt, had already sent a video
to the First Elder of them rooting around this office in BioTechnics Ltd.
So why the reference to their past? He straightened up, mouth set firm.
As far as he was concerned, the Alex Krycek that had admired this man was
long dead, buried beneath the ashes of truth. His voice was full of hatred
and loathing as he let his former Employer know exactly where they stood.
"We have no relationship."
"Don't we?" The Cigarette-Smoking Man replied calmly with a slight dip
of the head towards Mulder.
Krycek stopped the words he had been about to utter as the true extent
of Cancerman's words sank in. The Cigarette-Smoking Man was not looking
for a one-off 'for old times sake', he wanted Krycek back permanently—or until his unhealthy interest dimmed after which it was anyone's guess
what he would do to his former lover, though an untimely death was not
improbable.
Mulder looked from one to the other, not understanding the cryptic conversation
yet knowing from the grim expression that it had a disturbing effect on
Alex Krycek. He could tell his lover needed time to think and knew of only
one delaying factor...
"So which one of you is the real Martha Hudson?"
Clone 2 adjusted the aim of her gun, belligerently, as Fox Mulder looked
from one clone to the other. Cancerman smiled, anticipating the response.
The real Dr Hudson was dead. He had killed her a few minutes previously
and could still see the look of surprise on the good doctor's face as he
sent a bullet smashing through her brain. Tiring of waiting for one or
the other to speak, he answered for them.
"Neither. She outlived her usefulness... just as you have outlived yours...."
Both clones took aim at Fox Mulder.
".... unless Alex can persuade me otherwise."
Alex Krycek looked across at the man he had come to love more than life
itself. No matter what decision he made there was no guarantee that Mulder
would live. Cancerman would honour an agreement only for as long as it
suited him... and then... but any chance was better than no chance. While
Mulder lived the FBI Agent might find a way to fight to get him back...
if he truly loved him... and if he could still want him after Cancerman
had taken his slice out of him, body and soul.
A blinding white light filled the hallway just beyond the room making
the decision superfluous and Mulder watched as two creatures entered bearing
the self-mutilated eyes, nose and mouth of the alien rebels. The two clones
of Martha Hudson swung round in alarm but were not in time to prevent the
thin sliver of metal being forced into the back of their necks.
As the Colonists fell to the ground and dissolved into a green puddle,
the Cigarette-Smoking Man took the opportunity to slip behind the Rebel
Aliens and out of the door. If was unlikely that they had even noticed
his presence. They turned their attention to the remaining two humans.
Although the room was fairly large affording them a reasonable amount
of space there was nowhere for Mulder and Krycek to go; the Aliens had
taken position between them and the only exit. As he gazed into the inhuman
face Mulder wondered whether this 'soldier' knew of his attempt to save
the Rebel Leader all those months ago.
I am that Leader. We have been watching you, waiting for you to lead
us to them.
The man-like creature indicated the two puddles of green slime on the
floor near his feet.
Mulder took a sharp intake of breath as the voice reverberated inside
his head. Interviews with Abductees had not prepared him for the true experience
of telepathy even though he had been told about it so many times.
"What do you want with us?"
You will not be harmed
A second alien rebel removed a long, thin tube from its belt. Fear creased
Mulder's forehead as he remembered Dana Scully recalling the attack on
the bridge at the Ruskin Dam. She gave a harrowing description of people
being ignited with a touch from a metal tube.
The two seemed to confer mentally for a few moments until the second
Alien began to move towards Alex Krycek purposefully. Suddenly, Mulder
knew what it planned and with more force than he intended, he shoved Krycek
into the corner of the room planting his own body in front, facing the
oncoming Alien.
"What the hell...."
"Shut up, Alex."
Krycek stopped trying to push Mulder away and allowed himself to feel
the weight of the other man against the entire length of him. Mulder pressed
back against his chest, his buttocks against his groin. If it had not been
for the dangerous predicament they were in then he might have found the
whole situation quite erotic.
The Alien had stopped a few feet away from the FBI Agent at the Leader's
command, the thin metal tube raised and obviously ready to fire.
Why?
Mulder was not sure what the Leader was asking: Why am I protecting
him? or Why am I willing to die with him? He looked directly into the Leader's
mutilated face and put every ounce of his being into his answer.
"He's on your side. He helped me to save you."
The Rebel Leader showed no sign of caring what Krycek's part had been
in gaining his release as the other alien moved forward once more and Mulder
found himself fearing the worst. His heart cried out.
.I want him to live! Please. I love him.
His outburst was rewarded when the second alien halted within touching
distance of them.
He carries the implants.
Mulder's eyes widened in realisation; the abduction scenario in Silo
1013, the existence of a file on Alex Krycek in this facility... Krycek
was an abductee, an information link for the Colonists. Why else would
the Rebels want Krycek out of the way.
"Can't you remove them?" Without hurting him
The silence lengthened and Mulder became aware of the answer as the
Alien moved forward suddenly, thrusting the tube against his arm. His world
dissolved into white searing pain followed by the blessed relief of unconsciousness.
Mulder awoke to find himself alone in the room, his arm seemed numb
as if he had been sleeping on it. He sat up, holding his head gingerly
and as the room stopped spinning the memory came flooding back.
"Alex?" Mulder whipped his head from one side to the other, searching
the room as a feeling close to horror grew in his mind. "Alex!"
"Mulder!"
The sound of running feet grew louder until Dana Scully burst into the
room.
"Mulder. Thank God you're alright. I saw Cancerman enter the building....
Where's Krycek?"
Mulder shifted on his haunches as he rummaged through his laundry basket
searching for something to wear, not caring that it would probably smell
of stale sweat. He frowned as his hands closed around a black, long-sleeved
T-shirt and he fell back onto the floor, holding the shirt to his face,
breathing in the faint scent of sweat and after-shave that was Alex Krycek.
He barely remembered returning to DC, sitting on the bed in his apartment
while Scully unpacked both his and Alex's belongings. He could remember
running his fingers along the rumpled sheet, his mind drifting back to
the motel, reliving the way their bodies had rolled against each other,
the feel of that perfect skin beneath his hands and the soft, pliant lips
that had crushed against his own. Alex.
Since his return from Florida he had gone through the motions of submitting
reports and attending de-briefing sessions with Scully and Skinner. The
files he had shoved into his jacket pocket had disappeared by the time
Scully had arrived. There was no proof, no vial of Black Oil, only the
body of Dr Martha J Hudson who had been killed with a conventional weapon,
the bullet hole looking like a third eye in the centre of her forehead.
By day he acted as if nothing remarkable had happened yet each night,
as he crossed the threshold to his apartment, Mulder allowed the pretence
to drop away.
He spent the time sitting in the dark reliving all the moments of his
life when their paths had crossed, watching as their relationship progressed
from the indifference of new FBI partners, to enemies, to unwanted allies
and finally, to lovers.
Mulder could easily analyse the path of sexual attraction...but love?
When had he fallen in love with Alex Krycek? How had the man whom he had
believed killed his father managed to crawl beneath his skin to become
so much a part of him that the pain of loss was almost impossible to bear.
Where was Alex?
Common sense told him Alex was dead but self-denial placed him alive
in that limbo where Samantha also lived. Only the fact that they had taken
Alex rather than leave his charred remains behind gave him some small hope
but how was he to survive without knowing his fate for certain and while
he had no proof to the contrary Mulder knew he would carry on living in
his own void, searching for the truth, searching for Alex until he had
found both.
"Mulder?"
Scully knelt down beside him and gently pulled the T-shirt away from
the tear-filled eyes. She pulled the unresisting man towards her and cradled
him against her like a small child, sharing his pain as the tears flowed
freely. Eventually, Mulder pulled away, scrubbing the back of his hand
across his eyes.
"I'm sorry.. I..."
"It's OK. I understand. Don't ask me why but I do understand. He'll
turn up again. Bad pennies always do."
Mulder choked on a laugh. "He was never bad just misdirected, but he's
gone, Scully."
Scully sighed and brushed her fingers through Mulder's soft, brown hair.
She didn't really know what to believe. She had waited outside in the car
while they entered the premises to search for incriminating evidence and
she had seen Cancerman enter. However, no-one had come back out yet when
she reached the office there was only Mulder sitting dazed on the floor
crying out Alex Krycek's name.
The back-up had arrived soon after but Cancerman and Krycek must have
slipped away while she helped her partner. She grimaced. Mulder's account
of what happened was at complete odds with her own beliefs despite all
she had seen since starting her work on the X-Files but she could not deny
the devastating effect the loss of Krycek had on her former partner.
"It's OK, Mulder. I'll help you find him."
There was nothing more she could say so she gave him the only thing
she had; a shoulder to cry on.
Fox Mulder settled back down into his old routine although he no longer
felt the same exhilaration and eagerness. The X-Files had been re-established
following Scully's report to the Internal FBI Committee. She had shown
them the mutant bee that had stung her in the corridor outside Mulder's
apartment and her comments had convinced Cassidy and the others on the
Board of the importance of having a section within the FBI dealing with
cases outside of the mainstream.
The effects of those few short days still haunted him. What if Alex
had been on board that spacecraft? He had never even considered that possibility
until his subconscious mind dredged up the idea. His nightmares involved
the sight of Alex Krycek, frozen in a cryopod, hooked up to the organic
tube that fed the Black Oil organism into his body. In his dream, the organism
would gestate, exploding out of Krycek's abdomen, it's retractable claws
honed and sharp as it reached to rip out Mulder's throat. He would awake
in a cold sweat, seeing the accusation of betrayal in those frozen green
eyes.
Common sense and logic told him Krycek was not onboard. He had been
taken by the Rebel aliens.... but to where?
The death of the Well-Manicured Man lay heavily upon him even though
he had witnessed the man execute his own driver only moments before. Alex
Krycek had never told him who his Employer was but Mulder had guessed and
he knew that he had lost one more source of both information and protection.
So where did he go from here?
On the desk in front of him lay the very first of the new files labelled
'Krycek, Alexei'. It was a file that would never be put away as he devoted
all his spare time and energy investigating any paths that might lead him
to the whereabouts of the man he had come to love more than anyone else
in the entire world. He opened it, as he did every day, to gaze at the
one and only photo available of Alex Krycek.
It had been taken by a US Customs surveillance team several months previously
when they had been watching a Russian ship that had put into harbour. It
had been kept because the original photo had shown Marita Covarrubias in
his company. The Special Representative to the UN Secretary General had
disappeared soon after.
The photo had been blown-up so it was a little fuzzy but Krycek was
still easily recognisable to one who knew his face so well. Mulder traced
a finger along the slightly smiling mouth but shut the file quickly as
a silhouette appeared through the opaque glass of his door.
AD Skinner entered and, after a quick nod in Scully's direction and
a brief glance around the newly painted office he settled himself on one
corner of Mulder's desk.
"I see you've found some new posters. I understand the relevance of
that one", he said, pointing at the poster of the flattened forest in Siberia.
"That's where the meteorite hit near Tunguska but what happened here?"
Mulder glanced at the travel poster showing a view across the Baltic
Sea from a liner, remembering eyes reflecting as green and clear as the
icy water.
"Nothing. I just liked it. Is there something I can do for you, Sir?"
Skinner pressed his lips tightly together, recognising a change of subject
when he heard it.
"Spender has been handed a case involving a disappearance. It could
be a straight-forward kidnapping but then again... I thought you might
like to be involved."
His glance included Dana Scully so she wandered across the room to stand
by Mulder's chair. Mulder smiled wondering whether Skinner had found Cancerman's
tar prints all over the case.
"He's about to start the briefing..." Skinner indicated the door before
looking back at his best Agents and moving away. Mulder stood up and they
followed the Assistant Director out of the room.
Another day passed. The strange disappearance turned out to be a straight
forward kidnapping and once Mulder had discovered this he let go, leaving
Spender to clear it up by himself.
It was another Friday and he returned to his apartment to find Scully
waiting for him, ready to follow him on a new possible lead in his quest
to find Krycek. She had arrived on his door step every weekend since the
disappearance, willing to give up her spare time to help him and he was
grateful.
"You should have let yourself in."
"I've only just parked. I saw your car turn into the street."
He pushed his key into the lock and pushed the door open to allow Dana
Scully to go in first.
"You don't have to do this, Scully. I spent 25 years looking for Samantha.
It could take another 25 to find Alex."
"Mulder?" Scully stopped dead in her tracks. "Someone's been here."
"Alex?"
Mulder dropped his gun and moved forward, his eyes never leaving the
beautiful, peaceful face. Scully moved to the other side of the bed and
reached for the pulse point beneath his jaw. He was alive.
"Alex."
Mulder looked back at her, sat on the edge of the bed and then reached
for the sleeping or comatose man. As he pulled Alex into his embrace the
cover slipped down and Scully gasped in shock.
"Mulder!"
He looked down to where she indicated and dropped Krycek back onto the
bed. The man in his bed had two arms. Mulder's first thought was that this
was a Colonist or a clone of Krycek. The rough handling stirred the figure
and the man moaned softly, eyes peeling open. He swallowed, wetting his
dry lips with a delicate brush of his tongue. The teal-green eyes focused
on the hazel eyes above him and a smile lit up the face in joy and relief.
His last memory had been of Mulder crumpling at his feet just before the
alien reached out to him.
"Mulder!"
Puzzlement filled the eyes as Krycek noticed the wariness in his lover's
eyes and then he became aware of something different about himself. He
raised his left arm and stared at it in stunned amazement, watching the
fingers move to his command. His other hand reached across and his new
fingers curled with the sensitive shock of contact. He looked back up at
Mulder.
"How?" He gazed around the room, recognising Fox Mulder's apartment.
"How did we get...?"
"What d'you remember?"
Alex frowned at the emotionless tone.
"An office in BioTechnics.. Cancerman.... Two faceless men." His eyes
widened in remembrance. "One of them attacked you. You fell at my feet
and then he reached for me... and... nothing. I... what happened?"
Mulder reached out and took one hand in his, wanting desperately to
feel the warm flesh against his own despite the knowledge that this person
may not be who he wanted him to be.
"They said you had implants. They were gonna kill you, the same way
they killed the others at the stagings." Mulder stared into the wide eyes.
"I... asked them not to hurt you but I didn't think they heard... or cared.
I hoped, though..."
Mulder pulled back, thoughts whirling around his head. If this was not
the real Alex Krycek then opening himself to this creature could be dangerous.
He changed the subject.
"I think the mutilation is self-inflicted, to prevent their being taken
over by the Black Oil aliens."
"It is."
Krycek looked down feeling guilty at what he had done to the boy he
had brought across from Russia. He had told the Russian Doctor to sew up
the boy's eyes, nose and mouth to prevent the Black Oil Alien from being
able to transfer bodies. The small amount of medium ensured that the Alien
had very little power within the host body, certainly not enough to cause
the damaging irradiation effect that had killed the crew of Piper Maru.
He had done everything else within his power to make the boy comfortable
but still carried the guilt and shame of his actions.
At the time there seemed to be little choice but he had not bargained
with being betrayed by Marita Covarrubias. First she had spirited away
the boy but also, at the same time, she had betrayed him to the Consortium.
It was only through sheer luck that it had been the Well-Manicured Man
rather than Cancerman that had received her information otherwise he might
have been long dead.
The Well-Manicured Man had released him after he had handed over the
antidote he had stolen from the Russians deciding to place his trust in
him despite his inauspicious beginnings. Krycek couldn't pretend that he
wasn't grateful. He had become sick of running and hiding, of being scared
for his life and, more importantly, sick of being thought of as a cold-blooded
killer. Considering the work he did, he had killed only four people in
his whole life and two of those were little more than accidents.
"How long have I been missing?"
"Two months."
Scully appeared back at Krycek's side, a bag in hand. They looked at
her in surprise as neither had noticed her leave. She placed the bag on
the bed, opened it and withdrew several different instruments.
"Lie back, I'm going to check you out."
She shone a pencil light across his eyes, noting the reaction as his
pupils contracted and dilated. Her hand clasped the new arm, feeling along
the length, gauging muscle tone and bone structure. She tested the finger
tips by prodding each with a fine stylus. All the time, her heard was shaking
in disbelief.
"There's no technology on this planet that can re-grow a limb this perfect,
Mulder. This can't be Krycek. It can't be... but..."
She wished there were things she knew about him that she could use to
test him but she had spent only that one afternoon with him....
"Do you remember the IMAX?"
Krycek frowned in confusion. "The Blue Planet."
"It's no good, Scully. If he is a Colonist then he could have Krycek's
memories right up until the time he was taken over."
Mulder paused in thought. Krycek had been with him every moment from
the time they met in the Diner the night after he had raped him until the
moment when he had been knocked unconscious by the alien Rebels. The Rebels
would have no reason to produce a clone of him so, if this were the real
Alexei Krycek, he would have memories of those last moments together. Memories
that only they shared.
"Something happened just before we broke into BioTechnics?"
Krycek frowned, wondering what Mulder was up to. The closed face above
him revealed nothing... and then he understood. He glanced across at Dana
Scully, heat rising in his face as he remembered the feel of those lips
upon his and the words that had stunned him to the core. If he was wrong
then Mulder was going to be very embarrassed and have a lot of explaining
to do to his partner... but if he was right...
He looked deeply into the hazel eyes.
"You took my face in your hands and kissed me... and you told me you
loved me."
Mulder let out the breath he was holding, closing his eyes in relief.
He smiled and pulled the other man into a tight embrace.
"Alex."
Scully had excused herself a little while later realising with a certain
amount of envy that she had become the proverbial third wheel. They needed
time alone. Mulder walked with her to the door, as she went to cross the
threshold he reached out and hugged her.
"I could never have survived these past months without you. I felt so
alone when I thought I had lost you as well. You gave me the strength to
carry on and, no matter what, I'll always need you."
She tightened her grip on him for a moment in acceptance before pulling
back. No more words of comfort or thanks were necessary.
"I'll call you tomorrow."
"OK."
Mulder closed the door, ensured that it had locked and returned to the
bedroom where Alex Krycek was sitting up. He stared at the vision before
him, momentarily blinded by tears as he thanked whatever god had brought
Alex back to him alive and well.
They stared at each other across the room until Alex reached out with
two perfectly formed arms. Mulder moved into his embrace, his head falling
over Krycek's shoulder as his own wrapped around the muscular form. Krycek's
arms encircled him and they held on tightly. Eventually, by mutual agreement,
they moved back but neither relinquished the lighter hold as if afraid
the other man would disappear if they let go. Mulder gazed into the green
eyes, feeling the icy vision of his nightmares melt away. He moved one
hand upwards until he could brush across the high cheekbone and down to
tease the soft lips, smiling as they parted and he felt the tip of a tongue
against his finger tips.
Mulder dipped his head and pressed his own mouth against those lips,
delicately, like the touch of a butterfly's wing. The mood held as Krycek
made no attempt to deepen the kiss. They parted and Krycek smiled, knowingly,
as Mulder stood up. He watched as his lover started to dispose of his clothing,
leaving jacket, shirt and tie in an untidy heap on the floor by the bed.
Kicking off his shoes, Mulder unzipped his pants and let them fall to the
floor, stepping out of them before kneeling on the bed. He leant forward,
reaching for the luscious mouth with its gleaming white teeth and full
lips. Krycek frowned as Mulder pulled away once more.
"Socks." He sat down and removed them, adding them to the heap of clothing
on the floor.
Krycek took the opportunity to move until he was lying flat on the bed.
Mulder knelt down beside him and pulled away the sheet, revealing all
of the other's body. His hazel eyes traced a path down the well-toned chest,
across the flat stomach, passed the semi-erect shaft and along the strong
thighs, down passed muscular calves to the tips of his toes, marvelling
at the perfection laying before him. Thoughts came unbidden; It ought to
be a crime for this man to wear clothes... and this was one crime he believed
he ought to investigate thoroughly.
His eyes moved back up, taking in the new-found symmetry, until they
rested once more on the beautiful face with its wide- spaced sea-green
eyes, darkened with desire. Krycek's hand reached out and drifted through
the spattering of hair upon Mulder's chest, stroking lightly across one
nipple, teasing it erect before travelling onwards to the other. Mulder
closed his eyes as a warm sensation drifted from the pit of his stomach,
feeling the blood begin to pulse stronger through his veins. The hand drifted
lower until he could feel the sensation of strong fingers moving over the
silk of his boxers, rubbing along the rigid shaft that strained against
the light material. Mulder eased himself up onto his knees as he felt a
hand on each side of his hips, fingers tucking into the waistband of his
boxers. He watched as the material was gently lifted and pulled down to
release him from the silky prison. Mulder stood up and pushed them off
the rest of the way and then lay on the bed beside his lover. Fingers carded
through his hair, lifting the brown strands and Mulder questioned the pensive
look that fell across the beautiful face beside him.
"You know, Mulder. I'm starved. Got any food around here."
Mulder grinned as he shook his head in the negative. "I'll dial out
for pizza. Later." He paused for effect, his eyes dancing in deviltry.
"I can fix you a light snack."
He rubbed his groin against Krycek's leg suggestively, eyes opening
in surprise as he was pushed flat onto his back. Krycek straddled his lower
legs, eyes bright with lust.
"I'll take you up on that."
He bent over, taking the full length of Mulder's erection, hands holding
the narrow hips still as Mulder bucked and gasped in shock at the sudden
wetness and heat surrounding him. The sharp edge of teeth raked up his
length, halting only when they reached the base of the bulbous tip. A new
sensation, as Krycek's tongue began to swirl across the sensitive glans,
assaulted his nerve endings and Mulder screwed his eyes closed, gasping
anew as he felt his balls tighten even further. The questing tongue dipped
along the slight crevice, tasting the salty pre-cum, brushing hard against
a very sensitive place sending frissons of energy dancing through his body
as if he had been zapped by a taser gun. Mulder opened his eyes and looked
down to find a pair of green eyes, pupils enlarged with lust, laughing
up at him. He groaned as Krycek continued the assault, one hand closed
around the base of the shaft, pumping it in time with the relentless sucking.
"Alex... Alex....!"
No longer able to prevent Mulder from bucking beneath him, Alex held
on tight as the orgasm rippled through his lover's body. Moments later
he tasted the thick, bitter fluid filling his mouth and he swallowed quickly,
each thrust refilling his mouth until he was unable to swallow fast enough.
Semen spilled through his lips but he continued to suck and swallow until
Mulder was empty. With a final lick, he released the organ, his tongue
skimming his lips to capture some of the spill.
Mulder gazed down at Krycek through glazed eyes and, in that moment,
he knew he had never before seen anything or anyone more beautiful than
this man. Alex moved up the bed until they were face to face and took the
other man in a deep kiss, sharing the taste of his lover. Mulder's tongue
flicked into Krycek's mouth, licking across strong white teeth and soft
inner cheek, his heart swelling at the realisation of what this bitter
taste meant, what this man had just taken from him and now returned.
He pulled Alex into his arms, his breath gradually steadying as he crushed
the other man to him then he pushed Krycek onto his back, his hazel eyes
drinking in the sight of his highly aroused but unsatisfied lover.
"Don't move."
He reached to take Krycek's hand, moving it to his lips where he licked
and sucked each finger in turn before turning it so he could kiss the palm
and gently nip the fleshy mound of Venus beneath the thumb. His mouth journeyed
up to the wrist, licking and biting at sensitive skin, feeling the strong
pulse. Gradually he worked his way up Krycek's left arm, sinking into the
crook of his elbow, licking at the dark hair gathered underneath his armpit
as his tongue and hands moved across one broad shoulder and along the collarbone.
His mouth followed his hands as they drifted across the muscular chest,
raising red marks and goosebumps whenever he stopped to taste. He glanced
down to see hands tightly grasping the sheet as Krycek forced himself to
obey Mulder's command and remain still. A gasp of pain and pleasure rushed
out as Mulder teased one sensitive nipple, rolling the tight bud between
his fingers as his mouth descended to latch onto the other. Teeth raked
across the surface eliciting another cry as Krycek rolled his head from
side to side.
"Oh, God... Mulder."
Goosebumps raised Mulder's flesh as the husky voice cried out his name
and he felt a pulse race through his body, culminating in his groin, his
own cock twitching in renewed pleasure. Krycek seemed to sigh in relief
as Mulder's fingers and mouth moved downwards, releasing him from the exquisite
pain but he cried out again, in frustration, as Mulder skimmed passed his
groin to continue his caress of the silky skin of the inner thigh, lavishing
attention on Krycek's muscular thighs and calves before sucking and licking
each toe. His tongue trailed along the sensitive sole of Krycek's foot,
the toes curling in as Alex giggled.
When Mulder started the trip up his other leg, Krycek held his breath
and released it explosively as his lover deliberately bypassed his groin
once more. Unable to take any more he raised himself up and tried to grab
Mulder's head to push him back down but the Agent gently shoved him away.
"I said, don't move."
"Mulder, this is torture..."
Desire slurred the words as Krycek gasped again. Fox Mulder smiled as
the body writhed beneath his onslaught, every nerve ending alive and radiating
electrical pulses from the tips of his fingers to his toes but centring
on the one area so far neglected. Mulder sat back and smiled at the pleading
in his lover's eyes. The dark lashes fluttered as Krycek panted in need.
Mulder sat back and grasped his own burgeoning erection, pumping himself
until he was hard and ready.
"Please...."
Krycek watched, entranced by the small pearl of pre-cum seeping from
the tip. His lover grinned and reached across to pull open the drawer in
the bedside cabinet. He pulled out a tube, unscrewed the cap and squeezed
a generous amount onto his fingers.
"Turn over."
Krycek rolled onto his stomach with some alacrity, legs parted, his
breathing erratic as he waited for Mulder to do something... anything.
He sighed as he felt fingers covered in the cool gel sliding between his
cheeks, rubbing across the tight muscle. A heavily slicked finger pushed
into him and he contracted his muscles to hold onto the invader tightly
but let go when he felt the stinging slap across one cheek. The finger
probed deeper, circling the soft inner wall until... Krycek cried out,
bucking hard beneath Mulder as the finger scraped across his prostate,
igniting his nerve endings and turning his legs to jelly.
"Oh, God, Mulder... Don't stop..."
Mulder continued the assault but then pulled out. Krycek sobbed in anguish,
desperate for the release that was being withheld from him. He tried to
move but a hand pushed into the small of his back. Moments later he felt
Mulder's fingers gliding along his cheek before dipping back down into
the crevice. He moaned, arching back his head as the muscle was stretched
to accommodate two fingers which thrust in and out, moving ever deeper
until they scraped across his prostate once more.
Krycek began to thrust into the mattress beneath him but stopped when
he was slapped, the stinging blow leaving a red hand print across one white
globe. The fingers were removed and Krycek groaned as he felt Mulder move
between his legs. He raised himself, pushing backwards when he felt Mulder's
fingers tug at his hips and then steadied himself as he felt a blunt object
press against the now more pliant muscle. Mulder eased forward, pushing
against the tight ring, sighing as the head of his penis slipped inside.
He waited until Krycek had adjusted to the wider bulk then thrust forward
gently, burying his shaft deeper into the beloved body with each stroke.
He reached around and grasped Krycek's throbbing shaft. Once fully in,
he paused, savouring the sensation of the hot, tight channel and the feel
of his balls pressed against the white cheeks. He pulled back slightly
and adjusted the angle of penetration to find the sensitive bulge of Krycek's
prostate, thrusting forward more vigorously, his hand mimicking the action
on Krycek's shaft. Alex screamed out as his pain dulled nerve endings re-ignited,
unable to hold back, his semen pumping out over Mulder's hand as his lover
continued to pound into his ass. Moments later, Mulder stiffened and Krycek
felt the surge of hot liquid filling him.
They collapsed in a heap, bodies exhausted, both sighing in disappointment
as Mulder's flaccid shaft slipped from its human sheath. Mulder rolled
off his lover and pulled Krycek into his arms. He kissed the parted lips
and watched the heavy eyelids close as Krycek fell into a deep sleep. He
whispered softly as he nuzzled into Krycek's neck.
"I guess pizza will have to wait."
His fingers caressed the short, dark hair.
"Still a stupid-ass haircut."
He smiled as he realised there was no longer a need for Krycek to keep
his hair cut so short. Carding his fingers through long mahogany strands
was something else he had to look forward to. He whispered into one perfect
ear.
"I'll never let you go again. Do you hear me, Alex. I love you."
He closed his eyes as Alex murmured something soft and unintelligible
yet knowing from the way the other man buried himself closer into Mulder's
embrace that he must have heard.
Mulder stared at the final words in the document on the screen before
hitting the print key. Seconds later the hard copy began to flow out of
the printer. He waited until all the pages were there and then retrieved
them. Sitting back in his chair, his raised his feet until they were supported
by the desk and turned to the first page.
Hypnotic regression did not reveal anything new. Alex Krycek must have
remained unconscious throughout most of his captivity but there is no doubt
that he had been subjected to medical examination. X-rays reveal no sign
of any foreign objects. His body contains none of the implants yet his
health is excellent. There is no sign of the Black Cancer normally associated
with the removal of the implants.
The other major question is the re-growth of his left arm. Krycek had
lost the arm during the Tunguska affair and there are many witnesses to
this fact.
Although previous X-Files had discovered experimentation in cloning
and in the re-growing of limbs, the results were nowhere near perfect and
despite the functionality of the limbs in question, visually they were
deformed. Krycek's arm is perfectly human and perfectly proportioned for
his body, almost as if it had never been removed. No known human process
could have achieved this result.
Mulder looked away for a moment before continuing.
The next question is why. When I asked them not to kill him and asked
if they could remove the implants I had not thought they cared and that,
to them, Krycek's extermination was the only recourse. However, the implants
have gone, he is healthy and he is whole again. For some reason they decided
to salvage Alexei Krycek but the question remains. Why?
Case closed.
Mulder filed the document into the folder and placed it in the cabinet.
There was so much he could have added. He could have provided several reasons
why they had saved Alex ranging from the fact that they could use a human
like Krycek to aid in their cause, to repayment for saving the life of
their leader, to the most simple reason that they had taken pity on the
human who loved him. Whatever the reason, Mulder was grateful.
He quickly typed up another letter; his resignation. He printed it off
and signed it knowing he would drop it on Skinner's desk on the way out.
It had been a relatively easy decision to make considering the number
of years he had spent in the FBI but there was no other way to reconcile
this with his need to be with Alex Krycek. As far as the FBI was concerned,
Krycek was a fugitive wanted in connection with a series of murders, disappearances,
break-ins and other crimes and Mulder could not change that even though
there was no hard proof to any of the allegations but, if caught, the circumstantial
evidence alone would be enough to damn both of them. Yes, it was better
to resign now than be brought before an Internal Inquest.
At least his pension would remain intact.
After more than 20 years of searching Mulder knew he had to let go of
his obsession to find the full reason behind Samantha's abduction in order
to hold onto Alex Krycek. He smiled. Who knows, maybe this new life would
yield the answers he was seeking. After all, Alex had worked for the very
people who had taken her all those years ago but, whatever happened, he
would continue to search for the truth with the man he loved by his side.
AD Skinner read the short letter, knowing what it was before he had
even opened the envelope.
"I don't accept this."
He crumpled it up and threw it into the wastebasket. Mulder nodded towards
the desk.
"One of the beauties of modern technology—infinite copies available
at the touch of a button."
Skinner sighed. "This isn't necessary, Agent Mulder."
"You don't know my reasons."
Skinner snorted. "Don't underestimate me." He pushed his glasses firmly
back on his nose as he leaned back, looking Mulder directly in the eye.
"Alexei Krycek."
Mulder remained impassive although his insides had started to turn to
Jell-O. What did Skinner know?
"I've reviewed the evidence against Agent Krycek and, as far as I can
see it is all circumstantial. The only formal allegation against him is
in this report."
Skinner held up a folder with the name 'Barry, Duane' written in bold
type across the title. Mulder recognised it as the report he had written
following Duane Barry's suspicious death.
"If you rescind the allegations in here then the only thing I can haul
his ass in for is failing to submit timely notice of his intention to leave
the FBI." He paused, dropping the report onto the desk. "And even that
is debatable. I'm certain Krycek's high-powered associates could easily
produce 'evidence' that he had been seconded to a special projects division
during his so-called 'disappearance'."
Mulder stayed silent. It was true—all of it—but there still remained
the problem of his sexual relationship with Alex Krycek. Every Government
agency, including the FBI, stated that no person may be discriminated against
on the grounds of race, gender, religious belief or sexual orientation
but, in practice, that was never the case. He looked up, eyebrows raising
as AD Skinner seemingly read his mind again.
"Despite what you believe, Agent Mulder, homosexuality is accepted just
the same as heterosexual partnerships—as long as the individual concerned
does not allow themselves to be compromised through their sexual partner
or partners. In this case it's borderline but I'm willing to overlook it...
on this occasion."
Mulder drew a deep breath. Skinner knew but....
"I don't intend to give up Alex."
Skinner's mouth tightened into a firm line of disapproval but then he
relented. Fox Mulder had already shown that he was willing to give up the
X-Files for Alex Krycek so there was no bluff to call.
"OK. I assume you want to rescind these allegations."
"Yes, Sir."
Mulder rose from his seat knowing the interview was over. He walked
to the door before his elation overflowed and he lost control of the urge
to kiss Skinner. A stern voice called him back.
"Mulder, I'll be watching you... both of you. Don't give me a reason
to bring this subject up again."
As he closed the door behind him Mulder could not prevent a broad grin
from stretching across his face. The grin stayed with him all the way back
down to the basement office where Dana Scully waited in grim silence. Her
face lightened as she took in the bright eyes and stunning smile.
"Has Christmas come early?"
"And New Year and my birthday for the next century."
"Do I take it he refused your resignation—or is this the start of
a nervous breakdown?"
"I'm staying, Scully... with the X-Files and with Alex."
<
The Well-Manicured Man turned away from the tank to review the tapes
and smiled. Despite several unplanned events, everything had turned out
the way he had hoped. Mulder had lead the Rebel aliens to 'Dr Hudson' and
her work had been totally destroyed. What none of the others had realised
was that her antidote had not been created for Humanity's benefit. It had
been produced under Colonist control as a way to counteract the Black Oil
vaccine. With this antidote they could have negated all of his work over
the past 30 years and left Humanity totally at their mercy. He sneered.
What mercy?
Of course, he could have simply told the Rebels to go to BioTechnics
at the very beginning but what would that have achieved. Mulder's involvement
had been for a reason... to motivate Hudson into gathering all of her work
into one place. Only when he was sure that had been accomplished, after
her disappearance from the Christchurch Institute, had he involved the
Rebels. Unfortunately, he had not anticipated his Cigarette-Smoking colleague's
interference but then, he had not realised how obsessed the man had become
with Alex Krycek, obsessed enough to use both the Consortium and the Colonists
to his own ends. A very dangerous man... and one who was still a free agent.
He paused the VCR and turned to examine the reality, a finger reaching
out to touch the glass that separated him from the floating form of Alex
Krycek. Had he known about the implants he would never have assigned Krycek
to this case. There were other agents who could have assisted Fox Mulder
but, fortunately, for whatever reason—a reason he may never learn of
- the Faceless aliens chose to remove the implants from his chosen successor
rather than destroy him. However, the method was by no means repeatable
with other abductees. Krycek's situation was unique. His implants were
of total alien manufacture and were 50 years out of date having been placed
by the Oilian from the Piper Maru. Nonetheless, removal had triggered the
Black Cancer but by combining Krycek's DNA with that of the Rebel alien's
they had succeeded in using a chemical antibody to dissolve the cancerous
cells triggered by the implant.
He wondered how long it would be before Krycek realised what had been
done to him and tried to experiment with his new and unique body chemistry.
The Rebel alien had hinted that Krycek might have the ability to shape-shift
and heal... but to a very limited degree. It would be interesting to watch
this process but he knew time was running out. The tape the Cigarette-
Smoking Man had sent to the First Elder of Krycek and Mulder searching
through the Colonist-controlled BioTechnics had taken a fair amount of
explanation and he was convinced it had not been wholly accepted. The others
had begun to suspect he was in collusion with the Rebels. Yes, time was
running out for him.
His sight took in a naked and whole Alexei Krycek.
This was his legacy to the younger man. The alien DNA had made all the
difference to the limb re-growth. Unlike John Barnett, the limb was recognisably
human having been grown from Krycek's own cells rather than from a Salamander's.
The result was perfect and fully functional.
The Well-Manicured Man glanced up at the Rebel Leader who stood next
to the tank watching the floating form. They had a lot more to discuss,
including the report of a Colonist mothership somewhere in the Antarctic.
It seems the Cigarette-Smoking Man was working a lot closer to the Colonists
than he had suspected.
The Well-Manicured Man took one last look at the floating form before
leading the way out of the laboratory. He had given orders that Krycek
be returned to Special Agent Fox Mulder once the process was finished,
knowing it was the safest place for him. The Cigarette-Smoking Man was
not the only one who had guessed how much they loved each other. He paused.
The axe seemed well and truly poised above his own head, and he was not
certain whether he would be able to dodge it when it fell, however, with
Alexei Krycek and Fox Mulder working together with the Rebels, he knew
his work to save Humanity from the Colonists would not die with him.
Waiting for the Axe to Fall
Part 3
Early morning light filtered through the thin, unlined curtains and
around the edges casting soft shadows across the relaxed face. Sleep had
robbed the features of stress, smoothing out the frown lines and making
his companion seem impossibly young. The long dark eyelashes fluttered
and a gentle sigh stirred from between the slightly swollen lips. Mulder
reached out and traced a line along the Cupid's bow, smiling as the corners
lifted and another soft rush of air exhaled gently from his lover. A tongue
tip traced the sensitive upper lip seeking the source of the tickling sensation,
tasting familiar skin. The smile broadened, the eyelashes flickered as
the sea-green eyes opened to the new day.
10:25
BioTechnics Head Office
Florida
Two days later
Washington DC
Six Weeks later
Fox Mulder edged passed his partner noticing small changes in the room.
His heart began to beat faster as he recognised the signs; a magazine fallen
to the floor, a door slightly ajar. Scully moved towards the bathroom and
pushed the door open, her gun held out in readiness. She looked back at
him from the bathroom door, gun still poised in hand but shook her head.
There was no-one there which left only the bedroom. They paused outside,
listening for any sound within. Nothing. Mulder held his gun in front of
him and reached for the handle, levering it and pushing it open slowly.
He froze at the sight before him. Scully pushed passed him and lifted both
eyebrows in shocked recognition before checking round the room. It was
empty apart from the figure lying motionless on the bed.
FBI Headquarters
Washington DC
One Month Earlier.
County of Somerset, England
