Alex Krycek looked, to all intents and purposes, like a recalcitrant child being
admonished by a parent. He glowered at the man standing opposite, wrinkling his
nose up in distaste as the smell of cigarette smoke drifted across the room. At
least he had, finally, been allowed the dignity of T-shirt and shorts.
"I'm awaiting your answer, Alex... and don't bother with the 'I'm a one-man man'
routine. When my Hunter picked you up you had an ass-full of semen."
Alex paled. Until that moment he had believed the rape was just a new variant on
the nightmares that had plagued him since his possession by the Oilien. In those
dreams the alien would seep into every orifice, slither into his mind... raping
his thoughts along with his body. He thought this new nightmare had been
triggered by the Bounty Hunter's presence, the terror of being powerless
translating as the alien morph possessing him as assuredly as its Oilien brother.
When he had awoken from this nightmare there had been no traces of damage; no
burn of a used... or abused anus.
"Who was it, Alex? Some low-life you picked up on a street corner for a quick
fuck?"
The words were spoken calmly, almost nonchalantly but appearances were deceptive.
Inside, Spender was a boiling cauldron of jealousy, its blackness reaching out in
dark waves to foul the air around them. This jealousy was the reason he knew
Mulder would never be allowed to survive. Spender didn't like to share. He'd
taken Alex's virginity and believed that meant he owned the younger man forever.
"Your Bounty Hunter."
Spender smiled, malignantly.
"You'll have to do better than that."
Their eyes held for a moment but Alex knew Spender would never believe the Alien
morph was capable of sexual contact with a human. After five decades watching the
morph eye humans with contempt, avoiding even the slightest brush of body against
body, the Smoker had determined that the Greys were either asexual or viewed
Humans with repugnance. He was not about to believe that the Morph could want to
possess a human sexually, and certainly not on the word of someone like Alexei
Krycek; a double-crossing, two-timing, assassin-rat-bastard. Spender wanted to
believe that Krycek had picked up some two-bit rent boy; wanted to believe that
the relationship forged with Fox Mulder meant little to either man despite all
evidence to the contrary because, if that was the case then his chances of
keeping Alex in his bed were so much greater.
"Well. No matter. From now on you will learn to be exclusive... to me."
"Dream on."
The snarled reply brought another small smile. Spender never realised before how
enjoyable this could be. The thought of taking such an unwilling partner; of
slaking his lust in the tight heat of that rebellious body, gave him a deeply
erotic thrill. He could feel his own flesh harden in anticipation.
"But first I have a small... administration task to perform."
Spender ground out the cigarette stub in a conveniently placed ashtray and then
reached over to pick up a Tranquilliser gun that had been placed on the small
table by the door. He checked to ensure it was loaded before priming the trigger.
"The dart in this gun contains the retrovirus; the accelerated version. Once
released into the blood stream the virus will mutate. The gestation period is
twelve hours. By the end of the seventh hour the host cannot be saved.... even
with the vaccine." Spender glanced around the room. "It appears we have a traitor
in our midst. Someone who has been providing information to the wrong people."
Spender aimed the gun at one of the men standing near the window. The man's eyes
widened in terror, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water as he
tried to form words. The eyes closed as Spender's finger tightened on the trigger
but opened moments later when no stinging sensation accompanied the 'phut' to
find all eyes focussed elsewhere.
John Davis looked down at the dart protruding from his shoulder in horror. Within
moments he felt a wave of nausea overcome him and he fell to his knees, his
vision starting to blur as the virus invaded his blood stream.
"I should have suspected earlier that Mr Leighton was more than just a passing
fancy. Perhaps now you may provide the same service to our Colonists allies as
he. Take him to the ship."
John Davis barely put up a struggle as strong arms grabbed him and dragged him
from the room. He knew he had taken a big gamble when he sent the IP address to
Fox Mulder for very few of Spender's people were privy to that information... but
he could not bear the thought of Spender having this original Krycek when he
had loved and lost the substitute, Martin Leighton.
With ever dimming thoughts he remembered the cold shock when Spender casually
discarded Martin, infecting his beautiful young body with the retrovirus and
sending him to the Antarctic mothership. Once the shock wore off, the hatred
began. Years of planning had finally come to fruition although he had seen
several more Krycek substitutes suffer his own lover's fate before the time was
right. He had been determined that CBG Spender would never have the opportunity
to indulge in his true obsession... Alexei Krycek. Killing Krycek would have been
one option but a far sweeter revenge had presented itself when he discovered the
love between Krycek and Fox Mulder. How much greater the revenge to watch Spender
seething in frustration and jealousy as the man he desired so obsessively slept
in another's arms. Unfortunately he had not bargained on Spender using the Bounty
Hunter to locate and capture the rebellious Russian thereby requiring desperate
measures on his part if he was to fulfil his vendetta.
As the virus took a firmer grip, Davis' last thought was a plea, to any deity,
that Mulder had worked out the message and was on his way to snatch Krycek from
Spender's grasp.
Alex Krycek stared in horror as the man was dragged away between two burly guards
but his eyes narrowed as he realised the odds were now in his favour. Only two of
Spender's goons remained and both were now preoccupied. A plan quickly formed to
give him an even greater edge. Concentrating hard, he allowed his thoughts to
direct the cells in his body, feeling the skin on his face ripple as a new
configuration took shape. The guards took a step back in shock, their guns almost
forgotten. In one swift movement he leapt sideways, catching one guard under the
chin with his fist... the impact only bruising the man's windpipe. As the other
swung his gun to bear, Krycek turned and thrust out his arms, the heel of one
hand forcing the nasal bone to splinter and stab upwards into the man's brain;
killing him instantly. He spun back around to tackle the other man, wanting to
disable him more permanently but found the dart gun trained upon him.
"NO!!"
The sting of the dart brought an ominous silence. With a sideways glance Krycek
caught the horror-filled expression on Spender's face; the outstretched arm as
the Consortium leader tried but failed to knock the tranquilliser gun aside. The
gun was clattering to the floor from numbed fingers even as Krycek fell to his
knees. As his vision began to blur he saw Spender turn to the other man in anger.
The sound of a bullet leaving the barrel and smashing into solid flesh echoed
through Krycek's last thoughts as blood splattered from the shattered chest of
his assailant.
Overlooking Consortium Research Station
Mulder wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his sleeve. The heat
radiating up from the pale yellow sand was almost unbearable. Beyond the edge of
the sand dune where they hid, the heat seemed to rise in shimmering columns
making the oasis of greenery seem like a mirage.
Scully grabbed the binoculars and took another look, her lips pressed into a grim
line of remembrance. It was the same set up as the one in the States; a wide
expanse of green, probably ripening corn surrounding the white domes which, more
than likely, housed more of the mutant bees. She gave a small gasp as a man was
dragged from one of the domes between two burly guards. For a moment it had
looked like Alex Krycek but a closer scrutiny revealed it to be a stranger of
similar age and build. The baseball hat was displaced, suddenly, as she watched,
falling to the ground and revealing sun-bleached, blonde hair, thereby confirming
her observation.
Mulder chose that moment to snatch back the binoculars and Scully cursed her
decision to conserve finances in buying a single pair. Looking back it was a
ludicrous decision. They had spent a small fortune on one-way tickets to Tunisia;
bought clothes at the airport; hired a car; chartered a small plane and then
hired the use of horses and a Tuareg guide for the last leg of the journey to
this distant and remote site. The guide had decided to wait below keeping the
horses in the shade while Mulder and Scully climbed the forty foot high dune.
When Mulder ducked his head suddenly Scully reacted as quickly.
"What is it?"
"Thought I saw..."
He shook his head once before slipping down from the rim of the dune. Turning
onto his back he placed his arm across tired eyes to block out the glare from the
overhead sun. He felt the shifting of the soft sand; a trickle flowing passed his
face before the feel of another human body came to a halt beside him.
"It's okay, Mulder. If he's here then we'll find him and we'll get him out... but
not yet. The sun will set in about five hours. We ought to wait until dark."
Scully mopped her forehead with a perspiration-soaked handkerchief, grimacing at
the lack of relief it brought. "But now we need to get into some shade."
Without further ado she half-walked, half-slid down the remainder of the soft,
shifting sand to the base of the dune where the Guide waited patiently for their
return. After a moment's hesitation Mulder followed completely unaware of the
events surrounding Alex that were being played out in the dome at that very
moment.
The sable hair was as silky as he remembered it to be. The soft strands flowing
through his fingers as he lovingly stroked his former lover. The pads of his
nicotine-stained fingers felt the roughness of new stubble on the face. There was
nothing he could do to save Alex. There was no Russian vaccine here at the
Research Station... and no likelihood of any arriving within the next seven
hours. Spender gazed at the unconscious man whose head lay supported in his lap,
looking for all the world like the proverbial Sleeping Beauty. In a moment of
insanity he wondered whether he could awaken him with a kiss. He bent his head
and touched the inviting pink lips with his own but those intelligent, green eyes
remained resolutely closed.
A soft click claimed his attention and he glanced up on hearing the door open to
find Conrad Strughold standing on the threshold. With one last affectionate
caress, Spender carefully placed the head on the ground and pushed himself to his
feet. For the first time his gaze took in the macabre sight around him; blood
splattered everything; walls, floor... himself... damning evidence of a high
velocity projectile hitting human flesh at almost point blank range.
"I need to get cleaned up."
"I'll have the body removed to the ship while..."
"No. I'll make the necessary arrangements when I'm ready."
"The gestation period is only..."
"I am fully aware of the gestation period, Dr Strughold. I will make the
arrangements... and I will accompany the body to the ship."
Strughold seethed but bit back any retort. Despite his own delusions of grandeur
he knew Spender was higher in the echelons of the Consortium, answerable only to
the First Leader now the Englishman was dead. He watched as the Smoker walked
away without a backward glance, totally assured that his order would be acted
upon.
With five hours to go until sunset, every minute seemed to drag. The Tuareg had
led them some distance away from the Research Station to another far smaller
oasis. They spent part of the time listening to the Tuareg curse the Scientists
who had taken such a vital link in the chain of water holes. It was by far the
largest in the area and one where his own family group would bivouac before
making the difficult journey further south as they followed the ancient trade
routes. He complained that no-one had offered any compensation for his loss and
mentioned that 'they', Mulder and Scully, were lucky to find anyone willing to
bring them here as whole family groups had disappeared without a trace since the
infidels had arrived with their modern domes, strange plants and buzzing insects.
With still two more hours to go until sunset the Tuareg finally lapsed into
silence, conserving his energy for the work ahead. Scully reached out and grasped
the water bottle, took a deep swallow and passed the bottle to Mulder. She
watched him carefully as he took a few quick gulps of pure water before replacing
the cap. The makeshift tent kept the worst of the direct heat at bay and as
Mulder turned Raybans-covered eyes to her, she wished they did not need
protective eyewear as she had learnt to read so much of this man through his
expressive eyes.
Chameleon eyes.
Scully smiled. That's what Melissa used to call hazel-eyed people. Her sister had
always been so flowery with words... so poetic. Dana remembered the conversation
as if it were only yesterday. Melissa had been describing the auras surrounding
people; how they glowed with different colours equating to the different emotions
but mentioned that long before she learnt how to detect these auras she would try
to read the emotions through the eyes. 'Windows to the soul', she called them.
Melissa had laughed saying how much easier it was to read 'chameleon' eyes; how
they changed from blue to green to gold to brown with every passing thought.
'What about blue eyes?' she had asked. Melissa had only smiled and mentioned how,
in some cultures, blue eyes denoted a person without a soul... but as these were
mainly brown-eyed people it was probably just a form of racism... a dislike of
anything different from the norm.
Scully felt a deep ache in her heart as she thought of her sister. For all their
differences they had loved each other. Differences. Yes, there were vast
differences between them. Melissa was the poet; the mystic, dabbling in all kinds
of holistic arts from crystal-gazing to homeopathy with a passion as great as the
one Dana extended towards her own version of the Sciences. Yet despite these
differences they had been so similar; so strong in their own beliefs. Tears
prickled at the back of her eyes as she realised she still had a long way to go
before she could truly forgive Alex for the part he played in her sister's death.
Oh yes. She had accepted his explanation; knew he was not the one who had pulled
the trigger but he had been there. Surely he could have done something,
anything, to stop Cardinal. After all, their orders had not been to kill, only
to recover the tape. She sighed, realising that she was being unfair. How many
times had she been in a similar position; powerless to stop the runaway train of
events? How many more times would she blindly follow Fox Mulder into the mouth of
hell, relying on him to ensure she escaped unscathed both physically and
mentally? Even now, as she sat in this inhospitable place, waiting for the sun to
start its descent, she knew she was walking the razor's edge, knowing the
smallest step to either side would plunge her into the abyss.
"Scully?"
"Hmmm?"
"I shouldn't have dragged you into this."
She smiled enigmatically. Her 'Mona Lisa' smile as he had once called it. No. He
shouldn't have dragged her halfway around the world to this oven but if he had
insisted on leaving her behind then she would have found some way to follow
anyway. She had made her choice a long time ago; he walked the razor's edge also
and she had put her life in his hands when she had decided to follow on behind
him. She was about to remind him of this when he spoke first.
"I know... you'd have come anyway. Forget I said anything and get some rest."
She wrapped her tiny fingers around his and squeezed once, tightly, before
letting go and sinking back into her own thoughts.
Mulder gradually lost himself in his own memories as they waited for the sun to
set.
The memory of laughing, green eyes danced behind his closed lids and Mulder
wondered anew how this man had become so important to him in such a short space
of time. They had started off as colleagues; his photographic memory recalling
the first time they met when the rookie, fresh from Quantico, had thrust forward
his hand in introduction only to be ignored.
Mulder cursed aloud bringing a soft questioning murmur from Scully who was dozing
beside him.
Why had he never noticed how beautiful Alex was on that very first day they met?
Had he been too busy looking at the gelled-back hair and cheap suit? Had he been
too caught up in his own pettiness and prejudices to take a proper look at the
wet-behind-the-ears agent, let alone extend even a modicum of civility to the
younger man? How had he missed those eyes; so alive, so... green. And that
megawatt smile. Mulder burned that first image into his brain so he could study
every line, every contour over and over again. After a while he allowed the
memories to flow forward. He saw once more the fear-widened eyes as Alex focussed
on Augustus Cole, noted the trembling of the hand holding the gun before the
finger began to tighten on the trigger. Belief that Cole was about to shoot his
'partner' was written across the young, expressive face. Mulder flinched,
suddenly, realising that Alex had revealed more than just fear that day.
"How long have you loved me, Alex?"
"Mulder?"
Dana Scully sat upright as the faintest whisper drifted into her hearing. She
looked across at her long-time partner with a frown before checking her watch.
There was still about half an hour until they could decamp and return to the
Research station.
"Are you okay?"
"Do you remember what I said to you that night you came by the apartment and
found me sitting alone in the dark?"
Dana pursed her lips for a moment as she tried to remember one particular
incident among many.
"Uhmm... something about inextricable relationships and curve-balls."
"I was just wondering what would have happened if I had never found those
cigarette butts in his car. Where would we be right now? I-I think he was in love
with me from the beginning. Would he have confessed... defected to my side? Would
he still be that seemingly innocent, idealistic man I first met or would the
years of subterfuge have taken their toll leaving him bitter and twisted?"
"Melissa believed that we each have a path to follow and no matter what route you
take when the path forks... eventually you reach the same place."
"So much for freedom of choice. If your fate's already decided before you even
take the first step on the road then what is the point?"
"Something to do with the person you are when you reach the end of the journey...
Demon or Saint."
There was silence for several minutes while Mulder mulled over this last point.
Demon or Saint. Until recently he would have pegged Alex for the former and yet
there was no way anyone would ever consider Krycek a saint. A smile played about
the sensuous lips at that thought. No... Alex fell somewhere in between; he was
beauty and beast, exuding a heady mixture of danger and vulnerability. He was
sex personified with the face of sweet innocence, like an angel that had fallen
from grace. The Alex that Mulder had fallen in love with was a mass of
contradictions formed by the various paths his life had taken either voluntarily
or by coercion.
What is it he had said to Scully that day? 'destiny, fate, how to throw a curve
ball... the inextricable relationships in our lives that are neither accidental,
nor somehow in our control, either'.
At the time he believed he had been talking about himself but now, on reflection,
he wondered whether those thoughts had more to do with the man that seemed to
turn his life upside down with every encounter.
Strange how perceptions could be altered by a single word or an emotion... or by
a kiss.
Consortium Research Station
Long dark corridors radiated out from the centre of the ship. Normally Spender
would barely glance at the bodies embedded into the walls of the corridor through
which he travelled. He had passed along similar corridors many times and he was
used to seeing the white squirming mass of the alien foetuses within the hollowed
out abdomens of their long dead human hosts. The batch of aliens in this corridor
would hatch within a few more hours and be led away to the central chamber for
the final stages of their metamorphosis from Oilien to Grey. He paused suddenly,
his eyes meeting the unseeing ones of the dead woman within one of the capsules.
A flutter of movement drew his attention to the alien foetus and he found himself
shrinking back in disgust. It was a sight he thought he had become accustomed
to... until now. For the first time it struck him that these were humans being
used and thrown aside so callously. He looked ahead and the blood in his veins
seemed to pool momentarily as he watched Alex Krycek's unconscious body being
lifted and carefully placed into one of the few vacant holes. After securing him
upright they attached a tube to the one that had already been inserted down his
throat. This would provide additional nutrients to the alien foetus; not that it
was at all necessary, for the alien could synthesize enough nutrients from
absorbing the human's internal organs but it had become standard practice as the
tube also ensured the human host received enough oxygen to keep the body alive
and, hence, fresher for much longer.
The door was sealed shut as Spender approached. He watched as an alien type of
amniotic fluid was pumped into the capsule, the level gradually rising until Alex
was completely submerged.
Five hours had passed since Alex had been infected with the retrovirus. Already
Spender could see signs of the growing foetus; a ripple of movement beneath the
soft skin. Within another two hours the alien parasite would start breaking down
the human tissue to give it the nutrients it needed to grow. Spender had spent
these last five hours trying to find some way of halting the process. He should
have ensured there were cryogenic facilities here at the very least. That might
have bought Alex a little more time, given him the chance to bring in the
vaccine. As it was, the nearest supply of the alien vaccine was too far away even
with the contacts he had within the various airforces of the countries involved.
With only a few hours remaining Spender had to submit to Strughold's demand that
Alex be placed inside the mothership in preparation for the inevitable.
Spender gave a deep sigh of loss and regret as he stared at the face that had
haunted him for so many years. In repose the tension of the last few days had
lifted away leaving behind the beautiful young man he remembered from that first
encounter. An ache started somewhere deep in his chest and he reached out to
touch the clear surface that separated him from his obsession.
As the pain of loss receded, anger took its place. This was Mulder's fault. It
was Mulder who had turned his precious Alex; captivating him body and soul. If
not for Mulder then Alex might still be alive and warm in his bed instead of
buried alive in this nightmare place.
An idea broke into his dark thoughts; the Bounty Hunter. The alien morph had the
ability to treat the injured. Would he save Alex? Spender decided it was worth a
shot. All he had to do was find something he could use to buy Krycek's life back.
With this plan in mind he gave Alex one final gaze and then turned, renewed
determination evident in every step he took.
He was intercepted before he could reach the Administration complex by the
Communications Manager.
"Sir. We have ascertained that the 'hackers' used an automated program to locate
the server. Our people are awaiting your decision. Shall we eliminate them?"
With great difficulty Spender forced his thoughts away from Alex and to the
hackers. He paused for a moment remembering The Thinker. The man had been a
computer genius and had managed not only to locate one of the Consortium's main
databases but to hack his way through the high-level security net in order to
extract many gigabytes of data. Killing The Thinker had seemed the right decision
at the time but, in hindsight, the Consortium could have made excellent use of
such a genius. A security system designed and tested by one of the best hackers
in the World might have prevented this latest breach in their security. Decision
made he turned to his subordinate.
"Have them taken to our installation in Baltimore. We might be able to make good
use of their skills."
As he watched the man move off to carry out his orders Spender's thoughts
returned to the Thinker and his part in driving the final wedge between him and
Alex. Only the Englishman had been against the First Elder's decision, leaving
him no choice but to follow orders and have both Alex and the MJ-12 tape
destroyed. Strange how he had managed to take that phone call with barely a
flicker of emotion and yet, hearing Alex's voice after presuming him dead had
been one of the happiest moments of his life. Cardinal had admitted to the failed
attempt a little while later but he had felt too elated knowing Alex had survived
to do more than verbally berate the man. A shame, really, as it had merely
postponed the inevitable. Cardinal had been a loose cannon; all attitude and no
brain. Only later had Spender discovered it was Cardinal's trigger-happy
disposition that had sealed Melissa Scully's fate and led to an Assistant
Director of the FBI being gut-shot in front of a witness. When the First Elder
had issued his orders to eliminate the maverick, Alexei Krycek, he had made a
serious error of mistaken identity... or had he?
With the bitterness of loss lying heavy within him, Spender began to turn his
incisive mind towards those who had spent the past few years treating him with
contempt. Had the decision to eliminate Alex been politically driven? Had the
First Elder deliberately ordered Krycek's execution so he could replace Spender's
protégé with his own man?
Once this thought revealed itself, Spender could not shake it off. He dropped his
cigarette and ground it out, angrily, with the heel of his shoe as he started to
make new plans.
2630 Hegal Place
Skinner paused in front of the blank PC, reached over and switched it on. After
several attempts he gave up trying to figure out the password. He tried all the
obvious ones including 'Samantha' and 'Ratboy' but to no avail. It was then that
he noticed the blinking red light on the answer phone. Skinner pressed the
correct sequence of buttons for a playback on all the messages; half-listening as
he continued searching through the papers strewn across the untidy desk. He
frowned as a man's voice started talking about birds in flight... one eyebrow
rising at the thought of Mulder being interested in ornithology and then, as his
finger hovered over the forward button, something caught his attention. He
replayed the message listening carefully not to the words but to the voice behind
them.
Storming out of the apartment, Skinner barrelled into his two agents.
"Harris, Davidson. Follow me."
The agents gave each other a quick 'what the hell' look and scurried back to
their car, tagging on behind the green Volvo that AD Skinner was driving. They
followed Skinner down under a tall apartment block that used to be a hotel back
in its heyday; parking side-by-side.
Skinner started walking towards the elevator but paused, suddenly, as the doors
opened.
"FBI, put your hands where I can see them!"
Instead of doing so, three men charged out of the elevator with all guns blazing.
Bullets ricocheted off the tarmac, punched through thin car metal and smashed
through windscreens as Skinner, Harris and Davidson returned fire. A screech of
tires brought them spinning around in time to see a black sedan accelerate,
heading towards the elevators. The car stopped and the three men bundled into the
car. Skinner raced after it on foot, firing shots that sparked off the trunk. The
gun arm dropped to his side as the car raced out of the exit but instead of
running to his car, the AD jogged towards the elevator, yelling orders over his
shoulder as he went.
"Call the paramedics."
He crouched down beside the elevator.
"You look a mess, Frohike. Paramedics are on their way... now, where are Mulder
and Scully?"
Frohike looked up through blackened, swollen eyes and decided he would trust this
man. He gave the AD a shortened version of what had happened; of Krycek's
disappearance and Mulder's frantic search for his lover. Frohike fell silent as
he watched Skinner straighten, a strange expression of resignation on the man's
face.
Skinner made way for the Paramedics and moved back towards his car. It seemed
Mulder and Scully had taken their own path to Alex Krycek and realised, where
they had gone, there was nothing he could do to either help them or protect them.
Same Time
Mulder gritted his teeth as he watched CBG Spender grinding a cigarette butt into
the ground as if it was some enemy that he wanted to crush beneath his feet.
Until recently he truly believed he hated this man but now realised that what he
had felt previously was a pale imitation of the raw emotion that flooded through
his brain as he thought of this man touching his lover.
Dana Scully reached out and gripped his forearm, trying to stem the rising tide
of anger that emanated from her partner in dark waves of pure rage. His eyes,
when they turned towards her, were almost black with emotion. She glanced,
pointedly, upwards... towards the gradually darkening sky. The last rays of a
dying day filtered across the sky turning the white domes of the research station
blood red. Already the tiny points of starlight were forming in the east.
They would wait another half an hour and then go in.
"No."
Spender had made one last offer... obviously his best offer but the alien Morph
was unrelenting. If the Consortium leader had told him when it had happened then
he might have acted. In the very early stages it would have been possible to
transfer the foetus to a new host. Now it was far too late. No matter what
inducement; no matter how much he was attracted to the green-eyed hybrid, he
could not willingly destroy a developing pure-blood to save the half-human.
The Bounty Hunter watched the light die in this Human's eyes and felt a momentary
stab of pain too. When first asked to capture Alexei Krycek for this man he had
felt so vastly superior, feeling contemptuous of the way Spender obsessed over
the human. After five decades he had never expected to find himself caught up in
that same insanity and yet...
The Bounty Hunter pulled his thoughts up short. Memory of that incredible tight
heat surrounding him and the intoxicating scent of the other burst into his mind,
inflaming his human form. If truth be known he would willingly kill the
pure-blood to save the hybrid... for himself... but that action would seal his
own fate. It did not matter that the developing pure-blood was of little use
until it had been given the mental engrams of one of the hibernating Colonists.
It was still one of his own people and killing him would make him no better than
the Rebels who constantly hammered at their defences, destroying their
installations and shredding their plans for colonisation.
Time was no longer on his people's side. Questions were starting to be raised in
the Great Council. Unknowingly, the Humans were gathering extra-terrestrial
allies. If his people did not act soon then they would lose everything.
Five decades. I have not questioned any action in five decades. I have not had
one single moment of remorse, or admiration, or respect... or love for any human
in five decades... until now.
The Morph paused. Was the change truly as sudden as it seemed? He forced himself
to look deeper and realised his attitude to the humans had been changing slowly
over these decades. Baseball. That pathetic excuse for a game. Hitting a ball
with a bat. That had been the catalyst. His desire to understand what could be so
wonderful about a human game that one of his brethren would choose to die rather
than give it up.
Obsession. Obsession with Baseball. Obsession with Alexei Krycek.
And what of Fox William Mulder? He could argue all he wanted that he had orders
to keep the son alive; he could argue that seducing Mulder had been the most
expedient method of gaining the location of Alexei Krycek but the truth of the
matter was that he had been captivated by Fox Mulder; had made every effort to
ensure his continued existence; had enjoyed caressing that body, bringing it to
total abandonment with his touch. The climax that ripped through him had been
mind-numbing, almost enough to make him forget what he had gone there for. And it
was that lethal combination of physical desire and the memory of the pleasure
such desire could evoke within him that had overpowered him when he touched
Alexei. Renewed thoughts of this human inflamed him further; a growing addiction
that he could not deny but he knew he must resist at all cost.
The Bounty Hunter watched Spender turn away, shoulders hunched in defeat. Years
of showing no emotion had ensured that no sign of his inner turmoil had been
apparent but the Morph knew he would spend many a sleepless night thinking about
this decision to do nothing.
As the last rays of the day bled away the desert was plunged into near darkness.
Starlight and a crescent moon cast a little light, enough to guide their
footsteps as they breached the top of the dune and slid slowly down towards the
edge of the field. Despite their insistence that he stay with the horses, the
Tuareg followed on behind as they ran into the safety of the tall corn. Their
small column of three pushed through the thick stalks as they made a beeline
towards the largest of the domes; it's illuminated interior shining through the
white material lending it an otherwordly appearance.
They traversed the short distance between the edge of the field and the entrance
to the dome as fast as possible and sank into the deepening shadows. Nothing
stirred. Mulder insisted the others waited outside while he checked out the
interior. He didn't want a repeat of their last foray into one of the domes. He
returned within a few minutes, shaking his head. This was the dome housing the
bees. The layout was identical to the one in the States. Slowly and cautiously
they stole towards the next dome. As they approached the door opened and a tall
figure emerged. They waited, breath held. The sound of metal against metal was
followed by a small flame; the resulting light illuminating the face that Mulder
hated beyond all reason. Cancer Man.
With a swiftness of decision Mulder leapt the few feet separating him from his
nemesis and grabbed the man around the throat. The cigarette and steel-case
lighter dropped to the sandy floor.
"Don't say a word 'cos' I'd just as soon kill you as look at you."
A small smile crossed the lined face as Spender ignored Mulder's threat. Some
additional information received barely an hour ago had warned him that Fox Mulder
might be on his way and the source of that information would give him some
leverage over the recalcitrant young man. He decided to play his cards close to
his chest and wait for the right opening before disclosing his hand.
"Mr Mulder. No doubt the beautiful Miss Scully is close by."
"Shut the fuck up. Now move."
Mulder made sure Spender could feel the barrel of his gun by pressing it, hard,
against the man's spine. He forced Spender into the shadows where Scully and the
Tuareg waited. Once out of sight he turned Spender to face him.
"Where is he?"
"I assume you are referring to Alex Krycek."
"You know damn well... where is he?"
Spender gazed into eyes barely visible in the darkness surrounding them and yet
he could feel the full force of Mulder's passion as if those eyes were boring
into his very soul. He felt a momentary kindred with this man; both of them
obsessed with the same dark-haired Russian, both willing to stop at nothing to
have that man by their side. The moment passed as another darker emotion flowed
into the wily old brain; hatred. He hated Fox Mulder. He hated the fact that Alex
had chosen his son over him and he realised, suddenly, that the greatest pain
he could inflict on this man was the truth.
"Alex is dead."
Mulder froze, his heart stopping as the words sank in. They say, when you die
your whole life passes before you. Those words had the same effect but it was the
memories of his lover that flowed through him. He saw again the outstretched
hand, his eyes travelling along the proffered arm to the beautiful face with it's
wide-spaced, forest-green eyes. The years rolled by; images crashing through him.
The feel of that warm body pressed up against the telephone bank at the Hong Kong
airport; the fear and anger barely held in check in that Tunguskan cell; the soft
haze of love and regret that permeated the air of his apartment as those perfect
lips seared his cheek with a single kiss, robbing him of all his new-found
certainty and plunging him back into the fight for the future. More images danced
through his head; the way Alex's face softened in sleep; the way his eyes glazed
over with desire and need as Mulder's fingers stroked deep inside... but it
wasn't just sex. The sound of laughter as they traded stories; the soft tenor
drifting from the shower... the companionable silence that followed those moments
of passion when he would hold Alex in his arms and cover his face with soft
kisses. All these memories crowded into his head until they were wiped away by
the single thought... Alex is dead.
"I don't believe you." The soft voice grew harsher and louder. "I don't believe
you, you lying piece of cancerous shit. Where is he? Where's Alex?"
Fear replaced the cruelty in those pale blue eyes as Mulder's hands tightened
around his throat. He grabbed hold of the wrists but couldn't break the strong
grip of the enraged man. As dark spots began to float behind his eyes, his mind
screamed out to him to play his winning hand... but another part screamed that
without a voice he had no chance. Desperately he tried to speak. He could hear
Dana Scully trying to reason with Mulder; could see her tiny fingers trying to
prise Mulder's hands away... and then, suddenly, he was free. He fell to the
floor, gasping through a bruised larynx as Scully cradled Mulder in her arms.
Before he could try to make his feet a large frame planted itself in front of
him.
"Where is Krycek?"
The flash of moonlight glinting off the curved edge of dagger caught his
attention and Spender knew his winning hand would mean nothing to this man. The
dark, menacing features of the Tuareg drew closer, the intent easily readable in
the dark eyes.
"He's..." Spender coughed as he struggled to get the words out. "He's... inside
the... mothership."
He felt himself being lifted by the lapels of his khaki suit and came face to
face with Fox Mulder once more.
"It was... an accident. The virus..."
"How long?" Mulder began to shake the older man. "How long?"
"Too long! It's been too long... no vaccine. There was no vaccine."
Murderous fury filled Mulder's face but before he could act the dark-skinned Arab
pushed him aside.
"You will take us to him. Now."
Mulder paused, momentarily stunned by the authority and the intensity behind
their Guide's voice, so far in contrast to the complaining man that had led them
across the desert. He took a step forward, reaching out towards the Tuareg.
"Hamed?"
Mulder flinched when the small hand of his partner gripped his arm, pulling him
back, suddenly aware that there was a lot more to their Guide than they realised.
They watched as the Tuareg pushed Spender ahead of him, the two figures being
quickly swallowed by the darkness. Mulder turned questioningly towards his
partner and then they followed in the Tuareg's footsteps.
Descending into the ship Mulder lived again the frantic journey across the ice
fields of the Antarctic and the climb through one of the vents into the alien
craft as he raced against time to save Scully. On that occasion he had not taken
in much of what he had seen, replaying the images in his mind once the danger had
passed. His nightmares had been fueled by those darkened corridors and by the
fear that drove him; fear for Scully, fear for Alex. He pushed the fear aside and
concentrated on the task at hand. Ahead of him he could see the massive frame of
the Tuareg and a glimpse of Spender walking before him.
Spender did not hesitate as he turned down one of the long dark passages. He
walked softly, with a straight back as if unafraid of the unknown man at his back
holding the wicked dagger. Behind him he could hear three sets of footsteps
echoing along the corridor. The heavy ones of the Tuareg and the lighter step of
Dana Scully were far more noticeable but he found himself concentrating on that
third set. Fox William Mulder. That had been the hardest blow, when his son
had been gifted with her husband's given name. Until then he had almost believed
she would leave Bill Mulder; start a new life with him but she had wanted
stability for their son. Could she not see that he had always cared for her,
perhaps even loved her in his own way? He had wanted her in his life. Not the
same way he wanted Alex but then, Alex was special; Alex was as addictive as the
nicotine he craved; perhaps even more so but now... now, he had lost it all. His
fury rose as the footsteps of the catalyst to his loss drifted around him. He had
lost Tina because of his son and then he had lost Alex to his son.
Of all the regrets that came to him during his darkest hours, letting the
Colonists take Samantha instead of Fox had become the greatest. Abducting
Samantha had been a punishment to Bill Mulder, a way to keep the man in line when
it seemed he was about to betray them all. Instead, Bill Mulder had paid twice;
losing his daughter and then being forced to offer up another family member for
the hybrid experiments but, unlike Cassandra who had offered herself to save her
child, Jeffrey, Bill Mulder had given them his son.
Had the man known, from the earliest days, that Fox was not his own flesh and
blood? Had this been his own form of revenge on the man who had tried to take his
wife? At the time he had been angry but now...? Now, he wished Fox Mulder had
never been born.
His thoughts returned to his beloved Alex. He had asked Alex to return to him
willingly or see Fox Mulder die but Alex could never come to him willingly now;
Alex was dead. He sneered. Perhaps it was time to make good on that promise and
see Fox William Mulder die.
Dana Scully glanced from side to side in horror and then set her eyes forward,
hoping to close off the images that assailed her. Half-forgotten memories flooded
into Scully as she recalled the disorientation of her awakening; the scrabbling
of sharp talons against the capsule doors where fully gestated aliens started to
claw their way out of their human wombs; the bony, inhuman fingers that caught at
their clothes as she was half-carried through the nightmare scene of dead, dying
and decomposing bodies hanging in their icy tombs while their parasitic
destroyers squirmed inside. She had consigned those images to the strange
workings of a mind under extreme stress; had fallen back into unconsciousness
before the ship Mulder had described became visible. Now, as she walked along
behind their guide she knew the nightmare had been the truth. With her hand
clamped across her mouth in horror she tried not to let her eyes dart to either
side, afraid to meet the eyes of someone still living... still aware, even though
she had known nothing about it herself. Her heart cried out to these unfortunate
men and women but she could do nothing to save them. Nothing.
It took over ten minutes to traverse the maze of corridors but eventually Spender
halted in front of one of the capsules. He had not faltered one step of the way,
the journey taken with Alex having been seared into his mind. The Tuareg brought
the handle of the dagger down on the back of Spender's head, sending the man
crashing to the floor unconscious. He rubbed his hand across the iced-up front
and nodded his head, mouth set in a grim line. Mulder pushed passed and found
himself staring into his lover's face. His fingers grazed the surface in front of
Alex and then, without forewarning, he smashed his hand through the casing,
ignoring the cascade of fluid that soaked him through. Mulder reached in and
pulled the sagging naked body into his arms, falling to the ground still clasping
the unconscious man, his eyes closing as he nuzzled the stubble-roughened cheek
against his own.
The Tuareg reached inside his heavy cloak, pulling out a hypodermic needle filled
with a pale liquid. He knelt down beside Mulder.
"It may not be too late."
He plunged the needle into the cold, wet flesh of Krycek's left shoulder, pushing
down the plunger to inject the contents and then rose back to his feet. With one
swift movement he shrugged out of the cloak and draped it over Krycek's naked
form and then he reached down, attempting to pull the man from Mulder's grasp but
found the Agent unwilling to let go.
"We must get out of here. Some of these creatures are ready to hatch. We cannot
afford to be cornered in here. They will tear us to shreds."
"Who are you?"
The Tuareg's honey-coloured eyes stared deep into Mulder's before offering his
arm once more.
"A friend. A dead friend if we do not move now."
Mulder nodded and allowed the bigger man to lift Krycek before regaining his own
feet. Once standing he reached across possessively and relieved the Tuareg of his
burden. Alex was his. He hefted Krycek over his shoulder and gave one sharp nod
to indicate his readiness. They began the journey back to the entrance as the
sound of cracking capsules filled the air behind them.
"Faster. We must go faster."
Scully drew her handgun and raced along behind Mulder while the Tuareg brought up
the rear, grateful for Mulder's infallible sense of direction as he retraced
their steps through the twisting maze of dark corridors. There was no time to
dwell on the human death and alien life that lay within a hands reach on either
side of them as they raced around curves, stepped across intersections and
scrabbled up the rising path that led towards the surface. Something scraped
against her leg and she gasped in terror but kept on moving, focusing all her
thoughts on the danger surrounding them, her gun raised, safety catch off...
ready to fire.
A new threat made itself known even as they tried to escape the alien one behind
them. Ahead they could hear the sound of human voices; Cancer Man's goons. As
they turned the final corner, they came face to face with several armed men. They
quickly dived for cover as bullets ricocheted around them. Scully laid down a
pattern of return fire, gradually forcing the goons into cover, leaving the exit
clear. Despite this, there was no way they would be able to reach it through the
crossfire. They needed more firepower especially as Mulder was disadvantaged
being weighed down by Krycek's still unmoving body.
Mulder carefully propped his lover against the alien control station and took a
quick look to ascertain their position. He ducked back quickly as several bullets
sparked near to where his head had been moments before. They were pinned down. He
chewed on his full bottom lip, working his way through all their options. A soft
moan beneath him brought his attention swinging back. He carefully cradled
Krycek's chin in the palm of his hand and spoke softly but hesitantly.
"Alex?"
Mulder felt his heart leap into his throat as another soft moan was accompanied
by the fluttering of those long dark lashes against the damp cheeks.
Alex Krycek opened his eyes to the most beautiful sight he could ever imagine.
Mulder's brilliant smile lit up his face and Alex found himself struggling to
overcome the lassitude that filled his entire being so he could return that grin.
Soft, warm lips brushed against his own cold mouth; strong arms enfolded him,
crushing him against the strong chest. He sighed as he listened to the comforting
sound of a familiar strong heart beating beneath his ear. His senses filled
themselves with the sight, sound, smell and touch of Fox Mulder and he fought
against the debilitating weariness to return that embrace.
Mulder raised his head as the eerie scrabbling noise behind them grew louder. The
alien hatchlings were getting closer and he knew they would have to risk the
bullets or fall prey to the ferocious new life-forms. He glanced across at the
Tuareg.
"Please tell me you have another surprise for us."
The Tuareg grinned, his white teeth almost the only part of him visible, as he
reached under his tunic and pulled out a snub-nosed machine gun. Mulder grinned
in response. The small but powerful Uzi might be enough to buy them time to reach
the entrance. He spoke softly to Alex, pulling the man's arm about his shoulder
and shifting to take the weight of the still unsteady body before nodding his
readiness.
The Uzi spat out bullets rapidly, laying down a covering fire as all four of them
hastened towards the entrance. Scully shot off round after round as she ran, her
bullets sparking off the tops of the computer stations behind which their
attackers lay waiting for their own opportunity to return fire. With more luck
than anything they made it outside. Mulder ducked sideways as Scully turned her
gun to the men waiting to ambush them. Her quick reload earned her an approving
smile from her partner but that grin faltered as she cried out in pain. The
bullet sliced across her thigh. She gritted her teeth against the pain and
carried on.
Above them, the sound of helicopters filled the air. Two black shapes approached
rapidly, made visible only by the strong searchlights that played across the
ground from a source way above Mulder's head.
Mulder remembered the previous chase through the cornfield in the dead of night,
even now he was unsure how they had managed to elude their pursuers but he knew,
instinctively, that their chances of doing the same again were negligible. Even
if they managed to hide in the depths of the tall corn eventually they would need
to come out and Spender's men would be waiting for them. That left only one
option. Somehow they had to force one of the helicopters to land. It was their
only way out... and there was only one way to achieve it.
Mulder stepped forward into the searchlight and dropped his gun, raising his
hands high above his head, leaving Alex on the ground just outside the circle of
light.
"What are you doing?"
A hiss of disbelief from his left brought his head around slightly.
"Getting us a lift home."
The Tuareg pursed his lips as he recognised the game plan. Scully stepped into
the overlapping circle of lights and they stood calmly, side-by-side, as one of
the helicopters drifted down towards them, waiting quietly for it to settle...
and for the occupants to jump out. Three black-clothed figures headed towards
them. Mulder waited until they were close enough and then yelled.
"Now!"
The Tuareg took out two of the figures as he raced towards the helicopter, the
gun aimed at the pilot leaving the man no option but to wait... or die. Dana
snatched up her gun at Mulder's shout, her aim true as a bullet smashed into the
remaining goon, throwing him backwards. Mulder hauled Krycek to his feet and,
half-carrying, half-dragging he pulled him towards the helicopter. Bullets cut up
the ground beneath their feet, sending plumes of silky sand into the air. With
Scully safely onboard and covering the pilot, the Tuareg turned his attention
back to the Agent and the man they had come to rescue. Mulder reached the
helicopter and pushed Alex into the Arab's waiting arms, watching as his lover
was dragged into the relative safety of the cockpit. As he started to climb in he
felt an incredible pain as a bullet smashed into his back, throwing him forward
into the Tuareg's arms.
The Arab pulled him in, lifting his gun to fire back at Mulder's attacker only to
see the man burst into flames. Figures of large men appeared out of the darkness,
illuminated by the fires that burned as one after another, the Consortium goons
were incinerated by the new threat. He gasped as one of the newcomers glanced
towards the helicopter. He... it had no face. Fear filled him, driving the
breath out of his lungs. As one of the creatures turned towards them, the Arab
found his voice, ordering the helicopter to lift off. The pilot needed no
persuasion and he watched as the ground receded, the helicopter banking sharply
to avoid the fingers of flames that reached out to grab it before heading out
across the desert.
Mulder gasped, hardly able to catch his breath. Blood frothed at his mouth from
where the bullet had punched its way through his left lung; the blossoming of red
against the paleness of his T-shirt marking the exit wound through his chest. He
coughed like a drowning man, desperate to clear the fluid filling his lung and
cried out as urgent hands ripped open the T-shirt. Mulder felt the darkness
closing in as Dana Scully gave frantic orders but he knew he was dying. His
vision began to narrow; the sounds around him fading away as if he had moved a
great distance. His limbs felt heavy... and cold. A single tear welled in his
eye. He didn't want to die. He had so much to live for... someone to live for...
Oh God! Alex!
He could hear Scully in the distance, her voice rough with pain.
"I can't stop the bleeding. We've gotta get to a hospital now."
Rough hands grabbed at him. He could barely feel the pressure of a mouth against
his cheek, his forehead... his mouth. Barely registered the arms that crushed him
into a powerful embrace but, inside, he wept for the pain in that roughened
voice. Alex. His Alex. Crying for him.
A strange peace swept over him. He had felt this same lassitude before; had
dreamt he was visited by his 'father' but this time there was no-one there to
tell him to fight and despite his desire to stay he knew he had to go. A wail
followed him down towards the light that he remembered being told about by people
who had near-death experiences and, in that light, he thought he could see the
figure of a young girl beckoning towards him. A familiar figure. He smiled.
Samantha.
Scully wrapped her arms about the wailing man as Mulder's head flopped backwards,
eyes unseeing in death. She tried to pull him away,
"Alex. Alex, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry."
She heard the tone of Krycek's cry change. Heard the wail of grief turn to
disbelief and then to anger. A dark determination edging the half-whispered words
spoken so close to her ear.
"No. I won't let you go."
Her tears streamed down her face making it impossible to see clearly but suddenly
there was a light in the cockpit; a soft glow growing between the two lovers. She
dropped her arms from where they were wrapped about the dark-haired man.
The Tuareg had shrunk back away from the bloody corpse and the man whose arms
were wrapped around it. Pain twisted Krycek's face as the light grew stronger.
"By Allah!!"
The body in Krycek's arms jolted, the mouth falling open as Mulder gasped in
another breath... then all was dark and just the booming noise of the helicopter
blades rotating filled the cockpit as Krycek collapsed across his lover.
Pristine white walls reflected the warm midday sun. The scent of freshly cut
flowers filled the air. A humming of a bee mingled with the soft beep of some
electrical monitor but, if he concentrated harder, he could hear bird song in the
background. Fox Mulder opened his eyes slowly.
Am I dead?
He'd never really believed in the 'angels with feathery wings' kind of afterlife
but the face looking down into his own was the most beautiful he had ever seen.
The sun picked up red highlights in the locks of sable hair that cascaded over
the tall forehead. Dark eyebrows swept outwards, framing wide-spaced eyes lined
with a thick fringe of dark lashes. The pink mouth was perfectly sculptured;
fleshy lower lip, deeply bowed upper. The bow shallowed as the mouth widened in a
beautific smile, showing a glint of white teeth. Mulder's eyes watched as the
sea-green irises were consumed by the gold-ringed blackness of dilating pupils,
momentarily mesmerised by his own reflection. He smiled at the creases that
appeared at the outer edges and across the bridge of the pert nose, adding a new
dimension of devilry to the dark looks.
A fallen angel.
"How're you feeling?"
"I.."
Mulder looked stunned as his voice came out all croaky. The face above him
frowned anew and disappeared from view. He was about to mourn its loss when he
felt himself lifted and the tip of a straw placed between his dry lips.
"Here. Drink this." The cool water slid down his throat and he sighed in
appreciation. The husky voice continued. "Now try again."
"Who are you? I feel I should know you."
The soft smile on the man's lips faltered momentarily. The short term loss of
memory was to be expected... or so they said. Krycek hoped it really was short
term. They had shared so much in such a short time that it would be almost
unbearable if those memories were lost forever.
"You do know me. You will remember me. It just might take a little time."
Mulder paused as image after image of this beautiful face tumbled through his
mind; young and eager, hard and unrelenting, teasing, angry, incredulous,
fear-stricken... soft with love then alive with passion. Each picture seemed to
tell a small story that gradually grew until one final image settled. Still
beautiful and yet this face was streaked in tears. It was the face in the
darkness he had imprinted on his mind before turning towards the bright light...
and Samantha. It was the face of the man he had so desperately wanted to live
for.
"Alex?"
A brilliant smile lit up the pale features and moments later he found himself
wrapped in strong arms.
"Ahemm."
They broke apart at the soft feminine voice that drifted across the room. Dana
Scully stood on the threshold, one finely sculptured eyebrow raised
questioningly.
"I take it you remember who you are... and what happened."
It was not a question but it made Mulder stop to think. Puzzlement crept across
his face. Yes, he knew who he was; knew who Alex and Scully were but...
"I was shot." His incredulous tone raised his voice by an octave. "I was shot. I
can remember being shot but..."
Mulder looked down at his pyjama-clad body expecting to see signs of massive
injury. He flexed his arms; pulled his shoulder blades together and grimaced at
the twinges that radiated out through his chest. He could feel the pull of a
small bandage either side of his body but surely there must have been a lot more
damage from the bullet that had entered his back and exploded out of his chest.
"I must have dreamed..."
"No. It wasn't a dream. I don't know how but..." Scully frowned. "Perhaps it
wasn't as bad as it looked... there was a lot of blood and it was dark..." She
trailed off.
Scully had still not come to terms with what had happened in that helicopter. All
she knew was that her friend and partner had seemed to die, his chest shattered
by the impact of a high calibre bullet. She'd torn apart his T-shirt, had seen
the hole... but, maybe it was stress-induced fear that had made it seem worse
than it was. Maybe the noise and vibration of the helicopter, and that same fear,
had muted his beating heart. The alternative was something out of a fantasy tale
and yet, try as she might, she could not deny what she had seen with her own
eyes. The glow emanating from Alex Krycek had lit up the dark interior. She had
seen that glow spread out within Mulder's body; had heard him gasp as his heart
began to beat again, kick-starting the rest of his system.
Alex Krycek had his own memories of that terrifying time. The pain of unbearable
loss suddenly replaced by physical pain as a tingling in his fingertips heralded
the ignition of every nerve ending in his body. Some small part of his mind had
been able to stand back and examine his actions in a strangely detached manner as
the rest of his mind co-ordinated an attack on the damaged tissue in Mulder's
body. He could still visualise the miraculous way the torn muscle, bone and flesh
began to knit together even as his own body screamed in agony. When he had awoken
it was to discover they were no longer in the helicopter... were no longer even
in Tunisia. Instead he was lying in a clean bed with fresh sheets barely three
feet away from the man who had come to mean more to him than any being in the
entire universe. A man he had believed was dead.
Krycek pursed his lips. Neither the doctor nor the nurses would answer his
questions, except for general ones about both his condition and Mulder's. Now Fox
was awake he knew it was time to demand answers. He opened his mouth to say as
much to Mulder and Scully when there was a knock at the door.
Krycek's jaw dropped as a thin, elderly man, immaculately dressed, sauntered into
the room. His bearing showing him to be a man of good breeding, well-mannered but
hard. A man used to giving orders; a man used to having those orders followed
meticulously with no questions asked.
Beside him, Krycek saw Mulder sit up straighter, the same surprised expression
clearly written across his face even as he fought the twinge of pain that flared
in his chest. For Dana Scully there was only confusion.
"I thought Mulder said you were dead."
The man smiled, his eyes twinkling.
"It does seem to be a day for people returning from the dead."
Mulder swallowed, sudden realisation that he had died flooding him but,
somehow, he had been yanked back from that precipice. He opened his mouth to
speak but was silenced by an upraised finger.
"You have questions and I have answers but here is not the place. My driver is
waiting downstairs. If you would care to follow me."
"I don't know..."
A hand on his arm stopped the rant before it could begin. Mulder glanced up into
Alexei's bright eyes, swallowed the retort that had sprung to his lips and nodded
his acceptance. Within a few minutes they had exchanged their pyjamas for jeans
and T-shirts; clothes that were conveniently brought in by one of the nursing
staff moments after the Englishman's entrance. Mulder vehemently refused the
offer of a wheelchair and pushed aside the porter so he could follow the old man
through the bright, sunlit corridors on his own two feet. Despite his momentary
rebellion he was not foolish enough to refuse the surreptitious, well-placed
hands beneath his elbows as both Alex and Scully supported him down a flight of
stairs to the car.
After a short drive they arrived at a small airstrip where an executive
helicopter stood waiting on the tarmac. They followed the Englishman onboard,
took their indicated seats without comment and sat in silence as the craft lifted
off. Twenty minutes later the craft settled on the helipad within the grounds of
a large estate. The Englishman led them across a narrow causeway into the
chateau. He turned to his 'guests' once they had entered the reception hall.
"I trust you can contain yourselves for a little while longer. Dinner is at
18:00. We will retire to the library afterwards where I will attempt to answer
all your questions. Monsieur Verdault will show you to your rooms."
As they turned to follow the stern butler, Alex and Mulder felt a strong grip on
their forearms.
"I trust I have not been too forward in providing you with joint accommodation."
Dana Scully felt her unease slip away as a bubble of laughter welled up,
threatening to spill. Both Mulder and Krycek sported identical flushed faces as
the meaning behind the Englishman's words became clear. For someone supposedly
dead he seemed to be very well-informed... either that or he was a great judge of
character.
With almost two hours until dinner Dana Scully paused on the threshold of the
room she had been assigned and told Mulder her intention to take a long, hot
bath. He smiled knowingly. He'd figured out a long time ago that this was the way
she dealt with her problems, relaxing in a hot tub, allowing the thoughts to flow
with the water until they settled into place. Remembrance of the occasional
balled-up sweet wrapper found tucked into a corner of the bathroom at her
apartment sprung to mind and he wondered whether she would be making a call to
the kitchen for some 'luxury' items delivered to help her relax.
"Have fun." He gave her a teasing grin. "I've been told Swiss chocolate is one of
the best."
She raised an eyebrow and then gave him a knowing smile back before closing the
door. Her sideways glance at Alex making it all too clear what kind of fun she
presumed Mulder would be indulging in behind his closed door. She just hoped
they were 'accommodated' a lot further along the hallway... or that the walls
were relatively thick otherwise there was no way she'd be able to relax; not with
the sound of passionate love-making drifting across her hearing.
The three men moved onward passed several doors before Verdault halted outside
another solid oak door. He turned the handle and then pushed the door open. As
with Scully, Verdault made no effort to cross the threshold with them. He had
already given them instructions on how to request any assistance. Mulder watched
the man walk back down the hallway before closing the door. He turned and gazed
at Alex.
With a sigh, Krycek flopped down onto the oversize bed, arms spread wide above
his head, eyes closed. He smiled as the mattress dipped with the weight of
another body; the smile turning to a grin as that body straddled his slim hips. A
hand caressed his cheek and he turned his face to nuzzle into the palm.
"Alex?"
Eyes, dilated almost to black, opened at the seriousness in the soft voice.
Krycek blinked with the strong sunlight that bled through the light netting
covering the window. Above him he could see Mulder's grave expression. He watched
as Mulder chewed thoughtfully, worrying the fleshy bottom lip between straight
white teeth.
"I'm sorry."
The hard lump that formed in his throat was hard to swallow.
"No. It's O..."
"No, it's not okay, Alex. I was an ass. I nearly threw away something beautiful
because I couldn't leave the past where it belonged. Nearly losing you..." His
voice caught and he cleared his throat before continuing. "Nearly losing you made
me realise how stupid I was." He gazed deep into the stormy green eyes. "I am
sorry, Alex. Please forgive me."
Alex reached up with both hands and pulled Mulder down towards him. His lips
kissed the tip of Mulder's nose.. a benediction of sorts.
Mulder's head dropped until their temples touched, he turned his face slightly to
press a small kiss against the warm cheek in remembrance of the kiss that had
been the catalyst in their new relationship. Softly spoken words were breathed
into his ear.
"But there's more."
Mulder pulled back, a guilty look spread across his face.
"Never knew you were psychic."
Alex smiled grimly. "I'm not... but I can tell when something's wrong."
Mulder pushed himself off his lover and sat on the edge of the bed, his mind
churning as he tried to find the right way to tell Alex about... The truth. Alex
deserved the whole truth.
"Did you ever wonder how the morph managed to find you?" Mulder watched as a
crease appeared across the bridge of the pert nose; the eyes narrowing to green
slivers. "I told him."
"You what?"
Krycek sat up in shock.
"I told him where to find you."
Confusion was replaced by a hurt expression as sudden feelings of betrayal surged
within him.
"Why? Because of my past with the Smoker?"
"No! No. I..." Mulder sighed in exasperation. This wasn't going well but then he
hadn't expected Alex to just smile brightly and say 'it's okay'. "He came to me
at the Motel... pretending to be you. We... we... I thought it was you, Alex. I
should have known but I was so relieved to see you that I... Alex, I'm sorry. I
thought it was you."
Silence descended while Alex sought to make sense of the strange confession. His
frown deepening as he watched the averted face.
Why won't he look at me?
All expression drained from Krycek's face along with all his blood. Ashen-face he
pulled Mulder around and knew. It took a few more moments before it had all
sunk in but the guilt apparent on Mulder's face was enough to convince him. With
ease he pieced together what had happened that night, suddenly making sense of
those cryptic words uttered by the Alien as he was pinned beneath the creature's
bulk. The Morph had deceived Mulder; had 'discovered human pleasure' with Mulder
and then tricked him into giving up Krycek's location.
Alex closed his eyes to hide his own sorrow. He didn't hold Mulder to blame for
what happened... couldn't hold him to blame. He had seen how realistic the
morph's disguises could be; had been around the taciturn alien enough times for
the creature to pick up some of his habits; to copy his voice and pattern of
speech.
He reached out and stroked a single finger down the slightly stubbled cheek,
waiting for eyes, full of misery, to meet his own.
"I understand. Believe me. I do understand. And I don't hold you responsible
for what happened..." then or later his mind added. Krycek bit his lower lip
as he considered what to say about his capture. Should he tell Mulder what that
bastard did to him? He needed to tell him. He did not want to add any more
skeletons to the ones already hiding in his closet and yet Mulder wasn't ready to
hear this. It was too much at once, for Krycek knew Mulder was already drowning
in a pool of guilt and revealing this now would be like throwing a cement block
for him to cling to instead of a life ring. So he bit his tongue and put the
memories of his own rape aside.
He laid a soft kiss on Mulder's cheek then enfolded the man in his arms. Together
they lay back on the bed, both lost in their own worlds as the memories of the
past few days drifted by. Eventually they must have slept waking a few hours
later when Dana Scully knocked on the door to call them to dinner.
A frantic rush as two men tried to use the bathroom at the same time brought a
smile to both faces as they tried to do the same things in the same order.
"You take the shower while I shave... and then we swap."
Krycek kissed the stubbled cheek and jumped into the shower, glaring back
playfully at the swat Mulder gave to his bare ass. When they came out of the
bathroom they found clothes laid out on the bed. At first it wasn't obvious whose
were whose as they were the same height and not too dissimilar a build but then
they spotted the embroidered initials on the silk pocket handkerchiefs.
Mulder turned away from the full size dress mirror to ask Alex what he thought
but the words caught in his throat. Gone was the street-wise punk. The man who
stood before him in the black tuxedo was a vision to behold. The tailored jacket
emphasising the broad shoulders and slim waist; the green of the silk
handkerchief enhancing the brilliance of those beautiful eyes. Mulder cleared his
throat.
"Not too shabby, Krycek."
"You too."
Another thump on the door brought them back.
"Hey, cummon you two. I'm starving."
"Scully."
"Best not keep a hungry woman waiting."
Dinner was a civilised affair and, after all that had happened, neither Mulder
nor Scully were surprised to see their Tuareg guide seated at the table dressed
resplendently in a tuxedo.
"I believe you have met Mr Nouira"
"How did...?"
The Englishman interrupted, one bony finger raised to admonish his guest.
"Mr Mulder. We agreed to leave all the questions until after dinner."
Mulder subsided reluctantly. A sideways glance at both his partner and his lover
showed similar expressions on their faces. Krycek hid his half-smile before the
Englishman noticed; he had been here before, metaphorically speaking. Having
experienced several shared meals with the Englishman he had come to realise that
this was more than just force of habit. In such a precarious business it paid to
keep Consortium business away from the dinner table where the uninformed might
overhear. Better to be accustomed to dealing with this business in the privacy of
the Library where only those invited could listen in.
The meal was excellent, more so considering the last few days but ended none too
soon for Fox Mulder. By the time the last empty dish was removed he was fidgeting
like a small child and their host eventually decided to take pity on him.
"Shall we adjourn to the Library."
With a half-smile he pushed back his chair, stood then turned and walked towards
the French doors expecting his guests to follow. With a 'come on' expression
aimed at both Scully and Krycek, Mulder shot out of his chair, his long legs
helping him to catch up with the Englishman quickly but he remained silent until
the doors of the Library had closed behind them. Seated comfortably with a brandy
snifter in one hand, Mulder held his lover's gaze for a moment while the elderly
man lit a cigar.
"You may begin, Mr Mulder."
"O...kay. First. What is his role in all this?"
The hand holding the brandy glass waved towards their one-time guide.
The Englishman gave a small smile. He had anticipated this being the first
question even though there were far more important issues to be discussed. It was
this insight into people's character's that had made him such a powerful leader.
He knew Mulder would be annoyed about Nouira; knew the FBI agent would have taken
this subterfuge personally as if the deception was intended just for him alone
but then, Mulder had been deceived on so many levels, so many times; given false
trails to follow... false partners to rely on.
He glanced across at the young Russian American that he had taken under his wing.
He couldn't take the blame... or the praise for that mistake for it was his long
time associate Spender who had recruited, trained and assigned the idealistic
young man albeit with a gentle push from him. What he could do was take the
credit for recognising the promise shown... and for capitalising on the
attraction between his Alex and Fox Mulder. As part of a team they would be
formidable. Alex would keep Mulder focussed on the fight and Mulder would give
Alex the psychological support he needed; an ally, a friend... a lover.
Of course he could not overlook the importance of Dana Scully. She was a
grounding influence against Mulder's proclivity to look for the esoteric rather
than the simplest explanation in every case and she would be the anchor
required to keep Krycek from becoming another Spender. Alex was his protégé; the
man who would inherit the leadership of the Human Resistance. No-one else had
displayed that unique mix of determination and intelligence needed to organise
Earth defences against the invading Colonists but 'power' could be a corrupting
influence. Krycek would be walking a razor's edge. On one side lay the darkness
of megalomania; ruthlessness, self-glorification. On the other side lay despair,
fear for life and limb. With Mulder and Scully walking the razor's edge with him
there was less chance that he might topple and that could only benefit the fight
for the future.
He realised, suddenly, that Mulder was still awaiting an answer to his question.
"As you so rightly surmised, Mr Nouira is not a Guide for hire. We had narrowed
down the possible location of the second mothership to a desert region." He
halted abruptly, his eyes stabbing Mulder's like lasers. "Of course you did
realise that only Spender and Strughold were informed of its location."
Mulder sneered.
"You don't expect me to believe you didn't..."
"Oh but I do, Mr Mulder. The First Elder felt the less people who knew, the
better the security and that applied even to the rest of the Consortium
leadership. If I may continue..."
Mulder nodded his consent begrudgingly.
"Mr Nouira has been stationed outside the Tunisian international airport for the
past two months waiting for something or someone who might lead us to the
mothership... but, perhaps I ought to let Mr Nouira continue."
The dark-skinned Arab smiled, pleased to have the opportunity to explain. He
studied Mulder for a moment before continuing.
"I recognised you. Realised there could be little reason for you to be in Tunisia
unless you had information to follow-up on a paranormal... or extra-terrestrial
nature. I followed you to the Sahara then paid off the other Guides and offered
my services."
Scully leant forward, her cerulean blue eyes narrowed to slivers; her pert lips
pulled into a questioning pout.
"You had a vial of the vaccine on you."
Brilliant white teeth shone up against his rich coffee-coloured flesh.
"Of course. A precautionary measure should one of our operatives be infected by
the retrovirus. I was vaccinated before taking up the assignment. I believe you
were given the same vaccine onboard the Antarctic mothership."
"If Krycek is one of your men then why wasn't he vaccinated?"
"Aahh. Perhaps I had better explain that anomaly." All eyes turned back to the
elderly Englishman. "Mr Krycek was vaccinated some time ago but has recently
undergone a... physical change that has destroyed his immunity to the retrovirus.
I decided it was in his best interest if we delayed re-vaccinating him on the
grounds that we had no idea how his altered DNA would react. We were in the
process of testing his blood work when our laboratory was destroyed. Mr Nouira
took a gamble when he injected Mr Krycek with the vaccine but, under the
circumstances, a necessary gamble."
Alex sat forward, licking his suddenly dry lips.
"I think this is where I come in with my questions."
The old man smiled benevolently at the young man who would eventually replace
him. He felt a paternal warmth rising within that should have been there whenever
he gazed upon his own natural children. For a brief moment he understood
Spender's disappointment with his acknowledged son, Jeffrey... and his pride in
Fox Mulder; the unacknowledged one. For him, Alex Krycek had become a surrogate
son; an heir to his 'empire'. Of course he would bequeath all the legally
registered wealth to his natural children but Alex Krycek would inherit a
considerable amount more. All of the hidden resources and wealth of the Human
Resistance would be at his disposal for the fight to save Humanity.
"My dear boy, I believe you already know most of the answers. I can only offer my
apologies for not suspecting that you carried implants. But then, if I had
known I would have never chosen you as my successor. That would have been a
monumental loss. However, your exposure to the Rebels was most fortuitous. Apart
from the obvious physical change..." He motioned towards Krycek's left arm. "...I
expect you have discovered several new abilities. Mr Mulder's continued
well-being is testament to one of those..."
"Jeremiah Smith."
"Aaah. Of course. I had forgotten your involvement with our first alien ally. I
believe Mr Smith demonstrated his healing abilities quite publicly... and his
morphing abilities too if memory serves me correct. However, Alex is not a pure
blood. I believe you will find he has similar abilities but to a far lesser
degree."
"You said 'several new abilities'. I can think of only two but... several
implies more than two."
"How astute, Alex. Yes, there is one other ability that has yet to be triggered.
Mr Mulder has come across it already."
The Englishman waited while Mulder racked his brain to determine this third
ability. His search took him back through every encounter... back to BioTechnics
where the mutilated features of the Rebel alien had... His eyes widened. The
alien had no mouth and yet Mulder had heard him speak so clearly.
"Telepathy."
"Well done." He held up one hand to forestall the expected question. "I have no
idea how this ability can be triggered but advise you to proceed with caution.
Once switched on it may prove more of a hindrance than a help."
Further talk was interrupted as Verdault entered the room carrying a note on a
silver plate. He presented it to his employer and waited silently. The Englishman
read the note, his seamed mouth curling up at the edges.
"It appears our Rebel friends have scored a victory in this war. The Tunisian
mothership has been destroyed along with all the Colonists onboard."
"What happened to the other ship? The Antarctic ship."
"Unknown... although it is thought it might be hiding in the Moon's shadow. That
takes it out of our reach..."
"But not out of reach of the Rebels." Mulder's eyes held a dangerous glint as he
spoke.
"Hmmm. Unfortunately, they do not have the resources to confront a mothership in
space whereas, on the ground, it is defenceless." The Englishman smiled.
"However, we have scored a major victory. Colonisation has been set back at least
a decade. This buys us more time to continue the fight."
"And the bad news?"
The low, husky tone caught everyone's attention and Alex watched as the smile
faltered on the old man's face.
"Yes. The bad news. It appears our Colonists have another mothership on route to
Earth. It will arrive within the next eight years. That leaves us little time to
complete our work on a vaccine that can be administered globally and even then,
we will still need to defend the Earth against an invasion." The old man looked
at each of the four. "I am afraid you will have your work cut out for you in the
years ahead."
The Englishman drew the crystal glass to his lips and sipped slowly, relishing
the warm flow of the brandy down his dry throat. There was so much more to
discuss... but enough tonight. He tipped up the glass to drain the last of the
brandy and then reached out to press a small button near his chair. Moments later
Verdault entered. The old man stood. He smiled gently at the four guests.
"We have spoken enough for tonight." He held up his hand to forestall any
argument. "I am an old man who needs his sleep. We will speak here again
tomorrow, after breakfast. Mr Verdault will summon you when it is time."
With a final nod of his head he bid them all goodnight and walked through the
door.
Master Bedroom
The old man slipped off his robe and climbed into the comfortable bed, drawing
the light covers up around him. Today had been as exhausting as he had expected
but also some what of a relief. Until now he had only his gut feelings to rely
upon but as his thoughts dwelt upon the four people he had left behind in the
Library he felt some of the worry lift from his shoulders.
They were young, full of promise and full of hope. He had been like them once but
he knew he was living on borrowed time and they were the future. Tomorrow he
would begin to prime Alexei Krycek, Fox Mulder, Dana Scully and Hamed Nouira for
their new roles.
He reflected for a moment on what those roles would be.
Hamed Nouira; loyal, dependable, strong and assertive. He would be in charge of
all the security, ensuring the safety of the three others as far as humanly
possible.
Dana Scully; a doctor in her own right. She would oversee all the scientific
research. Currently there were numerous projects being worked on, the most
important of which was the continued development of a vaccine that would destroy
the Colonists ability to use humans as hosts. The Englishman's mouth drooped as
his thoughts returned to Bonita Charne-Sayre, his murdered lover. She had come so
close to creating the perfect vaccine using the Variola virus but, fortunately,
not all of her work had been destroyed by the Russian assassin. Enough remained
for his scientists to restart the project. Tomorrow he would hand all of this
research material over to Scully.
Fox Mulder; an exceptional man in all respects. His unique ability to get inside
another man's head had made him one of the FBI's top profilers and a formidable
presence within the X-Files. The old man smiled. Mulder would have made a
brilliant psychologist but fate had chosen a different path for him. He would be
Krycek's chief advisor and conscience, but more than that he would be Alexei's
companion, providing the same supportive role that Bonita had filled for him.
Tomorrow he would hand over all the information collected on the invading
Colonists over the past 5 decades, giving the Agent all the answers to all the
questions he had ever asked. The Englishman pursed his lips as he wondered how
Mulder would take the news that he had been experimented upon for most of his
life. Unlike the others, though, Mulder had never been given implants. At first
this was because the Colonists were wary of adding anything that might affect the
results of their tests but later it had been deemed too dangerous; a justifiable
decision considering the number of X-rays Mulder had submitted himself to over
the past few years.
As for Alexei Krycek, he had the toughest role of all of them but, with Mulder
and Scully by his side, the Englishman had no doubt that he would prove himself
more than equal to the task ahead. He supposed some would find it strange that he
had chosen Alex Krycek to succeed him as leader of the Human Resistance rather
than Fox Mulder but, when looked at closely, he was the logical choice. Krycek
possessed a 'darkness' within him; an ability to do what was necessary rather
than what was morally correct. The fate of the human race would be in his hands
and, what was that saying? 'The Good of the many outweighs the good of the few,
or the one.' There would be occasions when 'a few' would have to be sacrificed in
order to save them all but neither Scully nor Mulder had the 'darkness' within
them to order that sacrifice. They would falter; torn by the moral dilemma, and
all would be lost.
With a last sigh, he ordered his thoughts and then closed his eyes. There were
still many things to do but, tonight, for the first time in many years, he felt
as if a great weight had been lifted from his frail shoulders. Within moments, he
slipped into a deep, restful sleep.
The Bounty Hunter gazed out of the large viewport into the darkness beyond, lost
in thought. Very little light reached the dark side of the Earth's only natural
satellite but what little there was emphasised the deep impact craters and
canyons that pitted the Moon's surface. He had barely escaped the approaching
Rebels having, fortunately, been outside of the mothership when the attack came.
From the shadows he had seen the rescued Alexei Krycek being taken to safety
along with the delectable Fox Mulder. It was the one part of the whole debacle
that gave him a modicum of pleasure; an illicit pleasure as many of his own
people had died because of those two half- humans.
Momentarily, he wondered whether Spender had escaped incineration and then
realised that he did not care less. There were plenty more power-hungry humans on
the planet who would be only too eager to betray their whole race for their own
gain. It would not take long to establish a new Consortium to carry on where the
old left off. The laboratories were still there and so were many of the
scientists, their experiments still in progress.
Only one thing stood in the way of Colonisation; the Rebels, both alien and
human. Hunting down the rebel Colonists had taken most of his energy over the
past few decades but the Leadership had decided he should focus his attention on
the Human Resistance. They were far more vulnerable, their technology far
inferior. It was a dilemma that he had been unwilling to disclose. After more
than five decades serving his people faithfully and without compromise he had
taken a step back; had given a proper look at the new species that currently
dominated this world and realised that, primitive or not, they were intelligent
beings... and that they had a right to live.
He cursed Fox Mulder. Before his intervention he had dealt only with the
rebelling factions of his own race and the slimy dregs of humanity. It had been
easy to turn a blind eye to the rest, to keep the walls built high and strong but
Fox Mulder had shown him that there were humans willing to sacrifice themselves
for others. At first that thought had frightened him and he had been one of the
many who raised their voices demanding Mulder's elimination. Now, with memories
of that firm, willing flesh writhing under his hands, the wall had started to
crumble. The delicious sensation of having Alexei Krycek pinned beneath him had
brought more of this wall crashing down about him. He closed his eyes, his
fingers tingling as they remembered the softness of ivory skin, the exotic scent
of heated flesh.
The Morph sneered at himself. How could he reconcile these new feelings when only
a few days ago he had held the Smoker in contempt for exhibiting the same
unhealthy obsession for this same human?
His gaze turned outwards once more. Something inside him had changed and for the
first time he felt true fear.
Mulder sat down on the bed and watched his lover discard the jacket and
cummerbund, loosen the bow tie and then unbutton his shirt. He licked suddenly
dry lips as smooth, ivory flesh was slowly revealed in this unconscious strip
tease. He raised his head from the delightful glimpse of warm skin when he
realised Alex had stopped moving, discovering an amused smile curling the
sensuous lips. The smile turned, momentarily, to an impish grin. Mulder's eyes
widened as Alex placed one hand beneath the white, hanging shirt, sliding the
palm across his bare chest. He could see the movement of fingers circling the
dark areola, teasing the nipple until it tented the light fabric. Perfect white
teeth worried seductively at the fleshy bottom lip before being soothed by a
caress of the pink tongue as the palm moved down to stroke across the flat,
muscular stomach; the fingers dipping beneath the waist of the trousers for a
instant before running back up the torso. Mulder gave a groan and reached out to
grasp his lover but Krycek danced a step backward beyond his reach. The impish
smile returned.
With smooth, gentle movements he dragged the material of the bow tie from around
his neck, held it out but then dropped it to the floor before Mulder could reach
for it. The shirt fell wide open as both hands buried themselves in the silky,
sable hair before running back down over strong pectorals; down lower to the
waistband. With a flick of agile fingers the button was released and the other
hand lowered the zip slowly until the pants were gaping open.
Mulder drew in a deep, shuddering breath as Krycek lifted one foot and placed it
on the bed between his open thighs. He obeyed the unspoken request.
Suddenly-nerveless fingers untied the laces but Alex took his foot away before
Mulder could remove the shoe altogether. The other foot replaced it and Mulder
repeated his actions. He watched as Krycek toed off first one shoe then the
other. A socked foot returned, the toes nuzzling against the hardening bulge at
Mulder's groin. Mulder closed his eyes to revel in the sensation, his hips
rocking slowly in tempo until a sharp nudge brought him back. Alex smiled when
Mulder got the message and began to peel down the sock. Strong fingers caught his
foot before he could take it away, gently massaging but Mulder didn't resist when
Alex pulled away, knowing there was more to come. A second groin massage fanned
the flames of desire that were licking through his body but, once again, he
submitted to the demands of his lover. He grinned as the thought of throwing Alex
to the bed and sucking on his toes came flashing through his mind but that
thought evaporated as Alex continued with his erotic strip tease.
Alex wiggled his hips as his hands slowly pushed down the pants, fingers
releasing suddenly. The material pooled on the floor beneath him and he stepped
out of them. The white briefs could barely contain Alex's erection and Mulder's
fingers itched to reach out and flick aside the constraining material but Alex
stepped forward swiftly, pressing his clothed groin against his lover's face,
rocking his hips to rub himself against the slightly stubbled cheek. Mulder's
head turned until he could mouth the hardened flesh through the thin cotton, his
saliva adding to the wetness of precum. His hands grabbed the narrow hips holding
Alex in place as he tried to suck on the cotton covered head. Above him Alex
moaned, enjoying the additional friction from the material sliding against the
sensitive tip, his hands burying themselves in the thick chestnut hair, pushing
Mulder harder against him. A surge of desire heralded the start of his orgasm
and, with a moan of regret he pushed Mulder away. He had plans for tonight... and
creaming his shorts weren't part of them.
"Uh, uh."
Alex admonished his lover as Mulder tried to recapture him. He turned his back
and then slowly removed the damp briefs, the shirt tail riding up as he bent over
giving Mulder a perfect view of one of his best features.
Mulder breathed his lover's name as his hands reached forward to cup the soft,
muscular asscheeks. He massaged the pale globes, his thumbs sliding down the
crevice to gently pull the cheeks apart. Leaning forward, he breathed in the rich
scent of his lover as his tongue swiped across the exposed opening.
"Alex!"
Green eyes, full of mischief glanced back over the broad shoulders as Alex
straightened and moved away, stepping out of the briefs that were pooled around
his ankles. He shrugged the white dress shirt from his shoulders, allowing it to
fall far enough to expose the powerful shoulder muscles but hide the delicious
ass. A quick action at each wrist released the cuffs and the shirt was, suddenly,
floating down the body like the unveiling of a statue. Tongue in cheek, he half
turned back towards his panting lover, giving Mulder the erotic view of the
rose-red, hardened flesh arcing up towards his navel.
"I'm gonna take a shower..."
"What!"
Alex bolted for the bathroom door with the sound of several expletives exploding
from his lover. He made it barely in time to shut the door in Mulder's face and
turn the latch. Mulder thumped on the bathroom door as the sound of soft laughter
and running water floated from beyond.
"Damn Cocktease... Aw! Cummon, Alex. You wouldn't leave me like this? Would you?"
Several minutes passed while Mulder repeated his entreaties. Suddenly, he froze
as the snick of the latch being released was heard. He turned the handle and
gently pushed open the door to reveal Alex standing in the centre of the large
bathroom. Beside him the tub was half-filled with hot water and plenty of bubbles
but Mulder barely glanced at this, his whole attention taken up by the
mesmerising sight before him. He swallowed hard as a hand reached out to him,
allowing himself to be pulled into the strong embrace. Something primeval
overtook his senses as he luxuriated in the feel of willing, naked flesh pressed
against the length of his own still-clothed body. He sought out the pink, bowed
lips, crushing them against his own as his tongue slipped past to claim that
pretty mouth, relishing the feel of the pliant body bending beneath him
submissively. His delusions of dominating possession were swiftly discarded as
the body in his arms twisted round and he found himself falling backwards into
the hot tub, still fully clothed.
Mulder spluttered back up to the surface, flicking the wet hair from his eyes and
glared at the man howling in laughter above him.
"You bastard."
"You know, you've gotta dirty mouth, Mulder. Perhaps I should wash it out with
soap..."
"You dare and I'll..."
Mulder reached out suddenly, catching Alex by surprise. He snared a wrist and
pulled Alex into the tub on top of him. More laughter filled the bathroom as they
splashed and thrashed against each other unconcerned with the amount of water
that slopped over the edge to soak the floor.
Both men were panting hard by the time their game subsided and Alex's heart
melted at the beautiful grin Mulder aimed at his playful lover. More water
slopped over the edge as Mulder sat upright. He carried on grinning as Alex
helped him remove the sodden clothing, the items landing with a wet smack upon
the tiled floor.
"You are a bastard."
"Okay, that does it. Where's the soap?"
"Yes, it does, doesn't it?"
Alex paused, momentarily bemused until it clicked.
"Eww!! Mulder, that's obscene."
"Is it?"
Mulder licked his lips as he picked up the cake of soap from the tray, rubbing it
between his hands to produce a lather, one eyebrow raised questioningly until a
smile of devilry broke across the angelic face. Alex turned and leaned against
the edge of the tub, raising his ass at the same time. Waves of water lapped over
the edge as Mulder moved up behind him. Lather-coated hands pulled his cheeks
apart as Mulder gave in to the urge to rim the tight muscle. A quiet moan and a
quivering of the strong thighs accompanied the thrusting of his tongue.
Gradually, the muscle relaxed and Mulder pulled away to replace his tongue with
slippery soap-covered fingers. Alex thrust back onto the single digit as it slid
home, angling his descent so the tip would scrape across the sensitive prostate.
He gasped as licks of fire radiated outwards along his nerve endings. Mulder
continued the gentle finger fucking replacing the one with two and then three
fingers as he slowly stretched the opening.
"Mulder!"
Taking pity on his lover, Mulder withdrew and slicked more of the soap over his
own straining flesh. He positioned himself behind Alex and pushed in slowly,
savouring the feel of hot, tight flesh gripping his aching erection. He sighed as
he glided smoothly into the well-prepared body, his hands holding Alex firmly
around the hips as he ground against the back of his lover's firm thighs. Ripples
became waves as he thrust harder and faster into the willing body, grateful for
the non-slip matting beneath his knees that kept him from sliding in the water.
One hand snaked around to fist the hard cock, pumping Alex in time with his own
thrusts. He felt the ass muscles clench, heard the pants become gasps as suddenly
Alex stilled, keening out softly as he came against the side of the tub. Mulder
thrust once, twice, throwing back his head as wave after wave of ecstasy swept
over him as he pumped his seed deep into the beautiful body. He collapsed against
the solid back, mouth clamping down on the juncture of neck and shoulder as he
marked this man as his own.
Pulling away, finally, Mulder moved back as Alex turned, watching as his
beautiful lover draped himself over the edge of the tub, head thrown back, suds
clinging seductively to the satiated body. Alex moaned contentedly.
"You know, I could get used to this life." "Well, don't. I don't believe our English 'friend' is planning to keep us in the
lap of luxury without some payment in return."
Krycek smiled sadly.
"You don't get it, do you, Mulder?"
He pulled himself up and climbed out of the bath, wrapping an oversize towel
around himself before turning back.
"When you came after me, you burned all your bridges. It would be suicide to
return to the life you had... and even if it wasn't, I couldn't go back with you.
I'd be dead within a few weeks."
Mulder shivered, as much from the rapidly cooling water as from the morbidity of
the discussion. He stood up, shaking the droplets from his skin before stepping
out into the warmth of the fresh towel Alex held out.
"And what about Scully?"
Crinkle lines appeared around the sea-green eyes as Alex gave a 'what do you
think' kind of shrug. Mulder sighed. Krycek was right. None of them could return
to their former lives; they had seen too much, done too much. Their only hope lay
with the well-spoken, well-dressed Englishman who had intimated that he had plans
for each of them. Tomorrow they would be offered a new path; hopefully, one that
would keep them alive... and together.
Mulder briskly rubbed himself dry and then threw the towel onto the tiled floor
to soak up some of the water that lay there. He watched Krycek do the same and
then drew closer to the other man, pulling his lover into his arms.
Alex sighed and leaned his head upon the strong shoulder, his arms wrapping
themselves around the lean torso; his fingers stroking the soft skin of lower
back. His body felt both invigorated and yet languid as he pressed closer to the
almost hairless chest, enjoying the pleasant burn of possession, emotionally and
physically. He felt arms tighten around his own body in response and smiled into
the warm flesh. It seemed as if a lifetime of pain and misery had passed since he
first set eyes upon this beautiful, intelligent man. No doubt the future held
even more of the same and yet, somehow, Alex knew the good times would far
outweigh the bad.
He whispered softly to his lover.
"Let's go to bed."
They moved as one to the large bed and slid between the warm sheets. Eventually
they slept, still wrapped in each other's embrace.
Same Time
CBG Spender sat on the edge of the lumpy bed and smiled at the young man standing
in the centre of the room. Shaking a cigarette from the pack, he reached into his
pocket for his lighter but the 'boy' moved faster, producing a steady flame from
his own lighter.
Bright boy.
He bent his head forward to capture the flame with the tip of the cigarette, his
thoughts returning to another 'bright boy' who shared similar physical
characteristics to this one and then, inevitably, to those final moments in the
Tunisian mothership....
He had led Mulder to his Alex; had gazed upon that beautiful face once more
before darkness closed around him. When he awoke he had found the corridor filled
with the chittering newborns. If he had not been given the patch that slowly
released pheromones to mask the scent of his humanity, then he would have been
torn apart by the creatures. Instead, he had slowly pushed his way through the
hideous, scratching mass of hatchlings as they followed the scent of new prey
towards the surface; his fearful heart beating so hard and fast that he thought
it might burst.
Once he had reached the surface he'd wasted no time contacting his people, making
straight for the helicopter when it settled down onto the landing pad. As he'd
clambered inside he had heard a shout and seen Strughold running towards him.
Behind him, the heavy-set bulks of the Rebel Aliens had been silhouetted against
the fiery back-drop. He had hesitated, momentarily, and then turned away and
ordered the pilot to take off. He had looked back in time to see Strughold turn
to meet his death; watched dispassionately, as flames engulfed his former
colleague's form.
His thoughts returned to the present, watching as the young, dark-haired hustler
attempted to strip provocatively for him, but he could see there was no emotion
in the dull, green eyes. Spender sighed, and took one last drag from the
cigarette before stubbing it out in the ashtray. He reached out and trailed his
nicotine-stained fingers down the smooth skin and along the length of the swollen
shaft.
He smiled softly and dreamt of his Alex.
THE END
Walking The Razor's Edge
Part 3
Consortium Research Station
Sahara Desert, Tunisia
Sahara Desert, Tunisia
Sahara Desert, Tunisia
Apartment 42
Alexandria
Consortium Research Station
Sahara Desert, Tunisia
West Wing
New York City
