Chapter Three
The sun finally burned off the last of the mist allowing a ray to bounce off the molding to slash right into his eye. Lifting up his head from the headrest, he looked around, trying to work the kink out of his neck. It took him a moment to notice the weight on his lap.
At first, he thought that the cat had managed to squeeze through the window. However, it wasn’t a snowy white fur ball that held his attention, but burnished auburn flames fanned out across his thigh. He followed the line of her body, curled up on the seat next to him. If he’d been completely awake he could have, would have, stopped himself. But his hand had a mind of its own and he brushed his fingers over hair that had intrigued him from their first meeting. He was just glad that her nose was buried in the crease of his thigh instead of his crotch, for when she stirred she nuzzled his side and not his cock. He watched her work out where she was, and the two of them froze at the impropriety. Regretfully, he pulled his hand away. Stretching back to give her time to sit, he pondered the reason why she was with him: here on the mountain; here in this car; hell, here in his life.
Scully didn’t know how the hell she was going to get out of this. How could she explain that she’d often fallen asleep on Mulder’s shoulder when they were stuck somewhere. She’d even fallen asleep in his arms. She couldn’t remember being in this position before, however. Lifting up, she relished the scent of him. It was pure male without a hint of artifice. She knew she should look away, not meet his gaze, not embarrass him more than he was already. However, a quick glance showed that no matter how embarrassed he might be, he was still aroused by her presence. Licking her lips she finally looked him in the eye. For just a moment, she saw the flicker of intense desire. ‘How long? Or, is it just the situation? What if it had been Diane Fowley and now me?’
His Adams apple bobbed in his effort to speak. "Agent."
"Sir." They’d done nothing wrong. She was proving it by keeping her eyes locked on his. But he must have seen the long buried desire in her eyes. His hand cupped her cheek and she thought she might implode. She moved back to him slowly.
Her eyes dropped to his mouth. She’d always thought it thin and cold. Suddenly, she needed to be sure.
"Dana?"
Their lips hovered so close. "What?" she whispered just before they kissed — all too briefly.
"Hey! Scully?"
She jerked back. "Jesus! He’s worse than Mulder."
Skinner flopped back against the seat, almost glad that Frohike had interrupted them, just as Kirsch, standing there just outside the elevator, had interrupted their kiss years ago. He’d often dreamt of what would have happened if the elevator doors had not opened that day. How long would he invent scenarios that involved a mountain, a Caddy and her?
Frohike was standing in front of the car, a worried grin on his face. "Oh! There you are. Hey, Skinner! Did the batteries charge?"
Skinner checked the battery readout on the car and the computer. "Yeah. They’re both fine." By the time he’d closed the computer and handed it out to Frohike, Scully fled back into the house.
"You come up with a plan?" Frohike asked, ignoring what he’d interrupted. Skinner pushed out of the car and walked into the woods. The house was overcrowded now and he needed a moment to relieve his bladder and get better control of his emotions.
Thankfully, Frohike gave him the privacy he so desperately needed. Returning to the clearing Skinner surveyed the green-covered cabin before him. "I swear the damn stuff is alien," he muttered taking in the growth that had crept up around the opening of the house.
"Yeah, I guess burning it off is the best, but only temporary way they deal with it down here." Frohike studied the big man before him. He couldn’t believe that Skinner and Scully had been making out in the front seat of the Cadillac. ‘How long has that been going on?’ He shook the memory away for a moment. "Of course, it would be rather noticeable to have a fire at the top of the mountain."
"Not to mention that the house would go up with the kudzu," Skinner dryly pointed out. He ran his hands over his face. "Listen, how bad is that path — between you and me.
"Between you and me? I’m not going back down expect in the back of that Cadillac."
Skinner sighed. Then he stalked over to the entrance of the rutted lane. The rain had stopped yesterday, but the lane was still a mire of red clay. Delicately inching his shoe over it, he lightly touched it and brought it back. As if he’d thrown a stone on it, the surface seemed to shimmer and ripple out. Looking around he spotted a dead branch. Snapping it off the tree, he probed the depth. "Damn."
"How bad?" Frohike demanded. He whistled when Skinner showed him the stick. "That’s four inches!"
"Yeah and I didn’t push down as hard as I could have; as hard as the car will push on it."
"We’re not going anywhere for a while, Big Guy."
Skinner nodded. "But I have to get to Atlanta and find out what’s going on. I need to access the data base and talk to people."
Frohike pulled a cell phone from his pocket. "With this and the computer, you can do all that from here."
"No good enough. Come on. Let’s eat and discuss it."
Tina sat on the sofa, hugging herself. She watched the newcomers, interlopers really. Skinner had been completely focused on their problem. But now that the red-head and her companion had arrived, she’d sensed the change. Skinner wasn’t going to help them now. He had reinforcements. He’d leave them up here to fend for themselves.
"Don’t worry," Zoey said, settling next to her. "TW says he’s still going to help us."
Tina eyed her friend and sighed. What right did she have to insist that Zoey couldn’t talk to the dog? After all, Billy talked to her. Only he’d said nothing since those two had shown up last night. Why? Even when she was alone in the bathroom, washing up, he’d not come to her. She wanted him to tell her that everything was going to be okay. She didn’t want Zoey’s reassurances or TW’s for that matter.
"You know Walter’s sweet on her. TW said so." Zoey was trying hard to cheer up her friend. Something was bothering Tina and Zoey needed to figure out what so that she could fix it, just like she always did. "Agent Scully looks quite competent."
Tina sniffed. "More than I can say for that man!"
"Oh now, Maggie is quite taken with him." Zoey was rather shocked and dismayed at the way the cat was stalking Mr. Frohike, who was setting up the computer again on the game table unaware of the feline’s intense interest.
"Bosh!" Tina snapped irritably.
Zoey sighed. Maybe it was just nerves. Last night had been strange. Having Giles sleep in the same room with them for three nights had stirred long buried memories and deep buried desires. Which was ridiculous! They were in their seventies for goodness sakes! It was wrong; as wrong as what Jimmy had done here and elsewhere decades ago. She rubbed her forehead vigorously trying to erase the memories of that day that she’d followed her husband. She’d expected to find him with one of his many girlfriends. However, when she saw the passionate kisses between Billy and his latest male lover, it had hurt worse than she’d ever expected. It still did, though she still loved him deeply. She’d been such a faithful wife. Why hadn’t she been enough for him? Why hadn’t she had the power to let him go? Why had the desperate desire for Billy to notice her and love her crowd out all opportunities for real happiness? With Giles? She heaved a sigh and for just a moment, Maggie’s attention was riveted on her. And not for the first time, Zoey was utterly shocked by the cat’s reaction. ‘Bah! You stupid cat! We’re too old!’
‘Yesssssss. But you’re not dead. Yet.’
Unable to help her friend and unwilling to listen to the cat’s obscene suggestions, Zoey struggled out of the couch. Her hip had fully healed which, considering how little the nursing home had worked with her, was downright miraculous. Looking around for something to do, Zoey decided to help to help Giles in the kitchen.
"Good morning, Miss Zoey," Giles said as he carefully constructed a frittata out of remains of their supplies. He didn’t want to mention it, but there wouldn’t be much food after today. However, it wasn’t in his nature to worry either of the women. He would pull Walter aside and they would have a heart-to-heart about the realities of the situation. And it wasn’t just that the food was running out. While it didn’t seem to bother either woman that he slept at the foot of the bed on the chaise lounge, he wasn’t sure where they were going to put the extra person, unless one of them slept in the car. The two couches, while comfortable, would only sleep one each. He supposed the one armchair, with one of the card table chairs to support the person’s feet, would work in a pinch. But the truth was, this cabin was not what they’d hoped it would be. ‘Comes from taking the advice of a dead man.’
"Can I help?" Zoey studied the man who’d been in love with her for nearly forty years. Sighing deeply, she moved closer to Giles.
He looked down at her in confusion. "The coffee’s on the hearth. It should be done. Can you lift it off the spit? It shouldn’t be too heavy."
"I can do that." She gave him one last appraisal then returned to the living room. The FBI agent was already pouring coffee into the mugs the four of them had used last night. Zoey turned back to find two more cups, only to bump into Giles. The electricity that sparked between them only made her angry. ‘Too old, too late! Damn you, Maggie!’
The cat yowled in protest.
‘Damn you, Jimmy!’ She finally released the anger that she’d held in check her entire married life and widowhood.
And, for the first time since he died, she heard Jimmy’s whispered sigh, ‘I know sweetie pie. I know I done you wrong.’ Hot tears flooded her eyes and she twisted around to run to the bedroom to hide. Only her hip wasn’t as heeled as she’d thought. She would have fallen to the floor from the pain, but Giles reached out to grab her, holding the frittata in one hand, her in the other. He would have dropped the heavy cast iron skillet, had Skinner not witnessed the entire thing. Two long strides had him by their side and in a move that would forever endear him to Giles, he reached not for Zoey, but for the skillet. Giles, both hands free now, gently embraced her.
"Let me go," she wailed.
"Come and sit down, Miss Zoey," he gently insisted.
"Stop it! Stop calling me that! It sounds so, so, so damned civilized and phony. I know that it must kill you to be so subservient!"
"Zoey!" Tina struggled out of the couch. She’d witnessed the entire scene, but was unclear of the emotions coursing from her friend.
Scully rushed up and offered her support to Zoey, who was sobbing uncontrollably. Giles released her to Scully’s care, calming took the heavy skillet from Skinner and stoically walked over to the fire. He stooped down to place the skillet on the tripod, studiously ignoring the weeping woman, and the insistent pain in his heart. ‘You old fool!’
"What just happened back there?" Skinner demanded from just behind him.
"Not a thing, sir."
"Don’t give me that God damned Jeeves act!"
Giles sighed and turned to face Skinner. Looking up from his crouch, he repeated. "Nothing occurred. It’s just nerves. Something is going to have to happen and soon. You only see them while they’re awake." Pushing up off the ground, his look kept Skinner from helping him.
On the couch Scully and Tina were sitting on either side of Zoey who just sat there, embarrassment coloring her scalp through the thin white hair. He’d loved her from the moment that he’d met her, but he’d held his tongue for over forty years. He wasn’t going to break now.
His voice dropped even lower and Skinner had to strain to hear him. "They are quite frightened that they’ll not be able to make this right. Their sleep isn’t restful."
"What? Are they afraid they’re going to be put back in that nursing home? Do you honestly think you can take care of them?"
Giles straightened and Skinner could see the determination in cold blue eyes. "I will die before I allow them to suffer that indignity again! But that isn’t what’s bothering them at all. They feel a great responsibility to Reilly and the other employees of Grayson Industries."
Unable to reassure him that he could help, Skinner pointed to the skillet in the fireplace. "You better check that." He stalked away while Giles tended the breakfast. The others were looking at him, expecting him to make everything right, including this oh so very Southern melodrama that had obviously been simmering for longer than the past couple of days. But then, why not? Wasn’t that his role in life? Fix things?
"Walter!" Tina stood, ignoring Zoey for the moment. "What are we going to do? Can the car make it down the hill? We have to get to Atlanta!"
"Sit down, Miss Tina."
"Besides," she continued as if he hadn’t spoken. "We’re running out of food."
"Sit down!" He really hadn’t meant to roar. He half expected Maggie to jump on his head and TW to take a bite out of his kneecap. But, looking down, he found the cat weaving through his legs, rubbing up against them almost as if she was trying to calm him down. Looking around he found TW sitting just inside the still open door eyeing him with an expression that Skinner tried hard to decipher.
"TW says it’s going to be alright," Zoey said tiredly. Bracing her weight on Scully’s thigh, she stood. "I’m rather tired still. I didn’t sleep well last night." Carefully walking to the bedroom door, she paused for a moment to consider Giles who was stirring the contents of the skillet. "I’m very sorry for my loss of control. Please forgive me."
"There’s nothing to forgive," Giles said. But he didn’t look up and she knew that she’d hurt him deeply.
The rest of them shared the breakfast. Frohike looked rather nonplussed at the amount of food in his plate, but said nothing. He carefully buttered the piece of bread that Giles had rationed to him. "Uhm…I don’t suppose there’s a Quick Mart around the next bend?"
"There is no next bend, Mr. Frohike," Giles said firmly. With Zoey gone to the bedroom, he felt more comfortable discussing the realities as he saw it. Tina Grayson had always been the stronger of the two, though he’d never point that fact out. "We have enough bread to make sandwiches with the last of the canned meat."
Skinner shuddered. He hated canned meat. "Well I checked the lane. The car won’t make it down for a few days. There’s nothing for it. I’ll go down the way that Scully and Frohike came up. I’ll bring back provisions."
"Perhaps you could find some kind of conveyance that would make it up the trail?" Tina offered.
"Perhaps," Skinner said. "I’ll figure that out when I get down there." He turned his full attention to Scully. "Do you know who’s heading the investigation?"
"Derek Alden," she said cautiously.
Skinner wasn’t really surprised. After all, Alden was SAC of Atlanta. However, if Frohike’s reports were correct then Alden was also the agent who’d investigated the boating accident ten years ago. He had no personal knowledge of the accident or the investigation, but he didn’t like the way the reports were written. He needed to get down the mountain.
"I think he’s dirty!" Frohike said.
"You think Mother Teresa had an angle," Skinner retorted. Frohike didn’t bother to react.
Scully had carefully watched the interaction between Skinner and the old people. She needed to find out why he’d agreed to help them. This wasn’t the Skinner she knew. But then, there was suddenly a lot about Skinner that she wanted to explore more deeply. "Sir, why don’t I show you the way down? That way, if we can’t find some kind of conveyance, I can carry more supplies."
Skinner didn’t think that was such a great idea. He wasn’t sure if he should be alone with her. Besides, he wasn’t comfortable leaving Tina and Zoey alone with just Frohike and Giles to watch out for them. "Does your brother-in-law know about this place?"
Tina didn’t think so. ‘Billy?’ She silently prayed that he would answer. But only stony silence met her entreaty. "No. I don’t think so," she finally whispered.
Skinner looked to Giles who could only shake his head no. "Billy never mentioned it, though I assumed he knew about this place."
"You know?" Tina gasped.
"Of course."
"Oh." She was profoundly hurt that Giles had never mentioned it to her.
Skinner glanced at Frohike wondering what kind of trouble he could get into up here. "You play cards?" he finally asked with no inflection.
Frohike did his own careful consideration of the people at the table. He’d not been lying when he said he wasn’t about to go back down that mountain on foot. After returning from his stint in the jungles of Viet Nam, he’d vowed to never set foot in a forest again. Last night was more than enough for this half of his life. He didn’t think his legs would ever stop aching. "Yeah, I play cards."
"Lovely!" Tina graced him with a sweet smile and Frohike was suddenly very nervous, particularly when he saw the wide grin on Skinner’s face. Glancing down, he found Maggie gently kneading his thigh.
Skinner allowed Scully to lead them down the steep path. He was glad to find the mulching thick. He didn’t have to worry about slipping and he could concentrate on the sway of her hips.
"I’m surprised that you made it up here with Frohike," he said after nearly an hour of silent effort.
"I am too." She glanced back over her shoulder. "There’s a clearing here. Lets rest a bit." Once she’d caught her breath she asked softly, "So? Are you going to fill me in?"
He eyed her carefully, deciding what to tell her. The sun streaked through the overhang of the trees. One ray of light spotlighted her face. Her eyes sparked an unnamable blue and her hair blazed like the embers of the fire. In that moment, she claimed him and he knew he couldn’t lie to her.
"They kidnapped me." He said with as much self-amusement as he could muster. "Excuse me?" Her smirk demanded that he let her in on the joke.
He grunted sourly and surveyed the forest around him. The trees around them were tight together save for the trail and one other spot leading toward what he knew had to be the valley and the lake he’d seen before. Needing to get control of his emotions, he plunged into the darkness again. Ten steps brought him to a drop off.
‘Oh my," she whispered in awe. "It’s beautiful."
The color of the lake reminded him of her eyes, vivid blue and somehow comforting. Lush pine trees almost completely surrounded it. One rowboat, right in the middle, gave the painting its focal point.
"Incredible," he sighed. He should be fishing instead of mucking up another agent’s investigation. ‘Oh hell, you’re the cause of the investigation. Admit it.
"How did they kidnap you?" There was no derision in her voice. Soft fingers caressed his forearm. "Why can’t you just say you needed to help them?"
His harrumph sounded decidedly like TW’s standard response. "Because its true. I found the women walking along the road that led to my fishing resort. I gave them a ride home where two of them pulled guns on me."
Her snort was quite un-ladylike. Was that the sound she’d made when Mulder insisted that the pizza delivery boy was really a vampire? "You let three old people get the drop on you? And keep it?"
"Giles is a former...
"Clayton Giles is a former MI-6 operative who will be 75 next month. I read all the reports while Frohike drove like a madman to get here."
"He was that anxious to find me?"
"No. He just drives like Evel Knievel on speed."
He looked down into her smiling face. Once again his fingers itched to touch her. But now was not the time. They were both awake and both fully aware that whatever they felt about each other; if it was anything more than a dream upon waking, if it was anything more than friendship, could never be acted upon. He was acutely aware of the buzz of insects, the heated humidity that was already turning the valley into an oven, the depth of her eyes, the way her face rose to meet his. Her lips were so soft against his. She tasted of coffee and spearmint. He couldn’t help himself His hand fisted in her hair, holding her to him.
Slowly her lips parted and her tongue delicately invaded his mouth. The skin of her arms was hot and smooth and the most sensuous thing he’d ever touch. Gasping, he pulled back to gaze into her fluttering eyes. "Scu. . .Dana? We can’t..."
"Why not?" But she stepped back, a mysterious smile on her face. "Why can’t we... Walter? Who’s to know? Frohike?"
"You think he won’t run to Mulder?" He tried to summon the furious armor that he’d worn around his heart for all these years. "You think that he won’t use the knowledge to..."
Her softly shaking head stopped him. "Walter, Melvin Frohike is a complicated man — almost as complicated as you. I doubt seriously that it’s in his make up to be that petty." She shrugged a tiny smile. "Oh, he might gleefully tease us both. But I don’t think he’d use that kind of knowledge against his friends."
"Friends? As in both of us? He thinks of me as a friend?"
She bobbed up and kissed him quickly. "Yes, a friend." Turning, she headed back to the clearing and the path down. "Why else would he have driven 800 miles?"
Skinner stood there stunned. "Friend?" He stalked after her. "Friend?" He repeated in a mutter. When he returned to the clearing all he saw was the flash of her tee shirt as she receded down the hill. "Friend?"
"Yeah, Walter! You have friends!" She shook her head at the squirrel that raced across her path. "Men! What the hell is the matter with him? Why can’t he just accept the truth?" She snorted softly at her pretty little speech. ‘Like you are so accepting? Like you’ve been pining away for him? Admit it! Before this lull in activity, you never thought of him that way at all! At least during the day.’ She convinced herself that it was the heat that reddened her cheeks and not the memory of some of her more outrageous wet dreams. Dreams so hot that she doubted anything outside of porn on the Internet approached them. Positions that she’d never try in real life... Unless he would want to. ‘Oh Damn!’ She groaned, too softly for him to hear and redoubled her efforts to reach the base of the hill.
It had taken nearly eight hours yesterday to scale the mountain. She doubted it would take four to make it back down.
"Dana! Wait up!" Skinner called. But she was too aggravated with him, with herself. Why had they ignored the feelings between them for so long? Why hadn’t she seen the emotion in his eyes before this morning in the car? "Damn it!" Steel like fingers dug into her arm to pull her back. Spinning around she found that whatever he was feeling, passion sparked so deep that even his wire rim glasses couldn’t hide it. "Wait up. We have to talk."
Jerking free, she threw up her arms. "Fine! Talk! Tell me how insane it is! You think I don’t know? So!"
"So! Dana, there are rules!"
"So! Did you like kissing me?"
"Yes." Tenderly he reached out to brush a strand of hair away from her face. "Very much so. But that doesn’t change anything. We... We can’t. Can we?"
"Well not here, right this moment," she softly chided. "But, I’m not going to deny what I feel. Can you?"
This time when she turned to continue down the hill, he let her go and followed silently, mulling over what she said and what they would need to do. ‘Could she handle the sneaking around? Could he? What would Mulder think?’ Regardless of what she said, could they really trust Frohike? Brutally he shoved all that aside for now. He had a job to do. He had to protect those three people up on the hill. He needed to find out if a murder had really been committed and if so, had SAC Alden helped cover it up? From what Frohike had brought him, he still wasn’t sure. He needed to talk to people. See their reactions to questions he put to them.
They didn’t speak again until they reached the road at the base of the mountain. They were both hot and sweaty and Skinner didn’t think he’d ever seen her prettier; her chest heaving slightly from the exertion brought images of other ways, more enjoyable ways, to make her chest heave. Her skin held a healthy glow just like it would after making love. ‘Damn it! Stop it right now!’
Frohike’s van was sitting there, right next to a vending machine at the beginning of the trail. "You want a soda?"
"Water, I think." She reached inside her pocket and pulled out the keys to toss to him. "So, what’s the plan?"
"I’ve been thinking. I need to see Alden. Find out what’s going on, but we have to get supplies back up there."
She nodded. "I really think we need to find a way to get them down the mountain. What possessed you to go up there?"
He shrugged. "You had to be there," he finally admitted. "Let’s check out what’s available."
She was standing next to the vending machine reading the notices on a small message board. "Look here! I didn’t think they were legal on Federal land."
"This isn’t federal, it’s a state park." Skinner mulled over the possibilities. He almost snorted at the vision of Zoey, clutching Maggie the Cat, hanging on to dear life as they roared down the hill on an ATV.
"Oh, what’s this?" Scully pointed to sentence and read, "Family dune buggy, seats four plus has a bed to hold camping equipment."
"Toby’s rentals," Skinner read. "Fishing boats and over the road vehicles, two miles west of West Point, right on the lake." He fisted his hand on his hips and gazed up at the mountain that disappeared in the thick green tree cover at this angle. "The lake is on the other side. I just hope that we can find a way up that way. I don’t relish the idea of this dune buggy thing on the road. It will cause too many questions."
"You think they might be looking for us?"
"Us?" He raised an eyebrow as he held the door open for her. "I have no idea if anyone’s even looking for me. After all, I’m on vacation and Alden and I have never gotten along."
She watched him cross in front of the truck. This, she knew, was what he excelled at. He would figure it out, without the grandiose posturing that made Mulder the bad boy of the Hoover. She felt completely comfortable, something that she never was on most of the X-File assignments.
"I don’t suppose there’s a map?" he said as he strapped in.
"Map? A man is asking for a map? My God! What next? Stopping to ask for directions?"
He held her with a steady gaze before dryly demanding, "That would be a no?"
With a sunny smile she reached into the side door pocket to hand him a neatly folded detailed state map. Another long look elicited her laughing response. "Frohike didn’t know I bought it at the first oasis we stopped at. He was too pissed that he’d cried ‘Uncle’ on the whole bathroom issue before me." She took the map back and began to unfold it.
Skinner shook his head and leaned over to study the map. Her breath against his cheek was unsettling but he resolved to ignore everything but the problem at hand. However, her arm draped across his back, and her cheek against his as she traced their position was too much. Twisting a bit, he found her lips on his again. Groaning softly, he pulled away, only to have her follow him. Dana Scully was clutching at him across the console of the van; however, if they were going to do this, they would do it right. He’d had plenty of dreams involving her. Even several that had them naked in various forms of transportation. Though, he had to admit, never in the front seat of Melvin Frohike’s van. "Down, woman," he growled and he peeled her hands from around his neck.
She swooped back for another kiss then, grinning happily, settled into the passenger seat. "1 know where we’re going. I remember a sign."
"Now you tell me." He backed out of the parking lot driving to the tiny town. After stopping at the Piggly Wiggly for what he hoped was just lunch and dinner, they climbed back into the van, "Is your cell phone charged?"
"Of course. And I have a spare battery." She didn’t bother to keep her superior disdain from her voice.
"You this way with Mulder out in the field?" There were other questions that he wanted to ask but he didn’t know how to broach them.
"Of course," she repeated, then grew quiet and he knew she was studying him. "We’re friends, Walter." Her voice was firm yet very reassuring. "Friends and partners. That can’t change. I won’t allow it to change."
He kept his eyes on the road. "You can’t think that if we..." he floundered for the right words. "This can’t be a one time thing with me, Dana. I...That I won’t allow.
"You think I could do that?" She didn’t know whether to be hurt or pissed. She could see he didn’t know how to answer; that he was afraid of saying something that would hurt her worse than he already had. "Look. Can’t we just take this one day at a time?"
"Only way to live," he gritted out. It was evident to both of them that they were at an impasse.
Toby was either very prosperous or a grandiose liar. There was a boathouse, but no boats and a fenced yard with only one dune buggy in it. Skinner climbed down from the van, as did Dana. Before they could enter the boathouse, a burly man dressed in cutoffs and a black Lynyrd Skynyrd tee shirt came out to meet them.
"Welcome folks. Kinda late."
Skinner looked at his watch and sighed. He hoped there’d been enough food for lunch. "My wife and I saw your flyer. Seems like a nice way to see the mountains."
"Yep. Lots of people interested in seeing it." He jerked his thumb over his shoulder at the mountain that they’d just hiked down. "Good thing you don’t want a boat. Got twenty of them but they’re all rented, booked for tomorrow too."
"That thing dependable?" Skinner just imagined, halfway down the mountain, having a breakdown.
"Brand new. Don’t know that it was that great a deal come to think of it. Everybody wants the lightweight ATV that will go fast. This puppy," he walked them over to the gate, already sensing a full day’s profit for a change. "Well, she’ll do pretty good with just two of you and some camping equipment. Course, people with little kids shouldn’t use anything but… Old folks too."
Skinner jerked up from where he’d been carefully examining the exposed engine. Simple enough with covered spark plugs and protected distributor cap. "Old people?" he demanded.
"Yep! Two boys done brought their daddy and a friend up bout two three hours ago. Said they wanted to visit some old house up there. Said they used ta come here all the time when they was kids."
"How the hell?" Skinner roared.
"Dear God." Scully already had her phone out. "Please get through. Please!" She prayed as she dialed the number of Frohike’s phone. "Damn it!" she cried when she got the message that said the subscriber could not be found.
Skinner already had his identification and credit card out. "Hoo-doggies." The man stared at the ID. "FBI! What about the little lady? She really your wife?"
Skinner had no proof but he knew that the men were Grayson’s, if not John Boy and his sons. He had to get up the mountain and fast. "How did they rent the ATVs?" he demanded in full AD mode.
"Nobody, FBI, or cocky little shits take my boats, not even the one what rent for jess eight dollars an hour. Follow me."
Skinner followed the man inside the bait shop, glancing over his shoulder to make sure that Scully was still trying to reach Frohike. From the look on her face, his spirits sank even lower.
"Here ya go!" The man shoved a credit card receipt at Skinner.
"Eric Crandall?" It took a moment for him to remember where he’d seen the name.
"Walter?" Scully was standing just inside the door. The look on her face told the story.
"Get Alden on the line." He turned his attention back to the owner. "You got a map of this mountain?"
"Map?" The owner shrugged then picked up a brightly colored scrap of paper. " I’ve got the silly ass brochures that the park district gives out."
"I’ve got to get up that mountain and I need the quickest way!" Scully thought she might have to pull Skinner off the owner, but Toby finally judged, on his own, that Skinner wasn’t someone he wanted to mess with. "I take it you ain’t got time to go and get a topographic map back at the Gun and Tackle shop?" He waited a beat, then sighed dramatically. "Thought not. You gonna wreck my buggy out there?"
"If I do, the government will pay for it," Skinner slapped his card on the counter. "And if they don’t, I will."
"Well, cain’t ask more than that, I reckon. Here." He reached under the counter then shoved a well-worn map at Skinner. "This’ll get you up that mountain, though I can’t promise you that those old boys won’t get there first."
"Skinner! I’ve got Alden on the line."
"What the hell?" Alden’s voice was loud enough for Skinner to hear even without pressing his ear against the piece.
"SAC Alden," he said formally.
"Don’t give me that shit, Skinner. What do you want, messing with my case?"
"The last time I checked I was still a little higher up the food chain than you, Alden. Now you listen good. I know where the Grayson women are and I suspect they’re in danger."
The snort at the other end of the line was loud enough to hurt Skinner’s ear. "Balls. I can’t believe the trouble this damned family causes.
"Are you listening to me?"
"Yeah, yeah. Three crazy old people decide to take a vacation together — and isn’t that just a little kinky even in this day and age — and they throw the entire state into an uproar. Well, we know where they are and their brother-in-law is on his way to get them."
"Really?" Skinner purred dangerously. Even the shop’s owner, who was quietly showing Scully the best way up the mountain to old Jimmy Grayson’s love nest, paused and gulped before continuing. Scully hid her grin. Everyone thought that Mulder ran all over Skinner. However, she’d long known that Skinner only allowed Mulder as much leeway as he was willing to grant. She listened to Skinner rip Alden a fine new ass and to Toby as he pointed out the pitfalls of the quickest path up.
"You see this here pile of stones?"
"Tell me just how much you were influenced by Mr. John Grayson during the investigation into the so-called boating accident?"
"Now this here part is real tricky. It don’t look like no trail but...
"You listen to me, Agent! You will pull a team together for when I come back down this mountain or I’ll call in the State Police. You think your career can handle two such run ins?"
"And just remember now, the roll bars are strong, but...
Scully quickly scanned the map. She’d learned over the years to take in the details quickly. She saw where they were going and what they would have to do to get there. "Do you think the Graysons will get there before us?"
The man shrugged as she carefully folded the map without regard to the grain but with the best route clearly visible. "Arrogant bastards think we’re all coon-asses here. Well honeybunch, we old coon-asses know all about that place up there."
"Seemed nice enough, I’m surprised that people haven’t broken into it in the past ten years.
"Girl!" The man looked truly shocked. "I don’t want to spook you or nothin’ but that there place is haunted."
Skinner broke the connection and had he not needed the phone, he would have taken great pleasure in throwing it into the lake. No sooner had he unthinkingly shoved the phone into his pocket when it bleated again. "Skinner!" he answered without checking the readout.
"Huh?"
"Mulder!"
"God damn it! Has something happened to Scully?"
"No. She’s fine. Where are you?"
"DC. That conference was boring."
"Thank God!"
"Uhm... sir? Are you sure...
Skinner shoved the phone at Scully. "Get him to Atlanta! Tell him what we need." He sprinted for the dune buggy. He was surprised and a little put out that she’d stowed the supplies that they’d bought.
"Hold on a minute, Mulder. It’ll provide ballast," she explained as she climbed in and fastened the seatbelt. "Toby said so." Then, allowing him her complete trust, she resumed her conversation with her partner.
"Uhm...G-Woman? What the hell’s going on?" Mulder asked with deceptive blandness.
"It’s a long story. You can blame Frohike if you want."
"Frohike? What the..."
"Later though, okay. Are you familiar with the Grayson case?"
"No. Should I be? Hey! Grayson Industries? You know they’re probably in the pocket of the DOD." While his voice was light, Scully knew that he wasn’t really joking.
"Not now!" Her teeth chattered as Skinner hit yet another hole in what passed for a trail on the mountain. "Skinner needs you to fly down to Atlanta. Talk to the CEO, Benton Reilly; find out about the proxy fight and what’s going to happen if he loses."
Skinner listened with half an ear. He wanted her off the phone and trying Frohike’s cell. They had to warn him and Giles. If anything happened, he’d never forgive himself. He had to get up there. How had Grayson found them? Was it all a set up? Christ! It was bad enough just listening to Mulder trying to explain this shit. Now he was involved with weirdoes on his own.
The first leg of the trek was easy enough. They passed a few hikers; several shouted at the crazy man zipping passed them. Finally, Scully shut the phone. "He’s going straight to the airport. I told him to stay out of Alden’s way."
"Good," he said tersely. "Check the map. Then, try Frohike again." She said a silent prayer and dialed the number again. It was answered almost immediately. "H-hello?"
Remembering her classes in hostage negotiation, Scully kept her voice calm and modulated. "Miss Zoey?"
"Oh my. Agent Scully. Oh dear." Scully could hear the fear and panic.
"Keep very calm, we’re on our way. Is your brother-in-law there with you?"
"Yesssss," came the low mourning hiss. "He hit Giles! I think," her voice trailed off into a weak sob.
"Where are you?"
"In the woods. Mr. Frohike heard them coming. We were talking by the barn. He’s a very nice man. Very misunderstood."
Some of Scully’s precious control slipped. She suddenly realized how Skinner must feel during some of Mulder’s more outlandish reports. "What happened?"
"Oh yes. I’m sorry. He heard the engines first but said it was too soon for it to be you. Then he gave me his cell phone and pushed me into the woods. He told me to try and call you; that your number was programmed. But I was too scared to figure out how it worked. I really don’t like these things!" Before Scully could get her back on track she took a shuddering breath and continued. "He went back to Giles and Tina." There was a longer moment of silence and when Zoey returned, Scully could barely hear her. "Oh dear, that dreadful Mr. Crandall told Darnell to go and look for me.
"Is there a place for you hide? You’re not in barn are you?" But there was no answer; the connection had been broken.
"Damn it!" Scully put the phone back into her jacket pocket. After a few more potholes and sharp swerves she pointed. "There’re the rocks."
"I see them. If any of them are hurt…" Skinner finally gave voice to his fear. Scully smoothed the fabric over his thigh. "We’ll get there in time."
Tina glared at her brother-in-law. However much she wanted to say all the nasty things on the tip of her tongue, she had to remain calm. Giles, who’d tried to protect her, was laying face down on the muddy ground. "Please may I help him, John Boy?"
John Grayson didn’t stop searching the forest around them. "Where’s that crazy Zoey?"
"She went for a walk in the woods."
"With that hip of hers?" Eric Crandall snorted derisively.
She’d never liked Crandall. Neither had Billy. However, right now, she was rather perturbed with her dearly departed husband. He’d been suspiciously silent ever since last night. This morning, she’d gone and sat by the cliff overlooking the valley below. She’d waited patiently; then, willed him to come to her. But he’d stubbornly stayed away. It was TW who’d warned her; TW and the awful racket that those nasty machines made. She’d run back to the clearing just in time to see the ATVs careen to a stop in front of the cabin.
Giles had come out of the house carrying the gun. But before he could fire, Darnell, had almost run him down with his machine, hitting Giles even as he jumped off the dirt bike, letting it continue on into the woods. Only Crandall’s harsh command had kept Darnell from killing Giles outright. ‘That boy never did have a bit of self-control.’
"Zoey! Honey! It’s me! John Boy. Come on now, sugarplum. Ya’ll know I’d never hurt you. I’ve come to take you home."
Tina crept towards the prone, but now groaning, Giles. No one stopped her as she knelt next to him. Reaching out, she smoothed the thick white hair that was now covered in blood from the gash on his head. "Giles?"
A long groan was her only answer.
"Leave him be," Darnel snapped. "Daddy, why can’t I kill him? We’ve got one of them. That’s all we need. We’ll make her sign over the proxy papers and between her and that Stephens bitch, we’ll have enough votes."
"Boy, you hush your stupid mouth," Crandall said; the menace in his voice frightening to hear. "Clifford! Help your brother get that old fool into the house. Then tear the place apart! I want those papers!"
The two boys dragged Giles into the cabin, but when Tina went to follow, John Boy reached out and grabbed her arm. "You just wait right here. You know what I want. We’ve been to the house. We know you have the papers.
Tina struggled against him. Even though he was several years younger than she, he’d not taken care of himself. It was easy enough to get free, but Crandall was right there beside her, blocking her path to the cabin. "You just leave me be, you, you, you murderous son of a bastard!"
"Now you see." John Boy gasped from the exertion. "Its talk like that that’s going to get me want I want. You think that anyone is going to believe you? Why, you need a guardian to watch out for your best interests." His smile made Tina shudder.
She thought for a moment, then bravely glared at them. Her gaze fell upon Frohike who’d been decidedly quiet during the fray. "We already have asked someone to look out after our interests?"
"Who? This freak of nature?" Crandall said, laughing.
"No!" Tina prayed that she was making the right decision. "Walter Skinner! He’s a Director at the FBI!" she added grandly.
Crandall stopped laughing. In fact, his face turned decidedly red. However, before he could say anything, John Boy snorted. "You think I’m afraid of the FBI? I’ve got that fool Alden in my pocket. How do you think we found you so fast?"
"Shut up." Crandall snapped. His grip on Tina so tight, she thought he would snap a bone.
"You’re hurting me."
"I’m going to do more than hurt you, old woman."
"You don’t scare me!"
John Boy pulled out his gun. "Pity."
"Daddy!" Clifford yelled from the house. "We found the papers!"
"Clifford!" Crandall yelled. "Go and find that other crazy old lady. Make sure she falls off the cliff."
John Boy smiled evilly and pointed the gun at Tina. "Darnell, kill that old assassin, then bring me his gun. Pity the old boy went nuts and killed everyone then killed himself."
"You really don’t want to do that, Mister." Frohike sounded remarkably steady considering how damn scared he was. He definitely didn’t want to die but as he watched Maggie stalk the group just beyond the tree line, a calm settled over him. "The big guy ain’t gonna like it one bit."
"You think I can’t handle anyone at the FBI?"
Frohike shrugged. He’d seen the vague references to Morley Tobacco Company and Grayson Industries, but had figured it was just because they were two of the biggest employers in the South. "Can’t say that I do or I don’t. I can guarantee you that if you hurt anybody up here, he’s going to take it real personal."
John Boy turned the gun to Frohike. "We’ll see."
A yowl like nothing Crandall or the Grayson men had ever heard before seemed to fill the air. Then a white streak shot through the air and Crandall screeched in agony. Darnell and Clifford rushed to help. Frohike dived for the gun that Crandall had dropped. It had been forty years since his time in Viet Nam, forty years since he’d touched a gun, but it came back to him with a long-buried rush of excitement. He took out John Boy then turned the gun on Darnell. "Drop it!"
Skinner had jerked the dune buggy to a stop in front of the huge boulder blocking their way. "Damn it. Did we make a wrong turn?"
Scully took a moment to stop shaking. Her teeth hurt from grinding them tightly against the bumpy ride. ‘Damn it is right. Who would have thought Walter Skinner would be such a daredevil behind the wheel.’ She pulled the map from where it had fallen to the floor and tried to get their bearings. "I don’t see a rock on the map. You’d think something that size would be here."
"Let me see it." Skinner didn’t give her a chance to hand it over. Grabbing it away he turned it twice trying to get their bearings. "Jesus," he breathed in consternation. She leaned over to study it with him. "There’s the waterfall." Skinner’s finger traced a line from their last known point of reference.
"Is that it?" Scully point to a spot far off the dotted line they’d been following in? "How the hell did we get..."
The gunshot seemed to echo around them, but Skinner could tell it was far away. "Maybe a hunter?" Scully whispered.
"That was a .45." Skinner backed the dune buggy up. However, when he braked, they just kept rolling backwards. As they began to crash through the undergrowth he heard another shot ring out.
Scully turned to seeing where they were going. "Walter!"
Frantically he wrestled with the wheel. His foot was against the floorboard but they continued to pick up speed. Even engaging the parking brake did little to slow them down. Tree limbs batted at the car as it rolled over saplings and smaller rocks. He prayed that they’d hit a tree big enough to stop them. Finally one did, but not before they’d lost a hell of a lot of ground.
"Shit! Shit! Shit!" he pounded the wheel in frustration. He had to get to them. If anything happened to them, he’d never forgive himself. "Are you alright?"
Scully just sat next to him trying to regain her composure. Her heart was pounding furiously. Their descent had spooked half the forest and it wasn’t until the last of the birds stopped screaming that Scully could form a coherent thought. "I’m most definitely not fine!" she said emphatically. "How the hell did we get this lost? Where are we and..."
Another shot ran out. Skinner pushed a cedar sapling out of the way and climbed out of the cab. "I have to get to them."
Scully took a deep breath. "I know. Let’s go." She gave him a look that said what would happen if he even suggested that he leave her with the buggy. "Can you tell where the shot came from? Do you have any idea where?"
That was the problem. The shot had been so muffled by the thick forest and by the echo, that Skinner hadn’t a clue. All he could do was climb. "Map?"
"Gone. Maybe we’ll find it on our way back up."
It took them nearly ten minutes of hard climbing. During that time they didn’t bother to talk to each other. Both blamed themselves for getting lost. By the time they reached the huge boulder they were covered in mud and plant debris. Skinner stood there, hands on his hips, breathing hard and Scully stared at his expanding and contracting chest. ‘Damn, he’s gorgeous,’ she thought. "Now what?"
"Garrumph!"
They both spun around to find TW standing there, glaring at them. His rheumy eyes clearly told of his disgust with the quality of the ‘cavalry.’ Skinner looked back at Scully. "I’ll be damned if I’m going to ask him if Timmy’s in trouble."
"Garrumph!" TW sent a spray of slobber across the field then turned his back on them.
"We’re going to follow him though," Scully said even as she took off after the dog.
Skinner shook his head. He suddenly had a whole new respect for Mulder. As he hurried after the dog, he idly wondered if he could figure out a way to put the dune buggy on Mulder’s expense account. "Did you at least keep the cell phone?" he yelled after her.
"Got it!" She called back from deep in the forest.
Skinner picked up his pace in order to catch up with them. At least they weren’t climbing any higher. He finally caught up with Scully. Sweat had plastered her hair to her face. Reaching into his back pocket, he pulled out his handkerchief. "Here. Tie it around your forehead."
She didn’t slow down, but managed to fashion a headband even as she struggled to keep the dog’s waddling ass in sight as TW hurried through the undergrowth. "I can’t believe a dog that old can move that fast!" she panted.
Skinner longed to grab her hand. Hell, if he could manage it, he’d carry her. But he didn’t think she would appreciate it and he really wasn’t sure he could after the buffeting he’d taken. Plus he had to be prepared for what they were going to find. Not that he could do anything. He’d left his gun with Frohike. ‘Damn it.’ He almost stumbled over TW who had abruptly stopped. Exchanging a quick glance with Scully, they quietly crept around the dog. Parting the bushes he peered out into a empty clearing.
"You’re not going to succeed you know." Skinner couldn’t place the voice.
"Whatever," Frohike said. "We’ll just wait for the big guy.
"Giles is hurt very badly," Tina said.
Skinner actually felt the dog sigh in relief. Pushing through the last of the overgrowth he realized they were behind the kudzu covered cabin. Scully on one side, TW on his other, Skinner hurried around to view a tableau that he never would have imagined. A young man was cradling another, trying to staunch the flow of blood gushing from his shoulder. A gray-haired old man lay sprawled on the ground, ignored by everyone. Maggie the Cat was vigorously licking her fur back into place even as she eyed a man bleeding from a face so clawed that Skinner almost felt sorry for him.
Zoey was sitting on the porch poking at Giles’ head with a towel. Skinner wasn’t sure he could decipher the look on Giles’ face past the grimace of intense pain. Frohike, with Tina by his side, stood over them all, but keeping his gun trained on the bleeding man, who, upon closer inspection looked like he might have been Old Man Spender’s brother. Wrinkles deep enough to hide coins were now caked in blood. Ignoring what had to be intense pain form the scratches on his face, he stood there, nonchalantly smoking, watching the two ‘rescuers’ approach. "Aw, Mr. Skinner, at last. Would you mind telling this cretin to put his gun away?"
"Yes I would." Skinner gave Frohike a proud nod of approval before walking over to Giles. Bending down, he retrieved the gun that Giles was ineffectually clutching. "Are you okay?"
Giles’ eyes flickered back to the very corner of his sockets, so he could see his ‘nurse.’ "Will be," he gritted out.
"Here," Scully knelt next to him. "Let me see.
"Hey! He’s just hit on the head!" One of the young men called. "Darnell’s bleeding to death here."
Scully finished checking Giles head before going to the bleeding youth. "Let me see."
Skinner stepped around her carefully. "How did you find them, Crandall," he said without preamble.
Crandall shrugged. "I have my sources. Powerful ones, I might add."
"I’m decidedly unimpressed by threats."
"Really? Funny, my sources tell me that you and I have mutual friends."
Skinner motioned for Frohike to come closer to keep an eye out on the two brothers. He then knelt and checked the pulse of the man sprawled in the mud. "Good night, John Boy." He then looked up at Frohike, trying to judge if the killing had affected the computer geek. But what he saw was a shadow of a former brother-in-arms. He’d never checked into the Gunmen’s pasts but he realized that Frohike was the right age for Nam. They’d talk later.
"You know I can have him charged with murder." Crandall said it as smoothly as Spender ever had.
Skinner had a great deal of experience hiding his fear of the Consortium from Spender; he found that he had no trouble ignoring the implied threat to Frohike. "Why? You think that Alden can protect you?"
Crandall flicked his cigarette away. "Mr. Alden has been very helpful in the past. However, I was referring to friends in Washington?"
"Unless it’s the Director of the FBI or the President, I’m unimpressed."
"Mulder!"
Skinner turned to see Scully on the cell phone. "I need an airlift to the mountain. Can you get a fix on ... WHAT!" She looked up at Skinner, her pale face even paler. "Oh my God." She listened intently and the only sound that Skinner could discern was the heaving exhaustion of the bulldog that had led them here. "Holy Cow. Well, Skinner will deal with it when he gets there, however, I’ve got to get this man to a hospital or he’s going to die." She closed the phone and returned to work on the injured man.
Keeping out of Frohike’s line of fire, Skinner crouched next to her. "Tell me."
"Later. I need more packing for this wound." The look on her face was pensive and Skinner was growing more worried by the moment.
"Miss Tina," he called to the old woman who had been standing there so quietly with nothing to do but watch. "Could you get Agent Scully as many towels as you can find?"
All Tina could do was nod. She was having a very hard time coming to terms with the events of the past several hours. While she’d always believed Billy when he told her that John Boy had set up the explosion that had killed him and Jimmy, before today, it had all been almost dream-like. But she’d seen the murderous intent in both Crandall and John Boy’s faces. Had it not been for Mr. Frohike, she, Zoey and Giles would all be dead. It had shaken her to her very soul. Billy had shielded her from so much during their marriage.
Walking up to Zoey and Giles, she smiled down at them. "We could have died today you old fools. Grab life and hold on to it with both hands." Stepping around them, she went in search of the towels that Agent Scully needed.
When she returned to them, she brought not only towels but also the first aid kit they’d found. Scully took it and worked to save Darnell’s life. By the time they heard the beating of the helicopter blades, Scully had done all she could do.
Skinner pulled her away. "Dana! I need to know what to expect."
She glanced away from the two brothers to study him for a moment. "Alden’s dead."
"How?"
"Mulder found him in his office. There was a gun in his hand and a note supposedly detailing how he had discovered the connection between you and the Grayson women and how he tracked you down." She studied him for a moment before continuing, "Mulder doesn’t think its suicide. Of course, no one else will believe him." She paused and looked up as the helicopter overhead made talking harder. She pulled Skinner into the woods and raised her voice. "Mulder said he saw Spender talking with Benton Reilly."
Skinner met her fearful gaze. Then, after checking the clearing bent down and kissed her before bringing his lips to her ear. "That doesn’t prove anything, now does it?"
She remembered all the times that Skinner had walked the tightrope held by Spender. She pulled him back so she could respond. "Just listen what he has to say, okay? Then, whatever you think... well, I’ll manage Mulder."
"Here they come!" Frohike shouted.
Skinner stood at the window staring out at the setting sun, which had finally peeked through the clouds over Atlanta. He wondered if they would ever connect Spender with SAC Alden. On his way in this morning, after a quick shower and change of clothes, Skinner had caught a brief glimpse of the cancerous bastard across the street from the Federal Building. Had Spender been the one who’d figured out that Skinner and the old ladies being in the same state was too much of a coincidence? Something else they’d probably never know.
In a few minutes, the conference room would fill with agents and state police officers. ‘So much for my vacation.’ Skinner focused on the Peabody Hotel three blocks away. There, Tina and Zoey were hopefully napping in one of the huge suites. It had three bedrooms and cost two grand a night. However, Benton Reilly had insisted that Grayson Industries would pay for the suite. "That way, Mr. Frohike can keep an eye on them."
Skinner grunted at the thought of Frohike watching out for them. ‘At least the damned cat is with him.’
"Garrumph."
Skinner refused to believe that TW could read his thoughts. He didn’t believe in such nonsense!
"Garrumph!"
He looked down at the dog that he’d held in his arms when the second copter had come for them. From that point on, TW had refused to leave his side. "Stupid dog."
"Garrumph." TW rose from where he’d settled in the corner. He came and glared up at Skinner almost daring him to say or even think anything else.
Before Skinner could make a bigger fool of himself, there was a quick knock and the door to the conference room opened. Mulder came in, reading a report. "When did you get glasses?" Skinner demanded.
"Uhm... They’re just magnifiers from the Walgreens." The normally unflappable agent looked decidedly embarrassed. "Someone suggested that if I couldn’t read the road map...uhm…never mind. I’ve got something you should look at."
"Scully told you that you needed reading glasses?" Skinner didn’t want to think about Dana right now. She’d left on the first copter with Darnell and Crandall’s body. He hadn’t seen her since.
"Scully? Uhm...no...actually...no." Mulder’s embarrassment grew until his face was beet red. "You want to see this or not!" He shoved the paperwork at Skinner and took his place at the window.
Skinner looked down at TW and the thought entered his head that, ‘Mulder’s in love!’
‘
With whom?’‘Ask him.’
Skinner shook his head refusing to believe that he’d just heard a dog’s thoughts. "No!"
"What?" Mulder turned for a moment.
"Who is she?" Skinner demanded, trying to recover from his slip.
"Who?"
"The person who suggested you needed glasses?"
Mulder sighed deeply. "You don’t know her. She was at the conference."
"I thought you said it was boring."
"Drop it, okay!"
Skinner hid his grin. "What am I looking at here?"
Grateful that Skinner had, in fact, dropped it, Mulder answered. "Evidence that Benton Reilly is in the pocket of a German munitions dealer with ties to Al Queda."
The way he said it and a little nudge inside his head forced Skinner to beg the question. "But?"
Mulder gave him a quick grin. "But, I had Beyers check it out."
"How’s his cold?"
"Gross to listen to, but he was able to backtrack the setup. John Boy wasn’t the brightest bulb in the conspiracy is he?"
"Spender?"
"Can’t prove that Spender even knew any of the Graysons, or Crandall for that matter." Mulder sighed deeply and returned to staring out the window. "So damn many conspiracies out there. Or maybe, it’s just big business." He sighed again. "It seems that John Boy was in business with YJM Consultants in San Diego. I really think that this is more a case for the Organized Crime boys. YJM has ties to the LA and Miami mobs but no terrorist groups that Beyers could find. Oh, and while I saw Spender talking to Reilly, I found out that, after Spender left the building, Reilly began asking people to find out who Spender was and how he got inside Grayson Industries."
"Is there any connection between Morley and Grayson Industries?"
"Only that Nadine Grayson and the current wife of the CEO of Morley co-chair the biggest charity ball in Atlanta every year." Mulder sounded thoroughly disgusted.
"What about Alden?"
Mulder perked up. "I think I have a couple of the Atlanta boys convinced that they should look into it deeper. I know you don’t want me in DC." The cocky grin had returned to his face.
‘He’ll be fine.’
Skinner glared down at the dog.
"What is it with you and this damned dog?" Mulder asked; amusement and consternation evident in his voice.
TW turned his back on both men and waddled back to his corner to collapse on the rug, resting his jowls on his paws. Skinner didn’t bother to answer, turning instead to stare at the nightscape of the city.
"Well, if you’re not going to admit that you and that thing have bonded, answer me this," Mulder demanded.
"What?" Skinner said tiredly.
"What’s up between you and my partner?"
Skinner decided to take the offense and quipped, "Who told you that you needed glasses?"
Making the jump, Mulder’s eyes grew round. "No." It came out as a surprised sigh. But the smile was back on his face. "Well at least the message makes sense now."
"Message? What the hell are you talking about?"
"
Scully said to tell you that after she figured out a way to salvage the dune buggy —oh and by the way, don’t even think about trying to blame that on me." He was definitely laughing now.Skinner glared at him. "What did she say?"
"She said that Toby had houseboats for rent and she thought she might try her hand at fishing."
Skinner turned back to the window. "I need to stay here and…" He stopped when Mulder coughed. "What?"
"I talked to the old man this morning."
"The old man?"
"The Director." He snorted. "Hey don’t look at me. He called me. Though I think he was scared at first."
"You do have that effect on people. Why did he call you?"
"Because he wants to make sure that you take your vacation. He told me to talk to you about it, but he said it was time for me to run a task force."
Abject terror gave way to urge to burst into laughter. "The Director wants YOU to run a task force – with other agents? You ARE kidding me!"
"Hey. Check with him, if you don’t believe me." Mulder snapped, sounding hurt that Skinner didn’t trust him.
Skinner shook his head. "Well, my lad, welcome to my nightmare." To Mulder’s surprise, he clapped him on the back. "You’ll do just fine. I’m going to stop at the hotel. Make sure that the Misses Grayson are fine, dump the dog and go fishing."
As Skinner walked to the door, a tired moan rose up from the corner. TW stood and followed but made the most annoyed snuffling sounds.
"Forget it, you stupid dog, I’m not carrying you."
"Hey!" Mulder called as he opened the door. "You know you could put up a bigger fight than this."
Skinner gave him a huge grin. "Nah. The lady wants to fish." Then he bent down and picked up the dog, leaving it to Mulder to close the door behind them. Once they reached the street he put TW down. "You weigh a ton." As they walked along several women stopped to coo over TW and to give Skinner any number of opportunities to pick them up. "Who knew that’s all it took," he said once they reached the door of the hotel. "Pity you’re taken."
‘Why? So are you.’
Skinner sighed. "Yeah, you’re right."
"Who’s right?" Scully said as she approach him from the direction of the check-in counter.
"Mulder said you’d gone fishing," he said, trying to keep the disappointment from his voice. Something must have happened.
She hooked her arm through his. "It’s getting late and it’s a three hour drive. I thought we could go tomorrow morning." She looked away for a moment, then dropped her voice. "I was able to get a room. They’re rather hard to come by this time of year."
"Really." Skinner didn’t know if the huge grin on his face would ever go away. "Well let’s stop upstairs and after I return this mutt...
"Garaumph!"
"And then I’ll see if I can get a room." He didn’t want to presume.
"Oh, I got the last one," she purred.
"Mind if I share?"
"I insist."
No one seemed to think it odd that a dog was getting on the elevator. Skinner supposed that after the twice-daily parade of ducks through the lobby, a mere dog seemed quite normal to most. He would have liked to kiss Scully, but two young women hurried on to join them.
Blond, tall, and very pretty, they both squealed with delight over TW. "Oh my goodness. He’s so cute," one said.
"And his owner’s not bad either," the other one said boldly as she raked her eyes over Skinner.
TW chose that moment to shake his huge head. "Ewwwwww." Both girls backed away as a shower of drool stained their bright clothes.
"Bad dog!" Skinner said.
Once the two girls huffily departed, Scully bent down and scratched TW behind the ears. "Very good dog."
"Garaumph." Skinner swore that the dog winked at her. ‘Baloney! It’s an involuntary response!’
They entered the hotel room to find the four playing poker at the dining room table. Maggie had been curled up on Frohike’s lap but jumped down when they closed the door. Stalking up to Skinner, she made one pass between his legs, rubbing up against him. Then she butted her nose against TW’s and the two animals walked away from him. Skinner felt a strange tug on his heart but walked to the poker table. "How much have they taken you for?" he asked Frohike.
"Too damn much. I’d swear they’re not cheating, but..."
"Now Melvin," Tina gently admonished him. "You know it’s all for fun."
"Uh-huh."
Skinner glanced at Zoey and noted the sweet smile on her face. He also duly noted that the smile was for the man seated next to her. Giles, his head swathed in bandages, his eyes already black and blue, gazed upon her with an almost bemused smile. ‘And why not,’ he thought.
‘Why not indeed.’
He glanced back at the two pets and smiled before he realized that he definitely heard two different voices.
"So Melvin," Scully said, completely obvious to the undercurrents in the room. "Are you okay with driving back to DC without me? I need to stay down here and...uhm…help."
Frohike rolled his eyes. "1 promised Miss Zoey and Miss Tina that I would stay for the proxy fight."
"1 really don’t think there’s going to be much of a fight, now." Skinner pointed out. He’d felt somewhat guilty for leaving the three but if Frohike was content to stay with them, then he would gladly relinquish control. That thought bothered him a little. For almost a week he’d been almost frantic to help them He looked back at the two animals standing side-by-side gazing at him. For the first time since entering the house in Mobile he felt like he could think straight. "Miss Tina?"
"Yes, Walter?"
"How old are TW and Maggie?"
"Why let me think? TW is nine or ten. Giles gave him to me on the second anniversary of Billy’s death."
Zoey looked away from Giles to consider her cat. "Hmmmmm. Why I got her as a kitten on the first anniversary of that accident. Remember, Giles gave her to me too."
Giles met Skinner’s gaze and the two men came to a silent understanding. They were both hard-headed men of the world who’d killed other men when it had been necessary in the defense of their ideals. They had NOT been manipulated by a cat and a dog!
Skinner returned his attention to Frohike. "You’re sure you don’t mind?"
"Hey! Look around you, Big Guy. Gracious appointments, clean sheets, room service, high-speed Internet access and unlike Beyers, these three aren’t hacking and snorting and blowing out green..."
Skinner held up his hands in surrender. "I get the point. Keep an expense report and I’ll reimburse you."
"Nonsense." Tina and Zoey objected together. "We’re hiring Mr. Frohike as a consultant. We’ll handle everything."
"Besides, it’s just until Giles’ feels better," Zoey added firmly.
"Uh-huh." Skinner spared one last look at the cat and dog then allowed Scully to pull him from the room.
"Where’s our room?" he asked absentmindedly.
"Down the hall. It’s a small suite. You should see the bathroom. I’m a sucker for whirlpool tubs."
"That’s nice. I have one in my apartment." He kept looking back as she firmly led him down the hall. "Dana?"
"What?" He could hear the exasperation, in her voice. She opened the door but stood in the doorway. "Are you afraid for them?" she demanded softly. "Do you want to go back down there and stand guard?"
There was no way in hell he was going to ask her if she believed in reincarnation. He didn’t believe in reincarnation. What he did believe in was the woman standing before him. Shaking away the last of the cobwebs in his head, he gave her his full attention. Pushing her into the room, he slammed the door, picked her up and threw her over his shoulder.
"Walter!" She didn’t know whether to laugh or yell at him.
Taking just a moment to get his bearings, ignoring the possibility of just taking her on the couch, he strode to the open doorway across from him. A huge bed, already turned down, greeted him.
"Walter Skinner! You put me down right this minute!" Scully demanded as she beat her fists, ever so gently against his very tight ass.
"Yes ma’am," he said before tossing her into the center of the bed causing her to bounce in the soft bedding. He pulled off his tie and dropped it to the floor. She leaned back on her elbows and unabashedly watched as he pulled off each piece of clothing. When he pulled his tee shirt off she couldn’t hold back the groan of appreciation. "Like what you see, Agent Scully?"
"Oh yes." She heaved a deep sigh. "Very much."
He finished the job and stood before her, letting her look at him. For the past thirty years, every since he’d left the Marine Corp, he’d worked out religiously. The appreciative look in her eye made it all worthwhile. "Well?" he demanded.
"Hmm. Let me see." She daintily sucked on her finger while she considered his physique. "I suppose I should reciprocate, or," she looked at him innocently, "Would you like to do it?"
Leaning forward, he raked his fingers through her hair before pulling her to him. Her lips were so close, but he held off. "Do you know how long I’ve wanted you?"
When she ran her tongue over her lips, she licked his too. He covered her mouth completely sucking her tongue deep inside. Groaning, she trailed her hands down his chest, through the wiry hair there, until she could wrap her fingers around his already-hard cock.
Even as he thrust, he began pulling her clothes off, scattering them carelessly around the room. He couldn’t believe he was actually getting ready to make love to Dana Scully. Her nipples were already hard before he ran his nails over them. Pushing her back, he followed her down until he was looming over her, holding his body off her by resting his forearms on either side of her head. For a long moment they just stared into each other’s eyes. "You know I love you, don’t you?" he whispered.
"Yeah, I know." She cupped his cheeks in her hands to pull him closer, but just before sealing his lips with hers, she continued softly. "That’s good, because I’m never letting you go. I love you too."
The kiss seemed to go on forever. Skinner rolled onto his back, bringing her with him until she straddled him. He decided to let her set the pace, returning her kisses, exploring her silken skin, finding those spots that made her coo. Finally, she sat back, feeling his cock firmly nudge her crack. "It’s been so long. Walter. Please be gentle with me — this time."
He shuddered at the plea and the promise of things to come. "Whatever you want, Dana. However you want." He held her waist as she rose up. Once his cock head was nestled in her folds he slowly lowered her down scant inches at a time.
It was so good she thought she was going to pass out. He was stretching her more than she’d ever been stretched before, filling her, ruining her for any other man. "Oh God!" She cried out as he lower her even more. "So good. Don’t stop."
He chuckled softly. "You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever known, Dana Scully. Your head thrown back, your hair swaying as your breasts jut out. Your skin is so slick and soft. Being inside you? Nothing will ever compare to this. You’re so tight! Am I hurting you?"
"God, no. More! Please, I need more." she squirmed trying to take more of him but he was in control now, holding her still, driving them both insane. "Tell me what you want; what you need."
Instead of begging for more, she gripped his wrists, braced her knees on the bed and then, her eyes finally locked on him, slammed down fully, screaming out as wave after wave of pure ecstasy washed over her.
He watched in utter awe as this woman who had stoically accepted so much over the past seven years completely shattered. Her skin was a rosy red, her nipples dark and distended. Her eyes were glazed. He could feel the spasms shuddering through her. Pulling her down onto his chest, he kissed her softly, knowing that she owned him more completely than the consortium ever had.
Soon she pushed back to where she was sitting on him, gripping his shaft with her inner muscles. A most wicked grin kissed her swollen lips. "Well, sir?"
"Well?" he grinned back. She rose up, then slowly lowered back down. He hissed sharply.
"You like that?"
"Yes."
She did it again, just a bit faster. "This?"
He groaned.
Bracing her hands on his pecs so that she could reach his nipples with her thumb and forefinger, she twisted them sharply. "Dana!" he cried thrusting up to meet her next plunge downward. When he realized that she was rubbing her mound against his pubic hair, he released one hip to bring his hand to where they were joined. "Ride me hard." To make sure she knew what he wanted, he pinched her clit, holding it as she began to soar again, even as she managed to continue bouncing up and down his shaft. He felt his balls tighten as she screamed again covering his own roar of release.
She flopped down on his chest like a rag doll. His cock fell from her and he shivered as the air-conditioned air shrank it more. Holding her, he whispered mindless nothings until he felt her breathing even out. He couldn’t imagine never doing this again. He refused. "You’re mine, Dana."
"Good." It was barely a sigh, but it was enough.
"Walter! Have you packed everything?" Dana called as she stepped off the houseboat onto the dock at Toby’s Rentals.
"Yeah." He stepped away from the trunk of the car, and slammed it shut. They had a three-hour drive ahead of them to reach the airport, and he was trying to figure out a way to convince the car rental agent to let him return the Caddy, which they’d retrieved two days ago, in DC. Another two days with her by his side, not worried about anything besides finding a decent radio station was definitely something he wanted to work out.
"Hey," she murmured before kissing his bare shoulder. "I wish we could just drive back."
He kissed the top of her head. "Your wish is my command, my lady." They smiled into each other’s eyes. They hadn’t caught many fish, but they’d talked. They knew they would have to keep their relationship a secret. And, they both accepted that Mulder — and Frohike would never betray them.
"You think we should stop in Atlanta. Check on them?" she said.
"Probably. It’s on the way. Besides, I want to see how harried Mulder is. If I wait to see him back in DC all I’m going to get is the bitching version."
"And you want to see the old people."
"Yeah I do." They broke apart and started to head for their sides of the car when Scully screamed.
"What?" Skinner looked around for Donnie Pfaster or an alien bounty hunter. But she was pointing to the ground.
"Kill it!" She cried. "I hate snakes."
"Dana!" He bent down and picked up the harmless green snake. "It’s just a garden snake.
"Don’t care! Get it away from me!"
He shook his head. "Flukeman, abducted by aliens and forced to sit through one of Mulder’s justifications, and this is what makes you scream like a girl." He gazed into the eyes of the snake and tossed it away. However, just as he released it, he was suddenly aware of an all-consuming, impotent rage emanating from the harmless creature. As it bounced once in the short grass, Skinner grinned and thought, ‘Oh John Boy, do you have a way to go on karmic evolutionary scale.’ How perfectly fitting.
"I don’t think its funny, Walter!" Scully sniffed and started to turn away, but he pulled her back and, cupping her head in his hand, gently bent down and kissed her nose.
"You’re probably right."
"I really hate snakes," she repeated before kissing him soundly.
"Don’t worry, I’ll always be there to keep you safe from the snakes."