THE TRUTH
Vol. 1 Issue 9
February 21, 2001
MUSINGS FROM THE EDITOR'S DESKTOP
Okay, okay, I know. You missed us the last couple of weeks. Unfortunately, we have all taken a little sick time here and there and have missed out on a couple of exciting weeks of X-Files reporting. Do not worry. We are back and ready to make it up to you. We should have another newsletter out this weekend or by the beginning of next week. I've had some problems accessing a computer. In the next newsletter, we will have our great reviewer, Tracie, tell us what she thought of Per Manum. But we do have an article devoted to it by Mike Marek. And for all you crazy snoggers out there, this will be Lily's last column. So check it out and e-mail her with your thoughts! Also, we have the third installment of Paper Saints by Jill Selby in this issue. So read on. And I'll shut up.
IN THIS WEEK'S ISSUE:
NEWS
REVIEWS OF THE GIFT AND MEDUSA
THOUGHTS ON PER MANUM
SHIPPER'S CORNER
SNOGGER'S COLUMN
POEM
MULDERISMS/SCULLYISMS
PAPER SAINTS Part 3
X-PHILE NEWS YOU CAN USE
~brought to you by X-Treme X-Phile~
http://www.xtremexfiles.comhttp://xtremexfiles.100megspopup.com/
*When Hell Freezes Over*
(taken from about.com)
If you're a long-time fan of the show, you are likely well versed in the history of the Joan Rivers - Gillian Anderson feud. Over the years, Joan has wasted no opportunity to demean Gillian's appearance and personality. That said, you will find this snippet from GAWS quite astonishing: Here's what they said...
Melissa (Rivers): Gillian Anderson in Eduardo Lucero (sp?). I think, again, one of the best dresses I've ever seen on her.
Joan: And I love her because she's got a little flesh. Look how womanly she is. She just is terrific. She's really coming into her own, the breasts are in the right place...
Other Guy: You know what? Let me tell you, I know this designer, he's a local LA designer... He really makes the clothes on the body. He understands fit, and I've never seen her in a dress that was more perfectly fitted for her body. It's so flattering!
Melissa: It fits flawlessly. If you look on that back, there's no gap. There's nothing.
*XF Cinematographer Nominated for ASCE Award*
(From Zap2It.com)
Cinematographers representing projects on 10 broadcast and cable networks will vie in three television categories for the 15th annual American Society of Cinematographers Outstanding Achievement Awards, whose 16 nominees were announced Tuesday, January 23. Competing in the episodic TV series category are Thomas A. Del Ruth for "The West Wing," Billy Dickson for "Ally McBeal," Frank E. Johnson for a segment of "Touched by an Angel," Shelly Johnson for NBC's "The Others," Bill Roe for "The X-Files" and Dennis L. Smith for "The Practice.""
*Anderson Nabs SAGS Nom*
While Gillian Anderson did not receive a SAG Award nomination for her performance as Lily Bart in The House of Mirth, she was recognized for her continuing performance as Dana Scully in The X-Files. Her nomination in the category of Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series was her ninth overall nomination. She has received two Actors® in this category (in 1996 and 1997), and also received individual nominations in 1998, 1999 and 2000 and ensemble nominations in 1997, 1998 and 1999 for the series.
*No TV Guide Nod*
While Gillian Anderson can revel in her continued recognition by the SAG Awards nominating panels, she did not fare quite so well in the TV Guide Award nominations. The final round of nominations for the awards (where readers/fans write in their Choices for the Winners in issues of TV Guide magazine) have been announced, and neither Gillian nor The X-Files received any nominations in any category. Gillian had made it to the first list of nominees, but unfortunately did not make the final cut.
*Flames Rock Duchovny's 'Evolution'*
(taken from the DDNP)
MANHATTAN BEACH, Calif. (AP) - Pyrotechnic special effects sparked a fire on a movie set, but David Duchovny and several gorilla-suited actors escaped unharmed. No one was injured Tuesday morning as smoke billowed up from the Raleigh Studios lot during production on the DreamWorks film ``Evolution.'' Scores of actors and production staff poured out of the lot, and Duchovny was whisked off to a shopping center. The fire occurred as crews set off five fireballs 15 feet in diameter, fire officials said. One of the fireballs ignited the scenery. Firefighters quickly put out the blaze. They had been standing by during the stunt in case something went wrong. The film was expected to resume production Wednesday.
*Season Three DVD*
The X-Files Season 3 DVD' is scheduled to be released on May 8, 2001. It can be pre-orders now over at amazon.com. List price on the set is $104.99. Season 1 and 2 DVD's have been listed among the top 10 selling DVD's last year. Entertainment Weekly even listed the sets as 'must have's' for your DVD collection.
*The Beginnings of the LGM Series*
For those interested, here are the dates and episode names for the first three LGM series shows. Remember, the series will occupy 'The X-Files' current time slot on Sundays for the majority of March.
03/04: TLG "Pilot"
03/11: TLG "Bond, Jimmy Bond"
03/18: TLG "Eine Kleine Frohike"
There will be no LGM or X-Files on the 25th of March. X-Files will resume its season eight run on April 1st (really, it's not a joke, lol).
*Annabeth Talks About "This is Not Happening" *
(Excerpted from Cinescape.com)
Annabeth Gish is quite happy about joining the cast of The X-Files in a role that may become regular should the program go into a ninth season. While talking to Ian Spelling for his syndicated Inside Trek & Sci Fi column, Gish talks about getting the role of FBI agent Monica Reyes, saying, 'I don't think you could be a citizen of this country and not at least know about The X-Files. I had watched the show for the first two or three seasons, even though I'm not much of a television watcher...So this was kind of a surprise when I heard about it, but it was a welcome one. The X-Files is obviously such a high-caliber show. I jumped at the chance.' Regarding her role, Gish says, 'Reyes has a bent for spirituality. In the context of a science-oriented show like The X-Files, I get to bring in spirit dialogue. It's wonderful for me, because it's a nice intersection of a professional interest and a personal interest.' Gish' debut episode also features the return of David Duchovny. On that point, Gish says, 'I didn't have scenes with him, per se.' The February 25th episode won't be her sole appearance on the show this year, as Gish reveals, 'I'll be doing four episodes this season. I'm in episodes 14, 17, 21 and 22, and if the show does in fact return next year, then I'll be back for more.'
*Here come the Marathons*
(From the OBSSE)
The OBSSE is proud to announce the debut of their Scully Marathon 2001 Web site. We already have 23 marathons scheduled worldwide for the month of May with more being added every week. So, keep checking back for more information. Debuting on the site is a special marathon preview trailer just like you get at the movies as well as this year's logo. We hope to see you celebrating Neurofibromatosis Awareness Month with us! It's a lot of fun for a great cause.
*Princess Mononoke Cable Premiere*
(From PR Newswire)
On February 22 at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT, STARZ! premieres 'Princess Mononoke,' Japanese writer-director Hayao Miyazaki's acclaimed story of the struggle of man against nature (featuring Gillian Anderson and Minnie Driver). "Starz Encore Group LLC (Starz Encore) is the largest provider of cable and satellite-delivered premium movie channels in the United States.
*Ratings for "Medusa" *
(From Zap2It.com)
FOX started the night with "Futurama" at 7 p.m., 5.1/8 (5.6/9), followed by "King of the Hill" at 7:30 p.m., 5.7/9 (6.6/10). "The Simpsons" jumped to a 9.3/14 (10.3/15) at 8 p.m., followed by "Malcolm In the Middle," 9.5/13 (10.4/15). At 9 p.m., "The X-Files" took a 9.2/13 (9.4/13).
*X-Files Fan Fiction Writer Loses Battle with Cancer*
X-Phile Leyla Harrison, a talented and popular fan fiction writer passed away recently after a lengthy battle with melanoma cancer. Her family has asked that in lieu of flowers, contributions in her name be donated to: Norris Cotton Cancer Center One Medical Center Drive Lebanon, NH 03756 By all accounts she derived great pleasure as an active member of the X-Files fan community. It has been reported that she received a "touching letter of support from Frank Spotnitz and the [production] crew" not too long before her death. Leyla's fan fiction as well as her account of her fight with cancer can be found on her Web site, Leyla's Land of Purple and Other Weirdness.
THE GIFT
Doggett comes upon an old case that Mulder kept secret from Scully
I thoroughly enjoyed THE GIFT. One of the main reasons was due to the fact that Mulder was back, but also I think that this episode helped to develop Doggett's character a lot. After seeing this show, I actually even like him. He experienced something that he could not explain (the soul eater) and tried to put logic to it, which he realized that could not happen. Doggett's vision of Mulder at the end was also very interesting. Was that a ghost, or did he really get so far inside Mulder's head that he actually envisioned him there? The increased amount of the Skinman was also a big plus. The one thing I did not like about this episode, was the almost complete lack of Scully, without any indication of where she was. If the 2 second flashback was not included, it would have been a complete Scully-free school zone.
MEDUSA
Scully and Doggett race to fight off a contagion lurking under the subway tunnels of Boston
Scully's back in full force, with the exception that she is actually finally realizing that she can't keep endangering herself and the life of her baby. This has been probably been one of the first episodes that she has put the baby first. It was definitely refreshing to see. I even started to feel bad for Doggett. He has no idea what is going on with her, and yet, he does what he is told without second guessing her. This was not your typical MOTW episode, but I liked it. Even though Doggett was not the one in charge, I really liked how he listened and respected Scully's actions and decisions even thought he didn't always know what she was trying to do.
You could definitely how concerned they were for each other. Their friendship has definitely grown over the last couple months in a very positive way. I think it will be very interesting to see if their dynamic changes when Mulder comes back for good....but we'll all have to wait and see. Only a few more days until PER MANUM. I have seen some clips from the show already and all I will say is that this show is going to be great!!
Thoughts on Per Manum by Michael Marek "So why are all these doctors conspiring to produce alien babies?" you may be asking. In the wake of "Per Manum," the latest X-Files mythology arc episode, it's a logical question. I'll warn you in advance that I don't know, but I have some strong suspicions. First, it is valuable to review some of the main points of the X-Files storyline: There is a group of aliens, known as "The Colonists," who are planning to conquer the Earth and make humans a slave race. This will be accomplished by infecting the entire human race with the Black Oil, a virus that appears to have intelligence. The Colonists had a group of human collaborators, the Consortium. These conspirators originally began cooperating to buy time to find a way to fight the colonization. When no such weapon was discovered, however, they resorted to saving their own skins. The aliens seemed to think that it was important to have human operatives, and that a human-alien hybrid immune to the Black Oil should be developed. When they finally succeeded in developing a viable human-alien hybrid, the Colonists were set to go, and scheduled a pickup of the members of the Consortium and their families, so that they could be taken away to safety. Before the Colonists could arrive, however, another group of aliens killed them all. The scientists who developed the successful gene therapy technique were also killed, probably resulting in the loss of the technology. This second body of aliens opposes the plans of the Colonists, but is ruthless and doesn't hesitate to kill to accomplish their goals. The Cigarette Smoking Man (CSM) was possibly the only one of the original members of the Consortium to survive, and he is now apparently dead. Krycek and Marita may have picked up the threads of the conspiracy, providing leadership to whatever structure of the underlings of the Consortium still exists, and it appears that there is a large number of such underlings. If you have read my essays before, you will know that I think that CSM was faithful to the original ideals of the conspiracy. His ethics were very gray, but I think he was working from within the Consortium to defeat the Colonists, as opposed to the others who were simply trying to save their own lives. So why the alien babies? There are really only two possibilities. Either they are part of the efforts supporting Colonization, or they are part of a strategy to defeat the Colonists. Let's look at the two possibilities. Pro-Colonists: The deaths of the members of the Consortium would not have ended the aliens' plans for Colonization. The plans may have been delayed, however, due to the loss of all the aliens on board the Antarctic UFO (as seen in The X-Files Movie), the loss of the human-alien hybrid technology, as well as the deaths of the Consortium members. The Colonists may need to replenish their numbers in order to have sufficient troops to accomplish the invasion. They may also want to redevelop the human-alien hybrid technology. Because the members of the Consortium are gone, but lower levels of their organization survive, all these doctors may think they are doing the right thing in helping. Anti-Colonists: While the Colonists want to develop a human-alien hybrid, there are also good reasons for the resistance to develop such a hybrid. The hybrids are (as far as we can tell) immune to the Black Oil. Becoming hybrids may be the only way for the human race to survive. Large amounts of alien DNA, including alien bodies, may also be needed for research on how to kill the Colonists and/or neutralize the Black Oil. The Russians developed a vaccine against the virus, but the scientists of the Consortium were apparently not able to reproduce it. The alien baby effort may be part of this crash research program. I think that this last point is very likely. What else would cause large numbers of doctors and nurses, professions that stress ethics, to cooperate with medically unethical procedures? It is not just a matter of "national security," but of the future of the human race. At least I suspect that's what the medical professionals are being told, although I doubt that they are being told "the truth." I would note that we don't know that Mrs. McCready is dead. I think is it likely that she is out there with a substituted baby that is completely normal, and is wondering what happened to her boyfriend. We certainly can't trust what Duffy told us. A few random notes: When Scully first went to Zeus Genetics, why didn't she remember Zeus Storage, at 1616 Pandora Street, where Deep Throat claimed the first human-alien DNA transplant was conducted? (The Erlenmeyer Flask) Also don't forget that the name Zeus was connected with the submarine that encountered the Pacific Ocean UFO at the end of World War II. (Piper Maru, Apocrypha, 731 & Nisei.) The submarine was the Zeus Faber, named for a deep-sea fish that changes color to blend into its surroundings. This is a very symbolic name in the context of the aliens and the conspiracy. When did the Mulder flashback scenes take place? We know that it was after Momento Mori in February 1997, because that's when Mulder found the ova. It is apparently after she was cured of cancer in Redux II, in October 1997. I think that it was in early 1998. By this time, Scully knew that she had borne Emily, and had lost her daughter. Her brother Bill and his wife had also had a child, apparently with the help of scientists, because they had spent several years trying. The two events may have inspired Scully to consult the experts at Zeus Genetics. I've seen comments from fans who seem to think that the flashbacks relate to her current pregnancy, but I doubt this. The pregnancy attempt that Mulder helped with failed, as we saw in the final flashback, so the flashbacks appear to have told the story of an earlier attempt. Coming up soon, I guess we get to see Mulder really return this time. There may be more hints in that episode that point in one direction or another on the alien baby matter. Don't expect them to be clear hints, though. Michael Marek www.usd.edu/~mmarek/xf
SHIPPERS CORNER
"RAIN KING"
http://www.insidethex.co.uk/transcrp/scrp607.htm
HOTEL MANAGER : Oh, miss, we moved your boyfriend's things into your room.
SCULLY: He's my partner, and we prefer separate rooms.
HOTEL MANAGER: Oh, old-fashioned are you, huh? Well, we're booked solid with the high school reunion. You can take it or leave it.
(SCULLY goes over to where a DOCTOR is checking a cut on MULDER's left arm.)
DOCTOR: We can just butterfly it. I've got my kit over in the car.
MULDER: Scully, I don't think it's a coincidence that a cow gets hurled at me just as we're down here investigating the weather.
SCULLY: (checking his scalp and forehead) Mulder, did they check you for head trauma?
MULDER: I'm telling you, that cow had my name on it.
SNOGGER'S COLUMN
by ~ddga4ever~
Hi to all subscribers of The Truth. It's already February and I guess some of you already have Valentine Dates. Sad to say, nobody wants to go out with me and I think I will spend my Valentine's Day with our PRELIM! I want to tell you all that this will be my last column. I don't mean that I will gone forever in this newsletter. I have some IMPORTANT school work to be done. School is my No. 1 priority. I'll be concentrating on my thesis writing so that I can graduate in college. So pray for me.
For our news! My God! The Shipper Sanctum site is surely beaming with some new good rumors lately. Let's start with the latest update in DAGS (David And Gillian Site). Someone saw David and Gillian together, and the post said...
NEW! Spotted in a Restaurant-- provided by Helen- Early December some time, they were at Twin Palms in LA, which is an unusual place to find them together. I think, as it is a public eating place where they could get caught by anyone. They went out to the bathroom together and didn't come back for a while. THEN Gillian drove David back to her house! I couldn't drive right up to her place and I had to be careful they didn't notice me driving behind in my jeep, but I did see a couple of kisses while following them that day. ...
Wow! What a rumor!!! Could this be true? In a Snogger POV, that could be 100% true because there's a link to this one...
From Shipper Sanctum, one posted a report from Italy that David said on an interview that he and Téa Leoni are already divorced!...Could this be a link to the rumor above? Someone said that it could be a celebration for them (DD and GA). :)
Old Quote from David Duchovny: "She's the other one holding the other side of the rope. I mean, I rely on her, I trust her, and she does me." Duchovny, David. Interview. Charlie Rose. PBS 18 June 1998.
If you want to share anything about snogger or you want to ask some questions regarding snoggers, just email it to me <ddga4ever@edsamail.com.ph> or <ddga4ever@pinoyxphiles.com-1.net>
Visit our club site "The Official Pinoy X-Philes Site" at http://www.pinoyxphiles.com-1.net
POEM:
Gillian Anderson
by: Lily Grace Chao (ddga4ever)
She was the woman I admire
She was the one I acquire
Wishing that I look just like hers
Because she gets so many admirers
I look up at her not just as an actress
But just being her and a normal empress
She's cool and I like her
And someday I love to meet her
Gillian Anderson, every man's passion
Gillian Anderson, every woman's fascination
Oh! I really dream about you
Wishing that this dream would come true
I want you to know that I'm here for you
No matter what, it's forever and true
Never will leave you behind
Forever...I will be your avid fan.
MULDERISMS/SCULLYISMS
by the Editor (xanderfrohike@yahoo.com)
Scully: Well . . . do you have any questions?
Doggett: Just a few. Maybe first you could tell me where your area is here and .
. . uh . . . where mine's going to be.
Scully: This is my partner's office, Agent Doggett. You and I will just be using
it for a while
(from Patience 8X04)
Mulder: (Homer, in his underpants and shoes, has electrodes attached to
him while he jogs on a treadmill) Wait a minute, Scully. What's the point of
this test?
Scully: No point. I just thought he could stand to lose a little weight.
Mulder: His jiggling is almost hypnotic.
Scully: Yes. It's like a lava lamp.
(from The Simpsons "The Springfield Files")
Pennock: You know the thing I find most surprising about this case is you.
You are one skeptical guy, Agent Mulder.
Mulder: Skeptical?
Pennock: Oh yeah!
Mulder: I've been called a lot of things. Skeptical, however, is not one.
Pennock: Yeah, whatever.
(Mulder dials phone, is a bit miffed at being labeled a skeptic.)
Mulder: Skeptical.
(from Mind's Eye 5X16)
PAPER SAINTS 3/15
by Jill Selby (jillselby@yahoo.com)
Archiving Note: Do not archive at Gossamer. All other archives,
please ask permission.
Disclaimer: Characters from the X-Files are the property of Ten
Thirteen Productions and the Fox Television Network. All others
are the author's creation. Any similarity to any person, living
or dead, is purely coincidental. No infringement is intended.
Classification: XRA/MSR
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: None
Timeline: Post-movie
Notes and thanks from the author will appear at the end of the
story.
Feedback is always appreciated.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Our first noble deed was buried in a two-paragraph article on
page 12A of the Post-Dispatch. Trent's "Cleaning Up the Earth,
One Piece of Scum at a Time" publicity campaign hinged on the
assumption that someone would give a damn about Scum #1. Trent
moped around for a couple of days, complaining incessantly about
the lack of detail in the report. Superman, he insisted, would
never stand for being ignored.
Yes, but Superman wore his underpants on the outside of his
clothes and schmoozed the newspaper's ace reporter. He was bound
to get more attention.
Trent is optimistic our latest project will grab a page-one
headline. It has better demographics. More creative flair.
Everyone will be talking about the anonymous do-gooders who are
saving this filth-ridden world. Tomorrow, he says, we'll be
heroes.
In the meantime, Mrs. Schnepf, Library Hag, wants the top shelves
dusted, and I seem to have misplaced my dust-obliterating ray
gun. Damn the luck.
As superheroes go, men have it made. Superman flies, has nifty
x-ray vision, train-stopping strength, and bullet speed. Batman
gets all the kick-ass gadgets, a really nice car, and a cute
sidekick, though what he and Robin do in the privacy of their
home is no one's business but their own.
Wonder Woman? She gets a piece of rope, some bullet-proof
bracelets, and a plane no one can see (everyone just nods
politely and tells her what a nice plane it is). Wonder Woman, I
hate to be the one to break this to you, but an invisible plane
is less than useless if the pilot isn't invisible.
With my impending superhero status, I wonder if I'll suddenly
become immune to PMS. Maybe a big bottle of Midol is included in
the "just-for-women" superhero starter kit. God knows, if I were
in Wonder Woman's go-go boots, I would beat the crap out of every
male on the planet on a monthly basis, starting with the jerk who
designed my costume.
A real female superhero, I've decided, would wear old blue jeans
with a torn back pocket, and a faded University of Tennessee
sweatshirt. She would make it her personal crusade to destroy
every bathroom scale, every pair of pantyhose, every jar of
exfoliating facial cleanser and every high-heeled shoe in the
known universe.
She would never, ever climb a ladder armed with a rag and a can
of furniture polish.
Charmin Jane Zullman: "Cleaning Up the Library, One Dusty Shelf
at a Time."
I think I need a new slogan.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Two were sitting in swings. One was propped against the ladder of
a bright yellow slide. Another looked infinitely lonely sitting
partnerless on the teeter-totter. A young officer greeted the
agents at the front door, but his colleagues appeared to be
taking recess on the playground of the Pollywog Preschool.
One of the idle officers, a burly, no-necked tree trunk of a man,
rose to meet them as they entered the fenced yard. Just seeing
that brush cut and lantern jaw sent Scully's memory reeling
backwards to a particular high school tormentor who had taken
great delight in harassing a bookish redhead. Now, as this
officer's gaze slithered over her body and took mental
measurements, she couldn't help but wish for him the same bloody
nose she'd bestowed on Kenny "the Hand" Hansen seventeen years
ago. She was more subtle in her methods now, holding up her
badge like a shield and blanketing every word in the thick frost
of authority, but she was hoping for the same deterrent effect.
And if that wasn't enough to dissuade the man, Mulder was clearly
marking territory in the presence of a perceived rival. Good
God, if he'd been an alley cat, she'd need new shoes by now. As
it was, she'd have to have her partner surgically removed if he
stood any closer.
Yet, somehow, Dirk Squarejaw was missing all the signals.
"Agent Scully." He shook her hand firmly, and held on a beat too
long before releasing his hold. "Sergeant Rusty Griggs." The
smile he flashed was laden with seductive promise, and designed,
no doubt, to melt her into a gooey little puddle of blushes and giggles.
Dana Scully giggled for no man, and certainly not for the likes
of Sergeant Griggs. All the heat he was giving off only tempered
the steel of her resolve. She ignored him and looked pointedly
at the other officers who were still lounging on playground
equipment. "I take it you're all finished here?"
"We were just..." he made a quick, desperate gesture for his
officers to stand. "Agent Solomon asked us to wait for you."
"Well, we're here now, so why don't you tell us what you found."
"Better take a look for yourself." He waved her toward the
doorway to the kindergarten room. "We left the body untouched."
As the entourage moved inside, Scully found herself an unwilling
participant in a absurd dance. Griggs would edge toward her,
Mulder would step between. The officer would slow his pace in an
attempt to maneuver around her, and Mulder would match him
step-for-step. A hand would momentarily guide her forward, only
to be bumped away by another hand. Cartilage crushing became a
more appealing option with every brush and nudge: a good
roundhouse punch might take out two noses in one time-saving
swing.
"Oh, my God."
Those were the first words Nelson Abbott had spoken in half an
hour, but he meekly put voice to the thoughts of every one of the
agents as they entered the room. Mulder took a step away from
Scully, as did Griggs. Something about the sight before them had
the males of the group craving personal space. Sheila Solomon,
who had been carrying on a lively one-sided conversation with
some of the investigating officers, was, for once, speechless.
If she didn't know better, Scully would have sworn gravity
made a mistake and allowed the obese, naked body of Randall
Harper to fall up, leaving him sprawled on the ceiling. One fat,
white leg was stretched straight, the other bent at the knee
with a foot planted solidly against the plaster. His arms were
spread wide, his fingers frozen by death as they clawed
against the thin layer of paint. Other than the two nails
which had pierced his flesh, there were no visible means of
attachment, but for reasons Scully couldn't immediately discern,
the body remained firmly anchored.
She made a slow circle around the room, examining the body from
all angles. "What's holding him up there?" She didn't expect an
answer, and except for a shrug from Sergeant Griggs, didn't
receive one. "There are no strings or other visible restraints,
but the body doesn't seem to be pulling away from the ceiling.
Well, something's got to be holding him up, otherwise the
testicles would have ripped away and he would have fallen." She
didn't realize she was thinking aloud until her stream of
consciousness was interrupted by the collective groan of the men
in the room.
She pulled a pair of latex gloves from her pocket and spoke to
Griggs, who had overcome his discomfort and drifted back into
close proximity. "Sergeant, could you get me a ladder?"
"Sure thing. Roy, get the ladder for Agent Scully."
Since Griggs had delegated the errand, Scully was left to
contemplate Randall Harper's body while the Sergeant was
conspicuously contemplating hers. Mulder was across the room,
poring over the notes of one of the officers, apparently
oblivious to the fact that Griggs was whispering information
about the case into Scully's ear as if telling sexy secrets.
Scully had already begun to turn on her heel, anxious to dispatch
the hulking nuisance with the censure burning on her tongue, when
Mulder's voice sliced through the quiet murmurs in the room.
"Sergeant Griggs, I need clarification on something. Could you
help me out here?" Evidently, Mulder wasn't so unaware as she
thought. His eyes never left the notes he was studying as he
called to Griggs, but Scully could feel him guarding her,
possessing her, even from across the room.
His proprietary behavior was sweet, in an old-fashioned way. A
little like having a pet caveman. It was also beginning to annoy
the hell out of her. Always before, Mulder had stood on the
sidelines, supporting and encouraging but never interfering as
she battled the dragons of prejudice and sexism.
Scully began to climb the rickety, wooden ladder Roy had set up
for her, but as she ascended the splintery steps, her mind was
occupied with other things. She was thinking she should commend
the officers who had painstakingly gone over every inch of the
ceiling in search of fingerprints. She was also wondering if
dropping hints to Mulder about his behavior would suffice, or if
the situation called for less subtlety and more action; maybe
she'd just dump his chivalrous ass atop a white steed and send
him riding off into the sunset. She berated herself for putting
on a skirt instead of pants this morning, and was certain Griggs
was taking in the view.
The handling of bodies was routine and she didn't spare a thought
for the consequences of touching this one. She reached upward to
examine the cold, dead flesh of Randall Harper. Her fingers
barely grazed the man's shoulder, but in that instant of contact,
Dana Scully found herself thinking of nothing at all except the
pain that raced like wildfire across her skin and sent her
tumbling from the ladder.
____________
The police work on this case was above reproach. The officers
had lifted hundreds of prints from the walls, even a few from the
ceiling near the light fixture, in the ever-so-slight hope that
among the prints of the teachers and janitors and students of the
Pollywog Preschool, they would find one belonging to a killer.
The staff had been interviewed, then sent home. Only the
facility's director remained on the premises, and she had asked
permission to stay in her office until the body was removed.
Despite their unfortunate first impression, Griggs and his men
had done their jobs with competence and sensitivity.
Mulder's seething hatred of Sergeant Rusty Griggs, therefore, had
nothing to do with the man's ability as an investigator. If his
performance on this case was an indication of the sergeant's
merits, he was a good cop. Mulder would make sure the man's
tombstone said as much.
At the moment, Griggs was impatiently rattling off the
information the agent had wanted clarified, even though both men
knew no clarification was necessary. Every time the sergeant's
gaze would slide across the room and wander up Dana Scully's leg,
Mulder would drag Griggs' attention away from her by pointing out
a smeary fingerprint on the wall, an overlooked wood splinter on
the floor, or the incorrect spelling of the word "hirsute" in the
description of Randall Harper's body. At that last observation,
Griggs made a noise akin to a snort and abandoned Mulder to
return, swaggering all the way, to Scully.
The sergeant was standing right by the ladder when it happened,
yet when the sparks showered around Scully like fireworks, when
her legs buckled, when she fell, it was Mulder who reached her
first. He didn't remember crossing the distance; one second he
was standing across the room with a handful of paperwork and the
next he was kneeling on the floor, holding his partner, and being
assaulted by the same painful electrical shock that had jolted
her.
"What the hell? Agent Scully, are you all right?" Griggs
sounded appropriately panicked and concerned for a fallen
officer, and Mulder might have been touched if Griggs had thought
to inquire about the welfare of both trembling agents.
But Griggs was nothing more than background noise. Mulder was
busy having a silent conversation with the woman in his arms. Her
eyes were open wide with surprise, colored dark with fear,
reflecting her worry for him. Before he could reassure her, or
she him, a shout from Sheila Solomon brought to light another,
more urgent concern.
The 300-pound body of Randall Harper was falling, and Mulder and
Scully were at ground zero.
___________
End "Paper Saints" 3/15