| “It’s hard to understand unless you see a picture of it.” Piper explained. She brushed the feeling from her body. “Never mind, it probably has no connection what-so-ever. So, what do we do now?” “So now we continue to do some different kinds of investigating and you go home.” Scully commanded. “But I’m sure I’ll see you guys for dinner, though, right?” Piper pondered. Mulder and Scully nodded together, knowing it was pointless to fight with Piper. When it came to them, she always got her way. “Well see you tonight.” Piper turned and began to walk away off towards the school. “Piper, are you okay?” Scully called out afterwards. “Sure, why?” Piper asked, turning towards them. “Just wondering.” Scully said. “We’ll see you later.” Piper nodded and walked away. Scully turned to Mulder. “I’m going to take a cab to the morgue and see if I can autopsy the body. Find out what she died from.” “I’m going to talk to the principal of the school to make sure he knows what’s going on. Then I’ll go to the police station to make sure we have their support on this and to find out who that woman actually is. I’ll pick you up when I’m done.” Mulder said. Scully nodded and pulled out her cell-phone to call the cab company. Mulder headed for the building. He walked through the halls, passing teachers and students. From previous cases, he knew exactly where he was going as he made his way to the office. He walked in the large room, and eyed the secretaries who sat at their desks. One of them walked over to Mulder. “Can I help you?” She asked. “I’d like to speak to the Principal.” Mulder answered. The woman pointed to another, smaller office. A man was sitting down at a desk in the middle of the room. “Yes?” He said, taking off his glasses as Mulder came in and sat down. “Sir, my name is Fox Mulder. I’m an agent with the federal bureau of investigation. I’m here with my partner investigating the murder that happened outside the school. I’d like it if we kept this as secretive as possible, considering the people involved.” “Who’s involved?” The principal asked. “A girl by the name of Piper Alexander is helping us and I’m sure she wouldn’t appreciate her name being announced over the intercom as being connected to this.” “I know Piper. Her father worked here before his death. We all feel for Piper. The entire school has suffered a tremendous loss. Her father was a great teacher.” Mulder nodded. “Well, thank you for your time.” Mulder said. The two men stood and shook hands. Mulder walked out of the office and made his way out of the building and to his car. He started it up and drove off to the police station. * * * * A few hours later, Scully was finishing wrapping up the body that she had just autopsied. She removed her latex gloves, and through them into a wastepaper basket. She took a pair of safety glasses off her eyes and put them on a nearby table. She looked up as she heard the door open. Mulder walked in, holding a can of soda. He glanced over at the autopsy table and checked that the body was wrapped. Somehow he could stomach monsters and aliens but the sight of cut up dead people bothered him. “Nice hair.” He said, pointing to Scully’s hair net. She took it off, smoothing her hair down. “So what did she die of?” “Well, it appears as if her assailant hit her in the back of the head with a large object, possibly a bat or something of that sort. The actual cause of death was a poison that seeps into the blood stream. I found a small puncture wound on the base of her neck. Probably a spot that a needle was inserted. Now, I’m having her blood sent to the crime lab so they can detect exactly what kind of poison was used.” She explained. “Other than that, I didn’t find any evidence of any kind. Did you find out who she is?” “She’s a woman by the name of Holly Berming. She has no known living relatives. She worked in a bank in Providence and lived by herself in a small apartment. She has no record of any illegal activity and as far as I can see, there’s no reason why someone would want her dead.” Mulder explained. “There has to be some reason.” “Unless it was a random killing.” “The poison that was used cannot just be acquired. Whoever killed this woman knew what they were doing and how not to be found. We’re trying to find what could be a master-mind killer. Where do we begin to look for a person like that?” “We have to get inside they’re head…” “That’s what I was afraid of.” Scully said, though she already knew the answer before Mulder said anything. “And find out what PAI stands for.” “That’s a needle in a haystack.” Scully commented. “Although it could have something to do with what Piper was talking about. That Geometry thing.” “I think Piper was just trying to be helpful.” Mulder said as he looked down at his watch. “Piper’s probably expecting us.” “You expect her to actually cook us something? Let’s get take-out.” Scully suggested. Mulder smiled and nodded. Scully took off her bloody smock and through it away while Mulder went to bring the car around the front of the building. Scully grabbed her coat and met Mulder outside. She got into the car and they drove away. Meanwhile, Piper was sitting at her computer talking to Maxine and Erin online. Her radio blared in the background. She hummed the tune, running the lines through her mind. She typed to her friends with skill and agility. Typing was one of the few things she was good at and putting her feelings into words was even better. She laughed out loud as she read what Maxine told her. They didn’t discuss the case at all, basically because Piper didn’t know much about it. She hadn’t spoken to Mulder and Scully since she left them in the parking lot and now it was four hours later. Piper’s stomach grumbled reminding her that she was hungry. She looked at the clock and hoped Mulder and Scully wouldn’t be too much longer. She had promised them dinner but since they knew her cooking skills all too well she figured one of them would pick up some takeout. Her cooking skills had improved since her parents had passed away. They were no longer there to cook her every meal and make sure she wouldn’t light the kitchen on fire when she tried to use the stove. She became more independent but usually it was her sister, Suzanne, who would pick something up for them to eat. On weekends, her other sister, Lynn, would come home to cook but it was never the same as the way her father cooked. Piper’s thoughts of her parents were cut short as she heard the doorbell ring. She got up and went over to the front door. She opened it and saw Mulder and Scully standing there with their luggage in their hands. Mulder held a plastic bag in one of his hands. Piper figured it was food, probably Chinese. “Who said you could stay the night?” Piper asked. “Well, if you don’t want us to…” Mulder dragged on. Piper laughed. “Come on in.” She said. They walked inside, dumping their luggage on the floor. Piper walked into her computer room and sat back down at her computer. “What are you doing?” Scully asked, walking in behind her. “I was just checking my e-mail but then both Erin and Maxine IM’d me so we’ve been talking for about an hour.” Piper answered. “About the case?” Mulder pondered as he walked in, the plastic bag still in his hand. “No. Just about school and how life basically stinks.” Piper said. “The normal teenager chat.” “Something tells me that you guys don’t talk so normally as you’d like us to think.” Scully commented. Piper smiled. “Where are your sisters?” “Well, a few weeks after mom and dad died, Lynn moved back to school. We decided that she needed a life of her own. But Suzanne and I fair well. We don’t fight as much anymore. She works until about six usually and then we eat take-out or occasional leftovers. But she goes out a lot, too. She’s out with her friends right now. She feels bad leaving me by myself but I talk to a lot of people online who don’t really know who I am. Who don’t need to know who I am.” Piper explained. “Are you ashamed of who you are?” Mulder wondered. “No. I’ve never been ashamed of who I am but it’s fun to pretend that you’re someone else.” Piper said. The three of them grew silent. “Well, let’s eat!” Mulder exclaimed. Chapter 4 March 24, 2000 6:15 AM Alexander Residence Warwick, Rhode Island The next morning Piper awoke to the booming sound of her radio. She quickly rolled over and turned her music down. She sat up and flicked on her touch lamp. She rubbed her eyes, not wanting to get up. Every morning she felt the same way, tired and groggy, but yet she still got up and loyally went to school. She brushed her blankets aside and dropped her bare legs over the side of the bed. She got up, walked out of her bedroom, and then walked across the hall to her bathroom. She popped her retainer out of her mouth and rinsed it under the cold water of the sink. She put it into a protective case and then walked back into her bedroom, closing the door behind her. |