| They picked the rest of the teams. Piper was happy that Mulder and Scully might actually come together. She had talked to Erin and Hannah before they had begun to play about doing anything possible to get Mulder and Scully together by the end of the night. Scully’s team ended up being Piper, Ian, Jim, and Russ. Mulder had the rest of the players which was Hannah, Erin, Candy, and Kyla. Piper seemed kind of upset that she was left with all boys but she was glad she was with Scully. Now, she could unleash her plan on how to get Mulder and Scully together. “Okay, game limits.” Hannah began. “Boundaries are from St. Rose to the woods. You can use the Main road but no back roads. Games are thirty minutes long, and if you hear us calling, come and we’ll meet at my house.” “Due to the circumstances of the last time we played manhunt, no one is allowed to leave another alone. You have to go in at least pairs. Don’t even leave to pursue another member of the opposite team.” Piper said. “And, if a parent comes to pick you up during the middle of the game, tell at least one more person so that we don’t think you’re missing.” Erin said. Or killed, Piper thought. She remembered thinking Nick’s mom had picked him up before they found him dead. “Scully’s team will seek first.” Hannah said. The group all nodded to agree with the rules. They knew this game wasn’t going to be all fun. There were more rules than usual but they were made for a good reason and definitely shouldn’t be broken. Piper took a seat on Hannah’s front stairs. The other team walked down the road. They got five minutes to hide before the other team went looking for them. Fortunately, Hannah’s street was a dead end but it connected to the main road through Jim’s backyard. It was a great neighborhood to play, unless a murderer was on the loose. “So, what’s the plan?” Scully asked. “Plan?” Ian wondered. They never really had a plan. Usually they just did whatever they felt like as they went along. Most of the time the team, who was supposed to hide, didn’t and the team that was supposed to seek, didn’t as well. Usually, both teams just wondered around until they both got bored and they met at Hannah’s house. “Yea, come on, when you play manhunt you always have to have a plan.” Scully said. “Why, did you play manhunt a lot when you were a kid?” Piper asked. “Every weekend for about four years. My friends and I had the time of our lives.” Scully explained. “Does Agent Mulder know about this?” Piper questioned beginning to pry into Scully’s personal life. Scully looked over at her strangely. “No, Agent Mulder does not know though I don’t see why he would. Why would you ask a question like that?” “Just wondering.” Piper said. She smiled to herself knowing she was making slow process but she did know Mulder and Scully belonged together. “We should go look for them.” Jim said. “Agent Scully, you and Piper can go on the back roads towards St. Rose.” Ian said. Piper nodded knowing exactly where to go. “The three of us will go on the Main road and we’ll meet you guys somewhere along the way.” Piper stood up from the steps she was sitting on and walked in the same direction where Mulder’s team had previously gone. She and Scully walked around silently, looking in every shadow for a figure. Piper knew where the best hiding spots were but some of them were on the side streets where Hannah had said wasn’t allowed. Besides, after so many nights of playing, they knew not to hide in some of the spots. “Okay, we’re going to look around St. Rose first and then we’re going to go back to Hannah’s house. Kyla and I always hide in the most obvious place but no one ever finds us so I’m going to see if she would hide there again.” Piper said. Inside one of the gloomy houses a man peered out his window to see Scully and Piper walking outside. He took his glasses off and rubbed his brow. He looked at his hand and saw the scabs begin to show again. He covered his hand with a black glove and smiled to himself. It was near time but he knew it couldn’t be tonight. They were too close to find him, but he couldn’t wait too much longer. “So how close are you and Agent Scully?” Erin asked Mulder. They were hiding in the shadows of a bush, ready to run when they heard the nearest sound. They tried to keep their breathing at a minimum so no one would hear them but Erin and Hannah knew their mission for that night of manhunt. It wasn’t to not be caught but instead to get Mulder to see the good in Scully. Inside, heather hoped Candy and Kyla had made it to a good hiding place. If Erin and herself weren’t going to play, at least a few more of their teammates were. “How close are we?” Mulder repeated. “We’re friends.” “Just friends.” Hannah said. “Okay, we’re really good friends. We have a good working relationship and I don’t think I’d want to change that in any way.” “Oh…okay, just wondering.” Erin said. She and Hannah began to giggle but they stopped when they heard a noise. It was Piper’s voice. Hannah held her breath and moved her leg so she was ready to run. Scully heard the shuffling of her feet and stopped Piper. “There’s someone or something out there.” Scully whispered. Piper quickly dropped down to the ground. Scully did the same. They crawled around on the hard gravel looking under bushes and up trees for anyone from the opposite team. “Where are they?” Erin whispered from behind the bush. “I’ll see.” Mulder whispered back. He stood up partially and looked above the bush. He didn’t seem Piper or Scully so he figured it was clear. “It’s okay.” Hannah sighed, not wanting to have to get up and run. She stayed on one knee, just in case. “Gotcha!” Someone said from behind Erin. They grabbed her shoulder and she screamed a bloodthirsty scream. Hannah quickly stood up and ran. Scully and Piper sprang from the ground. Hannah followed Mulder trying to keep up with him. Erin turned around and saw Ian had hold of her shoulder. Jim and Russ were standing behind them. They commanded Ian to stay with Erin while they went back towards the main road to try to cut off Hannah and Mulder. Scully ran in front of Mulder and tried to block his way. Piper began to run after Hannah who turned towards the woods. She could reach the dead end but not enter, those were the rules she had set for herself. Piper knew if she continued down the same road, she would run out of ways to run. Mulder spotted Scully and instead of running around her, he ran right into her. He scooped her up into his arms like a groom does to a bride when they walk into their first home. Scully began laughing hysterically and Mulder laughed, as well. Ian still held on to Erin’s shoulder but Erin didn’t care. She was having a great time watching Mulder and Scully together. Mulder continued to run a little ways before falling to the ground. Scully went down with her and they collapsed on someone’s lawn. Mulder kept his arms around Scully’s waist as they continued to laugh. “Oh…you guys are a sight.” Erin said laughing as she walked towards them. Ian still held onto her shirt but this time his grip was looser. He wasn’t so afraid of her escaping as he was that if he were left alone, something might attack him. “Hannah, I know you’re out there. You can’t go into the woods!” Piper yelled at the edge of the small wooded area. She could hear the sound of the small bubbling brook that ran through the woods. Hannah emerged from the side of the house but Piper was ready. She quickly caught her and they both stopped short. They began to walk back towards St. Rose when they heard a scream. They both laughed. “Sounds like Erin screaming for the game to be over.” Hannah said. “We caught more than half your team so we win.” Piper said. They continued to walk until they reached the rest of the group. “Well, what’s going on here?” Hannah asked seeing Scully sitting on Mulder’s lap. Everyone was still laughing. Candy and Kyla came from Hannah’s street because they had obviously heard Erin’s scream. Jim and Russ soon came from St. Rose and they all joined together. “Let’s keep this G rated.” Jim said as he looked down at Mulder and Scully. Mulder looked up and saw a car coming down the road. He winced as the headlights shone in his eyes. The car stopped next to where the kids had gathered. Scully recognized it as a police car. “Hey, folks, what’s going on out here?” The officer asked. “We’re just playing a friendly game of manhunt, sir.” Erin said sweetly. “We got a call about recluse behavior from a neighbor.” The officer said. “Officer, my name is Special Agent Dana Scully with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This is my partner, Fox Mulder. I can assure you that there has been no bad behavior here at all.” Scully said getting off Mulder’s lap. “Agent Scully and I are out here investigating a murder that happened here at a previous date while these students were playing manhunt. They’re playing is just helping us investigate, if that’s okay with you, sir.” Mulder said. The officer nodded and stepped back into his police car. Mulder and Scully waited for the car to leave before they turned towards the kids. “I’m guessing you guys didn’t find any evidence.” Candy said. Mulder and Scully both shook their heads. Scully began laughing, realizing how funny it would be that FBI Agents would be playing manhunt. She quickly wiped the smile off her face when she realized no one else found it funny. The teams switched places and again Scully’s team won. No one from Mulder’s team could find anyone on Scully’s team. |