Subject: NEW: Odyssey 10/12
Sent: 31/01 11:17 AM
Received: 31/01 6:14 PM
From: Sharon Nuttycombe, avalon@terranet.ab.ca
To: dobbo@c031.aone.net.au
Odyssey part 10/12
Sharon Nuttycombe
avalon@terranet.ab.ca
September 26, 1996
************************************************************
This is a Scully and Skinner action/adventure story. It is not
related to my former story, Crossing the Line.
RATINGS: R for violence
CLASSIFICATIONS: T R
KEYWORDS: Scully/Skinner story
SUMMARY: When Mulder disappears in the Caribbean, Scully and
Skinner are drawn into a web of intrigue and danger.
I am a permanent resident of the State of Denial -- Avatar never
happened.
I owe a huge debt of gratitude to Alistair Maclean's "The Golden
Rendezvous". OK - I shamelessly stole his ideas, but I made
lots of changes. Honest. This is an homage... :)
I would appreciate any comments or criticism. Many thanks.
Acknowledgements: Thanks to Linda Campbell for racking up a
huge phone bill helping me plot this monster, and for refusing
to let me pack it in when the going got tough...
Disclaimer: Scully, Skinner, and Mulder belong to Chris
Carter. I don't own them, I'm only borrowing them for a while
(But do I have to return Skinner? Can I keep him, huh Chris?
Please...?)
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Odyssey part 10/12
THURSDAY, EARLY MORNING
THE ODYSSEY. MAIN DECK.
Scully prepares to move forward from the shadows toward the
bridge. As she does, the door at the top of the stairs opens,
and a figure emerges. Silently she steps back into the shadows.
A lone terrorist descends, his gun casually slung over his
shoulder. He passes Scully without a moment's pause and heads
toward the lifeboat where the unconscious Victoria is hidden. As
he passes, Scully makes an instant decision, launching herself
from her hiding place, and pressing her gun to the back of the
terrorist's neck.
SCULLY: I don't know if you speak English, but if you move
anything, you're going to lose it.
Perhaps reading the menace in her tone, he freezes. Scully
continues.
SCULLY: Drop the gun. Now.
Slowly he begins to comply. At that moment the ship gives a
tremendous lurch, reeling heavily to starboard, and both the
Agent and the terrorist grab for the rails. Scully's injured
wrist impedes her and she almost loses the gun. The terrorist,
seeing this, flings himself toward her, ignoring the danger as
the ship continues to list to an impossible degree. Half-blinded
by the rain, Scully does not pause, but lifts her weapon and
pulls the trigger. A shot rings out over the storm and the
terrorist is flung backward. As the ship painfully begins to
claw it's way back to an even keel, the terrorist topples over
the rail, vanishing into the sea.
Scully is left shaken and for a long moment, does not move.
Then, realizing that the gunshot may have been heard, and that
she too is in danger of being swept over the side, she thrusts
her gun under her jacket and picks up the terrorist's weapon
which, by some miracle did not go overboard. Once more she
determinedly moves toward the bridge.
* * *
THURSDAY, EARLY MORNING
THE ODYSSEY. BRIDGE
Josef, Skinner, and three terrorists are alone on the bridge.
The glow from the instruments dimly lights the room, and through
the main window, the effects of the storm can be seen. Rain
lashes at the glass and the wind can be heard howling fiercely.
Suddenly, a faint crack is heard, and Josef looks up sharply.
JOSEF: What was that? (No-one answers him and he gestures
quickly to one of the guards) Check it out.
Silently the guard leaves. Josef turns his attention to the
ship's radio, speaking urgently into it in German. There is a
faint response, but Skinner cannot make out any of the
words. Josef does not seem happy -- he glances at his watch then
speaks rapidly into the radio again. Finally he signs off and
sets it down with a bang, waves of anger rolling off him.
SKINNER: Troubles?
Josef ignores him and moves toward several maps strewn across a
table. He begins to make some hasty calculations then speaks
rapidly to the man beside him, who nods, turns, and leaves.
Josef rubs his hand over his eyes and for a moment, looks very
tired.
SKINNER: Not going well, is it?
JOSEF: Shut up.
SKINNER: (Conversationally) You know, this has got to be one of
the most inept operations I have ever...
JOSEF: Enough! (He draws his gun and walks across the room)
I've been wanting to do this for a long time...
His finger tightens on the trigger. A voice comes from the
entrance.
SCULLY: Get used to disappointment. Drop the gun!
Everyone spins around to see Scully, windblown and dishevelled,
holding her gun in her right hand, aiming it at Josef's heart.
For a frozen moment, no one moves.
SCULLY: Do as I said. Drop the gun. Now!
Slowly Josef and the other terrorist begin to comply. Josef's
eyes flicker over her shoulder and she tenses, then abruptly
spins. Another terrorist emerges from the entranceway and seizes
her by her gun arm. For a desperate moment she struggles against
him, while Skinner shouts and launches himself forward. The
terrorist closest to him tackles him. Josef spins and shoots but
misses the Assistant Director. Skinner is wrestled to the
ground, the terrorist's gun against his ear. The other terrorist
seizes Scully's gun and shoves her into the room. She sprawls
forward. Once more silence descends.
JOSEF: This is a surprise, Doctor. Get up. (To the terrorist)
Search her, Franz. (To the terrorist holding Skinner down.)
And let him up...
Scully and Skinner climb to their feet, all guns in the room
trained on them. They give each other a quick glance, but say
nothing. Franz searches her, but stops when he finds her badge.
Josef meanwhile, steps forward, his gun aimed at Skinner.
JOSEF: Now, where was I? Oh yes...goodbye, Mr Skinner.
Franz says something in German, and holds out her badge. Josef
looks at it, then at Skinner, then curses and takes the badge.
He flips it open, keeping his gun trained on Skinner. He glances
at it, then looks more closely at the photo then at Scully. Rage
flits across his face and he turns away from Skinner, moving
toward her. Scully braces herself, but does not move.
JOSEF: (Incredulously) You're an FBI agent? (He pauses for a
moment. When he speaks again his voice is deceptively
mild.) Well, Doctor Kimble...or should I say Agent
Scully? -- I don't appreciate being made a fool of.
SCULLY: Funny. You should be used to it by now.
Without pausing, Josef seizes her by the broken wrist and pulls
her closer. She bites back a scream.
JOSEF: You're going to regret that. (His grip tightens on her
wrist).
Surprising everyone, Skinner suddenly erupts into motion. He
turns on the terrorist beside him and slams him hard against the
wall, knocking him out. With no hesitation he dives across the room
toward Josef.
Franz brings up his weapon. Seeing this, Scully reaches for her
second gun with her free hand and shoots Franz at point blank
range. Momentarily stunned, Josef does not react as she wrenches
herself from his grasp. She flings herself backward, landing on
her broken wrist. As her vision blurs she does not see Skinner
tackle Josef.
As Skinner and Josef hit the ground, Josef loses his grip on his
gun and it skitters across the floor.
Josef regains his feet and tries to defend himself against the
enraged Assistant Director, but he is beaten back under a flurry
of blows. In desperation he draws his knife, slashing at
Skinner's eyes. Skinner jerks back, blood from a gash above his
eyebrow obscuring his vision while Josef kicks at his injured
leg.
The ship lurches violently and Skinner's injured leg finally
gives out. He falls to his knees. Josef drives the knife down
toward him. Skinner throws himself aside, grunting under the
impact as the knife sinks into his left shoulder. Skinner seizes
Josef's wrist. As his grip tightens, their eyes meet. In one
swift move the Assistant Director yanks the knife from his
shoulder, reverses the blade, and stabs Josef in the throat. For
a long moment, the terrorist does not move. Then, without a
word, he falls lifelessly to the floor. Skinner climbs heavily
to his feet.
SKINNER: (Coldly) You should have shot me when you had the
chance.
* * *
THURSDAY EARLY MORNING
WASHINGTON D.C.
Mulder and Williams enter a brightly-lit, crowded room. Several
high-ranking military officers and a number of unidentified men
in suits are seated around a large table. Williams sits down at
an empty chair, indicating Mulder take the chair opposite.
MAN IN SUIT: What's he doing here? This is a breach in
security.
WILLIAMS: It's my decision, Tremayne. Don't question it.
TREMAYNE: I hope you know what you're doing.
WILLIAMS: I think he can help.
MULDER: Will you people stop talking about me as if I
weren't here?
AN ADMIRAL: Let's get on with this. We just received this
message from the Odyssey.
MULDER: Let me see that!
The admiral pauses and glances at Williams, who nods.
Reluctantly he hands the paper over. Mulder reads it quickly.
MULDER: Terrorists?
Williams reaches for the paper. Everyone waits silently while he
reads it. Finally he looks up.
WILLIAMS: Has this been confirmed?
TREMAYNE: Yes. Do we go to Operation Cerberus, General?
MULDER: What's Operation Cerberus?
WILLIAMS: (Ignoring Mulder) We don't have a choice.
MULDER: (Insistently) What's Operation Cerberus?
WILLIAMS: (Pauses) It's our failsafe.
Williams tells Mulder about the bomb on board the Odyssey.
MULDER: You can't. My partner's on that ship.
WILLIAMS: We have to.
TREMAYNE: (Breaks in) Time is running out, General. We
need to send the signal now.
MULDER: You'll lose your cargo.
MAN IN SUIT: It's already lost
MULDER: I can't let you do this.
He reaches inside his coat for his gun, but freezes as several of
the military personnnel draw their own weapons and train them on
him. Carefully he eases his hand away from his coat.
WILLIAMS: (Coldly) I told you not to presume too much, Mr.
Mulder. (To the Admiral) Send the signal.
MULDER: No!
* * *
END OF PART 10
Sharon Nuttycombe
avalon@terranet.ab.ca
--"I have as much respect for the chain of command as the next guy.
--Only if you're standing next to Fletcher Christian." -- Adderly
(
geocities.com/hollywood)