>>Old Material
[7:50PM, the playground]

As soon as they got back from dinner, Kate told the others she was going for a jog and slipped out of the cabins. She'd circled the playground at a distance and found a vantage point where she could survey most of the surrounding area. And waited.

There was no movement in the woods, except for a few birds and a few million flying insects. Finally, she saw some movement on the other side of the playground. She could just make out a male form in the trees. Focusing on him, she saw his face - in particular his eyes. He was looking straight at her.

Kate tightened her grip on her gun, which was already drawn and hidden behind her - no sense taking unnecessary chances - and waited to see what would happen next.

>>New Material
Jacob remained calm as Kate surveyed him. He saw the mix of emotion that was transmitted from her eyes. Behind that veneer of calm and training, there was a hint of a range of other emotions. Suspicion of who he was, suspecting she had entered a trap. Anger, at being manipulated. And perhaps a hint of fear, not knowing where this mysterious figure fitted into the scheme of things. Perhaps there was something more. Perhaps his note had touched on something he hadn't expected, with mention of her boys. From his research, he was aware of how important they were to her. Perhaps that had been the wrong tack to use.

But, she was here, and alone, as instructed. He had actually been in this area for half an hour, ensuring it was clear, and that she was, in fact, alone. She'd followed his instructions implicitely. Now, it was time to garner her trust, which wasn't going to be easy.

Jacob stood from where he was crouched, and walked casually down to the playground. Stopping at the most open spot, and turning back to face the position where Kate watched him cautiously.

"Agent Calloway, you can come out from where you are. You and I both know your exact position. As I said in my note, I'm an ally."

Kate gingerly crept forward, taking her time, not trusting this situation for a moment. What was there to stop this from being another ploy by Docker, an attempt to get her out here, alone, and then gun her down, leaving the team in disarray? And yet, there had been something about the note which had drawn her here, even with the likelihood of a setup. The mention of the boys. The mention of Josh. This individual knew how to pull just the right strings. He had her where he wanted her, if that were to be the case. Had she walked into a trap?

She stepped out of the cover of the trees, her gun trained on the individual, and, for the first time, got a good look at him. This individual, at a guess, was in his mid 30s. He was tall, and well built. Whatever line of work he was in, he was very fit. His complexion suggested the hint of a spanish or italian background, but his accent had been crisp, as if he was well educated. But, the one thing, above all others, which garnered her attention, was his eyes. They were continuously active, aware of everything around him, and also giving tht hint of knowledge. There was a sense about him that there was far more to him than met the eye. Intelligent, sophisticated, but also adaptable. An intriguing individual.

"I am unarmed, Agent Calloway. You can search me if you want, I have nothing to hide. The only thing I have is an envelope, which I'm putting on the ground. I have nothing to hide."

Instinctively, Jacob turned away from Kate, spreading his legs apart slightly in anticipation. He looked deep into the forest, glancing to and fro, checking for the thousandth time for any untoward movement or the like. But, he knew that Docker, at this moment, was miles from here, reporting in to his superiors at the other complex this group that DELTA had stumbled on had operating. They were safe, for the time being.

Jacob's attention was captured as Kate did a thorough search of him. The repetition of that line, "I have nothing to hide", had Kate wondering, but she was taking no chances. Who knew who this figure was, or what was in the large envelope. She was not taking any risks.

Having checked him thoroughly, finding no concealed weapon, she nestled the gun into the back of the figure's skull, ensuring she had control of the situation. Surprisingly, the figure didn't cower or shirk away, almost as if he had expected it. For someone within a few centimetres of death, if the situation were to arise, he was very clm and collected, in stark contrast to Kate. This situation, from the start, hadn't panned out like a trap. There had been no trick, and no hesitation. In fact, everything had been to the point, factual and truthful. But, she was still suspicious. Her search had found no Id of any sort, which never bode well.

"Who are you, and what are you doing here? And why are you stalking my team?"

"I'll provide what answers I can, Agent Calloway, but to start with, can you put the gun down. You will gain nothing by blowing my head off, and I will be a little more comfortable. I understand your caution, but as I said in my note, I have information for you. I'm an ally, not an enemy."

Kate hesitated, then slowly brought the gun away from his skull, but kept it trained on the mysterious figure. She was taking no chances, although part of her was reducing it's suspicious edge, for the fact that everything he'd done thus far pointed to him being honest with her. Still, others had been duped far less easily.

"That's better. To start with, I'm not stalking your team. I'm keeping track of your movements, yes, but in order to find an appropriate time to provide you with information. I have no intentions of causing any harm to you, or your team. If that had been my intention, I'd have been able to deal with you during your last case, while Agent Kelly was team leader, rather than waiting until now."

"How do you know....?"

"I know quite a lot of things. I've been attempting to contact your team for a while, to provide assistance. Unfortunately, Agent Kelly was transferred before I could make contact. I needed someone with a profile and training that I could trust. After observing your team and your actions, I know that you are the right person. Besides, if you weren't trustworthy, you'd have let something slip before now, given your relationship circumstances with Josh Peters."

Kate's grip tightened on her gun slightly, and it raised a little higher at the mention of Josh. Jacob didn't miss this, and sought to diffuse the situation.

"You and Josh make a good couple, and a good team. The Division can only benefit from your teaming. It's a powerful relationship that has come to the attention of the group, and has made headaches for them."

"The group?"

"It's the organisation which Docker belongs to, and which is trying to disrupt the attempts of your team to investigate this case. They have impeded the progress of a number of this Division's cases, with Docker as their principal field operative. He is a deadly foe, and will stop at nothing to ensure the group's operations succeed."

Kate shook her head, trying to get her head around everything.

"The group is an organisation which, officially, doesn't exist. They are charged with a range of projects and operations that are highly secretive. Their operations deal with a broad spectrum of things, including covert scientific experiments and the like. But, principally, they are projects and operations which aren't officially sanctioned, and thus, don't exist in the eyes of the world. The difficulty with that is that, on a number of occassions, different Teams within the X-Files Division have stumbled upon these operations, and their efforts have been thwarted. That envelope contains valuable information for your team. You have stumbled onto an experiment being operated by the group, looking at subliminal control and substances or means of enhancing it. The people who have vanished are test subjects. One important fact that your team hasn't become aware of is that all of those who vanished have vanished with their dogs. The dogs are a crucial link in things. That site that almost killed your team is a storage area, with the main site being much less obvious. You will need to track down the real site, and rescue those test subjects they still have before it is too late."

"Why should I believe you? what's to say that this isn't a trap?"

Jacob shook his head, frustrated, but understanding at the same time.

"That envelope provides you with many of the facts. Additionally, the Cross industries subsidury is listed as a petrochemical and biological compound producer. This work for the group is a lucrative sideline. If your team does a spectral analysis of the remains of that shelter, you will find chemical residues that are foreign to this entire state. Finally, I could have left you to die today, if I had wanted to. Docker had all of your escape routes blocked, but that isn't what we want. Your team, and the entire Division, is too valuable to let the group succeed. There are important people who want the Division to succeed, and solve many of these cases. This organisation needs to be brought to light, and dealt with."

"Who are these people? And who are you? And why us?"

"They are important people, who's names are not important. I am a friend. There is a means of contacting me in there, but any meetings will be on my terms. As for why you? You've proven you are capable, and you enjoy Docker's games as little as we do. The Division have a lot of people that have had their path crossed by Docker. A lot of talented people. A lot of people want to rectify his motives and actions, but we need level heads to ensure that it doesn't become personal vendettas. You, and Josh Peters, are level headed. You will do what's right, and that's all that we ask."

He'd mentioned Josh again. Why was that? she wondered as she looked at theenvelope. As she raised her attention again, she spotted the figure fading into the shadows, and within a fraction of a second, she'd lost sight of him. And she sat, alone, in the playground. After a few moments, Kate cautiously opened the envelope, and saw that there were a number of documents, photos and reports inside. She flicked through them quickly, then headed back toward the cabins, glancing momentarily in the direction he'd vanished. The jury was still out on him, although he hadn't run her wrong so far.

Jacob watched from behind the tree, as she headed back toward the cabins DELTA were staying in. Contact had been made. It was now up to them!

---

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