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"Scully believes this child is destined to save mankind. She thinks she's giving birth to the cure for the virus; that the child will provide us with the means to create a vaccine and save countless millions."

"Isn't she?" Marita asked.

"Hardly, my dear. This child is that which they fear the most. There will be no cure in this child's blood, only the potential to infect and destroy. In short," he paused, long enough to light another cigarette; "this child is the coming plague."

Marita sank down into the couch. " How could this have happened? I thought that you adjusted the chip with the hope that they'd create our salvation."

"That was the intent. Unfortunately, this isn't the case. Thanks to the cooperation of Agent Scully's doctor, we've been able to run tests. It appears there were some...miscalculations...on our part." He stopped to take another drag off the cigarette, flicking the ashes into the ashtray, before continuing. "The experiments conducted on Mulder in Tunguska, significantly altered his DNA, branched it, if you will. Similar to what happened to Scully, only this time, the branched strands weren't discarded in the blood stream, but became a part of his genetic code."

"But he's The One. You said so yourself," she argued.

"He is. He will be. Just not this time." Spender stopped again, enjoying the dramatic effect his pauses had on her. He slowly drew in another cloud of poison, closing his eyes as it filled his lungs, savoring the burn. He blew it out just as slowly, until he sensed her growing impatience. "In this instance, our savior has created our executioner. Our Father, for all intents and purposes, has become Father Lucifer."

"How long have you known?"

"We began to suspect almost immediately; you see, we knew Scully was pregnant before she did. There were irregularities in the blood work and in the amniotic fluid. Minor ones; ones we hoped were a result of the virus and the vaccine in the child's system. It was expected that there would be some unusual results at this time, so we allowed the pregnancy to continue." He snuffed the butt in the ashtray. "In retrospect, that was a mistake. Had we realized what was happening, we would have terminated the pregnancy immediately."

"When did you know for sure?"

"In the fifth month. The baby began to exhibit peculiarities. An increased need for iron that wasn't being met by Scully's diet or by the supplements her doctor prescribed. We gave her a new supplement, something Scully was led to believe was a more substantial vitamin developed for high-risk pregnancies such as hers. Her visits were increased to once a week, so that the supplement could be administered. Fearing for her baby's life, she has, of course, come in faithfully for these treatments."

"What have you been giving her?"

"Blood. Or a derivative thereof. It's not important. The child is thriving, the mother is thriving, that's all that matters now." He reached for the pack, but it was snatched from the table before he got to it. He raised his eyebrow at her, but withdrew his hand without question.

"You've known all along that this child was a threat and yet the pregnancy is being allowed to go to term? Why hasn't it been terminated? My God, she's due any time now and you act like..."

"Marita!" He frowned at her, waiting until she calmed down, before continuing. "The pregnancy is being allowed to continue because there is no choice. The child's system has intertwined with Scully's, making it impossible to terminate the child's life without terminating the mother's as well. It's not a risk we're willing to take. Lose Scully and we lose any chance of saving ourselves. You see, Mulder isn't the only one we need. Fox and Dana are our Adam and Eve. We can't have one without the other. There is no one else who can do what they are capable of doing and we don't have time to begin again."

"Now what? We let the child be born and prepare to die? Is this what you're saying?"

"Don't be so dramatic. The child will be taken. Mulder and Scully will be led to believe that the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck, strangling her during delivery. They will bury a child they'll believe is their own, they will mourn, they will try again."

"But what's to stop this from happening again? Won't the results be the same?"

Spender frowned at her again. "Really, Marita. I thought you were smarter than that. Why do you think Mulder was taken? We had originally planned to take Scully, to insure that the chip had returned her fertility, but nature and Mulder, answered that question for us. As soon as the irregularities were found, the decision was made to take him instead. We feel confident that the problem has been resolved."

"And the child? What will happen to her?"

"She will be kept in a high security facility for observation," he said, holding out his hand for the pack. Marita handed it to him without comment, watching as he removed another cigarette. "We'll study her, run tests, the usual. There is much we hope to learn. Provided we don't have to destroy her first." His unsteady hands fumbled with the lighter. She took it, lighting the cigarette for him. "A kindness, Marita? You're slipping."

"Anything to expedite your death, old man."

"You've been with Alex too long," he said. "Malice doesn't suit you."

"Leave him out of this. He still believes he killed you."

Spender chuckled, then coughed uncontrollably as he choked on the smoke in his lungs. "You really believe that, don't you? Poor Marita, sometimes it's a wonder that you've survived as long as you have."

"What do you mean?"

"Alex not only knows I'm alive, he's the one charged with taking the child when the time comes. Don't let love blind you, my dear. Alex Krycek and I are cut from the same cloth; he simply comes packaged in a prettier container." He took a puff, blowing the smoke in her direction.

"You're lying. I refuse to believe that Alex is involved with this. He wouldn't, not after everything that's been done to him."

"He had no choice in the matter. Neither do you. You will do as you are told, just as you always have, if you want to live." He looked away, tapping the ashes into the ashtray.

"What do you mean? I'm not having anything to do with this."

He looked back at her and smiled. "That's where you're wrong. The child needs a mother figure. All of our researchers are men, none of whom are especially adept at nurturing a newborn. You will be the child's mother for as long as we deem it necessary to keep her alive. Alex has been preparing living quarters for you for the last month. I'm surprised he hasn't mentioned it. I've underestimated him again, it would seem."

"No! I won't do it," she said, as she got up from the chair. "I won't be a party to this."

"Yes you will, Marita," Alex said from the doorway. He crossed the room, stopping in front of her. "You have no choice in the matter."

She reached out for him, gripping the front of his jacket. "I do have a choice, Alex. So do you."

Alex removed her hands and embraced her, pulling her tightly against his chest. "Yes, we do have a choice." He slipped the syringe from under his left sleeve and plunged the needle into her neck. "You're going to make a wonderful mother, Marita," he whispered.

"No," she moaned, as she collapsed in his arms.

"Very good, Alex," Spender said, as he lit another cigarette. "You've performed admirably. Now get her out of my sight; she disgusts me."

"At least you don't have to sleep with her, old man," Alex grumbled.

"Yes, well, there are always sacrifices to be made," he admitted, as he blew a cloud of smoke in Alex's direction. "You've been well compensated to keep her happy. There are worse assignments."

Alex glared at Spender, then hoisted Marita up over his shoulder. "This is the end of it. After the child is delivered to the facility, I'm out. You'll have the child; you'll have Marita to 'mother' the creature. Keep her drugged and complacent; she'll never know I'm gone."

"As we agreed, Alex," Spender replied. "Once the child has been delivered to the facility, you'll be free to go. Until that time, you're to keep her as happy as possible."

Alex nodded and left the room, closing the door behind him. Spender waited until he heard the car start before rolling his chair toward the phone. It rang before he got there. "Yes. She has? Is everyone in place? Good. Alex and Marita should arrive at the facility within the hour. No, he won't be staying once the child arrives." He finished his cigarette and let butt fall into the ashtray as he listened to the voice on the other end of the wire. "Of course not, he's helped Mulder too many times to be trusted. Follow him for a few days, let him think he's free, then kill him."

Spender hung up and smiled. Everything was falling into place, just as planned. The rebels would be pleased. Power and health would be restored to him, as promised. He rolled back to the table, once again reaching for the ever-present pack of Morleys. The true Father Lucifer would soon take his place in the New World order.