Alex opened his eyes then gasped when the blinding light hit them. Quickly he squeezed them shut again. How long had he been hanging in this room for? Had it been days, weeks, months. He no longer had any idea, it was as if time had stopped.

Carefully he opened his eyes once more, trying to get them to adjust to the light. It was not easy, they had been keeping him locked in a small pitch black room for a long time. Now they had decided shed a little light on the subject as it were.

And what light. It was searing.

"Hello Alex."
Alex's head jerked up. "Lucas?"

"The one and the same."
A tall thickset man was seated on a wooden stool, cigar burning between his fingers. He looked up at where Alex was hanging, as small smile playing about his thin well shaped mouth.

"What are you doing here?" Alex asked, his voice raspy with illness and exhaustion.

Lucas shrugged. "I thought I'd just drop in and see how my old pupil was doing, that's all."
"Oh I'm doing just fine, thank you."

Lucas smiled at the sarcasm in the younger man's voice. "Dear Alex, still the same."
Alex grunted, then started coughing, a loud hacking noise that left him red faced and wheezing for air.

"My my, that does not sound good Alex."Lucas said mildly. "Dose of the flu is it?"

"Like you would fucking care." Alex choked out. He closed his eyes for a moment, trying to ignore the numbness in his arm and stump from being strung up so long.

"No, you don't look at all well boy, not at all." Lucas observed as he settled back on the stool. "And pissing off the Consortium has not helped matters at all."

"Oh why don't you fuck off." Alex snapped. He opened his eyes to stare at the man that he had learned to hate as a young teenager, the man that had recruited and trained him.

In short, the man that had ruined his life.

"Now now, I'm here to help you." Lucas replied mildly reproving. He stared down at the glowing tip of his cigar. One of the finer Cubans. He had always been a man of good taste.

"Help me?" Alex managed to gasp out. "How can you help me?"

Lucas shrugged. "I have to admit, it won't be easy, but I don't want to see you suffer for your foolish mistakes any more."

Alex would have laughed if he had not been in so much pain. Lucas Barrett help him? This was the same man that had beaten him black and blue, this was the same man that had allowed the guards and the bigger, stronger recruits to rape him until he bled. Now he came into Alex's cell with offers of help. As if Alex would ever trust the old bastard... not in this universe.

As if reading his thoughts, the old man chuckled. "I know that there's no love lost between you and me boy." He replied. "But if you ever want to get out of here alive boy, you are going to have to trust me."
Alex sighed and shook his head, then suddenly he was seized with a violent spate of shivering. He could feel the fever rage in his system. His head pounded and his chest felt as though it was stuffed with cotton. Wet cotton at that.

"Think about it boy." He heard Lucas say. "Just think about it."

"Alex, come on, time to wake up."

"Mm 'wake." Alex mumbled. Luis Cardinal and Marcus were standing next to where Alex was dangling. Luis turned to Marcus, a worried frown creasing his brow.

"He looks really bad, like he's dying or something."

Marcus shrugged. "Should we let them know?"

"We'd better, the last thing they'd want right now is to have Krycek die on them."

"Okay then." Marcus replied. "I'll let them know." He glanced up at the desperately ill man, a grim smile on his face.

"You're a regular little fuckup aren't you Krycek." He observed, Luis Cardinal laughed. "He used to be one of the best operatives you know."

"Doesn't look like much now does he?" Marcus replied. "Well come on, let's get him ready."

Together, they released him from the straps and helped him down. Alex collapsed bonelessly into Marcus's arms.

"There you go big boy." Marcus grunted as he hefted the smaller man onto his shoulder.

Alex felt himself dangling over a hard muscular shoulder as he was carried from the cell where they had been keeping him prisoner.

Both Spender and WMM were sitting at a long well polished table. A few of the other surviving members of the Consortium were also there. The remnants of a lavish meal, scattered across the table.

Leaning back in his chair, Spender lit a cigarette. One of the Elder's glanced at him annoyed, but said nothing.

Luis Cardinal and Marcus entered the large, well furnished room. Spender's eyebrow rose slightly at the sight of Alex hanging over Marcus's shoulder.

"Put him down over there." Spender instructed. Marcus lowered Alex down onto a long red velvet covered couch.

Alex groaned and started coughing again, his face turning a deep almost purplish red as he gasped and struggled for breath. Pain lanced through his chest and he doubled over, phlegm running from his mouth.

Marcus straightened up. "I think he's really sick." He said uncertainly.

WMM smiled thinly. "How very observant of you." He replied coldly. "Let me ask you Marcus, what ever made you arrive at that brilliant conclusion?"

Marcus's face flushed. He hated looking like a fool in front of these old farts, but wisely, he said nothing.

Spender pushed his chair away from the table and walked over to where Alex was lying. He could hear the harsh rasps as he struggled for breath.

"It would appear that Marcus is correct." He said quietly. "I am afraid our young ex operative is in dire need of medical attention."

"Well then I suggest that you contact Skinner and let him know of his young...gentleman's condition." One of the other Elder's replied. "It might motivate him to move a little faster on the project that we have given him."

WMM nodded in agreement. "True." He shot a glance at Spender. "Make the call."

Walter Skinner yawned and shook his head slowly, desperately trying to keep himself awake. He had been working steadily for nearly twenty hours now and the lack of sleep was slowly beginning to take it's toll.

He was sifting through the piles of old records that he'd had bought up from the FBI's archive he was convinced that we would find something in there that would help him locate Alex.

"Are you still here?"

Walter looked up as John Doggett walked into his office. He sat himself down onto the chair opposite Walter's desk.

"How's it going John?" Walter asked. John frowned. The AD looked completely done in.

"Have you had any sleep at all?"

Walter shook his head. "Not much."

John sighed. "You can't keep this pace up Walter, you are going to end up burning yourself out. Go home, get some rest, let some of us take over for a while."

Walter sighed, he heard the rasp as he ran his hand over his face, Christ he needed a shave.

"I can't John, I can't rest until I have him back." He stared down at the files lying on the desk in front of him.

"It's been over a week now, I don't even know if he's still alive."

John leaned forward in the chair, a look of concern on his lean, rather handsome face.

"Jesus Walter, you look as though you haven't slept in a week." John told him. "Listen, we will find Alex, I know we will, and when we do, you know as well as I do that he is not going to be in good shape. He is going to need both you and Fox, and he's going to need all your love and support. You know this Walter, he's going to need the two of you to be in top shape, because he dammed well won't be."

Walter nodded, there was no way he could argue with that. But the biggest question was... exactly what kind of shape would they find there lover in? God he didn't even want to think about it.

"Any word from Fox yet?" John asked. Both Fox Mulder and Dana Scully had gone chasing a possible lead in Boston.

"Yes, he called about an hour ago." Walter replied wearily. "It was a false lead, a dead end."

John sighed and nodded, he thought as much but had not wanted to say anything at the time. It seemed that all the tip-offs and leads that they were getting all proved to be fruitless in the end.

"They should be back later tonight." Walter said, he stifled another yawn, God he felt exhausted, John was right, if he did not get some sleep soon, he would not be any good to anyone.

"I'm going home to catch some shuteye, if anything comes up...and John, I mean anything, I want you to contact me immediately. You got that." Walter fixed him with a glare. John nodded. "Yeah Walter, I got that."

"Right then." Standing up, Walter picked up a couple of the files that he had not finished going through yet. He walked over to the coatrack and grabbed his overcoat, pulling it on.

"Walter."

He looked up, John was still standing near his desk.

"Take some advice from a friend okay? Go straight home and get some sleep, come back to this.." He indicated towards the files that Walter was carrying tucked under his arm. "...Fresh tomorrow morning."

Walter offered him a tired smile. "Yeah, you're right John...I will." With that, he turned and left the office. John stared after him for a moment, then he left as well.

The phone was ringing as Walter stepped into the dark silent house. He dumped his briefcase onto the floor and hurried over to get it.

"Ah Mr Skinner." It was Spender.

"You said you would call earlier." Walter snapped into the phone. "Where the hell have you been?"

"Calm down Mr Skinner." Spender replied, his voice as calm as always.

Walter gritted his teeth against the rage that flooded through him. "How is Alex?"

"Not doing very well I'm afraid." Spender replied. "In fact, I would say that he was very ill."

"Jesus." Walter shut his eyes, his hand tightening on the handpiece. "I want to speak to him."

"Oh I am afraid to say that he's not in any shape to talk to anyone right now." Spender replied. He glanced over at Alex, who was strapped face down over a long padded bench. Then at the video camera set to record everything.

"But don't worry Mr Skinner, I give you my word that you will see him very soon."

Walter heard the dry chuckle, and it sent a chill down his spine. What was that black lunged bastard planning now?

"I hope that you are still carrying out that little task that I set you." Spender said.

Walter glanced towards the briefcase still sitting on the floor. "Yes, yes I am."

"Good, I will call you in the next two days, by then I hope that you will have something to report."

With that, the phone went dead. Slowly, Walter replaced the handset back into the cradle. Jesus, what the hell had he bought himself into? Still if it got Alex back...

The phone rang again, Walter snatched it up. "Yes?"

"Jeeze Walter, it's just me." Fox's voice would have been amused if he had not sounded so tired.

"Oh hi Fox, where are you now?"

"In the car, we managed to catch an early flight, we should be there in a couple of hours or so."

"Anything to report Agent?" Walter asked.

"No Sir, nothing at all, it was a complete waste of time." Walter could hear the frustration in Fox's voice, he sounded positively frayed around the edges.

"Okay then Fox, I'll see you when you get here."

Walter set the phone down. He wandered into the kitchen to grab something to eat and then he would head upstairs for a shower and a fresh change of clothes.

And then he would start going through the discs and the files that he had taken from the Bureau. The Consortium discs that Alex had been decoding.

Spender smiled as he walked over to where Alex was strapped down. He was bent over the padded bench, legs dangling over the edge.

He was lying, eyes half closed, waiting for whatever was going to happen to him. His back and buttocks were still marked with the welts of a previous beating.

"Well Alex, I just spoke to Walter Skinner and I must say that I am moved by the concern that he is showing about you."

"Why don't you go and fuck yourself." Alex grunted out, he tried to turn his head to look at his captor, but it was secured fast in a helmet like contraption.

Spender chuckled as he lit up a Morley. "Oh but I am not the one about to get fucked Alex... on the contrary, I believe that you are."

Spender jerked his head towards two burly guards, they smiled at him, anticipating the fun that they were about to have. In a corner, looking on, Luis Cardinal's face had set into grim lines. He had no particular love for Alex Krycek, but what the Consortium was doing... well, it was just plain wrong.

When it came to a quick clean kill, Luis Cardinal had absolutely no problem with that...but this, this was way out of the ballpark. No one, not even a little dipshit like Alex Krycek deserved this.

Spender motioned to the small blond haired man who was holding the camera. He nodded and started filming.

The first guard, huge heavyset man stepped forward. His ebony skin shining in the bright overhead light.

He quickly shucked of his gray uniform coat and then he lowered his trousers. His penis already erect and waiting.

The guard opened a condom and rolled it onto his thick shaft, then without bothering to use lube, he grasped Alex's buttocks and roughly shoved himself deep inside him.

Alex let out an involuntary yelp of pain as he was entered. His whole body arched as a burning agony shot through his entire body. The guard thrust into him, gripping Alex's hips, his strong fingers digging painfully into his flesh.

The other guard watched, already half undressed, his own cock hard and waiting.

Spender had walked over to stand next to Luis Cardinal, leaning against the wall, cigarette burning between his fingers. He noticed that Luis Cardinal had turned his face away, carefully not watching the proceedings.

Alex moaned as the guard's thrust became harder, more urgent. Alex was dry and unprepared, so the thrusts felt like someone was shoving a broom handle into his anus.

Finally he felt the guard spasm in orgasm. Then as roughly as his cock entered the young ex-assassin, it was withdrawn. Alex heard the guard chuckle in satisfaction.

"You make some man a good bitch little boy." He commented as he landed a hefty slap to Alex's already abused behind.

Alex whimpered but did not speak. The second guard entered him the same way as the first, but he was a little more leisurely in his approach.

Alex gritted his teeth against the searing agony. Tears had sprung out at the corners of his eyes as he was casually raped by these two men.

Alex felt the second man's cock spasm inside him and it was withdrawn. The guard reached over and playfully ruffled Alex's hair before taking his place beside the first guard.

"Will that be all Sir?" The first guard asked respectfully. Spender nodded. "Thank you gentlemen, you have both performed your duties well."

Both the guards nodded, and left the room. Spender walked over to where Alex lay limply across the bench.

"Well young man, I think you are starting to understand how we deal with troublemakers like you."

He looked up at Luis, and at Marcus, who had just entered through the door.

"Take him back to his cell."

Alex felt the straps loosen and soon he was being hauled upright, he noticed through the haze of pain and illness, that Luis could not meet his eyes.

"Come on big boy, let's get you all tucked into beddy bye." Marcus grunted.

Spender watched, satisfied as Alex was half carried, half dragged back to his cell.

It was late when Fox finally arrived home. He walked in through the door, his coat slung over his shoulder, his tie hanging loose around his neck, a five o'clock shadow completed the disheveled appearance.

Walter looked up from the files he was reading, he did not look much better.

"Honey, I'm home." Fox said with a tired grin. Walter smiled and stepped over to greet his handsome, if somewhat tired young lover.

They kissed deeply, Fox tasting the whiskey that Walter had been sipping a few moments before.

"How have you been baby?" Walter asked, Fox had been away for a couple of days, chasing up what turned out to be a false lead, with Scully.

Fox shrugged. "I wish we'd turned something up." He said quietly. He leaned against Walter, resting his head on the bigger man's shoulder. Walter could hear the defeat in his voice.

He held the younger man close to him, breathing in the faint aroma of his after shave. The one that Alex had given him for his birthday.

"We will find him Fox, you have to believe that." Walter told him, forcing his voice to be firm. That was what both Fox and Alex responded to the best, a firmly authoritative, but loving voice.

He felt rather than saw Fox nod, then he drew his head back to look at Walter, there were tears in his hazel eyes.

"I just feel like such a failure." He said wearily. "I dragged Dana all the way to Boston with me on what turned out to be a wild goose chase."

"If I remember correctly, it was me that sent you out there, after I got that tip off about an old Consortium headquarters." Walter replied. He laughed humorlessly.

"I thought there might be a chance that they had taken Alex there."

"There was nothing there at all." Fox replied. "It had been abandoned ages ago."

"Where's Dana?" Walter asked.

"I dropped her of home, she could hardly wait to get back home to little William."

Walter smiled. "Come on baby, I'll get you something to eat, then we can both go upstairs hmmm?"

Fox gave him a wan smile. "Yeah, sounds great to me."

Suddenly Fox turned around, spotting the open files on the coffee table. "What are those?"


"Oh, some old files on some of the Consortium members the ones that were burned a couple of years ago." Walter replied. "I was going through them, thinking that they might turn up a clue."

"Oh." Fox replied listlessly. Walter wrapped his arm around the younger man's shoulders, gently guiding him into the kitchen. After heating up some soup and making a couple of toasted cheese sandwiches, he watched Fox eat. He smiled, thinking that his young lover had lost far too much weight.

After Fox had eaten, both men went upstairs.

"I'm just going to grab a shower." He said heading towards the bathroom. Walter nodded and started pulling off his sweater, readying himself for bed. He heard the noise of the shower as it was turned on. After a moment's decision, Walter took the rest of his clothes off and walked into the bathroom.

Fox was already under the shower, washing the days dirt off his lean body.

Walter stepped under the hot rushing water, and taking Fox in his arms, kissed him lovingly.

Fox responded with an ardour that had been missing since Alex's kidnapping. He pressed himself against the bigger man's well muscled body.

"God I've missed you." Fox told him huskily. Walter smiled as he gently stroked his thick black hair.

"Missed you too baby."

Suddenly, Walter reached down and gripping Fox under his thighs, lifted him up in a tight embrace. He heard Fox gasp, and Walter lifted him higher, carefully lowering him down onto his engorged shaft.

Fox moaned and clung to Walter, his own hardened penis rubbing against the other man's stomach.

Finally after what seemed like a bliss filled eternity, Walter felt the first spasms of an incredible climax hit him.

Fox gasped and squirmed in Walter's grasp, nearly causing the older man to drop him in the bath tub.

Walter carefully set him back down, then turning Fox around, he bent him over and entered him once more.

"Jesus Walter." Fox managed out. "I didn't think you had it in you."

He heard Walter's chuckle. "Guess I'm just full of surprises...aren't I?"

He felt Walter's hand go down between his legs and take hold of his engorged cock and start stroking it.

Fox's back arched and he leaned his head back until it was resting against Walter's shoulder.

"Oh God Walter... oh Jesus... that feels..." The rest of his words were lost as the full force of his climax hit.

They kissed lingering, as the rushing water washed away all trace of their love making.

Fox was lying with his head resting on Walter's chest, his eyes half closed. Even though he was exhausted he could not sleep.

"What if we can't get him back?" He said suddenly. Walter glanced down at him, one hand resting on Fox's cheek, gently stroking it.

"We will get him back Fox, you have to believe it."

Fox lifted his head up to look at Walter, his usually bright hazel eyes dark with misery.

"But what if they've killed him Walter? What if they have decided to just put a bullet through him or something. Or use him for some of those medical experiments that Alex told us about? What then?"

Walter sighed and held the distressed man closer to him.

"I have a feeling that we will get Alex back in one piece. It won't be easy. But we will get him back."

After a moment, Fox nodded. Walter could see that he did not quite believe him. But all Walter could do was hope to God that we was able to find what the Smoking man wanted before time ran out for Alex.

"Well boy, you have got yourself up shit creek without a paddle."

Alex groaned and slowly opened his eyes.

Lucas was sitting over near the corner, his heavyset frame filling the straight backed wooden chair.

"How's your arse feeling boy?"
"Like it's been reamed out with a garden hoe." Alex muttered. "Christ, what time is it?"

"Time you stared thinking about trying to get the hell out of here." Lucas replied.

"And how in hell am I supposed to do that, sprout wings and fucking fly?"

Lucas leaned forward in the chair. "Alex, you are an assassin, a talented operative and you are seriously telling me that you can't think of a way out of this mess you're in?"
Alex groaned as he sat up. He was sure that every bone in his body had been pulverized into a fine powder suitable for sprinkling on roses and garden beds.

"Lucas, in case you have not realized this, I am being held in the Center, the major stronghold of the Consortium... and the Syndicate as a whole. You know that that there is no way anyone can escape from here, the place is more heavily fortified that a Mafia Don's house."

Lucas chuckled. "You know, the one thing I never took you for boy, was a quitter."
He snorted in disgust."Maybe you do deserve to get your arsehole reamed out by those guards. You know something boy? You've gone soft. Turned from a dammed good assassin into a pathetic little boy bitch. Someone to bend himself over for anyone who wants a piece of arse."

Lucas shook his head in disgust. "All that time I spent training you, making you the best, and what do I get? A godamm fuck toy...just bloody wonderful."

"I never was good enough for you was I?" Alex replied bitterly. "Even as a kid, you were always on my back, pushing me and pushing me. I had to be the best. I had to keep the Elite happy by being able to do all their shit work."

"I was the one that got you out of that jail cell boy, I was the one that got you into the Consortium. I was the one that took care of you." Lucas replied harshly.

"Took care of me!" Alex roared. "You fucking beat the hell out of me every day. I still have the scars. You didn't take care of me. You abused me!"

"It was for your own good boy, I had to make sure that you would be as good as your parents had been. I had to make sure that you knew where your loyalties lay."

"Fuck you Lucas!" Alex snarled.

He heard Lucas's dry chuckle. "I'm not the one sitting on a sore arsehole boy... think about it."
Alex hung his head wearily. The worst of it was, he was right. Everything this old bastard was telling him was right. He was weak, he was pathetic. Suddenly tears started to roll down his gaunt, unshaven cheeks.

His chest had begun to heave with the sheer force of his sorrow as he wept. Wept for his lost lovers, Fox and Walter, for his lost life. A life taken away from him when he had only been a young teenager, just embarking on the exciting journey of life.

Shoulders shaking, he lifted his hand to his face, gasping as he rocked back and forth, sobbing out a life time of sorrow and loneliness and hurt.

He was not sure how long he spent crying for, but when he looked up... Lucas was gone.

Spender smiled as he entered Walter's office. It had been awhile since he had been here, not that much had changed. The same 'Thanks For Not Smoking' was still sitting on the desk. The same sign that he always ignored, as he did now.

Pulling out a pack of Morleys, he tucked one between his lips and lit it.

"Still smoking those filthy things." Walter observed coldly. Spender shrugged.

"A very simple indulgence that I allow myself." He replied.

With that, he sat down in the chair opposite Walter's desk. "And now...to business."

"I haven't found what you want yet." Walter informed him bluntly.

The Smoking Man frowned slightly. "Well, that is unfortunate."

"I'm still looking, but I need a little more time."

"I don't think Alex has more time." Spender replied, he regarded the glowing tip of his cigarette for a moment before continuing.

"I have something for you Mr Skinner." Spender handed over a video tape. "I think that this is something you should see."

Skinner took he tape, looking at the black plastic cover as though it were a poisonous snake.

He carried it over to a small television and VCR that sat over near the far wall. It was
usually used to review interviews and evidence. He slipped the the tape in and switched on the T.V.

"You might want to lock your door first Mr Skinner."

Walter glanced up at him sharply.

"After all you do not want your secretary to walk in now do you?"

After Walter had told Kim that he was not to be disturbed and had locked the door, he turned the VCR on.

"Oh my...oh sweet Jesus." Walter felt bile rise up into the pit of his stomach as he watched Alex being brutally raped.

Spender watched Walter closely. The other man stood watching the screen, fury and raw naked grief chasing each other across his face. His hands, dangling at his sides, tightened into fists as he watched the second guard enter Alex.

"Bastard." He breathed. "Bastard...bastard."

"I hope that this little show will help motivate you Mr Skinner."

Walter turned to where the Smoking Man was seated. Spender opened his mouth to speak, then seeing the depth of pure fury on the other man's face...stopped.

"Give me one good reason not to kill you now you black lunged motherfucker."

"Because if you do kill me, you will never see your darling little boy again." Spender told him with a calm that right now, he was not feeling.

That stopped Walter cold. He felt as though someone had dashed icy water into his face.

"Spender, I want Alex back. You will get what you want. I give you my word, but I want Alex Krycek back...now."

"When I get what I want Mr Skinner." Spender replied. "And not before...oh, and by the way, I really think that you should make this your very top priority. After all, Alex is one very sick man, I have a feeling that his flu might be turning into something more serious. Like pneumonia."

With that, Spender left Walter's office, leaving a trail of cigarette smoke behind him.

Alex felt himself hoisted up, his arm pulled agonizingly taunt above his head. The stump of his left arm was trapped tight against his side, secured by straps.

WMM watched with an almost detached coolness as Alex was lifted up until his feet were dangling off the cold cement floor.

Marcus was waiting, whip in hand. WMM glanced across at him.

"Ten lashes Marcus... and make them count."

Marcus nodded, and tightening his grip on the whip, stepped forward.

"Please." Alex whimpered. He tried to turn his head to look at his tormentors. "Please...no more."

The lash came down across his shoulder, drawing a thin line of blood.

Alex's whole body jerked as though galvanized, white hot pain soon followed the initial numbness of the blow.

After the rest of the whipping had been administered, Alex was lifted down and carried back to his cell.

Luis Cardinal watched all of this without a word. Then finally, he turned to WMM.

"Is all this really necessary Sir?"

WMM fixed the smaller man with a withering glare.

"Why do you ask?"

Luis Cardinal hesitated for a moment, why was he asking? It was not like he and Krycek had ever been friends. They had worked together a couple of times sure, but why was he even thinking of sticking his neck out for him?

Instead, he replied. "Alex is sick Sir, he needs a hospital, he's going to die otherwise."

WMM sighed. "Luis, I suggest that you stick to the job at hand and mind your own business."

Luis Cardinal sighed and said nothing, after all Alex Krycek simply wasn't worth committing suicide over.

Lucas was sitting on the edge of the hard cot. Alex's eyes cracked open, he squinted up at the older man.

"You back again?" He rasped, voice barely above a whisper. Blood flexed the corners of his mouth.

Lucas regarded his young ex-prodigy with a cool detachment, as though he were studying a particularly interesting species of insect.

"You're dying boy, you know that don't you?" He observed with a cool detachment. He sat, regarding his young ex-prodigy as though he had just discovered a new and particularly interesting species of insect.

Alex attempted to laugh, but instead started coughing, a deep hacking that sent a fine spray of blood flying out of his cracked mucus caked mouth.

After the coughing subsided, Alex drew his hand across his mouth. "I know." He replied wearily. "I know." At the end of his strength now, his head flopped back onto the hard stained mattress.

"Why do you keep coming back Lucas?" He asked after a moment. "Why are you haunting me. I killed you a long time ago old man. Why can't you just leave me in peace?"

"It's not me that's haunting you Alex." Lucas replied gently. "It's yourself."

Alex chuckled humorlessly. "What the fuck are you talking about old man?"

Lucas leaned over to whisper in Alex's ear.

"Listen to me now boy, because this is the only piece of advice I am going to give you. Let go of the past."
"Wha...?" Alex frowned, his head was pounding, his vision was blurred, he could barely see the old man now.

"Let it go Alex, what ever happened to you in the past does not define the person you are now."

"Lucas, you said it yourself, I'm dying, what difference does it make now?"

"All the difference in the world boy...all the difference in the world."
"I can't change what has happened in the past Lucas, I can't." Alex whispered, tears pricking at the corner of his eyes.

"Yes you can." Lucas replied softly. "Just take that love that's offered to you and with that, find your strength."
Alex's eyes felt heavy and sore, he closed them, feeling the breath as it laboured in his chest.

"Walter...." He whispered drowsily. "Foxssss...." He could almost imagine their arms around him, holding him, comforting him, stroking his hair, letting him weep against their chests.

Tears, unchecked flooded his sunken cheeks as he fell into a deep coma like slumber, the faces of the two men that he treasured and loved more than anything in the world hovering in front of him, so close that he could almost reach out and touch them...yet further away than the most distant of long lost dreams.

Luis Cardinal pulled the car over to the public phone box. Stepping out of the car, he quickly looked around to make sure that no one was watching him. Then he quickly stepped into the telephone booth and dialed a number.

Walter and Fox pulled up in front of the long row of low buildings that were set in the middle of a field.

Behind them, over a dozen cars, trucks and vans followed, FBI agents, all wearing kevlar jackets and helmets leapt from the vehicles, all of them carrying assault weapons.

"Becareful." Walter ordered them. "This place is heavily fortified, it's more than likely to be swarming with guards.

Dana and John Doggett pulled up alongside Walter's car, they were both decked out in full protective gear as well.

The FBI agents spread out, taking shelter as they expected a hail of gunfire to greet them, but the buildings were dark and silent.

Walter and Fox, both crouching, raced towards the main building, guns drawn.

Nothing greeted them, no bullets, nothing. This was downright weird.

Both Fox and Walter entered the building. It was empty.

"Looks completely deserted." Dana said, from behind them. Walter nodded in agreement.

"I think they were tipped off that we were coming." He replied grimly.

They all spread out, searching the various buildings. There was no one there. By the look of it, everyone had fled.

"Shit." Walter breathed. He had gotten a tip off late last night about where Alex was being held.
The informant had not identified himself, but he had sounded vaguely familiar.

Suddenly his walkie talkie crackled. "Yes?" he barked into it.

"AD Skinner Sir...I think we may have located Alex Krycek." One of the agents told him.

"Where is he?" Skinner asked, his voice sharp. Fox's head jerked up. "Alex?" He asked.

Walter gave him a curt nod as he listened to the voice crackling over the walkie talkie.

"We found him in a cell in the second building Sir...um, I have to tell you, he's not looking good."

"We're coming straight over." Walter told him.

Walter and Fox were sitting beside Alex's hospital bed. They had taken him straight to the Intensive Care Unit. The doctor had told them that besides Alex's numerous injuries, both external and internal, he had double pneumonia with respiratory complications.

The doctor, a kindly looking older man shook his head as he read Alex's file. He glanced over at the older, balding man. He was sitting, holding Alex's hand, rubbing it gently.

"Mr Skinner?"

Walter looked up, his eyes, behind his glasses, were red and puffy with lack of sleep and grief.

"Yes?"

"Mr Krycek's medical records have both you and Mr Mulder as the next of kin."

"That's correct." Walter confirmed. "Alex has no other family."

The doctor nodded. He could imagine what sort of relationship these three men were in, but it was none of his business. What he had to worry about was trying to keep this young man alive. And that was going to be an uphill battle.

"I have to be honest with you Mr Skinner, and Mr Mulder, the damage that this young man has sustained...well they are dammed near catastrophic. He was more dead than alive when he was bought in."

"Is he going to be all right?" Fox asked, he watched closely as the doctor glanced down at his patient, then back to him again.

"At this point in time I truly can't say. His health was already precarious when they took him, and now..." Dr Leckie sighed.

"Mr Krycek has sustained serious internal injuries, including a ruptured spleen, several broken ribs, a cracked pelvis and severe tearing to his rectum. His external injuries includes severe contusions to ninety percent of his body. In other words, the man is one giant bruise. Fractures to his shoulders and wrist. Severe pressure sores on his amputated arm....the list goes on."

Dr Leckie looked up at both men, who were now looking pale and sickened.

"The most serious problems are the skull fracture and the pneumonia, that's what we really have to worry about right now. The other injuries will heal. We were fortunate that we did not have to remove his spleen, but it was touch and go there for awhile."

Walter nodded, his face had aged twenty years. "Do what you can for him please Doctor...just do what you can."

John Doggett entered the hospital room, he was carrying a brown paper bag and two styrofoam cup filled with coffee.

Walter was sprawled in the large leather upholtered chair, snoring gently. Fox was sitting next to Alex, who was still unconscious, tubes and wires seemed to be attached to every portion of his thin battered body.

Fox looked up as John set down the bag. "I got breakfast for you and Walt."

Fox smiled at him. "Thanks." He replied, both he and Walter had not been eating or sleeping properly since they had found Alex in the deserted Consortium building.

Fox opened the bag and pulled out a bacon and egg McMuffin. "MacD's." He replied with a lop sided grin. "Not too shabby John."

John smiled back at him. It was good to see Fox grinning again, ever since they had found Alex, both Fox and Walter had hardly left his side. And he knew that secretly, both men blamed themselves for what happened.

John settled himself down into the other chair next to Walter, the bigger man did not stir.

"He's been awake all night, sitting up with Alex." Fox explained. John nodded, breakfast could wait. It was more important he get some sleep.

"So how is he doing?" John asked. Fox sighed and rubbed his eyes wearily.

"There's been no change, he's still unconscious. They managed to get his fever down, but for some reason, he's fallen into some sort of coma."

John shook his head, he glanced over at Alex's still form.

"What I don't quite understand is...how did you find out where he was in the first place?"

Fox shrugged. "Walter got a tip off, someone from inside the Consortium called from a public phone booth and told Walter where they were keeping Alex."

"Was the informant identified?" John asked.

"No, he wasn't, but what I can't figure out was, how the hell did the Consortium know that we were planning a raid on their premises?"

"Someone tipped them off, obviously." John replied heavily. "You know as well as I do that the Consortium still have their plants inside the FBI."

"Jesus, despite all the damage that we've done to them, they're still one jump ahead." Fox replied softly.

"Afraid so." John said. "So what are you both going to do now that you have Alex back?"

"Hope to God that he pulls through." Fox replied gently, he leaned over and smoothed Alex's sable hair away from his brow. John saw how loving the gesture was, and smiled.

"After that... I don't know." Fox looked up at John, his eyes shadowed and haunted.

"But we have to protect him at all costs... we just have too."

Spender was sitting behind the desk, a couple of files in his hand. Evacuating the Center had been one of the hardest things that he'd had to do. The Center had been their most important stronghold in this country and it had been hard to give up, but they'd no other option.

Still the FBI would find nothing that would link anything to them. And as for Alex Krycek... well, he was left as a little gift for Walter Skinner and Fox Mulder.

Besides, there were still other ways to obtain the discs and files that he needed.

And all that was left now, was to discover who it was that tipped Skinner off. Smiling a rather self satisfied smile, he laid the files down onto the desk. It was fortunate that he still had several operatives in place at the Bureau Headquarters.

The nurse walked into Alex's room, she checked his chart and began to adjust his drip, when his eyes opened.

"Where...where..." He gasped out.

The nurse looked down at him and smiled. "You're awake." She quickly pressed a buzzer and soon the room was filled with nurses and a couple of doctors.

Alex watched without interest as they took his vital signs. One nurse left to call both Walter and Fox to let them know that Alex had finally gained consciousness.

Both men arrived at the hospital within the hour, followed by Dana and John.

"Where's Dr Leckie?" Walter demanded as soon as he walked in through the doors.

"He's with Mr Krycek right now." The nurse informed him. "I'll let him know that you are here,"

Fox raced in through the doors, he looked around, then spotted Walter.

"What's going on? I just got a call saying Alex has come to!"

"Yeah." Walter said with a chuckle. "Trust him to wait until neither of us were there."

"Mr Skinner...Mr Mulder, you can both come in now." The nurse told them. "But just for a few minutes."

Alex was propped up in bed, his face was white as the pillows his head was resting against.

He saw Fox and Walter walk in and offered them a wan smile.

Dr Leckie glanced up at them. "Five minutes gentlemen, then Alex needs to rest."

"Okay." Fox said, then he and Walter approached the bed. Alex smiled up at the faces of both the men that he loved.

"Hi." He croaked.

"Hi yourself baby." Walter said with a fond smile. Carefully he leaned over and kissed Alex on his forehead, tears glistening in his eyes.

"How are you feeling sweetheart?" Fox asked gently. Alex smiled at him tiredly. "Like crap in a barrel." He whispered. "I don't want to stay here. I want to go home with you and Walter."

"Not just yet baby." Fox told him. "You have to stay here until you are stronger, then we can take you home. I promise...okay?"

Alex sighed and shook his head. "No...home..."He closed his eyes, even that little sentence had been too much for him.

"It's all right Alex." Walter said. "We will stay with you until you are ready to come home. We are not going to leave you, you understand what I'm saying?"

Reluctantly, Alex noddd. He did not want to stay in this cold sterile place. He wanted the comfort of home...of familiar things around him. But most of all, he wanted to be with Walter and Fox

"All right gentlemen, I'm afraid I am going to have to ask you to leave." Dr Leckie informed them.

"But you can come back first thing tomorrow morning."

Can't at least one of us stay Doctor?" Fox asked. "Alex is already suffering severe trauma, and now this..."

"If you check his medical records, they will show that he has been hospitalized many times in the past with similiar injuries. Look, he's even had his arm chopped off when he was in Russia." Walter explained to the Doctor, who was nodding sympathetically. "He's been through enough hell, right now he needs our support."

Dr Leckie sighed, then nodded. "You are right, I have been over his records and they are...well let me say just this. You're young man has led an eventful life. Why half the injuries and illneses that he has presented with have been enough to take twenty years off the back end of his life. Very well then, you may both stay with him, but only you two here at night, anyone else can stay during the day only, is that clear?"

"As crystal." Walter replied.

They both kissed Alex goodbye, he had dropped off into an exhausted sleep once more, and they left the room, only to bump into Dana and John.

"How's Alex? Fox called and told us the news." She said.

"He's awake and talking, thank God, but he is still seriously ill." Walter replied.

They both filled Dana and John in on the rest of what was happening. John sighed and said keeping his voice low.

"You both realize that Alex still isn't safe. I mean, what's to stop the Consortium from taking him again?"

Walter nodded, he privately knew that he had still not found the disc for Spender. The only reason they had gotten Alex back was because of the mystery informant.

While Spender and the rest of them were still out there, Alex, and indeed none of them would be safe.

But at least Alex was back, there was that much. Walter would put a twenty four hour guard on his room, and when he was strong enough, they would take him away to somewhere remote and safe. Somewhere where the Consortium would never find him.

No matter what happened, Walter vowed, he was never going to lose either one of his lovers again.