"Ahh....mmff...hink...hhwee...meed...kooo. het...outff....offfmm....ffhere!" Still feeling half dazed, and lying in an undignified spread-eagled position sandwiched somewhere between Graham and Tressa, Scully attempted to suggest that perhaps they ought to try finding a way out of the pit. Of course, that's not exactly how it came out. Tressa responded by kicking Will in the back to shift his weight.

"Lose some bloody weight, woman....unggghh!!" Came a strained, but decidedly British voice from somewhere near the bottom of the pile "Ohhh, my spine" came a barely audible little moan from even further beneath.

"Oh do stop whining, Holland!" Arcane whispered quietly so that Scully couldn't hear; "Just grow yourself another bloody spine tomorrow." With another vicious shove, Will was dislodged, and with a small, but nonetheless surprised shriek, promptly fell the depth of five people to the pit floor, where he lay next to Alec.

"Oh, my back!" Will moaned.

"Bloody Hell! Not another one!" Arcane muttered softly to himself. Now free, Tressa moved aside a little, allowing the person underneath to breathe properly again. Several audible gasps of relief could be heard from beneath her. She turned to look down to see who she was on top of, but it was impossible in this near total lack of light.

"Who exactly is here?" Scully enquired, having composed herself again; "Besides Dr. Arcane and whoever's on top of him, that is?"

Despite the discomfort, Graham couldn't help but give a small smile.

"Who are YOU?" Tressa's voice said with more than a tone of surprise.

"Special Agent Dana Scully. F.B.I."

Silence ensued for a moment.

"Hello?" Scully said again.

"Agent Scully? It's me; Graham: Dr. Arcane's assistant. We met at the complex."

"All right. Who else?" Scully said with an air of authority.

"Tressa Kipp. I own the boat rental and swamp tour business."

"Will Kipp. Tressa's stepson." Came a pained voice from below.

"Anyone else?" Scully enquired.

"Ohhhh....my sp....ungggh!!"

"Shut up, Holland! Do you want her to hear you!?" Arcane whispered furiously, viciously elbowing Alec somewhere soft and unspecified. He gave a wry smile. My, but he'd wanted to do that ever since Holland had hit him across the head only a short time ago. Memo to self: Don't need spork anymore.

"Is everyone all right?" Scully asked with concern, appraising the situation. "Dr. Arcane. You must have fallen first. Are you injured down there?"

"Just a bruise or two, but I'll survive."

"More's the pity!" Tressa mumbled to herself.

"The fates have smiled upon me." Arcane continued; "A soft and dense piece of moss was down here to cushion my fall. Are YOU all right, Dana?" He asked, his voice dripping with feigned concern.

"I'm fine, Doctor." There was a brief pause before Scully started speaking again; "Who's Alec?" she enquired cautiously.

A long silence ensued.

"Hello?" She repeated again; wondering why people suddenly started going quiet every so often. "Er....Alec??" Four totally and utterly innocent voices chimed in unison.

"Yes. I was sure Mrs. Kipp called to someone named Alec."

There was more silence. If fast thinking were audible, Scully would have been deafened. Arcane finally broke the silence.

"Oh...ALEC! Yes, that'll have been me."

"You, doctor? But your name's Anton. They don't sound anything like each other?"

"No, they don't, do they? Erm, well...er....Alec's just an affectionate nickname that Mrs. Kipp often calls me." Arcane gave a winning smile that went totally unnoticed in the lack of light.

Scully looked confused, which went equally unnoticed. "Why would Mrs. Kipp call you Alec?"

Silence ensued for what seemed like an eternity as all of Arcane's globally renowned genius failed to come up with any sort of plausible explanation. Tressa finally spoke up this time.

"Dr. Arcane reminds me of someone I used to know; also called Alec." She said; "I see." Scully seemed almost satisfied; but Tressa continued anyway; "Yeah, Alec was this bad tempered, mangy, vicious Pit Bull type mongrel that used to terrorise the street when I was a child. Had to be shot eventually, you know." She said casually.

Arcane gave an unnoticed frown. Memo to self: Arrange for Tressa Kipp to have an unfortunate and fatal accident at the nearest possible opportunity. "Yeah, good old Alec, eh?" Will laughed, giving Arcane a friendly, if somewhat hard, clenched fist pat on the forearm; or where he imagined Arcane's forearm to be. Arcane blinked twice and winced; and made another unmentionable mental note to himself, muttering several expletives as he did so; most of which had a number of letters between 3 and 5, and sounded a bit like a delicious water fowl prevalent in Chinese restaurants. "You don't get on, I take it?" Scully asked.

"Scully? Scully, are you there!?" A voice from above in the street broke their conversation.

"Mulder!" Scully gave a shout. The ensemble in the pit heard footsteps approach, and a vague shape outlined at the edge of pit above them.

"Scully, are you OK?" Mulder called down to her.

"I'm fine, Mulder. We all are." She shouted back.

"Ohh....I don't think I a......unggggh!" a pitiful and fast fading, muffled whimper said something from the bottom of the pit.

"For once in your sodding life, Holland, stay silent!" Arcane murmured.

"All?" Mulder quizzed.

"Why don't we discuss this when we're out of here. There's five of us down here; Tressa and Will Kipp; Dr. Arcane, Graham and myself."

"I won't ask." muttered Mulder, shaking his head. "Can you find a rope and get us out?" Scully enquired.

"No need." He said, removing his coat. "I'm lowering my coat in. Grab it and I'll pull you up. We can both then pull everyone else out."

"You'll have to take me first. I'm on top." Tressa's voice called from below.

"Mrs. Kipp, I presume." Mulder shouted down. "Best and only offer I've had all evening, but can we wait till I've got you out?" He grinned.

"I was gonna ask next;" murmured Will; "Guess I can wait to be last!"

"Hurry.....my spine" said a tiny little gravelly voice; which wouldn't have been noticed even if Arcane hadn't been sprawled across his face.

Seven undignified and painful minutes later, everyone was on street level again; everyone except Will and Arcane that is, who were next in line to be removed from the pit.

"Arcane. Get your armpit out of my face!" Alec growled weakly.

"That isn't my armpit!" Arcane snarled quietly, getting up and stretching his aching body. Alec shuddered. He also breathed a sigh of relief as all that accursed weight was finally lifted. Will and Arcane positioned themselves so that anybody looking into the pit would only see them in the dim light. "Well, young Kipp; I strongly suggest getting him out of here before it gets light and he becomes Houma's latest celebrity. Do you think even you could manage that?" Arcane muttered to Will, who ignored the Doctor and glanced back at Alec with concern. Alec was still laying on the ground, very much the worse for wear.

"How's your back holding up, Alec?" He whispered.

"ooooohhhh." Came the somewhat pathetic reply.

From the top of the pit, Mulder lowered his coat in again; and Arcane, who was himself weakened by the ordeal, made a struggling and somewhat undignified ascent, assisted by a few pushes and shoves from Will; and then finally Will himself. As the group made their way from the edge, Will looked back down into the hole.

"I'll be back soon, Alec. I promise." He whispered, making sure the F.B.I twosome didn't see or hear him. For now, he made his way back to Tressa, who was with the main group. As he did so, a tiny little firefly flew past him; innocent and carefree in it's joyful celebration of the night. It flew down into the pit; knowing that it's friend, The Swamp, was there. In cheerful recognition, it settled it's almost weightless body on Alec's chest to bid a comradely hello.

From deep within the pit, a single sound issued forth. A tiny, harmless little snapping sound; like that of a fresh green twig breaking in two.

"D'oh!" Came a pitiful little voice just after it.

"What happened, Scully?" Mulder asked her with concern as they walked. "Did he..."

"No, Mulder. Nothing like that. He went missing. I went to look for him, and in the dark we all fell in. He was lucky he didn't break his neck. The ground must have just opened up. Another phenomenon, I guess;" she shrugged; "and he's definitely NOT involved with this, otherwise he wouldn't have been caught out too." This has to be one of the strangest cases we've covered."

Mulder just nodded. "We'll have to get that pit cordoned off as soon as possible before anyone else falls in. Oh, by the way: Here!" He handed her a small object: A new cell phone.

"Thanks, Mulder." She smiled, briefly wondering just how long this one would last. Just then, she seemed to remember something and turned round. "Mrs. Kipp?" she said. But Tressa was gone; nowhere to be seen. Scully frowned.

"Something wrong, Scully?" Mulder asked.

"I just remembered. I thought I could recall Mrs. Kipp saying she had something important to tell Will and Dr. Arcane. I could be wrong though. Oh well, I guess it'll do another time. If it was to do with the phenomena, I'm sure she'd have mentioned it."

"With this town, who knows?" Mulder commented.

"Found anything out?"

Mulder shook his head. "I've come up with a few factors leading to some possible theories; but nothing tying everything together or conclusive. It's pretty vague, really. Too early to follow anything in particular."

"I apologise for wandering off like that, Dana;" Arcane's voice broke their conversation as the Doctor joined them; "and for recklessly endangering you and spoiling what I'm sure would have been an otherwise delightful evening."

She smiled. "It's not your fault, Doctor. Are you all right now?"

Arcane nodded slowly. "Shaken, but not stirred." He smiled.

"I've got to hand it to you; you're a fast mover, Doctor. Didn't take you long to get her into the pit, did it?" Mulder whispered to Arcane.

Arcane stopped walking, and turned to Mulder wearily, his face a mask of defeat. "Agent Mulder. Whereas I would normally relish the challenge of combating your sparkling wit and repartee, could we please leave this until another time? I've been nearly twenty four hours without food and sleep. I'm tired, I'm hungry; and quite frankly, I'm not up to it."

For perhaps the first time, Arcane actually seemed to be giving a genuine plea to Mulder. The man certainly did look very much like a prisoner of war who'd been dragged through a swamp backwards. It occurred to Mulder that he'd be unlikely to get a better chance to catch Arcane off his guard for quite some time, but Scully would be unlikely to condone his taking advantage of the man like this. Besides, Arcane was right. It was the middle of the night and he was tired too. It could wait. Still; he thought wickedly; some things just couldn't be allowed to slide, as he looked at the chocolate still staining his own coat; then back at Arcane. "You know, Doctor. If you're that hungry, you could always eat that suit of yours. There must be at least a pint of chicken soup on it. Arcane's brow furrowed into a deep frown; although he couldn't help glancing down at the remains of the chunky chicken mingling with the silk; the frown giving way to a contemplative and longing glance; his childhood terrors overcome and no match for the persistent, gnawing hunger pangs rapidly taking possession of his brain again.

"Another drink problem." Scully explained to Mulder. "The Doctor shielded me and took the full force of the blast." She said. By comparison, she looked spotless and immaculate.

"How noble of him." Mulder said evenly; seriously suspecting that any shielding of Scully on Arcane's part was purely accidental.

Arcane didn't seem to even notice the comment. "Dana, perhaps we could meet tomorrow for our....discussion?" Arcane said in a polite, but tired voice.

She nodded gently. "Go and get some sleep." She said softly. "I'll be in touch tomorrow." As she and Mulder made their way back to the Houma Inn, Arcane and Graham watched them go.

"Well, at least she didn't find anything out about that formula, Sir. I, I guess it all distracted her too much." Graham said helpfully. Arcane turned to Stare at Graham, who fidgeted uncomfortably. He expected some caustic comment from the Doctor. None was forthcoming. Arcane merely continued to stare at him. "Give us more time to come up with a story to tell her, eh, Doctor Arcane?" He smiled, trying to coax some enthusiasm from the Doctor. Arcane still said nothing. "Er, Doctor?"

"Yes, Graham." Arcane said mildly.

"You're, er....staring at me, Sir."

"Am I, Graham?" Arcane said absently, almost as if in a trance.

"We'd best go, Sir. The car's near here."

"Yes, Graham." Arcane agreed passively, putting his arm round the assistant in a fond manner.

They set off walking. After a minute, Graham was still acutely aware of Arcane's gaze burning into the back of him. He looked round uneasily out of the corner of his eye. Arcane seemed to be regarding him.....oddly. Nothing he could put his finger on, but it wasn't an expression common to the Doctor. "Er, Doctor Arcane? Erm, well, Sir, you're still staring at me."

Arcane blinked a little. "I'm sorry, Graham. Am I really?" He said dreamily. They walked a little further. "Graham?" Arcane asked inquisitively in a small voice, with just a little sigh tagged on the end.

"Yes, Doctor?"

"Graham, don't these streetlights remind you of the subtle glow of candles on a dinner table?" Graham swallowed uneasily. Arcane's voice was still soft, but had an almost predatory edge to it. "Oh, Graham!" He sighed, with a subtle incline of his head; "The way it reflects off your head in just that same wonderfully tantalising way as candlelight on a delicious, plump, juicy, glistening oyster newly plucked from it's shell."

The birds sung, the crickets chirruped, and the sun rose; and another beautiful summer's day greeted Houma....Well, let me rephrase that....Three hours later:

"Alec!" Will called out with concern. "Alec, are you there?"

Silence ensued; but not a silence suggesting that nothing was there. This silence was filled with brooding. It was a silence that filled the entire atmosphere. It was a silence that positively sulked! And Will followed it. "There you are Alec." Will greeted him cheerfully. "How are you doing?" Alec regarded him in pensive silence. "Look, it's not my fault I had to leave you here, Alec.....you're heavy. I was tired. People might have seen us.....Look, I tried, really." Alec said nothing. "I did my best, Alec....honest! I couldn't think of anywhere else to leave you where you'd be safe."

"Will? Alec?" Tressa's voice called out. She eventually found them. "Alec?? Is that you under there? You don't look very well, you know?" She said pensively.

"Relax, Tressa. He'll photosynthesise in the sun. The wounds'll heal pretty soon." Will said reassuringly. Alec glared at him.

"Will, how could you leave him here!?" Tressa admonished him. "Look, will you guys get off my case. It's the best I could do, OK? You'd already gone, and I couldn't carry him all the way back to the house on my own. It was hard enough getting him out of that pit before they came back to cordon it off. I'm not strong enough, and the Feds might have seen him."

"But HERE?" Tressa said.

"Well nobody comes here often, do they?" Will reasoned with them.

"Hardly surprising!" Alec muttered, finally breaking his silence.

"Look, Alec, it seemed the perfect place to hide you that was near to town. Besides....I thought it might help your regeneration....sort of....well, it does help plants grow, doesn't it?"

"Jim would never have left me here!" Alec sulked to himself. He steeled himself. Already the sun was healing the damage, and he felt both strength and spine returning. A moment later he was able to stand....just.

"See!" Will said, vindicated.

"He's fine, aren't you, Alec?" Alec glared at him. "Well, as long as you're all right, I'd better get back home." Tressa said. "I'd give you a ride, Will, but you're going shopping for some eggs for me, AREN'T you!?" She said, with a suddenly vicious snap to her voice.

At just that moment, a crash was heard, as a large tree branch some distance from them chose to snap in two and go tumbling to the ground. They all gave a jolt. "Don't tell me it's still happening?" Will said.

"How would I know? I've been stuck in this manure heap for the last few hours!" Alec said through gritted teeth.

"The radio's still working." Tressa said. "There was mention of more incidents this morning. Look, I've got to go."

"I need to get back to the swamp." Alec said evenly.

Tressa fidgeted uncomfortably. "Not in my car, you're not." She said, backing a few feet away from him. "Sorry, Alec." She turned and left.

Will just gave a helpless shrug. "It's not too far, Alec. You're fine now. You'll be able to make it unseen. Well, guess I'd better go and do the shopping, and get back to spying on Arcane when he surfaces from the complex." He turned and left. With a slow, shambling gait, Alec started making his way back to the swamp, emitting a constant muttering and some unidentifiable guttural comments as he did so.

"Good morning, Sir." Graham gently shook what he thought to be a shoulder of a sheet covered bundle curled up in bed. The bundle gave no reaction. "Dr. Arcane? It's me, Graham." He shook the bundle again. It gave a tired little moan. "Time to get up, Doctor." He said quietly, but forcefully. The bundle shifted a little, and part of it emerged from under the sheets. Two suspicious eyes resembling blackcurrants poached in blood swivelled up above sheet level and surveyed Graham with sheer vindictiveness.

"What time is it?" Arcane muttered wearily before collapsing back into his pillow.

"Its, er, 8.15, Sir." Graham said helpfully.

"Bugger off, Graham!" It snarled at him, desperately burrowing under the sheets again like a mole.

Graham swallowed in torn confusion. He collected himself and reached out, shaking Arcane again, this time more forcefully. "You asked me to get you up now, Sir. You wanted to be ready for that FBI woman.....and there's been more incidents....Sir?"

"I've had two hours of sleep. Do I LOOK like I'm ready for anyone!?!?" The bundle growled at Graham.

"OK, sir. I'll come back later. I guess it won't matter that the Kipp brat's in town and that he might get to that Mulder guy first; or if he examines all the new evidence first, or....."

The bundle uncurled itself and threw off the sheets. "All right. You've made your bloody point, Graham!" Graham smiled to himself. "Get my clothes ready, will you!" Arcane snapped irritably.

"They're on the edge of the bed, Doctor." Arcane looked ahead to see a fresh, clean white cotton suit and accessories. After a minute of collecting himself together, Arcane stretched and got up, wandering over to the mirror where he surveyed himself with dismay. The bruises from where Holland had smacked him were coming up just beautifully. "Wonderful choice, you idiot." He muttered. Purple and white wasn't quite the match he wanted. "Get the denims out instead!" he ordered. Graham nodded and went over to a wardrobe.

"Wait a bloody minute!?" Arcane said in a perplexed tone of voice, putting a hand to the tender, livid marks covering his face. "There's three bruises here!?" Graham turned back innocently.

"That's right, Doctor."

"Holland hit me twice!" Arcane said, squinting again at his face to make sure he was seeing correctly.

"Er, Doctor, well, you told me last night that he hit you three times."

"Twice. I was SURE it was twice!" Arcane insisted.

"Er, well, maybe you were a bit confused, Doctor?"

"I am NOT confused, Graham. I do NOT get confused." He snarled.

"You were very tired and stressed last night; and you hallucinated in the pit. I guess maybe you just forgot one." Graham reassured him soothingly. Arcane gave a wince. It looked like yesterday's headache was coming back with a vengeance. Graham noticed. "Try not to stress yourself any further, Doctor. I'll go and get you some painkillers."

"You'd be more use if you got me some bloody breakfast! I still haven't eaten anything!"

Graham's brow furrowed and he gave a nervous little swallow. "The supplies were devastated in an explosion. There isn't much left." He gave a little shrug. "I'll see what I can find, Sir."

He turned to leave. "Graham??" He heard Arcane's voice as he was at the door.

"Yes, Dr. Arcane?"

"What's that on your head?"

"My head, Sir?"

"Yes, man....your head! It's a wound!"

"Oh that, Sir!...Just a mosquito bite. Went a bit septic."

"Well see to it then. Having you hospitalised is the last thing I need right now!" "Yes, Sir. Oh, and Dr. Arcane? I dug up some information on those FBI agents. I think you'll find it real interesting." He drawled smugly. Arcane smiled.

"Oh good." Arcane said pleasantly. "Well, Graham, if you can manage the information AND some breakfast, perhaps the day isn't going to be so bad after all, eh?"

"No, Doctor." Graham grinned. "I'll be in the lab, Sir." He left.

There was a knock on Fox Mulder's door. After a moment of getting himself together and getting out of bed, he went over to it.

"It's me, Mulder." Came a familiar female voice from the other side.

He smiled and opened the door. Scully walked in carrying two steaming plastic cups of what smelled like coffee. "How much sleep did you get?" Mulder asked her.

"About an hour and three quarters." She said. He looked at her incredulously. She still looked immaculate and bright eyed. He took a glance at himself in the mirror facing the bed. He resembled an unmade bed with a hangover; if such was possible. "Are you `investigating' your friend, Dr. Arcane today?" He asked her.

She nodded. "Later, but after we've done some investigating into why we're here. Remember?"

He smiled and nodded. "You took a bit of a risk didn't you?" He said with a broad grin, taking one of the cups that she proffered to him. He took a sip and gave a noticeably pleasurable look at the desirable caffeine fix.

"A risk?" she enquired.

"Using one of the drink machines." He said.

She smiled and shook her head. "From the percolator in reception." She said; "The plastic cups were rescued from the non-working machines because the crockery was all destroyed in another incident this morning.

"Have I missed much?"

"I'm afraid so. It's still happening, and just as much as yesterday."

"Any injuries?"

She looked downcast and nodded. "A lot of minor cuts and bruises; some burns. Over thirty already and it isn't even 9 am."

"Any fatalities?" Mulder added.

Scully looked pensive for a moment, and nodded her head slowly. "Two." She said. "An elderly woman had a fatal coronary after her washing machine exploded, and....." She paused.

"And...?" Mulder pressed. Scully seemed to be choosing her next words very carefully; as though something was going against everything she had ever believed in. "A 48 year old woman: Mrs. Burshett. She was....She....Well....." Scully was clearly having difficulty here.

"What about Mrs. Burshett, Scully?" Mulder said gently.

"She was strangled to death, Mulder." Scully finally blurted out.

"What makes that one of our incidents? Are people here are being possessed now?" He suggested.

"By her own corset, Mulder!"

"That's a new one on me." He gave an almost impressed look, raising his eyebrows.

"She wasn't the only one, Mulder." Scully continued, deeply disturbed.

"You said...."

"She was the only fatality, but not the only victim. There have been 6 other cases of people being strangled by their own clothing. Mostly said clothes started shrinking violently; sometimes just one piece, sometimes everything."

Mulder took another sip of coffee as he listened to Scully with rapt interest. She also took a drink and collected herself. "Most of the victims managed to tear the offending item or items off in time and suffered minimum damage. One man is in intensive care from when his underpants became 5 sizes smaller."

Mulder gave a reflexive little shudder. "Guess we've got our work cut out for us here." He muttered.

"I'll be waiting in reception. Join me when you're dressed." She said, leaving.

Mulder took another sip of his coffee and reached for a pair of trousers on a chair by the bed. He picked them up, then paused, looking at them with deep suspicion. He started to put them on, then paused again, wondering. "Nah!" He said to himself casually, finally plucking up the courage to fasten the things; although his expression wasn't the most confident he'd ever had.

"Good morning, Graham." Stella said cheerfully, filing some test tubes in the lab.

"Morning, Stella." Graham mumbled as he entered through the elevator doors, carrying a kettle in his hand. He put it down on a work surface, along with another item, after filling it with water and switching it on; and went over to one of the working computer consoles, where he began accessing a file and printing some data out.

"Are you all right, Graham?" Stella said with concern.

Graham turned to her. "Why wouldn't I be, Stella?"

"That's a gosh awful looking wound on your head. Here, let me take a look!" She said, wandering over to him.

He flinched away from her. "It's fine, Stella. It's nothing!" He insisted.

"Here, I'll get some antiseptic on it." She reached into her pocket and pulled out a swab and a small bottle. Graham stared at her in amazement. "Do you always carry that on you?" He asked in surprise.

She smiled. "The mutants." She said gently. "You know how the babies are always hurting themselves?" She dabbed the swab to his head, looking at the wound with interest. He flinched again, turning the wound away from her.

"I said it was OK." He reiterated.

She didn't give up. "That's a strange looking mark!" she said. "Kind of like a toothmark. Did one of the dogs bite you, Graham? It's not like them to go for the head...."

"It's a mosquito bite, OK. It went septic, that's all."

"It doesn't look like a......"

"IT'S A MOSQUITO BITE!! IT WENT SEPTIC!"

She shrugged. "Maybe it was one of the mutated strain that Dr. Arcane created?" She said; "They can be pretty nasty."

"Yeah, probably was." Graham muttered, going back over to the kettle which had now almost boiled.

Just then, the elevator door opened, and Arcane walked in. Well, `walked' probably isn't the best description. `Shambled' might have been more appropriate; `dragged himself' would have been even better; perhaps even a gratuitous use of the word `stagger' could have been deemed appropriate. Whatever, the Doctor walked over to a table and slumped down into a chair.

"Are you all right, Doctor?" Graham asked him.

"Why don't I make you a nice cup of tea, Doctor? A few bags survived the destruction." Stella said comfortingly. Arcane just nodded.

"Here's the information you wanted on the FBI pair." Graham said, collecting the printouts and placing them on the table in front of Arcane.

The Doctor picked them up, started to read, squinted at them a little; then put them down firmly. "What I want, Graham, is my breakfast. I want something to eat, Graham. I want FOOD!!"

"Th...there, well, wasn't much left, Doctor." Graham stammered. The kitchen supplies were virtually obliterated. There was nothing in the shops. People have been panic buying everything. I...well, er, I managed to find one or two things though."

"What things?" Arcane said suspiciously.

"Well, Doctor; the food supply for the guard dogs wasn't with the human supplies, and they weren't damaged."

Arcane closed his eyes in joy. "A steak! A delicious, juicy, medium rare steak. Jolly good, Graham. That'll do nicely!"

"The budget cuts you ordered, Sir, remember? To help towards the cost of the new reactor. We stopped feeding the dogs on steak last year."

"What are we feeding them on then!?"

"`Yummy Chunky Morsels', Sir; and the processed dried MRM." Arcane winced. "Oh, and, er, some other things."

"Other things?.....Oh!" Arcane groaned, putting his head in his hands as he remembered last week's autopsy; and that nosy, prying little brat from the primary school that had stumbled upon his new, improved reactor.

"But I did find something else, Sir." Graham beamed at him proudly.

"Something for humans?......Something edible?" Arcane said suspiciously.

"Definitely something for humans, Doctor." Graham said, going over to the work surface and picking up an item, which he placed in front of Arcane; who just stared at it. "It's very nutritious, Doctor!" He said, trying to coax enthusiasm out of Arcane. The Doctor remained silent. "I'm sorry, Doctor Arcane, but it's either that or the `Yummy Chunky Morsels'." He said, putting a fork into Arcane's hand for him.

"Why does everyone else around here look so bloody well fed!?!?" Arcane muttered as he grudgingly tucked into his Cup O' Noodles.

Tressa was in a foul mood. It wasn't just a normal festering bad temper; or even a tantrum about to explode like a modern day Santorini. This was a building resentment that gnawed not just at her gut, but at her very soul. She'd been feeling miserable all morning. It was no doubt the after effects of the previous night. Being in Anton Arcane's presence always made her feel like wanting to take a good long bath. It still irked her how she couldn't tell the world about what he did to Jim. No, that would expose Alec. So she had to stay quiet like the good little girl, and let that bastard roam free and unpunished. She shook her head and tried to clear her train of thought. This was doing her no good at all. She'd managed to pull herself together a bit, but when she'd seen poor Alec that morning. Well, something just seemed to snap; and not just that tree branch! Dammit! She was sick of seeing poor Alec suffering because of that monster. He needed to be taught a lesson. He didn't deserve to live!! He....

"Whoa, hold it there!" She stopped herself. She was feeling a real migraine coming on. She'd wanted to do some more story to calm her nerves, but the computer was broken, as was the typewriter; and she couldn't bring herself to do some good old fashioned writing. That pissed her off too. She felt like she was on some sort of emotional rollercoaster. Even one minute, plummeting the next. She got up and went to fetch a bottle of medicine from the kitchen draw. Maybe some nice Advil would make her feel better.....With any luck. She just couldn't seem to shake this depression though. She thought she was over it yesterday, but no; it was back again with a vengeance. "What you need, girl, is to think of something happy. Something that'll cheer you up!" she said aloud, to bolster herself. Hmmm, now what would be a nice thing to think of?? A vacation in Europe perhaps.....London! How exciting!? "No!" she snapped to herself. That's where HE comes from!! OK, well how about thinking of visiting Jim in Philadelphia? Wouldn't he be thrilled to see her? Well, assuming he even remembered her! The psychologists did say he'd probably get over his trauma.... eventually.....providing he was kept in a safe, loving environment away from any reminders. "All HIS fault!!" she snarled to herself. She shook her head again. Maybe writing would be therapy after all, she mused, getting out a piece of paper and a biro. She calmed her mind and settled down. Think peaceful thoughts. Let the creativity flow.

Half an hour later she surveyed her creation. Squinted at it, she gave a deep frown. Perhaps an entire page filled with the words "DIE ARCANE!" wasn't exactly what she had in mind. She didn't remember writing it, that's for sure. Not another damned blackout!

"No more writing for now. Back to happy thoughts." She sighed lying down on the sofa. Now what to think about? Oh what the Hell!: Arcane's complex wiped off the face of the earth in fiery wrath; Arcane roasting on an open fire; Arcane rotting in Hell; A huge vengeful lightning bolt that struck one tiny canker on Houma; Arcane in front of a firing squad and denied a last canister of hairspray..... With a blissful look on her face, Tressa snuggled into the sofa to daydream her migraine away.

"Is it interesting.....or is it interesting?" Graham said smugly to Arcane as the Doctor finished reading the file he'd printed out and took another mouthful of Cup O' Noodles.

"Hmmm, it certainly is interesting, Graham." Arcane said with a new-found twinkle in his eye that almost made him shut out the taste of his breakfast....almost. "Where did you get this from?"

"I called in a few favours, Sir. Some of your more, er, dubious contacts from when you were working with General Sunderland."

"I commend you, Graham."

"Some of this stuff isn't even in their official records."

"Yes, Graham. You've made your point. Very well done." He took another look and gave a small laugh. "Sister abducted by aliens; partner abducted by aliens; attacked by aliens....invisible elephants!?. Graham, it's exactly what I thought. The man's madder than my mother!"

"He's not taken seriously by most of his colleagues, Sir."

"Which makes dealing with him considerably easier." Arcane beamed.

"And her?"

"Hmmm, now that is a shame. Naso-pharyngeal mass. Pity, really. I was beginning to like her in an odd sort of way. Still, best not get too attached if she's going to be past her sell by date soon."

"Yeah, a real pity." Graham said, with perhaps just a hint too much relish. "Is there anything else you want me to do, Doctor?"

"You can come into town with me, Graham. You can go shopping, while I find Dana and continue our discussion. I think I'll....."

His words were suddenly interrupted by the intrusive burst of klaxons sounding from all around the complex. "What the Hell!" Arcane started. Graham looked confused. Suddenly, the elevator door parted and Stella came rushing in with a technician; all looking highly agitated.

"Stella! What the hell is going on!?" Arcane roughly asked the flustered woman. "Another `incident'?" He snarled.

She looked at him wide eyed and silent, and just nodded vigorously. "I.... I think so, Doctor Arcane." She finally found her voice.

Arcane sighed and looked more than irritated, hands on hips. "Well, what is it now!? My bedroom's imploded? It's raining frogs!? The mutants spontaneously combusting!?!?"

"It's the reactor, Doctor." She said shakily.

Arcane swallowed nervously. "What about the reactor?" He asked warily. "I think we're having a core meltdown, Doctor.....Doctor?.....Doctor Arcane??"

She shook Arcane, who suddenly seemed transfixed. The jolt brought Arcane back from wherever his mind had decided to retreat to.

"A...a meltdown. No! Impossible!" He stated belligerently.

"That's what all the monitoring systems are indicating, Sir."

"Dammit. I made this reactor clean and safe! I paid good bloody money for all the correct precautions after that last fiasco! This can't be happening. Check the damned systems!!" He ordered. Stella went over to a console with one of the technicians. "Graham, where the hell are you going!?"

"We gotta get out of her, Doctor!" Graham shouted, grabbing Arcane's arm and starting to drag the man to the elevator.

"Put me down, you idiot! And stay right where you are! There is NO meltdown. Everything will be fine. Anton Arcane is in charge of the situation! I designed this reactor. This product of my genius is the finest, smallest fastbreeder AGR in the world. I do NOT make mistakes!!"

"But, Doctor....?"

"Graham, if this is a meltdown....which it ISN'T, moving outside the complex is hardly going to make any difference. The whole of Houma and it's surrounding environ would be covered in either a cloud of radiation or a pile of molten Plutonium on it's way to China!"

"I could get the helicopter ready, Sir." Graham had thought of this.

"Doctor Arcane?" Stella's voice interrupted them.

"Stella, what are the monitoring systems reading?" Arcane shouted to her.

"Doctor.....are all these little red lights supposed to be on?"

Arcane's eyes widened noticeably. The technician went over to Stella. "Well, man. What does it say? What's happening?"

"Ooops!" Said the technician with a voice filled with dawning terror.

"Oh dear!" Stella said with hushed anguish, looking at the screen in front of her.

"I'll get the Helicopter warmed up, Sir." Graham said hurriedly.

"You'll stay right where you bloody well are for now!" Arcane insisted. Graham was starting to sweat profusely.

"This is bad, Sir." The technician announced. "The core temperature's rising rapidly and there's a marked drop in the coolant pressure. A leak is indicated. It looks like the reactor's venting gas."

"It won't be the only thing if we don't get out of here soon!" Graham muttered to himself.

"Then get more carbon rods in there fast, man!" Arcane barked an order.

"We can't, Sir. According to the system, the mechanism's broken. We can't manoeuvre the rods at all."

Arcane ran his hands through his hair as he desperately tried to think of some solution. All these damned flashing red lights and sirens weren't helping his concentration one iota.

"What about secondary systems?" He enquired with more than a hint of panic now in his voice.

"Inoperative, Sir." Answered the technician.

"Tertiary systems??"

The technician shook his head slowly. "And the backup safety precautions are out of commission as well, Doctor Arcane."

"We could?......er.....well.... What if we......?" He was becoming flustered.

"We have to get out of here, Sir. There's nothing we can do!" Graham insisted.

"He's right, Doctor." Stella finally agreed. "There's nothing we can do!"

"What.....what if the reactor's fine and it's only the monitoring system that's at fault!?" He said with a tiny manic laugh, with more than a hint of madness in it.

"There's no way of knowing, Doctor." Stella humoured him. "But the computer couldn't give readings like that if there wasn't any source for them. It's physically impossible." She tried to reason.

"So are pits opening in the ground, and exploding hairdryers; and shrinking underwear!!" He snarled back. She shrugged, and had to concede that one. "The chances of a core meltdown with all these systems in place is 64 billion to one!" He snapped. "Has anyone physically checked?"

"That would mean going INTO the reactor, Doctor." She said.

"Well of course it bloody would! Well, has anyone checked?"

"There's nobody left here to do that, Sir."

Arcane's eyes lit up. He turned slowly to his assistant "Ah, Graham! You remember when you asked if there was something you could do?" He announced softly, his eyes glinting.

"We have to get out of here!" Graham emphasised, not even hearing what Arcane was saying. Suddenly, they all heard the elevator door close. The technician had already bolted. Graham ran for the door, pushing the call button furiously. Arcane was just standing rigidly.

"He's right!" Stella said firmly, looking at the monitor. "The core temperature is reaching critical. There's no time for anyone to check the reactor."

"Damn you all! There's all the time in the world if I'm right!"

Stella and Graham looked at one another, each daring the other to tell the scientist that he WASN'T right. The elevator returned; and Stella got inside.

"We have to get out of here NOW. If we don't, we may not get to the helicopter in time."

"She's right, Sir."

The Doctor stood motionless, staring vacantly around him, as though in a silent trance amidst the chaos. He couldn't even hear Graham and Stella. "Twenty years." He muttered quietly to himself. "Twenty years of work....of research. Twenty years of my life, my notes....Twenty years....." His eyes darted around. What to take? What to save? Where to even start?......

"I'm not waiting forever, Graham." Stella said to him.

"Dr. Arcane. We have to GO!!" Graham moved to Arcane and started to drag the now incapable scientist towards the elevator.

Arcane found his strength and shoved the man away. "It's all perfectly safe. My genius does not make mistakes." He laughed. "It's just a faulty monitor, that's all." He giggled, moving back into the centre of the lab. "It's all safe....perfectly safe.....everything's just fine....everything's......"

"Graham, you've got 30 seconds to get him into this elevator, or I'm going." Stella said calmly.

Graham ran his hands through where his hair would have been, and regarded Arcane. He reached a determined decision and looked around the lab. Ah Ha! He thought, spying a large adjustable spanner on a work surface. He rushed over and grabbed it, then approached Arcane.

"Ah, there you are!" Arcane said with eager joy, retrieving his Cup O' Noodles. "You thought you could escape Anton Arcane my delicious little friend!?"

This worried Graham. The Doctor was clearly further gone than he'd thought. "Doctor Arcane. We need to go!" Graham said mildly to Arcane's back.

"Well bugger off then, and don't bother coming back!" Arcane snarled back at him; "I have all I need here!" His tone swiftly reverted to wistful as he gazed lovingly down at the plastic cup hugged in his hands. Graham gave a small shrug and a sigh, then proceeded to raise the spanner and hit Arcane as hard as he could on the back of his head. The scientist immediately crumpled into a heap. Dropping the spanner, Graham crouched down swiftly and caught Arcane before he hit the floor.

"GRAHAM!" Shouted Stella.

"We're coming now!" He shouted back, dragging Arcane's limp body into the elevator. Stella immediately hit the controls and prayed they'd make it in time.

"Tressa!" Will's voice shouted out. "Tressa!"

"In here, Will." A voice moaned sleepily from the lounge.

Will went in and saw Tressa getting up from the sofa. "You OK?" He said.

"Oh yes, Will." Tressa said with a pleasant smile on her face, stretching lazily. "I just had the most WONDERFUL dream!" she purred.

"Yeah, well, sorry I woke you, but look what I found for you!?" Will grinned, holding out a box of eggs.

Her eyes lit up and she took the eggbox eagerly. "Oh that's OK. I shouldn't have fallen asleep anyway. Been meaning to do more writing. But first, some eggs!" She grinned, positively leaping for the kitchen; kissing Will as she went past him."

"Boy, must have been some dream!" Will shrugged as he bade her goodbye and left.

"That's odd!" Graham said.

Stella nodded. "The sirens, they've just stopped. I wonder why?"

"No time to worry about that. Let's get to the helicopter." Graham grunted. Boy, Arcane was heavy. It was like carrying dead weight. He was beginning to wish he'd found a way of persuading the scientist to come willingly. An unconscious Arcane was even more awkward than a sentient one. He still wasn't relishing the prospect of what to say to the scientist when he came round. Perhaps Arcane would thank him for saving him....assuming they even got away with their lives. Knowing Arcane, gratitude was unlikely though.

"Oh no!" Stella gasped, looking ahead to the other end of the complex's rooftop.

"It...It's gone!" Graham stuttered. "Someone's taken the damned helicopter. What are we going to do."

Stella gave a small, sad shrug and shook her head slowly. Graham swallowed in fear. "It'll be quick." She said. "I'm sure we won't feel anything."

"If I ever get my hands on that technician in the afterlife." He muttered pathetically.

"Shhhhh." She soothed, taking his head in her hands and hugging him close. "It'll be over soon."

"I think you can let go of me now, Stella." Fifteen minutes later, Graham's muffled voice could just be heard from where his face was buried deep in her left shoulder. She did so. Everything seemed eerily calm.

"Doc was right!" A voice was heard calling to them.

They turned to see the elevator's rooftop doors sliding open and the technician striding towards them. Graham and Stella looked at him in sheer amazement; at each other, then back at him again.

"Where've you been?" Graham asked him cautiously.

"To the reactor chamber, Mr. Graham. Everything's fine. It was just like he said. It was the monitoring system that was screwed." Graham couldn't believe it.

"I'll try and wake Doctor Arcane up now." Stella said with a huge sigh of relief and a broad, relieved smile.

Graham gave a whooping shout and hugged the technician, then Stella; then the technician again. He stopped short of kissing the man though, and thanked just about every deity he could think of. "Whoa, I was dreading what to say to Dr. Arcane, Stella;" Graham sighed; "about hitting him like that....well, I did it for his own good, but you know what he's like?" Graham smiled. "Guess it doesn't matter now."

"No, Graham." Stella said softly; "Not really."

"I mean, the complex is safe. WE'RE safe! Woo Hoo!! He's gonna forgive that. Right?.....Stella?" He turned and looked down.

She was crouched down by Arcane, looking up at him; with a look of stunned disbelief on her face....not joy. She simply bit her lip and shook her head. "Ok, Maybe I hit him a bit hard, but he will forgive me when he finds out why. He wasn't in his right mind. Right?"

Stella just continued to say nothing, shaking her head slowly. She removed a hand from under Arcane's head. It was covered in blood.

Graham shuddered a little at the sight. He looked down at himself. He only now just noticed the blood on his own clothing and hands.

"Guess I hit him a bit harder than I thought." Graham said worriedly. "It was for his own good! I had to get him out somehow!....Will he be OK? We can get him to the hospital quickly."

"NO GRAHAM, HE WON'T BE OK!!" She shouted, a single tear rolling down her cheek. "He's dead."

"So what's first on the agenda?" Mulder commented to Scully, taking a sip from his third cup of coffee.

Scully gave a slight shrug. "We're best sticking together for now, what with everything that's been going on. If needs be, we can split up later."

"Sounds reasonable. So, what's first? Ideas where to start?"

Scully gave a puzzled look at Mulder. "Where to even begin in this mess. We'd best try to interview some of the victims at the hospital; although maybe we should leave that a few hours. Give them time to get over any residual trauma and shock." Mulder just nodded. "You said you had some possible theories, Mulder?"

"Well, I wouldn't go so far as to say theories. More sort of seemingly unconnected events that may be part of this or not."

"In other words, we're guessing in the dark?"

"Yeah, that sounds about right." He gave a slight nod, sucking in his cheeks a little.

"So, where do you want to guess first? Or shall I pick a place?" She smiled.

"Go ahead. Be my guest."

"What are these `unconnected' events."

"Just particularly significant times of the year in some circles......Some odd magnetic readings from the ley lines....that sort of thing."

"Could that cause this, then?"

"Not really. Not without something else major."

"Major?"

"MAJOR!"

"Uh huh. All right. Well, what about checking whether anything like this has ever happened before, even if on a smaller scale."

Mulder shook his head immediately. "It hasn't. Already checked before we even came down here."

"Some sort of experiment? Come on, Mulder. Prime chance for a conspiracy theory here!" She smiled warmly.

"`Fraid it's unlikely, much as it pains me to say it. Too widespread across the whole country; not to mention surrounding countries."

"Right! First we check in with the local police. I'm certain they're not involved in some sort of cover up. If they were, Sheriff Andrews wouldn't......wouldn't have.....wouldn't have....well....." She paused, a traumatised and pained expression on her face; "Well he just wouldn't, All right!?"

Mulder regarded her oddly. He could have sworn she was humming an Italian tune for a minute. He shook his head. Nah! He thought. "I want to go back over to the Kipp place. Take a tour of the swamp and interview Mrs. Kipp."

"I also need to go back over to Dr. Arcane's complex. Continue our interview;.....and take that look off your face, Mulder!"

"Sorry." He said, in his most unapolagetic voice. "I'm still interested in that formula. He was also collating that information for us. I'd like to collect that and see what his thoughts on the matter are."

"Right, then. A quick call at the police station; then Arcane's complex; then the boat rental place. Yes?"

"Fine, Mulder."

"Would you rather we split up? I can drop you at the complex and go on to the Kipp place; or we can go together?"

"Well go to the police station together. Drop me at the complex and you go on to the Kipps. I'll call you. If you're finished earlier you can pick me up. If not, I'll get Dr. Arcane to bring me back into town."

"With his busy schedule? You must have got to know him pretty well in that pit." Mulder beamed broadly.

"Mulder, this is very childish, you know? NOTHING happened in that pit. Dr. Arcane has shown no signs of impropriety."

"Remind me to state my unworthiness to be in his company next time I see him." Mulder quipped; "Yeah, a real living saint!"

"No! No, he's just unconscious, aren't you, Doctor??" Graham knelt down beside Arcane's lifeless form, lifting his head. "Wake up, Doctor!" No reply. "Dr. Arcane!!?....It's me, Graham!....Can you hear me, Doctor!? Wakey wakey!!" No reply.

"Graham?" Stella whispered softly.

He ignored her. "I didn't mean it, Doctor. I was trying to SAVE you!" Graham began to panic. He clutched his head in his hands, momentarily forgetting Arcane, who's own head fell back onto the concrete with an audible thud and a squelch. Graham looked down, horrified. "I...I...I'm sorry, Doctor...." He stammered, picking Arcane back up again. "I'd never hurt you, Doctor. We...we can make it better." He said, cradling the new wound.

"Graham??" Stella prodded him gently. "We can't make it better. We can't take a sticky plaster and a bandage and put him back together again....Death is a bit more serious than that.!" Her voice was gentle, but firm.

"No, he can't be dead! He wouldn't allow it!"

"He didn't! YOU smashed his head in, remember?" She added.

Graham closed his eyes and cringed. "Maybe he's just in a coma!? We can get him to hospital??...."

"Graham! He's turning white. He's going rigid. His eyes are glazing.....He's dead, quite dead! I'm sorry. We're all sorry." She wiped away a tear.

With tears rolling down his own eyes, Graham put Arcane down. "What are we going to do, Stella?"

"What can we do? We can't undo it. We can't bring him back......Wait a minute!....Or can we?" She said with a new glint in her eye.

Graham hugged her. "Yeah, of course! Holland!!! He can bring him back! He can bring Dr. Arcane back!!"

"He did with me, Graham. You remember, when Dr. Arcane killed me a few years ago?" she said helpfully. Graham's expression dropped again.

"Why would he want to bring Dr. Arcane back?" He said glumly.

"He's helped the Doctor in the past" Stella said helpfully. "He did seem like a nice enough sort for a....well, a swamp whatever."

"No. He's refused to harm Dr. Arcane. It's that stupid moral code of his. He only brought him back when he needed something from him; or helped him when there was some other reason." Graham lapsed into depression. "He's never bring the Doctor back because of this.....and if he found out about the reactor!?"

"The reactor's safe, Graham. There's no need for him to know."

Graham wasn't thinking. He was deep in sulking despair. "I did it! I KILLED Dr. Arcane....ME!"

"Don't blame yourself, Graham....hmmm, although you did actually, physically kill him....but you didn't mean it, though. You tried to save him." She soothed.

"Tell that to HIM!" Graham pointed to the corpse at their feet.

"Do we want him alive?" Stella asked calmly.

"What sort of question is that? Of course we do."

"Is there any other way of doing that?" She said. Graham shook his head slowly. "What's the worst that can happen?"

"He'll laugh and say no." Graham said meekly.

"Which means we're in no worse a position than now, OK?"

" `Kay." Graham pouted a little.

"Right, that's settled. We need to find Dr. Holland. Why don't you wait here with the Doctor, while I go to the swamp to find him and bring him here?"

Graham shook his head. "The FBI agents might turn up; and they've probably got the complex watched. We can't leave him here. Besides, the swamp's where Holland gets his power. He may not be able to do it here."

"Of course he could, Graham."

"Look, Stella, if Holland comes here, he'll snoop around. Do you want him to find a bloody nuclear reactor!?"

"That's a good point. All right. Let's get him down from here and into the car. We can take him to the swamp."

"What if we're seen?"

"We'll have to hide him."

Graham shuddered and put his face in his hands again. "Let's just get this over with." He moaned.

"Hey, Alec!" Will was shouting, pushing his way through the moist undergrowth of the swamp. "Alec are you here?" He pushed on. "Alec, you're not still sulking, are you."

"I don't sulk, Will." A voice rumbled from behind him.

"Glad you're OK, Alec." Alec was tempted to say `no thanks to you!', but restrained himself. "Listen, I just came back from town. I didn't have time to stay, but I checked in by Arcane's complex on the way, just to see if the jerk had surfaced yet." Will went up to greet Alec, but took a couple of steps backwards upon getting too close.

"And you found something, Will?" Alec said with interest, forgetting his earlier mood.

"I don't know. I think so. Didn't have time to stay, but the whole place was in chaos. Guards and other guys were running everywhere; mostly out of the complex! There were sirens, and lights. Hey, Alec. If I didn't know better, I'd have said the place was under attack."

"And Arcane? Where was Arcane?"

"Didn't see him or Graham. It was weird. I went back shortly after, and it was all quiet again. Too quiet, Alec, if you ask me. Like there was NOBODY around."

"Hmmm. What is he up to now?" Alec intoned with a bitter edge to his voice. "I KNEW he couldn't be trusted."

"But you said he was telling the truth?" Will said, puzzled.

"A creature like Arcane can change it's mind in a split second. Maybe now he's utilising these forces of evil that are pervading Houma's peace."

"Yeah, whatever. Guess it would be just like him."

"Will?"

"Yes, Alec."

"Why didn't you stay and watch? What was so important that you had to leave such vital surveillance for even a second?"

"I had to get Tressa's eggs to her."

"Fair enough." Alec said without argument or resistance.

"You stay here and recuperate, Alec. Or get a bath or something. I'm going back to the complex now. I'll let you know everything I find out."

"Very well, Will. I'll be waiting....and watching." He uttered as Will turned and went back to his jeep. "It's not like there's much else to do around here!" He muttered to himself softly.

"OK, Stella, I'll get him into the trunk. You can drive." Graham said, panting for breath as he dragged Arcane's body out of the elevator and across the forecourt to a row of autos.

"Which one?" She said, eyeing them all.

"It'll have to be his Porsche." Said Graham. "He could be seen in the back of the Discovery."

"Very true, Graham." She agreed. "The Porsche it is. Er, do you want a hand with it....I mean him? You do look a very strange shade of purple."

"I'm fine, Stella. Just open the trunk and help me lift him in."

She complied.

Five minutes later:

"This really isn't going to work, Graham!" It's not long enough and he's too tall." Graham was looking flustered, and even more purple than before. He tried to give Arcane's body another firm push to force it down into the trunk, but it just wasn't having it. His head and feet were still protruding from the sides. "He's not that tall; but I guess it is a pretty small trunk."

"Well, er, what if we put him on his side and curled him round a bit? Sort of foetal position?"

Stella frowned a little, and picked up Arcane's arm, putting it into Graham's hand. She made a gentle attempt to bend it at the elbow. It put up a great deal of resistance. Inflexible and uncooperative! Even in death, some things just remained the same.

"He's stiff as a board, Graham. He's not bending in any direction."

Graham gave a little groan. "Well how the hell are we going to do this then?"

"Let's move him over to the Discovery. We'll throw a blanket over him and just hope he isn't seen."

"Fine!" Graham snarled, giving the Doctor one last attempt at a shove, just to make sure he really wouldn't fit. When he thought he heard a tiny little unidentified crack from somewhere in the chest cavity, Graham decided it was best to forget this idea. With a mumble and a grunt, he heaved Arcane's dead weight up from the trunk and deposited him back down on the forecourt again with another audible thud.

"Be careful, Graham. If we can get him brought back, it would be nice if he was in one piece!" Stella gently admonished him.

With another grumble, Graham took hold of Arcane's feet and started dragging the dead scientist across the forecourt to the waiting auto. "You go....on ahead and.....start...start...the engine. I don't....don't....*gasp*.....want him out.....*pant*.....in the open for.....*grunt*.....long."

Stella ran on ahead, while Graham struggled with Arcane. Why the hell did such a skinny man weigh so much? He couldn't help thinking. He eventually reached the car and dropped Arcane's feet, and leaned against the side of it, panting and catching his breath. "Engine's blown." Stella announced to him.

"What!?" He gasped; the purple now being joined by a healthy scarlet. "Must have been another incident." She sighed. "Back to the Porsche." Graham glared at her, and grudgingly picked up Arcane's feet again and began the weary trek all over; Arcane's head bouncing ever so slightly with each bump Graham dragged him over.

"We've still got the problem of getting him in." Graham gasped after a moment of recovering.

"We're going to have to make him fit." Stella announced.

"What do you mean; "Make him fit"?"

"Bend a few little bits....sort of." She said, with a shrug.

"He's not bending anywhere."

"All right. If we snap him at the knees, that should be enough. Just his ankles won't be. We'd need to do the head as well then; and I don't think that would be a very good idea, do you?"

"STELLA! I don't think snapping ANY bit of him would be a good idea." "He's not going to feel it. He's dead."

"He'll damn well feel it if we get him alive again!.....and it's ME he's going to blame!"

"Well, you did kill him, Graham....Sorry." she said meekly upon seeing the look on Graham's face.

"I'm not breaking his legs."

"Well Dr. Holland can probably heal them too?" She suggested.

"I'm not sure he does broken bits." Graham muttered.

"If he can bring people back to life and cure wounds, surely he can mend broken legs?"

"How the hell would I know! , Anyway, I'm NOT breaking his legs, and that's final, Stella" He snapped. "Look, rigor mortis isn't going to last forever. It'll wear off eventually. Why, why don't we wait until he's more....pliable?"

Stella looked pensive. "With all these incidents, anything could happen in the meantime. We need to get this done as soon as possible. What if something happens to Dr. Holland in the meantime?"

"Fine!" Graham said irritably.

"There is another reason, Graham." Stella said with a look of distaste on her face.

"What!?" Graham asked suspiciously.

"It'll take hours for the rigor mortis to go, at the very least....."

"And.....?"

"Well, er....Well it is the middle of summer.....and it is a VERY hot day; and it's not like we're keeping him in ice or anything....or...."

Graham put his face in his hands and began to groan. "It's not happening.....None of this is happening. It's all a horrible nightmare. I'm going to close my eyes, then open them. Everything's going to be all right. I'll wake up. It'll be yesterday. Dr. Arcane will be asking me to get the spinal feed data. He'll...." He opened his eyes. He was in the complex forecourt. Stella was looking at him curiously; and a corpse pale Arcane was lying on it's back just staring vacantly ahead, mouth agape. Graham wanted desperately to shut his eyes again.

"Let's get him on the back seat then." Stella announced, helping Graham to grab Arcane. They opened the doors and peered in. "You know, Graham. I never realised how little room there was in the back of a Porsche. They're not really built for back seat passengers, are they?" Graham shook his head in glum depression. It was smaller than the trunk. "What if we put his feet in the bottom left corner, under the driver's seat, sort of sit him up....well, prop him up over the seat to the right?" She said helpfully, with the appropriate gestures.; approaching the matter akin to transporting an awkwardly long plank from a lumber yard back in a car too small for it.

"Why don't we just strap him on a bloody roof rack!?" Graham said sarcastically.

"Now that's just plain silly!" She said pleasantly. Graham didn't even bother to argue.

They eventually managed to manoeuvre the Doctor into position, and Graham surveyed their handiwork. "The blanket isn't going to work. His head's above window height. Nobody's going to believe he'd be lying down in that position." Graham grumbled.

"It's worse than that." Stella said dismally, pointing to the front of the car.

"Oh no!" Graham sighed. "Not this one too!?"

"I'm afraid so."

"Are there any cars around here working."

"I'll go and check."

Five minutes later she returned and gave a little smile. "There's a Volkswagen Golf that's working just fine she announced victoriously.

"That's even smaller than this!" Graham moaned.

"I've got an idea." She said. "Don't worry. Now help me carry him....."

"No! Why don't YOU bring the car HERE?" Graham said irritably.

"OK." She said mildly.

Two minutes later:

"I guess it could work." Graham shrugged; "...I think."

"It's settled then. We'll recline the front seat fully and lay him on it. Put the blanket over him and if anyone asks, he's ill!.....VERY ill!"

"Let's just do it, shall we. I've had all I want to of this."

Five minutes later:

"Right. To the swamp, then." Stella sighed.

"Stella?" Came a little voice from the back seat.

"Yes, Graham?"

"Do you think he can see us?"

"Huh?"

"The dead? Like ghosts and spirits. Do you think he's watching us right now?"

"I don't know, Graham. I remember being able to see some things, but it was all very unclear." Graham gave another little moan. "Why?"

"He's going to kill me, isn't he? I mean, if we do bring him back....He's gonna kill me!"

"Probably." She gave a joking little smile. "Graham?" she asked. There was no reply. "Graham??....Oh well!" Hmmm, no sense of humour at all! She thought, and gave a little sigh, started the engine and set off.

"Alec!! ALEC!! ALEC!!!!" Will's voice shrieked through the swamp.

"Why don't you shout a little louder, Will. I'm certain SOME people on the far side of Houma didn't hear you." Alec intoned from behind him.

Will gave a start. "ALEC!" He yelled again in gleeful joy, running up and hugging his friend. He backed off a bit in disgust. "I thought you were going to have a bath?" He muttered. "Oh what the Hell!" He laughed, forgetting it immediately. "Let's party, Alec! Party time! WOO HOO!!"

"Will, what has happened to you?"

"4th of July, Christmas Day, happy Chanukah! Twenty thousand birthdays!! Nothing compares to THIS!"

"Will. What IS it?"

"I went back to the complex, Alec. Hee Hee!!" Will held up a pair of binoculars. "Even got a REAL good view of everything. YES!!!...OH YES!!!" He clenched his feet and gave a jump for joy.

"WILL!" Alec intoned. "Calm down and tell me what has happened. You went to the complex, yes?"

"Yep...Yes indeedy!!" Alec sighed. This was going to be an uphill struggle. "Is it Arcane?"

"YESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYES!!!!!!"

This DEFINITELY wasn't going to be easy; Alec thought to himself.

"Alec? Will?" Another voice was heard calling. Footsteps approached.

"Why don't you just put up a signpost with my name on it!?" Alec mumbled to himself.

Tressa pushed her way through the trees and Spanish moss, and entered the clearing. "Ah, there you are! What's going on? I could hear you screaming from back at the house." Alec closed his eyes and sighed again. Will turned to look at her, and ran up and kissed her on the forehead....on the cheeks....on her lips....on her hands....on her... "Get off me, Will!" She said irritably, pushing him away. "What's wrong with him, Alec?"

"He's been like this ever since he returned from the complex."

Tressa frowned deeply. "What's that monster done to you, Will?" She said, seething.

"Woo Hoo!!" Will just shouted again.

Alec grabbed him firmly by the shoulders. "Will, get a hold of yourself." Will was giggling intensely. After a minute he seemed to calm down a bit.

"Will, now tell us, calmly, slowly, what did Arcane do?"

"He....He....." That was it. Will just broke down into another giggling fit. Alec looked at Tressa, who looked back at Alec in unspoken empathy.

"I ought to do it. I am his friend."

"I'm his stepmother. Besides, I'd enjoy it more!"

"Be my guest." Alec said calmly, releasing his grip on Will.

Tressa smiled pleasantly, just before delivering a vicious right hook to Will's face. Alec winced.

"That was a bit hard, wasn't it?" He asked. Tressa just shrugged.

"Sorry, got a bit carried away." She said. "Must be a bit of repressed anger still in there."

"Ow!" Will said, his mood deflated somewhat. He looked at Tressa, then Alec.

"Will. Tell us what Arcane has done." Alec enquired.

Despite the pain, a smirk started to develop on Will's face again.....then disappeared quickly as he saw the look on Tressa's face. "He's decided to push up daisies!" Will said gleefully. Tressa and Alec exchanged bewildered glances.

"Huh?" They said in unison.

"C'mon, you remember that sketch, guys! He's shuffled off this mortal coil. He's joined the choir invisible. He's pining for the fjords. He fell off his perch. He's an ex-Arcane!" Alec and Tressa just stared at him. "He's dead!?" They said in unison.

"As a doornail!" Will grinned. "I don't believe it!"

Tressa gasped. "How?" Alec seemed equally stunned.

"Who knows? Who Cares? He's dead, that's all that matters. I didn't actually see it happen. Just what went on afterwards, outside the complex." Alec and Tressa remained silent. "Look, all I know is that there's some major commotion at the complex with everybody evacuating like it's the end of the world. When I got back: Silence. Nobody there at all. Well, not immediately." He smiled. "Then I saw Graham and that other woman assistant of his leave the place. They were carrying something....well, dragging really. It seemed heavy, kind of like a sack of potatoes. When I used the binoculars I saw it was old Doc himself. I don't know what happened, but it sure looked like they were trying to dispose of his body. They were trying to dump it in the trunk of the car. I didn't stick around. Just long enough to see he was dead; then I had to come and tell you."

"And you're sure it was Arcane? Alec asked him reticently.

"You think I'd make a mistake like that, Alec?" Will said incredulously.

Alec shook his head. "How can you be certain he was dead?"

"White as a sheet. Stiff as a board. Blood all over Graham....."

"Hmmm. I'm not convinced." Alec muttered.

"He went for nearly 10 minutes without saying anything!" Will added.

"He really IS dead!" Alec said in amazement.

There were so many emotions flooding in: Relief, elation, satisfaction, disbelief.....emptiness??

"Hey, Tressa! I thought you'd be cheering?" Will said to her.

"Oh, I will." She said determinedly. "I'm just a bit shocked at the moment. You did say the complex was being evacuated, didn't you?"

"Er, yes. Why?"

"Sort of like some big disaster; but you couldn't see any reason for it?"

"Er, well, yes."

"And there was a helicopter taking off?"

"Yes."

"And didn't one of the guards fall into one of the pits in the escape."

"Hey, how did you know that?" Will said in surprise.

"But that's exactly what I was dreaming about!" Tressa exclaimed.

"Well it sure as hell wasn't a dream." Will said, shaking his head.

"Why would Graham and Stella try to dispose of Arcane's body?" Alec was the first to adopt a more practical approach.

"Maybe they wanted to cover up what happened. There's a lot of people on Arcane's payroll who'd be pissed if their meal ticket died on them." Will suggested.

"No, Will. That makes no sense." Alec reasoned. "If he disappeared, the result would still be the same. Graham and Stella were loyal to Arcane. They would have had no part in his death and would not be blamed. It makes no sense that they would take his body away to dispose of."

"I know how he died." Tressa stated evenly. "I dreamed it, remember?"

"It was just a dream, Tressa." Will said.

"The other details were accurate." She stated flatly.

"True." Will conceded. "So how....Well, at least in your dream."

"Some of the images are getting hazy. I remember there was a crisis and the complex was going to blow up. Can't remember how....Might have been a nuclear reactor or bomb, or something like that...." Alec frowned with deep concern at this. "Anyway, Arcane was having breakfast, really enjoying this Cup O' Noodles and talking to it....." She continued.

Alec relaxed again visibly. "Jeez, the crazy images you get in dreams." Will laughed. "Guess that proves there's got to be some artistic licence in there!"

"Anyway, for whatever reason, Graham hit Arcane over the head with a heavy metal object. Killed him stone dead."

"Guess we can't put any faith in that then." Will said.

"No." Alec agreed; "Graham would be incapable of murdering Arcane."

"Back to the drawing board. Anyway, what does it matter. The jerk's dead. End of story!"

"Amen to that!" Tressa beamed broadly, closing her eyes in relief, as though a heavy weight had been removed from her soul.

"They wouldn't dispose of his body." Alec said with a deep, resigned sigh.

"Well what were they doing then, Alec!? Where else would they be taking him?" Will asked him; "Oh no!.....No.....They wouldn't! They couldn't!!?"

"Can you think of anything else they'd do under these circumstances, Will?"

"Alec, don't you dare!!" Tressa fumed at him.

"Yeah, Alec. Just stay hidden till he rots a bit too much."

"If they turn up I'll just say you went to Florida for the rest of the year!" Tressa said desperately.

Alec stayed silent. "I could be wrong." He intoned. "I pray I'm wrong."

"What's to pray, Alec. Just say NO! Repeat after me....NO! Try it. It's not difficult. Hey, it's not like YOU killed the guy. It's nothing to do with you. There's nothing to feel any guilt over."

"I'm not feeling any guilt over Arcane, Will." Alec stated.

"Well that's a relief." Tressa muttered. "Just stay hidden, Alec. And if you even try to bring him back, I am NEVER speaking to you again!" Tressa snarled through clenched teeth. Alec turned and walked away.

"Where are you going, Alec?" Will called after him. "Into hiding, it would appear." Alec intoned, before disappearing into the bushes.

"Not too long, and we'll be there. Nothing to worry about." Graham chanted to himself from the back seat, over and over, head in hands, and sweat oozing from every pore. Whether it was from the heat or the pressure was uncertain. Probably a combination of both. A screech of brakes jolted him into awareness. "Wh...what...?" He stammered.

The car ground to a shuddering halt. Just then, a tiny explosion issued from the front of the car, and steam issued forth.

"We're not going anywhere in this thing, Graham." Stella said thoughtfully.

"Well, what are we going to do?"

"We're going to have to take him on foot."

"Stella, you can't be serious!?"

"Well we can't leave him here. He'll start to go a little ripe very soon. I can't think of anything el....." Her voice trailed off as she saw a carapproaching them from behind, in the distance. "We've got company." She said calmly from the driver's seat.

"Oh my God, oh my God, oh my....."

"Graham! Pull yourself together. It's probably just tourists. If they see us, they'll probably stop. Now check that his blanket's in place."

"It..it..it is."

"Can you push him down just a little bit? Sort of make him look like he's sitting or lying in the chair rather than leaning on it?"

"I'll try."

"And put these sun glasses on him, Graham. His eyes won't look quite so milky then. Oh, and use his hat if necessary. It hides the wound." The car was nearer now: Near enough to see it was a police vehicle. Graham froze in terror. "Graham!" She reminded him. As Stella wound down her window, Graham reached over and placed the shades on Arcane, and then pushed down on him. He was still stiff as a board. Graham gave up trying. The chances of them stopping and questioning a sick passenger were unlikely, he thought. He looked out of the rear windshield. Approaching the car was Deputy Jensen. Forgetting logic, with a panicky little `eeek', he began furiously pushing down on Arcane. There was an audible snap, and suddenly Arcane was sitting in a much more natural position.

"Ohmygodohmygodohmygod!!!" Graham whimpered, pulling his hands away from Arcane sharply. If Holland didn't do broken bits, he was in deep shit!

"Morning, Miss Stella....Mr. Graham....Somethin' the matter with yer car?" Jensen drawled. His eyes glanced to the passenger seat. "Dr. Arcane??" He looked at Stella oddly. "Dr. Arcane...He's....."

"Sleeping. Now hush....Don't wake him." Said Stella quickly, but calmly.

"He's looking mighty pale."

"Terrible hangover from last night. Now shhhh! We've only just got him off to sleep. We're taking him back to the complex. Poor thing." She sighed.

"But, ma'am, complex is the other way." "Dr. Arcane always insists on the scenic route. I don't see why we should break with tradition because he's asleep, do you?"

"Er, no. I guess not, Ma'am. You all need a ride? You're car looks like it ain't goin' anywhere."

"Well that's awfully kind of you, Deputy Jensen, but we can manage. Graham was about to fix the engine. We've got the tools in the back."

"You sure. I can take ya'all back to the complex and get a mechanic to come for this? It's a mighty hot day!"

"It's very sweet of you, Deputy, but we'll manage, really."

"But...."

"Deputy Jensen, we're taking Doctor Arcane back to the complex ourselves." Stella said politely, but firmly, reaching into her pocket and pulling out a wad of bills and shoving them into the officer's hand; "Trust me, it's what Dr. Arcane would prefer!"

Jensen gave a shrug and nodded to her. "Thank you kindly, Ma'am. Hoping the Doctor gets better soon." He shrugged, and walked away, back to his own car.

"You and me both." Graham muttered quietly to himself. "See, nothing to worry about, Graham." She said cheerfully.

"What are we gonna do now,then."

"Fix the car, or walk. Your choice, Graham."

Ten minutes later, three figures were walking down the dirt track road that would eventually lead to the swamp. Well, actually it was more like two figures walking, supporting a middle one who wasn't doing very much walking....Well, none at all really.

"How...gasp.....how much further." Graham panted, struggling to walk in this heat with Arcane's weight bearing down on one shoulder.

Stella looked across at him and sighed. "At this pace, try asking me in about half an hour and the answer will be only slightly unpleasant."

Graham gave another moan. "It can't get any....*pant*....worse." He sighed heavily. "At...least...it can't....get.....*grunt*....worse."

They froze as they heard the approaching sound of a car behind them. "You were saying, Graham. Quick, help me get him to the side of the road. We can lay him down by that tree. They'll probably just go past.

The pair of them scampered....Well, at least the nearest equivalent to scampering under the circumstances.....to the sparse grassland by the dirt track, and sat Arcane down with his back propped up against a fairly large tree. Graham and Stella adjusted his hat and glasses, then calmly sat down beside him; acting for all the world as though nothing was wrong. They could just see the car coming over the horizon now. Arcane's hat fell off, the tree getting in the way at the back. Graham cursed and tried to put it back on. It fell off again.

"Graham, just put it over his face like he's sleeping, or leave it off. The tree's covering the wound anyway. Now we can proceed again once they've been gone a couple of minutes." Graham just nodded, dumping the hat on the ground; and in some small way, glad for the brief rest he was being allowed. "Now pretend we're enjoying the sun." She said, forcing a pleasant, happy-go-lucky smile on herface. Graham tried to smile. It wasn't easy. "Graham, that's not a smile. That's a rictus!" Stella said disappointedly.

"Sorry!" Graham sulked, trying even harder.

Stella winced. "Tell you what, just go for casual contemplation, all right?" Graham nodded dismally. The car approached. "Now remember. Happy, normal smiles!....or whatever!" She beamed; "and make it look like you're having a pleasant chat with me about anything other than dead people!" Graham started to babble about nothing in particular. The car, a dark blue Ford Taurus, just drove past them. Graham and Stella breathed visible sighs of relief.

They heard the sound of brakes, a silent pause, then a revving of an engine.....sort of like a reversing sound.

"Oh no!" They both groaned.

"You...you deal with it, Stella; and I'll make like I'm talking to Dr. Arcane."

"Good idea. You know it's almost certainly going to be lost tourists looking for directions. We should have realised."

"Yeah." Graham gave a weak and hopeful smile; remembering her tourist prediction from last time. Still, after last time, the odds were more in favour of her being correct. "Stella!" A thought suddenly struck him. "Tourists out here'll be wanting the swamp. Send `em in the wrong direction." Stella nodded.

The car reversed up to them, and sure enough, stopped. Two figures got out and began to approach them. Graham closed his eyes in horror as panic took hold of him again. Stella continued to smile, although she gave a nervous little swallow. "It's Agents Mulder and Scully, isn't it?" She greeted them; "I'm Stella, Dr. Arcane's assistant. We weren't introduced but I saw you back at Dr. Arcane's lab. Gosh! Fancy seeing you here!"

"I was about to say the same." Scully said curiously, trying to take a peek at something by a tree that was being mostly obscured from her view by Stella and Graham.

"Yeah, I remember seeing you there." Mulder held out his hand; which Stella shook, a pleasant smile on her face. "We were just driving past and were certain it was you and Mr. Graham. What are you doing out here? We've just been to the complex to see Dr. Arcane, and the gates were bolted and nobody was there."

"Erm...day off." Stella said calmly.

"For everybody?"

"Dr. Arcane's birthday." She said. "He closed the complex down so everybody could go and enjoy themselves. It's just like him!" She sighed.

Mulder walked up to Graham, who was painfully aware of a scrutinous gaze burning down onto him and Arcane. "He didn't mention it was going to be his birthday when I saw him yesterday." Scully said inquisitively.

"The Doctor's, well, sometimes a bit shy like that." Graham interjected; "Aren't you, Dr. Arcane?....Doctor?" Graham turned and smiled. "Sshhh, Stella. Looks like he finally got to sleep." He said in a hushed whisper.

"Aaahhh!" Stella cooed. "He was SO tired from last night; the poor dear."

Mulder and Scully exchanged curious glances.

"What ARE you doing out here?" Scully restated her previous question. "We thought a morning constitutional with Dr. Arcane would be relaxing for him. Just walking; enjoying the scenery....You know? It's very beautiful out here"

"He's very pale, isn't he?" Mulder said suspiciously.

"It's his low blood pressure." Stella said. "That's why he wanted to stop and have a rest."

Mulder knelt down and put out a hand to touch Arcane. Graham pushed it away sharply."Doctor Arcane doesn't like to be touched when he's asleep. You'll wake him!" Graham admonished sternly, but quietly.

"Speaking from personal experience?" Mulder quipped sardonically. Graham glared at him.

"I'd like to help." Scully said with concern. "Do you need a ride to the hospital, or to the complex? Do you need any medication getting?"

"We're just fine, but thanks awfully." Stella said with extreme politeness; "We're used to this. And Dr. Arcane is very specific about only Graham and I looking after him. You know what scientists can be like with their funny little ways?" She gave a little giggle. Mulder just stared at her with a shake of his head, before turning his attention back to Arcane again. Before Graham could stop him, he'd picked up Arcane's hand and arm.

"Good god!" He whispered softly. "He's cold as ice!" Graham shuddered to himself. Well, it was too late to stop the prying little creep from examining the hand now. Mulder put the arm down. It remained rigid. "He's stiff as a board.....He's dead, Scully!"

"Oh no, Graham!" Stella cried. "Don't tell me he's having one of his fits again!"

"Fits??" Mulder said. "But he's dead? Look, he's not moving." "Epilepsy!" Stella said firmly. Mulder stared. Graham stared. "He was working on an experiment last night when he got back...You know Dr. Arcane, all work...whatever...Well, it involved stroboscopic lighting. It must be a delayed reaction to that."

"Then shouldn't he be....well...moving, if he's having a fit then?" Mulder queried.

There was a pause as Stella tried to think of an answer. "Catatonia!" She announced in a flash of inspiration. "It's happened once before. He doesn't normally suffer from Epilepsy, but the experiment can bring it on; and...er, well, the shock of the fit will induce a catatonic state.....resembling....death." She said, her eyes darting about nervously.

"What!?" Mulder shook his head in disbelief.

"Let me take a look." Scully said, walking towards Arcane. Stella interposed herself. "There's nothing to worry about. We can handle this just fine." She smiled.

"If he's had a Cataleptic fit it could be very serious." Scully said agitatedly; "I am a medical doctor. I'd best take a look."

"You are!?" Graham's face started to drop in horror; but forced itself into unshocked pleasantry.

"You mean what she's saying's true, Scully?" Mulder quizzed her in amazement.

She nodded. "Epilepsy induced Catatonia. Yes. It's not exactly common, but it's well documented. Symptoms would be vasoconstriction causing coldness and pale skin; intense muscular spasms inducing prolonged rigidity....perhaps even broken bones in severe cases. People have been mistaken for dead. He needs medical attention immediately."

"Doctor Arcane is very specific about who treats him. We can handle this ourselves. We've done it before. Trust us!" Stella said desperately.

"I'm sure Doctor Arcane....Anton....wouldn't mind ME taking a look. We were getting along very well yesterday." Scully said helpfully, with more than a hint of concern entering her voice.

"Yeah, I kind of got the impression that `Doctors and Nurses' was exactly what he had in mind." Mulder said quietly to himself.

"I'm sure you're right, but it was his specific orders, and he's not conscious to tell us differently. It could mean our jobs, Agent Scully. We daren't take the chance. You understand?"

"Don't you think Dr. Arcane's life is more important?" Scully said, taking out a small penlight torch. "Look, I won't disturb him. He won't even know, all right? I'll just give him a cursory check, then stand back and make sure you're doing the correct procedures. I'd best take a look into his eyes."

By this point, Graham was sweating profusely, his own eyes widening. Think fast! his mind raced. "What was that, Doctor?" He said, bending down and putting his head to Arcane's. "Hey, everybody. He's coming round. He says he's very tired and just wants to rest!"

Scully and Mulder exchanged more curious glances. "I didn't hear anything. He still looks pretty still to me." Said Mulder.

Out of Mulder's sight, Graham gave Arcane the tiniest, surreptitious kick. The Doctor twitched slightly in response. "See! Look, he moved!" Graham said, vindicated.

Mulder didn't look too convinced. "Yeah? Well he still looks pretty......"

"Stunned." Graham said, in an agreeing tone. "That's right, Mr. Mulder. He's still pretty stunned after all that's happened.....and he NEEDS rest and peace and quiet. There, there, Doctor. I'm here. You're going to be all right." He bent down really close to Arcane's face again. "What was that?.......I see.......Do you want Agent Scully to examine you, Sir? She is a Doctor.....I'm sorry, Doctor, I didn't quite catch that.......oh, you don't......Yes, Doctor.......Doctor?" Graham got back up again and shrugged. "He's asleep again, but he wanted leaving alone." He turned to Mulder and Scully. "It's real kind of you to want to help, but we'll take care of him.

"What did you want to see Doctor Arcane about?" Stella thought it prudent to change the subject quickly. This was getting embarrassing, even by her standards.

Scully seemed to take a while to answer. Both she and Mulder still looked extremely perplexed. "Er...I came to pick up some data he was collating for us; and to continue a discussion from last night." Scully said finally.

"Well why don't I get Dr. Arcane to give you a call when he's feeling better and rested; and then you can come over to the complex."

Mulder nodded for her. "C'mon, Scully. Leave them to it for now."

"But....."

"It'll do later, okay?"

"Fine, Mulder." She turned to Stella. "We'd be grateful if you could get him to call us.....He is going to be all right, isn't he?"

"Oh, yes. Quite all right." Stella gave her best reassuring voice.

"Well, I guess if you're certain."

"We'll need a number you can be reached at." Stella pointed out to them.

Mulder gave a sheepish grin and reached into his coat pocket, pulling out a business card which he handed to Stella. "Keep it, I've got a spare." He said. "Call anytime."

"Latex Lust Video Supplies!" Stella squinted at the card in bewilderment.

With an embarrassed cough, Mulder snatched the card back and hurriedly produced a second from his pocket, which he checked first and gave to Stella. He was aware of several sets of eyes regarding him oddly. "Erm, research purposes." He muttered, giving another embarrassed cough. He thought he heard a small noise emanating from Scully. "You sniggered." He accused her in a whisper.

"No, Mulder. That was a smirk. When we get back in the car you'll know exactly what a snigger is." She whispered back.

"Say!" Graham called to them. "Where were you headed, anyway. This road just leads to the swamp."

"That's right." Mulder replied. "We were heading out for Kipp boat rentals."

Graham and Stella gave a quick intense stare at each other. "I'm afraid you'll have a wasted journey then." Stella said mildly. "We passed them on the road a while ago. They were heading into town; both Will and Tressa Kipp." She lied through her teeth.

"You sure."

"Positive."

"Thank you." Scully said politely. "Well, Mulder, we'd best be off if we're going to find them. Give the Doctor my best wishes when he wakes up."

"We will." Stella and Graham said in hurried unison. As the two FBI agents turned and left, Stella and Graham didn't take their eyes off them for a second. Waving goodbye, they watched them like hawks right up until the car was turned around, started up, over the horizon and out of sight. "Right. We've got to move quickly." Stella said. "Before they return from town and get back to the Kipp place. Where exactly do we start looking for Dr. Holland?" Stella asked, as they hoisted Arcane up again and set off.

"The swamp." Graham replied. "Which swamp? The nearest bayou?....all of Houma's bayous?....All of Louisiana's bayous?? We're talking hundreds of square miles here, Graham, at the very least."

"He'll be near the Kipp house. It's as good a place as any to start. He's always watchin' `em."

"Yes, well I've heard that about him. Well let's get there quickly, then. I think the Doctor's starting to, er, deteriorate, a little bit." She said with a distasteful look on her face. Graham sighed heavily.

"I'm still not happy about leaving him like that, Mulder. A condition like that could be dangerous if treated incorrectly." Scully's brow furrowed in worry.

"Come on, Scully. You didn't buy into that crap, did you?"

"Mulder. It is an existing condition."

"I'm not doubting that. I'm just doubting that he had it."

"Well, what's your explanation then."

"Simple. He's dead!"

"How can you be so certain?"

"I know corpses when I see them. I'd stake my life on it."

"Don't be so certain. That condition has fooled many a Doctor and Mortician. In any case, if you are so sure; why did you want to leave?"

"You saw those two. The only way we were going to get to Arcane was physically through them. They were going to great lengths to keep his death secret, and until I find out more about who Arcane was involved with, I don't want us becoming targets for finding out too much, too soon. There's three possible reasons for his death: Phenomenon or other accident; natural causes; or revenge killing by one of his previous victims....."

"ALLEGED victims, Mulder. You don't even have any actual crimes or victims; let alone proof he's involved with anything at all."

"WAS involved." Mulder said pleasantly. Scully frowned. "Either way, it can wait a day or so. We just wait for him to call. He won't....on account of the fact that he's dead. During that time, we continue our investigation here without upsetting the local community, including whoever's on Arcane's payroll. When we don't hear from Arcane, we have a valid excuse to investigate; or at least see who's responding most to his disappearance and then look into them."

"You're barking up the wrong tree, Mulder. Arcane has nothing to do with this....or anything else. There is no evidence whatsoever; and I'm not arguing with you over this one again."

"Fine. Well, he's certainly got nothing to do with it anymore, so it's moot point where he's concerned." Mulder didn't sound the slightest bit phased or upset. On the contrary, there may even have been a touch of relish to his voice.

"I don't believe he's dead."

"Don't believe....or don't WANT to believe."

"Both, for what it's worth. If you're right....and I doubt that you are.....the scientific community has lost an intellect of genius proportions. That's nothing to gloat over, Mulder, just because you disliked the man."

"I disliked the man because I happen to believe he was responsible for the deaths and disappearances of countless people round here." Mulder stopped when he saw the growing look of anger on Scully's face. "Fine, he was an innocent victim and I promise not to malign or sully his alleged memory anymore. If I utter a word of praise for him every 5 minutes, am I allowed to gloat silently to myself?" Scully didn't deign to reply. They continued on into Houma in silence.

"Holland!? Dr. Holland!!?" Graham yelled furiously, at the top of his voice.

"Dr. Holland, are you here!?" Stella joined in. They'd just arrived on the outskirts of the swamp. Just above a nearby hill, a few hundred yards away, was the Kipp house. Graham deposited Arcane's body down by a pile of bushes next to the water's edge.

"HOLLAND!!" He screamed again. There was no reply. Graham was beginning to get a disquieting sense of Deja Vu about this whole thing. "HOLLAND!!! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU HOLLAND!!!" He screamed again, both furious and upset.

"Cooeee, Dr. Holland!?....Helloooo!!" Stella shouted delicately.

Ten minutes later, both of them were going hoarse from the screaming, and still there wasn't the tiniest sign of Alec Holland. From deep in the bushes, two eyes watched them warily. Ten minutes of this god awful shrieking! Alec grumbled to himself. He was going deaf from the cacophony. He had hoped they'd give up after about 5 minutes. Arcane had, and that was for his wife! If this went on much longer, he'd HAVE to show himself. There were tourists in the swamp today. He saw Graham and Stella go quiet, and whisper something to each other. Alec smiled. Ah, they'd given up! The tiniest pang of conscience tried to rear its ugly head in Alec as he saw Arcane's broken body lying on the ground; but that disappeared very rapidly as he remembered the look on Tressa's face, and her warning. Besides, it was Arcane, wasn't it? And he had nothing to feel guilty about. He hadn't caused the monster's death, had he? He was nowhere near at the time. Nothing to do with him, no siree!!

"HOLLAND!!!!" Graham started up again. Alec cringed. "Holland! We know you're listening! We're not going away! We're gonna stand here and shout all day and all night if necessary. HOLLAND!!"

"Goawaygoawaygoawaygoaway." Alec shut his eyes and muttered the words to himself like a mantra.

"Get out of here, both of you!" Tressa's voice joined the chorus as she came storming down the hill.

"Yeah, the swamp's no place for you guys. You're not wanted here." Alec heard Will joining in. You took the words right out of my mouth. Alec thought to himself, settling back and deciding to let the Kipps sort things out, just for a change.

"I was trying to write....to sleep....anything; but that noise is driving me crazy!" Tressa snarled.

"Free country, Mrs. Kipp." Graham sneered at her; "We can stand here shouting as long as we like." He said, in no uncertain terms.

Tressa stood, arms folded and fuming. "He ISN'T coming, you know. We know why you're here." She looked down at Arcane's corpse. "Oh dear, you've broken it! Why don't you just go and buy a new one from Psychos-R-Us?"

Will wandered over to Arcane and knelt down beside him, prodding him, just to make sure. A look of distaste crossed his face. Just then, Graham gave a broad grin, and produced a hand gun from his jacket pocket.

"Real nice of you to come, Mrs. Kipp." He drawled, pointing the gun at her. "Now maybe you'll show yourself, Holland!" He shouted, making sure the threat was known. Stella looked horrified. Alec sighed deeply, finally stepping out from his hiding place and shambling up to the group.

"Graham!" Stella said agitatedly. "Put that...thing.... away. These people haven't done us any harm; and this isn't exactly the right way about going to get help, is it?"

"I wouldn't say that." Graham smiled, seeing Holland approaching. "Seemed to do the trick just fine." Alec just stood and glared at him.

"Graham. All you've done is get him here....and angry!" Stella's concern was growing.

"I won't do it!" Alec stated flatly; no anger, no threats, no pity..... "Now go!"

"Not a chance, Holland." Graham said. "Bring him back, or there's three corpses here."

"Graham!" Stella said, motioning for him to give her the gun. "Put that thing down. If you shoot them, there'll be five bodies.....or maybe four.....hmmm....Dr. Holland??"

"Four." Alec said calmly.

Stella breathed a tiny sigh of relief. "He's bluffing, Stella. He couldn't kill a fly in cold blood." Graham said with equal determination. "You wanna take that chance?" Will snarled at him.

"Yeah, why not?" Graham said, with a demented glint in his eye. Stella began to look very concerned. "I want him to bring Dr. Arcane back. If he stays dead, he gets company. Give me one good reason why I shouldn't shoot them?"

"Because;" Alec intoned. "I would then kill or disarm you. I would then have to use my powers to bring Will and Tressa back; by which time I would be too weak to bring anyone else back. By the time enough power returned, his soul would be gone and it would be too late for him." He looked at Arcane with disgust.

Graham's moment of power had been and gone. With a dejected look he slumped down and held the gun limply by his side. Stella grabbed it from his hand, and handed it at arm's length, between two fingers, to Alec; who took it and crushed it in his huge fist like an eggshell.

"Sorry about that Dr. Holland....Mr. and Mrs. Kipp..." she said, turning back to Will and Tressa, then back to Alec again. "He's very upset, you know. Not quite himself. He did kill Dr. Arcane and he's not taking it very well. Oh, I'm Stella, I don't know if you remember me, but you brought me back a few years ago when...."

"I remember you." Alec stated evenly.

"Well, what now?" She said, trying her best to sound cheerful and pleasant.

"Now....you leave." Said Alec.

"Dr. Holland? Look, I know Dr. Arcane hasn't exactly been...well....pleasant to you in the past, but you can't leave him like this." Stella entreated.

"Just watch him!" Will said on Alec's behalf.

"Please!" Stella said softly, batting her eyelids just a little. Alec cringed. Don't let her cry. PLEASE don't let her cry he shuddered to himself. A solitary tear welled up in the corner of Stella's eye, growing and building. Her eyes seemed to get wider, more reminiscent of those of unfeasible Japanese animated women. It seemed to get huge, filling the whole eye with liquid sorrow, then started to trickle down her face, slowly, building momentum as it slid down her cheek. She looked up at Holland beseechingly. D'oh! Alec thought to himself. He shook his head.

"Go!" He stated, although with perhaps just a little less determination than before, and just a tad more desperation.

"Pleeeaaassse!!!" She said softly; her other eye filling up as well, mercilessly seizing on her victim's weakness.

"Please, Dr. Holland!" Graham joined in, clutching Alec's arm, entreating; his own eyes filling up. Alec stared in fear. There was something extremely disquieting about getting this in stereo, from Graham as well. Alec's whole demeanour was beginning to get worn down. The shoulders were starting to droop; the visage weary.

"ALEC!!" Tressa's mood shook him back out of the spell. "Alec, don't you DARE! I warned you."

Alec shook himself. "Go....and take him with you; unless you want me to deal with his body." He said.

"I'll send flowers....say, some Poison Ivy and Monkshood?" Tressa quipped sardonically.

Stella looked hurt and confused. She'd given it her best. That treatment had NEVER failed her before, not even with Dr. Arcane. If she wasn't so upset, she'd be impressed. They started to walk away. Alec breathed a sigh of relief, although he still didn't feel good about things. Whatever logic cried out, this was still going against his basic nature. Then Graham turned, a sudden look of sheer vindictiveness on his face. Alec felt that his relief may have been a bit premature. "You know something, Holland?" Graham snarled rhetorically. "He was right. You really are a monster. A compassionless, sub-human freak!! The only reason you're still a secret, and not some hunted specimen; is because exposing you exposed Dr. Arcane. Guess it doesn't matter now, does it!?" He growled. "Guess I can now tell the whole world about who you are, what you are; where you are.....Hey, I could even draw little maps for the press! I could make it my life's work to tell the whole fucking world about you, Holland!! Mebbe I'll write a book....several books. `The Alec Holland I knew.' `Inside Alec Holland', `Fauna and Flora of Houma!'.....You'll do REAL well out of it, Mrs. Kipp, what with the tour business." He spat venomously. "Guess you could stop me, Holland.....but you'll have to kill me to do that!" He turned and started to walk away.

"Wait!" Alec called after him. Alec stared at Tressa, who looked horrified. Graham turned back, new hope on his face, and less bitterness. Alec turned to Tressa. "I won't do it without your blessing, Tressa." Alec stared at her, still remembering, and not underestimating that warning.

"MY BLESSING!!!" She squeaked, incredulously.

"Well...your permission."

"Alec, don't you dare do this to me. Now you're making ME responsible."

"Tressa, this is not exactly easy for ME."

"He did say you could kill him?" She suggested.

"Tressa!!" Alec admonished. Tressa just shrugged.

"Just a thought." She muttered.

Stella seized the moment. "Please, Mrs. Kipp. I'm sure Dr. Arcane is very sorry for whatever he's done to you. I'm sure he's learned his lesson and will make it up to you. Yes??"

"Hell'll freeze over first. I hope he packed thermals!" she snarled, unrepentant.

"Tressa!" Will joined in. "Much as I want to see the jerk stay dead, we can't expose Alec like this. It's not fair on him." Tressa stood in silent contemplation, arms folded; and a metaphorical stormcloud gathering round her head. "Do what you have to do, Alec." She mumbled finally; "I won't blame you."

Alec looked visibly relieved, and knelt down beside Arcane, putting a hand to his forehead. "Holland?" Graham said calmly. Alec turned to him. "I just want you to know that I'm not taking any of that crap of `he doesn't want to return', or `his soul has already left', or `it's too late', all right? Dr. Arcane WANTS to come back. If you try and fail; I still tell the world."

"I said I would do it, Graham. I do not lie. When I give my word, I keep it!" Alec said, affronted.

"Yeah, like you did when you tricked me into freeing you, and you said you'd save him from Carla Jeffries? Slip your mind did it, Holland? Did you say something like `Oh look, just time to go wreck Dr. Arcane's home first'.... then `oops, I'm sure there was something I forgot to do!'"

Alec blushed green. He couldn't fault Graham on that one. "I WILL try my best, Graham." He said flatly.

Graham nodded "Just see that you do."

As Alec concentrated a luminous green glow filled the area

"Where am I? What am I doing here!?" Anton Arcane called out nervously. He remembered the complex; the reactor; He'd had the most unnerving view of watching Stella and Graham manhandling his own body around. The last thing he knew, he, or rather his old body, was lying in a car with Graham pushing down on him....then he was here. He couldn't remember how long he'd been standing here. It could have been minutes; it could have been years for all he knew. He looked around. There were no features to the place. It was a black cave with no walls; a womb of darkness. "I'm dead!" He exclaimed. "I'm really dead!" His face gave a scowl. "Graham, you little twerp; when you get to the afterlife, I'm going to make eternity hell for you!"

"Anton." A voice echoed out in the darkness; soft and alluring. He turned, and in the distance was a bright light.

"Tatania!?" He gasped. "Tatania, is that you?"

"I'm here, Anton. There's nothing to be afraid of." He walked towards the light; and a slender figure silhouetted in it. "It really IS you." He stared, amazed, as he stood before her. "Why did you leave me? Why didn't you come back? Did you really hate me that much?"

"Oh, Anton, no...no. It was my time. It was the way it was meant to be."

"I...I don't understand."

"You will." She said, stroking his face.

"I can feel you! You're real!" He exclaimed.

"Very real, Anton."

"And this really is my time, isn't it?"

"No." She shook her head.

"No?" He said puzzled.

"You can't come with me. You'll go back soon. Your friend will take you back home; the one who tried to take me back."

"Holland!? Why would he do that?" He shrugged and grinned. "Well, nice to know he's just as stupidly sentimental....erm, that is, compassionate as ever."

"You never change, do you, Anton." She sighed, stroking his face in return. "What AM I going to do with you in the short time we have left?" she purred, closing her eyes and concentrating. The clothing she imagined around herself melted away, and she stood before him, naked, and beckoning. He swallowed, barely believing his opportunity.

"We...we are physical here, aren't we?" He stuttered in disbelief.

"Oh, quite physical.....very much so." Was her seductive answer. The trademark smile reappeared across his face; a smile to end all smiles; a smile that would have had a Cheshire cat looking impressed. He started to unbutton his shirt.

"No, no, no." She said teasingly. "Just think it, my darling." He closed his eyes and concentrated. He felt free as a moment later he was standing naked beside her. "Graham;" He said to himself soothingly; "Remind me to thank you from now until eternity." They held each other close, his right hand cupping her breast and his lips moving to hers. Her hand slid downwards and he breathed a sigh of ecstasy. They slowly sunk to the floor in unison, kissing passionately as they did so, their bodies intertwining. Suddenly, he felt an awkward, tugging sensation. He resisted. It tugged back. "Bugger off!" He snarled quietly, trying to recapture the mood as Tatania seemed more insubstantial. It was no good. He felt himself swirling away into nothing. He screamed in the confusion. "Just five minutes! Five more bloody minutes!!"

Arcane shuddered and blinked his eyes; momentarily dazzled by the sun through the cypress trees as he tried to open them. Everything was blurred. He remembered this. It wasn't as though it hadn't happened before. He opened his eyes fully and squinted to get everything back into focus. Yes, there was Holland's ugly visage leering over him.

"He lives." Alec turned to the others, then back to Arcane again; just in time to receive a vicious punch straight in his face.

"Thanks for bloody nothing, Holland!" Arcane snarled up at his nemesis.

"Stella, you were saying?....about gratitude, learning lessons and making things up?" Tressa quipped smugly to the other woman. Stella gave a helpless resigned shrug.

"I guess it'll take time, Mrs. Kipp. He's probably just confused."

Alec put a hand to his chin and glared down at Arcane. "Don't push your luck, Arcane!" Alec warned him.

"Or what....you'll kill me?" Arcane sneered. "I don't think so, Holland. Not in your nature, is it? We're so alike in some ways, yet so very different in others. Well, whatever. I suppose I ought to thank you for saving my life."

"I won't hold my breath waiting." Alec said evenly.

"Jolly good, then. I wouldn't want to disappoint you. Well, I suppose I'd better be on my way then." He tried to get up and got about as far as moving his neck up off the floor when he gave a cry of pain and surprise. "My legs! I can't move my legs! Ahhhh!" He gasped in pain, as he collapsed back to the ground again; "Ooh, my spine." Arcane groaned.

Alec Holland didn't smile that often, but when he did, he did so with relish. He beamed down at Arcane as though he was looking at fifteen years worth of birthday, Christmas and Chanukah presents all bundled into one; "Why don't you grow a new one tomorrow?" He said wickedly, with as much irony as he could muster. He turned to Graham. "I brought him back as you asked. You never said anything about mending him. You COULD still tell the world, Graham, but would Arcane approve now that he's alive?" He started to move away. Arcane swivelled his eyes to Graham with sheer menace. Graham swallowed in horror.

"You can't leave me like this, Holland!" Panic was creeping into Arcane's voice.

"Holland, you tricked me. You can't do this!" Graham shouted angrily. Tressa was beaming broadly. This was even better than dead, she'd decided.

"HOLLAND!!" Three plaintive voices cried out in unison. Alec just stood calmly with Will and Tressa, watching Arcane lying on the ground like a stranded fish out of water in every respect but the flailing. Well, except for his arms, which seemed to be the only extremities capable of movement.

"Maybe Doc could use Sunderland's old wheelchair?" Will grinned.

"Look on the bright side, Graham." Tressa shouted cheerfully; "He's not likely to kill you now."

"We could always leave him there as a tourist attraction?" Will continued; "You know! Come and feed the gator in a suit! He'd have a job for life, which is pretty good going for a cripple, yeah?"

"You've made your point, Holland!" Arcane shrieked desperately, several long minutes later; "I'm sorry for whatever I'm supposed to have done to you. Thank you for saving my life! Happy!?!? Now heal me! You can't leave me like this!"

"Not much of an apology or gratitude, was it." Tressa said casually.

Alec shook his head slowly, concurring. "It lacked.....meaning. I think he could try harder."

"HOLLAND!!" Arcane screamed again.

"Well, at least his lungs are healthy!" Tressa quipped. She paused, then gave a small sigh. "It's all right, Alec. I know you wouldn't really leave him there, as much as I might have wanted it. Go on. Go ahead."

Making sure he took his time about it, Alec sauntered over to the now rather muted Arcane, and knelt down beside him again, placing his hands on his stomach and chest. "You took your bloody time, Holland!" He snarled. Alec started to lift his hands away again. "But...but of course you're perfectly entitled to do that, my old friend, heh heh." Arcane smiled nervously.

Alec smiled back. It was scarier than one of his judgemental frowns. "I've been training, Arcane." He intoned.

"Training?"

"Yes. Moral desensitisation training. The old, more merciful me would have brought you back intact immediately. A few years ago I may have waited a minute or two before healing you. Today I have managed nearly ten minutes. If my training continues.....I'll be able to kill you by next year." He smiled again.

Arcane swallowed nervously. "Heh! Nice to see you're developing a better sense of humour, Alec." He said with uncertainty.

"Am I?" Was Alec's simple reply, giving another smile. Arcane visibly shrank back from it.

As Holland's healing energies flowed, Arcane felt strength returning to his body; could feel the smashed bones knitting into place again. A minute later, Alec sagged to the floor, clearly weakened; and Arcane got to his feet groggily. He looked around, and his eyes fell upon Graham, who tried to smile at him nervously. "It's, er, it...it's good to have you back, Doctor." He stammered, wringing his hands and going up to Arcane. Arcane said nothing. He just stood there, glaring intently. "You'll, well, probably n..need to, to rest now. It's been a hard day, Sir."

"No, Graham, it's been a hard MORNING; and I can assure you, that for some of us, the day is going to get MUCH harder."

"B..but, Doctor Arcane...."

"Later! We'll DISCUSS this later, GRAHAM." Arcane held up his hand imperiously, to shut his babbling assistant up. He turned to leave, indicating that Stella and Graham accompany him.

As an afterthought, Graham turned back to Will, Tressa and Alec. "I thought you'd better know. Those FBI agents were looking for you. They'll probably be back sometime today." He turned and rejoined Arcane and Stella.

Tressa turned to Will and Alec. "Damn! Well, I guess forewarned is forearmed."

"AAAAAGGGGHHHHHH!!!!" An anguished, horrendous scream broke the air, making all three turn. It was Arcane! He was leaning against a tree, clutching himself and screaming like a stuck pig. "AGGHHHH. GET THEM OFF ME!!" He shrieked.

Everybody looked at each other with puzzled expressions. Will squinted. Was it his imagination, or were Arcane's clothes slightly tighter than they had been a moment ago? The Doctor had now rolled off the tree and was collapsing to the floor again. Yep, they were definitely tighter, Will thought to himself.....then remembered; wincing a little as he did so. He looked at Alec; who looked back at him, also remembering.

Arcane's screaming had increased an octave, and he was clawing at himself. He'd managed to drag his jacket off, which was now sitting on the grass by the bushes, at least two sizes smaller than it had been previously and shrinking fast. One hand was desperately clawing at his shirt buttons; the other for his belt buckle. He wasn't faring very well.

"You know, Alec, those denims looked like they'd been painted on before all this?" Will commented. Alec just nodded.

"GET....THEM.....OFF.....ME....!!!!!" Arcane's screeching has reached falsetto proportions by now. Graham and Stella knelt down and started to try and help Arcane. Stella began trying to pry the shirt buttons open. It was hard work and she was gasping. Graham didn't seem to know where to put himself, and, grudgingly, had to go for the lower regions of clothing.

Tressa sat down on a rock, watching with interest. "Anyone want me to get popcorn and sodas?" She said, helpfully.

"GET THEM.....AAAAIIIIIEEEEEE!!!!!! Arcane shrieked.

"Was that a yes, or a no?" Tressa smiled benignly.

"Help me!" Graham cried. They're too tight. I.... *gasp* .....can't.... *grunt*..... get.....them.....*ugh*.....off!!

By now, Stella had succeeded in ripping off Arcane's shirt and shoes; but Graham was clearly having great difficulty with Arcane's denims. "Hmmm, real Levi's as well." Will said casually. "Who'd have thought it?" Arcane was beginning to make strange, strangled sounds as he turned purple, then corpse pale again. The screaming had stopped, at least in volume, and all he seemed to be emitting were barely audible gasps. His eyes were bulging in terror and agony. Graham struggled, but to no avail. Stella joined in; again, without benefit. These jeans were wrapped around him with all the latent strength of a vindictively hungry anaconda. With a deep sigh, Alec finally got up and went over. He again knelt down beside Arcane, cursing, and muttering to himself something about probably having done something really bad in a previous life to have to be doing any of this. He reticently put his hands to the tops of Arcane's jeans, and attempted to tear the things open. The jeans weren't having any of it, though. Meanwhile, Tressa had got up and left. "It's no use." Alec said. "I'm too weak....too depleted from healing him. Will, we need your help." Will got up, also grumbling and muttering. It was a beautiful summer's day, and he could think of thousands of things he'd rather be doing than trying to rip Anton Arcane's jeans off!

"Hurry!" Arcane managed to give a high pitched wheeze, looking like he was going into shock.

"Oh, what the Hell!" Will snarled, tearing at the zipper on Arcane's jeans, using all his strength. It was still no use, The material was too strong to give way, and too tight to be pulled off; and shrinking by the minute.

"Out of the way boys!" Tressa's voice was heard calling. They all parted, and from his private little world of agony, Anton Arcane saw Tressa Kipp advancing, clutching a large cook's knife like it was her best friend. "Guess we're just going to have to cut them off!" She said gleefully, brandishing the knife and advancing on his crotch; a new-found twinkle in her eye. Arcane found his voice again, and screamed, long and hard.

A minute later, the slashed and severed remains of a pile of miniature denim and cotton lay strewn on the ground. A naked and barely recovered Anton Arcane was also on the ground, kneeling, and clutching certain parts of himself. Whether it was out of modesty, or pain; or both, was unknown. He gave an anguished moan, and glared up at Tressa.

"Oh stop whining, Arcane. It was only a little prick!" She said, wiping a tiny speck of blood from the edge of the knife. He glared even harder.

"I...I'm sorry, Sir. I did my best...I..."

"Oh, shut up, Graham!" Arcane snapped. He looked at Will, Tressa and Alec. "I suppose I'm expected to walk back to the complex like this, am I?" He said, almost rhetorically, getting to his feet, still clutching himself.

Tressa and Alec smiled cruelly and confirmed, nodding their heads in unison.

"Hey, guys. We can't be that cruel to him, what with all he's been through." Will said with a smile. Everyone turned to stare at him in amazement. "Relax, Doc. I'll go and get you something to wear." He said, as he trotted back to the house.

Puzzled glances were exchanged by everyone. Arcane continued to glare suspiciously. Eventually, several minutes later, Will returned carrying a carrier bag. "Here, Doc!" He said. "Some nice underwear for you." Arcane's adam's apple bobbed up and down in fear as a sudden thought struck him. "You wouldn't!?" He just said.

"Huh?" Will played ignorant; "Oh....those! Yeah, well, I had to admit that I did kinda think of that, Doc; seeing as how you seemed to make a big thing of me wearing them and all. But then I said to myself; Will, would you really let Doc Arcane wear something you KNOW he hates?, and you know what....I just couldn't do it. I tried, but I just couldn't. I found you something else instead." Arcane relaxed slightly.....VERY slightly. Will reached into the carrier bag and tossed something at Arcane's feet. "They came in six packs of different designs; and since you hated the My Little Pony ones, well....."

In a rare moment of stunned silence, Arcane gazed at the underwear, mouth slightly agape, with a stare that was halfway between incredulity and abject horror. He looked at Will, then Alec, then Graham; then Tressa, then Stella; then back to the shorts again, swallowing hard. If anyone listened really carefully, a little whimper might have been heard. "Day-Glo pink with Care Bears??" He finally said in a tiny little voice.

"Keep `em, Doc. I'd only have to boil wash `em in an autoclave afterwards."

"You....you can't!" Arcane gasped, still staring at the things in disgust. "You wouldn't.....you couldn't."

"They play the theme song, you know?" Will grinned. "There's a little button on the front that....."

"You...You little toad, you did this on purpose!" Arcane snarled, pointing at Will accusingly, forgetting his predicament.

Tressa stared downwards at where his hands had been. "My, I didn't realise it was such a cold day." She sneered.

Arcane coughed in embarrassment, and cupped his hands back again hurriedly.

Will continued to smirk. "Look, Doc. Relax. It was just a joke, OK? Nobody'll see `em. I've got some other clothes for you to put over them."

Somehow, Arcane wasn't filled with a great deal of confidence. "Good job I found these old things of Tressa's in the wardrobe." Will said helpfully. Arcane's eyes widened. It's a dress! he thought; Oh my God, it's a dress!! Will's hand reached slowly into the carrier bag, and started to draw something out. It seemed to last an eternity. Arcane closed his eyes, terrified. Eventually, he opened them and stared down. "Betcha thought it was going to be a dress, didn't you?" Will laughed, pointing at Arcane in an overly friendly gesture. "I told you to relax. Good job you're skinny. You'll fit into them, no problem." Arcane looked too weary to put up an argument. He looked close to tears as it was. "C'mon, let's leave them to it." Will chortled, turning to go.

"I want a photograph!" Tressa stated flatly. "Sorry Tressa, camera blew up yesterday." Will said.

"The Polaroid then." Tressa said emphatically. Will just shook his head.

"That too, Tressa. Sorry.....REAL sorry, believe me."

"I must go." Alec said, still wary that Two FBI agents and a bunch of tourists could turn up at any time. Still, he mused, he couldn't complain about all the distractions that were around to shield him at the moment. He turned and left. After a moment's grumbling and cursing, Will and Tressa departed too.

"Don't think you've heard the last of this, Kipp!" Arcane snarled at Will's back. I'm not going to forget this!"

"Believe me, Doc, neither are we!" Will laughed as he went over the hill and out of sight.

It was just Graham, Stella and Arcane left now. No-one seemed to say anything for a minute or so.

"Er, Doctor Arcane. Er, well, shouldn't we get going?" Graham suggested meekly. Arcane merely nodded. "Erm, well, shouldn't you, well, get dressed then."

"Graham, you idiot! You don't expect me to wear THOSE!?" He spat the last word out.

"But y...you can't go back naked, Sir." Graham almost whispered. Stella had long since decided that it was prudent to stay as far as possible from this entire conversation.

"Oh, I'm not going to, Graham!"

"Sir??"

"Well come on, man. Take off your clothes!" Arcane reached out with his hand to indicate that Graham hand them over.

"But...but Doctor Arcane....??"

"They'll be a little loose on me, I know; but they'll fit; don't you worry." That wasn't what he was worried about. Graham stared at the clothing pile on the floor with a mounting sense of horror.

"But....."

"Graham. I don't think I'm making myself perfectly clear, am I?" Arcane said rhetorically. "Who killed me?"

"Erm....I did, Sir...but...."

"And who DESPERATELY wants to redeem themselves in my eyes?"

"Erm, me, Sir." Graham moaned, removing his jacket and unbuttoning his shirt.

"Jolly good. I'm so glad we've got that sorted out."

Ten minutes later, three figures were walking down the dirt track road in the blazing heat, back to the complex.

"Stop lagging behind, Graham!" Arcane ordered, glancing back at his slouched assistant, who was shambling down the road in a permanent sulk. He winced a little. Perhaps he had been a bit harsh on the man. It wasn't a pleasant sight. Still, he mused, better him than me! The thought of himself squeezed into those tie dyed flares, flip flop sandals, and orange woolen tank top just didn't bear thinking about. "Oh, and Graham. Don't think I've forgiven you for one single minute." He said sharply. "In the short time it'll take us to get back home, you'd better come up with a damned good way of redeeming yourself MUCH further.....That is, if you want to survive to see tomorrow!"