"SO WHAT DO YOU WANNA DO ABOUT DINNER?" ASKED A FRUSTRATED SCULLY. SHE AND HER PARTNER HAD BEEN BURIED IN PAPER WORK ALL DAY, AND SHE WASN'T IN THE MOOD TO COOK.

"I COULD PICK SOMETHING UP" REPLIED MULDER. "WHY DON'T YOU GO ON HOME AND RELAX, AND I'LL BE RIGHT BEHIND YOU."

"SOUNDS GOOD." SCULLY SMILED AND GATHERED HER THINGS TO GO. SHE WAS VERY TIRED, AND HE KNEW IT. SKINNER HAD DUMPED A TON OF WORK ON THEM, AND SHE WAS TRYING TO GET THINGS READY FOR THE WEDDING. SHE COULDN'T WAIT TO GET HOME AND UNWIND.



SCULLY'S APARTMENT
7:17 P.M.

SCULLY UNLOCKED HER DOOR AND STEPPED INSIDE. SHE THREW HER COAT AND KEYS ON THE TABLE, AND REACHED FOR THE LIGHT SWITCH.

CLICK.

NOTHING.

THE POWER WAS OUT.

SHIT.

SHE TURNED TO GO BACK OUT THE DOOR, BUT IT SLAMMED IN HER FACE.

"MULDER?"

THERE WAS NO RESPONSE.

"MULDER, IS THAT YOU?"

SHE REACHED OUT FOR HIM, AND THE MAN GRABBED HER BY THE WRISTS. IT WASN'T HER MULDER. THIS MAN WAS DRESSED ALL IN BLACK.

"WHO ARE YOU?" SHE ASKED.

CLICK.

HE PLACED HANDCUFFS AROUND HER WRISTS.

"YOU'RE COMING WITH ME" SAID THE STRANGER.

"WHAT DO YOU WANT WITH ME?"

"LET'S GO."



7:21 P.M.

"GET IN THE CAR AGENT SCULLY!"

"YOU, YOU RAT BASTARD!"

THE MAN IN BLACK PUSHED HER INTO THE BACKSEAT OF THE CAR, WHERE JEFFREY SPENDER WAS ALREADY SITTING. THE CAR BEGAN TO MOVE.

"WHERE ARE YOU TAKING ME?"

"THAT'S NOT IMPORTANT" SPENDER REPLIED.

"WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS? WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT THIS IS GOING TO ACCOMPLISH?" SHE ASKED.

"I THINK IT WOULD BE WISE IF YOU WERE QUIET, AGENT SCULLY-OR SHOULD I SAY, MRS. MULDER?" SPENDER SMIRKED.

"IS THAT WHAT THIS IS ABOUT? JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN'T GET LAID YOURSELF SPENDER DOESN'T MEAN YOU HAVE TO TAKE YOU SEXUAL FRUSTRATIONS OUT ON ME!"

SPENDER IGNORED HER COMMENT AND LIT UP A MORLEY.

"HE PUT YOU UP TO THIS, DIDN'T HE?" SHE ASKED ACKNOWLEDGING HIS CIGARETTE.

"WHO?"

"WHO? THE SMOKING MAN. I DON'T KNOW HIS FUCKING NAME, BUT I KNOW THAT YOU'RE WORKING FOR HIM, AND THAT YOU'RE HIS SON. AND HE'S TRIED TO KILL ME BEFORE, SO WHY WOULDN'T I THINK THAT HE PUT YOU UP TO IT? THAT'S WHY YOU LEFT THE BUREAU. TO WORK FOR HIM. HE PUT YOU AND THAT FOWLEY BITCH IN CHARGE OF THE X-FILES IN HOPES THAT MULDER WOULD GIVE UP, BUT HE DIDN'T. WE DIDN'T. I'LL BET HE WAS DISAPPOINTED WHEN HIS OWN SON FAILED. I'LL BET HE WAS REALLY PISSED OFF AT YOU WHEN MULDER GOT THE FILES BACK."

SPENDER WAS BECOMING FURIOUS, BUT SCULLY CONTINUED ON. MULDER WOULD HAVE BEEN SO PROUD OF HER. "THEN YOUR PARTNER ABANDONED YOU, AND YOU HAD NO WHERE ELSE TO TURN. SO YOU RAN TO DADDY, BEGGED FOR FORGIVENESS, AND NOW YOU'RE RUNNING HIS ERRANDS. WHAT DOES IT FEEL LIKE TO BE DOING THE DEVIL'S DIRTY WORK?"

"THAT'LL BE ENOUGH AGENT SCULLY! YOU BE QUIET. I AM IN CHARGE HERE."

"YEAH, YOU JUST KEEP TELLING YOURSELF THAT SPENDER."

"MR. SPENDER, WE'RE HERE" THE DRIVER CALLED.

EVERYONE GOT OUT OF THE CAR, AND SPENDER LED SCULLY INTO WHAT LOOKED LIKE AN ABANDONED WAREHOUSE.



SCULLY'S APARTMENT
7:30 P.M.

MULDER UNLOCKED SCULLY'S DOOR AND STEPPED INSIDE. HE SAT THE FOOD ON THE TABLE AND REACHED TO TURN ON THE LIGHT.

CLICK.

NOTHING.

THE POWER WAS OUT. MULDER FELT HIS HEART SKIP A BEAT. "SCULLY, SCULLY, WHERE ARE YOU?" MULDER BEGAN TO RUN THROUGH THE APARTMENT. HE TOOK OUT HIS FLASHLIGHT AND SEARCHED EVERY ROOM. "DANA!' SHE WASN'T THERE.

MULDER DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. 'SHOULD I STAY HERE?' SHOULD I GO TO MY PLACE?' SHOULD I GO LOOK FOR HER?'

HE DECIDED ON THE LATTER OF THE THREE.



MULDER'S CAR
7:41 P.M.

MULDER REALLY DIDN'T KNOW WHERE TO GO. HE WAS JUST DRIVING. HOPING FOR A SIGN.

RING.

"SCULLY?" MULDER ASKED AS HE ANSWERED HIS PHONE.

"OH, SO YOU'RE TAKING HER NAME?"

"DAMMIT SPENDER, WHAT DO YOU WANT?"

"I HAVE SOMEONE HERE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOU." SPENDER HANDED SCULLY THE PHONE.

"MULDER"

"SCULLY, JESUS, WHERE ARE YOU?"

"I DON'T KNOW. SOME WAREHOUSE."

"ARE YOU OKAY?"

"YEAH, I'M FINE."

"WHAT DOES HE WANT SCULLY?"

"I DON'T KNOW MULDER. HE HASN'T SAID."

"LET ME TALK TO HIM."

"OKAY, I LOVE YOU."

"I LOVE YOU."

"HE WANTS TO TALK TO YOU." SCULLY HANDED THE PHONE BACK TO SPENDER.

"SPENDER"

"WHAT IN THE HELL ARE YOU TRYING TO PULL, YOU BASTARD!"

"I'M NOT TRYING TO PULL ANYTHING AGENT MULDER. BUT I DO HAVE A DEAL FOR YOU."

"A DEAL? I DON'T MAKE DEALS."

"OH, YOU'LL WANT TO MAKE THIS ONE, IF YOU EVER WANT TO SEE YOUR PARTNER ALIVE AGAIN."

"IF YOU LAY A FINGER ON HER SPENDER, I SWEAR TO GOD, I WILL KILL YOU!"

"TAKE IT EASY AGENT MULDER. THIS DOESN'T HAVE TO GET MESSY. HERE'S MY PROPOSITION: YOU GIVE UP THE X-FILES, AND I'LL LET YOUR PARTNER LIVE."

"YOU BASTARD! THAT'S A PROPOSITION?"

"TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT AGENT MULDER. I'VE GOT A GUN POINTED AT YOUR PRETTY PARTNERS HEAD RIGHT NOW."

"OKAY! PLEASE DON'T HURT HER. YOU CAN HAVE THE FILES, YOU CAN HAVE IT ALL, JUST DON'T HURT HER."

"FINE. THAT'S A GOOD CHOICE AGENT MULDER."

"WHERE ARE YOU?"

"NOT SO FAST MULDER. I'M NOT HANDING HER OVER UNTIL I HAVE CONFORMATION THAT YOU HAVE RESIGNED YOUR POSITION AS HEAD OF THE X-FILES."

CLICK.

"SPENDER, SPENDER! DAMMIT." MULDER SLAMMED HIS PHONE DOWN ON THE SEAT.



FBI BUILDING
SKINNER'S OFFICE
9:36 P.M.

MULDER STORMED INTO SKINNER'S OFFICE.

"CAN I HELP YOU AGENT MULDER?"

"YES, I'M GLAD YOU'RE STILL HERE." MULDER STOPPED TALKING AS HE SMELLED SMOKE. HE LOOKED TO HIS RIGHT-THE SMOKING MAN WAS STANDING IN THE CORNER OF SKINNER'S OFFICE.

"YOU, YOU SON OF A BITCH! YOU HAD HIM TAKE SCULLY!"

"TAKE IT EASY MULDER" SKINNER INTERRUPTED.

"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"

"MULDER, PLEASE! CALM DOWN. WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THIS."

"LIKE HELL WE DO."

THE SMOKING MAN INTERRUPTED "I WAS JUST ABOUT TO CONTACT YOU, AGENT MULDER."

"YEAH, RIGHT." SKINNER SHOT MULDER A "THE LOOK" AFTER THAT COMMENT.

"DON'T BE SUCH A SMART ASS, MR. MULDER. I JUST HEARD ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU PARTNER."

"YOU JUST HEARD?"

"YES."

"YOU DIDN'T PUT HIM UP TO THIS?"

"NO."

"I DON'T BELIEVE YOU. WHY SHOULD I?"

"I UNDERSTAND YOUR APPREHENSION, BUT YOU NEED TO TRUST ME ON THIS AGENT MULDER."

"OKAY, I'M ALL EARS."

"SPENDER, MY SON, HAS COME TO WORK FOR ME. BUT HE HAS TAKEN MATTERS INTO HIS OWN HANDS ON THIS ONE. I DID NOT ORDER HIM TO DO THIS."

"HE SAID THAT HE WANTED ME TO GIVE UP THE X-FILES, IF I WANT TO GET SCULLY BACK."

"SO THAT'S WHAT YOU'LL DO" SAID SKINNER.

"I TOLD HIM THAT I WOULD, BUT HE WANTS CONFORMATION."

"THEN HE'LL GET IT" SAID THE SMOKING MAN.

"OKAY, WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO?" ASKED MULDER.

"WELL" SAID THE SMOKING MAN, "YOU WON'T HAVE TO GIVE UP THE FILES."

"BUT ISN'T THAT WHAT YOU'VE ALWAYS WANTED? ASKED A PUZZLED MULDER.

"YES, BUT NOT THIS WAY. I'M GOING TO DO THIS MY WAY. I'M NOT GOING TO LET SPENDER GET OFF ON THIS."

"OKAY THEN," SAID SKINNER, "LET'S DO IT."



THE WAREHOUSE
11:21 P.M.

RING.

"SPENDER"

"JEFFREY, SON, I'VE GOT SOME NEWS FOR YOU."

SPENDER SMILED. "YES"

"I JUST WAS IN A MEETING WITH AGENT FOX MULDER, AND ASSISSTANT DIRECTOR SKINNER, AND MULDER HANDED OVER THE X-FILES."

"HE DID?"

"YES. ISN'T THAT GREAT? YOU DID IT SON-THE ONE THING I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO DO. I'M VERY PROUD OF YOU. SHALL I SEND HIM TO GET HIS PARTNER?"

"YES, THAT'S FINE."

"OKAY SON, GOOD JOB." THE SMOKING MAN SMILED AS HE HUNG UP HIS PHONE.



12:01 A.M.

THE PLAN WAS SET. MULDER WOULD GO IN AND GET SCULLY, AND THE SWAT TEAM WOULD WAIT OUTSIDE. ONCE SCULLY WAS SAFE, THEY WOULD MOVE IN AND ARREST SPENDER. MULDER TOOK A DEEP BREATH AS HE WALKED TOWARD THE WAREHOUSE. HE STEPPED INSIDE, AND SAW HIS PARTNER TIED TO A CHAIR.

"SCULLY!"

"AGENT MULDER, THANK YOU FOR COMING, AND FOR MAKING THIS SO QUICK. I THOUGHT IT WOULD TAKE YOU A WHILE TO MAKE UP YOUR MIND. IT WAS A TOUGH DECISION, WAS IT NOT?" SPENDER SMIRKED.

"NOT AT ALL. CAN I HAVE MY PARTNER BACK NOW?"

"SURE" THE MEN UNTIED SCULLY AND SHE WALKED TO HER PARTNER.

"LET'S GO MULDER"

"IT'S BEEN FUN AGENT MULDER! MAYBE WE CAN DO IT AGAIN SOMETIME."

MULDER DIDN'T EVEN HONOR HIM WITH A RESPONSE.

AS SOON AS MULDER AND SCULLY HAD EXITED THE BUILING, SKINNER AND CANCERMAN WALKED IN WITH THE SWAT TEAM BEHIND THEM.

"MR. SPENDER," SKINNER SHOUTED, "DID YOU KNOW THAT KIDNAPPING A FEDERAL AGENT IS A FEDERAL OFFENSE?"

"WHY YES I DID. YOU KNOW, I WAS A FEDERAL AGENT ONCE. AND I HAD ANTICIPATED THIS." SPENDER DREW HIS WEAPON, AND EXPECTED HIS FATHER TO BACK HIM UP.

"JEFFREY"

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?"

"I'M HERE TO WATCH IT ALL GO DOWN, SON. YOU'RE TREADING A DANGEROUS PATH. I HAVE TO STOP YOU BEFORE IT GETS OUT OF HAND."

"WHAT? ARE YOU CRAZY? I'VE DONE THE ONE THING THAT YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO DO! I'VE CLOSED THE X-FILES."

"OH, SON, BUT YOU HAVEN'T."

"WHAT?" HE WAS IN DISBELIEF.

"IT WAS ALL A BLUFF" SAID SKINNER. MULDER WILL GET THE FILES BACK WHILE YOU SPEND TWENTY YEARS IN A FEDERAL PENETENTURY."

"I DON'T BELIEVE IT!"

"BELIEVE IT, KID. GET HIM OUT OF MY SIGHT!" SAID SKINNER.



SCULLY'S APARTMENT
1:43 A.M.

"WELL, THAT WAS ONE HELL OF A LONG DAY" SAID SCULLY.

"YEAH, ATLEAST SKINNER GAVE US TOMORROW OFF!" LAUGHED MULDER.

"YEAH"

"HEY, DANA, ARE YOU SURE YOU'RE OKAY?"

"YES, MULDER, I'M FINE. I JUST NEED TO TAKE A SHOWER. I'VE GOT SPENDER GERMS ALL OVER ME!"

"OOOO, CARE IF I JOIN YOU AGENT SCULLY?"

"NOT AT ALL AGENT MULDER, NOT AT ALL!" THE TWO DARTED OFF TOWARD THE BATHROOM.

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