Wambli-Part 7/18 Summary and disclaimers in Part 1 ***** "She's not what I'd call an open mind on the subject." "She's a scientist. She just makes me work for everything." "Yes, but I'm sure there were times when two like minds on a case would have been advantageous." Episode 5x20-The End ***** Ft. Marlene Research Center, Maryland Is just so happened that Frohike had connections. His girlfriend, Katie, led them to her best friend's boyfriend, who happened to work for the government and had access to Ft. Marlene. It didn't matter that he was just a janitor, all the ID badges looked the same for all the employees, so the Gunmen where able to use his to copy from. At the start of the plan, it was decided that Byers would go in with Mulder, but both Byers and Charlie argued that maybe it would better if Mulder had someone to watch his back; someone who was good with a gun. They all agreed that Charlie should be the one to go in. When Langly had started to transfer their pictures onto the fake badges, Charlie stopped him. "Uh, uh. I better be Clyde Jurisch." He nodded at the badge Langly was planning on putting Mulder's picture on. "You want me to switch them?" Langly had asked. "Why?" "Oh, come on," Charlie argued. "Do I look like a Robert Goldstein to you?" His cheeks suddenly a bright red, Langly had switched the pictures. Now, Drs. Jurisch and Goldstein were making their way through the near silent hallways of the government building. Mulder remembered the last time he had been here. He and Scully had been brought here several years ago after supposedly being exposed to some sort of contagion, a possible epidemic that the unfortunate Cassandra Spender had seemingly been spreading. It had been the beginning of the end for the conspiracy. Or at least, the original group of men who had made the first deal. He shook his head at the memory. So many bad things...and some good as well. Think of the good, he told himself. Well...It had been the first time he had seen Scully naked when he could actually *enjoy* it. The place had evidentially closed most of its labs since then. The CDC still worked out of the facility, and it was presumed the military also had labs. And thanks to the skills of the Lone Gunmen, Mulder knew the CIA also worked from here. In fact, they were the creators of Project Nihm. Charlie was showing definite signs of stress when they reached their destination, the forth floor, though they had not met with trouble of any sort. Their fake keycards worked on all the doors, and the few people they passed took no notice of them. Everything was going perfect. That was probably why Charlie was so nervous, Mulder decided. And maybe it was with good reason. God knows nothing is ever this easy in real life. Mulder began to regret ever bringing Charlie along. He should have taken Byers. Or better yet, he wished he had Scully by his side. Not that he didn't trust Charlie to watch his back. He just felt guilty for involving the man. If Mulder got caught, he was dead. He knew this. He accepted it, despite the fact that he had so much to live for now. But his wife had been right when she had said Charlie really didn't know what he was getting into. The man was loyal to a fault, and if something happened to him because Mulder slipped up, Mulder might well as die. His guilt would be too hard to live with. But Charlie was here. And he was here. And there was no sense in turning back when they were so close. They found the door matching the number they were looking for. A small plaque was visible off to the side: Nihm. "This must be the place," Mulder said. Using his keycard, he entered the room. It was a typical lab, with tables set in the middle of the room, sinks set into countertops around the edges. Sterile. White. A window off to the left allowed them to peer into another room, this one empty; bare white walls and a padded floor. Hoses were coiled up on one side of the observation room; for easy cleaning, Mulder thought. As if animals frequented the place. On the opposite wall was a bank of TV monitors, all of them dark. He turned toward one of the computers and turned it on. Pointing to one of the file cabinets, he told Charlie to see what he could find. As Charlie rummaged through the cabinets, Mulder fiddled with the computer, using the techniques Langly and Frohike had taught him. He bypassed two simple security blocks, then came to the password-protect. He pulled out a white index card, his cheat sheet, and started following the directions Byers had written down. More than once, he got turned around in the system, but finally, after more than 30 minutes, he got in. Charlie had already given up on the files, which were all full of files on subjects with distinctive names like 'Taryn' and 'Carmen'. But there was no real information. He was standing at Mulder's elbow when Mulder got into the computer files. Here, the names Charlie had seen were found, only they had much more information. Including the fact that 'Taryn' was actually a wolf, and 'Carmen' a tiger. "Secret of Nihm, indeed," Mulder mumbled. "They aren't just testing eagles." He slid a disk into the hard drive and started to copy as much of the information as he could. This copy would hopefully be enough to buy Wambli's freedom, as the vaccine he had acquired five years ago had given himself and Scully theirs. The file began to download onto the disk, but it was a slow process. With a sigh, Charlie began to wander around the lab. "Do you think those other animals are smart like Wambli?" "Most likely," Mulder mumbled. His eyes searched the files in front of him as they copied. "Alien DNA. Looks like they can find a variety of uses for it. Although, this DNA appears to be mutated." Charlie had no idea what his friend was talking about, and continued his stroll. When he passed by the door on the far side of the lab, he stopped. He could here voices on the other side. "Ian!" he hissed, still not used to calling his friend 'Mulder'. "Someone's coming!" "Shit!" Mulder responded. "It's not even halfway done!" "Let's go!" But it was too late. The door opened and Charlie turned to face it. Mulder kept his back to it, closing his eyes and praying that he could talk his way out of it. The images of his children flashed behind his eyelids. He heard Scully's joyful laughter in his head. He stood and prepared himself to turn toward the new arrival, but a familiar voice stopped him. "Hello, Fox." Mulder's eyes popped open in shock at the words. No. It couldn't be. He turned sharply. "Looks like I'm not the only one to return from the dead," the woman in front of him said with a soft smile. "Welcome to Project Nihm." "Diana?" ************************************************************ "Mulder, this stinks. And not just because I think that woman is a...well, I think you know what I think that woman is." Episode 6x12-One Son ***** Mulder just stood there, speechless. Diana Fowley, alive and well. He shouldn't be surprised. He had never seen her body; never asked for the particulars in her death. If the truth be told, he had felt a strange sense of relief the day Scully had told him of her murder. His past with this woman, both in real life and in the dreamscape created for him by the Consortium, had been turbulent and mystifying. He had truly believed back then that he loved her. But the truth was, he hadn't known what love was. Until Scully. His past with Diana had seemed trite in comparison with the passion, trust and devotion he had found with his wife. But now, seeing her standing before him, several old feelings began to return: Wonder at her interest in him, excitement at her acceptance and belief in his work, dark despair at her abandonment, confusion at her return. Anger and pain at her betrayal. "What's the matter, Fox?" Diana said, the smile still intact, but her eyes nervous. "Cat got your tongue?" "What are you doing here?" He waved his arms around the laboratory. "You're not a doctor." "Somehow, I get the feeling that isn't the question you really want to ask, just the one that needs to be asked," she said wryly. "Well?" Mulder felt his equilibrium coming back slowly. Geez, he really wished Scully was at his side now. She wouldn't be so stunned that she wasn't able to think. "I have always known of this project. There is a similar project being conducted in the Netherlands. When my 'death' was arranged, I was asked to help here." "Doing what?" Charlie spoke for the first time. "What exactly are you trying to accomplish here?" Mulder looked at him in surprise. Okay, so maybe he didn't need Scully here. In fact, it was probably a good idea, seeing as Scully would rather rip Diana's hair out than strike up a conversation with her. "I'm sure you already know what we're doing here, though I don't know how." "You didn't know I was coming?" Mulder asked, his brain working frantically. "No. I had no idea you were in DC until I saw you on the security camera at the front entrance. That was a bold move, by the way. Anyone could have recognized you." "Everyone thinks I've been dead for five years. They would have no reason to notice me." He paused. "You weren't surprised." "No," she said again. "I've always known you were really alive, though not where you have been or what you're doing." Her brow furrowed slightly. "I asked, but he wouldn't tell. Even me." "Who?" Mulder demanded. "Who do you think?" Diana said, a sad smile on her face this time. "The same man that gave you a new life gave one to me, too." "Spender?" Mulder asked. Without waiting for a response, he continued. "Even though you betrayed him in the end by letting Scully know where I was?" She shook her head. "He never wanted you dead, even then. He thought it was best to let you die on that table, but he understood why I couldn't let that happen." She looked into his eyes, her gaze imploring. "But the rest of the doctors thought it best you die...and me." "Spender helped you fake your death to keep you safe?" She nodded. "Just like he did for you...and Scully." "So," Mulder continued. "You decided to test animals in your new life?" She laughed softly. "It's quiet here. A good place to hide and still stay within sight and sound of the new Consortium. Spender keeps me updated regularly." "Are you in charge of this place, then?" Charlie asked. "No. I only run the data section." She glanced at the computer. "I had thought that it was impossible to bypass my security." She looked at Mulder. "I guess I was wrong." "Who is in charge?" Mulder asked. "Dr. Megan Northam. She took over the project about six years ago." Her eyes got bright. "Look at this, Fox." She moved over to the dark monitors sitting against one wall and flipped a switch. All of the TV screens turned on, each one broadcasting a different image. Images of animals. "Did you know that there is an African Grey Parrot in Arizona that can count up to ten, distinguish between colors and shapes, and uses English to communicate certain phrases to his trainer? They have intelligence equivalent to a kindergarten age child!" She pointed to one of the screens, where a parrot sat perched inside a glass enclosure. "This is Ashley. She can count as high as you or I, she speaks four languages fluently, understands what she is saying, and can calculate the square root of 342!" "Hell, I can't even do that," Charlie mumbled. Mulder glanced at him, then looked back at Diana. "Why?" She shrugged. "Because we can?" He shook his head. "No." He took a step closer to her. "Remember, Diana. I know you. You don't even like animals. There has to be a better reason for you to get all hot under the collar for a project like this." Diana stayed silent. "Have you ever had one escape?" Charlie asked quietly. "Not that I'm aware of." She looked at Charlie, her eyes narrowing. "They have no desire to. They are well cared for here. And happy." "Are you sure about that?" Charlie continued. "You give them the intelligence of a human being, but are they emotionally prepared for it? Can they handle the pressure that comes with it? I know many child geniuses can't. They end up neurotic, psychotic, or worse, demented." He paused. "Not to mention that fact that *I*, being as smart or smarter than the average bear, wouldn't want to live in a cage." He was looking at the image of a grizzly, who appeared to live in a circular, barred cage. Diana watched him for a moment, then her gaze fell on Mulder, who had also been eyeing the Nihm creations, all who were confined in some way, including an elephant who had the traditional leg irons worn by other captive elephants around both her back legs. "Why are you here, Fox?" she asked after a moment. "Curiosity," he said, his expression blank. "An aquantence told us of this place." He paused. "She used to reside here...until she decided to break out." Her brows furrowed again in confusion. "I don't understand." "Your people are trying to bring her back. Only she doesn't want to come back." "How do you know?" Diana asked, becoming defensive. "What is she that she can communicate that to you?" Mulder smiled. "I have connections, Diana. She has made herself understood to both Charlie and myself. She wants to be left alone." Diana gestured toward the computer. "Is that what this is for? Breaking in and stealing information that the world is not ready to know?" She shook her head. "I may not know where you've been for the last five years, but I can see you haven't changed." Her eyes grew dark, challenging. "Same old Fox Mulder, truth seeker." She sighed. "I'm sorry, gentleman. But you have to leave the premises, now." The door she had entered through opened, and three men in army uniforms entered, moving around Mulder and Charlie. Ready to escort them out. Mulder looked at Diana. "You're just going to let us go?" "What else can I do?" she whispered. "What else would I do?" Mulder held her gaze until she finally looked away. Then, he and Charlie let the men lead them away. "Wonderful woman," Charlie said after they had been deposited outside the front entrance. "Who is she, exactly?" Mulder sighed. "My ex-wife." ************************************************************ "What ever happened to 'trust no one'?" "I changed it to 'trust everyone'. Didn't I tell you?" Episode 2x16-Colony ***** Badlands National Park North of Lincoln, SD Sara drove moderately, occasionally checking her rearview mirror. Still nothing. No one was following her. Or, at least, not that she could see. But that didn't mean anything. She had already determined that the man shadowing her was good. Very good. After Michelle had told her about the stranger in town yesterday, Sara had gone outside to see for herself if she had anything to worry about. She had told her co-workers she was simply going for a walk, and that is exactly how she played it. She walked down to the Sheriff's office. Casually. Slowly. He followed. She thought at the time that he was either very stupid and wasn't very good at this spy thing, or that he was very smart and was trying to make her nervous. The latter explanation was the one she was voting for, despite not wanting it to be true. When she entered the station, she found Lucas and Sam Lang, the counties two deputies, discussing something in front of Tricia's desk. "Hey," Lucas said when he saw her enter. "We were just talking about you." He glanced at Sam. "Well, kind of." "You were talking about that man out there, weren't you?" They nodded. "Please, don't worry about him. I know him from a long time ago. Ian probably sent him here to look out for me, and he's taking his job a little too seriously." She smiled at them, praying to God to forgive her for lying to these two wonderful friends. "Are you sure?" Lucas asked. Scully nodded and smiled again. "Michelle was telling me how worried you were, and I just thought I'd tell you it's all okay." She chatted with the two men for a while longer, waiting for them to relax, then spoke with Tricia for a short time after the woman got back from lunch. Then she left to go back to the clinic. The stranger was no where to be seen, but Sara wasn't about to take any chances. Once back in her office, she had called Susan and asked if the woman could keep Fox and Marisa overnight. It was an odd request, but Susan didn't ask questions. She told Sara she would stop by the Zweifel house in an hour (most everyone in town knew where the key was hidden) and pick up some clothes and other necessities for the kids. Sara desperately wanted to see her children, but if this man had just started following her, he may not know about them, and Sara wanted to make sure he never knew. She waited until an hour past close before she drove home. She was very obviously followed. That night, she loaded her gun and kept it on top of the bedside table. She almost called Mulder, but she knew that might be dangerous for both him and her at this point, so she waited. She finally fell asleep around 4:30. She was up again at 6, calling Michelle to tell her she wouldn't be in to finish the paperwork she hadn't finished yesterday; telling her she was sick. Feeling guilty the whole time. Now, here she was driving into the unknown. Into the Badlands. She pulled the car over at a scenic turnoff and got out. And she waited. Soon, the same car that had followed her home came along, slowed as it passed her, and drove on by. Sara couldn't see through the windows very well, but she didn't need to. She had already seen the man's face yesterday. He had been unfamiliar to her, but that didn't make her any less nervous. With a sigh, she threw a small backpack over her shoulder and headed out into the rugged, rocky landscape. She hiked for a good hour, then she settled herself onto the hard ground on the far side of a bluff, in the shade. She pulled out the small bottle of water from her pack and drank. Though still early in the day, the sun was already excruciatingly hot. She pulled out her gun, loaded and ready, and leaned back against the rock behind her to wait. She didn't have to wait very long. The sound of footsteps on rock and heavy panting caused to sit up quickly. Then, slowly, so as not to make any noise, she got her feet under her and squatted down facing the direction the man was apparently coming from. He appeared around a bluff about fifty yards away from her, and it was obvious he was in distress. He had discarded the leather jacket he had been wearing yesterday and had a pair of sunglasses on. He walked with difficulty on the uneven ground. Without a doubt, he had not been expecting a hike out in this treeless, barren place. Sara stayed silent, knowing that, even with his sunglasses on, he would have a hard time seeing her in the shade; the almost white rock of the Badlands acted the same way snow did on a sunny day, blinding any and all who were not prepared for it. Having been in the shade for several minutes, Sara was prepared. She waited until the man was almost past her, then quickly stood and moved behind him, placing her gun against the back of his neck. "Who are you?" She had to raise her voice to be heard over the ever-present wind, which was gradually getting stronger. "Agent Scully, I presume," the man answered calmly, raising his hands in surrender. "I should have known you wouldn't forget your training. And I should have known your familiarity with this environment would be detrimental to me." "Who are you?" Sara repeated. "Who sent you?" "It doesn't matter who I am or who I work for. The fact is, I found you." Sara ignored the shiver that ran up her back at these words. "Turn around, slowly." The man did as instructed. Sara glared at him, not at all amused by the slight smile on his face. Carefully, she reached over an pulled out his weapon from its holster. The she stepped back. "Let me see your ID." He laughed. "What makes you think I'm carrying ID?" "You're an agent of some sort, aren't you? Unless you're undercover, you're required to carry some. Now let me see it." With a sigh, the man reached into his back pocket and took out what appeared to be a badge. He tossed it to her. She had tucked his gun into the waistband of her jeans, and easily caught the object one handed, never taking her own gun off of him. She flipped it open and wasn't surprised to see that he was CIA. "Well, Sam Colter. Now that we've been introduced, why are you here?" "I'm watching you, Agent Scully. I hadn't planned on finding you, but here you are. Great how things work sometimes, isn't it?" "You came about the eagle, didn't you?" "You are a much greater prize than that eagle," he said, his eyes intense. "Who are you working for, damnit?" His eyes shuttered, and Sara suddenly realized why this well-trained operative had allowed her to see him. "You're waiting for me to contact Mulder, aren't you?" She started laughing. "I may be a great prize, but he's even better. Why get rid of just one of us, knowing that the other is undoubtedly near. Then you can kill two birds with one stone, is that it?" She laughed again, but the sound was filled with despair. It was over. He wonderful, fairy tale life was over. "You bastard!" Sam Colter took advantage of her anger, diving in for the gun as she yelled at him. But she was too quick. She pulled the trigger just as he fell forward onto her. His weight pushed her backwards, and she staggered, almost falling herself. But she managed to dodge his body as it fell, face first, onto the ground. The doctor in her was immediately activated as she kneeled down and turned him over. Her bullet had ripped into his chest at close range; there was nothing she could do. But he wasn't dead, yet. "They know where you are," he whispered. Then his eyes turned sightless, and his body stilled forever. ***** End 7/18