Chapter 13

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Ouachita National Forest - Ouachita Mountains, AR 

The fuel truck pulled into the parking lot of an archaic service station. One by one, the convoy's vehicles pulled up beside it, refueling and then moving forward to form a new line further up the road. 

The driver of one tanker sat impatiently. Knowing it would be some time before the convoy would be ready to roll, he exited the truck and headed into the station to use the restroom. 

In the front seat of the cab within the folds of a camouflage field jacket, two small bees made their way topside. Sensing the fresh air from the open window, they flew through the tiny opening and made their way to freedom. 

Underground Facility 

The guard watched the woman. He'd been assigned to guard her, but she'd been unconscious for some time now. The cell was still and lifeless. Nobody came in;  nobody went out. He deemed it a senseless waste of time, but those were his orders. 

Orders. He questioned those orders after witnessing what they'd done to the woman. What could she have possibly done to deserve such treatment? He'd seen men tortured before, but never a woman. It sickened him, and it was the final straw - the deciding factor. 

All this time, he thought he was protecting a secret military installation, but he was beginning to doubt that. It was as if there were two forces at work here - people like himself, there to protect, and the higher ups - ruthless, heartless, inhuman almost. It didn't feel right. He shook his head. What could be so damn important that such a beautiful woman would be... 

Her moan brought him to her side where he sat down on a wooden stool. He felt sorry for her, shivering from the dampness of the room. He draped his field jacket over her. It wasn't much, but it would help. Keep her alive. That's what they ordered. How the hell was he going to do that with his limited knowledge of first aid and only the basic elements of a first aid kit at his disposal? 

"Mulder?" 

"Ma'am?" he said softly, watching her stiffen with fear. "It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you." 

Scully's vision cleared, coming to focus on her guard - the one she'd hoped to befriend. 

"Thirsty," she whispered. 

The guard moved away, returning seconds later with a plastic cup. He gently lifted her head so she could drink. 

"I don't know what you did to piss these people off, but nobody deserves what they did to you... nobody." 

"You should see the other guy," Scully attempted a grin, but it quickly faded. 

He felt her forehead. Rifling through the first aid kit, he retrieved some aspirin and gently lifted Scully's head again. 

"Here you go," he said, raising the cup to her lips. "Maybe this will take the edge off." 

Scully saw kindness in this man - the same man that had slipped the ibuprofen to her earlier. She was grateful for his help, thankful that someone was watching over her. But she couldn't shake Mulder from her thoughts. How much she longed for him. Stuff the emotions, and suck it up, Starbuck, she swore she heard her father's voice. 

The guard adjusted the balled up shirt beneath her head, and then lowered her head back down onto it. She'd taken a tantrum the other day when he told her to toss this shirt. He wondered what was so special about it. 

"Sleep now," he said, and she didn't resist his advice. "I hope the meds helps," he wiped her matted hair away from her eyes and set a cool, wet washcloth across her forehead. 

When he was certain she was asleep, he carefully removed the dressing from her forearm where they'd burned her with a hot iron rod. As gently as he could, he applied burn cream and a fresh dressing over the red, blistering skin. 

"I'm going to get you out of here," he whispered. "Somehow, I promise you. It's probably my job, but after what they did to you, I don't plan on coming back. I want no part of what they're about, so hang in there." 

Scully heard his promise as she drifted off to sleep. It was enough to give her hope - enough to get her through that painful night. She prayed God would use this man to help her because she'd told Mulder to protect William. It wouldn't be easy for him - find her or protect their son? It was a decision she knew he wouldn't be able to make himself. That's exactly why she left him no choice. 

Home of James & Mary Van De Kamp - Fox Canyon, WY 

Mulder and Lewis sat on a couple of hay bales inside the barn. 

"Funny..." Mulder said, looking at the picture. "His mother and I always call him William." 

"William? No way. Well, there was this one time that we skipped school, and Will's dad..." Lewis started to say, but stopped. "His folks were real nice. I'm gonna miss 'em...," he said, swallowing hard.

"I'm sorry I didn't get here sooner."

Lewis studied Mulder.

"You know, you're not like we pictured." 

"How's that?" Mulder asked.

"Well... we figured you were a jerk." 

"Most people think I am." 

"Are you?" 

Mulder pondered the question briefly, and then nodded. 

"Yeah." 

Lewis smiled. He liked this man. 

"Is your name really Fox?" 

"Mulder," he corrected. 

"Be serious. Fox is way cool. Beats the heck out of Lewis. Must make it easier to pick up girls." 

"Couldn't prove it by me," Mulder grinned. 

"Girls think I'm a dork. But hey, they think Will's a dork too." 

"Is he?" 

"Are you kidding? He's the coolest kid I know." 

"Must take after his mother." 

"Probably," Lewis joked. "So... ah... why didn't you keep him?" 

Once again, Mulder looked at the picture he was holding. 

"There was no other choice. Adoption seemed like the only way to keep him safe." 

"But if you couldn't protect him then, how you gonna protect him now?" 

"I don't know if I can," Mulder admitted."But if it comes to it, I'll die trying." 

Highway 70E - West of Colby, KS 

The bus raced along the highway heading to its next destination - Colby, KS. Will looked out the window but because of the fog that had come up, there wasn't much to see beyond the passing lane. 

"This seat taken?" a teenage girl asked, coming up from behind Will. 

"No," he said, shoving his backpack to the floor as he slid towards the window. The girl plopped down next to him. Will looked towards the rear of the bus where there were plenty of vacant seats. "Weren't you sitting back there?" 

"I got bored... no one to talk to. Hope you don't mind. I'm Effie." 

"Will." 

"Where you running to?" 

"Nowhere" 

"Everybody's either running after something or someone." 

"Not me." 

"Yeah right. So where you goin?" 

"Washington, D.C." 

"No way. You look more like you'd be right at home here in Kansas on a farm. Yeah, like Clark Kent." 

"You look like you'd be at home in... Los Angeles."

"Not even close." 

"Neither are you." 

"Come on. Where you really heading?" 

"D.C.," Will said, and showed her his ticket. 

"Figures. I bet your real name's Will." 

"I wouldn't lie." 

"Of course not." 

"Did that hurt?" he asked, pointing at Effie's pierced nose and eyebrow. 

"It stung a little, but that's irrelevant." 

"Why do you dress like... that." 

"It's called Gothic. It's uniquely me. You think it's strange." 

"Well..." he winced. 

"Yup. You're a farm kid all right. Probably never even heard of Gothic, have you?" 

"Not really." 

"Now you have. So where you from?" 

"Wyoming." 

"Farm boy?" 

"Ranch." 

"Farm... ranch... whatever. What's in D.C.?" 

"My mom." 

"You live with your dad?" 

"Something like that." 

"Parents suck." 

"Mine don't," he swallowed hard. 

"I haven't seen mine for years. Don't miss 'em either. I do better on my own." 

Will looked out the window, glancing down at a car that had pulled alongside the bus. After a moment, the passenger side window rolled down, and a man stuck his head out, his cold eyes staring at Will.

No! How can it be? It's the same man... I killed? 

Will turned in his seat, realizing that Effie had just lifted his bus ticket from his pocket. 

"Hey, give it back!" he shouted and grabbed for it. 

"You won't be needing it," she said, clutching Will's throat and using her body to shield her actions from the other passengers. 

Stars danced before Will's eyes, but his efforts to loosen Effie's grip failed him. It wasn't until he stopped struggling that it happened, that the power came to him without thought. Looking into the emptiness of the girl's eyes, he removed her fingers, one-by-one with no more than a thought. She struggled against him but failed to subdue him. 

"Colby, Kansas folks. Colby," the driver announced. 

Will's mind held Effie in her seat as he fled the bus. But all too quickly, his attention was drawn to the car that now raced into the fast food burger joint that the bus company used for service, tires squealing, dirt flying as it screeched to a stop. Will didn't take time to think. His immediate instinct was to run as fast as fast he could. 

By the sound of things, the shadow men weren't far behind. 

*** 

Behind the wheel of a rental car, Skinner sensed Mulder's impatience. 

"What makes you think the kid's on this bus?" 

"A hunch," Mulder replied, offering no additional information. 

"Van De Kamp. I know that name. How's he important to this case?" Skinner asked but was met with silence. "Okay, look. I've been with you since we started this... the flight to Denver, the puddle jumper to Goodland and now this. When are you going to level with me?" 

Mulder thought about it. He'd convinced Skinner to go along with him to Wyoming because of the DNA evidence. He knew Scully wasn't there, but in the back of his mind, he had a hunch it had something to do with William. 

"You told us the other day that once we started this, it all or nothing. I'm with you on this, Mulder, so what's this kid have to do with Dana?" 

"It's William." 

Skinner's expression changed. Without another word, he punched the accelerator for all it was worth.

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