Hill City, KS 

Will felt like he'd barely fallen asleep inside the empty car when the train slowed and came to a stop. Hearing voices, he moved quickly to peer out the open boxcar. Two men walked away from the train. A third man emerged from a building where they met, talked briefly and then moved off towards a parking lot. Moments later, they were gone. 

With caution, Will climbed out of the boxcar and looked about. There was a single telephone pole with a light on it that was just bright enough to illuminate the station area. By all appearances, it was the end of the line. No more than half a mile up the street, Will reached the town center. The only activity was a small, all-night diner whose interior lights filtered out into the street, lighting the pavement directly in front of it. 

The tinkle of bells sounded overhead as Will opened the door. All three customers turned in his direction. Unimpressed, they went back to their conversations and cups of coffee. Sitting in a booth by the window, Will periodically brushed aside the gingham curtain, mindful that he had to keep watch for the shadow men. Looking out at the rhythmic blinking yellow light in one direction and red in the opposite direction, he wondered why he'd not noticed it before.  

"You're way past bedtime, son," an old black man said as he came to take Will's order. 

"I couldn't sleep," Will yawned. 

"Lying's no way to start off a friendship. Where you running to?" 

"Why's everyone ask that? I'm not running. I'm looking for my mother." 

"In Hill City?" 

"No. This place is just on the way." 

"I see. Well, you must be hungry." 

"I could eat a horse," Will piped up. 

"Fresh outta horse. Sorry," the man grinned warmly. 

Though he was tired, the thought and smell of food awakened Will's senses. He couldn't remember his last meal. He'd been living on candy bars, chips and whatever snacks were available at the bus stations. There had been very little variety. 

"You're in luck though because BJ's cooking tonight." 

"And that's a good thing?" Will questioned. 

"Don't nobody come in when Clarence is at the grill." 

"But the name of the place..." 

"I know," the man said, pointing to a small sign over the wall-mounted menu. "Clarence and BJ's Diner, but I'm telling you, you're lucky BJ's cooking. So what'll it be?" 

Will glanced up at the menu. It all looked good. 

"A cheeseburger, fries, chocolate milk and apple pie." 

"You're in luck. That's about all that's left," he said and turned towards the kitchen. 

Will watched, expecting the man to call towards the kitchen with the order. Instead, he put an apron on, tied it in back and moved through the swinging gate where he started cooking behind a half wall. When the man looked up over the wall that separated the kitchen and dining areas, he motioned for Will to step back to the grill. 

"So you're BJ," Will said as he passed through the gate. 

"True enough." 

"So where's Clarence?" 

"Over there," BJ said, pointing towards the corner. Will's eyes lit up at the sight of an old brown and white Bassett hound, asleep in the corner. 

"Is he friendly?" 

"That's about as riled as he gets." 

"Hey, Clarence," Will introduced himself, scratching behind the dog's big floppy ears as he sat down on the creaky wooden floor beside the dog. 

The hound barely raised an eyebrow. 

"He likes it under his chin best, but good luck getting him to lift his head up off the floor. He sleeps so sound, he don't generally raise it for nobody." 

"He sure is friendly." 

"He's a lazy, good for nothin' mutt that knows only one thing... how to eat my profits." 

The bells over the door sounded. At the same time, Clarence jumped up and headed to the swinging door, growling, hair raised straight up on his back. 

"That be enough of that, hound," BJ said. "Help you gents?" he called over the counter. 

"We're looking for someone." 

At those words, Will froze, back against the wall, eyes wide with terror. BJ leaned over and pulled Clarence away from the gate, so he could go to the front counter. 

"Who ya lookin' for? I know most everyone in town." 

"He's not from here. He's a runaway... brown hair, about so tall," one of the men gestured. 

"Haven't seen any kids around. Hill City ain't exactly Disneyland. Sorry. I get you a cup of coffee or grill you somethin' to eat?" 

The men looked around the small seating area before heading back to the car they'd arrived in. Within seconds, they drove off and disappeared up the street. 

"Outta the way hound or my burger's gonna get all burned up. You get back over there where you belong," he ordered, pointing to the corner, realizing that the boy was no longer there. 

"They gone now, boy, wherever you be off to." 

The lower counter door slid open, and Will poked his head out. 

"You sure?" 

"Sure as I'm standin' here," BJ said slapping another burger on the grill. "Why you got goons like that lookin' for you? What'd you do?" 

"Nothing... honest." 

BJ eyed Will. 

"Well, if you're a liar, you're a damn fine one coz I believe you. Listen, you best come outta there now. Your burger's up." 

"Can I eat over here?" Will asked as he crawled out of the cabinet. 

"Suit yourself," BJ said, lifting the fries out of the grease and setting them to drain. 

He prepared the two plates, handed Will his and then headed out front to the tables where he sat down across from Sam, a Navaho who was drinking his black coffee alone. 

"Don't know who those men be," BJ spoke, "but ain't none of you seen that boy in here." 

There was a low mumble of confirmation among the few patrons. 

"I've seen puffed up rattlers prettier than those two," Sam acknowledged. 

"Sure had the look of the devil in their eyes," BJ concurred. 

Breaking no speed record, he ate his burger, chatting with Sam all the while. When he had played his hand out, he stood, patted Sam's shoulder and carried his plate to the sink. Leaving the dishes to soak, he walked through the swinging door to find Clarence licking Will's plate. The boy was gone. 

"You got that plate clean enough for customers," BJ said as he squatted down next to the dog. "Where'd the boy go?" 

Clarence looked around, his big eyes coming to rest on the lower cabinet. BJ slid the door open and grinned. Curled up within the cramped space, Will was sound asleep. BJ shook his head, and slid the door nearly closed. 

"Sleep well, boy," he said. "Mind those dreams, now." 

Hospital Steps - Atwood, KS 

"You should listen to the doctor," Skinner said, following closely behind Mulder as they left the local clinic. 

"I did listen to him," Mulder confirmed, squinting in the sunlight. "You're driving." 

Skinner shook his head, and took the lead. When they reached the new rental car, Mulder's expression prompted a response. 

"You think Kersh will believe me when I tell him I lost control and plowed through a barbed-wire fence?" 

"I wouldn't," Mulder said, sliding into the passenger seat. 

Skinner directed the car away from town. "I checked with the rail line," he said. "The final stop for the train you ditched is Hill City... a hundred miles east of here." 

"I should have done something." 

"Jumping off a train wasn't enough? Stop beating yourself up, Mulder. What chance did you have against a super-soldier?" 

"He's scared. The look in his eyes... he has no idea what's happening... why his parents were killed... why those guys are after him... who the hell I am, or why I tried to help him. He doesn't know who to trust." 

"Sounds familiar. 

"He's just a kid." 

"And about the same age you were when your world was turned upside down. He's not alone, Mulder. He's got good people working to help him. That's more than you had. Besides... you and I both know he's no ordinary kid." 

Mulder knew Skinner was right, but he also knew the fear William was feeling. He'd seen it in his son's eyes. He couldn't help but wonder if William saw it in his.