UNTITLED, PART VI

They parked at the end of the street and jogged up to the chief’s car. Jared was momentarily amazed that she could run so well in pumps, then shook himself back to the scene in front of them. There were several police cars parked in front of the small house with their lights flashing. Several officers were barricaded behind the cars with guns drawn and aimed.

They stopped to speak with one of the officers and learned that they had been ordered not to shoot unless they were being shot at, but that the chief wanted them to be prepared. The young officer directed the two agents to a tall, well-built man who was directing a few more officers to their positions. When he had dismissed them, he turned and held out his hand. Scully took it as he said “Welcome, Agents.” He then proceeded to shake Jared’s hand, and began to fill them in as to what had taken place within the past few minutes.

“Right now, we still don’t know if he is armed, but we’re playing it safe.”

“Has anyone been in contact with him yet?”

“No, Agent Scully. We thought we’d wait on that until you and Agent Crighton arrived.”

“We have the phone number to the house right here.”

Scully picked up her cell phone and dialed the number. A frightened man’s voice answered the phone.

“Hello?”

“This is Agent Scully with the FBI. Who am I speaking with?”

“This is Harvey Breaker. Call everyone off, and no one will get hurt.”

“Listen to me, Harvey. You don’t have to go through all this. Threats are not necessary. If you just come out with your hands up, no one will hurt you. There is no reason for you to run.”

“No way, man. I am NOT coming out of this house until you call everyone off. I have a gun, too.”

“Harvey, please. This is not the best thing for you to do. Just put your gun down and slowly walk to the front door. I’ll make sure that the officers out here don’t point their guns at you. We just want everyone to be safe.”

She gestured to the officers to point their weapons downward. The sharp shooters who were positioned in strategic locations were the only ones who were allowed to hold guns on Breaker. They were under the same orders that they were not to shoot unless the suspect came out firing a weapon.

“Now, Harvey, are you still there?”

“Yes.”

“I want you to do something. Look out the window.”

There was silence on the other end for a moment, then she saw the softest flicker of a window shade from the front of the house.

“What do you see?”

“Lots of officers around.”

“Yes, but are any of them aiming their guns?”

There was another flicker of the shade. “No.”

“Then what are you waiting for? Come out with your hands up and no weapon, and I promise you, no one will hurt you. As long as you aren’t threatening us, we won’t threaten you.”

There was a hesitation at the other end.

“Harvey, by holding out like this, you’re just making things worse for yourself and your roommate. Really. Just come out, and you’ll be alright.”

“Promise?”

“Yes, I promise.”

“Okay, then. I’m going to put down my gun...” She heard a small thud as he dropped something onto the floor. “And I’m going to come out with my hands up.”

“Okay. Now, Harvey, just come out nice and slow.”

She gestured again to the door and to the officers and sharp shooters. Everyone was very tense; it wasn’t certain if this was going to end the way everyone hoped it would.

Just then, the door swung open. A foot kicked it the rest of the way, and Harvey Breaker came out with his hands on his head, looking nervously all around him. There was a shout as he reached the first step, and the sharp shooters surrounded him and handcuffed his hands behind his back. Scully breathed a sigh of relief as she realized she’d been holding her breath in anticipation. They turned him over to three of the officers who were waiting with one of the squad cars. As they walked him over, they read his rights, and soon he was on his way to the station.

Jared walked over and placed his hand on her shoulder. “You okay?” he asked.

She nodded. “Yeah, I’ll be alright.”

“You’re white as a sheet. Why don’t you sit down for a minute?” He looked concerned, realizing that this was the first time she had been confronted with this sort of thing since she had resigned.

He walked her over to the car and opened a door. She sat on the edge with her feet touching the pavement and took several deep breaths. Jared put his hand on her shoulder and leaned over her. “Are you sure you’re going to be okay?”

“Yeah. I had just forgotten how intense these situations get. I mean, just waiting to see if you’re going to be shot at, or if the suspect is going to give up quietly...it’s so dependent on the situation.”

“Well, if it’s any consolation to you, you did a wonderful job out there.” He smiled gently. “I’ve never seen anyone coaxed out so easily or willingly. He did everything exactly as you told him to.”

She smiled wanly back at him. “It must be that maternal thing kicking in. Thanks. I needed to hear that.”

He grinned and then helped her up. “Up to filling out some incident reports with me?”

“Oh sure. I’m always up for that.”


***************************************************

They returned to the bureau office around four o’clock. Skinner had been waiting for them up at his office, and as soon as the agents arrived, they were given the message. They stopped at their office long enough to take off their trench coats and grab the papers they would need, and hurried to the elevator.

Kimberley sent them straight inside, and for the third time that day they took their seats. Skinner looked pleased.

“Well done. I am very pleased to see that everything went so well. Now all you need to do is set up the search warrants which, I’m sure, will provide what physical evidence we need to prosecute.”

“Thank you, sir,” replied Crighton. “We’re actually ready to take out a search warrant right now.” He handed the papers to Skinner, who looked them over and put them to the side.

“Wonderful. These will be processed immediately. You should have your warrant within the hour.” He smiled. It relieved him to see Scully adjusting so quickly to the aftermath of Mulder’s death, and he was glad that the results of her coming back were doing her such credit. It made the other work a little bit easier for him to dish out. “I’ve already spoken to several of my superiors, and they are incredibly pleased with the concentration and effort you have both placed upon this case. The fact that it has only been open for a few days and is almost taken care of is overwhelming. I think we should start discussing your future as partners.”

Scully and Jared glanced at each other. Jared spoke up first. “Well, I don’t know about Agent Scully, but I enjoy working with her a great deal, and I would be honored to become her official partner.”

Scully looked up. “I feel the same way about that. Jared and I work very well together, and my adjustment into the bureau has been made all the easier for working with him.” She looked over at him and smiled. “I think it’s in the bureau’s best interest, not to mention our own, if we continue working together.”

Skinner beamed at them. “I’m glad to hear that. Very glad. I’d like to keep both of you in Espionage, since you seem so cut out for the work. And you’re doing a damned good job, too.”

“Well, sir, since we’re all in agreement, let’s get the rest of this case taken care of,” said Scully briskly.

Jared nodded. “I’m anxious to get it finished, as well.”

“Of course. I’ll have that warrant sent down as soon as possible.”


*************************************************

Krycek stood impatiently outside of the phone booth, alternately smoking a cigarette and pacing back and forth. Damn it...why wasn't the phone ringing yet? He had finally gotten the information that the smoking man desired. Just in the nick of time, too. Unfortunately, he had just added one more murder to his ever-growing list. Rita Antone had been too easy for his tastes. An offer of money in exchange for information was all it took, and since they met in a secluded spot behind the deli, her murder had been an easy one to perform. She had told him what he needed, and then he had slit her throat, poured chemicals on the body, tossed her in the dumpster, and left the scene quickly and without being seen. No big deal. It had taken him less than 20 minutes. It was perfect. No one had seen them meet, no one had seen the murder, and no one had seen him leave. Then why was he so anxious to get the hell out of the area?

The phone’s shrill ring cut into his ruminations. He picked it up before it could ring again.

“Alex.” It was a statement, not a question.

“Yeah. I have the information you need.” What he didn’t reveal just yet was that he hadn’t been able to locate the kid.

“Where is she?”

“Hey, hey now...not so fast. I seem to recall a certain threat of my funeral.”

“I don’t negotiate, Alex. Tell me what I requested, and you won’t die. Yet.”

“And that’s supposed to encourage me? What if I can use this information for myself?”

“All the more reason for me to kill you. And then I’ll find out for myself.”

Either way, Krycek was screwed. “Alright. Where should I meet you, then?”

“Nevermind that. Just tell me. Right now.”

“Fine. She’s been reinstated at the Bureau. Working with a guy named Crighton. They report to AD Skinner, and now work in the Espionage section. They are about to complete their first case.”

“And what about the boy?”

Krycek winced. “I wasn’t able to locate him. I figured that she was more important right now.”

“Well. Why am I not surprised?”

“Look...a week isn’t exactly a hell of a lot of time. And I have to take off now. I’ll be looking forward to our next lovely little chat. Contact me the usual way.” He hung up with the smoking man, feeling even more suspicious than usual. At least he had located Scully. There was that.


**************************************************

Scully sat down at her desk and sighed deeply. Jared followed suit and relaxed into his chair. They had a little time to kill before they got a copy of the search warrant, and they decided to go grab something to eat since they had both missed lunch. It was looking as if they’d be missing dinner, too.

When they arrived back at the bureau, the warrant was all ready to go, so they got their things together and left for the suspects’ house once more.

“So, what do you think about us being partners, Dana?” They hadn’t spoken much throughout their meal because it had been a hurried one.

“Honestly, I enjoy working with you already, Jared. I think we work really well together.”

“I feel the same way. We’re going to make one hell of a team. I’ve always hoped for a partner that would enable our team to be an asset to the bureau, and I think I’ve found that person.”

“I’m flattered. Thank you.”

“I should be the flattered one. I’m glad I’ve been able to make your adjustment an easy one.”

She smiled. She never thought she’d find a partner who worked as well with her as Mulder had. Except this man worked well with her in a different way. That was good, but new to her. They drove in silence for the remainder of the time.

When they finally arrived at the small house, there were already two cruisers parked outside. Some officers and the chief were both there to help carry out the search.

They got out of their car and walked over to the little group. Scully began briefing the officers on what they were looking for, and the search began.

Two hours later, they had gathered more then enough evidence against Breaker and Wallace. Among the evidence were several taped recordings of confidential conversations, floppy disks holding transcripts of most of those, as well as a videotape of Breaker and Wallace showing how they bugged phones and hacked into computer files. Both Jared and Scully, though neither voiced their opinion, thought that these guys must be real idiots to have done all this. There were also several pieces of equipment lying around their computer-room. Everything was then bagged up neatly and numbered.

“What about the computers?” asked Jared.

“Well, maybe we should wait on those until we can get a technician in here to make copies of the hard-drives and go through all the files.”

“Alright. Let me go call someone in.”

She nodded as he went off to make the call. While he did so, she walked into the living room to see two of the cops writing out their observation forms and talking about the events of their day. Just then, Police Chief Johnson took her aside to let her know that he had to leave right away.

“Of course. We’re pretty much done here, anyway. What’s going on?”

“A White House employee was found in a garbage dumpster with her throat slit...I need to go take care of this right away.”

“Who was it? Not one of our witnesses?”

“No, it was the president’s public relations officer, Rita Antone. She never came back from lunch today, but no one realized until it was punch-out time. Several people called her home number and her cell phone, but there was no answer. Then, about ten minutes ago, an employee of a little deli near the Maryland border was taking out the day’s trash...it was impossible for him to miss the body...the stench was horrible. That’s the odd part...she hasn’t been dead for more than 10 hours, and the rate of decomposition is amazing. Hey, Agent Scully...are you alright?”

She had turned white as a sheet. The chief placed a hand on her shoulder, but all she could do was nod.

“I’m fine, thank you.” She knew she wasn’t fine, but what else could she say? Oh, officer, that’s just the way they killed my husband. Except they didn’t slit his throat, they poisoned him and then shot his body full of holes...Her head was spinning and she felt that if she didn’t sit down right away she would collapse.

The chief saw her color fade even more and it worried him. His concern was evident on his face as he led her over to a sofa and made her sit down while he ran to find her partner.

“Crighton...Hey, Crighton, get over here!” he called.

Jared appeared around a corner, hanging up his cell phone as he finished his call. “What’s wrong?” The slightly panicked note in the chief’s voice made him feel uneasy.

“I think your partner is sick...”

“Why? What do you mean?” He pushed past the chief and hurried down the hall.

Chief Johnson struggled to catch up with him. “I don’t know...I was telling her how I had to leave because a missing White House employee had just been found murdered...she asked who it was, so I told her, and I also told her about what had happened. Then she just turned white as a sheet and looked like she was about to faint. I made her sit down and then I went to get you.”

“Thank you for telling me so quickly.” Jared saw Scully sitting on the edge of the sofa, her head in her hands, trying to compose herself. The police chief motioned that he really had to get going, so Jared nodded and went to his partner. “Dana?” He sat down next to her. “Are you alright?”

“Yes, I’m fine,” she said.

“Are you sure? Maybe you shouldn’t be working so hard so soon...”

“I’m fine,” she insisted. “Really.” She straightened up and offered him a wane smile. He just stared for a second, searching her face, then offered her a small smile in return. But he was still concerned over how shaken she was.

“Do you want to head back to the bureau?”

“Sure. Skinner should still be there, waiting for our findings here.”

“Yes, I spoke with him when I requested the computer technician.” He looked up to see the cops standing around outside, smoking cigarettes. “They’re supposed to wait here while the tech guy works on the computers. Hang on a sec, let me go tell them.”

He went outside, filled the cops in on what still needed to be done, and went back inside to get Scully. The drive back to the FBI was nearly silent as Scully grappled with her thoughts and Jared grappled with his worries. All during the ride, he kept glancing over at her to make certain she was all right, but couldn’t make himself believe that she was. Whatever Johnson had told her, it had certainly upset her a great deal.

Neither of them noticed the dark, compact car that followed them.



End, Part VI