Julia Chapter Twenty-seven Disclaimers, etc. in Headers Washington, D.C. February 11, 2001 8:50 p.m. Julia felt the blood drain from her face. However, she remained composed, pulling her hand from Mulder's reluctant grip to sign, "And they say I'm crazy," Mulder muttered beside her. "Too much nicotine must dull the brain." She was thankful that Mulder's dry wit hadn't vanished in the face of this latest test. Sparing him a glance, she saw he had paled a bit too, but was definitely still in control, a typical smirk firmly in place. "Nicotine hasn't made me stupid, Fox," Cancerman replied, leaning back as the waiter approached with coffee and cake, snuffing out his cigarette. "Though it certainly has proven to be useful in other ways." If he was hoping to capture her interest with that cryptic statement, he certainly did. She had to stifle the urge to pounce on it, instead forcing herself to remain unmoved as he watched her for any sign of interest. "Come now, Dana," he purred, then, at the sight of her feigned confusion, amended, "Excuse me - *Julia.* You've quite immersed yourself in this role, haven't you?" The last was said with pointed insinuation. "I imagine it must be difficult for you to bow to the whim of a man, even if it is your former partner. Then again, sex is a great motivator, is it not?" Aghast, she lowered her eyes and picked at her napkin. How much longer would she have to endure this? The ruse was so familiar, yet so foreign to her. It was true, every word. Despite the re-emergence of her innate self, she was still a whore. "That's enough," Mulder said, interrupting the old man's baiting. "Say what you want about me, but leave Julia alone." "I apologize," Cancerman answered. "There is no excuse for bad manners... we can be civilized, even with the world in ruins, am I right? Please, have some dessert." Julia looked up to see him motion to the waiter, then return his hollow gaze to the two of them. She felt like a bug under a microscope as the old man watched her, the waiter hovering between them to slice the pound cake with shaky fingers. "Say something, Julia," he said softly. "You must be dying to ask questions of me. And lucky for you, I'm in the mood to answer them. You're going to be my guest for an indefinite period, my dear, just like Fox. Wouldn't you like to at least have something to show for all your effort?" He flashed yellowed teeth at her before he sipped at his coffee. She felt Mulder's hand grip her knee, telling her with the clench of his fingers not to give in, not to give the old man the satisfaction. But a little voice inside told her to pursue this; they would be out of here within the hour. And she'd be lying to herself if she didn't admit to a mountain of curiosity about the events of the past nine months. With a brush of her hand over Mulder's, she turned to look up at his concerned face. Don't do it, he pleaded with his eyes. But she had to, didn't he see that? she answered with a crease of her brow. All these months searching for Mulder, searching for a way to counteract the wretched death the bees spread... searching for hope amidst the chaos; she had to know. Mulder's face became firm and he nodded, capitulating to her silent plea. Do what you do best, he told her with his half-smile. Encouraged by his faith in her, she turned back to Cancerman, bringing her hands up to sign, Their host smiled, a glib grin that made her angry. Yes, he'd gotten what he wanted; but her ramrod straight back and frosty expression told him that the game was just beginning. Sidestepping the obvious, 'I knew it,' the old man took his time lighting a cigarette. After a protracted drag on the stick, he said, "Why would I want colonization to succeed? Power - *real* power - is the ultimate goal. Not to be the pawn of another, whether human or alien. I saw an opportunity and I took it." "Yes, but on *my* timetable. When the time is right, the alien threat will be eliminated from the equation. The people remaining will naturally look to me as savior." The alien threat will be eliminated? Julia pondered the phrase, lifting curious eyes to Mulder. He had the same look she felt on her face; confused but curious. Cancerman had a plan. He'd always been several moves ahead of his opponents in the constant chess match of the conspiracy. If they could just figure out where he was going with his broad scheme.... "Trust me, I know what I'm doing," he said, getting their attention once again. "If you play your cards right, you could both savor the victory with me." "No, thanks," Mulder replied quickly, echoing her thoughts. "The accommodations, while luxurious, leave a lot to be desired. There's something to be said for the freedom to walk out the doors of this place." Cancerman sighed, puffing away on the ever- present cigarette. "If you had the freedom to live outside these walls, Fox, you'd find the world a much more unforgiving place. Am I right, Julia?" The memory of the stark, barren streets was still fresh in her mind, as were the countless faces of the starving and homeless. Lowering her chin, she found she could not form a suitable reply. In that respect, Cancerman was right. Once they got out of here, life would be hard. There was no doubt in her mind that they couldn't just wander around; they would still be hunted until the Resistance prevailed. And life underground was harsh, that much was certain. Constant threat of discovery meant living on the edge night and day. "She knows, Fox. Knows that this is the place for you both. Why do you think she came here?" At that, she raised her head. He was twisting everything... making her into someone outwardly beautiful but empty and self-serving... as Julia should be. her hands punched into the air. "Then why did you come here? To save him? I don't think so. You knew once here, there was no escape." He lowered his voice. "I think you came here for a very different reason, Julia." Dear God, she thought. Did he also know of the attack? He couldn't have; suspecting she was Scully made sense, but she'd done nothing to give away the plan. Nothing. Yes, he knew the electrical problems were unusual, but he could only guess as to the source and reason. "You obviously had help... the new look is interesting, by the way. Very good work." She cringed at the pleased sweep of his eyes over her face. "Sing? My dear Julia, you can't even speak, much less sing." Mulder jumped in, his growing anger radiating from his tense body. Julia could feel the heat through the layers of clothing, his and hers. "Shut up, do you hear me? Shut the hell up." But his father kept on, poking at the both of them with venomous glee. "I expect you had help from the Underground and I *will* find out all I need to know, in due time." His eyes spoke of the certain torture she would have to endure... if she was unfortunate enough to remain. Little did he know that she was going to be free in a short while. Whether outside these walls alive, or within these walls, dead... she was going to be free. They would either make it out alive, or die trying. "But that doesn't concern me at the moment," Spender continued. "You've been here for over a month now, correct? I suspect this electrical surge is an attempt by the Underground to disable our security systems, to break into our computers. They won't get in, Julia. They've tried for months now and we've stonewalled them at every turn. Believe me, it's useless." She and Mulder remained quiet, but not so his father. He seemed to be taking great pleasure in this farce and was playing it to the hilt. "What used to puzzle me was why you braved this fortress... to save your partner? Impossible. But you knew that already. The Underground didn't need you here, but you volunteered, am I right?" Spirals of smoke blew through his lips as his gaze narrowed on her face. "I think you came here to kill Fox." For several tense moments, silence reigned as plates heavy with cake and chocolate sauce were placed before them. Julia felt a fine sheen of sweat break out all over her, but tried to keep her cool. They could still talk their way out of this; he was toying with them, bluffing. As she faced down their adversary, her courage went up a notch. Cool composure made her feel normal... made her feel like Scully. "So you say now, that you've had a chance to speak to him. But I think when you first came here, you believed him to be a traitor, didn't you?" It was no use lying about this. "And your plan was to assassinate him, am I right? He betrayed your ideals. Betrayed *you* - how could you not hate him?" Though that's just what the plan had been - what she'd assured Krycek she could do if necessary, if Mulder got in the way of the attack. But she'd known all along she'd never be able to carry it out. She felt the red blush of guilt creep up her face. He picked up his napkin and laid it over his lap, then began to eat, slicing his cake with slow deliberation. "If you say so, my dear... but don't insult my intelligence. I think you appointed yourself judge, jury, and executioner. The opportunity arose and you took it." He took a bite of the cake. "Mmm... delicious. Try it, Fox." Julia could feel just how off-balance Mulder was by this development. More so than she was, she suspected. Though he knew of her discussion with Krycek about the possibility of having to ... God, she couldn't even think it... he knew that she would never have gone through with it, no matter what kind of person he'd become. She would have followed the plan, then died with him here. In sorrow, yes - but no way would she have joined these people, even if *he* had. Her hand took his under the table. He grasped it like a lifeline and said, "No thank you... I seem to have lost my appetite. For the food *and* your ridiculous accusations." As he pushed away from the table, he was halted by his father's words. "I wonder if Julia would make it in one of the holding facilities... you remember the accommodations, don't you Fox?" His statement worked as expected, as Mulder stilled, his hand crushing hers. He looked at Julia with anguished eyes, directing his rebuttal to Cancerman. "You wouldn't dare." "I believe you know me better than that, my boy," came the soft, ominous reply. "Now, let's stop this charade once and for all. It's a waste of my time and yours." Julia tugged on Mulder's hand and he responded by resuming his seat, actually loosening just a bit. Easing his stance before the face that watched their every move from across the table; not to her. She knew better - Mulder was trying a different tactic in an effort to kill time. He knew, just as she did, that her discovery wasn't the real issue... as long as the plan remained secret. "So," Mulder began, shoving the plate of cake away, "what tipped you off, if I may ask?" "DNA never lies." Of course, she thought. They tested her without her knowledge, pulling a strand of hair or scraping her skin while she was under anesthesia that first day. It was something she'd overlooked, not realizing Cancerman would be that curious. "I had my suspicions from the beginning - and I wasn't sure until I got the test results this morning - things are so much slower these days, you know." He shook his head with mock disappointment. "But I was already convinced, really. What sealed it for me was the fact that you accepted her, Fox. She seemed to suddenly make you very happy. Pleased me to no end." "Like you really care one way or the other," Mulder grumbled, irritation making him look away. Julia knew he was scoping out the room; time was rapidly slipping by. Hold on. They needed to hold on, she prayed. "You're right, my boy. I *don't* really care." It was Julia's turn to answer that statement, fury staining her cheeks. Cancerman sipped at his coffee. Julia wanted to scream at him to stop torturing them and just spit it out, whatever it was. He was taking great pleasure in making them wait, finishing his cup and signaling for another to be poured before he answered, "I'm dying. But you both knew this, am I correct?" Neither gave him the satisfaction. Why bother? Julia thought. He knows what we know. But she'd seen him in the company of a shapeshifter - a bringer of good health simply by the touch of his hand. she signed, knowing he knew what she was asking. "We had an agreement - my help with colonization in exchange for curing me. He came for me after he took Fox; healed me as best he could. But what is in me - what I took from Fox so long ago - it lives within me now. My colleague cannot cure me of its effects." He paused to light a cigarette and shoved his plate away. "The most I can hope for is that the DNA I salvage from you, Fox, can prolong my life." She scoffed at the old man, her eyes flashing and her hands moving with stiff purpose. He reached for his cup of coffee. "You misunderstand, Julia. The only thing I wanted that Fox could give me was not his blood... though it's helped immensely. It was *you.*" "What?" Mulder's soft question echoed the one in her mind. She felt him stiffen beside her. "You, dear Julia... pure of heart, pure of mind... pure in blood and flesh and genetic material just waiting to be passed on. To one who will not be tainted by direct exposure to the black oil... but will be immune." The old man couldn't be implying what she thought he was, could he? It was impossible; she'd known that for many years now. "I had samples from Fox, of course. Taken while he was aboard the spacecraft. Mixed in a petri dish with the finest raw material available. Ova from you yourself, my dear - just for science's sake, you understand." He sighed. "Alas, the resulting fetuses were failures, their DNA incompatible with mine." "You son-of-a-bitch." Mulder's choked curse echoed the pain in her heart. Their children. Sacrificed so this man could live. Julia felt nausea roll in her throat. He *was* speaking of that which she'd thought impossible... speaking of killing his own flesh and blood so he could live. "Then my doctors realized what was missing - your ova was taken from you before your exposure to the black oil. The missing ingredient, so to speak. And by then, the only black oil available to me had been mutated." He smiled ruefully. "Shot myself in the foot with that one, you could say. But you - *you* had been exposed long ago. You and Marita were the only two I knew of that still lived. And Marita, I'm sorry to say, was lost to me before I realized her value. Shot myself in the *other* foot with that one." A smile accompanied his next words as he noticed her surprise. "But you, my dear Julia - you will graciously donate what I need." Mulder spoke up, saying what they both were thinking. "She can't have children." Cancerman exhaled, the smoke clouding his face. "She can now." Julia gripped the edge of the table. Had they done something to her in the Infirmary when she'd first arrived? Laura had told her they were sterilizing her; pregnancy was the last thing anyone wanted in this place. But Cancerman just said he was sure it was her when Mulder accepted her into his bed. So why was he sure of her fertility? And he *was* sure, she could tell from the gleam in his eye. "The chip, my dear," he drawled, "surely you know that I can manipulate it in any fashion? You've seen what it can do. I do believe it even has the capability to generate tissue. Ova, to be precise." Julia felt a tiny bit of relief surge through her. The chip he was speaking of was long gone, replaced by the one Krycek assured her could not be used against her. And Cancerman didn't know that - he was assuming the chip in her neck was the same one he'd given Mulder years ago to cure her cancer. Mulder knew this too, his eyes capturing hers with shadowy relief as well. They both knew she was safe from his father's plans. "Ask Fox - I threatened to call you here with it. But at the time, you were more valuable to me as blackmail material. And I suspected you were in a position to know about the women I threw at Fox. It was only a matter of time before you'd come to him - and to me." she countered. She knew damn well she wasn't pregnant, and would never be. But the ruse had to be maintained, which meant some resistance was expected. "And I believe my cooperation would be required as well," Mulder said softly. "Something you'll never have." Under the table, their fingers interlocked, sure in the execution of the plan. Cancerman killed his cigarette, only to light another, the coffee forgotten. "Oh come now... you want it. Admit it." He smiled, a sinister thing that grated on her nerves. "Michael? Or Gabriel? How sweet. Picking out baby names already." Julia felt as if she *would* vomit, right here on this pristine white tablecloth. The bastard had listened to them this afternoon. She'd known they listened, but to have it thrown in her face with such snide pleasure was the last straw. Her free hand rose up and she slapped him. The Guardsmen started forward immediately, but Cancerman waved them away, working his jaw. "Quite a feisty thing, aren't you?" His voice became steely and his eyes hardened to pieces of beady granite. "You will *both* do what I say - or suffer the consequences." Suddenly, the lights flickered in the restaurant, then went out totally. Murmurs of slow panic arose in the darkness until the emergency lighting kicked in at the exits. "Oh, I'm so scared," Mulder drawled, pushing away from the table to stand. He pulled Julia up with him, sarcasm dripping from his voice, "Nice dinner, sir. Though the company left much to be desired. If you'll excuse us...." "You can't stop me, Fox." The statement made them pause in the act of turning. "Resign yourselves to that fact... it will make your lives much easier." Julia held onto his hand as they walked away, then looked up as Mulder was stopped by a Guardsman. The soldier was joined by another and together, they blocked any exit. So close... they'd been so close. Julia squeezed Mulder's hand and he dropped his chin to look at her, a small smile lighting his eyes. She was puzzled for a moment by his complacency, then it dawned on her - he wasn't planning on submitting. The glow in his eyes moved over her face as if touching her with his lips... in a sad goodbye. No. Don't do this. We can think of something else. All this and more bled from her face in the span of a second. But it was too late. As if in slow motion, she watched Mulder grab at the pistol in the Guardsman's holster. Julia felt frozen in place, unable to react. Her hand was shoved away and she stumbled back, just as Mulder turned and fired. End Chapter Twenty-seven