Deception by Alison M "The package has been delivered, sir." The smaller of the two men halted as his employer walked towards them. The tall man nodded, bending briefly to cup the match in his hands as he lit his cigarette. "Where do you want it, sir?" The man blew out a smoke ring. "In the lab." He watched them as they manoeuvred the body bag into the room and onto the table, waving at them to stand back once it was settled. Reaching for the zip, he pulled it down with a jerk, smiling with triumph as he uncovered the face of the unconscious man. "I'll make a new man of you, my son," he said quietly, stroking the hair with affection. He stood back and nodded to the two men. They briskly removed the man from the bag, undressed him, covered him with a thin white sheet and stepped outside the room. Frowning at his watch, the man waited for a few minutes, nodding to himself as he heard the tip tap of high heels hurry down the hallway. A short, red haired lady with a startling similarity to Dana Scully appeared in the room. She nodded at the smoking man, and moved towards the table, pulling back the sheet covering his head. "He's a good looking specimen," she said with interest as she pulled the sheet further back. "Young, fit and healthy." The smoking man nodded. "He's yours for the next few weeks, Dr Verne. Take any genetic material you want and do any test you need to. You've read his file?" She nodded. "Good, then you know what we want to achieve." The woman nodded briskly. "Understood, sir." She pulled the sheet up and stepped back from the operating table. "You'll be wanting daily reports?" "I want to know everything that happens to him in full detail." Dr Verne nodded again. "It will all be taken care of." She thought for a second. "What do we call him?" The smoking man smiled. "Fox, just Fox, nothing more, nothing less." He reached forward and gave the face one more pat before turning and leaving the white, sterile room. Alex Krycek glowered at the two goons in front of him as they checked his credentials, removed his gun and nodded him through. He sauntered into the smoke filled room and waited to be acknowledged. . "Krycek," the smoker's voice sounded amused. "Do sit." Krycek sat back in the upright chair and viewed his employer coolly. The ever-present smoke trails swirled around his head making him look like a mountain encased in clouds. "You said you had a proposition to put to before me." The smoker's lips twitched. "Two in fact, Alex." Krycek noted the first name and held back a twitch of concern. When the bastard got all friendly bad shit started to happen. "Dr Verne has expressed an interest in improving your arm. She thinks she can graft a lightweight realistic replacement arm onto the nerves and muscle in your stump." The smoker coughed, dropped ash on the floor and looked closely at Krycek. "She's quite enthusiastic, seems she has the facility to introduce nanocytes into the mix and believes that they may work internally to improve the function. Your injury offers her the opportunity to trial her work." Krycek took a deep breath. He could stand being a guinea pig if he got a functional arm in return. He looked down at the lifeless plastic on his left side and knew it was a forgone conclusion he'd say yes. His stump was too short to permit much action and the harness he wore ground into his back and upper arm and hurt like hell. "It's experimental?" he asked, proud that his voice remained level. The smoking man smiled. "Very, but she thinks it is safe and she's certain she can give you considerably more function than you have at present. Apparently the arm is made from titanium, both lightweight and durable." He smiled. "We will be spending a great deal of time and money on you, Alex. I do hope our investment will pay off." "Why are you offering me this?" Krycek asked, genuinely curious. The smoker smiled. "I have my reasons, Alex." He rose from his chair. "Follow me, I want to show you my second proposition." Krycek reluctantly followed his employer through the white, sterile passages towards the labs. He knew what type of things went on in them and was not keen on entering them. The smoker pressed a switch, was scrutinised and let into the room. He waved the guard out and walked towards a table with a recumbent figure laid out on it covered by a white sheet. "You know who this is, Alex?" Krycek moved forward and gasped as he took in the sleeping features of Fox Mulder. His eyes narrowed as the smoker lovingly caressed the glossy hair, longer than Krycek could every remember seeing it, and bent down to place a kiss on the white cheek. Mulder gave a slight sigh. "My son, Fox Mulder." Krycek glanced sharply at the man. He'd heard the rumours, but to have it confirmed so casually surprised him. "My son who has been a thorn in my side for too long and needs sound discipline to become the dutiful and loving son I have longed for him to be." Krycek bit his bottom lip to stop him laughing out loud. The guy was nuts. It wasn't going to happen. "If I gave him to you, Alex, what would you do?" Krycek's jaw dropped open and he gulped, turning and giving a longing lustful look at the tall, lanky, irritating, superior, downright gorgeous, pain in the ass lying before him. Panicking at his sudden loss of control he assumed his neutral look and raised his eyebrows. "What do you mean?" he asked coolly. The smoker laughed, apparently catching his glance. "I want an honest answer, Alex. I am well aware of the fatal fascination that seems to flow between the pair of you, so don't give me any rubbish about beating him senseless, because we both know you want some thing different." Krycek grimaced. "What do you want me to say?" he muttered gruffly. "I do want to beat him senseless." "Alex," the smoker warned quietly. "Don't lie to me." Krycek raised his head defiantly. "Fine, will it suit you if I say I've wanted the bastard ever since I set eyes on him?" The smoker nodded, a pleased smile crossing his lips. "I'm aware of that, Alex, that's why I'm offering you my son as your lover. The story is that you've been in a relationship for over five years, ever since Fox left the bureau's violent crime's unit following a bad burn out, and started working for me. Just recently a meeting with an old acquaintance left Fox ill and unhappy and he briefly disappeared." He smiled at Krycek through the cigarette smoke. "You went frantic with worry, searched for him, found him ill and shot up with drugs, and brought him to me at my personal request." Krycek blinked. "Excuse me?" he asked trying to sound scathing whilst feeling totally bewildered. "Is this some kind of screwed up fairy tale, or are we just descending into soap opera?" The smoker ignored him. "You're the dominant one in the relationship. Fox defers to you." He laughed. "I doubt I could make him submissive, but I'm going to programme in obedience to me and some of it will leak over to you." He glanced at Krycek and smiled. "Fox is going to have his memory reorganised to my specification. I want him almost exactly as he is now, but I wanted his ties with the FBI, the X-Files and in particular Dana Scully, broken." He leant forward and eyed Mulder with a satisfied smile." I thought that having a homosexual relationship with a known consortium spy and assassin would be an appropriate way of doing it. The delightful Miss Scully will be horrified, she has very good reasons to hate you, Alex." Krycek ignored him, his eyes on the still figure below him. The smoker drew in a deep breath of smoke, tipped his head back and exhaled, a look of deep satisfaction on his face. "We've tried taking Scully from him, all it did was send him nearly mad with grief and increase his determination to find the truth. We've leashed his boss." He looked sharply at Krycek, who nodded a smile of satisfaction coming over him as he thought of Skinner's reaction to his control of the nanocytes still in his blood stream. "We've had them both removed from the X-Files, we've had his memory wiped, and still my obsessive son searches both for his half sister and for his damn truth." Krycek viewed the smoker with dispassionate interest. Mulder had certainly irritated many in the Consortium, but the word had been that he was too important to be eliminated. He was beginning to think that sentiment; parental love and grudging respect were the real reasons for Mulder's continued existence. He shrugged, he didn't really care, now he had the opportunity he just wanted to claim ownership of Fox Mulder's body and soul. "He remains important, Alex, but he must be kept in line. Taught the consequences of his disobedience. Learn to serve obediently. To stop interfering, and stop putting his life at risk." Krycek didn't think obedience had ever been a popular word in Mulder's vocabulary, but he hesitated to burst his employer's bubble. He looked up at the smoker to find himself being scrutinised by the man. "Are you up to this, Alex? Can you make Fox believe that you are lovers? Can you keep him compliant and satisfied?" Krycek smiled. "No one's ever complained before," he said sardonically. "But Mulder's got to want this even if it's subconsciously, you don't just change a person's sexuality over night." The Smoker blew a stream of smoke in the air and nodded. "How modest, Alex," he said mildly. He turned to look at Mulder before pulling back the sheet, exposing him to Krycek's view. Krycek felt himself get hard as much from the vulnerability he could see on Mulder's face, as from the sight of his naked body. He checked him out, Mulder certainly looked younger and more handsome lying there and from what he could see, the smoking bastard had used his tame Bounty Hunter to remove the relatively few scars that he remembered. Krycek took a deep breath and pulled his gaze away from Mulder. "I can do it, I'm sure Mulder wants me, he can't keep his hands off me, even if it's normally to beat up on me." The smoking man laughed. "And you give him so many opportunities, Alex." He turned and began to stroke Mulder's face, his expression hidden. "I hadn't expected such an outcome when I paired you together, but I soon saw how useful it could be." He smiled at Krycek's discomfort. "Enjoy my Fox, Alex. It's not many fathers that would be so generous. Enjoy him but remember for his continued safety he must be brought over to us, or broken to our service." He stroked Mulder's cheek again to Krycek's discomfort. He did not like watching the smoker touching Mulder so intimately. The smoking man pulled up the sheets, leaning down to kiss the pale cheeks. He straightened up and gesturing Krycek to follow him. "Dr Verne will wish to see you straight away, Alex. We need the arm grafted and working before you take on Fox." He dropped his cigarette on the floor and ground the stub out with his heel. "It will take some weeks to have Fox conditioned, so you will have time." Krycek nodded and followed his employer back to the office, his mind running over the implications of the incredible opportunity he had just been given. Christ it was a wet dream come true, almost too good to be believed and even better, he was being offered a new arm. Why now he wondered, a year or more after his loss? And what were the consequences? He shrugged, he'd do almost anything to get his arm back and he'd do a lot to get Mulder under his control. He glanced at his employer impassively. Knowing the smoking man, he'd be asked to sell his soul twice over, but for now, the price seemed almost acceptable. Everything ached. His head, neck and back... He felt limp and lifeless as he surfaced from a deep sleep to a bed and bedroom he didn't recognise. A knock at the door preceded the entrance of a tall bald man dressed in a suit. He nodded at Mulder and walked towards the drapes, flinging them back to reveal intense sunlight. "Good morning, sir," he intoned solemnly with a faint English accent. "Your father is keen to see you up and about today. He worries that you will lose too much muscle tone if you don't get moving after your illness." Mulder watched him in dazed confusion. "My father?" he asked incredulously. The man continued. "Your father, Master Spender, is partaking of breakfast, sir. He asks you to join him after you have showered and dressed. Shall I lay out your clothes?" Mulder blinked. "Spender is my father?" he asked bemused. "Put out my clothes? What the hell is going on?" "You've had a severe illness, sir. It seems to have muddled your brain. Please allow me to help you to the bathroom." The bald man drew back the sheet and hauled the startled Mulder to his feet, marched him to the bathroom, turned on the shower, bowed and walked out. Mulder blinked looking around the splendid bathroom with amazement. Everything was tasteful and obviously expensive from the gleaming shower to the beautiful, possibly hand made, tiles. Dazed, he stripped and walked into the enormous shower cubicle, content to allow the warm water to beat down on him as he stood and tried to collect his wits. His thoughts turned to Scully, his universal comfort and found only pain and hurt. He covered his eyes in shock trying to sort out his memories. Scully had hurt him, telling him it was for his own good. He gasped in pain the tears slowly trickling down his cheeks. It couldn't be true, Scully wouldn't hurt him, she wouldn't. They loved each other! "Scully," he moaned. "Scully, help me." A dark, bleak silence answered him and his heart broke. Confused, hurt and bewildered beyond comprehension, Mulder sank to his knees and, to his horror, began to cry. Downstairs, Spender viewed the video image with dissatisfaction. He blew out some smoke and turned to look at Krycek. "He attempts to cling to Dana Scully, Alex. This shouldn't be possible after his conditioning. You must destroy that link and replace her with yourself while Fox is still suggestible and confused." Krycek nodded, turning his gaze to the sobbing man in the shower. "Do you think he loves her?" he asked, aware of the coil of jealously lingering beneath his words. Spender nodded. "Yes," he smiled. "But we know that they are not romantically involved." He tapped his ash into an ornate marble bowl. "They have had numerous opportunities to become lovers, yet never have." He looked up at the screen and pursed his lips. "My son seems to find it difficult to trust. Having found himself able to trust the delightful Dana, I believe he would never take the chance of it failing if they added sex into the already overcharged atmosphere." He glanced at the screen. "Go and comfort my son, Alex," he ordered. Krycek ran up the stairs and headed for the bedroom. He entered the bathroom, turning off the shower before crouching down by the sobbing man and pulling him into his arms. "Fox," he crooned in his ear, "Sshh love, I'm here for you." The sobbing continued as Krycek rocked and whispered words of comfort, placing kisses along the ear and chin exposed to him, while running his hand along Mulder's spine. Slowly Mulder stopped crying, raising an arm to wipe at his face. Krycek grabbed at the arm and gripped his chin, gently forcing Mulder's head up so he could gaze into the confused and grieving face below him. He smiled, Mulder still looked good, the wide-eyed bewilderment suiting him and an erotic contrast to the anger and hatred he normally had directed at him. He leant forward to plant a kiss on the trembling lips. Mulder remained passive as Krycek slowly increased the kiss until he was pushing his tongue into Mulder's mouth exploring it with enthusiasm. Mulder groaned under him, but again made no move to fight the invasion. Knowing that if he didn't stop he'd be forcing Mulder down onto the tiles and taking him there and them, Krycek backed off. Force was not in his game plan, however appealing an idea it seemed at the present moment. Seduction however was. He smiled, planting a light kiss of the moist lips. "Fox," he said gently. "Come on, I need to get you out of here." Mulder groaned and slowly got to his knees. Alex stood up and pulled him to his feet and into his arms. "You are so gorgeous," he said truthfully, leaving out the other less flattering adjectives. "So fucking sexy I can hardly leave you alone." Another truth, but happily not only was he not going to leave him alone, but he had every intention of totally overdosing on him. He gently pushed Mulder out of the shower, wrapped him in a towel, grabbed one himself and a spare and moved him back to the bed. He lay Mulder down and dried him off, kissing each part of him as he dried it. Mulder looked at him in bemusement, moaning sexily as he nibbled at his nipples. Krycek grinned. He finished the drying and threw the towel on the floor. "What am I going to do with you, Fox?" he asked the passive man. "I can't leave you alone for a few days without you going on a bender of drink and drugs." He shook his head, giving Mulder a stern look. Mulder blinked and looked more bewildered. "You're a naughty boy, Fox," Krycek continued, secretly amused at the sudden flash of indignation that crossed Mulder's face. Good, the man might be confused, drugged and passive, but some of his original character remained. "I told you I would take care of everything. I look after you and protect you, Fox. You know that." "Krycek?" Mulder's voice was husky and trembling. "What? How?" He took in a deep breath and blinked rapidly. "I don't understand. What am I doing here with you, and where is here?" He looked round the room incredulously before turning his gaze back to Krycek. "Fox, baby, you really aren't firing on all cylinders today, are you." "Baby? Fox? What the fuck are you playing at, Krycek?" Mulder asked indignantly, attempting to pull away from Krycek. "I want to go home, see Scully." His voice wavered at the mention of her name and he blinked rapidly. "I need to talk to Scully." "Scully doesn't want to talk to you, Fox," Krycek said sternly. "You made your choice, baby. It's you and me now, and I'm not ever letting you go." Mulder gaped up at him. "You killed my father, you tried to kill Scully and Skinner, you've had a go at me at least twice. You've lied, betrayed and murdered those I care for, why would I ever chose you over the FBI and Scully?" His voice was angry and ragged by the time he had finished his speech. Krycek stroked the trembling lips firmly holding Mulder's chin as he tried to jerk his head away. "Fox, we've been through this before. William Mulder was not your father, and yes, I killed him to protect you. He was going to embroil you in something that would have ended up with you dead, and my superiors decided that was not acceptable." He caught sight of Spender walking into the room, a hypodermic in his hand and carried on making sure that Mulder's attention was on him. He reached forward and kissed Mulder as Spender reached them and prepared to inject Mulder. "I love you, baby. Can't you remember that?" He put his all in the kiss, refusing to be put off by Mulder's resistance. Mulder made a small noise and slowly relaxed as the tranquilliser took affect. "I love you, Fox," Krycek whispered. "You're mine, baby, no one else's." He looked down at Mulder's sleepy countenance and stroked his cheek. "Alex?" Mulder look confused and puzzled, "You've got two arms." He sighed, closed his eyes and passed out. Krycek gently let go of him and turned to face his boss. Spender was looking down at Mulder, frustration and reluctant admiration in his face. He stroked Fox's face a few times and his gaze lingered, with too much interest for Krycek's peace of mind, on Mulder's exposed body. "He is worthy to be my son," he said slowly. "Obviously we need more drugs and conditioning." He shook his head. "If only he'd been on my side from the beginning, we'd have made a formidable team." "What more are you going to do to him?" Krycek asked. Spender smiled. "Do you really care as long as you get his body?" Krycek shrugged. "He's got a great body and I want to fuck him, but his gloriously twisted mind is just as appealing, it would be a shame if you destroyed it." Spender laughed. "My dear boy, you haven't been listening. I want that mind compos mentis, but just not right away. We'll offer him love, acceptance and belief. Fox has always wanted people to believe in him. I'll keep as close to the truth as possible. Everything will be monitored and controlled. Fox won't be able to escape my honey trap." Mulder watched Alex covertly as he wandered round the room naked. He had a constant feeling that everything was an illusion, and that he was living in a dream created for him. He had to admit to himself that anyone that included Alex Krycek as part of his fantasy had a greater access to his psyche and hidden desires than he was comfortable with. Alex was sex on legs; there was no other way of describing him. He felt himself harden as he watched the man. Alex turned and gave him a filthy grin. Mulder hardened even more, and gave a muted groan as he rolled into the pillows. A kiss on his shoulder made him shudder with desire. "Want to play, Fox?" Alex murmured, his voice sending fresh waves of desire flowing through Mulder's groin. Mulder groaned as the kiss moved round towards his chest and a tongue began to bathe his nipple. He was constantly amazed at how erotic he found everything that Alex did to him. How much he wanted the man, how turned on he could get with just a kiss and a caress, and underneath his amazement was a certainty that this was new, that he had never felt any of this before whatever Alex kept telling him. Yet, despite all his worries and fears, he couldn't get enough of Alex. The more he got, the more he wanted. "Sexy, beautiful man," Alex whispered as Mulder shuddered beneath him. "My Fox." Mulder shivered at the fierce possessive note in Alex's voice, mortified at how much he desired it. As Alex's tongue, lips and hands played their way down his body, he responded automatically, fierce desire swamping him so that he clung to Alex's body, and cried out at every touch, and when Alex finally touched his raging erection he screamed his name and came so violently that he blacked out. He came to seconds later with Alex murmuring sweet nothings, and the familiar feel of Alex's hands preparing him to be entered, fucked, made love to, however it was phrased, he knew yet again that he wanted it so much that it frightened him. He couldn't remember feeling this overriding need for anything but his work, and despite the sheer pleasure that he gained from it, he wanted to stop, halt the carousel, get off and regain normality, whatever that meant. Instead he arched and groaned in contentment as Alex thrust into him, his satiated murmurings causing his lover to laugh against his neck, kissing him gently with each movement. Alex appeared to be in no hurry as they rocked together, him enjoying the sweet ache, and Alex telling him in that husky, sexy voice just how damn gorgeous and fuckable he was. As Alex slowly sped up the sweet ache became a juddering sharp painfully wonderful burning, and he begged for more as Alex rocked into him, harder and faster. This time Alex's scream of completion overcame his, and they tumbled into the sheets, happy, satiated and in Mulder's case, drowsy with contentment. He felt Alex's lips on his, heard the whispered, "Until next time, sweet, Fox," and fell asleep. Krycek wandered into the smoker's office, grimacing with disgust when he found him reviewing the tape of their last encounter. "Can't you let us have any privacy at all?" he demanded tightly, his anger at the man carefully restrained. Spender shook his head, tracing his fingers around Mulder's mouth as he cried out at something. "I need to monitor his reactions to everything, Alex," he murmured. "This drug is fairly experimental and we need to keep a close eye on Fox." Krycek glared at him. "You don't have to tape us having sex," he said forcefully. "Nor do you have to go over the whole thing so carefully. You're obsessed with Fox, aren't you?" Spender looked up and took a puff of the ubiquitous cigarette. "We have a shared obsession wouldn't you say, Alex?" he said dryly. Krycek looked straight at him. "But you're Fox's father, or that's what you keep telling me." Spender nodded. "And that's one of the reason why I'm not in your place," he said dryly. "Alongside my age." He raised his eyebrows as Krycek's look of shock, and laughed. "How enjoyable to see you shocked, dear Alex. I didn't think it was possible." He turned back to the screen. "I loved Fox's mother dearly, Alex, and Fox resembles her greatly." He shrugged, "Fox means a great deal to me, the project and to the future of mankind. Quite a burden for him I always think, with the hopes of so many on his shoulders." Krycek took a deep breath, relieved when the monitor settled on Mulder fast asleep in the clinic. "Leaving the cryptic 'saviour of mankind' part aside, when can we take Fox out of there, and back to the house?" Spender looked down at a chart. "Dr Verne thinks that the conditioning is complete this time. You've done your bit so that subconsciously Fox feels comfortable and certain with you as his lover. He's programmed to be obedient to me, and as far as he is aware, which is actually very little, he's recovering from whatever drugs he was given." He set the chart down. "The first few weeks are going to be crucial, Alex. Never, ever under estimate, Fox. Never lower your guard, and report any sign that you think the conditioning is breaking to me immediately." "You expect it to?" Krycek questioned. Spender laughed. "This is Fox Mulder we're dealing with, Alex. Do you know how many memory wipes he's had and survived? Suffice to say, Fox is no ordinary person. He will break through this conditioning, I just not sure when, or how long we have. What I need is for him to become as dependent on you as he was on Scully." He blew a long stream of smoke across the table at Krycek. "You won't let me down will you, Alex?" Krycek shook his head, a sudden and very unwanted streak of compassion making him feel very sorry for Fox Mulder. Scully sighed in frustration as yet another possible sighting turned up negative. She and Skinner were searching mainly in their own time, AD Kersch informing them in no uncertain terms that if Mulder had been kidnapped they would have had demands for his release before now. Scully knew that, but wanted to know what Kersch was doing to find him. The answer seemed to be nothing. Mulder would return sometime, and in the mean time life would go on. Scully was furious, both she and Skinner were convinced that he had been kidnapped by the Consortium and put good money on Spender as the perpetrator of the act. She'd entered Skinner's office one morning to find the smoking bastard standing in the room, looking his normal smug, insufferable self. She'd challenged him about Mulder, while he smiled at her and blew wreaths of grey smoke in her face. She'd been tempted to push the cigarette down his throat, but had calmed herself and left Skinner's office almost immediately. Her cell phone rang and she answered it with a curt, "Agent Scully." There was a slight hesitation at the other end "Scully?" the voice cracked. "Scully, is that really you?" Scully's mouth dropped open in amazement. "Mulder," she shouted. "Where are you? You've been missing for over four months" Mulder's voice sounded faint. "I don't know exactly where I am, Scully," he said sounding weary. "The only newspapers we have are the New York Times, but I don't think we're in New York." He was silent for a few seconds. "I'm not really sure what I know and what I believe, but we did work together didn't we, and you are my friend?" Scully stared at the phone in amazement. "Mulder," she said sharply. "Listen to me. I don't know who's got you or what they've done to you, but Skinner and I are desperate to find you. We've got the Gunmen searching for you and we won't let up." She waited for his acknowledgement. "I know, Scully," he sighed. "Who is holding you?" she demanded. "Mulder, tell me what you know." There was silence for a second. "My father," Mulder said hesitantly, "and Alex." Scully gasped. "Krycek, is he mixed up in this?" she demanded, absently wondering who was claiming to be Mulder's father. "Yes, he's nice to me," Mulder said distantly. "I care for him, Scully, but I don't think I trust him." "You hate him!" Scully said incredulously. Mulder was silent. "Not any more," he said slowly, and then sighed. "I don't know what I think other than I'm sure they're drugging me Scully, I feel so confused." He stopped. "I think Alex is coming back, I have to go." Scully was left shouting into the phone as the line went dead. She blinked before staring blankly at the building in front of her. Someone was playing with Mulder's mind, and that bastard Krycek was involved. She checked for the number, unsurprised to find that it was barred and rang Skinner. "Mulder rang," she said without preamble, not waiting for any answer. "He doesn't know where he is, he's obviously drugged and he say his father and Krycek are holding him." She listened to Skinner's angry mutterings impatiently. "Sir, who would refer to himself as Mulder's father and why?" Her face went pale as Skinner spoke briefly. "Why have I never heard these rumours, and does Mulder know?" she asked sharply. Skinner was silent, she suspected more through uncertainty that a desire to withhold information. "Is he still there?" she asked curtly. At Skinner's denial she sighed. "I'll check with the Lone Gunmen see if they can do anything about recovering the phone number, but I guess we have to wait for Mulder to contact us again, if he's allowed." She waited for Skinner acknowledgement before ending the call. Unhappily she headed for her car and Mulder's paranoid friends. Sighing, Mulder closed Alex's cell phone and slipped it back into his leather jacket, hoping that his lover hadn't seen his furtive movements. That brief contact with Scully had confirmed his suspicions about his mismatched memories, although it left him even further confused. What he apparently remembered wasn't accurate. He'd been through a few mind wipes in his time, and was beginning to recognise when his memory had been interfered with. It probably helped that he had an eidetic memory, although he had to admit that whoever had been in charge of the last one had done an excellent job because he still wasn't too sure what was real and what was false. He'd also been honest with Scully, while he didn't trust Alex he was far from indifferent to him. In fact he was halfway to being madly in love with him, and that would just not do. Mulder shook his head, he couldn't ever remember being with a man before, it wasn't that he had been opposed to it, it was just that all his, very limited, sexual contacts had been women, and he had been content that way. He was acutely aware that Alex Krycek had always stirred passionate feelings in him, and he now realised that the feelings had been mutual. He supposed the old cliché that extreme hatred and extreme love were just two sides of the same coin was true in their case. Not that he thought Alex was in love with him, but it was obvious from their lustful couplings that Krycek wanted him very much indeed. He sighed again as Alex pulled him into a warm embrace, kissed him gently on the lips and released him with a grin and wave as he headed downstairs to the gym taking the cell phone with him. Bringing his feet up onto the sofa he clasped his arms around his knees and continued to think, rubbing his head at the almost constant headache his musings seemed to engender. He felt so tired most of the time. He'd tried go for a jog around the large gardens and was shocked to find how out of breath he was after a less than half an hour of mindless running. Alex had promised to take him out to night, and he wanted to feel well enough to enjoy himself as well as try and pick up some clues as to where the hell he was. He glanced up as he heard the phone ring, watching as the English butler answered it. Moments later he heard the ring in the gym and decided to watch Alex and try and listen in to the phone call, wondering if it was from the ever-present constantly smoking man. Thoughts of his father made the headache worsen, and he thought for one moment he was going to be sick. Controlling his stomach and blanking his mind, he uncurled from the couch and headed down the basement into the large gym. His lover looked up from the press bench and smiled at him as he continued to listen to the one sided conversation. Mulder looked round the at the exercise machines and shrugged, he'd go for a swim, that would make him feel better and it was a mindless exercise he could lose himself in, even if the pool was too small to really get into a good rhythm. He smiled at Alex and wandered up the stairs again before heading for the bedroom and searching for his Speedos. Eventually finding them he slipped them on, grabbed a towel and headed for the pool. The mindless activity worked, soothed his worries as he relaxed into the rhythm of his strokes; turn, swim, turn, stroke out, turn, change stroke, turn... He was brought up sharply by the feel of arms around him, the nuzzling of moist lips along his neck, and the insistent tugging at his Speedo's. He relaxed into Alex's embrace and smiled. "Thought you didn't like to swim?" Alex licked at his ear. "Not aiming on swimming," he growled. "I'm aiming to make out in the pool, something completely different." Mulder shivered and allowed Alex to pull off his trunks. He could feel the difference in the flesh arm and the artificial arm, while marvelling at the technology that allowed Alex control over the very upmarket prosthesis. The arm felt warm to the touch, and the 'skin' felt real. The hardness was the first indication that the limb was artificial, and the slight hesitancy in the movement was also a give away. Mulder had watched Alex work at reaching and grasping for objects, holding his breath as Alex tried for finer and finer control until he could, with some effort, pick up a pin and even sew if he'd had a mind to want to do so. Even the join was near perfect. Mulder knew that such technology was so advanced as to be almost out of this world. That someone had grafted an arm onto Alex's stump and that he could use it without the need for a harness and muscle power from his right shoulder, had stunned Mulder. He didn't even have an external battery. His dry internal musings were halted as Alex's hands, real and artificial, tongue and teeth, proceeded to drive him out of his mind with lust. Krycek looked down at Mulder possessively, tracing the shape of the man with his eyes, and enjoying anew the pleasure of looking freely at his body. He had no understanding how Mulder had managed to live so long without a relationship. His Fox craved touch and the pleasure of sex like a drowning man. Touch him in the right place and you had a panting erotic and sensuous body in your hands. He'd always hoped that Mulder was good in bed, but the reality far outweighed even his imagination. Krycek shifted in the sun chair and stroked his hand down Mulder's torso, flicking at a nipple as he did. Mulder murmured but didn't wake. He sat back and contemplated the phone message from his boss. He'd said that he would be back tonight and would be taking them both out to dinner. He was to have Mulder dressed and ready to go on his arrival. Krycek sighed, his pleasure at his new arm and his possession of Mulder blunted by the constant presence of the smoking man. His relationship with Spender had always been unsettling, and he preferred the time when he had been under the auspices of the English man. He'd been a firm, but surprisingly considerate employer, while Spender was dangerous and unpredictable. Krycek knew that Fox Mulder had always registered highly in Spender's plans, but he still wasn't sure that he understood why. Initially he thought that keeping Mulder alive was a dangerous decision. That was until he had started to get to know him, and keeping him alive had become important to him as well. He looked down at the sleeping man and wondered if Mulder knew quite how many enemies he had made and how surprised he would be if he knew that half of those enemies respect for him was such that they wanted him to be controlled rather than killed. He smiled, Mulder probably wouldn't give a damn. The man had never taken time to kiss ass and suck up, he'd be well up in the FBI if he had. Krycek sniggered at the thought of AD Mulder, and drifted off to sleep with the images of taking AD Mulder on his desk in his own office. He woke a couple of hours later, roused Mulder, and had a pleasant shower before they dressed. Mulder got a little impatient at his insistence that he wore what was put out for him, frowning at the dark black jeans and white silk shirt in suspicion. Krycek laughed at him, which did nothing for his lover's equanimity. They headed down stairs to wait for Spender. Once there, Mulder sprawled on the floor to read the paper while Krycek sat in the chair above him, providing his legs as support. They remained that way until Spender returned, his arrival heralded by smoke. Krycek stroked Mulder's hair as he felt the tension in him, looking up to see the spark of envy and jealously light in Spender's eyes before he settled his face into a smile of welcome. The smoking man bent down towards Mulder and lifted his chin. "You're looking a bit pale, Fox. You haven't been doing too much have you? I asked Alex to take care of you." Mulder shook his head. "No. I feel much better; I even went for a swim." Spender patted Mulder's face and sat across from them. "Good," he said gravely. " I'm taking you out to dinner tonight, Fox. Some associates will be joining us, and have expressed an interest in meeting you. They may have a job for you." Mulder blinked slowly. "What type of job?" he asked cautiously. Spender shook his head. "Wait and see, Fox, and don't get your hopes up too much, but between us, Alex and I intend for you to get back on your feet, and continue your search for the truth." Mulder looked puzzled, but gave an obedient smile. Krycek caught the look in his eye and would have given the earth to know exactly what he was thinking. The restaurant was small, discrete and very expensive. They had been shown to a select table furthest away from the door and the service was obsequious in the extreme. Krycek didn't feel particularly hungry, and felt increasingly irritated at the way that Spender took over ordering Mulder's food as if he were incapable of making his own decisions. That he had conferred with him over Mulder's choices made it embarrassing. He tried to convey his apologies to a rather sulky Mulder with his eyes very aware that the scene was amusing Spender's two grey-suited guests. The starter was eaten to fairly tedious small talk with little involvement from Mulder. As the dishes were cleared, Krycek decided that he wanted a little distraction. Slipping his foot out of his shoe, he slowly caressed Mulder's leg inching towards his inner thigh. Mulder dropped his eyes, sighed gently, and slowly relaxed into his chair. Krycek inched further forward brushing against the soft mound of Mulder's genitals, giving a self-satisfied smile as Mulder gave a slight moan of arousal. He wriggled his toes deeper giving a silent cheer as Mulder opened his legs a little wider to give him access. "So, Fox..." one of the grey suited men who had been introduced to them as Mr Simmons began. Krycek felt Mulder grab his foot to still his advances. "I prefer to be called Mulder, Mr Simmons," Mulder quietly interrupted, stroking one finger down the sole of Krycek's foot. Krycek stilled any impulse to quiver, and kept his foot very still, realising that war had been declared. He reached for the wine glass and took a slow sip, his eyes fixed on Mulder's face, wondering at his insistence at being called by a surname that had hardly been mentioned for months. "Mulder, your father tells us that you are possibly interested in working with us," the man continued. Mulder took a sip of wine, while his other hand held Krycek's foot imprisoned in a gentle, but firm grasp. "I don't think I actually know what you do, who you work for, or why you want me," he said thoughtfully, replacing his wine glass, and sliding his free hand under the table to tug at Krycek's sock. Mr Simmons nodded. "We are not well known," he glanced at Spender before he continuing. "We investigate extraterrestrials, and those we believe collude with them. We have some links with your father's organisation." Mulder nodded, continuing his discreet removal of Krycek's sock. The man continued. "We know of your profiling skills from your early years in the FBI. You were very highly sought after. We would like you to give us a profile on someone we want to bring in." Mulder nodded again, his busy hands now stroking along Krycek's bare foot. Krycek gritted his teeth, and thought deep, devious thoughts about revenge. Simmons continued, taking a surreptitious glance at Spender. "We want you to profile a killer we're not even sure is human," he said lightly. Mulder looked at him blankly. His hands stilled on Krycek's foot for a second, then began moving beyond his foot to his lower leg. "How do you expect me to profile something that isn't human?" he asked apparently curiously, but Krycek could feel the tension in his hands, and see it reflected in his body language. "My knowledge is based on my understanding of human nature." Simmons's shrugged. "We know that, Mulder, but much of your work has been based on understanding aberrations and lately with your father, looking for evidence of extraterrestrials. We think that with your expertise and ability to suspend judgement on things that appear to be impossible, you could become the foremost expert on understanding minds that lack any apparent similarity to our own." Mulder shook his head slowly his hands stopping their stroking. "I don't agree," he said impatiently. "You would need to have some limited understanding about what motivates them. Knowing that they want to colonise our planet, breed among us, make us a slave race, wipe us out of existence, use us as food, harvest our DNA..." he drew a deep breath and blinked rapidly, his hands tightening reflexively on Krycek's foot. Krycek replayed Mulder's words and frowned. What had he just said? Somehow he thought Mulder was beginning to start reasoning coherently, and remembering. He glanced covertly at his employer, and hoped, rather pointlessly considering the man he was dealing with, that Mulder's lapse would be put down to stress. Mulder shook himself, and look round the table in some confusion. "I'm sorry, he said slowly. "That wasn't entirely relevant to your enquiry, what I meant was we need to know this possible alien's agenda and I don't think we do." He narrowed his eyes at the silence that greeted him. "Do we?" he repeated slowly and accusingly. Just at the moment the waiters arrived with the main course. Krycek could feel Mulder's impatience as they removed the covers from the plates, offered vegetables, checked that everyone was satisfied and left them. He pushed his remaining shoe off, twitched in his chair, waited until Mulder had taken a bite of his fish, and returned to the attack with both feet. Mulder covered his initial gasp of shock with a cough. Spender turned to him. "Are you all right, Fox?" he asked. Mulder nodded, slightly red faced. Spender reached out and patted Mulder's hand before turning to the two men. "Fox has been very ill for some months and has only recently recovered his strength." He beamed at Mulder, who smiled weakly back. "As you can see though, it hasn't stopped that wonderful intellect from working." Krycek wanted to laugh at the appalled look Mulder shot Spender, taking the opportunity to rub both feet lovingly across Mulder's hardening genitals. Mulder grabbed at one foot and began tickling with his thumb. Krycek resolutely ignored it, digging his sock covered foot into the tight jeans. Spender continued, oblivious of the teasing going on next to him. "Knowing Fox as I do, I'm sure that he is more than capable of what you ask him gentlemen. You just have to decide to trust him and provide him with all the information you have if you want him to work with you, but first I think we'll let him eat a little more. He needs to put on weight." He smiled at Mulder. "Do drink more wine, Fox. It's a very good year, your birth year." Krycek heard a long-suffering sigh from Mulder, and decided to give the man a break. He dropped one foot, and left the other resting gently on Mulder's erection. Mulder reached down and patted his foot, obviously happy for it to remain there for the time being. They ate their food and drank to more social chitchat, Krycek keeping Mulder hard and interested by occasionally flexing and extending his toes. By the end of the course Mulder's eyes were glittering, and he was fidgeting in his chair. He stood suddenly, swayed a little, gave everyone a brief smile and vanished in the direction of the rest rooms. Krycek hurriedly jammed on his shoes and got up to follow him. "I'll check on him," he said quickly, and Spender nodded. As he walked into the restroom Mulder grabbed him and gave him a deep kiss. "Finish what you started, Alex," he demanded. Krycek gave a small laugh, rather enjoying this assertive Mulder. "You want a blow job gorgeous?" he asked, rubbing sinuously against Mulder. Mulder gasped. "Please," he begged. "Alex, don't make me wait." Krycek dragged him into a stall, banged the door shut and dropped to his knees pulling Mulder's fly open up as he did so. Mulder was gone, his head lolling against the wall, his hands lightly grasping Krycek's hair. He groaned as Krycek delicately licked his way along the length of his erection. Please," he moaned. Krycek smiled, opened his mouth wide and engulfed him. Mulder let go of his hair and jammed a fist in his mouth. Krycek sucked hard and began to move up and down the shaft thoroughly enjoying being the cause of the whimpering above him. He teased Mulder's balls, felt them tighten and knew Mulder couldn't last any longer. He took one last long suck, and Mulder came with a quickly smothered scream. Krycek grabbed at his hips and lowered him gently onto the toilet seat, licked him clean, packed him away, and carefully wiped the knees of his own pants. He leant forward and kissed the full mouth above him, feeling Mulder smile in response. "Sexy, sexy, man," he murmured, pulling Mulder to his feet. "Prick tease," Mulder whispered into his shoulder. "Any time," Krycek said slyly, rewarded by a snuffle of laughter from his satiated lover. He pushed him upright. "We have to get back to the table, Fox." "I want to go home, and to bed with you," Mulder muttered. Soon," Krycek assured him. "We have to carry on playing Spender's games." He frowned as he spoke, wondering what had made him say that. He'd always been careful to appear to support his employer in everything he did. Mulder sighed, and allowed himself to be pushed forward and straightened up. "Want to go to bed, Alex," he murmured forlornly as he turned on the faucet and washed his hands under the running water. Krycek pushed his head up and looked into his eyes, the pupils were widely dilated. He frowned, wondering if Spender had slipped Mulder a narcotic during the meal, and if he had, why? "Are you feeling bad?" he asked gently. Mulder shook his head. "Tired and worn out, Alex," he said slowly. "Fed up with being played for a sucker." Krycek eyed him carefully wondering if Mulder realised what he had just said. "What do you mean?" he asked quietly, stroking Mulder's face gently. Mulder pulled a face. "Don't want another job, want to go back to the X-Files and Scully," he muttered. He looked up and beamed brightly at Krycek. "Scully wants me back, says she's missing me." He frowned "I want you and the X-files, Alex. What I don't want is my 'father'." Krycek could have laughed at the disgust Mulder put into the title if he hadn't felt worried sick about the implication that Mulder had somehow remembered and, worse, been in contact with Scully. "When did you talk to Scully, Fox?" he asked urgently. Mulder smiled dreamily and touched his finger to his nose somewhat awkwardly. "My secret, Alex," he said, and grinned. Krycek felt like shaking him. He shook his head slowly, wondering quite how to deal with Mulder. "I'll tell Spender that you're not well," he said carefully. Mulder nodded, serious now. "Then we can go to bed and talk," he said carefully. Krycek narrowed his eyes. "Talk, Fox?" he asked. Mulder looked at him sideways and nodded seriously. "Talk," he agreed. A mischievous smile crossed his face. "Then fuck." Krycek laughed, deciding that he liked both the assertive and this spacey Mulder. He was about to tease the man a little more when the door of the restroom swung open and Spender walked in. "I was beginning to worry about you two," he said mildly, his eyebrow raised in question. Mulder looked down at the floor, and Krycek hurried into speech. "Fox is feeling a little unwell, and I was considering taking him home," he said trying to inject the right amount of concern into his voice. Spender shook his head. "My colleagues would be very disappointed if Fox and you just disappeared, Alex." He turned to Mulder and grasped his chin pulling his face towards him and stared into his eyes. "You feel okay, don't you, Fox?" Mulder blinked rapidly. "I'm tired," he said slowly. "Fed up with hearing people lie to me." Spender shook his head. "I'm hurt, Fox. Are you implying that I am deceiving you, or are you talking about my colleagues?" Krycek held his breath. Mulder swayed slightly, and blinked again. "Everyone," he said quietly. "Except, Scully. Scully never lies to me. She wants me to go back to the X-Files" Spender smiled, and Krycek wasn't sure that he liked the look of amusement in the man's eyes. He touched Mulder in the centre of his forehead, stroked his eyes closed, and said, "Obey me, Fox." To Krycek's astonishment, Mulder kept his eyes closed. "Go home with Alex. Go to bed, sleep, and wake up with no memory of this conversation. Repeat." Mulder spoke slowly, "Go home with Alex, Go to bed, sleep, and wake up with no memory of this conversation." Spender nodded, apparently satisfied. He kissed Mulder on his forehead, and Mulder slowly opened his eyes blinking round in bewilderment. "You're a little drunk and tired, son," Spender said. "I'll get the driver to take you back home. Alex will accompany you." Mulder nodded obediently, stifling a yawn as Krycek took hold of his arm. Spender touched Krycek's arm. "We will talk when I return, Alex." Krycek nodded impassively, and pulled Mulder into his side. The journey to the car was slow, and he was thankful when the driver helped him settle Mulder. He gathered him in his arms and spoke very quietly to him, hoping that the car wasn't bugged, but cautious never the less. "Fox, when did you speak to Scully?" he asked. Mulder blinked up at him. "Today," he said slowly. "On your cell." Krycek sighed. "Forget all about it please, Fox." "Why?" Mulder asked, yawning. "Spender will use it against you, " Krycek whispered. Mulder looked at him, blinked twice, gave him a warm smile, leant against him and promptly fell asleep. Krycek watched him, fighting off a fierce and overwhelming desire to shoot the driver, and run off with Mulder as far away from Spender and his ilk as possible. Mulder felt distinctly under the weather. He woke late, showered, and made it downstairs just before midday. Neither Spender nor Krycek were about as he drank the glass of orange juice he found waiting on the table. He wandered round the house and gardens, finding only the butler and the gardener present. Presented with the opportunity to explore, he headed for Spender's study only to find it locked. He checked the lock sighing with frustration when he realised that he wasn't going to be able to pick it. He checked round the door, looking at the hinges, and again came away defeated. Whoever built this door had security in mind, and nothing an amateur such as himself could do was going to help him gain entry. He found a phone in the hall, but the line was dead. He was certain that any computer the house possessed was locked in the study, which left him only the TV for information. He turned it on, stymied and increasingly angry as he realised that it was set up to be only a screen for the DVD and video players. Krycek had always chosen what they watched, and he had been content to go along with it. Impatiently he headed for the door, only to be stopped by the butler. "Mr Spender asks me to inform you that he and Mr Krycek will be home for lunch, sir," the man told him impassively. Mulder nodded, glancing down at the wristwatch, it was nearly one o'clock, and he had no doubt that Spender would turn up and expect him to be obediently ready and waiting. He waited until he butler retreated before trying the front door. It opened easily, and unexpectedly, and he hesitated on the threshold looking for traps. As he went through he remembered that the front gates were operated from the car, although it had to have some kind of override system in the house. He jogged down the drive giving the gates a through check over before deciding that he could climb over them. They were angular, sharp and certainly a deterrent, but he was desperate. His memory was returning by the minute, the phone call with Scully being the catalyst, and while his feelings towards Alex Krycek were mixed in the extreme, his feelings towards Spender were distinctly hostile. He also wondered just what had prompted Spender's decision to try and 're-educate' him, and was concerned that Spender seemed to be aware of the very real attraction that he had for Krycek, but normally managed to hide. He grasped the bars and pulled himself slowly up the gates. He was struggling to work out where he could place his feet and hands to reduce the damage when he noticed a car approaching. He jumped down in a hurry, watching as the gates slowly swung open. He was tempted to make a break for it there and then, but he knew he wasn't fit enough to try, nor did he have any idea about the lay out of the land, having only passed through it in the dark. The car pulled in and stopped by him. The window descended and Krycek looked out at him. "Waiting for me, Fox?" the husky voice asked. Mulder gave a little shiver. Yes, his attraction for Alex was all too real. "Maybe," he said non-commitally. Krycek grinned, put his foot on the accelerator and passed through. The gate closed behind it, and Mulder jogged down the driveway to join them. Spender got out of the car, gave Mulder a shrewd look, and waved them both into the house where lunch was waiting for their attentions. Mulder could hardly make himself be civil to the man throughout the delicious meal, but blinked in astonishment when he suggested that Mulder might like to go for a drive and swim with Krycek for the afternoon. "I'd like that," Mulder agreed immediately, but warily. Spender nodded, lighting a cigarette. "You need some fresh air and exercise, Fox" He turned to Krycek. "Take the car and enjoy yourselves." Krycek nodded, carefully peeling the orange in his hands and pulling the peel off slowly with his left hand. Mulder watched mesmerised and still astounded by the dexterity of the artificial limb, although since it was now permanently attached to Krycek, replacement seemed a more appropriate word. "I'll go and change," he said, more to get away from Spender than because his sweats weren't perfectly adequate and left the table, to give himself time to think just how he was going to react to Krycek. "Where are we going?" Mulder asked, with the first indication of impatience that Krycek sensed was going to get worse as the day progressed. "Do you know I have no idea where the hell I am?" Krycek shrugged. "We'll find some open space so you can run and exercise," he answered. Mulder muttered something about not being a dog, but otherwise remained silent and thoughtful throughout the two-hour journey. Finally they reached the reservoir, and he gave a small smile as he read the name, Prettyboy, but made no attempt to converse. Krycek grabbed his backpack, and started out on one of the trails without waiting for Mulder. For some minutes he thought Mulder was going to quibble, but he was soon reassured as Mulder caught up with him. They'd walked in silence for about an hour before they came to the first inlet, a silt beach with a small patch of sand and entrance to the water. It was deserted as he'd hoped, the main leisure areas being accessed by car. He stripped and waded into the water not waiting to see what Mulder would do. He lay floating on his back until something grabbed his legs, and pulled him down. Choking he surfaced to a grinning Mulder, his eyes bright with mischief as he backed away and stroked lazily towards the centre. Krycek smiled, but refused to follow. His artificial arm tended to float and made swimming a little difficult, so he lazed around the edge, suffering Mulder's puppy like burst of enthusiastic play with unwavering good humour. After an hour, Krycek made his way back to the beach, and lay on his towel in the sun. Mulder joined him sinking down on to the towel. After a long silence, Mulder eventually sighed. "What is the reason for Spender's sudden generosity?" he said quietly. Krycek shrugged. "He said he was letting you fly the coop." Mulder gave a short laugh. "Did I give myself away last night?" he asked. Krycek bit his lip. He was under no illusions that Mulder was ever going to be free, and he was not quite stupid enough to do what he wanted, which was to run for the Canadian border with Mulder and try and hide them both. "A little," he said quietly. Mulder nodded thoughtfully, but remained totally silent until he shook his hair out of his eyes and muttered. "This needs cutting, I've never worn it this long before." Krycek blinked, totally thrown by the non-sequitur. "Not even at college?" he eventually managed, certain he'd seen a picture of Mulder as a longhaired student in his files. Mulder stopped and considered. "Well, yeah, I experimented like everyone does. Had it down to my shoulders for a time." He shrugged. "Looked okay I suppose, but what suits a young twenty year old doesn't suit someone in their thirties." He glanced at Krycek. "What about you?" Krycek shrugged. "I like it short and practical." Mulder considered him. "You've got the kind of face that would suit any style," he said slowly. "You know, you'd make a damn attractive woman." Krycek sat up and glared at him. "I would not," he said indignantly, wondering what the hell Mulder was playing at. A brief smile crossed Mulder's lips. He chewed at the bottom one for a time then asked "Is Spender really my father?" Krycek shrugged. "He says he is, and it's been implied by others many times before." Mulder nodded, and fell silent again. Krycek closed his eyes and swore fluently under his breath. He knew this was going to be uncomfortable, but Mulder was making it as unbearable as a trip to the dentist. "Why?" Krycek glanced at Mulder, "Why what?" "Why have you gone along with this, Alex? Revenge, hatred, money, ambition?" Mulder didn't look up as he asked, his voice expressionless. "Do you really think I hate you?" Krycek asked instantly, staring at Mulder until he looked at him. Mulder glanced at him and shook his head. "Not really," he said quietly. "Unless you're a better actor than I think you are." He shook his head and repeated, "Why?" "I notice you don't include commitment, necessity, working for the future and belief in your list of motivations," Krycek remarked impassively. Mulder gave a small smile and shook his head. Krycek nodded and gave a small depreciating smile. "I'm his lackey, Fox. I'm too embroiled in their plans to be allowed out without considerable 'back up'." He smiled grimly. "I know, I've tried before." He glanced upwards considering how to proceed before deciding that the truth, or certain elements of it would be best. "He offered me the chance to prove my loyalty in return for a suitable reward." He held his left arm out and studied it impassively. Mulder glanced at it and looked away. Krycek continued. " He also offered me something else I wanted." He waited for Mulder to look at him before he added. "You." Mulder's mouth opened in surprise and Krycek gave a small smile. "You wanted the truth, Fox, so listen carefully. I've wanted you ever since I was partnered with you. I lusted after you for years when all you did was beat up on me and call me names." He frowned at the ground. "I've been involved with the Project for years, Fox. Initially out of loyalty and belief. Recently, because I have no alternative." He looked at Mulder impassively. "I'm a mercenary, I do what I need to do to stay alive. I'm good at it. I have few if any weaknesses." Other than you, he added to himself, angry at the mixed emotions he felt about Mulder. He wanted Mulder, there was no gainsaying that, but beyond that he was beginning to understand what Scully and possibly even Skinner saw in the man. He was fun, witty, erudite, intelligent and very appealing despite his apparent arrogance, and even that Krycek was beginning to see as more a cover, a façade to hide behind. He also had an obsessive streak in him a mile high that made him appear abrupt, inconsiderate and ruthless, but when it came down to it, Mulder was surprisingly compassionate, moral and caring. Mulder blinked and looked at him carefully. He opened his mouth, closed it, sneaked a look at Krycek and shook his head. "I'm an idiot to even think this," he muttered, "But do you really care about me, isn't this..." he stopped, a faint flush of red on his cheeks. Krycek smiled to himself before covering it quickly with a glare "Fuck it Mulder, " he said explosively, really wanting to kiss the stupid idiot into compliant silence. "Just ask me to bare my soul." He hit his hand on the sand aware that he now had Mulder's undivided attention. "When I took this on it was because I wanted you, and I wanted my arm back even more. I also wanted to live, and Spender made it clear that if I failed him, he wasn't keeping me around." He hit the sand again. "He ensured that I was responsible for your good behaviour by letting me know that I would suffer the consequences." His voice tightened. "He also implied that he had others that wanted a piece of you, for whatever reason." He looked at Mulder and grimaced. "I couldn't let that happen, Mulder, far better me than some of his other associates. At least I wanted you whole, sane and comparatively free." And surprisingly, that's pretty much the truth, he thought as he watched Mulder think through his speech. "So, what are you thinking now, Mulder?" he asked absently. Mulder growled. "Half of me wants to pound you senseless." Krycek laughed. "And the other half?" Mulder closed his eyes and swallowed. "Scully's going to have me committed," he muttered as Alex gave a menacing grin. Krycek's breath deepened and he shivered uncontrollably before reaching for Mulder and kissing him passionately. "You stupid bastard," he said lovingly. "I fucking adore you." He licked the inside of Mulder's ear making him shiver. "I want you, Fox Mulder, and I'm not talking roses and hearts here. I want you, plain and simple, and I'll kill to keep you." He looked at Mulder directly. "Do you understand me, Fox? I'll do what I have to do to keep you safe, and fuck the consequences." He stared hard at Mulder. Mulder stared back, his eyes bright. "Even if I don't want it, Alex?" Krycek nodded. "Whatever will keep you safe, who ever will keep you the safest," he repeated. Mulder shook his head. "I'm not a child, Alex." Krycek bared his teeth. "You damn well act like one, Foxy." The glare Mulder gave him was a beauty. He grinned and reached forward to kiss him. Although he'd been expecting something like this, the blow still came out of the blue. He felt Mulder lower him to the ground, enjoyed the brief kiss on his cheek. And just heard the murmured. "Sorry, Alex." as darkness took him. Mulder dressed then searched through Krycek's pockets finding the car key, a little money but no phone. He scowled hoping that it was at the car. He straightened Krycek out, and dragged him behind some rocks, leaving the towels and bathing suits near to him. He stroked the dark hair, then headed back out towards the car. Even at a fast jog, it was going to take him a good thirty minutes to get back to the parking lot. He sped up, and arrived, hot and exhausted in just under the expected time. Searching the trunk, he found Krycek's phone. He dialled Scully's home, aware that he wasn't too sure of the date, day or month. He could tell it was the beginning of summer but he had no real idea how long he's been out of contact. The phone clicked into her answer phone and he swore impatiently. He redialled her cell and was immediately transferred to an answer phone. "Scully, its me," he said quickly. "I've escaped Spender and should be home within a couple of hours. I'm at Prettyboy reservoir." He closed the phone and started the car, retracing the route to the reservoir entrance and heading south for Washington DC. He was heading for Baltimore, happier than he'd felt in days, when he realised that a police car was following him. He pulled in when he the officer waved at him, and wondered just what he'd done to attract their attention. Rolling down his window, he asked, "Can I help you, officer?" The man nodded. "Can I see your licence, please, sir." Mulder sighed. "It's at home." The man nodded. "Would you tell me whom this car belongs to?" he asked. Mulder hesitated, "Either Alex Krycek or a man called CGB Spender." The officer nodded. "A Mr Spender asked us to apprehend his son, Fox William Spender, who had taken his car without permission. He informs us that he has been mentally ill, and should not be driving alone. He looked closely at Mulder. "He gave a description that fits you sir. Are you Mr Fox Spender?" Mulder gripped the steering wheel and shook his head. "My name is Fox Mulder, and I am a FBI agent. Please ring AD Skinner at FBI HQ to confirm my story." The officer nodded. "Mr Spender also informed us that until your illness that you had been with the FBI but resigned some months ago. Please, sir, would you step out of the car." Mulder nearly screamed in frustration. "I'm telling you the truth officer, he said as calmly as possible. "I just want to go home, please let me continue." The man shook his head. "Sorry, sir. The Sheriff was insistent that we found you. Apparently he knows Mr Spender and holds him in high regard." He opened Mulder's door and waited. Mulder slowly got out. "I need to make a phone call," he said quietly. "At the station, sir." The officer led Mulder to the back of the police car and to his waiting partner. The other man gave Mulder the once over and reached in his back pocket. "The Sheriff felt we might need to keep you restrained," he said a smile of amusement breaking through. "Can't see why, you don't look dangerous to me, son, but who am I to judge." "I'm perfectly sane and well behaved, " Mulder said impatiently. "Look, you haven't charged me with anything, I haven't tried to escape and you don't need the bracelets." "Driving without a license and without the express permission of the owner. Driving on medication and against doctor's orders." The officer grinned again, grabbed Mulder's wrists and placed the cuffs on him. "Come on, sonny, dad will be here to pick you up any time soon, until then we offer you the gracious hospitality of our holding cell." He pushed Mulder into the back seat and belted him in. Mulder leant his head back and wanted to scream. It had all been a set up. It must have been, unless Alex was meant to ring in, but if so, why had he left the phone in the car? It didn't make sense and unless he could get hold of Skinner and get authority to free him, he was trapped. In a few minutes he was hustled into the Sheriff's office, his details were taken and he was placed in the holding cell. "I wish to make a phone call," he informed the officer who had first spoken to him, and if anything seemed the most approachable. His colleague shook his head. "Your father was definite that you were not to bother anyone, that he'd have everything cleared up before he collected you." Mulder glared at him. "I am within my rights to request a phone call, I want to ring AD Skinner at the FBI." The officer grinned. "Sonny, Mr Spender's and the Sheriff are buddies. If Mr Spender wants you kept on ice until he comes to pick you up, then so be it. Shut up, sit tight and hope that daddy's not feeling too annoyed by the time he gets here. Seems like he's an important man." "He's a fucking bastard," Mulder snarled, "and he's not my damn father." The officer shook his head, waved his friendlier colleague through and turned back to Mulder. "If I were your dad I'd have your backside over my knee to install some respect." He grinned. "Perhaps I'll suggest that to Mr Spender when he arrives." He laughed at Mulder's expression and walked away. Officer Reilly watched the arrival of Mr Spender with curiosity. The man was tall, distinguished and obviously unperturbed by the whole proceedings. He signed all the papers, smoking incessantly, and the expression of deep amusement he wore when the man Fox was brought before him was almost malicious in its intensity. His son said nothing, only holding out his wrists for the Sheriff to remove the cuffs. The Sheriff nodded at Fox. "He's a good looking, boy," he said to Spender. "Was he really in the FBI?" Spender nodded. "Wasted his talents in a dead end job there. I wanted him to work with me but no he went into the FBI and made himself ill." He glanced at the silent, impassive Fox and smiled. "We'll have him sorted out soon. This is just a little aberration on the way to a full recovery." He stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray and held out his hand. "Come, Fox. I'm sure Alex is going to be pretty angry with you when we find him. I hope you've thought of a way to appease him." Fox glanced at him. "I'm sure he was following orders and will be suitably rewarded," he said simply. Spender laughed. "That he will be, Fox, and I think we both know what he'll demand for his reward." "He can sing for it." Spender laughed again. "Alex doesn't sing and he doesn't do patience, Fox. Now come, let's get home and have a nice little chat about the future." He nodded at the Sheriff and grabbing Fox by the arm pulled him out towards the car. Reilly watched, disturbed by the whole encounter, something hadn't been right. He'd liked the look of the man who called himself Fox Mulder, right from the start. He'd heard anger and anguish in the voice but he'd not felt that the man was mentally incompetent or ill. In fact he'd seemed very sane, focused and to be honest, desperate. He grabbed a piece of scrap paper wrote down the name AD Skinner and made the decision to ring the FBI once he'd finished work. Krycek halted by the door of the living room and watched Mulder. He was barefoot, handcuffed and very obviously angry. His employer waved at him drawing him into the room, continuing his conversation. "... really simple, Fox. You give me your loyalty and I'll give you the opportunity to discover everything you've been searching for. We both want the same thing you know." Mulder glanced at him. "I want truth, justice and freedom for all, Spender. I'm rather confused about what you want and who you'll trade with to get it be it clones, hybrids, alien rebels, little grey men, shape changers, bounty hunters, colonisers. All I know is that you want power and you don't give a damn who suffers for it." Spender exhaled cigarette smoke and leant back in his chair watching the smoky trails rise above his head. "You don't know what I want, Fox. I want security, survival and the continuation of the human race. If to do that I have to make deals with aliens, then so be it. Nothing is more important than survival." "Even at the expense of freedom?" "What good is freedom if you're dead, Fox." "What good is survival if you're a slave, Spender?" Spender laughed. "We'll talk when you're feeling a little less antagonistic, Fox." He glanced at Krycek. "I think Alex has a few words to say to you so I'll leave you two lovers to work things out between you." He rose to his feet, stubbed out his cigarette and left the room. Krycek advanced on Mulder, grabbed him by the wrists and slammed him against the nearest wall. "I think you have something to say to me, Foxy," he said dangerously. Mulder swallowed but remained silent. Krycek smiled. "I don't like being hit over the head and dumped. I don't like people running out on me. I don't expect my lover to do any of the above, and if he does, well I think it's time to renegotiate the nature of the relationship, don't you, Fox?" "What relationship, Krycek?" Krycek smiled sweetly and punched Mulder in the gut, not too hard, but certainly enough to wind him. "My name's Alex, Fox." He watched the gasping man for a time before grabbing his hair and pulling him upright. "Taken to beating up defenceless men, Krycek?" Krycek laughed. "I learnt from the best, Fox, and you're about as defenceless as a shark. Now move, get upstairs, we have some sorting out to do." He hauled Mulder by his hair towards the stairs. "I like the barefoot and cuffed look, Fox. Quite a turn on really although I'd prefer even less on you, make for even better viewing." He shook Mulder as he tried to spit at him. "In fact my preference would be you naked, on your back and very very willing." He pushed Mulder into the room, onto the bed and sat astride him riding Mulder's angry squirming with relative ease. "You're so fucking sexy, Fox," he said lightly, keeping Mulder's hands above his head with his artificial hand and grabbing his chin. He leant forward and licked at Mulder's lips then began licking and kissing. Mulder stilled for an instant then resumed struggling. Krycek ignored him kissing and pushing at Mulder's lips until with a groan of despair, Mulder opened his mouth slightly and let Krycek in. Krycek smiled and took up residence not breaking off until Mulder had ceased struggling and had begun moaning and writhing in earnest. He pushed Mulder's t-shirt up and began to bite and play along his chest, occasionally tweaking a nipple and enjoying the sharp intake of breath and involuntary arching. Satisfied that Mulder was reasonably compliant, he leant forward and searched through the drawer of the bedside cabinet, pulling out the soft leather triumphantly. He moved up to the bed head and tied Mulder's cuffed wrists to the ornate metal structure. He slithered back down and grinned at the look of dazed worry on Mulder's face. Mulder swallowed. "Into bondage are you, Krycek?" he said, a small tic near his eyes betraying his nervousness. "Only way you can get a lover to stay?" Krycek bared his teeth, refusing to rise to Mulder's barbs. "I've never had to tie you down, Fox," he said stroking down Mulder's bare torso provocatively and squeezing his genitals. Mulder swallowed again. "But that was under false pretences, Krycek. I was brain washed into believing we were lovers." Krycek leant forward and licked Mulder's ear. "We are lovers," he whispered in Mulder's ear. "I told you no lies this afternoon, Fox. I absolutely adore and want you" He looked into Mulder's eyes and added quietly, "If you believe nothing else, believe that, Fox." Mulder stared at him, blinking rapidly before closing his eyes. "I do believe you, Alex," he said quietly, "But it doesn't change the situation." Krycek bent forward and kissed the closed eyelids gently. "Lay back and give me control, Fox. Let me give you pleasure, let me take away your worries and pains, let me relieve your burden for a while and give you a little peace and calm." Mulder shivered "You can't give me that, Alex," he whispered. "You've given me more pain and heartache than almost anyone else I can think of." Krycek leant forward and kissed him. "I have never done anything but look out for you, Fox," he said simply. "Since I met you everything I've done has been for your own protection. I didn't lie to you at the reservoir and I'm not lying now." He leant forward and kissed Mulder again. "You're a sexy, strong, charismatic and undeniably attractive man, Fox, and I can't get enough of you." He licked both his ears lovingly before returning to kissing him. As Mulder's breathing became harsher and faster, he removed both their pants, pushed Mulder's t-shirt as far up his arms as he could, and slowly covered the whole of his body in kisses. Mulder was moaning and writhing in frustrated anguish by the time he returned to face him. "Want more?" he asked. "God, yes," Mulder gasped. "Please, Alex, I'm begging you, please stop playing with me." Krycek gave an evil chuckle and descended to Mulder's groin. He licked and kissed his cock, his balls and his anus until Mulder was whining in desperate need. He found the lube, and slowly prepared Mulder and himself, kissing and petting him as he continued. By the time he had placed Mulder where he wanted him and was ready to slide inside, Mulder was almost incoherent with need. Krycek pushed in, taking his time until Mulder was completely his. He stopped, leant towards Mulder and whispered, "I adore you, Fox," then began to move. Mulder moved with him, gasping and crying out with each thrust until they found a rhythm and moved as one. Krycek knew he wasn't going to be able to keep it up for very long, he grabbed at Mulder's cock, stroked it and as Mulder convulsed and came, he went with him. When he could open his eyes he found Mulder silently crying. He undid the leather lead and gathered the sobbing man in his arms rocking him until he had calmed down. "Sssh, Fox," he whispered. "Sssh, I'm here for you." Mulder sniffed and brought his cuffed hands to touch Krycek's face. "I'm so screwed," he said mournfully. "God, what would Scully think if she saw us? I'm sure she'd shoot you and have me committed in the blink of an eye." He gave a short laugh. "My life always had a tendency towards the bizarre, so I suppose falling for a man who is by all accounts my nemesis is just par for the course." Krycek laughed and kissed the tears from Mulder's face. "It's just because I fuck like a dream," he said immodestly. Mulder narrowed his eyes. "I haven't much previous experience to go on," he said amused, "but I can't imagine it getting much better." He stopped and looked at Krycek challengingly. "Of course I might need to explore further." Krycek smiled. "In your dreams, Fox." He kissed the irritated man and pulled him into his arms. "Sleep, Fox. Spender has the cuff keys, I'm sure he'll unlock them for us to shower." He looked at the t-shirt dangling over Mulder's wrists and grinned. "I'll get rid of this for now." He pulled the material hard and ripped it apart using the remains to wipe them both clean before throwing the cloth on the floor and pulling Mulder into his arms. Downstairs Spender relaxed into his armchair and smiled as he watched the two men cuddle together. He could always guarantee that Alex would put on a show, but he was surprised at just how damn sexy Fox was. He shook his head in self-disgust. He couldn't deny that the man turned him on, but he knew he would never act on his desires. Fox was his son; genetic testing had proved that beyond all doubt years before. Using Alex and watching them together was almost as good as possessing Fox, and by far the most sensible and suitable methods of indulging himself. He smiled; he knew men and women who would pay good money to see Fox Mulder in action, particularly with the handsome and duplicitous Alex Krycek. He also knew one woman who would be totally horrified at the show, and likely to agree with the conclusion Fox had arrived at. Smiling in anticipation, Spender rang for his butler. Modern technology was a wonderful thing; he could have this e mailed out to a select few people in a few hours. It would certainly make waves in a few places and might well convince the Elders that he knew what he was doing. He'd make mischief, something he thoroughly enjoyed. Langley typed furiously. "I've decoded it guys," he called. Byers looked over his shoulder making room with a grumble for Frohike. The screen flashed and text appeared. Langley read furiously. "It's Mulder," he said briefly. "Thought it might be. Must be something important if it's so highly protected." Byers leaned forward. "He must be in trouble," he said seriously. "Scully asked us to try and trace that call remember. Maybe he's managed to transmit some important information." "When isn't Mulder in trouble?" Frohike said sarcastically. Langley shrugged. "We need to get this to Scully and Skinner." "Hey, aren't we gonna check it out first?" Frohike asked incredulously. Langley nodded, checking the screen. "Lot of information, it's going it take some time to download." "I'll ring Scully," Langley said suiting words to action and flipping out his cell. He studiously ignored his friends as he spoke quietly into the phone. Eventually he hung up a smug look on his face. "She'll be over in the hour," he said. "Give you time to improve your chat up lines, Melvin." Frohike flipped him the bird while Byers sniffed, turning back to another job on the computer while they waited for the download to complete. Frohike returned to the article he'd had been reading. Forty minutes elapsed before the download was ready, and Langley called them to view. A few minutes in and the three of them were open-mouthed watching the scene before them. "Oh my god," Byers muttered. Langley swallowed. "You have to admit they're two damn good looking men," he said, his voice wavering a little as he continued to stare in morbid fascination at the picture in front of him. Frohike remained silent, a look of pain in his eyes. "Can we let Scully see this?" he murmured softly. Langley shook his head. "I wouldn't dream of making the choice for her," he muttered. "God, Mulder, what have they done to you, the bastards?" "Krycek!" Byers shook his head, peering closely at the screen. "I've just noticed he's got two arms." Frohike laughed nervously. "I was concentrating on other things," he said slightly breathlessly. "Wow, if Mulder gets a buzz like this from watching his porn, no wonder he's managed without any for years." "As far as I was aware, Mulder is straight." Byers said frowning. Langley's eyes remained firmly fixed on the screen. "Not any longer." The harsh peel of the doorbell interrupted them. They looked nervously between themselves until Byers got up and checked the door camera. "It's Scully," he said unnecessarily. "I'll let her in." He walked off leaving his two friends staring at the display still unfolding before them. "Scully," Byers said fussily as she walked into the room. He stood in front of the VDU effectively blocking her view. " Good to see you." Scully nodded and walked past him to view the images on the screen. She made a small distressed sound in her throat but otherwise remained silent. Langley looked at her and waved feebly at the screen. "This just downloaded." He took a deep breath. "Do you want me to replay it?" Scully nodded, her face bleak, and the whole incriminating film played out to a silent audience. When it had finished the three men avoided looking directly at her, waiting for her to say something. "When did you get this?" she asked abruptly. "About an hour ago," Langley answered. Scully nodded. "Mulder," she sighed quietly. She shook her head and turned back to Langley. "This goes no further." Langley nodded. "I'll have to let Skinner know of course and let him make his own decision." She stared at the frozen image of Mulder and Krycek asleep. "Skinner had an officer from Baltimore County ring him. Apparently Mulder tired to escape but it appears he was set up." She looked at the three men standing around her and raised her chin. "Spender's calling him Fox Spender, and that's how he was recorded." She was silent for a few seconds her eyes drifting to the image of Mulder and Krycek. "Mulder's right about one thing, I'd shoot Krycek like the dog he is," she said venomously. She nodded at the three of them and headed for the door. "Let me know everything you can find out about where 'that' came from," she said finally, and left. Langley let out a long breath and sank back into his chair. "That was scary," he said distantly. Byers nodded, while Frohike stared at the space Scully had just vacated. Mulder took a deep breath and tried to ignore the pain shooting up his neck. Dr Verne adjusted a few numbers on a very upmarket encephalogram and turned to face him. "Relax please, Fox," she ordered. Mulder gritted his teeth in frustration, biting down on his lip as a second burst of pain hit him. Dr Verne looked coolly at his face. "It will ease off soon, the nanocytes are doing their work, the activity in your temporal lobe is quite amazing although I'm getting increased activity almost everywhere." She smiled at him and returned to her calculations. Mulder closed his eyes, tired and weary at the constant invasion of his privacy, the denial of his wishes and the suffocating presence of Spender. Since his attempted escape he had rarely been left alone. His life was controlled from the moment he woke, his only escape his and Alex's love making, and recently, in an attempt to put even greater pressure on him, that had also been denied him. He felt Alex's loss deeply, but hid his feelings behind his normal impassive mask. He smelt smoke and knew that Spender was in the room watching everything. "The temporal lobes are concerned with the hearing of language, sounds, rhythm and with learning and memory. Fox has eidetic memory and previous tests have shown just how active that portion of his brain is when he is learning." Dr Verne paused presumably in her explanation to Spender. "The occipital lobes are involved with vision and the perception of vision, the parietal lobes with proprioception, body image and the understanding of speech. The frontal lobes are involved in personality, initiative and motor/movement skills." Fascinating," Spender murmured. "Are you getting all of this Fox?" "Loud and clear," Mulder said dryly. "As a rather unwilling audience as you are well aware." He opened his eyes and looked down at the cuff encircling his wrist and fixing him in the chair before returning his gaze to Spender. "Try and be a little more cooperative, Fox. I really don't like to keep you confined." "Could have fooled me," Mulder muttered. Spender shook his head in silent amusement. He returned his gaze to Dr Verne. "When can we expect any results, Dr Verne?" Dr Verne glanced at Mulder. "I'd have expected results long before now," she admitted. "Although Fox isn't the most cooperative of subjects." Mulder smiled sweetly at her. He hadn't been told what the experiments were for but he had his suspicions. "I think I'm going to have to directly scan the neural activity within his brain during experimentation," Dr Verne said thoughtfully. Mulder stiffened; he didn't like the sound of that at all. "How?" Spender asked. "Using a PET Scan and 3D digital imagery," Dr Verne replied. "We can look at the blood flow and oxygen utilisation in the areas we're interested in. If we see an increase we know that Fox is using that particular part of his brain." "What does PET stand for?" Mulder asked curiously. Dr Verne looked at him. "Positron Emission Tomography, and don't worry, it won't do you any harm." "Of course I believe your every word," Mulder said sweetly. "I mean you've never once done anything against my wishes or hurt me at all. You've been the epitome of a kind caring doctor, one for whom the words of the Hippocratic oath resonate in your daily life." "It wouldn't do to antagonise your doctor, Fox," Spender said smiling broadly. "Of course not, silly me, what was I thinking?" Mulder said tiredly, closing his eyes. His head hurt and he was beginning to lose his ability to concentrate. " What do you want from me?" he asked Spender wearily. Spender ran a finger down his face making him jump. "Your cooperation, my boy," he said, smiling at the scowl Mulder directed his way. "I've told you, you're precious to me, and you're important to the project. We invested a great deal of time and effort in your upbringing, Fox. A great deal of effort. I'd like to say we made you, but you reinvented yourself and became your own man, and while it frustrates me I also admire you greatly for it." Mulder shook his head. "I don't understand you at all," he said slowly. Spender smiled. "We manipulated your genes, my boy, pushed and encouraged your development. Rejoiced at your eidetic memory and watched fascinated as you developed your almost legendary profiling skills. It was almost as if you were inside the head of the criminals. Impressive." Mulder swallowed. "It was hard, brutal and painful," he said quietly, before returning to his question. "What to do you expect from me, Spender? As far as I was aware you and your little power hungry group were all for throwing us to the aliens" Spender looked down at him. "Progression, Fox. We want a superhuman in a sense. We want a way of fighting the aliens. We want a saviour to fight our corner." "And you think I'm the one?" Mulder asked incredulously. "Come off it, Spender. How is being able to hear what someone is thinking going to defeat the aliens?" He shook his head at Spender's inquiring look. "No, I can't hear what your thinking, but I don't need to be telepathic to guess that's what you're hoping for." Spender nodded slowly. "We think that the aliens are mentally far superior to us, and that the only way we can fight them on equal terms is to tap into our innate abilities." He took a long deep drag on his cigarette and looked searchingly at Mulder. "You, and others similar to you, are almost there. You can do things that while not psychic are certainly extraordinary. Your profiling is legendary, Fox, even you know that." He sighed. "We need an edge if we are to survive." Mulder narrowed his eyes. "Are you trying to tell me you're trying to save humanity?" he said slowly." Because if you are, I'm having trouble believing it. Spender smiled. "Most of humanity will not survive the invasion, Fox. We intend that the chosen few will, those who can shape the future for us." Mulder sighed. "So you're out for yourselves, Spender. I shouldn't be surprised. This isn't to help humanity, this is to help those in the know." Spender patted him on the cheek. "That's right, Fox, and if you want to see your lover any time soon you better start cooperating." Scully snapped awake in an instant, very aware of the feel of steel next to her cheek. "Sit up, Scully," a husky voice ordered. She shivered as she complied, sitting up against the headboard. "What do you want, Krycek," she spat out, trying to see the man's face in the shadows. "You to listen," Krycek answered, withdrawing the gun slightly, but keeping it cocked and aimed at her head. "Fox is being experimented on as we speak. I need to get him out." Scully viewed him for a second. "From what I heard you were working with Cancerman to screw Mulder over, so why the hell should I believe your story?" Krycek gestured with his gun impatiently. "Scully, I don't give a fuck what you think, I'm telling you that Fox needs rescuing and I'm going to need your help." Scully gave an unladylike snort. "Why should I help rescue Mulder's abductor and rapist?" she asked. "What the fuck are you talking about?" Krycek jabbed his gun towards her, his voice harsh. "Fox and I are lovers so live with it, Scully. He's forgiven me for my involvement in Spender's plans some time ago, and what I need now is his so called friends to get off their collective asses and help me get him out of Spender's control." "Lovers?" Scully said scornfully, "So forcing a handcuffed guy into sex is the way you get your kicks?" She watched Krycek carefully, wishing she could see his eyes a little more clearly. Krycek stiffened moving closer to her. "Explain?" he said slowly. Sully shifted slightly watching the gun follow her every move. "The Gunmen were sent a file of you enjoying yourself with Mulder," she said clearly, " and I want to shoot you like the dog you are for doing that to him." Krycek cocked his head on one side. "Spender," he said like a curse. He gripped the gun tighter. "Scully, this is important. Fox is breaking down and I need to get him out. We can discuss your misinterpretation of our relationship later, just get me time with the three geeks. Spender's got Fox in one of their labs and I've managed to narrow it down to Nevada. I don't know the place, so I need to know how to break through their security." Scully narrowed her eyes. She hated the bastard, but she had to admit he sounded as sincere as she had ever heard him. "Why have you suddenly lost access to Mulder?" she asked a little less angrily than before. Krycek shrugged. "Spender took Fox off without my knowledge and apparently Fox has to earn the right to see me by behaving himself. So far I haven't seen Fox for nearly three weeks because that bastard Spender keeps changing the fucking rules." He relaxed his grip on the gun slightly. "Fox still thinks of you, Scully. You're still his rock and his anchor." Scully looked closely at the man and could see no sign of anything but anger and pain. She thought back on the video of Mulder and Krycek making love and swallowed loudly. "What do they want from him?" she asked as she slowly got out of bed and pulled on her robe. "His innate abilities," Krycek said as he moved away from her slightly. "He's a walking time bomb of genetic material, Scully. They've been experimenting on him from childhood with Bill Mulder's knowledge and approval. He carries alien genes and they're certain that they can improve on his own latent abilities." He gripped the gun tightly and Scully looked closely at his face. "He's hurting, Scully. They're screwing around with his mind and he doesn't know how to protect himself." He took a deep breath and the hand holding the gun shook slightly. Scully started at him in amazement. "You're in love with him!" she said slowly, watching in fascination as Krycek face reddened. "Aren't you?" he asked quietly, a note of anguish in his voice. Scully took a deep breath. "I could be very easily," she said equally quietly. "He's a fascinating, complex and highly attractive man, but I've always stopped myself from getting drawn any deeper because I sense Mulder is the type of person that I could lose myself in completely." She shook her head. "I can't afford for that to happen for my sake and his." Krycek gave a bitter laugh. "Take it from me, Scully. Once you've dived in you're sunk." Scully looked at him impassively. "Trapped by your own snare, Krycek?" she asked. Krycek said nothing, but his hand tightened on the gun almost imperceptibly. "What did Spender offer you?" Krycek took in deep breath. "My arm back and Fox," he said bitterly. Scully glanced down at his left hand automatically before returning her attention to his face. "It seemed too good to be true, and it was. I'm as trapped as Fox is. I can't do anything that will hurt him because I care too damn much, and while Spender might not know that for certain, he certainly suspects." He looked fiercely as Scully. "Fox loves me," he said, his voice daring her to contradict him "He won't do anything to hurt me, so Spender's laughing all the way as he's now got you and me to threaten Mulder with." Scully looked at him with compassion and wondered at herself. This hurting man wasn't the Krycek she hated. In one way she felt spitefully pleased that the bastard had been hoist by his own petard, but underlying that was the knowledge that Krycek was far more complex than she had ever realised. He had always been the rat bastard, a man implicated in her sister's death and the murder of Mulder's father's. Someone she could despise without difficulty. Now he was an angry and scared man, no less dangerous, no less responsible for much of the pain she and Mulder had experienced, but human nether the less. "I'll contact the Gunmen, but it's up to them after that," she said grudgingly. "Do you know the exact location?" "I can give you three possibilities," Krycek said, "after that I'm in the dark and getting desperate." Scully nodded. "Right, I'm going to get dressed, Krycek, alone." She gestured toward the door. "I'm willing to help you on this because it means we might free Mulder. After that, all bets are off and you better make yourself scarce." "We'll see what Fox has to say about that, won't we, Dana" Krycek said bitingly, and for a second Scully hated him so badly she wanted to kill him. "I'm sorry," Krycek murmured. "I'll be outside, just don't pull any tricks and give me your cell." Scully nodded at the bedside table, and watched impassively as Krycek took her cell and disconnected her phone. "Five minutes," he murmured and stepped outside. Scully took a deep breath and started dressing. Krycek didn't like the looks Mulder's weird friends kept giving him, nor did he like the presence of a very angry AD Skinner in the room. He sat back, his gun at the ready, and kept his conversation to the absolute basics. When Scully eventually persuaded a glowering Skinner to leave the room he felt himself relaxing. He studied his gun and stared at the ceiling for a few minutes until he noticed the troll like looking man, he thought his name was Frohike, was looking at him curiously. "Yeah?" he asked irritated. Frohike cleared his throat. "So you and Mulder are lovers?" he asked. Krycek stared at him. Frohike cleared his throat and shrugged. "Just curious," he said, and returned to his work. Krycek let the silence settle for a while then decided considering his lack of allies, it might be sensible to make nice. "So you're the guys Mulder turns to when he's stuck?" he asked. Frohike looked up. "He couldn't do without us, " he said simply. "Have you read our magazine, 'The Lone Gunmen'?" Krycek considered for a few seconds then placed the name. He shook his head. "I've seen copies when I've been 'exploring' Mulder's apartment, but never read one," he said honestly. "So, what are your specialties?" Frohike pointed at a neat, bearded man tapping away at the computer. "Byers is our information whiz." Byers turned round and gave Krycek a nod. "Langley here is our specialist in communications." "Hi, dude," the scruffy, longhaired man said, and Krycek blinked in surprise. "And I'm kind of the special ops guru and photographer," he finished. "Right," Krycek said. "So how did you meet up with Mulder?" The three looked at each other and shrugged. "Long story," Frohike said slowly. "Really weird, to be quite honest. Mulder was still in the violent crimes unit and we got involved in this bizarre case with this gorgeous woman." He glanced at Byers as he spoke. "Actually that's how we got together." "Bizarre and weird seem to be an essential prerequisite for anything Mulder's involved in," Krycek said. Langley laughed. "Ain't that the truth." He looked closely at his screen. "I've got the schematics for something that look like an underground laboratory in one of the areas you gave us." He peered at the screen again. "Security was so tight I might have been trying to get into Fort Knox." "That sounds like it," Krycek said, moving over towards Langley. He peered at the screen and nodded. "That's a consortium lab. Can you get every piece of information on the security, exits and passages for me?" "It's going to take time," Langley warned. Krycek just nodded and feeling beyond tired, sat back in his chair and resigned himself to more waiting. Mulder hurt everywhere. He staggered over to the bed and collapsed face down on it, listening listlessly to the buzz of the air conditioning as his tired body gave up the battle to stay awake. He had almost drifted off to sleep when the door of his cell opened and Spender came in. Wearily Mulder watched as he pulled up at chair, lit a cigarette and waited for some reaction from Mulder. "Don't smoke that thing in here," Mulder said drowsily, but otherwise ignored him, closing his eyes in a vain attempt to pretend the man didn't exist. "Dr Verne was pleased today," Spender said, apparently happy to carry out a conversation without Mulder's active participation. "She said the PET scan showed up an amazing amount of activity in your brain, mostly centred in your temporal lobe, but spread fairly evenly elsewhere." Mulder gripped the pillow tightly. The pain he felt every time Dr Verne got anywhere near him was indescribable. He'd screamed in agony quite a few times over the past few days, but he was damned if he was going to assist Spender with anything so he and the pain were becoming highly intimate companions. "If you cooperated, Fox, we could have Alex here in a few hours. He's been ringing in daily for an update, and I can feel his frustration over the phone." Spender's voice took on a soft, sympathetic tone that Mulder instinctively distrusted. "I'm sure you'd feel better after a good night of sex, why not relax, let Dr Verne do her job, and I can get Alex on a plane and in your bed in no time at all." "Because I hurt too damn much to want sex," Mulder muttered, not caring whether the bastard heard him or not. He missed Alex, unsurprisingly after months of regular and highly enjoyable contact, but all he wanted to do was to sleep and wake up without feeling as if his head had been put though the spin cycle in a washing machine. "Want to go to sleep," he growled. Spender ignored him. "Dr Verne suggests that to encourage you, we should play some videos of the two of you together. Personally I think she's a voyeur, but the idea is somewhat interesting." Mulder shuddered and opened his eyes, focusing blearily on the man above him. "You videoed Alex and me?" he asked incredulously. "In bed? Did Alex know?" Spender smiled. "Considering some of the performances I viewed, I think dear Alex completely forgot the bedroom was wired for sound and video," he said cheerfully. Mulder contemplated numerous responses and failed to come up with anything that expressed his horror at Spender's salacious glee. He closed his eyes again and blocked Spender's voice out; concentrating intently on a vision of his lover the last time he'd set eyes on him. As he conjured up an image of Alex in his favourite pose—relaxed, arms flung along the back of a chair with one leg crossed casually over the other and a smile of happiness on his face—his viewpoint seemed to slowly shift and he went from looking at his lover to viewing something that looked like an image on a VDU. Mulder blinked and took a deep breath, rather confused by the abrupt and unwanted incursion into his daydream. He wriggled into the bed a little more, made himself comfortable, and slowly and meticulously rebuilt his dream Alex. Just as he was settling to enjoy the view, the shift happened again and he was looking at the same image on a VDU. About to panic, he realised that he could hear something and listening intently he heard a voice say "Just there." He froze in shock, he'd recognise Langley's less than dulcet tones anywhere. The voice continued. "And there, can you see, Krycek?" Mulder took a deep breath as his focus moved from the screen to Langley's face and back to the screen. "Back up a little," said the husky voice of his lover. The cursor flew up the screen and the view on the screen moved. "Zoom in on that." Mulder saw the image on the screen clearly. "There!" a finger he recognised as his lover's pointed at the screen. "If they're hiding Mulder anywhere it will be in the lower levels where security is tight. Where is the entrance point and what is the security like?" Mulder blinked. This was totally surreal; he was dreaming himself in his lover's head having a conversation with one of the Gunmen. He couldn't imagine Krycek ever having a conversation with any of them except at the firing end of a pistol. His curiosity aroused he thought over what had just occurred and decided to experiment. He screwed his eyes tight, and imagined Langley. In seconds he was now looking at the same screen from a different angle, and a slight change in position allowed him to catch sight of Alex Krycek's profile. He shivered; this was all getting somewhat alarming. He pulled away from Langley and thought of Scully with some longing. The switch of viewpoint jarred him a little, but this time he was expecting it. As he focused he realised he was seeing Skinner's angry face. "Sir, this is in not getting us anywhere. I believe Krycek when he says he wants to rescue Mulder." Scully's voice started. "Why would you believe that lying, rat bastard?" Skinner asked. Scully sighed. "Because he's in love with Mulder, she said quietly, "and I think he'd do anything for him." Mulder gasped, and lost control for a second. When he came back Skinner was in full rant. "I'd never believe a word that traitorous bastard told me, Agent Scully, and I'm astounded that you could be so foolish to believe his lies. Love! That bastard knows about nothing but lies and treachery, he wouldn't know what love was if it bit him on the ass." "Krycek didn't tell me anything, sir, I could see it in the way he talked about Mulder." Scully said sharply. "He's in there offering us the best chance we have to rescue Mulder and all you can do is threaten to beat him up! We both know that Mulder believes that he and Krycek to be lovers, we both saw the film and the Gunmen said it wasn't fake, so we're just going to have to accept that he's genuinely trying to help Mulder for now, sir." Mulder managed a small smile at Scully's fighting attitude as he grappled with the news that Krycek had gone to his greatest enemies to gain help in rescuing him, and that even more unbelievably, Scully thought Krycek loved him and wasn't laughing herself sick at the thought. "But he's a traitor and a consortium spy, Scully," Skinner hissed. "How can Mulder love anyone like that? Leaving aside the fact that he's a man! He was brainwashed, we know he had to be. Mulder's as straight as a die." He took a deep breath. " I thought you two were an item, Scully, now you tell me, without any apparent qualms, that you think Mulder is seriously involved with Krycek?" Scully swallowed and Mulder closed his eyes, wondering if he should get out and give Scully some privacy, but it was like coming across a train wreck, he had to keep watching and listening. "I do love Mulder, and I know he loves me, but we're not in love," Scully said quietly. "I'm sure we could easily have been, but Mulder needs something different from me, sir. He needs my friendship and loyalty, not a passionate affair that could go wrong." Mulder couldn't handle any more of Scully's loving and compassionate truth and slowly slid out of her mind. He didn't understand what he had done or how he had done it, he just knew that it had really occurred. He wanted to run, and turned his attention to his apartment and his trusty couch. As he concentrated he could feel something happening in his body, and panicking he stopped and took a couple of deep breaths. Opening his eyes he found himself alone in the room and knew he needed to be very careful about what he did next. He settled in the bed, pulling the covers up over his head, and closed his eyes again. He took time to remind himself of the Gunman's lab and concentrated on the couch they kept in there. As he created the picture in his mind he relaxed, thought long and hard about wanting to be there, and felt something shift. Krycek was beginning to despair. The labs were almost impenetrable. He rested his head in his hands and took a deep breath. A clicking sound followed by a sound that was reminiscent of paper tearing had him on his feet and gun aimed as he watched in total shock as Mulder appeared out of nowhere and dropped in a full length sprawl on the battered couch in the corner. "Mulder," he yelped, echoed by the three Gunmen, running to the couch and kneeling by his head. He reached out and touched the glossy hair. Mulder groaned, opened his eyes and favoured him with a brilliant smile. "Alex," he said quietly, and pulled him forward and dropped a gentle kiss on his lips. At the same time the door burst open, and Krycek felt the angry, aggrieved glare of AD Skinner on his back. He stood up, holding out his hand to Mulder, who took it with a wry smile and pulled himself up to sitting. "Mulder!" Scully gasped, and Mulder looked up at her and opened his arms. Scully fell into them and Krycek watched uncomfortably as they rocked each other, crying and whispering things that only the other was meant to hear. He looked away, catching the unrelentingly hostile stare of Skinner. Raising his chin he matched the man stare for stare, glad when Mulder's attempts to stand broke off their silent battle. Krycek reached down and hauled Mulder to his feet, relaxing a little as the wince on Mulder's face told him to loosen his grasp. Mulder grabbed his hand and squeezed it before finally standing with one arm round Scully and his hand clasping Krycek's shoulder. "Hi guys," Mulder said, nodding at the Gunmen. "Hello, sir," he acknowledged Skinner's presence and gave him a weary grin. "Good to see you all again. I wasn't too sure I was going to at one point." The Gunmen and Skinner all started talking at once. Mulder cleared his throat and swayed. Krycek reached for him at the same time as Scully moved to secure him, and their gazes met, for once, in perfect agreement. "Sit down, Mulder," Scully said bossily. She nodded at Krycek, and together they pushed Mulder back into the couch and sat either side of him. Mulder looked at them both and grimaced. "Are you two ganging up on me?" he whined, the little smile lurking in his eyes assuring Krycek that he was far from unhappy at the attention. "You can tell us all we need to know just as well sitting safely, Mulder," Scully said firmly. "Yes, ma'am," Mulder said deadpan. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes and relaxed back into the couch. "You'll all be wanting to know how I just 'appeared' I presume?" he looked round at them and shook his head pulling a face. "Spender's been experimenting on me, got his tame doctor shooting nanocytes into my brain." He took another deep breath and Krycek could feel him trembling. "All I can tell you about the process was just how much it hurt, particularly when dear Dr Verne did her electro stimulation, but it wasn't until about half an hour ago, mainly because I was trying to block out Spender, that I realised that something had shifted in me. I was thinking of you, Scully and you. Alex," he turned and gave both of them a faint smile. "Imagine my shock to find that I could see the world through your eyes." "What do you mean?" Scully asked, sounding both curious and terrified. Mulder shrugged. "I found myself looking out of your eyes at Skinner as you talked, and then I looked out of Alex's eyes as he looked at a VDU and spoke to Langley." He shook his head vehemently at the sharp exclamation of breath from Scully while Krycek contented himself with clenching his fists and imagining Spender's head as a punch ball. "I couldn't read your mind, I was just seeing and hearing what you were seeing. That's how I knew you were all gathered here. When I left your minds I found that Spender had gone, so I curled up on the bed and imagined being curled up safely on my couch at home." He gave a brief smile. "Something stopped me, I guess I knew I'd do better being with you so I replaced the image of my couch with the one you keep in your office," he looked up at the Gunmen as he spoke. "I have no idea what I did or how, but I do know that if I don't sleep soon, I'm going to collapse." Krycek got up in a hurry, and he and Scully helped Mulder lie down on the couch. "Have you got a blanket or something?" Scully asked Byers. Byers nodded gravely, his eyes still fixed on Mulder's exhausted face. He vanished from the room and reappeared a few moments later with the blanket and a pillow. Krycek watched as Scully tucked the pillow under Mulder's head and placed the blanket round him. Mulder smiled faintly up at them. "Thanks," he murmured. He closed his eyes and then with an obvious effort opened them. "Don't plan anything without telling me," he ordered, "and make sure you include Alex." He yawned, blinked and fell asleep on the spot. No one stirred for a few seconds then Scully moved from Mulder's side and sat herself down in an available chair an expression of extreme shock on her face. Skinner glanced at Krycek, his anger and distrust written for all to see, while the Gunmen looked at each other and apparently appointed Langley as their spokesman. "This experimentation ...?" Langley asked, looking at Krycek. Krycek shrugged. "Spender got rid of me and started on Mulder so I know nothing about it other than Spender says Mulder is a hybrid and the Consortium looks to him for some of the answers about surviving the alien invasion." "Why did Spender get rid of you?" Skinner asked aggressively. "Seems to me that he was happy enough to let you screw around with Mulder's mind at the beginning. What was so different this time, Krycek? What are you playing at trying to worm your way into Mulder's affection and trust?" Krycek glared at him. "I'm not playing any damn game, Skinner, neither do I have to answer to your questions." Skinner advance towards him menacingly. "You will answer to me, you bastard." Krycek had his gun out and trained on Skinner in an eye blink. "Don't push me," he warned. "Will you two stop posturing," Scully said bitingly. She looked at Skinner. "Sir, the most pressing problem we have to consider is how do we protect Mulder from Spender and the Consortium. How do we stop news of his abilities getting out?" There was a long silence as the implications of what Scully said sank in. "He can't go back to his apartment and job," Krycek said slowly, lowering his gun as he spoke. "We've got to hide him, and not in some FBI safe house either. Mulder needs to be somewhere no one can find him until he can work out what is going on, what exactly he can do, the limits of his abilities and how best he can use them for the future." He shook his head. "He's not going to be happy." He looked at Scully and appealed to her as the person who Mulder had loved and trusted the longest. "Scully, he's got to disappear for a time, and I'm going to be the best person to help him." "Why?" Scully said slowly. "You, Skinner and the Gunmen are all going to come under suspicion. When Mulder's hurt, who does he naturally turn to in times of trouble. Scully? You of course." Krycek said quietly. "But you've wormed your way in now," Skinner said with angry emphasis. "Wasn't the plan all along that Mulder should turn to you, Krycek? Aren't we just playing into your hands if we believe that you can really help? Won't you just take him back to your masters?" Krycek glanced at him. "No," he said tightly. "I was set up to take Scully's place, but even you can see that I've done no such thing. And whatever I wanted at the beginning of this, I now want nothing more than for Mulder to be safe and free from Spender." "Heart warming though those sentiments sound, Krycek, I don't believe you," Skinner growled. "Screw you," Krycek said quietly. "We're talking about Mulder's safety here. He needs sanctuary, and he's not going to get it here or anywhere in DC. I can hide him, I have a lot of experience is laying low. I'm also a Consortium employee. I can play them while we keep Mulder safe." "Does Spender trust you?" Scully demanded. Krycek laughed without any real amusement. "Of course not, but Spender would expect me to want to chase Mulder since he'd figure that my pride would demand that I get him back." "So let me get this right," Skinner said, staring at Krycek. "You want to whisk Mulder away and hide him from everyone." Krycek nodded. "None of you would know where he was, we'd set up communication, but no visits by anyone for a time." "We could set you up with the hardware and software to keep in contact and shunt the signal round the world so no one could trace you," Langley said thoughtfully. Skinner glared at him as Krycek nodded. "Mulder would need access to the web, mail the works," he agreed. "We're isolating him for his own safety, but he needs to be able to communicate." He looked down at the sleeping man and shook his head. "Whatever we suggest, Mulder's going to have to okay it. He needs to be in charge because for the last six months he's been marching to Spender's agenda, not his own." "And whose damn fault is that?" Skinner said angrily. Krycek looked at him briefly. "Does it matter now?" he said tiredly. "I know you want to protect him, but the only way you're going to be able to do it effectively is by letting me take him away. I know you've only just got him back, but he's not going to stay here very long once the Consortium realise their golden boy has not only laid the golden egg, he's brooding the damn chicks as well." Scully raised her head and looked Skinner in the eye. "How ever little I want to say this, sir, Krycek is right," she said evenly. "We don't have any other options. I suggest we let Mulder sleep and when he wakes up let him make the final decision." Skinner shook his head in frustration, but Krycek noticed he didn't actively disagree with Scully. Scully nodded and turned to look directly at Krycek. "Mulder may trust you, Krycek, but I don't. Do anything to hurt him and I'll see that you live to regret it." Krycek looked down and Mulder and shrugged his shoulders. "If anything happens to Mulder while he's in my care, I'll let you," he said quietly, and tired, wrung out and needing rest, he slumped against the couch, closed his eyes and withdrew from the conversation. Mulder pushed his hair off his face and reminded himself for the hundredth time that he needed to get his haircut. He pottered round the kitchen, gathering himself a snack and returned to the computer. Munching on a chip, he read through the last paragraph, corrected a few words and filed it away in his drafts folder. He and Scully enjoyed their e-mails, and he always liked to finish with something funny off the net for them both to laugh over, but hadn't come up with anything as yet. Restless, he left the chair, took off his glasses and slipped on his jacket and went outside. Krycek was due home soon, his last e-mail suggested he'd make contact tonight, and Mulder needed to get himself in the right frame of mind. He walked across the yard, past the scurrying chickens and into the woodland beyond. The air nipped at him and he turned up the collar of his coat and thrust his hands in his pocket as he walked. Fall had only just begun and the leaves were still turning, but despite the cold and the faint hint of moisture in the air, Mulder found himself relaxing as he moved further into the wood. After fifteen minutes hard walking up a fairly sharp incline, he found his favourite spot and clambered over the fallen tree stumps to sit on the 'throne' made out of the carcass of a very old tree stump. From here he could see most of the woodland stretching out and down into the valley below him. He stilled, absorbing the sounds around him and relaxed, content to let his mind wander where it may in the comparative solitude. Some miles in the distance he picked up a stray thought of wistful hunger for a mother's cooking and focusing in on it found himself looking through binoculars at a Golden Eagle roosting high in the trees before the view was disrupted by a brief glance at a cereal bar as a hand tore at the wrapper before returning to the binoculars and the eagle. Smiling, Mulder relaxed further, dismissing the thoughts of the bird watcher and smoothing all thoughts and worries out of his mind as he rooted himself in the soil and wood of his surroundings. Unaccounted minutes flowed past until the discomfort of the coldness seeping up his legs and into the seat of his pants disturbed him. He opened his eyes, stretched and left his favourite spot to return at a much slower pace to the cabin. As he'd explored the powers forced upon him by Spender's experiments, Mulder found himself turning more and more to the peace of the countryside. A happy townie and casual user of all the convenience a large city could bring, Mulder had not been too happy at discovering exactly where Krycek's hideaway was situated. His idea of hiding in plain sight in a big city had been very quickly dismissed by everyone but himself, and despite the anger and resentment he could sense in Skinner, and to a lesser extent in Scully, Krycek's ideas had been agreed on by everyone. So here he was in Canada, some nine months after that momentous first outing of his all too frustrating 'powers'. Frustrating because he still wasn't too sure how he could best use them in the fight against the Consortium and the aliens, and also frustrating because he knew he hadn't fully explored his potential and was far too terrified to do so. Each time he found he could do something a little extra, he felt that he was losing not only his sense of self, but also his connection with the human race. Mulder shook his head and ran the last part of his journey somehow certain that he'd find mail from Krycek waiting for him. He returned to the cabin, took off his coat and sat back in front of the computer clicking on the mail message to reveal three words. 'Ready now, Alex.' Mulder rose from the chair and moved quickly to the sitting room, grabbing a banana and apple from the fruit bowl as he did so. He walked into the bedroom and lay down on the bed, closing his eyes and picturing Alex in his mind. Immediately he found himself in a rundown motel room, of a type familiar to him from many years on the X-files. Krycek appeared to be sitting on a chair his attention focused on the bed opposite. Mulder took in the details, gathered up his will and almost instantaneously found himself sprawled on the lumpy bed as a concerned, but happy looking, Krycek pulled him into a tight hug. "Missed you," he murmured in the ear nearest to him." "It's only been four days," Krycek replied, but Mulder could feel him smiling as he spoke. "And I've missed you too," Krycek added. He stood up and grabbed a bottle of coke. "Drink this, Fox. You know how bad a headache you get after this shifting if you don't take on liquids. Did you drink before you shifted, or did you forget again?" "Nag, nag," Mulder said, perfectly happy to have his lover hovering by his side. He sat up, took the coke and drank it slowly, watching Krycek as he grabbed his Note pad placed it in his rucksack and slipped it over his shoulder. Finishing the bottle, he placed it on the table, pulled Krycek into his arms, kissed him and rolled him onto the bed, hugging him tightly. Krycek kissed him back, closed his eyes and burrowed his head in Mulder's shoulder. Mulder concentrated hard on the bed and room he'd just left and relaxed as the pair of them appeared on the bed. "I'm getting better," he said cheerfully, sat up and ate the banana and apple he'd left in quick succession and nodded his thanks as a second can of coke appeared before him. He took it and drank it quickly, and lay back down on the bed. Krycek knelt by the bed and kissed him gently. "Anything I need to know before you sleep?" he asked. Mulder shook his head slowly. "We've got a bird spotter about ten miles to the east of us, but I wasn't aware of anyone else," he said, and yawned again, smiling sheepishly at Krycek Krycek nodded. "Want me to do anything?" Mulder grinned. "Make love to me?" he said hopefully. Krycek laughed. "And have you fall asleep just as it's getting interesting. No way, Fox. Been there, done that, got the dirty t-shirt I had to jerk off in." Mulder laughed, exhaustion slowly creeping up on him as he watched his lover walk to the door. "Anything I need to know?" he asked. Krycek shook his head. "It can wait. Now sleep, the sooner you sleep the sooner I can make love to you." "Now there's a thought to keep," Mulder murmured sleepily, and drifted off peacefully. Krycek closed the door on Mulder and sank into the comfort of the couch remembering the first time Mulder had shifted the pair of them. They'd been kissing on the couch, getting progressively more preoccupied and intimate as they stripped each other. Knowing how much it turned Mulder on, he'd prepared himself, slicked up Mulder and mounted him slowly, taking great delight in teasing his lover as he allowed himself to be penetrated. Mulder's panting and moaning had added to the excitement and as he began to move up and down, giving a little twist of his hips, Mulder started to cry out his name over and over again. His teasing continued until Mulder grabbed for his cock and tipped the pair of them over into orgasm. Exhausted he'd mumbled, "I haven't got the strength to stand," as Mulder nibbled on his ear and kissed him, and the next thing he knew they were sprawled on the bed and Mulder was fast asleep. Perturbed, he'd checked them both over, found nothing out of the ordinary, cleaned up, and fallen asleep next to his lover. Mulder slept solidly for thirty-six hours, and Krycek nearly went out of his mind with worry. By the time Mulder woke he was starving and complaining of a headache. Krycek fed him, dosed him with Tylenol, nagged him, loved him and watched over him as he slept for another eight hours waking to a very angry and exhausted lover. Krycek smiled reminiscently. Mulder had been shocked by his anger, and spent the next three days 'making up' for his mistake in every possible way, admittedly much of the time on his back or astride Krycek's lap, until he was sore and exhausted, but for a very different reason. After that, Mulder had agreed not to do anything without talking it over with him and Scully. Over time they'd found that Mulder only shifted what he imagined, so if he was cuffed to anything, he imagined himself as free, and shifted—free. Shifting himself required a great deal energy, so food and drink needed to be consumed before and after the shift followed by rest or sleep. To shift others he needed a hell of a lot of energy and sleep, and by now he could expect to sleep for ten to twelve hours after a two-way trip. His ability to dip into people's heads increased over time, until he only had to catch the thought of a stranger and he was in. Krycek didn't think he was reading minds, Mulder certainly never claimed to be able to, and got very uncomfortable if pressed to explain. Krycek sighed, looking in the fridge for anything to eat, noting that they needed to do another monthly shop. If anyone had told him that he would find himself in cosy domesticity with one Fox Mulder, he'd have pissed himself laughing, but now, if anyone tried to take it away, he'd kill them. He was deeply and irrevocably emotionally involved with the fascinating, bewitching, irritating, sensual, sexy and driven man, and the only thing that made it okay was the knowledge that Mulder was as deeply involved with him, to the continued puzzlement and muted horror of his partner, Agent Scully and outright hostility of Skinner. He tipped out the chips, nibbled on a carrot, drank a pint of milk and wandered round locking up the place and setting the alarms. What he needed now was rest and to be with Mulder, and joining him in bed seemed the most sensible option. The discussion regarding Spender's continued and ever frantic searching, his own finely balanced standing as a Consortium operative, his tentative 'talks' with the Resistance, Scully's increasing frustration at not having Mulder home, and their debut as budding porn stars following Spender's spiteful decision to 'release' as few of his videos of the pair of them (knowledge supplied by a somewhat furtive Langley) could wait. For now it was just the pair of them, and for the present and foreseeable future, that was all he could ask for. The end Sept 03 ali@metadigm.co.uk

Deception By Alison M http://alijot.metadigm.co.uk/index.htm Drama, Slash M/K first time. Rated NC-17. Summary: The Smoking Man has watched Mulder for years. Now is the time to develop his potential, but first he must break Mulder's links with the FBI and, specifically, with his friend and partner Dana Scully. He is sure Alex Krycek is the right man for the job. Notes and thanks: The third part of the Friends and Enemies series wasn't developing how I wanted it, so I went back to finish a story I started before Sleeping with the enemy. Sarah, busy as ever, gave it the thumbs up—yay! while David suggested a few changes and a very 'evil' alternative ending. I get the feeling he is not too enamoured of my 'partly reformed' Krycek. :-) Quercus happily strutted her stuff in the essential Americanizer role, and, as ever, I am very grateful to you all. Disclaimer: These characters unfortunately don't belong to me. If they did I'd look after them a lot better than their owners, that's for sure. I've just taken them out to play and have fun and will return them good as new. back to top

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