Rodents Revenge
'That's the last of it,' he commented, smiling.
He discarded
the used needle and began to clean up his equipment. 'Nasty
scar you had there. No wonder you wanted it covered up.'
Alex Krycek glanced down at the tattoo encircling his left
bicep. The Chinese pictographs seemed especially appropriate
since his move to Vancouver. He had used more than one
artist in different locations across Canada as he had
traveled westward to this last stop on his journey. Russia
was a dim and bitter memory now, one that he intended to
forget as quickly as possible.
'Thanks,' said Krycek, paying up.
'Don't forget, you're entitled to a free touchup,
Mr.
Mansfield.'
Krycek smiled. He nodded to the artist and walked out the
front door into his new life.
'I think this whole story was bogus, Mulder. UFOs over
Stanley Park indeed.'
Mulder chuckled into his cellphone. 'Yeah, Scully, for
once
I agree. But we're here now, so when you're done at
the
station we might as well enjoy the scenery.'
His partner muttered something unprintable, even for an
X-File. Mulder snapped the phone closed with a smile. The
local police had been holding Scully over an hour now for
questioning. He was truly surprised they'd survived her
impatience with their tactics for so long.
He put the phone away and hunched further into his coat
against the damp. If he had not chosen that very moment to
glance down towards the end of the street he might never
have seen the man in the black leather jacket. Disbelief
stunned Mulder for a few seconds. Then he was sprinting
towards the dark figure, gun in hand.
'Freeze, Krycek!'
The man paused, uncertain. He raised his arms slowly and
turned his head to the left.
'What's this all about?'
Mulder poked his gun in Krycek's back and began to pat
him
down. Alex waited patiently for the agent to realize he was
unarmed. Mulder finally straightened, frowning, and fumbled
once more for his phone.
When Mulder glanced away for a few seconds, Krycek made his
move. One well-placed kick sent the cellphone flying. By the
time Mulder realized what was happening, Krycek had pulled
the gun out of his jacket and was pointing it in his face.
'Okay. I'd appreciate some answers. You're too
well-dressed
for a mugger...let's see some ID.'
Krycek had to keep from smiling at the confusion on Mulder's
face. I should have been an actor, he told himself smugly.
When Mulder continued to stare uncertainly, Krycek reached
forward and pulled the agent's wallet from the pocket of
his
trenchcoat. He flipped it open, pretending to study the
badge.
'FBI? What do you want with me...Agent Mulder?'
Mulder snorted in obvious disbelief. 'You're a wanted
fugitive, Krycek. I'm taking you back to the States for
prosecution.'
'In case you hadn't noticed, I'm holding your
gun,' replied
Krycek softly.
'Yeah. How come you're not carrying?'
'I don't usually take a weapon to the corner store,
Agent
Mulder.'
'Maybe not,' Mulder said with a frown, 'but
you obviously
know how to handle one.'
'I should hope so.' Krycek laughed suddenly, thoroughly
enjoying the way his shifting moods kept Mulder off-balance.
'I'm a cop. Ex-cop, that is.'
'A cop? Of all the stupid lies you could come up with,
Krycek—'
'Let's get one thing straight. My name's not
Krycek, it's
Vic Mansfield. And I never saw you in my life before
tonight, okay? So we apparently have a case of mistaken
identity here.'
Now swallow it, Mulder, thought Alex, keeping his
expression neutral.
'Oh?' Mulder looked slightly disgusted. 'You
look enough
like Krycek to be his clone.'
Alex laughed again. 'Now I know why your name sounds
familiar. Spooky Mulder, right? Nobody else in the FBI
would make up a crazy story about clones...your reputation
precedes you, even up here.' He paused, waiting for Mulder
to process all this. 'So. How can I prove my identity to
you? Driver's license?'
'Those can be faked,' mumbled Mulder.
'True. What, then?' Krycek kept the gun on his adversary,
but let his voice and posture loosen up a bit.
Mulder thought a few minutes. 'Take off your jacket,'
he
said finally.
Alex injected his response with disdain. 'Why, so you
can
grab the gun in the meantime? Don't take me for a fool,
Agent Mulder.'
'Okay, just push up your left sleeve, then.'
Here it comes. Krycek shook his head as if bewildered, but
did as he was asked. When Mulder demanded he remove the
glove as well, Krycek pulled it off with his teeth. He held
up his left hand, wiggling the fingers. 'Looking for a
tattoo?'
'...an arm. Krycek lost his arm.'
Alex smiled. 'As you can see, I have two perfectly good
ones. Satisfied?'
'I guess so.' Mulder didn't look too happy about
it.
Krycek drew a breath and made his move. He flipped the gun
around and handed it back, grip first, along with Mulder's
badge.
'Here. Why don't we retrieve your cellphone.'
Alex could feel Mulder's eyes on his back as he walked
over
to pick up the phone. He forced down the automatic defense
reaction in his gut, keeping his movements open and natural.
'Doesn't look too damaged.'
Krycek handed over the phone and studiously avoided Mulder's
eyes as the agent made his call. The usual stab of jealousy
when he heard Mulder say Scully's name shouldn't have
surprised him any longer, but it didn't lessen the hurt.
But
when Mulder's attention returned to him, Krycek's face
was a
study in innocence.
'Let me treat you to a drink?' he asked Mulder. 'There's
a
nice little lounge just down the street.'
Mulder agreed. Krycek turned and led the way. He already
knew he had won when Mulder had made no comment to Scully on
Krycek's presence.
They sat in a corner of the lounge and nursed a cold beer
each while Krycek talked about his new persona. He had even
come up with a background on Vic Mansfield, the ex-cop who
had left the Vancouver force because he could no longer
ignore the rampant corruption in his own department. Alex
chuckled inwardly at the gleaming picture he was painting
for Mulder. A picture so unlike the reality of Krycek's
sorry life.
Alex ordered two more beers. His body ached with need, but
he counseled his libido to patience. Jumping Mulder now
would not serve Vic at all. So he studied the familiar
face across the table, taking in the hazel eyes, the large
yet finely shaped nose, the lips that begged to be devoured.
Studied, and lusted, and let not one bit of his feelings
show.
The beer arrived. Krycek waited until Mulder had taken his
first large swallow, then leaned forward and asked softly:
'So how long have you been in love with Alex Krycek?'
Mulder nearly choked. He wiped quickly at the foam that
dribbled onto his shirt.
'What?' he gasped.
'It's written all over your face.' Alex put
all the twinkle
he could muster into his own teal green eyes. 'Every time
you mention his name, every time I catch you looking...at
me.'
'Damn it, Mansfield! I am not in love with Alex Krycek.'
'Hmmm. In lust, then.'
'I don't think that's...any of your business.'
'Hey, don't get so upset. I wouldn't even have
mentioned it
except for the signals you've been sending my way all
evening.'
Alex noted Mulder's violent blush with secret amusement.
'God, I'm sorry. I didn't mean—'
'Don't worry about it, Mulder.' He slid his
hand across the
table and touched the fingers of Mulder's left hand. 'You
are a very attractive man, you know.'
Mulder's color deepened. He tried unsuccessfully to reply.
Krycek took pity on him at last, and pulled away.
'Now I'm sorry. I've pushed you.'
'No.'
Krycek raised an eyebrow delicately. 'No? No, what?'
'You haven't pushed me.' Mulder took a deep
breath. 'I never
had sex with him. I wanted to, when we first met and he was
coming on like an infatuated rookie. And I think he would
have let me.' The agent shuddered. 'Then he turned on
me.
Helped mastermind my current partner's abduction. Sold
government secrets. Killed my—' He waved the memories away.
'Never mind, old garbage.'
Alex was tempted to tune out the litany. He reminded himself
that he was supposed to be hearing this for the first time.
'The part that makes me the most angry, though,'
Mulder
continued, oblivious to Krycek's inner struggle, 'is
that he
was laughing at me all along, knowing how much I wanted him.
Even while I hated him, I wanted him.'
'And where is he now?'
Mulder's answer, though not really unexpected, still cut
Krycek deeper than a knife.
'Dead. I hope.'
Alex lowered his eyes, fearful that Mulder would see too
much in them. He took another drink and wrapped his borrowed
identity around himself like a shield.
'So now that I've been assured there's no competition...'
Alex's voice was low and deliberately provocative as he
traced his long, thin fingers over the back of Mulder's hand
and wrist. He sensed the other man's desire by the way he
shifted on the bench and the undulation of his adam's apple.
'I g-guess we could take this conversation back to the
hotel,' Mulder stammered.
Alex thought a moment, then asked: 'Would your partner
recognize this Krycek?'
Mulder winced. 'Yeah. Maybe not such a good idea.'
'My apartment is down the block. Nice sound system, great
view of the river. Very private.'
Alex had the charm turned on full force. He favored Mulder
with the most devastating smile in his repertoire, laughing
inwardly when the agent fell for it. The two men left the
bar and walked down the street towards a new high-rise,
close, but not quite touching. Rain insinuated itself into
the collar of Krycek's leather jacket. He shivered, though
not from the cold.
They took the elevator to one of the upper floors. Krycek
unlocked the door to his apartment and left Mulder to drip
on the carpet while he turned on lights and the stereo. When
Alex returned from the kitchen bearing two glasses of wine,
he was all apologies and solicitude.
'Here, let me take that.' He set the wine down and
helped
Mulder out of his coat. Alex could feel the heat of the
other man's body, and felt himself respond. The soft, faded
material of his blue jeans left very little to the
imagination. He took the coat away, putting just the
slightest lilt in his walk. Alex saw the heightened color on
Mulder's cheeks as he came back and knew that his ploy had
been successful.
He handed one of the glasses to Mulder and touched its rim
with his own glass.
'To friendship.' Krycek's eyes glinted beneath
incredibly
long lashes. 'And maybe more.'
Mulder nodded and drank, while Krycek studied him. The agent
was beautiful as ever, and Alex felt a pang of some
unfamiliar emotion. To cover it, he set down his glass,
stepped forward, and pulled off Mulder's jacket.
'You're overdressed,' he whispered.
Alex loosened Mulder's tie and a couple of his shirt buttons
before stopping abruptly. 'Close your eyes a minute, okay?
There's something I want to show you.'
He waited for Mulder to comply, then took his hand and led
him to the picture window on the far side of the living
room. Standing behind the man who had caused him such pain
over the years, Krycek fought the sudden temptation to smash
him through the glass and watch as he hit the ground fifteen
storeys below. That would be fitting revenge, but not nearly
as good as his original plan. So he massaged Mulder's
shoulders instead and tried to keep his voice normal.
'You can look now.'
Mulder opened his eyes, drawing a quick breath at the scene
below. Vancouver was laid out like a starry blanket, city
lights made soft and romantic by the rain.
'Beautiful, isn't it? I never tire of the view.'
Mulder said something in reply, but Krycek had slipped his
arms around the other man's waist and didn't hear him.
He
freed Mulder's shirt tail from his dress slacks and ran his
hands over the bare skin beneath, paying special attention
to the firm nipples. Mulder groaned and pressed backwards,
grinding his ass against Krycek's swelling cock.
'I am so hot for you, Fox,' Krycek murmured, lost
in the
moment.
He realized his mistake immediately when Mulder flinched.
'You know I don't like being called by my first name,
Alex—'
Krycek spun Mulder around to face him. Angry green eyes met
startled hazel.
'Let's get one thing clear right now. I'll call
you Mulder,
if you insist, but I will not be a substitute for this
other man. Okay?'
Krycek continued to glare, hoping Mulder would buy it.
'I'm sorry. Vic. It just slipped out.'
'Okay.' Alex softened his expression. 'I'm
sorry, too.
Didn't mean to fly off the handle like that...' He caressed
Mulder's cheek gently with the back of his knuckles. 'Want
to try again?'
Mulder leaned forward, eyes half-shut, his mouth an open
invitation. Krycek obliged, running his tongue over Mulder's
full lower lip. Mulder responded in kind, pressing the
length of his body against Alex and exploring the younger
man's chest and buttocks avidly.
'Easy, baby.' Krycek pulled away, grinning. 'We've
got all
night.'
He reached for Mulder's hands and kissed each one. The
passion Alex displayed as he began to work his way down
Mulder's body with his hands and mouth was real enough.
Krycek had wanted this man ever since he had been forced by
his previous employers to spy on him. The day they met, and
Mulder had looked up from transcribing that idiotic
surveillance tape, Alex had fallen hard. Only real
self-discipline had kept him from grabbing the agent and
treating him to a quick fuck right there on the desk.
Krycek unfastened the button on Mulder's slacks, and,
in a
moment of inspiration, pulled the zipper down with his
teeth. Above him, Mulder gasped and swayed. Krycek grinned
and lowered the silk boxers to claim his prize. Mulder's
cock surpassed all his expectations, standing out proudly
from his groin, an artwork worthy of Michelangelo. Krycek
took a moment to lick the vein that snaked along it before
taking it down his throat in one long swallow.
'Oh, god—oh—!' Mulder's fingers sought a hold
in Krycek's
short brown hair. 'Gonna come,' he gasped.
Krycek pulled away immediately.
'What the hell?' Mulder choked out. 'Dammit,
Mansfield!'
Alex chuckled. He reached out and stroked Mulder's balls
until they descended again.
'Patience, lover,' he soothed. 'I'm not
through with you
yet.'
He got to his feet, grabbed the loose end of Mulder's
belt,
and led the dazed agent towards the bedroom. Inside, Krycek
let go long enough to close the door while Mulder took in
the sight of the fancy sheets on the bed. Candlelight
completed the seductive atmosphere. Then Krycek was there
again, suddenly, and Mulder gasped.
Alex smiled. He tugged his grey knit shirt loose from his
jeans and up over his head, feeling Mulder's eyes on him.
Alex tossed the shirt aside and hooked his thumb in a belt
loop, posing.
'Why don't you take off the rest of your clothes,
baby?' he
purred.
Mulder stripped so quickly that buttons flew. Krycek stifled
a laugh and bent to help Mulder with his shoes. As he rose
again, Mulder noticed the tattoo on his left arm.
'Chinese design,' Krycek explained, lifting and turning
his
arm to give Mulder a better look. 'The symbols stand for
strength and determination, and this part is my name in
Chinese: Lee Kwok Lai.'
'I like it. And the earring, too. Makes you look very
rakish.'
Krycek fingered the gold hoop in his left ear with a grin.
'Thanks. Now let's see if I can live up to that image.'
He bent to remove his own shoes and socks. Then he made a
show of unfolding his robust body and easing the zipper of
his jeans down inch by inch. When he felt he'd teased Mulder
long enough, Krycek pushed the jeans over his slim hips and
let them fall. Mulder hissed sharply. Krycek's cock
stretched halfway down his thigh, heavy and full, the head
already leaking precum.
'Don't worry, lover.' The lie slipped easily
from Krycek's
tongue. 'I know how to be careful, and how to make it feel
really good.'
He pressed Mulder down onto the sheets. Krycek wasn't
able
to tell which was smoother, the silk or Mulder's warm skin.
The men wrestled and twisted together on the bed, seeking
dominance of each other, until Mulder pinned Alex beneath
him. Krycek gave in, closing his eyes as Mulder bit his
nipples on a journey downwards to his real destination. He
gasped when Mulder's mouth wrapped itself around his
erection with surprising skill.
Mulder worked Krycek's cock with lips, tongue and throat,
letting his hand take up the portion he couldn't actually
swallow. Alex groaned with pleasure. Before he got too
close, though, he pushed Mulder's head away and rolled to
one side of the bed. He retrieved some lube and a condom
from the bedside table and looked back at his lover with
fire in his eyes.
'I want to fuck you,' Krycek rasped.
Mulder's quickened breathing was assent enough. Krycek
pressed him face down onto the bed and opened the bottle of
lube. He spread it generously over two fingers of his left
hand and inserted them into Mulder's ass.
'Your hand is cold,' Mulder complained.
Krycek bit back a sharp retort, reminding himself who he was
supposed to be. 'Sorry. Must be the lube.' He withdrew
carefully and warmed the gel before slipping more of it into
Mulder's rectum. Mulder thrust backwards in response, riding
waves of pleasure as Krycek found and massaged his prostate.
'Yesss. Now.'
Krycek grabbed for a tissue, wiping his fingers before
unwrapping the condom. He stretched the latex over his cock
with trembling hands. A sense of disbelief nearly
overwhelmed him as he prepared to enter the body of this man
he had sought so long and hated—loved?—so much. He thrust
it away roughly. Undisciplined emotion had no part in his
world. He knew too well that feelings were a quick way to an
early grave.
Alex spread Mulder's asscheeks and positioned himself. He
felt the agent shudder as he pushed forward into that tight,
ripe bud. With an effort, Krycek stopped and leaned down to
cup Mulder's face gently.
'I won't hurt you,' he promised. 'Relax.'
Mulder forced himself to take long, deep breaths. Alex
stroked his back, murmuring soothingly, until he felt Mulder
loosen enough for him to continue. That strange sensation
he'd felt earlier had returned, and, though Alex couldn't
define it, the swelling in his chest felt amazingly good. He
lifted Mulder higher on his knees for better access and
pushed again, delighting in the way Mulder opened for him
this time.
Krycek stopped once more to allow Mulder to adjust to his
size. When the agent began to squirm beneath him, Krycek
obliged his request by withdrawing and re-entering in one
long, deep thrust. Mulder's answering gasp was pure
pleasure.
'More. Faster. Please...'
Alex set a hard, fast rhythm, losing himself in the grip of
passion. He felt Mulder move with him, and clasped the older
man's hands in his own. Mulder bucked frantically with every
slap of Krycek's thighs against his ass, panting and crying
out for more.
Krycek pumped into Mulder's ass once, twice more, and
came
so hard that he nearly lost consciousness. He fell heavily
onto Mulder's back, then rolled to one side in a boneless
heap. Dimly, he felt Mulder take his hand.
'Don't you dare go to sleep yet.'
Krycek summoned a smile. He rolled back over and applied his
mouth to Mulder's dick, this time not stopping to tease.
Mulder shouted and came, hot, salty fluid bursting into
Krycek's throat. Alex lapped at Mulder until the other man
pushed him away.
'Enough. I'm getting sore.'
'I did my job, then,' Krycek murmured. He wrapped
his arms
around Mulder and pulled him close. Mulder snuggled up to
his chest, sweet and trusting. His even breathing soon
deepened, until he was fast asleep. Krycek watched him
awhile, unable to sleep himself. Watched him and held him
and rocked him gently, crooning Russian lullabies, not fully
aware of his own actions. He finally managed to drift off,
waking again with the rising sun.
'Got to go soon.' He nudged Mulder. 'Work.'
'Mmm. D'ya hafta?'
'Afraid so, baby.' Krycek swallowed. He knew his
next
question would be difficult to ask, but he had to know, had
to find out just how much Mulder had seen in Tunguska.
'Answer me something...if you can.'
'What?'
'Krycek.' It still felt strange referring to himself
in the
third person. 'Where did you last see him?'
'I'd rather not talk about him, Vic,' Mulder
grumbled,
hiding his face in the pillow.
'I'd like to know. In case he shows up again, and
tries to
hurt you.'
Mulder smiled a little. 'Let's see. The last time
I saw Alex
was in Russia...'
Krycek half-listened to the familiar story, perking up only
when Mulder said that he had gone back to where Alex was
being held by the village men. He related how he had been
too late, how he had witnessed the forced removal of
Krycek's left arm with a hot knife and had been unable to
stop the torture. When Mulder said that he had wanted to
help, Alex believed him. The look in Mulder's eyes was too
painful to bear.
Krycek glanced away. 'You're lucky,' he replied.
He composed
himself and turned back to kiss Mulder lightly on the
forehead. 'It still amazes me that you say we look so much
alike.'
'Well, supposedly everyone in the world has a double
somewhere. A doppelganger.'
While Mulder got up to shower, Krycek made himself fix
breakfast for the two of them. His thoughts continued to
swirl around his mind in dark colors. He shoved them back
into his subconscious as Mulder re-emerged, looking very
boyish with his clean hair standing up in little spikes.
They ate in friendly silence. Finally, Krycek got up from
the table and pushed Mulder gently towards the door,
swatting him on the ass as he did so.
'Take care, lover.' He tried to keep his voice light.
'See
you around.'
Krycek moved to the window and tracked Mulder's movements
down the block until the agent disappeared around a corner.
He closed his eyes for a long moment. When he opened them
again, the sun had gone behind a cloud. Sighing, Krycek went
to the phone to make his call.
Krycek sat on a bench in Stanley Park, nursing a bottle of
Molson's. His contacts in the local Russian community had
arrived as promised, helping him clean out his apartment and
bribing the manager just in case Mulder did show up again
and start asking questions. Krycek took another long drink
and stared out across the park. It was done. He had carried
out his plan, and gotten away with it nicely. One of the men
he'd called had warned him that he'd been spotted in
the bar
with Mulder, however, and Alex absently fingered his plane
ticket to safety.
The taste of revenge should be sweeter, he thought, after
all the pain he had gone through. When Alex had heard of the
experimental surgery being done in Moscow using artificial
flesh and starfish DNA, he had called in his last markers to
be put on the list. Through many hours under the knife and
in physical therapy, the vision of Mulder's surprise at the
realization that he had been sleeping with his sworn enemy
had kept him going. Now he tried to conjure that vision, and
it would no longer come.
Krycek was reminded of that computer game for kids, the one
where the rat had to try to corner the cat without getting
eaten. It had amused him, once. The trouble with the game
was, no matter how many cats the rat stopped, it ended up
trapping itself with no way out. Just as there was no way he
could see Mulder's face again, so he would never be able
to
tell him how he truly felt. How, for a few moments suspended
in time, he was able to believe that Mulder could forgive
him the lies and deceit. How he might even be able to
convince Mulder to love him.
The rain had ceased some time ago, Krycek noted, and
couldn't understand why his face was wet.
Krycek sighed heavily and got up from the bench. He tossed
the empty bottle into a trashcan and walked down the path
towards the bay, where he stood gazing out over the choppy
waves for a very long time.
The End...
Doppelganger II
by Russianrat
The needle finally stopped buzzing, and the skin artist
wiped off the excess ink in order to admire his finished
product.
