They checked Krycek into Fort Myer Hospital under an assumed name, and sent blood samples to the National Institute of Health and the Centers for Disease Control. Scully and Pendrell continued their work as well, positively identifying the virus as a new type of pneumococcus. The hospital treated Alex with a polyvalent pneumoccal vaccine, which seemed to stop the virus from multiplying, but hadn't eradicated it from his system.

Mulder was a wreck. The strain of watching Alex's life slowly ebbing away, combined with the admission of his feelings toward the man, was taking its toll on him. He was spending almost all of his time at the hospital, only going home to shower and change.

Skinner finally had to resort to physical force and handcuffs to remove Mulder from Krycek's side. Now, sitting in the Assistant Director's kitchen, the emotional stress he'd been feeling hit him full force, and Mulder broke down. Skinner removed the cuffs immediately and drew the younger man into a tight embrace, hands rubbing up and down his back.

"Fox... I'm sorry. The last thing I wanted to do was cause you pain. You've certainly had enough of that lately. I think I've finally figured out what's going on in that brilliant mind of yours. I don't know why it took me so long. I must be losing my touch. That's what happens when you get stuck behind a desk... Anyway, my conclusion is that you're in love, Agent Mulder. You're in love with Alex Krycek. You are, aren't you?"

Mulder could only nod his head and bury his face deeper against Skinner's neck. Right now he needed his boss's strength and understanding more than anything.

"Let me tell you a story, Agent Mulder. About a 28 year-old fairly green agent and his 35 year-old partner. The older agent was very protective of the younger one; he became a mentor to him. They were very close friends, and eventually... eventually they became lovers. After two years together, the older partner was given a special assignment. He went undercover to infiltrate a white slavery ring involving the sale of young boys to foreign interests. He was undercover for three months. When he came back... he wasn't the same. He wouldn't talk about what happened, but the partner could tell it was bad. Not too long after that, the younger agent came home and found his lover in the bathroom... his... brains splattered everywhere. It took him a long time to get over it. It's still hard for him to talk about it. I'm not saying that what happened to him is the same as what you're going through, but I want you to know that I understand your pain. And if you ever need to talk, I'm here for you. OK?"

Mulder pulled away slightly and took a hard look at Skinner's face. There were tears running down his cheeks. "I know that wasn't easy for you, Walter. Thank you." Mulder brushed the other man's tears away and gently kissed him.

"Fox?..."

"I'm sorry. Maybe I shouldn't have done that. It's just that... well, you've been a source of strength for me for some time now. First when Scully was abducted, then after you reopened the X Files, when my father was killed and my mother had her stroke, and now this. You've always been there for me, Walter. I just wanted to give something back. To let you know that I care about you, too. And I hope you know that if you ever need to talk, I'm here."

"Don't you think I already know that? You're the only one who truly believed I was innocent when Carina Sayles was murdered. Why do you think I told you about my near-death experience in 'Nam, or about the old woman? Because I knew you wouldn't laugh or think I was crazy. Because you would listen and not judge. Because I knew you cared. Just as much as I care for you."

"Walter... Can I stay with you tonight? Not for sex... I... I just want you to hold me. I need to feel your arms around me. To know I'm safe."

"I think we both need that, Fox." Skinner backed away, and hand-in-hand the two men headed toward the bedroom.

Fort Myer Hospital
Intensive Care Unit
7:33 a.m.

The snake-like hissing of the respirator was beginning to grate on his nerves. He'd spent every day of the past three weeks at the hospital, hovering over Krycek like some Prince Charming. Except this time it would take more than a simple kiss to wake the unconscious figure in the bed.

They'd finally gotten some positive news the day before. The physicians at the CDC had been able to identify which DNA segment had been altered in the virus, thereby causing its mutation. Now they could concentrate on finding a way to eradicate it.

Mulder's absence from the X Files was officially listed as 'extended medical leave'. It would take a more detailed investigation to reveal that he was actually protecting a Federal witness. Scully wrapped up the reports on a few remaining cases before being temporarily assigned to Quantico.

Skinner had run into a brick wall with the head of the CIA's Operations Directorate, James McKenzie. He'd gone head-to-head with the man before, and knew how unyielding he could be. McKenzie adamantly denied that Krycek was one of his agents, even after being presented with a copy of his personnel file and ID. He claimed both were 'excellent forgeries'.

That left the Assistant Director in an awkward position, something he wasn't used to. There had to be a way to verify that Krycek was on the CIA's payroll without alerting McKenzie. He knew Mulder had some unusual resources at his disposal, so he decided to give the man something to do beside watch over Krycek's still form.

Mulder had the chair pulled up next to the bed as closely as he could. His head was resting along Krycek's left arm; his own arm thrown across the other man's waist.

Skinner viewed the tableau before him with a mix of sadness and jealousy. He walked over to the bed and gently shook his agent's shoulder. "Mulder... Mulder, wake up."

Sleepy eyes slowly opened and turned to face the Assistant Director. "Good morning, sir."

"For your information, Agent Mulder, it's four o'clock in the afternoon."

"Oh... What brings you here?" Mulder sat up straight and tried to look awake.

"I need some information. However, this information is not available through normal Bureau channels. Agent Mulder, you have a penchant for obtaining that which is unobtainable, therefore I'm giving you the assignment -- unofficially, of course."

"Of course... Thank you."

"For what?"

"Your confidence in my ability to handle this assignment."

"Your abilities were never in question, Agent Mulder. It's your methods I'm concerned with. What I'm about to ask you to attempt is both dangerous and highly illegal. And if you're caught..."

"The Secretary will disavow any knowledge of my actions. God, I love this spy stuff." Mulder grinned wickedly.

"Agent Mulder..."

"OK, seriously... What kind of information are we talking about?"

"We need some hard proof of Krycek's CIA connection. The head of the Operations Directorate denies ever hearing of him."

"Hard proof as in employment records, case reports, tax returns... Am I on the right track?"

"Exactly on track. Do you have a problem with this?"

"I think you know how much I despise government cover ups. And if it will clear Alex's name in the process, then I'm doubly for it."

"I'm glad to see you haven't lost your enthusiasm for finding the truth, Agent Mulder."

"I think you'll find that's the one constant in my life, sir. When do I begin my new assignment."

"Tonight... And before you ask, I'll be staying with Krycek in the interim."

"Thank you, sir. That means a lot to me."

"Good luck, Mulder. I have a feeling you're going to need it."

Lone Gunmen Headquarters
9:01 p.m.

The three men seated before Mulder looked as happy as children on Christmas morning. Byers, Frohike, and Langley, a.k.a. The Lone Gunmen, were a constant source of amazement to the agent. Nestled in dark warehouses, surrounded by state of the art high-tech equipment, they were the only people whose zeal for finding the truth possibly exceeded Mulder's.

Byers, dressed as usual in dark suit, white shirt, and tie, finished reading the few pages from Krycek's personnel file then addressed Mulder. "There's more information here than we usually get to work with. We shouldn't have any difficulty getting what you need."

"Thanks, guys. If you pull this one off, I'll definitely owe you big time."

"Mulder," Frohike began. "Did you ever consider just asking the CIA for the information? Last time I checked, there was a thing called inter-agency courtesy."

"Not when the CIA denies that the person you're inquiring about works for them."

"Check back with us in a few days. We'll let you know what we've found." Byers turned and logged on to the computer next to him.

The other Gunmen said their good-byes and Mulder headed home.

He considered stopping at Scully's before driving back to his apartment. He hadn't spoken to her since the night they brought Krycek to Virginia. Mulder knew she was having a hard time accepting Alex's new role as 'one of the good guys'. He decided he'd better call first.

"Scully."

"Hi, are you busy?"

"Mulder... No, I was just reading. How are you?"

"I'm fine. I was on my way home and wondered if it would be OK for me to stop by. I think we need to talk."

"Sure, that would be fine."

"Do you want me to pick up anything?"

"No, not unless you want something."

"OK, I should be there in about 40 minutes."

It took closer to an hour, but he finally arrived at Scully's apartment. She ushered him into the living room and they sat together on the sofa.

"Would you like something to drink?"

"No thanks. How are things at Quantico?"

"Pretty hectic. They've got me teaching some classes while I'm there. How's Krycek?"

"The same. The CDC was able to isolate the mutation; now all they have to do is find some way of fighting it. Look, Scully, could we cut the small talk? I know you're having a hard time accepting the fact that Alex is on our side. I thought we could talk about it."

"You bet I'm having a hard time. I just don't understand your and Skinner's 'all is forgiven' attitude. What if Krycek was working for the CIA? By the way, have you verified this?"

"We're still working on it. Krycek's boss denies knowing him."

"OK, if he was working for the CIA... Does that give him the right to break the law? And he did break the law, Mulder. There's complicity in at least two murders, assault, and let's not forget the big one -- treason -- for selling the information from the DAT tape. What justification can you give for that one?"

"None... I can only say that he did what he needed to survive."

"Oh, give me a break, Mulder. Why didn't he just turn in the evidence he had? Even if his main contact wasn't available, there had to be someone he could have given it to."

"Maybe he didn't trust anyone else."

"He obviously trusted you."

"Because I've never hidden my feelings about wanting to find the truth; about wanting to uncover the government's knowledge about extraterrestrial life. And maybe... maybe he and I are more alike than you realize."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You read his file didn't you?"

"Not all of it. I just read the information relative to the undercover operation."

"Then I guess I'll just have to fill you in. Alex is the eldest of three children. His father was in the navy, so they traveled quite extensively. Which means he was never really around long enough to make many friends. He was an honor student, and valedictorian of his high school class. He was also quite an athlete. But there were notes from teachers indicating that Alex was a loner. Several teachers reported unusual bruising and injuries on more than one occasion."

"You think his father abused him?"

"Quite possibly. He received a scholarship to Carnegie-Mellon University where he majored in computer science. He graduated in the top 1% of his class. After graduation he got a job with IBM designing network security systems for the law enforcement community. Four years later he was recruited by the CIA."

"They recruited him?"

"Yea... he became quite well known for his ability to hack into supposedly secure networks, including the CIA's."

"OK, so the two of you share some similarities. Although it seems to me that Krycek would be more at home with The Lone Gunmen."

"That's an interesting thought. I'll talk to Frohike about it. They could always use someone with Alex's abilities."

"Mulder, you aren't serious?"

"Why not? It would be perfect for him. There was an interesting note in his file from the CIA's staff psychologist. It seems that Krycek ostracized himself from his family after graduating from high school. He said, and I quote, 'There's nothing for me back home except pain. It's time to try something else.' He was perfect spy material, Scully, and the CIA used him to the fullest."

Scully sat quietly for a few moments. "Mulder, despite all you've told me, I don't know if I can forgive him for what he's done. He's just going to have to prove himself to me. I'm sorry, but that's the best I can do."

"Well, that's a start. At least you're going to give him a chance. Thanks, Scully. Hey, I better get out of here and let you get some sleep."

She walked him to the door and waved as he got in his car and drove away. She shook her head as she went back to the living room thinking, 'I hope you know what you're doing, Mulder.'

Fort Myer Hospital
Intensive Care Unit
4:35 p.m.

After five weeks the CDC sent a serum which had been proven effective in destroying the virus in various lab animals without any harmful side effects. Mulder continued his vigil at Krycek's side, silently praying for a miracle. He was quite shocked when his prayer was answered.

His first indication was a subtle change in Krycek's breathing. He looked up to find himself staring into the loveliest green eyes he had ever seen. Eyes he thought he'd never see again.

"Alex..." Mulder reached over and hit the call button for the nurse. "Don't try to talk. Let's just wait for the doctor."

Dr. Michael Abernathy removed the respirator and began his examination of Alex. He poked, prodded, and listened for ten minutes while Mulder paced nervously behind him.

"Well, Mr. Johnson, you seem to be doing fairly well for someone who's been unconscious for five weeks. There is some minor congestion in your lungs, but that can be easily treated. You're going to feel some weakness for awhile, so I recommend plenty of rest. I know what you're thinking -- I've been resting all this time -- but it's not the same. Your body needs time to adjust. We'll gradually re-introduce you to solid foods and begin a therapy program to strengthen your muscles. I'll send a nurse in to draw some blood for analysis, and we'll be running additional tests over the next few days. The main thing to remember is to just take things slowly, OK?"

Krycek nodded.

"Good... I'll see you tomorrow, Mr. Johnson. And welcome back."

Mulder stopped him at the door. "Dr. Abernathy, is he going to be all right?"

"We won't know for sure until we complete all the tests on him, Agent Mulder. This virus was designed to kill. That in itself should give you an indication of the potential harm it could cause to a body. We'll do everything we can for him. Don't worry."

"Thank you, doctor." Mulder turned around and returned to Krycek's side. "Welcome back, Rip Van Winkle."

Alex smiled weakly. "Muld..." It came out as a harsh rasp.

"Don't say anything, Alex. We'll have plenty of time to talk later. You just concentrate on getting well, OK?"

Krycek raised his right hand and formed an 'O' with his middle finger and thumb.

"Now that you're awake, let me fill you in on what's been happening in the world."

Krycek fell asleep within minutes. Mulder called Skinner and Scully and gave them the good news, then stepped outside for some fresh air. He sat staring up into the night sky, marveling once again at its vastness and simplistic beauty. He felt happier than he had in weeks, and extremely relieved. Now that Krycek was out of danger, Mulder could allow another agent to stay with him and he could return to his work on the X Files. He could return, but somehow the search for the truth had taken a side road, and Mulder was hopelessly lost. And he knew with utmost certainty that the only person who could save him was Alex Krycek.

Government Safe House F41b.8/i
Three Weeks Later

"Well, what do you think?"

"I don't know, Mulder. I've been living in cheap hotels the last couple years, remember? This is a palace compared to them."

It was their second day at the safe house and Mulder was giving Alex the grand tour. Dr. Abernathy felt Krycek was well enough to be moved, but recommended that he continue the therapy and diet he had prescribed.

Alex's recovery had been going well. The virus had been purged from his system and there was no serious damage to any of the organs. He still tired very easily and his appetite wasn't back to normal.

Since Alex's emergence from his coma, he and Mulder had talked about anything and everything -- well, almost everything. Mulder hadn't been able to bring up the subject of Alex's arm, and Krycek wasn't volunteering anything.

During several of their discussions, Mulder noticed a look of fear pass over Alex, as if he were reliving some remembered horror, only to have him quickly shake it off. He was sure it was connected to Krycek's sudden dread of the dark. He'd gone into hysterics their first night at the safe house. Alex had fallen asleep and Mulder turned off the light and left the room. Some time later, Mulder was racing back to Krycek's side, alerted by the man's frantic screams for help. Alex had been cowered against the headboard, arms surrounding drawn up knees, whimpering like a frightened child. It had taken Mulder over an hour to calm him down, and only after he swore an oath not to leave or turn the light off again.

After the tour, Alex decided to take a long stroll around the grounds. He regretted it half-way around as his leg muscles screamed disobedience when he asked them to move. Mulder practically carried him upstairs and put him to bed.

Mulder looked up from the book he was reading to find Krycek staring at him. "You're awake."

"Mulder... how long have I been asleep?"

"About three hours. I said you overdid it. How are you feeling?"

"Still tired, actually..." Alex was interrupted by a rumbling noise from the vicinity of his stomach. He laughed. "I guess I'm hungry, too."

"I'll see what we have in the larder. Although I'll warn you, my best dish is toaster waffles."

"Oh, God, don't tell me I survived all this just to be poisoned by you?"

"Hey, I make a pretty mean toaster waffle. Lots of real butter and maple syrup. You'll love them."

"Well at least it's better than sitting in a dark silo eating roaches." Krycek's smile faded and he turned his head toward the wall.

Mulder sat down on the bed, taking Krycek's hand in his. "Alex? Talk to me. What's wrong?"

"Sorry, Mulder. Very bad joke."

"You were talking about something that actually happened, weren't you? Alex... I'm here for you. You know that, don't you?" Mulder tipped Alex's face up to look at him.

"I know... When you live with the rats, Mulder, you do whatever's necessary to survive. And survival is the primary objective. Nothing and no one else matters. Just you. I hope to God you never have to face that."

"You're not going to tell me about it, are you?"

"I can't. Not yet, anyway. Now, you were saying something about waffles?"

"OK, one order of waffles coming right up." Mulder squeezed Alex's hand and went off to the kitchen.

Krycek made quick work of the meal. It really was quite good. He kept glancing over at Mulder in-between bites; Alex froze every time the other man shifted.

"Alex, is something wrong?"

"I'm sorry. This is just too strange. I keep expecting you to jump up and start hitting me. I still don't understand why you've suddenly accepted who I am."

Mulder had been dreading this conversation, even though he knew it would come up eventually. He closed the book and joined Krycek on the bed. "I read your file and realized you were just playing a part; like an actor. It wasn't fair for me to judge you based on past history, so I decided to start fresh."

"But you were being nice to me before you even got my file. You helped me when we were in the parking garage."

"Because you were sick. I wanted to find out why you were helping me."

"I don't believe that was the only reason, Mulder. You said you'd been 're-evaluating our relationship'. Why? What suddenly changed between us?"

Mulder stared hard at the floor. He wasn't ready for this yet, and he didn't think Alex was either. He looked up when he felt Krycek's hand cover his.

"Mulder... I need to know. Please..."

They sat there for endless moments, staring into each other's eyes. Mulder was torn between running from the room and grabbing Alex and kissing him senseless. Krycek, thankfully, made the choice for him.

Alex slid his hand up Mulder's arm and brushed his fingers lightly over the agent's cheek. He traced the lower lip with his index finger, lingering briefly before pulling Mulder into a gentle, chaste kiss.

Mulder needed no more incentive. He leaned forward, pushing Alex to the bed; moving until he was stretched fully along Krycek's body. Their kiss deepened -- Mulder slid his tongue into the other man's mouth, exploring, dueling, sucking lightly.

Alex's hands moved down Mulder's back and over his ass, kneading the firm flesh. Mulder moaned and pressed himself harder against the other man. They began to thrust together, their desperate need for release overriding conscious thought.

Krycek came first, his keening wail echoing through the small room. Mulder quickly followed. He buried his face in Alex's shoulder, biting his lip to keep from screaming. They lay together quietly, neither wanting to break the connection.

"God... S'been too damn long, Mulder. Mmmm... As much as I enjoy this, though, it's kinda hard to breathe."

"Sorry..." Mulder rolled onto the bed and leaned on his elbow, placing his right hand over Alex's heart. "Are you OK?"

Krycek smiled. "Better than OK. I guess you answered my question."

"Alex... I love you. I don't know why I love you, but I know that I do."

"Mulder... don't, please. I... I don't know if I'm ready to talk about feelings and emotions and long term commitments. It's hard enough accepting the fact that you don't want to kill me or use me as a punching bag. We need to take this slowly, OK?"

"Whatever you want, Alex. I'll be here. Hey, how about a shower?"

"No." Krycek turned his face away from Mulder.

Mulder felt as if the temperature had just dropped about 40 degrees. "Why not? You must feel as uncomfortable as I do right now."

"I can't, Mulder. You wouldn't want to see me."

Mulder took Alex's left arm and picked it up. "This? Is this what you're talking about? Alex I don't care." He let Alex's arm drop, then began unbuttoning his shirt.

"Mulder, no."

"Shhh... I want to see you. All of you, Alex. I want to touch and kiss every inch of your skin." Mulder undid the shirt and ran his hands over Krycek's chest. He bent down and kissed Alex's left shoulder down to where the prosthesis was attached, then licked his way back to where he'd started.

Alex shuddered at the feel of the other man's tongue. "Mulder, maybe a shower is a good idea."

Their bodies were pressed close, slick from soap and water. Mulder's erection ground against Alex's, eliciting a moan of pleasure from them both.

"Mulder, I want you. I want you inside me. Make love to me, please."

"Alex, I've never done this before."

Krycek laughed. "Coulda fooled me. Don't worry, I'll talk you through it."

Mulder was a good student, and soon the two of them were locked together, flesh within flesh, moving in an age old rhythm. He reached around and clasped Alex's cock, stroking up and down, kissing the back of his neck.

"Harder... Fuck me harder..."

"Alex... I..."

"Feels so good..."

"I never knew..."

"Oh, God, Mulder..."

"So beautiful, Alex..."

"I'm not gonna last long..."

"I... me either... oh, God, yes, yes..."

"Oh... Fox..."

Afterward, they finished washing and toweled each other dry, then moved back into the bedroom to get dressed. Mulder wrapped his arms around his lover. "That was incredible. Thank you."

"You're a very bad influence on me, Mulder."

"Look who's talking, Alex. Or would you prefer being called David? I never thought to ask you."

Krycek spun around, shoved Mulder against the wall hard and pinned him there. "Don't ever call me that again, do you hear me!? My name's Alex... Alex." Krycek released him, grabbed a robe and went downstairs.

"Alex?..." Mulder reached across the table and touched the other man's arm. "You want to tell me what I said to set you off like that?"

Krycek stared into his juice for several minutes unable or unwilling to open up to Mulder. He finally raised his head and grinned. "This isn't easy for me. I'm not used to getting close to people. That's something someone on the run can't afford to do."

"I know... But you're not running any more, Alex. If it's too painful to talk about, I'll understand. I'm very patient. Besides, we have a lifetime to get to know one another."

"I can't think that far ahead, Mulder." Alex took a sip of juice and cleared his throat. "OK, here goes. Last chance to change your mind."

"Never."

"You read my file. David was my father's name. He was career Navy, and the most abusive son of a bitch you ever saw. Not so much physical, but he was known to smack us around once in a while. His specialty was head games. He could mind fuck with the best of them. One of his favorites was to tie my hands behind my back, then tie my feet together and lock me in a dark closet. Then he'd... he'd close the door and go away for a while. I never knew for how long; the time interval was always different. When he did finally come back, he'd pound on the door relentlessly. Sometimes I thought he'd break it down. After a while he'd go away and it would start all over again. It would go on for hours. Sometimes... sometimes he'd leave me locked up all night. He said he did it to make me strong; to make me a man. Anyway... after I graduated from high school and went off to college, I never used my given name again. I had it changed legally six years ago. And that's my sad, pathetic story." He downed the last of the orange juice, then sat quietly.

Mulder didn't know what to say. Alex had just bared his soul to him. "Alex... why didn't anyone report him? What he did to you was tantamount to psychological torture."

"We were terrified of him, Mulder. Terrified of what he was capable of doing. Besides, I didn't want him to hurt my little sisters or my mom."

"Tell me about your sisters."

"Teresa and Angela... They're five years younger than me, and they're twins."

"Where are they now?"

"I don't know... I... I haven't seen any of my family for a long time."

"Is your father still alive?"

"Both my parents are; I... checked on them. My mom finally got the nerve to divorce the bastard. Last I heard she was still living in Seattle. He moved to Portland."

"When was the last time you saw your family, Alex?"

"You don't quit, do you? OK, Mr. Psychologist... After I left for college, I never went back. I was afraid if I did... that I'd kill him. I wanted to; I still want to for everything he put us through. I will give him credit for one thing though... if it weren't for him, I don't think I would have survived being in that silo."

"That's the second time you've mentioned the silo. Was that the one in North Dakota where Cancer Man hid the UFO
remains the French salvage ship recovered?"

"Not just the UFO, but the occupant as well."

"The occupant? What happened?"

Krycek stiffened visibly, and a look of panic crossed his face. "I'm not ready to go there yet, Mulder. Some other time, OK?"

"Sure... I'll be here when you are ready. I won't desert you, Alex. I promise." Mulder glanced at his watch. "Hey... it's time for your therapy. C'mon."

"Mulder, you're not into role playing, are you?"

Washington DC
11:19 p.m.

Mulder agreed to meet The Lone Gunmen at his apartment. He'd needed to pick up a few things anyway.

"Well, were you able to find anything?"

"Sorry, Mulder, he doesn't exist." Byers returned the pages from Krycek's file.

"What do you mean he doesn't exist? I just left him 15 minutes ago."

"All his records have been purged from the government databases, and the CIA's system is a dedicated mainframe, impossible to hack into unless you were on the original design team."

"Damn!" Mulder paced around for a few minutes, trying not to let the frustration get to him. "Wait a minute... Design team? Why the hell didn't I think of that before?"

Frohike eyed his friend suspiciously. "Mulder, are you OK?"

"Krycek used to design security systems at IBM. He just might be able to break into those files and..."

"Mulder, you've got your Krycek's confused," Byers interrupted. "You're thinking of David Krycek, the master of network security design. There wasn't a system made that he couldn't hack his way into."

"He's really that good?"

"David, not Alex."

"They're the same person, Byers. David Alexander Krycek... he changed his name."

"So that's what happened to him. I should have known the government wouldn't allow him to remain a free agent. Mulder, if you've got David Krycek, you don't need us."

"Quick, let me get my tape recorder. I don't believe I'm hearing this. You're actually admitting there's someone better than you? Be still my heart."

Frohike answered. "Well, there aren't many, Mulder, but we do acknowledge the experts when we encounter them."

"OK, look, thanks for trying. I tell you what... when this is all over, I'll personally introduce you to Alex."

Three voices chimed in as one. "Really?"

"Good night, guys."

"Night, Mulder."

"Bye, Mulder."

"See you around, Mulder."

Government Safe House
1:08 p.m.

Mulder, Krycek, and Skinner were seated in the living room. The AD had stopped by with some unsettling news.

"I've just come from the Justice Department. They're going to bring charges against you, Alex. Without any corroborating evidence to support your claim, you're just as guilty as the people you were doing the surveillance on."

"You sound surprised. Haven't you figured out how these people work yet? They don't leave anything to chance. They can't afford to. Once they found out I was working for the CIA, they put their plans into motion. How do you think I became infected with that virus? They wanted to kill me, but they also wanted my death to be a lesson to others; to show what would happen if anyone betrayed them. I'm sure they even made contingencies for my recovery. That's why I'll be arrested, possibly even arraigned, but I'll never be brought to trial. They'll make sure I'm dead before then."

"Walter, isn't there something you can do to delay them? Tell them we're getting the evidence?" Mulder took Alex's hand and wrapped it in his.

"I can try. I don't know how much good it will do. Can you get something, Mulder?"

"Alex is sure of it, however, he's going to need some equipment."

"What kind of equipment are we talking about?"

"Computer equipment. I've made a list." Krycek removed several sheets of paper from his pocket and handed them to Skinner.

"What the hell is all this?"

"Those are technical specifications for some custom equipment I need. The Bureau's IT Department should be able to handle it without any difficulty."

"I'll see what I can do and get back with you."

Montrose Park
Georgetown

He looked perfectly natural sitting on the park bench watching the children play. To the casual observer, he appeared to be a well-dressed, elderly gentleman; perhaps even a grandfather to one of the children. Which suited him just fine. In his profession, the ability to blend in was a much needed asset.

A shriek caught his attention and he turned to watch two of the children chasing one another. The corners of his eyes crinkled as he smiled. When he looked back, a second man approached, equally well-dressed. He joined the first man on the bench, immediately pulling a cigarette from its pack and lighting it.

The smoking man spoke first. "This place is very public. Aren't you concerned?"

"We're just a couple of old men enjoying a beautiful day in the park. Why should I be concerned?"

"You said it was urgent." He took another puff, exhaling slowly.

"You lied to us about the tape. It wasn't destroyed in that explosion, and neither was Alex Krycek."

"I was... misinformed. Besides, Krycek has been dealt with. I injected him with the virus myself."

"He's very much alive, and he's turned over all the evidence to Mr. Mulder."

There was a slight change in his attitude; an almost imperceptible shudder ran through him before he spoke. "Really? What's to be done about it?"

"That depends a great deal on you, doesn't it? I understand South America is very lovely this time of year. Perhaps a vacation is in order. You seem a bit stressed."

"Yes... I understand. Shall I make the arrangements?"

"I'll handle it. You'll be contacted and given all the necessary details. Until then, I suggest you keep a very low profile. And whatever you do, stay away from Mulder."

He took a final drag from his cigarette, dropped in on the ground, and stamped it out. Then, rising slowly, he walked back toward his car without saying another word.

"I'm sorry, my friend, but failure cannot be tolerated. Not even by you."

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