untitled
'PUZZLE
PIECE'
By: Pattie
2360 HEGAL PLACE,
ALEXANDRIA, VA.
10:36 PM
It had been a long day at the office. Mulder lay back on the
couch watching the Knicks game, too tired really to hurl some
well chosen words at the New York team. Anyway, his eyes were
fighting to stay open, and that suited him fine. As he was about
to slip into twilight sleep, he heard a knock at the door and a
thud.
When he opened the door, there was no one in the hallway and a
rather heavy brown envelope at his doorstep. It was marked
"Puzzle Piece" and the sender had left it at that.
Mulder took the envelope and quickly locked his apartment door.
By this time, he knew better than to wait for shadows in the
night to snatch anything like this from him.
When he opened the mysterious envelope, there was a note placed
atop many sheets of paper. The writing was familiar. "Deep
Throat," Mulder softly said. "Mail from a dead
man?" He began to read the short letter.
"Dear Agent Mulder,
"By now, I am long dead. However it happened, I was
protecting my country. I owe you an apology for not giving this
information to you sooner, but circumstances necessitated the
lies and deception. You will find these records useful, no doubt.
Remember: Trust No One. If this timing finds your father alive,
leave him with his solitude. Grant him some peace."
"Well, he didn't live to know I have these files, old
friend." For a long time that night, Mulder sat on the couch
with his head in his hands, pondering the extent to which the
Lichfield project had progressed. Just what had they done by now?
Nothing was beyond belief at this point. It had been five years
since he and Scully had met two little girls, and several grown
women who were known as "Eve".
***
OFFICE
OF THE X-FILES
J. EDGAR HOOVER BUIDLING
WASHINGTON, DC.
8:10 AM
By the time Scully arrived at the office, Mulder had been there
over an hour, going through the files on the girls, Cindy Reardon
and Teena Simmons, Sally Kindrick, and their involvement in the
deaths of one of the "Eve" clones, and the girls'
fathers.
Mulder rubbed his eyes and yawned as Scully handed him a coffee.
"Late night, Mulder?"
"Uh, no. Actually, it was an early night. Well, until this
was dropped on my doorstep."
Scully took the brown envelope from his hand and read the letter,
then glanced at the pages of data on the Lichfield Project. What
she read disturbed her. She took the lid from her coffee cup and
had a sip. "Why weren't you told sooner, Mulder?"
"I don't know. Scully, I think this is why the case was only
partly solved. We found out how the fathers died, and of course
one of the Eves, but there was a lot more going on during that
time and even now. We barely scratched the surface of that case.
I'm sure Deep Throat had his reasons for sitting on the
information."
"He was probably threatened, Mulder. So where are we going
with this?"
"I've given it a lot of thought, Scully. Obviously, the
Adams survived, and the Lichfield Project is continuing, and I
think the government knows all about it."
"And you want to know, too? Mulder! Do you realize just how
dangerous this could be?"
"Oh yeah, especially to me. But when have I ever refused a
challenge?" Mulder was hoping for approval from his partner
and received a frown of disapproval.
"Now. Because Mulder, this is bigger than you want to deal
with and you know you will be in great danger. So, you're going
to put these away, and drink your coffee, and continue writing up
the Delaney file, right?" There was a long silence from
Mulder. "Right?" Still no answer, and a very intense
stare from Mulder. "When do we leave?"
"As soon as we can, Scully. Who wants an army with hundreds
of identical soldiers, anyway?"
Scully wasn't even going to answer that one. "Who says
Skinner's going to sign on this one?"
Mulder smiled and held up the form. "Skinner says."
"I assume you got the usual lecture?"
"Yes. It's out of his hands, and he has nothing to do with
it. I promised him that. Let's just say we're tying up loose
ends. You can read the rest of this on the plane, but I doubt
you'll be finished when we land."
***
FIVE
YEARS EARLIER...
WHITING INSTITUTE FOR THE CRIMINALLY INSANE
Eve 8 entered the cell block to greet Cindy Reardon and Teena
Simmons, also known as Eve 9 and Eve 10. Eve 8 wanted to be sure
that what she had heard about the girls' accelerated psychic
development was true. After her question as to how they were
aware she would seek them out, they replied they had been
waiting. She asked again and they replied, "We just
knew." Eve 8 smiled and remarked, "Excellent," as
she made notes on a clipboard. "I think things are going as
planned. The FBI Agents?"
"They've forgotten all about us," Eve 9 replied.
"Left them high and dry," Eve 10 added. "It's nice
to be with our own kind."
Eve 6 peered at them from her dimly lit cell, and laughed
hysterically, revealing her yellow teeth and unkempt hair.
"Girls, you have no idea just what your own kind can
do!"
Eve 8 smiled at the girls. "We have a lot of work to do, and
I know you're perfectly capable of assisting in our program. It's
going to be something quite unique. You will find the science of
eugenics most fascinating!"
Eves 9 and 10 grinned.
***
PRESENT
DAY
WHITING INSTITUTE FOR THE CRIMINALLY INSANE
Teena Simmons and Cindy Reardon, Eves 9 and 10 respectively, were
by now age 13, and highly educated in the fine art of genetic
engineering, as well as the human genome. Of course. they were
not the only young Eves at the Institute. There were dozens more,
and to add to the mix there were Eves of all ages.
Mulder and Scully were about to find out that the Adams had
survived and thrived for several cloning generations. Some, of
course, had suffered defects similar to those of the Eves.
***
SAN
FRANCISCO FIELD OFFICE
SAN FRANCISCO, CA
3:33 PM
Mulder and Scully asked permission to use the web camera in a
locked room.
"Mulder? Who are you calling?"
"The Gunmen. I have an idea. Since we won't likely be able
to get into the Whiting Institute without someone of influence
helping us, they're better than no way at all."
Frohike appeared on the screen, wearing his chef's hat. "Hey
Mulder! Missin' some great ribs here. Hi, red! My heart's all
a-flutter..."
Scully frowned and shook her head, hands on hips.
Mulder just smiled. "We need... "
"Yeah, yeah. A favor. What is it this time? I've got suicide
sauce on the burner here. Langly! Put that ginger down."
"Fascist." Langly walked into view of the camera.
"Hey, guys. There's a 'Space: Above and Beyond'* Marathon
tonight... "
"Yeah, well, another time, fellas. We need you to get a live
aerial view of the Whiting Institute For The Criminally Insane.
Think you can manage that?"
Scully hadn't known Mulder was going to go that far.
"Mulder," she hissed. "Mulder, that's
spying."
"Scully, I'm just looking in on the Eves. Wanna see if they
age gracefully."
"You never whisper in my ear like that," Frohike said
in mock protest.
"Yeah, well... That doesn't mean you're not charming. So,
can you do it? Like before sunset here?"
"No can do," Langly replied. "Byers won't be back
till tonight, and he's the expert at satellite technology. How
about tomorrow morning?"
"Early. And, thanks, fellas. Save me some ribs."
"Ribs for both of you, if you send Scully over to get them
when you get back."
Mulder smiled.
"Not in a million years," Scully shot back.
"8:00 California time tomorrow. Guess you miss a couple of
episodes. Thanks." Mulder terminated the connection to The
Gunmen.
Scully squashed the paper coffee cup in her hand and tossed it
into a wastebasket. "So what now, Mulder?"
"We check into a motel and review what Deep Throat and the
others had been hiding all these years, maybe go for a drive past
the asylum on the way."
"Mulder. You don't think... "
"Oh, yes I do. You'll find something in those records that
proves the eugenics still continues, and is somehow linked to the
hybrid clones. But I'm sure you'd love to read it all for
yourself."
***
AIRPORT
ROAD MOTEL
6:30 PM
MULDER's ROOM
Scully sat cross-legged on the bed as she read through the files
Mulder had been given by an anonymous person. The amount of
information was fascinating, astounding, and exhausted her.
"I can't even imagine they knew all this about the human
genome so long ago, Mulder. Some of this research goes back to
the 1950's, and there was a way to single out the chromosome for
psychosis, to take duplicated gene off of the chromosome and
replace it with a gene to turn off the process of... Do you know
what this means, Mulder?"
"It means Sally Kindrick, Eve 7, or which ever one she was
had probably found this data and was going to turn things around
for successive clones. Think about it, Scully. Where were Cindy
Reardon and Teena Simmons dropped off?"
"The Whiting Institute for the Criminally Insane. And who
says they couldn't still be breeding more soldiers? But
why?"
"Maybe they can shoot straighter. I don't know. But we're
the ones still in the dark right now, Scully. If they're part of
the botched deal my father's associates dealt with, we should
find out everything we can. Let's break for dinner, Scully. You
look like you could use a break."
"Yeah. It's going to be a long evening. Better make it
take-out. Someone should be here with these files." She
continued to read.
Mulder grabbed his jacket. "Chinese?"
"Yeah. My God, if we'd known this openly in the scientific
community... "
"Relax. Put it down till I get back. That's an order, Agent
Scully."
***
MULDER'S
ROOM
9:15 PM
Mulder and Scully were near the end of the extra files Mulder's
former source had supplied. As Scully pushed yet another record
aside and dug into a new one, there was a frantic knock at the
door.
"Hang on! I'm coming!" Mulder shouted over the loud
raps. "Oh God!" He could think of nothing else to say.
There was a very nervous, reddish-haired girl outside, who very
quickly ran into the room.
"Lock the door, please!" She quickly cried. "I
know who you both are, and they don't know I'm here yet, so
listen very carefully."
Scully was just as shocked as Mulder. "Cindy? Teena?"
"No cigar. Eve 37 as far as I know. Another product of the
Lichfield Project. Fourth generation, and there are two more
batches whose growth was accelerated. Look, I don't have much
time. Most of us have been created with improved strength, even
higher intelligence and more stable minds, but there are people
who want to use the more sane Eves for the original purpose of
creating a superior military. And there are Adams. They never
went off of the radar. Is that Szechuan?"
"Uh, yes. It is." Mulder was almost at a loss for
words, but he had a lot of questions. "Help yourself. How
did you know who and where we were?"
"How can you talk at the speed of light?" Scully
wondered aloud.
Eve 37, terrified and justifiably paranoid, grabbed a fork and
wolfed down some food. "Everybody trusts the phone company
and their ISPs, but I can tell you everything is being monitored
these days. When I found out from the girls you know as 'Cindy'
and 'Teena' that you were the ones who sent them to Whiting, and
that 'Sally Kindrick' was trying to kill us all off, I tried to
find you, and I did. They're going to use us for something that
we were bred for, and a few of us have become independent
thinkers."
Mulder eyed her rather sceptically. "Which means what? You
want to go solo?"
"Not exactly. We shield our thoughts. As you know, we were
all designed with heightened psychic abilities. What we want is
what you want: No deal with the enemy." Eve peered out the
window and drew the motel room curtains shut. "I'm sorry for
the rapid-fire speech, but listen to me very carefully, because I
haven't got much time: Everything you have in those folders tells
the rest of the story except for a couple of details, and
remember the words 'metallic vertebrae'." Eve 37 was
beginning to sweat. "I've got to get out of here now. They
know... " She dashed to the door and ran as quickly as she
was able.
Mulder tried to match her pace, but she vanished into the
darkness.
Scully had just left the room when there was a gunshot.
"That sounded like it came from the off-ramp, Mulder. We've
got to get to her, If she's still alive we can... " She ran
with Mulder to a gully and took Eve 37's pulse. "She's dead.
I'll call and have her body put on ice so I can do an
autopsy."
Mulder shook his head at the irony of the situation. "I
don't think you'll find anything but a bullet, Scully. You can
send it to ballistics at the local PD, but if these people are
that quick, we won't find a weapon. Just the make. And it's
probably not registered, or registered to someone who doesn't
exist in any records we can access. C'mon. We've got to get out
of that motel. Someone knows we're here."
They ran back to the motel, grabbed files and luggage and checked
out as quickly as they could.
The desk clerk smiled, and leered at Scully. "Short stay,
huh?"
"Yeah, but the only afternoon delight was stale
coffee," Mulder replied.
***
Mulder decided a better place to stay would be a motel closer to
the San Francisco FBI Office, and he and Scully took rooms at the
End of Journey Motel. While the street noise wouldn't exactly be
condusive to sleep, it would just have to do. They were going to
have an early morning.
Scully had being going over Eve 37's last words, and that phrase
they were told to remember. "Mulder?"
"Yeah?"
"Do you know what the connection is to 'metallic
vertebrae'?"
"No, I don't. But nothing surprises me much these days.
Let's call it a night."
Scully shook her head as Mulder removed the ignition key.
"If it's all the same to you, I want to finish reading the
rest of those Lichfield files, and call in to let them know I
want to go over the body tomorrow."
"Well, don't forget we have an appointment with The
Gunmen."
"I think you can handle that one alone. The faster we get
this done, the better."
They signed into the motel oblivious to the mysterious triangular
craft that passed overhead the area.
As Scully was preparing for bed, she heard a shot. She pulled a
robe around herself and ran out to find another guest yelling,
"Call 911!"
The young man was all of twenty-five and was carrying a paper
shopping bag full of junk food, standing at Mulder's doorway.
"I'm Dana Scully. Did you see anything?" She ran to
take Mulder's vitals. Mulder was still in his street clothes
except for the jacket and tie. He was bleeding from his left
shoulder, but was still conscious.
"No, I just drove in and heard the shot. I didn't see anyone
around."
"No cars going out?"
"No, Ma'am. Is he gonna be all right?"
"I think so." She grabbed Mulder's cell phone from the
floor and called for an ambulance. "Stay down, Mulder. It's
only a flesh wound."
"This was just a warning, Scully. Don't let the files out of
your sight."
"What do you mean?"
"Think about the girl. We're treading on someone else's
turf."
"We'll compare the bullet in ballisticss. Let's just get you
to the hospital."
Police cars and an ambulance arrived.
"Where are you taking him?"
"Memorial." The paramedic slammed the door shut and
Mulder was on his way to the Emergency Ward.
Scully went straight over to Mulder's bed and gathered the files
and Mulder's laptop, explaining to the police that they had been
there on FBI business and could not disclose any information on
their assignment. She didn't want to lie, and truth would sound
like a fantastic science fiction tale.
Police questioned the young man, but there was nothing he could
tell them that he hadn't already told Scully. He had been in town
to settle a business deal for an accounting firm. As he was being
questioned, Scully dressed and drove to the San Francisco Bureau.
The files would be safe there, she reasoned, and ready for the
next day.
***
SAN
FRANCISCO MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
EMERGENCY WARD
10:31 PM
Mulder had been bandaged up by the time Scully arrived to get the
doctor's assessment of the damage to her partner. "Excuse
me. I'm looking for an Agent Fox Mulder?"
The nurse at the station pointed to her left. "Cubicle 9.
He's almost ready to be released.
"Thank you." As Scully made her way to Cubicle 9, she
whispered to herself, "Cubicles? Must be a busy place."
"We get that a lot around here." The nurse had followed
her down the hallway. "The place is full to capacity and
needs upgrading. Dr. Meisner ordered an antibiotic, and your
partner's free to go as long as he gets some rest and keeps the
wound dry. He'll need a change of dressing every morning."
Scully nodded as they reached the cubicle. "Well, Mulder. It
seems you'll live and if you get to sleep as soon as we get back
to the motel, you can still have that net meeting with the
guys."
Mulder got down from the examining table, and Scully helped him
find the exit. "Antibiotics. Rest. I know. But this case is
too important, and we've come too far. I take it the files are
safe?"
"May as well be in Fort Knox." Scully was looking tired
and cross.
"Scully. We can't stop now. Look at me. I think we both know
this Lichfield Project is extremely important to somebody, and
we're in danger whenever we're on a case -- "
"Mulder, you could have been killed. Get into the car. One
inch closer and it would have been your heart, not your upper
chest. Is your life really worth this 'Project'? I don't think
so."
Scully helped her partner with his seatbelt, and walked around to
the driver's side of the car. "Your bag's in the trunk. I
suggest we sleep at the Bureau office if we have to."
That's exactly where they ended up. The superiors at the San
Francisco Bureau allowed them to crash on a couple of couches in
one of the larger offices, under guard.
***
7:15 AM
Scully awoke and decided to let Mulder sleep while she went to
freshen up and change. The smell of fresh coffee wafted through
the corridors, and she hoped it was strong. She had her work cut
out for her, and perhaps today they would make some headway.
After she pronounced herself presentable, she woke Mulder at 7:45
with a mug of coffee and his antibiotic.
Mulder rubbed his stiff neck and popped the capsule into his
mouth. "What time is it, Scully?"
"Almost 8:00. Better get cleaned up and arrange for that
conference with The Gunmen."
"You still going to the morgue?"
"Yeah, and then ballistics might have something for me by
noon. Think we'll come away with anything this time,
Mulder?"
"I'm not so sure. Mmm. Who says the Bureau can't make decent
coffee?"
"You said." Scully smiled and grabbed her jacket.
"Make sure the files are locked away before you start the
day. We can't afford to take any more chances. And Mulder?"
"I know. Keep the bandages dry, and I just know you're going
to change my dressing when I get back. I just hope this
works."
***
9:00 AM
The computers were set up, the web cameras on, and Mulder and The
Gunmen were ready for the show.
"Since I'm a Federal Agent, I don't even want to know how
you connected to the satellite. So, let's just see what's going
on at Whiting."
Frohike and Byers pressed a few keys, waited, pressed a few more
and waited. "We're in, buddy. Now all we have to do is zoom
in, and it'll be as good as being in the backyard," Frohike
stated. "Kind of makes you wonder if they're monitoring us,
right?"
"I'm not going to think about that. Right now, all I want to
do is get this wrapped up and go home. So, is anything showing up
yet?"
Byers stared at the monitor, then threw a switch. "See for
yourself, Mulder."
The grounds at the Whiting Institute were still well-kept, and
obviously someone was still operating there. Mulder's eyes grew
wide when he saw a number of young men, all black-haired, tall
and apparently very strong. They were running faster than anyone
he'd seen in the Olympics. Another view showed about twenty young
women lifting weights and many other younger people of both
genders, and in several groups of people identical in appearance.
Apparently, there weren't just Adams and Eves in the compound.
Off to the side, several middle-aged Adams, Eves, and whoever
were training and some cooling down from a run. "This goes
way beyond what we were told five years ago."
"America could win every event in the games," Langly
commented. "What's their purpose?"
"I have my suspicions. Someone's either building up a large
army or a new society. Maybe they're the 'superior soldiers' I
was warned about. The Lichfield Project has gone on as planned
for almost sixty years."
Frohike smiled as a group of tall, blonde women ran around the
edge of the grounds. "Hubba hubba! My kind of babes!"
"Obviously, this goes a lot deeper than you thought,"
Byers remarked. "So what are you planning to do,
Mulder?"
"I'd like video and stills if you can do that for me, and of
course we'll need shots of the staff coming and going -- "
The screen went snowy, and the images were gone.
"Looks like someone wanted to cover their asses. We're
blocked out, dude."
Frohike worked furiously at the keyboard. "STFU, hippie! I'm
trying to get the signal back. Dammit! You're in my light!!"
"STFU to you, too, Grandpa!"
The door to the office Mulder was slowly being opened. "Uh,
guys. I'd tame the language if I were you... "
"Good morning, lovely lady."
"Good morning, Frohike. Mulder? See anything?"
"Lots, Scully. Then we were cut off before we could get
anything on tape or images. Anything in ballistics?"
Scully sat in the chair beside Mulder. "The bullets came
from the same weapon, It was an AK-74 Assault rifle, but without
the weapon we don't have anything to go on. We don't even have
the shooter."
"I was expecting as much. Hey, guys, thanks for
trying."
"Wanna try again later, dude?"
"Thanks, but I think we know what's going to happen. Snow
right off the bat. Thanks again. I'm off."
Scully peered under Mulder's jacket. "Eve 37's body had been
claimed when I got there. I don't know who claimed her or who
went against my request to participate in the autopsy. Someone
cancelled that, too. Just another Jane Doe. You'll need the
dressing changed, Mulder, and it's almost time for your
antibiotic. Do you want it an hour after lunch or now?"
"Whatever."
"Well, if you have it now, you'll have to wait an hour
before lunch, and..."
"We were that close, Scully. That close to exposing the
Lichfield Project. The file said they'd managed to remove the
genes that were causing the suicides and psychoses, and I saw
more than a hundred, and maybe there were nine hundred
altogether, I really don't know. But these were stronger and
better than any regular soldier, and I don't have an ounce of
proof." Clearly, Mulder was tired, and leaned on the desk.
Then he rallied and punched it. "DAMMIT! Even if we got in
there, they'd probably be gone by then. This is the way they
operate! They've done it to us again!"
Scully put her hand on Mulder's shoulder. "C'mon, Mulder.
Let's just get out of here, have some lunch, then go home. At
least you have the information Deep Throat had sent to you."
Mulder leaned back into the chair and sighed, shaking his head.
"Without anything concrete, we don't have anything."
"We just have to keep trying, Mulder. Remember, you hadn't
expected the envelope on your doorstep. You never know when
something else might show up."
"I guess you're right. I still have this 'Puzzle Piece.'
Let's get out of here."
What was showing up at that time was an unidentified craft over
the Whiting Institute For The Criminally Insane, and they were
being hastened away to another location. No one had reported
having seen any unidentified flying objects that day.
In a dingy, run-down motel room overlooking San Francisco Bay, a
grey-haired man sat with a cigarette in his mouth, cleaning his
rifle as several cockroaches scurried through the room. "My
work is never done. Never."
THE END
'
Disclaimer:
Chris Carter, Ten Thirteen Productions and Fox Studios own the
X-Files and all original characters. There's no money given to
me, and I do not intend copyright infringement. * 'Space: Above
and Beyond" is a creation of Glen Morgan and James Wong, and
Twentieth Century Fox Television. What a coincidence! I don't own
any of them, either.
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